<p><strong>What keeps an artist going when fame never quite shows up? For songwriter, drummer, and now novelist </strong><a href="https://www.douglasbales.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Douglas Bales</strong></a><strong>, the answer is simple: the people who actually </strong><em><strong>listen</strong></em><strong>.</strong></p><p>In this episode, Douglas joins <a href="https://mgopod.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em>Mysterious Goings On</em></a> to talk about his 40-year journey through the garage shows, the smoky clubs, the late-night drives, and the long odds that define a life in music. </p><p>We get into what it really feels like to be onstage in front of an audience that finally <em>gets</em> you, why validation matters more than fame, and how the highs of performance stay with you long after the amps cool down.</p><p>Douglas also unveils his new novel, <a href="https://amzn.to/3WYVaWT" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Rock ’N’ Rolla Coaster</strong></a>, a gritty, funny, and painfully accurate look at band life from the inside. If you’ve ever plugged in, turned up, or dreamed of chasing the roar of the crowd, this one’s for you.</p><p><strong>In this episode:</strong></p><ul><li><p>The rush of live performance and the emotional hangover that The rush of live performance and the emotional hangover that follows</p><li>Why fame is the exception, not the rule</li><li>How musicians measure success (hint: it’s not album sales)</li><li>The truth behind the “rock star dream”</li><li>What inspired <a href="https://amzn.to/3WYVaWT" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">⁠<em>Rock ’N’ Rolla Coaster</em>⁠</a></li><li>How a lifetime of gigs shaped his fiction</li><li>Alex mistakes Rutherford B. Hayes for James Garfield</li></li></ul><li><p><br></p></li><p>If you love the music but also the <em>story</em> behind the music, Douglas Bales delivers both. Tune in, turn up, and ride the coaster.</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3WYVaWT" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Buy the book here.</strong></em></a></p><p><a href="https://mgopod.com/f/douglas-bales-on-the-rhythm-of-the-streets?fbclid=IwAR0GeG76iAwsdWnGZ674mytXJ3lCRbJ1C594MlguxfPhm2fcmpem4xBYtxM&blogcategory=Updates" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Listen to Doug&#39;s first appearance on the show here.</strong></em></a></p><p><strong>Thank you for listening. How about checking out</strong> <em><strong>All the Fits That’s News?</strong></em></p><p>I’m excited to share a limited-time offer: <strong>50% off your first 12 months as a paid subscriber</strong>. It’s my way of making it easier for you to support the work I do here—essays, commentary, and cultural critiques delivered without gatekeepers, ads, or algorithms getting in the way.</p><p>If you’ve enjoyed the essays and want to see more of them, here are two simple ways you can help:</p><p><br></p><ol><li><strong>Become a paid subscriber.</strong> Paid support keeps this work sustainable and helps me devote the time and energy it deserves. If you’ve subscribed before, please consider re-subscribing under the new system and take advantage of this 50% offer.</li><li><strong>Spread the word.</strong> If a paid subscription isn’t right for you right now, you can still make a big difference by sharing posts with friends, on social media, or anywhere you think they’ll resonate.</li></ol><p><br></p><p><strong>👉</strong> <a href="https://alex715.substack.com/d25a3fd3" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠<strong>Join today and lock in half off your first year.</strong>⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><br></p><p><em><strong>Your support—financial or otherwise—is what keeps this going. The best work is still ahead, and I’d love for you to be part of it. —Alex</strong></em></p><p><strong>CONNECT:</strong></p><ul><li>​<a href="https://alex715.substack.com/p/le-sens-des-noms" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠All the Fits That&#39;s News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>​<a href="https://jalexandergreenwood.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex&#39;s Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> <a href="https://mgopod.com/f/our-digital-alexandria" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>​<a href="https://mgopod.com/about-the-show" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><strong>.</strong></li><li><a href="https://amzn.to/4iuHtXT" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>Buy a Book!</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://killingcitypod.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<em><strong>Going to Killing City...Alex&#39;s True Crime Podcast</strong></em>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Enjoy this episode? Please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice, and don&#39;t forget to subscribe for more literary journeys! <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mysterious-goings-on/id1080474124" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mysterious-goings-on/id1080474124" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LEAVE A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> </p><p><strong>Announcer:</strong> <a href="mailto:mmckennakc@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary McKenna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><strong>.</strong> <strong>Original theme music &quot;Mysterious Goings On&quot; by Jamie Green.</strong> Want your own cool score for your podcast or website? Contact Jamie at <a href="https://greenhousekc.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠Greenhouse Consulting.⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> <strong>Check out Jamie&#39;s interview on the show</strong> <a href="https://mgopod.com/f/jamming-with-jamie-green?blogcategory=Interviews" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠here.⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://mgopod.com/f/jamming-with-jamie-green?blogcategory=Interviews" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Intro music: &quot;Half Mystery&quot; Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><em>This Mysterious Goings On Podcast episode was recorded and mixed at Green Shebeen Studios in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.</em></p><p><br></p>

Mysterious Goings On with Alex Greenwood

J. Alexander Greenwood

Douglas Bales on Rock ’n’ Roll Truth, Glory, and the Grind

NOV 21, 202533 MIN
Mysterious Goings On with Alex Greenwood

Douglas Bales on Rock ’n’ Roll Truth, Glory, and the Grind

NOV 21, 202533 MIN

Description

<p><strong>What keeps an artist going when fame never quite shows up? For songwriter, drummer, and now novelist </strong><a href="https://www.douglasbales.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Douglas Bales</strong></a><strong>, the answer is simple: the people who actually </strong><em><strong>listen</strong></em><strong>.</strong></p><p>In this episode, Douglas joins <a href="https://mgopod.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em>Mysterious Goings On</em></a> to talk about his 40-year journey through the garage shows, the smoky clubs, the late-night drives, and the long odds that define a life in music. </p><p>We get into what it really feels like to be onstage in front of an audience that finally <em>gets</em> you, why validation matters more than fame, and how the highs of performance stay with you long after the amps cool down.</p><p>Douglas also unveils his new novel, <a href="https://amzn.to/3WYVaWT" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Rock ’N’ Rolla Coaster</strong></a>, a gritty, funny, and painfully accurate look at band life from the inside. If you’ve ever plugged in, turned up, or dreamed of chasing the roar of the crowd, this one’s for you.</p><p><strong>In this episode:</strong></p><ul><li><p>The rush of live performance and the emotional hangover that The rush of live performance and the emotional hangover that follows</p><li>Why fame is the exception, not the rule</li><li>How musicians measure success (hint: it’s not album sales)</li><li>The truth behind the “rock star dream”</li><li>What inspired <a href="https://amzn.to/3WYVaWT" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">⁠<em>Rock ’N’ Rolla Coaster</em>⁠</a></li><li>How a lifetime of gigs shaped his fiction</li><li>Alex mistakes Rutherford B. Hayes for James Garfield</li></li></ul><li><p><br></p></li><p>If you love the music but also the <em>story</em> behind the music, Douglas Bales delivers both. Tune in, turn up, and ride the coaster.</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3WYVaWT" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Buy the book here.</strong></em></a></p><p><a href="https://mgopod.com/f/douglas-bales-on-the-rhythm-of-the-streets?fbclid=IwAR0GeG76iAwsdWnGZ674mytXJ3lCRbJ1C594MlguxfPhm2fcmpem4xBYtxM&blogcategory=Updates" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Listen to Doug&#39;s first appearance on the show here.</strong></em></a></p><p><strong>Thank you for listening. How about checking out</strong> <em><strong>All the Fits That’s News?</strong></em></p><p>I’m excited to share a limited-time offer: <strong>50% off your first 12 months as a paid subscriber</strong>. It’s my way of making it easier for you to support the work I do here—essays, commentary, and cultural critiques delivered without gatekeepers, ads, or algorithms getting in the way.</p><p>If you’ve enjoyed the essays and want to see more of them, here are two simple ways you can help:</p><p><br></p><ol><li><strong>Become a paid subscriber.</strong> Paid support keeps this work sustainable and helps me devote the time and energy it deserves. If you’ve subscribed before, please consider re-subscribing under the new system and take advantage of this 50% offer.</li><li><strong>Spread the word.</strong> If a paid subscription isn’t right for you right now, you can still make a big difference by sharing posts with friends, on social media, or anywhere you think they’ll resonate.</li></ol><p><br></p><p><strong>👉</strong> <a href="https://alex715.substack.com/d25a3fd3" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠<strong>Join today and lock in half off your first year.</strong>⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><br></p><p><em><strong>Your support—financial or otherwise—is what keeps this going. The best work is still ahead, and I’d love for you to be part of it. —Alex</strong></em></p><p><strong>CONNECT:</strong></p><ul><li>​<a href="https://alex715.substack.com/p/le-sens-des-noms" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠All the Fits That&#39;s News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>​<a href="https://jalexandergreenwood.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex&#39;s Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> <a href="https://mgopod.com/f/our-digital-alexandria" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>​<a href="https://mgopod.com/about-the-show" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><strong>.</strong></li><li><a href="https://amzn.to/4iuHtXT" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>Buy a Book!</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://killingcitypod.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<em><strong>Going to Killing City...Alex&#39;s True Crime Podcast</strong></em>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Enjoy this episode? Please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice, and don&#39;t forget to subscribe for more literary journeys! <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mysterious-goings-on/id1080474124" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mysterious-goings-on/id1080474124" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LEAVE A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> </p><p><strong>Announcer:</strong> <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary McKenna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><strong>.</strong> <strong>Original theme music &quot;Mysterious Goings On&quot; by Jamie Green.</strong> Want your own cool score for your podcast or website? Contact Jamie at <a href="https://greenhousekc.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠Greenhouse Consulting.⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> <strong>Check out Jamie&#39;s interview on the show</strong> <a href="https://mgopod.com/f/jamming-with-jamie-green?blogcategory=Interviews" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<strong>⁠here.⁠</strong>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://mgopod.com/f/jamming-with-jamie-green?blogcategory=Interviews" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Intro music: &quot;Half Mystery&quot; Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><em>This Mysterious Goings On Podcast episode was recorded and mixed at Green Shebeen Studios in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.</em></p><p><br></p>