Episode
Alien Ant Farm’s Dryden Mitchell on 25 Years of ANThology and the Journey to “Reasons”
- Published
- Mar 29, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2398
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://rss.com/podcasts/my-weekly-mixtape/2637453
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Summary
This week, I’m joined by Dryden Mitchell of Alien Ant Farm to trace the band’s journey: from the early $100 EP and Love Songs recordings—when tracks like “S.S. Recognize” and “Wishing” were still finding their final form—to the tongue-in-cheek Greatest Hits release that arrived before the band had even broken nationally. From there, we dig into the era that launched the band worldwide: ANThology , which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026. Dryden reflects on the explosion of the band’s cover of “ Smooth Criminal” (originally by Michael Jackson ), the momentum behind songs like “Movies” & “Attitude,” and how hidden tracks like “Orange Appeal” managed to survive the jump from Cassette & CD era hidden-track Easter eggs to modern streaming . Along the way we talk about what it was like working with Dean DeLeo and Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots on TruANT , and dig into some deeper catalog moments: from the cult-favorite 3rd Draft tour CD release that became Up In the Attic , to the band’s evolving approach to album titles, long gaps between releases, and how those breaks shaped later records like Always & Forever and Mantras . And of course, we talk about what’s happening now : the upcoming ANThology anniversary vinyl release and the brand-new single “Reasons,” written by Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome —plus what fans can expect from the band’s next chapter . If you’ve been spinning Alien Ant Farm since the early-2000s radio days —or you’re just discovering the band —this one goes deep into the catalog , the stories , and the moments that shaped the band over the last 30 years ! 🎙️ LEARN MORE 🎵 Hear the Playlists / Browse the Catalog: https://myweeklymixtape.com 💬 Join the Mixtaper Community (Patreon): https://patreon.com/myweeklymixtape 🌐 Conn…