Rogue Country Podcast (Mike West)

Mike West gets in the van with Mikey and Andy from Crapsons!

The anarchic, energetic punk duo sit down to discuss their DIY festival CRAPFEST, songwriting, booking and promoting tours and the use of social media as a modern band. 

https://www.facebook.com/crapsons

https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Liverpool/Phase-One/Crapfest-2/13736246

This week, I sit down with the powerhouse front man of The Plott Hounds, Noah Alexander and their trusted tour manager Patrick Adas. The Plott Hounds are a Southern Rock/Country Blues band from Anoka, Minnesota and have been blazing a trail across the USA and even two stops over to the UK including a blistering set at Ramblin' Man Fair. We get into the ins and outs of touring, nationally and internationally, song writing as a band, tour manager top tips and so much more. I have nothing but love and respect for these guys and this was a conversation I've been itching to have!

https://www.facebook.com/theplotthounds

https://www.theplotthounds.com/

Join me for Episode 35 of Into the Van with the awesome Hippies and Cowboy Podcast! We talk about Country music (of course!) preparing for podcasts and interviews, time travel and so much more!

https://www.thehippiesandcowboys.com/

Join me Into the Van with the wonderful Ben Caplan as we discuss podcasting, touring, the different processes between songwriting and writing for music theatre and so much more! I am a huge fan of Ben's so this was a really cool chat!

On this weeks Into the Van, I have the pleasure of talking to West Virginian native Charles Wesley Godwin. Charles released one of my favourite records last year Seneca, and I sit down with him to talk touring, writing and recording, opening for acts like Ward Davis and Charles' recent Scandinavian tour and so much more! https://www.facebook.com/charlesgodwinmusic/ http://www.charleswgodwin.com/ Listen on your preffered platform here - https://linktr.ee/mike333west

Join me and Alison Self for episode 34 of Into the Van!

With the phenomenal record "Honky Tonk Haze", we talk songwriting, sincerity and paying your dues as well as train hopping, musicals and sneaking geeky references into songs!

https://www.facebook.com/AlisonSelfmusic

https://alisonself.com/

Into the Van we go with the wonderful Josh Beddis! Hailing from West Wales and bringing a Neo-traditional sound to Country music here in the UK, we talk about opening Sierra Ferrell's sold out show, writing music, building a community, Rogue Country and so much more! There is an extra bonus recording at the end of the episode from last year where we started to record an episode and the battery died.

https://www.facebook.com/joshbeddismusic

https://joshbeddis.bandcamp.com/

I had the absolute pleasure to sit down with Southern Gothic, Blues Rock powerhouse Drew Dixon and talk songwriting, touring as an independent artist and booking shows, opening for the one and only Lynryd Skynryd and so much more! 

http://www.iamdrewdixon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/iamdrewdixon/

This week we go Into the Van with Zach King! A pillar of the Pennsylvania Roots community, we talk starting a label, booking and promoting shows and Zach's own brilliant music, releasing it on cassette, rap music and more! Let's do this! 

https://linktr.ee/kingfishandfriends

I sat down with the legendary, award winning artist JH Williams III to talk about his new book Echolands, meeting Blondie and creating album artwork for them as well as for artists like The Sword, music, creativity, art and so much more!

This was an absolute joy of a talk and you're going to love it!

https://www.jhwilliams3.com/

This episode I sit down with the brilliant Anthony Simpkins of GemsOnVHS to discuss Country and Folk music, starting a YouTube channel and recording musicians and we have surprise song by the wonderful Josh OKeefe!

https://www.youtube.com/user/GemsOnVHS

https://www.facebook.com/GemsOnVHS/

https://www.facebook.com/joshokeefeofficial/

I took a bit of a hiatus from Into the Van from October to rest, recharge and get married and now we're back! 

Looking forward to sitting down with some incredibly talented people this year and sharing it with you all!

Stay tuned!

Join me as we go Into the Van with the mighty Lance Rogers from Kentucky! We talking the long drives between shows, motivation, songwriting, Kickstarter campaigns and so much more ahead of Lance's debut album released on September 10th! 

https://www.lancerogersmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lancerogersmusic

Jon Slater is a comic book writer and artist for Cog Life Comics and one of my best friends. We've known each other since school and published comics together since 2017. Jon is currently working on his first full length comic series and I sat down with him to discuss creating your own book and publishing it, the UK indepedent comic scene, comic cons, serial killers, hauntings, Westerns, Dungeons and Dragons and how cinema has changed over the years.

https://www.facebook.com/coglifer/

https://www.instagram.com/little_jons

I sit down with the wonderful Tom Ward of Merrick: The Sensational Elephant Man An independent comic creator, rebel and crowd funding master mind, we talk indie comics, kickstarting your own projects and building a fan base as well as so much more! You can get the first issue of the brilliant Merrick: The Sensational ElephantMan digitally for free by following the link below as well as checking out Into the Van's previous episodes! https://www.merrickcomic.co.uk/

Podcasting and Songwriting duo Simon Barber and Brian O'Connor get Into the Van to talk songwriting, preparing for incredible guests such as Jon Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney and Jason Isbell, how long they have gone without listening to music and so much more!

https://www.sodajerker.com/

https://www.sodajerker.com/podcast/

Join me for episode 17 of Into the Van with Country singer Luke Hendrickson! We talk touring and songwriting, networking with other artists and so much more including the process behind Luke's phenomenal album One Night at the Crystal Lounge!

http://www.lukehendricksonmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lukehendricksonmusic

This week I (virtually) get Into the Van with Pet Patsilivas of the Caged In Podcast! A weekly podcast breaking down Nic Cage films with his guests, this conversation is NOT just about how great Nicolas Cage and his movies are! We talk about starting a podcast and building a fanbase, approaching guests and a goldmine of information for all you podders and casters!

https://linktr.ee/Petrospatsilivas

Into the van we go with the hardworking and talented Tom Saenen. From organising Picking Bones, his epic festival in Belgium, to Black Metal and watching the roots scene grow in Europe to the most important things you need to know to start live events, this is definitely one to listen to!

https://www.facebook.com/Pickingbonesfest

https://pickingbonesfest.com/tickets/

Join me for episode 41 of Into the Van with the brilliant Cam Cole. I joined him on his first UK tour to talk about the transition from busking to playing venues, his songwriting process, herd mentality and so much more! This is a great talk, recorded face to face in Edinburgh!

https://www.facebook.com/mrcamcole

https://www.camcole.com/

I sat down with Alexis May to talk about songwriting, George Jones, Nashville and so much more! This Honky Tonk songwriter released a great EP last year, "Killing Pain, Memories and Time" and May is definitely one to watch!

Listen now!

https://alexismaymusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/alexismaymusic

Here is a little introduction for all you folks to know what you are getting and how to get it! Get Into the Van with Alt Country musician Mike West as he sits down with guests from all walks of life to see what makes them tick, discuss their craft and inspirations and all else in between.

Recorded in the back of Mike's Mazda Bongo that he tours in, Mike chats to musicians, poets, promoters, artists and anyone else passionate about what they do to inspire listeners to follow their creative outlets.

Today we go Into the Van with the brilliant Tan Sanders and Warren Davies! A country artist with genuine punk roots from a small town in North Carolina. His new album "When Am I Going To Have My Day?" is out everywhere now and is going to be your new favourite record!

We talk skateboarding, Reddit, touring and so much more! Listen now

https://www.facebook.com/tansandersmusic/

https://tansanders.com/

On episode 14 of Into the Van, I sit down with down to earth and all around interesting guy Beans on Toast! I chat with the "Drunk Folk Singer" about writing songs full of social commentary, how he started as a musician and how he currently operates as a successful, indepedent musician! 

https://beansontoastmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/beansontoastmusic

I was lucky enough to sit down with Jaime Wyatt to talk skateboarding, songwriting, style and so much more! Jaime is a phenomenal songwriter and we got in to the ins and outs of lyrics, melody, gardening, missed shows, Kristofferson singing in Cash's Jamaican home and some other great stories.

Check out her incredible album "Neon Cross" and support her here!

https://www.jaimewyatt.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jaimewyattmusic/

Welcome to episode 40 of Into the Van with the brilliant Brandon Ridley! Brandon is a Country artist from North Wales who recently released his new E.P "Senoritas and Sangria". The first face to face interview in over a year we talk about preparing for shows, songwriting, campervans and so much more!

https://www.facebook.com/brandonridleymusic/

https://brandonridley.bandcamp.com/releases

For episode 13, I sit down with Nashville based singer-songwriter duo The Danberrys to talk their new album "Shine", writing and working as a duo, touring, spirituality and lyrics and so much more!  The Danberrys are somehow both charmingly old-world and very much of this moment. The married couple’s rich pastoral blues and muscly folk evoke the big-hearted storytelling of pioneering giants like the Carter Family but could only come now, as a mixed offshoot of roots music’s ever-growing family tree.

https://www.thedanberrys.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thedanberrys/

Find your preferred platform to listen to here - https://linktr.ee/mike333west

Step Into the Van with Minnestota based Eli Gardiner! After just releasing the brilliant The Fire and The Medicine, we talk about the writing and recording process, staying true to your art and so much more. Go listen. 

https://www.facebook.com/eliandthewolves/

https://eligardiner.com/

On Episode 15, I sit down with Robert Henry! Robert Henry is an authentic Honky-Tonk and Traditional Country singer fusing modern sensibilities with that classic sound. We had a chat about songwriting sessions in Nashville, his metal roots, touring during the pandemic and so much more!

https://www.roberthenrymusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RobertHenryBand

Tania is one of the masterminds behind Manchester based promoters The Hen House presents. Hen House puts on some of the best Roots, Country and Traditional shows in the North West and I sat down with Tania to see how it all started and what bands and artists can and should do when dealing with promoters as well as any budding people wanting to put a show of their own on!

https://www.facebook.com/henhousepresents/

https://www.henhousepresents.co.uk/

Into the Van we go with the talented David Quinn! I sit down with David to talk his new album "Country Fresh" that was inspired by an ash tray in the recording studio, songwriting, building a local following, Midwestern Country and Black Dirt Country, sock puppets and so much more!

Country Fresh is out right now and you really should listen to it!

https://www.davidquinnmusic.net/

https://open.spotify.com/album/5sXo43wrmeZpXx1RgS7bQE

Mike sits down with the phenomenal musician Shawn James before his sold out Birmingham show during his UK tour. A force of nature, a musical preacher to a flock that accepts everyone, a combination of the gospel choirs he sang with as a youngster and his training in classical music and opera. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, James’ timeless sound is steeped in blues legends like Robert Johnson and Son House, forever at the crossroads of damnation and redemption, the two inextricably woven into the fabric of his songs.

http://www.shawnjamesmusic.com

https://www.facebook.com/ShawnJamesSoul/

I sat down with the insanely talented Casey Noel to talk songwriting, Floydfest and American festivals, social media, being a woman in music and so much more! Casey is a Singer-Songwriter from North Carolina with Costa Rican roots and this was an absolute joy to sit down and talk with her!

https://www.facebook.com/caseynoelmusic

https://caseynoelmusic.com/

Join me for the last episode of 2020 with the brilliant Rachel Cholst from Adobe and Teardrops! A champion of new music and artists, we talk about comic books and country music, writing for No Depression and other publications and how she started her writing career and even the book series Redwall!

https://linktr.ee/rachel.cholst

Into the Van we go with Sheffield based Americana legend, Banjo Jen!

With the release of her latest single "Fine Line" and upcoming album, I talked to Jen about moving to Sheffield, watching the UK scene grow, life, songwriting and all else in between!

https://www.facebook.com/banjojenmusic

https://www.banjojen.com/

On episode 11 I sit down with Americana renegade Emilia Quinn! Known for energetic live performances, honest songwriting and weaving together blues, rock and country, we chat about the UK Country Scene, recording during lockdown, open mics and so much more! https://www.facebook.com/emiliaquinnmusic/ https://www.emiliaquinnmusic.com/ Find your preferred platform to listen to here - https://linktr.ee/mike333west

Mike gets Into the Van with John Craig, a pillar of the UK Rock scene, band manager with Forge A.M.P , gig promoter at Forged in Fire and all around wealth of knowledge for any band or musician wanting the inside scoop on getting started.

https://www.facebook.com/ForgeAMP1/

https://www.facebook.com/FIFPromotions1

Ahead of his first UK tour, I sit down with Baker aka Gravedancer to talk about Christmas, viral videos, songwriting, American vs British sitcoms and so much more! Gravedancer wears his heart on his sleeve and is a phenomenal songwriter so give this episode a listen, go listen to his record Every Kind of Dog and then go see him on tour!

https://gravedancermusic.com/

Join Mike for episode 72 as he sits down with Kevin and Matt from Rhino, A Story Company to talk about their work on the upcoming documentary "Where Ya Been?" - The Odyssey and Elegy of Luke Bell.

Fans of Country music and Luke Bell, this film that is being funded on Kickstarter documents Luke's incredible rise from WY ranch hand to promising singer/songwriter to national headlines of his tragic disappearance & death.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kevinromeo/where-ya-been-the-luke-bell-film

We sat down with Mike Harmeier from Mike and the Moonpies to talk their upcoming UK tour, songwriting, concept records, touring with Vandoliers and Joshua Ray Walker and so much more!

Listen now and see them live in a city near you!

https://www.themoonpies.com/

Mike chatted to California native Jesse Daniel about his incredible live album "My Kind of Country. Live at The Catalyst", upcoming UK tour, fishing, The Sopranos, starting your own record label, the Punk DIY mentality and so much more!

https://www.jessedanielmusic.com/

This week, we have THE Ags Connolly on the Rogue Country Podcast! We get in to his brand new record "Siempre" and his Kickstarter campaign, influences and origins and of course, what is happening in UK Country Music. Tune in for a great episode and make sure you back Ag's project over on Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/agsconnolly/ags-connollys-new-album-siempre

https://agsconnolly.com/

Mike sat down with Buffalo Ghost aka Joe Armitage,  a singer songwriter and producer from Sheffield about building and creating the perfect home studio, recording in your kitchen, songwriting and so much more.

https://buffaloghost.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/buffaloghost

Today, I sit down with Gothic Country band Pawns or Kings front man and TikTok Country Music Influencer Ed Stengel.

We talk about the Indie Folk revival, writing dark music, Ed's journey in the music industry and how he grew his social media and music as well as teaching in Indonesia.

https://www.pawnsorkings.com/

Roseanne kindly returns to the podcast to talk with Mike about her brand new album "Lawside", her tour with Steve Earle, being a mother and balancing being a musician and so much more!

Listen now!

https://www.roseannereid.com/

We sat down with Luke the day before he flew home after a whirlwind tour of the UK. We break down the shows, the touring, the ins and outs of being an independent musician, hopping a fence to see history and so much more!

Subterranean Street Society have just released their phenomenal new record "Bleep" and will be hitting the UK for the first tour since 2019! Mike chats to frontman Louis about their new album and tour, writing hooks and politically charged anthems, smart phones, classic films. getting a song on a Netflix show and so much more!

Listen now and catch Subterranean Street Society at a venue near you!

https://subterraneanstreetsociety.com/

Mike and Josh sat down to talk the Rogue shows that have happened this year, favourite releases of 2022 and the future of Rogue Country in 2023!

Today we are joined by Bradford based singer songwriter Chris Dover! A fierce songwriter in the vein of Texan troubadours Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark while keeping his feet and his heart firmly planted in his Bradford home.  Confidently weaving Delta Blues, British Folk and Country storytelling together to create a unique style that is a breath of fresh air in the UK scene.

We get in to social media culture, positive outlooks on life, writing sincerely and honestly, his brand new record It's A Difficult World and upcoming songwriter round tour and so much more!

https://www.facebook.com/ChrisDovermusician/

https://chrisdovermusician.bandcamp.com/

Join Mike for a very special episode of the Roge Country Podcast as he sits down with Chris Dover, Josh Beddis and Jody Davies in the middle of their Rogues Round weekend!

Talking just before their Sheffield show, we talk about songwriting, playing pub gigs, their shows the night before and so much more!

Listen now!

Join Mike for a brand new episode of the Rogue Country Podcast (formerly known as Into the Van) as we chat to Americana rocker Brittany Collins about her new album "Things I tell my Therapist" which is out 2nd September!

Talking about the music scene in the Pacific Northwest, songs inspired by unsolved mysteries and so much more!

https://linktr.ee/BrittanyCollins

Joining Mike on the Rogue Country Podcast today is UK Western legend Clint Bradley. Clint recently released his single "Everything I Hold Dear" and we get in to physical media, Spotify, UK Country Radio, Festivals, Marty Robbins, Westerns and so much more!

https://clintbradley.co.uk/

Mike and Josh sat down to talk the Rogue shows that have happened this year, favourite releases of 2023 and the future of Rogue Country in 2024!

Join Mike for episode 70 of the podcast with Texan Honky Tonk Trailblazer Summer Dean!

Mike sits down with the mighty, mighty Pierce Edens to talk his new album and Kickstarter campaign, composting, touring smart, building your own recording studio and so much more!

Back Pierce's new record now at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pierceedens/pierce-edens-a-life-in-trade-new-album and visit https://linktr.ee/PierceEdens for all his socials

https://linktr.ee/roguecountrypodcast