The Real MP3s

...That was my husband's reaction when he found out he'd been invited to a songwriting workshop with the legendary Eagles guitarist. (For the record... he was a teenager.)In this episode, Josh shares what it was like learning from Don Felder, the songwriting advice that stuck with him, and the surreal moment Don handed him his personal email address. We talk about that unforgettable experience, the advice he still carries with him today, his band Hollow Wake, and why sometimes the best music stories start with not realizing who you're standing next to.

I hate camping. So naturally, I've spent years camping at music festivals.In this episode, I'm sharing stories from Bonnaroo and beyond, including the time I accidentally snuck into the festival, the borrowed air mattress that immediately betrayed me (and covered me in ants), and why I ended up getting yelled at by Billy Joel?We'll also discuss the absolute IRONY of having your purse stolen at a place famous for telling everyone to "Radiate Positivity."If you've ever camped at a music festival, this episode is for you. If you haven't, consider this a cautionary tale.

Kyle Morris from The Unlikely Candidates joined me this week, and somehow we ended up talking about a temporarily one-armed drummer, a months-long prank involving Blue October, inflatable llamas, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Andrew McMahon.In other words... my kind of conversation.Kyle shares some incredible stories from the road, including how the band's drummer continued performing after an injury, one of the best band pranks I've ever heard, and some genuinely heartwarming moments with Johnny Rzeznik and Robby Takac while touring with the Goo Goo Dolls.We also dive into Kyle's love for Andrew McMahon's live shows, which led to me wondering if someone had secretly briefed him on my music taste before the chat. Because between Andrew McMahon and Blue October, the conversation kept hitting two of my all-time favorite artists.If you love behind-the-scenes music stories, tour memories, and hearing what artists are really like when the spotlight isn't on them, this one's for you.

One year later, we’re bringing back the episode that launched The Real MP3s: my interview with Billy Corgan.When this interview originally happened, I was completely in my own head. I was nervous, intimidated, overanalyzing everything, and fully preparing myself for a terrifying experience. Turns out? Billy was actually much easier to talk to than I expected, which somehow shocked me more than anything else.In this remastered episode, I’m watching the full interview video back for the first time and reacting to all the moments that had me internally panicking while they were happening.

This is the story of how a disastrous job interview somehow became the best thing that ever happened to my career. I walked into an interview feeling wildly underqualified… and accidentally started a career in rock radio. A very chaotic reminder that sometimes if it’s meant to be… it’ll be.

If you’re married to a touring musician, I have a question for you:How do you do it?!Because based on one particular night while my husband was out on tour… I’m not entirely convinced I’m cut out for this lifestyle.I’m sharing the story of the night my alarm system started going off while I was home alone and I was absolutely convinced someone was breaking into the house.What I thought was happening and what was actually happening were two very different things.Let’s just say my cat played a very dramatic role in the chaos.

A Zoom interview with Amy Lee... but make it cozy.We’re talking a hiking injury in Nashville, a boot, stuffed animals, and a conversation that felt way more like FaceTime than a formal interview.It was soft. It was wholesome. It was not what I expected… and I loved every second of it.

Free stuff sounds great… until you’re offered a dragon tattoo, paid in chicken wings you didn’t ask for, and accidentally taken out by a THC cookie. In this episode, I talk about the weird, random, and sometimes questionable “perks” that come with my job... including things I’m very glad I said no to. Consider this a reminder that just because something’s free doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

This week’s guest: Alex WeedenAlex is one of those musicians who makes you realize just how small (and wild) the music world really is. We go way back decades, from his early days playing for Miranda Lambert to now touring massive arenas with Parker McCollum. We swap memories, embarrassing nicknames, and stories that casually include Dave Grohl being cool, an awkward moment in front of Reese Witherspoon, and an unreal Paul McCartney encounter. This episode is a full-circle moment.

In this episode, I talk about two artists I’d love to sit down with for very different reasons. What I didn’t know while recording was that one of those wishes was about to come true. This is your reminder to knock on wood before you say anything out loud.