Talkin' the Talk with The Great Southern Brainfart

The first time I heard Whitesnake in 1987 I became obsessed.  I loved everything about that band but after seeing them live in 1988, that's what pushed it over the top for me.  I was so captivated by guitarist Adrian Vandenberg that he quickly became one of my guitar heroes.  From there, I dove headfirst into the discography of his solo band Vandenberg and that just solidified his place as one of my favorite guitar players ever.  In 2024, Adrian and his new Vandenberg lineup hit the road with former Queensryche vocalist Geoff Tate for an extensive Spring tour of North America.  This was his first tour of North America since the 1990 Whitesnake tour so this was a truly exciting time for me.  Who would've thought that at the age of 50 I would be having a conversation with Adrian Vandenberg?  Adrian is an amazing guy and much like us music dorks could talk about music all day.  His passion for the Allman Brothers, classic blues, and soul music was such a great thing to hear him talk about.  Adrian was such a joy to talk to and this was without a doubt one of my absolute favorite interviews.  I hope you dig it and then go check out the new Vandenberg album, Sin. 

Living in a city that has the highest number of shitty bands per capita than any other city in the US can be a real drag.  Atlanta is a city full of bands and musicians that have underwhelmed me to the point of no return but there are a few exceptions to that.  One of those exceptions is that outstanding band Rae and the Ragdolls.  Rae and the Ragdolls are a band of young hippie misfits with old souls and a sound as classic yet fresh as the ‘60s and ‘70s bands that inspire them.  Rae and the Ragdolls pull from influences such as the Grateful Dead, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and Jefferson Airplane.  Just don't go trying to compare lead vocalist  Natasha “Rae” Wermers to Stevie Nicks.  Rae and the Ragdolls are something very new yet very familiar.  They are a band that I very much needed to hear and I'm so glad I stumbled upon them.  I had the pleasure of talking with vocalist Natasha “Rae” Wermers and guitarist Will Bennett and they were so much fun to chat with.  We talked about their love of the Grateful Dead and jam bands, why playing live is where it's at for them, and just how a bunch of youngins got into playing the fantastic music that the make! Enjoy, y'all!

In 1996, I heard a song by a band called Dog's Eye View called "Everything Falls Apart" and not only did it become a favorite song of mine, I connected to it on a very personal level (sadly).  Lead by singer/songwriter Peter Stuart, Dog's Eye View became a favorite band of mine that would be a huge part of the soundtrack of my life for 27 years and counting.  After the release of their 1997 album Daisy, Peter Stuart and Dog's Eye View sadly were dropped from their label and after releasing a couple of independent releases, Peter Stuart dropped out of the Public Eye's View (see what I did there) and found a new a life outside of music, and lived a happy, fruitful life...  until I reached out to him and hounded him to do an interview! I was so ecstatic that Peter actually agreed to do an interview with me and he was equally as into it as I was as we talked about the Dog's Eye View years, his feelings about the music industry, and life in general after Dog's Eye View.  This was a total bucket list interview for me and I am so grateful to Peter for taking so much time to talk, laugh, and reminisce on the good ol' days!  Enjoy, y'all. 

Back in 2011, a good friend of mine who was working at the record label Nuclear Blast called me up.  I knew it was something super important if she was calling me.  When I picked up, without hesitation, she said, “Don!  I just heard your new favorite band.  They're called Graveyard and their new album is called Hisingen Blues.”  After the first listen of the album, I knew she was right.  This was a band that was doing something unlike I'd ever heard and I loved it.  Twelve years later, here I am, still a massive Graveyard fan and geeking out over their latest (and best) album, 6. It has been nothing less than surreal to watch Graveyard grow from a new band to a band that is now being considered influential and fathers of their movement.  I had the pleasure of once again speaking with guitarist Jonatan Larocca-Ramm and it was great to talk to as always.  We touched on the writing process during the Covid-19 pandemic, not taking things for granted, and the growing, strengthening bond between the members of the band.  Enjoy, y'all!

I can honestly tell you that I don't think I have ever interviewed a "competitor" before!  Honestly, Keefy isn't a competitor at all.  He is a friend and a fellow music writer with the long running Ghost Cult Magazine.  For over a decade, Ghost Cult Magazine has been an incredible source for hard rock/metal reviews, interviews, and editorials.  These days, Ghost Cult Magazine's web and social media presence has earned them a reputation of being a great outlet and their weekly recap videos featuring Keefy himself is yet another way to connect and reach their audience.   Keefy was really awesome to talk to and I can tell you now that this isn't the last time.  There was so much to talk about that even in an hour I barely touched on 1/3 of the things I wanted to talk about.  Hope you enjoy this interview talking with a fellow music writer and please head over to www.ghostcultmagazine.com to check them out!

After 22 years as the drummer for the Black Crowes, Steve Gorman's creative life is nowhere near over.  Since parting ways with the Black Crowes in 2015, Gorman has kept himself busy.   The Steve Gorman Sports podcast, Steve Gorman Rocks!, his talk show on Westwood One as well as his bands Trigger Hippy and his newest band, Bag Men featuring North Mississippi All-Stars' Luther Dickinson and long time friend and Trigger Hippy bassist/songwriter Nick Govrik.   Being a fan of Gorman since 1990, it was a real treat to get to talk to one of my favorite drummers.  We talked a little about the Black Crowes and his style of drumming.  We talked out the outstanding post-Crowes bands Trigger Hippy and Bag Men, and life in general.  Steve was an outstanding guest and I had so much fun talking to this guy.   Enjoy, y'all!

Styx has been a long time favorite of mine since I was a kid listening to my Dad play The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight on our living room stereo.  Even though he's been singing and playing keys for Styx for nearly half their career, Lawrence Gowan is totally fine being called the "new guy."  This was our fourth time talking and we never seem to run out of things to talk about.  The mouth of the south and the mouth of the Great White North join forces and talk about all kinds of awesome shit like the stellar new Styx album Crash of the Crown, touring life after Covid, and how the pandemic made Styx's bond with their fans and with each other stronger than ever.    Enjoy, y'all!

Back in 2001 or so, I was in shitty club in Charlotte, NC to see a little band that was about to break huge called Train.  Their opening act that night was a brand new act called Five For Fighting.  I had never heard one chord from them but after their powerful 45 minute set, I had the shirt, the CD, and a new band that I loved.  Like many fans of music, sometime after their 2006 release Two Lights I lost touch with them.  After hearing Ondrasik's 2022 song for the Ukrainian people, "Can One Man Save the World," my interest and love for his songwriting was rekindled.  Getting the chance to talk to John Ondrasik was a real treat and he couldn't have been a sweeter, kinder person.  We bonded over our love of good ol' classic rock, the art of songwriting, and our mutual admiration of the Laurel Canyon folk scene of the '60s and '70s.  Enjoy, y'all!

At 34 years of age, guitarist/songwriter Nili Brosh has lived the life of 10 guitarists.  Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2009, Nili has performed with legends in the truest since of the word.  Shrapnel guitar legend Tony MacAlpine, former Nevermore and current Arch Enemy guitarist Jeff Loomis, drummer Marco Minneman, and bassist Stu Hamm just to name a few. Nili has also been a part of Danny Elfman's band, the guitarist for Cirque Du Soleil's Michael Jackson ONE, and as part of the cartoon based metal gods, Dethklok.  Obviously, Nili is a VERY busy person and I was lucky enough that she took the time out of her busy schedule to talk to a dreg like myself.  Nili is a kind, funny, and super talented person and I loved talking to her about why sometimes being called a "shredder" can be annoying, how being called a "female guitarist" is also not a term of endearment, and other things.  To check out more on Nili, head to hear website www.nilibrosh.com Enjoy, y'all. 

Since I first heard them in 1992, Ugly Kid Joe has been a favorite band of mine.  Regardless of the shit I got from friends and others about my fandom for UKJ, much like them, I lived unapologetically as a lifelong fan from beginning until, well, now.  2022 saw Ugly Kid Joe releasing their stellar seventh album, Rad Wings of Destiny and just when I thought shit couldn't get any better, Ugly Kid Joe announced their first North American tour in nearly 27 years.  The minute they went on sale, I threw my money at Ticketmaster without any ifs, ands, or butts. Ugly Kid Joe isn't a big “press band” and haven't been so in a many years so when I had the opportunity to speak with founding guitarist Klaus Eichstadt, I was ecstatic.  For over an hour, Klaus and I discussed his love of AC/DC, his Mock N' Roll t-shirt biz featuring parody metal band logos (etc. Lizzo written in the Ozzy logo), and our fascination with runaway truck ramps.  This interview was about as random as you can fucking imagine and honestly, I loved every minute of it as this was in my top 10 favorite interviews without a doubt.  Enjoy y'all! Check out Mock N' Roll shirts at www.mocknroll.com  

One of the many reasons I love doing interviews is the sheer unpredictability of it all.  When I got asked to interview Amber Doig-Thorne, all I said was "Sign me up."  I mean, how could I possibly pass on the opportunity to talk to my first actor ever who also is the star of "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey."  ... and yes.  It really is a truly awesome as the title would make you think so.  Amber was so much fun to talk to as we discussed things like, her epic "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey" movie, her upcoming projects, our mutual admiration about stories from our childhood becoming horror films (Amber, don't forget about The Smurfs.), and bonding over both of us being neurodivergent. I hope y'all get a kick out of this one.  It was a blast and after this, go watch Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey!

Billy Sheehan is a living legend when it comes to hard rock music.  He broke into the mainstream as the bassist for David Lee Roth, experienced huge commercial success with the band Mr. Big and now he is letting it all loose with the progressive hard rock supergroup, Winery Dogs.  I had a great time talking to Billy about what he hates about interviews (luckily not this one), his excitement about the new Winery Dogs album and tour, and his extreme fandom of all things King Crimson.  Billy was a truly awesome guy and I hope you all will dig this one! Enjoy, y'all!

I didn't discover Hanoi Rocks until around 1986-87 or so but once I did, they became a huge favorite of mine.  It's hard to believe that it has already been 40 years since the release of Hanoi Rocks' sophomore album, Oriental Beat.  2023 doesn't just see Oriental Beat turning 40, we will see a much anticipated re-mix (or re(al)-mix as the band calls it) and for the first time nearly 30 years will see a vinyl release via Finnish label Svart Records.  I had the honor of talking to legendary Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe about the re(al)-mix release of Oriental Beat as well as his 60th birthday concert that featured a reunion with the original Hanoi Rocks featuring original drummer Gyp Casino.  We also talked about what it is that keeps him going and other cool stuff.  Enjoy, y'all!

In 2011, I was immersing myself in a whole new world of music.  The Swedish psychedelic rock movement was something that I became obsessed with.  After hearing their 2011 live album, Root Jam, Siena Root quickly became one of favorite bands.  I recently had the pleasure of speaking with lead vocalist/keyboardist Zubaida Solid and drummer Love Forsberg.  We talked about the solidified lineup of the band, the new album Revelations, and life and creativity during Covid-19.  This was a great interview with two of the sweetest people I know.  Enjoy, y'all!  

In 1993 while at a friends house getting high as the moon, he turned to me and said, "Dude, your hippie ass is going to love this."  He then put on the song "Superman Song" by Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies.  I was so blown away by how insanely deep his voice was accompanied by this incredible folky sounding stuff.  Shortly after, he put on the album God Shuffled His Feet and to say that I was in love right away is an understatement. I vividly remember planting myself in the corner of his couch, closing my eyes, and letting the song "God Shuffled His Feet" take me to another plane.  It's a feeling I still get to this day (even when not high as the moon.) Since that fateful day, I have been a fan of Crash Test Dummies and their music has been consistent part of my life's soundtrack.  In 2023, Crash Test Dummies will be hitting the road once again to bring the magic of their songs to the people once again and I was so excited to have the chance to talk to lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Brad Roberts.  Brad is an amazing human being and I had an absolute blast talking to him about all things Crash Test Dummies.  We laughed and laughed some more and it was such a thrill for me.  Enjoy, y'all!

Troy Marks is a living legend when it comes to being a part of the New Orleans Heavy Metal music scene as the vocalist for Razor White.  To me, nobody did it better than Razor White.  I know some will say Lillian Axe did but honestly, I LOVE them but it was the Razor that pumped me up like no other.  In 1988, Razor White released a 5 song demo that became known as "The Black Tape" that featured five amazing songs.  Razor White followed it up with a full length called Just What The Doctor Ordered and then disbanded not long after it's release in 1991. 35 years later, vocalist/songwriter Troy Marks announced that both the The Black Tape and Just What the Doctor Ordered will be re-released via Lost Real Records and I was beside myself!  Being an old buddy of mine, I reached out to Troy and got him to talk about this huge news.  As always, it was an absolute blast talking to him about the old days of the New Orleans music scene, the releases, and even the possibility seeing these songs re-visited in a live setting. 

Every now and then a band will come along and completely capture my heart.  It always seems that this happens when I'm at a certain point in my life when I need something to lift me up that band just happened to be an Atlanta band called Lunar Vacation. Not too many can say that they discovered a new favorite band by serving jury duty with a band member's mom.  Well, that's exactly what happened.  Since that fateful week, I have become a diehard fan of Lunar Vacation snatching up all that I can of the band's music.  The music of Lunar Vacation is what I would call perfect (for me, at least).  It's psychedelic, it's dreamy, it's poppy, and they can rock the fuck out.  Lunar Vacation scratches a lot of itches for me and I couldn't be happier.  After seeing one of their sold-out Atlanta shows end of last year, I talked lead vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Grace Repasky and guitarist Maggie Geeslin into being guests on my podcast.  In all honesty, this was one of my favorite, most fun ones I've done.  They were so kind, warm, and hilarious to talk to and Grace's cat Science even made a cameo to show his "good" side.  Enjoy this one y'all and please check out Lunar Vacation now.   

Hellsingland Underground is a band out of Sweden that is one of the most UN-SWEDISH bands I have ever heard.  Sounding more like they could've come straight out of the Southeastern part of the US, their sound is a hodgepodge of influences such as Bob Dylan, The Allman Brothers Band, and Dr. Hook just to name a few.  I would've never heard one bit about had it not been for my good friend Jacob Hellrud from Children of the Sun.  Jacob sent me a press release for Hellsingland Underground that was written by lead singer Charlie Granberg's 16 year old daughter and it was so amazing, I had to listen to them.  Here's just a portion of said press release: My dad and his gang of smelly bearded geezers release another “record.”  Good for them. And once again he's forced me to do a job that he obviously is too lazy or incompetent to do himself. He apparently things child labour is perfectly fine in 2022. I didn't' even know what a press release was. But after a lot of nagging and bribery of various kinds, I finally put forward my terms: I will write it if it presented in my version, without censorship. And he agreed with it. So, blame yourself. First of all, I don't understand why anyone would want to buy a piece of plastic that is just insanely difficult to play. Feels damn 20th century if you ask me. He says, that I don't “get the point” but in truth, it's he himself who's old and lagging behind.  I have no idea how to get anyone interested in this. But sometimes I can  feel a little sad for them for still trying. Charlie is not just a great singer and songwriter but he is an amazing human being and was so much fun to talk to.  We discussed the band's American southern rock influences, his love for Bob Dylan, the band's new album "Endless Optimism", and other random bullshit that made each of us laugh and become good friends!  Check out these badasses at https://hellsinglandunderground.com/

I happened to be on the app TikTok one night and to my delight, I stumbled upon a band that really blew me away.  TikTok ya don't stop.  Ok, that was lame but you know what isn't lame?  PROPER PET.  Proper Pet is a duo based out of Tempe, Arizona and they the breath of fresh air that I (and probably you) need.  With a vast array of influences which include, EDM, folk, indie pop, synth pop, and new wave (just to name a few), Proper Pet leaves no stone unturned.  There is a bit of everything for everyone but the best part is that all of their songs are so accessible, catchy, and easy to love.  I had the privilege of being Proper Pet's first interview.  Lead vocalist/keyboardist Abigail Corrine and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Zach Christian were so much fun to talk to as we discussed the concept behind Proper Pet, playing live, being a musician in the Social Mediasphere of TikTok, and dreaming big. We even bonded over my TikTok user name (jesusisonmyspace) and introduced our dogs virtually.  I loved talking to them and I hope you will enjoy checking out their music.  Find them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProperPetMusic

It's hard to believe that I have been doing interviews for over 12 years.  My very first big interview too place on July 15, 2010 and it was with former Quiet Riot and current (at the time) Ratt guitarist Carlos Cavazo.  It was after Ratt's opening set with the Scorpions at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Alpharetta, GA.  After waiting about 20 minutes backstage, Carlos made his way to the corner of the room and took a seat.  I didn't approach him right away because I really didn't know what the etiquette for doing this was.  I was totally flying blind here.  Carlos managed to lock eyes with me, he smiled, and then motioned for me to come over to him.  I walked over and he says, “Hey man.  You must be Don.”  I asked him how he knew and he said, “Well, the printed out interview questions and the recorder in your hand kinda gave it away.”  We both laughed and all of a sudden he wasn't a rock god to me.  He was a really nice, funny, and humble guy.  This is the interview that started it all and here it is, unedited in all it's glory.  I hope you'll enjoy this blast from the past!  

Anne K. O'Neill (Serpentent) emerged from the void and delivered one of the most disturbingly, dark, yet beautiful collection of music that I have heard in a long time.  Based out of Seattle, WA, Anne is a multi-instrumentalist, artist, and musician who's influences range from Kate Bush to the legendary dark folk sounds of Buffy Sainte Marie and Joan Baez.  Under the Serpentent umbrella, Anne has released Ancient Tomes I: The Mother of Light which is the first of a three part concept album.   It was so exciting to have the opportunity to speak with Anne since it seems pretty rare these days that I get to speak to a brand new emerging artist that I don't know a whole lot about.  It was so interesting to talk to her about her influences, the concept behind the Ancient Tomes trilogy, and how it's just not bad to love the dark.  

Based out of Sweden, Hallas plays what they refer to as "Adventure Rock."  With an ongoing theme of sci-fi adventure and pure escapism, one listen to songs like "Carry On", "Star Rider," and "Ellusion's Gate" and you will have an "A-HA!" moment for sure.   Hallas just put out their second album Isle of Wisdom and has garnered critical acclaim from writers and music fans worldwide.  With only two albums under their belt, it's already clear that Hallas is going to be on a long journey and thankfully so.   I had the chance to talk to Hallas vocalist/bassist Tommy Alexandersson and it was a great time.  We talked about the new album, the return to live music in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, and what a pain in the ass it was for them to make their epic b-rate movie-like video for "Ellusion's Gate."   Hallas is one of the most important bands of the century that you don't know about... YET. 

TikTok for the longest time, to me, was a young person's game.  I just didn't get it.  My wife convinced me to at least lurk and check things out and I was blown away by how many cool music related things were all over the place.  One of the people who really stood out to me was a Canadian by the name of Vanessa Hughes.  Vanessa is much like me in that she's a music dork who loves sharing random facts about artists ranging from Aretha Franklin to Alice In Chains.   Vanessa is a really cool person and I had a blast talking with her and getting to know more about her and what she does.   If you wanna connect with Vanessa on TikTok, her handle is raised_by_hippies and is on Instagram under the same handle.  

Matt Kozar is a guitarist that I have loved for quite a while now.  As the guitarist for one of my favorite bands, Brave, Matt's style of guitar playing is a unique blend of various influences including post-rock, ambient, and straight up Heavy Metal.  Last year Matt and co-guitarist in Brave, Scott Loose, released Scott's Stellar Death project and now, with Matt at the captain's helm, we have been presented with Day of Departure, a Sci-Fi, thought provoking collection of songs that hit me in the hardest but best of ways. Matt's an old friend so talking to him was just us having a regular conversation.  As always, prepare for me to derail shit and go off into other territories but it was a blast talking about everything from the music he is passionate about to his love of the Star Wars Holiday Special.  Yeah, we went there.

Wilma Nea is a super talented pop singer/songwriter from Sweden who has just released her debut album This Too Shall Pass.  Wilma is also a member of the psychedelic roots/rock group Children of the Sun.  Wilma was such a gracious, funny, and charming person to talk to and I really enjoyed our conversation from her home in Sweden.  We talked about her work producing, writing, and performing nearly all of the instruments on her album, growing up in Sweden, and our love of singing along with "Bohemian Rhapsody."   This interview was conducted shortly before her album release concert which took place on March 18th to a receptive crowd and she is currently booking more shows in support of her solo album.  She will also be doing shows with Children of the Sun so 2022 is going to be a busy year for my friend!   "This To Shall Pass" is now on all streaming platforms so head over the one of your choice and give it a listen.  If you like it, let her know and tell her Don sent ya!

Slik Toxik was a band that blew my mind when I first saw them blow Faster Pussycat off the Masquerade stage here in Atlanta in 1992.  Even though the band was short lived, Slik Toxik's debut Doin' the Nasty is a favorite of mine 30 years later.  What happens when you put a Canadian and New Orleans native on a podcast together?  You get a shit ton of talking but that's ok because you know what?  We had a lot to talk about.  I have been good friends with former Slik Toxik guitarist Kevin Gale for a few years and it was a great time talking to him as always.   We talked about the 30th anniversary of Doin' the Nasty, the state of the world, and other cool shit so just settle in and enjoy!  Thanks for a great talk, as always, KG.  

For anyone who knows me at all, it will come as no surprise just how absolutely giddy I was to finally have the opportunity to speak with the legendary metal vocalist/songwriter Tony Martin.  Tony is nothing less than a humble gentleman with stories to tell and while proud of his past, Tony is very much about where he is and where he will be going from here. We talked about the his work with Sabbath of course, his thoughts on the Sabbath album Forbidden, his post Sabbath solo work, and his fantastic latest solo release, Thorns.   Tony was so much fun to talk to and this was a bucket list experience of the highest level. Ok, I'm going to shut up, now.  Enjoy this one!

In my 12 years as a music writer, I have had the pleasure and honor of meeting and talking with someone of my musical heroes and in some rare cases becoming great friends with them.  Rock journalist Katherine Turman wrote for RIP Magazine when I was in high school and to now get to call her a friend and a mentor has been a life highlight for me.  Katherine has had features in Rolling Stone, the LA Times, The Village Voice, Billboard, and Spin magazine just to name a few.  She is the co-author of the book Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal and has also been a featured expert in several of VH1's “Behind the Music” episodes. Katherine has just about seen it all from the heyday of the Sunset Strip 80's metal scene to the arrival of grunge and back around full circle to where we are now.  I hope you'll dig this one as it was a real treat to pick the brain of my good friend and journalist Katherine Turman. 

Dorian Sorriaux has been an artist that I have admired for quite some time.  Since his work in modern psychedelic soul icons Blues Pills, Dorian has been a favorite of mine and I loved hearing and watching his dynamic guitar presence.  In 2018, Dorian and Blues Pills parted ways which opened the door for him to pursue his true musical passion: folk music.  Dorian released his stellar and critically acclaimed debut folk EP, Hungry Ghost and in 2022 is planning on releasing his long awaited full-length follow-up.   Dorian is always a great guy to chat with and this time around was no different as we bonded over our love of folk music and, well, folk music.   Enjoy this one!

Rebecca Martin is an artist that I have been a fan of for nearly 30 years.  From her time in the cult NYC jazz rock band Once Blue to her 2022 release After Midnight (featuring Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos and husband/bassist Larry Grenadier), I have been a fan.  I have watched her grow and set the path to becoming what I would consider to be a jazz legend.  She has all the makings to do so and I really do believe that she will be name that will spread amongst the people long after we are gone.   Rebecca has always been a great conversationalist and this time proved no different.  We covered all kinds of ground.  We bonded over being in weird bands in our youths (Rebecca sang metal and punk at one point!), the influence of social media, the excitement and privilege of growing older, and her philanthropy work as a director for Riverkeeper, which protects and restores the Hudson River from source to sea and safeguards drinking water supplies, through advocacy rooted in community partnerships, science and law. Enjoy this interview with the great Rebecca Martin and spread the word!  

Lawrence Gowan of Styx has become a favorite of mine to interview.  When I first interviewed him back in 2017 about the release of The Mission, we hit it off immediately and since then he's been on the show three times.  As always, Lawrence cracked me as we talked about life during Covid, touring in a bubble, the new Styx album Crash of the Crown, and a bunch of other random crap that had us entertaining each other.  Hopefully, you will be entertained as well!!!!

Interview Date: October 27, 2021  Jordan is no stranger to this podcast.  Close to holding the record for appearing a whopping 3 times (maybe 4?), Jordan always is gracious to make a return visit.  This time around we dorked out about his new music apps, life during the Covid Pandemic, and all kinds of other silly crap!

Singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler has been a favorite of mine since I first heard her 2016 release Strangers.  Since 2004, Marissa has released 10 studio albums as well as 11 self-released albums.  That is no small feat for any musician of any caliber and Marissa has maintained a level of consistent greatness throughout here career.  If I had to describe the sound of Marissa Nadler, I would say it's a beautiful horror.  Her voice makes me think that "the other side" just may be a thing of horrifying beauty.  Her latest album, The Path of the Clouds is a leap forward for Marissa as she incorporates more instrumentation than on previous releases.  This doesn't take away from the sparse beauty that she has come to be known for but it adds another layer of depth to the songs making them that much darker.  Talking to Marissa once again was a real treat and she is ALWAYS such a gracious and open person to talk to.  I hope you enjoy this one.   To check out The Path of the Clouds, Check it out HERE

One of the things I love more than anything is re-discovering music that I hadn't listened to in a long time.  Recently I was making a playlist of hard rock/metal songs that I remember loving from my high school years (88-92) and I was really digging as deep as I could.  One of the bands that I remembered really loving was New Jersey hard rock band Saraya.  Saraya released two album: the self-titled debut album and the stellar follow up album When the Blackbird Sings.  I loved that album so much but '91 was a huge year for new releases.  For some reason, the album and band got buried and after 30 years I unearthed them from the depths of my memories.  I was so surprised to hear just how amazingly well the songs held up after all these years and I couldn't stop listening to these albums.  2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the Saraya album When the Blackbird Sings and I decided I wanted to reach out to vocalist/songwriter Sandi Saraya to talk about it.  It turns out that Sandi had pretty much disappeared off the face of the musical earth.  After a lot of persistence, I finally tracked Sandi down and I was fortunate to have her agree to talk with me.  Sandi is such an awesome person and to hear her talk about her extremely tough bout with the record industry, reminiscing on the older songs and what inspired them, and there was even talk about recording a new song this year in 2021 with long-time guitarist and collaborator Tony Rey.  This interview is hands down one of the highlights of my interviewing years and I am so excited to share this with everyone!

The best way I can describe John Corabi is as a true rock n' roll gentleman/journeyman.  John is hilarious, intelligent, and an absolute blast to talk to.  John has had a 40+ year journey in rock n' roll and at 62 years old he's not even close to being done.  We talked about his fantastic new single "Cosi Bella (So Beautiful), his forthcoming book, we bonded over our love for 90s pop legends Jellyfish, and, well, just give this one a listen.  It was a great time talking with John and I hope you'll enjoy listening and learning about this great dude.  Be sure to pop in and visit his YouTube Page: https://tinyurl.com/bmwywh94

Jason McMaster is one of my all time favorite people both as a musician and as a person.  Jason has been a great buddy of mine now for a few years and we always have the best phone calls.  It was really fun to have him on the podcast once again (I think for the third time maybe?) but this time we were talking about the 30th anniversary of Dangerous Toys' sophomore album, Hellacious Acres.  We talked in great length about the album song by song and, like the dorks we do, strayed away from the topic more times than none which, for me, is always a blast.  I hope y'all will dig this one and after listening to this one, go crank Hellacious Acres which you can find on Spotify and all other streaming platforms.

Twisted Sister is the band that started it all for me.  From a fat, bullied kid who just longed to be understood to a 47 year old musician, writer, and dreamer, Twisted Sister has been there for me through it all.  There are a lot of bands that I love but Twisted Sister will forever be "the" band that started me on a path that I took and never looked back.  From seeing the Grateful Dead 27 times and being a pot dealer to being a Glam Metal icon, Jay Jay French saw it all and lived to tell the stories.  Talking to Jay Jay was like talking to a longtime friend.  Hell, we dorked out on music history and shit more so than talking about Twisted Sister.  It's my honor to be able to share this interview and I hope you all will enjoy it.  Be sure to check out Jay Jay's Podcast, The Jay Jay French Connection!

I first heard Krokus back in 1984.  The song was "Screaming in the Night" and it was a part of a compilation album called Masters of Metal that was put by an 80's record label called K-Tel.  Loving this song so much sent me out running to the record store to pick up the album Headhunter and from there I became a Krokus fan for life.  Getting to talk to vocalist Marc Storace was amazing.  We talked about how to say his name correctly, the life long comparison to late AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott, and all kinds of other cool shit!

Blues rockers Heavy Feather are releasing a new album year titled  Mountain of Sugar and I couldn't be more pumped for them.  Lystam and her crew deliver an incredible dose of sassy, in-your-face, and out the door blues-rock that at times can even be intimidating.  Lisa was such an awesome person to talk to and I really enjoyed talking blues music, staying sane during Covid, and a bunch of other stuff!

2020 was an awesome year for my podcast.  As shitty as this year was, I am lucky to have had some really cool guests on my show.  I couldn't think of a better way to end the year than with an interview with Fran Tobolsky of Wucan.  I have been a huge fan of this […]

I have had the pleasure of not just interviewing the legendary Venom/Venom Inc bassist/vocalist Demolition Man a handful of times but we have become very close friends over the past five years or so.  Tony is one of the hardest working people in music and his positive, welcoming, and joyful presence on social media is […]

Since earlier this year, Lykantropi has quickly become one of my new favorite bands.  I don't mean just a “band of the month” thing but Lykantropi has literally secured themselves a spot in the top tier of favorite bands.  Everything about this band is what I love about music.  Dark lyrical undertones, melodically dark music, […]

For the last ten years, Rob Hammersmith has been laying the rhythmic foundation for hard rock legends Skid Row.  Rob has traveled the world and back playing everywhere from small rock clubs to massive European festivals proving that no matter who is at the drums or behind the mic, Skid Row's reputation of being a […]

For those that know me, I have been a HUGE Skid Row fan for over 30 years and counting.  I recently had the chance to have bassist Rachel Bolan as a guest on the podcast.  It was a blast talking to Rachel as we discussed the future of music in the Covid-19 times, 1989's Moscow […]

Satanic Doo-Woppers Twin Temple have been taking on this pandemic and doing so with horns high and smiles wide.  I had a great time chatting with husband and wife leaders Zach and Alexandra about the pandemic, Cardi-B, missing being out on the road, and many other things Twin Temple.  As always, it was so much […]

Back in 2008 or so, my best friend James and I launched a podcast called the Heavy Metal Lunch.  Basically all we would do was get together, eat shitty (but really awesome) food, drink booze, and talk about metal.  The Heavy Metal Lunch was one of the most fun things I have ever done and […]

Legendary NWOBHM band Grim Reaper is a band that I have loved since first hearing their song “Rock You to Hell” from the album of the same title.  Like a dumbass, I went to the record store and picked up their album See You in Hell accidentally.  While “Rock You to Hell” wasn't on that […]

Talking to Kyle for the first time was just like talking to an old friend.  I really enjoyed talking with him about the return of Exhorder, why 2019 was the right time for their return, and the legendary New Orleans metal scene.  Kyle is an incredibly nice and really funny and I had a blast […]

Since first hearing them back in 1990, I have been a ginormous fan of pop/rock legends Jellyfish.  The band only released two albums (Bellybutton and Spilt Milk) and heavily toured for both.  I was extremely lucky to see Jellyfish twice and both times were on the Spilt Milk tour.  The album and touring lineup featured […]

Classic rockers Lucifer has been a favorite band of mine for quite some time.  Vocalist/Songwriter/Founding member Johanna Sadonis has put out some of my favorite music.  Starting with her former band The Oath to Lucifer's last album, Lucifer III, Johanna never ceases to blow my mind as both a writer and a performer.  Lucifer wrapped […]

Hallas is a Swedish band that I can only describe as cosmic and interstellar.  Hallas describes their sound as “adventure rock” and after one listen you will totally understand.  In 2020 Hallas released its second full-length album Conundrum and this album totally drew me in as a fan.  I had a chance to have a […]