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PODCAST

Chaos and Creativity

Musician Kimi Recor and writer/director Lou Lesko bring you conversations with the outliers and outlaws of the creative industries.Twice a month Kimi and Lou discuss the creative industries through the lens of their experiences and interviews with independent musicians, filmmakers, photographers, writers, and artists.Chaos and Creativity is produced by Claire Duncan with music by Kieran Kerwin.

arts visual arts

All Episodes

54:26

Dorothy Robbins: A State of Musical Being

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/09/24

I’ll admit to having a ridiculously pedestrian perception of classical music artists. Pianists specifically. Call it lack of direct exposure, or maybe too much Bugs Bunny when I was a kid. Or maybe, maybe, maybe it’s the awe I feel when I watch a pianist play with a supernova-like intensity that I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced. Is this envy? Insecurity? Probably a blend. My next guest, classical pianist Dorothy Robbins, was kind enough to set me straight when she visited the Chaos & Cr...

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20:20

Mood Triggers

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/09/10

We’ve all been there. Stuck in traffic, running late, woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Caught a mood from somebody else. Barista didn’t quite get your morning coffee right. And what started as a crap moment begins to seem like a crap day, a crap week, a crap life. You. Are. Spiraling. You know you might pull other people in with you. What happens next? In this minisode, Kimi and Lou share their secret inner sages’ insights into pulling out of emotional tailspins before minor mood changes...

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26:06

Remembering the Art of Gathering

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/08/27

There are some things you and your loved ones can do that AI simply can’t, at least not yet: catch a laugh from a friend, surprise somebody with a spontaneous visit, wake a lover up in the middle of the night for an unplanned adventure. You can gather with other humans, inspire their curiosity and creativity, feel their unspoken emotions, and be transformed as a result. In this minisode, Lou and Kimi highlight the complexity of the topic of AI, reminisce about a gathering space of yesteryear,...

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55:09

The Art of Sound Part 3: Open Up Your Ears

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/08/13

It’s three o’clock in the afternoon. I’ve just arrived home from another sophomore day at a new high school I started attending only a few weeks earlier. Melding into this new society as an outsider isn’t going poorly, but it has its challenges. On the turntable of my father’s hi-fi is the just released album Moving Pictures from Rush. The opening song Tom Sawyer, a song about individualism, personal autonomy, and refusing to conform to society's expectations becomes my guide and my light du...

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26:31

Fair (and Unfair) Trade: Giving It Away for Free

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/08/06

In this week’s minisode: Lou offers to write a treatment for a screenplay with a spectacular premise and a really good story. Kimi randomly gets cast in a short film and is relieved when it gets canceled. Drawing on decades of experience as creative professionals, Kimi and Lou share how to ask the right questions when given the “opportunity” to work for free, when trade feels like a valuable exchange, when saying yes is stupid, and how to say no when it needs to be said. Connect with th...

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52:15

The Art of Sound, Part 2: - A World of Sound All in...

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/07/23

Until I met three time academy award nominee Tom Myers, it never crossed my mind that a blank page to a writer is total silence to a sound designer. That something as subtle as a dog barking in the distance in a movie is as intentional a choice as the more conspicuous murmuring of a populated cafe underneath the dialog of actors in a scene. The deeper Myers and I dug into what he does for a living at Skywalker Sound, the more I realized that sound design and sound mixing are forms of aural ma...

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45:10

The Art of Sound, Part 1: It’s Simple – You Just Have...

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/07/16

Close your eyes. Listen. Which sounds are soothing? Which ones drive you up a tree? Currently, outside my house there’s a mocking bird that’s making me a little crazy. But in the distance the sound of a freight train whistle is eliciting feelings of happiness. No doubt because of an experience I had around trains when I was 12. Bring that train sound two miles closer, it would probably annoy me to no end. Close, far, types of birds, types of trains, all of nature—this is Dr. Stéphane Pigeon’s...

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20:17

Everything Feels Legit

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/06/25

Big changes are afoot at Chaos & Creativity, as our long time producer and good friend Claire Duncan moseys down the road of life to her next big thing. We wish her nothing but the best. Lest Kimi and Lou be left alone too long without supervision, we’re excited to announce the arrival of our new producer Cheramie “CJ” Johnson. We’re also thrilled to welcome Alexandra Covey to the podcast editing bay. She’ll be cutting together Chaos & Creativity as well as our sister podcast Mothers ...

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16:00

We Don't Have to Be Good at Everything

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/06/10

In this episode, Lou shares about a do-it-yourself project that flopped, revealing that 1) acoustics is an art form, and 2) he's terrible at acoustics. So Lou and Kimi talk about which skills are worth learning as creative professionals, and what's important to delegate out. Reflecting on their younger years, they wonder what happened to the time and energy they once had to learn new skills from scratch. Ultimately, they discover that creative maturity brings the very-punk discernment t...

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36:16

Will Waterworth: Cinematic Photography & Storytelling

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/05/07

This week on Chaos & Creativity, we’re joined by photographer and visual artist William Waterworth. His work feels like scenes from an old film — dark, cinematic, and full of emotion. We talk about why he prefers shooting out in nature instead of a studio, how literature and art inspire his photography, and why he looks for real character over the “perfect” model. We also get into film vs. digital photography, creating timeless black-and-white images, and what it means to make art that ac...

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18:40

The Truth About Making Money as an Artist

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/04/27

Do you have to choose between being cool and being rich? In this episode, we talk about what it feels like to be creative right now. There’s so much content everywhere, and it can feel like you have to turn everything into money. But does that take away from what makes something cool? We get into whether art is really valued today, how social media has changed things, and if you can actually make a living from your creativity. Can you be both cool and successful? Or do you have to pick one? A...

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30:56

Annicka Ekvall: Music, Connection & Becoming a Mom

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/04/02

In this episode, Kimi and Lou sit down with Annicka Ekvall, a Swedish-American DJ and producer making major waves in the minimal melodic house scene. Closely associated with Insomniac, Annicka has performed on the world's biggest stages, including EDC, Coachella and Burning Man. She joins us to discuss the magic of staying grounded while playing for thousands and why her newest role, being a mom to a baby girl is her greatest blessing and inspiration. Key Highlights: The Power of Presence: Wh...

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24:08

How to Take Criticism as a Creative

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/03/19

How do you handle criticism when you are deeply connected to your work? In this episode, Lou and Kimi talk about what it really feels like to receive feedback as a creative. Whether you are an artist, producer, designer, writer or entrepreneur, learning how to take criticism can be the key to growing your ideas and your confidence. Creatives often become emotionally attached to their work, which can make it hard to know if something is actually good or needs more development. Lou and Kimi sha...

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45:12

Kieran Kerwin: The Creative Process Behind Electronic...

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/03/05

In this episode, we talk all things music, DJ culture, and the creative process behind electronic music with rising DJ and producer Kieran Kerwin. Before the interview, Kimi shares exciting news from tour. She has officially joined a new band in France called Painmagazine, so be sure to check them out. Kieran is not only a talented electronic music producer and DJ, he also created the intro and outro music for our podcast. In this conversation, he takes us inside his creative process and expl...

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15:44

Organized Chaos: How Creatives Stay on Track

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/02/26

In this mini episode, Kimi and Lou talk about why staying organized is honestly one of the most important parts of being a creative professional. When you're juggling multiple projects, ideas, and deadlines, having some kind of system makes everything way more manageable. They share what’s actually worked for them over the years, from simple habits to tools that help them stay on track and not feel overwhelmed. Organization doesn’t make you less creative, it gives you the space to be more cre...

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41:36

Michael Alan Ross: Porsche Outlaws

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/02/05

In this episode, we talk with Michael Alan Ross, photographer, author of Porsche Outlaws: Stuttgart Hot Rods, and longtime creative professional. Michael shares his journey from a 25-year career as a musician to becoming a respected photographer after landing a singing role in a Ford commercial that introduced him to photography. We explore the world of Porsche Outlaws, where Porsche models are customized through weight reduction, suspension upgrades, and performance enhancements to create pe...

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8:56

More Chaos, More Creativity

Chaos and Creativity ·

2026/01/15

We’re kicking off the new year with some exciting announcements and big things ahead for the Chaos & Creativity universe. This year, we’re thrilled to introduce a new podcast hosted by Sabrina Sarl. Mothers of Creativity spotlights women who make a living through their creative work while also navigating motherhood. Becoming a mom can change everything, and this series explores how creative women continue to pursue their passions. Sabrina brings such a thoughtful, honest perspective to th...

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21:28

The 12 Days of Christmas, Creative Edition

Chaos and Creativity ·

2025/12/18

We’ve made it to our last episode of the year and the season one finale. To close things out, Lou and Kimi are sharing 12 things they’ve been loving lately. These are things that have inspired them, helped them slow down, or simply made life a little better as creatives. This is our version of the 12 Days of Christmas. No endorsements, no sponsors. Just books, shows, tools, and ideas we genuinely enjoy. We’re talking about what we’re reading, watching, and adding into our lives as we head int...

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15:36

Your Inner Creative Cast with Kimi and Lou

Chaos and Creativity ·

2025/12/04

Kimi and Lou explore the different “characters” we step into throughout our lives — the versions of ourselves that show up in different moments, relationships, and creative seasons. They talk about the parts of us that live quietly inside, the ones that guide our choices, and the ones we grow out of. Lou shares what he’s learned from writing a stage play and how storytelling forces you to meet all these inner characters. They dig into collaboration, what it means to step into someone else’s c...

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29:20

Jeff Burkhart: From Twenty Years Behind Bars to Tale...

Chaos and Creativity ·

2025/11/13

Join Lou and Jeff Burkhart, award-winning writer, bartender, and columnist for the Marin Independent Journal, as they dive behind the scenes of Tale of a Barfly. Inspired by Jeff’s bestselling book Twenty Years Behind Bars: The Spirited Adventures of a Real Bartender, Tale of a Barfly is a story of life, love, and cocktails. It’s a riches-to-rags journey that reminds us all of life’s greatest truths can be found while watching the world from behind a bar. For over a decade, Jeff and Lou have ...

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38 results

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