Kyle Meredith With...

Kyle Newacheck sat down with Kyle Meredith to talk about the long-awaited Happy Gilmore 2, which brings Adam Sandler’s hockey-stick-wielding everyman back to the green nearly 30 years after the original. The Workaholics alum and Murder Mystery director had the unenviable task of balancing nostalgia for one of the most quoted comedies of the ’90s with a modern polish. “It’s a comedy-first movie,” Newacheck explains. “There’s no genre overlay. It’s a family, fun, heartfelt comedy.” Listen to the episode now.Newacheck calls the original Happy Gilmore “a fantastic building” and compares the sequel to being asked to construct a new wing on an iconic house. “There’s already so much love baked in,” he says, but he knew he had a winner when he read the screenplay: “You can’t improv a good story -- this script had it. It made me feel something — not just the laughs, but the heart.” He also speaks about striking the balance between the '90s and now: “We’re smoother at filmmaking, sure. But I didn’t want to lose that looseness, that joy. I wanted people quoting this the same way they quoted Anchorman and Billy Madison.”Of course, part of the magic was bringing in new blood, including a surprisingly sharp performance from Bad Bunny. “Take one, I’m watching him thinking, ‘Wait — I believe this guy. Am I really feeling this much on take one?’” Newacheck recalls. “Bad Bunny is that good.”Listen to Kyle Newacheck chat about all this and more our 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

Michael Clifford is no stranger to arenas full of screaming fans as a member of 5 Seconds of Summer, but he’s now venturing into the uncharted territory of solo artistry with his debut album SIDEQUEST. The guitarist-turned-frontman caught up with Kyle Meredith to talk about how the record came to be, the joy and anxiety that came with doing it alone, and how becoming a father restructured his creative compass. Listen now.While SIDEQUEST is certainly a departure from 5SOS’s collective sound, Clifford doesn’t go full scorched earth. “My DNA is always going to be in there as this kid who grew up listening to emo,” he admits. But instead of banking on nostalgia, he chased something more elusive: the sensation of hearing something for the first time. “Watching my daughter discover things kind of unjaded me,” he says. “It made me want to inject that into my music.”That childlike unpredictability permeates SIDEQUEST, especially in songs like “Eclipse,” a chaotic but emotional finale that Clifford says is structured to mimic the rollercoaster of parenthood. “You don’t know the structure of the song,” he explains. He also breaks the fourth wall lyrically throughout the album, referencing his own fame and band history in ways that only he could: “Nobody else is gonna be able to say, ‘I’m the guy who caught fire with the colored hair in the band about underwear.’” No arguments there.Listen to Michael Clifford of 5 Seconds of Summer 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/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On the rewind episode of Kyle Meredith With.., hear from Caroline Polachek and Alison Goldfrapp — two vocalists who could probably sing a grocery list and still make it sound like avant-garde pop bliss.Polachek, formerly of Chairlift, has turned heartbreak and hyperpop into an art form, floating somewhere between baroque synths and Enya-core. Goldfrapp, meanwhile, has spent decades wrapping disco, glam, and electroclash into one shimmering Goldfrapp package. Lately, she’s stepped out solo just to remind us she can still make the dance floor melt. Expect stories of sonic reinvention, ghostly falsettos, and why "ethereal" is sometimes just another word for unstoppable.Listen to Caroline Polachek and Alison Goldfrapp 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/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Folds recently sat down with Kyle Meredith to talk about the complicated year that saw him record a stunning live album with the National Symphony Orchestra just before stepping down as Artistic Advisor for the Kennedy Center. Folds opens up about the importance of the Kennedy Center’s mission, how it connects communities beyond the stage, and why that made his exit during the Trump administration’s takeover so necessary. Listen now.Reflecting on the album, Folds calls it “an absolute honor” to record with the NSO, praising the room’s natural magic and the delicate work of mixer David Boucher. The album arrives like an act of resistance, beginning with “But Wait, There’s More,” which Folds says was born out of the absurdity of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference. “It felt so cynical at first, but I do still believe there’s more good than not,” he says.The conversation also dives deep into the vital role of public funding and arts institutions, and how Folds’ Kennedy Center series aimed to break down barriers and build trust between artists and audiences. “When you bring in people with something to say, the orchestra becomes part of telling that story,” he explains. “That mission — that trust — that’s what makes it special. When the mission’s broken, it all falls apart.” Folds remains hopeful that the simple act of gathering to experience art together is itself a form of resistance. “Maybe this wakes us up,” he says. “We’re all capable of anything — don’t do the bad stuff.”Listen to Ben Folds 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

For the fourth time around, Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, Malachi Barton, and Freya Skye sat down with Kyle Meredith to sink their teeth into Zombies 4, the latest chapter of Disney’s monster-mash musical saga. This time, Zed and Addison find themselves caught in the middle of a new supernatural rivalry — Daywalkers vs. Vampires — as they play camp counselors to Seabrook’s most fang-tastic new recruits. Listen to the episode now.Both Manheim and Donnelly have leveled up as executive producers on the film, and they’re more hands-on than ever. Meanwhile, newcomers Malachi Barton and Freya Skye came prepared for the monster mayhem, with Barton embracing a different kind of bloodsucker. “The whole writing team did such an amazing job of turning vampires into this fun-loving, friendly type of monster,” he said. Meanwhile, Skye studied up on the franchise’s style: “My way of studying was just watching the movies over and over… Zombies has such a distinctive feel to it.” Off-set, the cast bonded over music, game nights, and even boba-filled “blood fruits.”Listen to Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, Malachi Barton, and Freya Sky 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

Rhian Teasdale of Wet Leg catches up with Kyle Meredith to talk about the band’s wildly anticipated sophomore album, moisturizer. After riding the wave of their self-titled debut — and the indie smash “Chaise Longue” — the CoSigned band doubled down on what made them so joyously chaotic in the first place. Now a five-piece, they holed up in the countryside, turned off their phones, and let their oddball impulses thrive. Listen now.“A lot of it just came out of GarageBand bedroom demos the first time,” Teasdale says, reflecting on the shift from a duo to a collaborative project. “So it was the most natural thing to write the second record together. We just wanted to shut the world out and jam — the romantic version of a band you read about in music mags.” Those late-night jam sessions were fueled by repeat viewings of Aliens, Braveheart (“six times, but never the full movie!”) and cult fave Jennifer’s Body — which even inspired a song of its own.Teasdale gets real about the lyrical layers too, exploring love from a queer perspective for the first time. “Music is a self-indulgent beast, so I needed to write about being this deeply in love,” she explains. But that openness doesn’t mean she’s dropped the punk punchlines. “We still wanted songs that feel good to play live — that’s always the point.”Listen to Rhian Teasdale of Wet Leg chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Then, snag yourself tickets to Wet Leg's upcoming tour dates by heading here.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

Renée Elise Goldsberry sat down with Kyle Meredith to dive deep into her vibrant debut album, Who I Really Am. The Tony-winning powerhouse, best known for her role as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton, is proving she’s just as compelling behind a mic as she is on stage. Blending pop with the theatrical soul of Broadway, she's crafted a record that defies genre while still feeling timeless. Listen now.Of course, Hamilton remains a cherished chapter. She revisited “Satisfied” for the album and recently reunited with the original cast for the Tony Awards. “We’re ridiculously silly when we’re together,” she admits. “It’s love all over the room.” Meanwhile, her other family, the Girls5eva crew, might still have more stories to tell. “I dream we’ll be back in 10 years, dressing alike, singing harmony, taking over malls that probably won’t exist,” she jokes.Listen to Renée Elise Goldsberry 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

Lucy Dacus sits down with Kyle Meredith to discuss her latests solo record, Forever Is a Feeling. The singer-songwriter unpacks the new album’s lush poetry, the angelic iconography behind its cover, and the raw intimacy of performing in churches and museums. Listen now.Touring behind the new record (get tickets here!), Dacus found herself gravitating towards sanctuaries both literal and spiritual. “Places like that always feel super reverent whether or not you’re religious,” she says of the cathedrals and churches she’s played in. “They inspire a quietness and an introspection that I really like.” That same thoughtful hush permeates Forever is a Feeling, an album that glides between dreamlike atmospheres and confessional clarity.Of course, she didn’t go it alone. The record brings together a who’s who of kindred spirits, from Hozier to Madison Cunningham to Bartees Strange, along with her boygenius bandmates Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker (also her romantic partner), appearances that feel like a tight-knit mixtape of indie rock’s most emotionally articulate voices.Listen to Lucy Dacus chat about all this and more or watch 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

Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips sat down with Kyle Meredith for three conversations across a handful of years to talk about solo albums, Luna reunions, and songwriting. Sometimes, these chats even double as emotional excavation. Listen to the archived interviews now.Wareham, known for his iconic turns in Galaxie 500 and Luna, talked in 2014 about finally releasing his first solo album and what it meant to step out from the comfort of collaboration. He also chats about working with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James as producer, as well as the funny backlash from his memoir, navigating identity beyond legacy bands, and why a lyric like “what have I done with my life?” doesn’t always need a worried reading.In her own chat in 2016, Phillips walked Kyle through Luck Or Magic, a stunning debut that toggles between torch songs and simmering synth-pop, and how tracks like “Do It Last” playfully (and darkly) flip gendered expectations of obsession in love songs. She also opened up about the nerves of writing about Dean… and then playing those songs for him.Then, a 2017 conversation sees Luna officially back with A Sentimental Education, a covers-heavy return that mined overlooked corners of Dylan, the Stones, and even Velvet Underground’s Doug Yule era. Dean explained why a reformation only made sense without pressure, and why sometimes the easiest way forward is an instrumental EP with cheeky titles like “March of the Trolls.”Three interviews. Two solo albums. One band that still knows how to play the long game—with style.Listen to Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips 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/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Alan Walker dropped in to talk with Kyle Meredith about the evolution of Walker World — a decade-long transformation that’s turned a teenage bedroom producer into a globe-touring architect of immersive EDM. With the WalkerWorld 2.0 album, the brand-new single “Me, Myself & the Night,” and a multimedia blitz that includes a mobile app and cinematic film experience, the 27-year-old artist is engineering something more expansive than just chart hits. Listen now.Written during a writing camp in the Bahamas, “Me, Myself & the Night” became a template for a new era: “It gives the core Alan Walker sound and vibe... happy, jumpy, melancholic.” As for why he’s revisiting that era: “That’s the golden era of Alan Walker... we’ve been chasing trends, but now I want to make music that sounds like me again.”The world-building doesn’t stop at the music. With WalkerWorld: The Last Ride on the horizon and a fan-centric app that bypasses traditional streaming algorithms, Walker is pioneering a kind of EDM Extended Universe. “We’re not just doing music videos anymore—we’re building a cinematic story,” he explained. “And for the fans who can’t see me live, the app becomes a digital hub where everything connects.” Not bad for a kid who once hid his songs from friends and family out of fear of being judged. Ten years later, he’s still chasing connection — just now with thousands of screaming fans and a global team.Listen to Alan Walker 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