On this episode, Marc talks to Nate Patrin, author author of “The Needle and the Lens: Pop Goes to the Movies, From Rock and Roll to Synthwave,” published on November 28th, 2023.  It’s a look at the way songs that already exist–needle drops, as they’re known–have been used in films, transforming both the music and the movie. Each of Nate’s 16 chapters focuses on a specific film and a specific song it uses, exploring the background behind each and the way the combination changes both.

As Nate writes, “The needle drop is a strange yet vital component of narrative film–an often direct and instantly memorable way for a director to steer the tone of the film by incorporating a crucial element that they had no hand in creating.”

We hope you enjoy Marc's conversation with Nate!