The Steven Sirski Podcast

William Griffith, the mind behind renowned music website here in China, Live China Music, joins me today to talk about his efforts over the years to build up a website that people can go to find out about indie music here in China. Starting with his initial video recordings of live shows in Beijing, he began editing videos for local bands and posting them on YouTube. After accumulating a vast selection of videos on an array of bands, he decided to start a website that people could go to to check out what was happening, thus https://www.livechinamusic.com was born. Although we were introduced by Brad M. Seippel (Episode 42), I highly recommend listeners head over to Zhu Chang Si Le's podcast on which host, Forrest, interviewed William Griffith and talked a lot about Will's background and development of his music website over the last fifteen years. Part 1: https://zhuchangsile.xyz/episodes/033 Show notes up on stevensirski.com Time stamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Episode 45 01:00 - Meet William Griffith 01:42 - Life in Beijing and Shanghai 03:11 - The Music Scene in China 07:17 - Visa Challenges and Expat Life 18:42 - Considering the Future 38:29 - Comparing Beijing and Shanghai 44:02 - Building Live China Music 54:01 - Banned Songs and Censorship 54:32 - Key Bands in the Chinese Music Scene 56:23 - Foreign Bands and Expat Musicians 57:44 - Challenges for Foreign Musicians in China 01:03:31 - Longevity and Success in the Chinese Music Scene 01:05:28 - DIY Labels and Independent Music 01:15:21 - Youth and New Generation of Musicians 01:16:46 - Creating Mixtapes and Curating Music 01:23:34 - Physical Media and the Resurgence of Tapes 01:36:03 - Final Thoughts and Advice for Musicians

He's back! Again! Episode 44 sees the return of none other than Denny Goin, world traveller, political opinionator, educator and adventurer! After YEARS of travelling the world, Denny has (re)landed back in Tblisi, Georgia and shares his pandemic and post-pandemic travel insights, both on the ground and in the media. Still looking to move to South America to escape the impending doom of the world, Denny gives us some insight as to what's keeping him busy, some of his plans, and the big life event that he has planned for this year. Opinionated, talkative, informative, and always entertaining, you'll no doubt get something from this podcast! Show notes up on stevensirski.com Thanks for listening! 00:00 Welcome to Episode 44: Catching Up with Denny Goen 01:10 The Impact of Social Media and Personal Updates 02:04 Denny's Global Travels and Future Plans 05:04 Finding Love in the Digital Age 10:28 Exploring Cultural Differences and Wedding Plans 20:13 The Evolution of Work and Education in a Digital World 43:45 Debating the Future: AI, Employment, and Education 53:51 Personal Growth and the Power of Initiative 56:50 Debunking Personality Stereotypes and the Power of Genetics 57:32 The Complexities of Habit Formation and Genetic Influence 58:41 Exploring Citizenship and National Identity Across Cultures 01:00:48 The Role of Genetics in Adventurousness and Migration 01:01:33 Immigration Perspectives: Hard Work and Economic Theories 01:02:30 The Debate on Immigration Policy and Economic Impact 01:03:27 Global Healthcare Experiences and the Value of Diversity 01:04:23 Navigating Global Uncertainties: A Guide for Young Expats 01:05:48 Exploring Opportunities Abroad: From New Zealand to Latin America 01:07:11 The Risks and Rewards of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets 01:10:30 The Quest for Land Ownership and Understanding Local Regulations 01:11:20 Choosing the Right Country: Economic Opportunities and Citizenship 01:12:49 The Impact of Online Income on Expatriate Life Choices 01:28:03 Cultural Sensitivity and the Importance of Local Integration 01:40:06 Reflecting on Global Landmarks and Personal Travel Experiences 01:50:34 Considering a Career Shift: The Allure of the Skies 01:52:09 Age Limits and Opportunities: Navigating International Careers 01:53:22 The Continuing Journey Towards Off-Grid Living 01:53:36 Exploring Self-Sufficiency and Global Perspectives 01:54:21 The Digital Nomad Lifestyle: Freedom and Challenges 01:55:16 Navigating the Future with AI and Education Concerns 01:55:49 Personal Journey: From Plans to Reality 01:58:25 Economic Insights and the Quest for a Sustainable Life 02:01:46 Exploring Opportunities in Agriculture and Non-Alcoholic Trends 02:06:32 Strategic Moves: Business, Immigration, and Farming Plans 02:11:01 The Digital Age: AI's Impact and Online Education's Future 02:21:32 Global Politics, Personal Aspirations, and the Path Forward 02:40:05 Reflections on Life, Learning, and the Pursuit of Peace

Recorded on Sunday November 26, 2023. On this episode, I have fellow expat Alyssa Brown joining me to talk about her life here in China and some of the things that she's learned over the past few years, particularly as she is about to celebrate her fifth anniversary in the country.  Alyssa is an English teacher and a small business owner here in Beijing. She is the owner of Brownie Bites, a business she runs in her spare time when she’s not teaching. She is known for her baked goods, many of which you can’t find very easily here in the country. In this episode we talk a little bit about what it's been like to run a business while working a full time job, and some of the things she’s learned from the experience, and what she’s learned about China, the language and the people in her time here.  This episode does have one or two places where the audio stutters due to a poor internet connection, but I think the message still gets through.  The show notes and contact info for Alyssa are available on my website, stevensirski.com, and of course you can stream this on all the major platforms. Thanks for listening, we’ll do this again!

Recorded on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 in Beijing, China. Brad Seippel aka thruoutin, an American-born electronic producer and multi-instrumentalist, joins the podcast today. He’s been in China for over fifteen years and now runs his own studio here in Beijing. But when he’s not helping other people record their own music, he is recording and producing his own work that he has toured the world with.  In this episode we talk a little about what it’s like to run a studio here in China, some of the highlights of the work and how it has forced Brad to grow as a musician and business owner.  Not only that, Brad is fluent in Mandarin Chinese having learned the language largely on his own using the street method after arriving in the country way back in 2008. We talk about how he managed to learn the language, some of the struggles he encountered and what kept him going. Find Brad at thruoutin.bandcamp.com Show notes and tracks are up on stevensirski.com under the podcast section. Thanks for listening!

Recorded Thursday, August 23, 2023. He returns! From Ethiopia, fitness coach Curt Hamilton joins me once again nine months after his departure from Beijing. This time, however, he has lots to say about his life in Addis Ababa. Some of the topics we cover include: Eight months, how has the adjustment been and what has Curt learned so far? Still working with the same company? Learned the local language? Missing China? Dick jiu, what about other special alcohols in Ethiopia? What do they drink there? You’re past the six-month honeymoon period, how is it going and do you think you’ll survive for another few years? Any dangerous animals or insects? Contact Curt on Instagram [at]curt.hamilton Thanks for listening!

Recorded Friday August 18, 2023 This Episode features award-winning, Kazakhstan-based Director of Photography, Aigul Nurbulatova. Recorded between filmmaking stints, Aigul was back in Kazakhstan preparing for her next feature film to be shot in Turkey as her most recent feature, In Flames, directed by Zarrar Khan, is making its way through. The film has already had its European premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and is set to have its North American premiere at TIFF 2023. In this episode we talk about Aigul's early work in Kazakhstan, including her entry into film school at university both in Kazakhstan and in South Korea, and how she would eventually land her first feature film job. From there, she would begin working not just in her home country but also travel overseas for more work and festival experience. The shows caps off with a question about some of Aigul's own language education and how she is able to work on international shoots and what Kazakhstan is like as a tourist destination. Aigul can be reached through her Instagram @violaluiji or through her website www.aigul-nurbulatova.com Show notes and mp3 available at stevensirski.com

Joel JP Passante joins me on this episode to talk about an eclectic bunch of retro knowledge he has gained over the years. A former actor and producer, Joel is now a video game streamer on Twitch and a soon to be podcaster. We’ve known each other for quite a few years, stretching back to the early 2000s, and have been involved in a few productions before.  Today we talk about the movies and productions Joel has been on, the games he’s playing now, along with the city of Winnipeg in all its glory and family-friendliness, and, most of all, one of Joel’s passions, pro wrestling. You can find Joel on the usual social media outlets, including: YouTube (wrestling): https://www.youtube.com/@KayFabeChronicles Twitch (gaming): https://www.twitch.tv/ratshouseofretro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Ratshouseofretro Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ratshouseofret Show notes and mp3 available for download on my website: stevensirski.com Thanks for listening!

Joining me today is Song, a Beijing-based producer who is in charge of hiring all that talent you see in those commercials you try to skip! It's not an industry that receives the same glitz and glam as the big movies, but she is busy, profitable, and looking for talent. In this episode we talk about how Song got her start in the industry, some of the missteps she's had, and what she sees both for her production company and her new family going forward. Clocking in at just under three hours, this episode will be of interest to those in China who might be looking for a career change (or side gig) and for those outside of China who are interested in how things work here. To get in touch with Song, you can find her at: WECHAT: wangconghuahua

Recorded Monday January 23, 2023. Latin as a Second Language? How so? Calling in from around the USA, this episode features a trio who are sparking life in what many would consider to be a dead language. Andrew Morehouse, Ilse van Rooyan, and Claire Mieher make up part of the team that run Latinitas Animi Causa, a website and social media channel that uses spoken Latin for everyday things. They teach, learn and use spoken Latin in their podcasts and live streams, often while playing video games! This episode features discussions about the current state of Latin as a language, how the LAC team approaches the use of Latin (particularly in modern usage), and how the language has seen a bit of a rejuvenation over the last ten years as social media and internet technology has made things a lot easier to communicate. We even discuss whether or not English can be considered a "lingua franca", a question that I've been talking about for a while. Show notes n audio file up on stevensirski.com. You can find LAC on their website for their course offerings and links to their podcast and gaming streams. You can find Claire there as well or on her website, also listed below: Website: habesnelac.com Podcast: https://anchor.fm/latinitas-animi-causa YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@latinitasanimicausa4694 Claire's website: https://clairemieher.com

A soon-to-be-Beijing ex-expat joins me today to talk about his time in China and what the country has been like both to work in and live over the last few years. Curt Hamilton is a sports performance coach who works with athletes and teams around the world and has been based in Beijing, China for the last two years or so. Curt has worked with Olympians and sports professionals in developing their abilities to hit peak performance. Hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah in the USA, Curt has been able to travel not just around the US for his work but around the world and, over the last few years, China. But life is taking Curt away from China. Just married a year ago, he is following his wife to Ethiopia to start a new expat adventure. Listen in to hear what Curt has to say about his time in China and what he looks forward to in his new home. For better or worse, Curt doesn't do social media!