ep51 Joel Plaskett thinking out loud

Joel Plaskett on music, identity, and the tension between analog life and AI Joel Plaskett joins Glen Erickson for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from privacy and digital fatigue to the realities of sustaining a long music career. They unpack what it means to make art in an increasingly algorithmic world, reflecting on place, age, and the changing shape of creative work. Joel shares how his life has been split between Nova Scotia and Vancouver Island, why that tension remains creatively productive, and how honors like the Order of Nova Scotia and the Portia White Award fit alongside his local identity. The conversation also explores Thrush Hermit, the Halifax music scene of the 1990s, building a studio, and why he still feels compelled to make new work rather than settle into legacy mode. Key topics Joel’s move to Vancouver Island while maintaining ties to Nova Scotia, family, and his studio and business. Digital privacy, data collection, AI, and the risks of algorithmic culture. Why humanities, philosophy, and art matter beyond material efficiency. Aging, touring, and the realities of sustaining a music career into your fifties. Thrush Hermit, the Halifax scene, and regional music identity. Artists like Nick Lowe and Gillian Welch as examples of staying creatively vital over time. ep51 Joel Plaskett thinking out loud released October 15, 2026 1:47:18 https://joelplaskett.com/ https://www.instagram.com/joelplaskett https://www.youtube.com/@joelplaskett hosts: Glen Erickson, Alexi Erickson AFE: https://www.almostfamousenough.com AFE instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostfamousenough AFE Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1o1PRD2X0i3Otmpn8vi2zP?si=1ece497360564480 Almost Famous Enough is a series of conversations centered around the music industry, pulling back the veil on what it really means to “make it”. Our podcast features guests who know the grind, who have lived the dream, or at the very least, chased the dream. Through these conversational biographies, truth and vulnerability provide more than a topical roadmap or compile some career advice; they can appeal to the dreamer in us all, with stories that can teach us, inspire us, and even reconcile us, and make us feel like we made a new friend along the way. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:24 Moving to Vancouver Island and living between coasts 00:07:37 Nova Scotia, recognition, and identity 00:12:20 Turning 50 and finding a sustainable pace 00:18:45 Defining success beyond recognition 00:25:37 Building a studio, shop, and creative community 00:31:23 Restlessness, risk-taking, and creative focus 00:35:47 Burnout, aging, and digital saturation 00:38:31 Maps, algorithms, and the value of getting lost 00:41:12 Speed, communication, and Marshall McLuhan 00:44:26 AI, meaning, and the limits of efficiency 00:47:07 Imperfection, analogue sound, and making art human 00:50:14 The efficiency paradox and the cost of “more” 00:55:07 Making space to think instead of react 01:01:15 Thrush Hermit and the Halifax indie-rock scene 01:07:21 Touring lore, regional scenes, and early career lessons 01:15:42 Staying creatively alive across a long music career 01:19:12 Playing the hits while still making new work 01:23:10 Why long-form conversations still matter 01:26:35 Post-Fame with Alexi   Alexi pitches her dad's upcoming show with this old band, The Wheat Pool, Nov.21/2026 at The Aviary in Edmonton.