Episode 23: Sarah Pinsker with Nabil Ayers
Episode 23 Promo
Sarah Pinsker
Sarah Pinsker is the author of over fifty works of short fiction, two novels, and one collection. Her work has won four Nebula Awards, two Hugo Awards, the Philip K Dick Award, the Locus Award, the Eugie Foster Award, and the Theodore Sturgeon Award. Her second collection, ‘Lost Places’, will be published by Small Beer Press in May 2023.
She is also a singer/songwriter with four albums on various independent labels (the third with her rock band, the Stalking Horses), most recently ‘Something to Hold’, in 2021. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her wife and two weird dogs.
Nabil Ayers
Nabil Ayers has written about race and music for ‘The New York Times’, NPR, ‘Pitchfork’, ‘Rolling Stone’, and ‘GQ’. His memoir, ‘My Life in the Sunshine’, was published in June 2022 via Viking/Penguin.
Nabil is the President of Beggars Group US, where he has run campaigns for The National, Big Thief, Grimes, Future Islands, and St. Vincent, as well as reissue campaigns including Pixies’ album ‘Doolittle’, which was certified Platinum in 2019.
At age 25, Nabil and his business partner opened Seattle's Sonic Boom Records store, which they sold to a longtime customer in 2016. As a drummer, Nabil has performed in several bands including The Long Winters and Tommy Stinson. On his own record label, The Control Group/Valley of Search, Nabil has released music by Cate Le Bon, The Killers, PJ Harvey, Patricia Brennan, and his uncle, the jazz musician Alan Braufman.
Nabil lives with his wife in Brooklyn, NY.
About the Episode
EPISODE SUMMARY:
Hello, Lit Listeners. If science fiction is your jam, this is the episode for you. Sarah Pinsker is here to talk about her sci fi rock novel, ‘A Song For A New Day’, a story that takes place after a global pandemic makes public gatherings illegal and concerts impossible, hence the rise of DIY music venues.
In the last segment, Rock is Lit veteran Nabil Ayers drops by to give me some insight into the world of DIY music venues.
Nabil Ayers was also a guest on Episode 10, which you can listen to here.
MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
SciFi Music for YouTube videos, no copyright
“State of Confusion” by The Kinks
“Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” by Fairport Convention
“Not Guilty” by George Harrison
From Dubioza Kolektiv Quarantine Show—Episode 4
“A Change Would Do You Good” by Sheryl Crow
From Dubioza Kolektiv - U.S.A. (Live at Quarantine Show)
“Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather” by The Stalking Horses
Miss Gulch’s theme from ‘The Wizard of Oz’
“Probably Will” by The Stalking Horses
“You Have the Sky” by Sarah Pinsker
LINKS:
Sarah Pinsker’s website: https://sarahpinsker.com/
Sarah on Twitter: @sarahpinsker
Link to Sarah’s short story mentioned in the episode, “Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather,” originally published in ‘Uncanny’: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/where-oaken-hearts-do-gather/
Link to the song “Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather,” which Sarah recorded with her band The Stalking Horses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_PrliX7XGA
Nabil Ayers’ website: https://www.nabilayers.com/about
Nabil on Twitter and Instagram: @nabilayers
Rock is Lit Vault, Interview with Nabil Ayers about his memoir, ‘My Life in the Sunshine: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislitpodcast/jenniferhauptandcharlesrcrossandnabilayers
Sarah Pinsker with her band, The Stalking Horses
