Allen Epley returns to the show and we discuss skiing, Line 6 Delay Pedals, the making of Shiner's 2020 LP Schadenfreude, how the band learned to write together again after 15 years apart, playing 3rd guitar for Sunny Day Real Estate, Allen's band Birdhands, Shiner's new LP BELIEVEYOUME, the making of the record, navigating creative differences, Allen's post-Shiner band The Life and Times, his gear setup for the band, Allen's solo record Everything, his band BirdHands, his podcast Third Gear Scratch and more.

In this episode, I sit down with Josh Newton, a musician whose fingerprints are all over some of the most compelling underground sounds of the past three decades. We trace his path from the fertile Kansas City scene of the ’90s, where Shiner carved out their space alongside the era’s noisy, angular bands, to his wild ride as a bassist in Every Time I Die, one of hardcore’s most unpredictable live acts. Josh shares stories from the early days of playing noisy, experimental music, the transition into heavier and more chaotic environments, and how he’s navigated the balance between passion...

BELIEVEYOUME is the latest album from Kansas City’s Shiner. The record reveals yet another remarkable stride forward in musicality, composition, and lyrical themes with songs that dive into the territories of aging, the precariousness of romantic relationships and the post-COVID, post-human zeitgeist. The band’s Allen Epley recently spoke about the writing and recording of the album, how the group has changed since its earliest days, and how he and his bandmates continue to break new ground both in their music and their interpersonal relationships.

We all know midwest emo, but do we all know Giants Chair? If you don't, let this be a sign that you need to familiarize yourself now! The awesome label Spartan Records have re-released their seminal LP Red and Clear that's been out of print for years and to celebrate that, I have Scott Hobart who is the vocalist and guitarist of the band. We get into it all including how sick the bands packaging always was, their tight knit relationship with Giants Chair and the midwest music scene at large. Let's go!

This week we have Eric Richter of Christie Front Drive, Antarctica, and Suburban Eyes on to talk about Maiden Voyage by Herbie Hancock. We also dig into mood lighting, James Murphy's brunch, Maximum Rock and Roll classified ads, Jimmy Eat World's Slide, singing at altitude, Buffalo winters, MILF the band, child rearing, the grim evolution of children's YouTube consumption, Suburban Eyes' recording process, contextualizing jazz, Blue Note record design aesthetics, Fred Durst's late career persona, and so much more.