Featured IPO vol 26 Artists: Robin Schell, Captain Storm, The Arcadeans, The Flower Machine, The Underwhelmed
Featured IPO CD Artist: Robin Schell
IPO Vol. 26 CD Song: “Falling Down The Stairs”
1. What was the reason you chose the song you did for the IPO CD?
I chose this song as it was one of the first that I finished since my last album. And also, as I figured the majority of the music on the CDs would be more guitar-driven, it might be a nice change.
2. Please describe your most fun or most rewarding experience thus far as a musician / band
Hard to think of any one standout event, but I’d say some of the time I spent working in the studio with Leon Russell, and some moments from gigs with my own band when I lived in LA. In particular, a gig we did at a college where we had to bring our own PA and I anticipated the possibility of needing to fiddle with the PA, so I arranged the songs for extended solos and space. As it turned out, the PA sounded great, needed no fiddling, and I got to wail away doing synth solos for ages 😊. Another memory would be when my first band got a deal with an indie label and we thought we had it made!
3. Please describe your worst or your most humorous experience thus far as a musician / band
I’m sure we can all think of incidents where something went wrong on stage or in the studio. I think, at the risk of sounding too pessimistic, the worst thing is the fragmentation of what used to be a centralized focal point in the form of fanzines and reviewers. That, combined with streaming, and the culture shift that has people’s attention torn in so many directions.
4. What is it about music (yours or that of other musicians you admire) that inspires you to keep writing / performing?
At this point I’m just trying to create an album with a certain sound and vibe of the records that I love from the 1970s, and to write the best songs I can.
5. What do you most enjoy about being associated with the IPO Festival / CD?
For me, as I’m now having to do everything as a solo artist, it’s great to have at least some connection with like-minded fans and other musicians. And in some small way to help keep all this going.
6. Where can people who love your song on the IPO CD go to get more of your music / find out where and when you’re playing?
My website at: https://robinschell.com/ or catch me on Facebook. I’ll have a lot of new stuff out this year.
Featured IPO CD Artist: Captain Storm
IPO Vol. 26 CD Song: “Too Much Fun”
1. What was the reason you chose the song you did for the IPO CD?
It’s a pure power pop song. And it’s been recorded for the first time on the LP we issued the year after our first IPO. So it has a lot to do with the festival.
2. Please describe your most fun or most rewarding experience thus far as a musician / band
We loved to record a track for Steve’s Theme Park, a miscellaneous LP by Steve Peer. We were the only French band and… the only country act! Stan Steele, who started with John Bonjovi, sang a verse on the song!
3. Please describe your worst or your most humorous experience thus far as a musician / band
The raw during a gig that inspired “Too Much Fun” during a new year’s eve gig.
4. What is it about music (yours or that of other musicians you admire) that inspires you to keep writing / performing?
The never-ending quest for a good song!
5. What do you most enjoy about being associated with the IPO Festival / CD?
Being part of a great program. We appreciate every single band playing there. And we admire quite a few.
6. Where can people who love your song on the IPO CD go to get more of your music / find out where and when you’re playing?
Most of our music is available on YouTube, Spotify, Deezer, etc. We run our own website as well: www.captainstorm.fr
Featured IPO CD Artist: The Arcadeans
IPO Vol. 26 CD Song: “Duplicity”
1. What was the reason you chose the song you did for the IPO CD?
“Duplicity,” the title track of our 3rd EP, highlights our focus on deeper meaning song lyrics based on personal experiences of deceitful people and betrayal.
2. Please describe your most fun or most rewarding experience thus far as a musician / band
Creating our own music and leaving a lasting legacy. Hopefully our music will live on in hearts and minds long after. Recording and crafting music and seeing it come together as a group. And songs always evolve and grow the more you play them live.
3. Please describe your worst or your most humorous experience thus far as a musician / band
Not sure we’ve ever had a bad experience but we do have fun. We seem to attract people to join us on stage and over the years we’ve had many random people join us for sing alongs. It’s always fun and we enjoy the participation.
4. What is it about music (yours or that of other musicians you admire) that inspires you to keep writing / performing?
Always like bands that interact with the audience and enjoy their music. Playing with a smile on your face is so reflected back by the audience. We admire bands past and present that have that fun stage presence and do your best to portray the same.
5. What do you most enjoy about being associated with the IPO Festival / CD?
It’s a family, with everyone so respectful of music styles and approaches. Playing IPO makes us feel like coming home.
6. Where can people who love your song on the IPO CD go to get more of your music / find out where and when you’re playing
thearcadeans.com
or The Arcadeans on Spotify
Featured IPO CD Artist: The Flower Machine
IPO Vol. 26 CD Song: “Wensleydale Road”
1. What was the reason you chose the song you did for the IPO CD?
“Wensleydale Road” was a song we had just finished when the invitation to contribute arrived. Much like the speed at which “Instant Karma” was done, it seemed like a nice idea to just bash it down to tape and then off it goes to the shops in a flash. Very pop art.
2. Please describe your most fun or most rewarding experience thus far as a musician / band
These days, The Flower Machine is based in a small college town called San Luis Obispo on the central coast of California. In this semi-suburban paradise, our town’s New Times newspaper happens to run a music awards competition and live show each year. In November 2025, our latest LP Waterloo Green shockingly won Album of the Year, and we were asked to perform live at the gala event, which we of course did. They give you a trophy too, so that’s quite rewarding.
3. Please describe your worst or your most humorous experience thus far as a musician / band
Back in 2011, we were booked to play Spaceland in Silver Lake (Los Angeles) on a Saturday. But our old bass player showed up with no driver’s license, started mouthing off to the venue’s staff, and managed to get himself thrown out of the bar, all before we’d even played a note of music. I cornered him in front of the club and ended up firing him right there on the sidewalk. Then, like in a typical rock-and-roll movie-montage, our tambourine player ran over and handed me a stiff drink, another friend handed me a borrowed bass guitar, and we went up and implausibly played one of our best-ever shows. So a bit of both, really.
4. What is it about music (yours or that of other musicians you admire) that inspires you to keep writing / performing?
For me, it was always that teenage thing of growing up in Amsterdam, the record shops, the Paradiso, the cafes, and the very eclectic mix of psychedelic music and progressive/art rock, as well as local Dutch pop legends such as Herman Brood and Boudewijn de Groot, whom you could actually run into around town and have a chat with. As Lou Reed once said, those were different times.
5. What do you most enjoy about being associated with the IPO Festival / CD?
It’s amazing to be involved with something that’s done for the love of it and the art of it, rather than the unholy compromises that occur when it’s big business and balance sheets. It’s an atmosphere where creativity comes first, always. And David Bash is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
6. Where can people who love your song on the IPO CD go to get more of your music / find out where and when you’re playing?
Our LPs and CDs are available in the U.S. by visiting Jigsaw Records. For digital media, we’re on all the major sites such as Apple, TIDAL, etc., and we also have a bandcamp page with even more releases, as well as a YouTube channel. Finally, people can follow us on Instagram @the_flower_machine for show dates and record releases.
Featured IPO CD Artist: The Underwhelmed
IPO Vol. 26 CD Song: “Change Direction”
1. What was the reason you chose the song you did for the IPO CD?
The world needs to hear it!
2. Please describe your most fun or most rewarding experience thus far as a musician / band
Any time music, ours or others, gives us goosebumps.
3. Please describe your worst or your most humorous experience thus far as a musician / band
When I dreamed we were about to jam on stage with Wilco and I couldn’t join on stage because I had bought a cheap guitar that broke…
4. What is it about music (yours or that of other musicians you admire) that inspires you to keep writing / performing?
Therapy and goosebumps
5. What do you most enjoy about being associated with the IPO Festival / CD?
It’s a cool event and we admire your ambition and love for music, and we are grateful to be invited
6. Where can people who love your song on the IPO CD go to get more of your music / find out where and when you’re playing?
We are on the usual streaming platforms, on Bandcamp, facebook, instagram where you can reach us to say hi or if you want to buy our vinyl.