Michael went from being a pharmacist by trade to being a rocker by trade. He says the guitar was his salvation. For over a decade he toured the world with his psychedelic rock band, Rodeo Massacre, where he was a guitarist, composer, and producer. At a certain point he leaned into fragrance as a medium for olfactive counterculture, a bridge between chemistry and art.

In this episode, Michael sits down with Benny Campa, who runs product design at Scentbird. They reminisce about the 70s and 80s grunge and punk music scene. Michael reveals why he feels like the black sheep of the perfume industry and tells the story of a fragrance he perfected to smell just like a vintage guitar from his childhood.

Highlights:

• Rodeo Massacre, Michael’s biggest musical experience
• Minor Threat, Guns N’ Roses, and the turning point in Michael’s life
• Michael’s biggest fear: turning 40 without fully working as a musician
• The tie between music and fragrance
• Dressing like Slash to an interview for a pharmacist position
• What led Michael to start Room 1015
• The true meaning of being an artist
• Capturing the spirit of the 70s with scents of nostalgic freedom
• The most trashed hotel room in history
• A legendary Keith Richards moment
• Scent Connection: Punk Rock Edition
• What did CBGB, Sonic Youth, The Zombies, Run DMC, and Nirvana smell like?
• Scent Spotlight: Purple Mantra, Electric Wood, and Cherry Punk
• The scent of Transcendental Meditation (and the story of the Beatles’ retreat with Maharishi)
• The fragrance that smells like Michael’s vintage Gibson from his childhood
• Vivienne Westwood’s London SEX Boutique and the punk aesthetic
• Reinventing yourself: make room for several "lives" within one life

Featured Fragrances:

Purple Mantra by Room 1015
Electric Wood by Room 1015
Cherry Punk by Room 1015

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