271. Zack Stentz (Thor, X-Men: First Class, The Flash) on David Bowie 'Scary Monsters...and Super Creeps' (1980)
Screenwriter Zack Stentz (Thor, X-Men: First Class, The Flash) has plenty of experience with charismatic aliens and mutants, so he’s right at home talking to me about David Bowie and his classic 1980 album ‘Scary Monsters… and Super Creeps’. We delve into how this record was Bowie’s journey back to mainstream success after his experimental Berlin period, Ashes to Ashes as a sequel song to Bowie’s first hit Space Oddity, the contributions on the records of musicians like Pete Townshend, Bowie’s underrated lyrics, Zack’s favorite Bowie acting performance (not what you’d expect) and why Bowie ended his stage acting career, how he would approach writing a film about Bowie and his frustrated plans to get Bowie into the X-Men films.
19 Feb 201943min
270. David Friendly (Queen of the South, Little Miss Sunshine) on Steely Dan 'Aja' (1977)
This week on the podcast, Hollywood producer and director David Friendly joins me to talk about Steely Dan's classic 1977 album 'Aja'. We talk about David's discovery of the album during his college years, how 'Aja' rewards repeat listens and how Walter Becker and Donald Fagen worked with the best session musicians of the time to create the perfect album recording. Plus we discuss ageing musicians and their sometimes disappointing live performances and how the advancement of technology has changed the way we listen to and discover music.
12 Feb 201958min
Kacey Musgraves on John Prine (repost)
Grammy winning singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves talks her love iconic iconoclast John Prine and his self-titled debut album. Kacey talks about performing with Prine, playing him the song she wrote about him, how his approach to lyric writing inspired her own songs, why she put her Grammy in a Prine exhibit in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and wonders why people keep thinking her and Prine’s songs are about weed.
4 Feb 201918min
269. Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos on Patti Smith 'Horses' (1975)
This week on the podcast I chat to Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos about Patti Smith's seminal album 'Horses'. We talk about how Michael Stipe led to Brittany’s discovery of the album as an aspiring music journalist, how it remains a seminal punk album while flying in the face of punk conventions, the album’s iconic opening line, Smith’s dismissal of traditional gender conventions, Brittany’s meeting with Patti at Lollapalooza and what Brittany sees as Patti Smith’s influence on contemporary music. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it's influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist, concert promoter and photographer. He directed the the feature music documentaries Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts and Tommy Emmanuel: The Endless Road (coming soon). Edited by Ellie Willoughby. If you've got any feedback or suggestions, drop us a line at myfavoritealbumpodcast@gmail.com.
29 Jan 201934min
268. Tom Champion on Neil Young 'Tonight's the Night' (1975)
Groove master and bassist Tom Champion (The Preatures) joins me to chat about Neil Young's classic 1975 album 'Tonight's the Night'. We discuss how Tom first discovered the album, the sad story behind the album and the different incarnations of Neil Young, including whether Neil should be considered a cat or a dog. We compare the recording methods of Neil Young and The Preatures, how drunk the band was while recording 'Tonight's the Night' and more.
22 Jan 201954min
Steve Jordan on his biggest inspirations and working with Neil Young, Keith Richards, James Brown and more (repost)
Today's episode is one of my favorite conversations I've had for the podcast. Legendary drummer/producer/songwriter Steve Jordan surveys his incredible career, from the albums that first inspired him to pick up drumsticks as a child to the songwriting lessons he was taught by Keith Richards, being put through his paces by James Brown on the Letterman show, why he became a producer, his band The Verbs, his love of punk rock, what he loves about playing with Neil Young and much more. It's a wide-ranging chat filled with great anecdotes and insight from one of my all-time favorite musicians, and I could've talked to Steve for ten times as long easily.
15 Jan 20191h 10min
Revisiting Pegi Young on Otis, Janis, Joni, JJ Cale, Clapton, the Dead and more
Today we’re revisiting my chat with the gracious Pegi Young, humanitarian and singer-songwriter, who sadly passed away last week from cancer. Here is our conversation from 2017, a lovely and wide-ranging chat on her biggest musical influences. Singer-songwriter Pegi Young’s new album ‘Raw’ was inspired by her recent divorce, but her musical identity has been developing for decades, taking inspiration from her heroes, peers and people who have become friends, as she moved from backing vocalist for ex-husband Neil to mature solo artist. We talk about her biggest influences, from Otis Redding to Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell to Billie Holliday, Paul McCartney to Bonnie Raitt, JJ Cale to the Grateful Dead, Laura Nyro to Eric Clapton. Plus, how curating the annual Bridge School Benefits has helped her discover new artists, how the trauma of her divorce left her temporarily unable to play guitar and why she hopes her new music will resonate with audiences who don’t share her life experiences.
8 Jan 201949min
267. Kirby Brown on Randy Newman 'Good Old Boys' (1974)
Americana singer-songwriter Kirby Brown joins me to talk about Randy Newman's 1974 album 'Good Old Boys'. We discuss Newman's progression from satirical songwriting to movie music composition, writing from the point of view of a character whose beliefs don't align with your own, the Eagles backing vocals on the album, will Newman ever write a song about President Trump and more.
2 Jan 201943min
