LSQ

On the eve of releasing a fantastic new album, Engines of Paradise, Adam Green (formerly of The Moldy Peaches) joins Jenny for a lively dissection of his creative process and the influences that have shaped his art. We also discuss his quest to figure out what cologne David Bowie wore. Plus! Royal Trux legend Jennifer Herrema talks about getting the band back together, and how she found her way to being one of her generation's most iconoclastic artists.

A wide-ranging conversation with Interpol’s Paul Banks about his childhood musical influences (Nirvana, Bruce, the song “Tears of a Clown,” and more), his passion for surfing, and how songwriting can feel like an archaeological dig. Also, actor and documentary filmmaker Colin Hanks talks about how early experiences hearing Bowie on the radio or seeing hair metal give way to alt-rock on MTV shaped his taste in music.

A fascinating deep-dive with The Drums' Jonny Pierce about how his songwriting journey was shaped by his strict religious upbringing (including being subjected to conversion therapy by his parents), and how he's learning to let go of the idea that he needs to be sad to be creative. Plus, from the archive, a backstage interview with The Raconteurs' Jack White and Brendan Benson, recorded at Lollapalooza 2008.

As the legendary indie label Merge Records prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary in Chapel Hill, its founders — Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance — join LSQ to talk about the evolution of the imprint, and their separate experiences growing up as punk rock kids in the Eighties. Plus, Helium/Wild Flag/Ex Hex’s Mary Timony explores the influences that forged her current approach to songwriting.

Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds discusses his creative journey, examining influences ranging from Harry Nilsson and ska music to spiritual crisis and self-acceptance. And actor-activist Busy Philipps chats with Jenny about various musical obsessions, from Tori Amos to Father John Misty.

Singer-songwriter Mike Hadreas, who releases his intensely captivating music under the name Perfume Genius, talks about early creative influences including the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack, Liz Phair’s Whip Smart, a babysitter with a small role in the Twin Peaks tv series, and more. Plus, an excerpt from a 2003 interview with the brilliant Chan Marshall of Cat Power, on the subject of motherhood.

Singer-songwriter Kevin Morby discusses some of the defining influences on his music, including musical heroes such as Bob Dylan and Mountain Goats, as well as the bigger life stuff: the midwestern cities he moved between as a kid, the panic attacks he suffered during high school, the death of a best friend he made after moving to NYC. We also talk about his excellent latest solo LP, Oh My God, and how Morby’s creative process has evolved since he was in the bands Woods and The Babies nearly a decade ago.

The magnetic and sharp-witted Lauren Mayberry joins Jenny in Los Angeles for a chat about her creative journey, from growing up in Scotland idolizing artists like Gwen Stefani and Kathleen Hanna to discovering how to tap into her own powerful onstage persona as frontwoman for electro-pop trio Chvrches. Plus, from Jenny’s archive, an excerpt from a 2000 phone interview with PJ Harvey about the making of her brilliant Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.

Twin Shadow's George Lewis Jr. delves into the evolution of his sound, from the time he was a little kid emulating Boyz II Men, through his early years playing punk and indie rock, and his more recent drive to explore sounds from his native Dominican Republic. Also: A clip of Nick Jonas in 2009, at the height of Jonas Brothers' fame, discussing how he went from singing on Broadway to being a pop superstar.

Indie rock icon Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü, Sugar) discusses his creative journey -- a childhood obsessing over jukebox 45s he got from his dad, his experiences in the Minneapolis/St. Paul punk scene, his current life in Berlin -- and how those touchstones inform his excellent new album, Sunshine Rock. Also featured: an excerpt of a backstage interview with gospel and R&B legend Mavis Staples at Lollapalooza 2010.