Take a jump in the time machine back to December 2015 when I first sat down face to face with Steve LaRussa for Episode 071 of Start The Beat. It's been almost 2 years since we recorded this conversation but if you don't know already Steve, you should get to know him because if you follow Sikes at all you're going to be seeing him around a lot more... Click play for more details. ;-) Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW START THE BEAT ON THE FOLLOWING SERVICES! F...
Oct 13, 2017•1 hr 24 min
Grab your headphones, a cup of coffee, a shovel and drag yourself to the closet graveyard because we got some work to do. Today I sit down with Nathan King for a talk about putting yourself out there and developing creative relationships outside of the “basement”. Nathan is a composer, filmmaker, photographer, ghost, among other things and has just released a new album, a short film and has a portfolio of work 110% worth diving into. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! LISTEN TO MUSIC: http...
Oct 05, 2017•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 148
JOIN THE MOVEMENT! Today I sit down with Josh Corcoran from the web series Spare Change for a talk about utilizing your resources to make a change. No pun intended! HAH! If you don't know, Spare Change is a Pittsburgh-based web series documenting their journey playing music to raise money for those in need and it is real awesome. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! WATCH SPARE CHANGE: https://www.sparechange.tv/ FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK:...
Sep 14, 2017•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 147
Technology is nuts and maybe kids spending their time on computers isn't always such a bad thing. Today I sit down with songwriter/producer Lili Traviato for a talk about her humble beginnings using Garage Band to record songs at the age of 8 and how her work has evolved over the past 10 years of learning, creating and finding her way on this wacky planet. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! LISTEN TO LILI TRAVIATO ON SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/lili-traviato FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL ...
Sep 07, 2017•59 min•Ep. 146
Support Local Talent! Get involved with your community! Make new friends! This week I sit down with Lauren Stein of the blog PUNKSBURGH.COM for a talk about shining light on the local community. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/startthebeatpodcast SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON ITUNES: http://apple.co/1MXMNSG SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON STITCHER: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/start-the-bea...
Sep 01, 2017•59 min•Ep. 145
It's been a little while but Amuck is back and gearing up to release a new album so we sat down to talk about getting a little older, growing a little wiser and creating art for a reason bigger than yourself. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/startthebeatpodcast SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON ITUNES: http://apple.co/1MXMNSG SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON STITCHER: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast...
Aug 24, 2017•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 144
This week I sit down with AJ Worrell of Preserving Silence Records to discuss running an independent music label & distro, DIY merchandising and the work ethics of underground musicians in the digital age. We also talk a bit about our shared struggles that stem from our "collectors mentalities" and coming up in a generation when all media was physical media. Solid dude. Great talk. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! BUY SOME MUSIC: http://preservingsilence.limitedrun.com/ FOLLOW ME ON ...
Aug 17, 2017•55 min•Ep. 143
This week I sit down with Tim Indyk of Moshpit to talk DIY show promotion, self discovery and taking the jump to pursue your passions full-time. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/startthebeatpodcast SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON ITUNES: http://apple.co/1MXMNSG SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON STITCHER: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/start-the-beat-with-sikes www.therealsikes.com Start The Beat i...
Aug 03, 2017•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 142
*To the tune of the 1960's Spider-Man theme song* Raymond Strife. Raymond Strife. Does whatever a Raymond Likes. Does a tour - Any size. Dropping Beats - Spitting rhymes. Look out! Here comes the Raymond Strife! This week I sit down with the superhero Raymond Strife for a talk about the DIY Hip Hop scene, touring and figuring out how to be a better human being. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! Raymond Strife was recently on an episode of The Throw Away Days which is an awesome podcast ho...
Jul 27, 2017•40 min•Ep. 141
It’s a Half Juggalo, Half Ric Flair party on this weeks NU episode of Start The Beat! I pour a couple beers and sit down with fellow musician/air horn enthusiast, Jesse Turnball for an introspective conversation about the how the bar for talent continues to keep getting higher and higher in modern “extreme” music. We also discuss some of the crazy talent we’ve seen come out of this scene over past decade and learn about the history of his band, Nephele. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! F...
Jul 20, 2017•1 hr 13 min
Who wants to make something beautiful and awesome happen? This week I sit down with two individuals at the forefront of something very beautiful that's starting to blossom in the Pittsburgh music scene. Matthew Seibel & Sūgga of LIB.CO aka the Library Collective . On the surface LIB.CO is functioning as a independent recording studio & label but there's so much more going on behind the scenes and we're going to talk all about it. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL ...
Jul 13, 2017•38 min
I’M ON A BOAT! This week I sit down with my friend Issac Holeva as he takes me for a little cruise down the Allegheny and we chat about how the Pittsburgh scene has developed over the past decade. Issac is involved with A LOT. Faded Industry Entertainment, Premier Innovations Group & Pittsburgh Norml just to name a few and this is an awesome talk with an experienced business mind that has plenty of experience under his belt. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL ME...
Jul 01, 2017•47 min
You wanna talk about recording music, growing up and reminisce about the "scene" days of the scene? You're in luck! This week I sit down with long time pal Brad Brunazzi of the band Arcane Haven for a talk about all of this and more. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/startthebeatpodcast SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON ITUNES: http://apple.co/1MXMNSG SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON STITCHER: http:/...
Jun 22, 2017•1 hr 6 min
Hey! Do you enjoy craft beers and underground music? This week I crack open a couple cold ones with Tony "T-Funk" Thomas from the band Solarburn & Full Pint Brewing Company to discuss our interests in the wide world of beer and his experiences being a independent musician with a history longer and more diverse than most. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @ therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/startthebeatpodcast SUBSCRIBE, RATE &a...
Jun 15, 2017•1 hr 20 min
Hey! Do you like having funnnnnn? The 4th River Music Fest is just around the corner and if you aren't already excited about this then you're about to be. My friend (and previous guest of the show) Joey Schuller is back to give us a crash course on everything going down this year at the 3 day long festival and let us know why YOU should be there. Sit back, relax and lets Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @ therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/startthebeatpodc...
Jun 08, 2017•50 min
Wanna talk about Nu-Metal? This week I take a huge nostalgia trip with my friend David Yarkovsky as we share our thoughts on the ridiculous music we grew up with and discuss how some of these bands have also grown with us. Dave plays in some really good bands and we talk about that too. Grab your favorite pair of JNCO's and get comfy. Sit back, relax and let's Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @ therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/startthebeatpodcast SUBSCRI...
Jun 01, 2017•1 hr 19 min
It's a whole new format this week on Start The Beat as I abandon my standard format and everything I know about "professional" podcasting. My guests this week are The Danzas. We talk about Punk Rock, getting old and not taking life too seriously. Sit back, relax and let's Start The Beat! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @ therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/startthebeatpodcast SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON ITUNES: http://apple.co/1MXMNSG SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW ON S...
May 25, 2017•1 hr
Look. I love good food and good drinks and if you have not been to Scratch F&B yet you’re truly messing up! Today I sit down with Don Mahaney, the man with the plan behind Scratch for a talk about owning and operating a restaurant and discuss the interesting parallels between the restaurant and music business. Excellent guy. Excellent talk. Sit back, relax and let’s Start The Beat! VISIT: http://www.scratchfoodbev.com/ FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @ therealsikes FOLLOW START THE BEAT ON FA...
May 19, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Give me a couple mics and a bunch of beer then throw me into a arts fest and watch what happens! Follow me on this mystical journey through space and time as I talk with a variety of guests and enjoy some live music at the Paint Jam! Featuring conversations and music from Randall Coleman (REDD BRAND APPAREL), Mike Zickefoose, Josh Hovanec (Old Game), Matthew Eugene Stromberg, Spacefish and Greg Richards of the Grownup Human Comic People! FOLLOW ME ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA: @ therealsikes FOLLOW START...
May 12, 2017•1 hr 28 min
If you’re into healthy food, heavy metal guitars, digital marketing and building Earthships this conversation is 110% for you. Join me as I sit down with Gabriel Zydeco Mangold (Delusions Of Grandeur, The Harvest Colour & More) for an insightful conversation on productively juggling everything in your life and maintaining a positive outlook on the world around you. Sit back, relax and let's START THE BEAT! Check out some of the projects Gabriel is involved in by following the links below! De...
May 04, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Holy smokes!!! It's the 3 Year Anniversary of Start The Beat! Join me as I sit down with my friends Byron Nash, Meg Fair, Mike Hitt, Lexa Terrestrial & Brett Shumaker for a conversation recorded live at Black Forge Coffee House! We discuss our experiences as working artists and exchange some thoughts on how we can all contribute to make a better “scene”. Get inspired. Get involved. Sit back, relax and let's START THE BEAT! //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ...
Apr 27, 2017•1 hr 31 min
For the 128th episode of Start The Beat I sat down with Dennis Childers and Steve Sciulli of the band Carsickness. For those of you who don't know, Carsickness was an Art Punk/No Wave band from Pittsburgh who primarily existed from 1979-1982 and are considered to be one of the most influential bands to emerge from the prolific Pittsburgh Punk scene of the late 1970s. Dennis from Carsickness is also one of the curators for the Non-Punk Pittsburgh exhibit currently showing at the Space gallery on ...
Apr 18, 2017•1 hr 4 min
For the 127th episode I sat down with my homies Bob & Steven from the PGH Punk/Crossover band Arm Wrestling Club to discuss all things Punk and not Punk Rock. What even is Punk Rock anymore? Listen and find out. Maybe? Whatever. Sit back, relax and let's START THE BEAT! LINKS RELATED TO THIS CONVERSATION: http://armwrestlingclub.bandcamp.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pg/ArmWrestlingClubPGH/ //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// SIKES TWITTER: twitter.com/thereal...
Apr 11, 2017•1 hr 4 min
For the 126th episode I sat down with my friends in the Grownup Human Comic People for a conversation recorded live at the 2017 Pittsburgh Retro Gaming Convention! My intensions were to discuss the influence of comic books and music on video games throughout the years but as expected, things took a bit of a turn... Sit back, relax and let's START THE BEAT! LINKS RELATED TO THIS CONVERSATION: http://pittsburghretrogaming.com/ http://grownuphumans.com/ /////////////////////////////////////////////...
Apr 04, 2017•1 hr 24 min
For the 125th episode I sat down with Si Lewis of the band Amplifiers for a talk about the journey and sometimes, the struggle of being a productive and consistent artist while simultaneously trying to “adult” properly. We also discuss our shared perspectives on trying to keep a positive attitude through all of the noise in our heads and understanding that the world is a very, very busy place. Everyone has a life to juggle and at the end of the day, it’s all about pursuing the things makes us an...
Mar 21, 2017•1 hr 27 min
For the 124th episode I sat down with Trevor, Allison & Mark from The Long Hunt. For those of you not familiar, The Long Hunt is a instrumental rock band with a very minimal but complex sound that transcends multiple genres. During this conversation we dig deep into their creative processes, inspiration & personal histories as musicians. As a band, The Long Hunt is barely a year old but Trevor, Allison & Mark have all been putting music into the world for years through various other ...
Mar 14, 2017•1 hr 30 min
For the 123rd episode I sat down with singer/songwriter Rachel Lynne for a talk about her journey as a musician throughout the years. We also have a special appearance from Buddy Hoebler to discuss his role in the recent evolution of her solo music into a full band experience. Sit back, relax and let's START THE BEAT! LINKS RELATED TO THIS CONVERSATION: https://www.facebook.com/rlynnemusic/ https://soundcloud.com/rachellynne //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// SI...
Mar 07, 2017•1 hr 12 min
For the 122nd episode I sat down with Steph and Jesse aka THE LOPEZ for a talk about the history and evolution of their band as well as some of the things currently on the horizon for them. We also discuss some of the stuff that they do outside of THE LOPEZ such as Steph's involvement with LADYFEST, Jesse's record collection and their joined involvement with the DLTSGDOM collective. They are currently working on recording new material with Madeleine Campbell and since I crashed a studio session ...
Feb 21, 2017•55 min
For the 121st episode I sat down with the General Manager of Wild Kindness Records, Donald Ducote for an awesome talk about his journey & views on the world as an independent artist and everything that that has paved the way for where he is today. Outside of running a label, Donald plays in the band Ancient History which we also talk about and we also talk a lot about Star Wars and Bill & Ted. Rad dude. Great talk. Sit back, relax and let's START THE BEAT! LINKS RELATED TO THIS CONVERSAT...
Feb 07, 2017•1 hr 14 min
For the 120th episode I sat down with my long time friend AJ of Save Us From The Archon for a talk about his creative process and some behind the scenes talk about what it is like working day to day in the music business. Lot’s of cool points about transitioning from the DIY landscape where you have 100% control of your art into a world where you have to submit to the wants & demands of of others for the “greater good” of your brand. Woah. Deep stuff. Awesome talk. Sit back, relax and let's ...
Feb 07, 2017•1 hr 4 min
