Talkhouse Announces The True Story of the Fake Zombies Podcast Launching July 11

Talkhouse Announces

The True Story of the Fake Zombies Podcast

Launching July 11

Dive Deep Into This Stranger-Than-Fiction Con,

The Devious Characters That Pulled It Off,

The Hapless Young Musicians Who Were Roped In,

& The Impact Of The Scheme On The REAL Zombies.

LISTEN + SHARE: Podcast Trailer

The Zombies “Time of the Season”

2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction

In a time when there is a 24 hour global stream of information at our fingertips, some stories are impossible to imagine. On July 11Talkhouse will launch its latest podcast, The True Story of the Fake Zombies, in which host Daniel Ralston regales listeners with an expertly researched and unbelievable music industry scam that went untold for decades.

Throughout the historiographic 8-episode weekly series, Ralston dives deep into the tale of how, in 1969, a music promotion company in a tiny Michigan town sent out not one but two bands onto the road to pretend to be The Zombies, the recently disbanded British Invasion band who had just had a huge hit with their song “Time of the Season.” Fake band members included Frank Beard and Dusty Hill, who would go on to become legendary figures in their next band, ZZ Top!

Ralston, who discovered this stranger-than-fiction con a decade ago, dives deep into every aspect of this 55-year-old rock n’ roll mystery, uncovering the secret history of the shady managers who concocted the scheme, the hapless young musicians who were recruited for the scam, the unlikely town where the whole thing was cooked up, the impact of the scheme on the real Zombies (whose iconic music features throughout the show), and much more. The True Story of the Fake Zombies is a production of iHeart, Nevermind Media and Talkhouse.

For more information, contact:

Sarah Avrin, sarah.avrin@charmschoolmedia.com, 814-777-0709

About Daniel Ralston:

Daniel Ralston is a writer, director, and journalist. He is the co-creator and co-host of the highly influential music podcast Low Times as well as MTV’s Videohead podcast. His writing has appeared in TIME, Buzzfeed, Grantland, Vulture and Esquire. He has also directed music videos for artists like Aimee Mann, The So So Glos, Eric Bachmann, and Kevin Devine, among others.

Daniel Ralston 

About Talkhouse:

Talkhouse is a Webby-Award-winning first-person media company and outlet for musicians, actors, filmmakers, and others in their respective fields. Artists write essays and criticism from firsthand perspectives, speak one-on-one with their peers via the Talkhouse Podcast and Talkhouse Live events, and offer readers and listeners unique insight into creative work of all genres and generations. Talkhouse is writing and conversations about music and film, from the people who make them. Talkhouse’s series include Alison Roman’s Solicited AdviceLife of the Record, Craig Finn’s That’s How I Remember It, Santigold’s Noble Champions, and The Screenwriting Life, as well as Listening, an unprecedented program featuring Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case and more that The Guardian describes as “part podcast, part album,” and Björk: Sonic Symbolism, which GQ praises as “a road map to the creative life,” delivering what The New Yorker calls “a rare chance to listen in as one of the most mysterious and mystical artists working today explains herself.”

Our audience has come to understand and cherish the fact that we serve as a platform for getting them inside the minds of their favorite artists and filmmakers. As one of the only “first-person” media outlets, Talkhouse allows musicians, actors and filmmakers to reach fans directly, in their own words. By working directly with creators from the worlds of music and film, Talkhouse has built a media brand that is firmly rooted in authenticity, credibility, and creativity – and, through branded content initiatives and special projects, we aim to bring those values to life together with like-minded partners. Follow Talkhouse at InstagramTwitter and Facebook.

About Nevermind Media:

Nevermind Media is a podcast company dedicated to telling the stories behind the songs, albums, and soundtracks of our lives. In addition to extensive podcasting and public radio experience, we have decades in the trenches of music journalism and a team that can knowledgeably tackle any story from rock to hip hop, country to disco, blues to psychedelia, metal to Mozart. Our work has been recognized by Rolling Stone, Esquire, GQ, Variety, Stereogum, Pitchfork, and Flavor Flav. Visit nevermind.fm for more information

About iHeartMedia:

iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, reaching over 90% of Americans every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have more consumer reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the reach of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled reach of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next four podcast publishers combined, and has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand, and the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts.  The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.