Bridge The Atlantic

This week we're joined by Patrice K. Cokley, founder of The Bassline Group - a music-inspired brand management and marketing firm based in Chicago, helping to empower musicians and creative entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and reach a wider audience. In this episode, we talk about branding, the importance of authenticity and Patrice's love for Miss Janet Jackson! Highlights: - Patrice is a fan of the show! - Patrice HAS to see Janet Jackson live. She just has to. - Patrice has a lot of praise for Ross (he designed The Bassline Group’s website) - We hear about the beginnings of The Bassline Group and what Patrice does. - The Bassline is a metaphor - it’s the foundation of a song, and it’s the foundation of your career - We talk about the importance of branding for musicians - Your brand is not just your music or your appearance - it’s about showing more of who you are as a person - Ross says Marcio talks about being vegan all the time (which is kind of true) - We talk about how Marcio talking about...

This week we are joined by Topi Latukka & Ossi Mäkelä of Finnish pop-rock band Softengine. Softengine finished 11th in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest with their track “Something Better” and have had some major chart success in their native Finland with their album “We Created The World” peaking at #7 in the charts. The band have just released their latest single “All About You And I” with a new album on the way. In this interview we hear about the band's experience at Eurovision, the music they've been working on, and we attempt to speak some Finnish... Highlights: - Softengine’s goal is to make the best music in the world - Topi and Ossi’s English is WAY better than Ross and Marcio’s Finnish (as evident later in the episode) - Ross describes Eurovision as the best thing in the world and is not ashamed to say it - Ross says his favourite Eurovision entries of 2015 were Latvia, Belgium and Sweden (but forgot to mention Norway... which was actually his #1 favourite) - Topi and Ossi tell us about their

Music publicist and blogger Angela Mastrogiacomo joins us on the show this week. Angela is the owner of Muddy Paw PR and Infectious Magazine and has worked with a wide range of musicians. Angela also started Balanced Breakfast in Toronto - a weekly meetup which encourages artists to networking by eating breakfast together, and is currently launching more of these groups across the US and Canada. In this episodes, we talk about the role of a music publicist, press releases and the importance of building relationships in the music business. Highlights: - Marcio is a seasoned pro at episode introductions - Angela’s dog is her best friend and she is totally ok with that - We hear why Angela launched her PR company, Muddy Paw PR - We discuss some of the bad press releases we’ve received - Angela tells us about Balanced Breakfast and why musicians should attend - Marcio hasn’t attended Balanced Breakfast in a while, and Angela says he is dead to her - We discuss the importance of networking and how it’s not... &

Toronto based jazz vocalist, songwriter and musician Luke Maxim joins us on Bridge The Atlantic this week. Luke is a graduate of the prestigious Humber College Jazz program and he has performed at some of the hottest jazz clubs in Toronto including The Rex, Lula Lounge, Reservoir Lounge. His new album “Stay” is due for release in late 2015. In this interview we talk about education vs experience, specialising in a niche genre and try to define what "selling out" means. Highlights: - Luke has a captive audience for this interview in the form of multiple cats and dogs - We discuss how well dressed Luke is when he performs - We discuss how David Beckham seems to either be wearing a suit, or just wearing underwear - Luke tells us how important education and networking has been for him - We ask Luke for his take on education vs experience (the dogs seem to have an opinion on this debate, too) - Luke and Marcio talk about the role genre can play in how important education can be - We hear about Luke’s love of...

Joining us this week is Chris Keaton, an artist manager, music publisher and author based in Nashville. Chris has had tracks cut by Trisha Yearwood and Martina McBride, and has had music placed in TV shows such as Nashville and One Life to Live. Early in the interview he describes himself as fabulous, and after speaking to him, we would have to agree! Highlights: - Chris owes his career in the music industry to The Beatles - Music publishers have the nicest houses, nicest cars and all year tans - Your website is the first impression you’re going to make online, so make it a good one! - Don’t take no for an answer. No = Maybe. Maybe = Yes. - We hear about LML Music Nashville - the imprint label that Chris has just launched - Chris’s crystal ball is broken and the music landscape is constantly shifting - Chris tells us about some of the artists he is currently working with - One of Chris’s artists was commissioned to write the official state song for Virginia - We hear how Chris manages to stay relevant... &

This week we’re joined by Emmy Award winning director Elizabeth Rohrbaugh. Elizabeth spent ten years as a director, writer and editor at MTV Networks and is now the creative director of Outer Borough Pictures. Her latest short film “Dylan” premiered at the St. Louis International Film Festival 2014, and screened at the Boston LGBT Film Festival, Queer Fest, and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival. Highlights: - Being vegetarian/vegan IS a competition - Elizabeth and Marcio have way too much in common - Bridge The Atlantic is a non-romantic matchmaking service - We hear about Elizabeth’s time at MTV and the experience of working with household names - Elizabeth’s career highlights have been the most creative ones - We hear about Elizabeth’s feature documentary “The Perfect Victim” which has been picked up by The World Channel - Elizabeth tells us about her latest short film Dylan which arose from an interview with a childhood friend - We hear how Elizabeth had to turn a 2 hour long interview into an 8...

This week we’re joined by San Francisco based theatrical rock and roll powerhouse, Kat Robichaud. Drawing on the momentum of her top 10 spot on NBC’s The Voice as well as almost a decade of experience in the music industry, Kat has released her latest album “Kat Robichaud and the Darling Misfits” in early 2015. As well as the usual topics of love and heartbreak, Kat is unafraid to tackle the issue of gender inequality in her music, and that’s just one of the many reasons we love her. In this interview, we hear all about Kat's experience on The Voice, her love for Marilyn Manson, and we all agree how much we dislike sports. Highlights: - Kat tells us why she decided to audition for The Voice - We talk about the audition process and Kat tells us how she was terrified by it - Marcio shares a story about kissing another girl in front of his girlfriend in high school (it’s not as bad as it sounds…) - We chat about Kat’s awesome new album, Kat Robichaud and the Darling Misfits - One of our listeners has a...

Our guest this week is LA-based Danish singer/songwriter Tim Schou. Formerly the frontman of A Friend In London, Tim has done more in the past 5 years than many artists have done in 20. With his band, Tim finished 5th in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest, has collaborated with Carly Rae Jepsen and toured Europe with the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block. As a solo artist, Tim has won multiple Danish TV talent shows, performed in musicals, starred in commercials and most recently signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV. Highlights: - “Music is what makes the world go around” - Tim Schou, 2015 - Ross and Tim enlighten Marcio as to what Eurovision is (hint: it's awesome) - We talk about Tim’s track “Supernova” and how it is stuck in our head - We talk about Tim’s Eurovision experience and how it impacted on his band after the contest - Tim tells us a story he was told about The Crab Mentality - We talk about egos and how having an ego is not always a bad thing - Tim shares what he has learned from... &#

Jo-Na Williams is an attorney and business advisor for artists and entrepreneurs. In 2011, she founded JA Williams Law: The Artist Empowerment Firm and has worked with clients who have been nominated for Grammys, listed in the Billboard Top 100, Amazon and ITunes Top Album Charts. In this episode we about Jo-Na's work, why creatives should hire an attorney and we are branded "The Awkwards." Highlights: - Unlike the perception many people may have of lawyers, Jo-Na is very friendly. We think that could be an understatement. - Marcio and Jo-Na love Oprah (and Ross does too… just more quietly) - We hear how moving around helped Jo-Na gain different perspectives and insight into how different (yet similar) people are - Jo-Na tells us about her other business, Artist Empowerment - Ross and Jo-Na share stories about what they wanted to be when they were kids - Jo-Na brands us “The Awkwards” and we love it - We hear about the experiences that led to Jo-Na focusing on musicians in her law firm - We need more... &#

Tim Benson, guitarist and synth player of Louisiana based post-hardcore band, Secondborn joins us on the show this week. The band is completely self funded and produced, and is made up of six individuals who have all been part of bands that have almost made it. Tim tells us all about his experiences in the music industry and about Secondborn’s upcoming EP, “Symbols.” Highlights: - Secondborn are based in Louisiana, not LA - Ross forgot the state abbreviations ;) - Being a nerd is ok in 2015! - Marcio and Tim bond over “The Power of Now” - We discuss how it can be difficult to find others who are motivated and determined to collaborate with - Tim shares the idea behind the approach Secondborn are taking (building an audience online vs touring) - There is no right or wrong way to do things in the music industry, and a lot of it is down to trial and error - Tim tells us why Secondborn self-produced their record - We discuss the pros/cons of comparisons to other bands - Tim shares the vision for Secondborn’s...

Maja Schønning, vocalist of Danish hard rock band Forever Still joins us on the show this week. Forever Still have released 3 EPs to date, and are independent in the truest sense of the word; they produce their own records and music videos, and do all of their promotion, marketing and tour management by themselves. In this episode, we talk about the band's recent UK tour, the challenges of being a female in the music business, and what Maja and the rest of Forever Still are working on next. Highlights: -Maja is fast as hell -We hear about Forever Still’s first UK tour - Maja tells us the differences between Denmark and the UK, in terms of the rock scene - We hear what it was like working with Flemming “Metallica” Rasmussen on Forever Still’s first EP - Working with people who are more established can be better as they have less to prove - If you don’t want to put a lot of time into your career, the music business is not for you - We discuss getting in the creative zone, and talk about organisation - We...

Joining us this week is LA based singer/songwriter, Cobi Mike. Cobi previously fronted the popular band Gentlemen Hall, and with them played alongside acts such as Young The Giant, Cee Lo Green, All American Rejects, One Republic, and Beyonce, and was awarded a MTV Video Music Award in 2009. In 2014, Cobi left the band to record his first solo, self-produced EP and has worked with Grammy award winning engineer Tom Weir, and an all-star cast of musicians. Highlights: - Cobi is winning Marcio’s heart - Marcio has to be reminded that this is not a competiion - We hear that Cobi’s former band Gentlemen Hall were the first independent band to play the Billboard Music Awards - We discuss the transition between being in a band to following a solo career - Cobi shares the reasons for leaving the band with us - Ross tells Cobi how much he loves his latest tracks - Cobi tells us about the people he worked with on the new record - We hear about the upcoming music video for “Walking Through the Fire” - Cobi... &nb

Australian singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Georgia Germein joins us on the show this week. Georgia is the lead vocalist with the Germein Sisters, a group which is completed by her sisters Ellie and Clara. The award winning group are currently on their first European tour, playing in Germany, the UK and Switzerland. The girls have played with some of the industry’s biggest names including Sting, Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon, and Georgia has been nominated for numerous songwriting and composition awards. We chat with Georgia about the group's album "Because You Breathe", her charity work and the advice she would give to fellow songwriters. Highlights: - We learn that Georgia has 5 pet kangaroos - We hear how the girls started playing music together - Georgia tells Marcio he always writes bad songs (but she doesn’t mean it like that!) - We describe the Germein Sisters music as pretty. Which is totally accurate! - Georgia’s sister and bandmate Ellie joins us very briefly to say hello - Georgia... &

This week on Bridge The Atlantic we’re joined by publicist and rock star princess, Stacey Sherman. With her company RSP Entertainment Marketing, Stacey has worked with some of the most respected names on the indie music scene, including GoGirls Music, Cindy Alexander, and Hong Kong based band Noughts and Exes. In this episode we talk about what a publicist does, the misconceptions artists may have about working with a publicist, and what it's like to attend the GRAMMYs. Highlights: - Ross and Stacey are both pyjama workers - On Bridge The Atlantic, pants are optional - Don’t spell Stacey’s name wrong (or feel her wrath) - Stacey tells us about the experience of attending the GRAMMYs - We talk about the sense of community amongst indie artists at the GRAMMYs - Stacey tells us about the projects she’s currently working on - We hear all about Stacey’s recent experience on the other side of the microphone, interviewing rock legend Lita Ford - Stacey tells us the biggest mistakes and misconceptions artists... &

This week, we're welcoming singer/songwriter Mikey Wax to the show. Mikey is a multi instrumentalist who's latest album was released recently on Toucan Cove Records. You may have heard Mikey’s music on commercials for Keeping Up With The Kardashians or Sirius FM, where he is currently in rotation. With millions of Spotify plays, and his first US headline tour underway, we chat with Mikey about life on the road, the relationship he has with his fans and the advice he has for his fellow musicians. Highlights: - Mikey is complicated when it comes to food on the road - Mikey is a bit of a hypocondriac… a Mikeychondriac, maybe? - We talk about how “You Lift Me Up” was placed in the Keeping up with the Kardashians season 10 promo (high five, Rebecca!) - We talk about Mikey’s touring experiences, both supporting and headlining - When one of Mikey’s shows was cancelled, he hung out with his fans instead - we like that! - Mikey tells us about how he started out doing house concerts and how he appreciates a good... &

LA based singer/songwriter Jesse Macht joins us this week to talk about Europe, anthropology and his recent album Suitcase Heart. Jesse comes from a family of entertainers, and his music has been placed in shows such as The Voice and Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and has also been featured in independent films such as James Franco’s “Good Time Max.” Just back in the US after his first European tour, we’re looking forward to finding out about Jesse’s experiences on the road and what’s next for him. Highlights: - We are the future (and potentially talking alien heads)! - Shar Pei = Sharp Teeth - Ross and Marcio are not fans of anything sports related (sorry, Jesse!) - Jesse is becoming manly thanks to his roommate, John (hey, John!) - One day Marcio will find HIS John - We hear about Jesse’s previous band and why they parted ways - We talk about Jesse’s recent European house concert tour - Jesse shares how he loves the communication he has with his fans - Check out Jesse’s StageIt show on May 2nd! -...

Our guest this week is Jason Tate - writer, music enthusiast, podcaster and founder of Absolute Punk. Amidst some technical issues, we spoke with Jason about his Absolute Punk journey, the advice he'd offer to bands who want their music heard by bloggers, and what happens when the internet meets real life... Highlights: - Jason tells us the 3 things everyone should know in the fast time ever - he’s a record breaker - We chat to Jason about Absolute Punk and hear the story behind its creation - If this episode was an episode of Friends, it would be called “The One Where Ross is a Pixelated Mess” - We talk about the role websites like Absolute Punk play today - Ross tells Jason that Absolute Punk was the case study for his degree dissertation - Ross and Marcio tell Jason about the impact Absolute Punk has had on our musical journey - Jason tells us about a strange encounter he had with a reader of Absolute Punk - “I am an Internet thing” - Jason Tate, 2015 - We talk about how important integrity is when it...

This week we’re joined by New York-based independent singer/songwriter Ron Pope. Ron is an independent musician whose music can be heard on shows including The Vampire Diaries, 90210 and So You Think You Can Dance. Ron is currently working on a new album due for release in 2016, with new single “Ain’t No Angel” available now.   Highlights:  Breaking news: Ron Pope is not Dr Dre – you heard it here first We talk about the success of “A Drop in The Ocean” Ron has released 11 albums independently and not 4 as our research suggested (damn you, Wikipedia!) We learn that Ron is addicted to creating content We hear about the recording process of Ron’s latest record “You have to go where the muse takes you” Ron tells us how he finds writing on the road more difficult than recording on the road, if you have access to the resources Ron talks about making a living as an independent musician and how there is not the separation of the “Have” and “Have-Nots” as there was prior to the digital age – the...  See ac

This week we’re joined by LA-based singer/songwriter (and new best friend) Keaton Simons. Keaton has enjoyed international recognition for his music while on major labels Maverick and CBS Records, and has also had success in the hip hop world as a writer, musical director, singer, bassist and guitarist with notable acts like Snoop Dogg, Gnarls Barkley. Keaton has performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Ellen Degeneres show, and his music has featured on Sons of Anarchy, Malcolm in the Middle and many more.   Highlights: Keaton compares us to a dating site We hear about Keaton’s major label experience, and how signing to a major label is just the beginning of the journey We all agree that artists should support each other, rather than be competing with each other Keaton tells us about collaborating with hip hop artists and how many of them didn’t know he was a singer/songwriter We hear about Keaton’s experience as musical director and what the role can entail Keaton tells us about his... &nbs

This week, we're joined by LA based, South African singer/songwriter, Dilana. Dilana has had a varied and eventful career, with a few highlights including being the runner up contestant in Rockstar Supernova in 2006, becoming one of The Netherlands' most in-demand live performers and starring in an award winning independent film. We had a great time chatting with her, learning about her journey and love her honesty! Highlights: Dilana is not a diva - she just knows exactly what she doesn't like We discover that Dilana and Marcio are kindred spirits We talk about the impact Rockstar Supernova had on Dilana's career Dilana = Dilhonest We hear how Dilana's perspective on the concept of fame and fortune has changed over the years Dilana tells us how Rockstar Supernova helped her gain support slots with big names like Dave Navarro and Saliva We hear that Dilana has been independent for the past 6 years and how rewarding it is Dilana tells us how she felt about Adam Lambert's performance of her version of...