In this conversation, the band members reflect on their recent reunion shows and discuss the emotional impact of performing live after many years apart. They share insights into the preparation process, including rehearsals and song selection. The discussion highlights the genuine connection they feel with their fans and the nostalgia that comes with revisiting their past work.  Ultimately, this talk is a celebration of their musical journey and the lasting significance of their legacy.  Listeners will enjoy a stroll down memory lane, as the band members recount  Jeremy Enigk's (Sunny Day Real Estate) early involvement in making music with the Poor Old Lu guys and what led to his departure.  The faith of many of Poor Old Lu's members has changed since writing their songs in the 90s.  As such, they reflect on playing songs that lyrically no longer represent their current belief systems.  They discuss which albums they are most proud of, why the latest release, "The Waiting Room" (2002), doesn't feel  like part of the “canon" and why a new Poor Old Lu album would.  Can Poor Old Lu fans  anticipate more music from this iconic band that means so much to so many?  Listen to find out.  

Jon the RosterMusic.Club. (TRY YOUR FIRST MONTH FREE) 

Represented on this episode: 

Nick Barber | Scott Hunter | Aaron Sprinkle | Jesse Sprinkle | Matthew Schwartz | Lusers  | Joey Svendsen | Pacifirecords | Moon Traveling Podcast | The Rumors Are True Podcast

All music courtesy of Poor Old Lu and Mechanical River. 

Andrew Schwab takes Project 86 fans on a trip down memory lane with stories pulled from his autobiographical book, I. Need. Truth.: My Life and Times in Project 86. As he walks listeners through the band’s history, he shares the highest of highs and lowest of lows, how the journey has shaped him, and a few things he wishes he’d done differently. Along the way, Andrew mixes in fun stories and tidbits—like who his favorite bands are, which era of Project 86 he enjoyed the most, and why Tooth & Nail initially hesitated to sign them because they “weren’t cool enough.”

At the top of the episode, Joey chats with friend, Brittany Best, about her own music-listening journey of Christian alternative, how she became a Project 86 fan, and her love for Poor Old Lu, Dakota Motor Company, and old-school Christian rap.

Jon the RosterMusic.Club. (TRY YOUR FIRST MONTH FREE) 

Andrew Schwab | Instagram | Book | Project86

Joey Svendsen, host | Instagram 

Brittany Best, guest | Instagram 

[Part 2 with Andrew Schwab, releasing soon, will be a deep-dive into the story of all things Project 86]

Andrew Schwab just completed his first novel "OMNI."  In this book, Andrew explores society's relationship with metaphysics, AI, and media by providing a mind-bending journey through a fictional civilization in the "not so distant" future.  On this episode, Andrew shares a bit about the imaginary world found in the pages of his novel, the reasons behind writing it and his passionate ambition to continue writing novels and recording new Project86 albums that are thematically linked to his dystopian tales.

Over the course of this conversation, Andrew, along with host Joey Svendsen, discuss the future of AI and the potential threats it could pose to mankind.  Andrew provides insight into the impact AI will have on  younger generations and how they relate to true art.  He also argues that humanity isn't counting the cost of technological development, and he articulates how one of the most impactful costs could be humanity becoming less human. 

Jon the RosterMusic.Club. (TRY YOUR FIRST MONTH FREE) 

Andrew Schwab | Instagram | OMNI | Project86

Joey Svendsen | Instagram 

[Get your tickets to Tom Convention 2025  ("TomCon"), a full weekend of VIP access where you can hear from and interact with your favorite Christian Alternative artists from 1980s to 2000s]

PART 2: Mark Salomon (The Crucified, Stavesacre, etc) gives us some life updates, shares where he's at in his Christians faith, describes some ways in which he's changed over the years, and challenges listeners who believe they've figured out God.  Along the way, Mark, with hosts Joey and Jared, takes listeners on some trips down memory lane, shares some regrets and gives his stab at a "best punk rock bands" list.   

Jon the RosterMusic.Club. (TRY YOUR FIRST MONTH FREE) 

PART 1: At the top of the episode, his buddy Jim Chaffin (The Crucified), another buddy Allan Aguirre (Scaterd Few), and Mikee Bridges (Sometime Sunday, Tomfest, TomCon) pay tribute to the most impactful frontmen of the Christian punk and hardcore scene.  Also joining the conversation is Jeremy Gould (Rumors Are True Podcast) and Cameron (Tooth and Nail News Instagram).

Mark Salomon I Instagram

Jim Chaffin I Instagram 

Allen Aguirre I Instagram I Music I Book

Mikee Bridges I Instagram I TomCon

Jeremy Gould I Instagram I Podcast

Cameron I Tooth and Nail News

HOSTS: Joey Svendsen / Jared Svendsen 

thanks to Adam Again, The Crucified, Stavesacre, Neon Horse, The Lead, Scaterd Few, and Mechanical River for the music on this episode.  

Producer, singer and song-writer, Aaron Sprinkle, joins alongside his fellow podcasting partner; singer, song-writer, and producer, Matthew Schwartz.  Released on their podcast "Moontraveling Podcast" as well, this episode is is a trip down memory lane.  As hosts Joey and Jared Svendsen are huge admirers of Aaron's work over the decades, they are treated to a behind the scenes look at that very memory lane, including why Aaron quit Poor Old Lu and always felt like a bit of a sell out. With Matthew Schwartz in the house, the four guys talk through music production, what Aaron's favorite production projects were, why Matthew believes there's no reason to have a bad vocalist for a band's frontman.  As the four reflect on their personal life journeys, they also manage to compare Amy Grant and the hardcore band Focused and rank albums and bands from Dakota Motor Company and the metal band, Bride.  

Aaron Sprinkle I Music I Instagram I Podcast

Matthew Schwartz I Music I Instagram I Podcast

HOSTS: Joey Svendsen / Jared Svendsen 

RosterMusic.Club. (TRY YOUR FIRST MONTH FREE) &
Moontraveling Podcast Patreon

thanks to the following bands for letting us tell this story with your tunes: Dakota Motor Company, Bride, Poor Old Lu, Pacifico, Rose Blossom Punch, Emery, Stavesacre, Joel T. Hamilton (Mechanical River).

Thanks to Jeremy Gould for releasing this on Rumors Are True Podcast. 

Take a public survey:

Tooth and Nail "first 100 releases" Survey

A few members of Roster Music Club join with Jared, Joey and their good buddy Lee Padgette to talk about music, including how Jared listened to an album yearly since 1996 "to give it one more try," and is finally into it.  Congrats, Jared!  You'll hear how Joey rescued a customer at Family Christian Bookstore back in the day from throwing his new P.O.D. CD away.  We reflect on the band, Poor Old Lu's album "Sin" (and some one almost gets kicked out of the club for "not being a fan.")  

Ska gets a bad rap on this one and Joey doesn't understand Wish For Eden's "Pet the Fish" album.  Starflyer 59 albums are found to be impossible to rank but some how Lee knows their best song (and he may not be wrong).  Joining the crew later on in the conversation is Jeremy Gould host of our partner podcast, "The Rumors Are True."

Oh, you'll also hear a story of MxPx being flown out to play a "weekend birthday party" for teens with 90 lb. Wuss as the opening "ticket!"

Join a club of other folks like yourself who love to talk music, debate albums, have polls on favorites of "all things music." The first month is free, go join the club now by going to: RosterMusic.Club. (TRY YOUR FIRST MONTH FREE)

HOSTS: Joey Svendsen / Jared Svendsen 

Take Some public Surveys:

Tooth and Nail "first 100 releases" Survey / MxPx Survey

Roster Music Club is an interactive club of music enthusiast geeks like yourself who love talking about, debating about and listening to that scene we all loved (and love) so much.  Join here to try a month for free.  

Greg Dimick (Crux, Empty Tomb, Teeth for Eyes) joins Roster Music Club's Podcast for a trip down memory lane into the history of the Christian Punk music scene, including some of his personal life and his time with the two main bands he was involved in, Empty Tomb and Crux.  Dispersed amongst this time with Greg, listeners will hear clips from our first Roster Music Club hang-out in which some one almost gets kicked out for not really liking Poor Ol Lu (poor guy) and how Joey was afraid for Jared's soul because of his secular, "ska" music listening back in the day and how The OC Supertones saved the day. 

Go join the club now by going to RosterMusic.Club. (TRY FIRST MONTH FREE)

Greg Dimick / Teeth for Eyes

Joey Svendsen / Jared Svendsen

Tooth and Nail "first 100 releases" Survey / MxPx Survey

Michael Sweet may be the Godfather of it all, or (if we're switching movies) at least a "Jedi" in the "christian music world."  His band, Stryper, exploded onto the scenes in the 1980s selling millions of albums, playing all over MTV, blasting on all radio stations, playing shows with top bands like Ratt and Bon Jovi.  Mikee Bridges frontman of Tooth and Nail Records' legendary band "Sometime Sunday," played a style of music in the mid-90s that many folks would identify as "grunge." Both join as guests on this episode.  

The conversations on this episode look at many layers of this "punk-rock," alternative evolution of christian music; one example being the jeers and ridicule both Mikee and Michael endured despite having very different music careers, due to both of their singing lyrical content pertaining to Christian faith.  

With a few other hosts thrown into the mix, this episode also assesses the swift trend from "glam metal to grunge" in the early 90s, contains talks about Guns 'N Roses, Mortal and Poor Ol Lu, and time is spent ranking the first 4 Stryper albums.  Fun-filled episode!

Go join the club now by going to RosterMusic.Club. (TRY FIRST MONTH FREE)

Stryper / Mikee Bridges / Michael Sweet / TomCon

Joey Svendsen / Matt Johnson / Bryan Gray 

It's the kick off to a new, one of a kind, digital music club, Roster Music Club, but this episode is mainly a tribute to the era and scene of music that birthed Jared and Joey Svendsen's love for music, eventually leading to the creation of this club and podcast, in the first place. 

With Matt Johnson (Roadside Monument, Blenderhead, etc) and Bryan Gray (The Blamed, Blenderhead, etc) Joey and Jared share their "Top Ten" favorite albums from the first 100 releases out of a label that forever changed the landscape of music that many referred to as the "Christian alternative scene."  With the "Top Ten" discussion as the centerpiece, this episode is also packed with the sort of topical questions that will be commonplace in the club: "Foo Fighters vs. Sunny Day Real Estate," "Mark Salomon vs. Chris Carrabba," "Weezer vs. Radiohead," best Pedro the Lion album? Who's the King of the Grunge scene (if not, Nirvana), and more!

Bryan and Matt share stories and behind the scenes insight about a scene they were creating with their other musician friends.  The two also share their own "Top Ten" of the same 100 releases, and special thanks to Fr. Christopher (of Luxury) for sending his list as well to share with listeners.  

Go join the club now by going to RosterMusic.Club.

Don't miss the first online event (a concert) free for anyone on Facebook LIVE, here on May 1st @ 8PM EST:
Lineup - Derri Daugherty (the Choir), Kevin Robinson (Viva Voce) and Ted Bond (Craig's Brother). 

Thanks to Joe from Jejuneand Joel from Mechanical River for much of the background music on this episode. 

Tell me more about this club, man!

Here's an extended "audio commercial" of what all is in store for the future of this new "Roster Music Club," examples of conversations that will be in abundance for club members. 

[Go to Roster Music Club Website to join the club at a discounted rate (only through April)]