SlamCast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to SlamCast, where your hosts Neil and Brea chat with creatives about their process and how they navigate the grind of promoting themselves. In this episode of SlamCast, we sit down with Jen Symmetry, a talented bass-driven producer, DJ, and promoter with a passion for pushing boundaries in electronic music. Jen shares her journey, from discovering electronic music in high school to DJing during her college years, all while honing her skills through musical theater and piano lessons. Her time hosting a late-night college radio show helped shape her approach to music, which she now brings to life using Ableton for its accessibility in music production.

We dive into Jen’s creative process, including how she plans her DJ sets, finds inspiration for her tracks, and recycles unused parts of projects to craft something fresh. Jen also talks about her Twitch channel, "SLPDNB," where she connects with the drum and bass community, and offers invaluable advice to the Slam community on creativity and growth. Tune in to explore the world of this dynamic artist and her approach to music!

Check out Jen Symmetry’s official website:

https://www.jensymmetry.com

Follow Jen Symmetry on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jensymmetry/

Follow Jen Symmetry on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0yYWiJ6OFpqAMrmk6qfx8v?si=AZjynptFSOC7ZM1TAEiVdw 

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Want to learn more about your hosts? 

FOLLOW NEIL MCARTHUR:

https://www.instagram.com/n3ilface/

FOLLOW BREA SCOW:

https://www.instagram.com/breascow/

SlamCast is produced at Slam Academy, an online and in person music production school based in Minneapolis Minnesota. Find more info about Slam Academy here: https://slamacademy.com

#Slamcast #JenSymmetry #ElectronicMusic #BassMusic #DJLife #MusicProduction #AbletonLive #DrumAndBass #TwitchStreamers #WomenInMusic #IndependentArtists #MusicCreativity #ElectronicProducer #SlamCommunity #CreativeProcess

Welcome to SlamCast, where your hosts Neil and Brea chat with creatives about their process and how they navigate the grind of promoting themselves. In this episode of SlamCast, we sit down with Terrell X, also known as Carnage the Executioner, a Minneapolis-based hip-hop artist, beatboxer, emcee, and producer. From his early days discovering rhythm and beatboxing as a child to performing in his high school talent show, Terrell knew music was his calling. Now, as a full-time independent artist since 2007, he shares his journey of self-made success, creating his path without a label and promoting his first solo record on his own.

We dive into Terrell’s transformation from making music to becoming a musician, including his journey with the Boss RC20XL loop pedal, which became central to his performance style. Terrell also shares how he earned a grant to build a mobile stage, the unique story behind his rebranding from Carnage the Executioner to Terrell X, and the challenges of following your heart despite limited support. Tune in to hear his story of passion, resilience, and artistic evolution!

Check out Terrell’s official website:

https://carnagetheexecutioner.com

Follow Terrell on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/carnagetheexecutioner/?hl=en

Follow Carnage the Executioner on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1apJwbnzyQOT8ht53BgJkR?si=m8JB5gyFRY-P0VH5luwMLw

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Want to learn more about your hosts?

FOLLOW NEIL MCARTHUR:

https://www.instagram.com/n3ilface/

FOLLOW BREA SCOW:

https://www.instagram.com/breascow/

SlamCast is produced at Slam Academy, an online and in person music production school based in Minneapolis Minnesota. Find more info about Slam Academy here: https://slamacademy.com

#Slamcast #TerrellX #CarnageTheExecutioner #HipHopArtist #MinneapolisMusic #Beatboxing #IndependentArtist #LoopPedal #MusicJourney #HipHopCommunity

Welcome to SlamCast, where your hosts Neil and Brea chat with creatives about their process and how they navigate the grind of promoting themselves. This week they sit down with Mickey Breeze, a highly accomplished DJ, artist, and educator.

We get into the origin story of Breeze to learn how his family support and their background led him to being a DJ at the age of 10. We chat about what keeps him motivated as an independent artist.

We also get behind the scene tips about Breeze’s performance setup. It’s a mixture between Ableton and Serato. In a seamless combination of both of these softwares he uses Rane Twelve turn tables with a 72 mixer to send digital signals to his computer. He also incorporates a Midi Fighter 64 using midi clips from Ableton.

Lastly, Mickey Breeze gives us his top tips and tricks to be a “successful” artist on social media and in real life. He tells the audience to expose as much of the process as you can. People want the whole package. Listen to the full episode to find out more!

Welcome to SlamCast, where your hosts Neil and Brea chat with creatives about their process and how they navigate the grind of promoting themselves. This week they sit down with Stefon Bionik Taylor. He is a composer, producer, & multi-instrumentalist from the Twin Cities who strives to contribute to the community through creation, collaboration, and teaching.

Like the part-human, part-machine allusions of his nickname, Bionik is at one in both acoustic and electronic realms. Bionik has composed, arranged, and collaborated on countless records with classic and contemporary artists ranging from Lizzo to Phil Collins.

In this episode of SlamCast, Bionik gives us a run down of his start into music production in the Early 90’s. We get into his inspiration to switch from Pro Tools to Ableton production and how it lead him to Slam Academy. We talk about his career as a whole and how creativity comes in seasons. Following these cycles in your own growth is a crucial part to enjoying the process and flowing naturally through it. We also talk about the progression of technology and promotion. Bionik’s key advice is to never get stuck in one lane. Always evolve & put your work out there for people to hear. You’ll be happy you’ve left yourself a trail of progress breadcrumbs for future you to look back on.

Welcome to the first episode of Slamcast, where your hosts Neil and Brea chat with creatives about their process and how they navigate the grind of promoting themselves. This week they sit down with James Patrick, the owner and co-founder of Slam Academy.  He is also a sound artist, music producer, and educator.  He has been creating original electronic music and preforming live since the 1990s.

We get into the background story of Slam Academy and how it’s success in the industry helps foster growth for musicians at any stage of their career. Slam Academy was made for playing and having fun. JP believes this is the fastest way to growth and “success”. We also dive into sound system culture and how connecting with humans on a vibrational level is so essential to relationships. We discuss the connection to musicians and people on some sort of spectrum. Slam Academy has helped countless non-traditional learners find their own journey down a non-traditional path. We chat about finding happiness alongside of the “grind” and how important it is to find your third space. For majority of the staff & students at Slam, this third space is music.

Welcome to Slam cast where hosts Neil and Brea chat with creatives about their process and how they navigate the grind of promoting themselves. Slamcast is produced at Slam Academy, an online and in person music production school based in Minneapolis Minnesota. Let’s get into it.

Welcome to SlamCast, where your hosts Neil and Brea chat with creatives about their process and how they navigate the grind of promoting themselves.This week on SlamCast, we’re excited to welcome Underbelly, a multi-talented producer, DJ, pianist, and YouTuber based in Portland, OR. You might know him from his popular YouTube channel, "You Suck at Producing”.

Underbelly started playing classical piano at just seven years old, and his passion for music only grew when he discovered sample-based music at thirteen. From there, he began collecting vinyl and diving into music production with Ableton Live 8 in 2010. During his senior year of high school, he challenged himself to create one beat a day, setting the foundation for his prolific output.

In this episode, we discuss his journey as the sole editor of his content and his experience in college film, which has influenced his creative process. Underbelly also shares how he maintains control over his releases by choosing which labels to work with, allowing him to stay true to his artistic vision.

We dive into his innovative use of AI in music production, including generating songs with tools like udio and integrating AI into his album art. Plus, we explore how he comes up with ideas for his YouTube videos and the impact of AI on the music landscape.

In this episode of SlamCast, we sit down with Rob Cummings, founder of Cosmic Synergy and a key music promoter in the Twin Cities' bass music scene. Rob shares his journey from Denver's 140 dubstep and psychedelic bass music culture to moving back to Minneapolis in 2019, where he now curates alcohol-free events that foster a safe space for artists and fans alike. Since launching Cosmic Synergy in 2015, Rob has been connecting musicians and building a vibrant community, often discovering talent by diving deep into SoundCloud and collaborating with friends.

We discuss the evolution of music promotion, from handing out flyers at shows to using targeted ads on social media platforms like Instagram, which Rob manages for Cosmic Synergy. He also shares his love for Function One sound systems, having collaborated with other sound system owners to power the main stage at Infrasound. Beyond music, Rob is a hot sauce enthusiast, making it in his free time. Tune in to learn more about his unique journey in music promotion and community building!

Welcome back to Slamcast! In this episode, we’re thrilled to chat with Buttah, a talented producer and DJ based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Growing up in a household filled with hip-hop and R&B in Chicago, Buttah’s musical journey took off during the peak of COVID when he began DJing as a hobby. After the pandemic, he toured with a hip-hop group, but soon made the exciting transition to electronic dance music. Now, he’s making waves in the Twin Cities, performing at various venues and sharing his unique sound.

Join us as we explore Buttah's creative process, from how he curates playlists for his DJ sets to his transition from FL Studio to Ableton. We discuss his innovative approach to blending genres in hybrid sets and how he organizes his music for maximum impact. Most importantly, we delve into the community connections that have helped him secure gigs and thrive in the industry. This episode is filled with valuable insights and inspiration for anyone interested in the music scene.

Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and hit the bell for more episodes of Slamcast! Let’s dive in!

Welcome to SlamCast, where your hosts Neil and Brea chat with creatives about their process and how they navigate the grind of promoting themselves. In this episode of SlamCast, we sit down with the incredibly talented Sophia Eris, a multifaceted artist and DJ who has navigated a remarkable journey in the music industry. Sophia shares her story of moving to Minneapolis in 2008 to study music business at IPR, with no initial plans to become an artist herself. That changed in 2011 when she met Lizzo at a music festival, sparking a creative collaboration that led to their careers skyrocketing as they seized every opportunity that came their way. Sophia reflects on how Lizzo invited her to DJ on her first tour, a skill she learned on the go, and how this experience set the stage for her current success, including just returning from a year-long arena tour with Lizzo.

We also explore Sophia's experience as an on-air radio host while balancing her touring life, her thoughts on the benefits of collaboration with a creative partner, and the importance of sync licensing deals for musicians. She shares how her connection to the Minneapolis community keeps her grounded and offers advice to aspiring artists about staying true to their intentions and finding a manager to help propel their careers while they focus on the art. From stealing aux cords to selling out arena shows, Sophia Eris's story is both inspiring and empowering.