Set Lusting Bruce: The Bruce Springsteen Fan Podcast

We kick off Pride in Bruce Month with guest Nico Stratus, a Toronto-based writer originally from Canada’s Yukon. Niko describes growing up in a music- and book-filled home, later leaving construction work after coming out as trans, and building a writing career through online essays, including an early op-ed that prompted an attempted libel threat. Nico recounts discovering Bruce Springsteen later in life—initially misreading Born in the U.S.A.—and connecting deeply to Bruce’s earnestness, storytelling, and songs like “Dancing in the Dark,” “Thunder Road,” “Drive All Night,” and Nebraska tracks. Nico discusses their book, The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman, a memoir-mixtape where “Dancing in the Dark” becomes a pivotal catalyst for coming out, and shares where to find their work online.

Find out more about Niko here - https://www.nikostratis.com/

Amazon Link for The Dad Rock that Made me a Women - here https://a.co/d/0git0VZh

00:00 Pride in Bruce Intro

01:48 Meet Jesse and Nico

02:10 Tattoo and Cancer Talk

02:46 Nico Background Story

04:03 Music in the Yukon

09:35 Reading and Escape

11:13 Comics Marvel vs DC

13:56 Becoming a Writer

17:02 First Op-Ed and Lawsuit

18:01 Discovering Springsteen

20:56 Why Bruce Hit Home

22:58 Dancing in the Dark Deep Dive

27:10 Writing the Dad Rock Book

29:14 Mixtape Memoir Blueprint

30:55 Springsteen Awakening Moment

32:34 Impostor Syndrome and Belonging

35:57 Good Tired Dream Work

37:59 Never Seen Bruce Live

38:55 Songs That Shaped Me

42:49 Queer Icon Bruce Debate

44:58 Why Read the Book

49:56 Does Mary Get In

53:24 Where to Find Nico

55:08 Pride Month Signoff
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In this special episode of Perfectly Good Podcast—where the hosts normally rank John Hiatt songs A to Z—Jesse and Sylvan welcome guest Lilly Hiatt to talk about her own career. Lilly recalls starting guitar at 12, overcoming shyness to perform, and beginning songwriting in middle school, describing how melodies and lyrics arrive together and how she captures ideas on voice memos. She explains how songs develop at different speeds, how albums reflect a specific time period, and how collaboration shapes unexpected recording outcomes, including working with her husband Colby on Forever and their project Domestic Bliss. Lilly shares early memories touring with her dad, favorite venues, thoughts on Napster’s impact on making a living through touring, and influences like Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska. She discusses personal songs “Ray,” “Thoughts,” and “Impostor,” then plugs upcoming Texas-area shows and encourages fans to support by buying merch and records at gigs.

00:00 Cold Open Dialogue
00:53 Podcast Intro And Guest Reveal
02:12 First Meeting And Fan Story
03:11 Early Guitar And Stage Nerves
05:46 Writing Songs And Poetry Roots
06:56 Songwriting Process And Tools
11:33 Building Albums And Collaboration
14:51 Domestic Bliss With Husband
15:41 Growing Up On Tour
16:35 Backstage Hello From Linda
17:52 Tour Life And Favorite Venues
23:50 Napster Era And Music Business
25:27 Touring Economics And Team
27:15 Touring Help Needed
27:45 Pearl Jam Origins
29:27 Eddie Vedder Shoutout
30:15 Writing Ray for Sister
31:15 Family Bonds and Aunt Life
33:43 Thoughts Voicemail Choice
34:57 Producer Magic Explained
37:25 Nashville Identity and Genre
39:24 Creative Goals Abroad
40:32 Springsteen Nebraska Deep Dive
43:02 Impostor Verse Backstory
47:27 Shows Merch and Farewell

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Los Angeles–based musician and music teacher Jake Cassman, who shares his path from growing up in Berkeley on classic rock and ’90s alternative to discovering Bruce Springsteen later through a 2008 Obama rally performance, long bus rides through New Jersey, and years playing dueling pianos. Jake discusses teaching recording and songwriting at The Geffen Academy, the realities of freelancing (busking, weddings, improv), and how COVID ended live work and pushed him into a USC master’s program that led to greater stability and new opportunities, including producing for the podcast Switched on Pop. He explains why he shifted from the Drunken Logic moniker to releasing music under his own name, introduces his album Idling High, performs “We All Look the Same,” and talks songwriting, storytelling, and favorite Springsteen albums, ending with the classic Thunder Road question.

https://www.jakecassman.com/music

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

02:00 Teaching Music in LA

03:00 TeachRock and Music Education

04:27 Writing and Community Programs

05:35 Growing Up With Rock

07:32 Finding Bruce Springsteen

09:14 Early Music Obsession

10:31 Dueling Pianos Stories

12:31 Requests and Deep Cuts

15:10 Freelance Music Career

17:38 Rebranding as Jake Kassman

19:17 Pandemic Shock and Pivot

22:41 Freelancing and Saying Yes

25:52 Better Paying Gigs

26:32 Idling High Origins

28:15 We All Look the Same

33:33 Storytelling Gets Universal

36:19 Bruce Road Trip Deep Dive

39:28 Next Creative Steps

40:40 Pop Podcast Tangent

44:00 Thunder Road Debate

47:53 Where To Find Jake

49:34 Final Wrap And Thanks
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In this B-side episode, host Jesse Jackson talks with electro-punk pioneer Peter Pepper, calling from Shibuya, Tokyo, about growing up in rural Florida feeling alienated, discovering punk and industrial music, and channeling creativity through early audio editing into a music career. Peter shares how playing the State Theatre in St. Petersburg became a breakthrough moment, how “electro-punk” emerged organically around 1999–2001, and stories from touring, including Asbury Park’s Stone Pony in 2001 and a later tour moment with Wes Borland. They discuss the realities of life on the road, modern pressures of permanent online records, and how a friend’s recommendation led Peter to build a life between Japan and Bali. Peter previews his May 20 release “We’re From Florida” and a forthcoming blues project, then answers Jesse’s “Mary question” about Thunder Road.

https://www.peterpepper.net/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3PWK1iZunlFBPGG5CMpMh0?si=b9tXZRimTXqSUIeILG5Crg

00:00 B-Side Welcome

00:49 Meet Peter Pepper

02:00 Florida Roots

04:01 Finding Punk Scene

05:37 Outsider Identity

12:43 Creative Awakening

15:08 Learning By Doing

18:37 Creating In Public

22:40 First Big Break

27:18 Electro Punk Origins

29:50 Building Electro Punk

32:37 Labels And Movements

33:45 Stone Pony Ghost Town

38:44 Wes Borland Moment

41:21 Tour Life Offstage

44:03 Why Japan Became Home

48:28 New Music Plans

50:29 Thunder Road Mary Question

52:44 Goodbyes And Housekeeping
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Host Jesse Jackson opens a B-side episode of Set Lusting Bruce with musician and worship leader Brigitte Donahoe, who shares her journey from growing up in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, California, and Michigan to becoming a songwriter, wife, and homeschooling mom of two. Brigitte discusses her eclectic influences (’90s rock/ska, R&B vocalists, and later country), her complicated early church experience, and a pivotal youth conference encounter that brought her back to faith. She describes starting songwriting at 14, releasing her first EP Restored, and performing at festivals, churches, and Christian nights at local bars. She also reflects on “Cherish Moments,” her grief-inspired song “Keep On,” her desire to make rock music, and her hope for more listening and grace in the church.

https://brigittedonoho.com/home

00:00 B-Side Welcome

01:14 Meet Brigitte

01:59 Growing Up Musical

03:30 Country Music Conversion

05:34 Faith Roots and Doubts

07:14 Choosing Belief

11:14 Music Takes Over

12:52 Songwriting Calling

15:23 Going Pro in Music

16:26 Through His Eyes Story

18:06 Faith and Politics Divide

20:34 Church Needs Grace

22:37 Assume Good Intent

22:59 Cherish Moments Talk

24:05 Better Days Mindset

26:06 Starting Live Gigs

26:57 Missing The CD Era

28:11 Dreaming Of Rock

30:25 Touring As A Family

31:52 Songs That Heal Grief

36:34 Farewell And Housekeeping
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