THE BEAT OF SOLROCKERS NFT

The Capital • April 27, 2022

Photo: Natalie J. Russel

Dear Brian, thanks for taking the time to join me in this interview to educate our community on SolRockers. First of all, can you give us a brief introduction to you? What is your story, dating back as far as you wish?

I am the Head of Product at SolRockers NFT and in my free time also the drummer for the multi platinum band Everclear. Some might think I live the life of a Rockstar but I’m just a conventional kind of guy. With a house in the suburbs, a white picket fence, a dog, 2.4 kids and to round it all out a wife that drives a minivan. LOL. Honestly I’m just a computer nerd who plays drums in a rock band.

I attended Berklee College of music in Boston Massachusetts back in 1989–1994. While living in Boston I spent a good 8 years playing with bands in the Boston music scene — 1990’s Boston scene turned out some great bands and I was lucky to be a part of it. I played with Tracy Bonham, went off to Chicago to tour with Fig Dish, and ended back in Boston to form American Hi-Fi with my best friend Stacy Jones in 1998. We recorded our record with Bob Rock in Maui, had a hit single on MTV, and toured extensively all around the world in the early 2000’s. Now I’m playing drums with the band Everclear. Somehow I manage to make a living doing what I love — playing drums.

The computer nerd part is where crypto and gaming comes in. I was hooked when my step dad bought me the Apple IIe back in 1983. A 1.023MHz processor, 64KB RAM, two 5 1/4" floppies, bulletin boards were no match for my 300 baud modem. It played games too, good games like Castle Wolfenstein, Boulder Dash, King’s quest and Decathlon. It put my Atari 2600 to shame. Then I had a short stint with consoles including ColecoVision, Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, but.. then Doom was born. John Carmack and John Romero messed me up good, so good that I built my first PC because of their creation — specifically to play Doom. That 4MB of ram was expensive too. I’ve been playing PC games ever since — Battlefield 1942, Call of Duty, Elder Scrolls games, WOW, the list goes on and on. Basically I came from the same generation as James Holiday, him and I would have been good friends. Now it’s time to develop the Oasis, or at least a very small part of it.

Why did you get involved in the cryptocurrency industry, and where do you think the industry will be in 5–10 years?

I heard about this thing called Bitcoin back in 2011. So you can use your video card to make money? Really? Sounds like fun. I took one of my computer rigs, outfitted it with an ATI 5970, overclocked the hell out of it, joined a pool and started mining. Then I had two rigs, then three, lots of fans, I’m talking oscillating fans, not those fancy LED case fans everyone has these days. I mined 23 Bitcoin and then decided it wasn’t worth pursuing, it was costing me more in electricity to run the rigs compared to the going Bitcoin market value. I held on to them for a year and ended up selling them on MT Gox for a whopping $27 a piece (doh!). In hindsight I think I should have held on to them, maybe… I painfully followed Bitcoin on the sidelines for years, dabbled in Ethereum mining and finally started seriously investing in crypto again in 2017.

Remember the dot com boom in the late 1990’s early 2000's? I just sat there and watched it all happen, I didn’t financially take advantage of the fastest growing industry phenomena known to man. The internet happened and all I did was use it to play Quake. I could have got involved but I didn’t. I had to go and focus on being a musician. An opportunity like that will never happen again in my lifetime.

Then comes Blockchain technology. Thank you Satoshi! Blockchain tech is the next boom, I have no doubt. It’s being adopted 2x faster than the internet, harvesting the brightest minds out there and is giving us all the opportunity to develop the technology of the future. And I mean the technology of everything. Smart contracts apply to so many different industries, including finance, data analysis, and the Internet of Things, let’s not forget about gaming. Who new smart contracts could be so useful?

I’m not going to sit back and miss out on a twice in a lifetime opportunity. So it either means I can redeem myself or go down in flames. I’ll either retire in Maui or greet people at the local Walmart here in Madison, I’m all in.

That’s amazing. Now can you give us an introduction to SolRockers and how it got started?

Back in 2012 I wasn’t just mining Bitcoin, I was learning how to develop video games using the Unreal Engine and Unity. I’ve always had a passion for game development but I’m not a coder by any means. These game engines gave me a way to translate my ideas into a functional game without being John Carmack. I’ve since developed third person shooters, twin stick shooters, first person shooters on a hobbyist level. I’d bring my games to friends’ LAN parties and play a round or two. It’s always fun to see friends enjoy your creation, bug free of course.

The emergence of the Play-to-Earn economy really grabbed my attention. I started playing games like Lost Relics, Alien Worlds, R-planet to name a few. I had conversations with my brother Mike, also a crypto investor, about all the P2E opportunities and he said “Why don’t you create your own game? You know how to develop games”. So that got me thinking and researching. I decided to combine the 2 things I’m most passionate about: gaming and music. I decided to combine the Rhythm game genre and the lifestyle of a touring musician to create a unique gaming experience. I’ve had some incredible times over the past 25 years; being part of great bands and touring all over the world, I want to re-create that experience for everyone who joins SolRockers. NFT gaming and being in a successful band are all about creating a community, it all made sense to me.

Early on, did you see an opportunity to fill a void in the market?

The market is one huge void, it’s an open slate. That’s one of the reasons why I’m so excited about this project and blockchain games in general. Just like every new technology, it gets

adopted by hobbyists and independents. This is the period in blockchain gaming when independent developer ideas can shine and make an impact on the industry. I believe we at SolRockers are doing just that.

When deciding on the direction of the artwork, we didn’t want to create a derivative of an ape and a pixel art SolRocker was out of the question. We wanted it to be original and life-like featuring detailed instruments and clothing, but with a light hearted cartoonish feel. The great rock bands of the 80’s and 90’s were over the top in their creative expression. The hair, makeup, tattoos and clothing gave us so many options and we spent months creating and revising. We had so many great ideas. The SolRocker name is a combination of the Solana blockchain and Rockstar lifestyle with a slight play on words. I think you get the idea.

A key point about our project that is important to relay is that SolRockers Battle of the Bands is a game that features player owned NFTs, not an NFT project that promises a utility game. The game itself is our main focus and the integration of the NFT is a key feature. The artwork will grab their attention but the game is the ultimate pay off. Literally.

We also noticed that you have your own token called $IROC, that will be used for your unique rhythm game. Could you tell us more about how this works?

$IROC tokens are the lifeblood of the SolRockers ecosystem and keeping the token economy balanced is our main priority. $IROC tokens are awarded to players/stakers and are used to purchase items in our NFT minting and merchandise marketplace. We have a number of ways our token is used in our game. Also, we feel it’s important to “burn” tokens as users create assets in our game ecosystem. We never want to dilute the overall value so a deflationary element will be incorporated into the $IROC token usage.

What have been the biggest challenges for you and SolRockers since you started the project?

It’s uncharted territory so it’s all challenges. I spent a lot of time researching all the aspects and moving parts that make up an NFT project, not to mention the game. The art work, NFT generation, rarity, minting process, discord server, website, token minting, front end game dev, back end game dev, media creation, NFT marketplace listing… and that’s just my job. My brother’s got more. Who knew a blockchain game project could be so time consuming? So finding the time to do normal family activity has been a challenge.

I think the biggest challenge for the project is breaking through and getting noticed. The NFT market is growing at breakneck speeds and has become a bit saturated. Ethereum based NFTs are a prime example. The Opensea NFT marketplace sure lives up to its name. Although the bulk of the NFT market is on that blockchain we felt it wasn’t a good fit for our project, or blockchain gaming in general. Solana was.

We chose Solana not just because of its efficiency but we saw it as the next blockchain to be adopted by NFT creators, investors and game developers. But with new technology comes serious hurdles. Solana NFTs and game development is still in its beginning stages so there are a few unanswered questions with creative development needed to complete a project like SolRockers. Thankfully we have blockchain backend engineers that can innovate and pull it off, I see them as the Rockstars.

Who do you think would be the ideal target audience for SolRockers?

At first glance it’s NFT collectors and gamers but it’s also music lovers, instrument collectors and artists. Individuals who enjoy being part of a music and gaming community, who love to express themselves through music and NFT creation. We want this open to everyone.

I think there are several types of “gamers” in the P2E environment. I love playing games, I can sit there and grind all day long if needed. Then you have someone like my brother who is more interested in the defi element. I think he doesn’t spend more than 20 minutes in any one game, but he “plays” several. It’s important to create a game that’s appealing to everyone.


Understood. Now what has been your greatest achievement thus far, and what has been the biggest failure or setback personally or in the history of the company?

My greatest achievements thus far would be the fact that I’m still able to support my family doing what I love — playing, and expressing myself through music. The greatest achievements related to SolRockers are still ahead of us. We just started in November of 2021 so there’s not much history to talk of. Talk to me two years from now and I will have a list. We have little setbacks every week but it’s nothing we can’t overcome.

What is the next step for SolRockers in the next 1–2 years?

Develop and release a fun and engaging gaming experience where users get to roleplay that Rockstar lifestyle, create a band, practice in a studio, go on tour and play at different venues — with backstage debauchery included of course.

A challenging Rhythm game is not complete without a great selection of songs. Artist collaborations will play a big part in this. Thankfully I know a few. But outside of the mainstream music industry are a lot of amazing bands and artists that deserve attention. We have plans to give everyone a way to participate and get involved. Our plans include giving the player and artist a way to create and enhance our game. SolRockers Battle of the Bands will feature the ability to add new songs and create new song patterns. And we want our community to be rewarded for their creative efforts. It being a blockchain game gives us the means to do so. The community will always come first.

Where can people support your business? Other than that, thank you for your time, Brian — any final words?

Support our business by visiting our socials like twitter, facebook , joining our discord community, and of course check out our website.

Website: https://www.solrockers.io/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SolRockersNFT

Discord: https://dsc.gg/SolRockers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SolRockers-104379062257709

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcq8s8kElrxwKXJtYjkP7rw

Brian’s Twitter BrianNolan (@BamBamBNolan) / Twitter

And if you find yourself at an Everclear show in the near future, stop by the merch ten and say hello.

Disclaimer: This is not trading or investment advice. The above article is for entertainment and education purposes only. None of the content on Crypto Folds is investment advice nor is it a replacement for advice from a certified financial planner. Please do your own research before purchasing or investing into any cryptocurrency.  

Helvetic Broker Launches on App Store and Play Store to Make Crypto Management Safe and Simple

By Press Release • October 14, 2025
Helvetic Broker , an AI-powered self-custody crypto application, has become available on the App Store and Play Store. A team of Swiss engineers has been building the app since 2023 to democratize crypto and make blockchain technology safer and more accessible. Apple and Android users can now install the app on their devices and manage their digital wallets and tokens in real-time and effortlessly. Helvetic Broker was born from the increasing demand for seamless and secure transfers across blockchains. Major industry debacles, such as the 2022 FTX collapse, have also fueled the need for a safe, effective, and user-friendly solution that allows users to retain ownership of their private keys. Helvetic Broker incorporates these benefits, enabling users to track their wallets, transfers, and addresses from a single dashboard, securely and conveniently. Security is one of Helvetic Broker’s standout features. The app maintains private keys encrypted on the user’s phone. It also requires biometric authentication for each transaction.Helvetic Broker’s servers have read-only access to public keys when displaying balances. This approach aligns with the team’s vision of making crypto management as natural and intuitive as e-banking, without straying from the true purpose of decentralization. Helvetic Broker is continuously expanding its catalogue. To this day, it supports wallets like Ledger, MetaMask, and Trust Wallet, as well as CEXs such as Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance, and DEX like Uniswap. The team plans to further grow the list of integrations to bridge people and cryptocurrency with simple and secure crypto management solutions. In its mission to return financial autonomy to people, Helvetic Broker created a highly intuitive user interface. The app’s dashboard provides an instant, customizable overview of all the user’s wallets, sorted by wallet, by token, or aggregated in a currency of choice. This simplicity appeals to both first-time crypto users and experienced traders. Helvetic Broker also simplified transfers between wallets and exchanges by completing transactions automatically and effortlessly. The app's self-custody features enable users to manage their assets as they see fit and diversify their portfolios with ease. More importantly, as they have complete control over their private keys, users don't risk losing access to their digital assets if crypto exchanges collapse overnight due to hacker attacks or government restrictions. Helvetic Broker continues to innovate and simplify crypto management. For example, its AI-powered crypto assistant helps users understand their portfolios, create accounts across platforms, place orders, and automate transactions. All these actions are available to the user on one intuitive interface. About Helvetic Broker Helvetic Broker was founded in Switzerland by an experienced team of passionate engineers. Their goal is to utilize their crypto expertise to make the cryptocurrency space more accessible and easier to navigate. Its self-custody, AI-powered application helps users understand and optimize trades, cut fees, and make smarter investments. Helvetic Broker is now available on the App Store and the Play Store. Discover how you can access the overview of your wallets in one click and in a way that fits your needs. Learn more about Helvetic Broker on its official website and its social media channels, including X , Telegram , Discord , LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube . CEO Guillaume Grandjean, is available for interviews and will be happy to answer any further questions from the media. 

ANOME Completes BNB Chain Integration, Ready to Activate “Meme Realms”

By Press Release • October 10, 2025
Web3 entertainment protocol ANOME has completed technical adaptation for BNB Chain and passed its first integration test, paving the way for ‘Meme Realms’ — a new feature that lets any BNB ecosystem meme coin launch its own stand-alone gaming universe in just one day. The milestone confirms full readiness for activation and marks a new phase in ANOME’s expansion and positions ANOME to expand into the BNB Chain GameFi and NFTFi ecosystem. Meme Realms Ready for Launch Meme Realms will be a modular system letting any BNB-ecosystem meme coin become its own on-chain game world within one day. Each Realm functions as an independent economy, where players mint, trade, and battle using that realm’s meme coin. Realms include NFT card assets, leaderboards, seasonal quests, and liquidity pools, all native to BNB Chain. “We’ve completed technical adaptation to the BNB Chain,” said an ANOME Product Lead. “Integrating a meme takes just one day — ready to activate anytime for rapid expansion.” Turning Meme Culture Into On-Chain Impact Every action inside a Realm (minting, selling, battling, and claiming rewards) occurs directly on the BNB Chain. Each meme coin Realm adds measurable transactions, liquidity, and user activity to the network. The design ensures economic isolation between Realms while maintaining full on-chain transparency. “Meme is culture,” an ANOME spokesperson said. “We convert that cultural energy into verifiable BNB Chain momentum - more users, more TVL, more real data.” The project’s key highlights include the following points: One-Day Onboarding : Any BNB meme coin can become an active Realm within 24 hours. Native Settlement : Players mint and trade directly in the meme coin of that Realm. BNB Impact Reports : ANOME will regularly publish metrics (every 30, 60, and 90 days) on its community. The reports will include active wallets, liquidity, and interactions, all on-chain. 3×3 PvP Battles : The project will let players compete using five NFT cards per match. The main thing to know here is that any defeated cards will be burned to sustain all the reward pools. Loss-Mining Rewards : Losing is not a “real loss” in this ecosystem. In fact, players will still earn time-released compensation tokens. ANOME’s integration expands the entertainment layer of BNB Chain. Each Realm generates verifiable usage, isolated liquidity, and transparent capital flows. The system channels meme-driven attention into measurable blockchain activity and strengthens BNB Chain’s GameFi and NFTFi sectors. About ANOME ANOME is a Web3 entertainment protocol bridging gaming, culture, and decentralized finance. Its core module combines NFT minting, 3×3 PvP card battles, and the Loss-Mining reward system. With full BNB Chain readiness, ANOME introduces Meme Realms. The initiative represents a fast, modular framework where meme communities evolve into complete, on-chain universes. Anyone curious to learn more about ANOME and its next advancement plans can refer to the project’s website . Also, the social media below are the best way to keep in touch with this team. X (Twitter) | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Instagram | YouTube | Medium | TikTok 

New Era for Prediction Markets: SX Bet Launches First-Ever P2P Parlays and $50K Tournament

By Press Release • October 10, 2025
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Permute Surpasses $1M in Transaction Volume in One Month Since Launch

By Press Release • October 2, 2025
Permute , an accessible Bitcoin bridge platform, announced that it has surpassed $1 million in transaction volume since its launch on August 26, 2025. This milestone was achieved through more than 1,000 transactions, averaging $1,100 each, and nearly $25,000 in daily volume. The strong early adoption reflects growing trust in Permute’s platform and its mission to unlock Bitcoin liquidity across blockchains. Formerly known as BitcoinBridge, Permute provides a secure and cost-efficient way to transfer native Bitcoin across leading blockchain networks. With transaction fees as low as 0.1%, Permute is up to 10× more economical than competing bridges. Built to scale, Permute’s architecture is designed to support transaction volumes of up to $1.5 billion per month. Its dynamic liquidity routing system minimizes idle funds and cuts costs by ~90%, enabling a sustainable low-fee model. The platform can also be deployed to new chains within days, rapidly expanding reach for users. ​​Permute enables Bitcoin holders to move value across leading blockchains at scale whether millions or even hundreds of millions without relying on per-chain smart contracts or fragmented liquidity pools. Its architecture is anchored in Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), which perform in-enclave verification and eliminate the need for custodial wrappers or intermediaries. This design makes it possible to settle transactions in actual Bitcoin while keeping fees as low as 0.1%—nearly 10× cheaper than traditional bridges. Security is another aspect that differentiates Permute from its competitors. Permute uses Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) and threshold cryptography to secure keys and signing. These features are similar to the security techniques used by top exchanges and institutions in the broader crypto industry. Permute currently supports major networks and assets including Ethereum, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Berachain, BNB Chain, wBTC, USDT, USDC, and DAI, with additional integrations already in development. Now live on mainnet, Permute is open to all users. To showcase its cost advantage, the platform offers a savings calculator that lets users instantly see how much they stand to save on fees when moving Bitcoin across chains with Permute. About Permute Permute is a native Bitcoin bridge, enabling secure, low-cost swaps of BTC into leading blockchains and assets like ETH, AVAX, BNB, ARB, and more. Built for both retail and institutions. Permute combines deep liquidity, ultra-low fees (0.1%), and non-custodial security to deliver the most reliable bridge for unlocking Bitcoin in DeFi. Learn more about Permute on its official website and its social media channels, including X and Telegram . 
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