Episodes

  • KATHLEEN HANNA launches Naz Riahi

    KATHLEEN HANNA launches Naz Riahi
    May 21 2024
    Today on the podcast Rain is joined by writer and musician, Kathleen Hanna. Their conversation travels from shared memories of being in bands in the 90’s, Kathleen’s thoughts on feminism today, how anger can motivate and harm creativity, the importance of self care and why it’s best to ditch toxic relationships. Kathleen’s memoir REBEL GIRL is out now. We then hear from the incredibly inspiring writer and filmmaker Naz Riahi, who shares what it was like to work with Kathleen on Rebel Girl, how music found her in Iran as a child, what inspires her, and what’s next for her creatively. Tune in to this power hour of conversation at LaunchLeft.com/podcast. ----------------- LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft --------------------- LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery. --------------------- IN THIS EPISODE: [5:25] How much has feminism changed since the 80s? What is the state of feminism today?[10:54] What is an internal positive belief that has stayed with Kathleen since childhood that she still draws upon? [12:24] Are all art forms the same or different in the process of creating? [18:26] Does anger motivate Kathleen when she is writing? [29:03] What does Kathleen do for self care while on the road? [37:44] What is Kathleen’s advice for young women? [41:05] How did music find Kathleen?[43:20] Kathleen introduces Naz Riahi and explains why she tipped her hat to Naz.[49:31] Naz joins the show and shares about what it was like working with Kathleen.[52:52] What about working with Kathleen influenced Naz’s own work or inspired her as a writer?[56:16] How did music find Naz?[58:36] What is next for Naz? KEY TAKEAWAYS: [24:47] We’re all creators, we all have the ability. We’re creating every day by being alive, we are creating our reality, we’re creating the future of what we want to be and say and do in the world. [38:12] If you find yourself in a toxic relationship with someone, whether that be a friend, family or lover, step away. Those toxic people are standing in the way of other people who are waiting for an opportunity to be in your life. [55:11] Take chances to try new things and allow opportunities into your life, but if you are finding those things take away from your energy to do the things you love, then you know those are not for you. RESOURCE LINKS: LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link Links for Kathleen Hanna: Kathleen Hanna's Website Kathleen Hanna's Instagram Kathleen Hanna's TikTok Bikini Kill Website Bikini Kill Instagram Bikini Kill Twitter Bikini Kill Bandcamp Bikini Kill YouTube Le Tigre World Instagram Le Tigre World Facebook Links for Naz Riahi Naz Riahi's Website Naz Riahi's Instagram BIOGRAPHIES: Katheleen Hanna: Kathleen Hanna is a punk singer, artist, and the front-woman of the influential bands Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Hanna is a staple in feminist publications, from college curriculums to bestselling books, and a leading voice in the punk feminist movement. She has been named one of the best live performers of our time, earning acclaim from Rolling Stone, The New York Times, NPR, Interview Magazine, V Magazine, Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, BUST Magazine, NYLON and Los Angeles Times, to name a few. Naz Riahi: Naz Riahi (she/her) is a filmmaker, writer and artist. Much of her work explores the spaces, emotions and opportunities and humor of reaching for connection, informed by her experiences as an immigrant from Iran. She was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. Her short film Sincerely, Erik received a Vimeo Staff Pick and won a Vimeo Best of the Year Award and was named a NoBudge Best Film of the Year. It has garnered praise from Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), The New York Times T Magazine and Fast Company among numerous publications and cultural institutions. Her essays, journalism and fiction have been published widely in outlets such as Harper’s Bazaar, Oldster, Pipe Wrench, Food & Wine, Los Angeles Review of Books, Longreads, Catapult, The Fader, Guernica and more. Naz has performed original works at MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles) and at Dynasty Handbag’s Weirdo Night. She was the creator of the dialogical art project, Bitten. In recognition of Bitten, Naz was invited to SXSL at the Obama White House. An essay she wrote about the experience received public praise from President Obama. Her collection of short stories, Vibrations, will be published by Dopamine Press in 2025. Naz holds an MFA from the New School and is the recipient of a ...
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • JONATHAN RICHMAN launches Jesse DeNatale

    JONATHAN RICHMAN launches Jesse DeNatale
    Apr 30 2024
    Welcome back to LaunchLeft! Today we are celebrating our 150th episode! This episode is a unique one, where Rain left voicemail questions for singer, songwriter and guitarist, Jonathan Richman. We then hear Jonathan’s responses in the form of voice memos, answering Rain’s inquisitive questions from how music found Jonathan, to learning his purest form of eroticism, and everything in between. Then Jonathan launches singer-songwriter, Jesse DeNatale. In this conversation, we learn how music found Jesse and about his musical career. We have the honor of hearing a snippet of Jesse’s song The Hands of Time from his latest album. Join the celebration in this great episode! ----------------- LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft --------------------- LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery. --------------------- IN THIS EPISODE: [2:45] How did music find Jonathan Richman?[4:31] What advice does Jonathan have for young musicians/young artists?[5:32] Jonathan describes something he could draw to be animated.[6:07] What are the enduring preoccupations that arise again and again, and what has stuck with Jonathan even from childhood?[8:03] Jonathan explains his love of the song, The Wind, by Nolan Strong and Diablo.[10:44] What is the purest form of eroticism for Jonathan?[22:28] Jonathan introduces the artist that he wants to launch, Jesse De Natale.[23:26] The episode switches over to a conversation between Rain and Jesse DeNatale. [26:30] How did music first find Jesse DeNatale?[31:18] Tune in to hear The Hands of Time by Jesse DeNatale. KEY TAKEAWAYS: [4:39] Advice for young artists: Do what you like for you, don’t worry about what the audience is going to like. [28:44] Music finds you, it finds you in songwriting and song creation. The first inspirations are given from the gods, that first idea, and then it's up to you to continue to create it. RESOURCE LINKS: LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link Links for Jonathan Richman: Jonathan Richman's Instagram Jonathan Richman's Bandcamp Link Jonathan Richman - Wikipedia Links for Jesse DeNatale Jesse DeNatale's Website Jesse DeNatale's Instagram Jesse DeNatale's Bandcamp Link Jesse DeNatale's Facebook BIO for Jonathan Richman: Jonathan Richman (born May 16, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970, he founded the Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key acoustic and electric backing. He is known for his wide-eyed, unaffected, and childlike outlook, and music that, while rooted in rock and roll, is influenced by music from around the world. BIO for Jesse DeNatale Jesse DeNatale is a singer-songwriter in Northern California. He was born in San Francisco. He has released three critically acclaimed records: Shangri-La West (2000) Soul Parade (2006) and The Wilderness (2021). His next release, The Hands of Time, will be available July 14th 2023. We are excited to announce that it will also be on Blue Arrow Records. His music has been described as evocative and hopeful, a combination of poetry and storytelling. Over the years his love of various musical genres has inspired him to expand his ideas of songwriting as he continues to find a way to reflect back the realities of being alive. Rich with imagery, intelligence and passion, his music remains timeless. Its soulful accessibility is what has garnered him praise from other artists and has kept his devoted fans listening.
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    37 mins
  • DEAN & BRITTA launch Ryder The Eagle

    DEAN & BRITTA launch Ryder The Eagle
    Mar 26 2024
    On this episode of LaunchLeft, Rain welcomes Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips of LUNA. They talk about how they first met, how music found them, performing live versus the recording studio, and the volatility of the music industry. Dean shares what’s up next for them, both as a duo and as solo artists. Dean & Britta launch Ryder the Eagle to close the show and we hear about the new single and album “Autotango”. He discusses what led him to write the record and what we can expect to hear from him next. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts today! ----------------- LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft --------------------- LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery. --------------------- IN THIS EPISODE: [2:44] How did music find Dean and Britta? [6:00] Do Dean and Britta write together? [8:06] Do they ever wish they had chosen a different profession? [10:09] Dean and Britta share about the shows they have performed. [13:21] When did Dean and Britta meet? [15:55] What was the Hooky Wooky Tour? [19:59] What is up next for Dean and Britta? [23:49] Do they have the experience of time being too compressed? [25:45] How do they use social media to promote their music? [29:33] Do Dean and Britta have any interest in composing for TV or film? [32:36] Ryder the Eagle joins the podcast and talks about his process of making music. [34:24] Where is Ryder from? [37:46] Ryder shares about his music that is being released soon. [39:47] We hear Ryder’s new song Autotango. KEY TAKEAWAYS: [22:40] AI can be useful by using it to curate all the information that is at our fingertips that we waste so much time trying to sift through. If you can ask AI the right question, it can curate the information that you want to find online. [28:32] Social media has benefits for a musician, one being that you can get your music out there affordably and it can be heard all around the world. [37:25] For Britta, there is a big difference between singing in the studio and singing live for an audience. There is a feeling of being terrified, excited, vulnerable and exposed which gives her a big thrill. RESOURCE LINKS: LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link Dean and Britta’s Links Dean and Britta's Website Dean and Britta's Facebook Dean and Britta's YouTube Britta Phillips' Website Dean Wareham's Website Ryder The Eagle’s Links Ryder the Eagle Instagram Ryder the Eagle Facebook Ryder the Eagle Website BIOGRAPHIES: Dean and Britta BIO Dean & Britta are husband and wife team Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, members of Luna. They have recorded several full-length albums and soundtracks. Their first two albums were produced by Tony Visconti (Bowie, T.Rex): L’Avventura in 2003 and Back Numbers in 2007. Their most recent release is the song “The Cloud is Coming,” which they wrote and performed for the Noah Baumbach film White Noise (they were also actors in the film). They live in Los Angeles. In addition to making records, Dean & Britta are active scoring films, notably Noah Baumbach’s The Squid & the Whale and Mistress America. They also composed songs and score for 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol Screen Tests, a project commissioned by the Andy Warhol Museum, and continue to perform this multi-media show live in concert. Dean Wareham was the singer-songwriter-guitarist behind the Boston band Galaxie 500, who released three albums between 1987 and 1991. After this Dean went on to found NYC guitar band Luna, which released seven studio albums between 1992 and 2005. Luna disbanded in 2005 but reunited in 2015 and continue to perform live. His most recent album (2021) is I Have Nothing to Say to the Mayor of L.A. Dean is also a published author — his memoir Black Postcards is a Penguin paperback. His most recent book — Hearing Voices — is a collection of selected lyrics, illustrated by artist Ed Templeton. Britta Phillips joined Luna on bass guitar in 1999, recording two albums with the band. She was formerly a member of the U.K. shoegaze band Belltower. She was also the singing voice of cartoon rocker Jem in the 1980s, and starred with Julia Roberts in Satisfaction, a film about an all-girl rock band. Britta released a solo album, Luck or Magic, in 2016. Ryder the Eagle BIO My name is Ryder The Eagle. I was born under the sign of Cancer in the south of France and like the planets predicted, I dedicated the beginning of my life to finding true love. Two EPs, a marriage and a divorce later, I embarked on a "Follymoon", an ...
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    46 mins
  • CAT POWER launches Linqua Franqa

    CAT POWER launches Linqua Franqa
    Feb 27 2024
    On this episode of LaunchLeft, Chan Marshall of Cat Power joins Rain to introduce Linqua Franqa. Chan and Rain talk about everything from how they first met, how Cat Power was formed, the connection that music brings to people and how changing people’s perspective around money and the American Dream might solve many of the problems we have today. Chan also shares what led her to Bob Dylan and, how activism then and now really does move the needle. Rain is then joined by Linqua Franqa to learn how they got started in music, teaching and activism and how they are all connected. At the end of the episode we hear “Wurk”, one of Linqua’s songs about Communication Workers of America, United Campus Workers of Georgia, and capitalism. ----------------- LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft --------------------- LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery. --------------------- IN THIS EPISODE: [04:58] Chan describes how her, Rain and River Phoenix met. [17:51] What inspired Chan to get involved with music? [22:08] How did Chan take her music from her apartment to playing live for people? [43:52] What led Chan to start playing Bob Dylan’s music and what has it created? [53:23] Where did the American Dream come from? [57:57] How do children see the world? [58:53] What would it look like if women were voted in, how would they change the trajectory of our country? [1:05:25] Mariah Parker, also known as Linqua Franqa, talks about the meaning of their artist name. [1:06:11] What does Linqua do outside of music? [1:07:02] Who is Reverend James Lawson? [1:08:50] Does Linqua agree with the fact that women in power could change our trajectory for the positive? [1:10:46] Tune in to hear Wurk, one of Linqua’s songs about capitalism. KEY TAKEAWAYS: [50:20] Music is a way to connect with people and create community regardless of what is happening in their lives, regardless of socioeconomic status or upbringing. [53:23] We don’t have to fall into the habit that seems to be the strongest one out there, which is to want to be rich and famous. [56:41] We all want to be safe and happy. [1:05:42] Linqua Franqa is a language used to communicate across cultural boundaries, as an artist, Mariah Parker wanted her music to do that, connect people across cultural boundaries. RESOURCE LINKS: LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link CAT POWER LINKS: Cat Power Music Website Cat Power Instagram Cat Power Facebook Cat Power YouTube Cat Power Twitter LINQUA FRANQA LINKS: Linqua Franqa Instagram Linqua Franqa Bandcamp Site Linqua Franqa Facebook Linqua Franqa Twitter BIOGRAPHIES: Cat Power BIO: Charlyn "Chan" Marie Marshall is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and occasional actress. She adopted the name Cat Power for her first band in 1992, and has since used the name as a moniker for all of her musical endeavors. Raised in the South primarily by her grandmother, Marshall showed interest in music at an early age, and was influenced by blues and rock'n'roll. In the early nineties, Marshall relocated to New York City, and became acquainted with Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth after opening at a show for Liz Phair. Shelley subsequently drummed on her first two albums, Dear Sir (1995) and Myra Lee (1996), both somber indie rock records featuring sparse instrumentation. After releasing several blues and folk rock-influenced albums throughout the late 1990s, Marshall released The Covers Record in 2000, which included a cover of "Sea of Love" that was featured prominently in the film Juno (2007). She released three more albums, You Are Free (2003), featuring collaborations with Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder; The Greatest (2006); and Jukebox (2008). Marshall has had several endeavors in modeling, and has been cited as a muse of Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld. She made her acting debut in the film My Blueberry Nights (2007) in a minor supporting role alongside Jude Law. Her most recent record, Sun (2012) was released to critical acclaim, and entered the Billboard 200 at number 10, making it her first top-ten album in the United States. LINQUA FRANQA BIO: Linqua Franqa is a cultural worker and emcee from Athens, Georgia. Their sophomore album, Bellringer, is also their PhD dissertation in Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia.
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • IAN MACKAYE | LAUNCHED ARTIST THE BOBBY LEES

    IAN MACKAYE | LAUNCHED ARTIST THE BOBBY LEES
    Jan 23 2024
    Ian MacKaye imbues 2024 with all goodness through his inspiring take on life and music. His knack for expressing the way he lives and what punk rock means to him dominates and radiates through this conversation with Rain. They discuss everything from spirituality to Fugazi, living life joyfully, and the importance of doing the work. We then launch The Bobby Lees and Sam shares about their decision to take a break in 2024 by highlighting the financial struggles bands face on the road. We close this special episode with THE BOBBY LEES infectious song “Radiator”.  -----------------  LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com  LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft  TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft  INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/  FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft  --------------------- LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery. --------------------- IN THIS EPISODE: [1:36] Rain and Ian talk about how they met each other. [10:52] All about Fugazi’s extensive archive  [17:56] Ian shares how he avoids producing trash.  [23:48] What is Ian’s belief and how does he focus on living? [37:57] What was it like growing up in Washington DC? [40:36] What led Ian to live in a way that doesn't compare and despair or make judgments about others? [48:35] How can you find and create joy in the despair that is also happening in life?  [55:15] How does Ian go about “selling” his music? [1:00:04] How did Ian learn to roll with the ups and downs of life? [1:19:17] Rain welcomes Sam from The Bobby Lees. [1:19:58] Did The Bobby Lees really play their last show? [1:24:00] What is Sam’s plan for 2024 since they won’t be touring? [1:26:32] How did music find Sam originally?  [1:27:56] What was the point that Sam realized she wanted to make music?  [1:30:57] Does Sam have any advice for young or up and coming artists? [1:33:02] Listen to “Radiator” by The Bobby Lees.   Watch the interview on YouTube. Listen to “Radiator by The Bobby Lees on YouTube. Connect with The Bobby Lees on Instagram    KEY TAKEAWAYS:  [20:09] There are warehouses filled with records that were never sold, and they are just sitting there as trash/product waste. [46:19] Let’s not forget that life is rich, there’s so many good people are doing so many incredible things all over the world every day.  [48:34] There will always be pain and beauty happening simultaneously. You can choose to focus on the pain and suffering which pushes into the negative, but you also need to create joy because that's how to balance the energy.  [1:23:33] It’s hard to be a US band on the road and break even financially.    RESOURCE LINKS LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link  Ian MacKaye Ian MacKaye Wikipedia  Ian MacKay Dischord Site  Dischord Website  Fugazi Live Series: A to Z The Bobby Lees The Bobby Lees Website  The Bobby Lees Instagram  The Bobby Lees Facebook   BIOGRAPHY:  Ian Mackaye founded Dischord Records as a teenager in 1980 with partner Jeff Nelson. Their original intent was simply to release a single to document their recently defunct band, Teen Idles. However, the label has gone on to release music from more than 60 bands, with more than 160 albums over the last 25 years and counting. As musicians Ian and Jeff went on to form Minor Threat, who along with Bad Brains are credited in the early 80s with introducing the D.C. hardcore ethic to an audience well beyond Washington, D.C. In 1986, Ian formed Fugazi with Joe Lally, Brendan Canty and Guy Picciotto. Over 20+ years the band has released seven albums and toured the world extensively covering all fifty United States, Europe, Australia, South America, Japan and many points in between. Fugazi is self managed and maintains a policy of affordable access to their work through low record and ticket prices and all concerts are all-ages. In 2003 Fugazi decided to take an indefinite hiatus from recording and touring as young families and other priorities began to take center stage. Since 2001, Ian has played in The Evens, a duo with Amy Farina. The Evens revel in short-circuiting the conventions of rock music and perform mostly in non-traditional music spaces — libraries, art spaces, schools, theaters, etc. They have released two albums and have toured extensively in North America, Europe, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. Ian has also been taking on speaking engagements, delivering talks that take the form of informal Question and Answer sessions.
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • MIKE MILLS launches The Lemon Twigs

    MIKE MILLS launches The Lemon Twigs
    Dec 12 2023

    Mike Mills of R.E.M. joins Rain to introduce The Lemon Twigs. Mike and the sibling duo, Brian and Michael, who make up The Lemon Twigs, prioritize harmony in their musical style. In today's conversation, Mike and Rain delve into politics, exploring how political language and ideas can create division within a family. Mike shares a personal anecdote about discussing with his uncle, each taking a different side. However, Mike developed a rule that they must hug and express love at the end of their conversations. Additionally, Mike imparts valuable advice to aspiring artists.

     

    IN THIS EPISODE:

    • [1:47] Mike Mills from R.E.M. discusses his last tour, his family and his journey in music. 
    • [7:21] Mike discusses politics in general and in the state of Florida. 
    • [11:51] Rain reflects on getting to sing with R.E.M. years ago. 
    • [14:21] Mike talks about the baseball project, and he discusses how he learned to play the piano. 
    • [18:31] Mike discusses the different instruments he plays and the decisions the band made to keep them together. 
    • [27:28] Mike advises up-and-coming artists. 
    • [29:54] The Lemon Twigs are launched, and discuss making music with Mike. 
    • [40:31] Michael and Brian discuss what is coming up next, and listeners are treated to hear their song “In My Head” from the album “Everything Harmony”.

     

    KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

    • [8:47] Families from different political parties can have opposite opinions and political ideas but agree the disagreement will end in love.

    • [14:14] The baseball project booked 19 shows in 21 days. 

    • [18:31] Keeping a band together is challenging, but Mike tells how R.E.M. did it.

     

    RESOURCE LINKS

    LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link 

    The Lemon Twigs - Bio and Website

    The Lemon Twigs - Instagram

    The Lemon Twigs - Twitter

    The Lemon Twigs - Facebook

     
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    49 mins
  • HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER launches Johanna Samuels

    HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER launches Johanna Samuels
    Aug 29 2023
    Tune in to today's episode of LaunchLeft, where Rain Phoenix is joined by MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger to launch Johanna Samuels. Rain and MC engage in conversations about the artistic process, exploring how the emotions and creativity of artists contribute to the final musical outcomes. They agree on the irreplaceable human element in music creation and songwriting, asserting that AI will never replicate this human touch. Johanna and MC recount their initial meeting, her new record, and the importance of a songwriters community. Listen to the end to hear Johanna's powerful song "Holy Mother." -----------------  LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com  LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft  TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft  INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/  FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft  --------------------- LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery. --------------------- IN THIS EPISODE: [02:OO] MC Taylor speaks about the inspiration for his music and his roots.  [07:35] He discusses the passion and process of creating music.  [10:27] MC Taylor talks about AI and its role in creativity. [14:00] MC Taylor shares how he and Johanna met, and they all discuss playing in smaller local venues in the LA area. [18:21] Johanna describes what her future schedule will be and discovers the “why” of what she is doing. [21:52] MC Taylor talks about his current state of happiness, how that has affected his recent writing, and how he’s feeling now. [33:15] Johanna describes her innermost feelings about music.  [35:38]  Listen to Johanna as she sings Holy Mother.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:  Artists are influenced by their emotions and world events. They want to be able to write from their heart and not by what they are directed to write. MC Taylor would rather create his music, which fluctuates financially, than secure jobs he hates. AI fails to enable the humanity of music creation due to the absence of emotion in the creative process.   BIOGRAPHIES:  HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER “I went looking for peace,” says songwriter M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger about his new album Quietly Blowing It, out June 25, 2021, on Merge Records. “It’s not exactly a record about the state of the world—or my world—in 2020, but more a retrospective of the past five years of my life, painted in sort of impressionistic hues. Maybe I had the presence of mind when I was writing Quietly Blowing It to know that this was the time to go as deep as I needed to in order to make a record like this. And I got the time required in order to do that.” He pauses and laughs ruefully. “I got way more time than I needed, actually.”Quietly Blowing It was written and arranged by Taylor in his home studio—his 8’ × 10’ sanctuary packed floor to ceiling with books, records, and old guitars—as he watched the chaotic world spin outside his window. “Writing became a daily routine,” he explains, “and that was a ballast for me. Having spent so much time on the road over the past ten years, where writing consistently with any kind of flow can be tricky, it felt refreshing. And being in my studio, which is both isolated from and totally connected to the life of my family, felt appropriate for these songs.” Between March and June, Taylor wrote and recorded upwards of two dozen songs—in most cases playing all of the instruments himself— before winnowing the collection down and bringing them to the Hiss band. In July, the musicians, with Taylor in the production seat, went into Overdub Lane in Durham, NC, for a week, where they recorded Quietly Blowing It as an organic unit honed to a fine edge from their years together on the road. “We all needed to be making that music together,” he recalls. “We’ve all spent so many years traveling all over the world, but in that moment, it felt cathartic to be recording those particular songs with each other in our own small hometown.”Throughout Quietly Blowing It, Taylor brings his keen eye to our “broken American moment”—as he first sang on Hiss Golden Messenger’s critically acclaimed, GRAMMY ® - nominated Terms of Surrender—in ways that feel devastatingly intimate and human. Beginning with the wanderer’s lament of “Way Back in the Way Back,” with its rallying cry of “Up with the mountains, down with the system,” Taylor carries the listener on a musical journey that continually returns to themes of growing up, loss, obligation, and labor with piercing clarity, and his musical influences—including classic Southern soul and gospel, renegade country, and spiritual jazz—have never felt more genuine. Indeed, Quietly Blowing It is a distillation of the rolling Hiss...
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    41 mins
  • SON LUX launches Qasim Naqvi

    SON LUX launches Qasim Naqvi
    Jul 25 2023
    Join Rain on LaunchLeft today as they welcome Oscar-nominated Son Lux to kick off Qasim Naqvi's launch. Tune in for an engaging conversation with Ryan, Ian, Rafiq, and Qasim Naqvi as they discuss their unique experiences and creative processes in music-making. This versatile group excels as a live band, studio recording artists, and composers, embracing various aspects of the art they cherish. As a special treat, you'll have the privilege of hearing Qasim Naqvi's captivating performance of "The Curve" at the end of the episode. -----------------  LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com  LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft  TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft  INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/  FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft  --------------------- LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery. --------------------- IN THIS EPISODE: [02:23] Ryan tells how he and Rafiq came to collaborate.  [08:25] Ian explains how they became composers for Everything, Everywhere, All At Once.  [10:26] Rafiq shares what they have been working on recently.  [12:39] Ryan comments on the reward versus the work and how the work won out.  [17:42] Qasim Naqvi reveals how he met the members of Son Lux, and they all reflect on their times together.  [25:02] Ryan talks about how their music is visual, and Qasim Naquiv discusses the modular synthesis while they land on making music with what they have.  [40:03] Listen to “The Curve” by Qasim Naqvi.    KEY TAKEAWAYS:  The difference between performing on stage and recording in a studio is night-and-day. When you find like-minded artists who appreciate each other's talents, you have a winning combination. Sometimes it’s the accident that makes the music. It’s called working with what you have.   BIOGRAPHIES::  SON LUX BIO: From the start, Son Lux has operated as something akin to a sonic test kitchen. The Academy Award® and BAFTA-nominated band strives to question deeply held assumptions about how music is made and reconstruct it from a molecular level. What began as a solo project for founder Ryan Lott expanded in 2014, thanks to a kinship with Ian Chang and Rafiq Bhatia too strong to ignore. The trio strengthened their chemistry and honed their collective intuition while creating, releasing, and touring six recordings, including Brighter Wounds (2018) and the triple album Tomorrows (2021). The result is a carefully cultivated musical language rooted in curiosity and balancing opposites that largely eschews genre and structural conventions. And yet, the band remains audibly indebted to iconoclastic artists in soul, hip-hop, and experimental improvisation who themselves carved new paths forward. Distilling these varied influences, Son Lux searches for an equilibrium of raw emotional intimacy and meticulous electronic constructions. Son Lux has most recently scored the new Daniels film for A24, Everything Everywhere All at Once (March 2022). The full score album features new collaborations with Mitski, David Byrne, Randy Newman, and Moses Sumney, among others. Based in New York, Rafiq Bhatia is the first-generation American son of Muslim immigrant parents who trace their ancestry to India through East Africa. Early influences such as Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, and Madlib—as well as mentors and collaborators including Vijay Iyer and Billy Hart—prompted him to see music as a way to actively shape and represent his own identity, not limited by anyone else’s prescribed perspective. When Ian Chang describes his creative process, the phrase "third culture” keeps coming up. Born in the colony of Hong Kong in 1988, Chang has lived a nomadic life. Stationed out of New York for ten years and since relocated to Dallas, Texas, he built an impressive roster of progressive pop collaborators such as Moses Sumney, Joan As Policewoman, and Matthew Dear, among others, all while performing internationally and recording as a member of Son Lux and Landlady. Ryan Lott makes his home in Los Angeles but grew up all over the United States. Music was the one constant in his formative years spent at the piano. In addition to an extensive career writing music for dance, he has become a sought-after composer for advertising, television, and film. Lott’s feature film credits include The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (2014), Paper Towns (2015), and Mean Dreams (2017). He has co-produced and co-written music for and with Woodkid, Sufjan Stevens, and Lorde.   BIOGRAPHY: QASIM NAQVI  Qasim Naqvi is a drummer and founding member of Dawn of Midi. Outside of his role in D.O.M., Qasim works on various projects, from electronic music to composing for orchestras, chamber groups, dance and film.  His ...
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    46 mins