What's the latest movie catchphrase that everybody does? Michael was gonna be an air traffic controller, really? Woo Woo Alert! The boys go deep on some deep thinking about the universe, muses, and where music comes from. Stu-isms are strong in this episode, you should abide. Michael will probably be canceled - maybe the whole podcast will be censored - for his take on what he would do if he met G-d or the Devil. (producer's note: are any podcasts hiring? please email Kelsey)

The boys throw a curveball: Maybe the best thing you can do to write and produce great music is to stop doing music at all for a period of time. Celebrate boredom. Give your muse the chance to communicate with you.

Sync of the Week:

Stu's is from Scrubs

Michael's is from Next Goal Wins

How to handle social media comments. Stu's been a little bitchy and Stjames'ing things, uh-oh! Michael's cat, Zahi, makes a surprise appearance. Your dog does not need to be in a store or 7-11. What do you think? Should dogs be in stores? Stu goes a little Joe Rogan and thinks we may all be going a little too far with these safety measures. A huge conversation breaks out about Tooth Fairy inflation. How much do you pay per tooth? How do you pay your kids - Venmo, cash?

2024 Music Trends. Rick Beato did a video on it- tagged below. Michael is breaking down why musicians in the industry need to know these data points because it does matter to your career. Definitely listen to this section as you plot out your releases this year, it will help you find listeners.

Sync of the Week:

Michael's is from Death and Other Details.

Stu's is from The Proposal

What's your favorite euphemism for a cussword? Is "cock" a curse word? The boys chat about the old days of Wrastlin'! Randy "Macho Man" Savage makes an appearance. Restaurant food, especially Italian, is just too rich. The guys talk about going out to eat at semi-fancy spots. Stu went on a field trip to the big rock show as a VIP for the Extreme and Living Color concert and stood by a Karen.

The guys talk about what kind of tech they use to run communications for their projects and bands. It sounds simple, but it's super important.

Sync of the Week:

Michael's and Stu's are both from Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Let's talk about climate change and the music industry. The launch of EarthAidLive for 2025 a concert to promote climate sustainability and awareness. Is this the best way to do it, will it make a damn bit of difference? Small update on Tiktok. Do you still use a wallet or billfold?

How to vote for 2 Shots and a Royalty Check (your favorite podcast) for iHeart's best podcasts of the year! Giving some love to the 50% of Grammy winners who were Independents, including GreazyWil and others, thank you A2IM. What it actually means when you hear "Independent Artist."

Is music PR worth it? It's not a simple answer, depending on where you are in your music journey.

Sync of the Week:

Stu's from Welcome to Wrexham

Michael's is from Expats

Buckle up for this one!

Are you a late or early person? Are you passive aggressive about it (like Michael)? A little TikTok vs. UMG talk. How much time do you spend on using social media, how much should you? (This is a lot of questions!)

Some PRE - and through the magic of recording, and Kelsey- POST Grammy discussions. It's our first "interactive" podcast! Stu and Michael guess on a few things and then see if they were right. Do the Grammys matter at all? Are they changing? Listen to this Grammys discussion, especially if you did not watch.

You should absolutely stick around for the Sync of the Week, trust me. It has to do with Michael being wayyyy wrong.

Sync of the Week:

Stu's is from Gran Turismo

Michael's is from Griselda

Owls, Eeyore. David Lee Roth doing David Lee Roth Things. Warm-up routines for singing stamina. One of the most important jobs for a manager to win over an artist is tour routing. Indie bands need to remember the power of taking over a small town. Singing to dudes makes them uncomfortable.

What exact royalties do distributors like Distrokid pay?

Sync of the Week:

Michael's is from Lift

Stu's is from The Marvels

Sign up for Distrokid get a discount. https://distrokid.com/vip/stjames

Bank robberies these days are difficult, a lot to consider. Don't name a bag of money the "Money Bag." What was your 'brown M&Ms' line in your rider? Oooh, some weather talk! Polar vortexes! Michael becomes a refrigerator repair guy. Careful when eating beets. Awards season, and praise for music supervison. Casa Bonita review.

The boys discuss sped up and slowed down songs and give some insight into where they came from, and why you should output these versions.

Sync of the Week:

Michael's is from Drugstore June

Stu's is from Family Plan

New Spinal Tap coming. How much more black can it be? None. None more black. F You Anish Kapoor. Michael rants about the "Cult of Optimism" concerning new technology and music with NFTs, digital collectibles, Web3.0. The genre test. How apps and platforms do not serve you as you get older. The "Exit Screen" dichotomy in platform development. Understanding marketing research and how it can be shaded to get results you want instead of data you need. The launch of the Onion of the Month club. Casa Bonita is happening.

Should you pursue a record deal? The answer is not as simple as yes or no.

Sync of the Week:

Michael's is from TUMS (GSK)

Stu's is from The Creator

A whole lot of name dropping. The boys discuss what happens when bands lose or replace a member (or even break up). Also, how former members try to disassociate themselves from the projects you know them from. Do you go see bands with non-original members? Does it matter to you? Growing as an artist over the decades and how some classic artists are not playing the hits. Giving some love to dive bars. Shout out to Cricket on the Hill 4EVA.

Also, a special mention to Aston Microphones, which Stu was recording on.

An in-depth discussion with Stu about how to properly prepare your music project for a remote mixer to save time and get the best results possible.

Sync of the week:

Michael's is from Leave the World Behind

Stu's is from Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Happy New Year. Resolutions? Plans? Best New Years Eve Pink Floyd album? How the boys spent New Years weekend. Do the kids even watch those NYE shows? Michael talks about sending yourself an encouraging letter about the last year.

Spend this time getting to know your fans by doing a survey using a smartlink. This will guide your plans for the upcoming year.

Sync of the Week:

Michael's is from Bookie

Stu's is from Reacher