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Unsigned518 - Weekend Spotlight - 9/6/24 · Unsigned518

• 0:00
  Speaker A: Welcome to unsigned 500 and eighteen's weekend spotlight for the weekend of September 6, 2024. Big show. Obviously there's been some big announcements in the world of local music and we're going to talk about that a little later on. I have an interview with musician Chris Kaimanu. We have Joseph's folk corner with Joseph Biss. And then I'm going to talk to some of the Metroland now staff. We're going to talk to James Mullen, TJ Foster and our fearless leader Aaron Harks. And for those who don't know, Aaron has relaunched Metroland and I am officially on the launch team and it's super fucking exciting to be able to talk about it. So that is all coming up. So without further ado, let's get started.
• 0:45
  Speaker B: It's motherfucking Andy with some local motherfuckers.
• 0:50
  Speaker A: In the Dazzle den.
• 0:51
  Speaker C: If you're in a local band and.
• 0:53
  Speaker A: You'Re passing through town stop by when.
• 0:57
  Speaker B: The trains come out.
• 0:58
  Speaker C: You're at the dazzle den with those creepy mama bump.
• 1:01
  Speaker A: You're at the Dazzle den with those creepy mama pump.
• 1:05
  Speaker C: You're at the dazzle dance with those creepy mama pup.
• 1:08
  Speaker A: You're at the dazzle dance. Alright, so this episode is going to be just a little bit different. I'm not going to have music on it. I just have so much information and people to talk to on this episode because this news is huge, not only for me personally, but I think it's going to be really good for the local music scene. So I'm going to, before we get into the metroland stuff, I have a gentleman on the phone. This phone call was actually recorded several weeks ago and there was many scheduling guffaws and errors and it came that it was supposed to be an in person interview and then that got rescheduled, then wasn't over the phone, and then we recorded it. And then I got so busy last week I had a bunch of shit going on and I literally like, no excuses. I forgot to add the interview to last week's episode so I'm making it up to him by adding it this week. So gentleman's name is Chris Kymato. He's a local musician. He's done some tour management work with the Rolling Stones and other very interesting stuff. So before we get into the Metroland stuff, this is an interview from a couple weeks ago with Chris Kaimano. Hey, what's up, Chris?
• 2:48
  Speaker C: How's it going?
• 2:49
  Speaker A: It's going very well, man. And you know, we were going back and forth a couple times. And I always say, like, whenever I have a guest on the show, it's almost rare when it's like, the first date works out. Like, you know. Cause we're all doing shit and we're all busy. And so I'm glad that this finally worked out. And I wanted to basically start with, you know, you introduce yourself, and it was an interesting story how this phone call came about, because you had said, well, you know, I'm gonna let you tell the story of how you found me.
• 3:26
  Speaker C: All right. Yeah. And I mean, like, just to touch on what you just said, too. It's, you know, it's the nature of this beast. As local musicians or small towns or beginner or indie musicians, whatever the nature of that piece, we got lot too. We're not. We're not Ronnie woods, so we don't have tour managers and things like that doing stuff for us. So that's. I'm happy to work with you, and I think, as I mentioned before, I think you're doing God's work. So thank you. My name is Chris Kaimano. I'm on a basis predominantly, I guess I usually say basis by trade, but I was by. I was kind of forced by the. The nature of my life, the way it took shape to turn into a multi instrumentalist and mixing and all that jazz. But I was actually talking to my drummer, who in my band, Tip, we met at Sienna playing in pep band together, just like sons of Eden, who I heard that episode, knows good props to them, too, for keeping the torch alive. But, yeah, he told me something. I just followed your page and then, look, I think it was the same day he sent me one of your statuses and said, I'll reach out if I. But you're an unsigned artist in the 518. And I was like, well, how fortuitous. So I immediately messaged you and got back to me right away. Yeah. And it's been. I mean, we kind of just had one date, and then life got away a little bit, and then we're, you know, we're both flexible, so we made a habit.
• 4:43
  Speaker A: Yeah. And I do try to, you know, obviously, like, you know, things will have to sometimes be rescheduled or this date doesn't work and that date doesn't work. But the one thing I do try to do is at least get back to the person quickly. You know what I mean? Because that at least shows, like, hey, I'm here. Like, we may. It may take us a couple fucking tries to make a date work, but, you know, and we made.
• 5:05
  Speaker C: You're fast, and it's really appreciated. And that's honestly something that, you know, in other businesses, oftentimes, sometimes people just don't get back to you and you're like, how are you not responding to me? But there was none of that with you. You're right away, even if you can't do anything about it, the information closed, which was super awesome.
• 5:24
  Speaker A: Yeah. And I think that comes from my. I have, like, a strong restaurant management background. And, like, my thing in the restaurant was always like, you know, people will wait if their food isn't right away, but people do not want to be ignored. You know what I mean? Like, even if you just have to go up and let them know, hey, it's not ready yet, at least you're letting them know. So maybe that's what. So I guess what we want to do is we want to talk, you know, a little bit about. You've got an interesting background in music with a small, little blues cover band that some people might have heard of. The Rolling Stones, I think they were called. Maybe I'm getting the name wrong, but you have some tour management experience with the fucking Rolling Stones. And then you were telling me about developmental deal that you were in the process of doing. So I guess tell the folks a little bit about your background in the music industry leading up to kind of what's in progress right now.
• 6:27
  Speaker C: Yeah. So I fell in love with music in college, just like a lot of people. And my dad was a musician his whole life. And I happen to have a bass and guitar later in the house. And I just kind of started playing. I became at 19, as many young boys that are 19 year olds do, I became single and extremely depressed. And I holed up in my bedroom for about two years. And I compulsively learned bass. I compulsively learned music. And then shortly after that, I was working in production and theater in New York City separately, and I got a call from the Rolling Stones. I knew a guy, and they were looking for a fourth member of their tour staff. And it was just kind of a good time and place. I had the experience, weirdly enough, and they told me the Rolling Stones were the first band ever worked for. And so I got plucked up by them in 2017 to go on tour. And I toured with them for three years. And then I became Carl Denson's tour manager as well. Who was their. Who was their sax player replaced by the Keys. I became his tour manager. I worked. I don't remember Skyloft in Albany. I was their booking agent for a little while. I put on some festivals down in Westchester. Yeah, just kind of a scattered music thing, but really I became a player with a band called Tip that we met at Siena and we met at pet band. And, yeah, I kind of had this weird two track thing in music where I was playing, but I was also working, and I was predominantly working. I was really successful in working and then Covid it, which changed everything. But, you know, that's. Yeah, yeah. So I ended up getting. Getting extremely lucky and having, weirdly, the right tool set. And I got hired by the Stones, which was really cool. And that's how I ended up meeting a guy called Chip Latham. What's that called? That's his name. His name's Chip Latham. He's got a. He's got an entertainment company called Red 39 Records. They. He was hooting the blowfish manager when they were big Rod Stewart's manager. I think he managed Prince for a little while, too, but he's just a super nice guy that I met out on Sonstore, and he's got a new label. That's basically the idea is universal Music group, Sony, these big labels, they're not going to look at you until you're hovering around 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, by the way. That's just.
• 8:43
  Speaker A: I mean, that's. When you say that, that's like they might maybe glance your way at a half a million, maybe, possibly by chance. It's certainly not a watermark.
• 8:53
  Speaker C: Like, yeah, they're not going to sign you. They're just going to go, okay, there's some. And so chips. His goal, really, is to fill that gap, which he calls an opportunity. He's one of the most forward thinking men I've ever met, and he is trying to take, basically, people like me who have a big catalog of music, but zero presence. I know Spotify presence. I have no distribution deal. I'm not even distro kidde. And bring us to that mark of getting noticed. So he's kind of like. It's almost like he's building a minor league of music, which I think is an absolutely beautiful thing. And we will be looking for new artists very soon. It's just. It's just getting off the ground right now. But that's something that your listeners might be interested in. And I'd be happy to provide contact information for at a later time.
• 9:40
  Speaker A: Yeah, certainly. And, you know, Chris, I'm not going to keep you too long, but what I do want to do is, like, after we're done with this. I want to connect again and really figure out a time where you can come, like, you're local to the 518, right?
• 9:54
  Speaker C: Like, yeah, Boysville.
• 9:56
  Speaker A: But, like, I do want to get a time where we can do, like a full episode. You know, come in and sit down, do it in person and, you know, because it's an interesting story. And I love the idea. I mean, obviously I love the idea of someone paying attention to bands that aren't already established, you know what I mean? Because, like, every band was a local band at one point. And I think, oh, yeah, I think a lot of people, especially at the higher level, seem to forget about that. They, you know, like you said, they just want the people that are already, like, up near the million streams and, like, then they'll start. But the fact that there's somebody that realizes that, no, there's people down here that have, you know, three or 4000 streams of that are really fucking good. You know what I mean?
• 10:44
  Speaker D: Oh, yeah.
• 10:44
  Speaker C: Yeah. Billie Eilish was just as good as Billie Eilish is.
• 10:47
  Speaker A: Right before she got and, like, chapel, Rowan was performing the song that has like, millions of streams, the same song like three years ago to, like 40 people at it. You know, it's like these. These artists are there.
• 11:03
  Speaker C: She was just that good back then.
• 11:05
  Speaker A: Yeah, exactly like, they were just that good. And there's so many, like, you know, even in our area here, like, you know, there's so many bands that I'm like, they should be national bands because they're really fucking that good. But yeah. So we do need to figure that out and get you in here in person for sure. Chris, thank you so much again for taking time to talk to me and again, we will get you on the show super, super soon.
• 11:30
  Speaker C: Awesome. Thank you very much. You're doing God's work. Keep plugging away. You're doing awesome. I love it.
• 11:33
  Speaker A: That is Chris Kaimano and hopefully we'll get something hooked up with him real soon and get him on a full episode in person of unsigned 518. Right now we are going to check in with Joseph Biss with Joseph's folk corner.
• 11:47
  Speaker B: Hey, folks, it's me, Joseph. And this is Joseph's folk corner. Corner. Corner. I am back. I have. I have returned from an eight show run, my largest tour yet. And we're. We're back to talk folk and to keep things folkin and to get. To get folky. You know, you know how that goes. So, yeah, I figured I'd bring up a couple of things that allows folks who can't get out and about to all shows, whoever may be playing. And that's, that's the cool little thing called YouTube. And you know, I'm pretty sure some of you folks have heard of it. It's a. I guess it's been around a little bit, but there's a. There's a few great things in this area with YouTube that are actually helping folks like myself and others getting their music out and about to not only the 518, but out and about in the, the beyond. So I'm gonna mention today, my good friends at ten Elephant Studios, they run a show. So they're in North Creek, New York, which is a little bit to the north here of where I am in Lake George. But they put on a show called Sippin Stream. Now this started during the COVID pandemic there and they've been going ever since. But what the idea of that is, is to play music of friends, friends music to other friends. And their whole hopes is to get music out there and not become, as they say, digital dust, which I mean, I know myself and a lot of folks will record music and stuff like that and then just sit on it. They don't have a. Either a place to put it or don't have the, the gumption to put it out there and be seen. And there's, there's people like this that they do that and they put out music videos, they put out studio stuff like that for people to see and get out and about. And I think that is something really special as this being on a show that highlights of such a thing as well. Both the weekend updates and the regular unsigned 518, putting emphasis on people who are local and putting in their music out there. So either people who also put out music themselves can hear it and get an idea for what else is out in the waters or for listeners to tune in and to hear it. And I think that's something that's super special. I kind of do something similar myself. I've got a Sunday social for those folks that aren't familiar. Every Sunday that I'm not on tour, I put out an hour long set for both listeners and other musicians. I have guests come on too, and just all on YouTube. And I feel like a lot of people think of YouTube and they just think of weird hacks, how to change their air filter in their car or how to play a video game and get past a certain level. But music is such a beautiful thing. Mostly not only local, but to the beyond, to everywhere else. And I think that's a. I think that's pretty cool. So, yeah, I just wanted to, I just want to put a highlight on that, that not everything I'm going to be mentioning in this folk corner is a show you got to go catch and worry if you can go catch it or not. These are things that you can still tune into at the comfort of your couch while laying in the middle of your floor in your bedroom, so on, so forth out in the backyard, you know, and I just think that that's pretty special. So I just wanted to leave you folks with that today. So. Yes, Tata. Toodles. Until next time. Bye bye.
• 14:59
  Speaker A: Thank you so much, Joseph. All right, so now onto the news. I'm sure, you know, at this point, even though it was just announced this morning, I'm going to release this podcast early. Normally they come out at midnight. I'm basically going to record, smash, edit, and release as soon as I can and get the news out there. But a lot of you already know. So Aaron Harks has, has resurged Metroland. She now owns Metroland. She's doing it with, like, the full blessing of the original, you know, founder of Metroland, but it's, it's hers. It's been in the works for a really long time. And I have the fortune to be on, like, the startup team. When we first started talking about it, it was back in January. Aaron, TJ Foster, and myself met for some coffee, and, you know, we're, we're trying to figure out a way to, you know, create something where everybody can come together. All the information can kind of be in one place. You can look and know exactly what's happening in the 518. Who's playing? You don't have to, you know, search all over the place. And then it kind of went dormant for a while. And, you know, unbeknownst to me, Aaron's wheels definitely never stopped turning for a second. And then all of a sudden, out of the blue, she was like, oh, hey, you know, by the way, I bought Metroland, and you're still on the team. Let's fucking do this. And that kind of brings us, I guess, up to now. So I'm, I dubbed myself the media director, basically. You know, I'm helping with the social media. I'm doing the podcast side of things. Unsigned. 518 is going to be on Metroland eventually. You know, there'll be a page for that. I'm also producing mistress of none, which is Aaron's podcast. I'm going to be the producer of that, and hopefully as things grow, I would certainly like to see more podcasts on the, on the, you know, network. I guess you could call, I don't know if you'd call it, but, you know, that's just what, what I envision it. But anyway, so I'm, you know, mostly doing podcasts and social media stuff. And, you know, they've, we've got journalists and photographers that handle the journalism and photography because that, that ain't me. But anyway, so for this episode, what I'm going to do is I'm going to talk to three of the startup team. There's, there's a bunch of people on the, there that aren't going to be on, on the show. Let me see. We have, you know, Rory Graham, we have Alyssa Ebersolt, Kiki Vas Elaskas, TJ, James Mullen, myself. And I think that's it, other than obviously, Aaron, who's running that, running the show. But, you know, there'll be more people as it, as it grows. This is just like we're launching it. We're launching it slow and low. But anyway, without further ado, let's get into it. I'm going to talk to TJ Foster. I have actually spoke with him on both of our lunch breaks a couple hours ago. It's 04:00 as I'm recording this now. And this was recorded around 1130 this morning. But anyway, here is my conversation with TJ Foster, who's now the assistant. What is it? Assistant associate editor or whatever. He's on the start of team, too. Hey, what's up, TJ?
• 18:38
  Speaker E: Hey, man, how you doing?
• 18:39
  Speaker A: Good, how are you? Long time no see.
• 18:41
  Speaker E: Uh, yeah, right, bagat. Yeah. Happy, uh, happy Metroland Christmas day.
• 18:45
  Speaker A: Yeah. And it's just great to finally be able to fully talk about it because like, it's, I always hated being like, ah, there's something really cool coming, but I can't tell you anything about it.
• 18:57
  Speaker E: You know, it is, it is really hard to keep, keep, uh, keep things under wraps like this these days, uh, because it's just so easy to tell people things like that and in casual conversations. So, yeah, it feels really good to kind of just get the news out there and make a big deal out of it.
• 19:13
  Speaker A: Yeah. And I don't know how this episode is going to go. I'm going to try to talk to everybody kind of on the startup team. I'm going to try to get Aaron on the phone. So I don't know, like, what order it will go in the show just because this is kind of like a last minute thing, but basically, I guess, tell your side of things, how it evolved from the angry cup of coffee in January till, like, kind of where we are now.
• 19:40
  Speaker E: Yeah, man. I think. I think there were a lot of frustrations around that time, which, you know, we don't need to get into, but it was. It kind of stemmed into something really beautiful, which was it motivated people to want to do something new and exciting and better and different and do it the right way. And you and Aaron and myself, we all kind of just had this very, very easy synergy that was like, oh, we have these thoughts. We have these ideas. Let's put our heads together. And so, yeah, we grabbed a cup of coffee, we chatted for a couple hours, and then it kind of went. Kind of went dark for a little bit as things go, because it was in the very infancy of the idea. And then, you know, one day, I just remember hearing from. From Aaron, and it was. It was kind of like, hey, you got a minute? I got some news. And. And then I learned that she was in talks to revitalize Metroland, and I just. I lost it. I was like, what? What? How perfect is that?
• 20:43
  Speaker B: I know.
• 20:44
  Speaker E: So it was. It was really cool to kind of just see it all come together. And then the last couple months, as, you know, just a lot of working behind the scenes of, you know, getting things up and running, you know, we assembled the small team, obviously, and it's. It's just been. Just been so encouraging and. And, yeah, I'm really just. Just excited and grateful to be a part of it.
• 21:06
  Speaker A: Yeah. And I, like, kind of felt like the same way, you know, obviously, you and I talked, you know, over the last nine months or eight months or whatever it's been that this has been, you know, growing or coming to fruition. Because there'd be times when I would, you know, talk to you and be like, hey, have you. You heard from Aaron? And you'd be like, no, I haven't heard from. Yeah, yeah, I haven't either. You know? And it would just be like, you know, I don't know what's going on. Like. And then it was kind of the same thing. And then one day, you know, that that phone call came when it was just like, hey, just wanted to let you know, like, this is what's happening, and, yes, you are still a part of it. And, like, you know, so it was just, like, unbelievably exciting, and then it just kept growing from there, and it was like, now it's here.
• 21:55
  Speaker E: I've known Aaron for a little while now, but I've known of her for much longer. And, you know, even before I knew her on a personal level, I always knew she was one of, like, the hardest working and ferocious people in a good way. I say that lovingly in the scene or that I've ever known. And now that, you know, we've worked with her directly, it's like, just proving that tenfold. Just what a machine, just getting stuff done. And so, yeah, that time where it was like, it was like radio silence, and it may have gotten uneasy at times. It was just like, oh, no, shit's been happening behind the scenes.
• 22:33
  Speaker A: It's just, and it was always just because I felt, you know, I was like, I'm desperate to be a part of it. Like, I want, you know, I want to be a part of it. And so silence, to me, I would get in my own head, I'm like, am I not worthy enough? You know?
• 22:49
  Speaker E: Well, same, that's, that's what we all do, right? That's, that's why we're musicians or whatever.
• 22:54
  Speaker A: Yeah, because we beat her. Silence means, like, something bad is happening, not like things are happening and, like, but, yeah, so it was always like, you know, and over, like, the last eight months, like, every couple months when I'd get, like, just that little bit of update and all she would have to do is be like, hey, I haven't forgotten about you. And I'd be like, I was like, cool. We're still doing this. We're still doing this, you know, and.
• 23:19
  Speaker E: It'S just the way it's all transpired. It's been amazing. I love, I love the team that we have kicking things off. It's, you know, for anyone listening, it's, you know, a whole bunch of creatives, you know, it's musicians, it's photographers, it's creative people, great writers, really, really passionate people about not just music, but, like, the community arts in general. And it's just going to make for just a really awesome publication and supporter of the amazing things we have going on around here.
• 23:55
  Speaker A: Yeah. And also because it's so, it's still going to grow so much. You know what I mean? Like, we have, like, a really great, solid core team and it's going to grow from there and it'll just be like, more solid the more it grows. You know what I mean? Like, I think the growth will be the right way and the right people will be involved and it'll just be, you know, a beautiful, yeah.
• 24:18
  Speaker E: Like this, this living breathing, organic thing. And I love that. Obviously. Obviously. There's so much, like, storied history with the publication. I mean, I've had people come out of the woodwork just. Just today, having seen Aaron on the news, I had a coworker reach out, like, it was like, probably ten minutes after the segment ended, who I don't, you know, I don't have, like, a friendly relationship with where I just work with him. He was like, hey, what do you know about this Metroland thing?
• 24:45
  Speaker A: Well, as a matter of fact, funny you should ask.
• 24:48
  Speaker E: So it's really cool to see, like, how many people are coming out of the woodworks just with, you know, so much respect and admiration for the. For the publication and its history.
• 24:59
  Speaker A: Yeah. And certainly that's what, you know, obviously we're going to be treating it with, like, you know, me personally, like, when I moved to the area, like, the Metroland was like this thing that I, you know, because I grew up in small town Vermont, and even though, you know, I worked at EQX and, like, you know, I lived in the woods, you know what I mean? Like, I didn't have, like, this nightlife. And when I moved to Troy, it was just like, the Metroland was fucking everything to me because I would just the. To be able to open up a publication, read things, see everything that's going on. And, like, when it went away, man, I felt it. Like, I really felt. I remember mourning it, you know, and, yeah, would have thought that. I'm on the startup team to get it. To get it going. I think Alyssa said it. Bet she called it, like, the defib to the heart of the music scene.
• 25:51
  Speaker E: Yeah, that was perfect.
• 25:54
  Speaker A: Yeah, it was.
• 25:54
  Speaker E: It was.
• 25:55
  Speaker D: It's.
• 25:55
  Speaker E: Honestly, it's one of those things that, like, I didn't know I missed until we started, started talking about it. It has been almost ten years since it was. This was running, but I think it.
• 26:05
  Speaker A: Wasn'T it, like, 2012? I think it's been a dozen years, hasn't it?
• 26:09
  Speaker E: I think it, like, went defunct in 2015. It might have stopped circulating before. I don't really know, like, yourself, I didn't grow up around here. I went to oneonta for college and then kind of moved to the area in 2009. So I had. I had a few years with it, but. But, you know, all my friends from around here obviously spoke very highly of it, and so I. I knew of it. You know what I mean? I knew of its lore. It's history, whatever. So.
• 26:37
  Speaker A: Yeah, well, I won't keep you much longer because like yourself, I am on my lunch break and need to get back to work. But, you know, I had, I always say, like, I'm available, like, for a half hour during the day for interviews, and then I record the show at 04:00 p.m. because if I get a shot, I'm like, I will punch out and use my lunch break to record a segment for the pod, which is what I'm doing right now. But I want to thank you for coming on. And I am so excited as, you know, being part of the core team, as we are, how excited everybody is and how, how well we're gonna treat this and how we're all, you know, stoked for the opportunity and we're not gonna fucking blow it.
• 27:26
  Speaker E: Yeah. And I think. I think that's a very important way to end this chat, is that we know what we have in our hands and the responsibility we have. And, yeah, we're carrying some big weight. We're trying to fill some big shoes, I think, but we're gonna do it the right way, and I think we know how to treat it. And I'm sure we're going to make some mistakes along the way, but we're also going to do some amazing things. And that's just kind of how this, this thing is going to live and breathe. And I'm super grateful to be doing this with everybody. Super grateful to be doing with you because you've been supporting the scene for years with the amazing slate of podcasts that you have. This is just going to be. It's going to be incredible, man.
• 28:07
  Speaker A: Yeah. And this is definitely, you know, obviously unsigned. 518 is going to be a part of Metroland, you know, and Aaron and my are, you know, I'm already. Oh, and I don't know if you even knew this. I'm already producing Aaron's podcast now, so.
• 28:21
  Speaker E: Yeah, no, that came up. That came up last night.
• 28:24
  Speaker A: I was so excited. I was so excited because I was just like, hey, you know, if you want, I'll take your podcast off your plate. I'd love to produce it. And she sent it out and, like, so I'm excited. Like, I feel like I'm like, you know, part of a living, breathing thing when I, like, I love producing my own stuff and editing, but, like, making someone else's stuff and then handing it back to them and having them say, wow, this is really, you know, like, I don't know, makes sense.
• 28:48
  Speaker E: It's a totally different beast. Like, when you're working on your own stuff, you're like, oh, God, I gotta listen to myself talk again or, you know, saying whatever. Right? Yeah, over and over. So totally different vibe, for sure. But congrats, dude. That's great.
• 29:01
  Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited. Like I said, I'm the self, while you were there, I'm the self appointed media director, but there you go. It's media director nonetheless. All right, brother. Well, have a great rest of your day, and we'll talk to you soon.
• 29:17
  Speaker E: Absolutely, man. Thanks for. Thanks for having me on, and I look forward to making this thing happen.
• 29:22
  Speaker A: All right, so that was TJ Foster, and I'm literally just going to keep things rolling right now. I'm going to talk to James Mullen. He is also on the Metroland startup team. His focus is journalism, and he'll be doing, you know, reviews and whatever, but don't let me tell you about it. Let's just jump to the phone and see what's up with James. What's up, homie?
• 29:45
  Speaker D: Andy, how's it going, man? Good to hear from you.
• 29:47
  Speaker A: Yeah, it's been so long. It's been at least 11 hours since we've seen each other. No, it's been a little longer than that, but. So I just wanted to talk and I don't know if you saw the news this morning, but, you know, that picture that we took last night was on the news. Did you see that?
• 30:03
  Speaker D: I did. I did see the picture. It's a very nice looking group.
• 30:06
  Speaker A: It was a nice looking group. I probably would have made such a jackassy face if I knew. If I knew that it was gonna be on the fucking news. But, yeah, it was a good picture.
• 30:18
  Speaker D: You were ready for your close up, wasn't, man.
• 30:21
  Speaker A: I thought era was just taking a, taking a picture for her own amusement. I was like, I'll just make a goofy face. And then I see it on the news. I want to talk about, you know, obviously with Metroland being back, you and myself and a couple others are on the quote unquote, startup team. So, you know, we've obviously known about it for a little bit, and it's good to get it out. But I. I want to ask you, I guess, what your role is going to be in the new Metroland or Metroland now.
• 30:54
  Speaker D: So, yeah, so I'm basically just going to be a staff writer. I'm doing a lot of, like, show reviews, maybe doing a couple of features on certain kinds of venues, but there will be more details on that, I think, coming from both of us.
• 31:07
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 31:09
  Speaker D: So I'm just really excited to be a part of this and to get in as part of the launch team with you and Aaron and everybody else who's a part of this little community that we're starting to put together here has just really just been a terrific honor. And I'm really excited to bring some community vibes to the media space.
• 31:29
  Speaker A: And you've actually already been reviewing shows and stuff for Metroland, but you couldn't really tell anybody what you were reviewing for, and you had like a couple of really nice ones. So what do you already have out there on the site?
• 31:46
  Speaker D: So right now, I've only got my review from John Legendhe about a month ago, and I'm working on hopefully getting to a couple of other shows later on this month. One of them I'm trying to get to is farm Fest and also just trying to or farm aid. Excuse me. Farm Fest is a local show, actually, but yeah. So any other kinds of local stuff I'm looking to get to as well. So anybody who's got my information, if you've got something you think I should see, feel free to send it my way.
• 32:16
  Speaker A: Yeah, and you're so, you're mainly, you know, it's gonna be the written stuff. And like I was saying, I can't remember cause I've talked to TJ and Aaron on the episode, and I was saying at one point, you know, like, the journalists, I don't really know, you know, you guys, when you were talking journalism speak, like, I was like, holy shit. Like, I realized that I don't know what you guys are talking about. And I'm like, these guys know what they're talking about. They're like, you know, you were all talking and, you know, about what kind of typeface and what this and that. And, like, it made me realize that I've, you know, I mean, I never said I was a journalist, but, like, podcasting is such a different thing. So I was like, holy. It was intimidating. But yeah, I'm excited for the team because again, it's just a bunch of professionals, you know, photographers and journalists and me, I'll be doing my podcast stuff. I'll be producing all of my shows, and then I'm also producing Mistress of None, Aaron Hark's podcast now. So I'm the producer of that, which I'm super excited it for, but it's.
• 33:19
  Speaker D: Going to be great.
• 33:20
  Speaker A: Going to be awesome. Yeah, it's going to be a great thing. So much. So much more to come. So is there anything else you want to. Want to throw in there just a.
• 33:27
  Speaker D: Little shameless plug real quick. I've got a show of my own this Friday. This Saturday, we're going to be at sweet side Records in Glens Falls with fellow 518 artists the Pine boys and be Austin for a little multi genre mashup.
• 33:40
  Speaker A: Nice. And actually, you know, saying those two names, it made me think because I've been listening to the official Metroland now playlist and there's some seasons Atlantis and Pine boys and be Austin on that playlist. So people should go check out a.
• 33:53
  Speaker D: Whole sampler and even beyond for all the rest of the great music you can find in this locale.
• 33:58
  Speaker A: Yeah, and that. That playlist is literally just getting started right now. It's just everybody who's been on unsigned 518 has two songs on there, but we're going to grow it and make it be a really well curated list of where, you know, great five and eight music.
• 34:16
  Speaker D: Make it so that you don't have to listen to anything but local music ever again.
• 34:20
  Speaker A: Correct. Yeah. Welcome to my world anyway. Yeah. James, thank you so much for taking time into your day. I am so excited to be on this team with you and to be able to talk about it is really just. It's so amazing now.
• 34:38
  Speaker D: But, yeah, it feel pretty fun for a while there, though. I mean, I.
• 34:42
  Speaker A: It was kind of fun a little bit, but it got to be a lot. It got to be a lot. But I was just like, I just want to tell people we're doing something cool.
• 34:52
  Speaker D: Dropping envelopes in the night for correspondence.
• 34:55
  Speaker A: Right. All right, well, anyway, James Mullen of Seasatlantis and now staff writer for Metroland now. Thank you so much.
• 35:06
  Speaker D: Thanks, Andy. Good to talk to you, man. Good. Have a great rest of your day.
• 35:10
  Speaker A: You too, man. All right, that was James Mullen, and we're going to wrap it up with Erin Harks herself. I have her on the phone in the middle of what is a very, very busy day for her. I know she was up at like 05:00 a.m. she was on the fucking news by 08:00 a.m. and she's had an incredibly busy day. It's an exciting day, but she taken a couple minutes out of it to talk to me. So let's go to the phone and see what's up with Aaron. Hey, Aaron.
• 35:39
  Speaker F: Hey, Andy. How are you?
• 35:40
  Speaker A: I am fantastic. Today's the fucking day we've been. Or I've been secretive about it. I know you've been secretive about it longer, but the news is finally out. It's finally announced. So I guess I'm just gonna kind of hand it over to you. For those who may not have heard the most exciting news in the 518. So tell us what's up?
• 36:03
  Speaker F: I can't imagine anybody not having heard yet. By the way, my phone is melting in the most beautiful way possible, but yet. We launched Metroland. We brought Metroland back, and it's Metroland now, and it's official.
• 36:22
  Speaker A: And there's, you were saying on the news this morning it's going to start slow now. Right now, it's basically just, what was it? Preview, review and interview. But there are plans to expand, obviously.
• 36:35
  Speaker F: Absolutely. My biggest plan is to just start slow, grow slow, like play it by ear, kind of be as organic as possible, really listen to the community, listen to our peers, our fellow musicians, our venue owners, our community, and follow their lead on what they want to see and what they want to hear, and just, you know, answer that call as best we can. And so for right now, we already know that people want a calendar. They want an extensive calendar, and we're working on that. It's up. It's, you know, still got some bugs to work out, but it's pretty, you know, it's got at least 250 events listed for the next two months, so I think we're doing pretty good there. And then, you know, the reviews and the previews, obviously those are self explanatory what's coming up or what just happened, and, you know, what we're looking at and then the interviews with some local amazing personalities in the Capitol district. And, I mean, it's funny because it seems so set as it is, but, you know, as we all start to talk and throw ideas out into the atmosphere, we're going to come up with more ideas and ways to make this even better. And I really want to capture the old essence of Metroland by asking people what they miss most about it and what they'd like to see brought back.
• 38:03
  Speaker A: Right. And, you know, one of the things that I really dug about the site is that as soon as it launched, there was already content there, which means that you've been working on this for a really long time and you've got, you know, the team together. And, you know, I'm psyched to say that I'm on the team, but I'm not a journalist in any way, shape or form. But you've got, you know, journalists and photographers and, you know, people that are in the scene, that are already in the scene that, you know, and trust and I think that is the best way. Best way to start it.
• 38:38
  Speaker F: I mean, yeah, I mean, obviously, an undertaking like this needs more than just journalists. And you have, you know, your, your toe in the pool when it comes to what's going on in the capital region.
• 38:52
  Speaker B: You're.
• 38:52
  Speaker F: You're constantly talking to bands that. That I don't know and that I probably wouldn't know if not for you. So I think you'll be a very integral part of making sure. I obviously, I know that I have my own set of blinders, and I want to remove them and make sure that I'm seeing everything and at least hearing about everything. I mean, obviously, I can't be every place at once, but I want to know what's going on and I want to hear all of these bands and help elevate their voices the way. I mean, the Capitol district has been great to me as a musician. I have had such incredible support. Like, I'm overwhelmed by the support right up until this announcement, the support that I've received for it, and I want to be able to give that back.
• 39:37
  Speaker A: And it really shows, like, you know, because I'm involved in the social media side of things and seeing the comments and the engagement and how quickly an Instagram page that didn't exist 8 hours ago, like, has grown. Like, it's, you know, it's not something that would just happen to just anybody doing something. It goes to show that you have all this experience with the 518. They trust you, you trust them, and things are happening quicker, I guess, that way.
• 40:10
  Speaker F: I definitely, I mean, I see that and I appreciate that, and I'm so grateful for that because, I mean, it was funny because it reminds me a little bit of when I started comedy. I know at first people were like, what? And I was like, yeah, I want to try stand up comedy. And so the very first show that I put together, well, I immediately decided that I needed to not just do comedy, but I needed to produce comedy shows. And that was because somebody told me that I was never going to get paid as a comedian for the first few years, and I said, the fuck I'm not. And so I produced. They said, the only way you'll get paid is if you produce. And I said, okay. And so I produced my first show, and I remember it was like in a back room of the AoH in Albany, the, the irish capital district, Irish American association is what it's called now, but it was the AoH next to the Palladium on Ontario, 2013. I put on a show I made a ticket link on, you know, whatever free shit was back then, and I put together a show and I did it, and I sold over 100 tickets, like my first time out. And that was just people supporting the new thing that I said I was going to try and do, and I didn't, they didn't know if I was going to be any good at it.
• 41:24
  Speaker E: Just like this.
• 41:24
  Speaker F: They don't know if I'm going to be any good at it, but they, they trust that I'm at least going to give it my best.
• 41:30
  Speaker A: Yes, and I trust that as well. Well, I won't hold you up any longer. I know you have shit to do, but, you know, I do thank you for taking time. And actually, don't go when I say we're going, because I want to talk to you for a half a second.
• 41:53
  Speaker F: But hold on, Andy. Tell the folks what your title is.
• 41:58
  Speaker A: My title is media director, but I wanted it to be Prince of podcasting.
• 42:04
  Speaker F: And everybody listening can understand why I wasn't going to let that fly. Right.
• 42:10
  Speaker A: I still, you know, Prince of podcasting would be good, but I'll take, I'll take whatever I can get.
• 42:15
  Speaker F: When you get an office, we'll consider putting that on a plaque. But for now, we're not media.
• 42:20
  Speaker A: As long as I can, you know, use the cool podcasting studio. You can call me whatever the hell you want, you know, you got it done. Fantastic. All right, so, Aaron, thank you again so much.
• 42:32
  Speaker F: Thank you, Andy.
• 42:33
  Speaker A: So definitely some changes coming. Certainly going to be some changes with the show. All changes for the better. You know, it's going to be growth. Nothing but growth. Nothing but good things. This is just such a positive thing. And that's how we're going to approach everything. We're just going to approach everything in a positive way. And I'm so excited for it. So, you know, I think coming up, the weekend spotlights will most likely have more content. You know, now that I have the backing of Metroland and the backing of Metroland's event calendar, I have, I personally just have one spot that I can now pull everything. So I'm going to, gonna do something with, with that to beef up the weekend spotlight to give you more ideas of what's going on on the weekend that you can listen to in a, you know, 1520 minutes episode. And, you know, it'll be like a companion piece. I don't know exactly how it's gonna look, but I can tell you it's gonna be awesome. So thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of the scene. I appreciate all the kind words. A shitload of people have reached out to me today, and that has just been amazing. I will try to respond to, to everybody, but I guess that's it. Thank you so much for listening. Go follow on Instagram and on Facebook and, you know, keep, keep paying attention to what's coming. You can go to the Metroland and you can sign up for the newsletter and that'll let you know shit that we got coming up. But anyway, Metroland is back, and I am just so happy to be along for the ride. So I am Andy Scullen. This is unsigned 518 weekend spotlights, and I'll see you on the road. Unsigned 518 is produced and hosted by me, Andy Scullen. New episodes are available every week wherever you stream podcast. If you'd like to help support the show, please like and subscribe wherever you are listening. Or you could buy me a coffee@buymeacoffee.com. unsigned 518 if you would like to advertise on the show, send me an email at unsigned 508 mail.com and to be a guest on the show, reach out to me through Instagram unsigned 518, take care of one another and I'll see you next week.