EP. 106 RIP ACE FREHLEY....MY TRIBUTE TO THE SPACEMAN!

Send us a textReady to drop into a very specific moment when radio ruled and MTV was just learning to crawl? We spin the clock back to November 1, 1981 and walk through the Billboard Top 40, blending chart facts with the stories, studio secrets, and memories that make these songs glow again.We start by setting the ground rules—Hot 100 vs Top 40 vs AC—then dive straight into the countdown. Expect a wide-angle view: the Go-Go’s shaking up pop with Our Lips Are Sealed, Pat Benatar powering early MTV, and Earth, Wind & Fire bringing the funk with Let’s Groove. We unpack why ELO slipped French into Hold On Tight, how Foreigner’s Urgent turned a Junior Walker sax break into legend, and why Rod Stewart’s Young Turks signaled a synth-driven pivot from his 70s sound. Along the way, we pull on threads that connect the charts to real life: concerts, car stereos, and the way a single track can stamp a season.The middle stretch leans into giants. Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty turn a Heartbreakers tune into a career-defining duet. Olivia Newton-John’s Physical holds the summit for ten weeks, reshaping her image with a laser-focused pop move. James Ingram’s velvet voice on Just Once and The Police’s bright pulse on Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic show how R&B and new wave shared space on mainstream radio. We highlight the unsung heroes too—session players like Steve Lukather and the Toto crew—whose fingerprints are all over this chart from Christopher Cross to Quincy Jones.We close by climbing through the top ten: Eddie Rabbitt’s smooth country crossover, Rick Springfield’s Hagar-penned rocker, Little River Band’s late-night anthem, and Dan Fogelberg’s heart-on-sleeve songwriting. Then it’s stadium fuel with Start Me Up at number two and a movie moment at number one, as Arthur’s Theme floats on Bacharach’s craft and pristine studio work. It’s a love letter to a week where pop, rock, R&B, and country sat shoulder to shoulder—and to the memories these songs unlock the moment the first bar hits.If this trip through 1981 hit the nostalgia nerve, tap follow, share the show with a friend who loves the 80s, and leave a quick review. What’s your favorite track from this chart, and which one deserved to climb higher? Tell us—we might feature your take next time.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textThree longtime friends sit down to build the ultimate Halloween watchlist—and accidentally write a love letter to the entire horror genre. We start with a simple premise: the best movies to watch in October don’t need jack-o’-lanterns on screen, they just need that unmistakable fall feeling. From Universal monsters to modern slashers, from moody thrillers to cult parodies, we mix personal favorites with film craft insights and the kind of late-night stories only movie nerds can tell.We dig into what actually makes a film scary. Is it the gore, or the restraint? Halloween (1978) becomes our North Star: a tiny budget, an unforgettable synth theme, and a shape that rises when the frame goes quiet. Friday the 13th gets credit for a perfect twist and inventive kills, while Scream earns its place as a meta reset that taught an entire generation to spot tropes. Poltergeist blends suburban comfort with spectral chaos, and Fright Night slyly weaves faith, folklore, and teenage panic. Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula shows how practical effects and novel fidelity can still feel lush and dangerous, and The Shining turns isolation into a pressure cooker where sound is the real knife.We also roam the deeper stacks. Vincent Price and The Raven prove horror can grin while it chills. Jaws and Duel show how music and editing transform everyday spaces into threat zones. Phantasm’s tall man and silver sphere highlight indie ambition and dream logic. The Purge pushes into social horror, where the monster looks a lot like us. And at the foundation sits Frankenstein (1931), the blueprint for American gothic: iconic makeup, towering sets, and a creature that taught generations how to stage tragedy and menace.Expect spirited debate, production lore (yes, Michael Myers wears a repainted Captain Kirk mask), and the occasional tangent about midnight screenings and wired theater seats. Most of all, expect a watchlist that respects mood, myth, and meaning as much as body count. If you love October for its atmosphere and stories that linger, you’re in the right place.Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and drop your top three Halloween must-watches in the comments. Share it with a friend who thinks they’ve seen it all—what did we miss?Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textWhat if a country song could change the way you love the people closest to you? We sit down with Josh Gale and Sean Monahan of Charleston’s Gale Bird to unpack their high-energy live show, the heart behind their new single “Roses,” and why they reject the “Christian country” box while still writing about what God cares about: marriage, courage, humility, and hope.From the first riff, you’ll hear what sets them apart—lush harmonies, big-time guitar solos, and a commitment to excellence that lowers defenses in the room. Josh and Sean share how they write from personal need, not market trends, turning private lessons into public lyrics that feel like the words you meant to say yesterday. “Roses” is a simple, urgent message: stop waiting for the perfect moment to speak love. Say it now, before time runs out. That theme expands into a candid talk about pride, why men hold back praise, and how intentionality can do what emotions won’t.We go behind the scenes of their process: a label push to deliver twenty songs in six months, early mornings at the gym, client work in web and PR, session gigs, and carving out studio time between family schedules. They open up about industry realities—venue closures, insurance costs, and why streams don’t pay the bills—and make a clear case for how fans can keep new music alive: buy merch, bring friends, and support club shows. Along the way, we trace their influences from the Eagles and Skynyrd to Queen and Lincoln Brewster, and explore how a great live show can turn into life-giving conversations on the ride home.If you love alternative country with real lyrics and big musicianship, or you just need a nudge to say the thing that matters, this conversation will stick. Stream “Roses,” check out Gale Bird’s catalog, and tell us the line that hit you hardest. If you enjoyed this, subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with a friend who needs some courage today.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textThe news hit like a power chord: Ace Frehley, the Space Ace who helped launch KISS into legend, is gone at 74. We didn’t plan this show, but some losses demand a pause, a story, and a stack of records. So we pulled the vinyl, opened the gatefolds, and traced how one guitarist turned curiosity into devotion—from hearing KISS Alive for the first time to wearing out Love Gun on a summer wall with a boombox and friends.We walk through Ace’s DNA as a player and writer: the early cuts he penned without singing, the moment Shock Me revealed a new voice, and why his solos feel like mini-songs with their own arcs. The mystique mattered too. Before social media, you learned through magazines and rare TV glimpses, like the infamous Tom Snyder interview where Ace’s cackle and timing stole the night. That mischievous, kind spirit made the myth human, even as the guitar stayed larger than life.There’s hard truth here as well. We revisit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame no-performance debacle and the now-impossible Kennedy Center moment, reflecting on what happens when time runs out before fences are mended. Still, the music kept coming: Origins, Space Invader, Anomaly, Spaceman—proof that Ace never stopped creating or touring. We share a recent live memory that captures his charm and flaws, and then roll out a definitive top 10 of Ace-sung tracks, from Into the Void to Ozone, Fractured Mirror, and the always-electric Shock Me.If you grew up with KISS, this will feel like opening a time capsule. If you’re new to Ace’s catalog, it’s a map to what mattered: tone, feel, humor, and heart. Press play, share your first Ace memory, and spin those records loud. If this moved you, subscribe, rate the show, and tell a friend—then drop your must-include Ace track so we can keep the tribute going.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textWhat if a single album could define an era, spark a memory, and convert a newcomer in one spin? We dive into the compilations that earned permanent residency in car stereos, living rooms, and playlists—records that are more than samplers, they’re time machines. From Queen’s precision-crafted anthems to CCR’s jukebox grit, from the Eagles’ California melancholy to the Beatles’ Red and Blue masterclass in evolution, we trace how the best greatest-hits collections tell a bigger story than any one studio album can.We share how U2’s 1980–1990 compresses the sprint from post‑punk urgency to widescreen grandeur, why Billy Joel’s Vol. I & II plays like a perfect American songbook, and how Journey’s Greatest Hits quietly became a chart marathoner that refuses to leave. Along the way, we swap memories, chart stats, and the sequencing choices that turn a stack of singles into a seamless journey. We also spotlight Beach Boys’ Endless Summer for pure mood, and tip our caps to legends like Bob Marley’s Legend, ABBA Gold, Elton John, Stones’ Hot Rocks, Bowie’s Changes, Aerosmith’s early set, and Steve Miller’s radio rocket fuel.If you’ve ever argued that a compilation can outshine an artist’s original albums, you’ll feel right at home. And if you’re new to any of these catalogs, consider this your curated map—built for long drives, house parties, and late-night nostalgia. Hit play, debate the canon, and tell us the one greatest-hits album you’d save first.Enjoyed the ride? Subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who loves a good music rabbit hole. Your comments and reviews help more listeners find the show—what’s your number one greatest-hits pick?Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textThe show opened on an empty chair and an honest apology—and then turned into one of our most substantive conversations yet. Sheriff Chad Bianco, longtime Riverside County law enforcement leader and 2026 California gubernatorial candidate, sat down with us to map out practical, fast-acting ways to tackle the problems Californians feel every day: $4+ gas, brazen theft, encampments, soaring insurance risk from fires, and schools that feel more political than practical.We start where wallets hurt. Bianco explains why California pays so much at the pump and lays out day-one moves: permit in-state drilling, modernize refineries, end boutique-fee games, and let supply meet demand. From there, he draws a straight line to cost of living—transport drives the price of everything—and to business retention by scrapping predatory litigation like PAGA, slashing red tape, and competing with zero-income-tax states. Public safety is his core: reopen closed prisons, restore consequences, support prosecutors who prosecute, and give communities the baseline security that lets everything else grow.On homelessness, he pushes a treatment-first model: mandatory detox, serious mental health care, and structured reentry—backed by redirecting billions from ineffective NGOs to providers that actually deliver outcomes. We go deep on water and wildfire, too: build storage now, partner with the Army Corps of Engineers, turn on desalination, and fund Cal Fire to stop letting manageable fires become city-level disasters. He also takes on redistricting power grabs, voter trust, and a school overhaul anchored in universal vouchers and a hard line on protecting girls’ spaces in sports and locker rooms.Whether you agree with every policy or not, the conversation is clear-eyed and packed with specifics. If you’re tired of abstract slogans and want to hear how a governor could reduce costs, raise safety, and restore basic competence, this one delivers. If it resonates, do us a favor—subscribe, leave a review, share it with a friend, and tell us in the comments: what should be fixed first?Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textEver wondered about the untold stories behind those songs that dominated the airwaves for just a fleeting moment? Friday Night Live takes you on a musical journey through decades of one-hit wonders, revealing the surprising connections and career trajectories that followed these brief moments of fame.After catching up on recent events (including a nostalgic alumni gathering that kept the conversation flowing until midnight), I dive into what makes certain albums true masterpieces from start to finish. Boston's groundbreaking debut—engineered by MIT graduate Tom Scholz in his basement with custom-built equipment—stands as a testament to musical innovation, having sold 16 million copies despite never receiving a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination. Similarly, The Cars' first album packed nine tracks with six becoming certified hits, essentially creating a greatest hits collection on their first try.The heart of our musical exploration celebrates one-hit wonders across the decades, but with a twist—uncovering how these seemingly isolated successes connect to the broader musical landscape. Did you know Shocking Blue's "Venus" found new life with Bananarama? Or that Jim Peterick of The Ides of March ("Vehicle") later formed Survivor and co-wrote "Eye of the Tiger"? From Free morphing into Bad Company after "All Right Now" to David Bowie penning "All the Young Dudes" for Mott the Hoople, these connections paint a richer picture of music history.Some artists labeled as one-hit wonders actually had multiple chart successes—Don McLean followed "American Pie" with a hit cover of Roy Orbison's "Crying," while The Knack and Donnie Iris continued their success beyond their signature songs. Even Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf's primary songwriter, created nearly identical-sounding hits for Air Supply, Bonnie Tyler, and Barry Manilow all in 1983.The Melort Challenge returns tonight—call in with music trivia that stumps me, and I'll take a shot of the worst-tasting liquor ever created as punishment. Join me next Saturday for a special live interview with Sheriff Chad Bianco, who's running for governor of California. Your questions and comments will be welcome during the stream!#tellyourstory #familymatters #thebenmaynardprogram #musiccommentary #musicstories #onehitwondersThanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textFifty years ago, a struggling band in makeup and platform boots released an album that would not only save their career but reshape music history. KISS Alive, celebrating its golden anniversary this month, stands as perhaps the most consequential live album ever recorded.Before September 1975, KISS had released three studio albums that failed to capture the explosive energy of their theatrical live shows. The band was considering leaving their label, Casablanca Records, which was teetering on bankruptcy. In a last-ditch effort, they released a double live album that finally delivered what fans had been experiencing at concerts—the raw power, the showmanship, and the spectacle that made KISS legendary.From the moment J.R. Smalling's voice announces "You wanted the best and you got it, the hottest band in the land—KISS!" and the band rips into "Deuce," listeners were transported. The album packaging was equally revolutionary, featuring personal notes from each band member and an eight-page color booklet that made fans feel part of something special. Songs like "Got to Choose," "Black Diamond," and "Rock and Roll All Nite" found their definitive versions here, far surpassing their studio counterparts.What makes KISS Alive truly remarkable goes beyond the music. Its success not only catapulted the band to worldwide fame but saved Casablanca Records, allowing them to merge with Filmworks and, remarkably, sign the disco artists who would define the late 70s—Donna Summer, Village People, and Parliament among them. Without four guys in makeup playing rock and roll, disco might never have reached its cultural zenith.Want to celebrate this landmark album with fellow fans? Drop a comment sharing your favorite track, and don't forget to subscribe for more deep dives into the albums that changed everything. The drums are tribal, the guitars are loud, and fifty years later, we're still ready to rock and roll all nite!Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textWhat makes an album perfect from start to finish? This question sparked a lively exploration during this special "Breakfast with Ben" episode, where we journeyed through the musical landscape of 1975 and beyond.Taking a nostalgic dive into the top 30 singles of 1975, we rediscovered gems that shaped a generation - from War's "Lowrider" and KC and the Sunshine Band's dance floor anthems to Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy" and the year's #1 hit, Captain and Tennille's "Love Will Keep Us Together." Each song carries its own memory, creating a rich tapestry of musical history that still resonates nearly five decades later.The conversation turned deeply fascinating when discussing what constitutes a true masterpiece album - one without a single skip-worthy track. I shared my personal picks: Van Halen's explosive 1978 debut, the iconic Led Zeppelin IV, Foreigner's flawless first album, and Journey's career-defining "Escape." The Journey analysis proved particularly intriguing as we explored how the addition of Jonathan Cain transformed their sound, and how "Don't Stop Believin'" - originally not even their biggest hit from the album - eventually became one of the most streamed songs in history thanks to a certain TV series finale.Between musical discussions, we celebrated International Bacon Day, reflected on historical moments like Cal Ripken Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive games record, and shared personal memories that these songs evoke. The music we love isn't just about melodies and lyrics - it's about the moments they soundtrack in our lives.Ready for more compelling conversations? Mark your calendar for October 4th when Sheriff Chad Bianco, 2026 Republican gubernatorial candidate, joins us live. Have questions? Prepare them now, as we'll be taking your comments during this special broadcast. Subscribe now so you don't miss a moment of the discussion!Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textStep into a time machine as we celebrate the golden anniversary of rock's most extraordinary year. 1975 wasn't just another chapter in music history—it was the year that redefined what rock could be, delivering albums that would shape generations of musicians and listeners alike.From Queen's operatic masterpiece "A Night at the Opera" to Bruce Springsteen's cinematic "Born to Run," the class of '75 represents an unparalleled creative explosion. These weren't just collections of songs but complete artistic statements that captured bands at pivotal moments: Fleetwood Mac reinventing themselves with new members Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, Rush finding their progressive identity with Neil Peart, and Black Sabbath channeling management disputes into the darkly ambitious "Sabotage."The diversity is striking—Led Zeppelin's sprawling double album "Physical Graffiti" sharing the year with KISS's lean, hungry "Dressed to Kill"; Heart breaking barriers with "Dreamboat Annie" while Pink Floyd explored absence and alienation on "Wish You Were Here." Each album tells a unique story of artistic evolution, from Eagles' polished country-rock to AC/DC's raw blues-powered punch.What makes these records particularly special is their staying power. Fifty years later, songs like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Sweet Emotion," and "Rhiannon" remain as vital and influential as ever, continuing to find new audiences across generations. These weren't just the soundtracks to 1975—they became the blueprint for rock's future.Whether you lived through this golden era or are discovering these classics for the first time, join me for this deep dive into fifteen albums that turn 50 this year. From radio staples to cult favorites like Angel's self-titled debut, we'll explore what made 1975 such a watershed moment for rock music and why these albums continue to resonate half a century later.Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and mark your calendar for October 4th when Sheriff Chad Bianco joins us in the studio for what promises to be an insightful conversation about his gubernatorial candidacy for 2026.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]