We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joel “BLTN”. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joel below.
Joel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
My musical journey began back in senior year of High School in the Bronx (shout out to Lehman!) when I first picked an instrument in beginner’s band. The audio weapon of choice was the alto sax, inspired by the sweet backdrop found in Yacht Rock, and through the 80s-early 90s.
As far as the sax goes, I’d have to credit one individual, which is one of the greatest forces behind the scenes in music: Stuart Matthewman (Sade, Maxwell). Whenever I get an opportunity during live sets to cue up a soulful & jazzy track featuring this great instrument, there’s no denying the passion that radiates within.
Getting back to playing sax in High School, I gravitated to it so much that I started taking it home (legally – if you asked, they signed it out!) and quickly found myself flying through musical notes playing everything by ear…reading was never my forte. I picked up piano the next semester, but got sidetracked with females [shrugs]
Although life sh*t happened, I never forgot the connection I had with music. I always heard music differently than my friends – more specifically, I don’t just hear music, I see it.
It took a few years but I found myself attending IAR (RIP) in Manhattan, which taught everything music…soup to nuts. Furthermore, being in a building full of other creatives really sparked something within. During this time, I found myself lending myself to music production, recording and engineering. But because this was just after 9/11, pursuing a career in such a tough ass industry wasn’t gonna get me outta Mom’s crib, so I hit a right in the proverbial road fork…
Having said that, music was never forgotten. I became a massive collector with a very obscure ear – always aligning with what was more musically rich and progressive vs bubble gum radio wave buzz. Fast forward to 2018, as I frequented many music venues here in NYC I became inspired to piece together my very own DJ mixes…mostly put of disgust in what I was hearing. I knew I could offer something better, something more connected to the soul…music good for the sole!
The mixes started for my own listening pleasure, then rocking them in the car my friends would encourage me to post them online. Started up on AudioMack (which is still live today!) but ultimately decided to start up my own internet-based music radio station, creating it as an LLC…BLTNRADIO was born. The acronym: Better Late Than Never (pronounced as blatant) which supports my life story, returning to music that has always lived inside me.
Consider this a refreshing break from the diluted musical norm.
Tune in on Wednesdays @ 8PM EST on TWITCH.TV/BLTNRADIO for the WeeklyMusicEargasm! And be sure to follow @BLTNRADIO on IG for special pop-up events.
Stay Tuned Boppers…
Joel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
As I mentioned, both my passion and realized talent in how I heard/visualized music inspired me to start BLTNRADIO, which was founded February 2020. Reflecting on the timing for this upstart, it came JUST WEEKS to COVID-19 being declared a pandemic, changing the World forever.
The thing I really cherish and am proud of – particularly during that time – was using the platform as a way to “shine light” amid what we were all experiencing, and would even reference the loft space which BLTNRADIO broadcasts out of the “Lighthouse.” This “lighthouse” also serves as a reference to The Fog in 1980 (on the list of top 3 scariest flicks IMO) where Stevie went over the radio airwaves at her own station, warning the people in the town of the danger lurking about, and encouraging them to push on. Interesting parallel…
I’ve also prided myself in developing a brand with a very specific sound & identity, which has a focus on lesser-known gems or rare edits of familiar tracks from artists & producers. BLTNRADIO is indeed a collaborative platform for various artists to engage on a complementary audio experience. Not limited to just sound-selectors, we’re also very proud music historians in our own right!
As a listener, you can get “Top 40s” on a multitude of mediums – inculcating a more formulaic jingle of sorts. Instead, this is a quantity over quality model. Your ear is the pathway to your heart & soul – let’s reverse the status quo with quality in the forefront of your music experience. Let BLTNRADIO be that guiding light. 🎶
To describe the sound: We’re DJs, who DJ for other DJs.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The main goal: never compromising the brand, with the mission of sharing a quality experience for non-casual music aficionados; and educating others along the way who may have given up on music of greater eras, long forgotten.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I’d like to see more venues offer an “Open Decks” platform which elicit novice-to-intermediate level DJs an opportunity to perform and network with fellow artist & musicians.
Alongside this, I would love to see more upstart event spaces, bars, clubs, etc. be more progressive in their selection of talent. The right timely risk can generate a multitude of rewards, even infusing a rich culture within a neighborhood.
Every successful artist gets discovered by chance…pay that chance forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://BLTNRADIO.COM
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/BLTNRADIO
- Soundcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/BLTNRADIO/
- Other: TWITCH.TV/BLTNRADIO
https://bltnradio.mixlr.com/
