It’s about 3 a.m. in Los Angeles. The year is 1978, but it could just as easily be 1994 or 2012. While most of the city sleeps, a soft-spoken man with a shaggy 1960s bowl cut sits in a booth at KROQ, playing a demo tape from a band you’ve never heard of.
That man is Rodney Bingenheimer. The show is Rodney on the Roq.
For over 40 years, this was the heartbeat of Southern California’s underground. If you were a kid in the Valley or a punk in Hollywood, you didn't just listen to Rodney; you relied on him to tell you what was cool before the rest of the world caught on. He wasn't a "shock jock." He didn't have a booming radio voice. Honestly, he sounded kinda shy. But when Rodney played a track, the music industry stopped to listen.
The Kingmaker in a Shaggy Haircut
Rodney Bingenheimer didn't just play records. He broke them. We're talking about a guy who was the first in America to spin the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, and Blondie. He gave Van Halen airplay before they even had a record deal.
The list of "Rodney Discoveries" is basically a Hall of Fame ballot:
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- The Runaways
- Joan Jett
- X
- The Go-Go’s
- Social Distortion
- No Doubt
- Oasis
- Coldplay
He had this weird, almost supernatural knack for finding the "next thing." He’d be hanging out at a club, someone would hand him a 7-inch or a cassette, and by the next Sunday night, it was blasting through car speakers from Santa Monica to San Bernardino.
People called him the "Mayor of the Sunset Strip." It wasn't just a cute nickname. Actor Sal Mineo actually gave it to him because Rodney was everywhere. He was the guy who brought David Bowie to L.A. hotspots. He was the guy who stood in for Davy Jones on The Monkees. He was the bridge between the old-school glamour of the 60s and the jagged edge of the 80s.
Why Rodney on the Roq Was Different
Radio today is a machine. It’s all algorithms and "safe" corporate playlists decided by guys in suits in another state. Rodney on the Roq was the opposite of that. It was chaotic. It was personal. It was human.
Rodney would play a high-energy punk anthem followed by a sugary 60s pop song, then maybe a weird British import nobody could buy in the States yet. He had a segment called "American in London" that basically single-handedly imported Britpop to the West Coast. Without Rodney, would L.A. have fallen so hard for Blur or the Arctic Monkeys? Probably not.
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"Alone in LA, Rodney seemed like an island of English 'nowness.' He even knew British singles and bands that I wasn't aware of." — David Bowie
His sincerity was his secret weapon. He wasn't trying to sell you anything. He just liked the music. That's why Brian Wilson trusted him. That's why the Beatles let him hang around. He was a fan first and a DJ second.
The End of an Era and the Darker Side
Nothing lasts forever, especially in L.A. radio. In 2017, KROQ (then owned by CBS) cut Rodney loose. It was an unceremonious end to a 41-year run. One day he was the voice of the night; the next, he was packing his boxes. It felt like the final nail in the coffin for the "old" KROQ, the one that took risks.
But the story doesn't end with a gold watch and a retirement party.
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As of early 2026, the legacy of the "Mayor" is complicated. While many still celebrate him as a pioneer, serious allegations have emerged. In late 2025, a Los Angeles judge ordered Bingenheimer to appear for a deposition in a sexual abuse lawsuit filed by Kari Krome, a co-founder of The Runaways. The lawsuit alleges incidents from the 1970s, back when Rodney’s English Disco—his famous glam rock club—was the center of the universe.
It’s a stark reminder that the "glamorous" era of the Sunset Strip often had a dark underbelly. When you look back at the history of Rodney on the Roq, you have to balance the incredible musical gifts he gave the world with the reality of the scenes he navigated. The history of rock 'n' roll is rarely clean.
Where is he now?
He didn't stop. Rodney moved his show to SiriusXM’s "Underground Garage" (Channel 21), where he still spins the obscure and the "edgy." He’s 79 now, still rocking the same haircut, still looking for that one song that’s going to change everything.
For those who grew up with him, the original KROQ show remains a time capsule. It represents a time when L.A. felt like a small town where anyone with a guitar and a dream could knock on a studio door in Pasadena and actually get heard.
How to Explore the Legacy Today
If you want to understand the impact of Rodney on the Roq, don't just read about it. Listen.
- Watch the Documentary: Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003). It’s a fascinating, sometimes heartbreaking look at his life and his obsession with fame.
- Find the Compilations: There were several "Rodney on the Roq" albums released in the 80s. They are masterclasses in curation, featuring tracks from the Circle Jerks to the Bangles.
- Check the SiriusXM Show: He’s still active. If you want to hear what the "Mayor" is listening to in 2026, that’s where you’ll find him.
- Research the History: Look into the L.A. punk scene of the late 70s. Without Rodney’s airplay, bands like X or The Germs might never have broken out of the local club circuit.
The era of "Rodney on the Roq" is over, but the bands he discovered are still on your playlists. That’s the real mark of an expert: knowing what’s classic before it even becomes a hit.