Talkhouse Podcast

On this week's show, we pair two of the greatest living songwriters, artists who've reimagined what the form can look like, and what it can accomplish. The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt and ex-Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker each have great new music in the world; when I heard the latter was coming to NYC, I instantly knew I had to try to get these two together in person for a Talkhouse Podcast convo. Thankfully, when presented with the idea, both were psyched! Over cups of tea at Hook and Fade Studios in Brooklyn (before the pandemic), the guys sat down for a delightfully freewheeling conversation about songwriting — and how they both love to subvert its norms in different ways — as well as the vastly different approaches they took to making their new LPs. But of course with these two, there's so much more here, including (but not limited to!): a moving discussion of reunions with their showbiz fathers who had abandoned them; the bad omen that nearly caused Jarvis to quit music in the year 2000; why Stephin’s

This week on the show, we celebrate the wonderful Other Music documentary with two Grammy-winning artists: singer-songwriter Aimee Mann and the National's Matt Berninger. The two discuss the iconic record store and the creative importance of having physical spaces dedicated to musical community, plus we hear how they're managing to work during the pandemic, and Matt reveals that he's both writing a musical and launching a label imprint. The Other Music doc features many wonderful artists that have appeared on our show — TV on the Radio, the Magnetic Fields, Superchunk, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jason Schwartzman, Animal Collective, William Basinski, Frankie Cosmos and more — this is truly a #talkhousecore film! Other Music is currently being screened via a "virtual theatrical release," with more than 200 independent record shops and movie theaters offering it to rent, and splitting the profits 50/50. This is a wonderful chance to support your local purveyor of brilliant art, and catch one of the must-see music films o

Comedian Joe Pera (Joe Pera Talks With You) and singer-songwriter David Bazan (Pedro The Lion) have elevated self-aware open-heartedness and detailed observation of humanity into, well, art. When David discovered Joe's show, he fell for it hard, and reached out to Talkhouse to see if we could arrange a convo. We loved the idea, and think you'll really enjoy the result. Joe and David discuss a lot, including: their granular writing techniques; appreciating the gentle joys of life, like wearing green hats on St. Patrick’s day; how some performers only achieve their maximum authenticity onstage; and why live performers must be doms. Check it out, and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast, including upcoming shows featuring Jarvis Cocker (Pulp) with the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt, and Black Belt Eagle Scout with Sasami. —Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer This week's show was recorded by Joe Pera, David Bazan, Talkhouse's Executive Editor Josh Modell, a

Today’s episode is produced in collaboration with Murmrr Ballroom and Community Bookstore. We are so pleased to, for the first time on the Talkhouse Podcast, present two authors in conversation. And what authors! To celebrate George Saunders’ new short story in the New Yorker, his appearance on Cheryl Strayed’s new podcast Sugar Calling, and many of us having a little more time to read now, we wanted to share from our digital vault his wonderful 2018 talk with Dana Spiotta. George and Dana share quite a bit in their conversation, including: why it’s important to read fiction right now; trying to write in the style of '90s chat rooms; Jesus the Temple-trashing tough guy; and… dreaming of goiters. This show includes great readings by both authors, and kicks off with a live intro from Michael Miller of Bookforum. It closes with an audience q and a. Check it out. Huge thanks to Brian Kelly and all at Murmrr. Also to Community Bookstore in Park Slope, Brooklyn; they’re one of the greats here in New York, and durin

This harrowing virus and quarantine have brought infinite terrible things with them. Still, I want to take a moment to celebrate a ray of sunshine — some truly incredible live-from-their-home sets from brilliant artists. “The Tweedy Show,” the nightly show that Wilco‘s Jeff Tweedy and his family stream on Instagram each weeknight is not to be missed. Jeff, his wife Susie, and their sons Spencer (The Blisters, Tweedy… um, the band, that is) and Sammy broadcast whatever they feel like: impromptu live versions of Wilco songs, Jeff’s from-a-dream lyrics for a song called “Grandma’s A Cyborg Now,” or a chat with Curb Your Enthusiasm‘s Jeff Garlin. So this week, we’re re-airing a wonderful live talk between Jeff Tweedy and genius comedian Abbi Jacobson (Broad City, Disenchantment). After you listen, make sure to check out the new Mavis Staples song “All In It Together” that Jeff produced and sang on, as well as Spencer Tweedy‘s past Talkhouse Podcast episodes with NE-HI (RIP) and Whitney.  ~~~ Until catching this t

Singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield, aka Waxahatchee, and comedian Whitmer Thomas have each released perhaps the best work of their careers thus far in the past month or so: Waxahatchee with her new LP, Saint Cloud, Whitmer with his HBO comedy special The Golden One. The two are huge fans of each other's emotionally vulnerable work; having recently met, they have, as Katie puts it in this talk, “a weird kismet connection." In their open and honest conversation, Katie and Whitmer take us through their careers, from their beginnings as teenage rockers in Alabama to their current professional successes, and the processes of making their powerful new works. We also hear about the benefits of a slower professional trajectory; pre-album-release shame when you’ve been completely open about your life in your art; and how Katie getting sober changed her music. Check it out, and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast, including upcoming shows featuring Jarvis Cocker (Pulp) with th

On the latest episode of the Talkhouse Podcast, we feature a very special conversation recorded live at On Air Fest in Brooklyn earlier this month between The Roots’ lead MC Black Thought (aka Tarik Trotter) and comedian Wyatt Cenac. The two friends have a hilarious, highly entertaining talk about everything from beard grooming and the need for adult playgrounds, to their initial forays into showbiz (Tarik went to school with Questlove, Boyz II Men and Beanie Sigel!), to Wyatt’s disastrous gig hosting a CMJ hip-hop show and the awful time Tarik forgot the lyrics to the Jay-Z song he was performing – as part of a tribute to Hov himself! For more filmmakers and musicians in conversation, visit Talkhouse at talkhouse.com and subscribe to the Talkhouse Podcast to stay in the loop about future episodes. This episode was recorded by Sam Bair at On Air Fest, Elia and Nick recorded themselves in quarantine, and was co-produced Mark Yoshizumi.

With Public Enemy in the news recently, and Rage Against the Machine active this year, we were immediately reminded of this talk with Tom Morello and Public Enemy's Chuck D. A lot has changed since we recorded the new intro for this episode a week ago. We want to wish all of our listeners good health. Talkhouse will be continuing to publish new and archival conversations with your favorite musicians, actors, and filmmakers at our usual pace. Take care and thanks for listening.   ~~~ Chuck D (Public Enemy) and Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman) have been sending radical political messages up the pop charts for decades. On the occasion of the debut LP by their new supergroup, Prophets Of Rage, the two musical revolutionaries bum-rush the Talkhouse Podcast to discuss protest music. Their conversation also covers why new groups are afraid to be overtly political, the democratization of music via technology, how Rage Against the Machine fooled MTV and Viacom, and "Puff the Magic

A.C. Newman of The New Pornographers and Wesley Toledo, the drummer for psych/prog rockers Post Animal, are big fans of each other's music. When we paired 'em up for a Talkhouse convo, the guys were thrilled to dive deep on embracing irony and ridiculousness in their songwriting. Their talk also takes in how hip hop and psych are getting closer and closer, what can be learned from Electric Light Orchestra, and the lengths Andrew Bird will go to to get the right take. Check it out, and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast, including upcoming episodes featuring Jarvis Cocker with The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt; The Roots' Black Thought with comedian Wyatt Cenac; and George Saunders with Dana Spiotta.  —Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer  Wesley Toledo was recorded by Talkhouse's dear pal Alex Hall at Reliable Recorders in Chicago, A.C. Newman recorded himself, and Annie Fell and I were committed to 1s and 0s by our co-producer Mark Yoshizumi at Hook

On the latest episode of the Talkhouse Podcast, two of the greatest living filmmakers, Kelly Reichardt and Olivier Assayas, sit down for an intimate conversation. Recorded last fall when Reichardt’s First Cow (in theaters March 6 through A24) and Assayas’ Wasp Network were both playing at the New York Film Festival, this talk sees the two comparing notes on the intricacies of their respective creative processes, from writing through to editing. They discuss the ways in which they differ (such as Assayas’ enforced spontaneity and Reichardt’s love of preparation), the personal backstories to Assayas’ films Cold Water and Summer Hours, Reichardt’s past growing up in a law-enforcement family in Miami, the way new technology figures in their work, and much more. For more filmmakers and comedians talking film and TV, visit Talkhouse Film at talkhouse.com/film. Subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

On the latest episode of the Talkhouse Podcast, there’s a meeting of kindred spirits as Maria Bamford sits down with fellow stand-up Chris Gethard. Bamford and Gethard are both famous for having put their own mental health struggles at the center of their comedy, and Bamford’s new Topic show, What’s Your Ailment?, is a series of in-depth discussions with other comedians about depression, addiction and the like. Unsurprisingly, the two swap stories about meds and therapists, but also share their fantasies of quitting comedy (and what other jobs they dream of doing), debate the relative merits of different hotel franchises, and dish on social media attacks, how to deal with hecklers, and much, much more. For more filmmakers and comedians talking film and TV, visit Talkhouse Film at talkhouse.com/film. Subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast.

Robbie Robertson is a songwriter and guitarist who redefined American music with The Band, redefined what a concert film could be with The Last Waltz, and redefined movie soundtracks via his scoring of critical Martin Scorsese films like Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, and, most recently, The Irishman. To celebrate the release of the new documentary Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band, Robbie sat down for an incredible Talkhouse conversation with an artist at Americana's vanguard, M.C. Taylor, AKA Hiss Golden Messenger. The guys chop it up on some truly incredible stories, including (but by no means limited to!) Robbie's touring with Bob Dylan, working with Martin Scorsese, and corresponding with the brilliant classical composer Krzysztof Penderecki. Their talk also takes in the meaning and process of songwriting, Levon Helm absolutely hating country music, and Robbie’s “incredible jukebox in the sky." Check it out, and subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podca

Today's episode is produced in collaboration with Murmrr Ballroom and Community Bookstore.  Judd Apatow and David Duchovny absolutely adored their friend and collaborator Garry Shandling. Since Garry's death in 2016, Judd has been memorializing the game-changing comedian, first with his HBO documentary The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling, and more recently through the book, It's Garry Shandling's Book, comprised of journal entries, photos, and contributions from peers. To celebrate Garry's life via the book's release late last year, Judd and David sat down at a sold-out Murmrr Ballroom to share some heartfelt and hilarious stories, and to answer audience questions.  In this very special episode, tune in for tales of boxing and meditating with Garry; on-set shenanigans; wild times at his famous Hollywood basketball games with the likes of Adam Sandler, George Clooney, and Brad Pitt; and so much more.  Subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast, including upcoming episodes with

Michael Shannon (Knives Out, The Shape Of Water) and Jason Narducy (Superchunk, Bob Mould) met while playing in a Lou Reed cover band put together by Robbie Fulks, and their friendship has only gotten more interesting from there.  On the occasion of the new musical Verböten — which tells the story of Jason’s real-life punk band that formed when he was just 11 years old — opening at Chicago's Chopin Theatre, the old friends sat down for a wonderful conversation.   Tune in for insider stories of Michael's newest film Knives Out, Jason's journey to seeing Verböten through to curtain, hangs with The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde, and so much more. Subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast, including upcoming episodes with Judd Apatow and David Duchovny, The New Pornographer's AC Newman and Post Animal, and Robbie Robertson of The Band and Hiss Golden Messenger.  —Elia Einhorn, Talkhouse Podcast host and producer   Today's show was recorded in Chicago by Stephen Shirk at Shirk Stu

This week on the show, we revisit a fan-favorite episode: legendary producer and musician Steve Albini, and the game-changing Devo's Jerry Casale. Enjoy! The Talkhouse Podcast recently headed out to the fantastic Desert Daze festival at Moreno Beach at Lake Perris in Southern California. When we weren't catching sets by Tame Impala, King Gizzard, and My Bloody Valentine, we recorded a trio of great talks; this week, we present the first. When I saw that both Steve Albini and Devo's Jerry Casale were going to be at Desert Daze giving talks, I knew we had to pair these two icons of alternative music. They're big fans of each other's work, and halfway through their conversation, Steve said, “This is the sort of stuff no one ever talks about. These are the questions I’ve had for 30 years.” Their fascinating talk takes in the beginning years of Devo’s existence; their complex relationship with Neil Young; Brian Eno’s proclivity for ménage à trois; the differences between poker and making records; and how the name

On the latest episode of the Talkhouse Podcast, we feature the second of our talks recorded live at last year’s LA Comic Con. Though the pairing of actors Juliana Harkavy (aka Black Canary on Arrow) and Ryan Hurst (best known as Opie on Sons of Anarchy) came together at the last minute, the two clicked instantly, helped by their joint love of dogs (Ryan has 12 and is a dog trainer!) and the fact that both of them have acted on The Walking Dead. As well as swapping stories about eating lunch with zombies, the two discuss the bliss of sky-diving (which Ryan has done about 1000 times), their (sometimes embarrassing) early acting experiences, Ryan shares a hilarious Marlon Brando story, and Juliana teases a possible sideways career move into music. For more filmmakers on film, go to talkhouse.com/film. Subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast. Today’s show was recorded at LA Comic Con by Ali Nikou, and at Hook and Fade Studios in Brooklyn by our co-producer Mark Yoshizumi. The

Devonté Hynes, aka Blood Orange, had an incredible 2019. He dropped the mixtape Angel's Pulse; scored the critically acclaimed film Queen and Slim; released a classical album with Third Coast Percussion; directed a music video for Beck; and, as a fan, finally saw the brilliant composer/vocalist Beverly Glenn-Copeland live. Glenn-Copeland (as he prefers to go by in his day-to-day life) had his own amazing year: At the age of 74, he had his first international tour, released the new LP Primal Prayer, and saw his previously obscure, decade-spanning seven album catalog finally embraced in music communities around the world. And he met Dev, whose music he adores. We introduced Dev and Glenn right here on the Talkhouse Podcast, and the ensuing convo was warm, vulnerable, funny, and potent. The two sat on a sofa at Hook and Fade Studio in Brooklyn, and instantly formed a world all their own; they stared into each other's eyes, and spoke so softly that it was difficult to hear them from even a few feet away. In their

Suzi Quatro and L7's Donita Sparks are iconic rockers who have each paved the way for generations of women in music. And on today's show — for the first time ever — they meet! To celebrate the theatrical release of the documentary Suzi Q, which Donita appears in, as well as the L7 doc L7: Pretend We're Dead and new LP Scatter The Rats, the two chop it up in a wide-ranging, rapid fire convo. They talk refusing to "do gender" when it comes to their music, while also knowing when to pull what they call the “female card” and charge a “pussy premium” for their work. We also hear about Suzi's astrological studies; Donita’s time-travel crush; Suzi’s life mantra — in lyrics — and what she's gonna do to get ready when it comes time for her to kick the bucket. Today's show was recorded at Elevate Studios in Hamburg by Jan Strehl, in Los Angeles by Ali Nikou, and at Hook and Fade Studios in Brooklyn by Mark Yoshizumi. The Talkhouse Podcast’s theme song was composed and performed by The Range.

On the latest episode of the Talkhouse Podcast, singer-songwriter Damien Jurado and standup comedian and actor Nick Thune sit down together in advance of their upcoming joint “Sad Music, Sad Comedy” tour, which is hitting the East Coast this January. The two became friends after the passing in 2018 of their mutual friend, producer and musician Richard Swift, who both Nick and Damien made records with. As well as swapping stories about Swift, the two discuss how Swift’s death pushed Nick to get sober, how comedians want to be musicians (and vice versa), Nick teaching his kid manipulative behavior so he can excel at Made You Look and how Damien discovered the Beatles in his forties, plus they set the ground rules for their tour – Cracker Barrel, look out! For more filmmakers and musicians in conversation, subscribe now to stay in the loop on future episodes of the Talkhouse Podcast. Today’s show was recorded at Bedrock.LA by Eric Rennaker and at Hook and Fade Studios in Brooklyn by our co-producer Mark Yoshizum

What a FOOKIN' TRULY RAD YEAR it's been here at the Talkhouse Podcast! Thx for being on this wild ride with us! As we hurtle towards 2020, I've been doing a bit of year-end tallying; can I share just a few stats with you? Please? Ok, thx. We released a whopping FORTY NINE new episodes in 2019. (WHO DOES THAT?! WHAT WERE WE THINKING?!) This year we featured artists like Brian Wilson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tierra Whack, Harmony Korine, Chelsea Peretti, Portugal. The Man, Fred Armisen, Shabazz Palaces, Nikki Glaser, Drew Carey, Chris Redd, The Flaming Lips, Robert Glasper, Snail Mail, The Magnetic Fields, Animal Collective, Karen O, Tim Heidecker, Kate Nash, Karen Gillan, Jon Cryer, and Ariel Pink, plus so many more greats. The Talkhouse Podcast held live tapings from LA Comic Con to Rough Trade NYC, with stops at SXSW in Austin, both Tomorrow Never Knows and Pitchfork x The Art Institute of Chicago's Midwinter in Chi, Life Is Beautiful in Las Vegas, and loads more. Oh, and did you see the videos from our time a