Crude Conversations

Special Conversation: Dr. Mindlin Gets the Covid-19 Vaccine

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks to Dr. Danny Mindlin about getting the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Dr. Mindlin is an emergency room doctor in Anchorage, Alaska

Special Conversation: Covid-19 Update with Dr. Danny Mindlin

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Dr. Danny Mindlin about where Alaska is with Covid-19. Danny is an emergency room doctor in Anchorage, Alaska. Currently, Alaska is diagnosing between 700 and 800 daily statewide Covid-19 cases. This interview took place on December 8, 2020.

EP 081 King of the Hill Part 1

In this episode, I talk with my uncle, Jay Liska, and Richie Fowler about King of the Hill. Jay and Richie are both former pro snowboarders, and King of the Hill was a legendary snowboard competition held in Thompson Pass back in the 1990s. Three days and three disciplines. There was Extreme Day, where riders competed for the most challenging, but stylish line down a mountain; There was Downhill Day, where a race course was set-up and riders competed for the fastest time; And then there was Freestyle Day, where competitors battled for who could land the best tricks. There were helicopters and airplanes constantly landing and taking off, flying competitors to their mark, and other riders to revisit old lines and to pioneer new ones. There was a pervasive feeling of wonder and madness—everyday people pushed the limits of snowboarding and the durability of the human body.
The entire event—on hill and off-hill—was characterized by an anything-goes, outlaw attitude. Every day was a party and every night that party intensified. Drugs and alcohol were everywhere and it wasn’t unusual for guns to be added to the mix.
Although my dad, Scott Liska, and my uncle Jay were key figures at the event, I wasn’t old enough to experience it firsthand. Instead, the stories and the infamy that surround it have followed me around since I was a kid. And what I’ve found is that the story of King of the Hill is not just the story of the Alaska snowboard scene, but the story of a brave and reckless group of pioneers. Valdez in the 90s represented an era of unmitigated freedom, and that group of pioneers took full advantage of it.

EP 080 with Robi Gonzalez

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with artist and musician Robi Gonzalez. Robi’s had an affinity for music since he was a kid, back when his uncle taught him how to sit on the drums and play a basic beat. In 2006, that took a more tangible shape in the form of two projects. One was Robi’s solo project called Robot, where he produced ambient music that, he says, would fit a sci-fi movie. The other was a project called rawbeats, where he teamed up with his best friend Max Cuzor. They both played the drums at the same time while sharing a kick drum. In 2012, Robi started drumming for A Place to Bury Strangers, a rock band known for their loud, atmospheric performances. He eventually quit so he could pursue a career as a hairdresser, but after he got his hair license he joined another band, This Will Destroy You.
In the first issue of Crude Magazine, back in 2013, Cody interviewed Robi and he described himself as, “tangential, not scatterbrained.” And that still holds true. He always seems to make it back to his original point. In this conversation, like many others Cody and Robi have had, they talk about following the unconventional path of an artist and a musician, and where that leads. How there are benefits and there are pitfalls to pursuing that tumultuous and uncertain road.

Chatter Marks EP 006 with Tiffany Shaw-Collinge Part 2

Tiffany Shaw-Collinge is an artist, curator and architect based in Alberta, Canada. She says that place and climate contributes to her work in a way that can’t be understated. It’s as integral to her craft as much as it is to her identity. In Part 2 of this conversation, Tiffany talks about her preference for working in a collective—that the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts—and that her ultimate goal is to convey a sense of wonder and belonging in every project she’s part of. 
Chatter Marks is a podcast of the Anchorage Museum, and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts. Just search "Chatter Marks."

Chatter Marks EP 005 with Tiffany Shaw-Collinge Part 1

Tiffany Shaw-Collinge is an artist, curator and architect based in Alberta, Canada. She says that place and climate contributes to her work in a way that can’t be understated. It’s as integral to her craft as much as it is to her identity. Her lineage is Métis, a fact that became more and more part of her professional life after she realized how little indigenous voices and identity are covered. Today, she continues to explore her Métis lineage through her family, and then expressing it through her craft.
Chatter Marks is a podcast of the Anchorage Museum, and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts. Just search "Chatter Marks."

Veterans Day Throwback: EP 066 with Jimmy Settle

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with retired pararescueman Jimmy Settle. Jimmy details his arduous journey to becoming a pararescueman, or PJ, in his book “Never Quit.” He talks about the endless hours of training and everything it took to become a PJ. All of that training ultimately led him to a heavy firefight in the Watapur Valley in Afghanistan in 2010. He was part of a military operation called “Bulldog Bite 2 Charlie,” and while on his way to provide medical aid he was shot in the head. Fortunately, the bullet didn’t penetrate his skull. And after he received medical attention, he got back out there and continued his duties as a PJ.
When Jimmy got back home from war, he felt broken. His career as a PJ had ended long before he had planned. On top of that, he was experiencing serious physical pain and PTSD. And he couldn’t find any help. As a result, he went through a period of suicidal depression and homelessness. Since then, Jimmy has found help in therapy, family and college. He says that “Life’s funny like that. You don’t always see the spot you’re gonna land when you let go of the thing you’re holding onto.”

Special Conversation: Meghan Barker on Pebble Mine

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Meghan Barker about the ongoing Pebble Mine controversy. Meghan is the Bristol Bay Organizer at Trout Unlimited, a non-profit dedicated to conserving the habitats of aquatic species and people.

Chatter Marks EP 004 with Aaron Leggett

Aaron Leggett is the president of the Native Village of Eklutna. He is also the Senior Curator or Alaska History and Indigenous Culture at the Anchorage Museum. In both of those responsibilities, he’s been a champion and an educator of the Alaskan identity. He’s found that critical thinking is key to understanding how Alaska’s history can help us navigate the present and the future.
In this conversation, Aaron talks about his responsibilities as the president of Eklutna and how the Museum fits into the larger conversation surrounding Alaska Native equity.
Chatter Marks is a podcast of the Anchorage Museum, and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts. Just search "Chatter Marks."

Special Conversation: Jered Mayer on Depression

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with author Jered Mayer about depression. Jered was clinically diagnosed with bipolar depression around 25. More recently, he has made a point of talking openly about living with depression in order to destigmatize it and normalize the importance of mental health.