I gotta find something like that in me

So, man, did I tell you that I actually braved the mean streets of downtown Portland and went to a concert this past weekend?

Really? You may have mentioned it, as I recall, unless I've gotten it mixed up with something else. Who did you go to see, farmboy? What venue was it?

I went to see this dude that goes by the moniker Father John Misty. It's hard to describe what he does. It's lush and cynical and oddly hopeful and grateful at times. He's a great fuckin' singer, I'll tell you that. It was at the Crystal Ballroom, which is not a concert hall. It's like a giant high school gymnasium with a squishy floor. It can be fun because it's really pretty informal compared to other places.

In other words, no seats. It's standing only.

Well, there's some seats, but, yeah, you end up standing if you want to see even just a little of the band.

I liked this going out, for once. It's good for me to see performers, and it's good for me to see performers who aren't, you know, acoustic or folk. This Father John Misty guy, he's more of a rock guy. Even though I was talking with this one dude at the show, he was telling me that Father John Misty is the performing name of a certain Mister J. Tillman who used to be a folkie singer-songwriter type of performer.

What does the J. stand for?

Joshua.

I'm glad I got to see him because it was good to see somebody with energy. I mean, not that the folkies I see aren't good entertainers -- many of them are -- but this Father John Misty, he has energy, like rock 'n roll energy, entertainer energy. I gotta find something like that in me. It's gotta be there somewhere.

I'm sure it is.

I gotta keep looking, man, I gotta find it.

Life is good

Man, I am so fuckin' sorry. I haven't called you in the past few days, I haven't been calling anybody. Well, okay, I did call my older brother in California, had a good conversation. I made a couple of calls trying to get some weed.

Did you find any, farmboy?

I'm waiting for a friend of mine to deliver some. I love the idea of weed delivery. 

So, what kind of week have you been having? Write any new songs? Listen to anything good?

I've been writing a whole lot, man. I think some of it is good, too. I hope to maybe finish a song this weekend. It feels so fuckin' good to have new stuff to play, you know?

I've been listening to music a lot more than I have been lately. Louis Armstrong, Father John Misty, Sufjan Stevens. Pretty fuckin' cool stuff. I like listening to music again. I haven't been and it feels good. 

I also listened to Billie Holiday on the radio. It was, like, the 100th anniversary of her birth. I love her. What an amazing singer.

It sounds like life is going pretty good, farmboy.

It's been nice. I've been eating better for a while now, so I'm feeling more energy. That, plus it's springtime and it's sunny and warm and there's lots of color. And it's Friday! Life is good.

I can tell. It's good to see you feeling like this, farmboy.

Fuck, man, it's good to feel like this, you know?

The first golden era of podcasting

So today I listened to music, which I mention because listening to music is something I haven't been doing much of lately. 

Why haven't you been listening to music, farmboy? That seems a little strange to me. But I'm not a musician…

I don't know what it is. I mean, I play guitar, I sing. Those things feel good. But hardly any music, at least these past few weeks. So fuckin' weird, man. I just keep listening to people yakking away on podcasts.

There are a lot of good podcasts out there. Too many for me to keep up with, in fact.

I know! I think this is a great time for podcasting, because I feel like it's coming into its own. Do you know what I mean?

Umm…explain further, please.

This is, like, the first golden era of podcasting. All these stories, all these great audio journalists. Fuckin' amazing, man.

So, farmboy…what music did you listen to?

I Love You Honeybear by Father John Misty. Intriguing lyrics, very produced music but very produced with a purpose. Good voice, good melodies. I'm going to go see him perform on Memorial Day weekend.

Very good. I think it would be good for you to go out and see more shows.

It's looking for inspiration, man. It's the never-ending search. Live shows can be very inspirational. Music in general can be very inspirational.

So can podcasts.

Yeah, that seems to be where the best storytelling is going on, at least in my world. And that can be inspiring. And that can become songs. And that's what everything comes down to, right?