Long before I ever met my wife/Rewind It Magazine Photographer Brooke (or even founding Rewind It itself, for that matter) there was a period of much uncertainty and loneliness for me. For several years I was a single father hustling to keep my head above water, working full time (often overnights) while freelancing as a music journalist on the side and raising my son (thank God for the likes of my parents and certain other friends and family for being there during that time period, too).

But one thing was always a definite; I could always count on the likes of Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine to be there for me each and every Saturday night via That Metal Show on VH1 Classic. It was a small bright spot that I always looked forward to to help ease the void that was still very much present back in those days.

Needless to say, when the chance to speak to one of the aforementioned hosts of this show that once provided me with so much comic relief way back when, I couldn’t say no. I was able to speak with Jim from his New Jersey home (yet another thing we share in common aside from our love of heavy metal – I too originally hail from the Garden State) this past Monday, February 17, where the subject matter encompassed much of his past and present endeavors.

Knowing Jim would be performing at The Social in Orlando, FL this upcoming Saturday, February 22, one of the first things I asked was how familiar he was with central FL. He told me; “I’ve been to Orlando a bunch of times and recorded two of my comedy albums there. It’s a great market for comedy – Florida just in general is really – there’s always great crowds there. I’ll be in Atlanta the night before on Friday as well, and I’m looking forward to just getting down there and out of the cold!” (Laughs).

Of course I had to inquire about his time on That Metal Show and what originally lead to it. He filled me in; “Eddie Trunk had a radio show in New York, and I became friends with him as well as Don Jamieson. One day he just said ‘I know someone over at VH1 that we’re going to pitch this heavy metal talk show idea to and see if they go for it or not.’ And they pitched it and got it, and it wound up being on for eight years or so. It was great little run we had.”

In the span of those eight years, the three co-hosts were able to interview some of rock’s greatest icons, and I wanted to know if there were any that really stuck out more than others for him. Florentine said; “Almost every episode we did there was someone there I couldn’t believe we were talking to! Whether it was Angus Young of AC/DC, Marilyn Manson, Ted Nugent, the guys from Rush, or even the late, great, Ronnie James Dio. And I didn’t even have to do any research because I’ve been wanting to ask these guys questions for years, which was great!”

As far as the trio’s relationships goes today? Jim stated; “Don and I still tour together sometimes doing stand-up. We’re all still friends, all still in New Jersey, so we still talk and hang out from time to time.” He continued; “If you grow up together liking heavy metal and still like it later in life, you still have those friends. You just bond over that music.”

Many of you may also recall Florentine voiced the characters of Bobby and Special Ed on the Comedy Central show Crank Yankers. I asked what that experience was like doing as well, to which he replied; “Well it was Jimmy Kimmel’s and Adam Carolla’s show, so when I would go in to record in the studio to make the calls, they would always be there as the producers of the show. Either way I couldn’t believe I was there getting paid to make prank phone calls (Laughs). I was just happy I had two characters though.”

As far as what else occupies much of his time now, Jim informed me; “I’ve been doing my podcast, Everybody’s Awful since 2011. I also do a music show on Ozzy’s Boneyard on Sirus XM. So I keep myself busy for sure.” Be sure to check all of these out, as well as Florentine’s Orlando show on Saturday night!