LOYAL TO THE CRAFT

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike Ciprari sits down with Valentino of Mice & Men for a conversation about nearly two decades in the band, surviving adversity, starting over when the dream falls apart, and the mindset required to build a life in music.

For Valentino, longevity starts with something simple:

Believe in yourself. Trust the process. Put in the hours.

After nearly 18 years with Of Mice & Men and years of making music before that Valentino has experienced the highs, lows, lineup changes, failed plans, tours, record deals, sacrifices and unexpected turns that come with trying to build a sustainable career in music. His philosophy today is rooted in continuing to develop your craft, surrounding yourself with the right people and never becoming complacent.

One of the biggest lessons came before Of Mice & Men even existed.

Valentino’s previous band Lower Definition signed a record deal in 2006. They were touring, their album was in stores and it felt like the dream was finally happening.

Then the label shut down.

The album was shelved. The momentum disappeared. The band began falling apart.

Instead of letting that become the end of his story, Valentino took another chance joining people he barely knew to create what would eventually become Of Mice & Men.

From there, this conversation becomes a roadmap for anyone trying to build something creative.

Valentino talks about why musicians need community, why your first band probably won’t be your last, how to communicate expectations with bandmates, and why your goals should start small enough that you can actually work toward them.

For him, an early dream wasn’t selling out arenas.

It was simply being able to walk into Best Buy and purchase an album that he had helped make.

He achieved that goal and then kept moving the goalposts.

Valentino also breaks down his philosophy around manifestation. It isn’t sitting around hoping something happens. It’s speaking the goal, writing it down, visualizing it and then doing the work necessary to move toward it.

As he puts it, even practicing your instrument can be a form of manifestation: every hour you put in is moving you closer to becoming the musician you pictured yourself becoming.

In this episode:

-Nearly 18 years of Of Mice & Men
-Why belief and work ethic matter
-Lower Definition signing a record deal and watching it disappear
-Starting Of Mice & Men after everything fell apart
-Why adversity is inevitable in music
-Finding your tribe and building community
-Growing up alongside bands like Pierce The Veil
-Watching friends go from coffee shops to arenas and stadiums
-Setting realistic goals instead of chasing fame
-Manifestation through action
-Why success rarely happens overnight
-Working at Pizza Hut while touring
-Losing jobs because of the band
-Learning graphic design to support a music career
-Touring with duct-taped drumsticks
-Balancing school, jobs and touring
-Communicating your ambitions to the people around you
-Getting kicked out of home after choosing the road
-Why sometimes chasing the dream requires uncomfortable sacrifices
-Why artists have to actually share their work
-Staying inspired after decades in music
-Paying the knowledge forward to the next generation

This conversation is proof that the first version of the plan does not have to work.

The record deal can disappear.

The band can break up.

The job can replace you.

People can tell you the dream is unrealistic.

You can get knocked down and still find another way forward.

Because the goal isn’t avoiding adversity.

It’s becoming the kind of person who can keep moving when it shows up.

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

Follow Valentino, listen to Of Mice & Men and Lower Definition, and keep an eye on what comes next.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more honest conversations with musicians, creatives and industry veterans about what it actually takes to build a life around your passion.

In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Simon Crahan of Vended for a raw conversation about growing up around music, finding his own identity as a drummer, earning his place, and dealing with the assumptions that come with being born into a world most young musicians only dream of.

Simon takes it back to the beginning playing on a small electric kit, getting his first real drum set, meeting Mike backstage at a Slipknot show, and realizing at a young age that drumming was not just something fun to do. It was the thing that made sense. He talks about coming home from school and playing for hours, obsessing over every detail of the kit, and realizing music was where he belonged.

But this conversation goes much deeper than drums. Simon opens up about initially saying no to Vended, losing his sister, dropping out of high school, and how music became the thing that helped him through one of the darkest seasons of his life. He also reflects on the custom snare drum Mike helped create in honor of his sister a piece that became more than an instrument.

Simon also gets honest about the criticism Vended faces from the outside. People may assume things were handed to them, but Simon talks about the reality: unloading their own gear, touring in a sprinter van, changing in trailers, breaking down on the road, missing home, dealing with mental health, and still having to prove themselves every night.

In this episode:

-Simon’s first real drum kit and early relationship with Mike
-Growing up around Slipknot but building his own path
-Why he almost said no to Vended
-Losing his sister and using music to survive grief
-The custom snare drum made in her honor
-Why Vended still has to earn it like every other band
-Touring in vans, RVs, and broken-down trailers
-The truth about being judged by your last name
-Mental health on the road
-Post-tour depression and the obsession musicians feel
-Why “practice makes you better” is deeper than it sounds
-What young musicians need to know before chasing the road

This episode is for drummers, bands, parents, and young musicians trying to understand what it actually takes to build a life in music. Access might open a door, but it does not carry your gear, write your songs, win your crowd, survive the road, or earn respect for you.

Simon’s story is a reminder that you still have to show up, fail, learn, get punched in the face, and keep going.

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

Follow Simon Crahan and Vended, 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 of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Dre Hemby, drummer for Teddy Swims, to talk about fellowship, faith, drums, giving back, and the story behind the first-ever official Loyal Drum kit. Dre joins the conversation while deep in rehearsals for Teddy Swims’ upcoming arena tour, where the scale has grown into a massive production with more buses, trucks, staging, lights, visuals, and a whole new wave of music on the way.

This conversation traces the relationship between Mike, Dre, and the Loyal team back to a chance meeting in Las Vegas, a high school visit in Raleigh with the Freak Freely band, dinners, FaceTimes, and moments of trust that eventually led to something much bigger than a drum build. When the call came that Dre needed kits for Coachella and the tour, Loyal, Noble & Cooley, and Dre came together fast turning a brand-new idea into the first official Loyal kit in a matter of days.

Dre opens up about what made the process feel right: the fellowship, the energy, the craftsmanship, the purpose, and the shared mission of inspiring the next generation. From visiting the Noble & Cooley factory to hearing the drums on stage, the story became about more than gear  it became about community, trust, and creating something that could help open doors for young musicians.

Mike and Dre also talk about the first Loyal kit, the special Noble & Cooley snare, the pressure of building two full kits in less than two weeks, the Coachella moment, the upcoming Teddy Swims arena tour, and why giving back will always be part of the Loyal mission.

In this episode:

-Dre Hemby rehearsing for Teddy Swims’ arena tour
-How Dre and Mike first connected in Las Vegas
-The fellowship that built the Loyal relationship
-The story behind the first-ever official Loyal Drum kit
-Why Noble & Cooley became part of the journey
-Building two full kits on a 12-day timeline
-The snare drum that caught Dre’s attention immediately
-Coachella, Mohegan Sun, TD Garden, and the next chapter
-Giving back to young musicians through Loyal To The Craft
-Why music should always leave room for every voice, every heart, and every dream

This episode is for drummers, musicians, creators, and anyone building something new with people they believe in. Dre’s story is a reminder that the right relationships can create more than opportunities they can create a movement.

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

Follow Dre Hemby, Teddy Swims, and Loyal Drums for more on the first Loyal kit, the arena tour, and everything coming 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 of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Zendé Murdock of The Runarounds to talk about the real band behind the show, getting cast through an Instagram audition, proving themselves live, and what happened after the series did not continue into another season.

Zendé shares how The Runarounds came together as an experimental idea: instead of casting actors and teaching them to play music, the creators wanted to cast real musicians and teach them how to act. What started as a music-driven TV project became something much bigger a real band with real songs, real shows, and real fans.

The story begins with an Instagram casting call connected to the creators of Outer Banks. Zendé saw the post, sent in an audition tape, and later learned that the drum covers he had already uploaded to YouTube helped show the team who he was as a player and performer. It is a perfect reminder for young musicians: the videos you post today might become the resume someone finds tomorrow.

This conversation also gets into the pressure of being seen as a “TV band.” Zendé explains how the show recorded the music live on set, how the band worked for years with acting coaches and directors, and how they wanted their live shows to prove that The Runarounds were not just something made for the screen.

Zendé also opens up about why the show was not renewed, how the band chose to focus on gratitude instead of disappointment, and why the end of the show did not mean the end of the band. The Runarounds could still tour, write records, connect with fans, and build something that lives outside of the TV world.

In this episode:

-How Zendé joined The Runarounds
-The Instagram story that led to his audition
-Why posting drum covers mattered more than he knew
-Casting real musicians and teaching them to act
-Recording live music on set
-Proving The Runarounds were a real band
-What happened after Season 1
-Why trusted people matter in contracts and negotiations
-Touring after the show aired
-Meeting young fans who started bands because of The Runarounds
-Why being talented is not enough if you are not a good hang
-Building a path in music through networking and consistency

This episode is for young musicians, drummers, parents, and anyone wondering how real opportunities happen. Sometimes it is one Instagram story. Sometimes it is one YouTube cover. Sometimes it is one handshake. Sometimes it is years of work that finally gets seen at the right time.

The Runarounds may have started through a TV show, but the band did not stop when the show ended.

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

Follow Zendé Murdock and The Runarounds, check out the music, and keep an eye on what they are 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 of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike Ciprari sits down with Kaylee and Josh of RIVALS for a conversation about signing with Epitaph, building a band from the ground up, touring economics, side hustles, confidence, accountability, creative independence, and learning enough of the business to know when the right opportunity finally shows up.

For years, the goal for countless young bands has been simple: get signed.

RIVALS reached a very different point.

After years of doing things themselves, they were finally making money independently, collecting their own royalties, managing the business, creating their own content and already handling many of the things a traditional label might offer.

So when labels came calling, the question became:

What can you actually add?

That changed when Epitaph Records entered the picture.

Kaylee and Josh talk about why Epitaph felt different from the deal itself to a team that genuinely believed in the larger creative world RIVALS wanted to build. Instead of asking them to fit into someone else’s idea, they were willing to help give the band the resources to execute their own.

That world is ambitious.

RIVALS  is connecting music videos, comics, artwork, merchandise and storytelling into one larger concept. And they get transparent about what that ambition actually costs.

Their latest music video initially came back with an estimated $45,000 budget. After making adjustments, the video itself landed around $35,000, with travel and other expenses pushing the overall investment closer to $40,000.

But this conversation isn’t about telling young artists they need a $40,000 video.

It’s about everything RIVALS did before they ever had access to that kind of support.

They wrote constantly. Rehearsed. Played local shows. Learned how to tour. Slept in vans. Built spreadsheets. Worked outside jobs. Learned graphic design, marketing, live-production systems and content creation. They developed enough knowledge to understand both the creative side and the economics of keeping a band alive.

And even today, they’re still learning.

Kaylee and Josh talk about rebuilding their own live rack, figuring out technical problems themselves, and why every musician should understand enough of their own show to solve a problem when something inevitably goes wrong.

They also give one of the most practical breakdowns we’ve heard on starting a band: find good people with a common goal, keep writing, rehearse, play shows and hold each other accountable.

In this episode:

-Why RIVALS thought they were done with record labels
-What made Epitaph different
-Making money independently as a band
-Why artists need to understand their own business
-Building a larger creative world around an album
-Spending roughly $40,000 on a music video
-Knowing when to compromise creatively because of budget
-Touring expenses and why scaling up costs more than you think
-Why spreadsheets can keep a band alive
-Sleeping in the van instead of getting hotels
-Working jobs while building a successful band
-Graphic design, marketing and other skills musicians can monetize
-The five fundamentals for starting a band
-Accountability between bandmates
-Why uncomfortable conversations are often the most important ones
-Learning your own live-production gear
-Reaching out to producers and collaborators yourself
-Why sending the email is worth the risk
-Building confidence through repetition
-Why authenticity matters
-Learning new skills even when they are outside your comfort zone

One of the clearest themes throughout this episode is that opportunities become more valuable when you’ve already learned how to operate without them.

RIVALS didn’t sit around waiting for a label to create the band.

They built the band. They learned the business. They developed the vision. They kept creating.

And when the right partner finally arrived, they had enough experience to recognize the difference between simply getting signed and finding a team that could actually help them go further.

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

Follow RIVALS, check out their new music and keep an eye on the world they’re building with Epitaph.

Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more honest conversations about building a sustainable life in music.

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.