Laughing Monkey with Shawn Ratches

00:00 - Introduction & Song Selection for the Tour 01:19 - Welcome Back to Laughing Monkey 01:43 - Exploring Erik's "Perfect" Career Path 02:19 - Defining the Musical Identity of the New Solo Album 03:03 - Influences: From Karaoke Roots to Genre-Bending Covers 03:47 - The YouTube Channel as a Tool for Healing 04:52 - Challenging Vocals & The Whitney Houston Cover 05:51 - Soul-Searching for the Sound of Erik Grönwall 07:18 - Maintaining Identity While Collaborating with Others 08:04 - Working with the "Coolest" Michael Schenker 10:19 - Focusing on the Solo Journey 11:00 - Clarifying the Skid Row Departure & Health Recovery 13:10 - Moving Forward: Health Status & Touring Pressure 15:56 - Hopes for Skid Row’s Future Singer 16:24 - Building the Live Setlist: Originals vs. Covers 17:49 - Will there be songs from "The Gang's All Here"? 19:05 - Sharing the Story: Original Music & Upcoming Shows 20:42 - Introducing the New Solo Band Members 22:33 - The Strategy of Solo Musicians & Rotating Players 24:28 - Family Channel & Future YouTube Plans 24:45 - Working on the Second Album & Music Videos 26:42 - The Small but "Genius" Creative Team 28:32 - New Album "Bad Bones" Release & Final Thoughts

00:00 Introductions and the "Seven Degrees of Nick Oliveri" 01:00 Reconnecting and Performing with Queens of the Stone Age 05:00 New Projects: The Blast Record and Joining 13 08:20 Geography of Rock: From the Desert to the Swamp 09:40 Solo Work, Mondo Generator, and The Dwarves' New Record 11:45 The Creative Process and Balancing Multiple Bands 16:45 Life on the Road: Scheduling and "Road Dog" Mentality 21:30 High-Stress Gigs and Flying Across the World 23:15 Touring Australia and Performing Fan Favorites 25:30 Health Struggles: Touring with a Hernia 30:45 Overcoming Mistakes and Finding Improvement 34:45 Dealing with Media and Internet Comments 39:45 Perspective on Family and Personal Life 46:10 Songwriting as Therapy During Dark Times 51:30 Near-Death Experience in Hawaii 56:45 The Importance of Vinyl and Record Collections 01:01:30 The "Magic" in Guitars and Finding Your Sound 01:10:00 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Tour Dates

Alex Mitchell remains one of the true survivors of the late-’80s New York hard rock scene. As the founder and voice of Circus of Power, Mitchell helped build a band that mixed street-level biker culture, sleaze rock attitude, and bluesy hard rock into something distinctly their own. Formed in New York City in 1987, Circus of Power quickly developed a reputation for loud, dangerous live shows and albums that stood apart from the polished glam metal dominating MTV at the time. The band earned strong support from the rock press and toured with major acts including Black Sabbath during the “Tyr” era.
Now back living in New York, Mitchell is entering a new creative chapter with a forthcoming double album scheduled for release this summer. The new material reportedly reflects both the grit of the band’s early years and the perspective gained from decades in music. Mitchell has also been revisiting stories from the classic Sunset Strip and New York club days, including memories involving David Lee Roth and the larger-than-life rock scene that surrounded bands in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Those stories capture an era when clubs, biker bars, and backstage chaos were all part of everyday life for touring hard rock bands.
Despite lineup changes and long industry shifts, Circus of Power has continued to maintain its outlaw-rock identity. Mitchell remains the constant driving force behind the band, carrying forward the same raw energy that made their early records cult favorites among hard rock fans. Along with the upcoming album, the band also has several live appearances and shows being lined up, giving longtime fans another chance to experience the music in its natural environment — loud, unapologetic, and straight from the streets where Circus of Power first began.

Venom Inc. are entering a new chapter with a refreshed lineup, new energy, and new music in the works. This is not just about looking back at the history of Venom or replaying the past. The band is focused on what comes next.

Led by Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan, Venom Inc. continue to carry the blackened, aggressive, old-school metal sound that helped define generations of extreme music. The current lineup features Tony Dolan on bass and vocals, Curran “Beleth” Murphy on guitar, and Marc “JXN” Jackson on drums. The band’s last studio album, There’s Only Black, was released in 2022, and Dolan has confirmed that writing has been underway for the follow-up. He described the next phase as feeling like “a new beginning,” with demos, artwork, production plans, and new material already being worked on.  

The focus now is on the current band standing on its own. Venom Inc. still brings the fire, speed, darkness, and raw attitude fans expect, but the new material is about moving forward with this lineup as a real working band. Dolan has also spoken about wanting to record the current three-piece as a band, which gives the next release a different kind of importance: it will represent where Venom Inc. are now, not just where they came from.  

Fans can expect the classic Venom Inc. ingredients: heavy riffs, blackened atmosphere, punk-edged aggression, speed-metal attack, and that dirty, dangerous feeling that made the name matter in the first place. But this new era is also about proving that the band still has something fresh to say.

In this episode, we talk about the new lineup, upcoming music, writing plans, touring, the band’s legacy, and what fans can expect from Venom Inc. going forward.

I recently interviewed Joe and Chuck from Carnivore A.D. to talk about the band’s new EP, their current touring plans, and the creative process behind the new material. The conversation dug into how the songs came together, what drives the writing, and how the band balances honoring the brutal legacy of Carnivore while still pushing forward with its own identity. Joe and Chuck shared insight into the energy behind the new release, the chemistry within the band, and what fans can expect when they bring the songs to the stage.

We also went back into the early history of the band, discussing the roots of the Carnivore sound, the New York metal/hardcore attitude that shaped it, and how that history continues to influence Carnivore A.D. today. From songwriting stories to touring memories, the interview gives fans a closer look at the people behind the music and the mindset that keeps the band moving. It is a strong episode for anyone into heavy music, underground metal history, and the raw, confrontational sound that made Carnivore’s name stand out.