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

Today we're sharing an episode from our friend Sam Sanders over at NPR’s It's Been a Minute podcast. This year marks the 35th anniversary of Janet Jackson's classic album, Control. That album was her first real commercial hit and, looking back, helped redefine all of pop music. It also helped establish two star producers in Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. In the late 80s and 90s, Janet was one of the biggest stars of our time—right up there with her brother Michael and Madonna. And yet, Jackson isn't always given her due.In this episode, host Sam Sanders explores why that is, how she made the album Control, and the incident that lasted all but a second, that changed the course of her career.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.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Jan 202243min

Pino Palladino and Blake Mills are renowned session musicians who recently collaborated on their own album, Notes With Attachments. It’s an experimental, jazz-leaning project that blew Rick Rubin’s mind. Pino Palladino is a bass player who has played on records with everyone from D’Angelo to The Who to Adele. Guitarist Blake Mills co-founded the band Dawes in 2005, and he has gone on to release critically acclaimed solo albums and produce records for the Alabama Shakes, John Legend and Fiona Apple. Three years ago, Pino and Blake started collaborating on what would become Notes With Attachments. The album features other incredible session musicians and pulls from influences as diverse as West African, Cuban, and English folk music.Rick talks first with Pino Palladino on today’s episode about those wide array of influences, and how hearing Motown music as a young boy in Wales changed his life. Pino also walks us through his evolution to becoming one of the most in-demand session players. Later Blake Mills joins the conversation to talk about collaborating with Pino and why he feels bad for the touring musicians who have to play his bass parts on the road.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 Pino Palladino and Blake Mills songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

30 Des 202137min

Welcome to part two of Rick Rubin’s conversation with Neil Young. Today we'll hear how Neil's song “I Believe In You” from his 1970 masterpiece After the Gold Rush inspired a mystical experience for Rick. Neil also talks about recording After the Gold Rush and the parallels between that album and his latest release, Barn. And, Neil explains why he started writing and recording music around the cycles of the moon, and his massive archive of unreleased material that spans several 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 Neil Young songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Des 202142min

When we first talked about making Broken Record, we had a short list of absolute dream guests for the podcast and Neil Young was at the top of that list. So when Neil’s new record, Barn, was announced and we were told he wanted to speak with Rick about it we were beyond excited.On today’s episode, Rick and Neil talk about the new album, and all of the archival projects he plans on releasing in the coming year. They also reminisce about the time they spent working together on some abandoned songs in 1997 that may soon be released. And Neil’s time in a Rick James fronted band that was signed to Motown, and how Neil drove from Canada to LA in a hearse. The two talked for so long we decided to make this the first of two episodes with Neil Young. 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 Neil Young songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Des 202152min

24 year-old singer/songwriter Faye Webster stopped by Shangri-La earlier this month in between stops on her tour opening for Wilco to chat with Justin Richmond and play some songs off of her latest album, I Know I’m Funny haha. Faye started releasing music independently when she was just 16 years-old. In 2017 her second album was released through Awful Records—home to the Atlanta hip-hop collective. Faye was a bit of an outlier on the rap-heavy label but working with them gave her a different perspective on recording than she otherwise would’ve had.On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Faye about how artists like The Ramones and Garth Brooks influenced her writing style. Faye also plays some more songs live, as well as an early demo version of “Cheers.”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 Faye Webster songs HERE. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Des 202144min

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.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7 Des 202141min

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.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

30 Nov 202149min

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.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23 Nov 202139min