2 Beers With The Band

How do independent artists balance touring between Australia and Nashville while navigating an ever-changing music industry? In this episode of Two Beers with the Band, host Chris sits down with country artist Brittany Elise to discuss her creative process, live stage evolutions, staying independent, and what’s next for 2026 and 2027.
About This Episode
In this sit-down interview, host Chris catches up with Brittany Elise over a 7.1% ABV American IPA from Burial Brewing Company. Together, they explore:
The DIY Work Ethic: How taking online courses and learning from peers helps artists adapt to daily shifts in the music market.
Live Show Dynamics: Why altering song lyrics live—such as swapping in city names like Nashville—creates unforgettable moments for the crowd.
Managing Unfinished Works: The organizational process behind returning to unfinished songs and bringing dormant ideas back to life.
International Logistics: The real-world balancing act of managing writing, producing, and performing in Nashville while maintaining a strong festival presence back home in Australia.
Genre Expansion: The business and artistic potential of creating music outside standard streaming channels, such as scoring for plays or commercial projects.
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Country singer-songwriter Scott Southworth returns to 2 Beers With The Band for an honest, value-packed conversation on navigating the music industry as an independent artist. Host Chris Shrum and Scott crack open a cold craft brew while dropping actionable advice on budget-friendly video shoots, creative touring hacks, and knowing when to say no.
Episode Overview
Setting Boundaries & Family First: Scott shares why he took July off from gigging to prioritize his 35-year marriage and how to structure tour schedules.
Knowing Your Worth: Why indie artists need to stop taking unpaid full-band gigs and hold onto their wallets around shady industry "gurus".
Budget Music Video Production: How Scott films high-quality music videos in under 4 hours using tight storyboards and shot lists rather than spending thousands.
Creative Touring & Funding Hacks: How to leverage municipal Sister City programs to fund overseas trips and write jingles in exchange for airline miles.
Rapid Fire & Pizza Debates: Quick-fire questions covering favorite venues, Def Leppard concerts, Marvel vs. DC, and the secret to homemade pizza dough.
Connect with Scott Southworth
Website: ScottSouthworth.com
Facebook: Scott Southworth Music
Instagram & X: @sayhowdyscott
 

In this episode of 2 Beers With The Band, I sit down with West London rapper, poet, author, and overall creative polymath Douki for an unfiltered, deep-dive conversation. While we dive into his multi-faceted career, I’m sipping on an IPA while Douki cracks open a non-alcoholic Guinness 0.0—offering a candid review of its lighter texture and watered-down stout profile as he gets ready for a late-night wind-down and an early morning gym session. Right from the start, we establish that authentic hip-hop isn’t about chasing commercial trends; it’s about staying true to your roots, processing real-life struggle, and building a genuine connection through raw lyricism.
We take a trip back through his upbringing in Brentford, West London, exploring how growing up in a multicultural household with Algerian, Spanish, and Moroccan roots shaped his unique worldview and bilingual perspective. Douki opens up about his early musical beginnings at age 12 inside Shepherd's Bush's Juice FM radio station, turning doubt into fuel, and making his very first beats on a PlayStation 2 using Music 2000. He breaks down how literary influences like Tupac Shakur’s The Rose That Grew from the Concrete, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and Slim Shady taught him the power of words over simple sound.
We also pull back the curtain on the creative mind behind his diverse catalog, discussing how he uses Reaper, FL Studio, and Virtual DJ to sample retro classics like the 1982 animated film The Flight of Dragons for his track "The Tower". Douki gives us an exclusive look into his upcoming projects, including Wiseguys with James Torino, Yesterday's Dream of Tomorrow, and his ambitious hip-hop stage musical screenplay, Metal Boy—a dark, Pinocchio-inspired narrative about mortality and what it truly means to be human. We wrap up the session with a deeply honest discussion on navigating ADHD, why he refuses to chase fake social media clout, overcoming writer’s block, and why he’d ultimately choose running a traditional English pub over chasing mainstream fame.

In this episode of 2 Beers With The Band, I sit down with Scotland-based rapper, producer, and events manager Jay Lee for an exclusive, deep-dive interview. While we get into his musical background, I'm cracking open a Change of Heart IPA from Jackalope Brewing Company—a New Zealand-style IPA sitting at a smooth 6.6% ABV that brings a perfect, crisp balance to our session. Right from the first spin of his track "Cold Stare," we lay down the theme for the night: authentic music isn't about chasing radio trends, it's about staying true to your roots, your childhood upbringing, and the raw sounds that shaped you.
We take a trip back in time to explore Jay Lee's early life growing up in Scotland, unpacking what his childhood was like and the unique mix of musical genres that were constantly playing around his house. He gets honest about why he ultimately gravitated toward rap and production, and how those early household influences still bleed into his studio tracks today.
We also pull back the curtain on the emotional side of songwriting. Jay Lee opens up about his creative process, explaining why pain and heartbreak are often the easiest, most natural emotions to tap into when sitting down with a pen and paper. We joke about classic country music tropes—like losing your truck, your dog, and your heart—while highlighting how hip hop allows for that exact same raw, therapeutic storytelling. We wrap up the episode with Jay Lee answering two questions he wishes came up more often in interviews, giving fans a definitive look at the man behind the music.

In the second half of my interview with the incredibly versatile DJ, published author, and music artist SB The Anomoly, we dive straight back into the mental and physical reality of managing a creative empire solo. While we chop it up, I am sipping on a classic Narragansett Lager, featuring their special USA 250th Anniversary Edition can. It has been quite some time since I’ve had a 'Gansett, and seeing the effort they put into honoring automotive and historical milestones through their branding sets the perfect tone for today's discussion on building an elite brand. We kick off the episode spinning his track "The Way We Are," a song that sets a masterclass standard for raw, underground hip hop authenticity. The music makes an absolute statement based on his personal philosophy: true art isn't an assembly-line product meant to please a casual audience; it's a deeply personal therapeutic tool designed to heal the creator first before it ever touches the world.
 
We get incredibly real about the intense logistics of being an independent brand ambassador, unpacking the reality that an authentic artistic life demands far more than a standard 40-hour work week—often stretching into a constant, around-the-clock mental obsession. SB The Anomoly breaks down how he seamlessly shifts his mindset between formatting a book chapter, producing heavy hip hop beats, and stepping behind the turntables to rock a live crowd. We dive deep into what separates a good selector from a great entertainer, exploring how a legendary live set relies entirely on engaging an audience rather than just mixing tracks seamlessly.
 
But we don't just stay on the surface of the hustle. We tackle the immense pressures weighing on independent artists today, specifically addressing the heavy expectations to create content constantly and the toxic presence of online keyboard warriors who tear down creators without ever stepping into the arena themselves. SB shares how channeling personal pain into his writing has provided profound emotional healing, and he reveals the single most important message he wants readers to take away when they close his book. We wrap up the night looking at his upcoming 2026 calendar, discussing why independent creators must embrace honest constructive criticism if they want their brand to survive long-term.

In this episode of 2 Beers With The Band, I sit down with the incredibly talented indie artist Lil Red Fire to talk about music, resilience, and breaking barriers. While I dive into this conversation, I am sipping on a Hitchhiker IPA from Good People Brewing in Birmingham, Alabama—a heavy 7.8% ABV pour featuring a gorgeous, deep gold clarity and a beautifully foamy head. Right from the first sip, the juicy and floral aromas set the perfect backdrop for a deep, unfiltered conversation. We kick off the episode spinning Lil Red Fire's track "Don't Rush," a song that sets a powerful standard for underground artistry. My lyrics and music make a definitive statement: true creative fire cannot be suppressed by personal struggles, speech disabilities, or the negative noise of the industry.
We address the elephant in the room straight out of the gate: navigating the music scene while living with a stutter disability. When you listen to the music, the stutter completely disappears, proving that a racing mind can actually be a massive advantage for a singer-songwriter looking for melodic inspiration. Lil Red Fire gets real about the logistics of building an independent brand, dealing with haters who said making music was impossible, and the daily grind of recording on a tape recorder until the sound in your head matches the track.
We also explore the hustle behind self-promotion, the reality of managing 16 or 17 unfinished tracks, and what it takes to freestyle a song in a single, one-time recording. From unusual sources of inspiration found in the search bars of YouTube to a hilarious story about a dancing challenge that resulted in a dislocated pinky finger, this episode covers it all. We even get a sneak peek into upcoming R&B collaborations and look at how constructive criticism from a best friend shapes the final master before release.

In the second half of my interview with the incredible UK hip hop and spoken word artist RychusDon, we dive right back into the grind while I sip on a Jackalope Light, locally born and brewed here in Nashville. We start things off with a wild question: if you could have a beer with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? RychusDon takes a completely unique angle, choosing an artist's parent to truly understand the roots of creativity. From there, we unpack what it really means to build an independent music brand in the UK scene. My lyrics in the opening track "Grimey" make a bold statement: true art isn't born from mainstream formulas, it's forged in pure authenticity and underground culture.
We get incredibly real about the logistics of the music industry, talking about how visual branding, merch, and album art shape an artist's identity today. But we don't just stay on the surface. We tackle the heavy topics that the industry often suppresses, specifically discussing the vital role mental health plays in music creation and the unique pressures faced by independent artists in the UK scene versus the US. We also explore the deep connection between the spoken word scene and raw hip hop culture, breaking down the social stigmas that often keep these powerful communities apart.
As a digital creator, I know the hustle is real, so we dive deep into the digital grind—comparing TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, and discussing how to leverage short-form entertainment to build a fiercely loyal fanbase across the globe, especially when connecting with a US-based audience. We wrap up with an honest look at the future of UK music production, the rising influence of AI, and exactly what success looks like over the next five years.

In this episode of Two Beers with the Band, I sit down with the enigmatic artist MDV. To set the mood for a talk about traversing the boundaries of extreme genres, I sampled the Cowboy Hazy IPA from North Pine Street Brewing in Berlin, Wisconsin. This 7% ABV brew provided the perfect, bold backdrop for a deep dive into the dual worlds of metal and hip-hop.
MDV is a true genre-crosser, balancing the aggression of metal with the rhythmic precision of hip-hop. We discuss how his UK upbringing shaped his distinct sound and his refusal to fully commit to just one scene, choosing instead to remain intentionally outside the lines. From the logistics of maintaining a DIY career—including why he still finds CDs to be a vital tool for independent artists—to his hands-on creative process, MDV breaks down how he bridges these cultures rather than just challenging them.