Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Two Hundred Twenty Three – The Finale

This is one piece I didn’t want to have to write for Popdose, even though it’s been a great run and eight years…

This is the last episode of Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross for the foreseeable future; we’re going on indefinite hiatus.  Changes come to everyone; it happens – and this podcast has been one of the true joys of my life.  We may be back sooner; we may be back later or this may be the end.  But it has been an incredible experience that I never imagined when we started in February, 2017.

Working with Jon is the easiest thing in the world.  From the moment he had me on “Overnight America” for the first time in August 2013, we clicked – like two old friends who had just reconnected after so many years separated.  He’s been the consummate professional and a brother.  I could not have asked for more.

Doing Radio City… itself was an unbelievable education.  When we started it, we wanted it to be a continuation of our weekly chats on “Overnight America” without the time constraints and need for self-editing and censoring.  Those first few episodes were, indeed, very much like our “ON” slot – until Jon said a cuss word and I realized “oh, yeah – we’re free…”  As time went on, the shows expanded and grew as did the bond between Jon and I and the scope of the show itself.  At the outset, I would send Jon bullet points of what we should talk about and that was the script.  After one really good show that was actually lost because of a technical glitch (okay, disaster), we did a “make up” show, completely improvised – and that was the turning point.  From then on, it really took off in the most organic way possible.

Part of this was the recurring theme of the emails and messages I would get about the show:  “a conversation between two friends that everyone is invited to listen in to”.  That became the foundation.  And it’s kept us going through these eight years.  So I thank the wonderful number of listeners, especially the ones who reached out from other areas of the planet!  That’s been an absolute thrill.

Jon is now about to go on a completely different adventure; I wish he and Jen love, good fortune and endless happiness.  And to everyone who listened in to Radio City…, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I am forever grateful to you.

With much love, Rob

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Two Hundred Twenty Three – The Finale

https://on.soundcloud.com/dNwoRXzzHaU1Mrn99

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Two Hundred Twenty Two

As Rob mentioned in Radio City…222, time goes quickly – and it does, as this episode was recorded four months after the last.  It’s quite an interesting and thoughtful conversation between Jon and Rob.  The show begins with Rob’s job loss due to “corporate restructuring” (thankfully, it was a very short-lived period of unemployment); the boys then catch up on the “usual”; Jon discusses his time spent in Portugal and Rob’s upcoming vacation in Hilton Head and cruise to Bermuda (in 2026); Rob talks about the animated movie “Flow” (a must!); Jon gives his take on the independent film “Adult Best Friends”; they do the usual tributes to recently lost celebrities; the pains of sports fandom; Rob also gives his appraisal of Peter Holsapple’s and Bob Mould’s newest albums.  Rob also talks about the perspective of having been in a band and getting older; reconecting with old friends and the desire to actually have civil conversations.

It’s a warm and linear show that you’ll be glad to take comfort in – so do that thing; sit back and enjoy!

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Two Hundred Twenty Two

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Two Hundred Twenty One

Yes, we know it’s quite a bit later than expected, but since life does interfere, here’s what was recorded as the 2024 wrap-up: Rob talks about his (then) upcoming birthday and turning 60 – the genuine discomforts and alien idea of it, his surgery and the after-effects; they discuss the mayhem of New York City, The Beatles as a regular holiday music rotation; how people tend to interpret song lyrics (including Rob’s recollection of writing The Punch Line’s first single).  They also talk about the reissues of the first two dB’s albums, the majestic bass playing of The Who’s John Entwistle, their warm recollections on the 60th anniversary broadcast of “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer” and somewhat sour points of view on each one’s favorite sports teams (!).

It’s another fun and warm conversation with our two gurus – so let yourself relax on this very enjoyable episode of Radio City…

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Two Hundred Twenty One

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Two Hundred Twenty

Yes – another older episode, recorded just before Rob’s surgery (which is discussed during the upcoming Episode 221).  There are some very poignant moments during this conversation, which you most assuredly do not want to miss.

Considering the seriousness of what was upcoming, Jon and Rob try to do their best to keep it light – and as usual, they succeeded.

So, as we regularly say – sit back, relax and let Jon and Rob do the driving…

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Two Hundred Twenty

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Nineteen

Again, an older episode, from the summer, but still as relevant and informative as ever.

You know, the beauty of this podcast are the conversations between Jon and Rob.  They’re real, sometimes painfully honest, personal and with clarity of thought and a rational balance.  And they always manage to do it with a sense of humor.  No truer can be said than on this particular show.

So, simply put – sit back, relax and take part in the moment…

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Nineteen

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Eighteen

Yes, is is an “older” episode, recorded back in March – the seventh anniversary, so apologies for the delay.  One of the lighter-hearted shows they’ve done, it starts with the quasi-humorous tales of Staten Island turkeys (!); the loathsome protesters in New York City; fond farewells of some merited celebrities; Kansas City’s ups-and-down, post-Super Bowl; trading new music releases; discussing Rob’s perspective on turning 60 (wow); health updates; vacationing and plenty more!

So give the boys some leeway – there is a brand-new episode coming soon – and listen to where they were at, in preparation for now.  Have fun and think and reacquaint yourself with Jon and Rob.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Eighteen

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Seventeen

Although this episode was recorded just before Christmas, it serves as a warm and wonderful wrap-up to the year, in which Jon and Rob discuss the world around them, health and every possible positive thing they could think of.  So don’t look at this as back-dated, but the lead-up to what comes next (which will be Episode 218 – the boys’ seventh anniversary show).

As always, sit back; relax and enjoy – let Jon and Rob lighten the load for a little while with Radio City…

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Seventeen

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Sixteen

Yet again, we’re playing catch-up with Jon and Rob, with this brand-new episode, recorded in September.  Clearly, a lot has been going on, in both the outside world and in Jon’s and Rob’s lives (which you’ll hear about on the forthcoming 217th Radio City…).  However, in the meantime, you can hear where they were at and experiencing just a few months ago.

So with no further delays, rather than read about the highlights, sit back, relax and listen to your favorite podcast.  Let Jon and Rob drive – as they do that thing and make you both laugh and think.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Sixteen|

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Fifteen

And here we are with an episode recorded in July (don’t worry – we’re getting there!) and just as poignant as if it was recorded today.  As always, even though there are serious topics to be discussed, the boys do share a lot of positive vibes.  Most poignantly, Rob talks about his health, which has improved over the last year and his new part-time job as Jon talks about some of his own health updates (getting older is NOT easy!); Jon talks about his conversation with actor Dean Cameron and other celebrities at a recent sci-fi convention.  Rob gives his critique on the Donna Summer and Mary Tyler Moore documentaries; Jon delivers his take on a Buffalo Springfield documentary; Jon and Rob both dissect the inappropriateness of “concerts”, where performers lip-sync but charge obscene ticket prices and their collective observant puzzlement over the Taylor Swift phenomenon and turn the topic into an astute analysis of the lack of staying power with songs over the last generation or two.  Rob’s review of Django Haskins’ most recent album is the final main portion of the program and it ends with Rob and Jon celebrating ten years of working together (when Rob made his first appearance on Jon’s old Overnight America program on CBS Radio) and ten years passing, since Maxwell’s closed in Hoboken (which started this whole thing off!).

Once again, Jon and Rob keep it smart, thoughtful and compeletely relatable.  So give yourself some time to relax and breathe and tune in to this newest edition of Radio City….  You know you need to.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Fifteen

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Fourteen

This episode – recorded in May (!) – picks up quite nicely where you last heard them in March, in which Rob starts his health turnaround (so the show opens on a positive); the boys discuss Rob’s lack of desire to play music or write (songs, pieces on music or reviews) – the conversation turns immediately to hearing new music that “turns your head” in which Rob opines about The Kaiser Chiefs, ’90’s Britpop and The Jam and eviscerates the failed early 2000’s “new guitar invasion” shuck/overhype with bands like The Strokes and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs while praising The (long forgotten) Star Spangles and The Hives; the wave moves towards Rob’s deep love and appreciation for the original Athens, Chicago and Minneapolis bands of the early ’80’s; bad “Xerox”-copies of “power-punk” (like Green Day and Blink 142); Jon talks about his affection for The Arctic Monkeys and how they progressed and grew.  Rob touches on the current ills in society with everyone’s need to be angry and primed to fight; Jon takes the wheel, dissecting people’s motive in wanting to create mountains out of molehills (which inspires Rob to really lay into these individuals).

The boys do their pivot to sports and talk about the (highly enjoyable) Stanley Cup playoffs – including a little history of hockey franchises transferring cities; they also discuss the probable move of the Oakland A’s to Las Vegas; the necessary talk about what’s happening in major cities is brief, but highly poignant (as is their exchange on the power of genuine communication when two people disagree). They also talk about the new pandemic of raging, out-of-control narcissism and the dangers starting to rear its collective head (spurned on by TikTok); Jon’s astute pinpointing about saving one’s own neck is on-the-one and the failures of society in raising children in the modern world; the “participation trophy generation” and what Rob defines as the “handbook for assholes in social media”.

So listen with an open mind and open ears – you may not like everything you hear, but you will hear the truth.  And that’s what matters most.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Two Hundred Fourteen

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.