My Favorite Album With Jeremy Dylan

Some people on Twitter and Instagram asked me to repost this. It's a conversation from last year with Dr Warren Zanes, who wrote the recent Petty: the Biography, which is still on my desk, with Petty's twinkling eyes beaming up at me. At some point I will get a proper Petty tribute episode together, but it's just too fucking raw right now. This is a good conversation and gets a lot of what made the man such a rock'n'roll genius. Please listen to the album after you listen to this. ---- Singer/songwriter, journalist and author of the definitive ‘Petty: The Biography’, Dr Warren Zanes, joins me to celebrate the 1976 self-titled debut of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. How did the band find their sound and identity while making the album? Why were the limitations of vinyl LPs creatively helpful? Did writing the book change Warren’s perspective on Petty’s music? What doubts did people have about Petty’s voice? What is the secret of keyboardist Benmont Tench’s genius? How do the Heartbreakers look back on the alb

We finally talk about Pearl Jam, as East Nashville's Lilly Hiatt joins me for a discussion of the record that solidified the band's legacy 'No Code'.  

Sarah Lewitinn's career has taken from writer to manager to DJ, self-described 'queen of beneficient debauchery' and the once and future 'Ultragrrl'. In a personal and emotionally honest conversation, Sarah makes the case for Interpol's 'Our Love to Admire' as the band's best album and the deep, slow-burning relationship she has had with it. We talk about the efforts she's made to keep her personal distance from the members of Interpol, the legend and reality of Carlos D, and how the album feels like the closing chapter on an era of her New York life. If you haven't yet, I recommend reading Lizzy Goodman's amazing oral history of the 2000s NYC rock scene 'Meet Me in the Bathroom', in which Sarah features, and listening to my recent podcast with Lizzy. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist a

Morgan Nagler and Jake Bellows, the core of dream LA indie outfit Whispertown, on the inspiration of early 60s R'n'B pioneer Sugar Pie DeSanto. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer. He directed the the feature music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts (out now!) and the film Benjamin Sniddlegrass and the Cauldron of Penguins. If you’ve got any feedback or suggestions, drop us a line at myfavoritealbumpodcast@gmail.com.

Aaron Lee Tasjan followed the classic well worn path to Americana stardom - starting 150 bands, playing guitar with the New York Dolls, sticking sequins onto his own suits and micro dosing for songwriting inspiration. He joins me to talk about the album that taught him to play guitar - The Beatles uber-classic ‘Revolver’. We talk about the Beatles eternal mission to top their latest groundbreaking recordings, what it would’ve been like to hear these songs new when they first were released, the diversity of influences on both Aaron and the Beatles (and the impact that has on their music) and more. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music industry since 2007. He directed the the feature music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The King

Jon Cryer is one of the most beloved figures in the last three decades of American comedy, from his breakout role in ‘Pretty in Pink’ to starring in one of the most successful sitcoms in history in ‘Two and a Half Men’. In addition, he’s also an author, screenwriter, director and lately a podcaster. But today he joins me in his capacity as a music fan with a deep love for Radiohead’s era-defining classic ‘OK Computer’. From battling the network to get Radiohead posters included in one of his early sitcoms, why the track ‘Fitter Happier’ made him burst into tears on first listen, why he listens to the album in his car, his experiences bringing Radiohead virgins to to see the band live and more. Jon discovers live on air what the lyrics to two of the album’s songs are for the first time, and compares the precision in Radiohead’s music to the precision that can make or break a gag in a comedy film. Plus, we talk about what it’s like to act opposite Elvis Costello. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact gre

A legend of both music and comedy, Neil Innes weaved dry wit around sweet soulful melody for decades, from the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band to the Rutles, his work with Monty Python and on television with Rutland Weekend Television and The Innes Book of Records. Neil joins me to talk about Frank Zappa's classic commentary on the Summer of Love and response to Sgt Pepper, 'We're Only In It For the Money'. We talk about how the album balances satire and music inventiveness, how Zappa misunderstood one of Neil's songs while reviewing it, when the Bonzo's hung out with the Mothers of Invention in the US and the kinship they felt, plus how so much of the turmoil Zappa was writing about in 1968 has become eerily relevant again almost 50 years on. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer f

On the eve of their new album's release, guitarist Evan Purdey from Melbourne punk band Gold Class, joins me to talk about a band who has stealthily become one of the most influential in modern Australian music - the Dirty Three. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music industry since 2007. He directed the the feature music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts (out now!) and the feature film Benjamin Sniddlegrass and the Cauldron of Penguins, in addition to many commercials and music videos. If you’ve got any feedback or suggestions, drop us a line at myfavoritealbumpodcast@gmail.com.

Quintessentially New York singer-songwriter Julian Velard joins me for a celebration/defense of fellow piano man Billy Joel, and his classic 1976 album 'Turnstiles'. We tell the story of how Turnstiles was Joel's return to New York, the building of his classic band, and his celebration of the city - from modern day standard 'New York State of Mind' to album closer, the apocalyptic 'Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)'. Julian compares the perceptions of Joel in the UK to the US, how he has become like a NYC sports franchise, whether it's a good or bad thing that he hasn't released in a new album in decades and how understanding Billy Joel as a great mimic helps you appreciate his music. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked

Americana singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews joins me to talk about one of high watermarks of Bob Dylan's career - his 1975 breakup album 'Blood on the Tracks'. We talk about why this album is Dylan at his most emotionally transparent, how the album captures all the different colours of a relationship - and its disillusion, how Dylan has maintained his mystique for over 50 years, how turn a song written from trauma into something you can sign night after night, and why Courtney wishes she was compared more often to men. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music industry since 2007. He directed the the feature music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts (out now!) and the feature film Benjamin Sniddlegrass

After 214 episodes and four and a half years of podcasting, Leonard Cohen makes his first appearance on the show. One of my earliest guests, purveyor of dark sensuality and grand emotional intimacy Anita Lester joins me from London to unpack the allure, craft and mystique of Cohen - how he entered Anita's life during a traumatic moment in her childhood, the confronting maturity of his lyrics, the atypically adult sexuality in his music, why listening to his music doesn't make her sad and what is was like to see Cohen live a few years before he died. Plus, Anita closes the show with a cover of my personal favorite Leonard Cohen song 'I'm Your Man'. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music industry since 2007. He directed the th

Rock journalist and author of the definitive oral history of the New York rock revival 'Meet Me in the Bathroom', Lizzy Goodman, joins me to talk about one of the seminal albums of that era - the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' debut LP 'Fever to Tell'. We talk about why Karen O is the truest rock star of her era, what makes 'Maps' such a special song and how it influenced mainstream pop, the contrast between the band's offstage awkwardness and their high-octane music, why being a woman can't be politically neutral in rock and the world in general, why it's silly to pretend clothes don't matter and why Lorde made her excited about the next wave of New York music. Plus we delve into the writing process of 'Meet Me in the Bathroom', 2017's best music book, and why she will never undertake a similar project again. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it’s influenced th

With the release of JAY-Z's first album in years, Forbes magazine senior editor and author Zack O'Malley Greenburg joins me for a look back on Jay's 1996 debut album 'Reasonable Doubt'. Zack lays out the true stories behind the myths of how the album was released, why Jay-Z founded Roc-A-Fella records, how Biggie almost swiped the track for 'Brooklyn's Finest' and how it became a duet between him and Jay, why it's ignorant to wag your finger at conspicuous consumption in hip-hop, why 'Reasonable Doubt' is particularly special to the man who made it and also what is up with the hyphen in Jay's name. My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it's influenced them. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music industry since 2007. He directed the the feature music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The Ki

On the final episode of #BeatlesMonth on the show, Beatles scholar, author, Wall Street Journal music critic and co-host of Beatles podcast 'Things We Said Today' Allan Kozinn joins me to tell the behind-the-scenes story of 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' - why hadn't the Beatles cracked America prior to this song? How did a teenage girl and a radio DJ force the Beatles record label to rush release the song? How did the JFK assassination set the stage for Americans embrace of aspirational British pop?  Plus we break down the song piece by piece to show how the Fab Four constructed a perfect single which was just as groundbreaking and sophisticated as their later work - from the lyrics to the harmonies, the guitar parts and their first use of four-track overdubbing, and how it marked the apex and the climax of their 'Wooo' period. If you enjoyed this episode, pick up a copy of Allan's book Got That Something! How the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand” Changed Everything. My Favorite Album is a podcast unpacking th

Jimmy Vivino is most visible as the leader of the Basic Cable Band, showing his range, dynamism and tastefully ferocious guitar licks every night alongside Conan O’Brien, who he’s played with since his days as a founding member of the Max Weinberg 7 24 years ago. More relevant for today’s episode is his other band The Fab Faux, in which0 he and a handful of other impeccable Beatles obsessed musicians recreate the licks and intricacies of the great band of all time’s song catalogue. I caught up with Jimmy last week to talk about the Fab Faux and why the Beatles legacy has lasted so long, but first we kicked off comparing notes on the recently release 50th Anniversary version of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which features new stereo mixes of the album by Giles Martin, son of the album’s original legendary producer George Martin. My Favorite Album is a podcast unpacking the great works of pop music. Each episode features a different songwriter or musician discussing their favorite album of all time - th

Keyboard legend Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Mudcrutch) returns to the show as Beatles Month rolls on. Benmont unpacks the multi-layered genius of Beatles for Sale opening track 'No Reply', explores why the Beatles R'n'B roots are at the heart of their greatness, recalls how his first exposure to the band scared him as a kid, why the Heartbreakers avoided playing Beatles covers, wonders about his friend Ryan Adams' recent discovery of the Beatles albums and talks about his relationship with Ringo Starr across 20+ years of playing on each other's records. My Favorite Album is a podcast unpacking the great works of pop music. Each episode features a different songwriter or musician discussing their favorite album of all time - their history with it, the making of the album, individual songs and the album’s influence on their own music. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music industry since 2007. He directed the the feature m

Legendary session god drummer Kenny Aronoff welcomes me to his LA studio for a inspirational chat about childhood dreams coming true. How he went from a child discovering rock’n’roll with the Beatles on Ed Sullivan to playing with Ringo Starr 50 years later on a TV special celebrating that very same Ed Sullivan appearance. How did John Mellencamp help him become a more Ringo-esque drummer? What does Kenny see as the drummer’s true purpose in a recording session? What story did Paul McCartney tell him about the Beatles first trip to NYC? What’s it like to play Beatles songs in front of and alongside Beatles? What’s the difference between playing ‘Something’ with Joe Walsh and ‘Hey Bulldog’ with Dave Grohl? How did the Beatles use a “less is more” approach to create dynamics in their music. Plus, great stories of moments in the studio with the Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop, John Hiatt, Don Was and more. My Favorite Album is a podcast unpacking the great works of pop music. Each episode features a different songwrite

  Australia’s Mr Rock’n’Roll Davey Lane, lead guitarist for You Am I and singer/songwriter, returns for the third time to the podcast for our most epic Beatles chat yet. Armed with a bottle of Lagavulin, an acoustic guitar and the original multi-track recordings, we delve into the Fab Four’s final masterpiece ‘Abbey Road’. How does the album function as the band’s final mission statement? How did Her Majesty originally fit into the album? Which members of The Office cast should star in the Ricky Gervais directed Beatles movie? How does John Lennon’s contribution to the album presage his solo work? What is the Beatles signature chord change? Why do people hate Paul McCartney, the man who wrote the most profound lyric in rock’n’roll? and what was Davey’s experience seeing Sir Paul live earlier this year? Plus, we dig into the multi-track recordings of Something, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), Polythene Pam and Oh Darling and look at the musical complexities of these classic tracks - the melodies of McCartney’s ba

All of June we are celebrating the Fab Four, indulging my favorite past time - talking about the Beatles - with guests old and new, and revisiting some favorite episodes from the past three and a half years of podcasts. Today we are celebrating 50 years of Sgt Pepper with TV legend Ken Levine - writer, producer and director on iconic shows from M*A*S*H to Cheers to Frasier, co-creator of Almost Perfect and Big Wave Dave's, I could go on... He's also a baseball announcer, author, my favorite blogger and host of his own podcast Hollywood and Levine.  Ken's masterful storytelling is at the fore in this episode as he lays out how he discovered the Beatles as a teenager in 1964, his doomed scheme to meet the band in California, his encounters with John Lennon and Ringo Starr, why he chose not to see the Beatles live, and what it was like to work in a record store when Sgt Pepper was unleashed on the world. We talk about how his feelings about the record have and haven't changed through the years, and why it's the

This episode is like being a guest the best Rufus Wainwright themed dinner party of all time - and believe or not, no alcohol was consumed before or during recording. Elana Stone and Georgia Mooney - half of Australia's premiere Americana quartet All Our Exes Live In Texas - drop in ahead of their US tour to explore Rufus Wainwright's two 'Want' albums, how they reflect his languid sexuality, genre-bending ambition, relationship with his musical siblings and parents, and why loving and hating Rufus can both lead to the end of romantic relationships. Plus, we record the pilot episode of my new podcast 'My Favorite Cereal'. My Favorite Album is a podcast unpacking the great works of pop music. Each episode features a different songwriter or musician discussing their favorite album of all time - their history with it, the making of the album, individual songs and the album’s influence on their own music. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music