Richard Niles Podcasts

Dr. CARMINE MIRANDA is a classical cello Rockstar! Born in Venezuela of Armenian/Italian parents, Carmine is an internationally recognized, multi award-winning soloist and recording artist - the youngest musician to ever record Bach’s Six Cello Suites at 22. But he is also an EDM (electronic Dance Music) composer/producer/DJ who runs his own label,…

Justin “Jud” Kaliszewski is an author, artist, and adventurer. The renowned creator of OUTLAW Yoga, he is a best-selling yoga teacher and author of “The Outlaw Protocol – how to live as an outlaw without becoming a criminal”, and the children's picture book “The Adventures of Babu – from there to here”. His latest novel “The Adventures of Larry Wam…

Its a special Thanksgiving episode and we start off with a super secret celebrity guest! Then Pocket FishRmen Positive Vibes https://pocketfishrmen.bandcamp.com/track/positive-vibes Bruce Magnus Bag of Bones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd0cM-9w22o voicemail The Infamist So Damn Sweet https://theinfamists.bandcamp.com/track/so-damn-sweet Intervi…

Dallas is a functional medicine practitioner, Certified Sports Nutritionist, and licensed physical therapist who specializes in treating lifestyle-related hormonal, digestive, and metabolic health issues. In 2009, he co-created the original Whole30 program. In 2012, he co-authored the New York Times bestselling book It Starts With Food, and founded…

Mark Egan is one of the world’s finest bassists. Starting his career with the first PAT METHENY GROUP, he has worked with Gil Evans, John McLaughlin, Cyndi Lauper, Stan Getz, Michael Franks, Roger Daltrey, Sting and Duran Duran off-shoot group ARCADIA. His partnership with drummer Danny Gottlieb has led to many albums of their group ELEMENTS and th…

Singer/songwriter DAISY CHUTE interviews RICHARD NILES about his many years working with the PET SHOP BOYS. “Left To My Own Devices” (1988) was their 2nd single from INTROSPECTIVE album. Produced by Trevor Horn it reached #4 in the UK charts. Niles takes us behind the scenes of excess and EuroDisco, conducting huge orchestras and choirs full of Wel…

Dr. Paul Conti is adept at helping people untangle complex problems – and he also happens to be a psychiatrist. Dr. Conti is a graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine. He completed his training at Stanford and Harvard, where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Conti is the author of Trauma: The Invisible Epidemic, a book that brings his val…

Daisy and Richard talk about Breakout” the 1986 smash hit by SWING OUT SISTER (# 4 UK, #6 USA Pop, AC #1) that made everyone happier than they already were. Niles talks about arranging the catchy strings and brass, producer Paul Stavely O’Duffy, writing the liner notes on the album “It’s Better To Travel”, and doing the RAP on “Twilight World”. Ins…

This weeks show was a lot of fun. Keegan McInroe (Music Page) Never seen a Ghost https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s483Yr1E87M&t=28s KRUM Basic Livinhttps://music.apple.com/us/album/basic-livin/1585362776?i=1585362909 Black Market Garden Fakehttps://blkmktgrdn.bandcamp.com/track/fake Interview with Todd Klepacki aka The Road Soda The Road Soda I'm a …

Grammy Award–winning drummer, composer, percussionist, author, and educator Mark Walker is a professor in the Percussion Department at Berklee College of Music. He has performed and recorded with Oregon, Donato Poveda, Paquito D'Rivera, Michel Camilo, Dave Samuels, Andy Narell, WDR Big Band, NDR Big Band, Eliane Elias, Lyle Mays, Dave Liebman, Cesa…

Alex owns and runs Caoba Farms, just outside of Antigua, Guatemala. It's a Farm-to-Table restaurant where the tables are literally ON the farm. Best food I had in my two months in Guatemala, hands down. We talked about how he got started (growing weed in CA, then selling lettuce to restaurants back in Guatemala), why Alex loves to experiment and le…

Joey Sellars - Hepcat in the Classroom! Joey Sellers is a “Hepcat “by any standards of hepcat-ness. The award-winning Jazz trombonist, composer and arranger has been teaching for 20 years, influencing a new generation of jazzbos, hepcats and alligators to become serious musicians. Sellers is recipient of the Gil Evans Fellowship in Jazz Composition…

Dave Pell is a modern-day columnist, meaning that his column is independently produced and distributed as a daily newsletter (NextDraft). He's been meaning to write a book for about 30 years, and finally got around to it. Please Scream Inside Your Heart is his take on the insanity of 2020. Dave on Instagram and Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twit…

In 2008, I interviewed Jeremy Lubbock for two BBC documentaries, “Richard Niles’ History of Pop Arranging” and “What is Melody?”. Jeremy was in fine form and discussed the current state of music, the music business and record companies. He also talked about his masterpiece recording “Awakening” conducted by his brother John and produced by George M…

That's right, this is episode 500, beatches! You can watch the recorded live stream on my YouTube channel, co-hosted by Anya Kaats and Mike Maher. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Homens," by Manu C…

It's Halloween in funkytown! The Holophonics This is Halloween https://theholophonics.bandcamp.com/track/this-is-halloween Garage Barrage Ecto Cooler https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb95Zvqo7LI Joshua Reed Music 12 Foot Skeleton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IjxvF9ph6o Interview with Matt Stubbs The Jerry Jonestown Massacre All Monsters Attack S…

Janita (Jenny) Haan has been called “the most powerful voice in rock history” from her work with British ‘prog-rock band, Babe Ruth. With a career spanning an incredible 50 years, the band led by composer/arranger/guitarist Alan Shacklock had many hits, their single “The Mexican” being a hit twice when it was taken up by remixer Jellybean Benitez a…

Coming to you from Antigua, Guatemala (the original "banana republic"), in this one, I get a few things off my chest, including American foreign policy, why Henry Kissinger is not welcome on my podcast, how group identity becomes desperately attractive in a time of crisis, and how that plays out in the LGBTQ anger-fest at Dave Chappelle. The essay …

Sylvester Rivers is the living history of popular music from the age of 16 playing his first sessions in Detroit for Motown to the studios of Los Angeles and hundreds of hit records that he has played keyboards on arranged, produced or written for artists like Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson, Candi Staton, High Inergy. He talks to fellow arranger/com…

Ian Urbina is an investigative reporter who writes for a variety of outlets, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. Urbina is the author of The New York Times bestseller The Outlaw Ocean, based on more than five years of reporting, much of it offshore, exploring lawlessness on the high seas. As a journalist, his investigati…

In 2008 I wrote and hosted a 7-part series for BBC Radio 2, “Richard Niles’ History of Pop Arranging”. This eventually led to my PhD from Brunel University and my book, “The Invisible Artist”. The book, with interviews and 222 musical transcriptions of some of the greatest records in popular music, is available here: Anyone who speaks to Jeremy Lub…

Congratulations to TFF for making a great new record in 2021. But this exciting hit (#5 UK, #2 USA) was my first meeting with Tears For Fears. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith had already had hits like “Shout” and “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”. But this was something different! Daisy Chute chats with me about how we sowed many seeds of love in t…

I have fun playing radio and a really great interview with Ian McKenyon from Garage Barrage, Coffee Pot Films and Cds Nuts. The Me-Thinks Keep Haltom High https://saustexrecords.bandcamp.com/track/keep-haltom-high Joshua Ray Walker Sexy After Dark https://joshuaraywalker.bandcamp.com/track/sexy-after-dark Denver Williams Any other Name https://yout…

Guitarist, songwriter, arranger and producer Alan Shacklock had massive hits with his Art/Prog Rock band BABE RUTH in the 1970s, with singer Jennie Haan. He went on to produce Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Meat Loaf, Mike Oldfield, Bonnie Tyler, Jeff Beck and Roger Daltrey. He produced soundtracks for the films Quicksilver, Doc Hollywood, Buddy’s Song a…

Andrew is the host of the On the Edge with Andrew Gold podcast. A journalist and TV presenter who speaks 5 languages & lived in 6 countries, Andrew has produced docs on bizarre and controversial subcultures. He has battled an abusive exorcist, dueled with the Crazy Baby Lady and hunted UFOs. He's currently working on a book and TV doc on pedophilia…

Guitarist, songwriter, arranger and producer Alan Shacklock had massive hits with his Art/Prog Rock band BABE RUTH in the 1970s, with singer Jennie Haan. He went on to produce Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Meat Loaf, Mike Oldfield, Bonnie Tyler, Jeff Beck and Roger Daltrey. He produced soundtracks for the films Quicksilver, Doc Hollywood, Buddy’s Song a…

Tiensirin was born and raised in Bangkok, but has been living in the US for most of her adult life. We met by chance at Tao Ruspoli's place in Joshua Tree, and she allowed me to pick her brain a bit about the different cultural worlds she's moved between. The conversation took unexpected turns that left me feeling sincere admiration for this woman.…

Its a Skariffic show as Susie Ramone travels west to California, we check up on her and her trip. She will going on our favorite California podcast "The Bed Files" so we also talk with the host Eric Peterson about Ska, his podcast, toy hunting and even Metallica. Its a fun show and give The Holophonics, Rude King and Younger than Neil some love! ht…

Composer/arranger/producer Richard Niles has contributed to over 40 top Ten records with 20 Gold and 28 Platinum certifications. In this new Radio Richard series, singer/songwriter Daisy Chute (a hitmaker herself with All Angels) interviews Richard about how some of those massive hits were made. Produced by Trevor Horn & Steve Lipson, “Slave To The…

Alexandre Ribeiro is a legendary jiu-jitsu competitor and one of the founding members of the Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Association. Under the tutelage of some of the world’s top coaches, including Royler Gracie, Vini Aieta and Xande’s own brother Saulo Ribeiro, Alexandre earned numerous grappling titles, including IBJJF and ADCC World Champion, while earni…

Part 4 of my BBC Radio 2 documentary series “Richard Niles’ HISTORY of POP ARRANGING” takes us to Philadelphia with contributions from TSOP guitarist BOBBY ELI and arranger/producer BOBBY MARTIN examining “the sound of Philadelphia” with Gamble & Huff and Thom Bell (The Delphonics, the Detroit Spinners, the Stylistics). We then descend with our nau…

For her work helping artists and composers at the Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts, Paul McCartney said, “Rowena Morgan is my hero!” The vivacious Welsh dynamo’s incredible career has included work in advertising, technology, sponsorship, radio, journalism, brand ambassador, artist liaison, social media management, event management, songw…

Owen and Christina Dargatz and their brood are pushing the boundaries of what people see as possible with a large family. (Their kids range from under 1 to 11 years old.) They traded their comfortable house in Canada for a two room shack in Guatemala with a leaky roof, but to them, this seems an upgrade (most of the time). Instead of seeing how muc…

PAUL McCARTNEY, RAY DAVIES and BARRY GIBB love her. Why should you love her too? Because she was in the Platinum, Brit Award nominated group ALL ANGELS. She plays LOTS of instruments and sings better than an angel. She has worked on soundtracks for film (YESTERDAY Danny Boyle & Richard Curtis ) and TV (David Attenborough's A Perfect Planet) She wor…

This weeks show we have new music from Phantomelo "Space Prom" Jake Paleschic "Guilt" Denver Williams "Cement and Plastic(and a live interview with Denver)(Video by Waffles Weekly and Slab Factory) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlNAWipnyVwPoem Good Bones by Maggie Smith Keegan McInroe's beautiful new song To the Moon and Back(Video by Madeleine M…

Three podcasters walk into a shipping container.... Sounds like a joke, right? Tao's podcast is called Being in the World. He's a filmmaker, photographer, AirBnb host, desert dweller, musician, Airstream lover, philosopher, and creator of spaces and events. Anya's podcast is called A Millennial's Guide to Saving the World (semi-ironically). She's a…

In 2002 I made a series of documentary programs for BBC Radio 2 about the singers who made their names with the big bandleaders. Frank Sinatra got his start with trumpeter Harry James’ band but when he saw the chance to join the much more successful Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, he went after it. In Dorsey he found his biggest musical influence and most …

Come for the yoga, stay for the Charlie Sheen impersonation. Cameron Shayne is considered the father of the Mixed Movement Arts culture. Based in Los Angeles, CA, during the 90's, at the time the mecca for yoga in the Western world, Cameron established himself as one of the pioneering voices and transmitters of contemporary yoga, martial arts and t…

MITCH DALTON has been a 1st call studio guitarist since the late 1970s. Credits include Ella Fitzgerald, Wayne Shorter, Nelson Riddle, Henry Mancini, Robbie Williams, Peggy Lee, Elmer Bernstein AND Monty Python. ALWAYS LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, in this MUSICIAN’S FUNNIES interview with my old friend and colleague, he tells the funny side of worki…

https://benjaminbear.bandcamp.com/track/terrible-babies-f-surfboard-https://jigsawpaulsdr.bandcamp.com/track/powerbomb https://pocketfishrmen.bandcamp.com/track/the-ape-who-loved Black Irish Texas Lifetime Problems https://youtu.be/_ywVpN-gB6Y Joe Savage Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pVoPHRiMbYThere's a Reason by Joe Savage https://joe…

Brian MacKenzie and I had a good chat about how "working out" should be more like play, how psychological issues manifest in our physiology, and how rejection can hit the body like a car wreck. Brian is the Founder & CEO of Shift. He is also the President and Co-Founder of The Health and Human Performance Foundation, a non-profit organization dedic…

Pat Metheny plays LIVE in Richard Niles Exclusive Interview PART 3 In this 3rd and final part of my BBC Radio 2 series “Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life” recorded in 2007, Pat not only explains his concepts, he also demonstrates them on the guitar. This is a unique opportunity to hear how he expresses the infinite optimism, fearless exploration and s…

Back and now streaming on YouTube Sundays at 9 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChzLZU-OknALVaCcE2aFgyQ 1st song https://bombarded.bandcamp.com/track/when-the-sun-is-shining 2nd song https://denverwilliams.bandcamp.com/track/hot-as-hell-again-in-texas Interview with Jeffrey Chase Friedman of Uncle Toasty Uncle Toasty The Butcher of Burundi video by…

Pat Metheny gets up close and personal with Richard Niles - Video PART 2A RADIO RICHARD SPECIAL PRESENTATION In this 2nd part of my BBC Radio 2 series “Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life” recorded in 2007, Pat explains his concepts, philosophies and practices. This is invaluable to students, teachers and music lovers, and will enrich the soul of anyone…

Christa is a PhD student at UC Santa Cruz, researching endangered species and the stressors on ecosystems that lead to extinction events. She schools me on everything from evolutionary theory to the fascinating worlds of viruses and bacteria to what it's like to hang from tall trees in Madagascar. My favorite kind of podcast: a chance encounter lea…

Guitar players and lovers, you’re in for a special treat! In my 2nd session with Grammy winning guitarist & composer LAURENCE JUBER, he plays a guitar piece I wrote for him called… “Guitar Piece” - and explains HOW he played it! This is a unique look into the creative process of one of the most gifted players of the last 50 years. He not only talks…

A RADIO RICHARD SPECIAL PRESENTATION “The only listener I know anything about is myself. I have absolutely no sense of how anybody else perceives anything. I just try to play for the listener inside me.” Pat Metheny Pat Metheny is one of the most significant musicians of the last 50 years. In 2007, he invited me into his NYC home studio for my BBC …

As a kid Sean was fascinated by the look of the cars that were built in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. The shape and design gave each one it’s own personality. He never would have imagined that he would one day make a living off of them the way he does. Using cut up sections of those old brilliant chrome bumpers, he reshapes and welds their pieces into…

ASMAC MASTERCLASS PART 2 JOHN ALTMAN & RICHARD NILES Different Approaches Explained Moderator: Sylvester Rivers Composer/Arrangers John Altman (James Bond, Rod Stewart, Monty Python) and Richard Niles (Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Pat Metheny) demonstrate their different approaches and arranging techniques. For this special ASMAC event, they have b…

ASMAC MASTERCLASS JOHN ALTMAN & RICHARD NILES Different Approaches Explained Moderator: Sylvester Rivers (PART 1) Composer/Arrangers John Altman (James Bond, Rod Stewart, Monty Python) and Richard Niles (Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Pat Metheny) demonstrate their different approaches and arranging techniques. For this special ASMAC event, they have…