Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico

Zack Lazar, bassist of Boston hardcore outfit Execution Style, joins us to talk about his history with Black Helicopter and Kudgel, and the road that led him into the world of hardcore. We also talk about the college radio station(WDJM), we both did time at... Music clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Prime Movers, The Zulus, Black Helicopter, and Execution Style. Produced and Hosted by Steev...

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Simon Kirke (Free, Bad Company) and Woody Giessman, the man behind the kit on many of the Del Fuegos' biggest songs, join us. The two have been collaborating on the musical  Rock Bottom  and are holding a fundraiser October 10 at Belleforge Arts Center in Medfield, MA. Music clips on this episode by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Black Helicopter, The Zulus, and The...

Peter Dayton, founder of Boston punk pioneers  La Peste , joins us to talk about the Ramones show that made him start a band — and why he walked away from the scene's most popular act and never looked back(or maybe not). Music clips in this episode by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Black Helicopter, The Prime Movers, and La Peste. Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo

In this very punk rock episode, we are joined by Turbo Stabs, the singer of the new and fiery Los Angeles punk band, Skanks With Knives, who are taking the west by storm. Music clips used in this episode by The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Zulus, The Long Wait, and Knives With Knives Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo Please support us patreon.com/twistedrico

In this episode, we are joined by former Taking Back Sunday drummer Mark O'Connell, who has a great new band with another ex TBS member, guitarist Eddie Reyes. Music clips featured on this episode by The Charms, Dogmatics, Cracktorch, The Zulus, and Me. Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo

This week we are joined by two fourteen-year-olds who know their stuff — Anna and Josie talk about what they're listening to, how they discover music in the streaming age, and the artists they can't stop playing. Also a review of The Violent Femmes show in Cohasset , MA. Music clips on this episode by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Cape Crush, Ape Hangers, and Black Helicopter, Produced and Ho...

Mariel Loveland returns to the show to talk about Best Ex's upcoming album  Good Girl  (Iodine Recordings), songwriting, Candy Hearts, and much more... Music clips in this episode from Best Ex, The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Zulus, and Speedfossil. Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo Please support this podcast: patreon.com/twistedrico

In the episode, we are joined by Astro and Biff, the founders of the vibrant Boston-based electro-pop and chiptune collective called Battlemode. The group blends glitchy, 8-bit Game Boy sounds with modern synth-pop, guitars, and live violin to create catchy, danceable tracks about heartbreak and nostalgia. Music clips used on this episode by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Greg Allen's Fringe Relig...

In this episode, we are joined by Detroit-born, Boston based rock lifer Smitt E. Smitty, whose resume stretches back through Figures On A Beach(Sire Records), Chainsuck, and Fireking. These days Smitty splits his time between Smitt E. Smitty & The Fezztones and Little Billy Lost. It's a helluva of a conversation! Music clips used in the episode from The Charms, The Dogmatics, Smitt E. Smit...

In this episode, host Twisted Rico looks back on his unforgettable time at Woodstock '94, plus we re-air a newly re-edited version of our fan-favorite conversation from Episode 227 with Louise Post of Veruca Salt. A beautiful blast from the past! Music clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Shurr Jr., Black Helicopter, SSDecontrol, Prime Movers, and Blame It On Whitman. Produced and Hosted by Ste...

Ronnie Barnett returns to the show to talk about the upcoming release of The Muffs' Live at Ford Apache! We also talk about the 2025 documentary The Secret Lives of Bill Bartell and much more... Music Clips in this episode from The Charms, The Dogmatics, Ape Hangers, The Zulus, Blame It On Whitman, and Black Helicopter Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo

Olivia Saperstein — singer/guitarist for LA's own Pegzilla — joins the show! She takes us from her Boston roots all the way to Los Angeles, digs into her run with Egg Drop Soup, and gets real about the devastating loss of everything she owned in the 2025 Eaton Fire. Music clips by: The Charms, The Dogmatics, Blame It On Whitman, The Prime Movers, Pegzilla, and Egg Drop Soup Produced and Hosted by...

This week, we talk about The Outlets' 1985 debut album  Whole New World , released on Restless/Enigma — a record our host has deep, personal ties to. We break down what made this album special and the story behind it. We also pay tribute to the late Jennifer Finch, bassist for L7, whose influence on punk and rock left a lasting mark. This episode is dedicated to her memory. Music Clips by The...

In this episode, we're joined by Stephen LoVerme, who co-founded and runs the SomerGloom Festival in Somerville, MA, alongside JJ Gonson. Stephen previews all four days of the festival, and we dig into the world of metal in general. Music Clips by: The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Prime Movers, SSD, Heroi, Spirit Hotel Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo

Boston singer-songwriter Emily Grogan joins the show to talk about a career that's taken her everywhere — from touring with Mike Gordon of Phish to playing the legendary Rat in Boston. She digs into the wild range of gigs that shaped her as a musician, the local scene that raised her, and what it's like sharing a stage with one of the most respected bassists in rock. Plus, we talk about he...

In this episode, we're joined by Nick Z., the multi-faceted owner of New Alliance East, who has played on, recorded, mixed, and mastered thousands of recordings. He's currently one half of This Bliss and a past member of many notable Boston-area bands including Cracktorch and Campaign For Real Time. His contributions to music and the arts run deep, and we're excited to have him as a gu...

In this episode, we sit down with Linda Viens, singer of Girl With A Hawk, to talk about the band's debut album,  Regenesis , out now on Rum Bar Records. Music Clips from The Charms, The Dogmatics, Black Helicopter, Victory At Sea, and Girl With A Hawk. Moody Abstract 2 Playlist: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/bf0b6fc0905c4f688f9201fbb89e2bb7sune Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo

In this episode, we're joined by filmmaker ("Who the F*ck Is That Guy?"), singer of Incendiary Device, and host of New York Hardcore Chronicles Live — Drew Stone. Music Clips by Incendiary Device, The Long Wait, SSD, The Charms, and The Dogmatics Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo #blowingsmokewithtwistedrico #podcast

This episode brings together three staples of the Worcester, MA music scene — aka Wormtown — for a conversation that spans decades of local rock history. Steve Aquino, Artie Sneiderman, and Dave Spaz now make up Swamp Roots, but their roots run deep through some legendary bands. Aquino and Spaz are former members of garage rock mainstays The Lyres, while Sneiderman and Aquino go even further back...

Joel Simches is a Boston multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer, tour manager, and record producer with 35 years in the game, having played in over 40 bands and worked with artists like the Dresden Dolls, DeVotchKa, and Big Dipper. These days he's a staff engineer at Watch City Studios. Music Clips from The Charms, The Dogmatics, Blame It On Whitman, The Prime Movers, Greg Allen's Fringe Re...

Our friend Mike Newman has been a fixture in radio for decades — and he joins us to talk about his incredible career and some of our all-time favorite albums from the '70s! Music Clips by The Zulus, Applied knowledge, The Long Wait, The Charms, and The Dogmatics. Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo

Leah Callahan returns to the show to talk about her fantastic new album,  Our Lady of the Sad Adventure , and other highlights from her long music career. Music Clips by The Charms, Black Helicopter, The Prime Movers, and Leah Callahan Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo

In this episode, we are joined by John Sparrow, drummer of Violent Femmes. Modern Drummer once described his approach perfectly: his drumming isn't built around the idea of a traditional kit — it's about choosing the right drum for the song. That spirit of experimentation and sonic curiosity has made Sparrow one of the more distinctive voices in the percussion world, and today we get to hear the s...

Today's guest carries a legacy as big as the music itself. Jules Peters, widow of the legendary Mike Peters of The Alarm, joins us to talk about the band's brand new — and final — album. It's an emotional, inspiring, and deeply personal conversation you won't want to miss. Music Clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Blame It On Whitman, The Long Wait and The Alarm. Produced and Hoste...

Darren Hill returns to the show to talk about the new live Red Rockers album, recorded at Tipitina's in the band's hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2023. The Red Rockers were a New Orleans punk/new wave band formed in 1979 by John Thomas Griffith, James Singletary, and Darren Hill, who took their name from a song by California punk band The Dils. Early on they earned the nickname "America's...