CORE

Candlebox frontman Kevin Martin talks with Code Zero Radio's Andy McNamara ahead of the band's show at EPIC Event Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Thirty-plus years after their quadruple-platinum self-titled debut, Candlebox is back with original guitarist Peter Klett back in the fold — and new music on the way. In this candid conversation, Kevin opens up about the true story behind "F...

Mile of Music is back — and this year it's officially a nonprofit! With Mile 13 less than a month away, Fox Cities Core host Andy McNamara sits down with three of the people who make it happen: founder Dave Willems, Director of Talent & Partnerships Ian Thomson, and Venue & Artist Relations lead Melissa Freeman. In this episode of Fox Cities Core — Code Zero Radio's weekly deep div...

Ryan Vander Sanden — General Manager and Entertainment Director at EPIC Event Center in Green Bay — joins Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio for a wide-open conversation about the business of live music, the stories behind the shows, and why Northeast Wisconsin's concert scene is better than ever. Ryan pulls back the curtain on everything from his first (hilariously disastrous) national b...

Kalamazoo noise rock duo Bronson Arm — Blake Bickel (baritone guitar/vocals) and Garrett Yates (drums) — stop by the studio in Appleton, Wisconsin for a wide-ranging conversation on Fox Cities Core, the weekly live interview show on WCZR Code Zero Radio, hosted by Andy McNamara. The band is on the road supporting their latest album Casket Schwagg (Learning Curve Records).In this interview, Blake a...

Sam and Tony from Horace Green stop by Code Zero Radio's Fox Cities Core with host Andy McNamara to talk all things Powerlounge — their brand new full-length album dropping June 6th, recorded entirely in their own home studio over the course of two-plus years. In this episode, the guys break down the origins of their self-invented genre "Powerlounge" (yes, they looked it up — they&#3...

Tim Schweiger talks about his early days with Yesterday's Kids — how a homemade Everly Brothers pop-punk tape landed them a deal on Ben Weasel's Panic Button Records — and the lessons learned from years of grinding tours, before finding his footing as a solo artist and frequent collaborator with Tommy Stinson of The Replacements. Tim digs into the realities of the modern music industry, th...

Reverend Norb, Paul #1, Paul #2 and Ric Six appeared on Code band talks about their upcoming benefit show for Dan Dillon — former singer of The Minors and one of the founding figures of the Green Bay punk scene — who is recovering from a serious stroke. The show takes place June 13 at Badger State Brewing in Green Bay with Fun w/ Atoms, Rebel Waltz, and the Smart Shoppers. Tickets are $20, with pr...

ABF Monthly is back! Join us as we sit down with Mark Mader from the Appleton Beer Factory and Appleton Music Factory for our monthly catch-up covering all the latest music, events, and brewery news happening in and around Appleton, WI.In this episode we cover:- Cheese Fest and Paper Fest lineup announcements, including Astronomers, Holly, Post-Sex Nachos, Vo, Six Foot Blonde, Scorched Waves, Cand...

Andy sits down in the WCZR studio with Mike Gomoll, the founder of Joey's Song — a Wisconsin-based nonprofit that has raised over $1 million to support families affected by epilepsy and fund research toward a cure. Mike shares the deeply personal story behind the organization: how he lost his son Joseph just days before his fifth birthday to Dravet syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy that left Joe...

What happens when a pandemic hobby like birdwatching crashes into the DIY indie-rock scene of Madison, Wisconsin? You get Lifer—the bird-themed album you didn’t know you needed. In this live Interview on Fox Cities Core, we talk with the members of Quokka to peel back the layers of their unique sound and history. From the technical hurdles of recording vocals in a thin-walled apartment to the &quo...

In this latest monthly update from the Appleton Beer Factory, Mark Mader joins the show to recap a wild month of weather and music in the Fox Cities. The conversation kicks off with a look at how the area handled the recent 27.5-inch snowstorm before diving into a successful St. Patrick’s Day celebration featuring the Third Class Minstrels. Mark shares details on several upcoming performances at t...

Andy McNamara is joined by Kev, Luke, Caleb, and Devin of the Wisconsin-based band Offend Your Friends. After two decades, the band is celebrating a major milestone with the release of a full-length album, aptly titled Almost Didn’t Make It. In this deep dive, the members share the fascinating story of their 20-year journey, from their early days as a skateboard crew in Fond du Lac to their latest...

Rock legends Vicki Peterson of The Bangles and John Cowsill of The Cowsills took some time to talk about a wide-ranging series of topics prior to their performance at Round Lake Farms in Brillion. The two talk about their collaborative album Long After the Fire — a heartfelt tribute to the songwriting of Barry and Bill Cowsill — and share the full story of how they met as teenagers at the Sweetwat...

It's ABF Monthly on WCZR's Fox Cities Core! Mark Mader from Appleton Beer Factory joins us to catch everyone up on what's happening at one of the Fox Cities' favorite venues — from packed shows and exciting new programming to big upcoming announcements you won't want to miss. We're also joined by Conner and JT from The Dead Buddhas, who stop by fresh off the release of thei...

The Dead Buddhas stopped by Fox Cities Core on Code Zero Radio (WCZR) to celebrate the release of their debut album Sludge Americana. The Dead Buddhas are a band from Oshkosh, Wisconsin — Connor (vocals/guitar), JT (bass/vocals/recording & mixing), and Kevin (vocals/guitar) — who have been playing together since their high school days at Oshkosh West. They describe their sound as "sludge...

In this episode of Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio, we sit down with David Pietila, the owner and operator of SourceTrack Studio in Appleton, Wisconsin. David, who is also a member of the band Noetic, joins us to discuss the growth of his studio since moving from a home-based setup to his current professional location. We dive deep into David’s philosophy on recording, the importance of &q...

In this episode of Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio, we sit down with three-quarters of the progressive rock powerhouse Noetic. Join Ben Baertschy (drums), David Pietila (bass/harmonies), and Derrick Kroener (guitar) as they dive deep into the world of prog-metal and the history of one of Wisconsin’s most intricate original bands. In this Interview:- Band Origins: Discover how Noetic's...

Step inside Honeytone Studios, one of the Fox Valley's most unique recording studios, housed in a historic Victorian mansion in Appleton, Wisconsin. Join Andy McNamara from Code Zero Radio's Fox Cities Core as he interviews Patrick Boland and Jeff Patlingrao, the talented team behind this world-class analog recording facility. In this in-depth studio tour and interview, discover: The story...

Join us for a full house at the Code Zero Radio studio in Appleton, Wisconsin, as we sit down with the five-piece rock band Big Oil. In this deep-dive interview, the band discusses their latest single "New Candy," their transition from a four-piece to adding a synth player, and how they landed their debut recording session by simply showing up at a studio. We cover everything from their...

In this episode of Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio, we sit down with a true staple of the Wisconsin media scene—Cutter. Known for his decades on the airwaves at WAPL and Razor, Cutter joins us to discuss his journey through the radio industry and what it takes to keep multiple "irons in the fire" today. Cutter is a veteran radio personality, host, and producer. He is currently th...

We got to spend a bit of time with the musical powerhouses who form the engine room of the annual Joey's Song Freezing Man Festival: Frank Anderson, Sam Farrell, and Alex Drossart! Joey's Song is a music event that raises money for epilepsy research and support for families affected by the condition. Over the last fifteen years, the event has raised an incredible $1,700,000 for the cause....

In this fascinating episode of Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio, we're joined by filmmaker Oliver Franklin Anderson, musical director Alex Drossart, and audio specialist Sam Farrell to dive deep into The Natatorium: and the 6 Dolphins of John J. Garlic — a forthcoming documentary uncovering one of Milwaukee’s strangest forgotten landmarks. The conversation explores the bizarre true stor...

In this episode of Fox Cities CORE on WCZR Code Zero Radio, Andy welcomes rising Midwest comedian Abe Auer, whose journey from a ninth-grade talent show to performing on the Meyer Theatre stage is both inspiring and hilarious. Abe shares how COVID downtime and discovering Nate Bargatze sparked his comedy career, leading him to open mics at Christian coffee shops and eventually paid gigs at the ico...

Oshkosh-based rock band Traveling Suitcase returns to Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio to talk about their long-awaited new EP, Moonlit Nights, dropping October 28. Known for their fusion of blues, rock, and psychedelic textures, the band has spent over a decade evolving through lineup changes, DIY recordings, and emotionally charged live shows — all while staying rooted in the Fox Valley m...

In this episode of Fox Cities Core, we kick off our new monthly segment with Mark Mader of Appleton Beer Factory. Mark shares the story of how he became a partner at ABF, his mission to bring original music to the venue, and how the brewery has evolved into one of the Fox Cities’ most active live music spaces. From expanding the stage to hosting national touring acts, Mark dives into the logistics...