Songwriter Stephin Merritt on impermanence, organizing principles, and the art of constraints: Raised by a spiritually seeking mother, Merritt moved 33 times by age 22 and describes himself as a “hippie brat” who “never liked children—even as a child.” This sense of solitude shaped his singular voice as the creative force behind The Magnetic Fields, who are touring this year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their landmark triple album 69 Love Songs. 

In recent years, his productivity has slowed due to long COVID, a development he accepts with dark humor: “The gods have punished me for my dependence on inspiration by withdrawing it.” Here he reflects on creativity, aging, and songwriting, following a warm and revealing conversation with his longtime friend—and former personal assistant—bestselling author Emma Straub.

www.third-story.com www.leosidran.substack.com www.wbgo.org/podcast/the-third-story

For decades, Nels Cline carved out a career on the fringes of rock, jazz, and experimental music, balancing day jobs with an uncompromising artistic vision. Then, at nearly 50 years old, everything changed—he joined Wilco, bringing his avant-garde sensibilities into a beloved band and reaching a global audience. But Cline’s story isn’t one of sudden success; it’s about persistence, reinvention, and creative restlessness. In this episode, he reflects on his journey—from growing up in Los Angeles with his twin brother, drummer Alex Cline, to navigating the punk and avant-garde jazz scenes, to his latest album, Consentrik Quartet (Blue Note Records), which explores the tension between stillness and chaos, structure and improvisation. Cline speaks candidly about collaboration, musical identity, and the ever-evolving nature of his work, proving that there’s no single timeline for artistic success—only the drive to keep going.

www.third-story.com www.leosidran.substack.com https://www.wbgo.org/podcast/the-third-story

Twenty years ago, “Al otro lado del río" became the first Spanish-language song to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Written by Jorge Drexler in a single day while staying in Madison, Wisconsin, and recorded in a mix of home and studio settings, the song’s journey was as unexpected as its lyrics suggested.

Here we revisit that historic night through conversations with Jorge Drexler, Ana Laan, Amanda Sidran, Ben Sidran, and the song’s co-producer: me. From the song’s humble origins, its Oscar nomination, and the moment when Drexler—barred from performing his own song during the ceremony—made a quiet but profound statement by singing his acceptance speech a cappella.

The episode also looks at the aftermath: how the win transformed Drexler’s career, leading to 15 Latin Grammys and three Song of the Year awards by 2024, and how it marked a turning point for me, prompting me to move to New York and ultimately leading to the creation of The Third Story podcast.

But even in retelling the story, memory plays tricks—Jorge and I recall that night differently, highlighting a key theme of The Third Story: between every version of events, the truth always lies in the spaces between. This episode is an exploration of music, memory, and history—how a single event can reshape multiple lives in different ways.

www.third-story.com www.leosidran.substack.com

Steven Greenberg, the creative force behind the hit "Funkytown," on crafting one of the most enduring dance tracks of all time, bridging the transition from disco to synth-driven pop, and the discipline required to bring musical ideas to life in an era before digital shortcuts.

00:00 Intro 4:00 Magic Mind 5:42 Interview

www.third-story.com www.leosidran.substack.com www.wbgo.org/podcast/the-third-story

Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link: https://www.magicmind.com/LEOJAN #magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance

Drummer, producer, and composer Makaya McCraven, whose work bridges improvisation, production, and cultural synthesis, on rhythm, time, and the balance of tradition and innovation, plus his creative journey, from his roots in Northampton, Massachusetts, to his innovative projects like In The Moment and In These Times. This hybrid episode spanning interviews from 2022 and 2025 offers a deep dive into the mind of a true beat scientist.

www.third-story.com www.leosidran.substack.com https://www.wbgo.org/podcast/the-third-story

Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link: https://www.magicmind.com/LEOJAN #magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance

Throwback from 2018.

Mary Sweeney needs some air. “There has to be a flow of fast and slow, and a pause to allow the listener or the spectator to digest and to project their own thoughts.” She thinks I should leave more space in my podcasts, to let it breathe. She tells me this as we sit in the screened in porch behind her summer house in Madison, Wisconsin. As she tells me this, cicadas chirp loudly, as if to underscore her point: “Today’s episode will not be edited! You will not remove us from this moment!” 

Mary Sweeney should know. She spent much of her career as a film editor, producer and writer collaborating with David Lynch. Beginning in 1985 with Blue Velvet, and continuing through the 2006 film Inland Empire, her editing credits include Blue Velvet (1986), Wild at Heart (1990), Twin Peaks (1991), Industrial Symphony (1991), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992), On the Air (1992), Hotel Room(1993), Lost Highway (1996), The Straight Story (2000), Mulholland Drive (2001) and Baraboo (2009). The relationship with Lynch was productive, fruitful, and nuanced (the two were partners in work and in life for much of that time) and they have a son together. 

At the time of this interview, Mary was working as a consulting producer and writer on Matthew Weiner’s series for Amazon, The Romanoffs. She is the Dino and Martha De Laurentiis Endowed Professor of film at USC, where she teaches Graduate Screenwriting Thesis and “Dreams, The Brain and Storytelling.”

Before we had this conversation, Mary cheekily emailed me a list of topics that she would be happy to discuss. They included editing, producing, screenwriting, parenting, Paris, Cairo, pie baking, and the Catholic Church. Guess what we talked about? All of it. 

And we also talked at length about living and working in an intensely creative partnership with David Lynch for all those years (both personally and professionally), collaborating with one of the most innovative voices in film, and what’s so great about coming from a big family. Visit the Patreon Page for an extra 20 minutes of juicy conversation that didn’t make it into this edit.

Thanks for listening. 

ORIGINAL LINK: https://www.third-story.com/listen/marysweeney www.leosidran.substack.com https://www.patreon.com/c/thirdstorypodcast

In 2013, after having posted a series of videos recorded in his family home in North London of himself singing a cappella arrangements of classic - yet sometimes obscure - songs on YouTube, a critical mass began to form around Jacob Collier. 

His videos of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” and “Don’t You Worry Bout A Thing” were passed around by musicians and music enthusiasts and by 2014 he was being managed by Quincy Jones and traveling around the world.

He was one of the first career artists to emerge on YouTube. Jacob’s journey since then has been nothing short of extraordinary. Today, at 30 years old, with six Grammys, millions of fans, and collaborations ranging from Herbie Hancock to Chris Martin, his influence spans generations. His Djesse project—four albums in six years, exploring 50 songs and countless collaborations —represents not just his creativity but his ability to bring others into his world. From arenas to intimate collaborations, Jacob Collier is now a fact of musical life.

Yet, he remains tied to his roots: the small room in his mother’s house where it all began. His first album, In My Room, was both a tribute to that space and a manifesto for his artistic philosophy.

Before his star had really begun to rise, I met with Collier in late 2014. He invited me to his family home in North London, where his mother greeted me with tea and cookies while he returned from university. When we finally sat down in his music room to talk, his brilliance was immediately apparent. He spoke about sound with sensitivity and clarity, blending perfect pitch, synesthesia, and a boundless curiosity. He was still a kid, but one with an expansive vision.

That conversation remains a revelation. It captured a young artist at the cusp of greatness. It is also the first interview of its kind that exists with the extraordinary artist .

Ten years after that first interview, I’m reminded why I started this podcast: to capture history as it’s being made. Jacob Collier’s story is one of boundless curiosity and connection—a message in a bottle that changed the tide.

Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link: https://www.magicmind.com/LEOJAN

www.third-story.comwww.leosidran.substack.com

Pianists Aaron Parks and Marta Sanchez on how music has helped them navigate life's complexities. Aaron talks about his move to Portugal, the release of his latest album Little Big III, and how addressing mental health shaped his journey. Marta reflects on leaving Madrid for New York and the deeply personal inspiration behind her album Perpetual Void.

www.third-story.com www.leosidran.substack.com https://www.wbgo.org/podcast/the-third-story

Composer, pianist, vocalist, and multidisciplinary artist Samora Pinderhughes and drummer/producer Jack DeBoe on their long standing collaborative relationship, what happens when art confronts life’s heaviest themes, but the creators meet it with laughter, lightness, and trust. 

Captured at Winter Jazzfest in early 2024, Samora and Jack talk about the album Venus Smiles Not in the House of Tears, the transformative Healing Project, mental health, and how laughter becomes a tool of resilience in the face of struggle. It’s serious, it’s playful, and it’s deeply human.

https://www.third-story.comhttps://leosidran.substack.com

Allan Tannenbaum's career reads like a tapestry woven with history, art, and an extraordinary eye for the moment. From his serendipitous epiphany outside a post office in 1964 to becoming one of the most iconic photographers of his time. 

Starting with a handful of frames of Jimi Hendrix in the late 60s, Allan went on to chronicle the cultural pulse of 1970s New York as chief photographer for the SoHo Weekly News. He captured unforgettable images—Sid Vicious in handcuffs, Andy Warhol at Studio 54, Patti Smith, the Rolling Stones, John and Yoko, and many more.

In the 80s and 90s, he expanded his lens to the world stage, documenting moments of historical significance: the fall of the Berlin Wall, Operation Desert Storm, the Rwandan refugee crisis, and eventually the devastation of 9/11 just blocks from his Tribeca home.

Here he talks about his life behind the lens, the philosophy that guided him, and what it means to let "the work show you the way."

www.third-story.comwww.leosidran.substack.com https://www.wbgo.org/podcast/the-third-story www.sohoblues.com/