
Free Daily Podcast Summary
by Ben Opipari
In-depth interviews with songwriters about their songwriting process. Nothing else. No talk of band drama, band names, or tour stories. Treating songwriters as writers, plain and simple. By Ben Opipari, English Lit Ph.D.
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
"My ideas are the most plentiful when I just put something out into the world," says Claud. "I immediately start thinking about all the stuff I want to do next time." Some of that stuff comes from consistent journal writing, where their big picture ideas and creative world emerge. But the hard part, as we all can attest, is how to minimize distractions to let those ideas happen in the first place. The secret for Claud is two-fold: never use in flight wi-fi, and always take the new puppy for a...
"It's trash that evokes emotion," says Chelsea Rifkin of Wilt referring to her junk journal. The singer for the LA-based band uses this journal as an important part of her songwriting process. The title is literal: "It's a scrapbook of trash that I get throughout the day." Rifkin showed me one of the journals. It was filled with napkins, stickers, cards, menus, wrappers--literally anything that might evoke a memory later on. This makes perfect sense because touching and seeing a concret...
"I get a prebiotic soda and some popcorn, then head upstairs to write. And if I'm not feeling it, I leave." Joy Oladokun is nothing if not brutally efficient in her songwriting process. There's no room for wasted time. "I work fast but never in a rush," she says. Oladokun writes most of her songs in a matter of minutes, but that's because she's methodical, not haphazard. Oladokun likes to write in the morning, ideally among birds. "I love the morning because I get to see the world change," sh...
“I love to sing out loud there. No one can hear me because everyone is, well, underground,” says Julia Jacklin. And if that’s not the best reason for singing in a cemetery, I don’t know what is. Walking is a daily and essential part of Jacklin’s process. “I’m obsessed with walking,” she says. There are two kinds of walks to Jacklin’s process. The first is when she goes with nothing on her mind; this is for filling the well with inspiration. The second is what she calls “intentional walk...
"I like to write at my desk," says Brennan Wedl. It makes me feel like a professor, so it's correlated with discipline in my brain. It's like a writing altar." This tracks with Wedl's penchant for adhering to a writing ritual and its attendant discipline. She's a big fan of Post-it notes, loves to get up early and feel the sun on a morning walk, and believes in the power of a schedule. But as you'll hear, when she really wants to "lock it in," she turns to the power of chewing gum. Brennan We...
"I have my best thoughts in total comfort and complete boredom," Taja Cheek (known professionally as L'Rain) says. After all, who doesn't prefer a good couch or bed when they write? But when it comes to pure inspiration, Cheek likes to be "alone together": around people but deep in her own thoughts. That's why she loves the New York City subway and what she calls "intentional walking" on the city streets amidst all its distractions. But as you'll hear, nothing beats a good cab ride. L'R...
"I like to do things that make me feel integrated with the environment," says Margaret Glaspy. Broadly, Glaspy's process involves a general resistance to technology, which is why we had a great discussion about the benefits of cursive. It should also come as no surprise that Glaspy believes in pen and paper (and very specific kinds) for her lyrics. This resistance to technology is borne out the correct belief that it destroys our ability to focus, so Glaspy writes in fifteen minute incr...
Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show is the first person I’ve interviewed to compare the songwriting process to feline copulation. But this unique metaphor actually reflects Secor’s deep introspection: only someone who reads all the time would even consider how these two events are related. And Secor reads. All. The. Time. Old Crow Medicine Show’s latest album is Union Made.
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Listeners also like.

Song Exploder
Musicians break down their songs piece by piece, revealing the stories and ideas behind their creation.

Sad Song Queens
Two music supervisors interview artists and songwriters about the emotional stories behind their most poignant songs.

Life of the Record
Musicians recount the making of classic albums.

Booked On Rock with Eric Senich
Explores the stories behind classic rock songs, albums, and artists through interviews with authors, musicians, and historians.

The Moment with Myf Warhurst
A cultural deep dive into the moments dominating public conversation, delivered with insight and context in under a minute.

State of Love & Trust Podcast
Jason Kerepesi & Paul Ghiglieri

Word In Your Ear
Two veteran music journalists share stories and insights from decades in the industry, joined by musician and writer guests.

The Zane Lowe Interview Series
Candid, in-depth interviews with major music artists about their lives and creative processes.

Music Matters with Darrell Craig Harris
In-depth interviews with major music artists, producers, and industry leaders shaping the global music landscape.

Doc Walks
Two documentary filmmakers discuss the craft and industry of non-fiction filmmaking with guests during weekly walks.

Poetry Unbound
A deep, reflective exploration of a single poem in each episode, guided by Pádraig Ó Tuama.

DJ Hesta Prynn's Music is Therapy
A DJ and therapist explores how music shapes identity, decisions, and personal growth through storytelling and expert conversations.
In-depth interviews with songwriters about their songwriting process. Nothing else. No talk of band drama, band names, or tour stories. Treating songwriters as writers, plain and simple. By Ben Opipari, English Lit Ph.D.
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Get key takeaways from Songwriters on Process in a 5-minute read.
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Songwriters on Process as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Ben Opipari.
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
Songwriters on Process publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
Songwriters on Process covers topics including History, Music, Commentary, Comedy Interviews. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.