Podcast · Music

100 Words Or Less: The Podcast

by Ray Harkins · English · Music

Host Ray Harkins dives deep with creators of independent culture from musicians, artists and other interesting people to find out what inspires them, how they came to be and many other unexpected places.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 9 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 2 min

Bjorn Dossche from Wrong Man & Rise and Fall

Rise and Fall's Bjorn Dossche joins the show to talk about leading Wrong Man into their Deathwish full length debut, and the conversation goes deeper than expected. He breaks down why the mix is where a record actually lives or dies, not just the songs underneath it. He talks about watching hardcore cycle back around on itself generation after generation, and why that's never bothered him. And he opens up about mortality being the unlikely thing that pulled Rise and Fall back together after all these years.PRE-ORDER THE BOOK FOR 100 WORDS OR LESS Weekly Recommendation Playlist brought to you…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E729 · 30 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Ari Katz from Lifetime & Zero Zero
Ari Katz has spent over three decades inside hardcore and punk, first as the singer of Lifetime, the New Brunswick band that quietly rewired what a hardcore song could be about, then through Zero Zero, and later behind the counter at Black Cat Records. On this episode of 100 Words Or Less, Ari looks backward: the DFA scene, the New York hardcore bands that set the bar in the late '80s and early '90s, and what it took for a band from Jersey to write something personal in a scene built on toughness. A conversation about influence, lineage, and the records that made this whole thing worth…
E728 · 23 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 26 min
Bryan Garris from Knocked Loose
Bryan Garris, vocalist of Knocked Loose, one of the most talked-about hardcore bands to come out of the last decade. He first sat down on the show in 2017, when the band was still an "upstart" fielding as much online debate as praise. Nine years later, they've released a Grammy-nominated record, toured arenas with Metallica and Gojira, collaborated across genres (Poppy, Chris Motionless, Denzel Curry), and become one of the rare hardcore bands to break through to a genuinely mainstream audience, controversy and all. Along the way there's also been real physical toll: a van accident on tour…
E727 · 16 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Eric Stenman from The Barbarians of California & Tinfed
Eric Stenman has spent three decades on the other side of the glass, quietly shaping records for Deftones, Weezer, Thrice, Dashboard Confessional, and Senses Fail, while building AWOLNATION's entire catalog alongside Aaron Bruno since 2011. Before any of that, he was a teenager in Sacramento, self-funding vinyl pressings on his own credit card inside a scene that also produced Deftones, Far, Will Haven, and Death Grips.Now he's finally the one holding the guitar. The Barbarians of California, his band with Bruno, released their debut album And Now I'm Just Gnashing My Teeth and is about to…
E726 · 9 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
Mike Morales from Initiate
Mike Morales grew up skateboarding and playing in a power violence band in Lompoc, a small Central Coast town far from any real scene, before those friendships pulled him into Initiate. We trace that path into the band, into writing Cerebral Circus (the record where Initiate let acoustic guitars and huge choruses sit next to their heaviest material), and into what it's like touring with a band now spread across three states. Mike also gets into the gap between what a band looks like online and what it actually feels like from inside the van, plus watching hardcore grow up around Initiate…
E725 · 2 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Christine Goodwyne from Pool Kids
Christine Goodwyne has been building Pool Kids since she was two people short of a band, booking backyard shows in Tallahassee before there was even a name on the flyer. Nearly a decade later, the group has a Hayley Williams cosign, a flooded studio they somehow saved, a hardcore alter ego born as an April Fool's joke, and three albums that trace a path from math-rock tangents to pop hooks, most recently Easier Said Than Done on Epitaph Records.This episode, Christine sits down to talk through the parts of the story that don't usually make the press cycle: what it actually takes to survive…
E724 · 26 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Robin Staps from The Ocean
Robin Staps started The Ocean in Berlin in 2000 as a revolving cast of musicians before locking into the band's most stable lineup in 2009. Twenty plus years and seven albums later, the group's blend of post metal, prog, and sludge has taken them from Siberian squats to European festival mainstages, and Staps runs Pelagic Records, the label he built alongside the band that's become one of Europe's key homes for post metal and post rock.In this conversation, Robin talks through The Ocean's first ever full US tour, what it's like bringing a band built on European infrastructure and audiences…
E723 · 19 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Brian Gorsegner from Ancient Artifax & Wired Booking
Brian Gorsegner has spent his life circling the same scene from every angle. He fronted Night Birds until the band's final show at the end of 2022, books tours for acts like Alice Bag Band, Career Suicide, and Generacion Suicida through his company Wired Booking, and sits on the town council in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. But most people know him as the guy behind Ancient Artifax, the Instagram account turned archive turned book that's been unearthing punk history since a single Big Boys 7" post back in December 2016.In this conversation, Brian talks about booking bands for a living…
E722 · 12 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 10 min
Ladd Mitchell from Park
Before Springfield, Illinois had much of a scene to speak of, Ladd Mitchell was already building one, first with Park, then Tiger Tank, logging years on the road during the golden run of early-2000s midwest emo. We talk about joining Park mid-formation and becoming the one constant across four lineups, chasing a deal all the way to a small Santa Barbara label, and what a yearlong nonstop tour actually does to a band. We also get into the breakup, the return, and how the same restlessness that wrote songs on tour eventually turned into his first novel. This one's about staying creative no…
E721 · 5 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Adam Rubenstein from Chamberlain and Solo Work
Adam Rubenstein has been making music since he was a teenager in Indianapolis, when he and his bandmates formed Split Lip on Christmas Day, 1989. Drawing early influence from Burn, Youth of Today, and Endpoint, the band became a cornerstone of the Midwestern hardcore scene. They released records on Doghouse before most of them could drive, and landing a track on the landmark 1996 Anti-Matter compilation alongside Quicksand, Farside, Snapcase, Strife, Lifetime, and Mouthpiece which was and is a document of everything that mattered in that moment.By 1995, Split Lip became Chamberlain, and the…
E720 · 29 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 10 min
Kevin Hart from Public Opinion
Kevin Hart has been yelling in hardcore bands since he was a teenager, but Public Opinion is something different, louder in some ways, quieter in others. His dad was a DJ, which means music was never just background noise growing up. These days Kevin processes the hard stuff through songs instead of burdening the people around him, and it shows as Painted On Smile is one of the most genuinely self-reflective punk records in recent memory.Weekly Recommendation Playlist brought to you by Evil GreedApple MusicSpotify Subscribe to the podcast on YouTubeRockabilia sells you officially licensed…
E719 · 22 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 17 min
Rich Gaccione from Providence Vegan Deli
Rich Gaccione built Providence Vegan Deli into something rare; a business that functions less like a restaurant and more like a community hub, where free sandwiches go to anyone who needs one, touring bands eat for nothing, and the line between customer and neighbor gets blurry fast. We talk about how that philosophy took shape, the hardcore and punk roots that inform everything he does, and the seitan operation that started it all. We also get into his time touring with My Chemical Romance and the sandwich on his menu that is his most popular one. Come for the food, stay for the…
E718 · 15 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Anthony Lemus from Stateside
This week I sit down with Anthony Lemus, the voice behind Southern California's Stateside. What started as a warehouse job friendship and a shared love of 2000s emo has turned into one of the more exciting bands to emerge from the current hardcore-adjacent scene — and Lemus is the emotional engine at the center of it. We get into how growing up in Southern California's hardcore world shaped him, the deeply personal lyrics behind Where You Found Me, and what it actually feels like when the band that started it all asks you to open for them. It's a conversation about where music comes from,…
E717 · 8 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Chad Green from Frozen Soul
On this episode, I welcome Chad Green from Frozen Soul to the show. We trace his path from growing up around the Texas heavy music community to finding his place in death metal, building Frozen Soul from the ground up, and watching the band become one of the genre's biggest modern success stories.We also dig into the influence of the Texas hardcore scene on his outlook, the confidence it takes to trust your creative instincts when the spotlight gets bigger, and the story behind Chad drawing the now-iconic Frozen Soul logo himself. It's a conversation about believing in your vision, staying…
E716 · 1 Jul 2026 · 58 min
Jack Murray from 156/Silence
Jack Murray, vocalist of 156/Silence, joins the podcast to discuss the road that brought the band to where they are today. From coming up in the Pittsburgh heavy music scene to navigating years of uncertainty, Jack reflects on the relationships, community, and DIY spirit that helped shape both the band and his perspective.The conversation also dives into the moments when it seemed like 156/Silence might not continue, what kept him from walking away, and why persistence has ultimately been one of the band's greatest strengths. Along the way, Jack shares stories from the road, lessons learned…
E715 · 24 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Jeremy Walker from Fire In The Mountains Fest
This week I sit down with Jeremy Walker, co-founder of Fire in the Mountains, for a conversation that goes far beyond festival promotion. Jeremy reflects on the winding path that led him from a life rooted in Vermont to building one of the most unique experiences in heavy music in which a gathering where community, culture, and the natural world carry as much weight as the bands on stage.The discussion explores the evolution of Fire in the Mountains, the mission behind the Firekeeper Alliance, and the responsibility of creating spaces that foster connection, stewardship, and cultural…
E714 · 17 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
Mat Dwyer from Oakwood
This week Ray is joined by Matthew Dwyer, the voice behind the beloved Texas band Oakwood. For many people, Oakwood occupies a unique place in underground music history of literally playing only 15-20 shows, but having a "comeback" moment that has now turned into something way more real. Matthew takes us through his life in Texas and the environments that shaped both him and Oakwood. The conversation explores the band's connection to the Odessa era, the band came together, and a lot more. We also dig into Matthew's relationship with the broader punk and hardcore world, including formative…
E713 · 10 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Joey Chiaramonte from Koyo
Joey Chiaramonte (Koyo) joins the podcast this week for a conversation about identity, growth, and finding your place both on and off the stage. As the vocalist of Long Island's Koyo, Joey has helped lead one of the most exciting bands to emerge from the modern hardcore and punk scene, blending melodic songwriting with the energy and community spirit that shaped him.In this episode, Joey reflects on Koyo's rapid rise, the unique culture of Long Island music, and how the band has navigated the space between hardcore authenticity and broader appeal. We also discuss songwriting, nostalgia, the…
E712 · 3 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Jay Weinberg
More than a decade after his first appearance on 100 Words or Less, Jay Weinberg returns to reflect on a career that has taken him from DIY hardcore basements to some of the world's biggest stages. Ray and Jay discuss the humbling process of ego death, how his perspective on success and identity has evolved over the years, and what it means to rebuild yourself after major life and career transitions. They also dive into Jay's hip surgery and recovery, the physical realities of being a professional musician, and the lessons learned from being forced to slow down.The conversation also explores…
E711 · 27 May 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Daniel Danger from The Saddest Landscape
Daniel Danger has spent decades building worlds through both sound and image. As a member of The Saddest Landscape and one of the most recognizable artists in underground music, his work has become synonymous with melancholy, memory, and the architecture of loss. Raised in Central Massachusetts by artist parents, Danger's creative life has been shaped as much by DIY hardcore as by late nights spent exploring Sierra point-and-click adventures like The Secret of Monkey Island. His visual work often draws from those formative influences, blending New England landscapes, folklore, and dreamlike…
E710 · 20 May 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
Nathan Martin from Creation Is Crucifixion
From growing up in the shadow of Western Pennsylvania industry to helping shape some of the most abrasive and intellectually confrontational music of the early 2000s hardcore underground, Nathan Martin has always existed in the space between resistance and reinvention. In this episode, we dig into life in Greensburg, PA, the strange collision of small-town culture and radical art, early internet-era hacktivism, and how DIY politics evolve once adulthood, careers, and survival enter the picture. Nathan reflects on the legacy of Creation Is Crucifixion, the paranoia and possibility of the…
E709 · 13 May 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
Matthew Cole from Knumears
From the suburbs of Rancho Cucamonga to the deeply personal world of Knumears, Matthew Cole joins the show to talk about the path that shaped both his life and music. We get into growing up in Southern California during the 2000s DIY era, discovering bands like Born Against, and how punk and emo became an outlet while navigating suburban isolation and the Inland Empire/OC show circuit. Matthew also talks about balancing life as a carpenter while building Knumears from the ground up, the realities of modern DIY touring, and the slow evolution of the band’s sound and identity over the…
E708 · 6 May 2026 · 1 hr 14 min
Scott Mellinger from Zao & Creation Is Crucifixion
Scott Mellinger has spent decades shaping heavy music from the inside out. Best known as the guitarist and primary songwriter for Zao, his path runs through some of the most forward-thinking corners of underground metal and hardcore that span the chaotic experimentation of Creation Is Crucifixion to the long, evolving arc of Zao’s discography.In this conversation, Scott reflects on what it meant to join Zao at a turning point and help push the band into darker, more atmospheric territory often chasing sounds inspired by bands like Neurosis, even if it started as what he jokingly calls…
E707 · 29 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Piper Ferrari from Roman Candle
This week we sit down with Piper Ferrari from Roman Candle for a conversation that drifts between isolation, creativity, and the strange ways identity takes shape.Piper talks about growing up in the kind of desert environment where time moves differently and where boredom, space, and silence end up shaping how you see the world. That sense of distance bleeds into everything, from songwriting to how you connect (or don’t) with people.We also get into how graphic design became part of her life almost by accident literally falling into it through necessity, curiosity, and the endless feedback…
E706 · 22 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Travis Shettel from Piebald
In this episode, we talk with Travis Shettel of Piebald about the band’s unique mix of humor and sincerity, and how their songs have aged into something more universal than anyone expected. Travis reflects on the early days, including working with Kurt Ballou, and how that era shaped both their sound and perspective.We get into longevity, cult status, and why Piebald feels more like a living band than a nostalgia act. At the core of it all: keeping things fun, staying connected, and embracing the idea of never breaking up again.Weekly Recommendation Playlist brought to you by Evil GreedApple…
E705 · 15 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
Ryan George from Carry On & Youth Code
Ryan George is on the podcast this week and we discuss the Central Coast beginnings pre-Carry On, to A Life Less Plagued, to where things sit now with the Carry On reunion shows. We talk about that early 2000s moment when hardcore was shifting, how Carry On fit between youth crew and the darker wave that followed, and what it’s like playing those songs again in front of a new generation. We also get into The Adored era, finding a different lane outside of hardcore, and how all of that fed directly into Youth Code. Past, present, and everything in between.Weekly Recommendation Playlist…
E704 · 8 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
Jeff Hydro from Turmoil
In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Hydro of Turmoil to trace the arc of a band that helped define late ’90s metallic hardcore scene. Jeff takes us back to Turmoil’s early days in the Lehigh Valley hardcore scene, unpacking how that tight-knit Pennsylvania community forged their identity, intensity, and work ethic. From there, we get into life on the road in Europe specifically what it was like linking up with Madball during a time when U.S. hardcore was exploding overseas, and how those tours cemented Turmoil’s global reputation.We also dig into the complicated legacy of a band that…
E703 · 1 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Leah B. Levinson from Agriculture
In this episode, I sit down with Leah B. Levinson of Agriculture to trace a path that starts in the unlikely corners of Poway, California—where punk and hardcore weren’t just genres, but survival tools—and stretches into the band’s fully realized, ecstatic take on heavy music. Growing up around DIY spaces and tight-knit scenes, Leah carries that foundational ethos into everything they do, whether it’s the emotional directness of their lyrics or the communal energy embedded in Agriculture’s sound.We get into the instrument that’s become central to their voice—the Jazz bass—and how its tone…
E702 · 25 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Jennifer Finch from L7
This episode features Jennifer Finch — musician, photographer, archivist, and cultural lifer whose work stretches far beyond her time in L7. We get into her earliest bands, including the experimental duo Uh and Sugar Babydoll / Pagan Babies with Courtney Love and Kat Bjelland, her move back to Los Angeles before joining L7, and what it felt like to be inside a band that became part of a larger cultural shift.We also talk about her post-L7 projects like Other Star People — recorded near Lake Havasu at Roy Thomas Baker’s studio and released on Interscope — and The Shocker, which toured Europe…
E701 · 18 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Uri Avila from Trauma Ray
Uri Avila from Trauma Ray joins the show to talk about the band’s path from the Texas DIY scene to the release of their new EP Carnival. We get into his early musical upbringing playing church music, how those experiences shaped his sense of melody and atmosphere, and the unexpected ways things like karaoke and video games fed into his creative life. Uri also talks about how Trauma Ray evolved from a loose recording project into a full band, finding their place between shoegaze, post-punk, and heavier underground scenes, and what it’s been like seeing the project reach a wider audience while…

About 100 Words Or Less: The Podcast

100 Words Or Less: The Podcast is a English music podcast from Ray Harkins. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Ray Harkins
Language: English
Category: Music
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 9 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id394647425

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