Inside MusiCast

You know the incredible voice of Paul Carrack . From the Ace hit "How Long", to "Tempted", by Squeeze, to several hits with Mike + The Mechanics and his solo projects. But Paul's love for music goes deeper than pop. He's always had a penchant for traditional country artists, such as George Jones, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty, and many others, and through a chance connection with Nashville country artist and producer, Steven Wood, the idea for a pair of country albums was born. On this new episode of Inside MusiCast, we chat with Paul about the creation of the albums, his approach to country music, and the deep respect he has for the country classics he recreated, along with a few original songs. And of course, we won’t miss the chance to discuss some of his classic pop projects, too. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Paul Carrack.

Music runs deep with Bonnie Hayes. Growing up, her home was filled with music, and two of her brothers also traveled down a musical path: Her brother Chris was lead guitarist for Huey Lewis & The News, and brother Kevin w as the drummer for the Robert Cray Band. As a young musician, Bonnie's focus was jazz, and one of her first jobs was teaching music at the Blue Bear School of Music in the Bay area. From there, she sidetracked into punk and new wave and started The Punts in San Francisco, which later became Bonnie Hayes with the Wild Combo. If you've seen the 1983 movie "Valley Girl", you'll hear the song "Girls Like Me" at the start of the film, along with "Shelley's Boyfriend." However, songwriting and education became Bonnie's focus, both for herself and for other musicians. Many of her songs were picked-up and recorded by a variety of artists, including Bonnie Raitt, Cher , Da vi d Crosby, Natalie Co le, Adam Ant, Huey Lewis , Bette Midler and many others. In 2013, Hayes became chair of the songwriting department at Berklee in Boston. In 2022, she returned to the Bay Area to found a youth All Star Songwriting Program at Blue Bear School of Music. To talk more about her extensive career in the music business, Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Bonnie Hayes.

Steve Farris is a man of a thousand...acres. After an incredibly successful music career, Steve turned his focus to his second love: Land. He's shaped thousands of acres of land into a fish and wildlife service where he worked in several states developing, designing, and building habitat and wetlands restoration. He's even been hired by the Fish and Wildlife Service, along with Ducks Unlimited, to lend his expertise to their organizations. And while he's officially retired from music, he still employs lessons he's learned from music into this second career. On this episode of Inside MusiCast, Steve reminisces about his path through the music business, the connections he made along the way, and that fateful audition that landed him the gig in Mr. Mister . Inside Mus iCast is pleased to welcome Steve Farris.

Drummer, vocalist, and one of the founding members of The Blackbyrds, Keith Killgo has had music running through his veins since he was four-years-old. By the time he turned 11 he had already played drums with such greats as Sonny Stitt, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Woody Shaw, Bill Hardman, Art Blakey's Band and Eddie Harris. His piano teacher? None other than Roberta Flack. Music was Keith’s destiny, and this path led him to meet Donald Byrd and the formation of The Blackbyrds in 1973. With a fusion of R&B, blues, and jazz, the band had several notable songs, including “Do It Fluid”, “Happy Music”, “Rock Creek Park”, and their Top 10 hit “Walking In Rhythm”. Here to chat about his amazing career in music, as well as his role as an educator, is Keith Killgo.

Rob Arthur’s career in music has taken him from his roots in Minnesota, to the coasts, and with a variety of connections and collaborations. But in 2001, Rob made a connection with Peter Frampton that has lasted for a quarter century, and continues to grow. Rob has been a part of Peter’s touring band as a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist, and has served as his music director. But Rob’s talents go beyond music, and it was his interest in telling stories, combined with his passion for videography, that led to the production of a documentary about Peter Frampton’s life. Rob began filming footage of Peter’s Finale tour in 2019, but soon realized that a deeper story could be told. The result is a nearly 100-minute documentary about the life of one of the most prolific rock stars, and debuts on June 4 at the Tribeca Film Festival. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Rob Arthur.

Robert Margouleff is a man of many talents with a vast career in the music and entertainment industries. The Grammy Award-winning engineer/producer, studio owner, and filmmaker is also an early synthesizer pioneer, and was a customer, friend and collaborator of fellow New Yorker and music instrument pioneer, Robert Moog. From there, he met bassist Malcolm Cecil, and the two developed the first, and still the largest, multitimbral polyphonic analog synthesizer in the world, TONTO. With this experience and pioneering reputation, Margouleff played a key role with synthesizer programming for Stevie Wonder's "classic period" in the early ‘70s, as well as the 1980 album "Freedom Of Choice” by Devo, including its hit song “Whip It.” Robert has chronicled his vast career with a new book titled “Shaping Sounds”, which is due to be released on May 19, both in print from Jawbone and on audio from Pushkin. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Robert Margouleff.

On this episode of Inside MusiCast, we turn the microphones over to our friends in Paris: Jean-Luc Raymond of West Coast Rendez-Vous, and Inside MusiCast Correspondent Arnaud Leger, as they sit down for a chat with legendary songwriter Bill LaBounty and his wife, Beckie Foster. The conversation took place in Paris, with Jean-Luc and Arnaud focusing on Bill’s newly released solo album Love At The End of the World . The guys also discuss a variety of topics with Bill and Beckie, including memories of Jeff Porcaro, Michael Johnson, Steve Wariner, and Bob Dylan, as well as their thoughts on how AI is shaping the music industry. You’ll love this candid chat with Bill LaBounty and Beckie Foster.

In the early '80s, Thomas Dolby burst onto the pop music scene with his worldwide hit, She Blinded Me With Science . The song hailed from his debut album , The Golden Age of Wireless , and not only was it both musically and lyrically a brilliant pop song, the entire album was a masterful orchestration of synth programming that resulted in layered, lush soundscapes. Dolby masterfully shifted synth-pop from cold, mechanical textures to a warm, emotional, and highly narrative form, blending pioneering studio production with retro-futurist themes. On this new episode of Inside MusiCast, we chat with Dolby not only about his '80s album successes, but we'll discuss his thoughts about AI and its use in the music industry, his role as the creator and Director of the Music for New Media program at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, as well as his upcoming tours, including his Iconic ‘80s Recollections tour in the US and the UK, his Totally Tubular Festival that will feature his band The Lost Toy People and several other iconic '80s artists, as well as a surprise announcement about a future tour he's developing. We're truly honored to welcome one of the most innovative musicians and technologists over the past 40+ years, Thomas Dolby. On this new episode of Inside MusiCast, we chat with Dolby not only about his '80s album successes, but we'll discuss his thoughts about AI and its use in the music industry, his role as the creator and Director of the Music for New Media program at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, as well as his upcoming tours, including his Iconic ‘80s Recollections tour in the US and the UK, his Totally Tubular Festival that will feature his band The Lost Toy People and several other iconic '80s artists, as well as a surprise announcement about a future tour he's developing. We're truly honored to welcome one of the most innovative musicians and technologists over the past 40+ years, Thomas Dolby.

For Ed Toth, music isn’t just his career, but it’s been an integral part of his entire life. His father was a working musician and an audiophile, so he was always surrounded by great music. In fact, he was only 13 years-old when he joined his Dad’s Top 40 band as the drummer. From there, he’s been blessed with some amazing connections and gigs, including a nine-year stint in the band Vertical Horizon, where he played on the band’s two biggest albums, including their #1 hit “Everything You Want.” He eventually landed a drumming chair with The Doobie Brothers, and has been touring with the band for 21 years. Here to chat with us today about these experiences and some other great projects he’s involved with is none other than Ed Toth.

Dennis Atlas has emerged as a vital member of Toto’s touring band, and those who have witnessed him perform live have recognized the incredible energy and musicianship he injects into his role as keyboardist and vocalist. His soaring vocal ability has even allowed the band to add songs to their setlist from the Isolation album, where Dennis tackles those lofty Fergie Frederiksen parts. Aside from his gig with Toto, Dennis has been busy working on a new solo album project titled Principle , which is set to be released in May. West Coast AOR fans, get ready, because you’re going to love his style and approach to this 11 track album, which also features some very special guest musicians. Here to talk about this new project and his new role touring with Toto is Dennis Atlas.

Randy Goodrum has written an abundance of great songs throughout his career - many of which have been hits for some of the biggest names in the music business. He’s also released several solo albums and collaborations that have been heralded by fans around the world. Having written so many songs, it might seem difficult to choose a handful that are considered favorites, but on his upcoming album release “Pieces”, Randy has done just that. Ten of the 11 tracks on “Pieces” are songs Randy has written, with some of them having been recorded and released by other artists, and some are gems that we’re hearing for the first time. These newly recorded arrangements are beautiful examples of Randy’s unique writing style, and today he’s here to talk about them. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Randy Goodrum.

When Lenise Bent entered the L.A. audio engineering scene in the late ‘70s, she didn’t mind that it was primarily a male dominated industry. Through a chance meeting with Leon Russell at his home studio, she was swept away with the studio atmosphere, the sound, and it was her curiosity about the recording console and gear that captured her spirit and sent her down the path of becoming a recording engineer. She was determined to work with the best equipment, the best studios, and the best musicians. And she did. She’s credited on some of the best sounding albums that were ever recorded, including Steely Dan’s “Aja”, Supertramp’s “Breakfast In America”, Marc Jordan’s “Mannequ in”, Blondie's “Autoamerican”, and “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac, just to name a few. Here to discuss her incredible journey as a pioneering audio engineer is none other than Lenise Bent.

For nearly 20 years, Inside MusiCast has been bringing you interviews with the best musicians, engineers and producers in the music industry. But while Eddy and I host the shows, we also have a team of nine passionate colleagues who have been assisting us along the way. To kick off the new year, we’ve assembled nearly all of our correspondents for a 2025 wrap-up chat to discuss the year in music, and to give them a chance to chat about their time with Inside MusiCast and what’s to come in 2026. And we thank them all for everything they do for the show. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome the Inside MusiCast Correspondents to kick off 2026!

Paris-born Wally Badarou traces his ancestry to Benin, West Africa—but he is thoroughly and unmistakably French. When it comes to music, however, his inspiration reflects a rich blend of international influences. A pioneering keyboardist, producer, and session musician, Wally has long embraced technology as an integral part of his creative process—one of the key motivations that led him to collaborate with the band Level 42. If you’ve heard their music, you’ve heard Wally’s touch: his musical structures, melodies, and productions are woven into many of their biggest hits. Although he was never an official member of the band, he co-wrote many of their more prominent songs, shaping the band’s signature sound. Beyond that, his remarkable career includes collaborations with legends such as Herbie Hancock, M, Talking Heads, Grace Jones, Robert Palmer, and many others. It’s the story of a truly global musician—one who views music through an international lens. Inside MusiCast proudly welcomes Wally Badarou.

On this episode of Inside MusiCast, we head back to Norway to check-in with Ole Børud and chat about his brand new studio album titled, “Sleepwalking Again.” These ten new tracks are already being described by his fans as some of his best work, and we can’t disagree. “Sleepwalking Again” contains elements of West Coast soul, pop, funk, a hint of gospel, gorgeous vocal harmonies, and impeccable musicianship - the key ingredients that have crafted Ole’s sound throughout his career. It’s been 11 years since we last connected with Ole, so we’re glad to have him back to catch up and chat about this fantastic new project. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Ole Børud.

In 2016, Steve Porcaro released his debut solo album “Someday / Somehow” - a project that had been in development many years, but was always put on hold for other commitments, such as writing, recording and touring with Toto, and his scoring gig for the TV series “Justified” and other projects. With those behind him, it’s given Steve the time and flexibility to concentrate on doing what he loves most - creating his own new music. And today, he’s released a brand new album titled “The Very Day”, which features an incredible cast of musicians and collaborators - most of which are friends and colleagues Steve has worked with throughout his career. Here to discuss this new project is none other than Steve Porcaro.

While Vernon Reid is best known as the founder of the band Living Colour, he’s had a diverse and expansive presence in the music industry. He’s without question one of the most creative and talented guitarists on the planet. In fact, he’s made Rolling Stone’s list of the 50 greatest guitarists of all time. From heavy metal, to punk, to avant garde jazz to funk, and everything in between, Vernon Reid’s musical palate touches a vast array of genres. On this episode of Inside MusiCast, Vernon joins us to chat about his brand new album that’s being released today titled “Hoodoo Telemetry”. The 14 track album is a perfect example of his wide variety of styles, with lyrics that challenge the tumultuous socio-political landscape. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Vernon Reid.

Continuing the legacy of his father, the late Clare Fischer, Grammy award-winning Brent Fischer has been one of the most sought after composers, arrangers, and producers in the music industry. Just like his father, Brent’s adaptability to a variety of music genres has been a key element to his success, having composed projects for pop, jazz, Latin, symphonic, and many others. His credits appear on over 30 million albums for artists including Usher, Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello & The Roots, Toni Braxton, Al Jarreau, Raphael Saadiq, George Duke, Natalie Cole, Vanessa Williams, as well as an artist that played a large role early in Brent’s career: Prince. We have a lot of ground to cover on this episode of Inside MusiCast with our guest today, Brent Fischer.

Monkey House is on a roll, and at the top of their game with the release of their new studio album for Alma Records titled “Crashbox”. Following the success of their 2022 release, “Remember The Audio”, band leader Don Breithaupt and his steady cast of musicians have once again crafted a new collection of songs that comprise what is arguably their finest album, with stellar songwriting, impeccable production, and it includes some very special guests. But don’t take our word for it. Take it from Don Breithaupt himself, the creative mind behind Monkey House and their brand new album, “Crashbox”, which is due out June 6. Inside MusiCast is pleased to once again welcome Don Breithaupt.

For nearly 55 years, The Doobie Brothers have been creating music and touring the world with no signs of slowing down. And for the first time in the band’s history, the four current, principal members have recorded in-studio together for their upcoming album release titled, “Walk This Road”, which is set to be released on June 6. The album launch will also include an extensive tour of Europe and the States that begins in July. “Walk This Road” contains ten tracks and is a true band effort, and it includes the return of Michael McDonald alongside founding members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, as well as John McFee, and was produced by John Shanks. The new album contains a variety of musical styles, with great vocal harmonies and the incredible musicianship we’ve all come to expect from this Hall of Fame caliber band. Here to talk to us today about “Walk This Road”, and his reentry into the band, is our good friend and past guest, Michael McDonald.