Greetings From Wherever

For this Season 2 Finale Episode, Tanya Winch and I have a very fun chat, mostly focused on songwriting.  We got some other things like her volunteer work through Kids In a New Groove, songwriting groups, the importance of gratitude and the ever-present dilemma of deciding whether or not to work with friends/family on creative projects.

For the Deep Dive section we discussed her most recent single, "Cupid".  She takes us on a very thorough walk-through of the thought behind each line of the lyrics. She also dives into what went into the making of her super fun music video for it, including collaborating with VAM Studios, Ramble Creek Studios, Marc Daniel Nelson and San Fenix Productions.

Please remember to like and follow on your preferred listening platform. Thank you for listening!

For this episode, Ryan Monahan and I have a great conversation about the craft of making beer. We get into his path into the beer industry, homebrewing, cicerone training and how acquiring extensive knowledge about a craft making it harder and harder to enjoy things. We also talk about his other creative endeavors like Finite Fidelity, Electric Pilznerdz and Battle of ATX.

For the Deep Dive section we discussed the process of making beer.  Beer is something many of us enjoy, but so few of us understand how much really goes into making it.  Ryan is very generous at the end of this chat by walking us through the steps of bringing beer to life.

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For this episode, Kristen Klehr and I get into a great conversation about what she's been up to out in LA/Honolulu. I've known her for quite a while now and one thing I have definitely learned is she is a person that just really gets things she sets out to do, done. 

More recently, she has started a creative small business called The Den Collective, which is a place for musicians to thrive. She tells us all about it in the back half of the episode.  We also got to talking about being smart about collaboration, her GRAMMY nomination (what?!?!), finding a great fit for all parties when seeking endorsement deals and a few of the other things she's been up to.

Hope you enjoy and thank you for listening!

Anna Larson and I talk all about songwriting, how she stays motivated/inspired to keep working through the help of her songwriting group, livestreaming and the idea of beauty in art as a destination. 

For the deep dive section, we talked all about "Cocoon", the second solo release from rising singer-songwriter Anna Larson, is a visual EP time capsule – a collection of seven original songs with accompanying film, found sound and archival footage. We even break down some of the songs and how she came to write them. 

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Rachel Pallante and I got into a funny and engaging conversation about her creative process, especially when it comes to comedy. We talked about having a need to perform, how the Austin creative scene differs from Chicago's, what goes into developing funny characters and the transition to becoming more self sufficient on the production side of making her hilarious videos on Youtube, Instagram, etc (just search for Rachel Pallante). 

Did I maybe commit to trying to do stand up comedy one day on this episode? Maybe!  Will I tell anyone about it when I actually do this? Probably not!

For the Deep Dive Section, we really got into what goes into making a video.  From the research and learning the character phase all the way through the editing phase.  We talked about comedic improvisation and how it compares to my approach to playing guitar solos.  Always fun when there's a natural through-line like that across totally separate mediums.

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Roberto R Hernandez, AKA Robonzo, and I got into a great conversation about Podcasting as an artistic medium. So, what I'm trying to say is this is a podcast about podcasts.  Woah... Really, though. It's a medium that's been picking up steam for quite some time so I thought it would be great to chat about it with someone that has been doing it at a high level for quite some time.  Check out his show, The Unstarving Musician, to learn all about the business side of being an independent musician.  You can actually find me on a recent episode!

We covered a lot of other bases on this episode as Robonzo does a lot of different things to fuel the creative fire. This week's deep dive was all about what goes into making an episode of a podcast. There is definitely a natural teaching element to our conversation, so if you're thinking about starting a podcast yourself... this may be a great episode for you. This also marks my first international episode as Robonzo was Zooming with me from his home in Panama. This show is really living up to it's name.  Cheers and I hope you enjoy our conversation wherever you get your podcasts.

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While this show has focused on discussing the creative process so far. I thought it would be great to take an episode now and then to talk about Nonprofits that are our there supporting these creatives!

For this episode, I am lucky enough to be joined by James Whelan of the SIMS Foundation. He takes the time to tell me all about the incredible work of the SIMS Foundation.  If you aren't familiar with their work, the SIMS Foundation provides mental health and substance use recovery services and supports for musicians, music industry professionals, and their dependent family members. The conversation around mental health, especially amongst creatives, is just as important as ever.  We talk all about the importance of erasing the mental health stigma, why creatives may be especially vulnerable to mental health and/or substance abuse issues, how SIMS operates and how you can get yourself involved!

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Here's an inspiring conversation featuring Susie Pollard, a painter and photographer based in Austin, Texas.  We talk all about her 7 years spent in Paris, choosing to embrace different interpretations of art (and in my case, music), drawing inspiration from color schemes found in nature and/or her surroundings, her influences and we even got into the process of how-to hire her to do a commission piece. 

For this week's deep dive, we talked about a piece from her "Floating Tree Series" and another abstract piece of hers called "Pink Paradise".  I'll be posting both of these on the show's Instagram (@greetingsfromwhereverpodcast) this week for sure, so be on the lookout for that to get a glimpse of what we're talking about.  She told a great story about a stranger in France on the street gifting her a handwritten chapter of his novel many years ago and how she still works that into her work today!

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

We kick off Season 2 with a great conversation with RJ Porter and Tyson Prince from the band, The Spin Wires, out of Buffalo, NY. On this episode, we dive into cowriting virtually as a band vs in-person, getting music placed in video games/TV shows (including several appearances on the hit show, Shameless).  We also got relive the moments that they were defining and establishing the band's original vision of creating fun, high energy music that makes people want to dance.

Deep Dive: We focus on one of my favorite of their songs, "Slam Van".  It's a high energy rock song all about a van blasting off to space among other things.  It's such a fun track.  We talk about how they'd been inspired by fun, simple pop songs that led them to creating this song and we talk all about the dynamics of working with their producer.  Kevin Murphy

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

The end of the year is so often a time for reflection.  I wanted to take a moment to reflect on season one of the podcast.  There were 9 great discussions with guests that I'll never forget as long as I live.

Some common themes throughout the season were:

- Collaboration

- Using space in creativity

- Using art to find one's voice in the world

- Creativity becoming part of one's identity

- Being genuine

I also talked about future plans and things to focus on as I get ready for season two to return in a few short months.  Also, I talked about my plans as an artist next year.  Cheers to a better 2021 everybody!  Thank you for listening!

The first season's finale features guests Sara Nuttle and Luke Bellet from Austin band, Luke and the Lonely.  We had a great conversation about utilizing humor in songwriting, cats, Sara's artwork/visual creativity, working with producer Frenchie Smith and what it's like when a listener interprets the meaning of a song differently than we may have intended.

Deep Dive: We focused on their upcoming single, "My Baby Loves Heavy Metal", to be released Jan 8, 2021.  We got into the concept of creating and playing characters in a song, using sound effects, some lyric writing approaches/techniques and making effective choices for background vocals. This is a great single and will be a great way to kick off the new year of new music. Pro Tip: go follow them everywhere you listen to music!

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Patreon-Only Bonus Section: We talked about considering the consumer when creating art and the importance of finding something unique to say within songs.  Please Visit patreon.com/brianwolffmusic to sign up to gain access to bonus content and support the show today!

Rick Steinburg and I had a great chat all about the art of painting. We got into talking about the need to create, his unique use of "found objects" in his pieces, being playful with art, what the "car test" equivalent is for Rick as a visual artist, his blues musician alter-ego "Stone House" and the importance of honoring lost loved ones through creativity.

Deep Dive: We focused on one piece of his called "The Musician Sings the Monster We Are".  We talked about what his inspiration was for the piece, how art can be used to shine a light on ourselves as a society (sometimes not necessarily a flattering one), how he used found objects for this piece, the use of a power drill to paint and the ever-present balancing act of abstract vs. too abstract.

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Patreon-Only Bonus Section: We got to chat all about his approach to developing stories behind the paintings, what it's like for Rick to see his art on display, "video tours" of his art on Instagram and using modern technology to navigate the artistic world. Please Visit patreon.com/brianwolffmusic to sign up to gain access to bonus content and support the show today!

I got to chat with Raul Adrian Ochoa (AKA Modern Day Midas) to talk all about his creative small business, Midas Vinyl.  We also got to talk about his many other creative endeavors including being a very active singer-songwriter in the Austin scene, livestreaming (both gaming and music) and keeping an open mic going in the time of Corona.  

Deep Dive: Midas Vinyl is "stencil artwork on recycled 12 inch LP's ranging from classic iconic pop culture images to custom pieces for gifting."  We got into what goes into each piece of vinyl he designs on, how he procures the material, what sparked this idea in the first place and how to order.  It's just in time for the holidays and I will say from experience, these make a GREAT holiday gift idea.  Just head to "Midas Vinyl" on Facebook to place your order.  It really is that easy.

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Patreon-Only Bonus Section: We talked about the magic of Christmas, his latest collaboration with Kaylin Karr on a version of "White Christmas" in front of a soon-after returned Christmas tree and a HILARIOUS (definitely not PG) story from his college theater days.  Visit patreon.com/brianwolffmusic to sign up and support the show today!

Taylor and I had a great discussion all about the art of filmmaking.   We got into talking about what drives him to make films, his hilarious web series "Jimmy Arcurio", brewery networking, smart collaboration and staying busy with a variety of projects.

Deep Dive: We talked about his beautiful film, "And In a Moment", which is an Indie Drama About Love and Inner Struggle.  Watching this, viewers get to see a different side of his storytelling and filmmaking abilities.  We talked about influences he drew from, writing about what he knows, using different methods to capture genuine reactions, carefully choosing who he works with, capturing difficult subjects like alcoholism in film and I even shared my own one-time, failure of an acting experience story.

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Patreon-Only Bonus Section: We talked about his directing of the film, "From Here", his Rage Against the Machine cover band "The Battle of ATX", small town cover band life, Austin's vibrant creative scene and what other art form he would love to be successful at outside of music and film.  We even discovered we both are huge fans total rival NFL teams and talked about that a little.  He's a Bears fan and I say go Pack go!  Visit patreon.com/brianwolffmusic to sign up and support the show today!

"At The Trough" author, Adam Knight and I had a great discussion mostly about the creative process of writing a novel.  We also got into how quarantine has affected authors, why Adam has been a writer since he was very young and how his love of running is related to his writing.  

Deep Dive: We talked all about his book, "At The Trough".  This is a total page-turner that takes an eerie, chilling look at the possible future of education.  We got into what it takes to build a world within a book, how this book reads as a cautionary tale against corporate involvement within schools and the ever raging battle between the new way vs. the old way.  I absolutely recommend picking up this book and reading it yourself.

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Patreon-Only Bonus Section: We got into fighting through "writer's block", how much of an idea is fully formulated before writing, the importance of deadlines and the process of getting a publisher.  Visit patreon.com/brianwolffmusic to sign up and support the show today!

Alex Alcocer  (of the band, Los Alcos) and I had a great conversation mostly about the art of songwriting.  We also got into challenges that this quarantine has brought, what playing shows means to both of us and we even got into sports a little bit.  Surprisingly, that's a first for this show. 

Deep Dive:  We talked all about the new Los Alcos single, "Duende".  We got into how the beat just makes me want to party, what it takes to capture the jam band vibe into a concise track and what really gives the song that incredibly danceable, feel-good Latin flavor.  Definitely go check out this song. 

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Patreon-Only Bonus Section: We chatted about collaborating via Zoom, spirituality within a song and Alex's metal music roots.  Visit patreon.com/brianwolffmusic to sign up and support the show today!

BeckiJo Neill and Kim Stacy host an awesome show called Comedians Interviewing Musicians (by Music Firsthand) that I've been so fortunate to be a musical guest on a few times.  We had a great chat about comedy as an art form, the importance of being genuine for jokes to land and talked about how to dive into a local comedy scene to become a more well-rounded comedy fan. 

Deep Dive Section: We talked all about what goes into preparing for an episode of Comedians Interviewing Musicians.  They make it look easy and effortless, but there is so much thought and energy that goes into all of it.  From prep meetings with Kris Potrafka and researching upcoming guests to developing Kim's characters for the show.  

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Patreon-Only Bonus Section: We chatted about quarantine kitchen videos, taking a compliment, stage banter, bombing at a show and Kim's appearance on a recent Poo-pourri commercial.  Visit patreon.com/brianwolffmusic to sign up and support the show today!

Deer Fellow (Alyssa Kelly and Matt Salois) and I had an awesome chat about songwriting and shifting focus when promoting music during Corona times.   We talked about the importance of always giving yourself the feeling like you're working on something important.   We also got into the importance of protecting and preserving time and energy dedicated towards creating.

Deep Dive Section: A discussion of their latest single "Runaround".  It was really cool to get a look behind the curtains on how this amazing song came together.  Give that track a listen, you'll be glad you did.

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Patreon-Only Bonus Section: We chatted about virtual song swaps, live shows, social media content creation and grammar.  After all, how many exclamation points is too many?  Visit patreon.com/brianwolffmusic to sign up and support the show today!

I had a great conversation with Ismael Quintanilla III about everything he's been working on during quarantine.  I mostly have known him as one of the most talented and respected Austin concert photographers.  Well, those bigtime shows aren't happening right now and haven't been for most of the year.  It was really interesting to talk about how he's been able to reinvent himself as an artist to stay actively creative during quarantine.  Check out his local musician video series, Zero Hour ATX. Also, be on the lookout for his upcoming book, "I am Here All Day".

The Deep Dive section this week was about Ismael's role as director of Jackie Venson's "Jackie the Robot Volume 1" music video.  It's innovative and trippy and I totally recommend taking 30 minutes of your day to check out this work of art on Youtube!

Thank you for listening.  Please remember to like and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Hello and welcome to wherever! This episode features the show's host, Brian Wolff, talking about what this show is all about and who he is as a person and a creative.  Most, if not all, future episodes will feature guest interviews with artists about all types of creative endeavors and processes.  Guests will include songwriters, painters, authors, comedians and others!  Be on the lookout for new episodes every Monday of each season!