Sodajerker On Songwriting

Legendary songwriter, producer and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham joins Simon and Brian to discuss his fantastic self-titled new album, his Cubist approach to songwriting, and the art of the ‘Kevlar chorus'. During the chat, Lindsey touches on his work with Fleetwood Mac, standout tracks like 'Slow Dancing' and 'Holiday Road', and much more. This is a special moment for us, so thanks for listening!

Actor, writer and musician David Duchovny sits down with Sodajerker to discuss the writing of his third album Gestureland. David discusses the collaborative process, similarities with his work in other art forms, and why the recording is not the final word on a song.

Barenaked Ladies frontman Ed Robertson joins Simon and Brian to discuss the writing of the band's latest album Detour de Force as well as classic BNL songs like 'One Week'. In this wide-ranging chat, Ed talks about collaborating with the likes of Kevin Griffin and Donovan Woods, writing in his car, and taking inspiration from everyone from Howard Jones to Eminem.

Rising star Maisie Peters chats with Simon and Brian about the writing of her debut album You Signed Up For This. The singer-songwriter gives an in-depth account of her process and shares what it's like to collaborate with Ed Sheeran, the value of busking to her career, and the word she chose to remove from the song ‘Boy’.

Singer-songwriter Yola talks about the writing of her exciting new album Stand For Myself, collaborating with creative partners like Dan Auerbach and Natalie Hemby, and interacting with the Nashville writing culture.

Will Taylor and Nick Hill of Flyte take a deep dive into the creative process behind the band's excellent new album This Is Really Going To Hurt. The guys explain their approach to collaboration, the importance of simplicity and streamlining, and how songs can retrospectively take on greater significance.

Singer-songwriter MARINA breaks down the songwriting process behind her amazing new album Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land and songs from past eras. MARINA also talks about her experiences writing with teams like Stargate, how her fierce independence informs her creativity, and why it's important to take time out.

Singer-songwriter, musician, actor and podcaster Gary Kemp joins Simon and Brian for a chat about his exciting new album INSOLO, writing mega-hits like 'True', 'Gold' and 'Through The Barricades' for Spandau Ballet, and why he likes to write alone. Gary also shares his thoughts on writing from the head and the heart, the discipline of rhyming, and the importance of storytelling.

Laura Mvula discusses her sparkling new album Pink Noise, teasing out 80's influences, and pushing herself into new musical territories. The Birmingham-born artist shares insights into her career and creative process by talking about life after Sony, working with collaborators like Oli Rockberger, and challenging herself as a singer.

Sharleen Spiteri of Texas chats with Simon and Brian about the band's new album Hi. During the conversation, the singer and guitarist shares insights into her longtime writing partnership with Johnny McElhone, the writing of their many hits, collaborating with Wu-Tang Clan, and how her creativity is enlivened by having synesthesia.

The sensational St. Vincent joins Simon and Brian for a conversation about her fascinating new album Daddy's Home. During the chat, Annie talks about her approach to songwriting, collaborating with the likes of David Byrne and Jack Antonoff, her relationship with the guitar, and the place of music theory in her work.

The multi-talented Moby discusses his latest album Reprise, his love for bedroom studios, and why you'll never find him on holiday. The DJ, producer and songwriter also shares insights into his working routines, the writing of major albums like Play, and strategies for overcoming writer's block.

For this very special 200th episode, Simon and Brian revel in the boundless creativity of musician Jon Batiste. The Late Show bandleader joins Sodajerker from his piano to explain the writing process behind his life-affirming record We Are, how he understands music in terms of frequencies, and what he feels is his superpower as an artist.

Birdy joins Simon and Brian for a chat about her most personal album to date, Young Heart, the art of co-writing, and the influence of Joni Mitchell. Birdy also describes how she challenged herself by going to write in LA and Nashville, and how this helped her to develop her confidence and work through writer's block.

Singer-songwriter David Gray chats about his beautiful new album Skellig, the social and political leanings that underpin his music, and classic songs from his monumental hit White Ladder. David also remembers the time he spent in Liverpool as a young man and explains how his current lifestyle challenges his creativity.

Paul Smith and Duncan Lloyd of Maxïmo Park discuss their latest album Nature Always Wins and how they recorded the album remotely during lockdown. The pair provide an in-depth account of their creative process and how they strive to avoid clichés when writing about topics like childhood, parenting, ageing, and the social politics of tragedy.

Singer-songwriter and producer Róisín Murphy breaks down the creative processes behind her album Róisín Machine and explains how she develops tracks, lyrics and remixes across a range of electronic music styles. Róisín also talks about collaborators like Richard Barratt (DJ Parrot/Crooked Man) and Eddie Stevens, and her hits for Moloko created with Mark Brydon.

One of our all-time favourite guests, singer-songwriter and producer Mike Viola returns to the podcast to discuss his fantastic new album Godmuffin. During the conversation, Mike explains how he makes time for creativity, how the past informs his present, and how he is coping with the loss of his friend Adam Schlesinger. Mike's first appearance on the show was in episode 20.

Distinguished songwriter and composer Nitin Sawhney shares insights into the writing of his latest album Immigrants, and its relationship to his acclaimed breakthrough Beyond Skin. During the chat, Nitin also talks about the poetry and mathematics of Indian classical music, collaborating with Paul McCartney, and how he has continued working during lockdown.

Enduring singer-songwriter Don McLean discusses the writing of songs from throughout his extraordinary career including 'American Pie', 'Vincent', 'Wonderful Baby', 'The Legend of Andrew McCrew', 'Prime Time', 'Sea Man' and 'When July Comes'. In the conversation, Don teases out the importance of artists like Fred Astaire, Bob Dylan and The Beatles, and explains why he wants to write songs that are useful to people.