Start The Beat With Sikes

For the 25th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my homie Dave Watt and picked his brain for an hour about beer, art, music, his creative process surrounding both of those things and his love for anything with chicken in it. I am rather fond of this guy and all of the awesome things he has contributed to the world and you should be too. Check out his art here: davewatt.tumblr.com Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 24th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with Moemaw Naedon for a laid back conversation about the music we grew up on and how it inspired us to make the music we make today. We also discuss the early days of using limited resources in creative ways to bring our ideas to life and how we have evolved as artists over the years. This is a a solid talk and I think everyone is going to take something with them from this. Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 23rd episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my homies Nelson & AJ from the band Save Us From The Archon (saveusfromthearchon.bandcamp.com) for some conversation about everything they have been up to lately with writing, recording and touring the country. We'll probably go back to our glory days together in the band Whats Left Of Her and try to fill out some of the gaps that happened in between. Intrigued? Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 22nd episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Megan for a really rad conversation about a bunch of rad stuff. It's always awesome to find other people in the world who don't know how to stop being busy because it makes me feel less crazy and Megan has A LOT going on at the moment. Like what you ask? Only one way to find out... Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 21st episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Justin for a crazy awesome conversation about his passion for filmmaking. I highly recommend checking out his websites before listening to this conversation if you have the chance. You can stop by justinanixon.com and vimeo.com/justinanixon to take a look at what this dude has been up to. I think it's insane and it was great talking to him about all of this stuff. What did I learn? Only one way to find out... Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 20th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my homie Will and talked a lot about the "alternative subcultures" and lifestyles of tattooing & body modification. Got some pretty cool perspective from both a consumer and business standpoint and I was stoked to talk about some stuff that I typically don't get to talk about. What did I learn? Only one way to find out... Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 19th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with Adam from the website pittpunk.org and had a nice talk about his website, the "scene", the D.I.Y. community and everything that comes along with with decades of punk rock blood flowing through your veins. Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 18th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Dylan and learned first hand how beer and podcasts don't mix. He brought a couple of his boys over as well. We talk about Tinder, unjustified beefs with people, Lana Del Rey, Brand New and MORE! It's a wild one. We'll all just have to wait and see what happens... Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 17th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Caleb for a conversation about writing short stories and hating your day-job. To be completely honest I haven't even listened to this episode since we recorded it so whatever. We'll all just have to wait and see what happens... Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 16th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Genevieve for a conversation about podcasting, painting and all other sorts of creative jibber-jabber. She runs a website called www.apcollector.net and she does lots of cool stuff and I'm bad at typing these introductions so just sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 15th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Cameren for a talk about the ups and downs of being in bands, the new ninja turtles movie and figuring out what the hell we're supposed to be doing with our lives now that we're "adults" or whatever... Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 14th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend John and had a cool conversation about making art, playing in bands, collecting records and somehow I even manage to continue my ongoing trend of talking to people who at one point in time wanted to be goth... Sit back, relax and lets START THE BEAT!

For the 13th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Wyatt and talked about everything that you would probably expect us to talk about like being goth teenagers and being in bands and how being a grown up stinks. We also get into his recent dive into the world of wrestling and how all of that came into fruition. It's pretty awesome and there's only one way to find out about it people... START THE BEAT!

For the 12th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my new friend Michelle and we got to know each other a little better all while a microphone was recording us. Everyone does that right? Totally not awkward or anything... What came out of it was actually a pretty solid conversation about childhood, growing up, finding "the scene", the ups and downs of doing freelance artwork, alternative subcultures and more! Curious to learn some things you might not already know about the both of us? There's only one way to find out people... START THE BEAT!

For the 11th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my good friend Christmas for a conversation about bad teenage haircuts, Chicago, Taco Bell, Juggalos, ringworm, retail life, awkward fetishes and just trying to stay positive & productive as a reasonable mature adult in a world full of so much chaos. Where is this bumpy road going to take us you ask? There's only one way to find out people... START THE BEAT!

For the 10th episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Ashley for a conversation about growing up with metalhead parents, being the goth cheerleader and struggling to stay passionate about the things you care about most while also trying to pursue a career in them. Will we figure out all of life's secrets or just be left with even more questions than we started off with?? There's only one way to find out people... START THE BEAT!

For the eighth episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my buddy Chris for a low key conversation about music in general and just how much of a positive impact it can really have on your life! It's all good vibes, good tunes & good talks this week and I would be surprised if all of you didn't take something positive from this conversation. There's only one way to find out though... START THE BEAT!

For the seventh episode of #startthebeat I sat down with my friend Cody aka Stillborn Identity and found out that the two of us have a lot of things in common. This discovery led to a really cool conversation about being socially awkward indie rappers, having too many hobbies and never having enough time in a day. Will we find a way to work through it all together or forever be slaves to the DIY struggle? Only one way to find out... START THE BEAT!

For the sixth episode of START THE BEAT I sat down with my Uncle Timmy aka Aunt Tina (who is the only member of my family that I still willingly speak to) for a conversation about rolling with the punches of life and pursuing your dreams at any costs. We recorded this episode at his apartment in New York City where he is currently living while finishing the writing process for a book about our crazy family. It's all sex, drugs and rock & roll this week friends so stop reading and START THE BEAT!

For the fifth episode of START THE BEAT I sat down with my favorite warrior JT aka Overlord Brom of the band Dethlehem for a good, lengthy talk about discovering heavy metal, playing heavy metal and just being heavy metal in general while maintaining a sense of humor about it all. Lots of other crap gets talked about as well and if you're curious theres only one true way to find out... START THE BEAT!