HI FOLKS BE|AH HERE! WELCOME TO MINUS1000.COM!
THIS IS THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE ROOMROCK- 3 SONGS PODCAST AND THE LAUNCHPAD FOR A NEW PHASE OF THE ROOMROCK PROJECT THAT BEGAN LAST YEAR ON YOUTUBE
I’M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THIS SITE IS YET- IT’S MORE OF A FEELING, OR A COLLECTION OF IDEAS STILL TAKING SHAPE.
BUT WHAT IS CLEAR IS THE GUIDING PRINCIPALE:
EMPATHY THROUGH STORY, EXPRESSED AS A CELEBRATION OF AMATEUR ART AND THE SIMPLE AND RELENTLESS DESIRE TO CREATE.
- BE|AH
ART ON THE GROUND MAGAZINE IS AN INDEPENDENT MUSIC PUBLICATION THAT HILIGHTS THE STORIES, STRUGGLES AND CREATIVITY OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE. WE FOCUS ON MUSIC, GRASSROOTS VOICES, EMERGING ARTISTS, AND OVERLOOKED PERSPECTIVES- OFFERING AUTHENTIC INSIGHTS THROUGH INTERVIEWS , ESSAYS, PHOTOJOURNALISIM , AND CULTURAL COMMENTARY
art ON THE GROUND
MAGAZINE
I’LL TAKE THE LONG WAY
Pablo has been working on his album for what seems like a lifetime! It wasn’t until an unexpected move from Mexico to Berlin and fresh love that he finally pushed himself to finish his project. (Coming Soon)
SEASON 1
ROOMROCK
3 SONGS PODCAST
Episode 17 – MARKWARTITZ (Ondřej Nieroštek): HEBE, HOLANDON, and KARTI
In this episode, I was lucky enough to sit down with MARKWARTITZ—the solo project of Czech singer-songwriter Ondřej Nieroštek—to talk about his three original songs: “HEBE,” “HOLANDON,” and “KARTI.”
Though the songs are sung in his native language, there’s an honesty that transcends language. There's a kind of languishin his voice—a pleading, a yearning—that resonates with the listener even if the words themselves remain a mystery.
Ondřej himself was a little confused when I first asked him to be a guest on the show. But in thinking about it, he considered his own relationship to music. As a non-native English speaker, he’s often left with just the melody of an English song—and the emotional weight carried by the voice. A voice that tells a story, even when the words don’t.
And Ondřej has plenty of stories to tell.
This episode is a candid conversation about a subject that's often ignored in youth—almost defensively—but becomes harder to avoid with age: the realization that our time here is not unlimited. That the world we build for ourselves doesn’t last forever. That change, loss, and aging are inevitable—and humbling.
It’s a conversation about being 50. And I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
IN MY SOUL I’M A SAILOR
EPS 17 - CZECH REPUBLIC
MARKWARTITZ Singer-
Songwriter Ondrej Nierostek
Episode 16 – Joe Stroffolino: Catholic School, AI Sucks, and the Cabbage Song
On episode 16, I sat down with Tucson, Arizona’s very own Joe Stroffolino to talk about his three original songs: “Catholic School,” “AI Sucks,” and “Charlie (Cabbage Song).”Joe has a lot to say about the world around him. He approaches each subject with such enthusiasm that you get the feeling he’s going to leap out of the chair at the end of every sentence—a kind of physical punctuation, an interpretive dance of periods and exclamation marks.
As a former stand-up comedian, Joe brings a natural instinct for humor to his songwriting. His songs are densely packed with the everyday observations of a satirist, armed with a vocabulary that lets him peel back the absurdities of life to the tiniest, funniest details.
What I love about Joe’s music is that it’s funny and without ever tipping into parody or becoming a caricature of itself. There’s no gimmickry—just sharp writing, real feeling, and a refusal to play it safe. That spirit came through in our conversation too: a heartfelt and hilarious look back at his Catholic school days, his time doing comedy in L.A., and the simple, emphatic conclusion of a man with a thousand thoughts : AI sucks!
FRESH, BOLD THING
EPS 16- ARIZONA USA- SATIRIST, Singer-
Songwriter -JOSEPH STROFFOLINO
Eps 15- Andrew Baird Patchworks: Medicine Man, Red and Gold, and Bellboy
Andrew Baird Patchworks is a Scottish folk musician with a soft touch. I always approach these interviews with just enough knowledge to have a pleasant conversation—but also with a certain naivety. The questions are driven more by curiosity than by a checklist or any kind of end goal. To that point, when Andrew picked up the old video phone, I wasn’t sure if I had landed in Dundee, Australia or Dundee, Scotland—ha! Dundee being the only bit of background I’d picked up online!
There’s a certain first impression that comes across when you have very little information. The assumptions, the holes your brain tries to fill despite the lack of knowledge—just to piece together some kind of coherent story. Andrew is Australian. He looks and talks this way. These are his interests, his likes and dislikes, and this is his relationship to the people around him. And your brain has it all figured out—who needs AI?
And then, you see the actual person in front of you, and all those assumptions that felt so real just a moment ago dissolve into a clown show. A complete misfire!
Maybe it’s one of my character flaws, that I have to piece together some kind of imaginary biography before meeting someone for the first time. But it feels instinctual. It feels… human.
Andrew is disarming—with a soft voice and a quiet kindness. He’s proud of the home he’s made for himself and carries a strong attachment to his community. There’s something grounding about the way he speaks and the way he plays. Andrew brings people together with a genuine sincerity, and that shows not just in conversation but in his live performances—his desire to be on stage is matched only by his desire to be among the people.
That same spirit runs through the three songs we talked about in this episode: "Medicine Man," "Red and Gold," and "BellBoy." Each track offers something personal, but there's also a broader warmth—a sense of collective effort, a nod to those around him.
The blank page in this story is the village—the invisible thread of people helping each other out, making things together, supporting one another. And even though Dundee is the fourth largest city in Scotland, what Andrew reminds us is simple but powerful:
It takes a village.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
EPS 15- SCOTTISH FOLK ARTIST - ANDREW BAIRD PATCHWORKS
I READ BOOKS TOO
EPS 14 - uk singer songwriter-
charlie williams
Eps 14- Charlie Williams: Dave, Cider with Rosie, Just the Reckoning
The mysterious boundary between conscious creation and subconscious revelation stands at the heart of artistic expression. When a novelist (Charlie Williams) transforms into a songwriter, something profound shifts in how creativity manifests—moving from structured narrative to what our guest beautifully describes as "distilled language poetry." Offers a rare glimpse into how art knows us better than we know ourselves.
Stories read are excerpts from Charlie Williams novel 'Stairway to Hell'
A BAND- ACUSHLA
EPS 13 - IRISH singer songwriter -
ROIBEARD MAC DOMHNAILL
Irish lead singer ROIBEARD MAC DOMHNAILL of Acushla discusses the art of collaborative songwriting. Our conversation covered everything from creativity to how sharing ideas shapes the music itself. It’s a conversation about what it really means to create something that connects.
ONE QUESTION PLEASE
EPS 12 - BRAZILLIAN COMPOSER-
OVERDRIVE
Today I sat down with Overdrive , a Brazilian musician and composer to talk with him about his 3 original songs, 'AIR' 'THE WELL TEMPERED ELECTRIC GUITAR' and 'TOO MANY NOTES' It was a great conversation about his love for mixing classical music with Rock!
A FRIEND OF MINE
EPS 11 - USA, SAINT LOUIS - KILO HOTEL
This episode I sat with the Folk Rock group Kilo Hotel to talk about their 3 Songs, “Nearsighted”, “Neck Of The Woods” and “Come On Over” Brian shares the story of his 20-year friendship with bandmate Kevin and their musical connection. All three can be found on our album, RUSTIC Here’s the album link for your streaming platform of choice: https://push.fm/fl/3DMlFVZb Music video from 'Neck of the Woods‘ used for edit provided by Kilo Hotel
It was really nice to sit down with BERNARD MILÉ from his home studio in Paris and talk about his 3 Songs MADA, What a Shame, and Where Are You. It's a candid conversation of a young singer songwriter trying to showcase his music in an ever changing landscape. It's a story about young love, the craft of song writing, disappointment and triumph! If anything come listen to the music and you won't be disappointed!
To Craft a Song with Love
EPS 10 - POLAND -
BERNARD MILE
For DEThomas, his deep, resonant voice is not just a stylistic choice—it is an extension of his self. He reflects on how, from a young age, he gravitated toward low, rich tones, rejecting the high-pitched voices that reminded him of childhood authority figures. Over time, he trained his voice, sculpting it into an instrument capable of carrying the weight of his emotions. One of the things I love most about doing this podcast is how often I’m surprised by the people I interview. Every conversation is rooted in music—our shared passion for writing and creating songs—but at its core, it’s about the story. It’s about the human connection, the unique experiences that shape each person, and the way those experiences find their way into their art. That connection is what keeps me making the next episode and the next. It’s what draws me in—this hand of kindness I encounter every time, even when the world around us often seems to be turning the other way. For me, and I hope for the listener as well, each episode is a discovery. At its simplest, it’s just one person sitting in front of another, reaching out a hand.
THE DEEP VOICE
EPS 09 -AUSTRIA -
DETHOMAS
THE STRENGTH OF THE LENS
EPS 7 SOUTH CAROLINA USA DIOPTER ALT-ROCK
ALT ROCK In Episode 7 of RoomRock’s 3 Songs Podcast, join host Beah as he sits down with Diopter—singer-songwriter and host of Sonic Periphery. Speaking from his home studio in Charleston, South Carolina, Diopter shares insights into three of his original songs: “Humble Man” “Dream State” “Hands to the Sky”
from metal to memory
EPS 08 - england -
featherstone massacre
Join BEAH as he welcomes Rob from Featherstone Massacre for an intimate conversation about music, loss, and creative evolution. In this touching episode, Rob shares the stories behind three original songs, exploring his journey from learning Pantera solos to crafting his own unique sound with an 8-string guitar1. Through personal tales of grief, Roman Empire memes, and quantum physics, Rob reveals how unexpected life events shaped his songwriting process. This episode showcases how music can become a powerful tool for processing life's challenges while maintaining artistic integrity.
i play my guitar in the kitchen late at
night after i put my 6 children to bed
Eps 6 Hudson valley New York takKen wish- folk
Join host BE|AH as he sits down with Hudson Valley musician Takken Wish for an intimate conversation about music, family, and life's journey. A father of six who creates music in his kitchen after the children are asleep, Takken Wish shares three powerful original songs and the stories behind them. From personal loss to the joys of a large family, this episode explores the intersection of artistry and parenthood.
creative anxiety and fuzz -EPS 5
NEW YORK
THE SUNDOWN PROFESSOR
Join our host, writer, and musician BE|AH as he sits down with writer and musician The Sundown Professor to discuss his three songs: “The Way,” “Please Silence Your Phones,” and “Local Deli,” and the meaning they hold in his life. This episode dives into themes of creative anxiety, invasive technology, and art as happenstance!
DOWN BY THE SHORE
FRANCE EPS 4
THE FALL OF SAIGON
RoomRock Presents: Our Host BE|AH is joined in this episode by The Fall of Saigon- A musican out of France as they discuss his 3 original songs THE SHORE - I FOUND MY WAY- THE SEAHORSES and their meaning in his life.
LIFE IS A HUSTLE
EPS3 -POP SINGER- INDIA -LA BASED- SINGER SONGWRITER-
SYANTE
Host BE|AH is joined by L.A. based musician Syante to discuss her three songs- SAVE YOUR WORDS- LAST CALL- VOYAGE TO MY DESTINY and their meaning in her life.
https://soundcloud.com/syante1?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
songs of protest
EPS2 -FOLK USA -
D.M. WILLIAMS
KEEP THAT ROCK A ROLLIN
EPS1 -ROCK- CANADA-
HVYMTLHPP
Musician and Host BE|AH in Conversation with Canadian Artist HvyMtlHpp 🎸 Join BE|AH as he talks with Canadian musician HvyMtlHpp about three of his songs and why they are so meaningful to him. Listen to the stories behind the music and gain insight into his creative process. Find more of hvymtlhpp’s songs and other projects from him on the link below!