Matthew McConaughey is an Academy Award-winning actor, producer, author, and professor of film, known for his captivating leading roles and versatility. He has appeared in more than 40 feature films, beginning with his breakout role in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused, that have grossed over $1 billion. While he is most popular for his roles …

Soccer Mommy is one of the stand-out singer/songwriters to emerge over the last half decade. She was born Sophia Allison and raised in Nashville, Tennessee where she started playing guitar at six years-old. Sophia started posting her songs on Bandcamp in 2015 under the name Soccer Mommy the summer before moving to New York to study the music busine…

David Whyte returns to continue his conversation in Part Two. David Whyte is a prolific Irish poet, philosopher, and speaker whose work that spans nearly four decades has resonated with audiences around the world. Beginning his career in 1986, Whyte has published three books of prose and ten volumes of poetry, including Still Possible and Consolati…

David Whyte is a prolific Irish poet, philosopher, and speaker whose work that spans nearly four decades has resonated with audiences around the world. Beginning his career in 1986, Whyte has published three books of prose and ten volumes of poetry, including Still Possible and Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyda…

Billy Bragg came up in East London—Barking, Essex to be exact. It's fitting given the characteristic howl of his vocals. Listening to him these days, it’s hard not to recall the late-great Joe Strummer or the modern brilliance of Archy Marshall, a.k.a. King Krule. In the mid-80s, a musical era driven by production, Billy Bragg was all about songs. …

Killer Mike is an Atlanta-born rapper and actor. His music career began in 2003, with his solo debut, with the album Monster, reaching the Billboard Top Ten, and later gaining global recognition as part of the hip-hop duo Run the Jewels alongside El-P. Since the start of his career, Killer Mike has released seven studio albums, including Michael, f…

We occasionally field emails and DMs from Broken Record listeners telling us who they’d like to hear on the program. The past handful of years, one name has come up more than others: Julian Lage. Now, if you’re not part of the converted, not a member of one of his devoted legion of fans that may come as a surprise. But if you get the chance to spen…

In this episode, Rick connects with Alfred Hitchcock, the legendary filmmaker known as the "Master of Suspense." Renowned for his innovative storytelling and groundbreaking techniques, Hitchcock's films remain a benchmark for suspense and psychological thrillers in cinema history.Από τον Rick Rubin

A conversation with Charles Lloyd feels like a veritable interaction with the pages of history. I was continuously surprised throughout my conversation with Charles, along with Don Was, about the depth of his experiences…and the wisdom too. Charles is an inordinately beautiful tenor player from Memphis, Tennessee - who grew up at a time where the r…

Joaquin Phoenix is widely regarded as one of the best actors of his generation, known for his intense and eccentric on-screen portrayals in period dramas, thrillers, and psychological films. He was raised among siblings who were largely involved in acting, including his late brother, River Phoenix, alongside whom he began his acting career in the 1…

Meshell Ndegeocello doesn’t fit neatly into any “jazz” label - or any label of any kind for that matter. She’s a phenomenal bass player, deep songwriter, beautiful interpreter of song, wonderful band leader and has had one bad ass career. It’s fitting that after a circuitous journey through the industry that started as one of the premiere artists o…

Tyler Cowen has long nurtured an obsession with music. It’s one of the few addictions Tyler believes is actually conducive to a fulfilling intellectual life. In this bonus episode, a year after Tyler walked us through the world of the Avant-Garde, and his favorite pop music, Tyler guides us through some of the major pillars of Russian classical mus…

We’re continuing our celebration of Blue Note Records’ 85th Anniversary this week with a conversation with a certified living legend: Ron Carter. For starters Ron Carter was a key member of a group that’s on the shortlist for greatest band of all time: The Second Great Miles Davis Quintet featuring Mr. Carter, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Wi…

Tyler Cowen is a world-renowned economist, professor, columnist, and co-author of the influential economics blog Marginal Revolution. Graduating from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics, and later receiving his PhD in economics from Harvard University, he has developed a vested interest in the economics of culture, as he…

Blue Note is one of the first and longest standing institutions of Jazz music. Since its formation in 1939 the label has put out albums by Robert Glasper, Lee Morgan, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Gergory Porter, Bobby McFerrin, and so many more. To celebrate 85 years of music from this iconic label, Justin Richmond and Blue Note’s current Presiden…

We have a two-part episode for you today in honor of the great Stevie Wonder. First we will hear the Pulitzer Prize winning writer Wesley Morris talk about the making of his new Audible original, The Wonder of Stevie. Then, Justin Richmond talks to the pioneering electronic music producer Robert Margouleff, who in 1968 together with Malcolm Cecil, …

Jason Louv is a bestselling author, journalist, and teacher of magick, meditation, and the occult. His career in journalism has been centered around surveillance, international trade, and technology, with his writing featured in publications such as VICE News, ESQUIRE, Boing Boing, and Motherboard. Through his online education portal, Magick.Me, an…

At just 8 years-old, Lainey Wilson announced to her family that she was destined to become a country music star. There were no other musicians in her family to speak of—for five generations her people had been farmers in a tiny Northern Louisiana town with the population of 180. After graduating high school, Lainey drove North to Nashville in a cam…

Shane Smith is a journalist, and he is the founder and Executive Chairman of international media company VICE Media. Since 1994, Smith has transformed VICE from a small, Montreal-based youth magazine into a global multimedia empire, spanning digital platforms, television, film production, and creative services. As a journalist, Smith has reported o…

Crowded House had one of the most enduring hits of the 80s with “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” The commercial and critical success of that song launched the Australian-New Zealand band and its esteemed Kiwi songwriter, Neil Finn, to pop stardom. The band made three more critically acclaimed albums before breaking up in ‘96. But over the years the band ha…

Wes Lang is a contemporary artist based in Los Angeles. His work is best recognized through symbols including skulls, horses, and the indigenous American, as he aims to convey themes of freedom, mortality, and the American Dream. Lang draws inspiration from his heroes–fallen country music icons and jazz musicians–to tap into the rugged spirit of po…

Raphael Saadiq is one of the great R&B writers and producers of the last 30 years. He started out fronting and playing bass in the group Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother D’Wayne Wiggins on guitar. The Tony’s had an amazing four album run from ‘88 through 1996 with hit singles like "It Never Rains (In Southern California)," "Feels Good," "Annivers…

Jack Mallers is an entrepreneur, software developer, and founder of Strike, an application that focuses on making Bitcoin payments fast and easy. Introduced to Bitcoin in 2013 by his father, Mallers has since been a pioneer in the world of cryptocurrency. In 2020, he launched Strike, popularizing Bitcoin by leveraging the Lightning Network, which e…

Suki Waterhouse started professional life as a model and actress in the UK. A full-fledged music career might’ve seemed far-fetched but she quickly found an authentic voice as a singer-songwriter. And put out some beautiful demos that caught the attention of the legendary Sub Pop label which put out her first album, I Can’t Let Go and her latest, M…

Joe Sabia is a filmmaker, digital creator, and celebrity interviewer. He began his career in media working across various platforms including television, film, and music videos. In his six years as Senior Vice President of Creative Development at Condé Nast Entertainment, he became a renowned multimedia storyteller, best known for the creations of …

This week we're sharing an episode from one of our favorite podcasts, One Song. You'll hear hosts Diallo Riddle and Luxxury tackling “Cherub Rock” by The Smashing Pumpkins. The guys go deep on the early 90’s indie rock scene, band frontman Billy Corgan’s quest for musical family, and the Pumpkins’ complicated relationship with the indie rock commun…

In this episode, Rick connects with Jim Morrison, the Lead singer of The Doors. The poet, writer, and filmmaker is cited as "one of the most influential frontmen in rock history."Από τον Rick Rubin

Esther Perel is a psychotherapist and a leading voice on modern relationships. Growing up in Antwerp and practicing in the United States, she began her career studying the impact of cultural transitions on human relationships. In addition to her therapy practice in New York City, she serves as an organizational consultant for Fortune 500 companies …

Madeleine Peyroux is a jazz-inspired singer songwriter who got her start singing in street bands in Paris as a teenager. In 1996, Atlantic Records released Madeline’s debut album where she covered tunes from the ‘30s and ‘40s by artists like Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday—and then later she recorded songs by Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. This year …

Michael Cohl is an internationally acclaimed Emmy and Tony Award-winning live entertainment producer and concert promoter. In his 55-year career, Cohl’s expertise spans a broad range of live experiences, from music to sports, theatre, and film. He is the Chairman of EMC Presents and founder and CEO of S2BN Entertainment, which brings highly immersi…

Singer, songwriter Remi Wolf burst out of the pandemic like a ray of light, spreading joy with her infectious production, capricious outlook and jaunty hooks. She appeared to come to us fully formed. But Remi’s been working hard on her craft for the last decade. She started performing with local bands around the Bay Area during high school and she …

Woody Harrelson is a notorious television and film actor. After a brief stint in New York Theater at the start of his career, he made his on-screen debut on NBC’s “Cheers,” regarded as one of the best TV shows of all time. He has gained acclaim for his roles in movies like The People Vs. Larry Flynt, No Country for Old Men, and Three Billboards Out…

Captain Kirk Douglas is the longtime guitarist for The Roots. Over the past 21 years he’s seen the group evolve from a touring act, to the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, to having their own successful music festival in Philly. All the while continuing to record albums for themselves and others. Between The Roots' many commit…

While Paul Banks is technically the lead singer of Interpol, he sees himself more as a member of a gang of musicians. Interpol formed in 1997 after lead guitarist Daniel Kessler invited Paul—who was a student at NYU at the time—to watch the band rehearse. In 2002 Interpol released their era defining album, Turn On The Bright Lights, to widespread c…