Diversion Podcasts and iHeartRadio, the No. 1 Podcast Publisher Globally, Have Partnered to Launch a New Original Podcast, “Backstaged: The Devil in Metal,” a Deep Dive Into the History and Culture of Heavy Metal
Bestselling Author and Music Journalist Jon Wiederhorn Explores Sex, Drugs, Satanism, and the Real Backstage Stories that Shaped Metal Music
The 12-Episode Season Features New and Never-Before-Heard Interviews from The Host’s 30-Year Archive Including Ozzy Osbourne, Eddie Van Halen, Tony Iommi, Rob Halford, Kirk Hammett, Rob Zombie, Paul Stanley, Ice-T, Nikki Sixx, Sebastian Bach, and Many More
Diversion Podcasts, a division of Diversion Media, announced today, the launch of Backstaged: The Devil in Metal. Hosted by bestselling author and music journalist Jon Wiederhorn, this 12-episode podcast offers a one-of-a-kind journey through the history and culture of heavy metal. The podcast explores elements of darkness and extremism in the music and, examines how a generation of rebellious rockers took the phrase “sex, drugs and rock n’ roll” to an entirely new level.
For the past 30 years, Jon Wiederhorn has interviewed the biggest names in metal and now, for the first time, listeners will be able to hear exclusive, never-before-heard audio from members of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Metallica, Dio, Pantera, Slayer, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Motley Crue, KISS, Megadeath, Slipknot, and many more as they share outrageous, uncensored and sometimes unholy experiences from their lives in metal.
“I couldn’t be more excited about launching The Devil In Metal,” Wiederhorn says. “Everyone I’ve interviewed has been amazingly honest and revealing and there are so many great stories metal fans will love. “As the saying goes, the show exposes the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in the way it offers fans a rare backstage view of the high and lows of metal legends and others that shaped this music over the past 50 years.”
Episodes 1 and 2 are available now. Hear Jon delve into: the birth of devil metal; the artsits that celebrate the occult for shock value and those that claim to receive energy and empowerment from Satan, himself; the first artist to use the sign of the horns (it’s probably not who you think), and how the Satanic Panic of the ’80s changed music forever.
Future episodes address alternately shocking, hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking stories about heroin abuse, partying, groupies, horror, homophobia and what makes metal sound so raw and gritty.
“Backstaged: The Devil In Metal” is a production of Diversion Podcasts with iHeartRadio. New episodes can be found each Friday on the iHeartRadio App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
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Jon Wiederhorn is a seasoned music journalist, having written about rock and metal for more than 30-years. He is the author of Raising Hell: Backstage Tales from the Lives of Metal Legends and the celebrated classic Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal (with Katherine Turman). Wiederhorn is a former editor at Rolling Stone, a former writer for MTV News and the co-author of I’m the Man: The Story of That Guy from Anthrax (with Scott Ian), Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensen (with Al Jourgensen), and My Riot: Agnostic Front, Grit, Guts & Glory (with Roger Miret) and He has also written for Rolling Stone, SPIN, MTV, Guitar World, and Revolver, among others.
