The StageLeft Podcast
Hosted by The Stage
A deep-dive interview show for aspiring musicians, focusing on the craft and careers of the industry's "unsung heroes"—the side-players and session pros.
This is an interview podcast for music nerds and aspiring professionals, focusing less on the rockstar frontman and more on the touring bassist, the session guitarist, or the bandmate with a unique perspective. Host Chris Simpson uses his own deep fandom and research to explore the practical, technical, and emotional realities of a life in music. The conversations are a mix of shop-talk about gear and setlists, and more philosophical discussions about career, family, and creative validation.
“Unlike many music podcasts that focus on lead singers or album promotion, StageLeft deliberately seeks out the "player's perspective," getting into the weeds of tour logistics, on-stage monitor mixes, and the specific craft of being a professional musician for hire.”
Who hosts this show
The StageLeft Podcast, hosted by Chris Simpson, offers invaluable insights for aspiring musicians by interviewing the unsung heroes of the music industry. Since starting in 2015, the show has featured guests who have played with legendary acts like David Bowie, The Beatles, and Michael Jackson, delving into their unique perspectives on touring, songwriting, and career longevity. The podcast aims to lift the veil on the industry, providing free educational content for the next generation of artists.
Credentials & credits
- Podcast Host
- Coach for Team GB (Milan/Cortina Winter Olympics)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01Episode 143 - Danny McNamara - EmbraceJun 22, 2026 · 44 min
- 02Episode 142 - Jack Bates: The Smashing Pumpkins + Peter Hook & The LightMay 27, 2026 · 1h 08m
- 03Episode 140 : WILLY BISH - CMAT & The Japanese HouseApr 20, 2026 · 1h 05m
- 04Episode 139: Silke BlansjaarMar 26, 2026 · 57 min
- 05Episode 138: Russ PritchardFeb 25, 2026 · 58 min
- 06Preview - Episode 138: Russ PritchardFeb 19, 2026 · 12 min
- 07Reupload: Episode 21 - Steve Cropper - Grammy Hall of FamerJan 21, 2026 · 1h 04m
- 08Episode 132: Daisy Spencer - Olivia RodrigoJun 29, 2025 · 1h 17m
Notable episodes
- 01Episode 142 - Jack Bates: The Smashing Pumpkins + Peter Hook & The Light
Discusses the unique dynamic of being the bassist for both Smashing Pumpkins and his father's band, Peter Hook & The Light.
- 02Reupload: Episode 21 - Steve Cropper - Grammy Hall of Famer
A re-release honoring the late Grammy Hall of Famer, whose early appearance the host credits with helping the podcast survive and grow.
- 03Episode 143 - Danny McNamara - Embrace
An interview with the lead singer of Embrace, a band the host is a long-time fan of, covering songwriting and the band's longevity.
What you'll be asked on this show
Chris Simpson's interviews begin with a well-researched, flattering introduction before moving into the guest's recent work, like a tour or album release. He probes with a mix of practical, logistical questions ("Did you have to hire gear?") and specific craft-based inquiries ("What's your ideal monitor mix?"). To go deeper, he often shifts to personal history ("What was your first instrument?") or philosophical reflections ("What does a great dad do?"), using the guest's own story to explore themes of motivation, family, and creative validation. He doesn't shy away from asking about specific songs or challenging moments, using his own knowledge as a fan to ground the conversation.
Host Chris Simpson begins each episode with a lengthy, detailed, and highly complimentary biography of his guest. He builds rapport by referencing his personal fandom and asks a mix of technical, craft-based questions and broader, philosophical ones about the guest's career and life. An editor, Darcy, often opens the show with announcements and promotions for the podcast's own merchandise.
Questions The Stage keeps coming back to
14 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when The Stage reaches for it.
personal
4- Q.01
“How was your recent tour and what were the highlights?”
A standard opening to ground the conversation in the guest's current work.
- Q.02
“How do you manage work-life balance when you're on the road?”
Explores the personal and logistical challenges of a touring musician's life.
- Q.03
“How did you navigate family encouragement, or lack thereof, when you started out?”
Explores the personal support systems and early struggles of pursuing a music career.
- Q.04
“Can you think of a time on stage that felt more personal than a regular gig?”
A prompt to elicit a specific, emotional anecdote from the guest's career.
process
1- Q.01
“What's your process for putting together the setlist?”
A recurring question that gets into the practical and political decisions behind the live show.
craft
4- Q.01
“What's your ideal on-stage monitor mix?”
A technical question that reveals a musician's on-stage priorities and dependencies.
- Q.02
“What's the worst thing you could lose in your monitor mix during a show?”
A follow-up that uses a worst-case scenario to identify the most critical element for a performer.
- Q.03
“What percentage of your old songs would you go back and re-record or edit?”
A self-reflective question that surfaces the artist's perfectionism and evolving taste.
- Q.04
“Did you set any creative restrictions for yourself when writing?”
Explores the guest's songwriting methodology and creative process.
technique
1- Q.01
“When do you decide between playing with a pick versus your fingers?”
A specific technical question that reveals the guest's nuanced approach to their instrument and tone.
backstory
1- Q.01
“What are your memories of putting a specific song together?”
Used to get the origin story and creative process behind a notable track.
origin
1- Q.01
“What was your first instrument?”
A classic origin question to understand the guest's musical beginnings.
mindset
1- Q.01
“Where does your validation come from as a performer?”
A deeper, psychological question about a musician's internal and external motivations.
relationships
1- Q.01
“How do you separate a professional band relationship from a personal one, like with family?”
Asked when a guest works with family members to explore the unique dynamics involved.
Signature segments
- · The opening mission statement: "lifting the veil on the music industry..."
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show books professional musicians, often instrumentalists (bassists, guitarists) or band members who have toured or recorded with major international acts, from legacy artists like Peter Hook to contemporary stars like Olivia Rodrigo and Yungblud.
- Danny McNamaraon Episode 143 - Danny McNamara - Embrace
- Jack Bateson Episode 142 - Jack Bates: The Smashing Pumpkins + Peter Hook & The Light
- Willy Bishon Episode 140 : WILLY BISH - CMAT & The Japanese House
- Silke Blansjaaron Episode 139: Silke Blansjaar
- Russ Pritchardon Episode 138: Russ Pritchard
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is primarily self-funded through direct sales of its own branded merchandise, including hoodies, notebooks, and mugs, which are promoted in-episode.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who is the host of The StageLeft Podcast?
- The host is Chris Simpson.
- What is the podcast about?
- It's an interview show focusing on the careers and craft of professional musicians, particularly the "unsung heroes" like session players and touring band members.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, as of mid-2026, it releases new episodes approximately once a month.
- Who are the guests?
- Guests are typically professional musicians who play with major international artists, such as members of bands for Olivia Rodrigo, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube and audio platforms like Audioboom.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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