Talkhouse Podcast

On this week's Talkhouse episode we’ve got four guys who have tons in common—including lots of soundtrack work— but who, surprisingly, hadn’t met before. It’s Son Lux and Dan Deacon. Son Lux started out as the solo electronic project of Ryan Lott back in 2008, but by 2015 he’d been joined by fellow travelers Ian Chang and Rafiq Bhatia, expanding the group’s sound into something reviewers loved to call both “dense” and “orchestral.” So it makes sense that the trio would find its way into writing and performing scores for film, and they got a huge, high-exposure job with the massive Everything Everywhere All At Once. The film’s score involved a hundred cues and some killer collaborators, including David Byrne, Mitski, and Andre 3000. Nominated for an Oscar, it naturally led to other film-world work, including the score to the superhero movie Thunderbolts. But that hasn’t stopped Lott, Chang, and Bhatia from itching to write original Son Lux music, and last month saw two big releases—one the score to a new movie called Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and then a brand new Son Lux record called Out Into. Check out “Want You To Love” from that record right here. The other half of today’s chat, Dan Deacon, has gotten so busy with scoring films and TV that he hasn’t released an artist album since 2020—as you’ll hear in this chat, he’s reasonably content with those circumstances, though he does plan on getting around to it. Deacon found audiences in the early 2000s with frantic live shows of his experimental electronic pop, and his entrance into the scoring world was incredibly strange, another story he recounts in this conversation. A blind email from Francis Ford Coppola led to his first job, but that movie—called Twixt—put him off soundtrack work for a while. He’s since become a staple in the scoring world, though, with a bunch of projects coming out right around now, including a new soundtrack for a documentary called Great Photo, Lovely Life.  In this lively conversation, the three members of Son Lux and Deacon talk a lot about creating music for other projects versus making their own records, including some interesting behind-the-scenes thoughts on how music gets used in movies versus, say, bus noises. Also, is every director the equivalent of Wormtongue from Lord of the Rings? Probably not. Enjoy. 0:00 Intro 02:52 Start of conversation & how often they put out albums 03:38 On work schedules, confidence, and momentum 05:46 On Dan’s solo and collaborative scores, music editors, and documentary scores 08:28 On how they got into scoring movies, how scores differ from other music, and working with Francis Ford Coppola 12:40 On improvisational and collaborative scores, and how scores influence their own projects 15:20 On the Venn diagram of creativity in film scoring, their record processes, and bad mixes in scores 19:37 On the dub stage of scoring and Everything Everywhere All At Once 23:08 On Dan’s future music plans, creative pressure, and exploring the ideas and skills Dan discovered through scoring 28:40 On writing songs, and why directors/composers are like Lord of the Rings characters 31:49 On Justin Vernon’s writing process and if records need stories about their process 33:03 On the pros and cons of touring 35:41 On Son Lux’s new album and upcoming score, and Dan’s crazy schedule for scoring Venom 38:20 On good manager relationships, and wanting people to find their new music 41:12  On future regrets, letting go of stress, types of fun, and making plans to check in again Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast, and thanks to the guys from Son Lux and Dan Deacon for chatting. If you liked what you heard, please follow Talkhouse on your favorite podcasting platform, and check out all the great stuff at Talkhouse.com. This episode was produced by Myron Kaplan, and the Talkhouse theme is composed and performed by the Range. See you next time! Find more illuminating podcasts on the ⁠⁠⁠Talkhouse Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠talkhouse.com⁠⁠⁠ to read essays, reviews, and more. Sign up for our newsletter. Follow @talkhouse on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter (X)⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook, and Letterboxd.

Bloomberg journalist Ashley Carman sits down with Jad Abumrad (Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, Dolly Parton's America, Radiolab) for a career-spanning conversation. Find more illuminating podcasts on the ⁠⁠⁠Talkhouse Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠talkhouse.com⁠⁠⁠ to read essays, reviews, and more. Sign up for our newsletter. Follow @talkhouse on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter (X)⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook, and Letterboxd.

This week’s Talkhouse episode is a special deep dive for me, as it features two bands whose records from the ‘90s I was super into, talking about a really important record label, their various successes and failures, the steamroller of a bigger band called Oasis, and much more. It’s Mark Gardener and Pete Fij. Mark Gardener was—and is, in fact—one of the two singer-guitarists for the band Ride, whose legendary status was cemented in the early 1990s with the advent of shoegaze. Their first two albums, Nowhere and Going Blank Again, are rightfully considered masterpieces of the genre. Things got a bit messy for Ride for a while after those records, though, as Gardener and his musical partner Andy Bell drifted apart, making a pair of wildly different records before eventually splitting up in the mid-'90s. But the Ride story has a happy ending: The increased interest in shoegaze led to a reunion tour in 2014, which led to some great new Ride records. Oh and not for nothing, but Bell actually joined Oasis on bass in 1999, and he’s been on tour with them playing massive shows recently. Here's a Ride classic, in case you're not familiar. The other half of today’s conversation, Pete Fij, was also the singer of a highly touted band that signed to the legendary Creation Records label in the ‘90s and looked ready to conquer the world… but then didn’t. But despite the fact that things didn’t work out commercially for Adorable, their records are absolutely amazing—some of my favorite of that entire era, like a poppier Jesus and Mary Chain. It just goes to show that sometimes the best songs can get left behind when circumstances aren’t right. After Adorable’s breakup, Fij went on to release more great music with the band Polak, then entered a musical partnership with another Creation Records alumnus, Terry Bickers of House of Love. Now, 30-ish years later, Fij has just released his first proper solo album, called Up’s The New Down. It comes after a lot of downcast music in various guises, and feels like a reaction to it: It’s much more guitar-centered, upbeat, and positive. Those sentiments are reflected in this song: Check out “Love’s Coming Back” right here, and the album is out now. This conversation starts with some catnip for Creation Records fans: Gardener and Fij talk about their experiences signing with the legendary label, specifically about their interactions with the notoriously enigmatic label head Alan McGee. And of course both bands were making records right when Creation Records signed Oasis, so that juggernaut changed things for everybody. Beyond that, these two chat about what they’ve been up to since—and how they feel differently about those times, even if they wouldn’t necessarily change a thing. Enjoy. 0:00 Intro 3:00 Start of conversation 3:19 On meeting Alan McGee and Creation Records 07:55 On developing trust with Alan 10:37 On Creation’s unique office 12:57 On Oasis’s impact 15:18 On feeling competitive with Oasis, and seeking guidance 19:13 On success and falling out with bandmates 23:05 On solo work vs. collaborative work 26:04 On 80s and 90s bands, making new music, and the creative process 30:41 On Shazaam, listening to each other’s new music, and younger generations finding their music 33:22 On the first songs they learned, music that influenced them, and band roles 36:48 On seeing gigs and playing with their heroes 39:20 On songwriting and emotion 41:53 On Adorable reuniting 48:33 On Ride’s comeback and what comes next 51:35 On rediscovering chemistry, and reflecting on why they love music 54:11 On defining success 56:53 On bands being nice to audiences 58:00 On Pete’s first solo album, and the experience of solo tours 1:01:23 On vocals, feeling nostalgic in Oxford, and Pete’s Coventry days 1:04:23 On historic sites and DJing together Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast, and thanks to Pete Fij and Mark Gardener for chatting. If you liked what you heard, please follow Talkhouse on your favorite podcasting platform, and be sure to check out all the other great shows in our network. This episode was produced by Myron Kaplan, and the Talkhouse theme is composed and performed by the Range. See you next time! Find more illuminating podcasts on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Talkhouse Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠talkhouse.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to read essays, reviews, and more. ⁠Sign up for our newsletter⁠. Follow @talkhouse on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter (X)⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠Letterboxd⁠.

On this week’s Talkhouse Podcast we’re doubling the usual number of speakers for a two-on-two battle of wits between Joe and Greg of the band Protomartyr and Jeremy and Brohan of Kiwi Jr. They are all pals, and there was sass exchanged. Protomartyr is a Detroit band that’s been around for about 15 years, sharpening their literate post-punk attacks over the course of seven great albums—a number that includes the brand new Hotel Usona, which offers a layered look at the depressing times we’re living through. The focus as always is on Joe Casey’s words and speak-sing: His voice has been a source of inspiration to other bands, to put it nicely, over the past decade. For Hotel Usona, Protomartyr linked up with producer Dave Fridmann, who’s made classic records with the Flaming Lips and MGMT, among many others, and he helped them create something almost overwhelmingly big and pointed. It can be a lot to take in, but it’s rewarding. Check out “Sounds We Cannot Hear” from Hotel Usona right here. The other half of today’s conversation, Jeremy Gaudet and Brohan Moore from the band Kiwi Jr., play decidedly catchy indie-pop that’s tickled fans of Pavement for years, though Kiwi leans toward the poppier side of things than that comparison might imply. The Canadian band just released their fourth album, though it’s their first for the legendary K Records label. For my money, Blowin’ Up is their best yet: It’s smart and arch and easy to sing along with, but it’s also fun to dive in and parse what Jeremy Gaudet is singing about. Check out “Photos of The Reenactment” from Blowin’ Up right here. In this funny chat, these four dudes—Jeremy and Brohan representing Kiwi Jr, Joe and guitarist Greg Ahee on the Protomartyr side—talk about old band photos, the ways their songs come together, and they reveal a secret about Joe Perry’s guitar. That’s Joe Perry from Aerosmith, not Steve Perry from Journey, as you’ll learn. It’s a fun one, enjoy. 0:00 Intro 02:54 Start of conversation 03:21 On Protomartyr’s new album, if they like Dune, The Odyssey, and bad tv 07:27 On album covers and The Eagles  10:34 On band photos and wigs 12:44 On the gap between Kiwi Jr’s records, delivery dates, and the recording process 15:46 On Joe Perry’s guitar, and playing other people’s guitars 19:09 On lyrics and poetry 21:11 On “sing talking,” rapping, Insane Clown Posse, and Danny Brown’s green room 24:16 On Dude Wipes and full-body deodorant for butts 26:53 On recording studios, the perfect milkshake, and Canadian billboards 29:51 On Bulk Barn, off-brand candies, buffets, and Big Boys 33:16 On collaborating together, song mixes, J Mascis, and more on Big Boy 35:30 Playing instruments vs. lyrics and vocals, and coming up with song titles 40:35 On working with producer David Fridmann, writing the music for Protomartyr’s album, and demoing with MIDI Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast, and thanks to Joe, Greg, Jeremy, and Brohan for chatting. If you liked what you heard, please follow Talkhouse on your favorite podcasting platform, and check out all the great stuff at Talkhouse.com. This episode was produced by Myron Kaplan, and the Talkhouse theme is composed and performed by the Range. See you next time! Find more illuminating podcasts on the ⁠⁠⁠Talkhouse Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠talkhouse.com⁠⁠⁠ to read essays, reviews, and more. Sign up for our newsletter. Follow @talkhouse on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter (X)⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook, and Letterboxd.

On this week’s short but sweet Talkhouse episode—I might even call it a mini-sode—we’ve got a couple of guys at interesting points in their interesting careers. Both have been flirtatious with the mainstream, but not exactly in it. It’s Jakob Nowell and Yelawolf.  Jakob Nowell was still an infant when his dad, Bradley Nowell, died at just 28. Bradley was the frontman for the Southern California band Sublime, whose music would go on to reach a much wider audience not long after his death. The other two members of Sublime continued with a different singer, with varying degrees of success, while Jakob Nowell grew up and starting making music on his own. A couple of years back, Jakob got together with his dad’s old bandmates and reignited Sublime again—and the fact that his voice sounds remarkably like his dad’s made it a welcome transition for the band’s fans. This new Sublime recorded an album, which they say will be the band’s last, and they tour and play like crazy, including owning their own festival packed with reggae and punk-tinged fellow travelers. Those fellow travelers include the other half of today’s conversation, Yelawolf, who will play a bunch of shows with Sublime this year, including the band’s cruise in November and a big amphitheater in Alabama next week. There aren’t many musicians who can claim collaborations with Ed Sheeran, Eminem, Travis Barker, A$AP Rocky and Tech 9, but the Nashville-based rapper can. He’s been around for a long time, and has always seemed like a musical seeker. His next album, 45, is coming out later this year, and it reportedly features no rapping at all. Check out the single “My Country” right here and see for yourself. I caught these guys on a busy day and they didn’t chat very long, but I still felt like there was enough there to share: They chat about hanging out backstage with superstars at the Aftershock Festival, about potentially collaborating in the future—they even have a dream third member of their trio in mind—and about Jakob’s emotional trips to the last venue his father ever played. Check it out. Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast, and thanks to Jakob Nowell and Yelawolf for chatting. If you liked what you heard, please follow Talkhouse on your favorite podcasting platform, and check out all the great stuff we’ve got going at Talkhouse.com. This episode was produced by Myron Kaplan, and the Talkhouse theme is composed and performed by the Range. See you next time! 0:00 Intro 02:40 Start of conversation 02:48 On Sublime’s cross-genre appeal, and on Jakob joining Sublime 05:21 On Jakob visiting the last theater his dad ever played at 06:49 On Yelawolf’s current tour and experiencing different music scenes and crowds on tours 08:34 On wanting to collaborate together and mixing genres 09:35 On touring together, how they met at Aftershock, and meeting music legends at the festival 11:37 On wanting to play with Les Claypool 12:05 On their plans for the rest of 2026 and 2027, and wanting to visit each other Find more illuminating podcasts on the ⁠⁠⁠Talkhouse Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠talkhouse.com⁠⁠⁠ to read essays, reviews, and more. Sign up for our newsletter. Follow @talkhouse on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter (X)⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook, and Letterboxd.