The Itch Rock Podcast

This week, we're scratching The Itch for local boys to make good! Jason Kozik of St. Louis' own dead7 joins us on the eve of their debut release with SharpTone Records , Love What You Can While You Got Something Left To Love. The album, full of riffs, ambiance, and not entirely traditional arrangements (plus a dash of heavy pop punk), drops July 11th, and we share Jason's excitement for you to hea...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for something new! Brand New is back for the first time since 2017, and we've got to talk about the Chicago date of their tour. But first, we'll explore their history, evolution, and of course, the elephant in the room. It's a complicated topic, but worth diving into. If you've been groomed or otherwise abused in any way, please speak out. We know it can be dif...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for ladies' night! The Itch saw a series of shows featuring fantastic frontwomen, including some friends of the show, some hopeful future friends of the show, and some first times seeing longtime favorites! Join us for plenty of cool as Aaron finally sees Phantogram and Sleigh Bells (with Sophie Hunter ) and KC and Dan catch two-time Itch guests Winona Fighter...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a throwback! We're celebrating 20 albums turning 25 with an episode from back in our Rock Matters days of 2020! Check out our takes on albums from Deftones, hed PE, Flogging Molly, Cold, Lostprophets, The Offspring, Limp Bizkit, Disturbed, A Perfect Circle, Godsmack, Orgy, Fuel, Rage Against the Machine, Papa Roach, Goldfinger, Evanescence, Lifehouse, Our L...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for new rock! We're five months into 2025 and overdue to spotlight some of our favorite albums of the year so far. The Itch has been enjoying sounds from across the rock spectrum, and we're excited to share them with you. Whether it's the moody drum and bass of ALT BLK ERA , the versatile metalcore of Architects , the unpredictable glam rock of The Darkness , o...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to rebel! AI art is trash, and you shouldn't use it. But if you put on a show as fun as this year's Pointfest, we'll forgive you. Mostly. The whole team made it to see 311 headline a lineup that also featured The Urge , Toadies , Finger Eleven , Sick Puppies , Alien Ant Farm , and our boys Oxymorrons and Tree One Four ! Hear about the bands who impressed, The P...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for community. Last week, the rock world experienced tragic losses. In this episode we honor those we lost and celebrate the way they touched people's lives and brought so many together through their involvement in music. And likewise, we also celebrate a part of the rock world that they were familiar with, and that has become a part of The Itch's DNA: Shiprock...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to party! KC's birthday week was stacked with shows featuring podcast guests, and The Itch got to see plenty of them! First, KC and Aaron catch Boston Manor at the Subterranean in Chicago on their first ever US headline tour, with a diverse supporting trio of Farmer's Wife , Spaced , and Ellis . Then they swing over to the Bottom Lounge to see Ocean Gr...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a reunion! Alizon and Ben , our vacation buddies and international inspirations from Calva Louise , return to discuss their brilliant new album Edge of the Abyss , which drops on July 11th. We discuss the interpretive nature of art, the rich story lore that carries through music videos across albums, and the familiar friends they reunited with on Shiprocked...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a homecoming! Arya Goggin of Skindred was our second ever interview, back in November 2020. To celebrate 5 years as a podcast, the man who drums on our theme song makes his long overdue return to keep our weekly interview streak going. We've spoken at length about the huge role Skindred plays in The Itch's story, so Arya was the perfect choice. And he bring...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a homecoming! Itch guests Dorothy and her guitarist, our fellow St Louisian Sam Bam Koltun , played at The Hawthorn with Cory Marks , and The Itch had to be there! After dropping The Itch's Album of the Year, Gifts From the Holy Ghost , in 2022, Dorothy just released her follow up, The Way , which adds a bit of outlaw country flare to her rock stylings. Mea...

It's our podcast anniversary and this month we're scratching The Itch to celebrate! The Itch Rock Podcast debuted on May 9th, 2020, originally under the name "Rock Matters". What started as a replacement for our radio show when lockdown closed the station has now become a 5-year journey that's taken us across the country, the podcast world, and even into international waters all in the n...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for honesty! Han Mee and Jim Shaw of Hot Milk join us for a refreshingly candid conversation about their new album Corporation P.O.P (out June 27th) and the ideas surrounding it, including shedding an ill-fitting "pop punk" tag, writing quickly to capture the moment, English identity, and American insanity. Plus, a dodgy opening scene, an Anchorman jo...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get with The Program ! BRKN LOVE just dropped an excellent album by that name, and we talked all about it with frontman Justin Benlolo . We discuss the recording and release rollout differences from their prior records, worrying less about how a studio recording will translate on stage, and how in relationships, we're often the ones hurting ourselves. Then T...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to bloom! Aaron had quite an unusual adventure seeing Superbloom and Footballhead at the Cobra Lounge in Chicago, so we had to discuss the oddities of the evening and how he might be the ultimate anti-wingman. But also, bands! Superbloom is a standout in the 90s rock revival, and Footballhead had the right energy to make a good first impression. Enjoy a brief i...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for extreme behavior. Cody Hanson of Hinder joins us for what turns into a roundtable talk about Bring Me Back to Life , the band's first new album since 2017. He discusses what made the band decide to record new music after initially planning not to, how "Everything Is a Cult" in modern society, how Hinder has embraced the title of "divorced dad...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to multitask! Blake Allison and Joey "Chicago" Walser formed Egypt Central in 2002, then Devour the Day in 2012, and most recently have both become members of Pop Evil . Being together in so many bands for so many years, they've amassed quite a bit of wisdom and experience... and some pretty wild stories. And they're always interested in the next chal...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for sci-fi! Lotta Ruutiainen of LUNA KILLS joins us to discuss her band's new album DEATHMATCH , including a song that came together through a writing practice she never wants to try again. We also discuss her love for all science fiction, the decision for a Finnish band to sing in English, her literal rock star tattoos, and the joy of discovering Deftones for...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to be quitters! Gio and Jerrod of Giovannie and the Hired Guns join us to talk about their new album Quitter . We discuss the making of the record, Gio getting responsible, how Jerrod became a Hired Gun, and what is easily the most entertaining dream tour we've heard so far. Plus, Dan fears for his life, a venue still struggles to win us over, and The Itch sees...

March Bandness is live! The 5th Annual Itch Invitational Tournament features 8 first-time entries who dropped excellent albums in 2024. Vote here (or at the link in our IG bio) for your first round favorites and send 'em all the way to the championship! The winning band gets an episode dedicated to them, but you get the bragging rights for supporting the artists you love. The polls won't be open f...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to talk with the Captain! Alan Koenig, founder of ASK4 Entertainment and its flagship event Shiprocked (see what we did there?) joins us to discuss the past, present, and future of The Itch's favorite festival at sea. Join us for some fascinating insight into how the festival was born out of a working relationship with Vince Neil, the excitements and challenges...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get sick! Disturbed 's all-time nu metal debut album The Sickness is 25 years old, and the band is playing it in full on tour. Alongside a now dual-fronted Three Days Grace and an always earnest Sevendust , the tour came through the Enterprise Center in St Louis... and so did The Itch. Plus, Aaron revisits an experience from last year, seeing a screening of...

This week, we're scratching The Itch for reggae metal! Nathan Aurora 's band Aurorawave released one of our favorite albums of 2024, and he's putting the finishing touches on the exciting follow-up. Nathan joins us to talk about straddling the line between his reggae roots and his metal aspirations, the Crossed Heart Clothing company he runs with his wife, how he got guest features like Brandon Sa...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to take off our masks. Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire and Anberlin joins us to discuss the new Memphis album Shapeshifter , which looks internally to how we can become better versions of ourselves by unmasking our shames and shortcomings. We'll also discuss how he got his favorite band to appear on the album, balancing the responsibilities of two bands (and...

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get Chains'd! Aaron and KC returned to The Hawthorn in St. Louis to see Jerry Cantrell and Filter on the "I Want Blood" tour. Join us for more Itch Etiquette, an all-star backing band, and Aaron (somehow) seeing a middle school friend's uncle live for the first time. Plus, many questions are answered, including: -Would(?) The Hawthorn redeem itself...