Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” went Gold on August 1, 1967 — and redefined soul, feminism, and civil rights in under three minutes. This week, we drop the needle on the anthem that crowned the Queen of Soul. Vinyl lore, cultural impact, and wax trivia inside.

Guns N' Roses stormed the charts with Appetite for Destruction in 1987—raw, loud, and unpredictable. This week, we drop the needle on the best-selling debut in rock history and trace how it changed the sound of an era. Vinyl tips, band lore, and wax trivia included.

🎙️ This Week On Wax – Episode 4

Talking Heads: Smart Funk, Nervous Energy, and the Groove That Built the ‘80s

This week, we drop the needle on More Songs About Buildings and Food, the 1978 album that redefined what punk-adjacent art rock could be. With Brian Eno joining as producer, Talking Heads took a sharp left turn into minimalist funk, tight grooves, and lyrics that felt like a sociology lecture set to rhythm.

Host Neil dives into:

How this album shifted Talking Heads from jittery downtown oddballs to genre-bending innovators

The strange genius of their Al Green cover (Take Me to the River)

First pressing collector tips, promo label details, and Japanese vinyl variants

Why this record still matters—and why it might be the most quietly influential album of the post-punk era

Plus, it all ties back to Byrne’s obsession with control, cities, and quiet freakouts over modern life.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Amazon Music, and theoldschoolarchives.com

Episode 3 – “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (Sly & The Family Stone, 1971)

This week, Neil and Brad drop the needle on one of funk’s most enigmatic masterpieces. From the sun-drenched optimism of Stand! to the murky, tape-hiss funk of There’s a Riot Goin’ On, Sly Stone turned a turbulent moment in American history into a raw, groove-soaked diary. We unpack the mythos: drum-machine loops stitched together in Sly’s Bel Air mansion, Larry Graham’s exit and the birth of slap bass, and how the #1 single “Family Affair” almost never made it onto the record.

Along the way we revisit the era’s mounting social unrest, the 1971 payola hearings, and the battles Sly fought with his own demons—creating an album that sounded like the end of the ’60s dream. Expect needle-drops, deep-cut trivia, and a few personal stories from the crates. Spin it with us, then tell a friend: on This Week on Wax, history always grooves. 🎙️💿

Mr. Manilow is celebrating a major milestone this week! Listen to the show to hear more about this Manilow moment and how he went from jingle-writer to superstar.

This week on Wax, Leonard and Gina take you back to the summer of '69 to unpack a pivotal moment: the unlikely arrival of David Bowie's "Space Oddity." Before global superstardom, Bowie was a shifting talent looking for a breakthrough. Hear how he finally "made the grade" with this haunting sci-fi folk masterpiece, just weeks before the moon landing.

Then, buckle up for the Vinyl Breakdown! The hosts reveal what makes original UK Philips and US Mercury 7-inch singles so valuable, discuss the "Man of Words / Man of Music" LP, and guide you through the elusive details on RCA reissues that separate a casual listen from a four-figure score. Don't miss the ultimate collector's guide to this iconic piece of wax!