Podcasts · Music · Society & Culture

Alchemy with Anthony Mason

Anthony Mason

14 episodes

Welcome to Alchemy! This is a show about the craft and mystery of the creative process. It’s for anyone who’s ever been saved by a song, lost in a book, or enlightened by a painting. I’ve spent decades as a journalist interviewing artists in all creative disciplines. Alchemy is a new home for these conversations. Follow us. And be inspired.

Episodes

  1. How Barbara Kingsolver gets past the fear of starting a new book

    · 52 min

    Since 1993, every book by Barbara Kingsolver has made The New York Times bestseller list. Her last novel, “Demon Copperhead,” won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Her latest, “Partita,” the story of a Tennessee piano…

  2. Why Brandon Flowers trusts his own judgment over critics

    · 49 min

    Brandon Flowers is best known as the frontman of The Killers. All seven of their albums have gone top 10 in the U.S. and to number one in the U.K. Flowers has also had a successful solo career and he’s back with his…

  3. What Holland Taylor learned from Stella Adler after 15 years of acting

    · 54 min

    The legendary Holland Taylor stars in the new Apple TV series Brothers, with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. It’s another iconic performance from the actress who also had memorable runs in Bosom Buddies, The…

  4. Carly Pearce reveals what success secretly cost her

    · 51 min

    Over the past decade, Carly Pearce has been one of country music’s most successful female artists with half a dozen platinum singles. She's won four ACM awards and another three CMAs. Her new album, “Honest Woman,”…

  5. Why everyone finds inspiration at Aaron Dessner's Long Pond Studio

    · 57 min

    We traveled to a special place this week: Long Pond Studio in upstate New York. It's the home and workplace of Aaron Dessner, a member of the indie rock band The National and a GRAMMY-winning producer behind some of…

  6. MUNA on surviving a breakup while keeping the band together

    · 1 h 02 min

    A few years ago, my daughter shared a song with me and said, “You need to listen to this band.” I've been a fan of MUNA ever since. Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson came together in college at USC back…

  7. Ben Schwartz shot an entire TV series with no buyer. Here's the plan

    · 51 min

    On this week’s episode, we’re catching up with an old friend. Ben Schwartz is on tour with his improv show “Ben Schwartz and Friends.” He’s voicing Sonic in the upcoming fourth film in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” series.…

  8. Nile Rodgers on band speak: the language only he and Bowie understood

    · 52 min

    Our guest this episode, Nile Rodgers, has left an indelible mark on American music, as a guitarist, producer, and leader of the band Chic. Nile was just named one of the “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters” by the…

  9. Tom Morello's new album is a Rage fan's dream

    · 56 min

    Tom Morello is one of the great guitarists of our time, known for his epic albums with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. We talk about his many collaborations, with Chris Cornell, Bruce Springsteen, and now his…

  10. How Sam Smith's songwriting changed on their new album

    · 58 min

    Our guest this episode, Sam Smith, is one of the most popular singers in the world. Sam's music has more than 57 billion streams. We first met in 2014 in Sam's hometown in England, when their debut album was just…

  11. How Sara Bareilles became a Broadway writer, Sondheim star, and sitcom lead

    · 52 min

    One of my favorite singers, Sara Bareilles, is our guest this episode. Sara's released five top 10 albums, written the music and lyrics for the hit Broadway show "Waitress," and starred in a Sondheim musical. She's…

  12. Brittany Howard on the unexpected rise of Alabama Shakes

    · 47 min

    Brittany Howard has been ranked one of the greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone. Then there's that voice, which the New Yorker called "a mixture of Robert Plant and Marvin Gaye." Brittany's debut album with…

  13. Hozier: “My heart was just torn open”

    · 50 min · Explicit

    Welcome to the debut episode of Alchemy! For our very first guest, I invited one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Andrew Hozier-Byrne. Between his breakout hit “Take Me to Church” and his more recent smash “Too…

  14. Introducing Alchemy with Anthony Mason

    · 2:36 · Trailer

    A first look at Alchemy, where award-winning journalist Anthony Mason sits down with the artists who shape our culture. First full episode Wednesday, September 23. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now.

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