Wheels Off with Rhett Miller

Latest Episodes:

Laura Stevenson Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

Singer-songwriter Laura Stevenson joins Rhett to talk about releasing an album during the pandemic, finding value in not having a plan, and the darker moments that occur during the creative process. They discuss Laura’s new album and why she can’t wait to start writing new music.

Laura Stevenson is a singer-songwriter from Long Island, NY. She made her recording debut in 2009 and was a keyboard player for the musical collective Bomb the Music Industry! In 2016, Stevenson released her first live album, recorded at Vera Club, and donated all of the proceeds to Planned Parenthood. Her sixth solo album, simply titled Laura Stevenson, was released in August 2021.

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

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Nicole Atkins Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

Nicole Atkins joins Rhett from her home in Nashville to talk about the new album that she’s working on, accidentally getting a record deal, and writing songs about Twitter. You’ll hear the two old friends (and songwriting partners) discuss her most recent record, Memphis Ice, why shyness is a waste of time when you’re a musician, and how “doing the work” is the only thing that you can control.

Nicole Atkins is a singer-songwriter from Neptune, NJ. Her style combines 50s-style crooning with psychedelia, soul, and 80’s punk, rendering a stunningly unique and infectious sound. She has released 6 stellar studio albums, and has collaborated with extraordinary artists including Scott Walker, The Avett Brothers, and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. In this episode she shares fascinating insights about her flourishing musical life with listeners, and you won’t want to miss what she has to say!

Check out Nicole’s new album, Memphis Ice, on Apple Music or Spotify.

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Chris Shiflett Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

Chris Shiflett joins Rhett from his home in LA to talk about his quarantine recording project, the conceptual differences between albums and singles in today’s music world, and holding grudges against your own songs. The two longtime friends also discuss the pros and cons of social media relevance, and what an audience truly wants in a live performance.

Chris Shiflett is a musician from Santa Barbara, California, best known for his role as the lead guitarist in the Foo Fighters. He was also a member of the punk rock bands No Use for a Name, and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Chris has released two solo albums, and hosts a podcast called Walking the Floor. In this episode he sits down with his good friend to talk about what he’s learned throughout his career that spans almost four decades.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Justin Thomas. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

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Robby Krieger Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

Legendary rock guitarist Robby Krieger of the Doors joins Rhett from his home in Los Angeles for a fascinating conversation about writing music with Jim Morrison, Robby’s upcoming instrumental reggae album, and why he’s glad that he never learned to read music. You’ll also hear the two discuss Robby’s new book, Set the Night on Fire, the power of meditation, and writing “Light My Fire” when Robby was only 19 years old.

Robby Krieger is a guitarist and songwriter from Los Angeles best known for his work with the Doors. Robby co-wrote many of the Doors' most famous songs, including hits like "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly." He is listed as one of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone, and he has continued his productive musical career long after the group went their separate ways.

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Neal Francis Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

Singer-songwriter Neal Francis joins Rhett from Chicago to talk about his album, In Plain Sight, and why he had to step away from the album once it was finished in order to actualize the music he’d created. Neal tells Rhett about starting out as a sideman and how he learned to accept that a career in music could be possible. The two discuss the powerful combination of mindfulness, meditation, and sobriety; and why songwriting is like architecture.

Neal Francis is a singer and songwriter from Oak Park, IL. “From a very early age, I was playing late into the night in a very stream-of-consciousness kind of way,” Neal has said, while citing influences ranging from ragtime to gospel soul to The Who. With a prodigy-like gift for piano, he sat in with a dozen different blues acts in Chicago clubs as a teenager, and formed a widely beloved funk band called The Heard before going solo. His new album, In Plain Sight, is a portrait of profound upheaval and weary resilience, presented in a kaleidoscopic sound that’s endlessly absorbing. Listen to the new album on Spotify or Apple Music.

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Jung Yun Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

Jung Yun joins Rhett from Baltimore, MD to talk about the making of her recently-released second novel, O Beautiful, and actualizing her vision to live a creative life. Jung and Rhett also discuss the journey that led to her publishing her first book at age 43, growing up without the understanding that she could make art for a living, and why everything happens in due time.

Jung Yun is a writer from Seoul, South Korea who grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. She studied at Vassar College, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she received her M.F.A. in Creative Writing. Her work has appeared in Tin House, The Massachusetts Review, The Indiana Review, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Review of Books, among others. She currently lives in Baltimore with her husband and is an assistant professor of English at George Washington University.

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The Kernal (Joe Garner) Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

The Kernal, also known as Joe Garner, joins Rhett from his home in Jackson, TN to talk about the making of his new record Listen To The Blood, why he enjoys writing short stories, and the importance of having fun while playing music. Joe tells Rhett the story behind the red suit that started The Kernal, and the songwriting process that brings his soulful, classic sound to life.

Joe Garner is a singer-songwriter from Jackson, Tennessee who performs under the moniker The Kernal. With a storyteller's eye and sly sense of humor, The Kernal's unique country flavor delves deep into everything from family dysfunction, to road trips, to matters of the heart. He has released three studio albums and one live album. His latest release, Listen To The Blood, will be released in January 2022.

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Dan + Claudia Zanes Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

Husband and wife creative duo Dan + Claudia Zanes join Rhett to talk about the making of their new record, Let Love Be Your Guide, which was created during the pandemic. They tell Rhett about the tension of working in a competitive society while sticking to their values, music as a unifying force, and what they would tell their 21-year old selves.

Dan and Claudia Zanes have been making music together since the day they met in 2016. Dan Zane was a member of the 1980s band The Del Fuegos and is now the front man of the Grammy-winning group Dan Zanes and Friends. Claudia Zanes is a Haitian-American Vocalist and Music Therapist, and a graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Together, they created Night Train 57: A Sensory Friendly Comic Folk Opera, a theater piece which premiered in October 2017, as well as an award-winning songbook titled Dan Zanes’ House Party: A Family Roots Music Treasury. Claudia also runs her own skin care business called CLEO Soaps, and Dan works with Constructive White Conversations, an anti-racist organization he co-founded in 2011.

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Rosanne Cash Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

Rosanne Cash, Rhett’s very first guest on Wheels Off, returns to the podcast to help celebrate episode 100. The two discuss what they’ve learned since episode 1 (in 2018), how the pandemic has affected her creatively, and what she’s looking forward to as she returns to performing live. Rosanne tells Rhett about the new music she’s written, including songs she co-wrote with Matt Berninger of The National and “The Killing Fields”, a powerful and personal song about reconciling issues of race, racism, and privilege.

Rosanne Cash is a singer-songwriter and author from Memphis, Tennessee. The eldest daughter of country music legend Johnny Cash, Rosanne took after her father’s musical intuition, but blazed her own trail as an artist. Her unique flavor of country music draws from rock, blues, Americana, and folk to create genuine and heartfelt soundscapes that contain powerful messages. She has released over a dozen studio albums and won four Grammy Awards.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Justin Thomas. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mara Wilson Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

Actress and writer Mara Wilson joins Rhett to talk about why she enjoys writing dialogue, how her childhood pointed her in the direction of becoming a storyteller, and effective ways to overcome mental health struggles. Mara also dives deep on why she values social ties in the context of creation, and tells Rhett about how her work becomes more clear to her as time passes.

Mara Wilson, known for her childhood roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda, is a writer and actor living in Los Angeles. Recently, she has appeared on Welcome to Night Vale, Broad City, and Bojack Horseman. Her writing has appeared on Elle.com, McSweeney’s, Reductress, and Cracked. She also publishes a newsletter of her writing with Substack, 'Shan't We Call the Vicar?' and Mara's first book, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, is available from Penguin Random House.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Justin Thomas. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Rainn Wilson, Nick Hornby, Pete Yorn, Liz Phair, and more.

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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