Staind Guitarist Mike Mushok – Exclusive Interview

2025-09-02

Image of the rock band Staind.

Staind guitarist Mike Mushok sits down with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio for an exclusive interview about the band. – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo from Steve Thrasher

Few bands have the staying power as Staind. The band got their start in the 1990s and became one of the biggest bands of the post-grunge movement. It’s impossible for any good Millennial or Gen-Xer to have not heard songs such as “It’s Been a While” or “Epiphany,” because those were really the domineering rock sounds of the early-2000s.

Today, Staind is still one of the hottest bands of the moment and have been touring steadily all year, in support of their latest album, 2023’s “Confessions of the Fallen.” They still play to crowds of thousands and sell out shows pretty much wherever they go.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Audio Ink Radio, Staind guitarist Mike Mushok gushed over the feeling of being back on the road. Staind will kick off their September tour Friday, September 5, in Durant, Oklahoma.



It’s great to be able to be out there, playing these songs again, and just being able to work again and do what we did for so many years before we took the break,” he said. “So, I’m very thankful to be doing it and very thankful that people are still coming out and checking out the shows and listening to the music.”

Staind Guitarist Talks New Album

When asked about the electronic aspect of the band’s latest album and if it’s something they’re likely to continue with, Mushok dished that new music was on the way.

“I do think that’s going to happen. Definitely,” he said. “In fact, there’s some new music kicking around, and it’s definitely still kind of following that same vein of it, so I’m real excited about that, as well. So, yeah, I definitely think we’ll continue down that path, for sure.”

So, when should we expect the new music from Staind? “I don’t know. That’s a great question,” Mushok said. “There’s a bunch of songs kicking around. You know, Aaron (Lewis) is super busy always out playing. So, hopefully this fall, we can maybe start to solidify some of these ideas and figure out exactly where we are, but there’s a bunch of songs kicking around.”

The 25th Anniversary of ‘Break the Cycle’

Staind will celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Break the Cycle” in 2026. So, what does Mushok remember from the release of that mega album?

“I’m going to tell you the one thing that stands out the most is, and this is dumb, but just that first week and the phone call saying that we had sold 716,000 records in a week,” he said. “That was like, how does that even happen?”

He added, “We started in ’99 and that was in ’01 that came out, so I remember seeing where he played on festivals. I remember, and there are a few of them that stand out, there was one in Florida, Livestock, and there was one in D.C., HFStival, and going from playing the first year in the parking lot to the second year early in the day on the main stage to when ‘Break the Cycle’ came out, being, I don’t think we closed then, but I think we played before Rage Against the Machine, and just seeing within three years and that record coming out being able to move up in those time slots and getting better positions on them was kind of cool. Being able to really see the progress of what we were doing and the hard work we put in was cool.”

Mushok also said that the band isn’t planning to do another long hiatus anytime soon, which is good news.

“Nothing planned like that right now, unless you know something I don’t know,” he said, joking. “I think especially if we can get some new music out, there you always have to go out there and support that, so that’s always a good way to be able to get out there and play some shows.”

Check out Audio Ink Radio’s full interview via the player above or via the podcast.

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Features, Music

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