About::Jonathan Isaac Harms

I’ve been a consumer of music my entire life. Haven’t we all... I never really meant to get into making music (which is only sort of true), but I’ve always tried to tell as many people as possible about what I am sincerely passionate about. It turns out that this has now grown into an official occupation of telling you what I like in hopes that you too will be passionate about it as I am.

I got my start in the music business as a radio DJ hosting a four-hour show on Sunday afternoons. At this point, I learned that it isn’t just suits in New York City or Nashville or Los Angeles who make up the business of music; it is all of us. We simply play different roles—hopefully the one that fits us best.  For example, a musician has this art that abosolutley needs to be let out. A producer helps him craft that art, and another agent helps tell people about it. Those people enjoy this art, and complete that circle by keeping in contact with that artist. I come back to my routine.  Sharing what I am passionate about with you.

Moonlighting as a radio guy, I also got a job at a recording studio doing everything from being the janitor to engineering and assistant production.  Even today, it is funny the places artists we worked with are popping up; by funny, I really mean surprizing.  I gave all that up to chase an opportunity, at an EMI label, which I am very thankful for by the way.  It became my real education.  I mean, college is one thing, but this turned out to the real deal.  I was turned on to some pretty neat books, the Lefsetz letter (lefsetz.com) and David Hooper in addition to meeting some of the best people to know.

I met Stinson in the most random way.  When I was at EMI, he was part of making a record that the label I worked for was releasing (the band was Seabird).  We both attended the showcase and wound up in the same conversation.  He told me he was a record producer, I told him I did A&R and we thought it would be cool to grab coffee sometime.

Well here we are now.  Radical Notion (independent media)