Hitmakers

Ben Hardy, PhD is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author. His blogs have been read by over 100 million people and are featured on Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, Cheddar, Big Think, and many others. He is a regular contributor to Inc. and Psychology Today and from 2015-2018, he was the #1 writer, in the world, on Medium.com. He's got a new book out called "Personality Isn't Permanent" and he stopped by (virtually of course, he's in Orlando) to talk about it. We talk about making a break from the past, designing the future and how it all applies to musicians.

What a world. If you need a break, here's over 2 hours of nothing really important. This episode was recorded way back on May 30th with Nova Scotian musicians, sweethearts and jokesters Corey Isenor and Liam Frier. Listen to the end for a live performance (not the one they attempted to do over live stream from different locations, that one is kinda cool but kinda weird. keep going). Check out Corey's music at https://coreyisenor.bandcamp.com/ (All 3 of us played on his most recent album, "Absinthe & Smoke". It's a bit of a who's who.) Check out Liam's music at https://liamfrier.bandcamp.com/ And Corey's photography at http://coreyjisenor.com/

We sat down with singer-songwriter, recording engineer and host's-younger-brother MICAH BROWN for a wide-ranging chat on bands, the east coast vs the big city and an exclusive live performance! (almost) ZERO TALK ABOUT COVID-19! ENJOY!!!

WE'RE BACK BABY! The Season 3 home opener is something a little different. HITMAKERS: AFTER DARK is our live TV show, happening every Saturday night at 11pm (Atlantic Daylight Time) until quarantine ends and we can go to shows again. For the kickoff episode, we sat down with Saint John singer-songwriter JASON OGDEN (also of the bands PENNY BLACKS, PAPAL VISIT and HOSPITAL GRADE) to discuss the Neil Young biography "Shakey," which we discovered via Instagram that we were both reading right now. Let us know what you think of the new format! Show info, social links and more at learndrums.ca.

(Please don't sue us, Allen Klein or Tom Scharpling) One for the true heads! Let's get (meta)physical! Where have we come from? Where are we going? We're going to borrow a descriptor from a Vice article about Metallica recording "Ride The Lightning" and tell you that this is a "wild ass" tale of how one man's career crossroads led him to the streets of Saint John. Season 2 is done! Binge the whole thing! Season 3 drops when it's good and ready! ✌️

LEAKED! A brand-new track from the Halifax shoegaze darlings' debut EP "Thin Veil", out later this week. Just call us Julian Assange, without all the... actually... don't. Instead, press play! Rock hard!

Jo rules. She works as a theatre tech and puppetry teacher here in Saint John. She left behind a career as a painter for film in Vancouver, working on projects with celebrities like Nicolas Cage and.... I wanna say Denzel Washington. She's no stranger to moving around the country, first as a minister’s kid, then in a touring hardcore band, then just following her own muse. Great episode. Come hang.

Surprise!

A classic drum episode! We talk about stuff we like and stuff we can't stand. Clinton is more of a Groovy Gus than a Charlie Chops, if you catch our drift. Inspiration, tone, thoughts on Jojo Mayer, Dave Elitch, Ash Soan, Anderson .Paak, Hal Blaine, Jim Keltner, Jay Bellarose, Ringo Starr, Bernard Purdie, John Bonham, ?uestlove, Carter Beauford and more. We even find time for a laugh or two.

My best piece of drum advice at 38:29! Surrounded by info on the past and future of this podcast and its theme song, thoughts about streaming music and much more. *(the title is a Bad Religion reference if u did not get it it) (it's the worst bad religion song)(im playling guitar in a bad religion cover band s00n)

John Mullane is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, engineer, bandleader, Haligonian about town. We found what appeared to be an interview room created specifically for this episode at the Rodd Charlottetown during ECMAs to talk about bands, recording, touring, making music for film and TV, sustaining a career and much more.

Krista is an industry pro who works with artists on grant applications, PR and strategy. She's got a new podcast ("Granted") coming out on the subject of the Canadian grant system. What it is, how to use it, and some horror stories. It's a huge part of the music industry in this country and an inevitable part of building a career. Tune in to learn what to do and what not to!

No full-length show this week. Here's what's up.

Had a fun chat with these BBQT's over a couple of Caesars and a Moosehead Pale Ale (the true Saint Johner's beer of choice) at the Lunar Rogue in Fredericton. BBQT are, like, a pop-punk band (but not like Blink) from Montreal via NL and NB. Very via - drummer Allison Graves currently lives in St John's and commutes for gigs. Tune in to find out how that works. Plus: we discuss the scene all over Eastern Canada and clown on some bands. Enjoy.

Stefan is a Fredericton-based drummer and visual artist. He was in town this past weekend for Quality Block Party, as one half of the Jane Blanchard band. This coming weekend, the two of them are putting on the 5th annual Flourish festival in Fredericton. It's a small, independent art and music festival. We talked about Flourish, the NB festival scene, hidden music communities, doing it on your own and much more.

Stealing Bill Burr's idea. Comics apparently love that. Solo project this week. Delivering  Saint John lore, internet pop culture videos, the history and current state of the learndrums empire, tips and insider info for getting the most out of music lessons, thoughts on popular music and much more.

Paul Milner is a recording engineer right here in Saint John (via PEI, via Toronto, via Quebec, via the UK). He's worked in Barbados with Eddy Grant (of "Electric Avenue" fame) and at Quebec's famed Le Studio with Keith Richards (of "The Rolling Stones" fame). And made approximately 498 other records along the way. We had a great chat about the music industry past and present, and doing it on your own. 

Clinton is a legend. A drummer who's also a singer-songwriter (or a singer-songwriter who also drums) and all-around cool cat. Was excited to talk to him as he bridges a few different things we're trying to do with the show this season. We talked about having different roles onstage, musical context, cover bands, jazz, the local scene, focusing on one instrument (or not wanting to) and kept it rolling for close to 2 hours before discovering that the recording software had a metronome running the whole time. Thought there might be a repetitive "click" sound through this thing. Fortunately there isn't, but even more fortunately, it's a great episode. Part 2 coming some day.

Jason (or JVo) has played with literally millions of bands. Literally. Not bad for a guy who started out playing upside-down acoustic guitar, idolizing KISS. We catch up on his latest projects (a disco band, for one). He takes us through his early days (you won't believe what happened at his first gig). We discuss his love of metal, jazz and the bass. And he lays down some deep thoughts on listening, leaving space and how it all fits together.

Erin is a singer-songwriter who makes moody, affecting music under the name Wrote. Don't let that description fool you - this is a fun hang. We talk about creative freedom, high school talent shows, artistic evolution, touring as a solo act, putting bands together, the "Maritime vibe", discover that we both took up instruments as bored country kids who didn't have the good cable channels, and much more!