Today we’d like to introduce you to Joey Greenstein.
Hi Joey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Ever since I can remember, I was making playlists and burning cds for people. It was my love language, in a way. But, I think I fell in love with music all over again when I moved out to Los Angeles.
Growing up in St. Louis, as far as electronic music is concerned, there wasn’t much that made it out there besides what was on the radio. During my time at Mizzou, I found my passion for events and worked as the Director of Student Activities, which gave me the chance to work alongside like-minded folks and learn everything I could about the industry. I went all in. After college, I got a job driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, which I’m not even sure I really expected. This not only meant ample road trip music time but an opportunity to take on new challenges and explore new places. I’d often find myself in a different city and a different venue as much as possible, getting ready to pitch a radio station or ride in a parade on top of a giant hotdog the next day. Once that job wrapped, I made it for LA to start a job at Snapchat, which I’d interviewed for while I had the Wienermobile here in town. As soon as I got out here, got settled and started exploring new shows and music festivals, making new friends and taking it all in, I knew I’d come to the right place. But, I knew I still had a lot to learn and I think I was still searching for where I truly wanted to be in my life with my career.
Living on the west side, I often found myself on the other side of town, in a warehouse or front left for a new artist I’d discovered. I wondered why that scene and culture couldn’t be more prevalent on the west side, which led me to starting Green Room and, with close friends, attempted to create a community around house music there. It was around that time that I started to DJ myself. The incredible memories surrounding that space and the relationships formed along the way left me wanting to dive in deeper. Throughout that time, I got to work with people that I looked up to then and look up to now and I got to build really beautiful friendships that I cherish. I think that the more I learned about the scene and the music, its rich history and love, the more I learned about myself and what I could contribute, too. I learned to love shining a spotlight on others and sharing their talent. But, I also learned more and more about the parts of the scene I didn’t like…the imbalances and glaring statistics.
I’ve never been one to shy away from saying something if I felt it wasn’t fair or if it was downright wrong. It’s probably why I’m usually the squeaky wheel in the group and why my mom continues to encourage me to go to law school (sure, ‘attorney at law’ is much different that ‘DJs at parties’, so I get it). It’s also probably why, just before celebrating my birthday in 2020, I worked my last day at Snapchat. I started wondering what I’d do with the time I got back. The idea of starting a label had always played around in the back of my mind, but before hitting the drawing board again, I wanted to take some time to reflect and set my intentions moving forward. Plus, there’d be more pressing issues at hand.
On Juneteenth of that year, in Leimert Park, I stumbled upon the Hoop Bus and found a new way to shine a spotlight on others. I approached their team and told them I was ready to hop on board and made a very literal ‘put me in coach’ play. Next thing you know, we’re working on a 90-day cross-country tour to DC for the March On Washington and back to LA getting out the vote, right up until the polls closed. In the days that followed, everything else took a pause. Getting to work with so many different people and learn so many new things, getting to test my will and shift perspectives, I found gratitude and purpose in moving forward with a new project.
With the experiences I’d had and the long way I still had/have to go and hope to keep learning from, Lots of Practice was born. The idea being, of course, that all that we’re doing, if we’re going to do it right by ourselves and others, takes, well, lots of practice. Also, as someone who copes with anxiety on a daily basis and wants us talking about mental health in music to be more mainstream, it also became a sort of mantra in getting through each day, learning and making progress.
Lots of Practice is a label without labels; showcasing artists and industry folks by lifting each other up, with an emphasis on openness, learning and community action. I think that there’s still a need for people that work in music and look like me to speak up and make contributing to real, tangible change a priority and a normalcy. My hope is that this project fosters a space for creativity and opportunity. I’m extremely appreciative of and lucky that I get to do what I do every day, connecting with amazing artists, learning from the history of music and being a part of releasing new music into the world, witnessing growth and pursuing my passion.
There’s been a lot of ups and downs and in-betweens, but I’m happy it’s all come to this so far.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While the road certainly hasn’t always been smooth, I recognize that I’m often afforded a different path or fewer hurdles. I think that sometimes, I can get in my own way, overthinking decisions or spreading myself too thin. I’m still working on my tendency to take on too much and throw a ‘yes’ out like it’s no big deal. I’ve been faced with my fair share of rough decisions, sudden changes and times of uncertainty, but I think that’s what’s made me who I am today and I’m alright with that. Since I was young, I’ve dealt with some form of anxiety. Sometimes it presents itself with the onset of worry or restlessness, intrusive thoughts and negative self-talk…other times and more recently in physical ways that feel like heart attacks. It’s like a game figuring out which curveball it’ll throw at me next, but I think it’s a game that I’m getting better at. Seeing more people talk about their experiences with mental health has always inspired me to keep at it too.
A falling out and wrapping up with the first project, followed quickly by the arrival of COVID-19 and me leaving my full-time job definitely brought more obstacles than I expected. I didn’t really know exactly what to do with myself and tried my best to just let things be for a while. I tried my best to be present and appreciate the slowdown. I didn’t know when the next event would be or really what my future would look like. The spaces I’m so grateful to operate in were closed. So, before I’d eventually take on my role as tour producer/driver for the Hoop Bus, I turned to Twitch to DJ and found an incredible community, new friendships from across the globe and the music I loved.
I’ve always found it helpful to remind myself that we’re always learning and growing and that all of these bumps in the road are a part of that growth.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
It’s been a really valuable experience figuring out what I specialize in, or at least what I want to specialize in moving forward. Right now, to support my role as the head of Lots of Practice and as a DJ, I work freelance for a few major brands as a consultant. I’ve been hosting, overseeing or a part of creating events since I can remember and I’d like to think that it’s a specialty, but it’s a specialty that I’m still learning so much about. It really excites me and probably scares me a little at the same time. The responsibility of looking after others and fostering a positive environment for people to just let go and be themselves is not one that I take lightly, but it is one that makes me feel the lightest on my feet. I like being a connector and hopefully a part of positive change in the music industry.
As far as what I’d like to be known for, I think I’d want it to be lifting others up and always looking out. I’m at my most proud when I see my friends succeed. It’s a part of why I do what I do.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Oh wow, there are so many people that deserve credit for the opportunities I’ve had to create this project and the road ahead! My mom, Sharon, my dad, Jim and my sister, Jessica for their constant support and for challenging me to be the best version of myself, but also their perspectives and honesty. I’ve also always looked up to my grandpa Harvey Greenstein, or Saba, as we call him, who inadvertently taught me about leadership and humility but also very directly about giving back. Kathy Kathy Murray was my first mentor in the event space at Mizzou and I can’t thank her enough for her guidance and for always pushing me to succeed and challenging me to do better. My friendship with Nick Droege in college, before that and now is something I value deeply. He’s always pushed me to succeed and have fun along the way. While I was at Snapchat, one of the first people I met was James Molinaro. I don’t think that I’ve told him enough how much I appreciate his mentorship, whether he knows it was mentorship or not, it certainly was. He really helped me figure out where I wanted to be and when I was in a darker place and at a crossroads, he always knew how to get me back out, going in the right direction.
Right now, I have the absolute pleasure of working alongside Maddie Gavin, who works on coordinating distribution and on the A&R side of Lots of Practice. Building a working relationship and friendship with Maddie seeing her thrive and grow as a music professional herself is one of my favorite things. Ryan Valenzuela will always be a rock in this foundation and has always been there for me as a friend. That dude would drop anything to lend a hand or lend a space to create and I can’t let it go unnoticed!
I’ve gotten to where I am in this space partly because of the incredible people that saw the love for it I had and were gracious enough to share their wisdom and experiences as colleagues and as dear friends. People like Helen and Isabelle Lenton-Perez (Diego too) who lent their hearts and minds to me in my first projects and took me under their wings. I’ll talk endlessly about how cool they are. Jamie Rosenberg, who I can always count on for an above quality FaceTime and impeccable music taste; Alyssa Johnson, aka Mary Droppinz, who was one of the first major bookings for Green Room and introduced me to LP Giobbi (another incredible human I look up to), which in turn helped catapult my love for all of this to another level. I still think about that special show with those two all the time. And, I think the really great thing about the friendships that I’ve had and new ones blossoming now are the lessons I’ve learned and continue to learn along the way. My mom always tells me that people come into your life for a season, a reason or a lifetime – and that’s stuck with me. Even the roughest ones I value because it continually shapes who I am and who I can be.
Inside and outside of my work, I know that there are so many people that deserve gratitude and credit. I hope that I can continue to find more ways to thank them.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://linktr.ee/lotsofpractice
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joey________g/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lotsofpractice
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeyGreenstein
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/joeygmixes
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/lotsofpractice/
Image Credits
Kinderella/Killed With Kindness, Chris Anderson
