Nine years ago today — August 17, 2013 — everything that Underground Music Collective has come to be began in my childhood bedroom with nothing more than an idea — a desire to create an outlet to provide an escape from the rigors of corporate America.

Unbeknownst to me, The Quinn Spinn — a spiritual successor to my slapstick college radio show of the same name — was our point of singularity.

I had a blue Dell laptop, and I went out the next day and bought a USB microphone from Best Buy. I had never tried starting a podcast before, and admittedly, it felt strange to be committing to and investing in something new. I didn’t know where it would lead, or even how long it would last.

I’m glad I pushed through that initial resistance — not to mention, all of the resistance I’ve encountered in the years since. Nine years later, we’re still standing — and this means of escape from corporate America has gone on to reach countless thousands of musicians, creatives, and human beings the world over.

As a bonus, we’ve reached this point with perhaps more optimism for the future than ever before. As we honor where we’ve been, let’s take a look at where we’re going on today’s special 9th Anniversary Solo Mission of The Quinn Spinn.