A Deeper Listen

In light of the news that Kanye West said he would run for president, we talk with another musician who went into politics. It’s Martha Reeves of Motown’s Martha Reeves and the Vandellas who had the hits, “Heat Wave” and “Dancing in the Streets”. She talks about her time as a Detroit City Councilwoman as well as Motown’s sound and how it united people when racial tensions were high in America. 

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

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Independent music venues say they need help from the government or else they’ll have to close their doors completely. Guest Steven Severin is the co-owner of Neumos in Seattle, and is part of the Washington Nightlife Music Association (WANMA) and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). He discusses the state of independent music venues right now and how they are asking folks to get in contact with their congressmembers to pass the RESTART Act to help save venues and other small businesses.

Further reading:

https://www.saveourstages.com/

https://www.nivassoc.org/

https://wanma.info/

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3814

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Independent music venues say they need help from the government or else they’ll have to close their doors completely. Guest Steven Severin is the co-owner of Neumos in Seattle, and is part of the Washington Nightlife Music Association (WANMA) and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). He discusses the state of independent music venues right now and how they are asking folks to get in contact with their congressmembers to pass the RESTART Act to help save venues and other small businesses.

Further reading:

https://www.saveourstages.com/

https://www.nivassoc.org/

https://wanma.info/

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3814

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aisha Fukushima calls herself a RAPtivist. She says the mission of RAPtivism is to “challenge oppression with expression all around the globe.” About 10 years ago, Fukushima traveled to seven different countries as part of a fellowship program and recorded with musicians along the way. The final product ended up becoming her debut album, RAPtivism.

Her latest single is called “Pandemic." Guest host Gabriel Teodros asks Fukushima about the lyric in the song, "this pandemic is systemic." 

“Me saying that this is systemic is saying that this is connected to income inequality. This is connected to not having universal healthcare. This is connected to the struggles of folks who are doing all sorts of work around ableism. Of course race is huge and racialization in this society and also globally. And a lot of these systems of power and oppression are interconnected and they also affect how this pandemic is being narrated and how it's spreading and/or who it's affecting the most and what kind of support and/or investment is taking place,” Fukushima says.

Songs:

"PANDEMIC" by Aisha Fukushima 

"Show Me The World (feat. Confidence Soulful)" by Tan Matthews

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aisha Fukushima calls herself a RAPtivist. She says the mission of RAPtivism is to “challenge oppression with expression all around the globe.” About 10 years ago, Fukushima traveled to seven different countries as part of a fellowship program and recorded with musicians along the way. The final product ended up becoming her debut album, RAPtivism.

Her latest single is called “Pandemic." Guest host Gabriel Teodros asks Fukushima about the lyric in the song, "this pandemic is systemic." 

“Me saying that this is systemic is saying that this is connected to income inequality. This is connected to not having universal healthcare. This is connected to the struggles of folks who are doing all sorts of work around ableism. Of course race is huge and racialization in this society and also globally. And a lot of these systems of power and oppression are interconnected and they also affect how this pandemic is being narrated and how it's spreading and/or who it's affecting the most and what kind of support and/or investment is taking place,” Fukushima says.

Songs:

"PANDEMIC" by Aisha Fukushima 

"Show Me The World (feat. Confidence Soulful)" by Tan Matthews

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Khruangbin’s unique brand of psychedelic funk draws influences from their hometown of Houston, Texas, as well as from around the globe, starting with their appreciation of Thai funk tapes from the 60s. This has helped the band gain popularity with audiences across cultures who can all find elements in their music to relate to. 

Drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson and bassist Laura Lee discuss how they developed such diverse influences, singing in 16 different languages, and their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. “We see music as a vehicle to highlight those similarities between people so people can stand together, listen to the same music together and experience it,” Laura Lee says.

Their third album, Mordechai, is out now on Dead Oceans.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Khruangbin’s unique brand of psychedelic funk draws influences from their hometown of Houston, Texas, as well as from around the globe, starting with their appreciation of Thai funk tapes from the 60s. This has helped the band gain popularity with audiences across cultures who can all find elements in their music to relate to. 

Drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson and bassist Laura Lee discuss how they developed such diverse influences, singing in 16 different languages, and their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. “We see music as a vehicle to highlight those similarities between people so people can stand together, listen to the same music together and experience it,” Laura Lee says.

Their third album, Mordechai, is out now on Dead Oceans.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jackie Shane, a Black transgender soul singer, gained prominence in the 1960s with her captivating stage presence and voice. Then, in 1971, she quit her career and faded from the public eye and into a reclusive life at home. New York Times writer Reggie Ugwu was able to track her down in 2017 and spoke to her on the phone from her home in Nashville. She passed away last year at the age of 78. Ugwu says many people see Jackie Shane as being way ahead of her time, but that she had always put it as “everyone else was behind."

When asked about Jackie Shane’s legacy, Ugwu says, “She was someone who was extremely confident and exuded dignity. She never let anyone define her or put her in a box and she never felt that she had to explain herself to anyone. So she was someone who believed deeply in personal liberation and personal freedom and 'live and let live' […] She’s a real model for how you can be yourself and not conform to the pressures of society."

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jackie Shane, a Black transgender soul singer, gained prominence in the 1960s with her captivating stage presence and voice. Then, in 1971, she quit her career and faded from the public eye and into a reclusive life at home. New York Times writer Reggie Ugwu was able to track her down in 2017 and spoke to her on the phone from her home in Nashville. She passed away last year at the age of 78. Ugwu says many people see Jackie Shane as being way ahead of her time, but that she had always put it as “everyone else was behind."

When asked about Jackie Shane’s legacy, Ugwu says, “She was someone who was extremely confident and exuded dignity. She never let anyone define her or put her in a box and she never felt that she had to explain herself to anyone. So she was someone who believed deeply in personal liberation and personal freedom and 'live and let live' […] She’s a real model for how you can be yourself and not conform to the pressures of society."

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s Gordi is out with a new album, ‘Our Two Skins.' It addresses her queer identity, something she didn't come to terms with until recently. Gordi was supposed to tour the album on a bill with Of Monsters and Men but the tour was cancelled due to COVID-19. Having just wrapped up her medical degree in January, Gordi says she’s on call to put her medical degree to work if COVID-19 cases in Australia start to spike.

Gordi also discusses how the Bandcamp proceeds from her song, “Unready," are going to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency. Gordi said putting out music amid worldwide protests over the police murder of George Floyd and others “felt gross” and she felt she needed to do something to support Black lives, including those in Australia. “Australia’s biggest shame is the treatment of our first people by white people,” Gordi says.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.