Episode 031 – Aaron Farrell | MAKE // BREAK

Aaron Farrell is a Welsh-born writer and editor whose work spans travel-lit grit and sharp cultural criticism. He’s the author of The Lost and Found: A Contemporary Travelling Thriller of Good, Bad and Bohemian All Pursuing Their Passions – However Pure or Perverse and the poetry collection ArtBeat: The Ekphrastic Spastic, alongside essays that thread music, class, and mental health. A former co-founder/editor at Cape Magazine, Aaron is now restarting his work with V13, where his “Violent Expression” columns distill lived experience into clear, hard-hitting prose. In this episode of MAKE // BREAK, we talk turning miles into pages, building durable writing habits, and navigating independent publishing with honesty, resilience, and a bias toward action.

👀 What you’ll hear

• Trace the Welsh roots and working-class grit that shaped Aaron’s voice and worldview as a writer

• Follow the leap from youth work to Camp America and how that unlocked a decade of travelling and ages

• Steal simple, repeatable writing habits Aaron used to draft and redraft his first novel over four years

• Learn the low-budget systems he used in Australia to write a book from a van and library desks

• Hear why martial arts discipline and film scores became his engines for consistency and atmosphere

🕰️ Chapters

00:00 Intro, names, why this conversation on MAKE // BREAK

01:52 Welsh identity, Swansea upbringing, Dylan Thomas influence

05:11 Welsh language history, the Blue Books, finding a voice

11:34 Youth work, teaching, and the first sparks of writing

15:21 Camp America, New York summers, horizons opening

24:31 Returning to craft, reading more, building habits

33:45 Blogging in 2013, film reviews, keeping momentum

48:41 Deciding to travel long-term, Thailand to South Africa

53:32 Australia farm work, the van, Byron Bay library pages

56:47 Drafting the novel that became The Lost and Found

58:55 Self-publishing in 2020 and what he learned

1:08:37 Writing at V13, “Violent Expression,” next book in development

🔗 Guest Links (site first, then socials)

https://v13.net/author/aaron_farrell/

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/makebreak

https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish

https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links

https://v13.net

If this helped, subscribe and tell us in the comments which part of Aaron’s indie publishing journey you want us to dig into next.

(explicit language)

#MakeBreak #AaronFarrell #IndependentPublishing

Episode 008 – Ger Carriere | MAKE // BREAK

Geraldine “Ger” Carriere is a Cree singer-songwriter, bestselling author, speaker, and the founder of Wild Woman Personal & Professional Development. Based in Saskatchewan, Ger’s work spans music, literature, and empowerment, each rooted in her mission to help women, especially Indigenous creatives, reclaim their voice and lead with purpose. Her recent singles Can I Be Her, Are You My Type, and Blessed in My Heels continue a run of soulful pop that balances strength with vulnerability. In this episode of MAKE // BREAK, Ger joins host Lance Marwood to talk identity, resilience, and the ongoing act of choosing yourself, again and again, in a world that often asks you to shrink.

👀 What you’ll hear

• How Ger turned the label “wild” into a movement empowering Indigenous women and creatives

• The moment she swore she’d never undersell herself again — and how it shaped her career

• Why her singles “Can I Be Her” and “Are You My Type” explore femininity, freedom, and permission

• The truth about self-validation, fear, and faith that drives her music and coaching work

• How therapy, purpose, and self-belief keep her grounded while she builds across music, books, and business

🕰️ Chapters

00:00 Opening reflections on love, fear, and purpose

01:20 Ger introduces herself in Cree and shares her origin story

06:00 Rejecting “niche down” advice and embracing creative duality

10:36 On identity, underdog energy, and reclaiming representation

16:18 Early influences from Tupac, Prince, and Tina Turner

23:41 The high-school moment that taught her to never shrink again

41:11 Surviving without safety nets and betting on herself

42:50 The making of Wild Woman and her newest singles

49:53 Vulnerability, personas, and authenticity in performance

52:39 Lessons from therapy on validation and self-worth

1:00:36 Closing thoughts on faith, fear, and finding your voice

🔗 Guest Links

https://www.wildwomanwithin.me

https://instagram.com/gercarriere

https://tiktok.com/@gercarriere

https://www.youtube.com/@GCARRIER23

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3fbfbBjMDl5zUeJXdmIn8g

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/makebreak

https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish

https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links

https://v13.net

Subscribe and drop a comment: how do you balance being multifaceted without losing your core?

(explicit language)

#MakeBreak #Carriere #WildWoman

Episode 002 – Cousteau Christopher | MAKE // BREAK

Cousteau Christopher is the Santa Barbara musician behind Djentrified, a project fusing djent, metalcore, and deathcore with cinematic and political storytelling. His breakout single “This Song Shouldn’t Exist” went viral as a fundraiser for Palestinian relief, followed quickly by “Welcome to the Abyss” and “Harbinger.” With chart placements on Metal Contraband and NACC Heavy, Djentrified proved that independent heavy music can still cut through the noise. Yet, just as momentum built, TikTok banned Christopher’s account without explanation, cutting off 16,000 followers overnight. On MAKE // BREAK, he talks about resilience in the face of digital gatekeeping, the realities of DIY promotion, and why his music is designed as both warning and call to action. It is an honest account of what happens when heavy riffs collide with systemic resistance, and why artists must keep creating even when platforms try to silence them

👀 What you’ll hear

• Explain how a viral TikTok campaign built 16,000 followers in just two months
• Break down why his debut single “This Song Shouldn’t Exist” became a protest anthem
• Explore the tension between using Spotify and critiquing its CEO’s investments
• Share how burnout from social media is the biggest bottleneck for independent artists
• Reveal horror inspirations and how layered lyrics deliver political and personal impact

🕰️ Chapters
00:00 Introduction and name pronunciation
01:00 Building a real fan base with empathy and morality
03:30 TikTok blow-up and “This Song Shouldn’t Exist” fundraiser for Palestine
07:00 Crossing into mainstream listeners outside of metal
10:00 Genre talk: djent, metalcore, and the evolution of heavy music
16:00 Challenges of being a solo project in Santa Barbara
18:30 Choosing values over comfort: the cost of empathy and morality
25:00 Spotify, ethical dilemmas, and no-win situations under capitalism
34:00 Wearing every hat: where burnout really strikes
37:00 The importance of email lists vs fragile social media platforms
43:00 Framing Djentrified as a movement, not just a band
53:00 Childhood medical trauma, hallucinations, and horror influence
59:00 Jordan Peele, false neutrality, and political commentary in art
01:13:00 Layered lyrics, Genius annotations, and musical Easter eggs
01:16:00 Closing thoughts and future directions

🔗 Guest Links
https://linktr.ee/djentrified.official
https://djentrified.substack.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@CousteauOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/djentrified.official/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QUUobR8FRqVwnhCvUWrIx?si=D2AHqIMEQJe9LbdXrKACdQ

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links
https://open.spotify.com/show/5GDOUd909p7ir2W74M9teg?si=cbc7e01e13ba4a20
https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish
https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links
https://v13.net

Tell us in the comments: would you choose comfort or conscience in today’s music business?

(audio glitch in parts, explicit language)

#MakeBreak #Djentrified #MusicIndustry

Episode 007 – Robert Stahl | MAKE // BREAK

Robert E. Stahl is the Dallas-based horror author behind Show Me Where It Hurts (JournalStone, 2025), a debut collection of 30 short stories and poems exploring grief, transformation, and the monstrous within. A former bartender turned writer and filmmaker, Stahl built his voice at the intersection of prose and comics, drawing on influences like Swamp Thing while developing a pragmatic editing and submissions routine. In this episode of MAKE // BREAK with host Lance Marwood, he breaks down the “rejection math” behind landing pro-market placements, the origins of that unforgettable teeth cover, and the mindset that carried him from first readers to a book deal and Texas tour. It’s equal parts craft talk, resilience playbook, and indie-publishing reality check.

👀 What you’ll hear

• Distil the title and teeth cover into a surprising origin story from a poem and a monster

• Share the rejection-to-acceptance ratio and how persistence finally cracked pro markets

• Explain how Swamp Thing and Monkey’s Paw tropes shaped a devastating reunion scene

• Map the indie publishing path through grief, resilience, and landing with JournalStone

• Detail a pragmatic editing system — cooling time, trusted first readers, revision boundaries

• Offer brass-tacks routines for writing, submissions, and surviving the industry’s noes

🕰️ Chapters

00:00 Why Show Me Where It Hurts and the iconic teeth cover

01:52 Rejections, first pro-market sales, contest experiences

04:29 Political horror and placing in Story Unlikely

06:20 Swamp Thing influence and Monkey’s Paw mechanics

10:18 Publishing gauntlet, grief, and finding JournalStone

13:28 Resilience mindset — “the action is the juice”

16:39 Blood onstage story and Halloween gig

17:50 Books that reset creatives — King, Pressfield, Gilbert

18:44 Comics craft — Moore, Hickman, Gaiman shaping horror voice

25:37 Contemporary horror influences — Jones, Ketchum, Barker

39:45 Top films — Hereditary, The Descent, Talk To Me

48:06 Editing, first readers, routine, and rejection-proof habits

🔗 Guest Links

https://www.robertestahl.com/

https://www.instagram.com/robert_e_stahl_author/

https://www.facebook.com/RobertEStahlAuthorhttps://x.com/RobertStahlTX

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/makebreak

https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish

https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links

https://v13.net

If this helped, subscribe and tell us in the comments how you handle rejection in the publishing grind

(explicit language)

#MakeBreak #Stahl #HorrorWriting

Episode 006 – Brandon O’Neill | MAKE // BREAK

Brandon O’Neill is the founder, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist behind Wine & Warpaint, the Richmond-based indie rock project whose debut album Disassociate (2024) earned recognition as one of the year’s standout independent releases. Known for blending raw emotion with meticulous production, O’Neill has built Wine & Warpaint into a self-sustaining project that thrives at the intersection of DIY ethos and professional polish. In this episode of MAKE // BREAK, he joins host Lance Marwood to discuss recording with producer Kyle Black (Paramore, Pierce the Veil), the mental shifts that come with travelling for art, and the constant push-pull between algorithms, AI, and authenticity. O’Neill’s perspective offers a grounded, thoughtful look at what it means to create meaningful work in today’s music business.

👀 What you’ll hear

• Unpack how Wine & Warpaint built momentum with their debut album Disassociate and a fiercely DIY approach

• Share what Brandon learned working with producer Kyle Black (Paramore, Pierce the Veil) and why meticulousness matters

• Debate the rise of AI tools, social media burnout, and whether content creation helps or hurts real artistry

• Expose the broken incentives of algorithms that reward rage and novelty instead of genuine music discovery

• Explore why local community, collaboration, and micro-level choices are how artists can break out of toxic systems

• Leave with Brandon’s advice on how artists can stay humble, experiment, and keep making the work they believe in

🕰️ Chapters

00:00 Intro and welcome with Brandon O’Neill

02:00 Flying cross-country to record with Kyle Black

05:00 Shifting headspace and finding inspiration in LA

09:00 Discovering meticulous creativity in the studio

13:00 Lessons from producers vs DIY recording

18:00 Fast workflows, Pro Tools shortcuts, and setup hacks

20:00 Debating AI tools, artistry, and the algorithm

26:00 Social media, content grind, and why he deleted Instagram

32:00 How algorithms gatekeep discovery and reward rage

40:00 Community, DIY ethos, and breaking the system locally

50:00 Responsibility, regulation, and cultural shifts

01:06:00 Generosity, art, and finding meaning through action

01:11:00 What’s next for Wine & Warpaint and upcoming music

🔗 Guest Links

https://wineandwarpaint.com

https://www.instagram.com/wineandwarpaint

https://www.youtube.com/c/winewarpaint

https://www.facebook.com/wineandwarpaint

https://wineandwarpaint.bandcamp.com

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4IDDdNItHvj6aRkZ2LnCRe

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/makebreak

https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish

https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links

https://v13.net

Subscribe for more and drop a comment: should musicians fight the algorithm or ignore it and focus only on the art?

(explicit language)

#MakeBreak #WineandWarpaint #MusicBusiness

Episode 005 – Garrett Anthony Rice | MAKE // BREAK

Garrett Anthony Rice is an Irish songwriter whose double album Equinox has already drawn early praise as one of the most ambitious debuts of the decade. Recorded across Ireland and the UK with producer Chris Potter (The Verve, The Rolling Stones), the record spans 18 songs that move from swamp blues slide guitar to Britpop shimmer and politically charged anthems. Singles like “Eden,” “I Found Myself Today,” and “Property” show the range: gospel haze, anti-war urgency, and a re-framing of Syd Barrett’s legacy. On MAKE // BREAK, Garrett speaks candidly about craft, industry saturation, and his belief that music must carry both truth and weight. He pushes back against formula and fleeting trends, pointing instead to Dylan, Bowie, and Ashcroft as reminders of how songs can change lives. It’s a grounded, passionate look at what it means to create art with conviction in a crowded, uncertain era.

👀 What you’ll hear • Break down Garrett Anthony Rice’s creative process and how Equinox sets up future albums already in the works • Call out the formulaic “two-chord clones” dominating airwaves and why true artistry comes from somewhere deeper • Debate streaming saturation, shocking Spotify stats, and what it really takes to find an audience today • Explore DIY promotion, relentless posting, and how persistence plus authenticity can cut through the noise • Highlight the holy trinity of artist income streams: touring, merch, and sync opportunities beyond streaming pennies • Share advice on balancing business and creativity without losing the magic that makes songs matter

🕰️ Chapters

00:00 Introduction and the joy of songwriting

01:00 Writing Equinox and future albums

04:00 Breaking clichés in the acoustic scene

07:30 Influences from Bowie to Ashcroft and Hendrix

12:00 Honest critique of modern rap vs the 90s

17:00 Spotify saturation and shocking streaming stats

22:00 First album, Chris Potter, and DIY promotion

27:00 Perseverance lessons from Taylor Swift to Sabrina Carpenter

32:00 Treating music as a business without losing heart

38:00 Chasing money vs chasing meaning in art

41:00 Music as escape, identity, and cultural connection

47:00 Blues roots, influences, and carrying forward tradition

52:00 Passing the gift of music to the next generation

57:00 Final reflections and looking ahead

🔗 Guest Links

https://linktr.ee/garrettanthonyrice

https://instagram.com/garrettanthonyrice

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Kw1ZbSdRWH7SSSPb6PrnY?si=6op2u1gKQk6Fe_1w0CFGPw

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links https://open.spotify.com/show/5GDOUd909p7ir2W74M9teg?si=cbc7e01e13ba4a20

https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish

https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links

https://v13.net

Subscribe for more conversations and drop a comment: should artists chase streams or focus on the holy trinity of touring, merch, and sync?

(explicit language)

#MakeBreak #Rice #MusicBusiness

Collin Young of One Hundred Moons joins host Lance Marwood on MAKE // BREAK to discuss Black Avalanche, art, and the music business.

Episode 004 – Collin Young | MAKE // BREAK

👀 What you’ll hear

-Break down the sound and vision behind One Hundred Moons’ new album Black Avalanche

-Explore why Collin sees music as a “third thing” beyond work and relaxation

-Contrast stoicism, hustle culture, and the myth of making art a full-time job

-Reflect on performing live as proof of existence and the struggle for audience connection

-Consider how meaning, story, and context can shape how we receive music

🕰️ Chapters

00:00 Intro and welcome with Collin Young

01:00 What Collin is trying to make to “break through”

02:30 Naming and themes of Black Avalanche

06:45 Challenges of creation vs. survival work

09:30 Do artists have the right to complain about music business struggles

14:00 Promotion, press, and the burden of self-marketing

16:00 Playing live shows vs. social media promotion

19:00 The need for “receipts” that bands are real

23:00 Stories, mythology, and why context matters

27:00 Letting the music itself be the story

30:00 Abstract meaning and listener interpretation

39:00 Transcendent live moments and audience connection

45:00 Niches, cults, and today’s fragmented music culture

47:00 Career vs. vocation: music as lifelong identity

52:00 Why art’s value must stand on its own

🔗 Guest Links

https://instagram.com/100moonsband

https://tiktok.com/@100moonsband

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links

https://open.spotify.com/show/5GDOUd909p7ir2W74M9teg?si=cbc7e01e13ba4a20

https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish

https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links

https://v13.net

Subscribe for more and tell us in the comments: Should music’s value stand apart from money and career?

(explicit language)

#MakeBreak #OneHundredMoons #MusicIndustry

Episode 003 – Kentucky | MAKE // BREAK

Kentucky is the musical project of Canadian artist Jordan Holman, whose debut album Second Chance Music weaves together near-death experience, hard-won clarity, and a refusal to quit. Influenced by The Tragically Hip, Neil Young, Bryan Adams, and R.E.M., Holman’s work blends acoustic rock and indie folk with a voice that’s both intimate and unshaken. On MAKE // BREAK, he reflects on decades in the business, the myth of the starving artist, and why he simply wants to keep writing until the end. It’s a conversation that swings between Tolstoy, Cormac McCarthy, Ligotti, and the economics of survival—big ideas balanced by the daily grind of an artist carving out space in today’s fractured industry. Kentucky’s songs, from “No More Tomorrows” to “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life,” are reminders that music can still hold weight when it speaks to survival and second chances.

👀 What you’ll hear

• Explore Kentucky’s philosophy on hope, death, and why meaning is self-assigned in a creative life
• Contrast nihilism, spite, and the daily practice of living with intention as an artist
• Revisit the glory days of artist development and why labels rarely take risks today
• Break down how homogenization and streaming culture reshaped music’s role in society
• Unpack why Kentucky just wants the right partners to help him keep writing until the end

🕰️ Chapters
00:00 Intro and welcome with Kentucky
01:00 The “make or break” question on what truly matters
03:30 Tolstoy’s Three Questions and daily meaning
07:00 Hope, possibility, and building your personal deck of cards
12:00 Thomas Ligotti, nihilism, and living in spite
19:00 Cormac McCarthy, death, and “die trying”
32:00 The starving artist myth and the need for support
37:00 Partnerships, publishing, and why labels fall short
43:00 From artist development to homogenized culture
50:00 Novelty, combinations, and the next musical shift
55:00 Streaming, AI, and the future of entertainment
01:02:00 Kentucky’s honest admission: the struggle for help and resources

🔗 Guest Links
https://iamkentucky.com/
https://www.instagram.com/i.am.kentucky/
https://www.tiktok.com/@i.am.kentucky

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links
https://open.spotify.com/show/5GDOUd909p7ir2W74M9teg?si=cbc7e01e13ba4a20
https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish
https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links
https://v13.net

Tell us in the comments: Do you think record labels should still invest in artist development?

(explicit language)

#MakeBreak #Kentucky #MusicBusiness

Episode 001 – Elan Mlgenovich | MAKE // BREAK

Authors of Fate make jagged, blackened metalcore out of Los Angeles. Guitarist Elan Mlgenovich joins MAKE // BREAK to discuss the EP “Seat’s Taken” with producer Taylor Young and the band’s earlier studio work with Steve Evetts. He explains how the group formed during COVID, what DIY touring looks like on the ground, and why chasing platform algorithms rarely helps heavy bands grow. We also get into practical social media habits that do work, from tagging peers to posting strong live clips, and the constant pull between posting and writing. If you want a clear look at how underground bands build real momentum today, this episode delivers.

👀 What you’ll hear

• Break down how Authors of Fate formed during COVID and built momentum in the DIY metal scene

• Explain why major labels chase sure things and how that shifts artist development today

• Share frustrations with Spotify algorithms and finding underground bands through Instagram

• Reveal the brutal realities of DIY touring, from no-shows to promoters who don’t deliver

• Debate the pressure on artists to be content creators versus staying true to making art

• Offer candid advice for bands: collaborate, stay humble, and keep pushing forward

🕰️ Chapters

00:00 Introduction and band background

02:00 Artist development and the major label model

03:30 Why DIY bands must be self-sufficient

05:00 Streaming algorithms and discovery struggles

07:30 Using Instagram to find and book bands

10:00 Word of mouth, tagging, and collaboration

13:30 Social media as community building

15:00 DIY touring challenges and no-show stories

18:00 Professionalism, humility, and separating pros from amateurs

20:00 Pay-to-play shows and shady promoters

22:00 Pressure to create nonstop content

25:00 Best band content and merch strategies

29:00 What kind of content actually excites fans

32:30 Parting advice for artists: don’t give up

🔗 Guest Links

https://linktr.ee/authorsoffate

https://instagram.com/authorsoffate

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ffxt9eZ7pQEiV9uRVaMdX

🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Links

https://open.spotify.com/show/5GDOUd909p7ir2W74M9teg?si=cbc7e01e13ba4a20

https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish

https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish

🔗 V13 Media Links

https://v13.net

Subscribe for more conversations and drop a comment: should bands prioritise content creation or focus on the art itself?

(explicit language)

#MakeBreak #AuthorsOfFate #MusicBusiness