The Powered By Rock Podcast

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with Pedro Aida of the supergroup punk band Fire Sale.

Fire Sale may be a pretty new band, but the members of the band are anything but punk rock newbs. 

The band consists of Matt Riddle of Face to Face, Pulley and No Use For A Name fame, Chris Swinney formerly of The Ataris, Matt Morris and Pedro Aida from Ann Beretta.

I have the privilege and honor of speaking with Pedro who is the lead vocalist for Fire Sale today to talk about the new 2-song EP they just released and to talk about some of the inner workings of working in a punk band these days.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock Podcast!

Today I wanted to block off some time to speak directly to the musicians that listen to the podcast, and use my background in business to help give some good advice on what TO DO and what NOT TO DO in the music industry.

This is going to be part of an ongoing series of topics inspired by my desire to help musicians make money from their music without having to sell their souls to a record label or get screwed over.

This is the DIY Rock Career methodology. You create your own career with your own terms to profit off of yourself and your own work while building a loving, supportive fan base along the way.

These episodes will still be interesting to any of you who are NOT musicians listening as well, because a lot of the concepts I talk about today can not only be applied to music, but to pretty much any business, any career or just to your everyday lifestyle.

In today’s episode, I want to spend some time talking about the topic Why Do You Want to Pursuit a Career in Music?, and how you, as a musician, can apply these ideas to your music career right now to help make progress towards the end goal of making a living from your music without having to work a day job.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with Ray Carlisle of the sickest punk band around Teenage Bottlerocket. 

Teenage Bottlerocket is one of the most well known post-90’s punk bands with 9 full-length albums released since 2003 along with a few EP’s, a live album, a handful of splits and many appearances on compilations over the years all while touring extensively for most of the last 2 decades.

They were actually the first band I saw live post-COVID as well. They are the epitome of punk rock in almost every sense of the word, and I am excited to hear more from Ray about what they have coming up with all the tours that are following a brand new EP that was just released entitled “So Dumb” (also known as “So Dumb/So Stoked”) on top of all the cool stuff they have accomplished over the years.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with the New York punk band Fat Heaven today. 

Fat Heaven has just released their third full-length album called Trash Life, and it has some absolute bangers on the album including their first single from the album “Quarter Life Crisis,” and my personal favorite track from the album, “Miracle.”

The music, much like the band seems destined not to take itself too seriously and create fun, anthemic punk rock music with a New York state of mind.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock Podcast!

I am excited because today, we have TWO incredible guests on our show as part of our Indie Spotlight series which will be a recurring feature at The Powered By Rock Podcast.

First up, I will be speaking to the Las Vegas based rock band Elephante King about their music, their live performances and some other interesting questions.

You will also get to hear a song from them before the end of our segment.

After that, I will be speaking with Denmark’s own Karina Selvig who is a writer for Dying Scene, Rockfreaks.net, and New Noise Magazine as well as recently becoming a co-host over at Punk Rock Radar.

So, make sure to stick around until the end, because both guests are fantastic.

Welcome to the Powered By Rock Podcast!

I am excited because today, we have TWO incredible guests on our show as part of our Indie Spotlight series which will be a recurring feature at The Powered By Rock Podcast.

First up, I will be speaking to the San Diego based rock band Nights Like Thieves about their music, their new lineup, and so how much longer it will take before Mario is phased out of the band completely..

You will also get to hear a song from them before the end of our segment.

After that, I will be speaking with a kick ass rock band from Tuscaloosa, Alabama called Homebody who are really, really good, and both bands are within each other’s wheelhouse too. So, if you like either band on the show today, you’ll probably like the other as well.

Get up and get ready, because here we go!

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with one of the coolest guys in the punk rock scene in Sam King of Get Dead and the newly created genre-blending punk/hip-hop project Codefendants today. 

Get Dead has evolved from an acoustic punk rock band to a more uptempo sound over the last couple of albums sort of like layering some Rancid on top of Social Distortion, in my own opinion, but in the process making something totally new and incredibly hyperactive in a live setting.

Over the last couple of years, Sam also got linked up with Ceschi (Chess-key) Ramos after helping to raise funds to release him from prison and the friendship turned into the new hip-hop/punk sounding style that is labeled “Crime Wave” to form the Codefendants with Fat Mike of NOFX rounding out the lineup.

I am super pumped to talk to Sam today about all of this and more, because he is one of the single most interesting people in the punk scene today.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock Podcast! I am excited because today, we have TWO incredible guests on our show as part of our Indie Spotlight series which will be a recurring feature at The Powered By Rock Podcast.

First up, I will be speaking to the Las Vegas based rock band SECOS about their music, their live performances and some other interesting questions.

You will also get to hear a song from them before the end of our segment.

After that, I will be speaking with AJ Wyatt of the local Vegas rock act Wyatt and the Ashes to talk about his new music and getting a full band together to play shows again.  Stick around to check out both awesome guests.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock Podcast!

Today’s episode is featuring two of the raddest bands that you may have not heard of right now, and I am excited to bring them both on the show.

First up, I will be speaking to the New York rock band Warn The Duke about their fantastic new album All That’s Solid and what else is in store for the band this year.

After that, I will be speaking with the Corpus Christi band New Ends as well to talk about their awesome album from last year Everything’s Better and their new music as well.

I am pumped that I get to talk to both of these bands today, because they are great. 

So stay tuned for both. You won’t regret it.

Welcome to the 2022 Powered By Rock Music Awards Ceremony Presentation presented by Reverend Guitars and The DIY Rock Career.

I’m Isaac Kuhlman, and I’m your host for this evening. I personally want to thank you for joining us to help shine light on the rock music scene and to celebrate the music from 2022. 

I hope whether you agree with the selections and winners or not, that you go listen to the music and appreciate the hard work each artist has put into their craft.

Over the last few years, I have spent a lot of time getting to know a lot of great people in the rock music community, and it is my mission to help promote bands, artists, labels, companies, organizations and even the behind-the-scenes folks who make the world a better place through rock music.

That’s what this ceremony is all about, and I wanted to make sure that, if nothing else, the bands and artists themselves knew how much the world, including myself, appreciate them.

Normally, we would hold this ceremony a little earlier in the year, but due to other projects taking precedence, this was pushed back a few weeks. Sorry to keep everyone waiting so long.

Our company’s mission is not to just highlight the bands that get played on RADIO often. We are incredibly fond of digging around to find good music through small labels and independent artists.

We write about these bands, we talk to them, we try to get to know them. Why?

Simple - there is a LOT of great music that you are missing out on if you only listen to the radio.

I know I would have never become the music fan I am today if I just followed the mainstream music scene.

The nominees tonight are a collection of bands from various genres of rock music who have combined to put out some absolutely brilliant music from the past year.

I really wanted to make sure that not only do they get recognized for doing so, but I also wanted to try to make it possible for others to understand more about these bands and their music while also seeing that they HAVE won an award for their contributions to art.

Without music, the world is a very quiet and boring place.

It’s been absolutely incredible to see live music and rock music have a resurgence over the last year in various ways with new festivals popping up to new labels, new bands, and renewed scenes cropping back up all over the world after having to sit out the good part of 2 years due to the pandemic.

With that said, I thank you for joining me tonight to celebrate all the fantastic artists and their music from 2022. Let’s start the show!

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock Podcast!

I am excited because today, we have TWO incredible guests on our show as part of our Indie Spotlight series which will be a recurring feature at The Powered By Rock Podcast.

First up, I will be speaking to the dudes from the Las Vegas based rock band White Noise about their new album Neapolitan, their live performances and whatever else I think to ask.

You will also get to hear a song from them before the end of our segment.

After that, I will be speaking with Josh Coutts from the Las Vegas radio show Rock Avenue to talk about how he helps promote rock and ska music here in Las Vegas. So, make sure to stick around until the end, because both guests are fantastic.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with Dave Cavallo of the Texas-based pop-punk band Dropped Out today.

Dropped Out released one of the most incredible punk albums that I had heard in a very long time last year with their album Get Lost! which is what I consider to be the epitome of pop-punk at its finest.

The band has been putting out music for almost a decade at this point, and if you haven’t heard of them, well, it’s a good thing you are here now, because you are going to be happy that you get to check them out.

I believe Get Lost! was one of only two perfect 5-star ratings that I gave out in our album reviews last year with The Black Keys’ Dropout Boogie being the only other one. That’s pretty high praise considering last year was stacked with great releases.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock Podcast!

I am excited because today, we have TWO incredible guests on our show as part of our Indie Spotlight series that I wanted to make a recurring part of The Powered By Rock Podcast.

First up, we will be speaking to Zhong from the Chinese-based rock band The Sino Hearts about the music, his incredible backstory and some other interesting questions.

You will also get to hear a song from them before the end of our segment.

After that, I will be speaking with Josh Courtright from Room 6 YouTube Channel to talk about how he helps shine a spotlight on indie music here in Las Vegas. So, make sure to stick around until the end, because both guests are fantastic, and I think you’ll really want to hear more about them.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with Johnny Marriot from the UK pop-rock/punk band Pet Needs today.

Pet Needs had one helluva year last year as they not only put out their second LP entitled Primetime Entertainment, but they also toured extensively throughout the year with a major opening slot on Frank Turner’s 50 States in 50 Days Tour which is not just huge, but it was one of the most entertaining shows from start to finish I have ever seen.

The band has played shows non-stop aside from the lockdown since 2017, and they released their first album Fractured Party Music in 2021 while everything was on pause. Both albums are absolute magic, if you ask me.

The last thing to know about this band is that they truly play a great live show and engage with crowds of all sizes like they are playing songs just for you. It’s a hard thing to do, but I imagine years of grinding out local gigs helped create the performances that they put out today.

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with Andy Pohl who plays guitar in the punk band Tsunami Bomb, but he also runs the indie record label Sell The Heart Records.

Andy can shred a guitar as well as discover and support great bands, and he even used to do a podcast himself called Question The Answers Podcast.

He’s a man of many talents, and as far as the record label goes, he has helped put out releases from bands such as Neckscars, Decent Criminal, Bumsy and the Moochers, Goddamnit, with some of the new releases like Fat Heaven, Singing Lungs and a brand new Operation Ivy cover song compilation featuring some very cool bands like Catbite, The Raging Nathans and more…

If you are looking for indie rock music, you would be smart to have Sell The Heart at the top of or have high on the list of labels to check out.

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Brendan, Jarred and Rye from Mercy Music into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, guys. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - Okay, I know during the Palapalooza Podcast you guys were asked to name some of your favorite Vegas bands, and that you kinda forgot some of the bands you wanted to mention. Here’s your shot to redeem yourself. Name as many awesome Vegas bands as you can in 30 seconds…

2 - In the spirit of the movie Old School, if you guys had to compete in a sort of 3-event competition in order to show that your band is the worthy of its own fraternity what would the 3 non-instrument playing events be, and who is in each event?

3 - What one musician who is alive would each of you most like to meet?

4 - If you could make a wish and change something about the Las Vegas music scene to make it better, what would it be?

5 - Being married and having kids makes it tough to be in a full-time band. How hard is it going to be to leave your families behind when you guys have a world tour after the new album comes out?

I want to thank the guys from Mercy Music for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Welcome to the Season 3 Finale of the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with the Las Vegas rock band Mercy Music about so many things today.

If you have followed this show for a while, you will know that Brendan was actually on the season finale of season 1 which was almost exactly one year ago today. So, I guess this is just going to be an annual tradition now.

Well, in that time, I have gotten to know this band a bit better, and having watched them play several shows, I can say that these guys are the best kept secret in rock music.

The band has a new album coming out in 2023, they have a new SIDE PROJECT band, and they also are going to be headlining a world tour…okay, the last one hasn’t been confirmed yet, but let’s just assume it’s going to happen.

We’ll be speaking with Brendan, Jarred and Rye from Mercy Music right after this

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Robbie and Jonny from the punk band The Moröns into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, guys. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - If you were only going to have one shot to play one of your original songs for your favorite band to show them you are good enough to be on tour with them, what song of yours would you pick, and what band would you be playing in front of?

2 - You guys talk a decent amount about partying and drinking. If you are throwing a bash, who is the first band member to pass out, what’s their punishment, and what are you guys drinking throughout the night?

3 - Your new album is called The Book of Morön which alludes to the famous play The Book of Mormon by South Park’s creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Are you guys fans of South Park? If so, what character from South Park would each member of the band be?

4 - What were the best and worst shows you guys ever played?

5 - Robbie, you told me that you guys would be up for a Steak Eating Challenge to match Handheld’s maple syrup chugging contest. Are you ready to start? Just kidding. But if you guys were to compete in a food eating contest, what WOULD you eat, and who do you guys think would win between you?

I want to thank the guys from The Moröns for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with the Calgary-based punk band The Moröns today about their new album The Book of Morön which I think is potentially the best punk album of the year, and we will also be talking about some of the other great things the band has been up to, their history, and why they think Canada is so damn punk these days.

If you haven’t been paying attention, well, you probably need to start listening to these bands from the Great White North, eh?

We will be speaking with the band about all of this and more right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Evan Bailey from the Sacramento rock band Oh Lonesome Ana into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Evan. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - Now, there are a lot of bands from California, but not necessarily a lot of famous ones from Sacramento. I know Deftones, Cake and Tesla are all from Sacramento. But do you have a favorite band from Sacramento that maybe people haven’t heard of?

2 - As Sacramento is the capital of California, I figured what better way to really put you in the spotlight than to see how well you know your state capitals. Can you name these state capitals:

3 - What is your favorite rock album of all time, and who is your favorite rock band of all time?

4 - I am not sure why, but when I listen to your album, I am often reminded of the movie Slingblade which is a great film starring Billy Bob Thornton about a boy who has a shitty stepdad (much like the lyrics of the songs on the album). What’s the best Billy Bob movie?

5 - If you could change one thing about California, what would it be?

I want to thank Evan from the band Oh Lonesome Ana for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with the Sacramento indie rock band Oh Lonesome Ana about their incredible new album Megadeth Tee, the process for creating it, and so much more.

I got the chance to hear about this band through a press release for their single “Rushing Lattice” that had a music video accompaniment, and just from watching that video, I knew I had to learn more about this band and made sure to check out the full album when it came out.

We’ll talk more about why this band is so incredible, and why I think you should also be listening to them right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be speaking with one of the most important people in the rock music scene in Southern California right now, Rob Castellon of Wiretap Records.

Rob founded Wiretap Records about 8 years ago, and has built it into a solid independent label that routinely pumps out great release after great release with some of the best bands in punk and rock music out there today including bands that have been on this show like Mercy Music, The Dreaded Laramie, Breaklights, Decent Criminal and SHIIVA as well as some other great bands like Bristol To Memory, Odd Robot, Upper Downer, Wicked Bears, Moldy Roses, Reminders and American Thrills just to name some of the bands you may have come to know over the last 8 years.

I finally got to meet him in person last month during the annual Attention Fest that he puts on to showcase some awesome bands from the label, and hearing his story of undying passion for helping the rock music scene, all while having to run the label and manage a life and full-time job is nothing short of heroic.

He also has an offshoot of Wiretap called My Grito which we will talk about as well. Hold on to your butts, and get ready for the true story of running an independent record label right after this…

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring the Milwaukie punk band Bad Year into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, guys. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - As a punk band from the Midwest, I am curious who is each of your guys’s favorite Midwest punk bands outside of your own band?

2 -  Wisconsin is known for a few things, but foodwise, it is known for beer, cheese and brats and sausages. First of all, how are you guys not 300 pounds each right now? Secondly, if you had to choose just ONE of those 3 things to keep, and had to ditch the other two, which one food item are you keeping between Beer, Brats, and Cheese?

3 -  It’s pretty easy to pick bands that may have a similar sound to you, but I am going to ask you guys to each choose a MOVIE that you feel best fits the theme of your band. What movie would you choose?

4 - What’s the goal for the band in the next few years?

5 - I know the band is still in its early stages, but let’s say in 10 years, there’s a book written about you guys. What do you think the title of the book will be?

I want to thank the band Bad Year for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with the Milwaukie based punk band, Bad Year today about their band, their upcoming new music, and the state of midwest punk rock these days.

The band has released two EP’s to this point with a couple of singles as well since forming in 2019. Obviously, in hindsight that meant that right after creating the band, they had to take a massive hit from the pandemic.

So, the band name wasn’t just clever, it was prophetic.

We will be speaking with the band about all of this and more right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

We are taking an episode to have a bit of a celebration AND to also speak to a fellow soon-to-be-podcaster and music promoter, Brad Nunnery from Signal Chords Home of the Underground!

Brad does a lot to help promote rock bands, and I can’t wait for his podcast to launch in the new year.

It’s a Friday upon this recording, and I figure that’s as good as any time to crack open a beer and just have a good conversation about the state of rock music this year and what is to come soon.

Sit back, enjoy the dulcet tones of two guys who have listened to way too much music in their lives, and have a good time.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring George Pajon Jr. from the Black Eyed Peas and Cairo Knife Fight into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, George. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - You have traveled the world and played probably every size stage imaginable. What was the single coolest show you have played, and what group were you playing with? Do you have a “worst show” experience?

2 - You have worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry over the past 35 or so years. Is there anyone you have NOT worked with that you are really wanting to do something with them?

3 - You have one of the most insane pedal board rigs and amp setups I have ever seen. How much money and time would you say you have invested into this system to allow you to play the loops and switch between amps and all the other crazy shit that you play live?

4 - Another thing that you have is an absolutely sweet guitar lineup. Let’s say your studio started on fire while you were in it, and because you only have two hands, you can only carry two guitars out of the fire, which two are you taking with you?

5 - If you could go back in time and change one thing about your musical career, what would you have done differently?

I want to thank the man, the myth, the legend, George Pajon for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with a veritable music making machine whether he is pumping out hits and getting Grammys with the Black Eyed Peas or whether he is going hard in his hard rock band, Cairo Knife Fight, George Pajon Jr. is a highly respected musician with a ton of credits to his storied career.

You may not recognize him, but you will definitely recognize a lot of the music he has put out over the years including writing and playing on hits with the likes of Sting, Santana, John Legend, Ricky Martin, Macy Gray, Fergie and obviously the Black Eyed Peas among others.

You will not want to miss hearing all the stories this man has got up his sleeve.

He is the first Grammy winner, Emmy winner AND BMI Award winner to be on our show.

The man co-wrote Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can” campaign song for crying out loud!

We’ll dig into the mind of this musical mad man right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Ken Haas from Reverend Guitars into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Ken. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - Who was your favorite band to play with over the years?

2 - You play with J. Navarro who is known as the lead singer of Suicide Machines how did that project come about?

3 - Who is your favorite band to watch live, and why?

4 - If you could sell your soul to Satan and get one wish for Reverend Guitars, what would you wish for?

5 - What would you say to someone who has never played a Reverend Guitar, and why should they go put one in their hands?

I want to thank Ken from Reverend Guitars for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking to Ken Haas from Reverend guitars today.

Reverend Guitars is celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year, and it’s pretty safe to say that if you are a guitar player you have probably heard of them by now.

Ken is the CEO of Reverend Guitars, and he also plays in J. Navarro and the Traitors, the Polka Floyd Show, and Zimmerman Twins as a guitarist and vocalist. He’s not just a suit and tie at a company. He is a musician first and foremost, and man, I will say, from watching his videos on YouTube, he can absolutely play.

I am going to be speaking with Ken about the long journey so far, the company’s history, the uniqueness of their guitars, and where Reverend goes from here right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Mario from Nights Like Thieves into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Mario. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - You have been creating music AND making videos for a very long time. Your actual dayjob is in the field of making videos, commercials, and other video media. But, I am curious, which of these two fields would you PREFERABLY choose to become rich and famous off of, your music or your video skills and why?

2 - I know you have been in bands for most of your life now. So, I have to ask, what’s the weirdest or craziest thing you have seen while playing a show?

3 - You have a lot of friends in bands in the Southern California area including a few bands that have already been on this show. I am curious, who is your FAVORITE band in the L.A./San Diego area, and why are they better than the rest of your friends’ bands?

4 - Having grown up in Albuquerque, New Mexico which is known for hot peppers, and now living in San Diego which is right across the border from Mexico, I am curious if you are a spicy food fan, and if not, why are you such a baby? If so, what’s the hottest pepper you are good to eat?

5 - Let’s play a game of “Would You Rather.” Would you rather play a sold out show at the Hollywood Bowl but you have to cut off 2 of your toes, or would you rather open for your favorite band at a smaller venue but you have to quit playing music the next day?

I want to thank Mario from Nights Like Thieves for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with Mario Rivera from the San Diego band Nights Like Thieves today.

I got to know Mario a bit over the past year since I saw them play a frosty show here in Vegas in January, and they have been putting out some rocking tunes this year that always sound great.

Mario even created our Season 3 Trailer for this podcast which was awesome.

We will be digging into the music of Nights Like Thieves and more right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Punk Roquette into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Emilie. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - Starting out with a tough one, say someone will give you $10 million dollars if you can only listen to ONE punk album for the next 6 months and you can’t listen to ANY other music, what album are you choosing?

2 - What band or album got you into punk music in the first place, and what was it about that music that stuck with you?

3 - What punk bands have you still not seen that you are dying to see play live in concert?

4 - Let’s pretend that heaven is real, and that the only way to get in is to choose the best 3 punk songs of all time. What songs are you putting on your “get into heaven playlist”?

5 - What is the best part of living in a province where French is the major language and the culture is prevalent?

BONUS QUESTION: Who is your FAVORITE Canadian punk band of all time?

I want to thank Punk Roquette for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with the Quebecois punk rock personality Emilie Plamondon also known as Punk Roquette today about the recent surge in Canadian punk music and how she has become a bit of a punk celebrity and featured singer on some of the recent releases that have come out over the past few years.

She also plays in not one but TWO bands, and still has a full time job. I’m thinking her love of coffee is the only thing that allows her to make it through a day with all the things she is able to accomplish.

We’ll dig into the mind of Punk Roquette right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring the Las Vegas based band The Dollheads into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, everybody. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - Being from Las Vegas is pretty odd for most people to understand. So, to let the world know that people actually live here and grow up here, can you tell me your favorite things about growing up in Las Vegas?

2 - Obviously, you are all siblings, and I assume you get into your fair share of arguments, but have you ever actually gotten into a real fight with each other, and if so, who wins?

3 - This question may not please your parents depending on their views of higher learning, but would you guys rather go to college or play music and tour the country after you graduate from high school? And have you thought about how that will work as Austin still has 3 extra years after you graduate, Angela?

4 - If you had a magic wand that could cast one spell or make something you want come true, what would you make happen?

5 - If you were told that you had to teach a brand new class in school that hasn’t been taught before, what subject would you teach to other students?

I want to thank the band The Dollheads for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with the Las Vegas based all-sibling rock band The Dollheads today about their rocking debut album What Teenage Angst?, their journey to playing Las Vegas’ biggest music festival, Life Is Beautiful, and what it takes to create a band with your siblings.

Not only is the band making some big waves, they are doing it while making their way through high school and middle school which in itself is never an easy task.

I will try to use language suitable for a younger audience today and find out all about The Dollheads right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Alec from Safari Room into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, everybody. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - The Nashville music scene is one of the more robust scenes in the country, and I am sure you have lots of friends in bands there. You may even have like 10 or 15 bands you really like. So, in order to make you sweat a bit and to maybe put a little heat on you from the local scene, I am going to ask you, who is your FAVORITE local band from Nashville right now?

2 - I like to throw food questions into these for some reason. Probably, because I love food almost as much as music. I gotta know, what’s your preferred Nashville cuisine, the spicy chicken or are you going with a meat and 3?

3 - If you can choose your dream tourmates for a run of 40 shows next year, with which two bands are you hitting the road?

4 - I assume that you must get some comparisons to John Krazinski’s character, Jim from the TV show The Office as far as your looks. With that said, what’s the hardest thing about being a young, extremely talented, and attractive musician?

5 - If you could choose a brand new technology or invention to happen in the next few months, what would you like to see be created?

I want to thank Alec from Safari Room for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with Alec Kuokol of the Nashville-based indie-rock band Safari Room today about their music, their latest album Complex House Plants, and more.

The band is shockingly unsigned by any record label at the moment, and if it was up to me, they would be on the radio and touring nationally already.

We’ll dig into one of Nashville’s best rising bands, Safari Room, right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring the Las Vegas based band Arrlo into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, everybody. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - You are a relatively young band, and I want to ask this question of each one of you. I believe you are all in your early-to-mid 20’s. What artist or band is most influential to your music?

2 - Now, I have it on good authority that Alexander, you are a bit of a jokester with some aspirations to do some stand up comedy. Of course, most jokes are setup a bit, but I am going to put some pressure on you, and ask you to give us a joke. Do you have one ready to fire?

3 - Anthony, you are a bit of a brewmaster as well as a solid drummer. You even created a “WFTWTE New England IPA” in honor of the band. Was that your favorite batch that you made so far, and other than your OWN beer, what’s your go-to brew?

4 - Sunni, I have to ask about the Trans puns on social media as the band’s Instagram says you are a “Transformer fronted” band, and your personal Instagram shows that you are the “Transmanian Devil.” Are there any other trans-puns that you have up your sleeve that you would like to share?

5 - If your band was running to be a collective “President of the United States” - what would be the single most important issue in your campaign, and what solution would you offer for people to help you win?

I want to thank the Vegas band Arrlo for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

NOTE: Apologies for the horrible audio on my microphone during this episode. Rather than scrapping the whole thing, I decided to post it, because Arrlo deserves the recognition. Sorry for any audio that doesn't come out clearly from my side.

I am going to be speaking with the Las Vegas based band Arrlo today about their music, their unique band identity, and their journey to playing Las Vegas’ biggest music festival, Life Is Beautiful.

I have seen this band live, and they definitely know how to put on a good show and get their fans engaged, and their music is poppy enough to make you want to get up and dance even if you are a typical wallflower.

We’ll be speaking to the band about all of this and more right after this.

NOTE: Apologies for the horrible audio on my microphone during this episode. Rather than scrapping the whole thing, I decided to post it, because Arrlo deserves the recognition. Sorry for any audio that doesn't come out clearly from my side.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Matt Mucerino from Crossing I’s Dotting T’s into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Matt. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - Alright. Some people will definitely say your music is pretty emotional. And whether you like the band your answer comes from, I am gonna ask you what singer or band would you consider the MOST EMO of all time and why?

2 - Okay, I am going to give you free reign here, is there a band or musician that you want to call out, complain about, praise or say something to directly on air - knowing that they likely won’t see this, but if they do, then you want them to hear from you?

3 - What’s your favorite piece of gear for your setup - whether it is your guitar, a pedal, an amp, etc…and why?

4 - You used to play football in high school and college which may explain the aggressive tone to the music of Crossing I’s Dotting T’s. I know you absolutely hate football these days, but let’s play a game of “what if” and say, you got to the NFL - who would you have wanted to play for, and how long would you have stuck it out?

5 - Last but not least, if you could travel back in time and take one artifact from present day to blow people’s mind, what would it be and why? Mind you, cell phones wouldn’t work in most eras and most electronics wouldn’t either.

I want to thank Matt from Crossing I’s Dotting T’s for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Until we see you again for the next episode,

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with Matt Mucerino from the Orange County alternative rock band Crossing I’s Dotting T’s today.

The band has been releasing singles this year in anticipation of putting out a full-length album out later this year. In fact, I haven’t told Matt this, as it may go right to his head, but their single “All Feelings Aside” is currently my favorite song of the year, and I have listened to thousands of songs and many of my favorite artists are getting topped by me saying that.

But it’s the damn truth.

So, to steal a line from that song and get out of this intro, I will just say, “I don’t wanna be here anymore,” and let’s start the show!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Pat and Andy from the punk band Handheld into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, guys. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - I know you guys used to play Screeching Weasel, Face to Face and Blink-182 songs when you first got started. These were some of my go-to bands when first starting to play in a band in high school as well. What were some of the first cover songs you guys learned to play as a band?

2 - A lot of people may assume you guys are related since you have the last name, but that’s just a coincidence, and I know that being in a band can definitely cause some arguments if not downright fights amongst members. So, if you guys WERE related, as say brothers, do you think you would have ended up fighting more or less than you have in your life? And who’s winning these fights?

3 - What’s the coolest thing you have ever seen or done whether it was on tour, while playing a gig or just related to the band playing music?

4 - I assume from the songs “Old Timers” and “Double Double DUI” that you guys played or still play hockey. Knowing that Kitchener is close to Toronto, I am going to leap to an assumption that you are Maple Leafs fans. So, who’s your favorite Leaf of all time? And why doesn’t Canada know how to pluralize the word Leaf?

5 - I know this movie wasn’t based in Canada, but knowing that you guys do hail from the land of syrup, be honest, have you guys ever tried to do a maple syrup chugging contest like they do in the movie Super Troopers? Or would you be willing to if someone asked you to?

I want to thank Andy and Pat from Handheld for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with the Canadian punk band Handheld today!

These dudes took a 14-year break after lead singer, Andy, left the band, only to return a few years ago and this year they put out one of the best punk albums of 2022 with their new LP A Canadian Tragedy.

The album is filled with some very interesting stories about mostly historical Canadian figures which will be a topic of conversation today as punk rock isn’t necessarily synonymous with history lessons.

We’ll be speaking with the guys about their incredible new album and more right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hello and welcome to the Powered By Rock podcast where I am going to be taking a break from some of the guests being on the show to highlight some of the best rock music of 2022 so far.

One thing a lot of people seem to respond to is new music recommendations, and they just don’t have the time to dig through every album in a year. I have said since season one that most people just like to listen to what they were fans of from their high school days.

But now that time goes on and life gets in the way, it gets harder to go to concerts, find new bands, hear great up and coming music and so on.

That’s why I wanted to take today’s episode and give some personal recommendations on what I think are some of the best bands and albums in rock music of 2022 so far.

I am going to hit you with my “8 Can’t Miss Albums of 2022” that I think are going to really make you feel good about spending your time listening today as well.

So, since you’re here, and I’m here…let’s say we get this show on the road!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring SHIIVA into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, guys. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - If you could only listen to one album for the rest of the year, what album would you be listening to?

2 - If the West half of California really does fall into the ocean, what would be the best and worst thing about that happening?

3 - I know you guys are pretty political. So, I am going to ask what do you see as the biggest one or two things that need to change in American politics to bring about a better country as a result?

4 - What is the coolest gig you have played thus far, and what is your dream gig to play?

5 - If you each had a single superpower, what would it be and why?

I want to thank SHIIVA for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

Today we are going to be speaking with the Californian hardcore punk rock band SHIIVA today.

These guys just out their second EP titled “Cyclone” on August 12th, 2022 on Wiretap Records, and for fans of hardcore punk bands like Turnstile and Suicidal Tendencies or even if you just like to get up and do some fist pumping during a song, you are going to really enjoy this EP and their other music as well.

I’m going to get a little help from these guys to kick the show off and say, TTG, I’m trained to

[SHIIVA: “Go!”]!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Troy Cook from the punk band Ready Set Survive and the host of the Palapalooza Podcast into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Troy. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - As a San Diego native who represents the city quite well, what are your top 3 favorite bands from the city or surrounding areas?

2 - Now, as a fellow podcast host, I will say it’s difficult to say who your favorite guest of your own show is, because they are like children of yours in some sense, but I am going to ask you to be honest and tell me who was your favorite guest on the Palapalooza Podcast?

3 - Not everyone will know this, but San Diego is across the U.S./Mexico border from Tijuana (or “TJ” as it is called). So, what’s the crazy thing you have ever seen or done in Tijuana, Mexico?

4 - If you could put together a themed concert to best match the zombie apocalypse style that Ready Set Survive music projects, what other 2 bands would be on that bill?

5 - Okay, so let’s say there really is a zombie apocalypse. How long do you stay in the realm of the living before being bitten, and how are you eventually taken down?

I want to thank Troy from Ready Set Survive and The Palapalooza Podcast for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

Today, I am going to be speaking with Troy Cook of the San Diego based rock band Ready Set Survive today!

This band has been playing together for the past 10 years or so releasing an EP and several singles over the years, and they have just released a brand new EP called “Aim For The Brain” that came out last Friday, August 19th.

Troy is also the host of a very cool podcast that highlights all the cool bands in the San Diego area called the Palapalooza Podcast.

We’ll be speaking with him about both the music and the podcast right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Josh and Ozone from Trashed Ambulance into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, guys. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - Canada is known for its ice-based sports like hockey and curling. Punk music is known for its heavy influence on skateboarding, even creating a genre called “skate punk.” So, I have to ask you guys, have you guys ever thought of becoming the first ice-skate punk band?

2 - As born and bred Canadians, I am sure you take some pride in some of the food delicacies of The Great White North. So, I am going to offer you a bit of a “fuck, marry, kill” scenario for food. Your three choices are Poutine, Donuts, and Caesars. What are you fucking, marrying and killing in that scenario?

3 - If Canada was going to go to have a civil war, I imagine it emphasizing the CIVIL part. So, as polite Canadians, how would the rest of Canada handle the CIVIL War with the Quebecois separatists?

4 - Other than punk music influences, what bands did you guys listen to growing up that shaped your musical tastes and style?

5 - Ozone, this question is for you, how has climate change affected your abilities to play punk music since scientists suggest that you will soon be depleted?

6 - If you could put together the greatest band solely created from Canadians, who would be in the band?

I want to thank Josh and Ozone for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

Today we are going to be speaking with the Canadian punk rock band Trashed Ambulance today.

These guys just put out their third full-length album Future Considerations after releasing 2 EP’s and 2 LP’s since 2014. This one is much different in my opinion for many reasons that we will get into, but suffice it to say, I absolutely love the album, and I wanted to bring Josh and Ozone onto the show today to talk about the band, the music and whatever else these polite Canadian gentlemen want to discuss.

We’ll get the sap straight from the maple tree right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Charlie Whittle from the Austin-based punk band Breaklights into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Charlie. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - What was the first song or album you heard where you thought, “I need to start playing music now?”

2 - Do you have a favorite lyric from a song or one that you can think of that is something you think of as good life advice?

3 - You're from Austin, what do you think is better there, the BBQ or the tacos? And why does Austin think their tacos are so good?

4 - The band is about 6 years old now. What do you foresee another 6 years down the road?

5 - Imagine that there are advanced lifeforms in the universe that also play stringed instruments like we do. What crazy technique do you think they would have invented that would blow your mind upon them playing a bass or guitar in front of you?

I want to thank you, Andrew, for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Eric Hausser from the Chicago-based punk band Counterpunch into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Eric. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - I am pretty sure you are about my age, and as such, you probably remember the claymation Celebrity Death Matches on MTV back in the day. If you could pick two real life celebrities for a death match knowing that at least one was going to die, who would you pick and why?

2 - What is the one thing you miss from the quarantine lockdown?

3 - As a Chicago guy, are you ready to jump in on the great pizza debate and say once and for all that Chicago has the best pizza? If so, what’s the best kind of pie and best pie shop in Chi-town?

4 - What was the best thing and worst thing that ever happened to you at a show or while on tour?

5 - If you could either write a song FOR another artist or co-write a song WITH another artist, who would be your dream collaboration?

I want to thank you, Eric, for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

Today we are going to be speaking with Charlie Whittle of the Austin, Texas punk rock band Breaklights today.

Breaklights just put out their debut album Wind Down after releasing 2 EP’s over the past few years and playing together. It’s a really rad album that has an old-school pop-punk sound.

After loving the music and chatting a bit with Charlie, I figured I may as well bring the man on for a full conversation to get the low down on the band and see what’s going on with Breaklights!

That’s what I aim to find out right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Today we are going to be speaking with Eric Hausser from the punk band Counterpunch.

Counterpunch has been around the skate punk scene since about 2006, and they released their 4th studio album Rewire in June 2022 after an extended break of about 8 years since their last release.

I thoroughly enjoyed the new album, and I wanted to dig into it and other great conversations with Eric about Counterpunch and find out how the 8 year gap shaped the new songs.

We’ll dig into Eric’s brain like a neurosurgeon right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Andrew Patrick from The Carolyn into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Andrew. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - What are 3 of your favorite bands right now? - Okay, now gun to your head, you have to stop listening to one of them forever, which one are you cutting out?

2 - Your music is often on the punk side with an emo style, did you ever play in different styles before eventually landing on this style? Or was this the go to genre since day one?

3 - Being from Atlanta, do you have a favorite waffle house or go-to comfort food in general? And do you like peaches?

4 - What’s been your favorite part of being in The Carolyn so far?

5 - What’s the worst part about being in a rock band so far?

I want to thank you, Andrew, for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Chris Ballew into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, guys. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - For those who don’t know, you had a pretty successful 19-album run as a children’s song performer known as Caspar Babypants. I always thought it would be cool if The Presidents had like a kids show where your songs were animated and stories were built around them. Have you ever considered actually doing a children’s television show?

2 - You covered the song “Cleveland Rocks” for the theme song for The Drew Carey show. Looking back, that show had a really stacked cast of funny people. Did you ever watch the show, and if so, who was your favorite character or actor from the show?

3 - What were some of your favorite bands from back in the 90’s?

4 - It seems from what you have mentioned in interviews in the past, that you have never really enjoyed touring, but I remember you played a show for MTV at Mount Rushmore for President’s Day in 1996. Other than it being South Dakota in February, I always thought that was super rad. What was your favorite gig that you ever played?

5 - You are a self-described minimalist who has a lot of spirituality through the teachings of Ram Dass. What do you make of humans place in the cosmos - why are we all here?

I want to thank Chris Ballew for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

Today, I am going to be speaking with Andrew Patrick of the Atlanta-based punk/emo rock band, The Carolyn.

The Carolyn have put out an EP in 2016 titled Keepsake, and 2 full length albums including their brand new album Rhythm of My Own Decay which was just released in June of 2022.

I have been jamming to it for months now, and Andrew has come on to talk about all things The Carolyn.

We will find out more about what’s cooking with these rocking dudes right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

I am going to be speaking with the an alternative rock legend, a Seattle icon, formerly of the band The Presidents of the United States of America, the man himself, Chris Ballew.

This is one bad man when it comes to the world of rock n roll with multiple hit tracks, a multi-platinum record, and about 50 albums attributed to him over the last 30 years. That’s almost two albums a year for 30 years.

I am endlessly fascinated by Chris, and I can’t wait to discuss everything from his newest solo albums to his second career as a children’s song creator to…well, whatever the hell he wants to talk about, because I am here to listen to it all.

We’ll crack the egg of his knowledge and drink the musical yolk right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Season 3 of the Powered By Rock Podcast is coming to you very soon.

Just like our first 2 seasons, we will have plenty of rad bands, iconic artists, and even some people who work in and around the music industry that have really cool stories.

So, if you like indie, punk, alternative, grunge, or even some prog and psychedelic rock, then you are going to love this podcast full of in-depth and fun interviews with some of your favorite artists. 

Support the bands you love already and discover new bands that you're sure to love as well.

Go find us on Spotify and YouTube by searching for The Powered By Rock Podcast, and subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss one moment of our new season coming soon.

Until we see you there, rock on!

I am going to be speaking with the Portland, Oregon based punk rock band, Old Cross.

After putting out a self-titled E.P in 2018, they released an LP in 2020 called Daggers just in time for the pandemic to stop them from touring to support and build their audience. Since the lockdown eased up, the band has been able to do some touring, and even put out a rad new music video for their single “Rotting.”

We’ll be speaking to the gang from Old Cross right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

I am going to be speaking with author, filmmaker, tattoo artist, and all around good dude, James Spooner.

James is the man responsible for the 2003 documentary on punk rock and its racially divided history called Afropunk, and has many other projects previously released, but he has a new book coming out on May 19th, 2022 called The High Desert which is an autobiographical graphic novel about growing up in Apple Valley, California and becoming a punk rocker.

The book is a firestorm of the radical new music scene, growing up with separated parents, and dealing with racism and acceptance in White America in the 80’s.

I’ll be speaking with James Spooner about this incredible story right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

I am going to be speaking with S.W. Lauden who has put together an excellent book called Forbidden Beat: perspectives on punk drumming.

He is a punk drummer and author with a mission to shed light on the legendary drumming styles and players of punk music over the years. The book itself is a collection of essays, interviews and lists from contributors such as Joey Cape, Marko DeSantis, Tre Cool, Ira Elliot and so many more influential punk musicians.

I can’t wait to dig into this book with S.W. right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Vaden Lewis from Toadies into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Vaden. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - What two bands would you tour with active or past, living or dead?

2 - Do you have a favorite horror book / horror movie of all time?

3 - As a native Texan, what is your favorite kind of Texas food (Tex-Mex, BBQ, etc...) and where do you go to eat it?

4 - Can you possibly estimate how many Lonestar beers you drank in your lifetime?

5 - If you had to get into heaven, and God said, "Play me the song that I want to hear..." what song in your catalog would you play to get into heaven?

I want to thank Vaden Lewis from Toadies for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with Vaden Lewis, the frontman for the legendary Texas rock band Toadies, today about well, as much as I can because Toadies are one of my top 5 favorite bands of all time, and I have a lot of questions which 95% we won’t have time for, but let’s see how deep we can get on the 5% that we have time for.

Toadies are going on tour this year to celebrate Rubberneck's 25th Anniversary (which happened during the pandemic). We’ll be speaking to the rock legend himself, Vaden Lewis, right after this!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring The Dreaded Laramie into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, everyone. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - If you guys could go on tour with two other bands, which two bands would you tour with?

2 - We talked about your Weezer fandom in the main podcast, but I am just curious what do each of you consider to be the best Weezer album?

3 - What is your favorite Nashville or Louisville based band that you think should get more attention outside of your band?

4 - Sometimes being in a band can be frustrating, but what do you guys do to try to maintain a happy band as much as possible?

5 - If you could be like Bill and Ted from the movies and write a song that created peace and harmony on Earth, what would the title of that song be?

I want to thank The Dreaded Laramie for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with the Nashville-based indie rock band, The Dreaded Laramie. After putting out an E.P titled The Dreaded LaramiE.P. in 2019, they are set to release their next EP called Everything A Girl Could Ask on May 13th which is a Friday. But damn those superstitions, because I am sure that nothing but magic will come to the band upon release day.

We’ll be speaking to The Dreaded Laramie right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Jack McEwan from Psychedelic Porn Crumpets into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make him sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Jack. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - Your music is pretty trippy in a lot of ways. Does that mean some or all of you dabble in the hallucinogens and if so what kind of trip is your preference?

2 - What were some of the main artists that got you into playing music in the first place?

3 - I have to ask these next couple of questions of every Aussie:

4 - I have read some stories about you mentioning some crazy things on tour that you can’t believe have happened. So, what’s the craziest thing you have seen while on tour?

5 - If you could improve one thing about planet Earth, what would that be?

I want to thank Jack from Psychedelic Porn Crumpets for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with Jack McEwan from the Perth-based indie rock band, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.

This band is one of my favorite active bands right now, and I only found out about them upon the releasing of their last album Shyga! The Sunlight Mound in February of 2021. It was one of only 2 albums from 2021 that I gave a 5.0 rating because it absolutely kicked ass.

As if that wasn’t enough new music, they are set to release their brand new album Night Gnomes on Friday, April 22nd!

We’ll dig into even more about all things Psychedelic Porn Crumpets right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Outro Music: "Snail Mail" by Speedway Sleeper

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Lesley and Ben from Midwich Cuckoos into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Lesley and Ben. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - If you could play any venue in the world (even if it is not necessarily a music venue), where would you like Midwich Cuckoos to play, and what other two bands are on the lineup?

2 - What was the first song you learned to play on guitar, and what was the hardest song you’ve ever played?

3 - Do you enjoy a fancy Sunday tea, and if so, what’s your favorite little sandwich to eat?

4 - Who do you consider the 3 best guitarists & bassists to ever play? 

5 - If you had the ability to time travel, what era would you go to, and what would you do?

I want to thank Lesley and Ben from Midwich Cuckoos for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

I am going to be speaking with Lesley and Ben from the British hardcore punk band Midwich Cuckoos.

This is a band that doesn’t really fit a specific label, but its roots are punk rock. Though it has evolved into something so much more. They just released their new album Death or Glory which is quite a rad album. We’ll be speaking with Midwich Cuckoos about the album and more right after this.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

Hey there, it’s Isaac from Powered By Rock here to bring Lee from Monkey Mind into the spotlight for a few minutes, and make them sweat with some on-the-spot questions.

Welcome, Lee. Are you ready to be put in the spotlight?

1 - If you were to have one other career aside from playing music, what would you choose to do?

2 - What was the first song you learned to play on guitar?

3 - What classic English dish is your favorite between a Shepherd's Pie or a Beef Wellington or do you have a different favorite dish of English origin? And how much do you love mushy peas?

4 - What’s your favorite punk album of all time?

5 - You guys are from Newcastle which is home to the Newcastle beer. But what is your favorite beer to drink and why?

I want to thank Lee Wright from Monkey Mind for stepping In the Spotlight and answering these hot seat questions.

Make sure to go to the show notes below this episode for links to the music and watch our full podcast interview as well!

Rock on!

Today, I am going to be speaking with Lee Wright from the British punk band Monkey Mind.

Along with bassist Michael Olga and drummer Martin Payton, these guys form a punk trio that will have you blasting back to the early days of pop punk breaking out. We'll dig into the music and more of the mind of Monkey Mind in this conversation!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

In this episode of In The Spotlight, I bring Matt Brown from the Las Vegas punk band Jerk! in for some hot seat questions that will get his mind working overtime.

From what's the best show Jerk! has ever played to what his favorite album of all time is to what crazy food he would try off a menu. It's always great to highlight up-and-coming bands, and this is an interview that was a lot of fun.

I am going to be speaking with Matt Brown from the Las Vegas punk band, Jerk! today which is awesome, because these guys are a fun band from Vegas that brings energy and excitement to their shows.

I had the privilege of seeing these guys open for Teenage Bottlerocket and The Last Gang with support from Tightwire back in 2021 (and again in early 2022), and I was quite impressed. I wanted to bring them on to talk about their music and our mutual love of Screeching Weasel and much more. 

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

In this episode of The Powered By Rock Podcast, I get to talk to Gaby Davila-Ortiz from ASTR0MAG which is a Las Vegas-based independent music site that covers indie rock bands mostly in the local Vegas music scene, but also in Southern California and surrounding areas. Gaby has been doing photography and journalism for ASTR0MAG for the last few years, and she gives us her unique take on what it's been like to pursue the passion of writing, taking photos of and finding new artists and music to inspire her to keep going.

We pull back the curtain on what it is like to build sites based on promoting bands and rock music and you will get to hear straight from a source in the field about what it's like to try to grow an online presence around rock music.

Intro: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

I bring Emily Dolan Davies into the spotlight to get her take on who some of her dream collaborations would be with, what she would tell someone who is just getting started on their musical journies, and she talks about an out of body experience she had just recently while performing on stage.

Emily is a fantastic drummer, and she really has a wealth of knowledge around music and music history. Don't miss this episode!

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

I am going to be speaking with drummer extraordinaire Emily Dolan-Davies who has worked with quite a few famous acts like The Darkness, The Hours, Bryan Ferry and Cher Lloyd and runs her own business to help musicians make money with their musical abilities, and she also creates drum tracks remotely for musical acts and sampling at EmilyDrums.com. 

She is also currently the drummer in the house band on The Voice Kids in the UK. I am going to be digging into all this and more with Emily.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

I bring Isaiah Radke from the midwest, all-sibling rock trio Radkey into the spotlight to get some insight into what are some of the things that have made him the nerdy rock legend in the making that he is. You know, questions like what's the spiciest pepper he has ever eaten and what video game would he live in for real life, and he meticulously breaks down which of the 3 Radke brothers would come out on top in a brawl between them.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

I am going to be speaking with Isaiah Radke from the Missouri-based rock act Radkey that he and his two brothers Dee and Solomon have formed and taken the rock world by storm with great music over the past 10 years or so, but they are really picking up steam now behind a slew of cool new things including touring with the Foo Fighters and being featured in the Dave Grohl documentary What Drives Us.

I have been tugging at the sleeve of the Radkey guys for months to come on the show, and I am so stoked to finally be able to bring Isaiah on to talk about all things Radkey and much more today.

Intro Music: "Colorado" by Birds Love Filters

I bring Marko DeSantis from Sugarcult into the Spotlight to break his brain about what would be the best band of all time (with him in it), and we talk about other things like who is the biggest Prima Donna he has ever worked with and whether or not he would be willing to front a band or do a solo record and sing.

Marko is a veritable walking encyclopedia of rock knowledge and seemingly knows everyone and everything about the last 40 years or so of rock music. 

I am going to be speaking with a veritable legend of rock music over the last 30 or so years, Marko DeSantis. Marko has played in such bands as Sugarcult, Popsicko, a short stint in The Ataris, and was a member of one of my personal favorite bands of all time, Bad Astronaut. Now Marko teaches the business side of music and DJ’s as well as helps promote bands. His life is intertwined with the California rock scene of the 90’s in so many ways, and we are going to hear some incredible stories.

I am pretty stoked to talk to Marko, because having people like him on the show is exactly why I started this podcast in the first place. Marko has been ingrained in the punk scene in California for the last 30 or so years, and I figured it would be great to have a first hand account of some of the coolest stories straight from one of the sources. Marko has been a member of some very well known bands, but he is also really good friends with bands that are household names as well.

This is Part 2 of our 2-part conversation.