The Solecast

An in depth discussion with Scott Crow, co-founder of Common Ground Relief Effort in New Orleans, scott is also an author, musician and a spokesperson for the Agency collective.  We talk about how anarchist strategies and ideas have evolved in the context of the pandemic.  We discuss how dramatically daily life has changed, its near-term and future implications and the multiple overlapping crisis' we face. We talk about the limitations and promises of mutual aid & self defense practices in the Coronavirus Era, and how these practices have spread from Hurricane Katrina to the present situation.    ScottCrow.org Emergency Hearts (A)gency89o Photo Credit: Rino Pizzi Music: 800 Star Constellation (Televangel Winter of 63 Remix) [feat. Kerri Atwood]

Today I sit down to talk to rapper/activist/producer Bloodmoney Perez about the CHOP (Capital Hill Occupied Protest), an autonomous zone formerly known as CHAZ(Capital Hill Autonomous Zone).  This conversation is mostly about the significance of the autonomous zone that has been opened up in Seattle during anti-police protests in the wake of George Floyd's murder.  We talk about the cultures of mutual aid, solidarity and self defense that have popped up against constant attacks from white supremacists, the media and the police and how this movement is modeling the revolutionary potentials of our time.     We also talk about his new album, "Its About Fucking Time," the loss of his grandmother to Covid 19, and a wide ranging discussion about the economic and social state of affairs in the US.     Basically, are we in a civil war yet?    

In the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd we have seen an unprecedented rebellion take shape across the so called United States.   In this 2.5 hour episode I catch up with comrades all over the country to talk about what is going on and some analysis on current events, some challenges that lie ahead and dismantling the misinformation thats been spread through mainstream media, Non-profits and politicians. Featured in this interview: Jesse Benn, Colorado Ted Flowers, Minneapolis Liz from Rebel Steps, NY Ted, Eugine Mic Crenshaw, Portland Oregon

 In this episode of The Solecast I chat with Brendan Mcquade and Mark Neoclous about concepts of policing, surveillance and security and how they are playing out in the Corona Virus era.  Marc is the author of several books, such as Critique of Security, The Universal Adversary and many more.  Brendan is a prior solecast guest and recently released Pacifying the Homeland : Intelligence Fusion.    We lay out a critique of "resilience" and differentiate its usages from practices of mutual aid.  We discuss why Universal Basic Income may not be desirable.  They talk about how the concept of security itself undermines our liberators freedoms and how the two concepts are at odds.    We talk about the concept of medical police, medical passports and the forms surveillance is currently taking.   What does a revolutionary strategy look like right now?  What does astroturfed right wing anti-science protestors have to do with the walking dead? 

In this episode of The Solecast I sit down with Kevin Tucker of Black and Green Publishing / Wild Resistance Journal.  We have a wide ranging conversation about empires, collapse and coronavirus.  Kevin's political analysis is rooted around primal anarchy; and sees anarchy as the natural state of humans, and civilization as the cage we desperately need to get free from.  Kevin talks about his historical perspectives on why civilizations fail and why things like coronavirus, lyme disease and other animal borne illnesses are on the rise.  A fun, laid back and informative conversation.     Pick up Kevin's new book "The Cull of Personality" and check out his podcast, Primal Anarchy.   Music "Love Song For The Apocalypse" by Ceschi  

Propaganda by the Seed          Its a Good Time To Start a Garden II         This episode of propaganda by the Seed is a follow up to "It's a Good Time To Plant a Garden."     In this episode we cover:   Seed starting / hardening off of plants  Good crops for low light / urban environments  Growing in containers / small spaces  Pest control Creating/maintaining healthy soil   Many of these topics are attempts to answer listeners questions, if you would like to see more episodes like this please let us know and submit questions for future episodes.  

n today's episode of the solecast we have an in-depth discussion of anarchic black radicalism with comrades from  Ram Philly & Afrofuturist Abolitionists of the Americas.  Anarchic Black Radicalism draws on the history of Black Panthers, early abolitionists, Black Nationalism/Liberation Movements and more to synthesize a distinct form of black anarchism.  We talk about how recent social movements have radicalized a new generation of black youth and how anarchist ideas have gained traction in their wake.  We talk about the importance of centering trans and disabled people and what steps people of color can take to build their own spaces for organizing that aren't centered around white activists.    We go over about some of the theoretical bases that form their analysis and some of the writers and texts that have informed this direction.    For more information follow Afrofuturist Abolitionists of the Americas  or Ram Philly .  Music "Pass Dat" by Sima Lee   Some texts discussed:  Combahe River Collective Statement    Anarchy of Colored Girls Assembled a Riotous Manner   Between Infoshops and Insurrection   The Writings of Lorenzo Kom'boa Ervin  Solecast w/ Zoe Samudzi As Black As Resistance  

Today I sit down with Gabriel Kuhn to discuss his book Liberating Sápmi.  The Sámi people are the indigenous peoples of Northern Europe who presently and historically inhabit a territory stretching from northern Scandinavia to western Russia called Sápmi.  Many will be surprised to learn that there is an indigenous territory within Europe that doesn't resemble Europe's concept of state power & has its own distinct culture.  Like most indigenous peoples' they have been victims of racism, colonialism, and cultural repression by exploitive states.  Gabriel's new book looks at their history and tells first hand accounts of their experiences, their history and acts of resistance.   This is one of the most comprehensive english accounts of the Sámi people and is out now on PM Press.     For more information:  Pacific Sámi Searvi: https://www.pacificsamisearvi.org/ Sámi Cultural Center of North America: https://www.samiculturalcenter.org/ Suohpanterror: https://suohpanterror.com/ Ellos Deatnu!: https://ellosdeatnu.wordpress.com/ Moratorium Office: https://moratoriadoaimmahat.org Pile o´Sápmi: http://www.pileosapmi.com/ WeWhoSupportJovssetAnte: https://wewhosupportjovssetante.org/ Run for Your Life: https://350.org/run-for-your-life/

  In this episode I talk with author & musician Margaret Killjoy.  We start off discussing her new project Vulgarite, the musical approach and the concept behind it.  We then get into a podcast she just launched called "How To Live Like The World Is Dying" based around an essay of the same name.  Margaret is an interesting guest for the solecast because not only is she an anarchist artist and a writer but also lives off grid in a home she built herself on a land project shared with comrades.  We talk about some of the challenges and joys of homesteading and how all these things tie into her politics.  We also get into some discussion around science fiction tropes that we see in modern times.    Support Margaret on Patreon , pick up the new album on bandcamp and follow her on twitter.  

In this episode I talk with K-Death of Moodie Black.  K-Death is a trans woman noise rap artist based out of Minneapolis.  Moodie Black is dropping "Fuzz" on Fake Four Inc March 27th.  K breaks down the new album and its inspiration and the "Moodhouse Festival" that they recently held in Minneapolis.  We talk about K-Death's vision for noise rap and her thoughts on race, gender and the music industry.  We also talk about the Moodhouse Podcast and the ongoing project to start producing other acts under the Moodhouse record label.  Inspiring conversation with one of my favorite artists. Hear the debut single "Jesus Bound" here Pick up "Fuzz" here.

In this episode of the solecast I sit down with Carla & Zach Bergman to talk about rethinking the relationship between youth and adults.  Carla is a filmmaker, activist and author of Joyful Militancy and her son Zach is an artist and electronic producer who puts out music under the moniker Sourgout.  This interview talks bout un-schooling, the damage that the western education system does and how adults can do better to foster autonomy.  We talk about the after school youth space they participated in called the Purple Thistle, the importance of community and how addressing the harm done by schooling is critical to any anti-capitalist radical politics or thinking around decolonization. Many of the themes cover in this conversation can be found in an upcoming anthology Carla is releasing on AK Press tentatively titled Trust Kids. Music by Sourgout  

In this episode of The Solecast I chat with Scott Olsen and Graham Clumpner of About Face (Formerly known as Iraq Veterans Against The War).  Scott and Graham were both involved in Occupy Oakland, Scott is most famously known for almost getting killed when OPD hit him in the head with a bean bag round that was followed by the first general strike in recent US history.  Much of Graham's work today is based around environmental/climate change struggles. We talk about their experiences in the military and what its going to take to build an anti-war movement in the US.  We discuss the roles veterans can play in radical movements and some ways that active duty military can resist.  We go into some of the history of anti war resistance and discuss what anti-imperialism means in the face of climate change.     You can follow Scott at @olsenvet and Graham at @turncoatveteran

In this episode I chat with journalist Robert Evans who is the host of the podcasts "It Could Happen Here" and "Behind The Bastards Podcast." In this interview we talk about how the project came about, the research that went into it and how people responded to it. Robert discusses how his trips to Iraq & Syria made him realize that a civil war like that is not too far off from the political moment we find ourselves in in the US and how that might look in the US. He talks about practical skills and practices we can employ in our daily lives to make us more resilient, the importance of mutual aid, armed self defense and DIY skills. We also discuss climate change & economic collapse as additional factors that would play into all of this. Robert also talks about his upcoming podcast series about Rojava and unveils what Season 2 of It Could Happen Here will be about...

Dusty Hinz is co-founder of the Experimental Farm Network. The Experimental Farm Network is an open sourced social platform that allows for people to develop & breed crops, anything from perennial grains to improved varieties and hybrids of popular plants. They also distribute rare/unique seeds from experimental growers across North America in their store. In this conversation I talk to Dusty about the formation of the network, and his personal thoughts on civilization and global warming. Dusty speaks of this decade as "the collapsing 20s," and much of what they are breeding / distributing is based around resiliency in the face of climate change. We discuss how we can think about making "back to the land" practices more accessible, creating an "urban to rural pipeline," and cooperative land trusts. Dusty also talks about the importance of nut trees / agro forestry and what small scale / localized / bioregional post-civilization food systems could look like. Music Televangel "800 Star Constellation"

In this episode of the solecast we're talking with Sara Falconer and Daniel McGowan of the "Certain Days Collective."  Certain Days puts out a calendar every year that donates its funds to RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison), Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association and more.  It's a collaboration between political prisoners currently locked up and their supporters on the outside(including former political prisoners).  In this interview we talk about the origins of this project, its aims and how it functions.   The calendar itself is beautifully designed and reminds us of important and forgotten moments in history, the life and deaths of revolutionaries, their time in prison, moments of resistance both recent and further in the past, and so much more.  Its a great way to turn each week into a history lesson and frame our time.   Pick them up here. https://www.certaindays.org/order/