Wheels Off With Rhett Miller

Stewart Copeland is perhaps best known as the drummer for The Police, but he’s also had a successful solo career as a composer, authoring a prolific series of film and television scores, video game soundtracks, opera, and ballet. His latest project is Police Beyond Borders, a reinterpretation of the seminal 80s band’s classic songs with diverse interpretations and artist representation from South Africa, India, Japan, China, Canada, the U.K., and more. Stewart joins Rhett from his studio in Los Angeles to talk about working in service of art, his career with The Police, and what it feels like to ride the top of the wave. Stewart and Rhett talk about life as a working musician in the age of AI, and why selling out isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Police Beyond Borders will be released on August 18. Pre-save the album here. Stewart Copeland Follow Stewart on IG @stewart_copeland Rhett Miller website Follow Rhett on IG @rhettmiller Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive produced by Kirsten C

Alan Paul is an author, journalist and musician. His fourth book, BROTHERS AND SISTERS: The Allman Brothers Band and the Inside Story of the Album That Defined the 70s, out today, is a deep dive into the time before and after the 1973 album. Alan joins Rhett to talk about his career as a music journalist and unexpected turn as a touring musician. Alan shares the lessons he learned while playing in a band in China, and why it’s important to “know your helpers” when you’re living a creative life. Paul’s last two books have been instant New York Times bestsellers: Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan and One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band. His first book, Big in China: My Unlikely Adventures Raising a Family, Playing the Blues and Becoming a Star in Beijing is about his experiences raising three American children in Beijing and Paul’s unlikely journey to becoming a Chinese music star, fronting the blues band Woodie Alan. Alan Paul website Rhett Miller website Follow Rhett

In this episode, singer songwriter Brian Dunne joins Rhett from Brooklyn. He talks to Rhett about his newly released album Loser On The Ropes, his songwriting process, and what success as an artist means to him. Brian and Rhett also bust a few rock and roll myths, and talk about why being a working musician doesn’t have an expiration date. Loser On The Ropes, Dunne’s entrancing new album and debut release for the storied Kill Rock Stars label was recorded in Athens, GA, with producer Drew Vandenberg. Brian Dunne website Follow Brian on IG @briandunnemusic Rhett Miller website Follow Rhett on IG @rhettmiller Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive produced by Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils and Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Distributed in partnership with Osiris Media.  This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  Revisit previous epi

Ben Harper is a 3x Grammy winner who has amassed international praise for his genre-traversing body of work. He joins Rhett on this episode to talk about his life as a young musician, the creative projects he’s currently working on, and shares the advice he would give his 21-year old self. The two dive into the craft of songwriting and Ben tells Rhett about the time that Leonard Cohen visited his family’s music store.  Ben Harper has produced albums by Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Natalie Maines, Ziggy Marley, and others. An inveterate collaborator, Harper has also recorded with a diverse span of artists ranging from John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite, to Ringo Starr, Keith Richards and, most recently, Harry Styles, to contribute his signature guitar work to the superstar’s chart-topping album, HARRY’S HOUSE. Harper joined Styles for an astounding 12 nights of performances at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles this past fall.  His critically acclaimed album, WIDE OPEN LIGHT, is out

Founded in 2011, indie-folk duo The Milk Carton Kids swiftly emerged as a major force in the American folk tradition, blending ethereal harmonies and intricate musicianship with a uniquely powerful brand of contemporary songcraft. On this episode, Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, the musicians behind the Grammy-nominated band, join Rhett to talk about their personal creative journeys as well as their collective journey, and the months-long project that resulted in their newest release, I Only See The Moon. Kenneth and Joey share some of the wisdom they’ve collected over the years, and explain why staying true to oneself is the most important thing an artist can do. Listen to their new release, I Only See The Moon, here. Milk Carton Kids website: https://themilkcartonkids.komi.io/ The Milk Carton Kids on IG @themilkcartonkids Rhett Miller website: Rhettmiller.com Rhett on IG @rhettmiller Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s.

Jacqueline Holland’s first novel, The God Of Endings, weaves a story of love, family, history, and myth as seen through the eyes of one immortal woman. In this episode, Jacqueline joins Rhett to talk about the new books she’s working on, how she found her voice as a novelist, and she offers some valuable advice on the process of writing. The two dive into the impact that ChatGPT could have on creativity, and Jacqueline explains why a little bit of hubris can be a useful tool when you’re first starting out. More about The God Of Endings JacquelineHolland.com Rhettmiller.com Rhett on IG @rhettmiller Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils and Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven.  This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a r

In this podcast episode, acclaimed singer, songwriter, and producer Layng Martine Jr. joins Rhett to talk about the process behind his latest album “Music Man”, a long-time dream project instigated by his son Tucker Martine, who is a producer. Layng and Rhett discuss the incredible lineup of musicians who participated in the making of the record and Layng shares stories behind the songs, which cover a 50-year period of his career. Layng dives into his songwriting process, explains how his life has changed as he’s gotten older, and the two talk about the importance of not turning your back on your art. Layng Martine's songwriting prowess is exemplified by his impressive catalog of hits, which have been recorded by some of the biggest names in the business. From country legends like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Reba McEntire to pop icons such as The Pointer Sisters and Barry Manilow, his songs have touched the hearts of millions worldwide. Listen to music from Layng’s new album here. Rhettmiller.com Rhet

Singer-songwriter, author, and artist Bob Schneider joins Rhett from Austin to talk about the evolution of his musical career, and the story behind his new graphic novel, FAYM. Rhett and Bob discuss the realization that success doesn’t necessarily change your life, why names are important, and agree that calculation can kill creativity.  Bob Schneider is one of the most celebrated musicians in Austin, Texas. Combining elements of funk, country, rock, and folk with a more traditional singer-songwriter aesthetic, Schneider’s talent defies genres, and his powerful lyrics tackle tough subjects like alienation, drug addiction, and lost romance. Schneider has won more than 58 Austin Music Awards, including awards for Album of the Year, Musician of the Year, Best Songwriter, and Best Male Vocals, making him the most decorated artist in Austin music history.  bobschneider.com Bob on IG @bob_schneider_music Rhettmiller.com Rhett on IG @rhettmiller Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rh

On this week’s episode, Rhett welcomes singer, guitarist, and songwriter Bill Janovitz, best known as the frontman of the alt-rock band Buffalo Tom. The two discuss the inspiration and effort behind Bill’s new book, Leon Russell, the Master of Space and Time's Journey Through Rock and Roll History. Bill and Rhett also discuss dealing with industry obstacles in the early days of his career, how he transitioned into becoming an author who specializes in writing about music, and why the idea for the Leon Russell book arrived at the perfect time. Bill Janovitz website Bill Janovitz on IG: @billjanovitz Rhett on IG: @rhettmiller Website: Rhettmiller.com Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils and Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven.  This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get y

Musician, songwriter, actor and playwright Queen Esther joins Rhett from her home in Harlem to talk about her extraordinary multi-hyphenate career, which currently includes two new albums (to be released this year), and a play, which will culminate in an off-Broadway run. There’s no shortage of wisdom and inspiration in this conversation, as Queen Esther discusses the importance of following the creative spirit, what it means to plug into one’s own uniqueness, and why imposter syndrome is off the table. Queen Esther’s most recent work includes a performance with her western swing collective The Black Rose of Texas at Lincoln Center’s 2022 Summer for the City. Her critically acclaimed 2021 Black Americana album Gild The Black Lily is the fourth release on her imprint EL Recordings – and her 2018 TED Talk about the true origins of country and bluegrass continues to reverberate throughout the Americana community. Coming in 2023: Rona, an EP of rangy alt-Americana songs written in Harlem during the early months o

Grammy winning producer, songwriter, and guitarist Joe Reyes joins Rhett from San Antonio to talk about his impressive career, which includes a Latin Grammy award nomination and a Grammy award win. Reyes discusses the upcoming Buttercup release, explains why he decided to get a degree despite his career in music, and shares some of the wisdom that he imparts to his music students. Joe Reyes has recorded with Buttercup, Mitch Webb and The Swindles, Marcus Rubio, Cartographers and The Cheats. He was nominated for a Latin Grammy for his work with Lara & Reyes and won a Grammy award for his work with Freddy Fender. He currently performs as a solo artist and with Buttercup, Mitch Webb, Salim Nourallah, Hilary York and Patricia Vonne. Joe Reyes on IG @joereyesmusic Joe Reyes website: http://joereyes.com/ Rhett on IG @rhettmiller Website: Rhettmiller.com Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). E

Owen King is the author of Double Feature, and We’re All in This Together: A Novella and Stories. He is the coauthor of Sleeping Beauties and Intro to Alien Invasion and the coeditor of Who Can Save Us Now? Brand-New Superheroes and Their Amazing (Short) Stories. Owen joins Rhett to talk about how he built the world that The Curator takes place in and what it means to capture the “sound” of a novel. The two discuss the value of early reader feedback, recognizing work-life balance, and Owen shares a story about the time when he had to dig the galleys for his first book out of a snowstorm, along with the Fedex guy who was delivering them. His new novel, The Curator, is out today and available here Owen King website Owen on IG @owenkingauthor Rhett on IG: @rhettmiller Website: Rhettmiller.com Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by

Singer-songwriter Cassandra Lewis performed her first real show at a retirement home when she was eight years old. She joins Rhett to talk about that experience and what’s happened in between, the new album she’s working on, and the co-songwriting scene that she’s become part of since moving to Nashville. The two discuss the trope of needing to suffer in order to be creative, and Cassandra explains what she means when she says she’s a ‘trash artist’. Cassandra Lewis is a cosmic blend of classic country, Americana and psychedelic soul. She’ll call you into her journey of self-discovery, addiction, love affairs, and a fever dream of in-betweens. Think Dolly Parton, Etta James, and Jeff Buckley at Woodstock 69’, then sprinkle it with something otherworldly. Her massive voice, real talk, and wild storyteller’s wit will leave you feeling raw and reeling in the dreamiest way. Cassandra Lewis on IG: @cassandralewismusic Cassandra Lewis website Rhett on IG: @rhettmiller Rhett Miller website Go see a show! Rhett’s tou

Sam Quartin is an actor, activist, and frontwoman for The Bobby Lees, which she founded after discovering her future bandmates at a music school in upstate New York. The two discuss her recent role in Candy Land, a film about the underground world of truck stop sex workers. Sam tells Rhett about the impact that Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way had on her life, shares her process for boosting self-confidence, and explains why she’s opted out of having a digital profile. A band that proves it pays to think young, the Bobby Lees are a frantic garage punk act from Woodstock, New York, whose sound is fast, fresh, energetic, and filled with a snotty sense of fun. Boasting a revved-up attitude and a level of precision that matches the tempos without making them sound stiff, the Bobby Lees made a bracing debut on their 2018 album Beauty Pageant. They got tighter, speedier, and rowdier on 2020's Skin Suit, produced by Jon Spencer, and they developed a more polished but no less powerful approach for their third LP, 202

Bestselling author Julia Cameron joins Rhett once again to talk about her new book Write for Life, in which she turns to one of the subjects closest to her heart: the art and practice of writing. This episode is full of wisdom, as Julia gives Rhett a peek into her own creative process and shares some of the best practices she’s developed over the last two decades. Julia and Rhett discuss how to manage your inner critic, what it means to be authentic, and why she is an advocate of writing by hand.   Hailed by the New York Times as “The Queen of Change,” JULIA CAMERON is credited with starting a movement in 1992 that has brought creativity into the mainstream conversation—in the arts, in business, and in everyday life. She is the best-selling author of more than forty books, fiction and nonfiction; a poet, songwriter, filmmaker and playwright. Commonly referred to as “The Godmother” or “High Priestess” of creativity, her tools are based in practice, not theory, and she considers herself “the floor sample of her

Salim Nourallah is a musician and award-winning producer who has worked with OLD97s and Marty Wilson-Piper of The Church. He’s also the co-founder of indie label Palo Santo Records, and this week he joins Rhett to talk about balancing his role as musician, producer, and businessman. The two discuss the new projects he’s working on, what it means to be successful, and why Salim believes it’s important to stay in touch with one’s inner child. Learn more about Salim’s new album A Nuclear Winter here Salim Nourallah website Salim on IG: @salimnourallah Rhett on IG: @rhettmiller Website: Rhettmiller.com Go see a show! Rhett’s tour dates are here   Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven.    This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You

“You're much more productive when you actually feel like getting out of bed for the day. And I just think that you don't have to be in a dark place to write a dark song. And realizing that has opened up a lot of opportunities for me to live a more healthy life.” - Anthony D’Amato Singer Songwriter Anthony D’Amato joins Rhett on this episode to talk about going from publicity intern to client at Shore Fire Media, and what he learned by coming up on the business side of the music industry. Anthony shares the story of working on a St Vincent publicity campaign, explains why the idea of being a sellout has gone out the window, and the two discuss Fantastic Cat, his side project that is “something of a supergroup”. Anthony D’Amato first rose to international attention with the ‘The Shipwreck From The Shore,’ his 2014 debut for New West Records. Inspired in part by time spent studying with the Pulitzer Prize-winning Irish poet Paul Muldoon, the album garnered rave reviews on both sides of the pond. Along the way, D

The Paranoid Style is a garage-punk-pop outfit built around singer songwriter Elizabeth Nelson. Elizabeth joins Rhett this week to talk about their new album, “For Executive Meeting”, as well as the many other creative projects she’s involved in, like an upcoming piece about Springsteen’s “Nebraska”. Elizabeth and Rhett discuss what it means to be a musician and a published music critic, the process she employs to get a multitude of things done, and why it’s important to take a compliment. Plus, she explains the origin of the unique name of her band. Elizabeth Nelson is singer-songwriter for the Washington, DC–based garage-punk band the Paranoid Style, a civil servant in the field of education policy, and a regular contributor to The Ringer, Oxford American, The New York Times Magazine, and Pitchfork, among other publications. In 2020, Spin Magazine ranked the Paranoid Style the 27th best rock & roll band currently working, thereby adding 26 names to her renowned Enemies List. Listen to For Executive Meeting

During his years as lead singer and main songwriter of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Glen Phillips helped to create the band’s elegant folk/pop sound with honest, introspective lyrics that forged a close bond with their fans. He joins Rhett on this episode of Wheels Off for a deep dive into the inspiration behind his music and the playful approach he took in the making of his new solo record, There Is So Much Here. Glen shares stories of his life with Toad, discusses what it means to be creatively curious, and explains how the practice of community singing helps him realize a life of gratitude. Get Glen’s new album here Glen Phillips website Glen on IG: @glenphillipsmusic Rhett on IG: @rhettmiller Website: Rhettmiller.com Go see a show! Rhett’s tour dates are here   Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by

Amy Ray joins Rhett from her home in Georgia to talk about her recently released solo album and the new music she’s working on for an Indigo Girls project. Amy and Rhett discuss the epiphany moment she had when she first sang with Indigo Girls co-founder Emily Saliers, the headiness of achieving success early in her career, and why her activism and support of emerging artists helps her navigate the challenges of self-doubt. Listen to Amy’s new album If It All Goes South Amy Ray website Amy on IG @amyraymusic Rhett on IG: @rhettmiller Website: Rhettmiller.com Go see a show! Rhett’s tour dates are here Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven.    This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave