Welcome to Episode 26 of The Sleepless Sessions, and for returning listeners, welcome back! On this podcast we explore the lives of those in pursuit of their passions, dreams, and living unconventional lifestyles!

On today’s episode I sat down with my great friend Mike whom I met at Lost Lands in 2019, and have stayed in touch ever since! From hopping on weekly zoom calls, going to shows together to the occasional phone calls filled with inspiration, it’s an honor to have this conversation with mike as well as share an amazing friendship!

Mike is the Co Founder of Aftershock, as well spitting bars in his music project Mike Grand, touching into his hip hop and rap backgrounds rapping and his exploring his sound to express himself through sound and creation. You can check out his latest track 'Soul Fade' linked in the show notes! You’ll also get to hear sneak peeks from one of his new tracks coming on the horizon!

On this episode we chat about a variety of topics such as his music project Mike Grand, the visions for his project, being a Co-Founder of Aftershock, finding your rhythm, rapping, trials and tribulations, and so much more

The best ways to connect with us, and time stamps for this episode are below. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you Mike for taking the time to record this episode!

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review of this podcast on your listening platform to help the podcast grow!

Best places to connect with and view Sleepless Sessions content
All Podcast Links

Best places to connect with and view Mike's content
Mike's Instagram
Mike's Twitter
Mike's Facebook
Mike Grand on Spotify
Mike Grand on Apple Music


Podcast Music by Mike Grand
Podcast Artwork by Charlie Paff

Timestamps TBA

Peace and Love

"Inspiration is everywhere, just look for it " -Mike Garrity | 

Welcome to Episode 25 of The Sleepless Sessions, and for returning listeners, welcome back! On this podcast we explore the lives of those in pursuit of their passions, dreams, and living unconventional lifestyles!

This episode I got to chat with my friend Mike; we've been chatting about recording an episode for a while now so I'm glad we we were able to bring this into fruition! Mike has an art moniker 'MIMS' embracing an abstract style with street art influence. He is also the art director for the event Nocturnal Funktion which has been mentioned on the podcast a few times. I've known Mike for a few years courtesy of our mutual friend Ian who introduced us at a show in the Boston area! It was a pleasure being able to record this episode as well as to learn more about him, his background in art and what's to come in the future!

We dive into numerous topics such as the vastness of art, his journey as an artist and painter, being an art director for Nocturnal Funktion, street art, painting, and broad concepts such as the meaning of life, and much more! 

The best ways to connect with us, and time stamps for this episode are below. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you Mike for taking the time to record this episode!

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review of this podcast on your listening platform to help the podcast grow!

Best places to connect with and view Sleepless Sessions content
All Podcast Links

Best places to connect with and view Mike's content
Mike's Instagram
MIMS. ArtProject Instagram
Mike's Facebook
Mike's LinkTree

Podcast Music by Josh Teed
Podcast Artwork by Charlie Paff

Timestamps TBA

"Music is sound that creates the opportunity for connection and exploration " -Austin Pereira | 

Welcome to Episode 24 of The Sleepless Sessions, and for returning listeners, welcome back! On this podcast we explore the lives of those in pursuit of their passions, dreams, and living unconventional lifestyles!

This episode I got to chat with my friend Austin who goes by Ace On Earth. We connected at a Widdler show in Providence and both being aware of each others projects led to an instant connection leading us to this episode! Austin has a background in rap and hip-hop, cultivating influences from those styles as well as ideas of holistic health, consciousness, and meditation into his project and brand. You may also be familiar with his stickers, shirts, and hats saying 'Thank You For Being Here' and I've been rocking some on my water bottle and computer before actually meeting him funny enough. He radiates a contagious positive energy and it was a pleasure recording this episode with him as well as being able to connect with him! 

We dive into numerous topics such as the vastness of music in realms of production, performing, influences, the vision for his project as well as the 'Thank You For Being Here' project, his past clothing line, yoga, meditation, and much more!

The best ways to connect with us, and time stamps for this episode are below. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you Tim for taking the time to record this episode!

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review of this podcast on your listening platform to help the podcast grow!

Best places to connect with and view Sleepless Sessions content
All Podcast Links

Best places to connect with and view Austin's content
Website
Merch
Soundcloud
Austin's Linktree

Tracks on this Episode:
'Hovering Over' by Ace On Earth and Brassell*
'Time Heals All' by Ace On Earth and Brassell*
*Intergalactic Rhodes EP from Ace On Earth and Brassell coming soon!

Podcast Artwork by Charlie Paff

Time Stamps
TBA

"It's about trying to get what's in your head, into reality, that's all that art is. If you can streamline that process, leave as little of a buffer as possible from your head to what's in front of you, then that will enable you to get the most out of whatever art you're creating... " -Timothy Mo | 

Welcome to Episode 23 of The Sleepless Sessions, and for returning listeners, welcome back! On this podcast we explore the lives of those in pursuit of their passions, dreams, and living unconventional lifestyles!

This episode I got to chat with one of my neighbors and friend Tim, and it was such a blast to catch up! He's always been someone I'd run fitness and media questions by and it was great being able to have him on the podcast! He does a lot of event and nightlife photography and videography in the Boston area, as well as traveling to work with clients as well as for leisure such as a road trip we dive into on this episode. 

We dive into numerous topics such as fitness, road tripping and his cross country experience, growing up in Newton, media in numerous facets such as photography, videography, editing, developing a creators vision, what it means to be an artist, and so much more

The best ways to connect with us, and time stamps for this episode are below. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you Tim for taking the time to record this episode!

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review of this podcast on your listening platform to help the podcast grow!

Best places to connect with and view Sleepless Sessions content
All Podcast Links

Best places to connect with and view Tim's content
Tim's Instagram

Dope Entertainment
Slacker University

Time Stamps
TBA

"Community is people, things, businesses, brands,  that you surround yourself with that make you feel the most like yourself, the most confident self, and most accepted in yourself..." -Danielle Sturm |

Welcome to Episode 22 of The Sleepless Sessions, and for returning listeners, welcome back! On this podcast we explore the lives of those in pursuit of their passions, dreams, and living unconventional lifestyles!

In today's episode I sat down with my friend Danielle that I was introduced to by one of our previous guests, Phil, and upon meeting her at her business the Nest, I was instantaneously intrigued to learn more about her path into entrepreneurship, the vision for her business the Nest, and much more! With a passion for thrifting she began selling clothes on social media and various other platforms until she met her business partner Charlotte, which then begun the brainstorming for the now Providence based secondhand style collective ‘The Nest’, What do they mean by collective? Appearing to many as a store, what they offer is far more with professional decluttering services, hosting events spanning from education, resin pouring, clothing swaps, and comedy events. They also operate as a location for second hand clothing, as some would like to say thrifting, building a community that has brought members into their collective. Danielle also works as a booking agent for Soundz Organic.

Some topics we explore in this episode is her early life growing up outside of Chicago, her passion for fashion, thrifting, the event space, her path into business and entrepreneurship, her experiences podcasting (which sparked a podcasting rabbit hole), meeting her business partner Charlotte and the origin story of the Nest, operating a business, the fashion industry, and much more! 

The best ways to connect with us, and time stamps for this episode are below. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you Danielle for taking the time to record this episode!

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review of this podcast on your listening platform to help the podcast grow!

Best places to connect with and view Sleepless Sessions content
All Podcast Links

Best places to connect with and view Danielle's content
The Nest Links
Danielle's Instagram

Time Stamps
(0:00) - Intro
(2:48) - Episode Start, Danielle on growing up in IL and moving to RI
(13:23) - Danielle and Donald on podcasting (this is a rabbit hole on podcasting)
(44:57) - Social media and the connection/disconnection with it, authenticity
(1:01:45) - Danielle on thrifting, and the origin story of The Nest
(1:15:32) - What is Fast and slow fashion?
(1:25:13) - Thrifting and solutions to being priced out with clothing, giving something a second life, conscious consumerism
(1:37:26) - Views on Marketing, finding what you want to get behind with marketing,
(1:44:14) - Danielle on event planning, building a community
(1:52:59) - Danielle on meeting Phil Paulicelli, Danielle working with Soundz Organic
(2:01:46) - Danielle on Entrepreneurship, building a team, time management
(2:14:50) - Danielle's recommendations for entrepreneurs diving into the space
(2:28:54) - Danielle on Failure
(2:31:50) - What does the word 'Community' mean to Danielle
(2:33:16) - Best ways to connect with Danielle and The Nest (links above)
(2:24:26) - Closing thoughts
(2:35:38) - Outro, Episode end

Thank you for tuning in!

Peace and Love
-Donald

"Art is meant to make you think " -Nate Davidovich | 

Welcome to Episode 21 of The Sleepless Sessions, and for returning listeners, welcome back! On this podcast we explore the lives of those in pursuit of their passions, dreams, and living unconventional lifestyles!

This episode has been a LONG time in the works, even prior to this podcast coming to life, Nate and I have been chatting about recording a podcast and I'm so glad we were able to make it happen. Nate has been one of the original fans of the podcast and it was great to have him on! From the casual two hour minimum phone calls, to feeding him waffles on stage, our love for Hennessey Sound, and countless interactions in and out of shows, Nate has become such a close friend and is someone who has always given me constructive criticism in my various pursuits, and has helped not only mine but the growth of others. It was an honor getting to record this episode and to make it a long one, we'll have to shoot for 7 hours for round two. 

We dive into numerous topics such as his music projects Archetype, blue gum, his solo project, the origins of his label Phuqhaus and its vision, his early life and growing up around music, his Icon Collective experience, some wild stories, and so much more in this action packed episode. 

The best ways to connect with us, and time stamps for this episode are below. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you Nate for taking the time to record this episode!

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review of this podcast on your listening platform to help the podcast grow!

Best places to connect with and view Sleepless Sessions content
All Podcast Links

Best places to connect with and view Nate's content
Nate's Instagram
Phuqhaus Instagram (Bio has other Phuqhaus artists pages)
Archetype Instagram
Phuqhaus Soundcloud
Archetype Soundcloud

Time Stamps
(0:00) - Intro
(2:48) - Episode start, how Donald and Nate met, shows 
(14:28) - Nate growing up in NJ, and his introduction to music, piano and cello
(38:48) - Production and Producers, show experiences, the darkness of life, spreading positivity, social interactions and pushing comfort boundaries
(1:17:32) - Nate's Katalyst experience, throwing shows, Nate on his branding and rebranding, Nate getting into djing
(1:42:14) - Donald and Nate sharing a Gov Ball experience, Nate and Donald on past substance abuse
(2:10:07) - Nate on his branding and naming process, lyricism, 
(2:23:55) - Nate on his Icon experience, being mentored
(3:24:26) - What it means to be a full time creator/producer, Donald on Podcasting, more on Icon, finding your creative voice
(4:01:02) - Phuqhaus and the direction for the collective, throwing events and festivals
(4:28:20) - What the scene means to Nate and things he'd like to see change within it, perspective and learning from others 
(4:39:28) - What does the word art mean to Nate
(4:47:07) - Beat ways to connect with Nate, Phuqhaus and their artists (Inspectah, Zimm (rebrand coming), Yada Yada, Fervor, Jack Flora, blue gum, Archetype) 
(4:49:36) - Closing thoughts, end of episode
(4:52:07) - Outro, end of episode 

Thanks for tuning in, we'll see you next time :)
-Donald

"Art is the most pure form of self expression for me. It’s bringing something to life and through that bringing of life you’re releasing something to the world" -Matt Mendez | 

Welcome to Episode 20 of The Sleepless Sessions, and for returning listeners, welcome back! On this podcast we explore the lives of those in pursuit of their passions, dreams, and living unconventional lifestyles!

In today's episode I sat down with my friend Matt who goes by ZiP Visuals. I was introduced to him by one of our prior guests Dave Schunemann . upon coming across ZiP Visuals, I was mesmerized by everything he was creating. It's been a pleasure connecting with him and being able to find a time to record this episode that's been in the works for quite some time! We also had a special guest with his dog Bear making an appearance on the episode. I'll make sure to get some footage of Bear for you on the social media pages. Being a full time artist, our guest has done work with Netflix, Samsung, and numerous other companies on top of his work as a visual artist with the ZiP Visuals project. He’s performed at numerous festivals and events with an array of artists in electronic music, and are must see performances, and is one of the artists that’s helped me fall in love and grow a stronger appreciation for the craft. 

Some topics we explore in this episode are his ZiP Visuals project, freelancing, art and how he approaches his pieces as well as his performances with visual arts, collaborating with other artists, the bass music community, what it means to be an artist and so much more. 

The best ways to connect with us, and time stamps for this episode are below. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you Matt for taking the time to record this episode!

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review of this podcast on your listening platform

Best places to connect with and view Sleepless Sessions content
All Podcast Links

Best places to connect with and view Matt's content
Matt's Linktree
Website

Time Stamps
TBA

"I think that songwriting should really just be a microphone to your heart and your mind and just say what's pure and what's really there." -Julian Kerins | 

Welcome to Episode 19 of The Sleepless Sessions, and for returning listeners, welcome back! On this podcast we explore the lives of those in pursuit of their passions, dreams, and living unconventional lifestyles!

Today’s guest I met at a DubDay event in Brooklyn and since have grown our friendship, leading us to recording this episode. With a vocal range spanning 8+octaves, he commands his voice so beautifully with the ability to absolutely belt. Listening to his music it reminded me of crosses between the vocals of Jeff Buckley, Chris Cornell, and Brandon Boyd. I'm in awe whenever I hear his music, and on top of being a talented musician he's an incredible and genuine person. I highly encourage you to check out his music, as his website mentions, "First-hand experience is always superior to the written word. Listen and find out what the music means to you."

Some topics we explore in this episode are her early life leading into discovering his path into music, acting and his cameo in a Lamb of God music video, what it means to be a singer and songwriter, touring, working on music to release, life and death, and much more.

The best ways to connect with us, and time stamps for this episode are below. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you Julian for taking the time to record this episode!

Tracks used on this episode are below, and you can listen to them on 'To Solemn Maia'
'As Was Wings' by Julian Kerins
'Vie' by Julian Kerins
'Of a Reverie' by Julian Kerins
'Lace Lattice' by Julian Kerins

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a rating and review of this podcast on your listening platform

Best places to connect with and view Sleepless Sessions content
All Podcast Links

Best places to connect with and view Julian's content
Website
YouTube
Instagram

Time Stamps