The Slapback Indie Show

three distinct mindsets that repel creativity and collaboration while inviting toxicity and decay into your everyday life. You're gonna want to avoid these, and the first step is by learning that they are there.

bundle everything that you do & provide your unique offer. it's an understatement that everyone has skills unique to themselves, ya? so why standardize what you do? there are best practices to help guide you along the way, but at the end of the day, there is only your practice when it comes to your craft. the importance of sifting through your abilities to front an offer is unmatched when it comes to the music business.

if you feel like you keep chasing your indie tail then chances aren't systemized enough yet. but wtf does that mean? i break down what's important in building a system. it's all about being the best you, dude.

does it feel like you are doing everything you are supposed to be doing but ending up in burnout? you're probably living in a false prophecy when it comes to what you know as the truth. we're chatting about some myths of the indie music industry that will propel you out of burnout, and into action.

a tactical scope on ironing out your creative muscles so you can operate & perform on a drop of a dime. We are talking about  

• how to build systems to maximize your creative start-up 
• setting expectations & benchmarks
•  the honey-hole of inspiration

idk what do growing pains feel like? how do you know when you're "going through it"? Meredith has been able to achieve her honest growth through honesty and connection. +1 for the happy & sad crying when you hear her catalog.

you & your goals are important. but shapeless goals will be the slow death of your creativity. actionable goals = your creative offer = actually building your indie career (& yes that means getting PAID for YOUR creativity).

you're a creator for a reason, right? There is some reason why you're reading this right now & trying to figure out if it will help you fit that reason. But that reason alone isn't enough for anyone else to care - you need to give THEM a reason. lemme know if I'm wrong. 

It's about creating a standard for yourself to keep your creativity (& opportunity) on its toes. I talk with Geena Duffy - a self-grown artist that has never not had her eyes on the prize. We chat about achieving goals in small little steps, without taking the foot off the gas.

you can (quite literally) negotiate yourself into your own artist path. In this episode, i talk about using negotiation as a marketing tactic by problem-solving for others and cashing in on your return.

Understand the best practices and when they have their place and then you can get rock and roll about it.

of all the things you can control - this one is damn important. it's your live show. I know, I know this is early 2021 and things are bleak - but being ready for that first light can be your "make it or break it" moment. I talk with James from Bandhive about future touring & how to blossom your indie career.

Go check out James and Bandhive ~

All it takes is one spark for your creativity to take off with drive. I talk with Memo71 about what self-discovery looks like as an indie artist, and how only you can choose to be memorable.

Knowing yourself is the literal secret to knowing what, why & how to create.  

I talk with Jōviky (rhymes with Cobra Kai fyi!) about how to expand creatively by a disciplined effort to know yourself.

Knowing yourself is one thing and knowing your "audience" is another. But how to make them **smoosh**? 

I talk with GLUUM about how he wraps his value with his inspiration to deliver something truly unique.

How you see the world affects how you create. I chat w/ Green Cheak Beak about how he expresses and perceives through his music. The process is everything.

What you put into your creations comes from your inspiration and how you act on it. 

I chat w/ Sivad about what that dance looks like, and how he handles his creativity.

yeesh coming in hot with this one. 

You have probably been told the exact opposite but that's the wrong information, pal. 

I dive into the process of getting exactly what you want out of your music and career by giving it all away, literally.

I know, I know. * new year new me * blah blah. 

This time of year heightens the want to revitalize yourself, and here's what you need to do, instead of what you think you need to do. 

Yes, skills and mastery are important - but are more than likely already apart of your "process". Use this new year's fuel to build out automatic systems that let you work ON your craft, instead of for your craft. 

If you want that * new year new me * then you need to do this, now.

*boost your niche audience*

if you're not doing this now (at the end of the year) then you're definitely not doing this regularly and you're leaving connection, promotion, and money on the table. build this self-reflection process into your monthly workflow to enhance your message and connect deeper with your niche audience.

if you are relying on anyone else but YOU to make your dreams possible then stay asleep. I talk with Seth of The Velvet Year about tackling your aspirations head first - and doing your work before reaping the benefits.

Stop bringing attention to your past and reel people into your present. 

By stating your backstory at every introduction you are letting everyone else dictate your story for you. Yes, your story is important, but it needs to be in real-time so that your fanbase can experience it with you - instead of just reading about it. 

This change in mindset will give you a return by capturing attention the right way.

what are your talents? what are your goals? And what comes second-nature? By acknowledging and using these three guidelines, you can craft your own creative outlet that can operate on what you truly enjoy. 

The refinement of your craft will be more of an exploration, rather than picking at a painful wound. Any successful music career comes from the culmination of these three topics. Let's talk about them.

Pleasing everybody is pleasing nobody. Your art connects to specific traits in specific people. Stop trying to impress the masses and hone in on what's second nature to you. Once you know your listener then you can truly connect with them. This strategy literally grows your fan-base.

@richardatrr

Be true to yourself, your music, and your crew. I sit down with Matheus from FFN about his story and how he is growing by incorporating more people into his musical process. 

@ffnmusic

@richardatrr

Don't be the trend-chaser. There is a hype built up around trendsetting, but at one point are you just chasing a means to an end. Audit your own process AND results to find what makes you, you.

@richardatrr

Here are three examples of artist ecosystems that work and turn listeners into life-long fans - the patron model, the influencer model, and the community model. 

Figure out what model works for you and execute vigorously. 

If your art is your business then you need to think outside of 1v1 interactions with fans. 

Build an ecosystem around your art, and your brand that helps shape your story. 

A successful ecosystem will drive listeners towards your music and should allow for engagement with you at any tier.

Don't fall into that trap. I warned ya.

Just in time for the spooky season - the fear of “I’m not enough”. I'm talking about this because I want to grow a community of like-minded people, not a self-entitled guru show. Growing is uncomfortable, and when things are uncomfortable creatives default into the relevancy mindset. It's a survival extinct but plays no role in helping your creativity grow. Separate yourself from your emotions by detaching yourself from your art.

~ Welcome to THE SLAPBACK INDIE SHOW ~

THE podcast for indie artists who want intentional and sustainable artistic careers.

This episode is an introduction to not only the show but for me (Richard) as a host. 

I want this podcast to be a place to bring together a community of forward-thinking and modern artists/bands/musicians. 

I want to dive in deep and provide a resource to indie artists who are creating and growing their artistic careers.