Welcome to season 5!! In this episode, we talk with Jared, Jimmy, and Brian from One With The Riverbed. I absolutely fell in love with this band the first time I caught them live at Jeff Fest in Kalamazoo. Dark, atmospheric, and blackened metal music that is brutally beautiful. It checks all the boxes on the What Does Chuck Dig About Metal Music li…

In this episode, we talk with Ian from Coyote Man. Talk about hard hitting grooves and powerful music, Coyote Man is stellar. Their latest track “Worthy Adversary” rips. It was super to talk with Ian about the band, their sound, their influences, and their name. Coyote Man has been very busy with gigs. However, they plan to take time this fall to r…

In this episode, we talk with James and Brian from Head Full Of Ghosts. It was great to talk with them about their band, their latest album called 10.23, their influences, and more. This band puts a new spin on the 90’s rock and grunge stylings. In some ways I felt like I was listening to new Filter, Seven Mary Three, or Our Lady Peace when listeni…

In this episode, I talked with Tom Robbins the host of And Now The Band Podcast. His podcast is fantastic. Tom talks to a wide variety of heavy bands in a very casual and conversational manner. Its like you are hanging out with him and the band as they talk. It was great to hear about how Tom got started with his podcast and in general spend time t…

In this episode, we catch up with Stu and Sean from Pulphonics. Since our first conversation in season 3, Pulphonics have found the freedom to explore their musical ideas. This has led to the creation of their new album Sonic Umami Vol 1. On this record, they are spreading their wings and challenging themselves while creating extremely compelling n…

In this episode, we talk with Ian, Elijah, Tegan, and Mer from Headless Mary. I had a fantastic chat with the band about how they got started (including the story on their name) as well as chatting about their last album called Death Is A Moving Target. If you love music that touches that vibe of bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and Hum, then Headl…

In this episode, we talk with Dan, Dusty, and Grant from Blood Rune Sigil. They have been busy since the last time we talked. Their latest album called Never Odd Or Even is a leap forward for the band. We talked about the new music, line-up changes, and all the other stellar work they have coming soon. This includes new music videos from Zeroes And…

In this episode, we talk with Brian from Stonecutters. Fists full of aggression with riffs that pummel you into submission is how I think of the music of Kentucky’s Stonecutters. I had the honor of spending some time talking with Brian about their new album Eye Of The Skull, their approach to songwriting, a bit of Brian’s influences and musical car…

In this episode, we talk with Frank from Trash Fiasco. This punk band from Chicago is eclectic and energetic with sludgy guitars, riveting rhythms, and vibrant vocals. It was great to talk with Frank about the band and their new album Exist as Instructed which includes tunes that have a Melvin-ish heaviness blended with rockabilly and psychedelic g…

In this episode, we talk with Eric, Ivan and Damien from General 11. They are putting a fresh and vibrant spin on alternative rock that is both heavy and groovy. It was great to spend some time talking with them about how they got started, their inspirations, what keeps them motivated and their plans for the future. As always, we closed out a great…

In this episode, we talk with Mike and Alison from Sonic Smut. Their debut self-titled album is spectacular. Their music is heavy, groovy, funky, inventive and infectious. During our time together we talked about origins and inspirations and more. We wrapped it up with our favorite topic: Pizza. Check it out! Sonic Smut Check out their music Follow…

In this episode, you get your host sharing the Life In Michigan newsletter called the Sunday Sip. We had some scheduling conflicts the last couple weeks which led to a lack of band interviews to feature, so we decided to share something different. The newsletter is over on Substack. It is an off-shoot of our online magazine where we share a persona…

In this episode, we talk with Gabby, Sam, David, Rob, and Stewart from Annex Void. Their debut album Will I Dream is phenomenal. Not only are the members of this band extremely talented players, they are superb songwriters. Their heavy technical progressive music is jaw-dropping. We spent some time talking about how the band came together, what the…

In this episode, we talk with Erik, Dustin, Myke, and Zack of Laddermatch. Their debut album “A Tired Sleep Won’t Fix” is a wildly intense maelstrom of heavy music. Our conversation touched on how the band came together, the recording of the debut album, musical influences, and more. We wrapped it up with our favorite topic: Pizza. Check it out! La…

In this episode, we talk with Charles, Dan, Thorin, and Joe. The band describes themselves as Avant-Goth, Cemetery Punk, and Death Folk. The reality is that this is an adventurous, highly original and intriguing band. We talked about how the band formed, their name, their debut album, dream gigs and more. As usual, we found time to talk about pizza…

In this episode, Chuck is on vacation but has left a couple of album reviews featuring the new record by Room 101 called Apostasy and the new Carbon Decoy called Superstition Plagues the Purity of All. Each of these are incredible albums that you’ll want in your collection. Chuck also chats about a monster three day event called GIG - The Art of Mi…

In this episode, we talk Dom, Aaryn, and Scott of Glass Chimera. Joining as fans were Jared and Earl of Carbon Decoy with Paul from Moonwreckers. This show was outstanding. All these people are excellent musicians and all around awesome people. It was great to get the backstory on how Glass Chimera came to be, how they got their name, and delve int…

In this episode, we talk with Mike and Chris from Monolithic Architecture. This is a newer band creating absolutely devastating doom metal. Our conversation touched on how the band was formed, how they came up with their name, song writing, and the work on their first album which should be out this spring. Along the way we talked about influences, …

In this episode, we talk with Rob Zinck of Rob Zinck and The Collaborators. Rob is a great guy to talk with. His band’s new album called Swim or Sink is an excellent set of punk-pop and alt-rock. If you are a fan of Social Distortion, you’ll dig this album. We talked about Rob’s journey into music, which includes a journey from Alaska to Michigan. …

In this episode, we talk with Mike and Phil Caudle of Caudle Brothers Music along with Geoff Jenkins. You may recognize Mike’s name from After The Minor and Geoff as the lead vocals for Speedgod. These phenomenally talented musicians have joined forces for a new song called “Creation Transcended”. This is a masterful composition replete with mind-b…

In this episode, we talk with Dan, Jay, Aaron, and Steve of the Chemical Valley Mutants. These guys reached out with their new album called Poisoned and I’m so glad they did. Raw and vicious hardcore makes for a great listen with lightning shots of aggression, the music is both catchy and persuasive. This album will definitely jump start your day. …

In this episode, we talk with Dirk and Marcie of the Dirk Kroll Band. I happened upon the music of the Dirk Kroll Band at Dave Roof’s Funky Rivertown Fest and became a fan of their wonderful music and stories. I’ve had many great conversations on Fans With Bands, but this is one of the best. Dirk and Marcie shared the ideas behind the music as well…

In this episode, we talk with Brian of Halloween. I have been a fan of Halloween - The Heavy Metal Horror Show since way back in 1985 when I picked up their debut Don’t Metal With Evil. In 2023, the band celebrates 40 years of music! It was an honor to talk with Brian about Halloween, how the band started, some of the big shows to celebrate this ye…

In this episode, we talk with Jon-Mikal of the Idiot Kids. One day, an email from the Idiot Kids showed up with a link to their music. I gave it a spin and loved their high energy pop punk with plenty of garage band power. I had a great time talking with Jon-Mikal about the band and their new album called Chapels which is out now on Jet Plastic Rec…

In this episode, we talk with Aaron, Keith, and Jason from Wilson Thicket. I’m in love with the music of Wilson Thicket as they play bluegrass that stretches the boundaries. Think of them as cousins to Billy Strings. It was fantastic to get a chance to talk with them and some of their fans about their songs, inspiration, and writing. Of course, we …

In this episode, we talk with Noah, Joe, and Taylor from Temple of the Fuzz Witch. I caught these guys a few years ago at Fuzz Fest and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. They are disciples of the mighty riff laden in doom. It was great to get the story behind the band and their music including songwriting. The big news is their new album is complete…

In this episode, we talk with the stunning vocalist and songwriter Kate Hinote. You can experience her wonderful voice and songs with The Kate Hinote Trio and The Blueflowers. I’ve had the privilege of experiencing both bands which have their distinctive sounds. I very much enjoyed talking with Kate about her journey into music, her songwriting, fi…

In this episode, we talk with the jaw-dropping Angel of Mars. Doom never sounded so damn good. This band is so powerful. The riffs, the rhythms, the vocals all combine to create a rich and heavy sonic landscape to explore. It was a pleasure to talk with them about their music and song-writing. We dive into many of our usual tops such as first album…

In this episode, we talk with Jaimi. It was great to get a chance to talk with this most talented artist about her new album called Blurred. We dive into songwriting and then jump into what inspires Jaimi’s music. We also find out what her plans are going forward. In addition to Blurred, Jaimi is working with the band Just The Basic adding her spec…

In this episode, we talk with Jason Krzysaik from Ferndale Radio. While record shopping in Ferndale, I stumbled upon the Ferndale Radio studio at Rust Belt Market. Jason was kind enough to invite me on the air to talk a little about music. So, it was only natural to have Jason on the podcast to share more information about this great community radi…

In this episode, we talk with Fangs With Twang. I’m glad I finally got around to talking with this seriously fun band. They take the music seriously, but the subject matter with monsters and such is great fun. On top of getting the origin story behind Fangs With Twang, we talk song-writing, new music, and pizza. If you get a chance, head out to Zig…

In this episode, we talk with Syphoned. I caught this amazing band opening for Atheist and Cynic at the Sanctuary in Detroit. From the minute they hit the stage, I knew I needed to get to know these awesome musicians who delivered a crushing set of technical death metal. It was great to get the story behind Syphoned, dig into their music, talk guit…

In this episode, we talk with NLIGHTiN. It was a real honor to get a chance to talk with NLIGHTiN about his new album called War With Myself and talk about the music scene in Flint. NLIGHTiN’s music share a powerful and positive message and it was great to learn about what inspires and drives him. NLIGHTiN recently played Alley Fest and has a show …

In this episode, we talk with JC from JC & The Disciples. JC was kind enough to send me a link to his single called “Deception” and I was immediately drawn to his Black Crowes meets Bob Seger rock vibe. We had a great time talking about his music as well as our shared love of great guitars and Scotland. JC has a new single out called “Lucky” and wi…

In this episode, we talk with Steve, John, Jason, and Berkeley from Manchester Underground Music and Art. Together these guys host live music in the little town of Manchester at the Raisin River Distillery. We talk about how they came together to create Manchester Underground Music and Art and make it all happen. As usual, we had to talk about pizz…

In this episode, we talk with Matt, James, Matt, and Paul from Moonwreckers. I had the pleasure of getting a sneak-peek into the Moonwreckers debut album called Why Look Here? From the moment I hit play, the hairs on my arms stood on end. It was great to get an inside look from the band on their music. Be sure to get a copy of their new album and g…

In this episode, we talk with Ed, Nick, Jason, and Robby of Anvil Crawler. This band is simply incredible. They create jaw dropping progressive rock/metal instrumental music that will blow you away. Their new album is called Hot Electrifying Color and it is a trip. It was a lot of fun to talk with the band and learn about how they formed and how th…

In this episode, we talk with Kris, Gabby, and Ricardo of Black Note Graffiti. The band has evolved over time into the dynamic, highly melodic, aggressive and progressive rock band they are today. We talked about what the evolution of the band was like and how they see the band today. They also shared stories on songwriting and their experiences th…

In this episode, we talk with Lori Stratton from the Stratton Setlist. If you aren’t familiar, The Stratton Setlist features interviews and reviews from a wide range of regional music artists. Lori’s passion for all forms of music comes shining through in her writing. Her diehard support helps to spread the word on the vast array of musical talent …

In this episode, we talk with Jennifer, Nicholas, and Todd of A Rueful Noise. Together they craft songs that are dark, moody, and oh so very intriguing. We jumped into how A Rueful Noise came up with their excellent band name as well as diving into a few of their tunes which you can snag over on Bandcamp. A Rueful Noise are busy finishing up record…

In this episode, we talk with Ally, Tristan, and Isaac of Forge The Sun. This band puts a progressive spin on hard rock to create spectacular music that is both captivating and exciting. Our chat with Forge The Sun goes into how the band got their name as well as the songwriting process. They have a new album called “Heart of the Sunrise” coming ou…

In this episode, we talk with Stu from Pulphonics. They create some interesting and compelling music that spans genres. We took some time to learn about how the band formed, their songwriting process, and their new album called Art Is Money which will be released on April 7th, 2023. Pulphonics Check out their music Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Yo…

In this episode, we talk with Chuck Bean and his new podcast called Really Big Fan Podcast. The new podcast will dive into all kinds of subjects where people like to get nerdy with their fandom. It will be loosely following the Nerd Radio podcast that Chuck did with WRIF a few years back. So if you are into comics, video games, movies, pro wrestlin…

In this episode, we talk with Chris and Mike from Barker and Broski. They are a singer-songwriter duo who create serious music which is all about fun. Their latest album called “The Coal Country Heartbreakers” is the third in a series that tells the story of a fictional character called Billy Bob. In addition to their music, Barker and Broski host …

This week I’m out exploring the world. I’ve got more great bands and their fans coming up in March. Until then, you can either check out a favorite episode or send me a note. I’d love to hear what you think of the show. What bands do you want to talk with? What albums are you excited about? Shoot me a note either on Facebook or Instagram. I hope yo…

In this episode, we talk with Jeremy, Steven, Chris, and Allen from Cosmic Sans. Their new album called As Well is fantastic. When listening to their music I’m reminded of bands like the Foo Fighters, Screaming Trees, Local H, and The Toadies with a dab of Queens Of The Stone Age. It was great to get the stories of how the band came together as wel…

In this episode, we talk with Dan, Dusty, and Grant from Blood Rune Sigil. These guys play heavy progressive psych riffs with gusto. Their new album called Transmutations is out now. If you are a fan of bands like Tool and Pink Floyd, you’ll dig Blood Rune Sigil. If you want to jam with the band, they are down. Just send them a message on Facebook …

In this episode, we talk with Frank, Pete, and Mike from Slowfoot. I was pleased when Frank got in touch. I checked out their music and loved the guitar driven rock with a heart of soul. It was fun talking to them about their new album called Something Good which is coming out on Dec 23rd. Keep an eye on the links below for upcoming shows and to ge…

In this episode, we talk with Chip and Tom from Crossword Smiles. I had a great time talking with them about their new album called Pressed and Ironed which is out now on Big Stir records. If you love great lyrics combined with interesting songwriting that calls to mind bands like Big Star and The Replacements, then you will certainly dig Crossword…

In this episode, we talk with Tony Muggs (from The Muggs and Dude) about his new book called AUTOBIOGRAFFITT. This is Tony’s first book and as the name implies, it is his story. If you aren’t familiar, Tony overcame a massive stroke which impaired his left side forcing him to relearn everything and learn to play bass on Fender Rhodes keyboard. His …