The Itch
The Itch Rock Podcast brings you artist interviews, album reviews, and concert stories from Aaron, KC, and Dan — three friends who’ve been rocking the airwaves on 89.1 KCLC-FM since 2004. They’re building community and exploring how music connects us, all with a lighthearted, semi-professional style. If it gets your head banging and your blood flowing, it’s an itch we’re here to scratch.
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The Itch
The Itch Rock Podcast brings you artist interviews, album reviews, and concert stories from Aaron, KC, and Dan — three friends who’ve been rocking the airwaves on 89.1 KCLC-FM since 2004. They’re building community and exploring how music connects us, all with a lighthearted, semi-professional style. If it gets your head banging and your blood flowing, it’s an itch we’re here to scratch.
New to The Itch? Start with some of our favorite interviews!
332
July 14, 2026
E332 Fury in Few Explores the Cost of Chasing Your Dreams on Their Debut Album How Bad Do You Want It?
This week, we're scratching The Itch to be dangerous! Brayden and Ryan of Fury in Few are back to answer the question How Bad Do You Want It? on their outstanding debut album. The guys take us on a track-by-track journey through the record, exploring their methods of adding "character" to songs, stretching themselves sonically to make the music they truly want, and how they're making social media work better for them without becoming part of the content creation machine. Plus, we'll discuss t
326
June 2, 2026
E326 Aurorawave on Shiprocked, Wave Day, and Turning Content Into Community
This week, we're scratching The Itch to ride the wave! Wave Day II in Santa Ana, California is only days away, and our boys in Aurorawave are so excited about it that the whole band stopped by to talk about their signature show, which also features Lexi Layne, Playuh, and the live solo debut of Sonny Dread of P.O.D.! And of course we've got to cover their instantly legendary Shiprocked experience, where they won over the crowd so much with their beach set and impromptu video shoot that they end
323
May 12, 2026
E323 ALT BLK ERA on Sonic Experimentation, Collaborating With Wheatus, and Always Using Your Voice
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a youth movement! Our guests are Chaya and Nyrobi Beckett-Messam, collectively known as ALT BLK ERA. They're sisters who grew up with a passion for music that led them to start creating at a young age. With strong family support and a penchant for engrossing themselves in various genres, they put their individual personalities and styles together to release their debut album, the fantastic drum and bass/rock hybrid Rave Immortal, just last year. Now they'
318
April 7, 2026
E318 Arya Goggin of Skindred on Album Titles, Lineup Changes, and Owning Your Style on You Got This
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a three-peat! Arya Goggin of Skindred (The Itch's Official Favorite Band™) joins the three-timer club to discuss their ninth album, You Got This. As with all of their albums, this one is full of genre-hopping earworms ranging from pop rockers to old school ragga-metal jams. In this conversation, we explore how the album got its title (and get some insight into how Skindred almost "jumped the shark" on a previous album), how a Hennessy bottle made it into
314
March 10, 2026
E314 Steve Ewing of The Urge on St. Louis, Steve's Hot Dogs, and Balancing Bands, Business, and Bodybuilding
This week, we're scratching The Itch to celebrate St Louis! It's episode 314, and who better to spotlight our city than Steve Ewing! Rock fans best know Steve as the dynamic frontman of Lou legends The Urge. But for over 15 years, St. Louisians have also been receiving the gift of flavor at Steve's Hot Dogs! And if fronting a band and running a business weren't enough, Steve doubles down on both, performing regularly with the Steve Ewing Band and venturing into gourmet grilled cheese with
308
Jan. 13, 2026
E308 Riley Breckenridge of Thrice on Sharing What You Love, Avoiding Spotify, and Opting Out of Unhealthy Fandom
This week, we're scratching The Itch to explore some new horizons! We're joined Riley Breckenridge of Thrice, who just released their excellent 12th studio album Horizons/West. It's almost unheard of for a band to be this consistently good this far into their career, but Riley and his bandmates made it happen with a little patience and a penchant for... being a bit boring? Join us for an explanation of that, plus some talk about the awesomeness of Radiohead, the awfulness of the Los Angeles Ange
307
Jan. 6, 2026
E307 Micah Bournes on Abolition, Nomadic Living, Creative Risks, and Bringing Joy to the Revolution
This week, we're scratching The Itch to start the year with joy. Micah Bournes returns to the show to discuss his new protest album Til We All Free, the first non-rock record to ever make The Itch's Top 20 list. Born out of a sense of urgency after America's sociopolitical climate changed again last year, the album is an exploration of abolition, the difference between legality and morality, and how to stay joyful while facing and fighting injustice. Micah's art inspires and influences The Itch,
304
Dec. 16, 2025
E304 Sleigh Bells on 15 Years of Treats, Touring with a Toddler, Sobriety, and How to Put on a Show
This week, we're scratching The Itch for an early Christmas present... and a seasonally appropriate one at that! Aaron checks off a pair of wish list guests as Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells join us to talk about their latest record Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, how motherhood, sobriety, and a full band have tour life looking different these days, and the work that goes into their energetic live shows (the topic that also brought us last week's guest, their frequent keyboardist and b
303
Dec. 9, 2025
E303 Coach Kate Steinberg on Holistic Touring Health and Working With Sleigh Bells and Motion City Soundtrack
This week, we're scratching The Itch for tour support! Kate Steinberg has built a career as a touring and recording vocalist and keyboardist, a voice teacher, producer, and arranger, a songwriter, and... if it seems like this list keeps going, that's because it does. Kate is a multi-talented musician who caught Aaron's attention with her boundless on-stage energy as. she rocked keys and BGVs on Sleigh Bells' recent tour. And that's not the only type of tour support she offers. Kate custom-design
286
Sept. 9, 2025
E286 Oxymorrons on Defining Independence and How They Create, Destroy, Rebuild, Repeat on Their New EP
This week, we're scratching The Itch to bring back the boys! Oxymorrons return for the first time since 2023 to tell us all about their new EP, Create. Destroy. Rebuild. Repeat. Life is very different for Dee, Jafe, and K.I. since their last appearance on the show, but they never cease to apply their lessons learned to their art and to their lives, or to share them with anyone who's willing to listen. As always, our conversation with the guys exists in the sweet spot where depth and humor meet,
280
Aug. 5, 2025
E280 Arejay Hale of Halestorm on Marriage, KemikalFire, Ozzy's Last Show, and Growing as a Lyricist on Everest
This week, we're scratching The Itch to reach new heights! Halestorm's new album Everest arrives on August 8th, and drummer Arejay Hale stopped by to become a three-time guest and talk about it! This album was a growth experience for him as a writer, as he took a more prominent role as a lyricist as the band pivoted to a more internal approach with fewer co-writers than on previous records. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper Arejay conversation without bouncing around to a few other topics (and
262
April 8, 2025
E262 Devour the Day on Border Patrol, Enjoying the Adventure, and Opening for Themselves with Pop Evil
This week, we're scratching The Itch to multitask! Blake Allison and Joey "Chicago" Walser formed Egypt Central in 2002, then Devour the Day in 2012, and most recently have both become members of Pop Evil. Being together in so many bands for so many years, they've amassed quite a bit of wisdom and experience... and some pretty wild stories. And they're always interested in the next challenge or opportunity. Currently, that means the ambitious task of pulling double duty on Devour the Day's tour
254
Feb. 25, 2025
E254 Eric Bass of Shinedown on Imposter Syndrome and Writing a Personal Album With Fictional Characters
This week, we're scratching The Itch for some world building! Eric Bass of Shinedown joins us to discuss his outstanding debut solo album Eric Bass Presents... I Had A Name. It's a thrilling rock opera of sorts featuring a cast of characters battling against villainous forces,... and sometimes their own minds. Eric speaks candidly about the fascinating process that led to the album (in between Shinedown records, no less), his own mental diagnoses and faith journey, the album's upcoming companion
253
Feb. 18, 2025
E253 Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. on His New Book, Surviving the Music Business, and How Nothing Is a Coincidence
This week, we're scratching The Itch to read a book! Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. is releasing his autobiography, Son of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds on February 25th. He joins the show to discuss his story of God's faithfulness, band drama and reconciliation, and the changes and challenges of the music industry. Plus, Aaron has his long-awaited chance to ask about the cover art of The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, we learn about the process behind P.O.D.'s newest album Veritas, and a
252
Feb. 11, 2025
E252 Winona Fighter on Their Debut Album, Supporting Local Scenes, Doggy Managers, and the Bass of Doom
This week, we're scratching The Itch to fight! Coco from Winona Fighter returns, and this time she brought the boys! Join her, Dan, and Austin as they break down the origins of some of the songs on their debut LP My Apologies to the Chef (out Feb 28), their choice to hand pick the opening acts for the corresponding Yes, Chef tour (including our mutual friends Fury in Few), and their commitment to staying authentic and supportive in the music world while still keeping their sanity. Plus, a specia
242
Dec. 3, 2024
E242 A Conversation with Nick Wheeler of The All-American Rejects
This week, we're scratching The Itch for rejection! Well, in a sense. Nick Wheeler, guitarist and co-founder of The All-American Rejects joins us for a freewheeling discussion (see what I did there?) that covers his history with the band, his current studio work, and ... his favorite rewatch podcasts? Plus, Taco Bell talk, Aaron declares a Perfect Pop Song, and Dan finally finds a context to bring up Smallville! We say it often, but this is a fun one. Enjoy. And come hang with The Itch in St. Lo
172
Sept. 5, 2023
E172 A Conversation with Chad Sexton of 311
This week, we're scratching not just an Itch, but an artist off our wish list! Chad Sexton of 311 joins us to discuss the 30th anniversary re-issue of his band's debut album Music, the fine art of creating a setlist, and what keeps five people together in a band for over three decades (hint: it might be bacon). Plus, Chad takes us on a trip down memory lane with stories from a few album eras, Aaron doesn't get to talk about drum art, and this clip proves why Chad rules. Enjoy. If you like what
Recent Episodes
340
Sept. 1, 2026
E340 Bear McCreary on Great Movie Trailers, the Art of Collaboration, and Making Time for What You Love
This week, we're scratching The Itch to get cinematic! Our guest, Bear McCreary, is the man responsible for scores of scores for films, shows, and games. He created music for The Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica, Black Sails, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, God of War, and literally 100 other projects. And somewhere in all that work, he also found time to assemble an all-star team of collaborators for his own metal albums, 2024's The Singularity and this year's The Singularity: Ekleipsi
339
Aug. 25, 2026
E339 Concert Catch-up: Ecca Vandal, Scattrbrain, Momma, DED, Dropout Kings, VRSTY, dead7, and more!
This week, we're scratching The Itch for festivals ... sort of. Aaron didn't attend Lollapalooza, but he did check two artists off his wish list by seeing Ecca Vandal's Lolla Aftershow with Scattrbrain and Momma's Q101 Lounge-a-Palooza set. Meanwhile, Dan and KC caught a show stacked with past Itch guests as DED, Dropout Kings, VRSTY, dead7, and Omissions took over Pops, with our friend Retro Champ in attendance. How did Joey Varela's new VRSTY lineup sound? How have Dropout Kings adjusted to a
338
Aug. 18, 2026
E338 Des Rocs on Writing the Theme to Borderlands 4, Embracing Imperfection, and Making Albums in the Age of TikTok
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a triumphant return! Des Rocs first appeared on The Itch over four years ago to discuss his debut album A Real Good Person in a Real Bad Place. Since then, he's toured the world, dropped his excellent second album Dream Machine, and even sailed the seas on Shiprocked. And we've covered his live show on the podcast at least half a dozen times. Now he's back with his third album, To Hell and Back, and we were well overdue for a proper catch-up. Though we
337
Aug. 10, 2026
E337 King Falcon on Vintage Guitars, Their Rejected Hit, and Evolving Beyond Their Blues Rock Roots
This week, we're scratching The Itch to Bloom... and so are our guests! Mike, Joe, and Dip of King Falcon join us in this episode ahead of the release of their new EP and man, do they have some stories and some spicy hot takes. Coming to us live from a freshly repaired van parked off a highway exit mid-tour, the guys had plenty to share about their journey, which has led them from a label to independence, a blues rock style to a broader indie alternative sound, and once... into a head-on coll
336
Aug. 4, 2026
E336 Dylan Turner and Megan Kane of Parker Barrow Hold the Mash and Hit the Road With Southern Rock Spirit
This week, we're scratching The Itch for some Southern spirit! Dylan Turner and Megan Kane of Parker Barrow Hold the Mash on their new album because, well, you don't really need it when you've got so many bangers. The adorable couple behind the band joins us to talk about how their love of bands like The Black Crowes inspires their music, how solidifying their lineup evolved their creative process, and how they keep both their marriage and their connection to their church community going strong
335
July 30, 2026
E335 Concert Catch-up: The First Show of Father of Peace
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a beginning! For the past couple of years, Father of Peace has been amassing a following across social media with their quirky songs, styles, and videos. Now, the trio of Avshalom Ariel, Tom Bolllig, and May Alpert have finally taken their music on the road... and across the world. After collectively moving from Israel to Los Angeles, they announced not only their first tour, but their first shows ever. And before most of the dates sold out, Aaron just ha
334
July 28, 2026
E334 Concert Catch-up: The Final Show of '68
This week, we're scratching The Itch for an ending! For the past 13 years, '68 has blessed the world with their unique brand of chaotic, avant-garde, two-man noise rock. This year, Josh Scogin and Nikko Yamada announced that the time had come to close the book on the band. After releasing their final album, They Are Survived, the band embarked on their Farewell Tour. The Itch wasn't able to see them on that tour, but fortunately our friends were! For the first time ever, we're bringing in Itc
333
July 21, 2026
E333 Concert Catch-up: Godsmack, Stone Temple Pilots, Dorothy, Parker Barrow, and The Steepwater Band!
This week, we're scratching The Itch for a homecoming! KC and Dan caught a couple of St. Louis shows, including Itch guest Sam Bam Koltun returning to play for his biggest hometown crowd ever as part of Godsmack! And if you recognize him from his work with Dorothy, she was on the bill too, alongside 90s rock legends Stone Temple Pilots! Plus KC confirms that the Parker Barrow hype is real as he catches their show with The Steepwater Band! It was a pair of highly wholesome nights, and we're glad
332
July 14, 2026
E332 Fury in Few Explores the Cost of Chasing Your Dreams on Their Debut Album How Bad Do You Want It?
This week, we're scratching The Itch to be dangerous! Brayden and Ryan of Fury in Few are back to answer the question How Bad Do You Want It? on their outstanding debut album. The guys take us on a track-by-track journey through the record, exploring their methods of adding "character" to songs, stretching themselves sonically to make the music they truly want, and how they're making social media work better for them without becoming part of the content creation machine. Plus, we'll discuss t
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About the Hosts
Aaron
Aaron has spent half of The Itch's existence living in a different city, but found a way to bridge the gap with his Itch brethren by producing the podcast.
The Itch
The Itch is a longtime rock radio show on 89.1 KCLC-FM. Now its hosts have entered the podcasting world with rock news, reviews, and interviews exploring the deep connection between people and music. If it gets your head banging and your blood flowing, it's an itch we're here to scratch.
Dan
Dan co-founded The Itch in a tiny room on the campus of Lindenwood University in February 2004 with one goal in mind: to rock as much of St. Louis as the signal would allow.
KC
KC inadvertently named the show when he misheard the station manager's advice to "find a niche" as "find an itch," to which he replied: "One that needs to be scratched."