Meet Rob Elba | Podcaster/Human

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rob Elba and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rob, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
From a young age, like many kids, I thought about ‘performing’. When we’re young, we soon figure out that putting yourself out there in front of your family – telling jokes, singing songs…etc – will usually get you a positive reaction. Or at least a reaction. Sadly, as they get older many people close up this part of themselves because they’re self-conscious or afraid of rejection. Luckily I never really developed that filter. In middle school/high school I started performing in school plays and singing/playing guitar in bands. Not necessarily because I was any good at it, but the rush of doing SOMETHING artistic in front of other people and eliciting a reaction from them was too exciting to pass up.
No matter what else was going on in my life – work, marriage, kids – I always managed to practice some form of artistic expression. Whether it was writing songs – or a full-fledged rock opera – performing live or, for the past 5 years, producing a weekly music podcast, I couldn’t imaging living a life without SOME form of artistic/creative element. It’s a big part of who I am.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Around five years ago I decided to start a podcast. My only experience with internet broadcasting prior to that was listening to other podcasts. As a musician and lifelong music lover I naturally gravitated towards music podcasts, but many of them left me vaguely dissatisfied. I felt like I could do better. On a whim I enlisted a friend of mine, Barry Stock, and said “Let’s start a music podcast!” We divided up resources and set about learning what was involved, including recording ourselves and editing/publishing the content. Once our first episode went live we vowed to – no matter what – publish a new episode every week.

A few years into it Barry decided to move out West on to other things, and I was faced with the decision of either ending the podcast or continuing on solo. By that time we had built up a modest-but-growing base of listeners, with most episodes reaching around 1,000 downloads and some of the more popular ones getting up to the 2,000-3,000 range. We had also started a Patreon (a membership platform that allows content creators to run a subscription service) and had close to 100 loyal Patrons of the show. I decided to soldier-on with the podcast and quickly set about learning how to record and edit on my own, which was something Barry had previously taken care of. With the help/guidance of some of my Patrons and some late nights, I’m proud to say I was up and running within a week and didn’t skip an episode.

Aside from the technical aspects of producing the podcast, one of the biggest challenges for me was learning how to run an interview. My show involves having a guest on each week who brings in a record they love to discuss. Ideally, it’s a loose, casual conversation between music lovers which sounds easy on paper but can be difficult to achieve. I discovered that one of the biggest skills I can bring to the table is LISTENING. I used to cram-up on facts about the record to be discussed and felt like I had to get them all in, but by re-listening to the episodes after-the-fact – something I still do religiously – I realized the true magic of the podcast is MY GUESTS. I’ve discovered it’s best to let THEM take the lead and unearth THEIR insights. Listening more is key, and as someone who is used to talking a lot – just ask anyone who knows me – it’s a skill I’m still working on improving.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First off, I’d probably take them to Laser Wolf in Ft Lauderdale for some great beers, and then maybe head over to their sister location Invasive Species Brewing if we’re still thirsty.

For food I’d hit up Kush by Stephens, a great little breakfast/lunch spot in Hialeah. Tarpon River Brewing in Ft Lauderdale never disappoints, and I always try to take new visitors to Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor in Dania Beach if they’ve never been…it’s a South Florida institution.

Live music venues have been challenged as of late, with a several long-time spots no longer open, but a few of my favorites that are STILL going strong are The Poorhouse in Ft Lauderdale and Bar Nancy in Miami. GREAT proprietors/staff seems to be the secret sauce for these two!

If someone were visiting I would ALWAYS check to see if Russell Mofsky’s Gold Dust Lounge are playing anywhere, and there’s still tons of great young acts like Glass Body, Donzii and The Boas performing locally. Your best bet is to check out Dig Under Rock http://digunderrock.com/ to see what’s going on!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I met my best friend Dan Hosker (R.I.P.) here in South Florida and we started making music together, it was the mid-80s and we soon decided to move up to his home state of Massachusetts and form a band. We slogged it out for 5 years or so but didn’t seem to be getting anywhere, and with a wife and young daughter and no real family up there I decided to move back down here. Dan soon followed and we formed another band (The Holy Terrors), and to our happy surprise we became part of a thriving, supportive and decidedly WEIRD South Florida music scene.
Aside from personal accomplishments (recording and releasing music I’m still proud of, getting to play in other parts of the country – including the legendary CBGBs in NY – to new audiences), the absolute best part of moving back down here was all of the people I met along the way (including other band members, writers, radio DJ’s and music lovers) who became lifelong friends.
Miami/South Florida, for all it’s issues, was the place I ‘found my tribe’ and I cherish all the relationships I’ve forged here and the unconditional support and encouragement I’ve received in whatever crazy venture I decided to launch!

Website: https://www.thatrecordgotmehigh.com/

Instagram: @thatrecordgotmehigh

Twitter: @TRGMHpodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThatRecordGotMeHigh

Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1456487961192579

Image Credits
Elisa Elba, Teajay Smith, Russell Mofsky