Staind has a new record dropping this fall, and Mike Mushok was nice enough to hope on Zoom and tell me about it. Well, he told me what he could....you'll have to watch the interview to know what I mean.

Mike talks about the connection Staind and Godsmack have had for decades, as they get set to tour this summer. He talks about the first national show they actually played here in Detroit opening up for a local music legend.

We talk about the upcoming album, their first in 12 years. "Confessions of the Fallen" drops in late summer/early fall. Mike didn't have a specific date yet. He explained how the main lyric writer is singer, Aaron Lewis and that he doesn't even know what the lyrics are until far into the process. He told me about creating riffs and how he stores them in an 'ideas folder'.  As far as the record "I'm really happy with the way it turned out". He said it's a diverse album with more of an electric element to the new music.

We talked about making videos, dropping more new songs before the record comes out and more.

He also told me his thoughts on Aaron Lewis solo stuff. "I think whatever Aaron does is really good." He said that he had always hoped the band would get back together, but there just wasn't a plan. We discussed his thoughts when the band shut down, playing with Jason Newstead  and Saint Asonia filling the void. He said he wanted to write with other singers, which turned into Saint Asonia.

We talked about touring in 2021 in the midst of the pandemic. Find out why he says he looks back on the lockdown sort of fondly.

Always great to talk with Mike....

-Meltdown-