In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Ryan Oakes to talk about his new record Scary Stories After Dark, hitting the road, building a creative career, and the long road behind what people might mistake for overnight success.

Ryan opens up about the themes behind the album, including horror, anxiety, childhood trauma, panic attacks, depression, and the way music became a therapeutic outlet. He explains how the record started with the title before a single song existed, and how combining his love for thrillers, horror, cinematography, and music helped him build a world around real experiences.

This conversation also gets into the reality of chasing music for the long haul. Ryan talks about quitting sports after writing his first song, moving to Los Angeles with $1,000, lining up sessions and video shoots before he arrived, finding other creatives who were just as hungry, and learning that the people willing to split one appetizer and keep going are often the ones who make it.

Ryan also breaks down the truth about record deals, labels, content, touring, investing, building leverage, and why artists cannot wait for a manager, label, or playlist to save them. From learning through YouTube University to treating performance like a sport, Ryan’s story is a reminder that consistency, patience, and self-belief are still the foundation.

In this episode:

-The story behind Scary Stories After Dark
-Turning anxiety and childhood trauma into music
-Why Ryan quit sports and chose music
-Moving to LA with $1,000
-Finding the right creative people
-Why performance is like a muscle
-The truth about labels and record deals
-Why artists need leverage before signing
-Learning content, investing, and music through YouTube
-How Ryan thinks about catalog value, touring, merch, and income
-Why genres are becoming less important
-The patience it takes to build a real career

This episode is for artists, musicians, parents, and anyone trying to understand what it actually takes to build a life in music. The dream might take longer than you think. You might get told no a thousand times. You might have to build the fire yourself before anyone else shows up with fuel.

But if you keep showing up, keep creating, and stay patient with yourself, the work starts to compound.

Loyal To The Craft airs Tuesdays at 8 PM on Idobi Radio, with full video episodes releasing every Thursday.

Follow Ryan Oakes everywhere at Ryan Oakes Music, check out Scary Stories After Dark, and keep an eye out for new music and tour announcements.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

Backstage at When We Were Young, I’m joined by Jack Mudd (Emblem3) and Kyle Hulett (Cupid Theory Management) to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable career in music without relying on “going viral.”

Jack takes us through the early days: dreaming big, learning drums in the basement, pulling neighbors into garage jams, throwing house shows with DIY flyers, and using YouTube to start building momentum. Kyle shares the manager side: moving to L.A. with nothing but a plan, taking any job necessary to stay afloat, making yourself useful, and learning every role in the industry so you can build a real team later.

We also get into the hard truth: virality isn’t a business model. It can be helpful, but if it hits before your foundation is ready (team, rights, follow-up music, fan data, systems), it can collapse fast. The better path? Fall in love with the grind, build real connection, collect your community, and treat your career like a business - one step at a time.

In this episode:
- Starting from a dream: basement practice → garage band → house shows
- Why “just start” matters (and what “start” can look like)
- Putting yourself out there: the scary first performance + first uploads
- The leap to L.A. and doing whatever it takes to stay in the game
- Virality vs. sustainability (and why early viral success can be dangerous)
- Building foundations: team, rights/ownership, follow-ups, fan data, merch + touring
- Authenticity matters: fans can tell when it’s not really you
- “Web, not a ladder” — how connections create momentum
- What “Loyal to the Craft” means: don’t stop, accept the seasons, keep showing up

If you’re an artist, manager, or parent trying to understand how music careers are built today—this conversation is a masterclass in patience, consistency, and real-world strategy.

Huge thanks to DistroKid for helping fuel the habit and making it possible for us to be backstage capturing tips & tricks for emerging artists. Start releasing your music today: http://www.distrokid.com/vip/LTTC

Catch Loyal to the Craft live on Tuesdays at 8PM ET on idobi Radio. 

#LoyalToTheCraft #Emblem3 #JackMudd #MusicIndustry #IndependentArtist #DistroKid #WhenWeWereYoung #WWWY #ArtistDevelopment #MusicMarketing #DIYMusic

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Grave Secrets to talk about chasing the dream, putting in the work, and how an independent band can start finding its way into rooms with some of the biggest names in music. Mike first connected with Grave Secrets around the Vans Warped Tour pre-show in Florida and has been following the band’s rise ever since.

Grave Secrets opens up about their new music, signing with new management, working with the MDDN team, and getting into the studio with major collaborators like Travis Barker, Nick Long, and Matt Squire. What started as songs written from the heart has turned into writing rooms, new opportunities, and a growing rollout that the band is still learning how to navigate in real time.

The band also shares the story of how one DM to Joel Madden helped open the door to a bigger conversation. From Kevin reaching out, to Joel hearing their song, to the band eventually connecting with MDDN after Warped Tour, this episode breaks down how relationships, timing, persistence, and putting your music out can create opportunities you never saw coming.

But this conversation is not just about big names. Grave Secrets talks honestly about the grind behind it all: playing Warped Tour as one of the smallest bands on the lineup, still working day jobs, building support systems, staying healthy, writing through real life, and understanding that management, booking agents, and big tours do not mean the work is over — they mean the work is just beginning.

In this episode:

-How Grave Secrets connected with Loyal To The Craft
-New music, new management, and what’s next for the band
-Getting into the studio with Travis Barker, Nick Long, and Matt Squire
-The DM that led to Joel Madden hearing their music
-How Emo Nite helped open major doors
-Playing Warped Tour and building real momentum
-Why young artists need to put their music out
-The reality of still working day jobs while chasing the dream
-Writing vulnerable songs that actually mean something
-Why health, support systems, and consistency matter
-What Grave Secrets has coming next with new music and touring

This episode is for young musicians, bands, parents, and anyone trying to understand how the music industry really works. You never know who is listening. You never know who is watching. But if you keep writing, keep posting, keep showing up, and keep building real relationships, one song or one DM can change the next chapter.

Follow Grave Secrets, check out their new single “Cherry Chapstick,” and keep an eye out for their upcoming EP and tour announcements.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Steve Carey, drummer for Senses Fail, to talk about one of the most full-circle stories in music: growing up as a fan of the band and eventually becoming their drummer.

Steve takes it back to the beginning, discovering punk, emo, screamo, Warped Tour, blink-182, and the early 2000s music scene that made him want to start a band. From playing with his friends in Rockford, Illinois, to forming what would become The Color Morale, Steve shares how years of local shows, self-funded recordings, touring, and persistence built the foundation for everything that came next.

The conversation also gets honest about what happens when a major chapter ends. Steve opens up about the identity crisis that came after The Color Morale wound down, the mental turbulence of losing something that had defined so much of his life, and how family, touring, and perseverance helped him keep moving forward.

Then came the full-circle moment: a DM from Dan Trapp, an audition in Pasadena, and the chance to play drums for a band he once skipped school to see as a teenager. Steve talks through the nerves, the preparation, the audition, and the surreal feeling of realizing he might actually be joining one of the bands that helped shape him.

In this episode:

-Growing up on Warped Tour, blink-182, emo, screamo, and punk
-Starting bands in high school and building from the basement
-The Color Morale, Rise Records, and the early grind
-Why endorsements can build confidence and open doors
-What happens when a band ends and your identity shifts
-The importance of family and mental health during major transitions
-How Steve got the Senses Fail audition
-The story of skipping school to see Senses Fail in 2004
-What it felt like auditioning for his childhood favorite band
-Why there’s life outside the comfort bubble
-New Senses Fail music coming with Steve on drums

This episode is for young musicians, parents, teachers, and anyone trying to understand what it really takes to keep going in music. The path is rarely clean. Bands end. Chapters change. Identity gets tested. But how you respond can lead you somewhere even bigger than you expected.

Steve’s story is proof that the kid in the crowd can one day become the person on stage.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Hyper Vision to talk about chasing the craft, building a band across distance, writing heavy music remotely, and creating an entire world around a project from the ground up.

Hyper Vision breaks down how the band started through separate collaborations between Jackson Rose, Logan, and Patrick eventually turning into something bigger when fans kept pushing them to make it official. What began as remote writing, voice memos, Discord chats, and shared creative trust became a full project with songs, visuals, branding, content, and a rollout they’re genuinely excited about.

The band talks about making music while spread across the country, only getting together in person a handful of times, and filming content for every song on the record in one day. They also share why this process has allowed them to collaborate without ego, turn strange ideas into real songs, and build something that feels cleaner, more intentional, and fully their own.

This conversation also gets into the modern DIY music world: teaching yourself marketing, learning creative skills instead of waiting for a team, recording with limited resources, building a brand identity, creating vertical mini music videos, and proving that restrictions can actually fuel creativity.

In this episode:

-How Hyper Vision formed across different cities and time zones
-Turning internet collaborations into a real band
-Writing music through Discord, voice memos, and file sharing
-Why having no ego makes collaboration stronger
-Building a full album rollout before the album drops
-Learning drums from MIDI and translating programmed parts live
-Why young artists should learn marketing, content, and visuals
-Recording an album with limited resources
-Creating the Hyper Vision brand, visuals, and “patient portal” world
-Why DIY creativity still matters in heavy music

This episode is for young musicians, producers, drummers, vocalists, and creators trying to understand what’s possible right now. You don’t need to live in the same city. You don’t need a massive budget. You don’t need permission.

Start making things. Find your people. Build the world yourself.

Follow Hyper Vision everywhere and check out the new music, visuals, and rollout as it continues.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Bird and Byron to talk about their journey from Columbus, Ohio to America’s Got Talent and the real work happening behind the scenes.

Bird and Byron share how their project started through a hometown connection, how their sound evolved from raw blues into a soul, Motown, and rock-inspired blend, and how years of writing, touring, recording, and pushing forward led them to one of their biggest opportunities yet.

They also break down what the America’s Got Talent experience was really like: the interviews, long filming days, nerves, waiting, and finally stepping on stage when the moment arrived.

But this conversation goes deeper than TV. Bird and Byron talk about touring in an Odyssey, flat tires, alternator problems, working regular jobs while chasing music, getting fired for taking opportunities, learning how to communicate as a band, and figuring out when the risk is worth it.

In this episode:

- How Bird and Byron first connected and started writing together
- The evolution of their sound
- How America’s Got Talent found them
- What the AGT audition process was really like
- Building confidence through repetition and live shows
- The reality of touring in the early stages
- Balancing jobs, bills, relationships, and the dream
- Why communication matters inside a band
- The importance of supportive parents and community
- What comes next: new music, a new record, and building momentum   after AGT

This episode is for young musicians, parents, teachers, and anyone trying to understand what it actually looks like to chase a life in music. The spotlight moments matter  but the real story is the patience, risk, support, and work that happen long before anyone sees the final performance.

Follow Bird and Byron everywhere, watch their America’s Got Talent performances, and keep an eye out for what they’re building next.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

In this episode, Mike Ciprari sits down with Jay Weinberg for a thoughtful conversation about creativity, fatherhood, collaboration, resilience, and what it means to keep building after a major life and career shift.

Jay opens up about becoming a new father, how that responsibility has sharpened his creative focus, and why this season of life has pushed him deeper into writing, recording, painting, collaborating, and finally releasing music that has been years in the making.

From his chapters with Bruce Springsteen, Against Me! Slipknot, Suicidal Tendencies, and beyond, Jay reflects on the importance of staying active as an artist, finding your people, and refusing to sit still creatively. He also talks about his “anti-solo project” a collaborative body of work built with friends, heroes, and artists who have inspired him along the way.

In this episode:

- Jay’s first months of fatherhood and how it has changed his creative focus
- Why artists need multiple creative outlets
- Making music, painting, recording, and building a studio at home
- His time with Suicidal Tendencies and the power of being picked up by community
- Releasing music that has been waiting for years
- Why collaboration helps musicians grow
- The importance of finding your tribe
- Building a creative life through resilience, risk, and showing up
- Why “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing”

This conversation is for musicians, artists, and anyone trying to build a life around creativity. Jay’s story is a reminder that the path is rarely linear but if you keep showing up, keep creating, and keep your people close, the next chapter can become something even bigger than you expected.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

Tim and Mike go all the way back to the early days of Warped Tour, Drive-Thru Records, AbsolutePunk, custom drums, and DIY touring. Tim shares how playing in bands, saying yes to small gigs, building real relationships, and staying ready over years of work eventually led him to the opportunity he has now with Alex Warren.

This conversation gets into the real mechanics of being a professional touring musician: playing to a click, learning arrangements before rehearsal, running tracks, communicating with the band, leading rehearsals, and understanding that the hour on stage is only one part of the job.

Tim also talks about how fast the Alex Warren world has grown from smaller rooms to arenas, massive crews, production rehearsals, pyro, confetti, catering, automation, and the behind-the-scenes jobs that make a large-scale tour happen every night.

This episode is for drummers, musicians, parents, teachers, and anyone trying to understand how a real music career is built. It doesn’t happen overnight but with persistence, preparation, relationships, and a willingness to say yes, the dream is more attainable than it may seem.

Shoutout to Idobi Radio and our partners at DistroKid for supporting independent artists and helping Loyal To The Craft share these stories with the next generation.

Follow Tim Spier, catch Alex Warren on tour, and support local independent musicians chasing their dreams.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and industry voices helping the next generation build sustainable careers in music.

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike Ciprari sits down with Electric Callboy and Frank Zummo to hear the band’s side of the story behind one of the wildest last-minute drummer situations imaginable.

After interviewing Frank last year about stepping into the Electric Callboy set in Australia, Mike brings the conversation full circle this time hearing from the band about the chaos, nerves, trust, and commitment it took to make that first show happen.

The story starts early in the morning in Australia, when the band found out their drummer was gone and they had a headline slot to play. Through a last-minute connection with the Sum 41 camp, Frank got the call and his response was simple: give him six hours, don’t talk to him, and he’d do it.

What started as a stressful emergency quickly became something bigger. Electric Callboy talks about being intimidated, trusting a legendary drummer with almost no rehearsal time, and realizing after the first note that Frank could handle it.

Now, a year later, the band reflects on how Frank became more than a fill-in. They talk about friendship, commitment, chemistry, pre-show rituals, the importance of teamwork, and why there’s no room for ego when you’re building something that works.

This conversation is a reminder that opportunities can come from anywhere but being ready, being dependable, and being someone people want to work with can change everything.

Shoutout to Electric Callboy, Frank Zummo, the School of Rock students who joined the conversation, and everyone chasing a life in music.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more real conversations with artists, musicians, and industry voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

Mike Ciprari sits down with Cyrus Bolooki, drummer of New Found Glory, for a wide-ranging conversation about drums, touring, business, family, motivation, and what it really takes to build a long-term career in music.

Cyrus talks about New Found Glory’s tour with Yellowcard and Plain White T’s, the resurgence of stacked pop-punk lineups, and why live shows are still one of the most powerful ways to build a real fanbase. He also looks back on the early days of South Florida shows, Drive-Thru Records, Warped Tour, and the grassroots work that helped New Found Glory grow from a local band into a career that has lasted nearly three decades.

This episode also gets into the business side of music: when to build a team, why New Found Glory brought on a booking agent before management, how to think about guarantees and merch, and why surrounding yourself with the right people matters. Cyrus also opens up about life outside of touring being a dad, building side hustles in real estate and accounting, and learning how to stack skills so music can stay sustainable over time.

In this episode:
 - Touring with Yellowcard and Plain White T’s
 - Early Warped Tour, Drive-Thru Records, and South Florida scene stories
 - Why playing shows still matters in the digital age
 - How New Found Glory built their fanbase through community
 - The business of touring, guarantees, merch, and budgets
 - Building the right team around your band
 - Side hustles, real estate, accounting, and life beyond the road
 - Balancing family life with touring
 - New Found Glory’s new song “Good To Go” and the story behind it
 - Staying motivated after decades in music

If you’re a young musician, touring artist, parent, or anyone trying to understand how a sustainable music career is actually built, this conversation is full of practical advice and real perspective from someone who has lived it.

Shoutout to Idobi Radio and our partners at DistroKid for supporting independent music and helping Loyal To The Craft share these conversations with the next generation.

Follow Cyrus Bolooki and New Found Glory, catch them on tour, and keep chasing your dreams.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and industry voices helping the next generation build real careers in music.