Comedian, drummer, podcaster, ex-Spice Girls fan and 2016 music scholar James Acaster talks to Stuart Stubbs about why he became obsessed with that year of music and ended up buying 600 albums from it.Enjoyed listening? You can support our show by m...

Ep 92: James Acaster

The podcast where musicians talk nonsense at midnight. And intimately about their lives and creativity. From the team behind independent music magazine Loud And Quiet.

Music

Music Interviews

It’s surprising to find 23-year-old British songwriter GRIFF’s feet firmly on the ground, given her extraordinary experiences the past three years. 
It’s been a steep rocket ride: from bedroom songwriter to a powerful breakthrough performance at the BRITs, and onto the stages of stadiums with Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran. Coldplay’s Chris Martin is such a fan the duo collaborated on the song ‘Astronaut’. 
And so here we are in 2024, and GRIFF is preparing to release her debut album vertigo in July. Not before she tells Greg Cochrane about growing up in sleepy Hertfordshire feeling like an outsider, being a foster sibling and eating chips with her all time icon Taylor Swift. 
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode: 
Watch GRIFF’s live performance of Black Hole at the 2021 BRIT Awards 
Listen to the single ‘Miss Me Too’ 
The making of ‘Astronaut’ with Coldplay’s Chris Martin 
GRIFF welcomes special guests to try and ‘Beat The Clock’ 
Credits:
Interview by Greg Cochrane 
Editing by Stuart Stubbs 
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
Video by Robbie Hamilton


 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep 129: GRIFF

London-born musician Anna B Savage talks to Stu in this particularly freewheeling episode of Midnight Chats that covers topics including meeting Cillian Murphy, present-opening etiquette, music industry anxiety, and what the hell is success anyway?! 
Stu also reveals to Anna where she is/was on the Loud And Quiet 2023 Albums of the Year list. And then there's a song to end.
Give the show a follow on Instagram at @midnightchatspod for clips and more.
This episode was recored in November 2023.
Further links:
Listen to Anna's cover of 'A Girl Like You'
Read our most recent interview with Anna from issue 157 of Loud And Quiet
Read the full L&Q; Albums of the Year 2023
Credits:
Interview and editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and Mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep 128: Anna B Savage

Surprise! When you get an icon like Brian Eno on the podcast, it cannot wait until our usual Monday night drop. So we come to you early. 
Welcome to this special, bonus "Earth Day" (22 April) edition of the podcast. Brian Eno is a trailblazing musician, producer and activist. Working with everyone from U2 to Talking Heads, Coldplay to Grace Jones, he's also deeply passionate about climate action, and is the co-founder of Earth/Percent.
Today they launch Sounds Right where a group of huge artists are releasing new music where "NATURE" is the featured artist, and receives credit and royalty. A radically simple initiative. No biggy, but Brian's song is one he originally co-wrote with David Bowie. 'Get Real' features hyenas and some wild pigs. 
Greg Cochrane went to his legendary studio in London in March 2024 to record this conversation. 
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
He also talks about the release of the "definitive Brian Eno documentary" – a new movie premiering in London on about the story of his life. This is Eno, though, there is a twist. It's a generative film powered by AI so will be different everytime it's screened. Plus, he demos Greg some previously unheard music and talks about the geopolitical state of the world in 2024. 
Enjoy. We'll be back in your feeds as usual this coming Monday night at midnight (BST). 
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode: 
Listen to the reimagined 'Get Real' by Brian Eno and David Bowie
Read more about Earth/Percent
Check out the Sounds Right initiative and listen to the songs 
More about 'Eno' the "definitive" documentary about Brian's life
Stream the accompanying soundtrack to the 'Eno' movie 
Brian's musical contributions to Sounds Right used The Listening Planet – a non-profit acoustic ecology sound library
Jarvis Cocker discussing his 'Biophobia' music and climate project 
Hard Art – a think tank for creative resistance 
Listen to Brian Eno speaking to Greg on the Sounds Like A Plan podcast 
Credits:
Interview by Greg Cochrane 
Editing by Stuart Stubbs 
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
Video by Robbie Hamilton  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep 127: Brian Eno

Maybe you were reminded of the genius songwriting of US duo MGMT when their song ‘Time To Pretend’ recently popped up on the Saltburn film soundtrack?
Ever since their breakthrough in 2007, with songs like ‘Kids’ and ‘Electric Feel’, the duo of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser have continued to release a stream of compelling new music. 
Greg Cochrane spoke to them from their homes in America on opposite coasts to wind back the clock on meeting them for the first time in 2007, and hear early stories of their surreal meetings with Sir Paul McCartney, Arctic Monkeys and Adele. 
Plus, MGMT discuss performing their debut album Oracular Spectacular live (hello Broadway?), the period during COVID-19 where their song ‘Little Dark Age’ seemed to soundtrack every video on the internet and their future plans as a band. 
You can watch clips of the podcast online, now just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
This episode was recored in December 2023.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode: 
Listen to MGMT’s new album ‘Loss Of Life’ album - out now - my favourite tracks are ‘People in the Streets’ and ‘Nothing Changes’ 
Watch MGMT’s video for ‘Bubblegum Dog’ on YouTube
Kid Cudi joins MGMT on stage at Coachella 2014
Credits:
Interview by Greg Cochrane 
Editing by Stuart Stubbs 
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
Video by Robbie Hamilton  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep 126: MGMT

Melbourne band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard don't just make a LOT of records (they've released 25 since they started 11 years ago); each one comes with a different experiment at the heart of it. There's the thrash metal record; the collaborative jazz record; the microtonal record; one made exclusively on acoustic instruments; one that plays on an infinity loop. And on and on. 
Their latest (if you're quick enough), doesn't feature guitars at all – The Silver Cord is the rock band's synth only album, which we discuss a little on episode 125 of MC, with band leader Stuart Mackenzie. Along with what he remembers from those previous 24 albums, the band's origins on the Melbourne scene, and how on earth King Gizzard will come to end. If it ever will. 
Give the show a follow on Instagram and TikTok at @midnightchatspod.
This episode was recored in October 2023.
Further links:
Our KGATLW cover feature from 2017
Listen to The Silver Cord
The Discogs listing for all the bootlegged versions of Polygondwanaland
Credits:
Interview and editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and Mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep 92: James Acaster

Download our free app to listen on your phone