100 Words Or Less: The Podcast

Brian Gorsegner has spent his life circling the same scene from every angle. He fronted Night Birds until the band's final show at the end of 2022, books tours for acts like Alice Bag Band, Career Suicide, and Generacion Suicida through his company Wired Booking, and sits on the town council in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. But most people know him as the guy behind Ancient Artifax, the Instagram account turned archive turned book that's been unearthing punk history since a single Big Boys 7" post back in December 2016.

In this conversation, Brian talks about booking bands for a living versus collecting the artifacts of a scene that existed decades before he could buy a ticket to it, the strange economics of Discogs and what a first pressing is actually worth once nostalgia and scarcity collide, and what's sitting in his "fire box," the small stack of records he'd grab first if the house was going up in flames. He also opens up about the human side of building the Ancient Artifax book, tracking down items through people like John Brannon and Nathan Strejcek and hearing the stories behind them firsthand.

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Before Springfield, Illinois had much of a scene to speak of, Ladd Mitchell was already building one, first with Park, then Tiger Tank, logging years on the road during the golden run of early-2000s midwest emo. We talk about joining Park mid-formation and becoming the one constant across four lineups, chasing a deal all the way to a small Santa Barbara label, and what a yearlong nonstop tour actually does to a band. We also get into the breakup, the return, and how the same restlessness that wrote songs on tour eventually turned into his first novel. This one's about staying creative no matter what circumstance you're handed: van breakdowns, lineup changes, or a blank page twenty years later.

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Adam Rubenstein has been making music since he was a teenager in Indianapolis, when he and his bandmates formed Split Lip on Christmas Day, 1989. Drawing early influence from Burn, Youth of Today, and Endpoint, the band became a cornerstone of the Midwestern hardcore scene. They released records on Doghouse before most of them could drive, and landing a track on the landmark 1996 Anti-Matter compilation alongside Quicksand, Farside, Snapcase, Strife, Lifetime, and Mouthpiece which was and is a document of everything that mattered in that moment.

By 1995, Split Lip became Chamberlain, and the band pivoted toward a rootsier, more expansive sound that would go on to influence a generation of bands from Dashboard Confessional to Rise Against to The Gaslight Anthem. After Chamberlain went on hiatus in 2000, Rubenstein built a parallel career as a film composer, scoring acclaimed documentaries including Night School, 9-Man, Kid Danny, By Sidney Lumet, and Medora.

After more than two decades in New York, Rubenstein made the decision to leave the city and relocate to Ohio — a move that became the emotional backbone of his new album Firebreak, his first solo record in a decade. We talk about where it all started, what it meant to be on that Anti-Matter comp, the long road from hardcore basements to film scoring, and what it looks like to start over when you've already built something.

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Kevin Hart has been yelling in hardcore bands since he was a teenager, but Public Opinion is something different, louder in some ways, quieter in others. His dad was a DJ, which means music was never just background noise growing up. These days Kevin processes the hard stuff through songs instead of burdening the people around him, and it shows as Painted On Smile is one of the most genuinely self-reflective punk records in recent memory.

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Rich Gaccione built Providence Vegan Deli into something rare; a business that functions less like a restaurant and more like a community hub, where free sandwiches go to anyone who needs one, touring bands eat for nothing, and the line between customer and neighbor gets blurry fast. We talk about how that philosophy took shape, the hardcore and punk roots that inform everything he does, and the seitan operation that started it all. We also get into his time touring with My Chemical Romance and the sandwich on his menu that is his most popular one. Come for the food, stay for the conversation.

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This week I sit down with Anthony Lemus, the voice behind Southern California's Stateside. What started as a warehouse job friendship and a shared love of 2000s emo has turned into one of the more exciting bands to emerge from the current hardcore-adjacent scene — and Lemus is the emotional engine at the center of it. We get into how growing up in Southern California's hardcore world shaped him, the deeply personal lyrics behind Where You Found Me, and what it actually feels like when the band that started it all asks you to open for them. It's a conversation about where music comes from, what it costs you, and the surreal moment when your heroes treat you like a peer.

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On this episode, I welcome Chad Green from Frozen Soul to the show. We trace his path from growing up around the Texas heavy music community to finding his place in death metal, building Frozen Soul from the ground up, and watching the band become one of the genre's biggest modern success stories.

We also dig into the influence of the Texas hardcore scene on his outlook, the confidence it takes to trust your creative instincts when the spotlight gets bigger, and the story behind Chad drawing the now-iconic Frozen Soul logo himself. It's a conversation about believing in your vision, staying authentic as opportunities grow, and why a strong identity can be just as important as the music itself.

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Jack Murray, vocalist of 156/Silence, joins the podcast to discuss the road that brought the band to where they are today. From coming up in the Pittsburgh heavy music scene to navigating years of uncertainty, Jack reflects on the relationships, community, and DIY spirit that helped shape both the band and his perspective.

The conversation also dives into the moments when it seemed like 156/Silence might not continue, what kept him from walking away, and why persistence has ultimately been one of the band's greatest strengths. Along the way, Jack shares stories from the road, lessons learned through years of growth, and why staying committed to your vision can pay off in ways you never expect.

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This week I sit down with Jeremy Walker, co-founder of Fire in the Mountains, for a conversation that goes far beyond festival promotion. Jeremy reflects on the winding path that led him from a life rooted in Vermont to building one of the most unique experiences in heavy music in which a gathering where community, culture, and the natural world carry as much weight as the bands on stage.

The discussion explores the evolution of Fire in the Mountains, the mission behind the Firekeeper Alliance, and the responsibility of creating spaces that foster connection, stewardship, and cultural understanding. Jeremy also shares how his relationship with music, wilderness, and community has evolved over the years, and what continues to drive his work today. We also discuss how the Neurosis reunion got pulled together as well.

A thoughtful conversation about purpose, place, and building something bigger than yourself.

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This week Ray is joined by Matthew Dwyer, the voice behind the beloved Texas band Oakwood. For many people, Oakwood occupies a unique place in underground music history of literally playing only 15-20 shows, but having a "comeback" moment that has now turned into something way more real.

Matthew takes us through his life in Texas and the environments that shaped both him and Oakwood. The conversation explores the band's connection to the Odessa era, the band came together, and a lot more. We also dig into Matthew's relationship with the broader punk and hardcore world, including formative influences from bands like Paulson and Hot Cross, and how discovering emotionally honest music helped shape his creative voice.

Along the way, Matthew reflects on the realities of building a life in Texas, balancing adulthood with creativity, the evolution of DIY culture, and how Oakwood fits into it all. It's a conversation about longevity, community, finding your place in underground music, and what happens when songs continue to connect with people long after they've been written.

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