While the podcast world is increasingly crowded, a good concept can stick out, and what’s a better concept than Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll? That’s the thought process behind The SDR Show, a podcast hosted by radio vet Ralph Sutton and metalhead comedian Big Jay Oakerson. With the show’s one-year anniversary this week, we asked Sutton for some of the highlights of the past year of the SDR show.
In June of 2014, The SDR Show was unleashed upon the world. Hosted by comedian Big Jay Oakerson, and me, rock DJ Ralph Sutton. What initially piqued my interest in a podcast was simple, after well over a decade working within the constraints of classic rock radio – I’d finally be able to say and do whatever I wanted, and with a friend and fellow rock fan Big Jay. We’d interview rock stars, porn stars, and anyone we felt fit into the SDR mix. Well, it’s been a crazy year, and when Metal Insider asked to pick my favorite rock moment of the first 52 shows, it certainly was no easy task. This first year, I primarily called upon my friends in rock to come on the show – as I didn’t really know where this show was going and if anyone outside of my circle of friends would actually listen! I once said – “imagine if we get 1000 people a week to listen to our nonsense, wouldn’t that be great!” And here we are, averaging around 50,000 listeners a month, and we hit #1 in iTunes comedy / #11 overall in March!
Reflecting on the last 12 months has brought a lot of smiles to my face… From being schooled on the business of rock from Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French, learning about Bronies from Andrew WK, to punk-thrash icon Parris Mayhew giving the cro-mag lowdown all the way to the wilder side of things – like legendary rock vocalist Joe Lynn Turner admitting to having a threesome with his fellow bandmate Ritchie Blackmore, Bobby Blitz of Overkill calling Big Jay a kindergarten wuss for loving Marilyn Manson, which may have helped ignite a small feud between Scott Putesky (aka Daisy Berkowitz ) and Marilyn Manson (or possibly because I suggested that Manson in his black vinyl kinda looks like Missy Elliott these days). Needless to say, it’s been a pretty crazy year (and that doesn’t even include porn-star stories!).
Once, when we walked into the SDR studio to do a show with Tesla, Frank Hannon was playing the intro to “Love Song” on my guitar, it kinda made Jay and I giggle like school girls! When I heard the story of Corey Glover being mistaken for another Corey Glover who was arrested for slashing people’s faces was certainly memorable! Then, more recently, at the one year anniversary – we had a new rock band theSHIFT be the first artists to perform acoustically live at the Museum of Sex with around 100 fans of the show, while we all ate a giant transvestite cake (Jay and I split the penis). These and so many more moments have reignited my love for interviews and in the art of conversation and what we’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time is just nutty. Comedian Ari Shaffir put it best when he was on – that podcast listeners are aggressive listeners, not passive. They’ve got to seek you out, as opposed to radio just being on in the background. I am not used to so much interaction with listeners; it’s all overwhelming and amazing at the same time.
But if I had to pick one rock-n-roll moment that truly defines SDR, it had to be the first live event we did – The Motorboat Cruise, more specifically – the 2nd night of the cruise. David Ellefson, Frank Bello, Metal Mike Chlasciak & Andy Wood were all on the show at the same time, the room was packed, we all were getting drunk and swapping stories, I accidentally called David Ellefson, Dave Mustaine (thank Fireball and Black Tooth Grin shots). My co-host almost has a 3some w a gorgeous blonde! To be in the epicenter of all that is what Sex, Drugs & Rock-n-Roll is all about! Can’t wait to see what happens next.
You can follow me on T/F/I @iamralphsutton and the show T/F/I @theSDRshow or www.theSDRshow.com
