After a two week sabbatical Jon is back with a brand new episode, and this time the conversation takes place w/ Alex Retro of the Tampa, Florida pop punk band Atomic Treehouse. We chat about how he discovered punk rock through Tony Hawk ProSkater, and the Ramones through a dubbed cassette his father gave him. We also talk about the start and career of the band, his cross country trek to see MXPX, preconceived perceptions of our cities’ scenes, how Green Day is hard to play, our mutual dislike of Blink-182’s album Neighborhoods, and so much more. So sit back, and get nerdy as we deep dive into this episode of This is Just a Phase. *** Atomic Treehouse tracks that are featured are: “Ghosted!”, “Cooler Things”, “When I See You Today”, “Still Got Zelda”, “Mondo Crush”, “Expired Box of Chocolates”, “All the Feelings in My Heart”, and “Every Reason in the Book.” ***

This week with celebrate Halloween with Timmy Gibson and Rick O Mortis of the western Pennsylvania horror punk/metal band Children of October, as well as the bands Go Trigger Go, Unspeakable Horrors, The Independents, and Blitzkid. We chat about mutual connections, how they got into punk and metal, the start and career of the band, the touring years of the band, their favorite horror movies, and so much more.

So sit back and get spooky with this episode of This is Just a Phase.

On this episode I have the honor of chatting with a huge influence on me - John “Jughead” Pierson of the bands The Mitochondriacs, Even in Blackouts, The Mopes, and Screeching Weasel, as well as from his amazing podcast Jughead’s Basement: Lo-Fi Interviews w/ Hi-Fi Guests. We chat about the formation of the Mitochondriacs w/ members of fellow Chicago band Kobanes, his approach to interviewing guests on his podcast, some funny stories of his time in Screeching Weasel, stepping out as the leader and songwriter in Even in Blackouts, his experience performing in theater groups over the majority of this life, and so much more. So sit back and get energized by this episode of TIJAP.

*** songs included in this episode are The Mitochondriacs songs - “I Want It All,” “Love,” “But Sometimes,” and “Hate,” as well as the Even in Blackouts’ “It’s All I Can Do,” their cover of Screeching Weasels’ “Hey Suburbia,” and “Dear Resonance.”

On this episode I sit down w/ Mike Rodemoyer, longtime friend of mine and lead singer of the band Letters…, to discuss some projects that we are currently working on together, as well as playing some songs from one of the said mystery projects by such bands as The Prozacs, The Homisides, Kobanes, Modern Shakes, One If By Land, and Letters… So, sit back and take a sneak peek into what we have been working on w/ this episode of This is Just a Phase!!!

On this special episode I sit down and chat w/ my good friend J Prozac and talk about 20 years of his hugely influential band The Prozacs. We discuss a variety of subjects including where he sees himself and his band after 20 years, what songwriters push him to be better and have influenced him over the years, what him and his band means to me, what albums of his does he feel resonates w/ fans the most, his years spent on Cheapskate Records, the legacy of the band, and so much more.

So sit back and get nostalgic w/ this episode of This is Just a Phase.

+++ songs of The Prozacs included in this episode: “Rocking Out,” “Another Minute,” “What They Say,” “Around,” “Never,” “Everyday After Day,” & “Live and Learn.” +++

KOBANES WEEK CONCLUDES W/ THIS EPISODE BEING THE THIRD AND FINAL ONE. THIS EPISODE FEATURES MARIA SURFINBIRD, BASSIST AND VOCALIST FOR THE INCREDIBLE CHICAGO POP PUNK BAND KOBANES. SHE IS ALSO THE BASSIST AND VOCALIST FOR SEX DREAM, SURFINBIRD, AND THE MITROCHONDRIACS WHICH FEATURES ALL THREE MEMBERS ALONG WITH JOHN “JUGHEAD” PIERSON OF EVEN IN BLACKOUTS, THE MOPES, AND SCREECHING WEASEL FAME, AS WELL AS BEING THE GUITARIST AND VOCALIST IN GIGILLAS. WE CHAT ABOUT JOINING THE KOBANES IN 2019, GROWING UP IN RUSSIA AND MOVING HERE AFTER SEVERAL VACATIONS TO AMERICA, AND GETTING INTO HER FIRST FIGHT AS AN ADULT AT A SHOW. WE ALSO CHAT ABOUT HER BANDS IN RUSSIA, PINK NIPPLES AND SURFINBIRD, AS WELL AS HER BANDS SINCE MOVING TO AMERICA: SEX DREAM AND GIGILLAS, HER EXPERIENCE WORKING W/ JUGHEAD, HER LOVE OF TWEE POP, AND SO MUCH MORE. SO SIT BACK, RELAX, AND ENJOY THIS EPISODE OF THIS IS JUST A PHASE.

KOBANES WEEKS CONTINUES ON! THIS EPISODE IS THE SECOND EPISODE FEATURING MEMBERS OF THE AMAZING CHICAGO POP PUNK BAND. THIS EPISODE FEATURES GUITARIST AND VOCALIST MARKY KOBANE, WHO IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SURF INSTRUMENTAL BAND THE AQUAHOLICS, AND A MEMBER OF MITROCHONDRICS THAT FEATURES ALL MEMBERS OF KOBANES AS WELL AS JOHN “JUGHEAD” PIERSON OF EVEN IN BLACKOUTS, SCREECHING WEASEL, AND THE MOPES FAME. WE CHAT ABOUT GETTING INTO VARIOUS TYPES OF MUSIC AT AN EARLY AGE, GETTING CAUGHT IN A SNOW STORM AFTER A SHOW, PLAYING BLACK METAL WITH NO FACE PAINT, THE START AND CAREER OF KOBANES, BEN WEASEL TELLING THEM THEY NEEDED TO CHANGE THEIR NAME, SUCCESS FOUND EARLY ON IN JAPAN, PLAYING WITH THE AQUAHOLICS AND MITOCHONDRIACS, OWNING HIS OWN RECORDING STUDIO, BUNKER STUDIOS, AND WHAT IT’S LIKE RECORDING OTHER BANDS AND HIS OWN, AND SO MUCH MORE… SO SIT BACK, AND ENJOY YOUR MORNING COFFEE WITH THIS EPISODE OF THIS IS JUST A PHASE.

IT’S KOBANES WEEK ON THIS IS JUST A PHASE. THIS EPISODE IS THE FIRST OF THREE THAT FEATURES MEMBERS OF THE INCREDIBLE CHICAGO POP PUNK BAND. FIRST UP IS EDDIE KOBANE, DRUMMER OF NOT ONLY OUR FEATURED BAND BUT ALSO OF THE MITOCHONDRIACS, A PROJECT THAT ALL THREE BAND MEMBERS ARE IN W/ JOHN “JUGHEAD PIERSON OF SCREECHING WEASEL, THE MOPES, AND EVEN IN BLACKOUTS FAME. WE CHAT ABOUT A SLEW OF TOPICS INCLUDING THE CAREER OF THE KOBANES, HOW HIS FATHER INFLUENCED HIS MUSICAL TASTES EARLY ON, HOW TOMMY RAMONE AND DAVE GROHL INFLUENCED HIS DRUMMING STYLE, HOW HE JUGGLES BEING A FATHER WHILE PLAYING PUNK ROCK, HOW HIS WIFE HAS BEEN A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THE PODCAST SINCE THE BEGINNING, AND SO MUCH MORE. SO SIT BACK AND KEEP TIME ALONG WITH THIS EPISODE OF THIS IS JUST A PHASE.

On this episode I sit down and chat with Nick No and Nick Spoon of Ramonescore Radio Records. Some of the topics we touch on are how the label started out as a podcast playing pop punk greats and small, unknown bands, how their various comps raise awareness and money for charities that are close to their hearts, and No’s interest in Ghost Hunting. We also chat about why there is a TikTok ban on future episodes, discuss both of their bands, and so much more. So sit back and listen to us yammer on in this episode of This is Just a Phase!

On this episode I sit down and have a work break chat w/ Jonny Wilson of Cat’s Claw Records and Tapes. Not only do we talk about his cassette label and his rooster of roster of great bands such as Clayton, Modern Shakes, Making Friends, Red Light Rebels, and many others. We also chat about various topics such as trying to work technology at 40, the next generation of pop punk kids, when he decided to start his label, and so much more… Also, the episode features all bands that have been featured as releases on Cat’s Claw, please enjoy these great bands. So sit back, press play, and enjoy this episode of This is Just a Phase!