Radio Detox

Avi Burra: Finding Home in Bitcoin

Heather Larson — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:22:44 GMT

In January 2026, I kicked off the year with Avi Burra. I'm re-releasing the video version of the podcast now in June of 2026. Avi has contributed so much to the Bitcoin space and he's just getting started! He's got a docuseries on Indeehub, two novels you can purchase on Amazon, and he's part of the NosFabrica team. But he's also so much more...

The conversation with Avi Burra covers the evolution of Plebchain Radio and Podcasting 2.0, the freedom of podcasting and the value for value economy, and much more for Bitcoiners, creatives, and builders. The conversation covers the freedom of podcasting, challenges with advertising and monetization, the role of music and creativity in podcasting, and the quest for a sense of home. It also delves into the docu-series 'Finding Home' and its exploration of Bitcoiners and expats. The conversation delves into the journeys of expats, the transition from the fiat world to Bitcoin and Nostr, the impact of workplace stress on health, and the adoption of Web of Trust. It also explores the challenges and decisions involved in leaving the fiat world and transitioning to Bitcoin work.

Takeaways

NostrVille 3.0 as a Bitcoin family reunion
The ideological alignment of Bitcoiners and Nostriches Freedom and creativity in podcasting
Challenges of advertising and monetization
The quest for a sense of home
Exploration of Bitcoiners and expats in 'Finding Home' The parallel journeys of expats and Bitcoiners
The importance of health and well-being in the workplace

Chapters

00:00 NostrVille 3.0: A Bitcoin Family Reunion
13:09 The Evolution of Plebchain Radio and Podcasting 2.0
26:04 The Future of Podcasting and the Power of Recording
32:34 Music and Creativity in Podcasting
45:01 The Quest for Home
51:36 Finding Home: A Journey
56:56 Health and Well-being in the Workplace
01:08:51 Adopting Nostr and Web of Trust

ubscribe to Radio Detox on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKlb-AUrgRRZE-rBk6VXPMg

Follow Heather Larson on X: https://x.com/WriterHeatherL

Subscribe to the Podcast: https://radiodetox.riverside.com/

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Please get in touch by booking into Heather’s Cal: https://cal.com/heather-larson-3dswg4

Support the podcast by liking, subscribing, sharing, and leaving a comment.

Noa Gruman of Scardust Talks Bitcoin and Music

Heather Larson — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 07:15:00 GMT

Noa Gruman, a talented musician, shares her journey in the music industry, her experience with record labels, and her introduction to Bitcoin. She discusses the financial challenges of being a musician and the impact of Bitcoin on her perspective. Noa's unique approach to money and her journey as a female musician in the Bitcoin space are insightful and inspiring. The conversation delves into the relationship with money, the concept of money as energy, and the impact of Bitcoin on the music industry. It also explores the challenges and opportunities for musicians in the Bitcoin space.

Takeaways

Music industry challenges
Financial impact of record labels
Introduction to Bitcoin
Female perspective on money and Bitcoin Money as energy
Supporting musicians in the Bitcoin space

Subscribe to Radio Detox on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKlb-AUrgRRZE-rBk6VXPMg

Follow Heather Larson on X: https://x.com/WriterHeatherL

Subscribe to the Podcast: https://radiodetox.riverside.com/

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Please get in touch by booking into Heather’s Cal: https://cal.com/heather-larson-3dswg4

Support the podcast by liking, subscribing, sharing, and leaving a comment.

The RUNSTR Episode

Heather Larson — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 23:46:37 GMT

The conversation delves into the development of RUNSTR, a fitness app focused on privacy and data ownership. It highlights the challenges of data privacy, the need for better OPSEC, and the shift towards user-centered platforms. The discussion emphasizes the importance of empowering users and the appeal of privacy-centric services. The conversation covers the concept of charity and circular economy, details of the competition, challenges of vibe coding, nonprofit challenges, Bitcoin adoption, privacy and anonymity, partnerships, and music preferences.

Takeaways

Data privacy and security incidents in fitness apps highlight the need for better OPSEC and user privacy.
The conversation emphasizes the importance of user-centered platforms and privacy-centric services, empowering users to take control of their data and privacy. Vibe coding challenges and solutions

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Bitcoin and Vibe Coding
06:29 The Unique aspects of RUNSTR
12:15 Introduction of RUNSTR Rewards
18:22 Data Privacy and Security Incidents with Fitness Apps
23:34 Privacy Concerns with Fitness Apps and Data Breaches
30:02 The Importance of User Privacy and Data Ownership
35:25 RUNSTR Season Two Announcement
41:04 The Journey of Vibe Coding
46:05 Vibe Coding and Maintenance
52:39 The Future of Bitcoin Adoption
58:14 Wavlake and Nostr Integration

Radio Detox: RUNSTR District 5K Playlist

Heather Larson — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 02:00:25 GMT

Big Announcement: RUNSTR District 5K

When: Sunday, March 15, 2026

Where: Haines Point, Washington DC

What: A charity race with a twist—your finish decides which cause wins. The charity with the most runners in the top 100 takes home $500.

Choose Your Charity:

Human Rights Foundation
ALS Network
Chimes International

Playlist

Shrooms - Just Loud
All About G.O.L.D. - G.O.L.D.
Bangarang - Doomtree
World Issue (MadMunky Mashupmix) - MadMunky
That's How I Walk - Ambition
This is the Way - Man Like Kweks & QW
Bad Day - Man Like Kweks
Shoulder Roll - Prophecy
$Southern $tate of Mind - Bizzy SlauGhter
Black Future Super Computer - Black Vulcanite
Risking Everything - Andy Princz
Call Me Whenever - JuiceStudio999

Find these tracks on Fountain and Wavlake—zap and boost the artists directly!

Featured Artist Spotlight

Prophecy - Saginaw, Michigan-born Hip Hop artist and producer. Has produced for Ransom and SyAri da Kid. Featured in Source Magazine as Unsigned Hype.

Black Vulcanite - Award-winning Namibian Hip Hop & Poetry group. "Black Future Super Computer" is a Nostrich classic.

Boost Shoutouts

Mark - Thanks for the kind words about the Zap Cooking episode!
Sara Jade - Shoutout to a fellow Nostr OG from Culture Shock Phoenix 2024

Links

RUNSTR District 5K: https://runsignup.com/Race/DC/Washington/Runstr5k
District 5K on Satlantis: https://www.satlantis.io/events/1571/RUNSTR%3A-DISTRICT-5k
Running Bitcoin Challenge (ALS research): https://secure.alsnetwork.org/site/TR?fr_id=1690&pg=entry
German Event: https://verein.einundzwanzig.space/association/project-support

About Radio Detox

Your aid in detoxing from fiat, from broken money, from Big Tech mass centralized, mass surveillance systems. Hear from clear thinkers, innovators, and trailblazers sharing their best ideas. It's about leaving the problem behind to live in the solution—even if we have to create it ourselves.

About RUNSTR

Privacy-first, anonymous fitness tracker that helps you earn money for your favorite charity. Available on Android and iOS. Proudly supports the ALS Fund and Running Bitcoin.

Trey Musgrave of Bitcoin District Initiative: Bitcoin on the Ground

Heather Larson — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 22:00:25 GMT

Trey Musgrave went from shitcoining in Germany to building a Bitcoin circular economy in Washington, DC. As president of the Bitcoin District Initiative, he's hitting the streets to onboard merchants, build community, and prove that Bitcoin is for everyone, not just the rich. We talk about the soft-sell approach to orange-pilling local businesses, why meetups matter more than most Bitcoiners realize, and how Trey uniquely came to value-for-value music through his search for decentralization.

Topics: Trey's Bitcoin origin story, the What Is Money? podcast, the difference between Bitcoin District and the Bitcoin District Initiative, building a spending community, the Peruvian Brothers, PubKey's 21% Bitcoin discount, the Great Mid-Atlantic Bitcoin Meetup, value-for-value music, and what it actually takes to create a local circular economy.

Chapters

00:00 Trey Musgrave's Bitcoin Journey

09:23 The Bitcoin District Initiative

18:26 Building a Circular Economy with Bitcoin

27:34 Engaging the Community and Onboarding Merchants

36:32 Challenges for Small Businesses

43:51 Building a Bitcoin Community

50:59 Decentralizing Music and Value for Value

Music Played (find it on Fountain)

Alone in Valentine by Joe Martin

Scoot by Kathryn

Can't Say I'm Not Trying by Ainsley Costello

Dirt and Sand by Strange Love

Telling Lies by My Friend Jimi

So Do I by Jimmy V

Connect

Trey Musgrave: trey@bitcoindistrictinitiative.org

Bitcoin District Initiative: https://bitcoindistrictinitiative.orgSupport

BDI: https://givebdi.orgGreat

PubKey DC: https://www.pubkey.bar/

Heather on Nostr: https://primal.net/heatherlarsonHeather

on X: https://x.com/WriterHeatherLHeather

on Substack: https://heatherlarson.substack.com/

Radio Detox Episode 5: Dovydas Joksas of RSS Blue

Heather Larson — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 01:21:25 GMT

Dovydas Joksas of RSS Blue

For episode 5 of Radio Detox, I’m talking with Dovydas Joksas, founder of RSS Blue. The theme this time around is, “I don’t know what I don’t know.” We get into value-4-value, podcasting 2.0, RSS, Nostr, Mastodon, Nsotriga, and more!

(Btw, I’m aware my audio fritzes from time to time; Dovydas’ audio is fine).

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction

57:56 Onboarding to Nostr and Early Adoption

59:08 Simplifying User Experience with Nostr

01:01:00 Music and Value for Value Ecosystem

01:04:46 Journey into Bitcoin and Podcasting 2.0

01:10:33 Innovations in Podcasting Technology

01:19:25 Nostriga and Developer Insights

01:25:09 Future Plans for RSS Blue

01:58:31 Final Thoughts and Reflections

In this episode, we talk about…

How Dovydas got into podcast tech

Open podcast standards

The Ainsley Costello Radio Detox EXLESS album special

PodPing

Why Dovydas started RSS Blue

How did artists get paid for playing live at Bands at Bitcoin in Nashville via Tunestr

How do you pay a band of 5 playing live with wallet splits?

How does RSS Blue get its split?

How do you do accounting on sats received as an artist?

How does RSS Fortune work?

Could we have a NIP for splits? Nostr splits? How to implement?

Who listens to Radio Detox?

RSS & Nostr are complimentary. There don’t need to be two warring factions between RSS/Mastodon and RSS/Nostr.

The future is cross-app comments!

Heather’s on-boarding friends to Nostr!

How did Dovydas get into Podcasting 2.0, introduced to Adam Curry,

Heather cut reel-to-reel tape with a razor blade back in the day.

#V4V Songs on this Episode:

No Algo - Man Like Kweks
Fingers Crossed by Ollie
You Can Have It All by Two Weeks in Nashville
My Crutch - Live from Bands at Bitcoin by Herbivore
Closer to Somewhere by The Retrograde
Self Destruct by The Trusted
Damn Good Haunting by Mellow Cassette
Sergio's Serenade by Allen C. Paul w/ Unclazzified
You Sure Did by June & The Jets
I Will Praise You (Live) by LaVie

Follow Dovydas on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub186ptarjwp53k6tz5fyzj2t0wcu9wtahrdh8lqca0j7065cuxfvksparxqq

Follow RSS Blue on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1gr65v2hqq83n3vqfh6m65eej65hxlqwyjp0echc9ghvw5p6pvqpse3mmjc

RSS Blue: https://rssblue.com

boo-bury on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub18gp8p84hjmjh9zejdlyqqcg22sj6x3qra0q2ng4v6cxxg95sav8q0mcg5e

Shoutout to boo-bury, listen to his podcast: https://behindthesch3m3s.com/

Follow Heather Larson aka MAKE SONGS LONGER on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

*In full disclosure, Heather Larson is a paying customer at RSS Blue, where Radio Detox is hosted.

Radio Detox #8 - HODLWEEN 2024 with Liz Parrish aka Babes Who Bitcoin

Heather Larson — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 22:18:33 GMT

This is the HODLWEEN episode of Radio Detox with Liz Parrish, aka Babes Who Bitcoin. We talk about some of her favorite Valueverse songs and play music from the HODLWEEN artists you’ll see in Charlotte on 10-26-24—Chris Wenske, Tatiana Moroz, and JustLoud!

We also talk about Bitcoin Charlotte, Nostr, Bitcoin adoption, the future of #V4V music, the story behind Roger 9000’s “Satoshi Set Me Free Satoshi ’73,” Liz’s Bitcoin story, 7 am dance parties, onboarding people through markets & culture, Nostr PHX meetups, Culture Shock 25, introducing people to Nostr & Bitcoin, the #V4V music ecosystem, and more!

The podcast ends with a BLOCK of HODLEWEEN artist music. Because I can. RadioDetox is only in the Valueverse, so you get the song titles, artists, and artwork. I feel I don’t need to intro the songs like an annoying-ass DJ. You’re welcome! ☺️ You’re FREE!

Songs on this episode:

DJBLKKATSU - Freedom With Bitcoin
DJBLKKATSU - Funk Lane
Discotoshi - Down To It (Satoshi’s Funk)
JustLoud - Shrooms
Roger 9000 - Satoshi Set Me Free, Satoshi 73
Chris Wenske - You Belong
Chris Wenske - Burn Down The Cornfield
Chris Wenske - Cheaters Never Win
Roger 9000 - We Are BTC
Roger 9000 - Volcanoes
JustLoud - Moonchild
JustLoud - No More Roses
Tatiana Moroz - Whatcha Gonna Do
14. Tatiana Moroz - Bitcoin Junlge

Stuff we talked about:

TABConf = Oct 23-26 in Atlanta: https://6.tabconf.com/

Hodlween = 26th: https://hodlween.party/

Watch LIVE & Zap ⚡️ on Tunestr starting at 9:00 PM EST: https://tunestr.io/

Lightsats: https://lightsats.com/

Nostr PHX: https://www.nostrphx.com/culture-shock

Follow Babes Who Bitcoin on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1h8ktyt8zvqc8dcpk7yh9gq6fs0csqcujlkqdwwspwgtef9ral6xqzugdky

Follow Heather Larson aka Makes Songs Longer on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

Follow Tunestr on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1h8gzew8am6cezuq7cpjgudldra40hgnruqrqlsrqnxnzs5wjtczqztps02

Nostr, Bitcoin, and the Quest for Home with Avi Burra

Heather Larson — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:40:42 GMT

Avi and I get deep into talking about podcasting 2.0, the kind of podcasting that is free and open. It takes Bitcoin payments peer-to-peer, which benefits indie music artists as well as podcasters who want an alternative to running ads and being stuck in Apple & Spotify. (Many want to ditch Spotify on principle now because they’ve run ads for ICE. Radio Detox isn’t on Spotify and that is my choice). You don’t need to run ads in podcasting 2.0 because monetization is built in via the the technology. Avi has his own podcast, Plebchain Radio, that’s been using new tech from Fountain and I’ve been excited to finally talk to Avi about how that’s going. There’s a lot he has to say and, oddly, he held a little back, too. ;) In short, Avi is creatively on fire with PCR! We also discuss the recent NostrVille 3.0 event held in Nashville in October 2025 at Bitcoin Park, the evolution of Nostr, and how Avi & QW’s Plebchain Radio came to be. Avi shares insights on the importance of community, the ideological alignment among Bitcoiners, and the transition to Podcasting 2.0 with Fountain. The conversation also explores the integration of indie music into podcasts, the challenges of advertising, and the freedom of independent podcasting. Overall, the discussion highlights the vibrant and evolving intersection of the Bitcoin and podcasting communities. Avi and I are sharing out thoughts about new things in podcasting, particularly focusing on Podcasting 2.0 and its implications for creative freedom. We explore the concept of 'home' through Avi's docu-series 'Finding Home,’ discussing personal identity and the journey of becoming expats from the fiat world into the Bitcoin ecosystem. We also touch on challenges and strategies for transitioning from fiat to Bitcoin. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Avi Burra and NostraVille 3.0 05:14 The Evolution of Plebchain Radio 10:33 Exploring Music Integration in Podcasts 25:25 The Freedom of Independent Podcasting 41:26 Exploring the Concept of Home 47:47 The Journey of Finding Home 54:54 Transitioning from Fiat to Bitcoin 01:03:55 The Importance of NNostr in the Bitcoin Ecosystem Learn more about Fountain for Podcassters: https://fountain.fm/podcasters

Listen to Plebchain Radio on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/0N6GGdZuYNNG7ysagCg9

Silver Player by Polanski: https://fountain.fm/track/9vAOuRnKIsnI5WJYMWoe

Finding Home on IndeeHub: https://indeehub.studio/film/finding-home

Nosfabrica: https://nosfabrica.com/

Soapbox Sessions (Heather’s Nostr Podcast with Derek Ross): https://sessions.soapbox.pub/

RUNSTR (born of Nosfabrica 2025): https://www.runstr.club/

Follow Heather on Nostr: primal.net/p/nprofile1qqsfln36agetx43hsw8mgkm4hce9j46zu94m8er59nyzhv74p7gg0esdgpa8a

Follow Avi on Nostr: primal.net/avi *Note that the video captions are done by AI and are imperfect. I’ve made every attempt I can to at least correct names as best as I can, but it’s not always possible due to time constraints and many, many softwrare burps.

From Recipes to Relays: Seth’s Zap.Cooking Playbook for Building on Nostr

Heather Larson — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:48:05 GMT

In this Radio Detox episode, I sit down with Seth, creator of Zap.Cooking and longtime Nostr builder, to trace his journey from the early Damus days in February 2023 to today’s vibrant, builder-led Nostr ecosystem. We explore why Nostr felt like the constructive side of the internet compared to legacy platforms, how Lightning and zaps transformed interactions, and why portable identity + Bitcoin make Nostr a uniquely powerful foundation for everyday apps. Seth shares the origin story of Zap.Cooking—from snagging the domain and posting a bounty for the first build to today’s curated, clutter-free recipe hub that prioritizes usable recipes over ad-stuffed backstories. We dig into community features like the new pyramid-style “Garden” relay, how submissions rise through recency and curation, and the culture of real conversations that’s driving Nostr forward. We also highlight Seth’s newer, vibe-coded projects: Grateful Day (a daily gratitude and affirmation app that posts to Nostr) and SoberKey (a decentralized sobriety support space modeled on 12-step principles). Along the way we talk about attracting non-technical users with simple, purpose-built apps, the growing IRL scene (Nostr Valley returns this October), and the momentum of value-for-value music via Fountain and Wavlake—where listeners can stream sats directly to artists. If you’re Nostr-curious, love food, or want to build community without platform capture, this conversation is a practical blueprint for what’s working—and what’s next.

Seth's sites: ‍ https://zap.cooking https://sobrkey.org https://gratefulday.space ⚡️ https://zapvertise.me https://asknostr.io

Seth on Nostr: primal.net/p/nprofile1qqs2wguqtndxwfg3j8y8sm6d5k8hjlnfwavzxqf4fw5wjx7tqdpde8q4va8wx

Seth on X: https://x.com/zap_cooking

Seth's music: Best live V4V show: Ainsley Costello live in State College, PA for a spontaneous acoustic show. Fountain app for music (Wavlake, too!) Low Life by Mooky 1:01:36- 1:04:11 New Moon by Haleen 1:04:11 - 1:07:30 High Gravity LIVE by Joe Martin 1:07:30 - 1:11:19 Memories by Mooky 1:11:20 - 1:13:51 Celebrate by Haleen 1:13:51 - 1:17:47 Can't Promise You The World Live from Sloe Flower Studio by Joe Martin 1:17:47 - 1:21:49 Ainsley Costello's latest music video: https://youtu.be/yuNnXzeY4s8?si=NE-N9OqmNj4XAZLK

May 8: 4 Songs to Know, NosVegas Bitcoin Figures, & San Diego Music Awards Winner Sara Jade!

Heather Larson — Sat, 09 May 2026 01:00:27 GMT

A quick one this week to highlight the songs, artists, apps, and movement!

Right Said Fred - Lord Have Mercy

Best Pop Song: Sara Jade, “Hippies Raised a Cowgirl”

https://archive.ph/20260507172119/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/06/san-diego-music-awards-2026-announces-27-winners-surpasses-1-million-in-fundraising/#selection-2525.0-2530.0

Zazawowwow with Webfivefourthreetwoone is #1 today on Wavlake!

I missed this one from Ollie, "This That."

Now, for the Nos Vegas breakdown! Tunestr says, "Nos Vegas artists received 2,581,496 sats on April 28 at @thebitcoinconf side event."

https://ditto.pub/nevent1qgstn5pvhr7aavv3wq0vqeywxlk376hm5f37qps0cpsfnf3g28f9upqqyqj9nc2pv0h0skkjx3e0drmncryy8h2swl5l8dkdtzjvylqng85jvelshp4

Join me on Ditto Music: https://ditto-creators-program.shakespeare.wtf/

Emergency Episode: My Reaction to the Live Nation / TicketMaster Court Case

Heather Larson — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:00:25 GMT

It's a loooong rip and I'm riffin' hard, y'all. Getting excited because the American legal system has come down (finally) on big corporations misses the point.

We've built an alternate system that can work for artists and fans. And we need your participation in it. Or else Corporations and Big Tech™ will KEEP WINNING.

You want the artists & fans to win, don't you?

You don't want indie music and the economy it upholds to die, do you?

You'd rather pay for music with BTC than keep paying endless subscriptions that benefit big CEOs instead of your local artists, venues, and economy, right?

In this rip, I'm talking about:

The government breaking up monopolies is a good start but won't return power to artists or fans \
The real fix is already built: a Bitcoin and Nostr-based music ecosystem that lets fans pay artists directly with no middlemen, no fees, no algorithms, no censorship \
How it works: fans send sats (Bitcoin) directly to artists through the Lightning Network, artist receives it instantly, splits it however they want, no Stripe, no banks, no waiting \
What a zap is: a direct Bitcoin tip from fan to artist inside any Nostr app \
ditto.pub is the on-ramp: post music, build community, can't be deplatformed, no ID required, no subscription fees, no ads \
Other apps in the ecosystem worth downloading: Fountain (fountain.fm), Wavlake (wavlake.com), Primal, Nostr
on the web: Tunestr (tunestr.io) \
Sarah Jade earned $700 in 30 minutes playing original music at a small Phoenix show with fewer than two dozen people in the room, plus online viewers zapping from Tunestr \
Matthias McIntyre posted daily violin videos on Nostr all of August, grew to 400 followers fast, earned directly from fans across multiple apps \
Joe Martin example: Heather can watch him play in London from Phoenix and send him money in real time via Lightning \
Call to musicians: get on ditto.pub, post your music, ask questions, give feedback on what doesn't work \
Call to Bitcoiners: stop making excuses, the parallel music system exists, your 21 sat zap on Fountain or Wavlake actually moves the needle unlike a million Spotify streams \
NosVegas is Tuesday April 28, 7pm to 1am, We All Scream at 517 Fremont Street, $21 tickets: https://nosvegas.shakespeare.wtf/ \\\
Talks first, then live music from Sarah Jade, Abel James, The Higher Low, at least one surprise guest, then DJ Tatum Turnup \
Stream the show live at tunestr.io if you can't be there in person

Radio Detox Season 2, Episode 1 - Gen Z, Soul, and Sats: Kathryn on Building an Artist-First Future

Heather Larson — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 03:07:45 GMT

In this lively, on-the-ground episode from Antone’s in Austin and later Bitcoin Park in Nashville, I sit down with emerging R&B/soul artist Kathryn for her first-ever podcast interview and a follow-up nearly a year later. When I say lively, I mean we're interrupted by none other than the Podfather himself, Adam Curry. Then we're interrupted by Ainsley's Momager, which also happened in Nashville (though I edit that one out). Ainsley Costello also makes an appearance in the Antone's/Austin interview! We talk about Kathryn's grind of breaking into music post-Belmont, her detour through commission sales and what it taught her about rejection, and how discovering value-for-value (V4V + Nostr + Bitcoin) lit a new path beyond the saturated DSP model. Kathryn shares the story behind her first Fountain.fm release, “Socrates,” why she leans into R&B despite Nashville roots, and how she’s using instant, direct splits to pay her producer—setting culture and precedent in a new artist-first ecosystem. We get candid about learning Bitcoin and Nostr from scratch, the stigma and marketing hurdles, and practical ways Gen Z artists can onboard without sacrificing their art. Along the way, you’ll hear about community wins, live-radio boosts, and Kathryn’s expanding music catalog—“Lemons,” “Body,” “Scoot,” “Canvas,” “Relevance,” and “What Comes Next”—plus concrete ideas for better tools, artist portals, and college outreach that could help indie music thrive in a freedom-tech future.

If you’re an artist or builder curious about direct fan support, instant splits, and keeping your creative control, this episode maps the messy, exciting middle—what’s working, what’s missing, and how you can jump in now to help shape what comes next.

Radio Detox Episode 4: OpenMike

Heather Larson — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 17:59:22 GMT

Where is this whole thing going and what are we trying to do with value for value? How does live music fit in? How can independent artists get a piece of V4V?

For episode 4 of Radio Detox, I’m talking with OpenMike, founder of Tunestr.io. This podcast features (mostly) Phantom Power Music artists and OpenMike has chosen for his guest split to go to Phantom Power Media to support what they’re doing in the Valueverse with independent artists.

In this episode, we talk about how OpenMike started Tunestr—and why. He also shares his Bitcoin story. You’ll hear what it’s like to work in the traditional music business while operating Tunestr in the Valueverse. He shares what it was like to compete with the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville with Bands at Bitcoin. Since he’s worked with the bands on this podcast, you’ll also hear his insight into what these performers are like and why we love their music.

What happens when you bring together two sober Bitcoiners who love music & cats? Lots of fun stories and predictions on where the world of V4V, Nostr, and Bitcoin are headed.

Songs on this episode:

Joe Martin, Man Like Kweks, & Reel Richard - Rising Free

Zhaklina - Gossip Queen

Zhaklina - Pretend

Zhaklina - Game Over

JoJo Scott - Honey Girl

Kevin Embleton - If I Could

Kevin Embleton - Gonna Be OK

Kevin Embleton - Keep Me In The Loop

Tony Salomone - Red Light

Tony Salomone - Daylight

Tony Salomone - Cool Summer

The playlist on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/playlist/EIXACGv07Ako99fklzrv

Follow OpenMike on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1a6c3jcdj23ptzcuflek8a04f4hc2cdkat95pd6n3r8jjrwyzrw0q43lfrr

Follow Tunestr on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1h8gzew8am6cezuq7cpjgudldra40hgnruqrqlsrqnxnzs5wjtczqztps02

Follow Phantom Power Media on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1t6njrhtc9q3f5wdrwfrhpypq3kes5mpdx4u4rw9w2pxjanuxcpkqveagv3

Join the Valueverse as an artist: https://phantompowermusic.io

Follow Heather Larson aka MAKE SONGS LONGER on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

In full disclosure, both Heather Larson and OpenMike work in partnership with Phantom Power Music on Radio Detox and Tunestr, respectively.

Special thanks to Jim Costello & Dovydas of RSS Blue for their help with this episode!

Haleen Said NO to EMI

Heather Larson — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 01:00:28 GMT

Radio Detox: Haleen on Nostr, Ivy Lumi, and Music as Vibration

Heather sits down with Ashna and Kathleen of Haleen, the ambient duo first introduced to Radio Detox by Seth from Zap Cooking. Seven months on Nostr and everything changed. They talk about rebuilding their studio, mastering Ivy Lumi's new single, and why no traditional music platform has ever been designed with the artist in mind. We also getting into why they said no to a deal with BMI.

In This Episode

Haleen turned down a BMI deal years ago and never looked back. They sold their studio gear to survive. By the time they found Bitcoin and then Nostr, the dream was nearly over. Seven months in, they have more real connections than in all the years before combined. Ivy Lumi found them through that network. Now they are mastering her album.

Heather brings her yoga teacher perspective to the conversation. ASCAP and BMI will come after a five-person yoga studio for playing music on a speaker. Fountain and Wavlake let yoga teachers pay artists directly and cut the PROs out entirely. That is the pitch she is taking to every yoga teacher she knows.

Ashna played support for Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Whitesnake in a past heavy metal life. The music changed when the energy did. Now it is ambient, healing, and still making people cry at live shows for entirely different reasons.

Chapters (for the video version)

00:00 Haleen Is Here

01:45 Mastering Ivy Lumi's Blunt Knife

03:00 Seven Months on Nostr Changed Everything

05:14 Music That Wakes Something Up in You

07:00 Yoga Teachers and the Music Rights Problem

13:00 How Haleen Found Bitcoin and Nostr

16:00 Turning Down BMI

17:30 Selling the Studio to Survive

22:00 Nostr Is Made for Humans

27:00 SoundCloud Took Their Streams and Paid Nothing

28:00 No Platform Is Built for the Artist

32:00 Post Once, Show Up Everywhere

36:00 Explaining Sats to People Who Think Bitcoin Is $77,000

39:00 Ashna's Heavy Metal Past

41:00 AC/DC at 13 Changed Everything

47:00 Geyser Helped Rebuild the Studio

48:30 Kathleen Is Back and New Music Is Coming

49:00 Bitcoin Film Festival Warsaw

50:00 Seeing Haleen Live Is on the Bucket List

Post Vegas Vibes & San Diego Music Awards

Heather Larson — Sat, 02 May 2026 01:00:28 GMT

Recap of Vegas!

NosVegas was great, thanks to Francis Mars at Pubpay.me, great artits like Abel James, Sara Jade, Noa Gruman, and the Higher Low!

Maxi Madness was performed in Vegas by Noa Gruman Tuesday night! Here’s her ONLY Bitcoin circular economy song. https://fountain.fm/album/KuRBmoy28vylkRK8Cluo

Abel James performed some new music, Sara Jade is also working on new stuff. Shoutout to Richard Greaser for coming to the party. And can’t forget The Higher Low!

The Higher Low - Welcome to the Dawn

The 35th annual San Diego Music Awards will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at Humphreys by the Bay.

Country singer-songwriter Lissa Dee is a multi-year nominee at the San Diego Music Awards (SDMA). For the upcoming 35th annual ceremony on May 6, 2026, she is nominated for Best Country or Americana Song for her track "Chasing Whiskey with Whiskey.” Find Lissa Dee on Wavelake: https://wavlake.com/lissa-dee

Miranda Ramos is nominated for Best Country or Americana Song, find her on Wavlake: https://wavlake.com/miranda-ramos

Monica Larrea is a San Diego-based singer-songwriter nominated for a Best R&B, Funk, or Soul Song award at the 35th Annual San Diego Music Awards (2026) for her song "Mental”. Here is Brilliant Sun, you can find on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/artist/W3p6W0vjTaaVuFCNaTuX

Jessie is nominated for Best Pop Artist! Let’s hear her on rainbows (i saw her in green) ft. Sara JadeJessie Lark . Find her on Wavlake & Fountain: https://fountain.fm/artist/W8VUm7b4qNds2TVO2gcB

Sara Jade is nominated for Best Pop Song for Hippies Raised a Cowgirl, find her on Fountain and Wavlake: https://fountain.fm/artist/TYD62gCR67EYFScibWB8

Let’s hear the nominated song, Hippies Raised a Cowgirl!

Shoutout to Dion Wilson, who’s started Bitcoin for the Arts, a 501(c)3 non-profit: https://www.bitcoinforthearts.org/

For musicians who publish music to Nostr, go to: https://ditto.pub/music

To learn more from me about Ditto Music: https://ditto-creators-program.shakespeare.wtf/

See the 2026 San Diego Music Awards nominees: https://www.sandiegomusicawards.com/nominees/

*Noa Gruman gets a 20% split in this episode since she has only 1 song in the Bitcoin circular economy at present and because I love how she shared her insights with me Sunday night at the Women in Bitcoin Bash!

Singer Songwriter Week David Tarr Artist Takeover Music from Sam Means, Haleen, Ainsley Costello

Heather Larson — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 02:00:25 GMT

This week Radio Detox is previewing a big one. David Tarr is taking over the show LIVE at PubKey DC on March 15, dropping his new EP the same day. He is mixing and mastering it right now. Expect one long song on there. At the event, David hosts a panel on Gen Z Women in Bitcoin with Ainsley Costello and Kathryn, and goes live with DC Bitcoiners The Wild Hustle and Trey Musgrave of the Bitcoin District Initiative.

Also on this episode: Sam Means of Wavlake and The Format, Emily D'Ranged, Shy Kids, Haleen, Matt Finlay, Joe Martin, Kathryn, Ainsley Costello, and Caroline Hale.

Songs played this episode

David Tarr - It's Me (But It's You Too)

David Tarr - Chasing Blue Sky

Sam Means - Bigger Heart

Emily D'Ranged - Breathe

Shy Kids - Spiritual Ego

Haleen - Free Your Mind

Matt Finlay - Valentine (demo)

Joe Martin - Alone in Valentine

Kathryn - Getting Older

Ainsley Costello - You Problem

Caroline Hale - Kick It

Links

Haleen Music is Medicine fundraiser on Geyser: https://geyser.fund/project/musicismedicine?hero=heatherlarsonJoe

Martin Alone in Valentine music video on Americana UK: https://americana-uk.com/video-premiere-joe-martin-alone-in-valentineThe

Format new album Boycott Heaven out now. Tour starts March 26 in Boston.

Live Events

March 15, PubKey DC

Lightning Music Showcase at noon. Doors open 10am for Radio Detox LIVE with David Tarr hosting.

Performing: David Tarr, Ainsley Costello, Kathryn.

RUNSTR District 5K charity race also happening that day. Sign up: runstr.club

Full event details and tickets: https://luma.com/xaltyebx

Radio Detox Episode 9: BitKarrot

Heather Larson — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 04:04:47 GMT

This is the least interview-ish / most laid-back conversation-ish Radio Detox yet with BitKarrot. BitKarrot is a dev working on Lightning and Nostr. We talk about her current projects, like HiveTalk!

We talk about:

Inflation
Debased currencies globally & through history
The Bugle (Hi, Dick Greaser! )
The history of Nostr, lightning, & BTCPay Server
BitKarrot’s passion for payments
Her front-row seat to hyperinflation globally
And ode to Fiatjaf and LNTXbox
How BitKarrot made HiveTalk.org
Her love of design & art as a diversion from software development
Most importantly, protecting the devs

Follow BitKarrot on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub18pudjhdhhp2v8gxnkttt00um729nv93tuepjda2jrwn3eua5tf5s80a699

Follow Heather Larson aka MAKE SONGS LONGER on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

HiveTalk: https://hivetalk.org/active

The Ascent of Money: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/ascentofmoney/

PostaNota: https://postanota.hivetalk.org/

BitKarrot’s Nostree: https://nostree.me/bitkarrot@nostr.com

Her lightning fleece store: https://shop.lightnin.games

Songs:

The Doerfels - Make It
Jimmy V - Give It Up
Rod Palmer - Girls On Spaces
Yeghro - Static Whispers
Ser Sleepy - Lift Me High
Richard Greaser - Satoshi Is Proud
Two Weeks In Nashville - You Can Have It All

Radio Detox Artist Takeover in DC: David Tarr

Heather Larson — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:00:25 GMT

This one is different! Heather Larson's Radio Detox went live at Pubkey in Washington DC for the inaugural RUNSTR 5K on March 15, 2026, and singer-songwriter David Tarr took over as emcee for a full day of music, conversation, and community.

A new music platform launched in the room, EpochMusic.xyz! Three young women made the case for Bitcoin better than most people twice their age. 🔥 Thank you, Ella Hough, Ainsley Costello, and Kathryn! And David Tarr debuted his new EP the day he dropped it. 🚀 LFG! Listen to hear how Bitcoiners are using peer-to-peer payments and new technology (including vibe coding) to fight the greedy music industry by making their own lane.

If you have ever wondered what this community actually feels like in person, this is the episode that shows you.

LINKS

RUNSTR: runstr.app

Epoch Music: epochmusic.xyz

Wavlake: wavlake.comFountain: fountain.fmBitcoin District: bitcoindistrict.orgHuman Rights Foundation: hrf.org Pubkey DC: pubkey.bar

Radio Detox is released every Friday around 7pm Arizona time. Support with boosts and zaps on Fountain, Podverse, or any Podcasting 2.0 app.

Chris Wenske: Exporting KC Bitcoiners to Austin

Heather Larson — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 01:24:20 GMT

Chris Wenske played at HODLWEEN 2024 and is one of the KC Bitcoiners! He’s the Producer of Bitcoin Block Party KC, Bitcoin Party KC and Organizer of Jondo Media events.

He’s got events this weekend in Austin, Texas—Bitcoin Country!

Check it out: https://astralaurastudio.com/shop/p/bitcoin-party-kc-export-party

There’s more info Chris gives out on the podcast that maybe he shouldn’t…

Did we mention Chris is a #V4V musician? I’ve played him before on Radio Detox (Season 1, episode 8 about HODLWEEN 2024). But this time around, we get to hear him tell the story behind his songs.

We have to talk about v4v, collaboration, the magic of Bitcoin events, building stuff, the Bitcoin circular economy, Air BTC, and much more.

Follow Chris on Nostr: primal.net/p/nprofile1qqsv93cx7rggx59maan0030v3ms94teyfzj43t949y9wzxwjtnxj7cqj7zcu9

npub1ctrsduxssdgthmmx7lz7erhqt2hjgj99tzkt22g2uyvayhxd9asq3xsd73

Follow Heather Larson aka MAKE SONGS LONGER on Nostr: primal.net/p/nprofile1qqsfln36agetx43hsw8mgkm4hce9j46zu94m8er59nyzhv74p7gg0esdgpa8a

npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

Radio Detox Episode 2: Sara Jade

Heather Larson — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 01:33:36 GMT

Sara Jade is a great example of an artist who has detoxed off the fiat music system. She shares some great stories about that here. She’s done two live shows in the Valueverse in Phoenix at our Nostr PHX Culture Shock in February, and more recently, during bands at Bitcoin adjacent to the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville.

Do you have to leave the fiat music system? No. As Sara Jade informs us, you still kinda “have to be everywhere.” But it’s clear which system rewards musicians more—and it ain’t fiat, honey.

If you are a musician, this episode is a great “V4V 101” college course. No student loans required!

Songs on this episode:

Sara Jade: Singin' Woman
Sara Jade: "Carnival" live from Nostr PHX February 17, 2024
Sara Jade: Lip service Mustache Ride
Jessie Lark: Daddy
Alicia Stockman: Little Dog
Abi Muir: Stockholm
Sara Jade: Never Knew
Longy: Salt Your Wounds
Arreis: Five More Minutes

Follow Sara Jade on Nostr: https://primal.net/p/npub17yemy3hswcelmcdgjsfn4sns4wr4q5ptvj5h08qt4s7fy2qe3hdqsczs99

https://sarajademusic.com/

Follow your host, Heather Larson aka MAKE SONGS LONGER on Nostr: npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

Radio Detox Episode 1: Ainsley Costello

Heather Larson — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 03:45:25 GMT

Embracing Decentralization in Music: Ainsley Costello and the Value-for-Value Model

In this debut episode of Radio Detox, host Heather Larson introduces a refreshing value-for-value podcast that blends musical inspiration with financial recovery, free from ads. Featuring special guest Ainsley Costello, the episode explores her shift from traditional music platforms to adopting Bitcoin and the value-for-value model. Listeners gain insight into her new album 'X List', her experiences with platforms like Wavelake, and exclusive tracks such as 'People Pleaser' and 'Alchemy'. Discussions cover the changing landscape of the music industry, Nashville's music scene, and how decentralization is paving the way for a more equitable future. Fans get an inside look at potential features for Wavelake, the community's support, and Ainsley's mentorship plans for emerging artists.

⭐️ Introduction to Radio Detox

⭐️ Meet Ainslie Costello

⭐️ The Value of Bitcoin in Music

⭐️ Ainslie's Journey into Bitcoin

⭐️ The Struggles of the Traditional Music Industry

⭐️ Ainslie's Favorite Tracks

⭐️ Upcoming Shows and Events

⭐️ How the Bitcoin Song Contest Came Together

⭐️ Creating the Song from Disparate Lyrics

⭐️ Balancing Between Bitcoin and Traditional Music Worlds

⭐️ The Value of Zaps and Listener Support

⭐️ Challenges and Rewards of the Music Industry

⭐️ Staying Grounded in Nashville

⭐️ The Benefits of Being in Nashville

⭐️ Full-Time Musician Thanks to Bitcoin and Noster

⭐️ Navigating the Traditional Music Industry

⭐️ The Future of Music on Noster and Wavelake

⭐️ Engaging with Fans and the Community

⭐️ The Joy of Kitchen Dance Playlists

⭐️ Conclusion and Upcoming Events

Radio Detox: Full Metal Bitcoin

Heather Larson — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 02:00:25 GMT

Annonymal is a six-piece heavy metal band whose members are completely anonymous. No names, no faces, no location. By day they are Bitcoin journalists. By night they are the band giving Bitcoin its metal soundtrack, and they made a deliberate choice: they say heavy metal is the only genre built for what Bitcoin is.

This episode gets into how a journalist asks "how can I be scarce?" and ends up writing songs that open with the Genesis block. Annonymal and Heather talk about why metal is the correct soundtrack for a money that is anti-establishment by design, how MTV deliberately dropped rock and metal to defang a generation of critical thinkers, and why Bitcoin fixed something in them that journalism, protest, and social work could not.

They also get into the attention economy, what it takes for original music to survive the AI era, why they put their first album only on Wavlake, and what killswitch.gov.exe means.

Find Annonymal on Wavlake and Fountain. Follow them on Nostr and search the hashtag #HornsUpforSatoshi.

Annonymal's first full album is on Wavlake. Their second album, killswitch.gov.exe, is in production. A live show recording of approximately 40 minutes is coming soon. Their Geyser Fund campaign to raise $7,000 for the second album did not reach its goal. They are recording it anyway.

Their songs include As Government Dies, War Strategy, The Arrow of Time, and The Soul Behind the Mask, which is written in first person as Satoshi. They recently released a cover of Megadeth's In My Darkest Hour.

Before Bitcoin, they were afraid of losing their income and being poor. They describe themselves as still poor but no longer afraid. They reference the scene in V for Vendetta where Evey walks out into the rain with nothing left to fear. That is where Bitcoin took them. Not to wealth. To clarity.

Follow Heather on Nostr: https://ditto.pub/heather@nostrplebs.com

Follow Annonymal on Nostr: https://ditto.pub/anonnymal@primal.net

Join Nostr on Ditto: https://ditto.pub/

Empowering Creators: The Geyser Fund Journey Crowdfunding in the Bitcoin Era

Heather Larson — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 02:00:25 GMT

In this conversation, Heather Larson and Mick from Geyser discuss the innovative crowdfunding platform Geyser Fund, its role in the Bitcoin community, and the challenges faced by creators in the current social media landscape. They explore the importance of community support, Geyser's All or Nothing funding model, and the need for artists to receive fair compensation for their work. The discussion highlights success stories from Geyser Fund and emphasizes the potential for crowdfunding to empower creators and bring their ideas to life.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Geyser Fund and Its Mission

04:08 The Role of Nostr in Geyser Fund

07:40 Challenges with Social Media Platforms

11:44 Innovative Crowdfunding Mechanisms

17:29 The Impact of Bitcoin on Creative Projects

24:08 Success Stories and Future Directions

33:57 Introduction to Anomal's Launch

34:55 Exploring Geyser's Funding Mechanism

36:29 Demonstrating the Contribution Process

38:03 Understanding Refund Policies

39:26 The Control of Funds in Crowdfunding

41:34 The Importance of Supporting Artists

42:27 Social Media Challenges for Bitcoin Content

45:40 The Role of Independent Media in Music Promotion

48:17 The All-or-Nothing Model in Music Funding

51:15 The Need for Financial Support in Music Events

53:40 Encouraging Creative Projects through Community Support

Radio Detox Episode 7: Sam Sethi of True Fans

Heather Larson — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 02:59:27 GMT

Sam Sethi is the CEO of TrueFans.fm! We talk about V4V, podcasting 2.0, the AInsley Costello EXLESS album special, the Fobes article on V4V by Frank Corva, what Mark Zuckerberg thinks of content creators, Sam’s favorite V4V songs, journalists doing V4V, Sam has been the product manager of Netscape, the True Fans tech, and more.

Songs:

Ainsley Costello, Cherry On Top
Joe Martin, The Jetsons
Kavinya, Unlucky
Kavinya, That Smile You’re Wearing
Longy - Black Hills
Chris Nichols - Fast Car
Joe Martin - Denver

TrueFans: https://truefans.fm/

Sam Sethi on True Fans: https://truefans.fm/fans/samsethi

Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/frankcorva/2024/10/01/musicians-can-now-earn-bitcoin-for-streaming-their-songs/

Ainsley Costello’s latest track, Change Your Mind: https://truefans.fm/change-your-mind

Radio Detox Ainsley Costello’s EXLESS Special Edition:

On True Fans: https://truefans.fm/radio-detox-special-addition-the-exless-interview?tab=episodes

On Podcast Guru: https://share.podcastguru.io/QfDQ

The Verge Mark Zuckerberg Interview: https://www.theverge.com/24253481/meta-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-ar-glasses-orion-ray-bans-ai-decoder-interview

Follow Heather Larson aka MAKE SONGS LONGER on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

Episode 10: Longy & Aaron

Heather Larson — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 01:19:05 GMT

You have Aaron to thank for orange pilling Longy and getting him on Wavlake! But what does that mean? And how did that happen? And…now what? Are they coming to iMerica or what?

We talk about where these two friends are at in their journey of value-for-value and harnessing the power of Bitcoin. We also talk about Man Like Kweks, wallet splits, some of our favorite songs, the London music scene, and so much more.

I also decided to do something in radio that we called “tracking an album,” which really just means I’m playing the entire Longy “You’ve Got Yourself EP” because I can. I play the bulk of the Longy songs at the END of the podcast and don’t talk between the songs. I don’t need to talk; Radio Detox is ONLY on podcasting 2.0 apps, so you get chapters and artwork.

Now, listen and chill! Let the detox begin… We’re bringing rock n’ roll BACK!

Here’s the song list:

Joe Martin Empty Passenger Seat
Vertigo Kid - Pirate Radio
More Rogue Money - Man Like Kweks
The Trusted - The Lightning
Longy - iMerica
Longy - The Underclass
Longy - Trust In Life
Longy - Katherines Wheel

The Longy “You've Got Yourself EP” follows:

Less Said The Better
Drip-Fed Internet Blues
Careful What You Wish For
Sala
Auto Inter Woven Minds
Black Hills

I’m on Nostr as @heatherlarson / MAKE SONGS LONGER

primal.net/p/npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

New Music Nudge Unit:

primal.net/p/npub1ztzpz9xepmxsry7jqdhjc32dh5wtktpnn9kjq5eupdwdq06gdn6s0d7zxv

Aaron: primal.net/p/npub1c39tdmht8g896hyd3t5z47ksuwtmm77fyqxhmr7rac22d85lwsxqzk2lhm

@Longy:

primal.net/p/npub19ppwxjrqckwl4n2a7j960fjsvhn8vrggcd0h092nmq7zcgcskjfsywp04j

Radio Detox Episode 3: Abel James

Heather Larson — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:20:40 GMT

On this 3rd episode of Radio Detox, I talk with Abel James, a blues artist in the Valueverse whose music you can hear on Wavlake, Fountain, and LNBeats. He’s the New York Times Best Selling Author of The Wild Diet, and all around interesting dude. I think he’s the perfect guy to help us detox off the food pyramid…fiat music, and more.

It’s no secret Bitcoiners don’t follow conventions in money, food, or culture. We like steak, fat, sound money, and Valueverse music. Let’s wrap this all up in a pretty bow with Abel James! I’m excited to share this interview because we talk about some of his favorite experiences in the Valueverse so far. He’s only been here for a couple of months! You wouldn’t believe it when you listen. Maybe he was born to be here, right now, with all the rest of us.

He’s got a firm grasp of all the problems we have in social media, podcasting, live music, and recorded music. I’m still kinda bummed I haven’t seen him play yet, but he technically was on stage in Nashville for Bands at Bitcoin. He just wasn’t performing. Though he did co-write a song with JustLoud live on stage—which we will get into.

Abel feels like a brother already because he just kinda popped into view and already has the same friends I do. Perhaps it’s because everyone is so welcoming in this space. I think he’s a great example of how jumping into the world of value-for-value can rapidly change your life as an artist for the better.

Follow Abel James on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1ucgf8qyuxpqrkape9mqc20qmcs9nxe8axy069edfr8hkcl5tlhssueflfw

Follow your host, MAKE SONGS LONGER (aka @heatherlarson) on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

Watch live music Monday nights in August from The Vinyl Lounge in Nashville on Tunestri.io

Follow The Vinyl Lounge on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1m0fkefjhw6z7m8fv2nh7vrtf3rlsy70dywlsdj08lzekdr7kheyqefgpyg

Track Listing:

Not On The Radio (Acoustic) Geoff Smith
Abel James: Swamp Thing
Winds of Change by Herbivore
Abel James: Live While I'm Alive
The Hard Way by Martin Grooms
Abel James: Thank God For the Blues
Shrooms by JustLoud
Black and Blue by Homeless Moses
Abel James: VooDoo Queen
The Itch by Retrograde
Whole Lotta Trouble by SOB and the Dangs (The band with the Stacey we keep mentioning!)
You've Got A Lotta Nerve by Rock'n'Roll Breakheart

P.S. Have fun finding the easter egg in this episode…there's a little tease…

Also, I had a little mic issue and fixed it mostly in post-prod. It happens.

Some New Music This Week!

Heather Larson — Sat, 16 May 2026 01:00:28 GMT

Heather opens with zap shoutouts from the week. Sara Jade sent 700 sats after hearing her song on the previous episode. Shadrach sent 323 sats with a comment on the NosVegas Bitcoin figures and San Diego Music Awards episode. OpenMike sent 3,333. Shoutouts also to Sir Libre, Annonymal, Matt Finley, Tumbleweed, Henrik Flyman, Tree Ducks, and P@T.

Heather also issues a correction from the Helene episode. The title referenced BMI but should have said EMI. Haleen caught it and Heather is setting the record straight.

P@T left a comment on the Helene episode about paying for music rights versus paying performers and Heather digs into it, ultimately concluding he is probably agreeing with her point. The broader discussion covers how monthly streaming subscriptions do not actually trickle down to pay artists, with Sara Jade's line quoted: she has made more money complaining about Spotify than she has ever made on Spotify.

This week's songs:

Who’s Garden by Zazawowow*
Cherry Cherry by Right Said Fred
New song from Haleen: “I Can Still Smile”
Paradox by Zhaklina
Waves by Charley T (to keep with the chill vibe this week)
Blunt Knife - the latest from Ivy Lumi!
My Frined Jimi - Telling Lies (trending on both Fountain & Wavlake)
Ryan Zak “Movement 6: Awakening” and it’s almost 18 minutes long! Heather closes with her ongoing argument that songs have gotten shorter since Nixon took the dollar off the gold standard in 1971, that commercial stop sets on radio are now longer than the songs themselves, and that a Bitcoin standard would bring long songs back. Sats sent during songs go to the artists. 10% of Radio Detox proceeds go to HRF for supporting the Bitcoin & Nostr ecosystem.

*The song that opens this episode is actually "Who's Garden?" from Zazawowow, not EP, but there seems to be a Fountain bug about this.

Joe Martin Alone in Valentine & the Broken Music Industry

Heather Larson — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:00:25 GMT

Your weekly dose of fiat & Big Tech™ detox is back with UK singer-songwriter Joe Martin, one of the most recognized artists in the value-for-value music space. Joe just wrapped a whirlwind US trip: three weeks in Nashville to record his new album, a stop in Valentine, Texas, to shoot album artwork and music videos, and a songwriter round at Bitcoin Park with Ainsley Costello. His new album, Alone in Valentine, drops April 17. Singles are already out on all streaming platforms and on Wavlake and Fountain ahead of the release. Vinyl and CDs are available now at joemartinmusic.com.

This episode covers the real business of being an indie artist in 2026 and why the music industry needs the value-for-value model so musicians can thrive.

Joe and Heather get into the barriers to adoption: clunky terminology, broken UX, the regulatory walls that block fiat-to-sats on-ramps, and what it actually feels like when a musician wakes up to find their entire catalog deleted off Spotify with no recourse. They also get into what could change everything, including Joe's idea for a Tidal and Cash App integration that could bring Lightning payments to a mainstream audience overnight.

Joe's origin story: he found Fountain through a podcast about Lightning, figured out RSS feeds by trial and error, uploaded a song, tagged a few Bitcoiners on Twitter, and made the equivalent of $80 in two days. Sam Means from Wavlake reached out shortly after. He has been in the ecosystem since around 2022 and got into Bitcoin through The Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammous, whom he later met and thanked in person at the Plan B conference in El Salvador.

The conversation gets honest. The tech is not sticky enough. The onboarding is too hard. Artists are already overwhelmed, and another platform added to the pile is a tough sell. The terminology like value for value, lightning, sats, & decentralized, is not landing. Joe says it needs to just work, display balances in fiat, and abstract away every layer of complexity. Heather talks about why the messaging keeps failing and what a real on-ramp would actually require.

Joe also breaks down the state of live music after watching a Luke Combs tribute act sell out a thousand-seat venue at £28 a ticket, 150 shows a year. He did the math on the tour gross. Meanwhile original artists split the remaining crumbs. The only way back, he says, is to disintermediate the monopolies. He is still in it. He just wants more people to care.

Alone in Valentine is out April 17. Northern UK tour in April, southern UK tour in September. Physical copies including vinyl at joemartinmusic.com.

joemartinmusic.com

fountain.fm

wavlake.com

Radio Detox: Love Is The Cure with Ivy Lumi

Heather Larson — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:00:25 GMT

Heather Larson sits down with Ivy Lumi, musician, Bitcoiner, and podcaster, for a conversation about music, self-love, and why love and Bitcoin might just be on the same frequency. Ivy shares the story behind her debut EP, the making of her first-ever music video for the single WoWoWow (shot in Hong Kong after Bitcoin Asia), and how a period of profound personal loss became the spark that launched her music career. From songs inspired by Bitcoin conference cities to a Geyser Fund campaign built around physical collectors items, Ivy is building something rare: art that lives fully in the value-for-value ecosystem and speaks to everyone, Bitcoiner or not.

Chapters

00:00 Intro and welcome

01:11 The WoWoWow music video: shooting in Hong Kong

02:58 Love is the cure and why love and Bitcoin are the same frequency

03:35 How Bitcoin found Ivy and changed everything

08:44 The real answer to finding love: starting with yourself

11:04 Bitcoin and self-love as long time preference

13:04 Sound money and sound love: how do we know what is good for us?

14:51 Do you have to date a Bitcoiner?

20:15 Bitcoin cannot be your whole personality

24:34 How Ivy found Fountain and value for value before she started writing music

26:05 Losing everything at once: the personal low point that led to songwriting

27:14 Songs inspired by cities: Berlin, Amsterdam, Madeira, Prague

28:24 Song breakdown: Berlin or Left, No Time in Madeira, Follow the Wise Rabbit

30:33 Ivy plays keyboard and writes real music with no AI assistance

33:32 Beginner mindset, humility, and being a good student

36:51 Growing out of black and white thinking

37:31 Why Ivy keeps her music on Spotify and Apple: healing is for everyone

40:00 The Geyser Fund campaign: EP, pin collection, and CD

41:32 What love is the cure looks like as something you can hold

43:34 Geyser is all or nothing: how to support before the campaign closes

45:29 True fan relationships in the value-for-value ecosystem

48:23 Dream concert lineup: performing with friends in the Bitcoin music space

49:29 Why Ivy spends more time on Nostr than Twitter now

52:07 The team and collaborators behind Ivy Lumi

53:27 What happens when a mainstream artist comes out as a Bitcoiner?

54:05 YouTube censorship and why creators are still playing the legacy platform game

55:05 What must we do to ensure Nostr cannot fail?

57:45 How Geyser posts to Nostr and why that matters

59:40 Dreaming of a Bitcoin music festival

01:00:03 Culture is more base layer than money and love is the spark

About Ivy Lumi

Ivy Lumi is a musician and Bitcoiner based in Hong Kong who has worked in the Bitcoin industry for over five years. Her debut EP Cure includes songs written across Bitcoin conference cities including Berlin, Amsterdam, Madeira, and Prague. Her music is available on Fountain, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Her music video for Waa Waa Waa was co-created with creative director AvZero and visual collaborator Zazawowow.

https://geyser.fund/project/loveisthecure

Frank Corva on Punk Rock, Bitcoin, and the DIY Ethos

Heather Larson — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:00:25 GMT

Frank Corva went from covering presidents to covering protocol. In this episode, the former White House correspondent shares his unexpected path into Bitcoin journalism, the burnout that comes with 24/7 news cycles, and why he sees Nostr as the next frontier for independent media. We dig into the Bitcoin circular economy, why onboarding matters more than ever, and the unique challenges women face in the space. Plus: how the DIY ethos of punk rock mirrors the decentralized spirit of Bitcoin.

Topics Covered

Frank's journey from White House correspondent to Bitcoin journalist
Burnout and the brutal pace of the news cycle
How the Trump administration opened doors for new media voices
Nostr as the next platform for independent creators
The Bitcoin circular economy and global empowerment
Onboarding: the bottleneck for Bitcoin and Nostr adoption
Diversity and women in Bitcoin development
Why privacy is the killer feature for decentralized social media
The DIY punk ethos meets Bitcoin culture
Building real community in a post-viral world

Key Takeaways

Journalism burnout is real - The 24/7 news cycle takes a toll; Bitcoin journalism offers a different pace
Nostr is an opportunity, not just a platform - For creators tired of algorithmic games and data harvesting
Onboarding is the bottleneck - Bitcoin and Nostr growth depends on making the first experience seamless
Diversity drives innovation - Inclusive development leads to better products for everyone
Privacy sells itself - Once people understand how their data is harvested, decentralized platforms make sense
Community beats virality - Smaller, engaged audiences are more valuable than chasing trends
The circular economy is already here - Bitcoin communities are transacting daily, not just speculating

Frank on X: https://x.com/frankcorva

Frank on Substack: https://frankcorva.substack.com/

Heather on Nostr: https://primal.net/heatherlarson

Heather on X: https://x.com/WriterHeatherL

Heather on Substack: https://heatherlarson.substack.com/

Download RUNSTR: https://www.runstr.club/

Pubkey: https://www.pubkey.bar/

Soapbox: https://soapbox.pub/

Shakespeare AI: https://shakespeare.diy/

Radio Detox Season 2 Episode 2 The RUNSTR Revolution for Anonymous Fitness Tracking

Heather Larson — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:56:53 GMT

In this episode of Radio Detox, I interview The Wild Hustle about the anonymous fitness app RUNSTR, its development journey, and its integration with Nostr and Bitcoin. We explore the importance of privacy in fitness tracking, the future of community engagement in health, and the role of AI in enhancing user experience. The conversation highlights the the importance of decentralization and user empowerment, emphasizing the need for a healthier ecosystem in the fitness industry. We also talk vibe coding, of course! In full disclosure, I am the Business Development Manager for RUNSTR. I’m Marketing Director at Soapbox Technology. Radio Detox is the podcast I started in July of 2024 as a way to share open source Bitcoin + Nostr technology with the world, specifically musicians and music fans. Since Nostr is an open ecosystem, how we use health data for RUNSTR can inspire more and further use cases for the protocol. It’s my goal for Radio Detox to inspire you to ‘detox’ off of the fiat system, which includes all centralized systems. Fitness is one such system. If your fitness is locked into Strava, Nike Run Club, or some other Big Tech™ app, try RUNSTR. It’s time to detox off of Big Fitness™ companies that farm your data while putting it at risk. While this break from the usual music fodder on Radio Detox is much needed to help your fitness detox, I didn’t forget about the music! The Wild Hustle shares his favorite artists on Wavlake at the end, so there’s a separate episode of Hustle’s Favorite RUNSTR Tracks!

Bitcoin Beats and Indie Heat: Radio Detox’s 2025 Favorites

Heather Larson — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 03:53:29 GMT

In this episode of Radio Detox, I play a handpicked, non-countdown mix of my favorite independent tracks of 2025—no talking over ramps, no filler, just discovery. We kick off with Shredders and cruise through chilled textures from the Greensands, then spotlight the astonishing output of Tanzania’s Man Like Kweks and his Bitcoin Arusha education initiative. I share why Podcasting 2.0 matters—chapters, value-for-value zaps, and wallet-to-wallet support—and shout out artists thriving in the Valueverse, from Two Weeks in Nashville to Jawbone, Dirt Moon, and UK grinder Robbie P. I tell a few stories from the road, including meeting the irreverent storyteller Sarah Jade and watching her mobilize and uplift women artists, plus quick hits that brought my family together via La Tech House. We wrap with favorites from Ollie and FM Rodeo before settling into a long-form closer: Matthias McIntire’s 11.5-minute The Forest Reclaims the Land—a nod to proof-of-work artistry. Here’s to more Nostr, open-source tools, and longer songs in 2026. Featured artists and tracks mentioned include: Shredders (Florida Mandem, Shit Rules, Snerfs Up), the Greensands (Breathe), Man Like Kweks (Bitcoin Arusha), Two Weeks in Nashville (Underachiever), Jawbone (Horizons of Hope), Dirt Moon (Palynopsia), Sarah Jade (Hippies Raised a Cowgirl), Robbie P (Lessons of Regret), Longing (Bring It All Back Home to You Now), Dickie Tune Turret (La Tech House), Ollie (Lost Summer), FM Rodeo (Elephant Nightmare), and Matthias McIntire (The Forest Reclaims the Land).

Radio Detox Episode 6 Man Like Kweks

Heather Larson — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 21:47:57 GMT

Show Notes

Kweks will release a dance battle video show we can watch on Tunestr this week! Join us Thursday, October 3. 6 PM EST at Tunestr.io! ⚡️

SONGS

Man Like Kweks - Spell Freedom
Man Like Kweks - Tokyo Citadel
Man Like Kweks + Billiv - Nostr City
Man Like Kweks - Relay Rider
Man Like Kweks + QW - This Is The Way
Man Like Kweks - Man Like Rambo
Man Like Kweks + Ltngstore - Gorilla Sats
Cry (prod.Samoss) Nawe
Fly (feat B. LEO) Enid Mollel
Wale Watu (Those People)
God Candle - Richard
Black Future Super Computer = Black Vulcanite
Man Like Kweks - Bitcoin Dada

(BTW, yes, my AC is loud. It was 109 degrees here and a necessary evil. I muted myself during the interview as much as possible. And that’s Kweks’ cricket you hear, which is good luck for us all ).

We talk about music, Bitcoin Adoption in Africa, music rights, Nostr, Wavlake, and all things #V4V.

Things talked about in this episode:

Watch + Zap ⚡️ The Dance Battle on Tunestr.io !

Thursday, October 3. 6 PM EST.

Place: Arusha, Tanzania.

Event: Dance Battle Festival, Audition Round

Shake a leg & zap the vision of @Man Like Kweks - Only on tunestr.io

Stemstr: https://stemstr.app/

QW & Heather’s sobriety talk: https://www.fountain.fm/episode/hcpRRhQ6AwkEJi7uL89r

M-PESA (Mobile money): https://www.vodafone.com/about-vodafone/what-we-do/m-pesa

Heather’s long songs playlist on Wavlake: https://wavlake.com/playlist/4202a4f0-5a7f-4606-a3f6-cc960dc873ea

Shop at Lightning Store! https://lightning.store/

Juicy B delivery in Kampala: https://glovoapp.com/ug/en/kampala/juicy-b-kpa/

Bitcoin Park: https://bitcoinpark.com/

Get your music into the Valueverse! phantompowermusic.io

Proof of Work Academy: https://coinmarketcap.com/academy/article/01ccc4e5-8b37-4e06-abeb-8ee69df6b3e1

Follow Man Like Kweks on Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1fnn2h0tgm2mwnl0kar5ez25wztum2w0q0rrrf326n0ljn999znwsqf4xnx

Follow Heather Larson Nostr: primal.net/p/npub1nl8r463jkdtr0qu0k3dht03jt9t59cttk0j8gtxg9wea2russlnq2zf9d0

The Contra-versy About AI Slop: How a Father-Son Duo Creates with Logic

Heather Larson — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 01:00:28 GMT

Contra is a military veteran, Bitcoiner, Nostr philosopher, and the creative force behind a father-son music project. This conversation covers his Bitcoin origin story, why military veterans seem to take to Bitcoin and Nostr like a mission, and the real story behind his music that a lot of people consider to be AI slop.

Contra found Bitcoin in 2016 through a military training class that touched on dark web operations and technology. His first instinct was pyramid scheme. The class instructor reframed it as dollar cost averaging and the rest is history. Nostr came next, around late 2022 or early 2023.

On why military veterans seem to gravitate toward Bitcoin and Nostr: the mission-oriented mindset, the tight community, the shared sense that no one is coming to save you and that it is time to take matters into your own hands.

The music. Contra has a soon-to-be 19-year-old son who has played drums since childhood, picked up every instrument in the house, and has been learning Logic Pro for years. They sit down together, his son starts with guitar or drums, they record and clip pieces in Logic Pro, find a consistent voice for the album, and build it out from there. It is a father-son project about two and a half to three years in the making. The AI component is used to enhance, not replace. His son is the musician. Contra is the music fan who showed up.

The Geyser Fund for their music exists because his son asked a fair question: what am I getting out of this? All zaps and sats from Wavlake and Nostr go directly to his son. Contra keeps none of it.

On what Contra wants to see more of in Nostr: better onboarding, more people understanding they do not own their audience on legacy platforms, and bringing back the randomness of the internet. He floated the idea of coordinated comment section raids into Bitcoin Twitter to pull people toward Nostr. He wants more people awake, not more followers.

On the difference between Nostr and Twitter engagement: on Twitter a post can get thousands of views with zero real interaction. On Nostr someone is actually going to respond. That realness is the whole point.

Find Contra on Nostr. Find Heather at ditto.pub. Support independent music at wavlake.com and fountain.fm.

https://ditto.pub/reformedsaint@zaps.lol

https://ditto.pub/heather@nostrplebs.com

https://ditto.pub/

https://soapbox.pub/blog/ditto-updates-april-2026