Bridge The Atlantic

Our guest this week is Benji Rogers, British-born, New York-based entrepreneur, technologist, musician, and the founder of Pledge Music. As an early pioneer of the direct artist-to-fan model of distributing music, Benji founded Pledge Music based on the belief that artists should share the process of their artistic output, not just the finished product. In addition to his work with Pledge, Benji is also the co-founder of the Dot Blockchain Music Project, an attempt to create a decentralized global registry of music rights using blockchain technology that will overhaul the commercialization and movement of music online. We had a great chat with Benji about Pledge Music, the importance of superfans, and the advice he'd offer to musicians and music industry entrepreneurs. Highlights: - Benji schools us with a Michael Bolton related Office Space quote - Marcio shares his personal experience of Pledge Music with Benji - Benji shares how the team are the key to Pledge Music’s success - “Technology is a huge...

Joining us this week is vocal instructor Melissa Cross out of New York City. Melissa is a highly in-demand voice teacher and creator of the acclaimed “Zen of Screaming” instructional DVD. Her approach to singing is rooted in passion and authenticity, and the techniques she teaches are all about allowing artists to be themselves. She’s worked with some of the biggest bands and artists in the business. Her client list includes vocalists of bands such as Sleeping with Sirens, Halestorm, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday, Circa Survive, and even Kevin Bacon. Highlights: - Melissa believes she is here on this Earth to help people - Melissa is a sucker for talent - it’s one of the main things she looks for in a partner! - We hear how Melissa developed the vocal technique she now teaches - Melissa shares how classical vocal techniques aren’t necessarily applicable to non-classical music - “We need to take the resonant strategy of classical music and apply it to the spoken tone” - Melissa Cross - Melissa tells... &

Joining us this week out of Miami, Florida is Ryan Kairalla. Ryan is a lawyer, writer, podcaster, and teacher. He advises clients in the music industry on a wide range of entertainment and business matters including recording agreements, publishing agreements, management agreements, music licensing, media appearances, live performances, entertainment litigation, copyright and trademark counseling, and corporate matters. Ryan mostly focuses on advising independent musicians on their legal and business issues. His work as an “indie music lawyer” also extends to his writing and podcasting. His new book Break the Business: Declaring Your Independence and Achieving True Success in the Music Industry shines a light on the pitfalls that arise from record label contracts, and provides artists with helpful guidance on achieving music industry success on their own terms. Highlights: -Ryan explains that today an indie music lawyer needs to be an expert in a lot of different fields - The new music industry gives...

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Our guest this week is Brendan Brown of Wheatus. Wheatus are perhaps best known for their hit “Teenage Dirtbag” but their story goes far deeper. The band have remained unsigned & unmanaged for the last 8 years, and continue to write, record, and tour 15 years after their inception. The band are in the process of releasing Volumes 1-8 of Pop, Songs & Death, a series of EPs available exclusively from wheatus.com as multi-format “pay-what-you-want” digital downloads. With a band biography that includes lawsuits, lineup changes, interstate art heist investigations and more, Brendan shares his experiences of the music industry and the advice he'd offer to his fellow musicians. Highlights: - Our introduction for Brendan is outdated, but for once it isn’t completely Ross’s fault! - “We are still stubbornly obsessed with making records in an analog format” - Brendan B Brown - Brendan wants to buy an artifact from Ross’s music geek childhood - Brendan tells us about Wheatus’s major label experience and why

Joining us this week are twins Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn of Canadian pop-punk group Courage My Love. The band formed in 2009, were discovered at a battle of the bands in Ontario in early 2010 and were soon signed to Warner Music Canada. Since then, they’ve released 4 EPs and 1 full length album, with their new album “Synesthesia” due for release in February 2017. They were nominated for 'Best breakthrough group of the year' in the 2014 Juno Awards, and were named one of the Top 100 Bands You Need to Know in 2012 by Alternative Press Magazine. In this interview, we hear more about their upcoming album, and the advice they'd offer to their fellow musicians. Highlights: - We hear how Mercedes and Phoenix work together - Mercedes and Phoenix want us to know that homeschooled children aren’t always sociopathic weirdos! - We hear about the benefits and opportunities Courage My Love have had through their label support - We hear about Courage My Love’s upcoming record “Synesthesia” - Mercedes and Phoenix...

Joining us this week is Manchester based singer/songwriter Lucy Spraggan. Lucy became a household name in the UK after appearing on the 2012 season of X Factor, and since has found chart success, with many of her singles reaching the top 20 in the UK charts. Her fourth album ‘I Hope You Don’t Mind Me Writing…’ is released on 27th January, through her own label CTRL Records. In this interview, we hear more about the new record, Lucy's X Factor experience, why she completely changed her management team recently, and more! Highlights: - Lucy tells us about her X Factor experience - We hear how Lucy believes that the music industry is less appearance focused than it was a few years ago - Lucy shares why it’s important for musicians to raise awareness of mental health issues - We hear how Lucy isn’t writing to please the major labels anymore - Lucy tells us about her new album and what we can expect from it - On her new album: “I don’t care if the radio don’t like it” - We hear how Lucy completely changed... &

Our guest this week is Mike Ziemer, out of Los Angeles, Calfornia. Mike is the founder of the So What?! Music Festival, which will enter it's 10th year in 2017. He’s also the creator of Unsilent Night Music Festival. As a promoter, Ziemer has booked everyone from A Day To Remember, Sleeping With Sirens, All Time Low, Underoath, Pierce The Veil, Taking Back Sunday and The Used to G-Eazy, RiFF RAFF, Steve Aoki, and more. Aside from promoting, Ziemer also runs an artist management company called Evolve Management, and a record label called Third String Records. As a successful entrepreneur of over a decade, Mike also brings his knowledge to conferences and schools across the US. In addition, he offers one-on-one mentoring sessions with individuals interested in seeking advice and guidance as well as bands looking for help finding the proper next steps to turn their passion into a career. Highlights: - Ross shares an embarrassing story where he accidentally invited himself on a date with Mike - Mike tells...

Joining us this week out of Vancouver is music producer and engineer, Garth Richardson. Garth’s worked with some of the biggest names in rock, including Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Nickelback, Trapt, Biffy Clyro, Rise Against, and even Taylor Swift. Garth is also the co-founder of the Nimbus School of Recording Arts, a private technical music production institute, and is the owner of The Farm Studios. In this interview, we hear the advice Garth would offer to musicians looking to work with a producer, as well as aspiring producers themselves. He also shares some funny stories about revenge with us, as well as the best advice he received from his dad. Enjoy! Highlights: - Rock and Roll does not start at 8am - When producing, the song is the most important thing - The three things Garth looks for when producing are the songs, the singer, and the drive - Today the artist is more responsible for themselves than ever - “Put down your phone, get off your laptop, and write songs!” -...

This week we’re excited to be joined by Justin Pierre out of Minnesota. Justin was the co-founder and lead vocalist of Motion City Soundtrack, and with them released 6 albums between 1997 and 2015. The band’s songs gave thoughtful perspectives on mental health and self-doubt, and they recently wrapped up a farewell tour...but hopefully it’s not the end! Justin’s known for his very personal lyrics, trademark sideburns and glasses, and he also hosts a podcast with his wife called Book Narcs. He also makes short films and directs music videos, with some of his credits including work for Limbeck and Sing It Loud. In this interview, Justin talks about Motion City Soundtrack's longevity, overcoming his drinking problem, and why he believes it's important to support other musicians. Enjoy! Highlights: - Justin shares what he believes the secret to Motion City Soundtrack’s longevity is - Justin shares how MCS dealt with some big issues in the band early on - We hear how understanding and respecting each other...

We've passed the 100 episode milestone, and wanted to do something a little different to celebrate! This 100 Episode Holiday Spectacular is a look back at the past 2 years, with some fun games with recent guests thrown in. In part two of our holiday spectacular, we've also got two games of "Two Truths and a Lie" with record producer Garth Richardson, and music lawyer Ryan Kairalla. Enjoy, and happy holidays! -Ross & Marcio --- Sponsors: Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses Joe Settineri The Rock/Star Advocate Music Launch Hub Bob Baker Buck Naked Soap Company Wendy Donaldson --- For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.com Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlantic Subscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunes Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We've passed the 100 episode milestone, and wanted to do something a little different to celebrate! This 100 Episode Holiday Spectacular is a look back at the past 2 years, with some fun games with recent guests thrown in. In this episode, we talk about some of our favourite moments over the past 100+ episodes, as well as some of the challenges and struggles that come with running a podcast alongside other commitments. We also play "Two Truths and a Lie" with Famous Last Words' JT Tollas and Finch/Private Lives' Nate Barcalow. The past couple of years have been filled with ups and downs, and so many amazing guests. We hope this episode gives you an insight into what it's been like, as well as a reminder of past episodes you enjoyed, or want to go and check out! Sponsors: Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses Joe Settineri The Rock/Star Advocate Music Launch Hub Bob Baker Buck Naked Soap Company Wendy Donaldson --- For more episodes, visit...  See acast.com/priv

Joining us this week is singer, writer and actor, Jason Paige. You may not know his name, but you’ve almost definitely heard his voice - Jason is the voice behind the Pokemon theme, and he’s also recorded hundreds of jingles for brands such as Mountain Dew and Subway. He’s performed with Blood Sweat and Tears, Aerosmith and Michael Jackson, among many others, and he’s collaborated on #1 hits and co-written 2 musicals. In the world of theatre, Jason starred in “Rent” at the Hollywood Bowl directed by Neil Patrick Harris, “Godspell” and the 25th anniversary National tour of “Hair”. He’s done way too much to mention in this intro! We’re excited to learn from his vast experience, hear about his one man show “The Jason Paige Show” and when it comes to Pokemon, if he’s managed to catch ‘em all. Highlights: - In this episode you'll hear an intro unlike any other, courtesy of Jason Paige! - "Music is meant to be spontaenous" - Jason Paige - Jason shares how everyone's voice is unique and the character of our... &

Joining us this week is Phillip Ryan Block out of Illinois, founder of Independent Ear. Independent Ear form the team of management, recording, branding, and booking that pushes the hardest working artists ahead to their full journey’s end. Independent Ear is built on the pillars of cooperation, motivation, inspiration and community - and Ryan himself is a true example of what can be achieved through collaboration, relationship building and perseverance. In this interview, we talk about the importance of community, what Independent Ear offers artists, and some advice for artists who are wanting to approach a label. Highlights: - We talk with Ryan about the importance of having a community around you in the music industry - “If you don’t have community, it’s impossible to build something with importance” - Ryan Block, 2016 - Talking to people is the best way to build relationships in the music industry - Ryan talks about the partnership Independent Ear has created with the ILS Group - Ryan says that the...

This week we’re joined by Famous Last Words vocalist JT. Famous Last Words recently signed to past guest Shawn Milke’s label, Revival Recordings, and released their new album “The Incubus” in September. Since forming in 2009, the band has released 3 concept albums and 3 EPs, and toured the US extensively. In this interview, we chat with JT about what to look for in a record deal, concept albums, and why it's important to make mistakes. Highlights: - We hear about the influence JT’s education has had on the art he creates with Famous Last Words - JT tells us how he balances fatherhood and being in a touring band - “Creativity, if you have multiple passions, why hold yourself back?” - Marcio Novelli - JT tells us how his daughter always reminds him to never give up - We talk about the importance of signing to a label where the relationship is mutually beneficial - JT tells us about why they chose Revival Recordings over other labels - “I’ll spend a million dollars to make sure the art is up to par, even...

Joining us this week is Nate Barcalow, vocalist of Finch, Earthbound Ghost, Reverend Crow, and now, Private Lives. With Finch, Nate released 3 EPs and 3 studio albums, with “What It Is To Burn” considered by many as one of the most influential post-hardcore records of the 2000s. Nate has most recently embarked on a new project with Kenny Finn called Private Lives, and in this interview we hear more about what they're working on, Nate's side of the story in relation to Finch's breakup, and the advice he'd offer to his fellow musicians. Highlights: - We talk about Nate’s latest project Private Lives, and the songs they’ve released so far - We hear how Nate’s been surprised by people’s reactions to some of the Private Lives songs - “Do what makes you happy and if people like it, then great!” - Nate Barcalow - Nate shares how he had a specific idea of how he wanted Private Lives to sound - Nate shares how he’s interested in exploring different sounds and what he is capable of - We talk about the importance...

Joining us this week is lead singer of post-hardcore band Alesana and founder of Revival Recordings, Shawn Milke. To date, Alesana have released 2 EPs and 5 full length albums, and have recently brought out a novella - Annabel, which is what inspired their Annabel Trilogy. With Revival Recordings, the message is clear: it’s all about art and the people who create it. The team and artists signed to the label are a community where creative and artistic integrity are paramount. It's not just music, it’s good music by good people - and this is why we think Shawn is a perfect guest for the show. In this interview, we talk about Shawn's work with Alesena, the advice he'd offer to artists who want to sign to a label, and the importance of integrity in the music business. Highlights: - Shawn is ambitious and follows through on his ambitions - “When you first start out, you make decisions based on where you hope to go” - Shawn Milke - Shawn shares the tough decisions that Alesana had to make in the beginning -...

Joining us this week is mastering engineer Chris Athens out of Austin, Texas. You’ve most likely heard his work as he’s worked on some of the biggest records out there; including artists such as Drake, Coldplay, PVRIS, Ben Folds and Wiz Khalifa. Chris was a senior mastering engineer at Sterling Sound, one of the world’s premier mastering facilities, before branching out on his own to start Chris Athens Masters. In this interview, Chris explains what mastering is and why it's important, how he got started in the music industry, and what to avoid when mixing your music. Highlights: - Ross and Marcio try to help Chris through his caffeine comedown - We hear how Chris started out in the music industry and progressed to mastering - Chris tells us how he came to the job he wanted late in life - We hear how Chris always said yes to everything and felt like he was working from behind everyone else - We hear how Chris moving to Sterling Sound was a step back from what he was doing at Sony, but a good...  

Joining us this week is singer/songwriter and LGBT activist Tom Goss out of Los Angeles, California. Tom is known for his inventive videos and his heartfelt songs, which aim higher and strike deeper. Tom’s music has been featured on ABC, HBO, MTV’s LOGO & he can be heard on hundreds of radio stations across the US. In this interview we talk about why Tom thinks music videos are one of the most important things an artist can make, the juxtaposition of faith and sexuality, and the advice he'd offer to his fellow musicians. Highlights: - We hear how Tom juggled music and non-profit work for many years - Tom shares that he believes music videos are one of the most important things an independent musician can make - People don’t share playlists or audio tracks in the same way they do music videos - Tom shares how some venues won’t book him as an independent LGBT artist - “I’m always striving to be authentic and connect with people in a real, honest way” - Tom Goss - “It’s more important to connect with a fe

This week we’re joined by Christine Infanger out of Chicago - a virtual assistant to musicians, dog lover and Michael Bolton expert. Christine helps artists with social media, fan engagement, business plans, email correspondence and more. She also runs the music blog Thirty Roses, where she posts music industry news and articles to help today’s independent musician keep on top of what’s going on in the business. In this interview we learn more about Christine's passion for music, when it's time for an artist to build a team, and what to look for in potential team members. Highlights: - To Christine, music is the most important thing in the world - We talk about when it’s time for an artist to build their team - Christine shares her backstory, and it really helped us understand why she’s so passionate about music - We hear how after her fiance’s passing, Christine didn’t really feel like she fit in anywhere, but music really helped her - “As a musician, you are an entrepreneur” - Christine Infanger...