PodcastsBusinessWhat It Takes To Be A Rockstar

What It Takes To Be A Rockstar

Melissa Lucciola
What It Takes To Be A Rockstar
Latest episode

23 episodes

  • What It Takes To Be A Rockstar

    Episode 22 (BONUS) - A scene is born, my year in music and Bandcamp bans AI

    20/1/2026 | 18 mins.
    Hello everyone! This is a bonus episode to share about where the heck I've been and what I've been up to. I also share about an incredible scene that has been born in Colorado and talk a little bit about music news. 
    I also forgot to mention Gustaf toured with LCD Soundsystem in April and played the Rock and Roll hall of fame in August!! Busy busy year :).
    Longmont Punk Scene
    "What We Spend" Podcast (My Episode!)
    Jim Eno's Public Hi-Fi Studio
    Apple Commercial with "Gustaf - I Trusted You"
    Bandcamp Bans AI
    Francie Moon Music Videos released last year:
    "What It Feels Like"
    "Make Another Way"
    "It's Easy If You Try"
    You can watch this full episode and others on Youtube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItTakesToBeARockstar
    Listen to the playlist of all the bands that have been on this podcast here:
    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L9Odi1kuJiPEqIhBXmqMw?si=dabd928c5b13405d
    Join the Community! Chat with others about the episodes on Discord for free:
    https://tr.ee/NVMhCaRELa
    If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe or follow - it's free and goes a long way!
    If you'd like to support the show even more you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
    https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

    Or become a monthly subscriber here:
    https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support
    Support the show
    Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

    This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

    This episode is also sponsored by Melissa Lucciola Hypnosis - Certified Hypnotherapist specialized in working with musicians. Try a free hypnosis recording made specifically for musicians HERE!

    Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

    Other music is by Pretty World

    Artwork by Christopher Lanuk.
  • What It Takes To Be A Rockstar

    Episode 21 - Eugene Robinson (BUÑUEL/OXBOW) - No Dog Meat Policy! Fighting for standards in the 80s experimental punk scene until now

    13/1/2026 | 1h 51 mins.
    Welcome to Season 3! This week I am chatting with Eugene Robinson of BUÑUEL (previously of OXBOW and Whipping Boy) about his life of touring and creating music since the 1980s. He's toured with Minor Threat and opened for countless bands such as The Melvins, Mr. Bungle, Lydia Lunch, A Perfect Circle, The Jesus Lizard and way more. In this conversation we talk about the creative ways he gets paid when someone is trying to stiff his band and how he used to book shows via fax machine. We also talk about autotune and AI in music, how some people want to treat bands the way they wouldn't treat themselves, his time at the Grammys and way more. Enjoy!!

    We connected through this article he wrote - "When Will Bands Stop Telling Lies About the Economics of Being in a Band? OK, How About Today?"
    Check out his music here.

    Check out his books here. 
    You can watch this full episode and others on Youtube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItTakesToBeARockstar
    Listen to the playlist of all the bands that have been on this podcast here:
    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L9Odi1kuJiPEqIhBXmqMw?si=dabd928c5b13405d
    Join the Community! Chat with others about the episodes on Discord for free:
    https://tr.ee/NVMhCaRELa
    If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe or follow - it's free and goes a long way!
    If you'd like to support the show even more you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
    https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

    Or become a monthly subscriber here:
    https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

    Support the show
    Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

    This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

    This episode is also sponsored by Melissa Lucciola Hypnosis - Certified Hypnotherapist specialized in working with musicians. Try a free hypnosis recording made specifically for musicians HERE!

    Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

    Other music is by Pretty World

    Artwork by Christopher Lanuk.
  • What It Takes To Be A Rockstar

    Episode 20 (BONUS) - On artists losing $50,000 on sold out US tours and why signed bands are going DIY

    11/3/2025 | 13 mins.
    This week I am ranting in my van parked on a side street in NYC about the state of the music industry. I bring in recent news about Kate Nash starting an OF to finance her tours, and Caroline Rose leaking their own album on Bandcamp. I talk about the realities of the music industry currently and why many bands are choosing to go back to DIY, even if it looks like they got it all. This is the final episode of Season 2, see you in Season 3! 
    You can watch this episode and others on Youtube here:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW8b_tWH7MI

    Check out a clip of a  Kate Nash interview here.

    Check out Caroline Rose here:
    https://www.carolinerosemusic.com/tour-1
    Contact: [email protected]
    Listen to the bands that have been on this podcast here:
    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L9Odi1kuJiPEqIhBXmqMw?si=dabd928c5b13405d
    Join the Discord community and chat with others about the episodes here:
    https://tr.ee/NVMhCaRELa

    Check out UMAW here:
    https://weareumaw.org/
    If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe or follow - it's free and goes a long way!

    If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
    https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

    Or become a monthly subscriber here:
    https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

    About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician. 
    Support the show
    Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

    This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

    This episode is also sponsored by Melissa Lucciola Hypnosis - Certified Hypnotherapist specialized in working with musicians. Try a free hypnosis recording made specifically for musicians HERE!

    Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

    Other music is by Pretty World

    Artwork by Christopher Lanuk.
  • What It Takes To Be A Rockstar

    Episode 19 - Randy Ojeda (Music Attorney & Manager) - On collecting royalties, the future of music with AI, and how to prevent an ugly band breakup

    04/3/2025 | 56 mins.
    This week I'm chatting with Randy Ojeda, a music attorney and a long time music manager. Randy has also done A&R for Symphonic Distribution and has hosted his own podcast, Cigar City Radio, among a ton of other things within the music industry. We chat about how he ended up becoming a music attorney and manager. He also gives some valuable insights and nuggets of wisdom including how bands can collect performance royalties for playing their own songs at shows, what the first thing a band should do is, and when a band should start thinking about getting a manager.

    We also chat about AI and music and what the future might look like with that, all the types of jobs needed in the music industry aside from being an artist and if money is really all it takes to make a band pop off. Enjoy!
    You can watch this full episode and others on Youtube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItTakesToBeARockstar
    Check out Randy's website here:
    https://www.randyojedalaw.com/
    Check out Randy's music podcast here "Cigar City Radio":
    https://open.spotify.com/show/3QncUpLFNck8Y81p2aBlcT?si=134e410f86344e4c
    Check out Cigar City Management (Boutique Artist Management Company and Record Label co-founded by Randy):
    http://www.cigarcitymanagement.com/
    Check out this article on the differences between ASCAP, BMI and SESAC:
    https://www.diymusicbiz.com/ascap-or-bmi-which-one-is-best/

    Listen to the bands that have been on this podcast here:
    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L9Odi1kuJiPEqIhBXmqMw?si=dabd928c5b13405d
    Join the Discord community and chat with others about the episodes here:
    https://tr.ee/NVMhCaRELa

    Check out UMAW here:
    https://weareumaw.org/
    If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe or follow - it's free and goes a long way!

    If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
    https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

    Or become a monthly subscriber here:
    https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

    About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleepi
    Support the show
    Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

    This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

    This episode is also sponsored by Melissa Lucciola Hypnosis - Certified Hypnotherapist specialized in working with musicians. Try a free hypnosis recording made specifically for musicians HERE!

    Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

    Other music is by Pretty World

    Artwork by Christopher Lanuk.
  • What It Takes To Be A Rockstar

    Episode 18 - Donzii - On burning emotional energy for the aliens + doing sketchy things to get to shows on time

    25/2/2025 | 1h 16 mins.
    This week I'm chatting with Jenna Balfe and Dennis Fuller of Donzii, a "time-bending, post-punk vision: a unity of go-hard industrial bangers, darkly ambient balladry, [with] new takes on the funk traditions of No Wave" band. This band is super fun and they keep it weird in such a good way! 
    We chat about how they met on an island and started the band, how they feel about social media within the music world, their move to LA from Miami, the sketchy things they have done to get to shows and how they once had to leave their lost cat behind in another city to get to a gig on time (she's ok!). 
    Walter, the mentioned cat, made a lot of appearances so if you'd like to see her you can watch this full episode and others on our Youtube. 
    Check out Donzii here:
    https://donzii.bandcamp.com/music
    Check out Dennis' recorder album here:
    https://dorofsky.bandcamp.com/album/door-of-sky
    Check out Dennis' book rec here:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Society_of_the_Spectacle
    Listen to Donzii and the other guests from this podcast on this playlist:
    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L9Odi1kuJiPEqIhBXmqMw?si=dabd928c5b13405d
    Join the Discord community and chat with others about the episodes here:
    https://tr.ee/NVMhCaRELa

    Check out UMAW here:
    https://weareumaw.org/
    If you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to hit subscribe or follow - it's free and goes a long way!

    If you'd like to support the show you can "Buy Me A Coffee" here:
    https://buymeacoffee.com/whatittakestobearockstar

    Or become a monthly subscriber here:
    https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397323/support

    About the podcast: Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician. 

    Support the show
    Edited, recorded, mixed and produced by Melissa Lucciola.

    This episode is sponsored by SORRY Cables - rad and colorful quality instrument and microphone cables handmade in LA.

    This episode is also sponsored by Melissa Lucciola Hypnosis - Certified Hypnotherapist specialized in working with musicians. Try a free hypnosis recording made specifically for musicians HERE!

    Intro song is called "I'm Starting a Podcast" by Tea Eater

    Other music is by Pretty World

    Artwork by Christopher Lanuk.

More Business podcasts

About What It Takes To Be A Rockstar

Host and musician Melissa Lucciola talks with signed and DIY musicians from around the world about their lives behind the scenes. From maxing out credit cards, sleeping on floors, sharing beds and having the whole band get paid $250 to play Madison Square Garden, you will hear the in's and out's of life on and off the road and the real struggles of the modern day musician.
Podcast website

Listen to What It Takes To Be A Rockstar, Shared Lunch and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features
Social
v8.3.0 | © 2007-2026 radio.de GmbH
Generated: 1/22/2026 - 12:16:07 AM