Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond (Pushkin Industries)

Questlove talks about how he got involved with D’Angelo’s Voodoo record, the evolution of his drumming style, how he approaches DJ’ing, and tells the best Obama story ever. Part 2 of 2.

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Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell talk with David Byrne (formerly of Talking Heads) about protest music: some of his favorite protest songs, the earliest ones he heard, how they affected his songwriting, and what makes them effective.

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Mary Gauthier is one of the most unique songwriters in Nashville. Forgoing the city's often conventional pop sound, Gauthier's songs are unafraid to probe into what she calls "the extremely personal." Gauthier talks to Bruce Headlam in this episode of Broken Record about getting her start as a songwriter in her 30's and co-writing her last album, "Rifles and Rosary Beads", with U.S. Military Veterans and their families. It's one of Malcolm Gladwell's favorite records of 2018 and here she performs three numbers from the album plus one from an older release, "Mercy Now."

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Lori McKenna, Liz Rose and Hillary Lidnsey—known as the Love Junkies—write some of the best songs in Nashville today. Between the three of them, they've helped launch Taylor Swift, pushed Lady Gaga into country music—with her album "Joanne"—and gave country music one of its more controversial hits: "Girl Crush." In this episode of Broken Record they give Malcolm a glimpse into their songwriting process and break down some of their more successful songs. To hear a playlist of our favorite Love Junkies songs visit https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/.

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Malcolm Gladwell, along with guest-host, Daisy Rosario, talks with the five members of Pentatonix from GSI Studios in NYC. The quintet, who got their start on YouTube, discuss their approach to arranging a cappella versions of pop songs, writing original music, their collaboration with Dolly Parton and so much more! Pentatonix kick off their summer tour of the U.S. in Oakland this May 11. Go to http://ptxofficial.com/ for details and https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/ for a playlist of songs we've curated of the group!

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T Bone Burnett helped launch the careers of Los Lobos, Counting Crows, Gillian Welch; revive the careers of Roy Orbison and Robert Plant; course-correct Elvis Costello’s career in the mid-eighties and just recently produced a beautiful record by Sara Bareilles. Of course, there’s all of his film work as well. But while visiting Rick Rubin, himself a legendary producer and co-host of Broken Record, T Bone said he has stopped producing other artists. Instead he’s focusing on releasing his own music. "Invisible Light: Acoustic Space" an electronic infused song cycle was just released. T Bone says he has three double records ready to come out behind it. In this episode of Broken Record, from Shangri La Studios in Malibu, T Bone Burnett premiers two brand new songs on his acoustic guitar for us, talks about his pivot towards songwriting and chats about his famed career.

"Invisible Light: Acoustic Space" is available now wherever you get your music. To keep up to date on T Bone check out https://tboneburnett.com/.

Also check out our website - https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/ - follow us on Instagram - @TheBrokenRecordPod - and subscribe and rate us if you like what you hear!

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Linda Perry is one of the only women considered a go-to producer in the music industry.

After finding success with her band 4 Non Blondes and their ubiquitous single, "What's Up?" (1992) Perry went on to write and produce for other artists.

She’s worked with Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Adele, James Blunt, Britney Spears. And reinvented the careers of Pink and Christina Aguilera.

Most recently she wrote with and produced a Dolly Parton record for the Netflix movie Dumplin’ — which earned her a nomination for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical at this year's Grammys (she was the first woman nominated in 15 years).

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Bruce Headlam discovered J.S. Ondara listening to his car radio late last year. And with a great showing at South By Southwest and a spot opening for Neil Young this summer, it seems like the rest of America is  discovering him too. In this episode of Broken Record, J.S. Ondara talks about leaving his native Kenya six years ago for Minnesota — the home of his idol, Bob Dylan — and creating his debut album, "Tales of America".

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Hiatus Kaiyote is an incredibly talented group of four Australian musicians—vocalist and guitarist Nai Palm, drummer Perrin Moss, bassist Paul Bender and Simon Mavin on keys. But those aren’t permanent stations for any of them, they often move between instruments and all contribute to writing some of the most beautiful soulful music of the last decade.

Their latest album, Love Heart Cheat Code, came out earlier this year. It's the group’s fourth proper album and features some of their strongest songwriting yet while still managing to weave in some of the incredibly complex musical ideas they’re known for.

For today's episode, Justin Richmond met up with Hiatus Kaiyote at NRG Studios in Los Angeles, at the end of their US tour to talk through their new album. They also touch on their role as collaborators within—and outside of—the group, and we'll hear them perform a live set.

To see the full video version of this episode along with the band’s performance, visit YouTube.com/BrokenRecordPodcast.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Hiatus Kaiyote songs HERE.

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Today we're sharing a fun conversation with the musicians who scored another Pushkin Industries podcast—Bad Women. The first season of Bad Women focused on reconstructing the lives of the five women that Jack the Ripper murdered. Now, the second season centers around a murderer every bit terrifying as Jack the Ripper, the so-called Blackout Ripper.

On today's episode, Justin Richmond speaks with sound designer Pascal Wyse and jazz guitarist Ed Gaughan about their music-rich score. They talk about how they evoked the atmosphere of war-time bars and jazz clubs in 1940's London, and we'll hear them play examples of arrangements they created for the series.

Listen and subscribe to season two of Bad Women HERE.

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Hermanos Gutiérrez may be an instrumental guitar band, but they have zero interest in shredding. Instead the Swiss-Ecuadorian brothers, Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez, take a minimalist approach to playing. They create hypnotic, sweeping compositions inspired by classical Latin guitar and film scores from old Spaghetti Westerns.

In 2022, after releasing three albums independently, Hermanos Gutiérrez signed to Easy Eye Sound, a label owned and operated by Dan Auerbach, guitarist and vocalist of The Black Keys. Last October they released the album, El Bueno Y El Malo to critical acclaim. The album features the song “Tres Hermanos,” where Auerbach joins the brothers on guitar. Today we’ll hear Estevan and Alejandro play that song, along with a couple other songs live from Auerbach’s studio in Nashville, TN.

Justin Richmond also talks to Hermanos Gutiérrez about how their brotherly spats sometimes fuel their playing. Then they recall a recent performance in Mexico City where they played during a volcanic eruption. And how Dan Auerbach knew he wanted to meet with Hermanos Gutiérrez after seeing them play for just 15 seconds.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Hermanos Gutiérrezsongs HERE.

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Famed drummer for the Police and composer Stewart Copeland has one of the more fascinating bios in modern music. His father was a founding member of the CIA and his mom worked in British Intelligence.

After playing in the successful UK prog rock band Curved Air in the mid 70s, Stewart started a new band called the Police with bassist and lead singer, Sting—and eventually guitarist Andy Summers. Over the next decade the Police would go on to become one of the top-selling rock bands of all time, selling over 75 million records.

Last year Stewart released the book, “Stewart Copeland’s Police Diaries,” which includes his personal notes dating back to the band’s formation in 1976 through 1978, when they started to take off.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Stewart Copeland about the first time he saw Sting play and how he was able to successfully lure him into his then non-existent band. Stewart also explains why he and Sting eventually had a musical falling out, and how the Arabic rhythms he heard growing up influenced his highly lauded drumming style.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Stewart Copeland and The Police HERE.

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Raphael Saadiq is one of the great R&B writers and producers of the last 30 years. He started out fronting and playing bass in the group Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother D’Wayne Wiggins on guitar. The Tony’s had an amazing four album run from ‘88 through 1996 with hit singles like "It Never Rains (In Southern California)," "Feels Good," "Anniversary," and "If I Had No Loot."

Raphael’s also released five solo albums starting with 2002’s Instant Vintage. His most recent album, Jimmy Lee, is a collection of very personal songs about the real traumas he and his family experienced growing up in Oakland, CA.

Raphael’s also done some amazing work behind the board. He’s produced and written for the likes of D’Angelo, TLC, Mary J. Blige, Solange, Earth Wind and Fire and just recently he worked on a handful of songs on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter. He’s also earned an Academy Award nomination for his work as a film composer.

This week Justin Richmond talks with Raphael Saadiq from his studio in Los Angeles about some of the incredible work he’s done recently. Raphael breaks down his collaboration with D’Angelo on the classic track “Lady,” and how Sly Stone bassist Larry Graham influenced a generation of musicians coming up in the Bay Area. 

To see the full video version of this episode, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@BrokenRecordPodcast/videos

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Raphael Saadiq songs HERE.

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The British hip-hop subgenre grime first started to bubble up in London in the early aughts. Artists like Wiley and Dizzee Rascal developed an entirely new style by rapping over lightning-fast beats inspired by UK garage, techno and jungle.

Today’s guest, Stormzy is at the forefront of grime’s newest generation. He rose to prominence in 2015 after uploading a video to YouTube where he freestyled over classic grime tracks. Since then Stormzy has released three number one albums in the UK, won three Brit Awards, and become the first British rapper to headline the Glastonbury festival.

Just before releasing his third album, This Is What I Mean, Stormzy met up with Rick Rubin in London for a cover story from i-d Magazine’s Royalty issue. This is the recording of that conversation. On today’s episode we’ll hear Stormzy play Rick songs from his new album, and explain why he decided to consider his audience last when recording it. And Stormzy talks about how a painful break-up and trusting God helped lead him to a new melodic, soulful sound.

You can listen to a playlist of some of our favorite Stormzy songs HERE.

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Indie rock band Nada Surf first hit big on college radio in 1996 with their driving, guitar forward song, “Popular.” The band started playing together four years earlier while attending college in Vermont. But they’re perhaps best known as a New York City band, where their lead singer and primary songwriter, Matthew Caws came of age.

Caws is known as a vulnerable, and often reflective songwriter who tackles everything from social anxiety to politics in his work. Nada Surf’s latest album, Moon Mirror, is the band’s tenth studio album. It's both introspective and at times, and hard hitting.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Matthew Caws about growing up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in a house filled with baroque music, and how he thinks some of the classical instrumentation may have influenced his own writing. Mathew also recalls the time Nada Surf backed up Joey Ramone and played a full Ramones set at Coney Island High. And he performs two songs from Nada Surf’s latest album, Moon Mirror, for us live.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Nada Surf songs HERE.

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Rick Rubin joins Questlove and crew on their Questlove Supreme podcast. They discuss Rick's early Def Jam days, working with the Geto Boys, his process for taking on production work and so much more!

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Moby may be one of the most highly recognizable dance-music artists of all time, but he’s also a talented multi-hyphenate whose unconventional 30-year career includes massive success as a producer and DJ, and notoriety as an animal rights activist. Moby’s latest project, Reprise, is a greatest hits album that revisits the highlights of his extensive catalogue. Recorded with the Budapest Art Orchestra and various vocalists like Jim James, Moby’s most well known electronic songs are reimagined on Reprise into sparse, soul-stirring compositions.

On today’s episode we’ll hear Rick Rubin and Moby reminisce about their early punk rock days in New York City, and the first time Moby ever heard house music while dancing in a club basement next to Prince. Moby also talks about what it was like to be buddies with David Bowie, getting sober, and why he decided to sell the big fancy castle he lived in all by himself.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com

Check out a playlist of Moby's early influences from the NYC club scene  HERE.

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DJ Drama is one of the most iconic mixtape DJs of all time. His legendary Gangsta Grillz tapes helped propel artists like T.I. and Young Jeezy to stardom. His classic Dedication series reinvigorated Lil’ Wayne’s career in the early and mid-2000s.

By 2007, the underground mixtape market was booming. But in January of that year DJ Drama and his longtime business partner Don Cannon were arrested by federal agents and charged with bootlegging and racketeering. The much publicized raid only boosted DJ Drama’s profile. In the years since, DJ Drama has built a successful record label and he’s continued to make mixtapes. Tyler The Creator even crafted his latest album, Call Me If You Get Lost, with DJ Drama’s classic adlibs all over it. It won the Grammy for best rap album in 2022.

That same year though, while DJ Drama was professionally at the height of his success, personally he was battling an addiction to opioids—an ongoing struggle he’s only recently started to talk about publicly.

On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to DJ Drama about how he got sober after being what he calls “a functioning junkie” who spent six figures a year on opioids. He also tells the story of how Lil Jon recorded his iconic “gangsta grillz” drops in Drama’s laundry room. And Drama explains why he decided to sign Lil Uzi Vert and Jack Harlow to his Atlantic Records imprint, Generation Now.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite DJ Drama songs HERE.

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Coming off the loss of Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Roy Haynes and Lou Donaldson at the end of 2024, it’s truly a treat to bring you a fresh interview with one of the last musicians of the Bebop era, the saxophone colossus himself, Sonny Rollins. Since we last spoke, a couple interesting artifacts from Rollins life have surfaced: "The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins" and "Rollins in Holland." We discuss those releases, his spirituality and the loss of some of his comrades in 2024.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Sonny Rollins songs HERE.

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Of all the groundbreaking musicians to come out of the ‘60s, few were as engaged socially and politically as Joan Baez. A lifelong proponent of non-violent activism, Joan marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and has continued to advocate for non-violent, civil disobedience ever since.

With the release of her debut album in 1960, Joan Baez became the preeminent female folkie. With just her exquisite soprano and her guitar, she reworked classic American folk songs and eventually wrote songs that helped fuel her activism. By the time she helped launch Bob Dylan’s career by inviting him on stage with her in the early ‘60s, Joan was already an international sensation.

In 2019, after a career that spanned nearly six decades, Joan announced she was no longer performing live. In recent years, she’s turned her creative attention to visual art. Her new book of drawings titled “Am I Pretty When I Fly” features sketches rooted in humor, freedom, and sorrow. But, in classic Joan Baez style, her drawings defy convention—they were all drawn upside down.

On today’s episode you’ll hear a live conversation Justin Richmond had with Joan Baez at the Chicago Humanities Festival in May. Joan spoke about the emotional catharsis she finds in drawing. She also talked about juggling music and activism as a young artist, and what happened when she handed over access to her personal storage unit to a group of documentary filmmakers who are making a movie about her life. And despite giving up live performance, she took a moment to serenade the crowd all with her beloved voice.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Joan Baez songs HERE.

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Join Justin Richmond and Ben Walter, CEO of Chase For Business, for a special conversation about finding success in the music industry through non-traditional means. Ben shares his insights on balancing risk while scaling a business, as they talk about how the indie label XL Recordings built a sustainable business model by making unorthodox business decisions. He also shares how artists often have an edge in creating original business ideas like when music titans Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine built Beats by Dre and later sold it to Apple Music for $3 billion. 

This episode was made in partnership with Chase for Business. Listen and subscribe to Ben Walter's podcast The Unshakeables here. 

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Today we have part two of Rick Rubin’s conversation with producer and composer, Giles Martin. In part one, Giles talked about his delicate work remastering classic Beatles albums. Today we’ll hear Giles talk about his dad, Sir George Martin, who never second guessed his own genius. Giles also shares hilarious stories from his time as a teenager living at his father’s storied studio that was destroyed by a volcano in the Caribbean. Plus, he talks about the time he was fired and then rehired by Martin Scorsese.

You can follow Rick Rubin's new podcast, Tetragrammaton, at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tetragrammaton-with-rick-rubin/id1671669052

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Beatles songs remastered by Giles Martin HERE.

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In the 1970’s Jackson Browne was known as one of the originators of the carefree, California classic rock sound with hits like “Doctor My Eyes” and “Running on Empty.” As his career progressed, Jackson Browne’s knack for writing soul-searching lyrics turned more political. Browne continues to use his music as a vehicle for change today. His latest album, Downhill From Everywhere, was inspired by a documentary about the Pacific garbage patch and our impact on the planet.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Jackson Browne about how he is able to turn catastrophic headlines into palatable songs. Browne also talks about moving to New York City when he was 18 and how he ended up writing songs for the Velvet Underground’s Nico. And Browne remembers the time his former label boss, David Geffen, shut down his attempt to quote the Black Panthers’ Bobby Seale in a song.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com

Check out our favorite Jackson Browne songs HERE.

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Amanda Shires is a Texas-born singer/songwriter who got her start at 15 when she joined Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys on fiddle. After starting her solo career in 2005, Shires continued to play with a number of other bands including her husband Jason Isbell's band, the 400 Unit. In 2019, she started the all-female country supergroup The Highwomen, which includes Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Maren Morris.

After the 2022 release of Amanda Shires’ seventh solo album, Take It Like A Man, she released an album of covers with the late Bobbie Nelson—who’s primarily known for playing piano in her younger brother Willie Nelson’s band. Amanda initially enlisted Bobbie to play on her version of Willie’s classic, “You Were Always On My Mind,” but they continued to record together. The resulting collection of songs became the album Loving You, which was released this past June, nearly a year after Bobbie’s death.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Amanda Shires about Bobbie Nelson’s unfortunate start in the music business. Amanda also talks about why she feels more comfortable singing about society’s big issues alongside The Highwomen. And she remembers the time she went to Vegas and gambled away all her band’s tour money—only to win it all back after playing craps through the night.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Amanda Shires songs HERE.

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Since his major-label debut in 2011, James Blake's haunting vocals and brilliantly edited, collage-style tracks have helped usher in a new sound in popular music. James has both produced and contributed vocals to a ton of artists including Travis Scott, Jay-Z, and Spanish megastar, Rosalia. He even earned a Grammy for best rap performance alongside Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and Future on the song “King’s Dead” from the Black Panther soundtrack.

This month James is releasing his sixth solo album, which is a nod to his electronic music roots. It’s called Playing Robots Into Heaven—a title inspired by the modular synth James built for the album that creates sounds meant to evoke a spiritual experience conjured by machines. It’s a heady concept that translates into some of the most heartfelt and energized tracks James has made to date.

On today’s episode, Leah Rose talks to James Blake about how he and his longtime collaborator Dom Maker constructed key tracks on the new album. James also recalls how a conversation with Rick Rubin changed his life. And he reveals how he spent months making new music with Andre 3000 only to learn on this podcast that it may never be released.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite James Blake songs HERE.

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Today we have the one and only Patti Smith on the show. Patti is the prototypical downtown, New York City artist. Her 1975 debut album Horses is credited as one of the masterpieces of its time. It also cemented her as one of rock n roll's great lyricists. But her writing extends far beyond music. Her 2010 memoir, Just Kids, won the National Book Award for its brilliant portrayal of the ‘70s bohemian art scene in New York, and Patti’s experience living in the Chelsea Hotel with the famed photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe. Today Patti publishes near-daily offerings of poems, songs and serialized fiction on her Substack newsletter. It’s a journal of sorts that she started during the solitary days of the pandemic. 

On today’s episode, Malcolm Gladwell talks to Patti Smith about her writing in the studio Jimi Hendrix built, Electric Lady. It was there, she tells Malcolm, that she met Hendrix in 1970—just weeks before he passed away. Patti also talks about hanging out with and writing lyrics for Janis Joplin, and she recalls the fun she had during a failed attempt to cover Adele in concert.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com

Hear a playlist of all of our favorite Patti Smith songs HERE.

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In the 30-plus years since Billy Corgan hit it big as the lead singer/songwriter of The Smashing Pumpkins, he’s become many things including the owner of the National Wrestling Alliance, a father and a husband, and an outspoken advocate of free speech through appearances on divisive podcasts hosted by Alex Jones, Joe Rogan, and Bill Maher.

Proving to be both eloquent and controversial, Billy is now hosting his own long form interview podcast called "The Magnificent Others" where he interviews music industry heavyweights like Tom Morello, Sharon Osbourne, and Gene Simmons.

On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Billy Corgan about his approach to interviewing, why he rejected the alternative-music ethos in the 90s, and the subset of his fanbase that he calls “Siamese zombies.”

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Billy Corgan HERE.

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Justin Richmond shares the first chapter of a new book he's been working on with Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam. It’s called Miracle And Wonder, Conversations with Paul Simon. Download the audiobook today at miracleaudiobook.com and receive an exclusive listener's guide featuring additional commentary from Bruce Headlam and the producers of Miracle and Wonder.

Miracle and Wonder is culled from 30 hours of conversations between Malcolm, Bruce and Paul himself. Paul breaks down his musical evolution, from the doo-wop he loved as a kid, to the folk music of his teens and early adulthood, all the way to the new music he’s making today at age 80. There are tons of unheard stories and raw moments as Paul remembers how he wrote some of the most famous songs in his catalogue. You'll also hear cameos from artists like Jeff Tweedy and Sting. 

Enjoy this excerpt and download the audiobook today at miracleaudiobook.com.

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Swedish-born singer Neneh Cherry’s four-decade-long career has ricocheted between a number of genres including hip-hop, jazz, and trip-hop. Her first single in 1988, “Buffalo Stance,” cemented her standing as a no-nonsense Black feminist voice in contemporary urban music. This year Neneh released her sixth album, “The Versions.” It’s a collection of cover songs of some of Cherry’s biggest hits, and is performed exclusively by female artists including Robyn, Sia, and Neneh’s daughter Tyson.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Neneh Cherry about her bohemian upbringing in Sweden, New York and London with stepdad Don Cherry, the famous jazz trumpet player. Neneh also recalls how she first met The Slits, the legendary all-girl punk group. And why despite scoring her first big hit with a cheeky rap verse, she never considered herself a real MC.

Hear a playlist of all of our favorite Neneh Cherry songs HERE.

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Shannon & The Clams were long time regulars in the Bay Area music scene. The band’s two main songwriters—Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard met in college in Oakland, California. They remained there for about a decade until a number of events set them adrift physically and spiritually.

The band’s new album, The Moon Is In the Wrong Place, is taken from a phrase Shannon’s fiancé, Joe Haener uttered shortly before his passing. Much of the album is anchored around Shannon’s grief. On today's episode Justin Richmond talks to Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard about moving away from Oakland, the aftermath of losing a loved one, and about their Dan Auerbach-produced album, The Moon Is In The Wrong Place.

You can hear a playlist from Shannon's late fiancé, Joe Haener, HERE.

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Today we have the second part of Rick Rubin’s conversation with legendary singer/songwriter Graham Nash. We dropped part one a couple of weeks ago, so definitely go check that out if you haven’t already.

On today’s episode Graham tells Rick about the time the Grateful Dead were recording next to CSNY and how Jerry Garcia improvised a near-perfect pedal steel solo on “Teach Your Children.” Graham also describes a bizarre encounter with the judge who sentenced his father to prison, and he shares the inspiration behind his new solo album, Now.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Graham Nash songs HERE.

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S.G. Goodman turns traditional Southern storytelling on its head with songs that present a deeper, more complex look at life below the Mason-Dixon line. As a queer person who lives with mental illness, she often sings about the social and political change she'd like to see in her part of the country. Goodman talks to Bruce Headlam about her new album, produced by My Morning Jacket's Jim James, and plays some of the songs live from her home in Murray, Kentucky.

Subscribe to Broken Record's YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/

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Kentucky singer/songwriter Sturgill Simpson was in his mid-30s when he found fame as a country artist in Nashville. He had already lived a full life including a stint in the Navy, and years spent working in Salt Lake City rail yards. His outsider status in Nashville boosted his outlaw appeal. But as time passed, Sturgill began to despise the relentless expectations of the major label system. In true rebel fashion, Sturgill has now taken back control of his career and returned to his independent roots with the release of a bluegrass album: Cuttin’ Grass - Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions). In this interview with Rick Rubin, Sturgill explains why his bluegrass album is the purest expression of his work, why it bothers him that people often overlook the stories in his songs, and why being classified as a country artist has been, perhaps, the biggest detriment to his career.

Subscribe to Broken Record's YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/

You can find some of our favorite Sturgill Simpson songs by clicking HERE — enjoy!

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Mike Campbell, guitarist, co-writer and original Heartbreaker talks to Rick Rubin about growing up with Tom Petty, working on Wildflowers and about his new album, Wreckless Abandon, with band The Dirty Knobs. It’s the first band Mike’s ever been a part of without Petty - who he started playing with in the early 70’s in Mudcrutch. And it’s the first time Rick’s been able to catch up with Mike since Tom’s passing. They talk about their work together and how the Heartbreakers always managed to find new life ... plus Mike, for the first time, tells the story of how he wrote the riff for “Runnin' Down A Dream."

Subscribe to Broken Record's YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/

You can find some of our favorite songs by and featuring Mike Campbell by clicking HERE — enjoy!

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As if having one of the most beautiful and distinctive voices of all time weren’t enough, Smokey Robinson is also one of the greatest songwriters ever, a top-notch producer, engaging performer, and an indispensable part of Motown's legacy. In other words: he’s an institution of American music unto himself.

On February 19th, Smokey turns 85, and as he prepares to head out for another run on the road including a three night engagement at the Venetian in Las Vegas, Smokey sat down with Justin Richmond for a conversation about his incredible life and legacy.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Smokey Robinson songs HERE.

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Alejandro Escovedo is a Texas-born singer/songwriter who comes from a rich family of musicians including his niece, Sheila E. Alejandro started out in the pioneering San Francisco punk band the Nuns in 1975. From there he moved to New York, and then eventually settled in Austin where he started playing rootsy rock with bands like Rank and File, as well as The True Believers.

In March, Alejandro Escovedo released his latest album, Echo Dancing, a retrospective of his career that spans five decades. Inspired by artists like Brian Eno and Suicide, Alejandro Escovedo both re-imagines and re-records his previous work on the new album.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Alejandro Escovedo about his upbringing in San Antonio and Huntington Beach, where he’d sometimes pretend to be Hawaiian to avoid getting beat up. He also tells some great stories about his swings through Austin and San Francisco—like being on the bill for the Sex Pistol’s final show.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Alejandro Escovedo songs HERE.

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Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn and Amelia Meath have been making music together since 2013, when Amelia asked Nick, a music producer and bassist, to remix her band Mountain Man’s hit single “Play It Right.” He did, and the rest is history. Sylvan Esso has always had a very sleek, electro-pop feel to their production. Amelia’s powerful voice is front and center, surrounded by harmonies and samples of her own voice. Nick’s genre-destroying bass creates intricate, pulsing grooves for Amelia’s voice to inhabit.

Now, the married couple and electronic duo have released their fourth studio album, No Rules Sandy. It’s a follow-up to the band’s Grammy-nominated 2020 album, Free Love. The new album is a mix of improvisation and experimentation. On today’s episode, Bruce Headlam speaks with Amelia and Nick about their creative process and how No Rules Sandy came to be. They also play two songs off their new album live.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Sylvan Esso songs HERE.

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In her new Pushkin audiobook Inside Voice: My Obsession with How We Sound, actress/writer/director/producer Lake Bell goes down some fascinating rabbit holes, exploring the psychology and social science of our voices.  But you gotta start with the mechanics.  In this excerpt you’ll hear Lake's conversation with ENT doc to the stars Dr. Randolph Schnitman. He's treated the who’s who of music, strengthening and even saving their voices. If you’re interested at all in how our voices make beautiful music, you’ll like Inside Voice. Available at insidevoiceaudiobook.com, Audible, Apple Books, Spotify, and wherever audiobooks are sold.

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Randy Bachman is the Canadian guitarist and songwriter behind a slew of hits with the bands The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive. Although he was based far from the '60s powerhouse music scenes of Laurel Canyon and Swinging London, Bachman first made a name for himself performing across the Great White North.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Randy who dissects his hits including “American Woman” and “These Eyes.” He also explains how he became one of the great guitarists of his generation.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Randy Bachman songs HERE.

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Rick Rubin connected with Pharrell Williams over Zoom recently to talk through and listen to some of the biggest hits from Pharrell’s illustrious career. They chat about what Pharrell is currently working on (Rihanna!), the French powdered drink mix that helped P write “Get Lucky” with Daft Punk, and why Pharrell thinks he sounds like a sick billy goat on the hook for Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful.” And be sure to check out Pharrell's new podcast OTHERtone - https://link.chtbl.com/brokenrecord

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/

Hear all the songs Pharrell mentioned in the episode, along with his favorite Neptunes-produced tracks HERE — you can also enjoy a playlist of some of Pharrell's favorite songs as told to Rick Rubin HERE — enjoy!

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Previewing the first episode of Against the Rules Season 2 by Michael Lewis (Moneyball, The Big Short, The Blind Side):

It wasn’t that long ago that coaches were confined to sports. Now they’re everywhere. You can hire a life coach or a death coach, an executive coach, a dating coach, even a charisma coach. Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis asks who’s getting all this coaching, and who isn’t? Lewis brings his wry wit and mastery of storytelling to topics as diverse as sports, consumer finance, college, and firefighting —  to understand what the rise of coaching means for all of us.In a seven-episode season, Against the Rules takes listeners from the home of a single mom in the mountains of Colorado, the classrooms of the Harvard Business School, to a data-driven “Bionic Man” facility for baseball pitchers. He speaks with a celebrity voice coach, an analyst who grades sales calls, and a startup founder who's coaching consumers out of credit-card debt. Along the way, he also revisits the controversial methods of his own high-school baseball coach. Through conversations both amusing and horrifying, Lewis explores the rise of coaching in America and what it says about unfairness. 

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Maggie Rogers has never been one to mince words. Aside from her powerhouse voice, one of Maggie’s superpowers is her ability to write pop songs fueled by radical emotional transparency. And while it’s thrilling when an artist bares their soul, that level of constant vulnerability can be unsustainable.
In 2019, after releasing her Grammy-nominated debut, Heard It In A Past Life, and then touring the album relentlessly, Maggie was desperately in need of time away from the spotlight. Just before the pandemic she retreated to her parent’s home in coastal Maine. There, she began writing and recording for her follow-up album, Surrender.

Maggie also started to think deeply about her role as a pop star, and the relationship between herself and the audience. In 2021 she enrolled in a masters program of religion and public life at Harvard Divinity School. There, her studies focused on the spirituality of public gatherings and the ethics of power in pop culture.

On today’s episode, producer Leah Rose talks to Maggie Rogers about how comforting it was for her to become a student again. Maggie also recalls the time she took motorcycle lessons to re-channel the massive amounts of adrenaline she experienced on her first tour. And, we’ll hear the song from Maggie’s new album that she says is the perfect distillation of where she is at now as an artist.

You can hear a playlist of our favorite Maggie Rogers songs HERE.

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Today we have a conversation between old friends Rick Rubin and Michael Stipe. Along with his former band R.E.M., Stipe's expert, open-hearted lyrics gave voice to the sensitive and misunderstood among us with hits like “The One I Love,” “Everybody Hurts,” and “Losing My Religion.”

After R.E.M. broke up a little over a decade ago, Stipe followed other creative pursuits like photography. But now Stipe has found his way back to music and is working on his first ever solo album. On today’s episode, Michael plays Rick his new song, “Future If Future” produced by Andy LeMaster. Michael Stipe also talks about why he decided to record a solo album, and how he always intended to be super famous—and what it was like when that actually happened.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord.

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com.

Hear a playlist of all of our favorite R.E.M. and Michael Stipe songs HERE.

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Booker T. Jones—as leader of Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Stax record's house band—helped popularize the sound of Southern soul music. Working alongside Stax legends like Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, Albert King and more, his finger prints were everywhere. He details it all in his new book "Time Is Tight: My Life, Note By Note." He sat with Bruce Headlam in Brooklyn to discuss his time at Stax, including some of the great songs he had a hand in writing, and about his incredible career after leaving the label.

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When Robbie Robertson turned a house perched above a Malibu beach into a home studio in the 1970's, he had no idea it'd remain a refuge for artists decades later. In this episode, Robbie returns to Shangri La—now the home of our own Rick Rubin—to discuss creating the studio, helping Bob Dylan go electric with The Band, writing "The Weight" and collaborating with Martin Scorsese on his films.

"Once Were Brothers" a documentary about The Band, comes out in theaters on February 21st. Visit https://www.oncewerebrothers.com/ to see where you can catch it.

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RUN DMC were the first rap group on the cover of Rolling Stone. The first to go gold, platinum and multi-platinum. They were true pioneers of Hip Hop in the 80’s, releasing classic albums like “Raising Hell” and “Tougher Than Leather” — both collaborations with Rick Rubin. But by the 90s Hip Hop and changed. RUN DMC were struggling to find their way and so was Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. The self-proclaimed "King of Rock" tells Rick that at one point, the only thing giving him the will to live, was a Sarah McLachlan song.

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James Taylor's voice sounds sweet and carefree. It's a gift that hides the darker side to his lyrics and life. He and Malcolm Gladwell sat and uncovered some of the more troubling moments from his early life in this conversation. James also talks about it in his audio memoir, Break Shot, available now through Audible.

They also discuss the beach music scene of the Carolinas and the music that got James interested in music. Some of those tunes are represented on his new album, American Standard. Where James reworks classics of the great American songbook.

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Run the Jewels recently took a (smoke) break while working on their fourth album at Shangri-La and taped this podcast with Rick Rubin. Killer Mike and El-P tell Rick about the music that first caught their imaginations as kids, how Run-DMC inspired their philosophy as a group, and who would be the court jester—and who would be a tribe leader—in their post-apocalyptic fantasy world.

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Bassist, songwriter, and composer Esperanza Spalding sits with Bruce Headlam to discuss her latest work and the opera she’s writing with the legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter. They also discuss why Esperanza shies away from being labeled a prodigy, what it’s like jamming at Joni Mitchell's house, and how, despite her improvisational approach, she’s so much more than just a jazz musician.

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The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir talks to Rick Rubin about why the legendary band was never focused on their studio recordings, and how they were always more interested in seeing where their live shows would take them. Bob also plays a new song from an opera he's writing and tells Rick about a recent dream where he and Jerry Garcia performed a new song that materialized into a room-sized sheep dog.

Bob Weir's Jug Band Playlist & our favorite Weir songs: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6K125dakokqmpvIriLONID?si=pP98EJwVTXCaYF_xJF7ezQ

Check for updates to Bob's touring schedule here: https://bobweir.net/#!/events?page=1

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Nathaniel Rateliff talks to Bruce Headlam about his new solo album, And It’s Still Alright, a deeply intimate project that reflects on the loss of his former producer and good friend Richard Swift. Nathaniel plays songs off his new record and recounts his journey as a musician, starting with his family’s gospel band up until his recent success as the frontman of the critically-acclaimed group, The Nightsweats.

Nathaniel Rateliff made an awesome playlist of his favorite songs you can listen to here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5MlFYjnJ2R3UMQ2LM3wnLp?si=n_tNYUOSTDmCuqAjbGPMAQ

To see about when you can catch him on the road head to https://www.nathanielrateliff.com/tour.

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Rick Rubin talks with his friend, world-renowned Buddhist and meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield. He's long been one of the most influential figures in American Buddhism.

He connects with Rick by Zoom to guide him and you through a couple of different guided meditations. A gift for these stressful times.

You can find the first of those meditations at 8:00 and the second meditation at 42:32.

And if you're interested in learning more about meditation or Jack's work you can visit https://jackkornfield.com/

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Alicia Keys talks with Malcolm Gladwell via Zoom about her newly released book, More Myself: A Journey and how writing it influenced her upcoming album, Alicia.

You can order her book at https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/alicia-keys/.

And to find out more about her upcoming album (and tour) you can visit https://alicia.aliciakeys.com/.

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XL Recordings has released music from Adele, Tyler the Creator, MIA, Dizzee Rascal, Radiohead, The White Stripes, King Krule and many other beloved, boundary-pushing artists. Richard Russell has been with the label since its early days and at the helm since '96. He talks with Rick Rubin about the origin of their friendship, which dates back to the earliest days of XL, and how the label grew from a small electronic label into the greatest Indie of all time. Russell also talks about his career as a producer, which includes the last albums of both Gil Scott-Heron and Bobby Womack.

Richard Russell has a new album out under his moniker Everything Is Recorded, you can check it out here: https://xlrecordings.com/buy/everythingisrecorded-fridayforever

And to get his newly released book with traces the history of XL Recordings head to https://www.hachette.com.au/richard-russell/liberation-through-hearing.

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Drive-By Truckers play music from and talk about their twelfth album, The Unraveling. The band of Alabamans—represented here by Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood—discuss how the political climate shaped the themes of their latest record.

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Rick Rubin talks to Tame Impala's Kevin Parker about his newest release, The Slow Rush, and his creative process. Kevin shares key influences on some Tame Impala songs and also plays Rick a demo for an unrealized song from his voice memos. Then Kevin turns the tables on Rick, asking about his work on Californication and Yeezus, which yields sage advice on record making.

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Today we’ll hear Rick Rubin talk to one of his all-time favorite vocalists, Tom Jones. With his soulful baritone and unique interpretation of the American R&B and gospel, Jones became a mainstay at hip venues in London, New York and Las Vegas with now-timeless hits like “It’s Not Unusual,” and “Green Green Grass Of Home.”

On today’s episode, Tom Jones shares stories with Rick from his remarkable career, including the first time he met Elvis on a movie set in Hollywood—and the night he turned down an invitation to join Little Richard on stage out of fear he’d be deported. Tom also talks about why he thought Burt Bacharach’s lyrics to “What’s New Pussycat” were a joke the first time he heard them.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord.

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com.

Hear a playlist of all of our favorite Tom Jones songs HERE.

If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm.

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Questlove talks about how he got involved with D’Angelo’s Voodoo record, the evolution of his drumming style, how he approaches DJ’ing, and tells the best Obama story ever. Part 1 of 2.

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Today we will hear from singer-songwriter and playwright Anaïs Mitchell who spent the past 16 years building the world of Hadestown, a career-defining stage musical that has grown from a low-budget community production in Mitchell's native Vermont, to a Broadway phenomenon and the winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. But in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered theaters, Anaïs, like so many others, moved back home to Vermont. The move and change of pace inspired her to start writing indie folk songs.

Her self-titled album, released at the beginning of 2022, is made up of those songs. It’s produced by Josh Kaufman, and was made with collaborators like Bon Iver, The National, and her own band Bonny Light Horseman. On today’s episode, Bruce Headlam speaks with Anaïs Mitchell about her new album and how Hadestown came to be. She also plays some songs off her album live, just for us.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs written and performed by Anaïs Mitchell HERE.

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Johnny Marr is an acclaimed British guitarist who’s played with a ton of bands including, most famously, The Smiths. Marr started playing guitar as a young teenager growing up in Manchester. When he turned 15 he dropped out of school and moved to London to join the band Sister Ray.

A couple years later he would help form The Smiths with Morrissey, Mike Joyce, and Marr’s friend and bassist, Andy Rourke. After The Smiths broke up in 1987, Marr went on to collaborate with an array of different musicians and play in bands like The Pretenders, The The, and Modest Mouse. In the early aughts, Marr started releasing solo material, and he’s on the brink of releasing a new album of his greatest hits.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Johnny Marr about his exciting work scoring movies with Pharrell and Hans Zimmer. Marr also recalls the terror he felt performing live in front of stadiums full of fans with The Pretenders on U2’s Joshua Tree tour. And he talks about the time he bought a Fender Stratocaster while hanging out with Oasis’ Noel Gallager. That Strat has nine pickups and it eventually led to him writing one the best songs of his solo career.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Johnny Marr songs HERE.

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From Malcolm Gladwell, Rick Rubin, and Bruce Headlam: Conversations. Arguments. Stories. Remembering old music. Discovering new music. Broken Record: Coming to your podcast feed on March 26th.

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Today we are sharing an episode of one of our favorite shows on the Pushkin network, Talk Easy, hosted by Sam Fragoso. In this episode Sam talks to the renowned Swedish music producer and composer, Ludwig Göransson.

Ludwig is a Grammy and Academy award winning producer and composer who scored Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, The Mandalorian, and most recently he scored Christopher Nolan's epic, Oppenheimer. He’s also produced records and wrote songs for HAIM, Rihanna, Adele, and Childish Gambino.

He's a truly talented musician who's reenergizing modern films compositions. We hope you enjoy this chat as much as we do!

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Camila Cabello is in the midst of a creative revival. Her brand new album, C,XOXO was recently dubbed “hyper-pop” by Rolling Stone in the wake of the frenetic first single, “I Luv It,” featuring Playboi Carti. The track is an entirely new direction for Camila who first rose to fame in 2012 as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony.

On her new album Camila is racing into uncharted territory with her sound. She enlisted producers Jasper Harris and El Guincho, who’s known for his work with Rosalia. Together they introduce a variety of new sounds into Camila’s orbit including the newest sounds in hip-hop. The result is Camila’s edgiest album yet.

Today Justin Richmond talks to Camila about the very particular set of creative influences that inspired her new album, including a book by Joan Didion. She also talks about having features from Drake on her album, why she wanted to make music for Miami Spring breakers.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Camila Cabello songs HERE.

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Long regarded as pop music’s resident party animal, Kesha is now dead-set on slowing down and speaking up. Since debuting on the hook of Flo-Rida’s mega smash “Right Round” in 2009, Kesha has released five albums—two of which debuted at number one. And until very recently, she was involved in a decade-long court case with her former producer and label head.

Somehow despite the bitter legal battle and a public struggle with an eating disorder, Kesha has remained steadfast in sharing her art with her fans, who she affectionately refers to as her “animals.”

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Kesha about how working with Rick Rubin on her new album Gag Order provided the safe space she has longed for when making music. She also talks about how she channels Dolly Parton, Iggy Pop and Beyonce when she’s in promotional mode, and how early in her career she lived in a castle with roommate Devendra Banhart.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Kesha songs HERE.

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Lol Tolhurst, drummer and co-founder of The Cure, first met lead singer Robert Smith when they were just five years-old. Together with their other Catholic school friend Michael Dempsey, they would go on to make dark, brooding music that reflected the isolation they felt as the only punks living in their small English town. As The Cure’s sound developed in the 1980s, they released a string of three albums that Lol now defines as the band’s “goth period.” Today we’ll hear Lol talk in detail about making those albums.

Last month Lol released the book “Goth: A History,” which explores the architects of the post-punk genre—bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, and Bauhaus. In addition to his book “Goth,” Lol is also releasing a new album with his old friend Budgie, the drummer from the Banshees. The album’s called Los Angeles and it features an all-star guest list including U2's The Edge and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy.

On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Lol Tolhurst about growing up an outcast in post-WWII England and how he and Robert Smith first bonded over a Hendrix record. Lol also talks through the creation of The Cure’s goth albums—Seventeen Seconds, Faith, and Pornography. 

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Lol Tolhurst songs HERE.

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Last week we revisited our conversation with Usher to celebrate his Super Bowl performance and the incredible career resurgence he’s had over the last couple of years. In thinking about our catalog, I thought there was another conversation worth revisiting - Malcolm Gladwell speaking with Ziggy Marley about the cultural influence the tiny country of Jamaica and Ziggy’s dad, Bob Marley, have had over the last half a century.

The Bob Marley biopic One Love was released in theaters yesterday. I hope anyone familiar with Bob Marley will go see it at some point. If only to keep the conversation about his songs and his political thinking alive and to guard against his legacy becoming further whitewashed and commercialized.

So listen Malcolm’s conversation with Ziggy from a couple of years back, see the movie and then spend some time with the Marley catalog and with some of the other great music to come out of that era from Prince Buster to Alton Ellis and beyond.

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Today, we’re sharing a fantastic episode from a podcast we love, Louder Than A Riot from NPR Music. Louder Than A Riot connects the stories of hip-hop's biggest artists to socio-political changes we’re going through right now. This season, Louder Than A Riot is tackling the connection between hip-hop and misogyny. Hosts Sidney Madden and Rodney Carmichael dig into the unwritten rules of rap that have marginalized Black women for decades, and highlight the rule breakers who refuse to play nice.

Today's episode tells the story of the first female MC, MC Sha-Rock. She’s a rapper from The Bronx and former member of the Funky 4 Plus One More who laid the foundations of rap as we know it. But even though she’s a pioneer, Sha’s name often gets left out of conversations around the history of hip-hop. Why is that? Because decades ago, Sha-Rock had to deal with the hurdles that so many women in rap still face today: Getting tokenized by her own peers and played by the industry.

You’re about to hear the story from the people who lived it: Interviews with Sha-Rock, along with rappers who she inspired like DMC and historical experts like author Clover Hope. This episode is a meditation on legacy: Who gets afforded a legacy in hip-hop? Who gets left out? And how can you reclaim a legacy stolen from you?

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did. You can listen to more episodes of Louder Than A Riot from NPR Music, wherever you listen to podcasts.

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A month ago at the Grammys, Alicia Keys gave a beautiful speech while accepting the Global Impact Award. Part of her speech was dedicated to the women producers who power the industry, women like Patrice Rushen, Missy Elliott, Linda Perry, and others.

This was top of mind for Justin Richmond when he sat down with esperanza spalding at the Blue Note club in New York, where she was in the middle of a residency. Not only because she just produced a gorgeous new collaborative album by the unheralded Brazilian genius, Milton Nascimento, naturally called “Milton + esperanza.” But she’s also self produced just about all of her own projects from the very beginning.

esperanza and Justin talk about why she’s been producing herself from the jump in this episode, what it’s been like working so closely with master mentors like Milton Nascimento, but also Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. And esperanza talks about the rocky beginning of her career.

Listen to the songs of Milton Nascimento as curated by esperanza spalding

Listen to Milton + esperanza’s collaborative album

Listen to a collection of songs by esperanza spalding

Get ad-free episodes to Broken Record by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. 

Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus

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Nothing says romance like a perfect playlist—except, maybe, a special network-wide episode about love songs.

In this Valentine’s Day special, Broken Record hosts Justin Richmond and Leah Rose make their cases: is R&B the undisputed sound of love? Are sad songs more romantic? Can country win the day?

Plus, the legendary songwriter Babyface talks about how young love shaped his most enduring ballads, Malcolm Gladwell breaks down the perfect break up song, and Ben Naddaff-Hafrey writes a love song of his own. 

Whether you're mid-swoon or nursing a broken heart, this episode is our valentine to you.

Listen to Broken Record’s interview with Babyface.

Listen to a Revisionist History episode about sad songs.

And hear more from Ben’s band, Rookin.

Plus, our battle of the playlists continues… here’s Leah’s sad songs playlist. And Justin’s for love songs. Pick your fighter and… enjoy!

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Today on the show, we’re talking to Grammy award-winning musician, Adrian Quesada who's best known as one-half of the Black Pumas. During the pandemic Adrian started working on a solo project inspired by his longtime love of psychedelic music and Latin American love songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s. The result is an album called Boleros Psicodelicos that reached number one on the Billboard Latin album chart when it was released earlier this month.

On today’s episode, Adrian and a few of the singers featured on the album—iLe, Angelica Garcia and Tita—talk about how the new album came together, their collaborative process, and how boleros and baladas fit into Latin music today.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord.

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com.

Hear a playlist of all of the songs mentioned in this episode HERE.

If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm.

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Sarah Jarosz is a singer/songwriter who also happens to be a killer banjo, guitar, and mandolin player. The Wimberly, Texas-native's latest album, Polaroid Lovers, was produced by former Broken Record guest Daniel Tashian. It’s her seventh album and so far the best at highlighting the power of Sarah’s songwriting over her virtuosity.

In this episode you’ll hear Sarah Jarosz tell Bruce Headlam about the Friday night bluegrass jams that shaped her playing, and why she’s turned down co-writing songs with artists she respects. You'll also hear her dabble with some of her instruments and maybe even perform a song or two.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Sarah Jarosz songs HERE.

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Today we begin our month-long celebration of Black Music Month with PJ Morton—the New Orleans based singer/songwriter, producer, and keyboardist for Maroon 5. Morton recently released his eighth studio album Watch The Sun featuring collaborations with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Nas, Jill Scott, and Wale.

On today’s episode, PJ Morton talks to Bruce Headlam about what it was like growing up as a preacher’s son and how his relationship with gospel music has impacted the way he makes music. He also talks about being a recovering workaholic, and his friendship with the great Stevie Wonder.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord.

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com.

Hear a playlist of all of our favorite PJ Morton's songs HERE.

If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm.

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Arlo Parks is one of the most compelling voices of her generation. Born in London, the 22-year-old snagged the Best New Artist trophy at the Brit Awards in 2021 in part because of her breakout single “Eugene,” about an unrequited crush. Arlo’s songwriting is a vivid exploration of the euphoria and heartbreak that comes with being young and in love.

This month, Arlo Parks will release her sophomore record, called “My Soft Machine.” She collaborated with producers who worked with Brockhampton, SZA and Frank Ocean. The album unpacks the anxiety of feeling lost in your 20s, and navigating the uncertainty of life with grace.

On this week’s episode, Justin Richmond talks with Arlo about how seeing Black creators pushing the boundaries of popular music inspires her. She also explains how taking long drives around LA shaped the sound of her new album, and how she first started writing songs at just seven years old.

Plus, we’ll hear Arlo play three of her singles live from the Village Studios in Los Angeles.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Arlo Parks songs HERE. 

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Musical genius and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier joins us today for part one of a two-part conversation. In 2011, when Jacob was only 17, he began posting videos to YouTube of himself singing and playing music. His break-out video, a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” received millions of views and praise from musical legends like Herbie Hancock, David Crosby, and Quincy Jones.

Since then, he’s gone on to release five albums, including his 2016 self-produced debut In My Room, and this year's Piano Ballads, an 11-track album of  improvised piano pieces he played at various shows during a recent tour.

On today’s episode, Bruce Headlam speaks to Jacob Collier about making his latest live album, his creative process, and his musical admiration for Stevie Wonder. Jacob also plays piano throughout the two episodes, and breaks down advanced musical concepts.

You can listen to a playlist of some of our favorite Jacob Collier songs HERE.

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Tinashe’s changing what success in pop music can look like. Back in 2014 her song "2 On" featuring Schoolboy Q hit big on Billboard. With major success looming, Tinashe released projects that missed the charts but gained her a strong, loyal fanbase. In 2019 she left her major label to go independent. And judging from her massive online following today, her fans have stuck behind her.

In April, she dropped the highly meme-able track "Nasty" that many are calling the song of the summer. “Nasty” comes from her album Quantum Baby, the second part in a trilogy of new albums.

Justin Richmond spoke to Tinashe from Amazon Studio 126 about her new albums and what it took to go independent. They also talk about her role in The Polar Express and working with Tom Hanks.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Tinashe songs HERE.

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During these tough times, Rick Rubin wanted to have a chat with an artist he finds inspiring. Top of mind was John Legend. So he called him up via Zoom, while both were sheltering in place, for a quick chat about his career and the creative process behind two of his biggest songs. Plus they discuss the song Legend is currently obsessed with. This is our first remote recording, so it's a little shorter and a little more lo-fi than usual.

Make sure to listen to John Legend's new single "Actions" and check for a new album later this year: https://open.spotify.com/track/0KGgFs3yJ1aHGnEU8nHCqR?si=3Q_Er2R7T1WQk_W8L1g1tg

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Today we are re-visiting one of our favorite episodes from 2019 featuring Rick Rubin in conversation with Justin Vernon and his engineer Chris Messina. In 2006 Justin Vernon started Bon Iver as a solo project after the end of a romantic relationship and the break up of his college band.

Justin recorded Bon Iver's first album, For Emma, Forever Ago, alone over three months in his dad’s hunting cabin deep in the woods of Western Wisconsin. His setup consisted of a small recording rig and a couple guitars. In the years since, Justin Vernon’s music has evolved dramatically. For one, Bon Iver is no longer a solo project—it’s still centered around Justin, but it now includes a bunch of musicians and collaborators including his engineer, Chris Messina.

On today's episode, Justin talks about how allowing himself to be bored without any guilt, led to him creating his now classic debut. He also talks about how the harshness of the Wisconsin winters along with the absence of any big city thrills first influenced his sound. And, Justin explains his unwavering love for his favorite song of all time “Fugitive,” by The Indigo Girls.

Listen to a playlist of some of our favorite Bon Iver songs HERE.

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Kaytranada’s futuristic, soulful disco sound is suddenly everywhere—including on his new hit song “Twin Flame” with Anderson .Paak. The Haitian-Canadian DJ/producer got his start as a teenager by uploading J. Dilla and Flying Lotus-inspired beats to SoundCloud. In 2012 his edit of Janet Jackson’s “If” exploded and became a massive viral hit. In the 10 years since, Kaytranada has remixed dozens of records and released two studio albums, including the Grammy award-winning Bubba.

On today’s episode Rick Rubin and Kaytranada sit down to talk about how using technology unconventionally can lead to creating an entirely new sound. Kaytra also explains the anxiety he felt as an up-and-coming hip-hop producer who could never quite connect with an MPC drum machine. And he talks about what it’s like rocking stadiums as the opening DJ on the Weeknd’s worldwide tour.

You can listen a playlist of our favorite Kaytranada songs here.

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Alice Randall is a country music songwriter, a New York Times bestselling author, and a newly minted memoirist. She calls her new book, My Black Country, a love letter to Black country music.

In addition to her memoir, Alice also released the album, My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall, that includes a rendition of the song, “The Ballad of Sally Anne” performed by Rhiannon Giddens. The song, which confronts the harsh realities of lynching in the American South was nominated for a Grammy last year in the Best American Roots Performance category.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Alice Randall about her lifelong love of country music. And how growing up in Detroit during the height of Motown influenced her musical sensibilities. She also traces the countless contributions African Americans have made to country music and why she believes that history has been ignored.

You can hear a playlist of some of Alice Randall's favorite songs HERE.

Get ad-free episodes to Broken Record by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. 

Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
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2023 has been a helluva year for singer/songwriter Noah Kahan. Just three years ago he started uploading snippets of his indie-folk songs to TikTok while waiting out the pandemic at his dad’s house in rural Vermont. Those songs quickly caught fire across social media and eventually turned into Noah’s most recent album, Stick Season.

After releasing collaborations with Kacey Musgraves, Hozier, and Post Malone, Noah has amassed 4 billion streams globally. It’s no surprise that last month he was nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy.

On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Noah Kahan about navigating his often overwhelming new-found success, and how he feels about being labeled the new “sensitive woodsman” singer/songwriter du jour. Noah also opens up about initially being embarrassed about his singing voice, and his plans for evolving his sound on his next album.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Noah Kahan songs HERE.

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At 70 years-old, Kim Gordon—the former bassist and founding member of Sonic Youth—is just now making the most abrasive music of her career. She just dropped her second solo album, The Collective, with producer Justin Raisen, who’s previously worked with artists like Drake, Lil Yachty, and Charli XCX. Kim’s spoken-word-like vocals on The Collective are the perfect accompaniment to Justin’s distorted trap-style beats.

On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Kim Gordon about her latest solo album, as well as her memoir, Girl In A Band, that detailed her split with ex-husband Thurston Moore. Kim also delves into why she always felt like an outsider in New York City’s thriving downtown art scene. And she recalls Sonic Youth’s storied tour in the early ‘90s opening up for Neil Young.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Kim Gordon songs HERE.

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The last couple of years have been huge for Jason Isbell. The Alabama-born singer-songwriter’s latest album Weathervanes won the Grammy for Best Americana album this year. He also snagged a role in Martin Scorsese's film, Killers Of The Flower Moon, which is up for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars.

There was also a critically acclaimed HBO documentary released last year about the making of Isbell’s previous album with the 400 Unit, Reunions, that put his personal life on full display.

On today’s episode I talk to Jason Isbell about his exhilarating experience filming Killers of the Flower Moon and how he prepared to act in scenes opposite Leonardo DiCaprio (heads up—there are some major spoilers in this conversation). Jason also contemplates how he will write about the dissolution of his marriage, and why he struggles to write a balls-out rock song.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Jason Isbell songs HERE.

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Bartees Strange is an amalgamation of musical styles. Listen to any given song on his newest release, Farm To Table, and you can hear hints of early aughts emo, auto-tuned hip-hop vocals, and country blues—all housed in an indie rock veneer. Bartees wide-reaching sound makes perfect sense given his Midwest upbringing and early influences. He was raised in Mustang, Oklahoma as one of the few Black kids in an area rife with racial violence. As a  teenager he discovered Christian hardcore punk and for the first time he felt at home in a scene that embraced outsiders of all kinds.

After graduating college and a stint working in D.C., Bartees  moved to Brooklyn where he found a bunch of musical collaborators. In 2020 he released his debut album, Live Forever, and this year he dropped his follow-up album, Farm To Table, to critical acclaim.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Bartees Strange about his ascent into the upper echelon of indie rock, now that he considers artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus friends. Bartees also performs an acoustic version of his song “Heavy Heart," and he plays stems from two songs off his new album, revealing how he is able to expertly build what he calls, “sections on sections.”

You can listen to a playlist of some of our favorite Bartees Strange songs HERE.

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Billy Bragg came up in East London—Barking, Essex to be exact. It's fitting given the characteristic howl of his vocals. Listening to him these days, it’s hard not to recall the late-great Joe Strummer or the modern brilliance of Archy Marshall, a.k.a. King Krule. In the mid-80s, a musical era driven by production, Billy Bragg was all about songs. He was one of the great standard bearers of political music carried on from both the folk and punk traditions.

On today's episode Bruce Headlam talks to Billy Bragg about using music as a political tool, and whether it can truly affect change. Billy also reminisces about his first trip to the U.S. in ‘84 opening for Echo & the Bunnymen, and his collaboration with Wilco to bring unpublished Woody Guthrie songs to life.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Billy Bragg songs HERE.

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Mike Dickey is co-founder and chairman of the JackTrip Foundation and the creator of Virtual Studio.

The awkward and disjointed experience of making music over the internet is a solvable problem. Virtual Studio is a device that works with the open source software application JackTrip to enable musicians of all ages to collaborate across locations online.

Virtual Studio

JackTrip Open Source Software Application

JamKazam

11 Tools for Collaborating on Music Remotely

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Today we’re talking to Dan Charnas—author, hip-hop journalist, professor, show runner, former A&R person for Def American, and also a longtime friend of Rick Rubin's. Charnas's latest book, Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, The Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm is the product of four years of exhaustive research and nearly 200 interviews.

On today’s episode, Rick Rubin speaks with Dan Charnas about how the roots of his new book go all the way back to a trip to Detroit with rapper Chino XL to work with the producer then known as Jay Dee. Rick and Dan also reminisce about their earliest memories together and Dan shares what it was like meeting Rick’s mother, Mrs. Rubin, for the first time.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord.

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com.

Hear a playlist of all of our favorite songs produced by J Dilla as well as songs Dan Charnas worked on HERE.

If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm.

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Ludwig Göransson is one of the most accomplished and distinctive film composers of the 21st century. In 2020, after working on the movie Tenet together, acclaimed director Christopher Nolan hired Göransson to score what has become one of the biggest movies of 2023: Oppenheimer.

Ludwig, who emigrated to Los Angeles from his native Sweden in 2007, has racked up dozens of writing, producing and scoring credits. He started out working in TV and he eventually started scoring films with his old college friend Ryan Coogler. Ludwig composed music for all of Coogler's hit movies including Fruitvale Station, the Creed series, and both Black Panther films—the first of which won him the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 2019.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Ludwig Göransson about his incredible body of work as a composer and producer. He explains how his rigorous musical training in Sweden prepared him to write the complex sections of the Oppenheimer score. Ludwig also plays some of the more moving sections of the score for us in effort to show us how he came up with one of the best soundtracks of the year.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Ludwig Göransson songs HERE.

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Captain Kirk Douglas is the longtime guitarist for The Roots. Over the past 21 years he’s seen the group evolve from a touring act, to the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, to having their own successful music festival in Philly. All the while continuing to record albums for themselves and others.

Between The Roots' many commitments, Kirk has also found time to record a solo project under the name Hundred Watt Heart. His most recent offering “New Unknown”  was recorded in the basement of his childhood home on Long Island where he first fell in love with the music of Van Halen, Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, and so many others.

On today’s Broken Record Justin Richmond talks with Captain Kirk from the Roots’ green room in 30 Rock about the seductive pull he felt as a little kid seeing electric guitars on the cover of an old Kiss album. He also reminisces about his early days gigging around New York City in the ‘90s while also working as a preschool teacher. And he recalls the elation he felt when Prince played one of his guitars on the Tonight Show, only to smash it onstage at the end of the performance.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Captain Kirk Douglas & The Roots songs HERE.

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16 years have passed since The Black Crowes released an album of new material. The world has changed a lot since then—and so have the Robinson brothers. Chris and Rich Robinson are, of course, the backbone of the band. They started playing together back in Georgia in 1984 as Mr. Crowe’s Garden before moving to NYC, signing to Def American, and changing their name to The Black Crowes.

The band’s debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, set them up as the torchbearers of Southern rock for the '90s and beyond. As you’ll hear in today's conversation, the brothers Robinson have had a competitive relationship for a long time. Their ups and downs have meant hiatuses for the band over the years. But now they’re back united and seemingly in it for the long haul with their new album, Happiness Bastards.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Chris Robinson about his growing up in Georgia with Rich, their dad’s rockabilly career, and how his road habits have changed from indulging in champagne and other substances to reading Herman Melville.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Chris Robinson & The Black Crowes HERE.

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Roger McGuinn is best known as the driving force behind The Byrds. But McGuinn is also a preservationist of traditional folk music. For the past 27 years he’s been re-recording traditional folk songs and sharing them on  a section of his website called The Folk Den.

On today’s episode Rick Rubin talks to Roger McGuinn about his decades-long career, which started in the early ‘60s at Greenwich Village cafes where he played with the likes of Bob Dylan and Richie Havens. McGuinn reminisces about the vibrant music scene in LA, and he also talks about meeting his Byrd’s bandmate David Crosby.

We’ll also hear Roger McGuinn play his guitar throughout the interview, and talk about how playing basketball with Bob Dylan helped inspire Dylan’s storied tour, the Rolling Thunder Revue.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Roger McGuinn and The Byrds songs HERE.

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Pete Townshend, the legendary guitarist and songwriter for The Who, is one of the most decorated rock stars alive. He’s been inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, received Kennedy Center Honors, and lifetime-achievement awards from both the Brit Awards and the Grammys. Pete's iconic power chord-guitar style and early use of synthesizers established him as a musical innovator in the '60s and '70s.

After a string of chart-topping singles in the early '60s, Pete set to work writing the first-ever rock opera, a project that became the double album Tommy. Tommy is widely recognized as The Who’s breakout record, and is considered a masterpiece by many critics.

Following its release, Pete started writing songs and a script for a sci-fi epic called Life House. After that project was scrapped, the songs wound up on different releases from the band over the next decade including their 1971 classic, Who’s Next.

Last month The Who released an epic box set called Who's Next/Life House that contains 155 tracks, 89 of which are unreleased. The set also includes a graphic novel, unheard demos, complete live concerts, posters and collectable pins.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Pete Townshend about how some of the ill-fated effects of technology that he predicted on Life House have come to pass. Pete also explains why he decided to target a specifically male audience when writing music for The Who. And he gives an unexpected take on the Grateful Dead and San Francisco’s music scene in the '60s.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Pete Townshend songs HERE.

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Brandi Carlile’s knack for uplifting the musicians she loves is exemplary. After her own hard-earned ascent to fame over the course of seven studio albums, Brandi started to turn her sights to producing albums for artists she deeply admires, including Tanya Tucker who she’s been on Broken Record with in the past but also Brandy Clark. Then there’s Joni Mitchell—who, thanks to Brandi’s encouragement—has recently made a glorious return to performing live.

Brandi’s passion for the projects she works on is infectious. The latest is an EP she produced for 18-year-old singer/songwriter Tish Melton called, When We’re Older. Over the course of the five-song collection, Tish pulls influence from artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Tish, whose mom is the New York Times bestselling author Glennon Doyle, is teeming with talent on her EP, which includes heartfelt songs that expertly capture a wise-beyond-her-years self assuredness.

On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Tish Melton and Brandi Carlile about their creative partnership and the impermeable sense of self Brandi has found in both Tish and Joni Mitchell. And Brandi teases her upcoming collaboration album that she calls “monumental,” plus she talks about why she thinks Beyonce might be country music’s saving grace.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Tish Melton and Brandi Carlile along with all the tracks mentioned in this episode HERE.

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Our introductory episode is a conversation between Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell, covering everything from Rick’s role in the very beginning of hip-hop to his role in introducing Johnny Cash to a new generation of writers, performers and music lovers. Rick and Malcolm delve deep into Rick’s back catalogue – which is really a history of contemporary music – to reveal more about the artists that defined a new era, and why they are still vital listening today.

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Today we have part two of our run of interviews with The National in celebration of their new album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. Last week Broken Producer producer Leah Rose talked to guitarist and composer Aaron Dessner, and today Leah picks up the conversation with the band’s lead singer, Matt Berninger.

Matt, whose fear and anxiety are often on full display in his songwriting, talks about overcoming a debilitating bout of depression in the period before he started writing songs for the new album. He also explains how the combination of weed and iced tea help him spark creativity. And why he hopes his songwriting impresses Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Matt Berninger and The National HERE.

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Nile Rodgers, the mastermind behind the disco band Chic and producer of artists like David Bowie, Daft Punk and Madonna, plays live with his band and talks about his life and long musical career in the very studio that was built for him to produce Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” album. Rodgers tells Broken Record’s Bruce Headlam about his chaotic childhood and how it led to his love of musical collaboration, how his love of jazz transformed the music of Chic, and he tells the hilarious story of Prince’s obsession with the song “Let’s Dance.” With his current version of Chic, Rodgers performs blistering versions of “Good Times,” “Le Freak,” “Everybody Dance,” “Let’s Dance” and his hit with Daft Punk, “Get Lucky.” 

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Elton John has called Rufus Wainwright “the greatest songwriter in the world today.” Broken Record’s Bruce Headlam sits down with Rufus in Los Angeles, where Rufus performs breathtaking solo versions of his songs “Poses” and “In My Arms” from his earliest albums. He also offers a new song, a lullaby for his young daughter. In conversation, he frankly discusses his crazy early life and the inspiration for his music, his move into opera and his relationship with Leonard Cohen, who is, among other things, the grandfather to Wainwright’s daughter. He also discusses his newest single, “Sword of Damocles,” which was inspired by Donald Trump and Carrie Fisher, and his upcoming tour, “All These Poses,” featuring songs from his first two albums. And after a four-year break, Rufus and his sister Martha are once again presenting their Christmas show “Noel Nights” at New York City’s Town Hall of December 16th. For more information, check out rufuswainwright.com. 

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Malcolm Gladwell talks to three songwriters who helped transform country music in the 1970s. Gone were cowboy hats, train whistles and church suppers. In came songs about desperation, loss, changes, and regret that changed how Nashville made music and spoke to a new generation of audiences. Bobby Braddock, Don Schlitz and Don Henry talk about their influences, trade stories, and play acoustic versions of their classic hits.

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“She Remembers Everything” is the name of the latest Rosanne Cash album, the 14th of her amazing career. Rosanne and her husband and musical collaborator, John Leventhal, sit down with Broken Record’s Bruce Headlam to play songs from the album, talk about songwriting, her musical family and how “She Remembers Everything” grew out of today’s politics. They also perform cover versions of two American classics, “Long Black Veil” and “Farewell Angelina.”

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Malcolm Gladwell sits down with comedian, guitarist, and legendary metalhead Dave Hill, as he recounts how an email exchange between his alter ego Lance and a Norwegian black metal impresario named Saiitham (pronounced “satan”) led to the formation of the darkest metal band of all time. Dave Hill also performs a mediocre rendition of “Hammer Smashed Face,” plus we debut his single "Are You Ready (to Black Metal)?"

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For the season one finale of Broken Record, Malcolm Gladwell talks with Rick Rubin about Tom Petty, who died in October 2017 at the age of 66.  Rubin and Petty worked together for two years on his beloved 1994 album “Wildflowers.” Rubin talks about Petty’s writing style, and how half the songs they recorded for Wildflowers ended up on the cutting room floor. 

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