Key Change: Shirley Manson

“Drop Dead/Celebration” by Siouxsie and the Banshees

My guest today is Shirley Manson. Since 1994, she’s been the lead singer of the band Garbage, and she is a bona fide rock icon. The two of us worked together on a different podcast called The Jump, which Shirley hosted and I helped produce. It was a dream of mine to get Shirley as the host of that podcast, partly because, as you’re about to hear, she has one of the greatest voices, and I could listen to her talk about anything. And so I’m especially excited to listen to her today tell me about a song that changed her life.

You can buy or stream “Drop Dead/Celebration” here.

footnotes:
“Happy House” – Siouxsie and the Banshees
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Top of the Pops
Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie
“Felt” – Garbage
Kurt Cobain
Steve Marker
John Lennon
The Cure
“Suffocate Me” – Angelfish
David Bowie
Iggy Pop
Madonna
Let All That We Imagine Be The Light – Garbage

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Key Change: Samin Nosrat

“Untouchable Face” by Ani DiFranco

My guest today is my friend Samin Nosrat, the author of the bestselling, award-winning cookbook Salt Fat Acid Heat, and the host and executive producer of the hit Netflix show that’s based on it. Her second cookbook comes out this fall, and it’s called Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share With People You Love.

Back in March 2020, Samin and I started a podcast together called Home Cooking, where we answered people’s anxious questions about cooking in the time of the pandemic and lockdown. And we’re bringing that podcast back later this year.

Samin is one of my closest friends. We’ve been there for each other for all of the most important moments of our lives over the years that we’ve known each other. But with a total lack of consideration to our friendship, it turns out Samin’s had important moments in her life from before we met. But we’re going to make up for lost time, and she’s going to talk to me about one of them today.

You can buy or stream “Untouchable Face” here.

footnotes:
Ani DiFranco
Felicity with Keri Russell
Louis Armstrong, Roberta Flack, and Ella Fitzgerald
Perry Farrell, Violent Femmes, and Phish

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Key Change: James Acaster

“Hey Ya!” by OutKast

My guest today is James Acaster, a comedian, author, musician, and interviewer. He’s filmed comedy specials for HBO and Netflix, which are hilarious and high concept. His musical project, Temps, has released an album and an EP. He’s written multiple books, including one about how the year 2016 was the greatest year for music. James also co-hosts the food podcast Off Menu, with comedian Ed Gamble. And I’ve listened to more hours of Off Menu than any other podcast. James and Ed don’t know it, but they’re my best friends. And I have lured James out of the parasocial relationship that we have in my head and into this conversation with me, to talk about a song that had a profound effect on his life.

You can buy or stream “Hey Ya!” here.

footnotes:
Nish Kumar
André 3000
Black Sabbath and AC/DC
Nu metal
Limp Bizkit
“Dressed To Kill” – Eddie Izzard
James’ latest standup special, “Hecklers Welcome”

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