Reinvention is everywhere in popular culture. Reinvention can be driven by crisis, need for change, deliberate intention, or sudden inspiration. It is easier said than done! In this episode, we consider and discuss what it takes to transform and transcend yourself. Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmastering.com/ Hello Crow Hello Crow, M…

A few weeks back we had the great pleasure of talking with the dynamic duo of THX: CEO Jason Fiber and Director of Product Development Kasson Crooker. Jason Fiber has worn many hats, done many things in the alternative and underground music scene, and now heads up one of the biggest names in audio visual technology. The insanely dynamic and prolifi…

Taking risks. Making changes. Living without regret. Easier said than done! This episode, we ruminate and wonder what could be and what might have been. Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmastering.com/ Hello Crow Hello Crow, Michael's new EP is available now! Extra Fancy "You Look Like a Movie Star": https://youtu.be/0pE1TqlWHCk Baldylok…

This episode we talk about what's good and recent wins in our respective worlds. Keeping a positive thread in our thinking makes all the difference. Frankie Laine, who sang "What Kind of Fool Am I". Sammy Davis Jr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcHyCdvBnIU Sam Lipsyte "No One Left To Come Looking For You". 20 Feet from Stardom. Michael Hateley: L…

This week, we speak to producer/engineer Jason Lowerie about how he works and develops his craft. It all boils down to fundamentals and intuition. Find out more about Jason's work at: www.jasonlowerie.com Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmastering.com/ Hello Crow Hello Crow, Michael's new EP is available now! Extra Fancy "You Look Like …

This week, we speak to Grammy Award-nominated producer/engineer Paul Fig about how he works and develops his craft. We also discuss the rich history behind his studio, www.davesroom.net, in Southern California. While working at world-famous Sound City Studios, Fig had the opportunity to practice every aspect of his trade, working with such luminari…

Anu, Dee, and Michael discuss latest projects, challenges, and creative discoveries. Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmastering.com/ Hello Crow Hello Crow, Michael's new EP is available now! Extra Fancy "You Look Like a Movie Star": https://youtu.be/0pE1TqlWHCk Baldyloks (Michael Hateley & John Napier): https://baldyloks.bandcamp.com/ D…

We all get stuck eventually -- stuck in our jobs, creative projects, or lives. We may face obstacles of finance, emotion, time, or personality. Sometimes we do not even know the cause. Getting unstuck starts with actually knowing when you're stuck and then telling the truth about it. Often, we don't know what the next step could or should be. Even …

Most of the biggest blocks that creators have start and end in their thinking. This episode explores where our own worst thinking stops us before we even start and some ways to begin to unlearn the nasty habit of catastrophic thinking. "The call is coming from inside the house...." -- References from this episode: Therapy in a Nutshell video - Cata…

Is artificial intelligence a real threat to human creativity? Or are we just expanding our creative toolbox? We discuss the myths and realities of technology and creative practices in the world of art and music, and talk about implications and effects of previous and future technologies. -- Stable Diffusion, an AI-based image generation. Try it you…

Holidays can be a real source of anxiety and loneliness for so many people. In this final episode for 2022, we discuss some personal practices to cure the holiday blues. Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmastering.com/ Hello Crow Hello Crow, Michael's new EP is available now! Extra Fancy "You Look Like a Movie Star": https://youtu.be/0pE…

Fear can be a crippling effect of past trauma or experience. How do we interrupt the experience of fear and redirect that energy? How do we discern between what is a helpful fear response and past neurological triggers like PTSD and related disorders? How does psychological conditioning come into play? Don't be afraid to join us this episode as we …

Every artist has a unique voice, a tone, a perspective. How do you discover what that is? What choices, what tools, what things help you find and sharpen it? We wander a crooked path through these thorny issues and questions. Michael and Dee talk about how this journey affected their new records. Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmasteri…

We're out this week for Thanksgiving, and taking this opportunity to give you this, our first revisitation of one of our first episodes! Celebrating the release of "Paisley Madrigals" to the streaming services, we are proud to once again, present to you, our "Adios Jesse... Hello BUNK!" episode from July 17, 2021. This was the fourth episode we eve…

Our guest is Sara Schnadt, who answers questions about her path from performance artist to systems architecture at NASA/JPL. Sara talks with us about how the two fields work together for her on a day-to-day basis. -- About Sara Schnadt: NASA Profile of Sara ArtNet piece about Sara Sara's Work: SaraSchnadt.com (Sara's Art) Sara's design work (pre-JP…

What's more important in music: melody or lyrics? We take on this unanswerable question. This ridiculous challenge leads us in some interesting directions. -- References: "Singing is a trick to get people to listen to music for longer than they would ordinarily." - David Byrne Books: This Is What It Sounds Like (about why you fall in love with musi…

Digital marketing expert, musician, and motorcycle enthusiast Chad Bishop talks with Dee and Michael about the Zen of long motorcycle rides, playing music, and a bit of marketing strategy. Chad used to play in bands Screaming to G*d and Idiot Stare. -- References: Idiot Stare https://www.discogs.com/artist/94678-Idiot-Stare Screaming To G*d https:/…

We pay tribute to the brilliance of Adam Ant. -- References: Adam Ant on Top of the Pops, 1980 ("Dog Eat Dog") The Madness of Prince Charming can be found on YouTube in either a single 48-minute view, or in 4 parts. Here's part 1. Burundi Steiphenson Black ‎– Burundi Black 1971 Jubilee movie, on Wikipedia Bow Wow Wow The Glitter Band The Glitter Ba…

We all look at our lives and wonder "what if..?" Presented with an array of doors, we can only choose one to walk through, leaving us to ask if made the best selection, and consider how our lives would have been better, or at least different. We discuss some of our own key moments, and look at whether asking "what if..?" is helpful or harmful. What…

How many times have you thought, "If I only had enough...?" We investigate finding more ease in our creative lives, no matter how impossible our head tells us it will be. A wishlist is a powerful tool for creating direction in our daily lives. Tell the story of what you want and paths may appear. -- Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmast…

We push and pull on "Pistol", Hulu's slick and stylized miniseries which re-imagines Steve Jones' autobiography, "Lonely Boy". "Pistol" presents one possible story of the birth and death of the Sex Pistols. We talk about the compromises inherent in telling any story, the merits of related documentaries, the truth and fiction behind "Pistol", and th…

Creative people often struggle with making art and making peace with themselves. Garry Shandling was no exception. He was a complex mix of aspiration, attachment, suffering, striving, and success. We talk about our responses to Judd Apatow's documentary "The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling", and consider what it means for life and creativity. -- Ref…

How much of our lives should we give to work? How much work do we need for our lives? Does work help give life meaning and shape, or does work rob life of meaning and shape? Can we find a way to make work work for us? -- Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmastering.com/ Extra Fancy "You Look Like a Movie Star": https://youtu.be/0pE1TqlWHC…

50 years ago, David Bowie released "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars", his fifth album. The one that gave him a taste of success, and that set the template for what would follow. After all this time, what makes this record so enduring for us and everyone else? What's the worst song on it? The worst lyrics? Is it good? I…

We take the train to inspiration station. Where do we find inspiration? How do we access it, and sustain that mysterious driving force behind just about everything we do as humans? It's closer than our breath, yet evaporates in an instant if we don't stoke the creative power source. Where do we start? -- Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotu…

Should you ever be ashamed of liking something? Does the concept of a "guilty pleasure" even apply in the anything-goes 21st century? Can you like something that you also think is bad? Is it simple nostalgia, or a deep appreciation of craft? We attempt to answer these questions as we share some of our self-defined guiltiest pleasures, and explain w…

This week we discuss the many faces of trauma, panic, PTSD, and the road to recovery. We share some personal experiences and our thoughts. --- Dee, Anu, & Michael Anu Kirk: https://www.anukirk.com Anu on Bandcamp Sid Luscious and The Pants on Bandcamp Luscious-235 on Bandcamp Rêvenir on Bandcamp Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmasterin…

Today's episode addresses the many faces of grief and loss. Grief has no timeline but the symptoms can be managed with kindness and awareness. Here are some thoughts and personal experience from the boys. -- Amy Edgerton: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1987/07/13/rumors-compound-pain-of-grieving-for-mclean-teen/ Dean Williams of Chill…

What is this terrible affliction of the mind and spirit? Why are we always convinced that buying some new equipment will solve our problems? Why doesn't it? Why do we keep at it? How do we stop the GAS building up? There is a solution...sort of. -- That guitar you've been lusting after: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgDFRyFuD3u/ MusicPro Insurance: h…

In this episode we dive into the rabbit hole of artistic identity, integrity, and how we (and others) try to define ourselves as artists. Dee and Michael explore this idea and more this week. -- No Direction Home - Bob Dylan Documentary directed by Martin Scorscese https://www.netflix.com/title/70177496 Rudeboy: The Story Of Trojan Records: https:/…

Mindfulness and mindfulness practice. What does that even mean? Who cares? Why bother? All this and more as Anu and Michael try to answer these questions. -- Happiness book by Matthieu Ricard https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-audiobook/dp/B07L5ZNBMD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DV24CLALW6Y7&keywords=happiness+book+mattieu+ricard&qid=1656717326&sprefix=happiness…

How do we open new doors and effect positive change with one word? We talk about the Yes! effect. -- Dee, Michael, and Anu: Anu Kirk: https://www.anukirk.com Anu on Bandcamp Sid Luscious and The Pants on Bandcamp Luscious-235 on Bandcamp Rêvenir on Bandcamp Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmastering.com/ Extra Fancy "You Look Like a Mov…

Dee and Anu talk about shame, fear, and personal perspective. -- Dee, Michael, and Anu: Anu Kirk: https://www.anukirk.com Anu on Bandcamp Sid Luscious and The Pants on Bandcamp Luscious-235 on Bandcamp Rêvenir on Bandcamp Michael Hateley: Lotus Mastering http://lotusmastering.com/ Extra Fancy "You Look Like a Movie Star": https://youtu.be/0pE1TqlWH…

The most precious commodity anybody has: time. How do we manage it? Find more of it? Make the most of it? We share our thoughts, tips, and frustrations on this week's episode. --- Rolling Stones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEj8lUx0gwY Albert Einstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyYqyYAKGC0 --- Dee, Michael, and Anu: Anu Kirk: https://www.…

Bass! What makes a good bass part? Or a good bass player? What are the challenges in writing, playing, and recording bass instruments? We dive deep into the low end this week! -- Jaco Pastorius: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/28/arts/music/review-jaco-a-documentary-about-the-jazz-musician-jaco-pastorius.html Robert Wilson: https://www.independent.…

Dee interviews Corrina Repp, one of his favorite singer-songwriters! Corrina talks about her new album Island, her recent European Tour with Damien Jurado, painting her neighbor's hallway, the joys of Memphis, her time in Tu Fawning, playing that Annoying Waitress on Portlandia, and much, much more. We are excited to have her join us, and she's our…

Dee rejoins us for the second part of our healthcare and self-care discussion — and he’s got a lot to add! Anu, Dee and Michael further share their experiences with health and the creative lifestyle, and discuss the importance of simply taking care of yourself. Please join us! -- SoundToys Little Alterboy: https://www.soundtoys.com/product/little-a…

What does it take to maintain and nurture our bodies, minds, and creative spirits? More than an apple a day! Anu and Michael share their experiences with health and the creative lifestyle, and discuss the importance of simply taking care of yourself -- basic physical and mental health care, the importance of insurance, and more. Dee is out this wee…

What defines you as an artist, creator? How do people know your work as you uniquely yours? Why do people pay big money to PR, marketing, and branding experts? Does your image matter? We take a look at some the moving parts in this varied and nuanced subject matter. This week, on the show! -- Adam Curtis "The Century of the Self": https://en.wikipe…

What defines you as an artist, creator? How do people know your work as you uniquely yours? Why do people pay big money to PR, marketing, and branding experts? Does your image matter? We take a look at some the moving parts in this varied and nuanced subject matter. This week, on the show! -- Edward Bernays - Father of PR, Sigmund Freud's nephew: h…

What makes a great recorded vocal performance? What does it take? How will we know if we've done it? Are we fooling ourselves? What matters more, precision or feeling? We take a look at all the moving parts from gear to voice to completion. This week, on the show! -- Dee, Michael, and Anu: Anu Kirk: https://www.anukirk.com Anu on Bandcamp Sid Lusci…

We weren't even sure where to start with this episode. We uncover and re-discover legendary music producer Tony Visconti. This week, on the show! --- Tape Op magazine interview with Tony Visconti: https://tapeop.com/interviews/29/tony-visconti/ Tony Visconti's autobiography: https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Visconti-Autobiography-Bowie-Brooklyn/dp/00072…

Kenny G might be popular, but is he any good? What makes a creative project good or bad? What makes art/music good or bad for us? Are there things you used to think were good that you now think are bad? How about the reverse? When did your art start being "good"? What changed? This week, on the show! --- Listening to Kenny G documentary: https://yo…

Professional athletes, mobile apps, comedy specials, beach views. Self-care. What is it? How do you do it and why? --- Dara Torres https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dara_Torres http://www.daratorres.com/ https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/magazine/29torres-t.html The Mindful Athlete - George Mumford: https://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Athlete-Secrets-Pure-…

Sleep. We all should be getting 6-8 hours a night. Why don't we? What are the negative impacts of not sleeping enough? What can we do to improve our sleep hygiene? All this and more! --- Sleep stages: https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/stages-of-sleep/ The Amazing Kreskin: http://www.amazingkreskin.com/ Carnac the Magnificent: https://en.…

We talk about the relationship between persistence and commitment, how they can serve each other in your projects and daily life, and more... --- Taxi (songwriting service): https://www.taxi.com/songwriting3 Composer Catalog: http://www.composercatalog.com Interview with Reeves Gabrels on "DAVIDBOWIE:ALBUMTOALBUM" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podc…

We talk about superstitions and compulsive practices that can hinder or help our creative work, and more... --- Europe - Superstitious: https://youtu.be/5gU5Vg2JokU The service Dee uses for releasing cover songs: https://soundrop.com/ Sound Drop is great because they basically deal with all of the Harry Fox crap for a small cut. They make it really…

We talk about setting realistic goals and the path to personal and professional success, using software tools and Scrum/Agile development practices, scheduling time with the Muse, what you are going to do tomorrow, and more... --- Local H - Toxic: https://youtu.be/C4-JlZbDCNg Productivity Book: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free…

We talk about what's so important about the Neil Young vs. Joe Rogan and Spotify upset this week, why it is more complex and depressing than you think, discuss curation, whether or not everyone should have a voice, the bad old days before music services and the internet, and more... --- Dee, Michael & Anu: Anu Kirk: https://www.anukirk.com Anu on B…

We talk about relationship missteps, gaffes, and breakdowns, what might have been, and how to use those opportunities, and more... --- Counterdependency is the state of refusal of attachment, the denial of personal need and dependency, and may extend to the omnipotence and refusal of dialogue found in destructive narcissism, for example. https://en…