Best Taylor Carman Podcasts (2025)

1
Steve Taylor Blew Up The Clinic Real Good: The "I Predict 1990" Album, Side A (#026) 1:03:15

15d ago1:03:15

1:03:15

Send us a text We finally get to Matt and Doug's all-time favorite Steve Taylor album, 1987's I Predict 1990. We cover the first three songs, beginning with "I Blew Up The Clinic Real Good", about an ice cream salesman who blows up an abortion clinic to make sure he still has a clientele to sell to. Next, "What Is The Measure Of Your Success" skewe…

1
Steve Taylor Throws Grandpa Off The Lifeboat: The "On The Fritz" Album, Side B (#025) 57:19

1M ago57:19

57:19

Send us a text We cover the second half of Steve Taylor's album On The Fritz, focusing on two songs: "I Manipulate", which tackles the warped theology of Bill Gothard, a minister who preached strict hierarchy in the family, and "Lifeboat", which critically discusses Values Clarification, a movement in the early 80's that emphasized personal values …

1
Steve Taylor's "To Forgive" is the Magnolia of Christian Rock: The "On the Fritz" Album, Side A (#024) 57:17

2M ago57:17

57:17

Send us a text We continue our comprehensive exploration into Steve Taylor's ouvre, this time tackling his second full-length album, 1986's On The Fritz. We cover the secularization of the sacred with "This Disco (Used To Be A Cute Cathedral)". We try to figure out what "On The Fritz" means. We discuss whether "It's A Personal Thing" makes sense an…

1
Episode 48: Was Nietzsche a Proto-Fascist? 58:12

2M ago58:12

58:12

Was Nietzsche a fascist? Does liking Nietzsche make you a fascist? If the bully boy heralds of MAGA are present-day fascists, does that make them latter-day Nietzscheans? Join Eric and Taylor as they distinguish several varieties of chest-thumping, bluster, and skepticism about truth. And as Nietzsche himself said, “If this podcast episode does not…

1
Episode 47: Are We Always at War with Ourselves? 58:36

3M ago58:36

58:36

Did you ever want something and not want it, or love somebody and also hate them? If you did, does that mean there are two different things inside you and they are having a war? Or are there three? This week Eric and Taylor look at the idea of internal conflict, internal peace, what it all means, and what if anything can be done about it. They also…

1
Episode 46: Are We Living in a Cave? (Part 2) 44:20

3M ago44:20

44:20

Are we still living in a cave? In this sequel episode Eric and Taylor contemplate what might happen if you got out of Plato’s cave. Would the sun blind you? And if you tried to convince the other prisoners to escape, would they kill you? Also this week, replies to some letters from listeners.

1
Episode 45: Will Intelligent Machines Destroy Us? 1:05:32

3M ago1:05:32

1:05:32

Are computers becoming so supersmart that they might supersede all human intelligence and eat us for lunch? Or is the very idea of “machine intelligence” a sad blend of conceptual confusion, willful ignorance, magical thinking, and financial opportunism? If you’re not sure (and if you can’t get an LLM to give you a straight answer), have a listen a…

1
Steve Taylor Drinks Milk From A Christian Cow: The "Meltdown" Album, Side B (#023) 1:07:24

3M ago1:07:24

1:07:24

Send us a text We continue our ridiculous in-depth, track by track analysis of Steve Taylor's first full length album, 1984's Meltdown, covering the last five tracks. Standouts include the great song "Sin For A Season" and "Guilty By Association". Bands/ Artists discussed: Steve Taylor Starflyer 59 Dance House Children Pixies The Smiths Morrissey M…

1
Episode 44: Are We Living in a Cave? (Part 1) 1:00:46

4M ago1:00:46

1:00:46

Are ordinary experience and everyday life hopelessly benighted and delusional, a realm of shadows, full of spectacle and drama but signifying nothing? This week Eric and Taylor descend into the most famous four pages in the history of Western philosophy: Plato’s allegory of the cave. Tune in and overcome your fear of truth, wisdom, and the beautifu…

1
Steve Taylor Solves Racism: The "Meltdown" Album, Side A (#022) 1:04:34

4M ago1:04:34

1:04:34

Send us a text We continue our track by track analysis of Steve Taylor's work. We only get halfway through his classic first full-length album, 1984's Meltdown, because there is so much to talk about. Highlights on this side include Taylor's groundbreaking song "We Don't Need No Colour Code" which boldly takes on racism in the Church, and "Am I In …

1
Steve Taylor is the Eminem of 80's Christian Rap: The "I Want To Be A Clone" EP (#021) 1:18:55

4M ago1:18:55

1:18:55

Send us a text We're back for a new year! This is the first in a series of episodes diving into the music of Christian alternative rock artist Steve Taylor. His music was ubiquitous in our youth, and we are going to go deep into his songwriting, both musically and lyrically. Steve Taylor was a pioneer in Christian rock, using his formidable songwri…

1
Mennonites Were Rolling In The Aisles: Interview with Comedian Jeremy Alder Part 2 (#020) 47:55

6M ago47:55

47:55

Send us a text We continue our conversation with comedian Jeremy Alder. He describes how his preaching stints at Mennonite services primed him for standup, and how his divorce led him to find a connection in the stand up comedy community. He discusses the art of "clean comedy" and how his negotiations with the faith of his childhood have provided a…

1
Carman Had the Rizz: Interview with Comedian Jeremy Alder Part 1 (#019) 49:44

6M ago49:44

49:44

Send us a text We interview the standup comedian Jeremy Alder, who draws comic inspiration from being brought up in a Fundamentalist Christian family and being homeschooled his whole life. He talks about loving Michael Jackson, then being confused when all the cool music and his TV suddenly went away. We explore the dubious science and anthropology…

1
An Epistle of Tony to the Church at Newsmax: Christianity and Politics (#018) 51:47

7M ago51:47

51:47

Send us a text We diverge from our usual discussion about music to touch on the intersection of Christian faith and politics. Using Lee C Camp's recent book Scandalous Witness as a starting point, we discuss the various attempts by Christian religious movements to co-opt U.S. politics from the left and the right, and try to articulate a proper Chri…

1
Lust Control Responds! Doug Van Pelt Interview (#017) 1:22:55

7M ago1:22:55

1:22:55

Send us a text We talk with Doug Van Pelt, frontman of the Christian hardcore punk band Lust Control and founder of Heaven's Metal Magazine. In Episode 6, we did a critical takedown of what we consider to be troublesome content in the Christian Rock of our youth, specifically relating to shame and guilt-inducing themes, and singled out Lust Control…

1
Charismatic Interpretation of Tongues is the Brian Eno of Prayer: Brett Tohlen Interview (#016) 1:31:43

8M ago1:31:43

1:31:43

Send us a text We have a great and wide ranging conversation with Brett Tohlen, Matt's songwriting partner from their band Lewis. Brett talks about growing up listening to the local Christian radio station, then discovering U2 and James. Matt and Brett discuss their years spent writing songs together, and Brett describes some of the themes behind t…

1
If Taylor Swift Killed You, Would You Go To Heaven? Beau Jennings Interview (#015) 1:35:29

8M ago1:35:29

1:35:29

Send us a text We talk to the Oklahoma musician and filmmaker Beau Jennings of the bands Lasso, Cheyenne, and Beau Jennings & The Tigers. Beau talks about Christian ska, youth group rallies about "taking our country back", and religion and faith as a backdrop to music writing. Tony & Beau talk about Okie Noodling, Will Rogers and all things Oklahom…

1
Sorta Christian: Danny Balis Interview (#014) 1:08:30

9M ago1:08:30

1:08:30

Send us a text We interview the Texas musician and radio personality Danny Balis, from the bands Sorta, King Bucks, Bastards of Soul and Silver Skylarks, and from his long tenure on Dallas' talk radio show The Ticket. We talk about his journey through Christian Rock as a youth under the tutelage of Brother Bruce, throwing his secular records away, …

1
Write Drunk, Edit Sober: Daniel Hopkins Interview Part 2 (#013) 1:06:45

9M ago1:06:45

1:06:45

Send us a text We continue our conversation with musician Daniel Hopkins of the band Radiant, also known as Denim Wonder. Daniel recounts how Radiant got to play in Times Square on New Years Eve for the Jimmy Kimmel Show. We discuss the current state of Christian music. We talk about what is was like to be a Christian on tour, including encounterin…

1
Chik-Fil-A is the Christian Rock of Fast Food: Daniel Hopkins Interview Part 1 (#012) 1:05:27

9M ago1:05:27

1:05:27

Send us a text We have our first guest!! We talk with the musician Daniel Hopkins of the band Radiant, also known as Denim Wonder. He talks about growing up with Christian music, sneaking secular CD's into the house, loving Creed and The Dave Matthews Band, listening to great music in spite of the lyrics, and songwriting. We discuss the "dangerous …

1
The Throes - All The Flowers Growing In Your Mother's Eyes (#011) 1:02:38

10M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

Send us a text We discuss the video of the Mike Knott tribute concert that just dropped on YouTube. Matt listens to Starflyer 59 for the first time ever. We take a survey of secular songs that were co-opted by Christians for their own purposes. Matt describes his teenage initiation into the Cult of R.E.M. We take a deep dive into the seminal Christ…

1
Lord Have Mercy On Me: Christian Themes in Secular Music (#010) 1:12:53

11M ago1:12:53

1:12:53

Send us a text In this episode, we explore the spiritual roots of popular music and listen to examples of Christian themes that have shown up outside of the Christian Rock cloister throughout the decades, from Black Gospel quartets, through Elvis, Johnny Cash, and into the modern rock of the 1990's and 2000's. Plus, another edition of "We Were Wron…

1
Bowl of Wrath: Questioning the Theology of Christian Rock (#009) 1:10:10

11M ago1:10:10

1:10:10

Send us a text We revisit some of our favorite Christian rock songs from our youth and discuss the lyrics and theological messages that were being communicated through the music. Also, did Dante create our modern conception of Hell? Why do we talk about Adam Again so much? How was one of the most uplifting hymns of all time written by a man who los…

1
Satanic Panic! The Evils of Backward Masking (#008) 1:04:44

12M ago1:04:44

1:04:44

Send us a text SPOOKY ALERT: We delve into the Devil-obsessed 80's, when demonic messages were deciphered by playing rock music backwards. We listen to some of the most notorious tracks and test for ourselves whether nefarious incantations were being subliminally infiltrated into the minds of the youth. Also, was skate culture Satanic? Did Led Zepp…

1
Oh My Sweet Rapture! Christian Rock at the End of the World (#007) 1:03:36

1y ago1:03:36

1:03:36

Send us a text The Apocalypse is here in this week's episode! We discuss how Premillennial Dispensationalism informed the American Evangelical culture in the 70's and 80's, and how the End of Days affected the Christian music of the time. Also: what do you do when the Rapture doesn't happen in the middle of 7th grade Bible class? Is not sinning mor…

1
Lust Control! Guilt, Sin and Shame in Christian Rock (#006) 1:06:43

1y ago1:06:43

1:06:43

Send us a text In this episode, we explore how ideas about Christian guilt and shame found their way into Christian rock. Also, have you ever seen 60,000 grown men weeping like babies? What is "The Big M"? What's so bad about music with a message? Is Ringo Starr still alive? Bands discussed: Altar Boys Keith Green Lust Control One Bad Pig The 77's …

1
We Get A Big Warm Sweet Interior Glowing: The Music of Terry Scott Taylor (#005) 1:07:37

1y ago1:07:37

1:07:37

Send us a text In this episode, we dive into the catalog of Christian alt-rock artist Terry Scott Taylor, who began his career fronting the band Daniel Amos, and went on to make albums with the Swirling Eddies and Lost Dogs, as well as recording many solo albums. We courageously face eternal conundrums such as, was Amy Grant into the occult? What a…

1
Church Chad Would Not Approve: Crossing Over into the Secular World (#004) 1:05:01

1y ago1:05:01

1:05:01

Send us a text In this episode, we dig into the concept of “crossing over”, when Christian artists would try to break into the mainstream music world. We dig into crucial topics like, were all of the founders of CCM on drugs? Is David Bazan too preachy? Can God be embarrassed? We open this episode with an exhortation from our brother Church Chad, w…

1
I Don't Wanna Get Kicked Out: RIP Michael Knott (#003) 47:13

1y ago47:13

47:13

Send us a text Michael Knott passed away on March 12, 2024. He was a highly prolific musician and label owner who fronted many bands, including Lifesavers, Life Savers Underground, L.S. Underground, L.S.U., Cush, Bombay Babies, and more. He also released many solo albums under his own name. For the three of us, he is important as the main force beh…

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If You Can Go Without Sinning For Just One Minute, Then You Can Go Two (#002) 1:13:26

1y ago1:13:26

1:13:26

Send us a text In this episode, we dive into each of our backgrounds and how we were introduced to the Christian alt rock world. We wrestle with hard-hitting questions like, how do you know which album to buy based on the cover art alone? If you can go just one minute without sin, can you go two? What was the best Christian album of the era and why…

1
Episode 43: Can You Learn Anything Important from Somebody Else? 1:01:00

1y ago1:01:00

1:01:00

Eric and his temporary co-host, Tao Ruspoli (filmmaker, co-founder of the Bombay Beach Biennale) delve deep into what it is to teach and to learn... and they ask, "Can you learn anything really important from somebody else?"

1
The Choir is the Sex Pistols of Christian Rock (#001) 1:05:52

1y ago1:05:52

1:05:52

Send us a text In this first episode, we tackle the important questions like; Is backwards masking real? Do Catholics speak in tongues? Was Keith Green too preachy? Was it more punk rock to be in a Christian band than to be a punk? Is The Choir the Sex Pistols of Christian rock? Bands discussed: LSU Altar Boys U2 The Sundays The Choir Adam Again Da…

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Episode 42: Are There Human Beings Worthy of Worship? With Geoff Dyer 1:00:36

1y ago1:00:36

1:00:36

Tao and Eric are joined by author Geoff Dyer to question whether certain individuals are worthy of worship. Dyer’s many books include But Beautiful (about jazz), the novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi and, most recently, The Last Days of Roger Federer. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Li…

1
Episode 41: Is Entertainment a Seductive Lie? 53:54

1y ago53:54

53:54

Eric Kaplan and Tao Ruspoli ask about how entertainment may or may not be "true". Tao substitutes for Taylor for the next several episodes. We've also just introduced video to the podcast! Let us know what you think.

1
Episode 40: Is Food Art? 1:11:25

1+ y ago1:11:25

1:11:25

This week Julia Moskin, Pulitzer Prize winning food reporter for the New York Times, joins Eric and Taylor to ask whether food is (or can be) art, and how it manages to do that while also just being yummy. Should great food taste like nothing you’ve ever tasted before or should it taste like the best ever version of its ingredients? Is culinary qua…

1
Episode 15: Is There Any Such Thing as the Self? 49:08

1+ y ago49:08

49:08

Another chestnut. Am I a self? Am I myself? Am I yourself? And if there is no such thing as the self, do I not exist? The Buddha and David Hume thought so – were they right? Join Taylor and Eric as they explore the conceptual labyrinth that is ourselves.

1
Episode 12: Are We Our Bodies? 48:49

1+ y ago48:49

48:49

A command performance of a classic. Are we our bodies? Do we have sould? Do we have minds? Do haircuts diminish our true selves? Can our selves be hit by a bus or uploaded onto The Cloud? The French phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty's body could’t be with us for this episode, but he joins us in spirit to tell us why we only meet people in the f…

1
Episode 39: Is Faith Good? 1:01:53

1+ y ago1:01:53

1:01:53

Can we build a meaningful life on the shifting sands of irrational belief? Or if we refuse to make an infinite commitment, are we wasting our life, dog-paddling in a weak tea without hope or meaning? Is faith necessary or insane – or both? This week Eric and Taylor record their first ever episode before a live studio audience, namely the annual mee…

1
Episode 8: Do We Need Other People? 53:53

1+ y ago53:53

53:53

Another command performance. (Okay, rerun.) Are we utterly dependent on others or should we look inward and try to be true to ourselves? Can we do both? Or neither? This week Eric and Taylor look to Ralph Waldo Emerson for some help with this deeply unsettling question.

1
Episode 38: Is Justice Possible? 54:13

1+ y ago54:13

54:13

Some things are obviously horribly bad and wrong. Is it possible to make them right? Do some people deserve satisfaction while others deserve punishment or mercy? When juries deliver verdicts and judges impose sentences, are they speaking the truth or just fumbling in the dark and settling on the least bad outcome? This week Taylor and Eric reflect…

1
Episode 37: Is It Okay to Be Fat? 57:07

1+ y ago57:07

57:07

Do we owe it to anyone (even ourselves) to be thin? Is being thin always healthier, sexier, better looking, or somehow more praiseworthy? Is it easier to be a great philosopher or to get into heaven if you’re thin? This week Eric and Taylor are joined by philosopher Kate Manne, whose new book examines diet culture and fatphobia. The truth, as it of…

1
Episode 36: Can You Succeed in the Music Business Without Selling Out? 1:02:23

1+ y ago1:02:23

1:02:23

Does the lure of fame and fortune necessarily get in the way of making great music? Or is it okay to make some fun ear candy as a way of putting food on the table? This week Taylor and Eric chat about artistic integrity and the temptations of popularity and money with singer, songwriter, philosopher, violinist, and attorney at law, Andrew Choi – al…

1
Episode 35: Can a Sound Look Like Something? 32:46

1+ y ago32:46

32:46

Synesthesia! A weird thing experienced only by unusual people, or by ordinary people on unusual drugs, or – is it something everybody has all the time? Are very low musical notes literally “dark”? Can food sound like something, like hot peppers going “ping” on your tongue? Why does it make sense to call a fork a “zrickrick” and a pillow a “baobwab”…

1
Episode 34: Is Revenge Inevitable? 38:13

1+ y ago38:13

38:13

Is revenge a dish best served cold, hot, or not at all? Should we all go on a revenge diet, or is it just too tasty? Could hitting back be so much fun that we can’t give it up? Or is the best revenge the serene feeling of being above revenge? Even if we know that vengeance inevitably leads to an endless cycle of vengeance, is it possible to get off…

1
Episode 33: Do Things Happen for a Reason? 54:57

1+ y ago54:57

54:57

Things happen. Sometimes you find a $10 bill. Sometimes a bird craps on your head. Are these events just the meaningless result of previous events or is there a hidden purpose behind everything? Does God’s plan underlie the chaos of experience? Is the idea that something was “meant to be” (or not meant to be) comforting or crippling? And is the ide…

1
Episode 9: Is Free Will an Illusion? 52:39

1+ y ago52:39

52:39

This week Taylor is grading mountains (mountains, I tell you) of student essays. We are proud therefore to offer you a “command performance” (rerun) of this terrifying yet edifying episode on the perennial problem of free will. Is it an illusion? Are we puppets? When we think we are thinking (or acting) freely, are we actually just cogs in a heartl…

1
Episode 32: Is Almost Everyone a Failure? 55:08

1+ y ago55:08

55:08

This week Taylor and Eric are joined by philosopher Kieran Setiya, author of Life Is Hard, which they agree it is. It’s especially hard if you think you’re doomed to failure. Are you? Not necessarily. But if you don’t worry about success and failure, are you just going to be swimming in a soup of nothing matters and who cares? Tune in and find out …

1
Episode 31: Are We Always Just Acting? 55:03

1+ y ago55:03

55:03

Is everything we do a kind of performance? Are we always reading from a script? And what makes bad acting bad? Do psychopaths make good actors? Do politicians make good psychopaths? And why do presidential candidates emphasize what they’re saying by pointing with their thumbs? Film and television actor Kevin Sussman joins Taylor and Eric to talk th…

1
Episode 30: Was the Woke Mind Virus Created by French Philosophers? 59:34

1+ y ago59:34

59:34

Were poststructuralist, postmodern, postrespectable French philosophers like Michel Foucault the real masterminds behind identity politics, critical race theory, cultural appropriation, and pumpkin spice latte? Will civilization survive the rampant, unchecked questioning of grand narratives? Join Taylor and Eric as they unravel this bundle of phone…

1
Episode 6: Is Being a Good Person Just a Matter of Luck? 48:37

1+ y ago48:37

48:37

In this – repeat command performance (okay, rerun) – episode, Eric and Taylor grapple with the problem of moral luck. Are we in control of being decent human beings and doing the right thing or are we at the mercy of circumstance and maybe even of our own character? Listen, feel unsettled, then feel okay.…

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Taylor Carman Podcasts

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