Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond Pushkin Industries

Lindsey Buckingham’s signature finger-style guitar is perhaps as recognizable as the countless classic songs he wrote while he was in Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham is a self-taught guitar virtuoso and songwriter who famously joined Fleetwood Mac in the mid ‘70s with his then girlfriend, Stevie Nicks. The band had been around since ‘67 with various singers, guitarists and songwriters. The only constant was their rhythm section: drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie. But the band didn’t blow up until Buckingham and Nicks joined, writing mega hits for their insanely successful 10th and 11th albums including the 20-times platinum album, Rumours. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Lindsey Buckingham about his new self-titled solo album. Buckingham also tells Bruce that he and Nicks never really got closure from their breakup, and how that affected their professional relationship in the decades since.

Today we’re looking back at Rick’s conversation with Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels. D.M.C. and Rick, of course, go back to the early days of Rush management, Def Jam and Profile Records. They reminisce about some of Rick’s collaborations with Run-D.M.C. But mostly what stayed with me after listening to this interview was how Sarah McLachlan's song “Angel” lifted D.M.C. out of a suicidal depression.
We’ve extended that powerful story so you’ll hear how it was told to Rick in the room. Plus there are a lot more gems about the early days of hip-hop and Run-D.M.C.
We appreciate your support and hope D.M.C.’s chat with Rick moves you as much as it moved us.

Ringo Starr is one of the most iconic musicians living today. Famed drummer for The Beatles and a prolific songwriter in his own right, at 81, Ringo’s gearing up to release his latest EP, Change The World. Rick Rubin and Ringo recorded this interview on the day it was announced that Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts passed away. On today’s episode you’ll hear Ringo reminisce about partying with Charlie and Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham. Ringo also talks about how he was a drunk heckler at Beatles shows before he joined the band, and why Paul McCartney was the only Beatle who would share a room with him.

John Hiatt is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter whose songs have been covered by a wide range of popular artists including Iggy Pop, Paula Abdul and Jimmy Buffet. Hiatt recorded his latest album, Leftover Feelings, with the Jerry Douglas Band. Douglas, who’s a famed producer and session musician, has won 14 Grammys for his solo work and collaborations with a slew of successful musicians.

On today’s episode John Hiatt and Jerry Douglas perform three songs off their new album and talk to Bruce Headlam about how they came together to record their new album in the studio that’s known as the birthplace of “the Nashville sound.” John Hiatt also explains how one of his new songs helped him forgive the awful abuse he endured from his older brother who committed suicide when John was nine years old.

Warning, this episode includes talk of sexual assault.

Today we’re expanding a conversation Rick Rubin had with his friend, Henry Rollins. Listening to Henry and Rick connect over music is a joy. In this extended version of their conversation for Broken Record, Rollins discusses what made Black Flag songwriter Greg Ginn akin to a painter, what it was like after the band’s other songwriter, Chuck Dukowski, left and the reality of being an aging punk rocker.

We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy this uncut version of Rick’s chat with Henry Rollins.

Henry Rollins speaks with Rick Rubin from Shangri-La pre-pandemic and in full Rollins fashion, the stories just poured out of him. Henry talks about the time he was christened a lead singer by H.R. from Bad Brains, the day he woke up and realized he was done writing music, and why he’ll never be the old guy on stage performing his greatest hits.