By any measure Marc Maron has had a banner year.
Must feel good, right?
Its well-deserved success, with a career in comedy and radio that has spanned multiple decades of hard work.
Do you feel that way?
No, I have to work more, I think.
Id like to put my feet up on the desk.
I do need to figure out how to take a break, I need to figure that out.
So its kind of like going from one thing to the next without necessarily a grand scheme, maybe?
Well I mean, you know, theres context.
At least in the creative process.
How do you keep track of it all?
Im not great at keeping track of stuff.
I dont use many apps, you know, I just dont.
I use the Gmail calendar and I useGarageBandto record.
And Im onTwittertoo much.
But I dont manage my life with apps, really.
Are you an iPhone guy?
Or do you have an Android?
So it probably follows that you use Apple computers too, being that you mentioned GarageBand.
Yeah, I do, I use all the Apple stuff.
Ive got an Apple Air-book-whatever.
And Ive got a computer out there that I use specifically for the podcast.
I wanted to ask about your workspace.
No, that tends to be my dining room table, unfortunately.
I thought I was getting an office, I dont know whats going on with it.
But generally it seems to be the dining room table.
And aside from the phone and computer, is there any other gadget that you really need?
You must have some kind of mobile recording setup, right?
I generally use aZoom H4N[digital recorder] with a couple ofShure Beta 58slately.
I used to useBlue Encore 200 micsbut Im using the the Beta 58s for some reason these days.
Do you ever have time to let your mind wander?
Or is it always constantly working on the next thing?
I mean my mind wanders a lot.
It doesnt necessarily wander to good places.
But yeah my mind wanders, even if its not always in the best direction.
I play guitar too, I like to do that.
Does that help you think?
Or remove yourself from thinking about the other things?
Yesits a meditative process for me.
Yeah I dont listen to much music while Im working.
I listen in the car.
Well thats not true, Ive got records going a lot here.
Does that help you recharge?
Kind of; its calming.
I like having music in the background if Im just sitting around.
Sometimes its annoying, it depends.
I go through waves of it, you know?
Are you a night owl or an early riser?
Im not really a night owl; I used to be, I guess.
Im usually in bed by midnight or so.
I cant sleep anymoreI get up pretty early.
Today I got up at 6:30, I usually get up between 6:30 and 7:30, just because.
I like to have a couple hours in the morning just to get my head together.
What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?
Is there something in everyday life that you find yourself being the go-to guy for?
I dont knowI mean, I live a pretty solitary life, really.
But Im pretty good at making coffee.
And Im pretty good at cooking things, but Im not really a go-to guy.
Are you an obsessive coffee person?
What kind of coffee brewing method?
Im not that obsessive.
I sort of leveled offIm using this [pour over] cone.
And I use a sort of cone, I time it out in a cone.
But I do grind per pot.
Yeah, its a process.
I dont take coffee for granted, certainly.
But thats a reasonable level of good coffee, I think.
Are you currently reading anything that youre really into?
Im about to start Kliph Nesteroffs book,The Comedians.
I was reading Cintra Wilsons new book,Fear and Clothing.
Both of them are very compulsive genius writers.
I generally know that people who get things donework, one way or the other.
You know what I mean?
I know how most people work.
I dont know about talking to anybody specifically about guidance in that.
I imagine I could be more effective with my time if I thought about it differently.
But I usually get a lot of stuff done.
Whats the best advice youve ever received?
What advice have people given you that stuck?
I think thats generally the best advice.
Lower your expectations, do the best it’s possible for you to, and see what happens.
And shut up and listen.
Is there anything else you might want to say to our readers and your fans?
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
