Ahead of their first U.S. tour, the self-described “cyber pagan” duo talks mythology, creative freedom, emotional catharsis, Skyrim, Viking synthesizers, and the pursuit of absolute chaos.

By Drew Latshaw

There are bands that borrow from the past, bands that attempt to recreate it, and bands that seem determined to tear pieces from several different centuries, throw them into a cauldron, electrify the whole thing, and see what crawls out.

Then there is EIHWAR.

The duo of Asrunn and Mark occupies a strange intersection of Nordic and pagan imagery, pounding percussion, throat singing, electronic music, ritual, mythology, and an almost gleeful disregard for where one genre is supposed to end and another begin.

Ask Asrunn to categorize it, and she offers a wonderfully appropriate description: “cyber pagan.”

But EIHWAR isn’t particularly interested in historical reenactment. In their mythology, Asrunn and Mark are spirits from Hugrheim, the hidden tenth world of Yggdrasil, inhabiting human hosts whose real identities are deliberately irrelevant.

Their mission here on Midgard?

According to Asrunn, it is to create “the most gloriously joyful chaos possible on stage.”

With EIHWAR preparing to bring that chaos across the Atlantic for their first U.S. tour, including a September 19 stop at A&R Music Bar in Columbus, Ohio, I spoke with Asrunn and Mark about the world they’ve created, the collision of ancient imagery and modern technology, the emotional purpose beneath the spectacle, and whether Vikings would have appreciated a truly filthy synthesizer bassline.

Entering the World of EIHWAR

Drew Latshaw: For someone encountering EIHWAR for the first time, who is EIHWAR, and what do you want that person to understand before they enter your world?

Asrunn: Eihwar is an electro-folk duo that could probably be filed under the completely made-up genre of “cyber pagan.”

The two musicians are called Asrunn and Mark. They are spirits from Hugrheim, the hidden tenth world of Yggdrasil, who have taken possession of two humans whose identities shall remain undisclosed, because they are of absolutely no interest whatsoever.

Their mission is to create the most gloriously joyful chaos possible on stage, giving everyone at their concerts permission to do exactly the same. To let go of whatever stiffness they brought with them, whether moral, physical, or psychological, and remember that dancing like a possessed maniac is, in fact, a perfectly respectable life choice.

If all goes according to plan, some people may even end up reaching a state of trance. Which, as it turns out, is surprisingly good for you on just about every level.

Drew: EIHWAR combines Nordic and pagan imagery, traditional sounds, throat singing, percussion and modern electronic music. How did you arrive at that combination rather than pursuing a more traditional folk or metal sound?

Asrunn: The truth is, we’re not trying to achieve anything in particular. We simply do what we deeply love.

When we compose, Mark and I are in constant dialogue. It’s an endless game of creative ping-pong where every idea sparks another, and together we end up discovering things that neither of us would ever have found alone.
We just let everything that genuinely moves us coexist until, at some point, we look at each other and say:

“Wow… that’s it.”

Drew: Where does the mythology end and EIHWAR itself begin? Are Asrunn and Mark characters you step into for the project, extensions of yourselves, or something somewhere between the two?

Asrunn: We coexist with the spirits of our human hosts, sharing the same bodies. Which, admittedly, hasn’t been the easiest experience for them. There was a point when they were fairly convinced they had developed schizophrenia. Understandable, really.

The funny part is watching what happens when I take full control of my human host, right before we go on stage, for example. All it takes is for her to put that wolf skull on her head, and everything changes. Her posture shifts. Her voice changes. The rather solitary, almost autistic person she usually is suddenly disappears… and turns into me.

A glorious walking catastrophe.

Ancient Inspiration, Modern World

Drew: There has been an enormous international appetite for Nordic, Viking and pagan-inspired music over the last decade. Why do you think these ancient stories and sounds are connecting so strongly with modern audiences?

Asrunn: It’s the path every civilization on the verge of collapse seems to take: a return to spirituality, to nature, to its roots, to a deeper need for human connection, precisely when everything around it appears to be suffering from accelerating dehumanization.

That’s why our concerts are meant to be moments of communion. Moments to be together. To celebrate joy, movement, surrender, and the raw energy of being alive.

To me, it makes perfect sense that this growing hunger for meaning goes hand in hand with the darkness the human world seems to be sinking into.

Drew: With that popularity also comes the danger of reducing an incredibly complicated history and culture to Vikings, axes and aesthetics. How important is authenticity to EIHWAR, and how do you separate genuine inspiration from theatrical mythology?

Mark: If I may, sometimes there is some confusion between the idea of authenticity and that of historical and ethnomusicological research. Eihwar is the most authentic and sincere project we have ever done, and yet its purpose is in no way academic research.

Trying to discover ancient Nordic music through Eihwar would be like trying to learn about the life cycle of the red-eared slider by watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

We are artists, and above all, we want to create new music, using the technological means of the era in which we are incarnated. And we do it with all our heart and all our guts.

I would also add that if our songs speak of an ancient world, they are not about the Earth you know, but about Hugrheim.

Drew: Your performances are extremely visual. When you’re designing an EIHWAR show, how much consideration goes into costumes, movement, lighting and staging compared with the music itself?

Asrunn: We’re only two people on stage, so filling the space is naturally much more challenging than it is for a four- or five-piece band with a drummer. In fact, for the first three years, we were completely “naked” on stage. It took our lighting designer, Yann, creating what he calls “our house” to give our live shows a more defined visual identity and frame everything that happens on stage.

As for the costumes, I make them myself. I’m constantly creating something. If I’m not drawing or making music, I’m sewing, working with leather, or crocheting. It’s an obsession. So it felt only natural for me to take charge of Eihwar’s overall artistic direction, with Mark’s kind but uncompromising eye making sure everything holds together.

Drew: There is something fascinating about combining sounds associated with the ancient world with synthesizers, electronics and modern production. Do you see that contradiction as part of EIHWAR’s identity?

Asrunn: For us, there is neither anything unusual nor any contradiction in what we do. We simply listen to what’s in our heads and in our guts.

I’m always surprised by how many people insist on saying that we divide opinion. As Oscar Wilde once said, “When critics disagree, the artist is in accord with himself.” I can’t think of a better way to sum it up.

EIHWAR Comes to America

Drew: This is EIHWAR’s first American tour. What are you most curious to discover about American audiences?

Asrunn: I’ve been told it’s the wildest, most fired-up crowd in the world. I can’t wait to see for myself.

Drew: American audiences sometimes experience Nordic and European folk traditions primarily through movies, television, games and popular culture. Are you curious how Americans will interpret EIHWAR compared with European audiences who may have a different relationship with that history?

Asrunn: Very honestly, I don’t really care about those considerations (no offense). I just hope people have a great time, that they experience the moment wholeheartedly, with as much joy and emotion as possible.

Questions of historical authenticity and tradition don’t really concern me. It’s 2026, we use Instagram and play on synths. We might as well live in the present.

Drew: When someone walks into one of these American shows knowing absolutely nothing about EIHWAR, what do you hope they’re telling their friends when they walk out afterward?

Asrunn: “It was SO MUCH FUN! I had an absolute blast. You HAVE to come with me next time!!”

Beneath the Spectacle

Drew: Beneath the spectacle, percussion and intensity, what emotions are you actually trying to explore through EIHWAR?

Asrunn: All of them.

I have a body on Midgard. I don’t have one in Hugrheim. So through this body, I get to experience joy, anger, love, sadness, gratitude, irritation, excitement, heartbreak… everything.
No emotion is meant to be suppressed. They’re all here to warn us, guide us, and start a conversation with us.

I wish humans would treat every one of their emotions with the same attention and the same importance.

Drew: As EIHWAR becomes larger internationally, how do you protect the strange, experimental qualities that made the project interesting in the first place?

Asrunn: I’ll probably sound repetitive, but it’s the truest and most honest answer I can give: we never set out to achieve anything, and we never planned any of it.

The Forge, the track we uploaded to YouTube on February 15, 2023, has exactly the same DNA as Omenotharena, from our latest album.

As long as we’re driven by that same childlike excitement, I don’t think there’s anything to preserve. Everything simply flows out of us, naturally and without effort.

Mark: Our arrangement with our record label, Season of Mist, is that they give us complete freedom over our music and visuals. We have always made the music and videos we wanted to make, and the fact that the band is growing won’t change that.

We sometimes get advice: some people would like us to bring in acoustic musicians, others would like us to have dancers, etc. We never take that advice into account.

We’ll keep doing exactly what we’ve always wanted to do: being a duo with an electronic setup, mixing the underground sound of EBM with pagan music.

Drew: You’ve now played places and stages that presumably seemed very distant when EIHWAR began. What is something you still want to accomplish that would make the two of you look at each other and say, “How the hell did this happen?”

Asrunn: Hahaha! That’s actually exactly what we say to each other every time we reach a new milestone.

Hellfest, Wacken, our first European headline tour on a nightliner, that was almost sold out everywhere, millions of views on YouTube, recently reaching 100K on Facebook and Instagram… all of it already feels so absurdly extraordinary that if everything were to end tomorrow, we’d still have enough joy to last our human hosts for the rest of their lives. 🙂

The Important Questions

Of course, no conversation involving Viking spirits, pagan electronics and possession should be allowed to end entirely seriously.

Drew: You are allowed to summon one figure from Norse mythology to join EIHWAR onstage for one song. Who are you summoning, and what instrument are you giving them?

Asrunn: Ahah, Odin obviously, He’d join Mark for an epic percussion battle on a pair of giant drums!

Drew: If archaeologists discover EIHWAR’s music 1,000 years from now with absolutely no context, what completely incorrect conclusion do you hope they reach about our civilization?

Asrunn: Hahaha, I love this question! That Skyrim was a history textbook in school. HAHA! There you go, that’s exactly the kind of wonderfully stupid answer I enjoy. XD
Drew: And finally, perhaps the most important question of the interview: Do you think the Vikings would have approved of synthesizers?

Asrunn: Of course they would! They were bold, endlessly curious, always eager to embrace anything that could enrich, improve, or simply make life easier.

And honestly… imagine a filthy, earth-shaking bassline blasting while a crew of Vikings rows a longship in perfect rhythm. Tell me that wouldn’t look absolutely badass.

On that mental image, there really isn’t much left to add.

EIHWAR’s first encounter with American audiences is approaching, and if Asrunn and Mark get what they’re hoping for, those audiences won’t leave debating the historical accuracy of what they witnessed.

They’ll leave sweaty, exhausted, possibly slightly bewildered, and telling somebody else that next time, they need to come along.

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House of Blues

Chicago, IL

Aug, 08

by Keeton Robinson

Jon B. brought an unforgettable evening of classic R&B and smooth soul to the House of Blues Chicago on August 6, reminding fans why his music has remained a staple of the genre for decades.

From the moment he stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere inside the packed House of Blues shifted into something special. The crowd was ready to sing, dance, and relive the soundtrack of an era, and Jon B. delivered with the confidence and warmth of a seasoned performer.

His unmistakable vocals were the centerpiece of the night. Songs like “They Don’t Know,” “Are U Still Down,” “Someone to Love,” and “Pretty Girl” had longtime fans singing along word for word. Rather than simply performing the hits, Jon B. gave the audience a chance to reconnect with the memories attached to them.

The intimate, standing-room setting worked particularly well for the show. The House of Blues’ concert environment put the audience close to the action, creating an energetic exchange between artist and fans.

What stood out most was Jon B.’s ability to bridge generations. Older fans came for the nostalgia, while younger R&B listeners experienced firsthand the smooth songwriting and vocal style that helped define Jon B.’s place in contemporary R&B.

The night wasn’t just about looking backward, though. Jon B. showed that his music still carries emotional weight today. His performance blended romance, nostalgia, groove, and genuine connection, making it easy to understand why fans continue to show up decades into his career.

By the end of the evening, the message was clear: Jon B. still has it. His Chicago performance was a celebration of classic R&B, a reminder of the power of timeless songs, and a night that left the House of Blues crowd with plenty to remember.

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By Rob McCune

For one night, the historic streetcar suburb of Cleveland Heights in northeast Ohio got down and funky French Quarter-style.

New Orleans originals Trombone Shorty (with Orleans Avenue) and Tank and the Bangas kicked off the summer concert series at Evans Amphitheatre at Cain Park.

Tank and the Bangas, led by Tarriona “Tank” Ball, warmed up the crowd on a hot August night, briefly doused in a downpour toward the end of their set. The band, which formed in 2011 and gained some notoriety with a 2017 performance for NPR’s Tiny Desk and a 2020 Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist, is touring a new album, “The Last Balloon.” Its their fourth studio record, following the debut “Thinktank” and then 2019’s “Green Balloon” and 2022’s “Red Balloon.”

Tank’s style – a mix of funk, soul, hip hop, rock, and spoken word – is truly original and joyfully infectious. It feels organic, created on the spot, like a conversation with the crowd that couldn’t be exactly the same every night. The big-jazz-band sound and background vocals add flair and finesse, but it’s Tank and her big hair, bigger smile, and sparkling personality that drives this train.

Taking that energy to an even higher level, headliner Trombone Shorty (aka Troy Andrews) burst onto the stage, backed by the band Orleans Avenue, and brought the house down. Shorty has a stage presence like Usher, but with a trombone (or two). He rarely stops moving, dancing, working the crowd, and all the while spotlighting the musicians he shares the stage with. Hoisting his brass in the air, he lit a fire in this outdoor arena that raged for the full set and then some.

Fusing rock, hip hop, jazz and funk, his on-stage entourage features a pair of sassy backup singers, drums, guitar and saxophone. Not even the gray-haired contingent in the crowd could resist clapping along to “booty claps” and jams that felt improvisational, though perfected. He brought “Hurricane Season” and “Fire and Brimstone” on a night not to be forgotten soon.

Trombone Shorty’s can’t-miss tour continues through the summer with support from the likes of Ziggy Marley, Larkin Poe and St. Paul & The Broken Bones.

Follow Rob McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

Trombone Shorty Website | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | X |

By Rob McCune

On a co-headlining tour, Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik and Edwin McCain have true brotherly chemistry that also extends to their bandmates.

These guys clearly enjoy each other’s company.

It goes beyond respect for the music. Both are inarguably incredible songwriters, even if only taking into account McCain’s top-5-Billboard “I’ll Be” and Ondrasik’s emblematic “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” but they have between them at least a dozen hits that occupy permanent pages in the Great American Songbook. And each is quick to give the other props in this arena.

They’re also both great storytellers, which may seem inherent in their songwriting prowess, but not every great songwriter can tell a coherent story on a stage, in a spotlight, without the benefit of a backing track. And these guys are not only coherent in their stage banter; they are captivating. Funny, reflective, humble and heartfelt.

They share a similar sense of humor about it all—fame, family and everything in between.

And whether you agree with or even know their personal political viewpoints, there’s no denying their devotion to the country’s freedom-fighting military servicemen and women and veterans.

Both have enjoyed careers making and sharing music for more than 30 years. And they could easily fill an hour set with their own catalogs.
But they take time to connect with and engage the audience. Sometimes through other artists’ music. Ondrasik on piano treated the crowd at Northfield Park Racino (Northfield, Ohio) with covers of “perfect” songs by Elton John (“Rocketman”) and The Eagles (“Desperado”). And a surprise encore duo on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was a delight.

Seeing these two share a stage, it seems obvious that they should do that again, and as often as possible.

Before the show, I got 15 minutes with Ondrasik to talk about this tour for the “Every.Thing.After Podcast.” Watch that interview and read the transcript below.

Every.Thing.After: Hey, I’m here with John Ondrasik from Five for Fighting. We’re backstage at the Northfield Park Racino. John’s about to go on stage with Edwin McCain on this tour. Tell us a little bit about this tour. What are you excited about?

John Ondrasik: It’s been a blast. I mean, Edwin and his guys are awesome. You know, to hear “I’ll Be” every night, I always get a little choked up. The crowds have been great. It’s a lot of fun, kind of taking turns headlining and going back and forth. And as I said, it’s always great to be back in the bus with the boys.

ETA: Are you looking forward to anything in particular coming up on this tour? Any particular stop?

Ondrasik: Well, you know, I think I enjoy going to towns I’ve never been to before. You know, we were just up kind of at the tip of Michigan, which is really fun. And we’ll be heading to Cincinnati tomorrow, and I’m excited about Graeter’s Ice Cream, because I always go there first.

ETA: There you go. That’s a good reason to visit Cincinnati. How about outside of the tour? What’s coming up after that for Fight for Fighting?

Ondrasik: Well, we may be, we’re in the process of putting together something for USA 250. So look for us on July 4th. Looking to do something with the Navy and celebrate our troops, our sailors, and our veterans. So that’s something we’re really excited about.

ETA: I think that’s great. You’ve done a lot of work with the Gary Sinise Foundation. You’ve done a lot of work around veterans and celebrating the active military as well. I think you’ve never really shied away from messaging and music either. And your music has inspired and really been an anthem for everyone from first responders to military members, people around the world. Why do you think music has that particular power to speak to people in that way. And do you feel like that’s a responsibility that you carry as a musician and a songwriter?

Ondrasik: I think everybody can do it their own way. I don’t think anybody’s obligated to do anything. I certainly have a great love and respect for our troops, and I’ve been honored to perform for them my whole career and tell their stories and get to know them. I have no military in my family, but as you mentioned, my pal Gary Sinise and I, we understand that the blessings we have, the freedom we have. At the end of the day, it depends on our troops and their families. So they allow us the freedom of speech to get up and say whatever we want, and people can get mad or be excited about it. And so again, I think it’s easy to do. And tonight we’ll be doing a song called “Two Lights” that really recognizes our military families. We always do at least one song per show that salutes our troops.

ETA: I think that’s awesome. You’re also quite a voice in terms of human rights around the world. You speak out on issues like Gaza and what’s going on in Iran. How do you feel like the music industry or musicians in particular should be responding to the times that we’re in globally?

Ondrasik: Well, again, I think if you look back in history, you get a sense of the times from the music of the times. If you go back to the Civil Rights era and you listen to the songs, [or during] the Vietnam War, listen to the songs. … My voice is not any less or more important than anybody else’s, but I just have a certain point of view. And again, I’m not afraid to use it. I tend to be in the minority these days of certain issues. But that’s part of America. That’s part of the freedom we’re celebrating with USA 250. And whether it’s our Afghan veterans or the Jewish people around the world or the Ukrainian folks, I like to align myself with the good guys and I like to write songs that support them.

ETA: John, besides Graeter’s Ice Cream, what keeps you going at the end of the day? What sustains you?

Ondrasik: Yeah, I think musically, knowing every night there’s going to be someone out there in the audience that’s only going to see me once in my lifetime. And I feel I owe them my best effort. And the fact that, and Edwin would say this too, the fact that 25, 30 years later, people are still coming and singing our songs with us is something we don’t take for granted. It’s truly a blessing. I think as long as folks enjoy it, I certainly enjoy it. I like the camaraderie with the band and talking to folks and frankly seeing the young generation who frankly weren’t born yet when I wrote these songs singing along. So I think all of that stuff keeps me inspired. And I still feel my best song is yet to be written. I still feel that I have something to say. And as I said, as a songwriter, to have hit songs is great, but to have a 30-, 40-year career is, I think, what we all dream about.

ETA: Oh, yeah, absolutely. I love to hear that you are writing songs still. Can we expect some new music at some point?

Ondrasik: Yeah, I think at some point. I’ve been dabbling on this tour. We get the keyboard in here, and I have a few things. And I think eventually they’ll come out. I have so many obligations to so many things within music and outside of music that takes up so much of my time. But I’ve been in the studio with my daughter working on some of her music, and it’s really kind of given me the bug back to get back in the studio and that whole experience, which again is very special. I wouldn’t be surprised in the next year or two, you’ll hear some some new Five For Fighting songs, and some may be about the world, and some probably won’t be.

ETA: That’s great. I love to hear you in the studio with your daughter, too. I bet that’s a really special moment.

Ondrasik: It’s wonderful.
ETA: Growing up with you and around music and everything, that’s something that you’ve imparted on her?

Ondrasik: Yeah, she has the passion for it. We certainly didn’t push our kids into the arts, and we certainly didn’t try to dissuade them from the arts. And she’s a much better songwriter at her age than I was at her age. And she opens for us with her folk band, Lace and Lee, on the string quartet tours. But now she’s been doing some more kind of pop, esoteric music, rock, that we’ve been working on. And so it’s great. I mean, we kind of lived through her vicariously, and she works hard, and she understands that a lot of this has nothing to do with talents, but work ethic, relationships, perseverance, and I think she has all those things.

ETA: People sometimes say, “If you could go back 30, 40 years from now and tell your younger self something, give yourself a lesson, tell yourself to watch out for something that may be coming …” I mean, you sort of have, in a way, an opportunity to do that with your daughter as she’s starting out in her music career. What lessons have you imparted to her? Have you given her any kind of advice about what to avoid or what to lean into?

Ondrasik: One thing I do tell her is: “find time to enjoy what you’re doing.” I think particularly the younger generation these days, always, they want immediate satisfaction. And if you don’t have a million followers by the time you’re 22, you’re a failure. And that’s not how the world works. And especially in the arts, there’s no guarantee. You know, it’s not necessarily a meritocracy. A lot of it is fluke, fate. You know, for me, I didn’t have a hit song until I was 30 years old, which is very rare. But you do it because you love it. And there’s work, there’s bad times, there’s rejection, there’s all that stuff. But enjoy what you’re doing because it is a blessing to be able to do it. And I would tell myself the same thing: “quit future tripping, quit dwelling on the past.” But that’s what my songs are about, right? So I’m writing myself these little post-it notes anyways. And I probably would have done a little more collaborating. But you know what? I have no regrets. I wouldn’t change a thing. And again, it’s her career. She does it her way. And I love letting her find her own way. So I don’t give her a ton of advice.

ETA: Is there someone out there that you’d still really love to collaborate with? How about something with Edwin?

Ondrasik: We get up on stage and sing together every night, so we have a lot of fun together. And I mean, what a great singer he is. And one thing I see every night is what an amazing entertainer he is. He is funny. He is smart. You know, obviously the band is incredible. His bandmates have been with him for decades. So yeah, I mean, it’d be great. We did a show the other night and Brian (Vander Ark) from the Verve Pipe was actually there, too. We all kind of were reminiscing about the days where you would hear our songs back-to-back to back, you know, on the radio. But yeah, you know, as I said, I’m always looking to be inspired and find new opportunities. And, you know, maybe I’ll sit down with Paul McCartney and write something. That’s always been a fantasy of mine.

ETA: Is there a new artist, someone that’s up and coming, besides your daughter, that you’d like to call out, that you think is really doing something special right now?

Ondrasik: You know, I don’t even know what’s going on in the music world these days. To me, like, Ray LaMontagne is a new artist. That’s how out of the loop I am. But my daughter will play me stuff once in a while and it’ll be like, “oh, that’s cool.” And the nice thing about the Internet age is you don’t need a record company to find an audience. So that’s a long answer to say I have no idea.

ETA: All right, cool. John, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me. I really appreciate it. I’m going to end with the question I ask everybody, which is, John, what’s your everything after?

Ondrasik: If it’s about, what’s the big picture, and it’s sometimes it’s hard to walk the walk or talk the talk, but I think having a certain gratitude for what you have. There’s always problems. We always have challenges. Some people have very serious challenges. But for me, you know, whenever something doesn’t go well or a show goes bad or something, I remind myself how fortunate I am, not just in my personal life, but living in the greatest nation that’s ever existed and the freedoms we have. And having that gratitude, I think, gives you a perspective. We have problems, we have things that go wrong, but at the end of the day, they typically are pretty small things. And try to keep that perspective.

Follow Rob McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

FIVE FOR FIGHTING- Website | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | X |

Ahead of the release of their upcoming album, They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness, I sat down with Nox for a conversation that went far beyond music. We discussed the origins of Curse of Torchia, the relationship between artist and persona, the meaning behind the band’s evolving mythology, and how storytelling, emotion, and identity intertwine within their work.

What followed was less a traditional interview and more a journey into the shadows where art, imagination, and self-discovery converge.

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By Rob McCune

While 30 miles north at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, “The Boss” was holding court with a “No Kings” concert, in Wadsworth, Ohio, we had something more like “The Bobs” from Office Space as comedian/singer Hal Sparks and the boys of Nerd Halen rocked out a parody-slash-tribute to the divine Edward Van Halen, hallowed be thy name, that was full-on energy, laughs and fun.

Sparks co-founded the band with lead guitarist Caleb Rapoport after the duo met at LA’s Whisky A Go Go nightclub, and their affinity for Van Halen is abundantly clear from the joy and energy that they bring to this act.

A blend of musical theater, stand-up comedy and raw, zealous rock’n’roll, Nerd Halen casts its band members – which also include Victor Broden on bass and Jeff Page on drums – as pencil-pushing, pocket-protector-wearing office nerds in shirt-and-tie and spectacles with frames taped together between the lenses, presumably because they were previously snapped in two by some bully.

Pony-tailed Sparks resembles Marty’s dad, George McFly (“Back to the Future”), still in his nerd era … sometime after he punched out Biff outside the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance on Nov. 12, 1955, but before he achieved cool as a successful published sci-fi author in the butterfly-effected new 1985. Rapoport is more like Gilbert (Anthony Edwards) from “Revenge of the Nerds,” without the jumpsuit but in neon yellow attire for the Lambda Lambda Lambda rap. His red-and-white-striped electric guitar sports a stubby Yellow No. 2 pencil above the fret board, which is a signature of the band, now appearing on the latest T-shirts and merch. Broden’s nerd vibe with stache, meanwhile, is reminiscent of Kip Dynamite (Napoleon’s brother); and Page in sweater vest, bow tie and tatts could be compared to newly converted Ogre in “Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds In Paradise.”

The Nerds ripped guitar and drum solos on Van Halen anthems from every era, starting with “Running With the Devil,” off the self-titled 1978 records, and including pop-ified hits from the Sammy Hagar timeline like “Runaround” and “Poundcake.” For those songs, the stage’s digital band-name backdrop transitions to “Nerd Hagar.”

Sparks, who some fans might remember as the host of the E! network’s “Talk Soup” Weekend-Update-like riff on daytime talk shows that ran from 1999-2000, is surprisingly effective at contorting his voice to achieve the rock rasp of Van Halen’s frontmen. He’s got David Lee Roth’s rambunctious stage presence, but his voice seems more suited to Hagar’s pitch.

The group mostly stays faithful to the original lyrics in their performance – but Sparks interjects comedic commentary between and during songs, sometimes doing crowd work, like pointing out an audience member’s Van Halen shirt, and sometimes addressing the shaky-at-best morality and legality of the topics addressed (as with “Hot For Teacher”).

Sparks and Rapoport both also defy their nerdy aesthetics at various points in the set, but particularly during “Jump,” for obvious reasons, with epic, sky-high, rock-n-roll leap-kicks from the drum platform.

It all works tremendously well, appealing both to the die-hard Van Halen fans dancing in the aisles as well as those eager for a laugh and a good time.

Nerd Halen’s “Mom’s Minivan Tour” hit venues in Ohio, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Dallas before moseying back to the west coast. Catch them when and where you can.

Follow Rob McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

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By Rob McCune

There’s a breed of classic rock that just means old. Then there’s rock that has always sounded, and felt, classic, ever since the first time it squelched out of that old transistor radio in the dash of a 1971 Dodge Charger.

The music of Foghat and Nazareth falls into the latter category.

Songs like “Slow Ride,” “The Weight,” “Stone Blue,” “Hair of the Dog,” “Fool for the City” and “Love Hurts” have dominated the FM dial for decades, and anyone with at least one gray hair in their head is more likely to belt out those iconic lyrics than station hop.

Many surely have memories attached to one or more Foghat and Nazareth hit.

On tour together in the U.S., this double-header is high-octane, like a snazzy little souped-up, 4-wheel drive.

And these bands have no doubt been souped-up, modified, even slightly modernized in the decades since they got their starts.
Nazareth, formed in 1968 in Scotland; and Foghat, born in London in 2971, both still have one original member. For Nazareth, it’s bassist Pete Agnew, who has also supported bands such as The Who, Cream and Deep Purple. Foghat, meanwhile, still has on its drum kit the legendary Roger Earl.

Fronting Nazareth since just 2025 is Gianni Pontillo, a boisterous Italian in a three-quarter-buttoned-down, paisley-patterned denim dress shirt and a chain and pendant nestled in his chest hair. He may be the group’s newbie, but he hits all the right raspy notes with a voice that seems made for this.

Foghat’s lead singer since 2022, Scott Holt, a Tennessean and blues rocker who played with Buddy Guy for over a decade. With his shaved head, goatee, and hoop earrings has a look that’s of a different era. His style and cool bring Foghat forward as well – the band that released its latest album in 2023 feeling just as current as ever. Still, he plays the classics, the hits, with reverence for the founders and the soul and sound. He introduces each song on the setlist with: “It feels like this.” And the band, and the crowd, does feel it more than hear it. The music moves through you.

Jimmy Murrison on lead guitar and Lee Agnew on drums, part of Nazareth since 1994 and 1999 respectively, rock these songs out like they’ve played them all their lives.

Bryan Bassett on lead guitar and Rodney O’Quinn on bass, as well as vocals, also carry Foghat’s fire expertly and have done so since 1999 and 2015. Bassett brought some signature funk to a special rendition of “Play That Funky Music,” a song originally released by the band Wild Cherry, of which he was a member in the 1970s. O’Quinn, formerly of the Pat Travers Band, took lead vocals on “Stone Blue” and delighted the crowd with his banter and reminiscing.

Neither of these bands seem content to stick to just the classics, continuing to make new music, but making it “classic” all the same.

The Foghat and Nazareth tour continues through May in the U.S. Then Nazareth heads to Finland for a couple of shows before finishing out the summer with dates from North Dakota to California. Nazareth will take a separate path through Europe starting in June for its Bending the Rules Tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of “Love Hurts.”

Follow Rob McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

Foghat- Website | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram |

Nazareth- Website | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram |

by Dan Locke

COVER TEASER

“We’re coming to your town… we’ll help you party it down.”
Grand Funk Railroad’s Don Brewer looks back at fifty years on the road, anthems that shaped rock radio, battles behind the scenes, and why—after all this time—the music still hits just as hard.

THE HEARTBEAT OF AMERICAN ROCK: DON BREWER ON FIVE DECADES OF FUNK, FIRE & FM RADIO

There’s a certain rhythm that underpins American rock: a pulse equal parts grit, sweat, and rebellion. Few drummers personify that heartbeat more than Don Brewer, co‑founder and longtime rhythmic anchor of Grand Funk Railroad. With his unmistakable backbeat, powerhouse vocals, and songwriting chops, Brewer helped turn a blue‑collar trio from Flint, Michigan into one of the biggest arena‑filling acts of the 1970s.

From the early days of playing gymnasiums, to breaking the Beatles’ record by selling out Shea Stadium, to shifting gears in the era of FM hit radio, Brewer’s journey mirrors the evolution of American rock itself. In this expanded interview, he opens up about the music, the mayhem, the management battles, the fans, and the future.

Q&A WITH DON BREWER (EXTENDED EDITION)

EARLY DAYS — FROM GYM FLOORS TO FESTIVAL STAGES

Q: Grand Funk Railroad started in the late ’60s, right?
A: That’s right—1969. That was our first official show.

Q: Do you remember that show?
A: Vaguely. It was somewhere near Buffalo or across the border in Canada. Just a gymnasium dance, nothing glamorous. But it was new, exciting—we’d just taken on the name Grand Funk Railroad, and we were still figuring out who we were as a band.

Q: And pretty soon you were on massive stages.
A: The real turning point was the first Atlanta Pop Festival. We went down there as a favor for a friend and played for free. First day, 30,000 people. We finished our set and suddenly it was like, “Who are these guys?” The buzz was instant.

Q: That kind of exposure in 1969 was huge.
A: Massive. Back then, festivals were how you got discovered. No internet. No viral clips. You played your heart out and hoped people talked about you.
And they talked about us.

THE ROCKET RIDE — SHEA STADIUM & BEYOND

Q: Let’s talk Shea Stadium.
A: That was 1971. One of the wildest moments of our career. We were coming off our third album Closer to Home, which had “I’m Your Captain” on it. We’d built this insane fan base, and the Shea show sold out faster than the Beatles—a record at the time.

Q: Did you feel that momentum in the moment, or only in hindsight?
A: Both. You could feel the energy changing. We’d gone from being the underdogs the critics hated to this unstoppable live act fans adored. Shea was the confirmation.

THE BUSINESS BATTLES — “WE DISCOVERED THE TRUTH THE HARD WAY”

Q: You went through a major management dispute around then.
A: Yes. We found out our manager Terry Knight—and a couple attorneys working with him—had been taking our money. A huge chunk of it. We were young, hungry, and trusting. Bad combination.
Rock and roll isn’t just guitars and drums—it’s contracts, and not always good ones.

Q: That must have changed everything.
A: It forced us to grow up quickly. Suddenly we weren’t just musicians—we were a business fighting to survive.

FM RADIO CHANGES — ADAPTING OR DYING

Q: Around that time, FM radio was shifting too.
A: Oh, absolutely. FM underground radio used to play 7‑minute songs. Long arrangements. Experimental stuff. Then suddenly FM stations wanted tight, radio‑friendly, three‑minute singles. If you didn’t adapt, you disappeared.

Q: And that’s when Todd Rundgren entered the picture.
A: Exactly. We needed a new direction. Todd helped us craft a punchier, hit‑driven sound without losing who we were.

TODD RUNDGREN — “HE CHANGED HOW WE HEARD OURSELVES”

Q: What was working with Todd Rundgren like?
A: Fantastic. Todd recorded things the way he wanted them to sound in the end—effects, EQ, everything—right into the headphones. So while you’re performing, you’re already hearing the final product. That changes how you play. Most engineers kept everything dry until the mix stage. Todd blew that up.

Q: Did that affect your performances?
A: Completely. When you hear the real tone and texture in your headphones, you play differently—more confidently, more musically.

LYNN GOLDSMITH — PHOTOGRAPHY, IMAGE & THE POP SHIFT

Q: Lynn Goldsmith worked with you creatively as well.
A: She did. She added a poppier, more visual approach. Album photography, publicity strategy—she had a strong vision. At the time, FM radio was heading more toward mainstream pop, and what she brought fit that.

ROCK LORE — SWEET CONNIE, THE ROAD & “AMERICAN BAND”

Q: In “We’re an American Band,” you mention Sweet Connie.
A: Sweet Connie—Connie Hamzy—was introduced to us in Little Rock. She was legendary among musicians. I wrote the lyrics from real moments on the road. Connie, the “four young Chiquitas,” Freddie King, all those snapshots became part of the story.

Q: Did you ever meet Pamela Des Barres?
A: Not that I know of.

ZAPPA, SEGER & NEW CREATIVE WORLDS

Q: Frank Zappa produced one of your albums.
A: Yes, Good Singin’, Good Playin’. We’d seen 200 Motels, where he jokingly took a shot at Grand Funk. We thought it was hilarious and said, “Why not get Frank to produce us?” He loved the idea.
Working with him was incredible—funny, smart, sharp as a razor.

Q: And you’ve worked with Bob Seger for decades.
A: I’ve been his touring drummer on and off for forty years. Bob runs a tight ship, and the band is always top‑notch. Playing with him keeps you sharp.

THE FANS — FOUR GENERATIONS STRONG

Q: How has the fan base changed since the ’60s?
A: The same fans—just older and grayer!
But now they bring their kids and grandkids. Seeing four generations sing “Some Kind of Wonderful” or “We’re an American Band” together… that’s something special.

Q: That must be surreal.
A: It is. That’s when it hits you—you’ve become part of people’s lives.

DRUMS, TECHNOLOGY & THE MODERN STAGE

Q: How has drum technology changed for you?
A: The drums themselves? Not by much. They’re still acoustic instruments. But drumheads, sticks, hardware—they’re better than ever.
The real leap is the technology around the music: soundboards, PA systems, lighting, amplification. I wish we had today’s gear back in the 70s.

Q: Do you think musicians rely too heavily on tech today?
A: Sometimes, yeah. Technology is great, but it can overshadow the basics. A great song and a great performance—that’s what matters.

Q: Your drum heroes?
A: Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker, Dino Danelli… and older legends like Louie Bellson and Buddy Rich. Those guys were powerhouses.

OFF THE STAGE — LIFE, CARS & RADIO

Q: What’s on your phone musically?
A: I don’t listen to much music on my phone. Mostly talk radio. Satellite stations tend to repeat the same playlist over and over.

Q: First big purchase after your first gold record?
A: A 1974 Midnight Blue Thunderbird. Gorgeous car.

Q: When did you start playing drums?
A: Around 13 or 14. I hated clarinet, the band needed someone in the drum section, the drumline had girls in it, and my dad—who was a drummer—taught me. Easy decision.

THE ROAD TODAY — STILL ROLLING

Q: Your 2018 tour kicked off recently.
A: Yep, two shows so far. One in Delaware, another sold‑out show near Cleveland.
We stay busy. Grand Funk never really stopped touring.

Q: Favorite city from the early days?
A: I loved New York in the ’60s and ’70s. Now? Sedona, Arizona. Great energy, breathtaking scenery.

CLOSING THOUGHTS — “WE’RE STILL HAVING THE TIME OF OUR LIVES.”

Q: Any final message for fans?
A: This lineup has been together since 2000—18 years, which is rare. The last two years have been our best in decades.
We’re excited for another great year.
We’re coming to your town—come out and see us.

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Emily Wolfe is a triple-threat rock & roll singer-songwriter-guitarist and producer from Austin, TX, Wolfe is on a mission to breathe new life into classic rock & roll with her incendiary guitar chops and original songwriting. Wolfe’s creative songwriting, powerful lead vocals, and dominating guitar style has led her to share stages with Heart, Tool, The Gaslight Anthem, The Struts, Pretenders, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and more. Starting at the age of five as a self-taught guitarist, Wolfe has continually honed her craft, taking her playing to new heights. Her dedication and skill have earned her two signature Epiphone guitars: the Emily Wolfe Stealth and the Emily Wolfe White Wolfe.

Humans are tribal creatures, it’s true. Those days of yore when our ancestors were so leery of outsiders, risking all to keep their tribe safe may be long behind us but those instincts live on in our programing.  And today when most of the world doesn’t have to be so concerned about lions or pillagers sneaking up in the tall grass, those instincts have expressed themselves in other trifling ways. Take American football, for instance. Imagine loving ‘your’ team so much that you absolutely despise the team from the state just above, below, or aside from the state your team hails from. (And let’s also note that it’s very possible a player or two from ‘your’ team might even now play on that team in which you hate.)

This kind of behavior has also expressed itself in music. Not in the music itself but in the realm of music fandom. And it’s particularly hard on vocalists. We all know lovers of music who have ascribed themselves exclusively Team Bon Scott or Team Brian Johnson, or David Lee Roth versus “Van Hagar.” And sadly, these imagined rivalries often dominate over what’s most important – – – the music.

Music isn’t just fun it’s magical – music is freedom, it is healing, it’s lifesaving. The music should be the focal point of any music lover while enjoying the songs they love. And it’s important to have stated this because none of the following is in any way to slam current Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna. But, like many bands having been around more than four decades, Anthrax has had their share of line-up changes, and there are Anthrax fans who prefer either John Bush to Joey Belladonna or vice versa. But really, it’s difficult to even compare John Bush to Joey Belladonna as the singers have very different vocal styles.

That being said, those who prefer John Bush as the vocalist of Anthrax surely miss seeing songs of the Bush-era performed live. However, for three very special dates in December of this year, John Bush will be belting out some of his Anthrax catalog live. for one show in Los Angeles, one in the Chicago-area (St. Charles), and one more in New York City.

Despite having talked about doing this sort of show many times over the years, the time has come! Bush’s band, Category 7, will back him up for these special shows. Category 7 consists of Phil Demmel (ex-Machine Head, Vio-Lence), Mike Orlando (ex-Adrenaline Mob), Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, ex-Overkill) and Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning).

I recently caught up with John to discuss how this idea has finally come to fruition…

So many of Bush’s fans were thrilled to hear the announcement of these shows! How exactly did the planets align to make this a reality?

“Well there’s no time like the present,: stated Bush, “[I just turned] 62 years old, I feel great but I ain’t no spring chicken. There was a little free time in December so I pulled the trigger. Should be fun.”

I think for a lot of music lovers it was the song “Only” that really brought Anthrax to the forefront. Even with such an impressive repertoire of albums and material with Armored Saint, I know a lot of people feel that your songs with Anthrax during those years were really special. Do you feel that way as well when reflecting about that material?

 “I really believe there are a lot of killer songs throughout those four records. The band worked super hard during that time writing, recording, doing press, and of course touring. Not to mention dealing with record label woes and the big changes from the 80’s to the 90’s.”

Bush continued: “The glory years of Anthrax will always be associated with the 80’s, however; like you said there were many people who discovered the band in the 90’s. Hopefully, this little nostalgic trip makes some people happy.”

I think the only ‘complaint’ that I’ve heard about these shows is that it’s only three. I read that the geographical placement was important since there are only three, and that’s very cool. But do you think there will be more added at some point?

“Well, we’re starting with this. Who knows what the future holds.”

And are there perhaps any plans to video record these shows and perhaps put them out on DVD for purchase for the fans who can’t make it to these shows?

“You know I haven’t thought about that yet honestly,” stated Bush in earnest, “Does anyone buy DVD’s anymore?”

“But yes, it would be cool to film it for fans who aren’t close to the three cities.”

Although there’s not quite the cache of material to choose from for these shows as opposed to writing up a set list for an Armored Saint tour, is it still difficult at all to decide on some of the songs to perform? I’m sure some are no-brainers, choosing the fan favorites, but were there any that were harder decisions?

“I’m still singing to a lot of these songs and seeing if any deep tracks jump out at me before I finalize a set list. Obvious ones are easy. I would like each show to be a little different from one another but that being said, I don’t want to bite off more than I could chew. Plus, there’s also the band to consider. A lot of lyrics are coming back to me, but I also sang these songs many times. This is new territory for the C7 guys. That being said they’re amazing musicians and I have no doubts.”

Speaking of Category 7, it’s really cool that you have fellow Armored Saint band mate Joey [Vera] joining you for these shows as well since he has his own bit of Anthrax history as well. And all the guys you’ve brought together for this are wonderful. Even though I’m sure that there’s comfort in performing with the musicians you play with regularly, is there also an excitement for playing in new formations with other guys too?

“Joey’s my bro, and as you said he played in Anthrax for a brief time. I think the whole thing is exciting. Hopefully the fans will be pumped.”

Trust us, John, fans are pumped!