Workers Comp's Peter Mahoney on Surviving the DIY Scene

<p><strong>Episode 017 – Peter Mahoney | MAKE // BREAK</strong></p><p>Peter Mahoney is a Toronto-based guitarist, recording engineer, and DJ rooted in the city&#39;s punk and hardcore underground. As guitarist for Workers Comp (who deliberately pulled their music from streaming in favour of Bandcamp) and a collaborator in UNWELL alongside Cursed/Burning Love/SECT vocalist Chris Colohan, Peter has spent two decades navigating pay-to-play scams, revolving lineups, and the real cost of making loud, fast music on your own terms. He also runs House of Trash, offering affordable recording and mixing to DIY bands. In this episode of MAKE // BREAK, Peter opens up about losing bassist Nick, rebuilding through grief, rejecting social media pressure, and why community built on genuine friendship outlasts every trend.</p><p>🎯 ONE MORE THING // free, weekly, zero fillerV13 runs three newsletters: one for artists building a career on their own terms (Industry Insider), one for writers who refuse to be ignored (Verse &amp; Vision), and one weekly roundup of music, entertainment, culture &amp; literature (V1LLAG3 Voice). Pick your lane, or take all three.→ <a href="https://v13.net/newsletter">https://v13.net/newsletter</a></p><p>👀 What you&#39;ll hear</p><ul><li>Discover how Peter identified pay-to-play scams and industry gatekeepers as a teenager in Toronto</li><li>Learn why Workers Comp pulled their music from streaming and what they use instead</li><li>Hear the gut-wrenching story of losing bassist Nick and deciding to keep the band alive</li><li>Explore what community really looks like when you strip away the buzzwords and trend-chasers</li><li>Find out why Peter built House of Trash to record bands affordably on his own terms</li><li>Understand the internal resistance artists face when social media becomes a second unpaid job</li></ul><p>🕰️ Chapters</p><p>00:00 Cold open: the real cost of playing music</p><p>00:51 Single Release Playbook promo</p><p>01:15 Meet Peter Mahoney — guitarist, engineer, cat dad</p><p>05:31 Early illusions about the music industry</p><p>09:42 Pay-to-play shows and industry scams in Toronto</p><p>13:21 Joining the wrong bands and learning to say no</p><p>19:28 Building community and finding the right people</p><p>25:27 Defining success on your own terms</p><p>33:34 The shit sandwich: social media and self-promotion</p><p>43:37 Leaving Spotify and the case for Bandcamp</p><p>51:53 Recording at House of Trash and learning to engineer</p><p>58:04 Losing Nick and pivoting through grief</p><p>1:06:15 Shameless plugs, upcoming shows, and final wisdom</p><p>🔗 Guest Links</p><p><a href="https://youreentitledtoworkerscomp.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://youreentitledtoworkerscomp.bandcamp.com/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/workerscompband/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/workerscompband/</a></p><p><a href="https://unvvell.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://unvvell.bandcamp.com/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/house.of_trash/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/house.of_trash/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/vernaltrash/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/vernaltrash/</a></p><p>🔗 MAKE // BREAK &amp; Host Links</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5GDOUd909p7ir2W74M9teg?si=cbc7e01e13ba4a20" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://open.spotify.com/show/5GDOUd909p7ir2W74M9teg?si=cbc7e01e13ba4a20</a></p><p><a href="https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellish</a></p><p><a href="https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish</a></p><p>🔗 V13 Media Links</p><p><a href="https://v13.net" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://