Episode 21: American Lions

This week James and Josh from American Lions come in to discuss the bands’ process creating their new album “Serf Rock”; from writing the album in an isolated in house in Massachusetts all the way through recording for a month straight at Panda Studios in California. The album is a very fun listen and I’d recommend checking it out!

We also talk about the bands history with New Brunswick basement shows, our favorite hell gigs, normies, the headaches of booking a tour, and more.

Check out Serf Rock on Bandcamp or on Spotify.

Episode 20: The Mayflower Collective

Eoin and Alex from The Mayflower Collective come by to talk about the changes the big changes they've made to their company.

In the five years Mayflower Collective has existed, they’ve run shows, released music, video sessions, and more.  Recently they’ve shifted over to focusing more on press and management.

We talk about the collective's history, the exploitative nature of the music industry that can water down a scene,  the ambiguity of “collectives”, the best type of bands to work with, Eoin’s experience as a head music director for a college radio station,  my experience talking to someone who worked for a big booking agency (it was bad), pay-to play shows, maintaining DIY ethics over everything, and more.

Follow Mayflower on IG, Twitter, FB

Episode 19: Pedro Angel Serrano

    Pedro is a guy who has been involved with the scene in this area for a while.  He's an avid music fan/concert goer, occasionally performs spoken word poetry, and has published zines about the code of DIY.

    We talk about Pedro’s history growing up in the central NJ music scene, the sacredness of “zines”, the origin of New Brunswick basement shows in the 80s, Pedro’s newfound interest in incense, the ethics of mosh pits and pitting naked, the hostile tendencies of discussing things on the internet and more stuff.  

 

Episode 18: Caroline Romanelli

Caroline Romanelli is a NJ based show promoter who hosts weekly shows and open mics at the Scarlet Pub in New Brunswick.  Recently she has started her own promo company “Embrace DIY Productions”, which aims to branch out to different venues in the Central NJ area.  

We talk about Caroline’s history in getting involved in music, the dicey-ness of working in the “music biz”, the death of the Jewel CD Case, the evolution of the music industry, what it takes to build a residency at an establishment as a promoter, medical marijuana, watching friends grow out of the music scene, and more.

Be sure to follow Embrace DIY on twitter, IG, and Facebook: @embraceDIYnj

Episode 17: Matt Koerner (Feeny)

Matt Koerner from the NJ band Feeny came by and helped me in a pinch for a new ep!

We talk about the history of various record labels we grew up on, the venues we grew up in and their demise, the importance of a local-all ages music venue and how it helps foster a music scene, and a bunch of other stuff, including his band Feeny and the direction of music they’ve taken in the past year.  

Check Feeny out on bandcamp.  Subscribe to the pod.

Episode 16: Josh Jurk & Cheech

Had two dear friends sit down for a chat for this pod, was a lovely time <3.  Josh and Cheech are two people who have been involved with the NJ scene for 12+ years.

We talk about the challenges of producing/engineering music as a DIY musician in 2017, soundcloud rap being the new punk rock, Joe being problematic at show, controversy surrounding Stan Lee, opening up dialogue for uncomfortable situations, our different lifestyles/the pitfalls of routine, Josh’s experience working at different Asbury Park based venues, inclusiveness in the music “industry,” among other things.

When Josh isn’t working at The House of Independents in Asbury Park, he sings in School Drugs and Weird Fantasy Band .

Episode 15: Jordy Lyric

Jordy Lyric is an all-around artist who has been involved in the DIY scene since she was young.  She writes and records solo music which you can hear at jordynlyric.bandcamp.com.  

In this Episode we talk about growing up in the metalcore scene, her experiences booking and running shows in Philadelphia, finding fulfillment in DIY, people fizzling out, her experiences managing bands, and the secret awesomeness of the south Jersey scene.  We also talk about how easy it is to become jaded and lose sight of ideas that help foster a supportive scene.

Episode 14: Erica Butts (Rest Ashore)

Erica Butts is a singer/songwriter who currently resides in Hoboken.  She fronts Rest Ashore, a pop-math rock group who just released their new album Pornoviolence.  Check it out at www.restashoremusic.com

In this episode we talk about the formation of Rest Ashore, the tricky delays that bands often run into when they record, some of Erica’s influences musically and lyrically, her song-writing process, writing “math-rock” music, the DIY scene in Hoboken/Jersey City, what it takes to build up a music venue, and the struggles of playing in a band where everyone is hours apart from each other.