Talk Louder

Joey Vera Best known as the bass player for Armored Saint, Joey Vera has also played with Mercyful Fate, Lizzy Borden, Fates Warning, Anthrax, Arch/Matheos and Motor Sister, among others. We cover as much as we can of his storied career, including how a car crash with Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee helped finance an early Armored Saint demo, why he turned down interest from Metallica and how Thin Lizzy a...

Joel Grind He’s the mastermind behind thrash-metal band Toxic Holocaust and an accomplished studio technician whose credits include Power Trip’s acclaimed “Nightmare Logic” album. Joel Grind joins us to discuss his early fascination with recording, his DIY work ethic and how he got famed Megadeth artist Ed Repka to create Toxic Holocaust’s “Hell on Earth” album cover. Created and Produced by Jared...

Ed Aborn By the end of the 1980s, drummer Ed Aborn and his Siren band mates hung up their dreams of heavy metal stardom and settled into adult life. Thirty-five years later, a quietly amassing overseas fan base spurred an invitation to reform Siren and play a huge reunion gig at Germany’s world-renowned Keep it True festival. Captured on film in the documentary, “I’m Too Old for This Sh*t,” (produ...

Year in Review As 2022 comes to a close, we look back on memorable albums, concerts and Talk Louder Podcast guests. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

The Black Halos Back with all the snot and fury that made 2001’s “The Violent Years” an underground, glam-punk classic, the Black Halos hurl their latest sonic Molotov, “How the Darkness Doubled.” Guitarist Rich Jones and singer Billy Hopeless join us to discuss the new album, how guest vocalist Michael Monroe made a mic stand out of a suitcase (we have photographic proof!) and that time Nazareth...

Philip Shouse Before joining German metal legends, Accept, guitarist Philip Shouse rock-n-rolled all night with Gene Simmons and Ace Frehley in their respective solo bands. Join us as he discusses working with our own Jason McMaster in Accept, helping choose the setlist for Gene Simmons and that time he was asked to autograph a Dangerous Toys album. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

Riki Rachtman As the host of MTV’s “Headbangers Ball” and co-owner of Hollywood’s notorious Cathouse nightclub, Riki Rachtman witnessed 100 lifetimes of rock-n-roll debauchery. On the eve of his “One Foot in the Gutter” tour, Riki joins us to preview the unapologetic and uncensored tell-all tales he experienced firsthand behind the scenes of rock’s most excessive era. Created and Produce...

Special Edition Jason McMaster with Armored Saint Just weeks after returning from a string of dates fronting Accept, vocalist and Talk Louder Podcast co-host Jason McMaster was once again called into service – this time by Armored Saint. In this exclusive edition of the Talk Louder Podcast, Jason shares the hectic pace that took him from Texas to the East Coast where he filled in for his ailing vo...

Shandon Sahm His father is Texas music royalty and his brother is a member of Tejano supergroup, Texas Tornadoes. Drummer Shandon Sahm joins us to share his own musical journey as a solo artist, a member of Pariah, the Meat Puppets and Butthole Surfers singer Gibby Haynes’ band. He also revisits a childhood memory of following Ace Frehley to the stage during KISS’ “Dynasty” tour. Created and Produ...

David Ellefson As a founding member of Megadeth, bassist David Ellefson helped pioneer the thrash-metal genre. He joins us to discuss his new projects Kings of Thrash, Dieth, The Lucid and Ellefson-Soto, as well as his line of Jackson basses and how Dokken (yes, Dokken!) influenced his signature bass tone. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

John Bush As one of the best (and criminally underrated) heavy metal vocalists to ever clutch a mic, John Bush has delivered the goods with Armored Saint and Anthrax. He joins us to discuss touring with WASP, his invitation to join Metallica and how he ended up in a Huey Lewis video. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

Kirk Windstein As the guitarist for Crowbar and Down, Kirk Windstein is a heavyweight architect of the sludge-metal sound. He joins us to discuss how Phil Anselmo steered him toward the less-is-more approach to “the money riff;” why the Pantera reunion is so important; and why he wouldn’t be opposed to collaborating with Billie Eilish. Oh, he also confesses his respect for Winger. Created and Prod...

Jim Florentine He spent seven years co-hosting “That Metal Show” on VH-1 Classic and has a successful discography of comedy albums, movie cameos, radio work and more. Jim Florentine joins us to explain how he made a career out of prank calls, farting on Eddie Trunk and dodging flying beers while opening for Slayer. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

Special Edition Jason McMaster with Accept Vocalist and Talk Louder Podcast co-host Jason McMaster has been a diehard fan of heavy metal legends, Accept, since their debut album in 1979. In 2022, he got an out-of-the-blue, last-minute phone call to join the band on tour when their singer was suddenly sidelined due to illness. In a blur, he hopped a plane, devoured lyrics, barely slept and was soon...

Angry Anderson When it comes to rock’n’roll outlaws, Angry Anderson can’t be beaten. The legendary Rose Tattoo singer joins us from his home in Australia to discuss his history, drinking with ZZ Top and befriending his disciples in Guns N’ Roses. He also reveals a softer side, shares lots of laughs and listens with pride as Jason reads Broken Teeth lyrics that mention him by name. We are not worth...

Blake Ibanez Rejoining us for a second time, former Power Trip guitarist Blake Ibanez discusses his latest crossover thrash-metal band, Fugitive, and its blistering, five-song EP, “Maniac.” We also ask about his return to the stage, why Bathory’s “Raise the Dead” is the perfect cover tune and whether or not Power Trip will make a comeback. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

Jeff Scott Soto In 1985, Jeff Scott Soto was a 19-year-old newcomer making a name for himself as the singer of Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force. Since then, he’s been widely hailed as one of rock’s best vocalists as evidenced by stints in Journey, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the supergroup Sons of Apollo, among others. On the eve of his latest album (Oct. 7), “Vacation in the Underworld,” under th...

Thundermother Currently on tour with the Scorpions, Swedish rock queens, Thundermother, are introducing themselves to America while promoting their latest album, “Black and Gold.” We pulled vocalist Guernica Mancini away from a “senior citizens pool party” to discuss the thrill of touring with her heroes, why Sebastian Bach is a major influence and how “the Kreator vibe” made its way into a Thunde...

Billy Sheehan He’s the Eddie Van Halen of bass guitar and the teller of many great tales. Billy Sheehan joins us to discuss the new Talas album, “1985,” the secretive gig offer from David Lee Roth, Mr. Big’s unlikely smash hit, the latest on Winery Dogs and why a persistent work ethic saved him from a career in carpet installation. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

Nigel Glockler World-renowned as the Engine Room that drives British metal legends, Saxon, drummer Nigel Glockler rejoins us from his second home in Texas to discuss his newest, prog-infused band, SiX By SiX. He also reveals his favorite band of all time, shares previous tour stories and tells us which Motley Crue album ranks as his favorite. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

Kurt Deimer & Phil X Currently on tour opening for Tesla, vocalist Kurt Deimer and guitarist Phil X are working hard and rocking hard. They join us to discuss their latest EP, previous tours with Geoff Tate and Yngwie Malmsteen, horror movies and Phil’s other job as Bon Jovi’s guitarist. Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

Wednesday 13 With new album, “Horrifier,” due Oct. 7, Wednesday 13 continues his legacy of horror-punk heavy metal. We drill into his brain for all the scoop on his latest splatter platter, the Murderdolls, former bandmate Joey Jordison and why you never want to leave him alone with your shoes! Created and Produced by Jared Tuten

Mark Younger-Smith Guitarist Mark Younger-Smith spent seven years playing arenas and living a charmed life as the guitarist for Billy Idol. He’s also worked with Texas guitar slinger (and former MTV heartthrob) Charlie Sexton, legendary crooner Tom Jones and, most recently, his new band The Broken Things. He joins us today to share some amazing insights, including the wildest Billy Idol story of a...

Kerry Crafton As a producer and sound engineer, Kerry Crafton has worked with a long list of the most revered names in Texas metal/hard rock history, including Rigor Mortis, Juggernaut, Dead Horse, Devastation, Watchtower, Butthole Surfers, Agony Column and Angkor Wat, among others. His credits also include Rob Halford, Glenn Hughes, Pantera, Joey Belladonna and Stevie Nicks. We pick his brain on...

Frank Bello As bassist for Anthrax and an elite member of the Big 4 (not to mention part-time actor, author, solo artist and returning Talk Louder Podcast guest – see Episode 61), Frank Bello helped define the thrash-metal genre. We caught up with him to discuss the current Anthrax/Black Label Society/Hatebreed tour, the controversial Pantera reunion, his solo EP and the importance of sanitized wi...