MusicBoxPete Podcast

On today's edition of the cast, we take a look at the origins of grunge music and its place on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks charts, and how Nirvana's debut on the chart back in 1991 signaled a seismic shift in music and created a whole new sub culture in the process. We examine how some other grunge acts including Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains flourished in this era, and made a name for themselves in the short lived era that grunge had. We also take a look at how some female singer-songwriters flourished on the chart in the mid 90's like Sarah McLachlan, and why they suddenly vanished from the airwaves as radio programmers shifted to a more male dominated sound that continued throughout the decade, further highlighting the sexism and ignoring women's contributions to music. We also play a tune from Boston's own Letters to Cleo, the classic "Here and Now".

On today's edition of the cast, we look over some of the early stars that dominated in the early years of Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, including The Psychedelic Furs and Siouxsie & The Banshees, and discuss how foreign born musicians dominated the early years of the chart, which speaks volumes about how much more talent and influence they had over their American counterparts. We also talk about how big of a role college radio had to do with the start of this chart in the first place, and how other upstart charts like The Hard Report and CMJ strived to highlight alternative artists that weren't getting any love or notice from mainstream radio. We also take a look at some of the local artists that got a lot of visibility on the chart, including Boston's own The Lemonheads and their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" which I play towards the end of the cast.

On this first episode of the relaunched and reimagined MusicBoxPete Podcast now dedicated to taking a look back at the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and discussing the chart's beginnings. We talk about some of the artists that first charted that helped define the alternative scene including The Cure, Depeche Mode, U2, and so forth. We talk about the evolution of the chart and how it showcased growing trends including the emerging grunge movement, the female singer-songwriter era of the mid 90's, alternative acts crossing over to pop radio, and how the chart's inevitable downfall culminated with the nu-metal movement that saw acts such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park ushering in the last days of the chart with a thud. We also talk about some of the lesser known acts that gained huge success in the chart's early years spotlighted today by The Ocean Blue and their track " Between Something and Nothing".

On today's all new cast, we spend some time with Holbrook's own Brian DeStoop from Brian DeStoop and The Old Haunts. Brian talks about his musical beginnings, how he first became interested in music, his musical influences that really drew and gravitated him towards crafting music in the first place, how his family played a big role in him becoming the musician he is today, he also lets us in on his creative process when it comes to creating music, and he discusses the making of his latest single "Call on Me" and what it was like to put it all together, plus he lets us in on how he likes to unwind from making music and performing in his spare time.

On today's special year-end edition of the cast, we take a look back at the year that was 2024 and look back at all of my picks for the top albums of the year handcrafted by yours truly and what album stood out among the rest and really encapsulated the year as a whole. I also give some selections from my top songs over the past year and which ones stood out as anthems and received the most airplay throughout that contributed to some of the best moments from beginning to end. I also recap some of my favorite concerts that I attended over the past year including Joshua Bassett, Incubus, Vampire Weekend, and the epic pop-punk leaning When We Were Young festival out in Vegas featuring The Starting Line, Taking Back Sunday, and a whole host of others that wrapped up the year on a fine note. I also play some sections from my year-end songs list, including Henry Merit, Donna Drive, and Pretoria.

On today's podcast, we welcome aboard Nico Daglio and Ian Niblack of the Boston based indie outfit Statue. The fellas come on to talk about their musical beginnings, how the band formed, how their individual musical influences set them on the path they're currently on right now, their individual creative processes and how they conjure up music when practicing together, they discuss their stage presence and how it manifests themselves well on stage and how it elicits an audience response. Nico also chats briefly about his foray into solo music outside of the band and how that gives him an added creative edge and outlet, while Ian also chats about his interests outside of the band including fashion that he designs himself and displays and adorns proudly when performing on stage.

On today's flashback edition of the cast, we throw it back to 2018 and my interview with The Starting Line frontman Kenny Vasoli. We touched base to talk about the beginnings of his side projects Person L and Vacationer and how that filled the times in between playing shows with TSL. One of my favorite interviews I've ever done in the history of my podcast, Kenny was also the subject of the very first written post I ever did for MusicBoxPete when it launched in 2009: my review of Person L's full length debut "The Positives". I had interviewed Kenny multiple times in chat transcripts over the years with Person L and Vacationer, but this was my first time chatting with him over the phone and in length about music. I've met him multiple times over the years during his jaunts in Boston and he has been nothing short of an amazing musician and a great friend, and that means a lot especially having been of a fan his since my high school years and was a big part of my formative years and was solely responsible for establishing my love for pop-punk music.

On today's special edition of the cast, I give you a sneak peek of the When We Were Young music festival that I'll be attending next weekend out in Las Vegas, highlighting some of the many acts who will be performing their albums in its entirety including Underoath, Saves The Day, New Found Glory, Taking Back Sunday, and a whole host of others. I also talk about how this emo-leaning lineup seeks to reinvigorate the musical memories it's bound to conjure up for all the attendees who will be flocking in droves from the world over to check out. his once in a lifetime event. I also talk about the bands that I'm most excited to see out there, some of the fun activities that I'll be partaking out there including lounging by the pool and the plethora of restaurants that are abound out there in Sin City. I also play a selection of songs from some of the acts that I grew up listening to including Armor For Sleep, Jimmy Eat World, and The Starting Line.

On today's podcast, we welcome aboard Worcester based emo-rockers Moveset. Drew, Warren, and Alex take some time to talk about the band's origins, how all the members came together and what some of the challenges were getting the band started seeing as they formed just this year. The guys talked about their musical influences and how they helped shaped the sound of the band, the band's experiences recording and writing together and how they learned to practice and hone their skills when it comes to precision, timing, and all remaining on the same page musically. The guys also talked about the recording of their debut single "Intrusive" and what it was like to put it all together, plus the fellas let us in on some of their passions outside of making music, including working on cars.

On today's all new cast, we welcome aboard Greg and Will from the Boston based alt/synth-rock outfit Western Education. The boys come on to reconnect and take a trip down memory lane and find out what they've been up to since we last chatted with them back in 2015. We discuss the journey that has gotten them to this point, how the band formed, when they realized that they had stumbled across something special, the secret to what makes their music so unique, their experiences recording their latest singles "New Dawn" and "Catherine What Have You Done", plus they talk about the influence that The Killers has had on them and what their favorite album of theirs is, plus the guys talk about how they like to decompress from playing and making music also.

On today's special edition of the cast, I bring to you my Fall 2024 New Music Preview Special, highlighting some of the albums that will be coming out this Fall, along with some ones that have already been released. Among some of the albums I highlight include Troy Cartwright's latest effort "Bygones" and why that cements his status as one of the fastest rising country artists out there today. I also highlight Boston Manor's recently released 5th album "Sundiver" and how that effort represents where the U.K. emo rockers are at this stage of their personal and professional careers. I also talk about 90's alt rockers Nada Surf and their brand new album "Moon Mirror" and how that album keeps the band in the public consciousness after all this time, and how it matches in musical intensity and potentness to their classic 2002 LP "Let Go". I also make mention of Hippo Campus recently released album "Flood" and how it's a serious contender for Album of The Year with their fanatical following sure to hold this album near, dear, and close to their hearts. To close out, I also preview some forthcoming albums from Sneaky Miles and Shawn Mendes.

On today's all new cast, we sit down with guitarist/vocalist Evan Ringle of the NH based indie rock outfit Watson Park. Evan chats about the early beginnings of the group, how he met all the other members, what influences characterize his sound including sharing in our mutual love of Elliott Smith, he also lets us in on the creative process behind his music and how all the magic unfolds in the studio right before your very ears. He lets us in on the creation of the band's debut LP "Laurel" and what it was like to put it all together, the song that most resonates with him during those sessions, and what he likes to do for fun to unwind from music, including cooking and being a cinephile.

On today's all new episode, we spend some time with producer Christian DeKnatel aka DKNTL and Boston's own Aaron Bear to talk about their collaborative EP that they worked on together, "Grateful Good Times". The fellas take some time to talk about their musical beginnings, their influences that made them want to get into music in the first place, how they joined forces and created something truly special and wholly unique that takes influences from a wide variety of genres, but is unclassificable as a whole. Christian talks about his time with Orson and The Rosebuds and how that prepared him for his project, and how he met up with Aaron to create this EP, what the two learned about themselves after completing the project, what the whole process was like putting it all together, and how gratifying it is to have it out into the open for everyone to hear. 

On today's brand new cast to kick off the new season, we touch base with Boston based on the rise indie trio Hush Club. Alasdair, Chris, and Liz come on to talk about their upcoming show at The Sinclair in Cambridge with Photo Negative on Sept. 8 and also to talk about the band's origins, how all the members met up, the band's musical influences and how it evokes some similarities to Alasdair's previous group New Dakotas, the band's musical influences and how it all coalesces into something truly special and unique, the creative process and how sometimes those differences manifest themselves well when the songs reach their finished state, they also let us in on the recording process behind their latest single "Movie" and what it was like to out it all together, plus they talk about their special and unique bond they have with their fans including making pizza for them due to TikTok and their plans for taking the fans out for ice cream after The Sinclair show.

On today's all new episode, we sit down with Derek and Ian from Boston based alt/indie outfit Barefoot Young. The fellas sit down to talk about the group's humble beginnings and how they originally came together, their individual musical influences and how they differ from the overall sound of the band they're trying to convey, what it's like for them to play shows out in the Boston music scene and how they aim to keep things fresh and inviting for the first time concertgoers coming to see them, their creative process and how their musical ideas and thought processes coalesce and come together in the studio, their experiences recording their latest EP “Falling Fast” and what it was like to put it all together, plus the guys let us in on what they like to do for fun and recreation away from playing and making music.

On today's podcast, we welcome aboard Jonah Wakefield of Orono, ME based alt-indie trio Milk Street. Jonah comes on to talk about the origins of the group, what life was like growing up in Maine, how he met the other members, how he would describe his unique blend of music to those who aren't familiar with him and how the group stumbled upon their unclassifiable blend of tunes in the first place, the music that inspired him growing up and set him on the path, his creative process and how the fellas put their ideas to paper, he also talks about the Mid East Upstairs show that the guys played a few months ago and how rad that was for the group, his experiences recording the band's latest LP “Vermont” and what it was like to put it all together, plus he lets us in on what he likes to do for fun away from playing and making music.

On this special edition of the cast, we talk all things Beanpot as Northeastern takes on BU in the Beanpot Championship Game taking place at the TD Garden on Mon. 2/12. I recap Northeastern's season thus far, and talk about how much the Huskies have rebounded after a slow start to the season and steps that the team can take to improve their roster as they make for a stretch run. I also talk about the future of Matthews Arena and talk about the possibility of it being torn down and the steps that Northeastern can take to ensure that Huskies hockey has a suitable home moving forward. I also talk about the keys to tonight's Beanpot championship, and talk about how players like Justin Hryckowian, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, and Cameron Whitehead can shut down the Terriers and ensure that the Husky offense is fortified and is stockpiled enough to withstand the assault. I also feature music from some Northeastern alums including Jason Ebbs, State Street, and Dylan Rockoff.

On today's all new edition of the cast, we welcome on rising Boston based pop/hip-hop artist Phat Hosea. Phat graces us with his presence to talk about his musical beginnings, how he stumbled across his unique blend of pop and hip-hop, and how it has blossomed and morphed into something that is beyond his wildest imagination and dreams. He talks about his early musical influences that set him on the path where he is now, and he lets us in on his creative process and how his songs usually come to fruition, he also talks about his experiences working with my good friend Mark Walsh on his most recent single “The One”, and also talks about a special concert at St. Michael's College up in Vermont that was a mind blowing experience for the both of them, plus he talks about what he likes to do to unwind away from performing and creating music.

On today's all new episode, we welcome on Boone, NC based math rock duo Cloutchaser. Brady and Cameron talk about the humble beginnings of the group, how they stumbled upon their unique and creative blend of math rock which is entirely instrumental in nature, and the guys eloquently describe what the genre is in a nutshell for those who aren't familiar with it. The guys talk about their creative process and how their genius brainwaves create such entertaining and thought-provoking sounds that makes the curious listener gasp and stand there in awe of what they're witnessing unfolding right before them. They also chat about the recording of their latest effort "Metallica" and what it was like to put it all together, plus the fellas let us know on what they like to do for fun and to unwind away from making and performing music.

On today's all new edition of the cast to ring in 2024, we chat it up with Luboock, TX based country artist Cole Barnhill. Cole lets us into his world and talks about his upbringing down in the Lone Star state, how music was reared upon to him at a young age growing up, his musical influences that really inspired him to get the ball rolling, his creative process when it comes to putting his thoughts from pen to paper, the recording of his latest single "XOXO" and what it was like to put that creation together, plus he lets us in on what he likes to do fun away from the studio and the stage, including rooting for his Dallas Cowboys.

On today's special year end edition of the cast, we take a look back at the year that was 2023 and some of my picks for the top albums of the past year that I thoroughly enjoyed and that dominated the year, all of the top songs that I had on repeat all year long and ones that represented the soundtrack of my life, plus I reflect on all of my favorite moments from the past year, including the opening of the new music venue Deep Cuts in my hometown of Medford, the Wet Hot American Summer tour with The Starting Line, New Found Glory, and The All American Rejects, plus various other concerts that I had the privilege of attending, plus I hint of what the future of MusicBoxPete holds. I also play some songs from my year-end list including Henry McIntyre, Today Junior, and Pretoria.

On today's all new edition of the cast we welcome on Brandon Barker, frontman for the Atlanta, GA based rock outfit Barn Fire. He comes on to talk about the group's humble beginnings down South, his early musical influences and how that set him on the path he is on now, including sharing our mutual love for Ace Enders and The Early November whom I saw solo last month, his connection to music at a young age and how that fostered his musical curiosity, his creative process and how the fruits of his musical labor usually come to fruition, the recording of his single "Senses" and how that all came together and how it's different from some of their other material, plus he lets us in on what he likes to do for fun away from playing and creating music.

On today's brand new episode, we jet out to Carlsbad, CA and kick it with the fine fellas of the surf rock quartet Donna Drive. Jeddy and Dominic instill their chill vibes on everyone and talk about the early beginnings of the group, how the dudes came together in the first place, their musical influences that planted the seeds for what would come later on down the road, how they would describe their sound to those who aren't familiar with them, their creative process and how they go about making such sweet music in the first place, the recording process behind their latest single "Bitter Game" and what it was like to put it all together, plus the fellas talk about what they like to do for fun away from making music, and how those surf, skate, and beach based activities define the California spirit and who they are as super talented, good looking, and youthful individuals.

On today's special edition of the cast, we take a look back and a trip down memory lane as the MusicBoxPete Podcast celebrates 10 years. I talk about the origins and early beginnings of the cast, how it got started, the evolution of the cast over the years and how it went from talking about music related issues to an interview based format, some of my favorite episodes and moments over the years, some of my favorite bands that I've had the pleasure of interviewing, plus we look ahead and where the direction of the podcast is heading down the road and how important it has become for keeping the focus squarely on the artist and hearing their backstory. I also feature some songs from some artists that I've had the pleasure of interviewing for the cast over the years including: Today Junior, Dwayne Haggins, and BoyMeetsWorld.

On today's all new cast, we kick our shoes off and hang out with the fellas of Milwaukee based indie-grunge quartet Roulette. Elijah, Samir, Vince, and Joe were super rad enough to come on and introduce themselves to everybody, talk about the beginnings of the group and how the members all came together, their musical influences that sparked some conversation and made them want to start a band in the first place, the creative process behind their music and what inspires them to keep their creative juices flowing, the energy and spirit surrounding their live shows and what they do each and every time to put out a quality set, their experiences recording their debut album "I Don't Know These People" featuring their single "Again & Again", and the guys let us in on what they like to do for fun away from making music amidst being busy college students and young individuals.

On today's edition of the cast, we wrap up our coverage of Summit Indie Fest happening this Saturday Sept. 30 at The Book and Bar in Portsmouth, NH with an interview featuring Portland, ME based soul/R&B artist Adrienne Mack-Davis. Adrienne comes on to talk about her humble beginnings, how music played a role in her youth and development, her primary musical influences and how that played a big role in her formative years, her creative process and how she normally goes about creating music, how excited she is to perform at Summit Indie Fest this Saturday and what fans can expect, plus she lets us in on what she likes to do to unwind and get away from it all when not making music.

On today's episode of the cast, we continue on with our leadup to Summit Indie Fest on Sept. 30 at The Book and Bar in Portsmouth, NH interviewing power pop trio Catwolf. The Granite State natives come on to talk about the group's humble beginnings, how the members all came together, how their different and diverse musical influences set the stage for what would become the formation of the band, the secret behind their glorious and groove laden sound that only they can describe to you so eloquently. They also talk about their creative process and how they normally go about creating music in the first place, what fans can expect from their Summit Indie Fest set next week, plus the ladies let us in on what they like to do for fun away from making and performing music.

On today's all new episode of the cast, we resume our countdown to Summit Indie Fest on September 30th at The Book and Bar in Portsmouth, NH with an interview featuring my two best friends, Haverhill's own Henry McIntyre and Tyler Legare. We talked about their own personal musical influences, and how those said influences had an impact on each other's personal growths over the years. I also got their takes on the evolution and changes within the Boston music scene over the years and where they see it headed. We talked about their time in their respective bands: Tyler with Fourshadow and Henry with Black Diamonds, and how their time in those acts helped them gain an understanding of themselves as people and as musicians. We also talked about what fans can expect from their sets at Summit Indie Fest, and what the future holds for their respective music careers moving forward.

On today's all new cast, we continue our countdown to Summit Indie Fest on September 30th with an interview featuring one of the performers, singer-songwriter Linda Viens. Originally from Minneapolis but residing here in Boston, she kindly sits down to detail her early musical beginnings, how she found music while growing up, how her family played a role in her decision to pursue music, her musical influences and how that opened up a world of possibilities that led her to where she is now, her creative process and how she normally goes about creating songs in the first place, the recording process behind her latest work, plus she spills the beans on what she likes to do for fun away from making music.

On today's episode, we continue our countdown to Summit Indie Fest on September 30th at The Book and Bar in Portsmouth, MA interviewing Boston based spoken word artist Amanda Shea. Amanda comes on to talk about her musical beginnings, her roots in Charleston, SC and how she made the move up to Boston, her early musical influences and how that helped plant the seed and pave her own way moving forward. She also touches upon how she came across the art of spoken word, and how she's able to incorporate poetry into her live sets and make the audience feel involved. She talks about her hopes for Summit Indie Fest, what she has planned up her sleeve, plus she also lets us in on what she likes to do for fun away from making art.

On today's brand new episode of the cast, we kick off the new season with a countdown to Summit Indie Fest taking place on September 30th at The Book and Bar in Portsmouth, NH! Kicking off our coverage this year with Haverhill, MA based singer-songwriter Alaina Ray. Alaina performed at last year's festival and is back again this year, and she lets us in on how she thinks last year's festival went, what fans can expect from her set at this year's festival, how much of an influence Taylor Swift has been in her songwriting, plus her thoughts on Taylor's recent Foxboro shows and the rain-soaked madness of all it. We also touch upon her creative process to see if it has changed at all, and she lets us in on the recording of her latest single and the thought process behind that also.

On today's flashback edition of the cast, we head back to a couple of years ago in 2021 and my lovely chat with Manchester UK's own indie-pop sensations Delights. One of my favorite bands to come of the UK in recent years, their beautiful and serene blend of earthy pop hooks and pleasant sounding melodies has garnered them praise in their homeland and across the pond here in the U.S. as well. We touched upon their humble beginnings, how the fellas all found each other, their musical influences that honed in on who they are as musicians and people, their creative process, plus we shared in some good natured ribbing of our favorite Premier League clubs which elicits a hearty good time for a few laughs. 

On today's flashback edition of the cast, we zoom back to 2020 and my interview with Pat McCloskey of First in Flight. The San Francisco based dance rock band melted hearts and ignited fan interest with their energetic live performances that demanded audience involvement. Pat was super gracious to come on and chat about the group's beginnings, creative process, and the evolution of the band's sound that took them all over the country, and why they were such a fan favorite wherever they went. We also touched upon what he enjoys the most about being in the band, and what he likes to do for fun in his spare time. Plus at the end of the cast, I'll give you an update as to what Pat is doing right now with music.

On today's flashback edition of the cast, we zoom back to 2019 and my interview with Boston indie sensations Dutch Tulips. The guys just released their single "Hat" at the time, and the guys were gracious enough to come on the podcast and talk about their early beginnings, creative process, and the secret behind what makes them so unique. The guys are nothing short of musical geniuses, and the way they piecemeal each song together just shows you how much in tune they are wit one another, and know how to build off of each other's energy. At the end of the cast, I'll play you the aforementioned "Hat" for your musical enjoyment.

On today's retro edition of the cast, we jet back to 2020 and my interview with Tristan Lake Leabu. The Texas native, Cali raised singer-songwriter came on to chat as the pandemic was just beginning and talked about his musical beginnings, how growing up in California helped influence him as a musician and as a person, his musical influences from the 70's and how that influences and channels his musical aura and presence on record and performing in person. He has such a magnetic charm and charisma, is a ridiculously good looking guy, and has a gift for knowing how to talk people both in person and through song that makes him such a beautiful human being inside and out. At the end of the cast, I give you an update on what he's up to right now.

On today's flashback edition of the cast, we jet back to 2019 and the first interview I did with Grand Rapids, MI's Pretoria. The indie gents just released their debut EP "Cape Town" at the time, and were just beginning to establish their foothold within the confines of Michigan's music scene. But they had a most profound impact on me, as their music really deeply impacted me and I've been very fortunate to become very close friends with the guys in the band: Rob, Josh, Ben, and Matt. We talked about the group's beginnings, creative process, and how they like to unwind when not making music.

On today's flashback edition of the cast, we go back to my 2019 interview w/ Benjii. Formerly of the band Hawking, the Vancouver BC native came on to talk about his solo debut with the song "California" which will play at the end of the cast, and how his sound transformed into a more dark edged pop sound that had a electro-synth paradise that unfolded the minute you began to listen to it. We touched upon his musical influences, creative process, life growing up in Canada, and once you listen you immediately begin to realize what a kind, gentle, and beautiful soul Benjii is, and how immensely talented he is as a musician.

On today's retro episode of the cast, we go back to 2018 and my interview with Kenny Vasoli. Obviously you know him from his days with The Starting Line, on this interview we touched upon his current band Vacationer and talk about his evolving musical tastes over the years, and how that has transformed him into a better and more musically diverse musician capable of achieving far greater wavelengths than ever before. We touched upon his evolution from his other band Person L and what he learned from his time there, plus we delved into the creation of his most recent album Mindset and his thought process going into that. It's not too often you get to interview your heroes, but this one was an all time high point for me.

On today's episode of the cast, we kick off our countdown to the 10th anniversary of the MusicBoxPete Podcast in September with a look back at some of my favorite interviews over the years. Today, we go back to 2017 and my interview w/ Boston based pop-punk outfit Paper Hearts. I look back on this interview fondly and quite often because the fellas in the group were super nice and more than gracious to me during the interview, and I wholly appreciated their sincerity and authenticity as musicians when it comes to communicating effectively with the audience. We originally touched base on their beginnings, creative process, live shows, and non-music related activities, plus I give an update on what they're doing now. 

On today's all new cast, we welcome back my musical loves in Juniper for a record tying 3rd appearance. Scott, Ale, and Dave come on to talk about how things have been going since the last time we had them on, a little backstory on how the band first formed, when the guys realized they had something special with their band amidst rotating lineup changes, and how that correlated into a sonic shift of their sound, how they met up with my musical BFF's in Pretoria, and how they forged a relationship after playing a show out in Grand Rapids last year, the genesis behind their latest single "Used To This" and the members' experiences putting it all together and how it differs in tone from their previous work, plus the fellas let us know on what they all do in their leisure time when not making music.

On today's all new episode of the cast, we welcome aboard Randolph, MA native E-Los. The rising hip-hop/R&B newcomer stops on to chat about his musical beginnings, how he really came to find himself through the power of music at a young age, how he stumbled across his unique blend of rap and R&B influences to create something truly unique and mind-blowing, how he made his mark in the South Shore where there really isn't a traditional music scene and how that gives him an added edge, we also delve behind his creative process from the writing stage, all the way until he goes into the recording studio where the magic really happens, and he also talks about what he hopes fans find through his music.

On today's all new cast, we welcome back on for a return appearance Boston's own Drew Zieff, whom you may know more commonly as the person behind Jake Swamp and The Pine. We touch base with Drew again to talk about how things have been going since the last time we chatted, how he knew early on that music was his true calling and purpose in life, what he seeks to do with his sound moving forward, his excitement at being nominated for a Boston Music Award, his experience recording his latest album "Simpson & Banks" and what it was like to piece it all together and how it differs from his previous work, plus he lets us in on his favorite things to do in his leisure time.

On today's brand new episode to kick off 2023, we check in with Framingham, MA native Dwayne Haggins. The country-folk/soul artist drops by to chat about his musical beginnings, how the musical seeds were firmly planted at such a young age, his foray into performing and how he realized that it was his true calling and purpose in life. He also talks about his creative process and how all his songs come to fruition, plus he also talks about his experience performing alongside Ahren Shreeve, formerly of the band Juniper and how much playing with him has really made his music spark and sizzle on stage. He also talks about the recording process behind his latest album "Call Me Boston" and what it was like to put together, plus Dwayne lets us in on what he likes to do away from making and performing music.

On today's all new cast, we put a bow on the year that was 2022 and take a look back at some of my favorite albums from the past year that I kept listening to over and over again, I talk about some of my favorite songs that really resonated with me and how they helped me to look at the artists more deeper, and get a sense of their personality traits as well, plus I look back on the top moments from the past year with some concerts I went to, and also talk about receiving my first ever Boston Music Award nomination for "Music Publication of The Year" with MusicBoxPete and how much this achievement really means to me. I also play some of my favorite songs from the past year including Henry McIntyre, Benicio Bryant, and Pretoria.

On today's all new episode, we welcome back for a return appearance to the cast of Boston's own Kooked Out. John Fiore and Chris Laskey come back on to catch up and let us in on everything that's been going on in their musical lives as of late. The fellas talk about their experiences busking in downtown Boston over at Faneuil Hall, and how the bassist of My Chemical Romance Mikey Way came across one of their performances and recorded it for his followers on Instagram, and how much that increased the band's visibility. The guys talk about the evolution of their creative process, and how they feel the need to constantly reinvent themselves to adapt to the ever changing musical times. The fellas also talk about their experience recording their latest album "Vis Viva" and what that was like to put all together, plus the guys keep us updated on the status of their traveling bus and what they enjoy to do during their downtime as well.

On today's special edition of the cast, we devote time and chat about this year's Boston Music Awards, happening on Dec. 14 at Big Night Live in Boston. I'll give you the rundown of the festival and a select list of some of the nominees, and of course I'll talk about yours truly MusicBoxPete being nominated for Music Publication of The Year! We talk about the awards itself, and how it's fully representative of the depth of talent currently out there in the scene right now, and focuses on the individual artists and what they bring to the table. I also play music from some of this year's nominees as well, including Chris Ruediger, Jake Swamp and The Pine and Dutch Tulips.

On today's all new episode, we wrap up our special coverage of Summit Indie Fest that happened this past Sat. 10/22 with an interview featuring one of the performers, Haverhill, MA based singer-songwriter Tyler Legare. Tyler talks about his evolution from playing drums in our good friend Henry McIntyre's backing band and how he really found his true calling and purpose in life, and how he has since switched over to guitar. He also lets us in on his passion for art, and how his love for that seeps into his music and how in common they both are and work in tandem with one another. Tyler also shares his love for Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, and how much Syd has influenced him and helped to uncover different facets of his own personality as well. He also talks about his creative process and how he goes about crafting tunes in the first place, plus he lets us in on what he likes to do to unwind away from making music, and when we can possibly see some music released to the public.

On today's all new episode, we continue our countdown to Summit Indie Fest happening this Sat. Oct. 22 with an interview featuring Crystal and Mark from Boston's own Talk Chalk. The two hop on to talk about the creation of their band, how their act is different from the prior band they played in As The Sparrow, their creative process and how it differs from their previous band as well, they also discuss how the musical styles are different and how their new outlet showcases their musical evolution and creative journey of sorts, they talk about the creation of their latest effort "Fork, Marry, Killbasa" and what it was like to put it all together, they also share their thoughts on Summit Indie Fest and how stoked they are to play the festival and what fans can expect when seeing them in concert, plus they also talk about what they like to do to unwind when not playing or recording music.

On today's all new episode, we continue our leadup to Summit Indie Fest on 10/22 with an interview featuring dynamic singer-songwriter Craig Martinson. Craig lets us in on what he's been up to musically, his primary musical influences that influenced his mindset as a solo artist, how he aims to approach performing solo and how that reveals a different facet of his personality, he also lets us in on his creative process and how he normally goes about creating music, his experiences putting together his solo material and how it's similar to his other group Def Grls, in which he also talks about he's working on new material with, plus he also let us know how stoked he is to play at this year's festival after having last played there in 2019, and what he likes to do for fun when not playing or recording.

On today's brand new episode, we continue our countdown to Summit Indie Fest on 10/22 with the Boston based electro-punk outfit Muzzins. Reyna, Tom, and Chris give us an hilarious and off the wall insight to how they normally operate and find out what goes on in their crazy and unique world. They talk about the formation of the group and how they got together in the first place, how they came up with their unique band name, their musical influences that gave them their strange and unique sound, their creative process behind their musical genesis and how their songs are usually formed, the recording process behind their latest single "I Like It Rough" and what it was like to put it all together, plus the members spend some time talking about what they like to do for fun away from recording and playing music.

On today's all new episode, we continue our countdown to Summit Indie Fest on 10/22 with an interview featuring Newmarket, NH based indie-folk trio Sneaky Miles. Kevin, Jake, and Pat make a return appearance on the cast catching us up on what's been going on in their musical lives, the origin behind Pat's footstomp tambourine that has become a hallmark of their live performances, what the guys enjoy the most about making music together, the thrill of playing live shows and the agreement that the guys have with those in the audience, their thoughts on playing Summit Indie Fest for the first time this year, the recording process behind their latest single "Sandcastles", plus the fellas let us in on what the guys like to do for fun away from playing and making music.