Music Drives Us: Recent Episodes
Studio 550
On this episode of the Music Drives Us Podcast, Jaybeau Jones and rockstar Rick Springfield talk music, mental health, and more. From general hospital heartthrob to Grammy-winning musician, Springfield's 1981 hit, “Jessie’s Girl,” launched him from the screen into the spotlight. Together, Jaybeau and Springfield explore Springfield's journey of overcoming his soap-opera image in the music industry to earn his well-deserved reputation as a rock legend. Additionally, they discuss the recent release of his new greatest hits album, Big Hits: Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, which includes the new track "Lose Myself" among an assortment of songs from throughout his career.
Jaybeau Jones spends some time with heavy-metal band Twisted Sister’s frontman Dee Snider. They discuss the motivation behind Twisted Sister’s hit “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and what it has spiraled into today. They also dig into his upbringing which ultimately shaped him into an 80s icon and one of the greatest metal vocalists of all time.
Host Jaybeau Jones is joined by Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter/touring musician Lisa Loeb. She rose to fame in the ‘90s with the song “Stay (I Missed You)”, the first Billboard number one single from an artist without a record deal. Together, Jaybeau and Loeb discuss her
unique path to get her music played on air and her business-driven mindset in the music world.
Music Executive, Andrew Govatsos
Jaybeau Jones interviews legendary music executive Andrew Govatsos, who played an integral part in launching artists like Alanis Morissette, Green Day, Bare Naked Ladies, Michael Bublé, and Josh Groban. They discuss how he got his start in concert promotion in the New England area and Gavatsos shares stories from his time in the business, including being on stage at Live Aid.
On this episode of the Music Drives Us Podcast, Jaybeau Jones sits down with Steven Page, co-founder and former lead of the Barenaked Ladies. Serving as lead guitarist, singer, and primary songwriter of the group, Steven left the Barenaked Ladies in 2009 to pursue a solo career. Steven discusses his love of music, the importance of having had a mentor, and offers advice to aspiring musicians striving to reach their goals.
On this episode of the Music Drives Us Podcast, tune in as host Jaybeau Jones sits down with uber talented musician, Tommy Henriksen. Tommy has served as guitarist, bassist, and songwriter for acts such as Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires, and his own band, Crossbones Scully. Together, they discuss his storied career, passion for music, and what it’s like working with cultural icons like Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Johnny Depp. Tommy emphasizes the importance of hard work, persistence, and remaining humble in the music industry, and advises young musicians to avoid the distractions of the industry and stay focused on their craft.
An unexpected viral TikTok brought this all-female punk band from playing small shows on their college campus to having a dozens of spreadsheets detailed with their numerous upcoming gigs. Listen as the members of Sorry Mom! detail their rise to success and explain to Kelsey how they each uniquely use their musical background to support the communities they perform in.
Join Kelsey on this week's episode as she sits down with the Razor Braids and Alisa Amador! An up-and-coming queer, all-female/non-binary rock band from Brooklyn, the Razor Braids members reveal how their unique perspectives and shared musical experiences - including being part of the choir and Madrigals - have shaped their careers. Discover which band member dressed up as an iconic musician for career day back in grade school, and hear about each member's journey growing up with access to music education. The episode doesn't end there! Listen as Alisa Amador, an alternative folk musician and the first Spanish language winner of NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest, shares her fascinating journey from harmonizing in the bathtub to her unconventional music education while on the road. Learn how this upbringing shaped her views on music and influenced her goals in the industry, as she emphasizes the importance of being gentle with oneself for achieving success. Tune in now!
Join us for an inspiring episode of the Music Drives Us Podcast! We sat down with rock and roll legend Rick Allen and his wife, fellow singer-songwriter Lauren Monroe, to discuss their non-profit, the Raven Drum Foundation. The foundation’s mission focuses on using music and art to bring healing and hope to communities, veterans, and individuals facing challenges. Discover their journey of resilience and the profound impact of rhythm and creativity in transforming lives. Prepare to be moved by their shared vision of making the world a better place through the universal language of music.
Egg slicers, boom whackers, karaoke machines, First Act guitars...tune in to hear about how each member of the Q-Tip Bandits fell in love with music and when during their careers they developed their own sound. Plus, listen as they share with Kelsey some advice for kids who are looking to get involved with music!
Join Kelsey as she chats it up with two extraordinary artists, GA-20 and Zolita! In this double feature episode, delve into the bands' first concerts, festivals, dreams, and more as the artists discuss the how their music education shaped their thriving music careers today. Don't miss out! Tune in now and get inspired by their incredible journeys!
Join our new host Kelsey Boch as we kick off Season 2 with the Blue Light Bandits! In this week's episode, Kelsey sits down with the local Worcester band to discuss their journey from performing at local bars to Boston Calling. From humble beginnings to influential teachers and music programs, Kelsey and the Blue Light Bandits cover it all. Listen now!
Creating your own underground venue can come at some great costs. Actual expenses, lost sleep, lost time, things breaking, noise complaints, and even the risk of people disrespecting the space. But what if that didn’t matter to you and you just wanted to see live music and put on great shows? Today on the Music Drives Us podcast, we have a great conversation with John and Rocky, the duo behind Dud’s (Dud) Dungeon! A small DIY basement venue in the south shore, the Dungeon has tons of social media presence and a HUGE group of supporters that continues to grow in the local scene.
Finding the right sound for your band can take some time. There are always the songs that don’t work at first but then slowly find their groove. Testing, editing, trying new things and even using older styles to see what fits right for them. For the lucky bands, finding their sound doesn’t take long at all. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Party Mountain, a local band that has been putting out Music since around 2019. Performing locally in New England for quite some time, they have been avid contributors to great music throughout the underground DIY scene.
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Host John Laurenti is joined this week by Tyler Morris for part two of their sit down interview. Tyler is a musician that has been playing live since the young age of 11 and has performed with many legends of the industry. On top of that, he's also made custom guitar pedals for the likes of Conan O'Brien, Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, Brian May of Queen, and much more!
Host John Laurenti is joined this week by Tyler Morris for part one of their sit down interview. Tyler is a musician that has been playing live since the young age of 11 and has performed with many legends of the industry. On top of that, he's also made custom guitar pedals for the likes of Conan O'Brien, Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, Brian May of Queen, and much more!
Kylie Olsson is a British TV and radio personality. She has worked with Download Fest, Sky Arts, VH1, and MTV. Currently she is working on her new show called "Life in Six Strings." Host John Laurenti Jr chats with Kylie about her upbringing and how she fell in love with music.
Host John Laurenti Jr. interviews Alex Toli about teaching kids with Autism how to rock! Alex works at the Higashi School in Boston where he helps neurodiverse students fall in love with music and put on rock concerts in their dorms.
An English major and two music majors walk into a basement and come out as a math rock band. Host John Laurenti Jr. gets more details on the origin story of Three Mandareens and their eponymous debut album.
How crazy do you have to be to put on a rock show in your basement? Matt C steps into the Music Drives Us podcast studio with host John Laurenti Jr. to discuss the DIY community, turning his home into a concert hall and rock stars sleeping on his couch.
Host John Laurenti Jr. welcomes good friend Alex Boch to talk about his journey to becoming a drummer, the growing momentum behind his band Generation Three and that one time Dave Mustaine was his babysitter.
Award-winning New England singer/songwriter Natalie Joly joins host John Laurenti Jr. to discuss how music shaped her early years, her struggle to find other people who were as serious about being in a band as she was and how her recent move to Nashville influenced her career.