Two Beats Ahead Live!

R. Michael Hendrix
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Two Beats Ahead Live!

Two Beats Ahead Live! Is a podcast inspired by the book of the same name, “Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About innovation.” In the book my co-author and I look into the musical minds of entrepreneurial artists and creators like Pharrell, T Bone Burnett, Imogen Heap and Hank Shocklee. When I moved to Iceland I was blown away by the ingenuity and creativity of so many people I met. They all could have been in our book too! This podcast felt like the best way to share their stories with the world. Two Beats Ahead Live! Is recorded in front of—you guessed it—live audiences in Iceland. Recording in nontraditional spaces creates an immediate energy that a quiet studio just can’t deliver. The trade off is that you may occasionally hear a passing car, a crying baby or even some microphone interference. But these sounds only add to the vibe and never get in the way of the conversation. If you want to learn more about the creative process, and how creative mindsets lead to entrepreneurial behaviors, then this podcast is for you. And of course, check out our book too, written by me, R. Michael Hendrix, the former Global Design Director of IDEO, and Panos A. Panay, president of the Recording Academy, presenter of the GRAMMYs.

Episodes

  1. Siggi Baldursson on Conditions for Creativity

    MAR 23

    Siggi Baldursson on Conditions for Creativity

    For the eighth Two Beats Ahead Live!, author R. Michael Hendrix interviews Siggi Baldursson, the renowned drummer and music executive, best known as a founding member of The Sugarcubes. He plays a key role in promoting Icelandic music globally, recently as managing director of ÚTÓN (Iceland Music), where he helped launch initiatives like the Icelandic Music Export Fund and the Record in Iceland program. In this episode, Siggi discusses the connection between the growth of tourism in Iceland and its impact on Icelandic music. He shares that the Sugarcubes began as a joke, albeit one that “blew up in our face!” He tells about the importance of communities as creative incubators and how Smekkleysa became this for him and his friends in the 80’s. He expands on this for other creative communities in Iceland and how relationships built in a small locale have a trust that encourages weirdness and collaboration. He also shares how the lack of knowing how to do things can actually be the secret to doing something exciting and new, which was especially important to the early post-punk scene in Reykjavik. Finally he shares about the changing nature of the music business and how new innovations are helping artist find audiences.

    43 min
  2. Klemens Hannigan on the Value of Frameworks

    MAR 2

    Klemens Hannigan on the Value of Frameworks

    In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews musician and carpenter, Klemens Hannigan, best known as a member of techno performance art project HATARI, and an accomplished solo artist and sculptor. They discuss the parallels of songwriting and woodworking and the differences between art and design in both practices. They delve into why they appreciate limitations and frameworks, and how identities or brands create boundaries and opportunities for world building. Klemens discusses owning his personal contradictions as tensions and why the goal of an entrepreneur is to do something you burn for. They also discuss what is next for HATARI.

    39 min
  3. Melkorka Magnúsdóttir on Innovation as Optimism

    FEB 6

    Melkorka Magnúsdóttir on Innovation as Optimism

    In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews Melkorka Magnúsdóttir, a choreographer, member of synth pop duo, Milkywhale, and cofounder of Iceland Innovation Week, a platform that celebrates and promotes innovation, startups, and entrepreneurial activities. They discuss the rigidness of business culture and how play and joy are necessary characteristics of innovation, a practice which requires belief in positive possibilities. Melkorka explains how this optimism shows up in the choreography of Iceland Innovation Week’s “OK, Bye Climate Theater,” and why she loves the enthusiasm of “intrapreneurs,” whom she sees as artist archetypes. They also cover her new project, Hverfa and the value of reframing the world through children’s eyes in order to rediscover everyday experiences.

    33 min
  4. Lilja Birgisdöttir on How the Personal Becomes Universal

    JAN 6

    Lilja Birgisdöttir on How the Personal Becomes Universal

    In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews accomplished Icelandic fine artist and photographer, Lilja Birgisdöttir, co-founder of Fischersund Perfumery and Art Collective. LIlja takes us on an intimate scent journey through the collective's shop and explains how this multi-sensory experience emerged from a desire to collaborate with her siblings, the most well-known being Jónsi, the singer of atmospheric post-rock band, Sigur Rós. We discuss how pursuing personal passions results in universally relatable art and how this pursuit can also be a platform for growing a business. She shares how the experience design of Fischersund is a a gentle counterpoint to modern, aggressive retail experiences and why she values creativity and connection. We also touch on the science of embodied cognition—understanding the world through our five senses—and how the collective's latest exhibition, Faux Flora, has been a means of personal artistic growth through collaboration.

    41 min
  5. Sigga Soffia on Designing Moments and Becoming Resilient

    12/11/2024

    Sigga Soffia on Designing Moments and Becoming Resilient

    In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews renowned Icelandic choreographer, artist, and designer Sigga Soffia, founder of Eldblóm Elixir. Sigga Sofia shares how her clear understanding of “designing moments” has led to a connected career, from dancer to fireworks designer to gardener to spirits entrepreneur. She discusses the unpredictable nature of Icelandic weather and how it has been key to her building resilience and confidence as a creator, and how her own year-long battle with cancer deepened her commitment to honesty, joy and art.

    42 min
  6. Valgeir Sigurðsson on Complementary Differences

    11/14/2024

    Valgeir Sigurðsson on Complementary Differences

    In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews critically acclaimed composer, producer and musician, Valgeir Sigurðsson, co-founder of the Bedroom Community record label and owner of Greenhouse Studios. Valgeir talks about his pursuit of “complementary differences” among his collaborators and his instinct to find interesting creative opportunities where categories blur. He shares the origin of his label as well as his new music project, Isabelle Lewis, a fusion of electronic and contemporary classical music.

    34 min
  7. Iris Thorarins on Balancing Creativity and Strategy

    11/14/2024

    Iris Thorarins on Balancing Creativity and Strategy

    In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews íris Thorarins, a musician and composer who is also the co-CEO of TÝRA, a project management and consulting firm that fosters innovation and creative thinking. Íris shares her own music career journey to embracing mistakes, the value of collaboration, and the self-revelatory power of improvisation. She also tells stories from her business, from supporting elections to empowering women with menopause, and how she manages the pendulum swing between strategy and creative thinking.

    34 min
  8. Pan Thorarensen and the Improvisational Mindset

    11/14/2024

    Pan Thorarensen and the Improvisational Mindset

    In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews Pan Thorarensen, an ambient musician, founder of the Extreme Chill Festival and owner of Space Odyssey Experimental Music Space. Pan talks about seeking connections, seeking surprises and the value of building community through creating opportunities for others. He shares the origin of the festival and how improvisational music has taught him that he needs to occasionally have bad days.

    33 min
  • 8 Episodes

    About

    Two Beats Ahead Live! Is a podcast inspired by the book of the same name, “Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About innovation.” In the book my co-author and I look into the musical minds of entrepreneurial artists and creators like Pharrell, T Bone Burnett, Imogen Heap and Hank Shocklee. When I moved to Iceland I was blown away by the ingenuity and creativity of so many people I met. They all could have been in our book too! This podcast felt like the best way to share their stories with the world. Two Beats Ahead Live! Is recorded in front of—you guessed it—live audiences in Iceland. Recording in nontraditional spaces creates an immediate energy that a quiet studio just can’t deliver. The trade off is that you may occasionally hear a passing car, a crying baby or even some microphone interference. But these sounds only add to the vibe and never get in the way of the conversation. If you want to learn more about the creative process, and how creative mindsets lead to entrepreneurial behaviors, then this podcast is for you. And of course, check out our book too, written by me, R. Michael Hendrix, the former Global Design Director of IDEO, and Panos A. Panay, president of the Recording Academy, presenter of the GRAMMYs.

    Information

    • Creator
      R. Michael Hendrix
    • Years Active
      2K
    • Episodes
      8
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
    • Show Website
      Two Beats Ahead Live!

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