On My Own Dime

Welcome to on my own dime! Today I'm talking with Shane Arana about growing up in Northern California surfing in Point Arena. Shane is a good friend of mine that I met in the Coast Guard and he introduced me to the sport because I wouldn't stop asking him to teach me. For the record, I am very much a beginner to surfing so let there be no deception about my skills, they are very underwhelming. Shane however, is gifted and remarkably authentic which is a topic we will discuss in today's episode. Shane will share some perspective on Localism, insight on the different surf communities along the west coast, and details on his trip to cloud break off the island of Tavarua, Fiji.

Welcome to on my own dime! Today I'm talking with Photographer and Pro Driver David Mecey. David is an accomplished photographer and driver. His career includes a stretch as staff photographer for Playboy and cannot be summed up in this intro so see links in the show notes to understand the depth of his experience. We are discussing how a motorcycle accident led him to his creative passion. David shares a memorable photoshoot in Alaska where he and his crew braved the elements for the chance of an epic shot in the tundra. He also gives a bit of excellent advice about the importance of having fun! David's new book " The Art of Sexy" is available now. To get a copy, email [email protected] and I will get you set up to order. The book is printed in Germany and delivered to you directly from David. Thanks for listening! To keep up on recent episodes subscribe on apple podcasts or Spotify, or join the Facebook group. Leave a reviews and comments too! However you choose to participate, I welcome the input.  

David's Website: https://www.davidmecey.com/about

In this episode I'm talking with Reptile Educator Dan Liebel. Dan has an A.S. in Environmental Science, B.S. in Biology and has been keeping reptiles and amphibians for 25 years and lecturing for 13 years. Dan is telling us how he ended up with 52 snakes in his house as a young boy and bartered his way with his parents to a small collection of reptiles before even graduating high school. Dan will share stories about what it takes to balance the massive responsibility of caring for so many vulnerable critters that require so much care. We recap the great night Dan spent teaching me how to handle an albino python that was worth more than my car at the time. So many great stories!

The History of the Teddy Bear: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_bear

Today, I'm talking with music producer Carlton Reese, AKA "Boom-I-Aye". In this episode, we talk about balancing fatherhood with a full time career, his musical discipline, and personal fitness. Carlton helps unpack how to balance the invasive presence of social media. On the back half of this episode Carlton generously shares some insight on the unique aspects of life that black fathers and black musicians are  considering every day. I was nervous to breach these subjects but I'm so glad I did because he really welcomed my curiousity and shared his perspective and outlook on these complex cultural & societal landscapes. Thanks for listening to On My Own Dime! 

Links: 

Carlton's Music: 

https://boom-i-aye.com/beat/end-gamez-5329618 

https://boom-i-aye.com/beat/chapterz-5483768 

https://boom-i-aye.com/beat/riddum-wave-5663407 

https://boom-i-aye.com/beat/cerebral-savage-5783841 

Carlton Reese Senior's Interview from 1996 discussing his music & detailing his contributions to the civil rights movement: https://youtu.be/k8dAM9u9_cg 

Boonie Mayfield Documentary: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTap5Chrf5c 

More on Boonie Mayfield:  
https://chillhop.com/building-a-spiritual-foundation-an-interview-with-artist-boonie-mayfield/

Books I recommended in the episode:  
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 
Cant Hurt Me by David Goggins 
My Brother, Muhammad Ali by Rahaman Ali 
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki 
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

In this episode I'm talking with music producer and recording & mixing engineer Braeden "Pockets" Rangno from Vancouver, BC, Canada. We discover how Braeden fosters relationships with artists and networks within his community, his approach to mixing and getting a deep low end, why he loves having the artist track in the same room as him (no vocal booths!), and so much more. 

We talk about recent news in music rights with David Crosby selling his song catalogue & Taylor Swift re-recording hers and what that shows about the options writers have. Braeden also gives us some great insight into the value of music as an asset.

Thanks for listening to On My Own Dime! 

You can find Braeden online: 
Website: http://www.bpockets.com/ 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/bpockets/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vibecave 

References: 
Make Pop Music - https://www.facebook.com/groups/MAKEPOPMUSIC 
Mother Mother - O My Heart record: https://open.spotify.com/album/0X7S0TEZ5NJsSxmyTnfYi2?autoplay=true 
Howard Redekopp: https://www.howardredekopp.com/ 
Bob Ezrin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ezrin

Today I'm talking with Ambient Composer and Multi-instrumentalist Daniel Mothers.  

Daniel has played Trumpet, Drums, and Guitar for a multitude of reputable acts in the UK since 2005. My favorite is a math rock project he performed with called "Degrasse". Currently, he is working with Franko Fraize & composing for sync.  

In this episode, Daniel shares what it takes to keep a band on the road and how they made it work. If you didn't know, it takes a lot of faith in your group and everyone is frequently covering expenses out of pocket. During this interview, we experienced a poor connection from California to the UK. I'm working on improving our resources to remedy this in future episodes but for now, bear with us because Daniel has a great story to share.

Thanks for listening to On My Own Dime!

Links: 

Aviators (Guitarist)(2006-2010): 
https://www.collective-zine.co.uk/reviews/?id=6860  

I Was A Cubscout (Trumpet)(2007-2009) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sl4wV7MDO8 

Reno Dakota (Guitarist)(2010-2013) 
https://renodakota.bandcamp.com/ 

Degrasse (2010-2013) 
https://degrasse.bandcamp.com/ 

Franko Fraize (2013-Present) 
https://frankofraize.bandcamp.com/music  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwi5prOFnZ0 
https://variousartistsmanagement.com/ 

You can find more on the history of Rupert Neve here: https://rupertneve.com/company/history/ 

Today I'm talking with music producer Emilio John. We are discussing his approach to maintaining consistent income using his own system that focuses on a 3-month projection. Considering the challenges of earning a bachelor's degree that honed your creative skills but did not educate you on the bigger picture of implementing those skills in the real world to earn a living wage. Emilio talks about how conservatory programs are an example of a hyper-focused curriculum and it wasn't until he started branching out into other fields of study on his own that he started to gain a lot of traction for his business. Feilds like marketing, financial planning, and other industries like technology.

Links are below. Thanks for listening to On My Own Dime!

Welcome back to On My Own Dime! This is part 2 of my talk with Adventure Photographer & Machinery Technician Mark Landsfeld.  

We are going to unpack more details on his trip across the National Parklands and share some stories about our adventures mountain biking the east bay, and surfing Pavones which is the second-largest left-hand break in the world (located in Costa Rica).  

We talk about the similarities between Ansel Adams's "pure" approach to photography and Phil Specter’s “Wall of Sound” approach to music production.  

We talk about putting your art in a box, defining it in a single category, and finally, the effect that Mark’s active duty career has had on his photography.  

To see Mark's photography check out @landmark.photography on Instagram.Thanks for listening to "On My Own Dime"!  

Links: 
@landmark.photography 
@anseladamsgallery
@westsideoffroadgroup

Today I’m talking with Adventure Photographer & Machinery Technician Mark Landsfeld. Mark is a good friend of mine.  

We are going to talk about his affiliation with the Westside Offroad Group and how it connects to his photography. How his 6,000 mile trip across 8 national parks reignited his interest in landscape photography. The influence Ansel Adams has on his work. His gross miscalculation of hiking conditions that led to a hospital visit for Rabdo. How to balance your life and creative work. The benefits of NOT having to rely on your craft to pay your rent. Mark will also share the pitfalls of geotagging.  

Thanks for listening to "On My Own Dime" with Jason McCormack!  

You can find Mark on Instagram: @landmark.photography 

You can find Westside Offroad Group there as well: @westsideoffroadgroup

And here is an account showing the work of Ansel Adams: @anseladams 

Welcome to On My Own Dime!

Today I'm talking with the President of the Houston Punk Festival, Jeremy Estes.  

We are talking about how Jeremy managed to book the festival at Fitzgerald's - Houston's oldest and most recognized punk music venue. For my East Coast people, this is the Houston equivalent of NY's CBGBs. 
  
Jeremy and I were stationed on a ship together and we used to play shows for the crew so he is a good friend of mine. He currently plays guitar for a new band called Rooftop Boxer. We also talk about the importance of charity and finding a way to serve others. For him, it's all about the music and keeping the scene thriving

We unpack the challenges of organizing the event remotely while he was deployed at sea and his approach to being a dad who encourages his daughter to realize her dream of becoming a literal rock star while also convincing her that science is cool too.  

I'm your host Jason McCormack. Thanks for listening to "On My Own Dime"!  

Links:

Jeremy's Facebook

Rooftop Boxer Facebook Page

Houston Punk Festival

Houston Punk Festival Facebook Page

Punk Rock Saves Lives

Fitzgeralds 

The Mystery Lights