My Weekly Mixtape: Music Discovery & Nostalgia

<p>Working in <strong>network radio in the early 2000s</strong> was a <strong>nonstop rollercoaster</strong>—<strong>long</strong>, <strong>unpredictable hours</strong>, the <strong>constant pressure</strong> of a <strong>24/7 operation</strong>, and a <strong>news cycle</strong> that could <strong>reshape your entire life</strong> in an<strong> instant</strong>. But on the <strong>flip side</strong>, it also meant <strong>crossing paths</strong> with the <strong>biggest names</strong> in <strong>music, movies, and television</strong> as they <strong>moved through studios</strong> to <strong>appear</strong> on <strong>stations across the country</strong>.</p><p>This is one of those moments.</p><p>It’s the story of <strong>my brush with greatness</strong>—the time I almost backed into <strong>B.B. King</strong>, who happened to be moving between studios holding his guitar, <strong>Lucille</strong>. What happened next was a <strong>split second interaction that I’ll never forget</strong>, and a reminder that <strong>legends don’t just exist on stage</strong>—they <strong>carry themselves that way in real life, too</strong>.</p><p><strong>B.B. King </strong>has always been a <strong>musical icon</strong> to me, but on this day in <strong>2000</strong>, he became something more: <strong>a living legend</strong>, <strong>right in front of me</strong>.</p><p>And <strong>Lucille </strong>was<strong> every bit as glorious</strong> in person as you could <strong>ever imagine</strong>.</p><p></p><p>🎙️ <strong>LEARN MORE</strong></p><p>🎵 <strong>Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠</a></p><p>💬 <strong>Join the Mixtaper Community (Patreon):</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠">https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠</a></p><p>🌐 <strong>Connect on Social:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠</a></p><p>📧 <strong>Email the Show / Contact:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠</a></p>

<p>It’s been a few years since <strong>Amanda Lyberg</strong> of <strong>Eva Under Fire</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/2023/02/26/ep-7-hard-rock-cover-songs/"><strong>last stopped by</strong></a> — and this time, <strong>the stakes feel different</strong>.</p><p>This week, we dig into <strong><em>Villinous</em>, </strong>a record that <strong>doesn’t just evolve the band’s sound</strong>, but<strong> reframes it </strong>— leaning hard into <strong>identity</strong>, <strong>perception</strong>, and <strong>what it really means</strong> to <strong>take back labels</strong> <strong>that were never meant to empower</strong>.</p><p>A big part of that conversation centers around the <strong>title track</strong>, featuring <strong>Maria Brink</strong> of <strong>In This Moment </strong>— and how her presence <strong>doesn’t just elevate the song</strong>, but adds a <strong>whole new layer of intensity</strong> and<strong> perspective</strong> to its <strong>message</strong>.</p><p>Across the album, you can hear the <strong>tension between individuality and expectation</strong> — how <strong>personal reflection</strong> collides with <strong>social media</strong>, <strong>pressure</strong>, and <strong>a world that rarely lets you slow down long enough</strong> to <strong>process</strong> any of it.</p><p>We also get into the band’s <strong>sonic shift</strong> — <strong>what changed</strong>, <strong>what didn’t</strong>, and how those choices <strong>show up in the music</strong> — along with a <strong>really honest look</strong> at<strong> balancing life</strong> as both an<strong> artist</strong> and a <strong>therapist</strong>, and how that<strong> dual perspective shapes the songs</strong> in a way <strong>you might not expect</strong>.</p><p>There’s <strong>a lot </strong>packed into this one —<strong> introspection</strong>,<strong> real-world perspective</strong>, and the kind of <strong>behind-the-scenes insight </strong>that gives these songs much more <strong>weight</strong> once you hear them.</p><p></p><p>🎙️ <strong>LEARN MORE</strong></p><p>🎵 <strong>Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠</a></p><p>💬 <strong>Join the Mixtaper Community (Patreon):</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠">https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠</a></p><p>🌐 <strong>Connect on Social:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠</a></p><p>📧 <strong>Email the Show / Contact:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠</a></p>

<p>This week, I’m joined by <strong>Chris Crabb</strong> of <strong>The Strike</strong> — and we get into how a band <strong>built on ’80s new wave</strong>, <strong>synth pop</strong>, and yes, <strong>saxophone</strong>, turned <strong>“The Getaway”</strong> into a song that’s <strong>taken on a life of its own</strong>.</p><p>From multiple versions on <strong><em>A Dream Through Open Eyes</em></strong> to a <strong>stripped-down take </strong>that’s <strong>now showing up in wedding first dances</strong>, we talk about how the <strong>same song can evolve</strong> — and <strong>what those reinterpretations reveal</strong> about it along the way.</p><p>We also dig into the band’s <strong>sonic identity</strong> — how those <strong>throwback elements</strong> found their place <strong>in a modern mix</strong> — before jumping into<strong> “Famous,”</strong> a track that pairs <strong>bright</strong>, <strong>euphoric energy</strong> with a <strong>deeper look</strong> at <strong>fame culture</strong>, <strong>social media pressure</strong>, and <strong>what it actually means to be known</strong>.</p><p>And then there’s <strong>“No Time To Waste,”</strong> which comes from a <strong>completely different headspace</strong> and <strong>rounds things out </strong>in a way that feels both <strong>urgent</strong> and <strong>reflective</strong>.</p><p>It’s a conversation about <strong>sound</strong>, <strong>perspective</strong>, and how songs <strong>don’t always stay the same</strong> — even when<strong> the people behind them do</strong>.</p><p> </p><p>🎙️ <strong>LEARN MORE</strong></p><p>🎵 <strong>Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠</a></p><p>💬 <strong>Join the Mixtaper Community (Patreon):</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠">https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠</a></p><p>🌐 <strong>Connect on Social:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠</a></p><p>📧 <strong>Email the Show / Contact:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠</a></p>

<p>Heavy bands are known for <strong>distortion</strong>, <strong>volume</strong>, and <strong>power</strong> — but every so often, they make a <strong>screeching pivot</strong>, turning the amps down and <strong>letting something quieter speak louder</strong>.</p><p>This week, I dig into <strong>10 moments </strong>where bands best known for <strong>crushing riffs, intense vocals, </strong>or <strong>sheer sonic force </strong>take a <strong>sharp left turn</strong>, stepping into <strong>mellow</strong>, <strong>stripped-down</strong>, or <strong>unexpectedly introspective territory</strong>. </p><p>These are the songs that <strong>catch you off guard </strong>— be it the <strong>introspective lyrics</strong>, <strong>emotional musical pivots</strong>, and <strong>varying instrumentation </strong>that reveal a different <strong>dimension of bands</strong> you might not expect to <strong>tread in these musical waters</strong>.</p><p>Because <strong>heaviness isn’t just about volume</strong> — sometimes it’s about <strong>the emotional core</strong>.</p><p></p><p>🎙️ <strong>LEARN MORE</strong></p><p>🎵 <strong>Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠</a></p><p>💬 <strong>Join the Mixtaper Community (Patreon):</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠">https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠</a></p><p>🌐 <strong>Connect on Social:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠</a></p><p>📧 <strong>Email the Show / Contact:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠</a></p>

<p>Discover <strong>your next favorite band</strong> on this week’s episode as I’m joined by <strong>Patreon Mixtaper Chad Lamasa</strong> to shine a light on <strong>10 underrated artists</strong> who deserve way more <strong>attention</strong>. We’re digging into the kind of bands you <strong>stumble across</strong> and<strong> immediately start telling friends about </strong>— the ones<strong> flying just under the mainstream radar </strong>but making music that <strong>resonates</strong> as much, if not <strong>more</strong>, than artists that are already <strong>household names</strong>. </p><p>Together, we discuss <strong>what makes these groups underrated</strong>, <strong>why they should already be on your radar</strong>, and how <strong>word of mouth</strong> still plays a<strong> huge role</strong> in <strong>discovering great new music</strong>.</p><p>If you’re <strong>searching for emerging artists</strong> and <strong>bandsbefore everyone else catches on</strong>, and <strong>don’t want to rely on a streaming algorithm</strong>, this episode is <strong>built for you</strong>.</p><p></p><p>🎙️ <strong>LEARN MORE</strong></p><p>🎵 <strong>Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠</a></p><p>💬 <strong>Join the Mixtaper Community (Patreon):</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠">https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠</a></p><p>🌐 <strong>Connect on Social:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠</a></p><p>📧 <strong>Email the Show / Contact:</strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact">⁠ </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠">https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠</a></p>