Jesse Malin quite literally came of age onstage in the gritty clubs of New York City. At just 12 years old, he fronted Heart Attack—one of the earliest hardcore punk bands. After the band broke up in ‘84, Jesse went on to play in other groups, including Hope, and later co-founded D Generation, a glam-punk band that toured extensively through the '90s, opening for acts like Kiss, the Ramones, and Social Distortion.

In the early 2000s, Jesse launched a solo career, trading hardcore for a more singer-songwriter-driven approach. As a solo artist, he’s collaborated with a wide range of musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, and Billie Joe Armstrong. A true musician’s musician, Jesse has long been a beloved figure in the rock community.

So when he suffered a rare spinal stroke in 2023 that left him temporarily paralyzed from the waist down, that community rallied around him. The result was Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin—a 2024 tribute album featuring covers of his songs by friends and admirers. Jesse is also debuting a musical this fall called, Jesse Malin’s Silver Manhattan: A Musical Guide To Survival, at the Gramercy Theatre in New York.

On today’s episode, Bruce Headlam talks with Jesse Malin about his colorful upbringing in Queens, how he found the nerve to try out for a gig at CBGB’s at age 12, and what it was like during the formative years of New York’s hardcore scene. Jesse also shares how his “positive mental attitude” helped him through the toughest chapter of his life—recovering from the stroke that nearly ended his ability to walk.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Jesse Malin songs HERE.

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