interviews – Page 10 – Crash Chords

Posts tagged "interviews" (Page 10)

Ep. #33 – Feat. Kevin Martin of Candlebox

Today Matt welcomes Kevin Martin, the lead vocalist and guitarist for the hard rock band, Candlebox. Candlebox recently signed with Pavement Entertainment and have a brand new album coming out early next year. Matt chats with Kevin about the writing process for the new album, some details about the band’s past, the influence of their self-titled debut, and how that album affected the band’s growth. Kevin also offers a fascinating perspective on what it was like to live and play during the rise of the grunge scene in Seattle. Finally, Kevin chats about his family life and down-time activities. He also mentions Candlebox’s current and upcoming tours, and discusses the future of the band.

Ep. #32 – Feat. Carly Ritter

Today, Matt is joined by Carly Ritter, a country/folk singer-songwriter hailing from Los Angeles, California. With a self-titled debut now available on iTunes and Amazon, Carly Ritter chats with Matt about the time she’s currently spending in Nashville to hone her craft, and what she has come to learn from other songwriters. Hear her discuss the details of her songwriting process and where she pulls inspiration, all while stressing the importance of strong discipline when trying to learn anything with a creative mind. She also chats about the supportive nature of the independent creators community, and touches upon the works of bluegrass covers currently in the making.

CCP Ep. #161: Beat the Champ by The Mountain Goats | Feat. Anja Keister

Today we welcome special guest Anja Keister, a producer & performer at D20 Burlesque gifted with a rich musical background. More than prepared to discuss her album choice, Anja starts by sitting down for a warm-up interview. Join us as we discuss Anja’s uniquely-conceived acts, her trials, and her inspirations. Then, join us once more as we dive into Anja’s album pick of the week (20:37). Anja’s choice: Beat the Champ by The Mountain Goats. As The Mountain Goats’ 15th studio release, Beat the Champ is actually a journey through songwriter John Darnielle’s childhood love of dirt cheap, small circuit wrestling. For more details, you’ll just have to experience it. Then visit us for the analysis, and thank Anja for the selection!

Ep. #31 – Feat. Ruben Romero

Today Matt is joined by Ruben Romero, a writer at and founding member of the production company Think Alike Productions, a company that will appear at the 2015 New York Comic Con. Ruben was pointed in the direction of Autographs by previous guest Bob Salley (Ep. #27), who is also a member of Think Alike Productions. Touching upon Ruben’s role in the creation of Think Alike, Matt also pries into his creative origins as a writer, his past pursuits as a rapper, and some background on the two comics he is currently writing: The Agency & Prey for Angels. They also have a nice long tangent on the influence of Star Wars and their mutual excitement for The Force Awakens. Enjoy!

Ep. #30 – Feat. Matt Donnelly, Paul Mattingly, & Jacob Smith

Come celebrate the 30th episode of the series by hearing about Matt’s chance honeymoon encounter with Matt Donnelly, Paul Mattingly, and Jacob Smith of Matt & Mattingly’s Ice Cream Social, a podcast out of Las Vegas and spinoff of Penn’s Sunday School Podcast (which Matt Donnelly co-hosts with Penn Jillette). Matt & Paul—successful comics who were found teaching improv classes aboard the Celebrity Summit cruise ship, en route to Bermuda—graciously agreed to meet with Matt Storm for an impromptu podcast under the Autographs banner. In front of a small audience, hear them talk about the origin of their show, the state of comedy, and the difference between pushing the envelop and advocating reprehensible behavior. Cruise with them all by pressing play!

CCP Ep. #157: Benjamin Booker by Benjamin Booker | Feat. Nelson Lugo

For the third and most ear-piercing occasion on the Crash Chords Podcast, it’s NELSON LUGO! That’s right, our resident magician and comrade-in-mic (from the EPIC PIEcast) joins us once again, this time with an album called Benjamin Booker, a debut LP by the artist of the same name. For the bulk of the show, we tear into the lauded work and see what makes it tick — but not before discussing Nelson himself! Soak in the updates on his “Gathering the Magic” act (previewed in Ep. #72), and hear us commiserate with Nelson over his latest “YouTube blues” — the artist’s struggle with the deadening woes of the medium. Finally, we close out the episode with some thoughts on the application of music in performances and routines. Enjoy!

Ep. #29 – Feat. Jewel Thief

Today, Matt has the honor of speaking with Jewel Thief, an indie rock band from Rahway, New Jersey. You’ll be hearing Kevin Smith on guitar/vocals/keyboards, Kevin Urban on guitar/vocals, Conor Carolan on bass/vocals, and Craig Jardonoff on drums. Not always called Jewel Thief, the band had originally established a following under the name Congress. Hear them discuss with Matt what it was like to make this transition, along with how they got their start, their major influences, and what it’s like balancing a day job with being a musician. So listen in, get to know the band, and support them in their endeavors! Their latest record, Speak Electricity, was released on March 24th 2015.

Ep. #28 – ‘Vinyl Day’ at Barnes & Noble | Feat. Joe Mastropiero

Crash Chords covers ‘Vinyl Day’ at Barnes & Noble… LIVE! In honor of the retail giant’s exclusive marketing event, merchandise manager Joe Mastropiero invited Crash Chords’s own Matt Storm & Steve Nagel to conduct a ‘live audience’ podcast through CC: Autographs. Held on July 25th, 2015 (in the music section of Barnes & Noble’s Staten Island outlet), Matt & Steve confronted Joe on all things vinyl related, media related, marketing related, and Joe related! Listen in for some hard-hitting questions on the status of the beloved music format, followed by an up-close (and public) interview with the music-loving proprietor. Finally, we wrap up by taking some amazing questions from our delightfully curious audience. Many thanks to all who came! Now let the spinning begin!

CCP Ep. #154: Amour t’es là? by Banda Magda | Feat. Joe Benjamin

A special album and a special guest, today we welcome Joe Benjamin (from Joe Benjamin and a Mighty Handful). Steeped in the larger-than-life sounds of big band & swing, the 11-piece ensemble performs the work of the German-born singer, composer, and conductor Joe Benjamin. Listen for some samples of his work, an exclusive interview with the man himself, and finally for the album he brought to place under our microscope (starting at 37:22). That album is called Amour t’es là?, the 2013 release by another massive ensemble, Banda Magda (fronted by Greek native and French speaker Magda Giannikou). More samples from Joe and a Mighty Handful throughout, so listen through!

Ep. #27 – Feat. Bob Salley

This week, Matt welcomes Bob Salley, a writer from Boston, MA. Bob’s latest projects include the comic book, Salvagers, of which 3 issues are currently available (with the 4th on the way), and the weekly web comic, Jasper’s Starlight Tavern. You’ll hear Matt and Bob chat about the Salvagers universe and its unique set of characters, his inspiration for creating Jasper’s Starlight Tavern, his love of sci-fi, and the influence of music on the aesthetic of the Salvagers series. Also hear about his “Indiegogo” campaign — a crowdfunding site spurred by a desire to give back to the fans. And finally, stick around for some helpful advice on time management, and how to conjure up focus for the projects you’re most passionate about.

Music is Life… and Life is Good!

Tag: interviews