*This week* *we're taking a short break from the *Can't Ignore the Train* audio documentary to bring you a recent interview with founding members Dennis Drew and Steven Gustafson.*
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Before **10,000 Maniacs**, two kids in a 9th-grade homeroom in Jamestown, New York, bonded over music. Founding members **Dennis Drew** and **Steven Gustafson** join host **Jay Coyle** to trace a friendship that grew from playing songs in a living room to launching a ten-watt college radio station and helping build a band whose music would reach around the world. Along the way, they share stories of musical discovery, early rehearsals, and the thrill of creating something of their own.
That friendship runs through the band’s hardest chapters, too. Dennis and Steven reflect on Natalie Merchant's departure at the height of the band’s success, their next chapter with **Mary Ramsey,** and the devastating loss of guitarist **Rob Buck**. With humor, candor, and affection, they explore what kept them moving forward, why they needed each other, and the pride they take in the music they continue to make. As they put it: “**We did it with love and guts and courage.**”
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**CREDITS**
**Unfinished - a 10,000 Maniacs Podcast**
Executive produced by 10,000 Maniacs
Come see the band perform at a venue near you. Check the shows page for details.
Produced by Propeller Sound Services
Hosted by Jay Coyle
Edited by Chandler Coyle
Social media support by Karen Allison
Production support and spiritual guidance provided by Emily Drew and Gehrig Peterson.
Special thanks to all Maniacs past and present, including current members Dennis Drew, Steven Gustafson, Jerome Augustinyak, Mary Ramsey, John Lombardo, and Ben Medina.
