This week, we're scratching The Itch for Lovecore! CRegg Rondell of Boy Hits Car joins us for a look at the band's history as they prepare for their first show in a year, a gig at the famous Whiskey a Go Go that was originally planned for May before Boy Hits Car was postponed due to Truck Hits Bar. We also discuss the impact of the band's self-titl…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for our cutest episode ever! not only did Dan get to see Babymetal, but he brought a couple kids of his own... and then had them on the show to talk about it! That's right, it's the proper debut of Dan's sons Dean and Jacoby, who have eyes on taking over the show. Hear them become famous before your very ears as…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to go retro! We're showing hometown pride again as St. Louis' own Retro Champ joins us to discuss his past, present, and future in music. Retro is the very definition of "rap rock," taking inspiration from both classic MCs and nu metallers like Linkin Park and Hed PE. We discovered him when he opened for Oxymorr…

As mentioned in this week's conversation with elementary school teacher and dead7 frontman Jason Kozik, here's the story of Dan's high school match teacher, who bore a curious resemblance to Wayne Static of Static-X. We've had this clip in the archives since 2021. It was due to see the light of day. Enjoy. If you like what you hear, you can hear mo…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for local boys to make good! Jason Kozik of St. Louis' own dead7 joins us on the eve of their debut release with SharpTone Records, Love What You Can While You Got Something Left To Love. The album, full of riffs, ambiance, and not entirely traditional arrangements (plus a dash of heavy pop punk), drops July 11t…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for something new! Brand New is back for the first time since 2017, and we've got to talk about the Chicago date of their tour. But first, we'll explore their history, evolution, and of course, the elephant in the room. It's a complicated topic, but worth diving into. If you've been groomed or otherwise abused i…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for ladies' night! The Itch saw a series of shows featuring fantastic frontwomen, including some friends of the show, some hopeful future friends of the show, and some first times seeing longtime favorites! Join us for plenty of cool as Aaron finally sees Phantogram and Sleigh Bells (with Sophie Hunter) and KC a…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a throwback! We're celebrating 20 albums turning 25 with an episode from back in our Rock Matters days of 2020! Check out our takes on albums from Deftones, hed PE, Flogging Molly, Cold, Lostprophets, The Offspring, Limp Bizkit, Disturbed, A Perfect Circle, Godsmack, Orgy, Fuel, Rage Against the Machine, Pap…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for new rock! We're five months into 2025 and overdue to spotlight some of our favorite albums of the year so far. The Itch has been enjoying sounds from across the rock spectrum, and we're excited to share them with you. Whether it's the moody drum and bass of ALT BLK ERA, the versatile metalcore of Architects,…

In a world full of noise, trends, and constant change… real leadership isn’t just about charisma anymore...it’s about clarity. This week on the podcast, we’re asking the hard questions: How do leaders rise above the noise and lead with true insight? What does it mean to lead with intuition, foresight, and discernment in a culture addicted to the mo…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to rebel! AI art is trash, and you shouldn't use it. But if you put on a show as fun as this year's Pointfest, we'll forgive you. Mostly. The whole team made it to see 311 headline a lineup that also featured The Urge, Toadies, Finger Eleven, Sick Puppies, Alien Ant Farm, and our boys Oxymorrons and Tree One Fou…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for community. Last week, the rock world experienced tragic losses. In this episode we honor those we lost and celebrate the way they touched people's lives and brought so many together through their involvement in music. And likewise, we also celebrate a part of the rock world that they were familiar with, and …

"Yo, let’s keep it real—Culture’s loud right now. Everybody’s got something to say, something to sell, some vibe to push. Culture is one of the most powerful discipleship tools in the world. Music, media, education, fashion, politics, and art are forming worldviews every day... But where are the Kingdom voices? Where are the believers who ain’t jus…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to party! KC's birthday week was stacked with shows featuring podcast guests, and The Itch got to see plenty of them! First, KC and Aaron catch Boston Manor at the Subterranean in Chicago on their first ever US headline tour, with a diverse supporting trio of Farmer's Wife, Spaced, and Ellis. Then they swin…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a reunion! Alizon and Ben, our vacation buddies and international inspirations from Calva Louise, return to discuss their brilliant new album Edge of the Abyss, which drops on July 11th. We discuss the interpretive nature of art, the rich story lore that carries through music videos across albums, and the fa…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a homecoming! Arya Goggin of Skindred was our second ever interview, back in November 2020. To celebrate 5 years as a podcast, the man who drums on our theme song makes his long overdue return to keep our weekly interview streak going. We've spoken at length about the huge role Skindred plays in The Itch's s…

In a world spinning with cultural chaos—where identity is blurred, truth is twisted, and justice is rebranded—revivalists don’t play it safe. They break the silence the Church has too often kept, stepping into the fire with unapologetic truth and prophetic grit. While society battles mental breakdowns, economic collapse, war, and division, revivals…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a homecoming! Itch guests Dorothy and her guitarist, our fellow St Louisian Sam Bam Koltun, played at The Hawthorn with Cory Marks, and The Itch had to be there! After dropping The Itch's Album of the Year, Gifts From the Holy Ghost, in 2022, Dorothy just released her follow up, The Way, which adds a bit of …

It's our podcast anniversary and this month we're scratching The Itch to celebrate! The Itch Rock Podcast debuted on May 9th, 2020, originally under the name "Rock Matters". What started as a replacement for our radio show when lockdown closed the station has now become a 5-year journey that's taken us across the country, the podcast world, and eve…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for honesty! Han Mee and Jim Shaw of Hot Milk join us for a refreshingly candid conversation about their new album Corporation P.O.P (out June 27th) and the ideas surrounding it, including shedding an ill-fitting "pop punk" tag, writing quickly to capture the moment, English identity, and American insanity. Plus…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get with The Program! BRKN LOVE just dropped an excellent album by that name, and we talked all about it with frontman Justin Benlolo. We discuss the recording and release rollout differences from their prior records, worrying less about how a studio recording will translate on stage, and how in relationships…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to bloom! Aaron had quite an unusual adventure seeing Superbloom and Footballhead at the Cobra Lounge in Chicago, so we had to discuss the oddities of the evening and how he might be the ultimate anti-wingman. But also, bands! Superbloom is a standout in the 90s rock revival, and Footballhead had the right energ…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for extreme behavior. Cody Hanson of Hinder joins us for what turns into a roundtable talk about Bring Me Back to Life, the band's first new album since 2017. He discusses what made the band decide to record new music after initially planning not to, how "Everything Is a Cult" in modern society, how Hinder has e…

In Christianity, the altar holds deep significance for both symbolic and practical reasons. For many Christians, it is seen as a place where God’s presence dwells in a special way, especially during worship and reverent moments. Historically, altars in the Bible were used as places to offer sacrifices to God. Today, the altar also symbolizes the sa…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to multitask! Blake Allison and Joey "Chicago" Walser formed Egypt Central in 2002, then Devour the Day in 2012, and most recently have both become members of Pop Evil. Being together in so many bands for so many years, they've amassed quite a bit of wisdom and experience... and some pretty wild stories. And the…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for sci-fi! Lotta Ruutiainen of LUNA KILLS joins us to discuss her band's new album DEATHMATCH, including a song that came together through a writing practice she never wants to try again. We also discuss her love for all science fiction, the decision for a Finnish band to sing in English, her literal rock star …

This week, we're scratching The Itch to be quitters! Gio and Jerrod of Giovannie and the Hired Guns join us to talk about their new album Quitter. We discuss the making of the record, Gio getting responsible, how Jerrod became a Hired Gun, and what is easily the most entertaining dream tour we've heard so far. Plus, Dan fears for his life, a venue …

March Bandness is live! The 5th Annual Itch Invitational Tournament features 8 first-time entries who dropped excellent albums in 2024. Vote here (or at the link in our IG bio) for your first round favorites and send 'em all the way to the championship! The winning band gets an episode dedicated to them, but you get the bragging rights for supporti…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to talk with the Captain! Alan Koenig, founder of ASK4 Entertainment and its flagship event Shiprocked (see what we did there?) joins us to discuss the past, present, and future of The Itch's favorite festival at sea. Join us for some fascinating insight into how the festival was born out of a working relationsh…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get sick! Disturbed's all-time nu metal debut album The Sickness is 25 years old, and the band is playing it in full on tour. Alongside a now dual-fronted Three Days Grace and an always earnest Sevendust, the tour came through the Enterprise Center in St Louis... and so did The Itch. Plus, Aaron revisits an e…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for reggae metal! Nathan Aurora's band Aurorawave released one of our favorite albums of 2024, and he's putting the finishing touches on the exciting follow-up. Nathan joins us to talk about straddling the line between his reggae roots and his metal aspirations, the Crossed Heart Clothing company he runs with hi…

There has been a rise in Christian "TMZ-like ministries" that focus on exposing the latest controversies surrounding ministers and ministries that have erred. It has become increasingly popular for ministries to blast rather than build Today, the news and entertainment industries thrive on controversy and outrage, often fueling division. Additional…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to take off our masks. Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire and Anberlin joins us to discuss the new Memphis album Shapeshifter, which looks internally to how we can become better versions of ourselves by unmasking our shames and shortcomings. We'll also discuss how he got his favorite band to appear on the album, …

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get Chains'd! Aaron and KC returned to The Hawthorn in St. Louis to see Jerry Cantrell and Filter on the "I Want Blood" tour. Join us for more Itch Etiquette, an all-star backing band, and Aaron (somehow) seeing a middle school friend's uncle live for the first time. Plus, many questions are answered, includi…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for some world building! Eric Bass of Shinedown joins us to discuss his outstanding debut solo album Eric Bass Presents... I Had A Name. It's a thrilling rock opera of sorts featuring a cast of characters battling against villainous forces,... and sometimes their own minds. Eric speaks candidly about the fascina…

In the vast landscape of life, every believer is assigned a spiritual territory by God—an area of influence, authority, and responsibility uniquely given to them. This territory encompasses your personal life, family, community, and beyond. However, the process of taking over, defending, expanding, and flourishing within this God-ordained territory…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to read a book! Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. is releasing his autobiography, Son of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds on February 25th. He joins the show to discuss his story of God's faithfulness, band drama and reconciliation, and the changes and challenges of the music industry. Plus, Aaron has his long-await…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to fight! Coco from Winona Fighter returns, and this time she brought the boys! Join her, Dan, and Austin as they break down the origins of some of the songs on their debut LP My Apologies to the Chef (out Feb 28), their choice to hand pick the opening acts for the corresponding Yes, Chef tour (including our mut…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to keep celebrating! Our Shiprocked coverage continues, as the guys wrap up the week with 80s covers, a pair of epic sets on the beach, a slippery stage, a late night call to Halestorm, and ... Ace Ventura? Plus, Dan goes snorkeling, KC is rewarded for resisting the soft serve machine, and Aaron meets a brother …

This week, we're scratching The Itch for a birthday celebration! Our radio show was born 21 years ago this month, and to celebrate that milestone (and 250 episodes), the guys spent a wild week on the water with 31 bands on Shiprocked! Join us to kick off a new "season" with tales of broken lights, budding friendships, on-stage pranks, and the game …

This week, we're scratching The Itch for bass! Emma Anzai, co-founder of Sick Puppies and more recent addition to Evanescence, joins us to discuss Wave the Bull, Sick Puppies' first new album in nine years. We discuss the prominence of her bass guitar in some of the tracks, the Beastie Boys influence in their recent single "Going Places," their upc…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to get educated! Shiprocked sails along, we bring you the second part of the 2022 conversation that introduced us to Oxymorrons. And this is where it gets serious (while somehow remaining silly). Dee, KI, Jafe, and Matty dive deep on the authentic vs the performative, the futility of social media, the cheapening…

It's a NEW YEAR and there's grace to hear afresh from the Spirit of God. Prophetic words are not just a luxury, but a necessity. Just as communication is vital in human relationships, hearing God's voice strengthens the bond between a believer and the Creator. Hearing God's voice provides clarity and direction in life. It helps believers make decis…

This week we're scratching The Itch to ... not be here! The boys are back on a boat enjoying Shiprocked, but while we're out partying with Oxymorrons, we thought we'd post a pair of throwback episodes to when we first met them three years ago, kicking off a genuine friendship. This two-part conversation remains quite possibly our all-time favorite.…

In Christianity, taking risks is important because it helps build trust with God, and it's a way to show faith in God's grace. Risk activates faith, which is more than just a feeling. It's a way of telling doubt and emotions that you trust God enough to take action. Additionally, Risk is a skill that can be learned, strengthened, and grown. Yet, Ri…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for Sno! It's not only in St Louis and Chicago, but in Scotland as well! Janine Shilstone of VUKOVI becomes The Itch's first Scottish guest as she joins us to discuss "Sno," the newest single from (and a character in) her band's new album My God Has Got a Gun, out January 25th on SharpTone Records! It's a vulner…

The PROPHETIC WORD of the Lord is a powerful and transformative aspect of spiritual life that holds great significance for humanity. It provides divine guidance in both personal and collective circumstances. It illuminates God’s will, helping individuals and corporate communities navigate challenges, make decisions, and align their actions with His…

This week, we're scratching The Itch for awards season, baby! The fifth annual Itch Awards are here, honoring the best rock releases of 2024. We've got albums galore, featuring a plethora of past and future guests. Who were our favorite debuts and breakouts of the year? Who dropped the best EP and LP? And what are we looking forward to in 2025? Thi…

A prophetic perspective is important because it provides a God-centered lens to view your current situations, offering insight into potential future outcomes and guiding individuals toward aligning their lives with God's will, often by highlighting areas of needed change or encouraging faithfulness to God's plan, even when challenges arise; essenti…

This week, we're scratching The Itch to send the year out in style! Official fourth member Eva Marie of Eva Under Fire joins us for another holiday tradition (and to continue building her lead as our most frequent guest). Despite not releasing much in the way of new music, 2024 was still a year of firsts and gains for Eva and the boys, and we're he…