Franz Nicolay is the keyboardist for one of my favorite bands, The Hold Steady. He also plays piano and accordion for The World/Inferno Friendship Society and produces music as a solo artist. 

Franz is the author of two books: The Humorless Ladies of Border Control and Someone Should Pay For Your Pain. He’s written countless articles for publications like Spin, VICE, Slate, and The New York Times, and he’s a professor at Bard College and Columbia University. 

In this episode, we talk in depth about topics like virtual songwriting, pandemic projects, the war in Ukraine, and the history of music on the internet. If you're not already a fan of Franz's work, you can find all of his books, articles, and musical projects on his website here: www.franznicolay.com.