The (unofficial) Lifers Database

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Band

Weezer

Referenced in 21 episodes

Episode 256 cover

#256: Album Imploder: AS GOOD AS DEAD (with Steven Haigler) Part One

May 22, 2026

The Lifers podcast explores Local H's 1996 album "As Good As Dead" with the band's Scott Lucas and producer Steven Haigler, discussing how the record was written and recorded in just months after their debut album flopped and Island Records was considering dropping them. The album, which became a surprise success driven by the single "Bound for the Floor," was made quickly under pressure, with Lucas writing most songs in September 1995 while living in a Zion, Illinois apartment, and the band recording at Carriage House studio over Thanksgiving with a more open approach to production than their restrictive first album. Haigler recalls technical challenges including Joe Daniels' problematic rental drum kit and Lucas's out-of-tune guitar that wasn't discovered until halfway through tracking, though these imperfections contributed to the album's raw, chaotic sound that has aged well over 30 years.

Episode 245 cover
🎸 Replacements

#245: Selena Fragassi

January 16, 2026

This episode features a conversation with author and music journalist Selena Fragassi about her recent book "Pearl Jam Live," along with discussions about her journalism career, interviews with rock legends like Chrissie Hynde and Debbie Harry, and the Chicago music scene. The hosts and Fragassi engage in a "What's the Best" segment where they debate their favorite Pearl Jam songs.

Episode 242 cover
🎸 Replacements

#242: Stacy Jones

December 4, 2025

Stacy Jones, musical director for artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Miley Cyrus, discusses his career drumming for bands like Letters to Cleo, Veruca Salt, and American Hi-Fi. He also shares a new American Hi-Fi song called "Mixtapes and Polaroids".

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#235: Road Report #23: It's Karen's Band Now

October 3, 2025

Scott, Gabe, and Ben discuss the current Local H tour, which is halfway done and going well with many sold out shows. They talk about managing the long merch lines, an incident with an autistic fan, and the challenges of being on the road. The hosts also discuss their favorite Paul Thomas Anderson movie, answer listener questions, and banter about Gabe's dislike of The Big Lebowski and lack of interest in animated comedy shows like The Simpsons and South Park.

Episode 231 cover
🎸 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.

Episode 230 cover
🎸 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.

Episode 229 cover
🎸 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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#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 223 cover

#223: The Boys of Summer

June 27, 2025

In this episode, the hosts Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser discuss various topics including the hot summer weather, Bruce Springsteen's upcoming film, and their favorite summer songs. They each pick a few songs that remind them of summer and engage in humorous banter throughout the conversation.

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#220: The Tush Push Boogie or: It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Panel

May 22, 2025

Scott, Gabe, and Ben discuss a variety of topics including a new Lemonheads single, Bruce Springsteen's political activism, and Gabe's malfunctioning computer. The conversation veers into subjects like worst concert experiences and bad venue interactions before devolving into a chaotic panel discussion with numerous uninvited guests joining in.

Episode 219 cover

#219: Deanna Belos #3

May 15, 2025

Deanna Belos, lead singer of the band Sincere Engineer, discusses her new documentary "No One's Gonna Do It For You" which covers the first 10 years of her band. The documentary was made to catch up new fans on the band's history and origins, and features interviews with band members about their experiences. Belos also discusses her solo European tour plans for October and an upcoming July show in Elgin, Illinois.

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.

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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 111 cover
🎸 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".

Episode 107 cover
🤘 Iron Maiden

#107: Jim Rota

March 3, 2023

Jim Rota, member of the band Fireball Ministry and producer who has worked on Dave Grohl's documentary projects, discusses his career path from getting a record deal in the late 90s to working in TV and film post-production. He shares stories of touring with bands like Dio and Motorhead, meeting Dave Grohl through mutual friends, and pioneering digital workflows on films like The Chronicles of Narnia. Rota emphasizes the importance of authenticity, building genuine relationships, and encouraging the next generation to pursue their passions in music and film.

Episode 104 cover
🤘 Iron Maiden

#104: Dee From Radkey

February 10, 2023

Dee discusses Radkey's musical influences like Nirvana, Weezer and the Ramones, and how the band started out playing shows in their hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri. He talks about Radkey's experience opening for major acts like Fishbone, the Foo Fighters, and Jack White, and how those opportunities came about. Dee also touches on challenges the band faced with their record label wanting to change their sound and bring in outside songwriters, which Radkey resisted in order to maintain creative control over their music.

Episode 98 cover

#98: Dumb And Dumber

December 30, 2022

Scott, Gabe, Ben and special guest Justine provide commentary while watching the 1994 comedy film Dumb and Dumber. They discuss behind-the-scenes facts about the movie, share thoughts on the plot and characters, and debate which songs from the soundtrack the band Local H should cover at their upcoming New Year's Eve shows. The group also reminisces about seeing the film when it originally came out and analyzes how it holds up nearly 30 years later.

Episode 64 cover

#64: Tamar Berk

May 6, 2022

Tamar Berk discusses her long music career, from early bands like Starball in Chicago to her recent acclaimed solo albums. She opens up about the challenges of being a woman in rock, her musical family, and continuing to make music after losing her father. Berk also expresses admiration for artists like Fiona Apple and Lana Del Rey who have stayed true to their artistic visions over many years.

Episode 56 cover

#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.

Episode 14 cover

#14: How To Fuck Up An Interview With Rick Froberg

May 15, 2021

In this episode, Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser interview Rick Froberg from the bands Drive Like Jehu, Rocket from the Crypt, and Hot Snakes. They discuss the two Drive Like Jehu albums and debate which one is better, with Rick preferring the second album Yank Crime over the self-titled debut. Rick also shares stories about the early San Diego music scene, getting signed to Interscope Records, and the differences between his various bands.

Episode 6 cover

#6: Josh Caterer

March 19, 2021

Scott Lucas interviews Josh Caterer, lead singer of the band Smoking Popes, about their upcoming album The Hideout Sessions which releases on March 26th. They discuss the album's mix of classic American songbook covers and reinterpreted Smoking Popes songs, Caterer's songwriting influences, and the ups and downs of the band's career. Caterer also shares plans to record another live album called The Space Sessions in May.