Episode 469
with Lidia Yuknavitch, Atsuko Okatsuka, and The Black Tones
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss what listeners have learned about themselves recently; writer Lidia Yuknavitch describes her latest collection of stories, titled Verge, as a series of devotionals to the outcasts among us; comedian Atsuko Okatsuka admits to her insecurities around teenage skateboarders; and Seattle-based rock group The Black Tones shred with "Mama! There's A Spider In My Room!" from their album Cobain & Cornbread.
Atsuko Okatsuka
Comedian
Atsuko Okatsuka is the creator and host of Let's Go, Atsuko! A (woke) Japanese Game Show and OHAYO: Good Morning from Inside A Monster. Her comedy has been covered in Variety, Vulture, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and elsewhere. Okatsuka has written for Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show and for Soft Focus with Jena Friedman, appearing in Season 3 of HBO's Room 104, as well as in the Hulu-ATTN: collaboration Mom & Pop. Featured in Vulture as one of their “38 Comedians You Should and Will Know,” Okatsuka has also been named a top comedian to watch by TimeOut LA and performs for audiences across the nation. Her comedy album, But I Control Me, was released in January of 2020 and allows listeners into the creative mind of a comedian whose unique brand of observational comedy is as relatable as it is hilarious. Website • Twitter
Lidia Yuknavitch
Author
Lidia Yuknavitch is the bestselling author of the novels The Book of Joan, The Small Backs of Children, and Dora: A Headcase, as well as of a critical nonfiction book on war and narrative called Allegories of Violence. Her widely acclaimed memoir, The Chronology of Water, was a finalist for a PEN Center USA award for creative nonfiction and the winner of the Reader’s Choice Award at the Oregon Book Awards. The Misfit's Manifesto, a book based on her recent TED Talk, was published by TED Books in 2017. Yuknavitch founded the workshop series Corporeal Writing, where she teaches both in person and online. Her latest book, a story collection called Verge, was published in 2020 and is now available in paperback. Website • Twitter
The Black Tones
Band
The Black Tones is a Seattle-based rock ‘n’ roll band founded by twin siblings Eva and Cedric Walker. Since their humble beginnings in their grandmother’s basement, the musical duo has gone on to receive accolades from outlets like KEXP, which named their debut LP, Cobain & Cornbread (recorded by the legendary Jack Endino), the #17 album of 2019; The Seattle Times, which dubbed the group one of the 15 Most Influential Artists of the past decade; and NPR, which named the band one of Seattle’s 15 groups redefining the city. The Black Tones have shared stages with the likes of Weezer, Death Cab for Cutie, and Mavis Staples, and have played at festivals across the United States. Deeply committed to social justice activism, they have also co-created a hate group-fighting 8-bit video game called They Want Us Dead. Above all, the sibling duo values its family ties, and to know The Black Tones is to become part of their extended sonic kin. Website • Twitter • Spotify