The Backline Podcast

Recorded LIVE from our Twitch stream 02/20, Episode 25 of the Backline Podcast!We recap our highlights of 2025, look ahead to 2026, and include some value-added Question and Answer! Be sure to tune in because these questions give all listeners insight on some of our experience over our decade of existence!And, for the final question in the episode, what is your answer?You can also checkout Episode 25 on our YouTube ChannelThanks for reading Mile 134 Official! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Any band or musician looking to go the “D.I.Y.” route - LISTEN UP!(Or if you simply want to learn about how we’ve developed & adapted on our journey throughout the years, tune in!)Read on below, & tune in to get '“in the weeds” with Tristan!We’ve got the man with the plan talking about how we’ve adapted to the “Do-It-Yourself” route with the process of recording, mixing, & mastering your own music. Real world knowledge, learned from experimenting & taking action.No musical background, just a drive to understand & willingness to learn.In this rare episode, Tristan takes the mic all his own & talks about the skills & knowledge he’s developed - & still developing - through trial & error, countless hours working with software, & more!Tristan takes you through, ALMOST step by step, our entire recording process. From the scratch tracks to the final product.Tristan will be the first to tell you - he’s no expert. HOWEVER, this is why we created our Substack - to share our knowledge & experiences!Really hope you enjoy this great episode!Be sure to tune in to our Twitch Stream THIS SUNDAY to get an in depth look, a one-on-one session, as the Mastermind walks you through one of our singles from 2025!Keep your ears & eyes open on 10/31…*Hint* You will be getting ANOTHER Substack writing this monthMile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

All 3 of the songs we’ve released this Summer were demoed on digital gear.However, the final product that you hear was on our usual, physical, analog equipment.We’ve done a lot of work on our digital setup. Does it make the cut to be on a final recording, or possibly make it on stage with us?Tune in to Episode 23 to find out AND/OR…Watch our live stream later today, August 16th, kicking off at 2 PM! We will be showcasing our “new” FULLY DIGITAL setup, as well as playing our new singles “live” for the first time!Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

“No More is about my love/hate relationship with music.”A song for entrepreneurs, artists, creators, small business owners, etc. - anyone who is trying to make a positive mark on the world pursuing their purpose - and going through the ups and downs in pursuit of "success." With blunt, straight-to-the point lyrics, it’s easy for some lines in the song to be misinterpreted. However, the meaning of the song is whatever the listener makes it and how they connect with it.Tune in to hear what “No More” was inspired by and written about. TWITCH STREAM BUTTON - WATCH NOW - LEAVING SOONJune was a BUSY month for Mile 134 as well!Be sure to checkout one of our new fan favorites, “Narcissist” - released 06/20! (Our Facebook & Instagram polls determined that “Narc” was more favored than “MUD.”)Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

AI is everywhere, including in music.A quick episode for you this month but a fun one! With the continued rise of AI, this may not be our last episode on this topic.Tune in as we listen and react to a song written by AI!*We do not own the rights to the song - AI does.*On another note, we are going to interrupt your once-a-month email with our release of “Narcissist” on 06/20! You will receive a write up of the song meaning, how it came to be, recording process, and more the morning of the drop!PAID SUBS - We also asked AI to roast us, and it was HILARIOUS! Be on the lookout for that email later this morning. Also included in that email is our pre-release package for our song dropping 06/20, “Narcissist.” YOU don’t have to wait another week - you get everything “NARC” NOW!! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Did you know that 90% of podcasts don't get past episode 3? Of the remaining 10%, 90% don't make it to episode 20.Well guess what, we made it and we have YOU all to thank!More data we found interesting was that to be in the top 1%, we only need to make it to episode 21.So that’s our next goal - taking it episode by episode, and continuing to produce content! Tune in as we discuss and reflect on why we started this podcast, what we have learned, what we hoped you have learned by listening, what’s ahead for everything Mile 134, and more.Please note: We will be interrupting your monthly episode/Substack writing with ANOTHER special release coming at you on the morning of 05/20. We will be sending ALL SUBSCRIBERS a special write up on “MUD,” our song dropping 05/20 at midnight!Topics in the Podcast - linked below:*Paid Subs: the “MUD Pre-Release Package” is heading your way yet!!!!*Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

“Dead to You” is the debut single from Trey’s solo project.The song dropped at midnight on March 30th of this year. The song is very different from anything Mile 134 related.Tune in for a special Q & A as we discuss the meaning behind the song, how it was written, the entire “Do-It-Yourself” recording (mixing/mastering/artwork/promo/etc.) process, how it ALMOST was never released, creating reels for views, and more.(Skip ahead a few minutes into the episode to avoid our talk about Kirkland carbonated water, Costco, & Kwik Trip versus Casey’s/aliens…)And don’t forget to listen to the song, & subscribe to our Substack!!This episode will also be up on our YouTube Channel.You can find the song at all of the links below - Reels and Promotional Content - Tour/show Dates (TBD) - *Paid Subs: Behind-the-scenes content coming your way shortly, as well as a FREE download of the song & a live stream video that was taken down of playing the song LIVE for the first time since released!Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

What are some of our favorite albums?What were some of the albums that inspired Mile 134?Tune in to find out what our favorite albums are - whether it’s listening to them for pure pleasure or for inspiration!*Disclaimer: Trey left off one of his FAVORITE albums of all time from this list; Dysfunction by Staind.*In other news…Mile 134 is continuing to write music, and we are up to almost 7 songs for our upcoming album. We will not be stopping there - we are pushing to complete our second FULL LENGTH album, but do not want to rush any of the creative processes! BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR SUBSTACK TO STAY UPDATED!!!NEW MUSICHalf of Mile 134 has new music coming out! A debut single, “Dead to You,” is coming out 03/30 at midnight! Way different than anything Mile 134, this song is a tribute to the other styles of music we grew up on.We want to thank ALL subscribers as we recently hit 2 YEARS on Substack!! We would not be doing this platform without ALL of you! We appreciate you more than you know. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Ever wonder how we come up with our riffs?As you’ll learn through listening to our music, our riffs and how they “feel” are the backbone of our songs and sound. Most of our riffs are actually co-created, and are brought to life through process.From riffs that were going to be tossed to finding new life, to randomly playing and stumbling on to something usable, to going back through the archives and rehashing old, forgotten riffs - tune in to hear about how we write riffs, and eventually piece them together into a song!To view the rest of this Substack, please visit: The Backline Podcast - Home This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Elitists, gatekeepers, a$$ kissers, etc…in music?In any aspect of life, you will find there are people who adopt the “holier than thou,” or “end all, be all” mindset. Is it ego driven? Some sort of complex? What may it be? To each their own I guess.We are never really sure where this comes from or why they feel this entitlement, but for some reason, it happens - including in the music scene.*DISCLAIMER*These are our opinions and views based off of our experiences and journey.Tune in to hear all about OUR (saying it louder for those in the back) thoughts and experiences on dealing with these kinds of people. (skip to 12:02 where the episode ACTUALLY starts so you don’t have to listen to our “Spotify Wrapped” thoughts in the first part of the episode.)This was a difficult episode to keep “short,” but we managed, even though this topic could’ve been discussed for much longer.In this episode, we often reference our most popular episode, Episode 13, so we have linked it below to be easily accessed:*Paid Subs: You are in for a treat. We will be reading an Elitist’s review of one of our albums/releases, and getting our live reaction to his comments! Oh, and the person whom will be reading it to you has NEVER read the full review before.*As always, you can find our podcast on Substack, as well as YouTube, being our main platforms! Our episodes are also distributed to many other sites.Thanks for listening, and Happy Holidays to all of you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we talk about finding your tone. (Well, once you get through the intro banter about the history of sriracha and other sauces…)As a musician, tone and your sound are ALWAYS aspects you are going to be evolving and chasing. We know because over our almost decade-span of playing and recording, we’ve evolved our tone many times, while always staying true and authentic to ourselves.Tone is more than just the gear you use - the key to finding YOUR sound is that no matter the gear used, listeners still know it’s you.Authenticity and originality are vital to developing your tone.Listen on!*Paid Subs: Special guest joins us to talk tone/gear on this weeks Behind the Scenes exlusive content extra!**Other readings/writings about our tonal journey*We’ve got an ENTIRE section dedictated to our gear used, tone settings, live vs studio, and MORE on our homepage “GEAR” tab:Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Gear - every musician loves talking about gear.Can you have too much gear?Can you use cheap gear?Do you need top of the line gear?We’ve had it all - everything from gear that was passed along to us, gear that was stolen, sacred gear that was destroyed in a house fire, and even some brand new gear that we were able to purchase. Tune in to hear us talk about our gear preferences throughout the years, and even the gear we use to record the podcast!We’ve even got an ENTIRE section(& multiple readings) in our Substack dedicated to GEAR - see below:Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Here on The Backline Podcast, we don’t hold back.*DISCLAIMER* These are our opinions and views based off of our experiences and journey.For some, this may be a controversial episode, or slightly triggering, but we are telling it like it is from our point-of-view.In this episode, we talk about things surrounding music that drive us nuts.Again, this is from our POV and these are OUR Pet Peeves, and it’s quite possible that someone else may not express or agree with the same views.Tune in to listen below, or on our YouTube channel!Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

As many of you know, we are done for 2024 as far as live shows go.Tune in to hear our favorite shows we played in 2024, why we are calling it a year, what’s happening during our hiatus, and what the future holds!Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Mile 134 releasing singes started back pre-COVID and since then, we have released single after single…after single.It’s been effective in terms of saving money, and also keeping our music fresh.Tune in to hear us talk about each of our singles, and read on below where we dive real deep into each song - from ideas that spurred each song, to writing and putting together, to the meanings behind the songs, to the recording process!*Paid Supporters: TWO “NEW” NEVER before released versions of a few singles coming your way today!*MORE READINGS:Lyric & Song Links:Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

When people ask what we sound like, this is the release we tell them to check out.Full fledged aggression and angst, this release is, in our opinion, our BEST. The emotion captured in our “Double-Single” release is what makes us so proud of it.The release features a song that first got radio play, the show that got us into Summerfest, and an odd riff that was inspired by J-Lo and is also our toughest critics’ favorite song. We experimented with even lower tunings, guitar vocals, and a baritone guitar. The artwork that was 100% DIY earned a tattoo, and portrayed the album vibe and atmosphere so well.Tune in to listen to why we were so proud of this release and continue to brand it as our favorite to this day.Other content about this release:Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Local music is a wonderful thing. It allows us to not only express ourselves and entertain, but you meet so many great people, and create lifelong bonds and connections throughout your journey.We met Justin (aka The Trembling Giant) at one of our favorite local venues’ “Thirsty Thursday Series” acoustic nights. His folk-punk/alternative style was super cool and refreshing, and really was a welcomed surprise that he played mostly originals. If you’ve kept up with our past readings, you know that locally, there are not many original-music based bands. You can catch his original tunes at the END of our featured Twitch stream here for a limited time only - and his Spotify link at the bottom of this reading:Justin came and hung out at Mile 134 HQ this month and we asked him questions WE wanted to know, and talked everything music.Tune in to this month’s podcast episode to hear everything you wanted to know about The Trembling Giant! Mile 134 Official is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Raw, simple, slightly aggressive, with a hint of angst…Micromanager was the first release as an OFFICIAL 2-piece, as many of the songs off the previous album were written with a third member in mind for ideas.The release contained some darkness, as it was our first endeavor after the traumatic experiences that took place during the Sinner-era.Tune in to hear all about it!AND Read on below for our previous writings on the song meanings, EXCLUSIVE LIVE video, and more! One of our only series of writings that spanned over 3 Substack Releases! EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE SCENES CLIP This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Tune in to hear everything about our only full length album!This release was also our first release as a new, 2-piece band. We talk about how the songs came to be, the process (or lack of) of being unprepared, what NOT TO DO from our experiences, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe

Tune in to hear us talk about the inspiration behind our first songs EVER written! These songs are no longer distributed anywhere - we had them all removed! We talk about how the songs came to be, the meaning behind the songs, the members of Mile 134 at the time, and more about the early stages of the band.We hit on this topic earlier in “Our Story” segment:And our Paid Subscribers got to hear one of our “forbidden” songs one last time: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mile134official.substack.com/subscribe