In this episode we talk to Larkin Poe, a duo of sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell. Fifteen years into their careers as Larkin Poe, Rebecca and Megan have built a catalog of blues and Southern rock-influenced music and a dedicated following. The duo’s 2022 album, Blood Harmony, won a 2024 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Their latest album, Bloom, is another soulful, occasionally bombastic journey through American roots music.
Links:
Larkin Poe home page
Larkin Poe tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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42:33
Thurston Moore
Billboard's Behind the Setlist talks to Thurston Moore, co-founder of Sonic Youth, about his body of work as a solo artist and collaborator; his latest album, Flow Critical Lucidity; the likelihood of a Sonic Youth reunion; his musical education witnessing New York’s vibrant music scene in the late ‘70s; and his memoir, Sonic Life, that was released in 2023.
Links:
Thurston Moore home page
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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52:57
Howard Jones
Behind the Setlist chats with synth-pop pioneer Howard Jones, best known for his hits in the ‘80s such as “Things Can Only Get Better,” “Life in One Day” and “What Is Love?” His 1985 album Dream Into Action reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and hit No. 2 on the U.K. album chart. Howard has remained incredibly busy over his career, releasing 15 studio albums, the most recent being Dialogue in 2022. Next up is Piano Composed, out May 23, in which he returns to his classical music roots.
Links:
Howard Jones home page
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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42:15
Posdnuos (of De La Soul)
In this episode we talk to Kevin Mercer, otherwise known as Posdnuos, or Pos, from the hip hop group De La Soul. The group continues touring and making music after more than three decades, and they have continued after the death of David Jolicoeur, known as Trugoy the Dove, in 2023. De La Soul’s 1989 debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, was a breakthrough at the time and stands today as a hip hop classic for its positivity, intelligence and sample-heavy production that borrowed from Hall & Oates, Steely Dan, Bo Diddly and the Steve Miller Band.
The conversation centered around the group's Jan. 17, 2025 concert at Lincoln Center in Manhattan but also touched on the group's longevity, connecting with younger generations, continuing after Trugoy's death, musical influences and the recent slew of De La Soul reissues.
Links:
De La Soul home page
De La Soul tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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40:37
David Gray
British singer-songwriter David Gray joins Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast for a song-by-song walk-through of his February 14, 2025 set at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. The 23-song set featured a number of songs from his latest album, Dear Life, and went all the way back to his 1993 debut album, A Century Ends. Gray talks about how a cover of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" made it into his sets, the importance of avoiding routine performances, and how he creates an authentic connection with the audience.
Behind the Setlist is co-hosted by Jay Gilbert from Label Logic and Glenn Peoples from Billboard.
Links
David Gray home page
David Gray tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
At Behind the Setlist, we talk to artists to get the stories about the songs they play live. Most artists are known best for their recordings, but they love to be on stage. That's where the music feels at home. That's where they connect with the audience. How do they pick the songs to take the audience on a journey? Why do they cover other artists' songs? How many new songs can an artist fit into a 16-song set when people want to hear the classics? We find out.
Hosted by Glenn Peoples (Billboard) and Jay Gilbert (Label Logic).
Ireland