The (unofficial) Lifers Database

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Band

Red Cross

Referenced in 14 episodes

Episode 224 cover

#224: Hotdogs, Fireworks, and Fig Dish!

July 4, 2025

In this podcast episode, the members of the 1990s Chicago rock band Fig Dish (Blake Smith, Rick Ness, and Mike Willison) discuss the 30th anniversary reissue of their debut album "That's What Love Songs Often Do" and reflect on the writing, recording, and promotion of the album. The band also discusses their upcoming shows and the challenges of rehearsing after many years.

Episode 222 cover
🎸 Replacements

#222: Ben Kweller

June 20, 2025

Ben Kweller discusses his new album Cover the Mirrors, which he wrote after the tragic death of his 16-year-old son. Kweller opens up about the emotional songwriting process and how the album helped him grieve and realize the fragility and importance of life. He also reflects on his early musical roots, the formation and dissolution of his teenage band Radish, and going solo.

Episode 208 cover
🎸 Replacements

#208: Steven McDonald

February 14, 2025

Steven McDonald, bassist of the band Redd Kross, discusses the band's 40+ year career from their early days in the LA punk scene opening for Black Flag to their recent reunion, new album and documentary. He shares colorful anecdotes about the challenges and adventures of being a "lifer" musician.

Episode 207 cover

#207: Tom Rodriguez

February 6, 2025

In this episode, Scott Lucas and Gabe Rodriguez are joined by Gabe's brother Tom to reminisce about their upbringing and discuss notable bands featuring brothers. They talk about Gabe and Tom's band Good and Plenty from the early 90s, the brothers' shared love of music growing up, and pick some of their favorite brother bands including ACDC, Van Halen, The Bee Gees, and The Kinks.

Episode 183 cover
🎸 Replacements

#183: Dave Rockland

August 9, 2024

Dave Rockland, who has worked at Jam Productions in Chicago since 1994, joins the hosts to discuss his experiences in the Chicago music scene over the past few decades. They reminisce about memorable shows and albums from 1993, the year Dave moved to Chicago, including Nirvana's final Chicago shows, Liz Phair, The Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream, and Quicksand opening for Rage Against the Machine at Metro.

Episode 179 cover
🎸 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.

Episode 158 cover
🎸 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.

Episode 149 cover

#149: Road Report #18

December 15, 2023

Scott, Gabe and Ben discuss Christmas songs and movies while Scott is on tour with his band Local H. They each share their top picks for best Christmas songs, debating the merits of traditional favorites versus more alternative selections. The lighthearted conversation also covers 70s and 80s pop culture nostalgia.

Episode 110 cover
🤘 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.

Episode 78 cover
🎸 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.

Episode 74 cover

#74: Michael McMahon and the Paqui Chip Challenge

July 15, 2022

Scott Lucas and Gabe Rodriguez from the band Local H are visiting Scott's father-in-law Mike McMahon in South Carolina. They discuss Mike's first concerts seeing AC/DC and Ted Nugent in the late 70s. Scott tries an extremely spicy Paqui chip challenge, which causes him intense pain. Mike talks about his career as a police detective in New York and South Carolina. The group also discusses recent Def Leppard and Motley Crue concerts, favorite sea creatures, and answer fan questions about upcoming Local H plans.

Episode 57 cover

#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.

Episode 33 cover

#33: Wes Kidd

September 24, 2021

Scott Lucas interviews his old friend and bandmate Wes Kidd about their wild times touring together in the 90s in the bands Rights of the Accused and Triple Fast Action. They reminisce about crazy pranks, trashed hotel rooms, getting beat up by gangs of kids, and disastrous major label debuts before Wes reveals what he's up to these days managing bands like Old 97's. Despite the painful memories, Scott and Wes share laughs over their unhinged youthful hijinks.

Episode 18 cover

#18: James VanOsdol

June 11, 2021

James Van Osdol, a Chicago radio veteran, talks about his love of music, experience working at Q101 in the 90s during the rise of alternative rock, and witnessing the slow evolution of the station's format. He discusses his new project called Phonation, a vinyl record that will feature short clips from various Chicago-based podcasts representing the breadth and diversity of the local podcast scene.