Season 04, Episode 08 of “Load-In Through the Back” features great songs (and great conversation) by a great artist– unlike the SPIN Magazine’s list of the “50 Worst Songs by Great Artists” that Troy and Pauly dive into during the Cold Open.

Our guest today sticks your lips, loneliness, and the two coins of your eyes into his pockets and puts a helluva lot of butts in seats. We’re talking to singer/songwriter Pete Francis, founding member of DISPATCH.

Pete formed DISPATCH with classmates Chadwich Stokes and Brad Corrigan at Middlebury College (VT REPRESENT!) in 1996 and grew the band into a global touring juggernaut on the shoulders of hits like “Two Coins,” “Bang Bang,” and “the General.” 

Despite five consecutive sell-outs at Madison Square Garden and drawing over 100,000 people to Boston’s Hatch Shell, Pete’s thirst for creativity has never been quenched. Since 2001, he has released over a dozen full-length LP’s and Extended Plays under his own name, and amassed a cult following of lyric-forward indie-folk and soul fans that transcend the iconic band. 

Pete joins us to discuss beekeepers, legacy, remaining creatively viable, starting over, and so much more. 

A new self-engineered record entitled “Homemade” will be released this spring. Pete is currently on the road, and those dates can be found at PeteFrancis.com or by following @PeteFrancis3 on social media. 

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This episode is sponsored in part by Tank Recording Studio in Burlington, VT.