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

Madeleine Peyroux is a jazz-inspired singer songwriter who got her start singing in street bands in Paris as a teenager. In 1996, Atlantic Records released Madeline’s debut album where she covered tunes from the ‘30s and ‘40s by artists like Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday—and then later she recorded songs by Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. This year Madeleine Peyroux released Let’s Walk, her first album of all-original songs co-written with her long-time touring guitar player, Jon Herington. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Madeleine and Jon Herington about their creative process throughout the pandemic and they play a couple songs from their new album. Madeleine also remembers her early days busking with a bohemian ex-pat named Dan William Fitzgerald who became her musical mentor. And she explains how Dr. Cornel West became her guiding light during a recent bout of personal despair. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Madeleine Peyroux songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singer, songwriter Remi Wolf burst out of the pandemic like a ray of light, spreading joy with her infectious production, capricious outlook and jaunty hooks. She appeared to come to us fully formed. But Remi’s been working hard on her craft for the last decade. She started performing with local bands around the Bay Area during high school and she eventually wound up studying music in LA at USC where she met many of the people she still collaborates with. On today’s Broken Record, Remi Wolf talks with Justin Richmond live from Amazon’s Studio 126 about finding her musical footing in Los Angeles, walks us through the writing of her new album “Big Ideas,” and talks about her summer experience opening up for Olivia Rodrigo in Europe. Check out the full interview on YouTube HERE. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Remi Wolf songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Captain Kirk Douglas is the longtime guitarist for The Roots. Over the past 21 years he’s seen the group evolve from a touring act, to the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, to having their own successful music festival in Philly. All the while continuing to record albums for themselves and others. Between The Roots' many commitments, Kirk has also found time to record a solo project under the name Hundred Watt Heart. His most recent offering “New Unknown”  was recorded in the basement of his childhood home on Long Island where he first fell in love with the music of Van Halen, Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, and so many others. On today’s Broken Record Justin Richmond talks with Captain Kirk from the Roots’ green room in 30 Rock about the seductive pull he felt as a little kid seeing electric guitars on the cover of an old Kiss album. He also reminisces about his early days gigging around New York City in the ‘90s while also working as a preschool teacher. And he recalls the elation he felt when Prince played one of his guitars on the Tonight Show, only to smash it onstage at the end of the performance. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Captain Kirk Douglas & The Roots songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Paul Banks is technically the lead singer of Interpol, he sees himself more as a member of a gang of musicians. Interpol formed in 1997 after lead guitarist Daniel Kessler invited Paul—who was a student at NYU at the time—to watch the band rehearse. In 2002 Interpol released their era defining album, Turn On The Bright Lights, to widespread critical acclaim. At the time they were lumped together with New York City’s emerging “indie sleaze” movement with bands like The Strokes, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Their sophomore album Antics in 2004 surpassed critics' expectations and further evolved their sound. September marks the 20th anniversary of Antics, and to celebrate, Interpol is embarking on an international tour where they will play the album in full. On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Paul Banks about how he wrote the lyrics to key tracks on Antics. Paul also explains why he hasn’t listened to rock music in over 20 years. And he remembers watching a boxing match with John Frusciante and RZA from Wu-Tang, and how John forever changed the way Paul thinks about musicality in hip-hop. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Interpol & Paul Banks songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tinashe’s changing what success in pop music can look like. Back in 2014 her song "2 On" featuring Schoolboy Q hit big on Billboard. With major success looming, Tinashe released projects that missed the charts but gained her a strong, loyal fanbase. In 2019 she left her major label to go independent. And judging from her massive online following today, her fans have stuck behind her. In April, she dropped the highly meme-able track "Nasty" that many are calling the song of the summer. “Nasty” comes from her album Quantum Baby, the second part in a trilogy of new albums. Justin Richmond spoke to Tinashe from Amazon Studio 126 about her new albums and what it took to go independent. They also talk about her role in The Polar Express and working with Tom Hanks. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Tinashe songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

True to her Texas roots, Edie Brickell can seemingly find a song anywhere—including out of thin air. Here It Comes is the new album from Edie and her collaborators, CJ Camerieri and Trever Hagen who are known as Heavy MakeUp. Heavy MakeUp is, of course, only the latest musical iteration for Edie who’s found herself ever evolving over her career. From her first hit with the New Bohemians, co-writing their massive 1988 single “What I Am,” she’s never stopped looking for songs. She even spent the better part of a decade writing and performing with Steve Martin on their very own musical—Bright Star—that ran on Broadway in 2016. On today’s episode, Bruce Headlam talks with Edie, CJ and Trever about the origins of Heavy MakeUp and the recording of their new album. We'll also hear a short performance demonstrating the unique improvisational nature of their work. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Heavy MakeUp & Edie Brickell songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shannon & The Clams were long time regulars in the Bay Area music scene. The band’s two main songwriters—Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard met in college in Oakland, California. They remained there for about a decade until a number of events set them adrift physically and spiritually. The band’s new album, The Moon Is In the Wrong Place, is taken from a phrase Shannon’s fiancé, Joe Haener uttered shortly before his passing. Much of the album is anchored around Shannon’s grief. On today's episode Justin Richmond talks to Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard about moving away from Oakland, the aftermath of losing a loved one, and about their Dan Auerbach-produced album, The Moon Is In The Wrong Place. You can hear a playlist from Shannon's late fiancé, Joe Haener, HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Randy Bachman is the Canadian guitarist and songwriter behind a slew of hits with the bands The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive. Although he was based far from the '60s powerhouse music scenes of Laurel Canyon and Swinging London, Bachman first made a name for himself performing across the Great White North. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Randy who dissects his hits including “American Woman” and “These Eyes.” He also explains how he became one of the great guitarists of his generation. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Randy Bachman songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Serj Tankian made his first foray into public life as the idiosyncratic lead singer of the late ‘90s metal band System Of A Down. After releasing five platinum-selling albums with the band, and establishing himself as one of modern-day music’s most outspoken human-rights activists, in 2007, Serj left System to pursue his own artistic pursuits. Since then he’s released solo albums, composed symphonies, scored documentaries, and most recently started producing a line of Armenian coffee. In May, Serj also released a memoir called “Down With The System” that details his personal story that starts in Beirut before his family emigrated to Los Angeles during the Lebanese Civil War in the ‘70s. Serj’s memoir also details his family's history in Armenia, and their chilling plight during the genocide of 1915. On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Serj Tankian about why he always felt like an outsider—including in System Of A Down. He also explains why it was so essential for him to exercise his demons on stage, and the one fundamental change that needs to take place in order for him to record new music with the band. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Serj Tankian songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Camila Cabello is in the midst of a creative revival. Her brand new album, C,XOXO was recently dubbed “hyper-pop” by Rolling Stone in the wake of the frenetic first single, “I Luv It,” featuring Playboi Carti. The track is an entirely new direction for Camila who first rose to fame in 2012 as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony. On her new album Camila is racing into uncharted territory with her sound. She enlisted producers Jasper Harris and El Guincho, who’s known for his work with Rosalia. Together they introduce a variety of new sounds into Camila’s orbit including the newest sounds in hip-hop. The result is Camila’s edgiest album yet. Today Justin Richmond talks to Camila about the very particular set of creative influences that inspired her new album, including a book by Joan Didion. She also talks about having features from Drake on her album, why she wanted to make music for Miami Spring breakers. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Camila Cabello songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Leventhal is a bit of a secret weapon in music. Though he started out as a session musician in the '80s, he quickly found writing and producing music for other artists was his true calling. That gift has led to six Grammy Award wins and songs like “Sunny Came Home” by Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn’s “Walk Through the World” and “Crossing to Jerusalem” by his wife Rosanne Cash. John and Rosanne have been married for almost 30 years and over the course of their union have become great collaborators. Bruce Headlam talks to John Leventhal on today’s episode about the beginnings of both his musical and romantic relationship with Rosanne, and also about stepping out from behind the scenes to release his very first debut album. A beautiful instrumental project called Rumble Strip. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite John Leventhal songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Genesis" the new work from RAYE discussed in this episode is out now: https://raye.orcd.co/genesis RAYE is an English pop singer/songwriter whose debut album, My 21st Century Blues, snagged Album Of the Year at this year’s Brit Awards. One of a historic six wins that evening. For a 26 year old artist who's already survived a tumultuous ride through the music industry, the ceremony was a coup. On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to RAYE about how a quote from Nina Simone gave her the courage to take control of her career and she explains the inspiration behind her sprawling new, multi-part single, “Genesis.” You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite RAYE songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael McDonald’s husky baritone is one of the most instantly recognizable voices from the ‘70s and ‘80s. As a member of The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, and a hitmaking solo artist, Michael McDonald’s career is one for the books. Enter Paul Reiser—the comedic actor and writer behind New York Times best-selling books, popular movies and TV shows. Before the start of the pandemic, Paul met Mike McDonald at a party and the two became fast friends. Listening to Michael’s incredible stories, Paul found himself trying to piece together the arc of Michael’s career. They began recording their conversations and soon they had over 600 pages of stories that they eventually turned into the memoir, What A Fool Believes. The book chronicles the highs and lows of Michael’s career, his struggles with addiction, and his lifelong insecurities. On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Michael McDonald and Paul Reiser about their unlikely working relationship. Michael also talks about why his proposed Quincy Jones-produced solo album never materialized. And he remembers the time one of his childhood heroes—Ray Charles—chewed him out while wearing a bathrobe. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Michael McDonald songs HERE. And you can grab your copy of this fantastic memoir HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Jarosz is a singer/songwriter who also happens to be a killer banjo, guitar, and mandolin player. The Wimberly, Texas-native's latest album, Polaroid Lovers, was produced by former Broken Record guest Daniel Tashian. It’s her seventh album and so far the best at highlighting the power of Sarah’s songwriting over her virtuosity. In this episode you’ll hear Sarah Jarosz tell Bruce Headlam about the Friday night bluegrass jams that shaped her playing, and why she’s turned down co-writing songs with artists she respects. You'll also hear her dabble with some of her instruments and maybe even perform a song or two. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Sarah Jarosz songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DJ Premier is one of the most celebrated producers in hip-hop history. Known as the architect of hip-hop’s venerated boom-bap sound, Preemo first caught people’s attention with Guru in Gang Starr in the late ‘80s. Guru’s lyrical precision over Premier's jazzy, sample-based beats made Gang Starr one of the most influential rap duos of the next decade. Outside of Gang Starr, DJ Premier has produced classic records for a long list of hip-hop luminaries including New York’s big three—Biggie, Jay-Z, and Nas. His expert ability to create a patchwork of musical and lyrical samples is both instantly identifiable and impossible to replicate. On today’s episode we’ll hear a live conversation Justin Richmond recorded with DJ Premier for the On Air podcast festival. Premier talked in detail about hanging out and working with his late friend, The Notorious B.I.G. He also reminisces about when he and Guru lived with Branford Marsalis in Brooklyn, and he recalls what it was like to work with D’Angelo on that fateful night at Electric Lady Studios when they recorded “Devil’s Pie.” You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite DJ Premier songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corinne Bailey Rae independently released one of our favorite albums of 2023: Black Rainbows. Justin Richmond spoke to Corinne over Zoom at the end of the year about the place that inspired the album, the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago. And then when she came to Los Angeles around Grammy time they decided to meet up to discuss Reflections / Refractions At the Stony Island Arts Bank, a beautiful new book Corinne put together to catalogue the items that inspired her new music and creative awakening. The conversation touches on Corinne recording her third album, The Heart Speaks in Whispers, at Capital in Hollywood, to finding her spiritual home in Chicago, to discovering a mid-century New York subway pageant that inspired her raucous song, “New York Transit Queen.” You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Corinne Bailey Rae songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ann Wilson is the powerhouse lead singer of the band Heart, whose celebrated classic debut album, Dreamboat Annie, came out nearly 50 years ago. Last week we featured an interview with her sister and longtime bandmate Nancy Wilson, so make sure to check that out if you haven’t already. Today we’ll hear from Ann, who’s responsible for belting out and co-writing some of Heart’s most iconic early hits, like “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” and “Crazy On You.” Four years older than Nancy, Ann was the first Wilson sister to join Heart, a band that started out as a cabaret cover band. Despite undergoing multiple lineup changes since the '70s, Heart has released top 10 albums in nearly every decade in the last 50 years, and sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Outside of Heart, Ann has also released solo material, including an album in 2023 with her band, Tripsitter. On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Ann Wilson about Heart’s current world tour, and the Elton John album she sings before every show to warm up her voice. Ann also explains how she would strategically place guitars around her house when having parties at her Seattle home in the '90s to encourage jam sessions with guests like Lane Staley and Chris Cornell. And she remembers singing on stage with Grace Slick and Stevie Nicks, who Ann says really is a good witch. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Heart songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guitarist and songwriter Nancy Wilson is one half of the rock band Heart, along with her older sister Ann Wilson. Nancy and Ann have been the face of the band since the mid-70s. Heart’s first album, Dreamboat Annie, was released in 1976 right as the band was making traction opening for big acts like Rod Stewart and The Bee Gees. Soon their songs, like “Magic Man” and “Crazy On You,” started to take off in the States, and Heart quickly became a headlining act. Nearly 50 years since their debut album, Heart has experienced career highs—like a string of chart-topping hits and an induction into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame—as well as their fair share of personal and professional adversity. Today Ann and Nancy remain steadfast in continuing Heart’s legacy. This month they embarked on a world tour—their first in five years. To celebrate Ann and Nancy Wilson’s massive contribution to rock n roll history, we will feature conversations with both sisters over the next two weeks. Today we’ll hear Leah Rose talk to Nancy about how the popular drugs of the ‘70s and ‘80s influenced Heart’s sound. She also describes how being accepted by the musicians of Seattle’s grunge scene helped her overcome Heart’s fraught experience recording power ballads in the ‘80s. And she describes the lo-fi setup she used to score the soundtracks of her ex-husband Cameron Crowe’s hit movies: Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky, and Jerry McGuire. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Heart songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament are two of the Seattle scene’s most foundational musicians from the 80’s and 90’s. Stone and Jeff started playing together in 1984 as members of Green River, which eventually dissolved, leading singer Mark Arm to form Mudhoney. Later, Jeff played bass and Stone played guitar in Mother Love Bone until their lead singer Andrew Wood died of an overdose just days before their major label debut in March of 1990. Reeling from Andy’s death, Jeff and Stone started recording with Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell on a side project called Temple Of The Dog that featured vocals from a then unknown singer from San Diego named Eddie Vedder. Later that year, Jeff and Stone asked Eddie to join their new band with guitarist Mike McCready. As Pearl Jam, they released their debut album Ten in August of ‘91—the album went 13 times platinum and charted on Billboard for nearly five years. Since then, Pearl Jam have released 11 more albums and built a die-hard fan base thanks in part to their outstanding live shows. Last week they released their latest album, Dark Matter, which was produced by Andrew Watt, who's recently worked with Miley Cyrus, Iggy Pop, Post Malone and Ozzy Osborne. On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament about how Andrew Watt’s encyclopedic knowledge of Pearl Jam helped inspire some of their best performances to date. Stone and Jeff also open up about the inner-workings of their professional relationship, and Stone remembers the first time he met Eddie Vedder, who marked the occasion by passing him a hand-written poem. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Pearl Jam songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.