Marcus is fascinated by the disruptive and enduring power of the Sex Pistols. His new book, Lipstick Traces, connects the rise of punk with Dadaism and other nihilistic art movements.
Film critic Stephen Schiff admits he's instantly charmed by movies about unfamiliar worlds. He says the new road movie Powwow Highway, about two American Indians confronting the development of tribal lands, has promise, but is ineptly written and directed. But, somehow, Schiff didn't mind watching it.
Taylor has cast over fifty films to date. Early in her career, she formed a professional relationship with Woody Allen, and has worked on sixteen of his movies.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz that many performers have overlooked Liszt's music, in part because of the composer's flamboyant reputation. But a new album by pianist Russell Sherman reveals the craft and innovations of Liszt's work.
Linguist Geoff Nunberg takes issue with the use and misuse of loaded terms like holocaust, genocide, and terrorism in political discourse. He says that a person's reluctance to use such inflated terms doesn't mean they take an issue any less seriously.
Tim Cahill writes for Outside and Rolling Stone about his adventure traveling. His humorous columns have been collected in a new book called A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg. Cahill joins Fresh Air to talk about some of his more memorable trips.
William Bell had a decade-long career with the label. Rock historian Ed Ward says that, while Bell never had a mainstream hit, he made consistently great, literate soul music.
Journalist William Shawcross says that countries in the West are often fatigued by the perpetual struggles of refugees around the world. He recently wrote the introduction for the book Forced Out; an earlier book of his own, called The Quality of Mercy, covered Cambodians fleeing the American bombing and the Pol Pot regime.
Book critic John Leonard says that Warner's third novel is her best. The book, about a family coping with the loss of its patriarch, succeeds because it questions ideas as much as it advances them.
Despite his often misanthropic themes, Galway says he's been roused from his depression, in part because of his wonder of nature. He's known for exploring emotional extremes in his writing.
The Soap actor stars in a new sitcom, about a divorced man and his children. TV critic David Bianculli says that, unlike Guillaume's career and talents, the show has a long way to go.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews tenor saxophonist David Murray's new album, Ming's Samba. Whitehead says he revives some off-beat jazz traditions to create his distinctive sound.
Part 2 of the Fresh Air interview with composer Steve Reich. He talks about a new compostion called Electric Counterpoint, written for guitarist Pat Metheney. Metheny pre-recorded ten tracks, then performed the solo part live.
Stanley Karnow's new book examines the United States' colonial interests in the Philippines. Karnow discusses the tension between Filipino and the imposed American culture, the enduring role of the United States after Filipino independence, and the rise of Ferdinand Marcos.
Sautter says that, in order to break into the industry, aspiring television writers need to craft better material than what they see on air. His new book explains the mechanics and unspoken rules of scriptwriting.
The minimalist composer's new piece, Different Trains, contrasts Reich's childhood experiences crossing the country by rail to visit his divorced parents with the memories of Holocaust survivors' journey to concentration camps. The music incorporates recordings of several interviews into the orchestration.
Jazz pianist Dave McKenna is known both for his large repertoire of songs and his improvisatory skill. He joins Fresh Air to offer a musical meditation on the change of seasons.
Critic-at-large Laurie Stone says none of Stuart's past work could have prepared her for his newest novel. The story is narrated by a troubled adolescent boy who grapples with the incestual relationship between his father and sister.
Journalist Dennis King has a new book about the infamous politician, whom King describes as an extreme, right-wing fascist. LaRouche, once a self-identified socialist, employed cult-like tactics to move his left-wing followers toward anti-Semetic ideologies, and was able to exert significant influence on both major political parties.
Playwright and novelist Ntzoake Shange, best known for her play For Colored Girls, joins Fresh Air to talk about the diversity of the black experience, her childhood and early education, and the criticism she sometimes gets from black male authors and playwrights. Her new play is called Betsey Brown.
