Stuck on Sound

Episode 13: Ross Hogarth on Van Halen, Multiple Grammys, Musicianship in the Studio, and the Human Heart of Record-Making

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey welcomes multiple Grammy Award-winning producer, engineer, and mixer Ross Hogarth for a rich conversation about a four-decade career spent in the company of some of the greatest artists in rock, blues, reggae, and beyond. From the downtown New York punk scene to the California studios where legends are made, Ross's story is one of relentless curiosity, hard-won instincts, and an unshakable belief that music is chosen — not pursued.

Ross traces his beginnings as a drummer in New York, where the couch took a beating from soup spoons before he ever touched a real kit, through his years as a guitarist in bands, a student of folk music in the company of Pete Seeger's circle, and eventually a roadie and guitar tech for David Lindley, Jackson Browne, Mick Fleetwood, and Jim Keltner in Santa Cruz and Southern California. He shares how showing up — on time, prepared, and willing — opened doors that no resume ever could, and how the discipline of the drummer's relationship with time would become the secret weapon of his production and engineering career.

The conversation moves through some of the most celebrated sessions of Ross's career, including his Grammy wins with Quincy Jones and Keb' Mo', the making of Van Halen's A Different Kind of Truth — the band's first record with David Lee Roth in twenty-eight years — and his Grammy-winning work with Ziggy Marley, TajMo, and Edgar Winter. Ross speaks candidly about the craft of analog recording, the near-surgical precision required to punch in and out on tape, and why his background as a musician gave him an irreplaceable edge in communicating with artists on either side of the glass.

Joey and Ross close with a conversation about the value of imperfection in recorded music — the grinding and clanking of the B3 organ, the tempo that breathes between the verse and the chorus, the odd bar that gives a lyric room to land. Ross makes a heartfelt case that the soul of a great record lives in those human moments, and that the goal of any producer worth the title is not perfection, but presence.

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Shadow Sound Studio

With over 30 years of experience as a musician, recording engineer, and producer, and serving as the official music ambassador of Macon-Bibb, Georgia, Joey Stuckey can service all your professional audio needs.

To learn more about working with Shadow Sound Studio and Joey Stuckey, visit the website or email Joey directly.

Shadow Sound Studio Website
joey@joeystuckey.com

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Episode 12: Richard Blade on KROQ, SiriusXM, New Wave, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a Life Lived in Music

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

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In this episode of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with the legendary Richard Blade. He's an Oxford-educated DJ, bestselling author, actor, and one of the most beloved voices in American radio. The episode features a wide-ranging conversation about music, adventure, identity, and the power of saying yes even when the odds are stacked against you.

Richard traces his journey from Torquay, England, where a transistor radio and a love of music captured his imagination, through his years DJing at Oxford University colleges, touring Europe with a battered MG Midget packed full of gear, and eventually landing in Los Angeles just as the post-punk and new wave scene was exploding on the Sunset Strip. Joey and Richard dive deep into the storied history of KROQ, the station Richard would help define throughout the 1980s — including the remarkable story of how he got his foot in the door by agreeing to work for free and quit his paying job at the same time. Richard also shares the behind-the-scenes origin of his iconic name, which he stumbled into almost by accident from a billboard for Blade Runner moments before going live on air.

The conversation turns to Richard's decades-long tenure hosting his daily show on SiriusXM's 1st Wave, his passion for the artists and music that shaped a generation, and the deep connection he maintains with listeners who grew up on the sounds he championed. Joey and Richard also discuss Richard's busy life as a writer, including his autobiography World in My Eyes, five novels, and two non-fiction music books featuring conversations with some of music's biggest names, all of which debuted at number one on Amazon's bestseller lists.

Richard reflects on receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in June 2024, with Billy Idol and Jimmy Kimmel at his side, and the humbling sense of gratitude that comes from a lifetime spent doing exactly what you love. The episode closes on a deeply personal note, with a discussion about small acts of human kindness and the importance of giving back, a philosophy that informs both Richard's public work and his private life.

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Episode 11: Lachi on Disability Culture, RAMPD, I Identify as Blind, and Building Community in the Music Industry

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:00:00 -0400

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In this episode of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with his dear friend Lachi, recording artist, music executive, Disability Culture champion, Recording Academy National Trustee, and author, for a conversation that is by turns hilarious, moving, and genuinely revelatory. Born legally blind, Lachi has spent her career using music, advocacy, and storytelling to bring Disability Culture into the mainstream, and this episode captures her doing all three at once.

Joey and Lachi open with an enthusiastic discussion of her book I Identify as Blind, published by Penguin Random House, which uses humor, candor, and celebrity interviews to celebrate and amplify disability identity and pride. The two compare notes on growing up blind in a world that rarely made space for them, navigating schools, social circles, and industries that were not designed with them in mind, and Lachi describes how it was only after finding success in the music business that she realized she could not be the only one, and that finding community was both urgent and transformative.

From there, Lachi tells the origin story of RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities), which grew out of a 2021 Recording Academy panel that went viral during COVID and sparked a flood of messages from music professionals who had been masking their disabilities for years. She explains how RAMPD now works with Netflix, Live Nation, the GRAMMYs, and others to build disability-inclusive programming across the industry, and how it has become a vital network for hundreds of creative professionals who previously had nowhere to turn.

The episode includes a powerful history lesson on the disability rights movement, as Lachi shares the story of Judy Heumann, Brad Lomax, and the 28-day sit-in that ultimately led to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a story made possible in part by the Black Panthers, whose crucial contribution Lachi is committed to making sure is never forgotten. The conversation is a reminder that music and advocacy are not separate vocations but two expressions of the same impulse: to be fully heard.

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Episode 10: Ariel Hyatt on Marketing, Publicity, Artist Identity, and Building a Sustainable Music Career

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 06:00:00 -0400

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In Episode 10 of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with music marketing strategist, author, educator, and Cyber PR founder Ariel Hyatt for a practical and deeply human conversation about what it really takes to build a lasting music career in the digital age.

Ariel traces her path from a childhood shaped by theater, art, dyslexia, and music to the early days of independent music marketing, where she cut her teeth in scrappy grassroots scenes before launching her own publicity company at age 23. That journey eventually became Cyber PR, where Ariel has spent decades helping artists make sense of a music business that never stops changing.

Joey and Ariel dig into some of the most urgent questions facing artists today: how to understand your artistic identity, how to find the right fans, why fake numbers and playlist-driven “buzz marketing” can leave artists with no real audience, and why 200 genuine fans can matter more than thousands of empty streams. Ariel makes the case for moving from shallow visibility to meaningful connection, what she calls shifting from buzz to bond.

The conversation also explores the overwhelming pace of modern content, the loss of music as a focused listening experience, the value of physical releases and fan experiences, and why artists need a plan, a team, and a clear sense of what they are actually building.

Later, Joey and Ariel discuss AI in the music space, where Ariel offers a balanced view: useful as a tool for marketing, organization, and efficiency, but dangerous when it floods platforms with more low-value content and makes it even harder for human artists to be heard.

The result is an essential episode for independent artists who want to stop chasing vanity metrics and start building a more intentional, sustainable, fan-centered career.

You can find more information about Ariel and her work at:

https://arielhyatt.com/

https://cyberprmusic.com/

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Episode 9: Ellen Francese on Creative Permission, Perfectionism, AI, and Art as Survival

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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In Episode 9 of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with educator, artist, writer, and longtime Berklee professor Ellen Francese for a deeply thoughtful conversation about creativity, self-worth, teaching, illness, community, and the human need to make art.

Ellen traces her creative roots to a childhood shaped by curiosity and artistic freedom, where there was no “right” or “wrong” way to explore visual art, dance, theater, writing, or music. That foundation leads into one of the episode’s central themes: the danger of perfectionism, and the tragedy of artists feeling they need permission to create.

Joey and Ellen also discuss what she has seen in students over more than two decades of teaching, including rising anxiety, fear of failure, dependence on laptops and AI, and the deeper fear underneath it all: not belonging. Ellen frames creativity not as a luxury, but as a source of agency, identity, and connection.

The conversation moves into powerful personal territory as Ellen reflects on living with serious illness, bodybuilding as an act of resistance, and eventually shifting from a “warrior” relationship with illness to one of companionship. Joey and Ellen also explore self-worth, difference, community, and why truly loving others requires moving beyond our own reflection.

Later, Ellen makes a passionate case for art as essential to human survival, drawing on historical examples of people creating under extreme oppression and deprivation. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, her message is clear: to surrender our creative capacity is to give up something central to being human.

The result is a profound, moving episode about courage, humility, curiosity, and the sustaining power of art.

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Episode 8: Thom “TK” Kidd on Analog Decisions, Producer Psychology, AI Tools, and Staying the Course

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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In Episode 8 of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with producer, engineer, musician, and lifelong studio craftsman Thom “TK” Kidd for a wide-ranging conversation about career conviction, recording philosophy, studio psychology, gear obsession, and the changing role of technology in music.

TK traces his path back to a ninth-grade guidance counselor form where he wrote that he wanted to work in a recording studio, a goal that led him to an Atlanta internship just weeks after high school and eventually to becoming chief engineer of a multi-room facility by his 21st birthday. Along the way, he shares stories about mentors, early sessions, Peabo Bryson, Tom Wright, Cheshire Sound, and a vintage Neve desk that connects Atlanta studio history to records by Soundgarden and Korn.

Joey and TK also dig into the human side of record-making: why producers are often “psychiatrists,” how to guide artists without shutting them down, and why the best ideas sometimes work best when the artist feels a sense of ownership. TK contrasts analog tape’s forced decision-making with the endless deferral of DAW-based production, while also offering a practical view of AI as a useful tool when guided by taste and craft rather than treated as a replacement for musicianship.

The result is a funny, thoughtful, and deeply practical episode about microphones, mentors, humility, creative struggle, and why, in TK’s words, “if you’re not learning something, you’re not paying attention.”

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Episode 7: Eric Alexandrakis on Duran Duran, Creative Obsession, AI, Failure, and Survival — Part 2

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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Host: Joey Stuckey
Guest: Eric Alexandrakis - Part 2 of 2
Release Date: June 3, 2026
Episode Length: Approximately 1 hour, 17 minutes

Episode Summary

In Part 2 of this two-part episode of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey continues his conversation with two-time Grammy-nominated artist, songwriter, composer, and producer Eric Alexandrakis.

Eric tells the story of how John Taylor of Duran Duran discovered him shortly after Eric’s first six months of chemotherapy: a tropical storm, a local Miami listing, an unsuccessful attempt to get into the venue, a hotel lobby stakeout, and finally a handoff of self-recorded cassettes that led John Taylor to offer Eric’s first solo album through John's website, Trust the Process. The story becomes a larger lesson in persistence, opportunity, and the idea that “if you don’t try, the answer is always no.”

The conversation also explores Eric’s belief that nurses, teachers, and creatives are essential to moving society forward, his deeply personal and unconventional album packaging tied to his cancer treatment, and his lifelong refusal to create anything ordinary. Joey and Eric trade stories about creative instinct, work ethic, and survival, including Joey’s own childhood brain tumor story and Eric’s reflections on how an exhausting grad-school year of overnight sessions and relentless pressure shaped his health, his urgency, and his approach to opportunity.

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Episode 6: Eric Alexandrakis on Streaming, Creativity, Cancer, Songwriting, and Surviving the Music Business — Part 1

Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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Host: Joey Stuckey
Guest: Eric Alexandrakis - Part 1 of 2
Release Date: May 27, 2026
Episode Length: Approximately 1 hour, 2 minutes

Episode Summary

In Part 1 of this two-part episode of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with two-time Grammy-nominated artist, songwriter, composer, producer, and creative force Eric Alexandrakis.

The conversation moves quickly from music industry disruption to deeply personal reflections on creativity, survival, and artistic purpose. Eric offers a provocative critique of the current streaming economy, including the rise of AI-cloned songs, fake artist activity, bot-driven marketing, and what he sees as the unsustainable economics of free access to music. He argues for a future in which artists have more direct control over their audiences, distribution, and the value of their work.

Joey and Eric also explore what it means to be wired for creativity, why creating can become part of mental health, how illness shaped Eric’s early solo albums, and why limitations can sometimes produce stronger creative results than having too many options. The episode also includes Eric’s powerful family story connected to World War II, Crete, DNA analysis, and the recovery of historical truth.

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Episode 5: Alan Clarke and Gavin Strube on AI, Copyright, Digital Replicas, and Protecting Creative Work

Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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Host: Joey Stuckey
Guests: Alan Clarke and Gavin Strube
Release Date: May 20, 2026
Episode Length: Approximately 1 hour, 11 minutes

Episode Disclaimer

This podcast is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon as, legal advice. Listening to this podcast, submitting questions, or communicating with the host does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and any presenter, the producers, or Greenspoon Marder, LLP, the lawyers’ affiliated firm.

The legal topics discussed are broad, may not reflect the most current legal developments, and may not apply to your particular circumstances. You should consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction for advice regarding your individual situation before taking or refraining from any action.

Views expressed by the host or guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers, firms, or sponsors. No attorney-client privilege attaches to any communications related to this podcast. Past results, outcomes, or experiences discussed do not guarantee similar results.

Episode Summary

In Episode 5 of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with entertainment attorney Alan Clarke and intellectual property attorney Gavin Strube for a timely conversation about AI, copyright, licensing, digital replicas, and the legal questions facing musicians, artists, writers, and creators.

The conversation begins with one of the central questions in the current creative economy: what happens when AI becomes part of the creative process? Gavin frames one of the episode’s key ideas clearly: creators need to be able to show that “the AI is the brush, not the artist.” From there, Joey, Alan, and Gavin dig into how artists should document prompts and process, why there is no simple “magic percentage” of human involvement that guarantees copyright protection, and what creators should understand before registering AI-assisted work.

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Episode 4: Lucy Kalantari on Grammy-Nominated Closet Recordings, Children’s Music, Dolby Atmos, and Keeping Curiosity Alive

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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In Episode 4 of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with Grammy-winning artist, composer, producer, engineer, and children’s music creator Lucy Kalantari for a warm, funny, and deeply thoughtful conversation about creativity, recording, motherhood, technology, and finding the artistic lane that feels like home.

Lucy traces her musical life back to childhood in the Dominican Republic, describing music as something that was always in her head, “waiting for me to say it out loud.” From there, she shares how curiosity and necessity pulled her into recording: sneaking into college studios late at night, staying quiet when security walked by, and eventually becoming chief engineer of the school’s studios as one of only two women in the program.

Joey and Lucy also explore her unexpected but natural move into children’s music. Lucy describes the moment she realized she had found her lane, saying that writing for kids felt like coming home. She also speaks beautifully about the responsibility of making music for children, the way songs can leave an imprint and help shape future listeners, thinkers, and leaders.

The conversation closes with a thoughtful discussion of AI, artistic curiosity, and the future of creative work. Lucy’s hope is not that technology disappears, but that artists are protected and that AI remains a tool rather than a replacement for human imagination.

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Episode 3: Dusty Wakeman on Mojave Audio, Mad Dog Studios, Capitol Records, and Capturing Great Sound

Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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Host: Joey Stuckey
Guest: Dusty Wakeman
Release Date: May 6, 2026
Episode Length: Approximately 1 hour, 29 minutes

Episode Summary

In this episode of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with producer, engineer, entrepreneur, bassist, and Mojave Audio President Dusty Wakeman.

Dusty shares the story of his journey from a Houston garage band to the Los Angeles recording world, including his early fascination with studio gear, his move to L.A. in 1977, his years at West LA Music, and the founding of Mad Dog Studios in 1980. The conversation traces Dusty’s work with artists including Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale, Buck Owens, and more, as well as the lessons he learned while working in world-class studios like Capitol Records.

Joey and Dusty also discuss the founding of Mojave Audio, the evolution of boutique microphones, the value of analog-era engineering discipline, the difference between producing and engineering, and why the right microphone in the right place still matters.

About the Guest

Dusty Wakeman is a producer, engineer, entrepreneur, bassist, studio founder, and President of Mojave Audio. Raised in Texas and drawn west by the energy of the Los Angeles music scene, Dusty founded Mad Dog Studios, where he helped shape records for artists including Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Buck Owens, and others.

In 2005, Dusty co-founded Mojave Audio with microphone designer David Royer. As President, he helped turn Mojave from a passion project into an award-winning microphone company that has earned multiple NAMM TEC Award nominations, including a win for the MA-37.

Throughout his career, Dusty has worked as a producer, engineer, mixer, and bassist, with credits spanning roots rock, Americana, country, and rock music. Some of the artists Dusty has worked with include Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale, Buck Owens, Michelle Shocked, Tom Russell, and Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.

When he is not guiding Mojave Audio, Dusty remains an active musician and creative collaborator, still playing bass and working across Southern California’s music community. His guiding philosophy is simple: create impeccable tools that let the music shine.

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Episode 2: Tom Camuso on Les Paul, Analog Recording, Studio Culture, and the Future of Engineering

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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Host: Joey Stuckey
Guest: Tom Camuso
Release Date: April 29, 2026
Episode Length: 1 hour, 19 minutes

Episode Summary

In this episode of Stuck on Sound, Joey Stuckey sits down with Grammy-winning audio engineer, producer, studio owner, and Les Paul Recording Studio Director of Audio Engineering Tom Camuso.

Tom shares stories from more than two decades in New York recording studios, including his early work as an assistant engineer on platinum-selling albums with Lenny Kravitz, his time as a staff engineer at the legendary Magic Shop Studio in New York City, and his work with artists including John Scofield, Blondie, Steve Earle, Medeski Martin & Wood, and others.

The conversation also explores Tom’s current role at the Les Paul Recording Studio in Hollywood, where he has overseen the restoration of Les Paul’s original recording equipment and continues to help restore his music archive.

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About the Guest

Tom Camuso is a New York-based audio engineer, producer, studio owner, and Grammy-winning recording professional with more than two decades of experience across music, film, television, and commercial audio.

Tom began his career as an assistant engineer on platinum-selling albums with Lenny Kravitz, where he learned the fundamentals of making great records. He later became a staff engineer at the legendary Magic Shop Studio in New York City.

Since then, Tom has engineered records for artists across a wide range of genres. His work on Steve Earle’s Washington Square Serenade earned him a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album in 2008.

Tom also built a full-service recording and mixing studio in the historic Leviton Building in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The studio was designed as a private, relaxed creative space away from the pace of Manhattan, equipped with both contemporary and vintage gear.

Today, Tom serves as Director of Audio Engineering for the Les Paul Recording Studio in Hollywood, California. In that role, he has helped restore Les Paul’s original recording console and first multitrack tape machine, while also working on the restoration of Les Paul’s music archive. The studio functions as both a working recording facility and an educational space for artists, students, and audio professionals.

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Introducing Stuck on Sound with host Joey Stuckey (Trailer)

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0400

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Welcome to the Stuck on Sound podcast with your host, Joey Stuckey.

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