Episodes
253
Feb. 18, 2025
E253 Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. on His New Book, Surviving the Music Business, and How Nothing Is a Coincidence
This week, we're scratching The Itch to read a book! Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. is releasing his autobiography, Son of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds on February 25th. He joins the show to discuss his story of God's faithfulness, band drama and reconciliation, and the changes and challenges of the music industry. Plus, Aaron has his long-awaited chance to ask about the cover art of The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, we learn about the process behind P.O.D.'s newest album Veritas, and a ...
Guest: Sonny Sandoval
252
Feb. 11, 2025
E252 Winona Fighter on Their Debut Album, Supporting Local Scenes, Doggy Managers, and the Bass of Doom
This week, we're scratching The Itch to fight! Coco from Winona Fighter returns, and this time she brought the boys! Join her, Dan, and Austin as they break down the origins of some of the songs on their debut LP My Apologies to the Chef (out Feb 28), their choice to hand pick the opening acts for the corresponding Yes, Chef tour (including our mutual friends Fury in Few), and their commitment to staying authentic and supportive in the music world while still keeping their sanity. Plus, a specia...
251
Feb. 6, 2025
E251 Itchiversary: Shiprocked 2025 Recap Part 2
This week, we're scratching The Itch to keep celebrating! Our Shiprocked coverage continues, as the guys wrap up the week with 80s covers, a pair of epic sets on the beach, a slippery stage, a late night call to Halestorm, and ... Ace Ventura? Plus, Dan goes snorkeling, KC is rewarded for resisting the soft serve machine, and Aaron meets a brother in curls... who also happens to be in Kid Kapichi. Mentioned in this episode (and/or episode 250): Parkway Drive, Hollywood Undead, Nothing More, The...
250
Feb. 4, 2025
E250 Itchiversary: Shiprocked 2025 Recap Part 1
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a birthday celebration! Our radio show was born 21 years ago this month, and to celebrate that milestone (and 250 episodes), the guys spent a wild week on the water with 31 bands on Shiprocked! Join us to kick off a new "season" with tales of broken lights, budding friendships, on-stage pranks, and the game show that created an unlikely legend. Oh, and those 31 bands we saw/met/discuss in this episode? Parkway Drive, Hollywood Undead, Nothing More, The S...
249
Jan. 27, 2025
E249 Emma Anzai of Sick Puppies & Evanescence on Bass Solos, Beastie Boys, and Metallica and Halestorm Tours
This week, we're scratching The Itch for bass! Emma Anzai, co-founder of Sick Puppies and more recent addition to Evanescence, joins us to discuss Wave the Bull, Sick Puppies' first new album in nine years. We discuss the prominence of her bass guitar in some of the tracks, the Beastie Boys influence in their recent single "Going Places," their upcoming tour with Metallica, handling jet lag when traveling from Australia to basically anywhere else in the world, and an interaction with a certain m...
Guest: Emma Anzai
Jan. 22, 2025
Shiprocked Replay Pt 2: Oxymorrons on Performative Justice, Marvel, and Re-educating the Scene (from 2022)
This week, we're scratching The Itch to get educated! Shiprocked sails along, we bring you the second part of the 2022 conversation that introduced us to Oxymorrons. And this is where it gets serious (while somehow remaining silly). Dee, KI, Jafe, and Matty dive deep on the authentic vs the performative, the futility of social media, the cheapening of art as content, and putting Black faces in rock spaces. Plus, Dan makes a new comic geek buddy, Aaron gives a guest homework, and we're bringing s...
Guest: Oxymorrons
Jan. 20, 2025
Shiprocked Replay Pt 1: Oxymorrons on Dragonball Z, New York Bodegas, and Rock’s Black Roots (from 2022)
This week we're scratching The Itch to ... not be here! The boys are back on a boat enjoying Shiprocked, but while we're out partying with Oxymorrons, we thought we'd post a pair of throwback episodes to when we first met them three years ago, kicking off a genuine friendship. This two-part conversation remains quite possibly our all-time favorite. And when you listen, you'll understand why. Enjoy. If you like what you hear, you can hear more of us every Sunday night broadcasting rock to the ma...
Guest: Oxymorrons
248
Jan. 13, 2025
E248 Janine Shilstone of VUKOVI on Art As Therapy, Touring with Unpeople & Calva Louise, and Scottish War Horns!
This week, we're scratching The Itch for Sno! It's not only in St Louis and Chicago, but in Scotland as well! Janine Shilstone of VUKOVI becomes The Itch's first Scottish guest as she joins us to discuss "Sno," the newest single from (and a character in) her band's new album My God Has Got a Gun, out January 25th on SharpTone Records! It's a vulnerable discussion about the various things that helped her heal from being in a dark place, including therapy, touring the US with Itch guests Calva Lou...
Guest: Janine Shilstone
247
Jan. 6, 2025
E247 The Itch Awards and Top 20 Albums of 2024
This week, we're scratching The Itch for awards season, baby! The fifth annual Itch Awards are here, honoring the best rock releases of 2024. We've got albums galore, featuring a plethora of past and future guests. Who were our favorite debuts and breakouts of the year? Who dropped the best EP and LP? And what are we looking forward to in 2025? This is a big'n, so grab your pen and paper and take notes, because we're about to fill up your queue. Enjoy. If you like what you hear, you can hear mo...
246
Dec. 30, 2024
E246 New Year's Eva II with Eva Marie of Eva Under Fire
This week, we're scratching The Itch to send the year out in style! Official fourth member Eva Marie of Eva Under Fire joins us for another holiday tradition (and to continue building her lead as our most frequent guest). Despite not releasing much in the way of new music, 2024 was still a year of firsts and gains for Eva and the boys, and we're here to talk about all of it. Well, most of us anyway. Dan wasn't able to make it until the end of the conversation, but a cameo still counts! Join us f...
Guest: Amanda Lyberg
245
Dec. 24, 2024
E245 Christmas Concert Catch-up: The All-American Rejects
This week, we're scratching The Itch for Christmas cheer! As a follow-up to our recent conversation with Nick Wheeler of The All-American Rejects, The Itch venture out to see the band on not one, but TWO shows of their holiday run... and we weren't alone! A special guest host joins us, bringing a fresh perspective to a rare singularly-focused Concert Catch-up. Enjoy, and merry Christmas from The Itch! If you like what you hear, you can hear more of us every Sunday night broadcasting rock to the...
Guest: Lindsay Brodie
244
Dec. 16, 2024
E244 A Conversation with Brandon Yeagley of Crobot
This week, we're scratching The Itch to get choppy! The excellently facial-haired Brandon Yeagley of Crobot joins us for a conversation full of industry insight, artistic excitement, and... giant eggs. We were introduced to Brandon in a quite memorable way at Upheaval 2023, and when you hear this conversation, you'll understand why he's endeared himself to us even more. Enjoy, and check out Crobot touring with fellow Itch guests Nonpoint and Heartsick this January! If you like what you hear, yo...
Guest: Brandon Yeagley
243
Dec. 9, 2024
E243 A Conversation with Jason Zeilstra and Adam Woloszyn of Nonpoint
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a tradition! Jason Zeilstra of Nonpoint continues introducing us to his bandmates one by one. one year at a time, this time joining us alongside bassist Adam Woloszyn! The fellas recap another eventful year for the band, compare stories of on-stage injuries, share their memories of Nonpoint's upcoming anniversary albums Statement and To The Pain, and talk one of their other mutual passions... superhero nerdery! Nonpoint will be touring the US in January ...
Guests: Jason Zeilstra , Adam Woloszyn
242
Dec. 3, 2024
E242 A Conversation with Nick Wheeler of The All-American Rejects
This week, we're scratching The Itch for rejection! Well, in a sense. Nick Wheeler, guitarist and co-founder of The All-American Rejects joins us for a freewheeling discussion (see what I did there?) that covers his history with the band, his current studio work, and ... his favorite rewatch podcasts? Plus, Taco Bell talk, Aaron declares a Perfect Pop Song, and Dan finally finds a context to bring up Smallville! We say it often, but this is a fun one. Enjoy. And come hang with The Itch in St. Lo...
Guest: Nick Wheeler
241
Nov. 29, 2024
E241 Clipisode: Leftovers V
Today we're scratching The Itch for a post-Thanksgiving tradition! To show our gratitude to our incredible guests and listeners, we've compiled a collection of previously unheard clips from each of our 2024 interviews. We hope you enjoy this extra helping of conversational goodness as you recover from your food coma. If you listen all the way through, you'll find previews of a few future episodes as an early Christmas gift. Enjoy. Featured in this episode: Fury in Few, Fire From the Gods, Dead ...
Guests: Taylor Carroll , Jason Zeilstra , Amanda Lyberg , Keith Wallen , Bryan Kuznitz , Scott Stevens , Arejay Hale , Fury in Few , AJ Channer , Jack Underkofler , Casandra Carson , Jake Crawford , Luke Caley , Luke Johnson , Lee Downer , Micah Bournes , Tree One Four , Hang Your Hate , Jason Hook , Eicca Toppinen , Jutes , Wes Anderson , Alex King , Devin Birchfield , Brandon Saller , Mike Cunniff , John Cooper , Nick Fuelling , Dale Tanner , Nick Wheeler
240
Nov. 26, 2024
E240 Concert Catch-up: Ben Folds, Lit, The Exies, and more!
This week, we're scratching The Itch for the greatest week in the history of our sport... er, podcast. Find out why as we recap a trio of shows by artists who are aging like fine wine (though that's probably not what they drink). First, Aaron won't stop til he gets to Normal (or technically Bloomington) to throw paper airplanes at Ben Folds and hear about how Effington could be a wonderful effingplace. Then, KC heads to Chicago and he and Aaron see our friend Taylor Carroll and Lit on their run...
239
Nov. 18, 2024
E239 A Conversation with Dale Tanner of Ocean Grove
This week, we're scratching The Itch to go green! Dale Tanner of Ocean Grove joins us from Melbourne, Australia to discuss the band's new album ODDWORLD. We cover the band's shift in sound from the grunge-y alt rock on their previous two albums to their more nu metal roots, their unique membership setup and the difference between "Ocean Grove" and the "ODDWORLD Collective," and his support of organizations such as Support Act and Sea Shepherd. Ocean Grove is a band on the rise, and Dale's talent...
Guest: Dale Tanner
238
Nov. 11, 2024
E238 A Conversation with Nick Fuelling of Pop Evil
This week, we're scratching The Itch to get evil! Guitarist Nick Fuelling of Pop Evil joins us to check off one of Dan's wish list band conversations. Pop Evil recently released "What Remains", the first single from an album set to release in Spring 2025. Nick talks about the new song, the new lineup (which "devoured" another band, one might say), and which Major League Baseball stadiums he's partial to. Plus, he confirms a longtime Itch theory about the band's name. Enjoy. Episode art photogra...
Guest: Nick Fuelling
237
Nov. 4, 2024
E237 Concert Catch-up: Seether, Skillet, Wage War, Fame on Fire, Local H (sort of), and more!
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a first! This concert catch-up takes a new twist when one of us sees not just a concert, but a concert film made by Local H! And even recorded, it's somehow a great live show! Join us to recap the tour featuring Seether, Itch guests Skillet, Tim Montana, and Royale Lynn, plus Wage War and 2x Itch guests Fame on Fire! If you like what you hear, you can hear more of us every Sunday night broadcasting rock to the masses from 6-9pm CST on KCLC-FM. If you're ...
236
Oct. 28, 2024
E236 A Conversation with John Cooper of Skillet
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a revolution! John Cooper of Skillet joins us to talk about their new album of the same name. But though they're known for fist-pumping rockers, we actually spend most of our conversation discussing the band's softer side. Namely, how John and his wife Korey raised their two children on the road, and the song John wrote for his daughter's wedding. Plus, going independent, how to ensure that you're a favorite tour mate to other bands, and playing four squa...
Guest: John Cooper
235
Oct. 21, 2024
E235 A Conversation with Mike Cunniff of Boston Manor
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a sunrise and a surprise! Mike Cunniff of Boston Manor joins us to discuss the band's fantastic two-part album(s) 2022's Datura and the newly released Sundiver. If you're wondering how one thematically connected album is released two years apart, we've got your explanation! Join us to hear about the intricate balance of creating songs that stand alone and fit together, the pedal Mike created, and the band's successful attempt to leverage their audience to...
Guest: Mike Cunniff
234
Oct. 15, 2024
E234 A Conversation with Brandon Saller of Atreyu
This week, we're scratching The Itch for imagination! Atreyu is about to release The Pronoia Sessions, a connection of reimagined classics, and frontman Brandon Saller joined The Itch's trifecta club to talk about it. Brandon's amazing voice is on display more than ever on the new record, and his vibrant personality and artist's heart are on display throughout our conversation. Join us to hear about his original dream of recreating Nirvana's MTV Unplugged set, his desire to constantly challenge ...
Guest: Brandon Saller
233
Oct. 8, 2024
E233 Concert Catch-up: The Movement, Aurorawave, Saosin, Lowlives, Badflower, and more!
This week, we're scratching The Itch for consistency! It's time for our regularly scheduled Badflower coverage, plus our first time seeing 2-time guests Lowlives, and our introduction to a reggae metal band that ISN'T Skindred! Join us to hear about a very relaxing night featuring The Movement, Long Beach Dub Allstars, and Aurorawave, a sold-out double bill with Saosin and Lowlives, and Badflower's latest on-stage insanity alongside Slothrust and Missio! We've got stories of second hand smoke, n...
232
Oct. 1, 2024
E232 Riot Fest Recap + HANS FREAKIN' ZIMMER
This week, we're scratching The Itch to Riot! For the fourth year in a row, Aaron ventured to Chicago's own Riot Fest... and this time he finally brought friends! Not only that, but he bookended two days at the festival with memorable shows from The Offspring and, perhaps most punk rock of all, legendary composer Hans Zimmer! Join us for tales of epic soundtracks, Olympic heroes, testing the limits of Chicago parking, and ... butter John Stamos? It's the kind of weird you wanna be in on. Trust u...