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

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Bootsy Collins Jun 17, 2025

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Today on Broken Record, we’re joined by the one and only Bootsy Collins.

Bootsy burst onto the scene in the early ’70s as James Brown’s young, electrifying bass player. But it was with Parliament-Funkadelic that he truly found his voice—or rather, his voices—balancing raw, uncut funk with a psychedelic, intergalactic persona that would go on to inspire artists from Prince to Thundercat.

In this conversation with Justin Richmond, Bootsy reflects on what it’s been like to navigate life as both William Collins—the introspective, spiritually grounded man from Cincinnati—and Bootsy, the rhinestone-rimmed avatar of groove. He also opens up about his legendary songwriting partnership with George Clinton and keyboard genius Bernie Worrell, and how the three of them helped create some of the most joyful and mind-bending music in American history.

Even now, more than 50 years into his career, Bootsy remains on the cutting edge—embracing new technology, collaborating with a new generation of artists, and continuing to spread The One with his latest release, Album of the Year #1 Funkateer.

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

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Paul Stanley Jun 10, 2025

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Today, Justin Richmond is joined by the Starchild himself—KISS co-founder and frontman, Paul Stanley. Born and raised in New York City, Paul fell in love with music at an early age, attending shows at iconic venues like the Fillmore East. Over the course of more than 50 years with KISS, he helped build one of the most devoted fan bases in rock history, turning theatrical spectacle into an art form.

Now that KISS has officially retired from touring, Paul reflects on life beyond the stage. He opens up about what continues to fuel his creativity, and what it means to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army. He also shares his personal top five KISS albums—and gives us a preview of KISS: Storms Vegas, the upcoming Las Vegas residency that proves the end of touring doesn’t mean the end of the show.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Paul Stanley and Kiss HERE.

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Shirley Manson Jun 03, 2025

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Shirley Manson rose to '90s fame as the magnetic front woman of Garbage, but she was already a seasoned singer when guitarist Steve Marker spotted her in a music video for her previous band, Angelfish. She joined the Garbage in 1994. The band was made up of Steve Marker and producers Duke Erikson and Butch Vig—renowned for his work with Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins.

Nearly 30 years and over 17 million albums later, Garbage is preparing to release their eighth studio album, Let All That We Imagine Be The Light. Shirley’s voice remains as sharp and compelling as ever.

On today’s episode, Leah Rose sits down with Shirley Manson to discuss how an unexpected piece of advice from an acting coach during her time on the Fox sci-fi series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles continues to shape her creative process. Shirley also opens up about the challenges of communicating with her bandmates—and shares a hilarious story about meeting one of her musical heroes, Patti Smith—only to discover she had green curry smeared across her face.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Shirley Manson & Garbage HERE.

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Rewind: Jeff Tweedy May 29, 2025

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Today, we're revisiting a gem from our archives. In late 2020, Wilco's frontman and acclaimed songwriter Jeff Tweedy released his compact yet powerful book, "How to Write One Song" – a remarkable guide for unlocking anyone's creative potential through songwriting. This exploration of creativity immediately resonated with Broken Record host Malcolm Gladwell, leading to a fascinating conversation about the book and examining what has established Tweedy as one of the most distinctive songwriters of the 21st century so far.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Jeff Tweedy & Wilco HERE.

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Ben Kweller May 27, 2025

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For close to three decades, Ben Kweller’s been crafting deeply personal indie rock that's both intimate and expansive. From his early days fronting the band Radish as a teenager in the '90s to his acclaimed solo career that began in the early 2000s, he's consistently delivered songs that feel raw, honest and almost conversational. But his latest album, Cover the Mirrors, finds Ben in a different place entirely. It's an unflinching examination of grief, healing, and the complicated process of moving forward after unimaginable loss.

In today’s episode we’ll talk with Ben about the death of his teenage son, Dorian. How Ben and his family embraced grief and managed to not retreat from their lives and work. And what it means to return to making and releasing music.

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

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Kali Uchis May 20, 2025

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Over the past few years, Kali Uchis has released three standout albums: Red Moon in Venus, Orquídeas, and now her latest, Sincerely. Each has made a powerful contribution to the evolving legacy of R&B and Latin music—but Sincerely marks a striking leap forward in her artistic journey.

So it’s no surprise that in her conversation with Justin Richmond, Kali reveals she took a different approach this time—writing most of the album on her own before stepping into the studio. It also, heartbreakingly, makes sense that Sincerely was shaped in the shadow of a traumatic, life-altering experience involving her mother.

In today’s episode, Kali opens up about that experience, along with her reflections on parenthood, her family’s immigration story, and the challenges of her first tour.

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

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Rico Nasty May 13, 2025

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Rico Nasty is a genre-defying force in contemporary hip-hop, known for her raw, unapologetic style and fearless experimentation. Rico started releasing mixtapes while still in high school in Maryland, with early tracks like “iCarly” and “Hey Arnold” catching fire online.

After dropping five mixtapes independently, she signed with Atlantic Records in 2018 and introduced the world to her signature “sugar trap” sound—a blend of aggressive nu-metal energy and trap production—on breakout tracks like "Smack a Bitch" and "Rage."

Today, Leah Rose sits down with Rico as she prepares to release her fourth studio album, Lethal. They dive into everything from the beautiful chaos of female-heavy mosh pits at her shows, what it was like to suddenly come into lots of money as a teenager early, to how she landed her first acting role in the upcoming A24/Apple TV series Margo’s Got Money Troubles.

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

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Daryl Hall May 08, 2025

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Daryl Hall stands as one of the greatest pop songwriters in music history. As the iconic half of Hall & Oates, his classic tracks like "Sara Smile," "Rich Girl," and "Maneater" earned the duo coveted spots in both the Songwriters and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Yet beyond his chart-dominating success throughout the '70s and '80s, Daryl remains a profoundly gifted, soulful creator whose musical talents transcend genres.

On today's episode, Justin Richmond talks to the legendary Daryl Hall about his early career with Gulliver on Elektra Records—where he shared a label with The Doors—and diving into the creative process behind classics like "She's Gone" from the seminal album Abandoned Luncheonette. Daryl also talks about his latest artistic endeavor, D, a collaborative album he made with Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart.

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

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Richard Thompson May 06, 2025

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Richard Thompson is a London-born guitar virtuoso whose career started in 1967 as part of the groundbreaking folk band Fairport Convention. The following decade Richard formed a duo with his former wife Linda Thompson, and together they released six albums, including the critically acclaimed, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight. Richard then struck out on his own, writing songs that have since been covered by artists like Robert Plant, Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Richard about his love of traditional Scottish music, and how he’s reworked old folk songs over the years. Richard also plays examples of his unique playing style on the guitar and talks about the time he played alongside Jimi Hendrix.

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

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Jim James Apr 29, 2025

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Jim James, the frontman of My Morning Jacket, has lived many lives over the band’s 27-year career. He started as a hopeful young musician, chasing the magic of his musical heroes—while secretly fearing he’d never measure up. Later, he spiraled into heavy drinking and self-doubt, teetering on the edge of leaving the band.

But today, Jim is in a much different place. Healthier, more grounded, and full of self-acceptance, thanks in part to a mix of traditional and psychedelic therapies he turned to during the pandemic.

This month, My Morning Jacket returns with Is, their tenth studio album—and their first made entirely with an outside producer, the legendary Brendan O’Brien.

On today’s episode, Leah Rose sits down with Jim to talk about the ayahuasca journey that helped him learn how to truly love himself. He also looks back on writing the band’s ambitious second album, At Dawn, and recalls the surreal moment he saw Bob Dylan disappear into the music while playing with him live.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite My Morning Jacket songs HERE.

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