Episodes

Today on Broken Record, we’re joined by the one and only Bootsy Collins. Bootsy burst onto the scene in the early ’70s as James Brown’s young, electrifying bass player. But it was with Parliament-Funkadelic that he truly found his voice—or rather, his voices—balancing raw, uncut funk with a psychedelic, intergalactic persona that would go on to inspire artists from Prince to Thundercat. In this conversation with Justin Richmond, Bootsy reflects on what it’s been like to navigate life as both W...

Today, Justin Richmond is joined by the Starchild himself—KISS co-founder and frontman, Paul Stanley. Born and raised in New York City, Paul fell in love with music at an early age, attending shows at iconic venues like the Fillmore East. Over the course of more than 50 years with KISS, he helped build one of the most devoted fan bases in rock history, turning theatrical spectacle into an art form. Now that KISS has officially retired from touring, Paul reflects on life beyond the stage. He ope...

Shirley Manson rose to '90s fame as the magnetic front woman of Garbage, but she was already a seasoned singer when guitarist Steve Marker spotted her in a music video for her previous band, Angelfish. She joined the Garbage in 1994. The band was made up of Steve Marker and producers Duke Erikson and Butch Vig—renowned for his work with Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins. Nearly 30 years and over 17 million albums later, Garbage is preparing to release their eighth studio album, Let All That We Imag...

Today, we're revisiting a gem from our archives. In late 2020, Wilco's frontman and acclaimed songwriter Jeff Tweedy released his compact yet powerful book, "How to Write One Song" – a remarkable guide for unlocking anyone's creative potential through songwriting. This exploration of creativity immediately resonated with Broken Record host Malcolm Gladwell, leading to a fascinating conversation about the book and examining what has established Tweedy as one of the most distinctive songwriters of...

For close to three decades, Ben Kweller’s been crafting deeply personal indie rock that's both intimate and expansive. From his early days fronting the band Radish as a teenager in the '90s to his acclaimed solo career that began in the early 2000s, he's consistently delivered songs that feel raw, honest and almost conversational. But his latest album, Cover the Mirrors, finds Ben in a different place entirely. It's an unflinching examination of grief, healing, and the complicated process of mov...

Over the past few years, Kali Uchis has released three standout albums: Red Moon in Venus , Orquídeas , and now her latest, Sincerely . Each has made a powerful contribution to the evolving legacy of R&B and Latin music—but Sincerely marks a striking leap forward in her artistic journey. So it’s no surprise that in her conversation with Justin Richmond, Kali reveals she took a different approach this time—writing most of the album on her own before stepping into the studio. It also, hea...

Rico Nasty is a genre-defying force in contemporary hip-hop, known for her raw, unapologetic style and fearless experimentation. Rico started releasing mixtapes while still in high school in Maryland, with early tracks like “iCarly” and “Hey Arnold” catching fire online. After dropping five mixtapes independently, she signed with Atlantic Records in 2018 and introduced the world to her signature “sugar trap” sound—a blend of aggressive nu-metal energy and trap production—on breakout tracks like...

Daryl Hall stands as one of the greatest pop songwriters in music history. As the iconic half of Hall & Oates, his classic tracks like "Sara Smile," "Rich Girl," and "Maneater" earned the duo coveted spots in both the Songwriters and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Yet beyond his chart-dominating success throughout the '70s and '80s, Daryl remains a profoundly gifted, soulful creator whose musical talents transcend genres. On today's episode, Justin Richmond talks to the legendary Daryl Hall about hi...

Richard Thompson is a London-born guitar virtuoso whose career started in 1967 as part of the groundbreaking folk band Fairport Convention. The following decade Richard formed a duo with his former wife Linda Thompson, and together they released six albums, including the critically acclaimed, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight . Richard then struck out on his own, writing songs that have since been covered by artists like Robert Plant, Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt. On today’s episode ...

Jim James, the frontman of My Morning Jacket, has lived many lives over the band’s 27-year career. He started as a hopeful young musician, chasing the magic of his musical heroes—while secretly fearing he’d never measure up. Later, he spiraled into heavy drinking and self-doubt, teetering on the edge of leaving the band. But today, Jim is in a much different place. Healthier, more grounded, and full of self-acceptance, thanks in part to a mix of traditional and psychedelic therapies he turned t...

Join us for an intimate conversation with legendary producer and songwriter Daniel Lanois, captured live at Brooklyn's premier podcast event, On Air Fest. Host Justin Richmond sits down with Lanois before an audience filled with musical luminaries—including Prince's former guitarist Donna Grantis, performance artist Laurie Anderson, and ambient music pioneer Laraaji. In this special episode, Lanois shares fascinating insights from his storied career producing albums with Neil Young, Bob Dylan, ...

Justice, the French electronic music duo composed of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay is the gift that keeps on giving. They just released an incredible new album called Hyperdrama that not only sounds like the best possible night out in Paris, but brings in touches of jazz and experimentation that feel new for the group. They also just co-produced the opening track of The Weeknd’s latest album, a song called “Wake Me Up” that finds a brilliant way of harkening back to Michael Jackson's “Thril...

Adam Duritz is no stranger to the spotlight. Counting Crows’ 1993 debut album, August And Everything After, sold over seven million copies in the U.S. Singles released from the album including “Mr. Jones” and “Round Here” dominated radio and MTV at the time. But all the exposure wasn’t great for the band, and according to Duritz, it led critics to focus more on Durtitz’s star-studded dating life, than the band’s music. Regardless, Counting Crows have continued to release music over the last thr...

Join Justin Richmond and Ben Walter, CEO of Chase For Business, for a special conversation about finding success in the music industry through non-traditional means. Ben shares his insights on balancing risk while scaling a business, as they talk about how the indie label XL Recordings built a sustainable business model by making unorthodox business decisions. He also shares how artists often have an edge in creating original business ideas like when music titans Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine built B...

A month ago at the Grammys, Alicia Keys gave a beautiful speech while accepting the Global Impact Award. Part of her speech was dedicated to the women producers who power the industry, women like Patrice Rushen, Missy Elliott, Linda Perry, and others. This was top of mind for Justin Richmond when he sat down with esperanza spalding at the Blue Note club in New York, where she was in the middle of a residency. Not only because she just produced a gorgeous new collaborative album by the unheralde...

Alice Randall is a country music songwriter, a New York Times bestselling author, and a newly minted memoirist. She calls her new book, My Black Country, a love letter to Black country music. In addition to her memoir, Alice also released the album, My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall, that includes a rendition of the song, “The Ballad of Sally Anne” performed by Rhiannon Giddens. The song, which confronts the harsh realities of lynching in the American South was nominated for a Grammy...

In the 30-plus years since Billy Corgan hit it big as the lead singer/songwriter of The Smashing Pumpkins, he’s become many things including the owner of the National Wrestling Alliance, a father and a husband, and an outspoken advocate of free speech through appearances on divisive podcasts hosted by Alex Jones, Joe Rogan, and Bill Maher. Proving to be both eloquent and controversial, Billy is now hosting his own long form interview podcast called "The Magnificent Others" where he interviews m...

The Black Keys are gearing up to release their latest album, No Rain, No Flowers. The Akron, Ohio duo consisting of Dan Auerbach on lead vocals and guitar, and Patrick Carney on drums, have released 12 studio albums since their indie debut, The Big Come Up in 2002. On today's episode Justin Richmond talks with Dan and Patrick about their process of mixing the new album. They also share memories growing up together in a town filled with eccentric characters, and they explain their newfound love ...

Tunde Adebimpe is a creative powerhouse. He's a cartoonist, a painter, a director, a Hollywood actor, and for the past 20 years, he’s been the lead singer of the band TV On The Radio. His latest offering—another of his many artistic pursuits—is a solo project called Thee Black Boltz. Tunde began writing these songs back in 2019. And after a stint composing music for the PBS Kids show “City Island” with producer Wilder Zoby, the two decided to set their sights on Tunde’s growing collection of so...

The British funk band Cymande released their self-titled debut in 1972. The album’s deep calypso and reggae rhythms are inspired by its member’s West Indian roots. And decades after its release, samples taken from Cymande’s albums would find their way into songs that now define hip-hop’s golden era from artists like De La Soul, Gang Starr and The Fugees. While Cymande has found a second life through sampling during the late ‘80s and ‘90s, its primary members, bassist Steve Scipio and guitarist ...

Big Willie is back! He's traded his larger than life, excessively positive raps for something more dark and complex but equally inspiring. Anyone following Will’s trajectory the last handful of years, or those who've read his wonderful autobiography knows he’s been on a journey of self-discovery and healing. That’s left him wide open to be a bit of a different artist than he’s been in the past. It also drew him back into music. Will’s new project Based On A True Story will be coming out in three...

Nothing says romance like a perfect playlist—except, maybe, a special network-wide episode about love songs. In this Valentine’s Day special, Broken Record hosts Justin Richmond and Leah Rose make their cases: is R&B the undisputed sound of love? Are sad songs more romantic? Can country win the day? Plus, the legendary songwriter Babyface talks about how young love shaped his most enduring ballads, Malcolm Gladwell breaks down the perfect break up song, and Ben Naddaff-Hafrey writes a love son...

As if having one of the most beautiful and distinctive voices of all time weren’t enough, Smokey Robinson is also one of the greatest songwriters ever, a top-notch producer, engaging performer, and an indispensable part of Motown's legacy. In other words: he’s an institution of American music unto himself. On February 19th, Smokey turns 85, and as he prepares to head out for another run on the road including a three night engagement at the Venetian in Las Vegas, Smokey sat down with Justin Rich...

Indie rock band Nada Surf first hit big on college radio in 1996 with their driving, guitar forward song, “Popular.” The band started playing together four years earlier while attending college in Vermont. But they’re perhaps best known as a New York City band, where their lead singer and primary songwriter, Mathew Caws came of age. Caws is known as a vulnerable, and often reflective songwriter who tackles everything from social anxiety to politics in his work. Nada Surf’s latest album, Moon Mi...