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News Podcast

Ep. #1004: Liz Pelly

Liz Pelly is here to discuss her book Mood Machine – The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist, loving New York City and high hopes for mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, rationality and current reality, becoming a music fan, musician, and investigative journalist, questioning authority, corporations, and oligarchs, why Spotify has become so prominent and why some of its practices warranted further examination, how randomly viral TikTok songs lead to large Spotify pay days, ghost artists and generative AI, what’s next for her, and much more. See Liz speak at Mutek Forum in Montreal between August 20 and 22, 2025.

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 BookshelfPlanet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

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Bonnie “Prince” Billy (2019)

(Felix Walworth)
Categories
News Podcast

Patti Smith (2007) – Teaser

On April 12, 2007, I had two phone calls with Patti Smith for a print piece about both her then-new album, Twelve, which features her interpretations of songs by other artists, and her life and work. We were originally only meant to speak once but, after a publicist cut us off after 25 minutes, Patti told me she found my questions thoughtful, asked for my phone number, and promised to call me later that night to talk further, after she was done the press junket she was on. Roughly four hours later, she called me back and we spoke for another 35 minutes. I still marvel at this kindness and respect she displayed to me, a young, green journalist she felt some connection with. We were both ailing with a stubborn, recurring cough and cold that day, which we commiserated over, but we also talked about Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, how Donald Trump and other real estate developers were ruining New York City, Robert Mapplethorpe’s role in her work, gravitating to male musicians, losing her husband Fred “Sonic” Smith and balancing work and raising a family, what the future held, and more.

To hear this entire 60 minute conversation, subscribe to Kreative Kontrol on Patreon at the $6 tier or higher (a reminder that an annual subscription includes a discount compared to a monthly one).

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Categories
News Podcast

Ep. #737: Rich Aucoin

Rich Aucoin discusses how his four-album series, Synthetic – A Synth Odyssey, will feature the most synthesizers in recorded history, the fun, ambitious Halifax mindset, good parts of social media and the twitter debacle, the millions of instruments he can play really well, touring across North America by bicycle, future plans, and much more. Supported by you on PatreonPizza Trokaderothe BookshelfPlanet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts. Support Y.E.S.S. and Black Women United YEG. Follow vish online.