Steve Holmes comes on the podcast to discuss the history of American Football, his new substack and the dangers of touring when you are a bit older.

Travis Shettel is the lead singer and guitar player for the band Piebald. Piebald is an incredibly fun band to watch. Underneath all the silliness and fun, however, Travis Shettel is deeply serious about the state of our world. At one point, Travis wanted to get his Master's in social work to help others, but after experiencing the for-profit system and pitfalls of the healthcare system, he decided to drop out. Listen as Travis and I talk about all this and more.

Arabella (Araby) Harrison is the bass player and 2nd vocalist for the band Jejune. As Jejune returns to the spotlight after 25 years of silence, Araby and I talk about the band's rise, life after, and how she took her musical gifts and applied them in practice as a licensed music therapist.

Walter Schreifels is behind some of THE most influential bands in the Hardcore, Post-Hardcore, and emo scene. He is a founding member of Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand, and Rival Schools, and played bass in Youth of Today. Personally, he is one of my favorite musicians out there. In this episode, we talk with Walter about his early life, his connection to spirituality, how he copes with the stress of just being human, and how Rival Schools took the name of a video game and managed not to get sued.

Mike Reed is the guitarist and lead singer for the bands Small Brown Bike and 84 Tigers. Mike and I talk about his upbringing in a small town in Michigan, starting Small Brown Bike with his brother and childhood friends, transitioning out of touring, parenting, and confronting grief after the passing of bandmate and friend Travis Dopp and several other friends.

Matt Pryor is the lead singer of the iconic band The Get Up Kids. Matt has been touring as a musician for over 30 years, and while the life of a touring musician may seem like the greatest gig ever, for Matt, it has been full of ups and downs. After finding himself lonely, depressed, and anxious on tours in his later years, Matt realized he had been turning to alcohol to self-medicate. After finding himself in the ER, at risk for a stroke due to drinking, Matt decided it was time to get sober. Listen as Matt and I discuss his views on spirituality, sobriety, and life as a touring musician.

Erin Tate is the former drummer for Minus the Bear. For 14 years, Erin played, wrote, and created with Minus the Bear, but after alcohol and substance use took over his life, he hit rock bottom. Erin lost everything: his marriage, his kid, and his band. After getting sober through AA, Erin has tried to make amends for the harm he has caused and keep himself accountable. Erin is now the site manager for a permanent supportive housing non-profit that helps homeless people transition from the street into housing. This is Erin's story as he has lived it.

In this episode, Jim Ward and I talk about Jim's music career, his non-profit "You Rock," and how anxiety, ADHD, and substance use have all affected his life. We also go over Jim's views on his own therapy journey, and how careful he is not to talk about mental health as some badge of honor he wears.