Set Lusting Bruce: The Bruce Springsteen Fan Podcast

Jesse welcomes JB and Rob back to Set Lusting Bruce to discuss their return to podcasting and the relaunch of Bruce Springsteen Sings the Alphabet. JB shares updates on life in North Georgia, while Rob explains his transition from pastor to banker during COVID, personal struggles, and how reconnecting with JB revived their creative spark. They outline the show’s new format: covering Springsteen album-by-album (collections included) in alphabetical order while discussing tracks in sequence, breaking up Tracks by recording sessions, and adding occasional mini-series, with “Episode Zero” planned for September 4 and the first new episode on September 7 starting with American Beauty. The conversation also touches on adult friendships, tracking media, the film Sinners, mixed reactions to Delivery From Nowhere, Springsteen’s activism, and shared music interests including Jason Isbell and Brandi Carlile.

- https://alphabeticalspringsteen.substack.com/

- @alphabeticalspringsteen on instagram

- And in your podcast catcher/apple podcasts.

00:00 Welcome to the Show

00:39 Meet JB and Rob

02:42 Rob’s Career Pivot

04:40 Friendship Needs Projects

06:55 Sinners Movie Detour

10:56 Bruce as a Poet

12:52 Where the Podcast Went

17:33 Reboot Plan and Schedule

19:00 New Format Explained

25:12 Can You Go Home Again

28:15 Delivery From Nowhere Review

38:19 Missing the Mic Moments

41:45 Backstage Isbell Story

42:38 Live Shows and Covers

44:00 Brandi Carlile Vocal Magic

44:56 Tracking Movies and Books

46:41 Missing Ministry Work

51:46 Odyssey and Flower Moon

53:22 Isbell Divorce Parasocial Talk

01:01:30 Bruce Career Parallels

01:07:30 Therapy Ending and Nitpicks

01:09:05 Where to Find the Show

01:14:19 Austin Show and Politics

01:16:54 Obama Center Chicago Trip

01:19:53 Final Thanks and Signoff

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes returning guests Brian K. Pagels and Stephen Russ of Brian K and the Parkway to discuss their musical partnership, their preferences for live performance versus studio work, and the creation of their second album, “Roses and Kerosene,” out September 4. They recount how the project evolved from demos into a full band after a 2021 trip to Asbury Park, then detail recording most of the new record in four days at The Brink studio in Richmond with Kat Popper on bass and Rob Flores on keys, mixed by Sean Sullivan. Brian explains writing the duet “Roses and Kerosene” and how they enlisted Lily Hiatt via Instagram, plus making a video built around her brief availability. They outline the album’s relationship-focused themes, vinyl side sequencing, and announce tour plans, lineup changes, and release shows beginning September 18 at Jammin Java.

https://www.briankandtheparkway.com/

https://briankandtheparkway.bandcamp.com/merch

03:09 Meet The Guests

04:15 Band Origins Story

07:03 How They Became Friends

10:24 Live Versus Studio

13:37 Making The New Album

17:50 Recording Approach And Mix

20:02 Lead Single With Lily Hiatt

26:41 Discovering Lily Hiatt

27:12 Shooting the Mock Live Video

29:10 Recording Timeline and Overdubs

29:39 Why Make a Video

31:18 Video Story and Chemistry

34:29 Album Themes and Through Line

36:49 Roses vs Kerosene Sides

39:54 Release Shows and Tour Plans

42:12 Lineup Changes and New Members

47:35 Wrap Up and Housekeeping
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes back music journalist and author Steve Rosen to discuss his new Jeff Beck book, rewritten and expanded from a Japan-only 1978 biography originally commissioned by Player magazine. Rosen recounts growing up in Culver City listening to early rock, discovering Jeff Beck through the Yardbirds and seeing the Jeff Beck Group in 1969, and how learning guitar fueled a deep-dive curiosity that led to music journalism. He describes his earliest reviews for school papers, the LA Free Press, and eventually major rock and guitar magazines, plus meeting and befriending Eddie Van Halen in 1977. Rosen explains why Beck was under-covered—rare touring, long gaps, and instrumental direction—shares musicians’ respect for Beck alongside stories of his erratic bandleading, plugs tonechaserbook.com, and answers the “Thunder Road” question.

https://a.co/d/005a57V5

01:28 Meet Steve Rosen
02:48 Jeff Beck Book Reborn
04:46 Growing Up in Culver City
07:53 Falling for Jeff Beck
11:13 Deep Dive Guitar Obsession
14:25 First Byline Breakthrough
20:41 Meeting Eddie Van Halen
26:11 Writing the First Beck Bio
29:09 Rewriting the Beck Book
29:47 Why Beck Stayed Underrated
32:27 Artists on Beck’s Genius
33:05 Band Leader Chaos Stories
34:52 The Grind Behind Touring
37:31 Tech Changed Music Careers
40:02 YouTube as a Learning Accelerator
45:06 Does Mary Get in the Car
50:07 Final Plugs and Farewell

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sylvan opens an August 20 intro to a special John Hiatt birthday episode, sharing news that the November Nashville Concert for Cumberland Heights will be a John Hiatt tribute and inviting listeners to join via perfectlygoodpodcast@gmail.com. A clip follows with Kyle Williams explaining how Cumberland Heights’ scholarship funds, music therapy, and a pro music professionals program support people in recovery, especially in Nashville’s music community, and describing the long-running Ryman benefit concert founded with Hiatt and others. The episode then revisits Rolling Stone writer David Wild discussing his 1989 “Clean and Sober” Hiatt profile, his note-taking and reporting process, Hiatt’s sobriety and impact, favorite songs like “Missing Pieces,” and why Bring the Family deserved Grammy recognition for its influence on Americana, while also reflecting on media archives and Hiatt’s possible reaction to the article’s AA reference.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Set Lusting Bruce, host Jesse Jackson and guest Joe K step off the Springsteen track to honor Dolly Parton following news of her death on August 25, 2026, reflecting on her six-decade career as the “Queen of Country,” her landmark songs, acting roles, business success with Dollywood, and rare talent for reimagining other artists’ work. They share personal first memories of Dolly, discuss the story behind “I Will Always Love You,” and highlight her unmatched warmth, humor, talk-show brilliance, and ability to unite diverse audiences while advocating tolerance. Much of the conversation centers on her philanthropy—especially the Imagination Library and support for research tied to the Moderna COVID vaccine—urging listeners to donate and keep her legacy alive by revisiting her music, movies, and performances.

https://imaginationlibrary.com/

00:00 Porch Song Opening
01:17 Podcast Intro and Loss
02:41 Dolly Legacy Overview
03:17 Dollywood and Integrity
04:15 Songwriting and Covers
09:47 First Dolly Memories
12:55 Movies and Talk Shows
15:52 I Will Always Love You Story
19:05 Sexism and Respect
20:46 Tributes and Philanthropy
25:33 Imagination Library Call
28:36 Humor and Musicality
32:27 Acceptance and Unity
38:30 McCartney Tribute and Farewell
43:01 See Artists While You Can
45:43 Wrap Up and Closing Song

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices