Rich Soni Podcast

#59 - Final Call

Episode Overview Final Call is a pop-punk band from Long Island, NY. Formed by longtime friends, Pat Carroll (Vocals, Rhythm Guitar), Greg Diem (Lead Guitar), Evan Brandow (Drums), and Paul Vomvas (Bass).The group blends classic pop-punk with elements of indie rock, grunge, folk, and classic rock.They regularly play the Lower East Side circuit in NYC (Mercury Lounge, Berlin, Arlene's Grocery, Red Lion) and released their first full-length album in 2022.Their latest record, Eden, is a concept album loosely tied to the Garden of Eden story and themes of growing up. In this episode, the band returns to the podcast for the first time since their 2022 debut to talk about their new concept album Eden.They walk through the record track by track, discuss Paul joining the band, and explain how a weekend writing trip to Eden, Utah shaped most of the album.They also cover their recent NYC shows, playing a fan's wedding, and upcoming gigs. (0:00) Catching up(4:29) NYC venues and growing live shows(6:01) Covers vs originals at gigs(10:01) Irish pub gigs and strangers(11:12) Getting booked to play weddings(14:52) Paul joining the band(15:22) Writing and recording Eden(16:56) The Utah garage studio sessions(20:00) Greg's songwriting process(21:45) Expanding beyond pop punk(24:46) Returning to their punk roots(26:12) Old sound vs new sound(27:26) Monkey Business and Green Day(30:02) Creating a concept album(31:46) Garden of Eden themes and growth(34:10) Writing the album intro(39:45) Writing sarcastic and emotional songs(49:00) Pop punk and broader influences(55:30) Favorite songs and heavier tracks(1:02:40) The Utah trip as a turning point(1:08:25) Garden of Eden imagery(1:13:20) Favorite songs to play live(1:21:00) Acoustic songs and grunge influences(1:29:30) Future shows and final thoughtsLinks:- Final Call Linktree – https://linktr.ee/Finalcall

#58 - Eddie Wilson

EPISODE OVERVIEW Eddie Wilson is a professional firefighter in Newark, NJ, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, a Catholic convert, and a lifelong friend of Rich's since fifth grade. He and his father are co-writing Chronicles of Newark [https://chroniclesofnewark.substack.com/], a historical narrative about the Newark Fire Department's horse-drawn era, centered on Chief Robert "Daredevil Bob" Kirstead — a Civil War cavalry veteran who served under General Custer before becoming Newark's most celebrated fire chief. In this episode, Eddie and Rich discuss podcast production tools, the arc of the Newark fire department from bucket brigades to horse-drawn steam engines, the Civil War history behind Kirstead's career, and the lessons from line-of-duty deaths that still shape modern firefighting. Eddie also shares his journey from atheism through stoicism to Catholicism, his views on dependability over independence, and the books and thinkers who have shaped his worldview — including Epictetus, Scott Adams, Ryan Holiday, and Nassim Taleb. He closes by reading a passage from the manuscript about the end of the horse-drawn era.

#57 – Harrison Bieth

Harrison Bieth is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Northern New Jersey. Since his last appearance on the podcast, Harrison has released his latest full-length album, Laughter Music, recorded with longtime collaborator Max Rauch at Domestic Bliss Recording. Links: - Harrison Bieth on The Rich Soni Podcast – https://richsonipodcast.com/guests/harrison-bieth/ - Harrison Bieth (Episode #52) – https://richsonipodcast.com/episodes/rsp0052-harrison-bieth - Harrison Bieth on Bandcamp – https://harrisonbieth.bandcamp.com/ - Instagram - @saxmania18 – https://www.instagram.com/saxmania18/ - Max Rauch (Episode #48) – https://richsonipodcast.com/episodes/rsp48-max-rauch - Instagram - @domesticblissrecording – https://www.instagram.com/domesticblissrecording/ - Instagram - @pizzabagelrecords – https://www.instagram.com/pizzabagelrecords/ - Andrew Nieporent on The Rich Soni Podcast – https://richsonipodcast.com/guests/andrew-nieporent - Ray Salerno on The Rich Soni Podcast – https://richsonipodcast.com/guests/ray-salerno - Gazer (IMDb) – https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31183697/ Timestamps: [00:00:00] Catching up, Slipstream changes & current projects [00:01:26] Entering the Clearviews & evolving live bands [00:07:20] Revisiting Harrison’s catalog & artistic growth [00:17:34] Buying the dream Telecaster & new gear chapter [00:24:58] Nashville trip & seeing Jack White live [00:33:14] Bad Bunny, Rosalía & exploring Latin music [00:47:35] “What You Wanted” song discussion [00:54:40] “It’s Been a Minute” song discussion [01:03:54] “Heartache and Pain” autotune, rhythm & production choices [01:07:55] Favorite lyrics, pizza verse & Lost references [01:12:30] “Secret Truth” revisited [01:18:45] Earlier material that still holds up live [01:26:20] Working with Max Rauch & recording chemistry [01:34:10] Songwriting confidence & letting go of self-doubt [01:42:00] Future releases, shows & closing thoughts

#56 - Roe O'Brien

Roe O'Brien (Roe Knows Best) is a New Jersey-based singer-songwriter. Following her Northbound EP and collaborative Weekend at Mauchie's project with Max Rauch, Roe has now released her first full-length album, "Now Arriving at Secaucus Junction", recorded with Doug Gallo. In 2025, she formed her first full band with guitarist Mike Farrell, bassist Paul Calabrese, and drummer Benjamin Delloiacono, bringing her songs to life on stages across New Jersey. In this episode, Roe discusses the making of "Now Arriving at Secaucus Junction" and her production philosophy of "no moment wasted." We dive deep into tracks like "Out of Touch," "Suffocate," "Smoke in the Furniture," "Secaucus Junction," "191 Bus," and "TV Tyranny," exploring her songwriting process, her approach to defying expectations, and how forming a full band has informed her future work. Roe also shares insights about her choir background, her melody-driven approach to songwriting, her experiences navigating open mic nights, and the authentic New Jersey transit sounds that bring the album's title track to life. (0:00) Introduction and Catching Up(1:20) Album Announcement: "Now Arriving at ...(2:36) Forming the Full Band(6:04) Band Rehearsals and Learning Songs(10:13) How Band Experience Informs Future So...(12:49) Choir Background and Listening Skills(15:59) Memorizing Lyrics and Melody as Conve...(19:29) Melody Machine and Voice Notes Archive(22:33) Breaking Form and Defying Expectations(25:56) Open Mic Experiences and Fighting for...(32:44) Concert Phone Recording Discussion(58:34) Working with Doug Gallo on the Album(1:01:26) Production Philosophy: "No Moment Was...(1:02:27) "Out of Touch" Deep Dive(1:07:10) Percussive Elements and Defying Expec...(1:22:33) "Suffocate" Song Discussion(1:44:26) "Smoke in the Furniture" Discussion(1:49:56) "Secaucus Junction" Song Discussion(1:51:28) NJ Transit Samples and Authenticity(2:36:10) "191 Bus" Discussion(2:43:45) "TV Tyranny" Discussion(3:02:13) Closing Thoughts

#55 - Andrew Nieporent

Andrew Nieporent is a New Jersey songwriter, music therapist, and the bandleader behind Andrew and the Kindly Ones. He also hosts the Rock N' Joe open mic in Caldwell and is a longtime organizer within the North Jersey music community. In this episode Andrew previews The Kindly Ones—arriving November 15 at Cedar Beans Coffee Joint—and digs into the new single “Dangerous.” We talk about collaborative songwriting with his bandmates and son Ray, honoring the late John Simon, plans to “go electric,” building inclusive open mic spaces, recording with Steve Carter in Nashville, and the show’s Lost-inspired concept. Timestamps * 00:00 – Catching up & the evolution to Andrew and the Kindly Ones * 04:20 – Producing The Kindly Ones and stepping into the producer role * 10:45 – Co-writing the new material and releasing the single “Dangerous” * 16:20 – Live tracking sessions, Trading Eights, and giving the whole band shine * 21:30 – Remembering John Simon and preparing to go electric after the tribute * 27:00 – Fall show calendar: Cedar Beans release party, Big & Tall, and more * 31:40 – Archiving performances, capturing community moments, and live recordings * 42:20 – Meeting Ray (Jamie Fett) and the story of becoming family * 48:10 – Music therapy mindset, social justice, and showing up for community * 55:20 – Rock N' Joe open mic strategy and cultivating a listening audience * 1:05:30 – Nashville sessions with Steve Carter and engineering with Adam Biener * 1:15:10 – Curating eight songs, Lost references, and the mythology framing the record * 1:21:20 – Easter eggs, catchphrases, and weaving pop culture into the album * 1:37:40 – Leveling up on “Dangerous,” release-week plans, and open mic invites Connect with Andrew Nieporent * Instagram - Andrew and the Kindly Ones - * TikTok - Andrew Nieporent - * Streaming - Andrew Nieporent - * Bandcamp - Andrew Nieporent - * Bandcamp - Andrew and the Kindly Ones - Selected Links From The Episode * Andrew Nieporent (Episode #14) - /episodes/rsp0014-andrew-nieporent/ [https://richsonipodacst.com/episodes/rsp0014-andrew-nieporent/] * Andrew Nieporent (Episode #18) - /episodes/rsp0018-andrew-nieporent/ [https://richsonipodcast.com/episodes/rsp0018-andrew-nieporent/] * Andrew and the Kindly Ones – 'Dangerous' - https://open.spotify.com/track/5ojTnsgyYM5r81vScQTmMU?si=74afd9ea1181439d [https://open.spotify.com/track/5ojTnsgyYM5r81vScQTmMU?si=74afd9ea1181439d] * Rock N' Joe Coffeehouse & Bistro – Sunday Open Mic - https://www.rocknjoe.com/ [https://www.rocknjoe.com/]