Maitreya & Aquatic Cat Dolphin “Roses” (Singled Out)

Out a random night freestyling off each other came the foundation for what became the song "Roses," with Maitreya and Aquatic Cat Dolphin ultimately bringing the song from conception to recording within the span of a day. On the surface, the song's themes appear simple, with gratitude at its core, but a more complex and trying journey is behind its concept, covering several years and a trying times. In this edition of Singled Out, the two artists discuss "Roses," also explaining what first brought them together, what they're planning next, and how this particular track feels like the beginning of a journey for them both.

villin: One of the lyrics relied upon heavily throughout the song is the line about beating the odds. The song took on a new life for me once I read the comment on ACD's Instagram post about the real life obstacles and difficulties that came up over the past few years. Catharsis is a word that's overused sometimes, but given that background, is this song an act of catharsis in a way?

Maitreya: Man, I would say yes, entirely. This song was created in such a beautiful and organic way, and turned into a major expression of human emotion; like you mentioned, [it] was a mantra for us and for anyone listening that they got that shit and can get through anything. Every day is a new opportunity for growth and that’s one relation to the hook as well, hence “smelling” the roses. “Wake up in the morning smell the roses, wake up in the morning thank god.”

The song sprouted from an improv (freestyle) at one of my shows after I finished doing all of my songs I started playing beats and me and Jonah (Aquatic Cat Dolphin) just started vibing and "Roses" came from it. Right after I stopped singing, Jonah said “Bro we are recording that tomorrow just so you know.” And we did.

Aquatic Cat Dolphin: For me yes, 100%. That line in particular, “I beat the odds,” I think is why this song means so much to me personally, because I really just feel that shit. And you can feel it in Maitreya’s vocal, that he does too, which makes it just connect and feels so uplifting with everything I went through.

A lot of my music is just that though, it's really just letting emotions flow out by letting something higher than me kinda just open the flood gates for it all. Sometimes it's stuff that I haven’t even really thought about, it had just been suppressed, so when it comes out in the flow state of writing it kinda sheds light on it for me and helps me understand myself more. It's pretty wild exploring the mind in that way.

villin: Out of that dark period, you two met. What brought you together and what has the collaborative experience been like to this point?

Aquatic Cat Dolphin & Maitreya: The universe, man. Soul brothers. As far as the experience working together has been, divine bliss. We are both able to go along with what we hear and turn it into reality and it's truly so dope. And ever since the universe introduced us to each other it's just been consistent growth and expressing what we feel with music and we are exited to keep doing it. Stars aligned.

villin: On the production and structure side of the track, where did the beat come from and how did you find a stylistic balance allowing for you to each flex your strengths on the track?

Maitreya: So the track is produced by a talented producer by the name of Bvtman. And I’d say it was just a natural flow, like, I came up with the hook from that improv I mentioned earlier and as soon as I recorded the rough draft of the hook I sent it to my brotha and he did his thing and it all flowed together organically! Us first recording our individual parts in our own studios solo, then recording the rest together, like, both in his studio was a great balance. I think that has a lot to do with the way the track is. Being able to be fully present in a room with only you and your brain and letting what wants to come out be released is so key, then conjoining forces after you gave that time. Then mixing, doing doubles, brainstorming ideas, and every part of the rest of the process doing it together made "Roses" what it is today!

villin: My favorite line from the song relates to the idea of ascension being just one of the steps on a broader journey. Not to get too deep with it, but the line stuck out to me because of the practical nature of its message. Ascension isn't some far off in the distant concept, but almost a daily practice, moving incrementally further away from the lower self to a higher self, whatever that means to an individual. How close am I coming to touching on the theme of this song and does that idea relate at all to your lives?

Aquatic Cat Dolphin: Nailed it right on the head, my friend. It's truly about taking those daily steps; becoming aware of that I feel is a powerful knowing. The line that comes after it “what will be next though? Unknown. Every moment I'm holding so close, stoppin' and smellin' roses,” kinda ties into that in a way because we don’t know what’s next; all we have is now and these moments and what we choose to do with them are all apart of that ascension. So looking at it as far off in the distant concept, like you said, doesn’t do much for us in this moment, but if looked at as an in the moment daily practice it's more obtainable in the mind to grasp, I feel like. For me personally anyways.

Maitreya: You’re awesome man, seriously. Everyday is a new opportunity, like we said, and that is a reoccurring message/mantra throughout this track: that every morning is a reminder of a new day to come. We getting deep with it, bro! I feel like with art and creation it’s only right to get deep with it to fully understand ! So much love for your thought and time you put into these questions, man. Exited to create more with my brotha and put our more music!

villin: What's next to come - when we first touched base there was a comment about a potential broader release between you two?

Aquatic Cat Dolphin & Maitreya: Sooooooooo much - so so much more to come. We locked and loaded with singles for the year leading to an album named Hammocks and Type Beats and ultimately that’s just the beginning. We both really feel we’re just scratching the surface and are stoked to watch it evolve for years to come.

For more from Maitreya, follow his work on Instagram, Threads, or TikTok. For more from Aquatic Cat Dolphin, follow his work on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or TikTok. “Roses” can be streamed across Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.

Scott Miller “Waters” (Singled Out)

Scott Miller is an MC and producer based in Iowa City. Today he's marking the release of a new single, "Waters," which follows last year's 14-track Recovery full-length and speaks to where he's looking to move creatively. With that album, he says he found himself gravitating toward building cohesiveness within style and themes. With that in his back pocket, he's looking ahead with a new-found desire to remove himself from those types of structural restraints and create music which he feels is more dynamic and free-flowing. Enter "Waters"...

villin: Lyrically, "Waters" speaks to me with an ethos of going with the flow. What are you hoping the song communicates to listeners?

Scott Miller: Above all, I hope this song inspires people to roll with the punches. This year has already thrown some challenges my way, things completely out of my control, and I'm actively working to process and overcome them. That's what "Waters" represents—taking things slow, moving with the tide, and not resisting when it feels like the universe is against you. Keep building, keep working towards your goals, and you'll emerge stronger than before.

villin: Tell me a little about the production side of things—who produced the beat and what was the feeling it provoked for you when putting your lyrics up against it?

Scott Miller: I'm pleased to share that the production is another creation from my personal studio, not someone else's. In the early days of my career, I spent years writing to type beats from YouTube and even recorded mixtapes with them—mixtapes that won't see the light of day. Something always felt off with those tracks, like something was missing. Now, I take pride in building a soundscape around my words. This beat is designed to be euphoric and fast-paced, like waves bursting through floodgates, providing a rush of emotions. I find solace in chaos—it reminds me that there are many things I can't control, so I better lock down and work hard on the things I can control.

villin: In your Spotify bio there's a comment about a trip-hop influence on your work, which I hear here as well, and the genre's connection to the meaning of your lyrics. What about that genre connects with you?

Scott Miller: It's funny, I added that because of an AI-generated genre description for one of my older demos. At the time, I hadn't really defined what trip-hop was and thought the name was corny. Ironically, trip-hop is now one of my favorite genres to listen to. It connects with me due to my love for jazz music. I've been on a Herbie kick recently, and Andre 3000's New Blue Sun has also reminded me how much I love it. Trip-hop, like jazz, has no blueprint for making "good" music. It spans wide, from Deltron 3030 to DJ Shadow's Endtroducing....., giving space for people to express anything on their minds or say nothing at all. Sometimes, all you need is a kick, snare, and some keys to tell a story.

villin: In thinking about "Waters" as a creative stepping stone, how does it compare to the music you put out on Recovery, and what is the next step that you're hoping it leads to?

Scott Miller: "Waters," just like "Gravitate," is an effort to assert myself and gain acknowledgment. They differ in subject matter and instrumentation, but they both resonate. They're catchy—when you hear me hit that hook or the first sub, you know what's playing. That's what I want moving forward. "Recovery" was a project where I sacrificed song structure and unique arrangements to tell a cohesive story, surrounded by similar synthesizers, drums, and strings. Moving forward, I aim to capture cohesiveness without relying on similar structures and sounds. I want to surprise people. I have big plans for this year—stick with me, and I promise you won't regret it.

For more from Scott Miller, follow his work via Instagram or TikTok, and listen to “Waters” via Apple Music or Spotify.

Gold Revere Interview

This is the villin podcast and this episode features an interview with Akash Gururaja and Ian Crumley of Gold Revere. Collaborating on music together all the way back to when they attended Linn-Mar High School in Marion, they've put out a tremendous catalog since then despite writing and recording out of separate locations for the bulk of the past several years, with Akash attending school at Vanderbilt and Ian at Iowa State. This body of work features the viral track titled "Goldfish Crackers," which led to signing with Sony Arista, but most recently includes their new EP titled 4 On the Floor.

The duo's path lends some interesting context for the discussion which follows here, as we dip into talk about marketing and the mystery of how to get noticed when everyone on Earth has a bullhorn. Of all the different ways they discussed trying to inspire interest in their music, they also raised the idea of a remix competition, which actually went live this week on their Discord. "Goldfish Crackers" now boasts over seven million Spotify streams, and several other songs have each exceeded a million, but past successes have provided few assurances that new music is also going to reach a large audience. Instead of relying on that past sound to dictate what they make now, they say they're leaning more in what they feel is an authentic direction, aiming their sound at the intersection of where still-developing trends and their personal tastes align. This is how the sound of 4 On the Floor was developed, and that's where we dive in, focusing on the new music and what helped drive its creation.

Haploid Interview

"Prog punk" might be the closest thing to an appropriate label I've heard when considering the spirit and sound of Haploid's music, and it's one that vocalist and guitarist Kaylee Rae Timmerman says appreciates. The Des Moines band's album Villains Amiss certain takes on elements of both prog and punk, but the songs also reveal elements of synth and jazz, culminating in the release's 20+ minute behemoth "Four Score Insectivore." Whatever the label is you want to put on that song, so be it. It's good. That's what matters.

My personal introduction to the album came at the band's xBk release show a few months back, and throughout the evening the group skillfully adapted their recording for the stage, complemented by guest appearances from Jess Villegas, Bridget Botkin, Bob Bucko Jr., Justin Comer, and David Clair. This conversation focuses on an intersection between the performance and the album, leaning on impressions of each while Timmerman covers topics including the band's influences and writing process. For more about Haploid, please also check out their interviews with Iowa Basement Tapes (Apple / Spotify) and Accelerativ Thrust (Apple / Spotify).

villin: I didn’t know what to expect at the band’s xBk album release show, and now thinking back to that night, the portion that stands out to me was the performance of “Four Score Insectivore.” What stood out to me about that was the clash between structure and chaos; more specifically, how the 20 minute journey looped back around to find closure at the end. Seeing how that took form in the live setting was really impressive. Where did the idea for this song come from and did the concept change as its list of collaborators grew?

Kaylee Rae Timmerman: First of all, thank you! To be honest, the idea for "Four Score Insectivore" had no specific trajectory. It started as the main riff as the theme and we kept building layers as we jammed. Being a huge early Yes fan I thought it would be challenging and exciting to try to recreate our brand of "Close to the Edge," respectively. The song was not originally planned to be 20 minutes but we kept adding and subtracting parts until we felt satisfied. I started writing some lyrics for it here and there at the tail end of 2022 about a Venus flytrap having an existential crisis and it sort of mutated from that point on. Our additional guests on the track, (Bob Bucko Jr., Justin Comer, David Clair), adding so many colors that tied together all the loose ends we were hearing while writing the main structure. We are beyond grateful to have been able to work with them. 

villin: When listening back to the band’s Accelerativ Thrust interview, there was a comment about how Haploid was initially conceptualized as a synth pop band. Listening back to Villains Amiss, there are elements of that sound that bleed through, as with the closing of “Rejectamenta.” When putting a song like that together, does the band have an idea at the outset for what elements of sound it wants to include, such as a synth part, or is there more of an experimental or free-flowing approach to writing the music?

Kaylee Rae Timmerman: It’s definitely a 50/50 of premeditated elements and improvisation. We spend a lot of time at practice spitballing and feeding off of each other's energy. Dave tries to write as many little parts in his free time to at least have a starting point but the best part is deciding where it will go, how we will respond to them. "Rejectamenta" was definitely free flowing. It started out as a series of bass riffs that Dave came up with when he was just messing around. They didn’t quite work as a Haploid song, but they inspired what became "Rejecta." You can hear the original riff in the bass break before the verse.

villin: Piggybacking off that interview further, I was sorta blown away to discover the band doesn’t have any formal musical training. The music communicates as complex and, for lack of a better term, carries a certain jazzishness at times, which lends this album a feeling of musical sophistication. A confidence comes through with that vibe, but I'm curious if there was any uncertainty or self-doubt when putting the album together, and how you worked through those feelings if they did come up?

Kaylee Rae Timmerman: Self-doubt may as well be my middle name but I have complete confidence when we combine forces as a group. I have never taken a formal class on theory or basic lessons but when I think about who my favorite players are, knowing they were in a similar boat, it makes me feel a bit better. I definitely think there is value in learning scales and other tricks, but truthfully, that stuff has never excited me. There is no right answer. As long as you’re learning, it’s all good. I appreciate the “jazziness” comment a ton! Some of my favorite arrangements are from the likes of Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock and Eberhard Weber. 

villin: If forced to identify a label with the album, I could probably do worse than use the term “prog” when trying to encapsulate its sound. I’m really green when it comes to that world, but am wondering if there were any direct musical influences from that genre which helped guide the creation of Villains Amiss?

Kaylee Rae Timmerman: It’s a long list of influences but as far as favorite prog elements I would say obviously early Yes records,  King Crimson’s "Red" and "Discipline," and Genesis’ "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway." A lot of other pieces were fueled by my obsession with Polvo and Unwound, especially on our track, "Circling the Drain." The guitar player from Factual Brains called us prog punk, which we like. But a friend said that’s just another name for math rock.

villin: Instead of mastering the album in-house, Phil Young stepped in to help on that front. Is it difficult to hand over those sorts of technical responsibilities, and what element did Phil give the final recording?

Kaylee Rae Timmerman: I’d say our relationship with Phil dates back to Dave and I’s former band, Nostromo, as he recorded our second album. It has always been so painless and easy to hand off duties to him so there was zero doubt when it came to asking for mastering help. So far, we have recorded everything ourselves but Villains Amiss was the first album we decided to have mastered. Phil smoothed out the rough edges and leveled everything into the same plane. I guess it was kind of like we built a shelf and Phil sanded it. Haha!

For more from Haploid, follow the band’s work on Facebook or Instagram, and listen to Villains Amiss on Apple Music, Bandcamp, Spotify, or YouTube.

Ira Rat Interview

This episode of the villin podcast features a conversation with Ira Rat. If you're scanning his solo work, you're going to hear some lo-fi experimental music, but as I learned in our discussion, he's also released music as one half of Neon Lushell, which then led me down a rabbit hole where I learned of other past recording projects including Tape Ends, Black-Eyed Kids, and Vicar Elm. This isn't to mention the labels Drug Arts or Workerbee Records, which speak to another large area of focus for him, surrounding helping others release their own work.

Based in Ames, Iowa, Ira Rat has also leaned in on publishing through his Filthy Loot press, but he's also worked within mediums such as graphic design, video, and performance, in addition to his own writing. Oh, he's also a podcaster, where he's released 20 episodes of his Not Worth Living series, which features a one-sided conversation with other creatives, aimed to feel like eavesdropping on a psychiatrist visit. In our own conversation we talk a little about how that series came to be and what he gets out of it, but along the way we wind through a twisting road of discussion which leads us through topics such as his Throbbing Gristle and industrial music, black magick and the esoteric arts, and the paradox of choice and the problematic aspects of having an infinite buffet of media available to us at all times.

Lodge Cove Collective Interview

This episode of the villin podcast features a conversation with Mark from Lodge Cove Collective. On his website, Mark explains his goal for the project was to release original music written, produced, and recorded by himself and some of his friends. Quoting him, Mark writes, "I wanted to be able to put some of my own music out there in the world, and I wanted it to be collaborative because… it’s fun." Related to a spirit of collaboration is one of connectivity, which was how Mark and I first began talking. This episode grew out of a conversation on Threads, which is where he and I have both taken to in the past couple months as a means of trying to recalibrate our social media experience. And we do talk a bit about that — social media — and where we both sit with it presently, but we also talk about a variety of topics focused around the idea of creative success, or identifying personal measures of success relating to creative work outside of financial compensation.

I like how Mark uses the phrase "level setting," when talking about this, and you'll hear more about that a few minutes in, but we also go into depth surrounding his experience with sync licensing and the pros and cons of the current music streaming model before wrapping up by veering off into the world of generative A.I. and what opportunities and challenges that could produce for artists as that world continues to mature. For more, please visit his website, where Mark has written articles expanding on a few of these topics, or Spotify where he's got several playlists of his own you might enjoy. Elsewhere, you can check out more of Lodge Cove Collective's work on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, or hear music from the project on Apple Music, Bandcamp, Spotify, or YouTube.

Nickk feat. Big Teo the Trap Man “Ghosts and Spirits” (Singled Out)

Nickk is a Cedar Rapids-based MC whose recently released full-length album, Closed Hands, explores themes of mental health and addiction. The album title itself represents the concept of self-sabotage, which is a theme that bleeds into one of the album's standouts (and its lone feature), "Ghosts and Spirits." For the track, Nickk teamed up with Big Teo the Trap Man, of Trap Garage Mafia, whose own verse takes a similar approach thematically, focused around his own experiences in that realm. In this Q&A we discuss those themes and how they play into the broader picture of the album.

villin: You wrote Closed Hands with a specific aim in mind geared toward a focus on mental health, with the name itself acting as a reference to self-sabotage. How does "Ghosts and Spirits" relate to the album's overarching themes?

Nickk: The track "Ghosts and Spirits" is one of the biggest pieces of the project. The track dives deep into one of the biggest struggles I see around me. There's a lot of people who refer to this "little voice" in their head stemming from such things as insecurity, anxiety, and depression. People end up so in their head about the things they might hate or all of the negatives instead of the positives. I'd describe the song as a representation of my own journey through that struggle. The feature on the track was actually not the original track I had made. When I played the track for Teo, he just had this look on his face I cant forget. He instantly had something for the track, the verse was very dark diving into the perspective of drug corruption and the life that Teo was living at the time.

villin: The song's lyrics reference topics of violence and drug use, which both have obvious detrimental influences on mental health. How do you balance your own safety and health with any influences urging you toward these areas, and what were you trying to say with this song?

Nickk: Balancing your health is very important and isn't always the easiest. I myself still haven't figured that balance out 100% and the drug use does get to be a lot. It feels like a never ending cycle that I'm currently trying to conquer. Some of the influences on this are the crowd I was around that got me into a lot of the things I do. Without those experiences and the things I did I wouldn't be in the same place today. It was turning for me to be able to say I can do this and become better. The message behind the song is to do what you want in this lifetime. Don't stop yourself from becoming who you truly are. Addiction will be all around you in your life, don't get sucked into it.

villin: Closed Hands isn't a heavily collaborative album, and I'm wondering if you had Big Teo the Trap Man in mind when "Ghosts and Spirits" first started to come together? What made him a good fit for the song?

Nickk: Yea, so, to go a little deeper on the matter, "Ghosts and Spirits" was the sixth track I had made for the project. There is an alternative version with the second verse somewhere on my computer that will probably never be shown to anybody. The album Closed Hands was a very therapeutic album for me with the intent to really connect with the people. A chance to be vulnerable for my fans and to guide them to a better mentality and help them discover themselves deeper. Teo was a good fit for the song because we grew up with similar lifestyles to each other. We both have sat down and really gotten deep about the journeys our lives took, and the way we lived before we met; [it's] the reason we connected on the song like this. It's almost like we had a message for each other on our verses.

villin: What was your first impression of the song, and when thinking about how you could add to it what did you hope to bring to "Ghosts and Spirits"?

Big Teo the Trap Man: My first impression was this beat would really be good to speak about life on with a hook. I shot for talking about how it feels to be stuck in your head and also how it feels to deal with addiction, which is a close home subject to me

villin: Where'd the beat come from and how does its sound help communicate the song's themes?

Nickk: The beat came from a producer by the name of Docent. Docent was one of the first producers I really connected with. We've collectively done about eight tracks together now and it's always great to work with him. Docent makes a lot of darker beats like "Ghosts and Spirits," but has some softer production on the album, as well. The dark kind of horror-like concept really shows how scary the human mind can become. As for any more work with Docent, there will be plenty work. "Ghosts and Spirits" is the first official collab from me and Teo, but we will feed the souls soon... 

For more from Nickk, you can follow his work online via Instagram or TikTok, and you can listen to more from Closed Hands via Apple Music, Spotify, or YouTube.

Brian Campos Interview

Over the course four years, or so, Brian Campos established his voice within the Des Moines music community; not strictly through his own music, but largely through his work as a podcast host. Then, with well over one hundred episodes of his Pants OFF! Podcast behind him, he pivoted slightly to work with Bo Becker on a series called upstairs IOWA, transplanting his skills into the realm of video. Along the way, he was honored by the Des Moines Music Coalition, in large part for providing a platform for local artists to "share their stories of both success and struggle"... and then he moved on. Now, despite having long-since quietly put that work to bed, Brian was willing to discuss his experience, and speak to what he's taking away from the entire journey, a few years removed from it all.

villin: One of the reasons I wanted to reach out aligns with broader questions of creative intention and purpose that have been on my mind, with projects like what you did with the Pants OFF! Podcast or what I'm working on here. You started as a way to reconnect with a scene that was important to you, but over the course of 120-some episodes, there's no doubt that the ideas of intention and purpose changed. What led you to stop releasing new episodes and do you still have a desire to remain connected to the scene, or music community, as you did when you first began the series?

Brian Campos: First off, thanks for asking me to do this, although I was admittedly hesitant to do so. I have turned down things like this in the past because I feel as though I'm not contributing to "the scene" like others who are active and engaged to elevate it. Wouldn't want to steal that time or spotlight. Also, I'm quite boring these days. Yet, here I am in true hippocratic fashion! villin is doing some cool stuff, so good on you.

I did 124 episodes, with some various live things sprinkled in there. I think from the beginning I had ambitions to not only cover/interview local musicians, but national touring artists as well. I was kinda surprised how seamless that all happened. I stopped because I had a job change in late-2017 and my new job didn't give me much time, as I was working almost 80 hours a week (I bartend on Saturdays). Prior to all of that happening I was starting to burn out, to be honest. I was going hard from 2014 up to completely stopping in late-2018. I did all the editing, recording, PR, flyer-ing, social media, you name it. I did of course, have help along the way.

Phil Young helped me out a ton as far as figuring out my recording setups. Shout out to Phil! But, yeah, burnout and couldn't figure out how to pivot the format or trajectory of the show as I felt it was getting stale. I generally became disinterested and it started feeling more like a job. I did give an honest effort in 2018 to try and keep going but sitting in my room editing for hours on end is not something I have any interest in doing again. All that, as well as existential crises about my own perceptions about the show I'll get into in a bit (lol). As far as remaining connected, I'm a lurker. Always have been. I was involved in the early 2000's. Stopped. Drank myself stupid. Got sober. Came back. Left. Back to lurking. As far as still wanting to be connected, I have a career and family now so that is my priority.

villin: At some point you pivoted to working with Bo Becker on upstairs IOWA. Did that project provide something for you, creatively, that the podcast didn't, and are there any fond memories from putting it together that stand out to you now?

Brian Campos: Love me some Bo Becker. Great dude. Very creative and talented. upstairs IOWA was mostly all him and his production company Transpiritus. I was just happy to be there. I had so much fun doing it because it felt like leveling up in some ways to what I had been doing. But it also was very different, as I had to narrow down my questions to the very best, and not much room to get deep into the weeds of conversation which fosters the good responses.Gotta get to the point quick. Also, things are way different on camera rather than just two people and two mics in a room alone. So that was challenging and fun.

I had initially just hired Bo to shoot a live show we did at the Mews and we realized we had similar drives as to what we wanted to accomplish. He gave me lots of wiggle room but I was very open to his direction. We worked very well together. My job change hampered that and he went on to be a famous rockstar or something. Just kidding. He has his projects in Glass Ox and Modern Life is War, so we both kinda went in two directions and it just sorta ended. No fanfare. Just like the podcast.

When people make a big deal of ending a project, that shit is bunk. My good buddy Jay Lenihan (ex-Hunger Pains) always used to remind me when I was younger, "the most important point is; nobody cares." He was being flippant, but it was also profound. Does anything we do truly matter? This is the shit that runs through my head, but also reminds me not to take things or myself too seriously. I should add, if Bo were to have kept going or restart it with someone new, I would totally support that.

villin: You're no stranger to making music, yourself, and in discussion about your own musical beginnings the horrorcore genre came up, along with mention of opening for the likes of Tech N9ne along the way. I'm wondering how you view those experiences at this stage in life?

Brian Campos: While it is definitely not something I flaunt today, I'm not embarrassed about it, either. It's how I cut my teeth in the scene. We were just kids who saw bands like ICP and Twiztid and thought we could do it better, and in Des Moines, sans makeup. We (Unidentified Suspects) were playing with metal and punk bands at Hairy Mary's, while not even legally able to drink yet. We stood out, had some opportunities, but infighting and a lack of fresh ideas led to its end. But, those experiences very much shaped me and it was a lot of fun when it was fun.

Never did a proper tour, which was a goal I wanted to achieve with it. One of us bought a van for $1000 to tour in, but it blew up on the way to Chicago for a show and that was the end of our tour dreams. I performed for the last time in early 2018. Microwave Death (Mike Cooper), my very bestest buddy, 2nd grade classmate, and ex-Suspects bandmate, opened for horrorcore godfather Esham at Lefty's. We dusted off some old songs which was very fun but not planning to ever do it again. Getting too old, I guess.

villin: It might have been the 100th episode, where Elliot Imes interviewed you, but I believe there was mention of how your father was an avid music fan and guitar player, but abruptly gave it up at one point. Now a father yourself, I'm wondering how you've managed to juggle family and creativity, and if the experience of parenthood has helped recontextualize his own relationship with music?

Brian Campos: Oh shit, here we go. I saw my dad do that and was like, "Not me, maaan. Never giving up on it." Yet, here I am in the same boat. But, now I see sort of what his point of view might have been: Family first. He once traded a gorgeous red hollow body for our first Nintendo. He passed away in 2011, so unfortunately I won't be able to get a full perspective on it. But my Dad found new passions later in life like coaching youth football.

In 2019, I quit working 80 hours a week and decided to go back and finish school. I went into radiology. There is a sense of creativity when creating x-ray images, but at the end of the day it is still a job. Plus, I am in interventional radiology (IR) so the focus isn't so much of shooting images for diagnostic purposes as I am more a surgical assistant in procedures that require working around x-rays. All very rad (pun intended). As of right now, I don't have much outlet for creativity and haven't had time with school and still working part time the past four years.

My son came (seemingly out of the blue) in February of 2023, so his abrupt arrival (he spent three months in NICU), along with taking my license boards, starting a new career, and for good measure buying a house — time for being creative just hasn't been a priority. I do have a space I can call my own for activities in my new place ,so who knows? I still have education goals I want to achieve, so we'll see. I still listen to music every day. I try to find new stuff, but it gets harder for me. Possibly another reason I stopped podcasting because I look at who rolls through town nowadays and I couldn't name a majority of them. I'm aging out I think, so I have been going back, revisiting older stuff I may have been ignorant to when I was younger like Misfits or Bad Religion — who I just saw with Elliot, coincidentally, in November in Omaha. So good. I've also been on a Brutal Death Metal kick lately. Bands like Devourment and Dying Fetus have piqued my interest. The more extreme and chaotic, the better. That is, in my humble opinion, of course. 

villin: As I continued listening, I found a few parallels between us that I appreciate: Besides being close to the same age, 311 was something of a musical gateway drug for us both when we were kids; I also gave up drinking in my adult years; and we're both fans of professional wrestling. I'm originally from Calgary, so for much of my life, my fandom has gravitated toward the likes of Bret and Owen Hart, but one thing you also mentioned in that 100th episode was how Colt Cabana and his podcast influenced you to start your own. This is a long-winded path to an actual question, but it was also interesting hearing the shift between the introduction segments on the podcasts, which amplified your personality in a performative manner (sounding as though they could have been influenced by something like pro-wrestling), and your interviews, where you were far more casual and jovial. I'm wondering if there was ever any difficulty in reconciling the podcasting persona with who you were privately?

Brian Campos: 311 has always been my jam, besides that one stinker record. Saw them last fall at Hoyt Sherman after some time, having skipped their last several Iowa shows. They still fuckin' rip. Pro-wrestling, much like my horrorcore roots, is not something I bring up around the water-cooler, but I will gladly extrapolate the effectiveness of subtle variations of the DDT and argue a Russian leg sweep being a modified front faced DDT, but nobody wants to hear that (lol). Bret Hart was, is, always will be my favorite (and the best there is). Met him in Vegas in 2019. I showed him my Bret tattoo and he was characteristically unimpressed. Too funny.

I think who I was on the show is who I am in private although maybe more irreverent and pessimistic (lol). As far as finding "my voice" in the show, the intro segments were meant to stir some kind of excitement. I still think it's lame if the host isn't at least excited about his guest. But I don't know? Maybe I was jazzing it up too hard. As the show went on, I was constantly calling into question my own motives and intentions. Maybe I need to be more natural and less showy with intros. What was I trying to accomplish? What was I trying to accomplish basically holding up others' accomplishments? Was this all about me?

I occasionally had guests on to further networking and/or present good optics. Near the end I stopped doing that. I never did T-shirts or merch because monetizing it felt dirty. Instead, I donated all the mixtape money I made to the food bank and matched it. Not so much that I am such a great person, but that I didn't want to compromise my own values.The way I approached the podcast was how I approached a band, trying to be as organic as possible. I took business classes in hopes to gain better marketing strategies and sat in on workshops on how to improve audience reach and understanding analytics. This all makes total sense for someone trying to grow a "brand." The juxtaposition inside me was that it felt so in conflict with being organic or pure.

To me, employing business and marketing tactics to art tarnishes it. The idea of brand building, networking, optics, market reach, etc. made my stomach start to turn. The more of the conversations I had with non-band people about marketing concepts and what I "should be doing to increase the podcast name" really started turning me off to everything about what I had done. Mystery Science Theatre 3000 creator Joel Hodgson once told network executives grilling him about who MST3K was supposed to appeal to, "The right people will find it." You can't force art or entertainment although, I attempted to at one point. Not proud of that. Either it takes off, or not. Given everything going on in my head as well as my turbulent work life at that time, I needed to stop and regroup. If I never went back to doing it, I was happy with what I had done up to that point. 

villin: In the years you were most active in that world, you supported a showcase at Maximum Ames featuring Traffic Death, Druids, Courtney Krause and Tha Füt, and were honored as "fan of the year" by the DMMC. Of all the opportunities and situations that arose out of the podcast, which surprised or excited you the most?

Brian Campos: Anytime the podcast was recognized or written about it was cool. I remember a  journalist friend of mine trying to get write up for me at the Register but was told by the editor it wasn't "sexy enough." So instead they ran a story about some east village store that had a couple pairs of shoes and a small rack of clothes literally called Sex and it closed six months after it opened. Hilarious. Fuck them.

Anytime I scored an interview with a national touring artist based on my own credentials was awesome. When I would do the interview and it came off good in a green room or bus, I was almost high when I was done. The most listened to episode was the Bob Nastanovich episode which Bob had hinted at a Pavement reunion on Stephen Colbert. That got picked up by Stereogum, Billboard, and then Rolling Stone!  All with links and references to the podcast. Those two days were wild. But I am also unfortunately self aware to a fault that I realized within the moment that this was probably the most spotlight the podcast would ever get so it was also a tad depressing. Also, I got several nods on Theprp.com and Lambgoat. Theprp is a hardcore, punk, and metal news site that I've gotten my news from since I was coming up. I think wook has had it going for 20 plus years now? Which is crazy to think about. I only ever wanted to be Theprp.com of podcasts so to have been mentioned on there a handful of times was a thrill and an honor. I am still grateful for all the relationships I made during those four short years. I still talk to many of them today. I still talk to Josh Newton from Shiner, so to me that is a win. 

villin: In 2017 you released a compilation album of musicians featured on Pants OFF!, staggering podcast clips with full-length tracks from the artists themselves. In a review of the release for Little Village, Nate Logsdon wrote, "Campos also leads artists to revealing reflections on the creative process, which is one of the podcast’s greatest strengths." What are some of those creative reflections that still stand out to you from the series, and what was your favorite part of the creative process around putting the podcast together?

Brian Campos: Just overall, I'm proud I was able to produce 124-ish episodes, and for its time it added a different dimension to the music scene. If it motivated people to create more, whether music or even their own podcast, that's great! And hopefully they were motivated to do it better than me. Even better! Push things forward. No one ever shit talked to me to my face which was disappointing. I came up in a scene that was very competitive, back biting, and volatile but that also motivated you to level up your game. Always be ready to defend yourself. It's not like that anymore.

I know it didn't fit in perfectly because I didn't cater to just one facet of the scene and tried hard to reach many corners of it. My values and principles as well as penchant for a good dick and fart joke turned quite a few off but I that was/is me. I'm sure I would've been cancelled by now because I am not very PC. That's what happens when you talk too much and will bury yourself just to ride out in a blaze of glory. Instead, I chose to fade away quietly. Probably for the best. I embarrassed my family enough during my drinking heyday. Thank Buddha, cellphone videos weren't as abundant back then. When I did the actual interview and after the audio wasn't fucked, that was my favorite part. It was also satisfying listening to a final edit in my car, checking levels, and saying "OK, let's publish," and roll on to the next, which unfortunately meant starting to edit the next episode ASAP.The editing can take a hot piss in the wind. But, I'm in a good place now. Things are good. Keep moving forward to what's next. 

For more from the Pants OFF! Podcast, the last several episodes from the series are still available on SoundCloud, or you can listen to the Pants OFF! Mixtape on Bandcamp.

Rome Oliver Interview

Based in Des Moines, Rome Oliver has made a push for himself within the city's scene, regularly maintaining a presence online through a series of solid track and EP releases, while also landing on several notable bills, opening for the likes of Sada Baby. Dropping his most recent collection of songs, November Saints 2, this past month, for this Q&A we connected to discuss a standout track from the release, while also touching on how he approaches collaborative work, giving back to his community, and Iowa Women's Basketball.

villin: With November Saints 2, the track that stood out to me was “No Surprise.” You’ve put out a lot of music this year and I’m wondering what stands out to you about this the release that separates it from the other recent work you’ve done?

Rome Oliver: With #NovemberSaints2 I feel more vulnerable than ever. It was the first time really speaking about my daughter, opening up about my mindset towards being a new father. I also dove into a lot of reflection about my childhood and the dynamic between myself and my parents. I also spoke to the pressures of society and how I feel people's focus tends to be in the wrong place, while still offering my usual perspective of the world and its blessings and struggles. With "No Surprise," itself, I relay a powerful message about work ethic and never giving up. In the end, the results are by no surprise because I put in the work.

villin: “Survivor’s Remorse” is another recent standout that I was curious to learn more about. You touch on several personal topics in the song, but the idea of balancing the optics of success with a sense of internal harmony is one that resonates out to me: “Money motivated that’s a fact though, if I could trade it for some peace of mind I’d give it back though.” What was driving you with this song?

Rome Oliver: This concept comes from the realization of how short life is [and] losing a lot of friends through the years, whether that was from death or jail or just growing apart. Been doing this music shit for a long time and still going when I've seen hundreds of artists fall to the wayside. So, continuing to push forward, while also feeling like some of those people should be here to enjoy this with me. I'm big on keeping my inner peace, so if there was a price on it, I would definitely pay it.

villin: You’ve had a few key shows this past year, between opening for Sada Baby, hosting your birthday show, and being part of the Iowa Hip-Hop Showcase anniversary event. What are some of your fondest moments when considering this past year’s live performances?

Rome Oliver: The Sada Baby show was tough just because he has been one of my favorite artists for a while now, so that was dope to check off the list. But my birthday show was definitely the highlight of my year as far as performances go. It was also my first promotion as far as shows for my company Brknthoughts Media Group. We went hard to get that all together and we packed the event out! We had one of the most fire lineups and no drama at all! We have big plans for '24, so everyone be on the lookout for that! I would like to point out that my standout moment of the year in general was #DayOnes, my collaboration with Empire artist Big Sad 1900! He is an artist from L.A. that my team was able to get connected with; also my highest streaming song this year.

villin: Pivoting slightly from live music to a different kind of event, could you tell me a little more about the Back 2 School event you helped put on? How did the idea come together and are there plans to bring it back for a third year in 2024?

Rome Oliver: As a kid we didn't have a lot so we were always lined up at back to school giveaways tryna get that shit together. My mom did her best but she had five kids to raise by herself — four of us were adopted from four different families. So, we had some struggles coming up, which is why I feel sympathy for people who still tryna figure it out. As a kid all you ever look forward to is a chance to be great. I just try to do my part in keeping the hope alive! The goal is to complete our third annual B2S event in 2024!

villin: A few months back when it things were blowing up around Iowa women’s basketball, you put out the song “Caitlin Clark.” Could you explain the excitement you felt around that time and what were you trying to do with that song?

Rome Oliver: I've always been a huge sports fan. Caitlin is not only one of the best female hoopers I've ever seen, but maybe one of Iowa's top college athletes all-time. It was a no brainer to show her some love. Wish her the best this season — I know she is about to change the WNBA next year!

villin: A couple months ago you dropped “Jealousy” with Sight Lives. When connecting with him about the song, he said you were friends with his older brother initially and that’s how you two first linked up. Do you find that your favorite collaborations come from organically meeting people compared to linking up with a specific purpose in mind of working together?

Rome Oliver: For me it doesn't matter too much about whether I know you or not. I'm just a creator, I want to work with dope artists of all genres. Sight Lives has a dope outlook on life, in general, as well as the music, so it's always good to be able to connect with people with a layered perspective. He has at one point been a brand ambassador for my clothing line #NuEnglsh apparel. He is one of many collaborations I've had recently. I got a single with Smoov G on the way, Dessy X, Honorroll Kid and talks of a collab tape with a couple artists on the way, as well! A lot more work coming from this side.

For more from Rome, follow his work online via Instagram or TikTok, or listen to more of his music via Apple, Spotify, Tidal, or YouTube.

Aaron Hefel Interview

Aaron Hefel is a musician based in Dubuque who, over the course of the past two decades, has contributed to helping shape the city's live music scene, largely through his role as booking agent for the Lift. In this Q&A, Hefel offers an overview of trends he's noticed in the live music space following the the Lift's shutdown during the pandemic, a few local musical recommendations, and a recap of what first initially inspired him to get involved in the scene.

villin: When we began chatting you mentioned you’ve been doing shows in the Dubuque area since around 1999. When did you get started with Counterproductions, and what sort of hopes for it did you have when you began?

Aaron Hefel: Dubuque had two nice runs of indie punk bands, one in 1994-95, and another in 1996-97. Really good bands. Like, foundations of late-'80s & '90s underground punk rock (Shellac, Jesus Lizard, God Bullies, Cows). Seeing bands like that in my hometown spoke to me. "Why don't you do that?" the voice said.

[I] started August 1999 at our lone alternative lifestyles bar, One Flite Up (now defunct). They had Sundays open and I suggested trying to fill the room with kids and music. Shows had stopped happening; couldn't keep a venue for more than one show. So when I approached One Flite Up, I was looking for something to occupy small town boredom. I knew consistency was the only way. It had to be once a month or more; give people a thing to look forward to and be part of. Grateful for any venue that said yes [and] had to move the operation a few times before landing at the Lift in 2004.

villin: Be it through acts like the Old Panther collective or Melting Human Trash, have you been playing in bands that entire time, as well?

Aaron Hefel: More inactive than active. But since Grainbelt (2003), Old Panther, Kerosene Circuit, and most recently MHT all made recordings and played out of town a bit. So, no, not much, but yes.

villin: I couldn’t find a cached version of the article to read it, but in 2015 Around Iowa published an article about you titled “The Guy Who Brought Music Back to Dubuque.” What was going on around that time that triggered the article, and gauging the temperature of the music scene in town today, how have things changed around town in the near-decade since it was published?

Aaron Hefel: I think I was having a good run of shows at the bar and someone from the paper reached out. I'd say things are similar? A small handful of folks, young and old, making original music in many different genres. A few venues have come and gone.

villin: In January of 2021 you discussed the issues the Lift was experiencing in re-emerging from the pandemic with KCRG. How has the bar/venue rebounded since that time, and have you found that show patronage has returned to pre-pandemic levels?

Aaron Hefel: It's been a slow rebound. People are more particular about the events they attend. I curate the booking of small independent acts, often weekdays, in a small market. It's a lot to ask folks to trust what I book. But when they do show up and it does work, it's a very beautiful thing.

villin: One of the things I try to do with this website is regularly share playlists with Iowan artists, but having been a part of the scene for so long I was hoping you could help me out by shining a light on some of the music from years gone by that might not have hit my radar yet? While it’s tricky to answer this question without excluding anyone, who are some of your favorite Dubuque artists that have stuck with you over the years?

Aaron Hefel: Dredge is the best band in Dubuque. We've got EDM, folk, noise, hip-hop, metal, and alt -rock scenes currently growing as we speak. A few former Dubuquers out there making some killer sounds would be Telekinetic Yeti, Horse Lords, and Chinese Telephones. Ten Grand, from Iowa City, are one of the best bands from Iowa and one of the first bands I've ever booked. Incredible stuff.