Blamo!

John Darnielle is the songwriter, author, and frontman of The Mountain Goats, one of the most influential independent bands of the past three decades.

What began as Darnielle recording songs on a Panasonic boombox in the early '90s has grown into a beloved catalog spanning more than 20 albums, earning a devoted following for its literary songwriting and deeply human stories.

John joins me to talk about the band's new album, Days, and why he's finally allowing himself to look back on a career that's always been focused on what's next. We get into aging without becoming nostalgic, why every act of creation is ultimately hopeful, and what it means to see your own life—and your parents' lives—with fresh eyes.

We also chat about Randy Newman, the bands that shaped him, grief, faith, songwriting, influence versus imitation, and why the days really are short.

Listen to Days

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Patreon Preview from Blamo!

The Wardrobe Budget series reaches its completely reasonable and financially responsible conclusion: What would we buy if we had $50,000 to rebuild our wardrobes from scratch? Yes, 50K. (You asked for it!)

Peter and Derek use the fantasy budget to talk about the clothes they love most, from exceptional outerwear and bespoke tailoring to workwear, shoes, and accessories.

Before that, they consider Emily Segal’s concept of “tasteslop” and whether good taste can exist without cultural context. They close with a new round of tailoring, footwear, photography, and other recent discoveries in Hey, Nice Pants.

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Listen to the FULL episode on the Blamo! Patreon 

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Adrian DZA has had about five different careers, and somehow all of them make sense.

DJ, party promoter, skate shop owner, creative, and now co-founder of Very Special, Adrian has spent the last two decades building businesses rooted in taste rather than trends.

We talk about growing up between Paris and Miami, the early days of Peachfuzz, how Very Special became one of the most respected names in vintage watches, why community matters more than hype, and what it was like to go from collecting Stone Island to starring in one of the brand's campaigns.

We also get into vintage watches, records, cars, fatherhood, and why the best careers rarely follow a straight line.

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Patreon Preview from Blamo!

The Wardrobe Series continues with a bigger challenge: rebuilding a wardrobe with a $12,000 budget. With more room to spend, Derek and Peter debate where to invest, what’s worth upgrading, and whether one exceptional piece should take up a third of the entire budget. The result is two highly personal wardrobes—and two very different ideas about what “buy less, buy better” actually means.

Along the way, they discuss Peter’s upcoming trip to London and Inis Meáin, vintage dressing, and some truly indestructible belts.

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Listen to the FULL episode on the Blamo! Patreon 

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BONUS EPISODE!

Leica is much more than cameras.

This week I’m joined by Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director and Chief Representative of Leica Galleries International, for a conversation about photography, memory, art, and why certain images stay with us.

We talk about the emotional side of photography, why perfection isn’t the goal, how Leica thinks about galleries as places for community, what social media has changed (and what it hasn’t), collecting versus appreciating art, and why printing your photographs still matters.

A fun little bonus episode for anyone who loves photography—or has ever wondered what makes Leica, well… Leica.

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