The Great Creators with Guy Raz Wondery

This episode comes out for free on May 7, and is available early and ad-free for Wondery+ subscribers on April 30.

David Duchovny sits down with Guy to talk about his wide-ranging creative life. He describes the “gut instinct” that led him to drop out of a Yale literature program and pursue acting; his iconic roles as Agent Mulder in The X-Files and Hank Moody in Californication; why he writes novels and makes music; and embracing failure as a critical learning experience in life and work.

David’s new podcast is called “Fail Better”, and his film Bucky F*cking Dent comes out in June 2024.

Lainey Wilson burst onto the country music scene in 2022 with her album Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’. But for seven years before that, she struggled to make it in the high-pressure Nashville music scene. And before that, she was a kid from a tiny town in rural Louisiana with a dream of being a country star.

In this encore episode from 2023, Lainey joins Guy to talk about how she handled the hard times, what she’s learned about the art of collaboration during the making of two acclaimed albums, and what defines her unique style – which she calls “Bell Bottom Country”.

Links from the Show: Lainey Wins the 2023 CMA Award for Entertainer of the Year Tougher Music VideoThings A Man Oughta Know Music VideoLainey’s French Bulldog Hippie Mae’s Instagram Hillbilly Hippie Official Lyrics VideoLainey’s Female Vocalist of the Year (2022) Acceptance SpeechLainey’s New Artist of the Year (2022) Acceptance Speech Tougher album (2016)Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ (2021) Bell Bottom Country (2022)For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of the first – and biggest – stars of the MTV era, Billy Idol is nothing short of a rock icon. He sits down with Guy Raz to share how the Sex Pistols inspired him to start a band instead of working for his dad; the stories behind the songs “Dancing with Myself” and “Rebel Yell”; his famously edgy image and lifestyle; and the workout routine that allows him to tour internationally into his late 60s.

Buy the 40th anniversary expanded edition of Billy’s album “Rebel Yell” here: https://billyidol.lnk.to/RebelYellExpanded

Links from the Show: Sex Pistols swearing on TV with Bill Grundy Generation X: Kiss Me Deadly Dancing with Myself music video Rebel Yell White Wedding Eyes Without a Face Hot in the City Billy’s InstagramHis YouTube channelFor more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oskar Eustis is the Artistic Director at the Public Theater in New York City. He sits down with Guy to talk about “falling into the avant-garde rat hole” early in his career; convincing Lin-Manuel Miranda that Hamilton was more than a concept album; bringing theater to senior centers, women’s shelters, and prisons; and why he believes performing arts are essential to democracy.

See what the Public theater has playing here: https://publictheater.org/

Links from the Show: Lin-Manuel Miranda debuts Hamilton at the White House in 2009Oskar’s TED TalkBrief profile of the Public Theater’s Public Works programShakespeare in the ParkFor more conversations like this – including interviews with theater legends like Audra McDonald and Nathan Lane – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sam Harris is the frontman for X Ambassadors, a multi-platinum pop rock trio from Ithaca, New York. Sam sits down with Guy to talk about his bond with his brother and bandmate Casey, who was born blind; how X Ambassadors felt “so not cool” and faced lots of rejection while trying to make it in the Brooklyn indie rock scene of the late 2000s; and how getting tricked into writing the song “Renegades” for a Jeep commercial turned into a big break.

Sam also shares the story behind getting discovered by Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds; his daily routine and habits; the two recent, emotional events that inspired the band’s new Ithaca-focused album; and much more.

You can buy X Ambassadors’ latest album, Townie, here: https://shop.xambassadors.com/

Links from the Show: LitostJungle music videoRenegadesUnsteadyYour Town (Todd Peterson tribute from Townie)No Strings (from Townie)Blinding Lights (The Weeknd Cover)Sam Nelson - when love has gone (Sam solo)For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant shot to fame as the lead vocalist for the indie-folk band 10,000 Maniacs, then left the band at the height of their popularity to build a successful solo career. She sits down with Guy to talk about the political concerns that animate her work; what a dinner with Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass taught her about creativity; how a degenerative spinal disease almost ended her artistic career; and her newest project honoring a late Italian poet who’s been nearly erased from history. 

Natalie’s ninth studio album is called Keep Your Courage.

Links from the Show: These Are Days by 10,000 ManiacsCarnival by Natalie MerchantIt’s A-Coming, the song Natalie sings in this episodeBuy Keep Your CourageFor more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.