Hojo and Hunnsy’s Hard Rock House

We’re back, back, back with a bang, bang, bang. Yes, it’s episode 34 heading right atcha and the boys are chit-chatting away over such varied topics as why Hunnsy’s AI version of a Foreigner album has been causing a stir, what’s the greatest back tattoo ever witnessed, and why rockers T*sla are in serious need of a rebrand. Also, Hunnsy’s espousing the virtues of Sunset Strip hardy perennials L.A. Guns’ ‘Hollywood Vampires’ album, while HoJo has had a rush of thrash blood to the head checking out Pantera’s ‘Vulgar Display Of Power’. Don’t make him fucking hostile whatever you do!

Hello there ladies and gentlemen, hello there ladies and gents. Are you ready to rock? Are you ready or not? HoJo and Hunnsy are back again, and they’re still banging on about that Black Sabbath gig! Why? Because HoJo was chatting to Sabs main man Tony Iommi and having lots of fun doing it. Want to know when and why drummer Bill Ward was painted gold? All you have to do is listen. In other news, Hunnsy reveals that he’s designing a Foreigner album sleeve, while everyone gets their Pipers confused. Is this the kind of hard rockin’ chat the world needs? Of course it is!!

Well the boys are back in the ring to rake another swing, and just to keep things interesting they’ve decided to do a ‘reverse episode’. What does that even mean? Well you’re going to have to listen to find out. Stories? We got ’em. HoJo getting flipped the bird by irate Spanish fans, keyboard legend Don Airey telling Hunnsy to fuck off, and Tony Iommi recommending desserts to HoJo. This is the stuff that dream podcasts are made of. And that’s before we even get into dissections of lesser-known albums by ZZ Top and Aerosmith. What are you waiting for? Get listening!

Has Hunnsy taken leave of his senses? Why isn’t he ‘frothing at the gills’ at the prospect of witnessing Black Sabbath, one of the greatest bands of all time, in the flesh before they bow out? Oh well, his loss. He’s definitely excited about new material from The Darkness, though. So much so that he’s talking about it even when he’s only heard three tracks from the forthcoming ‘Dreams On Toast’ album! HoJo, meanwhile, is tipping his hat to The Mighty Sabs by revisiting 1978’s ‘Never Say Die’, a much-maligned album that HoJo claims has been dismissed unfairly. And want to know what Ozzy thought of Bob Marley’s spliff smoking when the pair met around the time of ‘NSD”? Here’s where you’ll find out! Enjoy, bluntsters!

It may have taken the boys a dog’s age to get their shit together, but it’s finally here, the Holy Grail of AOR. Yes, it’s Diving For Pearls’ reclusive frontman Danny Malone hooking up with HoJo and Hunnsy for a deep dive exclusive interview where The Man With The Golden Tonsils discusses his career and the story behind the album that makes Hunnsy wet his pants every time he hears it, ‘Diving For Pearls’. Our AOR-loving co-host has promised this interview will break the internet and make him and HoJo stars. So no pressure then, single digit listeners!

Another seven days we’ll never get back. But at least there‘s another episode of HoJo & Hunnsy’s Hard Rock House to make up for it. And what an episode it is! The boys have finally – finally – pulled their fingers out to bring you their interview with Diving For Pearls frontman Danny Malone, fanboy Hunnsy’s favourite AOR band of all time. He’s promised that this exclusive is going to break the AOR internet, so there’s a challenge for the single digit listener! All this and chat about albums by Dare and The Firm. What could possibly be better?!

It’s that time of the week again, where two old men go on and on about the glory days of rock while hoping they can hold out for the length of the podcast without getting caught short! This week Hunnsy gets all nostalgic for Venom’s ‘Black Metal’ album, HoJo remembers visiting the studio while Diamond Head were making their career-stalling work of genius ‘Canterbury’, and we give you some insight into sadly departed guitar legend John Sykes’ contributions to Whitesnake’s classic ‘1987’ album via some audio clips from a 2018 interview he gave to HoJo. RIP John.

Another week, another pod full of ridiculous hard rock chit chat, where Hunnsy brings Canadian ‘power trio’ Santers’ ‘Racing Time’ to the table and HoJo responds by losing his mind talking about album covers with rabid dogs on them! We’re worried about him. The world’s nicest guitar hero Steve Vai’s ‘Inviolate’ also comes under the microscope, and Hunnsy tries to entice him onto the pod by doing a sensational impersonation of the man. Will it work? Only time will tell. Oh, and will the boys really attend this year’s Firefest AOR jamboree?! Disclaimer: This pod doesn’t last 46 minutes and 40 seconds. You’ll have to listen to it to find out why that matters.

We’re already 27 episodes deep into this ridiculous venture, and Hunnsy’s been revisiting the debut album from Canadian rockers Coney Hatch, which triggers HoJo because frontman Andy Curran blew him out for dinner in Toronto last May. He tries to get over the trauma by reminding us that Curran wore legwarmers, then takes solace in the deep cuts of Queen’s ‘Jazz’ album while remembering the time he sang ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ and had a fake moustache malfunction! Elsewhere the boys debate uses for a neckerchief and why size matters where badges are concerned. Never mind the bollocks. Here, friends, is where the important rock issues of the day are debated.

If you thought the arrival of a new year would stop your two favourite old rock fools chunnering on endlessly about rock music you’re sorely mistaken. Episode 26 sees HoJo and Hunnsy trying to figure out why concerts are now announced months in advance, whether Jon Bon Jovi has filched more ideas from Honeymoon Suite, why Rammstein are sex people and whether Hunnsy wearing a loin cloth is a good marketing ploy. And if that tremendous set of topics doesn’t get us as many listeners as ‘The Rest Is History’ then we may as well give up!

• Please note Hunnsy gets the name of Frank Brunos trainer wrong - if that in itself doesn't intrigue you, nothing will

Episode 25 is here to help you shake off the post-festive period blues as your two favourite old gumbies return to the podcast fray with an action-packed session where HoJo shows off about getting a phone call from his old Iron Maiden buddy Steve ‘Bomber’ Harris, then comes back down to earth explaining the massive tiff he had with Ted Nugent back in 1986. It’s feather dusters at dawn! And if all that isn’t exciting enough, Hunnsy raves about Starz, while HoJo reveals what a big man he is by lauding the debut album by… Ted Nugent! Peace and goodwill to all men! (who play on ten)

Episode 24 is here, full to bursting with Yuletide fun and frolics. Your favourite old rockers discuss their best rocking Xmas records before ceding the floor to long-suffering wives Sahra and Louise who gamely agree to a quiz that tests their knowledge – or rather lack of knowledge – of hard rock music. Elsewhere Hunnsy draws your holiday attention to 1981’s classic ‘Earthshaker’ by Y&T, while HoJo goes striktly for konnoisseurs with Scottish band Baby Chaos’ ‘Ape Confronts Cosmos’ from 2020.

Episode 23 is here to slap you about the chops with Hunnsy running the debut album by The Rods up the critical flagpole and HoJo somewhat surprisingly going all LA with Van Halen’s ‘1984’ album. Elsewhere our dynamic duo pay tribute to Birmingham’s most enthusiastic current headbanger and HoJo remembers the time when he was given an audience in Wolverhampton – yes, Wolverhampton! – with metal’s Mr. Showbiz David Lee Roth.

Episode 22 descends from the heavens as HoJo and Hunnsy talk about all sorts of rock ‘n’ roll shenanigans. Can you believe that once upon a time rock journos like HoJo were sent to the Bahamas to hang out with Anthrax for a week? What went wrong in the world?! Plus! Are rock ‘n’ roll cruises a worthwhile pursuit? Does Ted Nugent still shoot animals? And are Anthrax’s ‘Volume 8: The Threat Is Real’ and the debut album by The Throbs any cop? 

Strap yourselves in for a wild ride as Episode 21 sees Hunnsy bringing the Cult’s controversial third album ‘Electric’ to the table of discussion. Want to know what Metallica’s Cliff Burton told HoJo about the band? Here’s where you’ll find out. Plus, the boys investigate what on earth was going on back in the ‘80s when Kerrang! was featuring New Model Army, Prince and Duran Duran in its pages? You can’t blame it all on the drugs! Plus! Why on earth don’t the French like whiskey sours?!

Who would have thought it? Episode 20 is here, and HoJo and Hunnsy are weirdly in sync with their album picks of Torme and Gillan. Spooky! But how did Hunnsy’s mum end up drinking wine with the Gillan band? And why on earth did she turn down Bernie Torme’s headband? Plus! Poor press releases. Diss names that were handed out to Kerrang!, Metal Hammer and RAW. And which album by Spanish rockers Baron RoJo has a pic of HoJo on it?

He’s one of the nicest men in rock and his dress sense was once inspired by The Thompson Twins. But don’t let that put you off! Yes, it’s Wild Horses, UFO, Gary Moore and Moggs Motel multi-instrumentalist Neil Carter, who dropped by the pod to discuss why he was called Hammie, whether Pete Way even needed to be plugged in, ‘The Bouffant Years’ with Gary, judging cats, and why Neil gave hard rock up for many years to tech clarinet! So what are you waiting for? Get listening!

Praise be! Episode 19 is with us, and we’ve only gone and got ‘im on! Listen to a few glorious minutes of our Neil Carter interview here, then check out the full-length version! Meanwhile, Hunnsy’s “frothing at the gills” over Lions In the Street and their Stonesy rock ‘n’ roll, while HoJo wants you to investigate The Angels’ ‘Dark Room’, the album AC/DC would have made had they gone to art school and smoked lots of dope! Plus! The important question! Where do you stand on the great metal hair debate? 

Hallelujah! Episode 18 is here, and Hunnsy’s going balls to the wall for Accept, HoJo gets all teary eyed over the majesty of Tommy Bolin, and recounts the bizarre ‘trains, planes and automobiles’ story of the superhuman effort he made to grant Accept their first Kerrang! cover story back in 1982.

It’s all about ‘Lettergate’ in  Episode 17 of HoJo & Hunnsy’s Hard Rock House as HoJo recounts the sorry tale of Blackfoot and the X-rated correspondence they once sent him that was intercepted by his mum! Plus! Hunnsy goes wild for UFO’s ‘The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent’ and HoJo investigates the timeless appeal of Grand Funk’s ‘We’re An American Band’.