POPULARITY
Tá vótáil ar siúl sa bhfothoghchán i Makerfield, Sasana inniu. Tá Andy Burnham ó pháirtí an Lucht oibre ag súil go n-éireoidh leis an suíochán a bhí ag Josh Simons ón bpáirtí céanna a bhaint amach.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has been confirmed as the Labour candidate in the Makerfield byelection, promising Josh Simons a place in Downing Street as reward for standing aside. Plus: HS2 has been delayed yet again. Why can't the UK get anything right? With Aaron Bastani, Michael Walker, and Mathew Lawrence.
In the latest episode of the Manchester Briefing from The Mill, Joshi and Jack discuss what might be in store for Greater Manchester's politics without Andy Burnham in the mayor's office, now that he has found an MP willing to step aside for him in Makerfield's Josh Simons. On top of that, we have a live conversation between Jack and Rob Ford - professor of political science at the University of Manchester - about how the Labour party imploded since its landslide election victory in 2024, and why what we're seeing in today's politics is actually a result of some of the strategic mistakes the party made in the build up to that vote. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Menos de dos años después de su mayoría absoluta, Keir Starmer agoniza políticamente en Downing Street. El laborista que prometió sacar al Reino Unido de la crisis que arrastra desde hace año cosechó tal varapalo en las elecciones locales del 7 de mayo, que hoy cerca de un centenar de los diputados laboristas están pidiendo su cabeza, entre ellos cinco ministros. Wes Streeting, el ministro de Sanidad, ya se ha postulado al partido como recambio. El responsable del descalabro es Reform UK, el partido de Nigel Farage, que arrasó en las elecciones y se hizo con algunas de las plazas laboristas más valiosas en el norte del país. Los Verdes de Zack Polanski y los liberal-demócratas de Ed Davey han hecho el resto para dejar al laborismo en mínimos. En Gales, donde el partido llevaba un siglo ganando elecciones quedaron terceros. Starmer carga el muerto al Brexit y a la herencia recibida, pero la realidad es que buena parte de lo que le ha sucedido se debe sólo a él. Llegó al Gobierno con una serie de promesas, entre ellas algunas reformas de gran calado, pero en todo se ha quedado a la mitad o ni siquiera se ha puesto por miedo al ala izquierda de su partido. Los problemas económicos no se han enderezado, de hecho, en algunos aspectos han incluso empeorado, lo que le deja muy expuesto antes de atravesar el ecuador de la legislatura. Para que puedan quitárselo de en medio los estatutos del partido exigen que los aspirantes recojan firmas a favor de las primarias dentro el grupo parlamentario. Con una quinta parte basta, es decir, 81 diputados, algo asequible para casi cualquiera de ellos. La militancia, compuesta por apenas 250.000 afiliados, decidirá al próximo primer ministro que, eso sí, debe ser diputado. Suenan varios nombres como Yvette Cooper, Pat McFadden, Ed Miliband y Angela Rayner. Pero el favorito incontestable de las apuestas y de los afiliados es Andy Burnham, alcalde del Gran Mánchester. Burnham, que fue ministro hace años con Gordon Brown, es extraordinariamente popular en el norte del país. En Mánchester gana por mucho las elecciones desde hace diez años, pero no es diputado. Eso podría tener solución ya que Josh Simons, diputado por la circunscripción de Makerfield le ha ofrecido su escaño. Pero eso implicaría celebrar unas elecciones parciales y ahí no es ni mucho menos seguro que gane ya que en ese distrito Reform obtuvo la mitad de los votos el 7 de mayo. Pero, aunque ganara, gobernar el Reino Unido es mucho más difícil que ser alcalde de Mánchester, más aún en las situación actual. Quizá a Starmer le quede ya muy poco como primer ministro, pero el laborismo no está del todo muerto. Farage parece que ha tocado techo, los tories son irrelevantes y el partido Verde se ha escorado demasiado hacia la izquierda. Hoy por hoy ocupa el centro del tablero y eso es una ventaja ya que puede recuperar votos a ambos lados del espectro. Si quieren mantenerse ahí tendrán que realizar el programa de reformas que prometieron en 2024. Más oportunidades no van a tener. Pues bien, para hablar de este tema, cuyo previo ya vimos la semana pasada con La ContraCrónica que dediqué a las elecciones locales inglesas, nos acompaña Andrea, que ha estado siguiendo muy de cerca el descenso a los abismos de un laborismo que hace sólo 24 meses se las prometía felicísimas. · Canal de Telegram: https://t.me/lacontracronica · “Contra el pesimismo”… https://amzn.to/4m1RX2R · “Hispanos. Breve historia de los pueblos de habla hispana”… https://amzn.to/428js1G · “La ContraHistoria del comunismo”… https://amzn.to/39QP2KE · “La ContraHistoria de España. Auge, caída y vuelta a empezar de un país en 28 episodios”… https://amzn.to/3kXcZ6i · “Contra la Revolución Francesa”… https://amzn.to/4aF0LpZ · “Lutero, Calvino y Trento, la Reforma que no fue”… https://amzn.to/3shKOlK Apoya La Contra en: · Patreon... https://www.patreon.com/diazvillanueva · iVoox... https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-contracronica_sq_f1267769_1.html · Paypal... https://www.paypal.me/diazvillanueva Sígueme en: · Web... https://diazvillanueva.com · Twitter... https://twitter.com/diazvillanueva · Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/fernandodiazvillanueva1/ · Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/diazvillanueva · Linkedin… https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-d%C3%ADaz-villanueva-7303865/ · Flickr... https://www.flickr.com/photos/147276463@N05/?/ · Pinterest... https://www.pinterest.com/fernandodiazvillanueva Encuentra mis libros en: · Amazon... https://www.amazon.es/Fernando-Diaz-Villanueva/e/B00J2ASBXM #FernandoDiazVillanueva #starmer #laborismo Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals
Nuacht Mhall. Príomhscéalta na seachtaine, léite go mall.*Inniu an séú lá déag de mhí na Bealtaine. Is mise Eoin Ó Seachnasaigh.Tá Príomh-Aire na Ríochta Aontaithe Keir Starmer faoi bhrú i ndiaidh seachtain dhramatiúil inar éirigh roinnt airí as an gcomh-aireacht in Westminster, iad ag rá nach bhfuil muinín acu as. Bhí sé i gcruachás mar thoradh ar na toghcháin áitiúla i Sasana inar chaill Páirtí an Lucht Oibre beagnach 1,500 comhairleoir ar fud na tíre, níos mó ná 450 i Londain amháin. D'admhaigh Starmer gur ndearnadh botúin le linn a théarma go dtí seo, ach go leanfadh sé ar aghaidh mar cheannaire an pháirtí agus mar Phríomh-Aire mar sin féin, cé gurb iad Reform an páirtí is mó anois agus Nigel Farage faoi lán seoil go Sráid Downing, de réir cosúlachtaí. Ba é Wes Streeting an chéad iomaitheoir mór le héirí as Dé Céadaoin, agus d'fhógair an iar-Leas-Phriomh-Aire Angela Rayner Déardaoin go bhfuil a cuid fadhbanna cánach réitithe. Ceaptar go seasfaidh sí do cheannaireacht an pháirtí mura féidir le Méara Mhanchain Andy Burnham dul san iomaíocht. Níl cead ag éinne an cheannaireacht a bhaint amach gan a bheith ina fheisire ach dúirt Josh Simons tráthnóna Déardaoin go n-éireodh sé as a shuíochán le deis a thabhairt do Burnham i bhfothoghchán. Ainm eile a luaitear leis an bpost ná iar-cheannaire an pháirtí Ed Miliband, ach tá an chuma ar an scéal nach seasfaidh sé.Go cúrsaí ceoil anois, le píosa nuachta a bheidh spéisiúil do lucht éisteachta an amhránaí as Contae Lú, David Keenan. Tar éis taispeantáis rathúla ar fud na cruinne, ag féilte scannáin ó Krakow go Chicago, tá an clár faisnéise David Keenan: Focla ar Chanbhás le feiceáil faoi dheireadh ar Sheinnteoir TG4. Paddy Hayes a stiúr é, ainm atá ceangailte le hearnáil craoltóireachta na hÉireann le blianta fada, i measc a chuid saothar bhí an tsraith iriseoireachta Corp agus Anam. Leanann an clár nua seo David ar feadh caoga lá, le fócas ar leith ar an bpróiseas cruthaitheach a bhí aige agus é i mbun taifeadta. Chomh maith leis sin, pléann sé an streachailt phearsanta fanacht glan ó bhrú na meán sóisialta agus a scéal féin á insint. Dá bhrí sin, is féidir a bheith ag súil le léargas fileata ar dhuine dár gcumadóirí comhaimseartha is cumhachtaí, agus ar a thírdreach inmheánach shaibhir.Bhí breis is míle paisinéir sáinnithe ar long chrúsála amach ó chósta Bordeaux i rith na seachtaine tar éis ráig gaistreintrítis. Cé nár bhuail an tinneas ach caoga duine, b'éigean do gach duine acu fanacht ar bord nuair a bhásaigh turasóir amháin agus léirigh roinnt de na daoine eile comharthaí an ghalair. Rinneadh iniúchadh go sciobtha agus fuair na híospartaigh cúram éigeandála ó dhochtúir na loinge sular cuireadh i gcoraintín iad. D'fhág an long darb ainm ‘Ambition' Oileáin Shealtainn ar an 6ú lá de mhí na Bealtaine agus stop sí ar dtús i mBéal Feirste agus ansin i Learpholl sular shroich sí Bordeaux. Agus muid ag taifeadadh, bhí na húdaráis fós ag bailiú samplaí ó na paisinéirí ionas go bhfeadfaí iniúchadh níos iomláine a dhéanamh. Deirtear nach bhfuil aon bhaint ag an eachtra seo leis an ráig hantaivíris a tharla ar long chrúsála de chuid na hÍsiltíre, an MV Hondius, le déanaí, ach pé scéal é, bígí cúramach má théann sibh amach ar muir!*Léirithe ag Conradh na Gaeilge i Londain. Tá an script ar fáil i d'aip phodchraolta.*GLUAIScomh-aireacht - cabinet (politics)feisire - MPearnáil craoltóireachta - broadcasting sectorléargas - insightcúram éigeandála - emergency careiniúchadh - investigation
Jack Horgan-Jones and Mark Paul join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The findings of the Irish Times and TG4 by Ipsos B&A poll throws up some interesting permutations for the Dublin Central byelection. Sinn Féin's Janice Boylan leads the first preference vote at 21 per cent, Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats is in second place on 18 per cent, but as Jack explains, ‘second preference intention' could be vital for both. · It is now a question of when and not if for Keir Starmer after disastrous local and parliamentary election results prompted a slew of Labour MPs to call on the prime minister to resign. A defiant speech on Monday did little to inspire party members as Starmer vowed to fight any leadership challenge. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has been given a route to challenge Starmer following Josh Simons' decision to step down as MP for Makerfield.· And speaking to The Irish Times on Wednesday, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern addressed his recent comments on immigration, made while out on a canvass last week in Dublin Central. And while no apology was forthcoming, he did point out that he had “no problem with people from the Congo or Africa or anywhere else. I've good friends around Drumcondra, there's a lot of the clergy in from Africa.” Could this controversy overshadow Fianna Fáil's Ard Fheis taking place today and tomorrow as the party marks its 100th year in existence?Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· One Dublin mother's 14-year wait for a bigger council house, the challenges for Ireland of a Reform-led UK government, and how difficult it has become for Irish diaspora to return home.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Andy Burnham has announced his intention to stand in a by-election in Makerfield after Josh Simons, the Labour MP and former Cabinet Office minister, stood down to clear his path back to Westminster.The Mayor of Greater Manchester is by far the most popular Labour politician and would be confident of success in a leadership contest against Sir Keir Starmer. But first he has to be allowed to fight the seat – which is in his own backyard – by the party's National Executive Committee, and then beat Reform, which won the Makerfield wards in last week's local elections.Camilla Tominey and Tim Stanley assess the chances of Burnham securing the nomination for and then winning Makerfield, as well as the role that Ed Miliband has played and where it leaves Wes Streeting after his resignation as health secretary on Thursday.We want to hear from you! Email us at thedailyt@telegraph.co.uk or find @dailytpodcast on TikTok, Instagram and X► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorProducer: Georgia CoanSocial Media Producer: Nada AggourSenior Producer: John CadiganExecutive Producer: Charlotte SeligmanVideo Producer: Will WaltersStudio Operator: Meghan SearleEditor: Camilla TomineyHighlightsAndy Burnham announces his intention to stand in MakerfieldHow confident should he be of beating Reform? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
NB: This episode was recorded *before* Wes Streeting resigned and Josh Simons stood aside for Andy BurnhamAfter crushing defeats across the UK last week for Keir Starmer, dozens of Labour MPs have called for him to announce he will not lead the party into the next election, and to set out a timetable to go as Prime Minister.But despite several ministerial resignations he has remained resolute that no contest has been triggered and he will remain in post, and fight any challenger who gets the nominations to stand against him.To discuss what has brought us here, and where Labour - and therefore the country - goes next, host Alain Tolhurst is joined by Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn, one of those calling for an ‘orderly transition' to another leader, alongside Steve Akehurst, director of research firm Persuasion UK, as well as Sienna Rodgers, deputy editor of The House magazine, and Ryan Wain, senior director at the Tony Blair Institute.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
Today, pressure is mounting on the PM as Wes Streeting resigned from his role as health secretary, and Josh Simons announced he would stand aside for Andy Burnham to have his seat.There are still some steps ahead before that happens. The National Executive Committee must select him as the candidate, and he would need to go ahead and win. Nonetheless, the party is in chaos and Starmer is facing the biggest rebellion against his premiership to date.What happens now and if there is to be a leadership election, when will it be? Adam, Chris, Alex and Joe unpack the (many) events of the day.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Anna Harris with Shiler Mahmoudi and Joe Wilkinson. The social producer was Beth Pritchard. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Today, Laura and Paddy have an exclusive first full length interview with Josh Simons, who recently quit as a government minister.A think tank he used to run - Labour Together - commissioned a report that looked into the background of journalists after the Sunday Times ran a story about them.He says he was ‘naive' and he was ‘so sorry'. He also worked at Facebook owners Meta for several years and gave evidence at the landmark social media addiction trial which the tech giant, along with YouTube, lost this week. They discuss his resignation from government, online safety across the board and the current state of the Labour Party.Apply for tickets to Castfest here https://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/castfest-2026You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXdNewscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O'Connell. It was made by Chris Flynn with Chloe Scannapieco. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Stephen Bailey. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.And with thanks to our team in Salford for letting us use the BBC Breakfast studio; Stephen Maziere, Simon Plumb and Ronan Malloy.
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Iran launches retaliatory strikes at targets across Middle East In pictures Harry Styles, Olivia Dean and Lola Young arrive at the 2026 Brits What we know about the joint US Israel attack on Iran Man dies after sky diving incident Flights cancelled as travel warnings issued after US Israeli strikes on Iran Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigns after Labour Together claims Burnham would probably have won by election, Labour deputy leader says In maps US and Israel strike Iran Starmer chairs Cobra meeting over US Israeli strikes on Iran Bahrain strikes raise questions on how US can deal with Iran retaliation
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigns after Labour Together claims In pictures Harry Styles, Olivia Dean and Lola Young arrive at the 2026 Brits In maps US and Israel strike Iran Man dies after sky diving incident Burnham would probably have won by election, Labour deputy leader says Iran launches retaliatory strikes at targets across Middle East What we know about the joint US Israel attack on Iran Starmer chairs Cobra meeting over US Israeli strikes on Iran Bahrain strikes raise questions on how US can deal with Iran retaliation Flights cancelled as travel warnings issued after US Israeli strikes on Iran
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv What we know about the joint US Israel attack on Iran Flights cancelled as travel warnings issued after US Israeli strikes on Iran Starmer chairs Cobra meeting over US Israeli strikes on Iran In maps US and Israel strike Iran Burnham would probably have won by election, Labour deputy leader says In pictures Harry Styles, Olivia Dean and Lola Young arrive at the 2026 Brits Bahrain strikes raise questions on how US can deal with Iran retaliation Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigns after Labour Together claims Iran launches retaliatory strikes at targets across Middle East Man dies after sky diving incident
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv What we know about the joint US Israel attack on Iran In pictures Harry Styles, Olivia Dean and Lola Young arrive at the 2026 Brits Bahrain strikes raise questions on how US can deal with Iran retaliation Starmer chairs Cobra meeting over US Israeli strikes on Iran Man dies after sky diving incident Burnham would probably have won by election, Labour deputy leader says Flights cancelled as travel warnings issued after US Israeli strikes on Iran Iran launches retaliatory strikes at targets across Middle East In maps US and Israel strike Iran Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigns after Labour Together claims
Iran has launched a wave of retaliatory strikes against Israel, and American allies across the Middle East - following this morning's joint attack by Israel and the US. President Trump has urged Iranians to use the attacks as an opportunity to rise up against their country's regime.Air raid sirens have been heard across Israel, after the launch of Iranian missiles towards the country. And: The Labour MP, Josh Simons, has resigned as a Cabinet Office Minister, saying he had become a distraction from the government's work. He's been under scrutiny because of claims the think tank he previously ran -- called Labour Together -- commissioned a report looking into the background of journalists.
Josh Simons has been building businesses since most kids were just building sandcastles. Lemonade stands. Go-karts he leased out. Hustles that taught him early how money moves and how people work.At 17, Josh dropped out of school and made a feature film, not just for fun, but as a real business. Budgets. Hiring. Deadlines. Pressure. It was his first crash course in entrepreneurship, and it burned him out just as fast as it lit him up. In his early twenties, he hit reset mowing lawns, cleaning toilets, and actually living life for a minute.Then music pulled him back in. Josh started a band and naturally ran the business behind it too. That's when he saw a massive gap in the industry: musicians had platforms to stream, monetize, and build audiences… but nowhere to actually connect. LinkedIn wasn't built for creatives.So he built what didn't exist.VAMPR - the “Tinder for musicians.” A hyper-granular networking platform that grew to over 1.7 million users and changed how artists collaborate globally. That success eventually led to a strategic exit into Australia's public music tech ecosystem with Vinyl Group, turning VAMPR into part of a broader music technology portfolio.But Josh's real superpower isn't just ideation, it's evolution. He knows teams change as companies scale. Skillsets shift. Ego gets shelved. Transparency wins.From bootstrap hustle to tech exits, Josh Simons proves one thing: the path isn't clean but resilience compounds. And the entrepreneurs who survive the dark chapters are the ones who end up rewriting industries.Subscribe to Young Boss with Isabelle Guarino wherever you get your podcasts, and be sure to like, share and follow on Instagram and TikTok.And remember, youth is your power.
You don't gain momentum by removing limits—you gain it by choosing them:“I raised more money once I set that boundary.”“Putting constraints on yourself is actually the answer.”“The only roadblock is yourself.”What changes when leaders stop confusing freedom with…See BoldEncounters.TV .Josh Simons has lived two lives that most people never connect. One on stage—touring with Coldplay, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban. The other in boardrooms—raising capital, leading teams, and running a public company. In this conversation, Josh explains why the instinct to remove constraints nearly cost him clarity, energy, and trust—and how deliberately restricting himself unlocked momentum across work, leadership, and life.Josh SimonsCEO, Vinyl Group (ASX: VNL)Founder of VamprFormer touring musician, songwriter, and producerLeader at the intersection of music, media, and business executionInside This EpisodeJosh walks through the moment he realized that saying yes to everything was quietly slowing him down. He shares how setting clear personal and professional boundaries changed investor confidence, team alignment, and his own sustainability as a leader. We explore why constraints sharpen focus, how leaders mistake availability for value, and what happens when you clearly communicate limits to the people who depend on you.Go Deeper — Premium Action PlanIn the Premium extension, Josh translates his experience into a practical framework you can apply immediately. Learn how to define a single constraint that matters this year, communicate it without damaging trust, and use it to create momentum instead of friction. This segment focuses on execution—what to say, what to stop, and how to hold the line when pressure returns.Listen + ConnectVinyl Grouphttps://www.vinyl.groupJosh Simonslinkedin.com/in/simonsjoshMark S. Cookhttps://www.markspencercook.comMoments to RevisitWhy boundaries increased—not reduced—business successThe hidden cost of unlimited availabilityHow constraints sharpen decision-makingThe difference between freedom and clarityWhy most leaders block their own momentumFinal ThoughtDiscipline isn't restriction—it's direction. When leaders choose their limits deliberately, progress accelerates and the work becomes lighter, not heavier.Do you feel stuck between where you are today… and who you're meant to become? Find your next step inside Bold Encounters Premium at: BoldEncounters.TV — you can also give the gift of Premium success to someone else you care about.
Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Wigan & Leigh College, Wigan.
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question are Labour's Cabinet Office Minister Josh Simons, former Conservative Cabinet Minister Sir John Redwood, the tech entrepreneur Judith McMinn and the political commentator Benedict Spence.
What happens when a touring musician decides to rewrite the music industry from the inside out? Today, we sat down with Josh Simons—the force behind Vinyl Group, Australia's only ASX-listed music company, and the founder of Vampr, the world's largest social network for creatives. Discover how Josh went from a semi-successful musician touring with the likes of Keith Urban to becoming a CEO, the secrets behind Vampr's explosive growth, and his strategy for navigating nonstop change in media and music tech. He shares essential lessons for entrepreneurs, fundraising insights for founders, and a fresh perspective on creativity, leadership, and the future of music in the age of AI. Don't miss this candid conversation about playing to your strengths, building cohesive teams through acquisitions, and why anyone with the entrepreneurial itch should scratch it.Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/josh-simons/.Become a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now/
Stu Watts chats with Josh Simons, who is the CEO of Australia's only ASX-listed music company, Vinyl Group (ASX:VNL), and Founder of Vampr. Described as a visionary entrepreneur, Simons has raised $35M historically for his technology startups from various sources including venture capital, institutional, HNW, family office and angel groups. These ventures have seen him reside in Los Angeles, London, Sydney and Melbourne.Formerly known as Jaxsta, Vinyl Group launched in 2023 as a parent company encompassing its foundational brands—Jaxsta, Vampr, and Vinyl.com. Under his leadership, the company has acquired The Brag Media—publisher of Rolling Stone Australia and Variety Australia—as well as Mediaweek and Concrete Playground, combining them to form Vinyl Media, now one of the most influential youth publishing and cultural networks in the southern hemisphere. He has also led the acquisitions of Funkified Entertainment and Serenade.Simons is also the co-founder of Vampr, the world's largest social-professional network for musicians and creatives, often dubbed the “LinkedIn for creatives.”Before transitioning to tech, Simons ran a record label, publishing arm, and film production company, and was the lead singer of indie rock band Buchanan. As a songwriter and producer, he has shared credits with Travis Scott, Troye Sivan, and Kanye West, and as a performer, has toured with Coldplay, Keith Urban, and Carrie Underwood.In recognition of his contributions to music and innovation, Simons was named to The Music Network's 30 Under 30 in 2020, winning Reader's Choice, and in 2024, received Young Entrepreneur of the Year honours from Business News Australia.How you can support the podcast:Subscribe on YouTubeBuy some merchDonateFollow on Instagram:What's That Sound?Stu WattsJosh SimonsStu Watts websiteJosh Simons websiteVinyl Group websiteListen to Josh's work on SpotifyListen to Stu's work on SpotifyEnquiries and suggestions: podcast.whatsthatsound@gmail.com
Have you ever wondered how to find the right collaborators to level up your music career?In this episode, Xylo speaks to Josh Simons, tech entrepreneur, former touring artist, and the CEO of Vinyl Group — home to platforms like Jaxsta, Vinyl.com, and the globally renowned Vampr. With over $35 million raised across his ventures and a vision that connects 1.4 million creatives across 180 countries, Josh shares how Vampr became the “LinkedIn for musicians” and how you can use it to find real, career-changing collaborators.Josh dives into the tech, trends, and practical strategies behind building connections in the music industry, whether you're just starting out or scaling fast.Whether you're a songwriter, producer, or indie artist, this episode is packed with insight on networking, brand-building, and how to build meaningful, profitable partnerships in today's music landscape.Grab your Free ticket to MPW's EmpowHer Europe tour of music production workshops across Dublin, Berlin, Amsterdam and London. Learn about Beatmaking, Synthesis and Audio Effects in an encouraging environment while making like-minded friends. Tickets are limited to the venue capacity so make sure you don't miss out!https://musicproductionforwomen.com/events
Join us in this captivating episode of the When Words Fail Music Speaks podcast as host James Cox interviews Josh Simons, founder of Vampr and CEO of Rhino Group. Discover Josh's journey from being a musician in Buchanan to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the music industry. Learn about the innovative platform Vampr, which connects musicians globally, and explore Josh's insights on the healing power of music.Sponsored by:BetterHelp - Get 10% off your first month of therapy at betterhelp.com/music speaks.Key Topics Discussed:The importance of mental health and therapyJosh Simons' musical background and journey with BuchananThe creation and impact of Vampr, a geosocial network for musiciansInsights into the music industry and entrepreneurshipThe role of music in battling depression and life's challengesJosh's favorite musical instruments and artistsGuest Information:Josh SimonsFounder of VamprCEO of Rhino GroupFormer musician in BuchananLinks Mentioned:Download the Vampr app: Available on iOS and AndroidVisit Vinyl Group: vinyl.groupExplore Vampr, Jaxta, Rhino Media, and SerenadeClosing Remarks:Thank you for tuning in! Remember, when words fail...music speaks! See you next time!
Today Oli is joined by Labour MP for Makerfield Josh Simons to chat fatherhood, birth rate and how to make the UK work for the people rather than growth for growth's sake. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Labour MP Josh Simons, Conservative peer and former defence minister Lord Robathan, theatre director Jude Kelly and Robert Shrimsley from the Financial Times.
On the eve of his trip to Washington, Keir Starmer told the commons that UK defence spending would rise to 2.5 percent within two years. It's an increase in real money of £13.4 billion. £5 billion of which will come from cutting our foreign aid budget. Is he trying to protect Europe? Or to please Trump? And will it work? Later, does Labour have the right response to the falling birth rate? Why are all the conversations about family and children coming from the hard right and the MAGA traditionalists? We talk to Josh Simons, Labour MP for Makerfield. Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your tickets for Edinburgh here: https://articles.globalplayer.com/7giHoMavXLgdrd6gaC3GxWG7T8Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie IndgeDigital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalist: Michael BaggsDon't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Caroline Wheeler from The Sunday Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster.Following Rachel Reeves' speech setting out a series of major announcements on infrastructure projects, including backing plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, Caroline speaks to Labour MP, Josh Simons and crossbench peer, Richard Harrington, who chairs the manufacturers organisation Made UK about how to achieve growth in the UK economy. On the fifth anniversary of the UK's official departure from the EU, the chair of the Foreign Affairs select committee Emily Thornberry and the former Conservative MP and leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt discuss the state of play in EU-UK relations. The Conservative peer, Charlotte Owen is campaigning to stop the rise of deep fake online pornography and she discusses this with Caroline and "Jodie", a victim of deep fake porn.And, the Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle explains the importance of marking Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in parliament.
After a host of MPs were among the millions of people to quit X, formerly known as Twitter, in recent days over the role of its owner, the billionaire Elon Musk, and the amplification of misinformation and abuse, Josh Simons, Labour MP for Makerfield and member of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, joined Ben Guerin, co-founder of creative agency Topham Guerin, which has worked on several high-profile political communications campaigns, and Alain Tolhurst and Zoe Crowther to look at the role of algorithms in mass communication, the manipulation of social media, and whether politicos should finally wean themselves off Twitter despite Westminster being glued to the bird site for more than a decade. To sign up for our newsletters click here Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot
Listen to Josh Simons answer rapid fire questions about if he believes in conspiracy theories, how he would spend a million dollars and if he would start an Only Fans account! This is a lively and engaging segment that gives listeners a quick peek into the quirks, personalities and experiences of the guests, all from the front seat! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on In the Back Seat, Renee catches up with Josh Simons, musician turned, founder, CEO, digital disruptor, and all-around top bloke. Josh's journey has been anything but ordinary; he started out rocking on stage, and one thing led to another until he found himself leading an ASX-listed company and changing the game in the music and tech world. Along the way, he's even produced music for some of the biggest names in the industry, like Travis Scott and Troye Sivan. Oh, and no big deal, but he now counts Chris Martin as one of his best friends and is currently on tour with Coldplay, playing in the supporting act! Josh talks about how each step has led him to the next, from backstage antics to boardroom brainstorms. Tune in for a fun and inspiring episode with a guy whose career path could easily double as an epic road trip playlist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Josh Simons, the visionary behind Chicken & Blues Restaurants and Flamingo Cafe Bars, dives into integrating delivery services with the hospitality industry, through exclusive partnerships and technological advancements. We explore what happens when expanding into new markets while maintaining brand integrity, and some of Josh's personal reflections from his father's business.In this episode, we discuss:Personalised catering in QSR brandsThe risks that come with scaling a brandStarting Chicken and Blues in 2013 in with a tiny 8-seater setupHow Josh has been exclusive with Deliveroo for 8 yearsBalancing business growth with family lifeLinks mentioned in this episodeChicken & BluesFlamingo Cafe BarsJosh Simons on LinkedInLike the show? We'd be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews
The red half of Westminster will shortly decamp to Liverpool for the first Labour conference since the party's general election landslide. Host Sascha O'Sullivan looks at a group which played a key role in that victory — the left-wing think-tank Labour Together. Sascha pieces together the fascinating origin story of Labour Together, speaking to ITV Deputy Political Editor Anushka Asthana, author of a new book, which details the group's influence, and Keir Starmer biographer Tom Baldwin. Andrew Cooper, political pollster and member of Labour Together advisory board, tells Sascha how Josh Simons, former director of the think tank, built on the work of Morgan McSweeney by using deep voter analysis to help Labour HQ. Sascha speaks to the group's new chief executive, Jonathan Ashworth, about Labour Together's role in shaping the thinking of the new government. He addresses some of the cronyism accusations surrounding the think tank and is quizzed by Sascha on its purpose now Labour is in power. Henry Newman, former political adviser and author of the Whitehall project, explains the concerns about how Labour Together acted as a middleman for political donations between wealthy individuals and politicians. Labour "mega-donor" Dale Vince tells Sascha why he gave money to the think tank. And think tank stalwarts Harry Quilter-Pinner of the Institute of Public Policy Research, Ryan Wain of the Tony Blair Institute and Charlotte Pickles explain how Labour Together fits into the world of the wonks and how different it is from most policy outfits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Conservative shadow transport minister Dr Kieran Mullan, Labour MP Josh Simons, political commentator Jo Phillips and Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation think tank.
Abraxas’ Precipice, The Expanse Roleplaying Game Actual Play
The timer set, the nuclear device primed, the crew is working against the clock to exist the alien ruins. Special guest player Josh Simons as Kase Marek: joshuamsimons.com/links Abraxas' Precipice is an actual play of The Expanse Roleplaying Game by Green Ronin Publishing. based on the novels by James S.A. Corey. It airs live on Wednesdays at 6pm PST on twitch.tv/onlyplaywizards Get more Abraxas' Precipice: linktr.ee/abraxasprecipic Abraxas' Precipice GameMaster: John Bultena linktr.ee/onlyplaywizards Abraxas' Precipice players are: Donna Prior (they/them) as Myrtle Cooper linktr.ee/Danicia Michael C. Hsiung (he/him) as Waxor DuChang instagram.com/michaelchsiung Scott Mitchell (he/him) as Wyatt Thompson instagram.com/smitchell22 Claire Lewis (she/her) as Ghaz Wheatley twitter.com/BranthiumBabe
Abraxas’ Precipice, The Expanse Roleplaying Game Actual Play
Thousands of kilometers beneath the surface of Mundos, the crew and Lt. Col. Kase Marek uncover more mysteries of the builders' work. Special guest player Josh Simons as Kase Marek: joshuamsimons.com/links Abraxas' Precipice is an actual play of The Expanse Roleplaying Game by Green Ronin Publishing. based on the novels by James S.A. Corey. It airs live on Wednesdays at 6pm PST on twitch.tv/onlyplaywizards Get more Abraxas' Precipice: linktr.ee/abraxasprecipic Abraxas' Precipice GameMaster: John Bultena linktr.ee/onlyplaywizards Abraxas' Precipice players are: Donna Prior (they/them) as Myrtle Cooper linktr.ee/Danicia Michael C. Hsiung (he/him) as Waxor DuChang instagram.com/michaelchsiung Scott Mitchell (he/him) as Wyatt Thompson instagram.com/smitchell22 Claire Lewis (she/her) as Ghaz Wheatley twitter.com/BranthiumBabe
Abraxas’ Precipice, The Expanse Roleplaying Game Actual Play
The danger escalates in the ancient alien ruins with mysteries abound. Special guest player Josh Simons as Kase Marek: joshuamsimons.com/links Abraxas' Precipice is an actual play of The Expanse Roleplaying Game by Green Ronin Publishing. based on the novels by James S.A. Corey. It airs live on Wednesdays at 6pm PST on twitch.tv/onlyplaywizards Get more Abraxas' Precipice: linktr.ee/abraxasprecipic Abraxas' Precipice GameMaster: John Bultena linktr.ee/onlyplaywizards Abraxas' Precipice players are: Donna Prior (they/them) as Myrtle Cooper linktr.ee/Danicia Michael C. Hsiung (he/him) as Waxor DuChang instagram.com/michaelchsiung Scott Mitchell (he/him) as Wyatt Thompson instagram.com/smitchell22 Claire Lewis (she/her) as Ghaz Wheatley twitter.com/BranthiumBabe
Abraxas’ Precipice, The Expanse Roleplaying Game Actual Play
The crew delves into the spire at the center of Mundos' jungle, but alien architecture and methods lurk. Special guest player Josh Simons as Kase Marek: joshuamsimons.com/links Abraxas' Precipice is an actual play of The Expanse Roleplaying Game by Green Ronin Publishing. based on the novels by James S.A. Corey. It airs live on Wednesdays at 6pm PST on twitch.tv/onlyplaywizards Get more Abraxas' Precipice: linktr.ee/abraxasprecipic Abraxas' Precipice GameMaster: John Bultena linktr.ee/onlyplaywizards Abraxas' Precipice players are: Donna Prior (they/them) as Myrtle Cooper linktr.ee/Danicia Michael C. Hsiung (he/him) as Waxor DuChang instagram.com/michaelchsiung Scott Mitchell (he/him) as Wyatt Thompson instagram.com/smitchell22 Claire Lewis (she/her) as Ghaz Wheatley twitter.com/BranthiumBabe
Abraxas’ Precipice, The Expanse Roleplaying Game Actual Play
The coordinated mission between Mason's Haven and Star's Edge commences, but will everyone be ready for the eldritch elements of the Mundos' Jungle? Special guest player Josh Simons as Kase Marek: joshuamsimons.com/links Abraxas' Precipice is an actual play of The Expanse Roleplaying Game by Green Ronin Publishing. based on the novels by James S.A. Corey. It airs live on Wednesdays at 6pm PST on twitch.tv/onlyplaywizards Get more Abraxas' Precipice: linktr.ee/abraxasprecipic Abraxas' Precipice GameMaster: John Bultena linktr.ee/onlyplaywizards Abraxas' Precipice players are: Donna Prior (they/them) as Myrtle Cooper linktr.ee/Danicia Michael C. Hsiung (he/him) as Waxor DuChang instagram.com/michaelchsiung Scott Mitchell (he/him) as Wyatt Thompson instagram.com/smitchell22 Claire Lewis (she/her) as Ghaz Wheatley twitter.com/BranthiumBabe
Josh Simons is the Australian-based CEO of Vinyl Group, comprising Vampr, a social network for musicians, and Jaxsta, a music database company. A former touring musician, Josh went over to the tech side of music and is now blazing a path for musicians via technology.My featured song is “New Wind” from The Singles Project, my recent EP. Spotify link. ---------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!For more information and other episodes of the podcast click here. To subscribe to the podcast click here.To subscribe to our weekly Follow Your Dream Podcast email click here.To Rate and Review the podcast click here.“Dream With Robert”. Click here.—----------------------------------------“THE RICH ONES”. Robert's new single. With guest artist Randy Brecker (Blood Sweat & Tears) on flugelhorn. Crossover instrumental.Click HERE for all links.—---------------------------------------“MILES BEHIND”, Robert's first album, was recorded in 1994 but was “lost” for the last 30 years. It's now been released for streaming. Featuring Randy Brecker (Blood Sweat & Tears), Anton Fig (The David Letterman Show), Al Foster (Miles Davis), Tim Ries (The Rolling Stones), Jon Lucien and many more. Called “Hip, Tight and Edgy!” Click here for all links.—--------------------------------------“IT'S ALIVE!” is Robert's latest Project Grand Slam album. Featuring 13 of the band's Greatest Hits performed “live” at festivals in Pennsylvania and Serbia.Reviews:"An instant classic!" (Melody Maker)"Amazing record...Another win for the one and only Robert Miller!" (Hollywood Digest)"Close to perfect!" (Pop Icon)"A Masterpiece!" (Big Celebrity Buzz)"Sterling effort!" (Indie Pulse)"Another fusion wonder for Project Grand Slam!" (MobYorkCity)Click here for all links.Click here for song videos—-----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with Josh:https://www.vampr.me/https://www.instagram.com/vamprapp/ Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are broadcaster and DJ Liz Kershaw, Josh Simons from the Labour Together think tank, independent London mayoral candidate Rayhan Haque and political commentator Suzanne Evans.
Labour under fire over Rochdale candidate comments and is Trump a threat to peace?Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are broadcaster and DJ Liz Kershaw, Josh Simons from the Labour Together think tank, independent London mayoral candidate Rayhan Haque and political commentator Suzanne Evans.
For this episode, I spoke with Josh Simons (@josh_simons_), Founder and CEO of Vampr, and CEO of Jaxsta, about his experience building the Vampr social network for musicians and creatives. You can find more information on my guest on my blog at https://www.buckleyplanet.com/2024/012/collabtalk-podcast-episode-106-with-josh-simons.html
We explore Josh's career in automotive, discuss his decision to become an instructor, and he shares key advice for young technicians on how to find good managers and mentors.Our team is taking a couple of weeks off the podcast for the holidays. We would like to thank you for all of your support, wish you Happy Holidays, and we will see you in 2024!(3:00) Josh's Career in Auto(12:51) Diverse Background for Teaching(18:13) Mentors for New Technicians(35:27) Understand Flat Rate(42:06) Good Manager Qualities(47:13) Becoming an InstructorAbout Our Guest:Josh SimonsASE Master Technician & Instructor/Academic Program Director, Greenville Technical CollegeConnect on LinkedInSponsor: Sonic ToolsAbout Our Host:Jay GoninenCo-Founder & President, WrenchWayjayg@wrenchway.com | 608.716.2122WrenchWay Resources:Technicians & Students - Looking for the best shops to work at? Check out wrenchway.com/shopsShops & Dealerships - Want to find quality technicians and support the industry? Learn about WrenchWay Shop Memberships.Instructors - Need help getting resources and connecting with industry? We have free resources for your program. Connect with us on social: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
How will Keir Starmer respond to Rishi Sunak's ambitious pitch to be the “change” candidate at the next general election? The New Statesman's Anoosh Chakelian and Josh Simons, director of Labour Together, are the guests on this week's Inside Briefing as the podcast crew preview Labour's annual conference in Liverpool. Will the Labour leader add detailed policies to his big five missions? Will there be policy u-turns - or will we see more barnacles being carefully removed from the boat? And what challenges - or traps - has Rishi Sunak set out for Labour on HS2 and net zero? Presented by Hannah White. With Emma Norris. Produced by Milo Hynes.
Here is the trailer of TPP's upcoming episode, Season 3 Episode 19 feat. Josh Simons -- CEO of Vampr, the world's largest and most active social-professional network for musicians. In this episode, Josh explained what Vampr is, how it works, and how it is helping musicians. The entire episode will be available on June 6, 2023, at 8:00pm ET on your favorite podcasting platform!
For this episode, I got to interview Josh Simons, the CEO & co-founder of Vampr, the world's largest and most active social-professional network for musicians. Recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies in 2022, Vampr is home to over one million users worldwide. Vampr is created for musicians and made by musicians to support musicians. Its primary mission is to help musicians of all genres create their community in its ecosystem. Vampr shares each user's expertise as well as a social media interface with an easy swipe left/right function to connect with others. As many of us are frequent users of social media, we realize that many social network sites only offer one or two unique features to their users: Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud, LinkedIn, Fiverr, Thumbtack, etc.; moreover, they do not interconnect to one another. So, you must be on multiple platforms constantly to create, sustain, and thrive in your career as a musician. Finally, Vampr created a solution for musicians – it combines features of all other platforms: Connect, Collaborate, Control, Learn, and Discover. On its platform, you can collaborate with like-minded musicians and find a publicist, graphic designer, videographer, or copyright expert, for example, while promoting your music by uploading your videos and music just like any other social media platform. Vampr is creating a village for all musicians! Josh is a successful artist, songwriter & producer who has toured for many years. So with his extensive experience as a professional musician, he has a lot of credit for being the groundbreaker in the industry by creating something unique and timely to help fellow musicians. So, you do not want to miss this episode to hear what Vampr offers and how its platform helps and supports fellow musicians like us![Sponsors]Join Forte's waitlist to connect with more potential music students HERE.Yukimi Song Studio LLC: providing an excellent educational experience. Visit the website for more info[The Piano Pod
Josh Simons is a well-known songwriter and Co-Founder/CEO at Vampr, the world's largest social network for musicians with over 1 million users. He was recently named in The Music Network's “30 Under 30” list, and has shared credits with the biggest names in music including Travis Scott, Troye Sivan and Kanye West.Josh is passionate about helping musicians understand some of the best ways to market themselves and make connections across the industry today. He's also eager to talk about his own experience as a musician and songwriter, and how he navigated the often-complicated scene. Of course, he's also an expert in music technology and how it can unleash great potential within the industry.In this episode, you will get hear an exclusive Q&A with Josh with some members in our Song Chasers community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Made It In Music: Interviews With Artists, Songwriters, And Music Industry Pros
Josh Simons is a well-known songwriter and Co-Founder/CEO at Vampr, the world's largest social network for musicians with over 1 million users. He was recently named in The Music Network's “30 Under 30” list, and has shared credits with the biggest names in music including Travis Scott, Troye Sivan and Kanye West.Josh is passionate about helping musicians understand some of the best ways to market themselves and make connections across the industry today. He's also eager to talk about his own experience as a musician and songwriter, and how he navigated the often-complicated scene. Of course, he's also an expert in music technology and how it can unleash great potential within the industry.Today, Josh is discussing networking in the music industry and all things Vampr. Anyone wanting to develop better connections in the industry will learn a lot from this episode!You can check out his company at vampr.com Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Josh Simons is the CEO and co-founder of Vampr, the world's largest and most active social-professional network for musicians (often dubbed the “LinkedIn for creatives”). With over half a million users, and active in every country on the planet, the music startup has helped fledgling musicians broker over 5 million connections worldwide. Vampr offers a free solution for young musicians, built by a sympathetic founding team of established musicians with Josh's co-founder, Baz Palmer, best known as the lead guitarist for seminal hall-of-fame rock band, Hunters & Collectors. Simons has grown Vampr into a multi-award winning platform, including a most prestigious nod from Apple with an inclusion in their Best of the Year list. Prior to running Vampr, Josh Simons spent the better part of a decade as a successful artist, songwriter & producer. His artist project Buchanan enjoyed multi-million streams & chart impressions worldwide. They retired from the live circuit following a sold-out arena tour opening for Keith Urban & Carrie Underwood. As a producer and songwriter, Simons has shared credits with Travis Scott, Troye Sivan, and Kanye West to name a few. In April 2020 Simons was named in The Music Network's 30 Under 30 List in addition to being voted Reader's Choice. Simons holds a Bachelor of Business from Swinburne University. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/industry-standard-w-barry-katz/support
Josh Simons is the CEO and co-founder of Vampr, the world's largest and most active social-professional network for musicians (often dubbed the “LinkedIn for creatives”). With over half a million users, and active in every country on the planet, the music startup has helped fledgling musicians broker over 5 million connections worldwide. Vampr offers a free solution for young musicians, built by a sympathetic founding team of established musicians with Josh's co-founder, Baz Palmer, best known as the lead guitarist for seminal hall-of-fame rock band, Hunters & Collectors. Simons has grown Vampr into a multi-award winning platform, including a most prestigious nod from Apple with an inclusion in their Best of the Year list. Prior to running Vampr, Josh Simons spent the better part of a decade as a successful artist, songwriter & producer. His artist project Buchanan enjoyed multi-million streams & chart impressions worldwide. They retired from the live circuit following a sold-out arena tour opening for Keith Urban & Carrie Underwood. As a producer and songwriter, Simons has shared credits with Travis Scott, Troye Sivan, and Kanye West to name a few. In April 2020 Simons was named in The Music Network's 30 Under 30 List in addition to being voted Reader's Choice. Simons holds a Bachelor of Business from Swinburne University. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/industry-standard-w-barry-katz/support