UPRAWR Podcast

Today’s guest is one of the UK live music industry’s most experienced agents, with a career spanning more than 30 years and a roster that has helped shape rock, emo, punk and alternative music across the world. 
We talk about how he discovered My Chemical Romance and helped grow them from tiny club shows into a global stadium band, his decades-long journey with Sum 41 from the very beginning, and the many other artists he’s worked with and helped break along the way. 
We also get into the realities of being an agent with how artists get signed, why loyalty in music is never guaranteed, what separates bands that break through from those that stay stuck, and how streaming, TikTok and changing global markets have transformed the business. 
Let’s get into it. 
 
Follow us to see Behind The Scenes:  
Jack - https://www.instagram.com/jack_uprawr/  
Joe - https://www.instagram.com/joe_davis77/

Today’s guest is Mark Fuller, the man behind some of London’s most iconic nightclubs, including The Embassy Club and Sugar Reef which he started with Marco Pierie White 
We talk about how he built clubs with no money, what nightlife was really like at its peak, and how it went from culture to cash. Most importantly, what actually killed the nightclub? 
This one’s full of wild stories. 
Let’s get into it.

Today’s guest is Liam Cromby, former We Are The Ocean frontman and now a solo artist rebuilding his career on his own terms. After growing up surrounded by music, Liam went from local bands and MySpace auditions to playing huge stages, releasing major records and touring with bands like Muse. From the outside, it looked like the dream but behind the scenes, the pressure, burnout and declining mental health were slowly taking their toll. 
In this episode, Liam speaks openly about the highs and lows of his journey, from the early rise of We Are The Ocean and the moments that felt like everything was finally happening, to the crash that followed when it all became too much. He talks honestly about losing his identity, stepping away from music completely, and the long road back through counselling, busking and learning how to love music again. 
He also shares how social media unexpectedly helped reconnect him with We Are The Ocean fans and how his solo project has given him a fresh sense of purpose. This is a must listen for anyone in a band or wanting to be in a touring full time band! 
Lets get into it

Today's guest is Dante Bonutto who is currently the director of A&R at Spinefarm a subsidiary of Universal Music! Dantes responsible for signing Sleep Token and working on “Take me back to Eden” where he watched the band break in real time! 
We chat with Dante about how he got his start in music over 40 years ago - starting out as a journalist and actually becoming editor at Kerrang! super early on (from issue #8!). From there, he travelled the world with bands, writing pieces about them, before creating his own magazine, RAW, which he eventually sold. He then made the jump into the label world and hasn’t looked back, working with bands like Rammstein early in their careers, and of course, eventually signing Sleep Token which became a wild and unforgettable time for the label. 
This one's a rollercoaster so get ready! 
Let’s get into it. 
Just search UPARWR podcast anywhere you listen to them!  
Follow us to see Behind The Scenes:  
Jack - https://www.instagram.com/jack_uprawr/  
Joe - https://www.instagram.com/joe_davis77/

Today’s guest is Stuart Galbraith, one of the most influential promoters in the UK live entertainment industry. He is the founder of Kilimanjaro Live, the company behind major tours and events putting on shows like Ed Sheeran and festivals such as Sonisphere. Today, Kilimanjaro sells millions of tickets every year! we wanted to know what it really took to reach that scale. 
Stuart shares his journey from being one of the earliest employees at Live Nation (employee #4) to leaving to build his own company from scratch. He talks candidly about the risks he took along the way including moments where he almost lost his house (few times) aswell as how he launched Sonisphere to compete directly with Download Festival. 
He also discusses his ongoing campaign to reform ticket resales, including proposals to cap resale prices at no more than 10% above face value, a policy that has gained political support from the labour party  
Let’s get into it. 
Just search UPARWR podcast anywhere you listen to them!  
Follow us to see Behind The Scenes:  
Jack - https://www.instagram.com/jack_uprawr/  
Joe - https://www.instagram.com/joe_davis77/