Interview by Paul Salfen
Mike Mushok, the riff-slinging lead guitarist of Staind, is amped. It’s been a minute since we last caught up, and now he’s gearing up to bring the Massachusetts quartet’s hard-hitting sound to Oklahoma’s Choctaw Casino on Friday, September 5th at 8 PM. Speaking with AMFM Magazine, Mushok was all smiles, reflecting on Staind’s wild ride—from their 1995 formation in Springfield to selling 15 million albums worldwide, with eight Top 10 singles and seven studio albums under their belt. Their 2001 juggernaut Break The Cycle, certified 5x platinum, spawned “It’s Been Awhile,” a modern rock anthem that owned radio for 20 weeks at Number 1.
After a five-year hiatus, Staind stormed back in 2019 with festival gigs and a hometown set immortalized on Live: It’s Been Awhile. Fast forward to September 2023, and they dropped Confessions Of The Fallen, their first studio record in a dozen years, which shot to #1 on Billboard’s Active Rock Album chart. Singles “Lowest In Me” and “Here and Now” followed suit, both hitting #1. A deluxe edition, released digitally in September 2024, added three tracks, including “Better Days feat. DOROTHY.” With plans to hit the studio in 2025 for album number eight, Staind’s fire is far from fading.
“It’s great to be back,” Mushok tells me, his voice carrying the easy confidence of a guy who’s seen it all but still loves the game. The Choctaw show, he says, is the kind of gig where fans pile in early, ready to soak up every chord. “Casino shows are pretty fun,” he adds, noting the raw, no-frills energy of the venue. But with a catalog as deep as Staind’s, picking a setlist is no easy task. “We’ve got songs that connect with fans,” Mushok says, citing staples like “It’s Been Awhile.” “Some bands don’t like playing those. I enjoy it—they get such great responses.” The set will mix those classics with cuts from Confessions, including “Better Days,” a track born from a riff Mushok had been kicking around for years. “Hearing it finished felt real good,” he says.
The road to Confessions wasn’t without its doubts. After a decade without writing together, Mushok and frontman Aaron Lewis had to rediscover their groove. “There was some anxiety,” he admits. But once they started jamming, it clicked. “It picked up where we left off.” The result? An album that channels Staind’s signature gut-punch emotion while feeling fresh—a testament to their chemistry with bassist Johnny April and drummer Sal Giancarelli.
Mushok’s advice for young musicians is straight-up rock dogma: grind, gig, and write. “Nothing beats playing live,” he says, recalling Staind’s early days sharing stages with bands like Limp Bizkit. That hustle led to a call from Fred Durst, a van trip to Florida, and a record deal that changed everything. “We drove down, worked with him, and it just snowballed,” Mushok says, still marveling at the chain of events that landed them with producer Terry Date, whose work with Pantera and Deftones made him a hero to Mushok.
He doesn’t shy away from the big risks, either. One “Hail Mary” moment came when he bought his first house just as Staind hit the road for their debut, Dysfunction. “I didn’t know if it’d work out,” he laughs. “But we went for it.” That leap paid off, as did countless others—playing parking lot stages at festivals one year, then headlining the next. “You could see the progression,” he says. “Nothing beats hard work.”
On tour, Mushok keeps it low-key, writing in hotel rooms or, when his son tags along, hitting the golf course (despite admitting he’s “horrible”). The real thrill, though, is seeing fans still show up, from tours with Korn and Godsmack to their recent run with Breaking Benjamin. “People still want to hear what we’re doing,” he says, gratitude evident. With new songs already brewing, Staind’s next chapter is in motion.
“We’re thankful to have you back,” I tell him. At Choctaw Casino, expect Staind to deliver a set that’s equal parts nostalgia and new blood—proof they’re still a force. Catch them while they’re hot.
