It is remarkably refreshing to talk to Mark Ronson about his new role hosting The Fader Uncovered podcast, as well as his upcoming Apple TV + show, Watch The Sound With Mark Ronson.

Though Ronson is unquestionably one of the most accomplished music producers of the twenty-first century, a title that would have been solidified just with his work on Amy Winehouse's seminal Back To Black and the massive smash "Uptown Funk," he takes his role as an interviewer both very seriously with a great deal of humility.

As he explained when we spoke recently about the podcast and the TV show, this is Ronson returning to his first love in a way. He wanted to study journalism and he interned at Rolling Stone. And now having made his mark as a seven-time Grammy winner and successful artist/producer, he feels comfortable to return to the journalism world for the chance to interview such heroes and friends as David Byrne, HAIM and Questlove, on the podcast, and Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Mike D and Ad-Rock from the Beastie Boys, and more, for Watch The Sound, which premieres July 30.

I spoke with Ronson about how he prepares as an interviewer, the similarities between interviewing, producing and DJing, and the one artist he has yet to meet on his wish list.

Steve Baltin: I loved at the beginning of your David Byrne interview where you discussed bringing your book for him to sign before you remembered it would be a Zoom interview.

Mark Ronson: I was so green I guess, because  this was before the vaccine really hit. Vaccine allows you to think, "I'm gonna see David Byrne today, I'm gonna bring this book and I'm so excited." I show up and there's this cameras and a laptop set up and I'm just like, "I'm such an idiot. Of course this isn't going to be in person." So it was very sweet. He was waving a Sharpie over the phone. I listen to a lot of podcasts and the really great interviewers, like Marc Maron, Howard Stern, everybody seems to be pulling it off very well. But it's weird for me because I've only started during COVID, so to not have that connection. Breaking the ice is something I have to do much in my job. When you're making music with people there's this first two hours or something of the day where you're getting somebody to trust you enough to open up emotionally to create, whatever it is. So I would take for granted this was something that was going to happen. But then it's like, "Oh no, I'm going to be talking to a screen and I might not even be able to see their eyes and if the sound dips out." I'm used to being interviewed on the other end, so when you're being interviewed you can be like, "Oh sorry, say that again." But when you're the interviewer you're the one that's supposed to be deferential, so it's definitely been an experience. But also wonderful because I'm talking to people that are incredible, talented people. It's been fun so far.

Baltin: Artist to artist interviews are always different though I have found, there is a unique language and respect musicians have with each other. So are you finding that in doing these episodes?

Ronson: Yes, I think it's a learning curve and it's definitely something that the Apple show, Watch The Sound, coming in July, really gave me a bit of training with it cause I was talking to a lot of people. I was going to go to Northwestern college cause they had a great journalism program. I wrote for all these 'zines and stuff in high school and I interned at Rolling Stone when I was like 13. So the way I'd make money in the summer, there was a woman who ran a heavy metal fanzine, when you could have a living just reprinting other people's articles on L.A. Guns and Guns 'N' Roses and stuff and I would write for that. So I think that I've always had too much respect in a way to not come in prepped as if I was a journalist. And if people are willing to then go a step into that zone and treat it as artist to artist then that's great. And then somebody like David Byrne, cause even artist to artist, there's a pretty big discrepancy and iconic status there. And there was a really funny interview with Rico Nasty where it took 'til the end for her to even realize that I made music. Cause I don't want to shove it anybody's face during the interview. I'm just there to talk and if I can tell like a story because I think it might be relatable or something then that's fine, but I'm not there to tell my own achievements. So at the very end there was this funny moment where she was like, "So, you make music? That's cool. I gotta check out your stuff sometime. What do you do?" And I was like, "I guess the thing most people probably know me for is producing Back To Black by Amy Winehouse." And she just kind of went quiet for a minute and then it was really sweet. She's like, "My mother, that was like the only record she listened to around the house when I was like six years old." She was moved in some kind of way. It was nice to not have that until the very end of the interview as well. I think there are going to be people that I talk to that are going to know what I do, probably more than others. Especially since The FADER covers such ground musically.

Baltin: I imagine as well it's refreshing in a way to talk to artists who aren't necessarily huge fans or know who you are because you just get to be the person talking to them.

Ronson: Yeah, just as a fan of music. And I don't know of any artist, well I guess Prince maybe because he said he only listened to his own music, but I couldn't ever tell you if I consider myself more of a fan of other people's music or a creator. And maybe you don't have to make that decision. But I'm always so excited what other people do. If anybody has made something that makes me think, "How do they that or this is special" it's like there is a little bit of magic.

Baltin: Talk about the concept too of The FADER covers because I do think it is important for a podcast to have that through line.

Ronson: Yeah, there has to be a through line to start with. Otherwise where do you start with somebody like David Byrne? So it is interesting and then you can always use those things as tangents. Probably the thing that's impacted me maybe the most of all of David's work is his book because that was such a North Star during the making of this Apple show. And there are so many things that he said that like a great standup comedian you think, "Oh yeah, I've always thought of that, but I've never said it the right way or put it together in those words. That's why they're so great." The FADER article touched on that, I was like, "Okay, that article was 2008 and the book came out 2010, he was writing it then." I do really like having constraints, it's important cause otherwise you're all over the place. And I think the thing, back to being prepared going into these things and having a little bit of respect for the craft of just journalism, there are times where you're just gonna hit a brick wall, a dead end, suddenly a pause. And I feel like I need to know all those other things so I know where to take it next.

Baltin: Most people do get more comfortable as they get older. So are you better equipped to handle those awkward silences now?

Ronson: Yeah, I think so. I just feel like it's the same way as I am with a DJ set, going to the studio with someone for the first time. I think the anxiety that drives the over preparation is something that goes across all those facets of things that I do. Because I feel like before I go onstage and DJ some festival I feel like I've pre-rehearsed, pre-prepped, basically just done the set. I leave room for improv, but I have to know what the first five minutes is because that initial thing of standing onstage is a little bit terrifying. So I feel like if I know what I'm doing the first five minutes then it's kind of like I can take a breath from there.

Baltin: Could you have done this show or the Apple documentary earlier in your life or did you need to be older to feel comfortable with these projects?

Ronson: I do think it's something that comes with age. And I think there's something about, in your 20s and 30s you're just scurrying to make it to do the thing that you want to do. So I don't think I would've done this at that point because I just wanted to make music and find my success there. And I do think there's probably something about the audience trusting you because you made something that they like or they have a connection to. I'm definitely not comparing myself to [Leonard] Bernstein (laughs).But I love that idea that kind of used to exist where a certain person made music make sense to everybody. I can't stand on a TV screen in a tux and explain Beethoven's "Fifth," but I do like the idea of somebody that's maybe familiar to music and stuff telling you how stuff works. And I think without the relationships I've generated with these people over the years from actually having worked with them, knowing the secrets they're willing to divulge, how far we can take it, that's certainly really integral to the Apple show.

Baltin: Are there things you are learning in these interviews that have surprised you?

Ronson: Yeah, well, Questlove is such an incredible figure because not only has he been there in so many sort of legendary moments, been part of so many legendary recordings, he's also like Wikipedia. So the knowledge that he divulges and the anecdotes are insane. So it is funny knowing Quest for about 20 years, since we worked together on Nikka Costa's first album, to still hear for the first time he would come home from tour and have these jam sessions in the living room and be like, "Why is the pizza guy on the microphone?" And that turns out to be Musiq Soulchild. There are these still pretty epic anecdotes I still had never heard. And then even just talking to somebody who's that talented you're gonna walk away from that feeling a bit more in tune or enlightened.

Baltin: Who is your dream artist to talk to you have not spoken with yet?

Ronson: One of the people I've never really gotten to talk to I'd eventually like to talk to is Trent Reznor. He's been incredibly influential and I admire him.