And the Welcome everybody to episode 165 of soda jaker on songwriting. This is Brian here as always with

Simon. We hope you're all continuing to stay safe and well during this very

weird time for us all. For this episode we're delighted to welcome a master American Canadian singer-songwriter,

the exquisite Rufus Wainwright back to the show.

As this reaches you, Rufus has just dropped a brand new studio album, his ninth of original original material entitled Unfollow the Rules, and we met with him last

December in those heady pre-Covid times and his publicist's office in London for a nice little

chat about the record. You might remember we first spoke to Rufus Son episode 54 back in 2014 around the release of his excellent Best of Compilation Vibrate.

He joined us over Skype from Canada, I think, on that occasion.

So it was really lovely to get the chance to talk to him in person for this companion piece, if you will.

It really was. And now of course Rufus has joined Paddy Macaloon and Katie Tunstall

in the rarefied surroundings of the exclusive

Soda Jerker Returning Guests Club.

Yeah, he's received a special burgundy velvet smoking jacket, been granted access to the executive

washroom and learned the secret handshake. jacket being granted access to the executive washed room and

learn the secret handshake.

Remember this was pre-Covered so we could shake hands then.

One unique and faintly surreal aspect of this interview was the fact that in the

office where we conducted it

there was actually a bust of Rufus himself. To my knowledge that's the only time

we've been in the room with the guest and the clay rendering of the guest?

I think it might be right.

Post the pick of that on the socials.

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