About this episode
Secretly Society presents a three-episode mini-series about collaboration, friendship, and a community-driven project; originally formed by Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner in 2008, this is the magical and illusive tale of Big Red Machine. This series is narrated by music writer and broadcaster Laura Barton, including live interviews with Vernon, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sharon Van Etten, Anais Mitchell, and more. The conclusion to the story, for now. Big Red Machine has been a rejection of the music industry's expectations weighing upon Dessner and Vernon, but also a place of solace for the pair amongst their sometimes painful struggles with mental health. The pair take turns grounding each other through their successes and supporting during their lows, while writing songs like "Brycie" and "Hutch" that pay tribute to close-knit family and friends. The pool of collaborators ripples out ever-further, and new methods of working to complement each others' contributions carry on the experimental spirit of Big Red Machine. Links: Big Red Machine Pt. 3 Playlist Link Secretly Society Podcast Link Secretly Society Podcast Store Link Secretly Society General Information Link Big Red Machine: Big Red Machine on Instagram Big Red Machine on Facebook