Episodes
Tuesday Jun 27, 2017
Tuesday Jun 27, 2017
Ben Gowell (@bengowell for all you fellow Instagram junkies) is not only one of the most professional guitarist/producer/mix-engineer/songwriters that I know but he’s also one of the wisest people I’ve ever spent time with. I’ve looked up to Ben for years and because of that, this conversation goes all over the map and deep pretty quick. This one’s for those of you out there in need of life advice from a wise older brother who’s really been there (no pun intended)… so grab a Scotch, throw on some quality headphones, and feel free to share a booth with us. In this episode we talk about: - Realizing that nobody you look up to ever feels like they have ‘arrived’ - EVERYONE had to work hard to be good, no exceptions. Everyone you look up to had to put in time and work in that you didn’t see. -Take chances and live an adventure. Don’t be paralyzed by future planning -The need for healthy confidence -Family: Thankfulness for strong supportive wives, dealing with being GONE on the road while in a relationship and learning to be a parent while being a musician. - “GET ADDICTED TO THE PROCESS!” - battling entitlement or expectation -"The human problem with familiarity": How Ben actively reminds himself to take stock in what he’s grateful for and his thoughts on confusing familiarity with a loss of passion -Welcoming different seasons of life: 'always be open to new seasons of joy' - “You can’t know things you don't know” - not wasting any energy or time on regrets - The importance of keeping your word - Practicing awkward confrontations: it doesn’t come easy to anyone Quotes Worth Tattooing from Ben: "You can’t know things you don't know” "GET ADDICTED TO THE PROCESS!” "Always Be Open To New Seasons Of Joy" “Don’t confuse familiarity with a loss of passion" If you’d like to contact Ben, you can find him on social media here: Instagram: @bengowell Facebook: Ben.gowell Recording Location: The Happy Gnome, St. Paul MN Drink: Laphroaig 10yr Scotch For Links, Guest’s Info and Show Notes VISIT: www.thecuriouspod.com
Tuesday Jun 20, 2017
Tuesday Jun 20, 2017
Nate Babbs (@soundslikenate) is a good friend of mine that I’m excited to welcome to the podcast for a special NERD EDITION! Sure, Nate graduated from one of the best music schools in the country (Berklee College of Music)… Sure, Nate’s an experienced session and touring drummer (sharing the bill with the likes of Counting Crows) but I don’t give a single crap about any of that. We sat down for breakfast and bloody marys at Victor’s Cafe in South Minneapolis to dive into some of Nate’s nerdier endeavors and as usual the convo took a turn for some things deeper. In this episode we talk about: -Learning not to be ashamed of your passions (no matter how nerdy they are) and realizing that it’s only by embracing yourself that you can open up doors to connect with others -Dungeons and Dragons, Fantasy Novels, The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings, The Red Wall Book Series. "Giving your adult self permission to imagine.’ -Why Sake Bloody Mary are big in Minneapolis -Our human need to define EVERYTHING -The negative side of escapism -Renaissance Festivals -The importance of imagination as an adult: “Adults don’t feel like they can play anymore.” -Deciding to be inclusive instead of exclusive -Quit constantly comparing yourself to other people Recording Location: Victor’s 1959 Cafe, South Minneapolis Drinks: Sake Bloody Marys For Links, Guest’s Info, Show Notes and pictures of Nate on tour and in his full RenFest attire VISIT: www.thecuriouspod.com
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Question 9 // When are you too old to make a career change? (feat. Luke Meek)
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Luke Meek is an internationally touring production manager for the likes of: Lissie, NEEDTOBREATH, Owl City, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Tyrone Wells, Stephen Kellogg, The Nadas and the list goes on… Luke became a good friend of mine from our time working together and traveling the world with Owl City as soon as I heard about what’s been happening with him lately, I knew we had to sit down and talk the next time we were in the same city together. Maybe you’re someone who feels unsettled in their career and is looking for a change, Maybe you’re a music lover/concert goer and curious about what a production manager’s role is, Maybe you’re a musician who's on tour or hopes to one day tour looking for some advice, Maybe you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur looking for tips on how to live a sustainable balanced life… We talk about all of it. Enjoy. In this episode we talk about: - Balancing “Fake it till yo make it” and authenticly knowing when to ask for advice - Believing that you’re never too old to change in life whether it’s personally or professionally. - ‘Time is Currency’ Finding your own work/life balance - How music has taken an Iowa boy all over the world - Maintaining a healthy relationship with your significant other while on the road: Advice and Stories - Understanding the ‘bell curve' of career/finances/personal time and learing to live in the middle instead of the extremes: ‘Keeping your life overhead low' - The unglamorous side of touring: it’s still work - Advice/Tips for musicians and crew while on the road with music - Embracing “It’s not about me!”: Just because you’re on stage, doesn’t mean you can be a diva - The importance of cultivating a good work ethic - Realizing your attitude, good or bad, has influence on everyone around you - Figuring out your professional career identity and realizing that’s different than your personal identity: Your work doesn’t define you. - Understanding that life’s doors don’t alway open clearly, sometimes you need to take a calculated risk before you find the clear answers. Thanks to our special guests (both of our wives) that drank and hung with us during our convo. Recording Location: Volstead’s Emporium Speakeasy, Secret Location Somewhere In Minneapolis Drinks: Deliciously Crafted Whisky Cocktails and Wine For Links, Guest’s Info, Show Notes and pictures of Luke and us guys devouring noodles in South Korea Visit: www.thecuriouspod.com
Tuesday Jun 06, 2017
Tuesday Jun 06, 2017
Take a moment and think of how much in your life that has taken place in a coffee shop… My first hang-out with my now wife Sarah was at a coffee shop. I’ve been kicked out of bands, asked to be IN bands, early mornings, late nights… and the list goes on. Caleb Garn is a founder of one of the greatest coffee shops west of the Mississippi: Five Watt Coffee in Minneapolis, MN. Sit down with Caleb and one thing is clear, this musician/entrepreneur has a passion for the american coffee shop and even more so for the people in them. Don’t be mistaken, this conversation isn’t just for people who love coffee and music… (if you don’t… maybe I’m not the podcast for you BTW) we dive into what it means to be a human and what Caleb calls “Movie Moments" that could change the way you look at the world. Just your everyday conversation over coffee.. In this episode we talk about: -Coffee (the history of 3rd wave coffee and the magic of coffee shops) -How Caleb’s first real recording session in Minneapolis ended up being with the boys from Dr. Mambo’s Combo and Mick Sterling (MPLS Music Legends) -Us both moving here and experiencing Minneapolis for the first time -Music School -Defining Success (“Knowing where you want to go and getting there”) -"Movie Moments" -Caleb’s obsessively inspiring coffee shop notebook taking -The 3 ‘Waves’ of coffee -Deciding to be Inclusive instead of Exclusive. -How the world is “Inside Out” not “Outside In" -Caleb’s personal deffinition of success Quotes from Caleb that stuck out to me: “Treat every customer like you’re meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time” "Always find a way to say ‘YES’." "A cup of coffee has the power to change the world and the only thing that connects people as much as coffee is music.” "Anything is obtainable. The price is how hard you want to work for it.” Recording Location: Five Watt Coffee, South Minneapolis Drink: Five Watt Cold Press (@ 9pm… what was I thinking?) For Links, Guest’s Info And Show Notes Visit: www.thecuriouspod.com