Jake Skolnick's band Quel Bordel may be the first band who have been told to turn down during a gig because they were upsetting the Whales. Jake talks to Will about the band's new instrumental gypsy jazz album Dinner for Derelicts, his formative years as a teenager in France loving punk rock, being introduced to traditional folk music as a teenager, working as a performer on cruise ships where he met his future bandmates, show Quel Bordel was formed busking on a beach, moving to San Diego to start the band, mixing original show with cover sets, and sets in Irish pubs, opening for the Squirrel Nut Zippers, songwriting, diy recording, and upcoming Quel Bordel releases.
Listen to Quel Bordel:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7y8GrDd7D6u2R5T0LMKybH?si=o20eeq2oQIuMbSn7psbI_g
25% off Awesome Disaster Merch Thru New Years Day 2022 with code holiday25 here
https://between-awesome-and-disaster.creator-spring.com/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
It's the week of Christmas and that means it's time for Will and Paul Cohen to discuss the year in pop punk that was 2021. It the 4th edition of a holiday tradition on the podcast Will and Paul discuss their favorite EPs, Singles, Full lengths, and in a welcome addition, live shows they were able to attend/ perform this year.
Will and Paul's Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0IKq2vSG9W0Gdmkq2pEMY3?si=9b35fc519ed94d83
Paul on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/therealpaulcory/
Paul's year end recap list
Grayscale - Umbra
Better luck. - Summer of Pain
Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - Gone Are The Good Days
Mod Sun - Internet Killed the Rockstar
Between You & Me - Armageddon
Settle Your Scores - Retrofit
A Day to Remember - You’re Welcome
Rise Against - Nowhere Generation
New Pop Punk Trend
Mod Sun/Lil Huddy/KennyHoopla
Comeback Album - Real Friends (new singer, new EP)
Legend Album - Joey Cape
Live Concerts
New Found Glory/Less Than Jake
Bright Ugly
Covers
Punk Rock Factory - 2 releases (Masters of the Uniwurst, Scene This!)
Alex Melton (Youtube) - If Blink 182 wrote “1,000 Miles (and more)
State Champs - Chicago is So Two Years Ago
Singles
State Champs - Just Sound
Stand Atlantic - Molotov, Deathwish
All Time Low - Once in a Lifetime
MXPX - Say Yes
Mayday Parade - Kings of Summer
EPs
Young Culture - Godspeed
Hot Mulligan - I Won’t Reach out to You
Real Friends Torn In Two
Lolo - Overkill
Kenny Hoopla & Travis Barker - Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape//
Comedian Courtney Fearrington and Will likely crossed paths in the Washington DC Comedy Scene before officially in NYC. Courtney tells Will about growing up in Washington DC to military parents, joining the Marine Corp and being stationed in Japan, why you shouldn't go back to your home town, starting comedy, how underrated the DC Comedy scene is, his podcast Thug Passion Presents and the next steps he wants for himself in his writing career.
Courtney's website: https://www.bigccomedy.com/
Courtney on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigccomedy
25% off Awesome Disaster Merch Thru New Years Day 2022 with code holiday25 here
https://between-awesome-and-disaster.creator-spring.com/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/awesomedisaster
Comedian/Author Bob Gurnett moved to New York later in life than most comedians Will knows. He talks to Will about growing up in Omaha, Nebraska. working crappy retails jobs, how college football can help you out on when working black Friday in a red state, moving to New York City, the challange of finding a community when you first move to NYC, the next generation of comics he is seeing at open mics, and how the Scholastic book fair became an important part of his work as a children's book author.
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Singer-Songwriter Roger Harvey and Will share a similar romantic notion of New York City's Greenwich Village. Roger and Will discuss the 60's folk revival in NYC, it's similarities to the punk rock movement, how outsiders need to stick together, going on tour with a punk band in his teens before starting his solo music career, how the pandemic made him reconnect with how important music is to the human condition, his song What a Weird Hill to Die On, and his approach to songwriting and live performances.
Roger's shows, merch and music:
https://www.rogerharveymusic.com/
Listen to Roger Harvey:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/67CtBt3dFzjVgeW1ddo32S?si=HKPwD9G5QHmDv_DybNM46A
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Jason Singer the man behind Michigander's approach to live performance is to play every show like it's Lollapalooza an experience he also has. he talks to Will about the Writing and recording of Michigander's new EP Everything Will Be Ok Eventually, growing up in Michigan and discovering his love of music thru Coldplay, how Michigander played shows for years before releasing any recordings, playing Lollapalooza, His love of Fender amps and guitars, and touring and release plans for Michigander in the near future into next year.
Listen to Michigander:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0oL26Dn9y761yfJgNb3vfu?si=Pwz9WcMuSfa8D01UpW0UCQ
See Michigander Live:
https://www.michiganderband.com/#shows
Michigander on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/michiganderband/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
When the pandemic halted live comedy shows and touring, Rob Paravonian found himself playing lots of music on live stream which sparked the idea to record an album on non comedy music. He talks to Will about the first Green LEDs songs, drawing influence from the rock of the 70s and 80s, and the equipment and software used in his home studio to recording the album.
NYC get tickets to Rob's live show at QED Dec 1st featuring
https://qedastoria.com/products/odd-rock-comedy-hour?event=2021-12-01T19:30:00
Listen to The Green L.E.D.s
https://open.spotify.com/artist/73C8MQkdksmYnhAg8mdxcK?si=l3o7b-CcSUeris3rKPgJww
Rob's website:
Rob on Twitter:
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
After Card Reader Bassist Matt Sullivan found himself unemployed due to Covid-19 he took the chance to create the ska band of his dreams. He talks to Will about how he was able to enlist members of Less Than Jake, Streetlight Manifesto and many other ska legends to play on Title Holder's Soon to be released ep, his time playing in heavier bands in Boston, studying Audio Engineering from major players in the music industry, his approach to writing and recording ska songs, and plans for title holder in the very near future.
Listen to Title Holder:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3AS62bq6Z4D8FBh8r3IjcT?si=x_Y4MnARSoKZ4N0GM65MOw
Listen to Card Reader:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WAdg1eZELNYS1Mpo1Cxrj?si=zgDo_eEORN2dCPCDDZIiuw
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Man Overboard Guitarist Zac Eisenstein finds his best songs come to him quickly. He talks to Will about performing at GCW's Emo Fight, Northeast Independent wrestling, Nick Gage, his origins in the New Jersey hardcore scene, forming Man Overboard, his approach to writing songs, what he learned working with Bill Stevenson of The Descendants as a producer, the origin of the Defend Pop Punk Shirt, the story of an amazingly memorable Man Overboard show in Manila, Philippines, and plans for a solo album.
Listen to Man Overboard:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7oT6vt8H3q7kA24sicjFzO?si=whAf-EEBRo6BHme3eHCNOw
Zac on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ZacOvrboard
Zac on Twitch:
https://www.twitch.tv/zacharyross420
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Kali Masi Bassist Anthony Elliot's band incorporates many elements from genres under the punk umbrella. He talks to Will about animating the band's music video for the song Trophy Deer, his approach to writing bass lines for his bands songs, the Fender Diminsion Bass, What moving to Chicago was like, recording Kali Masi's newest album Laughs, and the band's upcoming European Tour.
Listen to Kali Masi
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0SZcqeYkkVOubIZVZKcsct?si=JWX2U9QSSAq9LBw1jWg3LA
See Kali Masi Live:
https://twitter.com/KaliMasiBand
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Frnd Crcl Drummer Aaron Smith's path to joining the pop punk band almost took him through High School Jazz band. He talks to Will about how important merch is to bands on tour, their first major tour opening for Goalkeeper, his favorite pop punk growing up as a kid in New Jersey, starting on snare drum in concert band before moving to a full drum kit, Frnd Crcl's beginnings as a two piece, the bands upcoming new single Quitters, and some talk regarding recent huge events in soccer.
Aaron Smith on Twitter: https://twitter.com/notaaronsmith
Listen to Frnd Crcl:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5y4MciXJL9xyGtvnig6zAB?si=ZR5YAen0T-qPM6R3gO9_Ag
Frnd Crcl on Twitter:
Frnd Crcl Linktree
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/awesomedisaster
Podcaster Jacques LaMore's decade in the trenches of DIY Touring informs the conversations he has on his show Pop Punk & Pizza.
He talks to Will about growing up outside of Chicago, the cultural intersection of pop punk and pizza, his decade on the road as the frontman of the band The Projection, what he learned about music during that time. How he then began his radio and broadcasting career, and started the Pop Punk & Pizza Podcast and came to interview members of NOFX, Stand Atlantic, Motion City Soundtrack, and Less Than Jake, and his hopes to release new original music for the first time in years.
Listen to Pop Punk Pizza
Listen to The Projection:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6udroNa5vP3YeBBd9a01F1?si=kCLqELxhR0-wEdP7zefjJA&dl_branch=1
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Comedian Taylor Clark's combining his two passions for his new Web Series Comedians in Skate Parks and has the broken leg to show he's putting in the work. He talks to Will about how doing ballet led to him skateboarding, how improv led to him doing stand up, the similarities between skateboarders and comics, his time in NYC, becoming a father, how he reinvigorated his stand up career after moving back to Washington State, and how skateboarding jokes led to appearances in Thrasher Magazine, and his new web series and skateboarding comedy tour.
https://www.taylorclarkcomedy.com/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Point North Touring Guitarist Niles Gregory Gibbs's 15 year old self would not believe the places his career has taken him. He talks to Will about Point North's Tour with A Day To Remember and Asking Alexandria (starting 9/29/2021), his live rig for the tour, growing up in upstate NY, moving to Richmond to join the band Broadside, Touring with Andy Black, how Photography helped him reconnect with his creativity when he was burned out on playing music, 7 string guitars, and how he started playing with Point North and how gear endorsements work.
Listen to Point North:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Vp7LqcfAtx2U1RfIX8i7r?si=iFDlh4BlTUuxNQTSLaKB-A&dl_branch=1
Nile's Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/nilesgregory
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/awesomedisaster
Desperate Acts recorded their new full length State Secrets remotely when the pandemic cancelled their original recording plans. Will talks to Guitarist/Vocalist Matthew Keil about growing up in a small town in Wisconsin, moving to the Twin Cities, what makes midwest punk rock unique from other regions of punk, his roots in the Minnesota Hardcore Scene, Touring as Comeback Kid's Bassist, and his approach to songwriting and guitar tones to fit his style of guitar playing and songwriting for Desperate Acts.
Listen to Desperate Acts:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1dGTwPhRh3qiC9IViSfV8D?si=ZNG72qy9QHu_wioVvRCIyg&dl_branch=1
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/desperateacts/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/desperateactsmn
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Will's Band: https://brightugly.bandcamp.com/releases
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
MANifesto's debut full length Pinky Swear marks the return of brainchild Kelly Clipperton's return to music. Will talks to Kelly and new member Brayo Bryans about how the concept to cover classic girl group songs came to be, writing vocal harmonies and arragements for the album, song selection, Kelly's experience in the Canadian entertainment industry, and Brayo discusses how he joined the group during the Covid-19 lockdown, and immigrated to Canada just before the pandemic after being forced to leave his home in Uganda.
Get MANifesto's new album:
https://manifesto2.bandcamp.com/album/pinky-swear
Rainbow Railroad:
https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/
MANifesto on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/manifestotimes5/
The Late Great Charlie Borski Vocalists Will Huse and Blair Lynn Strong met as aspiring actors and reconnected at the exact right time to form a Theatrical Folk rock band. Will and Will Discuss Gospel music, moving to Los Angeles as a teenager to study to be an Actor, and meeting Blair, the life of struggling theater actors in Los Angeles, Sobriety, writing music in rehab, the creation of the band, songwriting, favorite music, and bassist Nick joins at the end to discuss the production of the band's new album Watch Out for Spiders, and his favorite Epiphone Violin Bass.
Listen to The Late Great Charlie Borski:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Wl4oe2w4wSnqz3uKSzOSQ?si=RqN-ggkzRVyUAptN7z1o6A&dl_branch=1
The band on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thelategreatcharlieborski/
See Will's Band live in Brooklyn Sept 4th
https://www.ticketfalcon.com/e/aghf2021/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/awesomedisaster
Comedian Jonas Barnes is comfortable with Chaos because he was born into it. He talk to Will about being Born Homeless In Washington State, how it's likely he interacted with Courtney Love as a baby, having a stepdad that's a cop, getting married, getting divorced, being drawn to the stand up of George Carlin, Andrew Dice Clay, and Sam Kinison, getting started in Seattle and Portland before moving to NYC, an amazing encounter backstage at a Patton Oswalt show, and how the idea for the Another Goddamn Horror Festival. came to be
Get Tickets for Another Goddamn Horror Festival in Brooklyn NYC Sept 4th and 5th.
https://twitter.com/jonasbarnes
https://www.facebook.com/ComedianJonasBarnes
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Will's Band: https://brightugly.bandcamp.com/releases
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Settle Your Scores Vocalist Christian Fisher is bringing a wide range of alternative musical influences to his band's music and new album Retrofit.
He talks to Will about the pop culture nostalgia that inspired the music video for their song 1999, how his interest in music began with Screamo CrabCore, EasyCore, Our favorite Warped Tour experiences, the Columbus Ohio music scene, how to Scream without losing your voice, rappers doing pop punk, future international touring plans, and the bands newly released album Retrofit.
https://www.settleyourscores.co/
https://twitter.com/syspoppunk
https://settleyourscores.bandcamp.com/merch
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Victory Kid Guitarist/Vocalist and Drummer Carlo Ribaux started in very different places before meeting in Los Angeles and forming their excellent Ska/Punk band. Harrison tells Will about following a girl from the Bay Area to New York and how he found Carlo after moving to Los Angeles, and Carlo discusses Growing up in Switzerland, going to University for Drums, working as a session drummer in Los Angeles and a incredibly high stakes live gig in front of show business a-listers, and how their new album Discernation on SBAM Records incorporates the full variety of the bands sounds and style.
Listen to Victory Kid:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0zzNvTHhmUTirwRcW8TBpz?si=gCPYNTWsTECd0i-SFUKkHw&dl_branch=1
https://www.instagram.com/victorykidband/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Comedian Abigoliah Schamaun. She talks to Will about moving to NYC from Ohio to Study Musical Theater, discovering Improv and then Stand up, the NYC Comedy Scene, how she began eating fire and glass on stage. What goes into writing a show and staging it at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. moving from NYC to London, and what being a working comic in London is like, and the slow return of live shows.
Abigoliah's Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkvkZ9qO51vUuJpB8phiQXg
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Tristan Miller returns to Between Awesome & Disaster as live performances begin to open up. Tristan and Will discuss how they managed during the year long shutdown of the world and being away from the stage. What returning to comedy has been like, favorite music and stories from comedians, Their solo show Manic Impressive, and what goes into booking and touring as a solo performer on the DIY level.
Get Tickets to Tristan's show in Brooklyn on August 6th and August 7th
Tristan's Website: https://www.tristanjmiller.com/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Danny Del Principe toured the world doing merch for bands until the Covid-19 Pandemic forced him to rethink his life. He talks to Will about Growing up in The Bronx in NYC, going to shows at CBGB's, how he began doing merch for bands, Touring on Warped Tour with Hawthorne Heights, Plain White T's, Angels & Airwaves, Touring with The Gaslight Anthem and getting stuck in Japan during the Fukashima Earthquake, the behind the scenes of merch for bands on Tour, and how he started his Podcast STOURIES: An All Access Podcast.
Danny on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dannydeldonuts/
Danny's Podcast:
https://stouries-an-all-access-podcast.simplecast.com/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon:
Casey Cavaliere of The Wonder Years finds inspiration in helping others be creative. He talks to Will about Touring in Japan, cathartic concert moments, the creation of The Greatest Generation's epic closing song I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral, the silly and serious sides of pop punk and how they both exist within The Wonder Years, and how those also relate to comedy, Bo Burnham's new special Inside. songwriting in a band with three guitarists, Working with bands as a producer and engineer, and what's coming next for The Wonder Years.
Casey's Website:
http://www.caseycavaliere.com/
Casey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaseRock
Listen to The Wonder Years:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0nq64XZMWV1s7XHXIkdH7K?si=VFIlfRoWQUeHHGnGbA74sQ&dl_branch=1
Comedian Ted Alexandro is an essential voice in the NYC comedy scene.
He talks to Will about revisiting recordings of his material for his newly released album The Lost Album, Topical Jokes, Growing up in Queens, starting in theater as a kid, self releasing comedy specials, performing in NYC and internationally immediately after 9/11, organizing comedians to increase pay in NYC Comedy Clubs, and plans for his next special as a married man with two young children.
Listen to Ted's Albums:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7GWcFBZTMCHXOCBd6p5X1Q?si=Wqjkdl-kSMqDPqxYJWBZpg&dl_branch=1
Ted's Website: https://www.tedalexandro.com/
Ted on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/tedalexandro
Ted on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/tedalexandro/
Will's Website: www.awesomedisaster.com
Podcast Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/between-awesome-and-disaster
Did an overhaul of the Patreon: