Kyle Meredith With...

In this long-lost 2016 conversation, legendary Warner Bros. Records president Lenny Waronker walks Kyle Meredith through the iconic Burbank offices (now shuttered), sharing candid stories about signing Prince, nearly passing on “Wicked Game,” quietly acquiring Tom Petty, and what made the label — and its artists — so visionary. Listen now.Waronker reflects on his early studio days, the genius of Prince’s bassless “When Doves Cry,” the Black Album saga, and how letting artists lead was always the secret sauce. From Randy Newman to Chris Isaak to Bat-era Kim Basinger moans, it’s a masterclass in music history told from one of its most influential behind-the-scenes architects.Listen to Lenny Waronke chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcirc

John Densmore has spent 60 years drumming in the shadow of both jazz greats and one very poetic lizard king, and has lived to talk about it. In this chat, he joins Kyle to dig into The Doors’ ongoing live album series, the hypnotic pulse of “Riders on the Storm,” and having a front row seat to Ray Manzarek’s insane two-handed abilities. Listen now.He also shares how the band’s improvisational wizardry worked in real time — like jamming out "The End" while Jim Morrison free-associated poetry about familial homicide — and reflects on playing “WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)” live at a recent Whiskey a Go Go gig, which ended with his thumb staging a minor protest. There’s talk of Coltrane outtakes, Miles Davis, and even a Chuck D collaboration.And if you’re one of those fans who think the magic died in a Paris bathtub, Densmore kindly reminds you there were twopost-Jim albums. Not that they’ll be staging a reunion tour, but Robby Krieger is currently playing entire Doors albums live, and Densmore occ

Hannah John-Kamen returns to the MCU in Thunderbolts*, reprising her role as Ghost — a character who’s now less flickery rage-machine, more emotionally self-aware loner with sarcasm issues. The film trades in the usual spandex-and-quips formula for something darker: guilt, depression, shame, and what happens when the Avengers forget your name. It’s a Marvel movie by way of group therapy, and she’s here for it. The actress spoke with Kyle Meredith all about it, and you can listen to the conversation now.John-Kamen breaks down how Ghost has evolved — more control, a cooler suit, and a lot less murder-y panic. She didn’t bother rewatching 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp, choosing instead to reenter the role like a totally different person, because, well, Ghost is a totally different person now. There’s also some talk about finding British sarcasm in the middle of emotional trauma, improv sessions with Wyatt Russell and Florence Pugh, and the existential experience of filming a Marvel movie that isn’t just a CGI

Gene Simmons returns to Kyle Meredith With… to celebrate the 50th anniversary of KISS’s Dressed to Kill, the album that gave us the studio version of “Rock and Roll All Nite”—which, according to Gene, may or may not qualify as a hit depending on your definition of the word. Listen now.Simmons reflects on the bands origins as four “unqualified” New Yorkers in makeup and heels who somehow ended up headlining stadiums. He also talks about life after the “final” KISS tour, which includes his new film production company (including working on a new movie with Bella Thorne and Mel Gibson), restaurants, vodka brand, and whatever else you can slap a Moneybag™ on. He’ll also return to Vegas with KISS later this year — not in makeup — for a KISS Army celebration.As always, Gene has opinions. On streaming: it ruined music ("Where's the new Beatles? Where's Elvis?"). On critics: they’re talentless ("...They don't really wanna work for a living, but they can't play instruments and have no talent

Turns out when your bounty hunter comes back from the dead, he brings a six-string and a record deal. Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Nettles join Kyle Meredith to talk about The Bondsman, their new horror-but-make-it-heartfelt Prime Video series with a twangy demonic twist. They break down how the show’s rootsy, Appalachian world inspired them to co-write a full album (Hell and Back) in character—a rarity in a TV landscape filled with music supervisors but not many actual songwriters. They get into why Nettles turned down every “musician role” for a decade until now, why Bacon insisted they reject any songs that didn’t meet the bar, and how they ended up cutting multiple tracks anyway for a record that lives on its own outside the show. Plus: songwriting via voice notes, why more actors don’t do this, and how their duet “Hell and Back” came together like a Johnny & June fever dream in a haunted holler.Listen to Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Nettles chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the

What took four years, required a personal crisis of confidence, and started as a riff about “coronavirus”? The Butter Miracle: The Complete Sweets, apparently. Kyle Meredith sits down with Adam Duritz—who’s somehow still underrating “Einstein on the Beach”—to talk about finally releasing Butter Miracle, rewriting half the songs from scratch, and confronting the weird pressure of accidentally writing a perfect five-song rock record. Duritz opens up about unfinished Counting Crows songs (“Marjorie,” “Shallow Days”), finding personal connection in characters like Bobby, Elizabeth, and Maria, and how “Boxcars” began with a glam-Zeppelin riff screamed around the house mid-lockdown. He also shares why the band never put out a B-sides compilation (spoiler: tape machines and poor planning) why This Desert Life might secretly be everyone’s favorite, and when we could see more of their earlier albums on vinyl.Listen to Adam Duritz chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review

This time on Kyle Meredith With…, it’s a double bill of the most cerebral funk you’ve ever danced to, featuring none other than Talking Heads’ David Byrne & Jerry Harrison. Listen to these archival interviews now.Byrne is the platonic ideal of the quirky frontmen, the king of the oversized suit, and the only guy who can make anxiety sound like a party trick. Whether he’s turning nervous tics into chart-topping hits with Talking Heads, penning essays on music theory, or staging Broadway shows about joy, he’s always had one foot in genius and the other in 'what even is this?'And then there’s Jerry Harrison – the Harvard-educated keyboardist/guitarist who somehow managed to be the coolest nerd in one of the coolest bands of the ’70s and ’80s. Before Talking Heads, he was in The Modern Lovers with Jonathan Richman, which is like indie rock’s version of being in a garage band with Zeus. Together, they helped turn new wave into an art form you could groove to.Listen to Talking Heads’ David Byrne & J

Don Felder has spent the last five decades shaping the sound of classic rock — most famously as the guitar maestro behind The Eagles’ “Hotel California.” Now, he’s cracking open The Vault: 50 Years of Music, a new album that pulls from demos and song ideas dating back to 1974, when Felder first joined the Eagles. Listen now.In this interview with Kyle Meredith, Felder discusses how he unearthed forgotten gems from a long-abandoned storage unit, reworking early sketches like “Move On” and giving old favorites like “Heavy Metal” a modern punch. He reflects on his Florida roots, learning slide guitar from Duane Allman, and how those early influences still shape his playing today.Elsewhere, Felder discusses his commitment to keeping his voice and guitar chops sharp (“I will never let myself be disappointing”), and fronting most of Toto on this new record. Plus, with a summer tour alongside Styx and Kevin Cronin on the horizon (get tickets here), Felder is showing no signs of slowing down.Listen to Don Felder chat

This archive episode from Kyle Meredith With… features two guests with wildly different claims to rock legacy. One helped define it, and one is currently protecting it: Ian Paice of Deep Purple and Jean Fogelberg. Listen to their interviews now.First up is Ian Paice, the last original member still keeping Deep Purple in the game over 50 years later. As the drummer behind “Smoke on the Water,” he’s one of the few humans whose tom fills have been played in every Guitar Center across America. But don’t let the legacy trap fool you, Paice is still bashing away with precision, fire, and probably a little tinnitus. Then, there’s Jean Fogelberg, widow of Dan Fogelberg who’s now taken on the role of curator, historian, and gentle myth-buster for one of soft rock’s most earnest voices. Jean’s been instrumental in keeping Dan’s memory alive through reissues, tributes, and some welcome reminders that sincerity isn’t a crime. One’s still writing the story, the other’s preserving the footnotes — and both have something to

You know Lizzy Greene from her Nickelodeon days (Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn), or more recently from A Million Little Things. Now, she’s stepping into a pair of dusty boots for Netflix’s Ransom Canyon, a Western drama where she plays Lauren Brigman, the small-town Texas sheriff’s daughter with big dreams of escape.The role is something of a full-circle moment for the Dallas native, who brought her own background in horseback riding and cheerleading to the role (with a detour to the ER after a Looney Tunes-style knee fracture during rehearsals). Greene opens up to Kyle Meredith about how growing up in Texas helped her find her way into Lauren’s world — even if it meant freezing in the Albuquerque snow and bonding with castmates over cow manure during “cowboy camp.”Greene also discusses her emo-punk side (she’s a huge fan of The Cure and The Smiths), her reunion with co-star Garrett Wareing in the upcoming Sweating the Small Stuff, and why Jose Gonzalez’s "Teardrop" cover in the show nearly made her

On this pair of archive interviews from Kyle Meredith With…, dive into the world of one of the most successful duos in music history: Daryl Hall and John Oates. One’s a blue-eyed soul pioneer with a voice built to cut through FM static. The other’s a mustachioed master of melodic restraint. Together, they blurred the lines between rock, R&B, and pop — then turned that blur into decades-long chart domination. We look back at a two interviews, one with Oates in 2018 regarding a solo album and the final Hall & Oates single, and another with Hall from 2022 in which he discusses teaming up with Robert Fripp, Todd Rundgren, and Eurythmics' Dave Stewart.Listen to Daryl Hall and John Oates chat about all this and more and please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Justin Vernon joins Kyle Meredith With… to dive into SABLE, fABLE, Bon Iver’s latest and most rootsy record in years. But don’t call it a pivot — Vernon says it’s more about clarity than change. “Less mystery, more humanity,” he explains, crediting the song “Everything Is Peaceful Love” as the emotional and sonic compass for an album that tracks a "Man in black in a cabin, making the choice to change his life.” Listen now.Vernon discusses the cinematic quality and "visual story" of the songs, the subconscious as his favorite collaborator, and how the album helped stitch him back together after a tough chapter. We also hear about the influence of Rickie Lee Jones (“The Horses” is his second favorite song of all time), why the band hasn’t played “Exile” without Taylor Swift (“It’s her song”), and what it was like getting snowed in with Danielle Haim ("She's one of my favorite people ever") during recording.We also dig back into Bon Iver lore to reflect on that cover of The Outfield's

On this Rewind episode of Kyle Meredith with..., Sarah McLachlan & Tracey Thorn: two voices that helped define the emotional landscape of the ’90s—and did it on their own terms. McLachlan, with her soaring melodies and introspective songwriting, built a legacy of haunting beauty, activism, and Lilith Fair defiance. Thorn, as half of Everything But the Girl and a solo artist in her own right, turned quiet vulnerability into pop brilliance with a voice that could break your heart in one line. Different sounds, same fearless spirit. Kyle Meredith talks with both about their music, impact, and what keeps them both at the center of the conversation decades later.Listen to Sarah McLachlan & Tracey Thorn chat about all this and more and please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/priv

A cassette from 1977. A decades-long jam session. A surprise Record Store Day release. Leave it to Jeff Bridges to casually drop one of the year’s coolest archival albums with Slow Magic 1977–1978, recorded with his friends and forgotten until now. He chats with Kyle Meredith about the magic of imperfection, the Wednesday night jams that forbade actual songs, and why it took some coaxing to bring this to the surface. We also go deep on his love of poetry, his accidental collaboration with Burgess Meredith (no relation to Kyle), and his dream of writing a King Kong sequel involving aliens and oil blood. Seriously. He even drops gems about Dylan, Crazy Heart, The Old Man, Tron, and that upcoming Terry Gilliam movie.Listen to Jeff Bridges t chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/br

Finn Cole survived the brutal world of Peaky Blinders as Michael Gray, only to take on the ultimate survival story in Last Breath. Playing real-life diver Chris Lemons, he faces being stranded 200 feet underwater with just minutes of oxygen, while Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu race to save him. Turns out filming underwater is just as stressful as it sounds—minus the occasional dance break to Underworld’s “Born Slippy.” As for his Peaky Blinders arc, Cole tells Kyle Meredith that it was tough seeing Michael turn villainous, but ultimately felt grateful for the challenge of playing an antagonist in such an iconic show. It might have broken some fans’ hearts (and probably got him yelled at in public), but Finn’s made his peace with it. Oh, and he’s got his eye on playing singer-songwriter John Martyn one day—if he can manage to master guitar well enough to do the folk legend justice.Listen to Finn Cole chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW 

Michael McDonald’s back with the Doobie Brothers, because one reunion tour wasn’t enough. Their new album Walk This Road marks his first studio outing with them since 1980, and they’re even throwing in a little accordion action just to keep us on our toes. Turns out, it’s not easy to pick up a new instrument at 70—who knew? Michael joins Kyle Meredith to dive into the magic of getting the band back together, writing with Tom Johnson and Patrick Simmons, and why the Yacht Rock label just won’t die (even if half the band wishes it would).Listen to Michael McDonald chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Read lessAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Who knew that revisiting your childhood dreams could involve bucket lists, awkward basketball lessons with Patrick Ewing, and the accidental outing of a secret novelist? Sofia Carson (Carry-On, The Descendants), Kyle Allen (West Side Story, American Horror Story: Apocalypse), and Sebastian de Souza (The Great, Medici: Masters of Florence) chat about their new Netflix movie The Life List, where Carson’s character, Alex, tackles her mom’s posthumous list of dreams. Spoiler: it’s not all tears and tissues—it’s surprisingly funny, even when Carson’s struggling to shoot hoops with an NBA legend. Oh, and did we mention the mom is played by Connie Britton? Yeah, that Connie Britton. Also, fun fact: de Souza wrote a whole damn novel and is way too humble about it. Plus, Carson rocks some killer Sonic Youth and Wet Leg tees throughout the movie.Listen to Sofia Carson, Kyle Allen, & Sebastian de Souza chat about all this and more. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podc

From playing a wannabe rock star in Killing Bono to actually becoming one, Ben Barnes has taken the long road to his debut album, Where the Light Gets In. He talks with Kyle Meredith about his first full-blown tour, the soul and storytelling behind his music, and whether he still Googles his own lyrics to make sure he didn’t accidentally steal them. Oh, and he drops a Dickens reference because, of course, he does. Plus, he reflects on playing The Punisher’s villain, stepping into the world of Stephen King’s The Institute, and how Almost Famous totally lied about tour life.Listen to Ben Barnes chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this Rewind episode of Kyle Meredith with..., listen to throwback interviews with Talib Kweli and Peaches -- two artists who couldn’t be more different on paper, yet both built careers on defying expectations. Kweli, one of hip-hop’s sharpest lyricists, has spent decades balancing conscious rap with undeniable flow, both in Black Star and with his great solo catalog. Meanwhile, Peaches took electroclash, punk attitude, and pure sexual liberation and turned it into a movement, proving that provocation can be just as powerful as poetry along the way. Both are innovators, disruptors, and fiercely independent voices. Kyle Meredith takes us back to his interviews with the pair of legendary artists in this special Rewind episode.Listen to Talib Kweli and Peaches chat about all this and more. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/bra

Kyle Meredith sat down with Hamilton Leithauser to talk about his first solo album in five years, This Side of the Island, a record that took a full decade to finish. Listen now.The album leans into a more danceable, groove-heavy sound — something Leithauser credits to years of listening to his daughters’ pop playlists, including Chappell Roan and Charlie XCX. “Maybe I just wanted to make something they’d actually listen to," he says.Of course, This Side of the Island comes on the heels of The Walkmen’s reunion tour, which he says was never about a full comeback. “It was supposed to be five shows, then we kept saying yes. But as for a new record? Not happening.” Now, Leithauser is taking his own rock 'n' roll cabaret-style show on the road, including his seventh residency at New York’s Carlyle Hotel (currently ongoing) and a summer tour with Father John Misty and Lucinda Williams. Get tickets here.Listen to Hamilton Leithauser chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the ti