Sad to say that the NYC snow is preventing this event from happening. Refunds are available at point of purchase. We’ll be back soon. ☀️

The amazing Tony Williams in 1972.

Brooklyn! Feb 23 Identified live podcast with Allison Russell and Valerie June. tinyurl.com/identifiedpodcast

Had a great time compiling my 100 best shows of all time. nabilayers.substack.com Bring on the arguments and Seinfeld jokes.

This Saturday is my 100th Substack post. To mark it, I’m working on a list of my 100 favorite shows of all time. What’s on your list? nabilayers.substack.com

I’m excited to announce an LA live taping of my podcast Identified with Matt Berninger of The National. Thurs Jan 29. Tix go on sale 1/23 3pm pacific. www.eventbrite.com/e/identified...

James Brown on Italian TV in 1971

Kate Bush appreciation post. Here she is on SNL in 1978 with Paul Shaffer on piano.

Tim Heidecker is our final guest of 2025 on the Identified podcast. @timheidecker.bsky.social linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

One amazing minute of Isaac Hayes conducting “Theme From Shaft” 1971

A year-end list of sorts. If it doesn’t come to mind now, it probably didn’t need to. nabilayers.substack.com/p/a-year-end...

Ramsey Lewis trio performing “Summer Breeze” in 1973

Stevie Saturday: live on German TV 1974

Wrote about these 2 guys nabilayers.substack.com/p/the-music-...

Curtis Mayfield “Move on Up” live on Beat Club / German TV 1972

love this new episode of Identified with my guest Yasi Salek linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

How to start the show. Herbie Hancock on Danish TV in 1976. youtu.be/9RsZifvSVSI?...

Annual Thanksgiving repost of this 2018 piece I wrote for NPR’s Code Switch about discovering my family tree… and a lot more www.npr.org/sections/cod...

One of my favorite Identified episodes yet: Massima Bell on her journey growing up between rural Iowa and urban cities, discovering her gender identity, and navigating family relationships. linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

1995

New Substack post about Hiro from Soundgarden’s incredible Rock Hall speech nabilayers.substack.com/p/did-you-he...

Headed to Boston later this week for events at Berklee and Harvard…

Thrilled to have Jad Abumrad as this week’s guest on Identified. linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

New Substack post about doing shit live open.substack.com/pub/nabilaye...

The first ever Identified podcast live episodes were a blast! Huge thanks to my guests Meshell Ndegeocello and Michelle Zauner, executive producer Kieron Banerji, and the wonderful (sold out) audience. More of these to come. 🎤 linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

Live from Gowanus!

Tomorrow’s event is sold out but we will hopefully have a pair of tix to give away today… publicrecords.nyc/events/nabil...

Saturday’s event is sold out but we will release a few more tix this week! dice.fm/event/k6kwpo...

It’s Substack Saturday! nabilayers.substack.com/p/file-under...

I’ll be in New York this week for a pair of book events. On Tuesday, I’ll be in conversation with Benny Horowitz of @gaslightanthem.bsky.social at @roughtraderecords.bsky.social. On Wednesday, I’ll be at Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn in conversation with @nabilayers.bsky.social. Hope to see you!

Best selling author Dani Shapiro is my guest on Identified this week linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

New Substack post about taking it back on the road nabilayers.substack.com/p/just-when-...

David Cross was open, thoughtful, and generous in our Identified podcast conversation, and I don’t think I laughed once. youtu.be/DkIU7CSBl_c?... #davidcross #comedian #podcast #family #arresteddevelopment #mrshow

Just when I thought it was all winding down… a run of book and non-book events this fall around the USA. Come hang! nabilayers.com/events

Imagine seeing Nirvana play “Smells Like Teen Spirit” live for the first time. To commemorate the anniversary “Nevermind”, Nabil Ayers shares the story about of that April 1991 Seattle show. Full clip on YouTube. youtu.be/gt8lmgFAp3g?...

Help me solve this impossible argument? nabilayers.substack.com/p/london-or-...

Honored to be this week’s guest on BBC Arts Hour. We discussed my podcast, Identified, how my mother pushed me to be a child actor, and I got to share my favorite quote from “Meet the Parents.” You can listen in all the pod places. open.spotify.com/episode/4zoO...

David Cross is my guest on this week’s episode of identified. linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

Shame on all of you for not telling me about this Billy Joel doc

Important weekend discussion: What makes a ‘90s band? Does Radiohead count? The Chili Peppers? open.substack.com/pub/nabilaye...

Youngmi Mayer on my podcast, Identified linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

Loved my conversation with Youngmi Mayer on Identified podcast… linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

Wrote about Shudder To Think’s brilliant 1994 album “Pony Express Record” nabilayers.substack.com/p/pony-expre...

Wrote about not writing about a record that I love. nabilayers.substack.com/p/pony-expre...

Saw NYC in a whole new way

Back by popular demand: bands going hard on TV pt 2 1 - Skid Row / SNL 1991

John Legend is my guest on Identified this week! linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

John Legend is my guest on Identified tomorrow linktr.ee/identifiedpo...

New substack post about a severely underrated band nabilayers.substack.com/p/i-want-candy