Reading Is Funktamental, the one-hour podcast featuring interviews with authors of some of the best books about music, including many famous musicians, will return for a third season on March 11, 2026.
Since its launch in 2024 as a monthly feature on WGXC 90.7 FM, the podcast has grown to include in-depth hour-long interviews with authors of exceptional books about the luminaries and history of rock, jazz, experimental, world music, and everything in between. Notable musicians who have been interviewed include Moon Zappa, Traffic’s Dave Mason, Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera and Sal Maida, eccentric British songwriter Robyn Hitchcock, Moby Grape’s Don Stevenson, and producer Joe Boyd, along with celebrated music journalists such as Joel Selvin, David Browne, Sid Smith, and Richie Unterberger. The podcast is now widely available across platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Reading Is Funktamental is produced and hosted by Sal Cataldi, a musician, former entertainment publicist, and freelance writer for outlets such as The New York Times, based in the Hudson Valley.
“The project really came about as a result of my four years of reviewing books for publications at NYSMusic.com and later PopMatters, so a podcast seemed like a natural extension,” begins Cataldi. “I’ve been delighted with how it has grown, with more interest from writers, publishers, and the many music lovers who have discovered and subscribed on platforms like Apple and Spotify.”
“My taste is pretty broad, as is that of my audience,” continues Cataldi. “So, we’ll not only explore the best new titles in rock, folk, jazz, world, and experimental music, but, in 2026, also speak with authors of past classics that music lovers would love to know about.”
Reading Is Funktamental has featured interviews with the authors of acclaimed rock biographies on King Crimson, The Zombies, Yoko Ono, The Band’s Richard Manuel, Moby Grape’s Skip Spence, Traffic’s Chris Wood, Ric Ocasek of The Cars, drummer Jim Gordon, and producer Tom Wilson, along with histories of The Fillmore East, Greenwich Village, The Beatles’ films, and the classic song “Hey Joe.” The podcast has also featured interviews with the authors of biographies of jazz greats, including Sonny Rollins, Albert Ayler, and John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu Orchestra, as well as a history of NYC’s Avant Garde of the 1980s. Notables such as Moon Zappa and Dave Mason have spoken with the podcast to discuss their memoirs.
Some highlights on the slate for 2026 episodes include:
- Hole’s Bassist Melissa Auf der Maur on her memoir, Even the Good Girls Will Cry
- Bill Kopp on his book, 30 Great Concept Albums
- Andy Beta on his Alice Coltrane biography, Cosmic Music
- Tad Richards on his jazz history, Listening to Prestige
- Peet Johnson on his biography of the Dutch prog rock band Focus
- Peter Occiogrosso, co-author of the 1990s, The Real Frank Zappa Book
- Gene Sculatti, author of the two-volume 1980s classics, The Catalog of Cool
In the music world, Cataldi is best known for his genre-hopping solo project, Spaghetti Eastern Music, and is also a member of the ambient guitar duo Guitars A Go Go, the jazz group Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom, the poetry & music duo Vapor Vespers, and the quartet Spaceheater. His writing on music, books, and film has appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, PopMatters, NYSMusic.com, Seattle Times, Huffington Post, and Inside+Out Upstate NY.
Follow Reading is Funktamental on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, WGXC-FM 90.1 and Facebook.
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