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https://linktr.ee/loserukband

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We catch Loser and Bay Of Pigs right before soundcheck to talk gig life, new music, and what it takes to keep bands moving through lineup changes and hard lessons on stage. We also dig into AI music fears, why authenticity matters from the album cover to the final mix, and how listeners can support real musicians. 
• their show schedule and what it takes to play consistent gigs 
• the night’s bill with Bay Of Pigs, TBK Muzak, and Jar Of Lies 
• who’s in each band and how the projects overlap 
• Bay Of Pigs’ thrash roots and the push toward more originals 
• learning vocals, improving musicianship, and earning confidence live 
• adapting to lineup changes and keeping the vibe positive 
• gear talk, including drums, pedals, and a Lemmy-style custom bass build 
• AI music generation, Spotify pressure, and why live music still matters 
• the album cover lesson: avoiding visuals that make the music feel fake 
• UK release workflow with PRS, PPL, and distribution through DistroKid 
• onstage “oh shit” moments from forgotten lyrics to broken hardware 
Please do support our show. It doesn't cost much money, and you can cancel it anytime, but please do support us. 
Please, if you're feeling the urge, at least leave a comment and tell us how we're doing or what we could do to improve. 

Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

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Post-roll music is us band Monollith

Tom`s pedals
A great show which features effect pedals.

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https://open.spotify.com/episode/7i2D9HCLujo9yyXiMcmUiz?si=MHIB54jkQeuiAxSWA7sG9Q

We’re wrapping up our current era with a rapid-fire collection of unforgettable “oh shit” gig moments from musicians everywhere, plus a few of our own. We also explain why we’re renaming and revamping the show into “Franklin’s A Evolution Of Music” and what listeners can expect next. 

• rebrand plans and why the format needs new energy 
• listener-submitted gig disasters from churches clubs and festivals 
• power problems abroad plus bad grounding and shocking microphones 
• drum riser chaos and how bandmates save the night 
• soundcheck mistakes and the risk of open stage mics 
• real safety scares like carbon monoxide and electrical explosions 
• crowd collisions and accidental hits during big stage moves 
• guest “oh shit” highlights including in-ear monitor problems and stage failures 

Please do click on that support link. It only costs you three bucks. 
Leave us a comment. 
Why not put your own your own oh shit moment on there?

Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

Mid-roll is band Trouble

Post-roll music is us band Monollith

Support the show

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https://dustbolt.com

Thrash metal doesn’t survive on playlists alone, it survives when people actually show up for each other. We sit down with Lenny Bruce, vocalist and rhythm guitarist of German thrash metal band Dustbolt, to dig into how a group of kids from a small town in Bavaria turned a teenage basement dream into real tours, real records, and a mission to make thrash matter to younger fans.

We talk about the idea behind “Thrash Is Back” and why it’s bigger than a tour name. Lenny breaks down the role of community in heavy music: local shows, DIY ethics, friendships that last, and how social media can be used to connect the scene instead of turning every artist into a numbers-obsessed brand. He also shares what it’s like keeping the same core lineup together since they were around 13, including the conflicts that come with being “married” to your bandmates for nearly two decades.

Then we get brutally honest about the modern live music economy. Post-pandemic costs, ticket-sale pressure, and venues booking whatever’s trending can make it harder for rock and metal bands to grow the old way. Lenny explains why Germany still has hope thanks to fan-driven festivals and why he believes the hunger for real, analog live shows is coming back as everything else gets more digital.

Plus: wild tour stories, the near-disaster first US run with Obituary, Exodus, and Power Trip, and how Dustbolt went fully independent recording, producing, and shooting videos with friends. We also dig into their newer music, including “Fire In Your Eyes,” and what they’re planning next.

If you’re into thrash metal, DIY music, and the reality of touring in 2026, hit subscribe, share this with a metalhead friend, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show.

Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

Mid-roll is band Trouble

Post-roll music is us band Monollith

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https://open.spotify.com/episode/4DdMzN4g9P2nrk3Drhkfih?si=56407e3d65ba4e83

https://www.alexandralioness.com/

https://buymeacoffee.com/Fgts

A lot of musicians say they’d drop everything to chase music full-time. Alexandra Lioness actually did it and she’s honest about the price, the payoff, and the messy middle. From Belgrade, Serbia, she built Jenner from the ground up, shifted from bass to guitar, stepped into vocals, and learned how to carry a heavy metal band when you’re also the songwriter, band manager, booking brain, and the one doing the social media.

We dig into the practical side of a modern metal career: how to balance multiple bands with different commitment levels, how home recording and reamping can keep releases sounding pro, and why “every two years like clockwork” isn’t realistic for most independent artists. Alexandra also breaks down how her social media growth started during COVID, why consistency matters more than one viral clip, and what it really takes to earn brand attention as a guitarist.

Then it gets real. She talks burnout, self-criticism, and the pressure of being the person responsible for everything. We also get the unforgettable touring stories: first shows with in-ear monitors and click tracks, volume disasters, silent mixes, and the kind of onstage chaos that tests whether you can stay calm and keep the crowd with you.

Finally, Alexandra opens up about identity and reinvention, including graduating medical school, realizing it wasn’t her path, and channeling that transition into a deeply personal solo project that stretches beyond thrash and heavy metal into progressive and piano-driven emotion.

If you care about heavy metal, female guitarists, touring life, songwriting, or building a sustainable music career, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a musician friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

Mid-roll is band Trouble

Post-roll music is us band Monollith

Tom`s pedals
A great show which features effect pedals.

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http://elleindigo.com/

We hang out with Southern California singer-songwriter Elle Indigo and talk about making indie pop and R&B that tells the truth about mental health, heartbreak, and grief without losing the hook. We also get into the real work behind gigs, songwriting, and confidence, plus how her poetry and horror comics feed the same creative drive.

• indie pop and R&B roots plus writing lyrics to help people feel seen 
• “Your Daily Dose of Awe” and why healing and growth stay central 
• lyric-first writing from a poetry background and editing to fit melody 
• co-writing and production with a partner plus thoughts on adding a full band 
• performing locally in Palm Springs and building toward an album release 
• publishing poetry during COVID and self-publishing speculative horror comics 
• Desert Fringe Fest recap plus dry-air vocal challenges and live-show mishaps 
• influences, Spotify rabbit holes, and choosing to push past stage fear 
• booking reality, demo reels, EPKs, and social media attention spans 
• advice for young artists on finding supportive people and ignoring haters 

please leave us a comment, whether it's good or bad. 
If you drop us a comment in this episode, the first three, we're gonna we're gonna shoot you out some some free swag. 
we always have a link to support the show.

Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

Mid-roll is band Trouble

Post-roll music is us band Monollith

Tom`s pedals
A great show which features effect pedals.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

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Thank you and please visit our social medial sites to leave feedback and or support our project.

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https://allmylinks.com/theboneslv

A Vegas rock band that proudly claims they “don’t give a shit” sounds like a disaster on paper, until you hear how The Bones turn that attitude into tight shows, fearless songwriting, and a surprisingly sustainable way to gig in 2026. We sit down with the band to talk about how they ended up in Las Vegas from all over the map, why they keep their process loose, and how they balance multiple projects without burning out. If you’re a working musician, a DIY artist, or a fan of raw live energy, this conversation hits the real stuff. 

We get into the nuts and bolts of writing original music when everyone comes from different styles, plus the simple filter that saves time: make the song, listen back, then decide if it sucks. They also share plans for new releases, including a possible dip deeper into a country-leaning rock sound, and what it means to follow what audiences actually react to without chasing trends. Along the way, we talk touring reality, dying venues, and why a band might rehearse once right before a show and still bring the house down. 

You’ll also hear our favorite “oh shit” moments from the stage, the truth about pre-show rituals, and honest advice for younger players trying to go from garage to stage without turning music into a joyless job. If you like conversations about rock bands, live music, songwriting, music production, and the future of gigging, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a musician friend, and leave us a review with the one line you’ll remember from this one.

Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

Mid-roll is band Trouble

Post-roll music is us band Monollith

Support the show

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https://witheringearth.com

We hang with Florida Viking metal band Withering Earth to talk myth-driven songwriting, touring plans, and what it really takes to bring full energy to every live set. We swap the stories musicians live for, from gear wins to brutal onstage mistakes, then land on the mindset that keeps a band moving forward. 
• Withering Earth’s Viking theme, Ulfhednar imagery, and myth-based lyrics 
• 2026 show plans, Norse forged gathering (6th consecutive year), and building a regional tour 
• treating small crowds like real fans and giving the full performance 
• backing tracks setup, DI splits, and click track workflow for live shows 
• ticket links, social media promotion, and reaching international listeners 
• band dynamics, commitment, and the trust required to keep momentum 
• balancing marriage, kids, and the reality of music as a job 
• best shows so far and the shock of early big crowds 
• learning instruments, early influences, and finding the “felt it” moment 
• why comparisons to prodigies can derail beginners and how to stay in your lane 
• onstage “oh shit” stories including wrong tuning reference and tuner left on 
• recording at home, outsourcing mixing and mastering, and choosing collaborators 
• stage banter, handling dead air, and keeping the crowd on your side 
• when band politics and sabotage kill a project and how to rebuild 
Please give us comments on our on our episodes and you know hit us up. We’ve got some shirts, we’ve got merch to give away. We got shirts, we got CDs from some of these artists, we got more coming from new artists. 
Don’t forget that supports um on the on our on our pages. Um, you know, we could use a couple bucks here and there… shoot us, you know, three bucks a month. 
If you’re a band or musician, you want or club owner or producer, anything involved in music, you know, hit us up in the comments section of our of our uh podcast and we’ll get back to you.

https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com

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Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

Mid-roll is band Trouble

Post-roll music is us band Monollith

Tom`s pedals
A great show which features effect pedals.

MIDI trigger controller
Our wireless MIDI trigger controller allows musicians to discreetly trigger tracks.

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What if your show could breathe without the leash of a pedalboard or the glow of a laptop? We sit down with Midian co-founder Willem van Dermey to share how a belt-clip MIDI controller gives performers real freedom: trigger tracks, fire lighting cues, and move through scenes with a simple click from anywhere on stage. No app lock-in, no steep learning curve—just a reliable, RF-powered remote that maps cleanly to Ableton Live, Logic Pro, ProPresenter, and even OBS.

Willem traces the journey from a worship leader’s clunky footswitch to a senior design project that blossomed into a production-ready device. We dig into why 2.4 GHz RF beats Bluetooth on crowded stages, how four buttons deliver eight functions with short and long presses, and what “near-zero latency” feels like when you’re counting in a chorus. You’ll hear real stories from bands and educators who traded frantic laptop sprints for calm, confident control, along with hard-won lessons from navigating FCC certification and the cost of international approvals like CE.

Whether you’re a solo artist building your first backing tracks, a bassist juggling pedals and cues, or a metal band tired of mid-show update surprises, this conversation lays out practical ways to simplify your rig without sacrificing power. We keep it grounded: what to map first, how to think about line of sight, and when discreet control adds the most value to a live set. If you’ve been waiting for a way to run the show while staying in the show, this is for you.

Enjoy the episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend who gigs, and leave a quick review—your support helps us bring on more builders and artists who make live music better.

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Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

Mid-roll is band Trouble

Post-roll music is us band Monollith

Tom`s pedals
A great show which features effect pedals.

MIDI trigger controller
Our wireless MIDI trigger controller allows musicians to discreetly trigger tracks.

promo-franklin

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

https://fgts4u.org

Thank you and please visit our social medial sites to leave feedback and or support our project.

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A jazz gig, a Meshuggah shirt hidden under a blazer, and a chance meeting set off a chain reaction that became Aethraxia—progressive metal built on precision, melody, and a quietly defiant philosophy. We sit down with guitarist-composer Steve and vocalist Tanner to unpack how classical training, jazz fluency, and modern heaviness fuse into songs that feel intricate without losing heart. The conversation moves from early musical roots—piano, cello, choir, and a career’s worth of gigs—to the moment they realized a true frontman changes everything.

Steve shares how years of playing jazz, funk, and even European power metal tours taught him to deliver without rehearsals, a discipline that now shapes the band’s click-tight live shows. Tanner opens up about escaping a strict upbringing, finding his voice, and why he avoids practice on show days and skips weed when singing to protect coordination and tone. We break down the band’s name—Aethraxia—as a stylized nod to ataraxia, inner peace, and how that thread runs through their heaviest songs. You’ll hear how they recorded first to attract the right live bassist, why Denver’s metal scene surprised them, and the booking approach that landed seven shows in four months, including headliners.

If you’re a musician, this is a playbook: build your craft with lessons and theory, prepare a full set before asking for shows, take gigs that stretch you, and aim to be the least experienced player in the room. If you’re a fan, it’s a window into a band evolving fast, already back in the studio, and planning diverse sets so no two shows feel the same. Come for the riffs and stay for the mindset—serious musicianship, clear standards, and the joy that keeps it all moving.

Enjoy the conversation, share it with a friend who loves progressive metal, and if it hit home, subscribe and leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show.

https://xn--thraxia-lxa.com/about

Pre-roll tune is band Jenner

Mid-roll is band Trouble

Post-roll music is us band Monollith

Tom`s pedals
A great show which features effect pedals.

MIDI trigger controller
Our wireless MIDI trigger controller allows musicians to discreetly trigger tracks.

promo-franklin

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

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A backyard barbecue, a long orange extension cord, and a beat-up VHS of Woodstock. That’s how Andrew Verkamp accidentally started a movement in a tiny Indiana town, one that grew into Kayana Woodstock—a decades-long tradition that packed hundreds into his yard, then graduated to the Lincoln Amphitheater with live bands, giant screens, and a stubborn commitment to peace and love. We sit down with Andrew to unpack the true story behind his book, Kayana Woodstock: One More Day of Peace and Music, and how a private screening ritual became a regional stage for rock history and community.

Andrew takes us back to 1969’s gravity, the reel-to-reel tapes from a brother in Vietnam, and the Beatles album that rewired his life. He explains why the book blends memoir with cultural history, and how he honored song lyrics through clever word scrambles while navigating an eye-opening education in music licensing. From ASCAP and BMI coverage to the hard stop on screening rights, we trace his mad dash through Warner Bros. calls, estates, and the workaround that made a public Woodstock showing possible. Then the story turns electric: a storm show where rain hammered the stage, fans hauled drums and amps inside, and fireworks boomed through thunder while the crowd sang on.

Along the way, we explore what it means to keep a scene alive—passing the hat for local artists, doubling donations to a school music fund, sponsoring a summer stage, and inviting young bands to make their first leap from garage to stage. Andrew reflects on hearing loss at an Aerosmith concert, concert pilgrimages to the places where legends fell and rose, and his belief that everyone carries a version of sex, drugs, and rock and roll—whatever their passions may be. He also hints at a second book that trades the backyard for the world, connecting travel, empathy, and the same relentless question: can we still build spaces where strangers choose trust for a night?

If you love rock history, festival lore, or stories of DIY culture that scale into community, you’ll feel right at home. Listen, share with a friend who needs the spark, and leave a review to help more people find the show. Peace and love—see you at the next show.

Tom`s pedals
A great show which features effect pedals.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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