**This episode was originally published on January 16, 2024, but with Grails announcing a new record this week, I thought it was a good time to revisit this classic episode**

For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Ilyas Ahmed on the show. After reminiscing a bit about the 2007 Digitalis music fest, Bottled Smoke, we talked about both incredible albums Ilyas released in 2023 - his solo joint, “A Dream of Another,” and Grails’ “Anches En Maat.” We had a blast getting into the underrated shredding of Steve Stevens, Velvet Underground’s ability for tender destruction, where you go after making one of the all-time records as your debut, how Bono ruins some great songs, Guy Picciotto as an underappreciated lyricist, Scott Walker being Scott Walker, Q Lazzarus’s genius and tragedy, feeling good with Donna Summer,  ...