What does it take to turn casual listeners into lifelong fans? In this episode of Funktastic Chats, I sit down with Tema (lead vocals), Jared (drums), and Jeff (trumpet) from the seven-piece soul-funk band Couch — a group that's racked up over 40 million streams, won Boston Music Awards for Pop Artist and Live Artist of the Year, and toured internationally with artists like Cory Wong and Lake Street Dive.
We talk about how Couch builds deep, personal connections with fans through VIP meet-and-greets, their signature "couch family photos," and a genuine commitment to community — including raising money for Rosie's Place, a women's shelter in Boston. The guys open up about navigating AI and algorithms in the music industry, why word-of-mouth still beats going viral, and how they keep a seven-piece band together with trust, fairness, and mutual respect — with their guitarist Zach pulling double duty as manager and tour manager.
Plus, we hear about blown-out tires on the highway, the night the Big Talk album dropped, playing their biggest hometown show to 3,500 fans, and why Mario Kart on the tour bus might be the secret to band chemistry.
Visit couchtheband.com for tour dates and more. Part two coming soon!
00:00 Intro
01:42 On the Wire
02:09 The Interview Begins
03:31 Fan Connections & VIP Meet and Greets
05:23 Growing the Audience
07:05 AI in Music
08:40 How New Fans Find Couch
10:56 Couch Family Photos
13:39 Keeping the Same Lineup
16:02 Becoming a Full-Time Band
17:22 Gratitude & Milestone Moments
24:56 The Brooklyn Show & Lighting
26:18 Biggest Show at Roadrunner
28:47 Managing Relationships in the Band
33:17 Picking Openers & Collaborators
34:32 Outro
