Welcome Back to High School

So here's the situation... Our parents went away on a week's vacation–JK JK. But for real, we took a break after season one and reassessed what we wanted to do for season two, and lo and behold, we both wanted to move away from our initial idea of doing high school-themed interviews. And now we've realized that we need a new name. So technically, this episode is the first episode of whatever the new podcast will be, but we didn't want to lose all of our loyal fans. Please enjoy this episode and feel free to weigh in with ideas for our new moniker. 

Have you ever saved things, like really old things, and you have no idea why you saved them? Well, on this episode, Amy and Jessi crack open a Converse All Star shoe box full of notes that haven't seen the light of day since 1996. Get ready to hear some of the most ridiculous half-baked teenager brain drama ever recorded. Will Jessi and Johnny HOOK UP!? Will Amy be mad, even though she's obsessed with Smith, and not Johnny? Will Amy and Jessi survive their BIG FIGHT about who their real friends are? And what the heck is FAN-CLUBBING? Let's get WAY into it. 

Have you ever saved things—like really old things—and had no idea why you saved them? Well, on this super-extended two-part episode, Amy and Jessi crack open a Converse All Star shoebox full of notes that haven’t seen the light of day since 1996. Get ready to hear some of the most ridiculous, half-baked teenage brain drama ever recorded. Will Jessi and Johnny HOOK UP?! Will Amy be mad, even though she’s obsessed with Smith and not Johnny? Will Amy and Jessi survive their BIG FIGHT about who their real friends really are? And what the heck is FAN-CLUBBING? Let’s get WAY into it.

Today’s guest is one of our oldest and dearest friends, Claire Weiss. Claire is one half of the world-famous photography duo, DAY19, and she is never without a camera in hand. Claire and her husband Jeremy have shot legendary campaigns for some super small brands like Pepsi, Nike, and Harley Davidson—to name a few. But no matter how big their clients get, they always make time to shoot significant and intimate moments with their family—and their yearly zine always puts a smile on our face. Claire graduated from Morris Knolls High School in Rockaway, NJ, in 1995. Let’s get into it. 

Coming in hot is episode number eight! Today’s guest is our new friend and the coolest person on earth, Anna Zanes. Anna is the editor in chief of Alternative Press, and she 100% knows more about your favorite band than you do. You might have caught one of her world-class interviews with Davey Havok or Haley Williams as of late, and we can’t wait to see who she chats with next. Anna graduated from St. Ann’s School in Brooklyn, NY, in 2012. Let’s get into it. 

Our LUCKY seventh guest is Miami native and music scene super-boss, Lolo Reskin. Lolo began her music career in high school, starting as a street team rep for mega-cool record labels like Matador and Astralwerks and DJing indie nights at clubs she was far too young to be in.At age 16, she started working at Virgin Megastore, and after six years of learning the ins and outs of all things record store, she took a huge leap and opened her own shop—Sweat Records—which we can objectively say is one of the greatest record stores in South Florida since Blue Note. AND, to top off this wild resume, her great-uncle coined the term "Rock N’ Roll." WTF. Lolo graduated from Miami Killian Senior High in Kendall in 2000. LET’S GET INTO IT. 

Hold on to your hats because today’s guest is our good friend and the smartest person on Earth, Sadie Dupuis. Sadie is the guitarist, songwriter & singer of rock band Speedy Ortiz, as well as the producer and multi-instrumentalist behind the pop project Sad13. In addition to writing amazing tunes that will change your life, she’s also been named one of Rolling Stone’s top guitarists of ALL TIME. She also holds an MFA in poetry from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she was a professor. AND, to round out that list, if your jaw isn’t already on the floor, Sadie's written two poetry books: Mouthguard in 2018 and Cry Perfume in 2022. Sadie graduated from Shepaug Valley School in 2006. Let's get into it!

Strap on your ear goggles because it's time for Staten Island's wildest and craziest guy... You know him, you love him, it's Dan Ozzi! Dan graduated from St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School in 2001, and since then, he's spent his time, oh, you know, just banging out a couple of best-selling books, no big deal! He co-wrote Fahrenheit-182 with Mark Hoppus (a #1 New York Times best-seller), and before that, his book SELLOUT: The Major Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994-2007) was a National best-seller as well as NPR's book of the year. Dan chats with us about attending high school with folks you would see on an episode of The Jersey Shore, finding community in the punk, hardcore, and skateboarding scenes, and doing ridiculous things with his friends before Jackass ruined it for all of us. Let's get into it. 

It's sometime in the mid-to-late 90s, and your BFF's Amy Fleisher Madden and Jessi Frick are taking you out on a date... to the movies! The only question is: WHAT MOVIE!? In this hilarious fourth episode, Amy and Jessi discuss their three favorite movies from their high school era. Let's get into it. 

Riot Girl movement pioneer and punk rock legend Rose Melberg joins us to chat all about her time at CK McClatchy High School in Sacramento, CA. Rose's bands Tiger Trap, The Softies, and Go Sailor have paved the way for countless young punks to find their inner voice and step up to the mic and yell ONE TWO THREE FOUR. Most recently, she can be seen on the road with fellow punk rock legends, Bratmobile. Let's get into it!

Internet sensation and the scene's favorite father, Blake Kasemeier, joins us to chat about his time at Nordoff High in Ojai, CA. Blake metriculated in 2001, and the stories that he brings to the table include the legendary "spirit key", playing a disastrous show with his nu-metal band on the Sunset Strip in L.A., and his time spent at Boy's State with an unfortunate squirrel-related experience. Let's get into it. 

Get to know your new best friends and hosts, Amy Fleisher Madden and Jessi Frick! In our inaugural episode, we discuss the top three songs that remind us of High School. Let's get into it...For more, follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/welcomebacktohighschool/#Hosts: Amy Fleisher Madden and Jessi Frick / Guests: Amy Fleisher Madden and Jessi Frick / Producers: Amy Fleisher Madden and Jessi Frick / Original Music by: Jae Aguerro and The Miami Girls Rock Camp / Copyright 2025 © Amy Madden LLC.