Mike Ragogna’s 2.0 – 20100915 – Brian Culbertson

A Conversation with Gene Simmons – HuffPost 9.15.10

Mike Ragogna: Hey Gene, how are you? Gene Simmons: I’m deliriously happy. MR: Why didn’t you let your daughter keep her pony? GS: There are Beverly Hills ordinances that I wasn’t aware of. You aren’t allowed to keep farm animals that poop bigger than a certain size. Do you believe that? MR: (laughs) No, I […]

A Conversation with Brian Culbertson – HuffPost 9.15.10

Mike Ragogna: So you named your album XII. Brian Culbertson: I’m bringing back the Roman numeral. MR: And you’re doing it in a fine way. XII features artists such as Chuck Brown, Kenny Lattimore, Brian McKnight, Avant, Faith Evans, Earl Klugh, and Ray Parker Jr. Why? BC: Why? You know, I always love collaborations. To me, making music […]

Brian Culbertson – HuffPost 9.15.10

Mike Ragogna: What advice do you have for up-and-coming artists? Brian Culbertson: What I tell people is a lot of people think they need to make a whole record in order to get a record deal, and my opinion is you don’t really need a full record. You need three really well done, great songs–written […]

A Conversation with The Weepies’ Steve Tannen and Deb Talan – HuffPost 9.15.10

Mike Ragogna: Steve and Deb, I’m a little shy introducing two people in the same group who are married because the last name thing gets tricky. Steve Tannen: Definitely. No, Deb Talan was Deb Talan when I met her, and she will ever be Deb Talen. You know, if you’re marrying Joni Mitchell or Bruce […]

The Weepies’ Steve Tannen and Deb Talan – HuffPost 9.15.10

Mike Ragogna: …got some advice to new artists that are jumping into this ring? Steve Tannen: That’s easy. Deb Talan: Just keep doing what you’re doing… ST: …every day, it doesn’t matter what your job is. Both of us had horrible, horrible jobs, and some not so bad jobs. But write every day. DT: If […]

KISS’ Gene Simmons – HuffPost 9.15.10

Mike Ragogna: Which takes us to what advice do you have for new artists? Gene Simmons: There’s no advice you can give because every artist is unique. There’s no paint-by-numbers road to success, and no ten easy steps to follow that will make you succeed. First, it will start with you, and what you’ve got. […]

David Gray – HuffPost 9.13.10

Mike Ragogna: What kind of advice do you have for up and coming artists? David Gray: I always stumble a bit on this question. I just think, follow your heart, and try to not listen to what the consensus view is. Follow your feelings about music, don’t listen to the media. Just play it the […]