The best punk album of the year so far and three more recommended LPs. Plus, some thoughts on the 'reporters using AI to write and edit their stories' and a 15-song playlist.
Just upgraded to a paid subscriber. I really appreciate your weekly insights and playlists! So much better than my Apple Music weekly discover, even more so as a fellow Chicagoan. Thanks man and keep it up!
Good stuff, Josh! The only way I'd use AI like those reporters is if the venture cap tech bros gave me a substantial kickback for feeding their infernal machine...actually, even that wouldn't be enough! Keep on keepin' on. Off to check out Sluice!
I have read so many articles from large pubs that I can tell were crafted by a LLM. I refuse to use them and I know that's very 'doomer' of me but I love the craft of writing and reporting and curating my words precisely, and so on. The larger publications I've freelanced for seem to at the same time shun the use of AI but...incorporate it at the same time. To me it's very noticeable. And, they took my em dash. My beloved em dash...now signifies work created from the depths of hell and monotony. This was a good read. Thanks for sharing, and remaining a discerning human being amidst the fog of 'progress.'
Had a busy couple of weeks with my kids on Easter holidays so I’ve been short on time for my usual listening diet and chasing quick hits of dopamine.
Finally found some quiet time and headspace and that Sluice album was fantastic once I found the patience to sit with it properly. Really warm and rewarding in spite of appearing quite bleak at first.
I appreciate your take on AI. It’s not something I’d ever want to use for writing but occasionally I’ve used it for “support”. I’m not very artistic so I’ve used it for some image generation for Substack headers. I’ve also used it for a bit of grunt work.
I’m developing a series that covers 25 songs from each year, starting in the 70s. I want to know if and when each song made the Billboard charts, when it peaked and at what slot and its total time on the charts. It’s just easier to ask AI to do that for the 250 songs I’m writing about from the 1970s. I’ll still go back and fact check for each article but it’s nice to have that piece of work done.
When it comes down to any writing, though, I’d never outsource my own creative consciousness. That’s where I get the joy and I want people to know who I am, not know some pale facsimile. If I were to get something else to do the writing, what even is the point?!?
I’m listening to the Charlotte Cornfield album right now and really digging it!!
Great stuff as always, man! artistic pursuits using AI is such anathema to me, how can people not see that it's just going to eat its own tail eventually?
On the music front, have you checked out an album called Silent Century by Jackie West? a buddy turned me on to it a few weeks ago and I can't stop circling back to it. I think you might dig its vibe
Yesss - AI is intellectual property theft on a massive scale and reporters who use it have no integrity. Remain hot in your takes and strong in your values and proud of what you create.
As a reader, I appreciate your outlook on AI in this space. I am active on Substack specifically because i am sick of AI-generated "content" everywhere. Keep it human and keep on keepin' on, Josh.
"If you really want to do it, the arduous process, the necessary edits, and the constant re-evaluations of your work are the point."
100%.
and honestly, the feeling when you hit on a "good" sentence, paragraph, whatever is incredible.
Also: That Stuck record rips!
Just upgraded to a paid subscriber. I really appreciate your weekly insights and playlists! So much better than my Apple Music weekly discover, even more so as a fellow Chicagoan. Thanks man and keep it up!
Good stuff, Josh! The only way I'd use AI like those reporters is if the venture cap tech bros gave me a substantial kickback for feeding their infernal machine...actually, even that wouldn't be enough! Keep on keepin' on. Off to check out Sluice!
I have read so many articles from large pubs that I can tell were crafted by a LLM. I refuse to use them and I know that's very 'doomer' of me but I love the craft of writing and reporting and curating my words precisely, and so on. The larger publications I've freelanced for seem to at the same time shun the use of AI but...incorporate it at the same time. To me it's very noticeable. And, they took my em dash. My beloved em dash...now signifies work created from the depths of hell and monotony. This was a good read. Thanks for sharing, and remaining a discerning human being amidst the fog of 'progress.'
Had a busy couple of weeks with my kids on Easter holidays so I’ve been short on time for my usual listening diet and chasing quick hits of dopamine.
Finally found some quiet time and headspace and that Sluice album was fantastic once I found the patience to sit with it properly. Really warm and rewarding in spite of appearing quite bleak at first.
Man with the Golden Arm is required reading.
AI is still pretty dumb as fuck.
I appreciate your take on AI. It’s not something I’d ever want to use for writing but occasionally I’ve used it for “support”. I’m not very artistic so I’ve used it for some image generation for Substack headers. I’ve also used it for a bit of grunt work.
I’m developing a series that covers 25 songs from each year, starting in the 70s. I want to know if and when each song made the Billboard charts, when it peaked and at what slot and its total time on the charts. It’s just easier to ask AI to do that for the 250 songs I’m writing about from the 1970s. I’ll still go back and fact check for each article but it’s nice to have that piece of work done.
When it comes down to any writing, though, I’d never outsource my own creative consciousness. That’s where I get the joy and I want people to know who I am, not know some pale facsimile. If I were to get something else to do the writing, what even is the point?!?
I’m listening to the Charlotte Cornfield album right now and really digging it!!
Great stuff as always, man! artistic pursuits using AI is such anathema to me, how can people not see that it's just going to eat its own tail eventually?
On the music front, have you checked out an album called Silent Century by Jackie West? a buddy turned me on to it a few weeks ago and I can't stop circling back to it. I think you might dig its vibe
Really dig that record and included a few of the singles in playlists this year.
Yesss - AI is intellectual property theft on a massive scale and reporters who use it have no integrity. Remain hot in your takes and strong in your values and proud of what you create.
Loved this.
As a reader, I appreciate your outlook on AI in this space. I am active on Substack specifically because i am sick of AI-generated "content" everywhere. Keep it human and keep on keepin' on, Josh.