Ep. 277: Tsunami Bomb w/ Dominic Davi
This Was The Scene Podcast
Formed in late 90s Northern California, Tsunami Bomb stood out immediately, blending sharp lyrics, melodic hooks, keyboards as a true lead instrument, and dual female vocals into a sound that mixed punk urgency with pop instincts and a darker edge. Early releases like The Invasion from Within! and constant touring built a global following, while 2002’s The Ultimate Escape on Kung Fu Records pushed them further, later landing on Rolling Stone’s Top 50 pop punk albums of all time. After lineup shifts and a long hiatus, they returned in 2015 with founding members Dominic Davi, Oobliette...
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Ep. 276: Junction 18 w/ Chris Kelley
This Was The Scene Podcast
Junction 18 toured relentlessly across the U.S. and Canada alongside bands like New Found Glory, Midtown, Hot Rod Circuit, and Simple Plan, carving out a loyal following in the early 2000s scene. After appearing on the Vans Warped Tour, they signed with Fearless Records and released their debut album This Vicious Cycle in 2000, followed by additional releases including Heroes from the Future and a split with Over It. Although plans for a new album in 2005 were ultimately scrapped, their influence lingered, leading to reunions including a brief set in 2015. In 2025, the band resurfaced with...
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Ep. 275: Circa Survive w/ Colin Frangicetto
This Was The Scene Podcast
Circa Survive was an American rock band formed in Philadelphia in 2004 by vocalist Anthony Green and guitarist Colin Frangicetto, later joined by Brendan Ekstrom, Nick Beard, and Steve Clifford. Green was previously the frontman of Saosin, bringing a distinct voice that became central to Circa Survive’s identity. The band released their debut Juturna in 2005 on Equal Vision Records, followed by On Letting Go. Their third album, Blue Sky Noise, arrived in 2010 via Atlantic Records, marking their most mainstream release. In 2012, the band went independent with Violent Waves, before releasing...
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Ep. 274: Over It w/ Peter Munters
This Was The Scene Podcast
Over It were a pop-punk outfit that emerged in 1998 from Alexandria, Virginia and later planted roots in Orange County, California. With high-energy hooks and relentless touring through the early 2000s, they carved out a place for themselves on the independent scene with albums like The Ready Series, Timing Is Everything, Silverstrand, and their major-label release Step Outside Yourself. Along the way they hit the Vans Warped Tour and toured with some of the era’s biggest punk and rock acts, making a lasting mark on a generation of pop-punk fans. Some of those bands included Motion City...
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Ep. 273: Grade w/ Greg Taylor
This Was The Scene Podcast
Grade were a key part of Victory Records’ late-90s surge, blending hardcore intensity with emotional depth and forward-leaning songwriting. Their music felt restless and urgent, pushing beyond genre lines without losing the raw energy that defined the scene. Releases like Under the Radar and Headfirst Straight to Hell helped bridge hardcore, post-hardcore, and early emo influences at a pivotal moment. Though their time was brief, Grade left a lasting imprint on the Victory era by proving heaviness and vulnerability could coexist. I got Greg on the Zoom and this is what we chat about Almost...
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Ep. 272: Avery w/ Nina Saporta and Janet LaBelle
This Was The Scene Podcast
Avery is a pop-punk band that started in the NJ music scene in 1999. What started as just Nina on bass and Janet singing while playing drums, evolved over the years, with Jess coming on as guitarist, Janet moving up to vocals and keys, and Mike joining on drums. Over the next 10+ years, Avery played hundreds of shows including multiple festivals, toured nationally, and released two records. Avery songs were also featured on multiple television shows on Nickelodeon, Disney, and MTV. The band also wrote the theme song for a commercial for Rebelle Friendship Bags. After a 10 year hiatus, Avery...
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Ep. 271: Chooch w/ David Prokell
This Was The Scene Podcast
Chooch were a 5 piece power punk group from Pittsburgh. Debut ep recorded in 1997, group disbanded a couple years later with a brief reunion in 2002 Alice Cooper Having 2 bass players The Electric Banana Pollen The Rockin A Tard Place Compilation My Pal Trigger The Kevin Seconds show Ryan Greene Cleaning up the album that they still haven’t put out And a ton more
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Ep. 270: Rye Coalition w/ Ralph Cuseglio
This Was The Scene Podcast
Rye Coalition came out of Jersey City in the early nineties and quickly built a reputation as one of the most fearless and inventive bands in the post-hardcore world. They toured with heavyweights like Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, and The (International) Noise Conspiracy, earned praise from outlets including Spin, Pitchfork, and The Village Voice, and worked with legendary producers Steve Albini and Dave Grohl. Their documentary “Rye Coalition: The Story of the Hard Luck 5” became a cult favorite, cementing their status as one of the most underrated but widely respected bands of...
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Ep. 269: Sleepytime Trio w/ Drew Ringo
This Was The Scene Podcast
Sleepytime Trio formed in 1995 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, originally as a side project of Maximillian Colby. Known for their volatile, emotional sound and chaotic live shows, they quickly became a defining force in the late 90s post-hardcore scene, sharing stages with bands like Hot Water Music, Frodus, and Shotmaker. After a hiatus in 1998, members went on to form acts like Engine Down, Rah Bras, and Milemarker before reuniting to tour again. Their definitive discography, remixed by J. Robbins and remastered by TJ Lipple, showcases all their studio recordings and captures the raw energy that...
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Ep. 268: Park w/ Ladd Mitchell
This Was The Scene Podcast
Park was an emo/indie rock band from Springfield, Illinois, active primarily in the late ’90s and 2000s. Known for their heartfelt lyrics, melodic guitar work, and driving rhythms, they gained a loyal underground following with albums like No Signal and It Won’t Snow Where You’re Going. Though they disbanded in 2007, their music remains a staple of the Midwest emo scene and continues to influence new bands today. His book Dirty Sara The No Knife and Jimmy Eat World show Almost ending the band before signing to Lobster Records Dynamite Boy Getting a better response on the West Coast...
info_outlineGrade were a key part of Victory Records’ late-90s surge, blending hardcore intensity with emotional depth and forward-leaning songwriting. Their music felt restless and urgent, pushing beyond genre lines without losing the raw energy that defined the scene. Releases like Under the Radar and Headfirst Straight to Hell helped bridge hardcore, post-hardcore, and early emo influences at a pivotal moment. Though their time was brief, Grade left a lasting imprint on the Victory era by proving heaviness and vulnerability could coexist.
I got Greg on the Zoom and this is what we chat about
- Almost being a pro BMX rider
- Calling themselves Rebirth for a hot second
- Not being as big as some people thought
- Almost getting on Revelation Records
- Victory Records
- Under the Radar
- Inner band turmoil
- The A Year in the Past... Video
- The story behind the album cover
- Why Kyle won’t talk about the band
- Kyle’s current voice issues
- And a ton more
Lastly I’m opening my skills back up to graphic and video offerings to the following:
Design support includes:
• Branding and visual identity
• Marketing and campaign design
• Social, print, and digital assets
Video work includes:
• Podcast video clips
• Short-form content for Reels, Shorts, TikTok, and ads
• Long-form edits for interviews, webinars, and YouTube
• Sizzle reels and brand videos
• Explainer and marketing video edits
• Captioning, on-screen text, and light motion graphics
If any of this lines up with something you need, email mike@drive80.com