Behind the Vinyl

Rachel, Andrew & Kevin of Nervous Dater joined me to talk about their new album, "Call in the Mess," which will be available everywhere on Feb. 26 (This Friday). The trio out of Brooklyn shared their experience while making the LP and told some really unique and fun stories that you don't want to miss. So far there has been three singles that the band has shared to the world. We talked in-depth about Middle Child and Tin Foil Hat. We got to hear what to expect from the rest of the album as well. This is the most open Rachel has ever been during the writing process. The song reflects on Rachel's experience with gender growing up and some of the restrictions from gender norms. Rachel says that some of the lyrics are about the transitioning of identifying as non-binary. The themes such as depression and debt also pop up in the song and throughout the album. Tin Foil Hat is Andrew's way of putting a song out there about horror, paranormal activity, and conspiracy theories. The band has a love for horror and it can be seen on their album cover. The band's debut album saw tremendous success and the sophomore album will certainly make its rounds around the music community. There is so much more included in this episode. Give it a listen to prepare yourself for Friday! Listen to the band below and buy their merch!

Tom May of The Menzingers joined the show for an epic conversation where we talked about a little bit of everything. We talked about previously being with Red Scare and how good of a person Toby is. We went into detail about The Menzingers getting flown out to California to meet with Epitaph and hearing about their big vision for the band. We obviously discussed the past year. Tom has become serious about cooking and what he puts into his body. Also, he has picked up a hobby in gardening where he grows oyster mushrooms and gourmet mushrooms. He also explained a funk he ran into with writing songs during the quarantine and snapping out of it by taking pressure off his writing.

Tom tells a story about being in Germany when they had their first coronavirus case and then The Menzingers playing their last show in Australia. The next day Australia began closing everything down and the band had to fly home. Tom talks about how everyone has a responsibility while on the road. Next, we got into what happened with the Robinhood app/GameStop and Tom gives us a little bit of financial knowledge. One of my favorite parts of the interview was when Tom talked about the band and how they are all best friends. The Menzingers still have the original lineup and they knew from the start that they were all in for the long haul. That led into Tom talking about growing up in Scranton, being in a band called Bob and the Sagets, and being friends with the members of Tigers Jaw. I also got his thoughts on New Jersey, specifically the New Brunswick scene, since Tom played there often during his early days as a musician.

Tom loves podcasts, too. He has his own called "Future Friday." Tom plans on putting out 52 episodes this year! He says that his passion for podcasts began during long car rides. It originally began with listening to audiobooks and then led into podcasts. He also edits the two podcasts for The Menzingers, which you can find on their Patreon.

We closed out the show talking about the band. Tom discusses the writing process and picking who does vocals with Greg. Tom explains how "From Exile" was a solution to a problem when touring was cancelled and they needed something to do. They decided to do something different this time -- the album was in acoustic form. A lot of the songs, at least to me, talk about leaving the past behind, so I asked Tom about that. "Hello Exile" came out before the pandemic, but lines up with a lot of what has happened over the past year. Two quick fun facts from the episode: Tom's sister gave him an old PC during quarantine and he started playing a game from his teenage years. Also, there's a folk musician with the same name as him... look it up! Give The Menzingers a listen/follow below:

Website: https://themenzingers.com

Bandcamp: https://themenzingers.bandcamp.com/album/from-exile

Instagram/Twitter: @themenzingers

Episode edited/mixed by Calvin McKay!

Had the opportunity to chat with the extremely talented Michael Gilbride who goes by the name of Telco. His story is a true inspiration to his fanbase. Michael was working a finance job in NYC that was leading to a very comfortable career, but something didn't feel right. He didn't want to look back at his life with regret. Everyone was happy about the path he was going down -- except for Michael himself. Michael was passionate about music and was in the middle of putting together the song "Say Hello" while still working his full-time job. Then the pandemic hit America. Michael made the decision to leave the finance field all together. One night he snuck into his office and collected his personal belongings and informed his bosses of his decision to pursue his real dream the next morning.

Telco is fresh off a new single labeled "Minus Nine" which was released in January. This comes at the heels of an EP that came out in September of 2020. "Minus Nine" had a different message than the songs on the EP. It gave the listeners a happier feeling. One where they would want to roll down their windows and drive somewhere. It's a song about pursuing your dreams... similar to how the project Telco was born. Telco is a music project that prides itself on honesty and chasing your dreams.

This episode had a bunch of fun subjects. Michael tells me about seeing Bruce Springsteen in Asbury Park at a young age and not fully realizing how big that show was. We talked about releasing his personal cell phone number to the public and receiving really encouraging text messages. He explained to me how the animated character became a part of his image. We talked about how Telco has made several big playlists. Michael goes into how accepting his finance was to his career change -- she even does some of the art for his social media accounts. Lastly, he admits that his last live show was a high school musical and he's ready to get his music out to the world. Give Telco a listen:

Website: https://www.telcomusic.com

Instagram: telco_music

Pat McCrory of Turnstile and Angel Du$t came on the podcast to talk about a wide variety of subjects. We kicked things off with Pat talking about growing up close to Baltimore. That leads to a discussion about the Baltimore Orioles where he confesses that his mom is a die-hard fan even though they have been one of the worst teams in baseball of late. Pat also brings up a funny story about when he was offered a security guard position at Urban Outfitters and took the job.

There is a bunch of great music talk in this episode. Pat explains how both Turnstile and Angel Du$t toured non-stop before the pandemic starting and how he just wanted a short month or two break to rest up for future shows. Be careful what you wish for! His break, like many other musicians, has turned into a long year. We discuss the wild live experience from his bands and what it will be like when everyone can start touring again. He tells a story about a stretch of acoustic shows he did with Angel Du$t, in which he was extremely nervous about because everyone would know if he messed up. It turned out to be a huge success.

Also, there was an interesting conversation about playing in his hometown of Baltimore and how he always wants to make the next show better than the last. I have always been curious about people's thoughts behind getting music into people's ear while being in a hardcore punk band. Pat talks about that whole process as well. He says the great thing about punk is you have the ability to say whatever you want, play whatever you want, and do whatever you want. We chat about the band not being as active on social media as other groups. Pat explains that they use their platform as something that will add value to society. They always want to put purpose into their post. One particular post from last year came around when Riley Gale passed away. Pat talks about how much Riley meant to him and the band. Riley was like family to him.

Some of the other areas we hit is how he started a twitch recently to play video games with his friends. Pat also started doing photography as a hobby and almost always brings his camera on the road. He had the perfect opportunity to shoot in Australia a few years back. We close out the show talking about how he met the members the two bands he's in, always feeling included in Turnstile even though he joined in 2016, and managing his time. Give Pat's bands a listen:

Turnstile's website: https://www.turnstilehardcore.com

Bandcamp: https://turnstilehc.bandcamp.com

Instagram/Twitter: turnstiletribe/@TURNSTILEHC

Angel Du$t's website: https://www.angeldustmoney.com/?frontpage=true

Instagram/Twitter: angeldustmoney

Neil Berthier of PHONY joined me this week all the way from Los Angeles. We began the discussion talking about his new found love for the outdoors. That includes skating to the local coffee shop daily and learning to surf through a roommate. Neil soon admits that he quit drinking a month ago and even decided to stop smoking cigarettes on his path to healthier lifestyle. We finally get into the music when we talk about his music video for Waffle House (watch it if you haven't yet).

Neil moved to LA right as the pandemic was beginning and it was one of the best decisions he has made in a long time. He is finally happy and enjoying the life he is living. He has been taking advantage of his free time and doing activities he wouldn't be able to do while touring. Neil checked a goal off his list too. Growing up, he wanted to be in LA so bad, and he is finally able to live his dream.

PHONY released its sophomore album labeled "Knock Yourself Out" in August of 2020. Most of the songs were written three years ago and Neil feels like he is not under the same mindset during the present time, so it was weird to relive the past. He considers "Knock Yourself Out" to be a raw album that has lyrics that deal with everything he was dealing with during that time. Neil says that both his PHONY albums have the same message and that is not living up to his full potential. Like stated earlier, Neil is in a better place now, and the way he writes is getting switched up in future projects.

We had a little bit of Donavan Wolfington talk in this episode. It was the start to Neil's career and he is thankful for that. We did discuss the difference between a solo project and being in a band full of different personalities. He agrees that you have to write to the different strengths of the band members. He always felt like time was running out while in his previous band and tried to push things.

Neil looks at his music as a small business. He has new songs coming out in 2021. He can finally make one group his top priority and is ready to conquer the world. Also, if you want to hear a fun conversation about pizza, this is the episode you want to listen to. Check out PHONY below:

Bandcamp: https://1-800-phony.bandcamp.com

Instagram & Twitter: @1_800_PHONY

Back in December I sat down with Dylan Slocum of Spanish Love Songs for a fun conversation. I finally got around to publishing the episode. As many know already, Dylan and Spanish Love Songs released "Brave Faces Everyone" towards the beginning of last year. We are now approaching the one year anniversary of the album. Dylan has certainly talked about it a bunch of times on various podcasts and media publications. We definitely talk about the story behind the album, especially my curiosity about the connection between Losers and Loser 2, but I also wanted to bring fresh topics to the table.

We began the episode joking about how many podcasts Dylan has already joined. We soon got semi-serious when we talked about Dylan not looking at criticism whenever it happens (it's not often) and a funny story about how his mother jokingly sends him criticism at times. Dylan and the rest of the band has a classic saying that goes "All music is great and all music sucks." It makes sense when you think about it. Music is a personal experience. One person might agree with it and the next might want to skip to the next song. We continue with Dylan talking about how he was a television buff growing up and how that resulted to him going to film school and working in Film after graduating. Dylan realized that the film industry wasn't for him, so he made his escape by starting up a band. He never saw it growing into something that he might be able to make a career out of but it continues to progress in the right direction.

We also dive into the Patreon. Spanish Love Songs has been interacting with the fans of their music through their Patreon that they made in May. They do two cover songs a month, a podcast, and are constantly messaging with people. It's really cool stuff. We also chatted about how busy Spanish Love Songs were before the pandemic. They started the year on tour with the Menzingers and were in the middle of a tour with The Wonder Years when Covid-19 hit America. Now, Dylan works a 9-5 from the comfort of his own home, which is completely different experience. Lastly, we got into who listens to their music, Schmaltz being the turning point for the band, his baseball career, the band's parents being involved, and so much more! Check out Spanish Love Songs below:

Website: http://www.spanishlovesongs.com

Bandcamp: https://spanishlovesongs.bandcamp.com

Instagram & Twitter: @spanishlovesongs/@SpanishLuvSongs

I had the pleasure to chat with New Jersey's own The Vaughns this week. Anna and Ryan gave an in-depth look at their upcoming EP "Rom-Coms & Take-Out." There are stories about the two song that have been released to the public already. We got a behind the scenes look at the production. We even learned about what some of their favorite rom-coms are. I enjoyed this episode. There was so much that went into this EP. I hope you all take the chance to learn more about this exciting release that is coming your way on January 29. Check out the Vaughns below:

Website: https://www.thevaughns.com

Bandcamp: https://thevaughns.bandcamp.com

Merch: https://thevaughns.merchnow.com

Instagram & Twitter: thevaughnsnj

This week I had a really impressive guest. Maura Weaver of Ogikubo Station, Direct Hit, and The Homeless Gospel Choir joined me to talk about her journey in music. Maura began the discussion talking about touring with three different bands. We soon explored her time in the UK last year, which included two separate trips. We talked about being on tour with Jawbreaker.. a band Maura made covers of their songs as a teenager. When Maura first got into music she read an article about the best punk albums of all time and made an effort to buy every CD on that list. We chatted about how good of a bassist Matt Freeman (Rancid) is, playing an acoustic tour as opposed to having amps and loud drums, and how it's refreshing to dabble in different bands. We went back to her young where Maura brought up she got into music because of her father who plays classical piano. Maura admits that she is fortunate to play music full-time and then gets into the story about her introduction to Direct Hit. She tells a funny story about how she didn't have the opportunity to practice with the band before her first tour with them and said she was freaking out before. Maura talks about growing up in Cincinnati and explains her experience at shows -- which wasn't the most encouraging experience for a young female musician. We soon talk about the beginning of Mixtapes, the first few tours -- which included The Wonder Years, having good writing chemistry with Ryan, and the band splitting up after a successful release. Maura remembers back to her teenage years again and talks about a rock camp that she attended (found it through Ultimate Guitar). She also brings up dealing with the ups and downs of the music industry at a young age. We finish off the interview talking about the period after Mixtapes, the band Boys, and meeting Mike Park. All Maura ever wanted is to be in a band and she's definitely doing that now. Follow Maura below:

Ogikubo Station: https://asianmanrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ogikubo-station-s-t

Direct Hit: https://directhit.bandcamp.com

The Homeless Gospel Choir: https://www.thehomelessgospelchoir.com

Instagram: @mauraweaver

The first podcast episode of the New Year is an awesome interview I had with Avery Springer of Retirement Party before the holidays. We began the conversation by discussing some of Avery's favorite songs and albums from 2020. We continued with fun topics such as the Chicago community and hearing about how Avery balanced a 9-5 job, college, and touring over the last couple of years. We soon went into Runaway Dog which was the big album from last year. We talked about releasing without being able to tour, the process behind making the album, and the meaning of the lyrics. Avery also talks about how the band formed, having a member live in Mexico, working on the business side of the music industry, and the solo music that was recently released -- includes getting rid of the name Elton John Cena. Lastly, one of my favorite parts of the interview, we talk about the demand that society puts on you to figure out what you want to do in life at an early age, even when most people don't have an idea about exactly what they want to do. Check out Retirement Party & Avery's solo music below:

Bandcamp: https://retirementparty.bandcamp.com

https://averyspringer.bandcamp.com

Instagram & Twitter: @rtrmntprty

I had the opportunity to chat with TJ and Steve of Ghost Town Remedy this week about their "debut" album called "Dry Spell" and so many other topics. This interview included defining the meaning of "Rad Dad Rock" and TJ explaining his father's love for Britney Spears' music. We all agreed on having a hard time listening to Pink Floyd and I admit that I can't listen to the Grateful Dead because of their long songs. I tell TJ and Steve their music sounds like Rozwell Kid. We have an extensive conversation about "Dry Spell." TJ talks about paying tribute to his brother on this album. Steve wrote a song about Taco Bell. TJ and Steve tell the story behind the song and even bring up another time when they spent around $100 at a Taco Bell in Missouri. They also explain how they made an original first album a few years ago, but it had more of a folk sound, which the band has transitioned away from. TJ tells the story behind Therapy and tells us about how he took out his guitar while having an argument with his ex-girlfriend. Steve explains the ultimate meaning behind the album is that it's okay to seek help. The entire album is basically the band's "group therapy." Plus some prize content like meeting at a Christmas concert, their move to Nashville from Virginia, Steve expressing his hate for Ewoks during a Star Wars conversation, the three of us talking about 80's movies, and the band playing at a strip club. Give a listen to Ghost Town Remedy:

Bandcamp: https://ghosttownremedy.bandcamp.com

Website: ghosttownremedy.com

Instagram: @ghosttownremedy