Chapter 1: What is the focus of Emma Straub's latest novel?
You're listening to Song Exploder, where musicians take apart their songs and piece by piece tell the story of how they were made. I'm Rishikesh Hirway. This is Key Change, where I talk to fascinating people about the music that changed their lives. And my guest today is the best-selling author, Emma Straub. Her books include This Time Tomorrow, Modern Lovers, The Vacationers, and more.
And with her husband, Michael Fusco, she co-owns the beautiful Brooklyn bookstore, Books Are Magic. I'm so thrilled to have her on because not only is she a wonderful writer, but Key Change is a series about music fandom and identity. And Emma's newest novel, American Fantasy, is also about music fandom and identity.
That story is set on a cruise ship centered around a 90s boy band and their fans. But today, Emma's going to tell me her story about her own relationship with the music of the Magnetic Fields. Stephen Merritt from the Magnetic Fields was just named one of the greatest living American songwriters by the New York Times.
And Emma's introduction to their music was the 1999 triple album, 69 Love Songs. Thank you so much for being here, Emma.
I cannot believe it because I have listened to every episode. I am your number one fan. And so it is very surreal for me to be here and I am honored and thank you.
Do you remember the first time that you heard The Magnetic Fields?
So I was a sophomore in college at Oberlin in 1999. And more than I remember actually hearing them for the first time, I remember hearing their name. Like, you couldn't walk six steps in Oberlin, Ohio in 1999 and not have someone talk about the magnetic fields.
And what were people saying?
That they were amazing. They were incredible. Stephen Merritt is a genius, etc., etc.,
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Chapter 2: How did Emma first discover The Magnetic Fields?
I'm like 20 years old, leaning up against the wall, trying to remain vertical. While my father, my father was a very large man. Stephen is a very small man. And I was watching my very large, lumbering, drunk father lean in towards my tiny, beautiful little musical hero and ask him questions like, so who are your influences? And anyway, I was so embarrassed and I got out of there.
You know, we got out of there and I was so mad. And then about six months later, I had graduated from college, and my parents were having a singer who was friends with Stephen named L.D. Bechtol, who's one of the singers on 69 Love Songs.
Now that you've made me want to die You tell me that you're unboyfriendable
He was at their house for dinner. And he said to my parents, oh, you know, Stephen's looking for a personal assistant. Do you know anyone? And so I raised my hand. And that was in 2002. And I started working for him as his personal assistant.
Before that dinner and before this opportunity came up, what had been your plan for working? Like, what was your dream job after college?
So my plan was to become a novelist. And I got a job in publishing. But I was so confident about my career as a novelist. And I wrote novels. Nobody wanted to publish them, but I wrote them nonetheless. And I just kept trying.
So in the moment when you raise your hand saying, I could take this job.
Yeah.
How did that fit in with your dream of being a novelist? Were you thinking at that time, I can do both of these things at the same time? Or were you thinking, I'm going to put the writing on pause for a second and have this other job because what a wonderful opportunity?
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