Episode 83: Narada Michael Walden Part 2 At this point in the story, Narada has gone from a jazz fusion drummer with Mahavishnu Orchestra, to a major label solo artist with hits, to a Grammy-winning producer with Aretha Franklin. And now... Whitney Houston enters the picture. We kick off this episode with the moment Narada and Whitney's journey starts together. He gets a call from Arista A&R exec Jerry Griffith, who discovered Whitney, asking him to work with the unknown artist. Narada says yes and immediately produces "How Will I Know." The song becomes a number 1 hit. Then comes the call from Clive Davis asking for a follow-up. Narada delivers "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." The story continues. We also get into his work with a then unknown Mariah Carey, and wild stories from across his life, including how Narada introduced Jaco Pastorius to Weather Report, giving Jaco his big break! Narada is an incredible soul with a deep story and endless energy. This is Part 2 of our conversation. Let's go!! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. Big thanks to our friends at DistroKid! DistroKid is the easiest and fastest way to get your music on over 150 platforms worldwide! Go to https://distrokid.com/vip/elmo to get 20% off your first year! (0:00:00) TRAILER (0:01:52) NARADA INTRODUCTION (0:03:33) A SPECIAL OFFER FROM DISTROKID (0:04:46) MEETING WHITNEY HOUSTON (0:07:12) “HOW WILL I KNOW” WHITNEY & CISSY HOUSTON (0:12:28) “THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL” (0:14:26) “HOW WILL I KNOW” (0:16:16) PRODUCING 80’S DRUM SOUNDS (0:17:37) “I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY” (0:21:12) WHITNEY’S REACTION (0:23:32) MAKING WHITNEY HAPPY (0:24:30) TARPAN STUDIOS (0:25:14) PRODUCING TIPS, MUSIC IMPACT ON THE WORLD (0:26:41) DRUM INTRO FOR “I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY” (0:27:43) CLIVE DAVIS’ REACTION (0:28:10) CREATING A TEAM, RANDY JACKSON, WALTER AFANASIEF (0:32:10:19) MANAGEMENT, ADMIN SIDE OF BUSINESS (0:35:14) KITES ARE FUN BY FREE DESIGN (0:35:38) “I’M EVERY WOMAN” (0:37:51) UNRELEASED WHITNEY HOUSTON SONGS (0:39:21) HOW TO ASK GOD WHAT TO DO (0:40:43) INTRODUCING JACO PASTORIUS TO WEATHER REPORT (0:44:00) PAT MATHENY (0:45:12) HIRAM BULLOCK, “I CRY, I SMILE” (0:45:42) MARIAH CAREY (0:49:34) MARIAH CAREY & JAY-Z “HEARTBREAKER, STACY LATTISAW (0:50:33) WORKING WITH OTHER PRODUCERS, ANDERSON .PAAK (0:52:14) MAKING A HIT, JOURNEY (0:53:07) RAPID FIRE INTERVIEW (0:54:13) DRUMMING FOR JOURNEY, STEVE SMITH (0:54:55) NARADA’S NEW MUSIC, “HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME” (0:57:54) LOVE FOR DRUMMERS Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Narada: https://www.instagram.com/officialnarada/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Follow Jammcard: https://www.youtube.com/@jammcard jammcard.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 82: Narada Michael Walden. He went from being the drummer of Mahavishnu Orchestra and landing the cover of Modern Drummer Magazine, to producing Whitney Houston’s biggest hits and winning the GRAMMY for Producer of the Year. This interview is the epic journey of Narada Michael Walden. I loved this conversation so much. Narada’s positive, creative energy jumps out at you immediately. We go deep into his drumming career, how he got the gig with his favorite band, Mahavishnu Orchestra, following the great Billy Cobham. How he landed a record deal as a solo artist, almost got dropped, then shifted his focus to disco and scored a hit that saved his career. Then came the call from Clive Davis that launched his producing career and brought him Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and so many more. His story is incredibly inspiring. From super drummer, to successful solo artist to hit producer. We went so deep on Mahavishnu in this convo that we had to do this interview in two parts! I’m happy now to bring you Part 1 with the brilliant and fun Narada Michael Walden. ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. Big thanks to our friends at DistroKid! DistroKid is the easiest and fastest way to get your music on over 150 platforms worldwide! Go to https://distrokid.com/vip/elmo to get 20% off your first year! Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Narada: https://www.instagram.com/officialnarada/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 81: Kevin Lyman. The Vans Warped Tour is the longest-running touring music festival in North America, drawing over 750,000 fans every summer at its peak. And it all started with one guy — Kevin Lyman. In this episode, we sit down in person with the man who turned parking lots into punk rock playgrounds, helped break some of the biggest names in music, and built a generation-defining cultural movement. Warped Tour was the first concert I ever went to at 13 years old, and a few years later, I was lucky enough to play the tour multiple times, including full runs, and again in 2010 with Skrillex. It was a big contributor in shaping my life. In this conversation, I finally got to ask Kevin everything I’ve wanted to know for years. We dive deep into: - How Kevin started Warped Tour from scratch - How he landed the sponsorship deal with Vans - The behind-the-scenes details that kept it running for 24 years - How he gave stages to artists like Sublime, No Doubt, Blink-182, Eminem, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Avenged Sevenfold, Paramore, Deftones, Katy Perry, The Used, Good Charlotte, New Found Glory, Sugar Ray, and MXPX - How legends like NOFX, Bad Religion, Rancid, Pennywise, and Less Than Jake helped anchor the tour - Why set times changed daily, were never announced in advance, and who set them - Working with Sublime, what Brad Nowell was like, and how Brad's death led Kevin to focus on helping people with recovery - Kevin's personal mission, values, and work ethic behind it all This 90-minute deep dive is the ultimate Warped Tour tell-all. We recorded it right after the first Warped Tour returned in Washington D.C. in July 2025 — with Long Beach and Florida still to come. Kevin Lyman is a punk rock pioneer, a cultural architect, and one of the most influential figures in live music. I’m honored to share this one with you. Here’s my conversation with the amazing Kevin Lyman. Let's go!! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:00:00) INTRO (0:05:04) WARPED TOUR 2025 D.C. (0:09:12) WARPED TOUR 1998 (0:12:30) WHY KEVIN CREATED WARPED TOUR (0:15:54) VANS (0:16:30) WARPED TOUR YEAR ONE (0:19:29) BLINK-182 (0:19:56) HOW VANS GOT INVOLVED (0:26:10) BECOMING PROFITABLE (0:28:06) CREATING DAILY SET TIMES (0:29:35) SET TIME LOTTERY (0:32:28) HOW TO SETUP WARPED TOUR (0:34:34) MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY (0:35:33) BRINGING FRIENDS ON STAGE, SKRILLEX (SONNY MOORE) (0:39:35) LEGENDARY BANDS (0:41:32) THE PUNKS (0:44:51) BLINK-182, TOUR BUS STORIES (0:50:06) KEVIN’S WARPED TOUR DAILY ROUTINE (0:54:16) SUBLIME (0:55:39) KICKING OUT SUBLIME IN 1995 (1:00:22) BRADLEY NOWELL (1:03:30) 2019 WARPED TOUR, BRINGING IT BACK IN 2025 (1:05:24) NOFX (1:07:19) NO DOUBT 1995 (1:08:23) CRAZY STORIES (1:10:05) KEVIN’S DREAM WARPED TOUR BILL (1:12:04) LONG BEACH 2025 (1:13:04) BIGGEST WARPED TOUR MOMENT, BECOMING A PROFESSOR (1:14:13) HOW TO WALK AWAY (1:17:53) HANDLING HEALTH (1:19:21) L.A. WILDFIRES (1:21:44) HOW TO SKIP THE 2025 WARPED TOUR LINE Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Mike: https://www.instagram.com/mikecaren/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Follow Jammcard: https://www.youtube.com/@jammcard jammcard.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 80: Mike Caren. If you’re in the music industry, you hear the name Mike Caren all the time. He’s one of the most powerful people in music, with a career that’s led to billions of streams, multiple GRAMMY wins, and chart-topping, career-defining hits as both an A&R and executive. He’s signed and/or helped break artists like Bruno Mars, Charlie Puth, Ed Sheeran, Kehlani, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Wiz Khalifa, Flo Rida, T.I., Trey Songz, Ava Max, Kevin Gates, and Don Toliver. He started his career at Atlantic Records at just 18 years old, eventually becoming President of Worldwide A&R at Warner Music Group. Today, he is the founder and CEO of APG, which includes Artist Partner Group (label) and Artist Publishing Group (publishing), one of the most successful independent music companies in the world. This is Mike Caren’s first-ever long-form, on-camera interview. Mike usually keeps a low profile, so I was honored he agreed to do this. We dive into his full trajectory, how he got where he is today, lessons learned, and his advice for artists, songwriters, and A&Rs trying to build meaningful careers in today’s music landscape. We also talk artist development, the balance of creativity and business, AI and more. There’s so much to take away from this one. Hope you enjoy my conversation with the great Mike Caren! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:00:00) INTRO (0:07:13) EARLY CAREER, GROWING UP (0:08:22) RADIO SHOW WITH THE ALCHEMIST (0:09:20) INTERSCOPE RECORDS INTERNSHIP 1993 (0:13:10) PROVIDE VALUE (0:14:34) MARKETING ROLES (0:17:14) CRAIG KALLMAN, BIG BEAT, ATLANTIC (0:19:21) BLACK EYED PEAS, SIGNING TWISTA (0:21:56) THE PHARCYDE REMIX, STARTING IN A&R (0:24:23) BECOMING EVP OF A&R AT ATLANTIC RECORDS, SIGNING TRICK DADDY, TRINA, T.I., TREY SONGZ, NAPPY ROOTS (0:28:10) STARTING APG (0:31:37) ATLANTIC AND APG (0:33:18) BEING AN EXEC WHILE RUNNING A PUBLISHING COMPANY, STARTING ELEKTRA RECORDS (0:34:15) CEELO GREEN (0:34:30) B.O.B, “NOTHING ON YOU” WITH BRUNO MARS (0:35:13) SIGNING ED SHEERAN (0:36:49) SIGNING BRUNO MARS, BRANDY, AARON BAY-SCHUCK (0:41:09) BEING A CO-PRESIDENT WITH JOHN JANICK (0:42:35) SIA & DAVID GUETTA “TITANIUM” (0:48:23) PRESIDENT OF A&R WARNER MUSIC GROUP, SIGNING KEVIN GATES (0:51:57) CHARLIE PUTH, WIZ KHALIFA, LIL WAYNE (0:54:09) KEHLANI (0:56:16) “SEE YOU AGAIN” CHARLIE PUTH (0:57:43) CREDITING (1:03:01) HOW TO PRIORITIZE (1:10:10) CRAFTING HIT SONGS IN 2025 (1:17:24) A.I. Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Mike: https://www.instagram.com/mikecaren/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Follow Jammcard: https://www.youtube.com/@jammcard jammcard.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 79. Omar Hakim, Part 2! We’re back with the drumming legend Omar Hakim and pick up right where we left off in Part 1. We start with the wild story of how he met Sting while recording Brothers In Arms with Dire Straits… ON AN ISLAND. This story blows my mind. From there, we continue through his career with Sting, Miles Davis, Madonna, and the crazy story of making the Daft Punk hit "Get Lucky." This episode is full of rare backstories, industry gems, and lessons in creativity and innovation. We talk about Omar being an early adopter of electronic and acoustic hybrid drum setups. As the drummer for Madonna in her stadium-filling heyday, Omar blended cutting-edge sampling, triggers, and MIDI controllers to deliver on recordings’ impossible sounds in a live setting, building custom rigs and using expression pedals for real-time sound bending. This preceded today's standard in pop touring, marking him as a pioneer for the next generation of drummers. We also get into the business side of touring and recording and where Omar is at today. I hope you enjoy Part 2 of my conversation with the man, Omar Hakim! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:00:00) INTRO   (0:03:34) HOW OMAR MET STING   (0:08:13) SESSIONS WITH STING   (0:10:30) STINGS FIRST SOLO TOUR   (0:11:07) “BRING ON THE NIGHT” FILM   (0:14:58) THE “BRING ON THE NIGHT” BAND   (0:17:19) MILES DAVIS   (0:18:36) HANGING WITH MILES DAVIS   (0:20:52) MILES KNEW OMAR’S DAD, JAMAICA QUEENS   (0:33:09) MADONNA, LIONEL RICHIE   (0:39:20) MICHAEL BEARDEN   (0:40:08) LUIS CONTE, MADONNA BAND   (0:41:24) DAFT PUNK, “GET LUCKY”   (0:48:47) JOHN JR ROBINSON   (0:51:20) THE 80’S MUSIC BUSINESS MODEL   (0:59:21) MARKET RATES FOR MUSICIANS   (1:02:11) SONIC BOOM SQUAD, RACHEL Z, LIFE TODAY Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Omar: https://www.instagram.com/omarhakimmusic/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Follow Jammcard: https://www.youtube.com/@jammcard jammcard.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 78: Omar Hakim. Today on the pod we’ve got one of the most recorded drummers of all time. The legendary Omar Hakim! We went deep for over 2 hours, and unlocked SO MUCH GOLD, so we’re releasing this conversation in two parts. In Part 1, Omar shares the stories behind some of his most iconic recordings, including his legendary session with David Bowie on Let’s Dance, his deep musical relationship with Nile Rodgers, and his time in Weather Report. We also get into the wild story of how he tracked the entire Dire Straits album "Brothers in Arms" (including the questions I’ve always had about Money for Nothing). With this interview, I hope you'll now understand how Omar became the legend he is today. I think your mind will be blown when you hear about the caliber of musicians that were around him since he was a kid! Part 2 drops next week. For now, here’s the first hour of my conversation with the amazing Omar Hakim. ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:00:00) INTRO (0:04:57) STARTING PROFESSIONALLY AT AGE 10 (0:05:57) JAMAICA QUEENS, NEW YORK (0:07:13) TOURING WITH JAY MASON AT AGE 15 (0:08:08) OPENING FOR HALL & OATS, PLAYING ARENAS AS A TEENAGER (0:08:42) LABELLE, LADY MARMALADE (0:11:15) JOINING WEATHER REPORT (0:11:35) DAVID SANDBOURNE, “AS WE SPEAK” RECORD, MARCUS MILLER (0:12:10) CARLY SIMON (0:13:29) OTHER GIGS IN TEENAGE YEARS (0:14:18) OPENING FOR “RETURN TO FOREVER” (0:15:00) CHICK COREA, STANLEY CLARKE STORY (0:20:02) GETTING THE GIG WITH WEATHER REPORT (0:21:41) MILES DAVIS (0:22:53) GETTING THE GIG WITH WEATHER REPORT CONTINUED (0:24:57) HUGH MASEKELA, VICTOR BAILEY (0:26:56) HOW THE WEATHER REPORT GIG CHANGED OMAR’S LIFE (0:27:31) NILE RODGERS (0:28:32) DAVID BOWIE’S “LET’S DANCE” (0:33:08) BECOMING A MUSICAL CHAMELEON (0:34:08) “LET’S DANCE” DRUM PART, THOUGHT PROCESS (0:36:53) RECORDING “RICOCHET” WITH DAVID BOWIE (0:38:22) TIPS FOR SESSION MUSICIANS (0:40:05) GROWING UP WITH NILE RODGERS (0:41:59) NILE RODGERS, “GOOD TIMES” MASTERING SESSION (0:44:58) NILE RODGERS AS A PRODUCER (0:47:23) DAVID BOWIE SESSIONS, SAYING NO TO TOURING (0:50:26) DAVID BOWIE “TONIGHT” ALBUM RECORDING (0:51:42) TURNING DOWN BOWIE FOR WEATHER REPORT (0:55:22) DIRE STRAITS “MONEY FOR NOTHING” Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Omar: https://www.instagram.com/omarhakimmusic/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 77: Steve Smith.The incredible, multi-faceted, Steve Smith was one of my favorite drummers growing up. His playing with Journey blew me mind, and the fact that he had a full-on jazz career alongside his rock success made him even more inspiring to me. Steve made Modern Drummer’s Top 25 Drummers of All Time list and won the #1 All-Around Drummer Award five years in a row. His credits are stacked, from early gigs with Jean Luc-Ponty (alongside Allan Holdsworth), Focus, and Ronnie Montrose, to arena-filling hits with Journey, to leading his band Vital Information (for the past 4 decades). He’s done sessions with Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Vasco Rossi, Zucchero, Savage Garden, Bryan Adams, and Zakir Hussain. On the jazz side, Steve has played with heavyweights like Steps Ahead, Tom Coster, Ahmad Jamal, Victor Wooten, Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Frank Gambale, Stuart Hamm, Dweezil Zappa, Hiromi, and Bill Evans.Steve is one of the greatest to ever do it, and it was a total honor to have him on the show. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the legendary Steve Smith! Special thanks to Zildjian. I used their ALCHEM-E Perfect Tune Headphones in this episode and loved it. Check it out! https://zildjian.com/products/zildjian-alchem-e-perfect-tune-headphones?variant=49623287628068 ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:00:00) INTRO (0:06:01) FROM JAZZ TO JOURNEY (0:11:02) PROGRESSIVE FUSION, BOSTON FROM 1972 TO 1976 (0:12:24) JEAN-LUC PONTY (0:13:37) MOVING TO L.A. IN 1978 (0:15:13) SONOR FUSION DRUM KIT, RONNIE MONTROSE (0:16:24) OPENING FOR JOURNEY IN 1978 WITH RONNIE MONTROSE (0:17:02) TOURING WITH VAN HALEN, RONNIE, AND JOURNEY (0:18:37) GETTING THE GIG WITH JOURNEY (0:20:51) AN IMPRESSIVE CAREER AT 24 YEARS OLD (0:21:49) WHAT VAN HALEN WAS LIKE IN THE EARLY DAYS (0:24:25) RECORDING JOURNEY’S ALBUM, “EVOLUTION” (0:24:54) HOW JOURNEY’S HIT SINGLES CHANGED STEVE SMITH’S LIFE (0:27:42) PLAYING JAZZ, MEETING RANDY JACKSON (0:28:40) STARTING VITAL INFORMATION (0:29:32) GETTING FAMOUS (0:33:36) “DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’” (0:40:45) CREATING JOURNEY’S BIGGEST HITS (0:44:03) DRUM SOLOS (0:45:44) ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, DANNY SERAPHINE, NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN, BILLY COBHAM (0:46:56) MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA (0:48:13) LEAVING JOURNEY (0:53:11) “TRIAL BY FIRE” ALBUM (0:55:02) TRANSITIONING OUT OF JOURNEY (1:02:20) BUDDY RICH BIG BAND (1:06:13) NEAL PEART FRIENDSHIP (1:07:08) TOURING (1:11:31) TOURING WITH VITAL INFORMATION IN 2025 (1:12:09) HOW TO PLAY GREAT EVERY NIGHT (1:13:58) STAYING INSPIRED (1:15:00) DRUMMING IN NEW YORK CITY (1:16:19) HOW TO BUILD A DRUM COURSE (1:20:02) HOW TO SYSTEMATICALLY PRACTICE (1:23:12) KONNAKOLS, ZAKIR HUSSAIN, INDIA Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated! Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Steve: https://www.instagram.com/stevesmithdrums/ Follow Vital Information: https://www.vitalinformation.com/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Journey's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Acceptance Speeches https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XyCKJ-Z9dA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 76: Jerrod "J-Rod" Sullivan. If you're a drummer, chances are you've seen J-Rod pop up in your feed. He's one of the most exciting drummers to watch, and now he’s holding down the drum chair for Janet Jackson. From uploading his first drum video to YouTube back in 2006 to building an audience of over 700,000 followers, J-Rod is living proof that consistency and passion pay off. We get into everything from his early days playing in church to building an online community of over 700K+ followers with his drum videos and how he creates them. We talk about staying consistent while on the road, and why authenticity is everything. Plus, we go deep into the Janet Jackson gig, talking about how it came together from a DM and the sacrifice he took dedicating 2 months to turn this Janet Jackson opportunity into a closed deal. I had to find out how in the world he plays the infamous “Control” drum fill, his gear setups, how he makes his social media videos (both the cameras, the audio, and the process), creating drumless tracks with the Moises app, his band The 4 Korners, staying sharp, and why it pays to act as if you already got the gig. J-Rod came through to my hotel room in Las Vegas to link up the next day after his show with Janet Jackson. I went to the show and it was incredible. After the show, we went out with Zedd until 5 a.m., and the next morning he went straight to AMA rehearsals with Janet, then soundcheck at Resorts World with Janet, then to my hotel room to do the interview, and then straight to his show with Janet that night. We were running on fumes for this convo, which made it fun in it's own way. We dive into his story, his viral rise, how he landed the Janet gig, and so much more. Here's my conversation with the incredible, Jerrod "J-Rod" Sullivan! (0:00) INTRO (01:17) THE JANET JACKSON LAS VEGAS SHOW (02:37) ZEDD (03:20) STARTING OUT, JROD'S SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE (06:30) J-ROD'S DRUM TONE (07:20) HOW GETTING NOTICED CHANGED J-ROD (08:27) VIDEO CREATION PROCESS (11:07) DECISIVENESS (13:26) DRUMLESS TRACKS (13:56) HOME RECORDING RIG (15:11) HOW TO MAKE TRACKS DRUMLESS (16:11) PARAMORE'S "AIN'T IT FUN" COVER (17:06) GAINING TRACTION OVER 10 YEARS (18:43) GETTING THE GIG WITH JANET JACKSON (34:19) OFFICIALLY GETTING THE GIG WITH JANET (36:24) REHEARSALS WITH JANET JACKSON (40:42) "CONTROL" DRUM FILL (43:41) MEETING JANET JACKSON AT REHEARSALS (46:40) LIFE RIGHT NOW AND WHAT'S NEXT (50:17) WHO SHOULD BE ON THE PODCAST?  Here's the Jimmy Jam Videos that were referenced in the video: Jimmy Jam Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VQgpr2WNM0&t=3894s Jimmy Jam Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R4utgYvHdY&t=2305s Flyte Tyme Studios Tour with Jimmy Jam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=updSUi65UvI&t=1266s ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow J-Rod: https://www.instagram.com/jrodsullivan/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Follow Jammcard: https://jammcard.komi.io/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacpJtZKkl1AgBAffAQ4GRhL3aVKuKHJ704aJuBkalXXThdDCOiRye8RjcHTKQ_aem_o5GVeQoM7Kb3ykDhqwZbtA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thomas Lang: Drum God Mode, Practice Secrets, Clinics, Social Media Trends with guest Luke Holland! Episode 75: Thomas Lang. Thomas Lang is one of the best drummers of all time. His drive and focused, intentional practice has led to him being one of the most sophisticated drummers, producers, and composers, with the ability to do four-limb separation beyond pretty much anyone else. On top of that ability, he is musical! He's also a great human, impressive entrepreneur, and a fun guy to hang with. In this episode, we dive deep into his story, how he became the Thomas Lang we see today — both in his skill sets and his success. We talk about how he throws his drum camps, his insane clinics (he did the biggest clinic tour of all time), how to practice correctly, what to do and what not to do. You'll also get a glimpse into his great personality and mindset. Luke Holland jumped in and joined us in this interview as well, which was fun since we're all friends. Together we talked about something you all want to know — our least favorite social media drumming trends lol. More importantly, keeping the inspiration to continue drumming, and so much more. Here's my interview with the awesome Thomas Lang, and special guest Luke Holland, Let's go!! Special thanks to Apogee Electronics. We used their Apogee HypeMic and Podcast Kit in this episode and they sounded great. Check it out!Apogee HypeMic & Podcast Kit: https://apogeedigital.com/product/podcast-kit/?srsltid=AfmBOor0bzlGQhUM0cHCNZoSPLEmXEl_qjIO-AQhdsDTDCxQCP7zNBd_ ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:00:00) INTRO (0:04:16) CREATIVE CONTROL DVD (0:12:10) HOW THOMAS BECAME 'SUPER DRUMMER' (0:14:21) THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DRUM CLINIC TOUR (0:20:22) ENTREPRENEURSHIP (0:21:04) HOW TO PUT A DRUM EVENT TOGETHER (0:28:07) BIGGEST REVENUE GENERATOR (0:30:35) SIGNATURE PRODUCTS (0:34:04) PRICING (0:37:30) THOMAS LANG ON PRACTICING (0:45:17) SLEEP (0:46:09) PRIMUS & DREAM THEATER AUDITION (0:50:24) SOCIAL MEDIA DRUMMING (0:51:05) PRIMUS AUDITION (0:51:45) WHO THOMAS LANG LOOKS UP TO (0:53:11) LUKE HOLLAND APPEARS (0:55:05) INSTAGRAM DRUM TRENDS WE DON'T LIKE (1:02:36) HOW TO STAY INSPIRED (1:21:05) THE DRUM WORLD TODAY (1:27:21) AI DRUMMING (1:29:38) DREAM COLLABS Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Thomas Lang: https://www.instagram.com/thomaslangdrum/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 74: RedOne. RedOne is one of the most successful producers and songwriters of our time. From Lady Gaga’s Just Dance, Poker Face, and Bad Romance, to J.Lo and Pitbull’s On the Floor, and Nicki Minaj’s Starships — he’s helped shape the sound of modern pop. In this episode, we go deep into RedOne’s story — from being broke in 2008 to producing The Fame with Gaga and changing pop music forever. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from iconic sessions, how his producer tag came to life, and how he creates hits from demo to final mix. We talk about his work with FIFA and how he is now their Head of Music Entertainment, producing the album for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, as well as writing the official anthem song for his favorite team, Real Madrid, We also talk about collaborating with Jung Kook and Red's close friend, Cristiano Ronaldo, We discuss his passion for elevating music from the MENA region, all about his life in Dubai, as well as the future of AI in music, and the love he shares with his wife Laila Aziz. This episode is full of inspiration, heart, and real talk from a global hitmaker. Let’s go! (0:00:00) INTRO (0:02:43) LADY GAGA IN 2008, "JUST DANCE" (0:03:41) LADY GAGA'S, "POKER FACE" (0:06:09) 2008 STRUGGLES & KAT DELUNA'S, "WHINE UP" (0:11:28) "THE FAME" SESSIONS WITH LADY GAGA (0:14:29) "JUST DANCE," "POKER FACE," "LOVEGAME" (0:16:03) "BOYS, BOYS, BOYS" & JUST DANCE (0:19:24) THE REDONE PRODUCER TAG (0:22:28) "POKER FACE" (0:28:02) "BAD ROMANCE" (0:35:32) U2 STORY (0:37:42) CREATING "ON THE FLOOR" WITH J.LO & PITBULL (0:46:54) CREATING "STARSHIPS" WITH NICKI MINAJ (0:50:58) HOW REDONE CREATES DEMOS (0:52:51) FIFA, JUNG KOOK, REAL MADRID, CRISTIANO RONALDO (1:01:53) REDONE'S WIFE, LAILA (1:08:08) DUBAI (1:11:21) DUBAI MUSIC SCENE (1:12:02) ADVICE FOR MENA REGION ARTISTS (1:14:05) AI IN MUSIC Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow RedOne: https://www.instagram.com/redone/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the best things about being on the road is catching up with friends all over the globe. In today’s episode, we’re in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Tonight is the Formula 1 Grand Prix (you know I love F1), and headlining it is J.Lo! I got to catch up with my longtime friends Charles Streeter, Brandon Brown aka Pastor Funk, and Javad Day. Streeter has been J.Lo’s drummer for many years. Pastor Funk is playing bass with her, and has also played bass and/or music directed for everyone from The Jacksons to Stevie Wonder. He also leads his own band, The Brandon Brown Collective (aka the BBC), which was actually the first band to play at the JammJam! Javad Day, aka Mr. Klynik, is playing keys with J.Lo, and this same week, he’s also musical directing Megan Thee Stallion at Coachella. Javad’s worked with Beyoncé, Mac Miller (that’s him on Mac’s Tiny Desk), Ella Mai, Mustard, Ciara, Tyler, the Creator, and more. I love these guys and had such a great time hanging in Saudi with them, right before they crushed it for a huge crowd with J.Lo (and then immediately hopped on a plane back to the U.S). We found a hut, popped up a camera, and filmed this one ON THE GO. So here it is, my convo with my brothers Streeter, Pastor Funk, and Javad! (00:00) INTRO (00:59) JAVAD DAY INTERVIEW STARTS (01:27) JAVAD’S TRAVEL SCHEDULE (02:35) 1500 OR NOTHIN’ (03:32) RICKEY MARTIN & J.LO (04:05) MUSIC DIRECTING ZEDD’S “THE MIDDLE” BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS PERFORMANCE (04:56) MUSIC DIRECTING JAMMJAMS (05:47) J.LO (06:34) GETTING THE MEGAN THEE STALLION GIG (08:22) JENNIFER LOPEZ AT F1 (09:47) BAND IN A BOX (11:18) MEGAN THEE STALLION COACHELLA SHOW (13:18) MODERN DAY MUSIC DIRECTING (13:54) HOW TO CREATE A COACHELLA SET (16:33) COACHELLA REHEARSALS WITH MEGAN THEE STALLION (17:14) JAVAD’S FIRST GIGS (18:07) TRAVEL SCHEDULE (18:50) SNEAKS MOVIE WITH MUSTARD (23:29) CHARLES STREETER & PASTOR FUNK INTERVIEW STARTS (25:57) REHEARSALS WITH J.LO (28:49) HOW PASTOR FUNK, STREETER AND ELMO MET (34:07) THE FIRST JAMMJAMS (34:59) BRANDON BROWN COLLECTIVE JAMMJAM (35:39) FULL CIRCLE: PLAYING IN SAUDI WITH FRIENDS (37:43) PASTOR FUNK (38:51) A MEMPHIS JAMM (42:45) TOURING WHILE BEING A HUSBAND AND A DAD (45:07) PLAYING TO MASSIVE CROWDS ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Javad: https://www.instagram.com/mrklynik/ Follow Streeter: https://www.instagram.com/thestreeter/ Follow Pastor Funk: https://www.instagram.com/pastorfunk/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ash Soan is one of the most sought after session drummers in Britain, who has worked with the likes of Adele, Taylor Swift, Seal, Billy Idol, Tate McRae and so many more. Ash's 5th gig was Woodstock '94 with the band, Del Amitri and then went on to support Van Halen (which was my first concert) and Bon Jovi. Recently, Ash has been touring with Snow Patrol and Tori Amos. Ash has also been collaborating with Ariel Posen and are releasing their self-titled album together- available now on Bandcamp. Ash came through my hotel in London to meet up with me on his way to Heathrow to fly out to Abu Dhabi for a show with Snow Patrol. From the lobby of my hotel, in this convo we go in on how Ash achieves his legendary drum tone, how he created his unique studio "The Windmill," and more. I remember Ash for being one of the first to start using high quality audio on Instagram in his VF15 videos and it's inspiring to watch him continue to play and work on his sound. We are On The Go! Here’s my conversation with Ash Soan. (00:00) INTRO (01:34) ASH'S EARLY STUDIO VIDEOS, MICS, PROTOOLS (06:16) VIC FIRTH 15 INSTAGRAM VIDEOS (07:59) JEFF LORBER (08:52) SNOW PATROL, ARIEL POSEN (12:23) WOODSTOCK 1994, RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS, VAN HALEN, BON JOVI (13:47) TOURING, LA (15:02) WINDMILL STUDIO, DRUM TONE ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated! Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Ash: https://www.instagram.com/ashsoan/ Support Ash Soan & Ariel Posen on Bandcamp: https://ashsoanandarielposen.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Stingemore is one of the most knowledgeable minds in music sync licensing. He was President of Sync at Hipgnosis, the multi-billion dollar music catalog fund that owns thousands of No. 1 songs. Before that, he was SVP of Sync at BMG and Creative Director of Sync at Universal Music Group. In this episode, we link up in London to talk about Tom’s new company, Alloy, and his mission to fix one of the biggest problems in sync: bad data. We break down what music sync is, how it works, what’s broken in the current system, and how it can be improved. Whether you’re a music supervisor, artist, producer, or just curious about how songs get placed in film, TV, ads, and games—this episode will give you a deep understanding of the sync world today and where it’s going. We are On The Go — here’s my conversation with Tom Stingemore. Special thanks to Dean St. Studios in London for having us! (00:00) INTRO (02:55) WHY SYNC IS IMPORTANT TO ARTISTS (03:59) SYNC MAKES YOU MONEY (04:45) HIPGNOSIS (07:13) PROBLEMS, CURRENT STATE OF SYNC (21:33) SYNC SOLUTIONS, ALLOY (25:17) EXAMPLES (28:10) REACTIONS (30:08) TOM'S FOUNDER JOURNEY (33:00) THE METADATA PROBLEM, SPOTIFY (35:25) WHY SYNC HASN'T BEEN FIXED YET (37:15) JAMMCARD (38:24) BETTER SYNC IS ACHIEVABLE (40:32) HOW IS SYNC DIFFERENT BETWEEN BMG, UMG, HIPGNOSIS (44:10) INDIE ARTISTS GETTING SYNC ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Tom: https://www.instagram.com/tomstinge/ Learn more about Alloy: https://www.alloy.music/ Tom's Article on Music Business Worldwide: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/five-reasons-why-sync-is-still-stuck-in-the-last-century/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first episode of our new On The Go podcast series — stripped down, run-and-gun, recorded in different cities around the world, and still packed with all the good stuff: behind-the-scenes stories, insights, lessons learned, and more. I’m traveling right now and wanted to keep the podcast conversations going, so here’s what we’ve got for you. For this one, I caught up with my friend Damien Nolan. By day, he has one of the coolest jobs in the world — he’s the Formula 1 Team Radio Editor and Engineer. When you’re watching F1 and those Team Radio messages pop up, that’s Damien and his team. They bring all the behind-the-scenes comms to life. It’s wild how fast they move — turning something said in a driver’s helmet into a broadcast moment in just seconds, reaching millions of people. By night (and sometimes the same day), he’s a killer session guitarist in the UK. We talk about what it’s like working inside the F1 machine, how he balances both worlds, and how creativity plays out in high-pressure environments — whether it’s a racetrack or a stage. Hope you enjoy this new format to keep the convos going while I’m traveling. Let us know in the comments what you think. Let’s go!! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (00:00) INTRO (00:55) INTERVIEW STARTS (01:22) DAMIEN NOLAN (01:33) DAMIEN’S ‘DAY JOB’ AT F1 (01:45) HOW F1 TEAM RADIO WORKS (05:00) MIX ENGINEERING DRIVER MICS (09:04) RADIO INSTALLS IN THE CAR (11:06) ON SCREEN MESSAGES, CONTROVERSY (13:10) CHANGING TIMEZONES (15:03) DAMIEN’S MUSIC CAREER Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Damien: https://www.instagram.com/theonlinesessionguitarist/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 73: Keyon Harrold. Everywhere I turn, I see Keyon Harrold. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest trumpeters alive today, pushing the new jazz generation forward with power and soul. His solo album Foreverland was GRAMMY-nominated this year for Best Alternative Jazz Album, and his resume is stacked — Jay-Z, Common, Erykah Badu, Diana Ross, Mac Miller, Robert Glasper, the Count Basie Orchestra, Terrace Martin — and he played all the trumpet parts in the Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead. Keyon is a dear friend and an incredible human being. He drops so much wisdom in this episode and truly inspired me with his words. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the great Keyon Harrold. ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:02:09) LIVING ROOM SET WITH RONALD BRUNER JR (0:05:35) MEETING TERRACE MARTIN AND ROBERT GLASPER AT JAZZ CAMP AT 15 YEARS OLD (0:08:03) SNOOPADELICS, SPUT, TERRACE, KAMASI WASHINGTON, KEYON (0:08:55) COMMON (0:09:47) SNOOPADELICS, TOURING WITH SNOOP (0:12:26) BOBBY SHORT (0:12:37) COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA (0:14:11) ERYKAH BADU, MARY J. BLIGE, MAXWELL (0:15:05) CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, MICHAEL JACKSON IMMORTAL WORLD TOUR WITH GREG PHILLINGANES, JONATHAN MOFFETT (0:16:07) JAY-Z, G-UNIT (0:17:19) PRODUCING (0:18:35) KEYON'S SOUND, PERSONAL PROJECTS (0:20:00) MILES DAVIS FILM (0:20:31) "THE MAGICIAN", SIGNING TO SONY (0:22:08) ADVICE FOR MAKING A SOLO ALBUM (0:26:52) "FOREVERLAND" ALBUM, GRAMMY NOMINATION (0:30:15) "FIND YOUR PEACE" FROM "FOREVERLAND" (0:33:02) HOW TO BE THE BEST YOU (0:35:39) FATHERHOOD, KEYON HARROLD JR. (0:44:04) LIZZ WRIGHT (0:44:42) AJA MONET (0:45:13) MILES DAVIS BIOPIC, ROBERT GLASPER, DON CHEADLE (0:52:36) KEYON'S CIRCLE, – UP-AND-COMING TALENT (0:54:25) JOE LOVANO, LOVANO FAMILY (0:59:25) DIANA ROSS (1:03:49) MAC MILLER, ESTELLE (1:04:28) A THROUGH LINE FROM COLLABORATIONS (1:07:04) ANTARCTICA TRIP WITH SCOTT KELLY, CHARLIE DUKE, NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON (1:14:02) META RAY-BANS (1:16:02) AGAVE PLANT Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Keyon: https://www.instagram.com/keyonharrold/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 72: William Bowerman. William is one of the most in-demand musical directors in the world, coming out of London. His client list includes Post Malone, Jennie, BLACKPINK, The Kid Laroi, FKA Twigs, Addison Rae, and many more. He's the co-founder of WFB with his wife, creative director Ace Bowerman. Together, they’re building something special. William stopped by my place while he was in LA rehearsing for Coachella with Jennie, and we had a great hang. We talked about his path, creative process, artist relationships, WFB, and life. Here is our conversation! Hope you enjoy it. Let’s go! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated! Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow William: https://www.instagram.com/williambowerman/ Follow WFB Live: https://www.instagram.com/wfblive/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 71: Harvey Mason Sr. You’ve heard Harvey Mason Sr., whether you realize it or not. From the iconic grooves of Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters to the GRAMMY-winning “Kiss From A Rose” by Seal, Harvey's drumming has shaped music history across genres, decades, and mediums — albums, film scores, and TV alike. He’s not only a musical powerhouse, but a dear friend, and in this episode, we finally sat down to dig into his legendary run — especially his work with Herbie Hancock and the Head Hunters album. Harvey shares the story of how that band came together, the sessions behind Chameleon and Watermelon Man, and why he chose not to tour with them at the height of their success. We also dive into his solo career — how it started, how it evolved, and the surprising role Clive Davis played in making it all happen. Harvey opens up about his long-standing friendships and collaborations with Quincy Jones and Chick Corea, his approach to fatherhood (including raising his sons Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, and Max Mason, former VP of Quincy Jones Productions), and how he built a legacy both on and off the kit. Fun fact: Vic Firth was Harvey’s teacher — and Harvey still receives royalties from the early days of Vic Firth drumsticks! We also get into his stunning new album Changing Partners: Trios 2, featuring the likes of Chick Corea, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, James Genus, Dave Grusin, Stanley Clarke. This conversation is a masterclass in musicianship, legacy, and love for the craft. Enjoy my sit-down with the incomparable Harvey Mason Sr. ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:00:00) Intro (0:02:35) Harvey’s New Album (0:05:26) Head Hunters (0:06:29) Getting the Call from Herbie Hancock (0:09:20) Making the Head Hunters Album (0:10:59) Studio vs. Touring Musician, Harvey’s Background (0:14:06) Berklee, Studying with Alan Dawson (0:15:33) Vic Firth taught Harvey (0:17:55) Moving to L.A., Lucille Ball Show (0:19:41) Session Work in the 1970’s (0:21:24) Working with Quincy Jones on the Bill Cosby Show (0:22:51) Instrument Collection, Harvey’s Foundation (0:24:23) Session Work, Touring (0:28:00) “Chameleon” Session (0:30:56) Herbie’s Hollywood Bowl Show (0:32:55) What Herbie was like in the 70’s (0:33:47) “Watermelon Man” (0:35:15) The “4 A.M.” Session, Jaco Pastorius (0:36:41) Jaco Stories (0:38:22) The “4 A.M.” Session Continued (0:38:45) Focusing on Goals, Family Life (0:41:18) Harvey Mason Jr. (0:41:59) Max Mason (0:44:18) Learning from Clive Davis, Quincy, and others (0:48:22) Biggie, T.I., and Lupe Fiasco Sampled Harvey’s Music (0:49:05) Funk in a Mason Jar (0:49:39) “Till You Take My Love,” David Foster, David Paich (0:51:40) Clive Davis (0:55:59) Touring with Carole King (0:57:30) Chick Corea (0:58:55) Losing Chick and Quincy (1:00:44) What Harvey is Doing Now (1:02:05) How to Keep Creativity Going (1:02:54) Playing Piano in Church (1:06:42) Playing with Duke Ellington (1:08:07) The Quincy Jones JammJam (1:09:12) Advice (1:10:47) “Changing Partners Trios II” (1:11:49) Vic Firth Stories (1:18:55) Residuals, Pension, Royalties, and Sessions (1:21:31) Sharing Stories Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Harvey: https://www.instagram.com/harveymasonsr/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 70: Emilio Estefan. The global latin music scene was shaped by this incredible, visionary, and kind man. Born in Cuba and immigrating to the U.S. with a dream, Emilio Estefan built an empire alongside his wife, Gloria Estefan. From founding Miami Sound Machine and bringing Latin music to the mainstream charts to serving as President of Sony Music, where he helped launch the careers of Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Ricky Martin—his impact on Latin music and the city of Miami is undeniable. We sat down with Emilio backstage at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami, where he is now an investor. Though our time was limited to a fast-paced 10 minutes, this conversation is packed with insight from a true legend. We hope you enjoy our conversation with the one and only, Emilio Estefan! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (0:58) MONTREUX JAZZ MIAMI (1:19) THE MIAMI SCENE (1:54) MAKING LATIN MUSIC GLOBAL (2:27) MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (3:10) "CONGA" GLORIA ESTEFAN, BECOMING CEO OF SONY (4:49) THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY (5:20) MONTREUX JAZZ MIAMI, QUINCY JONES (6:08) ADVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS TO BECOME GLOBAL, GLORIA'S NEW ALBUM (7:09) HOW TO BALANCE CREATIVE VS. ENTREPRENEURIAL, QUINCY JONES Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Emilio: https://www.instagram.com/emilioestefanjr/ Montreux Jazz Festival Miami: https://www.instagram.com/montreuxjazzfestivalmiami/ https://www.montreuxjazzfestivalmiami.com/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 69: The Pocket Queen. Taylor Gordon, aka The Pocket Queen has become one of the most followed drummers on social media. And for good reason—her groove is deep, her performance is engaging, and she’s built a strong brand that goes beyond just drumming. We sat down backstage at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami, where she was playing with Willow Smith, and got into all of it—how she came up with The Pocket Queen name, how she first went viral and continued her social media growth, how she landed the Willow Smith gig, and how she’s running her career as both an artist and a business. We also talked about her journey from Berklee student to full-time pro, the challenges of balancing creativity and entrepreneurship, and what she’s learned along the way. So here it is! I hope you enjoy my conversation with The Pocket Queen. ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (00:00) INTRO (01:21) PLAYING WITH WILLOW SMITH (01:50) RECORDING BASS ON "FALSE SELF" ON "EMPATHOGEN" (02:39) HOW "POCKET QUEEN" WAS CREATED (05:03) CREATING VIDEOS, INTROVERSION, BUILDING A BRAND (07:39) VIRAL "777-9311" CLIP, SOCIAL MEDIA (11:59) COVERS, CHALLENGING YOURSELF, GROWING SOCIAL MEDIA (14:43) PQ CHALLENGE, MAKING BEATS (15:21) REACTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH (20:08) PQ'S CAREER NOW, TOURING, PERSONAL PROJECTS (20:59) MANAGING ENTREPRENEURIAL CAREER (22:53) WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO POCKET QUEEN? (26:27) STRATEGY, RELEASING MUSIC, TIMING (30:12) WHAT INSPIRES POCKET QUEEN TO DRUM RIGHT NOW (31:45) TINY DESK WITH WILLOW SMITH, MOHINI DEY (32:54) WILLOW SMITH IS A NO CLICK SHOW (33:31) WILLOW SMITH (35:08) WHAT'S NEXT? Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Pocket Queen: https://www.instagram.com/thepocketqueen/ Montreux Jazz Festival Miami: https://www.instagram.com/montreuxjazzfestivalmiami/ https://www.montreuxjazzfestivalmiami.com/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 68: Mohini Dey. Today, we’ve got the incredible Mohini Dey on the pod! We’re coming to you from backstage at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami, where she just played an amazing set with Willow. Mohini is absolutely one of the greatest bassists in the game right now. She came up in India, built a huge name for herself, and is now living in the U.S., touring the world. We get into her journey, her artist career, her inspiring drive, and something I had no idea about—her entrepreneurial work, which she keeps super low-key (and honestly, that just makes me respect her even more). We also talk playing with Willow, their viral Tiny Desk performance, life on tour, and more. Hope you dig this convo with my friend Mohini Dey. Let’s go! ‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights. (00:00) INTRO (03:39) CAREER GROWTH (06:32) WILLOW SMITH (14:54) TINY DESK, WILLOW SMITH'S BAND (15:42) SOLO CAREER (23:11) FAMILY UPBRINGING, DEDICATION, HAPPINESS (30:58) THE MUSIC SCENE IN INDIA, A. R. RAHMAN (36:51) LESSONS FROM PLAYING WITH OTHER LEGENDARY MUSICIANS (39:34) ENTREPRENEURSHIP Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!   Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Mohini: https://www.instagram.com/dey_bass/ Montreux Jazz Festival Miami: https://www.instagram.com/montreuxjazzfestivalmiami/ https://www.montreuxjazzfestivalmiami.com/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices