The Downward Facing Spiritual Spiral

Artistic Value And Spotify's Devaluing Of Music

How are streaming services impacting the way art is being created? Are they creating a world where people more concerned with quantity than quality? And what about Spotify's paltry .003 cent pay-out per stream. Is that impacting the way music is being made? Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I felt compelled to talk about why I've decided to create a Patreon subscription and community for my podcast and other creative endeavors. I certainly see the inherent value of Netflix for consumers, but how are streaming services impacting the way art is being created? Is the craft of artistry gone or not respected anymore and do artists's understand their true value ? I read an excerpt from a fantastic article called Why We Should Stop Reading The News (And Leave Social Media)  and I also talk about a recent article where Daniel Ek, the CEO of Spotify, talks about the new trajectory he sees as a successful path for musicians. Daniel believes artists must release music much more rapidly and spend more time on social media communicating with their fans. To listen to the full episode, please visit www.patreon.com/eddiecohn where you can subscribe, listen to the episode in its entirety and also receive exclusive content. If you enjoy today's episode, please share the show with your friends or head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my website which is www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and newsletter. You can find me on Substack Newsletter by clicking HERE and as always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. Please reach out on Twitter @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks so much for listening and subscribing to the show. 
 
 

Elijah Thomson

Will live music ever be the same? Will we ever fully grasp the impact Spotify has had on the music industry? Live shows have the power to lift and transcend the human spirit and as my next guest says, "I can't wait for the shows once the pandemic is over because they're going to be amazing." Today on the Spiritual Spiral, I am excited to welcome bass player, mixer and producer, Elijah Thomson to the show. Elijah is probably best known for being the bassist for the rock band, Everest, which is one of my favorite bands as well as the bassist for Father John Misty. Elijah brings us up to speed on the two bands and when we can expect a new record from Everest and FJM. Elijah talks about what is was like opening up for Neil Young. We talk about the current state of the music industry, the impact Spotify and technology have had on the recording industry, the power of live music and Elijah talks about what inspired him to play music and pick up the bass guitar for the first time. It's a wonderful conversation about the mystery and power of music and if you enjoy today's episode, please share the show with your friends or head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my website which is www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and newsletter. You can find me on Substack by clicking HERE and as always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. Please reach out on Twitter @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks so much for listening. 

Unintended Consequences And The NBA Sure Looks Bizarre

Every Saturday morning, I go for a bike ride down to Manhattan Beach and I'm always stuck by the bizarre behavior of human beings. People walking the wrong direction, people using scooters and mopeds on a bike-only path, people not paying attention to their surroundings. Today on the Spiritual Spiral, I talk about the rising narcissistic and selfish behavior of our culture and how social media perpetuates and rewards this type of behavior.  And now with Covid-19, the fear promulgated by the media and the pervading survival of the fittest component, it feels like people have no choice but to think only of themselves. I talk about unintended consequences surrounding the wearing of masks, shutting down the country and asking children to take classes online. I briefly talk about the coincidental timing of when Instagram introduced "Reels" to their platform and I share a few thoughts on the strange and lifeless look of the NBA. I'm a huge Lebron James and NBA fan, and while I was momentarily excited to watch sports again, the new look NBA doesn't look like a sporting event I want to get used to watching. If you enjoy today's episode, please share the show with your friends or head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my website which is www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and newsletter. You can also find me on Substack by clicking HERE and as always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. Please reach out on Twitter @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks so much for listening. 

The Stevenson Ranch Davidians

Is social media perpetuating more good or evil in the world? Is it a good idea that anyone can go online and say pretty much whatever they want and is anyone truly listening anymore? Today on the Spiritual Spiral podcast, I am thrilled to welcome Dwayne Seagraves, the lead singer, writer and founder of the band, The Stevenson Ranch Davidians. All the music on today's episode is from the band and while I handpicked some of my favorite songs, I'm stoked to say the last song you'll hear, Brothers & Sisters, is a brand new song getting it's premiere on today's episode. About a week ago, I noticed a seemingly innocuous post on Facebook where Dwayne was questioning the national response to Covid-19. Not only did his post strike a nerve with my own beliefs, but I was shocked at how many people disagreed with Dwayne, lambasted him, wrote profanity, called him derogatory names and wanted him to just keep his mouth shut. Dwayne and I talk about that post, the response it received and I wonder what inspires him to share his thoughts on social media. We discuss Covid-19, the way in which our culture has accepted the narrative from the media and how it seems like no one can even question what's going on. We also talk about art, creativity, looking beneath the surface, free speech, the robotic nature of human beings, the impact of social media on his creative process and when we can expect a new record from the band. Be sure to purchase their music on iTunes by clicking HERE and If you enjoy today's episode, please share the show with your friends or head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my website which is www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and newsletter. You can also find me on Substack by clicking HERE and as always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. Please reach out on Twitter @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks so much for listening. 

Mask Par-tay

As the Covid-19 "crisis" continues to overwhelm news sites and social media, I continue to sense something bigger is going on underneath the surface that is ultimately driving the story. Despite a death rate of approximately .03 percent of Americans who have been diagnosed with Covid-19, the United States is a shell of what it was before the lockdown. Beyond the economic and unemployment fallout, people look terrified, full of anxiety, suicide and drug addiction are on the rise and I wonder if people will ever comfortably congregate with one another again. I also talk about the ridiculousness of "the mask" and if you consider not wearing one, there's a world of people ready to pounce all over you. I examine Facebook, Dr. Fauci, Dr. Simone Gold, hydroxychloroquine and American's willingness to accept the narrative the media keeps pushing on us. The worst part about it, the moment a doctor disagrees with Dr. Fauci or offers another potential solution, the media or Facebook do whatever they can to silence them. Instead of communicating or working together, the media and social media want people to keep their mouths shut, stay home and wear a mask. A recent guest also introduced me to author John Rappoport so I felt inspired to read an excerpt from his recent blog which I highly suggest you take a moment to read. If you enjoy today's episode, please share the show with your friends or head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my website which is www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and newsletter. You can also find me on Substack by clicking HERE and as always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. Please reach out on Twitter @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks so much. 

Geographer

Today on the Spiritual Spiral, I am thrilled to welcome singer/songwriter and producer Mike Deni to the show. Mike is the lead singer and writer for one of my favorite bands, Geographer which just released a brand new single this past week called Alibi. In fact, all the music you hear on today's episode is from Geographer and I'm positive after listening to Mike's beautiful vocals and catchy and thoughtful songs, you'll hear why I am such a huge fan of his band. You can also watch Geographer perform every Monday evening at 6 PM PST on Instagram where he live streams a show each week. I'm obviously a user of technology and see the inherent benefits from owning an iPhone but I became curious in how technology and social media are collectively changing the shape of our culture and the way people think and communicate. Is more technology necessarily a good thing? What happens when people spend more time on their phones and how is technology impacting artists and the creative process? Mike and I talk about how Spotify and streaming services have shifted the way in which music is made. Do people even want to consume a thought provoking piece of music or literature anymore or do people just want to satisfy a quick fix? Mike shares firsthand stories about his own creative process and how it's changed over the years. He talks about how his life and the way he releases music have been impacted by social media, the shift in the record industry and even further by Covid-19. It's a wonderfully thought-provoking conversation and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You can find Geographer on all social media platforms and be sure to listen and buy their music on iTunes. If you enjoy today's episode, please share the show with your friends or head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my Patreon page at patreon.com/eddiecohn. Visit my website which is www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and newsletter. You can also find me on Substack by clicking HERE and as always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. Please reach out on Twitter @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks so much. 

Toniann Monaco

Today on the Spiritual Spiral, I am positive you're going to laugh out loud while listening to the fun conversation I had with my friend and LA based yoga teacher, Toniann Monaco. Something I've always loved about Toniann is how she never holds anything back and tells it like it is. I met Toniann almost five years ago during our yoga teacher training program and she is currently a teacher at Sweat Yoga in Playa Vista and she also teaches classes online on Instagram and on Zoom. Toniann and I touch on a myriad of topics starting with the insanity and anxiety surrounding Covid-19 and how simple tasks like going to Kmart or Homegoods just don't feel so simple anymore. Toniann is also an actor and a hair stylist so we talk about how Covid-19 has impacted her life and the other industries she works in. We talk about the pressures that stem from social media, the importance of breathing and staying grounded during times of crisis and we have a good laugh about some of the random similarities we share such as being sensitive to sound and how we've both been wearing masks on planes for years. Be sure to follow Toniann on Instagram where you can find out more about her online class schedule. If you enjoy today's episode, please share the show with your friends or head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my Patreon page at patreon.com/eddiecohn. Visit my website which is www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and newsletter. You can also find me on Substack by clicking HERE . You can subscribe to my Youtube channel by clicking HERE and as always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. Please reach out on Twitter @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks so much. 

Beyond Your Bubble

It's more comfortable to believe you always have the answer. It's more comforting to trust the media and trust that they're telling us the truth. It's probably easier and safer to live inside a little bubble you've created but it's starting to feel like we live in a world where people are incable of looking past the obvious. Today on the Spiritual Spiral, I talk about looking beyond what's directly in front of you. It's easy to see Covid-19 as the greatest impediment in our culture, but can we look beyond that? What if I told you 375,000 people die each year from drowning. What if I said 2,000 children are kidnapped every single day and what would happen if the media focused on these issues instead of Covid -19? I also share some inspiring words from Kevin Hart and I play a clip of the Marc Maron show where Jim Carrey talks about the toxicity of social media and people's insatiable need to feel "famous." If you enjoy today's episode, please share the show with your friends or head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my Patreon page at patreon.com/eddiecohn. Visit my website which is www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and newsletter. You can also find me on Substack by clicking HERE . You can subscribe to my Youtube channel by clicking HERE where I'm going to begin posting live content and as always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show. Please reach out on Twitter @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks so much.