Sound Sagas: A Journey into the World of Music Exploration
Andrew Rothmund (left) and Will Bristol (right)
What is Sound Sagas?
Welcome to Sound Sagas, a platform where music takes center stage. In this inaugural blog post, I want to take you on a journey into the heart of our project, explore our vision, and share what you can expect from this exciting venture. With the help of my co-host Andrew, we're turning our love for music into a dynamic and multi-dimensional experience.
A Multimedia Music Forum
Sound Sagas began as a simple idea: a podcast. However, as we delved deeper into the project, it evolved into something more and began tapping into our content creation skills and music industry experience. Andrew, a photographer and videographer by trade, really helped bring the video and YouTube dimensions into focus. And I’ve worked at record labels, music educational services, instrument retail, among other things. Right now, it feels like anything is possible with this platform: if we dream it up, we can make it happen on Sound Sagas.
We’re building a YouTube channel, a website, supplemental content, and if all goes well, a community. We envision Sound Sagas more like a hub for music enthusiasts, sonic explorers, instrumentalists, and more. Audience engagement means so much to us, and that also involves interviewing captivating guests and taking the show outside the studio into the world at large.
All Tastes in Music Overlap
Andrew and I have diverse tastes in music. He’s been a devoted metalhead since gradeschool, and I’ve been into pop, indie rock, electronic, and singer-songwriter genres my whole life. From the get-go, our journey as friends has been all about music learning and sound exploration. Our second episode (stay tuned) illustrates this perfectly: Andrew and I each introduce one band that helps lead its respective genre but also has immense personal value. As you’d imagine, they sound nothing alike, yet both him and I land in the same place individually: completely blown away by powerful music.
Nothing Without Narrative
What binds all music lovers is the power of storytelling. Music is narrative, and our interactions with fellow music enthusiasts amount to new stories being written. We aim to unearth and convey these sagas to you with as much context as we can find. So by design, Sound Sagas cannot be confined to a single location. We're passionate about capturing the essence of music scenes from around the world, starting right here in Chicago. Music isn’t just an onion, but a bunch of them, spread out everywhere, each with its own array of layers. We believe that the experience, not the sound, of music is what truly defines our tastes. It's about venturing beyond our comfort zones, embracing the challenge, and savoring the reward of appreciating new ideas.
Local Roots, Global Reach
Chicago holds a profound place in our musical narratives — a dynamic source of endless inspiration, offering a tapestry of music in a scene that has molded our musical tastes. This city is where blues, jazz, gospel, hip-hop, house, and more have thrived. It’s been a beacon for musical exploration for as long as we’ve been alive, and longer. But Chicago will never be done delivering new and original ideas.
This city’s gritty DIY spirit resonates deeply with us. Our underground music scenes and independent venues foster an environment where artists can experiment and evolve, unconstrained by mainstream expectations. Through Sound Sagas, we aim to share our Chicago experiences and introduce you to the local influences that have shaped our musical journeys.
Join the Sound Sagas Community
Sound Sagas’ community of passionate music lovers are eager to explore together. We're here to help you discover new music, connect with others, and unravel the captivating stories that make the music world so enchanting.
Stay tuned for upcoming episodes, social media updates, blogs, and much more. Thank you for being part of the Sound Sagas journey, and we'll see you in the next episode!
