This week on The Offstage Life, we’re celebrating Episode 10 by going behind the desk with Sydney sound engineer, lighting operator, award-winner, musician-at-heart and professional chaos wrangler — Steve.

From growing up in a musical family and being classically trained on violin, to falling in love with Aussie rock, working backstage, mixing live bands, managing egos, fixing gear minutes before showtime, and somehow surviving a gig on a boat that started sinking in the middle of Sydney Harbour… Steve has seen the side of live music most people never think about.

We talk soundcheck disasters, loud guitarists, soft singers, lighting as part of the live experience, the magic and burnout of turning music into your job, wild backstage stories, The Frocks, the infamous two Chrises, and why the people behind the stage are often carrying the whole show.

It’s funny, chaotic, honest, and very Offstage Life.

In this episode:

Soundcheck etiquette, sinking boats, Elvis impersonators, backstage madness, live music disasters, The Frocks, sound engineering, lighting, egos, and the real work that happens before the crowd ever hears a note.

0:00 - The boat started to sink in Sydney Harbor.

1:03 - Introduction to episode 10 of the Offstage Life podcast.

2:09 - Discussion about Steve's musical family background.

3:20 - The importance of playing the violin and its impact.

4:45 - Transition to becoming a sound engineer.

6:09 - High school experiences and musical journey.

8:26 - Falling in love with rock and roll music.

11:17 - Desire to be on stage and pursue music.

13:16 - First opportunity to learn sound engineering.

16:34 - The importance of lighting in music performances.

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From teaching kids in schools by day to touring stages by night, Kate’s journey is the side of music most people never get to see.

In this episode of The Offstage Life Podcast, Kate shares her untold story of building a career as a drummer while balancing private drum teaching, touring life, bands, financial survival, and the constant hustle behind being a working musician.

From chaotic student stories and wild first jobs to navigating burnout, passion, and identity, this episode dives deep into the hidden reality of what it truly takes to build a life in music.

In this episode:

• Kate’s first professional job in music
• Building a private drum teaching business
• Teaching while touring in punk bands
• The realities of balancing creativity and income
• Wild student and parent stories
• The hidden emotional side of being a musician
• How teaching shaped Kate’s career both on and off stage
• This episode is for musicians, creatives, music teachers, touring artists, and anyone chasing passion while balancing real life.

Because the most important part of creative careers often happens offstage.

🎙️ Episode 09 — Out now on all platforms

Timestamps:

Introduction and Testing - 0:03

Break and Return - 0:30

TikTok Success - 1:30

Interview with Jess - 2:26

Drum Teaching Era - 5:18

Challenges of Teaching - 9:10

Memorable Teaching Moments - 11:59

Balancing Music and Teaching - 19:04

Student Stories - 23:27

Teaching Philosophy - 37:17

Performing vs. Teaching - 40:29

Future of Teaching - 55:21

Upcoming Guests - 61:59

#Podcast #MusicPodcast #Drummer #DrummerLife #WomenInMusic #MusicIndustry #MusicianLife #TourLife #PunkRock #RockMusic #DrumTeacher #CreativeCareer #BehindTheScenes #BehindTheMusic #SpotifyPodcast #YouTubePodcast #AustralianPodcast #IndependentPodcast #FemaleDrummer #OffstageLife

She looks normal… but she’s not.

And that’s exactly the point.

In Episode 8 of The Offstage Life, we sit down with Jess — someone who might seem like your everyday person… until you start peeling back the layers.

From Disney classics and punk music to tarot cards, spirituality, taxidermy art, and some of the most unexpected hobbies you’ll ever hear — this episode dives into what everyday people are really like.

This is what our podcast is all about:

🎙️ The lives people don’t show

🎙️ The identities beneath the surface

🎙️ And why the most interesting people aren’t always the ones on stage

If you’ve ever felt like there’s more to you than what people see — this episode is for you.

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🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theoffstagelife

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⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – She looks normal…

00:15 – Meet Jess

02:10 – Music that shaped her (Disney to punk)

06:30 – Feeling like the “overlooked” girl

10:20 – How music connects people

14:00 – Identity vs how people see you

18:30 – Dopamine dressing & self-expression

23:10 – Creative hobbies & bug art

28:40 – The bug wall reveal 😳

32:30 – Spirituality, tarot & intuition

40:15 – Live tarot reading on the podcast

52:10 – The truth about repeating patterns

58:00 – A message for listeners

01:02:30 – Taxidermy, oddities & creative expression

01:10:45 – The tooth fairy story (yes… really)

01:18:00 – Crystals & energy explained

01:25:20 – Ending cycles & new beginnings

01:30:00 – Music that still hits today

01:35:00 – Final thoughts

#theoffstagelife #podcastaustralia #australianpodcast #storytellingpodcast #selfidentity #spirituality #tarot #creativelife #reallifestories #podcastclip #hiddenlives #offstagelife #womeninpodcasting #sydneypodcast #music #taxidermy