Host Ray Harkins dives deep with creators of independent culture from musicians, artists and other interesting people to find out what inspires them, how they came to be and many other unexpected places.
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Ray Harkins Podcasts
Two Old Farts Talk Sci-Fi will bring you back to when you first fell in love with the speculative genre, which includes science fiction, fantasy, and horror, their mashups and subgenres, whether that be the written word or movies, TV, theatre, comic books and graphic novels. Whatever the format, if it can’t happen in real life, it may be brought up. --- What is it that first brought you to love the things that could not happen? --- What is it about the speculative genre that keeps you readin ...
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This week on the show, we sit down with Graeme McKinnon, vocalist, songwriter, and driving force behind Canadian post-punk powerhouse Home Front. Before blending icy synths with punk grit, Graeme cut his teeth in the world of hardcore—shaped early on by the tough, street-level bite of Blitz and the chaotic, uniquely Canadian spirit of SNFU. Those b…
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Yellow Submarine was an animated film featuring The Beatles. It was released in 1968, to fulfill a 3-picture deal, that included A Hard Days Night (1964); Help! (1965). And like the first two films, this was, in essence, a music-delivery device. It was agreed that the band would supply 4 new songs - All Together Now, Hey Bulldog, It’s All Too Much,…
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Dan Gump from Excessive Force & Life Sentence Records
1:11:37
1:11:37
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1:11:37
In this episode, I talk with Dan Gump, founder of Life Sentence Records and vocalist of Excessive Force, about his unique path through hardcore. We get into his upbringing, discovering punk, and how serving in the Marine Corps shaped his perspective once he became part of the OC and Midwest hardcore scenes. Dan reflects on what it means to be a str…
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Scott Angelacos from Bloodlet and Hollow Leg
1:13:48
1:13:48
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In this episode, we sit down with Scott Angelacos—the unmistakable voice behind Bloodlet, Hope & Suicide, and Hollow Leg—to dig into the history, mythology, and lived reality of one of Florida’s heaviest and most influential frontmen. Scott walks us through the early days of Bloodlet, the unique darkness that shaped their sound, and the gritty Flor…
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New episode featuring Petey USA — the musician, comedian, and all-around creative dude known for blending vulnerable songwriting with offbeat humor and viral sketches. We talk about how collaboration has shaped his approach to both music and comedy, what it felt like to throw the first pitch at a Cubs game, and the balance between sincerity and abs…
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This week, we sit down with Brett Burnham, vocalist of Torn Apart and longtime tattoo artist, for a deep dive into the roots of Baltimore hardcore and the winding path that’s carried him from stages to tattoo shops. Torn Apart was one of the most intense and influential bands to come out of Baltimore 90s scene — a bridge between metalcore’s early c…
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The Evil Dead movie franchise is near and dear to the hearts of many horror aficionados. And, you do not have to be a horror fan to like the movies. You can like humour, slapstick, comedy, magic realism and surrealism, abstraction, irrationality, and cabins. And woods. And things in the basement. And in the case of Evil Dead Rise, an urban landscap…
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Few drummers have shaped punk rock’s heartbeat like Bill Stevenson. From pounding the kit for Black Flag to defining melodic hardcore with the Descendents, Bill’s fingerprints are all over the sound and soul of modern punk. Now in his early 60s, he’s as sharp, funny, and relentless as ever — splitting time between drumming, producing at his legenda…
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Patrick Cozens from Restraining Order
1:06:13
1:06:13
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In this episode, we sit down with Patrick Cozens, frontman of Restraining Order, the Massachusetts/Connecticut hardcore band known for blending classic early ’80s energy with modern urgency. Patrick talks about growing up in the New England scene, how Restraining Order first came together, and the balance between being easygoing offstage and all-ou…
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Esden Stafne from Saturdays At Your Place
1:05:27
1:05:27
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This episode features a conversation with Esden Stafne, bassist, vocalist, and founding member of saturdays at your place, the Michigan-based band whose blend of Midwest emo, pop sensibility, and raw sincerity has built a passionate following across DIY spaces and beyond. We dig into Esden’s life offstage—the quiet moments between tours, growing up…
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Akil Godsey of End It joins the show for a conversation that’s equal parts reflection and release. Hailing from Baltimore, End It has built their reputation on unfiltered honesty and chaotic energy — a band that channels the city’s grit into hardcore that’s both feral and deeply human. Akil talks about the cycles of death, debauchery, and the stran…
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In this episode, I sit down with Josh Newton, a musician whose fingerprints are all over some of the most compelling underground sounds of the past three decades. We trace his path from the fertile Kansas City scene of the ’90s, where Shiner carved out their space alongside the era’s noisy, angular bands, to his wild ride as a bassist in Every Time…
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HAPPY 13TH ANNIVERSARY TO THE SHOW. On this episode, we sit down with Tim McIlrath of Rise Against to dig into the band’s remarkable longevity and the intentional ways they’ve continued to challenge and inspire listeners over the years. Tim reflects on the band’s history—from their early days in Chicago’s punk and hardcore scene to becoming a globa…
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In this episode, Harper from Greet Death opens up about the deeper currents running through her life and music. She reflects on the impact Blink-182 had on her formative years, not just as a gateway into punk and alternative music, but as a band that showed how vulnerability and humor could coexist. We also explore how Greet Death has often been mi…
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Garrett Klahn from Texas Is The Reason
1:11:56
1:11:56
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We sat down with Garrett Klahn from Texas Is the Reason for a conversation that goes way beyond the band. We talked about growing up in the Buffalo hardcore scene, hanging out at Home of the Hits and why that record store meant so much, and how nostalgia creeps in when you look back on music that shaped your life. Garrett opened up about his early …
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On this episode, I sit down with Drew Ringo from Sleepytime Trio to dig into the stories and experiences that shaped his life in music. We talk about what it was like to grow up around Washington, D.C. in the 1980s, a scene that set the tone for so much of what came later. Drew shares memories from an ambitious five-month tour that pushed the band …
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Scott Winegard from Texas Is The Reason
1:11:45
1:11:45
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In this episode we sit down with Scott Winegard, bassist of the seminal post-hardcore band Texas Is The Reason. Emerging from New York City’s 90s underground, the band carved out a legacy with their melodic sensibilities, introspective lyrics, and their enduring influence on the emo/post-hardcore movement. Scott reflects on those years with a mix o…
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Geert Van Der Velde from Shai Hulud
1:04:17
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1:04:17
In this episode, we sit down with Geert Van Der Velde, best known for his time fronting the influential hardcore band Shai Hulud. Geert shares insights from his journey in the world of heavy music, reflecting on the band’s lasting impact and the philosophies that have shaped his life and art. From exploring nihilism and the role it’s played in his …
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In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Kirby, frontman of Texas-based metalcore heavyweights, Fit For A King. Since their formation in 2007, the band has carved out a place at the forefront of modern metalcore with their crushing riffs, soaring choruses, and relentless touring schedule. Ryan opens up about how the genre has evolved over the last de…
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Tim Williams from Vision of Disorder
1:06:08
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In this episode, we sit down with Tim Williams, frontman of the groundbreaking Long Island band Vision of Disorder. We dig into the band's rise from local legends to Ozzfest veterans, the intensity of their early shows, and the moments that made VOD a pillar of heavy music in the late '90s and early 2000s. Tim also opens up about life outside the s…
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Taylor McLam from Orange 9mm & Fountainhead
1:05:22
1:05:22
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In this episode, we sit down with Taylor McLam—guitarist of the influential post-hardcore band Orange 9mm and creative force behind Fountainhead—to trace a career that bridges underground grit and mainstream polish. Taylor shares vivid memories from the heyday of Warped Tour in the '90s, when Orange 9mm brought their explosive energy to a new gener…
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Aaron Dalbec from Bane, Be Well and Only Crime
1:03:29
1:03:29
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In this episode, we’re joined by Aaron Dalbec of Bane for a thoughtful conversation about growing up in the suburbs, staying true to yourself, and finding purpose beyond the band that defined so much of your life. Aaron opens up about carving out an identity outside of Bane, how the hardcore ethos still guides him, and why doing what you love—regar…
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In this episode, we sit down with Mark Rose, frontman of beloved Chicago rock band Spitalfield, for a deep dive into the legacy of the band, the evolution of the scene, and his continued passion for making music. Rising out of the early 2000s emo and pop-punk surge, Spitalfield became a cornerstone of the Chicago music community—earning a loyal fan…
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Ken Susi, Fishman Music, ex-Unearth
1:08:39
1:08:39
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In this episode, we sit down with Ken Susi—guitarist for metalcore pioneers Unearth and a key force behind the scenes at Fishman Music—for a conversation that pulls no punches. Ken talks about what it’s like to never quite fit the mold, how being a loud mouth has both helped and hurt him over the years, and why he wouldn’t have it any other way. Fr…
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In this episode, we’re joined by Jimmy Stadt, frontman of the beloved post-hardcore band Polar Bear Club, for a conversation that traces the band’s journey from the heart of Rochester, NY to stages around the world. Jimmy reflects on the band’s whirlwind early days—how they started fast, caught unexpected momentum, and found themselves navigating a…
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In this episode, we’re joined by Troy Lusk, the founder and booking agent behind Tour Peachy, a boutique agency that’s redefining what it means to stay independent in the live music world. Troy walks us through his journey from fan to agent—breaking into the business the hard way, learning by doing, and eventually launching his own agency with a cl…
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