Playground podcast Playground podcast

Coal Chamber's bassist Nadja Peulen talks about her band's reunion; the usefulness of live performance venues like the Whisky a Go Go, or Roxy Theater in L.A; the effects of new technologies and social media on the rock music industry; the life of a woman in a male-dominated metal world.

UFC - Dominic Cruz talks Urijah Faber, MMA training routine, differences between MMA fighting styles
Urijah Faber, the California Kid
Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz discusses his feud with Urijah Faber, arguably the best MMA fighter in his division, from the World Extreme Cagefighting ( WEC ) promotion, through the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
From Wrestling to Mixed Martial Arts
Dominick Cruz explains how a wrestling student he used to coach influenced him to try a MMA class. After that day, Cruz never looked back.
Motivation through MMA training routine
The former king of the UFC bantamweight roster exposes his training preparation for a UFC fight: exploiting - or not - the frustration coming from a loss as extra energy, feeding of the pressure of main eventing a UFC fight card and establishing the reputation of his weight class, using fight video, etc.
Fighting style vs MMA weight class
The Alliance MMA team member, Dominick Cruz, compares his experience inside the Octagon in different weight divisions and reveals how mma fighters choose their weight class.

Interview with Godsmack drummer Shannon Larkin, who confesses becoming a Red Sox fan since they beat The Curse; reveals the football rivalry which exists within the band (Patriots vs Raiders); debates on the relevance of radio for new emerging bands; discusses the rise of electronic music and the undying qualitites of rock; compares the experience of playing Ozzfest vs Woodstock; acknowledges the fun competitiveness vs singer Sully Erna in their traditional drum duels; and explains how difficult it is for a drummer to find his own style.

1- John Makdessi (LW) talks about the difference between kata and full-contact fighting in martial arts; the advantages stemming from performing regularly on a traditional martial arts competition circuit for a MMA fighter... and he reveals his "secret talent" - cooking - and how it's helping with his diet.

2- Chad Laprise (LW) discusses the motivation for a rookie to move up the ranks of his weight division; the importance of fan appreciation in a MMA career; the threat of losing focus of your opponnent when a fighter is determined to put on a good show.

3- Chris Clements (WW) on how his taekwondo background influenced his fighting skills and mental preparation.

1- Georges St-Pierre explains how going around the world helped him retreive his passion and energy; lists the right conditions that could influence him to comeback to active competition; discusses how returning to his kyokushin-karate roots ravitalized him.

2- Quinton "Rampage" Jackson exposes how he lost the love for MMA through his 1st run with the UFC; talks about the never ending pressure and unwanted attention generated by his "Superstar" status; compares the way fighters are treated in the UFC vs other promotions; confesses how he patched things up with Dana and Lorenzo; speaks about his nightlife habits and enjoying the company of the ladiiiiiies.

3- Michael Bisping denies using his loud mouth as a promotional strategy; discusses how his family handled the UFC Countdown camera crew filming in their home; explains the many hardships that come with a professional fighter's lifestyle; acknowledges the importance of the media in a MMA fighting career; talks about the "auto-play" mode that many fighters use during press tours... and then gets questionned by Pace for his "original" choice of socks for the interview.

4- Kyoji Horiguchi speaks about the advantage of karate training and the pertinence of forms (katas) for a future in MMA; exposes how the popularity of MMA in Japan decreased since PRIDE was bought out by the UFC and how the promotion could now boost the sport in his country.

5- Demetrious Johnson talks a little X-Box gaming and reveals if he once played EA Sports' UFC as himself to virtually beat his opponents up; opposes the naysayers of the Flyweight division; analyses Kyoji Hiroguchi's style; discusses the pressure bestowed upon UFC main-eventers to sell tickets; explains why he prefers the classy approach to promote his fights and how he keeps his "undefeated champion" ego in check

Interview with Disturbed's David Draiman (singer) and Mike Wengren (drummer)expressing their heartfelt hatred for baseball and everything E-VIIIIL it represents (especially Chicago's Wrigley Field); talking a little hockey and Blackhawks; debating over which frontwoman's got the sexiest ass in rock/metal; criticizing the (too-many) subgenres in Metal and how its heritage got forgotten... and then having a brainfuck when Pace asks them to sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" or perform the sound of a drunken cow.