Blue Couch Collective

Side B | Track 2 - Special guest James Harker sits down on the blue couch to talk about his recording studio Moonlight Audio, built “by indie artists, for indie artists.”

Our conversation with James is captivating for any artists or music lovers. And if one of these describes you…

🔹 Singer/songwriter looking to bring your song visions to life

🔹 Producer building up a clientele

🔹 Audio industry professional starting or growing a business

🔹 Someone curious about how studios and music recording work

…then this is a “can’t-miss” episode full of invaluable insight.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, James is a producer, audio engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and frontman of two bands—Spirit of the Bear and Ghost Soul.

He co-founded Moonlight Audio, a boutique recording studio in the Old Town East Neighborhood of Columbus. We discuss how the studio’s “By Indie Artists, For Indie Artists” tagline drives their efforts with artists to build songs from ideas to streaming-ready pieces through instrumentation, production, mixing, and mastering.

Plus, in true BCC style, he gives us a transparent look in at:

💡 Starting his own studio after graduating from Capital University with a music tech degree

💡 How the studio 10x their investment on running Instagram ads

💡 Dos, don’ts, and answers to FAQs for new artists who haven’t recorded before

💡 The studio’s pricing model

💡 Accessible grant funding for people in the arts

💡 His biggest production influences and role models

💡 And so much more!

🎧 Follow James on Instagram @jamesharkeraudio

🎛️ Find the studio @moonlightaudiocbus on Instagram and online at moonlightaudiocbus.com

🎤 Listen to James’ bands: Spirit of the Bear (New song “Bomb Family” out October 3rd) and Ghost Soul

👉 Enjoying the BCC Podcast? Follow, rate, and share the show!

💬 Join the convo and get the latest updates @BlueCouchCollective on Instagram and TikTok

Side A | Track 10 - This week’s big question? Yours!

If you’re one of the people who commonly wonder these things about musicians, here’s your chance to get our in-depth takes. And, if you’re a fellow artist, this episode is a perfect reason to reflect and refine your answers, allowing you to better understand and communicate your artist identity.

AROUND THE COUCH: Will gives an update on the BCC Open Mic in Columbus and talks expanding his gigging setlist. Plus, how Justin Bieber led him down a 90s hip-hop rabbit hole. Ryan lets the listeners decide if his 98-item continuous to-do list and year-long themed professional development calendar make him a psychopath.

FAQs: We spend the episode hitting on the questions we get most as musicians, especially from people outside our creative spaces. Whether it’s from Aunt Barb at the family function or Joe Schmo the stranger making small talk, you’ve probably heard a handful of the questions we discuss if you’re an artist, including:

❔ What your songwriting process is (order of elements, how long it takes, how you come up with ideas, etc.)

❓ What instruments you play (and which is your favorite)

❔ How to describe what genre of music you make

❓ If you’re on Spotify and Apple Music (and how the heck you got our music there)

❔ If you make any money from music—we give a transparent look in at this

❓ Who your biggest hecklers and superfans have been


🎧 Tune in for a peak behind the curtain of life as an independent artist
👉 Enjoying the BCC Podcast? Follow, rate, and share the show!

💬 Join the convo and get the latest updates @BlueCouchCollective on Instagram and TikTok

Side A | Track 9 - A candid conversation on the five biggest myths tripping up independent musicians looking to grow their career through social media

This episode features debate, discussion, and discovery of social media misconceptions surrounding the following topics:

1. Going Viral

2. Gaining Followers

3. Leveling the Playing Field

4. Posting High-Quality, Professional Videos

5. Promoting Your Music

Through the deep dive into the five myths, the crew unpacks strategies for building a sustainable approach to socials—one that features authenticity, fosters community, and respects your time & resources.


🎧 Tune in for a peek behind the curtain of life as an independent artist
👉 Enjoying the BCC Podcast? Follow, rate, and share the show!

💬 Join the convo and get the latest updates @BlueCouchCollective on Instagram and TikTok

Side B | Track 1 - We couldn’t have asked for a better person to join the show for our very first interview.

Gus Kathol is a multimedia professional with a knack for portraying the energy and emotions of live events through his photo, video, and audio work. And, it just so happens he was also the bass player for the Blue Couch Collective band!

Gus joins us to share:

💡 The unique perspective being a musician gives him working in visual media

💡 His most creative projects, including “Press Play,” a concert series likened to NPR’s Tiny Desk, which he helped revive at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

💡 Powerful advice to aspiring media professionals

💡 How musicians can most effectively collaborate with media professionals, especially those doing it for the first time

💡 A genius outreach strategy that any person can implement to truly make themselves stand out in oversaturated job markets and creative industries

💡 A reflection on his time in the BCC band and what the Collective means to him

Gus offers a wealth of knowledge well beyond his years sure to inspire any creative wanting to take the next steps toward their passion. Tune in to hear from an OG BCC staple—this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

📸 Check out Gus’ work: guswenke.myportfolio.com

🔔 Follow Gus on IG @guskathol_photo

📹 ⁠Watch the Press Play series⁠ by The Daily Nebraskan

👉 Enjoying the BCC Podcast? Follow, rate, and share the show!

💬Join the convo and get the latest updates @BlueCouchCollective on Instagram and TikTok

Side B | Track 1 - We couldn’t have asked for a better person to join the show for our very first interview.

Gus Kathol is a multimedia professional with a knack for portraying the energy and emotions of live events through his photo, video, and audio work. And, it just so happens he was also the bass player for the Blue Couch Collective band!

Gus joins us to share:

💡 The unique perspective being a musician gives him working in visual media

💡 His most creative projects, including “Press Play,” a concert series likened to NPR’s Tiny Desk, which he helped revive at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

💡 Powerful advice to aspiring media professionals

💡 How musicians can most effectively collaborate with media professionals, especially those doing it for the first time

💡 A genius outreach strategy that any person can implement to truly make themselves stand out in oversaturated job markets and creative industries

💡 A reflection on his time in the BCC band and what the Collective means to him

Gus offers a wealth of knowledge well beyond his years sure to inspire any creative wanting to take the next steps toward their passion. Tune in to hear from an OG BCC staple—this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

📸 Check out Gus’ work: guswenke.myportfolio.com

🔔 Follow Gus on IG @guskathol_photo

📹 Watch the Press Play series by The Daily Nebraskan

👉 Enjoying the BCC Podcast? Follow, rate, and share the show!

💬Join the convo and get the latest updates @BlueCouchCollective on Instagram and TikTok

Side A | Track 8 - We are so back! (Literally!)

AROUND THE COUCH:

The whole crew is finally back in studio together to recap our recent reunion trip, share our latest creative wins, and celebrate the exciting BCC brand news… the first official Blue Couch Collective Open Mic is a go!

BEHIND THE GRIND:

Inspiration Beyond Sound - How does visual art stir musical ideas, and vice versa? We dig into the value of immersing yourself in art of all kinds as a musician, and also just as a human being.

The Multidisciplinary Artist Identity - What are the advantages of being a “multi-hyphenate” artist in today’s landscape? Is it more beneficial or distracting to dabble in creating other art forms as a musician?

🎧 Tune in for a peak behind the curtain of life as an independent artist

👉 Enjoying the BCC Podcast? Follow, rate, and share the show!

💬 Join the convo and get the latest updates @BlueCouchCollective on Instagram and TikTok

Side A | Track 7 - Does environment actually shape your creativity—or are we all just blaming our writer’s block on the lack of a musical blue couch?

We start by kicking it AROUND THE COUCH with major updates: Carter’s apartment flooded? Ryan’s song hit the Discover Weekly algorithm jackpot? Will is living out our podcast’s advice and starting an open mic in his town? Hear these updates and more from our recent Brand, Creation, and Consumption highlights.

Then, we go BEHIND THE GRIND: Is there really a “perfect” songwriting spot? Ryan & Will discuss the importance of having both a dedicated space and opportunities to get away and write in new places. We give examples of setting affecting the tone and quality of songs, positively and negatively. Plus, how has technology changed songwriting? Is the ability to write on the move an advantage, or has it ultimately been detrimental to artists?

Capping off the episode with some fun and humor, we play a BLIND RANKING GAME: Ryan & Will must rank the best places to write a song without knowing which one comes next. Spoiler: Ryan’s last place pick is a slap in the face, and Will ends up with a stinky #1…

🎧 Tune in for a peak behind the curtain of life as an independent musician.

👉 Enjoying the BCC Podcast? Follow, rate, and share the show!

💬 Join the convo and get the latest updates @BlueCouchCollective on Instagram and TikTok.

Side A | Track 6 - Will & Ryan dive into a sacred—and sometimes unpredictable—rite of passage for independent artists: open mics.

AROUND THE COUCH: Ryan gets transparent about his recent songwriting drought and has a realization that the state of Georgia is the hub of all his favorite artists at the moment. Will takes a look back at his first show since embarking on a solo career under the "tagLine" persona. 

SOUNDCHECK: Will hits the audience with an impromptu performance of an unreleased original song!

BEHIND THE GRIND: We discuss why open mics are still one of the best tools for new artists—the value of showing up, the things they can teach you that practicing at home can't, and how to find them in your city. Plus, we detail what makes open mics so unpredictable, but also magical. By sharing our best and weirdest open mic stories, we give a lens into the plethora of possible outcomes and why you should be open to anything, including making some amazing connections and realizations. 

But, do open mics have an expiration date? Is there a point when they no longer serve you as an artist or where it's wrong to participate? We tackle those questions and more on this week's episode!

Side A | Track 5 - Artists feel pressure to either stick with what works or take creative risks that may open doors but alienate some fans. Is genre loyalty a smart strategy? Is it even possible in this age of music?

AROUND THE COUCH:

Ryan, Will, and Carter kick it around the couch to start, sharing about Ryan’s recent 6-hour dive bar gig, Will’s debut show as “tagLine,” Carter’s new summer playlist, and more.

IS GENRE DEAD IN THE AGE OF STREAMING AND PLAYLISTS?

We crack open this week’s big question by analyzing how streaming has encouraged genre fluidity both in music creation and consumption habits. But, do strict genre lines still serve a valuable purpose?

SHOULD EMERGING ARTISTS STICK TO ONE GENRE TO BUILD THEIR BRAND?

Early-career artists may benefit from genre consistency—it helps build a niche audience, clarify marketing, and attract label interest. But history tells us that evolution is powerful and fans resonate with an artist’s identity and differentiating qualities. Plus, restricting your creativity as an artist is a recipe for failure.

So what’s the right move? From Bob Dylan, to Post Malone, to even us—we walk through the artists who have struggled with this very question, and give our takes on the best approach.

Side A | Track 4 — AROUND THE COUCH: The BCC locked in their first interview, but Ryan got locked out of the studio and prevented it from ever happening… Plus, more on how the boys have been building their brands, creating, and consuming music over the crazy past couple of weeks.

YOU’LL BE MARRIED IN A YEAR IN THE SUBURBS: The opinions no one has been waiting for: the BCC cast weighs in on Brendan Abernathy’s viral tippy toe moment that has consumed the internet for weeks. We break down whether it really was cringe, just misunderstood, or a shining example of a deeper problem with society’s aversion to vulnerability. Carter’s hater gene kicks into full gear, while Ryan struggles with it, having met Brendan last month and empathizing with the grinding singer/songwriter.

MOONBEAM ICE CREAM: How the heck did Benson Boone get dragged into this? On that note, why is he getting dragged into the brutal comment sections of every cringeworthy video? We debate whether online hate is just something that comes with putting your art into the world, or if the internet goes too far with musicians.