Performance Anxiety

This guest just blew me away on every front imaginable. Welcome drummer David Abbruzzese to the show. If the name sounds familiar, it's probably because he was in the biggest band in the world at what I consider their peak. Dave played drums for Pearl Jam from 1991 to 1994. For me, this was when the band could do no wrong. But, as David tells me, there was a lot of crazy stuff going. That includes a cursed music video that was so bad it was not only trashed, it almost destroyed Dave's musical career! But that's jumping ahead. Dave joins me from a distant time zone, just after a dental procedure. But he was kind enough to hang with me for a couple of hours. A lot happened between his birth and Pearl Jam, so Dave sheds a little light on that. Once we get to the Pearl Jam years, Dave tells some incredible stories, like how he got the job, the time he met Spinal Tap, that cursed video, and some stories behind some favorite songs. Dave is also candid about how he was let go from the band and what he's been up to since. He's worked with some incredible artists in Green Romance Orchestra, Guns N Roses, Peter Cornell, Shawn Smith, and the two folks who helped connect me with Dave, Jeff Fielder and Scott Reeder; thank you, both! Follow Dave on Facebook, on Instagram @davidabbruzzese1968, Free Ass Records on YouTube, and on Bandcamp. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send money to ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Please enjoy my discussion with David Abbruzzese on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is a family favorite. That means I'm talking with Erika Wennerstrom from Heartless Bastards. There are times when I'm completely blown away that an artist agrees to be a guest on this podcast and this is one of those moments. But Erika was and is incredibly kind and gracious. We start off like we usually do, talking about what got her into music. It turns out that she knew she was going to be a singer by around the age of four.  We talk about early bands, like Shesus, the transformation from a shy, awkward person to fronting a band, and how she came up with the name Heartless Bastards. The band's sound has evolved over the course of six albums. Erika talks about struggling with writer's block, stepping back from the band to regroup, and doing her solo album.  After a brief tangent on designed obsolescence, Erika  pulls the curtain back on the latest Heartless Bastards album, A Beautiful Life. Disney and James Bond were influences to a few songs and Laurel Canyon asserts its influence.  Erika is full of great stories, like how Patrick Kearney of The Black Keys ended up with her demos, growing up with The Ohio Players (at least one of them), and swinging by Robert Plant's house to pick him up for drinks (he had shotgun, of course). Erika is currently writing music for the next Heartless Bastards album so keep following their social media accounts and theheartlessbastards.com for updates. Follow us @PerformanceAnx. Pick up merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Or just give us money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And I hope you're as excited for this one as I was. It's Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest makes me just want to have fun. No, it's not Cyndi Lauper. But he did play with her for years. Welcome multi-instrumentalist Knox Chandler to the show. He moved around a lot as a kid, so music really meant a lot to him. His parents told him that he used to hug the stereo speakers when he was a toddler. He studied guitar and upright bass in college. But his cello playing got him just as much work as anything else. The funny part about that is he never technically learned how to formally play the cello. It began on a whim from Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs. From that, we'll call it a suggestion, Knox learned how to play the cello night after night, live in front of thousands of Psychedelic Furs fans.  That turned into playing cello for R.E.M. on Automatic For The People, among other amazing credits. Knox also tells a hilarious story about how he met Cyndi Lauper in the studio and then got heckled by her at a live show that night. He's got a bunch of projects in the works and one that he just completed. It's his multi-media release called The Sound. It's a beautiful, instrumental album that was inspired by friends, tech, and fly-fishing. Check it out on all the streaming platforms or buy the multi-media version from knoxchandlermusic.com or Bandcamp. His website also has links to his socials. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Buy merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send money through ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Here's Knox Chandler on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Side Projects features a duo of duos: Charming Disaster and Lung. So naturally, we started the show by discussing musical duos. Somehow we wrapped everything up by talking about sad kazoo music. I don't know how we got there. It really doesn't matter because this episode goes completely off the rails very quickly. But that's why it's so much fun. We do talk about drum shoes, setting microphones on fire, and new albums for both Charming Disaster and Lung. Charming Disaster's is out and about and Lung's will be released shortly. Give them both follows @charmingdisasterband and @lungtheband. Follow us @PerformanceAnx. Buy merch at performanceanx.threadless.com or just throw money at us at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now brace yourselves for whatever this episode is; because I'm not sure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everything about today's guest is unusual. From writing his first song (which he performed at his high school graduation, unbeknownst to anyone but him) to being in the cast of Stomp before joining O.A.R., to the way he plays guitar, nothing about MikelParis fits into a neat description; with one exception. He's a great guy! He pursued acting before music and played piano in Europe for a year before moving to NYC and joining Stomp. After that, he wound up playing with Pink for a year. Then he found himself auditioning for a band he never heard of called O.A.R.  Much like the rest of his life, this was unconventional. But 20 years later, he's still there! He's developed his own unique style of playing guitar that he's dubbed guitar drumming. He tells how that came about and how Folger's coffee played a part. He's released the first in a series of albums. This one is aptly titled, GuitarDrumming 01. It's got some great cameos in it and the music is so unique. Give him a follow @mikelparis on social media. Listen on Spotify and check socials for tour dates for Mikel and O.A.R. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials, get merch at perfprmanceanx.threadless.com. Send money to ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety and now I'm excited to present MikelParis on PerformanceAnxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This guest never sits still. Welcome guitarist Zak Loy. If you're in the Austin, TX area, you might know him from any number of bands or projects like Damesviolet, Alpha Rev, Mother's Anthem, and more. If you like classic alternative rock from the 90's, you may have seen him playing guitar for the band Live and he was kind enough to take a break during the final stages of his new solo album, Dinero, to talk about his career. He started playing guitar at age eight but didn't graduate to playing in bars until he was the ripe old age of thirteen.  He formed his first band, Damesviolet, with his brother Beaux and that was it. He's been working non-stop ever since. He's played in Alpha Rev so often that I accidentally praised him for someone else's guitar solo. But in my defense, he IS credited on the album. Zak tells me how he met and started working with Ed Kowalczyk and how it evolved from Ed's solo tours to playing rhythm in the back for Live to being the lead guitarist and Ed's right hand man. He also talks about the unique challenges of playing in a legendary band. As I mentioned, Zak has a new solo album coming out called Dinero. Pre-order it through zakloy.com or wherever you get music these days. Follow him @zakloy26 on Instagram. Follow us @PerformanceAnx. Merch is available at performanceanx.threadless.com. Support our caffeine supply at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now, one of the only guests with a shorter name than me, Zak Loy, on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is Rock ‘N Roll distilled. Welcome Bryan Small of The Hangmen to the podcast. This guy lived the sex, drugs, & rock ‘n roll life until he realized it wasn't sustainable. Born in Montana and raised in Idaho, Bryan moved to L.A. because his favorite bands were there. From there, every rock ‘n roll story seems to have happened to The Hangmen. There first album was remixed just before release without their knowledge, the follow up album was hampered by drug addiction and was never released. Bryan talks about the mental aspects of drug addiction and what he and the band would do to feed it. But after seeing the devastation of addiction, he cleaned up and has been that way for 30 years. He started recording again and after a more than decade long gap between the first and second Hangmen album, he's been releasing music consistently. He talks about the latest version of The Hangmen, why there's basically two bands on the album Cactusville, and why he moved back to Montana. Follow The Hangmen on Facebook and Instagram @the_hangmen. If you like some dirty, Stones-y rock, do yourself a favor and check out The Hangmen. Check us out @PerformanceAnx. Our merch is through performanceanx.threadless.com. Send us money for coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Check us out on Gigaverse where I'll be doing some live streams. Now let's get ready to rock with Bryan Small of The Hangmen on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guests, yes guests, are so uplifting. I'd like to welcome Cara Maurizi, Jim Standerfer, Alan Honeycutt, and eventually Ryan Groff; 4/5s of the band Modern Drugs. This band is so positive it's almost too good to be true. And you know what they say about things that are too good to be true. They usually are. Or they're Modern Drugs. But all the members of the band truly love and respect each other. They each talk about their trials and tribulations of being musicians before they all got together and the complicated story of how the band got together. At the center, even if he's too modest to say so, is Ryan Groff. Just ask bass player Alan Honeycutt. That guy uprooted his life to play with him. But the band is actually quite democratic in nature. Nothing is precious when they're working out their songs. Like drummer Jim Standerfer says, nothing means more to them than each other and their friendship.  Jim came up with the band name and talks about how it was chosen, but kind of keeps the meaning a bit of a mystery. Modern Drugs writes music by the same motto as comedy improv groups; Yes, and. Every idea gets a chance. So give them a chance! Check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, YouTube, or wherever you get your music. Follow them on socials @moderndrugsband. Follow us @PerformanceAnx. Get some merch at performanceanx.threadless.com or send us coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. But for now, try some Modern Drugs on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is a blast from my past. Please welcome the multi-talented Esther Canata. Esther and I went to school together. We weren't great friends (she was a freshman when I was a senior and you know how that goes), but we did know each other. She was definitely the “artsy” one in her class. You know every class has at least one.  We reconnected several years ago through social media, which is where I discovered all the different projects she's involved in. I also found out that she had moved to Croatia. That was a surprise!  But before Croatia, there was acting in New York City, including a rock opera at the legendary Limelight. That's also where her music career started. She also modeled in Miami and moved out to LA to get back into acting. But music was still lurking. Esther's done some cool projects with Michael Madsen and many others and she shares some really great stories from that time. But after a bit of a dark period for her, she stepped back and refocused. That brought her to music licensing. That was exactly what she was looking for. That can also be said about her husband. After an unconventional introduction, they fell in love and started a family. But the story only gets wilder from there. They moved to Croatia which gave Esther a reason to concentrate on her visual arts in addition to her latest musical project, Liongale. And there's a great project on the horizon. Check her out at Liongale on Spotify, @alottacanata on Instagram, and Esther Canata on Facebook. Follow her for info on everything she's doing because she does not rest. Follow the show @PerformanceAnx. Merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send us coffee funds at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Check us out on the Gigaverse at Performance Anxiety Podcast. We will be doing some live streams there soon. Now get ready for some east coast via Croatia attitude & talent with Esther Canata on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest really brings me back. Welcome central Jersey's finest, Kevin Shields of Detention and Bigger Thomas. Kevin was a founding member of the central New Jersey punk scene that birthed bands like Bouncing Souls and Vision. He talks about what the scene was like, how it developed, and how it changed. He also talks about life before punk. He was in the Coast Guard and traveled all over; which is how he discovered punk rock in San Francisco in 1979. After an honorable discharge, he moved back to Jersey, picked up a bass, and formed Detention. Their first gig was an eviction party that was shut down by the cops. Their second gig resulted in a ban. Despite, or maybe because of, that, they were championed by none other than Matt Pinfield. Detention was, and really still is, a DIY affair in the truest punk sense. They were working class and wanted to have some fun. Now Left For Dead Records is releasing a compilation of some of Detention's material and it really is a time capsule. Check out Dead Rock ‘n Rollers on Left For Dead Records. Go to leftfordeadrecords.com or follow @leftfordeadrecs on Instagram. Follow us @performanceanx on socials. Merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send us coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And check us out on the Gigaverse @theperformanceanxietypod. Now let's have some fun with Kevin Shields of Detention on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is a sweet soul. Welcome Nikki O'Neill to the show. She's a singer/songwriter steeped in classic soul music. But her story is not one of coming up in Memphis or Muscle Shoals, Detroit, or even Chicago, where she's based, now. It's LA to Sweden with a quick layover in Poland. But we don't even start this episode discussing music. We find our first piece of common ground in home appliances. Part of the way through this episode, I have to move a refrigerator. But through the magic of editing, you don't have to suffer through all of that. Nikki talks about her global journey; what it's like being the new kid in an entirely different country, what brought her back to the States, her musical influences, how she found love (and a drummer) at NAMM, her career in music journalism, and how she started working on her own music. Her new album is called Stories I Only Tell My Friends and it's out tomorrow. Go to nikkioneill.com or Bandcamp to order it. Follow her on social media. Follow us @PerformanceAnx. Our merch is through performanceanx.threadless.com. Keep me awake with coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. So grab you passport because Nikki O'Neill is global on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me feel heavy. If you're a fan of I Mother Earth, that'll make sense to you. My guest is Edwin, I Mother Earth's lead singer. This was such a great discussion, a long time in the making. Edwin talks about growing up in a pretty strict household where his first musical instrument was…the accordion. After ditching that, he started singing in cover bands, playing classic rock like Kansas & Journey. I don't know about you but I'd love to hear the Edwin rendition of Don't Stop Believin'! He met Jag Tanna from IME after moving back to Toronto from LA. Edwin talks about the really early days of IME when the initials didn't stand for I Mother Earth yet. Their early shows were more like events, built to keep people coming back. It worked and he reveals some wild facts about their first demos.  Edwin is incredibly candid about why he left the band and how it affected him. He talks about what got him writing music again and how he started his solo career. We discuss all the ups and downs of his work post I Mother Earth, including how the supergroup Crash Karma came about, after a bit of sleight of hand by one of the members. Edwin tells me exactly how the reunion with I Mother Earth came about, the one-off show that kind of became the reformation of the band, including some strange shows with both IME singers. And Edwin breaks a bit of news about going into the studio with I Mother Earth to write new music this month. Follow Edwin on Facebook at Edwin Edwin and on Instagram @edwin99999. I Mother Earth's account is @imotherearth. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Thanks, everybody, for listening. And ain't it good to be alive, with Edwin on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're talking about jazz, eventually. My computer crashed so this is take two! My guests are Mike Baggetta from mssv among other projects and Chris Greene of the Chris Greene Quartet. They've both been on the show before. I highly recommend going back to their episodes to get their stories. Today I've posed a challenge to these guys. What jazz artist or album should I check out if I like a specific genre of music? I get some great recommendations but more importantly, the conversation goes to places I never imagined. Mike talks about how Mike Watt and Stephen Hodge have helped him grow as a songwriter and a singer. Chris talks about discovering raw talent in his own family. And we talk about the latest Chris Greene Quartet album and the upcoming mssv album from Mike Baggetta, Mike Watt, & Stephen Hodge. Check them both out on Bandcamp or on their websites: chrisgreenejazz.com or @chrisgreenejazz on socials.Mike is at mikebaggetta.com and mainsteamstopvalve.com or @mikebaggetta on Instagram & mssv on Facebook. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on X & Instagram. Our merch is found at performanceanx.threadless.com or you can support us at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now get ready to love some jazz with Chris Greene & Mike Baggetta on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This guest makes me feel like I'm in a Mark Twain novel. Welcome James Cook of Trashcan Joe. He's got a new project called Captain's Audio Project and the two bands are like yin and yang. They both have that old-time jazz feel. But where Trashcan Joe is fun, upbeat, and occasionally raucous, Captain's Audio Project is a little more melancholy.  James grew up in a very musical family but he's the only one of his siblings to find his way into the music business. As I've mentioned, he plays old-time jazz. But he didn't start out that way. He got into Hendrix, Zeppelin, Sabbath, and the rock of the day when his neighbor gave him his entire record collection. That's an interesting story! He tells me how he went from hard rock to the jazz he plays now. He talks about busking through Europe with Jimbo Trout, building instruments from found objects, and how Trashcan Joe started.  Check out Captain's Audio Project on Bad Man Records. Preorder it and maybe James can come play a gig in your area. Follow him at Trashcan Joe's social pages, for the time being. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. You can support the show through merch at performanceanx.threadless.com or by sending us money for coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now get your washtub bass out and jam along to James Cook of Captain's Audio Project on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest was bound to happen. Meet Tex Mosely from Neverland Ranch Davidians. Tex and his band were suggested to me a couple of years ago by my friend Ian. I reached out and we tried to get everything to mesh but just couldn't make it work. A few years later, here we are.  Tex talks about growing up in Philly and having music all around him. His uncle was a professional bass player. Tex started playing guitar and even took lessons from jazz legend, Pat Martino! He began his life in music in Philly, but he eventually found his way to LA. He joined up with The Slaves and found favor with Concrete Blonde, one of my favorite bands. But after a while, rock and roll and substance abuse took its toll on him. But he found help, love, and safety back with his family in Philly.  After his recovery, Tex moved back to LA and joined a band called Neighborhood Bullys. They had such a good sound that they ended up being Suzi Quatro's band for her album In The Spotlight. But there's one odd thing about that recording and I'll let Tex tell that story. Tex's latest band is Neverland Ranch Davidians. It started off as a lo-fi project and wound up being his singing debut. He tells how he met the other band members, Max Hagen and Will Bentley and how he came up with the band name. Their sophomore release is out soon and it's an amalgamation of all Tex's influences (except maybe Pat Martino). It's called Shout It On The Mountain and that title tells it all. It's a rock album. That's it. Tex is a blast to talk with and shares great stories from his early days through the making of the new album. Pre-order it on Heavy Medication Records, buy the debut, and follow Neverland Ranch Davidians on the socials. You can't miss them. Follow us @PerformanceAnx, buy merch at performanceanx.threadless.com and send money through ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now saddle up with Tex Mosely of Neverland Ranch Davidians on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've wanted to do this episode for a long time; not just the subject matter, but my guests as well. Today I'm talking about making sophomore albums with Vashti Bunyan and Lucy Kruger; two people who have vastly different experiences making their second albums. Lucy has done it twice with her bands Medicine Boy and Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys. But they were both very different approaches from one another.  Vashti took a different route. She waited 35 years to make her sophomore album. In fact, she said that, between the disappointing reception to her debut and the extended gap between the two albums, her second album, Lookaftering, didn't feel like a second album at all. This was a fun topic, but I had been looking for a reason to have Lucy & Vashti on together for years. And the reissue of Vashti's second album, Lookaftering, complete with live or demo versions of almost every song on the album, was the perfect reason. And we go a bit beyond sophomore albums because that's what happens when you're enjoying a casual conversation. Check out Lucy Kruger's latest album, A Human Home, on Bandcamp or wherever you get music. Follow her @lucy_kruger to keep up with her. Pick up Vashti Bnyan's reissue of her sophomore album, Lookaftering, on Fat Cat records, Bandcamp, or wherever you buy music. Follow her on Facebook or on Instagram @vashtibunyan. Follow the podcast @PerformanceAnx on socials. Our merch is available at performanceanx.threadless.com. Coffee money is happily accepted at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now let's talk sophomore albums with Lucy Kruger & Vashti Bunyan on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest has the best outlook. Welcome Clinton Jacob of Mr. Phylzzz to the podcast. He's based out of Chicago but originally hails from Clarksville, OH. Apparently they have quite the gruesome claim to fame. Clinton began his musical career playing in bands that were a little more traditional in their sound and approach, which he hated. But there wasn't much in Clarksville besides that and dead bodies. And that's actually what made Clinton realize that music was what he wanted to do. Mr. Phylzzz was formed as a joke by driving a member of one of those hated bands to quit the band he loved. Around that same time, he also started working at a comedy club and dabbling in stand up. The perseverance Clinton saw from comedians crashing and burning one night just to kill the next had a profound effect on him and his view of his band and the philosophy of “do it all backwards”.  Clinton talks about how he connected with the legendary label Amphetamine Reptile and how the band's relationship with The Melvins formed and how important it is to him. After going through a few drummers, Clinton found his equal in Dan Sein. The two make a very noisy dynamo. To that end, Clinton tells some of the odd studio techniques the band has employed over the years. They have some big plans for 2025 including new music and touring a lot. So grab the music on Bandcamp or wherever you get music (bt Bandcamp is best). Follow them @mrphylzzzband on Instagram, mrphylzzz on Facebook, or at mrphylzzz.com. And make sure you spell it wrong. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Our merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send money for coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now check out the insanity of Clinton Jacob and Mr. Phylzzz on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This guest harkens back to the original concept of this podcast. And she has possibly the most unusual band setup I have ever heard of. Welcome Maura Pond of Luna Honey. And this band has really captured my attention. They've got this new take on the no wave sound that spawned bands like Swans, Rhys Chatham, Theoretical Girls, and others. It's experimental music that's really accessible. Maura and I discover some similarities like being from the VA/DC area and procrastination.  She talks about getting a bit of a late start in the whole “being in a band” thing. She spent most of her twenties going to shows in the DC area instead of performing in shows. But that's not to say she wasn't creating. She was recording on her own, figuring, maybe even counting on, no one ever hearing those songs. And no one will because that hard drive is long dead. She had (and still has) some pretty serious performance anxiety. But playing drums while hanging with future bandmate and future ex-husband Levi Flack, really helped her learn how to handle it. They formed Luna Honey and things have been complicated ever since. There's being in a band with her ex-huband Levi AND current partner Ben Schurr. There's delaying their sophomore album to write and record a completely new album with a completely different sound as a favor for an aunt who was dying. There's the collaborative album they did with Norman Westberg of Swans. And then there's the new album, Bound. It's their best and most diverse album to date. It's simultaneously experimental, haunting, spooky, and catchy. And Maura has some great stories to go with the music. So check them out wherever you get music and follow them @lunahoneymusic. Follow us @performanceanx, subscribe to the podcast, grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send coffee money at ko-fi.com/performance anxiety. And let's get over performance anxiety with Maura Pond of Luna Honey on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This guest had me pining for the 90's. Welcome Kerry Jones from the band Death Doula. If you're like me, you may be asking what a death doula is. Fortunately for us, Kerry talks about what it is and why she gave her band that name. She played a number of instruments growing up but never sang. She never thought that singing was a talent that she could possess. She learned how to play guitar during a high school independent study. Before she started working on her own music, she went through so many phases of music appreciation. She started playing in her first band in college. She even tried doing the long distance band thing while she was living in New York City, way before COVID made it cool. But while she was there, she took a job that led her to a completely new career as a personal chef, through Craigslist. But music was always there. Kerry talks about how she met her bandmate and partner, Kyle Alexander. She talks about how the band has evolved over time, over pandemics, and over drummers and her amazing Craigslist kismet. Death Doula is playing select shows and hopefully playing a lot more as 2025 progresses. Check them out at deathdoulaband.com or @deathdoulaband on Instagram. Get the music and some cool ass merch through the site, through Bandcamp, or wherever you listen to music. Check us out @PerformanceAnx on social media. Grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com or send us money (ostensibly for coffee) at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now prepare to disembark on a fascinating trip with Kerry Jones of Death Doula on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is a busy guy. He never seems to stop working. It's Django Haskins from The Old Ceremony. And with a name like Django, your future is basically pre-determined. Music was big part of his parents' (and therefore, his) lives. His parents were a folk duo and had Django playing classical violin at age five. He's been in rock bands since the age of thirteen. And that includes while he was studying literature at Yale and spending a year in China. DId I mention that he got life advice from Ike & Tina's sax player? Well he did. And it stuck because his band, The Old Ceremony, is celebrating 20 years together. Django talks about how he went from Django & The Regulars, International Orange, Au Pair, and Big Star's Third to The Old Ceremony's latest release called Earthbound. That journey includes writing and pasta sessions at Jack Hardy's place, moving from NYC to NC, and writing over 100 songs during the pandemic. Earthbound is The Old Ceremony's first album in nine years, but it was worth the wait. Pick it up wherever you get music or through theoldceremony.com. Follow them on social media @theoldceremony. Follow us @PerformanceAnx and grab some merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send us coffee money through ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Django Haskins of The Old Ceremony as much as I did on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest schooled me…about NAMM, the North American Music Merchants. Welcome NAMM President and CEO, John Mlynczak. Before we get into the meat of what NAMM is and does, John talks about his musical history. Music and music education have always been an important part of his life. He pursued that path from Virginia all the way to LSU; but I won't hold that against him. He talks about creating the first music technology curricula in the state of Louisiana and how that led him to a job with PreSonus, who make music software, monitors, mixers, and more. That led to a great opportunity with music publishing company, Hal Leonard.  John also talks about the very long process of becoming the President and CEO of NAMM. But before that, he gives a little history of NAMM and shares some of his own experiences at NAMM shows, before he started working there. I learned what goes into planning each NAMM show, what to expect if you go, and how NAMM is expanding to include content creators and influencers. NAMM is an industry show, and John talks about how they've evolved over the years. John explains what NAMM offers its members at the show and throughout the year. He also tells me about NAMM Next and the amazing NAMM archives. John also talks about how COVID affected them, how it made them innovate, and how NAMM is bouncing back, better than ever. Go to NAMM.org to get information about what they do and how to attend the 2025 NAMM show. Follow them @thenammshow on social media. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on social media. Merch is available at performanceanx.threadless.com. You can send us money to get to NAMM at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now please welcome John Mlynczak of NAMM on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This guest is not what I expected. Welcome jazz saxophonist Chris Greene to the podcast. I was worried that he'd be a jazz snob but he was the exact opposite. He was happy to teach me what he could in an hour podcast. And that included learning how he got into jazz. It all started to make sense to Chris in high school. He went on to study jazz at Indiana, which is where he started playing in bands outside of school for the first time.He formed Chris Greene & New Perspective. He had some definite ideas and plans for that group. He talks about what worked and what didn't. He also talks about how that band ended and the Chris Greene Quartet began. And he avoided playing tenor sax for quite a long time and for a specific reason. But he eventually succumbed to its draw. Chris and I talk about why jazz seems to be open to doing unusual cover songs and some of the unusual ones that he's done. He was also influenced by some very unusual covers by some jazz heavyweights. Chris talks about how the quartet goes about songwriting and the story behind the title of their second album. They have a new album out called Conversance. He discusses that name and the music on the album, including a special song with a connection to his son. We also talk about the writing process which includes road testing their songs. Check out Conversance on Pravda Records. It's their very first jazz release ever! Pick it up through them or wherever you get music. Follow Chris on the socials @chrisgreenejazz. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Grab our merch at performanceanx.threadless.com or send coffee money through ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. I've managed to steer clear of all jazz puns so far. Let's keep that going with Chris Greene on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest should be musically jetlagged. But she's not. Welcome the mononymous Tartie to the podcast. She's from Melbourne and has recently collaborated with Binnie Klein out of Connecticut for a project called In These Trees. It's an emotional journey of an album. But before that happened, Tartie went through a whole lot of other phases. She taught herself piano at age six. She also started writing original music early on. She eventually studied music in college and played some unusual early gigs.  Tartie discusses her early music, which is definitely more pop than more recent work. She tells me about the Melbourne music scene and how she started going by the name Tartie. She switched things up during the pandemic, as Melbourne had some of the tightest restrictions. So she found creative, musical ways to fill her time. Tartie tells how she met her future collaborator, Binnie Klein, and how their partnership started. In These Trees began as a completely different project than the way it wrapped up. And in the time it took to finish the album, Tartie had two babies! She reveals a few stories behind select songs and the difficulties of touring an album when the collaborators are over 10,000 miles apart. Go to inthesetrees.com for links to buy the album and social links for the project. Visit @tartiemusic to check out what she's up to. Check out @PerformanceAnx to check out what we're up to. Merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send us coffee money through ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now we go international on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This guest has reignited my love for the blues. Meet Boone Froggett from Otis. Boone is the guitarist, singer, and founding member of the band. We get disconnected a couple of times in the beginning, but we push through and have a wonderful conversation.He grew up in the same town as The Kentucky Headhunters. That band was hugely influential, not just musically, but attitudinally, if that's a word. They showed Boone that you could be successful without moving to L.A. or Nashville. We talk about how he grew up performing, learning drums, guitar, singing, and sitar. When Otis formed, they decided to do things their way. They stayed at home, played what they wanted, like their debut album, which is a tribute album that Billy Gibbons bootlegged to give to people like Buddy Guy and Jeff Beck. Boone is also a cancer survivor. He opens up about what he went through and how he's doing now. The band has released a couple of top notch singles and are poised to release more new music soon. And hopefully they'll be hitting the road, too. So follow Otis @otisbandofficial on Instagram and they're on Facebook. Check out theotisband.com for all their links. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send us coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now let's get into this great chat with Boone Froggett of Otis on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me feel old fashioned. Or maybe I want to drink an Old Fashioned. Either way I am fortunate enough to have Stella Cole on the podcast! She blew up TikTok with her faithful renditions of the Great American Songbook. She tells me about how she became obsessed with old music and musicals from an early age. But she was always cautious about pursuing music as a career. Like when she was attending Northwestern University; she double majored in theater and international relations as a way of hedging her bets. She also minored in German (and even she isn't sure why)! But some bad experiences there really shook her confidence and she stopped singing for quite a while. Then the pandemic hit and she moved back home. That's when her dad suggested she record some videos of herself singing the music she loved. She chose TikTok because it was a new platform and she figured none of her friends would be on it. Well she now has over a million followers all over social media. She talks about her meteoric rise and how she has rebuilt her confidence. She's on tour supporting her debut album, P.S. I Love You and has recorded a Christmas album! Follow her @stellakcole on socials. Go to stellacole.net to buy her album P.S. I Love You, or her Christmas album, Snow. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Our merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. Fuel us at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now let's step back in time with Stella Cole on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me feel blessed. Her name is Miist. She's a singer/songwriter with an incredible story. She grew up in China and had no ambitions of being a musician. She would sing songs with her father as a kid but that was really the extent of her musical experience. She moved to Canada where she was an accountant. But a startling cancer misdiagnosis completely changed her life. She bought a ukulele and began singing as a way of working through her cancer treatments. She would post them on Instagram, which is how she met her future husband! But she still didn't consider herself a musician. It wasn't until a friend encouraged her to give songwriting a try, that she realized her gift. She figured she'd do it just to get him off her back. She wrote three songs that day. Since then she's worked with her friend and producer Narada Michael Walden, wrote with luminaries like Carlos Santana, and has released her first album, The Songs From The Living Room. It is truly one of the most incredible stories I've heard since starting this podcast. Please follow Miist @miistthesinger on social media. You can go to miistthesinger.com to get the links and to buy her debut album. Or stream it on your platform of choice. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Our merch is available at performanceanx.threadless.com. And/Or fuel us with coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now it's time to let Miist tell her story on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is Dave Trumfio and he makes me feel empathetic…towards robots. Dave and his brother Harry have been in bands together since Dave was 8 years old. Their first band started then and lasted through high school! In fact, at their high school talent show, they managed to snag the final spot so they could play the entire first side of Rush's 2112 album! Dave also performs an a capella version of the first song he ever wrote. This is when he started getting into production, as well. He started on cassettes and started working in studios, learning how to mic and record. He was still recording with his brother and they eventually formed the duo Pulsars. With Pulsars, they decided to do things their own way, which stirred up a lot of major label interest back in the 90's. Things happened quickly. Their first gig set them on a path to open for some pretty heavy hitters. But then their label closed up shop and Harry decided to go back to school. So Pulsars fizzled out. They may have been gone but they weren't forgotten. They've had a legion of loyal fans. And now they have re-released their debut, the self-titled Pulsars album. And that's just the beginning. Dave discusses how much music they found and what the future plans are for it and the band. So check them out on socials @pulsarsband and go get the reissued debut. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Slide us coffee money @ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Grab our merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. And I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dave Trumfio as much as I did on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me happy. It's legendary drummer, Chris Slade. From his humble beginnings, he became the go-to drummer for some of the biggest names in rock. He tells me about the entertainment gene that runs through his family, buying his way out of school so he could play drums, and how working in a show shop got him a gig with Tom Jones. And speaking of Tom Jones, Chris tells what really happened with the infamous Tom Jones panty story. Chris had the opportunity to record with Joe Meek, who fascinates me. After Tom Jones, Chris found himself in a band with Olivia Newton-John where he was payed and didn't play a note. But some of Chris' most well known work was yet to come. He played on the biggest hits by Manfred Mann's Earth Band (yes, including Blinded By The Light).He tells an amazing story about both David Gilmour and Jimmy Page. I discovered Chris during his time with Jimmy and the band The Firm. After that, he joined AC/DC for five years and played in the enormous Russian show for 1.5 million people! He has a new album out with his own band, Chris Slade Timeline. It a double album with one disc being originals and the other covers of songs from his long and storied career; hence the name Timeline. Check out chrisslade.com for links and ways to buy the album. Check out @PerformanceAnx on socials and performanceanx.threadless.com for merch. And if you're feeling generous, ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety to send coffee money. Now buckle up for a wild ride with Chris Slade on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Side Projects honors the legacy of the late, great, legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell. His friend and colleague Evan Taylor talks about the posthumous album he produced called Wave From The WOOniverse. It contains 12 previously unfinished Bernie Worrell compositions and 1 unreleased Funkadelic song. It's been a two year labor of love for Evan and Bernie's widow, Judie. And the amount of guests on this double album is staggering. There's Will Calhoun from Living Colour, Mike Watt, Norwood Fisher from Fishbone, Marc Ribot, Fred Schneider, Sean Ono Lennon, Bootsy Collins, and a lot more.  Evan tells me how he met and began working with Bernie, initially, and how they hung out at Evan's parent's house in New Jersey. He talks about his history with Bernie and how he and his record label, Loantaka Records, were tapped to head this project. It wasn't always easy to get the music together, but it gave some great stories, which he shares. So grab the album wherever you get music. Follow Evan @evantaylorthe artist or @loantakarecords. You can also check out @bernieworrellofficial. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Our stuff is at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now, let's enter the WOOniverse with Evan Taylor on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest has done so many things that I would like to do. And he tells us all about it. Welcome bassist and founding member of A Monkey Shine, George Tolias. George joins us from Athens…Greece, not Georgia. He got a late start in music. He didn't start playing until his wife bought him a bass about 20 years ago! But he's a quick study. Once he got comfortable, he started playing in a cover band. But they had an unusual set list.  George describes what it's like to play non-Greek rock music in Athens and how he wound up in New Orleans. After staying quite a bit longer than expected, he moved to France…to become a chef. But no matter where he goes, he's joining bands. After moving back to Greece, George decided to get serious about his own band, A Monkey Shine. But then COVID hit so it essentially started as a solo project. But it has grown by leaps and bounds. George also gives up the origin of the band's name, the difficulties of finding a singer who could sing well in English, and the secret origin of his bass. He also talks about the most special song on the album that he wrote for his mom, which also features Duke Garwood. A Monkey Shine's debut is out and there's a vinyl version, too! Check it out on Bandcamp. He's also working on some tour dates in the near future. So follow him @amonkeyshine_official on Instagram or look for them on Facebook. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Our merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. Slide us some coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now it's time to get up to no good with my friend George from A Monkey Shine on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me feel a little bit country AND a little bit rock and roll. Welcome singer/songwriter Pamela McNeill to the podcast. She has accomplished so much in her career. But it all started in Winona, MN. She talks to me about the music scene there and what event set her mind on being a musician. She talks about some unusual things about her like being a massive fan of Rush, working as a clown at the Ground Round restaurant and how that led to her first real musical job. Soon enough she was playing cover bands, which led to a gig with the legendary Lamont Cranston, where she got a real education in the music business. That led to a gig opening for the one and only Etta James! But a serious relationship led her to the UK where she entered the orbit of the man himself…Rick Astley, back in his first heyday. That led to a bit of karmic retribution for one particular member of Bananarama.  And all the while, she's writing her own music. She wrote Yanni's first lyrical song, wrote for Wynonna Judd, wrote with Pam Tillis, and many others. And when she finally made her own albums, she blew it out of the water. She has been releasing music steadily since 1998 and has a new EP out called Wave After Wave on Farm To Label records. Think Fleetwood Mac playing country music and you start to get a feel for it. Check it out wherever you get music. Go buy it and follow her on socials @pamelamcneillmusic. Check out pamelamcneill.com for tour and music info. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Pick up merch at performanceanx.threadless.com including our new Spinal Tap inspired logo. Pay for our coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. So get ready for a story with so many twists and turns with Pamela McNeill on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest should probably do his own podcast. Welcome John Ford Coley to the show. He's a great storyteller with a lifetime of stories to share. He grew up outside of Dallas where he was classically trained on piano as a kid. He grew up on opera, show tunes, and church music. But rock and roll wormed its way into his soul and he struck a deal with his piano teacher to show him how to play popular songs. While John is most well known for his band England Dan and John Ford Coley and what is now known as yacht rock. But his early bands were a bit heavier. At one point, he even opened for Vanilla Fudge and Led Zeppelin. But that's when John and Dan started creating their softer music.  John talks about how he met his musical partner, Dan Seals, and how they got their monikers, England Dan and John Ford Coley. He reveals the greatest mistake he's ever made, the coincidence that got him in the studio to watch a Joni Mitchell session, and working with former podcast subject, Jim Gordon. After hits like I'd Really Love To See You Tonight, Sad To Belong, & We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again, the duo had run its course. John played in some other musical projects before getting into acting. His Godfather connections helped out there. He eventually left music all together. But he couldn't stay away forever. The emergence of yacht rock revitalized his career (except in The Philippeans, where he's basically royalty). He tours, playing his hits and telling stories. I've seen him live and it's a treat. Check him out on Facebook at John F, Coley. His music is streaming and also on his website johnfordcoley.com where you can stay up to date with him. You can follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. We accept coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now let's party like it's 1979 with John Ford Coley on Performance Anxiety, part of the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is such a cool episode. We're talking all things theremin with Nick Kizirnis and Pamelia Stickney. This episode has been a long time in the making and well worth the wait. There's some theremin history and some rumors about the inventor. Nick and Pam discuss how the instrument works and what weird things affect the sound and performance. I learn how to tune a theremin, what a thereminist's worst nightmare is and if anyone has ever done a theremin version of dueling banjos.  Nick has a new album out called Every Moment. Grab it wherever you buy music nowadays. Check out his website, nickkizirnis.com or @nickkizirnis on instagram for more news. Check out Pamelia's music and all of her bands on Facebook or @blueblut_in_vienna on Instagram. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Our merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send us coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now let's jump into the theremin on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. It isn't just for sci-fi anymore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is literally progressive. Let's welcome Corey Schenck of the band Pangaea to the podcast. Corey was a late-bloomer, musically speaking. He didn't pick up an instrument until late into high school. But it was such a deep connection that he went to college and received several degrees in it. He talks about how his love of music pushed him through the more challenging college courses. He now teaches music on the college level. He formed the band that would eventually become Pangaea during his studies but the original name was Artica. He explains how they changed the band name to something in a lyric and how some band name considerations became song titles. But before the albums came their cover song period. They would play a huge mix of songs until they decided they needed to focus on their originals. That meant a new name and a focus on their original music, which was more progressive. And while Corey is the main songwriter in the group, everyone contributes to at least one song on each album. Corey describes the prog scene in Tulsa, OK in the late 80's and early 90's. But the shows were impressive, especially with their refusal to this day, to use backing tracks. But after years of writing, recording, and gigging the band decided to take a hiatus. That lasted 18 years. Corey also reveals what ended the hiatus and how the idea for a new album happened. That album is now available and is called Beowulf. It has the complex epic tracks Pangaea is known for but it has much more than that. It does contain their most adventurous music to date, particularly the song Wasape, which inspired the album title. Find it wherever you get music now. Check out their website, pangaea.band, for more links to their music, merch, and socials. Check out our socials @PerformanceAnx. Our merch is available at performanceanx.threadless.com. Feed us coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now get ready for an adventure with Corey Schenck of Pangaea on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest really brings back some memories. Please welcome Sheila Shukla from Magnolia Street String Band. Sheila and I go way back. Like WAAAAAY back, all the way to elementary school. There's a little bit of catching up in this episode, sprinkled throughout Sheila's story. She talks about how she used to force her sister, Rita, to help her figure out harmonies she was hearing before they could go out and play. And eventually, growing up in 80's and 90's New Jersey, she got into metal and alternative music pretty heavily.  But at one point, she became mesmerized by bluegrass. She tells exactly what happened and when it happened. She became so obsessed with the sound in college and had a great support system to help her learn guitar and figure out how to play what she was hearing in her head. But life snuck in and put some of the musical ambitions on hold for a bit. But music has a tendency to make its way to the forefront. And so it did with Sheila. She met some like-minded folks and formed Magnolia Street String Band in 2013. The band has a very impressive pedigree and a beautiful classic bluegrass sound.  After some false starts, they released their debut in 2019 and then had to wait with the rest of the world for things to open up post-COVID to play again. Sheila and the band have a new album coming out and it's unique in the bluegrass world. It's called By The Light Of The Moon and it's basically a children's album that doesn't sound childish. It's written for kids, keeping in mind that parents have to listen to it at the same time. So why not make it enjoyable for both? Look for it starting on National Children's Music Day, October 4th. Follow Magnolia Street String Band on Facebook, @mssbmusic on Instagram, or go to magnoliastreetstringband.com. Give us a follow @PerformanceAnx on Instagram & X. Merch is available at performanceanx.threeadless.com. Support our coffee habit at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And get ready for a very sweet episode with Sheila Shukla of Magnolia Street String Band on Performance Anxiety, part of the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest exemplifies perseverance; and not just with his music but with this podcast. There were a few technical issues which have, hopefully, been overcome with clever editing. Welcome the one and only Robyn Hitchcock. He's written a memoir about his life in 1967. In fact, it's called 1967, How I Got There And Why I Never Left. It's a very unique take on a memoir that works so well. But before we hit on the book, Robyn helps me set things up by going over his life BEFORE 1967. He also talks about things that happened AFTER 1967, like forming The Soft Boys and why they broke up and then reunited at one of Matthew Seligman's parties.  Robyn talks about his solo career, why he went solo in the first place, and why he considers himself the reverse of an innovator. We also discuss some of the unique aspects of his solo work; like teaming up with Grant Lee Phillips, doing a film project with the late, great Jonathan Demme, and after decades of being a singer/songwriter, releasing an album that is entirely instrumental. Once we do get into the book, itself, there are even more amazing stories, like discovering Bob Dylan, learning a bit about guitar, and attending The Happening with Brian Eno. Did you know Eno was the app, developed in 1967? That's a science fact.  Another science fact is how good his memoir is. So go grab it from Akashic Books, Little Brown Books, or wherever you buy books these days. Follow Robyn @robynhitchcockofficial on Instagram & @robynhitchcock on X. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on both. Grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Contribute to our coffee fund at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Let's take a trip back to 1967 with Robyn Hitchcock and maybe we won't leave either on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest has been through it. But he hasn't let it stop him.Welcome T Bear to the show. Born Richard Gerstein, he grew up spending time in both New York City and the Caribbean. He was playing pretty early on. In fact, he was invited to his first studio session at the age of just 17…by Richie Havens! Soon after, he was discovered by the KISS camp and began writing with the band. That helped him secure his first record deal, which led to the name change and a disco smash hit called Sunshine Hotel. Yeah the 70's were wild! Now rebranded as T Bear, he continued writing, recording, and playing with artists like Stephen Stills in Manassas and Crosby, Still, & Nash as well as his own solo albums. He has some great stories about recording the Daylight Again album. But after spending time writing with Stills and working with Greg Kihn and others, T Bear went on a 25 year hiatus. He talks about what happened, what he was doing instead of music, and what (and who) brought him back. He has recently released a new album that has some amazing cameos and a killer core band. It's called The Way Of The World and if you like songs that tell stories, you're going to love it. T Bear opened up and was very candid about some of the rough times he's gone through and I'm grateful I can now call him a friend. Go grab the album, on Quarto Valley Records. Follow him on social media @richard_tbear on Instagram and T. Bear on Facebook. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Grab our merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Feed us coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now it's time for some stories with T. Bear on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Side Projects sees the return of Steve Dawson and Mark Mallman. They join me to discuss song structure. We go over some basic terms and structures that are typical and atypical. We talk about songs like The Wreck Of The Edmunds Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot, Don't Stop Believin' by Journey, Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin, and others. Is a successful song necessarily a GOOD song? Are streaming services, algorithms, & metrics changing pop song structures? Does the music delivery system (records, CD's, streaming) play a part in the song structure that's popular within that system? Steve studies the structure of a Taylor Swift song and Steve and Mark discuss where song structure might be headed in the future. Wrap up talking about Steve's new album, which was recorded live, and Mark's book, new music he's writing, and how this conversation has inspired him. Go to stevedawsonmusic.com or Pravda Records to grab his new album. Follow him @stevedawso on Instagram.Follow Mark Mallman @markmallman on Instagram, TikTok, and X. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on Instagram and X. Grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Send money for coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now get ready to know everything you wanted to know about song structures on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guests made me laugh. A lot. I'd like to welcome Jack Zavracky and Elizabeth LeBaron to the show. Together they make up The Dream Eaters. And this entire episode could have gone off the rails at any moment. From the very beginning things were different than just about any other show. For example, doing the actual podcast took Elizabeth by surprise. And once we got everything going, Jake and Elizabeth had different views on things like how they met and how they came up with the band's name.  There are a ton of hilarious stories in this one; like Jake's contributions to The Sopranos, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, NCIS and the GamePlay Network. And Elizabeth discusses the legend of the stolen clarinet. I also learn what patent leather pants have to do with having a large vocabulary. The Dream Eaters is not your normal band. In fact, the idea was initially for a show, not a band. That explains things like why many songs are under 30 seconds in length. And speaking of the music, going back and listening to their catalog blew me away. Not only is the music good, they play in a lot of different styles. The reason for that could be because, as Elizabeth says, Jake is the songwriter and she is the director/sidekick. There has always been an element of humor to the music but there was a point at which it comes to the forefront and doesn't leave. Jake and Elizabeth talk about how they come up with some of their most ridiculous songs. In fact, we kind of almost write a song during the podcast. That alone is worth the price of admission! So check out Jake & Elizabeth @wearethedreameaters on Instagram and @thedreameaters on everything else including TikTok, where they post a bunch of their videos. Pick up all their music on Bandcamp. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on socials. Our merch can be found at performanceanx.threadless.com. You can keep us awake with money for coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now prepare to expect the unexpected with Jake & Elizabeth of The Dream Eaters on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me feel so excited and I just can't hide it. It's The Pointer Sisters. No. No it's not. Please welcome David Hakopyan of Antenna The End. And I have to thank Jamie Park and Teen Cancer America for connecting us.  David grew up in one of the biggest Armenian communities in the world outside of Armenia, itself. He was influenced equally by rock and Armenian folk music. But music wasn't always his focus. For a while as a teen, he thought he might be an illustrator. He was the counterfeit Pushead guy in his school. And if that doesn't make sense, it will after you listen. Or go look up Pushead. He got serious about music when he started playing in an Armenian, revolutionary, folk, alternative rock band with Serj Tankian called Forever Young. After cheating on that band with another, he started Soil with Serj and Daron Malakian. David discusses the one and only live show they played and its biggest pitfall.  David and his bands, like Apex Theory & Mt. Helium, have always been hyper-focused on sounding original, to the point of making sure no one was listening to the big rock stations in LA. They'd do spot checks on each others' radios. David's new band is Antenna The End. And you can absolutely tell that it's David's band. He started writing after the kinds of personal issues that get a guy writing music. He also tells me when he came up with the band's unique name. The debut EP will be out soon, but David gives us a sneak peak at the music and stories behind the band's formation and the music he's created. Check them out @antennatheend on Instagram & Facebook. Keep an eye out for the EP release in early August. And give him a call at…you know what, don't do that. BUT, follow us @PerformanceAnx on Instagram & Twitter. Reach out, we don't bite. Grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com or donate some coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now I hope you enjoy the awesome conversation I had with David Hakopyan of Antenna The End on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Side Projects series of this podcast gives me a lot of latitude regarding subject matter. Occasionally, I like to go down a rabbit hole on a specific band. But I think this is the first time I've been able to do that with band members, themselves. Please welcome Robert Poss and Karen Haglof of Band Of Susans. They've both been on the podcast. In fact they were very early episodes and we were past due for a catch up session. Both Robert and Karen have new albums out so it seemed like the perfect time to do a deep dive into Band Of Susans and talk about their new music, at the same time. We actually ended up doing it the other way around.  Band Of Susans is one of the bands I can point to and say “They changed the music I listen to” without being hyperbolic. And it all stemmed from an album cover with my favorite car on it. Karen left the band after the Love Agenda album and went on to do a few minor things, like medical school, oncology, you know…not music stuff. Robert has kept his feet firmly in the business by doing all kinds of unique projects, including solo albums. As I mentioned, they both have new releases this year; Drones, Songs, & Fairy Dust by Robert and One Hand Up by Karen. Look them up wherever you get music. Both albums really touch on so many different styles of music. Get them both and you'll definitely find something for you in there. Follow them both on social media; just look up their names, they're easy to find. Look us up @PerformanceAnx on socials and grab our merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Keep us awake at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now prep yourself for my Love Agenda on Band Of Susans with Robert Poss & Karen Hagloff on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest reminds me that there is some amazing talent out there that needs to be heard. Welcome Jackie Popovec from Youngstown, Ohio's own The Vindys. She's a powerhouse vocalist whose voice is a Venn Diagram of some heavy hitters like Amy Winehouse, Christina Aguilera, & Carrie Underwood. And the rest of the band ain't so bad either. They rock with an early Chicago sound. Think Terry Kath meets Eddie Van Halen with killer horns. They've been around for over ten years now, but Jackie has been singing for a bit longer than that. She and the band started off doing covers and sneaking in an original here and there. Now they're doing their own stuff and throwing in covers you wouldn't think of! But this whole conversation starts off with horror movies. And Spinal Tap. And how Jackie started writing songs. She was in her teens and her dad knew some people in some venues who would let a teenage Jackie play her own music. She was always drawn to belters but hearing jazz greats like Etta James, Sarah Vaughan, & Ella Fitzgerald really changed her approach. The band was poised to record a new album this summer when they were asked to join Pat Benetar on tour. So they made the obvious choice to put the album on hold and explore some new markets opening for a legend. And their live show is amazing! They've written a song for the Pittsburgh Pirates that was picked up by ESPN, they've played with a symphony orchestra, and are on a steady upward trajectory. Check out their music wherever you check out your music. See them on tour this summer with Pat Benetar. Follow them @TheVindys on social media. Check out their YouTube channel for great unreleased stuff. Check us out @PerformanceAnx on social media. Our merch is available at performanceanx.threadless.com. Keep us up with coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now brace yourself for the amazing Jackie Popovec of The Vindys on Performance Anxiety; part of the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest proves that hard work and patience will pay off. Welcome Tom Kanach of KANAK to the podcast. Tom is from New Jersey, so naturally we start razzing each other almost from the start. Tom talks about manipulating his situation so his brother would get an unwanted plastic drum set in order to start his first band. But he would really get serious about being in a band after a chance meeting in a school bathroom. Relax…everyone is a kid in this story. He's been writing music longer than he can remember. He even has recordings of some of these songs. Maybe we can get him to re-record Happy Tonk Town for the next KANAK album. After doing what teenagers do (sneaking into clubs underage to see his favorite bands) he played in some bands with potential but could never seem to get the break they needed. But he made some great connections along the way. One of those connections had him playing with Doro on one of her albums. But after a while, life things happened. Tom started a family and got a job. But he never stopped writing. That's why his first solo release is 30 songs long. Tom has a new project and it's the best work I've heard from him. It's called KANAK and it's obviously a palindromic simplification of his last name. But that ended up complicating things, instead. The band and new EP feature some great players like Pete Wood, Jow Rowley, Jonny Rao, & Ed Stasium. Pick it up at kanakmusic.com or wherever you find music now. Follow them at KANAK Music on Facebook or @TomKanach on Instagram. Follow us @Performance Anx. Our stuff is located at performanceanx.threadless.com. Keep us awake with coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now let's get down to some serious business with Tom Kanach of KANAK on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me feel inspired. I welcome Lex Borrero to the program. He's the very definition of rags-to-riches. Born in Bogota, Colombia, he emigrated with his mother to the US to start a new life from scratch. His first taste of success came after selling candy and burned CD's to buy a pair of Jordans when he was a kid. But Lex wasn't (and he'll admit, still isn't) a musician. Instead, he has an innate ability to know a good story and a talent for communication. He talks about his professional arc; how he started as a young producer trying to update the sound of Christian artists. That led to one of two times he was kicked out of church! But Lex always believed in himself, even when he moved to New York City for a music internship and wound up homeless for about a year. But his persistence and altruism has paid off tenfold. He has worked with artists like Tainy, Maroon 5, and Bad Bunny. His architectural approach to building up artists and companies coupled with his drive to create has led to the success of NEON16, AM16, and NTERTAIN. That's why he has branched into TV and movies. He is the force behiind hit shows like La Firma on Netflix and The Montaners on Disney Plus. His drive is relentless! If you want to know what's up & coming in music and TV, follow Lex and his companies @lexborrero, @neon16, @am16agency, & @ntertainstudios (w/o the N) on all the socials. You can follow us @PerformanceAnx on those same socials. You can check out merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. You can slide us some coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And now, you can be inspired by Lex Borrero on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest embodies retro in the most fun ways possible. Welcome Chelsea Nenni of Late Slip to the show. She grew up with music all around. Her dad worked in rock radio since the 70's. He even gave Carson Daly his first shot. In fact, Carson would often come over to Chelsea's house for spaghetti. But her lifelong obsession with oldies, Elvis in particular, came from her mom. But Chelsea didn't go the normal route into rock music. This is the point of the show where I learn about opera outreach programs. Chelsea began performing in operas by the age of eleven. She earned a scholarship to study opera in college at Chapman University. She soon moved to NYC to take her shot in the theater district. This is where she takes a turn into rock, kind of. There's an interesting detour into a cabaret version of the history of rock in there. Chelsea reveals that she will sometimes write songs during yoga class, which probably doesn't go over so well with the instructors. After a series of projects and bands, Late Slip was formed and recorded their first EP through a strange set of circumstances involving Amoeba Records. Late Slip has a new album out called I Love You. And I love IT! It's such a fun trip through the heyday of rock. And Chelsea is the perfect custodian. Not only does she emulate the sound, her album designs are influenced by early rock albums, too. She even wears vintage clothes for the covers! Grab I Love You on Bandcamp. Check out @lateslip on Instagram for more info on shows. Check us out @PerformanceAnx on Instagram & X. Our stuff is available at performanceanx.threadless.com. You can support us through ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Get ready to shake a tailfeather with Chelsea Nenni of Late Slip on Performance Anxiety, part of the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me feel exotic. Welcome David Nagler to the show. David grew up in a very musical house. In fact, his first performance was at age 1 or 2 in a stage production of The King And I. But that was just the beginning. A very early beginning. He began taking piano lessons a few years later.  He began his musical career with the band Stretch. That soon became Nova Social. Same guys, new name. The band was initially a guitar-based band with smart lyrics. But that was the first album. The second took a hard left turn into electronics, still with excellent lyrics. When David decided to go solo, he took yet another left turn. This is where his Brazilian influences began to bubble to the top. He's written some themed albums; one based on Donald Trump appointees and another written to the poems of Carl Sandburg. David's latest work is called As For The Future. He tells me how he came up with that unusual name and who else is involved in the band. The project began during the pandemic, so much of it was created remotely. That included Spotify-stalking people to be in the band. The album is filled with masterful songwriting. I love the music and the lyrics fell right in line with David's previous work. It's one of those albums that I'll listen to when I need a break from the heavier rock I normally listen to. Go grab it on Bandcamp or stream it from your favorite service. I recommend the deluxe CD version with the extra tracks on it. Follow the band @asforthefuture and hopefully you can catch a gig in the near future. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on X & Instagram. Merch is at performanceanx.threadless.com. You can help support us through ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And I hope you enjoy David Nagler on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is just fun to talk with. It's Jeff Fielder. I first heard Jeff when researching for Mark Lanegan's episode. He's worked with so many people and made so much great music that it's almost unbelievable. But he started off admiring rock before playing any. He grew up in Alaska with much older brothers. Long haired, Les Paul playing, Barracuda driving brothers. So Jeff got into music early. In fact, he started gigging before middle school in a 17 piece jazz band led by his future middle school music teacher and at one point, probably took one guitar lesson from the devil. His family moved to Seattle in the heyday of grunge. He played in a few bands that should have gone farther than they did. He started hanging out with Dave Abruzzesse and getting into session work. But after a while he put down music completely and became a craft bartender. But working with one artist brought him back. That's when things started to snowball and they haven't stopped. He's played with Mark Lanegan, Amy Ray, Indigo Girls, Satchel, and Painted Shield. And despite his best efforts to the contrary, has made beautiful music with his wife, Tekla Waterfield. Most recently, he's recorded a wild cover of Megadeth's Peace Sells…But Who's Buying with some amazing musicians, including mutual friend, Mike Squires for Couch Riffs. Keep an eye out for Jeff on the road with Duff McKagan and Indigo Girls. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram @jefffieldermusic. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on Instagram & X. Reach out and let us know who you want to hear from. Support us with coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety or merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Now check out the wild story of Jeff Fielder by Jeff Fielder on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest makes me feel grateful in many different ways. One person I'm grateful to is Ryan Smith for introducing me to Mark Mallman. Mark's story is incredible. But the recurring theme is victory. He's overcome so much throughout his life and it all boils down to his mother's message: It's going to be OK. He grew up with music all around. It was there from his earliest memories. He began studying piano at age three with his mother. But his childhood wasn't easy. He grew up in, as he calls it, “a house of depression”. His mother was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. But he found positivity through the darkness with music and his mother's message, which has become his own. He has done it all, musically speaking: band projects, solo albums, video game music, incidental music for General Hospital (which has a universe that is more complex than Star Wars), and music marathons. But these marathons are INTENSE. The last one in 2012 was 8 days and 150 hours of non-stop playing. When Mark lost his mother, he himself fell into a depression. To break out of it, he created The Happiness Playlist. He talks about what it is and how it's grown. He recently release a single, Seen My Own Ghost, and is poised to release another in a few weeks, called Cancer. He's also working on a new album, a tour, and a new book. Follow him on TikTok, X, Instagram, and Facebook all as Mark Mallman. His videos are great and you learn something! You can follow us @PerformanceAnx on X and Instagram. Reach out and let us know what you'd like to see next!You can pick up our merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. You can also send us a coffee through ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Now check out Mark Mallman on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is truly multi-talented. Welcome modern renaissance man Eerie Von to the podcast. Eerie talks about his varied creative talents. Whether it's drums, bass, singing, photography, painting, or whatever he sets his mind to, Eerie is a force to be reckoned with. He's also one of the most down-to-earth people I've ever had on the show. He's an open book about his time in Samhain and Danzig. He talks about how those bands formed and why he ended up leaving Danzig after the fourth album.He talks about Rick Rubin and the influence he had on Danzig's image as well as their sound. But we go all the way back to the beginning, when he was photographing The Misfits and playing in Rosemary's Babies. His images with The Misfits have become iconic. They even became part of his book, Misery Obscura. Eerie also talks openly about the music he's made after leaving Danzig. There's an album that's a horror soundtrack without the movie. There's his more punk influenced album. Then there's his country album. He also talks about the album that bridged the gap there that was unfortunately lost when his hard drive crashed! His latest album, Not 4 Nuthin' is out. But don't try to stream it. It's only available from Eerie and only as a CD. So reach out to him at eerievon777@gmail.com to get your copy. Follow him @eerievon777 on Instagram or look him up on Facebook. Follow us @PerformanceAnx. Grab merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. Or send coffee money at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. And I hope you enjoy my conversation with Eerie Von on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guests make me rethink the saying “Don't meet your idols”. I'm joined by Tom Flynn and Mia Dean of Antler Family. Tom's extensive musical career features bands like Fang and Cornelius Asperger and the Bi-Curious Unicorns. Mia is operatically trained and spent time studying opera in Austria and Italy. She was a huge fan of Tom's music and jumped at the opportunity to play with one of her idols. But before all that, Tom reveals an early love of hard rock and prog before starting Fang, his roles with The Melvins, and selling his leftover shirts to a band with the same name.  Mia tells how she decided to sing opera at the age of eighteen, how she started a punk rock venue/opera house, and meeting her husband/bandmate, Tom Dean. Antler Family's debut album came out early this year after a five year delay. It's like if Crazy Horse played punk rock. There are so many surprises in there! Tom and Mia reveal a few alternate band names and I reveal the Youtube typo that COMPLETELY changes the meaning of one of their songs. Pick up the album wherever you get music, except Amazon. Maybe try Bandcamp or midheaven.com if you like vinyl. Follow their socials @antler_family. Follow the show @PerformanceAnx. Slide us a coffee at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety. Buy merch at performanceanx.threadless.com. And check out Mia Dean and Tom Flynn of Antler Family on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest reminds me that sometimes, I need to shift my focus. Welcome the multitalented Harry Ostrem to the podcast. I met Harry through a project I started two years ago. But I'll explain that in a minute. Harry is a bassist, actor, singer, songwriter, comedian, writer, and more. The guy is crazy talented. He grew up about as far away from showbusiness as possible, in a small town of 20 in rural Montana. Yes, I know, that's redundant. But it's true. In 5th grade, he was the person in the 5th grade. But he escaped the wilds of Montana for the bright lights of…Spokane, Washington and Gonzaga University.  He didn't go directly into the entertainment industry from college. Instead he was a social worker. This is where things change. Literally. Somehow, my phone connected to the bluetooth in my car and Harry had a nice conversation with my son instead of me. But once we recover, we get into Harry Muff's Disco, how he almost got divorced collecting props for a music video for one of his songs, and his connection to my project. You'll learn more about it in the episode, but it's a Spinal Tap tribute album for The Who's Teen Cancer America charity. I'll be releasing more info about it as we inch closer to the release of the Spinal Tap Sequel and the album release. In the meantime, go to harryostrem.com or Harry Muff's Disco on Youtube to check out HArry's music/comedy. Follow us @PerformanceAnx on social media. Support us at ko-fi.com/performanceanxiety and performanceanx.threadless.com. And keep watching our accounts and Teen Cancer America for updates on the Spinal Tap Tribute album project. Now enjoy Harry Ostrem on Performance Anxiety on the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices