THE WASTING TIME PODCAST

The Wasting Time Podcast X Four Chord Music Festival — Recap Episode Four Chord Music Festival and The Wasting Time Podcast present a retrospective look at Four Chord 11. Chris and Nick are joined by festival founder and main man Rishi Bahl, along with Marketing Director Adam Valen, to look back on this year’s event, its history, and what makes Four Chord such a cornerstone of the pop punk world....

In this episode, we are joined by Beth and Ande from As December Falls. The band share their story so far, the journey that led to their success as an independent act, and dive into the making of their brand new album, Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine. Before the interview, Chris and Nick chat about some recent releases from Militarie Gun and Hit The Lights, and Chris gives his thoughts on the re...

This time, we’re joined by Cody Okonski from Millington.  We chat about how the band first came together, how they crafted their unique ska-infused pop punk sound, and Cody’s experience interning for John Feldmann during the recording of blink-182’s California.  We had a great time hanging out with Cody in Pittsburgh recently at Four Chord Music Festival. If you're not on the Millington train, get...

This time we’re joined by the legendary Atom Willard, drummer for Alkaline Trio, ahead of the band’s appearance at Four Chord Music Festival. Atom takes us inside what’s ahead for Alkaline Trio and shares his memories of Pittsburgh, a city that’s played a role in his journey. We also get into his recent time in the studio with Travis Barker, his unforgettable experience when Rocket From The Crypt...

In the build-up to Four Chord Music Festival, The Wasting Time Podcast is thrilled to welcome Jim, Zach and Tom from Jimmy Eat World. The band look back on their incredible career, their creative process, and what it means to still be connecting with fans decades on. They also discuss playing the festival this year and what to expect. The episode also features an intro segment with Adam Valen of t...

This time on The Wasting Time Podcast, we’re joined by none other than Jaret Reddick, frontman of pop punk legends Bowling For Soup. We dive deep into Jaret’s incredible career, his unforgettable UK experiences (including his time on Never Mind The Buzzcocks), and even swap thoughts on the upcoming Four Chord Music Festival, where we’ll both be in attendance. Plus, Jaret reveals what he believes i...

We are beyond delighted to welcome The Paradox to The Wasting Time Podcast — and even more honoured to be their first ever overseas podcast appearance! In this episode, we dive into the band’s meteoric rise over the past year — from opening for Green Day, to dominating When We Were Young Fest and touring across the US non-stop. These guys are living the pop punk dream, and they’re just getting sta...

We’re joined by Eric Tobin (Hopeless Records) and Michael Kaminsky (KMGMT) to talk about the upcoming Idobi Radio Summer School Tour. This year’s lineup includes Taylor Acorn, Charlotte Sands, Rain City Drive, Arrows In Action, Beauty School Dropout, If Not For Me, and Huddy. Tobin and Michael share how the tour came together in collaboration with Kevin Lyman (Vans Warped Tour), and how it fits in...

We’re back from an unforgettable weekend at Slam Dunk Festival 2025 — and who better to help us break it all down than Nick Thompson of Hit The Lights? In this special episode of The Wasting Time Podcast, Nick Thompson joins us to swap stories from the festival — from his experience rocking the stage, to our own as press soaking in the chaos, catching amazing sets, and chatting with some of our al...

This week on The Wasting Time Podcast, we’re joined by the mastermind behind SBÄM Records — Stefan Beham! Recorded just ahead of SBÄM Fest 7 in Austria, Stefan takes us behind the scenes of how the label started and shares stories from working with some incredible bands like Pulley, Authority Zero, Belvedere, No Fun At All, and Death by Stereo. SBÄM Fest 7 goes down May 30–31 with a stacked lineup...

This week, we’re delighted to be joined by John J. Ryan from the unstoppable force that is Keep Flying. If you’ve seen them live, you know exactly why they’re one of the most exciting and unique bands in the punk scene right now—blending high-energy punk rock with saxophones, trombones, and an unrelenting stage presence. We first met the band at last year’s Four Chord Music Festival and instantly...

Today on the podcast, we're joined by Canadian singer-songwriter JJ Wilde. Calling in from the road, JJ chats with Chris about the incredible response to her latest album, Vices. They dive into what it was like to win a Juno Award and share stories from the road, including opening for legendary acts like KISS and Pearl Jam. Vices is available now on all streaming platforms. Apple Spotify Instagram...

We're excited to welcome UK artist Kid Bookie to the podcast! Last year was a monumental year for him, with a standout presence on the festival circuit and the release of his album, 'Songs For The Living // Songs For The Dead.' Kid Bookie shares insights into his journey, discussing his impressive collaborations with artists like Slipknot, Good Charlotte, and Tech N9ne, as well as what fans can an...

In this episode, we’re excited to welcome musician and actor Thomas Ian Nicholas. Join us as we explore his musical journey and discover how he has developed his unique sound. Thomas shares insights into the music that shaped his upbringing, the bands he has toured with, and the producers who have influenced his work. Renowned for his roles in films like 'Rookie of the Year' and the ;American Pie'...

In this special bonus episode, Nick hops on the tour bus with Derek and Tyler from State Champs during their stop in Newcastle. They dive into their UK tour experience, reminisce about the Emo's Not Dead cruise, discuss the success of their latest album, and share their current music favorites. State Champs self-titled album is available everywhere. Apple Spotify Instagram Twitter Facebook Email  

In episode 139, we welcome Kyle and Cody from the band Real Friends to the show! We delve into their latest album, Blue Hour, exploring the evolution of their sound over the years. Cody shares insights about his experience as a newer member of the band and his journey thus far. This album signifies a fresh chapter for Real Friends, and we discuss its potential impact on their future endeavors. Add...

This time, we were delighted to welcome JR from Less Than Jake. With a career as extensive as theirs, there’s plenty to explore! We dive into their latest EP, Uncharted, discuss how they juggle life beyond the band, and their current songwriting process. JR also shares insights about the band's connection with Fat Mike and their numerous visits to the UK. Additionally, Chris and Nick chat about th...

For episode 137, we are delighted to be joined by Rob Kellas of TPD TV. If you've been living under a rock, you might not be aware of TPD TV's huge success on YouTube covering music festivals. We've been fans for a few years now, so it was great to learn more about Rob and his journey becoming a full-time vlogger. Rob talks about the music he grew up on, goes deep on festival experiences and tells...

Our first episode of 2025! We are joined by The Early November singer, Ace Enders. At the time of our conversation, the band were about to embark on a UK tour celebrating their 2003 record 'Room's Too Cold'. We cover many topics including the band's history with Drive-Thru Records, their old touring days and Ace's relationship with Jack Antonoff.  The Early November have had many releases througho...

It's our final episode of 2024! This time we had the pleasure of being joined by Pat and Derek from the excellent Driveways. Our pathes had crossed earlier this year in Pittsburgh, and it was great to spend some more time with these guys. The band has been having another superb year (one quick look at Reddit will demonstrate how much love there is for them within the scene). We discuss their recen...

It's been a big year for the band 408, releasing another album and continuing to go from strength to strength. We welcomed Mark Faroudi from the band to the podcast. We discussed with Mark the history of the band, how they attracted the attention of John Feldmann and working with songwriters like Matt Thiessen and Nick Bailey. We have also recently released a beer in collaboration with the band an...

For episode 133, we are joined by Craig Mabbitt of Escape The Fate. Craig was a pleasure to talk to, sharing what it was like joining as the singer for an already famous band and how the fanbase reacted. Escape The Fate are not only popular in the US, Europe and Australia, but also have a huge followings in places like South America and The Philippines. Craig discusses what is like touring in thes...

It is our pleasure to welcome back Dave Baksh of Sum 41 to the podcast! Dave was kind enough to spend some time with us once again whilst on tour in the UK. He tells us how the farewell Sum 41 tour has been so far, and how he is feeling about the end of an era. We also discuss how Dave reacted to the recent memoir by his good friend, Deryck Whibley.  We take some time to discuss, once again, to ta...

We had a great time meeting Tyler and Evan of State Champs at Four Chord Festival in Pittsburgh earlier this year. Now, we are delighted to welcome them back to the podcast for a full episode. State Champs have a new record arriving on November 8, we discuss how it came together and what the fans can expect. We discuss how often they get recognised in a band their size, and what their favourite UK...

For episode 130, we welcome Christian McAlhaney of Anberlin to the podcast. Christian talks about the recent revival of Anberlin and how the band now operates with both Stephen Christian and Matty Mullins performing vocal duties. We discuss how Christian originally joined the band, their history, leading up to the music they have released recently. Fans of Christian will know that he is also in th...