The Mike Herrera Podcast

Happy birthday to MxPx! But age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese or so they say. Mike marks it by telling the full story of how the band got started in 1992: a rented Flying V, a garage-sale snare drum, and a drummer who'd barely played before their first practice. One week later, MxPx played their first show ever, a backyard barbecue, and played the whole set twice in one day. Mike also answers a longtime fan question about the real story behind "Wrecking Hotel Rooms," co-written with Mark Hoppus. Your voicemails and news on the upcoming album Living in the Chaos.

What is up with you guys? We got a great episode this week. We played Warped Tour in DC, I played the World Cup fan zone in downtown Bremerton, the town I grew up in, and we announced the new MxPx album, Living in the Chaos. Then I got into your voicemails and ended up telling a bunch of stories about how I got into punk back in the day, the local Bremerton scene, and the bass. Thanks for calling in. Keep them coming.
New album: MxPx, Living in the Chaos. More at livinginthechaos.net.
Voicemail: 360-830-6660
Merch: mxpx.com
 
Produced and edited by Bob McKnight @Producer_Bob
Additional production by Christine Hall @shirtsizesmall

My guest this week is Ryan Holiday. If you don't know Ryan, he's an author and a friend of mine. He writes about philosophy, strategy, and life. We talk about what it's like being an artist, being a writer, the quirks of it, and how you deal with it. Make sure you guys follow Ryan, and check out the Daily Stoic. Follow Ryan Holiday: @ryanholiday
And check out mxpx.com. We've got tour dates. We're on all the Warped Tours coming up. New song, "The Good Days," is out on the Warped Tour comp CD. New album later this year. We're in Milan September 5 for Punkadeka Festival, our only European show. mxpx.com.
UPCOMING MxPx SHOWS:
Jul 25-26 — Vans Warped Tour, Long Beach, CA
Aug 21-22 — Vans Warped Tour, Montreal, QC
Sep 5 — Punkadeka Festival, Segrate (Milan), Italy (only European show)
Sep 12-13 — Vans Warped Tour, Mexico City
Nov 14-15 — Vans Warped Tour, Orlando, FL
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Questions or comments? Leave a voicemail: 1-360-830-6660
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi1BJ27GDAFodXuDqgYia5g
Follow @mikeherreraTD everywhere
https://linktr.ee/Mikeherrerapodcast
If you like the podcast, subscribe, rate and review on Apple.
Produced and edited by Bob McKnight @Producer_Bob
Additional production by Christine Hall @shirtsizesmall
 
Topics: Mike Herrera Podcast, Ryan Holiday interview, Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday stoicism, The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, MxPx, MxPx new album, songwriting process, Find a Way Home, punk rock podcast, Bremerton, Warped Tour 2026, Bon Iver, Springsteen Nebraska, Deliver Me from Nowhere, audience capture

I'm catching up on your voicemails, podcast stickers are here, and MxPx is on every Vans Warped Tour date this summer and fall. Amelia asked what video games I play, which took me from Pong through Zelda, Skate or Die, Mortal Kombat, Madden, and Tony Hawk Pro Skater. I was a fan before we were ever on the soundtrack. Rich asked which bass got the first Pokinatcha Punk pick guard, so I go through my StingRay history, from the first one I put on layaway to my Sterling by Music Man signature bass. David Herrera (no relation) called asking for some advice for his son who's playing bass at 16: keep it simple, keep it fun, and be consistent every day. Nate's car stereo ate his CD, which got me telling the story of microwaving rejected mixes during Panic and how one of those CDs became the album art. And Frank asked why I switched from fingers to a pick (I smashed my finger in a bus door).
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ON TOUR
Vans Warped Tour - every date, summer and fall 2026 - see you at the main stage
Punkadeka Festival - Milan, Italy - Saturday, September 5, 2026
Tickets and merch: mxpx.com

613 Music Monday Spring Edition
This week is all about Music Monday. Before the songs, a few updates: MxPx is going on the full Warped Tour (Washington DC this weekend) and on Friday I'm playing an acoustic set in downtown Bremerton (June 12 @ 5pm) for the Bremerton fan zone party. Just got back from London and Leeds with Goldfinger too. Catch the live streams on the MxPx YouTube and Facebook, and go to MxPx.com for tickets, merch, and anything else I forgot to mention.
 
0:00 Introduction
1:04 MxPx Summer Updates: Warped Tour, Washington DC, Bremerton Acoustic Show
3:18 Always Grounded - Rocky Hill
6:28 Nitewake - Cut Me Loose
8:54 Grownup - Let Down
12:15 Lot Lizards - Surprise Party
14:56 Reason to Leave - Out of Control
17:20 Just Happy to Be Here - Autumn's Over
19:07 Pridebowl - Disconnected
21:04 Astillas del Mismo Palo - Cuando un Monstruo Te Habla de Amor
23:17 Suit Yourself - A Million Ways
25:05 Luke Morrow - Hannah
27:25 A New Rhetoric - Flood Lines
29:40 Westnedge - Self Entitled
32:04 UXO.HXC - Animal Kingdom
34:37 King Rexxo - The American Dream
36:43 Stubborn Hearts - Driving with Your Ghost
39:32 The Overtones - Running Around
41:29 Small Steps - Thiccc & Tired
43:21 Wrap-Up, Credits, and a Pacific Northwest Show?