What Am I Making Podcast

Jami Smith grew up with MTV as a babysitter. As a latchkey kid she would come home from school each day to sit by the set and take in the glorious carnival that was the golden age of Music Television. Music, and its attendant culture had an outsized influence on Jami, who grew up a tomboy spending her free time hanging out with dudes and eschewing the normal interests of a typical American girl. Although Jami grew up in the utterly androgynous 1980s, she often found herself bullied for looking and behaving differently than her female counterparts.

Despite not having any interest in the opposite sex, Jami tried to fake her way through high school with a boyfriend, eventually coming to terms with her own queerness. She found opportunities as she aged to write professionally for publications like Out! and Advocate, but she always dreamt of being able to write about music, her first and deepest love. 

Songs That Saved Your Life, Jami’s remarkable Substack focuses on the queer history of rock and roll. By telling the hidden and forgotten histories of the queer experience in popular music, Jami is shining a light on some of the greatest music ever made while also providing a critical history lesson of some of the people that have helped to shape this artform. 

During our chat, Jami talked at length about Morrissey and The Smiths. We both confess our unabashed love for the band and the man despite Morrissey’s deplorable personal behaviors and beliefs. This leads to a discussion of Morrissey’s tune ‘Picadilly Palare’ which tells the tale of gay men in London in the 1950s and 60s using a coded language to come out to each other when homosexuality was still illegal. It’s an amazing tale of espionage, survival, and forbidden desires. 

Jami also shares the tragic tale of Dusty Springfield who suffered as one of the first openly gay artists in an era where she could simply be blacklisted. We discuss the shame of living as a gay performer while pretending to lead a double life. I send us on a tangent that tells the story of the Stonewall riots, the phrase ‘Friends of Dorothy,’ and the lasting impact of Judy Garland. 

We cover the often overlooked bisexuality of Pete Townsend and the way that much of the classic rock community simply chooses to ignore that rather obvious fact. This is a prime example of the corners of music where queerness is still an ongoing taboo. Jami also shares her struggles of the mansplaining she is subject to as a woman writing about music, and she speaks eloquently on the continuing marginalization of the trans community both in and out of music. 

This is a great talk about music, culture, identity, purpose, and so much more. I sure hope you dig it. 

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Matty C

Most theater kids grow up dreaming of one day being a part of a smash on Broadway. Jeffrey Seller has not only made that dream a genuine reality, he has doubled it by producing a pair of wildly successful shows that have transcended the confines of the Theater District and found their way into the very fabric of our everyday culture. 

To call Rent and Hamilton hit shows is to completely miss the point of their massive impact on the culture at large. These are not just box office successes but titanic works that have led to massive shake-ups in the world of musical theater. One of the key figures behind these two world renowned productions is Jeffrey Seller, who once dreamt of Broadway stardom from the bedroom of his modest home in suburban Detroit. 

In his new memoir, Theater Kid, Jeffrey writes beautifully about his journey from a poor, gay, Jewish kid in metro Detroit to a Broadway mover and shaker. During our chat we cover much of that journey including a deep dive into his early years discovering musical theater and finding his talent for bringing people together to make something, a skill which he is certain has been at the heart of his professional success. 

We talk about the community theater production that first gave Jeffrey the theater bug and we cover his move to New York along his eventual friendship and collaboration with the writer and composer Jonathan Larson. That relationship would culminate in the debut and subsequently wild success of Larson’s show Rent.

Sadly, Larson would never get to taste his own success. Jeffrey describes the sudden death of Larson on the night of the final dress rehearsal for the show, and how Larson’s parents insisted that the show continue to honor their son. 

Jeffrey followed the massive success of Rent several years later with the hit puppet musical Avenue Q. This moves the conversation to talk about the innate truth-telling ability of puppets. From there, we segue into Jeffrey’s collaborations with Lin Manuel Miranda, including Hamilton, the musical theater zeitgeist of the 21st century. We try to pin down just what it is that makes a hit a hit, and Jeffrey shares how he can tell when a show is great. 

This is a remarkable talk with a man who has been at the center of Broadway for the last three plus decades. Jeffrey Seller has helped to define the look and sound of the era all while following his childhood desire to “always be making something”.

His great new book, Theater Kid tells the tales of a young dreamer who grew up to become a producer at the center of this great American art form, and how he helped to shape that art form. We hit upon many of those stories and more as Jeffrey gives us a taste of his life behind the scenes on Broadway. 

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Matty C

This past Wednesday, May 7th I performed a live set from the Sheddio via Substack Live.

This show was a total blast. A bunch of you came by and experienced the set in real time. It was a treat to see your comments during the show, and to even take a couple of your requests. If you were there on Wednesday night, thanks so much for being a part of it.

While the audio component of the recording here leaves a little to be desired, you’ll get the idea of the experience. If you’re a regular reader here and you haven’t yet heard or seen me perform, this show will give you a nice taste of a solo Matty C house concert.

I am planning to do more via Substack Live in the coming weeks and months. It’s an exciting part of the tools here at Substack. In hopes of taking full advantage of what Substack Live is capable of, I am working on some interesting ways to make the most of the format with live performances like this one, as well as podcast interviews, and a brand new short-form interview series that I will will be unveiling in the near future.

Be sure to get subscribed so you don’t miss any upcoming live performances, conversations, or events.

Cheers,Matty C

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Jon Carroll’s the sort of guy who lights up a room. Sure, he’s a world class piano player, singer, and arranger. He’s been the musical director for Mary Chapin Carpenter’s touring outfit for years on end. You might even know him as a founding member of the Starland Vocal Band. Despite his talent and experience, the first thing you notice about Jon is his ebullient persona. 

Jon is a born storyteller, and when two talkers such as he and I collide, you can be sure it’ll be a lengthy conversation. But I promise you that every minute in this deep and delightful chat is packed with insight, anecdotes, wisdom, and beauty. 

Our chat begins on the subject of Jon’s brand new album, Can’t Afford Not To. It took years for him to bring this record into the world. He made it in a series of fits and starts with his own money and while fitting in session and mixing work between other gigs and touring. We talk about how Jon would often feel he had abandoned his songs to go off and tour or record as part of his living. He likens the feeling to realizing you’ve left your kids at the movie theater a month ago.

Jon also explains why he chose to put the record out on CD and digital via his website, but opted to not put his record on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. We talk about the inherent unfairness of the streaming business model and how Jon is doing what he can to try and ensure that his hard work is paid for and not just eaten up with no compensation. 

Jon talks about partaking in what he refers to as “self-indulgent chum”, and we explore the idea of inspiration like an old radio playing somewhere in the ether. Perhaps if we sit long enough in the quiet we’ll hear the signal. We cover the idea of shepherding songs into being, and not claiming them as possessions. There is even talk of the line between the animal and the spiritual. There is just never a dull moment with Jon Carroll. 

Our wide ranging conversation closes with Jon sharing a beautiful version of the title track from his new record. It’s a gorgeous tune built on the concept of generosity and kindness, two qualities that perfectly embody the spirit of my friend and musical great, Jon Carroll. 

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Matty C

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The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C. 

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin

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You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. 

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Back in mid-March, I had an amazing two hour discussion with Beth Lisogorsky, the mastermind behind the terrific Substack, Beth’s TV & Film Recommendations. We talked about film, television, identity, representation in culture, slow burn films, and so much more. More than 90 minutes into that discussion, I realized that I had never hit the record button. I was devastated, embarrassed, and terrified that I had missed out on the chance to record a pod with one of my favorite culture writers on Substack. Thankfully, Beth was more than willing to sit down and give it another go. 

In our second recording, or conversation that is, Beth and I dive in practically where we dropped off in our previous, unrecorded chat. Our discussion here starts with some frank talk about impostor syndrome which arises due to a compliment I gave to Beth about her recent appearance on The Oscar Project podcast.

Feeling like an impostor is something that I wrestle with nearly every day as I continue my work as a writer, podcaster, and musician. In each discussion and with each essay, I often feel as though I am pretending to have the credibility to discuss the ideas and concepts that permeate this space. It’s a trait that Beth and I share and are working to get past, but it’s a struggle. 

I share my unabashed enthusiasm about the new Max hit show The Pitt. Beth and I also discuss our built-in skepticism about medical dramas. We talk about Beth’s relationship with the Coen Brothers and how her favorite film in their canon is often forgotten altogether. Beth tells a wonderful story of how she hated reading as a teen, but eventually fell head over heels with Agatha Christie and the Anne of Green Gables universe. It led to her falling equally in love with both TV adaptations, and to her Anne With A ‘E’ series recaps on her Substack.

Beth talks about knowing when to give up on a show or film, explaining that with so much to watch, we probably shouldn’t be spending time on film and TV we know aren’t really for us. We ponder the possibility of perfect films and Beth shares a pair of films that even though they’re flawed felt perfect for the moment in which she saw them. 

In addition to this conversation, Beth is working with me on a couple of other projects that are in the works here at What Am I Making. One of them includes an upcoming project on The Wizard Of Oz that I am excited to share very soon. In the meantime, here is a terrific chat with writer and critic Beth Lisogorosky. 

Cheers,

Matty C

I first found John Strohm when I stumbled across a piece he had written about Uncle Tupelo for his terrific Substack, Ready For Nothing. In the piece John described his experience falling in love with the Belleville, IL trio that blended hardcore and roots music, and how that love eventually became the inspiration behind his 1996 alt-country album Caledonia with backup band The Hello Strangers. 

While I had thought that I was wholly unfamiliar with John and his music, I quickly realized reading the piece that he had co-founded the Boston indie outfit The Blake Babies, and he has also been an integral part of The Lemonheads.  In a matter of minutes I found myself learning about a great writer on Substack who had made records with bands I adored, and he’d even made a record in honor of Uncle Tupelo, one of my favorite bands of all time. With no further hesitation, I messaged him to ask for an interview. 

John spends most of his time these days as a lawyer in the music industry. He largely focuses his efforts on developing new and upcoming artists. The roster of talent that he has worked with reads like a highlight list of some of the 21st century's finest songwriting talents. With a roster of clients that includes Bon Iver, Sturgill Simpson, Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, Alabama Shakes, Billy Strings, The Civil Wars, and Dawes it’s easy to see that John Strohm is a guy with a good ear and a great sense of how to help make the most of an artist’s talents.

From 2017 to 2022, John was the President of the famed folk and bluegrass label Rounder Records. During his time there he helped to steer that legacy brand to release a new slate of albums by a host of artists that are helping to define the sound of the current era. 

During our chat we hit upon how John grew up a hardcore kid in the midwest and his falling in love early with country music. We cover the booming indie scene of Boston in the late 80s and even hear a behind the scenes story of how Evan Dando sneakily engineered John as a replacement drummer for The Lemonheads. John and I debate the virtues of the streaming economy, and delve into the different forms of gatekeeping and opportunity that streaming might be able to offer emerging artists. 

This is an amazing talk with a guy who has spent a life and career in the music business yet it’s obvious that John is hopeful for and excited about the future of the music industry, even in the age of streaming. John even made me a little more hopeful too. 

In a recent piece about his new entertainment law firm Meitus Strohm, John talked about his path from musician to lawyer. He said, “I felt called to find a way to serve creative people, and a law degree seemed like a good way to invent a career on the business side of music.” 

It’s clear that over that career and throughout this conversation that John has put his immense set of talents to work serving artists and the musical culture at large. It was a treat to spend some time with a guy that has helped to foster so many careers and even made a few great albums himself. 

Here now is my chat with musician, lawyer, label head, tastemaker, and writer, John Strohm.

Cheers,

Matty C

S.W. Lauden was a guest once before back in January of 2024. It was a tremendous chat about the waning power of guitar pop and why it needed to go underground again to gain relevance. We dove deep on subjects like cultural inheritance and the power of pop. 

Steve Coulter, the real dude behind the S.W. Lauden pen name lost his Altadena, CA home in a matter of hours to the Eaton fire that raged across Los Angeles earlier this year. On the night that Steve, his wife, and their youngest daughter packed the car with a few belongings, they were sure they’d be back inside of 48 hours. By the morning their home and everything within it was simply gone. 

Just a few days after his house went up in flames, Steve wrote a heartbreakingly beautiful essay called Vodka Sauce. Somehow in the midst of massive grief, Steve penned a piece that covered the meanings of family and home all while discussing his sobriety and a favorite family recipe. From 2500 miles away, I silently grieved for this person and his family that I hardly knew. 

A couple of months after the fires had abated, I reached out to Steve to see if he might be ready to have a chat about what he and his family have gone through, and how they’re coping in the current moment. To my surprise, he responded with an immediate “Sure. Let’s do it.”

Our conversation was nothing short of remarkable. We covered the agony of what Steve describes as “losing the comfort you had earned and so carefully curated for you and your family.”

Steve opened up about how he has lost a large chunk of his cynicism in this process. He also reveals that he may have underestimated his neighbors based solely upon their political affiliations.

We discussed how Steve’s neighborhood looked much like Dresden, Germany after the Allied fire-bombings in World War Two. Somehow, Steve managed to dig through that rubble to find his wedding ring in what felt like a minor miracle within a sea of tragedy. 

This is a vulnerable, beautiful conversation with a dude who has lost almost everything and managed to find a new grain of gratitude within that loss. As Steve says, “My house may have burned down, but I am still a lucky guy.”

Here is an amazing conversation with that lucky guy. 

Cheers,

Matty C

Just a few days after I recorded this conversation with podcaster and comedian Pete Dominick, I hopped on a plane to Las Vegas for a long weekend with his Stand Up Community for Podjam 2. The first Podjam, held in March of 2024 was a smash success and brought a very tight virtual community into the real world as online friendships and connections blossomed with face to face meetings. As Pete and I sat down for this chat, I was already prepping for the trip. What I didn’t share with Pete during this interview was that I was incredibly anxious about attending this year’s Podjam.

The 2024 edition had been held at a time of relative calm. This year’s event would be held in the wake of the onslaught of awfulness that has come from the first few weeks of the second Trump administration. In the new world of daily executive orders upturning the very wheels of our systems of government, I have struggled to keep pace with the news. Many days, I have simply avoided it altogether. I feared that in Vegas, during Pete’s live tapings and with my friends in the community I would be forced to reckon with the ongoing destruction to our American way of life. As much as I longed to see the people in this community, I worried it might set me reeling. 

My first two days in Vegas were littered with much higher anxiety levels than usual. I felt foggy headed, weighed down, and even a tad nauseous. For the first day on the ground, I had almost no appetite at all. I managed to fake my way through the first few waves of anxiety and sadness that were descending, the people around me from the community helping to keep me afloat. By Friday morning, I began to feel a little more normal as the official events began. 

While I got off to a rough star, by midday on Friday I was beginning to feel myself again. Pete breezed through a series of pod tapings and also allowed Ophira Eisenberg an opportunity to tape an excellent episode of her Parenting Is A Joke podcast. Throughout the weekend there were pod tapings, stand up comedy, dancing, great food, and at the center of it the unbelievable community that Pete has built and nurtured. 

During our conversation Pete and I talk about how the news is stealing our joy and the ways that he works to try and keep a balanced perspective. His recipe includes meditation, exercise, and community. We hit on facing a mid-life crisis and how cliche that seems for two middle aged white dudes to be discussing. There is talk of avoiding the spiral, and learning when to punch in and out. We learn how Pete finds hope in history as well as the people around him. 

It’s a rousing talk with a curious and hilarious dude. Hope ya dig it. 

Cheers,

Matty C

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Thea Wood’s work at HERizon Music, her remarkable Substack, is the outpouring of a life in music. As a kid growing up in suburban Detroit she soaked up the sounds of Motown and heard myriad tales of legendary shows. In late elementary, Thea’s mom took her and a group of girls from their church to see heartthrob and pop sensation Andy Gibb at an outdoor amphitheater. She was officially hooked. 

At HERizon, Thea is placing a spotlight on female contributions to the world of music. She has taken a lifetime in and around music to find emerging talent and to tell forgotten stories. She has written about the hidden histories of pioneers like Judy Garland and Nina Simone while also helping to uncover and platform new artists in a variety of genres. 

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We began our chat where Thea started, in Detroit. She shares a great story about her father’s exploits as a young man and a notorious music hall known as the Walled Lake Casino. Thea shares the story of Detroit’s once booming Black Bottom neighborhood and the massive cultural impact it had on the city and on the country. 

Thea shares her experience as part of the original team that built AOL Music and her current work with a company using VR to create immersive live music events. She is also creating an 80 page coloring and activity book about the history of women in music. 

This is a chat full of tremendous stories from a life in and around sound. From the discussion of the gender limitations growing up with Rolling Stone to why local music is worth investing in, it's an amazing chat with an amazing woman. It even includes a story about a day at Disney World with John Freaking Lennon!

Hope ya dig it. 

Cheers,Matty C

Over the last couple of years a good portion of the new music I have become excited about came to me from Christian Finnegan and his great Substack, New Music For Olds. As I have aged, my excitement for new sounds has waned and my voracious musical appetite is a fraction of what it once was. Christian and his terrific newsletter give my old ears regular suggestions that run the gamut of genre and style. 

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For this edition of the pod, I wanted to dig into what keeps Christian excited about finding new music. We explored some of his favorite recent finds including a melodic doom album and a vibrant dance act from Miami. Christian has also recently discovered that his tastes are far broader in middle age than in his youth. He might have been more voracious as a younger listener, but now Christian has managed to shed any pangs of guilt for liking a certain song or artist. As he says, he isn’t trying to impress anyone with his tastes anymore. He is just listening to what he likes. 

Christian has also been recently exploring the concept of creativity for nothing more than the act of making something. He has taken collage and mosaic classes and engaged with his child brain. We talked deeply about getting your hands dirty doing physical work for nothing more than the sheer joy of creating.

Ten days after this episode airs I will be with Christian in Las Vegas at PodJam 2, a live three day event run by my friend and podcaster Pete Dominick. Christian will be performing in Vegas and in lieu of a typical stand-up set, Christian will use his hour to try something he has been ruminating on for twenty five years. With a series of questions and prompts, Christian will ferry a live audience through the process of creating a cult with the show culminating in a brief mock-religious ceremony featuring details and tenets all divined from the show and its participants. I am very much looking forward to it.

In our conversation we also touched on Christian’s all or nothing mentality, and I empathize deeply while sharing some of my own similar behaviors. There is also talk about the struggles of writing, creativity with accountability, and the inevitable influence of AI in music. It’s a big talk. There is so much here to dig. Enjoy. 

Cheers,

Matty C