Kreative Kontrol

Elizabeth Stokes and Jonathan Pearce from the Beths are back to discuss their new album, Straight Line Was a Lie, NBA basketball, cricket, and baseball, overcoming writer’s block by reading a book by Stephen King, Liz’s health challenges and her current state of mind, how Jonathan and his bandmates have supported and worked with her in recent years, a helpful typewriter, accepting that people change, Sonic Youth’s “Teenage Riot” and writing a rather dynamic Beths record, Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark, cover songs, current tour dates, new songs, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. Enjoy this excerpt and please subscribe now via this link to hear this full episode. Thanks!

Thanks to Blackbyrd Myoozik, the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. 

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

All Things Konsidered: JID, Sloan, Julianna Riolino, Live shows

Ep. #1019: Friendship

Ep. #1009: Superchunk

Ep. #954: Peter Ames Carlin on R.E.M.

Ep. #722: The Beths

Ep. #673: Sonic Youth

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On Saturday, November 29, 2025, the annual Letters to Santa Holiday Gala is taking place at the Chop Shop in Chicago. This year’s event is headlined by Fred Armisen and Jeff Tweedy and if you can’t make it to Chicago, you can learn how to livestream it and donate money to this remarkable and life-affirming and live-saving poverty alleviation initiative at letterscharity.org.

People who are familiar with the history of Kreative Kontrol know that the late Steve Albini and I would often have talks just ahead of each year’s Letters to Santa event, to catch up on stuff, ponder the year that was, and spread the word about Letters to Santa.

While Steve and I can’t have such conversations anymore, to maintain the tradition and spirit of the talks we had, I plan to feature archival interviews I conducted with Steve over the years, presenting them here ahead of Letters to Santa events for as long as possible.

If my records are correct, here now is the third radio interview that I asked Steve to participate in. It took place in the early fall of 2008 just ahead of Shellac playing what I’m rather certain were their first and only ever shows in Toronto and Montreal. Discussion topics included the friendly but somewhat tense diplomatic relationship between Canada and the United States of America, and how the Republican Party was letting “the oldest man in the world” run for president to further their ruinous policies and strengthen their vision for a police state. Again, this talk is from 2008.

Enjoy this blast from the past, support Letters Charity, and always and forever, thank you Steve Albini.

Support vish on Patreon! Specifically, by November 28, 2025 to help reach our membership drive goal of 700 paid subscribers!

Thanks to Blackbyrd Myoozik.

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #925: Steve Albini (2007)

My first Steve Albini interview (2006)

Ep. #869: Steve Albini

Ep. #826: Steve Albini and Fred Armisen

Ep. #692: Wilco

Ep. #669: Dallas Good Remembered

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

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Hélène Barbier is here to discuss her excellent new record Panorama, difficulties an untrained musician might have playing music publicly in France compared to Montreal, being drawn to the low notes, imposter syndrome and loving low-key rock stars, being something of a homebody, dealing with a health diagnosis with some measure of humour, avoiding pigeonholing yourself in the press, writing songs in French or English depending on the rhythmic feel of the words, the Celluloid Lunch record label, being a dog person, upcoming shows, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. This one is fine, but if you haven’t already, please subscribe now on Patreon so you never miss full episodes. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. 

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1023: Cate Le Bon

Ep. #996: Bibi Club

Ep. #991: Elle Barbara

Ep. #965: Marlaena Moore

Ep. #961: Eliza Niemi

Ep. #885: Laughing

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

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Liam Kazar is here to discuss his lovely new album Pilot Light, parts of Canada, living in Brooklyn but missing Chicago, being in Jeff Tweedy’s solo band and working on his recent triple album, Twilight Override, performing on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert so soon after its impending cancellation announcement, constantly touring with Jeff, Waxahatchee, Sam Evian, Kevin Morby, and on his own, multi-instrumentalists who are stymied by the drums, growing up close to the Tweedys and his father’s musical and writing pursuits, the Windy City and minimalism, board games, chess, and chance, lyrical juxtaposition, mourning what could’ve been, tour dates, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. Enjoy this excerpt and please subscribe now via this link to hear this full episode. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. 

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1026: Tortoise

Ep. #869: Steve Albini

Ep. #826: Steve Albini and Fred Armisen

Ep. #779: Kevin Morby

Ep. #692: Wilco

Ep. #586: Spencer Tweedy

Ep. #450: Jeff Tweedy

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My son, who is 14, and I have been to a couple of shows together recently, including taking a trip to Vancouver to see JID and more recently, a drive to nearby Sherwood Park to see Sloan, just ahead of us heading to the Aviary in Edmonton to see Julianna Riolino on November 23. And so, we decided to record a pod about these experiences and people, and ponder what it means to see live music together, as a dad and son.

Featuring music produced by Levon Khanna.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO MONTHLY $6 USD PATREON SUPPORTERS. This one is fine, but please subscribe now on Patreon so you never miss full episodes. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. 

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

All Things Konsidered: ‘Let God Sort ‘Em Out’ by Clipse

Ep. #1037: Sloan

Ep. #1029: Julianna Riolino

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

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Ryan Davis is here to discuss the new Roadhouse Band double-album, New Threats From the Soul, Indiana/Kentucky cultural and college sport rivalries, his parents’ musical interests and what led him, as a boy, to write songs for Michael Jackson and mail them to him to sing, pondering songs as puzzle pieces on his albums, Will Oldham and musical multiverses, his penchant to reference pop culture in his writing and choices he makes, the humour vs. novelty conundrum, storytelling and personal revelation, dynamic musical arrangements, interning at Drag City and befriending the late David Berman, unexpected adulation, touring, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. This one is fine, but if you haven’t already, please subscribe now on Patreon so you never miss full episodes. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. 

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #960: Kim Thayil

Ep. #944: Bonnie “Prince” Billy

Ep. #865: Myriam Gendron

Ep. #812: Michael Azerrad on ‘The Amplified Come As You Are – The Story of Nirvana’

Ep. #699: Joan Shelley

Ep. #630: Nathan Salsburg

Ep. #562: Bill Callahan

Ep. #481: David Berman

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We did something like this successfully last year, and we’re doing it again: it’s the 2025 Kreative Kontrol Patreon subscriber drive! From November 21 to 28, we’re aiming to reach 700 paid Patreon subscribers and we can do this! Also, a new gift will be announced daily and awarded via random draws among eligible paid subs!

I will publicly announce each drive day’s prize pack in the morning on my Patreon and on socials, and people will have until midnight MT that day to subscribe and be eligible to be entered into these random draws.

All new annual subscribers will receive as many entries into the daily draw as their subscriber tier amount (i.e. if you sign up for an annual sub at $6/month, you’ll receive six entries for that day’s draw) and all existing paid subscribers and new monthly paid subscribers will receive two entries per draw.

If you’re already a paid subscriber and you refer-a-friend to subscribe during the drive, please ask them to message me and mention you, and I’ll double your entries for that day’s draw!

Thanks for your support! Let’s get to 700 Patreon subscribers! Hear me say some of these words on this episode. 

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Jesperson, Jason Jones, and Elizabeth Nelson are here to discuss their work on Let It Be (Deluxe Edition) by the Replacements, Peter’s fondness for Elizabeth’s writing and her excellent liner notes for this edition, Bob Mehr’s decision to step away from the Replacements reissue campaign for now and its impact on this project, the ‘Mats’ penchant for cover songs, what this might signify, and their love of NRBQ, the energetic live records included here and tracking down a fan who taped one of the shows, news about Elizabeth’s band the Paranoid Style, what’s next in Replacements reissues, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. Enjoy this excerpt and please subscribe now via this link to hear this full episode. Thanks!

Thanks to Blackbyrd Myoozik!

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1034: Sean Wilentz on Bob Dylan’s ‘Through The Open Window’

Ep. #954: Peter Ames Carlin on R.E.M.

Ep. #803: The Replacements’ ‘Tim: Let it Bleed Edition’ with Bob Mehr, Jason Jones & Ed Stasium

Ep. #646: They Might Be Giants

Ep. #644: The Replacements’ ‘Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash’ with Peter Jesperson, Jason Jones, & Bob Mehr

Ep. #569: The Replacements’ ‘Pleased to Meet Me’ with Bob Mehr & Jason Jones

Ep. #252: Bob Mehr on The Replacements

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

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Katie Stelmanis from Austra is here to discuss her new album, Chin Up Buttercup, food-related music interviews and relatable human beings, settling back in Toronto after living elsewhere, delving into heartbreak and the stages of grief to compose songs, diaristic writing about personal cataclysms and not being a words person, pandemic isolation, bubble babes, and living for Eurodance music, having to create internet content to let people know about your new album, touring, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. This one is fine, but if you haven’t already, please subscribe now on Patreon so you never miss full episodes. Thanks!

Thanks to Blackbyrd Myoozik, the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. 

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1028: Jane Inc.

Ep. #1023: Cate Le Bon

Ep. #892: Fucked Up

Ep. #545: Owen Pallett

Ep. #288: DIANA

Ep. #185: Steven Kado of Blocks Recording Club

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan H. Walsh from Hallelujah The Hills is here to discuss Deck, the band’s new star-studded 52-song, four-record set and its playing card themes, our shared love for and interactions with the late David Berman, the Toronto Silver Jews show I saw, which the Hills opened, Berman’s generosity as a mentor and a friend, his “google purity” measure, and his music competitiveness, Ryan not being into Bruce Springsteen and contemplating Nebraska and the film, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the power of The Best Show with Tom Scharpling, the thrill of failure, his acclaimed book Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968 and what he learned from learning more about Van Morrison’s conduct, film studies and ambitious projects, the magical, sordid, and mystical history of cards, celebrating 20 years of the Hills, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. Enjoy this excerpt and please subscribe now via this link to hear this full episode. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1034: Sean Wilentz on Bob Dylan’s ‘Through The Open Window’

Ep. #1002: Peter Ames Carlin on Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’

Ep. #981: The Minus 5

Ep. #902: David Yow from The Jesus Lizard

Ep. #880: Guided By Voices

Ep. #730: Ezra Furman

Ep. #620: Tom Scharpling

Ep. #492: I Remember Me and David Berman

Ep. #481: David Berman

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.