UPRAWR Podcast

Today’s guest is one of the UK live music industry’s most experienced agents, with a career spanning more than 30 years and a roster that has helped shape rock, emo, punk and alternative music across the world. We talk about how he discovered My Chemical Romance and helped grow them from tiny club shows into a global stadium band, his decades-long journey with Sum 41 from the very beginning, and the many other artists he’s worked with and helped break along the way. We also get into the realities of being an agent with how artists get signed, why loyalty in music is never guaranteed, what separates bands that break through from those that stay stuck, and how streaming, TikTok and changing global markets have transformed the business. Let’s get into it. Follow us to see Behind The Scenes: Jack - https://www.instagram.com/jack_uprawr/ Joe - https://www.instagram.com/joe_davis77/

Today’s guest is Liam Cromby, former We Are The Ocean frontman and now a solo artist rebuilding his career on his own terms. After growing up surrounded by music, Liam went from local bands and MySpace auditions to playing huge stages, releasing major records and touring with bands like Muse. From the outside, it looked like the dream but behind the scenes, the pressure, burnout and declining mental health were slowly taking their toll. In this episode, Liam speaks openly about the highs and lows of his journey, from the early rise of We Are The Ocean and the moments that felt like everything was finally happening, to the crash that followed when it all became too much. He talks honestly about losing his identity, stepping away from music completely, and the long road back through counselling, busking and learning how to love music again. He also shares how social media unexpectedly helped reconnect him with We Are The Ocean fans and how his solo project has given him a fresh sense of purpose. This is a must listen for anyone in a band or wanting to be in a touring full time band! Lets get into it

Today’s guest is Stuart Galbraith, one of the most influential promoters in the UK live entertainment industry. He is the founder of Kilimanjaro Live, the company behind major tours and events putting on shows like Ed Sheeran and festivals such as Sonisphere. Today, Kilimanjaro sells millions of tickets every year! we wanted to know what it really took to reach that scale. Stuart shares his journey from being one of the earliest employees at Live Nation (employee #4) to leaving to build his own company from scratch. He talks candidly about the risks he took along the way including moments where he almost lost his house (few times) aswell as how he launched Sonisphere to compete directly with Download Festival. He also discusses his ongoing campaign to reform ticket resales, including proposals to cap resale prices at no more than 10% above face value, a policy that has gained political support from the labour party Let’s get into it. Just search UPARWR podcast anywhere you listen to them! Follow us to see Behind The Scenes: Jack - https://www.instagram.com/jack_uprawr/ Joe - https://www.instagram.com/joe_davis77/

Today’s guest is Roy Davis, a music industry veteran with over 40 years of experience. Back in the 1980s, Roy signed two major record deals with his band SHY, contracts worth millions at the height of the era’s excess.In this episode, Roy breaks down what the music industry was really like in the ’80s, how big those deals truly were, why things didn’t work out the way he hoped, and what eventually led to the end of the band.We also dive into Roy’s career behind the scenes, from building a successful rehearsal room business and music venue, to managing artists like Those Damn Crows, who went on to land a number one album.This is a must-watch for anyone interested in the real story behind record deals, roys a funny bugger so lets get into it

We recently threw a Five Nights at Freddy’s themed clubnight that went a bit viral online. Some of the posters pulled in thousands of likes (and millions of views), but they also attracted a fair amount of hate. So we decided to talk about it. lets get into it!

Today's guest is Steve O'G, the creator behind a thriving YouTube channel dedicated to alternative music and reaction-style content. His channel continues to grow, and we wanted to know the secrets behind his success We dive into how Steve monetizes music reaction content, what the industry thinks about it, and the real value of his reactions. Steve also shares his journey into music, spending most of his 20s touring the world with various bands and even playing drums in front of 1,000,000 people at the London Olympics! This episode is perfect for anyone looking to start on YouTube, or for those in the music industry who want to understand the impact of reaction channels. Let’s get into it

Today’s guest is Mark Orr, the head of LAB Records, which he’s been running since 2005. In recent years, LAB has found major success with artists like The K’s, South Arcade, and many more. We spoke with Mark about how he discovered and signed South Arcade, what it felt like to achieve LAB’s very first number one album with The K’s, and what the future holds for the label. From the sounds of it, this is just the beginning & Mark has some incredibly exciting years ahead. There’s a lot to take away in this episode, from how DIY labels compare to majors, to what it really takes to succeed in that world. Let’s get into it. Just search UPARWR podcast anywhere you listen to them! Follow us to see Behind The Scenes: Jack - https://www.instagram.com/jack_uprawr/ Joe - https://www.instagram.com/joe_davis77/

Today’s guest is Tim Bailey, currently Head of Label for International Affairs at Frontiers Music Group. Tim has had a long and varied career in the music industry, starting out as a promoter for over 15 years before eventually moving to the label side by joining Earache Records. We spoke with Tim about how he first became a promoter, why he dedicated 15 years to it, and the many challenges that come with the role. He also shared what led him to leave promoting behind, his transition into the label world, and what it was like working on records with artists such as Those Damn Crows (who scored a Number One album during his time at Earache) We also explored Tim’s journey with sobriety, and how alcohol once dictated his life before he turned things around. Follow us to see Behind The Scenes:Jack - https://www.instagram.com/jack_uprawr/Joe - https://www.instagram.com/joe_davis77/

Today’s guest is Dan Shepard, Studio Manager on the graphic design team at Live Nation and the Creative Lead for Download Festival. Yep, most of those iconic Download posters? He designed them. Ever wondered what it takes to be a professional graphic designer in the music industry? Or how the politics of festival posters work, like why some band logos are huge and others tiny? We talk about: How he got started in the industry, Landing his job at Live Nation, Designing artwork for Download Festival aswell as Black Sabbath’s final show (yep, that was him!) And even a near-death experience on the way to play Download himself! If you’re into music, design, or just interesting stories then this one’s for you.

Welcome back to the Uprawr Podcast! Today’s guest is Eric Tobin, Executive Vice President of Business Development & A&R at Hopeless Records — a label that’s been pivotal in the careers of All Time Low, Neck Deep, and even Avenged Sevenfold. Eric shares the story of how he moved to California with no plan, landed a job at Hopeless Records without any prior industry experience, and went on to spend over 20 years helping shape some of the biggest bands in the scene. If you’ve ever wondered how record labels really work, how bands get signed, or how to start a career in the music industry, then this episode is for you

Today’s guest is Jenny Cotter who works for Live nation and is also part of the download festival booking team! Jenny’s had quite a career in music with starting off in PR before getting into Live events and working her way up We spoke to Jenny about how she got started in the industry, how she ended up working at live nation & what it’s been like joining the download festival team. She also talks to us about downloads decision to book sleep token and how crazy the rise of that band has been over the past few years and whether it was a risky booking! If you're in a band or just interested in the live side of music, then you don’t want to miss this one!

Welcome back to the Uprawr Podcast! Today’s guest is Josh Terry owner of “Work Shop management” that has bands like Mayday Parade & Amberlin signed to it. Josh also co-created “Sad Summer”, in the US, a touring festival that came about after the warped tour finished. Sad Summer has had some massive years with All Time Low even headlining the festival one summer We spoke to josh about how he got started in music & how he's been able to develop acts over the past 15 years whilst somehow still having time to create a festival. Very interesting story so let’s get into it