Ben Folds on Orchestral Album, the Kennedy Center, and Artistic Freedom

Ben Folds catches up with Kyle Meredith to talk about his new album with the National Symphony Orchestra, recorded at the Kennedy Center just before his dramatic exit as artistic advisor under the Trump takeover. Folds digs into why the Kennedy Center’s mission goes beyond just staging performances, how nonprofits keep communities connected, and what it means when the firewall protecting the arts from political intimidation breaks down. He also reflects on the symbolism of releasing this orchestral record on July 4th, shares stories about Rostropovich and Shostakovich’s resistance under Stalin, and why artists today can’t afford to “shut up and sing.” It’s an inspiring, candid conversation about music as an act of resistance, the future of orchestral music, and how we can all be capable of anything — for better or worse — if we’re not paying attention.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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On this encore episode of The Story Behind the Song, Blondie are, without question, one of the most successful, iconic, and influential bands in rock and roll history. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 15 years ago, the Debbie Harry-fronted group has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and continues to release new music. But the “rock and roll” label doesn’t do justice to the group’s genre-bending music. What started as a punk band in the mid-1970’s in New York City after Harry and guitarist Chris Stein broke off from their earlier band, The Stillettoes, Blondie (first called Angel and the Snake) always innovated, infusing pop, disco, new wave, reggae, and rap elements into their music.Which brings us to one of Blondie’s signature songs, the cleverly titled “Rapture." In 1981, the Autoamerican single became the first song featuring rapped vocals to top the US charts, and its accompanying video the first "rap" clip to appear on MTV. Stein and Harry penned the song after experiencing their first rap performance hosted by Fab 5 Freddy, who is prominently mentioned in the song's first rap line and appears in the video.Listen to Blondie talk about “Rapture” and more. Then, make sure to follow The Story Behind the Song, and rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Fans can also check out the new TSBTS merch -- including a killer poster and jigsaw puzzle -- available now at the Consequence Shop or via the buy now buttons below!You can keep an eye on the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our series, and follow host Peter Csathy on Threads at @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On the rewind episode of Kyle Meredith With.., Caroline Polachek and Alison Goldfrapp — two vocalists who could probably sing a grocery list and still make it sound like avant-garde pop bliss. Caroline, formerly of Chairlift, has turned heartbreak and hyperpop into an art form, floating somewhere between baroque synths and Enya-core. Alison, meanwhile, has spent decades wrapping disco, glam, and electroclash into one shimmering Goldfrapp package — and 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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, Malachi Barton, and Freya Sky catch up with Kyle Meredith to talk all about Zombies 4 on Disney. The crew dive into how Zed and Addison’s monster diplomacy continues with a new clash between Daywalkers and vampires — vampires that, as Malachi jokes, “don’t suck blood but do snack on blood fruit!” Milo and Meg share what it’s like balancing acting and executive producing, how they keep the characters growing alongside their own lives, and how their real-life love for Disney Channel Friday nights sneaks into the franchise’s vibe. Plus, the newcomers spill on stepping into Seabrook’s wacky world, the vampire makeover, and how everyone’s musical side keeps the set buzzing with impromptu jams and game nights.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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising 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 second album moisturizer, the joys and pitfalls of success, and the choice to cocoon themselves in a countryside house to shut out distractions (including social media). Rhian digs into writing as a full five-piece band this time around, the cathartic evolution of tracks like “Chase These Fists” and “CPR,” and how movies like Jennifer's Body helped soundtrack their creative hibernation. She also opens up about writing love songs for the first time, exploring queer identity through lyrics, and the importance of building a stage persona to armor up against tour anxiety.Get tickets to Wet Leg's upcoming tour dates here: https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/NdXjzpy/Listen to Rhian Teasdale of Wet Leg 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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tony winner and certified scene-stealer Renée Elise Goldsberry joins Kyle Meredith to talk through Who I Really Am, her long-awaited debut album. Known for #Hamilton, #Girls5Eva, and #SheHulk, Goldsberry opens up about why it took this long to release a solo LP, and why now was the moment to bet on herself. She discusses the freedom of genre-jumping across pop, musical theater, and soul, how she came to reinterpret “Satisfied” for this new chapter, and how Girls5Eva and Sarah Bareilles helped spark her confidence to record original material—including a Bareilles-penned track. It’s an album about embracing outliers, defying labels, and finally asking the question, “Who am I, really?”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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising 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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising 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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising 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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Kyle Meredith sits down with two legends, Randy Bachman and the late Gary Brooker to talk about legacy and how you live with — and sometimes rewrite — the ghosts of greatness. Listen to these archive interviews now.Hear Brooker of Procol Harum speak just before his passing about the band’s 50-year retrospective Still There’ll Be More, the timeless power of “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” and why Procol never quite fit in anyone’s box (except maybe their own). Then, it’s Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) discussing By George, his inventive reimagining of George Harrison classics that's filled with rearranged melodies, sly tributes, and a surreal phone call from Winnipeg to Friar Park. From Lennon birthday parties in Liverpool to dodged opportunities with Clapton, it’s a masterclass in reverence and reinvention from two legends.Listen to Randy Bachman and Gary Brooker 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.Our Sponsors:* Check out Effecty and use my code KMW for a great deal: https://www.effecty.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy