Mark Molnar is here to discuss his new album EXO, being made to take classical music lessons at three years old over pursuing sports, key figures in his life who exposed him to music, musicians, and ways to approach your musical instrument, the death of arts funding and risk aversion in the cultural sector, his engagement with my music journalism and a breakfast interview I once did with Nomeansno, the state of contemporary classical music and whether he and other Constellation Records artists might fit within it, his own label Black Bough Records, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. This one is fine, but if you haven’t already, please subscribe now on Patreon so you never miss full episodes. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts.

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1044: Steve Albini (2008)

Ep. #944: Bonnie “Prince” Billy

Ep. #919: Oren Ambarchi

Ep. #900: Fugazi and Jem Cohen

Ep. #782: Dead Bob

Ep. #712: Kee Avil

Ep. #636: Sofa

Ep. #31: Jesse Stewart and Hamid Drake

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Lonnie Holley is here to discuss his 2025 album Tonky, his view of and appreciation for Canada, the role the country played for African-American slaves and the evolution of terms ascribed to Black people in America, growing up in juke joints, whiskey houses, and slave camps in Alabama in the 1950s, his interest in salvaging objects to make art, his observations about historical cycles, his song “Protest With Love” and viewing presidencies as temporary viruses, what’s next, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. Enjoy this excerpt and please subscribe now via this link to hear this full episode. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts.

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1011: Saul Williams

Ep. #864: Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements

Ep. #754: Baron Vaughn

Ep. #598: Aquakultre

Ep. #390: Beverly Glenn-Copeland

Ep. #348: Matthew Shipp

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Sometime this past November, a Patreon subscriber named Brian asked me if I might have any older interviews with Buck 65 in my archives. So, I took a look and sure enough, I do, including a 2009 talk about his Bike For Three! collaboration with Joëlle Phuong Minh Lê. Then, on December 4, 2025, Mr. 65 released a Deluxe Edition of More Heart Than Brains, which was the debut record by Bike For Three! and was originally released on May 26, 2009. Then I thought, “Huh, sharing this old interview is rather timely,” and so that’s what I’m doing. From what I can tell, this interview with Rich Terfry was recorded in May 2009. Enjoy!

To hear this entire conversation, subscribe to Kreative Kontrol on Patreon at the $6 tier or higher (a reminder that an annual subscription includes a discount compared to a monthly one).

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1033: Shad

Ep. #858: Cadence Weapon

Ep. #800: Buck 65

Ep. #937: Mouth Congress

Ep. #272: Gord Downie [Archival; May 2010]

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Elizabeth Stokes and Jonathan Pearce from the Beths are back to discuss their new album, Straight Line Was a Lie, NBA basketball, cricket, and baseball, overcoming writer’s block by reading a book by Stephen King, Liz’s health challenges and her current state of mind, how Jonathan and his bandmates have supported and worked with her in recent years, a helpful typewriter, accepting that people change, Sonic Youth’s “Teenage Riot” and writing a rather dynamic Beths record, Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark, cover songs, current tour dates, new songs, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. Enjoy this excerpt and please subscribe now via this link to hear this full episode. Thanks!

Thanks to Blackbyrd Myoozik, the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts.

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

All Things Konsidered: JID, Sloan, Julianna Riolino, Live shows

Ep. #1019: Friendship

Ep. #1009: Superchunk

Ep. #954: Peter Ames Carlin on R.E.M.

Ep. #722: The Beths

Ep. #673: Sonic Youth

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On Saturday, November 29, 2025, the annual Letters to Santa Holiday Gala is taking place at the Chop Shop in Chicago. This year’s event is headlined by Fred Armisen and Jeff Tweedy and if you can’t make it to Chicago, you can learn how to livestream it and donate money to this remarkable and life-affirming and live-saving poverty alleviation initiative at letterscharity.org.

People who are familiar with the history of Kreative Kontrol know that the late Steve Albini and I would often have talks just ahead of each year’s Letters to Santa event, to catch up on stuff, ponder the year that was, and spread the word about Letters to Santa.

While Steve and I can’t have such conversations anymore, to maintain the tradition and spirit of the talks we had, I plan to feature archival interviews I conducted with Steve over the years, presenting them here ahead of Letters to Santa events for as long as possible.

If my records are correct, here now is the third radio interview that I asked Steve to participate in. It took place in the early fall of 2008 just ahead of Shellac playing what I’m rather certain were their first and only ever shows in Toronto and Montreal. Discussion topics included the friendly but somewhat tense diplomatic relationship between Canada and the United States of America, and how the Republican Party was letting “the oldest man in the world” run for president to further their ruinous policies and strengthen their vision for a police state. Again, this talk is from 2008.

Enjoy this blast from the past, support Letters Charity, and always and forever, thank you Steve Albini.

Support vish on Patreon! Specifically, by November 28, 2025 to help reach our membership drive goal of 700 paid subscribers!

Thanks to Blackbyrd Myoozik.

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #925: Steve Albini (2007)

My first Steve Albini interview (2006)

Ep. #869: Steve Albini

Ep. #826: Steve Albini and Fred Armisen

Ep. #692: Wilco

Ep. #669: Dallas Good Remembered

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Hélène Barbier is here to discuss her excellent new record Panorama, difficulties an untrained musician might have playing music publicly in France compared to Montreal, being drawn to the low notes, imposter syndrome and loving low-key rock stars, being something of a homebody, dealing with a health diagnosis with some measure of humour, avoiding pigeonholing yourself in the press, writing songs in French or English depending on the rhythmic feel of the words, the Celluloid Lunch record label, being a dog person, upcoming shows, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. This one is fine, but if you haven’t already, please subscribe now on Patreon so you never miss full episodes. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts.

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1023: Cate Le Bon

Ep. #996: Bibi Club

Ep. #991: Elle Barbara

Ep. #965: Marlaena Moore

Ep. #961: Eliza Niemi

Ep. #885: Laughing

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Liam Kazar is here to discuss his lovely new album Pilot Light, parts of Canada, living in Brooklyn but missing Chicago, being in Jeff Tweedy’s solo band and working on his recent triple album, Twilight Override, performing on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert so soon after its impending cancellation announcement, constantly touring with Jeff, Waxahatchee, Sam Evian, Kevin Morby, and on his own, multi-instrumentalists who are stymied by the drums, growing up close to the Tweedys and his father’s musical and writing pursuits, the Windy City and minimalism, board games, chess, and chance, lyrical juxtaposition, mourning what could’ve been, tour dates, other future plans, and much more.

EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. Enjoy this excerpt and please subscribe now via this link to hear this full episode. Thanks!

Thanks to the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad’s Donuts.

Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.

Related episodes/links:

Ep. #1026: Tortoise

Ep. #869: Steve Albini

Ep. #826: Steve Albini and Fred Armisen

Ep. #779: Kevin Morby

Ep. #692: Wilco

Ep. #586: Spencer Tweedy

Ep. #450: Jeff Tweedy

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