For the Record is a conversation series where we speak with all manner of music heads — DJs, music journos, indie label captains, record shop owners, listening bar kingpins, et al — about their stories + the music that makes them.

Join the Crate Coalition: https://discord.gg/sAaG6a7bv4

C.Y. Lee grew up in Boston where he studied music, architecture, and computer science. He started with piano and cello, then migrated to DJing and college radio in the late 80s, amassing a huge collection of vinyl and CDs.

His career is rooted in 80s college radio, 90s PC software, 00s Internet, and 10s social apps. He is currently collaborating with artists, scenes, and platforms to create new ways to narrate & finance the artist’s creative process via NFTs.

His intention is to foster a culture where fans enthusiastically support independent artists via new forms of patronage.

MUSIC MENTIONS

Early days & journey into music:

• Chopin
• Real Audio
• Napster
• SoundCloud

College radio DJing to now (19:54):

• New Order
• Erasure
• Depeche Mode
• Carl Cox

Discovering music today, evolution of artist-fan relationships (25:43):

• Spotify
• Will Smith
• Black Dave
• Morrissey
• Twitch
• Sound of Fractures

Q&A

• Erykah Badu
• BandCamp
• Patreon

Artists of note discovered in the last year (35:11):

• Kenya Grace
• Victoria Monét
• New Jeans
• Forrest Mortifee

Most under-appreciated artist from your favorite music decade (37:51):

• Kings of Convenience

Desert Island Discs (55:05):

• New Order - Substance
• Chopin - Études