Gold Steps Interview: Milwaukee Pop Punk Band Talks Mile of Music 13 & Touring | Fox Cities Core

R-NØT Interview: DC Punk Rock Trio Talks Mile of Music 13 & Genre-Bending Sound | Fox Cities Core

Punk-inspired rock trio R-NØT made the trip from the D.C. area to Appleton, WI for their second year at Mile of Music, and they stopped by Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio to talk about it! The band has been turning heads with recent releases like "Sheep" and their newest single "K.I.S.S.," with more new music (including "Marmalade") already out and a lot more on the way. In this interview, R-NØT — Paul (guitar/vocals and primary songwriter), Chuck (bass/vocals), and Mikey (drums) — dig into the band's roots in the DC hardcore and punk scene, growing up on MTV in the 90s, and the reality behind DC's legendary 9:30 Club. They trace how each member found their instrument, how Mikey ended up joining the band in 2023 after years of separate paths through the Marine Corps, DJing, and DC's music scene, and how their genre-blurring sound — equal parts punk, grunge, and alt rock — keeps audiences guessing. The band also opens up about their debut album "Dumpster Fire," the massive backlog of unreleased songs behind it, their connection to legendary producer Steve Albini and DC's Inner Ear Studio, and their philosophy of scrapping the setlist and calling audibles live. Plus, find out the science-based story behind the name "R-NØT." This Fox Cities Core interview gives you the full story behind the band and a look at where they're headed next. Follow R-NØT: Find them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for music videos, singles, and tour updates. More Fox Cities Core: Fox Cities Core is your source for interviews, venue spotlights, and show previews from the Fox Cities and Wisconsin regional live music scene, brought to you by WCZR Code Zero Radio.

Gold Steps Interview: Milwaukee Pop Punk Band Talks Mile of Music 13 & Touring | Fox Cities Core

Milwaukee pop punk band Gold Steps stopped by Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio during their first-ever Mile of Music appearance in Appleton, WI! Alternative Press has called them out as one of the artists reclaiming pop punk, and the band has toured with acts like Charlotte Sands and Stand Atlantic, played Warped Tour and Summerfest, and even performed in the legendary pool at The Rave in Milwaukee opening for The Used. In this interview, Gold Steps — vocalist/frontwoman Betty, guitarist and co-founder Zach, bassist Ryan, and drummer John — talk about how the band started back in 2016 in Austin, Texas, and how they named themselves after a Neck Deep song. They dig into the wild, nearly four-year journey behind their debut EP, going independent after their label dissolved, and the meaning behind their song "Narcissist." The band also opens up about life on tour (breakdowns, no A/C, and catching COVID in an RV), Betty's connection to Taylor Swift as a songwriting inspiration, and their new crowdfunding partnership with the Inertia Project to build a "Digital Tour Bus" fan community ahead of their September tour. They even perform an acoustic version of their new song live in the studio! Whether you caught Gold Steps at Mile of Music, the Bent Keg, or Fox River House, this Fox Cities Core interview gives you the full story on this hardworking Milwaukee band and where they're headed next. Follow Gold Steps: Find them on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @goldstepsmusic More Fox Cities Core: Fox Cities Core is your source for interviews, venue spotlights, and show previews from the Fox Cities and Wisconsin regional live music scene, brought to you by WCZR Code Zero Radio.

Scorched Waves Interview: Indie Rock Band Talks Mile of Music 13 & New Sound | Fox Cities Core

Indie rock band Scorched Waves stopped by Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio for an in-depth interview during Mile of Music 13 in Appleton, WI! The Stevens Point, Wisconsin group — Tyler Armstrong (guitar), Finn Vaughn (bass), Tiernan Brinkman (lead vocals), and Jaron Chick (keys), with drummer Damien Kessler holding down the road — sat down to talk band history, songwriting, touring stories, and what's next for Scorched Waves.In this interview, Scorched Waves breaks down their evolution from a high school garage band into an energetic live act — from their earliest EP recorded in a bedroom, to their debut album "Televised Paradise," to 2024's "With a Smile," and the more melodic, dynamic direction they're taking on new music like "Sinners" and "Things Will Be Fine." They also dig into their collaborative songwriting process, their weekly practice routine (every Sunday since 2019!), wild tour stories from Denver to Nashville, an unexpected shoutout from actor Danny Trejo, and their love for Wisconsin's local music scene, including Wild Adriatic's influence on their sound.Whether you caught Scorched Waves at Mile of Music, Paper Fest, or Crazy Todd's house show, this Fox Cities Core interview gives you the full story behind the band and a look at where they're headed next.Follow Scorched Waves:Find them on all social media @scorchedwavesMore Fox Cities Core:Fox Cities Core is your source for interviews, venue spotlights, and show previews from the Fox Cities and Wisconsin regional live music scene, brought to you by WCZR Code Zero Radio.CHAPTERS:00:00 Scorched Waves Interview Begins – Fox Cities Core Welcome00:31 Scorched Waves & Their Fox Valley Roots02:29 Meet the Band – Tyler, Finn, Tiernan & Jaron02:55 Scorched Waves Origin Story – How the Band Started (2017-2019)03:30 From High School Emo Band to Indie Rock05:59 Where the Name "Scorched Waves" Came From07:37 Weekly Practice Since 2019 – Their Work Ethic10:52 Inside Scorched Waves' Songwriting Process14:23 Debut Album "Televised Paradise" & Recording During COVID17:19 "With a Smile" (2024) – A More Mature Sound19:33 New Singles & Plans for a Bigger Album Project20:46 Evolving Sound – Dance Rock, Melody & "Sinners"27:45 Paper Fest Story – Choking Mid-Set30:18 Scorched Waves Returns to Mile of Music33:58 Life on Tour – Sticky Vans & Small Towns, Big Energy36:07 Dedicated Fans & Unexpected Road Trip Stories39:56 The Danny Trejo Connection41:14 Crazy Todd's House Show & the Great Bee Incident43:20 Opening for Wheatus, High Fade & Bigger Artists45:18 Goals for Scorched Waves – First Avenue & Beyond46:48 Upcoming Shows: Riverside & Appleton Beer Factory48:43 Final Words from Scorched Waves#ScorchedWaves #MileofMusic #FoxCitiesCore #CodeZeroRadio #AppletonWI #IndieRock #WisconsinMusic #LiveMusicInterview #FoxValley #IndieBand #Mile13

Buddy Red Talks Blues, Pink Floyd & Hendrix Influences | Fox Cities Core Interview

Atlanta blues-rock artist Buddy Red joins Fox Cities Core on Code Zero Radio live from Appleton, Wisconsin, ahead of his run of shows at Mile of Music 13. Booking agent Fiona Bloom (Frontrunner Music) also stops by as guest co-host to share how Buddy Red landed on the festival lineup.In this conversation, Buddy Red breaks down his "psychedelic, human experience" approach to songwriting, his Hendrix, Pink Floyd, James Brown, and David Bowie influences, the story behind his song "1958," what it was like opening for Little Richard's band, and why he thinks guitar-driven live music is set for a comeback. He also walks through his full Mile of Music schedule — solo sets, full-band shows, and a rare collaboration with classically trained musicians from the Lawrence Chamber Music Festival — plus his plans for a physical-media debut EP release.FOLLOW BUDDY REDInstagram: @buddyredTikTok: @buddyredWebsite: buddyredmusic.comStreaming: Search "Buddy Red" on Spotify, Apple Music & TidalABOUT FOX CITIES COREFox Cities Core is a weekly show on WCZR Code Zero Radio, an independent streaming rock station based in Appleton, Wisconsin, covering the Fox Cities and Wisconsin live music scene through artist interviews, venue spotlights, and show previews.LISTEN LIVE / MORE FROM CODE ZERO RADIOWebsite: codezeroradio.com

Koyal Talks LA Move, New Tamil Song & Debut Album Secrets | Fox Cities Core Interview

Indie pop-rock trio Koyal stopped by the Fox Cities Core studio on Code Zero Radio (Appleton, WI) ahead of their Mile of Music 2026 shows for a wide-ranging chat about their journey from a Georgia Tech dorm basement to Los Angeles.In this interview, Pooja (vocals/bass), Wallace (drums), and Noah (guitar/production) dig into:- The meaning behind the band name Koyal — named after a rare Indian songbird- Forming the band in college and the move from Atlanta to LA two years ago- Recording their sophomore album Breathe In, Breathe Out at Head Room Studio in Philadelphia- Debuting their new single "Shadow of You" live on air- A once-in-a-lifetime story about a Tamil-language collaboration inspired by a chance meeting with A.R. Rahman's collaborator Satish Chakravarthy- Life on the road, band merch, and their favorite (and least favorite) parts of touring- Their Mile of Music 2026 performance schedule in Appleton, WIKoyal blends indie pop and psych-rock influences pulling from Glass Animals, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Grouplove, and they're gearing up to release a steady stream of new singles through the fall and spring.- Follow Koyal: Instagram @koyal.official- Follow Fox Cities Core & Code Zero Radio for more indie artist interviews from the Fox Cities music scene.