The Power/Less Podcast

Rob Rousseau is a political commentator and podcaster, cohost of The Insurgents podcast as well as host of the daily live show, TRRS. Rob and I discuss the recent extrajudicial murder of Renee Good, a legal observer of ICE, mother, and wife who was gunned down in the morning on January 7th. Rob and I discuss how the reflexive justification of violence has become common whenever ICE or other federa...

Alec and I sit down to discuss our favorite movies and music of 2025, as well as what was disappointing, what we missed, and more. Follow the podcast: thepowerlesspod.com instagram.com/thepowerlesspod https://bsky.app/profile/thepowerlesspod.com

In this episode, I sit down with Robert Becker of Foxtrot to talk about his new solo project Book of Beart and his upcoming EP Tribulations. We break down the songwriting process behind each track, how the pandemic shaped the record, and what pushed him to finally step out on his own creatively. We also dive into mental health, creative pressure, learning guitar under fire, and how Book of Beart d...

Dylan Blaha is a progressive candidate for the Democratic primary in the IL-13 congressional district. Blaha and I discuss his political trajectory from his 13 year career in the armed services, running against a pro corporate, pro Israel Democrat incumbent in Nikki Budzinski, why the progressive movement seems to have more teeth this  time around compared to the past few election cycles, and havi...

pulses. are a four piece post hardcore, genre blending outfit out of Virginia. Kevin Taylor, Caleb Taylor, and Matt Burridge discuss their latest release, a mixtape titled, “pulses. pack, vol. 1.” They discuss why the songs and remixes are bigger than just B sides, and the lyrical and musical background and process of how it all came together. From natural flowing phenomena to the current reality...

Fauxtrot is a post hardcore band out of Pennsylvania. Robert, Austin, and Derek sit down with me to break down the background, songwriting, production, lyrics, and influences for their latest song, and what people can expect from the band going forward. Follow Fauxtrot: https://www.facebook.com/FauxtrotBand https://www.tiktok.com/@fauxtrot_official https://www.instagram.com/fauxtrot_band/ https://...

Ryan Woods is a singer, songwriter, and multi instrumentalist out of Los Angeles, CA. Ryan sits down with me to break down his brand new record, "Godboy," his songwriting process, how lockdowns during COVID changed the way he approached creating music, and the inspirations behind the record. Follow Ryan Woods: https://www.instagram.com/itsryanwoods/ https://www.tiktok.com/@itsryanwoods h...

Molly Rennick is the lead singer and founding member of the modern metal band Living Dead Girl , originally from Ontario. Molly and I discuss how the band’s name came from the day she was born, the roller coaster of auditioning strangers from Craigslist to join her band, and the trajectory of Living Dead Girl from COVID times to now. We take time to break down the band’s sophomore album which rang...

In this episode, I sit down with Logan Ragsdale; a powerlifter, former musician, and outspoken leftist from Alabama. We get into the overlap between gym culture and politics, the myth that “lifting makes people fascist,” and why reactionary content online is such an easy grift. We also dive into Logan’s musical background, the influence of political bands, and how class consciousness shows up in u...

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza: https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html ceasefiretoday.com June Sternbach is a cohost of the podcasts Kill The Computer and Ill Conceived , as well as the social media editor of The Onion. June and I discuss a wide foray of music from Anamanaguchi and Cocojoey to Coaltar Of The Deepers and what is your name? , t...

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza: https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html ceasefiretoday.com Kelly Barber is the vocalist and founding member of the band Wave Break out of New Jersey. Kelly and I discuss her start in music, the trajectory of her own music from solo material to full band collaborations, and Wave Break's brand new song, "Spinning...

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza: https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html ceasefiretoday.com In this episode I speak with Francesco "Cesco" Montesanto, the lead vocalist and guitar player for the alternative rock band Sainthood Reps out of Long Island, NY. Cesco and I discuss the band's start on Tooth and Nail Records, why they dec...

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza: https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html ceasefiretoday.com For this episode I speak to Matic Blagonič, the vocalist and mastermind behind the Slovenian post-metalcore band Hei'An. Matic and I discuss the live music scene in Slovenia, the band's start during COVID lockdowns, being the first Slovenian band...

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza: https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html ceasefiretoday.com For this episode I speak with Ryan of Scary Hours, a hardcore band out of New Jersey. Ryan and I discuss Rise Against, his upbringing in music, where his political and social radicalization came from, and some of the projects most social charged tracks....

Journalist Taylor Lorenz recently released a report detailing dark money groups funding liberal influencers. With a lot of debate online and public blowups between influencers and journalists on the "left," let's look at why this funding isn't useful for the left the way it is the right, and why it's ultimately more of the same failed strategies that got us to a second Trump...

Provide support to Palestinians in Gaza by going to the vetted links in this article: https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html ceasefiretoday.com Vocalist Ashrita Kumar, guitarist Paul Vallejo and drummer Myron Houngbedji of Maryland based band pinkshift sit down with me for this episode to breakdown their brand new sophomore record, "Earthkeeper," out n...

Use this link to find vetted organizations to support Palestinians in Gaza: https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html?utm_source=insta&utm_medium=s1&utm_campaign=thecut&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaf1K9FXMR2uEI0w0EuBxTLAYtD1UI_vwzsppa1PQrv7ZgLcnmlTKmtRCNrz8w_aem_y8J_apN3feL6X96IUW96ZA In this episode I speak with Kim Hunt, who is a political commentator a...

In this episode of the Power/Less Podcast, I speak with James Matthewson, a former spokesperson for the Labour Party, organizer, tv broadcaster and author, about the intersection of metal music, working-class identity, and politics. James shares insights on the current state of left-wing politics in the UK, critiques the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn as well as his new left wing political party...

On this episode of The Power/Less Podcast, I’m joined by Nathan Johnson, frontman of Denver heavy band Fox Lake, for a deep dive into their brand new album,New World Heat, which is out now. We talk about the record’s chaotic blend of nu-metal, hardcore, and hip-hop influence, the band’s goal of writing with urgency, and how the themes of burnout, systemic failure, and self-accountability shaped th...

In this episode, I talk with Tilly Middlehurst, a student and academic debater at Cambridge University. Tilly and I talk about political ideology, the role of debate, and how foreign policy shapes domestic issues. She shares her background, her viral debate with Charlie Kirk, and why engaging with opposing views matters; especially as the far right gains ground. Follow and support Tilly’s work: li...

On this episode of The Powerless Podcast , I sit down with rising indie artist and cellist Renee Christine to talk about her breakout single "Turtle Island," a track that’s blown up across platforms for its powerful blend of protest, poetry, and raw cello-driven intensity. We get into her path from orchestral beginnings to social media virality, how literature and political history influ...

For the 100th episode of The Power/Less Podcast, I sat down with Alizon Taho and Ben Parker of genre-bending alt-metal trio Calva Louise to talk all about their incredible new album Edge of the Abyss, out now on Mascot Records. We got into the DIY production process, the influence of sci-fi films on their cinematic sound, and how the band's expansive narrative universe ties into their music vi...

Activist and political commentator Joshua P. Hill of New Means discusses Zohran Mamdani's historic victory over Andrew Cuomo, the ongoing escalation of war perpetuated by Israel and the US against Iran, the diversion tactics of legacy media to distract from ongoing slaughters in Gaza, and the need to continue to mass organize during the current presidential administration. Subscribe and follow...

Kasey Karlsen is the vocalist of modern metal band Deadlands out of New York. Karlsen and I discuss her popularity growth via social media and the start of Deadlands as a legitimate and passionate project. Karlsen also breaks down their brand new EP, "SEVEN," and it's concept with the seven deadly sins .You can find everything going on with Deadlands: deadlandsband.com Follow Kasey, support her on...

In this episode I sit down with Ethan, Cameron, and Sean — the guitarist, drummer, and vocalist of South Florida metal band Chained Saint. Despite being a young band (one of them just graduated high school), they bring a sound rooted in classic thrash and old-school hardcore. We talk about working with William DuVall of Alice in Chains, who produced their debut album Blindside, and how they record...