Ben Kogan | Musicians for Sustainability - Your Next Favorite Band

I attended a Sustainability Summit for the music industry hosted by Martin Guitar back in the fall of 2025.  It was a great day of panels, Q&A and networking that includes musicians, manufacturers and support organizations all seeking to make the industry a bit more green, sustainable and less negative impact to the earth.While there, I was able to listen to Ben Kogan speak on one of the panels, and share how "easy" it was to make certain decisions for hosting live music festivals that would be much better for the environment.  And so I approached him during one of the breaks and asked him if he'd come on the show to talk about it, and perhaps help improve the No Planet B Jamboree's overall impact.His organization Reusable Solutions and moreso Musicians for Sustainability help work with event organizers in key areas and if they establish certain benchmarks can become a certified festival at varying levels - which we've been able to achieve!Tune in as we learn about Ben's music journey, the inspirations behind the nonprofits he's formed, and we talk through the process of getting a festival certified.  It'll be a good one!Band BioBen Kogan Band blends Indie-Americana with jazz and bluegrass sensibilities. A graduate of the University of Miami for Jazz Bass, Ben spent two years in Boston performing with future household names like Rubblebucket, Lake Street Dive, David Wax Museum, and Della Mae, before spending 12 years in NYC and Brooklyn. He relocated to Woodstock, VT in 2021 with his wife and son and now lives in Barnard. He is also a co-organizer of the Imagine Zero festival and founder of Reusable Solutions / Musicians for Sustainability.Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

For this week's episode, we met Jenny Founds, Jesse Braun and Jon Braun in their rehearsal space, and they fired up the instruments to give us an exclusive performance of 3 songs from the Ruby Dear catalog, one of which is not yet released!They performed:"This Will""Night Nurse""Spirit Go"Enjoy!#nextfavband #rubydear #musicdiscovery #musicinterview #livemusic #music #musician  #explorepage   #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife  #musiclover #musicfestivalText us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

Back-to-back episodes find Jenny Founds, Jesse Braun and Jon Braun pulling double duty - this week focused on sharing the story and the original music of the killer power trio Ruby Dear.  Bringing some of the most incredibly unique songs and powerful performances.From tracks like "Spirit Go" that belong with the greatest anthems to ever come out of the Lehigh Valley, to "Screwed" that will have you dancing and crying at the same time, Ruby Dear put me in that delicious space where I can bring you your next favorite band and highlight our amazing local music scene all in one beautiful episode.And once again met at the rehearsal space of the interviewees and they graciously agreed to perform live - one track for the episode, and then a 3-song set of exclusive performances, one song is not yet released - and it's a banger!  Be sure to check it out in the bonus episode this week.Band BioThere is a door, a door you unlock with a key. This key comes in the form of a band. A band from another dimension - a dimension of not only sight and sound but of mind. This band takes you into a land of both shadow and substance, through the smallest crack in the sidewalk that is our consciousness - the gray space which is the middle ground between light and shadow, science and superstition. This band lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This band, is Ruby Dear.A rock band. A trio. A sound like no other.Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

Our Behind the Sound episodes seek to bring us, the concert goer, "backstage" so we can better understand how the iconic sound of a particular band is created.  It has become something of a tradition to do this with a tribute band that does such an incredible job re-creating the sound and visuals of a band that has incredible music, and is someone we can no longer catch a live show of.  This week we spend time with Start Making Sense, who've become the premier Talking Heads tribute band around.Fronted by Jon Braun, who bears an uncanny resemblance to David Byrne, this gathering of musicians have brought an incredible commitment to creating the quirky and brilliant music of the much-loved band.We'll spend time meeting everyone that makes up Start Making Sense, and see how it all comes together with Load-in and Sound Check, which at times is its own thoroughly enjoyable performance art.And then we'll share some of the songs from a recent performance at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, PA and ask the band members to provide commentary throughout, both about their early stages and their fav moments from the road.The music of Talking Heads has excited, inspired, and healed folks worldwide since their first show at CBGB’s in 1975. If David Byrne is one of the geniuses of modern times, then Start Making Sense is a tribute to genius. Start Making Sense celebrates the entire Talking Heads’ catalog meticulously executing the sounds and iconic live visual elements in every performance. Together these skilled and dedicated musicians enjoy bringing the unique, infectious energy of a Talking Heads live show that you know and love to the stage.Don't miss this one!Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

This week we're honored to spend time with John Hollier and his band The Rêverie.First - it's pronounced "oh - lee - yea".  Second - getchoself ready for a French-Cajun blend of rock-n-roll, heartland grit,  and cinematic storytelling with one foot in the swamp and the other charging ahead.We'll spend time hearing about how John grew up on the crawfish farms in central Louisiana, learning music from his family, but not until he learned enough on his own.  Then traveling to Nashville to continue his learning, but ultimately to unleash his natural, raw talent on the world.And as much has you're going to love his recorded music, you'll have to catch a live show to see the genuine article as that is where they truly shine, in a wonderfully filthy way.We'll also hear from members of the band on how they all came together and some memorable moments from tour and recording their album "Rainmaker" that just came out.Guest co-host Jeff Wentz, who introduced me to this band and made them my next fav, recounts when he saw them perform and lead guitarist Zachary Scott Cline esq ripped a solo in a bathtub - you'll have to tune in to hear the full story!Sounds like John will perform live acoustic on the show, and we'll share a bunch of tracks as well.  Don't miss it!Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

Here's another compilation episode that includes the next batch of exclusive performances from previous appearance of #nextfavbands!This collection is from October 2024 to this time last year June 2025.  It also includes 2 of the 3 performers from last year's No Planet B Jamboree, 1 of the performers from this past Winter WonderJam, and all 3 of this year's No Planet B Jamboree performers.  Whoa!NextFavBand Sessions Vol9- "Long After Dark" by Roberta Faceplant- "Snakeskin Boots" by Drew & the Blue- "Good Love" by Dustin Douglas & the Electric Gentlemen- "Everything's Fine" by Dirty Dollhouse- "The Heart of this Town" by Cass Noelle- "Floor to Fall From" by The Hot Mamas- "Optimist" by Brian Dunne- "Goodbyes" by Kendall Lujan- "Bad Haircut" by Zoe Lemon- "Lose You" by Windser- "Flowers from the Funeral" by Erin Fox- "Out of My Hands" by Nervous Nikki & the Chill PillsBe sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and/or follow us on Instagram so you can keep up on the latest and find your #nextfavband !Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

This episode is special - as it represents the perfect outcome of what this show was build on and all about.  The Vindys were the band at the top of our "must see" list heading in to Musikfest 2025 last summer, and they exceeded expectations with an incredible performance.  Then they were also super nice and agreed to come on the show.  So here we are, sitting down with lead singer and head songwriter Jackie Popovec, lead guitarist John Anthony, and rhythm guitarist Rick Deak.For the past decade, The Vindys have been captivating audiences with their signature blend of rock, soul, and pop. Hailing from Youngstown, Ohio, the band has built a devoted following through electrifying live performances and heartfelt songwriting.At the heart of The Vindys is powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Jackie Popovec, who has earned high praise from none other than Pat Benatar, who raved, “She’s amazing. That girl can sing her ass off.” She’s backed by an exceptional lineup, with John Anthony delivering electrifying lead guitar, Rick Deak on rhythm guitar, Owen Davis on drums, Brendan Burke on bass, and Nathan Anthony on keys. Together, this dynamic ensemble crafts a sound that Music Connection Magazine hails as “rock and roll at its finest.”This is one you're not going to want to miss!Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

Our 3rd annual Listen to the Dissonance:songs and conversations about mental health event will take place on Friday, February 27th at The IceHouse in Bethlehem, PA.  The show starts at 7pm ET and features brave stories and powerful music from CLOVER, Judah Kim, Barney Cortez and Patty PerShayla.  Each have been on the show previously, so you can check out our interview with any and all of them at nextfavband.com.The doors open at 6pm so you can also have time to meet with the 9 mental health organizations that will be present and get to know them, their people and the services they offer.In this episode, we'll share a track from each of the performers and touch on the various organizations.Joining us to help co-host will be Hannah Taylor - who is a stunning visual artists who designed this year's promotional poster images.  She's also a phenomenal musician herself, and part of the band The Flying Vees, who also have an interview on our channel.We also have highlights of interviews share - one with Ari Jacobson, Clinical Director of Backline.care, the organization we always raise funds for and spotlight as a part of this event as they provide free mental health services to the music industry.  The other with Ed Schwartzman, father of Ben who was an incredible young musician who battled mental health issues and sadly took his own life back in 2007 at the age of 19 years old.  Ed seeks to keep his son's legacy alive by sharing his music and his story.We hope you enjoy this episode, and that you are doing ok.  Please join us on Fri 2/27 if you can, for what is always a special evening.Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

Before ever even having a show, I had read the book This Is Your Brain On Music by Daniel J. Levitin simply because I was fascinated by the magic of music, and it was a wonderful read.Then when I started to have my own show about music discovery, I "shot my shot" and reached out to Dr Levitin to see if he'd be open to coming on as a guest.  And back in Nov of 2022, I had the honor and pleasure of interviewing him for episode 27 of Your Next Favorite Band.  In addition to the book, we explore his personal journey as well as his catalog of music and songs he wrote.That first book was released in 2006, and now almost 20 years later, he has a new book called I Heard There Was A Secret Chord: Music As Medicine - and it shows how far the understanding of how music impacts the brain from a healing perspective has come.  There've been many trials and testing and statistical proof of its benefits in helping Parkinson's patients walk, stroke victims speak, chronic pain sufferers get relief, and people who manage depression and addiction find some peace and connection.  Ultimately helping people find themselves and some of the most human connections we have.We spend time catching up with Dan and diving in to the content of his new book and the various ways that music is proving to be more magical than ever.  Starting with "experiential fusion" or "flow", and on through to the brain chemicals that unlock some of the positive effects. If you're a fan of music or science, you'll love this episode.  And if you're a fan of both - consider this your next favorite episode.Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival 

Episode 200???  I can't believe it.  When first started doing interviews with musicians I admired, I thought I'd get maybe 10-20 people total to say yes to coming on the show.  And now here we are 200 episodes in, and we're only just warming up.I reached out to the person who was the guest on Episode 1 - Mike Mains.  We chat about that, his personal journey, and how his bravery and vulnerability at a show I caught back in 2023 lead to the creation of our Listen to the Dissonance shows that feature songs and conversations on mental health.  And his song "Around the Corner" has become the anthem and rallying cry for it.I also sought out my "nextfavband" of the past 2 years - Smokey Brights.  I was finally able to catch a live show recently when these Pacific Northwesterners headed east for a tour out this way.  It was such a treat and an honor to get to meet them and to hear them perform.Then I checked in with some of my closest friends who all have been guest co-hosts on the show - Kate Hughes, Greg Provenzo, James McLaine and Jeff Wentz, and they all hopped on to help steer this episode and share some fun and touching stories of what our show introduced them to.Please let us know if we've had the honor of introducing you to your #nextfavband, and also who you recommend become our next fav.  We'd love to hear from you!Thank you all - this has been so incredibly rewarding and fun for me.  I cherish every interview and every opportunity to introduce someone to new music.Text us your thoughts on this episode, and who should be OUR #NextFavBand...As always, our hope is to bring you "your next favorite band".  If you tuned in today because you already knew this musician - thank you very much!  We hope that you enjoyed it and would consider following us and subscribing so we can bring you your #nextfavband in the future.  And check out nextfavband.com for our entire catalog of interviews!If you have a recommendation on who you think OUR next favorite band should be, hit us up on social media (@nextfavband everywhere) or send us an email at [email protected] you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close.  It makes everything sound so much better!Let’s catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician  #singer  #guitar  #song  #newmusic  #explorepage  #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival