ENCORE EPISODE — To celebrate the landmark performance The Strokes delivered at Coachella 2026, we're revisiting this conversation.

Nikolai Fraiture — bassist and founding member of The Strokes — sits down to talk about what it actually looked like from the inside of one of the most hyped band launches in rock history, and what's happened in the two decades since.

We get into the Grammy win for The New Abnormal and the making of Reality Awaits with Rick Rubin in Costa Rica — and what it took for Rubin to get a band that started in a New York basement back to playing like one.

The Strokes were the first band any of them had ever been in. After 20 years, Nikolai describes a lock-in with his bandmates that he says can't be manufactured: "I wouldn't walk away from something that special that comes along so rarely." And he's candid about early fame in a way that doesn't feel performed: "I don't think I handled it very well."

Reality Awaits is coming. This is where it started.

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Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-plug-w-justin-jay/id1517322794 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/3M3BwnadvgbuwtErUHN1pl 

Email → [email protected]

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This episode we sit down with actor, director, and New York Times bestselling author Andrew McCarthy for a candid conversation about friendship, identity, and reinvention.

Best known for iconic roles in St. Elmo's Fire, Pretty In Pink, Weekend at Bernie’s and some of your favorite 80’s films, McCarthy has spent the last decade carving out a second act as a deeply introspective writer. His latest book, Who Needs Friends, documents a 10,000-mile solo road trip across America, where he spoke with strangers—from cowboys to cops—to explore the often unspoken realities of male friendship.

The conversation dives into why men struggle with vulnerability, how friendships evolve (or fade) over time, and what happens when a life in Hollywood gives way to a quieter, more reflective creative path. McCarthy also opens up about the complicated legacy of the Brat Pack, the loneliness of the open road, and the surprising honesty he found in conversations with strangers.

Our conversation with Andrew is a thoughtful look at connection in modern life—and a reminder that it’s never too late to redefine who you are.

Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1

Purchase Who Needs Friends by Andrew McCarthy

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/andrew-mccarthy/who-needs-friends/9781538768945/

HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.hi1k.com/⁠⁠⁠

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: [email protected]

⁠⁠⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://justinjay.com/

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This episode we sit down for a chat with Posdnuos AKA Plug One, a founding member of one of the most influential and acclaimed groups in hip-hop history - De La Soul.

For years, De La Soul’s music was caught in a complicated web of licensing issues and corporate politics, leaving their catalog unavailable on streaming platforms and out of reach for an entire generation of listeners. Now, nearly three decades after their groundbreaking debut Three Feet High and Rising, their full body of work is finally accessible again—sparking a long-overdue rediscovery.

We discuss Cabin in the Sky, the group’s first release following the 2023 passing of friend and bandmate Dave Jolicoeur AKA Trugoy the Dove. Pos reflects on the group’s commitment to honoring Dave’s legacy while continuing forward.

Pos also talks about navigating grief, the decision to carry on as De La Soul, and the defining “Beat Street moment” that reframed loss into purpose. He also reflects on the long fight to reclaim their catalog and the frustration of being absent from the streaming era.

From cassette tapes and crate-digging to algorithms and viral discovery, this episode is a deep look at legacy, artistry, and staying true to the music across decades of change.

Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1

HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay:

⁠⁠https://www.hi1k.com/⁠⁠

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: [email protected]

⁠⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://justinjay.com/

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Michael “Kaves” McLeer is a Brooklyn-born painter, recording artist, graffiti artist, author, tattoo artist and creator of Brooklyn Pop - an astounding immersive experience celebrating the borough of Brooklyn. The installation features hip-hop memorabilia, graffiti, movie collectibles, historical artifacts, and personal items celebrating the neighborhood that shaped him.

In this episode we discuss his path from the proverbial wrong side of the tracks in Bay Ridge, to becoming a renowned graffiti writer and founder of the rap/punk rock group Lordz of Brooklyn. We also chat about the neighborhood gangsters growing up, why free Adidas tracks suits sometimes fell from the sky above Verranzano Bridge, and how Brooklyn based movies and television like The Warriors, Saturday Night Fever and Welcome Back Kotter played a key role in developing self-identity and career goals. 

Throughout his career he’s designed exclusive visuals for Audemars Piguet, Jaguar, NIKE, Rockstar Games, WWE, MTV, ADIDAS, Van’s Warped Tour, and created logos & graphics for world-renowned artists such as the Beastie Boys and Metallica.

Kaves' energy and thirst for creative expression took him to the world of acting and filmmaking. In 2006, Kaves created, produced and directed The Brooklyn Way, a multi-episode docu-series about his family’s life. From 2011 to the present day, Kaves has been featured in short and feature films including The Many Saints of Newark, Gravesend, The Humdinger, Star and The Eulogy.

The Brooklyn Pop interactive installation is open to the pubic at Industry City. See link below for details.

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: [email protected]

⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠

⁠https://justinjay.com/⁠

HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay:

⁠https://www.hi1k.com/⁠

Brooklyn Pop

⁠https://thebrooklynpop.com/⁠

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Arto Saari is a Finnish professional skateboarder and photographer. He is one of only two Europeans to ever win Thrasher Magazine’s prestigious Skater of the Year award, and he's one of the most respected and influential skaters of his generation.

Arto built his legacy through groundbreaking video parts and endured numerous brutal injuries along the way. Eventually, he transitioned from professional skating to pursue his passion for photography. His recently released book, Bike Path, intimately captures the vibrant culture and community of Hawaii’s North Shore.

In this episode, we dive into the contrasts between skateboarding and surfing culture, we dig into the complex interplay of pain, injury, substance abuse, and addictive personalities in skateboarding, and we discuss the challenging path many pro skaters face as they navigate life beyond their skating careers

Bike Path by Arto Saari:

⁠https://www.artosaari.com/bikepath-book⁠

Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1

HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay:

⁠https://www.hi1k.com/⁠

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: [email protected]

⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠

⁠https://justinjay.com/

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The Plug w/ Justin Jay is proud to announce a collaboration with Monster Children — the independent art and media platform that has been shaping taste for over two decades. I

For the next several weeks, Monster Children will be presenting a curated series of encore episodes of The Plug across their website and social channels.

To kick things off, we sit down with Editor-in-Chief Naz Kawakami to discuss how a scrappy Australian print title built a global audience without losing its point of view. We'll explore the tension between print and digital media, why some stories are too meaningful to be reduced to a digital scroll, and how imperfection can serve as proof that something is real.

Be on the lookout for new episodes here in the weeks ahead, and revisit some of our favorite conversations — including Stacy Peralta, Arto Saari, Tom Sachs, and more — at monsterchildren.com and on Instagram at @monsterchildren and @nazkawakami

Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: theplugpodcast.jj(AT)gmail.com

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Jay Glennie is the author of The Making of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie, the film has cemented itself as one of Tarantino’s most personal and meticulously constructed works—every prop, location, costume, and needle drop carefully chosen to reconstruct a disappearing version of Los Angeles.

Glennie was granted rare access to document how that world came together. Drawing from more than sixty interviews with Quentin Tarantino, the cast, and key members of the crew—alongside extensive on-set photography and original production materials—the book goes far beyond a visual companion or standard oral history.

It examines the creative decisions, near-misses, and practical realities behind the film: how iconic moments were shaped, which sequences almost didn’t happen, and why certain choices mattered to Tarantino on a deeply personal level.

For anyone interested in how great films are actually made, this episode offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the decisions, accidents, and creative obsessions behind this modern classic, told by the only writer granted unparalleled access to Tarantino’s creative process.

Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: theplugpodcast.jj(AT)gmail.com

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://justinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hi1k.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this encore episode, we revisit our conversation with Luxxury—music producer and co-host of the hit podcast One Song.

Each week on their podcast One Song, Luxxury and his co-host Diallo Riddle take a deep dive into a single classic song, and explore the inspirations and specific production techniques that make the track unique. By playing rare, isolated vocal and instrumental stems, they give listeners the chance to rediscover familiar songs, revealing details and textures often hidden in the full mix.

So what is the difference between sampling, interpolation, and outright plagiarism? Why is the Jamaican concept of copyright, creatively and the ownership of music almost completely opposite of the way we think of it in the US? 

Why is it now legally risky to use the overall vibe and arrangements of a Marvin Gaye track as inspiration for your own song? We’ll find out as we sit down for a chat with someone who blends technology with his passion for music history to shed new light on your favorite songs. 

00:00 — How Stems Change the Way We Hear Music
00:55 — The History of Sampling in Hip-Hop
01:23 — Luxxury Explains the One Song Podcast
01:52 — Sampling vs Interpolation vs Plagiarism
02:22 — Podcast Production: Research vs Improvisation
03:45 — Why Playing Music in Real Time Matters
05:11 — Music Stems Explained for Non-Musicians
08:01 — Where Do Producers Get Stems?
12:20 — AI Music, Stem Separation, and The Beatles
19:05 — Quincy Jones as a Music Producer
27:05 — Famous Examples of Interpolation in Pop Music
43:22 — Taylor Swift, Masters, and Music Ownership

Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: theplugpodcast.jj(AT)gmail.com

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://justinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hi1k.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MGMT are the musical duo of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, known for creating irresistibly catchy, genre-blurring music.

In this Encore Episode, we dive into how they continually push the boundaries of pop and indie music while still maintaining their unmistakable sound. We also discuss the politics of performing at Madison Square Garden, their unexpected rise to TikTok fame, and how their views on drugs have evolved since their debut album.

Since their time as art students in the early 2000s, they’ve released five studio albums, garnered critical acclaim, and cultivated a devoted fan base. Their newest album Loss of Life is available now.

Don’t miss this fascinating conversation with the artists behind the hits 'Kids' and 'Little Dark Age

00:00 MGMT on Pop Music vs. Experimentation

00:29 Welcome to The Plug w/ Justin Jay

01:03 Can AI Replace Human Songwriting?

01:59 Introducing MGMT & the Album Loss of Life

02:56 First Reactions to MGMT’s New Album Loss of Life

03:22 Post-Album Letdown & Choosing Not to Tour

05:47 Touring Burnout, Aging & Changing Priorities

07:39 Writing Catchy Pop Songs Without Compromise

10:04 Genre Labels, Adult Contemporary & Steely Dan Influence

13:24 MGMT Influences: Roxy Music, Prince & 80s Synth Pop

17:07 The Role of Producers & Working With Dave Fridmann

21:28 Music Videos, Self-Promotion & Streaming Economics

30:00 Drugs, Lyrics & Growing Older as a Band

31:56 Final Plugs, Artists to Support & Closing Thoughts

Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: theplugpodcast.jj(AT)gmail.com

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://justinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hi1k.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy Nicholson is the bassist and founding member of Arctic Monkeys. This episode he sits down for one of his most open and personal interviews yet. With the 20-year anniversary of Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not approaching, Andy reflects on the band’s explosive early years and the moments that shaped modern indie rock.

Andy shares the story behind his brand-new photography book, I Bet This Looks Good on Your Coffee Table, featuring rare and intimate behind-the-scenes photos from 2005–2007. From tiny Sheffield gigs to global fame, Andy captured the raw reality of life inside a band becoming a worldwide phenomenon.

In this episode:

• How Arctic Monkeys handled sudden fame

Whether you’re an Arctic Monkeys fan, a music-photography lover, or someone who lived through the 2000s indie rock era, this conversation offers rare insight from someone who was there for it all.

Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1

Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: theplugpodcast.jj(AT)gmail.com

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://justinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hi1k.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices