Todd Michael Hall is best known as the powerhouse vocalist for Riot V, carrying on the legacy of the legendary metal band Riot with his soaring range and dynamic stage presence. Over the years, he’s also fronted Harlet, Reverence, and Jack Starr’s Burning Starr, earning a reputation as one of melodic metal’s most versatile and passionate singers.

In 2020, Todd brought his incredible voice to a wider audience with a standout appearance on NBC’s The Voice, impressing both judges and fans alike. Beyond his band work, Todd has also launched a successful solo career, showcasing his songwriting and melodic sensibilities on releases that blend his classic metal roots with timeless rock influences.

So check out his story on this episode of The Jersey Guys Podcast!

On this episode of The Jersey Guys Podcast, we welcome guitarist Paul Lidel, a powerhouse player whose career has spanned some of hard rock’s most memorable bands. Paul first made his mark with the gritty, no-frills rock attack of Dirty Looks, delivering raw riffs and relentless energy that earned the band a loyal following. He later joined forces with Dangerous Toys, bringing his fiery guitar work to their sleazy, tongue-in-cheek brand of hard rock.

Never one to slow down, Paul continues to keep the spirit of rock alive today with his current project, Scream Therapy, proving that his passion for loud guitars and high-octane rock ’n’ roll is as strong as ever. From the glory days of MTV Headbangers Ball to the modern stage, Paul Lidel has always delivered the goods, and he talks about it all in episode 98, so check it out now!

Mitch Viegut began his professional music career in 1973, picking up his first guitar—a Fender Stratocaster—at the age of 12. By his mid-teens, he was performing steadily with the band StilRock before heading off to the University of Wisconsin (UW-Madison and UW–Eau Claire). There, he met fellow musician John Fisher, and together they formed Heros, a popular Midwest cover band that balanced nightclub performances with college life.

In 1977, Viegut reunited with high school friends Dave Saindon and Dave Roll, along with Grammy nominee Peter Phippen, to form Airkraft. By 1981, he founded Ark Records and built Premiere Recording Studios in Wausau, Wisconsin, producing and recording more than 100 albums and demos for Midwest groups, including Otis and The Alligators, Howard “Guitar” Luedtke, Tuck Pence, and Crash Alley. Ark Records later evolved into Premiere Records, securing distribution through Important/Relativity Records.

Between 1981 and 1998, Airkraft recorded four albums, released six singles, and toured relentlessly across the United States—performing more than 300 dates in some years. Their first two albums, released on Premiere Records, gained international distribution and strong reviews in Europe’s influential rock magazines, including Kerrang! In 1989, Airkraft signed with Curb/Capitol Records and CBS International, and the singles “Somewhere” and “85 Miles Per Hour” from the In the Red album earned Billboard “Top Song” picks and charted on over 100 stations worldwide, including in the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

Alongside his work with Airkraft, Viegut continued to expand his role as a producer, engineer, and publisher under Big Snow Music. Over two decades, he produced and engineered more than 200 recordings for a wide range of artists, while also penning notable works himself—including the theme song for FOX TV’s Fire Rescue in 1990.

With a career spanning performance, production, songwriting, and label management, Mitch Viegut has left a lasting imprint on both the Midwest music scene and the international melodic rock community.