Sodajerker On Songwriting

Take That's Gary Barlow welcomes Simon and Brian to his London studio for a fun conversation about songwriting, performance, and the creative process. The celebrated artist discusses the authentic sound of his Songbook tour, how he cultivates studio collaboration, and the amazing songwriting advice he received from Swedish hitmaker Max Martin. Gary was also previously the guest for episode 180 of this podcast.

The remarkable Brandi Carlile joins Simon and Brian for an in-depth conversation about writing with Elton John on their new album, Who Believes In Angels? The Grammy and Emmy-winning singer-songwriter discusses the profound connection she feels with both Elton and Bernie Taupin, and the challenges and triumphs of bringing her childhood dream to life.

The excellent Djo, aka musician and actor Joe Keery, sits down in London with Simon and Brian to discuss his terrific new record The Crux. During the conversation, the Stranger Things star explains his songwriting process, how he enriches his songs with personal stories and references to the music he loves, and the value of collaborating with his friend Adam Thein.

Mike Hadreas, aka Perfume Genius, takes us inside the creative process behind his new record, Glory, produced by Blake Mills. During the conversation, Mike describes how he balances spontaneity with structure, the art of becoming a song detective, and why he writes his best work in 'goblin mode'.

Tom Walker shares his songwriting story so far and the challenges of making his recent second album I AM. The popular singer-songwriter also reflects on the importance of striving to realise a creative vision, his time spent studying songwriting at university, and the influence of his music-loving father.