Speaker: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast by the hosts and guests may or may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Miami University.

Speaker: Freshman year I came in undecided.

Speaker: I'm finance, entrepreneurship, anthropology.

Speaker: I'm a senior architecture student.

Speaker: I'm involved in the blockchain club here.

Speaker: I'm very passionate about studying abroad.

Speaker: Classes are going great.

Speaker: And then obviously very involved with my sorority.

Speaker: I'm thriving.

Meredith Aliff    

Hi, I'm Meredith Aliff. And this is major insight. This is the podcast where we talk college life with amazing students about how to find your place and purpose on campus.

Meredith Aliff 

Sometimes lightning just strikes, and you'll never know where you'll be or even who you'll be when it happens. And that's exactly how it struck for Brock Shults, who is not only a Miami student studying kinesiology, he's also the drummer for the thumbtack mechanics, a rising band that's taken the campus community by storm with a fun and energetic sound that's continuing to build momentum across the Midwest. For Brock, being in the thumbtack mechanics has made college a pretty wild ride so far. We'll talk about what it's like to balance the limelight of live music, while keeping up with classes and coursework. And we'll also talk about the challenges of time management and the beauty of trial and error, about the possibility of rising to stardom, and about how you never know what might be just around the next corner in college. So take a chance leap into the unexpected and embrace the magic of the unknown, because maybe, just maybe, everything really does happen for a reason.

Meredith Aliff 

The first question that I'm going to ask you is what I asked everybody and it is who are you?

Brock Shults 

Hi, I am Brock. I'm a sophomore here at Miami. I study kinesiology here and I'm in the thumbtack mechanics.

Meredith Aliff 

Lovely. So let's dive into your majors.

So I major in kinesiology. I minored in nutrition, and then I want to take it and I want to do chiropractics. I intern at a functional movement lab, and so I love it.

Meredith Aliff 

Absolutely perfect. Okay, so, in your introduction, you talked about thumbtack mechanics. So for those who don't know, tell me what thumbtack mechanics is.

Thumbtack mechanics. It's a band that Miles Lynn started, he is graduated now. But he was a junior when he started it. Essentially, they came up with the name was when they hung the poster that I saw, which we can get into later, but he put thumbtacks in it. They asked like why are you putting one thumbtack in? You should put two. And one of our guys were like, "I'm not a thumbtack mechanic," and then somebody just wrote it down. So it's like the most random thing. But so then I joined my freshman year, and we kind of started from there. Yeah, it's been almost two years now.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah, you guys have grown a lot in those two years as well. I had a class with Miles. I'm a senior this year. I was when I was Ooh ... first or second semester, junior year, I had a class with Miles. One day after class. He asked the professor if she could show your all's poster, or whatever, to, like, show that you were performing that night. And he was like "if anybody wants to come!" Like, he like got up in front of the class and started talking about it. And that was the first time I'd heard of it. I was like, thumbtack mechanics, like, what is that? You guys are now like, so well known on this campus. It's crazy.

Brock Shults 

We'll it funny because like in our meetings, he's like, "You better be like standing up in your class and saying this kind of stuff.: And I'm like, I'm not... I'm a freshman here. I am not doing that. I assumed that he wouldn't do it either. But I guess he did. So, yeah.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah, he... No, he was so excited about it. And also, it helped that my professor at the time is in a little like folk band herself. So she's like "oh my gosh, of course," like, she loved it. So yeah. Okay, so tell me who all is in the group, what they do, what you do in the band and all that good stuff.

Brock Shults 

So miles. I'll just start with him. He plays rhythm guitar. So he's graduated here from now, but when I met him, he was a senior here at Miami. He studied pre med.

Meredith Aliff 

Yes, I was in Psych with him. I did a psych class with him.

Yeah, he started the band. He's the one that rallied the troops. No one knew each other before we started, like not even a little bit. Ethan Kraus. He is our lead singer, lead male singer, and Jane. She's a lead female singer. And then Zack Hillman, he plays bass and Sarah Knole, she plays the keys. And then I play the drums.

Meredith Aliff 

How cool is that? How often do you guys practice?

Brock Shults 

A lot more nowadays. I'd say two times a week. When we're playing shows, two times a week.

Meredith Aliff 

So did they all go to Miami?

Brock Shults 

Yes, everyone went to Miami. After this semester, I will be the only one left.

Meredith Aliff 

I want to hear the story of how you got involved because it seems, at least from an outsider's perspective, that it would be normal for you to go out and seek out an opportunity like this, but that's not how it. Tell me about it.

Meredith Aliff 

I'm a college guy.

Brock Shults 

So this is really funny. My parents dropped me off. And we went to bagel and deli. And, like, right after I had unloaded and stuff, and there was a sign that said, drummer wanted, and it was at bagel and deli, and my dad was like, "Wouldn't this be funny if you did this?" And I was like, I'm not gonna do that, like, I'm too cool to play the drums anymore. Like I'm, I'm kind of done with it.

Brock Shults 

And so then I got back to my dorm. And I was like, hanging out with like, all these new people. And I was like, "Oh, I saw this thing today." They're like, "why wouldn't you do it? That's so cool." And then right before I went to bed, I was like, I better just try it. So I texted Miles, which was him. And that was my first day of college.

Meredith Aliff 

No way.

Brock Shults 

I know. So texted him. And then he texts me back. There was like a bunch of other people there that were trying out. And he ended up choosing me. But yes, that was... it was overwhelming.

Meredith Aliff 

So it ... I just... I'm such a firm believer and everything happens for a reason. And to think that literally your first day here.

Brock Shults 

There was a reason why it happened.

Meredith Aliff 

Has this changed your trajectory for after college at all, like, now that this band is kind of becoming what it's becoming?

Brock Shults 

Yeah, the mindset is still school. But definitely, like my mindset about the band has changed, like dramatically since we started, because it was kind of just something Miles wanted to do for fun. But like, I think just the randomness, and maybe the fun of our group, just kind of, I don't know, draws people. And now that we're making music, there's like bands reaching out and asking us to like, come open for them and go do stuff. So we're gonna give it a shot. We're gonna play in Chicago this summer. Next fall, we're going to try to travel to a bunch of different colleges and play and just kind of see how it goes. Because you know, I feel like we've come so far that like, might as well just give it a shot.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah, ride the wave,

Brock Shults 

Ride the wave. So it's really nice. It's really fun.

Meredith Aliff 

And it sounds like you guys are really close, really tight, and you take care of each other. That's huge. A lot of people who plan to make music or want to make it in the music world. They don't go to school, they don't go to college or anything like that. So I know that you didn't plan on doing this when you came in. But obviously, your entire band stands out because all of you guys came in for other things and just happened to pull this together. So you definitely stand out from your typical band, who just is gonna drop out of school to make it happen. What has that been like for you?

Brock Shults 

Honestly, it is stressful at times because we all had passions before the band. I think that's important. It's definitely a lot of work, for sure - school, the band, and it's a lot, but it's totally worth it.

Meredith Aliff 

It seems like it's worth it. But I mean, that is tough for you specifically is like the one that has over half your college experience left. And this thing is blowing up and getting so big. And now you have to kind of juggle both and try to make it work. But I think, you know, even if this doesn't end up being the next big band of the world, I think that it definitely teaches some lessons about time management and about, you know, focusing on what is important in that moment. Like, do I need to focus on this right now? Or do I need to focus on this right now? Like, make sure that you're succeeding in all realms? That's really cool. Well, before we move on, let's listen to some of your music that you literally just released last night?

Brock Shults 

Yep.

Meredith Aliff 

 Oh my gosh, that is so cool.

Brock Shults 

Perfect timming.

Meredith Aliff 

Two parter. First of all, where do you see yourself going with thumbtack mechanics? Where would you ideally like to go with thumbtack mechanics? And then post Thumbtack? Where would you like to go?

Brock Shults 

So for thumbtack mechanics, we've kind of talked about it a lot recently. There's a lot of bands that we've talked to that are in the south and stuff that have asked us to come play with them or we've been in chat with their managers and stuff. And they kind of had started similar, like, in college, and now they're going on tour. And so ideally we would get hooked up with one of those bands and get started with them, and then and kind of make some money and find our way from there, hopefully, going on tour and making more music, honestly, because making music was probably my favorite. Playing live is super awesome. But like making music in front of no one was like, probably my favorite part, because it just... I don't know. And now that it's out on Apple Music, it's cool to see like all of our hard work out there. So, and then for myself, I definitely want to do stuff in the sports medicine, chiropractic world. I don't know, I think it's really fascinating. And that's something I would want to do.

Meredith Aliff 

Definitely. Thumbtack Mechanics future and your chiropractic future. What happens if you have to decide between one or the other?

Brock Shults 

I've had like small conversations with my parents about this. Not really yet. Because it you know, it's early, it's very early. But I honestly, I do see like a future. And like, I think definitely like we do have what it takes. So if I had to choose, I think I would get my undergrad and get through school, and then maybe just kind of do what Miles did: just take a year. And really, really go for it, and see what it does. The worst that happens is, you know, we don't really get where we want to get and I've had the best experience for the past, you know ... what would that be? Five, four years, five years at that point?

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah. And I think as well, I like that you said, you know, there's no reason to try to figure that out right now. You have no idea what's going to happen down the line, you guys could, like I said, literally become the next big thing. And that would be awesome. And then you would kind of get to experience that world. And worst case scenario, you have an amazing experience that you'll remember forever and have these connections that you have forever. So it's really a win-win. That's awesome. Okay, so stepping outside of specifically the thumbtack mechanics for a second. In your college experience. What are some of the biggest challenges that you have had to face as a college student?

Brock Shults 

Probably organization, time management/organization, excluding thumbtack mechanics, I'm in a fraternity and I do social stuff for this fraternity. And then school is just busy for everyone.

Meredith Aliff 

And you have a tough major.

Brock Shults 

Yeah, no, it's just a lot of work. And so, kind of and then, also, I have a girlfriend that goes to Chapel Hill, UNC, it's just like, a lot of moving pieces at once. And it's... I'm still working on how to be more organized and plan things better. And, you know, set a calendar. And I have a lot of people in my life right now that are really good at that, and that are encouraging me to do that. Including Miles. He's a very calendar-esque person. So...

Meredith Aliff 

He seems to be very organized.

Brock Shults 

Yeah. That's probably my my biggest challenge right now.

Meredith Aliff 

And I think, obviously, it takes time. I'm a senior still trying to figure that out. But being involved in all the things you're involved in probably already has you miles ahead of other sophomores in your position, kind of having to take on a band and being in a fraternity and having a tough major and tough classes and, you know, having to do a long distance thing. It's tough. It's a lot at once. But it kind of sets you apart, I think, from other people in your situation. This might be a really easy question, or it might be really tough question. I don't know. What is the single best decision that you have ever made in college? It can be as simple as turning in an assignment early. And as big as joining the band.

Brock Shults 

Definitely joining the band was probably one of the best decisions I've made. But I mean, other than that, I think choosing my major, honestly, because I kind of wanted to do architecture growing up, like, that's what I wanted to do. Me and my friends like to like build a lot of stuff. And we all wanted to do architecture at one point. And my senior year, I decided that I would want to kind of do kinesiology and stuff like that. And I was still, like, a little unsure about it. But like once I got in the classes and all that, like, I've loved it. It's been a great decision so far. So like, I've liked what, you know, my classes and what I'm doing... besides chemistry?

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah. No, that's so good. And it's really... it feels good when you have a major and you're taking classes to graduate with that major and you actually enjoy what you're learning. That's how you know you're in the right place. If you could go back and talk to yourself or anybody in your situation. At like the end of your senior year of high school, you're getting ready to come to college, you've made the commitment to go. But obviously like over the summer those jitters come and you get nervous. What would you say to yourself with the experience that you now have?

Brock Shults 

I would say that things don't really get handed to you as much when you're in college. You kind of have to go and figure it out. Experience it, good or bad. I think college is... I mean, a lot of people say it's just a lot of trying and failing, trial and error. And I think myself, and a lot of people get to college their first semester and expect it to just be like a movie where it's just perfect. And everything falls into place at one time. And in my case, I did have a lot of things go my way. But I also had, you know, other things that I still had to work on and figure out and do. And I definitely think it's important for people to know that it's never going to be perfect and, like, just stick it out and you will find your people find your place.

Meredith Aliff 

Yes, there's highs and lows. And I think if you come in with that expectation in college, you will succeed, you just have to know that with the fun and the good grades. There's also going to be really tough studying days and you're going to be so sleep deprived sometimes, and just kind of I think just being real about it with yourself a little bit. Okay, well, it has been fantastic talking with you. Do you have anything else that you want to add before we close out here?

Brock Shults 

Thank you for having me.

Meredith Aliff 

Absolutely. And go look up thumbtack mechanics on Spotify and Apple Music. They just released their EP. It's called the Birthmark EP, and congratulations on being so successful so early on in college and I'm excited to see where you guys go.

Meredith Aliff 

Brock Schultz is studying Kinesiology and Exercise Science at Miami University, and he's also the drummer for the Thumbtack Mechanics. Going forward Brock plans to continue performing touring and recording with the band, while also working to complete his four year degree.