Urban Achiever

When I first met Andy Atkins (A Plea For Purging) we were working together at a merch company called Zambooie and he was going by the name "Dozer." But Andy would go on to bigger and better things. As you will learn, however, life is not without bumps and bruises. Andy has a way of laughing at the hard stuff. It's a quality I admire. I love the guy and soon enough you will too.

Jamie Hilsden (Man Alive) was born in Canada, moved to Israel, then back to Canada, then back to Israel again where he started a band with his brother and was later joined by the Shkedi brothers who were half Texan and half Israeli. He also married a girl from Poland. Seriously, this guy has been all over the place! Just listen, it will all make sense in the end, I promise!

Jason Vena (Acceptance) has been through band and marriage break-ups and has lived to tell the tale. A decade after their demise and playing to 2-300 people a night, his band Acceptance returned this year to sold out shows on both coasts and more enthusiasm for their music than ever before. Stories of love, friendship and redemption await!

Kris Roe (The Ataris) took time out of his busy schedule with the Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits tour to have a chat with me. We talk about 20 years of The Ataris, major label days versus current touring, his musical upbringing, first concert and more.

Mike Herrera (MxPx, Tumbledown, The Mike Herrera Hour Podcast) has been putting food on the table playing punk rock for over 20 years! On this episode Mike and I get into our national tour from 95, reasons for leaving labels and religion, police states, people throwing bread at Smash Mouth and more!

Matt Fox (Shai Hulud) is a force to be reckoned with! His band is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and they show no signs of slowing down. We chat about his early musical experiences and his love for Sick Of It All and Metallica. How does such a nice and positive guy who loves Men At Work end up playing such aggressive and angry heavy music? Tune in and find out!

Joel Bell (Ghoti Hook) returns for another hour this week. We get into the recording of later albums Two Years To Never and the 6 Songs EP, line-up changes, festival kick-outs, prayerful promoters and WWJD. And we reveal the meaning behind the phrase, "ladies, for the sake of Christ, put some clothes on!" **PART 2 OF 2**.

Joel Bell (Ghoti Hook) is my guest this week. His story is a mosaic filled with Whitney Houston, Faith No More, Whitecross, violins, saxophones, misunderstood newsletters, Assemblies of God Teen Talent competitions, banana costumes, tour shenanigans, proper mic technique and more! If you like to laugh, then this is the episode for you! PART 1 OF 2.

Jeff Bettger (Ninety Pound Wuss, Raft Of Dead Monkeys, Suffering & The Hideous Thieves, DRYBNZ) returns for a 2nd hour this week. This round we discuss his 16 year involvement with the former Mars Hill Church in Seattle. We also get an update on what Jeff's up to these days and we try to answer the question is "kicking ass" a fruit of the spirit? PART 2 OF 2

Jeff Bettger (Ninety Pound Wuss, Raft Of Dead Monkeys, Suffering & The Hideous Thieves) is somebody who sees Jesus in the music of the Sex Pistols. He's an artist in the truest sense of the word. In this first hour we get into his first musical experiences, the formation of Ninety Pound Wuss and what it was like to grow up punk and Christian in a small hick town. PART 1 OF 2