Riffology

Exploring the Genius of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 4291_album_art

Exploring the Genius of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti

Neil Johnson 20 February 2025

Introduction Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti stands as a monumental achievement in rock history. Released in 1975, this...

The Unlikely Success Story of Metallica

Neil Johnson 16 February 2025

The Definitive History of Metallica: From Inception to 2025 Metallica’s journey from a fledgling band in Los...

Inside Slipknot’s Iowa: A Metal Evolution slipknot-iowa

Inside Slipknot’s Iowa: A Metal Evolution

Neil Johnson 16 February 2025

Introduction Released on August 28, 2001, Iowa by Slipknot is a pivotal album in the heavy metal...

Tusk: Fleetwood Mac’s Bold Artistic Experiment 8605_album_art

Tusk: Fleetwood Mac’s Bold Artistic Experiment

Neil Johnson 15 February 2025

Exploring “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac: A Comprehensive Journey Fleetwood Mac’s album Tusk represents a pivotal moment in...

The Making of London Calling: The Clash’s Iconic Album 8717_album_art

The Making of London Calling: The Clash’s Iconic Album

Neil Johnson 15 February 2025

The Clash’s “London Calling”: A Revolutionary Anthem In the late 1970s, amidst a world grappling with economic...

Parasomnia by Dream Theater – album review album_cover

Parasomnia by Dream Theater – album review

Neil Johnson 15 February 2025

Monster Shop Score: 85/100 Dream Theater’s latest album, Parasomnia, is a sonic journey through the mysterious realms...

Rogue to Redemption by Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts – album review album_cover

Rogue to Redemption by Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts – album review

Neil Johnson 14 February 2025

Monster Shop Score: 83/100 Rogue to Redemption by Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts is a rock...

The Joshua Tree: U2’s Definitive Rock Odyssey 8354_album_art

The Joshua Tree: U2’s Definitive Rock Odyssey

Neil Johnson 14 February 2025

The Joshua Tree by U2: A Timeless Masterpiece In the landscape of rock music, few albums have...

Sleepless Empire by Lacuna Coil – album review s-l1600

Sleepless Empire by Lacuna Coil – album review

Neil Johnson 13 February 2025

Monster Shop Score: 82/100 Lacuna Coil’s latest offering, Sleepless Empire, is a sonic journey that delves into...

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 lemon gets a perm and a virtuoso refuses to be “just a guitarist”

Hosts: Neil & Chris
Duration: ~73 minutes
Release: Not scheduled

Episode Description

Neil and Chris head back to 1989 for Extreme’s self-titled debut, an album that arrived right on the fault line between peak hair metal and the coming grunge shift. Sparked by Play With Me popping up in Stranger Things (and, more importantly, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure), this one becomes a love letter to a band that was slightly “too late” to fully ride the glam wave, but talented enough to outlast it.

Along the way, they dig into why Nuno Bettencourt sits in that rare tier of guitarists whose playing feels like pure expression, not just technique, and how Extreme’s debut already hints at the funkier, more confident band they would become on Pornograffitti. Expect context, era chat, and a few classic Rifology detours about age, injuries, and the ongoing mystery of missing snacks.

What You’ll Hear:

Why Extreme feel like one of the last great late-80s hard rock breakouts
Nuno’s “virtuoso but musical” approach, and why it never feels like guitar-with-backing
The Boston connection, Aerosmith influence, and comparisons to Van Halen
How the band’s sound and lyrical focus evolved from this debut to Pornograffitti
A quick-fire fact run, including label context (A&M) and chart reality
Next episode reveal, Three Doors Down, The Better Life

Featured Tracks & Analysis:

The conversation spotlights Play With Me as the gateway track, including its classical flourishes and perfect placement alongside the Bill & Ted Beethoven scene. They also touch on standouts like Little Girls, Kid Ego (and Gary Cherone’s later cringe at the lyrics), plus deeper cuts like Teacher’s Pet and Mother as evidence this record is more than a hair-metal snapshot.

Production gets its due too, with Reinhold Mack’s background (including Queen) and how the album’s peak-80s “wet” guitar tones still leave room for structure, dynamics, and the early signs of Extreme’s weirder, more ambitious writing.

Tangential Gold:

The “planning makes it less fun” podcast philosophy
Physio therapy, back pain, and the realities of getting older
The legend of “Pat Badger,” plus kettles, beavers, and accidental rebranding
Why old films feel “slow” now, and what that says about modern pacing
A brief rant about “hey guys, welcome back to the channel”

Why This Matters:

This episode reframes Extreme’s debut as a formative blueprint, a moment where a band tried to fit late-80s expectations while quietly building the identity that would later explode. It’s also a reminder that technical brilliance hits hardest when it serves the song, not the ego.

Perfect for: listeners who love late-80s hard rock, guitar craft that stays musical, and scene-history chat with a few well-timed detours.