LOYAL TO THE CRAFT

Michael Ciprari

LOYAL TO THE CRAFT is a punk rock therapy session for creatives chasing impossible dreams.Hosted by Mike Ciprari, founder of SJC Drums and creator of Loyal to the Craft, this show dives into the chaos behind creativity: obsession, anxiety, risk, purpose, burnout, community, and what happens when you bet your life on an idea.Built from decades inside the alternative music scene working alongside artists from Green Day, Twenty One Pilots, Sum 41, Panic! at the Disco and generations of musicians, creators, and outsiders, every episode is about the real stories nobody talks about enough.The struggle, the purpose, the process, the craft.

  1. 2d ago

    Dre Hemby: The First Loyal Kit, Teddy Swims, and Fellowship

    In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Dre Hemby, drummer for Teddy Swims, to talk about fellowship, faith, drums, giving back, and the story behind the first-ever official Loyal Drum kit. Dre joins the conversation while deep in rehearsals for Teddy Swims’ upcoming arena tour, where the scale has grown into a massive production with more buses, trucks, staging, lights, visuals, and a whole new wave of music on the way. This conversation traces the relationship between Mike, Dre, and the Loyal team back to a chance meeting in Las Vegas, a high school visit in Raleigh with the Freak Freely band, dinners, FaceTimes, and moments of trust that eventually led to something much bigger than a drum build. When the call came that Dre needed kits for Coachella and the tour, Loyal, Noble & Cooley, and Dre came together fast turning a brand-new idea into the first official Loyal kit in a matter of days. Dre opens up about what made the process feel right: the fellowship, the energy, the craftsmanship, the purpose, and the shared mission of inspiring the next generation. From visiting the Noble & Cooley factory to hearing the drums on stage, the story became about more than gear  it became about community, trust, and creating something that could help open doors for young musicians. Mike and Dre also talk about the first Loyal kit, the special Noble & Cooley snare, the pressure of building two full kits in less than two weeks, the Coachella moment, the upcoming Teddy Swims arena tour, and why giving back will always be part of the Loyal mission. In this episode: -Dre Hemby rehearsing for Teddy Swims’ arena tour -How Dre and Mike first connected in Las Vegas -The fellowship that built the Loyal relationship -The story behind the first-ever official Loyal Drum kit -Why Noble & Cooley became part of the journey -Building two full kits on a 12-day timeline -The snare drum that caught Dre’s attention immediately -Coachella, Mohegan Sun, TD Garden, and the next chapter -Giving back to young musicians through Loyal To The Craft -Why music should always leave room for every voice, every heart, and every dream This episode is for drummers, musicians, creators, and anyone building something new with people they believe in. Dre’s story is a reminder that the right relationships can create more than opportunities they can create a movement. Loyal To The Craft airs Tuesdays at 8 PM on Idobi Radio, with full video episodes releasing every Thursday. Follow Dre Hemby, Teddy Swims, and Loyal Drums for more on the first Loyal kit, the arena tour, and everything coming next. Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

  2. Oct 8

    Zendé Murdock on The Runarounds, Prime Video, and How it Changed His Life

    In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Zendé Murdock of The Runarounds to talk about the real band behind the show, getting cast through an Instagram audition, proving themselves live, and what happened after the series did not continue into another season. Zendé shares how The Runarounds came together as an experimental idea: instead of casting actors and teaching them to play music, the creators wanted to cast real musicians and teach them how to act. What started as a music-driven TV project became something much bigger a real band with real songs, real shows, and real fans. The story begins with an Instagram casting call connected to the creators of Outer Banks. Zendé saw the post, sent in an audition tape, and later learned that the drum covers he had already uploaded to YouTube helped show the team who he was as a player and performer. It is a perfect reminder for young musicians: the videos you post today might become the resume someone finds tomorrow. This conversation also gets into the pressure of being seen as a “TV band.” Zendé explains how the show recorded the music live on set, how the band worked for years with acting coaches and directors, and how they wanted their live shows to prove that The Runarounds were not just something made for the screen. Zendé also opens up about why the show was not renewed, how the band chose to focus on gratitude instead of disappointment, and why the end of the show did not mean the end of the band. The Runarounds could still tour, write records, connect with fans, and build something that lives outside of the TV world. In this episode: -How Zendé joined The Runarounds -The Instagram story that led to his audition -Why posting drum covers mattered more than he knew -Casting real musicians and teaching them to act -Recording live music on set -Proving The Runarounds were a real band -What happened after Season 1 -Why trusted people matter in contracts and negotiations -Touring after the show aired -Meeting young fans who started bands because of The Runarounds -Why being talented is not enough if you are not a good hang -Building a path in music through networking and consistency This episode is for young musicians, drummers, parents, and anyone wondering how real opportunities happen. Sometimes it is one Instagram story. Sometimes it is one YouTube cover. Sometimes it is one handshake. Sometimes it is years of work that finally gets seen at the right time. The Runarounds may have started through a TV show, but the band did not stop when the show ended. Loyal To The Craft airs Tuesdays at 8 PM on Idobi Radio, with full video episodes releasing every Thursday. Follow Zendé Murdock and The Runarounds, check out the music, and keep an eye on what they are building next. Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

  3. Sep 24

    Ryan Oakes on Patience, Panic Attacks, and Building a Music Career

    In this episode of Loyal To The Craft on Idobi Radio, Mike sits down with Ryan Oakes to talk about his new record Scary Stories After Dark, hitting the road, building a creative career, and the long road behind what people might mistake for overnight success. Ryan opens up about the themes behind the album, including horror, anxiety, childhood trauma, panic attacks, depression, and the way music became a therapeutic outlet. He explains how the record started with the title before a single song existed, and how combining his love for thrillers, horror, cinematography, and music helped him build a world around real experiences. This conversation also gets into the reality of chasing music for the long haul. Ryan talks about quitting sports after writing his first song, moving to Los Angeles with $1,000, lining up sessions and video shoots before he arrived, finding other creatives who were just as hungry, and learning that the people willing to split one appetizer and keep going are often the ones who make it. Ryan also breaks down the truth about record deals, labels, content, touring, investing, building leverage, and why artists cannot wait for a manager, label, or playlist to save them. From learning through YouTube University to treating performance like a sport, Ryan’s story is a reminder that consistency, patience, and self-belief are still the foundation. In this episode: -The story behind Scary Stories After Dark -Turning anxiety and childhood trauma into music -Why Ryan quit sports and chose music -Moving to LA with $1,000 -Finding the right creative people -Why performance is like a muscle -The truth about labels and record deals -Why artists need leverage before signing -Learning content, investing, and music through YouTube -How Ryan thinks about catalog value, touring, merch, and income -Why genres are becoming less important -The patience it takes to build a real career This episode is for artists, musicians, parents, and anyone trying to understand what it actually takes to build a life in music. The dream might take longer than you think. You might get told no a thousand times. You might have to build the fire yourself before anyone else shows up with fuel. But if you keep showing up, keep creating, and stay patient with yourself, the work starts to compound. Loyal To The Craft airs Tuesdays at 8 PM on Idobi Radio, with full video episodes releasing every Thursday. Follow Ryan Oakes everywhere at Ryan Oakes Music, check out Scary Stories After Dark, and keep an eye out for new music and tour announcements. Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

  4. Sep 17

    Emblem3’s Jack Mudd + Manager Kyle Hulett on “By Any Means Necessary” (WWWY Backstage)

    Backstage at When We Were Young, I’m joined by Jack Mudd (Emblem3) and Kyle Hulett (Cupid Theory Management) to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable career in music without relying on “going viral.” Jack takes us through the early days: dreaming big, learning drums in the basement, pulling neighbors into garage jams, throwing house shows with DIY flyers, and using YouTube to start building momentum. Kyle shares the manager side: moving to L.A. with nothing but a plan, taking any job necessary to stay afloat, making yourself useful, and learning every role in the industry so you can build a real team later. We also get into the hard truth: virality isn’t a business model. It can be helpful, but if it hits before your foundation is ready (team, rights, follow-up music, fan data, systems), it can collapse fast. The better path? Fall in love with the grind, build real connection, collect your community, and treat your career like a business - one step at a time. In this episode: - Starting from a dream: basement practice → garage band → house shows - Why “just start” matters (and what “start” can look like) - Putting yourself out there: the scary first performance + first uploads - The leap to L.A. and doing whatever it takes to stay in the game - Virality vs. sustainability (and why early viral success can be dangerous) - Building foundations: team, rights/ownership, follow-ups, fan data, merch + touring - Authenticity matters: fans can tell when it’s not really you - “Web, not a ladder” — how connections create momentum - What “Loyal to the Craft” means: don’t stop, accept the seasons, keep showing up If you’re an artist, manager, or parent trying to understand how music careers are built today—this conversation is a masterclass in patience, consistency, and real-world strategy. Huge thanks to DistroKid for helping fuel the habit and making it possible for us to be backstage capturing tips & tricks for emerging artists. Start releasing your music today: http://www.distrokid.com/vip/LTTC Catch Loyal to the Craft live on Tuesdays at 8PM ET on idobi Radio.  #LoyalToTheCraft #Emblem3 #JackMudd #MusicIndustry #IndependentArtist #DistroKid #WhenWeWereYoung #WWWY #ArtistDevelopment #MusicMarketing #DIYMusic

  5. Sep 10

    Grave Secrets: New Music, Big Tours, and working with their Heroes (Travis Barker, Joel Madden)

    In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Grave Secrets to talk about chasing the dream, putting in the work, and how an independent band can start finding its way into rooms with some of the biggest names in music. Mike first connected with Grave Secrets around the Vans Warped Tour pre-show in Florida and has been following the band’s rise ever since. Grave Secrets opens up about their new music, signing with new management, working with the MDDN team, and getting into the studio with major collaborators like Travis Barker, Nick Long, and Matt Squire. What started as songs written from the heart has turned into writing rooms, new opportunities, and a growing rollout that the band is still learning how to navigate in real time. The band also shares the story of how one DM to Joel Madden helped open the door to a bigger conversation. From Kevin reaching out, to Joel hearing their song, to the band eventually connecting with MDDN after Warped Tour, this episode breaks down how relationships, timing, persistence, and putting your music out can create opportunities you never saw coming. But this conversation is not just about big names. Grave Secrets talks honestly about the grind behind it all: playing Warped Tour as one of the smallest bands on the lineup, still working day jobs, building support systems, staying healthy, writing through real life, and understanding that management, booking agents, and big tours do not mean the work is over — they mean the work is just beginning. In this episode: -How Grave Secrets connected with Loyal To The Craft -New music, new management, and what’s next for the band -Getting into the studio with Travis Barker, Nick Long, and Matt Squire -The DM that led to Joel Madden hearing their music -How Emo Nite helped open major doors -Playing Warped Tour and building real momentum -Why young artists need to put their music out -The reality of still working day jobs while chasing the dream -Writing vulnerable songs that actually mean something -Why health, support systems, and consistency matter -What Grave Secrets has coming next with new music and touring This episode is for young musicians, bands, parents, and anyone trying to understand how the music industry really works. You never know who is listening. You never know who is watching. But if you keep writing, keep posting, keep showing up, and keep building real relationships, one song or one DM can change the next chapter. Follow Grave Secrets, check out their new single “Cherry Chapstick,” and keep an eye out for their upcoming EP and tour announcements. Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

  6. Sep 3

    Steve Carey on Senses Fail, Warped Tour, and Chasing the Dream

    In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Steve Carey, drummer for Senses Fail, to talk about one of the most full-circle stories in music: growing up as a fan of the band and eventually becoming their drummer. Steve takes it back to the beginning, discovering punk, emo, screamo, Warped Tour, blink-182, and the early 2000s music scene that made him want to start a band. From playing with his friends in Rockford, Illinois, to forming what would become The Color Morale, Steve shares how years of local shows, self-funded recordings, touring, and persistence built the foundation for everything that came next. The conversation also gets honest about what happens when a major chapter ends. Steve opens up about the identity crisis that came after The Color Morale wound down, the mental turbulence of losing something that had defined so much of his life, and how family, touring, and perseverance helped him keep moving forward. Then came the full-circle moment: a DM from Dan Trapp, an audition in Pasadena, and the chance to play drums for a band he once skipped school to see as a teenager. Steve talks through the nerves, the preparation, the audition, and the surreal feeling of realizing he might actually be joining one of the bands that helped shape him. In this episode: -Growing up on Warped Tour, blink-182, emo, screamo, and punk -Starting bands in high school and building from the basement -The Color Morale, Rise Records, and the early grind -Why endorsements can build confidence and open doors -What happens when a band ends and your identity shifts -The importance of family and mental health during major transitions -How Steve got the Senses Fail audition -The story of skipping school to see Senses Fail in 2004 -What it felt like auditioning for his childhood favorite band -Why there’s life outside the comfort bubble -New Senses Fail music coming with Steve on drums This episode is for young musicians, parents, teachers, and anyone trying to understand what it really takes to keep going in music. The path is rarely clean. Bands end. Chapters change. Identity gets tested. But how you respond can lead you somewhere even bigger than you expected. Steve’s story is proof that the kid in the crowd can one day become the person on stage. Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

  7. Aug 27

    Hyper Vision Built a Band Without Being in the Same Room

    In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Hyper Vision to talk about chasing the craft, building a band across distance, writing heavy music remotely, and creating an entire world around a project from the ground up. Hyper Vision breaks down how the band started through separate collaborations between Jackson Rose, Logan, and Patrick eventually turning into something bigger when fans kept pushing them to make it official. What began as remote writing, voice memos, Discord chats, and shared creative trust became a full project with songs, visuals, branding, content, and a rollout they’re genuinely excited about. The band talks about making music while spread across the country, only getting together in person a handful of times, and filming content for every song on the record in one day. They also share why this process has allowed them to collaborate without ego, turn strange ideas into real songs, and build something that feels cleaner, more intentional, and fully their own. This conversation also gets into the modern DIY music world: teaching yourself marketing, learning creative skills instead of waiting for a team, recording with limited resources, building a brand identity, creating vertical mini music videos, and proving that restrictions can actually fuel creativity. In this episode: -How Hyper Vision formed across different cities and time zones -Turning internet collaborations into a real band -Writing music through Discord, voice memos, and file sharing -Why having no ego makes collaboration stronger -Building a full album rollout before the album drops -Learning drums from MIDI and translating programmed parts live -Why young artists should learn marketing, content, and visuals -Recording an album with limited resources -Creating the Hyper Vision brand, visuals, and “patient portal” world -Why DIY creativity still matters in heavy music This episode is for young musicians, producers, drummers, vocalists, and creators trying to understand what’s possible right now. You don’t need to live in the same city. You don’t need a massive budget. You don’t need permission. Start making things. Find your people. Build the world yourself. Follow Hyper Vision everywhere and check out the new music, visuals, and rollout as it continues. Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

  8. Aug 20

    What Was It Like? | BIRD & BYRON On America's Got Talent

    In this episode of Loyal To The Craft, Mike sits down with Bird and Byron to talk about their journey from Columbus, Ohio to America’s Got Talent and the real work happening behind the scenes. Bird and Byron share how their project started through a hometown connection, how their sound evolved from raw blues into a soul, Motown, and rock-inspired blend, and how years of writing, touring, recording, and pushing forward led them to one of their biggest opportunities yet. They also break down what the America’s Got Talent experience was really like: the interviews, long filming days, nerves, waiting, and finally stepping on stage when the moment arrived. But this conversation goes deeper than TV. Bird and Byron talk about touring in an Odyssey, flat tires, alternator problems, working regular jobs while chasing music, getting fired for taking opportunities, learning how to communicate as a band, and figuring out when the risk is worth it. In this episode: - How Bird and Byron first connected and started writing together - The evolution of their sound - How America’s Got Talent found them - What the AGT audition process was really like - Building confidence through repetition and live shows - The reality of touring in the early stages - Balancing jobs, bills, relationships, and the dream - Why communication matters inside a band - The importance of supportive parents and community - What comes next: new music, a new record, and building momentum   after AGT This episode is for young musicians, parents, teachers, and anyone trying to understand what it actually looks like to chase a life in music. The spotlight moments matter  but the real story is the patience, risk, support, and work that happen long before anyone sees the final performance. Follow Bird and Byron everywhere, watch their America’s Got Talent performances, and keep an eye out for what they’re building next. Subscribe to Loyal To The Craft for more conversations with artists, musicians, and creative voices helping the next generation see what’s possible.

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About

LOYAL TO THE CRAFT is a punk rock therapy session for creatives chasing impossible dreams.Hosted by Mike Ciprari, founder of SJC Drums and creator of Loyal to the Craft, this show dives into the chaos behind creativity: obsession, anxiety, risk, purpose, burnout, community, and what happens when you bet your life on an idea.Built from decades inside the alternative music scene working alongside artists from Green Day, Twenty One Pilots, Sum 41, Panic! at the Disco and generations of musicians, creators, and outsiders, every episode is about the real stories nobody talks about enough.The struggle, the purpose, the process, the craft.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Ciprari
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 LOYAL TO THE CRAFT
  • Show Website
    LOYAL TO THE CRAFT