Wheels Off with Rhett Miller

New York-based visual artist Ryan Cronin joins Rhett from Tambacounda, Senegal, where he is developing a collaboration with Tambacounda-based artist Saliou Diop. Ryan discusses how he got started as an artist, the creative process behind his work, and why a combination of patience and persistence leads to success. Later in the episode, Rhett is joined by Saliou Diop and his translator, who discuss Saliou’s creative approach and how a strong belief in the work helps him navigate any obstacles.

When people look at his work Cronin wants them to feel an immediate impact, even if they’re not sure what hit them. The raw, almost childlike appearance of his work belies his reflective underlying vision. He delights in unexpected or enigmatic juxtapositions in terms of both theme and placement and often brings a sense of humor to bear on troubling contemporary issues. This sensibility, combined with quick, instinctive brushstrokes and a vibrant palette, result in striking images that can simultaneously disturb and entertain.

Learn more about Ryan Cronin here and more about Saliou Diop here. The organization they are working with in Senegal is Le Korsa.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven.

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

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This week, we’re revisiting an episode with one of our favorite guests from 2021: New Orleans-based artist Ashley Longshore. Ashley recently created the album artwork for Rhett’s forthcoming solo record, The Misfit (used here in the episode graphic). The album drops on September 16, which makes it a perfect time to revisit Ashley's brilliant creative spirit.

Pre-order Rhett's new album, The Misfit, here.

“You could decide to start a creative journey or find yourself when you're sixty years old. I think that really happens when you decide you're going to be your own best friend and your own biggest cheerleader.” - Ashley Longshore

Pop artist Ashley Longshore joins Rhett in this episode to talk about growing up in Alabama, discovering her path and how she approaches the business side of being an artist. Ashley and Rhett talk about the things that inspire their work, and how to handle the fear and anxiety that comes with living a creative life.

Ashley Longshore is a New Orleans-based, self taught artist. She has built an empire in the art world and challenges the traditional business model of art galleries. As a powerhouse artist and pioneer in social media marketing, she has exploded into a global brand and uses her platform to encourage positivity and authenticity. Longshore aspires to “Have a career like Andy Warhol and leave a legacy like Peggy Guggenheim.” 

Upcoming episodes of Wheels Off include musician David Wax, composer/playwright Masi Asare, author Lily Brooks-Dalton, and more. 

Revisit Season One of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more. 

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted by Rhett Miller. Produced by Rhett Miller, Kirsten Cluthe, and Nick Ruffini. Editing by Matt Dwyer and Justin Thomas. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven.

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like this podcast, please leave us a rating or review on iTunes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Superstar producer, singer-songwriter, and guitarist Butch Walker joins Rhett from his studio in Nashville to talk about Glenn,  his new album centered around an alter ego who is a rock n roll balladeer. Butch tells Rhett about the moment when he decided to pursue a life in music, what it was like to perform in Atlanta clubs as a high schooler and the ups and downs of pursuing band life in L.A. Butch discusses his many successes and failures, how he manages anxiety, and why he thinks that right now is an exciting time to be in music. 

Singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Butch Walker was as a member of the bands SouthGang and The Marvelous 3. He has produced hit records by a staggering number of acclaimed artists including Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Pink, Katy Perry, Panic! At the Disco, Dashboard Confessional, Pete Yorn, Avril Lavigne and many others. Butch has been called “One of America’s best songwriters” by Rolling Stone. His latest album, Glenn, is available now.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Dave Simonett joins Rhett from Minneapolis to talk about the latest Trampled By Turtles record, which was produced by Jeff Tweedy. Dave explains his writing process, which is dictated by the seasons, the creative exercises he employs to get out of his comfort zone, and the magic that happens when someone is learning a song for the first time. Dave and Rhett discuss the importance of humanity in art and why adhering to a routine while on the road helps manage stress.

Listen to music from their forthcoming album, Alpenglow, here and pre-order it here.

Dave Simonett has spent almost two decades as the lead singer, guitar player and songwriter for the widely popular and beloved roots band, Trampled By Turtles. He also fronts Dead Man Winter, a bull-bodied, emotionally resonant brand of Americana-infused indie rock band. He now boldly steps forward with a shining collection of new solo material for the first time under his own name called Red Tail. While Dead Man Winter's Furnace was a much-needed cathartic experience for Simonett during a dark time, he is not connecting these songs on Red Tail to his own life as he prefers to allow listeners to develop their own interpretations. The conversational and poetic style in which Simonett writes lends itself to this perfectly, inspired by the spacious and stark Northern woods of Minnesota, where he's from. Drawing from the outdoors, Simonett uses light, weather and imagery to paint introspective, cinematic scenes that are easy to lose yourself in.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Legendary photographer Danny Clinch joins Rhett from his home on the Jersey Shore to share some stories from the early days of his career and the little moments that led to his status as one of the top rock photographers in the world. Danny talks about the growth of his gallery, Transparent Clinch, explains how he developed his distinctive style, and shares the story of shooting Bruce Springsteen for the cover of The Rising, then years later in New York for the cover of Letter To You.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

American Aquarium’s BJ Barham joins Rhett from Philadelphia while on tour to talk about their new record Chicamacomico, and what it feels like to finally be back out on the road. BJ discusses his songwriting process, music as a way to help people through trauma, and how he turns negativity into a creative superpower. 

North Carolina alt-country outfit American Aquarium rose to prominence in the late 2000s with a sound that mixed twang, grit, and some straight-ahead rock & roll. Focused around the songs of frontman B.J. Barham, the group had already recorded four records and gone on countless tours before finding more widespread acclaim with 2012's Burn.Flicker.Die. Over the years, Barham has retooled his lineup a number of times and became more politically outspoken on later releases like 2020's poetic Lamentations. In 2021, the band offered up a two-volume covers project of '90s/early-2000s country songs under the title Slappers, Bangers, and Certified Twangers, before returning to studio and completing their latest album, 2022's Chicamacomico.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Pulitzer-prize winning author Jennifer Egan joins Rhett for an enlightening conversation about writing and making art. Jennifer shares useful insight on how she works, explains why reading aloud helps her understand a story better, and discusses the role that genre plays in her writing. She and Rhett talk about the importance of persistence and why trial and error is a great tool for creativity. Jennifer also gives us a preview of ideas she’s kicking around for future projects.

Her new book, The Candy House, is available now.

Jennifer Egan is the author of several novels and a short story collection. Her 2017 novel, Manhattan Beach, a New York Times bestseller, was awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and was chosen as New York City’s One Book One New York read. Her previous novel, A Visit From the Goon Squad, won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Los Angeles Times book prize, and was recently named one of the best books of the decade by Time Magazine and Entertainment Weekly. Also a journalist, she has written frequently in the New York Times Magazine, and she recently completed a term as President of PEN America. Her new novel, The Candy House, a sibling to A Visit From the Goon Squad, was published in April, 2022.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Craig Finn is a Minnesota-bred singer/songwriter based in New York City, best known as the singer of The Hold Steady. He joins Rhett to talk about his podcast, That’s How I Remember It, which is about the connection between memory and creativity. Craig and Rhett discuss the inspiration behind the podcast as well as Craig’s songwriting process, the importance of a band’s first record, and why he feels that albums have ‘seasons’. Craig shares the tricks he uses every day to dispel anxiety, depression, and remove any self generated obstacles. 

Finn spent the ’90's leading Minneapolis indie band Lifter Puller, which released 3 albums and an EP. After relocating to New York, he joined with Lifter Puller member Tad Kubler to form The Hold Steady in 2003. The Hold Steady quickly achieved critical acclaim and a worldwide fanbase with their unique pairing of dense lyrical narratives with big rock guitars. Pitchfork has described Finn as “a born storyteller, who has chosen rock as his medium.” When performing his solo material live, Craig Finn is joined by a dynamic group of musicians called The Uptown Controllers.

Craig’s latest album, A Legacy Of Rentals, is available now.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Taylor Goldsmith joins Rhett from his home in Pasadena, CA to discuss the making of Dawes’ new album and the challenges of pushing himself and the band artistically to create something new. Taylor explains why he doesn’t adhere to the ‘rules’ of the music business when it comes to songwriting, how he pushes through negativity, and shares the insight he would give to his 21-year old self.

Taylor Goldsmith is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He is the frontman for the band Dawes, which he formed with his younger brother in 2009. Taylor has also been involved in several side projects over the years, including Middle Brother (2010) and New Basement Tapes (2014), and performed as a session artist for singers including Jackson Browne, John Fogerty and more.

“Misadventures of Doomscroller”, the new album from Dawes, will be released this month.

And, don't miss Rhett's new single "Follow You Home".

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Richard Edwards is a producer, mixologist, and musician who has been making music professionally for over 15 years. In this episode, Richard discusses the many projects he’s working on, including a new album and a book. Richard and Rhett talk about the challenges of being an independent artist, how the marketing and consumption of music has changed and Richard recalls his early ambition to be a director. He shares the story of the promoter in New York City who gave him the confidence to pursue his career, and why being a parent ‘resides comfortably’ next to his identity as a songwriter.

Much of Richard’s music was made under the stage name of Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, but in 2017 he released his first solo album, Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset. At the height of the pandemic, he released a new solo album, The Soft Ache and the Moon, a piano-driven collection of songs that he describes as the third in a trilogy (after 2017’s Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset and 2018’s Verdugo). His latest release, Richard Edwards Sings the Margot & Nuclear so and so’s Songbook in Quarantine (Vol 2) is available now.

Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Matt Dwyer. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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