Bands To Fans

Cris Cohen interviews Mike Portnoy of The Winery Dogs. They discuss: The new Winery Dogs album "III" (release date: 02/03/2023) Playing with bassist Billy Sheehan "Everybody in this band has chops for days, but it is not about flexing them at all times." How his Winery Dogs drum kit is WAY scaled back compared to the ones he used with Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment And more bandstofan...

Cris Cohen interviews Lawrence Gowan of Styx. They discuss: - "The beauty of a band is that it is the essence of a combined spirit." - Styx's influence on Lawrence and his influence on Styx - His onstage, theatrical sense of fun - The special moment during a concert in Toronto performing one of his solo tunes with Styx - The challenges and unexpected benefits of finishing the album " Crash Of The...

Cris Cohen talks with drummer Sandy Gennaro (Cyndi Lauper / Joan Jett) about his new book, "Beat The Odds (in Business & Life)". They discuss: - Surviving and thriving even in an environment as unstable as the music business - Belief, Enthusiasm, Attitude, Tenacity, Service - Applying the lessons of the book in the internet age - And more

Cris Cohen interviews Graham Sharp of Steep Canyon Rangers. They discuss: - The new song "Sweet Spot" and its serving as a sendoff for Woody - Lyrics like "Too early to call / too late to call sober" - Performing "Be Still Moses" with a symphony and Boyz II Men - Meshing his banjo playing with Steve Martin's banjo playing (Yes, that Steve Martin) - "Try to love your way through the hardest situati...

Cris Cohen interviews John Pierce of Toto during the band's tour stop in France. They discuss: - Playing outdoor venues during record heat waves - Songs that were not big in the US but that are huge in Europe - He and Steve Lukather: Living out the dreams they had when they were kids - And more (recorded in July of 2022)

Cris Cohen interviews Barrett Smith of Steep Canyon Rangers. They discuss: - What it is like to join this band as a new member - How getting his Master of Arts degree in Counseling has altered the way he communicates in everyday life and as a musician - Really committing himself to the bass after joining this band - The challenges in covering James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" - And more

Cris Cohen interviews Jason Adamo. They discuss: - The creation of the Brett Young song “Beautiful Believer” - His New York subway singing education - His song "Raleigh Nights" - The allusions to his mother in both the songs and the artwork of his album "Looking Glass" - And more

Cris Cohen interviews country artist Paige King Johnson. They discuss: - That personal boundry you do not cross as a songwriter - Being mentored by Pam Tillis - Lessons learned from playing 150+ shows a year - Her album "Honky Tonk Heart" - Serving as the musical ambassador for the NC Department of Agriculture's "Got To Be NC" campaign - And more

The Doobie Brothers | Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons 6/29/2022 Cris Cohen interviews Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons of The Doobie Brothers. They discuss: - Their new album, "Liberte" - Their just released band autobiography, "Long Train Runnin'" - The time Tom traded a guitar pick for a policeman's badge - The different approach they took to songwriting on this album - And more

Part 1 of my interview with Michael McDermott of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts is now up! We discussed: - The new acoustic album, "Changeup" - Delivering the drumming of classic songs like "Crimson and Clover" and "Bad Reputation" with just acoustic percussion - What defines punk music - And more

Cris Cohen interviews Doug MacMillan of The Connells. They discuss: - The band's new album, "Steadman's Wake." - Their 20-year gap in between albums - Being the lead singer but (often) not the songwriter - And more

Cris Cohen interviews bassist John Pierce, longtime member of Huey Lewis & The News and now a member of Toto. They discuss: - Prepping for the Toto tour - The influence of the bass - Adapting to diverse artists - And more

Cris Cohen interviews John McFee of The Doobie Brothers. They discuss: - Being a multi-instrumentalist - The upcoming 50th anniversary tour with Michael McDonald - What he learned from his work with Elvis Costello - His intense work ethic - And more Recorded November 20, 2019 at the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina More interviews at https://www.bandstofans.com/interview-ser...

https://www.bandstofans.com/ An audio blog experiment.

For this episode I spoke with Michael Bram, drummer for The Weight Band and Jason Mraz. We discussed the different approaches he has for those two artists, what he learned from studying the work of Levon Helm, and what influenced his singing style. This episode is brought to you by… us. Because of the internet, every musician is now also a media company. Your media company needs a professional wri...

For this episode I spoke with Matt Starr, drummer for Mr. Big and Ace Frehley. We discussed the origin of his hard-hitting playing style, how being a drummer has influenced his work as a producer, and how with his coaching work he gets people to really dig down and reconnect with the goals that genuinely excite them. This episode is brought to you by… us. Because of the internet, every musician is...

For this episode I spoke with Fur Dixon. Best known for being a member of the punk rock band The Cramps, we discussed her new band, Fur Dixon and WTFukushima, their new album, “Return 2 Sender,” what she learned from the time she spent busking on the streets of New York, and the comfort that comes from owning your history. This episode is brought to you by… us. Because of the internet, every music...

For this episode I spoke with Jim Weider, guitarist and vocalist with The Weight Band. We discussed their new album, “World Gone Mad,” why the Fender Telecaster is his guitar of choice, and about his experiences playing in The Band with the late, great Levon Helm. This episode is brought to you by… us. Because of the internet, every musician is now also a media company. Your media company needs a...

Why you should not worry about video stats on YouTube and Facebook. More insights at https://www.bandstofans.com/

For this episode I spoke with electro-jazz-pop artist Grace Kelly. We discussed her desire to break down the virtual walls between artists and audiences, how she incorporates dance into her performances, and the music she hears and sees in everyday life. This episode is brought to you by… us. Because of the internet, every musician is now also a media company. Your media company needs a profession...

This week we are doing something a little different. Although not a musician, my guest this time around has been an important figure in the US music landscape for decades. For this episode I spoke with legendary rock radio DJ Dusty Street (…and yes, that’s her real name). We discussed her famous voice, her start in radio in San Francisco in 1969, how she developed her finely tuned ear for music, h...

For this episode I spoke with Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls. We discussed their new live album, which they recorded with the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra, how putting this show together has influenced her songwriting going forward, and how alternative guitar tunings have led to the creation of some her most well-known songs. This episode is brought to you by… us. Bands To Fans doe...

For this episode I spoke with Michael Staertow, guitarist for Lou Gramm. We discussed how he sees himself as an ambassador of Lou Gramm’s catalog, which were the more challenging Foreigner songs to master, and the importance of telling a story with each guitar solo. This episode is brought to you by… us. Bands To Fans does content marketing for bands and individual musicians. Hire Bands To Fans to...

For this episode I spoke with Gregg Lohman. He is currently the drummer for country artist Easton Corbin. Before that he spent 10 years as the drummer and music director for Kellie Pickler. We discussed the importance of building up personal capital, the profound impact his school music teacher had on him, and how his world changed after he was in a life-threatening car accident in 2013. This epis...