Season 1
Ep. 109: Darryl "DMC" McDaniels discusses Run-DMC's "It's Tricky"
June 27, 2022
Rap pioneer Darryl "DMC" McDaniels breaks down the writing, recording, release, and legacy of Run-DMC's iconic 1986 smash hit single "It's Tricky".
Kate Bush "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" is the SONG OF THE SUMMER (37 years after its release)
June 23, 2022
Chris Fafalios hosts this mini episode, which is all about the phenomenon that is Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)".
Ep. 108: Matt Thiessen discusses Relient K's "Be My Escape"
June 20, 2022
Relient K vocalist, guitarist, and pianist Matt Thiessen sits in to discuss the writing, recording, and release of the hit 2004 single "Be My Escape". Despite the song's unorthodox arrangement, it was a major factor in the b…
Throwback Thursday: Fat Mike discusses NOFX's "Linoleum" and "Linewleum"
June 16, 2022
On February 7th, 2021, Fat Mike sat in for Episode #37 to discuss the writing and recording of NOFX's 1994 classic "Linoleum", as well as the 2021 sequel to it, "Linewleum". As is always the case with Mike, the conversation …
Ep. 107: Chad Price discusses All's "Original Me"
June 13, 2022
Chad Price brought the song "Original Me" with him when he joined All in 1993. Little did he know, the song would become the opening track on the band's next album, Breaking Things. In this episode, Chad breaks down the writ…
Ep. 106: Fee Waybill discusses The Tubes "She's A Beauty"
June 6, 2022
"She's A Beauty" became a huge hit in 1983, launching The Tubes to mainstream success on radio and MTV. In this episode, vocalist Fee Waybill discusses the unusual inspiration for the song, as well as the writing, recording,…
Ep. 105: Reese Roper discusses Five Iron Frenzy's "Zen and the Art of Xenophobia"
May 30, 2022
Five Iron Frenzy vocalist Reese Roper breaks down the 2013 single "Zen and the Art of Xenophobia", a song that calls out religious hypocrisy.
Throwback Thursday: Matt Skiba discusses Alkaline Trio's "Radio"
May 26, 2022
Matt Skiba sat in for Episode 14 of Chris DeMakes A Podcast back on August 31st, 2020, to discuss the Alkaline Trio classic "Radio", taken from their 2000 album Maybe I'll Catch Fire.
Ep. 104: Brett Gurewitz discusses Bad Religion's "Stranger Than Fiction"
May 23, 2022
In thie episode, Bad Religion guitarist and Epitaph Records owner Brett Gurewitz opens up about the writing of the 1994 single "Stranger Than Fiction", taken from the album of the same name. Packed with literary references a…
The Journey Ep. 6: Jesse and Justin Bivona
May 19, 2022
The rhythm section of The Interrupters shares their musical journey.
Ep. 103: Aimee Interrupter and Kevin Bivona discuss The Interrupters "In The Mirror"
May 16, 2022
With the new album In The Wild scheduled for release on August 5th, 2022, Aimee and Kevin from The Interrupters sit it to discuss the writing, recording, and release of the leadoff single "In The Mirror".
Throwback Thursday: Bill Stevenson discusses Descendents "One More Day" and The Lemonheads "Steve's Boy"
May 12, 2022
Back in June of 2020, Bill Stevenson was the guest for Episode 4 of Chris DeMakes A Podcast. In what would go on to become one of the most talked about episodes of the podcast, Bill opens up about his relationship with his l…
Ep. 102: Milo Aukerman discusses Descendents "Hope"
May 9, 2022
Descendents vocalist Milo Aukerman discusses the writing, recording, release, and legacy of the classic song “Hope” from the band’s 1982 album Milo Goes To College.
SNEAK PREVIEW of The After Party “Time Capsule: June 1989” episode
May 5, 2022
This sneak preview episode of The After Party podcast coincides with the release of the newest episode of Chris DeMakes A Podcast, because June of 1989 is when Skid Row’s “18 and Life” was released.
Ep. 101: Rachel Bolan discusses Skid Row's "18 and Life"
May 2, 2022
Skid Row bassist Rachel Bolan discusses the story behind the band's 1989 hit single "18 and Life". The song's vivid and serious lyrical content set Skid Row apart from a lot of their contemporaries at the time, and it helped…
Defeat DeMakes Episode 7
April 28, 2022
In an epic battle of music trivia knowledge, Chris DeMakes takes on Kansas City's own Ash Lawrence.
Ep. 100: Chris Ballew discusses The Presidents of the United States of America's "Lump"
April 25, 2022
Clocking in at just over 2 minutes, "Lump" became a massive hit for the Seattle-based rock band The Presidents of the United States of America. In this episode, bassist and vocalist Chris Ballew details the writing, recordin…
Ep. 99: Sondre Lerche discusses his song "Bad Law"
April 18, 2022
Norwegian singer, songwriter, and guitarist Sondre Lerche tells the story behind his 2014 single "Bad Law", an indie-pop gem that's equal parts danceable and chaotic.
The Journey Ep. 5: Roger Lima
April 14, 2022
Bassist and vocalist Roger Lima reflects back on his musical upbringing that led to a 30+ year career in Less Than Jake.
Ep. 98: Jamie Woolford discusses The Stereo's "New Tokyo Is Calling"
April 11, 2022
20 years since the release of their last album, The Stereo has reunited with a new record and podcast. In this episode, guitarist and vocalist Jamie Woolford discusses the band's 2001 single "New Tokyo Is Calling", a perfect…
Throwback Thursday: Deryck Whibley discusses Sum 41's "Fat Lip"
April 7, 2022
Sum 41 guitarist and vocalist Deryck Whibley sat in the last episode of 2020 to discuss the smash hit single "Fat Lip", which was celebrating its 20 year anniversary at the time. This episode sparked a lyric debate that has …
Ep. 97: Pete Steinkopf discusses The Bouncing Souls "True Believers"
April 4, 2022
Bouncing Souls guitarist Pete Steinkopf tells the story behind the band's 2001 punk rock anthem "True Believers".
The Journey Ep. 4: Jaret Reddick
March 31, 2022
From his metal roots to his Grammy nomination, Bowling For Soup frontman Jaret Reddick details the path that got him to where he is today.
Ep. 96: Millie Manders discusses Millie Manders and the Shutup's "Silent Screams"
March 28, 2022
Millie Manders shares the heavy and deeply personal story behind the writing of "Silent Screams".
SNEAK PREVIEW of The After Party “Losing Streak is now officially a CLASSIC ALBUM” episode
March 24, 2022
This sneak preview of The After Party podcast was recorded in November of 2021 in honor of the 25 year anniversary of Less Than Jake’s CLASSIC album Losing Streak.
Ep. 95: Jon Foreman discusses Switchfoot's "Meant To Live"
March 21, 2022
In this episode, Switchfoot guitarist and vocalist Jon Foreman discusses the existential themes of the band's 2003 hit single "Meant To Live".
Defeat DeMakes Episode 6
March 17, 2022
Challenger Tom Brantley tries to take down Chris DeMakes in a gauntlet of music trivia.
Ep. 94: Holly Knight discusses Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield"
March 14, 2022
Acclaimed songwriter Holly Knight has written hit songs for everyone from Aerosmith to Tina Turner. In this episode, she discusses the writing of "Love Is A Battlefield", which was made famous by Pat Benatar in 1983.
The Journey Ep. 3: Matt Yonker
March 10, 2022
Drummer Matt Yonker tells the story of how he got to where he is today, from a kid singing along to Gene Simmons to behind the kit in Less Than Jake.
Ep. 93: Dan Potthast discusses MU330's "Neighbor"
March 7, 2022
Singer and guitarist Dan Potthast shares the story behind MU330's ode to insecurity "Neighbor", taken from their 1997 fan favorite album Crab Rangoon.
Throwback Thursday: Mark Hoppus discusses blink-182's "What's My Age Again?"
March 3, 2022
Mark Hoppus sat in for Episode 21 back in October of 2020, and the episode spread like wildfire thanks in large part to a factoid about the writing of "What's My Age Again?" that had never been shared before. This week, we r…
Ep. 92: Dan Estrin discusses Hoobastank's "Crawing In The Dark"
Feb. 28, 2022
Hoobastank stormed onto the rock radio airwaves in 2002 with "Crawling In The Dark", the first single from their self-titled major label debut album. In this episode, guitarist Dan Estrin details the story behind the creatio…
SNEAK PREVIEW of The After Party "Songs We Never Get Sick Of" episode
Feb. 24, 2022
The After Party is a weekly podcast that's available to the Supporting Cast of Chris DeMakes A Podcast. If you enjoy this sneak preview and you're interested in being part of the Supporting Cast, you can head to ChrisDeMakes…
Ep. 91: Brian Fallon discusses The Gaslight Anthem's "45"
Feb. 21, 2022
The Gaslight Anthem's undeniable pop sensibility matched with earnest lyrical content launched the band to #3 on the Billboard charts upon the release of their 2012 album Handwritten. In this episode, guitarist and vocalist …
Defeat DeMakes Episode 5
Feb. 17, 2022
Challenger Jeff Worden puts his brain to the test in front of the ENTIRE WORLD in a music trivia battle against Chris DeMakes.
Ep. 90: Tim Heidecker discusses his song "Fear of Death"
Feb. 14, 2022
After having Natalie Mering (better known as Weyes Blood) on the Office Hours Live podcast, Tim Heidecker teamed up with her and a whole group of established musicians at a studio that transported everyone right back to the …
The Journey Ep. 2: JR Wasilewski
Feb. 10, 2022
Less Than Jake saxophonist and vocalist JR Wasilewski details the journey of his musical career.
Ep. 89: Genesis Owusu discusses his song "Don't Need You"
Feb. 7, 2022
Australia’s Genesis Owusu took home the 2021 ARIA award for Album of the Year, and this genre-bending artist’s upward trajectory has continued ever since. Fresh off a recent performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,…
Throwback Thursday: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones "The Impression That I Get"
Feb. 3, 2022
On March 8th of 2021, Joe Gittleman and Dicky Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones sat in for Episode 41 of the podcast to discuss the writing, recording, and release of their 1997 hit single "The Impression That I Get". W…
Ep. 88: Raine Maida discusses Our Lady Peace's "Clumsy"
Jan. 31, 2022
Our Lady Peace had already achieved quadruple platinum status in Canada from their debut album, but it was their 1997 follow-up album Clumsy that took them to massive heights in the US as well. In this episode, vocalist and …
Defeat DeMakes Episode 4
Jan. 27, 2022
Chris tries to defend his music trivia crown against challenger Ryan Swinford.
Ep. 87: Huey Lewis discusses Huey Lewis & The News "The Power Of Love"
Jan. 24, 2022
Written for the soundtrack of the 1985 blockbuster film Back To The Future, "The Power Of Love" was the first single from Huey Lewis & The News to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In this episode, Huey breaks down the story …
Ep. 86: Glen Phillips discusses Toad The Wet Sprocket's "All I Want"
Jan. 17, 2022
Toad The Wet Sprocket didn't set out to write mainstream hits, but the undeniable single "All I Want" put the band on the map in 1992. In this episode, singer and guitarist Glen Phillips details the writing, recording, and r…
Defeat DeMakes Episode 3
Jan. 13, 2022
Chris DeMakes looks for redemption in a music trivia battle with challenger Dylan Coulombe.
Ep. 85: Eric Bazilian discusses The Hooters "And We Danced"
Jan. 10, 2022
Eric Bazilian's passion for the art of songwriting not only helped launch The Hooters to massive heights, but also put him on the map as a songwriter and producer for an array of other artists. In this episode, Eric discusse…
The Journey Ep. 1: Buddy Schaub
Jan. 6, 2022
Less Than Jake trombonist Buddy Schaub discusses the path that led him to where he is today, from his earliest musical memories to the highlights of his long and illustrious career.
Ep. 84: Sadie Dupuis discusses Speedy Ortiz's "Doomsday"
Jan. 3, 2022
The recently re-released single "Doomsday" is a raw and deeply personal Speedy Ortiz track. In this episode, singer and guitarist Sadie Dupuis details the unique writing process behind this emotional song.
2021: The Year In Clips
Dec. 30, 2021
Producer Chris Fafalios takes a look back on some noteworthy moments from the podcast over the course of 2021.
Ep. 83: Tom Higgenson discusses Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah"
Dec. 27, 2021
The heartfelt single "Hey There Delilah" has stood the test of time, not only because of it's relatable lyrics, but also due to the undeniable melodies that transcend language. In this episode, Plain White T's singer and gui…
Defeat DeMakes Episode 2
Dec. 23, 2021
Challenger Tym Lemoine puts Chris DeMakes to the test in the second episode of this music trivia game show.