Bands To Fans

“When I gravitated back to music, it was for the right reasons.” I interviewed Kenneth Nixon of Framing Hanley. We discussed:Their new song, "Mean It".The influence of Walt Whitman's "The Poet's Purpose".The advantage of growing up across the street from the library.Developing song ideas through humming.Why he stepped away from music for a few years.Persevering despite how the social media / streaming companies work to prevent musicians from connecting with their fans

I interviewed the band Secret Monkey Weekend -- Ella (bass), Lila (drums), Jefferson (guitar). From their bio - "Ella and Lila's father Matt, a prominent area drummer who'd toured with Hüsker Dü's Grant Hart, passed suddenly in 2012, when his daughters were aged just 4 and 9. Matt had played in bands with Jefferson and, after his friend's passing, Jefferson started teaching Ella guitar. A relationship with their mom, Laura, slowly blossomed." What began as a hobby / therapy evolved into a family band.We discussed:- Their new album, "Lemon Drop Hammer"- Starting so young, how Ella and Lila have adapted their playing as they have physically grown- The song "So Much Joy" and its gritty happiness- The quirky, fun title track - The great lyric "walking between raindrops" - How the music community embraced them after their dad died - The job title I have never seen in album liner notes before

I spoke with AJ Dean of The Wandering Hearts. We discussed:Deja Vu (We've All Been Here Before), their reimagining of the album by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.The rare thunderstorms that bookended their recording sessions in the California desert.Veering away from the obvious choice of who should sing lead on a song.And more.

I spoke with the band Sister Hazel, specifically Ken Block, Drew Copeland, Jett Beres, and Ryan Newell. (Drummer Mark Trojanowski was warming up because they were about to go on stage.) We discussed:- Their new album... Sand, Sea & Crash Debris- Co-writing a song with Emerson Hart of Tonic- Ken co-writing a song with his daughter - Which member of the band is "the unwriter"- The songs "Hole In Your Life," "All Goes By So Fast," and "Lay Your Worry Down"- And more 

Vulnerability with volume. Talking about the song "Wild" with Kelsy Karter.

Talking with Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon about the song "Everything You Want" 

I interviewed Peter Holsapple, best known for his bands The dB's and the Continental Drifters, as well as his work with groups like REM and Hootie and The Blowfish. Topics and pull quotes:His new album, The Face of 68."You want to kind of go for feral performances if you can. You want it to jump out of the grooves of the record.""There's the human jukebox that's running from the second I get up to the instant I fall asleep that I can't turn off.""It's got conversation that I'm having with him beyond the pale. I need that. I need to grieve somehow."And he proves he is an even a bigger music geek than I am.

“Sometimes the moment that you think is the worst moment, the worst thing to happen, turns out to be, in hindsight, something that was necessary, maybe even profoundly a gift.”I spoke with Jim “Soni” Sonefeld of Hootie and The Blowfish. We discussed:His autobiography, “Swimming With the Blowfish: Hootie, Healing, And One Hell Of A Ride”.Overcoming his addictions.Writing about his tumultuous times in a way that did not let himself off the hook, but also did not harm his bandmates, friends, or family.The thrill and the pressure that comes with releasing one of the best selling debut albums of all time.Hearing the crowd at one of Darius Rucker's solo concerts sing along to “Hold My Hand,” which Soni wrote.

I interviewed Chris Berardo. We discussed:- His new album, Wilder All The Time- Sequencing the song order so it mimics a live show- "You are cheating yourself if you don't recognize the joy when it happens."- Writing songs on the piano that are then played on guitar- And moreGet the albumMore interviews 

I spoke with Logan Tabor of alltheprettythings. We discussed:Their album ProseHis hodgepodge methodology for collecting potential lyricsCreating a song like "New Teeth," heavy rock that you can dance toHis pre-tour vocal workoutsThe different extremes within the song "Carousel"From the song “Teenage Lines” the lyric “How you were reaching for the stars again / and only pulling down the empty things that were sitting in between”And more

I interviewed Kyle Pfeiffer of Blacklite District. We discussed:- Their album You Can Do Better- How they have adapted their tours to make things easier for their fans- How getting sober has influenced his music and his lyric writing- Being influenced by Black Sabbath but sounding very different from them- And moreBlacklite District website: https://blacklitedistrict.net/ 

I spoke with Kesly Karter. We discussed:The new album by Kelsy Karter and The Heroines, Love Made Me Do It.How the opening track, which sets the tone for the whole album, almost wasn't on the album at all.Being influenced by Quentin Tarantino."I was in a Metaphorical mosh pit fighting for my place as a woman in rock music."The first instrument this rocker learned to play was the flute.And more.

I interviewed rock singer / violinist Ginny Luke. We discussed:- Her new album, Devil At My Heels- Approaching the violin as another voice- "I like being a bad bitch on stage."- Covering Deep Purple's "Burn" with guitarist Nili Brosh- And more

I interviewed new artist Slaw. We discussed:- His debut album "Here I Come"- The art of telling full stories in songs- How he was influenced by everything from Motown to Bluegrass- Learning to release your soul into your music- And more

What Kim Wilson of clients The Fabulous Thunderbirds said about Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top joining the Tbirds on their new song “Payback Time”.

Part 2 of my interview with Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon. You can find Part 1 at blog.bandstofans.netHighlights from this conversation: - "There was a way that (Seinfeld) described the art of stand-up comedy that... I felt there were through lines to what we do." - "The tone that we want to set when we start a show is that we're in this together." - "The feeling I get when I walk on stage with Richard (Marx) is what I would imagine the other players on the Chicago Bulls felt like when they walked on the court with Michael Jordan." - We delve into the his lyric "Listen and wait for the echoes of angels that won't return". - "Go listen to 'Subdivisions' from the Signals record (Rush)… and maybe (first) read the lyrics. It's astoundingly great."

Join us for an in-depth interview with Lawrence Gowan of Styx as he shares insights on the band's iconic live performances, the story behind his spinning keyboard mishap, the creative process of song vignettes on albums like 'Crash of the Crown,' advice for his brother upon joining the band, and much more.

I interviewed Laura Arias and Andrew Stern of the band 3 Pairs of Boots. We discussed: Being artists that do no fit neatly into a box or category / Their new album, Boot Scootin' (To be released 9/27/24) / Their songs "Dark Sun Rising" and "My American Boy" / How the work of classical composers have influenced their country - rock - Americana creations / The similarities between creating a great dish in the kitchen and creating a great song in the studio / And moreBands To FansI help professional musicians tell their stories.Social media, eBooks, interviews, editing, co-writing

I interviewed Barrett Smith and Graham Sharp of Steep Canyon Rangers. We discussed: Their album Morning Shift / The song "Ghost of Glasgow" / Their very collaborative songwriting and song recording process / The influence new member Aaron Burdett has had on the band / The instrumental "Old Stone House / Handlebars / Chimney Rock” / The dark, intense song “Second In Line (Junior)” / And moreBands To Fans:Website: https://www.bandstofans.com/Blog: https://blog.bandstofans.net/Download our e-books: https://www.bandstofans.com/ebooks.html

I interviewed Peter Holsapple of The dB's. We discussed:The re-release of their influential debut album, Stands For deciBels.How he has changed as a musician since the album was first released and how he is the same."Without The dB's I could not have gotten as far in this business we call music."How growing up in Winston-Salem, NC influenced him as a rock musician.The interesting guitar solo he did on the track “Judy”.And more.

I interviewed Dean Roland of Collective Soul. We discussed:Their new album, Here To EternityThe decision to release a double albumRecording at Elvis Presley's house in Palm Springs, CAWalking the line between exploring new territory and going off courseAnd more

I interviewed singer-songwriter Stephanie Sammons. We discussed:- Her new album, "Time and Evolution"- The challenge of being an empath and a songwriter- Studying with Jonatha Brooke- "I have a runnning list of interesting observations, things that move me, things that resonate with me"- The lyric "I don't want to die, but I don't want to live like this"- And more

I spoke with singer / songwriter JM Stevens. We discussed:His new album, Nowhere To LandThe lyric “I heard you sneaking in / Guess you forgot to WD40 the hinge” The Gibson J45 guitar he wrote about in the song "Cherry Sunburst" Also being the album producer and mixer And more JM Stevens website: https://jmstevens.net/

I finally got to do an in-person interview with bassist John Pierce of Toto. We discussed:- How learning to play the drums has influenced his bass playing- Playing with Toto drummer Shannon Forrest - His quest to play less and make each note more meaningful - Sessions with Huey Lewis, Mick Jagger, and Tom Petty- Toto's "With A Little Help From My Friends" album- And more

I interviewed Cassius King of Cassius King and The Downtown Rulers. We discussed:- Their album "Last Call For The Blues"- A dream 25 years in the making- "A giving musician is always trying to make the song better without necessarily standing out."- The wonderfully gritty song "Bettern Man Blues"- How his offstage, behind-the-scenes work influences his on stage performance - And more

Drummer Mike Portnoy likes that they did not road test the new The Winery Dogs songs before recording them.

Cris Cohen interviews Will McBride of the Will McBride Group. They discuss:The new single, "Hit Song".Embracing irony in songwriting“I'm not a love song writer.”Opening for StyxThe influence of Elvis CostelloHow he prefers a guitar tone that sings rather than growlsAnd moreBands To Fansbandstofans.com

Cris Cohen interviews John McCutcheon. They discussed:His new album with Tom Paxton, "Together"Co-writing songs via ZoomIntertwining hope and heartbreak in the song "Ukrainian Now"Writing lighter tunes like "Same Old Crap"And morebandstofans.com

Cris Cohen interviews ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. They discuss: His new album, "Grateful"Playing rock songs on the ukulele versus playing songs written for ukulele"Embrace being a lifelong learner"His cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"The challenge of creating loops live during the concertAnd moreBandsToFans.com

Cris Cohen interviews percussionist Daniel de los Reyes of the Zac Brown Band. They discuss:The album "The Comeback"The song "Don't Let Your Heart"Meshing with drummer Chris FryarPercussion instruments that resonate even when they play baseball stadiumsAnd moreRecorded January 27, 2023

Cris Cohen interviews singer-songwriter Danny O'Keefe. They discuss:Having his songs recorded by artists such as Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, Jackson Browne, and Alison KraussHow he can "feel sad songs coming before they even get to be songs."His new album, "Circular Turns"And moreDanny O'Keefe's website: https://dannyokeefe.com/---Bands To Fans: Project administration and content marketing for professional musiciansVisit the Bands To Fans website: https://www.bandstofans.com/Subscribe to the newsletter: https://bandstofans.substack.com/Download our ebooks: https://www.bandstofans.com/ebooks.html

I interviewed bassist Jett Beres of Sister Hazel. We discussed:The 20th anniversary of the album "Chasing Daylight"Why this is his favorite Sister Hazel albumThe song written in a hot tubHow the role of the bass in a song mirrors his role in the bandWhat he learned from getting a degree in Architecture that applies to his work as a musicianAnd moreRecorded February 10, 2023

Cris Cohen interviews percussionist Daniel de los Reyes of the Zac Brown Band. They discuss:The album "The Comeback"The song "Don't Let Your Heart"Meshing with drummer Chris FryarPercussion instruments that resonate even when they play baseball stadiumsAnd moreRecorded January 27, 2023

Cris Cohen interviews bassist Billy Sheehan. They discuss:The new Talas album, "1985"With live performing, "If you think, you stink.""Chaos on a leash"The two songs that made him pull his car to the side of road so he could listen more intentlyAnd moreRecorded October 2022bandstofans.com

Cris Cohen interviews Dennis Diken of The Smithereens. They discuss:- Their new release, "The Lost Album"- The emotional aspect of listening to the late Pat DiNizio singing on these tracks- "Playing for the song is the best approach a musician can take."- Being influenced by drummer Buddy Saltzman, best known for his work with the Four Seasons- "It's like you are having a dialogue musically"- And moreInterview recorded September of 2022

Cris Cohen interviews Mike Portnoy of The Winery Dogs. They discuss:The new Winery Dogs album "III" (release date: 02/03/2023)Playing with bassist Billy Sheehan"Everybody in this band has chops for days, but it is not about flexing them at all times."How his Winery Dogs drum kit is WAY scaled back compared to the ones he used with Dream Theater and Liquid Tension ExperimentAnd morebandstofans.com

Cris Cohen interviews Lawrence Gowan of Styx. They discuss:- "The beauty of a band is that it is the essence of a combined spirit."- Styx's influence on Lawrence and his influence on Styx- His onstage, theatrical sense of fun- The special moment during a concert in Toronto performing one of his solo tunes with Styx- The challenges and unexpected benefits of finishing the album "Crash Of The Crown" remotely- His performance of Rush's "Limelight" in concert as a tribute to Neil Peart- And more

Cris Cohen talks with drummer Sandy Gennaro (Cyndi Lauper / Joan Jett) about his new book, "Beat The Odds (in Business & Life)". They discuss:- Surviving and thriving even in an environment as unstable as the music business- Belief, Enthusiasm, Attitude, Tenacity, Service- Applying the lessons of the book in the internet age- And more

Cris Cohen interviews Graham Sharp of Steep Canyon Rangers. They discuss:- The new song "Sweet Spot" and its serving as a sendoff for Woody- Lyrics like "Too early to call / too late to call sober"- Performing "Be Still Moses" with a symphony and Boyz II Men- Meshing his banjo playing with Steve Martin's banjo playing (Yes, that Steve Martin)- "Try to love your way through the hardest situations"- And more

Cris Cohen interviews John Pierce of Toto during the band's tour stop in France. They discuss:- Playing outdoor venues during record heat waves- Songs that were not big in the US but that are huge in Europe- He and Steve Lukather: Living out the dreams they had when they were kids- And more(recorded in July of 2022)

Cris Cohen interviews Barrett Smith of Steep Canyon Rangers. They discuss:- What it is like to join this band as a new member- How getting his Master of Arts degree in Counseling has altered the way he communicates in everyday life and as a musician- Really committing himself to the bass after joining this band- The challenges in covering James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James"- And more

Cris Cohen interviews Jason Adamo. They discuss:- The creation of the Brett Young song “Beautiful Believer”- His New York subway singing education- His song "Raleigh Nights"- The allusions to his mother in both the songs and the artwork of his album "Looking Glass"- And more

Cris Cohen interviews country artist Paige King Johnson. They discuss:- That personal boundry you do not cross as a songwriter- Being mentored by Pam Tillis- Lessons learned from playing 150+ shows a year- Her album "Honky Tonk Heart"- Serving as the musical ambassador for the NC Department of Agriculture's "Got To Be NC" campaign- And more

The Doobie Brothers | Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons6/29/2022 Cris Cohen interviews Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons of The Doobie Brothers. They discuss:- Their new album, "Liberte"- Their just released band autobiography, "Long Train Runnin'"- The time Tom traded a guitar pick for a policeman's badge- The different approach they took to songwriting on this album- And more

Part 1 of my interview with Michael McDermott of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts is now up! We discussed:- The new acoustic album, "Changeup"- Delivering the drumming of classic songs like "Crimson and Clover" and "Bad Reputation" with just acoustic percussion- What defines punk music- And more

Cris Cohen interviews Doug MacMillan of The Connells. They discuss:- The band's new album, "Steadman's Wake."- Their 20-year gap in between albums- Being the lead singer but (often) not the songwriter- And more

Cris Cohen interviews bassist John Pierce, longtime member of Huey Lewis & The News and now a member of Toto. They discuss:- Prepping for the Toto tour- The influence of the bass- Adapting to diverse artists- And more

Cris Cohen interviews John McFee of The Doobie Brothers. They discuss: - Being a multi-instrumentalist- The upcoming 50th anniversary tour with Michael McDonald- What he learned from his work with Elvis Costello- His intense work ethic- And moreRecorded November 20, 2019 at the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North CarolinaMore interviews at https://www.bandstofans.com/interview-series.htmlBands To Fans: We help musicians tell their stories. Info about how you can hire us at https://www.bandstofans.com/social-media-mgmt.html

Cris Cohen interviews John McFee of The Doobie Brothers. They discuss: - Being a multi-instrumentalist- The upcoming 50th anniversary tour with Michael McDonald- What he learned from his work with Elvis Costello- His intense work ethic- And moreRecorded November 20, 2019 at the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North CarolinaMore interviews at https://www.bandstofans.com/interview-series.htmlBands To Fans: We help musicians tell their stories. Info about how you can hire us at https://www.bandstofans.com/social-media-mgmt.html

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