Jason Sipe and Victor Riley of Chicago's own Salvation make a particularly powerful and vicious form of music that many might assume descends from grunge music of the 90's. On the surface perhaps, but this mighty trio, with the help of Mr Mike Lust, a prodigious producer (Urge Overkill, William Elliot Whitmore, everybody in Chicago) and two-time TGS guest has created a moving testament to laying it all out and flinging the resulting blood on the wall.&nbsp;MOCK (Reptillian), their 4th record and first with Reptillian conjures images of bands like Cows, The Jesus Lizard, Unsane, and yeah some very early Nirvana, but is also more immediate and complicated than those RIYLs. Victor and Jason represent what we all represent in the arts which is busting their respective humps to make music and take it on tour, by working jobs that allow them to do just that. In fact, they're both literally at their jobs on the day of this recording and it gives a nice peak into the life of a working musician.&nbsp;

Episode 163 - Salvation's Jason Sipe and Victor Riley

Putting a band together for a younger Tristan Shone 20 years ago was not as easy as he thought it might be, so he used his knowledge of mechanical engineering and sense of tenacious autonomy to create his own instruments that would allow him to make live music on his own; Music without the use of traditional instruments like guitars and drums and backingtracks a single musician might use to fill out the sound. Nope. Tristan and his fellow engineers created a few different unique tactile tools that he could oscillate in a live setting for different sounds, explosions and deep tones. It became&nbsp;Author and Punisher and is now 7 records into a 20 year career with his most recent records being released on noise-centric Relapse Records and touring with the likes of Tool. To wit: Justin Chancellor and Danny Carey both play on A&amp;P's most recent release, Krüller. Tristans dayjob as a mechanical engineer with The National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research at UCSD dovetails perfectly with A&amp;P as both concentrations are using his knowledge of machines for use in more delicate forms with scientists and musicians. Indeed, he and his fellow engineers are now creating unique instruments () for different artists like ARCA for use in her experimental performances. He's a dedicated San Diegan now and also devotes time with Border Angels who make "water drops" in dangerous desert regions for migrants seeking asylum in the states.&nbsp;

Episode 174 - Tristan Shone

Deep into the pandemic, drummer AC Paterra and his musical partner in Zombi, bassist-keyboardist Steve Moore also went deep; deep into the sounds and songs that created who they have become today as a pillar of Relapse Records, a label often associated with noisy artists. However the songs that moved AC and Steve over these covid days were the yachti-rock based sounds of Gerry Rafferty, Paul Davis, Steely Dan and Barry Gibb. So faithful were these renditions that many assumed they were singing over the original tracks. This attention to detail doesn't escape their own original music they make as Zombi, a band releasing it's 7th album, Direct Inject, again on Relapse in late March '22. Sure, their band reflects the sounds of the 90's Pittsburgh heros such as Trans AM and a dash of Don Caballero, (to wit Phil Manley of TA guests on Direct Inject) but it would be short-sighted to assume this band is a cookie cutout of those giants. AC goes out of his way to avoid math in his deep grooves. In fact, Zombi continues to expand their sound and even include a touch of the yacht into their songs with Steve Moore's sax. AC is also busy as keyboardist for Grails and tours with them as well. He is living his best life as a full time musician who also happens to be making the best music of his life.&nbsp;

Episode 175 - AC Paterra

There was a point maybe 10 years ago give or take, in which bandleader, frontman, guitarist, singer songwriter, podcaster and outsized personality Conan Neutron had a reckoning or awakening of sorts in regards to his bands and the dynamic within, which had taken a not-good turn. The Conan Neutron of today reflects on those regrets and missed opportunities and how he turned that into his successful podcast Conan Neutrons Protonic Reversal and his band since that fateful about face, Conan Neutron and His Secret Friends with Dale Crover (Melvins) on the kit and Tony Ashe (Trophy Wives/Coliseum) on the bass. This band and larger touring collective that he curates is the result of his embrace of who he is now vs back then. Their new album Adult Prom (Learning Curve) is a split LP with their friends in the band Lung and provide more proof that he's making the best music of his life. His bands Replicator and Victory &amp; Associates, Mount Vicious and Household Gods set the stage for who his today, 380 episodes deep on Protonic Reversal and 7 albums deep making music with his best friends and musical heros, but this time sans drama.&nbsp;

Episode 176 - Conan Neutron

Somewhere in the late 00's, drummer Chris Enriquez felt the familiar and invetible societal pull of many artists to finally "get a real job" after over a decade with his bands On The Might Of Princes, Long Island hardcore/emo heros, and Gracer after Princes disbanded. He left it behind and began working as a brand rep for&nbsp;PBR at a time when that brand was making a major push to become indie-rocks beer of choice, which largely came to pass. But much was missing from his life at this time and he held that tide back with alcohol and cocaine until it became untenable at a certain point. It was near the time he joined with the band Spotlights in 2017 that he came out of his self-imposed "retirement" and reentered the rock world with a force. But he took what he learned from his time as a brand rep with PBR and has put it to great use as a&nbsp;Brand Partnership Director with Brooklyn Vegan, Alternative Press, The Hard Times and Revolver Magazines, respectively. As he restarted this life his rock life also got back in to top gear he's now drumming with not only Spotlights, but also Julie Christmas and Orange 9MM, not to mention his pandemic solo project called&nbsp;Light Tower. In the last couple of years there's been much excitement around On The Might Of Princes, and they had great success with a re-release of their final album, in addition to a sold out live performance on Long Island earlier this month.&nbsp;

Episode 177 - Chris Enriquez

U of I in Champaign / Urbana in the 90's was typical of many satelite college towns to big cities with a happening urban center, dive bars and house parties for the indie scene to procreate within. Drummer Steve Lamos' band American Football was one of the bands within that scene that made a record for Polyvinyl Records, played a few shows then broke up -- except the lore and legend of that special debut album grew like crazy for the next 15 years. Reunion tours in 2014 and reissues all sold like wildfire. An appearance on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts puts the bands success into stark relief. Throughout it all Steve's drumming has added a jazz-influenced mathy component to the jangle and chime of their guitar lines, also punctuating many songs with his trumpet lines throughout their catalog. But even more impressive is his career as Professor of English and Writing at UC Boulder for the past 20 years. He's written extensively on something he calls Resonant Literacy as a way of listeners of music describing what they're hearing in esoteric and abstract ways. As American Football embarks this summer on tours of the US and Europe in celebration of the 25th anniversary of LP 1, Steve's living his best artistic life with more to come!&nbsp;

Episode 178 - Steve Lamos

As the frontman, face and heartbeat of his band My Epic, singer/guitarist Aaron Stone started his rock band long before he ever imagined having and wife and now 4 year old child and would never have believed his band would still be making music. in fact they're making music on a killer label, Tooth and Nail Records, with their newest LP Loriella due on June 27th. 2024. &nbsp;But even as he's grown older and now with a family, his bands' trajectory continues to rise as he's split his time between his music and his job--bivocational he calls it. As a kid raised in the church in North Carolina, indeed as a PK (preachers kid), his faith was big for him, and ultimately he majored in philosophy and got his masters in Theology. Throughout it all however, his rock band has been has greatest and most powerful voice for his ideaology without it ever being too heavy-handed for his crowd that often has "mixed or absolutely no belief" in a higher power. His music has been the conduit and has spoken the loudest for this thoughtful and articulate rocker with a larger calling.&nbsp;

Episode 179 - Aaron Stone

In 2021, in full pandemic tilt, Timothy Showalter aka Strand Of Oaks, released a brilliant &nbsp;record in the vein of much of his stratospheric catalog called In Heaven (Dead Oceans) but decided not to tour on it, because that's what you didn't do during those heavy days; tour. Instead, he shut it all down. Stopped strumming and humming and stopped checking his emails and all other things that create anxiety for an artist who's been busting his ass for most of 20 years and who's making quite a dent in the music world with his intoxicating mix of Neil Youngian based songs and stories. There's always been an astral leaning, psychedelic connection to Strand of Oaks music, but for that moment it needed to cease, and all Tim Showalter wanted to do was paint. Not that he had ever done that, or been called to it, but that filled his creative bucket for two straight years. And then, the painting stopped, and the music started again. But this time he wasn't drawn to his guitar and the usual Youngian template. Instead he headed to his synthesizers and his long time engineer/producer/collaborator Kevin Ratterman (Elliot, Twin Limb) and rebirthed his muse in a different form, albeit one that continues to radiate what Tim does instinctively, move the listener. His new album Miracle Focus, is a fresh start and reflects his DIY ethic completely. It's still 100% Strand Of Oaks, long time fans will be relieved to know, but uses instruments that inspired him for this round of songs after the time off. Songs that give back what he's been living, Transendental Meditation, Yoga, Ram Dass and the feeling of joy that each moment creates, passes and recreates again infinitely.&nbsp;

Episode 180 - Timothy Showalter

Guitarist Coley Dennis is the heartbeat of his band Maserati since their inception in very early 00's and continues to be that even when they have to play live and tour without him. It would appear almost like a franchise to the uninitiated until you realize how connected this band is and has been over the years, slowly growing their Athens/ATL fanbase internationally and in the states. Now the shows are much bigger, more fests, more attention, but Coley, as a chef and restaurant owner with his wife in LuSaunne Switzerland and also a faither of two young children, has to pick and choose his time away. Nevertheless he's steered this ship over the years as the now celebrate the anniversary edition of Pyramid Of The Sun record, originally released in 2010 after the tragic death of their outlandishly talented and beloved drummer Jerry Fuchs after he fell down an empty elevator shaft. In grief, the band waited a year or more before releasing POTS and deciding to move forward as a band with Mike Albanese on the kit ever since. Coley has guided the band through the tumult while maturing as a father, husband and business owner but one who is clearly married to his band of brothers.&nbsp;

Episode 181 - Coley Dennis

In September of 2020, deep into a pandemic that seemingly had no end in sight, Life and Times bassist Eric Abert made a big decision to move from the place he'd called home for most of a decade, Chicago, and to move back to Collinsville IL outside of St Louis. It wasn't for nothing; in fact it was for a lot of reasons. He and his new bride wanted stability, a house, a solid job, and a child in a time when there was very little stability and no one was certain what the future would hold. He landed a great job at his brothers' digital printing business Pic The Gift, they soon found an amazing house there that would have cost $750k in Chi, and at the same time realised they were pregnant and welcomed a beautiful baby boy 3 years ago. Erics previous band Ring, Cicada (54 40 Or Fight!) had disbanded or gone dormant since his departure to join Life and Times in KC, but now they were all back in the St Louis area. But grown men have grown up life things to do and rocking ain't always at the top of the to-do list. The pandemic, the recent release and rebirth of Shiner also put off the opportunities to get back with Life and Times, so Eric has been missing a big part of his life up to that point: rocking. Well things are looking up in that dept with a recent Ring, Cicada reunion show and now&nbsp;BROASIS, (our Oasis cover band btw) is back in the swing. Could it be that L&amp;T will live again in the near future? Eric has been living his best life and now it seems to only be getting better.&nbsp;

Episode 182 - Eric Abert

When the highly respected label The Numero Group approached Brandon Butler, the voice and heart of KC heart throbs Boy's Life, about doing a retrospective of his influential band, his initial thought might've been there's not enough material to reissue, considering they only released 2 full lenths in their short tenure. What he hadn't considered was they were purchasing their entire catalog of 7" recordings and split collabs with bands like Christie Front Drive and Vitreous Humor, turning their rerelease into a 4 LP celebration of this foundational band from Kansas City MO. His career is one of a troubador and seeker always pushing and growing. His evolution over the years of his different bands from The Farewell Bend, to Canyon and on to Six Bells and through a prolific solo career that has seen him blossom from indie rocker to thoughtful and knowledgable musician with command over not only his lyrical narrative but also his voice and the machinations of theory, allowing him to make the music he hears in his head. He's a dedicated father, husband, a talented luthier and a hardass worker with a growing remodeling business in his adopted town of Louisville KY. With the reissues and a few Boy's Life shows in the near future, Brandon's at the top of his game indeed.&nbsp;

Episode 163 - Salvation's Jason Sipe and Victor Riley

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