Chris Kael On Tour w/ FFDP - Behind The Scenes At Sick New World Festival

Five Finger Death Punch bassist Chris Kael returns to the road after months at home, and the pre-tour dread is real. On this episode of Beardo and Weirdo, Kael and comedian Craig Gass break down the emotional whiplash of leaving a comfortable routine for arena stages, private jets declined in favor of solo motorcycle rides through 110-degree desert heat, and the unglamorous side of life in a major touring metal band.

Kael recounts an 18-hour round-trip motorcycle ride from Las Vegas to Mescalero, New Mexico — through Kingman, Arizona, and Albuquerque — that nearly ended in disaster when hundreds of elk emerged after dark on mountain roads. Gass delivers a full update on the viral banana costume incident, where a hardcore band sicced their crowd on a fan in a sparkly banana suit, and addresses commenters who tried to inject racism into a situation that had none. The conversation also covers the awkward art of meet-and-greet etiquette, including why veteran musicians never say "nice to meet you" and the mortifying moments when fans get mistaken for someone's daughter.

Behind-the-scenes footage from Sick New World festival anchors the second half, with Kael sharing stage-side video of Korn, System of a Down with Shavo Odadjian, Cypress Hill, and Marilyn Manson's set — where former drummer Ginger Fish wandered onto the stage and got tackled by security. Gass reveals that Alice Cooper wants to appear on the show, adding to a guest roster that already includes Gene Simmons, Dee Snider, Kerry King, and members of Korn and System of a Down. The Josh Wolf episode tease — featuring Gass's failed attempt to extract Jelly Roll divorce gossip — rounds out the chaos.

Beardo and Weirdo continues to pull rock and metal's biggest names into unfiltered conversations that land somewhere between backstage access and barstool confessions.