Talking To Ghosts

This week we talked with the fantastic synthwave act Makeup and Vanity Set! We talked soundtracks, the history of the synthwave/outrun genre, and the era of blog bands.

Direct download: TTG20-20Episode2015020-20Makeup20and20Vanity20Set.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we have Marlowe Dobbe! Marlowe is an animator and illustrator in Portland who works at Rose City Games and recently was part of the Dicey Dungeons team! We talked about idea generation, giving bad ideas space, and the making of Dicey Dungeons.

You can find all of Marlowe’s work on her official website. Dicey Dungeons is available on Steam and Itch.io now and we highly recommend checking it out! Also, look out for Marlowe’s talk at next year’s GDC!

Talking to Ghosts is produced and recorded by Michael Kurt and Wesley Mueller. Our great 5-year anniversary cover is by Alicia Gaines (of the band Ganser). For direct downloads of all our episodes, please check out our official website.

Direct download: TTG_-_Episode_149_-_Marlowe_Dobbe_-_2.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we have Marlowe Dobbe! Marlowe is an animator and illustrator in Portland who works at Rose City Games and recently was part of the Dicey Dungeons team! We talked about idea generation, giving bad ideas space, and the making of Dicey Dungeons.

You can find all of Marlowe’s work on her official website. Dicey Dungeons is available on Steam and Itch.io now and we highly recommend checking it out! Also, look out for Marlowe’s talk at next year’s GDC!

Talking to Ghosts is produced and recorded by Michael Kurt and Wesley Mueller. Our great 5-year anniversary cover is by Alicia Gaines (of the band Ganser). For direct downloads of all our episodes, please check out our official website.

Direct download: TTG_-_Episode_149_-_Marlowe_Dobbe_-_2.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we interviewed Jason Corbett from Actors! We talked about their very long tour schedule, how to keep the shows good, and Transcendental Meditation.

Actors debut album is available from Artoffact Records, and you can find Jason’s other projects at Jacknife Sound.

Talking to Ghosts is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller. Our fantastic 5-year Anniversary artwork was done by Alicia Gaines (of the band Ganser). The best place to find the more episodes, links, and bios is on our official website.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_148_-_Actors.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we have the LA-based electro-techno-futurist project Panther Modern. We talk to Brady Keehn about his work in the band Sextile, transitioning to the Panther Modern sound, and how to use AR and AI technologies in art. 

Panther Modern has an EP out now called "Los Angeles 2020." 

Talking to Ghosts is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller. Our wonderful 5-year anniversary cover art was done by Alicia Gaines of the band Ganser.

For direct downloads of all our episodes, the contact form, and more information about our podcast, please visit our official website.

Direct download: Talking_to_Ghosts_-_Episode_147_-_Panther_Modern.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 7:28am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have no guest! We talk to each other about all the new stuff we have out now, or coming up, including a new EP from The Blood of Others, the new Telekon Compilation, a game experience Wes made, and the trailer of a movie Michael made music for called Scare Me. Wes went to the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art recently and tells Michael about the cool stuff they saw. 

There are a limited number of SØLVE / The Blood of Others cassette left for online sale through the I Die: You Die bandcamp.

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our official website. This podcast is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wesley Mueller. 

Direct download: Talking_to_Ghosts_-_Episode_146_-_Art_Museums_and_Self_Promo.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we interviewed the solo blackened doom project Vouna. We talked to Yianna Bekris about forest ecology, a unique greek synthesizer, and playing squats in Greece. 

Vouna's debut self titled album is out now on Bandcamp.

Talking to Ghost is produced and recorded by Michael Kurt and Wesley Mueller. Our fantastic 5-year cover art is by Alicia Gaines of the band Ganser.

(Direct Downloads of all our episodes are available at our official website)

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_145_-_Vouna.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we talked to Matthew Bogart and Jesse Holden, creators of the comic Incredible Doom! We talked about the behind the scenes work that goes into making the comic, finding the emotional core of the story, and about the early internet. 

You can read Incredible Doom online for free right now, or subscribe to their Patreon for a lot of exclusive content and physical editions. Physical editions are also available here

Talking to Ghosts is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller. Our fantastic 5-year anniversary cover art is by Alicia Gaines (of the band Ganser). 

The best place to find us is on our official website.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_144_-_Incredible_Doom.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have Nina Freeman and Jake Jefferies! We talked to them about their fantastic new game We Met In May, game jams and fine art in New York, and scary games!

We Met In May is a game you should definitely check out if you like personal, fun games. Wishlist it here!

Talking to Ghosts is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller. Our fantastic 5-Year Anniversary art is by Alicia Gaines (from the band Ganser). Please visit our official website for more details about this episode and other episodes, or if you want to directly download this episode.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode__143_-_Nina_and_Jake.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we have musician and artist Jet Shea! We talked about getting started in noise projects, traveling the US on a motorcycle, and what led them to Dire Trine and ultimately the solo project. 

You can find Jet Shea's first EP on Soundcloud.

Talking to Ghosts is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller. The best place to find our podcast is on our official website. The 5-year anniversary cover art is by the wonderful Alicia Gaines of the band Ganser

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_142_-_Jet_Shea.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have the emotional doom band Elizabeth Colour Wheel! We talked about living and working in DIY spaces, finding your own politics in DIY, and being careful and respectful of the emotional strength the band puts out. 

Elizabeth Colour Wheel have a debut album out now on The Flenser called "Nocebo." Lane is also featured on the new Drowse Mini-LP, which is available for pre-order

Talking to Ghosts is produced and recorded by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller. The best place to find our episodes is on our official website. Our wonderful 5-year anniversary cover art is by Alicia Gaines of the band Ganser. 

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_141_-_ECW.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we have Bustié! We talked about touring in Trump American while being extremely queer and extremely brown, showing kids they can empower themselves through music and booking their own shows, and taking some time off from tour in New Orleans.

Bustié’s debut album, Birds of Paradise, is out now on Climax! Records.

Also mentioned in this episode: PAWNS, Anatomy, Audios Munda Cruel, and Remorseless.

Talking to Ghosts is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wesley Mueller. Our amazing 5-year anniversary cover art is by Alicia Gaines (of the band Ganser, who are also great).

The best place to find Talking to Ghosts is on our official website.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_140_-_Bustie.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we have Youryoungbody, the awesome post-witchhouse-eurodance-banger project from Seattle, WA. We talked about sending playlists back and forth to develop the new sound, finding witchhouse, and how f'in cool Chris Angel still is (live in Vegas).

Youryoungbody's new album Devotion is up on their Bandcamp page.

The best place to find Talking to Ghosts is on our official website. The podcast is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller.

Our wonderful 5-year anniversary artwork is by Alicia Gaines (of the band Ganser, who have an a.m.a.z.i.n.g. new single and video out!)

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_139_-_Youryoungbody.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we had the always wonderful and generous Real Cardinal of Comaduster and Underfelt! We talked about the serialized release schedule the new Comaduster material is on with FiXT, navigating the threshold of what people will tolerate in terms of releases, and the difference between the Comaduster process and the Underfelt process. THEN we talked for a really long time about game development sound design and the steps to creating a new sound for combat weapons, elemental considerations, and the technical math behind it. Not to mention things like building tells into your sound design and having to consider the environmental storytelling you are trying to communicate to the player.

You can find all the new FiXT releases on the Comaduster page, including some stems packages and cool stuff we talked about towards the end of the interview.

The best place to find us is on our official website

Talking to Ghosts is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller.

Our fabulous 5-year anniversary cover is by Alicia Gaines of the great Chicago band Ganser.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_138_-_Real_Cardinal.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have the legend, the teacher, and the greatest fan Rodney Anonymous. How do you sum up a conversation with this guy? I have no idea. Here are my raw episode notes:

  • How to pick your opener
  • How to record an album
  • How to book a Bed & Breakfast in multiple countries
  • How to talk to Bruce Campbell
  • How to live in Philadelphia
  • How your wife teaches Trash Knife to sing
  • How to offend big foot at a Canadian party
  • How to offend Yugoslavian werewolf hunters
  • How to find out you’re probably Yugoslavian?
  • How Last Tango in Paris signifies a real, real bad time
  • How your band doesn’t translate well in other countries
  • How American ruin visiting other countries
  • How The Damned is awesome
  • How to make reverbs in the cemetery, where you also picnic
  • How to be a tour guide for your local cemetery
  • How to peer pressure people into going into mausoleums
  • How to stay at the Lizzie Borden house with Cher fans
  • How to sleep well in murder homes
  • How did Carrot Top get so F’n ripped?
  • How Freddy Pompeii…
  • How the Dead Milkmen are really sad instead
  • How your dad almost died in the Steel Mill
  • How the history of food works
  • How food is from the family you grew up with
  • How to talk to crazy people on public transportation and what you’ll learn
  • How to KLF
  • How to cover Van Halen

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our Official Website.

Rodney Anonymous can be found at The Dead Milkmen shows or you can check out his 7th Victim stuff here!

Talking to Ghosts is produced and recorded by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller. Our fantastic artwork was done by Alicia Gaines.

Direct download: Talking20To20Ghosts20-20Episode2013720-20Rodney20Anonymous.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 5:51am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we talked with TJ from the band Inter Arma. We talk about the recording and reviewing the new album, Sulfur English, which was staged as a response to the modern metal cliches.

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our official website.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Michael Kurt and Wesley Mueller.

Our wonderful 5-year anniversary artwork is by Alicia Gaines. Check out her band Ganser from Chicago!

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_136_-_Inter_Arma.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have Jacob Bannon! We talked about the crazy tour schedule that goes with the Converge universe of bands, making Wear Your Wounds a full project with a steady band of collaborators, and how he made abstract art in the dunes for an artist residency. Then! We talked for about 20 straight minutes about MMA and how he was a judge for awhile.

Jacob Bannon has a lot of projects, but here are a few: Wear Your Wounds, Dunedevil Art Book, and Deathwish Records.

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our Official Website.

Our 5-year anniversary cover art is by the awesome Alicia Gaines (check out her band Ganser).

This podcast was produced, recorded and edited by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_135_-_J_Bannon_-_2.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we caught up with the senior staff of the great I Die You Die website. Unsurprisingly, we went from patting each other on the back for being cool and awesome to talking about wrestling and pasta.

I Die You Die is a powerhouse of a website. They do reviews and interviews all around the dark music scene, not to mention the podcast We Have A Technical.

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our official website.

This podcast is produced by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller. Our 5-year anniversary cover art is by the wonderful Alicia Gaines. Please check out her band Ganser, they are awesome.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_134_-_IDUD.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:45am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have sound artist and musician Marcus Fischer! We talked about sound art, the residency he did in Florida, and having a healthy balance between work creativity and personal creativity.

Marcus has a lot of great art and music, if you are in New York you should definitely check out his work at the Whitney Museum’s Biennial exhibit running May 17 - September 22, 2019.

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our official website.

Produced and recorded by Michael Kurt and Wes Mueller.

5-year cover art by Alicia Gaines.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_133_-_Marcus_Fischer.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have Kyle Bates from the experimental ambient band Drowse. We talk about his artist residencies in both Iceland and Japan, working within the curation of The Flenser, and getting past self doubt.

Drowse has a new album called Light Mirror coming out on June 7th!

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our official website.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_132_-_Drowse.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have author, activist, and journalist Cory Doctorow! We talked about his work to fight the copyright directive in Europe, Little Brother 10 years later, and his writing process. This is a long form interview with a deep look at encryption privacy tools, housing advocacy, cooperative ride sharing apps, and a lot more!

Cory’s new book Radicalized, a series of novellas, is available now in hardcover from Tor Books, or in DRM-Free eBook/audio formats from his website. His journalism can be found on Boing Boing and his work with the Electronic Frontier Foundation can be found on their website.

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our official website.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_131_-_Cory_Doctorow_-_4.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have Vancouver EBM / techno project Sigsaly! We talk about forming Sigsaly's sound after performing as Koban for 10+ years, playing the community center in high school, and finding a new and exciting audience.

Sigsaly has a few releases up on Bandcamp that you should definitely check out. If you are in Chico, Olympia, or Victoria BC - go see them live this month!

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our Official Website.

Direct download: TTG_-_Episode_130_-_Sigsaly.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the podcast we catch up after both being out of town for vacation. Sandra Lanz was hanging out, so we roped her into talking to us too! Tune in for stories about our luxury house vacations, wearing Cradle of Filth T-shirts at church, and how we should make time to just be outside and chill. 

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our official website and Sandra is wrapping up her run on Archie Comics' Betty & Veronica

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_129_-_Catching_Up_feat._Sandra_Lanz.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have Omniflux! Wes was out sick, so Michael talked to Omniflux about trying to find a studio space that feels right, growing up without western influence, and the OhGr / Lead Into Gold / Omniflux tour.

At some point, Michael thinks it’s omnifluxmusic.NET, but it isn’t… it’s definitely omnifluxmusic.com that you should check out!

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_128_-_Omniflux_2.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have Australia-based progressive doom metal band Divide & Dissolve! We talked about making their album and performance deaf accessible, working on empathy, and how accessibility fights colonialism.

Divide & Dissolve just announced their tour with Deafheaven, so definitely check that out!

You can find Talking to Ghosts on our official website.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_127_-_Divide_and_Dissolve.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the show we have Blackwater Holylight, who are a doom/ heavy psych metal project from Portland. We talked to them about forming a supergroup with the talented folks they knew, making their debut album, and setting time aside for practice. 

Blackwater Holylight’s debut album is out now on RideEasy Records

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_126_-_Blackwater_Holylight_2.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week on the show we have techno producer, DJ, and label owner Mor Elian! We talked about moving and living in Berlin, playing your own tracks in your DJ set, and her crazy travel schedule.

All of Mor Elian's info can be found on her Resident Advisor page.

Talking to Ghosts is best found on our official website.

Direct download: Talking_To_Ghosts_-_Episode_125_-_Mor_Elian.mp3
Category:Interview -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

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