Transmissions

Transmissions :: Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords)


Listen Later

Welcome to the kick off of Transmissions' new season with your host, Jason P. Woodbury, after a wonderful summer mini-series from Tyler Wilcox, All One Song: A Neil Young Podcast.

We first encountered this week’s guest, New Zealand songwriter, actor, and composer Bret McKenzie, as one half of the indie pop/comedy duo Flight of the Conchords in the mid-2000s. But did you know that before that, he was a member of one of New Zealand’s most popular reggae party bands?

"Just for context, reggae music in New Zealand is kind of rock music in America or maybe even country," McKenzie says. "Outside Jamaica, New Zealand has the highest sales of Bob Marley records in the world. And it's the music you hear playing in the background when you're out."

Since then, he’s gone onto composer for film and TV projects like The Simpsons, The Muppets, Spongebob Squarepants, and more, and in 2022, he released Songs Without Jokes via Sub Pop Records. Inspired by vintage Los Angeles pop, the record showcased McKenzie sans obvious jokes, but not without levity and good humor. His new album, Freak Out City came out on August 15.

Bolstered by vintage electric piano and groovy and psychedelic touches, it finds McKenzie expanding his Nilsson-esque palette with touches of Steely Dan, JJ Cale, and Todd Rundgren. McKenzie joins us on Transmissions to discuss the rabbit holes of modern life, cutting the record with studio legends like Leland Sklar, the Conchords specific brand of comedy, and shares details about his proposed Emmet Otter reboot with Ed Helms.

We’re brought to you by Aquarium Drunkard, an independent music media crew headed by Justin Gage. Over at Aquarium Drunkard, you’ll gain access to 20 years of music writing, playlist, essays, mixtapes, radio special, podcasts, videos and more.

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

TransmissionsBy Aquarium Drunkard

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

231 ratings


More shows like Transmissions

View all
Sound Opinions by Sound Opinions

Sound Opinions

1,965 Listeners

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast by Marc Maron

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

29,607 Listeners

Kreative Kontrol by Vish Khanna / Entertainment One (eOne)

Kreative Kontrol

242 Listeners

Talkhouse Podcast by Talkhouse

Talkhouse Podcast

142 Listeners

Turned Out A Punk by Turned Out A Punk

Turned Out A Punk

1,020 Listeners

The Best Show with Tom Scharpling by Forever Dog

The Best Show with Tom Scharpling

2,490 Listeners

The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds by Nate Goyer, Record Collector, Music Fan, Vinyl Maniac

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

510 Listeners

Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker by Forever Dog

Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker

1,514 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

4,115 Listeners

Life of the Record by Life of the Record / Talkhouse

Life of the Record

213 Listeners

How Long Gone by Chris Black & Jason Stewart / Talkhouse

How Long Gone

931 Listeners

Jokermen by Jokermen

Jokermen

373 Listeners

GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST by Grateful Dead

GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST

2,182 Listeners

Indiecast by UPROXX

Indiecast

572 Listeners

That's How I Remember It by Craig Finn & Talkhouse

That's How I Remember It

146 Listeners