<p>This week, I’m joined by<strong> Dryden Mitchell </strong>of <strong>Alien Ant Farm </strong>to trace the band’s journey: from the early <strong>$100 EP</strong> and <strong>Love Songs</strong> recordings—when tracks like<strong> “S.S. Recognize”</strong> and <strong>“Wishing”</strong> were still finding their final form—to the tongue-in-cheek <strong>Greatest Hits</strong> release that arrived before the band had even broken nationally.</p><p>From there, we dig into the era that launched the band worldwide: <strong>ANThology</strong>, which celebrates its <strong>25th anniversary</strong> in 2026. Dryden reflects on the explosion of the band’s cover of “<strong>Smooth Criminal”</strong> (originally by <strong>Michael Jackson</strong>), the momentum behind songs like<strong> “Movies”</strong> &amp; <strong>“Attitude,” </strong>and how hidden tracks like <strong>“Orange Appeal” </strong>managed to survive the jump from <strong>Cassette &amp; CD era hidden-track Easter eggs</strong> to <strong>modern streaming</strong>.</p><p>Along the way we talk about what it was like working with <strong>Dean DeLeo</strong> and <strong>Robert DeLeo</strong> of <strong>Stone Temple Pilots</strong> on <strong>TruANT</strong>, and dig into some deeper catalog moments: from the cult-favorite <strong>3rd Draft</strong> tour CD release that became <strong>Up In the Attic</strong>, to the band’s evolving approach to album titles, long gaps between releases, and how those breaks shaped later records like <strong>Always &amp; Forever</strong> and <strong>Mantras</strong>.</p><p>And of course, we talk about what’s happening <strong>now</strong>: the upcoming <strong>ANThology</strong> anniversary vinyl release and the brand-new single <strong>“Reasons,”</strong> written by <strong>Rome Ramirez </strong>of <strong>Sublime with Rome</strong>—plus <strong>what fans can expect from the band’s next chapter</strong>.</p><p>If you’ve been spinning <strong>Alien Ant Farm</strong> since the<strong> early-2000s radio days</strong>—or you’re <strong>just discovering the band</strong>—this one goes deep into the <strong>catalog</strong>, the <strong>stories</strong>, and the <strong>moments</strong> that shaped the band <strong>over the last 30 years</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>