Inside The Lyon’s Den: George Lyon’s Ultimate Mixtape + Rare Jimi Hendrix Live Concert

December 1, 2025·3 hr 51 min·21 clips

George Lyons reveals how one song sparked a two-hour mixtape of rare gems and sonic surprises.

This episode features host George Lyons presenting a special two-hour mixtape-style set of his favorite songs on his radio show, The Lyons Den. Lyons broadcasts from KUNV 91.5 FM at UNLV in Las Vegas, curating an eclectic musical journey. The episode is structured as a personal, freeform mix inspired by the host's history of making cassette mixtapes for friends. Lyons explains the set was built around finding Lorde's 2012 track "Royals," which had over 750,000 YouTube hits that year. The playlist includes Brian Eno and Jah Wobble's "Spinner," Bruce Hornsby's "Gonna Be Some Changes Made," and Alanis Morissette's "All I Really Want" from *Jagged Little Pill*. Beck's "Loser" from *Mellow Gold*, Aimee Mann's "Save Me" from the *Magnolia* soundtrack, and Björk's "Human Behavior" from *Debut* are also featured. Later selections include a 2011 Rolling Stones outtake called "No Spare Parts" and Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" from his *Christmas in the Heart* album. The host shares that he used a Tascam 4-track cassette recorder at Grateful Dead concerts and later for making Christmas mixtapes. He recalls Los Angeles station K-Rock breaking artists like The Cure, Wall of Voodoo, and Siouxsie and the Banshees in the mid-80s. The set includes Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Cities in the Dust" and their Beatles cover "Dear Prudence," alongside Sinéad O'Connor's cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U." A memorable insight is Lyons' view of the playlist as an example of his "musical schizophrenia," blending diverse genres and eras seamlessly. He notes Sting's song "Fragile," from his 1987 album *Nothing Like the Sun*, likely appeared on one of his own mixtapes from 1987 or 1988. The host emphasizes the spontaneous, organic feel of the set, which took on "a life of its own" as he compiled it. The tone is conversational and nostalgic, with Lyons directly addressing the listener as if sharing a personal collection. The style is freeform radio, educational in its brief artist and album backstories, but primarily driven by the host's eclectic taste and anecdotes. Listeners who enjoy eclectic, cross-genre mixes spanning from the 1970s to 2010s would love this episode. Those preferring structured interviews, topical discussion, or a single music genre might choose to skip it.

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