Nada Surf

Nada Surf

Author: Pushkin Industries February 4, 2025 Duration: 53:53

Indie rock band Nada Surf first hit big on college radio in 1996 with their driving, guitar forward song, “Popular.” The band started playing together four years earlier while attending college in Vermont. But they’re perhaps best known as a New York City band, where their lead singer and primary songwriter, Matthew Caws came of age.

Caws is known as a vulnerable, and often reflective songwriter who tackles everything from social anxiety to politics in his work. Nada Surf’s latest album, Moon Mirror, is the band’s tenth studio album. It's both introspective and at times, and hard hitting.

On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Matthew Caws about growing up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in a house filled with baroque music, and how he thinks some of the classical instrumentation may have influenced his own writing. Mathew also recalls the time Nada Surf backed up Joey Ramone and played a full Ramones set at Coney Island High. And he performs two songs from Nada Surf’s latest album, Moon Mirror, for us live.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Nada Surf songs 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
Tunde Adebimpe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:09
Tunde Adebimpe is a creative powerhouse. He's a cartoonist, a painter, a director, a Hollywood actor, and for the past 20 years, he’s been the lead singer of the band TV On The Radio. His latest offering—another of his m…
Cymande [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:35
The British funk band Cymande released their self-titled debut in 1972. The album’s deep calypso and reggae rhythms are inspired by its member’s West Indian roots. And decades after its release, samples taken from Cymand…
Will Smith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:15
Big Willie is back! He's traded his larger than life, excessively positive raps for something more dark and complex but equally inspiring. Anyone following Will’s trajectory the last handful of years, or those who've rea…
Smokey Robinson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:58
As if having one of the most beautiful and distinctive voices of all time weren’t enough, Smokey Robinson is also one of the greatest songwriters ever, a top-notch producer, engaging performer, and an indispensable part…
Jerry Cantrell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:24
Jerry Cantrell has been the lead guitarist and songwriter for Alice in Chains since the band formed in 1987. By the mid ‘90s after a run of multi-platinum albums, Alice secured their spot as one of Seattle’s “big four” g…
LA Fire Disaster Relief From MusiCares [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:16
Today Justin Richmond has a quick chat with Laura Segura, the Executive Director of MusiCares—a Recording Academy non-profit that's currently offering support to musicians and music professionals affected by the ongoing…
Sonny Rollins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:05
Coming off the loss of Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Roy Haynes and Lou Donaldson at the end of 2024, it’s truly a treat to bring you a fresh interview with one of the last musicians of the Bebop era, the saxophone colossu…
Alejandro Escovedo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:36
Alejandro Escovedo is a Texas-born singer/songwriter who comes from a rich family of musicians including his niece, Sheila E. Alejandro started out in the pioneering San Francisco punk band the Nuns in 1975. From there h…
St. Vincent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:32
2024 has been a career-defining year for St. Vincent. In April she released her self-produced seventh album, All Born Screaming. Then in November she released the Spanish language version of the same album, called Todos…