My Rock Moment

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Alison Ellwood has spent years uncovering the stories behind some of music’s most fascinating artists and scenes, from the Eagles and the Go-Go’s to Laurel Canyon and San Francisco. Her latest film, Boy George & Culture Club, takes us behind the colorful image of one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s and into the complicated stories that unfolded behind the scenes.

We talk about the love affair between Boy George and Jon Moss that inspired the music, George’s struggles with drug abuse, the secrets within the band, and the fallout surrounding their missed opportunity to perform at Live Aid.

Alison also revisits the Eagles, including the tensions that were still very much alive when she made her documentary, and the idealism, creativity and community that defined San Francisco’s music scene in the ’60s. She shares what she’s really looking for when she sits down with an artist and how she gets beyond the answers they’ve given a hundred times before.

It’s a fascinating conversation about music, fame, relationships and the stories hiding beneath the surface.

Boy George & Culture Club is available on Amazon and Apple TV.

Songs in this episode:

Culture Club - Karma Chameleon

Culture Club - Miss Me Blind

Moby Grape - Omaha

Cyndi Lauper - She Bop

Culture Club - Church of the Poison Mind

For more information on My Rock Moment, visit www.myrockmoment.com

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For more than 60 years, the Sunset Marquis has been far more than just a hotel. Hidden behind its unassuming gates just off the Sunset Strip, it became a sanctuary for some of the biggest names in music—a place where artists could escape the spotlight, create, recover, celebrate, and occasionally indulge in a little rock 'n' roll debauchery.

In this episode of My Rock Moment, Amanda sits down with Craig Williams and Tyler Measom, the directors of the new documentary If These Walls Could Rock, opening in theaters and on streaming August 14.

Craig's connection to the story began more than a decade ago when he co-authored If These Walls Could Rock with hotel owner Mark Rosenthal. Together with Tyler, he has now brought the extraordinary history of the Sunset Marquis to the screen.

Amanda and the directors discuss how a hotel inspired by the Garden of Allah became one of the music industry's best-kept secrets, why generations of artists—from Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Slash, Dave Grohl, Roger Daltrey, Cyndi Lauper and many more—considered it a home away from home, and why privacy, discretion, and trust became the hotel's greatest currency.

They also dive into some of the documentary's most memorable stories, including Bruce Springsteen's chance encounter with Ron Kovic that would ultimately influence Born in the U.S.A., the remarkable father-son story of George and Mark Rosenthal that forms the emotional heart of the film, the challenge of separating rock mythology from reality, and some of the incredible stories that never made the final cut.

Links for more info on the film:

www.ifthesewallscouldrock.com

Find the book:

If These Walls Could Rock Book

Songs in this episode:

Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears

Guns N' Roses - Paradise City

The Black Crowes - Remedy

Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A.

For more information on My Rock Moment, visit www.myrockmoment.com

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British blues guitarist, singer-songwriter and Blues Hall of Fame inductee Will Johns has just released his sixth studio album, On Top of the World, and this September he'll publish his deeply personal memoir, Bluesdaddy: Born into Noise, Raised on Chaos and Saved by the Blues.

The title says it all.

Will was born into one of rock music's most legendary families. He's the son of famed producer and engineer Andy Johns, whose work can be heard on classic albums by Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. His uncle is legendary producer and engineer Glyn Johns. His mother is Paula Boyd, making him the nephew of Pattie Boyd and Jenny Boyd. That also meant that George Harrison, Eric Clapton and even Mick Fleetwood were family. In fact, Eric wasn't just one of the greatest guitarists in history—he was Uncle Eric, and the man who inspired Will to play guitar.

But Bluesdaddy isn't a story about celebrity. It's a story about growing up surrounded by brilliance and addiction, fame and dysfunction, and ultimately finding salvation through the blues.

Today, Will has built an impressive legacy of his own. He's been nominated for Best Original Blues Song at the British Blues Awards three years in a row, was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Chicago in 2025, is currently touring with The Cream of Clapton Band, and this September he'll also perform at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Texas.

In our conversation, we talk about what it was really like growing up inside one of rock's most famous families and finding his own voice as an artist.

More in Will Johns:

https://willjohns.com

On Top Of The World on Spotify

https://thecreamofclaptonband.com

Songs from the episode:

Eric Clapton "Crossroads"

Will Johns "Sitting On Top Of The World" Acoustic

Eric Clapton "Pretending"

Will Johns "Move It"

For more information on My Rock Moment, visit www.myrockmoment.com

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Some songs become classics because of a great melody. Others become classics because they capture a moment in time. The songs we're talking about in this episode managed to do both.

In this episode of My Rock Moment, I’m joined by LA historian and creator of Instagram's Lost Canyons LA, Emmeline Summerton, as we explore six of the most influential protest songs of the 1960s and '70s. Together, we uncover the fascinating stories behind:


Barry McGuire – "Eve of Destruction"


Joni Mitchell – "Big Yellow Taxi"


The Doors – "The Unknown Soldier"


The Byrds – "Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)"


Black Sabbath – "War Pigs"


Marvin Gaye – "What's Going On"

From the Vietnam War and environmentalism to civil rights and the plight of migrant workers, these songs became timeless expressions of protest, compassion, and hope that continue to resonate decades later.

Whether you've loved these songs for years or are hearing their stories for the first time, this episode dives deep into music that helped define a generation.

For more information on My Rock Moment, visit www.myrockmoment.com

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Legendary bassist Leland Sklar has played on more than 2,000 albums, performed with some of the biggest names in music, and helped create the soundtrack of the last five decades. But behind the credits is a fascinating story of talent, timing, friendship, and an unwavering love of music.

In this episode of My Rock Moment, Leland reflects on his remarkable journey…from growing up in Los Angeles, to the moment James Taylor walked into a rehearsal for Leland's band Wolfgang and reportedly told Peter Asher, "I just found the bass player of my dreams."

We dive into the magic of the Troubadour era, where Leland found himself surrounded by future legends including Carole King, Russ Kunkel, and Danny Kortchmar, and discuss the uniquely collaborative spirit of Laurel Canyon. 

Along the way, we talk about the tremendous impact Peter Asher had on his career, the importance of giving session musicians proper credit, and how a chance opportunity turned into decades of performing and recording with James Taylor, Phil Collins, Jackson Browne, and countless others.

Leland also recounts surviving two frightening airplane incidents, including a near-disaster en route to a Kent State performance, his deep admiration for Phil Collins, why "In the Air Tonight" remains his favorite song to play live, and the origins of The Immediate Family and the acclaimed documentary that tells the story of the musicians behind some of rock's most iconic recordings.

And of course, we couldn't resist talking about his YouTube channel, his viral Everybody Loves Me photo project, and the humor that has endeared him to generations of fans.

The conversation is funny, insightful, and filled with incredible stories from one of music's most respected players.

Find out more about Leland Sklar:

Website: https://lelandsklarsbeard.com

YouTube

Songs from the episode:

Jackson Browne "Doctor My Eyes"

James Taylor "Country Road"

Phil Collins "Sussudio"

Immediate Family "Werewolves of London"

Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight"

For more information on My Rock Moment, visit www.myrockmoment.com

Follow us for photos and news of upcoming episodes at: https://www.instagram.com/la_woman_rocks
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