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VERSED is a monthly podcast illuminating the heart and soul of music. Featuring in-depth interviews with songwriters and composers, plus tips and insights to help you navigate your music career. Brought to you by ASCAP, home of the world's greatest music creators.

As part of our Earth Day celebration in partnership with Studio Green @ ASCAP, we talk to James Valentine, founding member, songwriter and lead guitarist for one of the biggest bands on the planet - three-time Grammy Award winners Maroon 5. James’s work with the band has led to more than 135 million albums sold and created a steady stream of hit singles, including “She Will Be Loved,” “This Love,” “Payphone,” “Moves Like Jagger,” “Maps,” “Sugar” and more. James also serves as an advisory board member for REVERB, the non-profit environmental advocacy organization made up of music creators and music lovers who are working to create a better future for people and the planet through actions on the road, at concerts and beyond. 

We also talk to independent music entrepreneur, author and Relix magazine publisher Peter Shapiro and how he has made sustainability a core part of his career, from creating and owning music venues like Brooklyn Bowl to producing concerts such as 2015’s Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead and 2010’s Earth Day 40th Anniversary climate rally and concert featuring The Roots on the National Mall.

+Find out the latest on Maroon 5

+Check out REVERB, leaders of the green music movement

 

EP. 33 FEATURED INTERVIEWEE: JAMES VALENTINE

James Valentine is a founding member and lead guitarist for the three-time Grammy-winning band, Maroon 5.

The Lincoln, Nebraska-born songwriter and guitarist is a graduate of of the illustrious Berklee College of Music. His tenure with Maroon 5 brought us beloved hits like “She Will Be Loved,” “This Love,” “Payphone,” “Moves Like Jagger,” “Maps” and “Sugar.”  

James has worked with non-profit environmental advocacy organization REVERB on tour with Maroon 5 since 2005. James has also joined REVERB on numerous eco-adventures: from artist expeditions to the rainforests of Guatemala and Peru, to helping grade schoolers plant an organic garden, from an “extreme home green make-over” of a teen rehabilitation center, to packing food in weekend backpacks for food-insecure students.

EP. 33 SPECIAL GUEST: PETER SHAPIRO

 

Independent music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro continues to explore a range of passion projects. He has owned and operated renowned venues Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, The Capitol Theatre, Garcia’s and Wetlands Preserve. In 2015, he produced Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA and Chicago’s Soldier Field. Shapiro founded Lockn’, a four-day music and camping festival held in Nelson County, Virginia as well as Jazz & Colors, an experiential music event held in Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He is the creator of FANS, the immersive livestreaming platform with its innovative “Be in the Stream” feature that allows audiences to tune in and appear alongside the artists. He also originated the Rock and Roll Playhouse, developing the family concert series into a weekly national concert series that takes place in over 25 markets across America. His other endeavors include the IMAX concert films U2 3D and All Access, the Jammys awards show, the Green Apple Earth Day Festival, and Easy Rider Live. Shapiro serves as publisher of Relix magazine and sits on the board of a number of civic and charitable organizations, including: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, New York Public Radio, and City Parks Foundation. In 2019, Peter was named Chairman of HeadCount, one of the leading youth voter engagement and participation organizations in America.