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Essentially, podcasting allows you to select the things you’d like to listen to, subscribe to them, have them downloaded to your computer or portable audio device, and listen to them when you want to. Once you’ve subscribed, they will update automatically for you, like a magazine you don’t think about until the subscription arrives in your mailbox every month.

What is the advantage of a podcast over other types of broadcasting? Podcasts assimilate radio, portable CD players, and satellite radio, into one convenient format, and allow new uses not previously available. So what is it that you can listen to? What kinds of podcasting are available? The answer to those questions is this: everything you can possibly imagine! You will be amazed at the volume and variety of podcasts out there and the possibilities that exist.

Just as the Internet has allowed pretty much anybody to create visual files of information and entertainment, called web pages, podcasting has allowed virtually anybody to create audio files of information and entertainment. While the technical details are not important here, all someone needs in order to become a podcaster is a computer and an Internet hook-up. You don’t even need a microphone to create your first podcast. (You may want to get one later, but you don’t need one now). In fact, if you have a telephone and can browse the Internet, you will be able to listen to podcasts and even create your first podcast by the end of the next chapter!

Who can podcast? Anyone can podcast! We’ll go into much greater detail later about who might want to podcast, but generally speaking, there are several reasons why everyone would want to podcast:

• Organizations like churches and nonprofits will podcast to keep people up to date with what’s going on, providing news, seminars and speeches, meeting transcriptions, etc.

• Businesses will podcast to maintain their name in the marketplace, offer information on products or strategies, and position themselves as the expert in their industry.

• Individuals will podcast if they have something to say to the world. Opinions, rants, and artistic offerings are all fair game in podcasting.

Podcasting formats are as varied as the types of podcasts available. Some podcasts are like monologues where one person simply shares their ideas into a microphone for the listener to hear. Other podcasts are a dialogue between two or more people and may or may not follow format. Some podcasts are unscripted while others seem to be very scripted. Podcasting contain music, interviews, and while audio podcasts are quite popular now, audio/video podcasts are slowly gaining popularity as well.

By: Darryl Power

About the Author:

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Interview with Marty Angelo

author of Once Life Matters: A New Beginning

Impact Publishing (2006)

ISBN 0961895446

Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar has the privilege of being joined by Marty Angelo, author of the personal biography-memoir “Once Life Matters: A New Beginning.”

Marty Angelo worked in the music entertainment business for 15 years before having his religious conversion in 1981, which he describes in “Once Life Matters.” He is here today to tell us about his conversion and about the new beginning he has since made.

Tyler: Welcome, Marty. I’m pleased to have you here today. To begin, will you briefly tell our readers what “Once Life Matters” is about and how you came to write it?

Marty: Thank you for this opportunity to discuss my book. It is an overview of my life before my conversion to Christianity, what led to my salvation, and how God is using my life afterwards.

I wrote it because I want to share with others the hope God gives once we place our faith and trust in Him. I was so lost and confused most of my life, strung out on drugs, alcohol, and rebellion. Once I accepted Jesus Christ into my life as Lord and Savior I was totally changed. He was what I was searching for all of my life. Once He touched me, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops that if He can change me, He can change anyone. Therefore, my book became the vehicle for me to use to tell this to others.

Tyler: Would you share with our readers what were the circumstances surrounding your conversion?

Marty: I worked in the entertainment business working mainly with rock ‘n’ roll musicians, disc jockeys, and television production. I thought I found the key to life by feeding my ego through the notoriety of being a celebrity, making loads of money, and spending it on the “high life.”

Back in the 1960s, substance abuse was just rearing its ugly head and not many of us were suffering any immediate consequences. We were learning by trial and error. Even when a rock musician or band was busted for drugs, it almost enhanced one’s popularity. There was a large gap between straight people and substance abusers. This made it even harder to detach oneself from a rebellious lifestyle because we thought there was not much the “straight life” had to offer. I never dreamed I would have to pay a dear price for my lifestyle. However, once I started suffering pain and heartache I began to question myself and sought for another way. I never thought “that other way” would lead me to a head-on encounter with the loving and forgiving God of creation.

Drugs and partying were not filling the void created by not having a personal relationship with God. I had to reach my ultimate bottom to finally cry out to Him for help. It was not until I was facing a long prison sentence for cocaine possession that I finally realized how lost I really was. Once I placed my hand in His, my whole life changed.

Tyler: Marty, after reading your book, I was struck by the fact that you had a Catholic upbringing, served as an altar boy, and even played as a child at being a priest. What happened that led you from being a relatively pious child to someone involved in the music industry and drugs?

Marty: Good question, Tyler. I have asked myself that many times. I am sure there are thousands of people out there who ask themselves the same question especially when they get themselves in trouble or an uncontrollable situation. How many times have we heard from a concerned parent, “My son/daughter was such a good person? He/she would never do such a thing.” We all would like to go back in our pasts and change something in one manner or another. Unfortunately, we cannot. We are stuck with our pasts, whether we like it or not. The problem a lot of us face is we cannot move out of our pasts into the present, the Now! I meet hundreds of prison inmates and substance abusers who feel the present is too painful to deal with so they get stuck never letting go of their pasts; therefore, their present is influenced negatively.

I say all of that to say this…. I have learned the hard way that religion does not save anyone, either Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Muslin, etc. Whatever we were taught as children may or may not be right. What I found out much later in my life when my back was against the wall and searching for truth was the religion I was born into had a form of godliness but denied the power within it. My religion did not nor could not change me. In fact, I learned by experience that most of the doctrines, dogmas, and creeds I was taught could not even be found in the Bible! It was only after asking Jesus Christ to personally come into my life as Lord and Savior that His Spirit entered me. This happened in a farmhouse and not in a huge religious cathedral. I am not saying God is not in buildings; however, I believe He is everywhere. He is the God of His entire and glorious Universe.

My quest for success in the music business was only a way for me to find some kind of happiness in life. Music was the only thing I ever liked or enjoyed. Drugs were just a way for me to fill the void in my life that was missing because of the lack of the Spirit of God being in me.

Tyler: Since your conversion, you have become very active in numerous ministries. Would you tell our readers a little bit about your current life and the ministries you are involved with?

Marty: My life today is spent speaking in prisons, jails, and substance abuse rehabs all over the country. I send out free cases of my books to facilities where people are paying a heavy price for leading out of control lives. I then follow up with personal appearances, written correspondence, and resource referrals.

Once I was released from prison, I was led to Faith Farm Ministries in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where I worked with over 350 substance abusers who were there for spiritual and physical assistance. One year later, God opened a door for me to work for Teen Challenge of Southern California, then onwards to working with ex-White House aide Charles Colson’s Prison Fellowship Ministries in Washington DC. I also helped start one of the first faith based “boot camps” in the country in Palm Beach County Florida called the Sheriff’s Drug Farm.

Tyler: Marty, in the book you talk about your prison ministry as being about bringing people to Christ, but also helping prisoners with the practical side of life by offering Life Action Planning Seminars. Would you tell us a little bit about this side of your work and why it is important?

Marty: I found that many Christians who minister in prison want to just preach to the inmates. They do not take into consideration that eventually inmates are released and have a ton of needs, both physical and spiritual. Many churches are horrified at the thought of a prison inmate showing up on their doorsteps, and not knowing how to deal with them.

By helping identify inmate’s needs before their release is important. Prisoners become institutionalized very quickly and making decisions are rare. Many inmates actually block out life on the streets altogether, pretending instead to live in the prison world fulltime and placing the real world on hold. Therefore, trying to make release plans is difficult. Many inmates are in for a big surprise if they do not formulate a plan while they are in prison for their life on the streets. National statistics show three out four ex-offenders are re-arrested within three years. Here in the State of California it is worse: Over 82% of ex-prisoners return to prison within only one year!

Tyler: Wow, Marty. That makes your ministry sound very important and covering an overlooked need. These people, like you did, are starting their lives over again. Is that why you chose the title “Once Life Matters: A New Beginning”?

Marty: When I look back on my old life before my Christian conversion all I can remember is that nothing ever seemed to matter to me. I lived in the “fast lane” with little concern about consequences. I had nothing to live for and actually tried to commit suicide a couple of times. Once Jesus Christ came into my life, everything started to matter. I was alive!!! I received a “new beginning.” I found out the Bible calls this being “born-again.”

Tyler: Prior to your conversion, you were very active and successful in the music industry. Do you miss any aspects of that part of your life, and do you use music in your current ministries?

Marty: I do not miss one second of my old life in the music industry. I am thankful God delivered me from that addiction. I really do look at it as an “addiction” and not a job. I was addicted to any and everything that happens when one is lost in that type of work. I am not saying others cannot maintain a balanced life working in that industry. However, serving Jesus Christ is much more important to me, and it has nothing to do with the music industry.

I do reach out to the entertainers, musicians, and actors who get themselves in trouble because of substance abuse and are arrested or enter rehabs. I send copies of my book to those who wind up in the news. It is at that down time in their lives that they might be open to finding the other path God has for them. It takes “searching” and when things seem to be going well, I have learned we have a tendency not to search for God’s plan for our lives. However, when one finally has to pay a price to a life out of control is usually when one turns to God. I like to be there for them even in my small capacity. I do this knowing that if God changed me He can change anyone including… rock stars, movie idols, or successful business people.

I do not use music in my ministry other than during prison worship services and personal relaxation and growth. I enjoy listening to all types of Christian based music.

Tyler: After reading “Once Life Matters”, I felt it wasn’t the music industry but the drugs that were your real downfall, although everyone in the music industry you knew was involved in drugs. This was also during the sixties and seventies when drugs were prevalent. Do you think people entering the music industry today have the same issues you had, or has it changed any?

Marty: I feel people entering the entertainment industry today have the same temptation in front of them as I did back in the 1960s. Some issues never change. People are attracted to the same glamour, fame, and pleasure. It feeds the ego. All one has to do is pick up the newspaper or do an Internet search using the words, “Celebrity Substance Abuse.” The sagas are heartbreaking.

I have not met many people who planned to become drug addicts. I know I never did; however, as I look back, I see the consequences of a life gone wild with not only music business influences but also movies, sports and any other “idol” I replaced God with.

I am not saying people cannot lead successful and productive lives in the entertainment business as long as one has balance and puts God first. Unfortunately, “self” is promoted in that business and “making it” as a god or star. What good is it? God did not place us on earth to be stars, but rather servants.

Tyler: What is the message you hope people will bring away with them after reading your book.

Marty: God will never leave us once we place our faith and trust in Him by repenting of our sins, receiving His forgiveness and love, and serving Him for the rest of our lives. He provides all of our needs according to His riches in glory. We have hope now; here on earth by being a part of His spiritual kingdom and upon our deaths, we have eternal life. What more can a person ask for? God loves us and proves it each and everyday.

Tyler: I was struck by the following statement “Only one thing can truly change a person’s life. And that’s a personal relationship with the living God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Obviously, your life had become a disaster just prior to your conversion, and it serves as an example of turning your life around for people like yourself who were caught up in a world of drugs. But what about people who live good, decent everyday lives but simply do not believe in God and point out the many tragedies that have been inflicted in the name of religion. Why should your book matter to those people?

Marty: My book may not matter to those good and decent people. It was not written with them in mind. What I do find hard to understand is how people can be considered “good” without first believing in God.

The Bible teaches us, “fools say in their hearts there is no God.” See this scripture reference: Psalm 14:1-3 (King James Version) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

The Bible clearly states we are all corrupt and filthy sinners. There is not one person who is able to become righteous on his or her own. Society has a tendency to not call sin by its proper name: sin. We have developed new words or phrases. It started in the ‘60s when we came up with the phrases, “Do your own thing,” and “Tune in and drop out,” and “If it feels good, do it.”

The ones who point out the many tragedies in the world inflicted in the name of religion have a good case, but that does not change the need of personal salvation. It only takes one lie to make a liar.

The Bible also clearly teaches that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). He is also a loving and forgiving God; however, our responsibility is to learn from both His blessings and curses.

The Israelites in the Old Testament would have been much better off had they heeded to and obeyed God’s word. God is an “if” God. “If you do this, I will do that.” However, He also states, “If you don’t do this, I will do that.” It is the age-old “blessing and curses” clauses in the Bible that humanity has a tendency to block out of our lives.

Man clearly has to serve somebody and in most cases we wind up serving “ourselves,” making ourselves kings of our own kingdoms, writing our own rules and regulations based on how “we see it.” This creates anarchy.

Jesus Christ did not come to earth to start a new religion. That was man’s idea and creation. God was finished with religion, which is why He destroyed the old Jewish covenant temple system through the ruling Romans. He prophesied that would happen and it did in 70 AD. The new covenant consists of God reigning in believer’s hearts, not physical buildings. Man has falsely replaced this solid biblical principle over two thousand years with doctrines, dogmas, and creeds.

Man wants to place God in a box thinking He is just for one denomination or religion, which is quite the contrary. He stated He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. He is doing the building, not man. Our part is placing our faith and trust in His plan, not ours.

Tyler: Marty, do you know of any success stories regarding someone’s changing their life after reading “Once Life Matters”? Would you briefly share such a story with us?

Marty: I receive hundreds of letters each month from inmates and drug rehab clients who write to let me know how much my book has inspired them. I started a feedback response page on my website to share these letters with my site visitors.

One story that does come to mind that I would like to share with you is the time I was speaking at a California state prison. An inmate kept raising his hand wanting to tell me something. I tried to put off his request until after the service but he kept waving his hand. Finally, I acknowledged him and he stood straight up and went on to explain that he had read my book while he was in solitary confinement. He found it on the floor inside his cell under the bunk. He stated he was so enthralled with my book because he felt as if he was reading his own life story because we had so much in common. He read the book in two hours, set it down, got on his knees and cried out to God, repenting of his sins and asking Jesus Christ to come into his life as Lord and Savior. He stated he has not been the same since. He started reading the Bible and praying and was soon released back into the regular prison population. His whole life was turned upside down. He believes he was placed into solitary confinement just to personally find my book, which then God used to touch him. This type of story makes my life worthwhile. Nothing can replace this blessing.

Tyler: What do you think makes your book stand out from other books about overcoming addiction, such as James Frey’s recently popular book “A Million Little Pieces”?

Marty: My book is written and based on truth. Frey’s book proved to be based on lies or half-truths.

Oprah Winfrey was appalled to learn how much James Frey “snowed” her after she placed his book on her book club list.

The positive side of the Oprah/Frey controversy was people were discussing the perils of substance abuse. Though Frey took liberties with his memoir I feel a larger issue was brought to light and that is the way the media portrays basic substance abuse, especially alcohol advertising. Drinking is glamorized in the media, making people believe they can obtain pleasure by indulging in it. Young impressionable people then take it one step further by thinking, “the more I drink the more pleasure I will receive.”

The statistic I find mind boggling is Super Bowl Sunday has surpassed New Year’s Eve for more drunk driver related accidents and deaths. If Oprah and the media were really concerned about the lies of Frey’s book, they should dig a bit deeper and address some of the real issues. They were willing to chastise Frey for lying but turn around and willingly accept the millions of advertising dollars beer manufacturers and distributors spend each year.

Tyler: I understand you have another book coming out later this year titled “Vision of the New Jerusalem: Now!” Would you tell us a little about your next book?

Marty: My new book is a continuation of my first one. It goes into more detail regarding my personal experiences and I address many of the confusing “end-time” prophecy doctrines.

Tyler: Thank you for joining us today, Marty. Before we go, will you please tell readers where they can find out more about your books and where to purchase them?

Marty: Thank you, Tyler for this wonderful opportunity to discuss my book. It is available online at Amazon.com and through my personal website. I wrote my book with “souls” in mind, not sales. It is offered “free” to prison inmates and substance abuse rehab clients. I have already shipped out over 40,000 copies to 350+ prisons and rehabs around the country. Private donations pay most of the expenses. Any money I receive from book sales goes directly into paying the ever increasing shipping costs.

Please visit my website to read some of the hundreds of response letters I have received from inmates, chaplains, and substance abusers. www.martyangelo.com It is truly a blessing to me to hear how much my book is helping others.

By: Tyler R. Tichelaar

About the Author:

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Let say you have five interviews with the top experts in your chosen field and you interview them about how they were able to build their businesses to six figures under eighteen months.

Then you create 15 questions to ask each one of your experts. You’ll use the same 15 questions for each interview.

You then recorded each one of your interviews and have them transcribed and put to a CD format. You also will save the interview as an mp3 file do it can be downloaded from a web site.

After you do the interview with each one of your experts something happens that is magical.

You have build trust and report with each one of your experts. Because of this each one of your experts will probably find this collection of interviews very valuable.

If you have picked the right kind of experts for your interview series, each one will have a list of subscribers and buyers.

Now you have a good chance to get your expert to promote the interview series to the list of subscribers.

This is called a joint venture. All you do is make each one of your experts an offer.

You can say something like this… “Mr. Expert, we have published a wonderful interview together and I’m sure you want to share this interview with your subscribers and buyers.

Remind him that you have four other interviews with experts in his same field that his subscribers may be willing to buy.

Tell him you want to make a deal. Say that you have published four additional interviews with other experts in your field on how each was able to build a six figure business in 18 months.

Would you like to offer this series of expert interviews to your list and we can share in the profits for each set that we sell?

You can pay fifty percent of the gross sales to the expert and you keep fifty percent for your self.

In this example, you did not have to own a website, you’ve done interview with the experts, they each have a list of subscribers, you own and control the information product and now you’ve got a product that you can sell doing joint ventures.

This is the most powerful method for making money with interviews for the beginner.

By: Michael Senoff

About the Author:

Website content

1. How did you come up with the nickname Dirty Red?

I was in the studio with Eazy-E and we were about to record the promo commercial for the Ruthless Radio Show and I was doing the intro for it. The name “Red” I had since I was a little kid because of the light skin and the hair color…The “Dirty” part came along in my late teen years when I was doing a lot of things in the streets to get ahead…so I decided to put the 2 nic names together and I introduced myself as Dirty Red for the Ruthless Radio Show.

2. What motivated you to become a rapper?

My motivation came along in the mid 1980’s when Run DMC and The Fat Boy and L.L. CooL J did the movie “Krush Groove”…after I watched that movie I decided that’s what I wanted to do.

3. A few words about Compton legend Eazy E you knew personally…

Eazy -E was a real down to earth person…He always said what he felt and didn’t care if you liked him or didn’t like him for it…he is and was a true friend and he deserves to be called a legend.

4. Define your music within a few words…

My music is hardcore street rap…nothing more nothing less.

5. According to you, did NWA’s musical revolution change ethnic minorities ‘ conditions in the ghetto? At least, did it increase people’s awareness of the discrimination black men and other minorities were facing there?

N.W.A definitely paved the way for West Coast rap and street rappers to have an open door to express the experiences we face everyday in the hood…they definitely talked about things that had never been talked about on records before…they are the real pioneers on the West Coast.

6. What is the biggest challenge you had to face since you started rapping?

The biggest challenge I’ve had to face I would say is the learning of the industry…very few people in this industry will tell you how to be successful and how to conduct your business…alot of the learning comes from paying dues.

7 Which artists have you collaborated with already?

Ive done music with Eazy-E , Above The Law , Kokane , B.G. Knocc Out and Dresta The Gangsta…I’ve worked with Madness 4 Real…Julio G and Tony G…Rhythm D…D.J Uneek and I’m collaborating with a few artists on my new mixtape “Steet Heat Volume 2″.

8. Which artist(s) (underground or mainstream) have earned your full respect-and why?

I have a certain respect for artists that carry themselves for who they are…I can’t seem to get into any artist that acts or pretends to be like somebody else…example…when fat gold chains were the thing…all rappers wanted to wear a fat gold chain…now its the “bling” watches…I’m not into following what everybody else does or says…just be you!…so to answer your question…right now on the Westcoast Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg hold it down as far as the mic…Dr. Dre with the production….on the East Coast I’d say JZ holds it down on the mic.

9. Old School or new school- where goes your preference?

I’m down with the old school for sure.

10. Your music is rich of that unique Ruthless flavor…according to you, is it an advantage to be from LA? If so, why?

I wouldn’t say its an advantage…but here in L.A we have a real thing in the streets…Im not sure where it was born or when…but its definitely a code in the streets of Southern Cali.

11. What inspires you most to write your music?

I get inspired by a lot of different things…but mostly just life and the different events, past and present.

12. . A few words about your Street Heat CDs…

Street Heat vol. 1 was recorded in San Bernardino in 2004 after I had put the mic down after Eazy died…I hadn’t recorded in years…so I just wanted to get back into the studio and record some songs to get that feeling again…I released a few copies just to the homies in the hood…people started hearing that I had recorded some stuff and they wanted to hear it so I re-released it in 2006…Now I am just finishing up Street Heat vol.2 so I can give people the real Dirty Red and Real Ruthless music.

13. From a personal point of view, gangsta rap is truly one of my fave genres inside of rap music.
Do you think that gangsta rap can and will help people understand better the living conditions of the ghetto, and even change some stereotypes?

I don’t think gangster rap will change anything in the ghetto’s. Things will always be the same in the hoods…that’s just the way the world is set up…but I do believe that gangster rap sheds a light on situations in the ghetto so people will look at it a little closer and people do listen to the stories and experiences that we face in the hoods.

14. The Westcoast seems to be boiling at the moment with the return of dope rappers such as BG Knocc Out, his brother Dresta and the participation of Lil Eazy, Hood Surgeon and others to the Westcoast’s revival…what or who was the detonator that motivated people to work together for a strong return of Westcoast sounds?

I dont know who set it off for the Westcoast to reunite…in my opinion the West Coast was always united…EAZY-E and DR. DRE had a beef at some point but men they worked things out and dealt with it…The West Coast has never gone away…I don’t know why people say “Bring the West back”…The West has been here all the time.

Copyright© 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

By: Isabelle Esling

About the Author:

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Every so often, we come across a band that sets itself apart from the rest of the music scene. Whether intentional or not (and we think it is), Hierosonic is one of those bands. Formed in 2003 and hailing from Harrisburg, the members of Hierosonic have certainly proven themselves. While many others seem to be following a trend or desperately trying to stay away from trends, Hierosonic creates music that is entirely its own and at the same time not contrived.

I caught up with the band in mid-April at Gullifty’s in Camp Hill, as they managed to gather quite a crowd for themselves on a Wednesday night.

The band explains how its sound has evolved:

H: We didn’t set out to sound the way that we sound now. I think we did try to make sure it wasn’t entirely “typical.” We had no real direction, but we knew what we liked. I think we just have a lot of different influences and each member has stayed true to their influences and their roots, and just kind of luckily meshed. Sometimes people come from different types of sounds and you end up with a mess. It’s worked, so we’re pleased.

Their approach is certainly working with music fans all over. The energy at a Hierosonic show is electrified, with every eye in the venue on the band. The band is simply captivating, and the fans are obviously not the only ones to think so. “Pornos and Razorblades” (released Fall 2005) featured Amanda from the Dresden Dolls singing vocals on one track, and Hierosonic were recently invited to perform at HUMANWINE’s final date of their US tour.

Following their very successful first album was the limited edition “Circuits & Wires” EP that was available only to the people attending the release show in February. The band put on an incredible performance to hundreds that night, and as members of the crowd, we knew what the audience was feeling. I asked the band what their experience was like during that show.

H: We had a blast that night. First and foremost, we make sure that we have fun with what we do. Otherwise, it’s kind of pointless. It’s always a blast, no matter how many people show up or what kind of venue we play in. It’s always fun. It’s always a relief too, to see how much we’re enjoying ourselves and everyone else is too. When you work so hard, not only promoting but just writing songs, and all the hard work behind it that people don’t see, to know that they come out and can enjoy what you’re doing. It’s flattering. It’s kind of funny how it goes from a song being an idea in your head and it evolves and all five members of the band work on it, and it gets put onto the CD, and all of a sudden you’re playing it in front of like hundreds of people and they dig it. It’s like when they respond it, that’s just like the most fascinating part of any show that we play. Especially with the CD release show when we’re putting out new material and people are eating it up, because to us, we remember how it started in our rooms, like being wrapped up in a blanket and drinking orange juice or something. You know, something really simple like that, and then it turns into something that a mass of people are listening to.

WOM: We thought it was cool how a lot of people were singing along, and you couldn’t buy the songs yet.

H: Yeah. That surprised us, too, to tell you the truth. That always surprises us. I mean, it’s wild to me to ever see anyone singing the lyrics. I remember what I was doing when I wrote the lyrics. When I see people singing along to certain parts, I remember exactly what I was doing at the point when I wrote that. It seems so simple. Some of the times we’ll be in the van, and I’ll pull out my notepad and jot some lyrics down, and that’ll be how those lyrics come about. So, that’s always wild seeing someone sing the lyrics.

The band has a few exciting projects coming up, including a slew of shows and a tour of campuses all across the US next year ending with a festival raising money for the restoration of New Orleans.
As dedicated fans of the band know, Hierosonic doesn’t perform all of their shows locally. The band plays quite a few out of state shows.

H: I’d say in the past month, we’ve played more locally than we had in the past two years. We try to spread out our shows. We’ve just had several opportunities, like our CD release show, and a week after that was the Milennium Music Conference, and then Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, that was a lot of fun. Then their (HUMAWINE’S) booking agent called and asked if they could be added to any shows because they were passing through the area. So a lot of shows happened to get planned that way. We’ve been trying to set up more out of state shows, because it’s fun to play them.
Of course, sometimes it’s necessary to travel to see your favorite band, as Hierosonic fans know, as well.

H: I never thought we would have a following. People that we meet out of state will come specifically to see us. When we played West Virginia, we were getting people that came to see us, and in Massachusetts. We did really well there. We had maybe 40 or 50 people there to see us, and for seven hours away, that’s pretty flattering.

By: Tonia Jordan

About the Author:

Create a video blog

I want you to fall in love. In love with recording audio interviews. And I’m going to tell you if you want to make money doing something you love, you should do audio interviews. With Audio Interviews you can package them and sell them.

I’m going to give you a perfect example about how to do this. There’s a website called Tunecore and these guys are doing exactly what I’m teaching. I have no idea who they are, but they have all kinds of information products, audio downloads, they interview experts and the gentleman who asked this, he loves musicians, I would say start interviewing musicians. Let’s say he interviews ten musicians about their career as a musician. What do you think someone will pay more for?

Those two interviews with those musicians and what they love about their career and what their life is like and how many gigs they play? Or what if you did ten interviews for musicians on how to get a number one song or how to do mastering; how to master your songs. Or how to do marketing or how to publish your digital music. An interview on vinyl, creating vinyl records and selling old LPs. Or mixing your music for the best potential sales on copyright issues.

These are subjects that the business of the music industry, I think, would have a lot more appeal and bring a higher dollar volume than actually the lifestyles of different musicians.

So I would tell him start interviewing experts within the business music industry. It’s a huge niche. These guys, I remember looking at what of their seminars because these guys – their niche – is teaching about publishing your digital songs so musicians who create a series of songs it’s not really all about albums anymore, it’s about that one track, that one hit, and it’s about how to market your song.

It was interesting to me because I wanted to learn from music about how to get distribution on an audio interview. It’s not music but it’s still an audio content and their distribution system would work the same way for me and I’ve looked at their seminar. They were selling an online training for about $10,000. So I would tell this guy, go to Tunecore, look at what they’re doing and model it. Their niche is digital music. Maybe you can model something for maybe vinyl music, LPs. I think albums are getting back in fashion with a lot of the younger kids today.

By: Michael Senoff

About the Author:

Kansieo.com

If you listen to only one band from Rhode Island, let Senior Discount be that band! Seriously, these guys made such an impression with us through their music and their hilarious (often ridiculous and even more often disturbing) DVD, we just had to ask them for an interview!

What is the music scene in Rhode Island like?

The music scene is RI is really varied. We (me and the band) were in high school when Monty’s Fan Club (now Monty Are I) and Bad Larry were first starting out, and we loved them. They were two awesome ska bands and that was the local music we focused on. But we also liked M80, which was a punk band that was around at the time, as well as Slik Willy (now Arcadia Landing), which was more of like the newer stuff that could be considered pop-rock as much as it could be considered pop-punk. We also had Zox, which is like a jammy band, as well as tons of others. So we always had this really varied scene here. It’s not like you have a big punk scene, or a big ska scene or anything like that, there’s just a lot of different bands. We have specific friends in the scene now – Monty Are I, Someday Providence, Lemon Lime Tennis Shoes, Arcadia Landing, Mustache Ride, Penrose (and others who will be upset that I didn’t name them) – and none of them really play music like ours, or like each others’ (for the most part). We play shows that have all different types of acts all the time. It’s more about enjoying the music in general, rather then going to a show and seeing two crappy punk bands, then two okay punk bands, then one good punk band. I’d rather see five good ANYTHING bands. Every time we organize a big home show we definitely reach into all the different types of music from the scene and just try to expose kids to more different types of music.

As far as the fans, RI seems to have a pretty good layout of venues for bands to come through, so that helps. But since we got into local music when we were 15 or 16, the same amount of kids just do not come to shows. We promote really really hard and have a big reputation for doing so, so we always get a large amount at our shows, but you can tell in general throughout the local scene, less kids are going to shows then they used. It might even be BECAUSE there are such varied shows. We had a recent fan tell us he’s not going to our local home show coming up because he doesn’t like the type of music of the other bands on it. He told us he would come if we played with Catch 22 and the Brunt Of It. But the thing is, we played shows with both those bands in the past two months! We want to play shows with EVERYONE regardless if they’re not the same type of music. It’s hard because, the age of people who go to shows is pretty young, and that’s also the age when people aren’t really open to all types of music. A 16 year old punk rock kid is not going to be interested in a band that’s been compared to Maroon 5, even if he’s never heard them. And in my opinion, that’s a shame.

Promotion-wise, we do a ton of street promo, we do a ton of personal promo (talking to kids directly), and we also do a lot of video promotion, which appeals to people who aren’t even necessarily music fans, and that gets a lot of different people into us, and interested in going to see us, but you can’t expect every band to be able to do all those things, so it’s hard to just get kids to come out to a show, unless you’re a national act.

Have you ever played in PA? If so, what are your thoughts?

We played at the Smiling Moose in Pittsburgh last summer. Our experience was not noteworthy and we would never judge PA in general on it. This is because we had this booker, who totally screwed us on this tour we were going on and sort of booked us anywhere (if at all, during our proposed 23-day tour), regardless of money, location, other acts, etc.

We got to the Smiling Moose, and the bartender (who was an incredibly nice guy) didn’t even know we were playing. I guess there wasn’t much communication between the bartender and the promoter there. No one even knew about the show, so no one was there.

Not that there would be people there, as no one knows about Senior Discount in PA yet, and we were booked as the ONLY band on the bill. We played our music, sang into one microphone (for three guys) and some of us slept in a room above the bar that had buckets of vomit in it. I guess they were already provided for us so we didn’t even have to throw up. That was convenient.

Other than that isolated experience, we have yet to really get to play there.

Tell us about your recently released DVD? How do you come up with ideas for the skits/dares?

Basically, a few years ago we got this opportunity to be on this huge show in Providence when we were first starting out, and we didn’t know how to promote, because no one knew who we were. So me and my friend, Alan Sousa, wrote a five minute promo video advertising the show, and just promoted it online. The video got a huge response, we sold tons of tickets, and we just kept doing the videos.

It got to the point where people kept telling us to release a DVD. We would always do two types of videos:

1. Real, documentary stuff with pranks or crazy things (putting 300 pumpkins in our guitarist’s room for Halloween, the Ipecac skit)

2. Scripted comedy, like a very physical sitcom

We decided to release a documentary of the band that was based in that first type of comedy, where it explained the band and who we are, and was also highly entertaining. We just felt that type of humor went well with our energetic music. So we got our best stuff together (almost completely unreleased) and created this movie. We sold out the premiere, 350 people, in Providence, and it got this huge response and now a lot of people are checking it out and loving it. It’s called “VBW Attack: The Senior Discount Movie” and it really just introduces people to us. We do a thing every year called the VBW Olympics and it has a Scavenger Hunt where, instead of having to find things, you have to do things and film them. Get a bar dart in the spine, get hit by a car, things like that. That’s all in there. There’s just a lot of crazy stuff- I get arrested for a public enema, there’s a skit with Ipecac that is the best vomit-based segment I have ever seen, the aforementioned “Pumpkin Caper” – it’s just a lot of fun, high-impact entertainment that is totally about creating entertainment and music and fusing the two together. We’ve got a ton of positive responses on this.

Basically, like with the Pumpkin Caper and other “pranks” we sort of just come up with them coincidentally. We plan them out ahead of the point of execution, but it’s never like “We need to do a prank at this point in time” or “What can we do for a prank?” – it’s like our drummer will say “Hey, let’s fill Tom’s room with pumpkins” and we think about whether or not we can do it, and if we can, we do it.

As for the stuff in the Scavenger Hunt, we kind of sit around for a month or so before the actual Hunt and think of what would be difficult, but also possible, to do. My favorite things to think of are things that sound easy and then are completely awful. Like “Swallow A Tablespoon Of Cinnamon”. Sounds easy. Go try it. Or go watch the movie and see what happens.

How long has the band been together? Did you know each other before the band got together?

Basically, my cousin Christian (drummer) and I (rhythm guitarist/singer) had never played instruments (besides my very short-lived piano lessons). Kevin (our bassist/singer) had wanted a band for a while. We were all best friends who hung out constantly. So the summer we graduated, we decided to start a band and that forced Christian and I to learn how to play. For a year we just practiced, maybe played out twice towards the end of the year, and wrote some simple songs. After that we added Tom Wells (lead guitarist) and wrote more serious songs and started focusing on writing good songs and playing out. So we’ve really been together as a full band for about 5 years. Tom was like our “new” friend when he joined the band, but we were definitely all friends first. We are in the process of adding another member to the band right now, Alan Sousa, who has always been insanely close to Senior Discount (we write and film ALL the video stuff together). Kevin and I (who write the music) are going in more layered directions musically, so we wanted to add another instrument. Sousa is going to take over bass while Kevin will join me on rhythm guitar.

Who are your heroes/role models, musically and otherwise?

Personally, the people I look up to are Kevin Smith, Larry David, Mark Hoppus, Mick Foley, Tom Gabel, and Chuck Palahniuk. These all just tend to be people who really create their own form of art and do it in a unique way, which is what I’m always trying to do. As a band we’ve always been heavily influenced by Blink 182, because they were about writing good songs and having fun. I feel like a lot of bands (now more than ever) are about business and image and things that are more about exposure or money or being “cool”, when we’ve always believed in the people who just want to share ideas and touch other people.

Musically, we all come from different places. I’m into a lot of punk stuff that’s not new but definitely can’t be classified as old. I like a lot of acoustic stuff and in general a lot of very random music. Tom is more into metal, Kevin is into very poppy punk, Sousa is into a lot of reggae and ska stuff, and Christian is really interested in music that’s experimental. I think at the end of the day we’re all just really focused on creating good music that people can relate to and can have fun listening to.

Tom wanted me to add that his personal role model is Liberachi.

What is the most important thing people need to know about Senior Discount?
The most important things people need to know about Senior Discount is that we’re not just a band. We don’t want fans, we want friends. We want to create as many different types of art as we can, we want to blend them together as much as we can, and we sort of just want to make people happy in as many different ways as we can.

By: Tonia Jordan

About the Author:

Caffeinated Content

My motto which I have found to be very effective is to just give the information away for free.

If you go to my web site you’ll see over 150 hours of audio interviews on business experts, marketing experts and copy writing experts, for FREE.

Many times people say that I’m crazy. They ask “why are you giving this information away for free?”

In the internet world and the advertising world you’re fighting for mind share.

Giving information away for free works. People like free stuff, as long as it’s good quality free stuff and there is value in it.

My strategy is to build credibility by giving first.

If I can give away a very high-end quality interview, that provides answers to my listeners on a subject, I have positioned myself number one as an interview expert, who’s honest and providing value, where others in my field, may be charging thousands of dollars for the same information.

I’m giving it away for free and I have a chance to be listened to and to build a relationship with the listener.

So, by giving it away for free, you get all those benefits. Once you have a relationship with your listeners, you have an opportunity to sell them something. But the trust must come first.

Remember, you are fighting for time with your prospect. And if you are competing with a competitor that is charging for the same or lesser quality information and you are offering it for free, you will win every time.

Try it. It works.

By: Michael Senoff

About the Author:

Music Interviews