
Let It Roll
"Let it Roll" is a podcast about the history of popular music from the 19th Century to the 21st. Proud part of Pantheon - the podcast network for music lovers.
Latest episodes

Jun 2, 2025 • 46min
Technoroll 10: Afrika Bambaataa Distils Electro and Hip-Hop Matures in the Recording Studio
Today Nate and Ryan are joined by hip-hop ringer Steve Juon continue their discussion of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton. This week’s episode focuses on hip hop’s transition to records with the Sugarhill Gang, Afrika Bambaataa’s epic “Planet Rock” and how hip hop morphed from music for dancing and parties into a new form of album and concert music.
GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.
Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more.
Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode.
Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!
Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter.
Follow us on Facebook.
Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 26, 2025 • 49min
Technoroll 9: Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, & Afrika Bambaataa Invent Hip-Hop
Nate and Ryan get back to their discussion of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton. This week’s episode focuses on the birth of hip-hop in the Bronx and the Holy Trinity: DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa.
GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.
Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more.
Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode.
Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!
Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter.
Follow us on Facebook.
Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 19, 2025 • 46min
Technoroll 8: Before Hip-Hop Disco DJ's Like Grandmaster Flowers & DJ Hollywood Set the Stage
Today Nate and Ryan pause their discussion of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton to welcome a special guest, hip hop writer Steve Juon. Together, they take a look at the documentary “Founding Fathers of Hip Hop” which fills in some important gaps in the story -- namely what were straight black DJs doing in the outer boroughs of NYC during the early days of disco and hip hop?
GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.
Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more.
Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode.
Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!
Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview?
Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter.
Follow us on Facebook.
Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 12, 2025 • 44min
Technoroll 7: Hi-NRG Kept the Dance Going In the Early 80's
Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton with a look at how Hi-NRG, the sound that emerged in the post-disco backlash club scenes of London, San Francisco and New York, spawned the most successful production/songwriting team of all-time and provided a soundtrack for tragedy.
GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.
Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more.
Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode.
Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!
Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview?
Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter.
Follow us on Facebook.
Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 12, 2025 • 43min
Technoroll 5: Disco Begins In New York
Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton.
Today's topic is the early days of disco in New York when an innovative wave of DJs like David Mancuso and Francis Grasso created a dancer’s utopia in Manhattan.
GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.
Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more. Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode. Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!
Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview?
Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter.
Follow us on Facebook.
Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 6, 2025 • 44min
Technoroll 6: Disco Blows Up in the Late 70's
Today Nate and Ryan continue their discussion of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton with a look at the high water mark of disco -- Studio 54, Saturday Night Fever, the Bee Gees and the backlash.
GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.
Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more.
Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode.
Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!
Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview?
Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter.
Follow us on Facebook.
Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 21, 2025 • 43min
Led Zeppelin flew their folk flag high
Hosts Nate Wilcox and Dave Thompson conclude their mini-series discussing Dave's book An Evolving Tradition: The Child Ballads in Modern Folk and Rock Music -- buy the book to support the show.This episode covers the 1970s high water mark of folk rock in the UK Led Zeppelin's controversial third album, and where folk has gone since. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more. Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode. Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook.Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 14, 2025 • 42min
Technoroll 4: Jamaica's Sound System Culture Birthed Ska, Reggae, Dub
Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton. Buy the book and support the show.Today Nate and Ryan take a look at Jamaica’s unique sound system scene which spurred the creation of ska, reggae and dub and directly influenced the creation of hip-hop. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more. Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode. Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 7, 2025 • 58min
Fairport Convention and Pentangle led the UK folk-rock movement
Hosts Nate Wilcox and Dave Thompson continue their mini-series discussing Dave's book An Evolving Tradition: The Child Ballads in Modern Folk and Rock Music -- buy the book to support the show.This episode covers the emergence of UK folk-rock out of the hippie, psychedelic ballroom scene in the late 1960s. Dave and Nate discuss the formation of Pentangle a sort of super group comprised of Jacqui McShee (vocals); John Renbourn (vocals and guitar); Bert Jansch (vocals and guitar); Danny Thompson (double bass); and Terry Cox (drums). They also discuss the formation and evolution of Fairport Convention from a band modeled on the Jefferson Airplane to the greatest and most influential of the UK folk-rock groups. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet.We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more. Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode. Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook. Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 31, 2025 • 36min
Recast Technoroll 3: UK DJ Culture Develops With Northern Soul
Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton." Buy the book and support the show! In this episode, Nate and Ryan discuss the uniquely British dance culture called Northern Soul where the kids of the British rust belt just wouldn't let go of their favorite up-tempo 60s soul and kept the style alive into the 1980s.GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more. Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode. Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook. Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices