This week I am ranting in my van parked on a side street in NYC about the state of the music industry. I bring in recent news about Kate Nash starting an OF to finance her tours, and Caroline Rose leaking their own album on Bandcamp. I talk about the realities of the music industry currently and why many bands are choosing to go back to DIY, even if it looks like they got it all. This is the final episode of Season 2, see you in Season 3!

You can watch this episode and others on Youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW8b_tWH7MI

Check out a clip of a Kate Nash interview here.

Check out Caroline Rose here:
https://www.carolinerosemusic.com/tour-1

Contact: whatittakestobearockstar@gmail.com

Listen to the bands that have been on this podcast here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L9Odi1kuJiPEqIhBXmqMw?si=dabd928c5b13405d

Join the Discord community and chat with others about the episodes here:
https://tr.ee/NVMhCaRELa

Check out UMAW here:
https://weareumaw.org/

If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe or follow - it's free and goes a long way!

If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

Or become a monthly subscriber here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.

Support the show

Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

Other music is by Pretty World

This week I'm chatting with Randy Ojeda, a music attorney and a long time music manager. Randy has also done A&R for Symphonic Distribution and has hosted his own podcast, Cigar City Radio, among a ton of other things within the music industry. We chat about how he ended up becoming a music attorney and manager. He also gives some valuable insights and nuggets of wisdom including how bands can collect performance royalties for playing their own songs at shows, what the first thing a band should do is, and when a band should start thinking about getting a manager.

We also chat about AI and music and what the future might look like with that, all the types of jobs needed in the music industry aside from being an artist and if money is really all it takes to make a band pop off. Enjoy!

You can watch this full episode and others on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItTakesToBeARockstar

Check out Randy's website here:
https://www.randyojedalaw.com/

Check out Randy's music podcast here "Cigar City Radio":
https://open.spotify.com/show/3QncUpLFNck8Y81p2aBlcT?si=134e410f86344e4c

Check out Cigar City Management (Boutique Artist Management Company and Record Label co-founded by Randy):
http://www.cigarcitymanagement.com/

Check out this article on the differences between ASCAP, BMI and SESAC:
https://www.diymusicbiz.com/ascap-or-bmi-which-one-is-best/

Listen to the bands that have been on this podcast here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L9Odi1kuJiPEqIhBXmqMw?si=dabd928c5b13405d

Join the Discord community and chat with others about the episodes here:
https://tr.ee/NVMhCaRELa

Check out UMAW here:
https://weareumaw.org/

If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe or follow - it's free and goes a long way!

If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

Or become a monthly subscriber here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.

Support the show

Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

Other music is by Pretty World

This week I'm chatting with Jenna Balfe and Dennis Fuller of Donzii, a "time-bending, post-punk vision: a unity of go-hard industrial bangers, darkly ambient balladry, [with] new takes on the funk traditions of No Wave" band. This band is super fun and they keep it weird in such a good way!

We chat about how they met on an island and started the band, how they feel about social media within the music world, their move to LA from Miami, the sketchy things they have done to get to shows and how they once had to leave their lost cat behind in another city to get to a gig on time (she's ok!).

Walter, the mentioned cat, made a lot of appearances so if you'd like to see her you can watch this full episode and others on our Youtube.

Check out Donzii here:
https://donzii.bandcamp.com/music

Check out Dennis' recorder album here:
https://dorofsky.bandcamp.com/album/door-of-sky

Check out Dennis' book rec here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Society_of_the_Spectacle

Listen to Donzii and the other guests from this podcast on this playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L9Odi1kuJiPEqIhBXmqMw?si=dabd928c5b13405d

Join the Discord community and chat with others about the episodes here:
https://tr.ee/NVMhCaRELa

Check out UMAW here:
https://weareumaw.org/

If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe or follow - it's free and goes a long way!

If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

Or become a monthly subscriber here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.

Support the show

Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

Other music is by Pretty World

This week I'm chatting with my bandmates Tarra Theissen and Vram Kherlopian of Tea Eater, Gustaf, MamajoeVramajoe, Francie Moon and more!! We chat about how much it costs to tour Europe/the UK, how they have been building a cult following and how much they love the color purple. These two have traveled the world playing music in "projects of varying degrees of investments and returns" and have a lot of insight into the music industry, DIY or not. Enjoy!!

Check out Tarra and Vrams' projects here:
Tea Eater: https://www.teaeater.com/
MamajoeVramajoe: https://www.twitch.tv/mamajoevramajoe
Gustaf: https://www.gustaftheband.com/
Vramshabouh: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5gsCf0mesZgDN3Y9BhReY8?si=b7HnatgKShOD__gR9j188A
Francie Moon: https://franciemoon.com/

Check out their Patreon here:
https://www.patreon.com/mamajoevramajoe

Check out the Tea Eater fan club here:
https://teaeater.bandcamp.com/fan-club

If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe - it's free and goes a long way!

If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

Or become a monthly subscriber here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

Join the Discord community and chat with others about the episodes:
https://discord.gg/fQRCka4SQ8

Listen to the Playlist of all the guests' music here.

About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.

Support the show

Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

Other music is by Pretty World

This week I am chatting with Ryan Smith of the band Crusasis. This episode hits super close to home cause Ry is my boyfriend and bandmate, but he has a really interesting perspective with music because he has played many different instruments in many different genres in many different ways. He's done:

• Jazz/Wedding/R&B gigs on sax
• Busking in NYC
• Hired gun gigs on drums
• Singing/screaming/drumming in a DIY metal band
• Touring in the US and Europe
• Singing and playing guitar in Crusasis
• Months in the open mic scene in Hungary
• Music in the mountains of California
• DIY recording
• A ton of drumming for my band Francie Moon

We also chat about a time in life where he stepped away from his life in music as he knew it and found himself making music anyway wherever he was. We chat about how if you are a musician, it is always a part of who you are, but you also need to care for the other aspects of your identity as well.

Check out Crusasis here.

You can watch this full episode (we recorded in our house) on Youtube.

If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe - it's free and goes a long way!

If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

Or become a monthly subscriber here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

Join the Discord community and chat with others about the episodes:
https://discord.gg/fQRCka4SQ8

Listen to the Playlist of all the guests' music here.

About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.

Third intro song is "Wind Strings" by Francie Moon
https://franciemoon.com/

Support the show

Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

Other music is by Pretty World

This week I am chatting with Charles Ellsworth, an incredible songwriter, podcaster and filmmaker originally from Arizona who has toured most of his adult life. Chuck tells me stories about living in his van while being flat broke to years later getting a full time job working with LCD Soundsystem. We chat about how he learned guitar in the back of a furniture store, his movie-worthy travel stories and the realities of choosing a life in the arts. You can also catch a glimpse of his dog Banjo if you watch on Youtube.

Check out Chuck's website here:
https://charlesellsworthmusic.com/

Check out his podcast "A Dirtbag's Guide To Life On The Road" here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-dirtbags-guide-to-life-on-the-road/id1524043897

You can watch this full episode on Youtube (and see Banjo) here:
https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItTakesToBeARockstar

If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe! It's free and goes a long way.

If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

Or become a monthly subscriber here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.

Support the show

Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

Other music is by Pretty World

This week I am chatting with Katy Black (guitar/vox) and Casey Hanson (bass) of Spoon Benders, a heavy fuzzy psychy garage psych band from Portland, Oregon. We chat about how they got into music, how they got their van stolen multiple times, their upcoming plans to tour Europe and how they feel about big vs. small venues. We also chat about if they have other jobs, their life on the road and how they got their EURO booking agent. Enjoy!

Check out Spoon Benders here.

Check out my playlist of all the guests here.

You can watch this episode and others on Youtube.

If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe! It's free and goes a long way.

About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.

Support the show

Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

Other music is by Pretty World

This week I talk with Lowell Hobbs of Tongues of Fire about DIY touring, recording in a garage-turned-studio, opening for Modest Mouse and turning down a well paying wedding gig to be able to tour. We also talk about how he tries to get creative and have fun with marketing, how he once sent 100+ emails and didn't hear back from anyone, and how he keeps staying persistent. He also gives some tips and tricks for how to not piss off a soundperson. Enjoy!

About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.

Check out Tongues of Fire here: https://tonguesofire.com/home

Check out my playlist of all the guests here.

You can watch this full episode on Youtube along with others.

Check out my bands here:
Francie Moon
Gustaf
Crusasis

Support the show

Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

Other music is by Pretty World