My Weekly Mixtape: Music Discovery & Nostalgia

There are certain artists who become part of the soundtrack to your life — and if you’re lucky, sometimes you get to sit down with the people responsible for it. This week, I’m joined by the man who has been keeping the beat behind “Weird Al” Yankovic for more than four decades: drummer Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz.
From a chance meeting through the legendary Dr. Demento show and playing drums on an accordion case during the early recording of “Another One Rides The Bus,” to the moment MTV helped launch Weird Al into the pop culture stratosphere, Bermuda shares stories from inside one of the most unique careers in music.
We dive into the evolution of Weird Al’s sound — including the shift from the raw production of the self-titled debut album to the hyper-accurate musical recreations heard on In 3D and beyond. Bermuda also breaks down how the band studies and reconstructs an artist’s style for spot-on parodies and style pastiches, including the Devo-inspired “Dare To Be Stupid.”
Along the way, we talk about collaborations with the artists themselves — like the Dire Straits connection behind the “Money For Nothing / Beverly Hillbillies” parody from UHF, as well as working with Taylor Hanson, Dwezil Zappa and Ray Manzarek of The Doors, the musical puzzle of assembling Weird Al’s legendary polka medleys, and the full story behind the fan-favorite epic “Albuquerque.”
Digging deeper, Bermuda reflects on the hardest drum sound he’s ever had to recreate for a song, whether a Weird Al Super Bowl Halftime Show has ever been discussed beyond social media, and his thoughts on if Mandatory Fun is truly Al’s last full-length studio album. We also touch on the case for Weird Al’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, among many other topics!
If you’ve ever laughed, sang along, or wondered how Weird Al’s band makes those parodies sound so perfectly authentic — this deep dive into four decades of musical comedy brilliance pulls back the curtain.
Photo Credit: Kamal Asar

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This week, I’m joined by American Idol Top 20 contestant and New Jersey artist Jake Thistle to talk about his experience performing on one of television’s biggest music stages.
Jake shares what it’s really like behind the scenes of American Idol — from the strategy behind song choices (including his audition take on Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home”) to the pressure of performing original music in front of the judges and a national audience, as he did with his song “Sleep On Me.”
We also dive into his roots in the New Jersey music scene, the artists who helped shape his sound — including Tom Petty and John Hiatt — and the moment he realized music was his path in life.
Along the way, we preview his latest single “Alone, Together,” and Jake shares three songs he thinks deserve a spot on your musical radar.
Whether you’re already a fan of Jake’s music, an American Idol faithful, or simply curious about the reality behind televised music competitions, this conversation offers a candid look at the journey behind the music.

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This week, I’m joined by Weakened Friends’ Sonia Sturino to dig into Feels Like Hell, the band’s 2025 release that captures the emotional whiplash of modern life with biting honesty and melodic grit.
We talk about the mindset behind the album, how exhaustion, anxiety, and self-reflection shaped the songwriting, and why Feels Like Hell feels like both a breaking point and a breakthrough.
From loud-quiet dynamics to lyrics that don’t flinch, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how the band translated real-world pressure into a record that resonates deeply — especially if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed but kept moving anyway. Sonia opens up about trusting raw instincts, embracing honesty in songwriting, and how that vulnerability has deepened the connection with fans.
We also get into the nuts and bolts: working with Don Giovanni Records, the surreal collaboration with Buckethead on “NPC,” song dynamics across the record, the band’s cover of Ednaswap’s “Torn,” and why Feels Like Hell was built to be experienced as a full album — not just a collection of singles.
This episode is about survival, growth, and finding clarity on the other side of burnout. Then there’s the incredible music!

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🎵 Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:⁠ https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠
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Ever judge an album by its cover? This week on My Weekly Mixtape, Jay Sweet joins me as we flip through some virtual record crates to curate a playlist inspired by the most iconic album covers of all time. From legendary imagery to unforgettable records, we’re turning that visual inspiration into a killer mix of songs — and exploring what makes album art just as timeless, meaningful, and memorable as the music inside.

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🎵 Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:⁠ https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠
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Welcome to the launch of a new kind of bonus episode I’m calling Mixtape Moments — short stories sparked by a recent news item or an anecdote I haven’t yet found a place for in a full-length episode.
There’s no set timetable for how often these will appear, but the format opens the door to new ways of experiencing My Weekly Mixtape — including quick hitters when the moment calls for it, whether it’s reacting to breaking news, a surprise album release, or a story that simply can’t wait.
This premiere Mixtape Moment was inspired by this week’s news that Bruce Johnston is stepping away from The Beach Boys after more than six decades with the band.
So join me as I celebrate Bruce’s remarkable journey with the band, while sharing a personal story about how a simple act of mid-concert kindness — a bottle of FIJI Water — became an unforgettable memory for this longtime fan.

🎙️ LEARN MORE
🎵 Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog:⁠ https://myweeklymixtape.com⁠
💬 Join the Mixtaper Community (Patreon):⁠ https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape⁠
🌐 Connect on Social:⁠ https://myweeklymixtape.com/social-media⁠
📧 Email the Show / Contact:⁠ https://myweeklymixtape.com/contact⁠