Wheels Off with Rhett Miller

Latest Episodes:

Geraldine DeRuiter May 29, 2024

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Geraldine DeRuiter is an acclaimed author, world-renowned public speaker, and the voice behind the award-winning Everywhereist blog. She joins Rhett to talk about her latest book “If You Can't Take the Heat: Tales of Food, Feminism, and Fury”. The two discuss what it feels like to release your art into the world, the expectation of being creative on demand, and why the potential for failure feels high in the current media environment. Geraldine explains why staying true to oneself is essential, and shares what she learned about her own creative process from Bruce Springsteen.

Geraldine’s book If You Can't Take the Heat:Tales of Food, Feminism, and Fury is available now

Follow Geraldine at The Everywhereist

Rhett Miller website

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

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Matthew Milia May 15, 2024

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Matthew Milia, frontman of Frontier Ruckus, joins Rhett to talk about the band’s latest album, On The Northline, and how his hometown of Detroit has influenced his writing throughout his career. Matthew tells Rhett about his decision to balance music with a corporate job in advertising, and the two discuss living through different generations of the music industry.

Follow @matthewmilia

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

Rhett Miller website

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

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

Clay Ross Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

Grammy winning musician Clay Ross joins Rhett to discuss his powerful new project, American Patchwork Quartet and their mission to celebrate the immigrant soul of American music. Clay explains how the group of acclaimed musicians came together, the creative process behind the making of the record, and how the project reflects his own “patchwork” journey into music. The two discuss the challenges of being an independent artist, the power of collaboration, and Clay explains why being a DIY musician provides the fuel to keep going.

Clay Ross is a multi-Grammy winning artist and the founder of the band Ranky Tanky. He has collaborated with artists as diverse as Gregory Porter, Snarky Puppy, and Bobby McFerrin. He is a teaching artist and the co-founder of Compose Your Career, an online course that teaches musicians how to create a sustainable career in the performing arts.

American Patchwork Quartet

Clay Ross website

Rhett Miller website

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

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Jon Dee Graham Apr 16, 2024

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Jon Dee Graham is a guitarist and songwriter best known for his critically acclaimed solo records. He joins Rhett to talk about his latest album, what it means to get a major label deal on the cusp of turning 65, and shares stories about his upbringing that led to his decision to become a musician.

Jon Dee Graham is a three-time inductee into the Austin Music Hall of Fame as a member of the Skunks, the True Believers, and a solo artist. He has played guitar with acts such as John Doe (X, The Knitters), Exene Cervenka (X), Michelle Shocked, Alejandro Escovedo, Kelly Willis, and The Gourds and has had his songs covered by many artists, including Patty Smythe, Patty Griffin and James McMurtry.

His latest record, Only Dead For A Little While, is available now.

Rhett Miller website

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

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Alejandro Escovedo Apr 02, 2024

Show notes

Alejandro Escovedo, one of the most critically acclaimed artists in contemporary music, joins Rhett to talk about his musical evolution, from his early days in punk band The Nuns to Austin-based rock band The True Believers, to the making of his new album, Echo Dancing. He tells Rhett about the creative process behind the song selection on the new record and the decision to revisit and reshape some of his earlier work. The two discuss the moment when Alejandro committed to being a songwriter, and he explains why each phase of life brings an opportunity to discover new ways to tell a story.

Echo Dancing is available now.

FollowAlejando Escovedo and @alejandro_escovedo

Follow Rhett Miller and @rhettmiller

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

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

Tim DeLaughter Mar 19, 2024

Show notes

Tim DeLaughter, the creative force behind The Polyphonic Spree, joins Rhett to discuss his journey as an artist and the challenges he faced that led to the creation of their latest record “Salvage Enterprise”. Tim tells the story behind the album’s title, discusses the importance of visuals in performance, and shares the epiphany moment he had when his teacher played an Emerson, Lake, and Palmer album in music class.

Tim DeLaughter is an Emmy-nominated singer, songwriter, performer, and producer of The Polyphonic Spree. Their latest release is 2023’s Salvage Enterprise.

The Polyphonic Spree

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Rhett Miller website

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

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Juliana Hatfield Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

Singer-songwriter, musician, and indie rock icon Juliana Hatfield joins Rhett to discuss her creative process, the music she’s working on, and the balance between work and artistry. The two talk about trusting your instincts, allowing songs to develop naturally, and Juliana reflects on what her dream day job would be if she decided to do something other than music.

Juliana Hatfield’s inimitable 35-year career has seen her an underground darling, a cultural emblem and a time-tested veteran whose tender singing and exemplary guitar playing is an iconic and enduring pinnacle of indie and alternative rock. In 1986, she co-founded beloved Boston indie-rock trio the Blake Babies with Freda Love and John Strohm. Since then, she has released 16 solo albums of stirring originals and imaginative covers, delving further into her love of melodic pop and rock frameworks, and fine-tuning her unmatched vision. Juliana Hatfield sings ELO was released in 2023, and the vinyl re-release of her album Bed is available for pre-order now.

Juliana Hatfield website

Follow @julianahatfield

Rhett Miller website

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Distributed in partnership with Osiris Media. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

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

Adam Weiner Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

Rhett welcomes Adam Weiner, the driving force behind Low Cut Connie, for a conversation about the creative projects he’s been working on, the early days of his career, and what prompted him to start his own record label. Adam tells Rhett about the lessons he learned from having a theater background, emphasizes the need for artists to create their own opportunities, and explains why honing one’s craft is essential for success.

Low Cut Connie has become the alter ego for frontman, pianist, and songwriter Adam Weiner, the band's only constant member since its formation. Beginning as an impromptu recording session in 2010, Low Cut Connie gradually evolved into a vehicle for Weiner's songwriting and his distinctive onstage persona. The band has earned praise for its high-energy live performances, which Los Angeles Weekly described as "unmatched in all of rock right now." NPR Music describes Weiner as “masterfully fluent in the foundational languages of Western pop.”

Low Cut Connie website

Follow @lowcutconnie

Rhett Miller website

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

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

Dar Williams Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

Singer-songwriter Dar Williams joins Rhett to talk about the process of writing songs that matter, the importance of finding a supportive community, and tells Rhett about the music she’s currently writing. The two discuss prioritizing authenticity over algorithmic success in today’s creative environment, and Dar offers sage advice for aspiring musicians.

Dar Williams was always in the right place at the right time for the success she’s had over a 25+-year career. She rose out of the vibrant mid-90’s Boston scene, inspired by the eclectic influences of alt-rockers, Berklee jazz musicians, slam poets, and folk artists, like Patty Griffith, Melissa Ferrick, the Throwing Muses, Vance Gilbert, and Jonatha Brooke. After a year of touring non-stop with her first album, The Honesty Room, in 1994, she was invited by Joan Baez to tour in Europe and The United States. Her most recent album is 2021’s I’ll Meet You Here.

Her book, How To Write A Song That Matters is available now.

Dar Williams website

Follow Dar @darwilliamstour

Rhett Miller website

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

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

Jaime Wyatt Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

Singer-songwriter Jaime Wyatt joins Rhett to talk about her latest album “Feel Good”, working with Black Pumas’ Adrian Quesada, and the process of exploring new sounds during the making of the record. Jaime talks about her growth as an artist, why she practices radical self care, and the two discuss the concept of authenticity in music.

Hailed by Pitchfork as one of the “most exciting and skillful storytellers” working today, Jaime Wyatt is the kind of generational talent whose raw, honest lyricism is matched only by the power of her huge, unmistakable voice. Her album, Feel Good, takes Wyatt to new heights. Feel Good is bold and ecstatic, built on tight, intoxicating grooves that belie the songs’ substantial emotional stakes.

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