A-Sides

Formed in 1976, The Clash quickly spread their wings beyond their punk roots, releasing a string of experimental and influential albums, including 1979's London Calling. Multi-talented musician Ryan Waters returns to the podcast for Episode 239 to share his introduction to the band, a few noteworthy songs from their catalog, and how he aligns with the band's worldview. The Clash's music can be fou...

Morgan Rose from Sevendust joined A-SIDES Episode 238 to talk about the band's new music along with their upcoming summer tour with Theory Of A Dead Man. However not every podcast goes according to my plans or notes I have taken beforehand. This is a conversation where Morgan Rose from Sevendust took me on a behind-the scenes history of the band's struggles. While fans like myself have supported t...

Mark Menghi has assembled an all-star tribute to Chris Cornell called King Ultramega. It is an all-consuming project for him as he is not only gathering the musicians, but also producing and planning the recordings, and contributing bass. Six songs have been released since Summer 2025's first release, Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage", with four more recordings on the horizon. All ten tracks in total wil...

In their return appearance on A-SIDES, Austin and Zach from Cole Hollow join Episode 236 to share details on their mission for 2026. They have several summer shows booked along with new music ready to launch. The guys also share their thoughts on reaching new fans, "AI-generated music", a shared affection for pro-wrestling, and more! Thanks to Austin and Zach for coming back onto the podcast for a...

Episode 235 of A-SIDES celebrates the life and times of influential space traveler, guitarist, and plumber, Ace Frehley. Co-host Brent Stortzum, along with returning guests Corey Rozzoni, Patrick Kennison, and Kenny Wright share their affection for "The Space Ace", chance encounters with Ace, experiencing KISS live, collecting mementos and magazines, and even the origins of an Ace Frehley tribute...

For Episode 234, Joey Vera of Armored Saint joins the podcast for a brief discussion on the band's recording process. The band is also gearing up for a tour alongside Metal Church this fall with a few unique promotional appearances that may "pop up." Armored Saint's latest record, Emotion Factory Reset, can be found streaming on your favorite app or physically from Metal Blade Records . The band a...

For this special full band interview, heavy Central Illinois rock band heaving. joins A-SIDES for Episode 233. Following the release of a new single titled "Faces On You" onto Bandcamp and all music streaming platforms on May 20th, the band discusses their origins, favorite bands and artists in their formative years, setting themselves apart, and even what they hope to accomplish throughout 2026....

On May 29th, 2026, Devin Townsend will release The Moth through Inside Out Music. For Episode 232, Devin joins A-SIDES to discuss this latest release, capturing moments of creativity, and maintaining your mental and physical health. It was an absolute thrill to hear his process for creating music and even witnessing a moment of his creativity at work. Huge thanks to Devin, Kevin Chiaramonte, Insid...

Immersing yourself into the world of a new rock band is an amazing feeling; it's almost like how an archeologist must feel like when uncovering a new species of dinosaur or an explorer discovering uncharted territory. That is how it felt leading up to this interview with Cody Bowles from progressive rock band, Crown Lands! Cody is the drummer and vocalist of this epic duo that is set to release th...

March 3rd, 1986 marked the 40th anniversary of the release of Metallica's third studio album and thrash metal classic, Master Of Puppets! Three voices joined the podcast to share their own stories with Metallica, from their introduction, to seeing the band live! Hear from co-host Brent Stortzum; returning guest and LA-based musician Yohai Portal; along with notable metal afficionado Paul Tincher....

One amazing thing about the accessibility digital music is discovering bands you may have overlooked years ago. Ugly Kid Joe is one of those bands, which flew under the radar until their 2023 US tour with Fozzy. Since then, they've been a constant presence in my digital library. Record producer and band member Dave Fortman joined A-SIDES Episode 229 to share stories from recording and touring with...

Corrosion of Conformity will release their long-awaited album Good God/Baad Man on April 3rd, 2026. With the new release being a double album of music, this episode is a double-length podcast featuring two interviews with the band! Founding member Woody Weatherman shares details on recording the album, traveling and touring with fellow metal bands, and how he spends his downtime at home. New bassi...

KT Tunstall will be performing in Central Illinois on March 23rd 2026 at Bradley University's Dingeldine Music Center in Peoria, IL. She spoke about this upcoming performance, her "Top Tips" on Instagram, and even the recent 20th anniversary release of her album, Eye To The Telescope. You can purchase tickets to KT's performance in Peoria at the event page on Event Brite . If you are unable to att...

In November 2025 Soundgarden was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It feels fitting to invite longtime friend and guitarist Corey Rozzoni back onto the podcast for an episode about Soundgarden, Chris Cornell, and the legacy they have carved into the world of rock music. While this is not a complete history of one of Seattle's greatest bands, we did share our favorite era of Soundgarden...

One of my absolute favorite guests on A-SIDES over the last 5 years of interviews has been LiV Warfield. Not only does she call Peoria, IL her hometown but she will returning on April 17th, 2026 for "LiV'N It Up", a special performance alongside the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. LiV shares details on this special show, performing on NBC's America's Got Talent, musical collaborations, and more! You ca...

One of the earliest friends of the podcast, John Massaglia, returns to A-SIDES for his 6th appearance on Episode 224. John discusses the newest release called Wombat Alchemy from his band The Truth Council, his son performing lead vocals on a new song, making plans for 2026, and even several of his bucket list vacation destinations.  If you are near Central Illinois, come enjoy The Truth Council's...

One my favorite venues to attend shows has been at the Castle Theatre in Central Illinois. From seeing shows with friends and family, to even meeting Jimmy Eat World on the curb outside the venue, the list of memories made is long. Jason Williams has been the longtime talent buyer at the Castle, helping to bring artists to Central Illinois like Jason Isbell, The Struts, Dorothy, and recent rock ba...

2025 saw not only the release of Sons of Silver's first full-length album, Runaway Emotions, but they even book-ended the year with a live EP titled 7 Cities 7 Songs. While the band is currently completing more music, Brina Kabler took time away to record this latest episode of A-SIDES. After starting with a full tour of the band's rehearsal space and headquarters, she shared how she made a huge l...

Last summer, Gus Rios released the Cold Slither album, which turned a fictional GI Joe cartoon group into a living, breathing entity! Gus' confidence as a songwriter and front man has taken shape with his next musical project, called Union Black. In A-SIDES Episode 221, he explains his growth as an artist, taking Cold Slither from the screen to your stereo, making honest music, re-imagining the mu...

On March 21, 1976, Thin Lizzy released their 6th studio album, Jailbreak, which will celebrate it's 50th anniversary in 2026. You can still hear their anthem "The Boys Are Back In Town" on your local classic rock station or nightly on any tavern's jukebox. Three past guests returned to A-SIDES for Episode 220 to share their memories and reflect on the band's legacy. Ryan Waters, songwriter/guitari...

Michigan-based recording artist Sammy Boller has recently recorded and released his solo EP titled Midnight Garden. He joined the podcast for Episode 219 to discuss his guitar playing, several of his favorite Michigan musicians, touring the world, the best pizza, and even practicing yoga. You can find Sammy's music and tour dates on his website which also includes link to purchase merch and more!...

James And The Cold Gun is an emerging rock band from the UK, described as "South Wales' Loudest", and they are set to perform in Central Illinois on December 4, 2025. Whether you live in Central IL or not, James And The Cold Gun are a band that should be on your music radar as they have a hard-driving, straight up rock n roll sound. Frontman James Joseph joined Episode 218 ahead of the show to tal...

Episode 217 features a fun conversation with Mike Leon, the brand new bassist for CKY. They just released a new single "Can't Stop Running", which preceded a UK tour and an announcement of a slot performing at the 2026 edition of Sonic Temple. Mike chats about discovering CKY, trying out different instruments in his youth, tattoos, favorite bands, and more!  Huge thanks to Mike for the conversatio...

November 7th 2025 was the release date for the long-awaited studio album from Finger Eleven titled Last Night On Earth. Guitarist Rick Jackett joined A-SIDES to share his songwriting process, along with the many influences of the band, living on a farm, performing on stage, and even a shared connection with Our Lady Peace and King's X. Huge thanks to Rick for joining this episode and a big thank y...

Episode 190 started a mini-series within A-SIDES called "Everybody Loves Cheap Trick." In this next edition, 5 more guests share their interactions, experiences, and memories of one of the most beloved rock n roll bands, Cheap Trick. Episode 215 features- Matt Gabs, guitarist with Ravagers, formerly with Biters Jerry Gaskill, drummer for the rock trio known as King's X Matt Andersen, bassist with...