The (unofficial) Lifers Database

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Band

Cheap Trick

Referenced in 54 episodes

Episode 255 cover

#255: Jack Douglas R.I.P.

May 14, 2026

Jack Douglas, legendary producer behind albums like Aerosmith's Rocks and John Lennon's Imagine, passed away after a battle with cancer. The episode features a previously recorded interview where Douglas shares stories about his career, including how he met John Lennon after being deported from Liverpool in 1965, his work with all four Beatles members, and his contributions to iconic albums by Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper, and the New York Dolls. The interview was conducted by Scott Lucas at G-Man in Chicago, where Douglas discussed his friendship with Lennon, the creation of "Walk This Way," and his later venture into running an artist-centric record label.

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#241: Tha Caterer III

November 28, 2025

The episode features guest Josh Caterer from the band Smoking Popes. They discuss his band's upcoming shows with Scott Lucas and the band Menthol, reminisce about touring together in the 90s, and play a game called "What's the Best" about the best guest spots on songs.

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#239: Road Report #27: So Much for the Afterglow

November 14, 2025

The band Local H discusses the highlights and lowlights of their recently completed 43-show tour opening for bands like Everclear and Sponge. They reminisce about their favorite pizza places on the road, standout shows in places like Minneapolis, Boston and Cincinnati, and the grueling final days of the tour. The band also previews some of their upcoming solo acoustic shows and New Year's Eve gigs to close out the year.

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🎸 Replacements

#231: Art Alexakis

August 20, 2025

Art Alexakis, frontman of the band Everclear, joins the Lifers podcast to discuss his life and career in music. Alexakis talks about growing up in Los Angeles housing projects, discovering rock and roll at a young age after family tragedy, and his path to getting sober and starting Everclear in Portland in the early 1990s. He shares stories behind the making of Everclear's breakout album Sparkle and Fade as the band rose to fame.

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🎸 Replacements

#230: Randy Jackson

August 14, 2025

Randy Jackson, guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Zebra, discusses the band's origins in New Orleans in the 1970s, their move to New York and rise to success in the early 1980s with their self-titled debut album produced by Jack Douglas, and the ups and downs of their career on the Atlantic Records label. Jackson reflects on Zebra's musical influences, touring with bands like Cheap Trick, and the loyalty of their fanbase as they celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2023.

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🎸 Replacements

#229: Our Dinner With Dino or: The Great Chips & Salsa Incident

August 7, 2025

Gabe went to a Colombian restaurant in Florida and asked if they had chips and salsa, not realizing Colombian cuisine is different from Mexican. This led to a discussion with guest Dino about Gabe's cultural insensitivity in expecting all Latin American restaurants to have the same menu items. They also discussed Gabe's unusual music tastes, debated the merits of various Mel Brooks and Iron Maiden albums, and played a round of "What's the Best" focused on memorable food scenes in movies and TV.

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#214: Tim Hunter

April 4, 2025

Tim Hunter, director of River's Edge and episodes of Twin Peaks, Mad Men and Breaking Bad, discusses his career and the current political climate in this episode of the Lifers podcast. Hunter compares the blacklisting of his father during the McCarthy era to "Gestapo tactics" and a "blacklist of thought" under Trump. The hosts and Hunter also debate their favorite uses of heavy metal music in films.

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🎸 Replacements

#197: Frank Phobia

November 15, 2024

Frank Phobia, a central figure in the Pennsylvania hardcore punk scene, discusses his band Pissing Razors turning 40 years old and their upcoming album "Going Out Swinging". He reminisces about influential shows and people from the 1980s punk scene and his experiences booking shows and helping touring bands in Pennsylvania.

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🎸 Replacements

#179: Mike McIntyre

July 12, 2024

Mike McIntyre, a longtime bartender in Chicago, discusses his past as a fisherman in Alaska and being in the band 9 Day Wonder with his brother in the 1990s. The hosts and Mike discuss 90s alternative pop music, with each sharing some of their favorite songs from that era. Mike shares stories of his early days in the Chicago music scene and thoughts on how the bar scene has changed over his nearly 30 years as a bartender.

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🤘 Iron Maiden

#178: Alex Jacobs

July 5, 2024

Alex Jacobs, the editor of the horror film In a Violent Nature, discusses his experience working on the movie and his approach to the editing process. He talks about his love for the Friday the 13th franchise and how it influenced In a Violent Nature. Jacobs also shares an anecdote about previously editing Norm Macdonald's podcast and reflects on his career path in the film industry.

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🎸 Replacements

#176: John Haggerty

June 21, 2024

John Haggerty discusses his influential guitar playing with the bands Naked Raygun and Pegboy, the 1970s Chicago punk scene, and his upcoming show at Metro. He also shares his favorite guitar solos of the 1970s, heavily favoring classic rock and metal.

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#172: Big In Japan

May 24, 2024

Scott is traveling in Japan with his wife Justine after a rough experience in Bali. He discusses the differences between the two countries and his initial impressions of Japan. The hosts then play a game called "What's the Best Song that Starts with the Chorus?", debating and comparing various song choices that fit this category.

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🤘 Iron Maiden

#164: Doni Blair

March 29, 2024

Donnie Blair, bassist of the Toadies, discusses his musical journey, from discovering punk and metal with his brother Zack, to playing in bands like Hagfish and Only Crime. He shares stories of touring with Bad Brains in the '90s, the ups and downs of major label deals, and how practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has impacted his life. The hosts also engage Blair in a game of "What's the Best" focused on Iron Maiden songs.

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🎸 Replacements

#160: Bobby Talamine

March 1, 2024

In this episode, photographer Bobby Talamine discusses his long career photographing rock bands. He talks about starting out shooting industrial bands in Chicago in the 1980s, and his approach of capturing moody, high-contrast black and white photos. Talamine also shares anecdotes about photographing bands like Depeche Mode, New Order, and The Replacements over the years.

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🎸 Replacements

#158: Nick Miller

February 16, 2024

Nick Miller, a legendary Chicago concert promoter, discusses his decades-long career booking shows for acts like Cheap Trick, Bruce Springsteen, and Jeff Beck. The hosts and Miller share stories of their most memorable concerts, including seeing the Replacements, Depeche Mode, and Metallica early in their careers. Miller recounts his unconventional start in the music business and reflects on how the Chicago music scene has evolved over the years.

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#155: Jack Douglas

January 26, 2024

Record producer Jack Douglas recounts working with John Lennon on the Imagine album after a fateful meeting years earlier when Douglas, as a young musician, had traveled to Liverpool and made headlines for getting deported. Douglas shares anecdotes about his relationships and experiences working with Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Aerosmith, and Cheap Trick throughout his producing career.

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🤘 Iron Maiden

#148: Joel Spencer

December 8, 2023

Joel Spencer, formerly of the band Menthol from Champaign, Illinois, discusses his music career and current work as a librarian. Menthol recently reunited to play shows after disbanding in the late 1990s when they were dropped from Capitol Records.

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#144: What’s The Best?!?: Green Day

November 17, 2023

The episode discusses the band Green Day in honor of the 30th anniversary of their album Dookie. The hosts share their favorite Green Day songs and debate the band's merits, with some praising their catchy pop-punk songwriting while others find the music less compelling.

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🎸 Replacements

#143: Freddy Herrera

November 10, 2023

In this episode of the Lifers podcast, Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez, and Ben Reiser interview guest Freddy Herrera, the bass player from the band Everclear. Freddy discusses his musical journey, from starting out playing punk rock in California to eventually joining Everclear in the 2000s. The group also plays a game where they each name their picks for the best bass performances and bass lines in songs, with selections ranging from the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" to Iron Maiden's "Killers".

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#142: Jon Hertzberg, T.R. Baskin and Chicago Movies

November 3, 2023

The podcast episode discusses Chicago-based movies with guest Jonathan Hertzberg, who runs the boutique Blu-ray label Fun City Editions. Hertzberg is releasing a Blu-ray of the 1971 film T.R. Baskin, which was shot in Chicago and features an audio commentary track by the podcast hosts.

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🎸 Replacements

#137: Marc Solheim

September 29, 2023

Mark Solheim, the talent buyer for Riot Fest, discusses what goes into booking and organizing the annual music festival in Chicago. He shares behind-the-scenes insights on securing major headliners like The Cure, curating each day's lineup to have a certain theme and aesthetic, and some of the logistical challenges in the days following the festival. The hosts also do a "What's the Best" segment focused on everyone's favorite songs by The Cure.

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#136: Lifers Lunch Live

September 22, 2023

Scott, Gabe and Ben do a casual lunchtime episode of the Lifers podcast. They chat about various topics like what they brought for lunch, shows Gabe has been attending in Indianapolis, favorite teenage movies, and whether Prince or Jimmy Page is the better guitarist. A few listeners call in with additional questions for the hosts before Scott has to leave for a second lunch meeting.

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🎸 Replacements

#130: Rick Ness

August 11, 2023

Rick Ness, member of the band Fig Dish, discusses the band's history, from their early days playing Neil Diamond and REM cover songs to getting signed by a record label using creative tactics. The band recently released a collection of unreleased tracks recorded with producer Andy Gerber during sessions for what would have been their third album. Ness also shares humorous tour stories and anecdotes about the 1990s Chicago music scene.

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🎸 Replacements

#129: REM Draft Day With Jason Narducy

August 4, 2023

Jason Narducy and Michael Shannon put on a show at Metro Chicago playing REM's album Murmur in full for the venue's 40th anniversary, with REM's Mike Mills making a surprise appearance to sing backing vocals. The podcast hosts and Narducy discuss the show, their favorite REM songs, and do an REM song draft.

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#127: Bleeps, Barbies, Boxes & Bubonic Butter

July 21, 2023

In this episode of the Lifers podcast, Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser discuss a wide range of pop culture topics including Scott's celebrity encounters, Barbie and Oppenheimer movies, offensive terms, childhood TV shows, and the top 10 talk box songs in rock music. The conversation is filled with humorous tangents and nostalgic references.

Episode 123 cover
🎸 Replacements

#123: 123. LIFERS LIVE!!! - In Chicago with Josh Caterer

June 23, 2023

Josh Caterer of the band Smoking Popes joined the Lifers podcast for a live episode in Chicago. They discussed the band's history, Caterer's songwriting process, and funny tour stories. Caterer also played a few acoustic songs for the audience.

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🎸 Replacements

#121: 121. LIFERS Live!!! - In Chicago with Chip Z'Nuff

June 9, 2023

In this live episode of the Lifers podcast recorded at G Man Tavern in Chicago, hosts Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser interview special guest Chip Z'Nuff from the band Enuff Z'Nuff. Chip shares entertaining stories from his long career in music, including how his band got signed, crazy tour experiences, and collaborating with legends like Paul Stanley and Ann Margaret. The hosts and Chip also play a hilarious round of the card game Cards Against Humanity to close out the episode.

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#120: The No Fun E.P. Imploder and more Kyle Kinane

June 2, 2023

Scott Lucas discusses the making of the Local H EP "No Fun", released in 2003 after the band left their record label. The EP was a pivot to a more immediate, stripped-down sound influenced by garage rock revival bands of the early 2000s. Lucas reflects on the EP 20 years later, feeling the songs still hold up well, especially the title track "No Fun".

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🤘 Iron Maiden

#115: Eric Oblander

April 28, 2023

Scott Lucas and co-hosts Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser interview guest Eric Oblander, harmonica player from the blues rock band Five Horse Johnson. Oblander discusses his musical journey, touring extensively in Europe with Five Horse Johnson in the early 2000s, and recording with the band Clutch. The conversation touches on various topics including favorite cover songs, the preparations involved with getting a colonoscopy, and announcing upcoming live Lifers podcast shows in Chicago and Madison.

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🎸 Replacements

#111: Mike Zelenko

March 31, 2023

In this episode, Scott Lucas interviews Mike Zelenko, drummer of the Chicago band Material Issue. They discuss Zelenko's musical background, the formation and early days of Material Issue, and the new documentary film about the band called "Out of Time".

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🤘 Iron Maiden

#110: Jimmy Flemion

March 24, 2023

Jimmy Flemion, founding member of the band The Frogs, discusses the band's history, creative process, and upcoming documentary in an interview. He shares anecdotes about collaborating with notable artists like Sebastian Bach and Beck, and discusses The Frogs' unique blend of catchy pop songwriting and controversial, comedic improvised home recordings.

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🎸 Replacements

#109: Todd Philips

March 17, 2023

Ben Riser and Scott Cade interview drummer Todd Philips about his career playing with bands like Blue Lavolta, Juliana Hatfield and The Lemonheads, and his current work producing movie trailers in Los Angeles. Philips discusses his start in the Boston indie rock scene in the late 80s/early 90s, touring experiences, and balancing his music and film careers.

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#106: What’s The Best?!?: Covers

February 24, 2023

The hosts discuss and play their top 5 favorite cover songs, with picks ranging from The Specials covering "A Message to You Rudy" by Dandy Livingstone to Cheap Trick's rendition of "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino. They debate what makes a great cover song and whether the covers are better than the originals. No songs were picked by more than one host, highlighting the wide diversity of opinions and tastes when it comes to great cover songs.

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🎸 Replacements

#102: Justin Slazinik

January 27, 2023

Justin Slazinik, formerly of the band Sullen, discusses his new solo album "Lick Them Tomorrow" and his journey getting sober after struggling with alcohol for many years. The conversation covers Slazinik's musical influences, his time touring as a tech for the band Local H, and reconnecting with old bandmates. Slazinik expresses gratitude for the support of friends like the host Scott Lucas during his rough times.

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🤘 Iron Maiden

#101: Allen Epley

January 20, 2023

Alan Epley, frontman of the bands Shiner and The Life and Times, discusses his musical journey from growing up in a musical family to his early bands in Kansas City. He shares stories about Shiner's rise, near-misses with major labels, and eventual breakup, before detailing his subsequent projects like The Life and Times and his new solo record.

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#100: 100th Episode!!!

January 13, 2023

In this special 100th episode of the Lifers podcast, hosts Scott Lucas, Ben Reiser, and Gabe Rodriguez reminisce about their favorite moments and guests from the show's history. The conversation covers many of the most memorable episodes, interviews and stories that have made the podcast entertaining over the past 100 weeks.

Episode 97 cover
🤘 Iron Maiden

#97: Kyle Stevenson

December 23, 2022

In this episode, Kyle Stevenson, current drummer for the band Helmet, discusses his musical career journey from attempting film school to playing in various LA-based bands in the 1990s and 2000s. He shares anecdotes about challenging tours, including one with the band Filter, and reflects on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Helmet's recent touring attempts. Throughout the conversation, Stevenson and the hosts also exchange humorous stories of their experiences playing music and touring together.

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#89: Road Report #14 : Slurry Road

October 28, 2022

In this episode of the Lifers podcast, Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser discuss Rod Stewart's disappointing concert performance, share stories from their recent show at The Metro in Chicago, and debate the best rock and roll voices of all time. They also talk about the new Halloween movie, reminisce about seeing actor Udo Kier at a film screening, and answer listener questions about their favorite venues, songs, and black and white movies.

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#82: Eddie Applebaum

September 9, 2022

In this episode, Scott Lucas interviews his long-time band manager Eddie Applebaum. They discuss how Eddie got into artist management, his experiences working with local H on albums like Here Comes the Zoo, and a harrowing incident where Scott got lost in Russia while on tour. Eddie also shares his perspective on the current state of the music industry and the challenges new artists face in building a passionate fanbase.

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#81: Paul Massaro

September 2, 2022

Paul Massaro discusses his experiences working as a live sound engineer and tour manager for bands like Local H, Cheap Trick, Mastodon, and Andrew WK. He shares wild stories from the road, including getting kicked off the Ozzfest tour after Brent from Mastodon insulted another band and trashed a bathroom, and an infamous incident where Paul destroyed a hotel room after partying too hard. Paul explains how the grind of constant touring and partying eventually led him to stop working on the road so he could focus on his family.

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🎸 Replacements

#78: Brian St. Clair

August 12, 2022

Brian St. Clair, best known as the drummer of the rock band Local H from 1999-2013, discusses his music career on the Lifers podcast. He talks about his time in bands like Triple Fast Action and Rights of the Accused, touring with acts like Ministry and Liz Phair, and recording the album Here Comes the Zoo with Local H and producer Jack Douglas. St. Clair also admits to an incident involving defecating in a hotel room and letting a bandmate take the blame for years.

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🤘 Iron Maiden

#71: Ed Valauskas

June 24, 2022

Ed Valauskas, a producer and bassist who works at Q Division Studios in Boston, discusses his music career and involvement with the annual Hot Stove Cool Music charity event. Ed shares stories about playing with various artists like Graham Parker, making records with Juliana Hatfield, and the untimely passing of his friend and Fountains of Wayne member Adam Schlesinger.

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#66: Mike Lustig

May 20, 2022

Mike Lustig, former guitarist of the band Ruth Ruth, shares stories about his early music career, from getting signed quickly to Mercury Records with his high school band Janata, to the ups and downs of playing with Ruth Ruth in the 90s alt-rock scene. He discusses opening for major acts like the Kinks and Stevie Ray Vaughan, coping with frequent label changes, and some lowlight moments involving the radio host Mancow and an unfortunate gastrointestinal incident before a big showcase.

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#65: Pittsburgh and the Night of the Living Picklebacks (with Justine + Rookie + Karen)

May 13, 2022

The band Local H was on tour in Pittsburgh with the band Rookie. They hung out in a hotel room on their night off, drinking Jameson and pickle juice shots called "picklebacks". The members of both bands had a rambling, humorous conversation covering topics like the early days of Rookie, their mutual love of classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, and funny tour stories.

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#61: Gwen Ihnat

April 11, 2022

Gwen Ihnat, a longtime writer for The A.V. Club and other publications, discusses her career in music and pop culture journalism. She shares anecdotes about interviewing musicians like Tom Jones and Liz Phair, accidentally misquoting Phair's lyrics in a review, and her experiences working at The Onion and A.V. Club offices in Chicago. With The A.V. Club moving to Los Angeles, Ihnat reflects on this end of an era and what the next chapter of her writing career may hold.

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#57: Keith Smith

March 11, 2022

Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser interview their high school friend Keith Smith, who is in the Christian metal band Oblivion Myth. They discuss Keith's musical journey, his faith, and reminisce about the metal and hard rock scene they grew up with in Zion, Illinois in the 1980s and early 1990s.

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#56: Happy Anniversary!

March 4, 2022

Scott, Gabe and Ben celebrate the one year anniversary of their Lifers podcast by discussing listener feedback on favorite moments and guests from the past year. They reflect on how the podcast has evolved, their own rapport and dynamic, and memorable interviews with musicians like Justine Frischmann, John McCauley, and Scott's dad. Despite not having a clear mission, the hosts agree the podcast works as an entertaining hangout capturing the experience of friends casually discussing music and life.

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#49: Joe Dapier and The French Dispatch

January 14, 2022

In this podcast episode, Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser discuss the movie The French Dispatch and other pop culture topics with their guest Joe Dapier, who was the drummer for the band Dovetail Joint. They debate the merits of various Wes Anderson and Woody Allen films, reminisce about the 90s Chicago music scene, and argue about Led Zeppelin songs.

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#41: Matt Radke

November 19, 2021

Matt Radke, the father and tour manager of the band Radkey, discusses the band's origins, their DIY approach to the music business, and their recent successes touring with major acts. Radke reflects on how he passed his own musical interests and influences on to his sons, who then taught themselves to play and started the band after being inspired by the movie School of Rock.

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#36: Brian Blockinger

October 15, 2021

Scott Lucas and his bandmate Ryan both tested positive for Covid in the middle of their tour, forcing them to cancel several sold-out shows and quarantine at home. Despite feeling relatively okay, Scott is bummed about having to miss shows right as the tour was hitting its stride. However, the band plans to resume the tour at the Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta which will take place outdoors.

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#32: Road Report #5: On The Road With Soul Asylum (Final Week)

September 17, 2021

Scott Lucas recounts playing Soul Asylum's hit song "Runaway Train" at a show, which angered frontman Dave Pirner at the time, though Pirner later claimed it was a joke. The episode features several interview clips with Soul Asylum band members discussing how they joined the group and what touring has been like during the pandemic.

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#25: Dave Pirner

July 31, 2021

In the podcast, Scott Lucas from the band Local H interviews Dave Pirner from Soul Asylum. They discuss the 1980s Minneapolis music scene that Soul Asylum emerged from, Pirner's creative influences and approach to songwriting, the challenges of sudden fame in the 1990s, and Pirner's move to New Orleans to recenter himself. Lucas and Pirner also share their frustrations with people refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, forcing them to postpone touring plans.

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#22: Jeff Murphy

July 9, 2021

Scott Lucas of the band Local H talks with Jeff Murphy of the band Shoes about their shared experiences growing up and starting bands in Zion, Illinois. They discuss the challenges and benefits of coming from a small town with strict rules, Shoes' early home recordings and unique album-making process, and working with record labels. Throughout the conversation, Murphy shares fascinating stories about Shoes' career and imparts valuable wisdom about staying true to your musical vision.

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#16: Troy Van Leeuwen

May 28, 2021

Troy Van Leeuwen discusses his music career, from starting as a drummer and learning guitar at age 13 to playing in bands like Failure, A Perfect Circle, and Queens of the Stone Age. He talks about enjoying the role of being a multi-instrumentalist "secret weapon" in bands rather than the frontman. Van Leeuwen also shares anecdotes about the intense touring lifestyle with Queens of the Stone Age and the bands' evolutions across different album eras.