Philip Basnight was working at the Apple Store in Georgetown when he and a coworker hatched the idea for a podcast about the history of DC music. They got as far as a pilot episode, but momentum stalled. That was in 2018, and for the next six years, Basnight focused on his career (he now works for S oundExchange) and his band, Broke Royals. “But I knew it was something I’d want to listen to,” says Basnight, who lives in Del Ray. “I told people this idea. I hoped someone would do it.” Last year, Basnight finally decided to just go for it, and the DC Rock History podcast was born. Launched in October, the podcast is set to spotlight 51 local rock albums over five seasons. Season two, which looks at the first half of the 1980s, debuts in April. Each episode features a guest talking about a single album with Basnight and his cohost, Alex Vidales. The word “rock” in the title is significant: Basnight decided not to include important DC genres that he’s less conversant in, such as jazz and go-go. “I’m definitely not the guy to be the spokesperson for go-go,” he says. “If anybody wants to start that podcast, I will help you. I would love for that to exist. But I’m not the guy.” The first season spotlighted artists such as Grin, Link Wray, and the Nighthawks. Now the show heads into punk: Look for Minor Threat, the Slickee Boys, and No Trend, among others. Guests this season include Washington Post music critic Chris Richards and producer Don Zientara. Photograph by Elizabeth De La Piedra. Recently, the podcast recorded an episode with DC musician Bartees Strange, who discussed Bad Brains’ debut album. Strange was gearing up for his new record, Horror, which he would promote on vastly higher-profile shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live! But he made time for the podcast, both because he’s friends with Basnight (Strange produced a Broke Royals album) and because he adores Bad Brains. “I remember that becoming a seminal record for me,” he said. “It felt like it was coming from somebody’s guts.” Recording the episode—which was done remotely using podcasting software—took about an hour. “Man, thank you for having me,” Strange said at the end. “I think what y’all are doing is really, really dope.” Season 2 of the DC Rock History podcast premieres April 7. There will be a live taping of a future episode on April 4 at the MLK Library at 3:45 PM (as part of the DC History Conference). The topic is “DC’s Pre-Punk Rock Scene,” with guest Mark Opsasnick (author of Rock the Potomac and Capitol Rock). RelatedSummer Music Guide: The Sound of DC This article appears in the April 2025 issue of Washingtonian.The post The “DC Rock History” Podcast Explores Key Local Albums first appeared on Washingtonian. ...read more read less