The Resistance
Matt Conner
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 18, 2020 • 33min
Award-winning poet Li-Young Lee on the need to face Resistance
Our conversation with award-winning poet Li-Young Lee opened our eyes to new layers of Resistance—a fearful proposition—even as we were also reminded of the maturation and growth possible when we face it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 28, 2020 • 23min
Thievery Corporation's Eric Hilton on the boundaries needed for his positive, creative energy
As one half of renowned electronic duo Thievery Corporation, Eric Hilton (along with his musical partner Rob Garza) is responsible for a massive catalog spanning the last quarter century. He's influenced an entire generation of producers and DJs and with three solo releases slated for 2020, he remains as busy as ever as an artist. It's all a result of his optimistic outlook—one he works hard to maintain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 14, 2020 • 33min
Singer-songwriter Sarah Siskind on her struggles with time management and solitude
Sarah Siskind's vulnerability as a songwriter is also what makes for such meaningful conversation. As a parent, she struggles to manage family and career. As an artist, she's hungry for the time and space to create. As a single woman, she wrestles with being alone for the first time in her life. Her willingness to share from these wells allow her to connect and offer hope in ways that few artist can.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 30, 2020 • 23min
Singer-songwriter Rosi Golan on the fears that loom larger than ever
Despite Rosi Golan's 12 years in the music industry, the Israeli-born singer-songwriter says some fears loom larger than ever before. From the vulnerability of releasing personal material, to the fear of getting lost in the shuffle, to the worries of living up to expectations, Rosi swims in the Resistance in several forms. Fortunately, she's mentally wired to push back against such doubts, a songstress always keen to try new things.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 16, 2020 • 39min
John Mark McMillan details a 10-year descent into doubt and confusion
How can you give away what you've lost? On this episode, singer-songwriter John Mark McMillan details the Resistance he faced during a 10-year descent into doubt and confusion while serving a fan base searching for answers and meaning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 21, 2020 • 34min
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown discusses reward versus resistance
Our conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown is one about reward and resistance. It asks tough questions about how far the burning heart inside can carry a person. Is a sense of calling enough? What if the rewards aren't there when we believe we need them? Brown has earned his Pulitzer (and then some) but it required a long lean into lonely spaces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 7, 2020 • 27min
Zach Williams (The Lone Bellow) fights the pressure to please others
Zach Williams is worried about what you will think of him. Aren't most of us? The latest episode of The Resistance is all about this tension and how it affects the creative life of Zach Williams and his bandmates (Kanene Donehey Pipkin, Brian Elmquist) in The Lone Bellow. Even after several acclaimed albums, Zach says he's learning to set aside others' expectations in order to craft the art he's called to make.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 20, 2020 • 32min
Alex Ebert discusses the steep cost of following his own creative interests
For the last two-plus decades, Alex Ebert has stayed the creative course, a prime example of an artist who does what he feels. That might sound like an enjoyable path, but as Alex shares his story, it's fraught with industry questions, critical backlash, and a general sense of loneliness. In short, a commitment to making art on one's own terms comes with a heavy cost.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 13, 2020 • 13min
Pandemics and the challenge of being present
In the midst of a global pandemic and being quarantined with our own makeshift home studios, we thought it appropriate to process this greater reality of Resistance that we all face these days. It's hard to find the positive in such a negative situation, but if we're present, we can face the Resistance even in these darker days.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 6, 2020 • 29min
Sierra Hull faces real Resistance despite such early successes
What role does Resistance play for an artist who has achieved so much so early? To hear Sierra Hull tell her story, she's experienced as much Resistance as ever as she's released her latest album—the stunning masterwork known as 25 Trips. From industry hurdles to lessons learned about believing her own voice, Sierra's proof that the Resistance hits all of us equally. There's never a way around it, only through it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
