A-Sides

Episode 154 of A-SIDES features special guest Bob Thiemann, who will be performing with Revis later this summer for a run of shows. Bob shares the origins of Revis, growing up in Central Illinois, Nickelodeon movies, the camaraderie of music, Peoria-area venues, and the music that goes straight to his soul. Huge thanks to Bob and Revis for this fun conversation! You can get tickets to see Revis live on June 1st at the Castle Theater here! They'll also be performing on May 29th in Louisville, KY at Headliners Music Hall.

Music and visual arts are two halves that make the whole for Michael Cartellone. He is not only the drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, but also a creative and accomplished visual artist. For Episode 153 of A-SIDES we dive into his background into both areas, his tenure with Damn Yankees, his favorite Skynryd song to perform in concert, and more! Huge thank you to Michael for this fun conversation and thanks to Michelle for assisting. You can view Michael's work on his website here, follow Lynyrd Skynyrd on the road, and save the date of May 25, 2024. That is when several of his works will be shown in Asheville, NC at the Philip DeAngelo Studio. Thanks for listening to another episode of A-SIDES!

Episode 152 features special guest Jonathan Stoye (The Infamous HER, Framing Hanley), whose musical journey has taken him from Michigan to Tennessee, and back again. Making friends and connections isn't the purpose of A-SIDES but it's rewarding when it does happen. Jonathan Stoye is one of those guests, as we dove into his background and discovered some common ground with private school, nu metal, and Jimmy Eat World. Big thanks to Jonathan for taking the time to chat for this latest episode of A-SIDES. You can follow him online in several places, such as Framing Hanley's Facebook page and Jonathan's own website.

If there is one band to follow in 2024 - it's Beasto Blanco! As they are gearing up for the release of their fourth album Kinetica, A-SIDES welcomes back Brother Latham for another conversation. Latham discusses his guitar influences, filming music videos, surviving the pandemic, becoming ordained, and even missing props while on tour! It was fun to catch up with Brother Latham and hear what he's been up to over the last four years since seeing the band in March of 2020. Huge thanks to Brother Latham, Beasto Blanco, the Loyal Beasts, and their social media pages for making this possible. Keep your eyes on Beasto Blanco on social media @beastoblanco or their website for more announcements in 2024.

Central Illinois musician John Massaglia of The Truth Council makes another appearance on A-SIDES as the podcast reaches its 150th episode. John shares his current plans for the band in 2024, taking the band to Canada this fall, the reality of superhero movie fatigue, and gives a very poignant answer about what he wants more of in his life! Shout out to another Central Illinois musician Brian Larson and local author Benjamin Yeater. Thanks to John for being the latest guest on A-SIDES. You can follow along with The Truth Council through their Facebook page here. Thanks for listening to A-SIDES!

The immensely talented Ryan Waters joins A-SIDES following a recent performance in St. Louis with LiV Warfield at City Winery. Not only is he a collaborator with LiV, he currently performs alongside Nancy Wilson and Heart, which he shares how their paths have weaved and intersected over the years. Ryan also discusses his favorite artists, growing up in the Pacific Northwest, songwriting post-COVID lockdowns, and more! Huge thanks to Ryan for being a guest and an extra special shout-out is due to LiV Warfield for sparking this conversation. Follow along with Ryan on the road with LiV Warfield and Heart by visiting their websites for tour dates. Thanks for listening to A-SIDES!

2024 is the "Year of the Beasto" on A-SIDES! Following up on Calico's recent appearance on A-SIDES, her Beasto Blanco bandmate Chuck Garric joins A-SIDES for Episode 148. Not only does he share a few details on Beasto's upcoming studio album titled Kinetica, Chuck also shares a few influences that have fueled Beasto's creation, touring with the Alice Cooper band, and more! Huge thanks to Chuck for taking time out of his busy schedule, which even includes motorcyle building, but also thanks to everyone who listens! You can follow Beasto Blanco on social media, hit their website, and even watch their newest music video for "Run For Your Life" on Youtube!

Glam had bitten the dust, Grunge was king, but another wave of metal was breathing down it's neck. That was the year of 1994. Corey Rozzoni from The Great Affairs makes his 8th appearance on the podcast to discuss 1994's many highlights, including debuts from Weezer and Green Day, grunge classics like Superunknown, even The Lion King soundtrack, and Bob Rock's influence on several bands from this decade. Thanks for pressing play on the latest episode of A-SIDES!

The year of 1991 was a melting pot for the rock genre, with Seattle bands claiming the throne at the top of the charts, Sunset Strip glam becoming passe, and the Bay Area metal bands getting caught in the middle. A-SIDES welcomes back Paul Tincher (previously on Episode 130) to discuss the bands on the Clash of the Titans tour, led by Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax, and the intersecting rising rock acts that crossed their path. Thank you to Paul for sharing his expertise and thanks to all who listen to Episode 146!

After a chance meeting at Alice Cooper's Christmas Pudding fundraiser in December, Andy welcomes special guest Daxx Nielsen for Episode 145 of A-SIDES. Daxx shares his earliest interest in music, growing up in the era of MTV, performing at Wrigley Field, recording and performing with Cheap Trick, and more! Huge thanks to Daxx for taking time to be a guest on A-SIDES and thanks to all who listen. You can follow Cheap Trick on tour this year and beyond by visiting their website.

Ahead of the upcoming fourth studio album from Beasto Blanco, Calico Cooper joins A-SIDES to discuss her history with Beasto and more! She shares how she first became involved with the band, touring Germany, playing small stages vs large arenas, her transformation with each Beasto release, family traditions, and even thoughts on the Barbie movie! Huge thanks go out to Calico for being a guest on this episode of A-SIDES and thanks to everyone who listens. You can stay updated with all things Beasto on their website- https://beastoblanco.com/ You can also support Alice Cooper's Solid Rock organization by visiting them at the Solid Rock website.

A-SIDES Episode 143 welcomes drummer Rich Beddoe, whose past includes roles in Finger Eleven and Saint Asonia. He shares stories from the road, what sparked his passion for drumming, his sobriety, and his newfound role as a father. We also talk about "gate keeping", learning to accept yourself, radio DJ's, and a surprising influence from Queensryche. Huge thanks to everyone who listens to this episode and big thanks to Rich for sharing his stories.

The worlds of music and pro-wrestling collide for Episode 142 of A-SIDES as special guest "Showtime" Eric Young discusses his passion for music. Describing it as the "ritualistic pleasure of vinyl", not only does Eric share how he developed his extensive record collection, he also discusses the positives and negatives of social media, a unique comparison of pro-wrestling and listening to a record on vinyl, his favorite album of 2023, and even his love of breakfast food! Huge thanks to Eric for carving some time out of his busy schedule to share his passion for music and thanks to everyone who listens!

Episode 141 of A-SIDES features special guest Janel Duarte, bassist and co-vocalist of Conquer Divide. They just released their sophomore album, Slow Burn, which has scored accolades from Metal Hammer, Sirius XM's Octane, and Loudwire. Janel shares her inspirations, favorite horror films, aspirations and goals, and looks ahead to more touring for Conquer Divide in 2024. Huge thanks to Janel and the Conquer Divide team for the conversation. You can find their music on your favorite streaming platform, find tour dates and merch on their website, and follow along with the band on Instagram. Thanks for listening!

A-SIDES previously took a look at the career of DIO on Episode 127, starting with the acclaimed 1983 album Holy Diver through 1987's Dream Evil. Returning guest and friend Corey Rozzoni makes a follow-up appearance here to dissect several albums from the later period of DIO, sharing stories about Lock Up The Wolves, Strange Highways, and Killing The Dragon. Corey and Andy discuss the differences in changing guitar players, evolving the sound to fit the times, "Bone Tone", the aura of Jimmy Bain, keyboards in rock music, and more pizza analogies. Huge thank you to Corey, who has now made his 7th appearance on A-SIDES, and thank you to everyone who listens!

There was an era when releasing a live album was a launching pad for a rock band, for artists such as KISS and Cheap Trick. They were later released to commemorate tours like the Family Values Tour, OzzFest, and festivals like Woodstock '99. A-SIDES welcomes back Patrick Kennison of Heaven Below, as he shares his favorite live albums, from the 70's into the early 00's. He also shares a few stories from his days touring in The Union Underground; attending the Power Trip music festival; and more! Huge thanks to Patrick for making another appearance on A-SIDES. You can grab Heaven Below merch at their website here and also stream their music on your favorite music app. Thanks for listening to another episode of A-SIDES!

Nashville-based rock band The Great Affairs dropped a smashing set of 10 songs (plus 1 original holiday song) this fall titled, Sleepwalker. Singer/songwriter Denny Smith, who also acts as my musical guide, joined A-SIDES for another appearance to discuss the new album, a few of his favorite soundtracks throughout the years, Paul Williams' catalog of hits, soothing sounds of the beach, and a certain bloated KISS record. You can follow Denny and The Great Affairs on their website here and stream Sleepwalker on your favorite streaming service. Thanks to Denny for his 8th appearance on A-SIDES and to everyone who listens!

With a chill in the air and leaves on the ground, there's not a better band to have on your stereo than the spooky sounds of Type O Negative. The band from Brooklyn, NY known as "The Drab Four" combined elements of heavy metal and goth with a dark sense of humor, and we paid tribute to them with Episode 137. We not only share our favorite songs but also our origins of discovering of Type O Negative, along with stand-out lyrical moments, long forgotten shops from Central Illinois' past, and record store CD samplers. Grab your favorite black hoodie, dye your hair pitch black, and drop the needle on this 'Halloween-themed' episode of A-SIDES.

New heavy rock act Flat Black erupted onto the scene this summer, opening for Godsmack and releasing 3 ferocious singles, with their latest titled "Justice Will Be Done." Vocalist Wes Horton joined A-SIDES from a tour stop in Canada for a candid conversation about his vocal process and keeping himself in shape, cooking, and even being visited by rescue animals backstage! Stay updated with Flat Black at their website, which has links to purchase merch as well as their tour dates. Huge thanks to Wes for taking time out of his schedule; thanks to the Flat Black team for making this happen; and thank you to everyone who listens!

Returning guest and friend Freddy Herrera chats with A-SIDES about the recent Everclear live album, Live At The Whisky A Go Go. The release celebrates the band's 30 year history and also includes new studio recordings of "Sing Away" and "Year Of The Tiger." Freddy also shares his thoughts on discovering new music and hungry young bands, family life, as well as a few stories from the road. Many thanks to Freddy for taking time out of his touring schedule to chat and also thanks to everyone who listens. You can stay updated on all things Everclear through their website here.