Short books about albums. Published by Bloomsbury
Interviews with authors and key figures in the music industry.
Welcome to our latest author Q&A, where we chat to the writers behind new and upcoming 33 1/3 books! Today we’re taking a look back at one of our early releases, John Dougan’s The Who’s The Who Sell Out. John talks to us about the ‘neglected masterpiece’ that is The Who Sell Out and the interesting stories behind how the record was made.
Welcome to our latest author Q&A, where we chat to the writers behind new and upcoming 33 1/3 books! Today Ben Apatoff talks to us about his addition to the series: Body Count’s Body Count. He tells us about his experience of writing a 33 1/3 book and what it was like to speak to some of the greatest punk, metal and rap artists who ever lived.
For this post we caught up with boice, an author, singer/songwriter and a podcaster (who also happens to be an editor and submissions judge for 33 1/3!). He told us what it’s like to see books in the series go from proposal to bookshelf, customer favorites and the best thing about working at The Strand.
Welcome to our latest author Q&A, where we chat to the writers behind new and upcoming 33 1/3 books! Today Michael Dango talks to us about his addition to the series: Madonna’s Erotica. He tells us more us about the political and social context in which Erotica was released, as well as Madonna’s impact on queer theory and critical race theory.
Welcome to our latest author Q&A, where we chat to the writers behind new and upcoming 33 1/3 books! Today Lior Phillips talks to us about her addition to the Genre series: South African Popular Music. She tells us more about what it was like writing this book and recommends the best songs ‘to help soundtrack your quest through South African pop music history’.
Welcome to our latest author Q&A, where we chat to the writers behind new and upcoming 33 1/3 books! Today Kimberly Mack talks to us about her addition to the series: Living Colour’s Time’s Up. She tells us more about why she chose this album, her experience writing across multiple genres and the impact Living Colour had on Black rockers. How would you describe your book in one sentence? Time’s Up explores the production and reception of this important album, while considering the personal stories and legacy of this ground-breaking…
Welcome to our latest author Q&A, where we chat to the writers behind new and upcoming 33 1/3 books! Today Selena Chambers talks to us about her addition to the series: Babes in Toyland’s Fontanelle. She tells us more about the fun and challenging parts of writing her first 33 1/3, what content didn’t make it into the finished book, and why Fontanelle is such a captivating album. How would you describe your book in one sentence? A critical celebration of Babes in Toyland’s overlooked contributions to the feminist aesthetics…
Live Through This is an album about girlhood and motherhood; desire and disgust; self-destruction and survival. There have been few rock albums before or since so intimately concerned with female experience. It is an album that changed lives – so why is Courtney Love’s achievement as a songwriter and musician still not taken seriously, two decades on? In this two-part episode, we explore Hole’s origin and influences, their glam 90s LA image, and the 3rd wave feminist backlash against Courtney Love as she challenged every preconceived notion of “good” womanhood.
This month, the Bloomsbury Academic podcast takes a look at episodes that amplify Black voices and celebrate Black art and history. Listen in as Ayanna Dozier, Ana Lucia Araujo, Faith Pennick, and Ayanna Thompson discuss everything from slavery and collective memory to the history of representation in the music and theater industries to modern forms of expression and empowerment. These are four conversations you won’t want to miss, including two interviews with our 33 1/3 authors.
It’s here! The latest episode of the Bloomsbury Academic Podcast features Faith Pennick (@FaithPennick), author of D’Angelo’s Voodoo, discussing the legacy of the acclaimed 2000 album that skirts all definitive labels. With not one song under four minutes in length, Voodoo takes its time. It is a leisurely paced work of art backed by a steady beat that does not waver, while lyrics like “And I hoped by chance I’d see you once again / I’d love to kiss your lips, baby, once again” (“One Mo’Gin”) and “I need someone to hold me / Bring me back to life before I’m dead” (“The Root”)…