This week we're celebrating 10 eventful years with the lovable Limahl! The guy has maintained a career in the public eye thanks to two gigantic hits and a relatively small catalog - just one album with Kajagoogoo and three on his own. That's not much, but the legendary look and sound still carries a lot of weight and nostalgia. He just released his cover of "A Horse With No Name" which you wouldn't think would make sense and yet it's fantastic. He talks openly about how he's stayed relevant all these years, his coming out journey, his relationship with his former bandmates, the "Stranger Things" effect, and more. You'll come away loving him even more. Enjoy! 

We've said it before, but the 90s were the peak time for "chick"-fronted alternative rock bands. There were so many good ones and among them was that dog. fronted by this week's guest, Anna Waronker. They only managed three albums, but they made a great impression. Anna put out a couple solo albums, but she also pivoted to making music for TV which she's done successfully for a while. She currently does the music for Yellowjackets with musical partner Craig Wedren of fellow 90s survivors Shudder to Think. We discuss her whole career, her legendary dad Lenny (who was just accepted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame), her famous friends like Maya Rudolph and Jack Black, her husband Steve McDonald of the band Redd Kross (she did the music for the recent documentary on the band which is now available to rent at the link below), and a ton more. She's the best! 

www.reddkrossfilm.com/rent

www.patreon.com/c/thehustlepod

With as "out there" as Geggy Tah's music was, and as clever as their biggest hit "Whoever You Are" was, it would be easy to not take them seriously. The thing is, they were serious about being as creative as possible and seeing what music could be without any borders. The duo of Tommy Jordan and Greg Kurstin produced three albums in the mid 90s that explored songs as if they were found art projects, mixing in whatever instrument or genre worked. After the band ended, Greg went on to form The Bird and the Bee and then became one of the biggest producers in the world while Tommy continued to do his own thing. Here's the story of one of the most delightfully weird bands of the decade! 

The Old 97's have been keeping the fire of alt-country lit for over 30 years and have never lost their vibrant spirit. A lot of that is thanks to jubilant front man Rhett Miller. Whether with the band or on his equally excellent solo outings, Rhett has set himself apart as one of the most engaging artists and songwriters around. That spirit is on display in a new Old 97s record called American Primitive, a 2022 solo album called The Misfit, and even his fun podcast called Wheels Off. He joins us this week to talk about all of it and more. He's truly one of the nicest guys around. Enjoy! 

Ben Folds Five cut a swathe in the 90s like no one else. This boisterous three-piece with a lead piano instead of a guitar sounded like no other and had three successful albums to show for it. Eventually the band broke up and Ben went on to be a celebrity in his own right while drummer Darren Jessee and bassist Rob Sledge were less visible. Darren joins us this week to discuss what his career looks like. In addition to working with bands like The War On Drugs and Hiss Golden Messenger, he's also put out a few solo albums that sound very different from his old band (check out 2023's Central Bridge for proof). We discuss both sides of his career and much more. Enjoy! 

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Ricky Byrd got clean 37 years ago and has devoted those years to helping others do the same. In fact, he's put out some fantastic solo albums meant to help those people get clean. But, right now he wants to rock. Ricky's new album NYC Made is a classic rock and soul album in the spirit of Southside Johnny and his old band, the Blackhearts. It's one of the best of the year so far. Ricky talks about his life with Joan, his solo journey since getting clean, working with Little Steven, the Yankees, and a bunch more. Fascinating guy and a force for good!

This week is the great guitarist Paul Pesco! What hasn't Paul done? Even he loses track of it all. He was an "unofficial" member of the System, the Breakfast Club, and C+C Music Factory (he also played on their big songs). He's toured with Madonna, Steve Winwood, Atlantic Starr and many others. He's contributed to everyone from U2 to James Ingram to Mariah Carey. He was in the Hall and Oates stable for a while (and discusses why he left Live From Daryl's House) and he's in several all-star bands currently like Sonic Boom Squad and Supersonic Tortoise. The guy doesn't sit still! He shared all the great stories including how he was almost a Chili Pepper. Enjoy! 

Our guest this week is guitar virtuoso Dean Parks! Dean was one of the first call session guys in the 70s and 80s that helped make great artists even better. He worked for Motown with legends like Stevie and Marvin, took his turn with Steely Dan and played the iconic solo in "Haitian Divorce" and can be heard on classics like "Laughter in the Rain", "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Here You Come Again". There are also stories with MJ and the Jacksons, Billy Joel, David Lee Roth, Seal and tons more! Dean is an extremely mild mannered guy, but is still in high demand with a full dance card. Enjoy! 

Author Jeff Apter joins us again to discuss his excellent new book, Carl Perkins: The King of Rockabilly. In the annals of rock history, Carl often gets overlooked as colleagues like Elvis, Jerry Lee, and Johnny take center stage. He'd probably be fine with that. But his story is fascinating. Writing "Blue Suede Shoes" and being a key influence on the Beatles kept him viable his entire life. Jeff tells a beautiful story of a wonderful man with a fascinating history that many of us may not know that much about. Enjoy!

www.jeffapter.com.au

REO Speedwagon have been one of the most reliable American rock bands for over 50 years. Certain members may come and go, but that name, that quality, and the excellent songs of lead singer Kevin Cronin have been a constant for decades. Unfortunately, that recently came to an end with the departure of founding member Bruce Hall. Plus, Bruce took the name with him. The good news is that most of the same players are playing most of the same songs you've grown to love and rely on, they're just called the Kevin Cronin Band now. Kevin joins us this week to explain the new reality before he goes out on tour with Styx and Don Felder where he'll play the entire Hi-Infidelity album as well as the hits. We also discuss his relationship with original guitarist Gary Richrath, the stories behind songs and albums, how they became known for ballads, and much more. Kevin is a genuinely nice man and he's working hard to continue to deliver the goods (and set the record straight). We're lucky he's still at it.