Again, lots happening on this episode of Talkin' Rock with Meltdown. 

Jerry Horton of Papa Roach is first. We discuss their 2025 plans. Tour, new music, and more. He speaks to playing Detroit, trouble the band may have gotten into on tour, and playing with a marching band on stage in Columbus, Ohio. That's just for starters. 

Michael Starr has the honors next. "Feel The Steel" is 15 years old and the band is celebrating. They're heading back out on tour and playing a song they wrote with Chad from Nickelback. He talks about that experience, as well as the addition of Spyder to the band, Superbowl predictions, and more. 

We wrap it up with Eric Bass of Shinedown. The guy does it all, including writing, producing, and playing an entire solo album. Eric Bass Present: I Had A Name drops on February 28th. He tells me this project has been done for a while. We talk about his depression, a hero he lost who taught him a ton around the recording studio, and questions from bandmates Barry, Brent, and their head of security, John. 

What a fun conversation. The topics with Paul included the new box set release on November 8th, some big gigs they played here in the States, the last-ever concert in their hometown, the documentary ‘THE TRAGICALLY HIP: NO DRESS REHEARSAL’, and more. It was truly an honor to speak with Paul; he was very candid and interesting.

If you get the chance, the documentary is well worth the watch!

Give this a listen and crank up some HIP!

Two frontmen on today's Talkin' Rock Podcast. 

First up, it's Bobby Amaru from Saliva. It's his time of year since he's all inked up with horror movie characters. We discuss Halloween, some of his favorite scary movies, and more. 

The band is dropping a new song called "Time Bomb" on November 1st. He tells me about that and working with Howard Benson. We talk about the legacy of guitarist Wayne Swinny, on what would've been his 61st birthday. Bobby talks about keeping his spirit alive, and how much material they have from the guitarist. That's for starters. 

Up next, it's Lee Jennings from The Funeral Portrait. The band has had a whirlwind year. He talks about that, dropping their new album, Suffocate City - which is killer. 

We talked about the chain Buc-ee's. “I’m a huge fan of Buc-ee’s because when you’re on tour, clean bathrooms are hard to come by,” Lee laughs. “I posted about it a few times, and our fans started turning me into Bucky (the mascot). We even made shirts with me as Bucky, and they sell out every time!”

We also talk about being "Zesty"....LOL

You can watch both of these interviews on the RIFF TV section at wrif.com.

Jamie Madrox, one-half of the iconic horrorcore duo Twiztid, is no stranger to busy schedules and big creative shifts. In a recent conversation with Meltdown, the rapper-turned-rocker discussed everything from Twiztid's new album to the highly anticipated House of Krazees reunion shows to how working with Rob Zombie's producer Zeus has taken their music to another level.

As Halloween approaches, a special time of year for Madrox and his crew, the energy is palpable. "We live for this kind of thing. Every day is Halloween for us," Madrox said with a grin. "This is like Christmas to us—with Christmas right behind, obviously."

A Twiztid Double Feature for the Ages

This week's excitement revolves around a double feature of concerts at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit, a significant homecoming for Twiztid and Madrox's earlier group, House of Krazees. House of Krazees will perform on October 29th, for the first time in years at The Shelter. "We have a new record coming out for House of Krazees called 31," Madrox said. "It's like a throwback. It's a good vibe, and we're excited to do that."

But the action doesn't stop there. On October 30, Twiztid will headline the main stage at St. Andrew's Hall, joined by The Funeral Portrait and Blaze Ya Dead Homie. "It's going to be a good time," Madrox promised.

The New Twiztid Album: Heavy, Experimental, and Groundbreaking

While the Halloween shows will lean into classic Twiztid vibes, fans eagerly await the duo's new album, set to release in early 2025. This record, however, won't sound like anything Twiztid has done before. According to Madrox, it's by far their heaviest, thanks to the involvement of producer Zeus, best known for his work with Rob Zombie.

"The new record has a way heavier sound—everything from death metal to djent. There's a little splash of everything, which is fun," Madrox said. Working with Zeus was amazing, "It was a learning process for me, talking with Zeus and learning about all these crazy things like djent."

Twiztid had long been experimenting with rock elements, but Madrox admitted they never quite pulled it off. "We tried to do rock in the past, but it always felt short of the mark. You could tell we weren't executing it properly."

Zeus brought the expertise and production style they needed to get it right. "We recorded the whole thing differently," Madrox said. "I would send Zeus voice notes, melodies, and little ideas I had, and I'd wait for him to be like, 'Man, this is trash.' But instead, he was intrigued. He started sending me music set to the parts he liked, and the songs started to take shape. Before I knew it, these small ideas had turned into full songs, with bridges and choruses."

A New Approach, A New Sound

Working with Zeus brought an outside perspective to the group. "We've always done things our own way," Madrox reflected. "But Zeus made us rethink everything. He'd ask questions like, 'Why does this part sound like that?' Normally, I wouldn't ask myself those questions."

The album is one of the albums they have ever produced, "When you hear it, it's unlike any other Twiztid record. You can hear a progression in our sound and in our professionalism. We're still growing as artists, even after all this time."

One of the biggest lessons Madrox learned from working with Zeus was being open to critique. "I had to learn not to be afraid to fail and to try new things," he said. We were always pretty self-contained. It was safer that way. But now I'm opening myself up to new experiences, and it's been amazing."

Looking Ahead: New Material, Tours, and Growth

While fans won't hear much new material at the Halloween shows, Twiztid saves the big reveal for their 2025 tour with Coal Chamber. "We were supposed to go on tour with Coal Chamber, but it got postponed to 2025," Madrox explained. "For that tour, we'll have a full band, and we'll be playing a bunch of the new songs."

The decision to hold off on the new material for now is all about presenting it in the best possible light. "I want people to see the new songs the right way," Madrox said. "When we go out with Coal Chamber, it's going to be more of a heavy, live band setup. That's when the new material will really shine."

The band lineup for that tour will feature drummer Dan Fox, who has worked with artists like Marilyn Manson and Dope, and Derek Obscura on guitar. "These guys are phenomenal musicians, and they're going to bring a whole new energy to our live shows."

Passion Projects: Astronomicon and Beyond

Beyond music, Madrox and Twiztid are known for their love of pop culture, where they produce the Comicon, Astronomicon. In its eighth year, the convention has become a beloved staple in the horror, comic, and wrestling communities.

"Astronomicon is a passion project for us," Madrox shared. "We love pop culture, and we want to create an experience that's fun for everyone. We always think, 'Would you be mad if this happened to you at a con?' We put a lot of thought into making it a great experience."

Madrox hinted at the possibility of moving Astronomicon to a new venue but says the core mission remains: to create a positive and welcoming environment for fans of all things geeky and spooky.

The Future: No Fear of Growth

As Twiztid gets ready to release their most ambitious album yet and gear up for a major tour, Jamie Madrox says, "This new record really represents where we are right now," he said. "It's the result of us pushing ourselves, working with new people, and trying new things."

But even as Twiztid evolves, they remain true to their roots. "We're adding new elements, but we're not forgetting where we come from. We've got to remember who we are as artists."

With new music, new experiences, and a revitalized creative spirit, it's great to see what is going to be next for Twiztid, "We're still learning, still growing, and still pushing ourselves," he said. "And I'm excited for people to hear what we've created."

Two great conversations, one mediocre podcast! LOL

Scott Stevens is up first. The Exies are back together and touring. They play the Machine Shop on November 9th. Since the band disbanded 15 years ago, Scott's worked with everyone from Shinedown to Dorothy, to Halestorm, and more. He has some great stories to tell about writing and producing some great rock artists. 

Up next, it's Al Pitrelli from T.S.O. He plays on the west coast version of the band. Al's played in many projects and has lots of great tales. He answered a question from David Ellefson about his time in Megadeth, and even one from Bals Elias, the drummer in the West Coast band, and lots more. 

Enjoy!

Meltdown

This is a special Riff Fest wrap-up. Before the bands took to the stage of Pine Knob, they spoke with me. 

I spoke with Sully from Godsmack, Cullen of Sleep Theory, Cody and Briton of Wage War, James and Sam from Asking Alexandria, and Dale from Seether.  

A huge thank you to each of the bands for talking with me and taking the time to meet with WRIF listeners beforehand. One of the great things about my job is that I get to share these experiences with people who otherwise wouldn't get the chance. 

Lots going on with this episode of Talkin' Rock. 

Teemu Mäntysaari starts us out by talking about his year in Megadeth, how he became a member, how his life has changed, hockey, and more. 

Chris Jericho's Rock N' Wrestling Rager At Sea Cruise will be in early 2025. Chris talks about the cruise's success and how it started. We also discussed the Jane's Addiction brawl, the new Vince MacMahon documentary, and a little hockey talk. 

P.J. and Steve from Trixter are up next. They're out on tour and stops at the Token Lounge on September 22nd. We talk about early tours, their 40-year career, touring pranks, and much more. 

The Rival Sons are out on tour with Clutch so Scott Holiday was cool enough to hop on with me. Mr. Fuzzlord told me about the tour, meeting Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, what he learned from Black Sabbath's Toni Iommi, and lots more. 

We wrap up this episode with Detroit's own Vinnie Dombrowski from Sponge. Their album 1994 comes out on October 11th and features nothing but cover songs from that year, the year they started. He tells me why they did that, what songs are included, and what's in their future. 

Thanks for listening!!

It's always a great conversation when Barry and myself get together. This week we discussed....

Their series of Hot Sauces.

The band working on new music.

A drummer who changed the way he played, thus, saving his career.

Questions from their head of security about Krampus and a Hell Fest show years ago. 

...and more. 

Enjoy!

I am wrapping up the week with a new episode of Talkin' Rock with Ian Hill from the Priest and Stephen Richards of Taproot. 

First, Ian Hill talks about all things Judas Priest. Does he like touring or recording more? Has he read Rob Halford's book? We talk about the careers of Judas Priest and Black Sabbath and their overlap. Plus, he talks about how they brought "Ripper" into the band, and questions from bass players Frank Bello and David Ellefson. 

Stephen Richards from Taproot called in this week. We discuss the band, what they have planned for the near future, and a new song he lends his voice to with an artist named Wes Anderson. It's called "Goodbye" and drops today (August 30th)

Enjoy!

It's another big week on the Talkin' Rock with Meltdown podcast. 

John 5 is up first. We discuss his latest signature guitar, being part of Motley Crue's legacy, and a paranormal experience he had. That's for starters with 5. 

Steel Panther's Michael Starr is next, as they kick off their tour this week. He tells me about Corey Taylor playing on past Panther songs, burying the hatchet (or not) with rockers who aren't SP fans, and more. The dude is always hysterical!

This week, we wrap up the episode with Ray West of Spread Eagle. They're playing the Token Lounge on August 25th. Ray talks about the new music the band is working on, his short stint in Lynch Mob, touring Europe, and lots more. 

Thanks for listening!

Three guests from different rock genres are on this episode of Talkin' Rock with Meltdown. 

First up, it's Brandon Boyd from Incubus. We discuss their upcoming tour, and why it's in arenas instead of outdoor sheds. We talk about how he approaches writing lyrics, traveling the world, horror movies, and more. 

Jason Hook from Flat Black is next. He tells me about his Canadian upbringing, about the band and how he put it together, and working with Corey Taylor. That's just for starters. 

Finally, it's Lee Jennings from The Funeral Portrait. We start out talking about the screams we heard last week while ghost-hunting at a local Detroit insane asylum. Yes, I included the audio for you to hear. He tells me about Suffocate City, their new album dropping on September 13th, and the guests on it. There are plenty. Great getting to know Lee over the past couple of weeks. 

Thanks for listening!