Michael Christopher

Referenced in 3 episodes

#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.

Listen to EpisodeView Transcript

#248: The Doozie

February 20, 2026

Local H frontman Scott Lucas discovers that Enjoy the Ride Records announced a 30th anniversary reissue of the band's album "As Good As Dead" while he was on vacation, even though the band and their label GMP Records were already in the process of acquiring licensing rights from Universal Music for their own official reissue. Lucas criticizes Enjoy the Ride for only attempting contact through a Facebook Messenger DM rather than using easily available contact information, and expresses frustration that Universal had already licensed the album to another label without informing the band, resulting in lost sales for their planned release. The episode also covers backlash from fans over the band's participation in an anti-ICE benefit show and upcoming tour dates with Filter and the Toadies.

Listen to EpisodeView Transcript

🎸 Replacements

#210: Michael Christopher and the BEST?!? Best Picture

March 7, 2025

Michael Christopher, a senior writer for Vanyaland and contributor to various music and entertainment publications, joins the Lifers podcast hosts to discuss the Oscars, with a focus on the best Best Picture winners of all time. The group each shares their top 3 picks, which include Rocky, No Country for Old Men, The Departed, Schindler's List, and Unforgiven.

Listen to EpisodeView Transcript