
What It Takes To Be A Rockstar
Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.
Episodes
21 episodes
Episode 20 (BONUS) - On artists losing $50,000 on sold out US tours and why signed bands are going DIY
This week I am ranting in my van parked on a side street in NYC about the state of the music industry. I bring in recent news about Kate Nash starting an OF to finance her tours, and Caroline Rose leaking their own album on Bandcamp. I talk abo...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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13:17

Episode 19 - Randy Ojeda (Music Attorney & Manager) - On collecting royalties, the future of music with AI, and how to prevent an ugly band breakup
This week I'm chatting with Randy Ojeda, a music attorney and a long time music manager. Randy has also done A&R for Symphonic Distribution and has hosted his own podcast, Cigar City Radio, among a ton of other things within the music indus...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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56:55

Episode 18 - Donzii - On burning emotional energy for the aliens + doing sketchy things to get to shows on time
This week I'm chatting with Jenna Balfe and Dennis Fuller of Donzii, a "time-bending, post-punk vision: a unity of go-hard industrial bangers, darkly ambient balladry, [with] new takes on the funk traditions of No Wave" band. This band is super...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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1:16:28

Episode 17 - Tea Eater - On how much it costs to tour Europe, growing a cult following and raffling off good vibes
This week I'm chatting with my bandmates Tarra Theissen and Vram Kherlopian of Tea Eater, Gustaf, MamajoeVramajoe, Francie Moon and more!! We chat about how much it costs to tour Europe/the UK, how they have been building a cult following and h...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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56:28

Episode 16 - Crusasis - On never being able to quit music even if you want to
This week I am chatting with Ryan Smith of the band Crusasis. This episode hits super close to home cause Ry is my boyfriend and bandmate, but he has a really interesting perspective with music because he has played many different instruments i...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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1:30:21

Episode 15 - Charles Ellsworth - On touring in a $600 van with zero dollars, building DIY skills and being a good hang
This week I am chatting with Charles Ellsworth, an incredible songwriter, podcaster and filmmaker originally from Arizona who has toured most of his adult life. Chuck tells me stories about living in his van while being flat broke to years late...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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1:43:52

Episode 14 - Spoon Benders - Stolen vans, Europe plans and dirty laundry
This week I am chatting with Katy Black (guitar/vox) and Casey Hanson (bass) of Spoon Benders, a heavy fuzzy psychy garage psych band from Portland, Oregon. We chat about how they got into music, how they got their van stolen multiple times, th...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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1:19:41

Episode 13 - Tongues of Fire - On choosing flexibility to tour over stability, getting creative with marketing and being persistent
This week I talk with Lowell Hobbs of Tongues of Fire about DIY touring, recording in a garage-turned-studio, opening for Modest Mouse and turning down a well paying wedding gig to be able to tour. We also talk about how he tries to get creativ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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1:08:35

Episode 12 - Sloppy Jane - On making big imaginative visions come to life with small steps everyday
This week I chat with Haley Dahl of Sloppy Jane about how she got into music via acting and how she was able to bring up to 14 people around on tour. We also talk about how she made a record in a cave, how she turns goals into smaller bite size...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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27:41

Episode 11 - Tall Juan - From having shaky knees to standing tall
This week I chat with Tall Juan about his backstory of how he got into music, his move to the US from Argentina, how he got into recording and having a studio, and why he chooses to not really tour these days. We also chatted about how he manag...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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1:12:31

Episode 10 - (BONUS) - On making your own opportunities happen + the secret inspiration for this podcast!
Hi! This week is a little different - I am doing a short recap of what we covered so far and giving a quick update about the next season for this podcast. Today I chat a little bit about my own thoughts as a working musician, while fresh on bac...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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17:41

Episode 9 - Show Brain - On throwing free and all ages punk shows in NYC parks
This week I am chatting with Ozzie Silva of Show Brain. Show Brain is a DIY non-profit organization in NYC that books free shows in different parks around the city. Ozzie has tirelessly put on incredible and consistently fun shows for the last ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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51:42

Episode 8 - BALACLAVA - On DIY recording, booking and getting comfortable with rejection
This week I chat with Dylan Joyce of BALACLAVA, a "NYC trash rock" band. We chat about DIY recording, how he booked his own tours, coming back to music after taking a break and tour finances. They are currently on tour now in the US on the east...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:04:55

Episode 7 - SKORTS - On playing bars and arenas in two different bands simultaneously
This week I chat with Emma Welch, the bass player of the Brooklyn based bands SKORTS and Aggie Miller. I wanted to chat with Emma because she spent time playing huge shows in the band Sir Chloe while helping build SKORTS from the ground up. She...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:07:22

Episode 6 - PT. 2 - Dead Tooth - On chasing the carrot
This week is Part 2 with Zach Ellis from Dead Tooth. During this conversation we talk about finances, keeping relationships going through tour, staying healthy and the sacrifices he has made to do music. You can watch this episode ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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50:32

Episode 5 - PT. 1 - Dead Tooth - From booking on Myspace to getting a manager
This week I'm talking with Zach Ellis from the Brooklyn based band Dead Tooth. We talk about the history of Zach's musical journey where he chats about how he started playing music, his move to NYC, booking tours on Myspace and showing up to gi...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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1:14:10

Episode 4 - PT. 2 - Thelma and the Sleaze - On finances, being a woman in rock and roll and DRUMS!
This week I'm talking again with LG from Thelma and the Sleaze. This time we talk about finances, breaking even on tour, being a woman in the music industry, vibrating drum stools and who she thinks the new Prince is. We also have a pretty heft...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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50:16

Episode 3 - PT. 1 - Thelma and the Sleaze - On running an all female queer southern rock and roll band with over 35 members
This week I am chatting with LG from Thelma and the Sleaze about crusty crash spots, having street smarts when it comes to picking out and protecting your van, why she dove into music and if she's going to keep playing forever. We also cover a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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47:46

Episode 2 - Ghost Funk Orchestra - On bringing an 8+ piece band on the road
This week I talk with Seth Applebaum of Ghost Funk Orchestra about how he brings an 8-11 piece band on tour, how he got his booker and label and how he makes it all work logistically and financially. Find out more about Ghost Funk Orche...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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1:33:48

Episode 1 - 95 Bulls - Riding the line between DIY and having an agent
This week I talk with Emily Ashenden from the band 95 Bulls about her story with music, how her band got a booking agent and how they afford to tour. Find out more about 95 Bulls here:https://www.95bullsnyc.com/https://www....
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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52:39
