Wheels Off with Rhett Miller

Authors Greg Tito and Shelly Mazzanoble join Rhett from Seattle to talk about their new book, which was inspired by their D&D podcast Dragon Talk. The book highlights the ways in which people are using Dungeons & Dragons to fuel creative endeavors, explore identity, deal with addiction, and process trauma. Shelly and Greg discuss how the game has evolved and explain why it’s still so popular after...

Terre Roche, singer-songwriter and founding member of The Roches joins Rhett to talk about her new album and book Kin Ya See That Sun! The book chronicles the time when she and her sister Maggie traveled around the country as teenagers to perform on the college coffee house circuit, and the accompanying album includes live, unreleased recordings from the tour. Terre discusses the relationship she...

Grammy-winning musician and producer Adrian Quesada joins Rhett from Austin to talk about the creative whims that guide his work, life as a “working class” musician, and how he harnesses his competitive spirit. The brand new album by GRAMMY-winning guitarist, producer and Black Pumas co-founder, Adrian Quesada, serves as a celebration of the super funky, slightly delirious and deeply soulful sound...

Singer-songwriter Lauren Hoffman joins Rhett to talk about her unique journey through the music industry and shares her perspective on the impact that technology has on the creative process. The two discuss the meditative qualities of songwriting, the difficulties of being an emerging artist in the 90s, and why it’s critical to prioritize your peace of mind. Lauren is based in Los Angeles and is c...

Singer-songwriter Cory Branan joins Rhett from the road to talk about his approach to writing and the creative process behind his new record, When I Go I Ghost. Cory tells Rhett about learning to record, mix, and master during lockdown, which resulted in five direct-to-fan cover records that included some surprise cover song requests; and, the importance of being able to connect directly to fans....

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Caitlin Rose joins Rhett to talk about the making of her forthcoming album CAZIMI, her first release in nearly a decade. Caitlin explains why the album is a “Pee Wee’s Playhouse situation”, plus the two discuss her passion for poetry, why she was ‘cosmically pushed’ to become an artist, and what it’s like to navigate the music industry after spending time away. Pr...

Musician, songwriter, and artist Courtney Jaye joins Rhett this week to talk about her ambitious new album, Hymns and Hallucinations. Courtney tells Rhett about why she’s chosen a nomadic lifestyle, shares an important lesson she learned when opening for John Mayer, and explains why the best stuff is the unexpected stuff. Hymns and Hallucinations is available now Courtney on IG: @tropicalijaye Rhe...

Tim Burgess, frontman for The Charlatans joins Rhett from Manchester to talk about his new solo album Typical Music, how he unexpectedly created an online music community with his now-beloved Twitter Listening Party, and why he still considers himself lucky, even after 33 years of success in the music industry. Tim Burgess is a proper polymath, a hyperactive multi-talent whose long remarkable care...

Kathleen Edwards joins Rhett from Florida to talk about taking time away from music to get “big perspective time”, what she learned about her approach to songwriting from Bryan Adams, and shares the advice she often gives emerging artists.  Edwards released Total Freedom, her fifth studio album, on  August 14th via Dualtone Records. Written and recorded in Canada and Nashville with longtime collab...

This week we have a special episode for you: Rhett on the podcast Too Much Effing Perspective.  Every performer who's ever been on the road has at least one bizarro story that could have been pulled straight from the iconic music mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap. Co-hosts Allen Keller and Alex Hofmann delve deep into their guests’ harrowing, humbling, and hilarious Spinal Tap Moments uncovering un...

Sam Cohen is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer whose credits include albums with Kevin Morby, Curtis Harding, Alexandria Savior, and many others. He’s also the producer of Rhett’s new solo album, The Misfit. Sam joins Rhett to talk about the making of the record and how he approaches his work, helping artists when things get difficult in the studio, and why the secret to success is...

New York-based visual artist Ryan Cronin joins Rhett from Tambacounda, Senegal, where he is developing a collaboration with Tambacounda-based artist Saliou Diop. Ryan discusses how he got started as an artist, the creative process behind his work, and why a combination of patience and persistence leads to success. Later in the episode, Rhett is joined by Saliou Diop and his translator, who discuss...

This week, we’re revisiting an episode with one of our favorite guests from 2021: New Orleans-based artist Ashley Longshore. Ashley recently created the album artwork for Rhett’s forthcoming solo record, The Misfit (used here in the episode graphic). The album drops on September 16, which makes it a perfect time to revisit Ashley's brilliant creative spirit. Pre-order Rhett's new album, The Misfit...

Superstar producer, singer-songwriter, and guitarist Butch Walker joins Rhett from his studio in Nashville to talk about Glenn,  his new album centered around an alter ego who is a rock n roll balladeer. Butch tells Rhett about the moment when he decided to pursue a life in music, what it was like to perform in Atlanta clubs as a high schooler and the ups and downs of pursuing band life in L.A. Bu...

Dave Simonett joins Rhett from Minneapolis to talk about the latest Trampled By Turtles record, which was produced by Jeff Tweedy. Dave explains his writing process, which is dictated by the seasons, the creative exercises he employs to get out of his comfort zone, and the magic that happens when someone is learning a song for the first time. Dave and Rhett discuss the importance of humanity in ar...

Legendary photographer Danny Clinch joins Rhett from his home on the Jersey Shore to share some stories from the early days of his career and the little moments that led to his status as one of the top rock photographers in the world. Danny talks about the growth of his gallery, Transparent Clinch, explains how he developed his distinctive style, and shares the story of shooting Bruce Springsteen...

American Aquarium’s BJ Barham joins Rhett from Philadelphia while on tour to talk about their new record Chicamacomico, and what it feels like to finally be back out on the road. BJ discusses his songwriting process, music as a way to help people through trauma, and how he turns negativity into a creative superpower.  North Carolina alt-country outfit American Aquarium rose to prominence in the la...

Pulitzer-prize winning author Jennifer Egan joins Rhett for an enlightening conversation about writing and making art. Jennifer shares useful insight on how she works, explains why reading aloud helps her understand a story better, and discusses the role that genre plays in her writing. She and Rhett talk about the importance of persistence and why trial and error is a great tool for creativity. J...

Craig Finn is a Minnesota-bred singer/songwriter based in New York City, best known as the singer of The Hold Steady. He joins Rhett to talk about his podcast, That’s How I Remember It, which is about the connection between memory and creativity. Craig and Rhett discuss the inspiration behind the podcast as well as Craig’s songwriting process, the importance of a band’s first record, and why he fe...

Taylor Goldsmith joins Rhett from his home in Pasadena, CA to discuss the making of Dawes’ new album and the challenges of pushing himself and the band artistically to create something new. Taylor explains why he doesn’t adhere to the ‘rules’ of the music business when it comes to songwriting, how he pushes through negativity, and shares the insight he would give to his 21-year old self.   Taylor...

Richard Edwards is a producer, mixologist, and musician who has been making music professionally for over 15 years. In this episode, Richard discusses the many projects he’s working on, including a new album and a book. Richard and Rhett talk about the challenges of being an independent artist, how the marketing and consumption of music has changed and Richard recalls his early ambition to be a di...

Six-time Grammy award winning producer, engineer and mixer Vance Powell joins Rhett to talk about the world of making records, his approach to producing, and how he’s chosen his projects over a 40-year career. Vance shares a few war stories, explains what he means when he says “get your 10,000 hours in”, and why he would tell his 21-year old self to be more musical.   Vance studied electrical engi...

Singer-songwriter, actor, and poet John Doe joins Rhett from Austin, TX to talk about the concept record he just released about the pre-industrial U.S., why he enjoys writing high-stakes tales, and the importance of getting bad songs out of the way early in one’s songwriting career. John also discusses the importance of not sweating the “small stuff,” how gratitude helps him find balance, and the...

Singer-songwriter Jenny O joins Rhett from Los Angeles to talk about her upcoming record, her songwriting process, and the moment she realized her musical power. Jenny and Rhett talk about the importance of taking time when finalizing lyrics, the very real demand for more female musicians, and the complicated variables of social interaction.   Jenny O is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter f...

The godfather of Americana music, Delbert McClinton, joins Rhett from Nashville, TN to discuss his 27th studio album, why writing music still feels great after 60 years, and well-kept secrets about artistic longevity. Delbert shares some advice on songwriting and gives us an insightful look back on his fruitful career in music, while optimistically looking forward to all of the music he’s yet to p...