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GenX Journeys: 1980s Now & GenX Always — A Conversation with Will Padilla

Release Date: 12/10/2025

Keeping the 80s Alive: Inside the Rubixx Experience

GenX Journeys

What happens when the soundtrack of the 1980s comes roaring back to life with big vocals, big energy, and a whole lot of heart? In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul is joined by GenX Book Club co-host Suzanne Mattaboni for a lively conversation with Rob and Lisa of Rubixx, one of the country’s premier 80s tribute bands. Together, they dive into what makes 80s music so unforgettable, how Rubixx creates a full-on experience rather than just a performance, and why the songs of that decade still bring people together across generations. Rob and Lisa share the origin story of the band, how they...

A Marine’s Return to Faith: Louie Alessio on Healing, Purpose, and Redemption

GenX Journeys

In this powerful episode of GenX Journeys, Paul welcomes Louie Alessio — a retired Marine who served 25 years, a husband, father, teacher in his parish, and author of the upcoming book So There I Was… Out of Ammo. Louie shares his story of growing up Catholic in Youngstown, Ohio, drifting away from faith, serving in the Marines, and eventually confronting the emotional and spiritual weight of transition, regret, and moral injury after retirement. What followed was not just a return to Church, but a profound rediscovery of faith, healing, purpose, and mercy. Together, Paul and Louie discuss...

GenX Book Club: Ordinary People by Judith Guest

GenX Journeys

In this episode of the GenX Book Club, Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni dive into Ordinary People, Judith Guest’s powerful 1976 debut novel, and the acclaimed 1980 film adaptation directed by Robert Redford. Paul and Suzanne explore the emotional depth of this story, from Conrad’s survivor’s guilt and fragile recovery to the very different ways each member of the Jarrett family processes grief. They discuss the novel’s psychological richness, the film’s remarkable faithfulness to the book, and how their perspectives on characters like Beth changed over time. They also talk about...

GenX Journeys: Stuck in the '80s with Steve Spears

GenX Journeys

Steve Spears, creator and co-host of Stuck in the ’80s, joins Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni to celebrate 20 years of 80s podcasting—and to discuss his new book, Stuck in the ’80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade. From early podcasting chaos to unforgettable celebrity interviews and the community built along the way, this episode is a nostalgic deep dive into the decade that still connects us. Steve joins us to talk about his brand-new book: Stuck in the ’80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade...

GenX Journeys: Huey Lewis and the News

GenX Journeys

Put on your skinny tie, crank the horn section, and try not to “black out” when you meet your heroes. 😄 In this roundtable episode, Paul is joined by GenX Book Club cohorts Suzanne Mattaboni and Del Roehling, plus special guests Caroline Connelly and Claire Young (from St. Louis, proudly repping their Huey shrine/koozie energy), to celebrate the music, movies, memories, and mythos of Huey Lewis and the News. We talk iconic hits, deep cuts, MTV-era videos, Back to the Future perfection, We Are the World, the “Ghostbusters” lawsuit, and Huey’s later-life health challenges—plus a...

GenX Journeys: Walking on Sunshine: Self-Love, Voice, and the Power of Choosing to Live with Sanet Van Breda

GenX Journeys

What does it really mean to choose life? In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul sits down with Sanet van Breda—a global community builder, voice amplifier, and passionate advocate for self-love—to explore how one powerful decision can change everything. Sanet shares her deeply personal journey of transformation, beginning with a moment of brutal honesty in front of the mirror and leading to a life rooted in purpose, joy, and service. Through self-love, mindfulness, and the courage to use her voice, she didn’t just change her own life—she began creating ripple effects that have touched...

GenX Book Club: Future Boy by Michael J. Fox

GenX Journeys

Welcome back to the GenX Book Club—and happy New Year! Paul Stroessner, Del Roehling and Suzanne Mattaboni talk about , a fast, entertaining behind-the-scenes snapshot of one of the most intense stretches of Fox’s career: filming Back to the Future while also starring on Family Ties. The conversation dives into the pressure of stepping into a role that was already being filmed, the legendary production timeline, and the details Gen X fans love—like the Eric Stoltz “what-if,” Fox meeting Lea Thompson just minutes before filming, Marty’s iconic wardrobe, the Nike Bruins story,...

GenX Journeys: 1980s Now & GenX Always — A Conversation with Will Padilla

GenX Journeys

This week on GenX Journeys, I’m joined by the multi-talented and endlessly creative Will Padilla — host of the hit podcast 1980s Now, composer, writer, actor, and author of Totally Bogus But True: Tales of the 1980s. If you grew up loving breakdancing battles, MTV, Knight Rider, The A-Team, Beastie Boys, or the neon-soaked energy of the 80s… this conversation will feel like coming home. But this episode isn’t just nostalgia. It’s creative reinvention, GenX resilience, and the reminder that it’s never too late to return to the passions you thought you left behind. ✨ In This...

GenX Journeys: Reinvention at Any Age with Terry Yoffe

GenX Journeys

In this week’s episode of GenX Journeys, I’m joined by the extraordinary Terry Yoffe — an 83-year-young business and communications coach, speaker, and podcaster who proves that it’s never too late to grow, evolve, and reinvent yourself. Terry’s story is a masterclass in resilience: from overcoming childhood challenges, to building a thriving career in sales without experience, to launching a coaching practice at 60, to starting her own podcast at 78, and now stepping onto stages as a speaker. She brings the wisdom of someone who has lived reinvention again and again — and has the...

GenX Book Club: The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

GenX Journeys

The GenX Book Club is back! Paul, Del, and Suzanne reunite to discuss The Celebrants — a touching, funny, and deeply relatable novel about lifelong friendship, midlife rediscovery, and the pact to celebrate each other before it’s too late. In this episode, the crew dives into the book’s themes of connection, mortality, and resilience — and why it feels especially relevant to Generation X. Along the way, they share laughs, personal stories, and a few tangents (including Paul’s triumphant Marine Corps Marathon finish 🏅). 📚 About the Book: After the sudden death of a college...

More Episodes

This week on GenX Journeys, I’m joined by the multi-talented and endlessly creative Will Padilla — host of the hit podcast 1980s Now, composer, writer, actor, and author of Totally Bogus But True: Tales of the 1980s.

If you grew up loving breakdancing battles, MTV, Knight Rider, The A-Team, Beastie Boys, or the neon-soaked energy of the 80s… this conversation will feel like coming home.

But this episode isn’t just nostalgia.
It’s creative reinvention, GenX resilience, and the reminder that it’s never too late to return to the passions you thought you left behind.

✨ In This Episode We Dive Into:

🔥 Will’s journey from the theater world of NYC to rediscovering his creative voice decades later
🔥 How podcasting became his gateway back into storytelling and the arts
🔥 Why the 1980s still captivate us — and how the decade continues to influence pop culture today
🔥 Landing interviews with icons like Nina Blackwood, Diane Franklin, and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira)
🔥 Writing his book of bizarre-but-true 80s stories — and the massive leap into publishing
🔥 The parallels between writing a book and running a marathon
🔥 The GenX creative comeback: why so many of us are returning to the passions we buried long ago
🔥 Breakdancing battles, Beastie Boys fandom, and chasing down DMC as a dream guest
🔥 Our lightning round: favorite 80s music, celebrity crushes, and the shows that shaped us

This conversation is packed with heart, humor, creativity, and classic GenX spirit — the drive to reinvent, rediscover, and keep moving forward, one step at a time.