The Local H Lifers Database

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Bruce Springsteen

Referenced in 37 episodes

Episode 260 cover

#260: MMMBappe

June 26, 2026

Scott discusses the 2022 World Cup, criticizing American fans for chanting "USA" and mimicking White Stripes songs instead of singing in unison like other countries, while declaring his support for Argentina and Messi. The hosts engage in their regular segment debating best and worst album covers, with Scott criticizing Aerosmith's "Get a Grip" and David Lee Roth's "Eat Them and Smile" as worst covers, while Gabe defends iconic covers like The Clash's "London Calling" and The Beatles' "Abbey Road." Scott also praises the recent Toadies tour, particularly highlighting exceptional shows in Yonkers, Boston, and Cincinnati, while expressing frustration with Enjoy the Ride Records' unauthorized vinyl release of Local H's "As Good As Dead.\

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#259: Julian, California Coming Down and WHAT’S THE BEST/WORST?!?: Album Covers

June 19, 2026

Scott Lucas and Ben Reiser discuss best album covers while Gabe Rodriguez misreads the assignment and presents worst album covers instead, including controversial picks like the banned Beatles "butcher cover" and Scorpions' "Virgin Killer." The episode devolves into arguments about sports (World Cup vs. basketball), Lucas complaining about difficult merch table customers on tour with the Toadies, and Gabe revealing his aversion to horror imagery including The Exorcist and being too scared to watch Human Centipede before bed.

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#257: Album Imploder: AS GOOD AS DEAD (with Steven Haigler) Part Two

May 29, 2026

Local H's Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez, and producer Steven Haigler dissect their 1996 album "As Good As Dead" track by track, revealing the influences behind songs like the kazoo-featuring "Lovey Dovey," the straight-edge parody "Back in the Day," and hit single "Bound for the Floor." The discussion covers production techniques, songwriting inspirations ranging from Led Zeppelin to REM, and how the band deliberately positioned themselves as being from Zion, Illinois rather than Chicago to differentiate from the 90s alternative rock scene. They also address the controversy around "Eddie Vedder," explain why the album's master tapes are likely lost in the Universal fire, and reflect on how the record's themes of small-town claustrophobia have endured beyond its initial reception as disposable summer rock.

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#252: Boorman and The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Pt. 2 (unfiltered)

April 10, 2026

Scott Lucas, Ben Reiser, and Gabe Rodriguez draft their picks for potential 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees from the 17 nominees, with Lucas selecting Iron Maiden, Wu-Tang Clan, Luther Vandross, INXS, and Lauryn Hill; Reiser picking Joy Division/New Order, Sade, Oasis, Jeff Buckley, and Pink; and Rodriguez choosing Billy Idol, Mariah Carey, Phil Collins, New Edition, and Shakira. The hosts also discuss Lucas's recent tour with Filter and Finger Eleven, which experienced van troubles in Nashville, and briefly touch on Rush's performance at the Juno Awards and the documentary "Boorman and the Devil" about "Exorcist II: The Heretic.\

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#247: The Joy of Sax with John McCauley

January 30, 2026

Scott Lucas, Ben Reiser, and Gabe Rodriguez discuss the Oscars nominations with surprise guest Jake Newborn, who reveals himself as the "belly flopper" stage diver from a recent Local H show. The hosts then welcome John McCauley from Deer Tick to discuss the best saxophone solos in rock and pop music, with picks ranging from Junior Walker's "Shotgun" to Foreigner's "Urgent" to George Thorogood's "I Drink Alone.

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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🎸 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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#227: Ozzy

July 25, 2025

Ozzy Osbourne, the pioneer of heavy metal music and reality television, died at age 76 after being treated for Parkinson's disease in recent years. The podcast hosts discuss Ozzy's life and career, from his working class upbringing in Birmingham to his success as lead singer of Black Sabbath and later as a solo artist known for his rock and roll excess. They also share personal stories and memories related to Ozzy's music and choose their favorite Ozzy and Black Sabbath songs.

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#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.

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#215: Cars: Ten and Two

April 18, 2025

In this episode, Scott, Gabe and Ben discuss songs about cars after Gabe's car was recently totaled in a roundabout accident. They debate songs like Panama by Van Halen, I Can't Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar, Drive My Car by the Beatles, and others.

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#209: Hello, Larry Damore and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

February 21, 2025

Scott Lucas and his co-hosts Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser discuss this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees, doing a draft to pick their top choices from the list. They also briefly mention an earlier podcast episode featuring an interview with Larry Damore from the band Pegboy, which they decide not to replay due to being an off episode.

Episode 196 cover
🎸 Replacements

#196: Jesse Malin

November 8, 2024

Musician Jesse Malin discusses his music career, from early punk bands to going solo, as well as challenges he's faced including a rare spinal stroke he suffered in 2021. Malin talks about his friendships and collaborations with Bruce Springsteen, Joe Strummer, and Martin Scorsese. The episode closes with Malin and the hosts each sharing some of their favorite songs by The Clash.

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#193: All Roads Lead to Music Box and Metro

October 16, 2024

Scott Lucas and friends drive from Los Angeles to Chicago for the premiere of the documentary film "Lifers" about his band Local H. The next night, Local H performs an epic, energetic show at the Metro in Chicago featuring numerous guest musicians and rarely played songs.

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#190: Road Report #20 (Sincere Engineer edition!)

September 24, 2024

Scott Heisel, Ben Riser, Gabe Rodriguez, and guest Deanna Belos of Sincere Engineer record a road report podcast while on tour. They discuss Belos's recent tours with New Found Glory and at Riot Fest, the definition of novelty songs, and attempt to name the best novelty songs. The conversation is humorous and meandering, with the hosts frequently talking over each other and getting sidetracked.

Episode 174 cover
🤘 Iron Maiden

#174: Angela Mullenhour

June 7, 2024

Angela Mullenhour from the Chicago band Sybaris discusses the band's upcoming album, which was originally recorded in 2011 but is just now being released. She shares her musical influences growing up in Indiana, how she started playing guitar and writing songs after moving to Chicago, and the formation of Sybaris in the early 2000s. The hosts and Angela also discuss songs related to the theme of murder.

Episode 170 cover
🎸 Replacements

#170: 170. QUITTERS - Tim Edwards

May 10, 2024

Tim Edwards, former booking agent for the band Local H, discusses his career in the music industry and his decision to quit booking bands in 2018. He shares anecdotes about booking shows for Local H, including an infamous college frat party gig that went disastrously wrong.

Episode 169 cover
🤘 Iron Maiden

#169: Scott Quist and Real Rock’n’Roll Movers

May 3, 2024

Scott Quist, founder of Real Rock'n'Roll Movers in LA, discusses his experiences as a drummer in various rock bands and how he started his moving company staffed by musicians. Quist and the hosts reminisce about their time touring together when Quist was a drum tech, including pranks they pulled on each other. They also play a game picking the best songs about working for a living.

Episode 164 cover
🤘 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.

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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#151: 2023: And SCENE!

December 29, 2023

Scott is in Austin, Texas to play some shows with his band Local H. The hosts discuss various topics from this past year including interviews they conducted, movies and TV shows, and some notable celebrity deaths. They also talk about their upcoming New Year's Eve plans to perform comedy shows together in Chicago.

Episode 150 cover
🤘 Iron Maiden

#150: Brendan Kelly’s War On Xmas

December 22, 2023

Brendan Kelly from the band The Lawrence Arms joins the Lifers podcast hosts to discuss their most hated Christmas songs. The group talks about why they dislike popular holiday tunes like "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime", "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", "Last Christmas", and others, breaking down the annoying lyrics, instrumentation and overall cheesiness.

Episode 147 cover
🎸 Replacements

#147: Michael Tedder

December 1, 2023

Michael Tedder discusses his book "Top 8: How MySpace Changed Music" and shares his thoughts on selling out in the music industry. The guests also play a game picking their favorite songs from 2003.

Episode 133 cover
🎸 Replacements

#133: Steve Berlin

September 1, 2023

Steve Berlin, saxophone player for Los Lobos, discusses his early music career in the LA punk/roots rock scene of the late 70s and 80s, playing with bands like The Blasters, Top Jimmy, and producing acts like Faith No More. He shares how he joined Los Lobos and helped shape their eclectic sound on albums like Kiko, and talks about his later production work with indie rock band Deer Tick and the band Diamond Rugs. Throughout the conversation, Berlin reflects on his fortunate music career collaborating with many renowned artists.

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#114: Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter

April 21, 2023

Scott Lucas and Gabe Rodriguez are joined by Scott's daughter Lily Reiser to discuss various topics including bootleg band merchandise, the upcoming "Festival of 1982" cover band show featuring Scott, and trying to guess which Canadian bands from 1982 might be covered. The episode ends with a young fan named Helena interviewing Scott about his favorite Local H songs, candies, albums to record, and Christmas stories.

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#113: What's The Best?!?: U2

April 14, 2023

Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser continue their discussion from last week's episode on their top 3 favorite U2 songs. The hosts share their picks, with songs like "New Year's Day", "One", "Bad", and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" making their lists. They also discuss U2's evolution over the years and ability to reinvent themselves on albums like Achtung Baby.

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.

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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.

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 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.

Episode 83 cover

#83: Road Report #10

September 16, 2022

Scott Lucas and Gabe Rodriguez of the band Local H discuss life on the road while touring to support their album Here Comes the Zoo. They reminisce about pulling a trailer, popping tires, and the long drives between cities. The band is currently traveling as a three-piece with Dave Lugo. Scott and Gabe also discuss the writing and recording of the 25-minute epic track "What Would You Have Me Do?" which closes out the album.

Episode 71 cover
🤘 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.

Episode 1 cover

#1: Ben's Bits #1 - Waiting for Steve Tulipana

December 7, 2021

Scott, Gabe and Ben engage in a wide-ranging conversation while waiting for guest Steve Tulipana to arrive. They discuss topics including the new Beatles documentary Get Back, albums by the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen, and various movies and TV shows. The conversation is filled with tangents, inside jokes and playful arguments between the hosts.

Episode 42 cover

#42: A LIFERS Thanksgiving

November 26, 2021

Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser host a special live Thanksgiving episode of the Lifers podcast. They discuss their Thanksgiving plans, answer listener questions, and bring on several fans as guests to chat about topics like the upcoming Lifers movie, Scott's gorilla suit, and everyone's favorite bands.

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#38: Road Report #7: A Day Off in NYC with Justine McMahon

October 29, 2021

Scott Lucas and Justine McMahon discuss their day off in New York City, which included seeing the movies Possession and The French Dispatch. They also reminisce about Justine's bartending days at NYC music venues like Trash Bar and Mercury Lounge, and humorously debate topics like tipping etiquette, pineapple on pizza, and the Ozzy vs Dio eras of Black Sabbath.

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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.

Bruce Springsteen | The Local H Lifers Database