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Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry

Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry

Curiouscast 78 Episodes Jul 7, 2026

Award-winning music historian Alan Cross, host of The Ongoing History of New Music, presents true crime stories from the music industry. Each episode explores unbelievable tales of crime, murder, scandal, strange deaths, and general mayhem spanning decades. The podcast delves into the dark side of the music world, revealing bad behavior and shocking events.

Episodes

Music's Greatest Conspiracies: Part 1 | 68 Jul 7, 2026 2110 Was Mozart murdered by a jealous rival? Did Robert Johnson really sell his soul at the crossroads? Was jazz secretly weaponized by the CIA? Punk rock invented by the KGB? This time on Uncharted, we dive headfirst into music’s most enduring, outrageous, and fascinating conspiracy theories. From ancient Rome to Cold War spycraft, from blues legends to gangsta rap, we break down why conspiracy think
Updates, Resolutions, and Conclusions to Infamous Music Crimes | 67 Jun 23, 2026 1992 We’ve been brought up on tv crime shows and police procedurals…in about 45 minutes, a crime is committed, evidence gathered, suspects identified and arrested, sent to trial and either convicted or acquitted.  In real life, though, it doesn’t work that way. When we learn of a horrific crime, it occupies the news cycle for days, weeks, and even months as the case plays out…but then, inevitably, so
The Life and Crimes of Keith Richards: Part 2 | 66 Jun 9, 2026 1667 Keith Richards has survived drug busts, near‑fatal accidents, legal chaos, and decades of rock ’n’ roll excess. In Part Two of "The Times and Crimes of Keith Richards", the story continues after his infamous 1977 Toronto heroin arrest, exploring the myths, scandals, and near‑death moments that shaped his legend. From dark controversies and wild rumours to brain surgery and a "Coconut Tree", this i
The Life and Crimes of Keith Richards: Part 1 | 65 May 26, 2026 2149 Keith Richards’ reputation for excess is legendary, but it has nearly ended his career many times. In part 1 of "The Life and Crimes of Keith Richards", we follow his journey from a blues‑obsessed kid in England to a founding member of the Rolling Stones, charting early fights, drug use, tabloid scandals, and repeated arrests that somehow never stuck. We dig into the infamous Redlands drug raid,
Introducing "Hostile History" May 22, 2026 2716 Since the dawn of time, humanity has been at war.  Conflict in one form or another has been part of our existence since we first walked the earth.   In this first episode of a four-part series, join military historian David Borys as we travel back in time to Iran, where we chart how a modern monarchy, which was armed, wealthy, and globally backed, lost control. On our journey, we'll be helped by
The Weirdness of Canada's Strawberry Fields and EdenFest Music Festivals | 64 May 12, 2026 2043 In this episode of Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, we dive into the spectacular failures of two Canadian music festivals that were supposed to make history. From Strawberry Fields in August of 1970, an event billed as "Canada’s Woodstock", to 1996's Edenfest, a 90s mega‑festival with a killer lineup and disastrous finances, we explore how ambition, poor planning, and runaway c
Rock's Worst Concert Riots and Tragedies | 63 Apr 28, 2026 1901 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Live and Crazy Times of Keith Moon | 62 Apr 14, 2026 2281 Keith Moon was more than the drummer for The Who. He was rock ’n’ roll chaos personified. On this episode of Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, we dig through the myths and legends to tell the true story of "Moon the Loon": the pranks, the destruction, the addictions, and the raw musical genius. From legendary onstage explosions to arrests, excess, and a tragic end, this is a d
The Once Upon a Time in Shaolin Caper | 61 Mar 31, 2026 1982 What happens when a legendary hip‑hop collective, a single ultra‑exclusive album, and one of the most hated men in America collide? This is the unbelievable true story behind the most valuable piece of recorded music ever made: Wu‑Tang Clan’s "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin". Conceived as a protest against the collapse of music’s value in the digital age, the album was recorded in secret over six ye
Kidnapped | 60 Mar 17, 2026 2072 Kidnapping isn’t the first thing you associate with the music world...but it happens far more often, and far more brutally, than you might think. In this episode of Uncharted, we explore abduction stories involving artists from Solomon Northup and Fats Waller to Frank Sinatra Jr., Duffy, and entire bands targeted by cartels. Plus...the disturbing cases where musicians became the kidnappers thems
Times the Rock' N' Roll Party Went Too Far | 59 Mar 3, 2026 1997 Rock’n’roll has always thrived on rebellion, excess, and the thrill of pushing every boundary. But sometimes, the party goes so far off the rails it becomes legendary...for all the wrong reasons. In this episode of Uncharted, we dive deep into the most infamous stories of rock-star overindulgence: from Led Zeppelin’s airborne palace of debauchery, to Keith Moon’s chaotic hotel escapades, to Queen
The Cover-Up of Kirsty MacColl's Death | 58 Feb 17, 2026 1797 In December 2000, beloved British singer‑songwriter Kirsty MacColl, best known for her iconic duet with Shane MacGowan on “Fairytale of New York”, was enjoying a family vacation in Cozumel, Mexico. What should have been a peaceful day of snorkelling in a protected marine reserve instead became a tragedy. A 31‑foot powerboat tore illegally through a clearly marked no‑go zone, Kirsty pushed her son

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