S3E4 Harley DiNardo - Two Record Deals, Two Drop Offs, and the Fire That Changed Everything

Harley DiNardo on Getting Dropped Twice, 9/11 Loss, and Going All In on Music Again | Second Verse On ‪@SecondVersePod‬ host ‪@beckyboyland‬ talks with New York-born singer-songwriter ‪@harleydinardoband‬ about falling in love with music after a high school Battle of the Bands, building relentless work ethic, and navigating the early 2000s NYC rock scene alongside The Strokes, Interpol, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Harley shares how DIY hustle—handing demo CDs to strangers—helped him land major-backed record deals (Warner Brothers-backed Revolution Records and later a BMG-backed label), only to be dropped both times. He explains stepping away to raise a family and run a hair salon, then returning fully to music after a wildfire burned down his new salon and threatened his home. Harley also reflects on losing his sister on 9/11, writing his single “LA to NY,” and pushing back against age stigma and negative self-talk while rebuilding his career independently. #SecondVerse #BeckyBoyland #HarleyDiNardo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #SingerSongwriter #IndieMusic #NYCRock #TheStrokes #Interpol #YeahYeahYeahs #MusicCareer #RecordDeal #Songwriting #AbletonLive #LAtoNY #ComebackStory #IndependentArtist Connect with Harley DiNardo: Website: https://www.harleydinardo.com/ Facebook:   / harleydinardoartist   Instagram:   / harleydinardomusic   YouTube:    / @harleydinardoband   Sponsors: She Produces Music: https://www.sheproducesmusic.com Featured Song: ”LA to NY” by Harley DiNardo, written by Harley DiNardo (used with permission). Timestamps: 00:00 Teaser: Harley DiNardo Interview 00:36 Introduction 01:40 Welcoming Harley 02:05 Battle of the Bands Awakening 04:03 Learning Bass in a Hurry 06:41 From Bassist to Singer 09:44 Hair School and Reality Check 12:21 Why Hairdressing Works 15:20 Haunted Mansion Band Days 17:14 Ticketmaster Contest Breakthrough 20:43 Signing and Getting Dropped 23:43 NYC Scene and Demo Hustle 28:12 Dropped Again and Losing Hope 31:33 Making Art Later in Life 35:39 SPONSOR: She Produces Music 36:13 Find Your Bees Audience 38:02 Owning Your Artist Identity 39:56 The Call That Won’t Quit 43:59 Social Proof and Attention Hooks 49:00 Fire Catalyst and Clean Slate 52:45 Never Too Old to Create 55:27 Writing "LA to NY" 58:28 9/11 Loss and Serendipity 01:03:19 Advice: Beat Negative Self Talk 01:07:48 Where to Follow Harley DiNardo 01:08:29 Coda 01:10:13 Featured Song: "LA to NY" by Harley DiNardo Stream all the released music from Second Verse any time! Add the official Songs from the Second Verse Podcast playlist to your Spotify now! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5lP... Or to your Tidal now! https://tidal.com/playlist/c84934ad-2... Starting your own podcast? Sign up with Captivate to host your show today! https://fas.st/t/ZHbLxEpe (affiliate link)