Join cousins Adam and Mike Merino as they take a fun, spontaneous dive into the world of making music—from impromptu 311 covers to exploring Linkin Park’s surprising new vocalist! In this episode, they share behind-the-scenes clips from their one-take version of “Beautiful Disaster,” chat about what it’s like to jam together in Mike’s basement, and reveal why some bands change singers—and how fans react. Plus, you’ll get a sneak peek into Mike’s own music journey with the band Unjust.
What’s Inside This Episode?
🎶 The Spontaneous 311 Cover
Finger Drums & One-Take Wonders: Adam and Mike show off their 45-minute version of “Beautiful Disaster” and laugh through the good, the bad, and the hilariously off-key.
Why 311?: Even though they’re not die-hard fans, the cousins break down why this track was just begging to be covered.
🎶 Linkin Park’s New Singer
Emily Armstrong: How her powerful voice caught Mike’s attention on the radio—and why it’s winning over fans who never considered themselves Linkin Park loyalists.
Band Lineup Changes: The duo compares this to other famous vocalist swaps, like Sammy Hagar in Van Halen or that “Filipino guy in Journey.”
🎶 Mike’s Band, Unjust
From Joining to Jamming: A quick story of how Mike ended up in Unjust and got creative input on new songs.
“Tired” Teaser: Listen in as they play a snippet of Unjust’s track, featuring Mike’s guitar (and background vocals!).
🎶 Creating New Music Projects
Monthly Music Missions: Adam and Mike plan to release more covers or original tunes every month.
Room for Growth: Why experimenting (and sometimes failing) is part of developing as musicians.
Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss
Keep Up!: Adam’s insistence on shouting that “must-do” lyric from 311’s original track.
Cringe & Laugh: The cousins play back their raw recording—and admit to the parts they’ll probably never perfect.
Radio Randomness: How hearing Linkin Park in someone else’s shop changed Mike’s perspective on the band entirely.
Future Deep Dives: Get ready for the next episode featuring Mike’s full origin story with Unjust and tales from the Northern California music scene.
Listener Poll
Have you ever covered a song in under an hour? Share your experience (or funniest fails!) on Instagram or Facebook. We might feature your story in a future episode!
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Be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts—Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform. Every Wednesday, Adam and Mike are here to talk riffs, reminisce about old tunes, and make new music memories.
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Share Your Thoughts
Do you prefer digging into a band’s back catalog or are you all about those one-hit moments? Drop us a DM or comment with your favorite track or any hot takes about switching singers!
Thanks for Listening!
Join us next week for more tales from the musical frontlines, more laughter, and even more cousinly camaraderie! See you next Wednesday!
