Diet Soap Podcast

Diet Soap Podcast #17: Marxian Ragtime

Charles Lain — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:07:16 GMT

Marxist Economist and fingerstyle guitarist David Laibman joins the podcast this week to discuss the Great Depression II and the inherent faults of Capitalism. David Laibman is the editor of Science and Society which is the longest continuously published journal of Marxist scholarship, in any language, in the world. You can check out his 1971 album The New Ragtime Guitar which also features Eric Schoenberg, as well as his book Deep History at Amazon. You'll also hear the music of Nigel Kennedy and Beethoven. Send email to douglain@dietsoap.org if you've been listening.

Diet Soap Podcast #16: Dennis Perrin's Obama Blues

Charles Lain — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:25:03 GMT

Blogger and author Dennis Perrin of dennisperrin.blogspot.com is this week's guest, and we discuss the problem of Barack Obama, the impact of 9/11, Perrin's relationship with Noam Chomsky, and the phenomena of the suburban lawn. Also mentioned in this episode would be the Evolver Teleseminars from Reality Sandwich, a half remembered news report from the 1993 WTC bombings, and the Titanic. If you are interested in participating in the Evolver Teleseminars for free write me an email. The first two to ask will get to participate for free.

Diet Soap Podcast #15: Wheels Fall off of Recovery

Charles Lain — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:22:47 GMT

David Lindorff is the guest on this week's episode. Lindorff is a journalist, a regular contributor to Counterpunch, and a folk musician. His website This Can't Be Happening features many of his articles including Where's the Anger: The Wheels are Coming off the Recovery. Also included in this episode are Bob Ferguson's 1931 hit Bank Failures and Miriam's Titanic factoid.

Diet Soap Podcast #14: Anarchism and Art

Charles Lain — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:14:45 GMT

Allan Antliff is this week's guest on the Diet Soap podcast. Antliff is the author of the book "Anarchy and Art" and a self described anarchist. We discuss art history and the possibility of an anarchist future. Also included are clips from Negativland, Philip Glass, Noam Chomsky, and a Titanic factoid.

Diet Soap Podcast #13-Synchromysticism Jam

Charles Lain — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:42:14 GMT

Jake Kotze of the blob coined the phrase Synchromysticism, and seeks out sublime connections lost in our kibble culture. We discuss Surrealism, Robin Tunney, 9/11 as Stargate, and the Titanic. Also featured are the voices of Chico Marx, George C Scott, Marlon Brando, Rip Torn, and Crosley Bendix. Plus I respond to listener email. Next week's podcast may be late.

Diet Soap Podcast #12: The Psychedelic Jetpack

Charles Lain — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:15:37 GMT

This week's episode features the final piece of my conversation with Neil Kramer of the blog the Cleaver. Neil discusses the metaphor of the Psychedelic Jetpack, Salvia Divinorum, the Psychedelic Salon, and the book DMT: The Spirit Molecule. The podcast also features brief excerpts from Joseph Nechvatal's Viral Symph0ny, Lorenzo's Psychedelic Salon, Lazenbee Industries Delusion Report, and Terence McKenna on the Archaic Revival. In the end Miriam gives us our weekly Titanic factoid. A partial transcript of the interview with Neil is available at examiner.com.

Diet Soap Podcast #11: Sex Collectors and the Commodity Fetish

Charles Lain — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:14:47 GMT

Geoff Nicholson joins in with the Diet Soap Podcast project this week and discusses his 2006 book "Sex Collectors" as well as the role the commodity plays in his work more generally. My wife Miriam reads aloud from Geoff's first novel "Street Sleeper," a book published in 1987. For a partial transcript of the interview check out what I've posted over at examiner.com. Future transcripts of future episodes of Diet Soap will also appear at examiner.com, a site that pays per view and which hopefully will generate the pennies needed for the USB microphone fund.

Diet Soap Podcast #10: Peter Dale Scott on Social Change

Charles Lain — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:00:37 GMT

This week's Diet Soap podcast features the second part of a conversation with Peter Dale Scott on the subject of his book "The Road to 9/11." Peter also discusses his views on the pros and cons of Noam Chomsky, his admiration and impatience with anarchism and other revolutionary strategies for social change, and the necessary difficulties involved with attempts to understand deep politics. Phil Och's song "Love Me I'm Liberal" along with a factoid on the Titanic are also featured.

Diet Soap Podcast #9: The Road to 9/11 with Peter Dale Scott

Charles Lain — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:43:17 GMT

I interview author and scholar Peter Dale Scott about his book "The Road to 9/11" this week. Peter is well known for investigating what he calls "deep politics." His website is www.peterdalescott.net. Also in this episode are the voices of KMO of the C-Realm (reading from Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass"), Michael Parenti, Noam Chomsky, and the members of the SWP. If you enjoy this episode send me an email, or consider contributing to the Diet Soap USB microphone fund by clicking the donate button.

Diet Soap Podcast #8: Darin Bradley Explains Consciousness

Charles Lain — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:16:35 GMT

This week the editor of the weird online 'zine Farrago's Wainscot explains consciousness, recommends the books of Daniel Dennett and describes his first novel Amaranth which is due out from Bantam next year. The episode also features Darin Bradley's story "Basement Borges" which was published in the first issue of Diet Soap in 2007. If you enjoy this episode please visit dietsoap.org, or write me a note and send it electronically (wow!) to info at dietsoap.org.

Diet Soap Podcast #7: Transcending the Ego

Charles Lain — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:41:57 GMT

Neil Kramer is back for the second half of a conversation about the control system and the self. This episode also features a reading of Gary Snyder's "Buddhist Anarchism," and the voices of Krishnamurti, Alan Watts, Jill Bolte Taylor, and Slavoj Zizek. If you've been listening and have a comment write to info@dietsoap.org and your comment will be read in the next podcast.

Diet Soap Podcast #6: Neil Kramer Unplugged (from the Matrix)

Charles Lain — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:08:58 GMT

The sixth episode of the Diet Soap podcast features Neil Kramer of the blog the Cleaver. Neil is a mystic and gnostic and he discusses the Matrix with me in what turned out to be a two part interview. Neil is a frequent guest of the fine podcast the C-Realm and other interesting podcasts such as Stormy Weather. Also in this episode is Kaolin Fire's story "Keep to the Fringe." Kaolin Fire is the editor of GUD Magazine (Greatest Uncommon Denominator) and this story originally appeared at the How to Write Stories about Writers webpage at dietsoap.org. Please send feedback on this episode and others to info@dietsoap.org.

Diet Soap Podcast #5: Barth Anderson, the Swine Flu, and the Voices in My Head

Charles Lain — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:49:54 GMT

In this episode I interview Barth Anderson about the Swine Flu pandemic. Barth is the author of the bio-tech thriller "The Patron Saint of Plagues." My wife Miriam reads an excerpt from Mr. Anderson's second novel "The Magician and the Fool" in this episode, and the voices in my head make an appearance as well, as does a Polar Bear Nose and a wumple.

Diet Soap Promo

Charles Lain — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:28:27 GMT

This is a minute long promo for the Diet Soap podcast. If you have a podcast and would be so kind to run this promo I'd appreciate it. Also if you're a listener without a podcast of your own this might serve as reminder to tell people about Diet Soap. We've got a variety of good interviews and fiction lined up for future episodes. Check the dietsoap website for more information http://www.dietsoap.org

Diet Soap Podcast #4: Good News From Outer Space

Charles Lain — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:10:54 GMT

In this episode of the Diet Soap podcast you'll hear an excerpt from John Kessel's 1989 novel "Good News from Outer Space," and listen in on a conversation with this Nebula award winning writer. Also included are ambient sounds from the freesoundproject and Alfred Bryan's 1910 hit "Come Josephine on my Flying Machine."

Diet Soap Podcast #3-Life with Klima

Charles Lain — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:17:04 GMT

This episode features writer and editor John Klima from Electric Velocipede, his story "Life's Simple Pleasures," a short piece entitled "Editors Never Sleep," and George Cohan's "Life's a Very Funny Proposition After All" circa 1909. Consider emailing info@dietsoap.org if you've been listening.

Diet Soap Podcast #2: Titanic

Charles Lain — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:47:51 GMT

This episode includes the story "A Mouth is a Hole is a Vista" by John Schumate, Ken Knabb's letter to a Spanish contact on the subject of peak oil, a Goldman Sach's conspiracy collage, a tribute to JG Ballard, and an interview with Miriam M. Lain about the Titanic.

Diet Soap Podcast #1: Sabotage

Charles Lain — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:54:41 GMT

In this first Episode of the Diet Soap podcast I read excerpts from the 3rd issue of Diet Soap on the theme of Sabotage and play and replay the Internationale.