Shows / Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Chris DeMakes A Podcast
You may know Chris DeMakes as a founding member of the band Less Than Jake, but what you may NOT know is that he's a true music historian. On Chris DeMakes A Podcast, he welcomes accomplished songwriters to sit in and discuss the writing and recording of beloved songs from their back catalogs.
Episodes
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 157: Sean "Slug" Daley discusses Atmosphere's "The Best Day"
Minneapolis hip hop duo Atmosphere have blazed a prolific musical path that has spanned decades. In this episode, rapper Sean "Slug" Daley breaks down the…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 156: John Oates discusses Daryl Hall & John Oates "Maneater"
Hall & Oates are the bestselling musical duo of all time with a whopping 29 hit songs (6 of which went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100). The 1982 smash hit…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 155: Shawn Stern discusses Youth Brigade's "I Hate My Life"
In the early 80s, Youth Brigade helped blaze the trail for generations of punk rock bands that followed. In this episode, guitarist and vocalist Shawn Stern…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 154: Jon Snodgrass discusses Drag the River's "Me And Joe Drove Out To California"
Singer-songwriter Jon Snodgrass is a beloved and well-respected lifer from the DIY punk rock world, known for his distinctive voice, his countless…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 153: Bert McCracken discusses The Used's "The Taste of Ink"
In 2002, The Used took the world by storm with their debut self-titled album, which was an irresistible mix of emotional lyrics, soaring melodies, and…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 152: Luke Esterkyn and Greg Gueldner discuss Stroke 9's "Little Black Backpack"
In early 2000, Stroke 9's single "Little Black Backpack" took the radio waves by storm. The song was anything but ordinary, featuring dramatic changes of feel…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 151: Chris Shiflett discusses his song "West Coast Town"
Chris Shiflett's music career has been nothing short of incredible. Having spent the past few decades as the Foo Fighters' lead guitarist (and as a member of…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 150: Josh Caterer discusses Smoking Popes "Megan"
In 1997, Smoking Popes released their major label debut album Destination Failure. Buried deep in the record's track listing was "Megan", a heartfelt song that…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 149: Russ Rankin discusses Good Riddance's "Darkest Days"
The aggressive punk rock sound of Good Riddance took a step toward the melodic side with the release of their 2006 album My Republic, which featured the…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 148: Mick Conroy discusses Modern English's "I Melt With You"
"I Melt With You" is one of the most iconic songs of the 80s, having withstood the test of time and bringing joy to generation after generation. In this…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 147: John Hampson discusses Nine Days "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)"
The upbeat power pop sound of "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" became a smash hit for Nine Days in the year 2000, propelling the band to MTV and Top 40 radio…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 146: Dave King discusses Flogging Molly's "Drunken Lullabies"
Flogging Molly’s 2002 single “Drunken Lullabies” is a punk rock classic, combining traditional Irish elements with a breakneck tempo, meaningful lyrics, and an…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 145: JT Woodruff discusses Hawthorne Heights "Ohio Is For Lovers"
Hawthorne Heights caught fire in the mid 2000s, thanks in part to the success of their debut single "Ohio Is For Lovers". In this episode, guitarist and…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 144: Ben Lee discusses his song "Catch My Disease"
Ben Lee's infectious (no pun intended) 2005 single "Catch My Disease" earned him an APRA Award for Song of the Year, and it gained international acclaim when…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 143: John Parr discusses his song "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)"
Most people know the hit song "St. Elmo's Fire" from the soundtrack of the 1985 film of the same name, but it was the true story of Paralympic athlete Rick…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 142: JB Brubaker discusses August Burns Red's "White Washed"
In this episode, guitarist JB Brubaker opens up about the inspiration and creation of "White Washed", a fan favorite from melodic metal mainstays August Burns…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 141: KT Tunstall discusses her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"
In 2004, KT Tunstall was a last minute addition to an episode of Later...With Jools Holland. Her performance of "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" launched her…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Throwback Thursday: Karina Deniké discusses Dance Hall Crashers "Go"
This week's Throwback Thursday is from March 1st of 2021, when Karina Deniké sat in to discuss the writing, recording, and release of the classic Dance Hall…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 140: Sam Reid discusses Glass Tiger's "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)"
In 1986, Canadian rock band Glass Tiger's ultra-catchy single "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" took the airwaves by storm, rising all the way to #2 on the…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
SNEAK PREVIEW of The After Party "Time Capsule: January 1993" episode
Chris and Chris travel back in time to January 1993 to explore everything that was happening in popular culture. To become a member of the Chris DeMakes A…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 139: Vaden Todd Lewis discusses Toadies "Possum Kingdom"
In this episode, Toadies vocalist and guitarist Vaden Todd Lewis discusses the writing, recording, and release of the band's 1994 hit single "Possum Kingdom"…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 138: Joe Lynn Turner discusses Rainbow's "Street of Dreams"
In this episode, legendary vocalist Joe Lynn Turner discusses the wild true story behind Rainbow’s 1983 hit single “Street of Dreams”. To support Chris DeMakes…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 137: Justin Currie discusses Del Amitri's "Roll To Me"
Glasgow's Del Amitri has had a long and storied career, releasing five albums that reached the Top 10 in the UK and selling over 6 millions albums worldwide…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 136: Neil Sanderson discusses Three Days Grace's "I Hate Everything About You"
Neil Sanderson is much more than just the drummer of Three Days Grace. Aside from providing the hard-hitting backbone of the band's signature sound, Neil's…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 135: Yotam Ben Horin discusses Useless ID's "State of Fear"
Useless ID's 2005 single "State of Fear" combines infectious melodies with punk rock spirit to create an anthem that speaks to fans around the world. In this…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 134: Tony Scalzo discusses Fastball's "The Way"
A newspaper story about a missing couple sparked the idea for Fastball's 1998 hit single "The Way". In this episode, bassist and vocalist Tony Scalzo details…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 133: David Paich discusses Toto's "Africa"
Generation after generation has enjoyed the feel-good sound of Toto's "Africa", making it one of the most beloved songs of all time. In this episode, vocalist…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 132: Keith Buckley discusses Every Time I Die's "Planet Shit"
Every Time I Die's 2021 single "Planet Shit" is an intense commentary on the current state of society. In this episode, vocalist Keith Buckley details the…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 131: Vinnie Caruana discusses I Am The Avalanche's "Brooklyn Dodgers"
When a demo of the song leaked on the internet, I Am The Avalanche's "Brooklyn Dodgers" became a fan favorite before it was even released. In this episode…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 130: Fletcher Dragge discusses Pennywise's "F**k Authority"
Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge is not a fan of being told what to do, and the band's 2001 single "F**k Authority" became a rallying cry for fans all over…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 129: Roger Joseph Manning Jr. discusses Jellyfish's "New Mistake"
This week, Jellyfish's Roger Joseph Manning Jr. breaks down the writing, recording, and release of the band's epic 1993 single "New Mistake". Decades after…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 128: Kristopher Roe discusses The Ataris "In This Diary"
In this episode, Kris Roe breaks down the inspiration and writing of "In This Diary", the personal and heartfelt single from The Ataris' 2003 album So Long…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 127: Art Alexakis discusses Everclear's "Santa Monica"
In this episode, Everclear's Art Alexakis details the inspiring story behind the band's 1995 breakout hit "Santa Monica". This episode is sponsored by…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 126: Scott Russo discusses Unwritten Law's "Seein' Red"
Unwritten Law vocalist Scott Russo details the personal story behind the writing of the band's 2002 hit single "Seein' Red". This episode is sponsored by…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
SNEAK PREVIEW of The After Party "Favorite Descendents Songs" episode
This episode of The After Party was released to members of the Chris DeMakes A Podcast Supporting Cast on May 9th, 2022, as a follow-up to the Milo Aukerman…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 125: Stephen Egerton discusses Descendents "Everything Sux"
Stephen Egerton has been a punk rock guitar icon with Descendents and ALL since the mid 80s, but it wasn't until 1996's Everything Sucks album that he began…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 124: Slade Echeverria discusses Anarbor's "18"
Anarbor's song "18" was not released as a single from the band's 2013 album Burnout, which is why the song's enormous presence many years later on TikTok came…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Throwback Thursday: Chris Carrabba discusses Dashboard Confessional's "Hands Down"
Back on November 9th of 2020, Chris Carrabba sat in to discuss the 2002 Dashboard Confessional fan favorite single "Hands Down". He dives into all aspects of…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 123: Hoodie Allen discusses "All About It (feat. Ed Sheeran)"
Brooklyn-based indie artist Hoodie Allen dropped his debut album People Keep Talking in 2014, which was a vibrant mix of pop and hip-hop. In this episode, he…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Throwback Thursday: Brendan B. Brown discusses Wheatus's "Teenage Dirtbag"
Brendan B. Brown of Wheatus sat in for Episode #69 back on September 20th, 2021, to discuss their 2000 hit "Teenage Dirtbag". In the year since this was…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 122: Dan Wilson discusses Semisonic's "Closing Time"
Grammy Award winning songwriter Dan Wilson sits in this week to discuss the writing, recording, and release of Semisonic's 1998 hit single "Closing Time". To…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Throwback Thursday: Elizabeth Stokes discusses The Beths "Future Me Hates Me"
With the recent release of The Beths' new album Expert In A Dying Field, it seemed like the perfect time to throw it back to Episode #44 from March 29th, 2021…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 121: Cory Branan discusses his song "The Prettiest Waitress In Memphis"
"The Prettiest Waitress In Memphis" might not be the best representation of Cory Branan's sound, but this rockin' song has stood out amongst his fans as a…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Throwback Thursday: Mark McGrath discusses Sugar Ray's "Every Morning"
Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath sat in for Episode #38 back on February 15th, 2021, to discuss the band's 1999 hit single "Every Morning". Mark's humility and sense…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 120: Travis Shettel discusses Piebald's "American Hearts"
At every Piebald show, you're sure to see the crowd light up and raise their fists in the air to sing "HEY! You're part of it!", the anthemic chorus of the…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 119: Stefan Babcock discusses PUP's "Robot Writes A Love Song"
PUP vocalist and guitarist Stefan Babcock stops by to get into the nuts and bolts of the band's 2022 single "Robot Writes A Love Story". This quirky and…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 118: A discussion on George Michael's "Faith"
"Faith" was the second single from George Michael's debut solo album of the same name, which went on to produce SEVEN hit singles. In this episode, Chris and…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Throwback Thursday: Robin Wilson discusses Gin Blossoms "Til I Hear It From You"
Robin Wilson sat in for Episode #22 of Chris DeMakes A Podcast back on October 26th of 2020. He discussed the band's 1995 hit single "Til I Hear It From You"…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 117: A discussion on Biz Markie's "Just A Friend"
The unique vocal delivery and hilarious lyrics of Biz Markie's single "Just A Friend" launched the song into the Top 10 of the Billboard charts in 1990. Since…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Throwback Thursday: Frank Turner discusses his song "Recovery"
This week, we're throwing it back to April of 2021, when Frank Turner stopped by for Episode 46. He and Chris discussed the 2013 single "Recovery", a fan…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 116: A discussion on Freddie Mercury and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is widely regarded as one of rock’s all time greatest songs, despite breaking pretty much every rule as to what constitutes a hit song…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Throwback Thursday: Jim Adkins discusses Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle"
This week, we're throwing it back to Episode #42 from back in March of 2021, when Jimmy Eat World's Jim Adkins sat in to discuss the writing, recording, and…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 115: A discussion on Amy Winehouse's "Rehab"
The 2007 Grammy for Song of the Year went to "Rehab", an upbeat and autobiographical classic from the iconic Amy Winehouse. In this episode, Chris and Chris…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
SNEAK PREVIEW of The After Party “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” episode
Prince's "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" might not be his most well-known song, but it is an UNDENIABLE jam! In this sneak preview of The After…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 114: A discussion on Tony Sly and No Use For A Name's "International You Day"
The month of August is dedicated to songs by artists who are no longer with us. Listeners voted on who they wanted to hear episodes about, and Tony Sly of No…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 113: Dave Pirner discusses Soul Asylum's "Somebody To Shove"
Soul Asylum vocalist and guitarist Dave Pirner discusses the writing and recording of "Somebody To Shove", the lead single from the band's 1992 triple-platinum…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 112: Chris Cresswell discusses The Flatliners "Hang My Head"
Vocalist and guitarist Chris Cresswell dives deep into the writing and recording of "Hang My Head", a fan favorite single from The Flatliners. The song is…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 111: Brann Dailor discusses Mastodon's "Blood and Thunder"
Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor discusses the writing and recording of the song "Blood and Thunder", which was the lead-off track on the band's 2004 Moby Dick…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 110: Dave Hause discusses his song "We Could Be Kings"
Singer-songwriter Dave Hause discusses the writing, recording, and release of his heartfelt 2013 single "We Could Be Kings". From the original inspiration to…
- Chris DeMakes A Podcast
Ep. 109: Darryl "DMC" McDaniels discusses Run-DMC's "It's Tricky"
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". For weekly…