Sam's Vids

Greg (@[email protected]) and Alison (@[email protected]) dive headfirst into the toxic grip of big tech on creativity and mental autonomy. Sharing raw personal journeys from Alison’s early Facebook rebellion to Greg’s radical "de-Googling" in the mountains of New Hampshire, they dissect how algorithms poison focus, erode privacy, and stifle artistic expression.

Your fearless hosts then expose the hidden cost of "engagement": stolen attention spans, fractured communities, and a world where making art feels impossible. With fiery anecdotes about startup culture, zombie-like scrolling, and Trent Reznor’s DX7-smashing rage, this candid conversation asks: Can we reclaim our minds from the feed?

Subscribe to Too Much Music or check out the website.

Music, blogging, & more from your hosts:

Tom @[email protected] meets independent musician Setto @[email protected], a musician and entrepreneur behind Basspistol. Setto shares his experiences creating a space for fostering creativity and community among artists.

Basspistol started as a booking agency but has evolved into a multifaceted platform that not only releases music but also hosts events and encourages collaboration among artists. They talk about how he incorporates federated and self-hosted environments to help artists.

Throughout the conversation, they talk about the abilities of open-source and community-driven tools and the Fediverse for artists to help them reclaim their creative work on their own terms.

They also discuss how he runs Basspistol, from managing peer tube channels to collaborating with other musicians. Setto shares his vision of a community where artists can support each other, emphasizing that success is not solely defined by fame or financial gain but by the joy of creating and sharing music.

Learn more about Setto and Basspistol

Lorenzos Music

In this episode of Lorenzo's Music Podcast, Tom Ray (@[email protected]) meets Roberta Fidora (@[email protected]), an eclectic electronic musician, animator, and occasional puppeteer. Roberta began playing music at an early age with an unexpected detour from saxophone lessons to electronic organ classes. They discuss her unique blend of music and animation, exploring how she intertwines these art forms to create visual music experiences.

They discuss her evolution as an artist, from her time in the post-punk scene to her current solo work. Roberta reveals the creative process behind her latest projects, including her use of puppetry and animation in music videos, and how she builds her songs around visual concepts.

For more on Roberta's music and to explore her videos, visit robertafidora.com

Lorenzo's Music Website

This Sam doesn’t struggle singing songs! Here is Sam Ryder singing What’s Up by 4 Non Blondes on board a train to Glastonbury 2025. It was part of a campaign to encourage greener travel to festivals which you can read more about here.

Tom from Lorenzo's Music Podcast meets Kirsten Lambertsen, the creative mind behind The Indie Beat Radio (TIBR).

The Indie Beat Radio is an online station, but what sets it apart is its unique integration with Bandwagon (who Tom spoke with in a previous episode), allowing artists to upload their music directly to Bandwagon and opt-in for it to be played on Indie Beat Radio. This process ensures that new music is offered to listeners on The Indie Beat Radio, providing a diverse range of genres.

Kirsten emphasized the importance of music discovery, stating, "I think discovery is the biggest problem for artists." She believes that platforms like Indie Beat FM can help bridge the gap by allowing listeners to explore new sounds and connect with artists in a meaningful way. With genre channels and curated playlists, the station creates an engaging listening experience that encourages exploration.

Kirsten is dedicated to evolving the platform to meet the needs of both artists and listeners. As she aptly stated, "I am trying to respond to what people want to do with it," ensuring that Indie Beat FM remains a relevant and valuable resource for music streaming.

LINKS:

The Indie Beat Radio

Bandwagon

Lorenzo's Music Website

Woke up this morning and penned this. Had to record on first take as going away for the weekend first thing, so sorry for it being totally unrehearsed and unpolished but you get the gist. Love you Big Ange.

Tom from Lorenzo's Music Podcast meets Gabe Kangas, the maintainer and primary developer of the self-hosted software Owncast.

Owncast allows anyone to set up their own streaming service without relying on big tech giants like Twitch. If somebody wants to opt out of those systems and do something themselves, Owncast provides that alternative.

Gabe shares his experience of the development of Owncast, which began during the pandemic. With musicians facing challenges like copyright issues during live streams, he recognized the need for a platform that would allow artists to share their work freely.

We talk about the technical aspects of Owncast, including its hosting costs and server configurations. The software operates similarly to mainstream platforms, allowing users to stream live video using tools like OBS. Owncast allows decentralization and independence for content creation.

Links:

Owncast website

Gabe Kangas website

Lorenzo's Music

(Played with a guitar that doesn’t stay in tune and a voice that was having a particularly bad day!)

Sonny’s going to Bilbao

Come on you…

Spurs are on their way to Bilbao

We are the lads playing smart ball

We know that Man United fear us

CHORUS

Leading the pack is our boy Sonny

Sonny we're gonna be behind you

Sonny’s going to Bilbao

The Game Is About glory

Tom from Lorenzo’s Music meets Keith Marshall, also known as the musician of Key 13 as well as several other music projects. Keith shares his musical background, sparked by the purchase of a NanoKey 2 during the onset of the stay home order. They talk about his inspirations, including the backstory of his band name and the eclectic sounds he creates using virtual instruments.

Keith also discusses his role in creating the Faircamp Webring and being part of the Bonkwave community. We also talk about the role federated platforms have in fostering a collaborative music environment as well as the concept of Fair Trade Music Friday which is aimed at promoting independent artists and their releases across federated platforms.

They also explore the technical side of his music production, including his use of Logic Pro, plugins to achieve guitar sounds, and synth textures.

Keith also tells Tom about his latest compilation, “Pretentious Incongruity,” which revisits and remixes his past works.

For more information on Keith’s music and projects, visit key13.uk

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Lorenzo’s Music Website

Tom from Lorenzo's Music meets Ben Pate, the creator of Bandwagon.fm, an open-source platform designed specifically for musicians that integrates with the Fediverse, allowing artists to share their music in a decentralized manner.

Ben talks about the concept behind Bandwagon, explaining how it originated from a need for a more open alternative to music platforms. One with the ability to connect musicians with audiences through a search function that allows users to follow specific music tags and receive updates in their Mastodon feeds to serve as a music hub for discovering new music.

We also talk about the integration of Bandwagon with the online radio station Indie Beat, which provides an additional avenue for artists to showcase their work.

Check out Bandwagon

Lorenzo's Music Website