Protonic Reversal
Hosted by Protonic Reversal
A long-form interview show where a veteran musician talks shop with peers from the punk, noise, and experimental rock underground.
This is a musician's podcast for other musicians and serious fans of the rock underground. Host Conan Neutron leverages his own extensive experience as a touring artist to have detailed, empathetic conversations about the craft and grind of a creative life, particularly within the noise-rock, punk, and experimental scenes. Episodes are deep dives that often bypass simple album promotion to discuss a guest's entire career, technical process, and philosophical motivations.
“Unlike many music podcasts, the host is a peer who has lived the same touring and recording life as his guests, leading to a rare level of conversational depth and shared understanding. The show's consistent focus on the "why" behind the music, culminating in its signature final question, sets it apart.”
Who hosts this show
Conan Neutron, a self-described "rock and roll lifer," hosts this long-running, in-depth music podcast. Since 2014, he has engaged in peer-to-peer conversations with musicians whose work he respects, focusing on artists who may not be household names. The show explores the creative process, career histories, and the core motivations behind making music, frequently asking guests, "Why do you do what you do?".
Credentials & credits
- Vocalist/Guitarist/Songwriter for Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends
- Vocalist/Guitarist for Replicator
- Musician in Household Gods, Victory and Associates, and Mount Vicious
- Founder of the 4 Day Caterwaul music festival
- DIY punk ethic advocate and tour organizer
Other ventures
- Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends (band)
- Replicator (band)
- Household Gods (band)
- Victory and Associates (band)
- Mount Vicious (band)
- Caterwaul Music Festival
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02Conan Neutron’s Protonic Reversal-Ep458: Gregg Deal (Dead Pioneers)Jun 4, 2026 · 1h 12m
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07Conan Neutron’s Protonic Reversal-Ep452: DRUMCORPSE (David Silver, Ian Prince)Feb 27, 2026 · 1h 53m
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Ep456: Neptune (Jason Sanford, Mark Pearson, Daniel Boucher)
A perfect example of the show's niche, this episode delves into the history of a band that builds its instruments from scrap metal, covering unique creative processes and bizarre touring stories.
- 02Ep458: Gregg Deal (Dead Pioneers)
Highlights the show's ability to explore the intersection of art, music, and politics, as the guest explains how his performance art evolved into a punk band addressing Indigenous identity.
- 03Ep457: Bob Bert (Chrome Cranks, Lydia Lunch, Sonic Youth)
Showcases the host's peer-to-peer dynamic with a legacy artist, eliciting stories about iconic scenes (No Wave), famous collaborators (Lydia Lunch, Richard Hell), and controversial figures (Vincent Gallo).
- 04Ep400: Conan Neutron
For the show's 400th episode, the tables are turned and host Conan Neutron is interviewed, providing a deep dive into his own history, his bands, and the philosophy behind the podcast itself.
What you'll be asked on this show
Conan Neutron interviews like a knowledgeable peer, often sharing his own related experiences as a touring musician to build rapport. He opens with a specific question about a new project or a band's origin before letting the conversation flow organically into broader themes of craft, career, and influence. He allows guests to speak at length, building follow-ups from their responses and occasionally prompting for specific anecdotes about tour life or controversial figures. Every interview concludes with his signature, open-ended question: "Why do you do what you do?".
Each episode opens with a sound collage and a lengthy, scripted introduction where the host, Conan Neutron, identifies himself as a "rock and roll lifer" and states the show's mission. The format is a one-on-one or group interview, conducted as a casual, long-form conversation. The show is explicitly ad-free and supported by listeners via Patreon.
Questions Protonic Reversal keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Protonic Reversal reaches for it.
mindset
1- Q.01
“Why do you do what you do?”
This is the host's signature closing question, designed to uncover a guest's core artistic motivation.
origin
2- Q.01
“What's the origin story of this band/project?”
Frequently asked near the beginning to establish the history and formation of the guest's work.
- Q.02
“Did you come up listening to punk rock?”
A common question to trace a guest's musical lineage and early influences, especially in the punk scene.
craft
2- Q.01
“How is the new record different from the previous one?”
This question probes the creative evolution between an artist's projects.
- Q.02
“What was the idea behind the album artwork?”
This question explores the visual and conceptual side of an album's creation.
process
3- Q.01
“What did the process look like going from the initial idea to the final recording?”
Used to deconstruct the practical and creative steps involved in making a specific piece of work.
- Q.02
“Was it always the idea to make this a record?”
The host asks this to clarify the initial intent behind a project that might have started as something else.
- Q.03
“How do you handle getting through airport security with your unique instruments?”
A practical question for bands with unconventional gear, exploring the logistical challenges of touring.
controversy
1- Q.01
“Can you explain what happened with [controversial figure or event]?”
A direct prompt to elicit a specific, often well-known or infamous, story from the guest's past.
personal
2- Q.01
“Aside from the new one, is there any record you wish had gotten more attention?”
Asked towards the end of the interview to get a reflective look at the guest's career and overlooked work.
- Q.02
“Did you let [famous peer] know you covered their song, and what was their reaction?”
Used to surface anecdotes about interactions between musicians within a scene.
future
1- Q.01
“How did the band's reunion come to pass?”
A straightforward question to understand the catalyst for a band getting back together.
Signature segments
- · Signature closing question: 'Why do you do what you do?'
- · Host's self-introduction as a 'rock and roll lifer'
- · Audio collage intro sequence
- · Detailed, mission-statement introduction
- · Patreon plug in place of ads
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically active musicians, often with long careers in underground, punk, noise-rock, or experimental genres. The show books respected but not necessarily famous artists like Bob Bert (Sonic Youth), Gregg Deal (Dead Pioneers), and members of the scrap-metal band Neptune.
- Mike Baggettaon Ep459: Mike Baggetta (Main Steam Stop Valve [mssv], Casa Sueño)
- Gregg Dealon Ep458: Gregg Deal (Dead Pioneers)
- Bob Berton Ep457: Bob Bert (Chrome Cranks, Lydia Lunch, Sonic Youth)
- Neptune (band)on Ep456: Neptune (Jason Sanford, Mark Pearson, Daniel Boucher)
- Andrew "Falco" Falkouson Ep454: Andrew "Falco" Falkous (mclusky, future of the left)
- Duane Denisonon Ep453: Duane Denison (Tomahawk, The Jesus Lizard, DK3)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The host explicitly states the show has no ads or sponsors, instead directing listeners to support the podcast through his Patreon page.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Protonic Reversal
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name?
- The host, Conan Neutron, was born Conan Newton.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a long-form, one-on-one interview podcast where host Conan Neutron has in-depth conversations with musicians.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast has been running since 2014 and releases episodes weekly.
- How can I support the podcast?
- The podcast is ad-free and supported by listeners through the host's Patreon.
- How does the host select guests?
- The host prefers to interview artists whose work he has a deep familiarity and affinity for, often from the punk, noise, and experimental rock scenes.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Protonic Reversal is available on its official website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Protonic Reversal: Music Interview/Discussion Podcast (Official Site)protonicreversal.com
- [02]Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends (Official Band Site)neutronfriends.com
- [03]Conan Neutron - Academic Kidsacademickids.com
- [04]Replicator (band) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [06]Contact – Protonic Reversalprotonicreversal.com
- [07]Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [08]Conan's Patreonpatreon.com
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