Interviews – The Cosmic Clash

Interview: The Sword’s Bryan Richie works hard to sustain the Austin music scene

February 22, 2026 Case Cockrell 719 Views Austin Music, bryan richie, electronic music, Galactic Protector, heavy metal, Interview, Interviews, live music, music news, music scene, new music, rock n roll, Spaceflight Reecords, The Sword

If you’ve spent any real time in the Austin music trenches, you know the difference between hype and longevity. Bryan Richie has been on the longevity side for over 20 years. Between his work with The Sword, Spaceflight Records, and his electronic outlet Galactic Protector, he’s watched the local ecosystem evolve through boom cycles, venue shakeups, and the streaming era’s slippery slopes. We caught up with him to talk about staying busy, supporting artists the right way, and why Austin’s scene, while ever-changing, is far from dead. Richie is gearing up for a European tour this year while celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Sword’s triumphant debut Age of Winters, and will release the sequel to his 2019 solo record on February 24. We caught up with him to discuss the upcoming release and why the Central Texas music system still matters and how every bit of fan support is crucial to making it all happen.

Case Cockrell Interviews Live Music

Interview: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong talk Austin, Domefest and touring in 2025

November 17, 2025 Case Cockrell 1309 Views Ben Carrey, funk, Greg Ormont, Interview, Interviews, jam band, live music, mohawk, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, PPPP

Baltimore funk institution Pigeons Playing Ping Pong are a staying force in the world of jam bands. Rounded out by singer and guitarist Greg “Scrambled Greg” Ormont, bassist Ben Carrey, guitarist Jeremy Schon, and drummer Alex “Gator” Petropulos, the road warriors from Maryland aren’t accustomed to taking any time off since their inception 17 years ago. Ahead of their show at Mohawk on Friday, November 14 in the famed Red River Cultural District in downtown Austin, The Cosmic Clash caught up with Ormont and Carrey to discuss their storied career and thoughts about Austin’s vibe

Interviews Mike Cosmic

Interview: Parker Woodland talk Austin music scene and new music with Mike Cosmic

January 30, 2025 Mike Cosmic Cota 3473 Views alternative rock, Andrew Solin, Austin Music, Erin Walter, indie rock, Interview, Keri Cinquina, Mike Cosmic, Parker Woodland, rock n roll

Early January saw Mike Cosmic connect with and interview two members of Parker Woodland; lead vocalist and bassist Erin Walter, and drummer Keri Cinquina. These multi-talented musicians previously collaborated in Butch County before joining forces with guitarist Andrew Solin, forming Parker Woodland three years ago.

Interviews Mike Cosmic

Interview: Darkwave artist Jonathan Horstmann of Urban Heat

January 17, 2025 Mike Cosmic Cota 3478 Views darkwave, goth, Interview, Jonathan Horstmann, Mike Cosmic, new music, synth rock, The Tower, Urban Heat

On Saturday, January 11, Jonathan Horstmann and I met at Talisman Coffee Co. in Austin to discuss Urban Heat’s recent tour and their latest release, The Tower. The interview focused on the band’s recent, successful European tour with Molchat Doma, the new album and what’s next for Urban Heat.

Case Cockrell Interviews Live Music

Interview: Austin stoner metal act The Sword talk return, Austin scene, weed, to play Levitation this weekend

October 30, 2024 Case Cockrell 4183 Views Bryan Ritchie, doom metal, hard rock, Interview, Jimmy Vela, John. D. Cronise, Kyle Shutt, Levitation, stoner metal, The Sword

Revered Austin metal act The Sword is back and locked in for a performance on Sunday at Levitation Festival in Austin, Texas. The doom act announced their breakup in 2022 after 19 years as a band and fans have been feigning for a reunion ever since. The local heavy act will close out the Black Angels-produced festival with a headlining set at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre in the Red River Cultural District in the downtown area and will be joined by local acts Gran Moreno, The Well, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, and also famed proto metal act, Pentagram. Frontman/guitarist John D. Cronise, bassist Bryan Richie, drummer Jimmy Vela, and lead guitarist Kyle Shutt all showed up to deliver their insight on why it made sense to come back. To get a feel on how the band returned and what the quartet has been up to in the interim, we sat down with them after their rehearsal and discussed what the reunion means and how it all came together.

Culture Interviews Mike Cosmic

Interview: Besides music Trail of Dead member Conrad Keely is a gifted visual artist

October 18, 2024 Mike Cosmic Cota 3390 Views And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, art, Conrad Keely, Interview, Trail of Dead

Music fans might know Conrad Keely’s art through his band …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead without realizing Keely often designed and created the album artwork. Music isn’t where Keely’s creative endeavors end. The man is a gifted painter, working in a variety of mediums; oils, acrylics, pen and ink on paper, canvas and even wood surfaces. I sat down with Keely for a video interview and we discussed all aspects of his art and where it might head in the future.

Interviews Mike Cosmic

Interview with Author Tara Lopez of Chuco Punk: Sonic Insurgency in El Paso

July 8, 2024 Mike Cosmic Cota 2610 Views book, Chuco Punk : Sonic Insurgency in El Paso, El Chuco, El Paso, Interview, Mike Cosmic, music history, punk rock, rock n roll, Sound Decay Records, Tara Lopez

On June 8, I had the exciting opportunity to interview author Tara López at Sound Decay Records in El Paso,

Case Cockrell Feature Interviews

Neo-psych lives on through the generations: A deep dive into the psych-punk antics of Grocery Bag

February 2, 2024 Case Cockrell 4733 Views feature, garage rock, Grocery Bag, Interview, King Gizzard, neo-psych, new music, Osees, psych-rock, punk rock

You know you’re in Austin’s West Campus when you see someone tear their entire car bumper on the curb. For Austin band Grocery Bag, it’s their sanctuary. In the Austin College Co-Op scene, it feels like anything is possible

Interviews Robert Dean

Austin artist profile: Filmmaker Issac French Embraces his Dark Half

June 13, 2023 Robert Dean 1314 Views artist, Austin, filmmaker, Interview, Issac French, profile

while the city’s musical history is alive and well due to the musicians holding down the kitchens or wrenching on your car. But when you hit Red River Street for a night of service industry mayhem, one of the best bartenders in town has a pedigree that few others have in the Capital City: award-winning filmmaker, Issac French.

Christina DeStefano Interviews

Interview: Holy Wire discuss new track Someday or Never

June 7, 2023 Christina DeStefano 1493 Views Alain Paradis, electropop, Holy Wire, Misti Hamrick, post-punk

Today, Holy Wire released their track “Someday or Never”. The electropop, new wave inspired ballad rings hopeful. Tinged with influences

Christina DeStefano Interviews

Interview: Ambient artist Bayonne released third album, premieres new video today

May 26, 2023 Greg Ackerman 3345 Views ambient music, Austin, Bayonne, Interview, new music, Parish, Roger Sellers, video premiere

Today, Roger Sellers aka Bayonne released his third studio album Temporary Time. We sat down with him to discuss what listeners can expect. Temporary Time’walks through stages of grief with ambient looped composition in what he describes as ‘his most personal work to date’.

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