Podcast: Jessica Hopper’s memoir of music and a vanished Chicago

The music critic comes to A Room of One’s Own on September 21 to read from her new memoir. (Photo by David Sampson.)

Jessica Hopper’s new book, Night Moves, details the personal experiences that shaped her work as a music critic and captures vignettes of a Chicago that has largely vanished under layers of gentrification. Hopper has written for publications including The Chicago Reader, Spin, City Pages, and Pitchfork, and served as editorial director of MTV News during a short-lived renaissance before that site’s unfortunate “pivot to video” moment. Her 2015 book The First Collection Of Criticism By A Living Female Rock Critic anthologized a lively cross-section of that work. Hopper will read from Night Moves on September 21 at A Room of One’s Own. Ahead of that, she spoke with Tone Madison contributor Chali Pittman.

Give the conversation a listen here, or subscribe to the Tone Madison podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and consider supporting us financially with a one-time or recurring donation.

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