I crave myriad means to learn about new music–and I’m truly partial to independent quirky music. So when Coverville’s Brian Ibbott tipped me off to Shelby Miller’s Shifted Sound podcast, I was ecstatic. So happy, in fact, I got Miller to agree to an email interview. Miller is a middle-aged father of three who loves music. A little over two years ago, he began discovering how much fantastic music was available on the Internet from independent bands he hadn’t heard a million times on the radio. So, as a way to share the music he found as well as figure out what podcasting was all about, he started the Shifted Sound podcast. Shifted Sound is a free weekly podcast showcasing great independent music from around the world. Music the masses should be embracing. And, even if they don’t, his kids love the show. Or at least that’s what Miller told me. Now on to the interview.
Shelby Miller: The Shifted Sound podcast began as a way to share new music with people who might not hear it otherwise. Before I started the show, as I searched the internet for more music to listen to personally, I discovered more and more independent bands who were producing great songs and I was constantly telling my friends and coworkers about them. I eventually decided to try it on a broader scope with a podcast. So, in that respect, Shifted Sound has remained the same. I still feel like I’m sharing some great music with friends. What has evolved a bit is how I approach the show. When I began, I always plays two songs each from five different bands. And, of course, they were probably bands I hadn’t played before. Now I’m a bit more lenient with myself as far as how many bands I play, and I’ve started playing a couple of songs per show that I have played before as a bit of a reminder for listeners. One of the issues I’ve had over the more than two years of producing Shifted Sound is that I am often moving on too quickly. I have to spend so much time looking for new music that I can’t really get to know too many bands, which I regret. Playing some of their music repeatedly on the show allows me to go back and rediscover and enjoy music that might have slipped off my radar a bit too quickly. I also ran into a period last year where I was a bit burned out on it all and decided to go down to a show every two weeks. That didn’t last too long, though, because I had too much music I wanted to share. So now I record two shows on one night, but still post one per week. That way I get every other week off from having to organize and complete a show.
O’Shea: For folks that want to listen to the show directly from your website (versus downloading the podcasts) I find the interface you use to be almost seamless. Was this the first application you tried or did you start using that platform after trying others?
Miller: I’ve been very happy with WordPress as the basis for the Shifted Sound website. It’s very easy to work with and pretty versatile as far as plug-ins and themes go. The player I’m using now is a plug-in by Martin Laine called simply “Audio Player.” Before that, I didn’t actually have an embedded player in the site. I figured listeners would just click on the mp3 link and listen. Once I started looking at embedded players, though, I knew I had to add one to the website. I think podcasts are still evolving and it’s unclear how many people subscribe to the show, how many download through the website but listen in some other way, and how many simply use the player. So, for those who just want to listen through their browser with the show notes right in front of them, I think the player I have installed works beautifully.
O’Shea: How long does it take to put together an average show (with Myspace and ITune links included)?
Miller: That’s actually a very tough question to answer. The show itself probably takes about two to three hours to record, complete the links within the show as well as the show notes. I do a bit of research for every show and make sure I have notes on every band. I also add album art and links to the AAC version of the show. And I make an mp3 version for the listeners who prefer that format. All those things take time. What takes more time is simply looking for music. Luckily, I’ve developed enough relationships with independent artists, labels and promoters that it’s gotten easier to find new music. Quite a bit comes to my in box every week. However, a lot of that doesn’t really fit with Shifted Sound, so I have to listen to it all to pick the music I want to play. I also visit about twenty-five music blogs a couple times a week to see what they have posted. It’s one of those things that I do at work as I’m waiting to hear back from a client, or rendering some graphics I’m working on, so it happens in fits and spurts.
O’Shea: How hard was it to gain the cooperation/support of local record stores, given that you also try to support iTunes and other Internet musical/social network ventures equally? Over time have you found that certain indie record labels have cooperated with you more?
Miller: I haven’t really affiliated with any indie records stores. Other than CD Baby, there is no one record store, either internet or real world, that I consistently send listeners to. I am a big fan of the artists and labels who let me play their music. So, when I provide links to buy an album from an artist I’ve played, more often than not, it’ll be to the band’s website or the label’s website. That way, listeners can buy some music while giving the largest share of the profits possible directly to the people responsible for the music. Other than that, I really make no attempt to support any particular internet stores or social sites. I’ll send listeners to iTunes if that’s the only way to get an artist’s music. I recently started putting eMusic links in the show notes because I restarted my subscription and thought those links might be helpful to listeners. And I added a Last.fm player to the website so listeners could stop by and see what I was listening to. I do all those things for the listeners, not out of a desire to support the services. As far as labels go, yes, there have definitely been some labels who not only allow me to play the band I’m asking about right then, but also keep me in the loop when it comes to their new releases, often going as far as mailing me preview discs. And, of course, I really appreciate that because, again, it makes finding new music easier. And I’ve discovered that I often end up following labels and looking forward to certain releases simply because I know the kind of music that label releases. That’s definitely something I never did just a few years back.
O’Shea: You’ve followed music for many years–given your wealth of knowledge have there been musicians that you enjoyed years ago who had dropped off the entertainment radar in more recent years, only to resurface, much to your delight?
Miller: You know, I’m much, much more into newer artists these days. However, I’m a child of the eighties, so it’s fun when Brian will play something on the Coverville podcast from on of my favorite eighties bands that I didn’t know was still recording. He’s recently had stuff from Naked Eyes, Tears for Fears and Men at Work’s Colin Hay, who also had a tune on the Garden State soundtrack. But, I can’t say I’ve been a huge fan of any group I listened to who I feel has had a noteworthy rebirth.
O’Shea: You’re based out of Texas, which is known for its musical diverse history, thanks to cities like Austin and musicians like Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett among others. What musicians or genres define Texas for you?
Miller: I’ve said on Shifted Sound before that I don’t play enough music from my own back yard. It’s true. I think that’s because I find most of the music I play on the internet, so geography is not a boundary. Since I have three kids and am generally a grumpy old fart when it comes to socializing, I don’t go to many shows. I have to be really picky if I’m spending a night out. So, I don’t know as many of the bands who are playing within a few miles. Since I grew up here, though, I have a definite sense of what Texas music means to me, and it’s a pretty varied representation. Of course, the epicenter of Texas music for me is Willie Nelson. I heard a lot of country music growing up and Willie was the one I heard most often although I got plenty of George Jones and Waylon Jennings as well. In the eighties, ZZ Top was a big Texas icon for me as were the Fabulous Thunderbirds. As I grew up and expanded my musical tastes a bit I discovered Lyle Lovett and Stevie Ray Vaughn. I think they are both quintessential Texans, although, honestly, I was never a very big fan. Now, of course, Texas music is all over the map with a ton of great music coming from Denton alone which is where I went to college. With artists as varied as Brave Combo, Norah Jones and Midlake that city alone has enough talent coming out of it to satisfy most music lovers.
O’Shea: With your television graphics background–have you ever done videos for favorite independent bands of yours?
Miller: Unfortunately, no. When I graduated college, I quickly found myself drifting towards television advertising. I enjoyed the fact that you didn’t work on any one job for a very long time, the challenges were many and varied, and the pay was good. I discovered early on that, except for the videos you see on MTV, most music videos are incredibly low budget and are created by people who are passionate about the band. Now that I’ve reached a point in my career that I have access to a lot of cool toys and am not as concerned about where my next paycheck is coming from, I’ve extended the offer to edit videos to a few bands. None have taken me up on it yet, though. I did create an animation for Cloud Cult for them to use on their backdrop for their live shows. It was a lot more work than I had imagined it would be, but I’m very happy with the result. I also created a short animation featuring Chank fonts and the music of Pela. That video was featured on YouTube and has received just shy of half a million views.
O’Shea: Growing up and even now–are there certain radio stations that influence your musical tastes?
Miller: I grew up in East Texas where the radio station selection was pretty limited. I listened to what was on the radio, but I can’t say it had a big influence on me. I do remember huddling by my boom box listening to American Top 40 to hear what the new songs were every week. Even then I knew there was more music than what I was hearing on the radio, but didn’t really have a way to get to it. As I got into high school, my friends and I shared our music and that became a bigger part of my listening habits than the radio. These days I rarely listen to the radio. The Dallas market, as I feel most markets are in the US, is rather lacking. However, the internet makes it possible to sample stations from other cities. These days I’m listening to KEXP and really enjoying it. And, of course, I listen to several podcasts very regularly.
O’Shea: Do you ever get leads on new music from listeners? Would you say your listeners fit a certain demographic or do you folks who listen from all over the world and from all different ages? In general, what kind of feedback have you gotten from listeners?
Miller: I do. I really enjoy it when listeners make suggestions. It let’s them get in on the whole idea of sharing great music you’ve found with other people. As far as who listens to Shifted Sound, I have a link on the Shifted Sound home page to a survey and have encouraged listeners to give me a bit of information about themselves. From what I’ve been able to find out, most of my listeners are men between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four who have kids and live in the U.S. So, they’re a lot like me. I think the tough thing about music podcasts is, as the host, I have to find people who have essentially the same taste in music as me. The fact that I’ve found as many listeners as I have amazes me on a pretty regular basis. And the feedback I’ve gotten has been very positive. The negative comment I get most is that the show is too short.
O’Shea: In the ever-increasing world of podcasts, what do you think makes Shifted Sound stand out from other podcasts? Are there other podcasters that have inspired you to try different things with the show? Can you list some of your favorite podcasts?
Miller: I believe there are two pretty big differences between Shifted Sound and most other music podcasts. First, I think a very big thing that sets Shifted Sound apart is the fact that I get permission from every band or artist I play before I play them. Most podcasters and bloggers are of the “if I play/post something you (as an artist) don’t want me to, let me know and I’ll stop.” I prefer to let the bands stay in control of their music. They know I’m playing it. Consequently, there are many artists I have not played because they wouldn’t let me. I think that also creates a tighter bond between the listeners and the artists I play. The bands want their music to be heard by the people who listen to Shifted Sound, and the listeners know what they are hearing is being played with permission by bands who embrace podcasting.
Secondly, Shifted Sound is not for music snobs. And I think anyone who has tried to explore the internet and podcasts for new music knows what I mean. These are the people who believe Sufjan and Wolfmother hung the moon and wouldn’t be caught dead listening to anything by Daughtry. Now, there’s nothing at all wrong with loving Sufjan Stevens or Wolfmother, it’s the attitude that some people have that music has to be under appreciated in order to be good. If it’s on the radio, it can’t be good. If it’s embraced by the masses, then it’s horrible. I think people have a wide variety of music they can like. And I also believe many, many independent artists would fit in perfectly on many radio stations. Independent music doesn’t mean “inaccessible.” Part of what I try to do on Shifted Sound is show people who might not be into independent music that there are many independent artists who would fit their tastes. It’s just a matter of bringing the listener and the right music together.
The primary influence behind Shifted Sound was and is Brian Ibbott from Coverville. He has become a pretty good electronic friend who has helped and encouraged me in many ways. It was from listening to Coverville that I gained enough confidence that I could create my own podcast. I can’t say he’s inspired me to do different things with the show, but the fact that he inspired me to do the show at all is the most important thing anyone has done to help me out.
Aside from Coverville, the other podcasts I enjoy pretty consistently are SModcast, filmmaker Kevin Smith’s show, Five Hundy by Midnight, which is a weekly show about Las Vegas and The Official Lost Podcast, which is, of course, about the tv show Lost. That’s really all I have time to keep up with. A lot of my commute is devoted to listening to music, either for the show or simply for enjoyment.
O’Shea: So far for 2008, have there been any particular labels or bands that you think have really hit a groove in 2008 and sparked your (and your listeners) interests?
Miller: Wow, there have already been so many! Now, I’ve said on the show that music isn’t simply new when it is first released, it’s new whenever you discover it. So, keeping that in mind, not all of these picks are releases from 2008, but they have all been played on Shifted Sound since January.
There’s a band from right here in Dallas called Hendrick who I think has an amazing amount of talent. Definitely one of those bands I could see making the leap to the big time. An album that came out overseas last year but just got a stateside release this year is The LK Vs. the Snow by the LK. Amazingly good Swedish pop which several listeners have loved. I think Brave Citizens could easily explode. They’ve got a huge sound for a duo, and they’ve got a great way with a hook. The first time I heard Chicago’s LeConcorde I was blown away. They have a sound that recalls the best 80’s alternative pop while sounding very current. Great Northern is another band who have received listener praise for their darker, more atmospheric sound. Sleepy Eepee is a great release from them. The Red Romance have a very cool self-titled pop album out that you should keep your ears open for. But I think the best highlight for me so far this year was celebrating the second anniversary of Shifted Sound with the one hundredth episode. For that show, I had several bands I’d played before send me new songs that had not yet been heard by the general public. I had several great songs on that show, but the closer, “Stars” by Wolfy was just amazing. I’m really looking forward to their new album this year. That band is poised to take over the airwaves.
O’Shea: Some podcasters seem to like to talk about the music almost as much as they play the actual music. You seem to like to let the music speak for itself in some episodes–is it hard to hold back and not speak more on some episodes?
Miller: Honestly, it’s not very difficult for me to keep my mouth shut. In fact, some times it’s hard for me to say enough. One of the things I wanted to do from the very beginning of Shifted Sound was let the music be the focus. It’s not called The Shelby Miller show. It’s not about me. I want listeners to form their own opinions about the music I’m playing. I try to give a few tidbits of information about the bands and artists I play, then play the music. I try not to make comparisons because if I make a comparison like “Wolfy sounds like a cross between the best parts of Coldplay and Keane” and you don’t like either of those bands, then you’ve already made up your mind about the song I am about to play. I don’t want that to happen. I don’t expect listeners to enjoy every single song I play, but I want them to trust me enough that they know I’ll be playing some good music which they will probably enjoy on some level. If that’s the reason they continue to listen to Shifted Sound, then I’ve been successful with the show.