452. Peter Ames Carlin on Bruce Springsteen 'Born to Run' (1975)
Author and journalist Peter Ames Carlin specialises in puncturing rock'n'roll myths while enriching the legends. His biographies of iconic musicians and bands from Springsteen to REM are often definitive and his latest is no exception, a high stakes page turning exploration of how Bruce Springsteen transformed himself, his career and fulfilled his destiny as rock'n'roll future with his 1975 iconic album 'Born to Run'. We talk about the breakneck writing of the book and his conversations with Bruce himself, Springsteen's self-mythologising, being Superman and Clark Kent, how Springsteen's treatment by his parents and grandparents shaped his personality, getting out vs sticking around, how Thunder Road evolved into the legendary song we all know with some help from John Landau, how audiences behave at Springsteen shows vs other artists and why 'Born to Run' still means something to Bruce in the way that some of his other records don't.
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451. Brian Dunne on Bruce Springsteen 'The River' (1980)
Rock'n'roll singer-songwriter Brian Dunne joins me to make a case for 'The River' as the ultimate Bruce Springsteen album. We talk about how it is rarely chosen as the best of Bruce's classic period, how the album was a response thematically and musically to 'Darkness on the Edge of Town', capturing the epic E Street Band live show in an album, the benefits of a double album, class consciousness in songwriting and Brian's experiences seeing Springsteen live and then meeting him when they shared the bill at a benefit concert, and much more.
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Inside David Byrne's American Utopia: An Audio Documentary (remixed and remastered)
In honor of David Byrne being back on the road with a new and absolutely spellbinding show, we are bringing you a remixed and remastered edition of our 2021 audio documentary on Byrne's iconic American Utopia show, which redefined the boundaries of what live music can be.
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450. Dylan Sevey on Weird Al Yankovic 'Running With Scissors' (1999)
My guest today is Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Dylan Sevey, best known for his work with The Minks, Ron Gallo, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and the incredible Weird Al Yankovic tribute band Weird Pals. Dylan joins me to discuss Weird Al's 1999 masterpiece 'Running With Scissors'. We chat about the entirely unique place Weird Al has carved for himself within the music industry, how he laid the cultural ground work for future musical comedy acts, the depth of respect and research he puts into each genre he parodies, the origin story of Weird Pals, how at its core Yankovic's catalogue is a celebration of all genres of music, the extraordinary art of the Weird Al polka, and how both a Weird Al concert and a Weird Pals show provides a level of musical breadth and diversity you're unlikely to experience elsewhere. For those attending Weird Al Yankovic's show at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville on Sept 20, Weird Pals will be playing an after party gig across the road at Acme Feed & Seed after the show. We'll see you there!
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449. Paul Thorn on Marshall Crenshaw 'Marshall Crenshaw' (1982)
This week, I'm joined by the poet laureate of Tupelo, Mississippi, mister Paul Thorn. Growing up as a preacher's son, Paul wasn't allowed to listen to secular music, so when he managed to sneak a copy of Marshall Crenshaw's perfect debut album, it became a constant and sole companion for years. Paul takes us with him on his journey with the album as he grew into a young man, and why the album still resonates with him today.
Musicians, writers, actors and more talk about the music they love and how it's influenced and inspired them. Guests include Phoebe Bridgers, Jason Isbell, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Bob Odenkirk, Benmont Tench, Neil Finn and more.
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