Mitten Music

Holy smokes folks...we had a blast talking with the guys from Detroit band, Carbon Decoy ! We learned so much from these guys, like what inspires them in their music creation process, or why a marching band bass drums makes a difference, and even why Earl likes to meet his audience eye to eye. There's a lot of great artists from all around Michigan, Detroit, and all over the place, but these g...

LIVE STREAM episode! We discuss our experiences with live shows and festivals this summer, including recent concerts they attended and upcoming events like Sounds of the Zoo. While battling streaming gremlins, we give live feedback that provides a joke or two! We also mention recent interviews and are yet to be released, and reflect on the evolution of the podcast and its focus on promoting Michig...

Ryan and Jeff talk with the Grand Rapids punk band, The Ultraviolets . We touch on their debut EP, Radiation, and their plan for another EP in 2025. The band talks to us about their gear, favorite places to play, the multiple iterations of the band, and how Reddy Kilowatt inspired one of their early logo designs. The artwork for the EP is by Gadatonic .

Ryan and Jeff talk with Bay City band, Adaboy! . The band has gone through many iterations since Mike, their lead vocalist and guitarist, started this project almost 14 years ago. Each member has overcome some sort of addiction and now they are creating positive music that "excludes excellence" and aligns with the band's Mission Statement. We cover the connections they have made in N...

Ryan and Jeff did a livestream chat near the end of June. They talk about Ryan's recent involvement with Sonic Coast, upcoming festivals, AI, and of course new music from several Michigan artists.

Hunter from The Stray Cafe joined us for some awesome conversation about what The Stray is all about, where it got it’s name from, and how the idea for creating The Stray was brought to light. We also get a behind the scenes look into the challenges of starting a new business during COVID times, along with Hunter's own musical endeavors!

We have another two timer on the Mitten Music podcast! In The Valley Below joined us once again! We have two new singles from their forthcoming album, The Black Moon! Brushfire and I Could Lose You, find them on their YouTube channel. We also got to talk about playing w/The Smashing Pumpkins at The World Is A Vampire Tour and their The Black Moon tour kicking off in July 2024!

DogTown Studio ’s co-founder Robby Fischer joined us for awesome conversation. He gave us the history of DogTown Studio and why they are niche in what and how they record artists. Check out their YouTube page with tons of videos on the work they’ve done! While you’re at it, check out their cool Instagram as well! Thanks for checking out Mitten Music! You can also check Ryan out evenings on Sonic C...

While their bio on some socials list them as “loud, abrasive, violent.” we found that Laddermatch was all that and so much more! We recently caught up with Laddermatch to talk about the obvious, wrestling. We did also talk about their song writing process, how they’ve grown as a band and individuals, as well as their latest video, Drive Thanks for checking out Mitten Music! You can also check Ryan...

We had the pleasure of talking with Jeremy and Paul from Lucius Fox ! These guys were awesome. We've seen them in concert and they ROCK! We got to learn about their history as friends and being in a band, along with where they get their creative energy from, and where you can catch them live! Do you think they sound more Math rock or Post-rock? Those are some questions we get into! Get ready b...

We had a great conversation with Kris, Ricardo, and Gabby from the progressive/alt rock band, Black Note Graffiti . The band talks about how their band has changed and progressed over a decade and what is in store for them this year. We hit on a quick segment into the late John Sinclair in regard to origins of Hash Bash as well as some festivals, Havoc Fest and Oscoda Rock Fest . There are some ex...

We had an awesome conversation with Kalamazoo's own ⁠OCD/C⁠ ! A clever name for a great group of guys that exclusively play Bon Scott era AC/DC tunes. Sit back, relax, and learn about your new favorite Michigan rockers! Learn more about OCD/C via their SOCIALS - also check out the Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association as well as their socials .

Season 3: Episode 5 We met with Brian Maloney to learn about his new streaming music platform, Sonic Coast . A mix of national and local Michigan music playing together on an app 24/7. He is all about playing good music instead of fitting into a specific genre. He talks about his 40+ year history in radio across the country and how Michigan has always been home to him. We discuss the curation proc...

Season 3: Episode 4 Harry Phillips from the Kalamazoo State Theatre walks us through the history of this iconic venue in Kalamazoo. We learn of his story working at the Theatre two different times. We talk about the some of the great artists that have graced the stage. Discuss ticket sales and working with brokers. He hits on how important it is to build up the local music scene and how he and the...

Season 3: Episode 3 We had the opportunity to step into the WYCE (88.1 FM) radio studio in Grand Rapids. Music & Program Director, Chris Cranick, and two-time Station Manager, Phil Tower, sat down to give us a detailed background on this terrestrial radio station. We learned about the origin, how music can be added to their extensive library, the live curation that occurs with their volunteer...

Season 3: Episode 2 We met Brian on the East side when we did our weekend of interviews. He’s been leading the charge on his band Big B And The Actual Proof. Check out his website for current shows, merch and more info! If you think you might be interested in learning about a Buddhist Noir Multi-Media Artist - check out this interview with Big B himself! We show you the Actual Proof!

Season 3: Episode 1 Kevin, one of the owners, walks us through the history of how 20 Front Street became a small intimate music venue in Lake Orion. We talk about the intention into the design, the green room, and some of the artists that have played here. Listen to catch a glimpse into what a close personal music experience could look like for you in the future. We record or video live at the ven...

Season 2: Episode 28 In this final episode of the year, Ryan and Jeff wrap up the year with a quick review, individual Spotify Wrapped results, and pay per stream across platforms. One of those streaming services will be the new home for Mitten Music playlists.

Season 2: Episode 27 We sat down with the band Haskins in their practice space in Plymouth on the day of their vinyl release party for their fourth album, Everywhere I've Ever Been. We found out what inspired the Americana-Indie rock band's name, their writing process, and influences. This five-piece band sets aside time each week to get together outside of their busy family lives. Dad&#39...

Season 2: Episode 26 Listen to our conversation with Ava Swiss, America's Got Talent (AGT) 2022 semi-finalist. We hear about her journey which started after she sang her version of "Rise Up" in her hometown of Oxford, MI, after a tragic school shooting. Her emotional performance for her classmates and a town in mourning at a vigil was seen my many across the state, country, and world. AGT scouts,...

Season 2: Episode 25 We travel to the east side of Michigan for a weekend full of interviews and shows!! Full reports on Haskins⁠ and Isaac Ryder , incoming!

Season 2: Episode 24 Jacob from ⁠The American Hotel System⁠ shares more from our conversation together. He covers the band's Core Values and touches on many stories about family that has shaped his life and music. If you like this conversation, check out a previous episode with Jacob in our catalog.

Season 2: Episode 23 Ryan kicks off the Halloween season with a spooky intro. Jeff talks about his time at Sounds of the Zoo while Ryan talks about the upcoming Odd Space and Tess Clark show at Speciation Cellars . We talk about new music by Pink Sky , Feeding Grizzlies , and Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish . Our discussion about names for venues spills into names of ships. We find a little tim...

Season 2: Episode 22 Jacob from The American Hotel System shared with us his songwriting process, lyrics vs. poems, performances, setlists, and how the band's name came to be. He talked about the band's journey to win PrizeFest . We also touched on some of their recent music that is leading up to an album release later this year. The band will celebrate this release at The Pyramid Scheme w...

Season 2: Episode 21 We had the pleasure of talking with Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert about the upcoming weeklong festival in Kalamazoo, Sounds of the Zoo . She walks us through how this vision of "Creating Change Through Music" came to be and how she is putting it into action. In only the second year, she has an exciting lineup of 52 diverse artists, across 8 venues packed into 7 days, all...