The Curator Podcast

It’s difficult to release a podcast when you’re on the road. I tried, I tried so hard. I even wrote the following blog post:“Hello.A little late this week cause I'm on the road with False Hopes (do check us out).More notes to follow but things you should know about this podcast:Modern Baseball are greatThis interview is a ton of funBut I wish it was longer.I hope you enjoy it!”And I edited the podcast. I spoke about being on the road during the episode. I’m now home from tour, and the podcast is going out as it was last week. Just to highlight my ineptitude.I talk about touring with Modern Baseball. How being on the road a lot kind of freezes real life. There’s also a really cool moment where we talk about the realisation that being a musician is just what they do now. And it’s a nice piece of reflection.There’s some audio issues towards the end when the doors opened and the music began to play in the venue. I wanted this interview to be much longer but I forgot my shotgun mic and it’s a total pain to edit around music so I had to cut it short.Modern Baseball create emo that’s very much in the vein of older emo bands, and there’s an emotional honesty and rawness to their music which you can tell is just part of who they are. That openness and honesty which is displayed in their music is demonstrated in this interview, and it’s always a treat to find out that someone’s as genuine as their music implies. It’s those kind of moments which makes me want to keep doing this podcast.I hope you enjoy this episode.

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There was a two week gap. It is a gap no more. I lost my voice, you see. You can hear it going a little bit in the interview. By the end of that night, my throat was finished, and for week afterwards I was a hoarse, croaky mess.But we’re back in action now.I have noticed that inconsistency has decimated my podcast listening figures. So if you could share this I would be forever in your debt.On this episode I speak to the one and only Acey Slade. He has been in many bands over the years, most famously the Murderdolls and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. He was also in Dope, Trashlight Vision, Acey Slade and the Dark Party, and now he’s a one man army. Something of a nomad, you could say. A musician without a place to rest his head. Constant movement seems good. Being a hired gun is more fulfilling in the long term, I think. You can always go back and focus on your own stuff, and your own vision, but people trust you to help realise their vision. It’s that trust which I find fascinating.Bands are tight knit units, and it’s difficult to enter into one of those situations as a new guy. I have a colossal amount of respect for those who are able to do that and keep doing it.I used to play Murderdolls songs with my first ever band when I was 16. That’s a good 14 years ago now. Acey may not have directly played on the first Murderdolls record, but he was there and he lived it. When I saw them live, he was the guitar player. He was responsible for transmitting that music straight into my brain. It was a formative influence but an important one. That’s why there’s a Murderdolls song in this episode.Billy Liar helped me set up this interview. I had such a good time chatting to both of them. Some cool hangs afterwards too, although I did get a sense that I was outstaying my welcome. Sometimes I forget that I’m socially awkward. Afterwards, when I reflected on the interview and the time we spent together after it, I began to realise that perhaps the medication I used to take for anxiety had more than just the obvious effects, but also much more subtle ones too. I don’t feel like I need it anymore but I do feel like part of me has changed since coming off it. Maybe that’ll go away. Or maybe that’s just who I am.This episode is a diamond, I think. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed it.

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This interview was wrought with issues from the start. Ross and I had a really good chat and then the batter died on my trusty H6. Luckily I had a spare with me, but the recording was corrupted, so we had to start again.Which we did! And all was well! There’s quite a bit more ambient background chatter than I thought, but you can still hear us and that’s what matters.This week’s guest is Ross Barber-Smith from Bridge the Atlantic. He was one of the very first people who actually liked this podcast when it began back in May/June last year and he’s stuck with the show ever since. It’s also cool because he’s Scottish and has a very awesome podcast of his own, which I urge you to check out.My interview with Ross is slightly different than what I usually do on here. We talk a lot more about podcasting because, quite frankly, I love talking to other podcasters and there aren’t that many of us that do the creativity thing the way that we do.We get a bit technical but it’s not too heavy, so I think it makes for a really interesting listen. We also talk a bit about podcasting burnout. Which I plan to cover extensively later on in a blog post.Ross’ own story of how he got involved in music and everything that happened in his life which led him to Bridge the Atlantic is fascinating, but for me the best thing about this chat is how goddamn inspiring it is. He’s done a lot, made a bunch of friends all over the world all down excellent social media management, having a podcast and just generally being one of the nicest guys on the planet.I hope you enjoy this interview. It’s a cracker.

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The struggle to write interesting, engaging questions for your guests is real. You need to do research, read between the lines of things they’ve said in the past, pay close attention to their music, lyrics, and the overall aesthetic of their art. You need to spend some time in worlds that they are creating.People may wonder why I only speak to artists that I’m a fan of. The reasons seem fairly obvious to me, but perhaps they may not be to others. I think it’s unfair to interview people whose art you are unfamiliar with. I’m not here to fill column inches, cash a paycheque or do what my editor wants me to do (not that there’s anything wrong with that). It is, in my opinion, somewhat disrespectful to chat with someone about what they do without at least being aware of how they operate or what they produce. To do this, sometimes it means listening a bit more closely to artists I like but whose music I haven’t spent a lot of time with, or maybe it means reading their work a little more closely and sometimes that means distancing myself from whatever massive emotional connection I have to an artists’ creations.Yet the most obvious reason to me is that I only want to speak to artists whose art I have reacted to, and lived with for a while - artists’ whose work is interesting to me, basically. People love talking about their art and why they create it. It’s natural to want to discuss what you do because by throwing your art into the world you want to know that it is being received and understood, that people are responding to it.One thing I have noticed over the course of the past 40 episodes is that people approach the dissemination of their art in different ways. Some push hard to get it noticed, others are just glad that someone has noticed; some are fervent in their approach, others more measured.The biggest lesson I’ve learned though, is that the creative process and its genesis has wildly different origins for each individual. The goal of this podcast is to try to understand the creative process, to curate these experiences and create a repository for them so that others can at least know that the creative struggle is real. Everyone who creates art does so for very specific reasons, and seems to do so in a very different way.And it’s fascinating. It’s what keeps me going.Enough nonsense.On this week’s episode I have a thoughtful and engaging interview with Muncie Girls. It’s my third full band interview and it’s a goodie. We talk about all the things mentioned above, and how the band has grown over the years. They're really fun, interesting, thoughtful people and I had a good time talking about them (and subsequently almost being kidnapped in their van).Enjoy!

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These blogs are getting harder to write. Show notes are, podcasters are told, vital to a good podcast. People will often read the blog with the hope of getting a feel for the episode.Furthermore, the show notes often make up the description within iTunes (or whatever podcast player you use), so apparently it's good practice to have the show notes give a little more information than the episode can provide.I get wary about saying too much in these notes. Inevitably you end up covering some of the same stuff that’s been recorded.On this episode I sat down with Paul and Tom from HECK. We talk about their new album ‘Instructions’ in rather a lot of depth, and just by discussing it we venture into territory which has been touched upon in other interviews the band have done, but haven’t really been explored in any proper fashion.To hear them talk passionately about their debut album and their band’s future is simply wonderful. Not least because the name change from Baby Godzilla to HECK had a significant effect on the band, even throwing their future in to jeopardy.Line-up changes and name changes often have a habit of killing bands. It can be hard to find a way forward when everything you’ve been working towards starts to quickly look like it's about to unravel at the seams, and for HECK this was compounded further by the very bleak realisation that they would need to recapture at least part of the fan base that they had worked on building for years. Bigger bands can often get away with it, but for small bands who are just gaining a name for themselves it can be heartbreaking.I’m hesitant to say any more about it because they do talk about it quite extensively and it makes for a really fascinating listen.During the interview my band is mentioned. It’s not a deliberate plug or anything, it just sorta happens. I apologise if that offends you.(Although you’ll probably like us if you like HECK, so listen here.)About ten minutes into the podcast Raketkanon start their soundcheck, so just bear that in mind when you listen. It doesn't effect the quality of the episode, but there are some things I'd probably have edited or cleaned up which was just impossible to do with music in the background.I hope you enjoy the episode!

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A few weeks ago I was interviewed for the Hello-Fi Podcast and on this episode, I return the favour. This is technically part two of that exchange, because the Hello-Fi interview came first, but the way these are coming out means that it’s actually part one. Or part 1.5, if you will.Interviewing someone after they’ve interviewed you is a weird experience, because it kinda feels like you’re often covering the same ground. Yes, hopefully we’ll have some amount of audience crossover but on the whole we have two distinctly separate audiences, so somethings are going to get repeated because of that.On this episode I speak to Jamie Sturt from Atlas:Empire, This Silent Forest and Hello-Fi Podcast. It’s a really warm conversation, this one. I think that’s because it kinda felt like we’d already been “in the trenches” so the rapport was already established, and the conversation flowed easily as a result.It’s also one of the longer interviews which I know you guys prefer and that I certainly prefer doing. The truth of it is that we could have went on for much longer, but time was running short because the interview was conducted in a recording studio and the arrival of a band was imminent.I’ve been a fan of Atlas : Empire for a long time. I even put out their second EP ‘Somnus’ on Cold War Legacy Records (WHICH IS NOT DEAD, JUST SLEEPING). Jamie’s had a colourful and interesting life, so it was great to hear him talk about that, his creative pursuits and all the things that make him the musician that we see (or rather, hear) before us today.I had a lot of fun chatting to Jamie. I hope you enjoy the episode.

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Going to keep this blog short and sweet this week, mostly because the podcast itself is quite long – like, it’s over an hour long and I haven’t thrown out one of those bad boys for a while.On this episode I sit down with Kyle from We Came from Wolves to talk about creativity. And we go deep. It’s probably the most extensive conversation about the creative process that I’ve yet had on this podcast, drilling down into the reasons, processes, habits and drive of both Kyle’s and, bizarrely, my own.My modus operandi for this podcast has always been creativity. I always aim to act as a faceless proxy for you, hoping to make it feel less like you are eavesdropping on a conversation and more that you are having an intimate conversation with the guest.For the most part, I think I’ve succeeded. Sometimes I seep into the cracks, and when I give an opinion on something I’m always wary, because it’s unlikely that everyone who listens will agree with said opinion.This interview with Kyle goes in the completely opposite direction. We have a conversation about each other’s creativity. The focus is still very much on We Came from Wolves but there are moments where we just talk about stuff, and it really does come across like the microphone was simply eavesdropping in on a conversation.You can judge for yourself.There are a lot of highlights in this chat, so like the last few episodes I’m not going to list them. I’m simply going to let you hear for yourself.Enjoy the episode!Featured MusicIntro: Voodoo Puppets – Electric Chair Blues (used under CC licence, you can check it out here).We Came from Wolves - ButterfliesWe Came from Wolves - Where'd Your Love Go?We Came from Wolves - RuinerI make no claim to the copyright of any of the music in this episode.

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Interviewing an entire band can be fun if the setting is right. In this interview with The Van Ts I was quite lucky because the band had a dressing room which wasn’t particularly noisy. Some dressing rooms though…it’s like trying to do an interview in a building site.I’ve been trying to book these guys for a while. There’s something about their 90s vibe, the alt-rock flavoured grunge that they play which takes me back to my youth. There’s an infectious energy about their music, but also a sorta laid back effortlessness which brings to mind Dinosaur Jr in its approach – noisy, fuzzy but confident and assured.I could drone on about them for another 500 words but I’ll save you, and I, the embarrassment.One of my favourite things about the podcast since the start of the year is the greater focus on more local acts. I still love it when my favourite artists from outside of Glasgow come to town, but Glasgow is such a vibrant place and I can’t think of any city this size which has such an accessible group of talented musicians from across multiple genres. London is the obvious comparison, but given the sheer enormity of the city it could, I imagine, make it very difficult to find such a diverse range of artists in a relatively confined space.I recently interviewed Kyle from We Came from Wolves (interview coming next week, incidentally) and he commented on how The Van T’s name seems to be everywhere right now – it’s true. It’s cool that they’re not aware of their own growing hype. I think they’re poised to capture the zeitgeist and I can definitely see them going far.So yeah, I hope you enjoy this interview. They’re cracking point and were up for a bit of meaningless banter and that’s what this podcast ultimately provides – meaningless banter with a side order of exploration of the creative process.Featured MusicIntro: Voodoo Puppets – Electric Chair Blues (used under CC licence, you can check it out here).The Van T's - GrowlerThe Van T's - Another SunI make no claim to the copyright of any of the music in this episode.

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I feel like the apologies are coming across as hollow. Maybe I should move the publishing day to Fridays. Although, there is then the issue of clashing with That’s Not Metal podcast but hey, it’s not like I’m even in the same league as them anyway, eh? Thoughts on this would be appreciated. Moving the day that is, not on the other podcast thing. They’re in a league of their own.Interviews have been falling on Thursday’s a lot of late – I actually have another next week – but the fact still remains: I should be more prepared and have stuff ready in advance.Foot is coming off the gas. Let’s put it back on and plant it on the floor.On this episode I have a wonderful chat with Allison Weiss, whose album ‘New Love’ was one of my favourite records of 2015. I had great fun chatting to her. She’s very accommodating, warm and friendly which is always a relief.To this day I still get nervous in the run up the interviews but Allison’s easy going demeanour helped put me at ease pretty quickly. I think the conversation comes across as very natural which, in this podcast game, is something that everyone who interviews people should strive for.I worry that talking about feminism comes off as a little awkward. I mention it during the episode and I’ll mention it here too – I was brought up by my mum, as a single parent. Yeah, my dad was around and stuff but I lived with my mum, brother and sister. I was brought up to believe in equality for everyone, it’s perhaps why I still lean far left politically. Women’s rights were always in the background as I grew up, mostly because I saw how women were treated by men and found it abhorrent.In university during both film and literature studies I was introduced to feminist literary and film criticism. The concatenation was complete. I wouldn’t call myself a feminist (largely because I’m deeply suspicious of men who use that label), but I would definitely classify myself as an ally.Which leads to the point of this tangent – I feel awkward when I talk about it to women. Even talking my sister or girlfriend about these issues leaves me feeling weird. I’m passionate about them, but I can never fully understand what it’s like to be a woman, I can never fully experience the misogyny women experience. When I see it happening, I call it out but I can never be on the receiving end. Sometimes that makes me feel like an imposter. Is that common?After the interview Allison was glad that I brought it up, which is somewhat reliving but I still feel it may have been slightly awkward. I hope you don’t find it off putting.Please enjoy this episode – it’s one of my favourites.

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Can the lateness of an episode ever truly be forgiven? I know how annoyed I get when my favourite podcasts miss a week or have an erratic schedule. Does it erode your faith in me and my ability to get the job done? Do you even care about the reasons?Answers on a postcard please. Or an email. Or a tweet. Whatever. I’d like to know.This is late because I did the interview on a Thursday again. I had originally hoped to have another interview the day after this one, but that fell through. I even talk about it in the podcast. In episode 33 I also spoke about an interview that I was scheduled to do but never happened. It sucks. I think maybe I jinx it by mentioning that it’s happening. Seems to be the case recently.But yes, I’m late again, and this was a conscious decision on my part. It was either a case that I had no content for this week or I had none for last week. I pulled the trigger and went for last week. Sorry.I had a chat with Calum from A Sudden Burst of Colour – one of my favourite Glaswegian post-rock bands. I really love straddling different genres with this podcast because I like more than just punk music, so it was ace to sit down with another instrumental type dude. He’s a really articulate and smart guy, which is probably a good description of A Sudden Burst of Colour’s music, too.We had this chat in the Crystal Palace in Glasgow and it was going so well until some parents came in with their kids and sat next to us. You can hear the exact moment in the interview and that’s why it’s shorter than normal.Again, there’s another apology for you.Highlights includeStarting with the goal of being a wedding band and evolvingHaving different musical tastesTrying to force yourself to listen to certain music because your band sounds a certain wayHow your tastes change as you get olderBeing a producer and how hard it can be distance yourself from the musicBut at the same time growing to hate the music because you’re working on itAnd loads moreWas great to chat to Calum. I can’t wait for their new EP.I hope you enjoy the episode.Featured MusicIntro: Voodoo Puppets – Electric Chair Blues (used under CC licence, you can check it out here).A Sudden Burst of Colour - RebornA Sudden Burst of Colour - The FallI make no claim to the copyright of any of the music in this episode.

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