I am going to be speaking with the Portland, Oregon based punk rock band, Old Cross.
After putting out a self-titled E.P in 2018, they released an LP in 2020 called Daggers just in time for the pandemic to stop them from touring to support and build their audience. Since the lockdown eased up, the band has been able to do some touring, and even put out a rad new music video for their single “Rotting.”
We’ll be speaking to the gang from Old Cross right after this.
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper
Old Cross Website: http://oldcrossband.com/
Old Cross Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Oldcross
Old Cross on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3hVySlymI1pfoeLRcKfiMa?si=gK33sg6wSQCDqJvc6Lm_pw&nd=1
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
2:26 - How did the punk band Old Cross become a band?
4:41 - Did Old Cross have doubts about creating a punk band during the dark ages of punk?
10:20 - Why does Old Cross sound so polished on their albums and in their live shows?
15:39 - What does Old Cross like and dislike about the Pacific Northwest?
21:55 - Will Old Cross be recording a new album or going on tour soon?
27:51 - How did Old Cross decide to go DIY with their own label called Zomie! Records?
30:30 - Will bassist Dylan Car of Old Cross be singing more than just backup vocals in the future?
32:23 - Does Old Cross play with GFL ever?
35:01 - What's the next step for Old Cross in order to get the band moving ahead?
38:39 - Final words and touring info from Old Cross
43:17 - Outro
I am going to be speaking with author, filmmaker, tattoo artist, and all around good dude, James Spooner.
James is the man responsible for the 2003 documentary on punk rock and its racially divided history called Afropunk, and has many other projects previously released, but he has a new book coming out on May 19th, 2022 called The High Desert which is an autobiographical graphic novel about growing up in Apple Valley, California and becoming a punk rocker.
The book is a firestorm of the radical new music scene, growing up with separated parents, and dealing with racism and acceptance in White America in the 80’s.
I’ll be speaking with James Spooner about this incredible story right after this.
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper
Order The High Desert: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-high-desert-james-spooner?variant=39935744475170
James Spooner's Website: https://www.spoonersnofun.com/
James Spooner's Links: https://linktr.ee/spoonersnofun
James Spooner's Events: https://www.spoonersnofun.com/events
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:19 - What was the catalyst for James Spooner to write The High Desert?
5:40 - Does James Spooner regret not standing up to Neo Nazis in high school?
11:17 - Why did James Spooner say he wished he was white in The High Desert?
15:39 - What does it mean to live the "Black Experience" in America to James Spooner?
18:02 - What part of punk rock music appealed to James Spooner as a teen?
22:48 - What about white privilege is apparent within the punk community?
32:23 - Did James Spooner write The High Desert with a broad audience in mind?
37:35 - What influence did black musicians have on punk rock from its formation, and why does white America always take over African-American trends?
44:09 - Final words from James Spooner
45:12 - Outro
I am going to be speaking with S.W. Lauden who has put together an excellent book called Forbidden Beat: perspectives on punk drumming.
He is a punk drummer and author with a mission to shed light on the legendary drumming styles and players of punk music over the years. The book itself is a collection of essays, interviews and lists from contributors such as Joey Cape, Marko DeSantis, Tre Cool, Ira Elliot and so many more influential punk musicians.
I can’t wait to dig into this book with S.W. right after this.
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper
S.W. Lauden's Website: http://swlauden.com/
S.W. Lauden's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/swlauden
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:07 - What does Forbidden Beat refer to?
3:35 - How did S.W. Lauden decide to put a book together about the history of punk drumming?
6:47 - Why is punk drumming so important to the sound of punk rock? And what drummers became the biggest influences on punk drummers?
11:45 - Why did punk drumming become so programmatic for a minimalist style, and how did that help shape the sound and genre of punk rock?
17:09 - Tre Cool's 4 elements of drumming discussed along with the complementary drumming style of Ringo Starr
20:07 - Discussing how early punk drummers generally got their influences from other genres
27:28 - Derrick Pluorde's (of Lagwagon, The Ataris, Bad Astronaut) lasting legacy on punk drumming
35:18 - Talking about Bill Stevenson's (of Descendents and ALL) role as the godfather of punk drumming
38:26 - How Descendents become pop punk pioneers with their surf rock / punk blend
40:50 - What advice would S.W. Lauden give to new drummers coming up right now?
45:13 - Last words from S.W. Lauden
45:50 - Outro
I am going to be speaking with Vaden Lewis, the frontman for the legendary Texas rock band Toadies, today about well, as much as I can because Toadies are one of my top 5 favorite bands of all time, and I have a lot of questions which 95% we won’t have time for, but let’s see how deep we can get on the 5% that we have time for.
Toadies are going on tour this year to celebrate Rubberneck's 25th Anniversary (which happened during the pandemic). We’ll be speaking to the rock legend himself, Vaden Lewis, right after this!
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper
Toadies Website: https://thetoadies.com/
Toadies Tour Dates: https://thetoadies.com/tour-dates/
Toadies Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/toadies
Clark Voegeler's "Dark Secrets - The Stories of Rubberneck": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG2se9IHXJ8
The Loop Rehearsal Space: https://www.thelooptx.com/
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:04 - How did Toadies music become the dark style that the album Rubberneck put out?
2:45 - How did the Rubberneck 25th Anniversary Tour with Toadies and Reverend Horton Heat come about?
5:51 - How did Toadies get their own day named after them in Fort Worth?
7:31 - Will the Dia De Los Toadies Festival ever make a comeback?
8:45 - How Dia De Los Toadies help create the album Heretics by Toadies
11:40 - What was it like for Vaden Lewis after the original hiatus of Toadies?
13:24 - Are Toadies working on a new album right now?
15:23 - How do Toadies decide on the track list for an album and what's the plan for recording the new album?
19:00 - Why do Toadies have so many dark songs?
22:49 - The making of Rubberneck and talking about "Dark Secrets - The Stories of Rubberneck" by Toadies guitarist Clark Voegeler
24:29 - How did Vaden Todd Lewis of Toadies get his vocal style?
29:07 - How did Toadies decide to start Rubberneck off with an instrumental song ("Mexican Hairless") and decide on the final track list?
32:43 - Did Vaden Lewis ever tell Reverend Horton Heat he got the idea to put an instrumental first from their album?
33:00 - Starting with the reformation of Toadies after their hiatus, did the band feel a lot of pressure to make another Rubberneck album?
38:20 - Did it feel like once Toadies got famous and then disbanded that people would write the band off going forward?
40:38 - Does Vaden Lewis from Toadies have a different opinion of how their music is made and released now versus when they were younger?
43:39 - How did Vaden Lewis open his own rehearsal space called The Loop in Fort Worth?
47:36 - Final words from Vaden Todd Lewis of Toadies
49:03 - Outro
I am going to be speaking with the Nashville-based indie rock band, The Dreaded Laramie. After putting out an E.P titled The Dreaded LaramiE.P. in 2019, they are set to release their next EP called Everything A Girl Could Ask on May 13th which is a Friday. But damn those superstitions, because I am sure that nothing but magic will come to the band upon release day.
We’ll be speaking to The Dreaded Laramie right after this.
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper
The Dreaded Laramie on Bandcamp: https://thedreadedlaramie.bandcamp.com/
The Dreaded Laramie LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thedreadedlaramieband
Pre-order Everything A Girl Could Ask: https://selltheheartrecords.bigcartel.com/product/the-dreaded-laramie-everything-a-girl-could-ask-7-picture-disc
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:27 - How did the members of The Dreaded Laramie meet and form the band?
3:19 - What musical influences do The Dreaded Laramie have in helping form their sound?
4:35 - How did The Dreaded Laramie bond over Weezer and what songs do they like?
8:46 - How does being socially awkward help or hurt The Dreaded Laramie in making pop rock anthems?
13:19 - Is the song "Tell Me" by The Dreaded Laramie about gaslighting and mansplaining?
19:17 - Why did The Dreaded Laramie create two EPs instead of putting out a full album?
24:04 - Did The Dreaded Laramie have to channel any one else to play their characters in the music video for "Tell Me"?
28:46 - Did The Dreaded LaramiE.P. actually get recorded by a single humbucker pickup?
35:42 - What's the story behind The Dreaded Laramie song "Daffodils & Love"?
39:37 - How is the new tour going for The Dreaded Laramie in support of the new E.P. Everything A Girl Could Ask?
47:24 - Final thoughts from The Dreaded Laramie members
50:07 - Outro
I am going to be speaking with Jack McEwan from the Perth-based indie rock band, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.
This band is one of my favorite active bands right now, and I only found out about them upon the releasing of their last album Shyga! The Sunlight Mound in February of 2021. It was one of only 2 albums from 2021 that I gave a 5.0 rating because it absolutely kicked ass.
As if that wasn’t enough new music, they are set to release their brand new album Night Gnomes on Friday, April 22nd!
We’ll dig into even more about all things Psychedelic Porn Crumpets right after this.
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Site: https://www.psychedelicporncrumpets.com/
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Linktree: https://linktr.ee/psychedelicporncrumpets
Pre-Order, Pre-Save and Listen to the New Album Night Gnomes now: https://psychedelic-porn-crumpets.lnk.to/Night_Gnomes
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:12 - How Psychedelic Porn Crumpets went from school project to a band
2:50 - Did Psychedelic Porn Crumpets members really meet through a mutual drug dealer?
4:34 - Did Jack McEwan from Psychedelic Porn Crumpets want to pursue a graphic design career over music?
6:47 - Why did Psychedelic Porn Crumpets make shorter, tighter songs for Shyga! The Sunlight Mound?
9:54 - Will Psychedelic Porn Crumpets keep making shorter songs from now on?
12:25 - Do you have to be on psychedelic drugs in order to understand Psychedelic Porn Crumpets songs?
14:58 - Are some of the song titles from Psychedelic Porn Crumpets songs non-sensical?
17:08 - Were the first few albums of Psychedelic Porn Crumpets more influenced by drugs than the newer ones?
20:37 - Will Psychedelic Porn Crumpets make epic songs again?
22:35 - What can people expect on the new Psychedelic Porn Crumpets album Night Gnomes?
27:18 - As a guitar player did Jack McEwan of Psychedelic Porn Crumpets ever have any major hurdles to overcome in learning to play better?
31:20 - How did Jack McEwan of Psychedelic Porn Crumpets come to sing songs out of the tempo of the music?
33:59 - How do Psychedelic Porn Crumpets come up with their music video ideas?
36:04 - Upcoming 2022 tour information for Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
38:22 - Outro
Today, I am going to be speaking with Lee Wright from the British punk band Monkey Mind.
Along with bassist Michael Olga and drummer Martin Payton, these guys form a punk trio that will have you blasting back to the early days of pop punk breaking out. We'll dig into the music and more of the mind of Monkey Mind in this conversation!
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Monkey Mind on Bandcamp: https://monkeymind2.bandcamp.com/
Monkey Mind on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monkeymindmusic
Monkey Mind on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leemonkeymind
Monkey Mind on People of Punk Rock Records: http://peopleofpunkrockrecords.com/band-artist.php?id=monkey-mind
Monkey Mind YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdLnoUnCY99aXl9UZ1Na5FQ
Monkey Mind on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/31wlPGRGD8zSkFIJbqGdxP
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
0:58 - How did the band Monkey Mind get together, and are they still active in their other projects?
4:56 - How did Michael Olga become the bass player and backup singer in Monkey Mind after being the front man in Toy Dolls for so long?
6:09 - How did Martin Paynton join Monkey Mind?
6:39 - Does it feel like a fair comparison to put Monkey Mind against early Green Day as far as the sound goes?
8:51 - Why did Lee Wright decide to start Monkey Mind at such a late point in his musical career?
9:58 - How was Monkey Mind able to put their album together during a pandemic?
13:22 - What kind of bands influenced Monkey Mind's music?
15:45 - How does Monkey Mind throw in really technical instrumentation and still keep a punk sound?
17:43 - Why did Monkey Mind create a song about Wim "The Iceman" Hof?
24:46 - Was there a reason behind choosing Monkey Mind for the band name?
26:00 - Is the song "Buddy Love" about Lee from Monkey Mind's dog?
27:29 - Are Monkey Mind's songs about Lee Wright's life? Or are there fictional?
29:31 - How hard was it to film the Monkey Mind music video for "Ice Man - The Ballad of Wim Hof?"
31:13 - What's the story behind the song and video for "Mr. Wright" by Monkey Mind?
34:08 - Will Monkey Mind be going on tour this year?
35:58 - Final words from Lee Wright of Monkey Mind
37:02 - Outro
I am going to be speaking with Matt Brown from the Las Vegas punk band, Jerk! today which is awesome, because these guys are a fun band from Vegas that brings energy and excitement to their shows.
I had the privilege of seeing these guys open for Teenage Bottlerocket and The Last Gang with support from Tightwire back in 2021 (and again in early 2022), and I was quite impressed. I wanted to bring them on to talk about their music and our mutual love of Screeching Weasel and much more.
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Jerk! on Bandcamp: https://jerkpunkrock.bandcamp.com/music
Jerk! on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jerkpunkrock
Jerk! on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerk_punkrock/
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:31 - How did the band Jerk! get together?
4:01 - How do all the members of Jerk! come together to make music considering their influences are so different?
7:05 - What's the songwriting process for the music that Jerk! creates?
11:08 - What was the process behind the album Panic Attack for Jerk!?
15:10 - Is Jerk! working on a new album in 2022?
18:37 - What's the Las Vegas rock and punk rock scene like according to Jerk!?
26:39 - How does Jerk! get shows for themselves outside of Las Vegas?
29:05 - How does Jerk! make time for their side project bands?
35:40 - Does Jerk! have shows and a tour lined up for 2022?
39:43 - Final words from Matt Brown of Jerk!
42:10 - Outro
In this episode of The Powered By Rock Podcast, I get to talk to Gaby Davila-Ortiz from ASTR0MAG which is a Las Vegas-based independent music site that covers indie rock bands mostly in the local Vegas music scene, but also in Southern California and surrounding areas. Gaby has been doing photography and journalism for ASTR0MAG for the last few years, and she gives us her unique take on what it's been like to pursue the passion of writing, taking photos of and finding new artists and music to inspire her to keep going.
We pull back the curtain on what it is like to build sites based on promoting bands and rock music and you will get to hear straight from a source in the field about what it's like to try to grow an online presence around rock music.
Intro: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
ASTR0MAG Website: https://astr0mag.com/
ASTR0MAG on Instagram: http://instagram.com/astr0mag
ASTR0MAG on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astr0mag/
ASTR0MAG on Twitter: http://twitter.com/astr0mag
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:22 - How Gaby started ASTR0MAG
3:16 - The musical influences that shaped Gaby
4:59 - How does Gaby like working with smaller bands?
8:44 - What's Gaby's process behind doing a great interview?
14:22 - Where does Gaby fall on the scale of fan versus journalist and does it affect your interviews?
18:11 - Does Gaby prefer writing or the photography part of the job more?
23:50 - Who else is working with Gaby on ASTR0MAG?
25:35 - What are some of the bands that ASTR0MAG would like to cover in 2022?
28:28 - What's it like being a young, female journalist in rock music right now?
33:33 - What's the big vision for ASTR0MAG?
38:14 - Outro
I am going to be speaking with drummer extraordinaire Emily Dolan-Davies who has worked with quite a few famous acts like The Darkness, The Hours, Bryan Ferry and Cher Lloyd and runs her own business to help musicians make money with their musical abilities, and she also creates drum tracks remotely for musical acts and sampling at EmilyDrums.com.
She is also currently the drummer in the house band on The Voice Kids in the UK. I am going to be digging into all this and more with Emily.
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Link to all of Emily's endeavors: emilydolandavies.com/links
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:41 - Does Emily Dolan Davies play any instruments other than drums?
4:18 - How does Emily Dolan Davies feel about the movie Count Me In which highlighted drummers and female drummers?
6:51 - Emily Dolan Davies talks about how drummers are shy, but connect with other drummers instantly
8:17 - Did Emily Dolan Davies really talk to Ewan McGregor about drumming?
10:29 - How did Emily Dolan Davies get into drumming?
13:24 - Emily Dolan Davies talks about her dad bringing Neil Peart up as THE drummer to aspire to be
15:52 - How did Emily Dolan Davies get into the house band on the Voice UK?
23:37 - How did Emily Dolan Davies become the drummer for The Darkness?
31:09 - Emily Dolan Davies talks about helping musicians create a living off their skills by building a business for themselves
43:10 - What are some drumming tips or advice that Emily Dolan Davies can give about drumming?
47:37 - Emily Dolan Davies talks about what it means to play "in the pocket" as a drummer
49:56 - Emily Dolan Davies talks about the subjectivity and art behind music and how just because a band has talent doesn't mean they make music everyone will like
51:25 - Are drum lessons needed to become a professional drummer like Emily Dolan Davies?
56:28 - Final thoughts from Emily
58:27 - Outro
In this episode, I have an excellent conversation with Jim from the DIY musical project Scoopski about his songs, his music videos, the birth of his new son, and the brand new album See You Soon which just came out on February 2nd, 2022. I liken his musical style to a mix between Weird Al Yankovic, Bloodhound Gang, and The Rentals / Weezer.
So, if you like any of those bands, then you are going to want to press play on this exciting episode where we get to dig deeper into the mind of this unsigned rock artist who has put out 3 albums in 3 years, and does it incredibly well.
Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Listen to the new album See You Soon:
Scoopski on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QDZfAu8fsRxb8BhsbgEzB?si=mEuMQceVTsaaC3b_gkkXpQ&nd=1
Scoopski on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scoopskitheband
Scoopski on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scoopskitheband
Scoopski on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScoopskiTheBand/
Scoopski on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/scoopski-386219040
Scoopski on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb1bDTnNJTqAr8h9DQQtI2Q
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:19 - How does Scoopski get the production of the home recording process done so well?
4:57 - How did Jim come to create Scoopski?
9:56 - What is the reason that Scoopski tends to write songs that are humerous?
14:45 - What are some of the influences on Scoopski?
15:41 - How did the first two albums from Scoopski come together?
18:21 - Scoopski talks about the new album See You Soon
22:03 - Does Scoopski like Pennsylvania?
24:31 - Will Scoopski be playing live shows or touring any time soon?
26:45 - What's the creative process behind Scoopski's music videos?
28:09 - How does Scoopski promote the band and music?
33:31 - Final thoughts from Scoopski
35:22 - Outro
In this episode of The Powered By Rock Podcast, I speak with John Montross from the online publication, Punk Rock Radar. John has spent countless hours scouring through punk rock music every day for the last couple of years, and he has spent most of his life loving punk music. So, I figured what better person to bring on to speak about the past, present and future state of punk rock!
If you haven't checked out his site or his social media presence, you definitely should, because it will keep you abreast of A LOT of the punk music releases that come out, and he even helps do rankings from time to time to help you know which ones you should prioritize.
Intro: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters
Punk Rock Radar website: https://punkrockradar.com/
Punk Rock Radar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/punkrockradar/
Punk Rock Radar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/punkrockradar
Punk Rock Radar Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/nofxxxx
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:45 - How did John Montross get into punk music and end up creating Punk Rock Radar?
5:41 - Where does John Montross see Punk Rock Radar going in the future?
6:39 - Why did Punk Rock Radar give Krang's album the best punk album of 2021?
8:10 - Why didn't Face to Face make the top 10 list of best punk album of 2021 on Punk Rock Radar?
10:24 - Why is Punk Rock Radar not a fan of the new NOFX albums?
13:30 - How does Punk Rock Radar keep up with all the new punk music coming out?
19:08 - What were the punk bands of the 90's that Punk Rock Radar liked?
21:30 - What punk bands in the 2000's decade did Punk Rock Radar like?
23:47 - What punk bands in the 2010's did Punk Rock Radar get into?
29:21 - What are some of the things that Punk Rock Radar likes and dislikes about the punk music scene?
32:12 - What punk music is Punk Rock Radar looking forward to in 2022?
33:50 - Final thoughts from Punk Rock Radar's John Montross
34:27 - Outro