Sentimental Illness

Today is Simen Sandnes day and I want to say that I love this man.  He's one of my favorite people in the world, because when Simen shows up, the world smiles a little brighter. Simen offers so much in the way of inspiration. He's a fantastic drummer, to be sure, but what sets him apart is his never ending desire to love, share kind thoughts, to encourage, and as mentioned in the previous sentence...

When the Ukraine fell into war a few years ago, Ruslan was ready. He knows his way around a war and I'm positive he'll find his way through. I believe this with all my heart and so do the animals he supports! Ladies and gentlemen, all the way from Kiev, my buddy and amazing animal humanitarian, Ruslan Babayev! Time Codes: 2:00 Bonneville let a lot of radio talent go in the Seattle area. 4:00 I lis...

This week's guest is Nik (kin) Barker, ex singer of Twelve Foot Ninja! MONOLOGUE:  It's been a week full of creative energy and gnashing of teeth.  My head hurts way too much because I don't sleep, but when have I ever actually slept? The bags under my eyes prove the truth, you know? I'm starting to seriously think I have a solid case of sleep apnea.  I know I'm not in perfect shape, but I've noti...

My guest this week is Belgium's own Sander Rom! Sander is a fantastic songwriter, guitarist and singer and I love him to death. He's the leader of the Mechelen scene's L'itch and, until recently (one week post recording this interview, one fifth of the EU supergroup known as Hippotraktor. Available on Pelagic Records, Hippotraktor features members of L'itch and Psychonaut. The band is known for so...

In the music business, there are the normies, there are the crazies, and there are the in-betweens. There also happens to be an unspoken netherworld that aligns with something a little stranger and sits outside the boundaries of pretty much everything you know. My guest today, Tommy Meehan, dislikes the comparisons to the influences of his youth, but it's hard not to hear the tones that built the...

Scott WINO Weinrich is everything I ever wanted to be when I grew up. He's a pure soul, a fantastic guitarist and vocalist and boy... does he mean business. It's not often you get to chat with a legend but this was all the things for me. Listen to the show, buy the incredible new record and go see this electrifying unit on tour. Tell everyone. For real. Oh and to quote Scott, "Create or die!" This...

Graham Russell is a true musical icon. He and his musical partner of 46 years, Russell Hitchcock, formed Air Supply, the song writing super duo, in the early 70's and really never looked back. Graham's childhood was anything but normal, leaving him without a mother at a very early age. However, these stark beginnings formed in him in a sort of poetry that eventually found its way into the hearts o...

Harry Springer may compose, produce and perform all of Moon Walker's music in his bedroom, but the electrifying and eclectic sounds feel more fitting for a stadium. It's just that good. That immediate. When Harry formed Moon Walker at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, he was looking for a way to pass time and maybe make some extra money selling songs to music libraries. It turns out a lot of th...

When I think of all the people I've interviewed over the years, very few fall into that short list of people I not only admire as a creative, but one in which I genuinely feel connected to on a cellular level. New York state's own Charles Cure, singer for the legendary hardcore band, Hush, has a new project that is way more than just another new idea. 'Spiritkiller,' which may be the best name for...

Vojta Pačesný is such a kind and interesting guy. I don't get to talk to many musicians from the former Eastern Bloc in Europe, so learning more about who they are, and what makes their culture and music different, is a really fun process. As it worked out, I was able to get a good 40 minutes with Vojta, talking about his awesome band, Seeing Things, and chatting about life as a musician and local...

Chris Hathcock is known as creative mind and songwriter for the progressive metal band, The Reticent. Chris is also known as a Grammy nominated music educator, and is one of the most interesting, and challenging, humans I've met over my years as a performing artist. I've known Chris for awhile now, and in that time, I've fallen in love with his musical projects. I've also witnessed him suffer trau...

There aren't many surviving old school punk musicians. Many of them have gone on to that great gig in the sky, but those that have survived the last 45 years are the true legacy artists of a long gone generation. Mention Johnny Rotten, Siouxsie Sioux, Nina Hagen, or Henry Rollins and you know they changed the musical landscape forever, and their influence is far reaching. Of all the surviving punk...

This week on the show, we break some new ground. It's not often we are afforded a chat with musical royalty, but today... indeed we are. Bassist Steve McDonald started his professional music career at 11 years old. Within a few years, he and his brother Jeff started the seminal power pop band, Redd Kross and, less than 10 years later, played the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. 30 years later, Steve is...

Karin Park seems to exist on an alternate plane. It's rare that an artist can feel so singular, even when it's apparent that there is a sort of hidden musical homage to those that have influenced them. Karin's new album, Private Collection, speaks to the soul in a profound way. The music is glassy, mesmerizing, morose, lovely, challenging, enchanting, and dare I say pure. It's a must own and one i...

As Dennis Sanders says 'Life has a way of saying "don't get too comfortable,"' and maybe that's exactly why I like his music so much. Today, on the show, you're going to make another new discovery with me, as we listen to the first moments a new artistic friendship was formed. Dennis' band, Spirit in the Room, is a dark hearted novel come to amazing life and we are all here to witness it's truth a...

Sinnery is a fantastic band and my interview with Alon Karnieli was all the things I'd hoped it'd be. What's really crazy is Alon is halfway around the world and we actually have mutual friends. How does that happen? Sinnery's new record, Black Bile, comes out in September, and everyone I know is thrilled to hear the entire work. Hopefully, today's show, along with the opening song you're hearing...

Feather Mountain is one of the most important bands in the world. They tell stories that penetrate your soul. The melodies are complex and inviting. The subject matter is human and fully realized. It's magic stuff and I'm honored to be friends with the band. Over the last 12 months, we've had a few different chats, and this interview presented today, is an amalgam of those conversations. If it sou...

There's an odd thing that happens in the music business and particularly in the world of heavy metal. People love to categorize. In fact, they love to do it so much, that every band in history despises the question, yet guys like me have to ask it because how else can we turn our listeners onto a new thing? Listeners love to think they are open minded, but secretly, they are looking to hear what t...

Guitarist and songwriter, Andreas Ballnus, has been working on a 'new' project called Philosophobia for 15 years. Yes, I said that right... 15 years. In between gigs with various world class musicians around Europe, Andreas and a few other superstar musicians wrote, recorded, and ultimately re-recorded the new self titled album, out June 24th. If you're listening to this show, the first thing you...

Tom Naumann is a true original. Along with his partner in crime, Mat Sinner, the name behind the legendary band, Tom has enjoyed a career at the forefront of German metal. I was so fortunate to snag Tom for this interview. He and Mat are so very busy with the press behind the new Sinner record, BROTHERHOOD, as well as the re-release of the epic self titled debut record by Primal Fear. Yes, it's tr...

What do you do when you encounter genius? Do you let it overwhelm you? Do you ask it questions, to better understand it's impossible point of view? Do you sit and revel in the idea that some can see other worlds and imagine other sounds? Typically, I sit in awe and do my best impression of a smart person, so I can at least hang on some level. That's about all I could do when I connected with Tim a...

If you were confronted with a life or death situation, how do you think you would respond? Would you bear down and deal with the circumstances and worry about the consequences later? How would you respond emotionally? Would you pray? My guest today, Charles Cure of the brutal New York based sludge metal band, HUSH, encountered such an experience. For Charles, his experiences were life changing, bu...

Thornhill has been exciting audiences for a few years now. Another monster band, hailing from the land down under, this Australian quintet knows how to put it down and wrap you around their sugary fingers. I was honored to chat with frontman Jacob Charlton about the way the music business and the band's fanbase has gravitated increasingly towards them, as their sound and look has matured. It may n...

Maria Lessing, the singer from the lush and lovely Future Palace, was my guest on the show today and I'm 100% sure you're going to love her voice. She's a great emotive vocalist with a big range and a certain way about her, and she has the performance chops of someone who's been in the business for a long time, yet she's still so young. Future Palace has just released the new album, 'Run,' which,...

Hunter Young, the possessor of a truly ethereal voice is a man focused on the challenge of overcoming. Hunter has stated in interviews that he shouldn't be called brave or anyone to look up to, but I absolutely disagree with this statement. If one is willing to write the truth and sing the truth, they are exactly what the world needs and Hunter destroys the stage with his honesty and emotional rea...