Legendary rock guitarist Robby Krieger of the Doors joins Rhett from his home in Los Angeles for a fascinating conversation about writing music with Jim Morrison, Robby’s upcoming instrumental reggae album, and why he’s glad that he never learned to read music. You’ll also hear the two discuss Robby’s new book, Set the Night on Fire, the power of meditation, and writing “Light My Fire” when Robby was only 19 years old. Robby Krieger is a guitarist and songwriter from Los Angeles best known for h...
Nov 30, 2021•30 min•Ep. 105
Singer-songwriter Neal Francis joins Rhett from Chicago to talk about his album, In Plain Sight, and why he had to step away from the album once it was finished in order to actualize the music he’d created. Neal tells Rhett about starting out as a sideman and how he learned to accept that a career in music could be possible. The two discuss the powerful combination of mindfulness, meditation, and sobriety; and why songwriting is like architecture. Neal Francis is a singer and songwriter from Oak...
Nov 23, 2021•32 min•Ep. 104
Jung Yun joins Rhett from Baltimore, MD to talk about the making of her recently-released second novel, O Beautiful, and actualizing her vision to live a creative life. Jung and Rhett also discuss the journey that led to her publishing her first book at age 43, growing up without the understanding that she could make art for a living, and why everything happens in due time. Jung Yun is a writer from Seoul, South Korea who grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. She studied at Vassar College, the Univers...
Nov 16, 2021•30 min•Ep. 103
The Kernal, also known as Joe Garner, joins Rhett from his home in Jackson, TN to talk about the making of his new record Listen To The Blood, why he enjoys writing short stories, and the importance of having fun while playing music. Joe tells Rhett the story behind the red suit that started The Kernal, and the songwriting process that brings his soulful, classic sound to life. Joe Garner is a singer-songwriter from Jackson, Tennessee who performs under the moniker The Kernal. With a storyteller...
Nov 09, 2021•41 min•Ep. 102
Husband and wife creative duo Dan + Claudia Zanes join Rhett to talk about the making of their new record, Let Love Be Your Guide, which was created during the pandemic. They tell Rhett about the tension of working in a competitive society while sticking to their values, music as a unifying force, and what they would tell their 21-year old selves. Dan and Claudia Zanes have been making music together since the day they met in 2016. Dan Zane was a member of the 1980s band The Del Fuegos and is no...
Nov 02, 2021•29 min•Ep. 101
Rosanne Cash, Rhett’s very first guest on Wheels Off, returns to the podcast to help celebrate episode 100. The two discuss what they’ve learned since episode 1 (in 2018), how the pandemic has affected her creatively, and what she’s looking forward to as she returns to performing live. Rosanne tells Rhett about the new music she’s written, including songs she co-wrote with Matt Berninger of The National and “The Killing Fields”, a powerful and personal song about reconciling issues of race, raci...
Oct 26, 2021•34 min•Ep. 100
Actress and writer Mara Wilson joins Rhett to talk about why she enjoys writing dialogue, how her childhood pointed her in the direction of becoming a storyteller, and effective ways to overcome mental health struggles. Mara also dives deep on why she values social ties in the context of creation, and tells Rhett about how her work becomes more clear to her as time passes. Mara Wilson, known for her childhood roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda, is a writer and actor living in Los Angeles. Recen...
Oct 19, 2021•52 min•Ep. 99
This week actor, comedian, and podcast host Paul Scheer joins Rhett to talk about creative ways to gain attention as a young artist and discusses some of the major shows he has worked on, including Veep and Parks and Recreation. Paul explains why new experiences validate his artistic growth, digs into some of his performance philosophies, and tells Rhett why authenticity is of the highest importance. Paul Scheer is an actor, comedian, writer, and podcast host from Huntington, N.Y. He is best kno...
Oct 12, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 98
Voice actor, comedian, and singer-songwriter Grey DeLisle joins Rhett from Glendale to discuss her accomplished career, how she maintains her positive and enthusiastic energy, and why songwriting is comparable to giving birth. You’ll also hear Grey provide a few incredible vocal imitations, and tell Rhett why she had no choice but to be an artist. Grey DeLisle is an American voice actress, comedian and singer-songwriter. She has voiced countless characters in critically-acclaimed films, animated...
Oct 05, 2021•45 min•Ep. 97
Author Ben Greenman joins Rhett from his home in New Jersey to talk about the two books that Ben is releasing next month with Questlove and Steven Van Zandt, his approach to success, and why fear of failure can be a good thing. The two compare the process of writing books with the process of songwriting, and how creative output changes as you get older. Ben Greenman has written both fiction and non-fiction books, as well as many collaborations with musicians including Questlove, George Clinton, ...
Sep 28, 2021•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 96
In this special, double-whammy episode of Wheels Off, singer-songwriter and podcast host Joe Pug joins Rhett from Prince George's County, Maryland to talk about his creative pursuits as a musician, the importance of staying present as a young artist, and how to save the world through beauty. Joe tells Rhett about the inspiration for starting his podcast, and what he would tell his 21-year old self about being a musician. After the Wheels Off interview, we transition to Joe’s podcast, The Working...
Sep 21, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 95
Actor, comedian, and podcast host John Ross Bowie joins Rhett from his home in Los Angeles to talk about his new podcast Household Faces, and his creative development over the course of his career. John shares the story about how improv changed his outlook on acting, the professional ups and downs he's experienced, and he and Rhett talk about why they enjoy being “middle class” artists. John Ross Bowie is an actor, comedian, and podcast host best known for playing Barry Kripke on The Big Bang Th...
Sep 14, 2021•37 min•Ep. 94
Singer, rapper, and writer Dessa joins Rhett from her apartment in Manhattan to talk about how the pandemic has affected her life, the trope of the troubled artist, and touring in the age of COVID. Dessa explains why science is so important to her work, and delivers an unexpected response to the question of what she would tell her 21-year old self. Dessa has made a career of bucking genres and defying expectations—her résumé as a musician includes performances at Lollapalooza and Glastonbury, co...
Sep 07, 2021•32 min•Ep. 93
Singer-songwriter Shannon McNally joins Rhett from Austin, Texas to talk about her life as a songwriter, and her recent collaboration with Terry Allen and the Panhandle Mystery Band. Shannon tells Rhett about her songwriting process, and the new methods of collaboration that she’s enjoyed through writing with a full band. You’ll also hear about a transformative experience that she had when she was 15 at a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers concert, her “unreasonable standard for guitar playing,” an...
Aug 31, 2021•36 min•Ep. 92
Author Nick Hornby joins Rhett from Islington, North London to talk about the book that he’s currently working on, which happens to be about Charles Dickens (the writer) and Prince (the artist). Nick and Rhett discuss Nick’s evolution as a writer, his unique ability to write about music in a realistic way, and why the secret to success is doing the work and getting something done every day. Nick Hornby is an English writer and lyricist best known for his memoir Fever Pitch, and novels High Fidel...
Aug 24, 2021•29 min•Ep. 91
This week, Kelly McCartney joins Rhett from Upstate New York to talk about her multifaceted career as a journalist and broadcaster, her show Record Bin Radio and why it’s “the dreamiest gig ever,” and why she thinks it’s important to trust your gut, while still trusting in the universe. You’ll also hear Kelly discuss her time as a personal assistant to Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles, and the various grant funds that she’s started including Rainey Day Fund, which provides grants to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, a...
Aug 17, 2021•36 min•Ep. 90
One of the most renowned songwriters and producers in the music industry, Sam Hollander joins Rhett to talk about “failing his way up the charts” and the intense creative process that’s led to his success. Sam tells Rhett why a conversation between his parents and Nile Rogers led to his career path, and shares a life lesson from basketball’s Steve Nash that changed how he approaches his work. Sam has had multi-platinum success writing and producing for the likes of Panic! At The Disco, One Direc...
Aug 10, 2021•39 min•Ep. 89
Erika Wennerstrom joins Rhett from Mount Hood, Oregon to talk about the latest Heartless Bastards record, the intricacies of her creative process, and the concept of “music as medicine”. They discuss the importance of self-awareness and challenging oneself, and Erika shares the details of writing the epic, powerfully soulful song “Revolution”. Erika Wennerstrom is a singer-songwriter from Dayton, Ohio. She is the leader of the Ohio-based band Heartless Bastards, and she also has a career as a so...
Aug 03, 2021•42 min•Ep. 88
Author Sarah Hepola joins Rhett from her home in Dallas, Texas to talk about her writing career, which began unofficially when she wrote a Shawshank Redemption-inspired story in 7th grade and sold a copy to a fellow classmate. Sarah tells Rhett about the importance of freeing her mind in order to be creative, and what she does to achieve the meditative state that allows her to write. The two discuss struggling with one’s inner monologue and whether self-doubt can be a useful tool, and Sarah’s go...
Jul 27, 2021•42 min•Ep. 87
In this episode of Wheels Off, illustrator and author Nidhi Chanani joins Rhett from her home in San Francisco to talk about the creative projects that she’s currently working on, and her career as an artist. You’ll hear Nidhi talk about the inspiration behind her new graphic novel Jukebox, why freelance work suits her artistic style and allows her to balance multiple projects at once, the connection between art and nature, and much more. Nidhi shares the story of how she untethered herself from...
Jul 20, 2021•34 min•Ep. 86
This week, musicians Chris Turpin and Stephanie Jean of the Delta-blues inspired duo Ida Mae join Rhett to talk about their upcoming album, Click Click Domino. Phoning in from the English countryside, you’ll hear them talk about touring in America, the duality behind their songwriting process, and why Chris thinks that their latest album contains some of the best songs that they’ve ever written. They also discuss meeting when they were college students, how their agreeable musical tastes transla...
Jul 13, 2021•24 min•Ep. 85
In this week’s episode of Wheels Off, legendary songwriter and record producer Jeff Barry joins Rhett from his home in Laurel Canyon for a captivating conversation filled with wonderful nuggets of songwriting advice. Jeff and Rhett discuss Jeff’s simplified songwriting formula, the early days of his career as a songwriter, how he learned to write great material, the sky-high success of Red Bird Records, and much more. Jeff shares the riveting story of providing the music for Sam Cooke’s first si...
Jul 06, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 84
This week on Wheels Off, talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Allison Russell joins Rhett from her new home in Nashville to talk about her debut solo album Outside Child, which was released in May. Allison reflects on taking the leap to release a solo album, and why she felt compelled to tell her own story. She discusses the transformative experience of raising her daughter, Ida, and recalls one of her “clearest and first memories” - a deep expression of love through her mother’s piano ...
Jun 29, 2021•38 min•Ep. 83
Actress Paget Brewster joins Rhett from her home in Los Angeles to talk about her career as an actor, and the immense gratitude she holds for the artistic journey she’s on. Paget and Rhett talk about why voice excites her, how pre-performance nerves are a blessing in disguise, why it’s fun to die in a movie as an actor, and much more. Paget is incredibly thoughtful in the way she analyzes her work, and her exuberance about her art is refreshing and inspiring. Paget Brewster is an actor, voice ac...
Jun 22, 2021•47 min•Ep. 82
This week on Wheels Off, author Lily Brooks-Dalton joins Rhett from her home in Los Angeles to talk about her creative endeavors as a writer. Lily and Rhett discuss adapting her books into film, the experience of releasing a memoir when she was just 25 years old, and memorizing her favorite books before she even knew how to read. Lily tells Rhett about the unique method she uses to get inside the minds of her favorite authors, and shares some advice for aspiring writers. Lily Brooks Dalton's nov...
Jun 15, 2021•44 min•Ep. 81
This week, legendary drummer John Densmore joins Rhett to talk about his life with The Doors - “we had a kamikaze maniac as a lead singer” - and the other characters he’s written about in his new book The Seekers: Meetings With Remarkable Musicians (and Other Artists). Rhett and John discuss the importance of silence, the wonders of transcendental meditation, and talk about the house that Rhett lived in that may have had some Doors magic in the air. John Densmore is a musician, songwriter, autho...
Jun 08, 2021•37 min•Ep. 81
In this episode of Wheels Off with Rhett Miller, singer-songwriter Liz Phair joins Rhett from her home in LA to talk about her creative journey as a musician. The two discuss how being home during the pandemic has changed their lives, why social interaction is crucial for creative inspiration, and dig into her memoir Horror Stories. Liz explains why you “just have to go for the ride” in order to conquer feelings of self-doubt and shares a few other savvy insights gleaned from her extraordinary c...
Jun 01, 2021•33 min•Ep. 80
In this episode, Ben Schneider, guitarist and singer for the critically acclaimed indie band Lord Huron, joins Rhett from his studio in Los Angeles. Ben tells Rhett about the early days of his career and the moment he realized that he wanted to play in a band. He explains why living in Los Angeles helps him push through creative obstacles, the impact that nature has on his writing, and the importance of collaboration in his creative endeavors. Lord Huron broke out in 2015 with their hit song “Th...
May 25, 2021•24 min•Ep. 78
In this episode, singer and multi-instrumentalist Pete Yorn joins Rhett to talk about his lifelong journey as an artist. The two discuss the harsh realities behind signing a record deal, grappling with the demons that present creative obstacles, and they reminisce over the excitement of hearing their songs mixed for the first time. Pete tells Rhett about the wisdom of his grandfather and the lessons he’s learned that carry him forward. Pete Yorn has released over a dozen albums as a solo act. Yo...
May 18, 2021•46 min•Ep. 77
Writer Tony Weaver Jr. joins Rhett from his home in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss the creative projects that he’s working on, including a new graphic novel series called “Weirdo.” Tony tells Rhett about his intent to provide hope and guidance for young people through his storytelling, and how stumbling into poetry convinced him to become a writer. The two discuss navigating times of uncertainty, optimizing for mental health, and the importance of self-acceptance. Tony Weaver, Jr. is an award winni...
May 11, 2021•28 min•Ep. 76
