The Finish More Music Podcast

This week on the Finish More Music podcast, I’m joined by Kedrick Jeffries—CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas and a lifelong musician and community leader. Kedrick has spent over two decades pouring into the lives of young people, helping them reach their potential through the power of music and mentorship. In this episode, we explore the profound impact that a single individual can have on a young person’s life—and how the act of showing up for others will radically transform our own. In this episode, we explore: ✅ How mentorship transforms both mentor and mentee ✅ How music opens doors and uplifts entire communities ✅ Why mentorship builds empathy, resilience, and purpose ✅ Why contribution through creativity is a calling—and how to follow yours Kedrick also shares how music has shaped his journey, from his personal practice to directing large ensembles in service of community uplift. Through his work in education, leadership and music, Kedrick exemplifies what it means to lead with heart and give back through art.

In this powerful conversation, I sat down with Mark Turk, founder of the Austin-based nonprofit Beat 4 Beat. Mark’s organization brings music education to underserved youths by hiring local musicians to teach in after-school programs—using creativity, performance, and songwriting as tools to transform young lives. In this show, we explore: ✅ How teaching is a superpower for creatives ✅ How music builds trust, confidence and community ✅ How music and generosity are a life-line to underserved youth ✅ How YOU can get started impacting the world with your music ✅ How teaching fuels personal and professional growth for artists We also dive into the surprising challenges of running a nonprofit—that quite frankly blew my mind! I thought everyone would be wholly supportive of organisations and people that empower young people… as you’ll hear, that isn’t so! Mark’s story is one of incredible resilience, challenges, kindness and impact that left me inspired and driven to contribute more with my creativity. Let me know how this episode impacts you!

What does it truly mean to give everything for your art? In this powerful episode, drum & bass legend Tony Colman aka London Elektricity shares his deep philosophy on music, contribution, and living a life of service. From founding Hospital Records to performing in war-torn Ukraine for free, Tony’s career is a testament to the power of giving without expectation—and the unexpected rewards that come from it. We explore: ✅ Why giving selflessly benefits both the artist and the world ✅ How Tony overcame fear, ego, and self-doubt to focus on service ✅ The battle to save small club culture from corporate dominance ✅ How to build real connections in the industry through trust & generosity ✅ Why music is about lighting people up, not just playing tracks This episode is a masterclass in artistic generosity—one that might just change the way you approach your music career.

Welcome to our first-ever Finish More Music podcast series! This podcast series, "The Creative Calling," explores how pursuing one's passions, particularly in creative fields, leads to a more fulfilling life for you and for others. In the series I use research and personal stories to illustrate the profound positive impacts of creative pursuits on mental, physical, and emotional well-being, and also address how to balance your personal creative goals with other life commitments. Fear isn’t the only thing stopping us from pursuing our creative calling—there’s another silent threat: lethargy. That feeling of being “too tired,” “too drained,” or “just not in the mood” can quietly steal more days from our lives than we realize. In this episode, we break down what lethargy really is, why motivation isn’t something you wait for, and how small shifts in mindset and action will help you overcome resistance. Using insights from elite performers, psychological research, and personal experience, we unpack how to reclaim your energy and move forward… …even when you don’t feel like it.

Welcome to our first-ever Finish More Music podcast series! This podcast series, "The Creative Calling," explores how pursuing one's passions, particularly in creative fields, leads to a more fulfilling life for you and for others. In the series I use research and personal stories to illustrate the profound positive impacts of creative pursuits on mental, physical, and emotional well-being, and also address how to balance your personal creative goals with other life commitments. In this episode we discover one of the biggest threats to following your creative calling: Fear. Fear disguises itself as perfectionism, self-doubt, and procrastination, keeping us stuck. In this episode, we explore how fear manifests in creativity, why it’s a response to a perceived (not real) threat, and how to overcome it. Drawing from powerful insights by Jung and James Hollis, we uncover the secret to pushing past fear and learn how taking small steps, dismantling limiting beliefs, and reframing fears help you move forward with confidence on your creative journey. Listen Now!

Welcome to our first-ever Finish More Music podcast series! This podcast series, "The Creative Calling," explores how pursuing one's passions, particularly in creative fields, leads to a more fulfilling life for you and for others. In the series I use research and personal stories to illustrate the profound positive impacts of creative pursuits on mental, physical, and emotional well-being, and also address how to balance your personal creative goals with other life commitments. In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest questions creatives face: When we follow our calling, are we being selfish? How do we balance personal creative pursuits with our responsibilities to others? We explore the friction that can arise when making meaningful changes, the pushback we might receive from those around us, and how to navigate these challenges with integrity. Through personal stories and deep reflection, I unpack why honoring your creative calling isn’t self-indulgent—it’s essential for growth, contribution, and authentic living. Tune in now!

Welcome to our first-ever Finish More Music podcast series! This podcast series, "The Creative Calling," explores how pursuing one's passions, particularly in creative fields, leads to a more fulfilling life for you and for others. In the series I use research and personal stories to illustrate the profound positive impacts of creative pursuits on mental, physical, and emotional well-being, and also address how to balance your personal creative goals with other life commitments. In this episode, we continue exploring the power of following your creative calling. We discuss how embracing what you're truly drawn to leads to a more engaged and fulfilling life. From overcoming societal expectations to tapping into research-backed benefits of creative pursuits, we break down why honoring your callings isn’t just personal—it’s transformative. Plus, I share my journey in supporting underprivileged youth through creative projects and how your music can change lives. Dive in!

Welcome to our first-ever Finish More Music podcast series! This five-part series concludes the story I shared last year about my instantaneous and permanent recovery from depression—and how I simultaneously regained my hearing, despite multiple medical professionals telling me it was lost forever. I thought I fully understood what had led me into the darkest time of my life and the reason for my recovery. However, it turned out I had only discovered the tip of the iceberg. The real breakthrough was something much bigger. And, in keeping with the strange twists and turns of this story, it was something mysterious—something that has been discussed since ancient times... In this series, I share this mystery with you, why I am confident it has permanently closed the door on my depression, and how it has led me to live a more expansive, fulfilling, energized, and creative life.

So we are deep into a story together… A story of the darkest must tumultuous time in my life. A time that almost ended me. And now things are about to get very, very weird, It starts with an event that spiralled me into panic followed by multiple appointments with the UK’s top specialists. And then there was a flash of intuition from my mentor that turned my entire world upside down. And of course, because I was at rock bottom, turning my entire world upside down sent me soaring amongst the stars! A new me. A new beginning. A new life. You will of course make your own conclusions about what happened. Was it a message from the Universe? Was it nature intervening? Was it a ‘million in one’ pure coincidence? Or did God have a hand in my fate? I know what I believe. In fact I know what I know… Now I’m curious to hear how you put the pieces of the puzzle together in your mind. Reach out and let me know!

WE… ARE … BACK! Hello, It’s been a while! 18 months to be precise. After 4 years of never missing a beat and recording an episode of the podcast every single week…We suddenly disappeared. Why? It’s a big question and it deserves a big answer. In this podcast, I will share with you the reason why I and the podcast disappeared. Fair warning: it may be unsettling for you. It is a dark story. But I believe it is important to share it because there are powerful lessons that I hope will aid and empower you on your creative journey. If you are prepared to come along for the ride, listen to the brand new episode of the Finish More Music podcast.

Discover how to escape being stuck with the same cycling thought patterns that keep you living in the past so that you can set yourself up for success in music and every other area of your life. The reason why people use time as an excuse. ‘I don’t have enough time’, ‘I’ve wasted to much time and I’m running out of time’ - and how to dispel the lies that we tell ourselves in order to create an abundance of time to achieve the goals that matter most to us. Brad’s recipe for overcoming creative blocks. This isn’t just theory, it’s an actual tactic to get you high energy, in the zone and creating music, even when you feel like it least.

Today we are going to be talking about tearing holes in the fabric of reality and collapsing time. Nope, it’s not sci-fi. This is something you have access to. And easy access to. Changing your reality and collapsing your own personal timeline. So that you get to achieve what you want in your life and your music in a fraction of the time you think possible… …by taking shortcuts that you’re sure can’t possibly exist! As Mark Twain famously said: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so”. So if you’re doubting what I say, then this podcast is especially for you. Let’s tear open what you know for sure that just ain’t so.

In today's episode we have a controversial conversation that I would love to have your input on. Rob from Team FMM is convinced that hardware has been knocked off it’s perch… …and that the future lies in the box and therefore we should all focus on software going forwards. I threw my best shots at him during this session in support of hardware and he ducked, weaved, countered and even hit me with a few hooks. So dive in, have a listen and let us know which side of the argument you fall on. Oh - and before we get stuck in, you might have noticed new intro music… This track is Lazarus by super-talented FMM member Kukoo aka Louis Hayward. …And it’s our new soundtrack for the next 100 episodes! https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm201/

Today we welcome Ambient and Electronica producer John Hayes to the show. John is currently signed on a three-album deal to the excellent Nettwerk label alongside artists such as Sasha and il:lo. His music is supported on radio stations worldwide, including the iconic BBC, and his track Sleep Song has over 2 million streams on Spotify. In this conversation, we discover John’s approach to album writing, how his music guides him to the finish line, how he was discovered by promotors and label owners, and how you can be too. And we get to be a fly on the wall and discover what happens in a meeting with a top label before getting signed. Finally, at the very end of the episode John shares a well-guarded secret that we are the first to discover. This interview has it all - from initial improvisations to finished album to releasing to promo and building a fanbase… …To the big reveal at the end! https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm200/

Are you open to exploring something a bit leftfield? We all know that there are ways to get into a creative headspace at the start of a writing session that will help us to be more productive in that session… And maybe you are already making good use of many of them… DAW Templates…Creating a tidy studio space…Having a plan of what you want to achieve…Even meditation. But what if I told you there was another way? A way that while at first might sound a bit bonkers, has been scientifically proven to work and is being used by many of the world’s greatest creatives and performers. A way to build confidence, escape fears, beat procrastination… Would you be interested to know about it, even if it might raise an eyebrow or two when you first hear it? If the answer is “yes, I’m game for new ideas, especially those that can help me to be more creative”… Then stay tuned, because I’m about to reveal all…

In this episode, we’re asking the question - has it all been done before? Have we reached the frontier of music and there are no new genres, sounds, or musical directions to pursue? Given the amount of music in the world and the hundreds of genres and subgenres that exist, it would be easy to conclude that the answer is yes… …Our lot now is to simply refine what exists and there’s nothing fundamentally new to discover. So is it true? Or is there another way of thinking? One, that when unlocked, will; fill us with inspiration and wonder about the future. In this episode, we’ll dive into the topic and as always you can decide for yourself. https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm198/

In today’s episode, we’re going to be exploring that question. Said another way: Just because a particular genre lights you up to hear it in a club or on your phone, does that mean it’s the music you were put on this planet to make? …or could it be that holding on to the belief that you must make the genre that’s your favourite to listen to is dragging you down and sapping your enjoyment of making music in the studio? There’s something very interesting at play here, so without further ado, let’s find out. ---------------- https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm197/

Today we’re meeting a familiar foe but in a surprising new way. The enemy in front of us is distraction, and we’ve uncovered some new research that shows that everything we thought we knew about distractions and their impact on creatives is actually way worse. And some of the things we didn’t know were distractions… to our minds, actually are. Distractions cause us to react, and when we react we have no control… …and when we have no control, then who is running our lives? It’s certainly not us! So, to find out how this is happening to us… …and to discover the solutions we’ve uncovered to get your own mind and your own time back; Keep listening. www.finishmoremusic.com/196