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Recommended if You Like: longform conversation with musicians, cartoonists, writers and other creative types.

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Artwork for RiYL

Latest Episodes

A musician's relationship to their work evolves over time. As life happens, words take on new meanings, and new stories emerge. As evidenced by the title, Tove Styrke's relationship to her latest set of songs transformed prior to releasing them as a ... more

Naming a compilation Death of a Ska Band is a statement. Slow Gherkin's final show and album arrived in 2002, years after their chosen genre had come and gone from mainstream acceptance. But some things in life are deeper than MTV Buzz Bins. The chil... more

Disasters is a fresh start. It's a solo album designed to process recent trauma, while providing an entirely new live set of songs. After playing in bands and supporting some of indie music's top names, Lilah Larson has a new statement entirely their... more

Sometimes you need that extra push – and production help of a legend in the field. Instant Validation is the culmination of a decade of songs, pulled together to form Meg Lui’s debut. The Berklee educated musician was held up to three jobs to make en... more

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Recent Guests

James Rickman
Musician and former managing editor at Paper
Slow Gherkin
Episode: Episode 789: James Rickman (Slow Gherkin)
Lilah Larson
Musician, guitarist, graphic designer, and solo artist
Episode: Episode 778: Lilah Larson
Meg Lui
Berklee-educated musician and songwriter releasing her debut album, Instant Validation
Episode: Episode 777: Meg Lui
Tillie Walden
Cartoonist and author of Charity and Sylvia, Vermont Laureate
Independent artist / Vermont Laureate
Episode: Episode 776: Tillie Walden
Joan Wasser
Musician known for Joan As Police Woman; discusses her reimagined album and artistic evolution.
Joan As Police Woman
Episode: Episode 775: Joan As Police Woman
Elaine Bradley
Musician, member of Neon Trees and Nymb
Neon Trees / Nymb
Episode: Episode 773: Elaine Bradley (Neon Trees, Nymb)
Carter King
Member of Futurebirds, discussed as a guest in the episode
Futurebirds
Episode: Episode 772: Futurebirds (Carter King and Thomas Johnson)
Thomas Johnson
Member of Futurebirds, discussed as a guest in the episode
Futurebirds
Episode: Episode 772: Futurebirds (Carter King and Thomas Johnson)
Jimmy Flemion
Musician, member of The Frogs
The Frogs
Episode: Episode 770: Jimmy Flemion (The Frogs)

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 98 ratings
  • Thoughtful, fascinating interviews

    Brian’s interviews with a wide range of creative people (musicians, writers, comedians, comic book artists, and more) are all illuminating and entertaining. A seasoned journalist, he is especially good at coaxing prickly subjects out of their shells. Highly recommended if you like, well, just about anything.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    j.marcy
    United States3 years ago
  • Giving rapists a platform

    The guy from swans has been outed as a rapist to give him a platform is disgusting

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    mr. stoney bologna
    United States3 years ago
  • Get this creative juices flowing

    Brian asks insightful questions to get his guests to open up about their creative process. His podcast has inspired me to tap into my own artistic pursuits. Give it a listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    FunkychickAM
    United States3 years ago
  • A wide array of guests well interviewed

    I like fiction, graphic and otherwise. I like music. I like thoughtful conversations about a wide array of topics. But I LOVE long guitar and keyboard intros. FIVE STARS FOR RIYL! HO HO HO!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MonkeyShines
    United States6 years ago
  • Informed interviewer gets to the discussion right away, without steering himself. Grounded, relevant and concise.

    Podcast Addict
    trered
    7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some critics note inconsistencies in interview pacing or depth, but overall reception highlights strong guests and engaging conversations.
Listeners praise the host's thoughtful, insightful interviews and ability to elicit meaningful responses from a wide range of guests.
Fans appreciate the diverse guest roster and the show's focus on creative process and storytelling.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 789: James Rickman (Slow Gherkin)
Q: What are the dynamics like, certainly around the turn of the century, taking it really seriously, performing a band, and then now at this point in your life, being in LA and trying to make it happen?
Rickman says music remains a necessary creative outlet alongside his day job. After struggling to start a band and write songs independently, he began making time to write in Los Angeles, using playing along with Neil Young records as a way to generate ideas and overcome fear of being derivative.
Episode 789: James Rickman (Slow Gherkin)
Q: Have you ever not felt like this is the ends when it is the end? The temporary end?
Rickman says he does not assume the band will continue indefinitely. The band reunites when an opportunity feels meaningful, and its current activity comes from a shared desire to play rather than routine or obligation.
Episode 777: Meg Lui
Q: Is there a way in which thematically you were working through some of that stuff on this set of songs?
Lui revisited older songs and reconsidered what she had been trying to say in their lyrics. Becoming a parent has especially changed how she understands “Ms. Queen Note,” which now feels different from her perspective as a mother.
Episode 777: Meg Lui
Q: What was your musical life like in those intervening years?
Lui continued playing small shows, performed with a country cover band, taught music, and worked other jobs. Grief and the reminder that time is finite helped her commit to making the album, with Sufjan Stevens gradually joining the project.
Episode 778: Lilah Larson
Q: Would you say there are broader themes of loss on the record?
Larson says the album emerged from a series of life disasters and losses, much of it surrounding a person whose life was deeply intertwined with her career, artistic practice, and home. She says roughly half the songs concern that relationship.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About RiYL

What is RiYL about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A longform interview series centered on creators who span multiple disciplines, including musicians, cartoonists, writers, and other artists. Conversations tend to explore artistic identity, practical tradecraft across genres, and the realities of sustaining creative work—often touching on travel, city vs. rural life, collaboration, and the evolving media landscape. Notable throughlines include candid storytelling, a focus on process and craft, and a willingness to mix personal life with artistic practice, making it appealing to listeners who crave thoughtful insight into how diverse creative paths intersect and endure.

Where can I find podcast stats for RiYL?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for RiYL. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to RiYL and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does RiYL get?

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What are the audience demographics for RiYL?

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How many subscribers and views does RiYL have?

To see how many followers or subscribers RiYL has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of RiYL are there?

RiYL launched 14 years ago and published 781 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact RiYL?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for RiYL?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for RiYL from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for RiYL?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of RiYL. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on RiYL?

Recent guests on RiYL include:

1. James Rickman
2. Lilah Larson
3. Meg Lui
4. Tillie Walden
5. Joan Wasser
6. Elaine Bradley
7. Carter King
8. Thomas Johnson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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