Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Steinmetz “aka Scandalous” Host Of The Scandalous Podcast
Hi Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I always loved and was heavily reliant on music, both out of love and admiration and for means of hope and survival.
It was monumental and fate how I got into the music industry. I had a lot of abuse going on at home, and I really lived for the music I was listening to at the time. My two favorite bands came to town when I was 17. Crossfade and Seether. I remember sitting in the tub shaving my legs before the show, and I had this feeling come over me like something really cool was about to happen, and it did.
Like a choreographed dance, I stood in the right lines to get in first, knew to have my hands up when others had their hands down so I would stand out and they would hopefully see me singing back the words that have meant so much to go and gotten me through.
I met Crossfade and they invited me back to the hotel bar for an after party. I remember walking in with Mitch the bass player of Crossfade, and we were talking about their music walking in… and just talking to him blew my mind. Talking to the singer blew my mind. It was then that I realized the industry was real, and the people in the industry are real, and I could be a part of it if I wanted to.
From then on, I went to every show I could making friends with the band, friends with the crew, almost every single time. As a woman, it was important to establish boundaries. Never hook up and you can always be around. Make friends with the wives and girlfriends, again, so you can always be around. Tour managers are the most powerful people on a tour and can hook you up all access. Stay in touch and take people to lunch or dinner next time they’re in town.
Hinder, the “Lips of an Angel” band of 04′ 06′ was one of the first bands I became really good friends with. We became friends, they made it MASSIVE, and they took me along for the ride. If you’re friends with one band, they tour with another band… that’s how you make friends with that band and so on… Buckcherry, Papa Roach, 10 Years, Sevendust, Drowning Pool, all huge staples of my life at the time. It was during this time when I was gifted the music industry nickname “Scandalous”. Perfectly tongue and cheek and fun, but victorious when new music industry friends would assume I was Scandalous, only to find out that I was intelligent and witty.
But, I wanted more. All access and side-stage is fun. It’s really fun, but it eventually wasn’t enough and I wanted a reason to be backstage besides being pretty and fun to talk to. I’ve always been a great writer, so press was a natural transition.
Fast forward several years in, and a couple years in to my podcast, I’ve interviewed the biggest hearts and minds in the rock and metal industry. Bands like Slayer, Limp Bizkit, Breaking Benjamin, 5FDP, Bush, Anthrax, Slayer… I’ll always be proud of that.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As mean to me as people have been throughout the years, that all fades into the background when I think about how mean I’ve been to myself.
Yes, I’ve always had a certain quality about me that you either loved or hated. When others around me saw me making strides, rising and getting opportunities, then came the hate, the jealousy and the worst of people.
But, I’m pretty universally loved in the music industry, and I’m grateful and grounded in that fact. I’ve recently been coming to terms with how comfortable and settled I FINALLY feel in myself. It’s sad to think how much further along I’d be in my career if I just believed in myself this whole time.
That, and if you’re a non-tech savvy person like myself and want to start a podcast. Riverside FM to record and edit your podcasts, and a Shure mic.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As host of the Scandalous Podcast, I’m proud of my body of work, I’ve interviewed the biggest names in rock and metal. Members of Mudvayne, Breaking Benjamin, Five Finger Death Punch, Bush, Doyle, Anthrax, Memphis May Fire, Hatebreed, Agnostic Front and the list goes on.
When working with brands or getting hired on to host, I’m always complimented on how I carry myself as a woman in the metal world, classy and feminine but still holding my own at death metal shows. The juxtapose of being a soft woman in a world of heavy music is what I built a brand off of.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Off the top of my head, there’s a strong two. Raised by a single Mom, we had a blast and definitely have the same kind of humor. AKA, we had fun!
My Mom was a scratch off winning savant, she would always win! No small dollar amounts here, $500, $200, $100, etc. and every time she won, she wouldn’t take a penny for herself. But, instead would give me the entire amount to go wild at Celebration Station, this huge arcade arena by our house. I remember how selfless it was of her to give me allllll of her earnings to go play with, and I remember how much fun it was.
Another funny story is when we would play deposition. When I was in 2nd grade, My Mom was a whistleblower for a Fortune 500 Law Firm she worked for called Baron & Budd. I don’t remember the exact details, I don’t know if they sued her directly, but I remember them suing her and it being Baron & Budd vs. Sherry Lunn, my Mom. They pulled mind-blowing legal maneuvers to try and make it to where she couldn’t hire a lawyer to defend herself, hired private investigators to obviously follow and intimidate us and tons more I’m sure I don’t remember.
Of course, they hired the most ridiculous lawyer to make my Mom’s life as miserable as possible. But, he was so dramatic and dressed so crazy, he was also hilarious. Maybe this is where my love for dry humor comes from. But most kids play tea party or some other childhood game… my Mom and I would camp out at my step dad’s insurance agency playing deposition. Who ever sat behind his desk was the defendant ,my Mom, then the other one would walk pretending to be Mr. Greenberg spouting highlights of the most ridiculous things he had said to date. It was good. I always remember us dying laughing and thinking it was so funny.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scandalousofficial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ScandalousPodcast
Image Credits
none
