Ben Folds

Shows

Episodes

  1. Ben Folds

    01/08/2021 ·  BONUS

    Ben Folds

    Singer/songwriter, pianist, alt-rocker Ben Folds has been releasing records since the 90s. Sometimes with his band Ben Folds Five, sometimes solo. In this episode of Broken Record, he connects with Bruce Headlam to discuss the origins of his biggest hit, "Brick," the time Kesha dove into a pool fully clothed to rescue his phone, and the time he unknowingly destroyed a priceless Steinway piano on Australian TV, plus other anecdotes from his memoir, A Dream About Lightning Bugs. Enjoy this episode—taped live in-studio, before the pandemic—and we'll be back to our weekly Tuesday release schedule next week. Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/ You can find some of our favorite Ben Folds songs HERE — enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    54 min
  2. "Where The Suburbs At" (with Ben Folds)

    04/14/2021

    "Where The Suburbs At" (with Ben Folds)

    Ira, Louis, and Aida discuss DMX's legacy and how we talk about celebrities who grapple with addiction, the loss of the Arclight Cinema in Los Angeles, Lena Dunham's clothing line, and Kerry Washington's corny tweets. Rae Sanni returns with comedian Jacquis Neal to discuss their new reality TV podcast The Cast and what makes a good reality TV star. Plus, Ben Folds joins to discuss making music in the 90s versus now and his new podcast Lightning Bugs with Ben Folds. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/keepit.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

    1h 34m
  3. Ben Folds + Asa Akira (Carolla Classics)

    02/21/2025

    Ben Folds + Asa Akira (Carolla Classics)

    #1 ACS #986 (feat. Evan Sayet, Alison Rosen and Bryan Bishop) (2013) #2 ACS #1306 (feat. Asa Akira, Alison Rosen and Bryan Bishop) (2014) #3 ACS #614 (feat. Ben Folds, Alison Rosen and Bryan Bishop) (2011) Hosted by Superfan Giovanni Request clips: Classics@adamcarolla.com Subscribe and Watch Clips on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AdamCarollaCorner See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    2h 23m
  4. Ben Folds Responds to Performers Leaving Kennedy Center

    JAN 11

    Ben Folds Responds to Performers Leaving Kennedy Center

    MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on the shocking resignations by performers at the Kennedy Center and Meiselas speaks when music legend Ben Folds about his resignation back in February and his reaction to the the mass resignations by performers that just took place. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast⁠ Legal AF: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af⁠ MissTrial: ⁠https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial⁠ The PoliticsGirl Podcast: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast⁠ Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan⁠ Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen⁠ The Weekend Show: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show⁠ Burn the Boats: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats⁠ Majority 54: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54⁠ Political Beatdown: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown⁠ On Democracy with FP Wellman: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman⁠ Uncovered: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    20 min
  5. Nick Hornby - Chasing New Ideas and Finishing the Old Ones

    10/21/2021

    Nick Hornby - Chasing New Ideas and Finishing the Old Ones

    Today’s guest is Nick Hornby, best-selling author (High Fidelity, About A Boy, Fever Pitch), award-winning screenwriter (An Education, Wild, Brooklyn) and lyricist (Ben Folds' album, Lonely Avenue). On this episode, we talk about how children can be the most honest characters, how music and writing overlap, combating the urge to abandon an old idea for a new one, and finding out how to set a daily page goal for yourself.  You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds And check out the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ix6szTyjg3vmx1sIj-Vfw See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min
  6. Jon Batiste - Matching Technique with Creativity and How Discipline Differs from Drive

    04/15/2021

    Jon Batiste - Matching Technique with Creativity and How Discipline Differs from Drive

    Today, we talked to Jon Batiste, musician and band leader for Late Show with Stephen Colbert. We chatted about music theory, staying motivated in quarantine, and ways to carve out time for your art.    You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    53 min
  7. Sara Bareilles - Constructive Collaboration and Defining your Own Path

    05/27/2021

    Sara Bareilles - Constructive Collaboration and Defining your Own Path

    Today we spoke with Sara Bareilles, the amazing singer-songwriter, actress, author, and producer. From hit songs such as Love Song and Brave, to her newest project Girls5eva, a TV series streaming on Peacock, Sara is an unstoppable creative force.  In this episode, we talked about how your childhood influences your creativity, why it's important to find the right collaborators, and ways to navigate a male-dominated industry so you can define your unique voice and learn that you don’t have to apologize for being you.   You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds And check out the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ix6szTyjg3vmx1sIj-Vfw See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1 hr
  8. Ben Folds + Jo Koy (Carolla Classics)

    12/07/2024

    Ben Folds + Jo Koy (Carolla Classics)

    #1 ACS #68 (feat. Teresa Strasser & Bald Bryan) (2011) #2 ACS #666 (feat. Ben Folds, Alison Rosen and Bryan Bishop) (2011) #3 AACS #2044 (feat. Joey McIntyre, Adam Ray, Jo Koy, Gina Grad and Bryan Bishop)(2011) Hosted by Superfan Giovanni Request clips: Classics@adamcarolla.com Subscribe and Watch Clips on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AdamCarollaCorner See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    4h 5m
  9. Ben Folds | Music, Creativity & Nonconformity

    01/07/2020

    Ben Folds | Music, Creativity & Nonconformity

    Acclaimed musician, composer and creative visionary, Ben Folds, has created an enormous body of genre-bending music that includes mega-hit pop albums with Ben Folds Five, multiple solo albums, and countless collaborations. He currently serves as the first-ever Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. Ben's first book “A Dream About Lightning Bugs,” is a story-driven meditation on art, life, and music. You can find Ben Folds at: Instagram | Website ------------- Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life. If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they help make the podcast possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 9m
  10. Lindsey Kraft - Changing Mediums as an Artist

    11/18/2021

    Lindsey Kraft - Changing Mediums as an Artist

    Today’s guest is actress, model, writer, and musician, Lindsey Kraft. You know her from The Shrink Next Door, Grace and Frankie, Getting On, Veep, and more! On this episode we dive into talking about going to a spiritual healer to help people transition from corporate to creative, changing between acting and playing piano, and looking for the truth to tell in songwriting. We also talk about approaching songs as a storyteller, creative ways to take inspiration from other artists, and getting the most out of collaboration.  You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds And check out the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ix6szTyjg3vmx1sIj-Vfw See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    54 min
  11. Roger Payne - Creativity Is The Only Way To Save Humanity

    03/24/2022

    Roger Payne - Creativity Is The Only Way To Save Humanity

    Today’s guest is biologist and environmentalist, Dr. Roger Payne. In 1970 Dr Payne recorded “Songs of the Humpback Whale” which stands as the best-selling environmental album in history. This album and it’s popularity crafted the “Save the Whales” movement which then led to the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment ten-year global moratorium on commercial whaling, which was observed by all but a few nations. On this episode we talk about what launched Roger’s passion for whales, how music has existed before humans, and trends within whales singing. We also talk about how creativity is the only way to reach the masses regarding the environment and climate change, and how the future looks very bleak without creative voices. You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds And check out the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ix6szTyjg3vmx1sIj-Vfw See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 7m
  12. Jonathan Gottschall - How Storytellers Transport Listeners

    12/02/2021

    Jonathan Gottschall - How Storytellers Transport Listeners

    Today’s guest is literary scholar, Research Fellow, Author, and Editor, Jonathan Gottschall! His latest book, The Story Paradox, highlights the influence of storytellers and how stories can be used for both good and bad purposes. His other work, The Storytelling Animal, shows how human beings are wired to consume stories. On this episode, we talk about how storytellers transport listeners to another state where they’re compliant, the limitations of contrarian jokes, how art is hidden in non-fiction work, if happiness and success are at odds with one another, and how often times the quality of a piece is determined by the hours put in and not raw talent.    You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds   And check out the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ix6szTyjg3vmx1sIj-Vfw See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1 hr
  13. Welcome to Lightning Bugs: Conversations with Ben Folds

    TRAILER

    Welcome to Lightning Bugs: Conversations with Ben Folds

    Welcome to Lightning Bugs with Ben Folds See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 min
  14. Jacob Collier - The Methods of Making Music

    01/06/2022

    Jacob Collier - The Methods of Making Music

    Today’s guest is Multi-Instrumentalist and Vocalist, Jacob Collier! You’ll recognize him from tracks such as “All I Need,” “The Sun In Your Eyes,” and “In Too Deep.” His music spans across several styles and genres as Jacob looks for new and interesting ways to create. On this episode we talk about how digital instruments have changed how we make music, how physical instruments can have the most impact, and how sometimes the best instrument is the one you can execute from idea to concept in the least amount of time. We also talk about how the piano only has so many notes and how to capture the creative spark and feed it into something larger.  You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds And check out the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ix6szTyjg3vmx1sIj-Vfw See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1 hr
  15. Being Creative with Ben Folds

    05/26/2021

    Being Creative with Ben Folds

    Today on The Viall Files we are joined by recording artist Ben Folds. Ben has a new podcast called Lightening Bugs which explores creativity, so Nick takes some time today to discuss all aspects of creativity and how each person can find artistry in whatever they do. They break down the difference between performative and creative actions especially in relation to social media. Nick and Ben also discuss the importance of empathy and how putting yourself in someone else's shoes is an adult way to face adversity.  "It is a sad thing when the moment of being wrong is equal to being evil." Please make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and as always send in your relationship questions to asknick@kastmedia.com to be a part of our Monday episodes.  THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Usual Wines: http://www.usualwines.com use our discount code VIALL for $8 off your first order and try your first glass on us! Finding You: Make plans now to bring a friend, a family member, or even significant other to see 'Finding You', now in theaters everywhere. For more information or to find tickets to a theater near you, visit findingyouthemovie.com. Beachbody: Text Viall to 303030 to get a special FREE trial, no obligation membership. Each & Every : http://www.eachandevery.com/VIALL use promo code VIALL 30 for 30% off  Ritual: http://www.ritual.com/VIALL for 10% off your first three months  ReliefBand: http://www.reliefband.com use promo code VIALL you'll receive 20% off plus free shipping and a no questions asked 30-day money back guarantee. Episode Socials:  @viallfiles @nickviall @actualbenfolds Listen to Ben's Podcast! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lightning-bugs-conversations-with-ben-folds/id1554519768 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 16m
  16. A Lightning Bugs Live Event with Dan Wilson

    10/20/2021

    A Lightning Bugs Live Event with Dan Wilson

    Join Ben and his special guest Dan Wilson (writer of Not Ready To Make Nice, Someone Like You, Closing Time) LIVE from Ben's writing camp studio in Nashville. Grab a front row seat to join Ben on stage to ask your questions about his career, writing process, and what he has in store for the future! There will also be live trivia and bingo, with an opportunity to win some awesome merch.  Tickets are available now at https://app.loopedlive.com/c/3727 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 min
  17. Roger Payne & Jonathan Gottschall - What Is Most Needed Now - Finale

    03/31/2022

    Roger Payne & Jonathan Gottschall - What Is Most Needed Now - Finale

    Today’s guests are biologist and environmentalist, Dr. Roger Payne, and literary scholar and author, Jonathan Gottschall! This is our exciting final episode before we go on a hiatus to reflect on and pursue all the wonderful insights and ideas we’ve gained from a year of lightning bugs. This show's central topic has been creativity, and this episode is meant to highlight how art is what is most needed right now. On this episode, we talk about the impact of a good story, what it takes for art to create change, and how to bridge the divide while also being specific and poignant. We reflect on what works in the past have inspired change and how some modern “political” works could be adjusted to have more impact and speak to issues in an approach that everyone can digest and take to heart. You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds And check out the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ix6szTyjg3vmx1sIj-Vfw See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 1m
  18. Ben Folds on Kennedy Center Resignation and Surprise Album Release

    07/06/2025

    Ben Folds on Kennedy Center Resignation and Surprise Album Release

    MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on the impact of Donald Trump’s disastrous cuts across all sectors—from cancer research to weather forecasting to the arts. Meiselas interviews legendary musician Ben Folds, who resigned from his lead advisory position at the National Orchestra after Trump’s hostile takeover of the Kennedy Center. Folds describes how he was able to release a new album recorded at the Kennedy Center while Trump wasn’t paying attention. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    23 min
  19. Metaphysical Milkshake - Creating a Song with Rainn and Reza

    10/19/2021

    Metaphysical Milkshake - Creating a Song with Rainn and Reza

    On today’s bonus episode we are joined by Rainn Wilson and Reza Aslan from the podcast Metaphysical Milkshake. We dive in and get a New Week’s Resolution from both Rainn and Reza. Afterwards we create a song using a haiku, a bassoon, and a lot of creativity!  This episode is the second part of a special crossover event. Check out the other part which is also out TODAY, where Rainn, Reza and I listen to fan voicemails and answer their questions about creativity, art and music. So, head over to the Metaphysical Milkshake feed to listen to the episode and follow, rate and review if you like it! Out every Tuesday, Rainn and Reza welcome amazing guests like Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Mayim Bialik, Jason Isbell and more. Check out the other part here: https://www.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/metaphysical-milkshake-with-rainn-reza/id1566052074   You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds And check out the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ix6szTyjg3vmx1sIj-Vfw See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    18 min
  20. Agustín Fuentes - Discovering the Evolution of Creativity and Why Monkeys Steal Things

    04/08/2021

    Agustín Fuentes - Discovering the Evolution of Creativity and Why Monkeys Steal Things

    Today, he talked to anthropologist Agustín Fuentes about the role of creativity in our evolution and survival, how society causes writer's block, and the time a macaque monkey stole Ben's glasses. You can submit your questions to Ben here: https://www.speakpipe.com/BenFolds See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    48 min
Ben Folds on Apple