https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/nashvilles-materializer-on-aging-into-heavier-more-personal-music Nashvilles Materializer on Aging Into Heavier, More Personal Music The older you get, the heavier you get. Chris and Conner Poole of Nashville heavy psych duo Materializer on why distorted, droning, genuinely heavy music hits differently the more life you have behind you. In this clip from their conversation on The Sonic Road Podcast, the brothers talk about how the personal weight you accumulate as you get older the stuff you learn to deal with rather than avoid is exactly what makes jumping into the void of heavy music feel so right. Its the thread running through their debut album as Materializer, As the Body Flies, out October 2nd on Bandcamp. Full episode & newsletter thesonicroad.com All platforms linktr.ee/thesonicroad Materializer official site materializerband.com Materializer on Bandcamp materializer.bandcamp.com Materializer on Instagram instagram.com/materializerofficial Materializer on Facebook facebook.com/materializerhq The Sonic Road on Instagram @thesonicroad The Sonic Road on TikTok @thesonicroad The Sonic Road on Facebook @thesonicroad The Sonic Road on X @thesonicroad HeavyPsych StonerRock HeavyMusic Nashville RockMusic https://video-meta.open.video/poster/57qGcBKlBgTz/ZjXQZD_Yk42_pbdyQN.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/57qGcBKlBgTz/1786377641/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZjXQZD_Yk42 25 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/create-art-for-yourself-first-why-artists-shouldnt-chase-trends-thesonicroadpodcast Create art for yourself first: Why artists shouldnt chase trends thesonicroadpodcast Create art for yourself first instead of chasing external validation or worrying about what everyone else is doing. On this clip from Episode 37 of The Sonic Road Podcast, co-hosts Beau and Becky Franzel break down the core philosophy of creative independence. They discuss why making art and music you are genuinely proud of is the only real metric for success, and how staying true to your own vision naturally attracts an authentic fanbase of like-minded people. Official Newsletter & Site: https://www.thesonicroad.com/ Listen & Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesonicroad ArtisticAuthenticity DIYMusician CreativeAdvice IndieArtist MusicPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/CVeqcnWtBcMz/ZPXBs8-YkO2_OoLhxo.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/CVeqcnWtBcMz/1786377642/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZPXBs8-YkO2 42 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/how-materializer-gets-an-insanely-heavy-tone-from-fender-twin-reverbs How Materializer gets an insanely heavy tone from Fender Twin Reverbs Official Newsletter & Site: https://www.thesonicroad.com/ Listen & Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad Fender Twin Reverb amps are legendary for clean tone, but Materializer makes them sound ridiculously heavy on stage. On this clip from Episode 38 of The Sonic Road Podcast, Conner and Chris Poole from heavy psych duo Materializer talk guitar gear with Beau and Becky. Conner breaks down why fans at their live shows are constantly surprised to see Fender Twin Reverbs delivering massive low-end and fuzz, explaining his history with Fender amps and how clean pedal platforms handle heavy riffs. The Sonic Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesonicroad Materializer Bandcamp: https://materializer.bandcamp.com/ Materializer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/materializerband/ heavyrock FenderTwinReverb GuitarGear RockMusic GuitarAmps https://video-meta.open.video/poster/yumeozrJAcp5/ZPWAsTFdQ52_mAfdae.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/yumeozrJAcp5/1786378019/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZPWAsTFdQ52 47 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/physical-music-sales-are-rising-why-cds-and-cassettes-returned Physical music sales are rising: Why CDs and cassettes returned Physical music sales are rising as CDs and cassettes make an unexpected comeback alongside rock streaming numbers. On this clip from Episode 37 of The Sonic Road Podcast, co-hosts Beau and Becky Franzel discuss the surge in physical media and why listeners are returning to tangible formats. Beau still has a dual tape deck and why buying physical albums and supporting local venues matters more than ever. Official Newsletter & Site: https://www.thesonicroad.com/ Listen & Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesonicroad PhysicalMedia Cassettes RockMusic MusicIndustry LiveMusic https://video-meta.open.video/poster/5gC4gjGR6cLr/tjqAtS_cRP2_obPCOM.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/5gC4gjGR6cLr/1786378020/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tjqAtS_cRP2 53 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/nashville-duo-materializer-on-going-heavy-diy-touring-as-the-body-flies Nashville Duo Materializer on Going Heavy, DIY Touring & As the Body Flies Full episode & newsletter thesonicroad.com All platforms linktr.ee/thesonicroad The older they get, the heavier they get. Chris and Conner Poole the two brothers behind Nashville DIY heavy psych duo Materializer join The Sonic Road Podcast to talk about their debut album As the Body Flies, out October 2nd on Bandcamp. Materializer is the next chapter after nearly nine years as The Swell Fellas, and this conversation traces the whole arc from playing Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath covers in Ocean City, Maryland bars, to booking DIY tours in a 1991 Chevy van, to the move to Nashville in 2020 after Ben McLeod of All Them Witches invited them out to record. This is also the first episode with Becky Franzel officially co-hosting, which makes a duo interviewing a duo the right way to kick things off. Chris and Conner get into how they built a genuinely heavy sound as a two-piece, running a pair of 70s Silverface Fender Twin Reverbs with sub-octave low end, all analog, mostly in drop C. They break down the writing and recording of As the Body Flies tracked at their home studio with drums cut at Gnome Recording, and mixed by Ben McLeod and where the album title comes from, pulled from a lyric at the end of the second track, Walking Home. The conversation also covers what watching bands like All Them Witches, King Buffalo, YOB and Cave In up close taught them about leveling up, the state of the Nashville underground in 2026, phone-bagging shows and the fight for presence in a room, why they chose the name Materializer, the reality of running a fully DIY band on night-shift jobs and endless emails, and the freedom and uncertainty of starting something new after nine years in one project. If you care about DIY heavy music, analog tone, van life on the road, and bands doing it entirely on their own terms, this one is for you. Materializer official site materializerband.com Materializer on Bandcamp materializer.bandcamp.com Materializer on Instagram instagram.com/materializerofficial Materializer on Facebook facebook.com/ma https://video-meta.open.video/poster/Agyedza7Bgn7/7irlZDFdli2_ovSPQo.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/Agyedza7Bgn7/1786378150/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=7irlZDFdli2 2806 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/the-older-you-get-the-heavier-you-get-materializer-on-what-it-takes-to-make-heavy-music The older you get, the heavier you get. Materializer on what it takes to make heavy music. How do you make genuinely heavy music with just two people? Chris and Conner Poole the brothers behind Nashville DIY heavy psych duo Materializer break it down in this highlight from their conversation on The Sonic Road Podcast, ahead of their debut album As the Body Flies, out October 2nd on Bandcamp. Materializer grew out of nearly nine years as The Swell Fellas, and in these highlights the brothers get into the sonic puzzle of going heavy as a two-piece running a pair of 70s Silverface Fender Twin Reverbs that people cant believe sound that heavy, all analog, and figuring out how to make it work without a bassist in the room. They also tell the story of their 1991 Chevy van breaking down on the road, what watching bands like All Them Witches up close taught them about leveling up night after night, phone-bagging shows and being present in the room, why they chose the name Materializer, the personal and introspective themes behind As the Body Flies, and the reality of running a fully DIY band on night-shift jobs and endless emails. This is also the first episode with Becky Franzel officially co-hosting. If you care about DIY heavy music, analog tone, and bands doing it entirely on their own terms, this one is for you. Full episode & newsletter thesonicroad.com All platforms linktr.ee/thesonicroad Materializer official site materializerband.com Materializer on Bandcamp materializer.bandcamp.com Materializer on Instagram instagram.com/materializerofficial Materializer on Facebook facebook.com/materializerhq The Sonic Road on Instagram @thesonicroad The Sonic Road on TikTok @thesonicroad The Sonic Road on Facebook @thesonicroad The Sonic Road on X @thesonicroad StonerRock HeavyPsych DIYmusic Nashville RockMusic https://video-meta.open.video/poster/Omqy6f9iAuWZ/AXqcBD-Ikz2_lIudti.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/Omqy6f9iAuWZ/1786384098/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=AXqcBD-Ikz2 564 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/why-this-festival-isnt-doom-its-rock-roll Why This Festival Isnt Doom Its Rock & Roll Planet Desert Rock focuses on broad rock and roll rather than limiting the festival strictly to doom metal. On this clip from Episode 36 of The Sonic Road Podcast, promoter John Gist explains his philosophy behind curating Las Vegass Planet Desert Rock Weekend. He breaks down why he prefers a diverse lineup of stoner rock, blues rock, and heavy psychfeaturing bands like The Cold Stares, Saturna, and The Dirty Streetsover one-dimensional heavy subgenres. Official Newsletter & Site: https://www.thesonicroad.com/ Listen & Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesonicroad Vegas Rock Revolution Website: https://www.vegasrockrevolution.net/ Vegas Rock Revolution Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Vegas Rock Revolution Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vegasrockrevolution/ PlanetDesertRock StonerRock RockMusic HeavyPsych BluesRock https://video-meta.open.video/poster/jCaKUhPyEiBr/AXWd7DEIli2_PqxGGu.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/jCaKUhPyEiBr/1786384076/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=AXWd7DEIli2 74 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/pop-up-merch-booths-beat-corporate-venues-touring-band-hacks Pop-up merch booths beat corporate venues: Touring band hacks Pop-up merch booths help bands bypass steep venue cuts and absurd 12 drink prices. On this clip from Episode 37 of The Sonic Road Podcast, co-hosts Beau and Becky Franzel discuss creative street-level tactics for touring musicians fed up with corporate venue fees. They break down how bands can use social media to set up pop-up merch tables and informal meet-and-greets outside of venues, giving fans a direct way to support artists without middleman markups. Official Newsletter & Site: https://www.thesonicroad.com/ Listen & Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesonicroad BandMerch TouringMusicians LiveMusic Concerts MusicIndustry https://video-meta.open.video/poster/R7vmVfSjFaPr/AbWJBn_Ykz2_mmGvbA.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/R7vmVfSjFaPr/1786384204/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=AbWJBn_Ykz2 51 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/las-vegas-lacks-a-stoner-rock-scene-why-local-shows-struggle Las Vegas lacks a stoner rock scene: Why local shows struggle Las Vegas lacks a stoner rock culture, making local heavy music shows a real challenge to promote. On this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, Planet Desert Rock Weekend founder John Gist and host Beau talk about the realities of booking heavy psych, doom, and stoner rock in Sin City. While major touring acts like Monolord can pull 300 fans, John explains why local mid-tier gigs struggle to draw even 80 peopleand why he chooses to concentrate his energy on building a high-value destination festival for heavy rock fans instead. Official Newsletter & Site: https://www.thesonicroad.com/ Listen & Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesonicroad Vegas Rock Revolution Website: https://www.vegasrockrevolution.net/ Vegas Rock Revolution Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Vegas Rock Revolution Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vegasrockrevolution/ PlanetDesertRock StonerRock LasVegasRock HeavyPsych LiveMusic https://video-meta.open.video/poster/pPv4VfDjEqcq/6rXs7D-Ilj2_CIqbkb.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/pPv4VfDjEqcq/1786384209/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=6rXs7D-Ilj2 66 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/why-authentic-rock-stars-disappeared-from-mainstream-corporate-music Why authentic rock stars disappeared from mainstream corporate music Why authentic rock stars disappeared comes down to corporate money and shifting industry priorities. On this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, Planet Desert Rock Weekend founder John Gist and host Beau discuss how organic, blues-based American rock and roll got pushed out of the mainstream spotlight. John breaks down how raw, less-produced music was sidelined by corporate labels in favor of heavily manufactured trends, leaving genuine rock stars behind in the commercial landscape. Official Newsletter & Site: https://www.thesonicroad.com/ Listen & Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesonicroad Vegas Rock Revolution Website: https://www.vegasrockrevolution.net/ Vegas Rock Revolution Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Vegas Rock Revolution Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vegasrockrevolution/ StonerRock DesertRock RockMusic MusicIndustry RockAndRoll https://video-meta.open.video/poster/T7je_t8zFedB/7aXcATFtki2_tttGGG.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/T7je_t8zFedB/1786384204/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=7aXcATFtki2 60 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/the-juice-isnt-worth-the-squeeze-on-concert-ticket-prices The Juice Isnt Worth the Squeeze on Concert Ticket Prices High concert ticket prices arent always the bands fault, despite what frustrated concertgoers might assume. On this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, host Beau sets up a dive into live music economics with Planet Desert Rock Weekend founder John Gist. They examine why soaring ticket costs are driven by complex backend industry realities rather than artist greed, laying out the truth behind how difficult the touring business has become at every level. Subscribe to The Sonic Road Podcast for authentic, in-depth conversations on stoner rock, doom metal, independent music culture, and the realities of the scene. Connect with John Gist & Vegas Rock Revolution: Website: https://www.vegasrockrevolution.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad ConcertTickets LiveMusic MusicIndustry RockPodcast TheSonicRoadPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/p7jGRhCj_alZ/BWXY69-clj2_nILxXu.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/p7jGRhCj_alZ/1786384203/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=BWXY69-clj2 49 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/venue-merch-cuts-are-theft-why-tour-t-shirts-cost-50 Venue merch cuts are theft: Why tour t-shirts cost 50 Venue merch cuts are theft from touring musicians who rely on merch sales to survive. On this clip from Episode 37 of The Sonic Road Podcast, co-host Becky Franzel joins Beau to break down why corporate venues taking a 15% to 30% cut of artist merch forces bands to charge 50 for a t-shirt just to clear 20. They discuss the frustration from a musicians perspective, the impact on fans, and why supporting independent venues in cities like Milwaukee makes all the difference for touring artists. Official Newsletter & Site: https://www.thesonicroad.com/ Listen & Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad The Sonic Road Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesonicroad TouringBands BandMerch LiveMusic MusicIndustry Concerts https://video-meta.open.video/poster/m5bGNzrqFuJZ/BOWI7mEYli2_kiJiQD.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/m5bGNzrqFuJZ/1786386467/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=BOWI7mEYli2 71 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/the-night-teen-spirit-took-over-the-house The Night Teen Spirit Took Over the House Hearing Nirvana for the first time left an undeniable impact on the rock scene. On this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, Planet Desert Rock Weekend founder John Gist recalls hearing Smells Like Teen Spirit for the very first time at a college house party. He tells host Beau about a cover band playing the track three separate times in one night to a crowd going completely wild, making it immediately obvious that a massive shift in heavy music had arrived. Subscribe to The Sonic Road Podcast for authentic, in-depth conversations on stoner rock, doom metal, independent music culture, and the realities of the scene. Connect with John Gist & Vegas Rock Revolution: Website: https://www.vegasrockrevolution.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad Nirvana SmellsLikeTeenSpirit Grunge RockHistory TheSonicRoadPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/k9zyInqiACO4/7iWYBm-Ili2_iEViqY.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/k9zyInqiACO4/1786386455/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=7iWYBm-Ili2 62 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/corporate-radio-sounds-like-the-same-10-bands Corporate Radio Sounds Like the Same 10 Bands Corporate radio sounds robotic because modern tracks are overproduced, digitally sliced, and patched together until all the soul is sucked out. On this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, Planet Desert Rock Weekend promoter John Gist and host Beau talk about what happens when commercial stations cycle through the same ten sanitized bands. They contrast todays sterile studio production with the real magic of rock and roll: getting musicians into a room, setting up mics, capturing a genuine performance, and leaving the rough edges intact so the music stays human. Subscribe to The Sonic Road Podcast for authentic, in-depth conversations on stoner rock, doom metal, independent music culture, and the realities of the scene. Connect with John Gist & Vegas Rock Revolution: Website: https://www.vegasrockrevolution.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vegasrockrevolution/ Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad RockMusic LiveRecording MusicProduction RadioRock TheSonicRoad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/QPrSZnKr7iHW/7yqJBmFJki2_uOtkYv.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/QPrSZnKr7iHW/1786386459/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=7yqJBmFJki2 41 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/becky-franzel-joins-the-sonic-road-podcast-as-co-host Becky Franzel Joins The Sonic Road Podcast As Co-Host Episode 37 of The Sonic Road Podcast brings an announcement: independent author and frequent guest Becky Franzel is officially joining the show as a co-host and contributor. Host Beau sits down with Becky to talk about what led to this new chapter, from her past appearances on the show to their shared goal of building a real community around music conversations. They discuss the differences between recording in person versus over Zoom, plans to bring more live, in-person interviews to the podcast, and how Beckys connection to the Milwaukee music scene will open the door to new stories and guests. The Sonic Road Podcast covers stoner rock, heavy psych, grunge, doom metal, and independent music of all kinds, featuring conversations with the musicians, producers, and label heads shaping the scene. With Becky on board, the show continues its mission: consistent, quality conversations that feel like a genuine hang rather than a formal interview. Subscribe for new episodes and follow along as this next chapter of The Sonic Road Podcast unfolds. Website: https://www.thesonicroad.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thesonicroad Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad X: https://x.com/thesonicroad Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Sonic-Road-Podcast-61572482309190/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22wAQAVYVPHAomnf15uw1c Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonic-road-podcast/id1796040439 Podcast RockMusic StonerRock HeavyMetal MusicCommunity https://video-meta.open.video/poster/p-vW-jHqEyby/Biqd68_Ikj2_UXfUvM.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/p-vW-jHqEyby/1786386543/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Biqd68_Ikj2 1628 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/merch-cuts-ticket-prices-why-rock-is-back Merch Cuts, Ticket Prices & Why Rock Is Back This highlight reel from Episode 37 of The Sonic Road Podcast rounds up some of the biggest talking points from host Beau and new co-host Becky Franzel: the real cost of venue merch cuts, why matinee shows and cash-only merch tables are making a comeback, dynamic ticket pricing and the rise of four-pack ticket deals, and the numbers behind rock and rolls ongoing streaming, vinyl, and cassette resurgence. Beau and Becky also swap a touring festival memory with bands like Red Fang, Crowbar, Helmet, and Kylesa, and talk about plans to bring live listener Q&As to the show. The full episode drops this Wednesday, July 29th. Subscribe so you dont miss it. Website: https://www.thesonicroad.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thesonicroad Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad X: https://x.com/thesonicroad Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Sonic-Road-Podcast-61572482309190/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22wAQAVYVPHAomnf15uw1c Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonic-road-podcast/id1796040439 RockPodcast LiveMusic MerchCut TicketPrices musicindustry https://video-meta.open.video/poster/iTrqZFer7mGB/7yrJA8FJky2_PcClWG.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/iTrqZFer7mGB/1786386450/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=7yrJA8FJky2 246 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/nirvana-changed-gen-x-vintage-rock-magazines-the-sonic-road Nirvana Changed Gen X: Vintage Rock Magazines The Sonic Road Nirvana changed Gen X music forever starting with their Bleach album. In this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, host Beau and Planet Desert Rock Weekend founder John Gist discuss Nirvanas impact on late 80s and early 90s youth culture. Beau also shares his personal collection of vintage rock magazines like Circus and Hit Parader, including an 80s issue featuring Guns N Roses, illustrating how music media documented the scene before the alternative explosion. For deeper context on John Gists work in the heavy music scene, watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3POxZgBgrRc Subscribe to The Sonic Road Podcast for authentic, in-depth conversations on stoner rock, doom metal, independent music, and heavy culture. Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad Nirvana GenX Grunge rockhistory TheSonicRoadPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/TPDmVjaaEijY/BOrtBm_sQy2_slMguv.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/TPDmVjaaEijY/1786386471/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=BOrtBm_sQy2 44 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/concert-ticket-prices-heres-what-were-seeing Concert Ticket Prices Heres What Were Seeing Beau and co-host Becky Franzel talk about the wave of last-minute ticket discounts showing up across the touring circuit this summer, from four-pack deals to steep day-of markdowns. They dig into why bigger shows are struggling to sell out at full price, and how cheaper tickets are actually introducing new fans to bands theyd never have checked out otherwise. The full episode drops this Wednesday, July 29th. https://www.thesonicroad.com https://youtube.com/@thesonicroad https://www.instagram.com/thesonicroad https://x.com/thesonicroad https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Sonic-Road-Podcast-61572482309190/ https://open.spotify.com/show/22wAQAVYVPHAomnf15uw1c https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonic-road-podcast/id1796040439 ConcertTickets LiveMusic TicketPrices TouringBands RockPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/SyfWRDmjFCQ5/7a5cBTFZli2_vFduNS.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/SyfWRDmjFCQ5/1786388458/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=7a5cBTFZli2 48 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/developing-stage-presence-as-a-frontman-jadd-shickler-the-sonic-road-podcast-rocksinger Developing Stage Presence as a Frontman: Jadd Shickler The Sonic Road Podcast rocksinger Singers must learn stage presence when not holding an instrument. In this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, Blues Funeral Recordings founder and Blue Heron frontman Jadd Shickler talks with host Beau about stepping up to the microphone. Jadd reflects on the initial challenge of figuring out what to do on stage as a dedicated lead vocalist, building confidence without a guitar, and discovering a natural comfort performing live. Subscribe to The Sonic Road Podcast for authentic, in-depth conversations on stoner rock, doom metal, independent record labels, and heavy music culture. For a deeper dive on the interviews: www.thesonicroad.com Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad BlueHeron Frontman StonerRock HeavyRock TheSonicRoadPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/SArKYl9aEiIz/BqzcB9_Jlz2_vvKDtJ.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/SArKYl9aEiIz/1786388456/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=BqzcB9_Jlz2 21 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/john-gist-on-music-industry-monopolies-and-major-labels-the-sonic-road-podcast John Gist on Music Industry Monopolies and Major Labels The Sonic Road Podcast John Gist explains how major labels and ticketing monopolies control live music. In this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, host Beau sits down with John Gistpromoter of Las Vegas festival Planet Desert Rock Weekend and host of the Heavy Galaxy Podcastto discuss corporate consolidation in the music industry. John breaks down how three major record labels, large management firms, and centralized ticketing companies create a monopolistic system that limits independent artists and venues. Subscribe to The Sonic Road Podcast for authentic, in-depth conversations on stoner rock, doom metal, independent music, and heavy culture. Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/kPi4QnPbFql6/7rzZB8-sQy2_YxItxe.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/kPi4QnPbFql6/1786388583/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=7rzZB8-sQy2 65 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/how-90s-stoner-rock-was-imported-jadd-shickler-the-sonic-road How 90s Stoner Rock Was Imported: Jadd Shickler The Sonic Road Jadd Shickler explains importing early European stoner rock CDs in the 90s. In this highlight from The Sonic Road Podcast, Blues Funeral Recordings founder Jadd Shickler recalls the DIY efforts required to source heavy underground releases during the early days of MeteorCity Records. He describes staying up until 2:00 AM to phone a Dutch distributor for import CDs from bands like Beaver and Seven Zuma Seven, as well as Roadrunners original European Road-Burn One Up compilation. For the full career-spanning conversation with Jadd, watch the complete interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9beRy8m1qko Subscribe to The Sonic Road Podcast for authentic, in-depth conversations on stoner rock, doom metal, independent record labels, and heavy culture. Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/_fyaUxvbsCYA/sz4cA9FdQ52_SqcCfH.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/_fyaUxvbsCYA/1786389893/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sz4cA9FdQ52 27 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/james-hetfields-top-10-shoutout-to-an-underground-song James Hetfields Top 10 Shoutout to an Underground Song James Hetfield named Carousels track Jewelers Daughter a top favorite song. In this clip from The Sonic Road Podcast, host Beau sits down with John Gistpromoter of Las Vegas festival Planet Desert Rock Weekend and host of the Heavy Galaxy Podcast. John discusses James Hetfields endorsement of the heavy rock band Carousel, attempting to bring Metallicas frontman to a Vegas show, and how he originally launched Heavy Galaxy as an interview-focused podcast for the heavy music underground. Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/4KaWQv0a2ez4/YjyI68-tQO2_LqykxM.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/4KaWQv0a2ez4/1786390021/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YjyI68-tQO2 55 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/whats-broken-in-live-music-john-gist-of-vegas-rock-revolution Whats Broken in Live Music John Gist of Vegas Rock Revolution Concert ticket prices are up 41% since 2019, tours are getting canceled across the country, and unsold seats are showing up on Ticketmaster maps everywhere you look. John Gist is building the opposite of all that. John is the founder of Vegas Rock Revolution and the creator and curator of Planet Desert Rock Weekend, which just wrapped its sixth edition and heads into its seventh in January 2027. He spent years running marketing departments for Marriott and Wyndham before walking away from the corporate world and putting everything into promoting heavy rock in Las Vegas. In this episode he gets into what is actually happening to live music right now and what he is doing about it. We start with the numbers. Pollstar data shows the average concert ticket went from about 96 in 2019 to nearly 136 by 2024. John breaks down where that money is going, why Ticketmaster and Live Nation function the way they do, the role artist management companies play, and why the bands themselves usually get blamed for prices they do not set. He also talks about why fewer and fewer companies controlling more and more of the industry is a problem no matter how you look at it, and why marketing spend is the difference between a band selling tickets and a band playing to twenty people. From there we get into Planet Desert Rock Weekend and the specific choices behind it. One stage, no overlapping sets, twenty minutes between bands, and full 45 to 60 minute sets so nobody flies across the world to play a half hour. Evening-only shows so people can spend the day in Vegas. John supplies the backline for the international bands, obsesses over sound quality, and books at The Usual Place at the lower end of Fremont Street so people can walk from their hotel. He also talks openly about losing tens of thousands of dollars on the second edition in 2019, rebuilding from the ground up at volume three with John Garcia and Nebula, and what he learned from all of it. Plus: growing up on Circus and Hit Parader magazines, hearing Smells Like Teen Spirit for https://video-meta.open.video/poster/_aiO3t0yACc4/sjyZBTEcQP2_qcKVfG.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/_aiO3t0yACc4/1786390228/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sjyZBTEcQP2 3635 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/vocal-influences-jadd-shickler-on-bruce-dickinson-layne-staley-the-sonic-road-podcast Vocal Influences: Jadd Shickler on Bruce Dickinson & Layne Staley The Sonic Road Podcast Jadd Shickler discusses learning vocals with Bruce Dickinson and Layne Staley. In this highlight from The Sonic Road Podcast, Blues Funeral Recordings founder and Magnetic Eye Records director Jadd Shickler joins host Beau to discuss discovering music outside the mainstream. The two reflect on Jadds early vocal influences, practicing singing along to legendary vocalists Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden and Layne Staley of Alice in Chains. Subscribe to The Sonic Road Podcast for authentic, in-depth conversations on stoner rock, doom metal, independent record labels, and heavy music culture. Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad JaddShickler BluesFuneralRecordings IronMaiden AliceInChains TheSonicRoad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/AIiu2xWbsa6q/Y5zI7CEcRO2_DBgbMY.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/AIiu2xWbsa6q/1786390026/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Y5zI7CEcRO2 25 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/inside-planet-desert-rock-weekend-john-gist-on-fixing-live-music Inside Planet Desert Rock Weekend John Gist on Fixing Live Music For a deeper dive on the interviews: www.thesonicroad.com Concert ticket prices are up 41% since 2019 and tours are getting canceled across the country. John Gist has spent seven years building the opposite of that in Las Vegas. John is the founder of Vegas Rock Revolution and the creator and curator of Planet Desert Rock Weekend. He spent years running marketing departments for Marriott and Wyndham before leaving the corporate world to promote heavy rock full time. In these highlights from Episode 36, he covers what is actually happening to live music right now and the specific choices behind the festival he built as an alternative. Covered in this highlight: Where the money goes on a 136 concert ticket, how Ticketmaster and Live Nation are structured, the role artist management companies play in pricing, and why touring bands get blamed for costs they do not set. Why industry consolidation is a problem no matter how you look at it, and why marketing spend is the difference between a band selling tickets and a band playing to twenty people. The Planet Desert Rock Weekend model: one stage, no overlapping sets, twenty minutes between bands, full 45 to 60 minute sets, and evening-only shows so people can spend the day in Vegas. John supplies the backline for the international bands, obsesses over sound quality, and books at The Usual Place at the lower end of Fremont Street so fans can walk from their hotel. Plus: losing tens of thousands of dollars on the second edition in 2019 and rebuilding from the ground up, why Las Vegas has never had a real stoner rock culture, and why people show up to the festival alone and leave with five new friends. Planet Desert Rock Weekend VII runs January 2831, 2027 at The Usual Place in Las Vegas 21 bands from 9 countries over four evenings, including Greenleafs exclusive West Coast show, Howling Giant playing their side of the Ripple Music split with Sergeant Thunderhoof for the first time ever, plus Sasquatch, Mothership, Black Rainbows, Cowboys & Aliens, Carousel and The Col https://video-meta.open.video/poster/CYam2h1asq64/YPzY7C-tQO2_uVNWGg.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/CYam2h1asq64/1786390029/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YPzY7C-tQO2 263 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/how-jadd-shickler-built-blues-funeral-recordings-by-taking-on-all-the-risk How Jadd Shickler Built Blues Funeral Recordings by Taking on All the Risk Blues Funeral Recordings founder Jadd Shickler breaks down the early days of building his label from scratch taking on all the risk and responsibility himself, and why he thrives on that entrepreneurial gamble. Full episode with Jadd on The Sonic Road Podcast, link below. Full Episode: https://www.youtube.com/@thesonicroad Blues Funeral Recordings: https://www.bluesfuneral.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/blues.funeral FB: https://www.facebook.com/bluesfuneral Bandcamp: https://bluesfuneralrecordings.bandcamp.com The Sonic Road Podcast Listen everywhere: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad https://substack.com/@thesonicroad For a deeper dive on the interviews: www.thesonicroad.com Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad BluesFuneralRecordings JaddShickler StonerRock IndependentMusic RockPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/DIC0Mt1rtezA/ZyzYA9FYkP2_nQoMEA.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/DIC0Mt1rtezA/1786390019/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZyzYA9FYkP2 25 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/all-you-have-to-do-is-say-i-trust-you-jadd-shickler-on-postwax-bluesfuneralrecordings All You Have To Do Is Say I Trust You Jadd Shickler on PostWax bluesfuneralrecordings For a deeper dive on the interviews: www.thesonicroad.com Jadd Shickler founder of Blues Funeral Recordings on the simple idea at the heart of PostWax, the labels curated heavy rock vinyl subscription series: trust. PostWax is built on a straightforward premise. Jadd has spent nearly thirty years in this scene founding MeteorCity, running Magnetic Eye and Blues Funeral, signing and shaping the direction of the bands people love. So the pitch is essentially this: you trust him, and you sign up, and every release lands in your mailbox as a deluxe, hand-numbered, 180-gram record with next-level art and design, curated to fit your sensibility because it fits his. You dont need to know every band. You just have to trust the person picking them. Its the modern vinyl equivalent of the mixtape discovering everything on it because you trust the curator. The whole series carries a cohesive visual aesthetic guided by creative director Peder Bergstrand of Lowrider, and Year 1 alone featured exclusive music from Elder, Lowrider, Spotlights, Domkraft with Mark Lanegan, and Big Scenic Nowhere. This clip is from Episode 35 of The Sonic Road Podcast. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Follow Blues Funeral Recordings: @blues.funeral Follow Magnetic Eye Records: @magneticeyerecords Follow Blue Heron: @blueheronabq bluesfuneral.com merhq.net thesonicroad.com JaddShickler BluesFuneralRecordings PostWax VinylCommunity TheSonicRoadPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/zoviZvHH7qOX/ZXXQBTFIli2_CJtIAw.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/zoviZvHH7qOX/1786391804/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZXXQBTFIli2 35 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/talent-is-peaking-but-attention-is-harder-than-ever-jadd-shickler-of-blues-funeral-recordings Talent Is Peaking, But Attention Is Harder Than Ever Jadd Shickler of Blues Funeral Recordings For a deeper dive on the interviews: www.thesonicroad.com Jadd Shickler founder of Blues Funeral Recordings and director of Magnetic Eye Records on one of the central tensions in independent music right now: there has never been more talent, but getting anyone to notice it has never been harder. Jadd lays it out plainly. The talent level in heavy music is probably at an all-time high, and the ability to make a great-sounding record has never been more accessible. But the flip side is a real challenge with hundreds of records dropping on Bandcamp every few months, and peoples time and money both limited, the ability to shine a light on a release and get people to actually care and pay attention is about as difficult as it has ever been. For a label putting out a handful of records a year, thats the whole problem in a nutshell. Music is an optional purchase and an optional way to spend your time, and cutting through the noise takes more than just quality. Its a clear-eyed look at the reality of the independent music landscape in 2026 from someone who has been navigating it for nearly thirty years. This clip is from Episode 35 of The Sonic Road Podcast. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad Follow Blues Funeral Recordings: @blues.funeral Follow Magnetic Eye Records: @magneticeyerecords Follow Blue Heron: @blueheronabq bluesfuneral.com merhq.net thesonicroad.com JaddShickler BluesFuneralRecordings IndependentMusic MusicIndustry TheSonicRoadPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/EAbmNxuH6ei5/ZbXk7T-Jli2_xQCuyC.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/EAbmNxuH6ei5/1786391801/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZbXk7T-Jli2 33 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/blues-funeral-recordings-ceo-jadd-shickler-on-why-music-matters-the-sonic-road-podcast Blues Funeral Recordings CEO Jadd Shickler on Why Music Matters The Sonic Road Podcast From The Sonic Road Podcast deep conversations with the musicians, producers & label heads keeping stoner rock, heavy psychedelic rock & grunge alive. Watch the full episode for more on Jadds journey from MeteorCity to founding Blues Funeral Recordings and the PostWax vinyl series. Subscribe for new episodes every week Follow The Sonic Road Podcast: @thesonicroad (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X) TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings JaddShickler StonerRock HeavyMusic https://video-meta.open.video/poster/FDniJfGH_iIB/trXlAT_Jly2_urhokg.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/FDniJfGH_iIB/1786391804/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=trXlAT_Jly2 22 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/entrepreneurship-isnt-a-master-plan-its-instinct-and-luck-jadd-shickler Entrepreneurship Isnt a Master Plan Its Instinct and Luck Jadd Shickler Jadd Shickler founder of Blues Funeral Recordings and co-founder of MeteorCity Records on the honest truth about how his early label and online store actually took off. Looking back at the earliest days of All Thats Heavy and MeteorCity in the late 1990s, Jadd doesnt dress it up as a brilliant business plan executed to perfection. Hes clear that it was a combination of some entrepreneurial instinct, his own taste driving what they chose to put out, and a whole lot of luck bands and opportunities falling into their laps at exactly the right time, and a scene of people who kept coming back for more. Its a grounded and refreshingly honest perspective on how things actually get built, from someone who has been shaping the heavy underground for nearly thirty years. This clip is from Episode 35 of The Sonic Road Podcast. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW BLUES FUNERAL RECORDINGS: bluesfuneral.com @blues.funeral JaddShickler BluesFuneralRecordings MeteorCity Entrepreneurship TheSonicRoadPodcast recordlabel rockmusic rockpodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/Ckf82hvOBea4/tXqQ6TFdRj2_dIQKQt.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/Ckf82hvOBea4/1786391800/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tXqQ6TFdRj2 22 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/inside-blues-funeral-recordings-jadd-shickler-on-running-an-independent-heavy-rock-label Inside Blues Funeral Recordings Jadd Shickler on Running an Independent Heavy Rock Label For a deeper dive on the interviews: www.thesonicroad.com Jadd Shickler founder of Blues Funeral Recordings, director of Magnetic Eye Records, and lead vocalist of Albuquerque desert rock band Blue Heron joins The Sonic Road Podcast to talk about what it takes to run an independent heavy rock label in 2026. Jadd has been part of the heavy underground since the beginning. In 1997 he co-founded MeteorCity Records in Albuquerque, New Mexico with Aaron Emmel one of the first labels dedicated to stoner rock, and the home of the genre-defining Welcome to MeteorCity compilation. After selling MeteorCity and spending time away from music, he returned to join Magnetic Eye Records in 2016, and launched Blues Funeral Recordings in 2018. Blues Funerals roster today includes Elder, Acid King, Lowrider, Castle Rat, Dead Meadow, Dozer, ABRAMS, Domkraft, Howling Giant, and more, with Magnetic Eye running alongside it in the same heavy underground world. In this highlight, Jadd gets into what running these labels actually looks like signing bands, building rosters, the PostWax vinyl subscription series, and the thinking behind curating heavy music for listeners and collectors. He also talks about the difference between a label built out of genuine love for the music and one built around a business model, and why the independent heavy underground is having one of its strongest runs in years. Its a detailed look at the work behind two of the most important independent heavy rock labels going right now, from someone who has helped shape this scene for nearly thirty years. Full episode out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X thesonicroad.com FOLLOW BLUES FUNERAL RECORDINGS: bluesfuneral.com @blues.funeral FOLLOW MAGNETIC EYE RECORDS: merhq.net @magneticeyerecords FOLLOW BLUE HERON: blueheronabq.bandcamp.com @blueheronabq BluesFuneralRecordings MagneticEyeRecords Jad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/57C0-dGGBCiq/trWkBS-cQz2_ihZfcK.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/57C0-dGGBCiq/1786391931/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=trWkBS-cQz2 241 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/jadd-shickler-on-building-blues-funeral-meteorcity-30-years-in-heavy-music-ep35 Jadd Shickler on Building Blues Funeral, MeteorCity & 30 Years in Heavy Music EP.35 For a deeper dive on the interviews: www.thesonicroad.com Jadd Shickler founder of Blues Funeral Recordings, director of Magnetic Eye Records, and lead vocalist of Blue Heron joins The Sonic Road Podcast for a career-spanning conversation about a life in heavy music that goes all the way back to the beginning of the stoner rock scene. Jadd has been shaping the heavy underground for nearly thirty years. In this episode he walks through the entire journey from taping songs off the radio as a kid in 1984 and discovering the world of underground music through his older brothers mixtapes, to the grunge era, to founding the All Thats Heavy online store in 1997 around a Kyuss bootleg and a dedicated landline phone in a house full of roommates. From there the conversation moves through the founding of MeteorCity Records one of the first labels dedicated to stoner rock the genre-defining Welcome to MeteorCity compilation, and the early demos that fell into their laps from a teenage Peder from Lowrider, Tommi from Dozer, and the New Jersey bands Solace and The Atomic Bitchwax. Jadd also tells the story of starting his own band in reverse order filling in for Maryland doom band Iron Man on three weeks notice in 2000, having never sung live before. The second half digs into the modern era selling MeteorCity, stepping away from music for years, returning through writing before joining Magnetic Eye Records, and eventually founding Blues Funeral Recordings in 2018. Jadd breaks down the origin of the PostWax vinyl subscription series, the two-year pursuit of Elder that he finally closed with a SoundCloud audio message, the Mark Lanegan collaboration on the Domkraft record, and what a day in the life of running two labels actually looks like in 2026. He also gets candid about the business side that some labels wont discuss transparency, delivering honest sales statements to bands, why that which is measured improves, and a cautionary tale to musicians to be aware of the business side, and not just the music. Plus: the Clutch stor https://video-meta.open.video/poster/ySjuYfbH-aOW/YWq6AC-JlO2_fGlqIB.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/ySjuYfbH-aOW/1786392070/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YWq6AC-JlO2 4059 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/ai-is-everywhere-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-why-writing-yourself-matters-more-than-ever AI Is Everywhere Nick DiSalvo of Elder on Why Writing Yourself Matters More Than Ever For a deeper dive on the episodes: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan Nick DiSalvo of Elder on how the encroachment of AI into the creative space changes what it means to write and make music as a human being and why, rather than making individual creative voice less relevant, it makes it more important than ever. The argument is straightforward: when AI can generate content at scale with no personal investment, no lived experience, and no genuine point of view, the thing that separates human creative work is exactly those qualities. Writing from a real place, with real intention, and with something specific to say becomes the differentiator not despite AI being in the room, but because of it. Its a short but direct perspective from a musician who has spent twenty years developing a creative voice that is distinctly his own, on why that kind of authenticity matters more now than at any previous point in his career. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings For a deeper dive on the episodes: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/5ImeNh9W-yzz/Y5rl7DFtki2_wfkojb.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/5ImeNh9W-yzz/1786393584/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Y5rl7DFtki2 23 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/recording-between-tours-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-why-through-zero-sounds-better-than-ever Recording Between Tours Nick DiSalvo of Elder on Why Through Zero Sounds Better Than Ever Check out our newsletter for a deeper dive on the episodes here: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan Nick DiSalvo of Elder on how the band made Through Zero between tour cycles and why that approach produced what he considers the best-sounding record of their career. Making an album in the gaps between touring rather than blocking out dedicated studio time changes the way a band works. Nick talks about what that process looked like for Through Zero self-produced at Big Snuff Studio with engineer Richard Behrens and the specific reasons why working that way contributed to a record that sounds more refined and fully realized than anything Elder has made before. For a band seven albums deep, the idea that the best-sounding record is still ahead of them rather than behind them says something meaningful about where Elder are at creatively in 2026. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings https://video-meta.open.video/poster/FYySIvTH7iAA/sjXl69-dky2_gXPwcv.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/FYySIvTH7iAA/1786393585/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sjXl69-dky2 29 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/bring-back-the-fuzzy-sound-coc-on-why-imperfect-recordings-are-better-the-sonic-road Bring Back the Fuzzy Sound COC on Why Imperfect Recordings Are Better The Sonic Road Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf of Corrosion of Conformity on one of the defining creative decisions behind Good God / Baad Man bringing back raw, imperfect, human recordings and deliberately pushing back against the perfectly clean, digitally precise sound that dominates modern rock production. Pepper talks about leaving the sour notes in, keeping demo guitar tracks and cassette vocals on the final record because nothing recorded afterward was better, and why the imperfections in records like Led Zeppelins are exactly what makes them great. No Zeppelin album is perfect. Or is it? Its imperfectly perfect. The imperfections make it perfect. The approach on Good God / Baad Man was deliberate fuzzy, real, and recorded the way rock and roll was always meant to sound. A band in a room, playing loud, with no isolation, no control room, and no interest in making something that sounds like it was assembled on a computer. This clip is from Episode 33 of The Sonic Road Podcast, recorded backstage at The Roxy at Mahalls in Lakewood, Ohio on May 10th, 2026 hours before COCs show in support of Good God / Baad Man, out now on Nuclear Blast Records. ORDER GOOD GOD / BAAD MAN: Nuclear Blast nuclearblast.com COC Website coc.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW COC: Instagram @coccabal TikTok @corrosivecabal Website coc.com CorrosionOfConformity GoodGodBaadMan HeavyRock TheSonicRoadPodcast NuclearBlast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/EWiqUfPWEmqz/s5qABSFJli2_ycFEnL.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/EWiqUfPWEmqz/1786393586/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=s5qABSFJli2 47 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/combining-heavy-rock-and-synth-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-mastering-disparate-elements Combining Heavy Rock and Synth Nick DiSalvo of Elder on Mastering Disparate Elements Check out the podcast newsletter for a deeper dive on the episodes: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan Nick DiSalvo of Elder on how the band developed their approach to combining heavy rock with synthesizers and other sonic elements that dont always come from the same place and what that process looked like over the course of their catalog leading into Through Zero. Nick plays guitar, vocals, and synthesizer in Elder, and the bands ability to weave those different worlds together without one overpowering the other is something that has developed deliberately over time. He talks about what it took to get comfortable working across those different sonic territories, how the band learned to treat the synthesizer as a full part of the bands identity rather than an add-on to the guitar-driven foundation, and what combining those disparate elements actually sounds like in practice on Through Zero. For anyone curious about how a heavy rock band integrates synthesizers, Mellotron, and progressive elements without losing what makes them a rock band, this is a clear and direct explanation from the person doing it. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings Check out the podcast newsletter for a deeper dive on the episodes: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/5HnqJB1X-ujs/say778Eckz2_PfSbPZ.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/5HnqJB1X-ujs/1786395736/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=say778Eckz2 53 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/always-be-the-boss-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-producers-collaboration-creative-control Always Be the Boss Nick DiSalvo of Elder on Producers, Collaboration & Creative Control Nick DiSalvo of Elder on one of the most important lessons for any young band working with a producer always be the boss of your own creative process. Nick talks about the role a producer should and shouldnt play in the studio a collaborator who serves the bands vision, brings technical expertise, and helps realize what the music is trying to be, rather than someone who takes over the creative direction and tells the band what kind of record to make. The distinction matters, and the bands that lose sight of it often end up with records that dont sound like them. This is a lesson for any young bands out there always be the boss. Dont let anybody tell you what to do. Its direct, practical advice from a musician twenty years into building a career entirely on his own creative terms and worth paying attention to for any band heading into a studio for the first time or the fifteenth. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings For a deeper dive on these interviews subscribe here for free: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/BYbiVzLP7eR6/sW5kAnEtlz2_eYBfPv.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/BYbiVzLP7eR6/1786395745/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sW5kAnEtlz2 36 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/medieval-peasants-to-modern-billionaires-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-the-lyrics-behind-through-zero Medieval Peasants to Modern Billionaires Nick DiSalvo of Elder on the Lyrics Behind Through Zero Nick DiSalvo of Elder on one of the central lyrical themes running through Through Zero a vision of medieval peasant society looking up at the castle and realizing that image hasnt changed much from then to now. Nick describes writing from the perspective of people looking up at a structure of power they have no access to and thinking there has to be a better way to organize things and how that image translates directly into the present day. The castle has changed shape. The billionaire class is less visible than the old aristocracy but no less dominant. The technocracy has replaced the feudal system in form but not in function. And the people, Nick argues, are still constrained in ways that are different from before but no less real. Its a rare moment in a music interview where a musician articulates the thematic and political thinking behind their lyrics with genuine clarity and a strong window into what makes Through Zero one of the more substantive heavy rock records of 2026. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings Sign up to the free newsletter, on a deeper dive into these interviews: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/7MrS_FrWEycB/sa5k7C-cky2_GnkQDJ.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/7MrS_FrWEycB/1786395753/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sa5k7C-cky2 51 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/why-lyrics-are-the-hardest-part-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-writing-for-through-zero Why Lyrics Are the Hardest Part Nick DiSalvo of Elder on Writing for Through Zero Nick DiSalvo of Elder on why writing lyrics is consistently the most difficult part of making a record and what that process looked like specifically on Through Zero. For a band whose music carries as much sonic and emotional weight as Elders, the challenge of writing words that genuinely add to that rather than just occupying space on the page is a real and specific one. Nick talks about the vulnerability of the lyric writing process, what makes it harder than any other part of making a record, and how he approaches putting personal and thematic ideas into language without losing what made those ideas worth exploring in the first place. Its an honest conversation about one of the least discussed but most important parts of how a song gets made and one that any songwriter or creative person working through the same challenge will find immediately useful. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings Join the free newsletter here for deeper dives on the episodes: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/CIbe_pX46iPy/sWzR7CEcli2_cerxjg.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/CIbe_pX46iPy/1786395748/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sWzR7CEcli2 44 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/when-making-music-starts-feeling-like-a-job-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-creative-drift When Making Music Starts Feeling Like a Job Nick DiSalvo of Elder on Creative Drift Nick DiSalvo of Elder on something every working musician in 2026 will recognize immediately the point where creating music starts feeling less like the thing you love and more like a computer job. Nick talks candidly about how the modern reality of being in a band has become increasingly tied to screen time digital production, social media, label administration, emails, and all of the surrounding infrastructure that now comes with making and releasing music. He works for a European record label in addition to playing in two active bands, and despite having none of the usual adult responsibilities that eat up most peoples time, he still barely finds room in his daily life to sit down and just play guitar. The distance between the pure act of playing music and the reality of what sustaining a music career actually requires in 2026 is something Nick identifies clearly including a song on Through Zero that addresses exactly this feeling, when making music starts to feel very far removed from the reasons he started in the first place. Its a conversation that will resonate with any musician, creator, or artist trying to protect the thing they love from the demands that build up around it. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=beau-mcgranahan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/BHjOZBuWBqQt/YGz6BS_ZRz2_mCzNEa.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/BHjOZBuWBqQt/1786395728/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YGz6BS_ZRz2 55 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/how-coc-built-a-recording-environment-with-zero-isolation-for-good-godbaad-man-the-sonic-road How COC Built a Recording Environment With Zero Isolation for Good God/Baad Man The Sonic Road Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf of Corrosion of Conformity walk through exactly how they built the recording environment for Good God / Baad Man from the ground up and why zero isolation was not just an accident but a deliberate creative decision. Every guitar they owned in the room. Amps and cabinets everywhere. Pedals everywhere. Mattresses leaned against the cabinets down the hall. No control room. No isolation booth. No silent room to listen back in. The only way to know if a take was good was to stop, rewind the tape, and listen. Drums and bass were tracked live at Dockside Studio in Maurice, Louisiana on a vintage Neve console cut simultaneously in the room the way it has to be done with a drummer like Stanton Moore. Guitar was recorded at Barry Gibbs private studio. Everything else happened at Peppers Mississippi hideout with no clock, no hotel, and nobody telling them when to stop. The result is a record that sounds like a band playing in a room. Because that is exactly what it is. This clip is from Episode 33 of The Sonic Road Podcast, recorded backstage at The Roxy at Mahalls in Lakewood, Ohio on May 10th, 2026 hours before COCs show in support of Good God / Baad Man, out now on Nuclear Blast Records. ORDER GOOD GOD / BAAD MAN: Nuclear Blast nuclearblast.com COC Website coc.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW COC: Instagram @coccabal TikTok @corrosivecabal Website coc.com CorrosionOfConformity GoodGodBaadMan RecordingProcess TheSonicRoadPodcast NuclearBlast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/C1nOJFGG-ulZ/Yb4lATFckj2_mfGxXL.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/C1nOJFGG-ulZ/1786395727/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Yb4lATFckj2 53 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/topping-every-record-youve-ever-made-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-pressure-and-why-its-still-fun Topping Every Record Youve Ever Made Nick DiSalvo of Elder on Pressure and Why Its Still Fun Nick DiSalvo of Elder on the creative pressure that comes with seven studio albums and twenty years of raising the bar and why, despite that pressure, making music is still genuinely something he enjoys rather than something he endures. Seven albums in, the expectation to top the last record doesnt get lighter. Every release cycle brings the same question from listeners, critics, and from the band itself is this better than what came before? Nick talks about how he navigates that pressure without letting it strip the fun out of the creative process, and why staying connected to the genuine enjoyment of making music is ultimately what produces the best results anyway. Its a perspective that any creative person working in a long-running project will recognize immediately the tension between the external pressure to constantly evolve and the internal need to actually enjoy what youre doing. Nick makes a strong case that the two dont have to be in conflict. Through Zero is Elders seventh studio album, out May 29th via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America and Stickman Records in Europe. Order variants available now through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. PRE-ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings https://video-meta.open.video/poster/ALrKZDbOFmIt/Yb4l68-dlj2_WpHTHO.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/ALrKZDbOFmIt/1786395740/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Yb4l68-dlj2 48 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/coc-on-good-godbaad-man-it-sounds-like-a-greatest-hits-record COC on Good God/Baad Man: It Sounds Like a Greatest Hits Record Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf react to a journalists observation that Good God/Baad Man sounds like a greatest hits record and why they think that description holds up. Beau, couldnt agree more. Filmed backstage at The Roxy in Cleveland, May 10th. TheSonicRoadPodcast CorrosionOfConformity StonerMetal SludgeMetal MetalPodcast PepperKeenan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/E1buIFLXAiaB/sbzA7DEdly2_TaEcOg.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/E1buIFLXAiaB/1786395754/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sbzA7DEdly2 47 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/how-through-zero-became-the-thread-that-holds-the-album-together-elder How Through Zero Became the Thread That Holds the Album Together Elder Nick DiSalvo of Elder on how the title track Through Zero became the conceptual thread running through the bands seventh studio album and why it was the right title for a record that took two years to fully realize. Nick explains the thinking behind naming the album after that specific track, what Through Zero represents thematically, and how one song can set the tone and direction for everything around it when an album is sequenced and conceived as a complete statement rather than a collection of individual tracks. Through Zero is out May 29th via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America and Stickman Records in Europe. Order variants available now through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder ThroughZero NickDiSalvo BluesFuneralRecordings TheSonicRoadPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/BHDCQlX5_eGB/sHz7AnFtly2_VHUaos.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/BHDCQlX5_eGB/1786395768/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sHz7AnFtly2 47 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/building-a-music-world-outside-the-mainstream-and-will-elder-play-through-zero-in-full Building a Music World Outside the Mainstream And Will Elder Play Through Zero in Full? Check out our free newsletter on the episode here: www.thesonicroad.com Beau and Nick DiSalvo of Elder on one of the more compelling ideas running through the heavy music underground right now that fans, musicians, and creators are quietly building the world they actually want to live in, within a system that doesnt always make it easy. Beau talks about the underground scene operating from a fundamentally different set of values than the mainstream industry running on love of the creative process rather than the commercial models that have always driven the major label world. The community being built around independent heavy music in 2026 isnt an accident. Its a deliberate alternative being constructed one show, one record, and one genuine connection between artist and listener at a time. The conversation then shifts to a question every Elder fan wants answered does the band have any plans to play Through Zero in its entirety live? Nick addresses it directly and gives a clear picture of where things stand on that front heading into their extensive European summer tour. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings https://video-meta.open.video/poster/4XDm3pb57mat/YHzRASFIkz2_rLxqlH.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/4XDm3pb57mat/1786395733/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YHzRASFIkz2 46 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/the-most-beautiful-record-weve-made-nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-the-through-zero-artwork The Most Beautiful Record Weve Made Nick DiSalvo of Elder on the Through Zero Artwork Nick DiSalvo of Elder on the album artwork and packaging behind Through Zero and why the band went deeper into the visual design on this record than anything theyve done before. Nick describes the process of creating the artwork for Through Zero as a full creative deep dive nerding out on every detail of the packaging, the visual concept, and what the record looks like as a physical object. He calls it the most beautiful record Elder has ever made from an artwork perspective, which for a band with seven albums and a catalog of consistently strong visual presentation is a meaningful statement. For anyone who believes that a great record is a complete sensory experience the music, the artwork, the physical object this conversation is worth your time. The Through Zero artwork is designed to be seen and held, not just streamed. Through Zero is out now via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America, Stickman Records in Europe, and Birds Robe in Australia. Pre-order variants available through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. PRE-ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings https://video-meta.open.video/poster/yXj82BXW-yPq/sH5B7n_Ilz2_hBMiIc.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/yXj82BXW-yPq/1786395760/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sH5B7n_Ilz2 46 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/20-years-of-elder-nick-disalvo-on-pride-reality-what-the-big-time-even-means-anymore 20 Years of Elder Nick DiSalvo on Pride, Reality & What The Big Time Even Means Anymore Check out more on the episode here: www.thesonicroad.com Nick DiSalvo reflects on twenty years of Elder with the kind of honesty thats rare in music interviews the bewilderment of still doing it, the genuine pride in everything the band has built, and an admission that not breaking through to mainstream recognition still stings sometimes even two decades in. Nick talks openly about what hitting the big time actually means in 2026 whether the traditional definition even applies anymore, and whether more people coming to live music than ever before might be a more meaningful measure of success than radio play or mainstream chart positions ever were. Its a grounded and thoughtful take on what sustaining a career in independent heavy music actually looks like over the long haul not the romanticized version, but the real one. Twenty years of touring, seven albums, a devoted international fanbase, and the ongoing process of figuring out what success actually means when youre operating outside of the mainstream on your own terms. Through Zero is Elders seventh studio album, out May 29th via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America and Stickman Records in Europe. Pre-order variants available now through Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Levitation Records. ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Funeral bluesfuneral.com Stickman Records stickmanrecords.com Levitation levitation-records.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ELDER: beholdtheelder.com @elderofficial Elder NickDiSalvo ThroughZero TheSonicRoadPodcast BluesFuneralRecordings https://video-meta.open.video/poster/D1fWZnLP7idy/sH466SFsRi2_zUpMaP.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/D1fWZnLP7idy/1786395761/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sH466SFsRi2 59 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/elders-nick-disalvo-on-pulling-back-the-maximalism-on-through-zero Elders Nick DiSalvo on Pulling Back the Maximalism on Through Zero Nick DiSalvo talks about his instinct toward maximalism and the deliberate effort on Through Zero to tighten arrangements so songs have room to breathe and how adding vocals sometimes means going back and reworking whats already there. From The Sonic Road Podcast, Episode 34. TheSonicRoadPodcast ProgressiveRock PsychRock Elder ThroughZero NickDiSalvo https://video-meta.open.video/poster/y1jSRlLX-iGy/sHyAA9_cQi2_MjJItZ.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/y1jSRlLX-iGy/1786395772/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sHyAA9_cQi2 42 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/why-coc-kept-the-demos-and-cassette-vocals-corrosion-of-conformity Why COC Kept the Demos and Cassette Vocals Corrosion of Conformity Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf talk about embracing imperfection on Good God/Baad Man some guitar tracks are original demos and some vocals were recorded straight to cassette. Filmed backstage at The Roxy in Cleveland, May 10th. Shorts CorrosionOfConformity StonerMetal SludgeMetal MetalPodcast PepperKeenan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/BXva-FeWBeGW/sryBAnFYRj2_tyqrYj.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/BXva-FeWBeGW/1786395741/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sryBAnFYRj2 45 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/vinyl-is-a-time-machine-todd-severin-on-why-ownership-still-matters Vinyl Is a Time Machine: Todd Severin on Why Ownership Still Matters It all comes rushing back to you... its like a time machine. Beau and Ripple Music CEO Todd Severin dive into the psychology of the vinyl collector in 2026. While streaming offers convenience, it cant replicate the tangible connection of holding an album youve carried through different stages of your life. Todd shares a relatable collectors nightmare: moving a massive library. He recounts lugging a collection of 3,000 records through medical school in San Diego, an internship at Stanford, and multiple cross-city moves. For Todd, the effort of moving those boxes was a small price to pay for the permanence of the music. This conversation explores: The Ritual of the Record: Why the physical act of playing a vinyl makes the music stick to your memory better than a digital file. Art as an Asset: The shift in 2026 toward physical ownership as a rebellion against disposable digital libraries. The Moving Struggle: A candid look at the logistical chaos of being a high-level record collector while pursuing a medical career. Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad thesonicroadpodcast musicpodcast2026 toddseverin deadlyvision ripplemusic https://video-meta.open.video/poster/5XnC6pXH7iQz/Yby77TEIQj2_JzuFbH.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/5XnC6pXH7iQz/1786395767/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Yby77TEIQj2 49 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/coc-brought-stanton-moore-back-and-2026-is-better-for-it COC brought Stanton Moore back and 2026 is better for it Corrosion of Conformity on reuniting with drummer Stanton Moore for Good God/Baad Man and why 2026 is shaping up to be one killer album after another. When the right people get back in the room, you can hear it in the music. Full episode on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad CorrosionOfConformity StantonMoore GoodGodBaadMan RockPodcast TheSonicRoadPodcast PepperKeenan ReedMullin WoodyWeatherman COC https://video-meta.open.video/poster/Pgvq3rry-CVW/6jyl6T_YQy2_DgBctZ.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/Pgvq3rry-CVW/1786398921/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=6jyl6T_YQy2 71 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/cocs-secret-two-week-writing-retreat-corrosion-of-conformity COCs Secret Two-Week Writing Retreat Corrosion of Conformity Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf break down the hidden two-week writing retreat that started the two-year process behind Good God/Baad Man. Filmed backstage in Cleveland, May 10th. Podcast CorrosionOfConformity HeavyMetal stonerrock PepperKeenan https://video-meta.open.video/poster/pcrCMfej-iL6/6j5k7C_IQj2_GSWqqW.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/pcrCMfej-iL6/1786398920/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=6j5k7C_IQj2 56 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-20-years-burnout-creative-intention-the-new-album-through-zero Nick DiSalvo of Elder on 20 Years, Burnout, Creative Intention & the New Album Through Zero Nick DiSalvo vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of Elder joins The Sonic Road Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation ahead of the bands seventh studio album Through Zero, out May 29th on Blues Funeral Recordings in North America and Stickman Records in Europe. Twenty years into Elders existence, Nick reflects with mixed feelings bewildered that theyre still doing it, proud of everything theyve accomplished, and honest about the moments where not hitting the mainstream still stings. But the definition of mainstream is shifting, and Nick makes a compelling case for why more people coming to live music than ever before might be a more meaningful measure of success. This highlight covers a lot of ground: 20 years of Elder mixed feelings, quiet pride, and what making it actually means in 2026 Scaling back activity to avoid burnout and what nearly hitting the wall taught him Being a maximalist and learning to pull back not overstimulating the listener and tightening the screws Working for a European record label, playing in two active bands, and still barely finding time to pick up a guitar The song thats about feeling removed from the real reasons he started playing music in the first place Why COVID proved that stopping isnt actually an option it never goes away The most important question any musician can ask themselves: why are you writing this? Does it move you? Or are you making a product? Create first, package later the most genuine way to make music in 2026 Do anything with real intention and real passion and itll shine through A lesson for every young band: always be the boss. Dont let anyone tell you what to do. Medieval peasant society looking up at the castle and how that image maps directly onto the billionaire technocracy of today Fans, creators, and musicians building the world they want within a broken system Why the underground scene runs on love of the creative process and why that matters more than ever Through Zero is out May 29th on Blues Funeral Recordings. PRE-ORDER THROUGH ZERO: Blues Fun https://video-meta.open.video/poster/Sef46vvq7ym6/AP5B6TEJRy2_bULjsp.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/Sef46vvq7ym6/1786398926/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=AP5B6TEJRy2 241 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/nick-disalvo-of-elder-on-through-zero-20-years-of-making-music-life-in-germany-ep-34 Nick DiSalvo of Elder on Through Zero, 20 Years of Making Music & Life in Germany Ep. 34 Check out our latests newsletter on ELDER HERE: www.thesonicroad.com Nick DiSalvo vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of Elder returns to The Sonic Road Podcast for a full conversation ahead of the bands seventh studio album Through Zero, out May 29th via Blues Funeral Recordings in North America and Stickman Records in Europe. This is a wide-ranging episode covering the full arc of Elders career, the creative philosophy behind Through Zero, and a lot of the real day-to-day reality of being a working musician two decades in. Nick speaks openly about burnout, creative intention, what mainstream even means in 2026, and what twenty years of doing this actually looks like from the inside. Heres what gets covered: Twenty years of Elder what it feels like, what its built, and the honest admission that not hitting the mainstream still stings sometimes Life in Germany working for a European record label while playing in two active bands and barely finding time to pick up a guitar Books, biographies and pop culture Kraftwerk, Cameron Crowe and Almost Famous The heavy music renaissance of 2026 why the resurgence feels different this time, and the community being built around it Playing smaller venues by choice and why that matters for the connection with an audience What a full break does to a musician and why COVID proved stopping isnt actually an option The making of Through Zero self-produced, recorded at Big Snuff Studio, co-mixed with Richard Behrens, and what makes it Elders most immediate record to date Mellotron, arpeggios, and the sonic palette that makes Through Zero different from anything Elder has made before Medieval imagery, modern technocracy, billionaires and why the image of peasants looking up at the castle hasnt changed much from then to now Three labels, one album Blues Funeral Recordings, Stickman Records, and Birds Robe handling global distribution and why that model works Whether Elder will ever play Through Zero in its entirety live and what it would take to get there The Black Crowes, Clutch https://video-meta.open.video/poster/oNiO7bfb-ynA/B45BAnFdRi2_McbkiL.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/oNiO7bfb-ynA/1786399192/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=B45BAnFdRi2 2933 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/why-stanton-moore-charts-everything-before-touching-the-kit Why Stanton Moore charts everything before touching the kit Stanton Moore breaks down how he maps out every drum part before he ever hits record and his method is so precise he compares it to writing a grocery list. The detail and discipline behind next-level drumming is something else entirely. Full episode on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad StantonMoore DrummerLife RockPodcast DrummingTechnique TheSonicRoadPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/QJia7d1qEagr/B4577n_tRy2_bqQGSw.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/QJia7d1qEagr/1786399037/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=B4577n_tRy2 52 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/album-sequencing-isnt-an-afterthought-coc-explains-why Album sequencing isnt an afterthought COC explains why Corrosion of Conformity breaks down the philosophy behind sequencing Good God/Baad Man and why the order of songs on a record is just as intentional as writing them. This is what separates a collection of songs from an actual album. Full episode on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad CorrosionOfConformity GoodGodBaadMan RockPodcast AlbumSequencing TheSonicRoad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/UNe0Nbey-uTW/By4kA8EZRj2_BrfeBG.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/UNe0Nbey-uTW/1786399037/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=By4kA8EZRj2 43 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/what-if-your-album-was-one-unskippable-45-minute-track-becky-franzel-the-sonic-road What If Your Album Was One Unskippable 45-Minute Track? Becky Franzel & The Sonic Road Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author and lifelong rock fan dig into one of the more interesting ideas in the singles culture debate: what if you released your album as one single, unskippable 45-minute track? The concept is straightforward and a little radical. In an era where listeners skip songs within seconds, where algorithms reward individual tracks over full albums, and where the art of sequencing has largely been abandoned what if you just made it impossible to skip? One continuous track. Digital vinyl. You sit with the whole thing or you dont listen at all. Its a conversation about the lost art of the album as a complete listening experience the way a great record has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and why the sequence of songs matters as much as the songs themselves. Beau and Becky talk about what that would look like in 2026 and whether anyone has the nerve to actually do it. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X thesonicroad.com AlbumCulture SinglesCulture DigitalVinyl MusicPhilosophy TheSonicRoadPodcast BeckyFranzel RockPodcast HeavyRock AlbumSequencing MusicIsMore VinylCulture LongFormMusic MusicDebate UnskippableAlbum IndependentMusic RockMusic MusicPodcast MilwaukeeAuthor AlbumVsSingles MusicCommunity https://video-meta.open.video/poster/iSaiVhH56yDX/tHXJt12BR42_MgKPvf.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/iSaiVhH56yDX/1786400756/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tHXJt12BR42 76 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/coc-recorded-their-entire-new-album-with-zero-isolation-corrosion-of-conformity COC Recorded Their Entire New Album With Zero Isolation Corrosion of Conformity Pepper Keenan and Woody Weatherman of Corrosion of Conformity on one of the most unconventional recording decisions behind Good God / Baad Man tracking the entire album with no isolation booth and no control room. Amps everywhere. Every guitar they owned in the room. Cabinets everywhere. Mattresses leaned against the walls down the hall. No silent room to listen back in. No way to know if a take was good until they stopped, rewound the tape, and listened. Most modern rock records are made in the opposite direction carefully controlled environments, isolated tracking, perfect separation between instruments. COC went the other way entirely. Everything bleeding into everything else. The room as part of the sound. And it shows up in the record exactly the way youd hope it would. This clip is from Episode 33 of The Sonic Road Podcast, recorded backstage at The Roxy at Mahalls in Lakewood, Ohio on May 10th, 2026 hours before COCs show in support of Good God / Baad Man, out now on Nuclear Blast Records. ORDER GOOD GOD / BAAD MAN: Nuclear Blast nuclearblast.com COC Website coc.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW COC: Instagram @coccabal TikTok @corrosivecabal Website coc.com CorrosionOfConformity GoodGodBaadMan RecordingProcess TheSonicRoadPodcast NuclearBlast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/o8uGRhfGByE6/tbqst1xQR42_MxBxey.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/o8uGRhfGByE6/1786400750/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tbqst1xQR42 48 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/make-art-anyway-becky-franzel-on-creative-philosophy-having-fun-with-it-the-sonic-road Make Art Anyway Becky Franzel on Creative Philosophy & Having Fun With It The Sonic Road Check out the podcast deep dive here: www.thesonicroad.com Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author, indie publisher, and lifelong rock fan on one of the most important things any creative person can hear: make the art anyway. Fuck around. Have fun. In a world that constantly measures creative output against metrics, algorithms, streaming numbers, and commercial viability, Becky makes the case for something simpler creating because you have to, experimenting because its interesting, and approaching the whole thing with a sense of play rather than pressure. Its a perspective that runs through everything Becky does from her books to her independent publishing house Aw Shucks! Publishing, to the weekly writing group she hosts at Lions Tooth bookstore in Milwaukees Bay View neighborhood. Make the thing. See what happens. Dont wait for permission or a perfect set of circumstances that may never arrive. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X thesonicroad.com MakeArt CreativePhilosophy BeckyFranzel IndieAuthor TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast Creativity MakeTheThing IndiePublishing WritingCommunity ArtistMindset HeavyRock MusicAndArt CreativeLife MilwaukeeAuthor FuckAround HaveFun ArtAnyway MusicPodcast CreativeCommunity https://video-meta.open.video/poster/TOeyRfvWEixX/ZXXstexRQO2_fqVyhb.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/TOeyRfvWEixX/1786400756/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZXXstexRQO2 78 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/their-producer-randomly-started-shredding-randy-rhoads-mid-session-corrosion-of-conformity Their Producer Randomly Started Shredding Randy Rhoads Mid-Session Corrosion of Conformity Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf of Corrosion of Conformity on one of the better surprises from the Good God / Baad Man sessions the moment producer Warren Riker picked up a guitar a few weeks into recording and started ripping Randy Rhoads solos out of nowhere. Nobody in the room knew he could play like that. Riker whose production credits include Down, Fugees, and Cathedral turned out to be a lifelong guitar shredder underneath the producer credentials. Pepper describes him as a typical Jersey suburban metalhead kid turned record producer. Which, when you think about it, explains a lot about why the record sounds the way it does. This clip is from Episode 33 of The Sonic Road Podcast, recorded backstage at The Roxy at Mahalls in Lakewood, Ohio on May 10th, 2026 hours before COCs show in support of Good God / Baad Man, out now on Nuclear Blast Records. ORDER GOOD GOD / BAAD MAN: Nuclear Blast nuclearblast.com COC Website coc.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW COC: Instagram @coccabal TikTok @corrosivecabal Website coc.com CorrosionOfConformity COC WarrenRiker RandyRhoads GoodGodBaadMan NuclearBlast HeavyMetal RockProducer PepperKeenan TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast MusicProduction GuitarShredder HeavyRock COCBand https://video-meta.open.video/poster/kOuWIdfO7a0t/ZHXcZu2QQP2_HyeOUx.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/kOuWIdfO7a0t/1786400750/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZHXcZu2QQP2 45 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/when-grunge-became-classic-rock-and-the-ticketmaster-verdict-the-sonic-road-podcast When Grunge Became Classic Rock and the Ticketmaster Verdict The Sonic Road Podcast Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author and lifelong rock fan on two things that hit differently in 2026: the moment you realize that nineties grunge is now the classic rock of todays teenagers, and what the recent Ticketmaster monopoly verdict actually means for rock fans who have been priced out of live music. The grunge conversation is one every rock fan over 35 will recognize immediately. The teenager at the venue wearing a vintage Soundgarden shirt who wasnt born when Superunknown came out. The kid who discovered Nirvana the same way their parents discovered Led Zeppelin through the cultural mythology of a band that no longer exists. Grunge isnt underground anymore. Its not even alternative. For a generation of younger rock fans, its the foundational music the thing that everything else gets measured against. Thats the definition of classic rock whether were ready for it or not. On the Ticketmaster side: on April 15, 2026, a federal jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as an illegal monopoly that overcharged consumers and harmed artists and venues. The DOJ settled separately capping service fees at 15% and requiring divestment of exclusive booking agreements with 13 amphitheaters. The remaining states are proceeding to a remedies trial that could result in a forced breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster entirely. Beau and Becky talk about what that verdict means for the fan who stopped going to shows not because they stopped loving live music, but because the price of a ticket stopped making sense. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Instagram TikTok Facebook X Grunge ClassicRock Nirvana Soundgarden PearlJam Ticketmaster LiveNation TicketmasterVerdict TheSonicRoadPodcast BeckyFranzel RockPodcast 90sRock GrungeIsClassicRock ConcertTickets MusicIndus https://video-meta.open.video/poster/jvDa7fmj3uNq/6qrIZexkQi2_XetWSM.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/jvDa7fmj3uNq/1786400869/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=6qrIZexkQi2 98 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/is-a-double-album-the-most-punk-rock-thing-you-can-do-in-2026-corrosion-of-conformity Is a Double Album the Most Punk Rock Thing You Can Do in 2026? Corrosion of Conformity Host Beau asks Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf of Corrosion of Conformity the most punk rock question of 2026 is releasing a double album the most defiant thing a band can do right now? The answer is more interesting than a simple yes or no. Pepper explains that Good God / Baad Man wasnt conceived as a double album for the sake of being a double album it was born from a specific creative concept. The songs pulled hard in two distinct directions, and rather than force them onto one record, the band split them into two separate hemispheres. Two worlds that connect. Each one with its own beginning, middle, and end. The limited edition pressing takes that concept even further two completely separate records rather than a gatefold, so you can play them in any order and both still work. Beau played Baad Man first and then Good God. It still held together. And the sequencing was done before they ever turned the amps on. Good God / Baad Man is out now on Nuclear Blast Records. ORDER GOOD GOD / BAAD MAN: Nuclear Blast nuclearblast.com COC Website coc.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: thesonicroad.com linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW COC: Instagram @coccabal TikTok @corrosivecabal CorrosionOfConformity COC PepperKeenan GoodGodBaadMan NuclearBlast DoubleAlbum PunkRock HeavyMetal SludgeMetal TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast HeavyRock NewMetal2026 AlbumSequencing BestAlbums2026 MusicInterview COCBand SouthernRock WoodyWeatherman RockMusic2026 https://video-meta.open.video/poster/RxbiIfnzZqoq/AWrYZu3kQi2_FmwDpn.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/RxbiIfnzZqoq/1786400866/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=AWrYZu3kQi2 51 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/corrosion-of-conformity-interview-pepper-keenan-woody-bobby-on-good-god-baad-man-ep-33 Corrosion of Conformity Interview Pepper Keenan, Woody & Bobby on Good God / Baad Man Ep. 33 Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf from Corrosion of Conformity sit down with host Beau for an in-person interview at The Roxy in Lakewood, Ohio on May 10th, 2026 before their show on the Good God / Baad Man tour. This is C.O.C.s first album in eight years, out now on Nuclear Blast Records. We go deep on the making of the double album recording with no isolation, no control room, and no clock. Pepper breaks down how Stanton Moores drumming forced him to rewrite 60% of his lyrics, why some demo tracks and cassette vocals made the final album, and how the band had the entire track sequence mapped out before they even turned the amps on. Woody and Bobby talk about cutting Handcuff County live in one take and keeping the demo. We also get into recording at Barry Gibbs studio in Miami, the six-foot oil painting that became the album cover, sessions at Electric Lady Studios and Dockside Studio, the return of Stanton Moore, Warren Riker producing for the first time, and the legacy of Reed Mullin. Beyond the album, we talk about the surge of rock and heavy music in 2026, new fans showing up at shows, the Acid Bath reunion effect, and why making a human-sounding record matters more than ever. Albums and topics covered in this episode: Corrosion of Conformity: Good God / Baad Man (April 2026, Nuclear Blast) The making of a double album with no isolation and no control room Stanton Moores return and his impact on the record Warren Riker producing C.O.C. for the first time Recording at Barry Gibbs home studio in Miami Demo tracks and cassette vocals on the final album Handcuff County written and recorded live in one take Sessions at Electric Lady Studios and Dockside Studio The legacy of Reed Mullin Mike Deans departure and Bobby Landgraf stepping in The Acid Bath reunion and the 2026 rock resurgence AI, perfection, and why human-made music matters Good God / Baad Man tracklist: Good God? / Final Dawn You Or Me Gimme Some Moore The Handler Bedouins Hand Run For Your Life Baad Man Lose Yourself Mandra Sonos A https://video-meta.open.video/poster/pFjS-hn4si9q/YzXZtf26k42_EioAEr.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/pFjS-hn4si9q/1786402647/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YzXZtf26k42 1970 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/highlight-reel-backstage-with-coc-pepper-woody-on-making-good-godbaad-man-the-sonic-road Highlight Reel Backstage with COC Pepper, & Woody on Making Good God/Baad Man The Sonic Road Beau caught up with Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Bobby Landgraf of Corrosion of Conformity backstage at The Roxy at Mahalls in Lakewood, Ohio on May 10th, 2026 just hours before their show for this highlight reel from Episode 33 of The Sonic Road Podcast. The full episde drops this Friday May 15th at 7:00AM EST In under four minutes, the band covers more ground than most interviews do in an hour: Why Good God / Baad Man sounds like a COC greatest hits record and why that was completely intentional The heavy underground surge of 2026 Acid Bath bringing old timers back, new fans showing up, parents bringing their kids to the front row The vinyl sold out fast and the label didnt press enough a good problem to have Why the entire double album was sequenced before they ever turned the amps on You dont write a novel and then decide what chapters go where No slippers, no La-Z-Boys, no pajamas this is how COC makes a record The hidden Mississippi writing retreat no clock, no hotel, sleeping on the floor, barbecuing, rewriting lyrics on the back porch at 3AM Why 2026 is shaping up to be one of the best years for rock albums in recent memory How John Custers severe tinnitus diagnosis led to Warren Riker producing and why it made the album better Recording with no isolation and no control room mattresses against cabinets and no way to know if a take was good until you rewound the tape Human music vs AI why the imperfections on this record are the whole point, and why some demo tracks and cassette vocals made the final cut Handcuff County recorded live in one take while vamping in Mississippi and why they kept the demo Playing five new songs tonight and fans are already singing along and talk of playing the whole album live someday ORDER GOOD GOD / BAAD MAN Nuclear Blast: https://coc.com Nuclear Blast Records: nuclearblast.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad thesonicroad.com FOLLOW CORROSION OF CONFORMITY: coc.com On Instagram: @coccabal https://video-meta.open.video/poster/OEqSVtTO3qh5/szWcZvxBR52_TieCpX.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/OEqSVtTO3qh5/1786402467/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=szWcZvxBR52 233 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/part-voodoo-part-science-ewan-currie-on-the-sheepdogs-studio-magic Part Voodoo, Part Science: Ewan Currie on The Sheepdogs Studio Magic Just when you think youve figured out exactly how to make a record, youll completely change your mind. Ewan Currie of The Sheepdogs pulls back the curtain on the creation of their 2026 album, Keep Out of the Storm. Ewan describes the recording process as a mix of voodoo and sciencea combination of disciplined craftsmanship and the unexplainable energy that occurs when a band tracks live-off-the-floor. The discussion touches on the bands time at Taurus Recording with engineer Thomas DArcy. Ewan explains that while the science involves the technical setup and the rooms acoustics, the voodoo comes from playing eye-to-eye and allowing the songs to evolve naturally in the moment. This organic approach was further amplified by the rotating cast of guest drummers who brought new colors and energy to the sessions, forcing the band to stay on their toes and trust their instincts over a set formula. Follow The Sheepdogs here: www.thesheepdogs.com Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad TheSonicRoadPodcast TheSheepdogs EwanCurrie StudioLife RockProduction KeepOutOfTheStorm MusicBusiness CanadianRock https://video-meta.open.video/poster/jFjiRbTGxiwZ/YPWYsL2BR42_EzdzJJ.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/jFjiRbTGxiwZ/1786402586/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YPWYsL2BR42 19 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/signed-dropped-repeat-how-clutch-built-one-of-rocks-most-loyal-fanbases-anyway-the-sonic-road Signed. Dropped. Repeat. How Clutch Built One of Rocks Most Loyal Fanbases Anyway The Sonic Road Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author and lifelong rock fan dig into one of the great survival stories in independent rock: how Clutch navigated the major label system, got dropped more than once, and still managed to build one of the most devoted fanbases in heavy rock. Clutch signed to EastWest Records for their 1993 debut Transnational Speedway League. Their self-titled 1995 follow-up gained mainstream attention and then their A&R rep was fired, and the entire roster got dropped with him. They moved to Columbia for 1998s The Elephant Riders, grew disillusioned with the labels lack of promotional support and creative constraints, and self-released Jam Room in 1999 on their own River Road Records. Signed to Atlantic for 2001s Pure Rock Fury then departed again. After cycling through EastWest, Columbia, Atlantic, and DRT Entertainment, the band finally founded their own label, Weathermaker Music, in 2008 and have been releasing records on their own terms ever since. The result: seven straight top 10 releases on Billboards Independent Albums Chart between 2004 and 2018. Earth Rocker reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200 in 2013. Psychic Warfare peaked at No. 11 in 2015. A fanbase built entirely through relentless touring and the refusal to stop over 100 shows a year for decades without a single major label hit to show for any of it. Its a blueprint for independent survival in the music industry, and Beau and Becky break it down in a way that every rock fan and working musician should hear. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Instagram TikTok Facebook X Clutch NeilFallon WeathermakerMusic HeavyRock StoneRock TheSonicRoadPodcast BeckyFranzel RockPodcast IndependentBand MajorLabelProblems DIYRock MusicIndustry BandLife CultFollowing RockHistory HeavyMetal Undergroun https://video-meta.open.video/poster/pxyOJjeWBmU7/tr5ctKwQly2_eYoxXT.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/pxyOJjeWBmU7/1786404397/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tr5ctKwQly2 63 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/im-not-paying-this-anymore-beau-becky-franzel-on-the-ticketmaster-monopoly-ruling Im Not Paying This Anymore Beau & Becky Franzel on the Ticketmaster Monopoly Ruling Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author and lifelong rock fan react to the 2026 Ticketmaster and Live Nation antitrust ruling, and what it means for rock fans who have been watching concert ticket prices spiral out of control for years. On April 15, 2026, a federal jury in Manhattan found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally monopolized the live events industry and overcharged consumers a verdict that 33 states and the District of Columbia had been fighting for. The jury found Ticketmaster overcharged concertgoers as a direct result of its anticompetitive practices. Live Nation has stated it plans to appeal. Under a separate DOJ settlement reached earlier in the trial, Live Nation agreed to cap ticketing service fees at 15%, allow competitors like SeatGeek and StubHub to offer tickets to its events, and divest exclusive booking agreements with 13 amphitheaters. The remaining states that didnt settle are now moving to a remedies trial one possible outcome being a forced breakup and divestiture of Ticketmaster from Live Nation entirely. Beau and Becky talk about what this ruling means for everyday rock fans the ones who stopped going to shows not because they stopped caring about live music, but because the math simply stopped making sense. And what a genuinely competitive ticketing market could look like for independent venues, artists, and fans if the breakup actually happens. Give us your thoughts on this in the comments. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Instagram TikTok Facebook X Ticketmaster LiveNation TicketmasterMonopoly Antitrust LiveNationVerdict ConcertTickets TicketPrices TheSonicRoadPodcast BeckyFranzel RockPodcast LiveMusic ConcertFans MusicIndustry TicketmasterBreakup IndependentVenues RockMusic HeavyRock LiveMusicCommunity MusicPodcast Concer https://video-meta.open.video/poster/VhiOUDGWAaV4/Zb5dY036lj2_RQQyHc.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/VhiOUDGWAaV4/1786404400/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Zb5dY036lj2 55 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/why-every-genre-exists-and-why-corrosion-of-conformitys-good-godbaad-man-is-a-2026-must-hear Why Every Genre Exists and Why Corrosion of Conformitys Good God/Baad Man Is a 2026 Must-Hear Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author and lifelong rock fan talk about why every music genre exists for a reason and finds its audience, before landing on one of their top album recommendations of 2026 so far: Corrosion of Conformitys double album Good God / Baad Man, out now on Nuclear Blast. Good God / Baad Man is COCs first studio album in eight years their most ambitious record to date, and one that spans the full breadth of what the band is capable of. Produced by Grammy Award winner Warren Riker and featuring drummer Stanton Moore for the first time since 2005, the double album splits into two distinct halves: Good God leans into the heavier, punchier end of COCs identity think furious punk and sludge metal while Baad Man swings toward southern rock, ZZ Top-influenced throwdowns, and even gospel-inflected doom. Pepper Keenan calls it a weird love letter to all things rock and roll. Hes not wrong. Decibel Magazine called it COCs most ambitious album to date. Blabbermouth said its by far the most immersive and free-spirited record theyve ever made. If you havent heard it yet, this clip is your prompt to go fix that immediately. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Instagram TikTok Facebook X CorrosionOfConformity GoodGodBaadMan COC PepperKeenan WoodyWeatherman StantonMoore NuclearBlast HeavyMetal SludgeMetal SouthernRock TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast BeckyFranzel BestAlbums2026 HeavyRock NewMetal2026 MusicGenres DoubleAlbum RockMusic2026 MusicPodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/odmG7pLOBun6/tX4IY0xlQz2_jTcmpg.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/odmG7pLOBun6/1786404401/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tX4IY0xlQz2 33 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/lighten-up-music-isnt-science-meeting-kindred-spirits-at-rock-shows-the-sonic-road-podcast Lighten Up Music Isnt Science Meeting Kindred Spirits at Rock Shows The Sonic Road Podcast Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author and lifelong rock fan on one of the best parts of going to live shows: the strangers you meet who turn out to be your people. Theres something that happens at a rock show that doesnt happen many other places you walk in not knowing anyone and walk out with a conversation youll remember, a recommendation that changes what you listen to for the next six months, or just the simple reminder that the music you love is loved by a lot of other people too. The crowd isnt just a crowd. Its a community that assembles and disperses one show at a time. Beau and Becky also touch on something worth saying out loud: lighten up. Music is supposed to be fun. Its not science. The gatekeeping, the genre arguments, the intensity of certain fanbases none of it serves the music. The whole point is to enjoy it, share it, and find other people who feel the same way. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Instagram TikTok Facebook X RockShows LiveMusic MusicCommunity KindredSpirits TheSonicRoadPodcast BeckyFranzel RockPodcast HeavyRock LiveRock MusicFans RockCommunity ConcertLife RockLife MusicIsLife LightenUp HeavyMetal UndergroundRock MusicPodcast RockMusic ConcertCommunity https://video-meta.open.video/poster/OhqW3BH5EafX/tH4cZf2BRy2_RPrIHA.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/OhqW3BH5EafX/1786404394/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tH4cZf2BRy2 30 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/when-camel-gave-out-free-smokes-at-the-black-keys When Camel gave out free smokes at The Black Keys It seems like a completely different planet... back when we were free and unhealthy. In this highlight from The Sonic Road, host Beau shares a story with author Becky Franzel (The Encore: A Memoir) about catching The Black Keys at the legendary Cleveland Agora. It was one of the bands biggest shows as they were just starting to explode, and the night had a sponsor you definitely wont see on a concert poster in 2026: Camel Cigarettes. Beau recalls the sheer volume of free packs being handed out at the door (to anyone of age) and the hazy atmosphere of a packed rock club before indoor smoking bans changed the game. Becky and Beau laugh about the wild west era of corporate tour sponsorships and how weird it would be if bands tried to ship a pack of smokes with their vinyl records today. Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/pdCGRzK5EuMX/tXzYZfwkQy2_HNShFD.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/pdCGRzK5EuMX/1786404399/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tXzYZfwkQy2 48 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/the-weirdest-era-of-mtv-nu-metal-vs-90s-pop The Weirdest Era of MTV: Nu Metal vs. 90s Pop It was a strange time for music for sure. In this highlight from The Sonic Road, author Becky Franzel (The Encore: A Memoir) joins Beau to discuss the bizarre musical landscape of the late nineties. We look back at how MTV managed to juggle the Boy Band phenomenonBritney, Christina, and the restwith the simultaneous explosion of Nu Metal acts like Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock. Becky and Beau reflect on the Fred Durst era and the polarizing nature of that scene. We also touch on the fascinating cycle of music fandom: how Limp Bizkit went from being the biggest band in the world to being widely hated, only to find a new wave of appreciation and nostalgia in 2026. Inside this clip: The TRL Whiplash: Remembering when boy bands and Nu Metal shared the same countdown. The Fred Durst Factor: Why it was the perfect time for the rise of Limp Bizkit. The Nostalgia Cycle: How our collective opinion of the late 90s/early 00s has shifted over the last two decades. https://video-meta.open.video/poster/Rtm8-pGPEyn4/ZX5YZ1w6Qz2_BhSjTM.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/Rtm8-pGPEyn4/1786404393/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZX5YZ1w6Qz2 29 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/zach-amster-of-abrams-its-nearly-impossible-to-be-in-a-band-full-time-and-they-do-it-anyway Zach Amster of ABRAMS Its Nearly Impossible to Be in a Band Full Time and They Do It Anyway ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster on one of the most honest topics in independent rock the financial reality of being in a working heavy rock band in 2026, why making a living from music alone is nearly impossible at their level, and why that has never been the reason they do it. Zach talks candidly about the economics of independent touring and recording streaming revenue that doesnt cover costs, tour expenses that eat into any money made at the door, day jobs that exist alongside the band rather than instead of it and the mindset that keeps a band like ABRAMS going through all of it. The music is the reason. Everything else is just the reality of doing it in 2026. Its a straightforward conversation about something most working musicians live with every day but dont always talk about publicly. For anyone in a band, thinking about starting one, or simply someone who wants to understand what it actually takes to sustain independent music at this level this one is worth your time. This clip is from our full conversation with Zach ahead of the release of ABRAMS new album Loon, out now on Blues Funeral Recordings. STREAM/ORDER LOON Blues Funeral Recordings: US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ABRAMS: @abramsrockband ABRAMS ZachAmster Loon BluesFuneralRecordings HeavyRock MusicIndustry IndependentBand MakingItInMusic TouringMusician TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast MusicianLife BandLife StreamingRevenue DIYBand HeavyMetal PostHardcore StonerRock MusicBusiness DenverRock https://video-meta.open.video/poster/l5nqYD9yEam4/Yj4YYL27ky2_Bqiqtu.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/l5nqYD9yEam4/1786406249/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Yj4YYL27ky2 56 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/the-black-crowes-made-a-pound-of-feathers-in-8-days-wbecky-franzel-the-sonic-road-podcast The Black Crowes Made A Pound of Feathers in 8 Days -w/Becky Franzel The Sonic Road Podcast Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author and lifelong rock fan dig into The Black Crowes tenth studio album A Pound of Feathers, released March 13, 2026 on the bands own Silver Arrow Records label. The standout detail: the Robinson brothers recorded the whole thing in eight to ten days with producer Jay Joyce the same producer behind their Grammy-nominated 2024 album Happiness Bastards. Writing on instinct, working fast, and letting the spontaneity of the room drive the sessions. For a band four decades into their career, that approach says something meaningful about where they are creatively right now. Becky shares her take on the album what works, what it sounds like relative to Happiness Bastards, and whether the speed of recording shows up in the final product. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Instagram TikTok Facebook X BlackCrowes APoundOfFeathers ChrisRobinson RichRobinson TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast BeckyFranzel ClassicRock HappinessBastards SilverArrowRecords JayJoyce RockReview NewRock2026 AlbumReview RockMusic MusicPodcast BluesRock SouthernRock NewMusic2026 RockAlbum2026 https://video-meta.open.video/poster/OTv4UlPq6Cns/s54tYKw6ky2_fqfLQh.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/OTv4UlPq6Cns/1786406245/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=s54tYKw6ky2 28 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/abrams-released-a-record-then-the-world-shut-down-zach-amster-on-covid-modern-ways ABRAMS Released a Record Then the World Shut Down Zach Amster on COVID & Modern Ways ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster on what it was like to release a record and then watch the entire music industry shut down almost immediately after and what that experience meant for the band, their momentum, and ultimately how they approached making their next record. Modern Ways came out in 2020. The timing couldnt have been harder. The tours didnt happen, the shows didnt happen, and a record the band had worked toward for years went out into the world at exactly the moment the world stopped being able to engage with it the way music is meant to be engaged with live, in a room, with other people. Zach talks about navigating that experience, what it did to the bands process and mindset, and how coming out the other side of it shaped the urgency and intensity that went into making Loon ABRAMS new album out now on Blues Funeral Recordings. Its a story a lot of bands lived through during that period, but hearing it told from the inside of a working independent heavy rock band gives it a specific weight that goes beyond the general narrative. STREAM/ORDER LOON Blues Funeral Recordings: US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media Subscribe to the newsletter here: www.thesonicroad.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad ABRAMS ZachAmster Loon BluesFuneralRecordings ModernWays COVID PandemicMusic HeavyRock DenverRock RockPodcast TheSonicRoadPodcast IndependentBand MusicIndustry PandemicBands BandLife HeavyMetal PostHardcore StonerRock MusicHistory RockMusic Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/VTzOJD5i_eKt/sP4JsK3Qki2_iSiWgG.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/VTzOJD5i_eKt/1786406256/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sP4JsK3Qki2 71 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/why-abrams-record-more-songs-than-they-need-the-sonic-road-podcast Why ABRAMS Record More Songs Than They Need The Sonic Road Podcast ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster on one of the more practical and underrated parts of making a record why the band deliberately goes into the studio with more songs than they need, and why the songs you think are guaranteed to make the album dont always end up there. Zach explains the thinking behind recording a larger pool of material and letting the album find its own shape in the edit, rather than going in with a fixed tracklist and forcing songs onto a record that may not actually serve it. The sure thing songs the ones that felt finished and obvious before the sessions even started sometimes get left behind because something recorded in the room turns out to be stronger, or because the album as a whole needs something different than what that song offers. Its a straightforward but genuinely useful perspective on how working bands approach the studio, and how the best records often come from being willing to leave good material on the floor. This clip is from our full conversation with Zach ahead of the release of ABRAMS new album Loon, out now on Blues Funeral Recordings. STREAM/ORDER LOON Blues Funeral Recordings: US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad Read more here: www.thesonicroad.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ABRAMS: @abramsrockband ABRAMS ZachAmster Loon BluesFuneralRecordings HeavyRock RecordingProcess StudioStrategy Songwriting DenverRock TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast MakingAnAlbum SongSelection HeavyMetal PostHardcore StonerRock MusicProduction BandLife NewAlbum2026 RockMusic Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/p7fuJl8iFaTB/YjzsZvx7lj2_qCbtff.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/p7fuJl8iFaTB/1786406256/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YjzsZvx7lj2 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/zach-amster-of-abrams-on-what-happens-to-your-mood-when-you-stop-playing-music-the-denver-scene Zach Amster of ABRAMS on What Happens to Your Mood When You Stop Playing Music & the Denver Scen ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster on two things that every musician will recognize immediately what happens to your mental state when you go two weeks without playing music, and why the local scene you come from shapes everything about how you make it. Zach talks honestly about music as a necessary outlet what it feels like when that outlet gets cut off even for a short period, and how quickly the absence of playing affects his mood and headspace. Its something most musicians understand instinctively but rarely say out loud this directly. He also talks about Denver, Colorado as a music community what makes it a genuinely supportive scene for heavy rock and independent bands, and why having a strong local foundation matters for a band like ABRAMS that has been building their audience from the ground up for over a decade. This clip is from our full conversation with Zach ahead of the release of ABRAMS new album Loon, out now on Blues Funeral Recordings. STREAM/ORDER LOON Blues Funeral Recordings: US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ABRAMS: @abramsrockband ABRAMS ZachAmster Loon BluesFuneralRecordings DenverRock DenverMusicScene HeavyRock MusicianMentalHealth RockPodcast TheSonicRoadPodcast MusicianLife GuitaristLife SongwritingLife IndependentBand HeavyMetal PostHardcore StonerRock MusicCommunity NewAlbum2026 RockMusic https://video-meta.open.video/poster/kPbyRjSz_mVs/YzzIZv3Qlj2_OEYHqq.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/kPbyRjSz_mVs/1786406247/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YzzIZv3Qlj2 41 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/every-day-is-record-store-day-becky-franzel-the-sonic-road-on-supporting-independent-music Every Day Is Record Store Day Becky Franzel & The Sonic Road on Supporting Independent Music Join our community here: www.thesonicroad.com Host Beau and returning guest Becky Franzel Milwaukee author and lifelong rock fan make the case that you dont need to wait for one Saturday a year to support independent music and independent record stores. Between Bandcamp, direct-to-artist purchasing, and independent record stores that are open year-round, the tools to support the music and the scenes you love are available every single day. The concept behind Record Store Day is genuinely important but the rising costs, the pricing on the floor, and the way the economics can box out smaller retailers have made the actual event increasingly complicated for a lot of people in the independent music community. Every day is Record Store Day if you choose to treat it that way. This clip is from Episode 32 of The Sonic Road Podcast, out now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FIND BECKY FRANZEL: beckyfranzel.com awshuckspub.com FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Instagram TikTok Facebook X RecordStoreDay Bandcamp IndependentMusic VinylCommunity RecordStores SupportIndieMusic TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast BeckyFranzel HeavyRock VinylCollector IndieRecord MusicCommunity DirectToArtist RockMusic MusicPodcast HeavyMetal UndergroundRock NewMusic2026 SupportLocalMusic https://video-meta.open.video/poster/Q_zWYB4b-Chs/sPzJsf2RQj2_itQScX.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/Q_zWYB4b-Chs/1786406256/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sPzJsf2RQj2 24 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/todd-severin-why-my-1994-sci-fi-novel-took-30-years-to-publish Todd Severin: Why My 1994 Sci-Fi Novel Took 30 Years to Publish Back in 1994, Todd Severin pitched a story about surgeons using Virtual Reality and AI to operate on a living heartand some told him it was science fiction. Ripple Music CEO and surgeon Todd Severin discusses the 30-year journey behind his debut novel, Deadly Vision. Todd explains that when he first started writing about the Virtual Heart Project in the mid-90s, the medical and publishing worlds werent ready for the tech he was describing. Fast forward to 2026, and those futuristic ideas are now grounded in real-world medical science. Todd reflects on the persistence required to keep a story alive for three decades and what its like to see the world finally catch up to the technology he envisioned years ago. Its a great look at the intersection of imagination, medicine, and the sheer grit it takes to be an author. ORDER THE NOVEL: Deadly Vision is available now at tdseverin.com Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad thesonicroadpodcast toddseverin deadlyvision ripplemusic rockpodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/DvDG6dfz6m_t/By5ssewlk42_XZhbdR.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/DvDG6dfz6m_t/1786407758/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=By5ssewlk42 25 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/zach-amster-of-abrams-on-writing-lyrics-open-to-interpretation-and-what-they-mean-months-later Zach Amster of ABRAMS on Writing Lyrics Open to Interpretation and What They Mean Months Later ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster talks about his approach to writing lyrics keeping them open to interpretation rather than locking them into a fixed meaning and what happens when he comes back to them months later and finds something in them he didnt consciously put there. Its an honest look at how the writing process works for a musician who channels real emotion and real-world frustration into his songs, and why leaving space in lyrics for the listener to bring their own meaning to them is a deliberate creative choice on the new ABRAMS album Loon. Loon is out now on Blues Funeral Recordings. STREAM/ORDER LOON Blues Funeral Recordings: US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ABRAMS: @abramsrockband ABRAMS ZachAmster Loon BluesFuneralRecordings Songwriting LyricWriting HeavyRock DenverRock RockPodcast TheSonicRoadPodcast SongwritingProcess MusicCreation LyricsExplained HeavyMetal PostHardcore StonerRock MusicInterview NewAlbum2026 RockMusic IndependentRock https://video-meta.open.video/poster/5oDW_xbH7uN7/BGrRt03Bky2_swdwZs.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/5oDW_xbH7uN7/1786409336/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=BGrRt03Bky2 60 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/the-best-rock-albums-of-2026-so-far-becky-franzel-returns-the-sonic-road-podcast-ep-32 The Best Rock Albums of 2026 So Far Becky Franzel Returns The Sonic Road Podcast Ep. 32 Returning guest and Milwaukee author Becky Franzel joins host Beau for a wide-ranging conversation about the rock, metal, and alternative releases that have defined 2026 so far plus whats still coming, summer tour season, the state of vinyl, and the ongoing debate around Record Store Day, Bandcamp, and Spotify. Albums and artists covered in this episode: The Black Crowes: A Pound of Feathers (March 2026, Silver Arrow) Corrosion of Conformity: Good God / Baad Man (April 2026, Nuclear Blast) Elder: Through Zero (May 2026, Blues Funeral Recordings) All Them Witches: House of Mirrors (May 2026, BMG) Weedpecker: Fifth album Kat Clyde: Mud and Bone Handsome Jack: Barn Burners Fortune Child: Trio EP The Black Keys: Peaches (upcoming) ABRAMS: Loon (Blues Funeral Recordings) Plus: Clutch, Bethlehem Shalom, Ian Vera, and more Beyond the music, Beau and Becky dig into the economics of vinyl buying in 2026 the rising cost of Record Store Day releases, how smaller retailers get squeezed out, and why buying direct from artists and through Bandcamp remains the most effective way to support independent music. They also get into the singles culture debate, summer festival and touring hopes, the Ticketmaster monopoly problem, fair splits at indie venues, and the state of the music industry in general. Becky also shares updates on her current writing projects, including her fourth book Deaths Subcontractor Derrick, and where to find her work. Beau announces plans for a free Sonic Road newsletter. Becky Franzel is a Milwaukee-based independent author and copywriter. Her books include This Road Must Go Somewhere (2018), Moving Forward (2019), and Deaths Intern Derrick (2023). FIND BECKY FRANZEL: Website: beckyfranzel.com Publishing: awshuckspub.com SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad Instagram TikTok Facebook X CHAPTERS 00:00 Episode Intro & Guest Welcome 00:46 Subscribe & Free Newsletter Announcement 01:35 Record Store Day Costs, Pricing & Small https://video-meta.open.video/poster/yMnyVf5q2mwA/AHqlY1wQlO2_JIGYoj.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/yMnyVf5q2mwA/1786410021/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=AHqlY1wQlO2 3387 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/why-the-sheepdogs-only-record-live-in-the-studio Why The Sheepdogs Only Record Live in the Studio Ewan Currie breaks down why The Sheepdogs refuse to piece it together in post. Full episode on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad thesonicroadpodcast musicpodcast2026 TheSheepdogs EwanCurrie RecordingProcess AnalogRecording RockPodcast Shorts https://video-meta.open.video/poster/AteyYxzPFaEy/sjqQsLxQQP2_htLGLa.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/AteyYxzPFaEy/1786411049/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=sjqQsLxQQP2 25 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/recording-live-off-the-floor-creates-the-vibe-with-ewan-currie Recording live off the floor creates the vibe with Ewan Currie Those little subtle things stack up to create the vibe. In this highlight from The Sonic Road, Ewan Currie of The Sheepdogs discusses the bands disciplined approach to recording their latest album, Keep Out of the Storm. Ewan breaks down why they prefer tracking live in the studio rather than building songs instrument by instrument. For the band, its about capturing a moment. By running the song in a circle until the energy feels right, they can record faster and avoid the trap of overthinking individual parts. This method keeps the pressure off and ensures that the final record has that authentic, human roll that defines classic rock and roll in 2026. ORDER THE NEW ALBUM: Keep Out of the Storm is available now at thesheepdogs.com Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad thesonicroadpodcast TheSheepdogs EwanCurrie StudioLife LiveRecording KeepOutOfTheStorm https://video-meta.open.video/poster/5dqm2x94AeE5/Y5qAY136Q52_Bwmatp.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/5dqm2x94AeE5/1786411047/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Y5qAY136Q52 25 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/algorithms-want-you-sick-and-sad-sometimes-ewan-currie-interview Algorithms Want You Sick and Sad Sometimes: Ewan Currie Interview It seems like a lot of content and algorithm stuff wants everybody to be sick and sad and afraid all the time. In this highlight from The Sonic Road, Ewan Currie of The Sheepdogs discusses the inspiration behind their timely track, Bad For Your Health, from the 2026 album Keep Out of the Storm. The conversation dives into the Digital Overload we all face. Ewan reflects on the difficult paradox of 2026: the internet and our phones are essential, incredibly useful tools for musicians and fans alikebut their current architecture often thrives on keeping us in a state of anxiety and fear. They explore: The Bad For Your Health Inspiration: How the bands songwriting shifted to address the modern digital storm. The Algorithm Trap: Why social media often prioritizes negative emotions to keep users engaged. The Paradox of Usefulness: The ongoing challenge of finding a balance with technology when your career depends on being connected. ORDER THE NEW ALBUM: Keep Out of the Storm is available now at thesheepdogs.com Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad TheSonicRoad TheSheepdogs EwanCurrie KeepOutOfTheStorm DigitalWellbeing MentalHealth RockAndRoll BadForYourHealth https://video-meta.open.video/poster/zryGRx94-qxY/YzWBYLw7QP2_JOuahK.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/zryGRx94-qxY/1786411039/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=YzWBYLw7QP2 27 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/10-hours-a-day-on-screens-ewan-currie-on-the-modern-digital-storm 10 Hours a Day on Screens!: Ewan Currie on the Modern Digital Storm We might look back at this era and be like, Oh my god, people were on these things 10 hours a day! Ewan Currie (The Sheepdogs) and Beau discuss the long-term effects of our obsession with phones, screens, and the internet. Ewan shares his belief that future generations will look back at the mid-2020s with disbelief at our total immersion in digital spaces, noting that while its our current normal, were likely beginning to realize just how much its messing with us. Beau adds a Gen X perspective, recalling the transition from a world of snail mail to the early days when the internet felt like a purely useful tool for connection. The conversation highlights a theme of The Sheepdogs new album, Keep Out of the Storm: the search for human connection and a safe port away from the constant noise of the digital world. Inside this clip: The Futures Verdict: Why our 10-hour-a-day screen habits will likely be viewed as a historical anomaly. The Evolutionary Gap: Moving from the era of physical mail to the always-on culture of 2026. Mental Health & Music: How setting down the phone is often the first step toward finding a creative suit of armor. ORDER THE NEW ALBUM: Keep Out of the Storm is available now at thesheepdogs.com Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad TheSonicRoad TheSheepdogs EwanCurrie ScreenTime DigitalWellbeing KeepOutOfTheStorm RockAndRoll MentalHealth https://video-meta.open.video/poster/4huq3dCH_u1y/s5rQtv2RRP2_PiHlsS.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/4huq3dCH_u1y/1786411046/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=s5rQtv2RRP2 32 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/a-suit-of-armor-ewan-currie-on-the-healing-power-of-rock-roll A Suit of Armor: Ewan Currie on the Healing Power of Rock & Roll Music to me was like a safe place... like a suit of armor. Ewan Currie of The Sheepdogs gets personal about the emotional weight behind the bands music and their latest album, Keep Out of the Storm. Ewan describes how a great record can act as a safe port in the storm, providing a sense of home and protection that is hard to find anywhere else. For Ewan, the imagery of the storm isnt just about the title of the new record its about the mental space where music offers a shield against the chaos of the outside world. Whether youre listening alone in your room or standing with friends at a packed show, that sense of community and safety is what keeps the roll in rock and roll alive in 2026. Follow The Sheepdogs here: www.thesheepdogs.com Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad thesheepdogs keepoutofthestorm ewancurrie newmusic2026 thesonicroadpodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/_hiiUd9P_uFy/Y5XBtfx7RP2_fmEaXy.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/_hiiUd9P_uFy/1786411051/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Y5XBtfx7RP2 20 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/rocking-black-jeans-in-100-heat-zach-amster-of-abrams-the-sonic-road-podcast Rocking Black Jeans in 100 Heat Zach Amster of ABRAMS The Sonic Road Podcast ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster on one of the great unspoken hazards of being in a heavy rock band performing in full black on a hot stage and refusing to compromise the look no matter what. A short clip from our full conversation with Zach ahead of the release of ABRAMS new album Loon, out now on Blues Funeral Recordings. STREAM/ORDER LOON Blues Funeral Recordings: US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ABRAMS: @abramsrockband ABRAMS ZachAmster HeavyRock RockHumor BlackJeans TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast Loon BluesFuneralRecordings DenverRock TouringMusician RockLife GuitaristLife FestivalSeason HeavyMetal RockMusician Follow The Sonic Road Podcast on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X: @thesonicroad Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad https://video-meta.open.video/poster/7hm4ZtjGEq9A/tiXls0w6lO2_ojnvTn.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/7hm4ZtjGEq9A/1786411048/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=tiXls0w6lO2 52 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/abrams-head-to-europe-zach-amster-on-desertfest-london-their-first-uk-tour Abrams Head to Europe: Zach Amster on Desertfest London & Their First UK Tour We got the offer to do Desertfest London and were like, All right, lets try it. In this clip from The Sonic Road, Zach Amster of the Denver heavy rock band Abrams talks about a major milestone for the group: their first-ever tour across the Atlantic. With their new album Loon arriving this April on Blues Funeral Recordings, the timing couldnt be better for the band to bring their melodic, heavy sound to a European audience. Zach shares the bands excitement about playing the legendary Desertfest London this May and how they are building a UK circuit around the festival. Following a successful run at Desertfest New York, the band is ready to see how their music translates overseas. Its a great look at the transition from a local spearhead to an international touring act. ORDER LOON: Available April 17, 2026, at bluesfuneral.com Subscribe on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad abrams abramsband loon bluesfuneralrecordings thesonicroadpodcast desertfestlondon desertfest newrock newalbum2026 abramsinterview rockpodcast musicpodcast https://video-meta.open.video/poster/8hqiIfT4_yu5/ZirBY027k42_vbhvgR.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/8hqiIfT4_yu5/1786411043/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZirBY027k42 41 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/zach-amster-of-abrams-on-weird-tunings-keeping-guitar-fun-soundgardens-mind-riot Zach Amster of ABRAMS on Weird Tunings, Keeping Guitar Fun & Soundgardens Mind Riot ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster talks about the value of experimenting with alternate guitar tunings as a way to keep playing fresh and creative and why treating your instrument more like a toy than a precision tool can unlock ideas youd never find any other way. Zach uses Soundgardens Mind Riot as a prime example of what an unconventional tuning can do for a song. Its why some of the best rock music ever made came from musicians who werent afraid to break the rules of how the instrument is supposed to be played. This is from our full interview with Zach ahead of the release of ABRAMS new album Loon, out April 17th on Blues Funeral Recordings. ORDER LOON (Out April 17th Blues Funeral Recordings): US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ABRAMS: @abramsrockband ABRAMS ZachAmster AlternateTunings WeirdTunings Soundgarden MindRiot GuitarTips GuitarCreativity HeavyRock DenverRock Loon BluesFuneralRecordings TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast GuitarPlayer GuitarTalk ChrisCornell GuitarExperimentation NewAlbum2026 RockGuitar https://video-meta.open.video/poster/AdyS7bPW-i2s/Zyq6tu3AQ52_vMgopJ.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/AdyS7bPW-i2s/1786411053/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Zyq6tu3AQ52 46 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/zach-amster-of-abrams-on-recording-loon-in-denver-mixing-to-tape-with-andrew-schneider Zach Amster of ABRAMS on Recording Loon in Denver & Mixing to Tape with Andrew Schneider ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster talks about what made the recording of Loon different from previous ABRAMS records including recording in Denver for the first time, bringing in mixing engineer Andrew Schneider, and the decision to mix the album straight to tape on an all-analog signal chain. Zach describes the approach behind Loon as intentionally stripped back less overthinking, more of a punk ethos applied to a heavy rock record. He also breaks down why Andrew Schneider was the right person for the job, citing his work with Cave In, Unsane, and a catalog of records known for their raw, physical drum sounds. Loon is ABRAMS sixth album and their second on Blues Funeral Recordings. Its out April 17th. ORDER LOON (Out April 17th Blues Funeral Recordings): US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ABRAMS: @abramsrockband ABRAMS ZachAmster Loon BluesFuneralRecordings AndrewSchneider MixingToTape AnalogRecording HeavyRock DenverRock PunkEthos RecordingProcess TheSonicRoadPodcast RockPodcast NewAlbum2026 PostHardcore StonerRock Unsane CaveIn StudioTalk HeavyMetal https://video-meta.open.video/poster/4xyeZbn5Aa9A/Ziq7ZfwlRP2_MxXyIF.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/4xyeZbn5Aa9A/1786411044/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=Ziq7ZfwlRP2 51 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/v/zach-amster-of-abrams-on-chris-cornells-vocal-influence-writing-loon-the-sonic-road-podcast Zach Amster of ABRAMS on Chris Cornells Vocal Influence & Writing Loon The Sonic Road Podcast ABRAMS guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster talks about the vocal influences that shaped the writing and recording of Loon the bands new album out April 17th on Blues Funeral Recordings including his thoughts on Chris Cornell and what makes Cornells songwriting stand apart. Zach breaks down the specific qualities in Cornells voice and writing that influenced his own approach as a vocalist, and walks through the broader range of influences that informed Loons sound and lyrical direction. Its a straightforward look at how a working musician absorbs and applies the music that matters most to them. Loon is ABRAMS sixth album and their second release on Blues Funeral Recordings. It arrives April 17, 2026. PRE-ORDER LOON (Out April 17th Blues Funeral Recordings): US Orders https://www.bluesfuneral.com/products/us-orders-abrams-loon-deluxe-vinyl-editions Bandcamp https://abramsrock.bandcamp.com/album/loon Euro/UK https://en.bluesfuneral.spkr.media WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW now on Youtube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts SUBSCRIBE to The Sonic Road Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thesonicroad FOLLOW THE SONIC ROAD PODCAST: @thesonicroad FOLLOW ABRAMS: @abramsrockband ABRAMS ZachAmster ChrisCornell Loon BluesFuneralRecordings DenverRock HeavyRock VocalInfluences Soundgarden RockPodcast TheSonicRoadPodcast NewAlbum2026 PostHardcore StonerRock MusicInfluences RockVocalist HeavyMetal MusicInterview https://video-meta.open.video/poster/8dy42x4GBa0t/ZyW7Y02BQ42_SyROIW.jpg https://streaming.open.video/contents/8dy42x4GBa0t/1786411040/index.m3u8 https://videos.thesonicroad.com/embed?contentId=ZyW7Y02BQ42 47