Hrishikesh Hirway

The fact that you and Michael did merch for the Magnetic Fields for so many years, did that play into your decision to open a bookstore?

Do you think that all those years of listening to the magnetic fields, not just listening, but like working so closely within that world, do you feel like there's an influence that comes from your relationship to the music?

Including American Fantasy.

And when you look at your writing now, do you feel like you see some kindred quality with the magnetic fields, the jokes that you loved when you first heard their music?

What is your relationship with 69 Love Songs nowadays?

Do you mean any other album by Magnetic Fields?

Do you still listen to it?

Do you still put it on?

Visit Emma's website, emmastraub.net, to learn more about her books and what she's up to.

And her work with the Magnetic Fields continues, because the Magnetic Fields are putting out a special, colored, limited-edition vinyl of their album, Love at the Bottom of the Sea, that's only going to be available at her store, Books Are Magic.

They're having an event on May 29th.

And by the way, Love at the Bottom of the Sea is the album on which the Magnetic Field song Andrew in Drag appears.

And Stephen Merritt himself was a guest on Song Exploder talking about the making of the song Andrew in Drag way back in 2015.

It's a great episode.

Please check it out.

For more KeyChange episodes, go to songexploder.net slash keychange.

This episode was produced by me, Craig Ely, and Mary Dolan, with production assistance from Tiger Biscop.

Song Exploder is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a network of independent, listener-supported, artist-owned podcasts.

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