Apology

On this episode of Apology, host Jesse Pearson speaks with the musician Kurt Vile about his favorite biographies of fellow musical artists, his love for Denis Johnson and Flannery O'Connor, his writing process, copying vs. stealing, and more. This episode is sponsored by Sci-Fi Fantasy.

On this episode of the Apology podcast, host Jesse Pearson welcomes the author Jonathan Lethem to discuss many topics including (but not limited to): Julio Cortázar; animals in literature; paths of entry to the works of Norman Mailer, Philip K. Dick, and Stanisław Lem; Lethem's latest book, Brooklyn Crime Novel; and the class-based, Marxist underpinnings to the creation of literary genres. And more! Much more! Special thanks to this episode's sponsor, Sci-Fi Fantasy.

The psychoanalyst and author Jamieson Webster returns to Apology today to go deep on Sigmund Freud and his writing. From the case histories to the Interpretation of Dreams and beyond, we touch on the libido, hysteria, transference, the death drive and more. Curious about Freud? Conflicted about Freud? Hopefully we can help you make up your mind with this episode.

On this episode, Apology's first return guest, the poet Eileen Myles, talks with Jesse Pearson about Pathetic Literature (the recent anthology they edited), what is pathetic and what is not, their theyness, Moby-Dick, masculinity, and many different writers. Welcome back, Eileen!

On this episode of Apology, Jesse Pearson speaks with the writer and former musician Richard Hell about physics, the blank page, his new book of poetry, a bad writer who writes great books, crying at his own readings, and much more.

On this episode of Apology, Jesse Pearson talks with Andre Gregory, the theater director, writer, painter, actor, and co-star of the classic film My Dinner with Andre. Topics include Proust, Freud, trance states, and Andre's "iceberg" theory of acting.

On this episode of the Apology podcast, Jesse Pearson welcomes Angel Olsen. The conversation goes from dating a narcissist to true crime to Emily Dickinson, with many recommendations in between. Angel is a perceptive reader who came prepared with a list, so keep a pencil and paper close at hand.

On this episode of Apology, founder and editor Jesse Pearson speaks with the musician and author Jarvis Cocker about so many things including but not limited to: J.D. Salinger, Sheffield, his new book Good Pop Bad Pop, Harold Pinter, and so much more. Thanks for listening!

On this episode of Apology, the radio host/podcaster, writer, voice actor, and director Tom Scharpling speaks with Jesse Pearson about books, yes, but also mental health, New Jersey, sportswriting, and much more.

On this episode, Apology editor and founder Jesse Pearson speaks with the writer David Means about his process; his new collection Two Nurses, Smoking; reading while watching football, the best story in James Joyce's Dubliners; and more.

On this episode, Apology editor Jesse Pearson speaks with the artist, musician, and author Cosey Fanni Tutti about her new book Re-Sisters, medieval times, looking at a Dali book while tripping, ghosts, and more.

On this episode of Apology, the writer Lucy Sante talks with Jesse Pearson about many things including—but not limited to—Belgian vs. French surrealists, learning from the Jesuits, trans literature, Edmund Wilson, Elizabeth Hardwick, working at The Strand bookstore with various No Wave stars, and more! more! more!

On this episode of Apology, the artist and skateboarder Ed Templeton talks with Jesse Pearson about a lot of things including but not limited to: all the books he's got on his nightstand right now, patriotism, atheism, the Ghent Altarpiece, his family history, and his hometown of Huntington Beach, CA.

On this episode the photographer Daniel Arnold speaks with Apology's Jesse Pearson about the ethics of street photography, his intimate connection to New York City, and dodging a felony charge.

On this episode, the New Yorker staff writer Naomi Fry talks about Martin Amis, Émile Zola, the '90s heyday of cultural studies, classic New Yorker stories, and more. 

On this episode of the Apology podcast, the philosopher, teacher, and author Simon Critchley talks with Apology’s Jesse Pearson about mysticism, krautrock, the Marx Brothers, and his up-and-down history with the work of T.S. Eliot.

On this episode of the Apology podcast, the writer Dennis Cooper talks about finding inspiration in the Jesus and Mary Chain, his teenage reading of the Marquis de Sade, his legendary punk literary fanzine Little Caesar, the kind of writing that crystal meth begets, and the George Miles cycle (a.k.a. his magnum opus).

On this episode Apology editor Jesse Pearson talks with the writer Kelefa Sanneh about his new book Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres, being in the storied lineage of the New Yorker, and his punk rock bona fides.

On this episode, Apology founder and editor Jesse Pearson speaks with the musician and composer Warren Ellis about his new book Nina Simone’s Gum (which is actually about a piece of Nina Simone’s gum, but also about the nature of holy relics), Warren’s experiences with the supernatural in the form of Beethoven and a troupe of clowns, the wildlife sanctuary he recently started in Sumatra, and much more

Apology founder and editor Jesse Pearson speaks with the poet CAConrad about why they read nothing but poetry, the didacticism of the novel, their work with the tarot, their experiences with ghosts, their new book Amanda Paradise, and the centrality of ritual to their practice. CA reads a couple poems too! 

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

On this episode we have the skater, artist, and apparel designer Jerry Hsu talking with Apology person Jesse Pearson about being the child of Taiwanese immigrants, getting popsicled by his board, his artistic process — and also about some books.

On this episode Apology's Jesse Pearson talks with the psychoanalyst, writer, and teacher Jamieson Webster. Topics include life during Covid-19, anxiety, depression, Freud, Lacan, incest, and more. Please note that this episode includes graphic descriptions of sexual abuse.

The musician and writer Ian Svenonius joins Apology, aka Jesse Pearson, to talk about the death of reading, time travel, and why writers should be imprisoned. Also a lot of other things are said. Show notes at shopapology.com.

This time around, the screenwriter and artist Lesley Arfin sits down with Apology guy Jesse Pearson to cover topics such as dystopian sci-fi, her path to professional writing, and our two-person cult of Donna Tartt. Show notes at shopapology.com.

On this episode, the writer and former punk singer Sam McPheeters talks with Apology founder and editor Jesse Pearson about hardcore, Toni Morrison, Victorian-age explorers, George Washington, his hatred of poetry, and lots more including, of course, the Cro-Mags.

Elaine Kahn is a poet and teacher who has just released a new collection entitled Romance or the End. On this episode, Elaine talks with Apology editor and founder Jesse Pearson about her concept of "peripheral consciousness;" how teaching poetry has informed her relationship with language; Alfred, Lord Tennyson; and more. Plus, bonus, she reads a couple poems.

On this episode, the writer, chemist, and documentarian Hamilton Morris talks with Apology founder and editor Jesse Pearson about the three P's: peyote, Pynchon, and Philip K. Dick.

As a chef, Brooks Headley has won a James Beard Award, opened his own groundbreaking restaurant Superiority Burger, and authored two essential cookbooks. As a drummer, Brooks has played in some of the most influential hardcore and punk bands of the '90s and '00s—Born Against and Universal of Armageddon chief among them. As a reader Brooks is omnivorous, but a youthful love of Shakespeare is a tentpole in his bibliophilic development. 

On this episode the musician, writer, actor, husband, father, brother, son, and friend Will Oldham talks with Apology editor Jesse Pearson about a wide range of topics including (but not limited to) the pleasures of libraries, some of his favorite literature when he was a kid, and his unique opinions on poetry.

Musician and voracious reader Matt Sweeney talks with Apology editor Jesse Pearson about everything from Comanches to his medievalist father to Joseph Mitchell.