Discograffiti

THE LENNY WARONKER DISCOGRAFFITI INTERVIEW (PART 1) (Ep. 244)


Listen Later

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. In this episode (Part I of a 4-part series edited down from a 5 1/2 hour interview), Lenny Waronker takes a deep-dive stroll along with host Dave Gebroe through his entire career, with priceless commentary and stories peeled off along the way. Legendary producer and Warner Brothers studio head Lenny Waronker is a record producer and music industry executive. As the president of Warner Brothers Records, and later, as the co-founder and co-chair of DreamWorks Records, Waronker was noted for his commitment to artists and his belief that "music, not money, was still number one." In 2025, Waronker was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Ahmet Ertegun Award category for non-performing industry professionals. 

Part 1 focuses on the early years of Lenny’s career, leading up to the first album he ever produced, Van Dyke Parks’ Song Cycle.

Here are just a few of the many things that Lenny discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:

  • What it was like growing up with his father Simon, as he set up and funded the launch of Liberty Records;
  • Befriending Randy Newman as a small child, and coming to realize how gifted he was;
  • What it’s like for Lenny and Randy to struggle with issues of self-confidence, and how those issues manifest;
  • Meeting Van Dyke Parks for the first time and beginning to work with him;
  • Hearing Brian Wilson’s Smile tapes through Van Dyke;
  • And the contract offered to Van Dyke: possibly the most artistically and financially advantageous agreement ever made with anybody ever. 
  • The Free Teaser: linktr.ee/discograffiti

    For the full, ad-free, 88-minute podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Private Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.

    The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti

    Dave's Show Notes are available at a separate link for Lieutenants & up.

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    DiscograffitiBy David Gebroe

    • 4.3
    • 4.3
    • 4.3
    • 4.3
    • 4.3

    4.3

    116 ratings


    More shows like Discograffiti

    View all
    WTF with Marc Maron Podcast by Marc Maron

    WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

    28,999 Listeners

    Sound Opinions by Sound Opinions

    Sound Opinions

    1,981 Listeners

    The Best Show with Tom Scharpling by Forever Dog

    The Best Show with Tom Scharpling

    2,491 Listeners

    Kreative Kontrol by Vish Khanna / Entertainment One (eOne)

    Kreative Kontrol

    251 Listeners

    Sodajerker On Songwriting by Sodajerker

    Sodajerker On Songwriting

    389 Listeners

    The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds by The Vinyl Guide

    The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

    528 Listeners

    Turned Out A Punk by Turned Out A Punk

    Turned Out A Punk

    1,028 Listeners

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

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

    4,105 Listeners

    The Bob Lefsetz Podcast by iHeartPodcasts

    The Bob Lefsetz Podcast

    448 Listeners

    Rolling Stone All Access by Rolling Stone

    Rolling Stone All Access

    1,015 Listeners

    Something About the Beatles by Evergreen Podcasts

    Something About the Beatles

    362 Listeners

    Life of the Record by Life of the Record / Talkhouse

    Life of the Record

    221 Listeners

    Jokermen by Jokermen

    Jokermen

    374 Listeners

    Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt by Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt

    Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt

    325 Listeners

    Word In Your Ear by Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold

    Word In Your Ear

    80 Listeners