Riffology

The Making of Polythene by Feeder 8885_album_art

The Making of Polythene by Feeder

Neil Johnson 16 April 2025

Polythene by Feeder: The Explosive Debut That Shaped British Rock Every so often, an album arrives at...

The Making of Formaldehyde by Terrorvision 8849_album_art

The Making of Formaldehyde by Terrorvision

Neil Johnson 15 April 2025

Introduction Sometimes, an album lands at just the right moment to capture a band’s essence and signal...

The Making of Young Gods by Little Angels 143_album_art

The Making of Young Gods by Little Angels

Neil Johnson 15 April 2025

Young Gods by Little Angels: The Story Behind a Hard Rock Classic Some albums seem to capture...

The Making of Backstreet Symphony by Thunder

Neil Johnson 15 April 2025

Backstreet Symphony by Thunder: The Making of a British Hard Rock Classic Thunder’s debut album, Backstreet Symphony,...

The Making of Ten – Pearl Jam’s Iconic Debut Ten

The Making of Ten – Pearl Jam’s Iconic Debut

Neil Johnson 14 April 2025

Pearl Jam's debut album, Ten, dropped on August 27, 1991, and kicked off the grunge craze. It...

The Making of Temple Of The Dog by Temple Of The Dog 8834_album_art

The Making of Temple Of The Dog by Temple Of The Dog

Neil Johnson 7 April 2025

Temple Of The Dog: A Monumental Tribute in Music History In the annals of rock history, few...

Rage Against The Machine: A 90s Revolution rage_against_the_machine-rage_against_the_machine

Rage Against The Machine: A 90s Revolution

Neil Johnson 24 March 2025

Introduction In 1992, a seismic shift occurred in the musical landscape with the release of Rage Against...

From Rage and Soundgarden to Audioslave: A Defining Rock Album 4441_album_art

From Rage and Soundgarden to Audioslave: A Defining Rock Album

Neil Johnson 24 March 2025

Audioslave by Audioslave: The Making of a Modern Rock Classic Sometimes, a single album can alter the...

Blood Dynasty by Arch Enemy – album review album_cover

Blood Dynasty by Arch Enemy – album review

Neil Johnson 23 March 2025

Riffology Score: 86/100 Blood Dynasty by Arch Enemy is a fierce journey through the realms of melodic...

Podcast Episodes

Riffology: Iconic Rock Albums Podcast

Remember when payday meant choosing which CD or vinyl you were blowing it on? Standing in HMV doing the mental maths, convincing yourself two albums was basically essential. Riffology is Neil and Chris chasing that feeling again, one classic record at a time.

This is a show about the albums that raised us —
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Motley Crue, Def Leppard,
Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Pink Floyd, Radiohead,
Skunk Anansie, Gojira, Soulfly and the rest.
If it’s 25+ years old, loud and iconic, we’re in.

Each episode is two Gen X mates diving into studio sessions, producer chaos and band drama plus the joy of taped-over cassettes, dodgy car stereos and sitting on the floor with a record sleeve.

We nerd out when we should: Albini vs Vig, room-miked vs close-miked,
Neve consoles, dynamic-range disasters and those “how did this get approved?” moments.

If you grew up when albums were events, this is your place. Some weeks it’s an old favourite; other weeks it’s something you abandoned in ’94. Either way, Riffology’s here to talk rubbish, tell stories and remind you why these records mattered.

When a 22-Year-Old Guitar Wizard Caught Lightning Before Grunge

Hosts: Neil & Chris
Duration: ~72 minutes
Release: 9 February 2026

Episode Description

Neil and Chris dive into Extreme’s 1989 self-titled debut, a record that arrived at the worst possible moment for hair metal, yet showcased one of rock’s most exceptional guitarists right before the scene imploded. Nuno Bettencourt was just 22 when he recorded this album, and the hosts make a compelling case that he belongs in the same rarified air as Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck, and Guthrie Govan as guitarists who make their instruments “speak.”

This isn’t the Extreme most people know from “More Than Words.” This is the prototype, the band finding its voice while trying to fit into the late-80s hard rock mold. The hosts trace how Extreme evolved from this somewhat conventional debut into the funky, conceptual rock opera approach of Pornograffiti, with this album serving as the fascinating blueprint where you can hear Nuno wearing his Van Halen influences on his sleeve before developing his own unmistakable style.

What You’ll Hear:

Why Nuno Bettencourt is criminally underrated compared to the usual guitar hero pantheon
How producer Reinhold Mack’s Queen experience influenced the album’s layered approach
The origin story involving a pub fight that allegedly formed the band
Gary Cherone’s embarrassment about “Kid Ego” and the album’s attempts at social commentary
Why “Play With Me” works in both Bill & Ted and Stranger Things
The band’s trajectory from Boston unknowns to supporting Aerosmith’s massive Pump tour

Featured Tracks & Analysis:

The episode breaks down “Little Girls” and its bonkers opening guitar work, the oddball curveball of “Mutha (Don’t Wanna Go to School Today),” and the genuinely weird “Rock a Bye Bye” which hints at the rock opera ambitions that would define later albums. Special attention goes to “Play With Me” and its classical music integration, particularly Mozart’s “Ronda Alla Turca,” showcasing how the band was already experimenting beyond typical hair metal formulas.

Tangential Gold:

The ongoing saga of someone stealing their Bongo Coke supply
Neil’s shoulder injury from catching his sleeve on the staircase (and his terrible physiotherapist)
The “water otter/beaver/badger” kettle naming confusion that lasted five years
Why Ghostbusters is “too slow” for modern kids and what that says about attention spans
David Coverdale’s complete disregard for political correctness and why he gets away with it

Why This Matters:

This album represents the last gasp of earnest 80s hard rock before grunge swept it away. The hosts convincingly argue that had this arrived three years earlier, Extreme would have been massive. Instead, they had to reinvent themselves with Pornograffiti. The episode captures a band with immense talent trying to navigate commercial expectations while hints of their true identity peek through the cracks.

Perfect for: Guitar enthusiasts, fans of late-80s rock history, anyone interested in how bands evolve between debut and breakthrough, and listeners who enjoy hosts who turn equipment naming conventions into five-year office jokes.