Broken Record

Stevie Van Zandt is the ultimate underboss. His first big break came in the mid-70s as Bruce Springsteen’s right-hand man, guitarist, and occasional co-producer in the E Street Band. Later he seamlessly made the jump to acting as one of Tony Soprano’s key consiglieres, Sil, on The Sopranos. Van Zandt recently released his memoir, Unrequited Infatuations, which details his career over the past 50 years. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Van Zandt about the budding New Jersey rock n’ roll scene in the ‘60s, and what it was like recording with legendary R&B singers like Ronnie Spector and Darlene Love. He also reminisces about first meeting Springsteen—who Van Zandt says he saw go from a shy kid who was too timid to speak, to one of the greatest entertainers of our time.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comC

Todd Rundgren is a multi-talented musician who has made a name for himself both as a solo artist and a visionary music producer. Rundgren’s crowning achievement though was producing Meatloaf’s album Bat Out Of Hell, which is to this day one of the highest-selling albums of all time. In addition to recently being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rundgren has been busy working on a new album of collaborations called Space Force with artists like Sparks, Rivers Cuomo, and Ben Folds that’ll be out later this year.On today’s episode we’ll hear a conversation Rick Rubin had with Rundgren just weeks before the start of the pandemic. They talk about why he was the only producer who would work on the debut album for Meat Loaf, who just recently passed away. Todd also talks about engineering the third album for The Band when the group was in the midst of turmoil, and why he always turns off Taylor Swift’s music.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube

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 @

Since debuting in the late ‘60s, Yusuf/Cat Stevens has made a sizable contribution to the folk canon with tender, contemplative songs like “Wild World,” “Moon Shadow,” and “The Wind.” Stevens recently reissued one of his most seminal early albums, Teaser And The Firecat, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its release. The new edition features remastered versions of the original album along with 41 previously unreleased demos and alternate mixes. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Yusuf/Cat Stevens about what it’s like to perform his old songs after he converted to Islam in the late ‘70s. They also talk in detail about how Stevens wrote and recorded Teaser And The Firecat. And how he has come to love the rough versions of some of his songs that appear on the soundtrack for the movie Harold and Maude which was recently re-released for the movie’s 50th anniversary.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twi

Today we're sharing an episode from our friend Sam Sanders over at NPR’s It's Been a Minute podcast. This year marks the 35th anniversary of Janet Jackson's classic album, Control. That album was her first real commercial hit and, looking back, helped redefine all of pop music. It also helped establish two star producers in Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. In the late 80s and 90s, Janet was one of the biggest stars of our time—right up there with her brother Michael and Madonna. And yet, Jackson isn't always given her due.In this episode, host Sam Sanders explores why that is, how she made the album Control, and the incident that lasted all but a second, that changed the course of her career.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/lis

Pino Palladino and Blake Mills are renowned session musicians who recently collaborated on their own album, Notes With Attachments. It’s an experimental, jazz-leaning project that blew Rick Rubin’s mind. Pino Palladino is a bass player who has played on records with everyone from D’Angelo to The Who to Adele. Guitarist Blake Mills co-founded the band Dawes in 2005, and he has gone on to release critically acclaimed solo albums and produce records for the Alabama Shakes, John Legend and Fiona Apple. Three years ago, Pino and Blake started collaborating on what would become Notes With Attachments. The album features other incredible session musicians and pulls from influences as diverse as West African, Cuban, and English folk music.Rick talks first with Pino Palladino on today’s episode about those wide array of influences, and how hearing Motown music as a young boy in Wales changed his life. Pino also walks us through his evolution to becoming one of the most in-demand session players. Later Blake Mills join

Welcome to part two of Rick Rubin’s conversation with Neil Young. Today we'll hear how Neil's song “I Believe In You” from his 1970 masterpiece After the Gold Rush inspired a mystical experience for Rick. Neil also talks about recording After the Gold Rush and the parallels between that album and his latest release, Barn. And, Neil explains why he started writing and recording music around the cycles of the moon, and his massive archive of unreleased material that spans several decades.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Neil Young songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we first talked about making Broken Record, we had a short list of absolute dream guests for the podcast and Neil Young was at the top of that list. So when Neil’s new record, Barn, was announced and we were told he wanted to speak with Rick about it we were beyond excited.On today’s episode, Rick and Neil talk about the new album, and all of the archival projects he plans on releasing in the coming year. They also reminisce about the time they spent working together on some abandoned songs in 1997 that may soon be released. And Neil’s time in a Rick James fronted band that was signed to Motown, and how Neil drove from Canada to LA in a hearse. The two talked for so long we decided to make this the first of two episodes with Neil Young. Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Neil Young songs

24 year-old singer/songwriter Faye Webster stopped by Shangri-La earlier this month in between stops on her tour opening for Wilco to chat with Justin Richmond and play some songs off of her latest album, I Know I’m Funny haha. Faye started releasing music independently when she was just 16 years-old. In 2017 her second album was released through Awful Records—home to the Atlanta hip-hop collective. Faye was a bit of an outlier on the rap-heavy label but working with them gave her a different perspective on recording than she otherwise would’ve had.On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Faye about how artists like The Ramones and Garth Brooks influenced her writing style. Faye also plays some more songs live, as well as an early demo version of “Cheers.”Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite

Today we have a special Broken Record Holiday episode with Nashville singer Amanda Shires. Shires’ new holiday album, For Christmas, isn’t meant to make you feel merry and bright. Instead it’s an acknowledgment of the complicated feelings that can come along with the holidays, like disappointment, longing and maybe a little bit of lust.In addition to her solo career, Amanda Shires plays fiddle and sings in her husband Jason Isbell’s band, The 400 Unit. She is also a founding member of the female country supergroup, The Highwomen, with Brandi Carlile. But way before she hit it big in Nashville, Shires played fiddle with the Texas Playboys, the legendary Western swing band started by Bob Will’s that she joined when she was just 12 years-old.On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Amanda Shires about what inspired her to write a non-traditional Christmas album. Shires also explains how finding out that her Grandfather served decades in Alcatraz raised a ton of questions about her family’s history. And she reca

Mary Gauthier is a folk singer/songwriter whose songs have quite literally saved her life. Writing music did not come easily to Gauthier. She began abusing drugs and alcohol as a young girl growing up in Louisiana. After years of struggling with addiction, Gauthier got clean at age 27 and began frequenting open mics around Boston. She released her debut album, Dixie Kitchen, in 1997 and moved to Nashville not long after. She has since become known for her ability to write vivid, literary-style lyrics that pull from her past trauma, loss, and heartbreak.On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Mary Gauthier about how the same determination that once drove her to drink now powers her songwriting. She also talks about how conversations with young U.S. veterans inspired her Grammy-nominated album, Rifles & Rosary Beads. And Gauthier recalls seeing one particularly moving open mic performance that inspired her to become the artist she is today.   Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our

Michelle Zauner is the lead singer and creative force behind the indie, dream pop band, Japanese Breakfast. This year Zauner released a series of career-defining projects that propelled her band to widespread critical acclaim including her New York Times best-selling memoir, Crying In H Mart, and Japanese Breakfast's third and most ambitious album, Jubilee.On today’s episode Broken Record producer Leah Rose talks to Michelle Zauner about her triumphant year, and exactly how big she wants her band to become. Zauner also talks about casting The Sopranos star Micheal Imperioli in her video for “Savage Good Boy,” and why she ended up going a little too far in the video’s neck-biting scene.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Japanese Breakfast songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:

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. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener

According to Time Magazine, singer Angelique Kidjo is “Africa’s premier diva.” Kidjo started out singing traditional music in her native Benin, West Africa when she was a teenager. In 1983, she escaped the conflict-riddled Benin for Paris, where she studied music and eventually signed her first record deal with Island Records. Kidjo has since released 16 albums and won four World Music Grammys. Her latest album, Mother Nature, was released in June and features young African musicians like Sampa the Great and Burna Boy.On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Angelique Kidjo about the nature of African rhythm and why it can confuse Western musicians. She also explains how she lets her songs dictate what language her lyrics should be in, and how she managed to escape her home country despite being a recognizable national pop star.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out p

Pastor T.L. Barrett has been known on Chicago’s South side as a religious and community leader for 50 years. But it wasn’t until recently that people started to uncover Barrett’s trove of gospel music. In the 1970s, Barrett began making recordings of the music performed in his church. These were sermons he’d turn into songs that sat around for years until rappers started sampling them in the last decade. People like Kanye West, T.I., DJ Khalid, Alicia Keys. All this recent attention on Pastor T.L. Barrett has culminated in a new box set from the Numero Group called “I Should Wear A Crown."On today's episode Justin Richmond talks to Pastor Barrett about his distant relation to the Reverend C.L. Franklin and of course his daughter, the great Aretha Franklin. Pastor Barrett also talks about how he went from a high school dropout to a community leader. Plus what it was like for him to have his music discovered after decades.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.y

Today we are sharing an episode of Pushkin’s newest show, Backstage Pass, hosted by Eric Vetro, the voice coach to the stars. From Camila Cabello, to Shawn Mendes, to John Legend, Eric Vetro has guided your favorite singers during some of the most iconic moments of their musical lives.Today we'll hear Justin Richmond talk to Eric about his journey to becoming the most trusted celebrity voice coach. Then you'll get a preview of Backstage Pass with Ariana Grande, where she talks to Eric about her vocal range, how Broadway influences her music, and the struggles of having perfect pitch.You can hear more Backstage Pass episodes at https://link.chtbl.com/brokenrecordbackstagepass Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve sung along to a power ballad in the last 30 years, chances are you’re already intimately familiar with Diane Warren’s songs. Some of her biggest hits include Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time,” Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me,” and Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” Over the span of her 35 year-career, Diane Warren has penned hits for hip-hop, country, R&B, and adult contemporary artists. In late August she finally released her own album, The Cave Sessions Volume 1, The genre-spanning project is modeled after DJ compilation albums and brilliantly shows off Warren’s incredible range as a writer. On today’s episode Rick Rubin talks to Diane Warren about how she decided to become a songwriter when she was just 11-years-old. And how her parents built a shed in their backyard where she could work out her early arrangements. Warren also talks about her one and only music teacher—who told her dad she had no future in music—and why she feels she has yet to write her best work.Subscribe to B

On her intimate new album Wary + Strange, Amythyst Kiah sings her heart out about losing her mom to suicide, and what it’s like being the only black person in the room at country gigs. She created the album with Phoebe Bridger’s producer, Tony Berg, and the result is a project expertly fuses Kiah’s love for ‘90s alt-rock with her old-time, country sensibility.Amythyst Kiah performs two of her new songs on today’s episode and talks to Bruce Headlam about what it was like for a black teengager to come out as gay in a white Christian southern town. She also explains how learning of the West African roots of Bluegrass helped reaffirm her place in Americana music.Just a warning, this episode contains talk of suicide. Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Amythyst Kiah songs HERE. Learn more about y

Houston rapper Scarface is one of the most recognizable, respected voices in hip-hop. When he was just 17 years-old, Scarface was recruited to join Bushwik Bill and Willie D in the Geto Boys. The group was one of Rick Rubin’s earliest rap signings for his post Def Jam label, Def American.On today’s episode, Scarface and Rick reminisce about working together, and Face talks about how his recent experience with covid was eerily similar to his classic verse on “Mind Playing Tricks On Me.” Scarface also talks about the Miranda Lambert song that makes him yearn for his childhood Texas home.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Scarface songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cristobal Tapia de Veer is the composer and musician behind Mike White’s HBO show, White Lotus. The sounds in the score range from percussive African and Latin American instruments to guttural human chants. On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to de Veer about how he came up with White Lotus’ striking soundscape. De Veer plays stems from the score and explains about how he initially set out to create a Hawaiian Hitchcock sound. He also talks about how he created the signature tribal-sounding vocals from White Lotus after being summoned to California by Kanye West.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out Cristobal Tapia de Veer's soundtrack for White Lotus HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.