LOYAL TO THE CRAFT

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike Ciprari reconnects with Emmyn of Games We Play for one of the most honest conversations yet about success, burnout, identity, touring, money, self-doubt, and what happens when the dream you chased finally arrives but no longer feels like your dream. Emmyn’s career took off through viral moments online, leading to a relationship with Pete W...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Riff Wood to talk about starting a band as kids, going viral as teenagers, recording with legendary producer Rob Cavallo, touring the US and UK, and turning a high school dream into something real. Riff Wood’s story starts near the end of elementary school, when none of the members had played instruments yet. After watching...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike Ciprari sits down with Valentino of Mice & Men for a conversation about nearly two decades in the band, surviving adversity, starting over when the dream falls apart, and the mindset required to build a life in music. For Valentino, longevity starts with something simple: Believe in yourself. Trust the process. Put in the hours. After...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Simon Crahan of Vended for a raw conversation about growing up around music, finding his own identity as a drummer, earning his place, and dealing with the assumptions that come with being born into a world most young musicians only dream of. Simon takes it back to the beginning playing on a small electric kit, getting his f...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Dre Hemby, drummer for Teddy Swims, to talk about fellowship, faith, drums, giving back, and the story behind the first-ever official Loyal Drum kit. Dre joins the conversation while deep in rehearsals for Teddy Swims’ upcoming arena tour, where the scale has grown into a massive production with more buses, trucks, staging,...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Zendé Murdock of The Runarounds to talk about the real band behind the show, getting cast through an Instagram audition, proving themselves live, and what happened after the series did not continue into another season. Zendé shares how The Runarounds came together as an experimental idea: instead of casting actors and teachi...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike Ciprari sits down with Kaylee and Josh of RIVALS for a conversation about signing with Epitaph, building a band from the ground up, touring economics, side hustles, confidence, accountability, creative independence, and learning enough of the business to know when the right opportunity finally shows up. For years, the goal for countless yo...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Ryan Oakes to talk about his new record Scary Stories After Dark, hitting the road, building a creative career, and the long road behind what people might mistake for overnight success. Ryan opens up about the themes behind the album, including horror, anxiety, childhood trauma, panic attacks, depression, and the way music b...

Backstage at When We Were Young, I’m joined by Jack Mudd (Emblem3) and Kyle Hulett (Cupid Theory Management) to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable career in music without relying on “going viral.” Jack takes us through the early days: dreaming big, learning drums in the basement, pulling neighbors into garage jams, throwing house shows with DIY flyers, and using YouTube to star...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Grave Secrets to talk about chasing the dream, putting in the work, and how an independent band can start finding its way into rooms with some of the biggest names in music. Mike first connected with Grave Secrets around the Vans Warped Tour pre-show in Florida and has been following the band’s rise ever since. Grave Secrets opens up about...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Steve Carey, drummer for Senses Fail, to talk about one of the most full-circle stories in music: growing up as a fan of the band and eventually becoming their drummer. Steve takes it back to the beginning, discovering punk, emo, screamo, Warped Tour, blink-182, and the early 2000s music scene that made him want to start a band. From playi...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Hyper Vision to talk about chasing the craft, building a band across distance, writing heavy music remotely, and creating an entire world around a project from the ground up. Hyper Vision breaks down how the band started through separate collaborations between Jackson Rose, Logan, and Patrick eventually turning into something bigger when f...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Bird and Byron to talk about their journey from Columbus, Ohio to America’s Got Talent and the real work happening behind the scenes. Bird and Byron share how their project started through a hometown connection, how their sound evolved from raw blues into a soul, Motown, and rock-inspired blend, and how years of writing, touring, recording...

In this episode, Mike Ciprari sits down with Jay Weinberg for a thoughtful conversation about creativity, fatherhood, collaboration, resilience, and what it means to keep building after a major life and career shift. Jay opens up about becoming a new father, how that responsibility has sharpened his creative focus, and why this season of life has pushed him deeper into writing, recording, painting...

Tim and Mike go all the way back to the early days of Warped Tour, Drive-Thru Records, AbsolutePunk, custom drums, and DIY touring. Tim shares how playing in bands, saying yes to small gigs, building real relationships, and staying ready over years of work eventually led him to the opportunity he has now with Alex Warren. This conversation gets into the real mechanics of being a professional touri...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike Ciprari sits down with Electric Callboy and Frank Zummo to hear the band’s side of the story behind one of the wildest last-minute drummer situations imaginable. After interviewing Frank last year about stepping into the Electric Callboy set in Australia, Mike brings the conversation full circle this time hearing from the band about the chaos, nerves, tr...

Mike Ciprari sits down with Cyrus Bolooki, drummer of New Found Glory, for a wide-ranging conversation about drums, touring, business, family, motivation, and what it really takes to build a long-term career in music. Cyrus talks about New Found Glory’s tour with Yellowcard and Plain White T’s, the resurgence of stacked pop-punk lineups, and why live shows are still one of the most powerful ways t...

What does life on tour really look like? In this episode of Loyal to the Craft, Mike Chappell sits down with Cody Ash, drummer for Jelly Roll, and David Atkinson, drum tech for A Day to Remember, for one of our most honest conversations yet. They pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a career in the music industry. From sleeping in vans and showering at truck stops to networking...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Adobe Radio, Mike Ciprari sits down with Olive Vox to talk about the real journey of building a band from the ground up. From early garage shows and Facebook ads to touring, getting signed to Big Machine, and learning how to become a true unit on the road, Olive Vox shares what it actually looks like to chase a career in music while staying locked into the...

What happens when music education meets one of the most legendary festivals in the world? In this video, Mike Ciprari, Founder of LOYAL TO THE CRAFT, sits down with School of Rock President Stacey Ryan to discuss bringing School of Rock students to Vans Warped Tour for the second year in a row. Made possible through our partners at Gross Labs Foundation and DistroKid, this initiative gives young m...

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down in the Loyal Lounge with Nathaniel, Head of Creative Partnerships at DistroKid, to talk about what it really takes for independent artists to get their music out into the world. DistroKid has been a huge partner in helping Loyal To The Craft support emerging artists, from activations like Vans Warped Tour to conversations and resources that hel...

Kids That Fly joins the Loyal Lounge fresh off a month-long national tour to talk about what it really takes to build a band in today's music industry. From fans driving across the country to attend shows, to viral TikToks, Spotify success, life on the road, and the realities of balancing creativity with content creation, this conversation dives deep into the modern musician's journey. T...

What starts as a fan moment can turn into a life-changing opportunity. In this episode, Jack Battaglia shares the unbelievable story of how bringing a sign to a show led to meeting one of his favorite drummers, eventually filling in for them, and building a real friendship and mentorship along the way. The conversation dives into the intensity and passion behind live performance, stories from Warp...

What starts as a story about sneaking into Warped Tour with a trailer full of drums turns into a conversation about community, mentorship, and inspiring the next generation of musicians. In this special Vans Warped Tour episode, Mike Ciprari shares his journey from attending Warped Tour as a teenager to bringing Loyal to the Craft and School of Rock students back to the festival in an official cap...