Podcast
Dispatch
Hosted by Nicholas Young and Joshua Wentz · ENGLISH
Co-created in 2013 by Joshua Wentz and Nicholas Young, Dispatch touches almost every aspect of the modern artist's career. Wentz, a label-owner and musician, brings a unique perspective from Chicago's underground.
119episodes
Episodes
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Unnecessary Rules
Jan 1, 197001:08:22Tap to summarizeThis week on Dispatch, Joshua and Nicholas highlight how unnecessary boundaries, often erected by well-meaning-but generally-misinformed individuals can deter new, passionate artists from pursuing a specific, chosen path. That’s a mouth full, we know, but trust us — this is a great listen. We start in the world of art, where sometimes, women in the arts don’t feel empowered as they should. On Chick Habit #10, Danielle Sines of Chicago-band Impulsive Hearts notes that some booking agents have asked her to adjust her band’s lineup to fit within their own, gender-balanced worldview. We ask, is this perspective right, or does it represent a warped sense of purpose? Next, our old friends Half Acre have renamed a specific beer three times. Thankfully, they’ve been respectful to all parties involved, but at the heart of it all, a trademark dispute that might have been misinformed. And finally, the world of software development is full of people who know how your job is done… despite never having touched a single line of code. Are they right? Do you need heavy math chops before entering the workforce? We answer with the help of our friends at JavaScript Jabber. All this is coming up on episode one-hundred-eighteen of Dispatch.
Transcribe →Bait and Switch
Jan 1, 197001:01:27Tap to summarizeWe’ve all attended live performances, bought albums, then returned home to pop them in the CD player. Sometimes, we’re disappointed by what we hear. In today’s episode, Joshua and Nicholas grapple with this experience, ultimately posing the question: is art a consumer product? Can it be bought and sold like a physical item in a department store? The basis for our discussion is this journal entry from P.W. Elverum & Sun. In it, he shares the letter of a disgruntled fan, and his response. For once, your hosts find themselves on opposite sides of the issue, but you can read the entry and decide for yourself. Commodifying art is a risky proposition. As creators, we sell our work, and ourselves, daily. Does offering product for sale expose you to traditional customer complaints, as it does many other small businesses, or are we, as artists, exempt? Listen, and let us know what you think, by using the contact form. Headlines TWTRQ is worthless, choose your stock carefully. Spin on Arcade Fire’s Reflektor: ‘you need to hear it on CD.’ Tesla that caught fire: owner will buy another.
Transcribe →The Old is New Again
Jan 1, 197001:02:46Tap to summarizeEventually, old technologies will be altered and presented as new work. It’s inevitable. But sometimes, these reintroduced platforms breathe new life into the mediums that birthed them. Today on Dispatch, a roundup of ideas that are arguably outdated, but might help us find new paths. First, we dive into the legislation known as Chicago’s “cloud tax”, a new, nine-percent fee that aims to profit from Spotify, Netflix, and other digital, remote services. Next up, North America is running out of IPv4 addresses. This has no bearing on you as the average internet consumer, but it does mark a moment that advanced technologists (and ISPs) should pay careful attention to. Then, has Apple successfully reinvented radio with Beats 1?. Is it something truly new, or just a rebranding of existing radio formats? And finally, a frank discussion of privacy in this digital age as Plex’s user forums are compromised: what constitutes online safety?
Transcribe →Show of Hands
Jan 1, 197001:03:51Tap to summarizeDesign is an artform: a perfect marriage of beauty, readability, and for Emily Martin, proprietor of Orange Beautiful, happiness. Walk into her store, and you’ll see a sign: “good design makes people happy.” And it does: a well-crafted logo, typographic print, or booklet improves the lives of those using it in a very tangible, meaningful way. It does so by gracefully receding into the background, while amplifying the intended message of whatever product that’s in your hands. Her story is riddled with hurdles, one immediately after the previous, from the beginning until present day. But with each step forward, her work remains sure, honest, and wonderful. Orange Beautiful goods decorate my home and studio. It’s one of the first things I see when beginning my workday, and the last when I leave the studio in the evening. They belong in your space, too. In this hour-long program, we explore her career, from the beginning until now, leading up to her latest endeavor, Show of Hands, a design fair for the independent pro. As she says, it’s more than a craft fair: it’s a commitment to the creative community at large, demonstrating that craft can be couture. The goods showcased may be handmade, but they’re of equal (or better) quality than anything you’ll find elsewhere. If you’re in Chicago, come hang out with us at the event. Joshua, Susan, and myself will all be on the ground, chatting with vendors, and broadcasting anything we find interesting.
Transcribe →Lessons From Our Past
Jan 1, 197000:58:11Tap to summarizeAll creators will fail sometime during their career. If you haven’t yet, wait. The test of a successful artist is how they continue after a shortcoming. Did their inner turmoil and frustration destroy their work, or were they able to bounce back to near perfection? In this very personal episode, Joshua and Nicholas dive into their personal failures, hoping that you learn and avoid their mistakes. Your hosts, with a broad range of experience — from running a record label, executing design work for clients, and building your dream project — have a decently long record of failures, too. Headlines EDM’s $46 Million Man: How Calvin Harris Became The World’s Highest-Paid DJ [Forbes] On Curating A Cure: The Impact Of Music Programming On Subscription Music [Hypebot]
Transcribe →Literature Goes Live
Jan 1, 197001:00:00Tap to summarizeIs literature only what you read in a book? Think again. Today, Joshua and Nicholas are joined by Carly Oishi, co-creator of Solo in the Second City, a live lit sensation covering the dating adventures of two Chicago writers. In this hour, we discuss how she found the appropriate creative outlet for her talents, the perks of working as a nanny, and what’s next for this talented author. Her follow-up presentation, riding on the unexpected success of her last performance series, Miss Spoken is will be playing in Chicago later this year.
Transcribe →Hops, Barley, and Business
Jan 1, 197001:01:12Tap to summarizeChicago’s craft brewing scene has a rich and deep heritage. Over the last few years, we’ve seen many new breweries pop up: Two Brothers, Arcade, Begyle, and Dry Hop brewing have all grown up in the midwest’s fertile soil. And yet, all of the wonderful beers made here began with Chicago’s original craft brewery, Half Acre. Here at Dispatch, we’re avid drinkers of Daisy Cutter, Gossamer, and Over Ale: the beers that, just over eight years ago, kickstarted Chicago’s growing beer scene. Today, Joshua and Nicholas are joined by Matt Gallagher, head brewmaster for this groundbreaking brewery. We chat about everything from the beginning until present day, while sipping on delicious cans of Pony Pilsner.
Transcribe →From Tumblr to Paper
Jan 1, 197001:05:42Tap to summarizeThe world moves fast, and even the most culturally savvy individual can find themselves wondering if something is cool or not. Coolness Graphed, a new book from Knock Knock, helps you navigate the world of what’s cool, through a series of helpful graphs. This week, Joshua and Nicholas are joined in-studio by author, copywriter, and renegade creative RC Jones, the man behind the book above, and the Slightly Insulting Chicago Posters, which you may have seen online, or in Chicago area stores. Both RC’s posters and book began on Tumblr, where his posts were consumed by hundreds of fans daily. In Chicago, at least, his posters became a cultural touchstone, poking fun at each distinct neighborhood with snarky wit and gorgeous typography. Headlines Netflix turns to pirates to pick new shows FAA: You don’t need to power off electronic devices during takeoff and landing Charles Carreon finally quits fighting, calls Oatmeal battle “a dumb thing”
Transcribe →Willful Ignorance
Jan 1, 197001:11:56Tap to summarizeWith the sum of human knowledge at our fingertips, why does ignorance continue to perpetuate itself? We ask not as academics, but as pragmatists: when answers are merely a click away, why do some individuals choose to be unlearned? I’m sure we’ve all encountered people like this before. The question you asked wasn’t overly complex, didn’t require specialized knowledge, nor critical reasoning — and yet, you were met with indifference, or worse, demands to lower the standard of discussion. If this is how everyone behaved, our civilization would’ve remained stagnant; where life as we know it was only a dream of intellectual outliers. Here at Dispatch, we’re thankful for those dreamers, renegades, and investigators who pushed us this far — but don’t be fooled by the illusion of safety — ambivalence can still creep in and stop us dead. This hour is dedicated to exploring the mindset of anyone who fights the tide of progress, but they aren’t our friends. They’re the naysayers, detractors from the joy we’re capable of experiencing. Let’s try to understand them, and if we can’t, we will ignore them. Plus, we share an explosive expose that targets one of America’s most powerful (and dangerous) lobbies. This organization has played an important part in covering up many instances of child abuse, all in the name of the afflicted and their education. This show is a stick of dynamite attached to a powder keg. It’s radio, at it’s realest. If you’re ready for a dose of truth, press play now.
Transcribe →Life Behind the Microphone
Jan 1, 197001:01:47Tap to summarizeFor the past two years, Joshua and Nicholas have lived, with few exceptions, behind the microphone. One-hundred-and-four episodes later, they bring you this retrospective episode, examining 52-hours of interviews, conversations, and more. This is the second edition of our annual guide to Dispatch. In this episode, you’ll hear from several talented friends of The Machine, including: Nick and Nadine, the creative duo behind Sonnenzimmer who explain each of their roles in the business… and who makes the coffee. Your hosts discussing whether the desire to make potato salad should urge you to create a project on Kickstarter. Voodoo Boogaloo, the electrified musical duo from Texas who stopped by to perform for us on Episode 64. Dan Grzeca who stops by to discuss collaboration with other artists. Ross Outten, our friend and Chef from Dolce Casa Cafe — and only guest, to this day, who brought food to us! Brad Eshbach, a multi-disciplinary creative who is building the first “social network for space.”
Transcribe →