Ep496: The Adjacent Possible w/ Damian Kulash of OK Go

The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

Nate Goyer

Music, Music History, Music Interviews

4.7 • 579 Ratings

🗓️ 28 April 2025

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Damian Kulash of OK Go discusses his evolution from punk music fan, working with Dischord records, and creating boundary-pushing music, vinyl packaging and viral videos

Topics Include:

New album "And The Adjacent Possible" available for streaming now.
Discussion about physical media's role in OK Go's output.
OK Go primarily known for videos that "live in the ether."
Damian was into physical record packaging during college years.
First record was Herbie Hancock's "Rockit," bought at Tower Records.
Young Damian damaged the record trying to scratch like DJ.
Later played with Herbie Hancock at Obama's 50th birthday party.
Musical journey from hip-hop through Prince, Beatles, Led Zeppelin.
DC punk scene was influential, with bands playing in cafeterias.
Started Level Records at age 15,with funding from Dischord Records.
Ian MacKaye lent teenager Damian money to start label.
Level Records produced 7-inches and compilation CDs for friends' bands.
College made running a record label difficult for Damian.
Studied art semiotics at Brown University.
Worked as NPR radio engineer and Photoshop retoucher after college.
Indifferent to Napster's rise during OK Go's early days.
Band finances operated like "roadrunner off the cliff" cartoon.
Discussion about gift economy model working for the band.
Belief that making things you love matters most, not success.
Music sometimes gets overshadowed by video's visual impact.
Videos gave OK Go longevity beyond typical radio-hit bands.
New album theme explores Stuart Kaufman's "adjacent possible" concept.
OK Go doesn't have unified sound; band is "like a mixtape."
Treadmill video was originally made for "nerdiest fans" only.
Videos aim to create real events that connect with viewers.
Physical pressings of OK Go albums are costly in secondary market.
New vinyl features elaborate pop-up sphere in custom packaging.
Hidden track on second album deliberately blocked copy-protection software.
Record label "Paracadute" means parachute in Italian.
Ten-year album gap wasn't intentional; life and pandemic happened.
Directed "The Beanie Bubble" film with his wife for Apple.
Film directing different from making music videos; less adrenaline-driven.
Video production typically takes 3-6 months from concept to completion.
Some video ideas abandoned when technology made them commonplace.

Order the OK Go LP "And The Adjacent Possible" on vinyl here

EXTENDED, Commercial free, high resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0
Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, record nerds, check out the next level audiophile furniture at sidetracked workshop.com.
0:05.9	Sidestracked Workshop makes beautiful record furniture.
0:08.6	I personally have a sidetracked workshop double sidekick in my house, and it's not only gorgeous, but incredibly practical.
0:14.6	Check them out for yourself at sidetracked workshop.com.
0:17.8	Don't keep your records and crates, and don't trust that feeble IKEA furniture. Give your vinyl
0:23.3	the respect it deserves with furniture from sidetracked workshop.com. And now on with the show.
0:30.9	Welcome to the vinyl guide. The podcast for record collectors and music nerds. Here's your host.
0:36.4	The biggest record nerd of them all, Nate Goyer.
0:39.3	Hey, everyone, it's Nate.
0:40.8	Welcome to episode 496 of The Vinyl Guide,
0:45.2	the podcast for record collectors and music nerds.
0:47.8	And I'm here huddled in my Airbnb in San Francisco,
0:52.5	right around the Hate Ashbury District. Lots of musical history here. I'm
0:56.5	about a block from the Grateful Dead House and where Janice Joplin lived. Lots of great bars and
1:02.6	food and taco places. And of course, great record shops. I've spent the last few days going to
1:08.9	the various record shops in San Francisco and Oakland and Berkeley.
1:12.3	I do want to call out some of the great shops.
1:14.7	Groove Merchant, Originals Vinyl, Stranded, Hercules, 1, 2, 3, 4 records, moving records, and Econo Jam.
1:21.7	And, of course, Amoeba is in there.
1:23.6	Maybe a couple I've forgotten apologies for that.
1:26.6	I've found some great records. I put them
1:29.1	on my Instagram if you want to give it a look see. And in a day or two, I'll be heading to the Austin
	...

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