Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico

On this episode of the show, we are joined by Tom Wilson, who spend most of his adult life on the road working for tons of artists including The Cure, Depeche Mode, Janet Jackson, Shakira etc.. He started his career as an underage teenager sneaking into shows in Boston by carrying equipment in with mostly hardcore bands and soon found himself working at clubs and local Boston bands and before long...

This week we have an interview with Chris Porter, who started his music career in college radio at WJUL, has managed artists, run a record label, booked clubs, and has put together massively successful festivals, including the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle and "The Town And The City Festival" in his hometown of Lowell MA! Chris has pretty much done it all in his 30+ year music career, and oh did...

Detroit's Troy Gregory has pretty much done it all as far as musicians go. He joins us on the show to talk about his time playing with Flotsam & Jetsam, Prong, The Dirtbombs, The Witches, and his many solo releases including the incredible "Xaviera" double album. We also hear an exclusive edited version track entitled "I Want To Thank The Academy" and hear how his new material is influenced by the...

Our friend Ted Williams, who played in Pittsburgh bands like Eviction and The Volcano Dogs, has made a whole new career for himself working regularly on films and TV shows like Wonder Woman and Gotham, and it all started cause he had "the right look". Ted joins us for an interview and we also talk about how being an Indie Artist these days is not a bad thing in our New Music Trends segment, plus n...

Ellie Vee (The Charms) and Nicole A. join the show to talk about new music and we hit on a variety of artists such as Beach Bunny, The Voidz, Olivia Rodrigo etc. Nicole also throws us a disco curveball and raves on about Donna Summer. We also talk about music documentaries which are a bigger musical trend than ever and review "Echo In The Canyon", a fantastic film starring Jakob Dylan and friends...

This episode features a fun interview with Tracey Noel and Susan Lutin of New Jersey "Riot Ladies" 50ft. Furies who talk about their amazing debut album "Miss American President", the impact of The  Linda Lindas, Bikini Kill, living through the pandemic, and more. In our music trends segment we hit on whether or not TikTok is breaking new artists and if thats not enough our hosts tells us wha...

Fun episode as Eric Martin, Phil Caruso, and Ace Of Hearts Owner/Producer Rick Harte stop by the studio to talk about one of the best bands from the Boston 80's scene, The Neats. In our music trend of the week we explore how The Linda Lindas became the buzz band of the week after a live performance at the LA public library and its subsequent signing to Epitaph Records.  And yes our host does...

On this episode of Blowing Smoke With Twisted Rico, we interview our old friend and hardcore punk legend Chris Doherty, who holds absolutely nothing back as we share some incredibly funny stories from the past. We talk about the early days of Gang Green, Jerry's Kids, and Chris' recovery from a stroke he suffered 3 years ago.  We also take a look at Finn Askew, a 20 year old English musici...

Darren Hill started his career in New Orleans as bassist for punk legends The Red Rockers, then went on to play with The Raindogs, Klover, The Stardarts, and Paul Westerberg. He later made the jump to management, founding Ten Pin Management and working with Westerberg, David Johansen, The Dropkick Murphys, Roky Erickson, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Along the way, he played a key role in the r...

This is a special BONUS episode of the show recapping many highlights of past shows dating back to our debut in January 2019 when we started this journey back in Pittsburgh PA! If you like name dropping and shouts-outs, you are gonna love this one! We also play a brand new song from Margaret Garrett (Mr. Airplane Man) putting the lovely icing on the cake.  Music The Charms "So Pretty" (theme...

On this episode of the show, we are joined by Keith Bennett, who shares some insanely funny stories about his youth including how the KISS "Rock And Roll Over" album changed his life and led him to be the rocker he still is today. We also talk about the Boston hardcore scene, Wrecking Crew, PanzerBastard, Motorhead, sitting in with the Gang Green all-star band, and what recovery has been like for...

On this episode of the show, we are joined by one of our favs Margaret Garrett and chat away about her new recordings, play an obscure Mr. Airplane Man track, share our mutual love for The Lyres, and remember the old days in Inman Sq in Cambridge MA. where she met Morphine's Mark Sandman and how it all started for her...and yes...the 1369 Coffee House....  Music The Charms "So Pretty&quot...

On this episode of the show, our good friend Rev. Hank Peirce, who's path in life took him from a being a punk rock kid in a sleepy Southeastern Mass town to becoming a roadie for bands like Slapshot and The Straw Dogs(The FU's) to his current and ultimate life as the ordained Minister he is today. On his encore appearance on the show, Hank talks current affairs and tells us an insane story on how...

On this episode of the podcast we are joined by Nat Freedberg, who has been playing in bands and delivering great songs since the early 80's. Nat tells us about his latest project Freeloader and we go back and discuss some of the legendary bands he has played in, including The Flies, The Titanics, The Satanics, and of course his internationally known and loved band The Upper Crust! We also talk ab...

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Leah Callahan, who has played in some really cool bands over the years such as Turkish Delight, Betwixt, The Glass Set, and has just released her second solo album entitled "Simple Folk".  We touch all the bases leading up to the release of "Simple Folk" and what lies ahead for the talented singer/songwriter.  Music The Charms "So Pretty"...

On this episode, we're joined by "Malibu" Lou Mansdorf, the man behind RumBar Records — and quite possibly the biggest name-dropper in podcast history. Lou lights up the room with great stories about growing up in Astoria, NY, navigating the music business, and building RumBar into what it is today. We dig into the label's roster too, talking up some of its coolest acts: Geoff Pa...

On this episode of the Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico podcast we are joined by Denver Co. based Milquetoast & Co front man James McAndrew and Boston fashion designer Cibeline Sariano . James tells us about his early days in Boston and his move to Denver which gave him a musical resurgence when all seemed hopeless, while Cibeline offers her tasteful spin on the Milquetoast & Co video "Ciga...

On this episode of the podcast we are joined by Wargasm's singer/bassist Bob Mayo, who takes us through the band's history and details their five year legal battle with their label Profile Records to get released from their deal, which kept them from accepting offers from other labels. Special guest co-host Duncan Wilder Johnson(Destruct-A-Thon) comes along for the wild ride and adds his t...

On this episode of the podcast, Curtis Casella, owner and operator of Taang! Records, joins us to share stories about working with bands like Gang Green, The Lemonheads, Bullet LaVolta, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Slapshot. He even chimes in on The Outlets, a band he wishes he'd signed to his label. Curtis discusses his early days in college radio, starting the label in the Boston area as...

Our pal and hard working positive vibe dude Geoff Palmer (known to the old punkers as Geoff Useless) covers all the bases with us as we start with his early days in The Queers, The Nobodys and the fabulous Guts and work though his cow punk solo stuff and the birth of garage rock sensations The Connection right up to the 2020 release "Your Face Is Weird, a great collaboration with Austrailian Lucy...

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Darts guitarist Meliza Jackson, who joined the band in 2019 and soon thereafter found herself making an album, opening The Damned's US tour, and flying to Europe to rock the world in a wild and exciting year.  Meliza also talks about her deal with Vox, working with Alternative Tentacles and Jello Biafra, life in Phoenix, meeting her idol Joan J...

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Magnapop guitarist Ruthie Morris as we cover a plethora of topics including the band's long successful career that has seen the release of six studio albums, including records produced by Michael Stipe, Bob Mould, and Geza X, and a bunch of singles and Ep's released both in America and Europe. Morris also talks to us about how the pandemic has...

On this episode of the podcast, long Boston area club booker and musician Mickey Bliss shares some fabulous stories from when he started playing shows in the old Combat Zone in Boston in the late seventies, to his 26 years as a club booker for The Kirkland Cafe in Somerville MA and then Club Bohemia downstairs at The Cantab Lounge in Central Square in Cambridge Ma. In one story, which has an hilar...

Sex worker, filmmaker, naked yoga queen, and OnlyFans star Collibrina makes her third appearance on the show — and like before, there's never a dull moment. We dig into her experimental film  The Feminist  (highly recommended), hear a couple of her favorite songs, and turn her on to "My Body" by 50 Ft Queenie. And of course, plenty of other odds and ends about sex, music, and survivi...

On this episode of the Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico podcast, we have two guests this time around. Riot Grrrl feminist punks Bait Bag call in from North Haven Island off the coast of Maine, where they are one of only 3 bands on the island! The ladies tell us how it all came together and as their buzz grows, what their plans are once things open up again. Then Gina Phillips tells us how the last...