Lovely chat with Sophie Jamieson @sophiejamiesonmusic before Christmas. We got in fairly deep on a wide range of worldly topics. It’s a true privilege to be able to have these sorts of conversations.
Here, Sophie is talking about her relationship with perfectionism. I, for one, can relate to what she’s feeling.
Sophie’s magnificent sophomore LP, I Still Want To Share, is out on @bella_union on 17th Jan.
Full episode links in bio or go to my website
#iwannajumplikedeedee #experimentalmindset #musicpodcast #musicjournal #emotionalintelligence #sophiejamieson
One of the pages on Leigh Heggarty’s website is called “Me Me Me, it’s all about me”. A cursory look through this and the other pages would most clearly identify someone who has lived a substantial part of his life very much NOT promoting Me Me Me, rather being very self deprecating and perhaps uncomfortable talking about himself or what he has achieved in life. This all sounds very familiar to me, I’ve often used self deprecating “humour” to lighten situations where I’ve felt I’m a bit of an imposter. I’m tons better but it’s a battle….
And it is a battle, but a battle for what? It makes me wonder about all the characteristics that make up our very unique personality and why some traits are stigmatised and others – like confidence, self-belief - are seen as the symbol of success, whereas others such a shyness even introversion are not. Is society at large’s definition of success f**ked up? Please write your answer in no more than 8,000 chapters or just one word.
Anyway, you wouldn’t notice any of the shyness of childhood when he steps on stage to pick up his guitar - well, perhaps a slightly bashful smile and wave to the crowd - to play with @therutsdc, a band that has already secured a most wonderful legacy and continues to do so with each gig they play and each piece of music that they release.
#leighheggarty #rutsdc #segs #ruffy #punkrock #malcolmowen #staringattherudeboys #inarut #thecrack #babylonsburning #somethingthatisaid #musicmustdestroy #counterculture #henryrollins
Season 14 Episode 1
As someone who has played the cello in my much more youthful days and is ineffectively trying to resurrect past glory, I fully appreciate Kishi Bashi love of the violin and the way he uses that instrument in his compositions. You can literally hear it cascading through every release he has done – from the Room for Dream EP to the epic music and soundtrack for his film Omoiyari.
He is an epic multi-hyphenate - songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, film maker, father, husband who has used his creativity, his energy and whole being to produce art that, well, makes you pay attention through the exquisiteness and purity of the songwriting and its humanity.
There have been so many things that have fascinated me, intrigued me, filled me with respect and admiration, not least the ever-present authenticity in his work but also how that work conjures such strong emotions in me. Even though I find myself getting emotional at the smallest things these days – it’s getting ridiculous quite frankly – and even more so with some of the horrific acts of prejudice, greed and narcissism that structurally pervade our society - there are still only a few songwriters that can do this.
Now, he’s back with what I think is his musically most diverse (and that’s saying something) LP to follow up the stunning Omoiyari.
It’s called Kantos and it was really exciting to hear about it all and to delve into some of the mindset topics that I’ve noticed present in his work, like emotional intelligence, curiosity, resilience and adaptability.
#kishibashi #kantos #omoiyari #elo #classical #violin #improvisation
Season 13 Episode 7: X-Raided
I don’t ever have agendas for these discussions other than to talk about mindset. This invariably starts with formative influences, most often in childhood when we are at our most vulnerable and malleable.
But for this conversation, I really wanted to focus on the present day world of X-Raided and how he is navigating his way through it.
Not least because he is unrecognisable from the 17 y/o kid sentenced to 31 years in prison in 1992 but also because the world had changed immeasurably from the one that he knew and continues to do so at a pace and with fearsome volatility and uncertainty.
This is not to skirt over the past, far from it: there is undoubtedly a connection with what the 17 y/o version of X-Raided learned in the past - and possibly what he has had to unlearn - in order to become who he is now after serving 26 years, 5 months and 26 days of that sentence.
He himself has always been very clear and honest about what he did not do on that lifechanging morning in March 1992 and also very clear and honest about what he did do, about the bad choices he made and, importantly, about the bad choices forced on him by years of systemic, institutionalised racism, prejudice, manipulation and lies that were - and continue to be - pumped through the veins of the US and the world over.
He produced 12 albums whilst serving his sentence. His new record, A Sin In Heaven, is out now and it’s another hypnotic masterclass in how old school can evolve into the present. It’s powerful, distinguished and full of heart and soul.
Music is always there for you, it will always come with you on your journey and it will always be your friend.
I hope you come away from this conversation as enlightened and educated as I did.
Full episode links are in bio.#xraided #strangemusic #hiphop #rap #oldschool #sacramento
Season 13 Episode 4
A few years ago, after I quit my job and decided to go self employed or freelance or whatever, I fell into the trap of trying to start a bit of a hustle which - I still think was a great idea – but was still with a mindset of doing things in “work” mode - how to start something and grow it. It was a bit of a fun concept but I was way too serious about it. It wasn’t where my head was at or where it should have been at and it was only through some fairly grumpy and anxiety filled days, weeks and months, that I started to see that.
I mentioned that I still think the idea as great, and I do – it was also about mindset.
So what I did, with a massive, inspirational push from my partner, was to flip the idea around and do it in a way that was way more fun and involved a bunch of people that I’ve been listening to since I was a kid: talking to musicians about their mindset and how they’ve navigated their way through life.
Yes, all that evolved into this podcast!
And talking to Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten of Chinese American Bear reaffirms to me just how fun doing this podcast is, how wonderful it is to connect with people I’ve never met before and find common ground, listen to people with different backgrounds (and Anne and Bryce’s background are very different) and take it all in and hopefully make new friends.
That’s kinda cool I think.
The background music to this clip is their single, Heartbreaker, which is a magnificent slice of 60’s nostalgic, lo-fi pop.
I found the perfect TV soundtrack for it…
Full episode links on my website…
#chineseamericanbear #heartbreaker #experimentalmindset #iwannajumplikedeedee #musicpodcast #musicjournal
Season 12 Episode 8 with Nick Llobet
There have been plenty of times when my shyness and tenuous self belief has turned up like the proverbial bad smell. Like the naughty people in my ear telling me why I shouldn’t do something. They almost stopped me from taking the plunge and doing this podcast. I’m managing it far better than I used to, but still there a few situations that I get into that I’d rather not get into. A few weeks ago, I had a completely chance encounter where I got over myself and ended up having the best conversation with a musician and artist whose work I’d admired for a long time.
I drive myself nuts sometimes.
Anyway, Nick Llobet has lived with shyness, imposter syndrome all the while having a prodigious talent for songwriting - their songs are daring and unpredictable, forceful yet tender, confident yet coy and it’s this enchanting kaleidoscope that makes them so compelling.
And….thank f**k for those chance encounters and bravery – you might know that they had a very special one themself with Patti Smith that has helped to bring their band, youbet, to the disciples!
Full video and audio episode at website
@youbet
#youbet #nickllobet #hardlyart #experimentalmindset #iwannajumplikedeedee #musicpodcast #emotionalintelligence
Season 12 Episode 4
DRAGG has been releasing music for about 12/13 years which is a brand of sparse, West Coast-y hip hop, tinged with RnB and soul, all the time showing a progressive approach and high degree of emotional intelligence in the subject matter and how to connect with his audience.
His story is remarkable, not least because he lost his sight early in his life…but he has navigated the many obstacles he has faced with persistence and resilience, wearing his heart on his sleeve as the saying goes. He’s made some really telling statements on some of the real challenges of being an artist in 2024.
Here’s a short clip of our chat….
Full episode watching/listening links in bio!
#dragg #hiphop #johannesburg #culture #emotionalintelligence #iwannajumplikedeedee #musicpodcast #experimentalmindset
I’m really delighted to have had the chance to speak to a musician, activist, socialist….someone who believes, like me, that an escape is possible from the violence, the inequality, the trauma, the despair of an increasingly fractured and disastrously capitalist world and society.
Someone who is unafraid to use their platform to speak out about injustice.
Do you believe in the power of rock n roll?
Thank you Lizzie No, this is a beautiful conversation
Full episode links in my bio.
#lizzieno #halfsies #country #americana #genreisdead #nogenre
I don’t even know what the time difference was when I had a wonderful, hilarious and informative chat with Kelly and Luis of The Dollyrots - 14.5 hours or something like that. I’m still confused which day of the week it was for them and which one for me but I do know it was late for them. Midnight, I think. Now I know where Night Owls comes from 😂 It’s been a real joy to design, write and put all of this together. Big thanks to Dana!The full feature with Kelly and Luis is here www.iwannajumplikedeedee.com/journal/the-dollyrots or go to website and navigate to journal …. I hope you enjoy it! #dollyrots #nightowl #everything #daydreamexplosion #becauseimawesome #mybestfriendshot #punk #rocknroll #ramones #blondie
