Spring 2025 Season Finale

Host Ted Asregadoo closes out the spring season by shining a spotlight on the most essential—yet often overlooked—members of any great band: the drummers. Reuniting with John Young (John was a co-host during the first year of Planet LP’s existence in 2021), this episode serves as both a musical celebration and a reminder that creativity and joy persist even in the darkest of times.

Or, to quote Sting, "When the world is running down, you make the best of what's still around."

Rhythm Masters Featured:

🥁 Ringo Starr - John Young champions the Beatles' timekeeper with infectious enthusiasm on “I Feel Fine.” This 1965 classic demonstrates why Ringo Starr is such an inventive drummer, who fashions an R&B rhythm with roots in Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say.”

🥁 John Bonham - A masterclass breakdown of Led Zeppelin's "Fool in the Rain," exploring how Bonham seamlessly weaves samba rhythms with Bernard Purdie's signature shuffle. Zep gets rightly criticized for ripping off black musicians, and while Bonham does use the Purdie shuffle on this song, he does so in a way that serves the song well.

🥁 Clyde Stubblefield - The funky foundation of James Brown's "Cold Sweat" and his lasting impact on groove-based music. What makes this rhythm so great is that it’s not only funky as hell, but Stubblefield also pulls the time in the song ever so slightly to make it a unique funk rhythm.

🥁 Gina Schock - The Go-Go's powerhouse, whose driving beat combines punk energy with pop sensibility, creating the infectious rhythm that made "Head Over Heels" such a fantastic tune and The Go-Go’s a band that has consistently rocked it for over four decades.

🥁 Neil Peart - Rush's mathematical drummer dissected through the complex patterns of "Subdivisions." Peart was a very much a compositional drummer, whose approach to the instrument was more from the head than the heart. His drum composition on “Subdivisions” is some of the most complex and exciting drumming in Rush’s catalogue. Although most people would point to “Tom Sawyer” as the pinnacle of Peart’s drumming, “Subdivisions” is right up there in terms of compositional ingenuity, rhythmic variety, and just effing awesome chops.

🥁 Karen Carpenter - Celebrating her overlooked drumming prowess before she became known primarily as a vocalist for The Carpenters. Karen’s mastery of the drums can be seen in this 1976 performance. While the music is kind of cheesy, her abilities behind the kit are not. John Bonham infamously slagged Karen when she won a Playboy magazine survey of best rock drummers (with Bonham as number two), saying that she wouldn’t last two minutes drumming on a Zep song. One look at her soloing on YouTube will disabuse you of that notion.

A concluding note: this episode isn't about ranking the "best" drummers—it's about appreciating the artists who make our ears perk up and remind us why the beat is essential to a lot of the music we love.

Episode 111 proves that sometimes the best medicine for troubled times is simply great music and the people who create it.

This episode of the Planet LP Podcast, hosted by Ted Asregadoo, delves into the unexpected musical blind spots of even the most accomplished music journalists. Ted is joined by prolific music writer and co-host of The Record Player podcast, Jeff Giles (Popdose, Ultimate Classic Rock, Diffuser FM, Jefitoblog, and Harmonic.fm).

The discussion centers on highly-regarded albums that, despite their critical acclaim or widespread popularity, have somehow been overlooked by these experienced listeners. Prepare for candid revelations as Ted and Jeff explore records that often elicit the incredulous response: "Wait, you've NEVER listened to that?!"

The episode features a diverse selection of genres and eras. It begins with Gang of Four's Entertainment! (1979), examining its groundbreaking sound and lasting influence on popular music. Next, the focus shifts to Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow (1967). While acknowledging its iconic status and memorable tracks, the host shares a surprisingly critical perspective on this San Francisco classic.

Finally, the conversation turns to Donna Summer's Bad Girls (1979). The episode explores its commercial success, Grammy recognition, and even an unexpected link to New Order, while posing the question of how such a significant album could have been a "miss" for a dedicated music aficionado.

Tune in for an engaging and often surprising exploration of influential albums that, for some, remained undiscovered territory.

In this episode of The Planet LP Podcast, host Ted Asregadoo takes listeners on a deep dive into Pat Benatar's groundbreaking early career, examining her first four albums that established her as a pioneering force in hard rock. The episode explores how Benatar shattered the glass ceiling for female artists in a male-dominated genre during the late 1970s and early 1980s, while also revealing the creative challenges that emerged with her fourth release.

The journey begins with Patricia Mae Andrzejewski's transformation from a military wife to rock icon, following her path from New York City through various singing gigs to her breakthrough 1979 debut "In the Heat of the Night." Ted analyzes the album's standout tracks, including the chart-topping "Heartbreaker," the new wave-influenced "We Live For Love," and her cover of Johnny Cougar's (later known as John Mellencamp) "I Need a Lover."

The episode highlights "Crimes of Passion" (1980) as Benatar's commercial and artistic peak, featuring the iconic "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" and reaching 4x platinum status. Ted shares personal anecdotes about discovering the album during high school and addresses the controversy surrounding the song "Hell Is for Children," clarifying its powerful message about child abuse rather than satanic themes.

Moving through "Precious Time" (1981), the discussion covers Grammy-winning track "Fire and Ice" and the explosive "Promises in the Dark," while examining Benatar's creative partnership with guitarist Neil Giraldo. However, the episode takes a bit of a critical turn when analyzing "Get Nervous" (1982), revealing how, despite producing solid singles, the album as a whole felt uneven and suggested that the signature "Pat Benatar Sound" had begun to lose its edge. Ted discusses how the formula that had worked so well across three albums was showing signs of creative fatigue, setting the stage for the dramatic reinvention that would come with "Love is a Battlefield" – a song that would refresh her sound and prove she could evolve beyond her established hard rock persona.