Arts

Talkhouse Podcast

Your favorite musicians, filmmakers, and other creative minds one-on-one. No moderator, no script, no typical questions. The Talkhouse Podcast offers unique insights into creative work from all genres and generations. Explore more illuminating shows on the Talkhouse Podcast Network.

Latest Episodes:

Karen Gillan with James Roday Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Talkhouse Podcast, friends and fellow actor-writer-directors James Roday and Karen Gillan sit down for a chat at The Grant, James' bar-to-be in Los Angeles' Eagle Rock neighborhood. Roday and Gillan, best known as Shawn from Psych and Nebula from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, respectively, got together to discuss Roday's second feature as writer-director, the slowburning horror, Treehouse, which debuted March 1 on Hulu as part of Blumhouse's yearlong Into the Dark series. To the faint sounds of construction workers finishing The Grant, the two pals chat about Treehouse, Gillan's directorial debut The Party's Just Beginning, their mutual love of horror movies and Lynne Ramsay, Roday's obsession with Highland cows, that time Gillan wrote a letter to Michael Haneke, and much, much more. For more filmmakers musicians in conversation, visit Talkhouse at talkhouse.com and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

Sylvan Esso with Anna Drezen Feb 28, 2019

Show notes

When we paired them for a Talkhouse Podcast at the fantastic Life Is Beautiful Fest, Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn and SNL writer Anna Drezen got on, as they say in the talk, like a house on fire. A week after meeting, Sylvan Esso were posting pics backstage from SNL!

In this chat, the trio do cover some artistic topics: the similarities and differences in the professional lives of bands and comedians; their worst gigs ever; and the emotional brutality of both writing songs and pitching sketches at SNL. And they also get into a tooon of riffing. (Turns out Sylvan Esso can hang with the best!) So we also hear about “egg sluts,” Property Brothers fan fiction, the problem with Steven Seagal flicks, and even witness a fiery debate on whether Sylvan Esso… make good hula hooping music.

Check it out, and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

You can also now follow us on Spotify!

—Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer

Today’s episode was co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi. It was recorded at National Southwestern Recording in Las Vegas and at Hook and Fade Studios in Brooklyn by Mark The Producer. Additional recording by Josh Modell.

The Talkhouse Podcast’s theme song was composed and performed by The Range. Thanks to Life Is Beautiful and Ronald Corso at National Southwestern Recording.

Revisited: Meredith Graves (Perfect Pussy) with Cameron Lynch Feb 21, 2019

Show notes

This week, we're revisiting a unique talk recorded at last year's On Air Fest. On Air is a rad festival devoted to audio storytelling and the creative possibilities of sound. The festival returns later this month in Brooklyn. You can find more info about speakers and how to attend at onairfest.com

Today's episode, a collaboration with The Players' Tribune, was recorded earlier this month in front of a live audience at On Air Fest at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn.

When On Air Fest reached out to Talkhouse about curating a live episode for their podcast festival, we had an idea: What if we, the outlet where musicians and filmmakers write and speak about their experiences, partnered with Derek Jeter's The Players' Tribune, the site where athletes write about their own experiences, for a podcast discussion about what the first-person narrative really looks like? The Players' Tribune loved the idea, and brought in NFL linebacker Cameron Lynch to speak with frequent Talkhouse contributor Meredith Graves (Perfect Pussy). Their thoughtful and often funny conversation takes in a lot, from shutting down the "shut up and dribble" narrative, to the very real pressures of professionally rolling "the dice of life" every single day. It also touches on Fergie's National Anthem blowback, the truth and falsity of people's preconceptions about athletes and rock stars, the perils of Googling oneself, and reckoning with the fact that each of us is "an unpredictable consciousness driving a meat-covered skeleton."

Dan Treadway, Deputy Editor at Players' Tribune, and I kick off the live conversation with some background on each of our first-person-driven media outlets.

Check it out, and subscribe now on iTunes or Stitcher to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

— Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer

Today’s episode was recorded by Mark Yoshizumi with Michael Bosworth, and co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi. The Talkhouse Podcast’s theme song was composed and performed by The Range.

V-Day with 5 Famous Artist Couples! Feb 14, 2019

Show notes

Happiest of Valentines Days to ya, listeners! To celebrate the duality of this love-filled and oh-so-fraught time, the Talkhouse Podcast asked five of our favorite artist couples to answer two questions: What’s the best thing about being in a two-artist relationship? And, what’s the worst??

Answering both Cupid’s and our calls are:

— Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) and Kevin Morby;

— Maliibu Miitch and Chase Money Marz;

— Heather Matarazzo and Heather Turman;

— Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz, Sad13) and Dylan Baldi (Cloud Nothings);

— Natalie Prass and Eric Slick (Dr. Dog)

So get ready to hear about inter-couple artistic competitiveness, the strains of touring in a relationship, having recording sessions on your spouse’s birthday, and the perils of dating “civilians.”

As I couldn’t ask these artists to walk through a potential relationship minefield that I wasn’t willing to tread myself, I’m very pleased (and slightly afraid) to welcome my wife—and Pitchfork’s Managing Editor—Amy Phillips on to help intro this episode. Buckle up! Check it out, and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

You can also now follow us on Spotify!

—Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer

Today’s episode was co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi. It was recorded by each of the participating couples, and by Mark Yoshizumi. The Talkhouse Podcast’s theme song was composed and performed by The Range.

Jon Cryer with Ben Lee Feb 07, 2019

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Talkhouse Podcast, we get to listen in on two friends and recent collaborators in conversation: actor Jon Cryer (of Two and a Half Men fame) and musician Ben Lee. The pair, who teamed up on the musical B is for Beer, which Lee adapted with Tom Robbins from the iconic novelist’s book of the same name – and then roped in Cryer to both direct and play the role of the Beer Vendor. In a wide-ranging chat recorded at Lee’s house in Los Angeles, Jon and Ben discuss being famous in your teens (and then trying to become a grounded adult), their partnership on B is for Beer, how to deal with setbacks and failures in show business, Ben’s life-changing moment being cast at age 7 in Uncle Moishy and His Mitzvah Men, Jon’s memories of working on Superman IV, and much, much more. For more filmmakers musicians in conversation, visit Talkhouse at talkhouse.com and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

Episode recorded by Ben Lee in Los Angeles, and recorded and co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi at Hook & Fade Studios in Brooklyn. The Talkhouse podcast producer is Elia Einhorn.

Revisited: Jlin with William Basinski Jan 31, 2019

Show notes

We're re-airing this talk with the news that Jlin and William Basinski are reconnecting for an upcoming Talkhouse Podcast happening live on Pitchfork Radio at Midwinter.

Jlin and William Basinski are two of today's most fascinating and gifted composers. Basinski works with decaying analogue tape loops to create ambient soundscapes, while Jlin constructs brilliant, stuttering reimaginings of footwork rhythms. The friends and collaborators sat down in the Sonos room at Rough Trade NYC for one of three conversations that Talkhouse curated for Northside Festival. The two get into Basinski's tribute to his hero David Bowie, Jlin's boundary-pushing collaborations with cutting-edge dancers, and how a cat on the loose ended up significantly contributing to Basinski’s artistry.

Check it out, and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

—Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer

Today's episode was recorded and co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi.

John Grant with Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters) Jan 24, 2019

Show notes

Hardcore porn, boring mega-fans, and ANOHNI dropping allegorical knowledge are just the start of this incredibly thoughtful and open conversation between John Grant and Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters, Kinky Boots). The two are huge fans of each other’s work, and were both nervous and excited at the opportunity to sit down and chop it up. Their talk also covers how they’ve each faced, and overcome, their worst performing nightmares; the inspiration chili and cheesecake brought to recording John’s Love Is Magic; and Jake’s uncomfortably intimate encounter with the String Cheese Incident.

Check it out, and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

You can also now follow us on Spotify!

—Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer

Today’s episode was co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi. It was recorded by Ali Nikou at Shears’ home in LA, and by Mark Yoshizumi at Hook and Fade Studios in Brooklyn.

The Talkhouse Podcast’s theme song was composed and performed by The Range.

Protomartyr with Preoccupations & Geoff Barrow with Annika Henderson Jan 17, 2019

Show notes

Today's episode is an action-packed double-header! First up, we've got post-punk heavy-hitters Matt Flegel (singer and bassist of Preoccupations) and Joe Casey (Protomartyr frontman and new entrant into the Talkhouse Podcast Three Timers Club). The recent tour mates discuss their new 7" split Telemetry At Howe Bridge, intra-band fighting, how sports nerds and music nerds can be the same kind of insufferable, and so much more!

Plus, we've got a short and sweet clip from a convo with Geoff Barrow (Portishead, Beak>) and Annika Henderson (aka Anika). They talk about how Annika found her band Exploded View just when she was about to quit the music industry forever, and how EV has benefitted from having members from three different countries. Check it out.

Subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

Joe Casey and Matt Flegel were recorded in Kansas City by James Grau; Geoff Barrow and Anika recorded themselves. This episode was co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi at Hook and Fade Studios in Brooklyn.

The Talkhouse Podcast’s theme song was composed and performed by The Range.

Vince Clarke with Orbital Jan 10, 2019

Show notes

Today’s show is dedicated to the OG electronic music heads! Synthpop wizard Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yaz, Erasure) sat down with U.K. rave gods Paul and Phil Hartnoll of Orbital for a catch-up amidst the drool-worthy vintage synthesizer collection at Hook & Fade Studios here in Brooklyn. The old friends take us on a trip back through the dance scenes they were immersed in throughout the '80s and '90s, analyze the American and British music communities, and compare notes on the differences between the legendary old raves and today’s massive EDM festivals. And while on past podcast episodes we’ve heard very disparate takes on the way artists work up demos — Clams Casino’s iPhone apps, Yoshimi’s train riding — we’ve never heard anything remotely like Paul’s method. (And we’re guessing his dentist hadn’t, either.) Check it out.

Subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

—Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer

Today’s episode was co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi.

The Talkhouse Podcast’s theme song was composed and performed by The Range.

Ariel Pink with Cate Le Bon Jan 03, 2019

Show notes

To celebrate Mexican Summer’s ten year anniversary, we paired two of the fantastic record label’s most fascinating artists: Ariel Pink and Cate Le Bon.

Backstage at A Decade Deeper: Mexican Summer’s 10 Year Anniversary party at Brooklyn’s Pioneer Works arts space, Cate and Ariel—fans of each other’s work who'd never met irl—sat down for a talk before their sets. The two really hit it off, and their wide-ranging conversation takes in a lot: the deep flaws they see in the way music press works; Ariel not always working well with others; and the difficult genesis of Cate’s upcoming LP. Ariel also talks about his favorite site on the internet, and Cate divulges the, um, very weird act she was asked to perform for a shoot. Check it out.

Subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

—Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer

Today’s episode was co-produced by Mark Yoshizumi.

Big thanks to Justin Frye and Pioneer Works for hosting this taping.

The Talkhouse Podcast’s theme song was composed and performed by The Range.