Beardo And Weirdo

About Beardo And Weirdo

Welcome to The Beardo And The Weirdo Podcast! The show starring comedian Craig Gass and the slightly lesser-known musician Chris Kael, from Five Finger Death Punch. This podcast is all about sharing funny, interesting, and poignant behind-the-scenes stories about the music industry and stand-up comedy - stories so crazy you might not even believe they're real! Listen as Chris and Craig candidly talk about their lives, struggles, and triumphs in two of the craziest businesses to ever exist.

Publisher

Craig

Category

comedy

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Feb 2025

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

89 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2026

   Chuck Billy Fought Cancer Wrong...And It Worked | Beardo&Weirdo 90

   Chuck Billy interview reveals the Testament frontman's full story — from schoolyard bully and meth years to a cancer diagnosis at age 38 that split his life into two testaments. His new memoir Holding My Breath documents the native healing journey, the mysterious arrival of a healer named Charlie, and the stubborn defiance that carried him through 25 years cancer-free. The thrash metal legend details how getting expelled from high school killed a promising sports career and launched him into the Bay Area thrash scene alongside Metallica and Exodus. Chuck Billy explains how his childhood habit of literally holding his breath until he blacked out became the through-line of his life — from bullying his way through youth sports to controlling every Testament set list. Rob Halford wrote the foreword to the book in two days, and Randy Blythe of Lamb of God penned the afterword. Chuck describes the night a healer appeared at his door unannounced, performed a ceremony with flutes and chanting, and told him the wind would be his spirit guide. Weeks later, his blood work came back cancer-free. A second healer at the Center of Geronimo required Chuck to walk through a pack of wild wolves just to reach the front porch. The grounding techniques and mental visualization he learned there replaced the Catholic faith he grew up with, transforming him into a self-described spiritual person rather than a religious one. Chris Kael of Five Finger Death Punch and comedian Craig Gass connect deeply with Chuck's transformation, drawing parallels to their own recoveries from addiction. The conversation covers turning down a songwriting session with Gene Simmons, growing up in Dublin California with baseball legend Randy Johnson, and how tragedy and cancer reshaped Testament's creative process for the better. The book Holding My Breath is available at chuckbillybook.com, on Amazon, and through Premier Collectibles with copies signed by both Chuck Billy and Randy Blythe.

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Everyone Gets the Queensryche Breakup Story Wrong | Geoff Tate Explains - Beardo&Weirdo Ep. 89

   Geoff Tate, original lead singer of Queensryche, sits down with Chris Kael and Craig Gass on Beardo and Weirdo to share never-before-heard stories from four decades in progressive metal — from hearing "The Lady Wore Black" on the radio for the first time while building transistor radios to getting politely dismissed by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd at an Earls Court afterparty. The conversation covers Operation Mindcrime's final tour, the real story behind the Queensryche split, and what Gene Simmons actually said that changed everything. Tate reveals that Silent Lucidity, Queensryche's biggest hit with over 26,000 monthly YouTube searches, nearly got cut from the album entirely — saved only after orchestrator Michael Kamen delivered his arrangement and brought the entire studio to tears. He also recounts touring with Metallica on the And Justice for All tour for a full year, opening for Def Leppard in arena spectacles, and driving VW vans across Europe with Ronnie James Dio's blessing and only one roadie handling all the gear. The episode digs into how record labels pressured Queensryche to sound like Bonnie Tyler, tried to carve the ten-minute "Suite Sister Mary" into three radio singles, and why Tate never compromised his creative vision despite the machine pushing back. Chris DeGarmo's departure, the corporate dissolution of the band, and the infamous knife story rumors all get addressed directly. Tate now runs Backstage Pass Travel with his wife Susan, taking thirty fans per trip to villas in Italy, castles in Germany, and off-the-beaten-path locations across Europe where John Moyer from Disturbed co-writes songs with attendees. From making Tina Turner tea without recognizing her at Mayfair Studios in London, to Alice Cooper custom-fitting him a TaylorMade driver at a celebrity golf tournament, to listening to Dark Side of the Moon on a grassy hill while getting stoned with Ronnie James Dio at his final festival performances — Geoff Tate delivers the kind of first-person rock and roll history that only someone with forty years on the road can tell.

3. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Bruce Kulick Faced Death: KISS Reunion and his Heart Surgery - Beardo&Weirdo Ep 87

   Bruce Kulick, lead guitarist of KISS from 1984 to 1996, sits down for his first major interview since surviving open heart surgery earlier this year. Diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve over a decade ago, Kulick details the full story of his valve replacement — from the initial diagnosis in Sherman Oaks to the four-hour procedure at Dignity St. Rose hospital in Henderson, Nevada — and explains why proactive cardiac monitoring saved his life before he became, in his own words, "a walking time bomb." The conversation covers Kulick's sternum recovery, his month sleeping in a recliner, the physical therapy that rebuilt his strength, and the emotional shift that followed. Kulick describes feeling more energy and clarity than before the surgery, crediting his wife Lisa and surgeon Dr. De Sheer for the outcome. He also shares the bizarre post-angiogram complication no doctor warned him about and the KISS fan profusionist who told him, "I kept you alive for 80 minutes." Beyond the health story, Kulick opens up about the KISS MTV Unplugged taping that catalyzed the original lineup reunion, why he called the KISS farewell show at Madison Square Garden "a missed opportunity," and his current relationship with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. He reveals that a new solo album is underway with collaborators Todd Kerns, Brent Fitz, Zach Thorne, and songwriter Joe McGinnis — including a song called "Without Her" written during recovery about Lisa's role in his survival. Chris Kael of Five Finger Death Punch and comedian Craig Gass host this episode of Beardo and Weirdo, recorded in Las Vegas. Kulick reflects on meeting Brian May in 1975, the Vinnie Vincent Nashville performance, and why the non-makeup era of KISS deserves more recognition from newer fans discovering the catalog on streaming platforms. Kulick closes with a message about proactive health for the rock and roll community — get physicals, listen to doctors, and follow recovery instructions to the letter.

Who has been a guest on Beardo And Weirdo

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dave Landau
• Carrot Top
• Pete Lee
• Richard Hunter
• HAN

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

89,156

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

17 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

22 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 58 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

62

Social presence

0

YouTube

85

Engagement

51

Contact Beardo And Weirdo

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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