Taylor Swift Tribute Band, Catholic School & 3D Doritos | 20-Year Timeout EP 3

Taylor Swift Tribute Band, Catholic School & 3D Doritos | 20-Year Timeout EP 3

Episode 3 – Reconnecting with Mike Harnois (and 3D Doritos)

So this episode came together kind of unexpectedly and it might be my favorite one yet.

Mike Harnois and I go way back. Catholic school in Worcester. Recess games. AOL chat rooms. He was always funny, always musically talented, and one of those people I never forgot—even though we hadn’t talked in decades.

That’s exactly the kind of person 20-Year Timeout was made for.

When I launched this podcast, the goal was to track down people I haven’t spoken to in 20 years or more. Not just best friends. Sometimes just a name or a memory that stuck with me. Mike was both.

How It Came Together

I hadn’t seen or spoken to Mike since we were kids, but I kept hearing his name come up in the local music scene. Turns out, he’s still in Worcester and playing music full-time in a bunch of tribute bands (including one where he performs as Taylor Swift—yes, for real).

We reconnected online, I pitched the idea of doing an episode together, and the rest just fell into place. He invited me over, and within minutes of walking through the door, it felt like no time had passed. We sat down in his music space and hit record.

This was one of the most laid-back, natural conversations I’ve had in a long time.

What We Talked About

We covered a lot—from nostalgic memories to creative philosophy to parenting in 2024. Some of my favorite parts:

• Forming a Taylor Swift tribute band (and why he thinks tribute shows are actually harder than playing original music)
• The grind of live album performances (System of a Down, Paramore, Faith No More)
• How becoming a dad shifted his relationship to creativity
• Growing up on AOL, Nintendo, and awkward chat room culture
• Our old joke rap song about 3D Doritos (which yes, he still remembers)

And near the end, I couldn’t help but mess around on the drums. Just for fun. No editing. No polish. That’s the vibe of this show—it’s supposed to feel like a real-time reunion, because it is.

Why This Episode Matters to Me

This one reminded me why I started 20-Year Timeout in the first place.

Mike and I didn’t plan some big reunion. It just happened because we were both open to it. And when two people are willing to be honest, curious, and a little weird—magic happens.

It wasn’t about the past, really. It was about seeing who we are now—and how our creative sides have evolved. He’s stayed in music. I’ve gone through marketing, video, storytelling, and now this podcast. But in the end, we’re both still trying to make something that connects.

That’s what this show is. It’s not just catching up with people. It’s about unpausing the past, and making something meaningful out of it.

Thanks again to Mike for being part of it. And thank you for reading this far.

If you haven’t watched the episode yet, you can find it on YouTube, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. And if you’re someone from my past, and you’re reading this—maybe we should talk.