The Matt Kollock Show

TMKS #25 – My Songwriting Evolution

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It's episode 25 of The Matt Kollock Show! 

A milestone episode, for sure. It took three years to get here. So, like, eight eps a year. Not bad! Not great, but also not bad! 

I launched the show back in April of 2020. Took a break and brought it back in January of 2021. Took all of 2022 off! It was unclear whether the show would return or not. But here we are. Feels like a groove. I'm going to keep it going. 

Five Years of Singer-Songwriting 

Today I brought my guitar to the show for a very special edition of the podcast. I realized it's been about five years since I started taking my music career seriously again. Five years since I started writing songs with such a serious career in mind. I wanted to use this episode of the podcast to explore the evolution of my songwriting since 2018, and I think I did a pretty good job. 

A lot has changed. Much has remained the same. I've grown. My songs are better. But my old songs are really good, too! I am confident. I have goals. There are challenges I want to face. Ideas and concepts to explore. 

I spend today's introduction catching you up on all the stuff, including news regarding cannabis consumption, psychedelics, skiing, exercise, The Artist's Way and more. 

And then I get into the songwriting talk. I think I got somewhere. I think I discovered some things. And revealed them. 

Relevant Linkages 

• My website 
• A performance of “The Painter” from 2022 (I discussed this song in the podcast, but failed to provide musical illumination of it) 
• Blog post – "25 Ways to Become a Better Songwriter" 
• The Matt Kollock Show episode 10 – "How To Be a Better Songwriter" 
• The Matt Kollock Show episode 24 – “Did I Just Blow My Big Break? (feat. Annie Sanchez)” 
• Recent blog post – “9 Pics That Prove Mantequilla Is the Cutest Kitty” 
• Annie's website 
• Subscribe to my weekly email newsletter 
• Buy my music on Bandcamp 
• Stream my music on Spotify 
• Subscribe to my channel on YouTube and watch my videos 
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Follow me on Mastodon 

Thanks for listening! I'll be back with episode 26 in two weeks. Until then, shine on! 

TMKS #24 – Did I Just Blow My Big Break? (feat. Annie Sanchez)

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It's been two episodes – and nearly two years – since there's been a guest on The Matt Kollock Show. That makes today's episode a real game changer. 

I wanted to have Annie Sanchez, the love of my life, on the show to talk about a recent whirlwind experience from the world of her life and business. In case you aren't aware, Annie is the CEO of Mariposa Strategies. She is the “Queen of the In Between.” She is a podcaster. She is pretty amazing. 

Recently, Annie was interviewed as a guest on another pretty-big-deal podcast. So much pressure and so much preparation went into this appearance. The interview has happened. It's done. But the episode has not yet been released. It's such an interesting and specific place to be as a creative entrepreneur! And I'm glad to have captured Annie's mind state at this particular time. 

Links 

Annie and I mentioned a lot of stuff in today's episode. Here are the relevant links! 

• The Hello 7 Podcast on YouTube 
• The Courage Culture & Clarity Podcast by Annie Sanchez on Spotify 
• Sign up for the Matt Kollock email newsletter to receive weekly updates 
• Annie's website 
• My recent blog post, “Contests” 
• radio free fedi (the internet radio station I keep checking) 
• Matt Kollock on Bandcamp (listen to and-or buy my music!) 
• Follow me and listen to my music on Spotify 
• Subscribe to me on YouTube and watch my videos 
• Follow me on Instagram 
• Follow me on Mastodon 

Every Other Tuesday A New Damn Thing 

I am going to really do it. Keep the podcast going. Regularly. Once a week seems a little too daunting, to be honest. So I'm going to put The Matt Kollock Show on a bi-weekly schedule. Wait, does that mean twice a week or every other week? Shit, I don't remember. 

The point is that I'm going to release a new episode of the podcast every other week. So there will be a new 'sode on Tuesday, April 4th, 2023. Nice! 

On the Tuesdays the podcast is off, I will publish a blog post. So you can depend on new content from me each and every Tuesday, one way or another. We'll see how long we can keep this shit up! I hope you hang with me. 

Thanks so much for listening to the podcast, friends! It means a lot to have you on this journey with me. Annie appreciates it, too. I'll see you next time. Shine on! 

TMKS #23 – Do You Feel ’DO YOU FEEL IT TOO?’?

The Matt Kollock Show is back! 

It's been nearly two years. Two years that felt like 20 years in so many ways. So much has happened! 

But I'm still Matt Kollock. I'm still making music and then podcasting about that music. It's just what I do. And it looks like 2023 is going to be the kind of year where that happens a lot more than it has. 

So here we are. 

New Matt Kollock Music! 

I've got a new EP out. It's called DO YOU FEEL IT TOO? and it's available on all the platforms. You can even purchase it from this website. Sweet! I wrote and recorded it over the course of three inspired weeks in January and into February of this year. 

Today I talked at length about the making of this little record. Into my podcasting microphone. Having hit “record” in my recording software. Documentation! 

Episode 23 of the podcast goes deep into the making of DO YOU FEEL IT TOO? I offer some pretty sweet nuggets about how it all came together. The ideas and art that inspired it. The nature of its coming into being. The blow by blow. Whatever questions you may have about the EP are surely answered in this very special resurrection episode of the p'cast. 

You'll learn: 

• How Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way has inspired the new music/art I'm making 
• About why I decided to change the keys of a couple of songs before recording them 
• How artists like Mac DeMarco, Jeff Tweedy, John Frusciante and Erykah Badu influenced my creative decision making 
• What budget microphone I used to record vocals, acoustic guitar and percussion – and why (and how Lou Reed factors into the whole thing) 
• How the cover art for the EP came to be 
• What I have been up to since May of 2021, when the next most recent episode of the podcast was released 
• How Annie and Mantequilla contributed to the project 
• What song Spotify chose to place on followers' Release Radar playlists 
• Much more! 

So there you go. The show is back. It felt good to make. Just like DO YOU FEEL IT TOO?  

Let's Connect, Okay? 

What do you think? How has your 2023 been going? Making anything? Ever engaged with The Artist's Way? I would love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to email me at matt@mattkollock.com. We'll figure shit out. I know it! 

TMKS #22 – Jump On Top Of microorganism

Welcome to episode 22 of The Matt Kollock Show! 

In this final installment of the album's oral history, I get into what it took to finish the album in the final months of its creation. Big stuff! All of a sudden, the one-year anniversary of quarantine was approaching – and passing. Would I get the fucker done? 

Yeah, of course I did! And now the album has been out for a whole week. What? What's going on with time? 

This episode of the podcast also dives really, really deep into the final two tracks on microorganism: "Jump On Top Of The World (With Me)" and "Everybody Ascends." Nice! The wonderful and lovely Annie Sanchez returns in this one to talk about writing and performing "Everybody Ascends." Lots of insights! 

I'm assuming you've listened to the previous two episodes of the podcast. Have you? If not, check out these guys: 

TMKS # 20 – Everybody Needs To Ascend (feat. Annie Sanchez) 

TMKS #21 – Everybody Gives Bees Along 

Also, have a look at this blog post, which lists all the places from which the album can be streamed and-or purchased. Groovy! 

One of the plot points in today's installment of the story revolves around my friend Jasmine's Archives for Aliens podcast. Listen to episode 14 (the one I'm a guest on) wherever you get your podcasts. Here's the Spotify link. Check it out! 

So, So Many, Many Thanks, Thanks 

Wow! We have reached the conclusion of microorganism Release Week. I'm really happy to be here. I'm glad you're with me. I am ready to take a break now. This has been a lot. But it's also been a top-ten highlight of my life. Making the album. Putting it out. Telling you all about it. Having you tell me all about it. This is the shit. 

Oh yeah, I mentioned my distributor, Distrokid, in this episode. If you have some music you want to release, I encourage you to use their service! It's reasonably priced and highly reliable. It just works! Here's a link you can use to get 7% off! 

I am really grateful, friends. For those of you who have been with me. For those who are no longer with me. For those who have yet to be with me. I love you all. Thank you. 

If you'd like to continue your support as we move forward, please continue to listen to the album. Purchase a copy if you can and if you haven't already. We're trying to sell 700 of these and we have more than 600 sales to go to get there! Tell your friends! All that! 

You can buy the album here on this website (it's right on the home page!). Or you can choose your price (as long as it's $7.00 or more) on Bandcamp. It's all good. I appreciate your support and your kind attention! 

I've got plans for upcoming recordings! I can't do it without some resources, though. This is where Patreon comes in. Please consider supporting me there, won't you? 

Become a Patron! 

All right. That's all I've got. Thank you for listening to the show! 

Stay tuned for more adventures on the podcast. Some really, really good shit is about to happen. Watch this space! 

 

TMKS #21 – Everybody Gives Bees Along

You made it back! 

Welcome to Episode 21 of The Matt Kollock Show! 

It's the second installment of microorganism's oral history. And historically the middle ones of these things are the best, right? We'll see about that. 

This episode of the show takes a tour through the main meat of the album. Tracks two through five are discussed here. I also get into the story of the album's making from August, 2020 to the end of that wild and wooly year. Damn. 

Hashtag Gratitude 

Thank you so much, sweet friend, for following along on this absurdly detailed journey through the making of microorganism. Like I say in this episode, I love that this not-even-half-hour-long album is receiving so many hours of documentation. Nice. I'm really glad you're here. 

If you haven't already streamed the album, I have a nice list of all the places where it's available right here! 

Of course, microorganism is also available for purchase on Bandcamp. Groovy! No matter where you go to purchase the album, it should be just seven bucks. I feel like that's a pretty good value, don't you? 

 

 

Oh yeah, there's also Patreon! Not a lot is going on over there right now; I have to be honest. But Annie and I have some big plans, and they involve Patreon in a big, big way. Huge. Join now and get in on the ground floor! 

Become a Patron!

---

All right. This is just the middle part. It's a good one. But it's not the final part of this particular journey. Stay tuned for that, friend. Soon. Really soon. I love you. 

TMKS #20 – Everybody Needs To Ascend (feat. Annie Sanchez)

It's episode 20 of The Matt Kollock Show podcast! Holy shit! We did it! 

It's also microorganism Release Week here on mattkollock.com. Nice! 

So on today's big-time, super-sized, extra-large, power-packed podcast, we discuss the album and its creation. Lots of fun stories and wild memories. Damn. 

I also present my sweetie, Annie Sanchez, who contributed to the album in a major way. This is the first interview on The Matt Kollock Show since way back in episode four. Groovy! 

The Oral History of microorganism 

This episode and the next two will present the oral history of microorganism's making. Today is all about Annie, of course, but I also get into the first phase of making the album in a solo chat. I cover that exciting, unforgettable time period extending from the middle of March, 2020 to the end of July, 2020. Lots of stuff happened. Not necessarily with the album, but the album could not have been made without that stuff happening. I talk about it all. 

In the following segment, Annie and I have a great conversation about her, us and what it was like to live in this house during the past 14 months. It has not always been easy. 

And yet, here we are! 

The Trilogy Continues 

This trio of episodes continues, then concludes with episodes 21 and 22, which will arrive just as soon as I can put them out. In the next installment, I will cover the time period from the beginning of August 2020 to the end of the year. Spoiler alert: We got a kitty!!! The final installment, episode 22, will cover the final, magical push to get the album completed and into your ears. 

These are very special episodes of the podcast. I'm so glad you're here to take them in. 

Get That Album, Won't You? 

Friends, I am so happy to be able to share this podcast with you. Thank you for being with me for 20 damn episodes. I am even more happy to be able to share microorganism with you. Soon! 

In the meantime, you can pre order the album from Bandcamp for just $7. Nice! Or, you can pre save the album on Spotify so it's ready to go into your ears right away when it comes out on Friday. I will love you either way. 

Remember, microorganism Release Week continues with two more sweet, sweet podcast episodes. Don't go anywhere! 

Become a Patron!

TMKS #19 – I Am A Spirit

Hey 19! 

Welcome to the show. I'm so glad you're here! This is a very, very special episode of The Matt Kollock Show podcast, and I'm happy to know you're a part of it. Nice! 

Today's episode is all about the spiritual shit. Bring it on, rational-atheist types! 

Since Last Time 

Lots of shit happening. Lots of shit happening. 

I talk about the depression I've been experiencing since I last talked at you. Which, of course, ties directly into the theme of today's very special episode. 

There is talk of vaccine. Talk of therapy. Talk of family. Talk of new technology and its promises. Talk of microorganism, my debut solo album.

I take a moment to remember the great DMX, who left his body today. 

Get Spirited 

In the main meat of today's episode, I get into spirituality. But, naturally, I do it in a very Matt Kollock way. Nice! Gruff and irritated. You see, this is why I do the spiritual shit. 

I reference a blog post I wrote back in February of 2020. It's called "I Do This Spiritual Shit for a Reason," and it remains pretty relevant today. Interesting! 

Do you practice any kind of spirituality? Have you been through any kind of "awakening" experience? Do you consider yourself a rational person? I get into all kinds of stuff like this. It's good. 

A Very Special and Important Announcement 

Guys, if you have never listened to an episode of The Matt Kollock Show until the very end, today is a great day to start! 

I have a mind-blowing announcement to make on today's episode, but it doesn't happen until the final few minutes of the show. Listen all the way through or skip ahead – I don't care! But I don't want you to miss this very, very, very special and critical announcement from my world. 

Bye Bye Now 

It's great to be back! I am so glad you're here, my friend. It means a lot that you listen. Truly. 

Become a Patron!

If you would like to give a little more support, please check out my Patreon! Bonus episodes of the podcast live over there alongside lots of groovy, exclusive content. Fun! Join for just $5/month to get the bonus episodes. Cool! 

As always, my website is the best place to stay up to date on all the Matt Kollock stuff. Check it out and sign up for the email list, won't you! Sweet! 

I'll be back with another episode soon. In the meantime, SHINE ON!!! 

TMKS #18 – Collaboration Agitation

It's a new episode of the podcast! I think this is a good one. It's all about working together. Collaborating. Making magic by gathering in art. With people just like you, dear listener!

Happenings and Such

How are you? Can you believe we've been in the pandemic for about a year already? Can you believe the podcast is nearly one year old already? I know; it seems impossible.

There's a lot to talk about in today's opening segment. I catch you up on all the things. I give you an update on my upcoming album, microorganism, which will be available soon on all your favorite digital platforms. I talk about cannabis and my current relationship with the plant. There's even a little bit of #GearTalk in today's episode – hear all about how I've locked in my electric guitar effects pedalboard. It's been an adventure.

Following the Fear of Collaboration (To Riches and More)

I did a lot of stalling in today's episode. Entertaining stalling, but stalling, still. You see, I hold a lot of fear around the subject of collaboration, the main topic of today's The Matt Kollock Show.

Lately, my personal life has been uplifted and improved via collaboration with others in relationship. Annie, my partner, has made life better, easier and more rich and fulfilling. I bet she would say similar things about being in partnership with me. Our collaboration in love has been amazingly fruitful. It has inspired further collaboration with others in friendship. Life is great!

However, successful and truly fulfilling artistic collaboration eludes me. Or, I should say, I elude it.

I have had some good collaborations in the past, musically, but I can't help but dwell on the shitty ones.

At the same time, I can't stop thinking about the magical possibilities of collaboration with other artists and musicians. I need to conquer some fears to get to where I want to be, though.

It was a fun, challenging talk with myself, and I hope you dig it! Interesting that my episode about collaboration features just me, Matt Kollock. Ha! We'll have some guests on the show soon. I promise! Also, who cares!

So yeah. Collaboration. How do you feel about it? Am I just weird? Do you have any advice for me? I'd love to hear from you.

Until Next Time 

Look at us! We made it to episode 18. Fun! I feel like I'm on a roll with this thing. 

I hope you return for future episodes. I really appreciate your listenership! 

Please stay tuned for microorganism, which is about to land any moment now! 

Check out the Patreon. Visit the website. Do all the stuff. I appreciate it! You're the best. 

Become a Patron! 

Have a good one, friend. I love you. 

TMKS #17 – Leaning Into Losing Touch

Here we are again. Reintroducing The Matt Kollock Show. Reframing and recontextualizing. And this is exactly the way I want it! 

Kind of a Course Correction 

I said a lot of stuff in the previous episode of the podcast. I stand behind it all! However, I realized I was building a house I didn't want to live in. What? 

I said I wanted the podcast to be about certain things last week, and I do want the show to include the topics, ideas and themes I talked about in that episode. I just really don't want to devote the show to anything ever, at all. I only want it to be about what I am inspired to talk about in the moment. Otherwise, it's going to be tough getting episodes done. 

Guests will be on the show soon, and a feedback show is in the works. I'm going to do those things. But I'm not going to be a fundamentalist about making the podcast about one thing or another. And I felt myself kind of going there a little bit last week. 

Basically, I was spending a lot of time and wasting a lot of energy giving too much of a shit about what certain people think. I wanted to prove certain things to certain people about certain things, which is why I said the things I said last week in the way I said them. 

It's been suggested recently that I'm, "losing touch with reality." Instead of proving that I'm not, I'm going to lean into it. It's a different perspective. It's more fun. It's what's working. 

To be clear, all that shit I said last week is still happening. It's all just going to happen on my terms now. I want to have fun with this show and be inspired to create more episodes more regularly. I'm only going to make that happen if I make it fun for myself. 

So I guess that's what I mean. You'll hear all about it in this episode's cover story! 

Fucking Bullet Points 

Here's most of the stuff I remember talking about on today's episode of the podcast: 

• COVID and the vaccine 
• New guitar pedals and gear 
  • Check out my friend Byron's amazing amps and pedals, won't you? 
• Oral surgery 
• Aches, pains and anxieties 
• Returning to meditation 
• A break from cannabis combustion 
  • A deep exploration of edibles and tinctures 
• I was on a friend's podcast recently! 
  • It's called Archives for Aliens 
  • My episode will be out soon, but you should subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts 
• Therapy! 
• Mixing my album, microorganism 
• All the stuff I wrote about above 

Thank You for Helping to Grow The Matt Kollock Show 

Friends, the show is growing! And it's all because of you. I appreciate your listenership and your downloads. Thank you so much! 

If you want to show additional support, I encourage you to subscribe to my Patreon. It's cheap and easy! As I mention on today's 'sode, new content is going up over there soon. Really soon. Watch for episode 17.5 in a day or two, okay? 

Become a Patron! 

I have a website, too. You should check that out if you want to see the blog and be as up to date as possible on all things Matt Kollock. Sign up for the email list while you're over there! 

What else? 

I guess that's about it for now. Oh yeah, I've been doing some guitar videos over on Instagram that people are digging. Check me out over there if you're into that sort of thing. I have fun doing it. 

All right. Thank you. I love you. Shine on! 

 

TMKS #16 – The Return of The Matt Kollock Show!

I'm back!

Guys! It's been, like, six months since I've posted a new episode of The Matt Kollock Show, and I'm happy to say that I've found my podcasting groove again. Or is it that I'm just avoiding the mixing and mastering of microorganism, my upcoming album? Probably a little bit of both.

All The Main Stuff And The New Stuff

Speaking of microorganism, I spend some time in this episode talking about the progress I've made on the album and when you can expect to listen to it. I also talk about a lot of other stuff. New stuff that's happened in my life and in the world.

But I set the scene with the Main Stuff, which, in my mind, is COVID, shitty (but also sometimes somewhat hopeful) U.S. politics/culture stuff and the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER. This episode is being released a day before the inauguration of Joe Biden to the United States Presidency and a day after Martin Luther King Day. I have some things to say about all that.

Uh, what else?

Yeah, there's a lot of new and fun stuff to mention. I catch you up and I shake off the rust, which might sound better than you think! Why? I have a new microphone and a slightly different podcasting setup. You may notice an upgrade in sound quality since episode 15. Nice! I talk about all that kind of stuff in today's episode.

What's It All About Going Forward?

Friends, have you read my recent blog post, entitled "Dear Little Matt"?

You really should. It's a landmark. It's probably the best thing I've ever written. I've already heard from a lot of you about it. I'm grateful for the feedback, which has been mostly extremely positive. There have been some negative reactions, too. I want to hear all of them.

The next episode of The Matt Kollock Show is going to be a feedback-focused episode, in which I discuss the comments I have received with regard to "Dear Little Matt." I want to share what people have taken the time to reach out and say. I'd also like to talk more about the personal journey I have been on since publishing the blog post.

Moving beyond the next episode, the podcast will feature, mercifully, the voices of others.

I am going to interview people not only about the subject of childhood trauma, but about music, psychedelics and groovy shit. I talk about that in today's episode, too.

Wanna reach out? Email me at matt@mattkollock.com.

It's Happening Now

Right now, in fact. Big things are happening. People are coming together. Timelines are being jumped. Rad guitar solos are being played.

Also, I am going through a process of healing. And I am here to write, talk and play music about it. FOR THE WHOLE WORLD.

So that's what's going to be happening in this space going forward. I hope you will join me. If you cannot join me, I wish you the best. I love you. This ride never stops, so reach out when you're ready to take it somewhere different. Stuff like that.

Support!

I could use some!

You can help me by following me wherever you get your music. That way you'll be notified when new music is released.

Have you signed up for my email list? You can do so by visiting my website, which is a really cool place on the internet for Matt Kollock shit.

You can also subscribe to me on Patreon! It's a real trip over there, but it's a small one. Won't you help me turn my little Patreon trip into an epic journey? Sweet!

Become a Patron!

Yeah, I guess that's it for now. Thank you for reading. Thank you for listening to the podcast. I love you. See you next time!