Joe Boyd

Joe Boyd

Author: Pushkin Industries November 4, 2025 Duration: 1:00:46

Joe Boyd has spent more than six decades as a producer, label executive, and writer whose influence extends far beyond the studio. From producing Nick Drake's luminous folk albums to working with Fairport Convention, Pink Floyd, and R.E.M., Boyd has shaped some of the most enduring recordings in modern music history.

But Joe Boyd isn't just a behind-the-scenes architect of sound—he's also a chronicler of the music he loves. In his 2007 memoir, White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s, he offered an insider's perspective on a transformative era, while his latest book, And the Roots of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music, published in 2024, takes readers across continents in search of the traditions that continue to shape contemporary sound. From Cuba to Mali, from Brazil to Bulgaria, Boyd traces the connections that bind global music together and celebrates the artists who keep these traditions alive.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Joe Boyd about working with famed Warner Brothers CEO Mo Ostin in the ‘60s. He also talks about the exhaustive research he did in writing his latest book and why he decided to pinpoint three specific Global regions as the genesis for all popular music. And Joe recalls how he came to produce the seminal 1973 documentary on Jimi Hendrix.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Joe Boyd HERE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Imagine a conversation where the only agenda is genuine curiosity about the creative process. That's the space Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond occupies. Hosted by these four distinct voices from the worlds of music production, writing, and journalism, this podcast strips away the standard interview format. Instead, it feels like you're overhearing an insightful, meandering talk between friends who happen to be some of the most fascinating artists alive. The discussions delve into the unglamorous realities of making art-the false starts, the moments of doubt, the sheer stubbornness required to push through. You'll hear legendary musicians and emerging talents alike discuss not just their hits, but the failures and personal stories that truly shaped their sound. It’s less about celebrity and more about the human experience behind the songs we love. Each episode is a deep, unstructured dive into why creators do what they do, offering a rare glimpse into the vulnerability and chaos that fuel great work. Produced by Pushkin Industries, this series connects the dots between music, culture, and the society that inspires it, making it feel like an essential listen for anyone interested in the stories behind the art.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond
Podcast Episodes
Captain Kirk Douglas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:15
Captain Kirk Douglas is the longtime guitarist for The Roots. Over the past 21 years he’s seen the group evolve from a touring act, to the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, to having their own succes…
Interpol's Paul Banks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:28
While Paul Banks is technically the lead singer of Interpol, he sees himself more as a member of a gang of musicians. Interpol formed in 1997 after lead guitarist Daniel Kessler invited Paul—who was a student at NYU at t…
Tinashe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:04
Tinashe’s changing what success in pop music can look like. Back in 2014 her song "2 On" featuring Schoolboy Q hit big on Billboard. With major success looming, Tinashe released projects that missed the charts but gained…
Heavy MakeUp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:54
True to her Texas roots, Edie Brickell can seemingly find a song anywhere—including out of thin air. Here It Comes is the new album from Edie and her collaborators, CJ Camerieri and Trever Hagen who are known as Heavy Ma…
Shannon & The Clams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:49
Shannon & The Clams were long time regulars in the Bay Area music scene. The band’s two main songwriters—Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard met in college in Oakland, California. They remained there for about a decade until…
Randy Bachman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:54
Randy Bachman is the Canadian guitarist and songwriter behind a slew of hits with the bands The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive. Although he was based far from the '60s powerhouse music scenes of Laurel Canyon and…
Serj Tankian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:32
Serj Tankian made his first foray into public life as the idiosyncratic lead singer of the late ‘90s metal band System Of A Down. After releasing five platinum-selling albums with the band, and establishing himself as on…
Camila Cabello [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:55
Camila Cabello is in the midst of a creative revival. Her brand new album, C,XOXO was recently dubbed “hyper-pop” by Rolling Stone in the wake of the frenetic first single, “I Luv It,” featuring Playboi Carti. The track…
John Leventhal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:59
John Leventhal is a bit of a secret weapon in music. Though he started out as a session musician in the '80s, he quickly found writing and producing music for other artists was his true calling. That gift has led to six…

«1...678910