Nine years after I first saw Greta Van Fleet take over the Viper Room at their first Los Angeles show, all four members came over to the house. 🖤
Josh Kiszka, Jake Kiszka, Sam Kiszka, and Danny Wagner joined me for an intimate, full-circle conversation about growing up in the spotlight, stepping away from the road, becoming more fully themselves, and creating their most ambitious album yet: Palace for the People, out October 9, 2026.
We dive deep into their return, the intention behind this new era, retreating to their cabin studio in Tennessee, working with legendary producer Mike Elizondo, and creating a cinematic rock-and-roll album informed by music and cultures from around the world.
We also talk about:
⚡️ Their first Los Angeles show at the legendary Viper Room
⚡️ Growing up on tour and becoming global rock stars as teenagers
⚡️ Why they intentionally stepped away from the road
⚡️ Reconnecting with themselves after seven years of touring
⚡️ Writing and recording in their secluded Tennessee cabin studio
⚡️ Why Mike Elizondo was the perfect producer for Palace for the People
⚡️ Expanding beyond their blues, folk, soul, and rock influences
⚡️ Creating a cinematic world through the album’s intro, outro, and sequencing
⚡️ The Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach connection behind “Saw You Stand”
⚡️ How “Touch Again” grew out of improvisations on the Starcatcher tour
⚡️ The Charles Bukowski and José González inspiration behind “Born Into This”
⚡️ Josh’s vocal evolution and learning to let go
⚡️ Identity, authenticity, and giving people permission to become themselves
⚡️ Ego, creative disagreements, and learning to let the art breathe
⚡️ Mental health, boundaries, forgiveness, and loving yourself
⚡️ The advice they would give their teenage selves
Plus: fresh chocolate chunk cookies, old Viper Room photos, pinstripes, sunscreen, brotherly chaos, and plenty of laughs along the way.
Whether you’re a longtime member of the Peaceful Army, counting down to Palace for the People, or simply love honest conversations about rock music, creativity, identity, and mental health, this one is for you.
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#GretaVanFleet #PalaceForThePeople #RockMusic
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
03:03 - Looking Back & The Viper Room Show
05:16 - The Lore of Sunset Boulevard
06:03 - Cookie Time
07:01 - A New Era & Growing Up in the Spotlight
10:15 - Taking Time Off the Road
11:44 - Recording the New Album in Tennessee
13:32 - Working with Mike Elizondo
15:45 - Objectives for Palace for the People
17:20 - Album Breakdown: Cinematic Vision & Intention
20:03 - “Saw You Stand”
21:43 - “Touch Again”
24:15 - “Born Into This”
28:15 - Josh Kiszka’s Vocal Evolution
29:44 - Becoming Yourself
31:54 - Lessons Learned Making the Album
35:36 - Mental Health Advice for Artists
37:25 - Advice to Their Younger Selves
40:01 - Outro
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