DIY Band Couch on World Tours, Self Managing, and Fan Building
The New Music Business with Ari HerstandShow Notes
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Tema Siegel and Zach Blankstein of the band Couch. Tema is the singer and Zach is the guitarist/manager of this seven-piece soul-pop band from Boston. Their explosive live shows and fully DIY approach have helped them sell out major venues across the country. Formed from lifelong friendships and built during the pandemic, Couch has grown into a globally touring act while self-producing their acclaimed debut album 'Big Talk'.
In this episode, Tema and Zach break down how they built an engaged fanbase without label support, the logistics of touring as a seven-member group, and the creative and vulnerable writing process behind 'Big Talk'. Ari dives into their ad strategy, their partnership with the Salt Lick Incubator, how they secured major support tours with Lake Street Dive and Cory Wong, and what it takes to balance musicianship, management, and sustainable growth as an independent band in 2025.
http://instagram.com/couch.theband
07:16 – Adding the seventh member & early chemistry 09:15 – Touring as an introvert and finding group balance 12:19 – Managing a 12-person touring party 16:34 – How fans are reacting to the new songs live 18:22 – How the band uses VIP sections to build superfans 19:40 – Collaborative songwriting process & Temma’s Notes app 22:19 – “Middleman” and the band’s unexpected EDM influence 26:22 – Self-producing the entire album & working with mixers 27:15 – Living in Boston and breaking out beyond the local scene 32:56 – Growing during the pandemic while in separate cities 36:32 – Early viral video & their online strategy 40:07 – How Couch finances the band with day jobs 41:24 – Why Zach became their in-house manager 55:52 – Opening for Cory Wong & Lake Street Dive 58:44 – Deep dive into their ad strategy
Edited and mixed by Peter Schrupp Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
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