Music Therapy with Jessica Risker

Music’s Mental Health Crisis with Jenn Pelly of Pitchfork

In December of 2022, Pitchfork published an article, written by Jenn Pelly, called "Confronting Music's Mental Health Crisis".  This article was passed around widely on the internet; obviously, it resonated with many musicians. 

 

Jenn and I dig deeper into her article, discussing her research and takeaways, bits that she left out of the article, and consider what role Pitchfork can serve regarding artists' mental health.  

 

We also identify resources for artists and offer concrete ways you can support mental health services. 

 

Song featured in episode: "Help Me, Help Me" by Jessica Risker

 

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Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago. 

Opening and closing music composed by Joshua Wentz.

Ep 111

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Join us on the Music Therapy Discord! or Facebook Group!

 

Artistic Jealousy (with Ben Stover of Popcorn Psychology)

Jealousy is tough emotion, but can it be useful??

In this episode of Music Therapy, I chat with therapist/musician Ben Stover - who also co-hosts the Popcorn Psychology podcast -  all about Artistic Jealousy. 

We look a the ways it can manifest, how social media leads us to comparison and jealousy, and what you can do about it. 

If you've ever felt envious of someone else's success or talent, sit back and face the feeling with us - and see how you can turn your jealousy into productivity in this episode of Music Therapy. 

Join us on the Music Therapy Discord!  https://discord.gg/htZM5QpBC3

Song featured in episode: "Hangin with the Boys in the Enchanted Forest" by eternal goofball David Yontz 

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Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago. 

Opening and closing music composed by Joshua Wentz.

Ep 110

 

Episode 109: Asi Asi (Group Session!)

Así Así is a Mexican/American band from Chicago, IL.  In August 2022, the band released their debut album, “Mal de Otros”, where Así Así blends rock, dance, and Latin themes together to form oftentimes haunting, yet upbeat and catchy songs. 

On this episode of Music Therapy, taped live at Cafe Mustache, Jessica sits down with the full band to talk about work/art balance, how they create music together, mental health, and lots more!

Featuring a live performance by the band and a special guest appearance by Leslie Tanner!

 

Join the Music Therapy Discord!  https://discord.gg/htZM5QpBC3

 

Ep 108: Every Decision Unlocks Another - feat. Lipsticism

In this episode of Music Therapy I talk with Chicago artist Alana Schactel of Lipsticsm. Lipsticism’s sound is frequently described as cosmic, dreamy, and psychedelic, and there is something immediate and sensual in her punchy drums and emotional honesty. 

We cover a lot of ground in this episode!  Alana is currently studying to become a therapist, so we discuss our shared experience in the worlds of music and therapy.  We look at how music impacts mental health, the anxiety of performing solo vs with a group, and Alana’s new album “Two Mirrors Facing Each Other”, released December 2nd via Earth Libraries.

My favorite part of the conversation was learning Alana’s creative process.  We discuss flow and those nights when it just isn’t happening.  We also look at what it means to be a “successful” musician.

Songs featured in episode: "Transform" and "Sentimental" by Lipsticism

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Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago. 

Opening and closing music composed by Joshua Wentz.

Episode 107: The Cost of Touring with Half Gringa

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!  In the spirit of holiday traveling, we have an episode all about touring.

In October 2022, Isabel Olive (Half Gringa) posted the following on Instagram:

"Hey folks. A photo of me smiling because this is a tough one - I’ve decided to cancel the last four dates of the HG October tour in Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. This was hard to make because I’m both the artist and the manager, but the manager in me looked at the writing on the wall and knew it was time to call it.

Touring is extra expensive and extra hard right now. Whether you’re a band on a support tour playing to sold out rooms trying to make enough on merch to cover expenses or (in my case) trying to win over a few groups of people at a time in 150 cap rooms while paying a band with your job money and hoping to break even, it is harder than it was before and what has happened in the last few years has caught up to a lot of us.

I’m 31, I work full time in a different industry in addition to being a musician to pay the band and make things work as best I can. But I am so sick of people devaluing art to the point that we’re relying on no income to make it. It’s untenable. And it’s why people are canceling tours and in some cases getting out of the industry all together.

I have so much more anger and feelings about this, but for now I’ll say: thanks to my incredible band, to everyone who came and saw us and bought merch, to the fellow musicians I met who commiserated with me and gave me some much needed words of encouragement. You’re the best part of this. To the folks in Boston, NYC, Philly - you can get refunds at your point of purchase and I promise I’ll see you out there again soon."

Josh first noticed Izzy's post and pointed me to it.  We thought this would make a great episode.  So many musicians are struggling with feeling valued in our culture. 

Izzy and I talk about why she canceled her shows, and how this is impacting her music and career.  She also shares how she’s adapting her approach to touring from now on.  

For anyone else struggling with making touring work, this is a great episode that acknowledges the challenges facing musicians right now.

We also listen to Half Gringa’s brilliant new single “Miranda” off her upcoming EP, out January 27, 2023.

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Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago. 

Opening and closing music composed by Joshua Wentz.

 

 

Episode 106: Fuck the Algorithm! with Steff Reed

What's it like to walk away from the music industry?

Steff Reed is a New York-based  musician, educator, and activist. As a musician and producer, he has produced many tracks that have made it to Billboard Charts.  As an educator, he has taught thousands of youth over the past 15 years, and was nominated for the Grammy Music Educator Award.  As an activist, he is currently building a non-profit in Brooklyn called Power of Love.

We explore how Steff went from grinding in the NYC music industry to teaching to starting non-profits.  Steff’s throughline is a total devotion of his life to social change, forward movement, hope and inspiration.

Like the title of the episode, there are some amazing nuggets of wisdom in here.  I walked away from my conversation with Steff Reed totally inspired, which makes sense, because he’s an educator and a social justice worker and has been working in the music industry for years, and these are all things I believe in.  

He shares why he pivoted away from the music industry, which he feels was a traumatic experience in some ways, to pursuing an independent music career more aligned with his own beliefs and values.

He also told me off-tape an important thing he learned producing music for the industry all these years: even if your track has heart, it’s gotta *slap* to hit the listener - a piece of advice I’m taking to heart as I work on my new album.  

Steff says he’s hopeful about the future - so I am, too.  Give it a listen.

 

Songs featured in episode:

"Get Free" and "Power of Love" by Steff Reed

 

Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago. 

Opening and closing music composed by Joshua Wentz.

 

 

Episode 105: Should You Hire A Publicist? (with Colin Smith)

There comes a time in every musician's career when you ask yourself:  should you get a publicist?

In this episode of Music Therapy I talk with a real-life publicist, Colin Smith of Fresh Paint PR.  Colin breaks down exactly what a publicist does, how a publicist chooses to work with someone (or not), and what you can do to make a PR campaign successful.

We also discuss  the biggest question of all: what exactly does publicity accomplish for a musician?  The answer may surprise you!

Song featured: "The Waves" by Jessica Risker.  Interstitial music by David Yontz. 

Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago. 

Opening and closing music composed by Joshua Wentz.

 

 

Episode 104: Spread Joy Spreads Joy (Group Session!)

Group Session!  Chicago art-punkers Spread Joy define once and for all the grand purpose of art, ponder "derivative" music, explain the methods behind their songwriting and give a killer live performance on this episode of Music Therapy.  With special Exploration by the one and only Leslie Tanner!

This episode was taped live at Cafe Mustache on August 10, 2022.  

Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago. 

Opening and closing music composed by Joshua Wentz.

Episode 103: Grammys, Tonys, and Buddhism with Duncan Sheik

In this episode of Music Therapy we talk with Duncan Sheik!  

You might remember Duncan Sheik's 1996 chart topping hit “Barely Breathing.” That song racked up 55 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned him a Grammy Award® nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

In the years since, Sheik has been celebrated for his work in musical theater, including the groundbreaking success of Spring Awakening, which won eight Tony Awards and a Grammy and is also the subject of the just released HBO Documentary - ‘Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known.’ 

Duncan talks about his newest album "Claptrap",  Buddhism, going through a mid-life crisis, his experience working as a musical artist in New York City, and his personal definition of success, all on this week's episode of Music Therapy!

Songs featured in episode: "Barely Breathing", "There's No Telling", "Requiescat", and "Maybe" by Duncan Sheik. 

 

Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago. 

 

 

Episode 102 - Meet Annie Fish, Erstwhile 90’s MTV Rock Star

Annie Fish is a musician, cartoonist, and author based in Chicago, IL. In this episode of Music Therapy, I talk with Chicago musician Annie Fish about their new album “Weird Like Me”.  “Weird Like Me” is a full length 90’s inspired rock album accompanied by an oral illustrated history, found at anniefish.net/weird.html. 

Through the album’s concept, Annie explores her rock n roll dreams, considers what it would have been like to be a trans star in the MTV era, takes down the record industry, and comes to terms (mostly) with where she’s at. 

Songs featured in episode: "Weird Like Me" and "Cranium" by Annie Fish

Visit musictherapypodcast.com for show notes, past episodes, and upcoming events!

Music Therapy Podcast Credits: 

Music Therapy is hosted by Jessica Risker, produced by Sullivan Davis of Local Universe, and engineered by Joshua Wentz in Chicago.