Shows
Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 149: Steve Babb of Glass Hammer - RogueAfter the heavy, guitar-driven science fiction epic Arise (2023), Glass Hammer returns with the band's most accessible album yet. Co-founder Steve Babb returns to Michael's Record Collection to discuss the brand new album Rogue, the most human of all Glass Hammer's concept albums. Drenched in keyboards, Rogue shares connective tissue with some of Glass Hammer's most beloved albums, with hints of Genesis and Yes mixed with dream pop, space rock, and 80s synth pop influences. Steve was kind enough to share the stories behind the concept and the music with me. Find out more about the band at glasshammer.com or orde...
2025-04-141h 00Michael's Record CollectionEpisode109: Whitesnake Guitarist Joel HoekstraIt was a real treat for me to talk with guitar legend Joel Hoekstra, who is probably best known for having been in Whitesnake for nearly a decade. He's also a member of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Revolution Saints, and Iconic. He's played on Broadway in Rock of Ages, toured with Cher, and is a former member of Night Ranger. Joel's solo project, Joel Hoekstra's 13, has a new album dropping soon called Crash of Life. It's another standout effort from Joel and an all-star cast of musicians and Joel was gracious enough to take the time to talk to me about all...
2023-06-1046 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 108: Talking Record Store Day with Park Ave CDs owner Sandy BitmanIf you like Record Store Day, like I do, you look forward each year to seeing what titles will be available and strategizing for the big event. But what goes on behind the scenes? How do the record stores deal with RSD? I questioned Sandy Bitman, owner of Orlando, Florida's Park Ave CDs to find out more about Record Store Day, record store ownership, and more. It was a fun conversation, and a bit of a departure from the normal album discussion. I hope you like it. Support your local, independent record store!
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2023-06-0357 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 107: Remembering Gordon LightfootWell, I can't say that these tribute shows are getting any easier, especially when we're remembering an artist as legendary as the incomparable Gordon Lightfoot. Joining me to talk about Gordon's talent, legacy, and vast music catalog is Sly Dog from the Sly Dog Music-Cast. We share our experiences of how we became Gordon Lightfoot fans, discuss his underrated work, and try to process his loss. Be sure to check out the Sly Dog Music-Cast.
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2023-05-0538 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 106: Deen Castronovo Talks Journey, Revolution Saints and MoreThis week's episode is a special one as I spoke with Journey drummer Deen Castronovo about a variety of topics, including the new album, Eagle Flight, by his other band, Revolution Saints. It's the band's fourth album and features a new lineup that includes guitarist Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) and bassist Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, Black Swan, ex-Dokken), with Deen on drums and lead vocals. We spoke about Deen's early influences, learning the drums, how he met Neal Schon and was invited to join Bad English, playing with Ozzy, and much more, including the making of the great, new R...
2023-04-2747 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 105: Remembering Gentle Giant’s Ray ShulmanI'm joined by IZZ bassist/vocalist/guitarist John Galgano to celebrate the supremely talented multi-instrumentalist Ray Shulman, a founding member of progressive rock legends Gentle Giant. Ray passed away on March 30 at age 73 and his death hit me hard, as he was one of the first guests I had on this show, back on Episode 12, when we discussed the making of the Free Hand album. John was the perfect guest to discuss Ray, because he's also a bassist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter, and he too is in a band with a sibling, just as Ray was in Gentle Giant with br...
2023-04-1346 min
The Mane Land PawedCastSkoPurp Soccer Episode 1: Bridget Callahan Interview & Gotham PreviewMichael Citro and David Rohe host the inaugural episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast, a new podcast dedicated to the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League and women's soccer coverage. This maiden voyage explains the origin of the show's name and the guys discuss the play of the Pride players in international matches during this window. They also break down recent roster moves by the club, including Leah Pruitt's retirement and the signing of midfielder Thais Reiss.Former Pride midfielder and current (injured) Central Florida Crusaders player Bridget Callahan is the show's first...
2023-04-121h 18Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 104: dUg Pinnick of King’s X - Out of the Silent PlanetThey may not be a household name, but if you're a rocker, many of your favorite bands know King's X. The band has been recording and performing for decades and in this episode, we're celebrating where it all started. I'm joined by bassist/vocalist dUg Pinnick to discuss the debut album by King's X, Out of the Silent Planet. The album turned 35 years old on March 28 and it's time to reflect on such a fantastic bland of rock, metal, funk, soul, gospel, and power pop that radio stations and the record company had no idea what to do with th...
2023-03-301h 14
The Mane Land PawedCastDuncan McGuire Interview, Philly Rewind, Pride-Thorns, OCB’s Opener, and MoreMichael Citro and David Rohe from themaneland.com break down Orlando City's 2-1 road win over the Philadelphia Union and present an exclusive interview with OCSC rookie forward Duncan McGuire. Duncan answers questions from the hosts and the listeners in a fun, candid, relaxed interview.The Orlando Pride and Orlando City B both opened their 2023 seasons on the road this past weekend, but with very different results. Both the NWSL and the MLS NEXT Pro teams' matches go under the microscope a bit and then the topic of conversation turns to the United States Men's National Team...
2023-03-291h 47Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 103: Stephan Lill of All My Shadows Talks ”Eerie Monsters”Guitarist Stephan Lill returns to the show, but this time he's not talking (much) about his usual band, Vanden Plas like he did on Episode 72. This time he's got a new project called All My Shadows, which just released its first album, Eerie Monsters. The songs are shorter and more hook-laden than Vanden Plas' usual progressive metal offerings, but the presence of Lill, vocalist Andy Kuntz, and drummer Andreas Lill gives these songs a decidedly familiar flavor. Stephan talked about why he started All My Shadows, why 3/5 of Vanden Plas are in the band, the influences that led him t...
2023-03-2358 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 102: RPWL Front Man Yogi Lang Discusses ”Crime Scene”I have another treat for you this week as I got the chance to speak with Yogi Lang, the front man and keyboard player for the excellent German progressive rock band RPWL. The band has a uniquely German-flavored brand of atmospheric prog rock that is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd. Yogi discussed the band's new album, Crime Scene, which drops March 17. The record explores some dark themes and bizarre stories and Yogi was kind enough to not only tell me about the songs, but also about RPWL's writing process, his early influences, and more.
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2023-03-161h 11Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 101: We Came From Space - OverlordsThis week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Hubauer and Dave Buzard from the Pennsylvania-based We Came From Space about their new album, Overlords. This progressive rock release has the musicality that will satisfy prog fans and infectious hooks and soaring harmonies that any music fan would enjoy. In addition to giving me the story on making Overlords, the guys also talked about their early musical influences, opening for The Winery Dogs recently, and why they embrace humorous sci-fi B-movie stories on their website. I also asked Bill about his time in The Neal Morse Band. Find ou...
2023-03-091h 19Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 100: A.C.T - FallingIt's the 100th episode of MRC! Joining me for this milestone show is Jerry Sahlin and Ola Andersson from the Swedish progressive rock band A.C.T. These guys are not your typical prog band, leaning heavily into melodies and harmonies inspired by the likes of ELO and the Beach Boys. If you threw songs by Saga, Dream Theater, and Jellyfish into a blender, the resulting music might sound like A.C.T. Jerry and Ola were kind enough to talk about their new release Falling, which will be released March 3 (two singles are already available on all the...
2023-03-0258 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 99: Mike Portnoy Discusses The Winery Dogs ”III”I jumped at the chance to talk to one of my favorite drummers for this episode. I've been following Mike Portnoy's career for 20-odd years and he joins me this week to discuss the new album, III, by The Winery Dogs. This is a brilliant collection of technical blues-based rock featuring Portnoy, the incomparable Richie Kotzen, and bass legend Billy Sheehan. In addition to discussing the making of this Winery Dogs record, Mike talked about his musical beginnings, his musical chemistry with Neal Morse, why it's difficult for young bands to make a living as musicians, and more. Find ou...
2023-02-2333 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 98: Great Love Songs!Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! You may notice this week's show dropped a couple of days early. That's because I wanted this episode about great love songs to go live on Valentine's Day. What could be more appropriate? I'm joined by Jon Lamoreaux from The Hustle Podcast and Ben Montgomery from Records Revisited and we each selected five of our favorite love songs to present to you on this holiday. It was a fun discussion and there were some surprises along the way. Be sure to check out The Hustle Podcast and Records Revisited wherever you get your podcasts.
2023-02-141h 37Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 97: Kelly Nordstrom of eMolecule Discusses ”The Architect”Canadian musician Kelly Nordstrom is half of a duo called eMolecule with Simon Collins, the drumming and singing son of Genesis legend Phil Collins. Kelly and Simon are dropping a new concept album called The Architect on Feb. 10 and it's a good one. This modern take on progressive rock is grounded in guitars, big drums sounds, electronics, atmosphere, mood, rock, and pop, all wrapped up in a modern production. Kelly talked to me about his background, the concept behind the album, the writing process, his previous work with Simon, the rise and fall of the band Sound of Contact, an...
2023-02-0943 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 96: Great Second Singles with the Great Song PodcastJ.P. Moser and Rob Alley of the excellent Great Song Podcast joined me this week to explore a unique topic. The three of us all selected five songs that were the second singles released from their respective albums that we loved more than that record's first single. The caveat to the topic was that us liking that first single was a requirement. This turned out to be a lot of fun and I think we got a nice mixture of different kinds of songs. Check out our picks and let me know what your favorite second singles are...
2023-02-021h 16Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 95: Robin McAuley Returns with New Solo Album, ”Alive”Robin McAuley returns to Michael's Record Collection to talk about his new solo album, Alive, which is not a live album, but a studio release that drops on Feb. 17. The album rocks, has plenty of crunch and power, but it's also melodic as hell and Robin's sings the songs incredibly well. In addition to the making of the record, he spoke about what else he's been up to, what he has planned (including some live shows!), and much more. To find out more about Robin, check out his website at http://www.robinmcauley.com/ and (if you missed it), list...
2023-01-2636 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 94: Todd Kerns Talks Heroes and MonstersCanadian bassist and vocalist Todd Kerns (Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators) stopped by to talk about his new band, Heroes and Monsters! The trio consists of Kerns, guitarist Stef Burns (Huey Lewis & the News, Sheila E., Berlin, Alice Cooper, Y&T, etc.), and drummer Will Hunt (Evanescence, Dark New Day, Black Label Society, Staind, Slaughter, etc.). Their self-titled debut album drops Jan. 20 and features 10 tracks of excellent and varied hard rock. Heroes and Monsters makes quite an opening statement with this record and I got a little of the background on the project from Todd, who also...
2023-01-1941 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 93: Galahad Discusses The Last Great Adventurer AlbumIt's a super-sized episode of Michael's Record Collection this week as I had the pleasure of speaking with Galahad vocalist Stuart Nicholson and keyboard player Dean Baker. The two musicians were generous with their time in telling me about their latest release, The Last Great Adventurer, which came out in late October of 2022. The two went deep into their songwriting process and some of the stories behind the songs, discussed their musical backgrounds and beginnings, and more. To find out more about the band, check out their website at galahadonline.com.
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2023-01-121h 29Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 92: Best Music of 2022This week, it's just me, as I go over my favorite records from the calendar year that just ended. My best of 2022 episode features several categories of albums, my top tracks, and a good-sized list of honorable mentions. Feel free to let me know what albums I might have missed, as the year isn't long enough to get to everything!
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2023-01-051h 03Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 91: Nevena Discusses Self-Titled Debut AlbumNevena Dordevic is a talented pianist and vocalist from Serbia who now lives in Boston. She's teamed up with Lithuanian-born Swedish vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Michael Palace to record her self-titled debut album, Nevena, on Frontiers Music, which dropped on Dec. 9. It's an outstanding melodic rock album with lots of pop sensibility and hooks for days. It's one of my favorite discoveries of 2022 and I couldn't wait to talk to Nevena to hear the stories behind her musical background and this new album. She talked about her early influences, her time becoming a finalist on First Voice of Serbia, why s...
2022-12-2950 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 90: Rob Moratti - EpicalSolo artist Rob Moratti has just released his fifth studio album and it's a wonderul melodic rock album that calls back to the great 1980s albums by bands like Journey, Toto, and Survivor, but without sounding as if it was recorded in that era. Rob was briefly Michael Sadler's replacement in Saga for the band's 2009 album, The Human Condition. I spoke to Rob about his musical background, how he got involved with Saga, and about his great new solo record that is one of my favorite melodic rock releases of 2022. Find out more about Rob's work at RobMoratti.net.
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2022-12-2256 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 89: Best Morning Wakeup SongsThis week, I've enlisted the help of fellow music lovers Dave Zalatoris (from the Beer in Front Podcast) and Jon Lamoreaux (from The Hustle Podcast) to discuss our favorite morning wakeup songs. We each brought five songs to the table that get us going one way or another in the morning, whether that's a fast-paced track that gets the blood pumping or a beautifully arranged song that awakens us spiritually and helps us face the day. We've crafted three very different lists and even mention some of our honorable mentions as well. Here's a handy list, in case you...
2022-12-081h 46Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 88: Remembering Fleetwood Mac Legend Christine McVieThe sad news of Christine McVie's passing hit me like a punch to the gut on Nov. 30, and I felt like it was important to talk about her place in the iconic band Fleetwood Mac. Although it seems like Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham grab all the headlines, Christine was the connective tissue, playing well off both and happy to serve both the band and the music without needing all of the attention. I enlisted the help of friend Brian Colburn from the Playlist Wars podcast (also a fine solo artist and leader of his own band, Colburn & Co...
2022-12-0145 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 87: John Galgano of IZZ Discusses ”I Move”New York progressive rockers IZZ just released their 20th anniversary remastered edition of their 2002 classic I Move, with 70+ minutes of bonus material on a second disc, but the sonic improvement on the new remaster of the proper album alone is worth buying this excellent modern masterpiece again. John talked a little about the remastering and where the new material came from, the band's origins, his musical background, the period of time that led to the making of I Move, and much more. For more information about the band check out their Bandcamp or their official website, izzmusic.com.
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2022-11-231h 07Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 86: Mark Boals of Ring of Fire Talks ”Gravity”Vocalist/bassist Mark Boals has worked with just about everyone. He's played and/or sung with Savoy Brown, Ted Nugent, Yngwie Malmsteen, just to name a few. His project Ring of Fire began in the year 2000 and quickly put out three studio albums from 2001-2004. Ring of Fire is back with a standout album, Gravity, which dropped Nov. 11. With Italian guitar virtuoso Aldo Lonobile stepping into Tony MacAlpine's considerable shoes on this record, Ring of Fire has put together another great release that should appeal to fans of power metal and more progressive outfits like Dream Theater and Trans-Siberian Or...
2022-11-1745 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 85: Guitarist Jimi Bell of Autograph and House of LordsGuitarist Jimi Bell has had a busy 2022. A member of two top-notch rock bands, House of Lords and Autograph, plenty of his new music is hitting the streets. House of Lords' new release, Saints and Sinners, dropped Sept. 16, and Autograph's new album, Beyond, will become available on Nov. 18. Both records are on Frontiers Music. Jimi was gracious enough to talk to me about both of these fine, new albums, his musical background, how he came to open for Joan Jett and then appear in a movie with her, his invention (the Shred Neck), and much more. Find out more abou...
2022-11-101h 04Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 84: Carmine Appice Returns!Legendary rock drummer Carmine Appice returns to discuss the remastered re-release of the original Vanilla Fudge lineup's Led Zeppelin covers. The album, released in 2007 as Out Through the In Door, has gotten cleaned up, a new name (Vanilla Zeppelin), and a new track order and has recently been released. I spoke with Carmine about covering Zeppelin and then the conversation meandered to many other projects he's got in the works, including new King Kobra, new Carmine Appice & Fernando Perdomo, and a new Beck, Bogert & Appice release. Keep up with Vanilla Fudge at https://vanillafudge.com/.
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2022-11-0349 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 83: Tommy Cain of Dead City Ruins Discusses ”Shockwave” AlbumEvery now and then I discover a band that's got a few albums out but I'd never heard of them and their music quickly captures my heart. That's what happened with Dead City Ruins and their new album, Shockwave. The band is heavily influenced by 1990s hard rock and grunge, but the band has a knack for writing catchy and sometimes anthemic songs with great hooks and the musicianship is top notch. Guitarist Tommy Cain joined me from Brisbane to discuss the making of the new record, his musical background, his and the band's influences, working with producer Gene "Ma...
2022-10-2742 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 82: Arthur Brown - Monster’s BallThe legendary God of Hellfire himself, Arthur Brown, is still going strong at age 80. Arthur is releasing a new album Oct. 21 called Monster's Ball. Just in time for spooky season, Brown's latest album mixes humor and terror and features a host of fantastic guest musicians. He was kind enough to spend some time with me to talk about the new release, how he came to choose some of the songs, his work with such artists as Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, the Alan Parsons Project, and Carl Palmer, hanging out at the UFO Club with the likes of Pink Floyd, a...
2022-10-201h 23Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 81: Steve Overland - Kings of MerciaBritish vocalist Steve Overland is best known for his work with rock outfit FM, but he's teamed up with Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos on a new melodic hard rock band called Kings of Mercia. The band, which includes Matheos' Fates Warning bassist Joey Vera and legendary drummer Simon Phillips, has just released its self-titled debut album on Metal Blade Records. It's an outstanding blend of what Matheos and Overland are best known for and the album is full of catchy, well-crafted songs that showcase both Matheos' big guitar sound and Overland's bluesy vocals. Steve was kind enough to...
2022-10-1343 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 80: Chez Kane - PowerzoneI'm very excited to bring you my interview with Welsh singer Chez Kane, who is part of the band Kane'd with her two older sisters. Chez is about to drop her second solo album, Powerzone, a follow-up to her 2021 self-titled debut. Once again, Crazy Lixx vocalist/guitarist Danny Rexon heads up the project, writing, playing on and producing the songs. Chez talked about the process a bit, her musical influences, why she likes this style of melodic rock, and much more. To find out more about Chez or order her music, pleas visit www.chezkane.com.
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2022-10-0645 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 79: Dean Friedman - American LullabySinger-songwriter Dean Friedman isn't a one-hit wonder. His best-known song in the U.S., "Ariel" charted back in 1977, but he's had follow-ups do well in various other countries. Dean was gracious enough to join me this week to talk about his self-titled debut album, which came out 45 years ago, his musical background, some of the books he's authored, and his latest album, American Lullaby, which dropped last year. American Lullaby is a time capsule of the last six years, including the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, the pandemic, divisive political views, climate change, and more. You can learn more about Dean's mus...
2022-09-291h 28Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 78: Swedish Rockers Ström Discuss Debut AlbumStröm is a new band out of Sweden that wear their classic 70s hard rock influences on their sleeve. The band is set to release its self-titled debut album on Sept. 23 and Zdravko Zizmond (vocals) and Johan Siljedahl (guitars) were kind enough to tell me about the record, which was necessary because unlike many rock bands in Scandinavia, Ström lyrics and vocals are not in English. Ström sings in Swedish, which ironically sets them apart even in their home country for their chosen genre. Big thanks to Zdravko and Johan for their time. You can follow Ström...
2022-09-1543 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 77: KISS - Love Gun with Shout It Out LoudcastIf you grew up in the 1970s in the midwest, you were practically issued your KISS Army uniform. We were weaned on KISS albums like Alive!, Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, Double Platinum, and, of course, Love Gun. That album turned 45 years old this calendar year, so I thought it was a good time to discuss it. Joining me to do just that, and to tell me how they started their excellent podcast, is Tom and Zeus from the outstanding Shout It Out Loudcast. We shared our KISS origin stories and went track by track through this 1977 classic.
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2022-09-081h 22Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 76: Pink Floyd - AnimalsI've been wanting to talk about Pink Floyd for quite some time. One of my favorite bands of all time, Pink Floyd had an incredible run of albums in the 1970s that were the whole package...music, lyrics, production value...it all worked. As 2022 is the 45-year anniversary of the album Animals, which is one of my favorites, I though that would be a good place to start. I enlisted the help of my friend Joel Craig, a former internet DJ who hosted the show Interstellar Overdrive at ProgRock.com and The Dividing Line a few years back. Joel and...
2022-09-011h 15Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 75: John Mitchell Talks New Lonely Robot AlbumThe talented John Mitchell joins me in this episode to discuss his latest album under the Lonely Robot moniker, A Model Life, which drops Aug. 26. This new record is Mitchell at his most vulnerable and introspective and it's brilliant. He also discussed the upcoming Arena album, the rise and fall of The Urbane, starting Kino, joining It Bites, how he became a member of Frost*, and much more. John was one of the most candid and honest interview subjects I've had over these 75 episodes.
Find out more about John's work at johnmitchellhq.com.
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2022-08-251h 07Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 74: Robert Berry - SiX BY SiXIt's been a little over a year and a half since I had California-based multi-instrumentalist Robert Berry on the show to discuss the Third Impression album he released under the name 3.2 as part of the trilogy of his work with Keith Emerson. Robert is back with a new power trio, alongside Saga guitarist Ian Crichton and Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler in SiX BY SiX. This new band rocks its guitar-based music on its self-titled debut release and Robert was gracious enough to tell me how the band came about and the stories behind the music and the graphic novel ab...
2022-08-181h 00Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 73: Talking Iron Maiden’s ”The Number of the Beast” with Uncle SteveI've been wanting to talk about Iron Maiden for some time, and outside of the band itself, who better to do that with than the host of the excellent Uncle Steve's Iron Maiden Zone podcast? Steve joined me to give me his Iron Maiden origin story and to tell me a little about his show. We then dove into a discussion of Maiden's iconic classic The Number of the Beast, which turned 40 years old this year from start to finish. You can find Uncle Steve's Iron Maiden Zone wherever podcasts are available and you can follow him on Twitter. My th...
2022-08-111h 09Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 72: Stephan Lill - Vanden Plas Live & ImmortalThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with Vanden Plas guitarist Stephan Lill. The German progressive metal masters have a new live CD, LP, and video release coming out Aug. 12 called Live & Immortal, which captured a full concert performance on the band's Chronicles of the Immortals tour. Stephan discussed why the band seldom tours, takes a long time between albums (especially live albums), how he got into rock music, and much more.
For more info on Vanden Plas, visit the band's website at VandenPlas.de or check them out on Facebook.
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2022-08-041h 04
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 305: NYRB & D.C. Rewinds, Pride-Current, More Transfers, a Revs Preview, and MoreOrlando City experienced its highest point of the season on Wednesday in a 5-1 blowout win over the New York Red Bulls to reach its first-ever U.S. Open Cup final. Unfortunately, the Lions followed that with one of the season’s lowest lows, by conceding twice in a four-minute span in stoppage time Sunday to turn three points into none at D.C. United. This 2022 season sure has been a roller coaster ride.
Dave Rohe and Michael Citro are here to talk about all the key discussion points from the two matches and, as always, make our selections for Ma...
2022-08-031h 34Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 71: Mary Fahl - Can’t Get It Out of My HeadFormer October Project vocalist Mary Fahl has had a solo career as unique as her voice. She's got a new album out called Can't Get It Out of My Head, which is made up of her early favorite classic songs that became part of her musical DNA. Mary was kind enough to talk about the making of the album, how she reimagined the songs to put her own spin on them, how she ended up doing a song for an Anne Rice audiobook, how she got dragged back into music, and much more.
For more information on Ma...
2022-07-281h 07Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 70: Ryo Okumoto - The Myth of the MostrophusKeyboardist Ryo Okumoto (Spock's Beard, ProgJect) joins me to discuss his upcoming solo album, The Myth of the Mostrophus, which drops July 29. It's his first solo release in 20 years and it's amazing. He enlisted the help of his Spock's Beard and ProgJect bandmates on an album that is cohesive, progressive (in all the right ways), and fun. Ryo also talked to me about his background, how he ended up in both of his main bands, and much more.
Learn more about Ryo Okumoto's work and order his merch at his website, RyoOkumoto.com.
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2022-07-2145 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 69: You Asked, I AnsweredWhat does a podcaster do when he starts to get actual email questions that he's been asking for but forgets to answer those on his shows? Well, in my case, I wait a couple more weeks, get a few more questions, and go ahead and do a whole show about them. Thanks to everyone who has been sending in questions via email (michaelsrecordcollection@gmail.com) or to me on Twitter (@MikesRecords). This show covers concerts, albums, bands, and even this podcast. I hope you enjoy this episode, which is a bit different than the standard format.
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2022-07-1452 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 68: Talking Pat Benatar’s ”Precious Time” with Playlist WarsFor this episode I welcome back to the show Brian Colburn, an Americana artist from New Jersey and the co-host of the popular Playlist Wars podcast. Brian and I have a shared love of the Precious Time album by Pat Benatar. With the 1981 album serving as our favorite Benatar record, we took the opportunity to spin it a few times and go through it track by track.
To learn more about Playlist Wars, head to their website. Be sure to visit Brian's Bandcamp page to check out his music. And, of course, check out Pat Benatar's website for a...
2022-06-301h 26Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 67: Maiah Wynne from Envy of NoneThe delightful Maiah Wynne from Envy of None (and a terrific solo artist) was kind enough to talk to me about her career, her musical background, working with legendary Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson and Coney Hatch's Andy Curran in Envy of None, the stories and meanings behind the songs on the band's self-titled debut album, and so much more.
To learn more about Envy of None, visit the band’s website and to learn more about Maiah Wynne, you can visit her solo website.
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2022-06-231h 36Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 66: The Tangent’s Andy Tillison Discusses ”Songs from the Hard Shoulder”For this week's episode, The Tangent's Andy Tillison joined me to discuss his band's new album, "Songs from the Hard Shoulder." Andy dove into the stories behind the songs on the record and other topics include: his intro to music, how he came to love Close to the Edge by Yes, some of the thoughts behind some of The Tangent's top songs, and much more.
Find out more about The Tangent at www.thetangent.org and follow the band's Facebook page.
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2022-06-161h 36Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 65: Weird Al’s ”Dare to Be Stupid” with the Beer’d Al PodcastMusic comes in all kinds of forms and some of them are funny as well as pleasing to the ear. In my opinion, that perfectly describes "Weird Al" Yankovic's 1985 classic, Dare to Be Stupid. Joining me to dissect this excellent slice of mid-80s pop culture is Lauren Carey from the outstanding Beer'd Al Podcast. Lauren and her brother combined their two favorite things, craft beer and the music of Weird Al, to create a unique and entertaining show. In addition to discussing Dare to Be Stupid, we talk about the origin of the Beer'd Al Podcast, where her love of...
2022-06-091h 16Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 64: Billy Joel Drummer Liberty DeVitto on ”The Nylon Curtain”I couldn't wait to get this episode out because I spoke with longtime Billy Joel drummer Liberty DeVitto. I've always been a big fan of Billy's music and part of the reason for that is his outstanding band, highlighted by DeVitto's work behind the drum kit. With Billy's The Nylon Curtain album set to celebrate its 40th anniversary in September, I wanted to talk to Liberty about a record which is very special to me. But we didn't just talk about the album. We also spoke about his autobiography, his involvement with the excellent Hired Gun documentary, his trip behi...
2022-06-021h 38Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 63: Gentle Giant’s Derek Shulman - ”Civilian”Derek Shulman, founding member of Gentle Giant and successful record executive, is my guest for this episode. We're here to talk about the remastered and reissued "Civilian" release that just dropped. Derek also talked about his musical beginnings, ending the band, his transition from musician to record executive, his new endeavors in the music documentary space, and what other releases Gentle Giant fans can look forward to in the near future. Big thanks to Derek for his time.
Reminder: You can support independent podcasting by becoming a Michael's Record Collection Patreon subscriber starting at only $2 per month (50 cen...
2022-05-2657 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 62: Renan Zonta of Skills on ”Different Worlds”Melodic hard rock fans have another new supergroup to check out and it's a good one. Skills is a project that partnered guitarist Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), bassist Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, The Winery Dogs, Sons of Apollo), drummer David Huff (Giant), and Brazilian vocalist Renan Zonta (Electric Mob, Brother to Brother). The band just released its debut album, "Different Worlds," and it's a really good one. I had a blast speaking with Renan about how Skills came about, the making of the record, his background and influences, his time on the Brazilian version of The Voice, and much m...
2022-05-2041 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 61: Jonathan Mover of ProgJectFor this week's show I checked in with drummer Jonathan Mover, the founder of the progressive rock homage band ProgJect. Jonathan has worked with some of the biggest names in music: Aretha Franklin, Alice Cooper, Joe Satriani, and the Tubes to name a few. He was briefly a member of Marillion in the 1980s and he helped Steve Hackett and Steve Howe form GTR. Jonathan was kind enough to tell me about how the ProgJect idea came about, how the tour went, and what's next for the band. He also discussed his background, how he fell in love with...
2022-05-121h 12Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 60: Talking The Who in Concert with Records RevisitedBen Montgomery from the Records Revisited podcast became the first repeat guest in the history of Michael's Record Collection in this episode. I spoke with Ben because we both made the trip from Orlando to Tampa last week to see The Who on the band's "The Who Hits Back" tour. I didn't just want to compare notes on the show with Ben, but I also wanted to talk about how going to see bands live affects our music listening habits both in the leadup and aftermath of the show. Ben also gave a valuable tip for people attending shows at...
2022-05-0543 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 59: Crashdïet - AutomatonFor this episode, I spoke with Martin Sweet and Peter London of Crashdïet, a melodic rock band out of Sweden. The duo make up half of the band and they were kind enough to spend some time with me to discuss their forthcoming album, Automaton (out April 29). The album is sure to please fans of 1980s and 1990s hard rock with its catchy, anthemic choruses and standout musicianship. We also talked about the history of the band, their backgrounds in music, and even a new beer that will share a name with the new album.
Find ou...
2022-04-2140 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 58: Imminent Sonic Destruction - The Sun Will Always SetMichigan progressive metal masters Imminent Sonic Destruction are about to release their third album, The Sun Will Also Set. The band already has two standout albums in its catalog and the third one may be the best of all. I spoke with guitarist/vocalist Tony Piccoli about the making of the album, the band's origins, his early influences and a lot more. Despite my promo tracks being in the wrong sequence, it was still a great listen and I've since fixed the problem with Tony's help.
Find out more about the band at their official website or at...
2022-04-141h 02Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 57: Nazareth Bassist Pete AgnewRock and roll doesn't get much more old school than Scottish legends Nazareth. The band is still going more than 50 years since releasing their first album. Their 25th album, Surviving the Law, is coming out in mid-April, and bassist and founding member Pete Agnew was kind enough to tell me how this fresh new take on the Nazareth sound has come about. Pete and I also spoke about his introduction to music, switching from guitar to bass out of necessity, and (of course) that classic album Hair of the Dog.
You can learn more about Nazareth at the...
2022-04-071h 00Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 56: Robin McAuley - Black Swan’s ”Generation Mind”Legendary Irish rock vocalist Robin McAuley has been a busy guy and the former McAuley Schenker Group frontman is about to have his second release with his newest band, Black Swan, drop in early April. Robin and I spoke in depth about the new Generation Mind album, his background, having his first hit song with a "Stairway to Heaven" cover, joining M.S.G., his successful Las Vegas show ("Raiding the Rock Vault"), and even a new upcoming solo album. It was great catching up with Robin and the new album flat out rocks. Learn more about Black Swan on...
2022-03-311h 00Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 55: Oliver Wakeman - Collaborations, Yes, and MoreI caught up with composer and keyboard maestro Oliver Wakeman this week to discuss the release of his newest box set, Collaborations. This three-CD set contains new reissues (with bonus tracks) of his The 3 ages of Magick collaboration with Steve Howe and his Ravens & Lullabies album with Gordon Giltrap. There's also a disc of previously unreleased live material with Giltrap and vocalist Paul Manzi (Sweet, ex-Arena). We also spoke about his background, coming from a family of famous keyboard players, his time in Yes and The Strawbs, his solo work, and much more.
Learn more about Oliver's...
2022-03-241h 38Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 54: August Zadra - Guiding StarDennis DeYoung's guitarist August Zadra has been in the music business a long time. Aside from playing with the legendary Styx front man for the last 12 years, August has been in several tribute bands and has played with some of the greats in rock music. Now he's put together his first solo project under the name Zadra and released his first album, Guiding Star. I spoke with August about this excellent, melodic, AOR album, as well as his influences, how he met Dennis, working with Jeff Scott Soto, and much more.
Check out August's Facebook page. You can...
2022-03-101h 19Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 53: Journey - EscapeThis week's show is a little different. I'm discussing Journey's iconic 1981 "Escape" album with David Rohe and we're giving out song rankings from the album. Dave was the very first Michael's Record Collection Patreon supporter and I've known him for many years. We had a great time dissecting a classic record from the early 80s track by track and then ranking the songs to see how our lists compared.
Reminder: You can support independent podcasting by becoming a Michael's Record Collection Patreon subscriber starting at only $2 per month (50 cents an episode...or less!) at the MRC Patreon page...
2022-03-031h 09Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 52: Kevin Gilbert’s ”The Shaming of the True” with Wayne PerezThis week's show discusses a criminally unknown album by a criminally unknown artist. Kevin Gilbert may not be a name you recognize but you've likely heard his work. If you don't know his bands Giraffe or Toy Matinee, you may be familiar with Sheryl Crow's debut album, on which Kevin co-wrote the majority of the songs and played multiple instruments. Kevin passed away at the young age of 29 in 1996 and his posthumous classic The Shaming of the True is an album worth owning. Here to talk me through the story behind it (and its impending vinyl release) is Wayne P...
2022-02-241h 38Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 51: John Payne Celebrates Asia, AquaIt's never easy to replace a popular band's original lead singer and it's twice as hard when that singer is John Wetton. But that's what John Payne did, carving out his own niche as the lead singer and bassist of Asia through the 1990s and beyond, appearing on eight studio records with the band. John is hitting the road with Asia Featuring John Payne to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band's self-titled debut album and the 30th anniversary of his first release with the band, Aqua. I spoke with John about joining Asia and the making of Aqua. We...
2022-02-1753 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 50: Legendary Drummer Carmine AppiceThe one and only Carmine Appice is this week's guest! Carmine has been a force with Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne, Blue Murder, King Kobra, and several other bands and side projects and he's played with nearly every big name in rock music. I spoke with Carmine about a historic new release. A recording of the first ever Cactus concert was unearthed and released as The Birth of Cactus - 1970. It's a terrific document of the band's first live appearance. We also spoke about his work with other artists, such as Rick Derringer, Pink Floyd, Paul Stanley, an...
2022-02-101h 01Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 49: Lana Lane - Neptune BlueLana Lane has just released her first album in a decade with the outstanding new Neptune Blue. The queen of symphonic and melodic rock has taken a little of the complexity out and made more or less an album-oriented rock album that is accessible enough for the masses but with enough technical musical flourishes by her excellent contributing musicians to satisfy the progressive rock fans. I spoke with Lana about the making of this record, some of her guest vocal work, having her first vinyl release, her background, and more.
Find out more about Lana and her wor...
2022-02-0358 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 48:Talking Duran Duran’s Rio with Author Annie ZaleskiAuthor Annie Zaleski literally wrote the book on the seminal 1982 album Rio by Duran Duran. An album that began with sluggish U.S. sales turned into an iconic juggernaut on the strength of its songs, heavy rotation of hit singles on MTV, and the talent and sheer willpower of the five young men who made the record. Annie talked about how she got started as a writer, how she fell for Duran Duran's music, how she ultimately came to write about Rio for 33-1/3 Books, and what she learned along the way. We had a great conversation about the al...
2022-01-271h 10Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 47: Saga Frontman Michael Sadler Discusses ProgJectMichael Sadler has one of the most unique voices in music. His work with Saga has been stellar through the years and he pops up periodically on releases by other artists. His newest endeavor is joining a band called ProgJect: the Ultimate Progressive Rock Experience. ProgJect pays homage to the progressive rock masters and the five-piece group is set to hit the road across the U.S., bringing prog rock to the people. It's God's work, really. I spoke with Michael about how he got involved with ProgJect, whether we might see a recording from the band soon, and...
2022-01-2057 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 46: Talking Cheap Trick at Budokan with Pat FrancisPat Francis from the excellent Rock Solid podcast is like the godfather of music podcasters. His show is in its 11th year and is going strong with its best guests ever. Pat's show has a rotating format. One week it's an interview, the next it's a roundtable between Pat and his friends discussing an album track by track. This week, I was delighted to welcome Pat to this show to talk about Rock Solid, hunting down autographs after concerts, and (most importantly) about our shared love for Cheap Trick's essential live classic album, At Budokan.
Find out more...
2022-01-131h 17Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 45: Best Songs and Albums of 2021It's the first annual Michael's Record Collection awards! For this episode, you're stuck with just me (no guests) as I walk through the songs and albums that stood out to me over the 2021 calendar year. Play along at home and tell me what I got right and wrong. I have a list of albums and songs below in case you want to check out any you're not familiar with, so if you don't want to be spoiled about the podcast, stop reading after the next two paragraphs.
Reminder: You can support independent podcasting by becoming a Michael's R...
2022-01-061h 34Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 44: Terry Ilous - Land of GypsiesTerry Ilous isn't exactly a household name but he's an artist that has had some success across multiple genres. He fronted his band XYZ in the late 1980s and early 90s, spent more than eight years as Jack Russell's successor as the lead singer of Great White, and has done a lot of Latin-influenced and Flamenco-type music as well. Terry's new project, Land of Gypsies, released its self-titled debut album Dec. 10 and it pays tribute to some of the great bands of the 70s, such as Bad Company, Humble Pie, and early Foreigner and Whitesnake. Terry was gracious enough...
2021-12-3040 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 43: Genesis - The Last Domino Tour with Matt WardlawI'm changing things up a little for this episode as instead of discussing a new or classic album, I enlisted Matt Wardlaw from Ultimate Classic Rock to compare notes on our recent experiences seeing Genesis on The Last Domino? Tour. Genesis is my all-time favorite band, so there was never a question of whether I was going to see them, so much as a question of where and how often. Matt and I saw them about a week apart in different cities but in similarly located seats. We broke down the setlist, the performance, our Genesis origin stories, and mo...
2021-12-231h 10Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 42: Vinnie Moore of UFO Plays Pink FloydVinnie Moore is a guitar master. He's carved out a great career for himself as a solo artist, a guest musician, and as a guitarist in the legendary hard rock band UFO since 2003. Vinnie recently joined a group of well-known musicians who took part in a great tribute record called Animals Reimagined - A Tribute to Pink Floyd. Playing on the album's best track, "Dogs," Vinnie was joined by ex-Rainbow vocalist Graham Bonnet, ex-King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto, Kasim Sulton from Utopia, and Dream Theater keyboard wizard Jordan Rudess. I spoke with Vinnie about his involvement in the project, h...
2021-12-0937 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 41: Chuck Wright on New Solo Album, Quiet Riot, Giuffria & MoreBassist and composer Chuck Wright may not have a name you instantly recognize, but you've heard his music before. Chuck was in Quiet Riot and played and sang on some of that band's biggest hits and albums. He was also in the band Giuffria, which had a major hit single in the mid-80s called "Call to the Heart." He's played with everyone from Alice Cooper to Gregg Allman to John Waite to Eddie Money, as well as members of Guns N'Roses, Dream Theater, KISS, Skid Row, and Mr. Big. Now Chuck has a new solo project called Chuck...
2021-12-0237 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 40: Talking The Cars - Heartbeat City with Brian ColburnIt's a bonus episode of MRC this week. It's Thanksgiving week and I'm thankful to all the supportive folks out there who have downloaded Michael's Record Collection, streamed my videos on YouTube, subscribed to the MRC newsletter on Substack, and supported the show on Patreon. I'm also thankful to have met some great friends along the way while doing this show. One of those is Brian Colburn, a New Jersey musician who also happens to co-host the excellent Playlist Wars podcast. You may recall I had his podcasting partner Gomez on Episode 22 to discuss his show as well as M...
2021-11-231h 29Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 39: Leslie Hunt - Ascend and DescendChicago-area singer/songwriter Leslie Hunt isn't a household name, but she should be. The lead singer of progressive rockers District 97 and a top 10 finisher on the women's side in Season 6 of American Idol, Hunt is a talented musician and writer with a fantastic voice. She's released two seven-song EPs this year, Ascend and Descend. They're companion releases but each have their own sound. Both are filled with short, catchy songs that reward repeat listens. Leslie was kind enough to spend some time with me, telling me about her background, how she hooked up with District 97, and we took a deep...
2021-11-181h 01Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 38: Talking Def Leppard - Pyromania with Def Lep PodNeil Poole hosts the excellent Def Lep Pod, a podcast that takes a deep dive into the music of Def Leppard in a humorous way. Neil treats Def Leppard's music with the utmost respect but each episode is a fun adventure through some aspect of the band's music, whether that's a song, an album, or a chat with a guest. I asked Neil about the origins of his Def Leppard fandom and his show and then we embark on a discussion of my favorite of the band's albums, Pyromania.
You can find Def Lep Pod wherever podcasts are...
2021-11-111h 38Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 37: Dec Burke - Life in Two DimensionsIrish-born progressive rocker Dec Burke is known for his time in Frost* and his former band Darwin's Radio. But he's a talented and respected solo artist as well, and he just released his fourth album, Life in Two Dimensions, in late September. It's chock full of guitar heroics, with a modern sound and production, but it retains Dec's melodic sensibilities, which he places first and foremost. Dec was kind enough to take a deep dive into the album with me and also talked about his influences, how he consumes music, why he changed from keyboards to guitar as his in...
2021-11-041h 04Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 36: Talking Rush - Signals with Something for Nothing Rush FancastSteve and Gerry host the excellent Rush-centric podcast Something for Nothing: A Rush Fancast each week, informing and entertaining fans of the band Rush and converting new ones. I had them on to not only tell us about their show and how they got started, but also to talk about my favorite Rush album, Signals! In the first part of the show we talk about Something for Nothing, its origins, and how Steve and Gerry became the huge Rush fans they are. Then we get into the 1982 album Signals and have a track-by-track discussion on why this is a special...
2021-10-281h 28Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 35: Rachel Flowers - Bigger on the InsideSometimes interviews are more of a treat than expected and this was the case when I got to talk to multi-instrumentalist and composer Rachel Flowers. You might know Rachel from the documentary Hearing is Believing, which chronicles her life. Born 15 weeks premature, Rachel lost her vision as a newborn. However, her parents quickly discovered that she had an incredible ear for music. Rachel started taking classical piano lessons at age four, was learning jazz at age nine and went on to some acclaim on YouTube for her performances of complex Emerson, Lake & Palmer songs. She just released her third st...
2021-10-211h 06Michael's Record CollectionEpisode 34: Chantel McGregor - Shed SessionsFor this episode, I had a great chat with UK singer/songwriter Chantel McGregor about her two summer 2021 releases, Shed Sessions Volume One and Shed Sessions Volume Two. This chat was fun despite the fact that: 1) I forgot my notes at the office and had to wing the interview from memory, and 2) There was a bit of background white noise emanating from something on Chantel's end that I couldn't eliminate in editing. It was worse before we started recording, so we managed to make it listenable but it isn't up to the quality standard I'd like. Regardless, it was fun...
2021-10-1441 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 33: Gil Moore of Triumph - Rock and Roll Machine DocumentaryI'm extremely excited about this episode because I got to talk to Triumph drummer and co-lead vocalist Gil Moore. The band hasn't released a new album since 1992, but it's still a busy time for the legendary Canadian power trio. Triumph was recently inducted into the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame and, just a few weeks ago, a brand new documentary about the band premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. I spoke with Gil about the new documentary (Triumph: Rock and Roll Machine), the Heavy Metal Hall induction, and the recent Allied Forces 40th Anniversary release. We also spoke...
2021-10-0758 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 15: Wildstreet Discusses New Album "III"New York rockers Wildstreet literally pulled their van off the side of the road to do this interview with Michael's Record Collection about the band's latest release III while on tour in the southeast. All of the band's members weigh in, particularly lead singer/guitarist Eric Jayk, about the making of III, their process, their favorite tracks from the album, and more. They're a fun bunch of guys who just want to rock and put on the best show possible for their fans. Above all, they want to have fun, and that comes through in their music. The new...
2021-06-1630 minMichael's Record CollectionEpisode 4: Lee Abraham - Harmony/SynchronicityWelcome back to Michael's Record Collection! For Episode 4 I spoke to British musician Lee Abraham about the making of his eighth studio album, Harmony/Synchronicity. The album was put together while he was in lockdown for the pandemic. Lee is a great guitarist and bass player and has been a member of the storied British prog band Galahad. Generous with his time, as ever, Lee spoke about his recent AOR influences, writing and recording the album, the equipment he used, and more. He also broke some news here about his forthcoming ninth album.
Find out more about...
2021-02-0549 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 101: Michael Cox Interview, Vancouver, New England & MoreOrlando City played about as dominating a game you’ll see from a passing and possession standpoint but couldn’t get the ball to go home in a 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. It was a disheartening defeat considering how few home games remain. We discuss the positives and the negatives from the night. We’re also going streaking (not literally) as OCB and the Orlando Pride continued their sizzling runs and both are currently above the red line, which we love.
OCB striker Michael Cox is one of the few holdovers from last year’s USL side and he just...
2017-08-301h 27
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 29: Sporting Kansas City Review / Chicago Fire PreviewSo that's what three points feel like. It's been awhile.
Brek Shea returned and Adrian Winter and Bryan Rochez both opened their MLS accounts as the Lions claimed all the points against former OCSC star Dom Dwyer and his Sporting Kansas City teammates at the Citrus Bowl Sunday. Andrew Harrison joins host Michael Citro to discuss the game's talking points and bask in the glow of victory.
Then Hot Time in the Old Town Editor-in-Chief Sean Spence joins us to look ahead to Chicago on Saturday and which players may or may not play at Toyota Park for the Fire. Se...
2015-09-1758 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 23: Chicago Fire & NYCFC Review / Columbus PreviewCan we just be done with July? The seventh month of 2015 was unkind to Orlando City fans, as well as our Lions,to the tune of no wins. Nada. Not even one.
Nevertheless, Michael Citro is joined by fellow Mane Landers Brent Petkus and Kye Foley to break down the two most recent disappointing results - a 3-1 away loss in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals against the Chicago Fire, and a 5-3 barnburner at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC. At least we got to see City's first MLS hat trick in the latter, courtesy of rookie...
2015-07-3059 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 22: West Brom & Red Bulls Review / Chicago & NYCFC PreviewWe're back and you can't send us off because we won't go!
Michael Citro and Kevin Mercer break down the tough Saturday night home loss to New York Red Bulls and have a lot to say about the red card that saw Cyle Larin off after 32 minutes and the behavior of the veteran player who drew the call. The consensus is that we're just really tired of red cards.
We also broke down a rather enjoyable friendly last Wednesday vs. West Bromwich Albion. It was a pleasant surprise to see the Lions go for it in a game that came...
2015-07-211h 00
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 21: FC Dallas Review / Red Bulls Preview & Chicharito TalkMichael Citro and Kevin Mercer dissect Orlando City's 2-0 loss to FC Dallas, which could actually have been a 2-2 draw if not for a blown offside call and Carlos Rivas blasting his PK high and wide. We've got it all - St. Ledger's injury, Luke Boden's sending off and, of course, our Man of the Match.
We also discuss majority owner Flavio Augusto da Silva's remarks to the media at halftime of the game about Chicharito and what they might mean for the Lions, moving forward.
Then Jason Iapicco from Once a Metro and the Red Bull Rant joins u...
2015-07-161h 00
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 20: Real Salt Lake Review / FC Dallas Preview & LCFC UpdateMichael Citro and Kevin Mercer recap the 10-man draw at Real Salt Lake last week. Neither of us are completely (or at all) convinced that Kaká deserved to be sent off for what he did at Rio Tinto Stadium, but we're both glad the lads rallied around their captain and came home with another hard-fought road point. We discuss the Brazilian's red card at length, as well as the shoddy record of that night's referee, Sorin Stoica.
We then welcome Ben Lyon from Big D Soccer to the show. Ben gives us the 411 on our opponents Saturday night at the C...
2015-07-0959 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 12: New England Preview with Goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr.We've got a lot of ground to cover with two games to discuss since our last PawedCast and not one, but two special guests!
Michael and Andrew dissect the home loss to Toronto FC a couple weeks back, as well as the friendly win over Brazil's Ponte Preta. The pivotal moments of both games are discussed, including the horrible knee injury Kevin Molino sustained and Brek Shea returning to the midfield. And goals! At home! It really happened last weekend.
But the star of this show is Orlando City goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr., who stops by to give us the s...
2015-05-071h 01
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 11: Columbus Crew Review / Toronto FC PreviewAs well as things went in Portland, they went equally as poorly in Columbus. Orlando City was run out of Ohio on the wrong side of a 3-0 score line, owing mainly to two huge mistakes by a young defender who had been one of the club's brightest lights in the first six weeks.
Michael and Kevin break down the Crew match, as well as Rafael Ramos' red card and the drubbing that followed. We also discuss the club selling out its season ticket allotment of 14,000 seats and look ahead to Sunday's match against Toronto FC.
Joining us in that en...
2015-04-2358 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 10: Portland Timbers Review / Columbus Crew PreviewOrlando City looks pretty OK on the road through three away matches, coming back from Portland with a 2-0 victory over the Timbers. Because three guys aren't enough to break down such events, we added a fourth this week. Andrew Harrison, a bona fide Brit, joins Andrew Marcinko, Austin David and host Michael Citro to discuss the victory at Portland, rookie striker Cyle Larin's first start (and goal!), and the upcoming May 2 friendly against Ponte Preta at the Citrus Bowl.
Oh, and we also preview the upcoming match on Saturday with Columbus Crew SC. The Crew is a solid Eastern C...
2015-04-1651 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 9: DC United Recap / Portland Timbers PreviewWill Orlando City ever score a goal during the run of play at home? We think so, but even more importantly, we hope the club stops conceding in stoppage time (not that any other time is ultimately any better).
After scoring twice at Montreal, the club came home and failed to score. But at least they generated a ton of tasty chances in what turned out to be another heartbreaking home loss. Like the Vancouver match, the Lions squandered chances to capture all three points against D.C. United and conceded on a stoppage time set piece to abandon even a...
2015-04-0940 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 7: Vancouver Whitecaps Recap / Montreal Impact PreviewWell, last Saturday night we all got a collective kick in the groin as the Vancouver Whitecaps crept into the Citrus Bowl and stole three points out from under our beloved Orlando City.
Michael and Austin break down what was a pretty good outing for the Lions if you discount the fact that they couldn't score a goal. We discuss the Kekuta Manneh incident that led to his suspension and fine this week from Major League Soccer's Disciplinary Committee, look ahead to the Montreal Impact match this Saturday and chat a bit about the addition of Minnesota United FC to M...
2015-03-2645 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 6: Houston Dynamo Recap / Vancouver Whitecaps PreviewSpoiler alert: winning MLS games is awesome!
Michael Citro, Andrew Marcinko and Austin David from The Mane Land break down Orlando City's first ever victory in Major League Soccer, a 1-0 road victory over the Houston Dynamo. Michael is still calling for MLS to give the goal to Pedro Ribeiro but, own goal or not, they all count the same and the Lions share the top of the Eastern Conference table with fellow expansion team New York City FC, just like we all thought.
We discuss the finer points of the Houston Dynamo match that stood out to us,address...
2015-03-1944 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 5: Orlando City vs. NYCFC Recap, Houston PreviewThe good news: Orlando City SC has never lost an MLS regular season match.
The bad news: Orlando City is still looking for its first MLS regular season win.
Yoru Lions showed great resiliency on Sunday to battle back for a 1-1 draw while down to 10 men against New York City FC. Kaká's deflected free kick goal may have been fortunate, but it didn't make up for a host of unlucky breaks throughout the match. It's not a stretch to say that Orlando City was the better side for much of the 90 minutes, but that only counts when you f...
2015-03-1242 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 4: Talking Orlando City's Opener with Hudson River BlueWe're just days away from finally witnessing our beloved Orlando City SC playing in a Major League Soccer match!
The Lions will take on fellow expansion club New York City FC in the Citrus Bowl on Sunday, March 8, but it almost didn't happen. That contentious labor dispute, which raged on in recent weeks, finally came to an end and there will be no strike. Michael Citro, Andrew Marcinko and Austin David talk about how worried they were about whether the season would start on time. We also talked about Orlando City's Media Day and how the starting XI is shaping u...
2015-03-0551 min
The Mane Land PawedCastMane Land PawedCast Episode 3: Harrison Heath and the 2015 Season OutlookIt's almost time for Orlando City's first MLS season to start. But before we get to that, there's the whole pesky matter of the MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement, which must be resolved in less than three weeks if games are going to take place as scheduled.
Also, the Lions will first have to solidify their starting XI, which is something that they'll start working on this weekend at the Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston against New York City FC. The Mane Land writers Michael Citro, Andrew Marcinko and Austin David discuss these topics, plus who might be loaned to USL a...
2015-02-1843 min
The Mane Land PawedCastPawedCast Episode 2: Talking Preseason with OCSC's Jhamie ChinIt's Episode 2 of The Mane Land PawedCast, in which Managing Editor Michael Citro and Senior Columnist Austin David discuss the MLS SuperDraft, the Orlando City roster as it stands on the first day of preseason training, and Kaka's appearance on ESPN FC. We also answer questions from Twitter.
Special guest Jhamie Chin, communications coordinator for Orlando City SC joins us to give us the lowdown on off-season preparations, a behind-the-scenes look at Media Day, a look ahead to the Carolina Challenge Cup and more. Big thanks to Jhamie for spending a few minutes with us during a very busy time...
2015-01-2443 min
The Mane Land PawedCastWelcome to the PawedCast: MLS Dispersal and Expansion DraftOur inaugural Mane Land PawedCast features Your hosts, Managing Editor Michael Citro and Assistant Editor/Senior Columnist Andrew Marcinko, discuss Orlando City SC passing on the Chivas USA Dispersal Draft. We also share our thoughts on the recent SB Nation Mock Expansion Draft, as well as the real MLS Expansion Draft coming up on Dec. 10.
The PawedCast will become a regular feature soon, running monthly during the off-season and weekly during Orlando City's MLS campaign.
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2014-12-0423 min