Podcasts
Our podcasts are now carried on a separate site:
the Kasama Project Podcasts
Our most recent podcasts are here:
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Crusty Left Culture Rehabilitation
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Click for podcast
Kasama Project: Come Walk the Revolutionary Road With Us
From our essay on the Kasama Project (pdf format).
Excerpt:
“Kasama is a communist project for the forcible overthrow and transformation of all existing social conditions. We are open to learning, unafraid to admit our own uncertainties. At the same time, we will not shrink from what we do know: the solutions cannot be found within the current world order or the choices it provides. We are for revolution. We seek to find the forms of organization and action for the people most dispossessed by this system to free themselves and all humanity. To take this road, we need a fearless, open-eyed debate, discussion and engagement. We need fresh analyses of the rapid changes shaping the world around us. We need to sum up a century of revolutionary strategies and attempts, victories and defeats – instead of the conventional wisdom and facile verdicts that paralyze our movements. We need to re-imagine a radical politics that can take life among people and move mountains. We need a movement that can listen, as well as speak.”
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Michael Caddell said
Well to quote the idiot son of an a**hole, “Bring’em On!” I’ll be more than happy to play them on Radio Free Kansas.
Mike E said
help this process along:
we have several podcasts already available that just need to be uploaded here….
but what we need is suggestions of which existing posts (on kasama) would be best to prepare as podcasts.
history pieces?
our flyer explaining Kasama?
Pieces on the economic crisis?
Polemics (like the 9 letters themselves)?
Which are the pieces that are most interesting for college and internet radio?
Speak and you shall receive!
Michael Caddell said
You know if I was starting out on this venture in audio I’d come up with a quality short mix of what Kasama “is” …. sure use the original flyer as a guide, but throw in some music clips, red music clips, short fading in and out. Nothing bores listeners more than the reading of text in long monotones. The anarchists have gotten a big jump on most with what I call audio montages or collages where they layer audio; voice, music and ‘noise’ fading in and out, and make good listening.
Introducing Kasama in audio is perhaps the first thing to record and put in the can. IMHO
Michael Caddell said
Also, use the Radio4all.net as a transfer point, make an account and use it as a vehicle for distributing Kasama works.
n3wday said
Michael,
Can you point to place where we can find some of the audio clips you are talking about (so we have a reference point to understand what you’re saying). I think I get it, but I would love to hear examples!
Michael Caddell said
I regularly play Mike Cannon’s “Radical History this Week” from the Radio4all.net. He runs a great mixing board and while he leans heavily toward the anarchist view … he gets it across in a form where just about everybody is blown away with it. Sometimes he stuffs too much in too fast, but as a whole for consistency and content people get it and dig it. Surely we listened to the Thanksgiving history piece someone did on Mike’s piece, even there the drums or whatever faded in and out. I’ll get more involved with this, but you folks are going to need to learn to use another audio communication device, called a telephone. Email me off the board and I’ll reciprocate.
Michael Caddell said
There’s a bunch of his work at the net, do a search by name.
Here’s a link: http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/32142
I play him on RFK regularly.
Sometimes he misses … but as a whole pretty entertaining and very good stuff and he mixes it all of a laptop.
Yah gotta be kidding me on that last you tube link, LMAO.
selucha said
Michael, if you’re interested in helping out, get at me on AIM (intifada alahmar) and we can discuss some things that we’re planning, I also have Skype.
selucha said
Also guys, there’s another Podcast I found that you should check out, and got into the iTunes Store. Search for “Seeing Red Radio” in iTunes or just go to this link: http://seeingredradio.org/
Their most recent post has a story reading segment that is done pretty well.
Michael Caddell said
Here’s someone who’s got the jump going on with some quality mixes, I’m on his blog roll, and play him on RFK:
http://seeingredradio.org/
Michael Caddell said
Well see we’re on the same planet, er channel, gotta go!
Michael Caddell said
Free shareware available for layering at:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
selucha said
First edition of the first podcast is complete. You can listen to it at soundclick.com/selucha, and it’s titled Kasamacast 1. Let’s get some feedback!
Zack said
Just got done listening. Very good Luis!
What audio software did you use to edit?
Mike E said
I have given it a very quick listen.
I like the format. I like the voice and tone.
The musical intro is appropriate.
I have a few specific questions about language that are minor, and that I will share via email.
Great work.
I will also share it with Kasama folks who work on internet radio, to get their feedback.
michael caddell said
Great intro and outro, big thought provoking bites from the K. flier in between, good for us, might take a few listens for others to get. The project is difficult to do in less than three minutes, but all in all, I want my copy for play on RFK to see what others think of it.
Mike E said
listened to it again. i really like the whole tone. Well delivered.
The only issues I have are a few minor word problems i discussed with Luis on the side.
Great Work.
Let’s finish this one, and do some more.
I love the ending. Serve the People, Fight the power, Viva la revolucion! solid.
Mike E said
let’s discuss what to podcast next.
after we post this “about kasama” —
the budweiser story seems one way to go next?
Adrienne said
Bravo! Great job from intro to sign-off, and I’m looking forward to hearing more.
Mike, I personally think the budweiser tale could work really well. How long (time wise) are you planning these podcasts to go on average? There are probably lots of similar pieces that would make good shows, though they might need to be condensed a little if you’re aiming at hitting a consistent time mark.
Also, just a thought for a future Kasama show: interviews are usually interesting to listen to, and tend to bring in a lot of podcast listeners.
selucha said
thanks for the feedback everybody.
adrienne, interviews are definitely in order, i’m working on some leads right now with revolutionary musicians as well as people who are active in key areas. i’m going to be doing an interview with a girl i know regarding palestine, as she is one of the most knowledgeable people on the subject and is pretty radical overall. this is definitely my personal preferred trajectory, though obviously we have to do some of the more key kasama stuff like articles and discussions from the site. i’d also like to get a few of us together to have a debate/discussion on a particular issue over skype and record that as a podcast itself, that shit would set the roof on fire yo.
and i don’t think we should have a consistent length, since that will limit us in a lot of ways. some may be 5 minutes, some may be 30, depending on the depth of the issue.
and once again, anybody that’s trying to get involved in this project, get at me so we can collab!!!
selucha said
oh and zack, i use garageband for all my recording and editing. it’s real easy to use but there’s a lot you can do with it if you know where to look.
Zack said
Right on, Selucha.
I know you’re a Mac-Boy, so I’m not sure if you’ve done this already (or are in the process of it), but it would be good to get a feed set up on Apple’s iTunes store in the podcasts section… that will reach a wide audience. Do others know of radical podcast feeder sites?
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“i’d also like to get a few of us together to have a debate/discussion on a particular issue over skype and record that as a podcast itself, that shit would set the roof on fire yo.”
I second that! Would be most beneficial.
selucha said
zack, as soon as we have a more substantial podcast done, i’m going to make an itunes feed and get it in the itunes store… i just don’t want to do it with just the 4 minute intro piece. and i have like 20 gigs of online storage, so i’m going to put together a basic site to host it and then put an automatic subscription link in kasama.
enzo said
Hey, I listened to the short “introductory” podcast, and really liked it. Both the produced beginning and end sounded great, with an appropriate intensity and excitement, reflecting what I think should be the spirit and feelings for Kasama. The reading/announcing voice worked well also… good inflection. Put together, a tidy 4 minutes.
When you go to longer pieces, like the suggestion for the “Budweiser” piece, I think you’ll run into some problems, though, just one person reading it in one “voice’. I don’t have any pat solutions… maybe throw in some different “voices” (or even different people for different sections), or some background music that fades in and out to start sections, etc. Or sound effects, background noise, to set the scene then fade out. (scattered, I’m just thinking out loud).
Anyway, this is an exciting great start! Can’t wait to hear the next installment.
irisbright said
The way This American Life (a crazy popular radio show containing stories, usually told in one voice, for up to 30 or 40 minutes) deals with that is to have music fade in in between ‘paragraphs’ or arcs, and to have different voices telling different stories. Each story ends with its own song.
My comrade Soledad has an incredible voice, and she is ready to work on Podcasts.
irisbright said
TAL also has music play very quietly in the background, to fade in at the appropriate time. It goes completely silent at certain moments for emphasis. It gives a highly produced sound to the podcast.
Mike E said
Great. We can also have two people record the same article. And then have an editor splice the different voices together — alternating male and female voices (for example). It will not be easy, because even minor differences in pace and tone will sound odd. (which is why it is better to do such multiple recordings in the same time and place). But I certainly think we need diversity of voices… perhaps in the same longer piece.
Also we should ask folks who do this professionally for the current assumed “best practices.” I think Iris’ reference to “this american life” is exactly on the point.
And (for example) what kind of music would we use as background for a piece on the Civil War?
enzo said
there are a number of sites that have collected and indexed audio clips and sound effects for people to freely use. For example, see soundboard.com. In a few minutes of searching, found “ambient bar sounds”–
http://soundboard.com/sb/Yigit_sounds_here.aspx
“civil war battlefield (reenactment) sounds”
http://soundboard.com/sb/Civil_War_Audio.aspx
both perhaps appropriate to use in telling the Budweiser story.
Google “audio clips” and lots of sites show up.
selucha said
I play a little piano and also have obscene amounts of software instruments and synthesizers, I can definitely make some ambient music to play behind the reciting. I was considering doing that for this piece, but it didn’t seem worth it considering it was only like 4 minutes long.
Iris, have Soledad get in touch with me so I can find out her capabilities and get her started.
Actually anybody with home internet access and a microphone, get in touch. seluchaval@mac.com
Adrienne said
Selucha, I’m a Mac-woman myself, and I’ve also used both garage band and a program called Amadeus for podcasts. I like the Amadeus program a little better, probably because I’ve personally found it a bit easier to use.
Really like the idea of using a mix of different voices rather than only one. I think it would definitely make longer amounts of info and/or stories more interesting for listeners.
Mike wrote:
A mix of sounds could possibly be good there too, and be an interesting way to help to tell the story. To give an example of what I mean: start with Enzo’s idea of taking clips of battlefield sounds, then at some point have it fade into to the melody of ‘Battle Cry Of Freedom’ (suitable since the tune was played and sung — though with different lyrics — by both the North and the South), and then fade that out towards the end and bring up a song or spiritual that was sung by African American slaves.
nando said
this piece is about the role of immigrants in the revolutionary struggles of the U.S.
Having the civil war anthems of english speakers (or of the slaves themselves) kinda musically misses the point.
There are perhaps songs from the revolutionary uprising of 1848 — the period that trained the revolutionary elements of these german workers.
Or?
Adrienne said
Yeah, maybe you’re right about that. That piece really is far more focused on those German workers than it is on the Civil War, even though it did touch upon the war towards the end.
Hmmm… German beer hall songs?
A chorus of hearty burps? :^)
Timo said
Are there any plans on continuing the podcasts? The first three are great, but where are the new ones!?
Timo said
Are there any plans to continue the podcasts? The first three are great, but where are the new ones!?
Timo said
The first podcasts were great, but where are the new ones!?
Michael Caddell said
Good question, maybe have a call in talk show on it and create a sensation? I fear that would be too divisive and possibly violate collective discipline, violate guidelines on principled criticism of the stone monolith, no campfires allowed near the godheads. I’ve played the K. project publc service announcement at least two dozen times on my show. Let’s argue for six more months about who is gonna take out the trash.
Mike E said
Let’s work it out Michael.
We have several podcasts in the works now. But interviews would be great.
Michael Caddell said
Brothers and Sisters,
I just played the PSA again for the umpteenth time on Radio Free Kansas. There is no “working it out” just call in and read the important news from Kasama. I won’t allow idiots on the switchboard to harass Kasama folks, unless you have the time to deal with them.
I’m not going to pick a fight. Hell, I like what you’re doing, hard to find news, links, etc.
“Break out, break free” just call in regularly, give us 10 – 15 minutes on Friday night (any night, but that’s a big listener night) on the phone. Review the latest posts on Kasama, tell us what’s going on … call block, the network switchboard operators won’t know.
Give it up, brothers and sisters.
love, solidarity and resistance,
Mike at Radio Free Kansas
Ps. And do it regularly …
Michael Caddell said
Hell, all these debates and mobilizations should be broadcast so even the illiterate can listen and begin to understand.
Hell, I’ll struggle to put Bob Avakian on with you guys, I’ll issue the challenge and promote the shit out of a debate.
Hell, what do you folks have to fear … this is one of the greatest sites for revolutionary theory and news around, give it up.
It’s about time, but in the meantime, let’s get the hot links out and promote KASAMA …
n3wday said
Michael, have you aired these yet? It appears they never made it to the podcast page (that may be my fault).
http://mikeely.wordpress.com/interviews/native-blood-the-myth-of-thanksgiving/
http://mikeely.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/kasama-podcast-interview-with-revolutionary-artist-emory-douglas/
decolonize said
Count me as down to help with future podcasts.
Also, hit me up if there is interest including to the podcast the FIRE Collective recent recorded interview (two parts – about 25 minutes) on a local radio station about communist refoundation, Kasama, Nepal, etc.
yadat said
i cant get these to work, is it just me doing something wrong?
Luis V. said
Hey Yadat,
My hosting service is temporarily down, check back in like a week and it should be working fine. 8-)
Gregory E said
Good job everyone on the podcasts. I have a few comments on the “Crusty Left Culture Rehabilitation” discussion of June 25, 2009. I am more-or-less in agreement with the views expressed by everyone who took part, but would like to problematize a number of points so that we can develop our thinking further.
I agree that we need to update our language so that our revolutionary endeavors are more relevant to the culture around us. I also agree that we need to update our theoretical concepts (it is not enough to take ideas developed in the 19th century and apply them mechanically today).
However, we must also keep in mind that language at least partly constructs what is perceivable, thinkable and communicable. The “common sense” of everyday language is not a spontaneous, neutral reaction to our environment. It is shaped by determinant political, economic, cultural etc. forces (which are not disinterested). Our everyday language is colored by patriarchal, racist and other ideologies.
Getting the revolutionary message out there in language that is relevant is not simply a matter of translation. The situation calls for a much more dialectical intervention. In building a movement, perhaps we should be in conversation with the language that we, the people, are speaking on the streets, in a TRANSFORMATIVE way. If to know the taste of a pear means to change the pear by eating it, as Mao said, we must be in the business of transforming the language with which we express ourselves. This means innovation. How this is to be done is not at all obvious to me because it is a concrete problem that I, and those with whom I work closely, are struggling with all the time. I don’t know that we can work out a formula in advance. It may have to emerge out of concrete struggles.
Without arguing for the purity of a philosophical metalanguage, there is something to be said for having a revolutionary language. Acquiring such a language allows us to see more than our ideological indoctrination allows us to see.
Finally, we must also keep in mind that theoretical concepts contain information that can be lost in translation. The term “dictatorship of the proletariat” is not one that I use when I am talking to people who are just beginning to question capitalism. For most people it calls to mind tyrrany, part of which is related to the historical experiences of actually existing socialism, which had far to many authoritarian aspects. However, the term is a technical one that contains a number of important theoretical distionctions: It implies the Marxist thesis that the state is an instrument of class hegemony; although more-or-less “democratic” institutions may be present, the liberal state is one in which the capitalist class is hegemonic, and under socialism, the working class must be hegemonic in the state. How do we innovate to put such crucial distinctions into language that resonates better with our current situation? I guess one aspect of the answer is that we have to take the time to explain these distinctions regardless of the term we use. Just as we cannot expect most people to understand all that is implied by “dictatorship of the proletariat” without elaboration, we cannot expect them to understand an alternative term without elaboration.