Broken Record

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio

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 Roge

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re excited to bring you the next installment of our John Frusciante interview series. John first came on the podcast back in April to help celebrate the release of the Red Hot Chili Peppers album, Unlimited Love. Then he returned in mid-October to discuss Chili Pepper history, one album at a time. On today's episode we'll hear John talk about the Chili Peppers brand new release—their second number one album in six months—Return Of The Dream Canteen. John also picks up a guitar and walks Rick through his pre-show warmup and demonstrates how he came up with the now-classic major to minor chord changes on “Under The Bridge.” And, he talks about how he was able to overcome his desire to impress others while recording Stadium Arcadium. Stay tuned to the end of this episode for details about part three of what is shaping up to be an intimate series of interviews between Rick Rubin and John Frusciante. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listen

Today we are featuring one of the most thrilling new groups in contemporary soul music—Gabriels. And lucky for us, they performed three songs, one of which is still unreleased, live for Broken Record. Gabriels consists of three very distinct pillars of talent: lead singer Jacob Lusk, who was raised in Compton singing gospel. Keyboardist and producer Ryan Hope, who grew up a lover of dance music in his native UK. And Los Angeles native, Ari Balouzian, who serves as Gabriels' in-house composer and violinist. Gabriels’ origin story is as unconventional as their diverse musical backgrounds. In 2016 Ryan Hope and Ari Balouzian were hired to direct and score a commercial with a gospel choir. After hearing the choir director Jacob Lusk sing, a light went off for Ari and Ryan. Over the course of the next couple of years, the trio started to record and release songs independently. In 2021, those songs caught fire online. Sir Elton John said their debut EP was one of the most seminal records he’d heard in the last 10 y

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 An

Today we’re sharing one of the most intimate conversations Rick Rubin has ever had on Broken Record. It’s with the famed guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante. Rick Rubin last spoke to John back in April when the Chili Peppers were getting ready to release their album, Unlimited Love, their first record with Frusciante in 16 years. Unlimited Love debuted at number one in the U.S. and 15 other countries. Today, just a little more than six months later, the Chili Peppers released a second Rick Rubin-produced album, Return Of The Dream Canteen. On today’s episode we’ll hear John Frusciante talk about the band’s early music, including the making of Blood Sugar Sex Magik. They talk about how his contributions on slower, more melodic songs like “Under The Bridge” and “Breaking The Girl” helped expand the Chili Peppers funk punk sound. John also talks candidly about the dark, drug-addicted years that followed the intense success of Blood Sugar. And he explains how he was able to finally get sober a

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 Da

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for pri

Today we have Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks of the Tedeschi Trucks Band on the show. Derek Trucks made his name as a slide guitar prodigy with a Hall of Fame pedigree. He’s the nephew of Butch Trucks, drummer of the Allman Brothers Band, who Derek toured with extensively throughout the 2000s before forming the Derek Trucks Band. Somewhere along the road, Derek met another great guitarist with a Berklee-pedigree, Susan Tedeschi, who is one of the best singers working today. Eventually the two married and merged their bands in 2010. Their latest album, I Am The Moon, is a collection of 24 songs across four different albums. On today’s episode, Justin Richmond speaks with Susan and Derek about the beginnings of their band, and how their new album came to be. They also play some of their new songs live from backstage at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. You can listen to a playlist of some of our favorite Tedeschi Trucks Band favorite songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have friend of the show Jack White back on the show today along with a legendary special guest. This conversation with Rick Rubin is full of fascinating ideas, asides and musical history that let you know just how deep Jack White is. Jack's work and a business ethic is unparalleled. His label Third Man Records has a rich roster of artists and three retail stores. They also own one of the few fully operational vinyl pressing plants in the U.S. which has been working overtime to keep up with the surging demand for vinyl. Jack also released two full length albums this year, and he’s currently on a worldwide tour. After a recent two-night stand in Los Angeles, Jack stopped by Shangri-La to talk to Rick Rubin about the early Garage Rock scene in Detroit that helped shape him and The White Stripes. He also shared potential theories about why the “Seven Nation Army” riff is so catchy. And then he treats Rick and a surprise guest to an acoustic performance of his new song “A Tip From You To Me.” And to cap it all

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 sou

Today we are revisiting one of our favorite early episodes of Broken Record with the legendary producer, Nile Rodgers. Over the course of his five decade-long career, Nile Rodgers has performed on, written, and produced some of the greatest dance songs of all time, including Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out,” Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” and Madonna’s “Like A Virgin.” Back in Fall of 2018, Nile met up with Bruce Headlam at the same New York City recording studio where 35 years earlier, Nile recorded the Let’s Dance album with David Bowie. This time around, Nile brought his famed disco funk band Chic to the interview to perform live renditions of their classic hits including, “Le Freak,” “Good Times,” and “Everybody Dance.” So all the music you will hear in today’s episode was recorded live, just for us. In between performances, Nile shares exhilarating stories from his life, including how he found salvation as a young jazz guitarist whose teenage mom struggled with heroin addiction. Nile also talks about the night he

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we are featuring a chat with two members of the Nashville-based string band, Old Crow Medicine Show—lead singer Ketch Secor and drummer Jerry Pentecost. Since forming in 1998, Old Crow has helped preserve folk and blues songs that often pre-date World War II. Old Crow has also released a number of their own songs, and in the folk tradition, put their own spin on their favorite artists’ tunes. Their most successful song to date, the platinum-certified “Wagon Wheel,” was written around a Bob Dylan chorus Ketch heard on an old Dylan bootleg. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Ketch Secor and Jerry Pentecost about Old Crow’s latest album, Paint This Town. They share  how they’re raising awareness around the major contributions black musicians like Ray Charles and DeFord Bailey have made to country music. And then Ketch recalls Old Crow’s early days when they went through what he calls “hillbilly bootcamp” learning how to make whiskey, farm tobacco, and shoot groundhogs. Listen to a playlist of some o

Today we are featuring a conversation with the world’s preeminent banjo player, Béla Fleck. Over the course of his four-decade career, Béla has won numerous Grammys in a variety of surprising genres including Jazz, Latin, Pop, and Classical. Last year, his latest release, My Bluegrass Heart, scored the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. In addition to Béla’s innovative style and expert technique, he is also an advocate for keeping the banjo’s rich historical tradition alive. In 2008, Béla made a pilgrimage to Africa to trace the origins of the banjo in the documentary Throw Down Your Heart. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Béla Fleck about growing up in New York City where he first fell in love with the banjo while watching the Beverly Hillbillies. Béla also talks about how jazz giants like Chick Corea and Charlie Parker influenced his highly technical style. And, Béla explains why he believes the banjo is far superior to the guitar. Listen a playlist of some of our favorite Béla Fleck songs HERE.See o

Nilüfer Yanya is a 27-year-old singer/songwriter from West London. After several years of hitting small stages with her guitar, Nilüfer broke through in 2016 with a series of soulful, indie-pop EPs and singles. Justin Richmond spoke with Nilüfer in April, just after her performance at Coachella, about the release of her second album, PAINLESS. The album’s tracks are laden with electronic drums and raucous guitar. They play like a diary entry, wrenched with heartbreak, loss, and hope. On today’s episode Nilüfer talks about the collaborative songwriting process she has with her producer, Will Archer and friend, saxophonist, Jazzi Bobbi. She also recalls how she wrote her first songs as a 10-year-old, and how she always dreamed of being a guitarist in a band, rather than a solo act. Hear a playlist of all of our favorite Nilüfer Yanya songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the show, we're welcoming Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, Lyle Lovett. Lovett follows in the footsteps of Texas troubadours like Guy Clark, Walter Hyatt, and Townes Van Zandt. In 1986, Lovett helped lay the foundation for the alternative country and Americana movements with his debut, self-titled album. Since then, he has continued to light up country music with a rich blend of country, big band, blues, folk, and jazz. All of those sounds are on display in 12th of June—his first new album in a decade. On today’s episode Lovett speaks to Bruce Headlam about his new album, a project rooted in home and family, which makes sense considering at 64 years-old, he's a new dad to twins. Lovett also shares stories of his early days playing gigs around Texas A&M. Hear a playlist of all of our favorite Lyle Lovett songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we have a fun follow-up to last week’s episode with Johnny Echols from the band Love. This week we’ll hear Rick interview the last two living members of The Doors—guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore—about coming up in the LA rock scene alongside the band Love, who The Doors idolized and then later eclipsed. The Doors formed in 1965 and burned white-hot, releasing six albums in five years, until the death of their larger than life lead singer, Jim Morrison. In their brief time as a band, The Doors quickly became one of the biggest acts of the late 60s. Their anti flower-power appeal was accentuated by Jim Morrison’s heavy, brooding lyrics, and keyboardist Ray Manzarek’s frenzied organ licks. On today’s episode Rick Rubin talks to Robby Krieger and John Densmore about their tumultuous history with Jim Morrison—who John refers to as a “Kamikaze drunk.” Both Robbie and John recall LSD-fueled stories from their early gigs with The Doors. And the role Acapulco Gold played in Jim Morrison’s songw