Talkin' Rock With Meltdown Podcast: Recent Episodes

Beasley Media Group

The biggest names in rock music are Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown. From Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame members to bands just starting out, Meltdown takes rock music fans behind the scenes to find out what these talented musicians are really about. Come along for the ride as Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown invites you to find out more than you ever thought you knew about all genres of Rock from Classic to Prog to Grunge and everything in between.

Three guests from different rock genres are on this episode of Talkin' Rock with Meltdown.

First up, it's Brandon Boyd from Incubus. We discuss their upcoming tour, and why it's in arenas instead of outdoor sheds. We talk about how he approaches writing lyrics, traveling the world, horror movies, and more.

Jason Hook from Flat Black is next. He tells me about his Canadian upbringing, about the band and how he put it together, and working with Corey Taylor. That's just for starters.

Finally, it's Lee Jennings from The Funeral Portrait. We start out talking about the screams we heard last week while ghost-hunting at a local Detroit insane asylum. Yes, I included the audio for you to hear. He tells me about Suffocate City, their new album dropping on September 13th, and the guests on it. There are plenty. Great getting to know Lee over the past couple of weeks.

Thanks for listening!

Thirty Seconds To Mars is playing Pine Knob on Tuesday as their Season World Tour makes a stop in Michigan. Jared Leto was nice enough to take a few minutes to speak with me about the band, his vast movie career, and much more.

I had to ask him about scaling the Empire State Building in New York City to announce the tour. "That was quite the experience," I asked him if he thought it was a bad idea. "Definitely. The first night, it was about 4 or 5 a.m., 40 degrees, 40 mph winds, and freezing cold. My hands were so numb I could barely hold on. But, it was beautiful. I've always been fascinated by the Empire State Building. It was an amazing way to launch the world tour—better than just sending out a tweet." You could say that!

We also talked about the dichotomy of playing in his band live, versus filming a movie. "Performing with Thirty Seconds to Mars is special because I get to do it with my brother. The immediate connection with the audience is unique. Acting is collaborative and you often wait to see the final product. Both are rewarding in their own ways, but live music holds a special place in my heart."

I asked him about highlights in his music and acting career. "Winning an Academy Award was a huge highlight, especially being able to thank my family. In music, having a song like "The Kill" that still resonates after all these years is a big win. There are also tough moments, but they fuel the journey."

Since we're in Detroit, I had to ask him about Chad Smith playing "The Kill" without ever hearing it. Jared said he brought it up to him when he saw him at a huge event. "Yes, I saw that! It was awesome. We did a duet on TikTok reacting to it. Chad and I laughed about it when we met at the Super Bowl. It’s cool seeing our music reach new audiences."

The band did a tribute to Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell at the 2017 MTV Awards show. He spoke to me about the two singers we lost. "Yeah, I did. I toured with both of them, actually. And, they were both really kind, really, really gifted, kind people. You know, Chester, was a friend. And, you know, it's interesting, those things can be so surprising sometimes. But, you know, I was always struck by Chester and his joy. He always seemed to be, you know, to have a smile quickly, on his face. And Chris was very, gentle, in my experiences with him, and thoughtful and intelligent, and both of them just highly intelligent, kind, good people. And you know what? A loss to the world as well." That's well said.

Thirty Seconds To Mars will play Pine Knob on Tuesday, August 6th.

Great to catch up with Pop Evil singer Leigh Kakaty. He said the band has a lot going on, including writing and recording new music. "We're constantly writing, new single, obviously coming here and we're just excited, man."

We talked about the newest member of the band, drummer Blake Allison, and bass player Joey Walser. "Every new person's different, you know? And, obviously, Haley was great. She was amazing, for us for a long time. But Blake now and obviously his relationship with Joey, who played bass with us, they played together in Egypt Central and Devour the Day. So there's such a chemistry now for our rhythm section that we've not had before, you know, because when you grow up, a bass and a drummer like Joey and Blake have, there's a tightness there that spreads to Nick, Dave and I, the rest of the band."

As far as the new music is concerned, they have a lot done. "A lot of new stuff. We're at that cool stage where we have enough for an album easily, but, we're really trying to be picky, man. And like you said, making albums now is personally is such a blessing. And it's something that, you know, may not be around much longer. So if we're going to do it on the hit, hit, hit, big, big, big, whatever that means to us. Right? And big doesn't have to mean necessarily number one. It has to mean like something that we can really elevate our live show with."

The Heaviest Pop Evil Record

As Leigh described the new material, it sounded like it could be a much heavier direction for the band. I asked him if it was indeed heavier. "Absolutely. The heaviest Pop Evil record, without a doubt, really, hands down. So it'll be interesting for what fans say on that. But you know, the players, they're just different, right? When you put some of the same guys you put in Joey & Blake. It's just a heavier band. I mean, it's just different. You know, I mean, Joey and Blake come from metal and heavier rock and roll backgrounds. I mean, those are those with the guys can play, you know what I mean? That's what we play. So that's kind of where it's at. And I think there's the darkness. It's where we're at in our career. You know, it's like, okay, sure we've had success, but we feel like we got a lot to prove, man."

Dorothy is my latest Talkin' Rock with Meltdown guest. She's such a badass and a great talent.

The talk of streaming came up early. "It should be 50/50," Dorothy said regarding the lack of money artists get from streaming services.

Dorothy recalls a fight she got into at a Steel Panther show many years ago. That's a crazy story, but she would top that story later in the interview.

Dorothy 'The Way'

Her new album 'The Way' drops in the fall. We talked a lot about the album and the process of making it. The first single is a song called 'Mud'. She said that the song is about digging deep. "You just have to tell the voices in your head of doubt and I can't do it, or I'm not good enough to shut up and do it anyway. To feel the fear. It's part of life. You got to dig deep and tap into it. That's what that song's about" She hopes the song inspires others to dig deeper.

What does the record sound like? Dorothy responded this way, "We really tapped into the southern rock, swampy, I would call it southern tinged. It's got heavy, hard rock songs, it's got a beautiful balled, it's got some surprising wildcard" songs too. "There's actually heavier stuff on this record than on any of my previous albums."

Are there any collaborations on the new Dorothy album?

Yes! "Yes, there is, but I'm not going to tell you who it is...not yet I've got to save something." She did say there's one feature but said there might be more in the future.

As far as the album title is concerned, she said it was divine intervention. She said she read it in the Bible and the title jumped off the page.

She also talked about an incident that changed her life dramatically. A crew person had OD'd on her bus years ago, and she prayed to let him live. Miraculously, he came back to life. She said her life changed a complete 180. "I think that night I had a real encounter with the Holy Spirit."

Dorothy And The Paranormal

This was something I didn't have on my Dorothy BINGO card, but after talking about the crewman who came back to life, I had to ask her if she'd ever experienced anything paranormal besides that night. "Oh, yeah, actually many." She spoke to seeing people she knew speaking in ways they wouldn't. "I have seen some weird paranormal stuff." She told me about her best friend, who performs exorcisms. That's wild!

As always, it's a fun conversation with Dorothy. I'm such a fan and wish her nothing but the best!

The ladies from PLUSH are bringing their show to the Token Lounge on Saturday, August 3rd. I was lucky enough to catch up with the band, for the first time since their appearance at last year's RIFF Fest.

We discussed a lot of topics with Moriah, Bella, Ashley, and Faith, including Moriah's addiction to fishing. "It's really peaceful and relaxing to me," she said. It's the opposite of the 'band life'.

We talked about the tour they did earlier this year with Disturbed. Moriah spoke up first "That was absolutely incredible." Bella chimed in "Everyone in the Disturbed camp was incredible" Moriah also got to sing the song 'Don't Tell Me' each night with the band, in place of Anne Wilson who sang it on the album. She described it as a super surreal moment.

Speaking of Heart, the ladies covered the classic 'Barracuda' from them, but haven't heard from the legendary rockers yet. "They have not, but that would be super cool if they did!"

What do they think of the term "all-female rock band'? Moriah said, "I think at the end of the day, we are just a rock band out there doing our thing." Bella added, "We've seen such a drastic change, seeing so many women dominating the rock scene." She said they're proud to be part of the female movement in rock. By the way, Bella spoke about the crazy way she joined the band after seeing a Facebook post. Faith spoke to her about joining the band too.

Moriah is such a great singer! So good, she's been touring with TSO for the last couple of winters. "It's just amazing. It's a way different experience, and I'm just proud to be a part of it."

Thanks for listening!

Lots to talk about with Josh and Alex of Badflower, although Josh does most of the talking. LOL

They have a new single out called "Teacher Has A Gun" off their upcoming album, but they also told me about a song called "Detroit". The song isn't about the Motor City but was written here. They told me about that and how some Detroit voices will end up on the song.

We talk about Josh's fear of preforming live, his farmhouse outside of Nashville, a possible name for the upcoming record, and lots more.

Up next, it's P-Nut from 311. They also have a new album dropping later this year. He spoke to that and the process of making it. We talked about the 311 cruises, their recent Red Rocks gig that was simulcast, and tons more.

Their tour stops in the Detroit area at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater on July 27th.

Lots to get into with Myles and Sonny on this episode of Talkin' Rock.

First up, Myles Kennedy talks about his upcoming solo album. He tells me what the name, The Art Of Letting Go refers to, the musical mission of the record, and more. That album drops on October 11th.

He talks about jamming with the Led Zeppelin guys, the first time he met Slash, as well as Eddie Van Halen.

People think he looks like Kevin Bacon all the time. He tells a funny story of going to see his band play live....that's just for starters.

Then it's Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D. Their new album Veritas is out, as Sonny talks about it and the collaborations on the album. He also explained the record's cover artwork.

San Diago recently gave him his own day, which he said he was very humbled by.

Enjoy!

Everyone knows Chris Jericho from the world of wrestling, which he's still in, but he's also the frontman of Fozzy, and his KISS cover band Kuarantine. You'll be able to see the band on July 5th at the Diesel Concert Lounge in Chesterfield. Chris talks about how the band came about and what they play.

Chris Jericho On A Classic Wrestling Moment

Of course, we had to talk wrestling. Jericho and Detroit's own, Rhino go way back. I asked him about being gored through the Titan Tron. "Yeah, it's a classic moment, it was on Smackdown." He said they were changing the set, so they decided to destroy the old one. "In classic wrestling fashion let's destroy the old set. How can we do that? Have Rhino gore me through that. Yeah, that was a great moment."

Chris Jericho On The Stanley Cup Finals.

"I'm thinking reverse sweep, man. They've done a great job of awakening the giant." He praised Connor McDavid as he's taken the Oilers on his back and has come alive in this series. He went on talking about McDavid "He's like Gretzy, he thinks ahead of the play. When a player like that gets hot, you've got to watch him. 8 points in the last two games, these guys know how to win."

Check out the interview and we'll see you on July 5th at Diesel Concert Lounge!

What an honor to talk to Geezer Butler, the legendary bass player from Black Sabbath. His book "Into The Void - From Birth To Black Sabbath And Beyond" is out now and it's fantastic. There are some great stories and tales that Geezer gets into. He told me why he wrote the book "I always wanted to write a memoir for my grandkids, to give them a better understanding of my life beyond what they read in the press."

Geezer Butler On Sabbath's Heavy Sound

Geezer talked about the heaviness of Black Sabbath and what caused it. "Tony had to create a new way of playing because he lost the tops of his fingers in an industrial accident. He tuned down the strings to make it easier to play with his plastic fingertips, which gave birth to our heavier sound."They didn't get their due until the early 2000s after bands started mentioning them as major influences. "It's great to finally get positive feedback from newer bands citing us as their main influence."

Working With Producer Rick Rubin

I have friends who've worked with Rick Rubin, and while reading the book, Geezer said everything I've heard before. Rick doesn't do much. "Rick Rubin would come in for ten minutes and say, 'Do another one.' He'd lie on the couch and do nothing. It drove us nuts." He said he wasn't a huge fan, but he did like the way he worked with Ozzy.

Geezer On His Relationship With Ozzy Osbourne

"I speak to Ozzy practically every other day. We had some communication issues, but now we're closer than ever." That's great to hear knowing everything they've gone through over their lifetime.

Lots of great stuff for any hard rock/heavy metal fan!

None

My latest Talkin' Rock with Meltdown guest is none other that Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P.. It's always a treat when I get to talk with Blackie. He's a great interview, and also the force behind one of my favorite bands of the era.

Lots was discussed including his health. After undergoing surgery to ease his back last year, he's on the mean. "But, you know, we had surgery on it about ten months ago, and, you know, I'm on the mend and everything's cool, you know? So, you know, we should be ready for the fall tour coming in, in October."

Blackie Lawless On His Special Meet & Greets

Blackie's meet and greet is very unique, where the fans get pictures and stuff signed, then he'll do a Q &A session with them. "Well, we looked around at what other VIP packages were doing and quite honestly I didn't get excited about it. I thought, you know, if I'm going to meet somebody that I've always wanted to meet, wouldn't some sort of back and forth, you know, question and answer? I mean, wouldn't that be what you would want to have it be? And for me, that's what I would want. You know, and quite honestly, I didn't, because I've never done these before until we had done that the last time we were in the US a couple of years ago. And I'll be frank with you, I got as much, if not more than the people did out of it because like every other artist, you live in your own bubble and you don't really have a chance to talk to people on a one on one basis without it being in a chaotic situation." He later told me that some of the questions he received jarred some memories that might end up in a future autobiography.

Blackie On New W.A.S.P. Music

The last time I talked with Blackie, he told me he was working on new music. Where does it stand now? He said the surgery set him back a bit, but he got back into it. "I've had a long time to go through that. Those early demos of what we have been working on it, listening to it with fresh ears. Some of it's really good, but there's not enough of it yet where I would be comfortable in saying, okay, this is finished, and let's go with it. You know, I want to, I'd like to like to go back and visit the drawing board, so to speak, you know, and see what else is there, because even from a two year period of when we started working on that before to where we are right now, you're going to gain so much, you're going to grow so much, you know?"

He went on "So you really have to I've learned and you don't make records or I don't make records anymore that are spread out over a 2 or 3-year period. Because the guy you are when you first start making it is not the guy you are when you finish making it, get in, try to, you know, six months top to bottom, get that thing cranked up, you know, because like I said, if you don't, you end up running the risk of it kind of being a schizophrenic type of record. You know, where you've got one type of one thing and then some. The other half is something else, and it has no real cohesiveness"

You can see Blackie and the band perform their entire debut album at the Royal Oak Music Theater on November 10th. For tickets, click here.

Ed Roland is one of those guys that's just easy to talk to and we talked about a lot of things.

When the band broke in 1994, they broke big time! That year they played Woodstock, as they did in 1999 too. He told me they are one of only 5 acts to play both concerts.

His brother, Dean, has been in the band the entire time as well. I asked him about sharing this journey with him. "Well, I mean, it's it's family. It's been a blessing for me. And I'd like to think he thinks the same because it's family. You know, we all are family, to be honest, we all kind of grew up in the same community and, the same environment as parents and things like that. Same school, same church, all of the above. It's been wonderful for me. And I think he would say the same thing, you know." He went on to say that they don't fight much. "But I always say to my brother, I mean, I would never hit you with a guitar because I like my guitar, too much." LOL

As far as the new record, Here To Eternity is concerned, that's a great story! They recorded it in Elvis Presley's house in Palm Springs. He talked about how quickly they recorded the album, and why they made it a double album.

I had to ask him if he had any peanut butter and banana sandwiches. "You damn right I did, I'm a southern boy, I'm not afraid of that." They were actually in the house the day Lisa Marie Presley died. He said the ceiling caved in that night!

Now, onto the first big hit "Shine". He had told me the trick that they used on that song years ago, but I wasn't sure if he was pulling my leg or not. He sang the "Yeah" part through an empty toilet paper roll. "Yes, that's very true because I only had one amp, one guitar. And, you know, I just had to make up different sounds. It's crazy that I could. So I kept doing "Yeah", I was like, it just sounds like a Southern boy going yeah. Almost lazy. Like, you should be in a rocking chair. So I went to the bathroom in the basement and took the toilet paper off. Just put the the cardboard part off. And that's what I sang through. Oh, yeah."

What a fun conversation with Ed.

The new Dead Daisies album is dropping in September, so it's good to get Doug Aldrich from the band on Talkin' Rock with Meltdown to tell us about it. Plus, they'll be playing the Machine Shop on June 11th, in Flint, Michigan.

As far as song ideas for the new album, he said everyone chipped in. "We all, all we all were, brought different parts in different song ideas. And that's generally what we do with The Dead Daisies is we'll bring in ideas and then, you know, in this situation, Marty Fredrickson was producing and he's like an amazing songwriter in his own. So he had a couple ideas already. Him and John (singer Corabi) had a couple ideas. I had a few. Michael Devin had a few. David (Lowy) had a few. I kind of helped David, finish off a couple of his ideas, and then we, we played them off for Marty."

He told me that the first single's main riff for "Light Em Up" was actually written by Stevie D. from Buckcherry. "Yep. And Stevie had he had a whole song, but we just basically pinched the riff and Stevie gave his approval, and then we kind of wrote a little bit new around that riff and, and then we, you know, originally I don't remember, I can't remember his demo, how the riff was played. It might have been played down here or I'm not sure it might have been played in this position here, but this is how we ended up doing it. And it's got kind of a classic Daisy's. But yeah, it's obviously derivative of kind of the way we played it was derivative of kind of AC/ DC" He told me the new album covers a wide range of rock and was recorded in some historic studios. "There's there is a bunch of stuff that's in the vein of what we just talked about that's that fits together really well. But then we had a couple of songs that came in. Actually we we wrote one in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in this studio called Fame Studio. That is a crazy, important studio for, you know, for early rock and for R&B. And like, Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin recorded their hits there. Duane Allman worked there with Wilson Pickett. And we were in the studio working on just playing through some blues stuff and kind of noodling around in a little bit for a week, and we wrote this tune that turned out to be way is really deep, it's like an album cut, it's not a single. It won't be a single, but it's probably one of the coolest songs on the record because it's like a cornerstone track that it makes the album so much better just because it's on it."

Past Rock Projects With Doug Aldrich

Doug told me about earlier stuff he'd done with other bands, including auditioning for KISS. "I got a call from Eric Carr, who came and saw me play, and I met him, and he invited me to come down to the studio and, and meet Paul and Gene and, and I played on a couple of tracks in the studio just to see. And then they had me come and play a couple times live with them. And it was it was, you know, I felt guilty because these guys, nobody had seen them without their makeup yet. So I really felt awkward about looking Gene Simmons in the eye and, and, and seeing his face, you know, it's like shouldn't, shouldn't be doing this. But the bottom line is, is that they wanted a little bit more of a technical guitar player."

That's just for starters on this wide-ranging conversation with Doug.

Get your tickets to see The Dead Daisies at the world-famous Machine Shop here.

Mr. Big is on their "Big Finish" tour and makes a stop in southeast Michigan at District 142 in Wyandotte on May 30th.

Mr. Big From The Start

Eric told me the entire story of how the band started after his solo career had seemed to fizzle out in the late 80s. He spoke of meeting Billy Sheehan, a guy who he didn't know about. It was interesting to hear how the pieces came together.

New Mr. Big Drops On July 12th

Eric had a lot to say about the upcoming album. Their 10th record Ten drops on July 12th. He told me how he and Paul recorded demos for all the songs. "We mapped it out perfectly," he said. Eric talked of starting from scratch on this album and the reason for doing so.

Jay Ruston produced this album, as Eric explained to me why they went with the rock producer. "I liked what he did with the last Winery Dogs album...that record was slick"

I also grabbed a couple questions from some of his solo bandmates, PJ Farley and Jason Hartless. Those made for a few laughs.

Fun conversation with Eric for sure! I cannot wait to hear the full album.

When I heard that Lzzy Hale had signed on to help the Skid Row guys for 4 shows, I was stoked! I was excited for the band, excited for the people who would see her sing live, and excited for Lzzy!

After the first show was in the books, I texted Skid Row bassist, Rachel Bolan and drummer, Rob Hammersmith. Both of them were giddy with how the weekend went. That's when I decided to ask Rachel if he'd come on my Talkin' Rock with Meltdown podcast to talk about it.

"We had one rehearsal before the first show, and she blew us away." - Rachel Bolan

Rachel told me how the ball started to roll at producer, Nick Raskulinecz's birthday party. "I was like, "Hey, man, would you want to step in and do a few shows with Skid Row?" And she, you know, after we kind of cleared out what exactly the shows were because we, you know, I think she kind of thought we were just going to jam at like the Mercy Lounge or something. But, so when we cleared that up, she said, yes. "Let me talk to my, my, team and my people and I'll have an answer for you." And the next day or a couple of days later, I was like, "Hey, man, were you serious about that?" She's like, yeah, it's a go. And we were all excited."

"She unleashed that first scream, and we were all just like, whoa." - Rachel Bolan

Rachel went on to say that they only rehearsed once before their first show. Lzzy said that she was holding back a little as to not blow out her voice. Then it was time to take the stage. "When we took the stage, 'Slave to the Grind", she unleashed. Unleashed that first scream. I was just like, I'm actually getting chills thinking about it right now. I was we're all just kind of looking at each other like, whoa"

He couldn't heap enough praise on the Halestorm front woman. "You know, when someone is great at what they do, people appreciate it. They appreciated Lzzy because she is great. She's just freaking great!" He said the energy on stage was off the charts. "And you could you could feel the energy on stage. And, a few of my friends that said I've never seen you smile so much. You're always like the punk rock don't smile, guy. You know, like you're laughing up there, you're smiling and you're interacting, you know? So it was really cool, man. And we got two more. And I just feel like that's like another nine days and I'm like, climbing wall of, like, what do you know?"

The other two shows he's referring to are in Reno, Nevada, and Sacramento, California.

"Lzzy Hale is one of the best vocalists on the planet." - Rachel Bolan

When I commented that Lzzy is such a badass, Rachel agreed. "You know, you just said something that is, descriptive that everyone has been saying, and that's badass. Man, it's so perfect because she is a badass. She's a beast on stage, man. She's great."

This is such an interesting listen. I'd never met or interviewed Chris before. He was so much fun to talk to!

We talked about his new gig, at the University of Michigan. He's taking his lessons learned, and passing them on to a younger generation.

Of course, we had to talk about his time in Nine Inch Nails. He talked about the song "Closer" and how Trent Reznor spit out the lyrics to the surprise of Chris and the producer. He spoke of being inducted into the Rock Hall, Johnny Cash covering "Hurt" and more.

There's so much we didn't get into, so Chris has promised to come back on in the future. This is a fun listen!

I had the good fortune to speak with Slayer's Kerry King about his new solo album, From Hell I Rise, which drops on May 17th. What I've heard has been a brutal onslaught, like you'd expect!

He told me why he chose that name for the album, there were other ones, but he picked this one, as it ends the album on track 13. He also told me about the flavor of the album. In case you haven't heard anything from it, I've included the two songs they've dropped from the album below.

We also discussed how he got the members for the band, which includes Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph, HellYeah's Kyle Sanders, and Phil Demmel rounding out the band. He said this was his "A Team" and he got the players he wanted.

Kerry King On Turning 60

We also talked about his upcoming 60th birthday, which will be the first show in Europe. Over his 60 years, he's made lots of memories, some he can't remember....like a story of the early days of Megadeth that David Ellefson told me about.

Barry Kerch is up next. Shinedown has a lot going on this year, including a new hot sauce. Symptom Chipotle Garlic Sauce is their latest creation. Barry talks about how this came to be, and the fact that he's a big hot sauce fan.

We also talked about new music from the band, the album he thinks best represents what they're all about, The Rock Hall, and more.

It's always great to talk with Barry, even if this is my first time interviewing him solo..... video to come.

Thanks for listening!

I've never talked with Stephan Jenkins from Third Eye Blind, so I can check him off my ever-growing list of rockers I've interviewed.

Right off the bat, we talked about touring, and how much he likes it. He commented on how concerts bring us together "That collective sense of feeling lets us know that we're not alone." You can see him and Third Eye Blind along with Yellowcard and A R I Z O N A on July 7th at Pine Knob Music Theater.

We talked about a recent unplugged performance he did at an Emo club. "It was fun, man, it was fun," he said about the impromptu show.

Third Eye Blind Teams Up With Detroit's Own Shinola

There are also a couple of other things we talked about, one is their collab with Shinola. Stephan talked about how he likes that the watches are Made In America and the local craftsmen who make them. They have a limited edition watch coming out. "It's super cool. It's obviously American-made". He said they'll be visiting the store when they come through, as well as Jack White's Third Man Records.

How Did His Life Change In The 90s?

His life changed in a huge way in the 90s when Third Eye Blind broke. As I asked him this, he paused for about 5 seconds before answering. He went on to talk about how he lived in an apartment with 6 roommates, one bath and he slept on packing foam. He spoke to the bands he started or joined that fell apart until the band finally broke. After massive tours with U2 and The Rolling Stones, he found himself driving home after two years on the road. "Tears streamed down my face because I realized where I'd gone to, this delineation of points," he said.

We wrapped our conversation by talking about how the thrash scene in San Francisco where he's from had any effect on his musical tastes.

Taylor Roberts from Taproot/Riding With Killers joins me on Talkin' Rock with Meltdown.

We started off talking about RWK. He explained how the band formed, talked about their debut record "Full Circle" and more. He said they've done some pretty big shows, but it's time to get that band out to the forefront. "We're really getting ready to launch this band in the right way," he told me.

He talked to me about being a fan of Taproot, and finally becoming a member of the band. He spoke about how he ended up in Detroit through a member of the band, coming from Mississippi.

When I asked Taproot frontman Stephen Richards and drummer Jarrod Montague to give me some questions for Taylor, they did not disappoint. They told me to ask him about meeting the Kittie in Las Vegas. Apparently, he was a huge fan growing up as a teenager.

They also told me to ask him about looking like Slipknot frontman, Corey Taylor. That was hysterical! I guess he's been confused for him several times.

In Taproot, he plays guitar, but in Riding With Killers he's more upfront. "The challenge of putting myself in the lead singer spot, and then finally getting to write about things that have been on my mind and in my head and heart for years, is very cathartic and it's been honestly a great release".

It was great to have Taylor on Tallkin' Rock!

Kenny Wayne Shepherd has a lot going on. between concerts, family, and getting high-powered muscle cars delivered to his house, his plate is full!

I ran into Kenny a few weeks back in Nashville. I posted about that trip and a little about running into Kenny, here.

Onto what Kenny has going on. He'll be playing at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit on May 17th. For tickets, click here.

Kenny doesn't always hang out in Nashville, his home, but he did a few weeks back. I ran into him two nights in a row, at two comedy shows, so we talked about going to those shows.

As far as his shows go, he's always playing somewhere. I asked him the longest he'd gone without playing, and the answer was pretty easy, during the pandemic.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Has Lots Of Music In The Can

He told me he already has four albums in the can! He says he's ready for the record label to ask him for new music. "Thankfully because I have all this material kind of stocked up, I haven't been under the gun to write lately, and that's kind of the point." He went on to say that he felt like he was constantly under pressure to write, and now he's relieved of that with these albums ready to go.

We talked about his monster hit "Blue On Black" and the latest cover of it from Five Finger Death Punch, Brian May, and Brantley Gilbert. He says he thinks a country artist could make a hit out of that song as well.

Kenny Wayne On Jimi Hendrix

He'll be heading out on the Hendrix Experience this fall with some great guitarists. He said the family of Jimi loves it. He's been a part of this since it became a thing in Seattle. "I've done a lot of Hendrix songs over the years and I feel that I do them justice."

Now, onto cars. He's a huge car guy, as am I. When I saw him a few weeks back, he was waiting for the arrival of his latest muscle car. Well, it came, and it sounds insane!

He got a Dodge Demon 170 1170HP. He did the "Jailbreak" program, with a one-of-kind paint job. He said there's a little more to it which we'll find out about soon.

Always great to talk with Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Don Jamieson's latest comedy album is No Sleep 'Til McSorley's. Once again, he's modeled his latest album after a famous rock record. This time around it's Motorhead's, No Sleep "til Hammersmith. He explains why he chose that pub, and how he got permission to use the famous album cover.

On the album, Don takes on many social and rock topics. It's a skill that he has where he can meld both worlds without sounding preaching or like he's taking sides. "Is there an underlying message to it? Of course there is" Don said. As far as who he takes shots at on the record, he said "Everybody gets it on the album". He said he gets a lot off his chest.

We talked about how surreal it is that we have the good fortune of getting to know our childhood rock star heroes. Don flashed back to seeing the mighty Judas Priest as a kid, with the "Metal God" Rob Halford right in front of him. He said that he'll never forget that feeling, but he's never lost that fandom.

The record opens with Lemmy from Motorhead introducing it.....or is it him? He explains. You can order the album on vinyl here.

Don Jamieson On Meeting Lemmy From Motorhead

Don talks about meeting his idol, Lemmy several times. He said he tread lightly around the rock icon until he had his first drink with him. That was the time when he knew that he'd taken a liking to him.

Has Don ever been star-struck? He had a couple of experiences that he talked about, but it wasn't with anyone in the rock world. He also talked about a few of the classic musicians he's had the chance to meet. One from the Monkees and one from Led Zeppelin.

Great to have my friend, Don Jamieson on Talkin' Rock with Meltdown.

What a pleasure to have James "JY" Young in the studio to talk all things Styx, and more. The upcoming "Renegades and Juke Box Heroes" tour features Foreigner and John Waite. They'll be playing Pine Knob on June 15th.

We talked about a lot of topics. Playing in the band with great musicians like Tommy Shaw, and Lawrence Gowen.

Where does Styx live in the music world...Rock or Progressive Rock? JY answers that question. "It's hard to define us because a lot of the stuff is prog. But, ya know, some of the ballads are pretty much straight-ahead rock ballads." That led to how JY got into music.

How did the Grunge era affect them? At first, he said "Zero" as far as the music was concerned. But he did say that the band may have seen a dip in concert attendance, but that's passed and now they're selling lots of tickets.

Did the Beatles playing on The Ed Sullivan Show influence him? He said they did, but older siblings did too. He expanded on that.

What legendary guitarist did he see live five times? I'm not sure if I've ever met anyone who has seen the player so many times. "That's the most profound influence on my playing," he said of the guitarist.

I asked him his thoughts on the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame. "Well, I don't know. It's very East Coast-centric for people that have a vote. Styx probably deserves to be in there, but I'm not holding my breath." He didn't mention names, but at the end of the day, he said it's about the fans and music. He spoke of fans telling him about how Styx's music helped them through periods of their lives. "Music affects everyone differently, and we've made some great records."

It was a thrill to have JY, and the band's manager, George, in the studio with me. A huge pleasure.

Sebastian, Remington, and Emerson from Palaye Royale were nice enough to stop by the station before their show earlier this week. After playing three songs for the staff, they hopped into the studio with me to talk about the band.

I had seen on X that Remington said that Songs For Sadness was very personal to him. He spoke about how his mother's illness has really affected each of them, who are brothers. Being on the road, and leaving their mother is always hard. This was a very touching part of the interview. I wish nothing but the best for "Mama Royale".

The guys talked about the dichotomy of how Palaye Royale writes songs. Sebastian said Remington brings a lot to the lyrics, Emerson is good on the piano even though he's the drummer, and each of them bring something different. "We had eighty songs - for the upcoming album - so we narrowed them down to ten" Remington told me. He also said "If there's not a deadline, I will tinker with it" when talking about recording songs.

They also talked about the success they've found overseas. Over here in the States, they've opened for so many bands but they're looking to do a headlining tour of their own. As a matter of fact, they're playing Wembley Arena in November. Sebastian said Gene Simmons gave them some great advice early on, which they still use to this day.

The band actually started out on the Disney channel. They talked about the difference between playing Disney shows, and then going off on their own for shows. They went from big crowds to playing to empty rooms.

I was shocked to hear that the guys were hockey players, as their family has roots in Canada. I didn't think we'd be talking about that during this interview!

"It's incredible, man" is how Spencer Charnas from Ice Nine Kills responded to touring with Metallica. That's the last time he was in the Detroit area when that tour played Ford Field. Well, he's coming back this weekend to sign autographs and take photos with fans at Astronomicon. That happens in Livonia, Michigan April 12-14th at the Burton Manor.

He recalled the first show he saw from the Metal Legends back in Boston. He said they treat the band very well on tour. They have more Metallica dates left with them this year. "It's going to be quite a summer"

He told me the band is always writing and visual aspects for the band. "We're constantly in creative mode"

"Never" is how he answered the question of if he ever gets pushback for "using" some famous horror movie characters. He said he's become friends with some of the people responsible for these films and Ice Nine Kills is helping to promote the movies. I'm a horror fan so we did talk about some of the latest ones out right now. He also told me what sparked his love of the genre.

Believe it or not, even though they're from the same part of the country, he's never met Rob Zombie. He spoke to the love he has for his movies. "I think some of the stuff he does is truly brilliant".

Guitarist, Doc Coyle told me to ask him about the tuxedo place they get their suits from. He spoke to how Doc has stepped in and helped the band out. "He's an incredibly talented guy, and it was so good to have him out"

Spencer's appearance is sponsored by Rock City Music Company in Livonia.

Armored Saint singer John Bush and bass player Joey Vera, who are currently out on tour with Queensryche. They'll be coming through Detroit to play the Majestic Theater on April 14th. Joey said of touring with the QR guys, "It's always fun touring with friends, people you get along with." We talked about their experience on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise. "Yeah, they're fun. You always see a lot of people you know." Joey said.

The guys told me about going to Anthrax's Scott Ian's 60th birthday in Las Angeles at the end of 2023. John said there were some really talented people there celebrating the milestone.

The band recently recorded a cover of "One Chain Don't Make No Prison" which they're going to release as a stand-alone single. That being said, the guys are all about making full albums. They talked about album reissues, as well as vinyl copies of all their albums.

I had to ask them about the new Armored Saint music they're working on. As far as writing on the road, Joey said they don't do it. "We just write at our own pace." He went on to say they have six or seven songs demoed. They'll be touring and then returning to the studio to finish it up by the end of the year.

Something I didn't know about Armored Saint was that their first show outside of hometown shows was at Harpos. They said they played a radio station show way back in 1984. "That was our first show ever outside of California," Joey said. John talked of that show being added last minute, as they were supposed to play Chicago first. They also played Cobo Hall on that first tour. "We just couldn't believe what was happening," Joey said of playing some of these classic venues.

Joey told the story of crashing a car with Tommy Lee of Motley Crue. We also talked about their tour with W.A.S.P. and Metallica, where they were snowed-in, in Buffalo, New York. Joey also told a funny story from early in their career about a comment he made about Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P. on the radio.

Great to talk to the guys!

It was great of Mike Kroeger from Nickelback to take so much time to talk about their documentary Hate To Love: Nickelback, which comes to theaters on March 27th and 30th. We also talked about a few specific songs, hockey, and more.

He told me this documentary might help to dispel some of the things about the band that aren't true. "It's the filling in of a few blanks and maybe telling some stories that no one knows." He said the band hasn't shared that much, and that may be their own fault, but they want to straighten some misunderstandings. He said that the "hate" doesn't bother him much anymore, but it did in the past. "It's hurt me and my family, but now I really don't care about it, now I want to use it." Mike really opened up about this topic.

We talked about the monstrous hit "How You Remind Me". That song became the most-played single on the planet. "I didn't really feel like it was that much better than the other ones" but it went on to smash the doors down for the band.

Another song we dove into a little was "Rockstar". Mike told me how an old promotional trick used by Alice Cooper in the 70s that they used to help that song become a huge hit. He said that was the 7th single released from that album All The Right Reasons and the 7th number-one song. That's crazy!

I also asked him about Canadian bands that break or don't, in the States. Mike talked about their road to success "down here". We talked about recording in other studios, their induction into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame by a hockey legend, as well as playing the closing ceremony at the 2010 Olympics, which was an insane few hours. Great story!

Oh, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my friend John Guarnieri, security to the stars, who gave me a great question about cheesecake. LOL....you just have to hear it. Thanks, John.

Great to reconnect with Jeff Scott Soto. The last time I talked with him was mere weeks after we met, I believe in 2018. He's one of these guys who you just like the first time you meet him. He's so easy to talk to, which you'll see in this conversation.

He's coming through town playing the Token Lounge on March 27th with The Art Of Anarchy band. He spoke about how he joined the band, which was somewhat defunct, with the help and through his friendship with Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. The new album is out, and JSS told me that the band hasn't even played one of these songs live yet. He said rehearsals start next week, as I post this.

JSS has been in many bands, but the Trans Siberian Orchestra is one he's been in for a long time. He talks about the reasons why he's jumped around to different bands throughout his career. One of the guys he plays with in TSO is Slaughter drummer, Blas Elias. Jeff talked of meeting him, and how they both have parts in the movie "Rockstar".

We also talked about his 40 years in the music business! Yes, he started at the early age of 18 and was off and running with the Yngwie Malmsteen's "Rising Force" album. He said he didn't even know he got the gig until weeks later.

He just did the Monsters Of Rock cruise, and along with playing many shows onboard, he did his first comedy routine. With the help of rock comedian Don Jamieson, he said it went very well. He talked about doing a similar thing with Jason Bieler from Saigon Kick. JSS said he's learned a lot from him. Jason also submitted a funny question for Jeff....LOL

We talked about Queen, the documentary making "We Are The World", and more.

Lots of great stories from Jeff, cannot wait to see him and Art Of Anarchy at the Token Lounge in a couple of weeks!

Honored to have drummer extraordinaire, and fellow Detroiter, Tommy Clufetos on Talkin' Rock. He's playing the Token Lounge coming up on Thursday, March 28th. Having seen him play there before, this is a show you're not going to want to miss. He said that was the only time he'd played there and he "Loved it!" His drumming is insane. Just check out some of the clips below.

In the conversation we talked about his career playing with everyone from, Ted Nugent, to Rob Zombie, to Black Sabbath, John 5, and lots more.

Tommy is Detroit through and through. "Detroit is such a big part of my life, you can't get it out of me". Tommy credits his upbringing here in the Motor City with giving him his work ethic. Now he's made home in the music capitol of America, Nashville, Tenn.

He told me how he's managed to get so many high-profile gigs, starting with Mitch Rider. We talked about how he was hooked up with Ted Nugent through Alto Reed from Bob Seger's band. "I'm so spoiled because I love Detroit music so much," he told me.

Ozzy Osbourne recently picked him as his drummer in a hypothetical dream band. "That makes me feel really good." He went on to talk about playing with Ozzy "When I'm behind Ozzy, we go to war together". He said he's learned so much from guys like Ozzy and Nugent.

He talked about playing some gigs with Motley Crue, while Tommy Lee was injured and couldn't perform full shows.

How badly did he want to play on Black Sabbath's 13 album? What was it like playing Sabbath's last gig? He answers those questions and lots more.

Great to have Tommy on the show for the first time, and I cannot wait to see the show at the Token on March 28th. I'll see you guys there!

Such an honor to have Mick Mars on the show. His new album "The Other Side Of Mars" drops on February 23rd, and it's a killer record.

The album really shows off different sides to Mick's musicality. It really takes you on a roller coaster ride. "Yeah, I wanted to see what happens. Lots of different styles, different things." He went on "I intentionally wanted it to be very diverse."

What's also different about this record is that Mick is more upfront than he ever was in the Crue. This is his project and he's the face of it. From the video treatments which are primarily black and white. "When I was in Motley I wrote for Motley. But with this, it's for me." He jokingly calls it "Mars"ley.

He told me his heart is in the blues, but he didn't want to put out a blues album. He explained why that is. Mick also told me the moment he fell in love with music. He was very young!

There are some musical heavyweights on this album. Starting with the producer, Micheal Wagener. This guy worked with Mick back on the very first Motley album. Then, he's got Korn's Ray Luzier on drums. He is an incredible talent. Mick described him with one word - awesome!

I also asked him about collaborating with other artists. "Oh, yeah. I'm not sure with whom. I like to keep things fresh." He said he's already working on his next album. "I've already got, like, four really, really solid songs." As far as guests for his next album, he said he's pretty sure he'll have some on it.

As far as albums he's credited on, I had to ask him about the Hear 'N Aid project he was part of in the 80s. From what he recalls it was fun. LOL He goes into that a little deeper.

Days after his birthday, Sully Erna from Godsmack called in to discuss what the band has going on, along with his "I Stand Alone - The Sully Erna Story", which you can watch now.

He told me how the documentary started, after writing manuscripts for his book "The Paths We Choose". He says his story is about perseverance....that's an understatement. "So many times I could've easily ended up dead or in jail." He told me how music really saved his life.

He said he was nervous watching it, but he thinks it came out good. I watched it in one sitting. There was stuff in there that surprised me, and some stories that were, as he said, hard to believe. He's a guy who literally had to fight to achieve his success. "There really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it's just a mother f&#$#er getting there."

People may or may not know, Godsmack was a late-blooming band. Most rock bands get their start in their 20s. Godsmack started to break in their 30s. That's unheard of in our business. He said after years of trying to make it as a musician for so long, he put the band together to just scratch an itch.

He also talked about how drummer Shannon Larkin joined the band. He said they didn't even do auditions for drummers when he came aboard. Suly went on to explain how he joined the band and how the "drum battle" started. That's a highlight of any Godsmack show.

As far as what the band has going on this year, he said they probably won't be working on any new music, but touring with an intimate night of music and storytelling.

You can watch the documentary on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services.

Sebastian Bach is my latest guest on Talkin' Rock with Meltdown. He's dropping a new album, in his words, sooner than you think. "It's coming very, very soon." He talks about the first single "What Have I Got To Lose?" which you can see below. That song is co-written with Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge/Slash. He talked about joining up with him.

Detroit's own John 5 is also on the album, along with others. He reminded me that this is the third album he's collaborated with 5.

He also spoke about the fact that he wouldn't mind getting back with the original members of Skid Row. "Us five musicians haven't been in the same room together since 1996, and I barely remember the year 1996." He went on to say that he's over whatever happened in 1996. "I'm over it." He talked more about that, including the fact that he owns all sorts of demos and unreleased tracks from the early days of the band.

Sebastian also talked about the Skid Row tour with a very young Soundgarden on the Slave To The Grind tour. When asked if he could see that band blow up like they did, he talked about the darker vibe of the grunge movement at the time. "I come from a time where rock and roll was nothing but fun." He elaborated "I didn't get into rock and roll to be depressed. I got into rock and roll to escape depression." He spoke of hanging with Chris Cornell after the shows and the ultimate demise of the legendary singer.

We had to talk about KISS. He's a huge fan and told me the story of seeing the final show in New York. He also spoke highly of the KISS reunion show at Tiger Stadium in 1996. He called the show the "biggest rush" when they came on the stage that night. A moment he said he'd never forget. "Probably the most exciting concert moment of my life."

Rob DeLuca from Spread Eagle playing with Sebastian for many years. He gave me some fun tour stories to ask him about. Those are crazy stories.

Chris Robertson from Black Stone Cherry joins me on Talkin' Rock. They'll be hoping on the ShipRocked cruise starting February 4 through the 10th.

Their latest album, their eighth, dropped last fall called Screamin' At The Sky. He tells me that he feels fortunate that they can put out new music and people still care, "You can't really ask for much more than that"

Chris told me about growing up in the middle of nowhere, in Edmonton, Kentucky. He said growing up he was surrounded by country music, as his father and grandfather were both bluegrass/country musicians. He said music videos helped craft his love of music. "I was a kid in the MTV generation, so all through the 90s you had great rock and roll being playing on TV." He told me about the first video he recalls watching.

Being from Kentucky, I'm surprised it took this long, but they've got their own bourbon now. They've teamed up with Three Chord Bourbon to develop their bourbon. He said management approached them with the idea. "It was a no-brainer for us."

Chris just came back from Los Angeles for NAMM, and he told me about his new signature guitar called The Sarge. He said that way of life is ok for a few days, but he's a country boy through and through.

Black Stone Cherry is also playing Zakk Wylde's Berzurkus concert in mid-September in Pennsylvania. As far as playing live and touring, it's something he still loves to do. "I love it because it's new faces all the time, it continues to build." Yes, BSC is a road-dog band and that's ok with Chris. "We love it. We truly love playing music."

He surprised me with a band he named as far as a "massive" influence on his band with roots in the Detroit area. That was a shocker.

My guest on this episode of Talkin' Rock is Blue Oyster Cult's Eric Bloom. This is the first time we've talked and I found him to be very easy to speak with.

For those of you in the southeast Michigan area, B.O.C is playing the Royal Oak Music Theater on February 25th. Eric is looking forward to the show, but he seemed happier to be coming to Detroit for a slice or two of Detroit-style pizza. LOL

I asked Eric to recall something about the famed "Black and Blue" tour with Black Sabbath in the early 80s. He fondly spoke about the tour, playing Madison Square Garden, and more.

We also talked about the cultural impact that the band had. From the "Cowbell" scene on SNL, to use in horror movies. He spoke to not being aware of the use of "Don't Fear The Reaper" in the original Halloween movie. Speaking of movies, yes, Eric is a Godzilla fan! "Buck wrote the song, but we used to make Godzilla jokes in the band house."

He also told me about some new live vinyl albums that are dropping this year. They recorded some special shows last year and they're dropping them throughout the year. He also let the cat out of the bag that they're going to be releasing some unheard B.O.C before the summertime. This is going to have to satisfy the diehard fans because he doesn't see them making any new music anytime soon.

A few weeks back while talking to David Ellefson, he brought up GHOST and said they reminded him of Blue Oyster Cult. Eric doesn't see it "I don't sorta get it, but other people might think so."

We also talked about Metallica, his video game addiction, Spinal Tap, and more.

Fun conversation with Eric on Talkin' Rock!

Mac Saturn singer, Carson Macc joins me today, as their "Hard To Sell" record finally drops this Friday, January 26th, with a show to celebrate that night at the Fillmore Detroit.

The process of making this record began long ago. Working with Al Sutton at Rust Belt Studios, they brought what they thought were solid songs, but they weren't. "We brought them so many songs that we thought were it!" Carson said that although they didn't use those songs, they learned much about their songwriting process. More on Al and others who helped them in a minute.

As far as pegging this band's sound, that's a tough one. Carson describes it like this "We're from Detroit. We're Rock and Roll, but we're from Detroit so we got a little bit of funk and soul" He said people always compare them to so many different bands. "We like to do things authentically"

This band does not shy away from being from Detroit. "You gotta say it. You've got to wear that on your sleeve, because why wouldn't you?" They want to be part of the musical fabric that's so strong from years gone by. They are the future of that sound.

As far as singers he's been influenced by, that's another one you just can't point to. He says he takes elements from all of his inspirations "...and be completely free on top of this band, that has some serious players in it." Yes, the band is very tight.

As far as the tour is concerned, Mac Saturn is hopping right into it. They're going all over the country from January 26 at the Fillmore, right through until St. Patrick's Day.

Carson was never at a loss to talk about working with Al Sutton at Rust Belt Studios in Royal Oak. "He was always pushing us to see how far we could take this sound." Kid Rock guitarist and backup singer, Marlon Young and Hershell Boone were all on board in the creation of this album. He sang their praises and spoke to how much he learned from all of them.

You can watch the video for "Mint Julep" here.

It was great to talk to Carson. Wishing nothing but the best for him and the band as they start out on this trek. You can meet the band on Thursday at Dearborn Music in Dearborn starting at 6 pm for a listening/meet & greet party.

Always great to talk with David Ellefson. He has so much going on, as always! This guy has to be one of the busiest musicians in the country.

He talked about spending his birthday here in Detroit to see Metallica in early November. He talked as to why he was here, and seeing Metallica was only one part of it.

One of his many bands, Metal Alliegence turns 10 this year. He talked about how that project started and the guests that have joined him onstage throughout the years. They'll be celebrating with a concert at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California on January 25th.

He also told me about the upcoming Nick Menza documentary "This Is My Life". Will that see the light of day this year? David has an answer....sorta. You can see more about that project, here.

Speaking of Metallica, the topic of Lars Ulrich taking on Napster in the mid-90s was brought up. I asked him what he thought about that now, almost 30 years later. David had a lot to say about that moment in music history.

I recently saw an article where David picked the top five albums that changed his life. The funny thing is, four of them were from the late 70s/early 80s, and one from 2015, which kinda came out of left field. He told me why he picked that odd one for his list. I'll be honest, it's a band I really love as well!

Up next, it's Gavin Rossdale from Bush. He was nice enough to call in to promote the upcoming Loaded: Greatest Hits Tour he's embarking on with his band, Bush, along with Jerry Cantrell from Alice In Chains, and Candlebox. That show touches down here in Michigan at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater on August 16th. Of course, keep it locked on the RIFF for your chance to win your way in.

I had to start out by sending condolences to his dog, Chewy. I actually met that little guy a couple of times backstage. He was a cute little dog that always had his backstage pass on. Gavin spoke to that and the funny reason why he wore it. He said that dog had seen more Bush concerts than his own children.

Gavin told me he didn't tour with either one of these bands back in the day, although he has played with them recently. He said that Jerry is a bit of a gambler so that may be a win/loss for him. That lead us into talking about what they do to fill the time on tour.

Gavin was on the TODAY show Wednesday, and he talked about that with me. During that appearance, he spoke highly of his kids and their love of American football. Is he watching the playoffs? He answered that as well as his relationship with soccer legend, David Beckham, being that he's a huge soccer fan.

Sounds like this is going to be another not-miss tour this summer. A big thank you to Gavin for the time, it's always a pleasure to speak with him.

Guitarist Richie Faulkner joins me today on Talkin' Rock. We started by talking about his latest birthday celebration on January 1st.

We talked about his relationship with his father-in-law, guitar legend George Lynch. "George is an incredible player....not only incredible but a unique player," he said. I asked him if he's floated him any tracks off upcoming projects. He said he hadn't, but "He's a great resource....he's great to get information and experiences from."

As far as the new Judas Priest album is concerned, Richie talked a lot about it. He mentioned that following up on a record like "Firepower" that did so well, it's a healthy challenge.

He talks about the song "Panic Attack". That song includes two solos on that one track. He talks about the complexity of that song, along with other ones on the albums. He said the album is somewhat more "progressive", but not really in the way you might think. "The record takes on its own character by itself."

As far as input Richie has on the writing and recording, he said everyone chips in. There are 11 tracks on the album, with three bonus tracks on available copies. He said there's no real moment of any sort of ballad on "Invisible Shield", which drops on March 8th.

He also spoke to respecting the band's vast history, and the fanship they have. "You have to produce to 1,000% of your ability." He said he never takes it for granted and what an honor it is to be in the band.

He also gave an update as far as guitarist Glenn Tipton with his Parkinsons. "We had his mind involved, we had his creative mind involved and that's part of the reason it makes it Judas Priest."

We also discussed songs he loves to play on stage nightly, the first albums he bought, and, his health much more.

It's always great to talk with Richie, and this time was no different.

Tim Montana is making 2024 the year of rock for his career. He'll be dropping a rock album, and going out on tour with Staind and Seether.

I had a chance to talk with him about this upcoming year, the bar he co-owns with ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, and lots more.

Growing up very poor, Tim says he's had the good fortune to meet most of the people on the posters on his trailer wall. His first shot at stardom was on David Letterman's show in 2008. He talks about the experience of going to New York City for the first time.

"It hits hard" is how he describes his upcoming rock album. There are no featured guests on the record. "If this is going to be my first rock statement, I kinda want to make it on my own."

As far as his upbringing in music, he tells me about the full-circle moment he recently went back to his high school

We also talked about his huge support for the veterans. In four years of the American Thread Shoot, they've raised $1.4 million. Tim spoke about meeting and playing for the troops in the past.

The Wise River Club is the bar he has in Wise River, Montana. He tells me about the history of the place and some of the famous people who've swung by. Is it haunted? "We have heard stories...." he said, but as of now, he says they haven't seen anything yet. He tells a crazy story of a legendary daredevil who has a history in the place with a wild animal.

It was great to talk with Tim for a few minutes. I can't wait to check out the new record when it drops, sometime this spring according to him.

It's always great to talk with Scott Stapp. It's even better when he has a new solo album about to drop and a tour with the reunited Creed! We talk about all of this and lots more on this episode of Talkin' Rock with Meltdown.

His new album is called Higher Power and comes out on March 15th. He told me about the album, how personal it is to him, and working with guitarist Yiannis Papadopoulos and singer, Dorothy Martin. Dorothy is on a song called "If These Walls Could Talk". Scott told me about getting her on the track. He said after watching her set one night, that he knew immediately that he wanted her on the song. He said she was in tears when she heard the song for the first time. "I'm really excited to share that song with everybody in the world," he said.

We also talked about the reformation of Creed. He said they haven't rehearsed yet, but they have a lot of "secrets" that the year will unveil as far as the band is concerned. "We can't wait to rock out!" The show here is just about sold out in Detroit. "It appears we've connected with a whole new generation of fans" through social media.

He said getting the band back together was very organic. "I think we all knew it was going to happen at some point, we just didn't know when." He's happy that his kids will be able to see him on stage with Creed. "They really haven't seen what their dad had done earlier in their life"

He said he went through a lot of stuff publicly and privately, that he says changed him in a positive way. He takes things one day at a time and wants to remain positive about everything that's going on in his life. He's excited to play the solo dates on tour with Daughtry coming up, as well as the massive Creed tour later this year.

Scott's a good guy and I'm happy for him and the band, as well as the fans! It's going to be a huge year for him and I wish him all the best...

The new album from Saxon, "Hell, Fire and Damnation" drops on January 19th, and frontman Biff Byford was nice enough to join me to discuss it, and lots more.

"It's a monster title, isn't it?" Biff asked when I brought up the title. That it is! He told me what the title meant, it goes back a long way. "I don't know why we didn't use it before". He spoke about bringing back the 80s on some aspects of the album, even going back to the beginning of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

Biff talked about how fast this album came together and why they're releasing it to start the new year, as opposed to releasing it near the end of 2024. There's a reason they decided to get it out earlier, as Biff explained. "It all came together pretty quickly" as far as the album is concerned. Biff said, "The Metal Gods were looking down on us" He spoke about the process of writing and recording the album.

This album is also mixed and produced by Andy Sneap, who has worked with the band several times. "It's everything, new music. It's lifeblood." is how he responded to the question of what new music means to Saxon. He said they're always on a quest to write the perfect song/album.

He also told me about the song he did with Amon Amarth, "Saxons and Vikings". He talked about meeting the guys and becoming friends with them. "I do like the song, actually...it's a great song". The style of his voice along with Johan Hegg's makes for an interesting sound.

Always fun talking with Biff, a great way to close out the year!

Steve Richards from Taproot was kind enough to join me to talk to all things Taproot.

I opened up the conversation by asking him what it's been like to be back out on tour with the band. "It's been really cool" Steve replied. He explained how their tour isn't a grueling grind, but one where they meet up on weekends. He also spoke to touring with new music under his belt. He's known these songs for years, but he had to teach them to the other guys. "Playing the new songs is really cool because it's something I never planned on."

He also told me about shooting the video for "Favuorite Song" at the Buffalo Bill house, which you can see below. He explained how they decided to shoot it there.

"Not so much. At this point it's me literally trying to remember words" was his response to the question about how much pressure is on him, being the creative force, spokesperson, and face of the band. "I don't feel too much pressure. I love being out there."

As far as touring is concerned, Steve now has a family that he gets to see and take to some shows.

He told me about guesting on a song for someone that he's working on now. "I've got some really cool harmonies. The topic is really dark and creepy" He said he really likes working on other stuff for people.

Of course, I couldn't let him go without asking his thoughts on Patrick Kane playing for the Detroit Red Wings. We're big hockey fans, so this is close to our hearts.

Steve and the guys are great people! Really looking forward to seeing them again this weekend at District 142 in Wyandotte, Michigan.

A few weeks back, I took a trek to Buffalo, New York to hang with my friend Don Jamieson from That Metal Show. He hosted the night at the Showplace Theater with Jack Russell's Great White. It was great to reconnect with Jack afterward. I asked Jack if he'd like to come on the podcast and he didn't hesitate.

Jack spoke of his current state of health. He had back fusion earlier this year and he's still healing up from that. He sounds a lot better these days, and his singing is still spot on.

His Great White is working on a new album that Jack says sounds amazing. That's being worked on at guitarist Robby Lochner's studio. He told me the band is clicking. "We play real well together, we all enjoy each other's company." He told me how he approaches the studio. He goes in very prepared. He also talked about what is inspiring his writing nowadays. He said it's stuff that's close to him and what he's been through. "

I asked him about recording cover songs, and that led us to talk about "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" by Ian Hunter. Come to find out, he's only met the rock legend once....many years ago. He had some funny things to say about that.

He and Tracii Guns have an album dropping on December 12th called Medusa. Jack talked about wanting to record something with him for several years. He said the songs were written by some Italian producers and songwriters. He said he had to change some of the lyrics because the translation didn't work.

He and Dee Snider jammed a few weeks back at a resort in Cancun. He talked about that, and their time there.

Check out the full interview below, and a bonus conversation as well..and a big thanks to Jack for the time.

Here's my two-part conversation with Robert from Metallica. This is condensed into one part for your listening pleasure!

Part one.....

We talked about the latest album, 72 Seasons. He said it was great to get back into a room and play with the guys after the pandemic. "You forget about those things and take them for granted, it was pretty special."

He also spoke about his time in Detroit this week. "It's a great city with a lot of history, a lot of history of music." While he was walking around the city a couple of days ago, he walked by the Fox Theater. He talked about playing at that venue with Ozzy and his band Infectious Grooves.

I was lucky enough to visit the Motown Museum earlier in the day with Charlie Benante from Pantera/Anthrax, and he told me a story of someone throwing a bottle on stage at the band at a show in Europe. Robert was hit in the head as he waiting behind an amp. He recalled the story about what happened, and how it bonded his friendship with Anthrax to this day.

Part two included this...

We started off the conversation this time talking about the impact that Motown had on him. "That was 100% in my wheelhouse." He told me about growing up listening to that music, and then being turned onto rock and metal. "There isn't a bass player in rock, in metal, and sort of in modern music, that's serious about their instrument that doesn't respect those bass lines coming out of Detroit". That led us to more bass talk and guys who inspired him.

Robert talked about Detroit's "swagger" and all the history and music from here. "There's a soulfulness to it." He also talked about his love for Houdini and everything he did in the Motor City.

I had to ask him about the upcoming project he has coming out with the legendary RUSH bass player, Geddy Lee. He spoke to really getting a chance to hang with Geddy. "He wanted to know what it's like in the world of Robert Trujillo". Robert was fired up about the whole experience "It was really, really cool." He told a story about Geddy watching his son play at a local bar. He said people were blown away that the Canadian legend was there.

I asked him about re-recording the Ozzy Osbourne album Diary of a Madman. "That's an interesting story," he said, and he was off and running about that project. He said he's always there for Ozzy and Sharon, commenting "Ozzy is my hero".

2003 was a monumental year for Robert. He called it the year that changed his life. "So many things happened." He spoke about joining the band and the work ethic that playing in Metallica brings. "That's the thing about this band, it's always 100%". He said when he joined the band, it was about fitting in and not bothering the other guys, but just trying to learn as he went.

Enjoy!

Andy Summers of The Police is about to embark on his The Cracked Lens and A Missing String tour, and he's here to tell me about it.

He told me about when his love of photography started. He said it was many decades ago between female photographers when the band started around 1979 and as a teenager seeing arthouse films in England. "I loved them, it was actually an education for me." He said he shot black and white film to start.

I also asked him about what it feels like to be in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. I got the feeling he's not a huge fan. "I have no feeling for it at all. It doesn't mean anything to me." He said as a band, they got a lot of awards, and this was another one on the list. As far as who he thinks should get in there he replied "I'm not really interested in things like that." He went on to give more thoughts on the Rock Hall.

I have all the Police albums on vinyl, so I thought I'd ask him which album he'd tell someone to listen to first out of their five. Pretty much without hesitation, he said "The second one, "Zenyatta Mondatta", yeah." He said the band was clicking together. "It was the early days, we sorta learned how to play together. We played all the time. The wind of success was really with us early" He went on "That's where I felt we hadn't gotten too polished. We hadn't gotten too bored with being so successful. " He spoke to the third album and how it was recorded much differently.

"It's amazing we made five whole albums, to get that far, without really repeating anything." He said some bands get caught in ruts and repeat themselves on other albums they make.

-Meltdown-

Gavin Rossdale of Bush joins me to discuss many things in his world, including the Greatest Hits: Loaded 1994-2023. He told me why now, and how it was something he didn't really want to do.

He spoke to the latest single and video, "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere". In the video, he goes back in time to 30 years. I asked him if going back to the start of Bush was done on purpose "It was absolutely on-the-nose intentional." See the video below.

He also talked about being in a band that's sold 24 million albums. "I would've died of shock" had he'd known he'd go on to sell so many records.

How did they pick the songs for the greatest hit album? How will the band celebrate the 30th anniversary of the debut album, Sixteen Stone, next year? Gavin gives some answers to those questions.

"I love it!" he responded when asked about his music appearing in movies. Does he have any acting projects in the works right now? "Not really, my plate is really full." He's got his foot into other projects including a cooking show, which he's been working on for years, and other stuff.

We got into the writing process of the band. He's pretty much the guy. "Yeah, you only need one idiot in the band like me."

One of the most interesting things we talked about was what influences him now. He mentioned metal-core and specifically Bad Omens. "They're really crafting stuff well and making songs interesting."

We wrapped things up with Gavin giving props to the Detroit crowds. He loves playing here.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown-2/

It's always a pleasure to talk with the Triumph front man. Rik Emmett's new book is out and it's a great read for any Triumph fan, or any music fan in general. "Lay It On The Line: A Backstage Pass to Rock Star Adventure, Conflict and TRIUMPH" is out now.

Rik was, well, like an open book when I spoke with him. He told me that writing this book had it's challenges. He told me the reason he wrote the book, was to learn about himself. Of course there was an aspect of "setting the record straight" from his point of view, but overall he wanted to see what made him tick. He called it a "Journey of self discovery." "How can I be a better me?" was another way he looked at it.

Yes, there's Triumph stories in the book, and he told me some, but it's much more than that. He said he wasn't so interested in the "Sex and Drugs" part of the Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll, but more about keeping his own self in shape.

We discussed his leaving the band. That took a long time, because as he put it, the time was never right. Some may or may not know, but Rik wanted to leave Triumph for several years before he finally did. He credited his brother, who had since passed, for getting him back with the guys to play some shows in the early 2000s.

As a band from Canada, the band really broke out of San Antonio, Texas. He said the radio made their careers early on. Also, their stage show was over the top as well. He said drummer, Gil Moore, was really the brains behind all the stage production. Rik gave me some funny instances about Gil working up some

He answered the question as to why he referred to Gil and Mike Levine as "partners", as opposed to bandmates, he said that it was a business from the beginning. "They are friends, but they're not close friends." He said they do have Christmas dinner each year, but that's about it. And, yes, he did send them a copy of the book.

He went into all the Michigan connections he has, including his son who played baseball at Central Michigan on a baseball scholarship. Speaking of Michigan, I had to get a question from guitarist John 5. He answered that question and talked about his admiration for the local guitar hero.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown-2/

Joe Bonamassa was nice enough to join me last week to talk about his latest albums/projects, plus, his upcoming show at the historic Fox Theater on November 18th. He told me how much he loves that place. I actually made a separate story just for his comments on the Fox.

Joe told me about his latest live album, Tales Of Time, which he recorded at the legendary Red Rocks concert venue in Colorado. He said that the weather was an issue with the two shows he played there to capture his live show. He said the weather was much better the second night, and that's where most of the tracks come from.

Speaking of live albums, he already has another recorded and ready to drop next year. This one though is completely different. That one was recorded at the Hollywood Bowl with an orchestra. He told me about the challenges of making that album, and how proud he is of it since he's lived out in southern California for a couple of decades. "It makes them completely different" was his response when I asked him if the orchestra breathed new life into these songs.

Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 is out, twenty years after the first Vol. 1. He spoke to the making of that album as well.

Does he still have the fire he had as a younger guitar player? "Yeah...the minute the fire goes away is when you got to hang it up." He said he's not there yet.

What about any legendary guitar players he hasn't played with yet? He's played with so many, there's not many he hasn't played with. He told me, which I've heard before, the bigger the star, the nicer the person.

I wrapped it up by asking about the late Jeff Beck. "To me, he was the greatest rock guitar player of all time. For six decades he was reinventing himself." He spoke to seeing Jeff before the shows, playing his guitar in his dressing room. He said it was the most incredible thing. "He lives in rarified air."

-Meltdown-

It's always great to talk with my friend, Jesse James Dupree from Jackyl. He's got a new album coming out on November 10th called, "Breathing Fire". He told me about the idea of the record, which was born out of good old fashioned Rock N' Roll.

Brian Johnson from AC/DC helped to write some of the material. He said Brian called him out of the blue, while Jesse was contemplating and putting thoughts together for new music. "Next thing I know, I'm writing songs with Brian Johnson of AC/DC." Jesse talked about the entire process of how the songs came together with his son, Nigel and Jackyl bassist, Roman Glick. He talked how the cadence of the latest single "Never Gets Old" had a Marine cadence to it. That's out now and you can see the video here, which is the lyric video with 32 different fonts from some of your favorite bands. You can win cash and more if you can name all the bands. Punch up Jesse's site to find out how to win.

We also talked about working with his son, Nigel. He tells a funny story about how it's different to get into an argument with a band member as opposed to your son. LOL

I also asked him about the use of "The Lumberjack" in the Foo Fighter's Studio 666 movie. It's one of the most brutal death scenes I've ever seen in a horror movie. He went on to tell me a story about Nirvana almost getting kicked out of a Jackyl show in Seattle back in the day.

As some of you may or may not know, Jesse works heavily with Harley-Davidson. We talked about that as well.

-Meltdown-

https://www.jessejamesdupree.com/

Always a blast to talk with my friends, Brad Stewart and Bobby Amaru from Saliva. If you're in the SE Michigan area, swing by District 142 on Monday, September 25th to see the show.

Their new record dropped a couple weeks back called Revelations. It was an album written and recorded before the passing of original guitarist, Wayne Swinny. Bobby said they put the album out to honor Wayne. They even redid some of the artwork to pay tribute to the late ax slinger. They talked about the backdrop they're playing in front of each night. "Everybody knows, when you see it, that Raiders logo." Their was a lot of Wayne talk. That dude was so nice. "No ego, one of a kind" is how Brad described him. As Booby recalled "He was always honest, a great person."

Bobby said he hasn't watched their latest video for "Come Back Stronger" that they recorded just days before Wayne's death. You can see the video below. We talked a lot about the writing and recording process for the album.

We always talked about the split in the band with Saliva, and original singers Josey Scott's Saliva. "It's an interesting situation that we're to be quit honest." "It's an awesome thing!" Bobby added about Josey also being out on tour singing these songs. They went on to talk more on this topic.

There was the usual talk of football. These guys love their NFL.

If you follow Bobby on Instagram with his daughter. If you haven't seen it, him and his daughter cover some of the biggest songs in rock. He told me how it started, about some bands that have asked them to cover their songs and more.

Some people may or may not know, but Brad was a writing partner with Wes Scantlin from Puddle Of Mudd before joining Shinedown. He told the story of writing "Control" and how he met Brent Smith and became a member of Shinedown.

LOVE talking to my buds from Saliva....can't wait to see them Monday at District 142.

Great to catch up with John 5.

We talked about first concerts. John's first show was a massive show at a Michigan venue that's no longer around.

5 told me about a documentary he's been working on for some time now. He said it's coming out soon, and he's fired up about it. He said he thought they decided to wait on releasing it after he joined Motley Crue. "I took a chance and rolled the dice" is how he described his path to where is has gone, and where he is today.

"It was very difficult, of course" he said when asked about his leaving Rob Zombie's band. Again, he took a chance. "I was very nervous about talking to my friend (Zombie) about it"

As far as Motley goes, it's a dream come true for 5. "It was magical!" is how he described playing with the band for the first time. He spoke to how he studied the band and how well prepared he was to join them. He said the first show was unreal. What did he do for the second show? He had childhood heroes Ace Frehley and Peter Criss from KISS come to the show. As we were speaking, he thought out loud about playing warmup shows. Maybe it was because of him??

As for playing and hanging with the band, he told me about that experience, and it's crazy. He told me about the Motley "flu" that went around the band.

What about something that he didn't really know about the band, but has come to learn since joining? "Everything is very serious." He said from meet and greets, to making the show the best it can be, they are all in. "They're just wonderful, wonderful people. They really are. They care a lot, that's for sure."

New music from the band? "We have songs recorded. I don't know when it's going to come out." He cannot wait for them to see the light of day. He said there's a few songs finished. Plus, he got to work with the legendary producer, Bob Rock.

He'll be going from the massive stage, to small clubs on his solo tour coming up. "I get so excited to play these shows." You can see him at the world famous Machine Shop on February 9th. A few tickets remain.

He also talks about a new song called "the Ghost", which drops on Halloween.

Always great to catch up with Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. The dude is a beast on the guitar and a creative force!

We talked about a project he did with Sons of Apollo bandmate, Derek Sherinian. He talked about playing with Queen's Brian May. "Such a wonderful guy, yeah." He went onto say "There's nothing not to love about that guy!"

The reason for the conversation was about his band, The Art of Anarchy, and their upcoming third album. The new album drops next February, called Let There Be Anarchy. The story of how this latest album started is a crazy one. Bumble talked about the severe health challenges that faced guitarist Jon Votta, to the point where he was literally dying. That story is unreal! He told me that they have about two albums worth of music written.

He also talks about recruiting Jeff Scott Soto to the band. Of course, he is in S.O.A. with JSS, so it was an easy transition. "We have years of working together." Ron said. He told me about the video for their first single, Vilified, which you can see below. Cube Gooding Jr. is in the video, along with Geoff Tate narrating (which is killer). He said that video has a real "Joker" vibe to it on purpose, including the band playing on the famous stairway from the movie. How did they get those two guys on the video? "We asked!" Easy enough.

He went on to talk about what the rest of the album sounds like, including a track with a guitar solo from Alex Skolnick.

As far as other things he's working on, he's got a solo album he'll be dropping. Plus, he's working with and producing a band called The Dodies.

What's going on with Sons Of Apollo? He answered that. He also talked about his style of producing, and how he approaches the studio.

During the pandemic, he mentioned that he would probably not tour anymore. Has he changed his mind on that?

Always fun to talk with one of the true good dudes in this business, as well as one of the most talented guys I know.

-Meltdown-

I'm a pretty big YES fan, so when I was contacted to speak to Trevor, I said, well, ummmm, "YES!!" immediately.

His new solo album "Rio" drops on October 6th. Trevor talks about the new record, his first solo album since 1989. "Jesus I haven't done a record in so long, I must get into it." he said after speaking to working on music scores for movies for the past three decades. He told me he felt fresh doing the album, almost like it was his first one. He talked about creating, not only the music, but the cover art as well. Yes, that's his painting on the cover.

He said the album is pretty diverse. "It still sounds like something from a record I'd make. I think while demographically it visits a lot of different areas, I think it's pretty coherent and cohesive, stylistically of a record I've penned, if you'd like."

We also discussed his working on movie scores and how it differs from making records. He's done several of them. He told me his favorite movie he's scored was either "Armageddon, or National Treasure or Bad Boys 2." But he said Remember the Titans was one he's really proud of also.

He told me about discovering music while growing up in South Africa. He said there was a lot of British rock. Led Zeppelin, Cream and the Beatles were big in his youth. Now, with the world a lot smaller, it's easier to find music and bands to listen to. His son is a musician and producer, but he's showing him music he's never seen or heard before as well.

I'm a huge Chris Squire fan. Trevor told me about playing with the bass legend. "Having Chris Squire playing bass behind you is like having a bulldozer back there. You can't relax." He said the he was literally like a brother to him. He went into how he got hooked up with YES, and went onto talk about really being the impedance to the rebirth of the band. He said Chris tried getting him back into the band in the 90s, but he had a lot going on with scoring movies. He told very funny story about Chris thanking him for "revitalizing the back catalog of YES" after they broke out in the 80s.

He also spoke to a kid from South Africa being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. "It's amazing...what an honor."

What a fun conversation. Another one checked off the list of people I've never spoken to before. I found Trevor to be fun and easy to speak with. Great guy and really talented!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown-2/

Simon Phillips is a drumming legend, whose played on hundreds of projects. His latest is a live show with keyboardist, Derek Sherinian, called Sherinian/Phillips Live. Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal plays guitars on the album, with Ric Fierabracci on bass. It's out now. You can order it here.

We discussed drumming and even programmed drums, which Simon isn't crazy about. He said he's recorded on as many as 600 albums, including the Sin After Sin album from Judas Priest. He talked about doing it live, and piecing it together. He hadn't worked with the band up until that point. He told me how he got involved on that record.

He told me why we he never stuck with one band, but chose to work on many different projects. "What I loved about playing sessions, was everyday I'd be playing something new." He said he got bored playing the same thing gig after gig. "I love the art of making records."

Simon spoke to making this live album. They played two sets, and he picked what he thought was the best to create the record.

Bumblefoot gave me a question about paper vs. ceramic mugs for Simon's coffee, which was pretty funny. Simon also speaks to how good Bumblefoot's playing is.

Fun interview, another first time conversation for me.

-Meltdown-

I've known Dan Fielding for probably 4 or 5 years. He's one of these guys that you just respect from the time you meet him. He's served the country with great distinction, he's a solid guy and he's committed to his work and America.

"The Asset Mindset: A Special Forces Perspective For Achieving Success" is Dan's book. You can order it here. Personally, I highly suggest it.

In the interview below, Dan speaks to being a Special Forces Green Beret, something others failed to accomplish. He talked about his journey of what spurred him to join the military. He tells me what it's like to work for Kid Rock, the story of meeting him then working for him, and much more.

I got him on to talk about his book because I found it inspiring, motivating, and uplifting. I also think that even though I wasn't in any of the situations Dan's found himself in, I have the Asset Mindset myself. "One of the key points to the Asset Mindset is that you don't have to be Special Forces to have the Asset Mindset, but to be Special Forces, you have to have it."

He told me about how is wife kind of steered him in the right direction to write the book. He said he thought he'd help other people by sharing his experiences. Dan said "I just started writing and the Asset Mindset was born."

"You make your destiny. And that's why I say "Everyone is their own greatest asset."" He spoke to how "lucky" he was. In his words, he made his own luck through preparation. To Dan, that's a big part of achieving success. I couldn't agree more.

If you're wondering what Kid Rock thinks of Dan and his book - “I would not only ask you to support The Asset Mindset by Daniel Fielding, I will TELL YOU. It can change the path you’re on for the better! I truly believe his book will improve all of our lives. Thank you for your service, Dan. God bless America.”
—KID ROCK

Thanks You Dan, for this book, and for your service to this great country!

-Meltdown-

My guest today is Anthrax front man, Joey Belladonna. He'll be playing the machine Shop in Flint on October 13th, which happens to be his birthday.

Joey tells me about his latest project, as he tours with his Journey tribute band, Beyond Frontiers. He tells me how it started, what songs he loves to play on stage and if he's met any of the member from the iconic band.

Which is harder for him to sing....the Journey material, the National Anthem or Anthrax songs. "The anthem I get a little nervous because I'm on my own." He answers that and speaks to how proud he is to be asked to sing the anthem. "That's the thing, I'm completely stoked...I just love it." He also spoke a little about the charity work he does for the VFWs.

He also gives an update on what's going on with Anthrax. "You could probably find out more online than you will with me." He explained that there's no need for him to go into the studio too early. "At this point I don't know how many tunes are done. I don't know if there's more to come." He said he locks in when it's his turn.

-Meltdown-

Always a thrill to talk to a legend like Alice Cooper! People always say don't meet you heroes. I can assure you that Alice break that rule. Great guy!

I started by asking him about the return of guitarist Nita Strauss. He said there's always a "Revolving door policy" when it comes to members of his band. "I think she missed the excitement of an Alice Cooper show." He also spoke to working again with Kane Roberts.

As far as the album "Road" is concerned, he said he really wanted to show off the band. He talked about the live sound of the record. "I want it to sound like a band." He mentioned that after "Detroit Stories", he said he thought his band deserved to be totally involved in the record. He told me about brining in outside musicians, like Tom Morello, Roger Glover and other's. He calls it a "Musical Fraternity".

He said he still loves the road. "I'm a road rat." He went onto say "There's no retirement plan in me at all." According to Alice, the next record is almost done.

As far as his favorite Detroit memories, he brought up baseball legend Al Kaline. He called him his hero. White Castle, Vernors and "Soupy" Sales were mentioned. He spoke to some of the classic music venues and more. "Detroit was the absolute capitol of Rock N' Roll."

As for the signing at Rock City Music Company, he said he only signs records in Detroit.

Up next, it's ex Saliva drummer Paul Crosby. He's in a band called Coldwards with two of his sons. The new single is called Bad News. He tells me about the process of writing songs with his kids, and more. He says they'll be dropping songs here and there, including a song about the late Saliva guitarist, Wayne Swinny.

He did tell me about the passing of Wayne. He spoke to how underrated Wayne was, and what a guitar hero he was. He called him humble, said he'd give the shirt off his back to anyone. We talked a lot about Wayne, and some of the highlights of his time in Saliva. One of them included a couple WWE stints.

Former Saliva singer, Josie Scott is out on tour as well. I asked Paul about that and if he'd ever play with him again. "If he ever asked me to play some shows, of course I would." He went onto say "I talk to him all the time....we're still best friends."

Check out both interviews below.....

-Meltdown-

It's ALWAYS great to talk with Lzzy Hale. She's so easy to chat with and very candid every time we speak.

She spoke to being a mid-state Pennsylvania kid, meeting and playing with her heroes. She mentioned that she grew up in a house that was built in the 1840's, so I had to ask her if she'd ever seen a ghost in that old home. Let's just say, she didn't say no.

As far as Halestorm is concerned, she said it's "Complete Chaos". They're going to buckle down next month and get to writing. She tells me how they write songs and what the process involves. Plus, she talks about a song she wrote that she never thought would see the light of day, which they did record. Let's just say it became a hit. "There's always a handful of songs (that she writes) that I think are dumb." That's a sexy story. LOL

As far as collaborations go, she told me how the Ashly McBryde collab came up. "It was a full on "F&*k Yes!"" She went onto say "She exceeded my expectations" as for how the song went. We talked about the Journey cover she did with Chris Daughtry, who also sent me a question for her to answer. That was funny as well.

If you're watching this, you'll see a piano in the background. I stumped her with naming musicians who've played on it. That was very entertaining. She did tell me about a metal legend who had tickled the ivory at her house. Really cool!

I'll talk to Lzzy anytime she wants me to. She's the best!

-Meltdown-

Geoff Tate, the legendary former Queensryche front man, is my latest guest on the Talkin' Rock with Meltdown podcast. Geoff is always thoughtful and enjoyable to talk with.

We talked about what he's been doing this summer, which included a lot of time in Montana, fishing and hiking and singing songs around the campfire. He spoke to hanging with Anthrax front man, Joey Belladonna.

Geoff's bringing his tour to District 142 in Wyandotte on September 27th.

He gave me a health update after having heart valve replacement surgery last year. He's back at it with a lot of dates, many back-to-back. He said he likes to play those shows as it keeps him sharp.

Is he surprised that an album like Operation Mindcrime has stood the test of time. "Yeah, I am surprised. I'm grateful and humbled by the experience." As far as new projects, he's working on a third Sweet Oblivion album, and possibly another one that he couldn't mention as of yet. He also gave an update on his upcoming autobiography. "I'm pretty close to getting that done." He spoke to how difficult it is to write his own story.

We wrapped things up by talking about a project he was involved with back in the 80s called Hear N' Aid project that Ronnie James Dio came up with. He talked about the legends that were included, and being totally start struck with the likes of Rob Halford, Ted Nugent and others. Great story!

Check out the interview below....

-Meltdown-

Richard Patrick of Filter took some time out of his schedule to talk about what's going on in his world.

Many people may not know this, but the first Filter album was mixed right here in Canton, Michigan, at Pearl Studio. Richard reminded me that he moved from Michigan when he was six or seven to Cleveland, Ohio.

As for the new album, The Algorithm drops on August 25th, next Friday as I record this. He talks about why it's taken so long to come out. He started this album about five or six years ago. "I think, people are going to like the heaviness." of the new album. He said it harkens back to the first three albums. Once again he recorded most of the material on his own. He also told me why they went with real drums, as opposed to programmed drum tracks.

He also spoke to the point of how he is "The King of my World" in his band. He said he's "free" to work with anyone he wants to. He said Filter's the Richard Patrick show without the band title.

Richard opened up about his departure from Nine Inch Nails and the formation of Filter. He talked about being told to deliver pizzas to make more money, while N.I.N. was really going strong. "I was floored. They didn't know it but I was talking to Warner Bros. I had a demo of "Hey Man, Nice Shot, and Warner Bros is like "We'll sing you right now!"" He was entrenched in the band at the time, heavily. He said he'd contemplated doing both N.I.N and Filter, but that wasn't going to work. He said it's all water under the bridge, and he's totally happy with where life has taken him.

As far as reuniting with Trent Reznor, "It was absolutely amazing!" He was really happy to talk about that show last year in Ohio. So cool! "I just really, really had the best time ever."

The Freaks On Parade tour with Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Ministry and Filter kicks off on August 24th. "It's going to be a huge tour...it's going to be insane!" He told me about the huge impact Ministry played in his life. It was significant, to say the least. That's a great story.

Oh, I had to ask him about his relationship with his brother, actor Robert Patrick. He said the bicker back and forth, but "Ultimately I love him and I wish him well."

What a great conversation with Richard!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Wolfgang Van Halen is my latest Talkin' Rock with Meltdown guest. The new album, Mammoth 2 is out, plus, he's on the road...a lot!

Opening for Metallica might be nerve-racking for any band, then add in the enormous stage and venues, but Wolfgang says he's just about got it down now. He told me he doesn't get to move around the stage as much as he'd like to, so his bandmates do it for him.

"It's been wonderful, man" was his response when asked how the Metallica/Pantera shows have been going. He also took me step by step of playing live TV. "I don't think I've been so nervous for anything in my life."

As for Pantera "Regardless of how you feel about it, they sound amazing!" was his answer to seeing the band reunited.

As far as the new album is concerned, he loves to have total control of his musical journey. "No, I mean, from the inception this has been my musical creation." He said he was a bit more confidant going into the process of the new album. He spoke to the very fast recording "We only had, basically, two and half months."

He also talked about getting married in October. He's got a lot going on!

-Meltdown-

Great to talk with Jared Weeks from Saving Abel again.

He spoke to the band being based in the Nashville area. Man, there's a lot of that these days!

We talked about his crazy travel schedule as of late. The band's been playing all over the country. Plus, he made a trip to Mexico for family reasons.

He said the band has been working hard, checking off boxes of things the band wants to do. The latest single is called "Fire", and as he explained, he wrote that song about looking at himself. Writing is therapeutic for Jared. He also said coming back into the band helped him to rediscover his passion for writing that he had in his 20s. "I write about the things that I know."

"Getting back into the Saving Abel machine, we had to redo, rebuild the whole foundation." He said they let go of things, and everyone has chipped in. "I'm Really Proud Of What We Are, Who We Are, And Where We've Come From"

How much has he changed, and how much has the business changed since he left the band and came back? He answers both of those questions.

Oh, and the band also has a connection to the country/rock artist, HARDY.

He talks about balancing family with the riggers of playing in a rock band. He said his youngest appears in their latest video. How cool is that?

That's for starters. Jared is great to talk to!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It was good to catch up with Oli Sykes last week from Bring Me The Horizon on the latest episode of Talkin' Rock.

Lots going on with BMTH. We talk about their latest tour with Fall Out Boy. "It's been sick." is how he summed up the tour. He told me why they choose to do a support tour "We've been going nonstop, and we're kinda on the verge of burning out." He explained that between making records and more, it was just easier to hop on a tour and go out for the summer. "We still have fans to win over." was another reason to hit the road.

The new record called Post Human: neX GEn drops on September 15th. Is the upcoming album the most eclectic record? He answered that question. He spoke to influences and nods to some of the bands he loved growing up. "It's more about the frantic and unhinged energy" he said about some of the songs. "I know the rules to writing a song...now it's time to go back and break them." And, yes, this album will challenge the fans.

He talked about the process for writing music. As far as recording songs, he said that vocal booths are overrated. Ha! He said they don't even really use studios anymore.

One of his heroes was Linkin Park's Chester Bennington. He talked about meeting him and singing at his celebration of life. "I guess you could say that was bittersweet." He searched for words to describe the loss of Chester in his life. "I feel like a part of my childhood died when he died."

He talked about preserving his voice and what he does to not lose it. He also answered the question as to whether the rock star life is all it's cracked up to be. "It's the best job in the world, of course!"

I had to ask him about the crazy videos he's made. I posted a few of them below. He mentioned he wanted to be a director, so this isn't too far out of his wheelhouse.

Really interesting conversation with Oli...

-Meltdown

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Great to talk with Chris and Maria from in This Moment. They're currently out on the Dark Horizon tour with Motionless In White, From Ashes To New and Fit For A King. This fall they hit the road with Kiss Of Death tour with Ice Nine Kills, Avatar and New Year's Day.

We talked about what got them into the theatrical side of rock/metal music. Chris pointed to KISS, Marie pointed to Marilyn Manson and anything thing that strikes a visual chord.

"We're bringing a lot of new bells and whistles" Maria commented on the currant stage show. There's a lot that goes into a ITM show, and Maria kept bringing up the fact that there's more fire than ever before.

The new album Godmode comes out October 27th. Chris told me that making this album they took a lot more time. Plus, working with Kane Churko, instead of his father, Kevin. "Working with him brought a whole new level of intensity to the project." The Purge is the latest single, as they told me how that song's been kicking around for a while. Maria talked about created songs and her writing process. We also talked about the creative element that the band brings to the videos. "I don't have people write for me." Maria said. She's very hands-on when it comes to everything In This Moment.

As far as Godmode is concerned...
There's a cover on the album - "Army of Me"
There's one collaboration on the record.
"It's a little darker than we normally tend to be." Maria said about the overall vibe of the new music.
It's more experimental.
It's more progy, as well. "It definitely is" Chris added.

We talked horror movies as well. I could talk horror flicks all day. Surprisingly, Maria said "Certain horror I can't watch and won't watch. It will get into my head too much." She went on to elaborate about that.

As far as their stage getup is concerned, Chris told me "You're literally putting on the persona and this costume to go out and be something else for the time that you're doing it." "I love dressing up, becoming these characters and having this other side of me be invoked, for sure." Maria commented as far as her stage persona goes.

This is a really fun conversation....a huge thanks to Maria and Chris!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The guys from Badflower were nice enough to swing by the station on their way through to Canada this week. They took a few minutes to talk with me about what they have going on, as well as plug their appearance for Riff Fest on September 23rd.

Joey, Anthony, Alex and Josh spoke to getting lost on the way to the station. That's a tough trick in this day and age.

They talked about the tour they're currently on with Incubus and Paris Jackson. They told a story of what they did on a recent day off, which the Incubus guys took care of.

What about new music from the band? They were somewhat tight-lipped about what they're working on, or when it will see the light of day, but let's say they are recording material. They eluded to the fact that they've worked on it for a while. Josh said finishing the music is the hardest. "Getting a song to 75% is the easiest part. Maybe even 80%. Going from the 75, 80, 90 to 100 % is like a steep climb." He said it's weird to be judged when they drop new music.

As far as reading what the fans write on social media, Josh reads all of the comments, even though he said that might not be a great idea. "It sucks, I shouldn't." He did admit there's many positive comments as well.

They passed along some bus rules, things they don't like about touring, and more.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Singer Eva Marie and guitarist Rob Lyberg join me for this episode of Talkin' Rock w/ Meltdown. It was super cool of the guys to swing by the station and talk all things Eva Under Fire.

We discussed how they got the name for the band. Rob explained the long and short of naming the band.

They've had a crazy few years. We talk about their very first tour with Buckcherry, and how they were treated on that run. Eva said "They were really, really cool guys.". She compared touring to camping by saying "You don't have a lot of amenities, but if you love it, you love it.". That's a great way to look at it.

The thing about this band, is that they started to percolate around the start of the lockdowns. They were stalled a little bit, like many bands, but did happen to hop on some killer tours.

If you didn't know, Eva was in the movie "The Retaliators". Eva explained how the song "Blow" made the movie, and how Spencer Charnas from Ice Nine Kills ended up on the track. She also told the story of meeting him for the first time, a long time later.

They also have a lot going on for 2023, including a deluxe album which drops on August 4th. Eva talked about working with country artist Cody Marks on the song "Unstoppable" for the deluxe version of their album Love, Drugs & Misery.

A HUGE Thank You to Rob and Eva for coming by the studio to discuss the band and what they have going on.

-Meltdown-

Chad Gray from Mudvayne is on Talkin' Rock as they tour on their Psychotherapy Sessions tour.

He talked about touring with Zombie last year as kind of a "feeling out" to see what could happen with the band. He talked about all the places in the world he'd like to hit on this tour. He told me about playing some different songs on this tour, that they hadn't played before. As far as their cover of the Police song "King Of Pain", don't expect them to be doing that one any time soon. "It just did not sound good....it sounds wonky" He explained that whole thing about the tuning of the song.

It was really interesting talking about a conversation he had with the late Vinnie Paul, about how big Pantera was even though they hadn't played in a very long time. Chad said there's all sorts of fans seeing Mudvayne for the first time. From very young kids to "old guys like us."

There's a lot of music talk with Chad, although he says he doesn't listen to much new music, he said he has his staples. "I just don't go searching for new music." He mentioned how music takes him back many year like a "Sonic Fountain Of Youth". Great line!

What made Pantera so good? He talked about how they wrote songs. "Those MFers played to the song." He spoke to writing with V.P. during his time in Hell Yeah.

He talked to meeting one of his heroes, James Hetfield of Metallica. He went on and on about what a treasure James is, and a little secret he gave him to help his performance as far as singing goes.

All and all, a great conversation with Chad. Loved talking to him, as always.

-Meltdown-

Jelly Roll is one of the busiest and hottest music stars today. I was lucky enough to grab a few minutes with him. What I got was a fun, candid, real conversation.

I've never met or interviewed him before, so when the conversation starts out talking about the "Beer Olympics" I knew this was going to be a fun talk.

We talked about the meteoric rise to success. He said while touring with Shinedown last year, he got to see and experience everything that it takes to go to the next level.

"Dude, I was a sponge," he said. "I stood side stage every night watching every set." He said he learned so much by watching singer Brent Smith throughout the tour.

As far as his music and live show, he said, "We believe that connection is the answer."

Jelly Roll talked about his late blooming in the music industry. "I'm proof that it can happen," he said, as he talked about the chances of anyone being able to prosper in this business. He spoke to his underdog story and how he's risen from wild and oftentimes troubled youth.

If you're unfamiliar with his past, Jelly Roll was featured in a recent Hulu documentary, "Save Me." Having seen the documentary and then hearing Jelly Roll talk about it was fascinating. He told me he was very involved in the development of the film. "The first time I seen it, I cringed," he said. He spoke to the rawness of the project during our interview.

Jelly Roll also opened up about his plans for an upcoming album project. "I expect the next album to be more uplifting," he said. Jelly Roll said he's always writing, and that his next record could even be a return to rock, the genre Jelly Roll got his beginnings in. "I think we're going to surprise some people with some of the collabs on this...it's going to be different."

Based on his comments, I wondered: is Jelly Roll "rock" or is he "country?" "I'm country rock, right?" he said.

He went on to talk more about crossing genres and about some of his rock influences. "I'll never forget where I was the first time I heard Bob Seger," he said, noting that his songwriting philosophy is "three chords and the truth."

Jelly Roll is one star who has risen fast. I asked him what has surprised him the most from the last year as he has been on this massive career growth journey. He name-dropped a lot of music heavyweights who reached out to support him: Garth Brooks, David Draiman (Disturbed), Ronnie Radke (Falling in Reverse) and others.

He also spoke to his Detroit influences and places he's played here....everywhere!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://jellyroll615.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

HARDY is my latest Talkin' Rock guest. You might be saying to yourself, isn't he a country guy? Well, you're half right.

His latest album has a lot of rock influence, including a guest appearance from Jeremy McKinnon on a shredder called "Radio Song". How was that collaboration born? "Dude, I just slide into the DMs...haha" He went onto tell me it was a simple as that. "I've got a song I'd love for you to hear...I sent it over and the rest is history."

Personally, 'the mockingbird & The Crow' is one of my favorite albums of the year. We talked about the country/rock elements of the stuff he'd written. He explained to me how that idea of the split record was developed. How about meeting some of his rock heroes from his high school days. "Growing up a big rock n roll guy, it's crazy to become friends with some of the guys I grew up listening to."

He talked about his "overnight" success, that took 8 years. "Man, I was grinding for a long time."

The single "Jack" was a #1 song on rock radio. "I still can't believe that I have one." He explained the song as well. Yes, it's a song about Jack, but much more.

He also has a resemblance to Detroit's own Kid Rock. Rock fed me a couple things to ask him.....he told me a funny story about a trip to Thailand.

Enkoy!

-Meltdown-

https://hardyofficial.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Josh Todd is the latest guest on Talkin' Rock, as Buckcherry is playing Uncle Sam Jam on July 7th. Before they do, they be at Rock City Music Company the day before doing a special meet and greet with fans. All the details are here.

Just like so many rockers, Josh is sober. Unlike so many rockers, he sobered up before his career took off. He told me about living "really fast" early in his life. There was a couple things that pointed him towards a clean life. When asked if he credits his career with his sobriety, he responded "Absolutely...number one on my list. Without that I've got nothing."

He told me about the latest album, Vol 10. He talked about doing "guerilla writing sessions". As far as the writing process he said "We just do whatever's best for the song, ya know." referring to writing with the group and producer Marty Fredrickson. Josh talked about a few certain songs, and some dark places he was at while writing these songs. Why did they cover Bryan Adams' "Summer of 69"? He answers that question too. One song he said was there "Hysteria" from Def Leppard.

He brought up perfect albums, so I asked him to name some of his favorites.

He also talked about racing go-carts, playing tennis, and the live version of "Crazy Bitch" they do, which is pretty cool.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

https://rockcitymusicco.com/

What an honor to have Stewart Copeland on Talkin' Rock!

The new album 'The Police Deranged for Orchestra' comes out this Friday, June 23rd. In a nutshell, he took massive Police songs and rearranged them with an orchestra and some singers. He talked about the process of making this album and what songs turned out the furthest from the original. He added that he can do this to these songs, because they're his. "I feel a sense of ownership, a sense of impunity. If we hired someone to orchestrate these, they would be very polite." He wasn't so polite.

We talked about one of his soundtracks to a movie that was hugely inspirational to me as a young budding radio guy, Talk Radio. He gives away the ending, so skip that part if you haven't watched it. :)

He talked about the Jeff Beck project he did about 23 years ago. I asked him if that will ever come out. "Probably not." He went into more detail on why that will never see the light of day.

What's it like to play behind Sting and then switch to Les Claypool? "Oh, my God...very, very different." What about his relationship with Neil Peart. "He was a great man. A tower of strength and wisdom." He had some great stories of jamming with him and other legendary drummers.

We wrapped up the conversation by asking him about the band Scrantonicity from the TV show The Office. His answer was the most surprising of not only this interview, but of any interview I've done in recent memory.

-Meltdown-

https://www.stewartcopeland.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It was so much fun to have Brock, Ava, Ben and Lucas from Frame 42 join me in studio, along with legendary producer, Toby Wright.

We talk about what it's like for a young band to work with someone with the background Toby has. They tell me about their upcoming EP, some summertime plans, what their single "Ramona" is about and lots more. Toby talks about how hard working and talented the band was to work with and much more.

Rock band Frame 42, in studio with Meltdown and Toby Wright...

-Meltdown-

https://www.frame42.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The new album from Janet Gardner and Justin James is out. "No Strings" is their latest effort. Janet talks about the writing and recording process and much more. "We always like to do music that is relatable to people's everyday lives." She hopes they've inspired and empowered people through their music. She said one song had 45 mixes!! "We're really proud of this album."

She told me about how she does her vocals, by herself, which she loves. "I take the best part from each take and put it together."

We talked about what she's doing now, parenthood. Plus, she told me about some of her vocal heroes.

I love talking to Janet....

-Meltdown-

Staind has a new record dropping this fall, and Mike Mushok was nice enough to hope on Zoom and tell me about it. Well, he told me what he could....you'll have to watch the interview to know what I mean.

Mike talks about the connection Staind and Godsmack have had for decades, as they get set to tour this summer. He talks about the first national show they actually played here in Detroit opening up for a local music legend.

We talk about the upcoming album, their first in 12 years. "Confessions of the Fallen" drops in late summer/early fall. Mike didn't have a specific date yet. He explained how the main lyric writer is singer, Aaron Lewis and that he doesn't even know what the lyrics are until far into the process. He told me about creating riffs and how he stores them in an 'ideas folder'. As far as the record "I'm really happy with the way it turned out". He said it's a diverse album with more of an electric element to the new music.

We talked about making videos, dropping more new songs before the record comes out and more.

He also told me his thoughts on Aaron Lewis solo stuff. "I think whatever Aaron does is really good." He said that he had always hoped the band would get back together, but there just wasn't a plan. We discussed his thoughts when the band shut down, playing with Jason Newstead and Saint Asonia filling the void. He said he wanted to write with other singers, which turned into Saint Asonia.

We talked about touring in 2021 in the midst of the pandemic. Find out why he says he looks back on the lockdown sort of fondly.

Always great to talk with Mike....

-Meltdown-

Something happened in this interview that's never happened with anyone I've talked to in over thirty years. More on that later. John is playing the new District 142 in Wyandotte coming up on July 12th.

We talked about his upcoming Live & Loud tour Tom Keifer and Winger. The last of which stops at the world famous Ryman Theater in Nashville, Tenn. "I can't say I won't drop to my knees and lick the spot where Elvis played." He talked about playing Detroit early on in his career with The Scream and talking to multiple radio stations back in the day.

John is back in the Dead Daisies. I asked him about the constant turnover in that band, since members come and go. He answered that and how he rejoined the band. "I'm honestly happy to be back. There's no bad blood between us." He talks about their new bassist, and how he dated his ex-wife. LOL. He goes way back with him. He spoke of the great respect he has for Glenn Hughes. "That guy is genuinely a freak. The fact that he still sings the way he sings is mindboggling to me." He talked about rehearsals with the band, and his crazy schedule around that.

Ok, about that thing earlier....he was getting tattooed while we were doing the interview. And, yes, he does show what he was getting. (on the video link at wrif.com/meltdown)

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

Johnny Kelly of Quiet Riot is my latest Talkin' Rock with Meltdown guest. If you're in the Detroit area, the Quiet Riot guys are playing at Smugglers Run on June 9th.

We talk about his lighter tour schedule. He told me playing with QR is much different than he was used to playing with Type O Negative. He explained how they tour on a completely different circuit that is new to him. He recalled touring with Motley Crue in the mid-90s. "It was a tough tour for them" he said about the guys in Crue. He also shared some other tour horror stories.

As far as playing with a guy like Rudy Sarzo? "It's surreal". He went into what it's like to play with such a rock legend. He admitted he was somewhat start struck, but now has become a friend. Johnny also tells me what Jizzy Pearl is like. I've never had the chance to meet him before, so I'm looking forward to it.

Of course we had to talk a little hockey. He's a big hockey fan, so I had to ask him about his thoughts on the Stanley Cup playoffs. He also told me who he thinks the late Vinnie Paul would've been rooting for.

He's in a new band called Eye Am. How did that start? What's going on with that project? Johnny fills us in on all things about that band too.

Great to catch up with one of my favorite dudes!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's always great to talk with Corey Taylor. I'm a huge

Producer Jay Ruston texted me about the album. He said many things, but we started by talking about how Corey is a one or two take guy. I asked him if he's just really prepared when he enters the studio. "I try to be, yeah." He said it's easier to do it that way for everyone involved. "It's better to know what you're doing then to go in blind." He talked about some producers who do many takes. "I like to do it fresh because it feels alive."

As far as the album being darker and heavier "There are definitely some darker and heavier moments on it." He spoke to some of the songs that are on the album and how one in particular might shock some people. He said the band sounds killer, too. He also explained the cover art and how it's an homage to some of his heroes.

He turns 50 this year, so I had to ask him his thoughts on that. "I think about it constantly." He said he still loves playing and performing in front of the fans.

We got into a little mask talk. He compared and contrasted wearing it and not.

Oh, I had to get some KISS talk in there as well. LOL

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

Wow! What a great conversation with Zacky Vengeance from Avenged Sevenfold. Their new record "Life Is But A Dream..." drops on June 2nd, and I'm very excited! The two tracks I've heard have blown me away!

He told me about the first couple shows. They haven't been on stage in about five years. "We have to put on a show that compliments the music, and do something different than we did before."

He talks about how every member of the band brings their creative thoughts to the table, nothing is off limits. We talked about the artwork and what went into creating that.

What keeps the four original members so tight after all these years. "We feed off of each others energy." He went into much more detail on this topic. Really interesting to hear his answer.

We got to talking about the album. Like I said, I CANNOT wait to hear the whole record. He had a ton to say about it. He talked about how these songs are everything but cliché. "It kinda puts you in a mood and vibe" as far as the opening single, Nobody is concerned. "We tried totally different things" when it comes to the other song they released called We Love You All. "Whatever we do sounds like Avenged Sevenfold." He talked a lot about how they really tried to test the barriers on this album. "We did it pure and true on this album"

He told me how they recorded the orchestral parts for the album on a very famous soundstage. "It took us an extra year and a half." We talked about the influences that shaped the record...you might be surprised.

That's just the tip of our conversation on the new album.

I also asked him about a funny story M. Shadows told me about a show early in their career, and about his favorite Beatle songs.

This is a GREAT listen! Enjoy.....

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Weird, I've never met or hung out with Billy, but I've interviewed him a couple times and love talking to him.

Of course we had to talk wrestling. He's a huge fan! He says he doesn't want to get in the ring, though. LOL

He said his band is playing great. "It's a pleasure for us to provide a world-class show wherever we go". He talks about playing some new stuff off of the new albums. He tells me about his love for vinyl, as well.

A couple weeks back he made news talking about how Kurt Cobain was his biggest "competitor". I asked him who was his biggest competitor now. He had a very interesting answer, which I agree with.

How often does a guy like Billy get recognized out in public? He answers that question, too.

I got some Chicago sports talk in there as well, including his brush with greatness with Michael Jordon.

Enjoy!

Meltdown

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

A couple weeks back, Steve Whiteman of KIX, spoke on the final concert in the career of the band. I'm not sure it came out of nowhere with some of the guys in declining health, but it's another band we grew up listening to hanging up their instruments.

I'd never interviewed Steve, but found him very easy to talk with and quick with a quip. He told me about the decision to call it quits. "I'm sick to death of the travel and hotels and waiting in greenrooms." He talked about how to play one show, a lot goes into it. As far as taking the stage for the final time? "I'm ready for it."

He also talked about the apology he made to a town in Minnesota. He looks back on the band's history, the heyday of the group, and what stopped it in their tracks.

He told me about his heroes, vocally growing up. He tells me about the first time he heard a KIX song on the radio.

Will they do any one-off shows? He answers that, too.

That's just for starters on this wide ranging conversation with Steve Whiteman of KIX.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Stephen Pearcy of RATT is my latest Talkin' Rock guest. The new ‘THE ATLANTIC YEARS’ LIMITED EDITION BOX SET" drops on June 9th. This thing is like the definitive RATT box set. Once again, that drops June 9....you can pre-order it here.

Lots of topics were discussed, like the trouble the band had picking a set list back in the day. Did they have trouble picking the songs? "Every F*#(^!n Day!" We talked about the Monsters Of Rock cruise that just wrapped up.

Stephen told me all about the box set. He said the entire band was involved in putting together the product. "I did Robin's share of course." he said about the deceased guitarist. He didn't hesitate when I asked him to pick one album out of the five that would best sum up the band.

He told me about the MTV years and how important shooting a video was for the band. How about the importance of the rock magazines? We talked about that, too.

He also commented on drummer Bobby Blotzer's comments about how RATT crushed Motley Crue back in the day. "Bob tends to be a little outspoken." He went on to talk about this at length. I also had to ask him about the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame....he didn't hide his distain for that place.

Fun to catch up with Stephen Pearcy of RATT again.

-Meltdown-

Great to catch up with Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix on Talkin' Rock.

We talk about his sobriety and what he does now to fill his time on tour, besides drinking. Is it a rite of passage for rock musicians to go through that? He answers that question. He told me about other sober musicians that helped him along the way. He talks about his addictive personality.

We recall OZZfest when they played some 20-odd years ago. The main core of three remains intact in Papa Roach. Jacoby talks about what has kept them together for almost three decades. He grew up in Sacramento, California, and is still there to this day. He tells me why he's stayed in that area of the country.

What's it like to be the "rock dad"? That's a title that he has and talks about that. He's very much the family man with his wife and his three boys. He told me about the viral moment his son sang with him on stage a couple of months ago.

New music from P. Roach? Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix tells me about the timetable for that and what they're working on now.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I haven't talked to or seen Sass Jordan in decades! It was great to reconnect with her as she just released a live album on April 28th.

We discuss Live In New York Ninety-Four. She tells me her greatest memories of working and playing with Taylor Hawkins, why she doesn't really go to concerts, the invisible musical fence between America and Canada and lots more.

So much fun to speak with her again.

-Meltdown-

https://sassjordan.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

What an honor to talk to rock royalty. Ian Anderson is on Talkin' Rock to discuss the latest album and more around his life and Jethro Tull.

The latest album is called RökFlöte and is out now. That bring said, Ian talked about an idea he got in early 2023 for the next album already. "My resolve is to work during this year to get that ready for rehearsal and recording in January and February of next year."

He talked about touring and making up dates after the pandemic. "I tried not to think about it too much." as far as if he missed playing live and touring during the lockdowns.

We got into some spiritual talk. He told me about studying religions and attending different masses. "I rather like the unknowable." he said about what lies beyond here.

I asked him about the term "prog rock". He said he liked the term progressive rock more. He dove into that much more.

What about that scene in Anchorman, where Will Ferrell was playing the flute in the club? He brought up that he thought Fox anchorman Tony Snow had more to do with that scene than he did.

Lastly, I asked him where his Metal Grammy is....that's a fun story.

Enjoy the conversation.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/2023/05/03/new-music-religion-anchorman-his-metal-grammy-and-more-with-jethro-tulls-ian-anderson/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Great to catch up with Mark Kendall from Great White! They're playing Smugglers Run in Wyandotte on May 5th.

We talked about some of his guitar and rock heroes. He told me some great advice he got from Scorpions Rudolph Schenker after a sub-par show "Mark, you have to play hard out there...kick ass!" Words to live by in anything you do!

He spoke of meeting Ted Nugent and a story of a show they played with him. Again, he told me about the great mid-west rock fans.

Great White has a new singer in 26 year old Brett Carlisle. As far as the first shows he played with the band "He blew us away!" He talked about working on new material with the band. "It's killer!" He said the kid is very mature for his age and has fit in with the band perfectly. He told me about new music and the demos they're working on.

As far as newer bands are concerned, he mentioned Michigan's own, Greta Van Fleet. He liked the rawness of their sound and the casual nature of the guys. We talked about bands using tracks, and also trying to be prefect in the studio.

That's just for starters....enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

What an honor to have Richie Faulkner on Talkin' Rock. This is the first time I've had a chance to talk to the metal guitarist.

His new project is called Elegant Weapons and their debut album drops on May 26th. The band features him, Ronnie Romero on vocals, Rex Brown (Pantera) on bass, and Scott Travis (Judas Priest) on drums. The band also features different players including Christopher Williams on drums and Dave Rimmer on bass.

He told me about putting the band together, why the timing was right, and getting each player. As far as getting Rex, Scott and Ronnie on the album, Richie said "I'm super fortunate to have these guys on the record." He told me about asking these legends to record with him.

Speaking of Rex Brown, I asked Richie if he ever talked about joining Pantera. "To me there was only one guy who could do that, that's Zakk." He told me about never seeing the Cowboys From Hell live. That brought on an unbelievable Ouija board story. LOL

He talked about the writing process in both Elegant Weapons and Judas Priest. "Rob has to connect with it" in respect to the lyrics. He gives an update on new Priest "As far as recoding it's almost done. I can't wait for you guys to hear it." Now, working on his third album with the band, he tells me about his comfort level in the band. He also talks about Andy Sneap and his ability to pull the best out of the guys.

We talk about the Flying V guitar he uses. He gives me a health update after his emergency heart surgery a couple years ago. "The guitar, and touring and these records have gotten me through." "The Reaper was on stage that night." I'm glad Richie won that battle. He also fills us in on how Glenn Tipton is doing.

He also told the me song that not only turned him into a music fan, but made him fall in love with guitar....and more!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Always great to have a Rock N' Roll legend on Talkin' Rock!

Joe Talks about his new album and all the guests on it, plus working on it with his sons. He's doing a run of shows and one of them is in Pontiac, Michigan at the Crowfoot. That lead him to talk about how Detroit was one of the first cities to really prop up Aerosmith.

I asked him about Aerosmith, how Steven Tyler and Joey Kramer are doing. He gave me updates on them. He also answered the question to whether they would ever put out new music.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

Great to get the chance to talk with Linkin Park's Dave "Phoenix" Farrell. We talked about the start of the band, and why he wasn't in it for the first album. He told me he stepped out to play with another band, then came back into the fold just before the debut album dropped.

He tells me about the "latest" song "Lost". It was recorded for the Meteora album, but didn't make it. Phoenix explained why. "It sat too close to a couple other songs that were on the record". He said they set it aside and found it on a hard drive and brought it back. As far as the fans, he said "People seem to be really enjoying it...it's a huge win for us".

We talked about the late Chester Bennington. He recalled loving hearing his voice again on the songs after 20 years. For those that never had a chance to meet Chester, he said "Chester was a very 3, if not 4 dimensional person". He talked about how good he was with his kids, and what a warm caring guy he was.

Of course, I couldn't not talk about Golf with Phoenix. He a big fan of the sport.

Harem Scarem is a Canadian band that formed in the late 80s. Today, singer Harry Hess joins me to talk about the band, Canadian music, the vinyl version of their second album Mood Swings and lots more.

He told me about starting the band as teenagers in Toronto in the 80s. He said the sound of the band changed with the advent of the grunge era. He told me how much he liked some of the bands that came out of the Seattle scene. "We could do whatever we want, because no one had any expectations". He said the biggest representation of the sound of the band is the second album, Mood Swings. He also told me about their success outside of North America. "To this day they're our biggest territory" - talking about the Philippines.

He talked about crisscrossing Canada in the early years and what a slog some of those trips were, as opposed to Europe where the towns are much closer. "Canada is about the toughest place to tour, getting from town to town." As far as why some bands break the invisible wall and find success in America? He spoke to the fact that Harem Scarem really didn't have a deal which allowed them to be released in the U.S. for several years into their existence.

Speaking of Canadian rock, we talked about that, too. The hair band era sprouted a lot of metal bands from the Toronto area especially. He brought back some memories of some acts I haven't thought of in years. He also told me about a legendary musician who has a studio not far from his.

Great conversation with Harry!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/shows/meltdown-on-wrif/

Up first, it's Jared Weeks from Saving Abel. We stared off the conversation by talking about playing for the troops overseas.

He talked about leaving and rejoining the band. Jared's always been very candid about his struggles. Leaving the band was self-preservation. ""I just didn't have the tools to live in reality at the volume of 11." He had to get himself together, through therapy and more, to straighten up his life.

He tells me what the other guys in the band have going on. New music? Yes, it's coming. He talked about the cover song that he did with the band No Resolve. As far as Saving Abel, the single called "Baptize Me" drops on April 14th. "We've focused more on hard riff, double bass, more rock and roll type music." He said the music has more of a mission and purpose.

He became very emotional when I brought up the passing of Wayne Swinny from Saliva. Wayne was a great friend to many in the music business, Saving Abel no exception. Jared told a story of joining the Wayne on stage last year.

That's just for starters with Jared......

Brad Arnold from 3 Doors Down and Kevin Martin from Candlebox joined me to talk about their summer tour, which stops here on June 21st at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater.

Kevin confirmed this will be the last proper tour for his band. "I've been threatening this for a long time." He said the pandemic really pushed him towards his decision. He went into more on that and how touring forced him to miss out on much of his family life. Brad gave me his thoughts on his last tour. "I've thought about it before, but I got to where it's fun again." He talked about being on tour before he got sober "It got to be not fun!"

Even though Kevin is retiring from touring, that doesn't mean that things will stop for him. He still plans on doing charity shows and new music, with a documentary on the horizon. "It's time for me to say goodbye to this (touring) lifestyle."

They tell me which they prefer - an outdoor shed vs. and indoor show.

Kevin talked about touring with RUSH and what he learned from that tour that he still does today, thirty years later. He also talked about being joined by at least one original member through some of the final shows.

Brad talked about being the last original member from the inception of the band. "By the grace of God. Man, we've had some bad stuff happen. Either one of those situations that happened to those other guys, could've happened to me."

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/shows/meltdown-on-wrif/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I love talking to Johannes and do every chance I get. Their new album is out called Dance Devil Dance and it crushes, like you'd expect.

We talked about his live show." We like cardio onstage" he laughed. About playing live he said "It's the end goal of what we do" He said their music is made for the live experience. "We're very passionate about it."

We talked about the last albums and how Dance Devil Dance is a bit different. We talked about his vocal prowess. "I like to try things." He says he pushes himself further on every album. "Metal should make you sweat a bit." I couldn't agree more.

We talked about having left over riffs that he may or may not use on albums. He said lyrics were harder to recycle. "Whatever we do with Avatar reflects where we are at, at any given time."

Yes, there was Satan talk.....or Devil talk. I don't know, you need to hear that part for yourself.

We discussed why they continue to use producer Jay Ruston. This guys works on all sorts of rock records. "Because, for whatever reason, even bigger selling genre people don't realize how great he is. So we get to keep him to ourselves." That is an awesome stamp of approval of why Jay is so tied into the rock world. Johannes expanded on that as well. He also explained why the album was recorded in the middle of nowhere.

We talked a little wrestling...even some Swedish hockey players.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://avatarmetal.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Slaughter comes to Smugglers Run in Wyandotte, Michigan this coming Saturday, but first, Mark Slaughter talked to me. It's been a while since Mark's been on Talkin' Rock, so it was great to get him on to talk about everything they have going on.

He told me about the band, along with Dana Strum and Jeff "Blando" they're bringing drummer, Jordon Cannata. He's the young gun in he band as Mark explained. "What a great player! Young kid, he was born....on the day that our first record was put out." He talked about the many times Slaughter has played the Detroit area, including his first time through the Motor City with the Vinnie Vincent Invasion. "We did two nights with Alice Cooper, this is in 1986, where we opened up and played Hell Night and Halloween, opening for Alice Cooper." Those shows were at the legendary Cobo Hall.

He mentioned some possible new music coming down the pike. "It doesn't take us long to write the songs, it's just about getting us in the same room." We talked about drummer Blas Elias "Blas is and always will be a big part of the band." We talked about a possible upcoming bio-pic and what he's discovered that will be a part of that.

He talks about his life in Tennessee and why he's there. He told a crazy story about a trip to Lima, Peru earlier this year. That story is nuts! Oh, and bodyguards ripping seats out of rental cars...yeah, you read that right.

See you guys at the show this Saturday!

-Meltdown

https://www.slaughterusa.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The new Pop Evil album drops on March 17th called Skeletons. Leigh tells me why they named it that, and why there's a + and - on the cover art work. He talks about the writing process and what influenced the music and lyrics.

The band has developed a sizable catalog, as Leigh talks about the history of the band, why they stayed in west Michigan as opposed to coming to Detroit. Speaking of which, he talks about some of the talented artists that have come from the "D", including a few we hung with last weekend.

That's just for starters with Leigh.

Up next, it Willian DuVall from Alice In Chains.

He's on The Hu's latest single "This Is Mongol (Warriors Soul)". He tells me about working with that very unique band on that song. "They're definitely working with instruments and vocal techniques and textures that are largely unfamiliar and exotic to western sensibilities. But, ya know, I take that on as kind of a welcomed challenge." He said they fused what he does, and what they do to make the final product. He also told me that he'd never seen the band live. "I have yet to actually see them live in concert....it also would be cool to join them on stage"

He gave me an Alice in Chains update. He said that right now "Not Much" is going on with them. Well, that was anticlimactic. LOL "We're enjoying our downtime." He answers the question of how joining AIC changed his life. He also answers correctly what Jerry Cantrell's best riff. is.

We got into some vinyl talk, and then I brought up KISS. That's when William really lit up. "That was concurrent into my wanting to play music." He told me how Ace Frehley influenced the way he plays guitar. He told me about a time he sort of met his guitar hero, and what his best riff was as well....which he also got right! ;)

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I'd never met any of the three original members of Skid Row before I did an interview with Rachel Bolan last year, and since we've become friends. Great guys, killer band to this day!

Rachel and "Snake" Sabo joined me as we talked about the past year, which found the guys adding a new singer, recording an awesome album, and hitting the road non-stop. To say it's been a whirlwind of a year would be an understatement. We talk about seeing KISS for the first time and how that concert changed Snake's life. Since I did this interview on 3/13, which is Detroit's main area code, I asked the guys what the city has meant to them. "The Motown thing had such a huge influence on my growing up" Snake told me.

Are they working on new music? Yes. Rachel said they've never started writing this early after releasing new material just last fall. They talk about singer, Erik Gronwall, and his upbringing and love for classic music.

I asked them about the '18 and Life' contest. They explain that, that classic song and more.

If you're in the southeast Michigan area, they're playing the Motor City Casino Soundboard with Buckcherry on Wednesday, March 15th. I'll see you there!

Kow Wetzel is next. Is he a country guy dipping his toes into the rock world, or the other way around? We talk about, as well as partying at Kid Rock's house in Nashville, his outlaw influences, why his music sounds like it does and lots more.

He's playing a sold-out show at the Masonic Temple in Detroit on March 25th.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The Taproot machine cranked up this week. They pegged down a date for the new album, announced some shows and pretty much hopped back onto the scene.

Singer, Steve Richards, was cool enough to swing by the station for an interview about everything the band has going on. He told me about the entire making of the album, which he did all by himself. It's over a decade or recording, writing and finetuning each note. It's called SC/SSRS (Scissors) and drops on September 29th. The band is going to celebrate its release with a couple shows at the Machine Shop in Flint, Mi. that weekend, the first of which sold right out right away, plus some other shows including the Blue Ridge Rock Fest with some of the biggest names in rock.

He tells me about some of the songs, one that's as close to a love song as he's ever gotten. He tells me about some special guests than join him on the record, as well as if he's going to send Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst a copy. LOL

That's just for starters on this wide ranging conversation. Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/2023/03/03/taproots-steve-richards-gives-details-about-the-upcoming-album-special-guests-concerts-and-more/

https://www.volatilemerchandise.com/taproot/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/track-x-track/

Scott Holiday and Jay Buchanan from the Rival Sons were nice enough to swing by the studio on a day off from their tour. They talked about the new albums they'll be dropping this year. "Darkfighter" comes out on June 2nd, with "Lightbringer" is coming out later in the year.

Jay talks about how this is truly their "pandemic" album. He talked about working remotely with Scott writing the new material. "Dark Fighter is more about fighting the Darkness. With Light Bringer more about illuminating," he said. Scott added that Darkfighter is a big, epic type song. He told us something about the album that they hadn't talked about before. "There is no Darkfighter on the album Darkfighter. It opens up Lightbringer." They expanded on that, and the reason they did it, as well as why why there's two albums coming out.

We talked about taking the band to the next level. Jay said their career "lives and dies by how honest we can be with our art." He said the new albums do just that.

What's it like to put out an album? Simple question, right? But there's a lot of us that have never, and will never do it. Jay and Scott give me their answer to that simple question. Scott talks about writing songs that they think will transcend on stage in front of a live audience. Jay said, "Whatever songs you write, are going to be your life mantra for the next two years." He expanded on that to say, "It's a new narrative that you allow yourself to live."

Scott talked about the current state of rock music. "People have told us for years that we're the savior of Rock and Roll." He eluded that the fans that are really protecting the music form.

There was a few things coming up they couldn't talk about, but they said their year is full.

-Meltdown-

https://www.rivalsons.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/track-x-track/

So great to have Blöthar the Berserker back on Talkin' Rock. If you're in the southeast Michigan area you'll be able to meet and get a photo with him at Astronomicon on March 3rd and 4th.

He tells me what's happening with the band, a lot of which he said he can't talk about yet. He did tell me that they guys are working on a very big project. Kind of an album/movie project that sounds interesting.

We talk about horror movies and the streaming service Shudder. He tells me about working with Lzzy Hale on their song "The Cutter". "She's such a great singer and great musician." He went on "We consider her a sister to GWAR".

I asked him about the future of GWAR. Is there an end date? Will other guys fill in? "GWAR is in it for the long haul"

He talks about their new "products". "There's no end to how we'll prostitute ourselves." You can check out their site for more details on that. LOL

Up next, it's former MLB pitcher, Bronson Arroyo. He has a new album out called Some Might Say. It's a very 90s based album, as he explained to me that he's just a prisoner to what he was influenced on. He put out an album of covers about 15 years ago, which he had Stephan King voice a part of it. We talked about that, as well as him asking Eddie Vedder for some tips.

We did talk a litttle baseball, and rockers who are huge fans. I've never met him before, but rest assured, I'll see him next time he's in town.

-Meltdown-

https://gwar.net/

https://www.astronomicon.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=HC_Search_Display&gclid=CjwKCAiAl9efBhAkEiwA4ToripXhPBe_m-sQoJ5f5CVb04-MFPFPLflGPcz_duXbYl23fK4N971H-xoC_QcQAvD_BwE

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/track-x-track/

Steel Panther is one of my favorites bands, and I love talking to the guys.

They talk to me about their new album, which drops on February 24th. They have a couple videos out for the songs "1987" and "Friends with Benefits". Satchel tells me about the songs, and for some reason explains "Community Property" to me. He gives me his thoughts on the current state of Motley Crue and Pantera. He answers a question from Mark Tremonti, and that's just for starters.

Michael Starr is second as he talks about the album and being produced by Satchel and Stix. He talks about Spyder joining the band, Skid Row and the Super Bowl.

Two GREAT conversations, one sub-par podcast!

-Meltdown-

https://steelpantherrocks.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Up first, it's Kansas guitarist, Richard Williams. One of the things I asked him about was the passing of Jeff Beck. He said he saw him, but never actually met the legend.

"I saw him, yeah, but I never did, uh, actually meet him. He would be one of those people where he wouldn't have been impressed because I would've just stood there and stammered, and mumbled, and then he would've finally just walked away just thinking I was an idiot. He was my personal fav."

That lead me to ask him if there was any other artists he'd met that had him star struck...there was. "Yeah. Um, it was, let's see, the summer of 1978. We played Boulder, Colorado with, in the football stadium, with the Rolling Stones. And so we had played a few weeks earlier with them at the old, uh, football stadium in Cleveland. But at this particular show, there was a tent city built back to stage and uh, there was screens. We were just in our dressing room rehearsing and I saw the entourage pull up in limousines." He went on "The Stones are here. So sitting there I was just playing my guitar and all of a sudden, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards just walk in the door and says, "Hello, glad to have you on the show. Really love your band. If there's anything you need, just let us know." I just stood there like an idiot. I didn't know what to say and so I said nothing. My jaw was open and I, I'm sure I looked like there was something wrong with me. I was star struck."

We also talk about the 50 anniversary of the band, his recent birthday, playing with Steve Morse and lots more.

Then, it's Uriah Heep guitarist, Mick Box.

Mick was around at the beginning of heavy metal. He said at first they just called it classic rock. "When you think back to those early days, there wasn't any stigma attached to being classic rock, ya know." Mick went on to talk about the diverse musical tours they did back in the 70s....and that's just for starters on this great conversation.

The new Uriah Heep album is out and it's called Chaos & Colour. He told me about the album, how the pandemic played into it, and why they got Jay Ruston to produce it again. He talks about rock cruises, what caused him to pick up a guitar in the first place, and even a story about his first guitar.

He also spoke of the late Jeff Beck. "I love everything that Jeff did. He was my favorite all time guitarist". He meet Jeff a few times "He was a lovely guy." He told me he never learned any of his licks because he was so much of a fan. He told me about knowing Randy Rhoads.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/2023/02/10/kansas-guitarist-rich-williams-on-being-star-struck-meeting-the-rolling-stones/

https://wrif.com/2023/02/13/mick-box-of-uriah-heep-talks-about-the-beginning-of-heavy-metal-jeff-beck-and-much-more/

Bass legend, Billy Sheehan is up first. We went back throughout his entire career, to his Talas years, joining David Lee Roth, to releasing a record last year. We talk about the late Phil Nero and his passing. "He was giving it 200%" Billy said about his vocal performance on the last album.

Winery Dogs 3 is out now. Billy talks about playing with Richie Kotzen and Mike Portnoy. Apparently, Richie stopped using a pick while playing his guitar. That's a crazy story.

What did he do during the lockdown? "I did tracks for people." He did over 600 tracks for bands and musicians from all over, and all styles of music. He told some amusing stories about doing that for people.

He gives an update on what's going on with Mr. Big. He said they have a drummer ready to go, but that person is currently doing other things, so they can't announce who it is just yet.

Billy goes home every year for the Musicians of Buffalo Annual Christmas Concert. He told me what inspired that and what a joy it is to play. We talked about a collaboration he did with an Indonesian band called Dewa 19. Tyler Connolly from Theory of a Deadman gave me a great question - who's the best guitar player he's played with? Billy has shared the stage with legendary players. His answer? "That would be tough"

On his time in David Lee Roth's band "We had a riot...what an adventure!"

See Billy with the Winery Dogs at the Token Lounge on March 11th.

Next, I had the chance to talk with Ricky Warwick from Black Star Riders about a lot of stuff. Their new album is called the Wrong Side Of Paradise. He tells me about the album and explained the album cover art. He laughed and said “We had a great band picture, but we didn’t know who was going to be in the band”. He talks about Scott Gorham’s semi-retirement, Christian Martuci leaving the band and going back to play with Corey Taylor, and new members of the band.

He’s been doing in-stores over in Europe. He tells me about that and how much he liked doing them. “For me, I love to meet people”.

He talks about becoming sober. He said he doesn’t want to harp, but “It works for me”.

“I can’t say enough good things about them” talking about the new record label, Earache records. He said it was time for a change for the new album. He also talks about the killer tour they’ll be doing in Europe.

Of course, I had to text my friend, producer Jay Ruston, to send me a question. He just sent me this….ask him about "too many wires". Pretty funny!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/shows/meltdown-on-wrif/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/track-x-track/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

To say David Ellefson has a lot going on would be an understatement. He just got off the ShipRocked Cruise, where has jammed on stage with Randy Blythe from Lamb Of God and others. His band the Lucid has all sorts of stuff going on, including a couple songs with Detroit rapper, Violent J from the Insane Clown Posse. One using the song "Epic" from Faith No More, and it's awesome!

We talk about his Kings of Thrash project, who's in that, and a special guest that might join them at the Machine Shop in Flint, Mi. on the 24th. Of course we talk about his time in Megadeth as well....and lots more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's always a pleasure to talk with a guy like Rudy Sarzo. We caught him before hoping on the Jericho Cruise to discuss many topics. He's played with some many great musicians. He loves talking about the legendary Randy Rhoads, who he was playing with at his death.

He talks about the unbelievable song and video for a lost Quiet Riot song, "I Can't Hold On". He talked about the fifty year old friendship he had with drummer Frankie Banali, finding out he had cancer and a great gift he gave to Rudy. Truly a touching story.

He tells me about rejoining Quiet Riot, a band he was in with Detroit's own John 5, where the term "Bang Your Head" came from, and his thoughts on Rick Rubin's comment about Paul McCartney being the #1 bass player he's seen.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's been over twenty years since I last spoke with Steve Vai. What a legend!

His "new" album drops this Friday, January 27th. I word it like that because it was recorded in 1991. Steve tells me why Vai/Gash took so long to release. Johnny "Gash" Sombrotto was a friend of Steve's, who had a gifted voice. Steve talks about meeting him and the friendship they had, as well as his love of Harley Davidson.

We also talked about his years with David Lee Roth and the last time he saw him. We talked a little about his time and relationship with Frank Zappa.

That's just for starters, today on Talkin' Rock!

-Meltdown-

https://vai.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This is probably the fourth or fifth time I've interviewed Chris, and every conversation is better than the last. Yes, I'm a fan of Daughtry professionally and personally. He's a really solid guy and very talented.

He gets a little more in-depth about why he covered Journey's "Separate Ways" with Lzzy Hale. "Lzzy and I have been talking about doing a duet, whether it be an original or a cover, for a long time. When we did that acoustic tour she came out on one of the dates and did an acoustic cover of Alice In Chains' 'Man In The Box', and, I was thinking "Maybe we should record that" and then this idea came up, I was like "Hey, would you be interested in covering 'Separate Ways'?" She responded that was her go-to karaoke song, and they were on their way.

That's just for starters with Chris.

Tripp Eisen is up next. We discuss everything from Dope to Static X to the Murderdolls. What's his relationships like with some of his former bandmates? Why isn't he in the new incarnation of Static X? What was his last encounter with Wayne Static like? (That was an interesting story) What's he got going on in 2023?

These questions and many more were answered.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/2023/01/19/chris-daughtry-talks-about-covering-journey-with-lzzy-hale-the-rock-community-plans-for-2023-and-more-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/2023/01/20/tripp-eisen-talks-dope-static-x-murderdolls-and-much-more-meltdown/

https://daughtryofficial.com/

https://www.trippeisen.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I met Vic and the guys from PTV when they came through Detroit just before Thanksgiving. After talking with them after the show, I knew I wanted to get him on the podcast/videocast.

We talk about him becoming a father for the first time, the U.K. touring and touring with I Prevail. We talk a lot about the upcoming album, The Jaws Of Life. Why so long between albums? Where the record was written and recorded and why. A really cool vinyl copy of the album that’s coming out, hometown shows, and LOTS more.

We also talked about his Living The Dream Foundation, which you can check out below. I love when guys in Vic’s position think of other people and create experiences for them that they might not have had. Really cool!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/2022/12/19/vic-fuentes-from-peirce-the-veil-talks-about-their-upcoming-album-and-lots-more-meltdown/

https://piercetheveil.net/

Full disclosure: I love John Waite! When he was making the rounds promoting his documentary "John Waite: The Hard Way" I jumped at the chance to speak with the legend. Not only is he super talented, he's also a very nice guy....which I speak of at the beginning.

We didn't have a whole lot of time, so we pretty much stuck to the basics, along with the documentary producer, Mike J. Nichols. Since he's loves the intimacy of playing on stage, I asked him how this ranked releasing a video of his life. You can watch his answer below, as he also talks about how this project came to be, and more.

The band Tempt you may not have heard of, but you will. 2023 is going to bust these guys open. First, they covered a Christmas classic and the reason they did this particular song is very unique.

-Meltdown-

http://www.johnwaiteworldwide.com/

https://wrif.com/2022/12/16/john-waite-on-the-lockdown-all-of-us-were-going-through-our-personal-hell-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/2022/12/16/the-band-tempt-covers-a-billy-squire-christmas-classic-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Grunge legend Stone Gossard joins me on Talkin' Rock. We discuss his record label, Loosegroove Records and the band Tigercub, which he's pushing. He tells me about starting the label and some of the many bands that he's signed over the years. Of course we talk about Pearl Jam. He tells me where they are as far as new music is concerned, and a loose timetable of when to expect it. We talk some Rock Hall, Chris Cornell, Duff McKagen and more.

Dorothy checked in for her 2022 exit interview. Ha! She looks back on Gifts From The Holy Ghost, the TV show Top Ten Revealed, Plans for 2023 including some collaborations, and that's just for starters.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/2022/12/13/stone-gossard-gives-pearl-jam-update-talks-about-loosegroove-records-the-rock-hall-duff-mckagen-more/

https://wrif.com/2022/12/12/dorothy-talks-about-2022-and-looks-forward-to-next-year-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Kenny Wayne Shepherd is up first on Talkin' Rock. Of course we talk about the 25th anniversary of his landmark album, Trouble Is. We talk about the re-recording of it, whether it produced any new songs and more. He tells me about playing David Gilmore's famous Black Stratocaster covering Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb, which is an unreal story. We talk a little about the Pantera shows, John 5, and of course, Dodge muscle cars!

Eric Boatright of Shallow side joins me to talk about his band, the currant single and possible plans for next year. He also tells a killer story of a legendary band heaping praise on Shallow Side for covering one of their classic songs.

-Meltdown-

https://kennywayneshepherd.net/

https://shallowside.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Jason joins me on this episode of Talkin' Rock to tell me about singing for Accept and Armored Saint, all in the space of a month or so. He talks about the crazy route it took to hop on stage with Accept, which may have led to his getting called up to front A.S.. We also talk about his podcast, his current touring situation and more.

Jason is a really good guy and was more than happy to Talk Rock with me!

-Meltdown-

https://talklouderpodcast.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I've never had a chance to talk with Ronnie, so I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a very candid guy who sticks to his beliefs no matter if you like or not.

We talked about 2022, what he's working on, the singles for Zombified and Voices In My Head, the lyrical content of VIMH, and wearing his heart on his sleeve. We did talk about his online spat with former Skid Row singer, Sebastian Bach. Over the summer, it came out that Falling In Reverse cancelled some shows because their lap top was misplaced. That led to a lot of online chatter about their live performance. Ronnie was more than happy to clear up any confusion and give his side of the story.

I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did doing it.

-Meltdown-

https://firmerch.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Frank Bello is up first. He talks about his solo LP - Then I'm Gone...why do a solo effort, why he didn't play the drums, and more. He tells me what people think it sounds like, and how writing and recording these tracks was similar to putting out his book. We discussed his uncle, and Anthrax drummer, Charlie Benante's role in the upcoming Pantera shows. He tells me about side project that Joey Belladonna is working on, the great voice that is John Bush...and lots more!

Jeff Plate rounds out the show as the Trans Siberian Orchestra come to a town near you. We talk about rehearsals, spending time on the road away from family during the holidays, what he does the other ten months of the year, all while be distracted by something that's never happened to me in any interview I've ever done....but Jeff powers through.

-Meltdown-

https://www.thefrankbello.com/

https://www.trans-siberian.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

What. A. Show! The new Nickelback album drops on Friday, the 18th. It's called Get Rolling. We talk about the album and a few certain songs. Chad tells me about Tommy Lee's 60th birthday party, a very funny story from when they recorded their first album, and a Stanley Cup prediction. He also talks about Pantera, the hysterical Funny or Die video they shot a decade ago, and more.

Bryan Kuznitz from Fame On Fire is up next. Their new album is called Welcome to the Chaos...and that's what it's about. It's their Pandemic record. He talks about the upcoming tour, a cruise they'll be playing on, a Nickelback cover they did, and that's just for starters.

I talked with metal legend, Tom G. Warrior earlier this week. What a fun talk. The new Celtic Frost boxset drops on the 25th, and it's massive. We talk about his career, influences and LOTS more.

-Meltdown-

I had the chance to sit down with Troy Van Leeuwen at Echopark guitars in Detroit. More on that in a few. Troy and I talked about his current gig, filling in for Dave Navaro as he recovers from long Covid, and playing with Jane's Addiction. We discussed the multitude of quality musicians he's played with in his various projects, including Jane's, A Perfect Circle, Queens of the Stoneage and more. I asked where "hired gun" ends and "band member" begins. He told me the legend who inspired him to pick up the guitar, and a great story about meeting him, and lots more.

We did the interview in Echopark guitars shop where all the instruments are made. You can learn more about them below. A big Thank You to Gabriel Currie and his staff. Also, Thank You to Robert Bruce for setting up the interview.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/2022/11/04/guitarist-troy-van-leeuwen-talks-about-touring-with-janes-addiction-all-his-other-projects-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The Deadmen and Dragons tour is making it's way through the country, with a stop here in Detroit at the Fillmore on the 23rd of October.

Matt Heafy joins me to discuss everything that's going on in the Trivium world. He talks about the tour, how they warm up before they take to the stage...a ritual that garnered a compliment from a metal legend. He tells me about how they stream their live shows, and all the work that goes into it. Matt is really engrained in the streaming and tech world, and he brings it to the fans. He's also doing work in the gaming world, which he explains.

As far as new music is concerned, he told me about that....sorta. He talks about the live show, the set every night, the band relationship and their connection with the fans.

We talk about horror movies and series', and more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.trivium.org/?frontpage=true

https://wrif.com/2022/10/14/singer-matt-heafy-of-trivium-updates-us-on-the-band-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Lots covered in a short amount of time on this episode of Talkin' Rock.

The Smashing Pumpkins are on tour with Janes Addiction. Billy talks about what it's like to be back out and playing in front of the fans again. We talk about the upcoming three album, three rock opera ATUM records. He explains the process and vision of that project. Plus, a little wrestling talk to round it out.

The new Skid Row album drops on October 14th, so Snake was making the rounds and gave me a few minutes to talk about The Gang's All Here. I also enlisted some "fan" questions from a guy named Rachel Bolan, Rob Hammersmith and a couple other guys, Scott Ian and Frank Bello....wink, wink.

Enjoy!

https://smashingpumpkins.com/

https://www.skidrow.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Good to see my friend Chris Kael last night before the Five Finger Death Punch show. We robbed him of his nap to talk about the band, his sobriety, working with the new guys as well as Ivan Moody and Zolton Bathory, live shows and tons more!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Always great to speak with Nita Strauss. World-class guitarist, all-around badass!

As you may know, she recently left the Alice Cooper camp to tour with Demi Lovato. Obviously, we talk about that and everything involved with making that transition. She tells me her relationship with now current Cooper guitarist, Kane Roberts, and how far back that goes.

We talk about the NFL, sobriety, an injury she's suffered, Peloton and lots more!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.nitastrauss.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Dan from Disturbed was kind enough to take some time to talk about the upcoming record, working with Anne Wilson, and even his thoughts on social media, and more.

Dorothy was also generous, talking about her latest album, the "spirit" that went into it, hanging with Axl Rose and LOTS more.

Guernica Mancini of Thundermother rounds out today's podcast. She talked about touring with the Scorpions, her influences, Swedish hockey players...sorta, and much, much more.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/2022/09/24/disturbed-interview-with-meltdown-at-riff-fest-2022/

https://wrif.com/2022/09/24/dorothy-interview-with-meltdown-at-riff-fest-2022/

https://wrif.com/2022/09/22/meet-the-band-thundermother-meltdown/

It's never too early to think about Christmas and the Trans Siberian Orchestra! Joel Hoekstra calls in to discuss everything that's going on with the band, his projects, Whitesnake and more.

Then, it's Fee Waybill from the Tubes. We talk about the history of the band, the "two eras" of the 70s and 80s, what they're doing now and a ton more!

-Meltdown-

https://www.trans-siberian.com/

https://thetubes.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Tobias Forge from Ghost is up first. What draws people into a band like Ghost? Tobias does his best to answer that, as he talks about not playing Detroit in what seems like forever. He also talks about anonymity, or lack thereof.

Don Jamieson is up next with a very funny conversation to plug his Terrorizing Telemarketers 7, which drops this Friday, September 16th. I love talking to Don. We talk about how put together a project like this in this day and age. We talk rock, concerts, vinyl and lots more!

-Meltdown-

https://ghost-official.com/

https://orcd.co/telemarketers

https://www.donjamieson.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Lots to get to on this episode of Talkin' Rock.

Chuck Billy of Testament is up first, as they kick off another leg of their Bay Area Strikes Back tour with Death Angel and Exodus. We talk about the pandemic, the return of Dave Lombardo, Metal Allegiance, Peloton, his house flipping and LOTS more.

Then, it's ZouZou Mansour from Soraia. Their new album drops in October, and they've been sprinkling songs here and there, with the latest called "I Seek Fire". We talk about the album, the songs on it, and the help Steven Van Zandt gave them. We discuss horror movies, touring and much, much more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.testamentlegions.com/site/

https://www.soraia.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Acey Slade joins me to talk about the 20th anniversary of "Beyond The Valley of The Dolls" There's been a lot made of this in the press lately, Acey is here to set things straight from his side of events. We discuss the album, why it was one of the best times of his life, touring on that album and more. Acey talks candidly about his sobriety, horror movies, why he devolved his coffee brand and lots more.

Then it's drummer Jimmy Wooten from a band called GEARS. He tells me about his band, what they have going on and tons more.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Hollywood Undead is touring the country and promoting their latest album, Hotel Kalifornia. We talk about playing the Sturgis motorcycle rally, being a dad and living the rock star life. Het tells me about one of his favorite singer/songwriters, which might surprise you. We discuss the record and it’s California centric theme, if the title of the record might have The Eagles legal team looking at them, the wearing of masks, and tons more!

Randy Gray from Ashes of Soma is next. We discuss the Twenty years of AOS, why they're releasing new music every month, breaking out of Canada and lots more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://hollywoodundead.com/

https://wrif.com/2022/08/18/johnny-3-tears-from-hollywood-undead-with-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Dave Mustaine from Megadeth starts us out today. The new album, The Sick, The Dying...and the Dead drops on September 2nd. We talk about the record, and the circumstances making it. He tells me how Ice T ended up on a track, finding great guitarists, and the pressure of making this album. He also talks about playing Woodstock '99 and former drummer Chuck Behler.

Then, Glenn Hughes and Doug Aldrich of the Dead Daisies were nice enough to jump on with me to discuss their upcoming album, Radiance. They've released three songs already, as we talked about the writing process of the record, if the pandemic played into it and more. Glenn gives us a health update, as he recently fought off Covid himself and was forced to miss some tour dates. Doug hoped on a few minutes after we started, but also talked about the album, working with Blackie Lawless from W.A.S.P. (sort of) and playing with a legend like Glenn. There are some local Detroit ties to the band, which we also discussed.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://megadeth.com/the-sick-the-dying-and-the-dead/

https://thedeaddaisies.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's another powerful hitting, non-award winning of Talkin' Rock.

The new FFDP album drops next week, and Zoltan was nice enough to call in and talk about it. He told me why it's called Afterlife, working with Kevin Churko again, and more on the record. He told me what's it's like to have a band like Megadeth open for his band, and his thoughts on the Pantera "reunion".

dUg Pinnick is next, as the new King's X album drops on September 2nd (a day before his birthday). We talk about the record and why it's been 14 years since their last album. He tells me about some of the songs, being an influence to so many Seattle bands, and how much gas is left in the tank for them. He also relives some memories of that infamous Motley Crue tour with John Corabi at the helm.

-Meltdown-

https://fivefingerdeathpunch.com/

https://www.kingsxrocks.com/

https://www.dugnation.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Jeff is just one of those guys who's so easy to talk with. On this episode, we talk about the history of Tesla, his first concert, new music, all the Tesla stuff he's collected over the years, and lots more.

If you're in the S.E. Michigan area, they're playing at the Monroe County Fair grounds with Firehouse this Saturday.

Enjoy....Meltdown

https://teslatheband.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

http://monroecountyfair.com/tesla-wsg-firehouse-saturday-august-6-8pm

I've interviewed Gavin a few times, and he's always great! Today, is no different. With a new album and tour on the horizon, Gavin hopped on Zoom to tell me all about it. He talked about his part in a Seether song, his future plans, being a rock star and cultural icon as well....and LOTS more.

Jeff Losawyer is the guitar player and original member in the band Voodoo Moonshine. As you can probably guess, they're a bluesy, southern rock band. We talk about his career and his path to where he is now, their latest album and much, much more.

Enjoy......Meltdown

https://bushofficial.com/

http://www.voodoomoonshinerocks.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two prog rock artists on Talkin' Rock today.

Derek Sherinian has played with so many artists, that Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal said he has 'Octopus Pedigree'. He explains that to me, talks about his latest album and the guests on it, and working solo as opposed to a band situation. He gives me an update on Sons of Apollo, Kane Roberts rejoining Alice Cooper and more.

Jan Hoffmann is the second musician in a week who's from Germany and named Hoffmann! He's in a band called Long Distance Calling. They have yet to break here in the states, but this new album could do the trick. He tells me about the record, the history of the band, their past and lots more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I can check off another rocker I've never met or interviewed before. Today I'm joined by the last original member from the band Accept, Wolf Hoffmann. He was great to speak with, as you'll hear. We talked about getting back on stage, the last album, plans for the next album, having success in America and switching record labels. It's funny, Wolf doesn't live outside his bubble, as he confessed that he didn't know about the Pantera "reunion" or Stranger Things, in which the Eddie Munson character wears an Accept pin on his jacket. But he did know about where I must take my 21 year old daughter in Nashville.

Brian and Eric from I Prevail came by the station last week. They talked about "shoeys", the new album and the writing process, as well as playing in their hometown of Detroit.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.acceptworldwide.com/

https://iprevailband.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

As you can see, lots going on today on Talkin' Rock.

A couple weeks back, I talked with drummer Vinnie Appice about this new Dio Super Deluxe Holy Diver album. Now, it's Wendy Dio's turn. We talk about the album, Stranger Things, and tons more.

(around the 12 minute mark) Ray West is up next. I hung with him this past weekend in Detroit, as he sang for the legendary George Lynch. We talked about the two gigs and where it stands now. Ray filled me in on the talks with George, and what's happening moving forward. We talk about Spread, the 90s and much, much more.

(around the 42 minute mark) Jason Bieler rounds out this non-award winning podcast. He's dropping a new single this week. We talk about that and his plans for the next record. We talk teleprompters, musical gifts, upcoming gigs and more, in this funny conversation.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

A nicer guy in this business is hard to find. Brad Walst calls in to Talkin' Rock to talk about the upcoming tour, some shows they've done, the new album and the strange writing process, and the musical dynamic him and his brother have.

We also talk a little hockey, his hometown and the Hall of Fame he just entered with his brother, and much more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://threedaysgrace.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The drumming legend Vinny Appice joins me today on Talkin' Rock. He called in to talk about the upcoming Ronnie James Dio 'Holy Diver' Super Deluxe Edition, which drops on July 8th, two days before Ronnie's 80th birthday.

We talk about the first and last song he ever played with Dio, how Vivian Campbell joined the band, who he turned down to audition for, playing with injuries and LOTS more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.vinnyappice.com/

https://www.ronniejamesdio.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This is a first...I've never interviewed a member of GWAR before. The Berserker Blothar was a blast to speak with.

Their new album, The New Dark Ages, is out and we discussed that, the upcoming documentary -This Is GWAR, the pandemic, the original name of his character, and TONS more.

This is a fun listen....enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://gwar.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/2022/06/17/blothar-the-berserker-of-gwar-joins-meltdown/

Billy dropped a new album, What Normal Was, and was nice enough to talk to me about it. I asked him to describe the album, that was a tough one for him. He talks about the tech that went into this record and the throwback sound, in some cases, it has. I also asked him about working with Axl Rose on what would become the Chinese Democracy album. He gives an update on A Perfect Circle, and some bucket-list artists he'd love to work with.....just for starters.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://billyhowerdel.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Today on Talkin' Rock, Jesse James Dupree calls in to talk about the upcoming History Channel show, The Booze, Bets and Sex That Built America. He relays a couple interesting historic tidbits, and talks about his role in the show.

We also talk about the upcoming Jackyl album that drops on August 11th. What's so significant about that date? Jesse will fill us in on that, talk about any "Bad Decisions" or regrets he may have made in his career, and more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://jackyl.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Metal legend Max Cavalera joins me today to talk about everything that's going on in his world, and there's lots. We talk about the upcoming album and some of the songs on it, including one with a recognizable title. He talks about the Soulfly box-set dropping June 17th, getting back on tour, playing with his brother and TONS more. Oh, he's also a Lions fan!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.soulfly.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Chris Motionless is my guest on Talkin' Rock.

A solid dude, with a killer band. Their new album called Scoring The End Of The World drops on June 10th. We discuss the album, artwork, special guests, and what it feels like to release a new record. He lets me in on a guy who he reached out to for a collaboration, but he couldn't do it. We talk about the live show, some of our rock heroes, and singing on stage with Rob Zombie.

Chris is a great guy....enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.motionlessinwhite.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two great guitarists with legendary pasts, today on Talkin' Rock.

Joe Bouchard, formally of B.O.C., talks about his new album, American Rocker. It's a throwback to the 70's in a big way. Oh, you wanted more cowbell, we give you more cowbell. He talks about the famous SNL skit and the impact it had on him. That's just for starters in this great conversation with Joe, a very fun interview.

Up next, around the 31 minute mark, is Mike Keneally. Another guy I've never talked to, but found him very interesting and easy to talk with. He tells me how one joins the Frank Zappa band, the "vault" of Zappa material, and just some great conversation about Frank and Mike's own musical life.

Two great listens, one sub-par podcast....enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://joebouchard.com/

https://www.keneally.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This is an odd pairing, eh? I did this on purpose to keep you guys on your toes.

Blackie Lawless is up first to discuss the upcoming tour, possible new music, an autobiography and the 40th anniversary of W.A.S.P.. He told me a very funny Spinal Tap-ish story from a tour they did with Metallica, when he thought the band was at it's peak, and TONS more!

Then - around the 26 minute mark - it's George Pendergast of Dishwalla. How's that for a diverse episode?! He tells me about their new E.P., single and the video. We talk about working with Alan Parsons, some shows they have coming up, and even the kid who just played drums for Pearl jam. He has a connection to him as well.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.waspnation.com/

https://dishwalla.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Just an honor to speak with Triumph's Gil Moore, today, on Talkin' Rock.

Their new documentary "Rock & Roll Machine" starts streaming this Friday. It's a must for any Triumph fan, but it's also a great watch for any music lover.

Gil tells me about the process of making it, all the stuff he's collected over the years from Triumph's past tours, playing for the super fans and reflecting on his life in the band. We talk about their exclusion for the Rock Hall (no surprise there) having success in Canada and the states, The Tragically Hip, and much, much more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.triumphmusic.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Wow! there's a lot of Talkin' Rock going on today!

Joe Elliott is up first to talk about Def Leppard's new album, Diamond Star Halos. That drops on May 27th. He talks about the title, writing it and more. We discuss the Rock hall and he tells me about singing on stage with "Def Leppard Sucks" guy, Kid Rock at a big event years ago.

Then, around the 11:00 minute mark, it's Luke Morley from Thunder. They have a new, double album called Dopamine coming out on April 29th. We talk about the album, the political tinge to it and more. Why didn't they become bigger in the U.S.A.? He talks about that, and that's just the beginning.

Finally, around the 31:00 minute mark, it's Vinnie from Sponge. They have a pub crawl coming up this Friday. Check the link here for more info. He fills us in on what he has going on in all of his bands, including The Lucid with former Megadeth bass player, David Ellefson.

-Meltdown-

https://www.defleppard.com/

https://www.thunderonline.com/

http://www.spongetheband.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

As the new Ted Nugent album, Detroit Muscle, is unleashed on society, I wrangled Ted and his drummer Jason Hartless to talk about it.

I feel like Ted is finally starting to come out of his shell. (LOL) We talk about the record and the feeling of releasing new music. He tells me about his gig this weekend with a very special guest. We talk about the guitars he brings with him on tour, famed Detroit guitar legend, Jimmy McCarty, cover songs, visiting the White House and lots more.

Drummer Jason Hartless is up next, around the 18:00 mark. Of course we talk about the album and the making of it. How does he deliver what feels right for Ted? What's it like playing and touring with such a legend? I even snuck in some questions for former NHLer, Drew Miller, who's a mutual friend of both of ours. That's just for starters....enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.tednugent.com/

http://www.jasonhartless.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063571627797

Today's Talkin' Rock features a little different conversation than you might be used to hearing on my podcast. Today, I talk with author William Irwin about his book The Meaning Of Metallica - Ride The Lyrics. This is a deep dive into the lyric writing mind of James Hetfield. This is an interesting interview with a guy who did all the heavy lifting so you could understand the meaning of some of your favorite thrash classics. From religion, to death, to addiction and everything in between.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Metallica-Ride-Lyrics/dp/1770416188

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I mean, how cool is Lzzy Hale? The coolest!

On today's episode of Talkin' Rock, she tells me what she got her brother for his birthday, about the European tour, how the fans are picking the setlists for the upcoming tour and her returning to TV. Plus, the graphic novel Hyde Manor - which sounds a little Studio 666 to me :) - her thoughts on Taylor Hawkins and a hysterical story from a question Shinedown's Brent Smith gave me.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.halestormrocks.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Another jam-packed Talkin' Rock podcast.....

Rachel Bolan of Skid Row is up first. We talk about bringing a new singer into the band, the new album, putting out music in 2022...and that's just for starters.

Rick DeJesus from Adelitas Way is up next, around the 20 minute mark. He fills me in on their latest single, upcoming album/tour, the record label and lots more.

Finally, around the 35 minute mark, I'm joined my Marty McCoy of the Lonely Ones. They're out on tour with September Mourning. He talks about starting a new band, the reason Bobaflex went away and even the Hatfield/McCoy feud!

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.skidrow.com/

https://adelitaswaymusic.com/

https://thelonelyones.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This is just a fun, cool episode....oh, and very Canadian!

Chris Jericho is a legend in and out of the wrestling ring, and a good dude. Fozzy kicks off their tour in Detroit, so Y2J was nice enough to come by the studio and talk about rock, the tour, the upcoming Fozzy album and life getting back to normal. We talk about the use of backing tracks in the live setting and how he's managed to drive down so many lanes of the entertainment business. Plus, a bonus question about wearing a sleeping mask, as did Chris L. from the Pod Of Thunder podcast.

Andy Curran is up next - around the 25 minute mark. Of course we talk about hockey, and his team the Blackhawks. Then we get into the Envy of None band. He talks about how it was formed, the album, and the vision Alex Lifeson had for the project. He talks about the last few years of Neil Peart's life and some great Taylor Hawkins stories of playing with the guys. That's just for starters....

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://fozzyrock.com/

https://envyofnone.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Another killer episode of Talkin' Rock. This time it's Dee Snider, along with Phil X and Kurt Deimer.

Dee's up first talking about the Legacy: Tribute to Leslie West album. He talks about their friendship, meeting Leslie for the first time and all the rock giants that are on this album. We talk about the Station nightclub fire that happened 19 years ago. Dee was involved in a fundraising event as well as a documentary. He also answers the question of what people might misconceive about him. That was interesting.

Then - around the 17 minute mark - it's Phil X and Kurt Deimer. Their album is Work Hard, Rock Hard. We talk about the record, those guys meeting for the first time, Geoff Tate singing on a track and more. Phil tells me about his time in Triumph, filling big shoes in that band and Bon Jovi and lots more. Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://kurtdeimer.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two killer interviews, one mediocre podcast!

Tommy Vext is first talking about his new single Trust The Science. We talk about that, who's in his band and the covers he's done. He tells me about his politics, losing and gaining friends over it, leaving Bad Wolves and tons more.

Then (around the 27 minute mark) it's John Corabi. Lots of topics are covered. The Penis poem....you read that right...his tour, the Pam and Tommy mini series on Hulu, the Scream re-issues, the music business and tons more.

Listen, share, spread the podcast! Thanks!

-Meltdown-

https://www.tommyvextofficial.com/

https://www.johncorabi.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This interview is so much fun! Joe was awesome....

He tells me about the Eagles current tour and the massive production that goes with it. He answers what it's like to play with Vince Gill and about his eBay addiction, which is funny. We talk about the use of In The City in the movie Warriors. I ask him his thoughts of Dolly Parton withdrawing her name for Rock Hall consideration, to which he has a hysterical response. Plus, best advice he's received from another guitarist, and a little talk about Glenn Frye.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.joewalsh.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Don't let the title fool you. It's Darren McCarty and myself interviewing Damon.

These two guys have an unbelievable history together, which we talk about. Let's just say Damon has a deep connection to the Motor City. But we have to talk about the most recent news; Damon is getting the band back together! Brother Cane will play a couple shows this year - as of now - and DJ tells us the reason why they're getting back together and why now. He talks about his time since the BC days, some great Alice Cooper stories and LOTS more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.damonjohnson.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two rockers with Detroit roots join me today on Talkin' Rock.

First, it's Danny Koker from Count's Kustoms. Of course you know Danny from the custom car TV show, but he's a rocker at heart. We talk about hot rods, his start in reality TV, his rock club and lots more. He'll be making an appearance at AutoRama on March 6th.

Up next, it's metal singer Sean Peck. The new Death Dealer EP is out. He talks about that and all the DD material they've written for future release and more. He talks about the start of the band, playing with Ross The Boss, a couple questions from "Ripper" Owens including a story about how Sean's snake caused havoc on a Judas Priest tour....that's just for starters.

Enjoy, Meltdown

http://www.countskustoms.com/

https://www.deathdealermetal.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's a female dominated Talkin' Rock episode.

I mean, it's always fun when Lzzy Hale shows up. Her and her band are some of the nicest people in this business.The new album is dropping in May. She talks about that, Ann Wilson, a funny road story from the early days, and how she started using those white Gibsons.

Then, it's the entire Plush band. It's unreal to think that some of these ladies just graduated from High School! Unreal! We talk about their upcoming tour, their influences and how they look to influence others, funny tour stories and lots more!

-Meltdown-

https://www.halestormrocks.com/

https://www.plushrocks.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

We've had an awesome week on the podcast and today is no different.

Mammoth WVH and Dirty Honey are hitting the tour trail for the Young Guns tour, so Wolfgang Van Halen and Marc LaBelle were nice enough to talk about it. Marc talked about the props Slash gave his band, their festival appearance in France, their latest album and more. Wolfgang talked about the GNR tour, his album and some stuff about his legendary father, just for starters.

Then, Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini joins me. I've never met him so I wasn't sure what I'd get. He was great! He talked about getting back on stage, their Grammy nod and his picks for greatest living drummer. He was had a fascinating story about joining the band. Lots more after that........

-Meltdown-

https://www.mammothwvh.com/

https://www.dirtyhoney.com/

https://dreamtheater.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Man, I'll be honest, Slash is so much fun to talk to. He has a great sense of humor and is such a legend. On today's episode we talk about the upcoming Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators 4 album. We talk about it's live feel, flavor of the songs, and even about an "epic" song that Myles told me about last fall. He talks about playing theaters as opposed to stadiums, his songs used in movies - specifically Sweet Child O' Mine in Step Brothers - and his social media accounts. Just fun and really cool!

Up next, it's Nick Reese from Joyous Wolf, a band Slash praised for being an up and coming band to watch out for. Nick talks about that, the new music they're going to be dropping this year, touring, other rock bands he likes, some European festival dates and more. Keep an eye out on this band!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.slashonline.com/

https://fearless.joyouswolf.com/?ref=https://www.google.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's days like today when I can't believe I get to do interviews like this!

I've been a fan of Jack's for a long time, and when the email came for the chance to talk to him, of course I jumped at it. We talk about his upcoming tour, both of the records he's dropping and his writing process. We get into a little talk about the Rock Hall, being a Detroit musician, and more. I was really excited to talk to Jack and he was really cool.

Then, it's my friend, Dorothy. Her new album Gifts From The Holy Ghost drops this spring as she tells me about it. The title refers to an unreal experience that she had on tour a few years ago, which she told me about the last time she was on the show. We talk about a few of the other songs that will be on the album, special guests she has playing and LOTS more. Dorothy is the best and I'm so glad she came on again.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://jackwhiteiii.com/

https://www.rocnation.com/music/dorothy/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I'll be honest, one reason I love doing these interviews so much is because you never know who you're going to get to talk to. I've never met Will Hunt officially, but I've been around him and have watched him play. Talking to him about his career and other things was so enjoyable!

We talk about the multitude of bands he's played for including - Motley Crue, Tommy Lee's Methods of Mayhem, Dark New Day, BLS and a ton more. Now he's got another band called the Tempest Project. He tells me how that started and some familiar names in it. Oh, he also tells me about a band he's currently in with STP singer Jeff Gutt...that's for starters!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Ben is such a good dude and really talented. This is a fun conversation!

On this episode of Talkin' Rock, Ben tells me what's going on in AA's world, why they released an EP, working with Maria Brink from In This Moment on a song called "New Devil" and why they did it, and life in general. He also answered a couple questions from Detroit icon and AA super fan, Karen Newman - and her daughter - and lots more!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.askingalexandria.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Phil is just one of those guys you meet and feel like you've known him for years. He's so easy to talk to. This is another fun conversation with him, as we talk about his career, a failed audition for a major band, some fun KISS stories, his thoughts on Saigon Kick and tons more.

His latest project is called Panic Boom. They've actually been together for the better part of 25 years, but they're putting out new material and Phil talks all about it. Their first single is called Revolution, and you can hear it on their site below.

That's just for starters....I hope you enjoy this!

-Meltdown-

https://www.panicboomband.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The Saxon front man joins me to talk all things Saxon, and more.

We talk about the upcoming Carpe Diem album - that drops on February 4th, how the pandemic has hit him and the band and how it played into the new record. He tells me about working with Andy Sneap and his thoughts on Judas Priest hitting the road as a four piece band. He also answered a question from That Metal Show host Don Jamieson - that was hysterical - and a funny Chris Jericho story from the road.

That's for starters on this episode of Talkin' Rock!

-Meltdown-

https://www.saxon747.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Today on the show, two guys with fascinating upbringings. They both tell me about the crazy circles they grew up in, and believe it or not, the struggles they both faced. They talk about the upcoming tour and lots about their rock star lineage.

Kofi and Will are going to be touring later this year, and brining the music of Cream to a whole new audience, and perhaps, some very familiar with it too.

These are two great conversations that I hope you'll enjoy. If you do, toss a 5 star rating on the show!

-Meltdown-

https://www.musicofcream.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

We kick off 2022 in fine form with the super talented, Nita Strauss. She tells me about her upcoming solo album, the progress made on the new Alice Cooper album, her crazy schedule and the energy she brings on stage..

She answers a question from fellow guitarist, John 5, tells me the most asked questions during her V.I.P. meet and greets, and even talks some NFL.

Nita was so generous with her time, and fun to talk with!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.nitastrauss.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Just a quick conversation with DL as they gear up to unleash Bad Wolves on the world in 2022.

We talk about the incredible year he's had, working and fitting in with the band, the upcoming tour.....and more!

Listen to the end to see who I have on an upcoming episode....enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://badwolvesnation.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

What an unbelievable talent and story Johnny "Bee" is. On this episode of Talkin' Rock, Johnny tells me about his amazing career and the legends he's not only rubbed elbows with, but played with. He's seen and done it all....this guy needs to write a book!

He has a new solo album out called Arc of the Sweeping Sky with his band the Murder Hornets. He tells me all about the album and the guys who played on it. That's just for starters.....

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.johnny-bee.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

What would the Christmas season be without chatting - and hearing a little guitar playing - without Gary Hoey? It would be like last year, and no one wants that again!

Gary talks about great venues he's played, participating in Band Camp and doing Master Classes. He gives an update on the upcoming Lita Ford album and lots more.

Then, around the 17:00 mark, it's Soraia lead singer, ZouZou Mansour. She was on the show a few months back and they've done a ton since. She talks about the tour they did and recording on the road. There's a guest on at least one track from their upcoming album, and that's just for starters.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

http://garyhoey.com/

https://www.soraia.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Thanks for checking out Talkin' Rock. Today, it's two interviews I conducted this week on Zoom - you can watch here - but I thought I'd put them in audio form in case you missed them.

Up first it's David Draiman from Disturbed. They're working on new music, he tells me about that. Plus, he just did a song with Alice Cooper guitarist, Nita Strauss. He tells me about that experience, and that's just for starters with David.

Then, around the 22:52 mark, it's Matt from Trivium. Matt is so much fun to talk and he does more than talk. He pulled out his guitar and played two songs! We talk about the band, working on music, and his thoughts on controlling crowds in wake of the recent concert deaths a couple weeks back.

Hope you guys enjoy these interviews!

-Meltdown-

https://www.disturbed1.com/

https://www.trivium.org/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

So great to have two legendary guitarists on Talkin' Rock. I mean, JB and Ted...are you kidding me?!?!

Up first, Joe Bonamassa talks about his latest album, Time Clocks and all that went into that, including where it was recorded. He talks about collaborating with other artists, playing a set during lockdown, living in NYC and lots more. You can catch Joe live at the Fox in Detroit on November 26th for a day-after-Thanksgiving show.

Then - around the 13:30 mark -Ted Nugent calls in. Ted tells me about the making of his upcoming album, Detroit Muscle. He answers a question from John 5, talks about his relationship with Kurt Gibson, his recent battle with Covid, the Damn Yankees and TONS more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://jbonamassa.com/

https://www.tednugent.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Always great to have Frank Bello back on Talkin' Rock!

He's got his new book out, "Fathers, Brothers, And Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, And Anthrax" and is doing an in-store this Saturday (November 20th) at Rock City Music Company in Livonia, Mi..

On today's interview, he talks about what the band has been up to recently, including some festival gigs and preparing new Anthrax music. We get into his book as he tells me about the death of his brother, growing up after his dad abandoned the family when he was 10, having Gene Simmons write the forward and lots more.

Check out the interview, then make the trek to Rock City on Saturday for the event!

-Meltdown-

https://www.anthrax.com/

https://rockcitymusicco.com/home

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

We wrap up the week with another two part Talkin' Rock podcast. Up first, Myles Kennedy talks about the upcoming Slash album, simply titled 4. He talks about how they recorded it live, and very fast. He hints about an epic song on the album, and more about what makes this album different from the last three records. He tells me about being in a band with a guy who is on a rock landscape changing album, and more.

Up next, around the 13:30 mark, it's Sepultura front man, Derrick Green. We talk about his time in the band, the new box set which features the albums from 1998-2009, the pandemic and LOTS more. I've never met of talked with Derrick, but found him really easy to interview and very talkative.

Thanks for listening, enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.slashonline.com/

https://myleskennedy.com/

https://myleskennedy.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

One of the nicest guys in rock is on Talkin' Rock today.

John Cooper joins me today to discuss the upcoming "Dominion" Skillet album, touring, and being an authentic person. We talk about working with Kevin and Kane Churko on the new album and the sound he was looking for as well as the one-word title. He tells me about the latest single and if they'd ever do a Christmas album or not. That's just for starters.....

You can watch the interview here - https://wrif.com/2021/11/02/wrif-virtual-rock-room-with-john-cooper-of-skillet/

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.skillet.com/stg?ref=https://www.google.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Ripper is always welcome on Talkin' Rock. He's a solid dude and an unbelievably talented guy.....

Today, we discuss his new Three Tremors album, Guardians Of The Void - which comes out November 5th. He tells me about the cover artwork, He's in so many bands that he has a hard time keeping them straight. We talk about KK's Priest and what's going on with that band. Last week I talked with DL from Bad Wolves. He was in a similar situation of taking over the lead spot in an established band, so I asked him what advice he'd give him. Ronnie James Dio comes up, along with Covid talk, and his thoughts on how the press treats him.

This is a great listen....enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://thethreetremors.com/

https://www.kkspriest.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two great lead singers, two very nice people!

Up first, David Coverdale of Whitesnake talks about releasing 1997's Restless Heart album. It's available now. The box set is really cool. We talk about his retiring from the stage, Jimmy Page, if he has any regrets and new Whitesnake music. He also talks about the passing of Twany Kitaen.

Then, it's Sevendust singer, Lajon (LJ) Witherspoon. It's starts around the 16:30 mark. LJ tells me about getting back on stage and playing some big festivals. How he juggles life as a rock star and a dad. He touches on his solo project, the upcoming tour with Daughtry and Tremonti and more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Man, lots going on and tons to cover on this episode of Talkin' Rock.

Up first, it's the new lead singer of Bad Wolves, Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz. Lots of topics are disgusted. How he joined the band, did he ask any other artists in his position for advice, the audition process and more. The new BW album drops October 29th, called Dear Monsters....he tells me about the album and the process of recording and writing it.

Then (around the 24 minute mark) it's Paul Crosby of Saliva. He's also in a band with two of his sons called Coldwards. He fills me in on what Saliva is up to, new music from them and more. Then, it's onto the new band - and even a new track from them - what it's like to be in a band with his kids, what he might've learned from playing music with them and much more.

Finally (around the 47 minute mark) it's comedian Bert Kreischer. He's currently on his Berty Boy Relapse Tour. We talk about a funny story of him embarrassing Impractical Joker, Sal Vulcano, selling out one of the nicest venues in the country, his movie The Machine and lots more. Oh, and the recent Dave Chappelle controversy.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's always a treat to get Jay of The Rival Sons on the show. That band is one of these straight-ahead rock bands that have just burst onto the scene in the past decade.

On this episode, Jay tells me about some of the hiccups they've had on their latest tour revolving around Covid, how far along they are on their new album, what the last year and a half has been like, and that's just for starters. Always a fun conversation!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Nicer people in this business are harder to find. Today on Talkin' Rock, I sit down with the super-talented Chris Daughtry.

We talk about his rise to fame and how he handled it. He tells me about the upcoming tour with Tremonti and Sevendust, releasing an album independently, getting back on stage as after having a long time off, Sammy or Dave and tons more.

Check out his new album, Dearly Beloved and go see him on tour....

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Lots to get to on this episode of Talkin' Rock.

Troy Sanders from Mastodon starts us up by talking about the upcoming release of their new album, Hushed and Grim. We talk about using a new producer and the high recommendation he got. He tells me why the album is so long, the unusual bass sound/solo on the TearDrinker song, their views on making videos and LOTS more.

Then, around the 22 minute mark, it's Moriah Formica from the band Plush. Their debut album also drops on October 29th. What an interesting and young band! Moriah walks me through how the band was started a mere year and a half ago, covering Heart, how they settled on the band name, and that's just for starters.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Another two for one Talkin' Rock episode.

Up first, it's my friend, Jeff Gutt. The STP front man talks about working with the DeLeo brother's, his four years in the band, and becoming friends with an artist called Rodriguez. Are they working on new music? Has he ever gotten injured on stage? And a very important event he's doing on October 16th called the Out Of The Darkness Walk. You can learn all about that here.

To wrap up the show, it's Vicky Starr from a band called Signal 13. She tells me about the band, their Destination Unknown e.p., their future plans and more. Check them out in the S.E. Michigan area at the Token Lounge on Friday, October 8th.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

WoW! So excited to share this interview with Tobias Forge from GHOST on today's Talkin' Rock episode.

We talk about his Metallica Enter Sandman cover, the new Hunter's Moon track, if covid sidetracked any Ghost plans, a question from M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold and more. Oh, I even speak some Swedish....poorly.

Enjoy!

Meltdown

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Lots of Rock to cover on this episode.

Danny Worsnop and Asking Alexandria are about to drop their new album, See What's on the Inside. Danny tells me about that, what the goal is with the new record, working through a pandemic, success in the states and more.

Chris Vos and The Record Company drop their new record, Play Loud, next week, October 8th. Chris talks about the album, adding some addition members to play, shooting the video for How High, tons of Bob Seger stories from their tour with him and LOTS more. You can watch the interview here.

Wrapping up today's podcast is Jack Underkofler from Dead Poet Society. They're currently out on tour with Bad Flower. We talk about how the band was discovered, the name of the band, their music schooling and much more. You can also watch that interview here.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Lots to get to on this episode of Talkin' Rock.

We start with Josh Katz of Badflower. The new album is out and it was done very differently from their last album. We talk about the songs and the topics he writes about. He tells me about his move to Nashville and if that will change his writing or outlook on life. Plus, we talk about three classic albums that came out on this day thirty years ago.

Then, it's Waylon Reavis from A Killer's Confession - around the 16 minute mark - as we discuss what's going on with his band, a recent festival they played, working with Chad Gray, Mushroomhead and lots more.

Finally, it's James "Murr" Murray from Impractical Jokers. That starts around the 33 minute mark. Murr has a new book out called The Stowaway. He tells me about the book and the process of writing it. Plus, some IJ talk about them getting back on stage, being recognized in public (or not) and much more in this funny conversation.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

A couple "local" guys make an appearance on the show this week.

First up, it's Detroiter John 5. 5 has been in Rob Zombie's band for about 15 years or so. We talk about the killer Zombie album and how fast he did his guitar parts. He tells me about the difference in playing his solo gigs vs. Zombie gigs. His solo album drops on October 29th, he talks about that, small big gigs he's seen, his favorite rock documentaries and lots more! Oh, 5 also talked about this video.

Then, around the 28:30 mark, it's guitarist/singer, Tarek Jafar from The Blue Stones. They're a killer two piece band from Windsor, Ontario. We talk about two piece bands, what success in the states mean to a Canadian band, why they would tour Canada in the winter, and conversation about the latest album, Hidden Gems, among more topics. Really great to talk with Tarek for the first time.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

After cancelling last year's tour and just doing a live stream T.S.O. are back for another run of your Christmas favorites.

Guitar virtuoso Joel Hoekstra is up first. We talk about what he's been doing during the pandemic, his various other projects (Whitesnake, Cher, Solo) the Seattle Rock Camp coming up, and lots more.

Then (around the 19 minute mark), it's drummer Jeff Plate. He tells me about his time during the pandemic, his other band, Alta Reign, and the famous T.S.O. rehearsals. He also answers the question of what he thinks founder Paul O'Neill would've been doing during the lockdown, and his thoughts on some of the rockers we've lost recently, including Metal Church vocalist, Mike Howe.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.trans-siberian.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Vinnie is one of the most talented guys I know...period. He's in so many bands, and none are alike.

Today, we talk about his bands, but mostly about his newest band called The Lucid with bassist David Ellefson (Megadeth), guitarist Drew Fortier, and drummer Mike Heller (Fear Factory). He tells me how he joined the band, working through the pandemic, writing the lyrics for the songs and tons more!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://thelucidofficial.bandcamp.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Another two for one podcast today, with a metal legend, and a classic rock guitar hero!

Up first it's Randy Blythe. Lamb Of God is currently out on tour and he took some time to call in from the road. I'd never interviewed Randy before, but I found him to be great to talk to. We discussed what it was like to get back on stage and playing a couple live stream events. Plus, the 15th anniversary of Sacrament. What is success for him? I asked him that, as well as how it felt to be 50, what makes him nervous and a little about his photography.

Then (around the 20 minute mark) it's guitarist Frank Hannon from Tesla. I've talked to Frank before and he's always a fun conversation. We talked about his battle with Covid, the latest single "Cold Blue Steel" and what that song's about. As well as if he read his bandmates, Brain Wheat's book, Eddie Van Halen and lots more.

Thank for listening! Follow me on the socials at MeltdownWRIF.

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This is the second time I've had the pleasure of talking with Tim this year. And just like the first, you can watch it here.

This time around, we talk about his guitar collection, weird bills he's played on, new Rise Against music, touring during a pandemic, the best and worst parts of his 'job' and tons more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.riseagainst.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Always great to reconnect with John. His new single is out, Cosi Bella (So Beautiful), of course we discuss that, the writing process, cover artwork and how his influences played into it. He tells me his plan moving forward in regards to dropping new music and finally an album. With the 30th anniversary of the Metallica Black album, I asked him his thoughts about working with producer Bob Rock, whom he worked with on the Motley Crue album.

Thant's just for starters....enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.johncorabi.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Another big interview on Talkin' Rock. Nicko McBrain was nice enough to Zoom in and tell be about the new album, Senjetsu, which drops on September 5th. Nicko is a really nice guy and told me about how the album has been finished for two years, some of the writing process, mostly with Steve Harris, and more. He talked about the recent passing of Charlie Watts and Joey Jordison as well.....

Then, it's Molly Rennick of the band Living Dead Girl. They dropped their debut album a couple moths back. Why name the band Living Dead Girl? She explains. She talks about her influences, growing up in Canada, making the move to the Sates, her parental support and LOTS more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.ironmaiden.com/

https://www.mollyrennick.com/living-dead-girl

https://www.livingdeadgirl.ca/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Judas Priest has this unbelievable box-set dropping on October 15th, and Scott Travis was nice enough to call in to plug that, and much more. We talked about getting back on stage and how much of a workout he preforms behind the kit. He tells me about the band he played in just before joining the Priest, his thoughts on the passing of Joey Jordison, an update on new music and Glenn Tipton. He also commented on something funny former Priest singer "Ripper" Owens sent me and tons more.

Kevin Martin of Candlebox was nice enough to do a zoom call with me last week, which is the second part of today's podcast. You can watch the interview on the link below. We discuss the upcoming album, some history of the band including meeting their record label head, Madonna, for the first time. He talk about his guitar collection, the grunge scene and were they fit in, and more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.judaspriest.com/

https://www.candleboxrocks.com/

https://wrif.com/2021/08/20/wrif-virtual-rock-room-with-candlebox/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Ice Nine Kills is a killer, horror based band from the Northeast of America. Go down a rabbit hole with these guys! I love them.

Today, singer/songwriter Spencer Charnas joins me to talk about the upcoming album (which drops mid-October) their most recent releases - one of which they had to get permission from Huey Lewis. We talk about horror movies, their Inked in Blood graphic novel, his upcoming appearance at Astronomicon and TONS more. Really fun conversation.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://iceninekills.com/

https://www.astronomicon.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Matt Heafy of Trivium is my guest on Talkin' Rock. We cover a lot of bases in this conversation including the new album, working during a pandemic, rockers we've lost, album cover art, meat cooking tips from pro wrestlers and more....

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.trivium.org/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge Dio fan. I grow up on that stuff, so it was a no-brainer when I was contacted to talk with his widow, Wendy.

We discussed lots about Ronnie's life through rainbow, Sabbath, solo and beyond. One of the reasons Ronnie joined Black Sabbath was because Wendy informed him they only had $800 in savings. How does that happen to a big-time rock star? I found out. What did he listen to outside of rock? What did he think about his fans? And lots more.

Then, it's Michael Jahnz from the Richrath Project 3:13. REO Speedwagon founding member Gary Richrath's legacy lives on through this project. I asked Michael about his past moving to southern California in the 80's meeting up with Gary (which is a crazy story) and putting together some of these songs with Gary playing and doing backing vocals on a few. Click the link below to learn more about this project and to get your cd/album.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.ronniejamesdio.com/

https://www.project313rocks.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

We cover a lot of ground with Shaun Morgan from Seether on this episode of Talkin' Rock. He answered questions like - What's it like to be back on stage? Why release music during a pandemic? Did George Michael ever hear the Seether version of Careless Whisper? How is it going from a pig farm in South Africa to having a display in the Rock Hall? Why the funny faces in pictures? What's the best Seether song...and more questions answered. Shaun was awesome as always!

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.seether.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

First up on the show, it's Jack Blades from Night Ranger. Their new record comes out Friday. It's called ATBPO, or And The Band Played On. He tells me about the unusual writing process due to covid and gives a taste of what the album sounds like. He talks about playing with Corey Taylor a few weeks back, some Damn Yankee's talk and the story of Prince and an awards show.

Then, it's the host of the Appetite for Distortion podcast, Brando. He went to the opening night of the GNR tour and gives me a full recap, as well as how Wolfgang Van Halen sounded.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.nightranger.com/#!/splash

https://www.facebook.com/TheAFDShow/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's another double-header, this time from a band celebrating it's 50th anniversary, and a much newer band.

Charlie Huhn has been with Foghat for 21 years. He talks about getting in the band, playing with the guys and lots of stories from his rich history in the music business. He tells stories of rockin' with Ted Nugent. Should he be in the Rock Hall? Charlie answers that questions. What was it like to play stadiums in Nugent's peak and TONS more!

Dead Eyes is a newer Metalcore band and on this episode front man, Zack Willaims calls in. He talks about the different ways they're getting their music out there, how he ended up in the band, their single "Break In The Current" and it's cool video and more.

Two great conversations!

Enjoy!

Meltdown

https://foghat.com/

https://deadeyesofficial.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Yes, you read that headline right, Jared Weeks is back in Saving Abel. Jared called in to talk about the reason he'd left the band in the first place, what he's been doing the past 8 years, rejoining the band and what it was like to play music with them again. He also told me about Shade of Grace, which he compared to the recent Smith and & Myers project.

Then, Sammy Boller and Cam Clark from Pharaohs join me to talk about their new band. Sammy has played in other outfits and now has this band to put under his hat. We discuss influences, how the band was started and lots more. You can watch the interview here - https://wrif.com/2021/07/02/wrif-virtual-rock-room-with-pharaohs/

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://savingabelnation.com/

https://www.pharaohsmusic.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

3 Doors Down is touring with Seether this summer, so Brad and Shaun were nice enough to tell me all about it.

We talk about Seether dropping a new album during the pandemic as well as their display in the Rock Hall. Brad talks about playing the entire debut album and what they've done over the past year and a half, and lots more

Then, it's a classic interview with four WWE superstars. The Brooklyn Brawler, Jimmy hart, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Val Venus. I talked to these guys before the 2007 Wrestlemania here in Detroit. Really fun to listen back to it!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.3doorsdown.com/#!/

https://www.seether.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two rock legends, one sub-par podcast!

Geoff Downes is up first to talk about the new ASIA box set which covers the band from 2007-12. We also talk about....

-The huge success the band had

-The beginning of the song Countdown To Zero (which is the THX sounder)

-Playing with Chris Squire..and more

Then (around the 13 minute mark) it's Rock Hall member, Glenn Hughes. He's about to embark on a tour with the Dead Daisies after dropping an album in January.

We talk about...

-The new record Holy Ground

-Getting back on stage

-What he did during the pandemic

-His Rock Hall of Fame ambassadorship..for starters.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://originalasia.com/

https://thedeaddaisies.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Mike Levine of Triumph returns to Talkin' Rock. The Allied Forces box set will drop this Saturday for Record Store Day, and it's packed with al sorts of killer Triumph material.

We talk about the box set and what role Andy Curran from Coney Hatch played in putting it together, as well as.....

-The documentary they're been working on

-80's hairbands

-the lack of American success for some Canadian bands

-Great light shows, and more.

Then (around the 16 minute mark) it's a classic interview with Jack Black and Kyle Gass, Tenacious D. They were making the rounds promoting their DVD back in October of 2003. Such a funny interview as we talk about the creation of Heavy Metal and TONS more......

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.triumphmusic.com/

https://www.tenaciousd.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The new pop Evil album is out, and bassist Matt DiRito joins me to talk about it....

-Why it's called Versatile

-Who he's on the road with now.

-Working with different producers

-The passing of producer Kato Khandwala....and lots more

Then (around the 19 minute mark) it's Kevin Smokler. Kevin is part of a documentary called Vinyl Nation. They have some cool stuff planned for it around Record Store Day. We talk all things vinyl and lots more....

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://popevil.com/

http://www.libertaliatattoo.com/

https://vinylnationfilm.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Cheap trick has a new album out called In Another World. Tom was nice enough to call in and tell me all about it, plus....

-An update on a recent health scare

-A sad song on the album and a cover song

-Being sued by Michael Jackson

-His vast amount of guitars and basses

-The Rock Hall....and more!

Super fun conversation with Tom.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.cheaptrick.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Man, this is a lot of rock!

First up, it's rock legend and Hall of Fame member, Billy Gibbons. This guy is so cool to talk to. We talk alot about his upcoming album, Hardware.

-We talk about some songs on it and working with Matt Sorum

-He tells me about writing an album in the middle of nowhere

-Getting some riffs to Frank and Dusty to work on ZZ Top riffs

-A question about pajamas from Chris Henderson of 3 Doors down and more.

(around 17:20) Then, guitarist, singer/songwriter Ayron Jones joins me. His new album drops on Friday, May 21.

-He tells me about the new album and opening himself up

-We talk about how his childhood has made him a better father

-Growing up in Seattle and the bands that have come from there

-His song Take Me Away and how it blew up in 2020 and Tons more.

(around 31:30) Finally, it's Coney Hatch bassist/singer, Andy Curran. Their new live album is out and we discuss it...

-Where they recorded the record.

-He tells me the history behind the band

-What success outside of Canada meant to the band

-Of course, we had to talk about something we both love, hockey! And lost more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://billygibbons.com/

https://ayronjonesmusic.com/

https://www.coneyhatch.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Wow, there's a lotta rock on today's show.

First up, Lzzy Hale and Amy Lee join me to discuss their upcoming tour, and....

-Getting back on stage again

-New Halestorm music

-The first time they met

-How a legendary rocker was duped backstage

-Who will headline...and lots more

Then, it's drummer, Roy Mayorga

Of course he's sat behind the kit for Stone Sour, Hell Yeah and lots of other bands. He'll be revising his role drumming for Ministry this fall. We talk about that and...

-Touring with Hell Yeah and playing for the late Vinnie Paul

-What he's been doing during the pandemic

-What Ministry front man Al Jourgensen is like

-Star Wars...and more. Love talking to Roy!

Enjoy....

-Meltdown-

https://www.halestormrocks.com/

https://evanescencestore.com/dept/the-bitter-truth?cp=101960_108529

https://www.facebook.com/roymayorga

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two completely ends of the rock spectrum today on Talkin' Rock.

Nancy Wilson joins me first to talk about her solo album, You and Me. The title track is a tribute to her mom. That's not the only tribute on it....we talk about

-The tribute to Eddie Van Halen

-Advice from her sister, Ann

-The cover songs on the album

-The Fears and Challenges of doing a solo album....and more.

Then it's rapper, rocker, musician, Zero 9:36....he talks about....

-Working with the guys in Theory

-His musical tastes

-Eminem or Lil Wayne

-He does an acoustic version of Adrenaline

-What gets his adrenaline going. This answer I did not see coming!

Enjoy!

Meltdown

https://www.heart-music.com/

https://www.zero936.com/

Zakk Wylde makes his debut on Talkin' Rock, and doesn't disappoint. The new box set is huge - None More Black.

We talk about...

-Spinal Tap

-What's up with BLS

-Sonic Brew turning 22

-Ozzy, and his latest album

-Jamming with Guns 'N Roses

-His father....and more.

You can't not smile listening to Zakk tell his stories! The guy has seen and done it all. So much fun to talk to.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

http://blacklabelsociety.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

So cool to talk with Marc LaBelle and John Notto from Dirty Honey. Great guys, killer band!

Their new album is out and it's awesome! We talk about...

-Working with their producer who was in Australia

-Writing songs during a pandemic

-A couple tracks with a Black Crowes feel

-Socially distanced concerts

-Is rock dead?

-A prized Slash/Joe Perry guitar and lots more.

Enjoy!

Meltdown

https://www.dirtyhoney.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I love interviewing people I've never met or interviewed before, you don't know what you'll get. Today, I got a very solid conversation with a genuinely nice guy. Chris and I talked about....

-The latest single Heavy is the Crown

-Trying to make a splash in the rock community

-Working during the pandemic

-Making the record he always wanted to make

-Funny stories about another lead singer

...and LOTS more. Really, a fun interview!

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://daughtryofficial.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Another killer, double interview edition of Talkin' Rock.

Up first it's Jeremy Spencer of the band Psychosexual. We talk about the band and his move to the front of the stage, plus....

-His musical influences

-The covers album he did

-Theatrical rock bands

-His time in Five Finger Death Punch

-Does he still talk with the guys from 5FDP

-Why they did cover songs....and lots more.

Then (around the 27:00 mark) it's Soraia's, ZouZou Mansour. Their latest single is called Tight Lipped...and it's sexy! We discuss that song and...

-The greatest band to come out of Philly

-Releasing an album as the pandemic started

-Possible plans for 2021

-Her influences and more....lots more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.soraia.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Brandon of Atreyu joins me today on Talkin' Rock. Lots to discuss with him, including....

-Leaving the drums and fronting the band

-The new album Baptize

-The singles Underrated and Warrior

-How the pandemic treated the band

-Working with Travis Barker

-Cool rock merch

..and tons more. It's the first time I ever spoke to Brandon and it was very cool.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.atreyuofficial.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

https://wrif.com/2021/04/01/wrif-virtual-rock-room-with-atreyu/

Lots going on in the world of Saliva, and we talk about it today with Bobby Amaru and Wayne Swinny of the band... Their upcoming live stream Their latest Every Twenty Years album Cover songs they're working on Re-recording classic Saliva songs They clear up the Josey Scott rejoining the band talk New Saliva music...and lots more.

It's a great listen and gives you a prospective of where the guys are at now.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://salivaofficial.com/news/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Something old, something new on today's show.

Tim from Rise Against is up first. The new album from the guys is called Generation Nowhere and drops in June. He talks about the album, the writing process and the meaning of the title cut, plus....

-Live Stream Shows

-His Thoughts On The State Of Rock

-A Funny Story About A Conversation With Tom Morello

-Singing a Cover Song With The Smashing Pumpkins

...and more. A fun conversation for sure!

Then, around the 23 minute mark, it's a classic interview with the late Peter Steele from Type O Negative. This interview took place outside of Harpos, here in Detroit, in September of 1996. The weather was cooling off and the fall, Halloween spirit was in the air.

We talks about October Rust, the nude photo shoots he did and More. You can really hear Peter's humor in this interview.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://riseagainst.com/

https://wrif.com/2021/03/18/wrif-virtual-rock-room-with-rise-against/

https://typeonegative.net/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The Offspring guys are so much fun to talk with, and today is no different. Dexter and Noodles join me to discuss their upcoming Let The Bad Times Roll album. It drops on April 16th. Of course, we talk about the record, in particular 3 songs that caught my eye including a cover of one of their own songs. We also talk about

-Dr. Dexter

-Their album Smash..and more.

Then, it's A Day To Remember front man, Jeremy McKinnon. Their new album is called You're Welcome. He tells me...

-How they named the record

-The diversity of songs on it

-The pandemic and possibility of touring, and lots more

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.offspring.com/

http://site.adtr.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two legends, one podcast!

Alice Cooper is up first. His new album is out called Detroit Stories. We talk about that and some of the guests that he tried to get on but couldn't. He tells me about the characters, his upbringing in Detroit and where he lived. We also discuss....

-How bands get noticed in 2021

-A time a former band member blasted him with a golf ball

-The legendary Grammy moment he was involved with.....and more.

Then, around the 18 minute mark, it's producer, Toby Wright. This guy's resume speaks for itself. He's worked with some of rocks heavyweights. We talk about the bands he's worked with, plus...

-How he got started in his career and what his parents thought

-Bands that surprised him at how good they were

-The most amount of takes to get a song or piece right

-His band She Won't Live

-His Taummhoms, which is unreal & more

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://alicecooper.com/home/

https://www.tobywrightmusic.com/

https://www.shewontlive.com/

My relationship with Damon Johnson goes far back to Brother Cane, but I've really gotten to know him over the last decade or so. He has so many ties to Detroit....he played with Alice Cooper for about ten years, his wife is from here, and that's just for starters. We do talk a little about that on today's conversation, also....

-He tells me about his latest album Battlessons (It's a ripper!)

-Why he's using a Flying V guitar

-Working with famed producer Nick Raskulinecz

-Shooting the video

-A question about a broom closet at Al's Crossroads

..and TONS more.

(around the 40:00 mark) Then, it's a classic interview from Them Crooked Vultures, featuring Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and the legendary John Paul Jones. This interview took place in October of 2009. We talked about how the band got started, a wild birthday party and lots more. This is a fun conversation that still stands up today.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.damonjohnson.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

On this special edition of Talkin' Rock, it's the interviews from this past week's 50th anniversary celebration. Each artist also mentions what they're doing now.

Calls from.....Zacky Vengeance (2:45) Arejay Hale from Halestorm (7:30) Alice Cooper (12:00) Chris Jericho (30:25) Kid Rock (34:15) Tyler Connolly - Theory of a Deadman (44:00) Nicklas Lidstrom (49:00) David Ellefson - Megadeth (55:00) Brent Smith - Shinedown (59:00) Michael Anthony (1:05:30) Brad Arnold - 3 Doors Down (1:07:35) Bob Seger (1:11:30)

Thank you to all these guys, the special DJ's for the 50th Weekend, and to the listeners....THANK YOU!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's another two-for-one on Talkin' Rock.

Lonesome George is up first talking about his latest, Live in Boston, 1982: The Complete Concert. We discuss the album, plus..

-What songs of his translate best live

-The use of Bad To The Bone in movies

-His favorite live albums

-Turning 71

-A Detroit Icon he played with....

(Around the 12 minute mark) Then, it's a 15 year old interview with the legendary Iron Maiden singer, Bruce Dickinson. As WRIF turns 50, I've been going through the archives and found this gem. There's so much good content on here that stills holds up today, like...

-Meeting his hero Arthur Brown

-An Osbourne's tiff

-Flying

-A Spinal Tap moment on stage and lots more.

Two great interviews with a couple bonified bad asses

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://www.georgethorogood.com/

https://www.ironmaiden.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Wow....action-packed is the only way to describe this episode of Talkin' Rock!

David Coverdale is up first. I LOVE talking to him. He's so much fun and never fails to entertain. This interview delivers more of that. We talk about....

-The first show he ever played in America

-The Whitesnake Blues album

-Has he gotten vaccinated?

-Reconnecting with former band members and more..

(around 14:30) Then, Brad Arnold from 3 Doors Down was nice enough to join me. They have three live-streams starting February 5th. We talk about his...

-Country living

-How life changed with the drop of the massive debut album

-The ups and downs the band has gone through

-The three "new" songs, and TONS more.

(around 29:30) Todd Whitener joins me to talk about his new project Blisskrieg. We talk about....

-Day of the New/Tantric

-His former bands

-How the band started...just for starters...

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://whitesnake.com/

https://www.3doorsdown.com/#!/

https://www.facebook.com/BlisskriegBand/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Another killer two-for-one Talkin' Rock podcast episode.

Dorothy Martin is up first to talk about all things Dorothy. If you haven't heard of her, drop everything and check her out! Great, straight ahead rock and roll!

Today we discuss....

-The multiple guests she worked with for this upcoming album

-The vast amount of music she has to choose from

-An AMAZING story of how she doesn't fear death

-When she discovered she wanted to be a rock star....and LOTS more.

(around the 26 minute mark) Then it's concert promoter, Danny Zelisko. His new book is called All Excess Occupation: Concert Promoter. He tells me.....

-His history in the business

-Why he wrote the book

-The relationships he's made and bands he's worked with....and more.

Two great listens, one mediocre podcast.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://dorothyonfire.com/

https://www.dannyzeliskopresents.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Weapons of Anew will be dropping their new album sometime this year, so Ray West from the band decided to call in and talks about it. The album is called The Art Of War and Ray talks about....

-Their "Sick Boy" cover

-Working with producer Mike Ferretti

-What he's doing during the day now

-How Van Halen shaped his musical tastes

-The latest on Spread Eagle

....and more.

Then, since Kid Rock just turned 50, how about an interview I did with him in 1999. He talks about...

-Working with Toni Iommi on music

-Working with and hanging out with Tommy Lee

-Gambling with a rocker

....and more. It's so fun to hear these older interviews knowing where their careers went.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.weaponsofanew.com/

https://kidrock.com/

https://kidrock.com/

It's another fun interview with two singer/songwriters today on Talkin' Rock.

Ricky Warwick is up first. I've never interviewed him before and found him very engaging and a great story teller. We talked about....

-His new solo album "When Life Was Fast And Hard" and the many guests on it.

-Meeting Keith Nelson and working with him

-Being in a band with Scott Gorham

-Lemmy from Motorhead

-The band Big Country

-The Black Star Riders

...and lots more.

At 30:35 it's Matt of the band From Ashes To New is next. I've talked to Matt in the past and he still gets the question of greatest Pennsylvania band wrong. LOL...we discuss...

-Their latest album

-The Movie The Retaliators

-His and Danny's Youtube show

-Missing the live show experience & more

Enjoy and thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.rickywarwick.com/

https://www.fromashestonew.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

I've talked with Taylor a few times since this record was suppose to drop, but the day is coming. Death By Rock And Roll comes out on February 12th. On Talkin' Rock she tells me all about it.....

-How she got Tom Morello on a track

-The better mental space she's in

-She says this album is a hopeful record

-Playing the David Bowie tribute

.....and more.

Then, it's a classic interview I did with Joe Perry from August 2009. This was right after Steven Tyler fell off the stage at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Joe talks about the incident, his friendship with Steven, his new blues-based album and more.

As WRIF turns 50, I've discovered some classic gems that I'll be sprinkling in here and there throughout the year.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://deathbyrockandroll.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This is a great way to kick off the new year! Michael Anthony is my first guest of 2021. The Circle with Sammy Hagar, Vic Johnson, Jason Bonham and Michael have a new album out called Lockdown 2020. We discuss the record....

-The cover songs they did

-How Sammy approached the songs

-What is relationship was like with Eddie Van Halen when he died

-Joining V.H. in the 70's and more.

As if Michael wasn't enough to kick off the new year, I brought in another heavyweight, Ozzy Osbourne. This is a classic interview I did with Ozzy around the release of the live Black Sabbath album, Reunion. It's fun to look back and listen to Ozzy talk about a number of topics, all before the MTV show "The Osbourne's".

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

http://www.redrocker.com/circle

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

In this special edition of Talkin' Rock, Todd Evans takes us behind the scene of his time in GWAR as Beefcake the Mighty.

We talks about shows that stick out in his mind, gimmicks that went wrong on stage, a celebrity that searched them out while in their hometown and tons more.

Enjoy!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Ho, Ho Ho! It's Meltdown bringing you a Christmas present from the Twiztid boys. Madrox and Monoxide join me for a special Christmas edition of Talkin' Rock. They tell me about....

-The past year and everything they've done...and it's a lot

-Reaching the fans during a pandemic

-The new record on the horizon and the rock slant it has

-How they've evolved

-Astronomicon for 2021 and how different it's going to be

...and TONS more!

Oh, plus a clip of a brand new song that no one heard heard yet!!

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

-Meltdown-

https://majikninjaentertainment.com/artists/twiztid/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Brian Wheat's book is called "Son of a Milkman: My Crazy Life with Tesla. I found Brian to be really open about his battles he's fought and the times he's gone through. We discussed....

-If the other guys in the band have read the book

-Meeting Sir Paul

-How the grunge era affected the band

-The loss of some legendary rockers this year

-Why they don't own the Tesla domain name...and lots more.

Then, it's Taki from the band Eve to Adam. They've been around since 2001 and Taki fills me in on where they're at now....also

-Some tours they've been on

-Relocating from NYC to sunnier setting

-Their album "Ithaca"

-Plans for 2021 and more....

Thanks so much for listening! Listen till the end to find out some special guest I'll have on the podcast between the holidays!

-Meltdown-

https://teslatheband.com/

https://www.evetoadam.com/home.html

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Jake and Danny from Greta Van Fleet are on Talkin' Rock today. Lots to get to......

-The new album The Battle At Gardens Gate

-The writing of the record and change of producer

-Moving to Nashville

-The loss of Eddie Van Halen...and more

Thanks for listening to this quick-hit interview.

-Meltdown-

https://thebattleatgardensgate.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

During normal times, the Trans Siberian Orchestra would be touring all over America. Of course, this year is not normal. Guitar legend, Al Pitrelli joins me to discuss the live stream show on December 18th, along with....

-Being the father of a couple military boys

-What thrash legend he asked to join TSO early on

-The band Widowmaker he was in with Dee Snider...and more

Then it's Jason Bieler. His new album drops on January 22nd, and it's really good! We talk about...

-The album and many specials guests on it

-Frank Zappa

-His time with Saigon Kick

-Why he calls himself (kiddingly) the God Father of Grunge

....and more laughs with Jason.

Thanks so much for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.trans-siberian.com/tour

https://jasonbieler.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

If you're a music fan, you need to watch this Zappa film. It's so well done. Ahmet Zappa talks about the making of it and the choice of Alex Winter at the helm. We also talk about.....

-Zappa music reaching a younger generation

-Advise for Wolfgang Van Halen

...and more. Then, drummer Jeff Plate joins me to talk about the upcoming Trans Siberia Orchestra live-stream on December 18th. We also discuss...

-His other band Alta Reign

-Savatage in 2020

-Favorite Christmas movie

-Frank Zappa

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.zappa.com/

https://www.trans-siberian.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Wolfgang Van Halen calls in to discuss his latest single "Distant" and lots more. He answers questions about...

-Filling the shoes of Michael Anthony on tour

-His thoughts on social media

-If he'd ever wright a book

-Any friends with kids of other famous musicians and more

Then, it's Terry Leroi of the "supergroup" LEROI XIII. They covered Ronnie James Dio's Stand Up And Shout" for charity with the blessing of Wendy Dio. Plus, we talk about.....

-Whose in the band

-How they got started

-His other band Granny 4 Barrel

-Meeting Dio, and more

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

Up first on today's podcast it's guitar legend, Kenny Wayne Shepherd. His new live album is out called "Straight To You: Live". We discuss the album and dvd, as well as....

-A recent trip to Nashville and what he was doing

-The late Eddie Van Halen

-His other band, The Rides

-Favorite live albums

-Muscle cars...and tons more!

Then, it's Rev Theory bassist, Matt McCloskey. The band is going through some changes and he discusses what's going on, also...

-New music and some special guest they're working with

-The use of their music in the WWE

-"Hell Yeah" in sports arenas

-Bass players, and lots more.

Two great guests, one mediocre podcast!

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.kennywayneshepherd.net/

https://www.revtheoryofficial.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Jason McMaster is on Talkin' Rock...he lent his mic skills to David Ellefson's latest project "No Cover", an album full of great cover songs with an excellent cast of guest musicians. I asked Jason how he got involved and how it was determined what songs he would sing. We talked about his early years getting into music and how he discovered bands. He told me about two auditions for legendary bands that he had to turn down. As well as what's going on with Dangerous Toys and more!

Jason was awesome to chat with....hope you guys like this!

-Meltdown-

https://jasonmcmaster.net/

https://www.davidellefson.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two legends are on Talkin' Rock.

First up, it's Toto's Steve Lukather. He's dropping a solo album early next year. We discuss that and ....

-The title of the album "I Found The Sun Again"

-A couple covers songs on the album

-How Nancy Wilson played a part in meeting his girlfriend

-in-fighting and lawsuits with Toto

-Wolfgang Van Halen's new song...and more

Then, it's Rock Hall of Fame member, Nancy Wilson of Heart.

She's also releasing a solo album next year. She tells me about the record...

-Special guests writers and singers

-The title of the record

-Being inducted into the Rock Hall by Chris Cornell

-Singing Led Zeppelin songs in front of the actual band

-Woman in rock....and lots more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.stevelukather.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Two great listens, one mediocre podcast! LOL

Mick Box from Uriah Heep joins me first. 2020 has been a rough year for a lot of people, but for Mick it's been extraordinarily hard with the passing of Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake. He talks about that with me as well as....

-The 50th anniversary box set "50 Years In Rock"

-Success in America

-Bands they toured with in the 70's

-The RNR Hall of Fame and more...

Then, it's Vinyl Nation film makers Kevin Smokler and Christopher Boone. Vinyl Nation is a killer doc if you're a record guy like me, or just a music fan in general. We geek out about albums and talk about the making of the documentary. Feel free to hit me up on my socials about your love of records - @MeltdownWRIF

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

http://www.uriah-heep.com/newa/index.php

https://vinylnationfilm.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Today, I talk to an old friend. I've known jack for almost three decades. He's a solid guy and super talent. On today's show we discuss....

-new music from him and the band

-a recent surgery he went through

-sobriety

-singing Zeppelin

-an upcoming move he's making

...and tons more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

Royal Blood are back with their latest single "Trouble's Coming". We discuss the new music and how they scrapped over 50 songs...

-how the pandemic forced them to write

-the pop flare the new single has

-Mike's sobriety

-success in the USA

and more.....

Then, Nike Dees from a band called Hold On Hollywood joins me to round out the episode. They're a band out of Houston, TX that's been around since 2015. they've opened up shows for some rock heavy weights, as we discuss that and more about the band.

-Meltdown-

https://www.royalbloodband.com/

https://www.holdonhollywood.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's two Jeffs for the price of one, today on Talkin' Rock.

Jeff Schroeder is up first...the topics include....

-Getting into the band

-Guitar solos

-The new album "Cyr"

-Eddie Van Halen

-Working with Billy Corgan...and that's just for starters.

Then, drummer Jeff Plate is on. We talk about....

-The upcoming TSO live stream

-How the livestream will work

-The loss of Neil Peart and more.....

I hope you enjoy these conversations....thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://smashingpumpkins.com/

https://www.trans-siberian.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Up first it's Chino from Deftones. Their new album is out and we talked a lot about it, including the writing process and the lack of special guest musicians. Plus, what are his thoughts on the passing of Eddie Van Halen, beer, vinyl, and lots more.

Pat Simmons from the Doobie Brothers is up next. Lots of excitement on their camp with the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame induction coming up (sometime) and a new box set, Quadio, for purchase. Obviously, being a guitar player, I asked him about EVH as well. He had a well thought out answer to watching a guitar God storm the scene in the late 70's.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.deftones.com/

https://thedoobiebrothers.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

A little bit of a different Talkin' Rock today.

First up, it's legendary drummer, Liberty DeVitto. The former Billy Joel band member put out a book this summer and is dropping a new album with his band, The Slim Kings. We talk about those things, his favorite Billy Joel album, the passing of Neil Peart and Eddie Van Halen, playing and creating music at 70 and more.

Comedian, Steve Byrne is up next. His latest project is a movie called "The Opening Act". His somewhat biographical and Steve has some funny responses to talking about the movie. He talks about working with Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsly, the "Spinal Tap" of comedy comparisons, the comedy community and more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.slimkings.com/

https://www.stevebyrnelive.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Stone is up first as we discuss his project, Painted Shield. We also talk about... Eddie Van Halen Being in the RNR Hall of Fame and who he thinks should be in there if we might see some more live Temple of the Dog recordings....

....and more.

Tommy Marz is up next. The local guy has a new EP out called "Chasing Lights". We talk about the cover song they do, the video for the song "Summer "Bummer", EVH, his podcast and more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://pearljam.com/news/painted-shield

https://tommymarzband.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viI-eDJiCvQ

There's a new B.O.C. album dropping this Friday, The Symbol Remains, so Eric Bloom came on the podcast to talk about it.

He answered questions about why they haven't put out any new music in the past two decades, we talked about some of the material & the title of the album. I HAD to ask him about the "cowbell" scene and any thoughts about any 50th anniversary plans.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

http://www.blueoystercult.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Guitar player extraordinaire, John 5 makes a return visit to the Talkin' Rock podcast. On this episode we talk about... His new live album and DVD An upcoming DVD release of his life story Playing on Ace Frehley's latest album Some stories of working with Rob Halford and David Lee Roth The last time he missed a note What's up with the new Zombie album (spoiler alert....soon)

...and lots more. As always, this is a fun conversation with 5.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://john-5.com/main/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Today, it's two legends for the price of one!

First up, Mick Fleetwood. He talks about the new re-released single "These Strange Times" and the use of a Peter Green RIFF on it. We talk about bands covering their songs, and transitioning from a more blues based band to a pop rock type of band.

Next it's the Metal God, Rob Halford. His new book "Confess" is out and I wanted to ask him some questions I thought the book left off. When was the last time he spoke to K.K., the Marie Osmond story, has he ever met Ripper Owens, what's going on with Priest now and more. I also asked him to define where hard rock ends and heavy metal begins....

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

The Empty Hearts have another record out, as Elliot Easton phones in to discuss it, the special guest who plays with them, the sound of the album, playing with Wally Palmer of the Romantics and more.

Plus, we talk about The Cars. I've become a huge fan the past few years. He tells me about the Rock N' Roll Hall induction and what it meant to him, how the band never changed members, the iconic scene in Fast Times and lots more!

Thank You for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://theemptyhearts.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Ace is back....Origins Volume 2 is out and it's killer! Ace talks about..

-the album and the special guests on it

-the "bag" while touring with RUSH in the 70's

-his Gibson Black Beauty guitar

-his memories of the reunion tour in 1996

-influencing a generation of guitar players

-working on another Origins album and book

....and tons more!

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.acefrehley.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This is a conversation that touches on many topics......John is so great to talk with.

The New Album Punching The Sky
How They've Managed To Keep The Original Band Together
His Time In Anthrax
An Upcoming Possible Solo Tour
Metallica
Touring with Pantera
Questions from David Ellefeson and Frank Bello
A Tip To Hockey Parents...and more

A special thanks to my friend, Tim McGlinchey, for his help getting John on the line.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

http://www.armoredsaint.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This conversation is jam packed with some great rock star stories. As the 30th anniversary of Rust In Peace approaches, David takes me back in time to the recording of the landmark album, the hurdles that the band had to over come and TONS more. Find out which rock hero called him and his decision to take his call or his drug dealer's. He tells me about his relationship with Dave Mustaine through all these years, what guitarists were approached to join the band and more.

The new book is called Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.davidellefson.com/

https://megadeth.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Shadow and the Thrill is a new project from Tony Cardenas-Montana, who you may know from Great White. Today, we talk about the album, why he chose to cover "Crazy", newer rock bands, some fun Great White stories and lots more. Check out the link below to see more about what Tony has been up to.

Thanks for listening! -Meltdown-

https://www.shadowandthethrillonline.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

On today's podcast, I talk with Kevin Martin about the upcoming Candlebox album, Wolves. He wrote with Chris Cornell's older brother, Peter, on the single "Let Me Down Easy". We talked about the beginning of the band and the Seattle scene, touring and getting to hang with RUSH, his prized 1972 guitar he calls Emmy Lou and tons more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.candleboxrocks.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Maria Brink checks in today to talk about lots of topics. The lock-down and what she's been up to, her persona on stage and the release it gives her, her privacy, if Queen or Steve Miller have commented on the covers and more.

I love talking to Maria! So much fun.

Thanks for listening....

-Meltdown-

https://www.inthismomentofficial.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

It's been forever since I interviewed a member of Nickelback. That ends today! Mike was kind enough to hop on the line with me and talk about their latest song, the cover of the Charlie Daniels hit "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", the biggest gig they played in Detroit for a country-wide audience, some GREAT Pantera stories and his sobriety. Their monster album "All The Right Reasons" turns 15 this fall and he talks about what they have planned. We talked about the Tragically Hip, his favorite bassist, hockey and more.

Thank you so much for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.nickelback.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Jimmie Bones has lent some of his music to a documentary called "Our Family, Our Home: Charles A. Conklin American Legion Post 28 Grand Haven, MI" We talk about how that came about and the importance of supporting the troops for him and the band. Plus, we talk about the recent 22nd anniversary of the "Devil without a Cause" Kid Rock album, the Y2K show at the Pontiac Silverdome and tons more.

Watch the trailer for the doc here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_pe4bDe84g

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.jimmiebones.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

With the first Alcatrazz album out in 34 years, singer Graham Bonnet is my guest today on Talkin' Rock. There's lots to talk about including the new album, Bob Kulick's contribution to it, his Motor City influences and more. We talk about the legendary guitarists he's played with, his days in Rainbow, sobriety and if he feels he owes anyone an apology for some of the things he did under the influence.

I got a lot out of this conversation. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.alcatrazzofficial.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

The new Avatar album is out and it's kick ass! Today, Johannes joins me to discuss the new album, what's happening with the band & working with Corey Taylor, producer Jay Ruston. We talk about wrestling, how the band has evolved, what it's like to don the make-up and lots more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://avatarmetal.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Every time I get the chance to talk to anyone in Steel Panther, I jump at it. Today, Michael Starr calls in to promote their upcoming "RockDown in the LockDown" live show. He talks about that and what's gone into it, he chimes in on the Sebastian Bach vs. Chris Jericho internet squabble, an Alexis Arquette on stage moment, a great story from his time working on the movie "Rockstar" and more.

Another fun interview with Michael.....

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://steelpantherrocks.com/

https://wrif.com/event/steel-panthers-rockdown-in-the-lockdown/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

Corey Taylor's solo album drops in early October but two singles have already been released. Today, I ask Corey why a solo album and why now. He talks wrestling, Stone Sour and lots more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://www.thecoreytaylor.com/

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/

This is another fun one. I did something with Don waaaay back in the day that I'm sure he hasn't done since, and to be honest, no other rock star has probably ever done. We talk about that strange day. Plus, he gives me the low-down on "The Lost Songs 1978-1981" which will be released August 28th. We talk about the history of Dokken, the grunge decade, Lars fighting Napster, his health and lots more.

Thanks for listening!

-Meltdown-

https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown/