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Artwork for The Music Book Podcast

The Music Book Podcast

Marc Masters
Chapel Hill Music Scene
Jazz
90s Music
Death
Murder Ballads
Music Writing
Krautrock
Indie Rock
African American Culture
Free Jazz
Photography
Architecture
Miles Davis
John Coltrane
Chuco Punk
Squirrel Nut Zippers
North Carolina Music
Trauma
Tragedy
AACM

A podcast about music books, talking to authors about how they wrote their books about music! Hosted by music writer Marc Masters.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes75Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicMusic Interviews

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Artwork for The Music Book Podcast

Latest Episodes

On this episode, Marc talks with Al Shipley, author of "Tough Breaks: The Story of Baltimore Club Music," published in August 2025. It's a thoughtful, detailed, and revealing look into a music movement that grew organically in Baltimore clubs, radio ... more

On this episode, Marc talks with Simon Raymonde, author of "In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor, and Me," published in America in November of 2025. It's a sharp, enthusiastic, and funny memoir of Raymonde's life as a musician, member of the legendary UK ... more

On this episode, Marc talks with Howard Weulfing. He's the author of Descenes and Discords, an anthology of two fanzines he edited in the early 1980s, documenting the burgeoning underground rock scene in DC at the time. Descenes featured interviews, ... more

On this episode, Marc talks with Bill Janovitz, author of "The Cars: Let The Stories Be Told," published in September 2025. It's a deeply researched, deftly crafted story of the Boston band, led by Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr, who started peppering t... more

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Recent Guests

Al Shipley
Music journalist and author of "Tough Breaks: The Story of Baltimore Club Music"
Repeater Books
Episode: 075 Al Shipley on Baltimore Club Music
Simon Raymonde
Author of 'In One Ear, Cocteau Twins, Ivor, and Me' and member of the Cocteau Twins
Bella Union
Episode: 074 Simon Raymonde on Cocteau Twins
Bill Janovitz
Author of The Cars, Let The Stories Be Told
De Capo Press
Episode: 072 Bill Janovitz on The Cars
Joe Bonomo
Author of 'Play This Book Loud, Noisy Essays' and several other music-related books.
University of Georgia Press
Episode: 071 Joe Bonomo on Writing Essays About Music
Sahan Jayasuriya
Author of "Don't Say Please, The Oral History of Die Kreuzen"
Episode: 070 Sahan Jayasuriya on Die Kreuzen
Ellen Koskoff
Author of "Bittersweet Sounds of Passage, Balinese Gamelan Angklung Cremation Music"
University of Illinois Press
Episode: 069 Ellen Koskoff on Gamelan Angklung Cremation Music
Pat Blashill
Author of 'Someday All the Adults Will Die! The Birth of Texas Punk' and previously published a book of his photos from the punk scene in Texas.
University of Texas Press
Episode: 068 Pat Blashill on The Birth of Texas Punk
Ian Thompson
Author of Synths, Sax, & Situationists, The French Musical Underground 1968-1978
Roundtable Books
Episode: 067 Ian Thompson on the 70s French Underground
J. Hoberman
Author and former film critic known for his contributions to alternative press and his influential works on film and avant-garde art.
Verso Books
Episode: 066 J. Hoberman on 1960's New York

Host

Marc Masters
Host of discussions centered around music literature and interviews with authors, providing insights on the intersection of music and writing.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 68 ratings
  • Title

    Great podcast that isn’t afraid to talk about process and mechanics alongside the books’ subjects.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Beltwave
    United States9 months ago
  • Great podcast!

    I love the guests he gets on this podcast. A great listen if you like music, or books, or books about music!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AJM08AZ
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great Music Great Books Great Podcast!

    Couldn’t be better, really

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pheezypheezy
    United Statesa year ago
  • Essential listening

    Marc is a great interviewer, and the people he has on the podcast — and the topics they discuss — are top-rate, hence my five star review. I don’t listen to many podcasts, but this is an exception.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kembrew11
    United Statesa year ago
  • One of my favorites

    Whether he’s interviewing a writer on the topic of a band or musical subject, or a musician who has written a memoir about their experiences, Marc has a way of bringing out the best in these conversations and making them interesting even if you’re not a giant fan of that particular artist or music scene. And you’ll always come away better informed and with new listening you want to do. The topic seems very specific but this is truly one of the most wide-ranging music pods out there.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    supergrovercleveland
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Engaging conversations with a focus on the process of writing music books.
Listeners appreciate the depth and breadth of topics covered, appealing to both music fans and literary enthusiasts.
Critics praise the insightful questions and the host's ability to facilitate enriching dialogue.
Hosts a diverse range of knowledgeable authors, making content accessible and interesting.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

074 Simon Raymonde on Cocteau Twins
Q: How did you have the idea initially to write a memoir?
It came out of nowhere, as people encouraged Raymonde to share his interesting stories and experiences.
069 Ellen Koskoff on Gamelan Angklung Cremation Music
Q: Did you find it mostly a relatively easy situation to work with people there and to socialize with them?
Koskoff felt mostly welcomed and appreciated by the villagers, despite being aware of potential exploitation concerns and cultural differences.
069 Ellen Koskoff on Gamelan Angklung Cremation Music
Q: How challenging was that to kind of get all that you had in front of you into chapters like that?
Koskoff found it challenging due to her multiple reasons for writing, wanting to clarify existing scholarship while also providing the perspective of the musicians and their community.
069 Ellen Koskoff on Gamelan Angklung Cremation Music
Q: Did you always have in the back of your mind, I want this to be a book of some sort, or did that come later in your process?
Initially inspired by the music itself, Koskoff began to consider writing a book after realizing there was a gap in research about Gamelan Angklung.
068 Pat Blashill on The Birth of Texas Punk
Q: I'm curious if you might tell the story a little bit about how you came along the title, where it came from and why you ultimately decided it.
The title is directly from the cover line of one of Austin's first punk fanzines called the Austin Vanguard, which only had one issue featured that phrase, capturing the youthful, rebellious spirit of the scene.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Music Book Podcast

What is The Music Book Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast features engaging conversations with authors who explore music through the lens of literature, providing listeners with unique insights into the creation of music-related books. Topics range from biographies and memoirs of iconic musicians to analyses of specific music genres and historical movements, highlighting the intersection of music and writing. Each episode reveals the creative processes behind the works, making it compelling for music enthusiasts, aspiring writers, and anyone interested in the cultural narratives surrounding music.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Music Book Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Music Book Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Music Book Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Music Book Podcast get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Music Book Podcast?

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How many subscribers and views does The Music Book Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Music Book Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Music Book Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Music Book Podcast:

1. The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds
2. Kreative Kontrol
3. Life of the Record
4. Turned Out A Punk
5. The Best Show with Tom Scharpling

How many episodes of The Music Book Podcast are there?

The Music Book Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 75 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Music Book Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Music Book Podcast?

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Music Book Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on The Music Book Podcast?

Recent guests on The Music Book Podcast include:

1. Al Shipley
2. Simon Raymonde
3. Bill Janovitz
4. Joe Bonomo
5. Sahan Jayasuriya
6. Ellen Koskoff
7. Pat Blashill
8. Ian Thompson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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