037 Tom Maxwell on 90s Chapel Hill Music

On this episode, Marc talks with Tom Maxwell, author of “A Really Strange and Wonderful Time: The Chapel Hill Music Scene, 1989-1999,” published in April of 2024. It's the story of a community where musicians played in each other’s bands, toured with each other, produced each other’s records, and supported each other’s work regardless of style or pedigree. Tom also shows what it was like to be in a place where major labels descended, boosting some bands and discarding others. He experienced it first hand as a member of many NC bands, including Squirrel Nut Zippers, whose 1995 album “Hot” sold over a million copies.

As Tom writes, “I want to give you a sense of what was broadly going on musically and show you the fertile soil from which all this wondrous music sprang. Because this kind of community is very much like a garden: there are the beautiful flowers, of course, which command most people’s attention, but for those flowers to grow there must also be a rich diet, pollinators, earthworms, and the right amount of rain, shade, light, and decay.”

We hope you enjoy Marc's conversation with Tom Maxwell!