

The Downbeat
Craig Reynolds
The Downbeat Podcast is an award-winning heavy music podcast featuring in-depth interviews with the biggest names in metal, hardcore, and alternative music.
Hosted by Craig Reynolds, The Downbeat explores metal, death metal, black metal, hardcore, and metalcore through long-form, unfiltered conversations with legendary musicians and rising artists. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, songwriting insights, touring life, and honest discussions from across the global heavy music scene.
New episodes feature iconic bands, underground favorites, and the voices shaping modern heavy music.
Hosted by Craig Reynolds, The Downbeat explores metal, death metal, black metal, hardcore, and metalcore through long-form, unfiltered conversations with legendary musicians and rising artists. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, songwriting insights, touring life, and honest discussions from across the global heavy music scene.
New episodes feature iconic bands, underground favorites, and the voices shaping modern heavy music.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 30, 2024 • 1h 33min
TOSH THE DRUMMER: MGK, Fall Out Boy, Lady Gaga - The Most In-Demand Live Session Drummer In The World.
My guest on the podcast this week is WUNDERKIND drummer Tosh (the drummer). He's the go to session guy for people like MGK, Bad Bunny, The Kid Laroi, Troye Sivan, jxden, Fall Out Boy and much more...he's also disgustingly young for someone doing so much.

Sep 9, 2024 • 1h 24min
IHSAHN: Legendary Musician Talks Emperor, Black Metal History & Spirituality
My guest on the podcast this week is Ihsahn of the legendary black metal band Emperor. We talk about how his music and opinions have evolved since starting Emperor as a teenager to his solo career as simply Ihsahn, as well as revealing some amazing stories from the golden era of black metal, and some great outlooks on life.

Aug 26, 2024 • 1h 25min
Aaron Weaver - Wolves In The Throne Room
My guest on the podcast this week is Aaron Weaver of Wolves In The Throne Room. An interesting and wise man - we talk about the band and their impact on the black metal scene, as well as his unorthodox utilization of technology for producing that is modern but still seems on brand for the genre. We also talk about ghosts and Lars Ulrich... obviously.

Aug 12, 2024 • 1h 9min
Ben Thatcher (Royal Blood)
My guest on the podcast this week is Ben Thatcher, one half of ROCK GODS Royal Blood. We talk about his band of course but also about the time he nearly blinded Taylor Swift and drew a portrait of Kanye West - on the same day.

Jul 29, 2024 • 1h 30min
Mike Kroeger - Nickelback
My guest on the podcast this week is Michael Kroeger, bassit of Nickelback. We talk about growing up and the origins of starting the band with his brother Chad, his extensive surgeries, the new movie Hate to Love: Nickelback, Jiu Jistu, his reasons for moving to the USA from Canada, medicinal healing, and much more.

Jul 15, 2024 • 1h 40min
The Callous Daoboys
My guests on the podcast this week are Carson Pace and Matthew Hague of The Callous Daoboys.
We talk about their absolutely mental band, how they write, touring, movies and a bunch more. Catch them on tour with See You Space Cowboy this summer!

Jul 1, 2024 • 1h 30min
Olly Steele + Adam Benjamin
My guests on the podcast this week are Olly Steele + Adam Benjamin. Olly just released his latest EP Imbalance featuring an all star line up of Olly and Adam plus bassist Jacob Umansky and drummer Anup Sastry...AND it's mixed by the GOAT Adam Nolly Getgood. We talk about all that, plus a bunch more funny stuff...check out the Imbalance EP on all streaming services now!

Jun 17, 2024 • 1h 39min
Holding Absence (Lucas Woodland + Ashley Green)
My guests this week are Lucas Woodland + Ashley Green of Holding Absence. We talk about our previous beef, their band, making music, touring, and we have both TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE and also A DREAM FESTIVAL.

Jun 3, 2024 • 1h 55min
Will Thomson - Tattoo Artist
My guest on the podcast this week is amazing tattoo artist and incredibly funny human, Will Thomson. He's responsible for a lot my tattoos (in record time) and we did a podcast about 3 hours after he finished tattooing my head, then got very drunk. We talk tattoos and how he became a tattoo artist, but also being a business owner, his insane ideas for horror movies... and the time he was in a real-life bi-curious Lord Of The Rings. Check out his unhinged IG and excellent tattoos @thomsontattoos

May 16, 2024 • 1h 38min
Rory Rodriguez (Dayseeker)
My guest on the podcast this week is Rory Rodriguez, vocalist of Dayseeker. We talk about the band's rise and their new acoustic EP 'Replica' as well as getting deep about the death of his father and his experience going to see a medium. We also we talk about why so many people are passing out at shows these days, and much more.


