A-Sides

Episode 137 - Type O Negative Songs

With a chill in the air and leaves on the ground, there's not a better band to have on your stereo than the spooky sounds of Type O Negative. The band from Brooklyn, NY known as "The Drab Four" combined elements of heavy metal and goth with a dark sense of humor, and we paid tribute to them with Episode 137. We not only share our favorite songs but also our origins of discovering of Type O Negative, along with stand-out lyrical moments, long forgotten shops from Central Illinois' past, and record store CD samplers. Grab your favorite black hoodie, dye your hair pitch black, and drop the needle on this 'Halloween-themed' episode of A-SIDES.

Episode 136 - Wes Horton

New heavy rock act Flat Black erupted onto the scene this summer, opening for Godsmack and releasing 3 ferocious singles, with their latest titled "Justice Will Be Done." Vocalist Wes Horton joined A-SIDES from a tour stop in Canada for a candid conversation about his vocal process and keeping himself in shape, cooking, and even being visited by rescue animals backstage!
Stay updated with Flat Black at their website, which has links to purchase merch as well as their tour dates. Huge thanks to Wes for taking time out of his schedule; thanks to the Flat Black team for making this happen; and thank you to everyone who listens!

Episode 135 - More With Freddy Herrera

Returning guest and friend Freddy Herrera chats with A-SIDES about the recent Everclear live album, Live At The Whisky A Go Go. The release celebrates the band's 30 year history and also includes new studio recordings of "Sing Away" and "Year Of The Tiger." Freddy also shares his thoughts on discovering new music and hungry young bands, family life, as well as a few stories from the road.
Many thanks to Freddy for taking time out of his touring schedule to chat and also thanks to everyone who listens. You can stay updated on all things Everclear through their website here.

Episode 134 - The Art of Marc Sasso

For many metalheads, a striking album cover is as integral as the music contained within, when debating classic albums. Episode 134 of A-SIDES features a conversation with one such artist, Marc Sasso, who has created amazing illustrations for Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford, and more. We not only learn about his backstory and making connections in the art world, but also hear about his techniques, his favorite bands, some of his favorite pieces, and even New York pizza!
You'll not only find Marc's work in the world of heavy metal, but also comics and pro-wrestling, through his website here. Huge thanks to Marc for sharing his stories on this episode of A-SIDES!

Episode 133 - Rico of The BraziLionaires

A-SIDES Episode 133 features special guest Rico, guitar player/songwriter/singer with the Nashville-based band, The BraziLionaires. He grew up in Central Illinois, perfected his craft in California, and after returning to Illinois, formed a Latin-jazz fusion, The BraziLionaires. In addition to hearing about Rico's background, we also start this episode briefly discussing a historical theater in Peoria, IL, which is in the middle of a restoration project. The BraziLionaires will be performing at a benefit to raise funds for this project on September 30th, called The Blockbuster Bash for the Madison Theatre.
Huge thanks to Rico for sharing his stories and expertise on A-SIDES. You can find their music online on several streaming apps, also follow the band through their Facebook page, and support the efforts to restore the Madison Theatre here.

Episode 132 - Aerosmith Part 2

Revisiting Aerosmith for A-SIDES Episode 132, we follow-up on a topic originally started last year in Episode 107. This time we hit their "comeback era", which started in 1985 with Done With Mirrors, but kicked into high-gear following an unlikely collaboration with Run DMC. Listen as we share our top ten songs, from album cuts to b-sides, Desmond Child's contributions, Liv Tyler vs Alicia Silverstone, and more.
This episode also marks our 4-year anniversary of this podcast, as we launched it in September of 2019. We've reviewed countless albums, discussed many of our favorite bands and songs, interviewed great musicians, and made friends along the way. Thanks for listening!
 

Episode 131 - Adam Jaffe

Pistols At Dawn is a hungry new band in the world of modern rock, with a firestorm of momentum following several hot spring tours. Founding member and drummer Adam Jaffe joins A-SIDES for this episode to discuss their origins, his passion and drive for rock music, several favorite bands and inspirations, and also what the future looks like for Pistols At Dawn. Huge thanks to Adam for being my guest for Episode 131 of A-SIDES and thanks to everyone who listens.
 
You can stay up to date on all things Pistols At Dawn by visiting their website here or by following the band on Facebook.

Episode 130 - Consuming Music

In our nearly 4-year history of A-SIDES we've featured many deep dives into an array of musical topics, but this latest episode might be the most definitive deep dive yet! Episode 130 welcomes notable Central Illinois music collector, Paul Tincher, along with returning guest and record store owner Denny Smith, to discuss the minutiae that goes along with collecting music. Buckle up as we dive into the far reaches of purchasing import releases, bargain bin cassettes, color variants, and truck stop CD compilations! Thanks for listening!