Rob Morgan Is A Curious Person

In this episode, I talk about the balancing act of creativity with making a living. Money and music. Rent and riffs. I share ideas I’ve collected over the years from musicians, writers, and artists I respect - people who’ve figured out how to keep the lights on and make work worth making. You don’t buy a motorcycle just so you can buy gas. You didn’t start creating just because the money it could...

What’s the difference between being an enthusiast and a critic? Can you love something - really love it - without being pretentious about it? In this episode, Sarah and I head to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Chicago to wrestle with a question that’s been nagging me for weeks: what’s the fine line between appreciation and snobbery? Along the way, I talk with Dylan Quinn and Jeremy Schultz from...

In Bozeman, Montana, my buddy Aaron Johnson and I stumbled into an art exhibit that caught us off guard in the best way. On the surface, it was just holes drilled into a roof. But the meaning behind it? That’s what stopped us in our tracks. In this episode, we talk about what turns a simple act into something sacred. About how intention, not just action, is what makes something art. We also dig in...

In this episode, I talk about the myth of balance, the reality of sacrifice, and what it actually looks like to build a life around what matters most to you - even if it means leaving money on the table. If you’re a freelancer, an artist, a creative trying to make it work—this one’s for you. 📍 Minneapolis, MN https://www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/notatonce   ※    -  The Map Of Recording Locatio...

Ever feel anxious that your creative dreams are taking too long to come true? You’re not alone. In this episode, I dive into a piece of advice from actress Tilda Swinton that changed how I view my creative journey. She famously said, “Keep your dreams soft, malleable, flexible, porous – and fun. Don’t make your dreams breakable.” Join me for a convo about letting go of the rush and loving the ride...

For the longest time, I used the phrase “I’m just wired this way” as an excuse for my lack of intentionality and organizational skills. I thought being creative meant I couldn’t also be focused. Turns out… that was bullshit. In this episode, I talk about “task saturation,” and how the CIA trains its operatives to handle overwhelming pressure. No surprise - it also applies to artists. The truth is,...

In fashion, there’s this idea called "The Wrong Shoe Theory" and somehow, that choice shows confidence. Intention. Personality. In music, and really any creative field, we’re taught the rules, but no one reminds us to break them. And without breaking the rules, you’ll never find your voice. You’ll just be a well-behaved echo. In this episode, Sarah and I talk about fashion, creativity, confidence,...

When you're first starting out as a creative, everyone tells you to say yes. Yes to every gig, every project, every maybe-this-will-lead-to-something opportunity. But no one really teaches you when it’s time to start saying no. In this episode, I talk about how saying yes got me started… but saying no is what’s helping me stay focused. At some point, your time, your energy, and your creative sanit...

There’s a lot going on in the world right now. Chaos, burnout, doomscrolling, and all the rest. But here’s your friendly, ridiculous reminder: everyone’s dealing with something. Everyone’s in pain in some way. And yes, everyone’s getting up to go pee pee at 3AM. This episode is a goofy reminder to have some damn patience with other people, and with yourself. You’re not alone. You’re just human. Pr...

Yeah, the world is saturated. Everyone’s making something. But that doesn’t make your voice any less necessary. Your perspective—how you see, process, frame, and express—is the one thing no algorithm, AI, or influencer can duplicate. That’s the work. That’s the value. This episode is a reminder not to disappear into the noise… just because there’s a lot of it. 📍 Minneapolis, MN https://www.thecur...

Last week, mid-show in Milwaukee, my mic stand took a nosedive. (Fine, maybe I kicked it during André’s filthy solo. The man shreds—what do you want from me?) But here’s the thing—I didn’t stop. Michael Caine once gave acting advice: “Use the difficulty.” So that's what I did. I didn’t fix it. I used it. Because that’s the difference between a recital and a show. One chases perfection. The other t...

There’s this quote from Donald Glover that’s been rattling around in my head. It sounds simple, but it cuts deep, especially for anyone trying to make art in a world obsessed with control and validation. In this episode, I talk about what it means to stop chasing approval and start creating from a place that’s actually honest. Not engineered for the algorithm. Not pre-digested for the audience. Ju...

Every musician wants to be heard. But what if you’re the reason no one’s listening? In today’s podcast episode, “Cooking for Ghosts” I talk about a tour-van convo with my buddy Matt Patrick, who dropped a line that punched me in the gut: Making music but avoiding self-promotion is like cooking all day at home, then whining about why you don’t have a restaurant yet.” We talk about the myth of “gett...

Jackie Chan says “Ding Ding” on set to remind his crew: stay sharp, keep moving, no dead time. I’ve been thinking… maybe life needs more of that energy too. Less waiting, more intention. Urgency, not the panic kind, but the alive kind. The kind that reminds you you’re here to do something. Ding ding, let’s go. 📍Minneapolis, MN www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/dingding ※ Listen to Dan Rodriguez' ne...

My buddy recently dropped this phrase on me: “cosplaying confidence.” It’s been rattling around in my head ever since. Sometimes you’ve got to show up like you’ve already arrived. Not in some fake-it-till-you-make-it hustle bro bullshit way… But in that quiet, stubborn refusal to let your current circumstances define your future trajectory.   📍Minneapolis, MN 👉🏻 www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/...

Craig is a writer, a photographer, and a thinker who’s been living in Japan for nearly two decades. His work explores how we move through physical spaces, how technology shapes our lives, and how the small rituals of daily living can add up to something beautiful. He's written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Eater. He's published books like Koya Bound and his new book he’s just written,...

Giving someone a bottle of whisky isn’t just a drink, it’s gifting the gift of gifting. Strangely, whisky also changed the paradigm of my art. In this episode, we talk about generosity, craft, and why the best things—whether a bottle, a poem, a photograph or a song—are never really ours to keep. https://www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/whiskygift   ※    -  The Map Of Recording Locations: www.thecur...

In this episode, we dive into the wisdom of Alan Watts and why young creatives need to master the art of letting go. We talk about my illusion of control, my fear of failure, and how gripping too tightly to an outcome can kill the very thing you're trying to create. 📍 Frasier, Colorado https://www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/alanwattsletgo   ※    -  The Map Of Recording Locations: www.thecuriousp...

They’ve got one in Honolulu, they’ve got one in Moscow too. They’ve got four of them in Sydney, and a couple in Katmandu…  Tokyo, Munich, Indonesia, Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing… Why is it, Wherever I go around the world, I find an Irish pub? What is it that makes them so special? Where do all these Pubs source their bar counters and authentic Irish brick-a-brack? Pull up a barstool and join me in Me...

Touring with everyone from the Martha Graham Ballet and the New York City Opera, to Cher, Barry Manilow, Aerosmith, Miley Cyrus, Foreigner, Steve Miller, Jennifer Lopez, and more… Garland Purdy has “been involved in the entertainment industry since before there was an entertainment industry.” Join us as we sit down, over coffee… pretty much just as an excuse for me to get to know him more.   📍 Fa...

If everything goes exactly as planned, you’re not really traveling—you’re just moving through a postcard. The magic happens in the discomfort: the missed train, the questionable street food, the conversation in broken language—because that’s where the real stories live.   📍 Madrid, Spain - 11pm   https://www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/travelfriction   ※    -  The Map Of Recording Locations: www....

I haven’t been excited about this trip to Spain… It's not that I've been dreading it or not looking forward to it... But it feels like there’s been a limiter put on my soul's curiosity this past month. I call it “The Curse Of The Freelancer” and it took a poem sent to me by my friend Summer Lee Carlson to break me from it.   📍Recorded somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean   ※ https://www.thecuriouspo...

Join Sarah and me for an extremely personal conversation about a topic I’ve been tormented by this entire past year. 📍Minneapolis, MN CLICK HERE TO SEE TWO PHOTOS OF MISTY BOYCE: ONE FILM, ONE DIGITAL, TO SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT:  https://www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/youcantloseyourself   ※      -  The Map Of Recording Locations: www.thecuriouspod.com/map - The Podcast Hotline:  (612) 584-9...

A conversation with one of my favorite tattoo artists, Jack Hilton, while finishing my back piece today made me rethink the importance of the types of tools and gear I use to create, and it's possible impact on my creative journey.   📍Minneaplis, MN https://www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/fullymanual   ※    -  The Map Of Recording Locations: www.thecuriouspod.com/map - The Podcast Hotline:  (612)...

Join Sarah and myself at our table to revisit yesterday's New Year's Resolution thought. https://www.thecuriouspod.com/questions/uncertaintyforbreakfast   ※    -  The Map Of Recording Locations: www.thecuriouspod.com/map - The Podcast Hotline:  (612) 584-9330 - Thank you to Wild Pony for the theme song to our Daily Guinness episodes.