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The Music Book Podcast

018 Lior Phillips on South African Pop Music

Sep 26, 2023
Lior Phillips, author of “South African Popular Music,” discusses the connections between African music, modern music, and the history of apartheid. They share their motivation behind writing the book, the challenges faced, and their extensive research process. The speaker emphasizes the political statement made by creating music in South Africa and the importance of understanding the connection between past and present artists.
50:34

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The author emphasizes the challenge of balancing academic writing with capturing the human stories and experiences behind South African popular music.
  • The author discusses the importance of providing enough context on South African history and culture without overwhelming or patronizing readers.

Deep dives

The Challenge of Writing an Academic Music Book

The podcast episode discusses the challenge of writing an academic music book, particularly in the case of South African popular music. The author highlights the difficulty of finding a balance between academic writing and capturing the human stories and experiences behind the music. The author explains their process of conducting extensive research, including academic journals and interviews with musicians, to ensure a well-rounded and accurate portrayal. They also emphasize the importance of preserving the authenticity and cultural significance of South African music throughout the book.

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