New publications on Nina Simone and clipping.

I've had two articles published recently. One is a text I've wanted to work up for some time, connecting Nina Simone to narratives of Afrofuturism. It's a topic I first considered over a decade ago when writing my book about Simone. The material didn't really fit the shape the book ended up taking (and would… Continue reading New publications on Nina Simone and clipping.

Upcoming Presentation – From Quinta do Mocho to the World: Lisbon DJs and Border-Crossing Beats

I'll be giving a presentation based on my new book DJs do Guetto as part of the Music Research Forum series hosted by the International Centre for Music Studies (ICMuS) at Newcastle University. The talk is at 4pm (UK time) on 23 March and is a hybrid event, in-person at Newcastle University's Culture Lab and… Continue reading Upcoming Presentation – From Quinta do Mocho to the World: Lisbon DJs and Border-Crossing Beats

Music for Girls Online Symposium

I'll be participating in the 'Music for Girls' online symposium on Wednesday 18 May 2022. I'm planning to present material from my ongoing Songs and Objects project, specifically looking at how song lyrics foreground evocative objects and how these reflect the importance of such objects in everyday life, memory and life-writing, as well as considering… Continue reading Music for Girls Online Symposium

Video of 33 1/3 Europe book launch

I took part in an online book launch for my new book DJs do Guetto and two other titles in the 33 1/3 Europe series on Thursday 2 March 2022. A video of the event is available below. It starts with an introduction by the series editor Fabian Holt, followed by presentations on Czeslaw Niemen’s… Continue reading Video of 33 1/3 Europe book launch

New book – DJs do Guetto

My book DJs do Guetto has now been published by Bloomsbury Academic as part of the 33 1/3 Europe series. The book uses the 2006 compilation DJs do Guetto as a prism for exploring the aesthetics of the Lisbon-based electronic dance music (EDM) known as batida from its roots in Lusophone Africa, through its evolution… Continue reading New book – DJs do Guetto

New pubication on Aneka’s ‘Japanese Boy’

I've contributed a chapter to the book One-Hit Wonders: An Oblique History of Popular Music, edited by Sarah Hill and newly published by Bloomsbury Academic. My chapter is on Aneka's 1981 chart-topper 'Japanese Boy'. I discuss the song's chart history, give a little bit of biographical detail about the Scottish singer Mary Sandeman and her… Continue reading New pubication on Aneka’s ‘Japanese Boy’

Songs and Objects podcast

I am working on a podcast that explores the materiality of song. I’ve created it to accompany a research project I have been working on for some years now and which I hope to turn into a book in the future. The podcast is called Songs and Objects and the first five episodes are available… Continue reading Songs and Objects podcast

Presentation on my forthcoming book DJs do Guetto

Here's a video of me and three other contributors to the 33 1/3 book series talking about our recent or forthcoming books for the 'Popular Music Books in Process' series. First up is Ginger Dellenbaugh speaking about her book on Maria Callas's album Lyric and Coloratura Arias (1954). Then I talk about my book on… Continue reading Presentation on my forthcoming book DJs do Guetto

Recent presentations

Below are two videos of presentations I gave at online conferences in 2020. The first is my paper for the IASPM UK & Ireland biennial conference. The second is a keynote presentation for the conference Urban Nostalgia: The Musical City in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Texts of these and other papers are available via… Continue reading Recent presentations