
Talkhouse Podcast
Talkhouse
Your favorite musicians, filmmakers, and other creative minds one-on-one. No moderator, no script, no typical questions. The Talkhouse Podcast offers unique insights into creative work from all genres and generations. Explore more illuminating shows on the Talkhouse Podcast Network.
- 27 episodes
- weekly
- Avg 47 min
- English
Thursday · 16 min- TP
September 3 · 58 minBen Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie) with Bob Mould
"In that moment, I realize how fucking old I am."
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August 27 · 41 minJohanna Samuels with Madison Cunningham
"We actually can't talk about being women in music unless we're naked." (Relax, they're joking.)
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August 20 · 41 minWilliam Basinski (The Disintegration Loops) with Sondre Lerche
Gorgeous pop and disintegrating soundscapes collide in one episode.
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August 11 · 48 minNobody's Ever Asked Me That: Avalon Fast
On the latest episode of Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That, Nick Dawson sits down with writer-director and actor Avalon Fast, a queer auteur whose excellent second feature, the lulling, fairytale-like Camp, hit theaters earlier this summer. In a fun and often surprising conversation, Fast opened up about ego death, musical imposter syndrome, exploring and mapping the dream world version of their childhood home of Vancouver Island, growing up in the shadow of an impending fatal mega-earthquake tsunami, coolness, drinking to die, and much more. Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That now has a Substack, so head there to check out all of our past episodes, plus subscribe to get access to exclusive audio and video content!
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August 6 · 41 minM.C. Taylor (Hiss Golden Messenger) with Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman)
"For me personally, taking a super long time on a record... I make it worse, not better."
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August 4 · 36 minNobody's Ever Asked Me That: Nicolas Winding Refn
On the latest episode of Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That, Nick Dawson sits down with writer-director Nicolas Winding Refn, the cinematic iconoclast behind such movies as Drive and The Neon Demon, whose latest release, Her Private Hell, is in theaters now. In a fascinating and unique conversation, he touches on turning his dyslexia, color-blindness and other “untreated diagnoses” into creative advantages, his addiction to Legos, his fantasy of living in a world of only women, meeting Andy Warhol as a teenager, the importance of telling your kids that they’re geniuses, and much more. Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That now has a Substack, so head there to check out all of our past episodes, plus subscribe to get access to exclusive audio and video content!
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July 30 · 39 minBrian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem) with Greg Barnett (The Menzingers)
On punk rock pasts, chord progressions, battle of the bands, and more.
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July 28 · 52 minNobody's Ever Asked Me That: Peter Dreimanis & Leah Fay Goldstein
On the latest episode of Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That, Nick Dawson sits down with Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay Goldstein, who are both the lead singers of the band July Talk and now the stars of the unconventional new romantic comedy Middle Life, which is in theaters from this Friday. In a thoughtful and very connected conversation, the two open up about generational trauma, loss, learning to trust one’s innate wisdom, their emotional visit to the Mauthausen concentration camp, Goldstein dreaming new Angel Olsen songs, Dreimanis’ rec hockey league for sensitive art guys, and much more. Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That now has a Substack, so head there to check out all of our past episodes, plus subscribe to get access to exclusive audio and video content!
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July 23 · 43 minJames Smith (Yard Act) with Pelle Almqvist (The Hives)
"Early rap or early punk and all that stuff is exciting because no one's in it for the money."
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July 21 · 44 minNobody's Ever Asked Me That: Abel Ferrara
On the latest episode of Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That, Nick Dawson sits down with the legendary writer-director Abel Ferrara, the filmmaker behind such iconic movies as Driller Killer, King of New York and Bad Lieutenant. In a conversation that’s candid and often profound, Ferrara opens up about bad acid trips, his fascination with writing code, his addiction to social media (including following people like the late Charlie Kirk …), why he’s not a night person anymore, being traumatized as a young boy by a bloody, life-sized crucifix, and much more. Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That now has a Substack, so head there to check out all of our past episodes, plus subscribe to get access to exclusive audio and video content!
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July 16 · 1 hr 11 minSummer Album/Winter Album: Janes Addiction's "Ritual de lo Habitual"
Craig Finn is arguing Summer, Jody Avirgan is arguing Winter.
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July 14 · 44 minNobody's Ever Asked Me That: Stephin Merritt
On the latest episode Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That, Nick Dawson talks with Magnetic Fields frontman, Stephin Merrit, who was recently (and rightly!) named by the New York Times as one of the 30 greatest living songwriters. In a sprightly, wide-ranging conversation, the two discuss such divergent topics as Brian Wilson’s warning about caffeine and creativity, falling asleep at the movies, the hilarious reason why Ang Lee has beef with his Westchester neighbors, Stephin’s hatred of biopics, his genius plan for a series of soporific audiobooks, dreaming Divine’s death years before it actually happened, and much more. Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That now has a Substack, so head there to check out all of our past episodes, plus subscribe to get access to exclusive audio and video content!
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July 7 · 45 minNobody's Ever Asked Me That: Desiree Akhavan
On the latest episode of Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That, Nick Dawson sits down with writer, director, actor and memoirist Desiree Akhavan, the Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning filmmaker behind such films as The Miseducation of Cameron Post and Appropriate Behavior. Over the course of a very connected and open conversation, Akhavan talks about her evocative first memory of learning to swim, writing her show Friday Night Live at age 9, her urge to return to Japan … or just learn how to take a vacation period, finding joy beyond validation, reckoning with her path forward during a current time of transition, and much more. Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That now has a Substack, so head there to check out all of our past episodes, plus subscribe to get access to exclusive audio and video content!
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July 2 · 53 minAja Monet with Mick Jenkins
On this week’s Talkhouse Podcast we’ve got a deep, enlightening conversation between two talented wordsmiths who also happen to be admirers of each other’s work: Mick Jenkins and Aja Monet. Mick Jenkins first found some notice a little over a decade ago with a mixtape called The Waters, a sophisticated, politically minded group of songs that sounded wiser than his years and got him tons of attention from his homebase of Chicago and beyond. Early collaborators include Chance the Rapper and and Vic Mensa, which should tell you a little bit about what to expect from Jenkins’ sound, but not the whole story: He’s since released a bunch of records that take plenty of left turns, including last year’s jazzy A Murder of Crows, made with producer EMIL. Check out “Worker’s Comp” from that album right here. Speaking of jazzy, the other half of today’s conversation is Aja Monet, who’s taken her poetry from the page and straight readings to a place bursting with music and rhythm on a pair of albums, including a brand new one called The Color of Rain. Jenkins and their mutual friend Vic Mensa join on one song, “Melting Clocks” but it’s most Monet’s show throughout, with her poetry set over zigzagging instruments and tempos. It never feels forced, but rather a natural extension of what she’s all about—complex, lyrical, and sometimes intense. Check out “Melting Clocks” right here. This conversation starts a little slowly—Jenkins is just waking up and has been having a rough few months. But these two draw inspiration and life from chatting with each other: They cover Jenkins’ early years, when he wasn’t sure if his religion would allow him to pursue secular music; and they get deep into how to deal with the crazy world we’re living in at the moment—specifically how to manage anger. It’s a deep conversation with a lot of wisdom coming from both directions. Enjoy. 0:00 Intro 3:04 Start of Conversation 3:29 On new projects and working through grief with family 4:53 On things women weren’t told about, and learning about ourselves 6:27 On the broken healthcare system, and prioritizing wellness with age 9:23 On self-care, supporting friends, and community 11:25 On expanding your worldview while traveling, and healthcare abroad 18:21 On reacting to US politics and “righteous rage” 22:29 On power dynamics and understanding experiences with anger 26:40 On how Aja’s art expresses anger and love 27:24 On Mick’s career, and what he wanted to express with his early work 29:19 On seeing love in nature, and unique expressions of anger in art 29:56 On reaching people with deeply personal and honest art, and how Mick’s background influences his music 37:10 On feeling afraid of speaking up, and grappling with spirituality 39:45 On empathy, giving others grace, and Aja’s religious upbringing 42:37 On living your truth, growing as a person, and recognizing ignorance 45:07 On finding balance, being humbled by nature, and “warrior spirits” 47:32 On being peers, and learning from each other Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast and thanks to Aja Monet and Mick Jenkins 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 was 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. Follow @talkhouse on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter (X), Threads, and Facebook.
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June 30 · 46 minNobody's Ever Asked Me That: John Early
On the latest episode of Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That, Nick Dawson sits down with comedian John Early, whose excellent debut feature as writer-director-star, Maddie’s Secret, is now in theaters. In an engrossing and very funny conversation, the two talk about one of the most unlikely anagrams of all time (and its deep resonance in Early’s life), the pros and cons of death by anvil, why Early’s shoes are his superego, the specific confluence of things that put him in a “blissed-out golden retriever mood,” his tornado dreams around the premieres of Maddie’s Secret, and much more. Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That now has a Substack, so head there to check out all of our past episodes, plus subscribe to get access to exclusive audio and video content!
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June 25 · 1 hr 20 minMusic Person: Kevin Morby
Kevin Morby on the nuances between Kansas and Missouri culture, examining your own mythos, Elvis, and tennis.
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June 23 · 54 minNobody's Ever Asked Me That: Goran Stolevski
On the latest episode of Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That, Nick Dawson sits down with Goran Stolevski, the Macedonian-Australian writer-director whose films You Won’t Be Alone, Of An Age and Housekeeping for Beginners are arguably the best first three features by any filmmaker in recent memory. Over the course of a strikingly frank conversation, Stolevski talks about why writing a shitty script is a quicker road to filmmaking success, why he won’t be making Monopoly: The Movie, his revisionist take on Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, why the apocalypse will not feature anyone who looks like Pedro Pascal, why he wishes he didn’t want to make movies, and much more. Nobody’s Ever Asked Me That now has a Substack, so head there to check out all of our past episodes, plus subscribe to get access to exclusive audio and video content!
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June 18 · 50 minRevisited: Maya Hawke with Blondshell
Hey Talkhouse listeners, it's Josh Modell. Instead of a new episode this week, we're resurfacing a great one from a few years back between Blondshell and Maya Hawke. Blondshell, aka Sabrina Teitelbaum, released a new song recently and she's about to hit the road for a big tour. Maya Hawke is an actor who just signed on to star in the upcoming Netflix show The God of the Woods and she makes great records as well. Check it out! —Josh Modell, Host of the Talkhouse Podcast On this week’s Talkhouse Podcast we’ve got two performers who’ve got friends in common, and became fast friends themselves while recording this chat: Maya Hawke and Sabrina Teitelbaum. Maya Hawke is best known for her day job as an actor, most visibly in a little show called Stranger Things, and she was also in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the new Wes Anderson movie, Asteroid City. But as you’ll hear in this chat, she might be most excited by a side path as a singer and songwriter. Hawke has released two understated but fantastic albums so far, and she’s basically finished another. The vibe is sort of indie-folk, sort of floating and ambient but lyrically really engaging. She’s worked with some cool folks to realize her musical vision, including Christian Lee Hutson, who’s the “Christian” referenced in this conversation, just so you know. Check out a “Sweet Tooth” from Hawke’s 2022 album Moss right here. Sabrina Teitelbaum just released her debut album under the name Blondshell, and it’s one of the best of 2023 so far. She describes it in this conversation as an emergency album—meaning a bunch of songs that she felt almost desperate to write, record, and unleash on the world. It’s direct and angry in spots, but also darkly funny and completely unafraid. She’s toured with the likes of Horsegirl and Porridge Radio, which might give some indication of what you’re in for. Or I could just play you Blondshell’s opus, “Salad,” right here. Check it out. These two have a fantastic conversation, and just in case it’s not clear from the context, they’re both good friends with the singer Samia, and each has contributed to a Samia covers series called Honey Reimagained. Blondshell did a song called “Charm You,” which is available now. Elsewhere in this chat, they talk about Hawke’s playing “body air guitar,” the weird emotional hit you get when a tour is finished, and the difficulties of stage banter. Enjoy. 0:00 Intro 3:20: Start of Conversation 3:21: On mutual friends and covering songs 4:58: On “perceived vulnerability” and perspectives in their songwriting 9:08: On sad songs, music you can play for friends, and “Olympus” 10:57: On the writing and jazz experiences that inspired Maya’s music 12:48: On the physicality of performing, feeling the music, and performance art 14:41: On playing live, post-tour loneliness, and active vs. passive time 20:06: On maintaining friendships 21:17: On Maya’s latest record 22:54: On onstage banter, scripting shows, and keeping shows fresh 25:53: On finishing a record and learning from the experience 27:43: On music serving as a snapshot of an artists’ life 28:26: On promoting music creatively and authentically, and social media 33:19: On the songwriting process, and tv show narratives’ influences on our experiences 38:40: On being inspired by friendships 42:13: On Maya titling her album “Moss” 43:40: On writing about past pain, and trying to balance it with joy Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast, and thanks to Sabrina Teiltelbaum and Maya Hawke 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. Follow @talkhouse on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter (X), Threads, and Facebook.