Rockonomics Podcast

Australian born Katie Cole is a Nashville based singer/songwriter who currently just wrapped up playing keyboards and backing vocals for the Smashing Pumpkins US/UK tour. Her story of coming to LA from Melbourne is like no other and her determination to navigate the ins and outs of the music industry is a lesson in perseverance, savvy DIY marketing and seizing opportunities when they come. Her easy going demeanor and sheer musical talent just adds to her appeal among her ever-growing fan base.

Steve Fekete is another Berklee School of Music graduate who made the journey out west and found success playing for the likes of Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani, Don Felder, Vertical Horizon and many others. The multi-instrumentalist is currently playing guitar and keys for America and when he finds himself in LA on the last Wednesday of each month he's playing in the house band for Soundcheck Live alongside such past guests as Nuno Bettencourt, Jackson Browne and Tom Morello. 

Drummer Brad Hargreaves has been with Third Eye Blind since they broke out of the Bay Area in 1997 with their self-titled platinum selling album that spawned the now classic single Semi-Charmed Life. Since then they've released 4 full-length LP's with a 5th called Screamer due on October 18th. Brad has also kept busy on the side playing in the power-trio Year Long Disaster and has performed DJ sets combined with drumming under the moniker Just Brad.

Ra Ra Riot formed in 2006 at Syracuse University and has just released their 5th full-length album called Superbloom last week on August 9th.  The band, consisting of vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci, violinist Rebecca Zeller and drummer Kenny Bernard, recently wrapped up supporting Jimmy Eat World and Third Eye Blind on the Summer Gods Tour.  Wes, Mathieu, Milo and Kenny sat down with the Rockonomics podcast and touched upon a wide array of topics that covered their decade-plus touring, recording and making music for a living.

Train drummer Matt Musty, Goo Goo Dolls drummer Craig Macintyre and Allen Stone drummer Griffin Wright share the similarities and differences of their individual experiences playing drums for a living.  All are on tour together this summer and belong to a growing close-knit community of pro drummers who share a mutual respect for one another. 

Tiffany struck it big with her #1 cover of “I Think We’re Alone Now” which occupied the Billboard top ten singles chart for two weeks in November of 1987 alongside the likes of Springsteen, Madonna and the king of pop himself, Michael Jackson. Her star gradually dimmed as 90’s tastes changed but she never went away and kept busy writing, recording, touring and appearing on TV. 2019 finds her on the successful Mixtape tour alongside fellow 80's stalwarts New Kids on the Block, Salt-n-Pepa, Naughty by Nature and Debbie Gibson while promoting her latest release Pieces of Me.

Cheap Trick drummer Daxx Nielsen has been manning the kit for the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Famers for 10 years now. Before that he was paying his dues playing 1000's of gigs, touring in vans and drumming for the likes of surf-rock legend Dick Dale and recent Grammy winner Brandi Carlile before back issues forced original Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos to summons Daxx to fill in for a few encores, which turned into a few shows, which turned into a full time gig. 

Guitarist Sean Hurwitz's two most well-known gigs could not be any more different. One has him playing stadiums and arenas around the world with Enrique Iglesias and the other has him rocking clubs, theaters and sheds with Smash Mouth. Listen to how this Israeli-raised musician took a leap off faith by going to LA to make a living playing music and subsequently succeeding.