Talkin' Rock With Meltdown Podcast

Beasley Media Group

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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#115
September 25 · 43 min
Dirty Honey's Marc LaBelle & Jack Underkofler of Dead Poets Society
Dirty Honey is dropping a new album to start off 2027. Catch My Butterfly is coming out on January 15th. Marc LaBelle was kind enough to join me and talk about the album, two songs of which have been released. "Lights Out" and "Butterfly" are out now. Marc talked about the very personal nature of "Butterfly", a song he was somewhat afriad to share with his bandmates. We discussed the album artwork, their upcoming tour plans, and, of course, NHL hockey. Listen to find out who he thinks will hoist the Stanley Cup at the end of the season. To wrap up this ep., it's Jack Underkofler of Dead Poets Society. They also have a new album coming out. Monarch drops on October 2nd. He tells me about the thought process for the videos he directed. They have a certain feel that he talks about. We discuss his upbringing in Boston and Virginia, his time at the Berklee College of Music, and much more. Thanks for listening! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#114
September 18 · 51 min
Joel Hokstra, Don Jamieson, and Jake from O.N.I Are On Talkin' Rock
Three great guests and one mediocre host are on this episode of Talkin' Rock. Joel Hoekstra is up first. Since he's a sports fan, could he become the G.M. for the Red Wings? All joking aside, we discuss TSO hitting the road again and the production they may bring with them. We talk about Whitesnake, with a great question from fellow guitarist Bumblefoot. That's for starters, with Joel. Don Jamieson and his friend Jim Florentine have dropped Terrorizing Telemarketers 8. Don's also put out his latest album, Comedy is Killing Me, a take on a Type O Negative classic. Of course, we talk rock, his podcast, and more hilarity. Then it's Jake from the band O.N.I. to wrap up the ep. They've got a cover of R.E.M.'s Losing My Religion out right now, and it's heavy! Jake talks about his upbringing, sobriety, musical influences, and much more. Thanks for listening! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#113
September 10 · 41 min
Wolf Hoffman Talks 50 Years of Accept and David Ellefson of Metal Church on Talkin' Rock
Two monstrous metal/rock musicians are on Talkin' Rock. Wolf Hoffman is up first. The new Accept tribute album is out now. Teutonic Titans 1976-2026 has 50 guest artists covering 19 classic Accept songs. We talk about the process of starting this project, the massive rockers on it, whether any former members were a part of the album, and more. What's in Accept's future? Does he see an end to the legendary band? These questions and more will be answered. Davud Ellefson is next. The bassist is now part of Metal Church, a band he's loved for years and is happy to be a part of. David says his focus has been on the band and not so much on other ventures as he's done in the past. We discuss his favorite Megadeth album, whether he'll stick around to see his former band play when they share the stage at Louder Than Life next week, and much more. David's been a friend for years, and I'm glad to see him loving what he's doing on and off the stage. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#112
September 2 · 31 min
Rik Emmett of Triumph and Classic Limp Bizkit on Talkin' Rock
I spoke with Rik Emmett earlier today and thought it was so good I didn't want to wait to post it. Yes, I know I posted an interview already today (with Gene Simmons), but it's my podcast, and I make the rules! Obviously, I had to ask Rik about the tour and putting the band back together with some help from Phil X, Brent Fitz, and Todd Kerns. He was all about talking about that, Mike Levin not playing any of the shows, and the "Summer of Canadian Rock Trios" with Rush getting back on the road in 2026. Then, it's a classic interview with Fred Durst and Wes Borland from Limp Bizkit from 2010. This interview aired on WRIF but was never posted online, so here it is. It's cool to go back and listen to how the guys split and got back together. There are also some other cultural references, including a social media interaction with Neil Diamond. You may or may not recall that. Enjoy these two interviews. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#111
September 2 · 31 min
Gene Simmons Of KISS is on Talkin' Rock
It's always a thrill to talk with "The Demon" Gene Simmons of KISS. The dude is a rock icon, and he's coming to UWM Field in Utica on September 20th, along with Derek St Holmes and Kaliedo. Gene was gracious with his time as we spoke for thirty minutes about his upbringing, recently turning 77 years old, his solo band and KISS, and lots more. What's the best non-musical financial decision he ever made? How have he and Paul Stanley remained so tight over all these years? How much unreleased KISS material remains in the vault? Those are some of the questions Gene answered along with his thoughts on his son's band, Stanley/Simmons, touring with RUSH, and much more. Give the interview a listen, then grab your tickets to see Gene at the USPBL Fall Music Classic at UWM Field in Utica, Michigan. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#110
August 28 · 32 min
Author/Musician Sean Kelly Talks "Battle Axes: A Hard Rockin' History Of Pointy Guitars" on Talkin' Rock
Battle Axes: A Hard Rockin' History Of Pointy Guitars is the book out now by Canadian author/musician Sean Kelly. Talking with Sean was a blast! I'm not a guitar player, but I've seen a few in my life. Many with "pointy" guitars. Sean briefly dug into the history of how guitars got pointy and who played them. He showed off some of his own (the video will be posted next week) and his favorites. Sean is a Canadian musician who's played with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Cooney Hatch, Honemoon Suite, and many more. He's been around a guitar or six, and tells great stories of getting some meg-rock stars to contribute to the book, some misses, and everything in between. This is a fun conversation. Go grab the book wherever you buy books; it's out now! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#109
August 20 · 21 min
Def Leppard's Phil Collen returns to Talkin' Rock
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 he brought that up, I had to ask him about the impact that Mutt had on Def Leppard. Let's just say that Phil gave Mutt a LOT of credit for their success. We talked about new music, upcoming tours, residencies, and lots more. Thanks to Phil for the time and to you for listening. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#108
August 7 · 39 min
Drummer Matt Sorum Talks Adopt the Arts Foundation Live Album And More On Talkin' Rock
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 Temple Pilots), Stevie Salas (Mick Jagger), Mike Mangan (The Cult), and Paul Ill (Alicia Keys). And let me say, the record sounds as good as this line-up! Matt told me about forming the Adopt the Arts Foundation and what it's meant to him. He was thrilled putting the musicians on stage, and more excited after hearing the finished product. So much so that he decided to put it out on vinyl. You can pre-order the album now with the info below. In the intro, I accidentally said the album is available for pre-order on the 13th. That's false; it started on the 3rd. Get yours today! PRE-ORDER ALBUM HERE Title: Sound & Vision Live Format: Limited-edition all-star double vinyl album Pressing: Limited to 2,000 copies Price: $99.98 Pre-Sale Begins: August 3, 2026 Record Release Celebration: September 13, 2026 Online Availability: Exclusively through Experience Vinyl Beneficiary: Adopt the Arts Foundation For album information and online ordering, visit Experience Vinyl. For event and foundation information, please visit Adopt the Arts. We did talk about his time in Velvet Revolver, GNR, and The Cult as well. Matt's an open book as we discussed many topics, and he's very easy to talk to. Go grab a copy of this killer album...let's sell it out for the kids! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#107
August 6 · 32 min
Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman Returns to Talkin' Rock
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 the plan to drop the second part next year. We talked about Abby Road, early NHL predictions, navigating today's crazy music listening habits of the fans, and lots more. One thing I found fascinating that I'd never heard before was how the song Bad Girlfriend became a single. After all these years of knowing the guys, I learned something new. That's just for starters on this episode of Talkin' Rock! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#106
August 5 · 35 min
Poison's Rikki Rockett is on Talkin' Rock
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 scary places across the country. We discussed his upbringing in mid-Pennsylvania, the beginning of Poison, moving to Hollywood, and the early days. He told me about times in the band when the grunge movement took over, as well. He's got a new book coming out in September called Ghost Notes-My Life In Poison. Rikki told me about that and that fact that publishers wanted them to write a book similar to The Dirt from Motley Crue. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#105
July 24 · 31 min
Jimmie Bones from Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band is on Talkin' Rock - Part 1
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 show debut, and they were called the Beatles. And I kind of, I think I was maybe five years old. And I can't say it blew my wig back, because my mom used to shave my head back then, like this really 60s brush cut. But it kind of, yeah, did that to me, you know. And then later on, I saw the Rolling Stones on there and a lot of the other British invasion bands. So that had an impact on me." That was just the beginning. From there, Bones told me about his path through the Detroit ranks to meeting Kid Rock. The White Room Studios is where their paths crossed, and they've been bandmates ever since. That's the extremely short version; listen for the full version of events. As I said, there's too much to post here. This is a fun listen down the musical Detroit rabbit hole. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#104
July 23 · 35 min
Talkin' Rock with Night Ranger's Kelly Keagy
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 famous Harpos Concert Theater years ago when they were first starting. An experience for any young band. They're dropping a new greatest hits album, which we also discussed. As the press release reads: The tour also arrives as NIGHT RANGER prepares to release their upcoming ‘Best Of’ album on August 28th via Frontiers Music Srl. The collection features newly remixed and remastered versions of classic hits spanning the band’s legendary career, alongside standout tracks from their acclaimed output over the last 20 years, celebrating both their legacy and continued evolution as one of rock’s most enduring acts. He tells great stories of meeting Ozzy, Brad Gillis joining the Prince of Darkness on tour, their very first video, and tons more. What a fun interview! See you at the show! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#103
July 15 · 44 min
Tesla's Frank Hannon and Jackyl's Jesse James Dupree Are On Talkin' Rock
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 told me why the band covered the song "Little Suzi", which some people probably don't know that it's a cover song. We also talked about his horses and the upcoming covers record called Homage. Yes, they are covering a Bob Seger song. That's just for starters with Frank.... Jesse James Dupree is up next. The Jackyl frontman talks about the upcoming festivities at Sturgis for the motorcycle rally. Lots of bands playing and lots of riding to be had. Sammy Hagar, Rob Zombie, and, of course, Jackyl playing the Full Throttle Saloon. Oh, there is a Detroit favorite playing that Friday as well! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#102
June 30 · 41 min
Ted Nugent returns to Talkin' Rock along with Kurt Deimer
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 decades. He brought up the Paw Paw, Michigan show last year. I was there, and the show was something special. "I am so excited...I get so outta control," he says while speaking to the fact that he's back in his home state of Michigan. "Has God blessed me with the greatest musicians in the world?" Yes, he's played with some of the best! "I'd like to think that my guitar tone has no identity, because I'm constantly playing with the amps," he said of his guitar. "It's fat, it's rich," he went on. Ted will turn 78 this year, and he's still full-tilt-boogie. "I'm having more fun, and more musical adventure....if the 15-year-old showed up, I'd kick his ass!" "It's a jazz guitar, but I fixed it," Ted said of his famous Birdland guitar. He said that each Birdland has its own personality because of the way the spruce breathes. Ted expanded on that during our conversation. He's going to be inducted into the Michigan Outdoor Hall of Fame. That's on Hall he should've been in a long time ago. Yes, he should be in the other one too, but I guess we'll start here. He's also getting Conservationist of the Year in Springfield, Missouri, in August. We also talked about great places to visit in Michigan. Ted had a lot of say on that. He's like a one-man chamber of commerce. The U.P., Grayling to see the Fred Bear statue, Mackinaw Island (a place he said he's never been to), downtown Detroit to see Hitsville U.S.A., and other places. "Michigan is my beloved birth state," he said. He went on to talk about the quality of people in the Mitten. His dream from youth: "Spend as much time in the woods and the swamps and the rivers of Michigan and to rock my balls off. It's 78 years later, and that's exactly what I'm doing!" Nicely said. Go see Ted and watch how it's done! Up next it's the guy opening up most of these shows, Kurt Diemer. His new album A Grog Is Born dropped a month ago, featuring Josh Todd from Buckcherry and Geoff Tate, formerly of Queensryche. Yes, they covered the iconic "Silent Lucidity". That's a tall task. Kurt's also in the horror world. His latest movie, Scared To Death, is streaming now on Amazon. It's more of a horror comedy. He's dropping another one coming up in the fall called Hellbilly Hollow, which I really enjoyed. Kurt's got a lot going on and is a super good dude. Check him out after Ted on this episode, then before Ted at some upcoming shows. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#101
June 26 · 17 min
Tim Montana Talks His New Album, Working With Legends, UFO Sightings, And More
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 about a UFO sighting he had. I didn't expect that. We discussed the new album, Entire State Of Tim Montana. That's a name Charlie Sheen gave him. He tells great stories of hanging and playing with rock stars. Really cool! Oh, by the way, YES, he did have a meal at Eminem's Mom's Spaghetti downtown when he came here with Alter Bridge. Enjoy the conversation and thanks for listening! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#100
June 23 · 32 min
Talkin' Rock with #3, Chris Fehn
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 his massive baseball card collection. What was it like playing those earlier Ozzfest gigs as Slipknot was climbing the mountain of metal success? He talks about his favorite SK album and why it's that one. My fave as well! He shares some funny Ozzy stories, drumming with the late Joey Jordison, meeting fans at comic-cons, working with the legendary Rick Rubin, and lots more. As I said, it's great to have Chris back on the pod. Enjoy! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#99
June 10 · 27 min
Spread Eagle's Rob De Luca and Ray West talk The Brutal Devine
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 a really well-written record, and we're really proud of it. It's solid." 1. Flat Earth Vultures 2. Street Noise 3. Gunflower 4. Jail Rat 5. Forbidden Local Honey 6. Pushed to the Limit 7. Ant Farm 8. Scars in Our Eyes (City Kids) 9. Inside a Shrunken Head 10. Makebeliever "It's just a natural progression of things," Ray mentioned while talking about what the band has in place for 2026. We also talked about recording their debut album, some 36 years ago. Ray said his frustration with the recording process and using a big-time studio was a lot for the young singer. "As bad as that experience was, it's what had to happen at the time", Rob said. Rob talked about the backing of the label, Frontiers. "They're doing well. Anything is applicable." He said they seem to get the band. That's important. That's just for starters on this great conversation with the guys.... Thanks for listening, and go get the album when it comes out! Enjoy! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#98
June 8 · 16 min
Kenny Wayne Shepherd returns to Talkin' Rock
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 am I. You might notice that there aren't many KWS dates this summer. He explains why they're few and far between. He also talks about playing for Michigan audiences. He said he loves shredding for the Midwest crowds because they appreciate what he does. He says the "work hard, play hard" crowds are some of his favorite people to play for. He discussed the Ledbetter Heights 30th anniversary album. He was just a 17-year-old kid, playing with his heroes and touring with legends. That's for starters.... Enjoy! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#97
June 5 · 24 min
Ian Gillan of Deep Purple and musician Ryan Perdz are on Talkin' Rock
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" album, I had to relay a story to Ian about the time brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul told me about the first song they ever played together: Smoke On The Water. They told me that it was a six-minute song, that they stretched out to about six hours! Up next is Buffalo, New York musician, Ryan Perdz. Ryan is dropping a new record this August and is here to tell me about it. Where did he get his musical influences? Where did he play around Buffalo? How did grunge affect him? He's got a real Chris Cornell sound to his vocals. He's playing a show at the El Club in Detroit on June 14th. Enjoy! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#96
May 28 · 31 min
Armored Saint's John Bush Returns To Talkin' Rock
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 reason the album is fairly short, clocking in at about 48 minutes. We talked about his career and if he'd change anything over the past 42 years. They have another monstrous tour coming up this fall with the guys from Metal Church. We discussed that and what else is coming up in 2026, including another gig where he will play his Anthrax era songs. Thanks for listening! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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