We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrew Dost. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrew below.

Hi Andrew, thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

It’s a huge honor to be able to make art for a living. I’m primarily a musician, but that has grown to expand into composition for film, TV, and commercials, visual art, video content, hosting a variety show, and so on. Music was a point of entry for me to tap into a lot of different things that interest me. I get to make my own schedule, focus on projects that excite me, and work with my friends and people I admire. I can’t think of a better fit for my interests and skill set, and also my flaws and weaknesses. It’s scary to more or less be a freelance, self-employed person without a concrete pay schedule, but I trust that if I work hard, and make good things that I feel strongly about, the financial side of things will continue to sort itself out. I’m very happy in this line of work and I love exploring and trying to surprise myself with new ways to tap into that sense of community and joy.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a musician, speaking broadly. That has meant playing trumpet in symphonic ensembles, jazz bands, or orchestral indie projects, guitar or piano in bands, all kinds of stuff. I’ve had the most commercial success with my pop-rock band Fun., which included Grammys and platinum sales. I continue to compose music for film, TV, and commercials. I also love to write and produce with other people. I host a Christmas variety show every year. I’m active in social justice work with a non-profit that I co-founded with some friends, The Ally Coalition. In general, I like to pursue any avenue of art or music that makes me curious and excited, and I try to bring that delight and enthusiasm into whatever project I’m working on. Most recently, that included making puppets and using them to make a video for my new band, Metal Bubble Trio. I do a lot of things depending on what’s called for, what’s exciting, what makes me laugh or ache or feel something I wouldn’t otherwise be able to express. I love helping people find those qualities in their work. In general, I like creating community and bringing ideas to life.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I feel like I’m constantly pivoting – it’s what makes this line of work exciting. If I’m writing a song, I don’t just have to plug new ideas into an existing framework, I have to re-invent my entire process every time. I compare it to baking a loaf of bread – I don’t just mix ingredients together, I essentially have to re-learn what flour is. It can be frustrating and maybe speaks to a beginner’s mindset, but it has resulted in a fun career so far and I want to keep surprising myself. My most recent pivot has been to start a band inspired by Bossa Nova music. I learned how to play Bossa Nova-inspired guitar from the ground up, and that resulted in an entire musical entity – Metal Bubble Trio just released our first album, Cucumber, which is now available on vinyl and streaming everywhere.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I think there’s a very romantic myth of an artist being tortured, or mentally unstable, or doing everything themselves. A solitary genius who has a vision and can execute it without the meddling of any outside forces. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that is (mostly) completely false. Good work happens with vision, yes. But it also happens with help. It can happen with joy and enthusiasm and community and sharing a big pizza and staying up late and giggling. It can all be a lot lighter than it seems, even for a heavy and dense work that carries great significance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://metalbubbletrio.com
• Instagram: metalbubbletrio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MetalBubbleTrio

Image Credits

Cody Sells for the first, Tommy Greene for the rest