May 20, 2022Radiohead and a Rushing WindHow OK Computer became my Survival Soundtrack This week is the 25th anniversary of Radiohead’s OK Computer. The album made the charts not only because of its innovative arrangements and memorable tunes, but also because it captured the zeitgeist of the Last Days of the 20th Century. Musically critics called…Music5 min readMusic5 min read
Feb 23, 2022Mind Bending and Circuit Bending with Scott CampbellThe New Orleans-based designer, musician and inventor brings emotional resonance to entrepreneurship When Panos Panay and I launched Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation we commissioned artist and entrepreneur Scott Campbell to create a mini-poster as a thank you gift for pre-orders. Scott’s superpower is synthesis…Music5 min readMusic5 min read
Jan 14, 2022I was in MagazinesMusician and co-author of ‘Two Beats Ahead’ explores the ephemeral nature of digital celebrity through a literary lens Interview with R. Michael Hendrix by Michael Marrotta In the streaming era pop music can be measured in seconds instead of minutes, directed at short-attention spans, Spotify playlists, and TikTok videos. But R.M. Hendrix is having none of this. If today’s new norm is writing haikus, he’s writing a novel.Music4 min readMusic4 min read
Aug 4, 2021How to Use the Musical Mind at WorkBest-selling author Micah Solomon interviews Michael Hendrix and Panos Panay about their book, Two Beats Ahead Micah Solomon is the author of four business bestsellers. His writing is regularly featured on Forbes.com and Inc.com as well as in Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, and elsewhere. He also happens…Innovation11 min readInnovation11 min read
May 13, 2021NFTs, WTF?“Lookout honey cause I’m using technology!”—Iggy Pop Jimmy Iovine told us he was taking retirement seriously. Apart from some family investments, the renowned producer and record executive had moved on from music and was focusing on education at both USC and XQ Institute with his business partner Dr. Dre. But…Nft4 min readNft4 min read
Published in UX Collective·Updated Apr 6, 2021The line between work and play is GarbageWhat rock stars have taught me about my job. — Steve was supposed to be in bright colored lights on stages across the U.S. along with Liz Phair and Alanis Morrisette. Instead, he was on Zoom with me, trying to find a camera angle that didn’t make him look like he was in a witness protection video. A founding member…Collaboration8 min readCollaboration8 min read
Mar 9, 2021The Future of Work is an OldieWhat musical collaborations teach us about a hybrid model of work and joy — Here’s the scene: you, alone, at home, at work. Sometimes it feels like a gift. Sometimes a prison. Whatever it is, vaccines are on the way and there is light on the horizon. In the meantime experts across industries have taken note and are proclaiming a new future of work…Creative Process8 min readCreative Process8 min read
Published in UX Collective·Jan 25, 2021Can you judge a book by its creative director?Like a duet or dance, it’s about making your creative partner succeed — In 2016 I was approached to write a book. I turned it down, only to find myself working on it a year later. The reason was that along with my initial decline, I had pointed the agents to my friend Panos whom I met through teaching at Berklee College of…Design5 min readDesign5 min read
Nov 24, 2020How a Psychedelic AI Experiment Became a Video Artwork About Structural RacismAn Interview with the Creators of “Improvised Explosive Denied” I saw faces growing inside faces, trees becoming people, landscapes melting like ice cream, and bodies turning into fruit. Even if this was just the effect of artificial intelligence and not drugs, it was still a head trip. …Artificial Intelligence10 min readArtificial Intelligence10 min read
Nov 2, 2020The Comfort of Cover SongsHow playing other people’s songs can get you through tough times What’s your favorite cover song? You know, a remake? Sometimes they are really bad, but maybe so bad that they’re good? Think: William Shatner singing “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” or Pat Boone singing “Enter Sandman.” …Music6 min readMusic6 min read
