Welcome back, everyone! I'm excited to share this episode featuring the phenomenal Todd Sucherman—truly one of the most accomplished drummers in the world. Having the chance to chat with Todd is always a privilege. Todd's stories from his decades-long journey in music are packed with adventure, insight, and a wealth of wisdom. Known for his 28-year tenure with the iconic band Styx, his impressive career spans collaborations with top artists, countless recording projects, and celebrated teaching. What makes Todd such an inspiring guest isn't just his unparalleled skill on the drums but also his ability to share his expertise in a way that resonates with musicians of all levels. His understanding of what it takes to thrive in the music industry and maintain a fulfilling personal life makes this conversation a must-listen for anyone interested in the art and heart of being a professional musician. I hope you enjoy this candid and inspiring chat with Todd Sucherman. Cheers! #nickdvirgilio #ndv #toddsucherman #styx #drumming #podcast #soyouwanttobeamusician
Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Episode 11 of the podcast, where I’m joined by my bandmate in Big Big Train, Clare Lindley. Clare is not only my first female guest but also an incredibly talented musician with a wealth of experience. It’s truly inspiring to hear her perspective on what it takes to make music your life. Her dedication, hard work, and passion are undeniable, and I’ve had the privilege of witnessing her professionalism and skill on stage time and time again. In this episode, we dive into Clare’s journey — starting in Scotland, where she grew up and made a name for herself, before moving to London to take on the city’s music scene head-on. Clare is also an educator, sharing her love of music with students of all ages, and—on top of that—she’s a professional rock climber! Her passion and drive are contagious, and I’m lucky to be in a band with someone so talented. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Cheers! #nickdvirgilio #clarelindley #bigbigtrain #soyouwanttobeamusician #violin #fiddle #musiclife
Greetings, everyone! We've reached a milestone with episode 10 of the podcast, and I couldn't be more excited to welcome my guest this week: the incredible Carter McLean. While Carter is perhaps best known for his long-standing role as the drummer for the Broadway production of The Lion King, his career extends far beyond that. He’s toured the world, recorded albums, and is also a passionate educator. Carter has done it all and built an outstanding career, and he generously shares his knowledge along the way. In this episode, we dive deep into his journey—from his early days in high school just getting started in the business, to moving to New York City as a newcomer with no connections, to proving himself in front of the city's best. We also discuss how he landed The Lion King gig, his foray into photography when the industry slowed down, and even his personal relationship with his wife. It’s a wide-ranging conversation packed with insight and wisdom. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did! #nickdvirgilio #soyouwanttobeamusician #cartermclean #drumming #broadway #podcast
Greetings, everyone, and welcome back to the podcast! We’ve made it to episode 9, and I’m thrilled to have Mr. Randy McStine as my guest today. Randy and I go way back—we’ve made a lot of music together over the years, and I can confidently say he’s one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever known. It was a real pleasure to sit down and talk with him. Randy’s insights into the music industry are fascinating, and his journey is a testament to doing things on his own terms. He describes his path as a “slow burn,” but one that’s authentically his. As a solo artist, Randy has released many fantastic recordings that I highly recommend everyone check out. In recent years, he’s reached a much broader audience in recent years through his work with Porcupine Tree. His collaboration with Steven Wilson has introduced Randy to fans worldwide, and I’m so happy to see him get the recognition he deserves—he’s earned every bit of it. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Thanks for tuning in, and cheers! #nickdvirgilio #randymcstine #soyouwanttobeamusician #podcast #musiclife
Greetings everyone! Welcome back to the podcast. We’ve made it to episode 8, and I’m thrilled to introduce my guest, Mr. Steve Hackett. This episode is particularly special to me because I get to chat with a man who was a huge part of my all-time favorite band, Genesis. A band that had a profound impact on my musical evolution. It still feels surreal that I know Steve, that he’s had me play on several of his recent records, and that I even had the chance to perform live with him and his incredible band a couple of years ago. These experiences have been truly remarkable for me. What stands out about Steve is not just his extraordinary musicianship, but his genuine kindness. With a long and storied career in the music industry, he has countless stories to share and a wealth of wisdom to impart. This interview was a real joy for me, as Steve's responses were both candid and insightful. We delved into his early days before Genesis, his experiences as a young musician in London, and the difficult decision to leave the band. We also discussed his solo career and the process of building his brand, as well as how a life in music impacts personal relationships. It’s an insightful and enjoyable conversation that I’m excited for you to hear. Cheers! #nickdvirgilio #ndv #stevehackett #podcast #soyouwanttobeamusician #musiclife
Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to introduce my guest for this episode of the podcast: Mark Daly and his band, The Ravens. The Ravens are Jack Ross on bass, James Brown on lead guitar, Danny Laverde on drums, and Cillian Plummer on rhythm guitar. Earlier this year, Mark and the guys hit the road with Mr. Big, and I had the pleasure of catching their electrifying performances every night. Their shows were fantastic, and it was a privilege to get to know them. Mark and the band were kind enough to sit down with me for an insightful chat about the musician’s life, just before one of their shows. I really appreciate their generosity in taking the time to share their experiences and perspectives. Mark has been diligently crafting his career through relentless touring and record releases, continually building his brand. Witnessing their dedication and commitment to delivering top-notch performances was truly inspiring. This autumn, Mark and The Ravens will be hitting the road again, this time supporting Richie Kotzen across the USA. Check out the link below for tour dates—you won’t want to miss it! Thank you for tuning in to the podcast. Cheers! Mark Daly tour: https://markdalyofficial.com/tour/ #nickdvirgilio #soyouwantotbeamusician #markdaly #theravens #rocknroll #tourlife #podcast
Greetings everyone! Welcome to episode 6 of my podcast, where I’m thrilled to have Casey Cooper as my guest. Casey is an exceptional drummer who has taken the YouTube world by storm with his incredible talent and dedication. Known to his millions of followers as @COOP3RDRUMM3R, Casey has been creating captivating drum content for nearly 15 years, a journey he began during his college days at Georgia State. He ventured into the world of YouTube just as the platform was emerging, and through sheer passion and skill, he's grown his channel to an impressive 2.7 million subscribers. In this podcast, my goal is to delve into the lives of artists from various musical paths, exploring what it truly means to be in their world. Casey's journey is a testament to the many ways one can thrive as a professional musician. As a husband and father, he has masterfully balanced his career and family life, all while continuously pushing his creative boundaries. His story is not just fascinating; it’s truly inspiring, offering insights into the resilience and innovation required to succeed in today’s musical landscape. #nickdvirgilio #ndv #caseycooper #youtube #drums #influencer #podcast #soyouwantotbeamusician
This video marks the fifth episode of my podcast and features the incomparable Mike Portnoy. During our time on the Cruise to the Edge earlier this year, Mike graciously sat down with me to share profound insights into his remarkable journey in the music industry. Mike's career is nothing short of extraordinary. From the meteoric rise of his band Dream Theater to his involvement with numerous other high-profile bands and projects, he has experienced the peaks and valleys of a life devoted to music. Mike's story also encompasses a personal battle with addiction, a steadfast marriage, and the joys and challenges of raising a family. Through it all, he has navigated the often unpredictable waters of the music world, emerging stronger and more resilient. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Mike and am thrilled to share it with you. His candid reflections and experiences are sure to inspire and captivate. Cheers! #nickdvirgilio #ndv #mikeportnoy #dreamtheater #soyouwanttobeamusician #musiclife
Greetings everyone! Episode 4 is with a gentleman that knows how to rock, Jared James Nichols. I've known Jared for a number of years and first met him while I worked at Sweetwater. He would come and do workshops, performances, video shoots, and recording sessions there. I could instantly tell that he has an old soul when it comes to his music and playing. He's a killer player and fantastic performer. If he is ever nervous on stage you could never tell. Jared and his band opened up for Mr Big earlier this year in Europe and he knocked it out of the park each and every night. It was super fun to watch. Even though we knew each other from his times at Sweetwater, we got to know each other much more on the European tour. Jared is a very genuine person and just wants to entertain to the very best of his abilities. It was great to get his take on the mental side of being a musician. From his early days he knew he wanted to be an artist that charted his own path and he is making that happen. He is a very hard worker and if there is a place to play he will be there. Whenever Mr Big had a day off on the EU tour, Jared and his band were in another town playing a show. He is dedicated to his craft and vision. Jared's take on the music business, how he deals with his personal relationships while being so busy, and how he takes care of his own mental state while living his dream is very interesting. He has a lot to share and it was great to sit down and chat with him. I hope you will enjoy this episode and make sure to go check out Jared's music. You will be glad you did. Cheers! #nickdvirgilio #ndv #jaredjamesnichols #soyouwanttobeamusician #podcast #musician #musiclife
Greetings everyone! I am happy to bring you episode 3 of my podcast and my guest is the incredible Paul Gilbert. While on the road with the guys, it made it a bit easier to sit down before a soundcheck and record and yes, Eric will be a guest on the show as well. Everyone has such interesting ways to answer some of the same questions, which I love. I hope you do too. Paul Gilbert is truly an amazing musician and student of the craft. He has an easygoing demeanor and his own unique way of looking at things in life and the music business. His dedication to his instrument is amazing and you can't help getting inspired by being around him. I have been blessed to be on the road with Mr. Big for almost a year and Paul, Billy, and Eric go all out every night on stage. It doesn't matter how big the gig is. The audience gets 100%. In this episode I get Paul's take on happiness, how he's navigated the music biz, how music has affected his personal relationships/family, and he even plays a few riffs! It is not unusual for Paul to have his guitar with him all the time :) I hope you enjoy this episode and join me again in a couple of weeks for episode 4. Cheers! #nickdvirgilio #ndv #paulgilbert #soyouwanttobeamusician? #podcast #happiness
Greetings everyone! I am excited to bring you episode 2 of this podcast because we now get started talking to guests and in this episode, I sit down with a legend in rock and roll, Billy Sheehan. It helps that I am in the band Mr. Big because I get to hang out with Billy almost every day on the road and finding a time to record this podcast was not too difficult. Billy has done just about everything there is to do in the music business. From his early days back in Buffalo, New York with his band Talas, being in David Lee Roth's first band right after he left Van Halen, to starting Mr Big and having a number 1 hit record. Plus fantastic other bands like The Winery Dogs, Sons Of Apollo, Niacin, and more. He has thousands of gigs under his belt, he has toured the world many times, he's made tons of records, and recorded for tons of artists, he is an educator and a real student of the craft. Nobody plays the bass like Billy Sheehan and he knows what it takes to make a life in music. Cheers
I am very excited to bring you this podcast. Episode number 1 is me...NDV. The reason for this is to set up what the podcast is all about. It will also give you an idea of what kinds of questions and topics I will be bringing up with the artists that join me, and give you my take on those topics. I have been blessed to have had a long career in the music business and I have gone through a lot to get to where I am today. Navigating personal relationships, family dynamics, business, my own doubts and misgivings, and so much more. It can be a wild ride playing music for a living. The actual music is only one part of the whole picture. In this first episode I talk about how my career has put my marriage to the test. I give tips and advice on how to deal with the uglier side of the music business. I talk about the only time I've even been fired from a gig and more. If you are thinking of making music your life's work, or if you just like to hear about what it is like on the inside, then I hope you will join me for this first episode and then every other Tuesday. Every artist has their own story, attitudes, and desires. It is fascinating to hear.