I am a veteran journalist and the author of Playback: From the Victrola to MP3, 100 Years of Music Machines & Money (Da Capo 2004). My book reviews, essays, music features and reviews have appeared on a variety of digital platforms and in print.
STEP LIVELY (and watch the closing doors): Onboarding NYC 1980–89
My current book-in-progress covers New York City during the early Eighties: a crucial and under-explored era in the city’s history. Step Lively centers on a sequence of linked personal essays plus one short story, four reviews of influential downtown NYC-adjacent authors (one of whom is fictional) plus a lingering look at the definitive document of Manhattan during this period, The Andy Warhol Diaries. For samples, see Blog in the menu.
More Articles About Books & Food
In recent years I’ve published articles at Medium, The Drift, The Millions, CNN.com and Huffington Post. I also reviewed non-fiction books for The Los Angeles Times Book Review (RIP). Technology and pop culture were my main focus there, along with history, politics, popular science and media. Authors reviewed included Oliver Sacks, Barbara Ehrenreich and Steven Johnson.
Playback: From the Victrola to MP3, 100 Years of Music, Machines & Money
My first book is a history of pop music and technology, from Thomas Edison to the iPod. Playback was favorably reviewed in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Wired, Hollywood Reporter and New Scientist. It was also published in China.
Like A Rolling Stone
During the Eighties and Nineties, I contributed music features and reviews to many publications. Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, Details, New York, Heavy Metal, Melody Maker, Newsday, The Los Angeles Times, Musician, Mojo, Select, New York Rocker, Elle, Spin, LA Weekly, The Journal of Country Music, Vibe, Star Hits, Smash Hits and more. During the Nineties, I was a Senior Editor at Rolling Stone, and Contributing Editor at Details. Along with three other critics, I co-authored The Rolling Stone Album Guide (Random House 1992).
Contact
Let’s make something together.
Mark Coleman 