Vish Khanna, Journalist at Kreative Kontrol

Based in Guelph, Ontario, Vish Khanna has played in several bands and is an Assistant Editor at Exclaim! Magazine, where he currently oversees the Comedy section. He was a Host and Producer at CBC Radio 3 and is an on-air columnist for the CBC Radio One program, The Next Chapter with Shelagh Rogers. He writes a monthly arts column for the Guelph Mercury Tribune. His written work has also been featured in Pitchfork, NOW, the A.V. Club, the Globe and Mail, Spinner, Huffington Post, Signal to Noise, Aux, Eye Weekly, Chart Attack, Off the Shelf, and more. He began organizing and promoting concerts in Guelph in 1997 and continues to do so sporadically (including December’s annual Stay Out of the Mall mini-festival), under the moniker KYEO, which is a reference to a Fugazi song of the same name. He once co-hosted CFRU 93.3 FM‘s The Mich Vish Interracial Morning Show! with his wife Michelle. He’s a co-organizer of the Long Winter arts series in Toronto, where he hosts a monthly talk show called Long Night with Vish Khanna. He also currently hosts a renowned topical interview podcast called Kreative Kontrol.

What is your favourite part about your job?

The conversation

What is the biggest challenge you face in your job?

Its relative irrelevance

What do you look for in an artist you want to work with?

Authenticity, wit, logic

What is one thing you wish more people knew about your job?

I do it pretty well

Who is your role model?

Conan O’Brien

What was the worst (or funniest) pitch you have ever received?

A comedian just wrote me to ask if I could review his new stand-up album that he’s recording eight months from now

Favourite musical genre(s)?

Noise, post-punk

Favourite non-music-related pastime?

Raising children

Who are your musical heroes?

Fugazi, Beatles, Shellac

Go-to Karaoke song?

Without Me

What artists are you excited about for 2019?

Joyful Joyful

What is one thing you always pack when you go to a music festival?

Water and earplugs

Top 3 favourite albums released in 2018?

Jericho Sirens, No Recover, Wide Awake!

Poutine, shawarma or pho?

Poutine