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 Today we have a special Broken Record Holiday episode with Nashville singer Amanda Shires. Shires’ new holiday album, For Christmas, isn’t meant to make you feel merry and bright. Instead it’s an acknowledgment of the complicated feelings that can come along with the holidays, like disappointment, longing and maybe a little bit of lust.In addition to her solo career, Amanda Shires plays fiddle and sings in her husband Jason Isbell’s band, The 400 Unit. She is also a founding member of the female country supergroup, The Highwomen, with Brandi Carlile. But way before she hit it big in Nashville, Shires played fiddle with the Texas Playboys, the legendary Western swing band started by Bob Will’s that she joined when she was just 12 years-old.On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Amanda Shires about what inspired her to write a non-traditional Christmas album. Shires also explains how finding out that her Grandfather served decades in Alcatraz raised a ton of questions about her family’s history. And she recalls what happened the time she discovered her husband had ripped off one of her lyrics. Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Amanda Shires songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Mary Gauthier is a folk singer/songwriter whose songs have quite literally saved her life. Writing music did not come easily to Gauthier. She began abusing drugs and alcohol as a young girl growing up in Louisiana. After years of struggling with addiction, Gauthier got clean at age 27 and began frequenting open mics around Boston. She released her debut album, Dixie Kitchen, in 1997 and moved to Nashville not long after. She has since become known for her ability to write vivid, literary-style lyrics that pull from her past trauma, loss, and heartbreak.On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Mary Gauthier about how the same determination that once drove her to drink now powers her songwriting. She also talks about how conversations with young U.S. veterans inspired her Grammy-nominated album, Rifles & Rosary Beads. And Gauthier recalls seeing one particularly moving open mic performance that inspired her to become the artist she is today.   Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Mary Gauthier songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Michelle Zauner is the lead singer and creative force behind the indie, dream pop band, Japanese Breakfast. This year Zauner released a series of career-defining projects that propelled her band to widespread critical acclaim including her New York Times best-selling memoir, Crying In H Mart, and Japanese Breakfast's third and most ambitious album, Jubilee.On today’s episode Broken Record producer Leah Rose talks to Michelle Zauner about her triumphant year, and exactly how big she wants her band to become. Zauner also talks about casting The Sopranos star Micheal Imperioli in her video for “Savage Good Boy,” and why she ended up going a little too far in the video’s neck-biting scene.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Japanese Breakfast songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Justin Richmond shares the first chapter of a new book he's been working on with Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam. It’s called Miracle And Wonder, Conversations with Paul Simon. Download the audiobook today at miracleaudiobook.com and receive an exclusive listener's guide featuring additional commentary from Bruce Headlam and the producers of Miracle and Wonder.Miracle and Wonder is culled from 30 hours of conversations between Malcolm, Bruce and Paul himself. Paul breaks down his musical evolution, from the doo-wop he loved as a kid, to the folk music of his teens and early adulthood, all the way to the new music he’s making today at age 80. There are tons of unheard stories and raw moments as Paul remembers how he wrote some of the most famous songs in his catalogue. You'll also hear cameos from artists like Jeff Tweedy and Sting. Enjoy this excerpt and download the audiobook today at miracleaudiobook.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

According to Time Magazine, singer Angelique Kidjo is “Africa’s premier diva.” Kidjo started out singing traditional music in her native Benin, West Africa when she was a teenager. In 1983, she escaped the conflict-riddled Benin for Paris, where she studied music and eventually signed her first record deal with Island Records. Kidjo has since released 16 albums and won four World Music Grammys. Her latest album, Mother Nature, was released in June and features young African musicians like Sampa the Great and Burna Boy.On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Angelique Kidjo about the nature of African rhythm and why it can confuse Western musicians. She also explains how she lets her songs dictate what language her lyrics should be in, and how she managed to escape her home country despite being a recognizable national pop star.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Angelique Kidjo songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Pastor T.L. Barrett has been known on Chicago’s South side as a religious and community leader for 50 years. But it wasn’t until recently that people started to uncover Barrett’s trove of gospel music. In the 1970s, Barrett began making recordings of the music performed in his church. These were sermons he’d turn into songs that sat around for years until rappers started sampling them in the last decade. People like Kanye West, T.I., DJ Khalid, Alicia Keys. All this recent attention on Pastor T.L. Barrett has culminated in a new box set from the Numero Group called “I Should Wear A Crown."On today's episode Justin Richmond talks to Pastor Barrett about his distant relation to the Reverend C.L. Franklin and of course his daughter, the great Aretha Franklin. Pastor Barrett also talks about how he went from a high school dropout to a community leader. Plus what it was like for him to have his music discovered after decades.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Pastor T.L. Barrett songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Today we are sharing an episode of Pushkin’s newest show, Backstage Pass, hosted by Eric Vetro, the voice coach to the stars. From Camila Cabello, to Shawn Mendes, to John Legend, Eric Vetro has guided your favorite singers during some of the most iconic moments of their musical lives.Today we'll hear Justin Richmond talk to Eric about his journey to becoming the most trusted celebrity voice coach. Then you'll get a preview of Backstage Pass with Ariana Grande, where she talks to Eric about her vocal range, how Broadway influences her music, and the struggles of having perfect pitch.You can hear more Backstage Pass episodes at https://link.chtbl.com/brokenrecordbackstagepass Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

If you’ve sung along to a power ballad in the last 30 years, chances are you’re already intimately familiar with Diane Warren’s songs. Some of her biggest hits include Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time,” Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me,” and Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” Over the span of her 35 year-career, Diane Warren has penned hits for hip-hop, country, R&B, and adult contemporary artists. In late August she finally released her own album, The Cave Sessions Volume 1, The genre-spanning project is modeled after DJ compilation albums and brilliantly shows off Warren’s incredible range as a writer. On today’s episode Rick Rubin talks to Diane Warren about how she decided to become a songwriter when she was just 11-years-old. And how her parents built a shed in their backyard where she could work out her early arrangements. Warren also talks about her one and only music teacher—who told her dad she had no future in music—and why she feels she has yet to write her best work.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Diane Warren songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

On her intimate new album Wary + Strange, Amythyst Kiah sings her heart out about losing her mom to suicide, and what it’s like being the only black person in the room at country gigs. She created the album with Phoebe Bridger’s producer, Tony Berg, and the result is a project expertly fuses Kiah’s love for ‘90s alt-rock with her old-time, country sensibility.Amythyst Kiah performs two of her new songs on today’s episode and talks to Bruce Headlam about what it was like for a black teengager to come out as gay in a white Christian southern town. She also explains how learning of the West African roots of Bluegrass helped reaffirm her place in Americana music.Just a warning, this episode contains talk of suicide. Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Amythyst Kiah songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Houston rapper Scarface is one of the most recognizable, respected voices in hip-hop. When he was just 17 years-old, Scarface was recruited to join Bushwik Bill and Willie D in the Geto Boys. The group was one of Rick Rubin’s earliest rap signings for his post Def Jam label, Def American.On today’s episode, Scarface and Rick reminisce about working together, and Face talks about how his recent experience with covid was eerily similar to his classic verse on “Mind Playing Tricks On Me.” Scarface also talks about the Miranda Lambert song that makes him yearn for his childhood Texas home.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out our favorite Scarface songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Cristobal Tapia de Veer is the composer and musician behind Mike White’s HBO show, White Lotus. The sounds in the score range from percussive African and Latin American instruments to guttural human chants. On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to de Veer about how he came up with White Lotus’ striking soundscape. De Veer plays stems from the score and explains about how he initially set out to create a Hawaiian Hitchcock sound. He also talks about how he created the signature tribal-sounding vocals from White Lotus after being summoned to California by Kanye West.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out Cristobal Tapia de Veer's soundtrack for White Lotus HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Lindsey Buckingham’s signature finger-style guitar is perhaps as recognizable as the countless classic songs he wrote while he was in Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham is a self-taught guitar virtuoso and songwriter who famously joined Fleetwood Mac in the mid ‘70s with his then girlfriend, Stevie Nicks. The band had been around since ‘67 with various singers, guitarists and songwriters. The only constant was their rhythm section: drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie. But the band didn’t blow up until Buckingham and Nicks joined, writing mega hits for their insanely successful 10th and 11th albums including the 20-times platinum album, Rumours. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Lindsey Buckingham about his new self-titled solo album. Buckingham also tells Bruce that he and Nicks never really got closure from their breakup, and how that affected their professional relationship in the decades since. Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out a playlist of our favorite Lindsey Buckingham songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Ringo Starr is one of the most iconic musicians living today. Famed drummer for The Beatles and a prolific songwriter in his own right, at 81, Ringo’s gearing up to release his latest EP, Change The World. Rick Rubin and Ringo recorded this interview on the day it was announced that Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts passed away. On today’s episode you’ll hear Ringo reminisce about partying with Charlie and Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham. Ringo also talks about how he was a drunk heckler at Beatles shows before he joined the band, and why Paul McCartney was the only Beatle who would share a room with him.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out a playlist of our favorite Ringo Starr songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

John Hiatt is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter whose songs have been covered by a wide range of popular artists including Iggy Pop, Paula Abdul and Jimmy Buffet. Hiatt recorded his latest album, Leftover Feelings, with the Jerry Douglas Band. Douglas, who’s a famed producer and session musician, has won 14 Grammys for his solo work and collaborations with a slew of successful musicians. On today’s episode John Hiatt and Jerry Douglas perform three songs off their new album and talk to Bruce Headlam about how they came together to record their new album in the studio that’s known as the birthplace of “the Nashville sound.” John Hiatt also explains how one of his new songs helped him forgive the awful abuse he endured from his older brother who committed suicide when John was nine years old.  Warning, this episode includes talk of sexual assault.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out a playlist of our favorite John Hiatt and Jerry Douglas HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Henry Rollins speaks with Rick Rubin from Shangri-La pre-pandemic and in full Rollins fashion, the stories just poured out of him. Henry talks about the time he was christened a lead singer by H.R. from Bad Brains, the day he woke up and realized he was done writing music, and why he’ll never be the old guy on stage performing his greatest hits.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out a playlist of our favorite Henry Rollins HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Jaden Smith has proved to be much more than just the sum of his famous parents. At 23 he’s spent more than half of his life working as an actor, a musician, and an entrepreneur. Since the release of Jaden’s debut mixtape in 2012, he has gone on to put out three studio albums that loosely follow a semi-autobiographical character named Syre who chases sunsets after a painful breakup. Jaden’s latest album, Cool Tape Volume 3: Day Tripper’s Edition, picks up with Syre’s personal journey—but this time around set to a psychedelic-rock inspired soundscape. On today’s episode, Jaden talks to Rick Rubin about an ex-girlfriend who inspired him to embrace the classic rock from the ‘60s and ‘70s that influenced his latest album. He also explains how recording with live musicians—as opposed to building tracks digitally—brought a newfound energy to his project. And Jaden also tells Rick how growing up in Malibu allows him to feel intimately connected to the Beach Boys.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out a playlist of our favorite Jaden tracks HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Growing up in a family full of musicians, Lukas Nelson was basically raised on stage. He started playing guitar in his dad Willie Nelson’s band when he was just 11 years-old. In 2008, Lukas formed his acclaimed band, Promise of the Real, who’ve also spent the last six years as Neil Young’s touring band. In 2017 Lukas was hired as Bradley Cooper's authenticity consultant for A Star Is Born. Lukas also co-wrote songs on the movie's soundtrack including the unforgettable opening riff of "Shallow."On today’s episode, Lukas Nelson sings some songs from his band's latest album, A Few Stars Apart. He also talks to Bruce Headlam about the very relatable experience of quarantining with his parents. And talks about how the first song he ever wrote saved him from getting evicted from an apartment after leaving college.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out a playlist of our favorite Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real tracks HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The Broken Record team has been revisiting some of our favorite episodes and releasing new extended cuts via PushNik, our Apple Podcasts subscription program. Today we’re giving you a taste of what those cuts sound like with the extended, ad-free cut of Rick Rubin's conversation with Brian Eno. This episode was recorded just before the debut of Eno’s Sonos radio station, The Lighthouse, where Eno’s programmed days worth of unreleased tracks from various eras in his career. In this episode we get to hear Rick and Eno discuss the works that changed Eno’s conception of art (1:08:47), the way lyrics generally hold very little water for the both of them (34:39), and more on the way Eno incorporates randomness into his music 9:42). To hear more extended cuts of our conversations with artists like The Beastie Boys, Questlove, Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker, and Moby, subscribe to PushNik on Apple Podcasts. For $4.99 a month, you’ll get exclusive content like the Broken Record extended cuts and uninterrupted, ad-free listening across 14 shows in the Pushkin Industries catalog, including Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History and The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. Search for Broken Record in Apple Podcasts, visit our show page, and sign up there. You can try it free for seven days.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

This week, we're presenting something fun from Malcolm Gladwell, co-founder of Pushkin. In a special series from his podcast, Revisionist History, Malcolm is launching a massive frontal assault on The Little Mermaid. You might wonder, "what's Malcolm doing? It's a children's classic!" But according to Malcolm, it's not a classic... It's a cinematic dumpster fire. And Revisionist History is devoting no fewer than three episodes to explain why. In the finale, Malcolm enlists an all-star cast to make his own version of The Little Mermaid, featuring Dax Shepard, Brit Marling, Jodie Foster and Glenn Close.You can hear the entire three-part series, right now, at:Broken Record- http://podcasts.pushkin.fm/brokenrecordrh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Daryl Hall and John Oates are the definition of Blue-Eyed Soul. After a string of monster hits that stretched from the 70’s into the mid-80s, the RIAA named Hall and Oates the number-one selling duo in music history. And they still hold the record today. But even with that distinction, and the Philadelphia duo’s undeniable chemistry, Hall and Oates have always maintained they are two individual artists. Like an old married couple, Daryl Hall says the duo has managed to stay together for the sake of the dozens of songs they wrote together which they consider their kids. On today’s episode, Bruce Headlam talks to Daryl Hall about the night he met John Oates in an elevator as they fled a gang fight in Philadelphia. Daryl also talks about the years he spent working with the production duo Gamble and Huff who pioneered the Philly soul sound. And he explains why, despite his huge success, he doesn’t even really like pop music.Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews:  https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecordYou can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.comCheck out a playlist of our favorite Daryl Hall and John Oates tracks HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com