
Apology
Sprawling interviews that are mainly about books and reading.
Latest episodes

Sep 22, 2021 • 1h 37min
A.S. Hamrah
On this episode of the Apology podcast, the film critic A.S. Hamrah offers up many book and movie recommendations, ruminates on what makes a critic a critic, and talks about writers from Samuel Beckett to Dawn Powell to Ben Hecht—as well as acknowledging what a dick Encyclopedia Brown was.

Aug 28, 2021 • 1h 32min
Ian MacKaye
On this episode of the Apology podcast, the musician Ian MacKaye talks about his mother’s writing, his childhood obsession with the Oz books, watching Kurosawa films with his son, reading Kurt Vonnegut on 9-11, and the secret meaning of the word "fugazi."

Apr 6, 2021 • 1h 33min
Rachel Kushner
The writer Rachel Kushner has an excellent new book of essays out now. It’s called The Hard Crowd. On this episode of the Apology podcast, Jesse Pearson speaks with Rachel about various topics she covers in the book (Marguerite Duras, prison abolition, motorcycle life) and some extra stuff too (Thom Jones, artists as writers, reading recommendations based on Rachel’s novels). Plus more, always more.

Mar 9, 2021 • 1h 56min
Bill Callahan
On this episode of the Apology podcast, the songwriter, musician, writer, and artist Bill Callahan speaks with Apology founder and editor Jesse Pearson about many bookish and non-bookish topics including the brilliance of the writer Barry Hannah, Bill’s codebreaker parents, DC hardcore heroes Void, dropping out of college to focus on music, the Scottish writer James Kelman, Studs Terkels’s oral histories, the dogged grind of songwriting, the brilliance of Emily Dickinson, and way more.

Feb 3, 2021 • 1h 26min
Brontez Purnell
On this episode of the Apology podcast the writer, dancer, filmmaker (and more) Brontez Purnell talks with Apology’s Jesse Pearson about writing his excellent new novel 100 Boyfriends, Maya Deren as the secret progenitor of TikTok, LA queer punk legend Sean deLear, and Sylvia Plath’s science fiction… and all that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Dec 31, 2020 • 1h 53min
David Pajo
On this episode of the Apology podcast the musician David Pajo (Papa M, Slint, lots more) talks with Apology's Jesse Pearson about the eastern spirituality of his punk-rock youth, his recent interest in the stoic philosopher Seneca, and his perseverance through some very trying times.

Nov 3, 2020 • 1h 43min
Stephen Malkmus
Here we have Stephen Malkmus of Pavement, the Jicks, and Stephen Malkmus talking with Apology's Jesse Pearson about things like reading in the bath, '90s New York scum rock, and the time he met Denis Johnson in Den Haag at 5 AM.

Oct 19, 2020 • 2h 4min
Johnny Ryan
On this episode, the comics artist and writer Johnny Ryan joins Apology-making-man Jesse Pearson to talk about things like Sigmund Freud, Ingmar Bergman, his favorite children's books, and the Night Stalker. It's two hours long and Johnny's mic keeps making this annoying crackling noise, but that's a small price to pay to listen to two nerds mumble about H.P. Lovecraft!

Aug 15, 2020 • 1h 13min
Eileen Myles
On this episode, the poet Eileen Myles speaks with Apology editor Jesse Pearson about magical fiction, pathetic literature, and their dog Honey's wild adventures.

Jul 15, 2020 • 1h 31min
Despot
On this episode of the Apology podcast, you'll hear the rapper Despot talk with Apology person Jesse Pearson about his Queens youth, lots of mystical and magical sci-fi books, backpack rap, DMT, general doom 'n gloom, and a lot more.
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