Exceptionally good questions… giving me a welcome chance to say new things. – award-winning author Mark Lewisohn (Episode 1)
Top-20 iTunes Canada Music Podcast, 2016
New & Noteworthy Podcast, iTunes US, UK, Canada, Australia
TRAVELS IN MUSIC is a new podcast dedicated to sharing stories about music from all over the world.
On the podcast, I interview musicians, writers, travellers, artists and musical minds of every sort to understand how music changes lives on every corner of our planet, exploring topics spanning music history, travel, personal histories, rock n’ roll, world music, and global culture.
Many travel podcasts, blogs, and television shows focus on food; we look at the world through music.
The goal is to present entertaining, informative, laid-back conversations in which we can learn about the world through stories centred around music, exploring how music impacts people, and changes lives. Though this isn’t a “travel podcast” in the strictest sense, the focus of the show is global. I’m particularly interested in exploring the relationship of music to place; discussing why certain towns, cities, and societies produce and embrace certain types of music, and what that might reveal about the people that live there.
Past guests include leading Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn, New Yorker staff writer John Seabrook, country music sensation Wheeler Walker Jr., contributing editor at Rolling Stone Rich Cohen, and many more. Click here to see a list of episodes to date.
Hosted by author and music writer Zachary Stockill (The Huffington Post, PopMatters), described by one reviewer as “like Anthony Bourdain meets Alan Watts,” Travels in Music is a podcast for fellow travellers and music lovers who want to explore a musical planet.
Intro, and occasional outro music for the podcast is provided by Jungle Fire, with “Comencemos (Let’s Start)” off their fantastic 2014 LP Tropicoso (available via iTunes).
Links to products on Amazon and iTunes are affiliate links. This means that if you click the link and decide to buy something, I’ll receive a tiny commission-usually around 4-6%. This commission comes at zero extra cost to you, and it’s how we keep the lights on around here. (You’ll notice that there are no outside advertisers ’round these parts.)
Please click here to contact me if you have any questions, comments, or innovative (and delicious) guacamole recipes.
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About The Host
MY NAME IS Zachary Stockill. I’m an author, educator, web developer, and music writer whose work has been featured in the Huffington Post, PopMatters, Mic, the Art of Charm Podcast, HuffPost Live, High Existence, and many other publications and podcasts.
I’m Canadian (eh), but in recent years I’ve been traveling and living throughout Asia and South America.
Over the past few years I’ve interviewed an Oscar winner, an Emmy winner, multiple Grammy winners, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alumni, a former Beatle, and many other artists and musical minds from around the world. (Click here to check out some of my recent interviews for PopMatters.)
In addition to my writing, I’m also a longtime drummer, guitarist, singer-songwriter, as well as a budding ukulelist. Since I was a small child, I’ve loved many different types of music–seemingly more than just about anyone I know. And it was through music (the Indian interludes on Sgt. Pepper in particular) that I first became interested in travel, and the wider world. Over twenty years later, I still think that learning about music is one of the best ways we can learn about the world.
I have a Master of Arts in Globalization Studies from McMaster University, and another Master of Arts in History from the University of British Columbia, where I wrote my thesis on Ravi Shankar, the Beatles, and Indian classical music in the 1960’s. I’ve also studied at the University of Pune and the Center for Studies in Social Sciences in Kolkata, India.
I created Travels in Music for fellow travellers and music fans who want to know our world a little better. Whoever you are, and however you found me, I’m excited to share this project with you.
If you’d like to learn more about me and my story, please visit my personal website.
BONUS: Here’s a 24-hour livestream of our home, taken from the International Space Station:
How cool is that? I propose that we kidnap all world leaders, lock them in a conference room, put certain consciousness-expanding substances in their water supply, and project a non-stop stream of this video. World peace in just a few short hours.
Before you go, please don’t forget to sign up to receive regular updates on Travels in Music.