The new eight-part series explores the strangest story in rock and roll history

Today, iHeartPodasts, Talkhouse and Nevermind Media launched "The True Story of the Fake Zombies," a new outrageous, music-meets-true crime epic that explores an unbelievable music industry scam that went untold for decades. 

Throughout the historiographic 8-episode weekly series, Host Daniel 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. 

Ralston shares, “55 years ago, four guys from Texas toured North America pretending to be the British Psychedelic rock band The Zombies. Two of those incredibly talented young men ended up in ZZ Top. Eight years ago, I wrote a story that uncovered the names and faces behind the Texas Zombies. I am incredibly excited to take the story further. The True Story of The Fake Zombies traces the origins of the Texas band back to Bay City, Michigan, where two audacious managers put the whole thing together. This podcast was made possible by the local historians, legendary music writers and musical heroes who agreed to help tell the story of this truly wild rock and roll con. We are incredibly honored to have The Zombies voices and music included in the podcast.” 

“The True Story of the Fake Zombies” is a production of iHeartMedia, Nevermind Media and Talkhouse. New episodes will be available every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app and wherever podcasts are heard. 

“The True Story of the Fake Zombies” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts. 

Editor’s Note: Include the podcast audio player directly into your article or website by using the embed code here:<iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-true-story-of-the-fak-186899838/?embed=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>

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. 

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 Advice, How Long Gone, Life 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 Instagram, Twitter 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.