A-Sides

A-SIDES Episode 117 features a conversation with multi-talented vocalist Cris Hodges. Just as he was about to embark on a months-long tour with Pistols At Dawn, Cris shares how he joined that band, singing for In The End: A Linkin Park Experience, solo music, staying fit on the road, his fitness routine, and mental health. You can follow along with Pistols At Dawn at their website and stay up to date on their current tour plans; Cris' band In The End can be found here; and you can find his solo album Black Hole Magic streaming here. Huge thanks to Cris for being a guest on A-SIDES and thanks to everyone who listens.  

Following up on past episodes which featured John Massaglia, we welcomed him back to A-SIDES to discuss The Truth Council's latest EP, The Perfect Wheel. After that discussion, we shifted gears to share our favorite bassists, encompassing a variety of styles from Jazz to Prog Rock and Heavy Metal. See! Whose lists will overlap! Witness! Brent's fury over the music of Styx! All this and more in our jam-packed 116th episode of A-SIDES! You can also follow John and The Truth Council on social media through Facebook and on Instagram @thetruthcouncil Thanks to John for joining us and thanks to everyone who listens!

Jarred Pope joins A-SIDES for Episode 115 to discuss all things rock n roll. He shares his many influences, his background growing up in California, how he joined the bands for both Damon Johnson and Tom Keifer, a few of his favorite venues, and his passion for the art of music. You can keep up with Jarred on the road by visiting the websites for both Damon Johnson and Tom Keifer. Huge thanks to Jarred for sharing his stories for this episode and also thanks to everyone who listens.

Episode 114 of A-SIDES features another deep dive into the KISS discography, this time focusing on the era when the band removed their make-up. For our third episode on KISS, we highlighted our ten favorite songs released between 1983's Lick It Up and 1997's Carnival of Souls. Along with our favorite songs, we also discussed seeing KISS live in 2020, the new members that joined KISS in this era, correlations to Bon Jovi, Paul Stanley's wardrobe choices, and also Gene Simmons 'Demon' persona. Thank you to everyone who listens to our newest episode of A-SIDES.

Notable Kerrang! magazine collector Kenny Wright (of The Great Affairs) returns to A-SIDES for Episode 113, this time discussing "The New Wave of British Heavy Metal." Kenny and Andy discuss the roots of "The New Wave of British Heavy Metal", also known as NWOBHM, which includes bands such as Judas Priest and Motorhead. They also touch on several notable bands from within the genre, classic albums, their influence on emerging acts in North America, and quickly changing musical trends. Supreme thanks to Kenny Wright for the fun conversation and also thanks to everyone who listens! Up the irons!

Fellow metal-head and musician Patrick Kennison (of Heaven Below) joins A-SIDES to discuss his favorite cover songs, plus several covers recorded on Heaven Below's most recent album, Rest In Pieces- A Tribute To The Departed. Patrick shares the ideas behind covering his favorite artists on Rest In Pieces, what inspired him to pick up a guitar, Bob Rock albums, sports, and his plans for Heaven Below in 2023. You can find Heaven Below at their website or follow them on Facebook here. Huge thanks to Patrick Kennison for taking time away from his busy schedule to chat for this episode and thanks to everyone who listens!

A-SIDES is back for the first episode of 2023! Brace yourself for this deep dive into 'Guilty Pleasures', or better yet, 'Guiltless Pleasures'. With songs ranging from Cher to Bobby Brown to Richard Marx, Andy and Brent share their reasons for why they love these songs, as well as the stories for why they've been made to feel guilty about them. Thank you for listening to this episode and joining us for the last three years of A-SIDES episodes. Cheers to 2023!

Its time for the annual 'Year End Favorites' list from A-SIDES. Brent and Andy sit down to share their favorite albums from 2022, plus concert memories, and other nonsense that you'll find from A-SIDES on Episode 110. Several albums discussed are from Ghost, The Cult, The Afghan Whigs, Ozzy Osbourne, and more. Throw another log on the fire, grab a beverage, and enjoy this toasty episode of A-SIDES. Thanks for listening!

Speaking with Sam Koltun for Episode 106 put his band Budderside onto Andy's musical radar, so he sought out founder and vocalist Patrick Stone for a future episode. The release of this episode also coincides with the release of Budderside's newest single, "Joker". Patrick speaks on the subject matter behind their latest single, along with inspirations behind his lyrics, album artwork, and the band's music videos. Hopefully you'll seek out Budderside, too! You can follow along with Budderside at their website here and also check out the video for "Joker." Thanks for listening to this newest episode of A-SIDES!

Andy and his guest Kenny Wright of The Great Affairs set the wayback machine to 1982. KISS' Creatures Of The Night was released in the Fall of '82 amongst a slew of heavy rock records, and we discuss the impact this had on Kenny at the time, as well as how the album still holds up decades later. We touch on Kenny's favorite tracks on Creatures, a few of the highlights from within the new box set, and even a few KISS-related releases from that era. Thank you for checking out this newest episode of A-SIDES. You can also follow along with Kenny and The Great Affairs on their website or check out their new Holiday single on Youtube.

Fire up Episode 107 of A-SIDES, as we hand-picked our favorite songs from Aerosmith's classic era, starting with their 1973 debut album through 1982's Rock In A Hard Place. Along the way we shared an honorable mention or two, discussed our entry points into the band, which albums we've bought (and re-bought!), if we saw them live, and even touched on the recent Midnights album from Taylor Swift; which brought Andy's fandom into question. Thanks for joining us for another spin on A-SIDES!

Sam Bam Koltun (Dorothy, Faster Pussycat, Budderside) joins Andy for Episode 106 of A-SIDES! They discuss his roots in the Midwest and several bands that influenced him growing up, what it's like to sleep and eat on the road as a touring musician, the Jurassic Park movies, and more! You can follow Sam as a patreon and gain behind-the-scenes access and other exclusives here. You can also check out Sam with Budderside as the 'Scooby Gang' in their music video for "Ghostlighting." Huge thanks to Sam for being a guest on A-SIDES and thanks to you for listening to our newest episode.

Episode 105 features a dive into the horror-punk band, Misfits, as we countdown our top ten favorite songs. Not only do we share our favorites, but we also sample the latest Catfight Coffee flavor "Crimson Roast" (which is a nod to this episode's band), you'll learn our opinion on the manliness of "Man Caves", suggest songs for your next home improvement project, and Brent gets a little too fired up about people's questionable taste in music. So style your hair into Devil's Locks, fire up your coffee pot, and press play on this Halloween-themed episode of A-SIDES. Thanks for listening!   Catfight Coffee's excellent Crimson Roast coffee is available at their website along with a whole line of other favorite blends.

Steve Perry fronted Journey across multiple decades and released 8 studio albums during his tenure with the band. This newest episode of A-SIDES features returning guest Shane Tassart (of The Hot Summers) giving a singer's perspective on Journey, as well as sharing his discovery of their music, his connections with the band, taking care of your voice, and even shares his fandom of the Halloween film series. You can follow Shane and The Hot Summers through their Facebook page here. Its always a pleasure hearing Shane's perspective on the music industry and we hope you enjoy Episode 104. Thanks for listening!

Scream for me, A-SIDES!! Episode 103 is dedicated to the most metal vocal moments, as Brent and Andy select their favorite screams from singers such as "The Metal God" Rob Halford and Sebastian Bach. They also try out a beer from Surly Brewing Company in Minnesota, discuss the latest album from Ozzy Osbourne, vintage clothes shopping, and as much nonsense as they can fit into an hour podcast. Thanks for coming back for another round of A-SIDES!

For Episode 102 of A-SIDES, this could be considered another "bucket list" guest for Andy, as he spoke with Torkjell Rod, also known as "Toschie", from the heavy metal band Audrey Horne. Toschie discusses the origins of the band, the creation of his lyrics and artwork, how he became a tattoo artist, and more! Huge thanks to Toschie for being a guest and thanks to everyone who listens. You can find Audrey Horne's music on your favorite streaming platform or support the band by picking up an album through Napalm Records here.

Drummer Zak St. John joins Andy for Episode 101 of A-SIDES. They not only discuss his roots in the Midwest but also how his passion for music started at a very early age. Over this hour-long conversation, he shares many past projects, and even a few projects on the horizon. While his resume is a mile long, he achieved that through hard work and dedication, and I felt his work ethic is very inspiring. You can follow Zak at his website here to follow along with his many projects and catch him out on the road. Thank you Zak!

For the 100th episode of A-SIDES, it seemed fitting to dive into Brent's favorite band, Motorhead! We toast to the late Lemmy Kilmister and "The Loudest Band In The World", by sharing our Motorhead origin stories, our favorite songs and lyrical moments, favorite albums, which song Brent wants played at his funeral, and even look back at a few highlights from the last 99 episodes. To everyone who has listened to A-SIDES or has been a guest, thank you!

Episode 99 is another deep dive into the discography of Prince, covering his studio albums from 1985's Around the World In A Day to 1994's Come. Not only do Brent and Andy share their favorite songs, but Brent reveals a musical anecdote from his past, we find out about a cruise ship obsessed with The Gold Experience, Gene Simmons vs Prince and their sexual conquests, along with the usual off-topic tangents. Thank you for pressing play on another episode of A-Sides!

Nearing the 100th episode of A-Sides, this episode features returning guest, Shane Tassart. He not only shares the details about the recording of the long-awaited debut album from The Hot Summers, but also delves into a few stories from his past about interacting with Gene Simmons, the brotherhood he shares with fellow songwriters Denny Smith and Mick Sweda, and possibly busts the myth about KISS' blood being used in a comic book! You can follow The Hot Summers on Facebook and find their music on your favorite streaming service. Huge thank you to Shane Tassart for making his second appearance on A-Sides and a big thanks to everyone who listens!