Talkin‘ the Talk With Don

Hallas is a Swedish band that I can only describe as cosmic and interstellar.  Hallas describes their sound as “adventure rock” and after one listen you will totally understand.  In 2020 Hallas released its second full-length album Conundrum and this album totally drew me in as a fan.  I had a chance to have a […]

I hope everyone is doing well and making the most of this crazy world we’re in right now with the Covid-19 virus.  I have been keeping busy by doing as many interviews as I possibly can and this one was a lot of fun for me.  This time around I had a great time talking […]

Geoff Tate is without a doubt one of my favorite people to talk to.  In addition to being the legendary vocalist for Queensryche, Tate is an all-around humble, kind, funny, and engaging human being.  This time around, Geoff was very open to talking about how songs from both Empire and Rage for Order still stand […]

The BulletBoys is a band that I hold dear.  Their first three albums, (S/T, Freakshow, ZaZa) are three of my favorite albums of the era and definitely one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen.  In 2019, it was announced that the original BulletBoys lineup would be reuniting.  Marq Torien, Lonnie Vincent (bass), Mick […]

Richie Kotzen is a guitar legend.  In 1989, Kotzen released his self-titled debut album on Shrapnel Records and since then has released 22 albums in addition to albums with Winery Dogs (featuring Billy Shehan on bass and Mike Portnoy on drums) and starred on Poison’s Native Tongue album.  Richie Kotzen has had a long, remarkable […]

Since first hearing their live album Root Jam in 2011, I have been a huge fan of Siena Root.  Acting more as a collective than a static band, this diverse, eclectic band has featured a revolving door of some of Sweden’s most talented musicians.  Eight years after becoming a fan, Siena Root is set to […]

Happy 2020 everyone.  2019 was one hell of a year for me and this here podcast.  I had the honor of talking with some amazingly awesome folks.  2020 is going to be an awesome year I’m sure as it is kicking off with a bang.  I had the honor of talking to legendary Iron Maiden […]

What a year 2019 has been.  I have had so much fun doing this here podcast and it has been a thrill to speak with so many amazing artists that I admire so much.  Closing out 2019 is an interview I did with the hilarious, charming, and uber-talented Ellen Reid from the ’90s alternative band […]

Getting to talk with legendary Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe is always a treat!  He’s a great guy and he definitely has no shortage of things to talk about which I LOVE.  Michael is a really humble, kind, and interesting person with a vast history and legacy of music.  After over 40 years in the […]

Tom Keifer’s latest album Rise couldn’t be anymore appropriately named.  Like a phoenix, Keifer has risen above numerous obstacles.  From multiple vocal chord surgeries to endless legal battles over his creative output, Keifer has overcome things that would have just about anyone throwing in the towel.  I was honored to once again talk with Tom […]

Drummer, songwriter, producer, and all around amazingly nice guy Tiger Barlet has been one of my favorite people for a few years now.  As a founding member of the German based psych rock trio Kadavar, Tiger was very excited to talk about the release of the band’s latest album, For the Dead Travel Fast.   […]

Lawrence Gowan is another one who is no stranger to The Great Southern Brainfart.  For some reason, he always seems more than welcome to come back for more and I’m always more than happy to have him back.  This time around we didn’t just concentrate on Styx.  We discussed the return of Gowan (Lawerence’s solo […]

Dream Theater keyboard wizard Jordan Rudess is no stranger to being a part of The Great Southern Brainfart.  As many know, in addition to being the wizard of keys for Dream Theater, he is an accomplished app creator and a solo artist in his own right.  Not only is Jordan a busy dude on the […]

February 9th, 1993 is the day that one of the greatest overlooked rock masterpieces of all time was released.  Jellyfish’s Spilt Milk is hands down one of the most creative and flawless albums of their generation yet it went almost completely overlooked.  Even with three singles and videos on MTV, Jellyfish just never seemed to […]

One might think you can get no more evil than the satanic/occult brutality of bands like Behemoth, Watain, or the sludge of black metallers Goatwhore.  Well, what if I told you that you could be just as satanic and wicked with a female vocalist with a beehive hairdo, a male guitarist playing 50’s inspired guitar […]

This is the 2nd time this year I’ve interviewed Dangerous Toys frontman Jason McMaster.  The last time we focused so much on Dangerous Toys, their appearance at Rocklanta and what not yet there were moments where I felt a connection with Jason and I wanted to get to know more about this guy.  This time […]

Tim “Ripper” Owens is a true rock n’ roll fantasy come true.  From fronting bar bands to replace one of the most iconic metal singers (Rob Halford) in Judas Priest, Ripper has done it all.  Since his departure from Priest, Ripper’s powerful vocals can be heard on albums by Charred Walls of the Damned, Iced […]

For ten years, Anna Murphy was a member of the folk metal band Eluveitie from 2006 until 2016. For ten years, Anna played the hurdy gurdy (a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand crank-turned, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings) and clean vocals in the band. In 2014, Anna released a solo album […]

In 1992 I attended a Faster Pussycat show here in Atlanta, GA at the Masquerade.  That night, the band that was their direct support was band out of Canada that I was only familiar with by name: Slik Toxik  For 45 minutes, Slik Toxik annihilated that room and pretty much had Faster Pussycat looking like […]

30 years ago I was an awkward teenager starting at a new school sporting a Warrant t-shirt and snakeskin boots.  I saw them blow Motley Crue off the stage in 1990, I saw them kill Poison in 1990, and even saw them do a really great shed show as headliners.  Eventually with a change in […]

It’s hard to believe that it was nearly 30 years ago when I first heard Dangerous Toys.  Dangerous Toys had a few MTV Headbangers Ball hits with songs like “Teasn Pleasn”, “Scared”, and “Gimme No Lip” just to name a few.  The band had two hit albums, their self titled debut and Hellacious Acres which […]

Actor, musician, joker, and all around nice guy with a laugh that fills a room.  Not exactly what you would expect to hear about a guy that goes by the name Demolition Man.  From acting in the Russell Crow movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World to fronting Venom Inc, Tony “Demolition […]

Back in 1989 I was in 10th grade when this little band from Memphis released a song/video called “Walkin’ Shoes.”  That band was Tora Tora and they would go on to be one of those sadly short lived bands.  Tora Tora released their debut album Surprise Attack and followed it up with what I consider […]

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FOLKS.  I couldn’t think of a better way of kicking off the new year than to do so with an interview with Michelle Schrotz of one of my all time favorite bands, Brave.  Brave is about to release their first album of new material since 2008’s Monuments entitled The Calm|The Storm and […]

This installment of On the Record has me talking to legendary drummer Simon Wright.  Having come from playing in AC/DC for nearly a decade, Wright was recruited by Ronnie James Dio for his new assembled band to record and release an album called Lock Up the Wolves.  Simon was so much fun to talk to […]