Franklin's Garage to Stage

How Dustbolt Keeps Thrash Metal Alive

Want free swag? Send us a comment - we will respond [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/fan_mail/new] https://buymeacoffee.com/fgts [https://buymeacoffee.com/fgts]https://dustbolt.com [https://dustbolt.com] Thrash metal doesn’t survive on playlists alone, it survives when people actually show up for each other. We sit down with Lenny Bruce, vocalist and rhythm guitarist of German thrash metal band Dustbolt, to dig into how a group of kids from a small town in Bavaria turned a teenage basement dream into real tours, real records, and a mission to make thrash matter to younger fans. We talk about the idea behind “Thrash Is Back” and why it’s bigger than a tour name. Lenny breaks down the role of community in heavy music: local shows, DIY ethics, friendships that last, and how social media can be used to connect the scene instead of turning every artist into a numbers-obsessed brand. He also shares what it’s like keeping the same core lineup together since they were around 13, including the conflicts that come with being “married” to your bandmates for nearly two decades. Then we get brutally honest about the modern live music economy. Post-pandemic costs, ticket-sale pressure, and venues booking whatever’s trending can make it harder for rock and metal bands to grow the old way. Lenny explains why Germany still has hope thanks to fan-driven festivals and why he believes the hunger for real, analog live shows is coming back as everything else gets more digital. Plus: wild tour stories, the near-disaster first US run with Obituary, Exodus, and Power Trip, and how Dustbolt went fully independent recording, producing, and shooting videos with friends. We also dig into their newer music, including “Fire In Your Eyes,” and what they’re planning next. If you’re into thrash metal, DIY music, and the reality of touring in 2026, hit subscribe, share this with a metalhead friend, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show. Pre-roll tune is band Jenner Mid-roll is band Trouble Post-roll music is us band Monollith Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/support] https://fgts4u.org [https://fgts4u.org] Thank you and please visit our social medial sites to leave feedback and or support our project. https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com [https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com] https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage [https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage]

Alexandra Lioness

Want free swag? Send us a comment - we will respond [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/fan_mail/new] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4DdMzN4g9P2nrk3Drhkfih?si=56407e3d65ba4e83 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4DdMzN4g9P2nrk3Drhkfih?si=56407e3d65ba4e83] https://www.alexandralioness.com/ [https://www.alexandralioness.com/] https://buymeacoffee.com/Fgts [https://buymeacoffee.com/Fgts] A lot of musicians say they’d drop everything to chase music full-time. Alexandra Lioness actually did it and she’s honest about the price, the payoff, and the messy middle. From Belgrade, Serbia, she built Jenner from the ground up, shifted from bass to guitar, stepped into vocals, and learned how to carry a heavy metal band when you’re also the songwriter, band manager, booking brain, and the one doing the social media. We dig into the practical side of a modern metal career: how to balance multiple bands with different commitment levels, how home recording and reamping can keep releases sounding pro, and why “every two years like clockwork” isn’t realistic for most independent artists. Alexandra also breaks down how her social media growth started during COVID, why consistency matters more than one viral clip, and what it really takes to earn brand attention as a guitarist. Then it gets real. She talks burnout, self-criticism, and the pressure of being the person responsible for everything. We also get the unforgettable touring stories: first shows with in-ear monitors and click tracks, volume disasters, silent mixes, and the kind of onstage chaos that tests whether you can stay calm and keep the crowd with you. Finally, Alexandra opens up about identity and reinvention, including graduating medical school, realizing it wasn’t her path, and channeling that transition into a deeply personal solo project that stretches beyond thrash and heavy metal into progressive and piano-driven emotion. If you care about heavy metal, female guitarists, touring life, songwriting, or building a sustainable music career, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a musician friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Band Jenner- tune- Eye for an Eye Tom`s pedals [https://tomspedaldemos.com] A great show which features effect pedals. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/support] https://fgts4u.org [https://fgts4u.org] Thank you and please visit our social medial sites to leave feedback and or support our project. https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com [https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com] https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage [https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage]

Elle Indigo Shares How She Turns Poetry Into Songs That Help People Feel Seen

Want free swag? Send us a comment - we will respond [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/fan_mail/new] http://elleindigo.com/ [http://elleindigo.com/] We hang out with Southern California singer-songwriter Elle Indigo and talk about making indie pop and R&B that tells the truth about mental health, heartbreak, and grief without losing the hook. We also get into the real work behind gigs, songwriting, and confidence, plus how her poetry and horror comics feed the same creative drive. • indie pop and R&B roots plus writing lyrics to help people feel seen  • “Your Daily Dose of Awe” and why healing and growth stay central  • lyric-first writing from a poetry background and editing to fit melody  • co-writing and production with a partner plus thoughts on adding a full band  • performing locally in Palm Springs and building toward an album release  • publishing poetry during COVID and self-publishing speculative horror comics  • Desert Fringe Fest recap plus dry-air vocal challenges and live-show mishaps  • influences, Spotify rabbit holes, and choosing to push past stage fear  • booking reality, demo reels, EPKs, and social media attention spans  • advice for young artists on finding supportive people and ignoring haters  please leave us a comment, whether it's good or bad.  If you drop us a comment in this episode, the first three, we're gonna we're gonna shoot you out some some free swag.  we always have a link to support the show. Band Jenner- tune- Eye for an Eye Tom`s pedals [https://tomspedaldemos.com] A great show which features effect pedals. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/support] https://fgts4u.org [https://fgts4u.org] Thank you and please visit our social medial sites to leave feedback and or support our project. https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com [https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com] https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage [https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage]

The Bones from Las Vegas

Want free swag? Send us a comment - we will respond [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/fan_mail/new] https://allmylinks.com/theboneslv [https://allmylinks.com/theboneslv] A Vegas rock band that proudly claims they “don’t give a shit” sounds like a disaster on paper, until you hear how The Bones turn that attitude into tight shows, fearless songwriting, and a surprisingly sustainable way to gig in 2026. We sit down with the band to talk about how they ended up in Las Vegas from all over the map, why they keep their process loose, and how they balance multiple projects without burning out. If you’re a working musician, a DIY artist, or a fan of raw live energy, this conversation hits the real stuff.  We get into the nuts and bolts of writing original music when everyone comes from different styles, plus the simple filter that saves time: make the song, listen back, then decide if it sucks. They also share plans for new releases, including a possible dip deeper into a country-leaning rock sound, and what it means to follow what audiences actually react to without chasing trends. Along the way, we talk touring reality, dying venues, and why a band might rehearse once right before a show and still bring the house down.  You’ll also hear our favorite “oh shit” moments from the stage, the truth about pre-show rituals, and honest advice for younger players trying to go from garage to stage without turning music into a joyless job. If you like conversations about rock bands, live music, songwriting, music production, and the future of gigging, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a musician friend, and leave us a review with the one line you’ll remember from this one. Band Jenner- tune- Eye for an Eye Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/support] https://fgts4u.org [https://fgts4u.org] Thank you and please visit our social medial sites to leave feedback and or support our project. https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com [https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com] https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage [https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage]

Withering Earth

Want free swag? Send us a comment - we will respond [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/fan_mail/new] https://witheringearth.com [https://witheringearth.com] We hang with Florida Viking metal band Withering Earth to talk myth-driven songwriting, touring plans, and what it really takes to bring full energy to every live set. We swap the stories musicians live for, from gear wins to brutal onstage mistakes, then land on the mindset that keeps a band moving forward.  • Withering Earth’s Viking theme, Ulfhednar imagery, and myth-based lyrics  • 2026 show plans, Norse forged gathering (6th consecutive year), and building a regional tour  • treating small crowds like real fans and giving the full performance  • backing tracks setup, DI splits, and click track workflow for live shows  • ticket links, social media promotion, and reaching international listeners  • band dynamics, commitment, and the trust required to keep momentum  • balancing marriage, kids, and the reality of music as a job  • best shows so far and the shock of early big crowds  • learning instruments, early influences, and finding the “felt it” moment  • why comparisons to prodigies can derail beginners and how to stay in your lane  • onstage “oh shit” stories including wrong tuning reference and tuner left on  • recording at home, outsourcing mixing and mastering, and choosing collaborators  • stage banter, handling dead air, and keeping the crowd on your side  • when band politics and sabotage kill a project and how to rebuild  Please give us comments on our on our episodes and you know hit us up. We’ve got some shirts, we’ve got merch to give away. We got shirts, we got CDs from some of these artists, we got more coming from new artists.  Don’t forget that supports um on the on our on our pages. Um, you know, we could use a couple bucks here and there… shoot us, you know, three bucks a month.  If you’re a band or musician, you want or club owner or producer, anything involved in music, you know, hit us up in the comments section of our of our uh podcast and we’ll get back to you. https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com [https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com] franklinsgaragetostage@proton.me Band Jenner- tune- Eye for an Eye Tom`s pedals [https://tomspedaldemos.com] A great show which features effect pedals. MIDI trigger controller [https://midian.live] Our wireless MIDI trigger controller allows musicians to discreetly trigger tracks. promo-franklin Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414522/support] https://fgts4u.org [https://fgts4u.org] Thank you and please visit our social medial sites to leave feedback and or support our project. https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com [https://franklinsgaragetostage.buzzsprout.com] https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage [https://allmylinks.com/franklinsgaragetostage]