River of Suck
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River of Suck episodes

  • 28 - Chris Turner - Harmonica Traveler

    Sit down with harmonica master, Chris Turner, as he recounts his wild and often misadventurous stories with host Andy Reiner. Together, they discuss profound topics such as the ways which music keeps us alive, how art is bigger than what we make it to be, and what music really is. From free jazz jam sessions to going through a minefield as a stowaway, Chris reflects on all the chaos that makes being a musician a one-of-a-kind lifestyle, and how the River of Suck doesn't have to be all that bad.

    1 hr 39 min
  • 27 - Martha Mooke - Vibe Wizard

    Embark on a magical journey through the universe of sound guided by the Vibe Wizard herself, electric violist Martha Mooke. Martha has created musical arrangements for the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Sturgill Simpson, performed alongside Elton John and Philip Glass, and is a trailblazer in strings education. Explore the philosophy of improvisation, listen to host Andy Reiner muse about goals, and shatter doubt from the heart with a throng of electric strings. Hear Martha Mooke connect the body to the mind. Soak in soothing modern soundscapes and learn how to become the youest you.

    48 min
  • 26 - Melissa Tong - Sometimes My Feelings Come Out Of My Eyeballs

    New York-based musician Melissa Tong, joins River of Suck podcast host, Andy Reiner, for a deep and vulnerable coversation LIVE at Fiddle Hell Online. Follow Melissa's journey from her experiences with racial and achievement bullying to her rocky path to Broadway (an overnight success in 18 short years). Arriving in NYC to not one single gig, Melissa epitomizes tenacity. Find out why someone might take a million first steps along the way. This essential episode also offers a view into musician's trade secrets: preparing to feel anxious in high-pressure performance situations. "Sometimes my feelings come out of my eyeballs."

    58 min
  • 25 - Tracy Silverman - On The Dartboard

    Six-String Electric Violinist, Tracy Silverman, shares deep thoughts about the emotional side of his musical journey. From the future of string playing to tales of suffering. Learn about high level performance mind techniques. Listen to host Andy Reiner Debunk the FEAR acronym. Visualization before performance, walking a tight wire between seemingly different words, and DANGER - both perceived and real.

    1 hr 26 min
  • 24 - Bonnie & Taylor Sims - Shade Follows The Sun

    Sharing horror stories from their musical pasts, musicians Bonnie and Taylor Sims (of Everybody Loves An Outlaw) invite host Andy Reiner into their Colorado living room for deep conversations in the River of Suck. Confidence and anxiety feedback loops. Gig nightmares. Energy sources. Searching for flow states. Fear management. Self-deprecation. Ruffling feathers. Going viral. How does a long and prosperous journey into love and music survive insane challenges? Warning: Explicit Content.

    1 hr 16 min
  • 23 - Jason Lai - You're Not Broken

    Travel along the River of Suck with host Andy Reiner and guest Jason Lai for a stunning meditation on the two inescapable qualities of being alive – life and death. Composer, performer, and speaker, Jason shows the importance of vulnerability as he cannonballs into his experience with suck. How can a focus on your body lead to confidence and mindfulness? How can we turn thought piranhas of narcissism and self-doubt into something positive? Don't forget, we need darkness to see light.

    1 hr 31 min
  • 22 - Olivia Meikle - You Don't Need A Dream

    Welcome back to the River of Suck Podcast! Join host Andy Reiner and guest Olivia Meikle as they dive deep into their own experiences swimming in suck. Co-host of WhatsHerName, professor, writer, Olivia explores into the struggles of producing podcasts, and the fulfillment of working hard through the difficult moments. How do you protect yourself in a raging river? A wetsuit, of course! Olivia investigates what one needs to to protect themselves from piranhas and dangerous rocks under the surface.

    1 hr 15 min
  • 21 - Billy Contreras: A Heartbeat's Favorite Tune
    What is the first step to getting better at something? Realizing you suck at it. Recorded live from a blue-skied park in Nashville, Billy Contreras and host, Andy Reiner, discuss shoving off the shore into the River of Suck and paddling through the cycle of learning, practicing, performing, and sucking. Billy speaks to his experience as a seasoned performer always looking to improve. His answer? "Always be on the cutting edge of yourself". In this very special live episode, Billy expresses the importance of appreciating the journey rather than the destination.
    55 min
  • 20 - Jonathan Scales - Hallway of Possibilities

    From Lurkin' in the parking lot outside Flecktones concerts, to recording and performing with Victor Wooten and Bela Fleck, composer and steel pannist, Jonathan Scales, has surpassed his biggest dreams, yet found them to be a beginning, rather than an end. Discover the mindstate of Fake Buddha's Inner Child, take a stroll down the Hallway of Possibilities, take a trip to Mauritania, and learn the emotional meaning behind Jonathan's instrumental music in this heady episode.

    1 hr 12 min
  • 19 - Josh Holder - Fear Is My Business

    Recorded deep in the mine shaft of the Frightmare Compound Haunted House, River of Suck podcast episode 19 is a journey into fear with owner, Josh Holder. After a Halloween season working as a scare actor, host Andy Reiner asks: who goes to haunted houses and why? How do zombies swim in the River of Suck? What scares the folks who build the scenes? Clowns, real weapons, decapitated heads, crashed airplanes - Tune in and live that fear positive life.

    59 min

About River of Suck

From the publisher's feed

You have to suck at something before you can be good at it. River of Suck is real-talk about struggles with confidence, self-doubt and becoming the youest you. Host Andy Reiner and guests ranging…

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