Iconic is an overused word these days, but "Weird Al" Yankovic deserves that designation. During our conversation, Al talks about surviving in show business for 40 years and how he dealt with a very public career setback in the late '80s.

Iconic horror director John Carpenter — the man behind "Halloween" — talks about being an outsider, what inspired him to make films, and how he accidentally became a full-time musician.

Mondo Cozmo frontman Josh Ostrander talks about being an overnight sensation...20 years in the making. He also gets into his recent visit to the Senate and discusses what he calls a "rock and roll freakout" that resulted in hours of surgery.

MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger talks about the band's early days — when it wasn't even a "band" — his time as a folklorist, his need to mean what he says, and the effect Wendell Berry had on both his life and work.

Jack Antonoff of Bleachers, Fun, and Steel Train had very specific ideas of what success in the music industry looked like. When his band Fun blew up, it also blew up those ideas and expanded his horizons. In this conversation, we talk about that explosion, the writing process, and "buying the delusion" as an artist when no one else will believe in you.

Jake Shears might be known as the guy from Scissor Sisters, but he's had a pretty big year on his own. He released an acclaimed memoir, made his Broadway debut in "Kinky Boots," and just announced his first solo album. During our conversation, we talk about the cascade of life changes that brought him to this point.

Jason Molina is one of the most capable, compelling, and confounding musicians of the last quarter century. We're celebrating his life and work as we mark five years since his passing in the spring of 2013. To do so, you'll hear from "Jason Molina: Riding With the Ghost" author Erin Osmon, Jim James, Scott Avett, Strand of Oaks frontman Tim Showalter, and Secretly Canadian Records co-founder Ben Swanson.

Comedian Hari Kondabolu has a lot to say about political correctness, racism, oppression, and the highly polarized nature of our country at the moment. But that doesn't make him a "political comic." During our conversation, we discuss Hari's process, his take on the "Roseanne" reboot, and getting more personal for his new Netflix special, "Warn Your Relatives."

Ted Leo discusses his love for "The Lord of the Rings," growing up as a punk kid, and his complicated relationship with Catholicism. This episode also features a live session recorded at the KEXP studios in Seattle.

Habibi might have formed in New York, but the band's roots are in Detroit — in more ways than one. Rahill Jamalifard and Lenny Lynch both from the Motor City, but the influence of Detroit's middle eastern community and its history of girl group garage rock can be heard loud and clear in their music.

Comedian Martha Kelly discusses her struggles with addiction, how Zach Galifianakis kept her from quitting the TV show "Baskets," and her unironic love of Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Last year, Jessica Lea Mayfield opened up about her experiences with domestic violence. The conversation she started on Instagram ultimately culminated in "Sorry Is Gone," a collection of deeply personal, raw songs about her time in an abusive marriage and her journey out of it.

Wyclef Jean casts a big shadow in hip hop, R&B, and pop music. While The Fugees mega-hit "The Score" sold more records, his solo debut "The Carnival" is really what helped him cast that shadow. Some people have described it as a cold, calculated attempt by record execs to push urban music further into the mainstream. According to Wyclef, though, nobody knew if the record would even work!

Joe and Dave Henry, a folk singer and his screenwriter brother, ended up authoring the Richard Pryor biography "Furious Cool." At first glance, the connection makes no sense. Find out how it happened and why the brothers were obsessed with the legendary comedian.

A lot of stand-up comics claim to have a unique perspective, but let's get real: Most of them are shlubby bearded white dudes. Comedian Joel Kim Booster is a whole other story. Unique is an understatement when talking about his story and how it shapes his approach to comedy.

Killer Mike and El-P of Run the Jewels discuss the importance of being upfront with each other about their feelings and how it felt to meet their best friends (each other) later in life.

The new Manchester Orchestra album, "A Black Mile To The Surface," took a lot out of frontman Andy Hull. Not content to rest on his laurels, he decided to take a big swing while recording the new record by pushing himself creatively and emotionally.

Warpaint has always been hard to pin down, with their music sometimes leaning post-punk and other times leaning heavily in the direction of dream pop. Part of that may be due to the band's structure, which they call a "democracy of dictators."

Based on the premise alone, it's amazing that comedian Jon Glaser's "Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter" ended up becoming a real TV show on Adult Swim. Once you know the story behind its genesis, the level of amazement gets ratcheted up a few notches!

Karl Blau talks about how it felt to get a pretty unique gift from producer and longtime friend Tucker Martine — and entire album of '70s country soul covers meant to showcase Blau's voice. The result, "Introducing Karl Blau," was one of the best albums of 2016.

Craig Finn feels like he's finally graduated from "dabbler" to "solo artist" on his third solo record, "We All Want the Same Things." The album is full of stories about people navigating life, love, and teamwork in the middle section of life.

Grandmaster Flash was more integral in the creation of hip hop as we know it today than any other individual. While many people know him as the man behind "The Message," his journey began over a decade earlier as a little kid from the Bronx who was obsessed with his dad's stereo.

Steve Burns just released a new album, "Foreverywhere," with longtime collaborator Steven Drozd. This time it's heavily influenced by his past — specifically his time as the host of Nickelodeon's "Blue's Clues." Yes, he's that Steve. We talk about the show, his relationship with Drozd, figuring out a path in life, and how being short helped him become "fame-ish," as he says.

Jim James of My Morning Jacket embraces uncertainty in his songwriting, but the act of writing songs seems to be an exercise in certitude. Sound confusing? Good. That's the best state of mind to be in when attempting to digest Jim's music — whether it's MMJ or his solo work.