Matt Berninger

Today we have part two of our run of interviews with The National in celebration of their new album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. Last week Broken Producer producer Leah Rose talked to guitarist and composer Aaron Dessner, and today Leah picks up the conversation with the band’s lead singer, Matt Berninger. Matt, whose fear and anxiety are often on full display in his songwriting, talks about overcoming a debilitating bout of depression in the period before he started writing songs for the new album. He also explains how the combination of weed and iced tea help him spark creativity. And why he hopes his songwriting impresses Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Matt Berninger and The National HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Live episode with Jason Schwartzman and Matt Berninger discussing creativity, music, positive sentiment override, fear of ghosts, acting techniques, managing anxiety, art's impact, evolving lyrics, resonating songs, trauma and mindfulness, and expressing gratitude.

Matt Berninger, lead singer of indie rock band The National, discusses the unglamorous reality of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle and the creative challenges posed by the pandemic. He laments the pressures of ego and explores how collaboration fuels artistic growth. Berninger shares insights on embracing emotional depth while navigating self-awareness, reflecting on his journey from advertising to music. He highlights the importance of risk-taking in evolution and authenticity, making a case for emotional processing as essential in art.

Mike Birbiglia is joined by Matt Berninger, Carin Besser, and J. Hope Stein for a creative double date. They discuss the challenges of collaborating as married couples, the frustrations of medical misdiagnoses, the consequences of sharing personal information, the dreamlike quality of Ronald Reagan Dreaming, and the importance of kindness and nonprofit projects.

The National formed in 1999. They've released six albums, and have been nominated for a grammy. Their music is everywhere from Game of Thrones, to Bob's Burgers, to Barack Obama's presidential campaign. In 2013 they released their sixth album, Trouble Will Find Me, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts. The band is made up of singer Matt Berninger along with two sets of brothers: guitarists Bryce and Aaron Dessner, who are twins, and Brian and Scott Devendorf, who play drums and bass, respectively. In this episode, Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner break down "Sea of Love," a song that they co-wrote. You'll hear how it went from Aaron's original guitar demo to a densely layered recording with contributions from their bandmates and others, and they'll talk about how collaboration is an intrinsic part of their process and their band identity. songexploder.net/the-national