

DISGRACELAND
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts
DISGRACELAND is an award-winning music and true crime podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. Jerry Lee Lewis's 5th wife? Dead. Sid and Nancy? Both dead. Why? Because musicians are insane, and insane things happen to them.
Why did we lose Amy Winehouse at 27? Was Debbie Harry really abducted by Ted Bundy as she claims? Is Patti Smith not just the "Godmother of Punk", but also the "Original True Crime Girl"? What really happened the night of the Jay Z nightclub stabbing? What do the Diddy indictments truly reveal? All these stories and more, on artists from every genre and their true crimes, in our massive 260-plus story archive. The Dead, the Stones, Johnny, Willie, Frank, Kurt, Courtney, Gaga, Lana, Taylor, and too many to name.
DISGRACELAND is music history come to life through audio storytelling as you've never heard it before, with revealing facts: yes, assassins are the real reason the Beatles quit touring—reclaimed myths: no, Mama Cass didn't die from choking on a ham sandwich––and constant reckoning between art and artist––all told through the lens of true crime.
This is the podcast for the self-proclaimed "Disgos", the musically obsessed and the true crime heads; the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. DISGRACELAND is where host Jake Brennan tells the stories they didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. Get ready to uncover hidden truths and buckle up for truly edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
New, fully scripted, sound-designed episodes are released every Tuesday. Bonus chat-style episodes where Jake responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from Disgos hit on Thursdays, and "Rewind" episodes from our archive drop on Sundays.
DISGRACELAND is not a journalistic podcast. It's an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are dramatized, as is common in scripted entertainment based on real stories. Sources and credits for each episode are available at www.disgracelandpod.com.
To unlock ad-free listening, exclusive content, and connect with your fellow Disgos, go to www.disgracelandpod.com to become an All Access member.
Rocka Rolla.
Why did we lose Amy Winehouse at 27? Was Debbie Harry really abducted by Ted Bundy as she claims? Is Patti Smith not just the "Godmother of Punk", but also the "Original True Crime Girl"? What really happened the night of the Jay Z nightclub stabbing? What do the Diddy indictments truly reveal? All these stories and more, on artists from every genre and their true crimes, in our massive 260-plus story archive. The Dead, the Stones, Johnny, Willie, Frank, Kurt, Courtney, Gaga, Lana, Taylor, and too many to name.
DISGRACELAND is music history come to life through audio storytelling as you've never heard it before, with revealing facts: yes, assassins are the real reason the Beatles quit touring—reclaimed myths: no, Mama Cass didn't die from choking on a ham sandwich––and constant reckoning between art and artist––all told through the lens of true crime.
This is the podcast for the self-proclaimed "Disgos", the musically obsessed and the true crime heads; the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. DISGRACELAND is where host Jake Brennan tells the stories they didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. Get ready to uncover hidden truths and buckle up for truly edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
New, fully scripted, sound-designed episodes are released every Tuesday. Bonus chat-style episodes where Jake responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from Disgos hit on Thursdays, and "Rewind" episodes from our archive drop on Sundays.
DISGRACELAND is not a journalistic podcast. It's an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are dramatized, as is common in scripted entertainment based on real stories. Sources and credits for each episode are available at www.disgracelandpod.com.
To unlock ad-free listening, exclusive content, and connect with your fellow Disgos, go to www.disgracelandpod.com to become an All Access member.
Rocka Rolla.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 16, 2023 • 35min
Bruce Springsteen: Shootouts, Killing Sprees, and the Making of Nebraska
Unprovoked killing sprees. Nightclub gunfights. Mafia assassinations. True crime stories and modern folklore make up the backbone of many of the characters from Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, one of the Boss’s greatest albums. Which ones are real, and which ones are myth? This is the story of those stories: the story of the making of Nebraska. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including graphic depictions of violence. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. This episode was originally released on May 16, 2023. Which songwriter best told a true crime story in song? Tell Jake at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter) Facebook Fan Group TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 11, 2023 • 31min
Bonus Episode: Trailer Week, Your Disgraceland Episode Suggestions, and Phil Collins and Philip Bailey's "Easy Lover"
Jake is still watching music videos on his TV like it's 1991 and teases Season 12 of Disgraceland, which hits your feeds on Tuesday, May 16th. He also wants to know what Gov't Mule records and books to check out and what your favorite '80s and '90s music videos are. Leave a message for Jake to reply to at 617-907-6638 or on socials @disgracelandpod and come join the After Party! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 9, 2023 • 2min
Disgraceland Season 12 Trailer
Mafia assassinations, drag racing, extortion, eternal life, and doing time at Rikers Island and San Quentin. Find out which music legends are featured in Season 12 of Disgraceland. New episodes drop every Tuesday starting May 16th, with bonus After Party episodes dropping every Thursday. Rocka rolla. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 4, 2023 • 26min
Bonus Episode: Bruce Sprinsgteen's Nebraska, Best '80s Pop Stars, and Richard Pryor Jamming With Sly and the Family Stone
Jake is slowly recovering from the Bruins' humiliating loss the other night but is ready to talk about the latest Badlands episode on Richard Pryor, how a hardcore kid like him got into Bruce Springsteen, and more. He teases a wacky 60-second video on Billy Idol, now available on our YouTube channel, @disgracelandpod. Let Jake know who your favorite '80s pop stars are at 617-906-6638 and come join the After Party.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 27, 2023 • 38min
Bonus Episode: Body Heat, A Disgo's Encounter with Quentin Tarantino, and Willie Nelson, an American Outlaw
Jake is back in the studio after getting some R&R down in Florida last week and is making his way through your texts, emails, DMs and voicemails. But first, he's talking about what kind of artist makes a great Disgraceland episode, William Hurt in Body Heat, and why channel surfing is better than streaming. A new season of Badlands launches next week on May 3rd with a Richard Pryor episode and a new bonus episode called Wrap Party. Leave your own message for Jake to reply to at 617-907-6638 or on socials @disgracelandpod and come join the After Party! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 25, 2023 • 35min
Willie Nelson (Pt 1): A Shootout, a House Fire, and the Ballad of the Red-Headed Stranger
Broke and depressed, Willie Nelson almost joined the 27 Club on a snowy Nashville street late one night – before he’d even sold a single song. He drank, smoked, and cheated his way through multiple marriages. He was nearly beaten to death by an angry husband in a parking lot. He wielded a shotgun and a rifle during a shootout on his own property. And after ten years of trying to make it on Music Row, he had the courage and the confidence to start all over again after a fire threatened to destroy the world he was living in. This episode was originally published on April 25, 2023. To view the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter) Facebook Fan Group TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 25, 2023 • 33min
Willie Nelson (Pt 2): Grifters, Con Men, Thieves, and the Reinvention of the Outlaw
Willie Nelson left Nashville and reinvented himself in Austin, Texas as the ultimate outsider. It was a metamorphosis from freak flag flier to mainstream mainstay that is rife with tales of drug smuggling, arson, and international run-ins with Johnny Law. Not to mention a lifelong association with grifters, con men, and thieves, and how that led not only to one of the most publicized busts of a superstar in the 20th century, but also to an extended family fueled by karma and loyalty. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including suicide. If you’re thinking about suicide or are worried about a friend or loved one, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. For a full list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com This episode was originally published on April 25, 2023. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter) Facebook Fan Group TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 20, 2023 • 33min
Bonus Episode: Jake's Favorite '80s Horror Movies, A Long-awaited INXS Episode, and Irish Rock 'n Roll
Jake dives deep into the chilling, new Skip James episode and tries to explain what makes an Irish rock 'n roll band just sound so.... Irish. Sharon Tate and Poltergeist are now re-released into the Badlands feed, wherever you listen to podcasts. Plus, Jake listens to your pleas for an INXS episode and wants to hear what your favorite '80s horror movies and Irish rock bands are. Leave your own message for Jake to reply to at 617-907-6638 and come join the After Party. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 18, 2023 • 38min
Skip James: A Sawmill Shootout, Pimping, Bootlegging, and the Son of a Preacher Man
Skip James’s most famous lyric was “I’d Rather be the Devil” and he put his money where his mouth was. He is believed to have shot a man dead, spent time as a pimp and a bootlegger, and womanized up and down the United States. Skip may have eventually found religion, and even recognition as the last great bluesman to be discovered by white America, but all that devilish living–and a possible hex–would bring his lifestyle to a brutal end. To view the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. This episode was originally released on April 18, 2023. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter) Facebook Fan Group TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 13, 2023 • 38min
Bonus Episode: Slow Train Coming, the Extra Gear of MC5, and the Return of Badlands
Jake has been into everything from disco to Dylan's Christian era this week, but he's making time for a testimonial to the MC5's greatness, to announce fresh Badlands content coming your way, and field your suggestions and recommendations. Leave Jake your own message to respond to at 617-906-6638 or on socials @disgracelandpod and join the After Party To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


