dopeYEAH talk

What does it take to become the guitarist that Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Elton John, and countless legends keep calling? 🎸 Rob Cass sits down with Marc Ribot — one of the most adventurous guitarists of the last four decades, with credits on more than 600 recordings. From his early days in a literal garage band to helping shape the sound of Tom Waits’ Rain Dogs, Marc shares stories about Chuck Be...

What happens when the composer behind Amélie turns out to be a punk spirit who doesn’t believe in inspiration, rejects AI music, and isn’t afraid to say: “If you’re saying art is not political, then f*ck you”? 🎻🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Yann Tiersen for a fascinating conversation that goes far beyond the music that made him famous. Yann reflects on the moments that shaped his li...

What does it take to become one of heavy metal’s most influential bands without ever becoming one of its biggest? 🤘🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Ray Haller, bassist, vocalist, and longtime driving force behind Sweet Savage, to explore the story of a band that was years ahead of its time. Ray shares memories of Sweet Savage’s early days, growing up in a Belfast shaped by conflict, an...

What happens when a true guitar legend returns with even deeper stories you’ve never heard before? 🎸🔥 In this second conversation, Rob Cass sits down again with Al Di Meola to dive further into the life and mind of one of the most influential players in jazz fusion. Al shares unforgettable moments from his career — from the acid-fueled concert that led to joining Chick Corea, to creative clashes...

What does it take to step into one of the most legendary bands in rock history — and make it your own? 🎸🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Simon McBride, the guitarist who took on the massive challenge of joining Deep Purple and stepping into the shoes of Steve Morse and Ritchie Blackmore. Simon opens up about the moment that changed his life, the pressure of his first show with Deep Pur...

What does it take to have Steve Gadd and Will Lee playing your music before you even hit your peak years? 🎹🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Simon Oslender, one of the most exciting rising stars in jazz, to uncover the mindset, passion, and moments that shaped his incredible journey. Simon shares how a deep curiosity for sound started almost from childhood — from being fascinated by any...

What does it feel like to stand at the very beginning of Queen’s story — and then go on to build a whole creative life far beyond it? 🎸👑 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Doug Bogie, the short-lived early bassist who played with Queen before John Deacon, to uncover a fascinating story that most fans have never heard in full. Doug takes us back to the very beginning: from Sgt. Pepper chang...

What does it take to become the woman who kicked the door open for generations of female rock musicians — and still sound this fearless today? 🎸🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Suzi Quatro, one of rock’s true pioneers, to talk about the moments, risks, and instincts that shaped her into a global icon. From finding her voice as a kid to becoming the first woman to truly own the bass at...

What does it take to go from playing guitar on a London night bus to sharing stages with legends like Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, and members of Deep Purple? 🎸🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Murray Gould, a seasoned session guitarist whose career has taken him from small blues bars to some of the biggest stages in the world. Murray shares how he picked up the guitar at just three yea...

What does it feel like to leave one of the biggest funk bands in the world… and then walk on stage with Deep Purple? 🎸🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Nick Fyffe — former bassist of Jamiroquai — to unpack the wild, honest, and sometimes chaotic journey behind his career. Nick shares how he originally wanted to be a drummer, how discovering Hendrix shifted his direction, and how a simpl...

What does it take to go from calling the bass your “biggest mistake” to playing with all four Beatles and holding down late night TV for over three decades? 🎸🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Will Lee, legendary member of the Late Show with David Letterman band, to unpack the twists, risks, and unbelievable moments behind his career. Will shares how switching from drums to bass felt lik...

What happens when four siblings go from singing in Detroit to getting a life-changing call from Jay-Z? 🎶✨ In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Infinity Song — Abraham, Angel, Israel and Momo Boyd — to talk about their journey from family choir rehearsals to signing with Roc Nation. We revisit their move to New York, street performing in Central Park and Times Square, and the exact moment the...

What happens when one guitarist refuses to choose between emotion, technique, and imagination — and instead plays them all at once? 🎸🔥 In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with Mike Dawes, a musician who has reshaped what a single acoustic guitar can do, and quickly moves past chops into the real stories behind the sound. We talk about Mike’s early journey — from wanting to be Slash and playing S...

🎤 What happens when you mix Swiss precision, deep funk grooves, and a little bit of illegal busking? In this electrifying episode, Rob Cass sits down with The Next Movement — one of Europe’s hottest groove trios — for a wild ride through music, hustle, and reinvention. From running from the police while street performing to tearing up stages across the globe, these guys have lived the kind of sto...

What happens when four guitarists connect so deeply that it feels almost telepathic? 🎸 In this episode, Rob Cass welcomes European Guitar Quartet — Reentko Dirks, Thomas Fellow, Pavel Steidl, and Zoran Dukić — for an inspiring and often hilarious conversation about music, instinct, and true musical connection. From the first notes to the last laugh, this is not a typical classical guitar talk — i...

🎧 What happens when a drummer becomes a legend in real time? In this special episode, Rob Cass sits down with the iconic Steve Gadd — the man behind some of the most unforgettable grooves in music history. From the legendary drum solo on Steely Dan’s “Aja” to defining moments with Paul Simon, Chick Corea, and Eric Clapton, Steve opens up about the journey that shaped both his sound and his soul....

🎸 What really happened inside the world’s first rock supergroup? In this powerful and emotional episode, Malcolm Bruce — son of the legendary Jack Bruce of Cream — opens up to Rob Cass about the band that changed music forever. From the explosive formation of Cream with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker, to the backstage fights, wild stories, and the deep influence they had on Pink Floyd, Led Zeppeli...

🎬 What happens when you mix jazz, YouTube, viral genius, and... falafels? In this wildly entertaining and insightful episode, Rob Cass sits down with Adam Kubota — bassist and core member of the global sensation Postmodern Jukebox — to talk about the chaos, creativity, and community behind one of the most viral music projects of the 21st century. From flaming saxophones in New York apartments to...

🎤 From Jack Black belly dancing to jazz tours across Europe, Casey Abrams has lived one of the wildest post–American Idol lives imaginable. In this episode, Rob Cass dives deep with the multi-instrumental madman to explore his journey—from discovering music on a cruise ship to becoming one of jazz-pop’s most beloved showmen. Expect laughs, chaos, and a lot of bass slaps. 🎸🔥Casey shares how lear...

🎤 From Manchester’s art scene to 100 million streams… without ever signing to a major label. In this inspiring episode, Nxdia opens up to Rob Cass about carving their own lane in the music industry — one fearless, bilingual track at a time. Whether it’s screaming on stage, singing in Arabic, or going viral with a deeply personal song like “She Likes a Boy,” Nxdia proves that you don’t need a labe...

🎸 He got married at 16, hit rock bottom… and rose to rock royalty. In this unmissable episode, Rob Cass sits down with Marco Mendoza, who opens up about his wild journey — from a troubled teen playing gigs while hiding his addiction, to touring the world with legendary bands like Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, The Dead Daisies, and Ted Nugent. Now 38 years sober, he’s still rocking harder than ever. 💥...

🎧 How did a legendary DJ end up remixing Paul McCartney — and getting a Grammy nomination for it? In this episode, Rob Cass sits down with the iconic German producer and DJ Timo Maas, whose remix of "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five" earned the approval of Sir Paul himself. From underground raves in the '90s to global stages and superstar collaborations, Timo shares an unfiltered look into his 30...

🎙️ What happens when one man turns the double bass into an entire band? In this breathtaking episode, Rob Cass sits down with world-renowned bassist and composer Adam Ben Ezra, the artist who has reinvented how the upright bass can sound. From mixing percussion with melody to imitating guitars, drums, and even oud on a single instrument, Adam shows us how his unique style became a global phenomeno...

🎙️ What’s it like to write funk history alongside James Brown, George Clinton, and Count Basie? In this electrifying episode, Rob Cass sits down with the legendary Fred Wesley — trombonist, composer, and bandleader — whose horn helped shape the very sound of soul, funk, and jazz across generations. From sharing the stage with his father to jamming with Pee Wee Ellis and Maceo Parker, Fred tells it...

🎙️ What was it like to be in the room when Freddie Mercury met opera legend Montserrat Caballé for the first time? Or to record “The Great Pretender” with him… in your own living room? In this emotional and deeply personal episode, Rob Cass reunites two of Freddie’s closest collaborators — Mike Moran and Peter “Phoebe” Freestone — for a rare conversation about the real Freddie: the friend, the gen...