Claim OwnershipThe Resistance
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© 2025 Matt Conner
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There's a force at work that keeps you from being you. We feel it, too. It's the reason we avoid making the call, the reason we put off the diet. It's why we've done nothing about that entrepreneurial idea, that creative endeavor, that new relationship. In his book The War of Art, Stephen Pressfield defines this universal force as Resistance. Welcome to The Resistance, a new podcast featuring honest interviews with creative persons about this force and the forms it takes.
75 Episodes
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Celebrated songwriter Kathleen Edwards reflects on the career leaps that didn't happen, the unexpected joys she’s embraced, and the creative armor that allows her to keep showing up for the work that matters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From his restless ambition to create to the challenge of finding balance, Dominic Lewis takes us inside the life of an in-demand composer whose work spans Bullet Train, The Fall Guy, Nobody 2, and more, all while still chasing deeper artistic fulfillment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Before Raashi Kulkarni ever scored a feature film, before she ever composed music for well over 300 television episodes (including The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), before her multiple solo releases that have dominated World Music charts, she learned one valuable lesson from her parents: to focus solely on the work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Rasheed Newson, the co-creator of Bel-Air and writer for shows like The Chi, Narcos, and Lie to Me, opens up about the difficulties of finding a voice like his growing up and how that longing shapes where he wants to go next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As a member of beloved bands Stars and Broken Social Scene, Amy Millan has spent decades shaping some of the most defining sounds in Canadian music. These days, however, are rooted in a commitment to unearth her own voice. Her latest solo record, I Went To Find You, is her first in over 15 years, and the journey to write and record it was a deeply personal one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode of The Resistance, we sat down with two-thirds of the trio known as Wild Rivers to gain a rare inside look at their creative chemistry. It’s a conversation about the ongoing challenge of staying artistically honest in the face of success and their commitment to keep showing up, even when the doubts are as loud as ever.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From her soulful music career as a member of Prince’s New Power Generation to her breakthrough acting role in the hit series Upload to her recent dive into the culinary world, Andy Allo has never confined herself to a single path. In the face of a culture that worries about personal brands and instant categorization, Andy’s only focus is expansion—staying true to herself while following her interests and the opportunities that open up in the process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pulitzer finalist Mai Der Vang opens up about the courage it takes to be a poet, the discipline required to stay with uncertainty, and the weight of writing for a community long silenced.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When we typically speak with artists about the idea of resistance, we discuss their creative endeavors, but Dustin Kensrue (Thrice) has a more holistic view of it all. From creative freedom to family priorities, from the pull of side projects to the quiet cost of ignoring what really stirs the soul, he was kind enough to unpack what it means to make honest work in a world that demands constant output.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Emmy and Grammy-winning composer Carlos Rafael Rivera (Hacks, The Queen's Gambit) details the painful lessons required to get to a healthy space of being less precious about his creative work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Despite the best-selling books and hit TV shows, author/screenwriter Ben Winters (CBS' hit show Tracker, The Last Policeman) says distraction and anxiety remain very much a part of the creative process—even in the face of his ever-growing run of successes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tina Cane's work as an activist and educator has kept her work as an author and poet (including a long stint as the former Poet Laureate of Rhode Island) so close to the earth. It’s beautiful and accessible and meaningfully grounded. After spending some time in conversation with her, it’s clear that her ability to be so authentic in her craft is the important result of being so intentional. In short, her internal work—of staying true to herself, of pushing against resistance—is made so clear in her external work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tony Dekker has had the right posture from the beginning. Of course, it probably helped that he was never trying in the first place. The central figure of Great Lake Swimmers has made a career in the music industry for more than two decades now, but as Dekker tells the story, that first self-titled record was never intended to be anything more than a personal passion project—to be heard by family and friends. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Acclaimed artist and actor Lyrics Born speaks about finding a new identity beyond hip-hop, what he’s learned in 30 years as a recording artist, and the importance of saying yes when unexpected gifts come your way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Acclaimed songwriter Joan Osborne says the artist will never stop pushing against the Resistance, but the doubts that arise will take on different forms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Land of Talk's Lizzie Powell talks about spurned opportunities, lessons learned to protect the work, and the upsides of being a slow burn of a band—all of which has made them one of Canada’s most respected artists of the last 20 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Lucero front man Ben Nichols talks about the acclaimed band's desire for boot camp experiences in the studio, the lessons learned over a quarter century of piling in a van for another tour run, and how/why he's so keen to face the resistance in the first place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode of the Resistance, acclaimed TV/film director Ron Underwood joined us for a meaningful conversation about the importance of fear and what it signals, the work of stewarding creativity in a team setting, and the throughline of a long career in Hollywood. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From his days fronting the indie rock band Hey, Rosetta! to his current run as a solo artist, Tim Baker's music has always had a way of connecting at a deeper level. On this episode, the Canadian songwriter opens up about creative friction and why it means everything to the process of making anything.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Despite an impressive and growing list of fellowships, awards, and prizes, author/poet Michael Kleber-Diggs opens up about the difficulties of sensitive subjects and the very real struggles he still faces to believe whether or not his voice is needed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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