TRASHFUTURE *PREVIEW* Dr. Ostrich feat. Dan Boeckner
Dec 5, 2025
Dan Boeckner, a Canadian musician known for his work with Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs, shares his insights on AI's encroachment into the music scene. He debates the merits of tools like Suno, questioning if they really democratize creativity or just churn out mediocre results. The discussion ventures into wild ideas about audience-controlled AI performances and the implications of Warner Music's recent settlement with Suno. Ultimately, they explore the precarious balance between technology and artistic integrity in a rapidly evolving landscape.
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Episode notes
Privileged Musician Realisation
- Dan Boeckner admits using Suno made him realise how privileged his musician life was and that AI can replicate crude versions of songs easily.
- He jokes that quitting a call-center to tour was him hoarding the touring lifestyle from others who couldn't endure the hardship.
Democratization May Lower Quality
- The panel argues AI will equalize music creation but at the cost of producing mostly bad, generic music.
- They predict live performances could be reduced to prompt-driven shows indistinguishable from automated improv.
Twitch Plays AI Concerts
- Milo and Riley riff about audience-driven AI sets, imagining Twitch Plays Pokemon–style concerts where the crowd writes prompts.
- They mock touring Suno musicians who just type prompts from a document instead of performing live.