Creative Rebels

I travelled to the middle of the woods, in Wilmington Delaware, to interview recovered alcoholic and heroin addict, Jackass and Viva La Bam star, Brandon Novak.I took an hour long uber, from Philadelphia to get to Bandon’s place in Wilmington, Delaware. My Uber driver chatted non stop as eventually we started veering away from civilisation and snaking through tree lined tracks until we approached Brandon’s property.Brandon is sat on a bench outside the house as I pull up. He’s wearing just a pair of shorts, no shirt, no shoes. I try and read some of the words on his heavily tattooed torso as I walk over.It’s clear that he’s on a call, so we do that silent hello thing, he daps me up and gives me a hug.I sit down next to him as the call continues. It’s gently raining but it’s so warm (that sticky American heat) so the sporadic rain drops are actually a relief.He’s talking business. ‘Novak’s house’ is a sober living facility.The business side of helping people sounds intense.The call concludes and we go inside.Brandon had moved into his new digs a week prior. The bones of the house are beautiful. There’s a couple of pieces of flatpack furniture yet to be built and art is stacked in front of the walls, ready to be hung.He shows me an incredible, ornate iron cross, salvaged from the ruins of a French church.I meet his cats.We sit down and have the conversation you’re about to listen to.I was nervous about this interview. I’m not an addiction expert and I didn’t want to focus on Brandon’s lowest moments, like a lot of interviewers do.I’m so happy that I made that decision and this is a conversation that I’m really proud of.Find out more about Brandon’s and his work - Brandonnovak.com To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

People often ask me what my favourite episode of Creative Rebels is.Sometimes, what they are really asking is; what’s the magic bullet? The one episode that will answer all my problems and set me on the path to success.It doesn’t work like that. This podcast is a ‘course’.A course that will continue for as long as I’m able, with weekly optional lessons, with optional homework and everyone who listens will graduate at a different time. It’s not one important episode, it’s a series of stories that will build you up for as long as you need it.That being said… This is a really important episode!! Stephanie Harrison is the author of ‘New Happy’ and founder of ‘The New Happy Newsletter’ which has over a million subscribers.Her mission is to break down ‘old happy’ - the ideas most of us have on how to be happy aren’t serving us. In fact, they’re probably making us miserable.Stephanie’s research will challenge the foundations of how you make your work, as a creative.Becoming connected to yourself, others and the world around you is going to change your life.I’ve been struggling with the state of the world lately. As have many creatives I know.How can you make art through a cost of living crisis, through racism, through war and genocide?Stephanie doesn’t sugar coat how bleak our current situation is but rather how to be happy despite it and that actually, your happiness is a defiant act that will help us all. So, if you push me for an answer… This episode is one of my favourites. I think it’ll help. I don’t often say this but this one is ‘must listen’.Check out Stephanie’s website - https://www.thenewhappy.com/Or find her on most socials @newhappyco @stephaniehson To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

This episode has nothing to do with sport - please don’t worry ;)I sat down with George Eghator and we spoke about hustle culture, the freedom of discipline, support circles and the difficulty of stepping away from collaborations.Sometimes, it’s hard to take your own advice. Five years ago at an online Creative Rebels event I advised George to take his projects solo. It took me two years to finally take this podcast solo after my co host bowed-out.It was great to chat to George about his journey and I hope you’ll take something away from listening.Find George on insta: https://www.instagram.com/georgeonsports/?hl=enThanks to all of the paid supporters of this podcast, who keep the train on the tracks. Without you, this show wouldn’t be possible.Subscribe at http://creativerebels.substack.com and become part of the CR family To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

The people you meet will change your life.As an introvert, I wish it wasn’t the case… but that networking event that you don’t want to go to or that email that you don’t want to send could be thing that changes everythingThis weeks guest is Rosie Woods.Rosie travels the world making art. Her career is a tapestry of establishing connections, exploring ideas and following her curiosity.I’m proud to have played a small part in Rosie’s career. She became my first ever apprentice about a decade ago. Rosie was curious about spraypaint so emailed for some pointers. That email turned into a four year apprenticeship. Now, she’s one of the world’s most recognised street artists!Every artists journey is different but after doing hundreds of interviews for this show I’ve noticed some universal truths;The successful artists are the ones that keep going. They find their style by following their curiosity. Opportunities follow them because they take chances and put themselves out there.You can find more of Rosie's work here: http://instagram.com/itsrosiewoods To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

Zoë Allen is founder of Artistic Statements - essentially she puts art into spaces. Zoë is great at talking about getting your work seen and communicating with people about it, whatever that may be. The wonderful thing about working with someone like Zoë, is that you can just be an artist. We need curators, we need cheerleaders and we need people who will empower us to focus on making our best work.With this show I’ll always try to bring you different voices from all over the map and I think discussions like this one with Zoë are important; to demystify the processes that artists have to go through when getting work commissioned.Send Zoë your portfolio - zoe@artisticstatements.co.ukCheck out her website https://www.artisticstatements.co.uk/Zoë’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artisticstatements/ To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

There seems to be a mini-theme of ‘finding yourself’ on the podcast at the moment.Last week we spoke to tattooist Rosie Rackham (in a hugely well received episode) about being lost as a creative, until you find your *thing*.This week Zack Evans is up and before the success of Create.Repeat, he was struggling. The crazy thing is that on the surface, everything was peachy - he was an early internet ‘influencer’. His comedy skits were frequently going viral. He had hundreds of thousands of social followers.But he knew it wasn’t his calling.In this episode we dive into the dark arts of going viral on social media and how to find your purpose.OH btw, if you’re a fan of Creative Rebels, you’ll love Create Repeat - go check them out.Pre-order Zack’s book here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/468442/create-repeat-by-evans-zack-and-morgan/9780241737781Create.Repeat’s substack: https://www.createrepeat.com/Create repeat instagram - http://instagram.com/create.repeatCreate Repeat podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@create.repeat To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

Rosie Rackham is a tattoo artist and designer. You can find Rosie's work here: http://instagram.com/rrrackhamYou can book a tattoo with Rosie here: http://rosierackham.com To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

Nishant Jain went from studying for a PhD in neuroscience to becoming an artist. With pit stops as a political cartoonist and stand up comedian Nishant tried a lot before he found his thing.During writing a novel, Nishant was frustrated with the process and as a way to unwind, started urban sketching. Not wanting anyone to see that he was an amateur artist, he would draw ‘sneakily’ - and the sneaky artist was born. This episode is packed with useful advice for artists, as well as some timely conversation on the state of art right now. Everyone can be an artist and we will over throw our robot overlords!If you need !more! deep conversations with incredible creatives, Creative Rebels is your podcast.Weekly episodes to help you navigate a creative career. To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com

If you’ve got big ideas, this is probably the most important episode we’ve ever done.God is a Woman is the pinnacle of a 17 year stand up comedy career.Luisa Omielan has created a musical comedy that tells the truth about Mary Madeline and what happens when you wipe women’s stories from history.The show might not get made.Luisa has sold everything she owns and moved to the states to pursue its creation.That’s how strongly she believes in the idea and how committed she is to doing everything in her power to get it made.Luisa knows that the best chance of success for her musical, is in LA.But the USA is, ‘politically uneasy’ right now. Stewart Lee has stated he wouldn’t tour there at this moment in history.But Luisa is there.She’s there because she believes in her idea and she believes that art is revolution.She believes in using your voice. In saying the hard things, the inconvenient things.She lives on a razors edge. No marketing budget. No PR team. No management.When you don’t have financial backing you have to get inventive and you have to ask for help. Which is one of the hardest things to do. I’m so bad at it when it comes to my own work. But when it comes to other creatives I have no hang ups…If you listen to this episode and you think this project should get made, you should help make it.Luisa is funded by Patreon, where over 500 people, who share her vision, give a small amount each month.You can join them. It’s a revolutionary act, to find your favourite artists and support them.Your whole life, people have projected their doubts onto you. They have told you that obsession is weird. ‘Chase your dreams’ is a cliche. No one tells you how and no one expects you to actually do it.Do you have an idea that you’d sell everything for? If you do, go after it, CHASE it, with every fibre of your being.Luisa's PatreonGod Is A Woman - LIVE in L.A. To hear more, visit creativerebels.substack.com