Q+A: Paul D. Miller on Lead Belly and Digital Fiction, His Upcoming Book About Algorithms and Music Discovery
Interview with a prolific artist!
Paul D. Miller (photo by Danielle Levitt)
Author Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky is a longtime friend and mentor who has been a huge support to Music Book Club this year, including introducing me to Ms. Pat, the Godmother of Reggae, for this fascinating Music Book Club interview that shouldn’t be missed.
Today, I’m excited to share a casual Q+A with Paul in which he discusses Digital Fiction, which is his forthcoming book on Duke University Press, and how he remains a prolific and creative artist across multiple mediums.
Tamara Palmer/Music Book Club: Can you talk about your book in progress about algorithms and how it relates to music and music discovery? Why did you choose this subject, and when do you expect to release it?
Paul D. Miller: My book in progress is about algorithms and how they shape music discovery. I chose this subject because I see how much algorithms influence what we listen to, and I want to explore that relationship more deeply. I'm aiming for a release sometime next year.
Do you have a general process or discipline that works well for you when you are writing books in general?
My general process for writing books involves setting aside dedicated time each day, even if it's just for a few hours, and trying to stick to it. I find that consistency is key.
How did you become involved in the Lead Belly documentary that's in production?
I got involved with the Lead Belly documentary through a mutual connection who thought my work would align with the project's themes.
How do you manage your workflow when you are always working on so many different projects in various fields?
Managing workflow across different projects is a constant balancing act. I rely heavily on scheduling and prioritizing tasks, and sometimes it means saying no to things to focus on what's most important at a given moment. But yep, I’m a huge fan of what you’re up to. Happy to support.
Would you please recommend some favorite music books from any era to our open-minded members from around the world?
For favorite music books, I'd recommend The Art of Noise by Luigi Russolo, Blues People by Amiri Baraka, How Music Works by David Byrne and The Jazz of Physics by Stephon Alexander. There’s plenty more…
Previously in our Q+A series:
Martin Popoff on Guns N’ Roses at 40 and Writing 135 Books
Katie Bain on Her Forthcoming Book Desert Dreams: The Music, Style, and Allure of Coachella
Colin Steven on Publishing Electronic Music and Counterculture Books at Velocity Press
Yoel Gaetán on Chronicling Punk in Puerto Rico with Forgotten Youth Records and Books
Jason Pettigrew on Writing a Book About Ministry's Third Album
Melissa Locker on Her Brand New Book About Oasis Fans
Ira Robbins on Publishing Peter Silverton’s ‘London Calling New York New York’ and What’s Coming from Trouser Press Books
Donna-Claire Chesman on How CRYBABY Came to Her in a Dream
Cary Baker on His First Book and How Busking Can Help Main Street USA
Gina Arnold on The Oxford Handbook of Punk Rock and Working with Academic Publishers
Tom Beaujour on His New Lollapalooza Book and Producing Successful Oral Histories
John Morrison on Boyz II Men and Chronicling Philadelphia Music History
Mark Angelo Harrison on Telling the Spiral Tribe Sound System Story
Lyndsey Parker on Writing a 'Stranger Than Fiction' Memoir with Mercy Fontenot
Christina Ward on Running Feral House, a 36-Year-Old Indie Book Company
Ali Smith on Speedball Baby and Telling Stories Without Shame
Arusa Qureshi on Her Love Letter to Women in UK Hip-Hop
Lily Moayeri on Her Favorite Music Books and Writing from a Personal Place
Megan Volpert on Why Alanis Morissette Matters and Writing 15 Books in 18 Years
Mark Swartz on Biggie + Yoko Ono as a Crime-Fighting Duo and Other Fictional Ideas
Annie Zaleski on Cher, Stevie Nicks and Pushing Past Writing Fears
Nelson George on His Next Book and Making Mixtapes in Paper Form
Michaelangelo Matos on Writing and Editing Music Books
