Podcast · 196 episodes
Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond
by Pushkin Industries · English
Music and storytelling meet on Broken Record, where artists across genres and generations sit down to explore the joy, chaos, and vulnerability of creating—and what it means to devote a life to music. From legendary icons to groundbreaking new voices, each episode captures artists in conversation sharing the inspirations and experiences that shape their craft.
Latest episodes
Elvis CostelloElvis Costello discusses Broken Record’s 49th anniversary box set for his debut album My Aim Is True, tracing how the songs were written, recorded, and how his style formed through early influences,…29 Sep 2026 · 1 h 2 min
Sonic Youth’s Lee RanaldoLee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) discusses how the band’s ferocious sound, experimental guitar tunings, and indie-to-major-label moves shaped their career; he also reflects on touring with Neil Young,…22 Sep 2026 · 52 min
Brandon FlowersBrandon Flowers (The Killers) discusses recording his country album in Nashville’s RCA studios, the value of recording live, songwriting influences, masculinity and emotional vulnerability, and…15 Sep 2026 · 1 h 10 min
All episodes
Elvis CostelloElvis Costello discusses Broken Record’s 49th anniversary box set for his debut album My Aim Is True, tracing how the songs were written, recorded, and how his style formed through early influences,…29 Sep 2026 · 1 h 2 min · 23 chapters
Sonic Youth’s Lee RanaldoLee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) discusses how the band’s ferocious sound, experimental guitar tunings, and indie-to-major-label moves shaped their career; he also reflects on touring with Neil Young,…22 Sep 2026 · 52 min · 17 chapters
Brandon FlowersBrandon Flowers (The Killers) discusses recording his country album in Nashville’s RCA studios, the value of recording live, songwriting influences, masculinity and emotional vulnerability, and…15 Sep 2026 · 1 h 10 min · 34 chapters
Tom MorelloTom Morello’s path from Libertyville, Illinois to Los Angeles, his early punk/metal beginnings, the East Side vs. Sunset Strip divide, and the “transcendent” moments that shaped his career.8 Sep 2026 · 1 h · 32 chapters
David PorterDavid Porter, a Stax Records songwriter/producer, explains the “Stax sound” as pure emotional connection and describes how he and Isaac Hayes built a signature identity distinct from Motown and from…1 Sep 2026 · 1 h 3 min · 20 chapters
Travis BarkerTravis Barker discusses his musical upbringing, discipline and practice habits, and how he developed as a drummer and producer; he also covers career highlights including the COVID-era Nirvana…25 Aug 2026 · 1 h · 22 chapters
Interpol's Daniel KesslerDaniel Kessler, Interpol’s primary songwriter/guitarist, discusses making Interpol’s new album This Mirror Ways a Ton (first New York record in over a decade), his creative routines, and the band’s…18 Aug 2026 · 55 min · 23 chapters
Alabama Shakes' Brittany HowardBrittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) discusses reuniting with her band after 11 years, the making of their new album I Must Be Dreaming, and how her musical tastes and worldview have evolved.11 Aug 2026 · 59 min · 21 chapters
Wu-Tang v. Shaolin | From Revisionist History: The Staten Island ProblemHow Staten Island’s 1990s secession movement parallels the rise of Wu-Tang Clan, with RZA’s “Shaolin” mythology shaped by the island’s segregation and violence.4 Aug 2026 · 34 min · 10 chapters
Harvey Mason Jr.Harvey Mason Jr. discusses his arc from basketball at Arizona (Final Four 1988 with Steve Kerr, coached by Lou Olson) to music production, then to becoming CEO of the Recording Academy during a…28 Jul 2026 · 56 min · 17 chapters
Daveed Diggs on the Need for Artistic Expression | From Who's With Me? with W. Kamau BellDaveed Diggs discusses why artistic expression is necessary, how artists keep making work without waiting for permission, and how men sustain long-term friendships.21 Jul 2026 · 1 h 18 min · 34 chapters
Melissa Auf der MaurMelissa Auf der Maur discusses her path from Montreal’s 80s/90s art scene into alternative rock stardom, her turbulent years in Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, and how she’s processing those…14 Jul 2026 · 53 min · 13 chapters
Rewind: Johnny MarrA “Rewind” conversation with Johnny Marr about his decades-long career, how he fits into many different musical worlds, and what he’s doing now (including a solo best-of release and studio work with…7 Jul 2026 · 1 h 19 min · 25 chapters
Joe JacksonJoe Jackson discusses his studio album Hope and Fury, his songwriting process, and how his career stayed restless and hard to categorize.30 Jun 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 30 chapters
Radiohead’s Ed O’BrienEd O’Brien (Radiohead guitarist) discusses his solo transformation and the making of his albums Earth (as EOB) and Blue Morpho (as Ed O’Brien), plus how his guitar approach evolved across Radiohead’s…23 Jun 2026 · 1 h 19 min · 26 chapters
Earth, Wind & FireEarth, Wind & Fire’s new HBO documentary/book, plus how the band’s sound and creative process were shaped by Maurice White’s vision, key collaborators, and the group’s disciplined lifestyle and…16 Jun 2026 · 54 min · 21 chapters
Fania Takes Nueva York | From Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva YorkThe birth of salsa in New York, focusing on Fania Records’ rise and the 1973 Yankee Stadium concert that proved salsa’s mass appeal; it also traces earlier 1960s shifts from mambo/charanga/pachanga…11 Jun 2026 · 36 min · 11 chapters
The New PornographersThe New Pornographers discuss their album The Former Sight Of, focusing on how grief and loss shaped the record, plus songwriting process, melody/harmony choices, and Canadian indie-rock roots.9 Jun 2026 · 54 min · 18 chapters
Mopreme ShakurMo Priem Shakur’s insider account of Tupac Shakur’s life and legacy, framed by Black liberation activism, family history, and hip-hop/community building.2 Jun 2026 · 1 h 10 min · 24 chapters
HardyHardy (country songwriter/artist) discusses how he became a Nashville hitmaker, his songwriting process and “mechanics,” influences from new metal/hip-hop, AI use in writers’ rooms, bro country’s…26 May 2026 · 45 min · 20 chapters
From Robert Margouleff | Shaping Sounds: Stevie Wonder, DEVO, the Synth Revolution and My Life Behind the MusicProducer/engineer Robert Markalev (Robert Margouleff) discusses shaping sound during the synth revolution, focusing on studio work with Stevie Wonder, Minnie Riperton, and the Isley Brothers, plus…21 May 2026 · 12 min · 2 chapters
Robert Margouleff and Mark MothersbaughRobert Margouleff (sonic architect, Tonto co-creator) and Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo frontman) discuss how Margouleff’s analog-synth work and studio approach shaped Devo’s sound—especially Freedom of…19 May 2026 · 1 h 4 min · 21 chapters
Maya Hawke and Christian Lee Hutson - Live from SXSWLive SXSW conversation about Maya Hawke and Christian Lee Hutson’s relationship and the making of Hawke’s fourth album, Maitreya Corso.12 May 2026 · 41 min · 22 chapters
Why Would I Do That to Jennifer Lopez? | Revisionist HistoryIn 2001, music executive Tommy Mottola pressured hitmaker Irv Gotti (Murder Inc.) to remix Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Real” and later “Ain’t It Funny,” which became massive radio successes.7 May 2026 · 32 min · 10 chapters