Interviews Episodes

E329 Ekoh and Lø Spirit of Ninth Key on Choosing the Authentic Over the Artificial
329
June 23, 2026

E329 Ekoh and Lø Spirit of Ninth Key on Choosing the Authentic Over the Artificial

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a two-for-one deal! Ekoh and Lø Spirit have spent years forging unique paths as independent solo artists. But a collaboration a few years ago led to the realization that, well, they love collaborating. They formalized their alliance this year with a new band, Ninth Key , and put themselves on the map (and the charts) immediately with their debut single, " If I Wasn't Me ". With a strong ethos and a stronger work ethic, Ekoh and Lø have set out to cla...
E324 Mark Reznicek of Toadies on Steve Albini, Rejected Albums, and Writing a Great Comeback Story
324
May 19, 2026

E324 Mark Reznicek of Toadies on Steve Albini, Rejected Albums, and Writing a Great Comeback Story

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get charmed! Our guest is drummer Mark Reznicek of Toadies , whose long-awaited eighth album The Charmer is out now. It's been nine years since their last album, but given the wild story of how their follow-up to 1994's platinum-selling Rubberneck was delayed all the way into the nu metal era, they're a band that understands the benefits of patience. Their endurance as a band has in no small part been due to the continued love and support they've received ...
E323 ALT BLK ERA on Sonic Experimentation, Collaborating With Wheatus, and Always Using Your Voice
323
May 12, 2026

E323 ALT BLK ERA on Sonic Experimentation, Collaborating With Wheatus, and Always Using Your Voice

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a youth movement! Our guests are Chaya and Nyrobi Beckett-Messam, collectively known as ALT BLK ERA . They're sisters who grew up with a passion for music that led them to start creating at a young age. With strong family support and a penchant for engrossing themselves in various genres, they put their individual personalities and styles together to release their debut album, the fantastic drum and bass/rock hybrid Rave Immortal , just last year. Now the...
E321 Jamie Hall of Tigercub on the Creative Spark, the Space Between Dreams, and How an Album Can Save Your Life
321
April 28, 2026

E321 Jamie Hall of Tigercub on the Creative Spark, the Space Between Dreams, and How an Album Can Save Your Life

This week, we're scratching The Itch for riffs! Jamie Hall of Tigercub joins us to discuss the process of creating their new album Nets to Catch the Wind . By the time a band reaches their fourth record, it can be easy to fall into familiar creative patterns and produce work that isn't as satisfying for the artist or the audience. But with Jamie's awareness of his own habits and a bit of inspiration from their creative partner Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam, the band's new album may be both their bi...
E320 Brandon Yeagley of Crobot on Present Fatherhood, Starting a Music School, and Creating a Label to Serve Artists
320
April 21, 2026

E320 Brandon Yeagley of Crobot on Present Fatherhood, Starting a Music School, and Creating a Label to Serve Artists

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get schooled! As in, our returning guest, Brandon Yeagley of Crobot , just started one! In addition to being a present father, a dirty groove rocker with a new album , and the king of the Shiprocked Stowaways, he's recently added two more titles to his resume: co-founder of Electric River Records and teacher at his new Let There Be Rock school in Pottsville, PA! Somehow, among all of those roles (and a few we more we didn't even get to cover), he found tim...
E318 Arya Goggin of Skindred on Album Titles, Lineup Changes, and Owning Your Style on You Got This
318
April 7, 2026

E318 Arya Goggin of Skindred on Album Titles, Lineup Changes, and Owning Your Style on You Got This

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a three-peat! Arya Goggin of Skindred (The Itch's Official Favorite Band™) joins the three-timer club to discuss their ninth album, You Got This . As with all of their albums, this one is full of genre-hopping earworms ranging from pop rockers to old school ragga-metal jams. In this conversation, we explore how the album got its title (and get some insight into how Skindred almost "jumped the shark" on a previous album), how a Hennessy bottle made it into...
Guest: Arya Goggin
E316 Kenny Wayne Shepherd on 23 Years of Sobriety, 30 Years of Ledbetter Heights, and 92 Years of Bobby Rush
316
March 24, 2026

E316 Kenny Wayne Shepherd on 23 Years of Sobriety, 30 Years of Ledbetter Heights, and 92 Years of Bobby Rush

This week, we're scratching The Itch to sing the blues ... again! Grammy nominee Kenny Wayne Shepherd returns in celebration of the 30th anniversary of his debut album Ledbetter Heights . In addition to a re-recording to be released in May, Kenny and his band are playing the album in full on this tour alongside some old faces and some who will be playing the songs for the first time! Plus, we discuss Kenny's recent tribute to B.B. King and collaboration with Bobby Rush, showing that you can stil...
E314 Steve Ewing of The Urge on St. Louis, Steve's Hot Dogs, and Balancing Bands, Business, and Bodybuilding
314
March 10, 2026

E314 Steve Ewing of The Urge on St. Louis, Steve's Hot Dogs, and Balancing Bands, Business, and Bodybuilding

This week, we're scratching The Itch to celebrate St Louis! It's episode 314, and who better to spotlight our city than Steve Ewing ! Rock fans best know Steve as the dynamic frontman of Lou legends The Urge . But for over 15 years, St. Louisians have also been receiving the gift of flavor at Steve's Hot Dogs ! And if fronting a band and running a business weren't enough, Steve doubles down on both, performing regularly with the Steve Ewing Band and venturing into gourmet grilled cheese wit...
Shiprocked Replay: Luke Johnson and Lee Downer of Lowlives
Feb. 3, 2026

Shiprocked Replay: Luke Johnson and Lee Downer of Lowlives

This week, we're recovering from being on a boat! We've got another supersized replay for you, this time featuring our back-to-back conversations from 2024 with Luke and Lee of Lowlives . These boys, alongside their bandmates Jaxon Moore and Steve Lucarelli , played a big part in making Shiprocked 2026 a blast for us. They play like their lives depend on it, they make their fans feel like friends, and they consume burgers like mad men. Enjoy this double episode, then check out their debut album...
Shiprocked Replay: Nathan Aurora of Aurorawave
Jan. 27, 2026

Shiprocked Replay: Nathan Aurora of Aurorawave

This week, we're on a boat! And that means that, per tradition, we're replaying an episode featuring a guest that we're currently rocking out with on Shiprocked . But this year our favorite Carnival concert cruise has a bigger boat, so we're giving you a bigger episode! Enjoy a double dose of conversation with Nathan Aurora of Aurorawave , and then check out their new album Monument ! You're rockin' with the wave sh*t.... literally. Listen to The Itch Rock Radio Show Rock with us every Sunday ni...
E308 Riley Breckenridge of Thrice on Sharing What You Love, Avoiding Spotify, and Opting Out of Unhealthy Fandom
308
Jan. 13, 2026

E308 Riley Breckenridge of Thrice on Sharing What You Love, Avoiding Spotify, and Opting Out of Unhealthy Fandom

This week, we're scratching The Itch to explore some new horizons! We're joined Riley Breckenridge of Thrice , who just released their excellent 12th studio album Horizons/West . It's almost unheard of for a band to be this consistently good this far into their career, but Riley and his bandmates made it happen with a little patience and a penchant for... being a bit boring? Join us for an explanation of that, plus some talk about the awesomeness of Radiohead, the awfulness of the Los Angeles An...
E307 Micah Bournes on Abolition, Nomadic Living, Creative Risks, and Bringing Joy to the Revolution
307
Jan. 6, 2026

E307 Micah Bournes on Abolition, Nomadic Living, Creative Risks, and Bringing Joy to the Revolution

This week, we're scratching The Itch to start the year with joy. Micah Bournes returns to the show to discuss his new protest album Til We All Free , the first non-rock record to ever make The Itch's Top 20 list. Born out of a sense of urgency after America's sociopolitical climate changed again last year, the album is an exploration of abolition, the difference between legality and morality, and how to stay joyful while facing and fighting injustice. Micah's art inspires and influences The Itch...
E305 The Return of Christmas Eva with Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire!
305
Dec. 23, 2025

E305 The Return of Christmas Eva with Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire!

This week, we're scratching The Itch to put a Christmas wrap on our 2025 interviews! Per tradition and unenforceable contract, Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire makes her second appearance of the year (and within a month!) for the return of Christmas Eva! And believe it or not, things have happened since we spoke in November! Join us for a conversation that's very much in the holiday spirit, where we discuss the value of Octane to the active rock scene, a unique and interesting tour that was just ...
E304 Sleigh Bells on 15 Years of Treats, Touring with a Toddler, Sobriety, and How to Put on a Show
304
Dec. 16, 2025

E304 Sleigh Bells on 15 Years of Treats, Touring with a Toddler, Sobriety, and How to Put on a Show

This week, we're scratching The Itch for an early Christmas present... and a seasonally appropriate one at that! Aaron checks off a pair of wish list guests as Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells join us to talk about their latest record Bunky Becky Birthday Boy , how motherhood, sobriety, and a full band have tour life looking different these days, and the work that goes into their energetic live shows (the topic that also brought us last week's guest, their frequent keyboardist and ...
E303 Coach Kate Steinberg on Holistic Touring Health and Working With Sleigh Bells and Motion City Soundtrack
303
Dec. 9, 2025

E303 Coach Kate Steinberg on Holistic Touring Health and Working With Sleigh Bells and Motion City Soundtrack

This week, we're scratching The Itch for tour support! Kate Steinberg has built a career as a touring and recording vocalist and keyboardist, a voice teacher, producer, and arranger, a songwriter, and... if it seems like this list keeps going, that's because it does. Kate is a multi-talented musician who caught Aaron's attention with her boundless on-stage energy as. she rocked keys and BGVs on Sleigh Bells ' recent tour. And that's not the only type of tour support she offers. Kate custom-desig...
E301 Clipisode: Leftovers VI
301
Nov. 28, 2025

E301 Clipisode: Leftovers VI

This week, we're scratching The Itch for gratitude! Once again, we had a record number of interview episodes in 2025, and we're treating you to a true buffet of bonus clips from them with our annual Leftovers episode. Enjoy them while you recover from Thanksgiving, while you celebrate (or mourn) your football team's performance, or while you shop (or don't, which we love even more). Thank you so much to all of this year's guests, and to you for joining us for the ride. Enjoy. Listen to The Itch ...
E300 Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire Enters a New Era
300
Nov. 25, 2025

E300 Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire Enters a New Era

This week, we're scratching The Itch to celebrate. And who better to invite to the party than our most frequent guest and honorary co-host, Eva Marie of Eva Under Fire ... except this time, she's reclaiming her own name and introducing the industry to Amanda Lyberg. She's been through some things in the past few years, and boy does she have a lot to say about it. Join us for a celebration of not only 300 episodes of The Itch, but of the beauty of bringing your full self into every space, and to ...
E299 Revis on Creating Their First Album in 20 Years and Feeling More Inspired Than Ever
299
Nov. 18, 2025

E299 Revis on Creating Their First Album in 20 Years and Feeling More Inspired Than Ever

This week, we're scratching The Itch to call it a comeback! Revis was one of the first new bands The Itch played on the radio in our college years. Now, 22 years after their first LP, Places for Breathing , they've finally released their second, Killing Time . Following a quick chat at their recent Delmar Hall show (more on that here ), Justin Holman and Robert Davis join The Itch to talk about this new release, the challenges and benefits of modern music making, and the importance of having the...
Guest: Revis
E296 Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait on Being a Disney Adult and Building a Life Beyond the Band
296
Oct. 28, 2025

E296 Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait on Being a Disney Adult and Building a Life Beyond the Band

This week, we're scratching The Itch to join the Coffin Crew! Halloween is almost here, and what a more fitting guest than the man who puts the "fun" in "funeral," Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait ! After toiling for years, the band has built momentum following some door-opening tour pairings and their excellent 2024 album Welcome to Suffocate City . Now, in the middle of their hectic 290 days on the road in 2025 (yes, you read that right), Lee joins us to talk about how he's adjusting to Th...
Guest: Lee Jennings
E295 Matt Flood of Caskets on Artistic Evolution and Keeping Writing Fun While Being Emotionally Honest
295
Oct. 21, 2025

E295 Matt Flood of Caskets on Artistic Evolution and Keeping Writing Fun While Being Emotionally Honest

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get buried... by the weight of good music. (That works, right?) Caskets frontman Matt Flood joins us ahead of the release The Only Heaven You'll Know , an album Matt has described as "the sound of me falling apart in real time." The new record finds him broadening his skills as a vocalist while the band explores heavier sounds and the lyrical themes somehow become more raw than ever. Plus, we discuss Matt's love for Fightstar and the importance of keeping ...
Guest: Matt Flood
E293 Morgan James on Building an Audience That Will Follow You and Finding the Soul of 90s Alternative Rock
293
Oct. 9, 2025

E293 Morgan James on Building an Audience That Will Follow You and Finding the Soul of 90s Alternative Rock

This week, we're scratching The Itch to jazz it up! Morgan James , whose path has taken her from Broadway to collaborations with Postmodern Jukebox and, most recently, Brass Against, joins us for a change of stylistic pace to discuss her new album Soul Remains the Same . On it she tackles legendary tracks from Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, and more, using soul, jazz, and R&B sounds to draw out the emotions of the songs in a new way. Plus, KC gets to see Morgan in concert a few d...
Guest: Morgan James
E291 Tori Kravitz of She's With the Band on Working in PR, Returning to Warped Tour, and Giving All the Flowers
291
Oct. 2, 2025

E291 Tori Kravitz of She's With the Band on Working in PR, Returning to Warped Tour, and Giving All the Flowers

This week, we're scratching The Itch to go Beyond the Breakdown ! Tori Kravitz, publicist, podcaster, and pit reporter extraordinaire, joins us to talk all about the off-stage side of the music industry! From working as one of Atom Splitter PR 's all stars to spotlighting some of the coolest women in metal on She's With the Band to bringing back Warped Tori for this year's Warped Tour , she's a pro who lives, breathes, and champions music with the best of them. Enjoy. And for more of Tori's...
Guest: Tori Kravitz
E289 Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace on Marriage, Mental Health, and Using Technology to Build True Connection
289
Sept. 25, 2025

E289 Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace on Marriage, Mental Health, and Using Technology to Build True Connection

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get Canadian! Raine Maida of Canada's rock royalty Our Lady Peace joins us as the band continues its 30-year celebration. We discuss the fan-inspired push that led them to reclaim the song " Whatever " as a mental health anthem, the tricky task of using technology to connect with your audience, and the decision Raine and his wife Chantal Kreviazuk made to be so open about the ups and downs of marriage as public figures. Plus, we debut a brand new Burning Q...
Guest: Raine Maida
E287 Joe Cotela of DED on Punk Influences, Unearned Egos, Working With Chad Gray, and Going Into the Pit Blind
287
Sept. 16, 2025

E287 Joe Cotela of DED on Punk Influences, Unearned Egos, Working With Chad Gray, and Going Into the Pit Blind

This week, we're scratching The Itch to play DED . As in, we've played DED's new album Resent (out September 19th) so much that we had to have frontman Joe Cotela on to talk about it. Joe talks about the perhaps unconscious decision to go heavier after a more melodic turn on 2021's School of Thought , how he prefers to use heavyweight guests like Chad Gray , Chris Motionless , and Danny Leal on more brutal tracks rather than for radio clout, and how humility is always more attractive than ego. P...
Guest: Joe Cotela