Book Musik Podcast

Tosh and Kimley discuss THE HISTORY OF BONES: A MEMOIR by John Lurie. Lurie is a multi-hyphenate talent: musician-composer-actor-painter and now book-writer. Initially making his mark as the bandleader for downtown New York group, The Lounge Lizards, he quickly went on to establish himself as an actor in several films. He created and starred in the enigmatic, must-see TV show FISHING WITH JOHN and the more recent PAINTING WITH JOHN. He’s toured the world, composed several film scores, and has even done some modeling. And all along, he’s also managed to keep up a serious painting practice. Is there anything this man can’t do? Tosh and Kimley have some varying thoughts on this…

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3zd9u4Q96qevxD2eyrt3vT?si=b08a2684da764d44

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by special guest Andrea Tetrick to discuss NINA SIMONE’S GUM by Warren Ellis. Warren Ellis is a multi-instrumentalist and frequent collaborator with Nick Cave as well as a member of The Bad Seeds and the trio Dirty Three among other music projects. He now adds talented writer to his resume with this new book which is part memoir but also an homage to art and artists and their power to inspire and lift us up. When Ellis takes Nina Simone’s gum from her piano after a transcendent performance, it takes him on an epic adventure while he contemplates the meaning and importance of these precious objects that we carry with us.

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1VkDol6ZyC3EMfUfP7PvVI?si=2f356c96d3304c8f

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-nina-simones-gum-by-warren-ellis/pl.u-pKMatKA88Dp


Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley discuss UNSTRUNG: RANTS AND STORIES OF A NOISE GUITARIST by Marc Ribot. Ribot first started making some serious noise on the music scene in the 1980s adding incredible sounds to records by the likes of Tom Waits and Elvis Costello as well as being an integral member of the downtown New York music scene playing with John Zorn, The Lounge Lizards and leading several bands of his own with wildly varying styles. This is his first book and it’s a mix of music writing and short fiction. Marc has a wicked smart sense of humor and isn’t shy to talk about his strong political leanings. And you can bet that he’ll crank it up to 11!

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7Myj9nGKLoQdXjPnq57zwj?si=b0d2d5bf536b4061

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-unstrung-by-marc-ribot/pl.u-pZ7EIKA88Dp

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley discuss WHY MARIANNE FAITHFULL MATTERS by Tanya Pearson. Marianne Faithfull is now entering her sixth decade of pushing creative boundaries. She started in the 1960s as an icon of the swinging London scene both as a singer and an actress. In 1979 in her early 30s (when that was considered over-the-hill), she released her album BROKEN ENGLISH which is a visceral masterpiece. And she’s continued to push herself creatively ever since with eclectic collaborations from Metallica to Hal Willner to Jarvis Cocker and just this year releasing an album of recited poetry with music by Warren Ellis. Never one to rest on her laurels, we know she’ll be breaking rules to the very end.

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3vnrcyxnvV8NakUj7x4IUx?si=f6bb3d117ab646cf

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-marianne-faithfull/pl.u-zpdgTxVzzyW

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley discuss COMMON TONES: SELECTED INTERVIEWS WITH ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS 1995-2020 with author Alan Licht. Alan is a musician and writer and his multidisciplinary approach to creativity is just one of the many things that he has in common with his subjects. The majority of his interviewees are active in some combination of music, writing, film, and the visual arts. There’s a creative perspective and aesthetic that flows through this collection of interviews from well-known artists like Lou Reed and Tom Verlaine to some of the key figures who influenced them such as Tony Conrad and Henry Flynt. As a peer and someone who has an enormous passion and respect for the artists he’s interviewing, Alan has a unique knack for getting everyone to open up to him and deliver a lively exchange.

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0illXQ3lmSN8xNSr7YVejT?si=f2af2d9395724c8e

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-common-tones-by-alan-licht/pl.u-y29LuqLggjl

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley discuss YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND YOU ARE ALONE: THE BIOGRAPHY OF NICO with author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike. Nico is an icon best known for her otherworldly beauty and for her time hanging out at Andy Warhol’s Factory and singing a few tunes with The Velvet Underground but her real story extends far beyond the cool gaze from under those blonde bangs. She managed to leave behind the detritus of post-WWII Germany by remaking herself first into a hugely successful model then catching the eye of Federico Fellini and eventually making her way to New York to become a Superstar of Warhol’s Factory. But her real artistic output came after this celebrated time with her solo recordings and constant touring. Bickerdike fleshes out the mythology of this complicated, imperfect woman with a dense and fascinating narrative.

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3W7DcqcjKzMzcfye5aDuVJ?si=bd6bee2d80c14e01

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-nico-you-are-beautiful-and-you-are-alone/pl.u-XzyBIZMVV3r

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley discuss THE LYRICS OF SYD BARRETT with a foreword by Peter Jenner and an introduction by Rob Chapman. Barrett was not only a founding member of Pink Floyd but was also the lead singer and primary songwriter for the band. After their first album, his presence in the band quickly diminished and their creative trajectory completely changed. He went on to put out two solo albums which are still highly regarded and very unique in the pop world. And then he disappeared from the pop-rock world entirely perhaps due to mental health issues, drug issues or a giant fuck-you to the rock ‘n’ roll machinery that he just couldn’t abide. The crazy diamond, rock ‘n’ roll mythology surrounding Syd is fun to explore but his lyrics make it abundantly clear that he was a true artist in every sense of the word.

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ayV8Ac5w7XVpEQKTDcK0M?si=7127c15f0e1a4e28

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-the-lyrics-of-syd-barrett/pl.u-XzZpIZMVV3r

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley discuss PETER AND THE WOLVES and WHY LABELLE MATTERS with author Adele Bertei. Adele started singing and playing music in the nascent punk scene in Cleveland with her dear friend Peter Laughner. Her memoir about that time is a stunningly poignant reminder of what an important role a single person can play in one’s life. It’s a vivid portrait of Peter as well as the music scene in both Cleveland and New York in the 1970s which were heady times to say the least. At the same time, Adele has had a longtime love of everything Labelle and she lets us know that they do indeed matter! Starting out as a more traditional “girl group” in the 60s, Labelle broke free of those constraints and then nothing could hold them back. Labelle shattered boundaries creatively and pushed for women’s rights with an all-female team behind them and supported the LGBTQ community long before anyone else.

Get Adele’s book tour schedule and further info about her on her website: https://www.adelebertei.com

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ShDGgaeCfHA3Kc0ptrfDd?si=297d8b25b4974637

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-adele-bertei-why-labelle-matters-peter-wolves/pl.u-MRm9sq1yyaz

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley discuss EXCAVATE! THE WONDERFUL AND FRIGHTENING WORLD OF THE FALL (ed. by Tessa Norton & Bob Stanley) with special guest, number one fan of The Fall, Dave Ehrlich. We are neophytes to the forbidding and frankly overwhelming world of The Fall, so we’ve enlisted Dave to be our Sherpa. Dave’s been a super fan since the 80s and guides us through The Fall’s mysterious landscape. This is not a band for the faint of heart and their prodigious output means there’s some work to be done to explore their universe, but we’ve found that the rewards are more than worth it. We’re quickly becoming super fans as well.

Dave’s guide to initiates:

Ten Fall releases I’d grab if the house were on fire:

• This Nation’s Saving Grace (1985)
• Slates 10” EP (1981)
• Hex Enduction Hour (1982)
• The Wonderful & Frightening World of the Fall (1984)
• Grotesque (1980)
• The Unutterable (2000)
• Bend Sinister (1986)
• Perverted by Language (1983)
• Fall Heads Roll (2005)
• In: Palace of Swords Reversed: 1980-83 (1987)

If you’d like a crash course on their fantastic Beggars’ Banquet years (the “Brix Era”), incl. some essential tracks not on TNSG/etc., then seek out both of the “458489 A Sides” and “458489 B Sides” collections. And for anyone wanting to take a deep dive, there’s an epic box set of every single one of the band’s 24 radio sessions for the John Peel Show, entitled “The Fall: The Complete Peel Sessions 1978–2004”. Happy excavating!

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Xm7OogvKqMltiuwCHV47P?si=55c67e093d7245b0

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-the-fall/pl.u-Eg7WsMkbbEg

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Jack Skelley to discuss his new book DENNIS WILSON AND CHARLIE MANSON. How did fun-loving, handsome surfer-dude and famous Beach Boy drummer Dennis Wilson become entangled with the creepy, dark, murderous cult leader Charlie Manson? As we all know, there are two sides to every coin and Skelley takes the real-life intersection of these two men as well as the pop culture of the era and those around them as its jumping off point to explore the high and low, the dark and the light in this stunningly poetic, strikingly illustrated chapbook.

Jack Skelley’s social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helterskelley/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackSkelley

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6TZZfHGNKgrPg8LZhpJnDI?si=c1cc61be78134b49

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-jack-skelleys-dennis-wilson-and-charlie-manson/pl.u-Xzv0tZMVV3r

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Simon Morrison to discuss his new book ROXY MUSIC’S AVALON (33 1/3). Mention AVALON to diehard Roxy Music fans and you’ll get a wide spectrum of responses, but few would put it at the top of their list even if they like it. However, AVALON (their last studio album), is the band’s most successful album in terms of sales and Morrison is more than happy to defend its brilliance with its lush production and sensuous vibe.

Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5S0tx45myBIZN6CR6Yk1eR?si=7480bfd036e848ef

Apple playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-roxy-musics-avalon-by-simon-a-morrison/pl.u-MRkjtq1yyaz

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Paul Morley to discuss his new book YOU LOSE YOURSELF, YOU REAPPEAR: BOB DYLAN AND THE VOICES OF A LIFETIME. Morley explores Dylan’s development as an artist via his numerous “voices” both sonically and metaphorically from his early beginnings in the late 50s/early 60s to his astonishing release last year of ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS. Dylan is notoriously known as someone who is loath to be pinned down and stay in the same place creatively. Those who are willing to go on the ride with him are more than happy, are in fact grateful, for every twist and turn, and every high and low.

Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0izsbF9Jr32dIIwpyqQa3K?si=b18e6b6bc8db4ca0

Apple playlist: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/book-musik-paul-morley-bob-dylan/pl.u-EgkdCMkbbEg

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Daphne A. Brooks to discuss her new book LINER NOTES FOR THE REVOLUTION: THE INTELLECTUAL LIFE OF BLACK FEMINIST SOUND. Brooks asks: “Who gets to tell the story of Black women who were both performing and producing thought about popular music culture, and how will this story be told?” The vital and influential work of Black female performers, writers, critics, intellectuals and cultural historians has long been neglected, marginalized or lost altogether. Brooks has taken it upon herself to fill in the archives and gift us with this rich history long in the making that will undoubtedly send you down many a rabbit hole to discover even more.

https://www.daphneabrooks.com

Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5pPpJViwMlAjvxsMymDDWv?si=25fbcea96e2d4cbd

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Peter Stanfield to discuss his new book A BAND WITH BUILT-IN HATE: THE WHO FROM POP ART TO PUNK. The Who is a band rife with contradictions and easily one of the most acutely self-aware bands to come out of the British music scene of the 1960s. From recording ads on THE WHO SELL OUT to the rock opera TOMMY, The Who explored the vast continuum of what popular music could be. They were anti-intellectual intellectuals who embraced constant change and who weren’t afraid to smash a few guitars along the way.

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Loren Glass to discuss his new book CAROLE KING'S TAPESTRY (33 1/3). Carole King is one of the most successful songwriters of the 20th century. From her early Brill Building days writing hits with her first husband Gerry Goffin to this iconic solo album that broke sales and chart records as well as glass ceilings. Glass makes the case that TAPESTRY was not only the soundtrack to but also part of the engine for the women’s movement. Whether or not you’re a fan of TAPESTRY, you inevitably love many of her other hits as sung by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, The Beatles and many of the early girl groups. Her back catalogue is still being mined regularly by more recent artists solidifying her legacy for many years to come.

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Brooke McCorkle Okazaki to discuss her new book SHONEN KNIFE'S HAPPY HOUR: FOOD, GENDER, ROCK AND ROLL (33 1/3 Japan). Shonen Knife, a trio of women from Osaka, Japan have been sharing their own special brand of rock and roll since 1981 and are still going strong. Often referred to as a Japanese version of the Ramones, they have expanded far beyond that early comparison. Recording in both Japanese and English, they’ve built a worldwide fanbase. Singing about food is a dominant theme and they’ve found a way to unexpectedly mix cute with cool. Brooke makes it clear that there is no pigeonholing this hugely influential and eclectic band.

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Darryl W. Bullock to discuss his new book THE VELVET MAFIA: THE GAY MEN WHO RAN THE SWINGING SIXTIES. Rock ‘n’ roll as we know it would not exist if not for this group of gay men in the U.K. during the late fifties and sixties fondly referred to as “The Velvet Mafia.” Larry Parnes, Brian Epstein, Joe Meek, Lionel Bart, and Robert Stigwood are some of the major players in this book who left an indelible mark on the pop/rock world. At a time in the U.K. when being gay was illegal and when pop music could only be heard from pirate radio stations, they managed to push the needle forward and open up a culture that allowed us all to swing!

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Jeremy Allen to discuss his new book RELAX BABY BE COOL: THE ARTISTRY AND AUDACITY OF SERGE GAINSBOURG. When Gainsbourg died in 1991, the French mourned the loss of an icon on par with the deaths of Elvis Presley or John Lennon. But outside of France few noticed or knew much about him beyond perhaps his infamous duet with Jane Birkin, “Je t’aime… moi non plus.” Eventually the cult of Gainsbourg began to grow outside of France and he’s become a huge influence on musicians far and wide. This book explores the mythos of Gainsbourg and doesn’t shy away from his often provocative and controversial life.

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley are joined by author Eric Wolfson to discuss his new book ELVIS PRESLEY'S FROM ELVIS IN MEMPHIS (33 1/3). Elvis is a paradox who became the mold for all rock stars to follow. He was the King of Rock in the 50s and then the king of schlock in the 60s but made an impressive comeback with the release of this album in 1969 that reinforced his place in the rock ‘n’ roll pantheon. Going back to Memphis where he started and working at the gritty, down-to-earth American Sound Studio helped him create what is considered by many to be his best studio album.

Links to Eric’s social media:
www.fromelvisinmemphis.com
https://twitter.com/FromElvisIn333
https://www.instagram.com/presleydaybyday/

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com

Tosh and Kimley discuss SHE BOP: The Definitive History of Women in Popular Music (Revised and Updated 25th Anniversary Edition) by Lucy O'Brien. Respect! Women have been fighting the pop music establishment since the beginning for just a little bit… Rock ‘n’ rollers like to think they live by their own rules, outside the establishment, but women know that it’s an ol’ boys club on par with cliques of politicians and financiers. So, sisters are doing it for themselves and finding unique ways to assert their creative voices. O’Brien gives us an exhaustive look at the struggles and triumphs of women in the music biz since recorded music started.

Theme music: "Behind Our Efforts, Let There Be Found Our Efforts" by LG17

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmusik.substack.com