The Zach Show

In this podcast, they discuss the Spotlight effect and how it affects our perception of being noticed. They share personal anecdotes about mundane tasks becoming stressful due to this effect. They also delve into the tendency to overestimate how much others notice and care about our actions.

For this week’s episode and the lastest installment of the Self Care Series, I sat down with Dr. Leonard Sax to discuss his book Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers need to know about the science of Sex Differences. We started the Self Care series in honor of the late Mac Miller to address issues related to physical, mental, and social well-being. Understanding the differences between boys and girls, men and women, is paramount to self-care and your relationships with others. A little bit of background info on Dr. Sax: He graduated MIT at the age of 19, earned his Ph.D. and MD in psychology from University of Pennsylvania, and for 19 years he was a practicing family physician in Maryland. Dr. Sax has spoken on the issues of child and adolescent development throughout the US, Bermuda, Canada, England, and numerous other countries, and he has visited over 400 schools since 2001. Now, what makes understanding gender differences so important? We live in a society where, according to Dr. Sax, “the lack of awareness of gender differences has had the unintended result of reinforcing gender stereotypes.” For example, did you know that for the average boy to hear you as well as the average girl, you have to speak about 8 decibels higher, which is equivalent to 3 clicks on the car radio? Or that on average, girls’ visual systems are better at picking up color, detail, and texture than boys? And boys are better at picking up on speed and direction? There are concrete differences between boys and girls, and there are millions of ways to be male and female. Gender differences do not equate to gender inequalities. We should be celebrating these differences and better understanding them, rather than pretending like they don’t exist. Even if you have no interest in gender differences, I encourage you to listen to this conversation to broaden your perspective because these issues affect everyone, including me and you. And yes, people may disagree with some things said in this episode, and I want that. I encourage you to reach out to me and Dr. Sax with any thoughts you have on this episode. Both of our emails will be in the description of this podcast, along with a link to Dr. Sax’s book Why Gender Matters. No matter how difficult, politically incorrect, or polarizing a certain topic may be, the goal should always be to have a conversation grounded in facts. Why Gender Matters: https://tinyurl.com/y4nxefru Dr. Leonard Sax email: leonardsax@gmail.com Auxoro email (zach@auxoro.com) The Aux: https://www.auxoro.com/theaux/ Intro/Outro Music: Produced by David Grossfeld Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Sound Design: Matt Grossfeld Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag

This week, we sat down with the Seattle-based rapper Sol. During his time at the University of Washington, he was awarded the Bonderman Scholarship which allowed Sol to travel to 10 countries in 10 months. One of the requirements of this trip was that he had to go alone. At the time, Sol sat at #1 on the iTunes Hip Hop charts and #4 globally after the release of Yours Truly, then decided to drop off the map. When most would look to do anything to capitalize financially and socially on an album’s success, Sol saw it more important to find himself. In this episode, Sol talks about the impact of this ten-month journey, how he actually started as a painter before music, his relationship with Macklemore, a pivotal conversation with his Aunt, studying under Seattle Legend Isaac Meek, and the creative process behind his most recent album that just dropped March 1st, Soon Enough. Even if you aren’t an avid listener to Sol or music in general, I highly recommend you listen through this conversation. This talk was more than music. Sol drops some unique insight on crafting the vision of an independent artist, understanding different cultures, and why your definition of success should not be defined by the mainstream. Without further ado, here is our wide-ranging conversation with Sol. Sol (Spotify): http://tinyurl.com/y3nq3kw6 Sol (Apple Music): https://tinyurl.com/yyjtenl6 Sol - These Songs ft. Elan Wright (official video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTUXUDDwJp4 The Aux: https://www.auxoro.com/theaux/ Intro/Outro Music: Produced by David Grossfeld Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Sound Design: Matt Grossfeld Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag

This week, we sat down with machineheart, a band based out of LA with strong ties to Tacoma, Washington. They gained popularity with covers of Katy Perry and The 1975, eventually breaking into Spotify’s Viral with their original song ‘Circles’ featuring Vancouver-based electronic artist Vanic. On the heels of their debut album, People Change, we discuss how the band came together, the toxicity of social media, Post Malone, the creative process, and more. This episode was recorded backstage during soundcheck at The Gramercy Theatre in NYC, so my apologies for any annoying guitars, drums, and clanking going on in the background. Personally, I think all of the noise adds to the aesthetic of the podcast. Definitely planned it that way. Please go check out machineheart on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Their debut album, People Change, is out right now so go bump it. The links to their latest tracks are in the description of this podcast. And if you got a sec and are feeling frisky, go subscribe, comment, and rate us 5 stars on iTunes. This helps us reach more people which means that we can keep bringing dope conversations like this to you. Without further ado, here is our wide-ranging conversation with machineheart. machineheart (Spotify): https://tinyurl.com/y3vtsk8q machineheart (Apple Music): https://tinyurl.com/yyjtenl6 machineheart - Altar (official video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nX1GBJNZic The Aux: https://www.auxoro.com/theaux/ Intro/Outro Music: Produced by David Grossfeld Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Sound Design: Matt Grossfeld Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag

This week, we sat down with Michael and Anthony Hannides, otherwise known as MakeYouKnowLove. They are brothers from the UK, multi-platinum songwriters, and practicers of martial arts. To give you a snapshot of their resume, Anthony and Michael co-wrote and produced Zayn’s smash hit Pillowtalk which went #1 in 75 countries, as well as many other songs on Zayn’s debut album Mind of Mine and Zayn’s follow up project Icarus Falls. They also co-wrote Kiss Me by Rita Ora which appeared on the Fifty Shades Darker Soundtrack, as well as worked with artists like Jay Sean, Alesha Dixon, Conor Maynard, and McLean. Back in 2005, Anthony and Michael sang in the group 4-Tune which made an impressive run to the finals on X-Factor, which we will get into more later. After touring for a couple years playing 4-Tune gigs, Anthony and Michael took that money to create their own makeshift studio. At first, they made music using a cupboard with curtains as the vocal booth. Working, eating, and sleeping out of the same place, they barely made any money for the first three years in the studio. As Michael and Anthony say, “A song’s success isn’t what makes us happy - writing the song itself, that’s the happiness.” With that mindset, the songs they’ve created have reached nearly 3 billion streams to date, and they have now released their own project called MakeYouKnowLove. I learned a lot from this conversation, including insights into fitness, meditation, and what it takes to make a living as a creator. Even if you have zero interest in music and songwriting, this conversation will broaden your perspective, and hopefully, leave you with some tools and messages that can apply to your everyday life. MakeYouKnowLove (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/artist/6BoAV02g7AISyZXBAyu1hb?si=koVZulQsRNegCq5pjpgapQ MakeYouKnowLove (Apple Music): https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/makeyouknowlove/1099233511 MakeYouKnowLove - Vitamin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS1JECsRtLc The Aux: https://www.auxoro.com/theaux/ Intro/Outro Music: Produced by David Grossfeld Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag

This is another installment of The Self Care series, started in honor of Mac Miller, to address topics concerning our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Something that hits on all three is the art of negotiation. Every week, we encounter dozens of negotiation opportunities, big and small, that require listening, communication, and confidence. This week, we sit down with expert negotiator Brandon Voss. He is the director of training & operations at The Black Swan Group, the premier company and source for learning negotiation techniques when compromise is not an option. Chris Voss, the founder of Black Swan and Brandon’s father, has a quarter century’s worth of FBI experience, was the FBI Lead International Kidnapping Negotiator, and authored the best selling book Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. As the Director of Training and Operations, Brandon has been instrumental in adapting FBI Hostage Negotiation Techniques to the Business World. In addition to Training Clients, Brandon has given talks at USC Marshall School of Business, Georgetown McDonough School of Business, and organizations like Policy Innovators of Education. On this episode, Brandon breaks down many key tenets from the book Never Split The Difference, including how to actively listen, asking calibrated questions to discover more information, the power of silence, and how to get anyone to respond to an email. Personally, I’ve read this book once and listened to the audiobook on a separate occasion. I use many of these tactics daily and have gotten many interviews with bigger artists using things I’ve learned from this book. Even if you aren’t closing fortune 500 deals at the big table, you will find plenty of value in this episode. Life is a negotiation, whether you realize it or not. From bargaining baggage fees at the airport to asking someone out on a date, these principles apply to situations we encounter every day. Negotiation is a practice and what better way to start than with someone who’s made negotiation their life mission. Without further ado, here is our conversation with Brandon Voss. Never Split The Difference (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended-ebook/dp/B014DUR7L2 The Black Swan Group: https://blackswanltd.com/ The Aux: https://www.auxoro.com/theaux/ Intro/Outro Music: Produced by David Grossfeld Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag

On this week’s episode of Auxoro: The Voice of Music, we sat down with Cautious Clay. He released his debut EP, Blood Type, in February of 2018, but the journey started long before. Cautious Clay grew up in Cleveland and was surrounded by the jazz community. He plays the flute and saxophone among other things, a true multi-instrumentalist. At George Washington University, he started making beats and posting remixes to SoundCloud. It was there, that Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother, saw one of these remixes and reached out to Cautious Clay. Cautious Clay, Blackbear, and Astonomyy ended up being part of the first remix package of ‘Ocean Eyes’ by Billie Eilish back in 2015. Since then, Cautious Clay has made a lot of music, worked multiple day jobs, and recently quit those day jobs to pursue music full time. In October of 2018, NPR tapped Cautious Clay to perform for their coveted tiny desk concert series. Even if you don’t listen to Cautious Clay, or aren’t an avid music listener in general, this episode has a lot of insight into the overall process of creativity, the effect of religion on upbringing, competition, and other topics that span beyond music. Check out Cautious Clay's latest single 'Honest Enough,' his upcoming tour dates, and full catalog below: Cautious Clay (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/artist/6iWuBN32BqCJAeXW6o3nil?si=6Uey1WlxRoy7uxqC6eWOCQ Cautious Clay (Apple Music): https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/cautious-clay/1064628701 Cautious Clay on Tour: https://www.cautiousclay.com/shows/ The Aux: https://www.auxoro.com/theaux/ Song: 'Cold War' by Cautious Clay Tiny Desk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VERVVrzLSuo Smoke deGrasse Tyson: https://vimeo.com/138219734 Episode Art: Brian Karlsson (@voyeur1) Intro/Outro Music: Produced by David Grossfeld Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag

This week, we sat down with the legendary Jim Weider. Jim was born and raised in Woodstock, NY and from 1985-2000 he was the lead guitarist for the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Inductees The Band. His first ever show with The Band was a Crosby, Stills, and Nash reunion in Dallas Texas in front of over 30,000 people. Talk about baptism by fire. Throughout Jim’s career, he has jammed with Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, Scotty Moore of Elvis Presley’s original band, played with The Grateful Dead at Soldier field and rocked the stage at The Berlin Wall Concert in front of over 300,000. No single concert has ever been bigger in attendance. In 2013, The Weight Band formed when two former members of The Band, Jim Weider and Randy Ciarlante, decided to continue The Band’s rich musical tradition. The Weight Band keeps the Woodstock spirit of The Band alive. In 2018, The Weight Band released an original album titled ‘World Gone Mad,’ a commentary on today’s divisive political climate and the hardship of American Life. In this conversation, Jim and I get into growing up in Woodstock, his time with The Band, jamming with Rock n Roll icons, the psychedelic culture, and more. Song: 'Deal' by The Weight Band The Weight Band (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/artist/0rsPWmLY4b1IZXcKrpVYpb?si=FfC60adOSS-ZG9WxYuZnrA The Weight Band (Apple Music): https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-weight-band/1339688651 Intro/Outro Music: Produced by David Grossfeld Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag

In the latest episode of the Self Care Series, host Zach Grossfeld explores the recent controversy with Kevin Hart and The Oscars Committee, Hart's jokes on homosexuality, and the current state of comedy. We started the Self Care Series in honor of the late Mac Miller as a way to explore mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Comedy can be the ultimate cure for pulling through the darkest of times, and laughter combines all three aspects of Self Care: the physical, the mental, and the emotional. Should certain topics be off limits for comics? Who decides what we can and cannot find funny? How does laughter tie into morality? We are only one voice in a sea of opinions and we would love to hear your thoughts on a force that connects us all: comedy. Episode Art: Bogomil Mihaylov (fb.com/bogomilism) Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Music Produced by David Grossfeld (@grossfeld_drums) Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag

Welcome to the first installment of our Offstage Spotlight series where we speak to those in the music industry who make their living off of the main stage. These people include label executives, managers, booking agents, light technicians, and others who play essential roles in the music world. This week, we sat down with the founders of LVRN, a label and collective located in the heart of the city of Atlanta. LVRN has developed and signed multi-platinum artists like 6lack and D.R.A.M. while staying true to their creative visions. What started as an idea between five friends at Georgia State evolved into a collective powerhouse in the birthplace of the trap. On this episode, we discuss the origins of LVRN, sleeping in Uhauls, the Anti-Tour, partnering with Interscope Records, working with artists like 6lack and D.R.A.M., and more. If you love these conversations and want more people to find out about us, make sure you subscribe, rate, and leave a comment on iTunes. Support MusiCares: https://www.grammy.com/musicares LVRN main site: http://lvrn.com/ LVRN insta: https://www.instagram.com/lvrngram/ Song: 'PRBLMS' by 6lack Intro/Outro Music: Produced by David Grossfeld Mixed and Mastered by Dbsound on Fiverr Auxoro main site: https://www.auxoro.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromag/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auxoromag