J-e-l-l-o. Did you hear the jingle? Did you know it was a poet, not a marketing guru or stiff-suited executive who turned Jell-O around with the “Jiggler” for General Foods back in the late 1970s? Arts-oriented business people, meet your folk hero: Dana Gioia. Gioia described himself to Tyler Cowen as “a poet who needed … Continue reading The Poet Who Invented The Jello-O Jiggler
Adam Grant is lining up all my favorite people at the moment, and this WorkLife podcast with Brené Brown does not disappoint. What I like most about this conversation is they focus on how vulnerability, shame, guilt, authenticity, boundaries, and more - belong in our conversations at work. Not fit in, belong. Uncomfortable yet? It’s … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Brené Brown On What Vulnerability Isn’t
J Dilla’s classic, Welcome 2 Detroit, turns 20 this week. The reissue pulls out all of the stops with instrumentals, remixes, and even a book. The original songs are still well worth a revisit. Sure, there’s some dated sounding stuff, but this album is so full of vibe it still can melt a room. His … Continue reading Sunday Music: Maybe We Ought To Think Twice
If you know it’s good work, you have to be able to stomach other people questioning it. Rick Rubin says he never knows if a song will be a hit or not. As a guy who’s had his share of big songs and albums, you’d think he’d at least have a hunch once in a … Continue reading If They Can’t Understand It, They Can’t Control It
It’s no secret I’m a Rick Rubin stan over here (see these posts). Getting to hear two people I’m fascinated by really talk to each other about their craft is one of the best parts about the podcast medium. Koppelman brings his background in storytelling and love for music to the table to ask Rubin … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Helping Artists Bring Out The Truth With Rick Rubin
So an old friend texts me asking how much time I’ve spent with a certain Miranda Lambert record. I let him know, “I mean, I know who she is and kind of know some of her stuff, but I never really paid that close attention to her. Why?” He says, “Trust me, this record is … Continue reading Sunday Music: Yes Miranda, We Can Be Friends
What do you do when a murderers’ row of critics, curators, and artist representatives all talk about the beginnings of one of your favorite artist’s careers? You listen twice. This isn’t for everyone, but there’s an MBA in here somewhere for those that care. MF DOOM passed away on Halloween at the age of 49, … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Remembering MF DOOM
The news broke this weekend that Daniel Dumile, known as MF DOOM, passed away at the age of 49. This one hurts. Originally a kind of for-nerds-only / stream of consciousness type rapper, DOOM consistently put out interesting and thoughtful art at his own high standard. There were no hits, just the fans who knew … Continue reading Sunday Music: Remembering MF DOOM
Branford Marsalis, the legendary sax player, composer, and improviser, sat down with Questlove on the Questlove Supreme podcast for what has to be one of my favorite interviews of the year. They cover: the harm stubborn nostalgia can bring, how to approach challenging music (or ideas), the value of critics and how to handle them, … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Branford Marsalis On Life, Learning, And Pushing Boundaries
“The trick to brand strategy is to do something others can’t or won’t because it’s really hard.” -Scott Galloway The questions: what won’t others do, what do they think is really hard, what would really separate us from someone else in a comparable position or field? Some examples: Apple making a delightfully usable and intuitive … Continue reading Do Something They Can’t Or Won’t Do Because It’s Hard
