100 Words Or Less: The Podcast

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 absurdity that’s become his signature.

From recording sessions to sketch ideas, P...

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 chaos and hardcore’s emotional core — and their releases on Life Sentence Rec...

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 legendary Colorado studio The Blasting Room, and firing off those famously short, n...

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-out intensity onstage.

We dig into how both he and the band have grown over the...

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 in the Midwest, and how early influences shaped his outlook on art and conne...

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 strange internet nostalgia of the MySpace-core era that shaped how he sees connec...

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 I Die, one of hardcore’s most unpredictable live acts. Josh shares stories ...

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 globally recognized voice for resistance and change. We talk about his straight e...

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 miscategorized—labeled as shoegaze, doom, slowcore, and more—and what those sh...

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 days, the friendships that stuck, and what it feels like to revisit those mo...

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 to its limits and taught them how to survive on the road, and we fast-forwar...

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 of honesty and humor, touching on memorable stories like the inside joke of “...

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 worldview, to the importance of taking chances and embracing the DIY ethos, ...

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 decade, from its underground roots to its current mainstream momentum, and how...

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 stage—his work in carpentry, staying grounded, and what it means to build som...

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 generation of punk and hardcore kids. We dig into what it meant to be part of tha...

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—regardless of expectations—still matters. Whether you found Bane in the '90s or j...

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 fanbase through honest songwriting, relentless touring, and their time on Victo...

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. From tour stories to gear talk, and moments of real self-reflection, Ken opens...