Brian Koppelman on the intimacy of podcasting and the genius of Iron Maiden

“My ambition was not financial, but a creative ambition toward fulfillment and satisfaction — and to be a better human toward those whom I loved.” – Brian Koppelman

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Brian discuss podcast fandom, and how listening to podcasts is intimate in a way other media is not (2:00); self-improvement and ambition versus fulfillment, and the cultural reach of what Brian has created (11:00); the influence of music, and how a single album or artwork affects you at certain ages or times of your life (22:00); and masculine emotions as they are expressed in music, and writing to music informs your creativity (41:00).

Brian Koppleman (@briankoppelman) is a screenwriter and co-creator / showrunner of the television show Billions. His screenwriting credits include Rounders and Ocean’s Thirteen. He is also the host of The Moment podcast. 

Notable Links:

• Grantland (sports and culture website)
• Bill Simmons (podcaster and sports writer)
• Wesley Morris on podcast fame (Deviate episode)
• Killing Yourself to Live, by Chuck Klosterman (book)
• This Is What They Want (Jimmy Connors documentary)
• “I Contain Multitudes” (2020 Bob Dylan song)
• The Four Hour Workweek, by Tim Ferriss (book)
• Rolf Potts on Travel Tactics (Tim Ferriss podcast episode)
• Seth Godin (business executive)
• Scriptnotes (podcast)
• Ryan Lochte (Olympic swimmer)
• Neil Peart (musician)
• Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road, by Neil Peart (book)
• Tracy Chapman (singer-songwriter)
• Exile in Guyville (Liz Phair album)
• Bright Lights, Big City, by Jay McInerney (novel)
• The Number of the Beast (Iron Maiden album)
• Judas Priest (music artist)
• Stryper (American Christian metal band)
• Spoon River Anthology, by Edger Lee Masters

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

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