Bridge The Atlantic

Joining us out of Detroit is singer/songwriter Jena Irene Asciutto. Jena finished second in the 2014 season of American Idol, and has since signed to Original 1265 Recordings, released an EP and full length album, “Cold Fame” and is currently studying for a degree in Creative Songwriting.“Cold Fame” was written and recorded after Jena spent six months of her teenage years as a contestant in American Idol, and the record displays a range of sounds and sensibilities that take us through the life of a modern young woman. In this interview, Jena talks about her decision to sign with an independent label, the new album, and the advice she'd offer to her fellow musicians.Highlights:Jena shares how she’s trying to be less of a people pleaser, and be more direct and assertiveJena tells us why she decided to sign with an independent label post-American Idol rather than a major“I wanted to be really open and honest with my audience on Cold Fame” - Jena Irene Asciutto“Throughout the writing and recording process, I was

In this week's B-SIDES episode, we're talking all about your gut feeling. It's something that comes up a lot on this show, so we decided to dive a little deeper into some times that we didn't follow our gut, and why we wish we did, and also times when we DID follow our gut, and what the outcome was. Hopefully you can learn from some of the mistakes and successes we've had, and start listening to your gut more. Enjoy!Highlights:We talk about the importance of trusting your gut when it comes to making decisions in your creative career“Follow that gut feeling, and whether or not it works out, you’ll know that you were true to yourself” - Marcio NovelliMarcio talks about times where he didn’t follow his gut, and how things turned out as a resultMarcio on listening to his head rather than what his gut was telling him - “On paper it made sense, but something didn’t feel right”We talk about being swayed by who people have worked with rather than the vibe we get from themRoss shares a story about taking on a project

Joining us this week out of Atlanta is Bryan Calhoun. Bryan is the creator of The Music Business Toolbox, which breaks down in easy-to-follow steps what both brand-new and experienced music industry professionals need to do to get to the next level.Bryan has spoken on panels and taught workshops at all of the key music industry conferences including SXSW, MIDEM and CMJ. He’s also worked with artists including including Kanye West, Questlove, Nicki Minaj and Drake over his 25 year career so far. In this interview, Bryan shares the traits he sees in successful artists, the importance of allocating a budget correctly, and the importance of consistency in today's music industry. Enjoy!Highlights:Bryan is an advocate for independent musicians and labels, and is always fighting for the underdogBryan shares the common traits that he sees in successful artists - both independent and major“What I’ve noticed in all of the super successful artists and executives is that they have a really great sense of intuition”

Joining us this week out of Nashville is award winning singer/songwriter and American Idol winner Kris Allen. Kris was crowned the winner of Idol in 2008, and since then has released 5 studio albums, amassing hundreds of thousands of sales and millions of streams.Kris is now releasing music on his own label, Dog Bear Records - with both releases so far charting in the top 20 on Billboard’s Independent chart. In this interview we hear about Kris’ American Idol experience and how it’s impacted on his career, how a car crash has changed his life both personally and musically, and the advice he’d offer to his fellow musicians.Highlights:We learn Kris is missing a rib, is very honest, and is not a morning person (but who is?!)Kris tells us what he learned from his American Idol experience“American Idol taught me that I could belong in the music industry” - Kris AllenKris tells us how he had to re-learn how to play guitar after a car crash in 2013“I took a lot of things for granted - when something gets t

Happy holidays!In the final instalment of our 2017 holiday special, we talk about planning for the year ahead, and the importance of taking breaks. We share some tips on how to set goals and achieve them, as well as some past interviews where we talk about this in more depth. We also play Two Truths & A Lie with Nettwerk Music Group's Terry McBride.Enjoy!Highlights:We talk about breaking large goals down into smaller goals to make them more manageable"Every large task has multiple steps to achieving it - identifying the smaller steps can make a huge difference to getting things done!"We recommend our interview with Pam Lewis-Rudden for advice on music licensing"If you’re struggling to keep on top of your goals, reach out to other artists and creatives and see if you can become accountability partners"We recommend our interviews with Stephen Christian & Suzanne Paulinski for more advice on time management and goal settingWe play a game of Two Truths & A Lie with Terry McBrideWe talk about

Happy holidays!In part 3 of our 4 part holiday special, we talk about holiday sales and promotions, and offer some tips on how to make the most of the holidays for promoting your music and merch. We also play Two Truths & A Lie with music industry champion Damian Keyes and Canadian broadcasting legend Alan Cross.Enjoy!Highlights:We talk about offers and promotions you can offer on your music and merch during the holidaysWe talk about the benefits of running a Boxing Day sale for your merchWe play a game of Two Truths & A Lie with Damian KeyesWe talk about how you can sweeten your digital download offers by adding additional contentWe talk about our upcoming Buy-One-Get-One-Free T-shirt sale!We play a game of Two Truths & A Lie with Alan CrossSponsors:Christine Infanger @ Thirty RosesMusic Entrepreneur HQ  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Happy holidays!In part 2 of our 4 part holiday special, we talk about ways you can market your music during the holidays, and other ways you can make the most of the holiday season as an artist. We also play Two Truths & A Lie with singer/songwriter Troi Irons, and Said The Whale co-frontman Tyler Bancroft. Enjoy!Highlights:We talk about how you can promote your music and make the most of the holiday season as an artistWe talk about how you can promote your music as a gift, and give music away for free during the holidaysWe play a Holiday-themed game of Two Truths & A Lie with Troi IronsWe talk about the benefits of writing or covering holiday songs"Think about what YOU might like from your favourite artists if you’re not sure what to offer!"We play a Holiday-themed game of Two Truths & A Lie with Tyler BancroftSponsors:Christine Infanger @ Thirty RosesMusic Entrepreneur HQ  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Happy holidays!In this first part of our 4 part Holiday Special, we look back at 2017 and talk about some of our favourite interviews from the past year, as well as playing Two Truths & A Lie with past guests Riley Smith and Bif Naked.Enjoy!Highlights:We look back at 2017 and talk about some of our favourite interviews from the past yearWe share some of the highlights from 2017, including our interview with Justin Pierre and Melissa CrossWe play a Holiday-themed game of Two Truths & A Lie with Riley SmithWe talk about how Nathan West's interview crashed our websiteBif Naked plays a fun Holiday-themed game of Two Truths & A Lie with usSponsors:Christine Infanger @ Thirty RosesMusic Entrepreneur HQ  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week's B-SIDES episode, we’re going to be answering a question that was asked on a recent Facebook live - the question about whether you should give music away for free, and what "free" should mean for artists in today's music industry. Enjoy! Highlights: - We talk about the benefits of giving music away for free - and what "free" should actually mean - "Rather than thinking of it as giving music away for free, think of it more as getting it to the people who are going to be part of your audience" -Ross - "There are many things more valuable than money and the instant gratification that comes along with seeing a dollar in exchange for your song." - Marcio - "An email address carries much more weight than a one-off transaction, and allows a long-lasting communication with your audience" - Even in the age of social media, getting someone’s email address is still one of the most effective ways of communicating with them - If you’re able to give something exclusive in exchange for an email address, you

Description here.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Joining us this week out of California is artist manager Michael Kaminsky. Michael is the founder of KMGMT, who have had a decade of worldwide success starting with multi-platinum artists 3OH!3. Since then, KMGMT has discovered, developed, and delivered some of pop-punk’s most recognizable names, most-anticipated albums, and biggest sold out tours with artists like Neck Deep, Creeper, Tonight Alive, As It Is, The Summer Set and more.Most recently, Michael launched Adventure Cat Records – a new independent label from the artist management team at KMGMT. Adventure Cat Records is KMGMT’s commitment to continue to build a supportive community for their favorite genre of music. They bring together expertise in management, writing, publishing, production, marketing, publicity all in one place. In this interview we learn more about a manager’s role, why Michael started Adventure Cat Records, and the advice he’d offer to bands and musicians today.Highlights:Michael shares some of the misconceptions bands have around

Joining us this week out of Cleveland, Ohio is music publicist Jesea Lee. Jesea is a publicist with High Road Publicity, a team of highly passionate PR professionals with a combined 30+ years experience. High Road Publicity have developed an uncanny system for developing and launching an avalanche of emerging bands that are signing to some prestigious labels including Revival Recordings, Artery Recordings, Rise Records, and Equal Vision. In this interview, Jesea breaks down some misconceptions bands have around publicity, how to make your band publicity-ready, and what to look for when hiring a publicist. Enjoy! Highlights: - We hear what led Jesea to pursue a career as a music publicist - Jesea tells us how an internship led him to becoming a publicist full time - We hear about the misconceptions bands have around publicity - Jesea tells us how he manages expectations around a band’s publicity campaign - “One of the biggest misconceptions bands have is that press is instantaneous” - Jesea Lee - “Press i

Happy Halloween! Instead of a B-SIDES episode, we've got a special Halloween episode for you this week. We didn't record a special last year due to technological issues (more about this in the episode) but we found a way to make these specials work, so we're back, baby! This episode features past guests Michael Grubbs of Wakey Wakey and Third Eye Blind/XEB guitarist Kevin Cadogan, as well as a history of BTA specials and some paranormal-themed stories. Enjoy! Highlights: - We talk about our illustrious history of Bridge the Atlantic specials - We talk about why the format of our specials has changed - and you guessed it, it's all because of technology! - We share how we always have to learn the hard way - because we're both ambitious but stubborn. Mostly stubborn. - We play a game of Two Truths & A Lie with Wakey Wakey's Michael Grubbs - Marcio talks about his love for all things paranormal - Marcio shares a terrifying paranormal experience he had as a teenager - Marcio's story confirms why Ross would

This week we’re joined by a fellow podcaster, Mark Fraser from Glasgow. Mark is the host of The Curator Podcast, an interview based show which focuses on creativity and passion. His show has featured guests such as Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World, Ian Mackaye of Fugazi, Laura Jane Grace of Against Me, Scottish broadcaster Vic Galloway, and singer/songwriter Allison Weiss. Mark is also a keen musician, currently rocking guitar and vocals in False Hopes. He was also the editor and co-founder of the music website Daily Dischord until 2014 and hosted the Daily Dischord radio show on Subcity Radio. In this interview we talk about the importance of interviews for musicians and creatives, how to prepare for a podcast interview, and some of the challengers we face as podcasters. Highlights: - Mark shares why he thinks interviews are important for creatives - “In a podcast interview, you get an authentic feel for what an artist is saying” - Mark Fraser - Mark shares how the connection you can make with an artist thr

Joining us out of Vancouver is recording artist and author, Bif Naked. Bif has had an extremely successful career as a musician, with 10 studio albums and countless tours to her name. She is a celebrated and diverse artist and writer known for sliding easily between her punk roots, to rock, pop, alternative, and contemporary genres of music. Bif’s music has been featured in TV shows such as The Tonight Show and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and she’s been described as “Princess of Punk” and The “Rock Goddess.” An artist with an unquestionable work ethic, Bif insisted on working throughout her cancer treatment in 2008, and as a result of talking with other patients, found her passion for advocacy work and joy in speaking and lecturing. In April 2016, Bif released her memoir, “I Bificus” which documents her career, and her personal struggles and triumphs. She is currently bringing her “Songs and Stories Tour” to the world, combining readings from her book with acoustic performances. In this interview we hear all

Joining us this week out of Los Angeles is actor and musician, Riley Smith. Riley’s TV credits include recurring roles in 24, True Blood and Nashville, as well as a leading role in the CW series, Frequency. These roles got him in front of the people, but his love for music introduced him to them in a way unlike any other role he has played. Musically, Riley’s past successes include supporting Jordin Sparks, a residency at the iconic Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles and a European tour. He’s also had major radio play and numerous film and TV placements. In this interview we hear more about Riley's acting career, his time in Nashville, and his new EP. He also shares some great advice for aspiring actors. Highlights: - We learn that Riley collects Starbucks coffee mugs - now you know what to get him for Christmas! - We talk with Riley about how people are more interested than our pets and/or kids on Instagram - Riley shares some of the highlights and turning points from his acting career - “Every project has been a

In our sixth episode of B-SIDES we talk about getting started with crowdfunding; how to decide how much to ask for, what you should offer your backers as rewards for their support, and how to ask for help. We've also got a bonus segment from our recent interview with Amanda Palmer, where she talks about keeping it personal when communicating with your fans (and how she didn't always approach things that way!) Highlights: - We talk about how to decide how much you need to raise in your crowdfunding campaign - Knowing how much you need to make your project happen is so important as it will help to set your initial crowdfunding targets - On setting targets: "how much do I need vs how much can I actually raise?" - We talk about the additional costs that you'll need to factor into a crowdfunding campaign eg marketing / printing costs etc - We talk about how crowdfunding doesn't provide you with an audience who will support you - you need to bring that audience with you - "Be realistic with the audience you alr

Our guest this week is Kevin Cadogan out of Berkley, California. Kevin is a founding member of Third Eye Blind and performed with the band from 1993 to 2000. He co-wrote some of the band’s most notable hits, including "How's It Going to Be", "Losing a Whole Year", and "Graduate." Since parting ways with Third Eye Blind, Kevin has released solo material and has also began touring with XEB, a band made up of ex-Third Eye Blind members. In this episode we hear more about XEB, Kevin's experience in the music industry, and the advice he'd offer to bands early in their career. Highlights: - We talk about Third Eye Blind's early record deal and Kevin tells us about his experience - On Third Eye Blind's first record deal: "I knew that we had a great shot and there were great people behind us" - Kevin Cadogan - We talk with Kevin about the perception people have of signed artists compared to the reality - Kevin shares some of the backstory behind him parting ways with Third Eye Blind - "Parting ways with Third Eye

Joining us this week is musician and bestselling author Amanda Palmer. Amanda is the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist of the duo The Dresden Dolls, and has released numerous solo records to critical acclaim. In 2012 she became the first artist to raise over $1m on Kickstarter, with the resulting album, “Theatre Is Evil” charting in the US top 10. Her TED talk on The Art of Asking went viral and was quickly followed by a book expanding on the subject which became a New York Times Bestseller. Hugely respected in the independent music industry, Amanda has a ton of advice to share. In this interview, we hear more about how artists can ask for the support of their audience, dealing with insecurity as an artist, and how artists can use crowdfunding effectively. Highlights: - Amanda shares how artists don't like asking for money, and how there is a stigma around crowdfunding - "I'd like to think now there's less shame around crowdfunding" - Amanda Palmer - We share how we think Amanda has played a huge part i

Joining us this week out of Alabama is Grammy award winning producer, Trina Shoemaker. Trina has worked on records for artists including Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlisle, The Dixie Chicks, Queens of the Stone Age, and Josh Ritter, and in 1998 became the first woman to win a Grammy for Best Engineered Album. Trina is partnered with Dauphin Street Sound, a world class recording studio run with heart and soul in Mobile, Alabama. In this interview we hear more about her experience as a producer, the advice she'd offer to singers going into the studio, and her Grammy experience. Enjoy! Highlights: "I mix my life as I walk through it" - Trina Shoemaker We hear how Trina approaches a session and how there's always anxiety in the run up to a new session We hear how Trina prepares for an artist to come into the studio - preparation is key! Trina tells us how invested she is in the quality of an artist's record as that's how they make a living We talk about comping vocals and how it doesn't take the authenticity out of