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.