Tag: podcast

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Racquel Jones Appears On The Latest Inside Music Podcast

Racquel Jones

An artist in the truest sense, Racquel Jones is on a mission to make everyone more comfortable with being honest.

Racquel Jones is a one-of-a-kind human. Part rapper, part painter, part model, and all heart, Racquel is on a mission to make us a more open and understanding world. Her art speaks to the need to do away with hesitation and embrace the fleeting nature of all things. She appreciates the limited time we have to do all that our hearts desire, and she hopes to encourage others to live their best lives whenever possible.

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On April 24, Racquel’s new album, IGNORANT, will be released. It’s an absolutely powerful and mesmerizing record, covering topics ranging from the toxicity of Christianity/Catholicism, fighting against racism and sexism, as well as celebrating her accomplishments and beauty as a Black Jamaican woman in spite of her struggles. All of this is to the tune of aggressive and hypnotic beatwork, as well as catchy hooks that bring it all together. Racquel herself describes the record/her mission statement best.

In Her Words: 

“The voice of the record is addressing truth; in its raw blatant pure form void of the disposition of wrong or right. It’s my voice…along with the voice of anyone who has ever felt stereotyped. It may seem at times cynical, sarcastic, provocative and uncomfortable, but the anguish is palpable by intention. It’s a voice unique, but one that anyone can understand. It’s the voice of undiplomatic gritty intelligence, relatable to all cultures, transcending pop cultural vernacular and ‘waves’. It’s the voice of powerful women made to feel powerless. It’s the voice of black kings made to feel less than human. It’s the voice of sexual freedom in the face of misogynistic false standards for women. It’s the voice of a young Jamaican woman who’s seen the world and its parallel stereotype universes in all cultures. It’s the edgy voice of Jamaica, a rebel beauty queen, a fallen preacher’s child, the only sister among three brothers, four years in art school and a bachelor of fine arts. That’s me, I’m that voice. I’m Racquel Jones. I create music that’s conceptual, but not too esoteric; intelligent but dope, relatable yet deep, revolutionary and soulful, thoughtful in its words, learned in its language, but totally accessible. That’s me and I’m baring my soul for the world to see and hear.”

In the latest episode of Inside Music, host James Shotwell chats with Racquel Jones about her career and creative process. Racquel reveals the inspirations for her new album and her ongoing struggle to overcome any hesitation she feels toward sharing her truth. The discussion also highlights music videos, maintaining creativity in a pandemic, and why being yourself to the fullest extent possible is the best way to live life. Check it out:

Inside Music is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup​ for details.

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News

Are There Too Many Podcasts? [Video]

A new report sheds an alarming light on the number of podcasts in existence, but should the rising show count deter you from launching something new?

Podcasts are here to stay. Many have known that to be true for years, but the long-form audio medium continues to find new listeners with each passing week. Musicians, artists, experts, and random everyday humans from all corners of the Earth are creating shows that cover every topic imaginable, and several are finding massive success along the way. We’ve told you to start one before, and we still believe you should.

But a new report has some creators thinking twice about their future in podcasting. According to Chartable, more than 17,000 new podcasts were launched every week in 2020. That amounts to more than 800,000 new podcasts for the year.

Now we know what you’re thinking: That is a lot of podcasts. We felt the same way at first, but then we considered a few data points that Chartable’s report does now:

  • Many podcasts never have a second episode. They start and die overnight.
  • Those 800,000 podcasts cover hundreds of thousands of topics.
  • Not every podcast is available on every platform.
  • Not every podcast is available in every country.
  • All or most of those podcasts do not feature YOU.

Music podcasting is mainly non-artists talking about artists they love. Musicians and groups using podcasting to engage and develop their community are far rarer, and that’s a shame.

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell looks at the data and offers advice to anyone, especially musicians, that may be thinking twice about starting a podcast. He explains the benefits that podcasting can offer to artists of any size and even provides resources to help you start.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Industry News News

Mina Caputo Appears On The Latest Inside Music Podcast

Life Of Agony founder Mina Caputo stops by Inside Music to discuss her new solo record and much, much more.

The goal of every musician is to develop a singular voice. Being the best of all-time barely compares to being your true self. Authenticity is something you cannot package and sell, but it does more for your soul than analytics or sales figures ever can. It’s the kind of thing people spend their entire lives pursuing, and even then, only a select few pull it off.

Mina Caputo is a revolutionary voice in rock. For more than two decades, Mina has consistently released engaging and challenging music that is hard to classify yet fiercely relatable. She touches on the pains of existence without wallowing in the despair of being. She writes songs that tackle the topics that matter to her, and she’s historically unwilling to compromise. 

Best known as the voice behind Life Of Agony, Mina is also a celebrated solo artist with numerous albums. These works provide Mina space to further explore her artistic capabilities while giving fans a steady stream of fresh content whenever LoA takes a break. It’s rare to find anyone capable of making two or more projects work, but Mina makes it seem easy.

Recently, Mina stopped by Inside Music to discuss her career, her critics, and how she became a vocal supporter of doing whatever you want with the limited time we have on this planet. Some may consider her views to be incendiary, but they are true to her feelings, which is what Mina aspires to achieve in every act of self-expression. Enjoy. 

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News

Spotify’s New Tool Revolutionizes Music Podcasts (And It’s Free)

Spotify’s efforts to become the premier platform to listen, discover, and create podcasts just took a giant leap forward.

Spotify just reinvented music podcasts. Starting last week, users worldwide can create podcasts using Anchor that includes music from the Spotify library. The music is available to creators without licensing fees, but artists will make money from the use. It’s a first of its kind development that stands to create a boom of new content for the popular streaming platform.

Anchor, which Spotify acquired in February 2019, is a podcast creation and distribution platform that is free to use. With a few clicks, anyone can upload and share their recordings with the world. The new feature, available in numerous countries, allows creators to add full songs from anyone with music on Spotify without fear of copyright claims or expensive licensing costs.

But there is a catch. There’s always a catch.

Shows featuring music from the Spotify library will only be available to Spotify users. That may frustrate some creators, but it’s a genius decision for Spotify corporate. The company is encouraging boundless creativity while still keeping the final product of that creativity within its ecosystem. As a result, more creators will move shows or make new ones exclusive to Spotify, and Spotify will have a constant stream of new content for its massive community of users to consume. All this, plus the fact musicians will make money any time people stream podcasts with their music, makes this development a winning combination for everyone!

In this Music Biz 101 update, host James Shotwell breaks down the newest Spotify development and the many ways it can potentially help artists everywhere get ahead while earning money. Check it out:

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News Podcasts

Rockers Pale Blue Dot Appear on The Latest Inside Music Podcast

Virginia’s Pale Blue Dot is not letting a global pandemic prevent them from becoming your new favorite band.

Last weekend, something I thought impossible happened. After spending months watching musicians I know and love perform online with various degrees of success and production, I found and discovered someone new because of a live stream. A group of musicians I had never heard or met was performing on Facebook, and I not only watched but made an effort to seek out and support their career. It gave me hope for a concert-less world, and I think they’ll give you hope as well.

Virginia rock band Pale Blue Dot knew 2020 was going to be a wild year before it even began. Their new album was nearing completion, people were starting to pay attention, and every week brought new press. Then the pandemic happened, and every plan the band had was ruined in a matter of weeks. That kind of abrupt change can derail anyone, but the members of Pale Blue Dot did not miss a beat. The group pushed their album release, explored new marketing practices, and started work on what would become their first live stream performance.

On this episode of Inside Music, Pale Blue Dot shares the lessons they’ve learned throughout this tumultuous year. The group explains how merely pushing ahead without acknowledging the impact of change is a weak recipe for success, and that taking the time to understand what you’re experiencing matters. The current pandemic is impacting everyone differently, and it’s okay to take the time you need to process the present moment. Others might be able to brush it off and move forward, but others cannot, which is perfectly fine! Pale Blue Dot knows you have to listen to your heart and body above all else, which is what fuels their exciting take on modern alternative music.

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News Podcasts

Charming Liars appear on the latest Inside Music Podcast

California’s latest pop-rock stars, Charming Liars, stop by Inside Music to discuss the reality of releasing music in uncertain times.

Music has an uncanny ability to transport listeners anywhere the artists choose to take them. A great song can take you to the beach at the height of summer, the edge of the universe, or the inside of a car flying down a long stretch of empty highway in the dead of night. That power has never been as appreciated as it is in an age where no one can leave their home, which is why we need good music now more than ever.

Charming Liars create music that takes you places. Their songs are a highlight reel of life’s most compelling moments, with each one laid out in explicit detail to help listeners lose themselves in the moment. You can experience the rapturous joys of sex, the pains of heartache, the exciting uncertainty of new love, and more while enjoying the band’s catalog. The members of the group have made it their mission to showcase the beauty and wonder of existence through music, and we are the ones rewarded for their efforts.

2020 is an exciting year for Charming Liars. After trying their hand at traditional methods of promotion and releasing, the band is choosing to spend the year sharing a series of singles. Each track offers a different side of the band’s diverse talent. It’s a musical smorgasbord of ideas and melodies that makes a strong argument for the group to be one of the most talked-about names in music before 2021 arrives.

On this episode of Inside Music, host James Shotwell calls LA pop-rock group Charming Liars to discuss promotion and optimism in the age of coronavirus. The band tells James about their decision to pivot their release plans, as well as their feelings about quarantine concerts.

Inside Music Podcast · Charming Liars (Kiliyan Maguire)
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Industry News News Podcasts

Inside Music Podcast #187: Annie Schindel on Songwriting

Three years after her Inside Music debut, songwriter Annie Schindel returns to the show with stories from her life in the industry.

Success is not measured in comparison to others but in your sense of satisfaction with the work you pursue. That lesson is one every music professional must learn, often more than once, and it rarely easy.

Annie Schindel is not your typical singer/songwriter. After finding viral success online while still in high school, Schindel took a step back from the spotlight to focus on school and personal development. That effort lead her to rediscover her passion for songwriting, which eventually lead to behind-the-scenes role helping artists from all walks of life craft better material. She cannot speak the names of those she works with, at least not yet, but it is safe to say she has rubbed shoulders with serious industry players.

Now, three years after her Inside Music debut, Annie Schindel returns to our podcast with a series of stories and lessons from her life in songwriting. Annie explains how her lack of public output does not equate to a lack of work, as well as the plans she has for 2020. Annie also shares the story behind “Reminiscing,” the brand new single she released at the end of November. Take a listen below:

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News Podcasts

Inside Music Podcast #185: East Goes Global (Andrew Spalter)

Music is a global business, but many in the industry do not realize how the amount of untapped potential that exists in other markets.

You don’t have to reinvent the music business to succeed. Sometimes, all you need to get ahead is an understanding of where the industry is going. Andrew Spalter did just that when he realized there were countless American artists with no knowledge of the Chinese marketplace. He soon launched East Goes Global, which he appears on Inside Music today to discuss.

Many artists use third-party companies to place their music on streaming services. Those companies often promote ‘global distribution’ with enticing messaging about getting an artist’s music onto dozens of streaming platforms, many of which the artist has likely never heard of before. What many fail to realize is that this messaging is often a thinly veiled lie. Music distribution services may get you into other markets, but it won’t get you everywhere. At least, not yet.

China’s music scene is booming right now. The most popular streaming service, QQMusic, has more than 800 million users. That figure makes the service more than three times as popular as Spotify, but the vast majority of American musicians have no idea QQMusic even exists. In fact, services such as Tunecore and Distrokid did not service music to the streaming platform until October 2019.

Spalter’s hope with East Goes Global is to help artists of all sizes understand the international music marketplace. On this episode of Inside Music, Spalter shares tips and tricks for making a global impact without (necessarily) needing to leave your hometown. His advice will put more money into your pocket while raising the potential for global popularity that, until very recently, was out of reach for most American musicians.

https://soundcloud.com/inside-music-podcast/east-goes-global-andrew-spalter
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Industry News News Podcasts

Inside Music Podcast #183: Blue October (Justin Furstenfeld)

After twenty years in the music business, Blue October frontman Justin Furstenfeld makes his Inside Music Podcast debut with stories of triumph, loss, and recovery.

Malcolm Gladwell would classify Justin Furstenfeld as an outlier. The frontman of Blue October has shaped the sound of alternative rock for over two decades. In that time, Furstenfeld has released more than half a dozen records, toured endlessly, and written numerous hit songs. He’s also hit rock bottom, found a path to recovery, and lived to tell his story. Furstenfeld is a person who puts his all in everything he does for better and worse. He fully commits in every way, and that approach to living has made all difference in his career.

When you speak to fans of Blue October, there is a sense of community that is impossible to deny. Each listener finds themselves relating to Furstenfeld’s journey through life’s toughest times in a manner that breeds hopefulness. They are often lost souls in search of meaning and peace who turn to music when they believe there is nowhere left to turn. Furstenfeld has done the same, and he conveys the messages he wishes to hear whenever he sings.

Hours before a recent gig in West Michigan, Furstenfeld sat with Inside Music host James Shotwell on Blue October’s tour bus to discuss the lessons learned from his time in music. Furstenfeld shared his highest highs and lowest lows, all of which lead him to change his perspective on life. That shift produced a ripple effect that benefitted not just his band, but everyone he connects with through music as well.

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Haulix News Podcasts

Inside Music Podcast #169: Static-X (Tony Campos)

Discussing everything from Wisconsin Death Trip to the legacy of Wayne Static, Static-X bassist Tony Campos stops by Inside Music to share his unique journey in music.

Most artists dream of writing one song that captures the attention of other people. If they can accomplish that, those same artists may dream of doing it again, and again, until one day they release an album. That album will determine the trajectory of their career, as will everything that happens after the record is in stores. There are no guarantees in music. The most successful artists know this is true, and they never forget it.

Static-X did not plan on being together in 2019. If you could return to 1994 and tell the four-piece metal band a record they would release in 1999 would become an iconic piece of work they would probably laugh. Wisconsin Death Trip is a gem of the industrial metal genre. Two decades after its release, people are still falling in love with the album’s hard-hitting sound.

In 2014, Static-X unexpectedly lost founding member and vocalist Wayne Static. The news hit hard with fans and members alike, leading many to believe the band was as good as dead. Five years later, however, the group is back in action.

The Wisconsin Death Trip twentieth-anniversary tour is currently entertaining sold-out crowds across America. Static-X has not replaced Static. Instead, the band is collaborating with a mysterious vocalist called Xer0 who wears a Static mask on stage. The vocals are similar enough to embody the spirit of the original material, all while keeping the legacy of Static front and center.

Recently, Static-X bassist Tony Campos sat down with Inside Music host James Shotwell to discuss the band’s unlikely reunion. Campos revealed the hard work that went into the band’s new tour, as well as the group’s plans to continue celebrating Static’s life through music. You can stream the conversation below.

https://soundcloud.com/inside-music-podcast/169-static-x-tony-campos

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Inside Music is available on all podcast platforms. Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

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