The Institute For Post American Studies

The debut episode of "The Institute For Post American Studies," is with Mckenzie Wark on her new-ish book "Capital is Dead." We mostly discuss how the economy has changed under the guidance of silicon valley and exacerbated by the pandemic. We discuss a range of subjects from the book and some in depth analysis of the present. Pick up the book now on Verso

Quick PSA on Propaganda by the Seed! Subscribe here.  Support it on patreon here.    This project is no longer going to be on the Solecast feed... if you wanna hear our episodes subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!  Our first episode we dropped today is with Ben Falk, author of "The Resilient Homestead" on Chelsea Green.    And The Solecast is now The Institute For Post American Studies

Closing out a hellish year with the final episode of the “ solecast” before I change the name (and focus) to The Institute For Post-American Studies in 2021.  Couldn't think of a better way to end it, then with two of my favorite co-travellers and co-conspirators in the world of anarchist podcasting: Final Straw Radio.   In this episode we reflect on 2020, our hopes and fears for the future and how this year surprised us in many ways.  We also talk about our projects and things we've learned along the way, going in depth on on issues of race and anarchy, internationalism, abolition, ecology and much more.  Bursts also shares his Kim chi recipe at the end.   Check em out at final straw https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/   Music “Gasoline” By Erda    

Erda makes emo inspired rap music with an anarchist bent. Their music expresses both the existential angst of our epoch and the spirit of resistance. Based out of NY, Erda has a background in various genres of music, and this lends itself to a very unique aesthetic and approach to hip-hop. In this conversation we talk about bridging the personal with the worldly, Erda's background with farming and permaculture and life under the algorithm. In this episode we open it up with a recent track, "Riot 2" and close it with an unreleased jam called "The Skyline Would Look So Beautiful On Fire." Uou can follow Erda on Twitter, Instagram, Spotify and Bandcamp.

In this episode of the Solecast I speak with author and Indiana University professor, Micol Seigel. This conversation is meant as a primer for the the concepts of destituent power and the under commons. After a year of unimaginable suffering and resistance, the ideas of Destitution and under commons provide us critical tools for building the capacity we need to weather the storm(s) that we find ourselves in. We also talk about the free-to-all virtual conference they are hosting the weekend of 11/13-11/16:   On November 13th-16th, then, Indiana University's 2020 Critical Ethnic Studies symposium brings into dialogue two zones of contemporary insurgent study: the undercommons and destituent power. To explore social life that evades political constraints such as citizenship, sovereignty, and governance, we seek to build upon the work of Fred Moten, Stefano Harney and Giorgio Agamben. Reveling in the fields that ground their work, the Black radical tradition and Italian Autonomia, this forum seeks to collect and share what we've learned from the practices and forms of life that are already breaking free of politics.   To preview Micol's book “Violence Work” you can check it out here   and to learn more/register from the Destituent Power and The Undercommons conference you may do so here

New Issue of Fire Ant available here   In this episode of the Solecast I chat w Rob Cat of Fire Ant.  Fire Ant is a collaboration between anarchist prisoners and anarchists in so called Maine.  Fire Ant seeks to spread the words & work of anarchist prisoners, highlight their plights and help them get the material support they need.    Rob & Bria are also homesteaders and we talk about their experience of being self reliant with food production and working with mutual aid networks like the Victory Gardens Project https://www.freehermanbell.org/VictoryGardens.html to their ongoing efforts to provide free food to comrades, friends and neighbors.     For more information on Fire Ant, download the latest issue here and to learn more about some of the anarchist political prisoners they support:   Jennifer Rose https://bloomingtonabc.noblogs.org/anarchist-prisoners/jennifer-gann/ Eric King https://supportericking.org/ Marius Mason https://supportmariusmason.org/ Sean Swain https://seanswain.noblogs.org/about-sean-swain/ Michael Kimble https://bloomingtonabc.noblogs.org/anarchist-prisoners/michael-kimble/  

In this episode of the solecast I sit down with a crimethinc participant. I view crimethinc as some of my favorite philosophers of “anarchy,” with no adjectives. Throughout the pandemic their instincts have been spot on so I'm excited to share this conversation. We start off by discussing how we, along with hundreds of other anarchists and anti-fascists were banned from facebook, what the broader implications of it are and what can be done about it. We talk about the the importance of building up new anti-capitalist digital infrastructure, and how we can think about restructuring an anti-capitalist society. The ideas of civil war is critiques and the concept of revolution addressed. This conversation covers a lot of ground, for me the main takeaway is how high the stakes truly are. Visit Crimethinc.com Music: Sole & DJ Pain 1 "Plague Days"

An in depth discussion with Scott Crow, co-founder of Common Ground Relief Effort in New Orleans, scott is also an author, musician and a spokesperson for the Agency collective.  We talk about how anarchist strategies and ideas have evolved in the context of the pandemic.  We discuss how dramatically daily life has changed, its near-term and future implications and the multiple overlapping crisis' we face. We talk about the limitations and promises of mutual aid & self defense practices in the Coronavirus Era, and how these practices have spread from Hurricane Katrina to the present situation.    ScottCrow.org Emergency Hearts (A)gency89o Photo Credit: Rino Pizzi Music: 800 Star Constellation (Televangel Winter of 63 Remix) [feat. Kerri Atwood]

In this episode of The Solecast i re-air a recent interview I did with kidDead and Onwerd for their Imaginary Friends podcast.  I enjoyed this conversation because its one of the loosest talks I've had in a while (it was happy hour on the East coast when this interview was conducted). As long-time Sole supporters and friends, the dynamic lent itself to the sort of back and forth you might hear w friends who might slightly disagree about shit talking at a bar.  We talk about music stuff, my early history, and get into some interesting conversations about human nature, collectives, abolition and the revolutionary moment we find ourselves in.   Check out Imaginary Friends podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms.   https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/imaginaryfriendspodcast/id/15051875   Music Guests: Sole & Dj Pain 1 - "Outsiders" - No God nor Country https://sole.bandcamp.com/album/no-god-nor-country-3 Linqua Franqa - "Midnight Oil" - Linqua Franqa https://linquafranqa.bandcamp.com/track/midnight-oil An Illustrated Mess - "PSA" feat. Tré Orona & E-Turn) - Single https://fangoverfistrecords.bandcamp.com/album/psa-feat-tr-orona-e-turn Happy Tooth & Dug - "Always a Threat" - All in your Head https://happytoothanddug.bandcamp.com/album/all-in-your-head  

Today I sit down to talk to rapper/activist/producer Bloodmoney Perez about the CHOP (Capital Hill Occupied Protest), an autonomous zone formerly known as CHAZ(Capital Hill Autonomous Zone).  This conversation is mostly about the significance of the autonomous zone that has been opened up in Seattle during anti-police protests in the wake of George Floyd's murder.  We talk about the cultures of mutual aid, solidarity and self defense that have popped up against constant attacks from white supremacists, the media and the police and how this movement is modeling the revolutionary potentials of our time.     We also talk about his new album, “Its About Fucking Time,” the loss of his grandmother to Covid 19, and a wide ranging discussion about the economic and social state of affairs in the US.     Basically, are we in a civil war yet?    

In the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd we have seen an unprecedented rebellion take shape across the so called United States.   In this 2.5 hour episode I catch up with comrades all over the country to talk about what is going on and some analysis on current events, some challenges that lie ahead and dismantling the misinformation thats been spread through mainstream media, Non-profits and politicians. Featured in this interview: Jesse Benn, Colorado Ted Flowers, Minneapolis Liz from Rebel Steps, NY Ted, Eugine Mic Crenshaw, Portland Oregon

 In this episode of The Solecast I chat with Brendan Mcquade and Mark Neoclous about concepts of policing, surveillance and security and how they are playing out in the Corona Virus era.  Marc is the author of several books, such as Critique of Security, The Universal Adversary and many more.  Brendan is a prior solecast guest and recently released Pacifying the Homeland : Intelligence Fusion.    We lay out a critique of “resilience” and differentiate its usages from practices of mutual aid.  We discuss why Universal Basic Income may not be desirable.  They talk about how the concept of security itself undermines our liberators freedoms and how the two concepts are at odds.    We talk about the concept of medical police, medical passports and the forms surveillance is currently taking.   What does a revolutionary strategy look like right now?  What does astroturfed right wing anti-science protestors have to do with the walking dead? 

In this episode of The Solecast I sit down with Kevin Tucker of Black and Green Publishing / Wild Resistance Journal.  We have a wide ranging conversation about empires, collapse and coronavirus.  Kevin's political analysis is rooted around primal anarchy; and sees anarchy as the natural state of humans, and civilization as the cage we desperately need to get free from.  Kevin talks about his historical perspectives on why civilizations fail and why things like coronavirus, lyme disease and other animal borne illnesses are on the rise.  A fun, laid back and informative conversation.     Pick up Kevin's new book “The Cull of Personality” and check out his podcast, Primal Anarchy.   Music "Love Song For The Apocalypse" by Ceschi  

Propaganda by the Seed          Its a Good Time To Start a Garden II         This episode of propaganda by the Seed is a follow up to “It's a Good Time To Plant a Garden."     In this episode we cover:   Seed starting / hardening off of plants  Good crops for low light / urban environments  Growing in containers / small spaces  Pest control Creating/maintaining healthy soil   Many of these topics are attempts to answer listeners questions, if you would like to see more episodes like this please let us know and submit questions for future episodes.  

n today's episode of the solecast we have an in-depth discussion of anarchic black radicalism with comrades from  Ram Philly & Afrofuturist Abolitionists of the Americas.  Anarchic Black Radicalism draws on the history of Black Panthers, early abolitionists, Black Nationalism/Liberation Movements and more to synthesize a distinct form of black anarchism.  We talk about how recent social movements have radicalized a new generation of black youth and how anarchist ideas have gained traction in their wake.  We talk about the importance of centering trans and disabled people and what steps people of color can take to build their own spaces for organizing that aren't centered around white activists.    We go over about some of the theoretical bases that form their analysis and some of the writers and texts that have informed this direction.    For more information follow Afrofuturist Abolitionists of the Americas  or Ram Philly .  Music “Pass Dat” by Sima Lee   Some texts discussed:  Combahe River Collective Statement    Anarchy of Colored Girls Assembled a Riotous Manner   Between Infoshops and Insurrection   The Writings of Lorenzo Kom'boa Ervin  Solecast w/ Zoe Samudzi As Black As Resistance  

Today I sit down with Gabriel Kuhn to discuss his book Liberating Sápmi.  The Sámi people are the indigenous peoples of Northern Europe who presently and historically inhabit a territory stretching from northern Scandinavia to western Russia called Sápmi.  Many will be surprised to learn that there is an indigenous territory within Europe that doesn't resemble Europe's concept of state power & has its own distinct culture.  Like most indigenous peoples' they have been victims of racism, colonialism, and cultural repression by exploitive states.  Gabriel's new book looks at their history and tells first hand accounts of their experiences, their history and acts of resistance.   This is one of the most comprehensive english accounts of the Sámi people and is out now on PM Press.     For more information:  Pacific Sámi Searvi: https://www.pacificsamisearvi.org/ Sámi Cultural Center of North America: https://www.samiculturalcenter.org/ Suohpanterror: https://suohpanterror.com/ Ellos Deatnu!: https://ellosdeatnu.wordpress.com/ Moratorium Office: https://moratoriadoaimmahat.org Pile o´Sápmi: http://www.pileosapmi.com/ WeWhoSupportJovssetAnte: https://wewhosupportjovssetante.org/ Run for Your Life: https://350.org/run-for-your-life/

I didn't wanna do a podcast this week about theory or history or plants or the pandemic, in some ways I am at a loss for words... So this week I felt called to just toy around with loops, samples and some new beat ideas I've been working on with loop pedals and just try to channel some of this anxiety into some sort of instrumental mix tape. When I'm stressed out, I listen to ambient music and just stare off into the horizon. One of my favorite things to do is to just get lost in making walls of noise, and there's no better time for that then under quarantine. So here's about an hour of semi improvised music combining sketches on my ipad (using loopy, animoog, and i-maschine mostly), sampled loops on my SP404 and some live looping stuff with my akai headrush pedal.

  In this episode I talk with author & musician Margaret Killjoy.  We start off discussing her new project Vulgarite, the musical approach and the concept behind it.  We then get into a podcast she just launched called “How To Live Like The World Is Dying” based around an essay of the same name.  Margaret is an interesting guest for the solecast because not only is she an anarchist artist and a writer but also lives off grid in a home she built herself on a land project shared with comrades.  We talk about some of the challenges and joys of homesteading and how all these things tie into her politics.  We also get into some discussion around science fiction tropes that we see in modern times.    Support Margaret on Patreon , pick up the new album on bandcamp and follow her on twitter.  

In this episode I talk with K-Death of Moodie Black.  K-Death is a trans woman noise rap artist based out of Minneapolis.  Moodie Black is dropping “Fuzz” on Fake Four Inc March 27th.  K breaks down the new album and its inspiration and the “Moodhouse Festival” that they recently held in Minneapolis.  We talk about K-Death's vision for noise rap and her thoughts on race, gender and the music industry.  We also talk about the Moodhouse Podcast and the ongoing project to start producing other acts under the Moodhouse record label.  Inspiring conversation with one of my favorite artists. Hear the debut single "Jesus Bound" here Pick up "Fuzz" here.

In this episode of the solecast I sit down with Carla & Zach Bergman to talk about rethinking the relationship between youth and adults.  Carla is a filmmaker, activist and author of Joyful Militancy and her son Zach is an artist and electronic producer who puts out music under the moniker Sourgout.  This interview talks bout un-schooling, the damage that the western education system does and how adults can do better to foster autonomy.  We talk about the after school youth space they participated in called the Purple Thistle, the importance of community and how addressing the harm done by schooling is critical to any anti-capitalist radical politics or thinking around decolonization. Many of the themes cover in this conversation can be found in an upcoming anthology Carla is releasing on AK Press tentatively titled Trust Kids. Music by Sourgout  

In this episode of The Solecast I chat with Scott Olsen and Graham Clumpner of About Face (Formerly known as Iraq Veterans Against The War).  Scott and Graham were both involved in Occupy Oakland, Scott is most famously known for almost getting killed when OPD hit him in the head with a bean bag round that was followed by the first general strike in recent US history.  Much of Graham's work today is based around environmental/climate change struggles. We talk about their experiences in the military and what its going to take to build an anti-war movement in the US.  We discuss the roles veterans can play in radical movements and some ways that active duty military can resist.  We go into some of the history of anti war resistance and discuss what anti-imperialism means in the face of climate change.     You can follow Scott at @olsenvet and Graham at @turncoatveteran

In this episode I chat with journalist Robert Evans who is the host of the podcasts "It Could Happen Here" and "Behind The Bastards Podcast." In this interview we talk about how the project came about, the research that went into it and how people responded to it. Robert discusses how his trips to Iraq & Syria made him realize that a civil war like that is not too far off from the political moment we find ourselves in in the US and how that might look in the US. He talks about practical skills and practices we can employ in our daily lives to make us more resilient, the importance of mutual aid, armed self defense and DIY skills. We also discuss climate change & economic collapse as additional factors that would play into all of this. Robert also talks about his upcoming podcast series about Rojava and unveils what Season 2 of It Could Happen Here will be about...

In this super-long episode of the solecast I'm doing a deep dive into the impacts that streaming and corporate consolidation has had on the music industry.  This is a very long episode, clocking in at almost 3 hours.  Instead of splitting it up into a multi-part episode I wanted everything in once place, so people could  treat this as a mini audio documentary, listen while you have time, pause it and return to it, there is a lot of information here that is important, if you care about music.  Hopefully this Megasode format allows you to gain a nuanced and in depth understanding of where the music industry is at, how its gotten to where it is, and how we as artists and listeners can navigate this. First I'm joined by Joe from Don Giovanni Records to talk about how the changes we have seen over the last 20 years have made it increasingly difficult for most independent labels to compete.  Joe gives a history of how this consolidation has impacted independent infrastructure from blogs, to record stores to radio and beyond.  Don Giovanni is an incredible record label, check out their releases at https://www.dongiovannirecords.com/ For Part two I'm just by journalist Liz Pelly to talk about some of the less considered aspects of how these algorithms are shaping art itself, its ability to surveil moods and advanced forms of marketing.  Liz also offers a number of ideas for ways people can reclaim power in this shifting landscape.  Check out some of her pieces for the baffler “Big Mood Machine”  or “Stream-bait pop.”  Then I sit down with my long time friend, collaborator and distribution partner Daddy Kev of Alpha Pup.  Kev is an OG from the LA beat scene and is co-owner of Alpha Pup Distribution.  He is optimistic about how artists can do in the future and offers a number of suggestions for how those who choose to engage in these platforms can think about maximizing their potential to reach supporters.  https://alphapuprecords.com/ Music: True Deceiver Drifts & Floats

Dusty Hinz is co-founder of the Experimental Farm Network. The Experimental Farm Network is an open sourced social platform that allows for people to develop & breed crops, anything from perennial grains to improved varieties and hybrids of popular plants. They also distribute rare/unique seeds from experimental growers across North America in their store. In this conversation I talk to Dusty about the formation of the network, and his personal thoughts on civilization and global warming. Dusty speaks of this decade as “the collapsing 20s,” and much of what they are breeding / distributing is based around resiliency in the face of climate change. We discuss how we can think about making “back to the land” practices more accessible, creating an “urban to rural pipeline,” and cooperative land trusts. Dusty also talks about the importance of nut trees / agro forestry and what small scale / localized / bioregional post-civilization food systems could look like. Music Televangel “800 Star Constellation”

In this episode of the solecast we're talking with Sara Falconer and Daniel McGowan of the “Certain Days Collective.”  Certain Days puts out a calendar every year that donates its funds to RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison), Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association and more.  It's a collaboration between political prisoners currently locked up and their supporters on the outside(including former political prisoners).  In this interview we talk about the origins of this project, its aims and how it functions.   The calendar itself is beautifully designed and reminds us of important and forgotten moments in history, the life and deaths of revolutionaries, their time in prison, moments of resistance both recent and further in the past, and so much more.  Its a great way to turn each week into a history lesson and frame our time.   Pick them up here. https://www.certaindays.org/order/

For the season 2 premiere of the solecast i sit down with Cindy Milstein to talk about some recent themes they've been putting out through various talks and writings over the past year.  Cindy talks about the resurgence of Jewish anarchist organizing in the states and its relation to the upswing of anti-Semitism we have seen in the past few years.  We explore the themes of a panel Cindy did with Aaron Lakof and Charmagne Kahn at the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair in 2019 entitled “From Another World Is Possible to the Possible End of the World.”  We talk about the despair of these times and how to think about building a foundation in which cultures of resistance can thrive.  Cindy addresses the machismo within radical circles, under representation of marginalized voices within the anarchist podcast world, and the importance of care/mutual aid.  We also address the concept of revolution and scale and why various forms of infrastructure are key to sustaining revolutionary movements.   Be on the look-out for Cindy's forthcoming anthology on AK Press Deciding For Ourselves  (The Promise Of Direct Democracy)  and check out our preview interview about Rebellious Mourning.

Here's a different kind of podcast about how to build DIY electronics with my good friend Otem Rellik. Otem Rellik is a rapper, producer and self taught builder of incredible electronics based out of Denver. In this podcast we'll talk about the basic concepts of building DIY electronics using Arduino, Rasberry PI, and Pure Data. Check him out on instagram, youtube and bandcamp Pure Data: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL12DC9A161D8DC5DC MobMuPlat: http://danieliglesia.com/mobmuplat/ Arduino: https://bildr.org/ https://little-scale.blogspot.com/

This is a good conversation to have at the end of a strange year. For this episode I am joined by Alfredo of Occupied Southwest Distro to have a wide ranging conversation picking up on the themes in the book Desert. Desert is an anonymously written book which offers a sober assessment of our current material conditions and urges us to toss out-dated thinking aside. In light of the challenges and time tables put on us by climate change what are the revolutionary prospects? What does it mean to be an anarchist or revolutionary in the anthropocene? The book offers a number of ways to analyze the situation and our practices, we talk about how its informed our thinking as long term organizers and informed our current efforts. You can read/download Desert for free here.

A re-air of Sole's June interview w/ Rev Left Radio about Sole & DJ Pain 1's new album No God Nor Country. Check it out here and our new submedia produced single "F.T.L." (Fuck The Law).

Today on the Solecast I'm interview Televangel formerly of Blue Sky Black Death. Televangel is a beatmaker/composer from Oakland currently residing in Portland, Oregon. Unlike most artists I bring on the Solecast to talk about their work and their politics, Televangel does it with his instrumental music, not vocals. In this interview we discuss the origins of his project and the general concept behind it. We also talk about the themes he explores in his work; drone warfare, the anthrocene, crisis & mutual aid. We also talk about his path to radical politics and how the internet can be a critical tool for political education. Televangel's new album Emergency Hearts is available on bandcamp and spotify.

In this episode of the solecast i sit down with my homey James Rotten of Denver Communists. In this conversation we are mostly discussing “Confront La Migra” and the organizing that lead to a 200+ Abolish Ice house demo at the warden of Aurora Ice Concentration Camp. We talk about some strategic and controversial/experimental decisions that were made, that lead to this escalation in tactics and a successful action. We also discuss the media backlash, navigating liberalism and turning right wing attempts to spread misinformation into fodder for movement building.

This is a re-air of a recent podcast with SRSLY WRONG examining the absurdity of work in the 21st century. Check out other episodes from SRSLY WRONG Artwork by Nicole Marie Burton

Today on The Solecast I speak with activist, author and asst professor at Naropa University, Stephen Polk. In this conversation we'll discuss his contribution to the book Globalism and Localization: Emergent Solutions to Ecological and Social Crises. Stephen talks about global warming and the the need for permaculturists to inform the large scale changes that will need to be made in cities to mitigate its effects. Stephen wants people to think hard about what "power" means, "how do we get it, how do we exercise it, what do we do with it? He also writes about the need for all permaculture designs to consider the political domain to their work, to always ensure front-line communities maintain access to food and the city, to design in ways that don't aid gentrification. He also talks about anti-gentrification approaches, and the possibilities of using Neighborhood Associations to influence outcomes. We cover a lot of ground in this interview and cover a number of other topics connected to these issues. This is a provocative interview and very timely, pick up the book Globalism and Localization: Emergent Solutions to Ecological and Social Crises. here.

In this Solecast I sit down with Eamon from the Radical People Podcast. The Radical People Podcast does in depth interviews about direct action campaigns and the individuals behind them. He gets deep into the life stories of people and what brings them to radical politics, and radical action. His interviews range from fighters in Rojava, water & land defense, international abortion providers at sea and much more. We talk about his work, his personal story and political evolution and his current life as an anarcho-podcaster, living that farm life. You can subscribe to his podcast here, support him on patreon and follow him on twitter.

A talk between myself and DJ Pain 1 about our new album that we are crowdsourcing for called No God Nor Country. In this conversation we talk about our creative process, some of the things we've learned from our travels; the best of times and the worst of times. We talk about food, advice for people trying to be self sufficient and what's been on in our lives ately. Much of the talk is about the motivations, inspirations and approaches we took to creating this new album. In this episode we preview 2 new songs, one is an unreleased track that didn't make the cut called “Everything Must Go” and the other is “Extremist.” To help us get it out, pre-order it now via kickstarter.

In todays episode i will be doing an in-depth “how to” episode with my homey Evan Doukas from Colorado. Evan is a preacher, a permaculturist, a father, a musician and also publishes homesteading/permaculture videos through his youtube channel, The Colorado Garden. In this episode Evan breaks down how to build a “Climate Battery Greenhouse” step-by-step. A climate battery greenhouse uses the heat from the earth to grow fruits and veggies from tropical & mediterranean regions in temperate climates. For more information check out Evan's youtube page documenting his work with his. For more background info on these check out this prior Solecast with Stephanie Syson from Colorado Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute.

Pre-order here via kickstarter No God Nor Country is Sole and DJ Pain 1's third album. Its a record about carving out a meaningful life of joy and resistance in uncertain and oppressive times. Since their last album, sole had a kid, bought a farmhouse in Maine, and Pain 1 also bought a house, as his career as an educator, producer and music mentor continues to accelerate. Over the last few years, the pair has recorded dozens of songs, thrown away all the songs that weren't poignant or musically solid enough and kept the best songs, the songs that speak to most to the current state of affairs. This record is a major step forward for their song writing, production and overall aesthetic, and while the record has strong anti-authoritarian themes it also explores existential questions: what it means to be a parent, the emptiness of fame and careers, what resistance means amid everyday life. Although the album title is an expression of atheism and anarchism, the album is more of a testament to fighting for liberation and fulfillment while living in uncertain times. The precarity of the music business is a major theme of this album and albums past, and fittingly, all of Sole and Pain 1's albums have been DIY releases without investors, large labels or PR machines behind them. Both musicians handle the heavy lifting and deliver the music directly to the listeners, without whom these albums would literally not exist. Do you want to help get this album out? An act as simple as a pre-order can cover the manufacturing costs, the creation of the record, the production of videos, the mixing and mastering and publicity. If they exceed the initial pre-order goals it will give this record-- their strongest, most timely and possibly most important album yet-- the fighting chance it needs to reach more listeners in a world of noise.

This episode of the Solecast is a re-air from Podcast panel at the 2019 Montreal Anarchist Bookfair.  This panel was hosted by Mugs and its participants were From Embers, Rebel Beat / Changing On The Fly, Intersection'elle, and myself.  We discussed anarchist podcasts in general, their role in the movement, Channel Zero, and the sort of feedback we have gotten from our projects.  The conversation took some interesting philosophical turns as we talked about privacy, identity and alienation, among other subjects.  We also got some great questions from people in the audience about prison abolition, starting a new podcast and how to handle the feedback and permission of interviewees.   Much love to the Montreal for hosting this awesome discussion and for its amazing work keeping this vital infrastructure going for 20 years!  Check out and subscribe to all these podcasts: From Embers Intersection'elle Rebel Beat / Changing On The Fly

This episode of the Solecast I sit down with Stephen Barstow, aka The Extreme Salad Man to talk about his work documenting and popularizing rare edible plants. We are also joined by Aaron Parker from Edgewood Nursery who introduced me to Stephen's work and also grows and sells a lot of these plants. In this conversation we talk about his book "Around the World In 80 Plants," his website Edimentals.com and his lifelong quest to research, catalogue, grow and experiment with thousands of rare edible plants from around the world. We get into his origin story as a vegetarian in meat-centric Norway uncovering the growing potentials in his region through foraging. He talks about his travels around the world learning about how these plants are grown, used and then bringing those plants home to cultivate. For anyone who is bored with growing the same old shit, or interested in permaculture/forest farming his work is inspiring, informative and coverers a much wider range of vegetables then are commonly discussed in permaculture and market farming. Pick up his book "Around The World In 80 Plants" direct from Stephen and check out his website Edimentals.com My guest co-host for this interview, Aaron from Edgewood Nursery sells a lot of the plants and seeds for the perennial plants that Stephen promotes, check out his website at EdgewoodNursery.com.

In this episode of the Solecast I speak with Lee Reed. We talk about his new album “Before & Aftermath” out now on Strange Famous record and his previous album “Steal City” EP which was a benefit for the Hamilton Tenants Union. Lee is one of the longest working rappers in Canada and has a unique and often aggressive rapping style consisting of anti-capitalist prose, well researched topical concept songs shining light on the excesses of capital and people fighting back over updated boom bap style beats. This is a fun conversation between two rapper homies, we talk about everything from economic collapse to why some Canadian rappers have the strangest names. He is about to embark on his first European tour w/ Kay The Aquanot, if you're on that side of the pond check them out.

In this episode of the solecast i speak with Will Bonsall about his book “Will Bonsall's Essential Guide To Radical Self Reliance” and discuss ideas on vegan homesteading and “sustainability.” Will is a pioneer of “veganic” farming which is very similar to permaculture farming practices but without animals and focusing mostly on staple crops. We talk about some of his favorite companion planting pairs for growing things like carrots, onions, beans etc. We also talk about the Scatterseed Project which is dedicated to preserving heirloom seeds and promoting them. We also chat a bit about his fantasy novel, Through The Eyes Of A Stranger that imagine a more ecological society, and how that informs his approach to life(and vice versa). This is a great interview for anyone interested in farming, living off the land and self reliance. If you are vegan/vegetarian and you've been hearing your whole life that when capitalism ends you'll have to eat deer, Will's work is proof that another way is possible.

In this episode of the solecast I speak with Phil Neel. Phil is the author of Hinterland, a new book out on University of Chicago Press that examines what class conflict looks like as we zoom outward from the financial hubs and downtowns to the rural, suburban and exurban communities. In this conversation we talk about how logistics function on a global scale as capital has become diffuse and what this says about the way our system functions. Phil talks about places like Ferguson and Anaheim as examples, and gives context as to why things break down in these locations and what it means for the present & future. We talk about climate disaster, the nuances of so called “Trump Country”, and the importance of analyzing data instead of projecting our own ideas onto situations. We end the conversation with some take-aways from the book and how it can inform our thinking (and our actions).

In this episode of the Solecast I speak with my longtime friend Ceschi.  I really can't say enough good things about this guy, when my career was in the dumps his label had my back and brought me back from the dead…  He has gone on to make some of my favorite music to come out of the indy rap scene and is a one of a kind performer blending rap, punk and folks into a unique and compelling package.  In 2019 he is releasing a trilogy of records and then ending the “ceschi” monicker, so like our coastal island cities and marginal desert eco systems… catch it before its gone!   In this conversation we cover a lot of ground.  We talk about his roots in the bay area, his motivations, his relationship to revolutionary politics and why he does what he does.  We discuss how his experience in prison has made him a more empathetic person and he gets into his criticisms of the left, the right and these sick modern times.  We talk about race, indie hip hop, Marxism, his label Fake Four and so much more.  We close the interview with some live performances from his forthcoming projects.  his new record Sad Fad Luck is available at sadfatluck.com

In this episode of the solecast i speak with anarchist rap innovators Drowning Dog And Malatesta. As far as I know them and Test Their Logik are some of the first rappers to come out and really rep anarchy front and center. They've been making music together for about 2 decades and have self released a number of ground breaking records, like Got No Time , Black Cat and their most recent “Sick Of This Shit” Now living in Berlin by way of Italy and San Francisco we have an awesome in depth and highly informative conversation about a myriad of topics. The main thrust of our conversation is how their music relates to anarchist politics and radical struggle and what they've learned and seen living and traveling in all these different places. We talk about the importance of food, of multi generational spaces and why its important to have a more romantic view of daily life. We talk about the legacy of radical struggle and squat culture in Europe and some of the complexities of it. They highlight some of their favorite revolutionary projects they've encountered, talk about the pitfalls of fetishizing struggles elsewhere without considering context and most importantly how they approach their art and what its origins are… Check out their music on bandcamp and follow Drowning Dog & Malatesta on twitter.

In this episode of the Solecast I chat with Jasper Bernes. Jasper is the author of "We Are Nothing And So Can You" which is an epic poem inspired by the global uprisings around 2010. Jasper is also the editor of Commune Mag and we have a conversation about that project, its goals, and the ongoing discussions about "the commune" and what it means. We also talk about an excerpt from his forthcoming book about Agriculture, Logistics and Revolution and have a look-back on the Occupy movement and how intoxicating that moment was(for some people). Excellent episode

In this episode of the solecast I chat with Abby Martin of The Empire Files. Abby is a grassroots independent journalist who has worked previously for RT, Telesur and helped found Media Roots. Her show Empire Files does in depth analysis on the US empire with wide ranging guests from Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz, Chris Hedges, and Noam Chomsky to name a few. Due to US sanctions on Venezuela Telesur's funding of Empire Files was cut off so now they continue that work and are a 100% viewer funded operation. This is a wide ranging and at times funny conversation with some huge takeaways. There were many things Abby articulated in this interview I've never heard articulated elsewhere. Abby's vantage point has given her a one of kind approach and analysis that you will not hear anywhere else. In this podcast we discuss: How the “fake new” narrative has negatively impacts independent journalists The ways corporate media algorithms & clickbait are shaping our world Making sense of Donald Trump's foreign policy The strange evolution of conspiracy culture A recent historical backdrop to the Venezuela situation and her recent personal experiences there How NGO funding models impacts “independent media” The importance of art and nature to remain grounded in the fight To learn more about The Empire Files subscribe to their newsletter, watch em on youtube and back em on patreon.

This episode of the solecast I chat with Carla Bergman and Nick Montgomery about their new(ish) book out on AK Press, “Joyful Militancy.” This book is a critical examination of the toxicity that seems to be so common within activist subculture. They talk about the (potential) influences that schooling, religion, hierarchy, and empire has on our lives and how it can even seep into our organizing. The text is full of nuance and offers many pathways for how we can look at and work through these tendencies within ourselves, our spaces and our communities. They talk about how militant joy, art, and practices that empower us all to thrive can make our movements stronger and healthier. This book is a must read and The Solecast highly recommends this for reading groups to open up conversations on how we can rid ourselves of rigid radicalism, and open up the possibilities for joyful militancy. Pick up the book on AK Press For more info visit JoyfulMilitancy.com Carla is also a filmmaker, check out the Emma Talks video series she talked about in the interview at EmmaTalks.org

On this episode of the Solecast I talk with Aaron Parker of Edgewood Nurseries about some unusual edible trees to use in your backyard garden, orchard or food forest. We get in depth about tree care, disease resistance, picking which species of trees to grow in your area and how to propagate them. This is a long interview, he answers some audience questions about growing fruit trees, controlling pests and dealing with water distribution. He also lays out his approach to creating polycultures of mutually beneficial plants for trees. This is the second time Aaron has been on the Solecast, last time we talked about perennial veggies. To order some seeds, trees or plants hit him up at Edgewood Nursery Online Store and follow him on the gram. In this episode I premiere a mellow new track “Measuring My Cage” from my upcoming album Destituent, that is available for pre-order here.

An awesome in depth and thoughtful conversation on the Two Paychecks podcast about my thoughts on art, anarchy, race, modernity, survivalism and more. Check out the Two Paychecks Podcast

In this Solecast I took a trip down to Soulfolks Records in Biddeford, Maine to interview Rory Ferreira, the artist formerly known as Milo. Milo is a rapper, producer, poet, shopkeeper, and member of the Ruby Yacht Collective. Milo has a wide ranging catalogue of rap songs which are experimental, poetic and informed by study of his craft and literature. Milo infuses a sense of wonder into his work, toying with the medium and keeps his work engaging without playing into the music industry or its pseudo-hype machine. In this interview we discuss: How growing up around a preacher helped shape his approach to rap & philosophy How poetry informs his work Maine life and why connection to nature is so important His time working as a farmer His politics (he wants Black folks to win) His origins Why Ruby Yacht shits on police Why he opened a record store in 2018, in Maine. Fatherhood His mother, Shay Stewart Bouley Follow Rory, on Twitter, Fedbook, The Gram, or Bandcamp

In this Solecast I chat with Chris Steele Aka Time. Time is an anarchist rapper/writer/journalist/podcaster from Denver , Colorado. He publishes regularly through Truthout and collaborated with Noam Chomsky on his recent “Occupy” book. He just dropped a new album and is currently working on books about the history of anarchist repression and an anthology on Common Ground w/ Scott Crow. In this interview we talk about: His band Calm's new album, “Things I Learned While Dying In Denver” How anarchism influences his journalism Themes on his new album; empathy, housing, subverting capitalism & white supremacy His new podcast called “TimeTalks” His experience in academia Thoughts on how white rappers should engage in a black art Random shit talking anecdotes about FTP marches and Denver in general