Pop culture

In one sense the alternate history tale is a very specific kind of story: a type of speculative fiction in which a certain, often key, moment of history has been changed. In another sense, though, alternate history has a much broader…

Remix, mashup, sample, adaptation, parody, homage, knock-off. The lines between these, and so many other similar terms, are not always very clear. In one sense, all culture is a remix, nothing exists in a vacuum. On the…

These last few weeks have seen widespread protests across the US in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. In addition to and in response to the protests, many people have come together online to stand in solidarity…

Playwright Arthur Miller became a prominent name in 20th century theatre penning plays such as Death of a Salesman, All My Sons and A View from the Bridge to name just a few. He had built a sturdy career for himself in the theatre world but…

On the 28th of January 1939, William Butler Yeats departed the world of the living, and this year will mark the 80th anniversary of his passing. The works of Yeats are known to us all. You need not be a poetry snob to know at least one…

If you're a regular listener to Top 40 radio, or similar on Spotify, chances are you've been subjected to the song 'Sweet but Psycho' by Ava Max. This is Max's debut single, and unfortunately for her, it's anything but pleasant. It feeds…

This week literary and culture themed podcast Words To That Effect joins the HeadStuff Podcast Network. Episode 12 delves into the history of zombies in myth, literature and science, and like other episodes offers up a listening…

Jack Antonoff is an industry guy. You know him even if you don’t think you do. Check under the hood of any pop album released in the last few years and there’s a decent chance that Antonoff’s fingerprints are in there somewhere. Antonoff…