And Now The Band

Tom sits down with Dave Krusen, the original drummer of Pearl Jam, for an engaging conversation about Loud Love: A Tribute to Soundgarden, Seattle's legendary grunge movement, and the evolution of the modern music industry.
Dave discusses joining the Loud Love tribute project, explaining how the opportunity to honor Soundgarden's legacy and support a meaningful cause made the invitation impossible to refuse. He shares the challenges of learning Matt Cameron's intricate drum parts, ultimately finding his own interpretation while respecting the spirit of the original performances.
The conversation explores Seattle's explosive music scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s, reflecting on the rise of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Nirvana, and how the city's unique culture helped define an entire generation of rock music.
Additional topics include:
Relearning "Loud Love" on drums
Matt Cameron's drumming style and influence
Touring life and favorite memories on the road
Seattle landmarks and music history
The Showbox and Seattle's legendary venues
Dave's current band, The Vases
Recording new music at Litho Studios
The changing economics of the music industry
Artist ownership and retaining music rights
New music recommendations including Neurosis and Volcandra
Tom also shares personal stories about visiting Seattle on his honeymoon, exploring iconic Pearl Jam locations, and discussing how the grunge movement continues to inspire musicians around the world. This episode is packed with stories from one of rock's most influential eras while offering an insightful look at where independent music is headed next.

Jordan Nalley of Louisville based Sporelord spent some time chatting with me about the band and his shop. A local TCG shop named Heavy Meta Gaming.

Jordan helps explain how Sporelord puts together their unique sound. How they fit on to so many different bills. From playing with some super heavy bands to some not so heavy bands.

We also talk about their unique approach to releasing music It really helps each single stand out on its own and makes each single a collectable.

While on tour with Death Angel and VIO-Lence, El from Arizona based Incite joined me from behind the merch booth for a quick chat before the show.
We discussed everything from The release of Savage New Times last year to the current run with these rad bands and crew. El talked about how everyone was super helpful and there were no egos on this run.

I need to say that this bill absolutely rips and it's a tour you don't want to miss if you're into Thrash. This tour runs for a couple more weeks. They're on the West Coast now finishing up.

I'm hoping they do another run soon!

Pains was out on tour with UK based Conjurer, Sadness and Snooze. While on tour, they made a stop in Louisville, Ky at Portal, this is where I caught them. This was my introduction to them.

It was a killer set and a killer night of music.Alex was kind enough to take a few minutes and chat with me in between bands (and part of one of the bands sets, which we ended quickly to get in and watch).

Pains in an Illinois based band that crushes the live setting.

Watch the chat.

Catch the band(s) live.

Pains has another tour coming up, though I won't say anything about it yet

Tom welcomes Joseph E. Martinez of Junius for an in-depth conversation about the band's upcoming album Sotera, their appearance at Post. Festival, the challenges of songwriting, and maintaining artistic integrity in today's music industry.
Joseph discusses how Sotera became the heaviest album in Junius' catalog, explaining how a clearly defined concept shaped the music and pushed the band into darker and heavier territory. He shares insights into his songwriting process, vocal development, and the constant revisions that occur before recording.
The discussion explores Junius' deliberate approach to album creation, the importance of creative boundaries, and why some songs—no matter how much he loves them—must be left behind if they don't fit the larger vision. Joseph also explains why the band often takes longer between releases and how they balance artistic quality with the realities of modern music production.
Additional topics include:
Performing at Post. Festival
Playing nearly the entire Sotera album live
The resurgence of shoegaze and alternative music
Touring Europe and growing an international audience
Recording at Henson Recording Studios
Memorable encounters with Chris Cornell
Touring with Enslaved
The financial realities of modern musicians
Artistic integrity versus commercial pressures
Deftones, Mastodon, Spotlights, and influential modern bands
Joseph also reflects on some of the most meaningful moments of his career and offers a candid perspective on creativity, success, and what it means to build a sustainable artistic life in today's music landscape.