Songwriters on Process interviews Stu Mackenzie of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard! Songwriters on Process 2021-01-15 | When I read that King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard put out five albums in ONE YEAR in 2017, I knew I had to learn more about the creative process of their guitarist and vocalist Stu Mackenzie. In less than ten years, the band has put out 16 studio albums. Mackenzie is always creating something, and on those rare occasions that he's not, he gets pretty stressed.Watch my interview with Stu Mackenzie about his songwriting process!*King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: bit.ly/39xraYR*Songwriters on Process: songwritersonprocess.com
Conor Deegan III of Fontaines D.C. Songwriters on Process 2024-10-14 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Ed note: Here's my 2022 podcast (songwritersonpodcast.com/episodes/grian-chatten-of-fontaines-dc) episode with Fontaines D.C. singer Grian Chatten. Unfortunately, I stopped recording before Conor Deegan (Deego) and I started reading poetry to each other. But that should give you a sense of how deep I went into the creative process with the Fontaines D.C. (fontainesdc.com) bassist. This is less a discussion about the particulars of the songwriting process than it is about the creative mind and the drive to write. And yet, even our discussion of why Deego likes to write with a pencil was a window to his soul. Of course, we also talked literature, from Blake to Baudelaire to Hemingway. Fontaines D.C. is my favorite band today. Their latest album is called Romance (fontainesdc.com/pages/music) .
Hello Mary Songwriters on Process 2024-10-01 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Hello Mary (hellomaryband.com) on the pod today! Stella Wave, Helena Straight, and Mikaela Oppenheimer released their debut album in 2020, when Wave was 19 and Oppenheimer and Straight were 16. The band talks about their collective and individual writing processes, and we also discussed our shared love for the novelist Jennifer Egan.Hello Mary's latest album Emita Ox (orcd.co/emitaox) is out now on Frenchkiss Records (frenchkissrecords.com/artist/hello-mary) .
Mike Einziger of Incubus Songwriters on Process 2024-09-25 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "Bravery is underrated when it comes to art," Mike Einziger, guitarist and songwriter for Incbus (incubushq.com) , told me. In other words, don't be afraid to write the bad stuff. (I'd listen to a guy whose band has sold 23 million records.) As you'll hear on this episode, Einziger's intellectual curiosity runs deep, expanding far beyond music into the world of physics; the overlap of these two passions, he told me, means that he is constantly "driven by curiosity. And when that happens, songwriting doesn't feel like work."
Jake Duzsik of HEALTH Songwriters on Process 2024-09-16 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Here's a sampling of the authors and artists that Jake Duzsik of HEALTH (youwillloveeachother.com) mentioned in our conversation: Pascal, T.S. Eliot, William Blake, Vonnegut, Joan Didion, Truman Capote, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Pynchon, Camus, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Cormac McCarthy. And somewhere along the lines, we discussed postmodern prose. To be clear, Duzsik was not name checking. It reflects how deeply his creative mind operates. HEALTH's latest album Rat Wars (bodega.lomavistarecordings.com/collections/health) is out now. And shameless plug: if you're a fan of HEALTH, you might also be a Lamb of God fan. So buy Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir (hachettebookgroup.com/titles/mark-morton/desolation/9780306830983/?lens=hachette-books) by Mark Morton with Ben Opipari (me)!
Pete Yorn Songwriters on Process 2024-09-09 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Does writer's block really exist? Or is it just a reluctance to write the bad stuff? The writer Anthony Doerr once told me that writer's block is just "a failure of courage." Pete Yorn (peteyorn.com) tends to agree. On this episode of the podcast, Yorn and I talk about the myth of writer's block, why you should always say yes to a creative project with your kids, and why he still keeps his songwriting notebooks from his days as a college student at Syracuse University. Pete Yorn's latest album, his tenth solo studio album, The Hard Way (lnk.to/THW_Album) , is out now.
Jacob Slater of Wunderhorse Songwriters on Process 2024-09-03 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Wunderhorse (wunderhorseband.com) is why you should always get to the show early to see the support act. I was introduced to Jacob Slater's band when I saw them open for Fontaines D.C. (here's my podcast (songwritersonpodcast.com/episodes/grian-chatten-of-fontaines-dc) with Grian Chatten of Fontaines) at a small club in Pittsburgh in 2022. I had never heard of Wunderhorse, but they won everyone, including me, over in the first thirty seconds with their volume and their energy. I've been a huge fan of Slater and his band ever since. And as you'll hear, we share a strong affinity for the amazing writer Breece D'J Pancake (newyorker.com/books/page-turner/unearthing-breece-dj-pancake) .Wunderhorse's fantastic album Midas (wunderhorseband.com/products/wunderhorse-midas-standard-vinyl?srsltid=AfmBOoppDk14K8FienNm61bd-HtNueV5yG79cTlHOAtUbKlo3fzPWIqY) is out now.
Kevin Barnes (of Montreal) and Kishi Bashi Songwriters on Process 2024-08-26 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) It’s always fun to interview two songwriters who have a history together! Before his solo career, Kishi Bashi (kishibashi.com) was a member of Kevin Barnes’ band of Montreal (ofmontreal.net) . Kishi Bashi’s new album Kantos (kishibashi.lnk.to/kantos) is out now on Joyful Noise Recordings (joyfulnoiserecordings.com) , and of Montreal’s Lady on the Cusp (polyvinylrecords.com/store/of_montreal_lady_on_the_cusp?srsltid=AfmBOoqbHbuTgVapvnJNVPINUcSuU6lQCMIooiXQiDN-gC9XKsQpzlR5) is out on Polyvinyl Records. Kishi Bashi’s “Omoiyari: A Song Film (youtube.com/watch?v=7mneaPfF2RU) ” has been nominated for an Emmy with the winners announced in September.
Magdalena Bay Songwriters on Process 2024-08-23 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Mica Tenenbaum and Matt Lewin of Magdalena Bay (https://imaginaldisk.world) love hybrid cars. While I’m sure they appreciate the environmental benefits, it’s the humming sound the cars make that the duo finds inspiring. In fact, they find inspiration in everything around them, visually and sonically—even the act of Swiffering, as you’ll hear on the podcast. Small surprise that Tenenbaum had 2002 voice memos of ideas on her phone when we spoke. Magdalena Bay’s new album Imaginal Disk (momandpopmusic.com/artists/magdalena-bay) is out on Mom + Pop Records (momandpopmusic.com) . The band’s videos are incredible, so check those out too.
Eva Hendricks of Charly Bliss Songwriters on Process 2024-08-15 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "I'm always writing and always creating. I relate to the world by writing," Eva Hendricks of Charly Bliss (https://charlybliss.os.fan) told me on the podcast. Besides songwriting, she's written a YA novel and is a big journaler. Heck, Hendricks even gets inspired while she's hanging laundry! And when those songs are close to fruition, they need to be perfect: Hendricks estimates that she wrote 50 different verses for the new song "Waiting For You."The new Charly Bliss album Forever (store.luckynumbermusic.com/charlyblissforever?lang=en_US) is out on Lucky Number Records (luckynumbermusic.com) .
Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura Songwriters on Process 2024-08-11 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura (camera-obscura.net) has a superpower: she's able to write entire songs in her head before putting them to paper. If Campbell gets an idea and can't write it down immediately, she'll repeat the words over and over to herself until she can grab a pen and pencil. This superpower comes in handy when driving is an especially rich source of inspiration, as it is for Campbell. Camera Obscura's latest album Look to the East, Look to the West (mergerecords.com/product/look_to_the_east_look_to_the_west) is out now on Merge Records (mergerecords.com/artist/camera_obscura) .
Matthew Koma of Winnetka Bowling League Songwriters on Process 2024-08-03 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Matthew Koma of Winnetka Bowling League (wbleague.com) stops by the podcast to talk about how writing a song is like solving a crossword puzzle, why he doesn't like to dig through discarded melodic and lyrical ideas for new songs, and how he gets inspired by being among the stores.Winnetka Bowling League's debut album Sha La La (ffm.to/wblshalala) is out now. I'm a big fan.
Ashton Irwin (5 Seconds of Summer) Songwriters on Process 2024-07-12 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Ashton Irwin (ashtonirwinofficial.com) , drummer for 5 Seconds of Summer (5sos.com) , often writes songs out of necessity. While he likes to journal, Irwin finds songwriting a much more effective vehicle for maintaining his mental health. And there's a routine to the songwriting process: from 11a-3p when the caffeine is at its peak, with a Moleskin journal and a black ink pen. Irwin likes to write lyrics during the day; the songs he writes at night are different. "I’m less concerned with being tricky with the wordplay," he explains. "The songs I write at night are more beat driven and animalistic, conjuring the energies of the night."Irwin's latest solo album, his second, is called Blood on the Drums (shop.ashtonirwinofficial.com) .
Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing Songwriters on Process 2024-07-03 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) ED NOTE: This is from 2021, before this was a podcast and I was posting the video interviews to YouTube. I've taken the audio from that interview and turned it into podcast form. As you can tell at the beginning, we did this in the middle of the pandemic, hence our discussion about the creative process during COVID.Mike Doughty (mikedoughty.com) believes that discipline is a necessary part of the songwriting process. Doughty made his name as the founder of Soul Coughing, but he's had a prolific career as a solo singer/songwriter. “I believe in discipline and the idea of working every day. I do like to look back at the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment.” That feeling of accomplishment comes after some consistent journaling each morning and evening. It’s decidedly vintage: he uses an IBM Electric typewriter in the morning (“The blank white page is filled with light and hope) and a 1983 Apple IIe computer at night (“The glowing green has a definite night vibe.”). And he saves those evening journal entries on a five inch floppy disk.
Bonny Light Horseman Songwriters on Process 2024-06-10 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) The circle is complete. I’ve had recent interviews with Anais Mitchell (together with Charlotte Cornfield) (songwritersonpodcast.com/episodes/anais-mitchell-and-charlotte-cornfield) and with Eric D. Johnson (songwritersonpodcast.com/episodes/ericfruitbats) , but now that we’ve added Josh Kaufman, this is a full-on Bonny Light Horseman (bonnylighthorseman.com) episode. I enjoyed this conversation immensely because we dove into their collective process, not just their individual processes. And listening to them talk for even a few seconds makes one thing immediately clear: the songwriting is great because the chemistry among them is so powerful. Bonny Light Horseman’s new double album Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free (merch.ambientinks.com/collections/bonnylighthorseman/music) is out now on Jagjaguwar Records (jagjaguwar.com/artist/bonny-light-horseman) .
DIIV Songwriters on Process 2024-05-28 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) All four members of DIIV (diiv.net) (Zachary Cole Smith, Andrew Bailey, Colin Caulfield, Ben Newman) joined me to talk about their individual songwriting processes. This interview could've gone on forever because they are so passionate about creativity. What's interesting is that their individual songwriting processes don't have too much in common, but perhaps how those differences play off each other is why they make such good music. DIIV's new album Frog in Boiling Water (https://found.ee/FrogInBoilingWater) is out now on Fantasy Records.
Eric Earley of Blitzen Trapper Songwriters on Process 2024-05-19 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Does the mind of Eric Earley from Blitzen Trapper (blitzentrapper.net) ever rest? I think not. After all, he told me that he liked to solve math problems in college while he was making breakfast. Earley is a voracious reader who just finished his self-proclaimed "Time of the Tomes," in which he read nothing but, well, tomes. (The longer, the better. Infinite Jest? Please. Kid's stuff).Earley has a family and his other occupation involves working with the homeless population in Portland, so he's not quite as active as he used to be. But that's only because he doesn't have as much time, although now he's quite invested in meditation and dream journals. And songwriting, of course. This is the second time I've interviewed Earley; the first was in 2018 (songwritersonprocess.com/blog/2017/12/29/eric-earley-blitzen-trapper) , when he told me that he'd written five unpublished novels "just for fun." Earley is also responsible for turning me on to the great short story writer Breece D'J Pancake. Blitzen Trapper's latest album 100's of 1000's, Millions of Billions (yeproc.com/artists/blitzen-trapper) is out now on Yep Roc Records (yeproc.com) .
Deerlady Songwriters on Process 2024-05-11 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Deerlady (instagram.com/deerladyband) is Mali Obomsawin (maliobomsawin.com) and Magdalena Abrego (magdalenaabrego.com) , and their debut album Greatest Hits (lnk.to/Greatest-Hits) is my favorite album of the year, and this is also one of my favorite interviews because we had so much fun. I first heard Deerlady while listening to my old college radio station, WTHS at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. They played "Bounty (music.apple.com/us/album/bounty/1725773028?i=1725773029) ," and it was one of those moments when you hear a song for the first time, stop whatever it is that you're doing, love it immediately, then listen to the entire album. The backstory to Greatest Hits is fascinating. Obomsawin is a citizen of Odanak First Nation. She's a Berkelee-trained composer and bassist who leads the Mali Obomsawin Sextet, a jazz group. Abrego , a composer and guitarist, started at Berkelee before finishing at New England Conservatory, where she's on the faculty. These are not, as you can tell, rock gigs. And that's why Obomsawin and Abrego love Deerlady: it's an unveiling! Greatest Hits is full of incredible guitar work and stunning vocals. Obomsawin told Stereogum (stereogum.com/2261053/deerlady-greatest-hits-mali-obomsawin-magdalena-abrego/interviews/band-to-watch) , "It feels great to be in a rock band, like that's my natural state," while Abrego says that the band "feels like an unmasking." I'm loathe to categorize music, but others have called their music shoegaze, goth, slowcore. Whatever. I just love this album.
Aaron Lee Tasjan Songwriters on Process 2024-04-28 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Aaron Lee Tasjan (aaronleetasjan.com) has a pretty simple writing process: he gets up around 8am, has a glass of water, and pets his cat. Then he writes. But not every day. "I only write when my body tells me to, when I can go off yesterday's fumes," he told me. And in one of the best rituals I've ever heard, Tasjan always writes with a pencil--but never uses the eraser. "I hate erasers," he says.Tasjan lives in Nashville, where the Frist Art Museum serves as a tremendous source of inspiration for his songs. His new album Stellar Evolution (aaronleetasjan.lnk.to/stellarevolutionar) is out now on Blue Elan Records (blueelan.com/collections/aaron-lee-tasjan) .
Jane Penny (TOPS) Songwriters on Process 2024-04-15 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Jane Penny, co-founder of TOPS (tttopsss.com) , makes her solo debut with her fantastic EP Surfacing (janepenny.bandcamp.com/album/surfacing) , out now on Luminelle Recordings (luminellerecs.com/artists/jane-penny) . Penny stops by the podcast to talk about how Barry White has influenced her songwriting; why she has to write her lyrics in cursive; and why when you see her in the audience at a show and she's looking at her phone, she's actually deeply engaged in the creative process. She promises!I'm a big fan of TOPS, so this was a lot of of fun.
Grace Cummings Songwriters on Process 2024-03-30 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) On this episode of the podcast, Grace Cummings (atorecords.com/artists/grace-cummings) talks about why her phone has been such a drain on her creativity and why she's making a conscious effort to stay away from it. But sometimes that phone can be pretty useful. For one, it allows Cummings to create her alter ego Cheryl. (You'll understand once you listen.) And it also allows her to create a fantastic filing system for her song ideas with labels like "excellent" and "very excellent" that we both agreed are pretty good mini pep-talks. Cummings's new album Ramona (https://linktr.ee/GraceCummings) is out April 5 on ATO Records (atorecords.com/artists/grace-cummings) .
Hovvdy Songwriters on Process 2024-03-24 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Will Taylor and Charlie Martin of Hovvdy (hovvdy.com) take a deep dive into their songwriting processes on the podcast. We delve into, among other things, the nuts and bolts of the revision process and whether distance is important when writing about an event.Hovvdy's new (double!) album Hovvdy (shop.arts-crafts.ca/products/hovvdy-hovvdy) is out April 26 on Arts & Crafts Records (arts-crafts.ca) .
Ducks Ltd. Songwriters on Process 2024-03-10 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Evan Lewis and Tom McGreevy of Ducks Ltd (ducksltd.co) seem to be at opposite ends of the creative spectrum when it comes to organization. Lewis likes chaos: "The process should be a disaster," he says. McGreevy, on the other hand, needs order. His writing process involves emailing lyrics to himself, editing them, then sending the edited version to himself. Over and over. This allows McGreevy to see the version history of the lyrics in one giant email thread. The new Ducks Ltd. album Harm's Way (https://found.ee/ducksltd_hw) is out now on Carpark Records (carparkrecords.com) . I'm very proud that not once in this podcast will you hear the term "jangle pop."
Future Islands Songwriters on Process 2024-03-03 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Future Islands (future-islands.com) stops by today to talk about their individual and collective processes, which sometimes involves folding laundry and listening to trains. They've also earned the title of Most Well-Read Band I've Ever Interviewed: just listen to the dizzying number of favorite authors and literary influences they all have. That discussion alone could've been an entire episode. The new album by Future Islands is called People Who Aren't There Anymore (kf-merch.com/collections/future-islands) , out now on 4AD Records (4ad.com/artists/futureislands) .
Martin Courtney of Real Estate, the sequel Songwriters on Process 2024-02-20 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) I had such a good time interviewing Martin Courtney of Real Estate (realestatetheband.com) back in 2022 (songwritersonpodcast.com/episodes/martin-courtney-of-real-estate) for his solo album that we're doing it again! This time, Real Estate has a great new album out called Daniel (realestate.ffm.to/daniel.OWE) on Domino Records. (dominomusic.com/news/us/real-estate-announce-new-album-daniel) Courtney and I once again go deep into his songwriting process, including how it's changed since his solo album. And of course we talk children's literature too.
Johnny Marr Songwriters on Process 2024-02-09 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Johnny Marr (johnnymarr.com) (The Smiths, The Cribs, Modest Mouse, The The, so many more) is arguably one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of the last 50 years. So don't waste any time reading this intro. Just listen to the podcast. It's one of my favorites. Lots of talk about our favorite authors and some great stories too!Marr's latest album Spirit Power: The Best of Johnny Marr (johnnymarr.lnk.to/SpiritPowerWE) is out now. His book Marr's Guitars (harpercollins.com/products/marrs-guitars-johnny-marr?variant=41046832185378) is out too.
Mary Timony Songwriters on Process 2024-01-31 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Untame the Tiger (mergerecords.com/product/untame_the_tiger) (Merge Records) is Mary Timony's (marytimonymusic.com) first solo album in 15 years, and it's so good, from start to finish. For the uninitiated: Timony's bands have included Helium, Autoclave, Wild Flag, and Ex-Hex. All fantastic. Last year Rolling Stone named her #95 on the top 200 greatest guitarists of all time. To get to this stage of excellence, Timony's process involves writing garbage. "The only thing that works for me is writing a lot of bad stuff I really don't like," she says. Timony writes in the morning then sets it aside. "The most important part of my process is that I have to forget everything I just did, then go about my day. If the song comes back to me, maybe three hours later, then I can judge it. That new person that I am who hasn’t written the song has to judge it. And 99 percent of the time, I don’t like it." All the garbage just gave us one hell of an album. *Here's my recent interview (songwritersonpodcast.com/episodes/carriebrownstein) with Carrie Brownstein
Eliza McLamb & Sarah Tudzin Songwriters on Process 2024-01-23 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) You get two for one in this episode with Eliza McLamb (instagram.com/elizamclamb/?hl=en) and Sarah Tudzin (soundsliketudz.com) ! Both are songwriters: McLamb's debut album Going Through It is out now, and Tudzin is the founder and frontperson for Illuminati Hotties (instagram.com/illuminati.hotties/?hl=en) . We're here this week because Tudzin also produced McLamb's album. But you may also know McLamb as the co-host of the Binchtopia (instagram.com/binchtopiapod/?hl=en) podcast, and I have a feeling you'll be hearing Tudzin's name a couple of times on February 4 because she has three GRAMMY nominations (grammy.com/artists/sarah-tudzin/54169) for her work on the boygenius album.
Carrrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney Songwriters on Process 2024-01-14 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "Writing is a form of contemplation," says Carrie Brownstein (instagram.com/carrie_rachel/?hl=en) of Sleater-Kinney (sleater-kinney.com) on the podcast. And while it's true that the actual act of putting pen to paper involves contemplating, Brownstein and I agree that the writing process is happening 24/7, not just during the act of transcription. You may not realize it, but you're writing and contemplating as you walk, talk, listen, sleep, eat, watch tv, whatever.But when it comes time for Brownstein to actually put pen to paper, nothing beats a good old cheap couch she found on Craigslist. As you'll hear, it's the cheapness that makes it such an important part of her ritual.Sleater-Kinney's latest album Little Rope (littlerope.com) is fantastic.*Here's my 2010 interview with Corin Tucker. (songwritersonprocess.com/blog/2010/11/16/corin-tucker)
Josh Radnor Songwriters on Process 2024-01-01 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "When I write songs, I put on a miner's light and try to make it around the next corner."Josh Radnor (joshradnor.com) found fame playing Ted Mosby on "How I Met Your Mother," but he's also a terrific songwriter (and stage actor) with a new album Eulogy: Volume 1. Radnor stops by the podcast as we take a deep dive into his songwriting process. We talk about how his creative process as an actor intersects with his songwriting process, why he often starts with a lyrical idea and not a melody, and why procrastination can be a very good thing. Oh, and how food poisoning can give rise to a great song.
Jaime Wyatt Songwriters on Process 2023-12-19 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) I was already a Jaime Wyatt (jaimewyatt.com) fan before we talked, but our shared affinity for the poet E.E. Cummings made this episode even more fun. I also knew this would be a good convo after reading an Instagram post where Wyatt declared, "I love words. And language. Always been a word nerd and love phrases that have dual meanings." Amazing!Wyatt's latest album Feel Good (http://newwst.com/feelgoodWE) is out now on New West Records.
Buffalo Nichols Songwriters on Process 2023-11-29 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "The times when I'm writing the most are when I'm reading a lot," Carl "Buffalo" Nichols (buffalo-nichols.com) says on today's podcast. And wow is this true: you cannot be a writer of any stripe unless you read. Nichols likes to read voices that he cannot relate to. He mentions writers like Flannery O' Connor and H.L. Mencken, as well as books like A Clockwork Orange and A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He didn't even like them all, but he still felt that hearing those voices makes him a better writer.So on this episode we talk about how reading makes him a better songwriter, why being tired and cranky makes him a good editor, and why he likes to stop writing when he knows he still has something left in the tank.Nichols' latest album The Fatalist (buffalonichols.ffm.to/thefatalist) is out now on Fat Possum Records (fatpossum.com/products/the-fatalist) .
Duff McKagan of Guns N Roses Songwriters on Process 2023-11-08 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Duff McKagan's (duffonline.com) latest solo album Lighthouse (duffmckagan.ffm.to/lighthouseretail.OWE) is dedicated to Cormac McCarthy, which is no surprise given the importance McKagan places on reading. The Guns N' Roses bassist reads without fail every day, so you get some great book recommendations in this episode of the podcast. McKagan doesn't just read for pleasure; he reads to make himself a better person. There's a great post on his Insta page of McKagan in the stacks at the Library of Congress, and he is one happy man in that photo.You'll also learn in this episode why McKagan still has to write lyrics on a Blackberry, how he wrote one song in his head while carrying his dog, and why the New York Times crossword is a part of his daily ritual.
Jonny Pierce of The Drums Songwriters on Process 2023-10-27 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Jonny Pierce says that The Drums’ (thedrums.com) new album Jonny is “a little less practice, a little more mess.” That messiness finally made songwriting enjoyable for him because for a long time, it wasn’t. “I never loved songwriting. I was never the type of songwriter who couldn’t wait to get to the studio,” Pierce says on the podcast. It was always something stressful, he said, because he equated it with literal survival. But now Pierce is trying something different: the mess. Which includes, as you’ll hear, slithering down walls. And he’s much happier for it. Jonny is out on ANTI- (anti.com/artists/the-drums) records.
Clem Creevy of Cherry Glazerr Songwriters on Process 2023-10-12 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) “I’m allergic to routine. I wake up and follow all my whims and desires. But inspiration strikes every couple of days, and when it does you don’t want to be around me because I have a one track mind,” Clem Creevy of Cherry Glazerr (cherryglazerr.com) says. That applies even when Creevy’s on a date: she once rolled over in bed and starting singing a beat into her phone, much to the confusion of her bedmate. But when she’s not getting inspired in bed, many of Creevy’s songs start on the bass. She likes windowless rooms and prefers a messy ball point pen for her lyrics. Creevy also finds inspiration while driving, but unlike most songwriters it’s not the solitude that does it. In fact, horrible LA traffic puts her in state of zen. “I love that kind of energy when I’m in a situation that seems scary and hard.”Cherry Glazerr’s latest album "I Don’t Want You Anymore (secretlycanadian.com/record/i-dont-want-you-anymore) " is out now on Secretly Canadian.
Genesis Owusu Songwriters on Process 2023-09-28 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Genesis Owusu (genesisowusu.com) is the first songwriter to cite Samuel Beckett’s "Waiting for Godot" and Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" as influences. Owusu stops by the podcast to talk about why he's such a huge fan of Beckett and Kafka, what it means to be a "selfish" songwriter, and why he never trusts lyrics that take too long to write.I saw Owusu this summer when he opened for Paramore. What a live show. And his music blows me away; I'm a huge fan. Owusu’s latest album Struggler (https://genesis-owusu.terrible.group/) is out now.
Devendra Banhart Songwriters on Process 2023-09-16 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "If you're writing alone, you're still collaborating," Devendra Banhart (devendrabanhart.com) says on this episode of the podcast. I love that idea: even in solitary writing, you're always running ideas by yourself. Is it the unconscious against the conscious? Reminds me of the time Matt Nathanson told me that he calls his writing partner "The Assassin."What you can't see in the podcast is that behind Banhart was an entire wall of floor to ceiling books as we talked. You can't be a good (song)writer unless you read. No exceptions. And I loved our discussion of why poetry is so important. Banhart's latest album Flying Wig (https://devendrabanhart.ochre.store) is out September 22.
M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger Songwriters on Process 2023-09-10 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) “Surprising yourself is the only way to stay inspired,” M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger (http://www.hissgoldenmessenger.com) says in this episode of the podcast. This is the second time I've interviewed Taylor, and here are three things I love about him: • He's still the only songwriter in thirteen years of this site to discuss his love for haiku and how it influences his process. • The thoughtful pause before he responds makes for some incredible answers. • Everyone in the Taylor family--MC, wife, and kids--starts their day reading and ends their day reading (not collectively).HGM's latest album Jump for Joy (mergerecords.com/product/jump_for_joy) is out now on Merge Records. (mergerecords.com)
Blondshell Songwriters on Process 2023-08-28 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Sabrina Teitelbaum (aka Blondshell (blondshellmusic.com) ) wants more joy in her songs. But that can be a problem because happiness is not a productive state for her songwriting process. "When I'm happy, I don't feel the need to write as much," she told me. No matter her emotional state, though, the key Teitelbaum's fruitful songwriting process is not making it look too much like a process. The more precious she makes the process, the harder it can be to write. "Normalizing it makes me more productive," she says. For example, Teitelbaum often finds herself inspired at inopportune times, like when she's rushing to get somewhere. Yet some awareness of what works is important too, which is why I love the perfect balance in her credo: "Know your process but respect the mystery."Blondshell's self-titled debut album is out now on Partisan Records (partisanrecords.com/artists/blondshell) . It's really, really good.
Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads Songwriters on Process 2023-08-23 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) At some point in my interview with Jerry Harrison, guitarist and keyboardist for Talking Heads (talkingheadsofficial.com) , I asked him to respond to a quote by the iconic Beat poet Allen Ginsberg. Harrison told me that Ginsberg was a friend. And that is why he is Jerry Harrison. Talking Heads are one of the most influential acts of the past 50 years. Call it new wave, art pop, post punk, whatever: any act with that label can at least partially thank Talking Heads. This conversation centers not just on the writing process--Harrison loves felt tip pens because of the "scraping feeling," by the way--but on literature. We talked extensively about prose and poetry, which should tell you something. Great musical artists are voracious readers. As for the writing ritual, Harrison said, "The rituals are a way for our minds to accept that we're writing. They create signals of positive reinforcement as a way of saying, 'There are no excuses since I'm in my writing space.'"Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense (youtu.be/-rjMwSTeVeo?si=w6y7vVERCvPjU3vi) is considered one of the greatest concert films, and in September it's being re-released in 4k. The band will reunite for the first time in 21 years for a Q&A with Spike Lee at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11.ED NOTE: yes, it's "Talking Heads," not "The Talking Heads."
Jenny Owen Youngs on why sh*tty first drafts are so important! Songwriters on Process 2023-08-20 | Jenny Owen Youngs had me at "Sh*tty First Drafts." This is the Anne Lamott essay espousing the idea that the first draft of anything is supposed to be atrocious. Just get it down, dammit. "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts," Lamott writes. The polish comes later. I always assigned this essay to my students when I was a professor. The challenge comes when you're a parent, as Youngs is. (We have four kids, so I know the feeling.) How do you even find the time to create multiple drafts and feel like you're not wasting your time by intentionally writing a terrible one? As you'll hear, the shitty first draft method is not only a more efficient process, but when your time is no longer your own, you become a much more efficient writer. So a win all around. Youngs's new album Avalanche is fantastic and is out September 22 on Yep Roc Records. Listen to the full podcast: buzzsprout.com/1406782/13422264
Jenny Owen Youngs Songwriters on Process 2023-08-17 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Jenny Owen Youngs (jennyowenyoungs.com) had me at "Shitty First Drafts (https://wrd.as.uky.edu/sites/default/files/1-Shitty%20First%20Drafts.pdf) ." This is the Anne Lamott essay espousing the idea that the first draft of anything is supposed to be atrocious. Just get it down, dammit. "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts," Lamott writes. The polish comes later. I always assigned this essay to my students when I was a professor. The challenge comes when you're a parent, as Youngs is. (We have four kids, so I know the feeling.) How do you even find the time to create multiple drafts and feel like you're not wasting your time by intentionally writing a terrible one? As you'll hear, the shitty first draft method is not only a more efficient process, but when your time is no longer your own, you become a much more efficient writer. So a win all around. Youngs's new album Avalanche (jennyowenyoungs.com/store) is fantastic and is out September 22 on Yep Roc Records.
Bethany Cosentino Songwriters on Process 2023-07-28 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) ED note: I mispronounced Cosentino’s name in the podcast intro: the first “o” should be long (as in snow), but I used a short “o” (as in top). I’m sorry Bethany!If you have plans to meet Bethany Cosentino (bethanycosentino.com) and she’s late, look outside. There’s a good chance she’s there writing. Cosentino loves to write in her car—when it’s not moving, of course. She gets great ideas just sitting in it. “I’ll be late to things because I’ve been sitting in my car for too long. I’ll get there early or on time and then just sit there,” she told me on this episode of the podcast.This is my third time interviewing Cosentino (the others were 2010 (songwritersonprocess.com/blog/2010/08/18/bethany) and 2015 (songwritersonprocess.com/blog/2015/6/19/bethany-cosentino-best-coast) ). Each has been so enjoyable because her answers were always different and always so expansive. There’s a reason for that: each album embraces a different process. Cosentino wrote one in front of a TV on mute and another in front of a big window. She wrote a good chunk of her debut solo album Natural Disaster (https://found.ee/BC_NaturalDisaster) on the floor.
John McCauley & Ian ONeil of Deer Tick Songwriters on Process 2023-07-19 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) John McCauley and Ian O’Neil of Deer Tick (deertickmusic.com) stop by talk about what makes for an effective songwriting process. In no particular order: laundry rooms, a kitchen, a nice rug, running shoes, recumbent bikes, Raymond Carver, and turn signals. Deer Tick’s latest album is Emotional Contracts (atorecords-ffm.com/emotionalcontracts) , out now on ATO Records.
Emile Mosseri Songwriters on Process 2023-07-03 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Academy Award nominee Emile Mosseri (emilemosseri.com) stops by the podcast to talk about the challenges that come with writing a solo album when all you’ve known is collaboration (his time in The Dig (facebook.com/thedig) ) and film & television composing (like his film score for Minari , for which he received a 2021 Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score). We talk about why he likes to write when he’s not supposed to be writing, why having a child is often good for his process, and why social media is never good for it. Mosseri’s debut solo album Heaven Hunters (thecbpstore.com/products/heaven-hunters-12-vinyl-bone-white) is out now on Greedy Heart Records.
Josh Ritter Songwriters on Process 2023-06-16 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Josh Ritter (joshritter.com) stops by Songwriters on Process to declare that while we like to think he writes with a quill pen, he actually writes almost all of his lyrics on his phone. That's a first: many songwriters tell me they write on a computer, but Ritter eschews even that because he prefers the spontaneity that his phone provides.Ritter's latest album is Spectral Lines, (orcd.co/spectrallines) out now.
Jess Williamson Songwriters on Process 2023-06-05 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "I'm pretty much always thinking about lyrics every day of my life." That quote represents the energy that Jess Williamson (jesswilliamson.com) brings to this episode of the podcast. Her level of introspection and enthusiasm made this conversation so much fun.But what happens when you're always thinking about songwriting and you can't write a song? Williamson discusses the anxiety she felt during a year-long songwriting draught that lasted for all of 2022 and even into 2023. It eventually broke one day when she "threw the capo on the sixth fret, started playing some chords, and that was it."Williamson's new album is called Time Ain't Accidental, (shop.mexicansummer.com/release/370228-jess-williamson-time-aint-accidental) out June 9 on Mexican Summer Records. In 2022, Williamson and Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee formed Plains and put out their debut album I Walked With You a Ways.
Etta Friedman & Allegra Weingarten of Momma Songwriters on Process 2023-05-14 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "We don't write on lined paper. That's a big no-no." This episode with Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten of Momma (mommaband.com) goes deep. We dig into the whys of the writing process, not just the hows. We also discuss, for example, why mundane activities are never good for their creative process--a pretty unique answer among the songwriters I've interviewed. Most tell me that walking stimulates the writing process, but not these two: they use mundane activities like walking as a means to escape, not to create. I LOVE this band. Love them. Their 2022 album Household Name (momma-band.ffm.to/household-name) was one of my favorites of 2022 and heck even 2023. I am a huge fan, so this conversation was a blast.
Dave Lombardo of Slayer, Testament, Mr. Bungle Songwriters on Process 2023-05-02 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "A washing machine with a clumpy pair of shoes can be a beautiful thing."Legendary drummer Dave Lombardo, a founding member of Slayer, finds beauty in the mundane. And also in the annoying: "Even the rhythm of a jackhammer and the bumps in a road can be inspiring," he says in the latest Songwriters on Process podcast. Lombardo's debut solo album Rites of Percussion (Ipecac Recordings) is an instrumental effort consisting entirely of percussive instruments. What kind? Here's the list: two drum sets (single and double bass kits), a large concert bass drum, a timpani, a grand piano, and a flock of shakers, maracas, Chinese and symphonic gongs, Native American drums, congas, timbales, bongos, batás, wood blocks, djembes, ibos, darbukas, octobans, cajóns, and cymbals.
Joseph Songwriters on Process 2023-04-20 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) Sisters Natalie, Allison, and Meegan from Joseph (thebandjoseph.com) talk about their individual and collective songwriting processes in this episode. And in that discussion, they each learn something about the others that they didn't know! Joseph's new album The Sun is out April 28 on ATO Records.
Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats/Bonny Light Horseman Songwriters on Process 2023-04-11 | Send us a text (buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1406782/open_sms) "I'm a wrong hallway person. I like to make wrong turns."Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats (http://www.fruitbatsmusic.com) and Bonny Light Horseman (bonnylighthorseman.com) makes a lot of mistakes. And that's a good thing, he says, because that's when the good stuff happens. "The excitement is in the mistakes," he says. "The song is a house, and sometimes you walk into the wrong room."Johnson's talking in metaphors, of course, but his literal rooms need to be a place of chaos too. The room where he writes starts off clean, but by the end there's stuff everywhere: cables, papers, notebooks, assorted musical accessories strewn all about. "The room has to be neat to start, but the good stuff happens when the room is a disaster."The Fruit Bats' new album A River Running to Your Heart (merch.ambientinks.com/collections/fruitbats) is out April 14 on Merge Records. Listen now to my latest episode with Eric D. Johnson!
