THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST

EP.220 - FRED ARMISEN

Feb 18, 2024

Fred Armisen shares hotel hacks, insights from hanging out with David Bowie's producer, and nerdy facts from David Byrne. They discuss Talking Heads, Paul McCartney, Portlandia sketches, SNL audition nerves, and New York accents.

01:11:25

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Episode guests

Fred Armisen

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Fred Armisen discusses his experiences meeting music legends like David Byrne, highlighting his passion for music and admiration for iconic musicians.

Fred Armisen showcases his talent for capturing accents and sound effects, revealing his comedic prowess in imitating various speech patterns and creating unique effects.

Fred Armisen shares his admiration for Paul McCartney, emphasizing the Beatles' enduring legacy and McCartney's down-to-earth demeanor, providing insight into their shared experiences as performers.

Deep dives

Fred Armisen talks about his career and collaborations

Fred Armisen discusses various aspects of his career, including his time on Saturday Night Live, working on Portlandia, and his collaborations with musicians like Carrie Brownstein and Bill Hader. He also touches on his love for music, his experiences meeting some of his musical heroes like David Byrne, and his own musical endeavors. Armisen shares insights into his creative process and the challenges of balancing music and comedy. Overall, the conversation provides a glimpse into Armisen's multifaceted career and his passion for artistic expression.

Introduction

5min

Exploring Music, Saturday Night Live, and Portlandia with Fred Armisen

2min

Hotel Room Lighting Hacks and A Memorable Show Experience in England

2min

Exploring Music, Comedy, and Perceptions in the Industry

12min

Exploring Music, Travel, and Identity

1min

Father's Job, Punk Band, and Hardcore Music

3min

Exploring Punk Sketch Origins

13min

Musing on Bird Motifs and Local Sourcing in Restaurants

13min

Exploring New York City Accents and Musical Parodies

13min

10.

Diverse Discussions: Musical Spoofs, Sketches, Journalism, and ICU Medicine

5min

11.

Grateful Farewell and Encouragement to Listeners

2min

Adam talks with American actor, comedian, voice artist, screenwriter, producer and musician Fred Armisen about hotel hacks, what Fred and Matt Berry learned when they hung out with David Bowie's producer Tony Visconti, the Stop Making Sense nerd fact David Byrne told Fred, how Adam could help Talking Heads get on better, why you can't beat Paul McCartney, why Fred wasn't nervous for his Saturday Night Live Audition, the Portlandia sketches that summed up the show best and Fred takes us on an accent tour of New York.

This conversation was recorded face-to-face in London on 25th November 2023.

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and conversation editing.

Podcast artwork by Helen Green

JIM DOWN - LIFE IN THE BALANCE (PAPERBACK) - 2023 (WATERSTONES)

RELATED LINKS

FRED ARMISEN BRITISH MUSIC PLAYLIST - 2023 (LINE OF BEST FIT WEBSITE)

DAVID BOWIE, BRIAN ENO AND TONY VISCONTI RECORD WARSZAWA (animated by Brothers McLeod) - 2013 (YOUTUBE)

BREAKING DOWN HEROES - TONY VISCONTI & ERIN TONKON (FROM MUSIC MOGULS: MASTERS OF POP, BCC) - 2016 (YOUTUBE)

MATT BERRY INTERVIEWS BRIAN ENO - 2018 (YOUTUBE)

PORTLANDIA - PUT A BIRD ON IT - 2011 (YOUTUBE)

PORTLANDIA - IN THE RESTAURANT - 2011 (YOUTUBE)

PORTLANDIA - WHICH BIN DOES IT GO IN - 2012 (YOUTUBE)