Hart O' The Matter on Spotify for Podcasters is a collective of interviews, discussions and debates on all things music business with an emphasis on rock music. The show is hosted by filmmaker (Lifers) and music business veteran Matt Hartnett who has also co-hosted several podcasts including Shockwaves Skullsessions w/ Bob Nalbandian (RIP 2022), Aftershocks TV and The Heavy Galaxy Show,
Which Rock & Metal Bands Benefited or Ruined Themselves By Changing Lineups & Styles?
🔥 WHEN ROCK BANDS CHANGED MEMBERS TO SURVIVE THE TIMES… DID IT WORK? 🤘What happens when the music changes… the fashion changes… and suddenly your band doesn’t fit the moment anymore?In this episode, Matt & Tom dive into one of rock and metal’s most fascinating debates: should a band change its lineup and sound to keep up with the times—or stay true to what made them successful in the first place?The 1980s changed everything, especially with the explosion of MTV. Image, fashion, hair, guitar heroes, and music videos became just as important as the music itself. Some bands embraced the change and reinvented themselves. Others paid a heavy price.🎸 David Coverdale & Whitesnake made a dramatic move to Los Angeles, revamped the band's image, and brought in legendary guitarist John Sykes, helping create a sound and look tailor-made for the MTV era.But what happens when a band tries to make the opposite transition?🤘 As glam and hair metal began losing ground to grunge in the 1990s, bands like Mötley Crüe faced major lineup and stylistic changes—including replacing Vince Neil with John Corabi. The resulting album was praised by many fans and critics, but the band's relationship with its audience became a completely different story.And then there are bands like Slayer, who largely refused to chase the latest musical trend and continued doing what they had always done.So what's the better strategy?CHANGE WITH THE TIMES… OR STAY TRUE TO YOUR SOUND?Matt & Tom break down the lineup changes, image makeovers, musical shifts, successes, failures, and some of the most fascinating examples from rock and metal history.👇 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:Which band made the smartest lineup or musical change—and which band should have NEVER changed?Drop your answer in the comments!🤘 LIKE the video if you love rock & metal history🔥 SUBSCRIBE for more discussions about rock, metal, bands & music history💬 COMMENT with the band change you think worked—or completely backfired!#RockAndRoll #HeavyMetal #GlamMetal #HairMetal #RockHistory #MetalHistory #MTV #Whitesnake #MotleyCrue #Slayer #JohnCorabi #JohnSykes #VinceNeil #80sRock #90sRock
28 Sept 2026
Rainbow – Straight Between the Eyes: The Album That Deserved More?
Rainbow – Straight Between the Eyes: The Album That Deserved More?In this deep-dive discussion, we take a closer look at Rainbow’s 1982 album Straight Between the Eyes — a record that found the band pushing hard toward the American market while navigating a rapidly changing musical landscape.Ritchie Blackmore was determined to break Rainbow in the U.S., and the band committed heavily to that goal. Rather than simply sticking to the major concert markets, Rainbow toured extensively across America, even traveling by bus to reach smaller cities and venues. The strategy was all about building the band’s audience one market at a time.For vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, Straight Between the Eyes was his favorite Rainbow record. Yet there's an intriguing twist to the story: when Rainbow reunited years later, Blackmore didn't perform any songs from the album — including “Stone Cold,” which became Rainbow's biggest-charting U.S. hit.So what happened?Was Straight Between the Eyes simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time? Did the emergence of MTV and the changing relationship between rock music and television alter the album's potential? Or were shifting musical trends in the early 1980s beginning to leave Rainbow's particular brand of melodic hard rock behind?And perhaps most importantly: was Straight Between the Eyes actually a victim of its era — or is its reputation as an overlooked Rainbow classic the result of history looking back differently than the marketplace did in 1982?We'll dig into the album, the songs, the band's American ambitions, the tour, Joe Lynn Turner's perspective, “Stone Cold,” MTV, the changing musical climate of the early '80s, and why Ritchie Blackmore ultimately left this chapter of Rainbow's history largely untouched during the reunion years.🎸 Was Straight Between the Eyes Rainbow's missed opportunity?Let us know your thoughts in the comments!#Rainbow #RitchieBlackmore #JoeLynnTurner #StraightBetweenTheEyes #StoneCold #ClassicRock #HardRock #80sRock #DeepDive #RockHistory
9 Aug 2026
Why Are So Many Rock & Metal Venues Closing?
San Diego’s iconic rock and metal venue Brick by Brick has closed its doors, and Matt Hartnett is sounding the alarm about what this means for the future of live music.In this episode, Matt examines the growing wave of legendary independent venues closing across the United States. He digs into the numbers, explores the forces reshaping the live music business, and explains why the continued loss of these venues could create serious consequences for rock and metal bands.Matt also revisits his prediction on Aftershocks TV that independent venues would face increasing pressure after Live Nation introduced its “On The Road Again” program. He argues that the program could ultimately give major players even more control over the live music ecosystem and make it harder for independent venues to survive.More than 50 venues have reportedly closed since the pandemic, creating a rapidly changing landscape for musicians, promoters, fans, and local music communities. Every closure removes another stage where emerging bands can build an audience, develop their live shows, and connect with fans.What happens when independent venues disappear? Can rock and metal continue to grow without the clubs that have traditionally provided the foundation for the next generation of bands?Matt breaks down the data, connects the dots, and explains why the loss of independent venues could have a lasting impact on the rock and metal scene across the country.Watch the full episode, share your thoughts in the comments, and let us know whether you think independent venues can survive the changing live music industry.Please SUBSCRIBE, click the notification bell, leave a comment or a like, and share this episode!**NOTE: Everything said here, and on every episode of all of our shows are 100% the opinions of the hosts. **#RockMusic #MetalMusic #LiveMusic #RockAndRoll #HeavyMetal #Metalhead #RockBands #IndependentVenues #MusicIndustry #LiveNation #BrickByBrick #SanDiegoMusic #Concerts #MusicVenues #IndependentMusic #RockScene #MetalScene #MusicBusiness #SupportLiveMusic #AftershocksTV
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