Episodes
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Kamtin Mohager is undoubtedly one of the scene’s most prolific figures. As the musical brainchild behind The Chain Gang Of 1974 and Heavenward as well as the former bassist and co-lead vocalist of Teenage Wrist, Mohager has made a career out of staying as artistically and creatively diverse as possible.
In this episode, we talk to Mohager about his early days spent touring as the bassist for 3OH!3 (with whom he still performs with), and his remarkable stint with shoegaze darlings Teenage Wrist and the creation of their seminal record Chrome Neon Jesus. Now in June 2023, Mohager is set to release the debut album ‘Pyrophonics,’ from his latest project Heavenward, a grunge and 90s emo/space rock outfit that quite possibly will top your 2023 albums of the year list.
With iconic records under his belt and massive song placements including the Grand Theft Auto 5 soundtrack, as well as a budding graphic design career creating merch and artwork for some of your favorite bands, one can only pose the following question: Is Kamtin Mohager the scene’s true renaissance man?Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
This week’s guest is Daniel Anderson, guitarist and vocalist of the electronicore duo Idiot Pilot who were arguably one of the most underrated bands in the scene. Forming in 2003, in the dreary city of Bellingham, WA, Idiot Pilot quickly caught the attention of the greater music industry due in large part to their visceral, chaotic and ethereal hybrid of post-hardcore and electronica. The band would score a major label deal right out of high school and for their sophomore record ‘Wolves,’ the band would work with legendary music producer Ross Robinson (Korn, Slipknot) alongside blink-182’s Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker. Additionally, the duo’s evocative single “Retina In The Sky” even made its way on the first Transformers movie soundtrack in 2007.
Idiot Pilot were poised to be the biggest band in the world due to their groundbreaking sound and inventiveness, but in many ways, they were almost too ahead of the curve in retrospect. We discuss the band’s whirlwind career, working with legendary musicians, the future and Daniel’s latest project Glowbug.
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
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EMOlition Derby welcomes its first Scottish guest! Murray Macleod of The Xcerts - the genre bending alternative trio from Aberdeen Scotland. We caught up with Murray to discuss the early days of The Xcerts, their diverse influences (Blink-182, Sleigh Bells, and Slowdive) and their exciting new record, LEARNING HOW TO LIVE AND LET GO, which will be released August 18th via UNFD. One of the singles, ACHE, features scene titan, Sam Carter, of Architects singing in a style you haven't heard yet. Talking with Murray is like sitting down and talking with a fast friend you met at a show. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we do!
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Nashville-based singer-songwriter and clothing designer Phangs is our latest guest this week on the EMOlition Derby podcast. Phangs has been a key fixture in the scene for well over 15 years, initially rising to prominence as a member of The Secret Handshake and Relient K, among many others. Now, Phangs, aka Jake Germany is a full-fledged solo artist who fuses everything from nostalgic yet forward-thinking pop-rock to EDM and hip hop to create an entirely unique sound. Phangs has scored millions of streams, landed several successful TV and movie placements for his music, including Love Island and has now released 3 exceptional LPs including his stunning 2022 effort I Love Everything That You Hate About Yourself which also happens to feature a stacked cast of prominent guest vocalists including Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens, Matt Theissen of Relient K, LOF, Phoebe Ryan and many more. Phangs has also launched a new clothing venture titled Designed By Phangs which boasts a series of eye-catching garments that are redefining alternative fashion and inclusivity. You do not want to miss this conversation with one of alternative music’s most voices.
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Joining us this week is none other than Trevor Hedges, frontman and guitarist of Phoenix, AZ-based indie/emo outfit Sundressed. Hedges has always spoken candidly about important topics ranging from mental health, therapy, medication and substance misuse yet finds a way to channel it all through vulnerable and infectiously catchy pop songs. Sundressed have been making significant waves in the industry following the release of their 2020 critically-acclaimed album Home Remedy via Rude Records and have since shared the stage with everyone from scene legends The Maine and Hawthorne Heights to Armor For Sleep and The Dangerous Summer. In 2023, the band is now gearing up for the release of their forthcoming studio album and have already given fans a taste of what’s to come with the triumphant lead single “Bad Drugs (Feat. City Mouth),” and are also set to embark on a headlining tour which kicks off April 24 before wrapping up in late May. In conversation, Trevor Hedges bares it all and opens up about his own personal struggles during his youth and the tremendous success he has had in recovery and through the music of Sundressed.
Photo credit SundressedThanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
The almighty Shane Told of Silverstein joins us for a landmark episode of EMOlition Derby. Shane hardly needs an introduction as Silverstein have been a staple of alternative music for over two decades, selling hundreds of thousands of records to date. Initially part of the Victory Records tidal wave of the early 2000's with the likes of Taking Back Sunday and Hawthorne Heights, they have continued to evolve upon their original sound to keep things current. Because of this, they are the biggest they have ever been - selling out shows in the biggest rooms they have played. In this episode, we discuss their early influences (such as fellow Canadian heavyweights Grade), Victory Records and the genius/controversy of Tony Brummel, their less talked about records such as Arrivals and Departures and Rescue and their exciting plans for the future. Misery Made Me Deluxe is out now via UNFD and you can now watch the video for Poison Pill on Youtube.
Photo courtesy of SilversteinThanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Joey Chiaramonte is the vocalist for Koyo, a Long Island melodic hardcore band that has exploded onto the scene in the past few years. During this interview, Joey talks about Koyo’s busy touring schedule and the highlights of playing alongside scene elder statesmen Silverstein and Bayside. We also hear about Koyo’s highly anticipated debut full length, which is slated to come out later this year despite the record being finished for months now. Koyo’s future is bright and we are so excited to watch them continue to grow.
Photo credit Madison Stern @madisonsphoto
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Danny Stevens is a Nashville based singer and songwriter who was also the frontman of The Audition, an underrated and prolific pop-rock band that was active in the early to late 2000's. Danny admittedly hasn't done any long-form interviews about his time with The Audition so we get the most in-depth and honest record to date about Danny first joining the band, their relationship with the controversial Victory Records, to the band's quiet disbandment. Danny also unveils his new solo project, which hasn't been officially announced, but will be sweeping the airways in the next few months. As you'll hear him describe, this is just the beginning of the most exciting phase in his musical career.
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Andre Fili is your new favorite MMA Fighter. Not only is he one of today's most exciting competitors in the UFC, but he is an avid lover of alternative and heavy music. So much so that he started a hardcore band called "Born Breach" who are set to work with legendary producer Will Yip this year. In this interview, we discuss the parallels of coming up as a mixed martial artist and coming up as a musician and how there is an immense amount of hard work for an unknown amount of reward. Also, we dive into his musical endeavors with Born Breach and his upcoming solo projects that he says sounds like "Mac Miller meets Title Fight" which has us really excited.
Photos by Mike Roach https://www.instagram.com/mcrindvegas/?hl=en
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Nashville-based singer/songwriter Sam Tinnesz has several multi-platinum songs under his belt as well as cowrites with Dashboard Confessional, The All-American Rejects, and many more. If you have not yet heard of Sam Tinnesz, you have definitely heard his songs in your favorite TV shows/movies or on viral TikTok videos. His platinum hits “Play with Fire (feat. Yacht Money)” and “Legends Are Made” have over 500 million combined streams. In this interview, we find out how Sam got to where he is today and how alternative music has always been at his core. His newest album “There Goes the Neighborhood” was just released on February 24th and is full of catchy hooks and features, including Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional, Further Seems Forever), Nick Wheeler (The All-American Rejects) and fellow singer/songwriter Bryce Fox.
Photo Credit: The Dwyers https://www.instagram.com/the.dwyers/Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Coming to you LIVE from Pasadena, we have our first in-person interview with Kat Leon and Nick Perez from HOLY WARS. If you like dark, poppy, industrial and anthemic tunes then Holy Wars are your new favorite band. They had a monumental year in 2022 with many high points including opening for Coheed and Cambria and Alkaline Trio in huge amphitheaters and releasing their debut album, "Eat It Up, Spit It Out" which was on all of our top albums of 2022. With millions of streams and tens of thousands of fans, Holy Wars continue to inspire us as artists, but also as friends.
We sit down to talk about how EMO influenced their early days of writing music and how emotion still lies at the core of their ethos to this day. Wine was also another featured guest on this episode.
Photos courtesy of Maya Holt:
https://www.instagram.com/mayapologies/
https://mayaholt.com/contactThanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
On today’s episode, we welcome Zac Eisenstein from Man Overboard. In case you’ve been living under a rock, Man Overboard are one of the legendary torchbearers of the 2010’s pop punk revival and made famous the iconic “Defend Pop Punk” hoodies that you and your friends have in your closet. During our conversation today, we learn how Man Overboard’s sound was born from rebellion of the neon pop punk era and how they eventually scored a high-profile deal with Rise Records. Real Talk, The Self Titled Record and Heart Attack are incredible records that are often mentioned in people’s Mount Rushmore of pop punk records. Their last record, Heavy Love, was divisive among fans and shortly after its release, the band went on hiatus. Zac goes into great detail through every era of the band and his honesty is palpable.
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Andrew de Torres is a humble titan of the early 2000's emo scene. His most notable contributions include being the singer/songwriter of The Scene Aesthetic and Danger Radio. Did you know that The Scene Aesthetic's breakout hit "Beauty In the Breakdown" was written the first night that de Torres and fellow member, Eric Kimberlin, met after Kimberlin's car broke down? This episode is full of "no sh*t" moments. We also learn about de Torres' current endeavors on the artist management side and his newest musical endeavor, Shallowdiver.
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Joe Boynton is the singer of legendary pop punk band, Transit. This is a special episode for our host, Alessandro DeCaro, as Boynton is one of his biggest musical influences. In this interview, Boynton walks through the entire Transit discography in detail - outlining the thought process for each record, what was going on in their lives, and what was the dynamic of the band as a whole.
Boynton is now a part of shoegaze indie duo, narrowcast., who have just released a new EP on October 28th on Firestarter Records.
Transit fans are finally getting the answers they've been waiting for since the band's disbanding. We can't think of a better first guest for the debut episode of EMOlition Derby.
This episode is dedicated to Tim Landers.Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg -
Welcome to EMOlition Derby! A podcast featuring interviews with guests from the alternative, emo and underground music scene as well as weekly "roundtable" discussions where topics range from 'Best Albums of 2003' to 'The Bands That Shouldn't Have Reunited'. The show is hosted by Alessandro DeCaro, a music journalist who has worked with Alternative Press among many other outlets. Have you ever wanted to know more than just the surface level knowledge you get from normal interviews? This podcast is by music nerds for music nerds.
Thanks again for listening. Please make sure to leave us a review! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends! You can follow the show and its hosts below:
EMOlition Derby: https://www.instagram.com/emolitionderby/
Alessandro DeCaro: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_music/
Joe Giordano: https://www.instagram.com/joemgiordano/
Intro Music by House of Blue Leaves: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pG4aGX2KlHxJ6FSzkkFeT?si=uqMbrH5VTaGqXa3g0qefMg
