25 O'Clock Daniel Drago

Dan talks with James Everhart, a man who's been part of a lot of Philadelphia music over the years, about his long tenure amidst bands like Low Cut Connie, Scantron, and his current project, 10-member supergroup Cosmic Guilt. James talks about hitting the road with Low Cut Connie right out of college, and how he had to pull back from the touring life for his own mental health and stability. Dan and James talk about the careful balance that it takes to have a band with 10 members, British psych folk, James' designs for Philly brewery Human Robot, letting each member put their mark on a song, a close eye on visual aesthetics, and the inspiration for their newest album being a mansion made out of junk in Vineland, NJ. Cosmic Guilt's newest album, 'Palace Of Depression', is out May 31st on their Bandcamp and wherever you get digital music. 

Todd Mecaughey has been part of the Philadelphia music community for a good while, in bands like New Connection and Secret American. He's also an engineer and producer at Cambridge Sound Studios, and has been since its inception. Dan and Todd talk about their love of Phish and the Grateful Dead (and how both bands are pretty dang punk rock), learning the ropes under former Sigma Sound producer Jim Salamone as a young engineer, watching the upward swing of Secret American fall apart and turning to podcast production for a paycheck during the pandemic, the 'Workaholics' cast and touring as their live FOH tech for their podcast 'This Is Important', and balancing fatherhood and family life with the never ending demands of the music business.

Dan goes in deep with Judah Kim as he talks about growing up "lucky number 7" of 8 siblings, the influence of his older brothers' garage bands, the lack of any Asian American role models in alt rock, studying voice and production at Berkley, sobriety and gratitude, and the burnout that comes with always having to make "content". With a journey that's taken him from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and back again, Judah and Dan discuss the pitfalls of being an independent musician, Judah's interest in mental health as it applies to Koreans, and the weight of insurmountable expectation and ambition that can come from growing up as a  Korean American.
Judah is part of Asian American Pie, a concert at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia on Friday, May 11th, featuring a lineup of Asian American/Pacific Islanders bands and artists, including Moonroof, Beau Freres, Alyssa Garcia, and longtime friend of the podcast, John Faye. 

Dan gets Jonathan Miller and Ed Olson of Fire In The Radio on the line to talk about how the band came together, took a break, came back together even stronger, and their upcoming return home to a Philadelphia stage at Sing Us Home Fest in Manayunk. Jon and Ed talked about growing up in the Philly punk and hardcore scene, being influenced by Dave Hause both as a musician and as a friend, growing your songwriting over the years, the trials that come with keeping a band of adults with lives and families together across the country, and how the punk spirit of youth ends up defining how you see the world going forward.

Photo by Jessica Flynn

Dan talks with lifelong Philadlephia musician Eliza Hardy Jones about everything: early days in Buried Beds with Brandon Beaver, touring and playing with mewithoutyou, Grace Potter, Iron and Wine, and her newest gig as a touring member of The War On Drugs. Eliza tells great stories about DIY touring life, vocal coaching the Philadelphia Eagles, quilting, and how she channeled her grief from a lost pregnancy into her latest LP, 'Pickpocket'. 'Pickpocket' is available wherever you get your digital music, and also as a limited edition vinyl LP from her website. The War on Drugs return to play in Philadelphia on 9/17 at The Mann with The National and Lucius.

Dan talks with Nicole Bauza, songwriter and frontwoman of Nervous Nikki and the Chill Pills. Nicole talks about growing up as a BMX biker, getting drums at an early age, the quiet joys of farming and gardening, herbs as medicine, her tea farm in Schwenksville, and the ups and downs of keeping a band going amidst family life and general day to day shenanigans. The newest Nervous Nikki LP, 'St Anthony's Fire', is available at their Bandcamp and wherever you get digital music.