The beauty of having music conversations at music festivals is sometimes you get to a band or two or on the rise who you immediately connect with. That's the case with Mike's Dead. He's a rapper, a metal artist and so much more. He has everything in place to become very popular very soon and has already taken over social media including TikTok.

Joining me backstage at the Louder Than Life Music Festival in Louisville, KY is drummer Will Hunt from Evanescence, but also from Slaughter, and also from the band where I first heard of Will, Skrape!

The four girls that make up the rock band Plush joined me for a few minutes at the Louder Than Life Music Festival in Louisville, KY

I'm backstage at the Louder Than Life Music Festival in Louisville, KY with Mikko Siren of the Finish Cello-infused metal band Apocalyptica.

A rock band with a top 40 hit? Say it ain't so! Ghost released the song "Mary on a Cross" three years ago as a one-off song that was part of a special 7-inch vinyl release. Suddenly, the song has been trending on TikTok and has begun to show up everywhere. On top of that they are wrapping up a North American arena tour, the song "Spillways" from the album 'Impera' is a top 20 rock song and let's not forget that they also covered "Enter Sandman" as part of the 30th anniversary 'Blacklist' release for Metallica's 'Black Album.' It's time to say hi to one of rock's biggest stars, Tobias Forge of Ghost.

Go ahead and try to say the name Thundermother without saying it loud and with a rock n' roll voice? Can't do it. One-half of the Swedish all female rock band Thundermother join us this week from the road. They are on their first ever North American tour opening for The Scorpions in support of their new album 'Black & Gold' which is available now.

New Years Day has been killing it in the scene for a decade now, but it wasn't until 2019 that they had an actual "radio" hit with the song "Shut Up." Now Ash Costello and company are set to replicate that their new song "Hurts Like Hell" and a new tour with Halestorm that kicks off later this month.

Bobby Amaru became the lead singer of Saliva in 2011 right after original singer Josie Scott left the band. During a decade Saliva were up there with Godsmack, Papa Roach and all the other mainstream "active" rock bands. Since they've continued doing exactly what they set out to do, play kick ass rock music. Now with a new song "Crows" rising up the rock radio charts and a one off reunion planned with their original singer it's time to catch up with Bobby. We go through his history as a songwriter that brought him to the band and everything new that's going on with Saliva.

What can we say about the legendary Dave Mustaine that hasn't already been said? Love him or hate him without Megadeth music would be drastically different. With their 16th studio album due out next week it's time to catch up with Dave and talk all things Megadeth.

Frank Bello is the bassist for the legendary Anthrax who are on tour right now celebrating their 40th anniversary. In 1981 the world first heard of the New York thrash metal band Anthrax. It was 1985's 'Spreading the Disease' that put them on the map and they haven't looked back. They have overcome trends and band changes to be here today.

When famed Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde started Black Label Society and one of the first calls Zakk made to start the band was to his friend JD to handle bass duties. After leaving the band for a bit in the early 2000's, he's been back since.

Add in the band Hatebreed and you have one hell of a tour.