October 8, 2025 • 33 mins
Step into the inventive mind of Igor Keller 🎶🔥, the creative force behind the genre-bending project Longboat. From jazz saxophonist to one of indie pop’s most fearless experimenters, Keller has built a 32-album legacy filled with social commentary, wit, and sonic daring. His latest release, “Word Gets Around”, delivers incisive storytelling and sharp reflections on the modern world—technology, politics, inequality, and identity. 🧠🎛️ With plans for eleven albumsthis year, Igor proves that art can be both prolific and profound. Join Coach Dini for an unforgettable deep dive into the mind of a man who refuses to play it safe.
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Vigilantes Radio Live! by The Only One Media Group ℗©2025
Episode Credits:
Produced, edited, mixed, and written by Demetrius "Whodini Blak" Reynolds, Sr.
Artwork designed by Demetrius "Whodini Blak" Reynolds, Sr.
Show Introduction by Kate
Segment jingles composed & produced by Demetrius "Whodini Blak" Reynolds, Sr.
Additional music licensed through 7th Sign Recordings
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are now listening to Vigilantes Radio, presented by the
only One Media Group. This is the people's choice, but
quality interviews celebrities and special guests hosted by Demitrius Denny Reynolds.
Call in to join the mix at seven oh one,
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(00:24):
like us on Facebook at Vigilantes Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
We welcome all.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Enjoy the show. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your host
Demitrius who Demi Black Reynolds. Enjoy the show.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Good morning, Good morning, Good morning, and welcome to another
incredible episode of Vigilantes Radio, live right here on iHeartRadio.
My name is Dean. I do have to say that
this particular episode is pre recorded and can't weight deliverate
to your inboxes before you guys subscribe to the show,
(01:05):
it'll be the first to know and I always appreciate that. Well.
Before I bring my guests on, I do want to
say that this is the frequency of the fearless. You know,
sometimes the truth hides and noise. The louder the world gets,
(01:25):
the more valuable a quiet voice becomes especially other, especially
when that voice chooses honesty over hype, meaning over melody,
and purpose overpopularity. Egor Kller, the mind behind long Boat,
(01:47):
has spent years reminding us that music doesn't have to
be predictable to be powerful. It doesn't have to flatter
the charm arch to challenge the listener. His songs hold
up a mirror to modern chaos, politics, technology, inequality, and
(02:10):
still managed to find rhythm and the unrest. These proof
that creativity doesn't ask for permission, it just demands truth
and one the noise phase, Well, the truth, that's what lingers,
that is what remains. You're not just here for a
(02:31):
talk show. This isn't just radio. This is revival for
your mind, body and spirit. This is Vigilantes Radio Live.
And my name is Coach Deani and change is possible.
Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Are you ready? And rad.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Are you ready? Well, let's go, let's go?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
All right, all right again, welcome to the show. You're
listening to VRL. That's Vigiliantees Radio Live right here on
Ihearts Radio and I am your host Ginning. Our interviews
are designed to go beyond the music, news, books, art, acting, films, technology, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, spirituality,
(03:33):
and sometimes even past that thing that we call the ego.
Our interviews are designed to go behind the scenes into
the minds of these brilliant people, you know, the ones
that are out there giving it. They're all for me,
for you, and for the world. Well, ladies and gentlemen,
our guest today has rewritten the rules of modern pop,
(03:55):
thirty two albums deep and still pushing boundaries most artists
won't even approach. From his days as a jazz saxophonist
to his evolution as the architect behind the long Boat,
he's built the sound that equals hearts, intelligent, emotion, and rebellion.
(04:15):
His latest project, Word Gets Around, captures the heartbeat of
a world in flux. So please join me in saying
welcome Fred to the one and only Igor Keller of
long Boat. Hi, Hey, welcome to the show. Well, thanks
(04:38):
for having me absolutely, How are you.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Oh, I'm great. I'm great. I'm in London at the
moment and it's very nice here.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Yes, yes, should be afternoon, right, it's morning here in
afternoon there. Yeah, okay, cool. So Igor man, what's been
on your heart and mind? Likely?
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Oh, well, I have started to you know, I've I've
put out thirty two albums that actually I recorded eight
albums this year, and so what what I'm trying to
do now is to boil down a lot of my
past songs into piano versions that.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
I can just play. I can just walk into any
place that has a.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Piano and play them and you know, play one or
two of them, order a pint, and then you know,
head a home.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
That's that's It's pretty I really kind of.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
Like the the idea that I don't have to I
don't have to be there for a whole set, and
that people will pay attention and then if it's if
it's for a short time, they'll give me their full
attention and then I can we can just sort of
part ways after that that it can have a musical
experience and I will have, you know, felt like I've communicated.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Something to me.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Yeah, and indeed, eight albums this year alone, man, that
is a lot of work.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Yeah, and Word gets around is just the first one.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
MM. So with eight releases, I want to ask you
which one of your favorite? But how do you know
which one to promote and market and you know, go
all the way in.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
Well, Word gets around with the first one that was recorded,
so that was March this year, and it was followed
by what will be coming out soon called the Merry
Blacksmith Song Bucket, and and then and those those two
are electronic albums, but I also recorded three with an
all live band, so you know we're talking drums, guitar, bass,
(06:54):
h hamm and organs, all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
And one with live strings.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
And then two more I recorded just this August in London,
and those are all electronics.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Wow, you must live, breathe and everything is music in
your life.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Yes, yes, And you know I'm I'm I'm originally from Seattle,
and I do spend a good like two thirds of
the year there and Seattle has you know, kind of dull,
rainy weather for a lot of the year, and that's
perfect writing music, It's absolutely perfect.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
You get so much.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Done, absolutely so. You've released thirty two albums and plan
to release three more this year out of the eight.
What draws this relentless creativity.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
I don't know. I don't really think about it.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
All I do is is I'm one of these people who,
no matter what musical instrument, I'm sitting down behind, whether
it's a you know, uh, an organ or harmonium or
bagpipes or or you know thither. I within about five
minutes I'm writing music on it. So that's it's just
(08:14):
it just kind of happens. And uh and I like that.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Very much about myself.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, so how do you know when an idea is finished?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
When it doesn't make me cringe anymore? There?
Speaker 5 (08:31):
There there's a lot of workshopping that goes on, especially
when I'm I'm singing the vocal line and working out
the lyrics, because sometimes the words don't always scan, and
when they do, maybe they don't make sense. The the
the song itself has to make sense within its own framework.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
It has to hang well. And because I like to
write songs that.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Have beginnings, middles and ends, I like to tell stories.
I like to to to have.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Have songs that are complete thoughts.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
And once I feel I've made a complete thought, then
that's why I now that it's done.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Indeed, all right?
Speaker 5 (09:15):
And and okay, oh yeah. Within the eight albums this year,
I've recorded ninety six songs.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
So just thought I rolled that number up for you.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Yeah, so not only vocalists but instrumentalists as well. Let's
back up for a minutes, like, how did the level
music start for you?
Speaker 5 (09:40):
It was something that was always there. I just I
didn't listen to a lot of music when I was young.
And actually I got to say that the most profound
earliest impressions on me were going and going to church.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
I was a good Catholic.
Speaker 5 (10:02):
Boy, and and we had you know, pipe organ and
on on you know, Christmas and Easter. We'd have sometimes
brass come in and uh and sometimes.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
String players and it really it really affected and profound.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Mm hmm. It's like being in church. I wasn't Catholic,
but I still, you know, it was raised in the church.
There was this one guy, Phil Drisco. He was a
trumpet player, and after seeing him play his trumpet and
what he could do with it, I went and enjoying.
(10:40):
Well not immediately, but when the School of left Us
came around, I chose to join the band and chose
a trumpet played it for think ten more years after that.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
So really, yeah, did you did you have a good time?
Did you enjoy it?
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I did, the best time of my life was playing
the trumpet. Yeah, did you did you play it? Took? Yeah,
marching in a little bit of sophony.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Yeah, marching band's great.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
There's a there's a there's a lot of togetherness and
in a marching band.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Yes, yes, it was when I got to college and
jazz band came around where I got, oh, no, I
can't do this. Yeah, but you pursue you you actually are.
It was a part of jazz right as a jazz player.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Yeah, I was well.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
In high school, I was a jazz drummer, and then
when I got to college, I was I became a
you know, a percussionist, meaning that I played timpany in
the in the University Symphony Orchestra and the Opera orchestra,
and I just kind of I just kind of dropped
it for a while, and I took up saxophone a
(11:56):
little later, and it was just it was just some
things that owned my soul for for many years and
I loved it, and it just but it's just that
that the jazz scene in Seattle did was it kind
of crashed it at a certain point, and and so
I moved.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
On to pop music.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Yeah. So speaking of that, where gets around feels like
commentary on both culture and technology. What's parked this concept
and how did it evolve from idea to an album.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
You know, there's always, always, there's always a lot of
mystery that comes between between how songs get on albums,
and even for me, I have I what Sometimes I'm
trying for a certain sound, sometimes I'm trying.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
For a certain group of group of instruments.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
But I just thought, for this album, I wanted to
tell us series of short stories and and and maybe. Uh,
some of them were were kind of pleasant, some of
them were mysterious, some of them were kind of rot
u seemed like horror stories, and others were sort of
a personal account too.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
There's there's a song on this.
Speaker 5 (13:19):
Album called Aisle Seats, which is just about me being klaustrophobic.
When I go to the theater, I cannot do it.
I cannot sit anywhere but on the aisle. Otherwise I
just I will start shaking and sweating.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Like nobody's business.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
And uh, and but if I'm if I'm there at
the isle, everything is great.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
And that's that's what that song is about.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
And and you know it made it onto this album too.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Uh. You once said that pop can be a platform
for truth. What truth does word gets around rustle with
most directly?
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Well, there there is there's one song called a Bare
Minimum Society, which which kind of highlights class conflicts, but
mostly it's in the UK where you talk to somebody
and they'll say something like, well, it's really not my
place to say, but and I don't you don't really
hear Americans say that, and I because Americans are like,
(14:24):
this is what I think, and and you know, and
and it could be pleasant, it could be unpleasant, but
but you you never hear someone practice it with with well,
you know, this is none of my business, or I
don't know anything about this, or I you know, this
isn't my place, this isn't my you know, it's beyond
my educational level. And and I just kind of I
(14:46):
wanted to to highlight that because that's that's what I
hear around, uh, when I'm in in the UK. And
and I and also you know, I kind of I'm
getting to the point where I'm I'm writing more and
more about mortality and and how we how we.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Spend our time, uh, and and you know.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
It's kind of like you can waste your time as
much as you want until you feel like, you know,
if there's there's going to be some sort of finite
point in life, and I'm I'm I'm right. I've never
been one to waste time, but I still i am
started still feeling like at some point, years down the roads,
(15:35):
there will be there will be a sort of finite
uh uh part to life. And so i'm i'm I'm
thinking of that, and I'm I'm sort of contemplating that too.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Indeed, so out the years in jazz, what was the
turning point that pushed you towards experimental thoughts?
Speaker 4 (15:57):
I was, uh, it was it was kind of a
bolt from the blue.
Speaker 5 (16:01):
I was just writing songs in Logic, which is the
uh the music program for that Apple puts out, and
I wrote a song about uh sitting that's close to Seattle,
and I thought, Okay, well, let's start writing more songs
(16:23):
about what's in Seattle, you know, my my hometown, which
is north of Seattle, and then where I live now
in which is it's called Belltown, and and all these
different neighborhoods, and it was just it was sort of
conceived in a flash, and it took me about, oh,
I don't know, four months to get the songs together,
(16:43):
and then I recorded them and then I just I
had such a good time doing it that that I
just decided that I would keep keep making pop music,
keep writing songs, and and.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
See what happened.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Indeed, and I believe that you are indeed right about
some people who make opinionated statements. I think you know,
and they don't really have any real skin in the games,
but they like to offer opinions. Yes, And as someone
(17:23):
like yourself who has studied both sound and society, how
do you see music functioning as social critique in twenty
twenty five and beyond.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
I wish it had the same sort of power that
it had in the sixties. But still you hear people,
You hear people expressing themselves in a very inspiring way,
and they are.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
Depicting what they see in society.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
I wrote an entire album about January sixth and because
I thought that it was a low point in the
history of the US. But you know, other things that
happened since then.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
I was I was just I was just appalled with it.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
So I wrote an album and I recorded it in
Let's see, well, January sixth happened in January twenty twenty one,
and I recorded the album in April, so I had
it I wouldn't really had that one dial in because
I was just I really thought that that had to
be that that that moment had to be preserved.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Indeed, most people feel like music and politics don't mix.
But you don't think that. No, it isn't or it isn't. Here,
it's it's not it's not specific. The thing is is,
you know, I think that.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Anything can be a song.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
If you're, if you're, if you're, if you have your
thoughts assembled, Uh, you can make anything into a song.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
And you can make anything into a good song.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
And I I think you know you can you can
have a good political song and it's and it just
has to be a good song to begin with.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
That's right, that's right. So producing eleven albums in a
year is no small feat. I'm actually very very impressed
and inspired by your journey and your work. What's your
rhythm for maintaining inspiration and focus without burnout?
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Oh, that's it? Just uh you hear you know, you
hear tales.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
Uh, somebody like Prince who used to say that he
could he could work for five days straight recording studio
and stack vocals until the end of the day, and
and you know, and and everything like that and but
the really important thing in order not to get burned out,
I couldn't work like that. I is to work uh
(20:20):
steadily and not to work too much. For me, a
full day is about A.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Very full day is about six hours.
Speaker 5 (20:29):
And and usually with you know, life getting in the
way and and having to do day to day things,
my day is probably generally about four hours work day.
That is now when I find myself practicing piano, it's
about I spent about five hours a day uh playing piano,
(20:54):
and it's just yeah, I mean, but I could not.
I couldn't do it for sixteen hours a day. It
would be it would become counterproductive after a certain certain points.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
I can't.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
You can't.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
If you do this obsessively, you will burn out. Yeah,
I guarantee that. And also taking breaks is good too,
giving yourself boundaries. I now I play piano six days
a week. On the seventh day, I just have a
day off.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Nice all right, Well, it is time for some music
because we have word get surround by igor Keller and
then we'll be back to put him in our traditional
hot seat, or he could perform from us if he
wants to. He could sing, you can brab he could
do spoken word, tell us a joke, tell us a
story from his life, play an instrument, gives him advice,
(21:52):
or do nothing at all. That is cool as well.
Right now here it is word gets around. Stay tuned.
Speaker 6 (22:18):
They might ask you for an auto griph.
Speaker 7 (22:22):
It doesn't mean a damn thing. No, they turn the
corner and they have their laugh. It shouldn't pack a sting.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
I know you never really fell in line. It's what
I most didn't mind. But you can still make the
blacktop shine. You always took it high. One gets her
around and there's no need for you to listen this
(23:11):
krummy town.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
You bet there's nothing that you're missing.
Speaker 6 (23:19):
You seem to be my counterpart, far out of the
public view. Now there may be no more joy in on,
but the science is killing you.
Speaker 7 (23:37):
Word gets her.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
Around, and there's no need for.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
You to listen.
Speaker 6 (23:45):
This krummy town. I swear there's nothing that you're missing.
They've got no use for our kind.
Speaker 7 (23:58):
But they'll come crumbling back.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
They've got no use for our kind.
Speaker 7 (24:07):
You'll see that jobs goes sligh.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
Never thought of ourselves as brain well, we were only
deals with tongues. I'm one day that i'd have to
king do all your needs.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
And once.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
One gets around, and there's no need for you to listen.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
This crummy town.
Speaker 7 (25:16):
I tell you there's nothing that you're missing.
Speaker 6 (25:21):
They've got no use for all kind. What did they
hope to find? They've got no use for our kind.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
Their credit's been de kind, they've got no use.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
For our kind. Beam, their reasons ill defined. They've got
no use for our kind. Beam. We've left them all behind.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
All right, all right, welcome back again. That was incredible.
That was Igor Keller. Where gets around? All right? All right,
let's go ahead and bring him back. Hey, Egor, you
are back live with us in our hot seats? Are
you going to put?
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Nobody said there'd be a hot seat. Okay, What can
I do for you?
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Anything? You want advice? You can players come in, you
can sing, you can tell a joke story.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
I would I would like to convey some advice.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
And this is this is for all the musicians in
your audience.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
And it was given to me.
Speaker 5 (26:45):
It was repeated quite often by an old composition professor
of mine.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Who is still alive.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
I think he's about ninety three, and he was he
was all when I fixed when I took classes from him.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
He's very old, but he is.
Speaker 5 (27:00):
His advice, if you want to be happy in making music,
make music with your friends and uh and you would
be surprised how how fulfilling that can be.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
And that's my that's my advice.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
I love that. So here's our micro drop moment. If
you could leave one lasting idea in the minds of
your listeners through where it gets around, what would it
be and why?
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Mm hmm real we thought about that. I would like people.
Speaker 5 (27:42):
I would like people to to listen to it because
it is it is not or it's although it sounds
like ordinary pop music, it is not. It has there
there is a certain amount uh, there's a certain depth
to it that I sometimes even surprises me. Uh And
(28:03):
because as I said, I'm sort of I'm looking far
down the road and seeing that that life is beautiful,
but it ends and and that is reflected in uh
some of my music. And just just remember, you know,
enjoy life while it lasts, because it won't last forever.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Absolutely. And where can our listeners connect with you on
the internet and check out more music.
Speaker 5 (28:33):
Oh, they can go to long Boat Dot band. You
can get in on all.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
The discography there and it's it's it's.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
A you can see long Boat videos and listen to
every single recording that I'm mad.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Absolutely. Also, there's a podcast dedicated to long Boats.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
Well, yea, it was something I did during COVID. Everybody
was doing a podcast at that time. But yeah, I
did it during COVID and I'm thinking about reviving it.
But you can listen to Egor from five years ago
(29:20):
talking about long Vote from ten years ago.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Yeah, all right, all right, well listeners, Just in case
you need the links to all of his music and
where you can find them, I will have them have
that in the description of this episode and in the
show notes, So all you guys have to do is
just click those links. Well, today Igor Keller reminded us
of that art isn't about perfection, is it about perception.
(29:48):
It's about daring to look deeper when the world keeps
trying to distract you. Through Long Vote, Keller continues to
prove that pop can be political, experimental, and still beautifully human.
His latest album, berg Gets Around, doesn't just speak, It listens,
It questions, and it challenges to every creative out there
(30:09):
afraid to go against the grain. Let Egors turn and
remind you true art doesn't blend in, it stands out
no matter what you do. So until next time, stay fearless,
stay intentional, and keep tuning in to Vigilantes Radio Live.
Thank you so much, egos.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
All right, thank you very much, have a good one.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
Welcome you too. Thank you all right by.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Now heece to all. My name is Deanie and I
am the host of Vigilantes Radio Live. I think that
we are beyond just asking cool questions and getting cool responses.
I think that we are here as creatives to provide
(30:57):
an example that you can do things different outside of expectations,
because some of us simply were not born into the club.
But there is perhaps a door window or backgate that
we can leave a clue for you to get into.
(31:18):
Life is short, but there are plenty of moments to
try and get it right. Pursuing your dreams and learning
from mistakes may be tough, but regret is tough. To
book your interview email us at V Radio at only
one MediaGroup dot com that's a v as a victorious
(31:40):
or visit only one media group dot com. I'm counting
on you, Heaven, we all are counting on you to
step into your purpose and your passion. You are listening
to Vigilantes Radio live on iHeartRadio, providing you with an opportunity.
Speaker 5 (32:00):
Hold now.
Speaker 7 (32:03):
There may be no more joy on you got the.
Speaker 6 (32:07):
Science is killing you.
Speaker 7 (32:12):
Word gets over around and there's no need for you
to listen.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
This crummy till I.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Swear You are now listening to vigil Lances Radio, the
people's choice for quality interviews, art, music and hot topics,
hosted by Demetrius Hontiny Black Reynolds. All episodes of this
podcast are available for free download at www dot only
(32:44):
one media greet dot com
You are now listening to Vigilantes Radio, presented by the
only One Media Group. This is the people's choice, but
quality interviews celebrities and special guests hosted by Demitrius Denny Reynolds.
Call in to join the mix at seven oh one,
eighth one, nine eight one three. For the complete archive
of episodes, visit only onemediagroup dot com and b Shulso
(00:24):
like us on Facebook at Vigilantes Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
We welcome all.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Enjoy the show. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your host
Demitrius who Demi Black Reynolds. Enjoy the show.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Good morning, Good morning, Good morning, and welcome to another
incredible episode of Vigilantes Radio, live right here on iHeartRadio.
My name is Dean. I do have to say that
this particular episode is pre recorded and can't weight deliverate
to your inboxes before you guys subscribe to the show,
(01:05):
it'll be the first to know and I always appreciate that. Well.
Before I bring my guests on, I do want to
say that this is the frequency of the fearless. You know,
sometimes the truth hides and noise. The louder the world gets,
(01:25):
the more valuable a quiet voice becomes especially other, especially
when that voice chooses honesty over hype, meaning over melody,
and purpose overpopularity. Egor Kller, the mind behind long Boat,
(01:47):
has spent years reminding us that music doesn't have to
be predictable to be powerful. It doesn't have to flatter
the charm arch to challenge the listener. His songs hold
up a mirror to modern chaos, politics, technology, inequality, and
(02:10):
still managed to find rhythm and the unrest. These proof
that creativity doesn't ask for permission, it just demands truth
and one the noise phase, Well, the truth, that's what lingers,
that is what remains. You're not just here for a
(02:31):
talk show. This isn't just radio. This is revival for
your mind, body and spirit. This is Vigilantes Radio Live.
And my name is Coach Deani and change is possible.
Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Are you ready? And rad.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Are you ready? Well, let's go, let's go?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
All right, all right again, welcome to the show. You're
listening to VRL. That's Vigiliantees Radio Live right here on
Ihearts Radio and I am your host Ginning. Our interviews
are designed to go beyond the music, news, books, art, acting, films, technology, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, spirituality,
(03:33):
and sometimes even past that thing that we call the ego.
Our interviews are designed to go behind the scenes into
the minds of these brilliant people, you know, the ones
that are out there giving it. They're all for me,
for you, and for the world. Well, ladies and gentlemen,
our guest today has rewritten the rules of modern pop,
(03:55):
thirty two albums deep and still pushing boundaries most artists
won't even approach. From his days as a jazz saxophonist
to his evolution as the architect behind the long Boat,
he's built the sound that equals hearts, intelligent, emotion, and rebellion.
(04:15):
His latest project, Word Gets Around, captures the heartbeat of
a world in flux. So please join me in saying
welcome Fred to the one and only Igor Keller of
long Boat. Hi, Hey, welcome to the show. Well, thanks
(04:38):
for having me absolutely, How are you.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Oh, I'm great. I'm great. I'm in London at the
moment and it's very nice here.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Yes, yes, should be afternoon, right, it's morning here in
afternoon there. Yeah, okay, cool. So Igor man, what's been
on your heart and mind? Likely?
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Oh, well, I have started to you know, I've I've
put out thirty two albums that actually I recorded eight
albums this year, and so what what I'm trying to
do now is to boil down a lot of my
past songs into piano versions that.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
I can just play. I can just walk into any
place that has a.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Piano and play them and you know, play one or
two of them, order a pint, and then you know,
head a home.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
That's that's It's pretty I really kind of.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
Like the the idea that I don't have to I
don't have to be there for a whole set, and
that people will pay attention and then if it's if
it's for a short time, they'll give me their full
attention and then I can we can just sort of
part ways after that that it can have a musical
experience and I will have, you know, felt like I've communicated.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Something to me.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Yeah, and indeed, eight albums this year alone, man, that
is a lot of work.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Yeah, and Word gets around is just the first one.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
MM. So with eight releases, I want to ask you
which one of your favorite? But how do you know
which one to promote and market and you know, go
all the way in.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
Well, Word gets around with the first one that was recorded,
so that was March this year, and it was followed
by what will be coming out soon called the Merry
Blacksmith Song Bucket, and and then and those those two
are electronic albums, but I also recorded three with an
all live band, so you know we're talking drums, guitar, bass,
(06:54):
h hamm and organs, all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
And one with live strings.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
And then two more I recorded just this August in London,
and those are all electronics.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Wow, you must live, breathe and everything is music in
your life.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Yes, yes, And you know I'm I'm I'm originally from Seattle,
and I do spend a good like two thirds of
the year there and Seattle has you know, kind of dull,
rainy weather for a lot of the year, and that's
perfect writing music, It's absolutely perfect.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
You get so much.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Done, absolutely so. You've released thirty two albums and plan
to release three more this year out of the eight.
What draws this relentless creativity.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
I don't know. I don't really think about it.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
All I do is is I'm one of these people who,
no matter what musical instrument, I'm sitting down behind, whether
it's a you know, uh, an organ or harmonium or
bagpipes or or you know thither. I within about five
minutes I'm writing music on it. So that's it's just
(08:14):
it just kind of happens. And uh and I like that.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Very much about myself.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, so how do you know when an idea is finished?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
When it doesn't make me cringe anymore? There?
Speaker 5 (08:31):
There there's a lot of workshopping that goes on, especially
when I'm I'm singing the vocal line and working out
the lyrics, because sometimes the words don't always scan, and
when they do, maybe they don't make sense. The the
the song itself has to make sense within its own framework.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
It has to hang well. And because I like to
write songs that.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Have beginnings, middles and ends, I like to tell stories.
I like to to to have.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Have songs that are complete thoughts.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
And once I feel I've made a complete thought, then
that's why I now that it's done.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Indeed, all right?
Speaker 5 (09:15):
And and okay, oh yeah. Within the eight albums this year,
I've recorded ninety six songs.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
So just thought I rolled that number up for you.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Yeah, so not only vocalists but instrumentalists as well. Let's
back up for a minutes, like, how did the level
music start for you?
Speaker 5 (09:40):
It was something that was always there. I just I
didn't listen to a lot of music when I was young.
And actually I got to say that the most profound
earliest impressions on me were going and going to church.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
I was a good Catholic.
Speaker 5 (10:02):
Boy, and and we had you know, pipe organ and
on on you know, Christmas and Easter. We'd have sometimes
brass come in and uh and sometimes.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
String players and it really it really affected and profound.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Mm hmm. It's like being in church. I wasn't Catholic,
but I still, you know, it was raised in the church.
There was this one guy, Phil Drisco. He was a
trumpet player, and after seeing him play his trumpet and
what he could do with it, I went and enjoying.
(10:40):
Well not immediately, but when the School of left Us
came around, I chose to join the band and chose
a trumpet played it for think ten more years after that.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
So really, yeah, did you did you have a good time?
Did you enjoy it?
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I did, the best time of my life was playing
the trumpet. Yeah, did you did you play it? Took? Yeah,
marching in a little bit of sophony.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Yeah, marching band's great.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
There's a there's a there's a lot of togetherness and
in a marching band.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Yes, yes, it was when I got to college and
jazz band came around where I got, oh, no, I
can't do this. Yeah, but you pursue you you actually are.
It was a part of jazz right as a jazz player.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Yeah, I was well.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
In high school, I was a jazz drummer, and then
when I got to college, I was I became a
you know, a percussionist, meaning that I played timpany in
the in the University Symphony Orchestra and the Opera orchestra,
and I just kind of I just kind of dropped
it for a while, and I took up saxophone a
(11:56):
little later, and it was just it was just some
things that owned my soul for for many years and
I loved it, and it just but it's just that
that the jazz scene in Seattle did was it kind
of crashed it at a certain point, and and so
I moved.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
On to pop music.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Yeah. So speaking of that, where gets around feels like
commentary on both culture and technology. What's parked this concept
and how did it evolve from idea to an album.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
You know, there's always, always, there's always a lot of
mystery that comes between between how songs get on albums,
and even for me, I have I what Sometimes I'm
trying for a certain sound, sometimes I'm trying.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
For a certain group of group of instruments.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
But I just thought, for this album, I wanted to
tell us series of short stories and and and maybe. Uh,
some of them were were kind of pleasant, some of
them were mysterious, some of them were kind of rot
u seemed like horror stories, and others were sort of
a personal account too.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
There's there's a song on this.
Speaker 5 (13:19):
Album called Aisle Seats, which is just about me being klaustrophobic.
When I go to the theater, I cannot do it.
I cannot sit anywhere but on the aisle. Otherwise I
just I will start shaking and sweating.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Like nobody's business.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
And uh, and but if I'm if I'm there at
the isle, everything is great.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
And that's that's what that song is about.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
And and you know it made it onto this album too.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Uh. You once said that pop can be a platform
for truth. What truth does word gets around rustle with
most directly?
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Well, there there is there's one song called a Bare
Minimum Society, which which kind of highlights class conflicts, but
mostly it's in the UK where you talk to somebody
and they'll say something like, well, it's really not my
place to say, but and I don't you don't really
hear Americans say that, and I because Americans are like,
(14:24):
this is what I think, and and you know, and
and it could be pleasant, it could be unpleasant, but
but you you never hear someone practice it with with well,
you know, this is none of my business, or I
don't know anything about this, or I you know, this
isn't my place, this isn't my you know, it's beyond
my educational level. And and I just kind of I
(14:46):
wanted to to highlight that because that's that's what I
hear around, uh, when I'm in in the UK. And
and I and also you know, I kind of I'm
getting to the point where I'm I'm writing more and
more about mortality and and how we how we.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Spend our time, uh, and and you know.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
It's kind of like you can waste your time as
much as you want until you feel like, you know,
if there's there's going to be some sort of finite
point in life, and I'm I'm I'm right. I've never
been one to waste time, but I still i am
started still feeling like at some point, years down the roads,
(15:35):
there will be there will be a sort of finite
uh uh part to life. And so i'm i'm I'm
thinking of that, and I'm I'm sort of contemplating that too.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Indeed, so out the years in jazz, what was the
turning point that pushed you towards experimental thoughts?
Speaker 4 (15:57):
I was, uh, it was it was kind of a
bolt from the blue.
Speaker 5 (16:01):
I was just writing songs in Logic, which is the
uh the music program for that Apple puts out, and
I wrote a song about uh sitting that's close to Seattle,
and I thought, Okay, well, let's start writing more songs
(16:23):
about what's in Seattle, you know, my my hometown, which
is north of Seattle, and then where I live now
in which is it's called Belltown, and and all these
different neighborhoods, and it was just it was sort of
conceived in a flash, and it took me about, oh,
I don't know, four months to get the songs together,
(16:43):
and then I recorded them and then I just I
had such a good time doing it that that I
just decided that I would keep keep making pop music,
keep writing songs, and and.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
See what happened.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Indeed, and I believe that you are indeed right about
some people who make opinionated statements. I think you know,
and they don't really have any real skin in the games,
but they like to offer opinions. Yes, And as someone
(17:23):
like yourself who has studied both sound and society, how
do you see music functioning as social critique in twenty
twenty five and beyond.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
I wish it had the same sort of power that
it had in the sixties. But still you hear people,
You hear people expressing themselves in a very inspiring way,
and they are.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
Depicting what they see in society.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
I wrote an entire album about January sixth and because
I thought that it was a low point in the
history of the US. But you know, other things that
happened since then.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
I was I was just I was just appalled with it.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
So I wrote an album and I recorded it in
Let's see, well, January sixth happened in January twenty twenty one,
and I recorded the album in April, so I had
it I wouldn't really had that one dial in because
I was just I really thought that that had to
be that that that moment had to be preserved.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Indeed, most people feel like music and politics don't mix.
But you don't think that. No, it isn't or it isn't. Here,
it's it's not it's not specific. The thing is is,
you know, I think that.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Anything can be a song.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
If you're, if you're, if you're, if you have your
thoughts assembled, Uh, you can make anything into a song.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
And you can make anything into a good song.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
And I I think you know you can you can
have a good political song and it's and it just
has to be a good song to begin with.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
That's right, that's right. So producing eleven albums in a
year is no small feat. I'm actually very very impressed
and inspired by your journey and your work. What's your
rhythm for maintaining inspiration and focus without burnout?
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Oh, that's it? Just uh you hear you know, you
hear tales.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
Uh, somebody like Prince who used to say that he
could he could work for five days straight recording studio
and stack vocals until the end of the day, and
and you know, and and everything like that and but
the really important thing in order not to get burned out,
I couldn't work like that. I is to work uh
(20:20):
steadily and not to work too much. For me, a
full day is about A.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Very full day is about six hours.
Speaker 5 (20:29):
And and usually with you know, life getting in the
way and and having to do day to day things,
my day is probably generally about four hours work day.
That is now when I find myself practicing piano, it's
about I spent about five hours a day uh playing piano,
(20:54):
and it's just yeah, I mean, but I could not.
I couldn't do it for sixteen hours a day. It
would be it would become counterproductive after a certain certain points.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
I can't.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
You can't.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
If you do this obsessively, you will burn out. Yeah,
I guarantee that. And also taking breaks is good too,
giving yourself boundaries. I now I play piano six days
a week. On the seventh day, I just have a
day off.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Nice all right, Well, it is time for some music
because we have word get surround by igor Keller and
then we'll be back to put him in our traditional
hot seat, or he could perform from us if he
wants to. He could sing, you can brab he could
do spoken word, tell us a joke, tell us a
story from his life, play an instrument, gives him advice,
(21:52):
or do nothing at all. That is cool as well.
Right now here it is word gets around. Stay tuned.
Speaker 6 (22:18):
They might ask you for an auto griph.
Speaker 7 (22:22):
It doesn't mean a damn thing. No, they turn the
corner and they have their laugh. It shouldn't pack a sting.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
I know you never really fell in line. It's what
I most didn't mind. But you can still make the
blacktop shine. You always took it high. One gets her
around and there's no need for you to listen this
(23:11):
krummy town.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
You bet there's nothing that you're missing.
Speaker 6 (23:19):
You seem to be my counterpart, far out of the
public view. Now there may be no more joy in on,
but the science is killing you.
Speaker 7 (23:37):
Word gets her.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
Around, and there's no need for.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
You to listen.
Speaker 6 (23:45):
This krummy town. I swear there's nothing that you're missing.
They've got no use for our kind.
Speaker 7 (23:58):
But they'll come crumbling back.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
They've got no use for our kind.
Speaker 7 (24:07):
You'll see that jobs goes sligh.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
Never thought of ourselves as brain well, we were only
deals with tongues. I'm one day that i'd have to
king do all your needs.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
And once.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
One gets around, and there's no need for you to listen.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
This crummy town.
Speaker 7 (25:16):
I tell you there's nothing that you're missing.
Speaker 6 (25:21):
They've got no use for all kind. What did they
hope to find? They've got no use for our kind.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
Their credit's been de kind, they've got no use.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
For our kind. Beam, their reasons ill defined. They've got
no use for our kind. Beam. We've left them all behind.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
All right, all right, welcome back again. That was incredible.
That was Igor Keller. Where gets around? All right? All right,
let's go ahead and bring him back. Hey, Egor, you
are back live with us in our hot seats? Are
you going to put?
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Nobody said there'd be a hot seat. Okay, What can
I do for you?
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Anything? You want advice? You can players come in, you
can sing, you can tell a joke story.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
I would I would like to convey some advice.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
And this is this is for all the musicians in
your audience.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
And it was given to me.
Speaker 5 (26:45):
It was repeated quite often by an old composition professor
of mine.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Who is still alive.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
I think he's about ninety three, and he was he
was all when I fixed when I took classes from him.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
He's very old, but he is.
Speaker 5 (27:00):
His advice, if you want to be happy in making music,
make music with your friends and uh and you would
be surprised how how fulfilling that can be.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
And that's my that's my advice.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
I love that. So here's our micro drop moment. If
you could leave one lasting idea in the minds of
your listeners through where it gets around, what would it
be and why?
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Mm hmm real we thought about that. I would like people.
Speaker 5 (27:42):
I would like people to to listen to it because
it is it is not or it's although it sounds
like ordinary pop music, it is not. It has there
there is a certain amount uh, there's a certain depth
to it that I sometimes even surprises me. Uh And
(28:03):
because as I said, I'm sort of I'm looking far
down the road and seeing that that life is beautiful,
but it ends and and that is reflected in uh
some of my music. And just just remember, you know,
enjoy life while it lasts, because it won't last forever.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Absolutely. And where can our listeners connect with you on
the internet and check out more music.
Speaker 5 (28:33):
Oh, they can go to long Boat Dot band. You
can get in on all.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
The discography there and it's it's it's.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
A you can see long Boat videos and listen to
every single recording that I'm mad.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Absolutely. Also, there's a podcast dedicated to long Boats.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
Well, yea, it was something I did during COVID. Everybody
was doing a podcast at that time. But yeah, I
did it during COVID and I'm thinking about reviving it.
But you can listen to Egor from five years ago
(29:20):
talking about long Vote from ten years ago.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Yeah, all right, all right, well listeners, Just in case
you need the links to all of his music and
where you can find them, I will have them have
that in the description of this episode and in the
show notes, So all you guys have to do is
just click those links. Well, today Igor Keller reminded us
of that art isn't about perfection, is it about perception.
(29:48):
It's about daring to look deeper when the world keeps
trying to distract you. Through Long Vote, Keller continues to
prove that pop can be political, experimental, and still beautifully human.
His latest album, berg Gets Around, doesn't just speak, It listens,
It questions, and it challenges to every creative out there
(30:09):
afraid to go against the grain. Let Egors turn and
remind you true art doesn't blend in, it stands out
no matter what you do. So until next time, stay fearless,
stay intentional, and keep tuning in to Vigilantes Radio Live.
Thank you so much, egos.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
All right, thank you very much, have a good one.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
Welcome you too. Thank you all right by.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Now heece to all. My name is Deanie and I
am the host of Vigilantes Radio Live. I think that
we are beyond just asking cool questions and getting cool responses.
I think that we are here as creatives to provide
(30:57):
an example that you can do things different outside of expectations,
because some of us simply were not born into the club.
But there is perhaps a door window or backgate that
we can leave a clue for you to get into.
(31:18):
Life is short, but there are plenty of moments to
try and get it right. Pursuing your dreams and learning
from mistakes may be tough, but regret is tough. To
book your interview email us at V Radio at only
one MediaGroup dot com that's a v as a victorious
(31:40):
or visit only one media group dot com. I'm counting
on you, Heaven, we all are counting on you to
step into your purpose and your passion. You are listening
to Vigilantes Radio live on iHeartRadio, providing you with an opportunity.
Speaker 5 (32:00):
Hold now.
Speaker 7 (32:03):
There may be no more joy on you got the.
Speaker 6 (32:07):
Science is killing you.
Speaker 7 (32:12):
Word gets over around and there's no need for you
to listen.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
This crummy till I.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Swear You are now listening to vigil Lances Radio, the
people's choice for quality interviews, art, music and hot topics,
hosted by Demetrius Hontiny Black Reynolds. All episodes of this
podcast are available for free download at www dot only
(32:44):
one media greet dot com
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It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.