On this episode of the Plutopia podcast, singer-songwriter Axon Chamberlain (aka “The Herban Cowboy”) rejoins Plutopians to debut tracks from his newly released CD “Pub Fare,” recorded live in tap rooms and mixed with care. He reflects on how his creative process has shifted from striving for perfection to playing music for personal joy and healing—especially in a world marked by stress and political turmoil. Along with performances of politically charged and heartfelt originals like “For All” and “Free America,” Axon shares thoughts on activism, artistic authenticity, and the challenge of promoting his work in a noisy media landscape. The conversation touches on the state of democracy, judicial resistance, and artistic expression as a form of protest and comfort. The episode blends music, insight, and wit, spotlighting how art remains a powerful response to uncertainty and despair.
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Axon:
I guess one of the things that we can talk about is a little bit what’s sort of changed with my process. I really become not working at it to get better, but playing at it to feel better. That’s working for me. If you’re playing music just for the joy that it gives you, proficiency just comes along for the ride. That’s been my approach to that, but it made me lazy with the shameless self-promotion stuff. That’s not going to happen on its own. You’ve really got to do some lifting on that. I’ve been out there flogging it like a Mormon with Amway.