Talkin' Rock With Meltdown Podcast

Another two-for-one on Talkin' Rock.

First up is guitar virtuoso Joel Hoekstra. The TSO machine is about to fire up for the holiday season, and Joel answers my questions about rehearsals (which is super interesting), the accusations of using backing tracks, his solo material, and lots more.

Then, it's Sammy and Josh from Citizen Zero. Sammy had an eventful summer touring with the Goo Goo Dolls. He talks about how that came...

Two great guests...one mediocre podcast!

On this episode of Talkin' Rock, Pär Sundström of Sabaton joins me first to talk about their upcoming album, Legends. They'll be touring the States and beyond in 2026. We also talk about their new record deal, breaking in America, history, and more.

Next up, it's Johnny Franck. His "band" Bilmuri is pumping out new music, with a comic tilt. His latest album is American Motor Sports. I...

Over the weekend, WRIF hosted our annual Riff Fest at Pine Knob. I interviewed the three main stage bands before the show that night.

Up first, it's Ben Burnley from Breaking Benjamin. Ben's fun to talk with. We discussed his influences, yacht rock, new BB music, his home studio, and more.

Matt and Adam from Three Days Grace are next. It's the first time I've had the chance to speak with both singers. We talked about the n...

It's Friday, and another episode of Talkin' Rock.

Chris Daughtry is up first. Part 2 of Shock To The Stem dropped last week. We talk about that, including the latest single "The Bottom". We discuss playing in front of his peers, singing Journey with Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, and more.

Tommy Buoy from Yachtley Crew is next to wrap up the episode. I'll admit, it's a little bit out of the realm of what I do, but I'll also a...

On this week's episode, I talk with Billy Sheehan and Mike Krompass from The Fell, along with Jake Diab and Joe Coccimiglio from Autumn Kings.

The Fell is a band that Mike founded 10 years ago. They've dropped two singles, Killswitch and Face Out - the title track. They have an EP coming out in October, with the full-length album coming out in 2026.

How does one go about getting Billy Sheehan in the band? What legendary art...

It's great to reconnect with the guys from The Funeral Portrait. All the boys came by: singer Lee Jennings, guitarists Cody Weissinger and Caleb Freihaut, with bassist Robert Weston, and drummer Homer Umbanhower. Their album Greetings From Suffacate City is about to turn one on September 13th, and it's been a whirlwind year for the boys. From a tour with Five Finger Death Punch and Marilyn Manson, to this summer's tour wi...

Typically, when I post the artists I have on the show, I also include the band they're in. For this episode, that's not necessary. 

Up first, The Metal God, Rob Halford, joins me to talk all things Judas Priest, and their upcoming tour with Alice Cooper. He talks to me about his relationship with the theatrical legend. The topic of Ozzy's passing came up. Rob said he couldn't believe it. He curled up in a ball and bawled h...

It's another two-for-one on Talkin' Rock!

Up first, drumming legend, Mike Portnoy. He and Dream Theater are about to kick off their fall tour, with a stop at the Fox Theater on September 21st. 

We discussed his love for the Beatles, his relationship with Neil Peart, and the multiple bands he is a part of. He shared his thoughts on the passing of Ozzy and the only time he ever met the legend. Great to interview Mike for the...

An honor to have two of my faves on this week's episode of Talkin' Rock. Tom Keifer and Brad Gillis' music has been with me practically my whole life.

Tom Keifer is up first. We discuss what's on tap for his band, with a date at the Royal Oak Music Theater on September 4th. What about new music? Tom answers that question, too. He also told me stories of the 1989 Moscow Music Festival, as he did press sitting next to Ozzy O...

It's a jammed-packed episode of the non-award-winning Talkin' Rock podcast. 

The legendary Steve Jones is up first to discuss his upcoming tour. He told me how much he loves touring with this band. We talked about the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, are there any "rock stars" left, and lots more. Really cool to talk with him for the first time. 

Mr. Big's Eric Martin is next. Yes, he has an Ozzy story also from decades ago. We d...

This conversation began as a discussion about the Back To The Beginning concert. David and I recorded it on Monday afternoon, while he was doing some stuff in London. With the passing of Ozzy on Tuesday, I shelved it until now. David was kind enough to call in and talk about the Prince of Darkness on my show Tuesday, so I incorporated it into today's conversation. 

David talks about the big concert, comparing it to Live Ai...

Always great to catch up with drummer Tommy Clufetos, and this time was no different. He played in Ozzy's band for the Back to the Beginning concert, so I had to ask him about that. I mean, the chance to play Ozzy's last concert is an unreal assignment. 

Tommy talked about being there with fellow Detroiter Chad Smith, who also played during the day. He said he and Chad watched Black Sabbath from the side of the stage. 

We ...

Two great artists, one mediocre host - it's Talkin' Rock with Meltdown. I just realized I opened by saying this is "the final" episode of Talkin' Rock. That's because I'm on vacation next week. There will be more! Sometimes my brain doesn't work right when I'm staring down the barrel of 10 days off! Ok, here we go....

Up first, it's drumming legend, Vinny Appice. You can catch him live at Uncle Sam Jam on July 11th with hi...

Wolfgang Van Halen returns to Talkin' Rock. We discuss is latest song and video, The End. It's horror-themed, so we had to talk about horror movies a little bit. He told me why he isn't going to the final Black Sabbath show, how he works on his music in the studio, and more. 

To close out the episode, it's John Jackson from the Bon Scott estate. It was interesting talking to John about how he got his job, working with the ...

It's a triple bill of singers on this episode of Talkin' Rock. 

Scott Stapp starts us off as he talks about Creed hitting the big stages again. He spoke about how it was for him personally and professionally. His latest solo album is stellar, and he just released a new single called 'Deadman's Trigger'. He says something cool is coming from the single in the future. We also talked about their trip to the Indy 500, being a ...

It's always great to catch up with Johannes from Avatar. I think this is my third or fourth time interviewing him. Full disclosure: I'm an Avatar fan!

Their new single “Captain Goat” is a wild ride—both musically and visually. The video dives deep into Greek and Norse mythology, Scandinavian folklore, and includes a very sexy siren (his words).

“When a song is really, really good, it gives you these strong visual hallucina...

Sammy Hagar is up first this week. His new song "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight" is out now. Sammy talks about the song, how it came to him in a dream, and why Wolfgang Van Halen didn't play on it. Sammy is really upfront and candid when he talks, which is appreciated. He also shared his thoughts on playing the last Ozzy/Black Sabbath show and the songs he'll be singing. 

Doug Aldrich from The Dead Daisies is next. Doug foug...

On this episode of Talkin' Rock, it's one rocker, an author, and the woman who runs Metallica's very successful All Within My Hands foundation. 

Up first, it's the legendary drummer Gil Moore of Triumph. The Magic Power - An All-Star Tribute To Triumph drops on June 6th, and it's packed with rock heavy hitters—Slash, Alex Lifeson, Dee Snider, Dorothy, Tommy Aldridge, and a TON more. 

Then, he talks about upcoming plans wit...

Two great guests, one non-award-winning podcast! 

Chris Jericho is up first. The wrestling legend was in Detroit with his band Fozzy, as they celebrated 25 years. It was their final show on this run, and they chose District 142 to close it out. 

Of course, I had to ask him about the passing of wrestler Sabu. He told a story of the last time they connected...sorta. Lots of Fozzy talk about the 25 years of the band, opening ...