Episodes

  • Common Thread - Episode 3.2 (Angie Cooper)
    May 7 2025

    Part two of the interview with Angie Cooper kicks off with a guest appearance by Rory's 9 year old who provides us with a summary of some of the best books he has recently read.

    Angie, Rory and Greg share insights about their respective careers, highlighting how their backgrounds in punk culture inform their professional ethics and professional relationships. The conversation explores the challenges faced by younger generations in navigating home ownership amidst economic challenges and corporate encroachment in real estate.

    The important role financial planning and mentorship has played early in their careers is discussed along with how professional relationships helped the guest and co-hosts reach important milestones in their careers and lives.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Joe Bean Roasters

    Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

    Lunchador Podcast Network

    Check out all the shows on the Lunchador Podcast Network at Lunchador.org

    Mind of Magnus

    Check out Mind of Magnus at magnusapollo.com, and leave him factoids at 585-310-2473! https://mind-of-magnus.captivate.fm

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    46 mins
  • Common Thread - Episode 3.1 (Angie Cooper)
    Apr 30 2025

    Rory and Greg interview Angie Cooper, a real estate agent from Richmond, VA. Angie first met Rory on the 1999 xHead Onx tour. We hear about how a chance encounter facilitated through "Book Your Own Fucking Life" lead to their friendship that now spans over 25 years.

    Angie has worn many hats throughout her life: teacher, tour/merch manager for bands like The Disaster, Strike Anywhere, Avail and Lamb of God, video editor and producer, and now real estate agent. She discusses how punk rock has influenced her the various stages of life and each of her career choices.

    Angie also discusses some practical advice for people looking to buy a home in this turbulent real estate market. This is part one of a three part interview.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Lunchador Podcast Network

    Check out all the shows on the Lunchador Podcast Network at Lunchador.org

    Joe Bean Roasters

    Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

    Dialed In: A Coffee Podcast

    Get Dialed In to the world of coffee with Aaron and Wade! Tastings, coffee news and opinion and more! https://dialedincoffee.captivate.fm

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    46 mins
  • Common Thread - Episode 2
    Apr 23 2025

    Rory and Greg each share five songs that influenced them in meaningful ways at various points in time in their lives.

    Discussion topics also include feedback from listeners on the first three episodes, the format for the upcoming interviews, skinwalkers, the 1995 family comedy Jumanji, Minor Threat and the national treasure that is Ian MacKaye, coping with grief through music, punk rock songs that require dictionary to fully understand, the popularization of nerd culture, finding religious guidance through Start Trek: The Next Generation, and escaping challenging family dynamics through skateboarding and hardcore punk.

    This episode includes a bonus Spotify playlist that features the songs that are discussed. You can also access the playlist at the link in the Common Thread Instagram profile. Contact us at commonthreadhxcpodcast@gmail.com.

    Follow Common Thread on Instagram at @CommonThreadHxCPodcast and Lunchador Podcast Network at @LunchadorPodcast.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Mind of Magnus

    Check out Mind of Magnus at magnusapollo.com, and leave him factoids at 585-310-2473! https://mind-of-magnus.captivate.fm

    Joe Bean Roasters

    Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

    Lunchador Podcast Network

    Check out all the shows on the Lunchador Podcast Network at Lunchador.org

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Common Thread - Episode 1.3
    Apr 16 2025

    Rory and Greg reflect on their families with their parents and siblings, and with their spouses and children. They discuss the important role their significant others play in their life and process of self discovery. Greg discusses his experience raising a child with autism, and both hosts discuss the importance of empathy and understanding in parenting.

    Greg discusses public libraries in the context of the current volatile social and political climate. Libraries are becoming a flash point in the culture wars, and Greg discusses specific incidents and challenges that have arisen.

    The dialogue takes a philosophical turn as the hosts discuss the nature of existence and the human experience. Greg relays how Eastern philosophies influence his life and outlook on a day-today basis, and his pursuit of inner peace through mindfulness and meditation. This introspective segment encourages listeners to consider the deeper implications of their life choices and the struggles that accompany the journey of self-discovery and growth.

    The conversation concludes with an exchange between Rory and Greg about what they hope to accomplish with this podcast, and how it might help foster connections within the hardcore punk community.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Behind the Glass

    Podcast and gallery focusing on underrepresented artists utilize the space to amplify their work. Curated by @Richardbcolon @qua.jay. Check out the podcast or join them in person first Fridays at 240 E Main St, Rochester, NY! https://behind-the-glass-gallery.captivate.fm

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    37 mins
  • Common Thread - Episode 1.2
    Apr 9 2025

    Rory and Greg discuss the significant role "third spaces" like coffee shops and libraries have in fostering connections between individuals and creating authentic, organic communities. The hosts advocate for the preservation of these increasingly scarce 'third places,' arguing that they are critical in combating the isolation often brought on by technology and social media.

    Greg and Rory also discuss the role skateboarding played in their formative years, how it introduced them to a community that embraces nonconformity and independent thinking.

    This episode also features a segment where Greg and Rory talk about traumatic experiences they had as children, and how the abuse influenced their sense of self and identity. The hosts discuss the important role the Standfast song "Elucidate," a song about childhood trauma and abuse, played in Greg's life.

    The discussion shifts to focus on the transformative power of shared experiences, the importance of finding ways to show empathy, and the challenges of parenting, particularly in the context of instilling values of autonomy, independence, and communication in children.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Behind the Glass

    Podcast and gallery focusing on underrepresented artists utilize the space to amplify their work. Curated by @Richardbcolon @qua.jay. Check out the podcast or join them in person first Fridays at 240 E Main St, Rochester, NY! https://behind-the-glass-gallery.captivate.fm

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    42 mins
  • Common Thread - Episode 1.1
    Apr 3 2025

    Welcome to the inaugural episode of Common Thread.

    This podcast will explore territory beyond the typical interview questions about musical influences and favorite bands. It will feature organic discussions that illuminate how hardcore and punk rock influenced the trajectory of our lives in unexpected ways.

    Common Thread will showcase authentic conversations with small business owners, educators, activists, artists and people who have lived unique and interesting lives. We will introduce you to individuals who have found ways to apply the values, philosophies, and sense of community found in hardcore punk to overcome obstacles, resolve problems using innovative solutions, and forge their own path in life.

    In this three-part episode, co-hosts Rory Van Grol and Greg Benoit talk about the role hardcore had in influencing their adolescence years, their choices as parents, their role as the leaders of Ugly Duck Coffee and Irondequoit Public Library respectively, and their shared experience overcoming past trauma. Rory discusses his move from Rochester, NY to Rhode Island, how he came to be in Soul Control, his eventual move back to Rochester, and the founding of Ugly Duck Coffee. Greg discusses his career as a public librarian, how late 90s hardcore show fliers influenced the way people in the Rochester area learned about ebooks, and how he came to occupy a leadership role in public libraries.

    This conversation is as inviting and humorous as it is vulnerable and unvarnished., and sets the pace and tone for future interviews.

    This episode was recorded using a Zoom 2H4n Pro microphone and Blue Snowball microphone, and was edited with Audacity. If you live in the Rochester area you can borrow these microphones for free from the 1839 Maker's Lab located at the Irondequoit Public Library to record a podcast, oral histories, interviews, and live music. The 1839 Maker's Lab also features a high end PC that you can use to edit your audio recording using Audacity. Visit irondequoitlibrary.org/services/makers-lab for more information.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Mind of Magnus

    Check out Mind of Magnus at magnusapollo.com, and leave him factoids at 585-310-2473! https://mind-of-magnus.captivate.fm

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    53 mins
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