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Justin Smolian From Dirty Honey On This Month’s Groove – The No Treble Podcast

Justin Smolian from Dirty Honey is this month’s conversation on Groove – The No Treble Podcast.

You can listen the new episode right here: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #110 – Justin Smolian.

Justin Smolian and his band, Dirty Honey, are back to rock you out with their latest head-turner, Can’t Find The Breaks. Justin’s journey with Dirty Honey is akin to a rock and roll fairy tale, with a twist of gritty realism. Dirty Honey, a band that shot to fame with a no-nonsense, back-to-basics rock sound, found in Justin not just a bassist, but a sonic alchemist. He’s the guy who infuses the band’s sound with a rich bass, songwriting and playing style that brings every era of rock together into something modern. This album sees him straddling the fine line between the classic and the contemporary, plucking out rhythms that resonate with the soul of traditional rock, while flirting outrageously with modern sensibilities. But let’s rewind a bit. Before Dirty Honey, before the whirlwind of rock stardom, Justin was a student of the strings, exploring the vast terrains of the bass… and classical guitar. His early days were a melting pot of influences, a musical smorgasbord that he feasted on, each genre adding a new layer to his playing style. From jazz’s intricate melodies to the pulsating rhythms of funk, he absorbed it all, crafting a style that’s uniquely his. Fast forward to Dirty Honey, and you see these influences manifest in a style that’s as eclectic as it is electrifying. In a world where rock music constantly evolves, Justin is a beacon of both innovation and tradition. His bass playing isn’t just a part of Dirty Honey’s music; it’s the heartbeat, driving the band’s sound with an energy that’s as infectious as it is fun and fresh. His story is one of passion, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of that perfect groove. Enjoy the conversation…

What is Groove – The No Treble Podcast?

This is an ambitious effort. This will be a fascinating conversation. Our goal at Groove is to build the largest oral history of bass players. Why Groove? Most of the content about the bass revolves around gear, playing techniques, and more technical chatter. For us, bassists are creative artists with stories to tell. They are a force to be reckon with. These are the stories and conversation that we will capture. To create this oral history of why these artists chose the bass, what their creative lives are like, and where inspiration can be found.

Listen in: Groove – The No Treble Podcast – Episode #110 – Justin Smolian.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends).

Mitch Joel

Mitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.