Podcast
Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico
Hosted by Steev Riccardo · EN
Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico starring music industry veteran Steev Riccardo features weekly guests from the world of music — including musicians, songwriters, record producers, label managers, roadies, and publicists. Each episode also features new music segments, song reviews, and lively rock 'n' roll road stories.
Follow along on Instagram at @blowingsmokewithTR or reach Steev directly at twistedrico@gmail.com.
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
457. John Sparrow - Violent Femmes
1w ago00:59:14Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we are joined by John Sparrow, drummer of Violent Femmes. Modern Drummer once described his approach perfectly: his drumming isn't built around the idea of a traditional kit — it's about choosing the right drum for the song. That spirit of experimentation and sonic curiosity has made Sparrow one of the more distinctive voices in the percussion world, and today we get to hear the story behind it all.Music clips from The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Zulus, and The Prime MoversProduced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
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456. Jules Peters - The Alarm
2w ago01:02:29Tap to summarizeToday's guest carries a legacy as big as the music itself. Jules Peters, widow of the legendary Mike Peters of The Alarm, joins us to talk about the band's brand new — and final — album. It's an emotional, inspiring, and deeply personal conversation you won't want to miss. Music Clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Blame It On Whitman, The Long Wait and The Alarm.Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
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455. Darren Hill - The Red Rockers
3w ago00:53:13Tap to summarizeDarren Hill returns to the show to talk about the new live Red Rockers album, recorded at Tipitina's in the band's hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2023.The Red Rockers were a New Orleans punk/new wave band formed in 1979 by John Thomas Griffith, James Singletary, and Darren Hill, who took their name from a song by California punk band The Dils. Early on they earned the nickname "America's Clash" for their politically charged debut Condition Red (1981), and even opened for The Clash on a Louisiana/Texas tour in 1982. Signing with San Francisco's 415 Records, they relocated and overhauled their sound, scoring their biggest hit with the new wave single "China" in 1983, which reached #19 on the Mainstream Rock chart and received heavy MTV rotation. Internal tensions over their commercial shift led to lineup changes and a third album, Schizophrenic Circus (1984), before they disbanded in 1985. The band reunited in 2023, with founding members reissuing Condition Red to a new generation of listeners.Music clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Blame It On Whitman, Black Helicopter, and The Red Rockers..Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
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454. Jack Grisham - TSOL
May 1101:02:30Tap to summarizeJack Grisham — the iconic frontman of SoCal punk legends T.S.O.L. joins us to talk about time, reinvention, and his new project Jack Grisham and the Life Undone, a collaboration with Berlin-based musician Lars Triesch. Grisham reflects on a life lived at full speed and the creative impulse behind the duo's debut record — a project he's quick to clarify isn't really a "band," but "a couple of friends who made a cool record." They discuss the first single "Pieces of the Sun" and the upcoming album.Music Clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Zulus, and Jack Grisham And The Life UndoneProduced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
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453. Jim McCarty - The Yardbirds(Replay)
May 401:05:33Tap to summarizeThis show is a real mixed bag. We talk about the New Alliance Gallery art opening, how Dag Nasty got signed to Giant Records, 2026 summer tours, and if that's not enough, a replay of our conversation with the great Jim McCarty — Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer of The Yardbirds.Music Clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, and The Long WaitProduced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
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452. Tommy Ng - Jesus The Dinosaur
Apr 2701:07:20Tap to summarizeTommy Ng, leader of the indie rock band Jesus the Dinosaur, joins us to promote the band's new single "Sweet Nothing" and share the interesting journey that brought them from Atlanta to the Berklee College of Music in Boston.“For me personally, I’m describing what it feels like to be in a social setting while being maxed out on my social meter. I have a big people-pleasing problem (working on it), so I’ll keep pushing through social interactions even when I have nothing left to give, so what comes out of my mouth at that point is usually just that: filler, forced smiles, canned responses, bullshit. Just enough to pass as pleasing and agreeable to everyone." — Tommy NgMusic Clips from The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Long Wait, and Jesus The Dinosaur Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo Please support us at patreon.com/twistedrico
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451. Kier Byrnes - Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners
Apr 2001:14:28Tap to summarizeKier Byrnes has played a Belgian prison, performed for the troops in the Middle East, and toured 17 countries with his band. Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners blend Irish folk and traditional country — accordion, chicken-pickin' guitar, whiskey-soaked ballads, foot-stomping jigs — and have the hardware to show for it: New England and Boston Music Award wins, plus a spot on Americana UK's Top 10 for 2025. Kier joins us for a conversation about road life, roots music, and what keeps the kettle burning. Music Clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Shurr Jr., Alice Austin, Black Helicopter, and Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
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450. How Michael Robert Kelly ended up playing in The Violent Femmes
Apr 1301:08:46Tap to summarizeMichael Robert Kelly is the guy you call when your band needs a bass player. In addition to fronting his own project, The Brother Stereo, he's stepped in for his brother Matt's band, the Dropkick Murphys, and logged a ton of shows with the legendary James Montgomery Band. Most recently, while on tour with the Violent Femmes as Brian Ritchie's bass tech, Kelly got the call to fill in after Ritchie suffered a serious bicycle accident. He tells us the whole story.Music clips from: The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Zulus, Blame It On Whitman, The Long Wait, and The OutletsProduced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
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449. Katy Nathan
Apr 601:03:25Tap to summarizeSinger/songwriter Katy Nathan first came on our radar when she was running a Joe Perry fan page. Now she's back to talk about her debut single, "Torrential Downpour."Music Clips by The Charms, The Dogmatics, Victory At Sea, Black Helicopter, Ape Hangers, and Katy Nathan Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
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448. Charlie Farren
Mar 3001:08:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we're joined by legendary rock 'n' roller Charlie Farren, who gained prominence as the lead singer of The Joe Perry Project on the 1981 album I've Got the Rock 'n' Rolls Again, and later with his own band, Fahrenheit.Music Clips by The Charms. The Dogmatics, Victory At Sea, Blame It On Whitman, FBI, and Charlie FarrenProduced and Hosted by Steev RiccardoContact: twistedrico@gmail.com
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