The Soundtrack Surgeon

Episode 7: Tim Smith

This episode is part of a special little series here at The Soundtrack Surgeon. I am currently working on an independent study on the intersection of music and comedy; specifically focused on the art of timing. Aside from creative people of course, timing is the connector of these two worlds more than anything else. What I am aiming to do with this project is to get into the minds of musicians and comedians and prove that they operate on the same wavelength, and talk about why it works so well when you put them together.  For this project, I am planning on interviewing several musicians and comedians, as well as anyone who falls into both of those categories, and pick their brains on the subject of timing.  For today’s episode I interviewed Tim Smith. Tim is a stand-up comedian based in New York City. He created the semi-viral podcast and web series "Roommates-In-Law" with fellow comic Tommy Brennan. Aside from music and comedy, Tim and I talked about his recent visit to Baltimore, a potential Roommates-In-Law reunion, our zeros and heroes of the week, the story of how I met Green Day, pulling the dead mom card, and how I might be a lot closer to a con artist than I previously thought.

Episode 6: Joe Zimmerman

This episode is part of a special little series here at The Soundtrack Surgeon. I am currently working on an independent study on the intersection of music and comedy; specifically focused on the art of timing. Aside from creative people of course, timing is the connector of these two worlds more than anything else. What I am aiming to do with this project is to get into the minds of musicians and comedians and prove that they operate on the same wavelength, and talk about why it works so well when you put them together.  For this project, I am planning on interviewing several musicians and comedians, as well as anyone who falls into both of those categories, and pick their brains on the subject of timing. This is the first of these interviews.  I recently had the chance to interview Joe Zimmerman. Joe is a New York based stand-up comedian. He has opened for big names such as Nate Bargatze and Brian Regan, as well as being acclaimed in his own right. You can find his comedy special "Cult Classic" on YouTube. Joe and I discussed the comparisons between musical and comedic timing, and he also told a story about a wacky gig he did at my college when he was getting started in comedy.

Episode 5: Maureen Crowe

On this episode I had the pleasure of talking to Maureen Crowe. Maureen is a trailblazing music supervisor whose work has shaped some of the most iconic soundtracks in film history, including The Bodyguard, Wayne’s World, Chicago, and The Perfect Storm and, most recently, I Want To Dance With Somebody. As the Founding President of the Guild of Music Supervisors, she has been a driving force in elevating the role of music supervision across the industry. A Grammy and Emmy advocate, Maureen was the first female President of the LA Chapter of The Recording Academy, where she championed recognition for music supervisors. She currently serves as their elected representative at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her career blends creative vision with tireless advocacy, leaving a lasting imprint on music in film and television.

Episode 4: Marc Medwin

Today's episode is a pretty special one for me because I got to talk to Marc Medwin, who just so happens to be one of my all time favorite people to have a conversation with. Medwin is a professor of music at American University, and I took "History of Rock" and "American Music and Politics of Protest" with him. We talked about his relationship with music as a blind man, how sound is used in film and television, the power behind silence, and Sesame Street.

Episode 3: Billy Gottlieb

On today's episode, I talked to Billy Gottlieb. Billy is an LA-based music supervisor from the Baltimore area. We discussed what led him to the job, his work as a music coordinator on the movies Pulp Fiction and Clueless with Karyn Rachtman, a number of both his past and upcoming projects, and some of the differences between supervising for film vs. television.