Bonus Episode: Bob Weir, Bohemian Grove, more Orion, and First-Gen Punks

Summary

DISGRACELAND Bonus Episode Summary

Episode Title: Bob Weir, Bohemian Grove, more Orion, and First-Gen Punks
Air Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Jake Brennan (Double Elvis Productions)

Overview

This “After Party” bonus episode of DISGRACELAND dives deep into the unexpected recent passing of Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir and the murky, myth-heavy world of his alleged connections to Bohemian Grove—a notorious, ultra-exclusive retreat for America’s old-guard elite. Host Jake Brennan also recaps listeners’ thoughts on Orion (the “masked Elvis”), drops some punk rock history, and celebrates the show’s community of music obsessives by highlighting standout messages and listener reviews.

Jake’s tone is reverent and wonder-struck as he explores the contradictions and mysteries at the edges of the music world—the kind of strange intersections and buried stories that make DISGRACELAND unique. As always, listener contributions, genre deep-dives, and “insider” hot takes round out the show.

---

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Remembering Bob Weir & His Bohemian Grove Connection

[03:10 – 17:40]

• Jake acknowledges Bob Weir’s passing, making it clear that he won’t eulogize (“You can get plenty of that elsewhere…”), but wants to dig into Weir’s oddest legacy: his involvement with Bohemian Grove.
• Brennan lauds Weir’s reputation for kindness and authenticity in a cutthroat industry:
  “I never came across a shred of credible information that painted Bob Weir as a bad guy. And believe me, my rock and roll dirtbag antenna is pretty finely tuned, as you know.” [04:31]
• Jake details the bizarre power dynamics of Bohemian Grove:
  • Old-money WASP exclusivity, right-wing establishment, historic white-male elitism, and bizarre, occasionally regressive “entertainment” rituals.
  • “It’s rumored that Edward Teller planned the Manhattan Project at Bohemian Grove. In 1967, Richard Nixon kicked off his ‘68 run there… Nixon was later caught… describing Bohemian Grove as, quote, ‘the most faggy goddamn thing you could ever imagine.’” [09:04]
• Jake’s central question:
  “What the hell was Bob Weir doing at this place with Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead, as well as late as 2009, probably later even?” [11:30]
• Conspiracies and truth collide: Jake nods to wild online theories—MK Ultra, secret society rituals, satanic panic, etc.—but remains skeptical:
  “Was he OG all-seeing Illuminati? I don’t think so. No, no and no. But when asked about Bohemian Grove throughout his life, Bob Weir was… purposefully vague.” [14:22]
• Artistic types at the Grove get “fast-tracked”, but remain a minority:
  “I did find out that there’s typically a 15 year waiting list to join Bohemian Grove, but artistic types and entertainers get fast-tracked to membership.” [15:36]
• Jake teases a future, full-length Bob Weir/Bohemian Grove episode.
  “I actually think more highly of him for it. For reasons that I guess I’ll get into when I write my Bob Weir episode and fully explore the mystery of Bohemian Grove. Bob Weir, an American original if there ever was one. Rest in peace.” [16:38]

---

2. Listener Interactions: Orion and Elvis Conspiracies

[19:24 – 24:26]

• Voicemail from Ben (803):
  • Shares a family connection with Gail Brewer Giorgio (author of “Is Elvis Alive?”) and a deep interest in Orion/Jimmy Ellis, “the masked Elvis.”
  • Recommends the documentary Orion: The Man Who Would Be King and hints at a twist involving Vernon Presley and Ellis possibly being stepbrothers with Elvis:
    “There is an amazing documentary… Check it out… There’s a little fact at the end… that was very surprising, but also makes a hell of a lot of sense.” [21:45]
• Jake reacts:
  • Confesses he hasn’t finished the doc (“Most of it, actually, I did not finish it. I didn’t get to the end.”) [22:40], and teases a probable Orion episode in DISGRACELAND’s future.
• Junior (714) recommends the film Bubba Ho-Tep (Bruce Campbell as Elvis fighting a mummy):
  • Jake laughs and promises to watch (“Thank you for reminding me, my friend. I will dive into this and get back to you with my thoughts. This is going to be more grist for the Orion mill, I can tell.”) [23:58]

---

3. Punk Rock Deep Dive — Listener Responses

[24:26 – 27:57]

• Jake poses this week’s question: Which first-generation punk artists were the most influential?
• 719 (Text): The Jam (“They may be a bit too tasteful… but their influence, especially on UK bands and Britpop, is massive.”)
  • Jake agrees: “They were more than punk.” [25:35]
• 416 (Text): Reminisces about Chet Baker, links him to Patti Smith’s first album attempt, and praises his version of “Almost Blue” in Let’s Get Lost:
  • Jake: “I had no idea about the Patti Smith Chet Baker anecdote… The performance of ‘Almost Blue’ is something special, man. It really, truly is.” [26:41]
• 917 (Text): New York Dolls get their vote. References Please Kill Me as a crucial history.
  • Jake: “I think that ‘Please Kill Me’ the book had a direct impact on me creating the show. So I’m forever in debt to Legs McNeil… It’s a fantastic oral history of punk in New York.” [27:44]

---

4. Show Community, Patreon Perks & “This Film Should Be Played Loud”

[31:12 – 34:00]

• Welcomes new All Access Patreon members, shouts out longtime contributors.
• Describes the new $10/month tier and the “This Film Should Be Played Loud” video podcast—most recently on Goodfellas and, newly recorded, Trainspotting.
• Jake discusses the creative influence of 90s films like Trainspotting on the writing/production of DISGRACELAND:
  “Watching [Trainspotting]… I realized how influential that movie has been on me as a creative person and how I just sort of fell into making Disgraceland the way that we made it…” [32:34]

---

5. Two Grateful Dead Episodes—Highly Recommended

[34:01 – 35:55]

• Jake plugs DISGRACELAND’s two Grateful Dead history episodes—one on the Dead’s dark 60s/70s era and one focused on Pigpen and the band’s origins as “Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions.”
• Teases the concept of a “Grateful Dead Muppet Babies” cartoon (“… I never pitched it to anyone, thank God…”). [34:44]

---

6. Community Calls to Action & Upcoming

[35:56 – end]

• Reminders:
  • New Johnny Thunders episode is out now.
  • Rewind episode on MC5 drops after the bonus.
  • Next week’s new episode: The Runaways.
  • Wants listeners’ recommendations for which female artists to cover: “Which female artist do you want to hear covered in Disgraceland in the next few seasons?” [24:27]
  • “This Film Should Be Played Loud” on Trainspotting coming soon for Patreon.
• Jake on the show’s mission:
  “Don’t forget, Discos. This isn’t just content, it’s a community. A community of the obsessed. And no one cares about music, books, records and the crime and grime… like you do. And, well, that’s a disgrace. All right?” [36:38]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “In an industry filled with feral animals, most of whom are driven by insatiable ids… I think it’s safe to say Bob Weir was one of the good guys.” — Jake Brennan [04:19]
• “What the hell was Bob Weir doing at this place with Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead, as well as late as 2009, probably later even?” — Jake Brennan [11:30]
• “Bohemian Grove… is a target rich subject for conspiracy theorists, which I have to admit, both repels and compels me.” — Jake Brennan [07:44]
• “Was he OG all-seeing Illuminati? I don’t think so. No, no and no. But when asked about Bohemian Grove, Bob Weir was… purposefully vague.” — Jake Brennan [14:22]
• Voicemail (803): “Money is money, right? Anyway, it’s a great documentary and there’s a little fact at the end… that was very surprising, but also makes a hell of a lot of sense.” [21:50]
• “The Jam’s influence… especially as you get into the Britpop era… huge. And they often are overlooked when we talk about first generation punk.” — Jake Brennan [25:35]
• “Repo Man should be an episode. Maybe an episode of Hollywoodland, I’m not sure…” — Jake Brennan [27:36]
• “This is the podcast for the musically obsessed, the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried.” — Jake Brennan [03:01]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:10] — Bob Weir, Bohemian Grove, and countercultural contradictions
• [11:30] — “What the hell was Bob Weir doing at this place…?”
• [14:22] — Debunking the Bohemian Grove Illuminati rumors
• [19:24] — Listener calls: Orion/Elvis mysteries
• [25:35] — First-wave punk influence discussion, punk/rock boundary lines
• [31:12] — Patreon updates, community shoutouts, “This Film Should Be Played Loud”
• [34:01] — DISGRACELAND’s Grateful Dead episodes plug
• [35:56] — Weekly recap, upcoming episodes, calls to action

---

Listener Callouts & Community Engagement

• Listeners highlighted for reviews: Georgie Sue, Girls Girl 73, Big Pimpin’ on Spotify [19:24]
• Ben (803), Junior (714), and others spotlighted for thoughtful voicemails/texts
• Weekly “question of the week” fosters lively listener participation (“which female artist do you want to hear covered…”).
• Jake makes clear that reviews and listener messages are core to the show’s ongoing discovery and evolution.

---

Closing Note

Jake reaffirms DISGRACELAND’s dedication to exploring the buried, the bizarre, and the human side of music mythology—with irreverence, deep curiosity, and a genuine love for the obsessive community built around the show.

---

For exclusive conversations on Bohemian Grove conspiracies, punk history, and more, Jake encourages joining DISGRACELAND All Access at disgracelandpod.com.

Transcript

[Listener Caller]

Foreign.

[Jake Brennan]

Elvis. Listen, I spend, like all of you do, an obscene amount of time trying to manage my life in this modern digital world that we all live in. Life is already complicated. And when your health and weight loss goals take a back seat because you can't figure out what your insurance company is going to allow you to do or not do, it's easy to get frustrated and to give up and to feel stuck. Well, RO has a solution for you. Their insurance checker is built to unstick you in this moment. Okay? It's free, it's simple, and it's built to help you move forward. Figure out what you need, figure out what you have at your disposal, and figure out how you can best impact your health. Rose Insurance checker is going to let you know if you're covered for GLP1s for free. All right? All right. If you want to see if you're covered or not, just submit your insurance card and RO will take care of the rest. No paperwork, no hassle, no calling somebody who sounds like they're upset at you just because you picked up the phone. No waiting on hold. Ro's free insurance checker will send you a comprehensive report of your coverage details so that you can make a decision. That's right. For your goals, go to ro co Disgraceland for your free insurance check. That's ro code Disgraceland to see if your insurance covers GLP1s for free. Go to ro co safety for boxed warning and full safety information about GLP1 medications. All right, 2026 is almost here, and I'm going to try and save more money this year than I normally do because I want to travel more than I normally do. I want to spend more time with my family, checking out new spots around the country that we haven't been to. In order to do this, I gotta save more. I have to be way more efficient with my finances, which is why I'm using Monarch. Managing your money does not have to be a struggle this year, guys. Monarch is the all in one personal finance tool designed to make your financial life and your whole life easier. I can see exactly where my money's going to, what I'm spending on, what I need to be spending on, and what I don't need to be spending my money on. I mean, you guys know what it's like, this digital world that we live in. We're constantly signing up for services, subscriptions, all kinds of stuff that we think we need. And we might need it temporarily, but ultimately we don't need it in the long run. But you know, you wake up 10 months later and you realize you just spent a thousand dollars over the course of almost a year on something that you didn't need. Monarch is the go to tool for a New Year's financial reset. You can use the Monarch app to review your spending throughout the year, especially throughout the holidays. You can set fresh budgets for the new year. Get ready for 2026. I love their automated weekly money recap that they give you a window into for saving for my future financial goals. Monarch makes it super easy when more easier than ever to stay financially fit in the short and in the long term. This new year achieve your financial goals for good. Monarch is the all in one tool that makes proactive money management simple all year long. Use code [e-mail] for half off your first year. That's 50% of your first [e-mail] with code disgraceland. Hey discos, need a little more Disgraceland in your life? Just a touch to get you through. Yeah, me too. This is the podcast that comes after the podcast. Welcome to Disgraceland. The afterparty. Welcome to the Disgraceland bonus episode. A little thing we like to call the After Party. This is the show after the show. The party after the party. The bridge to get you from one full episode of Disgraceland to the other. The backyard to dig into the dirt. Our mission? To uncover the truth, to confront the myth, to reclaim the story. On this bonus episode we're discussing the passing of the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir in the long, strange weirdness of his affiliation with Bohemian Grove. We talk Johnny Thunders and First Wave Punk and get into your emails, comments, DMs, and as always, a whole lot of Rosie. This is the podcast for the musically obsessed, the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. Disgraceland is where I tell the stories they didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. Alright, Disco's, let's get into it. Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir died since the last time we spoke. I'm not going to eulogize him here. You can get plenty of that elsewhere, and by people whose Grateful Dead fandom honestly runs a lot deeper than mine. But I will say that in all of my research, in everything that I've read, every person I've ever spoken to about the band, including one Dead associate who could only really be closer to the band if you were in the band. That's how close he was. In all of that, I never came across a shred of credible information that painted Bob Weir as a bad guy. And believe me, my rock and roll dirtbag antenna is pretty finely tuned, as you know. I think that it's safe to say that in an industry filled with feral animals, most of whom are driven by insatiable ids, and for whom kindness and selflessness are oftentimes in short supply, I think it's safe to say that Bob Weir was one of the good guys. I'm not suggesting the man was perfect. None of us are. Bob was the baby of the group. He was just 17. He's just 17 years old. Imagine that. 17 when he joined the band. He stayed in that band his whole life. Back then, they were known as Mother McCree's Uptown Jug champions before famously changing their name to the Grateful Dead. And maybe being the youngest had something to do with Bob playing the straight man to Jerry Garcia's far out improv and sometimes personal, unhinged liberation. But Bob Weir was still a member of one of, if not the greatest and strangest American rock and roll bands of all time. A band that lived and died by its own DIY code of artistic and personal freedom. Freedom at all costs. My point is that though Bob Weir was the group's straight man, he was still a member of the Grateful Dead. Which is why this whole Bohemian Grove affiliation with Bob always struck me as being just so weird, so strange. Now, I've resisted this story for years, but now might be the time that I dive in not to capitalize on Bob's death. By the time I'm done researching and releasing this story, a handful of other influential artists, musicians will likely have passed. So that's clearly not it. The real reason is to find out what the hell was actually going on. Now, if you aren't familiar with Bohemian Grove and you start researching it on the Internet, you're likely gonna run across some descriptions that paint a picture of just a simple social club for ultra connected, rich right wing dudes from CIA families from. From the prep school lineage of America. And you might also run into some folks who think Bohemian Grove is the Illuminati's headquarters. It's the legacy of Aleister Crowley and the keeper of all things, Bear Owsley, and of MK Ultra's darkest secrets. Bohemian Grove is a target rich subject for conspiracy theorists, which I have to admit, both repels and compels me. But either way, you can't get around Bob Weir's involvement, his affiliation, his membership. Now, it doesn't make him a member of the Illuminati, but it does beg the question, why was the guitarist for the Grateful Dead hanging out with Donald Rumsfeld? Okay. The Bohemian Club is a private San Francisco based club that owns and operates Bohemian Grove, about 75 miles north of the city. The club hosts one yearly retreat, but this is a retreat whose members are exclusively rich, wealthy. Actually not rich wealthy, let's be clear. And of America's old guard ruling class. These are pre globalism titans. Think 20th century, not 21st century. Pre Davos global economic influence. Back when white WASPy dudes with Ivy League pedigrees that stretch back to the First World War and beyond. When they. When those dudes still ran everything bohemian. Bohemian Grove is for dudes who started the oss, which became the CIA. Okay, These. These are the types of people who are hanging out at Bohemian Grove. Again, Bob Weir. And Bohemian Grove is also, goes without saying, probably it's also super white, hardly any Jews as members. Or blacks. Super WASPy Protestant, decidedly not Catholic. It's rumored that Edward Teller planned the Manhattan Project at Bohemian Grove. In 1967, Richard Nixon kicked off his 68 informally by giving a talk at Bohemian Grove. And Nixon was later caught on one of his Oval Office tapes describing Bohemian Grove as, quote, the most faggy goddamn thing you could ever imagine. Unquote. More on that in a second. And the retreats at Bohemian Grove, they produce their own entertainment? Okay, I don't know if you've ever seen the Good shepherd, the Robert De Niro, Matt Damon movie, the about the CIA and the origins of the CIA. But there is this retreat kind of big set piece scene that happens in the beginning and they come back to it in the end. And there are these skits, these men who dress up in drag and they do these songs and blah, blah, blah. And it's exactly the type of thing I've read that describes the entertainment ongoings at Bohemian Grove where the members put on skits and musical numbers. And these men being of the early 20th century vintage, most of the humor is, you know, it derides homosexuals and it's just. Yeah, you. It's silly, very silly. And because of that regressive silliness, I guess it supports Nixon's comments that were caught on tape that I just read to you that a heavy contingent of Bohemian Grove members for. For that retreat week anyway, let's just say they. The rumors are that they exercise their curiosity. Okay? Now that's not to say that Bohemian Grove is the least bit progressive. It's not. Not in any way. In fact, it is decidedly conservative. One rumor claims that back in the 1970s, the Grove employed an actual member of the Nazi party. One who drove a company Jeep around the grounds, transporting guests with an Ern Rommel sticker proudly displayed on the vehicle. President Ford, of all people, made him remove the Nazi sticker. Now, whether or not the Bohemian Grove employee was an actual Nazi, that remains a matter of debate. But the sticker was real. And Ford made the Grove employee remove the Nazi paraphernalia. That is not disputed. All of this begs the question. What the hell was Bob Weir doing at this place with Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead, as well, as late as 2009, probably later even. I need to do more research to find out again. 2009. After performing benefit concerts to raise money for Barack Obama in 2008, Bohemian Grove is where America's past power brokers, the dudes who brought you Enron, Halliburton, WMDs, MK Ultra, Operation Mockingbird, and a mountain of other bullshit. This is where these dudes hung out. This is where these dudes came together once a year. Now, if you believe the conspiracy theorists, and I most certainly don't, let's be clear. The Bohemian Grove retreats. This is where robed figures in hoods set fire to effigies. This is. Look, I know I'm trying to paint the picture of conspiracy theorists, but that little bit I just read you. The robed figures and hoods setting fire to effigies, that actually happened. It's on video, okay? But sacrifices, human sacrifices, all kinds of other stuff. Wild, wild theories. Praying to some ancient God named Moloch. How much of this is true? How much of this is just some weird prep school skull and bone shit meant to make old rich dudes feel mysterious? I don't know. But either way, I repeat, what was Bob Weir doing with these dudes? Was he an actual Satanist, as has been suggested? Was he into child sacrifice? Was. Was he OG all seeing Illuminati? I don't think so. No, no and no. But when asked about Bohemian Grove throughout his life, Bob Weir was, let's just say, purposefully vague. Especially when. When. When he addressed these comments back in 2022. And. And vague is putting it charitably. There's an interview that you can find where we're online, where Bob's on video spitting out some gobbledygook about community, the community of Bohemian Grove. And he's also pretty disingenuous when he's describing the types of people who hang out at Bohemian Grove. Its members making it seem like most of the Bohemian Grove members have some sort of quote unquote, artistic bent. They don't. I mean, some do, but they're very much in the minority. Although I did find out that there's typically a 15 year waiting list to join Bohemian Grove, but that artistic types and entertainers get fast tracked to membership. The Bohemian Grove, the retreat. Over 2,000 men attend. And you gotta know this part. The lodging is divided up into different camps, just like, you know, a summer camp would be. And to hear Bob Weir tell it, it's as if he was sitting by a campfire trading songs with Steve Miller while Mickey Hart played the bongos. But in reality, Mickey Hart was is for all we know, part of the Bohemian Grove camp called the Hillbillies. That camp also housed Donald Rumsfeld when Rumsfeld was alive and when Mickey was attending. Presumably he's not anymore. I don't know. Bob Weir was in a camp called the Rattlers. And I haven't been able to figure out yet, I haven't been able to find in the research which boldf neocon names, if any, that Bob Weir was camped up with. But regardless, this is so perplexing and it's great. Music history counterpoint. It's kind of mysterious and I am fascinated by it. Am I judging Bob Weir for his involvement in the secret society with some of the most ghoulish power brokers in American history? Henry Kissinger and Donald Rumsfeld specifically? No, I'm not. I actually think more highly of him for it. For reasons that I guess I'll get into when I write my Bob Weir episode and fully explore the mystery of Bohemian Grove. Bob Weir, an American original if there ever was one. Rest in peace. I'm barely scratching the surface here when it comes to the theories about what the men in the woods were up to. The Bohemian Grove conspiracy theories are nuts. And Seth and I are going to dive into some of the more interesting ones in the exclusive section of this after party. Go to Disgracelandpod.com to sign up so you can cop this and more exclusive Disgraceland content and unlock ad free listening. All right. Have you heard the Johnny Thunders episode of Disgraceland yet? Our newest full episode. It's available fresh for your ears right now and on Friday. Coming up, right after this bonus episode is our MC5 story. We chose MC5 in our rewind slot this week because of the connection between the Motor City Fives, Wayne Kramer and Johnny Thunders in the brawl in Boston that we detail in our exclusive mini episode this week for our All Access members on Apple and Patreon. Coming up next week on Tuesday, our new episode on the Runaways. When you're listening to this episode on the Runaways, be thinking about more female artists that you'd like to hear covered in Disgraceland. That's going to be the question of the week. 617-906-6638 send me a voicemail, leave me a text and let me know your recommendations. We'll be back right after this with Your voicemails, texts, DMs and more. Back in a flash.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Hi DSW Earth, place of the humble. Brag here. The shoes are so good. No one would ever know how little you paid if you didn't go telling everyone that is. And with never ending options for every style, mood and occasion, all at really great prices, we'll definitely give you something to brag about. So go ahead, stock up on fresh sneakers from your favorite brand or try.

[Jake Brennan]

Those boots you always secretly knew you could pull off.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Find the shoes that get you at prices that get your budget at DSW stores [e-mail] let us surprise you. You open the fridge, there's nothing there. So what's it gonna be? Greasy pizza? Sad Drive thru Burgers? Dish by Blue Apron is for nights like that. These are the pre made meals of your dreams. At least 20 grams of protein. No artificial flavors or colors. No chopping, no cleanup, no guilt. Keep the flavor. Ditch the subscription. Get 20% off your first two orders with code APRON20. Terms and conditions apply. Visit blueapron.com terms for more a year from today. What would your dream private practice look like? Would you spend less time chasing claims or only working with clients who value your skill set? What if you had more time for yourself? Alma empowers you to confidently accept insurance backed by an all in one EHR that simplifies scheduling, documentation and day to day practice operations. Your dream practice is closer than you think. Learn more about [e-mail] get started.

[Jake Brennan]

All right, Disco's Georgie sue and girls girl 73 hit me me up 617-906-6638 I got some merch coming to you guys. Big pimping on Spotify. Same goes for you. Get in touch. Got some pins, got a couple shirts, some books, cleaning out the old merch storage here before we do a new run. And I want to just, you know, get you guys some cool stuff. Listen, leave a review. That's the whole thing. That's why big pimping Georgie sue and Girls Girl 73 are getting that free merch. They left some reviews on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Each week, as you may know, I select a few reviews. If I read your name or the review here on the show, get in touch and you'll get some free work and you'll get some free merch. That's how it works. All right. And this isn't just for Eco. As I said last week, this is because the reviews help power discovery in the podcast listening apps. And we appreciate it. All right, voicemails. Hear from all y' all on what we well, last week we were talking about a couple different things. I queued up this question about first generation punk bands, which we're going to get to. But we also talked about Orion, the Elvis Presley, the masked Elvis Presley impersonator. And a lot of you really want to talk about this. So let's hear what you have to say.

[Listener Caller]

Hey Jake, Ben from the 803 I actually had to pause the episode because I was about to bust because you guys landed on one of my favorite subjects. Little background, grew up like a lot of us did with mom, who was absolutely obsessed with Elvis. Me Personally, I love the 70s Elvis, from the early thin days in Las Vegas to the old bloated Elvis. It was kind of embarrassing. But anyway, long story short, my uncle was a professional recruiter for the Navy, so he's in Pensacola, Florida in the late 80s, early 90s. Somewhere along in there, sitting in a bar on a recruiting trip, this lady comes up and it's basically one of those hey sailor, can you buy me a drink? Kind of thing. It's Gail Brewer Giorgio. So she starts telling him all this stuff as Seth was discussing about not being able to get the book published and all this kind of stuff. So that of course started me down a rabbit hole. I found a copy of the book. I read the book. It was obviously Elvis. And she later admits that she wrote the book just after Elvis died, I believe. Inspired by the whole thing, dug into it. I listened to all those Is Elvis Alive? Cassette tapes that were rolling around back then, all that good stuff. But anyway, I kind of put it out of my mind. There is an amazing documentary that I purchased through Amazon Prime Video that I have digitally, and it's called Orion. A Man who Would Be King gives you the whole story of Jimmy Ellis and you know, how he got lumped into this thing is, you know, he was an entertainer. He didn't want to be this guy. But money is money, right? Anyway, it's a great documentary and there's a little fact at the end I'm not gonna bring up yet because, you know, hopefully you guys can check it out. That was very surprising, but also makes a hell of a lot of sense. Anyway, I know this is getting a little long, so you guys have a great day. Keep it up.

[Jake Brennan]

Rock a rolla all right, 803. Thanks for your voicemail. I have seen this Amazon prime video that you're discussing. Most of it, actually, I did not finish it. I didn't get to the end. So I have not gotten to the part that you're teasing here. But I think what you're teasing out is that there's some factual evidence supporting the idea that Orion was the child of Vernon Presley and thus Elvis's stepbrother. I think that's where you're going. Call me back and let me know. Guys, at this point, I think it's safe to say that I'm absolutely doing an Orion episode at some point in Disgraceland. Probably not for a bit. We've got a bunch of other subjects I'm excited to to dive into. Let's hear from the 71 4.

[Listener Caller]

Hey Jade, this is Junior from the 714. I got a movie recommendation for you. Just listening to your last after party about Elvis and Orion. There's a movie from 2002 starring Bruce Campbell called Bubba Hotep. If you haven't seen it, check it out. Elvis in a convalescent home. An African American JFK fighting a mummy that looks like Michael Jackson. Really fun. Have an open mind. Enjoy yourself. Hope you watch it. Take it easy. Jake. Thanks for doing what you're doing. Later.

[Jake Brennan]

714. I'm sure we all have this experience where these are. There are these movies in our lives that we've known about for years and that we're very excited to watch, but for some reason we never get our lazy asses around to it. And that is absolutely the case with Bruce Campbell and Bubba Hotep. Is that how you say it? Bubba Hotep. Thank you for reminding me, my friend. I will dive into this and I will get back to you with my thoughts. This is going to be more grist for the Orion mill, I can tell.

[Listener Caller]

Already.

[Jake Brennan]

71 4. Appreciate you. 617-906-6638. You guys want to leave me a voicemail? Send me a text Again, we're looking for answers to the question or which female artist do you want to hear covered in Disgraceland in the next few seasons? 617-906-6638. Give us a call after you check out that Runaways episode coming your way on Tuesday and let us know your answers, your recommendations. We've got a new episode on Johnny Thunders of course from the New York Dolls and that prompted the question which first generation punk bands are your favorite and do you think were the most influential? 719 writes in first gen punk artists the Jam. They may be a bit too tasteful for some people's definition, but you included Talking Heads in your description and I submit them because they weren't as big in the USA as many others. 719 I think you're you're onto something here. I think the Jams influence, especially on UK bands is massive and especially as you get into the Brit pop era, the Jam's influence, Paul Weller's influence huge. And they often are overlooked when we talk about first generation punk. And I think that has something to do with just how dynamic of a band they were. Similar to the Talking Heads. Not saying they were similar in style to the Talking Heads, but they were. They were more than punk. They had this whole R B, soul, Northern soul thing going on and you can absolutely hear and see their influence on not just punk but on rock and roll throughout the 80s and the 90s. And I love this answer. 719. Thanks for getting in touch with us. Let's check out the 416416 is writing in response to our Chet Baker Archive episode that we released. 416 writes in hey, I'm reading Patti Smith's latest memoir Bread of Angels and she recounts that when she was making her first album at Electric Lady Studios she tried to hire Chet Baker to to play on a track, but their budget couldn't afford his fee. This is like 1975. You think Chet would have been happy just to play on any album at that point. I also believe that his rendition of Almost Blue by Elvis Costello, which is in the let's Get Lost documentary, is the greatest male jazz vocal ever recorded and I will die on that hill. Let's Get Lost by Bruce Weber is one of my favorite films of all time. And yes, I said favorite film, not just favorite documentary. 416. Thanks for this. I had no idea about the Patti Smith Chet Baker anecdote that you mentioned. I love that story. I can see Jimmy Iovine right now just getting frustrated with Chet's management and just hanging up the phone on them. Yes, let's Get Lost. It's just, it's a beautiful film. It's fantastic. And I agree with you. The performance of Almost Blue is something special man. It really truly is. The Elvis version doesn't slouch either. It's great. 917 writes in I think New York Dolls are my favorite punk band. Iggy is beyond punk as well as Velvet Underground. I lived a few blocks from CBGB but sadly didn't spend much time there between 2002 and 2007. I remembered the hits from the New York Dolls but did not appreciate them enough until I read Please Kill Me. I think that book also deserves an episode because it really should answer your question. Certainly in the question being, you know, what's the most influential first gen punk band? Certainly as it applies to punk rather than rock and roll. I may express more of these thoughts on Twitter. I'm due to make a music video meme. Okay, this is 917-917. Thank you. I read the rest of your text, obviously to myself, not on air. And I agree with you that Repo man should be a an episode. Maybe an episode of Hollywoodland. I'm not sure. On Please Kill Me I read Please Kill Me after my first son was born and it hit me. I could tell when I was reading it that it hit me in a way that was different. Had I read it before my first child was born and that experience was just a couple months before coming up with the idea for Disgraceland. And I think that Please Kill Me the book had a direct impact on me creating the show. So I'm forever in debt to Legs McNeil. I've gone back to that book a couple times in our research. It's fantastic. And if anybody has not read Please Kill Me, go for it. It's out there. You can find it everywhere. And it is a great document of punk rock written by co written by the dude who literally invented the term punk. And it's a fantastic oral history of punk in New York. It's great. Great text, great voicemails this week guys. 617-906-6638 Disgracelandpod on the socials disgracelandpodgmail.com on email if you want to get in touch. We'll be back right after this.

[Listener Caller]

Well, the holidays have come and gone once again, but if you've forgotten to.

[Jake Brennan]

Get that special someone in your life a gift, well, Mint Mobile is extending.

[Listener Caller]

Their holiday offer of half off unlimited wireless.

[Jake Brennan]

So here's the idea.

[Listener Caller]

You get it now, you call it an early present for next year.

[Jake Brennan]

What do you have to lose?

[Listener Caller]

Give it a [e-mail] switch limited time.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

50% off regular price for new customers upfront payment required $45 for three months, $90 for six months or $180 for 12 month plan taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy.

[Jake Brennan]

See Terms Looking to create the bath you've always dreamed of without all the hassle? The Home Depot makes it easier Shop fully styled rooms and curated collections to bring your vision to life. Use digital tools to preview flooring and finishes in your space and get everything you need from tubs to tight delivered fast and priced right. The Home Depot Dream Baths built here.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Checking off the boxes on your to do list is a great feeling. And when it comes to checking off coverage, a State Farm agent can help you choose an option that's right for you. Whether you prefer talking in person on the phone or you using the award winning app, it's nice knowing you have help finding coverage that best fits your needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Jake Brennan]

All right guys, welcome back. We are here making it happen. In the bonus episode, I want to shout out some of the new members in our All Access Patreon, Nicole Adams, Patrick Haywood, Lord Davies, Celine Johansen, Miranda Nicole. Those are just a handful of the new members of the disco community. Many of them coming in at our new Sound and Fury tier level and just want to pass along my gratitude. Everybody from the team here is psyched to have you and all the other new members as well. We've had a lot of new membership over the last couple weeks. I think, I think part of that is due to the fact that we have this, like I said, this new offering, the Sound in Fury offering, which for 10 bucks a month you get the new Disgraceland video podcast. This film should be played loud where once a month we are going to. By we, I mean me and my colleague Dr. Zeth Lundy, we're going to sit down and we're going to dissect. You know, basically, you know, one of the, one of our favorite things in the world, which is great music in great films, the soundtracks, the needle drops, the scoring. Last month we covered Goodfellas. This month we are covering train spotting. We recorded it last night, filmed it, I should say. And what a fantastic movie. The music in this movie is obviously so important, so impactful, not just for the film but culturally. And I really, I really realized in going back to train spotting, similar to one of the the one of you guys texted us earlier, I read the text about like Lex McNeil's Please Kill Me and maybe I'm just in this headspace, but in Trainspotting and going back and watching it and watching the Voice and experiencing Ewan McGregor's VO with the soundtrack that's happening and the way the writing works with all of it, I realized how influential that movie has been on me as a creative person and how I just sort of fell into making Disgraceland. The way that we made it, the production of it, the writing of it, the structure of it, the presentation of it, all of it. In a way, it goes to this film and a lot of 90s films that were made in a similar fashion, and that was all. I never thought about that before until we dove back into this movie to prepare for the this Film Should Be Played Loud podcast that will be coming your way last week of January. We release these the last Wednesday of every January. So that's in. Not too far off. Anyways, disgraceandpod.com to sign up if you want to grab that exclusive content. Also want to shout out Sean Hill on Patreon, who's been a member for a long time. He's unfortunately a Cincinnati Bengals fan, so I feel for him. He's got nothing to watch the rest of this winter. You know, his team just, you know, I don't know what happened there, but, you know, maybe, maybe next year, buddy. And big shout out to the insers as well. That was a horrible way to go out the other night in Pittsburgh thinking of you guys. Now, earlier we were talking Bob Weir, we were talking Bohemian Grove, and we're going to continue talking Bohemian Grove specifically. You know, I mentioned some of the conspiracies involving Bohemian Grove. The sort of like, you know, eyes Wide Shut of politics, I guess you could call it. And let's not rule out sex. There's a lot of sex involved in these conspiracies as well. And just, you know, power brokers in the woods left to their own devices doing weird shit, making the world run on their weirdness. That's. Yeah, we're gonna be getting into all of that in the exclusive section coming up shortly. Gotta be an all access member to cop that. Disgracedampod.com to sign up and get exclusive content like this, like our bonus episodes. Also gonna get ad free listening. I appreciate everyone who's already a member, appreciate everybody who's considering it. Love this conversation. I hope you love it, too. All right, welcome back. We're about to get out of here. Listen, you know, we mentioned, I don't know, we mentioned a bunch of artists who we have episodes on. We have over 255 episodes. Probably, I keep saying 255. It's probably about 275 at this point. It's a lot. And we do have two Grateful Dead episodes. Okay. The first one was instantly, when I wrote it, one of my favorite episodes because it brought me in to the Grateful Dead as a fan. I wasn't a fan before I got into the research at all. In fact, I was actively, actively not a fan. You can interpret that however you want. But if you want a good sort of bedrock foundation of understanding of the types of dudes that the Grateful Dead were connected with back in the 60s and how, and how those connections might have easily transferred into a Bohemian Grove membership, I, I, you gotta listen to this episode. It'll all start to make sense. It'll start to click in for you. And then with the second episode we did, which was years later when I, when I was researching the Dead the first time I, the part of the research, I just found it really kind of, I don't know, adorable. Their, their, their youth, their when, when they're in pre Grateful Dead phase. And I actually had this idea. I was like, oh, man, what if they had like a Grateful Dead cartoon that was like Muppet Babies, but it was Jerry and Phil and Bob, and it was like, you know, Bill, all those dudes, but like way early. And they all have their own unique personalities and they're all exaggerated for the cartoon version of the Dead. And I never pitched it to anyone, thank God. But it really got me seriously thinking about the Dead's origin story, which is less dark than their, their 1960s, 1970s, 80s story. And it's connected to a period of music history, this sort of old timey Americana world that, that I love and that actually is pretty dark in a different way. And we centered that whole telling of history around Pigpen, who passed away in the 1970s, the first member of the Dead to die. Anyways, both those episodes are available and you got to check them out. Matt will have the episode information in the show notes section of this after party. All right, let's recap, shall we? Number one, this week's new episode on Johnny Thunders is available for you right now. Got a rewind episode coming up on the MC5 that's happening right after this bonus episode. Next week's new episode is on the Runaways. We are looking for your recommendations on which female artists we should cover. Get in touch. 617906-6638. Voicemail and text know number 4 zth is cooking up some awesomeness in the Hollywoodland feed. Make sure you are subscribed. This film should be played loud. We have an episode right now available for our Patreon subscribers. You can check that out by becoming a member. It's on Goodfellas. And the new episode on Train spotting will be available in, I guess, a week and a half. Something like that. 617-906-6638. Again, your voice keeps us digging into the dark corners of music history. So keep calling, keep texting, keep giving us your answers to this week's question of the week or just, you know, whatever else you want to talk about, I'm here for it. Number seven, don't forget discos. This isn't just content, it's a community. A community of the obsessed. And no one cares about music, books, records and the crime and grime. It ties them all together like you do. And, well, that's a disgrace. All right? Bob Weir passed away just a few days ago. January 10, 2026. Here's what America was listening to on that day. Number 1 the fate of Ophelia. Taylor Swift Last week 26 Peak position 1 Weeks on chart 132 golden by Hunter X Last week 25 Peak position 1 Weeks on chart 26 Number 3 Ordinary by Alex Warren Last week Peak position 1 Weeks on chart 46 Number 4 Man I Need by Olivia Dean Last week 36 Peak position 4 Weeks on chart 19 Number 5 Choosing Texas Ella Langley. Quit talking and start mixing. Cut it.