20 Benjamin Myers on 'Head On/Repossessed'

Explicit content warning

04/06/23 • 61 min

Award-winning author Benjamin Myers is the final guest of series 2 of Songbook, and he chats to Jude about Julian Cope's extraordinary double-volume autobiography Head On/Repossessed.

The discussion also takes in Ben's early years working in the music press, the personal significance of Jon Savage's England's Dreaming, the differences between writing novels and writing about music, and much more.

Ben's new book Cuddy, a bold and experimental retelling of the story of the hermit St. Cuthbert, unofficial patron saint of the North of England, is out now Cuddy a book by Benjamin Myers. (bookshop.org)

Books mentioned in the podcast:

The KLF by John Higgs The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds a book by John Higgs. (bookshop.org)

Richard by Benjamin Myers Richard by Ben Myers - Pan Macmillan

Head On/Repossessed by Julian Cope Head On/Repossessed a book by Julian Cope. (bookshop.org)

I'm Not with the Band by Sylvia Patterson I'm Not with the Band: A Writer's Life Lost in Music a book by Sylvia Patterson. (bookshop.org)

England's Dreaming by Jon Savage England's Dreaming a book by Jon Savage. (bookshop.org)

The Truth About Rock by Dr Hugh Pyle The Truth about Rock Music - Hugh F. Pyle: 9780873988391 - AbeBooks

Muse, Odalisque, Handmaiden by Rose Simpson Muse, Odalisque, Handmaiden: A Girl's Life in the Incredible String Band a book by Rose Simpson. (bookshop.org)

Get In The Van by Henry Rollins Get in the Van : On the Road With Black Flag by Rollins, Henry: Near Fine Soft cover (1995) 2nd Edition | Books for Amnesty Bristol

You can buy Jude's The Sound of Being Human: How Music Shapes Our Lives here:

The Sound of Being Human by Jude Rogers - Audiobook - Audible.co.uk

Finally, White Rabbit's Spotify Playlist of 'booksongs' - songs inspired by books loved by our guests - is here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7chuHOeTs9jpyKpmgXV6uo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning author Benjamin Myers is the final guest of series 2 of Songbook, and he chats to Jude about Julian Cope's extraordinary double-volume autobiography Head On/Repossessed.

Books mentioned in the podcast:

The KLF by John Higgs The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds a book by John Higgs. (bookshop.org)

Richard by Benjamin Myers Richard by Ben Myers - Pan Macmillan

Head On/Repossessed by Julian Cope Head On/Repossessed a book by Julian Cope. (bookshop.org)

I'm Not with the Band by Sylvia Patterson I'm Not with the Band: A Writer's Life Lost in Music a book by Sylvia Patterson. (bookshop.org)

England's Dreaming by Jon Savage England's Dreaming a book by Jon Savage. (bookshop.org)

The Truth About Rock by Dr Hugh Pyle The Truth about Rock Music - Hugh F. Pyle: 9780873988391 - AbeBooks

Muse, Odalisque, Handmaiden by Rose Simpson Muse, Odalisque, Handmaiden: A Girl's Life in the Incredible String Band a book by Rose Simpson. (bookshop.org)

Get In The Van by Henry Rollins Get in the Van : On the Road With Black Flag by Rollins, Henry: Near Fine Soft cover (1995) 2nd Edition | Books for Amnesty Bristol

You can buy Jude's The Sound of Being Human: How Music Shapes Our Lives here:

The Sound of Being Human by Jude Rogers - Audiobook - Audible.co.uk

Finally, White Rabbit's Spotify Playlist of 'booksongs' - songs inspired by books loved by our guests - is here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7chuHOeTs9jpyKpmgXV6uo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

19 Laura Barton on 'A Little Devil In America'

Renowned music journalist and broadcaster Laura Barton joins to chat about A Little Devil In America, Hanif Abdurraqib's brilliant essay collection exploring black culture in the US.

Their conversation also takes in Laura's work with the inimitable Self Esteem, being a woman in the music press, dancing to The Strokes, and much more.

Laura's memoir, Sad Songs, is publishing in May 2023 and is a beautifully written enquiry into the history, science and musicology of our love of sad music Sad Songs a book by Laura Barton

Books mentioned in the podcast:

A Little Devil In America by Hanif Abdurraqib A Little Devil in America: In Praise of Black Performance a book by Hanif Abdurraqib

Under My Thumb, edited by Rhian Jones and Eli Davis Under My Thumb: Songs that hate women and the women who love them a book by Rhian Jones and Eli Davis

The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser The Crane Wife: A Memoir in Essays a book by Christina Joyce Hauser

Faithfull by Marianne Faithfull Faithfull: An Autobiography - Faithfull, Marianne: 9780815410461 - AbeBooks

They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us a book by Hanif Abdurraqib

The Folk by Ross Cole The Folk: Music, Modernity, and the Political Imagination a book by Ross Cole

Denim and Leather by Michael Hann Denim and Leather: The Rise and Fall of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal a book by Michael Hann

Sound Within Sound by Kate Molleson Sound Within Sound: Opening Our Ears to the Twentieth Century a book by Kate Molleson

You can buy Jude's The Sound of Being Human: How Music Shapes Our Lives here:

The Sound of Being Human by Jude Rogers - Audiobook - Audible.co.uk

Finally, White Rabbit's Spotify Playlist of 'booksongs' - songs inspired by books loved by our guests - is here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7chuHOeTs9jpyKpmgXV6uo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

21 Festive Special: Mat Osman on 'A Year With Swollen Appendices'

Musician and author Mat Osman is Jude's guest on the first of our three festive special Songbook episodes and the Suede bassist stopped by to discuss Brian Eno's 1996 book A Year With Swollen Appendices.

They also chat about Mat's own writing processes, his competitive relationship with brother Richard growing up, and Suede's tour with Manic Street Preachers coming next year.

Mat's latest book, The Ghost Theatre, is a riotous and abundant piece of historical fiction based in Elizabethan London, and is out now The Ghost Theatre: Utterly transporting historical fiction, Elizabethan London as you've never seen it a book by Mat Osman. (bookshop.org)

Books mentioned in the podcast:

A Year With Swollen Appendices by Brian Eno A Year with Swollen Appendices: Brian Eno's Diary a book by Brian Eno. (bookshop.org)

Starlust by Fred Vermorel Starlust: The Secret Fantasies of Fans a book by Fred Vermorel. (bookshop.org)

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks Birdsong a book by Sebastian Faulks. (bookshop.org)

Wonderland Avenue by Danny Sugarland Wonderland Avenue: Tales of Glamour and Excess a book by Danny Sugerman. (bookshop.org)

Nico, Songs They Never Play On The Radio by James Young Nico, Songs They Never Play on the Radio a book by James Young. (bookshop.org)

Berlin Bromley by Bertie Marshall

You can buy Jude's The Sound of Being Human: How Music Shapes Our Lives here:

The Sound of Being Human by Jude Rogers - Audiobook - Audible.co.uk

Finally, White Rabbit's Spotify Playlist of 'booksongs' - songs inspired by books loved by our guests - is here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7chuHOeTs9jpyKpmgXV6uo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.