The biggest names in rock music are Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown. From Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame members to bands just starting out, Meltdown takes rock music fans behind the scenes to find out what these talented musicians are really about. Come along for the ride as Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown invites you to find out more than you ever thought you knew about all genres of Rock from Classic to Prog to Grunge and everything in between.
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Great to reconnect with Phil Collen of Def Leppard. If you didn't know, he has some other projects outside of his main band. One of them is a band called Man Raze. Back in May, they dropped their Lock, Stock & Barrel (Complete Recordings 2008-2011) Phil tells me about that, along with another project he's in called Crossbone Skully with Tommy Henriksen of Alice Cooper, and the great Mutt Lange. As…
Legendary drummer Matt Sorum joins me to promote the live album honoring Paul Rodgers and Geezer Butler. Here's the list of rockers on the record, Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Charlie Starr (BlackBerry Smoke), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Matt Sorum (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver), Robert DeLeo (Stone…
Tyler Connolly and his band Theory of a Deadman are hitting the road for the Dead/Seven tour, touching down in southeast Michigan at the Fillmore on August 23rd. First, though, Tyler and I have a fun conversation about all things Theory. The boys are releasing an E.P. titled Part 1: Funeral Songs. Three songs have been released from the album already, with three unreleased so far. He told me about…
Great to speak with Rikki for the first time. He and his band Rockett Mafia are coming to the Token Lounge on August 29th to play your favorite Poison songs, including the entire Look What The Cat Dragged In album for its 40th anniversary. I didn't know it, but Rikki is a big paranormal fan, as am I. We talked about that as he has a YouTube series called Legend Tripping, where he takes you to…
Wow! This is a fun interview. As a matter of fact, we had so much fun that we're going to do it again because we barely broke the surface of the band's rise to fame. Bones tells great stories of gigging around the metro Detroit area. How did Jimmie get started, and what influenced his love of music? "Well, way, way, way, way back, man, long before you were born, I saw this band on the Ed Sullivan…
As Night Ranger gets set to play the Motor City Casino Soundboard, drummer/singer Kelly Keagy was cool enough to take some time to talk about the band's history and what they have going on now. I had to comment on his resemblance to our very own Chad Smith, who looks a lot like Will Ferrell. "See, all those guys, they're younger, so they look like me." Too Funny! He told me about playing the…
Frank Hannon of Tesla is up first. The band is about to hop out on tour with Extreme and Motley. As a matter of fact, they're sandwiched right between both bands. A little bit of heavy lifting to be sure. He told me they've never really had the chance to meet or tour with the Extreme guys. We discussed the debut album, which turns 40 this December. They recorded it in upstate New York. He also…
Ted Nugent is never at a loss for words, and this episode of Talkin' Rock is no different. He's playing some shows in July, and you don't want to miss the 77-year-old flame-thrower. You can see him in Lexington, Michigan, on July 7th & 8th, then in Sterling Heights at Freedom Hills on the 10th, and in Paw Paw on the 11th. "How lucky am I?" Ted says to the fact that he's rocked people for seven…
Rocker Tim Montana has a new record dropping on July 31st. Jam-packed with special guests including Jerry Cantrell, Billy F. Gibbons, Slash. Charlie and Martin Sheen, Royal Lynn, and Robert Patrick. Yes, all those special guests! The song Break Me Down mentions "Ghosts in the basement", so I had to ask him if he'd ever had a paranormal experience. As with most people, he does. He also told me…
Great to get Chris back on the podcast. He's been out of Slipknot since 2019, but he's got a lot to keep him busy. On this episode, we discuss his relationship with Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward. "He's like another father to me. That guy's amazing." He said they talk just about every day. He tells me about his friendship with the late Phil Campbell of Motorhead, golfing with Alice Cooper, and…
The Brutal Devine is the name of the new Spread Eagle album. It drops on Friday, June 12th, and the guys are here to tell me about it. The album contains 10 tracks. Produced by Rob, and written over the course of the past few years, the guys love this album. Rob said, "We made a fantastic record that we know our fans are going to like. So far, the reviews are off the charts." Ray chimed in, "It's…
Kenny Wayne Shepherd returns to Talkin' Rock. He's got a validictorian in his household! That led to a conversation about his own school days. He told me his longing to make it in the music business may have taken away from his own academics, but it's turned out OK for him. Kenny came to Detroit last summer for the Road Kill Nights event. That was a fun day! He's all about the muscle cars, and so…
What a privilege to talk with rock royalty like Ian Gillan. Deep Purple's 24th studio album drops on July 3rd, called Splat! Ian and I talk about his love for making new music, working with legendary producer Bob Ezrin, and a newfound energy in the band. That energy? Guitarist Simon McBride. Ian reaped praise on Simon for bringing a new spirit to the fold. Besides talking about the new "heavier"…
It's always great to talk with John Bush, especially when his band Armored Saint drops a new album! Emotion Factory Reset dropped last week, and, as the kids would say, it's a banger! He tells me about certain songs on the album. One that was very emotional and personal from a family point of view. I did ask him about a couple that seemed to be aimed at a particular person. He also spoke about the…
It was great to connect with the legendary Mikkey Dee. This guy has been the backbeat of bands from King Diamond to Don Dokken, to Motorhead, to the Scorpions. Now you can add his latest band, Lex Legion , to that list. Made up of guys he played with in King Diamond's band, Andy LaRocque, Pete Blakk, and Hal Patino, then throw in vocalist Nils K. Rue, and you've got a band that delivers…
Pepper and Woody from C.O.C. came on to discuss their latest albums, Good God/Baad Man. It's an all-out guitar assault, and I recommend it! I had to ask them about the Live Volume album, which was recorded on April 20th, 2001, at the local concert theater, Harpos. We discuss the recording of the album. The initial process for the record began about 3 years ago. The boys were jamming guitars,…
Operation Mindcrime is considered a masterpiece by rock fans. Geoff dropped OMC 2 a few years back, and now the completion of the story with Operation Mindcrime 3, which came out Sunday. I had a chance to catch up with him before he plays Saint Andrew's Hall in Detroit on May 9th. What's it like to drop a new album nowadays? How many people had their hands in this project, helping him? He…
Richie Faulkner is back on Talkin' Rock! This time, he tells me about the latest Elegant Weapons album, Evolution. The new album dropped on April 24th, and it rocks! We discuss some of the guests on it, as well as some particular guitars he used. By the way, if you listen to YouTube, Richie has written descriptions of each song. Pretty cool to hear about these tracks right from Richie himself. We…
What a thrill to meet the one and only Peter Criss! I'd never met or interviewed him before, and I found him great to talk with! His new solo album is out, and it's fantastic. The music covers the gamut of old rock n' roll, to the blues, to 50's rock, and much more. It's honestly one of the most diverse albums I've heard in a long time. Peter talked to me about the album and the many players on…
Wow! For a non-award-winning podcast, I get some cool guests! Gene Simmons was in Detroit for the grand opening of the Rock & Brews in Royal Oak. We discuss that, look back on KISS putting their make-up back on and playing Tiger Stadium 30 years ago this coming June, and some questions from local Detroit icons. Rachel Bolan from Skid Row drops a solo album in June. There are lots of rocking guests…
Two big rock stars, one non-award-winning podcast! Maynard is up first, talking about Puscifer, the latest album Normal Isn't, the creative process, and more. He's spoken about being a self-doubter, which seems crazy, so I had to ask him if he gets stage fright. The answer might surprise you. What about seeing a show at the Sphere? Not so much, according to him. He and his band play the historic…
What a non-award-winning episode! Yes, you read the title right. Zacky Vengeance is up first to discuss his solo record, Dark Horse, which drops on April 3rd. The first song he released from it is called Lighthouse. He talks about that song and the rest of the album. He speaks to how different it is from the material from A7X. We discuss the writing process and how he played, according to him,…
Craig Gass is touring the country, bringing the laughs to fans all over. This weekend, it's Detroit's turn as he plays shows at One Night Stan's in Waterford. To say he has some rock stories is an understatement. Not only does he have rock stories, but they're also funny as Hell! On this episode, he tells me about meeting Lars from Metallica for the first time and opening for them! How about…
The new Pretty Reckless album, called Dear God, drops on June 26th. She and the band played with AC/DC last April, but before that, it hadn't been since the fateful night of the last Soundgarden show. She discussed opening those major shows worldwide. As we talked, she was in Chile. For I Am Death was released a bit ago, with the latest single called When I Wake Up. As with much of their catalog,…
Sebastian Bach is out bringing the Party Never Stops tour to fans all across the country. Our turn in the Detroit area happens on March 15th at District 142. Limited tickets remain. Talking with him, we discuss his connections to the Motor City, and there are many. He also told me why he still uses a corded microphone. Of course, we talked about Twisted Sister. Well, I was allowed ONE question. To…
Believe it or not, the Van Halen 5150 album turns 40 at the end of March! To celebrate, the guys are dropping a deluxe version of it on March 27th. According to the press release, The deluxe edition not only contains a remastered version of the album, but also more than 90 minutes of previously unreleased recordings from their August 27th, 1986 concert at the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum…
The Triumph machine is gearing up for a big return in 2026, and drummer Gil Moore was nice enough to come on the podcast and discuss where the band sits from a rehearsal, set list, and member point of view. Of course, I had to ask Gil, a hockey fan, about the Winter Olympics and the fact that the United States and Canada could face off yet again for Gold. He's been busy getting Triumph back up and…
The new BLS album drops on March 27th. Zakk talks about the title, Engines of Demolition (sort of). So far, only a couple of songs have dropped from the album: Name in Blood and Broken and Blind. Zakk does talk about the final song on the record, Ozzy's song. We discussed Back to the Beginning, Pantera, and the possibility of new music, as well as yacht rock, Super Bowl predictions, and more. Oh,…
It was a pleasure to speak with Rod for the first time in my career. He celebrated his 50th year as a professional drummer this past September. We discuss that and his latest project, Voices of Extreme. Before we got to those topics, Rod shared some great stories of touring with Rush and the legendary Neil Peart. He spoke about what an average day was like on that tour, his personality, and more.…
Mark Kendall is an original member of Great WHite, and soon you'll be able to learn much more about him. His autobiography is in the works and is set for a spring release if all goes well. Mark talks about that, remembering things he'd long forgotten, writing about his friend Jack Russell, and lots more. We started off the conversation with a health update. Mark is fighting kidney cancer and is…
Geoff Tate kicks off a new year of Talkin' Rock episodes. The former Queensryche frontman talks about his upcoming tour (May 9th - Saint Andrew's Hall), as well as an update on Operation Mindcrime 3 that he says is going to drop this summer. Did he think he'd be playing Operation Mindcrime in its entirety this many years down the road? Why did they play the whole album while touring on Empire in…
What an honor to have all three original members of Triumph on with me. Rik, Mike, and Gil have put the band back together and are hitting the tour trail in 2026. What caused them to reunite? Why are they opening the tour in Canada? Will they ever get into the Rock Hall? All of these questions are asked in a very fun conversation. One I didn't think I'd be having in 2025. Tickets are on sale now…
Two outstanding singers, one mediocre podcast! John Bush is one of my favorite singers in metal. His Anthrax albums ruled, and he's so good live with Armored Saint. He's doing three shows playing his Anthrax material in Chicago, L.A., and New York. We talk about what made him decide to book these shows and bring this music to the people. John had some funny stories of the Metallica/ W.A.S.P. tour…
This week on Talkin' Rock, it's Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry and the guys from Set It Off. Chris started us off by discussing their upcoming EP, which is set to drop on March 6th. There are six new songs and one cover. More about that in a minute. Celebrate is the name of the EP, and the first single to come from it. Chris said that the song is about everyday small victories. The cover…
Matthew and Gunnar Nelson start us off, as I've never had the chance to talk with them. I asked them about any misconceptions people might have about them, and they told me that people were surprised to find out they're actually pretty nice guys. I can attest to that! Their new book drops in mid-December, called What Happened To Your Hair. Matthew and Gunnar told me the book came about on the…
The Mac Saturn guys are back and making a racket! It was great to reconnect with Carson, Angelo, Mike, and Ian. The band has had an unusual start. Sidelined by the pandemic, then, a now ex-member sentenced to jail for child porn, the guys are focused on another chance to prove they belong in the big leagues, on the big stages. They sat down with me earlier this week to discuss everything happening…
Here's your Friday, non-award-winning episode of Talkin' Rock! Tye Trujillo is up first. The son of the Metallica bass player, how wild is it that he's also in Suicidal Tendencies, a band his dad was also in? We discuss his band OTTTo's latest single and video, Sweaty Pool. He speaks to the guest singer on it. We also talk about growing up in a musical household, and more. Maiah Wynne is up next.…
David Ellefson and his Kings of Thrash are making three stops in Michigan. October 23rd at the Venue Events Center in Cadillac, MI., followed by a stop at the Machine Shop in Flint the next day, then The Token Lounge on the 25th. We obviously had to discuss the passing of Ace Frehley. As many know, David is a huge KISS fan. He spoke about some memories he had with the Spaceman over the years.…
THREE great guests, one podcast! I've spoken to and met Jeff Keith a bunch of times. Great guy! I've never talked with or met Miljenko Matijevic from Steelheart, so this was cool that I got to speak with him as well. You might be asking why I talked to them together? Well, they just released a cover of the classic "I Just Want To Make Love To You!. They told me how the ball got rolling to cover…
Another two-for-one on Talkin' Rock. First up is guitar virtuoso Joel Hoekstra. The TSO machine is about to fire up for the holiday season, and Joel answers my questions about rehearsals (which is super interesting), the accusations of using backing tracks, his solo material, and lots more. Then, it's Sammy and Josh from Citizen Zero. Sammy had an eventful summer touring with the Goo Goo Dolls. He…
Two great guests...one mediocre podcast! On this episode of Talkin' Rock, Pär Sundström of Sabaton joins me first to talk about their upcoming album, Legends. They'll be touring the States and beyond in 2026. We also talk about their new record deal, breaking in America, history, and more. Next up, it's Johnny Franck. His "band" Bilmuri is pumping out new music, with a comic tilt. His latest album…
Over the weekend, WRIF hosted our annual Riff Fest at Pine Knob. I interviewed the three main stage bands before the show that night. Up first, it's Ben Burnley from Breaking Benjamin. Ben's fun to talk with. We discussed his influences, yacht rock, new BB music, his home studio, and more. Matt and Adam from Three Days Grace are next. It's the first time I've had the chance to speak with both…
It's Friday, and another episode of Talkin' Rock. Chris Daughtry is up first. Part 2 of Shock To The Stem dropped last week. We talk about that, including the latest single "The Bottom". We discuss playing in front of his peers, singing Journey with Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, and more. Tommy Buoy from Yachtley Crew is next to wrap up the episode. I'll admit, it's a little bit out of the realm of…
On this week's episode, I talk with Billy Sheehan and Mike Krompass from The Fell, along with Jake Diab and Joe Coccimiglio from Autumn Kings. The Fell is a band that Mike founded 10 years ago. They've dropped two singles, Killswitch and Face Out - the title track. They have an EP coming out in October, with the full-length album coming out in 2026. How does one go about getting Billy Sheehan in…
It's great to reconnect with the guys from The Funeral Portrait. All the boys came by: singer Lee Jennings, guitarists Cody Weissinger and Caleb Freihaut, with bassist Robert Weston, and drummer Homer Umbanhower. Their album Greetings From Suffacate City is about to turn one on September 13th, and it's been a whirlwind year for the boys. From a tour with Five Finger Death Punch and Marilyn Manson,…
Typically, when I post the artists I have on the show, I also include the band they're in. For this episode, that's not necessary. Up first, The Metal God, Rob Halford, joins me to talk all things Judas Priest, and their upcoming tour with Alice Cooper. He talks to me about his relationship with the theatrical legend. The topic of Ozzy's passing came up. Rob said he couldn't believe it. He curled…
It's another two-for-one on Talkin' Rock! Up first, drumming legend, Mike Portnoy. He and Dream Theater are about to kick off their fall tour, with a stop at the Fox Theater on September 21st. We discussed his love for the Beatles, his relationship with Neil Peart, and the multiple bands he is a part of. He shared his thoughts on the passing of Ozzy and the only time he ever met the legend. Great…
An honor to have two of my faves on this week's episode of Talkin' Rock. Tom Keifer and Brad Gillis' music has been with me practically my whole life. Tom Keifer is up first. We discuss what's on tap for his band, with a date at the Royal Oak Music Theater on September 4th. What about new music? Tom answers that question, too. He also told me stories of the 1989 Moscow Music Festival, as he did…
It's a jammed-packed episode of the non-award-winning Talkin' Rock podcast. The legendary Steve Jones is up first to discuss his upcoming tour. He told me how much he loves touring with this band. We talked about the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, are there any "rock stars" left, and lots more. Really cool to talk with him for the first time. Mr. Big's Eric Martin is next. Yes, he has an Ozzy story…
This conversation began as a discussion about the Back To The Beginning concert. David and I recorded it on Monday afternoon, while he was doing some stuff in London. With the passing of Ozzy on Tuesday, I shelved it until now. David was kind enough to call in and talk about the Prince of Darkness on my show Tuesday, so I incorporated it into today's conversation. David talks about the big…