River Phoenix: Religious Cults, Deadly Speedballs, and a Disappearing Act

DISGRACELAND

Jake Brennan

True Crime, Music, Society & Culture

4.6 • 13.1K Ratings

🗓️ 10 September 2024

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

River Phoenix was a once in a generation actor. His death shocked Hollywood and is still hard for many to accept. His deadly drug overdose has never been fully explained, but his back story—born into a religious cult, steeped in immersive movie role research, constantly toying with his famous identity—does explain the big talent he brought to the screen and the big heart he brought into the world. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including child sexual abuse and sex trafficking. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. There's more about River Phoenix coming to your feed on Thursday in the After Party bonus episode. We want to know: Who do you think is the greatest actor of the 1990s? Why? Let us know and join the party at 617-906-6638, [email protected], or on socials @disgracelandpod. Purchase Tickets for Disgraceland's Special Live Stream Event on Oct. 9, 2024: https://www.moment.co/disgraceland/disgraceland-we-are-not-alone-music-wont-save-us-but-tom-delonge-might To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Visit www.disgracelandpod.com/merch to see the latest Disgraceland merch! Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter) Facebook Fan Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Double Elvis.
0:08.0	Disgraceland is brought to you by Disgraceland All Access.
0:11.6	Visit Disgraceland pod.com
0:13.7	slash membership or just click on the link in the show notes for this episode.
0:18.3	This episode contains content that may be disturbing to some listeners.
0:21.7	Please check the show notes for more information.
0:25.0	Disgraysand is a production of River Phoenix, a once in a generation actor, big talent and big heart.
0:44.6	It's also the story of a religious cult,
0:47.6	a disappearing guitar player,
0:49.6	hustlers out on Vasseline Alley, and a deadly speedball and a death outside the Viper Room.
0:57.5	It's the story of not only a great actor, but of that actor's friends who made great music.
1:04.4	Unlike that music I played for you at the top of the show,
1:07.5	that wasn't great music.
1:09.5	That was a preset loop for my melotron called Oki-Doke-Sm-M-K2.
1:17.0	I played you that loop because I can't afford the rights to Dream Lover by Mariah Carey. And why would I play you that specific slice of emotion sampling cheese could I afford it?
1:28.8	Because that was the number one song in America on October 31st 1993.
1:36.0	And that was the day that River Phoenix died suddenly on the Sunset Boulevard sidewalk.
1:42.0	On this episode, religious cults, disappearing guitar players,
1:48.0	back-alley hustlers, and the late Great River Phoenix.
1:52.0	I'm Jake Brennan. the late Great River Phoenix.
2:27.0	I'm Jake Brennan and this is disgrace land. Oh, Although some hadn't seen them in a few years, they all knew they would miss him forever. Filmmakers like Gus Van Zant and Neil Jordan dedicated their latest movies to his memory.
2:32.0	R.E. M. dedicated their new album, Monster, to him,
	...

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