In this episode, I sit down with Logan Ragsdale; a powerlifter, former musician, and outspoken leftist from Alabama. We get into the overlap between gym culture and politics, the myth that “lifting makes people fascist,” and why reactionary content online is such an easy grift. We also dive into Logan’s musical background, the influence of political bands, and how class consciousness shows up in unexpected places — even in the Deep South.

We talk about growing up in conservative states, the hypocrisy of selective outrage around political violence, and how weightlifting videos online can just as easily be a gateway to solidarity as they can to the far-right pipeline.

Follow Logan:https://www.tiktok.com/@heavyweighthariyama

https://www.instagram.com/heavyweighthariyama/

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Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza:

https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html

ceasefiretoday.com

https://5calls.org/issue/gaza-palestinian-israeli-war/

Support Sovereign Media, a new media collective that is broadcasting “Global anti-imperialist stories through a Sovereign lens. Independent journalism for the people, by the people.”https://www.instagram.com/sovereign_media_/

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza:

https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html

ceasefiretoday.com

June Sternbach is a cohost of the podcasts Kill The Computer and Ill Conceived, as well as the social media editor of The Onion. June and I discuss a wide foray of music from Anamanaguchi and Cocojoey to Coaltar Of The Deepers and what is your name?, the recent shootings of Charlie Kirk and the ICE detainees, how politicians and society struggle to comprehend the mindset of overly online brain poisoned individuals, Elon Musk in the Epstein files, and more.Follow and support June’s podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kill-the-computer/id1647062210

https://illconceivedpodcast.com/

Follow and support the podcast:thepowerlesspod.com

Artists mentioned:Anamanaguchi: anamanaguchi.com

The Taxpayers: thetaxpayersband.com

Thotcrime:https://thtcrime.bandcamp.com/

Coaltar Of The Deepers: https://coaltarofthedeepers.bandcamp.com/

Rainer Maria:https://rainermaria.bandcamp.com/

Pot Valiant :https://open.spotify.com/artist/0V1GwEs3XfqqAoVdaJwPLE

what is your name?: https://whatisyourname.bandcamp.com/album/my-name-is

Wave Break: wavebreakband.com

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza:

https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html

ceasefiretoday.com

Kelly Barber is the vocalist and founding member of the band Wave Break out of New Jersey. Kelly and I discuss her start in music, the trajectory of her own music from solo material to full band collaborations, and Wave Break's brand new song, "Spinning Out."

Follow and support Wave Break:

wavebreakband.com

instagram.com/thepowerlesspod

tiktok.com/@wavebreakbandfacebook.com/wavebreakofficial

Follow and support the podcast:

thepowerlesspod.com

tiktok.com/@thepowerlesspod

instagram.com/thepowerlesspod

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza:

https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html

ceasefiretoday.com

In this episode I speak with Francesco "Cesco" Montesanto, the lead vocalist and guitar player for the alternative rock band Sainthood Reps out of Long Island, NY. Cesco and I discuss the band's start on Tooth and Nail Records, why they decided to come back with a full length album for the first time since 2013, the changes to approaching the music scene over the years, and of course, their new record, "Dull Bliss," out September 26th.

Find Sainthood Reps and support their new album:

https://www.instagram.com/sainthoodreps

https://x.com/sainthoodreps

https://www.facebook.com/sainthoodreps/

Follow and support the podcast:

thepowerlesspod.com

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza:

https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html

ceasefiretoday.com

For this episode I speak to Matic Blagonič, the vocalist and mastermind behind the Slovenian post-metalcore band Hei'An.

Matic and I discuss the live music scene in Slovenia, the band's start during COVID lockdowns, being the first Slovenian band considered for a Grammy nomination, and their new record, "Kiss Our Ghosts Goodbye," out September 26th.

Find the band on all socials and pre order the record:

https://heianofficial.com/

https://www.instagram.com/heianofficial

Follow and support the podcast:

thepowerlesspod.com

linktr.ee/thepowerlesspod

Use these resources to assist Palestinians in Gaza:

https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html

ceasefiretoday.com

For this episode I speak with Ryan of Scary Hours, a hardcore band out of New Jersey. Ryan and I discuss Rise Against, his upbringing in music, where his political and social radicalization came from, and some of the projects most social charged tracks.

Follow Scary Hours on all socials:

instagram.com/scaryhoursnj

tiktok.com/@scaryhoursnj

https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@scaryhours8827⁩

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thepowerlesspod.comlinktr.ee/thepowerlesspod

Journalist Taylor Lorenz recently released a report detailing dark money groups funding liberal influencers. With a lot of debate online and public blowups between influencers and journalists on the "left," let's look at why this funding isn't useful for the left the way it is the right, and why it's ultimately more of the same failed strategies that got us to a second Trump term.

Article:https://www.wired.com/story/dark-money-group-secret-funding-democrat-influencers/

The Power/Less Podcast, hosted by Brandon Durden, explores the intersections of politics, culture, and music. Featuring journalists, musicians, activists, and authors, the podcast unpacks how power operates and how people push back.

Support and follow the podcast:

thepowerlesspod.com

linktr.ee/thepowerlesspod

Provide support to Palestinians in Gaza by going to the vetted links in this article:

https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-help-gaza-aid-starvation-crisis.html

ceasefiretoday.comVocalist Ashrita Kumar, guitarist Paul Vallejo and drummer Myron Houngbedji of Maryland based band pinkshift sit down with me for this episode to breakdown their brand new sophomore record, "Earthkeeper," out now on all platforms.They talk about the reason for the stark change in their sound from their first record, the impact nature, politics, personal growth, and introspection had on the record, and what's coming next for them in 2025.

Follow and support pinkshift, and purchase their new record:

pinkshiftmd.com

instagram.com/pinkshiftmd

https://pinkshift.substack.com/

Follow and support the podcast:

thepowerlesspod.com

linktr.ee/thepowerlesspod