50. I Am Cringe But I Am Free. [Michael Collins.]

Michael Collins is a writer, podcaster, former academic, bodybuilder, and lapsed classical pianist who has hosted This Is Your Mixtape since October 2017. He is originally from Newfoundland, but has somehow spent the last twelve years in Toronto, Ontario. 

Since Michael wasn’t up to interviewing himself, he invited his first guest, Chris (from Megaphonic podcasts It’s Just A Show and The Spouter-Inn) to ask him some questions. Michael and Chris talk about resilience, self-respect, false jadedness, long-term relationships, and climate apocalypse.

Michael’s Five Songs.

Beautiful Life by Ace of Base.
Precious Things by Tori Amos.
Risingson by Massive Attack.
Good Intentions Paving Co. by Joanna Newsom.
Drowning in the Sound by Amanda Palmer.

Show Notes.

Michael’s writings on Medium.

Michael’s Twitter.

A Christmas Story (This Is Your Mixtape holiday special where Michael talks about his childhood Christmas in the hospital).

Dear Reader (Michael’s other podcast about books with co-host Emily).

49. All Those Lives At The Same Time. [Gary Barwin.]

Gary Barwin is a writer, musician and multimedia artist and the author of many books including the novels Yiddish for Pirates and Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy, as well as the poetry collection For It Is a Pleasure and a Surprise to Breathe: New and Selected Poems. He lives in Hamilton, Ontario. For one long strange summer, he shared a shoesize with Allen Ginsberg.

Gary and Michael talk about being a body, a sense of the numinous, instrumental music, experimental poetry, and reading Lord of the Rings in your bathrobe while smoking a pipe of oregano.

Gary’s Five Songs.

Il Gardellino, Op. 10 n. 3 - Concerto for flute, strings & b.c. in D major by Antonio Vivaldi.
Alabama by John Coltrane.
This or That by Donkey Lopez feat. Stuart Ross.
String Quartet in Four Parts by John Cage.
Consteelation by Ryan Barwin.

Show notes.

Gary’s website and Twitter.

Gary’s music on Bandcamp.

Gary’s novels, Yiddish for Pirates and Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy.

48. The Idea of a Centre. [Oriana Schwindt.]

Oriana Schwindt is one of those former journalists-turned-screenwriters. She lives in Los Angeles now, but is pretty sure it’s just a phase. She’s a co-host on Megaphonic’s own By-the-Bywater Tolkien podcast and is considering reviving her old podcast about grift in America, called, uh… American Grift.

Oriana and Michael talk about imagination, the persistence of trauma, learning to be vulnerable, giant trees, and visiting the geographical centre of all fifty American states.

Oriana’s Five Songs.

Wannabe by The Spice Girls.
Flying Horses by Dispatch.
The Mute by Radical Face.
Being Alive by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Raúl Esparza.
Remember the Mountain Bed by WIlco and Billy Bragg, lyrics by Woody Guthrie.

Show Notes.

Oriana on Twitter.

Oriana’s capstone essay about her Centerville Project.

Oriana’s essays on Medium, including some from the Centerville Project.

American Grift: Oriana’s on-hiatus podcast about grift in America.

By-the-Bywater: A Tolkien Podcast, where Oriana is one third of the hosting team.

Support This Is Your Mixtape on Patreon. (Thanks!)

47. A Sentient Guitar Wearing One Platform Sneaker. [Sarah Walsh.]

Sarah Walsh is a comedian, visual artist, and creator from Newfoundland. She hosts a show called The Odd Ends, cataloging unusual ways to die. 

Sarah and Michael talk about awkward enthusiasm, undiagnosed ADHD, stage fright, the weirdness of aging, and learning how to give less of a fuck.

Sarah’s Five Songs.

Wannabe by The Spice Girls.
Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle by Nirvana.
Monkey’s Gone To Heaven by Pixies.
California by Liz Phair.
Oh! You Pretty Things by David Bowie.

Show Notes.

The Odd Ends on Instagram and Facebook.

The Moffats’ largest Canadian hit, I’ll Be There For You [not the song from Friends].

Spice Girls tooth-destroying bubblegum.

Catch Mikey streaming on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday nights on Megaphonic’s Twitch channel!

Support This Is Your Mixtape and all of Megaphonic’s shows on Patreon. (Thanks!)

46. Maps Won’t Show Us Where We’re Going. [Chris Ross.]

Chris Ross is a Canadian EMT who lives in and about Vancouver with his cat Boss. He enjoys painting, baking, and Canadian content regulation specified music. He joined the Vancouver-based choir Kör in September of last year, but before that the last time he made music was playing tuba in his high school’s concert band. 

Chris and Michael talk about gay kids and their (our) clumsy attempts at disguise, nontoxic models of masculine sexuality, rabbits, dance music and its potential for liberation, and finding peace in a world of turmoil.

Chris’s Five Songs.

I Love You Always Forever by Donna Lewis.
Jealous of Your Cigarette by Hawksley Workman.
Dear Confessor by Immaculate Machine,
Take Ü There by Jack Ü feat. Kiezsa and Missy Elliott.
Ever Again by Robyn.  

Show Notes.

Chris on Twitter and Instagram.

Chris’s choir.

Wall Street Journal article about Robyn.

Support This Is Your Mixtape on Patreon if you can (or just let us know that you're enjoying the show).