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Todd Richard: Genre-crossing schedule includes country, soul, and hip-hop.

Winter is supposed to be the slow time of year for Todd "The Rocket" Richard.

The cold is not supposed to be conducive to making music, playing shows or generally getting people out of their houses.

But the drummer/producer/writer/DJ finds himself busy.

"If you're dealing with less than desirable temperatures, you may not be as inclined to go see music or travel," he said. "I'm unusually busy this time of year."

Busy in this case means playing with the Sumner McKane group as well as the Don Campbell Band, Miss Fairchild and occasional DJ sets, time permitting.

Just to keep track, that's a genre-crossing schedule that includes country, soul and hip-hop.

Richard is also one of the founding members of the music site and Webzine WePushButtons.com, and a member of the Maine Academy of Music.

Richard credits the work ethic he learned from his parents. He said he decided a long time ago that making music wasn't just a job, but something he was called to do.

It's a heavy schedule, from studio to rehearsal and stage, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Playing music as a job, a profession? This is it. It's what I always wanted," he said. "I win."

WePushButtons: "WePushButtons is at the top of my list. It's a great way for everyone in the community to keep in touch, personally and professionally, as friends, collaborators and members of the larger scene here in Portland. It's good to have one location to know what everyone's up to."

Beat Port: "It's a DJ's best friend -- an online store dedicated to all types of electronic music. They sell high-quality, fully licensed, high-bit-rate audio files like singles. It's a way to get the latest breaking stuff from Italy, let's say, and you don't have to spend $20 for the vinyl and $20 for the shipping."

Last.fm: "It just rocks. I think it's such a great thing. I love the service, but love the Web interface of it too -- how easy it is to get information about people you're listening to. These days when so many music users are getting music from so many different places -- getting mix tapes, getting music off the Internet -- you don't always know what you are listening to. The Web interface brings you close to artists that you hear.

The Free Sound Project: "The Free Sound Project is like this huge online repository, this big database of samples -- audio samples -- you can just upload, licensed under Creative Commons, and free to use, given proper credit. I was looking for stomps and claps, and got some field recording in some Asian country in some gymnasium of people jumping so they stomp and land at the same time. If I release that track I will give them credit for that, and the deal is done."

Salon.com: "I keep going back to Salon. My guilty pleasure is the 'Since you asked...' column by Cary Tennis, this self-help writer. He's not a licensed therapist, but I really enjoy his tone. I always read it, sometimes I wait a few days and catch up at one time. It's better than a lot of the reality TV on right now."