Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond

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Natalia Lafourcade Mar 19, 2024

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Natalia Lafourcade is a force. As you’ll hear when she sings during our conversation today she has a gorgeous voice. But she’s also a deft songwriter who’s able to weave together traditions that feel both modern and old at once.

And she’s also a beautiful interpreter of song—take for instance the phenomenon that was the song “Remember Me” from Pixar’s film Coco. Or take the many instances where she’s recorded some of the classic songs from across Latin America—performing on songs by greats like Violetta Parra from Chile and Agustín Lara from Natalia’s home state of Veracruz, Mexico. After spending the last seven years interpreting those masters, Natlia’s released De Todas Las Flores, her first album of originals since 2015.

On today's episode Justin Richmond talks to Natalia Lafourcade about the evolution of her artistry over the last 25 years. She recalls the time a hummingbird inspired her to move past a creative rut, and how the logistical challenges of recording her latest album to tape wound up creating an urgency that ultimately fueled the creative process.

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

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Janelle Monàe and Nate Wonder: World Happiness Day Bonus Mar 14, 2024

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In recognition of this month's World Happiness Day, we are presenting one of our favorite episodes from last year with Janelle Monàe and her longtime collaborator, Nate Wonder. Janelle's latest album, The Age Of Pleasure, was created in part as a celebration of black love and community. And as Nate Wonder shares in this interview with Justin Richmond, one of his guiding principles when making the album was to make Janelle smile.

As part of Pushkin Industries' network-wide celebration of World Happiness Day, we will also be sharing an episode of The Happiness Lab from our brilliant colleague, Laurie Santos later this month.

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Kim Gordon Mar 12, 2024

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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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PJ Harvey & John Parish Mar 05, 2024

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To kick off our month-long celebration of Women's History Month, today we're featuring an interview with Polly Jean Harvey, a.k.a. PJ Harvey, who is without question one of the most gifted songwriters of our time.

Her debut album, Dry, came out in 1992 and was what the LA Times called a near “instant classic.” The same with her sophomore release, Rid of Me—which became an inspiration for Nirvana’s last album: In Utero.

Ten albums later and Polly continues to be not only a remarkable songwriter on her new album “I Inside the Old Year Dying” but...maybe more impressively...continues to find new musical territory and new voices to write from. Keeping her songs and artistry as interesting as it was when she first put music out 30 years ago.

John Parish, who’s been a frequent collaborator of Polly’s since the 1980's produced the new album—along with Flood—and joins Justin Richmondin conversation with Polly to discuss their process of working together, the beauty of Polly’s last few albums and how they bonded long ago over Captain Beefheart.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite PJ Harvey & John Parish songs HERE.

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Sonny Rollins Mar 02, 2024

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For the last installment of our Thursday Black History Month drops, how could we not revisit our episode with the incomparable Sonny Rollins? Listening to Sonny is like history coming right off the page. He’s living, breathing black history and one of the greatest tenor players of all time.

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Jason Isbell Feb 27, 2024

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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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Rhiannon Giddens: Black History Month Bonus Feb 22, 2024

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We’re halfway through Black History month and although we didn’t intend to rerun some of our older conversations to celebrate the month, after realizing we needed to do something to mark Usher’s Super Bowl performance and the release of the new Bob Marley biopic “One Love,” we figured we might as well keep going and celebrate the whole month long…because now we have a country album from Beyonce on the way.

Beyonce released two songs from her upcoming album the night of the Super Bowl—“16 Carriages” and “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”—to a rapturous response. Not only are the songs good. But they sparked a lot of meaningful conversations about the usefulness of genres, the way marketing shapes our listening and gatekeeping in music. Those are all things very close to Rhiannon Giddens’ heart. As a black banjo player, steeped in the Americana tradition—and its Transatlantic roots—she’s been living this conversation her whole career.

Rhiannon also happens to play on the song “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” with Beyonce. Which just this week hit number one on the country chart, making her the first time a black woman has ever held that spot.

So let’s flash back to when we had Rhiannon on Broken Record back in 2021 to speak with Bruce Headlam about her album They’re Calling Me Home.

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IDLES Feb 20, 2024

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Since releasing their critically acclaimed debut album, Brutalism, in 2017, the British band IDLES have dropped four other albums in quick succession. The band’s bombastic sound brilliantly balances joy, chaos, and an often critical take on the powers that be. IDLES latest album, TANGK, was produced by the band's guitarist Mark Bowen, Kenny Beats, and Radiohead producer, Nigel Godrich.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Joe Talbot and Mark Bowen from the greenroom of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon about their tumultuous creative partnership. They also explain how Mark helps temper Joe’s sometimes passionate rage, and Joe breaks down why he will forever despise England’s monarchy.

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

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Ziggy Marley: Black History Month Bonus Feb 15, 2024

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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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Duff McKagan Feb 13, 2024

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In the minds of many rock fans, Duff McKagan will forever be known first and foremost as the bassist for Guns N' Roses. The band’s white-hot reign in the late '80s through the early '90s is the stuff of hedonistic, hard rock legend. And for anyone interested in reading a detailed account of that wild ride, check out Duff’s memoir, “It’s So Easy and Other Lies.”

After turning 30, Duff got sober, eventually left GNR, and then went on to play stints in Alice In Chains and Jane’s Addiction—and he helped form the supergroup, Velvet Revolver. In 2016, he rejoined Guns N' Roses following their induction into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.

Outside of his contributions to big name rock bands, Duff has also been releasing solo material since the early '90s. His latest album, Lighthouse, signals a new musical direction for Duff—one that focuses on reflective, personal lyrics and stripped-down rootsy-rock.

On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Duff McKagan about his decision to leave the heroin-infested punk rock scene in his hometown of Seattle for LA. He also shares stories about Axl Rose and Slash while recording Appetite For Destruction. And he reminisces about the time his musical idol Prince was trying to get Duff to reveal the real reason why Guns N' Roses broke up.

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

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