In this week’s episode we hear from writer Toby Manning whose new book, Mixing Pop and Politics explores a Marxist history of popular music and examines the economic and social forces that make the phenomenon that is popular music and culture. In a wide ranging conversation that explores everything from Beyonce’s country album, John Lennon’s Working Class Hero, the intersection with queer culture and representation, Queen’s commercial suicide in USA following the video for I want to break free, and the corporate pressure on the Beatles and Guns N’ Roses, we explore popular music as a site of resistance.

You can order a copy of the book directly from Repeater Books here

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