Episode 131 - Cory Doctorow

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.

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Episode 130 - Sigsaly

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!

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Episode 129 - Catching Up! (Feat. Sandra Lanz)

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. 

Sandra is wrapping up her run on Archie Comics' Betty & Veronica! 

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Episode 128 - Omniflux

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! 

Download this episode.

Episode 127 - Divide & Dissolve

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!

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Episode 126 - Blackwater Holylight

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.

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Episode 125 - Mor Elian

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.

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Episode 124 - Thou

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have the final episode for 2018! Thou is an experimental metal band from Baton Rouge who put out a crazy number of records this year! We had the opportunity to sit down with Thou frontman Brian Funck after their run of two Portland shows to talk about working on records from different parts of the US, their various projects, and being a workaholic to keep things level.

Thou is out on the road near constantly and we highly recommend you check out all of their 2018 releases!

2018, what a year! I feel like sometimes people say what a year as a joke - I envision a CEO at the company party, toasting everyone for their great success - but this year has felt a million times longer than any year before. In this episode we reflected a little bit on how long the year has felt and lamented about all of the releases and shows we’ve already forgotten. There was an election this year? How many great albums have I already moved on from that came out THIS YEAR?

Thank you. Thank you is what we want to say to everyone who took the time out of their weird, long year to listen and support our podcast. We started this podcast, 4 years ago, to hang out with each other more and to provide interviews with people we enjoyed and this year has been full of some really, really good ones. We’ve heard from, and met in person, more fans than ever before! All in all, it’s been a great experience.

Here is a list of all episodes released in 2018 and the direct download links to the episode. Thank you to all of our guests on the show and to everyone who has shared or talked about the episodes.

(List order: Most recent at the top)

124 - Thou

123 - SciFiSol

122 - Sabine Rear

121 - SRSQ

120 - Halloween Special Episode (Feat. Alex Kennedy, Matt Finale, Eric Gottesman, and Sophie)

119 - Michael and Wes (Again, Ugh!)

118 - Sloane Leong

117 - MSC

116 - Susan Subtract

115 - Uniform

114 - Lingua Ignota

113 - Amenra

112 - Eleri Harris

111 - Zola Jesus

110 - HIDE

109 - Daniel B. (Front 242, Nothing But Noise)

108 - Thor Harris

107 - Noelia Towers

106 - King Woman

105 - Ritualz

104 - Kontravoid

103 - Kelly Fitzpatrick

102 - GLAARE

101 - Cold Showers

100 - Amulets

099 - Michael and Wes Talk About Shows

098 - The Body

Episode 123 - SciFiSol

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have Christina from SciFiSol! We talked about her website Femme Cult and making time for your own music while trying to support others, looking for a techno label for her last album, and getting over some self-promotional imposter syndrome.

Sci Fi Sol will be playing the January edition of Volt Divers in Portland!

Solar Drift on SDM Records

Camino Acid on Soundcloud

Earthlings Compilation (feat. Sci Fi Sol and Camino Acid)

Femme Cult is a great website you should check out!

Download this episode.

Episode 122 - Sabine Rear

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have Sabine Rear! Sabine is an autobiographical illustrator and zine-maker in Portland who loves wrestling and comics. We talk to Sabine about women's studies, working with the Portland Independent Publishing Resource Center on learning comics, and the editing process.

You can find Sabine's work on her website, or if you are in Portland on Dec. 13th at Clinton Street Theater for the Holiday Comics Spectacle!

Direct Download.

Episode 121 - SRSQ

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have SRSQ, who recently put out their project debut album on Dais Records. SRSQ is the solo project of Kennedy Ashlyn, who was the keyboard/vocalist for Them Are Us Too. We talk about the mental health of touring, home decorations, and how to make sad music while still living a functional life.

SRSQ is opening for Godflesh in Portland on December 5th.

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Episode 120 - Halloween Special Episode!

This week on Talking to Ghosts we have a very SPOOKY Halloween special episode. We reached out to some of our friends and fans and asked for Halloween stories and got some great stuff back!

This episode features stories from:

Alex Kennedy from the fabulous website I Die: You Die (and the podcast they do called We Have A Technical)

Matt Fanale from Caustic and Klack and The Causticles and Beauty Queen Autopsy and Daddybear and who knows what else!

Eric Gottesman from Everything Goes Cold and every live band ever.

And Sophie.

Thanks again to all of our contributors! We might do this again next year and give everyone way more time to think about it.

Our next episode will be out on Monday 11/19/18.

All additional theme edits and spook-ifying by Michael Kurt

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Episode 119 - Michael and Wes (Again, ugh!)

This week on Talking to Ghosts the hosts step in to talk about recent traveling, books, TV, and video games, and Sophie does some crazy memorization mentalism tricks.

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Episode 118 - Sloane Leong

This week on the podcast we have Sloane Leong who is the creator behind Prism Stalker (Image Comics) and the upcoming A Map To The Sun (First Second) comics. We talked about making Prism Stalker and working on creator owned material vs. working with a larger team, heritage, and body horror! 

Sloane also has a podcast called Salt & Honey, which I recommend checking out!

Direct download.

Episode 117 - MSC

This week on the show we have MSC, which is the new project from Zack and Isaac from Braveyoung and Giant. We talked about band interviews, forming MSC after Brave Young, and how to come to peace with being an anti-capitalist who wants to sell records.

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Episode 116 - Susan Subtract (Physical Wash, High-Functioning Flesh)

This week on the podcast we have Susan Subtract from Physical Wash, High-Functioning Flesh, and Branes. We talked about the evolution into Physical Wash after High-Functioning Flesh went on an indefinite hiatus, the writing of Culture Cut (and the gear), and meeting Sid from Schwefelgelb for the first time.

Physical Wash has a show coming up: Cold Waves LA Kick Off Party (opening for previously featured guest Rhys Fulber) on September 26th!

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Episode 115 - Uniform

This week on the podcast we have Uniform, an industrial noise project from New York! We talked about adjusting to the size of the Deafheaven tour, recording the collaboration album with The Body, and the sustainability of modern capitalism. 

Uniform have a brand new album out on Sacred Bones called "The Long Walk." 

They will also be out on the road later this year with The Body (as a collective), Author and Punisher, and Street Sects! (which is very exciting).

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(Photo credit: Ebru Ylidiz)

Episode 114 - Lingua Ignota

This week on Talking to Ghosts we caught up with Lingua Ignota at the end of a long run with The Body. We talked about the rerelease of her latest album, the experience of a listener vs. the experience of a creator, and being accountable for your message.

You can find Lingua Ignota on bandcamp

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Also mentioned in this episode:

• - Blake Butler's 300,000,000
• - Spoiler The Ashes of Howard Beach (which is the weird book that Michael didn't like because it was too gross but not meaningful to him personally (no reflection on the author's intent))

Episode 113 - Amenra

This week on the podcast we talk to Colin H. van Eeckhout of the blackgaze / ritual metal band Amenra! We chatted about the Church of Ra collective, writing a WWI memorial set for a special performance which included a bell tower, and evolving their music together without changing heart. 

Amenra has a number of great albums. The most recent, Mass VI, can be found on their Bandcamp, or right here:

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Episode 112 - Eleri Harris

This week on the podcast we have comics journalist and debut editor at The Nib Eleri Harris! We spoke to Eleri about her long-form piece "Reported Missing", coming from a creative family, and writing for an American audience. 

Some recommendations from this episode:

- "The American Revolution's Greatest Leader Was Openly Gay" by Josh Trujillo and Levi Hastings

- "How To survive In The North" by Luke Healy

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