Interview with Brothers Grimm Host Richard Olsen

March 13, 2023

Interview with Brothers Grimm Host Richard Olsen

By Mick Michaels

Cosmick View: Hello, Rich! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It is greatly appreciated.
Richard “Rich” Olson: No problem! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be on your show!

CV: What do you feel is the allure for so many up-and-coming broadcasters to go the internet radio route as opposed to more mainstream media channels?
RO: Well, first it’s much easier than it was back in the day. Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth it was hard to get into broadcasting. Not everything was at your fingertips. You couldn’t get equipment for cheap; you couldn’t do it from your phone even. The allure is fame! You see so many people becoming YouTube famous and they decide they can do it as well.

CV: Do you consider internet radio to be mainstream in relationship to its FM radio, satellite, and streaming service counterparts? If so, why…if not, why?
RO: Honestly, I think it has become more popular than mainstream. Your options are endless, and you can listen anywhere in the world verses to just what’s on the radio say in your car. You’re relegated to distance and geography for radio options. On your phone…anywhere…you can listen to anything any time! Satellite is just the same as streaming. Why I do like listening to the radio occasionally, I got so many more options using my phone!

CV: For the last 20 years, the internet has become an embedded part of our everyday lives. People do everything on the internet. Being that internet radio, for the most part, is still a free platform for listeners worldwide, and unfortunately, often an unpaid position on the part of the hosts, why then would overall listener numbers statistically still be much lower when it comes to audience share compared to FM or satellite services?
RO: Well that all comes down to promotion. While the radio stations and Satellite have people doing they’re promotion for them, the guys doing it on their own have to bust their ass to get people to just tune in and remember that the show they do even exists. Word of mouth also is an important way to spread your show. You must put a lot into a show for free. Time is the biggest part of it. Obviously, numbers really cannot compete with mainstream, but if you have a good fan base that keeps coming back week after week, it’s worth you time.

CV: What do you see as the biggest advantage internet radio has over FM radio or satellite? What does it offer that other platforms do not?
RO: The advantage is the vast array of music that is being played. While you can search just about anything on Spotify, YouTube and so on, internet radio plays much more local underground music and give the listeners an insight into bands they have never heard but really enjoy. FM normally plays the same things over and over.

CV: What's the disadvantage you see, if any?
RO: Niche markets when it comes to underground. Like our show caters more to metal heads so we are sort of pigeon holed to that group of people. But that is a disadvantage we actually embrace. Someone must play it, right?

CV: Your show, Brothers Grimm, has logged in over 400 hundred plus shows since its premiere. What do you think separates your show from other internet radio programming, in your opinion?
RO: Well, each show is its own thing, right? For us, our chemistry is good and we feed off each other. Our fan base knows we love to bust each other’s balls. They also know we have very good banter about music and we know what we are talking about. Chris, Bert and I love doing this. Getting the fan base involved in the chat is another one of our favorite things. Help them feel like they are part of the show…because they are!

CV: What do you see as the biggest factor that is keeping your show going? What is the drive?
RO: Passion for the music scene. Music has been a huge part of the three of our lives and this is just another avenue for us to share it with other enthusiasts like ourselves.

CV: There has been so much talk over the last handful of years that Rock is dead. From your point of view as a show host, is there any truth to such a sentiment?
RO: Not at all. It’s a matter of just looking around and seeing all the different ways you can hear so many great rock bands. Some think it is dead, we say it is very much alive.

CV: What is next for Brothers Grimm? What can fans expect for 2023?
RO: Well, we like to change our format up every so often to keep it fresh and we are about at that time again to discuss how we can make the show better and challenge ourselves. So be on the lookout!

CV: Thanks again Rich for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.
RO: The pleasure was all mine. Thanks so much for your time!

Check out Brothers Grimm at:

Official Station: www.craniumradio.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brothersgrimmrbc

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.