Last October when I did this interview with Thursday, Geoff Rickly talked up Touche Amore and claimed that they were one of the best hardcore bands in LA. So the other night while I was watching "Blossom" reruns and getting drunk on Four Loko, I randomly thought of what Mr. Rickly said and decided to invite the Touche dudes over to find out what they're all about.

If you're not too familiar with Touche Amore, allow me to acquaint you: the guys grew up here in Los Angeles, they've toured with bands like Thursday, Converge, and The Fall of Troy, and they just put out a 7'' split with La Dispute called "Searching for a Pulse/The Worth of the World". Their drummer Elliot also likes to go shirtless in their van.

The gentlemen came over for an early afternoon chat on Sunday to discuss music, house parties, and why it's not always the best idea to sing Meat Loaf songs into someone's bum. 

Beginning with how they became friends with Geoff Rickly and Thursday, in their own words, here is Touche Amore on Ryan's Rock Show:

I have a pet peeve with the term "music journalist". I guess technically what I do for Ryan's Rock Show is a form of journalism, but sadly my image of a music journalist is no longer Lester Bangs. To me, the term "music journalist" has taken on such a pussified connotation within the past few years; I blame blonde 17-year-old screamo girls that do interviews with Bring Me The Horizon cookie cutter bands for dating purposes. In my opinion, a "journalist" is much cooler and more respectable than a "music journalist". Music journalists are lame like Poison.

I, however, consider myself an interrogator. An interrogator that gets inside the heads of people to weed out bullshitters, posers, and people that make and play music for the wrong reasons. For instance, if you're only playing in a band to get signed, your band members should kick you out. Or, if you're using auto-tune on your vocals at a live show, you should immediately kick yourself out, throw away your Melissa Cross DVDs, and go listen to Milli Vanilli.

If you are looking for an example of a band that does do it right, The Acacia Strain does it very right. They don't over-analyze, they don't abuse technology, and they really just don't give a fuck...about anything. 

I sat down with The Acacia Strain gentlemen at a cafe in Hollywood to talk about their latest release, "Wormwood", to get their thoughts on the current music scene, and to figure out why they are so bitter with the world.

The conversation begins with my opening question: "If Wormwood is a star in the Book of Revelation that poisons the waters and kills those that drink from it, has the band itself seen near-death experiences?"

From left to right: Vincent Bennett, Kevin Boutot, and Jack Strong on Ryan's Rock Show.

Back in the prehistoric days when neanderthals like Geocities and MP3.com walked the net, Korn was the baddest band in the world. When I was in the 7th grade, I would go to my Catholic grade school non-uniform days strictly in Korn attire, and would scream "Faget" lyrics during recess at the cool kids playing with Nerf footballs. I'd also go to middle school dances with over-sized JNCO Jeans knockoffs, a Korn beanie, and those lame-looking ball chain chokers that hot girls were never really that into. Oh, how the times have changed.

Here we are in July 2010; thankfully I've made it through my pubescent phase of being a Korn kid just in time for the release of the band's ninth studio album, "Korn III: Remember Who You Are". Looking back on my preteen years, I would never have guessed that Korn would go on to sell over 30 million records worldwide and become a household brand name that even my grandmother is acquainted with. Neither did Ross Robinson.

In 2009, a few months before Korn started tracking their latest outing, I did an extensive interview with Ross Robinson, the infamous producer. I asked Robinson how he comprehends the many platinum Korn plaques on his wall.

"It’s only one person at a time," he stated. "When the first record came out, [James "Munky" Shaffer] called me up, he goes 'goddd, dude, you aren’t gonna believe it! There were 500 people that opened our CD and took the package off! Then they opened it up and put it in their player this week. Can you believe that?!? 500! Godddddd!' Yeah, 500. That was more amazing than platinums and all that."

I also asked Robinson what he brings to the table for bands. I mean, what was one to expect in a recording session for "Korn III"? His response:

"I get a scalpel and jam it in the top of your chest, then cut you all the way down into your fucking pelvis."

With this bit of information, I thought it would only make sense to get the band's perspective on recording 'Korn III' with the scalpel-crazed producer. I decided to interrogate Korn drummer Ray Luzier to get the inside scoop on what went down with the making of the band's new album, as well as get some details on Munky's anticipated side-project Fear and the Nervous System, and to see what was up with former guitarist Brian "Head" Welch.

Here is Korn drummer Ray Luzier on Ryan's Rock Show:

You gotta wonder about the fate of some of these younger bands. Will majority of them just put out an album or two and vanish, or will some groups actually have the lasting power to stand the test of time? The "test of time" meaning that they'll have a career 10 years down the road.

Look at 36 Crazyfists -- they're a band that formed in '94, got their major label breakthrough at the declining peak of nu metal in 2002, and somehow managed to keep up and running for a total of 16 years. Now in 2010, the band is set to unleash their fifth studio album, "Collisions and Castaways", on July 27. So how did they manage to keep their head above water in an ever-changing scene of heavy music?

I sat down with 36CF vocalist Brock Lindow to get some insight on the band's decade and a half history, to find out how the band has evolved over the years, and to get his thoughts on the group's relevance in the current music climate.  

Beginning with thoughts on the band's major label debut album, "Bitterness The Star", here's what Lindow had to say on Ryan's Rock Show:    

Months leading up to the death of Michael Jackson I went through this crazed MJ obsession where I couldn't stop listening to "Dirty Diana". Literally, I was smoking that song in my iPod for at least 60 days straight. So one day after his passing I was somberly searching for another variation of the track on YouTube, and I came across I Am Abomination's interpretation of Jacko's 1988 hit. Now I'm generally not big on bands that do covers like that, but this group's rendition was pretty fucking sick. All they need is a music video with a wrestling ring and a skinny white kid breakdancing -- we could have us another smooth criminal.

The last time I spoke to the Destroy The Runner camp was earlier this year, and the guys were giving Ryan's Rock Show exclusive details on their new album which they were getting ready to record. The new offering was going to include a number of guest appearances: Jordan Mancino (As I Lay Dying), Jake Luhrs (August Burns Red), Micah Kinard (Oh, Sleeper), and Bruce Fitzhugh (Living Sacrifice). But then randomly a few days ago the band announced that they were breaking up -- midway in between tracking their new record. I got a hold of vocalist Chad Ackerman to get the scoop on what went down -- and no, it doesn't appear to be a hiatus. Listen below. 

I was straight edge in high school. Not one of those snobby hardcore sXe kids that only ate vegetables and refused to hang out with anyone that smoked weed, but I was the poser that would sharpie my wrists and sign English tests "Ryan xxx". I broke edge my senior year at a friend's backyard barbeque while eating Ball Park Franks and listening to his dad hum along to Billy Ray Cyrus from the kitchen. God, how I regret breaking edge while not listening to cooler music.

If you're a straight edge young adult curious to explore the realm of intoxicants, allow me to be of some assistance. I have two words that will pop your edge's cherry in style and will prevent you from having to experience an excruciatingly painful achy breaky heart: Red Sparowes.

A few things you should know about Red Sparowes:  They’re an instrumental quintet based in L.A., Cliff Meyer from Isis plays in this band, and listening to their music will give the hair on your arms a massive boner. These dudes also have super close ties to the Northeast hardcore scene that spawned bands like Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan. In fact, one of their first tours as a group was with Dillinger in 2004. Oh yeah, did I mention that their pedal steel guitarist Greg Burns only wears two different T-shirts?

Nate Newton of Converge talked up Red Sparowes during my last interview with him, so I made it a point to invite the band over for a couple beers to discuss the early Northeast hardcore scene and what drives them to make their art. More specifically, I wanted to find out if these guys wrote sober or if they took large quantities of drugs while creating their music.  

Red Sparowes released their third studio album, “The Fear Is Excruciating, but Therein Lies the Answer”, in April via Sargent House. And I have to say, what this band has cooked up is a helluva lot tastier than hot dogs and Billy Ray.

From left to right, 3/5 of Red Sparowes: Andy Arahood, Greg Burns, and Dave Clifford on Ryan's Rock Show:

Back when I was a wee lad, 15 or so, At The Drive-In was by far my favorite band ever. Even today their music is on my top all-time list of kick ass bands next to groups like Fugazi and Faith No More. I remember in my pubescent years always thinking, whoever got to see those early At The Drive-In shows are some lucky mofos. I mean, the dirty things I woulda done to bear witness to an early ATDI gig at backyard party to ten kids, or the ones where they demolished their neighbors’ garages with their insane stage spectacles. All I knew was whoever got to see those first ATDI shows would be influenced to go on to do some crazy cool shit. Man, was I right.