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E59: “Absolution” by Season to Risk with Steve Tulipana

Link To Listen To Episode In Bio!!! ^^

Three voices, one person’s mind. On “Absolution,” Steve Tulipana used the interplay between himself and his bandmates to explore how someone could commit an atrocity and justify it to themselves.

The song came together in Martin Bisi’s studio, where the rhythms Paul Malinowski and Jason Gerken were developing called for a different approach. Hearing The Birthday Party’s “Zoo Music Girl” sparked an idea, while coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial informed Steve’s thinking about the character. With Paul and Duane Trower joining him on vocals, those internal arguments became three distinct voices—an experiment that made “Absolution” one of his favorite tracks on In a Perfect World.

We also talk about revisiting that record for its vinyl reissue, Steve’s changing perspective on the band’s early artwork, and making new music that reflects who the members have become.

Follow Season to Risk

Bandcamp:
https://seasontorisk.bandcamp.com/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/seasontorisk

🎧 Full episode:

Link in bio

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown
https://www.bsidebreakdown.com

#BSideBreakdown #SeasonToRisk #Absolution #SteveTulipana #InAPerfectWorld NoiseRock PostHardcore BehindTheSong MusicPodcast IndependentMusic taken in Kansas City, Missouri by @threecrowsclub

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12 days ago

E58: “Pearls” by and with Maintenance

Link To Listen To Episode In Bio!!! ^^

“Pearls” wasn’t chosen as a single, but it was one of the first songs that made Maintenance hear what their new record could become.

It began with Costa playing chords on a classical guitar. The band built on that first idea together, while the words took shape from mumbled melodies, notes written on a subway commute, and a question about following a part of yourself you’re only beginning to understand.

The band also remembers the less solemn parts: a keyboard shortcut that briefly erased the project, and Frank holding his ground over an unusual drum part when they recorded it. We talk about both moments, and about the ten days they spent together making From Flowers with the rare luxury of focusing on music and each other.

Follow Maintenance

Bandcamp:
https://maintenance914.bandcamp.com

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/maintenance914/

🎧 Full episode:

Link in bio

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown
https://www.bsidebreakdown.com

#BSideBreakdown #Maintenance914 #Pearls #FromFlowers #PostHardcore Songwriting BehindTheSong MusicPodcast IndependentMusic YonkersMusic taken in Yonkers, New York by @threecrowsclub

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21 days ago

E57: “RAH RAH RAH” by Nick and the Adversaries with Nick Bacon

Link To Listen To Episode In Bio!!! ^^

“RAH RAH RAH” began as a hook Nick Bacon couldn’t quite turn into a finished song. As he watched people in his Massachusetts community live with the threat of detention, he found the words.

Nick talks about why the band released the song before finishing its next record, and how ska’s mix of joyful music and social conscience shaped its sound. He also talks about the lyric video: drummer Scott Boyce filmed outside an ICE holding facility in Burlington, and the band cut that footage against an American flag. For Nick, putting the song out was a way to make sure the band’s voice was heard, however many people listened.

Follow Nick and the Adversaries

Bandcamp:
https://nickandtheadversaries1.bandcamp.com/track/rah-rah-rah

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nickandtheadversaries/

🎧 Full episode:

Link in bio

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown
https://www.bsidebreakdown.com

#BSideBreakdown #NickAndTheAdversaries #RahRahRah #NickBacon #Ska TwoTone ProtestSong Songwriting BehindTheSong MusicPodcast IndependentMusic taken in Boston, Massachusetts by @threecrowsclub

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21 days ago

E56: “Dead Eyes” by The Iron Roses with Becky & Nat 
Link To Listen To Episode In Bio!!! ^^

The Iron Roses are back on B-Side Breakdown, and a lot has changed since their first appearance. With their new single “Dead Eyes” leading the charge, Becky and Nat talk about why this record hits harder—both musically and lyrically—and how the band has grown into the sound they always wanted to make.

The conversation goes beyond the song itself, diving into the realities of building a touring band, navigating lineup changes, finding the right people, and refusing to compromise on the vision. They share how years of writing, touring, and challenging one another shaped Molotov Nights, why they aren’t afraid to throw away great songs that don’t serve the album, and what they learned by releasing the record independently.

It’s an honest conversation about trust, collaboration, and pushing each other to make something better—proof that the strongest bands aren’t just built on great songs, but on shared purpose.

Follow The Iron Roses:
https://theironroses.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/theironroses

🎧 Full episode:

Link in bio

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown
https://www.bsidebreakdown.com

#BSideBreakdown #TheIronRoses #DeadEyes #MolotovNights #PunkRock IndependentMusic DIYMusic Songwriting MusicPodcast BehindTheSong PoliticalPunk taken in Richmond, Virginia by @threecrowsclub

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2 months ago

E55: “Another Day in Paradise” by Arrows at Dawn with Tim Andrews

Link To Listen To Episode In Bio!!! ^^

What happens when the song that started your band also becomes the song that brings it back to life?

Tim Andrews joins B-Side Breakdown to revisit “Another Day in Paradise,” the first song Arrows at Dawn wrote under their new name and a track that nearly became the band’s final chapter. Tim shares how a familiar Midwestern phrase became the foundation for a song about betrayal, frustration, and refusing to settle for a life of quiet resignation. The conversation explores the band’s early years, recording their debut album, nearly walking away from music after years of burnout, and how an unexpected friendship reignited the passion to create again. With a new lineup, new songs in the works, and live shows returning, this episode is about rediscovering why making music mattered in the first place.

Follow Arrows at Dawn:
https://arrowsatdawn.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/arrowsatdawn

🎧 Full episode:

Link in bio

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown
https://www.bsidebreakdown.com

#BSideBreakdown #ArrowsAtDawn #AnotherDayInParadise #TimAndrews #BehindTheSong Songwriting AlternativeRock Grunge IndependentMusic MinnesotaMusic MusicPodcast NewMusic taken in Owatonna, Minnesota by @threecrowsclub

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2 months ago

E54: “Tribute” by Overthrow with Chris Ruffini & Anthony Salerna
Link To Listen To Episode In Bio!!! ^^

More than twenty-five years after releasing their last full-length record, Overthrow returned with *Setting the Price*—not as a nostalgia project, but as the continuation of a story that was never truly finished.

In this episode, Chris and Anthony break down “Tribute,” a song rooted in loss, gratitude, and the people who helped shape both the band and the New York hardcore community. They reflect on the friends, family members, and bandmates they’ve lost over the years and how those experiences became the emotional foundation of the song.

The conversation also traces Overthrow’s journey from forming as teenagers on Long Island in 1995, through their original run and breakup in 2001, to the reunion shows that eventually reignited their creative spark. They discuss rediscovering old riffs that had been sitting unfinished for over two decades, the collaborative songwriting process behind *Setting the Price*, the challenges of self-funding and recording the album, and the excitement of hearing “Tribute” receive heavy rotation on SiriusXM. More than a comeback story, this episode is about honoring the past while proving there’s still something meaningful left to say.

Follow Overthrow:
https://overthrowlihc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/overthrow_lhc

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown

https://www.bsidebreakdown.com

#BSideBreakdown #Overthrow #Tribute #SettingThePrice #NewYorkHardcore Hardcore NYHC LongIslandHardcore PunkRock IndependentMusic Songwriter MusicPodcast BehindTheSong MusicStories HardcoreMusic taken in Massapequa VFW Post 7277 - Long Island, NY by @threecrowsclub

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4 months ago

E52 - “The Damned” by and with Marc-Alan Prince

🎧 Full episode:
Link in bio! ^^

“This song was me finally going backwards and dealing with some demons.”

For episode 52 of B-Side Breakdown, Marc-Alan Prince breaks down “The Damned,” a song about chasing perfection, surviving self-destruction, and coming to terms with the difference between romanticized youth and the reality of getting older. What starts as a conversation about touring and punk rock ambition turns into something much more personal — living out of vans and on couches, pushing himself past the limit, battling illness, and trying to rebuild a life after realizing the lifestyle he was chasing was no longer sustainable.

Marc-Alan talks openly about the years he spent touring relentlessly, the bands that imploded under the pressure, and the complicated feeling of watching friends move on while still trying to hold onto the thing that once gave life meaning. The episode also dives into the making of his upcoming record Runaway, recorded live in a rented Austin house with full live-performance video sessions inspired by Bridge City Sessions, along with his decision to keep certain releases completely offline as a reaction against streaming culture and Spotify’s treatment of artists.

Follow Marc-Alan Prince:
https://www.instagram.com/marcalanprince/
https://marcalanprince.bandcamp.com/album/runaway
https://www.youtube.com/@marcalanprince

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown

https://www.bsidebreakdown.com

#BSideBreakdown #MarcAlanPrince #TheDamned #Runaway #PunkRock FolkPunk AcousticPunk DIYMusic IndependentMusic Songwriter AustinTexas MilwaukeeMusic BridgeCitySessions TravelWellRecords MusicPodcast Punk AltCountry Americana TourLife MusicStories taken in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by @threecrowsclub

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5 months ago

B-SideBreakdown:
E50 – “Chaser” by Scarboro with Shi

🎧 Full episode:
Link in Bio

For episode 50 of B-Side Breakdown, Shi from Scarboro breaks down “Chaser,” a song rooted in political exhaustion, fake empathy, and the disconnect between what people say they believe and what they’re willing to act on.

Shi talks openly about working in politics and nonprofit advocacy, running for Congress from the left, and eventually walking away after years of watching corporate influence hollow out meaningful change. The conversation moves beyond the song itself into hot-take culture, online outrage, and the frustration of seeing powerful words rarely materialize into pressure where it could actually create change. But underneath all of it is something more personal — exhaustion, apathy, recovery, and trying to rebuild a sense of purpose after hitting a breaking point.

The episode also digs into the making of Scarboro’s new record Hate Season, written after Shi left the New York State Senate and began working through a difficult period of mental health struggles and healing. What came out of that time became one of the band’s most collaborative and emotionally direct records yet.

Follow Scarboro:
scarboro.bandcamp.com
instagram.com/scarboropunx

Sell The Heart Records:
https://www.selltheheartrecords.com/

WTF Records:
https://wtfrecords.eu/

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown
https://www.bsidebreakdown.com

#Scarboro #Chaser #HardcorePunk #PunkRock #NYCHardcore SellTheHeartRecords DIYpunk PunkPodcast BSideBreakdown MelodicHardcore IndependentMusic MusicPodcast PunkCommunity NewMusic taken in New York City by @threecrowsclub

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5 months ago

E48 - “Upside Down” by Battery Eyes with Johnny and Andrew

In this episode of B-Side Breakdown, Brett Johnson talks with Johnny Laberda from Battery Eyes and Andrew Cahak of Unstable Shapes about “Upside Down,” a collaborative track that stretches beyond both bands’ usual comfort zones.

Born from a casual conversation at Minneapolis mainstay Mortimer’s, the song evolved into one of the most anthemic and stylistically distinct moments on Battery Eyes’ upcoming album zero three.

The discussion digs into the song’s “Frankenstein” creation process—written separately, then stitched together through trust rather than traditional co-writing—and how shared vocals were designed to blur identity and perspective.

Johnny and Andrew unpack the song’s central idea of reframing situations, looking at problems from new angles, and embracing found interpretation over fixed meaning. The episode also highlights the importance of scene-level collaboration, thoughtful studio production, and why “Upside Down” feels just as much about creative process as it does about the lyrics themselves.

Follow Battery Eyes:
https://batteryeyes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/batteryeyes

Follow Unstable Shapes:
https://unstableshapes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/unstableshapes

Follow Cloudland:
https://www.instagram.com/cloudlandtheater
https://www.cloudlandtheater.com/

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown

https://www.patreon.com/c/bsidebreakdown
https://www.instagram.com/bsidebreakdown
https://linktr.ee/bsidebreakdown

#JohnnyLaberda #BatteryEyes #AndrewCahak #UnstableShapes #UpsideDown ZeroThree MinneapolisMusic Collaboration CreativeProcess CloudlandTheater BSideBreakdown BrettJamesJohnson MusicPodcast taken in Cloudland Theater by @threecrowsclub

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8 months ago

E47 - “Through The Shadows” by Dead History with David Jarnstrom

In this episode of B-Side Breakdown, Brett Johnson sits down with David Jarnstrom of Minneapolis post-hardcore stalwarts Dead History to talk about “Through the Shadows,” a standout track from the band’s 2025 album Departures.

Built around an initial guitar idea from Matt Rezac, the song took a long and winding path to completion—nearly left behind before emerging as one of the record’s most spacious, groove-driven moments. David walks through the tension between restraint and power in the song’s arrangement, the intentional use of space and feel, and why it occupies such a unique place on the album.

The conversation also touches on the song’s impressionistic lyrics, personal interpretations shaped by life in post-George Floyd Minneapolis, and the sense of endurance and rebuilding that runs quietly beneath the surface.

With Departures likely marking a closing chapter for Dead History, this episode reflects on creative maturity, community, and seeing something through—even when it’s hard.

Follow Dead History:
https://deadhistorymn.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/deadhistoryband

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown

https://www.patreon.com/c/bsidebreakdown
https://www.instagram.com/bsidebreakdown
https://linktr.ee/bsidebreakdown

#DavidJarnstrom #DeadHistory #ThroughTheShadows #Departures #MinneapolisMusic PostHardcore Shoegaze CreativeProcess BSideBreakdown BrettJamesJohnson MusicPodcast taken in Minneapolis, Minnesota by @threecrowsclub

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8 months ago

E46 - “Teenager” by Killing Stares with Brad Gunnarson

In this episode of B-Side Breakdown, Brett Johnson sits down with Brad Gunnarson—better known around the Twin Cities as B-Gun—to unpack “Teenager,” a Deftones cover recorded under the project name Killing Stares. Originally appearing on White Pony, the song was reimagined for For the Song You Saved, a community-driven Deftones tribute benefiting Oasis for Youth.

Brad talks through the long-held idea behind Killing Stares: assembling one-off lineups of musicians who don’t normally play together and letting instinct guide the process. With Zac Boyd (johnnyrook) on acoustic guitar, Nick Larsen (ExactlyNo) on drums, and Callie from Dadbod on vocals, the track came together quickly and intentionally—sparse, emotional, and respectful of the original while still feeling personal.

The conversation also traces Brad’s decades in the Minneapolis–St. Paul music scene, his philosophy of “put out records with your friends,” and how this project reflects the power of community, timing, and doing things the right way.

Follow Killing Stares:

https://forthesongyousaved.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/killingstares
https://www.oasisforyouth.org/
https://www.instagram.com/cardinalsunrecords

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown

https://www.patreon.com/c/bsidebreakdown
https://www.instagram.com/bsidebreakdown
https://linktr.ee/bsidebreakdown

#KillingStares #Teenager #BradGunnarson #BGun #Deftones WhitePony ForTheSongYouSaved OasisForYouth TwinCitiesMusic CommunityOverCompetition BenefitCompilation BSideBreakdown BrettJamesJohnson MusicPodcast taken in Minneapolis, Minnesota by @threecrowsclub

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8 months ago

In this episode of B-Side Breakdown, Brett Johnson talks with members of Too Late, But Still about “Feedback City,” a standout track from their 2025 EP Night Songs.

The conversation traces how the song came together organically in the room, shaped less by traditional structure and more by evolving movements and shared instincts.

Lyrically, “Feedback City” pulls directly from lived experience—tour memories, found objects, small personal details, and moments of humor and reflection that give the song its emotional weight.

The band discusses their collaborative approach, their preference for short, focused releases over full-length albums, and why each song feels like a Polaroid of a specific moment in time.

The episode also touches on creative freedom, resisting algorithm-driven expectations, and how trust between band members allows the music to unfold naturally without forcing it.

Follow Too Late, But Still:

https://toolatebutstill.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/toolatebutstill

Thanks for supporting B-Side Breakdown — where the song is just the start of the story.

Brett Johnson
Host, B-Side Breakdown

https://www.patreon.com/c/bsidebreakdown
https://www.instagram.com/bsidebreakdown
https://linktr.ee/bsidebreakdown

#FeedbackCity #TooLateButStill #bsidebreakdown #threecrowsclub #brettjamesjohnson NightSongs minneapolismusic posthardcore musicpodcast taken in Minneapolis, Minnesota by @threecrowsclub

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8 months ago