Talking Metal

On this episode of Talking Metal, Mark Strigl is joined by Mike Gemini, drummer for the East Coast hard rock band Fire ‘N Ice. They dig into the band’s rise, their connection to Los Angeles, and the big news surrounding their singer, John Torra, who was recently named the new frontman of Quiet Riot.

Topics covered include:

• How Fire ‘N Ice formed and the story behind the lineup

• John Torra’s path from Fire ‘N Ice to Quiet Riot (and whether the band will continue with him splitting time between both projects)

• Building momentum in Los Angeles as an East Coast band, including shows at the Whisky a Go Go

• Why traditional hard rock still has a bright future, with younger bands carrying the torch

• Gemini’s love of Aerosmith and other influences that shape the band’s sound

• The current state of Fire ‘N Ice and what’s next

Support the show

A big thank-you to the supporters on Patreon who make these episodes possible. If you’d like to join them, head to patreon.com/talkingmetal. For $7 a month, I’ll mail you a Talking Metal T-shirt anywhere in the world, and you’ll also get bonus videos and extra content.

Thanks for listening!

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Mark Strigl speaks with Ozzy Osbourne impersonator Vinny Cormier. He is the frontman and lead vocalist of Crazy Train: America’s Authentic Ozzy Experience.

Please consider supporting Mark Strigl on Patreon: patreon.com/talkingmetal A $7-a-month pledge or more gets you a Talking Metal T-shirt, mailed anywhere in the world.

Listen to Mark every day on SiriusXM.

The Talking Metal podcast is independent and is not affiliated with SiriusXM.

Follow Mark on IG: @markstrigl

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Talking Metal Podcast — Episode 1010

Scottish guitarist Kieran Robertson, of Geoff Tate’s band and Faster Pussycat, joins Mark Strigl on episode 1010 of the Talking Metal podcast. A major creative force on Geoff Tate’s latest album, Operation: Mindcrime III, Kieran talks about working with Geoff Tate, John Moyer, and the rest of the team on the record, how he first connected with Geoff, and how the album came together.

They also get into Faster Pussycat, the band Kieran joined a number of years back. During the interview, he reveals he is now also a member of a new band with Britt Lightning of Vixen and Tommy London, called The Jetsetters.

Follow Kieran Robertson on Instagram: @kieran_robertson__

Please consider supporting Mark Strigl on Patreon: patreon.com/talkingmetal A $7-a-month pledge or more gets you a Talking Metal T-shirt, mailed anywhere in the world.

Listen to Mark every day on SiriusXM.

The Talking Metal podcast is independent and is not affiliated with SiriusXM.

Follow Mark on IG: @markstrigl

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Talking Metal, Mark Strigl interviews comedian Don Jamieson, who has two new releases out now: Comedy Is Killing Me and Terrorizing Telemarketers, Vol. 8 with Jim Florentine.

Be sure to connect with Don on social media and check out his latest comedy, tour dates and more at DonJamieson.com.

Mark also shares his thoughts on the recent AC/DC concert he attended at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Support Talking Metal by pledging on Patreon. A $7 monthly pledge gets you a Talking Metal T-shirt mailed anywhere in the world, and lower-priced pledge options are also available.

Patreon.com/talkingmetal

Follow Mark Strigl on Instagram:

Instagram.com/markstrigl

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On this episode of Talking Metal, Mark Strigl talks with longtime Europe drummer Ian Haugland.

Ian discusses Europe’s new album, Come This Madness, due September 25, 2026, and working with producer Tom Dalgety. We also dig into the history of Europe, Ian joining the band in the mid-’80s, the group’s rise to international success, The Final Countdown album, Europe’s longtime fan base, and why the band hasn’t toured the United States nearly as much as fans would like in recent years.

Ian also talks about the evolution of Europe’s sound, the band’s longevity, their upcoming plans and much more.

Plus, this episode features music from Europe.

For more on Europe and Come This Madness, visit EuropeTheBand.com.

Subscribe to Talking Metal wherever you get your podcasts and follow Mark Strigl on Instagram @markstrigl.

Please support on Patreon.com/talkingmetal

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Mark Strigl and Victor Ruiz hang out and talk about music. Is the way we remember it, the way it was?

Please consider supporting Mark Strigl and Talking Metal on Patreon at patreon.com/talkingmetal for additional content and a Talking Metal T-shirt.

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On episode 1006 of Talking Metal, Mark Strigl reviews the recent Iron Maiden show in New Jersey and interviews Craig Pepe of Babylon A.D.

Craig shares stories from his days in Los Angeles in the ’80s, including playing with C.C. DeVille and Lenny Wolf, plus an unexpected story involving Howard Hughes. Craig and Mark also talk about Babylon A.D. and the band’s upcoming appearance at the New York GlamMetalFest in 2027.

Please consider supporting Mark Strigl and Talking Metal on Patreon at patreon.com/talkingmetal for additional content and a Talking Metal T-shirt.

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On this episode of Talking Metal, Mark Strigl interviews guitarist Joe Stump via Zoom.

Joe discusses his upcoming solo album, Lord of the Strings, his approach to guitar playing and gear, and the influence of legendary players including Yngwie Malmsteen and Ritchie Blackmore.

Joe also looks back on his time playing with Alcatrazz and gives us an update on what the band is currently up to. Other topics include his career as a solo artist, teaching guitar at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and much more.

Support Mark Strigl and Talking Metal on Patreon. $7 a month gets you a Talking Metal T-shirt mailed anywhere in the world.

Patreon.com/TalkingMetal

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Alestorm, Babylon AD & Bruce Dickinson.

Support Talking Metal on Patreon! For just $7 a month or more, you can get a Talking Metal T-shirt shipped anywhere in the world.

patreon.com/talkingmetal⁠

And please follow Mark on Instagram: @markstrigl

 Thanks for listening and supporting Talking Metal!

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Talking Metal Episode 1003 — Becky Baldwin

On Episode 1003 of Talking Metal, Mark Strigl interviews bassist Becky Baldwin, who plays bass on the new solo album from Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.

Becky talks about her love of heavy metal, her approach to playing bass, and how she got involved with Tony Iommi’s new album. She reveals that Iommi was actually considering having Geezer Butler play bass on the album before ultimately choosing Becky to handle the bass duties.

We also discuss Becky’s impressive career, including her work with legendary metal band Mercyful Fate, her band Fury, and her work with Delilah Bon. Becky shares stories about her journey as a professional musician and what it’s like to work with some of the biggest names in heavy music.

Support Talking Metal on Patreon! For just $7 a month or more, you can get a Talking Metal T-shirt shipped anywhere in the world.

patreon.com/talkingmetal⁠

And please follow Mark on Instagram: @markstrigl

 Thanks for listening and supporting Talking Metal!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.