Kyle Meredith With...

Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips sat down with Kyle Meredith for three conversations across a handful of years to talk solo albums, Luna reunions, and songwriting that sometimes doubles as emotional excavation. Dean, known for his iconic turns in #Galaxie500 and #Luna, talked in 2014 about finally releasing his first solo album and what it meant to step out from the comfort of collaboration—including with wife and longtime musical partner Britta—and work with #MyMorningJacket’s Jim James as producer. He dug into the funny backlash from his memoir, navigating identity beyond legacy bands, and why a lyric like “what have I done with my life?” doesn’t always need a worried reading. In her own chat in 2016, Britta walked Kyle through #LuckOrMagic, a stunning debut that toggles between torch songs and simmering synth-pop, and how tracks like “Do It Last” playfully (and darkly) flip gendered expectations of obsession in love songs. She also opened up about the nerves of writing about Dean… and then playing those so

Alan Walker joins Kyle Meredith to talk about the 10th anniversary of his breakout hit “Faded” and how he’s turned a bedroom project into a full-blown global empire. The EDM star gets into the making of WalkerWorld 2.0, the new single “Me, Myself and the Night,” and why he’s intentionally channeling his 2016–2019 sound. He also gives a preview of the immersive film WalkerWorld: The Last Ride, and talks about launching his first-of-its-kind World of Walker app—a digital hub meant to bypass social media algorithms and directly connect with fans.Listen to Alan Walker chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Kyle Meredith sits down with two legends, Randy Bachman and the late Gary Brooker to talk about legacy and how you live with — and sometimes rewrite — the ghosts of greatness. Listen to these archive interviews now.Hear Brooker of Procol Harum speak just before his passing about the band’s 50-year retrospective Still There’ll Be More, the timeless power of “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” and why Procol never quite fit in anyone’s box (except maybe their own). Then, it’s Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) discussing By George, his inventive reimagining of George Harrison classics that's filled with rearranged melodies, sly tributes, and a surreal phone call from Winnipeg to Friar Park. From Lennon birthday parties in Liverpool to dodged opportunities with Clapton, it’s a masterclass in reverence and reinvention from two legends.Listen to Randy Bachman and Gary Brooker chat about all this and more. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and

Zara Larsson caught up with Kyle Meredith to talk about her new album Midnight Sun, her second LP in just over a year. Powered by creative momentum and a self-described “dream team” of collaborators, Larsson is embracing a more spontaneous workflow that channels her current energy into a confident, cohesive record. Listen now.The record's namesake track, “Midnight Sun,” is a tribute to summer nights in her native Sweden, where the sun never fully sets and life feels mythically endless. “I wanted to be this little nymph that goes to the city,” she says, explaining the vibe that shaped both the sound and spirit of the album. The song itself is a swirl of joy and presence and the kind of spiritual clarity that only appears in duskless Scandinavian landscapes. It also helped unlock the album’s carefree tone: “I don’t give a fuck, but I do care a lot, and I hope and I pray and I manifest,” she says, summing up the paradox at the heart of Midnight Sun.Larsson will bring that energy to her upcoming tour with Tat

Seth MacFarlane has long lived at the intersection of irreverence and reverence. As the creator of Family Guy, he built an empire of absurdist animation, but his latest creative projects deepens his musical streak. He caught up with Kyle Meredith to talk about his new album Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements, a collection of unearthed and previously unrecorded Frank Sinatra charts. From there, the conversation swings through his revival of The Naked Gun, a reimagining of The ’Burbs, and the success of Ted’s leap to television. Listen now.When Tina Sinatra called to offer MacFarlane access to her father’s archived arrangements, he jumped at the chance to revive what had been sitting in boxes for decades. “There were a good hundred charts or so in there that Frank had never recorded,” he says, citing a Nelson Riddle arrangement of “How Did She Look” and the infamous abandoned 1958 session for “Lush Life.” MacFarlane and his team not only finished the track, but aimed to deliver each song with the fidelity

Shirley Manson has never been one to shy away from big feelings, big statements, or big synths. Speaking with Kyle Meredith, the Garbage frontwoman dives into Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, a record that flickers with vulnerability, political outrage, and, surprisingly, hope. The follow-up to 2021’s No Gods No Masters, the new LP serves as a spiritual twin — but this one stares down the chaos with resilience rather than just rage. Listen now.“I realized that if I didn’t change my tack, I was going to lose my mind,” Manson says of her shift in perspective after the last album. “I wanted to project love, even though I was feeling physically broken and emotionally spent.” That brokenness included two hip surgeries and the loss of her dog — yet she funneled it all into a more nuanced lyricism.She also reflects on her refusal to stay silent about world events, especially the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Ukraine. That same spirit fuels the band’s creativity; even with new recording methods during her reco

Mark Hamill has played a Jedi, a clown prince of crime, and just about everything in between — but it’s The Life of Chuck that he says might be one of the most special experiences of his entire career. The pop culture icon sat down with Kyle Meredith to talk about the new Mike Flanagan film, a surreal, poetic meditation on existence based on a Stephen King novella. Listen to the episode now.For Hamill, the film’s emotional core hit hard — both as a performer and as someone reflecting on a long life onscreen. He credits Flanagan’s adaptation for retaining the novella’s time-shifting structure and praised the cast, including a scene-stealing Tom Hiddleston and an emotionally rich performance from young newcomer Benjamin Pajak.The actor even relates the new film to the messaging behind his most famous role. "I told George [Lucas] I loved the idea of the Force so much because it’s spiritual in a way that doesn’t make people feel uncomfortable,” he explains. “When Yoda came on the scene, it wasn’t about religi

Finn Wolfhard has officially gone solo. After fronting Calpurnia and The Aubreys, the Stranger Things star is stepping out under his own name with Happy Birthday, an album of tape-saturated indie rock that pulls from Elliott Smith, Ben Lee, Daniel Johnston, and some garage-punk loudness for good measure. The actor spoke with Kyle Meredith all about it, listen now.Wolfhard wrote 50 songs in a single year, then cherry-picked the most personal ones to record alone — initially planning to hide behind a band name. “But then I kind of decided to just go fully in and just do it under my name,” he says. “Because, you know, it’s a personal record.” It’s also a deeply nostalgic one. On tracks like “Crown,” he finds himself longing for simpler times: “When you’re a kid, everything’s done for you/ Looking back, that was actually such a luxury.”Now that Stranger Things has wrapped, Wolfhard’s looking back on nearly a decade spent growing up inside one of the biggest shows of the 21st century. “I got to experience a once-i

In this two-part Rewind episode, Kyle Meredith catches up with Imperial Teen and Rainer Maria — two cornerstone indie bands that helped shape the lo-fi-to-mainstream arc of alternative music. Listen to their insights now.Taped at different moments in their respective comebacks, both interviews dive into the complexities of making new music after years away. Imperial Teen reflect on their 2012 album Feel the Sound, the logistics of long-distance collaboration, and why they never intentionally chase hooks. Meanwhile, Rainer Maria discuss the serendipity of proximity that led to their self-titled reunion album, pulling forgotten ideas from old MiniDiscs, navigating the streaming era, and writing lyrics with more personal depth than ever before. Both bands prove that time apart hasn’t dulled their creative spark. Really, it’s only sharpened their purpose.Listen to Imperial Teen and Rainer Maria chat about all this and more. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts,

Auliʻi Cravalho (best known as the voice of Moana) returns to the mic in Lulu Is a Rhinoceros, a new Apple TV+animated musical that asks, “What if identity was more than skin — or fur — deep?” Voicing a dog who sees a rhinoceros when they look in the mirror, Cravalho uses this children’s story to navigate themes of gender identity, kindness, and self-acceptance, and talks with Kyle Meredith all about it. Listen now.Cravalho is also coming off a run in Cabaret starring alongside Adam Lambert, because apparently it’s not enough to voice a Disney icon — you’ve also got to tackle fascism eight shows a week. She talks about her love for roles that challenge her, her not-so-secret desire to play a villain, and how Lulu offers a chance to speak directly to the younger version of herself. Spoiler: she’s also plotting to take over behind the camera as a producer, director, and general artistic overlord.Listen to Auliʻi Cravalho chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review,

In this long-lost 2016 conversation, legendary Warner Bros. Records president Lenny Waronker walks Kyle Meredith through the iconic Burbank offices (now shuttered), sharing candid stories about signing Prince, nearly passing on “Wicked Game,” quietly acquiring Tom Petty, and what made the label — and its artists — so visionary. Listen now.Waronker reflects on his early studio days, the genius of Prince’s bassless “When Doves Cry,” the Black Album saga, and how letting artists lead was always the secret sauce. From Randy Newman to Chris Isaak to Bat-era Kim Basinger moans, it’s a masterclass in music history told from one of its most influential behind-the-scenes architects.Listen to Lenny Waronke chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcirc

John Densmore has spent 60 years drumming in the shadow of both jazz greats and one very poetic lizard king, and has lived to talk about it. In this chat, he joins Kyle to dig into The Doors’ ongoing live album series, the hypnotic pulse of “Riders on the Storm,” and having a front row seat to Ray Manzarek’s insane two-handed abilities. Listen now.He also shares how the band’s improvisational wizardry worked in real time — like jamming out "The End" while Jim Morrison free-associated poetry about familial homicide — and reflects on playing “WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)” live at a recent Whiskey a Go Go gig, which ended with his thumb staging a minor protest. There’s talk of Coltrane outtakes, Miles Davis, and even a Chuck D collaboration.And if you’re one of those fans who think the magic died in a Paris bathtub, Densmore kindly reminds you there were twopost-Jim albums. Not that they’ll be staging a reunion tour, but Robby Krieger is currently playing entire Doors albums live, and Densmore occ

Hannah John-Kamen returns to the MCU in Thunderbolts*, reprising her role as Ghost — a character who’s now less flickery rage-machine, more emotionally self-aware loner with sarcasm issues. The film trades in the usual spandex-and-quips formula for something darker: guilt, depression, shame, and what happens when the Avengers forget your name. It’s a Marvel movie by way of group therapy, and she’s here for it. The actress spoke with Kyle Meredith all about it, and you can listen to the conversation now.John-Kamen breaks down how Ghost has evolved — more control, a cooler suit, and a lot less murder-y panic. She didn’t bother rewatching 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp, choosing instead to reenter the role like a totally different person, because, well, Ghost is a totally different person now. There’s also some talk about finding British sarcasm in the middle of emotional trauma, improv sessions with Wyatt Russell and Florence Pugh, and the existential experience of filming a Marvel movie that isn’t just a CGI

Gene Simmons returns to Kyle Meredith With… to celebrate the 50th anniversary of KISS’s Dressed to Kill, the album that gave us the studio version of “Rock and Roll All Nite”—which, according to Gene, may or may not qualify as a hit depending on your definition of the word. Listen now.Simmons reflects on the bands origins as four “unqualified” New Yorkers in makeup and heels who somehow ended up headlining stadiums. He also talks about life after the “final” KISS tour, which includes his new film production company (including working on a new movie with Bella Thorne and Mel Gibson), restaurants, vodka brand, and whatever else you can slap a Moneybag™ on. He’ll also return to Vegas with KISS later this year — not in makeup — for a KISS Army celebration.As always, Gene has opinions. On streaming: it ruined music ("Where's the new Beatles? Where's Elvis?"). On critics: they’re talentless ("...They don't really wanna work for a living, but they can't play instruments and have no talent

Turns out when your bounty hunter comes back from the dead, he brings a six-string and a record deal. Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Nettles join Kyle Meredith to talk about The Bondsman, their new horror-but-make-it-heartfelt Prime Video series with a twangy demonic twist. They break down how the show’s rootsy, Appalachian world inspired them to co-write a full album (Hell and Back) in character—a rarity in a TV landscape filled with music supervisors but not many actual songwriters. They get into why Nettles turned down every “musician role” for a decade until now, why Bacon insisted they reject any songs that didn’t meet the bar, and how they ended up cutting multiple tracks anyway for a record that lives on its own outside the show. Plus: songwriting via voice notes, why more actors don’t do this, and how their duet “Hell and Back” came together like a Johnny & June fever dream in a haunted holler.Listen to Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Nettles chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the

What took four years, required a personal crisis of confidence, and started as a riff about “coronavirus”? The Butter Miracle: The Complete Sweets, apparently. Kyle Meredith sits down with Adam Duritz—who’s somehow still underrating “Einstein on the Beach”—to talk about finally releasing Butter Miracle, rewriting half the songs from scratch, and confronting the weird pressure of accidentally writing a perfect five-song rock record. Duritz opens up about unfinished Counting Crows songs (“Marjorie,” “Shallow Days”), finding personal connection in characters like Bobby, Elizabeth, and Maria, and how “Boxcars” began with a glam-Zeppelin riff screamed around the house mid-lockdown. He also shares why the band never put out a B-sides compilation (spoiler: tape machines and poor planning) why This Desert Life might secretly be everyone’s favorite, and when we could see more of their earlier albums on vinyl.Listen to Adam Duritz chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review

This time on Kyle Meredith With…, it’s a double bill of the most cerebral funk you’ve ever danced to, featuring none other than Talking Heads’ David Byrne & Jerry Harrison. Listen to these archival interviews now.Byrne is the platonic ideal of the quirky frontmen, the king of the oversized suit, and the only guy who can make anxiety sound like a party trick. Whether he’s turning nervous tics into chart-topping hits with Talking Heads, penning essays on music theory, or staging Broadway shows about joy, he’s always had one foot in genius and the other in 'what even is this?'And then there’s Jerry Harrison – the Harvard-educated keyboardist/guitarist who somehow managed to be the coolest nerd in one of the coolest bands of the ’70s and ’80s. Before Talking Heads, he was in The Modern Lovers with Jonathan Richman, which is like indie rock’s version of being in a garage band with Zeus. Together, they helped turn new wave into an art form you could groove to.Listen to Talking Heads’ David Byrne & J

Don Felder has spent the last five decades shaping the sound of classic rock — most famously as the guitar maestro behind The Eagles’ “Hotel California.” Now, he’s cracking open The Vault: 50 Years of Music, a new album that pulls from demos and song ideas dating back to 1974, when Felder first joined the Eagles. Listen now.In this interview with Kyle Meredith, Felder discusses how he unearthed forgotten gems from a long-abandoned storage unit, reworking early sketches like “Move On” and giving old favorites like “Heavy Metal” a modern punch. He reflects on his Florida roots, learning slide guitar from Duane Allman, and how those early influences still shape his playing today.Elsewhere, Felder discusses his commitment to keeping his voice and guitar chops sharp (“I will never let myself be disappointing”), and fronting most of Toto on this new record. Plus, with a summer tour alongside Styx and Kevin Cronin on the horizon (get tickets here), Felder is showing no signs of slowing down.Listen to Don Felder chat

This archive episode from Kyle Meredith With… features two guests with wildly different claims to rock legacy. One helped define it, and one is currently protecting it: Ian Paice of Deep Purple and Jean Fogelberg. Listen to their interviews now.First up is Ian Paice, the last original member still keeping Deep Purple in the game over 50 years later. As the drummer behind “Smoke on the Water,” he’s one of the few humans whose tom fills have been played in every Guitar Center across America. But don’t let the legacy trap fool you, Paice is still bashing away with precision, fire, and probably a little tinnitus. Then, there’s Jean Fogelberg, widow of Dan Fogelberg who’s now taken on the role of curator, historian, and gentle myth-buster for one of soft rock’s most earnest voices. Jean’s been instrumental in keeping Dan’s memory alive through reissues, tributes, and some welcome reminders that sincerity isn’t a crime. One’s still writing the story, the other’s preserving the footnotes — and both have something to

You know Lizzy Greene from her Nickelodeon days (Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn), or more recently from A Million Little Things. Now, she’s stepping into a pair of dusty boots for Netflix’s Ransom Canyon, a Western drama where she plays Lauren Brigman, the small-town Texas sheriff’s daughter with big dreams of escape.The role is something of a full-circle moment for the Dallas native, who brought her own background in horseback riding and cheerleading to the role (with a detour to the ER after a Looney Tunes-style knee fracture during rehearsals). Greene opens up to Kyle Meredith about how growing up in Texas helped her find her way into Lauren’s world — even if it meant freezing in the Albuquerque snow and bonding with castmates over cow manure during “cowboy camp.”Greene also discusses her emo-punk side (she’s a huge fan of The Cure and The Smiths), her reunion with co-star Garrett Wareing in the upcoming Sweating the Small Stuff, and why Jose Gonzalez’s "Teardrop" cover in the show nearly made her