090 Ben Cardew on Stereolab

On this episode, Marc talks with Ben Cardew, author of "Space Age Batchelor Pad Music: The Story of Stereolab in 20 Songs," published in April of 2026. It's a mix of biography and criticism that gets at both how Stereolab made their music and why it's had such an effect on so many people. The 20 song framework helps Cardew structure the narrative well, but he is also not beholden to it, as he covers many other songs, albums, stories, and ideas that surround this fascinating group.

As Ben writes, "I've been listening to Stereolab since around 1992...and I still don't fully understand them...This is the story of Stereolab in twenty songs, each of which illustrates a certain facet of the band's abundant personality. It's not a comprehensive list, and it's not meant to be; it's a guide, a weak torch with dodgy batteries to light up your trip into the yawning Stereolab cave."

We hope you enjoy Marc's conversation with Ben Cardew!