Discograffiti

LOVE PART 1: THE FULL STORY BEHIND THEIR EARLY DAYS (7 & 7 & 7 IS: THE DEFINITIVE 21-EPISODE STORY OF ARTHUR LEE & LOVE SERIES) (Ep. 250)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. Host Dave Gebroe talks with podcast OG Joe Kennedy about the classic psych band’s entire recorded output, with commentary on their history, wild stories, and star ratings for every release, including long-form interviews with both Johnny Echols and the members of Baby Lemonade, who’ve served as Love now for coming up on 35 years. 7 & 7 & 7 Is: The Definitive 21-Episode Story Of Arthur Lee & Love was consciously crafted to act as the ultimate repository of fact and opinion on one of the greatest bands to ever walk the face of the earth, the almighty Love. 
Part 1 covers the early years, as best friends Arthur Lee and Johnny Echols spend copious amounts of time inspiring each other…all of it building toward the moment they record their very first album as Love.
Here are just a few of the many things that Joe discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
The miracle that brought Arthur Lee and Johnny Echols together as best friends;
What Arthur was like as a kid;
Arthur’s inspiration to assemble his first band;
How Arthur’s style mutated until it reached a state of complete originality;
The clubs on the Sunset Strip that were instrumental in allowing Love to grow;
The reason Love had to (thankfully) change their name from The Grass Roots;
Manson acolyte Bobby Beausoleil’s brief stint in the band;
And how they arrived at the name Love.
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 51-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Private Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/discograffiti
Purchase the 21-episode Love series at a 33% discount (hear as they appear): https://www.patreon.com/collection/2004969
 
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Web site: http://discograffiti.com/
 
CONTACT DAVE
Email: dave@discograffiti.com
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There is no other Patreon in existence where you get more for your money. 4 shows a week is what it takes these days to successfully blot out our unacceptable reality…so do yourself a favor and give it a shot for at least one month to see what I’m talking about.  
If you’re already a member, please comment below about your experience.  
https://www.patreon.com/discograffiti

THE FULL STORY BEHIND RANDY CALIFORNIA & SPIRIT (PART 9: RAPTURE IN THE CHAMBERS, SEA DREAM, TENT OF MIRACLES, & CALIFORNIA BLUES) (Ep. 249B)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. Host Dave Gebroe talks with Spirit biographer Ryan Gabrinetti about the classic psych band’s entire recorded output, with commentary, stories, and star ratings for every release. Part 9 covers Randy California’s creatively listless final years, which produced a handful of problematic records with terrific cherrypicking moments…before he tragically lost his life.
Here are just a few of the many things that Ryan discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
The most surprisingly ambitious project on which Randy worked during his last decade;
Details surrounding the long slide down in Randy’s relationship with Spirit;
The legitimately tragic and valiant death of Randy California;
Noteworthy posthumous releases;
Spirit’s arc, as determined by Dave;
Our top 3 Spirit albums, and our least favorite;
And an in-depth deep dive on some of the songs off Rapture In The Chambers, Sea Dream, Tent Of Miracles, and California Blues.
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 34-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Major Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti
Purchase the 8-episode Spirit series at a 33% discount (hear as they appear): Patreon.com/collection/1928400
Dave's Show Notes are available at a separate link for Majors & up.

JIMMY WEBB REVEALS THE FULL STORY BEHIND HIS LOVE FOR BRIAN WILSON & THE BEACH BOYS' PET SOUNDS (Ep. 249)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. In this episode, we feature the next entry in The Chuck Granata Pet Sounds Interview Series: it’s Chuck’s chat with legendary songwriter/singer Jimmy Webb.  This beautiful little interview serves as the perfect palate cleanser before Discograffiti launches into our unprecedented 21-episode Love Series, which kicks off next week.
Winning the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the age of 21, Webb has written multiple platinum-selling songs, including ”Up, Up and Away”, “By The Time I Get to Phoenix”, “MacArthur Park”, “Wichita Lineman”, “Worst That Could Happen”, “Galveston”, and “All I Know”. He had successful collaborations with Glen Campbell, Michael Feinstein, Linda Ronstadt, The 5th Dimension, country supergroup The Highwaymen, The Supremes, Art Garfunkel, Richard Harris, and Carly Simon. He’s the only artist ever to receive Grammy Awards for music, lyrics and orchestration.
Here’s just a few of the many things that Jimmy discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
What George Martin had told Jimmy about Pet Sounds;
The importance of multi-track recording for works like Pet Sounds to even exist;
Magic Alex and the freeing possibilities of recording potential during the 1960s, which we now take for granted;
Jimmy’s favorite song off Pet Sounds;
And the fascinating story about Jimmy’s prospective project with Frank Sinatra, which unfortunately never got off the ground.
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 39-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Private Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti

THE FULL STORY BEHIND RANDY CALIFORNIA & SPIRIT (PART 8: POTATOLAND II, EURO-AMERICAN, & THE 13TH DREAM) (Ep. 248B)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. Host Dave Gebroe talks with Spirit biographer Ryan Gabrinetti about the classic psych band’s entire recorded output, with commentary, stories, and star ratings for every release. Part 8 covers arguably the last blast of true creative inspiration that exploded out of Randy California.
Here are just a few of the many things that Ryan discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
A cherry-picking overview of Randy’s second attempt to launch his solo career, a period covered by the 4-CD Euro-American box set, which includes a handful of buried gems you’d certainly otherwise never learn about;
The events that led to the exhumation of the Potatoland project;
Why, even though it’s not Potatoland proper, it’s arguably just as amazing and important for entirely different reasons;
How Spirit spent their second and final classic line-up reunion;
Why 1984 is such a landmark, signpost year for Spirit;
And an in-depth deep dive on every song off Spirit’s Potatoland and The 13th Dream, plus Randy’s solo album Euro-American.
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 33-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Major Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti
Purchase the 8-episode Spirit series at a 33% discount (hear as they appear): Patreon.com/collection/1928400
Dave's Show Notes are available at a separate link for Majors & up.

CSNY'S GRAHAM NASH REVEALS THE FULL STORY BEHIND CROSBY & NASH’S DEBUT GRAHAM NASH DAVID CROSBY, AND CSNY’S FIRST ATTEMPT AT HUMAN HIGHWAY (Ep. 248)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. In this episode, Graham Nash comes clean with host Dave Gebroe about Crosby & Nash’s debut album as a duo, Graham Nash David Crosby, and CSNY’s first attempt at recording their great lost album, Human Highway, featuring commentary and stories from that time. Discograffiti’s Wild Tales: The Graham Nash Interview Series tackles every last release the great Graham Nash ever had a hand in creating, including CSN/Y, C&N, and his solo career, detailing a history almost too wild to be believed. 
Here are just a few of the many things that Graham discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
The infuriating experience with Crosby that inspired David Geffen to not only fire CSNY, but to dissolve his entire music management business;
The final recorded studio appearance of Jerry Garcia’s pedal steel guitar;
The start of the recorded CSNY in-fighting swipes in song;
The final appearance of PERRO on Graham’s records, with The Dead acting as C&N’s backing band;
The story behind the writing of Graham’s hit single, “Immigration Man”;
The only single Graham ever partnered up with Neil Young to do, as a duo;
And an in-depth deep dive on every song off Graham Nash David Crosby.
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 50-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Private Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti
Dave's Show Notes are available at a separate link for Lieutenants & up.

THE FULL STORY BEHIND RANDY CALIFORNIA & SPIRIT (PART 7: SON OF SPIRIT, FARTHER ALONG, & FUTURE GAMES) (Ep. 247B)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. Host Dave Gebroe talks with Spirit biographer Ryan Gabrinetti about the classic psych band’s entire recorded output, with commentary, stories, and star ratings for every release. Part 7 covers the wildly prolific and diverse years at the end of Spirit’s Mercury Records era, which included a reunion of the classic era line-up and the absolute peak of Randy California’s loner recording weirdness.
Here are just a few of the many things that Ryan discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
The unquenchable spiritual search of Randy California;
How the original line-up managed to reform;
The particular kind of slick that occurred when Spirit veered into mid-1970s slickness territory;
The reunion’s sudden, disastrous finale, a single moment that killed off any future prospects for the original line-up;
The insane whiplash about-face from Farther Along to Future Games;
And an in-depth deep dive on every song off Spirit’s Son Of Spirit, Farther Along, and Future Games.
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 53-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Major Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti
Purchase the 8-episode Spirit series at a 33% discount (hear as they appear): Patreon.com/collection/1928400
Dave's Show Notes are available at a separate link for Majors & up.

KIM FOWLEY REVEALS THE FULL STORY BEHIND HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE BEACH BOYS' PET SOUNDS (Ep. 247)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. In this episode, we feature the very special next entry in The Chuck Granata Pet Sounds Interview Series: it’s Chuck’s chat with legendary producer, songwriter, musician, and self-described “rock and roll creep” and Lord of Garbage Kim Fowley. He has been described as "one of the most colorful characters in the annals of rock & roll", and that is truly putting it mildly. Although admittedly he is always in rare form (I can confirm, having had a relationship with him toward the end of his life), he is in the rarest of rare forms in this interview, barely allowing Chuck to get a word in edgewise. The dynamic is delightful right from the off. 
He is the single common denominator that links “Alley Oop”, Cat Stevens, The Soft Machine, Bruce Johnston, Kiss, Helen Reddy, John Lennon, Ariel Pink, The Byrds, Motley Crue, Frank Zappa, The Modern Lovers, Alice Cooper, Warren Zevon, The Runaways, and the idea of raising a lighter at a concert. Although this chat careens maniacally off the rails, the main topic of conversation centers on Kim’s plan to pave the way for Pet Sounds to make a huge splash amongst the British press and pop star aristocracy. Kim passed away a few years later in 2015, which makes this posthumously released “Chuck Chat” yet another priceless buried treasure.  
There’ll be a short sneak peak running publicly for free, but the entirety of this podcast will only be accessible on the Major Tier of Discograffiti’s Patreon. Don’t miss it, or you’ll only be getting part of the story. Get it as a one-off, or better yet just subscribe.
Sneak Peek: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 67-minute bonus podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Major Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti
No Show Notes available at a separate link for Lieutenants & up.

THE FULL STORY BEHIND RANDY CALIFORNIA & SPIRIT (PART 6: SPIRIT OF ’76) (Ep. 246B)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. Host Dave Gebroe talks with Spirit biographer Ryan Gabrinetti about the classic psych band’s entire recorded output, with commentary, stories, and star ratings for every release. Part 6 covers the beginning of Spirit’s Mercury Records era, a fertile period rife with creativity, as Randy California wound up processing his feelings around America’s Bicentennial through a surprisingly emotional internal filter, recording so much material for this double set that there was enough left over for a whole other record to come.
Here are just a few of the many things that Ryan discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
Randy’s attempt to become a regular guy—including his stint working at a McDonald’s—before disappearing into thin air;
Randy’s move to Hawaii, and some legitimately wild tales regarding his time there;
How Ten Years After backing out of a Florida gig wound up changing the trajectory of Randy’s career;
Reconciling the twin notions of recording an ambitious double set but gracing it with an album cover drawn haphazardly upon…a napkin?;
And an in-depth deep dive on every song off Spirit’s Spirit of ’76.
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 27-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Major Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti
Purchase the 8-episode Spirit series at a 33% discount (hear as they appear): Patreon.com/collection/1928400
Dave's Show Notes are available at a separate link for Majors & up.

THE FULL STORY BEHIND RANDY CALIFORNIA & SPIRIT (PART 5: POTATOLAND) (Ep. 246)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. Host Dave Gebroe talks with Spirit biographer Ryan Gabrinetti about the classic psych band’s entire recorded output, with commentary, stories, and star ratings for every release. Part 5 details the almost-too-crazy-to-be-believed tale behind one of the most mythically nuts concept albums ever dreamt up.
Here are just a few of the many things that Ryan discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
The origin of the Potatoland project;
The massive public uprising that practically forced Randy California to exhume the project several years later;
The 2019 Esoteric Recordings Potatoland box set that has to be one of the ten most essential reissue purchases of all time;
The live radio shows during that era which Randy dared to play on LSD;
And an in-depth deep dive on every song off Spirit’s Adventures of Kaptain Kopter & Commander Cassidy in Potato Land, the 1973 LP that was rejected by Epic Records. 
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 32-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Private Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti
Purchase the 8-episode Spirit series at a 33% discount (hear as they appear): Patreon.com/collection/1928400
Dave's Show Notes are available at a separate link for Lieutenants & up.

LENNY WARONKER REVEALS THE FULL STORY BEHIND VAN DYKE PARKS' SONG CYCLE (PART 4) (Ep. 245B)

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. In this episode (Part 4 of a 4-part series edited down from a 5 1/2 hour interview), Lenny Waronker takes a deep-dive stroll along with host Dave Gebroe through his entire career, with priceless commentary and stories peeled off along the way. Legendary producer and Warner Brothers studio head Lenny Waronker is a record producer and music industry executive. As the president of Warner Brothers Records, and later, as the co-founder and co-chair of DreamWorks Records, Waronker was noted for his commitment to artists and his belief that "music, not money, was still number one." In 2025, Waronker was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Ahmet Ertegun Award category for non-performing industry professionals. 
Part 4 focuses on the first album Lenny ever produced, Side 2 of Van Dyke Parks’ legendary debut LP Song Cycle. Lenny once said: “To be associated with Song Cycle, even now, is more important to me than 99% of the hit records I’ve been involved with.” Parts 2 & 4 are an absolute dream come true for fans of this record.
Here are just a few of the many things that Lenny discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:
The track on the LP that Van Dyke referred to as “like stepping from one kind of music into something else”;
How Randy Newman feels about Nilsson Sings Newman, according to Lenny;
A wildly divergent digression during which I discover the very direct link between The Beau Brummels and Rickie Lee Jones;
An overview of Song Cycle’s ad campaign, one of the most memorable and least conventional music industry experiments of all time;
An in-depth deep dive on every song off Side Two of Song Cycle;
The early days of getting Ry Cooder & Randy Newman’s careers off the ground at Warner Brothers;
Whether or not Van Dyke invented MTV a decade before its time;
And an in-the-moment eulogy for Brian Wilson, who had died only days before the taping of this episode.
The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti
For the full, ad-free, 84-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Private Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.
The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti
Dave's Show Notes are available at a separate link for Majors & up.