Tom Mustill is a conservation biologist and he makes beautiful films about where nature and people meet. He’s worked with Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough, he’s been shat on by bats in Mexico, and recently he finished a book called How to Speak Whale. It describes the very real possibility that someday, maybe even in my lifetime, we’ll begin to understand the complex language of whales–and all this would imply.
I interviewed Tom for hours and I didn’t want him to stop until he’d told me every last thing he’s learned about whale behavior and every story he could remember. He was polite about it. I don’t know why I felt this insatiable need to hear every story. Maybe it seems that if we could understand whale culture a little bit, everything would make a little more sense? Anyway I recorded Tom for as long as he’d let me.
Links
Under The Water, song by Hand Habits and Amelia Meath
Whale photo above is a screengrab from one of Tom’s films
I usually wake up, take my tea, open my laptop and read emails, and the news. I do not recommend such behavior. TODAY I noticed this podcast pop in just as I opened up. Instead of reading emails or scrolling through what they are calling news, I listened, and listened, and listened, and listened, and just fucking WOW. Thank you Erica and thank you Tom Mustill. To the whales, all I can say is… thank you, I’m listening.
Gorgeous–we know so much we know so little.
What an audio gem — and really such a gift! I wanted to re-listen to this as soon as the episode ended, and I immediately shared it with a handful of people. Such masterful questions and exquisite audio work, this episode is a work of art and calls up something deep in our humanity. This piece goes beyond words in so many ways. Thank you, Erica.
I’ve heard your wrestling in other episodes with feeling like you might become irrelevant, but please be assured you are one of the most timeless and relevant interviewers and audio producers I’ve had the pleasure of listening to — and I say this as a fellow audio producer.
This was absolutely fantastic. Deeply moving stuff. Thank you so much for this episode. . .and all of the others, too!
One of your best episodes ever! I remember when the album ” Songs of the humpback whale” first came out. I really wanted it and my sister got it for me one Christmas. To this day, it is the only gift I have ever received that moved me to tears. It is mesmerizing and beautiful.
Thank you Anne.
This is an incredible episode. You are such a good interviewer and have a nice wide variety of subjects.
Absolutely astounding…listened while lying on the floor and felt myself vicariously swimming with Tom and vibrating as the whale songs swept through us. This episode is another gift. Thank you Tom for your good work and for articulating your experiences to beautifully. And Erica! What a great interviewer and editor…your insightful questions, ponderings and observations weave it all together. Wow.
Beautiful and so touching episode!
Oh the long way to understanding where we live and with whom we share this blue planet. Learning about the work of somebody like Tom Mustill is definitely a step towards that understanding.
Thank so much Erica!
This episode has sent me here to write to you again. It’s been a while, but I’ve been listening! The sounds of this episode has my ears feeling like they’ve been to the sea. My heart is broken a little and I’m holding back tears in my office chair next to my colleague who has no idea what world I’ve been sent to for the last little while! I continue to think of you, Erica as a friend though it’s kind of like how I feel about Amelia Meath and her music. I know I don’t know either of you personally, but damn your work just cuts right through. Thank you!
Tom notes that “Its not about individuals, its about interaction.” Put this another way: Human conceit too often destroys lasting wonder at the beauty sounding us. Think of the the fungi kingdom, of butterfly and bird migrations. Look up at the stars.
So astonishingly beautiful. Thank you, Erica! I’ll definitely be listening to Tom Mustill’s book next.
Thank you, Erica. I especially love the blending of Amelia’s voice with the whale song. Haunting and surprising. And your episode reminded me of another astounding whale podcast experience. On the off chance you haven’t heard it, I recommend This Is Love, episode 2: “Something Large and Wild.” It touched me at my core.
Thanks again for all of your careful and beautiful work.