Hi, I'm Joseph Fink, podcaster and novelist, and this is the show where I talk with John

Darniel, singer and songwriter of the band The Mountain Goats about what it means to be a fan, to be an artist, and to be both at once.

We are going song by song through the brand new Mountain Goats album In League with Dragons.

Today we consider the song Possum by Night, or as it was known at the time of this recording,

Colt of the Cornered Possum.

John and I discuss an important point of real artistic disagreement

between the two of us, as well as the various cute animals

that live near our homes.

So we're rolling. I'm once again eating.

I don't care if you hear that.

I'm really not particular.

I know some people have a hard time and that it's very hard for them

on their ears so you should tune out for the next 20 seconds till I finish my hamantasha, my prune

hamatasha. You got to respect the hamatome. Yes you do. It's really good and I'm

not going to finish the rest of it until the end of the episode I will have stretched this hamantosh in over three or four episodes.

Today John we have finally reached it yes the cult of the cornered possum on your

notes for this episode that you...

What did I say?

I don't have the notes 60.

Well, you said we'd spend most of the episode talking about possums, and I absolutely agree.

I think we should.

The possum is a beautiful creature.

...