Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bob Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Bob, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I grew up in an idyllic upstate New York suburban town.

I had an early aptitude for computers and writing, and then in my teens started making music. Ever since, I have sought a path that combines my passions for technology and creative work.

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.

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself,

I am a musician, writer, and professional nerd. I’ve been hard at work on all of the above since grade school. In 2019 I launched The Static Dive as both a brand name and as my musical alter-ego. In addition to my recorded work, I run a popular music blog of the same name (staticdive.com).

how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc,

I began working professionally as a musician in my early twenties. By day I worked as an IT professional. My friend Doug Ford was a local music producer at the time, and well connected in the music business. He and some music industry heavyweights invited me to help build a music industry tech startup called Promosquad.

That was in 1999. We eventually changed the name of the company to HitPredictor and built it into a successful music market-research & testing tool. I was both the technical lead and the author of all written analyses sent to our major label clients. Soon I was writing similar analyses in byline articles for Billboard magazine.

I stayed with the company until December 2005 when I took a job as an IT manager in corporate America. For the next 15 years I worked with the suits during the day, and in my studio at night. During the pandemic I realized, to be truly happy, I needed to once again carve a path that cohesively incorporates all my passions. So I quit the day job and dove in.

StaticDive.com was originally intended as a personal blog for my various creative work. I launched the site in conjunction with the debut of my artist name The Static Dive. However, as I set out to promote my music online, I was struck by the abundance of abysmal services offered to independent musicians, services often provided by nefarious characters. I knew I could do better. A business was born.

what type of products/services/creative works you provide,

I offer professional writing services to emerging independent artists. On the blog I write artist, song, and album profiles. The articles function as online press releases for whatever project my client is pitching. Once published, I share the articles across all major social media platforms.

I also write artist bios and song pitches. In parallel, I work as a professional recording artist, producer, session musician, label owner, technical writer, and IT consultant. It’s a bit schizophrenic, but I love it all.

what problems you solve for your clients and/or

The idea is to provide affordable access to the same quality of professional writing services that is otherwise only available to big budget artists. I used to write for the big guys. On StaticDive.com I try to use my experience to the benefit of my fellow independent artists.

what you think sets you apart from others.

The quality of my work and my motivation for doing what I do. I’m not going to get rich writing press releases for unsigned artists. And I’m not trying to. The business is profitable, but it is just one piece of my professional puzzle. I can afford to let it grow organically, without compromising the mission to be of service to struggling artists.

What are you most proud of

On a personal and creative level, I am most proud of my collaborations. Historically, I usually work alone. This new phase of my career has opened me up to wonderfully fruitful creative collaborations. My son Lela is a brilliant digital artist and has created all of my visuals from day one. I’ve launched a cutting edge indie record label with my friend and frequent songwriting partner Kilo House, a producer in LA. And I am recording tracks and writing songs with London Elixir, an Atlanta-based producer and rising star in the world of sync licensing.

Professionally, I’m proud that the blog does exactly what I set out to do. With quality and integrity, the site creates real exposure in a professional platform for creative artists whose limited budgets may otherwise leave them open to grifters and charlatans. It’s a good thing, and it works.

what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.

There is no border between my personal and professional identities. The Static Dive journey is an experiment in authenticity. Can I sustain and thrive while remaining true to my ideals as an artist, and as a human being? So far, so good. 😎

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Our society judges all things by the same measure…. money. Our heroes in nearly every cultural stratum are those whose are the most financially successful. We would do well to realign our assessments to match the context of the content. Let Caesar’s be Caesar’s and stop judging fish by their ability to climb trees.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I’ve always been a tech advocate, but I don’t think we should just blindly adopt technologies without consideration of their collateral impact. NFT and crypto mining is terrible for the environment. And without regulation, NFT technology can (and already has) create ample opportunity for counterfeiters and other fraudulent characters.

We should make it better, before making it bigger.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://staticdive.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thestaticdive/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/staticdive
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/b0bsmith/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/StaticDive
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thestaticdive?si=Z69UeVdOE7Pw76fI
• Other: https://songwhip.com/the-static-dive