The (unofficial) Lifers Database

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Jello Biafra

Referenced in 6 episodes

Episode 249 cover

#249: Balthazar De Ley

February 26, 2026

Balthazar De Ley, founding member of Menthol and former Hum guitarist, discusses the Champaign music scene's evolution, the band's major label struggles with Capitol Records, and his current work building and repairing guitar amplifiers after spending a decade with Smashing Pumpkins. The episode includes a "best debut records" segment where the hosts and guest debate classic first albums from Jesus and Mary Chain, Violent Femmes, Iron Maiden, and others.

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 180 cover
🎸 Replacements

#180: Vic Bondi

July 19, 2024

Vic Bondi, punk rock veteran of bands like Articles of Faith and Jones Very, discusses his 40-year music career, the Chicago punk scene in the 80s, and his viral essay "The Last Fourth of July". Bondi expresses deep pessimism about the direction of the country, predicting the U.S. will become a fascist one-party state under Trump, and voices concerns about climate change going unchecked by Republicans. The hosts and Bondi also discuss their favorite 70s punk songs from bands like the Ramones, Sex Pistols, Television and Blondie.

Episode 160 cover
🎸 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.

Episode 124 cover
🎸 Replacements

#124: Greg Norton

June 30, 2023

In this episode, Greg Norton, former bassist of Hüsker Dü, discusses the band's early years, rise to prominence, and eventual breakup. He shares candid stories about the rivalries and tensions between band members Bob Mould and Grant Hart, and talks about inaccuracies in popular accounts of the band's history. Norton also discusses his post-Hüsker Dü musical projects and his recent battle with prostate cancer.

Episode 47 cover

#47: Page Hamilton

December 31, 2021

Page Hamilton, guitarist and vocalist of the band Helmet, discusses the band's early days playing in New York City in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He talks about the influence of jazz and classical music on his guitar playing, getting signed to Interscope Records amidst a major label bidding war in the wake of Nirvana's success, and briefly playing guitar with David Bowie in the late 1990s.