Overview of 1018. - Medium Build
Chris Black and Jason Stewart sit down with Nick Carpenter, aka Medium Build, for a loose, funny, and wide-ranging conversation that blends tour life, sobriety, music-industry economics, and pop-culture commentary. The episode centers on Nick’s current run of shows in Los Angeles, his background in Atlanta and Alaska, and how his life as a sober artist has changed both his songwriting and his relationship to performance.
Guest Profile: Medium Build
- Nick Carpenter is the voice behind Medium Build, currently touring and playing larger rooms than he did early in his career.
- He talks about:
- Living in Glendale, Los Angeles
- Having three dogs
- Splitting life between past and present relationships in a very casual, amicable way
- His growth from bartending and local music scenes to a full touring act
Sobriety, Addiction, and Artistic Identity
A major thread in the episode is Nick’s sobriety and how it changed his creative output.
- He describes a long stretch of heavy coke, booze, and chaotic relationship behavior before getting sober.
- He says it took about 10 years to fully accept that he was done.
- The hosts and Nick discuss the common belief that artists need to be tortured or intoxicated to make good work.
- Nick admits that:
- His newer music may be safer and more mature
- He worries that sobriety has made him a little less reckless and less “compelling”
- They joke that the best thing for a musician’s career is often to die young, which leads into a broader discussion of how mythology shapes fame.
Alaska, Family, and the Origins of His Music Life
Nick shares a surprisingly important backstory: he spent years in Alaska, which shaped both his habits and his sound.
- He moved there after his older brother, and his family eventually followed.
- His time in Alaska included:
- Restaurant work and bartending
- A wild party scene with a DJ girlfriend and a deep-house/polycule world
- Extremely good MDMA but bad cocaine access
- He explains that Alaska’s isolation and boredom likely intensified the lifestyle and scenes he was in.
- He also talks about his conservative Christian upbringing in the South and how that shaped his rejection of religion and authority.
Touring, Band vs. DJ, and the Economics of Live Music
One of the funniest stretches of the episode is the ongoing debate about whether Nick should stop touring with a full band and become a DJ.
Why DJing sounds appealing
- Less gear
- Less labor
- More flexibility
- Easier to pivot when a crowd isn’t feeling a song
- Better economics for the amount of effort required
Why the band still matters
- Nick defends the energy of a live band
- He explains the emotional payoff of playing with musicians who know him well
- He notes that the live show can still feel freeing and communal in a way DJing can’t match
They also talk about:
- The absurd labor gap between bands and DJs
- How a touring artist can still make “dream” numbers while feeling stuck in a less glamorous machine
- The weird pressure to constantly reinvent your set and image
Music Industry, Image, and What’s Working Right Now
The conversation turns into a broader discussion of what’s happening in music culture.
Guitar is back
- They strongly argue that guitar music is having a comeback
- Chris and Jason reference the rise of guitar-driven acts and the renewed interest in tones, pedals, and classic songwriting
- Nick jokes that the pendulum has swung back toward white guys with guitars
Rap feels in a weird place
- They discuss how modern rap and hip-hop can feel less celebratory or danceable than past eras
- The hosts speculate that streaming, social media, and shorter attention spans may have changed how music is made and consumed
Image matters
- They repeatedly stress that artists need a gimmick, a visual identity, or some kind of persona
- Nick reflects on how some artists become compelling because of the world they build around the music, not just the songs themselves
Pop Culture, Manosphere Talk, and Celebrity Side Quests
The episode is also full of off-the-cuff commentary on current culture.
- They discuss a recent Vanity Fair piece about the “manosphere” and joke about whether it’s actually dying.
- They mention figures like:
- Joe Rogan
- Theo Von
- Andrew Schulz
- Donald Trump
- They also riff on:
- Moby as an eccentric industry legend
- The irony of successful artists becoming less interesting as they get healthier
- The idea that fame often rewards outrageous behavior more than stability
Notable Bits and Running Jokes
A few recurring jokes and bits give the episode its shape:
- A fake debate about buying a boat vs. accidentally searching for boar
- A running obsession with Yahoo Scout as an all-knowing search/data tool
- Jokes about roof gyms, mirrors, and self-coaching workouts
- The hosts’ repeated teasing about each other’s fitness, hair, and “manosphere” energy
- A mock-serious discussion of restaurant menus, websites, and Squarespace UX
Main Takeaways
- Medium Build is in a strong moment professionally, but Nick is still thinking deeply about how sobriety has changed his art.
- The episode is as much about the economics and psychology of being an artist as it is about music itself.
- Chris and Jason use the interview to explore:
- What makes live performance worth it
- Why some genres rise and fall
- How identity and reinvention drive modern music careers
- Beneath the jokes, Nick comes across as a reflective artist trying to balance growth, honesty, and staying interesting.