The Curator Podcast

I don’t listen to a lot of interview podcasts anymore. I’m a bit burnt out on them, despite how many awesome ones are out there. No, what I mostly listen to are science and storytelling podcasts. I love the high-quality production and sound design found in Love + Radio and the like.It’s those kinds of podcasts which influenced a lot of the production elements I’ve incorporated into season two so far, and I find myself being influenced by the way a lot of NPR and Radiotopia shows often interview people outside. I’ve always wanted to record a podcast outside. There’s obviously a lot of things that can go wrong with it though, and because of that I was always wary of pulling the trigger.When it came to interview Thom from Gnarwolves though, fate forced my hand. So, we went for a short walk around Glasgow city centre. You can hear the streets shifting and changing as we make our way through them; small bursts of music from buskers, the hustle and bustle of busy shoppers, mysterious tunes echoing from restaurants and bars, traffic sounds and the faint gust of wind are all apparent in this episode.It gives the interview a lively feel, as if it’s a representation of a specific moment in time. I think all interviews are, but this one feels more real, it has more texture and much more energy to it.Thom was aware of the utter bizarreness of the situation, and I think that’s what made this interview so much fun. When it comes down to it, we’re just two dudes having a laugh, completely baffled at the context and circumstances surrounding our chat and literally just experiencing things as they happen.We dive deep into the band’s new album Outsiders. We talk a little about touring, writing songs in the moment, being a creative person, and I also mistake him for his brother, like a total fucking loser. We cover a few more things as well.He was a fantastic sport, a wonderful guest, and such a charming guy. I would love to do this again with someone else. Maybe I will.You can let me know if I should.Enjoy the interview.Featured MusicIntro: David Szesztay – CombatMusic bed: Lee Rosevere - Planet DOutro: Blue Dot Sessions – InessentialI make no claim to the copyright of any of the music in this episode.Image taken by Sarah Louise Bennett for DIY Mag

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Recently, I had a twitter exchange with a chap who asked me what I thought about streaming services. The crux of his argument was that if an artist owns the masters, they stand to make more in streaming revenue than those who do not, and that if this was the case, then an artist can make a lot of money through streaming services if you can get your music in the right place/places.I’m not sure if that’s true – to make some cash from music you need a proper release strategy, good PR and luck. It remains to be seen if such an approach can work for streaming. Royalty distribution is poor for all but the most popular artists, regardless of whether they own their own masters. Instead, I advised him that the best way of making a success of yourself, of getting your music heard, is to work hard touring and just get your music out there as much as possible.That’s what Kamikaze Girls did. They’ve only released one EP and a single to date, but they’ve been a band for a number of years. 2016 was a busy year for the band, touring extensively in the UK and the US. The result? Signing to Big Scary Monsters, booking bigger tours and releasing their debut album. That’s what hard work, drive and focus get you.There is no such thing as an overnight success, and I think most people realise that by now. The old-fashioned ways still work.It’s been great to see Kamikaze Girls grow in stature. Their new album Seafoam is brilliant, showing a real progression as songwriters and performers. There’s a weathered quality to their music now, and a focus which is entirely different from what’s come before.I met Lucinda and Conor when I arranged a show for the band in 2016. I tried to arrange an interview at that time, but the nature of my brain and the stress of running a show (whilst playing it) proved too much, so the interview didn’t happen. You could probably say this interview was a year in the making.This is one of the stranger interviews I’ve done. Camped out in a car and under threat from marauding parking wardens, I sat in the back whilst they sat up front. Gnarwolves can be heard soundchecking below us, and there’s a couple of interruptions (some of which I cut out) alongside street sounds and engine noises. It’s a bit NPR, except more punk rock, more fly-by-night, more ramshackle.We were pushed for time here too, so the interview ends a little abruptly. The next time I see them they’ll no doubt have even more fans, and hopefully we can pick up where we left off.Featured MusicIntro: David Szesztay – CombatOutro: Blue Dot Sessions – InessentialI make no claim to the copyright of any of the music in this episode.

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You never expect someone to remember you. I know I’ve said that a bunch of times now, but it’s true. I’ve met Chris on a few occasions, I even put on a few shows for The Flatliners over the years, but I still didn’t think he’d remember me.He did though, and because of that this interview actually comes across like two old friends sitting down for a good chat. And for the first time ever, I even got offered a beer, which is one of the nicest things he could do it.Chris is an awesome guy. We could’ve chatted for days because this dude loves to talk, which is only a good thing as far as I’m concerned. He’s actually really good at talking too, so I’m hoping that he starts his own podcast one day. I certainly think he’s cut out for it. The Flatliners are probably my favourite band. In many ways, it feels like I’ve grown up with them, and I appreciate the way their music has shifted over the years. That shift, the way our tastes and feelings change, and how we change as people, is something we talk about at length in this interview.We also discuss moving to Rise Records, if the band ever considered releasing the music themselves, and what keeps them going now that they’ve been a band for 15 years.

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Half way through Chelsea’s set, apropos of nothing, my girlfriend exclaims “She’s quite moody, isn’t she?” Ironic, really because Chelsea and I talk about how her music is perceived as dark, and why that is the case.Of course, what she meant is that Chelsea Wolfe’s music is moody in the atmospheric sense. It’s an accurate observation, particularly when you listen to Abyss and Pain is Beauty; there’s a dark, brooding atmosphere in both records, and if one is familiar with Chelsea’s entire oeuvre it becomes clear that such “darkness”, as I am loathe to put it, has always existed within her music. It’s the very thing which attracted me to it, and the thing which I find most enchanting whenever I listen to it.It also channels a kind of intensity that most artists find difficult to pull off. It’s heavy in places, sure, but it’s the way that heaviness is delivered, and how it sits alongside quieter moments. That’s where the intensity comes from, I think.Meeting Chelsea was kinda daunting for me. I’ve been a fan for a while and for some reason I always approach people whose music I’ve liked for a while with a great deal more trepidation than I do newer artists. I think that’s because I’ve had time to live with their music, and it feels like I’ve somehow come to know that person better. Because I’m a naturally anxious person, that usually means I’m always going into an interview with a bunch of preloaded thoughts about what the person is actually like.I’m always wrong though; Chelsea was great. She’s a super down to earth person, and it was a total pleasure to share her company. I think we had a pretty good chat and I hope you think so too. We cover a lot of ground, from poetry and weird musical comparisons, to recording with Kurt Ballou and how her new album was a much more collaborative process than ever before and much more into the bargain.I hope you guys dig it.

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Picture the scene – you’re standing the middle of an old church. In front of you, built into the wall at the back of the room, are the remnants of ancient organ, its pipes dwarfing everything in the room as they rise almost to the ceiling. At either side of it are stained glass windows, depictions of divinity that loom over the rest of the room, echoes of an old religion. Now, it’s home to a distinctly different cult.The pews and the altar – indeed, all the trappings of the old church – are gone save from those two features that remain. The altar has become a stage, and the pews are gone entirely. Upstairs, in the balcony, the pews remain but they’re not like they were before. They’re much more comfortable and I’m sure the owners wouldn’t mind too much if you stood on them.Church conversions are odd things. In this instance, Saint Luke’s is now a pub, restaurant and venue. Its purpose may have changed but its religiosity is the same – we come to pay reverence and tribute.Behind the organ and stained glass windows is the backstage area, a much more modern setting where the walls are clad in the generic off-colour white we now see in offices and new build housing. Can’t Swim’s erstwhile drummer/current guitarist and tour manager looks for a quiet area where I can interview Chris, the band’s singer. Chris is the reason this band exists, he’s the reason it changed from a guy recording demos into his bedroom into the five piece that they are today.Eventually we stumble upon what is probably the quietest place in the building – the shower room. That’s right folks; this interview was conducted in a shower. I sat on a laundry basket while Chris sat on a huge pile of towels. Two guys clad in black hunched over a microphone, telling stories and shooting the shit in the only way I know how.We had a pretty fun, if brief, conversation. I had a good long chat to him afterwards too (which I probably should have recorded, in retrospect) and I can confirm he is one of the soundest dudes I’ve ever met.In this interview we speak about:Chris’ musical upbringingThe way the band startedThe fun of being a full time musicianHow things evolved from his bedroom to a five piece rock band (complete with three guitarists)How the band’s songwriting has changed as they’ve grown closerThe band’s comfort with how things are going right nowHow it’s better than having a jobAnd much moreI hope you enjoy it.Featured MusicIntro: David Szesztay – CombatMusic bed: James Beaudreau – PacificoOutro: Blue Dot Sessions – InessentialI make no claim to the copyright of any of the music in this episode.

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Ray’s podcast is wonderful. That’s the most important thing you need to know about this interview. The other thing you should know is that we recorded this over Skype and I think it’s the best a Skype interview has turned out for me. He’s a really down to earth, intelligent dude whose interviews are insightful and really engaging. I first came across his podcast when I began The Curator, and I’ve been a fan ever since.We’ve interviewed a lot of the same people, but our approach is markedly different – he’s interested in the way that DIY and punk culture has influenced the lives of the people he’s spoken to, a list of folk that extends beyond musicians. I mean, he’s even interviewed Roman Mars for God’s sake, what more could you ask for?He’s also a musician himself and sings in a really great hardcore band called Taken, which I recommend checking out. I feel like we really hit it off in this interview. Our ethos and passion comes from very similar places, and it was awesome to connect with someone whose mind is just as curious as mine. He’s a fantastic guy, an awesome podcaster and a pretty great vocalist too.The most impressive thing to me about his podcast 100 Words or Less is how it stands as something of a testament to hard work. He’s been doing his thing for over 6 years now, turning up with a new episode every single goddamn week, building a fanbase from the ground up.I’ve had a few people ask me about starting a podcast, and my first piece of advice is always to simply get going. Just start. Don’t let anything hold you back. It’s only after I offer this advice that I realise that what I should actually be saying is that you must ensure you love your idea enough that you stick with it. Like any creative endeavour, podcasting is unlikely to lead to success and riches. I’m not saying that it can’t, and in time it is certainly possible that a podcast will provide some kind of income (I’m not there yet, I hasten to add), but that will only happen if you stick at it. Once you realise that, once you decide you’re in it for the long haul, then you’re ready to begin.Ray stuck at it. He’s turned up every week for six years. He loves his subject enough to do that, and so must you. Once you get started, everything else can be worked on, but passion, that’ll be the fire that keeps you warm on your podcasting journey. I hope you enjoy this interview.

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So many of these blog posts open with a description of how I first found out about my interviewee. It wasn’t until I sat down to write this one that I realised how being able to pinpoint such instances of discovery might be an odd thing. Do people tend to remember the exact moment when they first discovered art that moved them?
One day in 2008, Build & Burn by The Loved Ones dropped through my letterbox. Back in those days, when I was running Daily Dischord, I’d get promo CDs through the door every day. We’d only started the site a year before, and to get sent something by a band on Fat Wreck was a pretty big deal for a raggedy punk like me. The sheer volume of stuff I’d get sent on a weekly basis not only made it difficult to listen to everything, but it quickly sapped my desire for listening to many of the records I received. Put simply, many of the albums and EPs just weren’t that good, and there’s only so many press releases you can read before you realise they’re all basically saying the same thing.
Fat Wreck Chords was a symbol of quality. It still is. I put Build & Burn into my CD player purely because it was a Fat Wreck release. I don’t even think I read the press release, I just put that disk in and hit play.
I fell in love with the band immediately. The lyrics, all reflections of love and loss in working class America, spoke to me straight away. This was years before I really got into Springsteen, and when I listen to Dave Hause now, I can see the influence. At the time though there was a heart, a truth to the music which hit me in the chest as soon as I’d heard it.
I think that I was primed to accept this music through The Gaslight Anthem, whose album Sink or Swim had me rapt in enthusiasm the previous year. There was a connection between those two bands which made me feel something real; not just tunefulness, but a truth and a sincerity. It was the way these songs chronicled the lives of strangers that struggled to be heard as they found themselves caught up in the mechanisations of blue-collar America which really got me. It held a power which spoke to me in some deep way.
It’s probably how people felt when they heard The Boss for the first time.
Dave’s career has gone from strength to strength since then. First, he embraced the more Americana, folksy, acoustic side of his music before expanding his scope, taking in those heartland rock vibes which seems to ooze from the pores of many of those involved in music from the Mid-Atlantic.
His new album Bury Me in Philly seems to be the final piece of the puzzle which connects Dave Hause, frontman of The Loved Ones, with Dave Hause, the acoustic, alt-rock troubadour. It also adds many other strings to his fantastic songwriting bow.
I’ve been a fan of his music for years and it was a total honour to chat with him. He’s one of the nicest dudes I’ve met in a long time.
I hope you enjoy this interview.

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When I began this podcast I would often get frustrated at how unsuitable my recording environments would be. Sitting down in a dressing room or tour bus, the perfectionist in me would get annoyed at odd sounds, like a refrigerator buzzing or traffic passing.
I’ve learned to accept it as something of a unique feature of this podcast. There are other shows out there who can afford to ask their guests to come into a soundproofed studio or, hell, even just a room in a house, and those shows are great. Conversely, there’s podcasts out there which conduct interviews over Skype, and I enjoy those too, but for me the DIY ethic is something I’ve always embraced in my journalistic and creative life. I think in the beginning I lost sight of that.
I understand and accept that I’ll probably never conduct an interview in a studio, so I’ve grown to enjoy the unpredictable nature of recording in the wild. A good conversation can happen anywhere at any time, not just in a studio. In fact, I’ve come to believe that perhaps because the guests feel more at ease in familiar surroundings, the interviews come across much more relaxed and open.
Jeremy has always identified with that DIY punk ethos, and he talks a bit about this in the interview, mostly in relation to Secret Voice but also in regards to punk music more generally.
It was great to finally sit down with the man. I’ve been trying to land this interview for a couple of years; firstly at Hevy festival in 2015 and then last year when they were in Scotland. He spoke about his love of Glasgow, touring, Secret Voice, Stage Four and so much more.
It’s a cracking wee chat if I do say so myself.
Featured Music
Intro: David Szesztay – CombatMusic bed: Lee Rosevere - Planet DOutro: Blue Dot Sessions – Inessential
I make no claim to the copyright of any of the music in this episode.
Image credit: Noisey by Vice.

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I’ve been looking forward to sharing this interview since the day it was recorded. As it happens, my original plan for this was for it to be episode number two, but once I sat down to edit it I realised that of my side of the interview was garbled – it’d somehow been completely corrupt during the recording process. Now, normally I record my end twice so that I’ve got a backup in case something like this happens, and the one time I didn’t do it also happened to be the one time a backup would’ve been really useful, so when I found out it was corrupt I thought it was game over.A good friend of mine (the superb Lewis Glass) suggested that I should re-record my side because Andy’s side was fine. A great idea, I’m sure you’ll agree, but a lengthy solution to a problem brought on my own stupidity.What followed was literally two months of procrastination. I knew recording would be a big job and I honestly couldn’t face it. However I also knew that I would need to do it at some point, so that’s what I did and here it is: the final complete interview with Andrew Falkous from Future of the Left.I first became aware of Falco’s work about a decade ago, when the bass player of my old band used to spend at least half of our band practices talking about how good mclusky* were. For reasons that completely escape me, I didn’t look into his recommendation at the time, so they sorta just passed me by.Later, when I was editor at Daily Dischord, a copy of Future of the Left’s second album ‘Travels With Myself and Another’ found its way through my letterbox. Intrigued by the press release’s reference to mclusky* I popped the disk in my CD player and needless to say, after two listens I was hooked.Falco has always had a reputation for being somewhat opinionated, which is one of the reasons why I felt like I had to interview him. From his wonderful, often antagonistic lyrics to the way he takes pop music and fuses it with off-kilter alt-rock, he’s always struck me as truly punk rock – fearless, witty, intelligent, and incisive. You get a great sense of that in this interview, and in my opinion it’s one of the best interviews I’ve ever conducted.What follows is a funny and insightful chat, as Andy waxes lyrical on his creative process, how to be in a band, what it’s like transitioning between music and writing fiction, how he composes lyrics, the rich creative talents that he has, his productivity and oh so much more.This one’s a keeper. Enjoy it.

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Steven is in two bands, and I’ve interviewed members from both of them. Conor from Dialects was my very first interview on this wee Glasgow music podcast. That was back in June 2015.The other is Jamie from Atlas:Empire, whom I’d interviewed 11 months ago, so if it appears that it’s taken almost a year to follow that up then you’d be mostly correct. This wasn’t by design, but life does tend to get in the way of some things.I’ve known Steven for a number of years now. In fact, he reached out to me when I used to run a small label called Cold War Legacy Records and asked if I fancied putting out Atlas:Empire’s ‘Somnus’ EP. I liked it a lot – I still do like the band a lot – and said yes. It was a good time, and I enjoyed being a small part of that band’s legacy, despite the fact the way that some fractious local scene politics seemed destined to dismiss their music, and my label, before giving it much of a chance.But that’s a story for another day.It wasn’t until after we had arranged to have this conversation that Steven and I realised that we were actually neighbours. Which is kinda cool because music scenes are so vast, and Glasgow is such a densely packed place that it never occurs to me that I might live near someone that I know. Had I known this sooner, this interview wouldn’t have taken this long to happen.As you will be able to tell from this interview, Steven has been involved in bands for the entirety of his adult life, starting in adolescence and perpetually moving forward until the present day. Having been in a few bands myself over the years, with some projects exploding spectacularly before ever reaching any kind of coherence, the drive to keep at it can often be difficult to sustain. The fact he’s still going is a true testament to his drive, tenacity and character. Now he’s in two bands that are doing cool and interesting things, and that’s a pretty cool thing indeed.I hope you enjoy this interview.

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