We recently connected with Michael Clark and have shared our conversation below.

Michael, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I was a kid; I always thought I would be an actor or a musician.
As a matter of fact, I received several collegiate scholarships to pursue acting. Yet, never followed up or went down that path.
Your “a-typical” sports like football and baseball never appealed to me- so I was never good at them. BUT- I had a massive propensity for Martial Arts. This all correlates to what I am doing now.
So, as a teenager- I started many rock bands and built this massive resume playing throughout the midwest until adulthood. I started out playing in a band that would open up for SlipKnot (when they too were a local band) to ending on sharing a bill with Avenged Sevenfold and Three Days Grace– which also happened to be my last show. I knew it was time to pack it in.

Nine years later, during the heat of the pandemic, I was craving that creative piece of my life that I had been missing. I knew that I had made a lot of awesome connections in the entertainment industry and the world of MMA; thus became the catalyst to start my podcast: “Caught on the Mike.”

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I always felt that I had a larger purpose in life.

In high school, it was acting. Speech. Drama. Choir. Radio news. Conventional athletics never came natural to me; but I somehow had a propensity and fixation on the martial arts. Music, however, was always my absolute first love. It was my first kiss. One of the only constants in my life.

Life wasn’t easy; I came from a broken home. Out on my own before I graduated high school. Life lessons always seemed to come to me “the hard way.” Realistically, in the way I lived it- I should have been a negative “statistic”- but I never let my past define me as much as the way I survived it.

Instead, I managed to channel all of this into two decades worth of fronting various rock bands across the Midwest. Released SEVEN albums. Got a little radio play. Opened for all of my favorite bands, and made A TON of memories along the way.

Hopefully, by finding my own peace through this platform- I can bring the same peace to others as well.

These days I’m a proud father, husband, and champion of work ethic. I LOVE fitness (wish I was better and more consistent with it!) and am a huge MMA fanatic! A perfect weekend meal for me may consist of good BBQ, Cheesecake, and hot wings. Most importantly, I value time spent with the people I care about. Including my listeners and my guests.

The podcast is the summation of my journeys as told through the perspectives of people I may not always know, but greatly admire. The hope is to continually learn about my own self betterment and let the listener ride shotgun on this journey, hopefully enlightening their own path…

I cite my show (Caught on the Mike) as being an “open-format” podcast that shines a spotlight on fascinating individuals from all walks of life, sharing their unique journeys and experiences.

With a diverse guest lineup ranging from musicians and actors to athletes and critics, the show fosters connection and inspiration in every episode.

To date, Caught on the Mike has featured an impressive lineup of guests, including Brian Austin Green (*Beverly Hills 90210*), Sean Kanan (*Cobra Kai*), and Ryan Key (*Yellowcard*) plus many, many more

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think we are now to a place where social media algorithms drive everything.

This is both good and bad.
The bad part is, it leaves too much room for the superficial. Popularity based on physical features, pre-established fame, or the “what can YOU do for ME” crowd.

The good part is:
When something DOES hit, there’s no ceiling to it and it can happen to ANYBODY, ANYWHERE.

I think the exact answer to this question lay within the people that use these platforms.
If you see a creator with a smaller following (less than 10k)- follow them. Share their content. Go sub to their channels. Listen to a podcast. Watch a video. Like their content promoting their products/art. “We the people” have more of an opportunity- now more than ever in the history of entertainment- to change the course of another person’s life- and make the world a better place for it.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

“Influencer culture” and social media platforms (like TikTok) don’t necessarily run a linear path.

Just because a creative uses one of these platforms as an extension of their work doesn’t mean they are conflating the culture of being an “influencer”- which sometimes carries a lot of negative connotation.

Sometimes its just tools n the tool belt to keep their projects afloat. Not everybody is trying to be a millionaire or get a million likes either. Some of us are sincerely trying to learn and teach about the better parts of a world increasingly trying to divide us for the sake of profit. The world is a beautiful place, but if you want to find ugliness in it- look no further than participating in the nastier parts of social media. OR- support more positive narratives and content as you see it.

Don’t vilify a platform just because you don’t understand it; learn about it and the types of creatives that fuel it. You’ll find theres more community there for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.caughtonthemike.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/caughtonthemike
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/caughtonthemike
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@caughtonthemike
• Other: https://linktr.ee/CaughtontheMike

  Also on all podcasting platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, Audible)

Image Credits

Matt Bills
Chris Tierney