The feeling of being overwhelmed is something that Sincere Engineer’s Deanna Belos can tell you all about. She began her somewhat unexpected music career during a real crossroads in her life, in which she was deciding whether or not to pursue a career in the world of dentistry. It was around this time that she met producer Matt Jordan, who not only helped Deanna reach her musical potential, but also introduced her to the fellow musicians who would become the band. The song “Trust Me” was born out of this era, and within a few years, it was Sincere Engineer’s set closer on the main stage at Lollapalooza. This week, Deanna sits in to discuss the writing and recording of the song that has become one of the band’s signature tracks.

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This week’s Throwback Thursday episode was first released as Episode 209 on June 3rd, 2024, and it features Alkaline trio guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba. In this conversation, he takes listeners behind the scenes of the band's fan favorite 2005 single, "Time to Waste". Matt opens up about the writing and recording process, shedding light on the band's bold approach to incorporating big production elements, exemplified by the haunting piano intro that sets the tone. He pays homage to the late Jerry Finn, emphasizing Finn's significant contributions to the song's creation. Furthermore, Matt shares the inspiration behind the lyrics, including the surprising, never-before-told backstory behind the infamous "hide the cutlery" line. Join in for an intimate exploration of the creative process and untold stories behind this iconic track, straight from the artist's perspective.

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War On Women are generally known for the politically charged subject matter of their songs, but with the 2026 single “Messages Unsent”, the band couldn’t resist the pull of what has inspired musicians and songwriters since the dawn of time: LOVE. Two different types of love came together to inspire vocalist Shawna Potter’s lyrics, both the romantic kind that she feels for her partner, as well as the unconditional affection she has for her dog Rosie. In this episode, she discusses how the song came to be, which despite its departure from the band’s usual themes, still packs the powerful punch that fans have come to expect from War On Women’s musical output. 

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Over on the One Hit Thunder podcast (which is the sister show to Chris DeMakes A Podcast), the listeners recently chose their top 100 greatest one hit wonders of all time in the series known as The Thundred. The results were released over the course of five episodes, and this is the second installment of those results.

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In this episode, John Hampson makes his return to the show to discuss the writing and recording of the hit 2000 single from Nine Days, “If I Am.” Though the song didn’t hit the massive mainstream heights of “Absolutely (Story of a Girl),” it was a successful follow-up single that remains a fan favorite to this day. Written from real-life relationship experience, the song is earnest, heartfelt, and still resonates decades later, as the muse for the lyrics is now John’s wife. 

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Originally released as Episode 261 on June 2nd, 2025, this week’s Throwback Thursday episode features Chris’s Less Than Jake bandmate Roger Lima. Together, they dive into the writing and recording of their 2024 single “Sunny Side.” Inspired by a fan’s encouragement to “keep your sunny side up and your dirty side down,” the track blends heavy riffs with unforgettable melodies, all while remaining rooted in ska-punk sensibility. Tune in for a fun conversation about the creation of a newer fan favorite single.

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In this episode, songwriter and vocalist Peter Stuart discusses the writing and recording of the hit 1996 single from Dog’s Eye View, “Everything Falls Apart.” Written quickly (and with a hangover) after a disappointing meeting with a potential producer, the song describes a young Peter’s tendency to be his own worst enemy. Torpedoing his own life for excitement may have been a subconscious way of coming up with good subject matter for his lyrics, and fortunately in this instance, it worked. Tune in for a simultaneously inspiring and entertaining look into the creation of this mid-90s classic. 

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Originally released as Episode 257 on May 12th, 2025, this week’s Throwback Thursday episode features Chris’s Less Than Jake bandmate JR Wasilweski discussing the writing and recording of “Walking Pipebomb” from the band’s Uncharted EP. 

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Despite his recent retirement from the touring circuit, Dee Snider most definitely still rocks! This week, he makes his return appearance to the show to discuss the writing, recording, and legacy of Twisted Sister’s classic 1984 single “I Wanna Rock.” The spirit of the music still burns in Dee now, just as it did when he was recording song ideas into a cassette recorder as a young frontman. Tune in to both laugh and be inspired as Chris and Dee turn back the clock to the creation of this iconic rock standard. 

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Over on One Hit Thunder (sister podcast of Chris DeMakes A Podcast), Matt and Chris compiled the Top 10 lists of listeners to arrive at the list of the 100 greatest one hit wonders of all time. You can hear ALL of the episodes over on the One Hit Thunder feed, but to give you a taste, this is #100 through #81 of the countdown.

You can subscribe to One Hit Thunder wherever you get your pods, but here are a few links…

One Hit Thunder on Apple

One Hit Thunder on Spotify

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For bonus episode of The After Party podcast, an extensive back catalog of past After Party episodes, early ad-free releases of new episodes of Chris DeMakes A Podcast, full video versions of episodes, and MUCH more, head to the Patreon at ⁠http://www.ChrisDeMakes.com

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