Chat #29: Most Improved

In this episode, we talked to our good friend Nick Smith about party encounters, the job of a producer, great demos, learning piano, theatre kids, stock plug-ins, stealing like an artist, Tik Tok covers, genre fluidity, his mother's art, long careers, Rocket League, and his recently released singles.  Edited by Alex Koste Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord  

In this episode, we talked to our new friend Lyrah about piano lessons, anonymity, start ups, product design, San Francisco, Facebook/Meta, financial planning, the friendship recession, Affordance Theory, social media addiction, Record Deal Simulator, job quitting, revisiting songs, potential PRO benefits, blind dates, dirt bike accidents, and a few of the songs off her recently released EP, "Drain My Bank Account" Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord

Going through demos, stems, session voice memos, and collaborator commentaries (from Alex Venegas & Souveneer) we talk in depth about the making of our recently released record "Most Improved". Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord

In this episode, we talked to our friend & collaborator EMME about starting her artist project, pitching songs, split math, "Majors & Minors", USC, DJ features (including her song w/ Tritonal), honest histories, complex song topics, mood boards, AI songwriters, interior design, writing Grace VanderWaal's song "Hideaway", writing our song "Casper", and the story behind her recently released single "Valley Girl". Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord

In this episode, we talked to our new friend Echos about Muffin Can Stop Us, piñata economics, bad hydration, The Thinking Man, Battleground, mentalities, universal therapy, younger selves, falling pianos, diminishing returns, @sadroomstall, and her recently released record "AFFIRMATIONS" NAMI: Donate  Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord  

In this episode, we talked to our old friend slimdan about sunsets, Silverlake Trader Joe's parking lot, Judaism, pianists, future successes, sustainable happiness, group chats, busking, loop pedals, death soundtracks, dirges, Berklee College of Music, Wake Child (his old band), German KFC's, Say Anything, AIM screenames, Colorado breakdowns, fear management, writing/touring with Sasha Alex Sloan, and the stories behind the songs on his recently released EP "to anyone who cares".  Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord

Going through demos and stems we talk about our new single "Hurt Nobody" - from writing the chorus in 2017 on a drunken night in Boston, to conceptualizing the music video with Noah Sellman (well before the song was even written), to recording trumpet with Ariel Shrum, to co-writing it over FaceTime with Alex Venegas during the early weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown, to the inspiringly rowdy crowd singing along the first time we played the song live, to the fake movie quote (voiced by Robert Stephenson & Michelle Agresti), and finally shooting the cover art in the dead of night with Meg Meyer. Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord

In this episode, we talked to our longtime friend Emeline about creative communes, Vine, 24 hour diners, demo sharing, anti-perfectionism, living on your terms, future selves, empowerment, craft honing, beach trips, the "Em-pire", livestream songwriting, algorithmic gods, content creation burnout, manifesting stardom, her neck kiss "tattoo", spider bites, the life of girlboy J, and the stories behind her viral singles ("flowers & sex"/"cinderella's dead"/"STRUT") Edited by Mason Maggio Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord GLAAD: Donate Shatterproof: Donate

In this episode, we talked to our best friend (/podcast editor/dungeon master) Souveener about accidental naps, New York accents, perfect french fries, emo kids, battle of the bands, The Republic of Wolves (his band), anxiety disorders, creative networks, psychiatry, small goals, history majors, background acting, meeting Sylvie (his partner), moving to LA, fast judgements, Guessing Lion (our trivia team), Sarinity (our Dungeons & Dragons campaign), winning Jeopardy!, our Vampire Weekend cover album ("Don't Call Me A Contra"), the Nika Riots of 532AD in Constantinople, and his records "Dream Journal" & "Sleep Study". Edited by Mason Maggio (Souveneer) Discord: sleepinglionmusic.com/discord    

In which Nate either expands on the utility area of Game Theory or completely overcomplicates it... Discord:sleepinglionmusic.com/discord