Sal Maicki's Bed Stuy Bike Ride
Welcome back to Post Up Radio, where we interview both people who’ve been interviewed before, and people who’ve never been interviewed. Not only is this week’s edition the latter, but today we’re *interviewing the interviewer*
Sal Maicki is a dear friend of ours, and someone whose interviewing style we took inspiration from when figuring out how we wanted to talk to people for this newsletter. He’s been writing for The FADER for over three years, but has recently transitioned over to FADER Label, assuming the role of Creative Content Manager. More on that below! If you still want to hear him converse with artists, you can check out The FADER Interview podcast, which he’s a co-host and associate producer of. Episodes so far include interviews with girl in red, Kero Kero Bonito and Porter Robinson.
Sal Maicki’s Bed Stuy Bike Ride is now streaming on Post Up Radio
Continue reading for our interview with Sal and a full track list for his mix.
What writers or journalists influenced your passion for the written word?
I didn’t want to get into music journalism because of any writer in particular, although many of my colleagues inspire me at The FADER, and also people like Jenn Pelly. The reason I started doing music journalism was because of people like Anthony Fantano (The Needle Drop) and Jian Ghomeshi (who was cancelled), who used to to have this great show called Q on CBC. The way that they would talk about music was very inspiring to me. Music journalism wasn’t my dream, it just kind of happened, and then one day eight years had gone by. This may expose me as someone who doesn’t take it as seriously as many of my colleagues, but I don’t read a lot of music journalism. I don’t like comparing myself to others, and find myself so often focused on finding new music or drawing new conclusions from music I know, which are endeavors on their own.
What’s been your favorite interview to do?
The most professionally satisfying was Charli XCX. That conversation was a dynamic and organic one, that helped show a side of her that hadn’t been shown before. My goal as a music journalist was always to bring something new out of an artist. Most fans have already seen these artists answer the same questions over and over. Another really satisfying one was Sufjan Stevens. To be honest, 9/10 people I interviewed were great, but that has more to do with me only interviewing people I actually believe in.
Who was someone you interviewed that ended up being an unexpected fav?
I didn’t expect to enjoy talking to Tove Lo as much as I did, really loved that conversation. Thundercat surprised me with how vulnerable he was willing to get with a stranger that showed up to his hotel room. That was really beautiful to experience. It comes down to people who I’ve been able to speak to in person, and most times when I’ve been in the room with someone, having a real conversation, I’ve been blown away.
How difficult is it to disarm or crack your subjects?
It’s very difficult, you’re a stranger who’s serving as an extension of PR. You’re doing a favor for them publicity wise, and they’re doing a favor for you traffic wise. They give you a bit of access, but the power dynamics will always remain. They’re the artist, and you’re just the person who’s listening to the music. To disarm the subject though, you have to actually listen to their music and spend time with it. You need to understand where they’re coming from and what they’re about, like why are we here?
What frustrated you about the perceived success measure of music journalists?
I was equating my own success with Twitter engagement, but what I didn’t realize is that these things live on the internet forever. You become a part of documenting an artist’s body of work. I remember the first time I saw my name on Wikipedia, it was on Selena Gomez’s page for a piece in Complex where I added her in the best songs of the week.
What excites you about moving to the label side of things?
I recently started as the Creative Content Manager at FADER Label, which is working on the creative side of our artists’ endeavors. A lot of artists get starry-eyed by big label money at the beginning of their career, but their output can suffer when it’s put through the sausage grinder. I’m a huge fan of visuals, packaging and everything an artist puts into their work aesthetically. It’s very important for how I personally process music. I want to be the liaison that can help our artists develop and saturate their vision. I love to buy records, and they become part of your life. Things that you haul around from apartment to apartment, city to city. One day my nieces and nephews will see those records. When music is all in the cloud it becomes transient, so I like to ground my listening in physicality.
Music to cook to: Kevin Krauter - Full Hand
Music to drive to: Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip
Music to work out to: Anything by Spice
Music for a cocktail hour: Kornel Kovacs - Stockholm Marathon
Music that’s a guilty pleasure: I don’t believe in guilty pleasures, but if I did have one it’d be anything Michelle Branch adjacent
Music to Post Up to: J Hus - Big Conspiracy
Sal Maicki’s Bed Stuy Bike Ride Track List:
A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray (Gerald’s Rham On Acid Remix)
Cajmere - Let Me Be (‘92)
Uncanny Alliance & Masters At Work - I Got My Education (Club Vocal)
Mella Dee - Techno Disco Tool
Nocturnal Sunshine - U&ME
Headie One feat. Skepta - Back To Basics (Floating Points Remix)
Four Tet - Anna Painting
Erika de Casier - Busy
Georgia & David Jackson - Get Me Higher
Dua Lipa - Love Is Religion (The Blessed Madonna Remix)
Lukas Nystrand von Unge - It Always Rains
Röyksopp & Robin - Monument (Olof Dreijer Remix)
Mark Hawkes - Tim’s Keys (feat. Timothy Blake)
Lucien-n-Luciano - House Tool’s House
Kllo - Dissolve
Lime - Babe, We’re Gonna Love Tonight (Jacques Greene Remix)
Passion Pit - Carried Away
You can follow Sal on Instagram and Twitter, and you can listen to The FADER Interview podcast here
And you can always follow Post Up on Instagram and Twitter. Tell your friends about our Substack if you enjoy these interviews!