Bridge The Atlantic

Joining us this week is LA based singer/songwriter Troi Irons. Troi is currently signed to Def Jam Records, and in 2016, she released her acclaimed Turbulence EP. Brimming with self-reflective lyrics and instantly-catchy choruses. As well as writing for herself, Troi also writes and produces for other artists, and directs music videos. In this interview, we hear more about her influences, how she approaches writing for other artists, and her experience with Def Jam Records. Enjoy!Highlights:- Troi’s “3 Things We Should Know” are some of the most interesting we’ve had so far!- Marcio and Troi over their germophobic tendencies- We talk with Troi about her influences, and how they have impacted on her writing and performing- We hear about the music Troi grew up listening to and those artists have influenced her- Troi tells us how writing for other artists compares to writing for herself- We hear how Troi helps other artists tell their stories through collaboration- “As much of the artist’s vocabulary that can be in an artist’s song, the more powerful it’s going to feel when they sing it” - Troi Irons- When writing a song for another artist, it’s important to put your ego aside, and serve the artist the best you can- Troi shares how Def Jam have supported her and see their artists as a long term investment- “Def Jam are really invested in the artist’s creative vision” - Troi Irons- Troi calls one of our questions in our 20 Questions section “dirty” - and we like it!- Troi explains the difference between a publishing and record deal- We hear how Troi has learned that it’s not all about her - it’s important to share a positive message rather than be the most successfulAdvice:- When writing, quality over quantity is important- Publishing deals can be helpful to have before a record deal- Troi wouldn’t recommend signing to a major publishing company, and suggests indie publishing companies- When choosing a label, think about what you want and what kind of artist you want to be - that will influence your decisionGuest Links:- Website: http://troiirons.com- Facebook: /troiirons- Twitter: @troimusic- Instagram: @troimusicSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses- Joe Settineri- Music Entrepreneur HQ- Music Launch Hub- Buck Naked Soap Company---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Terry McBride is the CEO of the Nettwerk Music Group, which includes Nettwerk Productions, Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk One, and Artwerks. Founded in his apartment in 1984, Nettwerk has corporate offices in Vancouver, Boston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, Hamburg and London.Nettwerk’s management roster includes artists such as Fun, Guster, The Stereophonics and Alexi Murdoch. Since 1984, Nettwerk Productions has released over 500 albums and sold over 150 million copies worldwide. In this interview, Terry shares why he thinks authenticity is the most important factor in artist success, what Nettwerk look for in artists they want to work with, and more.Highlights:- Terry shares that the most important thing for artist success today is authenticity- “A song is an emotion” - Terry McBride- “If you’re not authentic as an artist, how can people relate to you?” - Terry McBride- Terry tells us one of the biggest mistakes artist make is that they don’t know where they’re going- “Artists who rely on others to do everything for them won’t be successful” - Terry McBride- “Artists have to realise it is THEIR career, not their manager’s career” - Terry McBride- Terry shares how he believes there is going to be a resurgence in the middle class artist- We hear how Nettwerk’s criteria for management, label and publishing artists are all different- “Stick with what you love!” - Terry McBride- We talk about how a common thread across our interviews is the importance of following your gut feeling- “If we could have shrunk the first 10 years of Nettwerk into 2 years, that would have been awesome” - Terry McBrideAdvice:- For artist managers - “Understand the marketplace really well and know where you can add value”Guest Links:- Website: http://nettwerk.com- Facebook: nettwerkmusicgroup / terry.mcbride- Twitter: @terrymcbrideSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses- Joe Settineri- Music Entrepreneur HQ- Music Launch Hub- Buck Naked Soap CompanyMore:For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this week is singer/songwriter Stephen Christian, former lead vocalist of Anberlin and vocalist of Anchor & Braille. With Anberlin, Stephen has sold over 1 million records and toured North America, the UK and Australia.Stephen is also the founder of non-profit and humanitarian-oriented band Faceless International, and the founder of Wood Water Records. In this interview we hear about Stephen's upcoming solo album, what he attributes Anberlin's long term success to, and the advice he'd offer to his fellow musicians.Highlights:- Marcio shares how he met Stephen after an Anberlin show and really appreciated their conversation- Stephen shares why he always tries to use the same time of microphone when performing- We hear what Stephen attributes Anberlin’s longterm success to- “The worst thing that can happen to a band is to have a huge first record and go downhill from there” - Stephen Christian- “When people feel connected, that’s the best place to start from” - Stephen Christian- Stephen talks about the importance of playing the smaller shows, and making the connections- Stephen shares how he decides what material belongs to which project- We hear about Stephen’s upcoming solo record “Wildfires”- We hear why Stephen has been writing for other artists - because he wants to keep exercising his writing muscles- “Choosing between Star Wars or Star Trek is like choosing between apples or death!” - Stephen Christian- Stephen shares some major love for Sean Mackin of YellowcardAdvice:- “It’s all about the grass roots, working hard, and staying diligent” - Stephen Christian- If you want to completely change genres, start a side project, rather than switching it up completely- “Always come back to your fans - you can’t lose those core people” - Stephen Christian- “Every day is a hustle and you have to be working everyday” - Stephen Christian- “It’s the off-season preparers who are going to win!” - Stephen Christian- “At the end of the day, it’s all about the songs” - Stephen Christian- “Your identity has to be greater than the music you perform” - Stephen ChristianRecommendations:- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People- 21 Irrefutable Laws of LeadershipGuest Links:- Twitter: @christianmusic- Facebook: @christianmusic- Instagram: @christianmusicSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses- Joe Settineri- Music Entrepreneur HQ- Music Launch Hub- Buck Naked Soap Company---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our second B-SIDES episode, we flip the tables, and Marcio interviews Ross about websites for musicians. We cover why bands need websites, what they should include, and how to choose a designer to work with. We've also got some bonus segments and outtakes from recent interviews with Pam Lewis Rudden, Neil Hilborn and Nathan West. Enjoy!Highlights:- Marcio sidelines Ross by asking him 3 things about himself that everyone should know…- We talk about why bands need a website- “Having a website shows a level of professionalism and dedication to your career”- “With your own website, you have more control over how you present yourself than on social media”- We talk about the importance of collecting email addresses via your website- We share an outtake from our interview with sync licensing specialist Pam Lewis Rudden- “Even if you don’t have content for a website yet, register your domain name for brand protection”- We talk about what a band’s website should include - and it’s all about what you want people to do when they are there- Ross talks about the importance of good photography on an artist website, especially for independent musicians- We share an outtake from Neil Hilborn’s interview - when animals take over the show!- We talk about what musicians should be looking for in a web designer- Marcio’s family make a surprise appearance!- We share an outtake from Nathan West’s interview where Ross shows him the unicorn on his passportSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses- Joe Settineri- Music Entrepreneur HQ- Music Launch Hub- Buck Naked Soap Company--For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining us this week is singer/songwriter and frontman of Marcy Playground, John Wozniak! With Marcy Playground, John has released 4 albums, with their debut album being certified platinum in the US, and the band’s 1997 hit “Sex and Candy” spent 15 weeks at number one on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart. John continues to write and tour with Marcy Playground, with intimate & interactive shows in Southern Ontario from April 20th to 23rd in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their self titled album just around the corner. In this interview, we hear about John's collaborative process, what's coming up for Marcy Playground, and the advice he'd offer to his fellow musicians. Highlights - John shares that the biggest difference in the industry between now and the 90s is the number of independent labels vs major labels - John believes that the smaller number of major labels has opened up room for independent labels and networks to be created - John shares that the independent world is much more attractive to him than the major world, but there are benefits to both - We hear how Marcy Playground thought they had their one shot when their label closed down, but it turned out to be good timing - We talk about collaboration, and John shares how important collaboration is to growth as an artist - “If we created in a vacuum, we would never expand or grow” - John Wozniak - John shares how his best collaborations have been with Jordy Birch, as they’ve just clicked - We talk about how finding the right chemistry between a group of people to create a successful band is very rare - John tells us how he approaches producing, and why he avoids co-writing and producing in the same project - “When I’m collaborating with an artist, what am I doing to help the artist grow?” - John Wozniak - John shares how he decides what material is for Marcy Playground and what is for him as a solo artist - We hear how Marcy Playground are like family to John - “Music is a social business and a business of people” - John Wozniak Guest Links: - Website: marcyplayground.com - Facebook: /officialmarcyplayground - Twitter: @blizzardofwoz Sponsors: - Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents - Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses - Joe Settineri - Music Launch Hub - Buck Naked Soap Company More: For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.com Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlantic Subscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunes Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining us this week is musician and actor, Nathan West aka East of Eli. Nathan has had roles in major films as well as independent projects, including such films as Disney’s Miracle and the award winning independent feature Alleged, and is now releasing music as East of Eli.As East of Eli, Nathan debuted his first single from his sophomore release Lost Transmission on Valentine’s Day in honor of his wife, famed actress Chyler Leigh. East of Eli has received critical acclaim with “American Songwriter” noting West as an artist on the rise. In this interview, we hear more about East of Eli's upcoming album, how Nathan balances a creative career with fatherhood, and all about his love of unicorns. Yes, really!Highlights:- Nathan shares how acting lead him to creating the moniker East of Eli- We hear all about Nathan’s fascination with unicorns (fun fact - Scotland’s national animal!)- We hear how Nathan’s experience as an actor has helped him as a performer- Nathan tells us how his first acting agent wanted him to change his name- Nathan shares how he balances his career with being a father- “If I’m not a musician, I’m not giving my kids the best version of me” - Nathan West- “If I’m not on my own journey, I can’t be the best husband or best father I can be” - Nathan West- “Music is a vessel for me to contribute what I have to offer to the world” - Nathan West- We hear about the new East of Eli album and what we can expect from it- Nathan tells us about the studios he recorded the East of Eli album at- We talk about how a song is great when it sounds good when stripped down to just a vocal and instrumentAdvice:- If you want to pursue multiple roles in the entertainment industry, focus on one at a time- It’s all about finding a balance in everything you doGuest Links- Website: eastofeli.com- Facebook: /eastofeli- Twitter: @eastofeli- Instagram: @eastofeliSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses- Joe Settineri- Music Launch Hub- Buck Naked Soap Company---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining us this week out of Minnesota is Neil Hilborn, a College National Poetry Slam Champion. In August of 2013, Neil’s poem "OCD" went viral, garnering over 7 million views to date, making it one of the most-viewed poems on YouTube.Neil is also the co-founder of Thistle, a Macalester literary magazine, and has run numerous writing workshops with college and high school students. His work has been featured in publications such as Borderline Magazine and Orange Quarterly, and his debut full-length book, Our Numbered Days, is now available.Highlights:- Neil shares how the popularity of “OCD” on YouTube took him completely by surprise- We talk about how it’s the authenticity and connection of a performance that really matters- The moment of truth and humanity in a performance is what connects with people- Neil shares why he think it’s important for artists to talk about mental health- “An artist’s duty is our own stories as genuinely as we can” - Neil Hilborn- “Get that brain garbage out - then you can sit and write about what you want to write about” - Neil Hilborn- We talk about the fear of our art not being perfect- Neil shares that the performances that went badly are the ones that have helped him the most- “Failing publicly can be really helpful” - Neil Hilborn- We talk about how writing for yourself and not anyone else is where the most authentic work comes from- Neil talks about the importance of having editors you trust who will help decide what your best work is- We talk about where the important validation comes from as creatives- “The trap is relying on the validation of others to form the entirety of your opinion about yourself” - Neil Hilborn- Neil tells us about his writing process and finding the balance between authenticity and reliabilityAdvice:- Get out and grind without any expectation of a reward- Always be working to get better at what you doGuest Links- Facebook: /neilhilborn- Twitter: @neilicorn- Instagram: @neilicornSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses- Joe Settineri- Music Launch Hub- Buck Naked Soap Company---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're excited to bring you our first B-Sides episode; a series where we share advice and insights, bonus material and outtakes from past interviews, and more! We'll be releasing these B-Sides episodes on the last Tuesday of every month.In this episode, Ross interviews Marcio about his upcoming EP, The Reimagining: Vol 1, and we share some bonus material from Garth Richardson, Melissa Cross and Jason Paige.Highlights:- Ross and Marcio talk about Marcio’s upcoming EP, The Reimagining: Vol 1- Ross challenges Marcio to describe the new EP in 30 seconds or less- Marcio offers advice for artists around self-producing vs working with a producer- We share a b-side from Garth Richardson’s interview where he shares a story of revenge- Marcio shares how The Reimagining EP “saved” Marcio musically- "If there’s something you want to do, figure out how, and just do it"- Marcio shares some tips for approaching vocals in the studio- Melissa Cross demonstrates her singing technique in a b-side from her interview- We share a b-side from Jason Paige’s interview, where he starts improvising mid conversationSponsors:Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton PresentsChristine Infanger @ Thirty RosesJoe SettineriMusic Launch HubBuck Naked Soap Company---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining us this week from London, is sync licensing specialist Pam Lewis Rudden. Pam is the founder of Plutonic Group Syncs, a boutique third-party licensing agency specialising in music placement for Television, Films, Advertising, Gaming and Trailers productions that require music with character and individuality.As a sync licensing specialist, Pam represents artists, songwriters and premium vintage music catalogues along with music publishing companies globally. In this interview, Pam tells us about the difference between sync licensing and publishing, what the role of a sync licensing specialist is, and offers some advice for artists seeking music placements.Highlights:- Ross once kept Pam on a call just to hear her laugh- Pam explains why they started Plutonic Group Syncs, and what a sync licensing specialist does- We hear how Pam learned about the sync process through attending conferences- Pam explains the difference between sync and master rights- “The sync agent is the middleman between the artist and the music supervisor” - Pam Lewis Rudden- Pam explains why most music getting placed is from independent artists- “It’s important for independent artists to understand what the majors are doing” - Pam Lewis Rudden- We about the appeal of independent music vs major for sync and licensing- Pam iterates the importance of making sure you read the fine print in any publishing or management agreement- Pam explains the difference between sync licensing and publishing- In sync licensing, you are getting the permission from the master and publishing owners to use the tracks on a media platform- “Let me be your dedicated tentacle!” - Pam Lewis Rudden- Pam explains the difference between “one stop” and “easy clear” in terms of licensing- “Sync should be part of your marketing strategy, but not the be-all and end-all” - Pam Lewis RuddenAdvice:- If you want your music placed, do your research on the shows you would like your music placed in- Work with a sync agency who already have the relationships with the music supervisors- Placements don’t happen overnight - you have to be realistic- Follow submission guidelines closely when submitting your music - they’re there for a reason!Guest Links- Website: http://plutonicgroup.com- Facebook: /plutonicgroupsyncs- Twitter: @plutonicgrpsync- Instagram: @plutonicgrpsyncSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses- Joe Settineri- Music Launch Hub- Buck Naked Soap Company---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this week is producer/engineer and founder of Flashgrove Music, Kevin Porter. Kevin has more than a decade of professional experience working alongside the top producers, recording engineers, mixers, and songwriters the music industry has to offer. He has lent his ears, production, and engineering expertise to Gold and Platinum-selling albums, as well as GRAMMY award-winning projects.Kevin has engineered for some of the most successful music producers, artists, and songwriters on the planet, including Ryan Tedder, Mutt Lange, Ne-Yo, and Skylar Grey. Flashgrove Music was built with the mission to empower artists to realize their vision, reach professional goals, and achieve personal success.Highlights:- We hear how Kevin moved to LA to follow the opportunities he was being presented with- “Only 12 notes in western music, with endless possibilities” - Kevin Porter- Kevin shares with us what he believes his biggest weakness is- “If a song doesn’t make it off your hard drive, are you really a music producer?” - Kevin Porter- Kevin shares what he learned from working with experienced engineers early in his career- “You have to be one - or four - steps ahead of everyone else!” - Kevin Porter- “Assistant engineers who are incredible almost always go on to be amazing engineers” - Kevin Porter- “There is such magic in the collaborative process” - Kevin Porter- Kevin shares how he loves having some creative license when producing for artists- If you love making music, you can still make a career in the industry- Kevin tells us why he always grabs coffee with anyone before he works with them- Trust is so important when working with others in the business, especially as music is so personal- Marcio “treats” us to his pilot impressionAdvice:- When looking for a producer, make sure they have an understanding of your project- Credits and names are not everything - find a producer who understands your genre and vision- It’s important to find a producer who understands how to serve the song- If you want to be a producer, you have to be dedicated and live the lifeGuest Links:- Website: http://flashgrovemusic.com- Facebook: /flashgrovemusic- Twitter: @flashgrovemusic- Instagram: @flashgrovemusicSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses- Joe Settineri- Music Launch Hub- Buck Naked Soap Company---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.