No Simple Road

No Simple Road

More than just a Grateful Dead Podcast, more than a music and culture show, something other than a family of cosmic wanderers.... Join the hosts of No Simple Road as they dive deep into the world of psychedelic exploration, music, art, and spirituality. Each week, they bring you captivating interviews with musicians, artists, authors, and visionaries from all walks of life. Join them on their long strange trip! Support this show http://www.patreon.com/nosimpleroad

Episodes

June 16, 2026 64 mins
This week on No Simple Road, we're bringing together two passionate champions of music, community, and culture for a conversation that celebrates everything we love about the grassroots scene. Joining Aaron, Mel, and Apple are Brick Lohr, promoter and visionary behind the beloved Ramble Festival, and Kris Howland of Heady Wax Fiends, one of the most respected vinyl-loving communities in the jam band world. As the countdown to this...
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This week on No Simple Road, Aaron, Mel, and Apple welcome guitarist, songwriter, and sonic explorer Tom Hamilton of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) for a deep dive into his haunting and beautifully personal new album, I Am Your Vampire. Known for his fearless improvisation and emotionally charged playing in the jam band world, Tom joins us to talk about stepping into a more intimate and vulnerable creative space through this...
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This week on No Simple Road, Aaron, Mel, and Apple gather around the virtual campfire joined by Venue Llama/Fire on the Mountain owner Jordan Busch to unpack one of the most talked-about live music experiences in recent memory — Phish at Sphere in Las Vegas. From the moment the lights dropped inside the revolutionary immersive venue known as the Sphere, it was clear this wasn’t just another run of Phish shows — i...
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This week on No Simple Road, Aaron, Mel, and Apple sit down with Murph & Primo, the independent promoters behind the 2nd Annual Warlock Koolaid Campout — a grassroots music festival built by and for the Deadhead community in Oregon and beyond. From humble beginnings to a growing gathering of like-minded souls, Murph and Primo share the story of how Warlock Koolaid Campout came to life — fueled by a love of music, c...
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This week on No Simple Road, Aaron, Mel, and Apple welcome John Tyson and James McPhillips of Denver’s own Orca the Band — a group that’s carving out their own lane in the modern jam and indie landscape with what they call an “Adventure Band” spirit. From the jump, this conversation dives into the origin story of Orca the Band — how the project came together, the chemistry that sparked between m...
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This week on No Simple Road, Aaron, Mel, and Apple welcome singer-songwriter Ric Robertson for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation about place, purpose, creativity, and the beautiful ways life and art intertwine. Ric joins us from his home in rural New York — a space that has organically evolved into something far more than a residence. Part sanctuary, part community hub, part intimate music venue, it’s a g...
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This week on No Simple Road, Aaron, Mel, and Apple welcome Matthew McDonald, keyboardist of Perpetual Groove, for a deep and thoughtful conversation that celebrates 25 years of music, community, and the ever-evolving journey of creativity. Matthew takes us behind the scenes of Perpetual Groove’s 25th anniversary, reflecting on the band’s origins in the Southeast jam scene, the relationships that have carried them thro...
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This week on No Simple Road, Aaron, Mel, and Apple sit down with the our Brother and the endlessly creative Chris “Hollywood” English, a multi-genre musician known for lighting up stages with bands like Grateful Shred, the high-octane bluegrass of Dirty Blanket, Cuppa Soup and a host of other musical collaborations that keep the modern jam and roots scenes buzzing. Chris joins us for a deep dive into the winding road ...
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This week on No Simple Road, we welcome the vibrant souls behind Mojo Fest 2026 — the members of Bodhi Mojo — for a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like sitting around a late-night campfire with family. Aaron, Mel, and Apple dive deep with the band about how a dream, a community, and a whole lot of heart turned into one of the most exciting grassroots gatherings in Oregon. We explore the origin ...
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February 20, 2026 70 mins
This week on No Simple Road, we saddle up for a deep, honest ride with Andy Thomas — a songwriter cut from the cloth of hard roads, real stories, and the kind of truth you can’t fake. Andy joins Aaron, Mel, and Apple for a conversation that moves far beyond the surface, exploring the grit, grace, and lived experience behind the music. We dig into Andy’s journey blue collar to the stage — where independence ...
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This week on No Simple Road, we sit down with Tyler Ramsey and Carl Broemel to talk about their stunning new collaborative album, Celestun. Known for their deeply expressive songwriting and textured guitar work, Tyler (formerly of Band of Horses) and Carl (of My Morning Jacket) join Aaron, Mel, and Apple for a conversation that drifts beautifully between craft, connection, and creative trust. We dive into the making of Celestun &m...
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January 30, 2026 94 mins
This week on No Simple Road, we drop into Bend, Oregon to hang with Spencer and Scottie of Spencer Marlyn Band, a rising force in the Central Oregon music scene and a perfect example of what happens when community, creativity, and live music all grow together. We sit down in the studio with Spencer and Scottie to talk about the band’s origin story, the evolution of their sound, and the joys and challenges of building a music...
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This week on No Simple Road, we head north of the border to connect with Dylan Stone and Jesse Cobb from The Unfaithful Servants, the genre-bending roots outfit straight out of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Blending folk, bluegrass, old-time, and a healthy dose of irreverent spirit, this band brings a sound that’s as playful as it is deeply rooted. Aaron, Mel, and Apple sit down with the crew to talk about the origin o...
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January 16, 2026 89 mins
This week on No Simple Road, we sit down with a true living legend — Jorma Kaukonen. Guitarist, songwriter, and founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, Jorma joins Aaron, Mel, and Apple for a deep, thoughtful conversation that traces a lifetime devoted to music, meaning, and staying true to the song. We talk about the early days of acoustic blues, the electric explosion of San Francisco, and how curiosity and dis...
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November 21, 2025 100 mins
This week on No Simple Road, we’re stepping straight into the heart of Pacific Northwest bluegrass culture with the amazing organizers of the Newgrass Festival in Newberg, Oregon, joined by our dear friends Christian DeBenedetti and Rachel Bonnett of Newgrass Fest as well as Joe Suskind and Crystal Lariza of the band Never Come Down! If you’ve ever wondered how a festival becomes a living, breathing community—or w...
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November 7, 2025 77 mins
This week the No Simple Road Family welcomes the incredible Natalie Brooke — keyboard wizard, powerhouse vocalist, bandleader, and radiant force in the jam / funk / fusion universe! Natalie joins Aaron, Mel, and Apple to talk about her journey through music, creativity, self-discovery, and what it means to show up fully as yourself both on and off the stage. We get into the early sparks that ignited her musical fire, the tea...
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October 31, 2025 69 mins
Get ready, family — this week on No Simple Road, we’re hanging with the one and only Larry Keel, a bluegrass legend, master picker, and true steward of the jamgrass spirit! Aaron, Mel, and Apple welcome Larry into the circle for a real, heart-forward conversation that goes way beyond the usual talk of tours and records. We dive deep into the magic of community and connection that lives inside the music — from the...
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Catch up with the No Simple Road crew as they discuss everything from the music scene, family life, show recaps & reviews, spirituality, psychedelics, and everything in-between! This week's rewind takes us into a discussion around how healing can show up at the oddest of times and our willingness to take the medicine we are served. This is old school NSR at its best... Aaron, Mel, and Apple working it out in real-time, with...
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This week on No Simple Road, we sit down with Brad Zerman, founder of Seven Point Cannabis, to explore how cannabis, music, and culture intersect to create something bigger than business. Brad shares his journey of opening and running dispensaries across Illinois and beyond, and how his latest project in Danville, Illinois with Seven Point is redefining what a cannabis experience can be. Imagine an outdoor market, food trucks, nig...
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September 19, 2025 70 mins
This week on No Simple Road, we welcome guitarist and composer Ben Garnett to dive into the stories, sounds, and inspirations behind his brand-new album, Kites Keep. Ben takes us on a journey through the making of Kites Keep, exploring how his love of film and visual storytelling shapes his approach to composition and improvisation. We discuss the interplay between music and cinema, the way sound can evoke imagery and emotion, an...
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