TIM RILEY
Associate Professor of Journalism
Graduate Program Director
Emerson College
Boston, Massachusetts
108 Fairhaven Road
Concord, Massachusetts 01742
617.899.4013
tim_riley@emerson.edu
@rileyrockindex
EDUCATION
Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester
Master of Music, Performance and Literature in Piano, 1985
Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music
Bachelor of Arts in English with Honors, 1983
Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance, 1983
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2017 – present Graduate Program Director, Journalism, Emerson College
Committees: Curriculum, Faculty Status, CFO search, EmersonExtra events, JUMP mentor program
2017 – 2019 Faculty Assembly Chair, Emerson College
2017 Associate Professor of Journalism, Emerson College
2011 – 2016 Assistant Professor of Journalism, Emerson College
2010 – present Co-Founder and C0-Director, High School Journalism Institute, Emerson College
2009 – 2011 Journalist-in-Residence, Emerson College
2008 Critic-in-Residence, Brown University
2008 International Fellow, Indiana University
JOURNALISM POSITIONS
2005 – present The Riley Rock Index, founder and editor, meta-portal to best web music commentary, news sources, and archives
2003 – 2018 Rock Critic, Blog Riley via ArtsJournal.com
1999 – 2002 Public Interactive, Executive Producer, Public Arts: supervised syndicated cultural pages for National Public Radio
1998 – 1999 Executive Producer, Rock.com: music criticism for retail
1997 – 1998 Managing Producer Top 5% Database, Lycos.com: web content
1993 – 1995 Founding Editor and Publisher, Millennium Pop: A Quarterly Journal of the Popular Arts
1988 – 1991 Cellars by Starlight Club Columnist, Feature Writer, Book Reviewer, The Boston Phoenix
1987 – 1988 Arts Reporter, The Tab
1984 – 1985 Alternative Pop Columnist, Rochester City Newspaper
BOOKS
What Goes On: The Beatles, Their Music and Their Times, Oxford University Press, 2019
Lennon: The Man, The Myth, The Music — The Definitive Life, Hyperion, 2011; Virgin UK paperback edition, 2012
— Best Nonfiction Titles of 2011, Kirkus Reviews
Fever: How Rock ‘n’ Roll Transformed Gender in America, St. Martin’s, 2004; Picador paperback edition, 2005
Madonna Illustrated, Hyperion, 1992
Hard Rain: A Dylan Commentary, Alfred A. Knopf, 1992; Vintage paperback edition, 1993; Da Capo 2nd edition, 1999
Tell Me Why: A Beatles Commentary, Alfred A. Knopf, 1988; Vintage paperback edition, 1989; Da Capo 2nd edition, 2002
PUBLICATIONS
“Adrift in Cosmic Quarantine: Randy Newman Turns 77,” LA Review of Books, Nov. 28, 2020
“The Gigantor of Art,” Alex Ross’ new book Wagnerism, LA Review of Books, Sept. 2020
“Country Music, Smoothed Over,” Ken Burns PBS documentary review, Truthdig, Sept. 26, 2019
“No Success Like Failure,” Nick Lowe’s biography, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Aug. 22, 2019
“Evolution of a Medium,” Emily Nussbaum’s TV criticism, Truthdig, July 12, 2019
“Return of the Unrepressed,” The Beatles White Album at 50, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Jan. 24, 2019
“Black Lives Matter and the Untold Story of Altamont,” Truthdig, Sept. 21, 2018
“Dylanizing the Great American Songbook,” Bob Dylan’s Triplicate, The Los Angeles Review of Books, June 17, 2018
“Serkin, Gould and the Pianist’s Ideal,” Rudolf Serkin: The Complete Columbia Album Collection, and Glenn Gould: The Goldberg Variations: The Complete Unreleased Recording Sessions, box sets review, Truthdig, Jan. 26, 2018
“Sticky Fingers:The Life and Times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone Magazine,” by Joe Hagan, Truthdig, Dec. 23, 2017
“The American Sputnik: Van Cliburn Heats Up the Cold War,” Van Cliburn, The Los Angeles Review of Books, May 10, 2017
“I Am Brian Wilson,” by Ben Greenman, Truthdig, Mar. 17, 2017
“The Man Who Invented Rock’n’Roll: Sam Phillips,” by Peter Guralnick, Truthdig, Mar. 18, 2016
“Children of the Stone,” by Sandy Tolan, Truthdig, Oct. 20, 2015
“Why Acting Matters,” by David Thomson, book review, The National Memo, Mar. 8, 2015
“Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard on You?” by George Clinton, book review, The National Memo, Nov. 7, 2014
“Why Steely Dan Doesn’t Suck,” Radio Silence, Issue No. 3, Apr. 2014
“Pre-Fab Four, “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years, Volume 1,” by Mark Lewisohn,” book review, The New York Times, Dec. 8, 2013
“Breaking Bad, Nurse Jackie, and the Complete Inversion of ’60s Drug Culture,” The Atlantic, Aug. 1, 2013
“Ain’t Dead Yet: Notes on Woody Guthrie (pdf),” Radio Silence, Issue No. 2, Apr. 2013, pp 109-21
“Imagine All My Words,” John Lennon Letters, edited by Hunter Davies, Truthdig, Nov. 14, 2012
“We’re Going to Need a Smaller Teacup,” Tempestby Bob Dylan music review, Huffington Post, Nov. 13, 2012
“Ain’t It Funky,” The One: Life and Music of James Brown, by RJ Smith, Truthdig, June 7, 2012
“An Open Letter to Sir Paul McCartney: Save Abbey Road Studios,” Huffington Post, May 2007
Music, Words and Voice: A Reader, edited by Martin Clayton (Manchester University Press, 2007, a collection that includes work by Jacques Derrida, Richard Taruskin, Susan McClary, and Roland Barthes.
– “Hey Jude” (essay) by Tim Riley
“Abbey Road Reunion: EMI Engineers Reunite to Celebrate Studio, Book,” Blog Riley, Nov. 2006
“Another Side of Bob Dylan (pdf),” World Literature Today, Jan 1, 2005, Vol. 79, No. ¾, Sept-Dec. 2005, p. 8-12
“Movie Nation.” Book review, The Whole Equation, by David Thomson, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Jan. 15, 2005
“Elitism for Dummies: Leonard Bernstein’s Young Peoples’ Concerts on DVD,” Blog Riley, Jan. 2005
“Bob Dylan’s Back Pages,” Book review of Chronicles Volume I, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column,Nov. 15, 2004
“CD reviews, Courtney Love, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Shelby Lynne,” Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Sept. 20, 2004
“Out of Ear’s Reach”: Christopher Ricks’s Visions of Sin, slate.com, June 21, 2004
“Horowitz Unbound” Horowitz at Carnegie Hall,Sony classical reissue, unedited, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Dec. 10, 2003
“Do The Mash” Digital fusion essay, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Aug. 1, 2003
“All Together Not” Book and video review, the Beatles Anthology, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column,May 12, 2003
“Celluloid Life Stories” Book review, The New Biographical Dictionary of Filmby David Thomson, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Jan. 28, 2003
“Techno Lust” CD review, Sea Change, by Beck, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Dec. 9, 2002
“Really Big Shoe” DVD review, Ed Sullivan’s Rock’n’Roll, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Sept. 23, 2002
“Lonesome Day” CD review, The Rising,by Bruce Springsteen, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Aug. 6, 2002
“Castaways” Book review, Castaways Of The Image Planet, by Geoffrey O’Brien, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, July 22, 2002
“Songs of Everything” CD review, Songs of Sahm, by the Bottle Rockets, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Jan. 2002
“Jim Keltner’s Time is Tight” Essay on session drummer, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Nov. 2001
“Same as the Old Boss” DVD review, Bruce Springsteen Live in NYC, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column,Oct. 2001
“Not Your Daddy’s Country Sweethearts” CD review, Shelby Lynne, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Oct. 2001
“Lay Down Your Weary Tune” CD review, Love and Theft, by Bob Dylan, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Sept. 2001
“Radio Sweethearts” New CDs from Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Aug. 2001
“Car Tunes” Essay on road mixes, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Aug. 2001
“Too Much Monkey Business” Movie review, Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column,Aug. 2001
“Is There Sex After Death?” TV review, HBO’s Six Feet Under, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column,July 2001
“Premium Blend Awards” CD roundup, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, June 2001
“Nuggets II” Garage-band box set review, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, May 2001
“Hoover’s Greatest Hits” Book review, James Ellroy’s Cold Six Thousand, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, May 2001
“Napster-Free At Last” Digital music frees consumers from labels, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, May 2001
“Great Pretenders” CD review, The Band’s Moondog Matinee, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column,May 2001
“On the Rebound” CD review, Charlie Rich’s Behind Closed Doors remaster, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, May 2001
“Living Proof: The Rev. Bruce Springsteen and His E Street Choir” DVD review, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Apr. 2001
“Rutles Rule” DVD review, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Mar. 2001
“That’s What Friends Are For” TV review, Elton’s uneasy Grammy duet with Eminem, Mar. 2001
“Love in Vain” DVD review, the Rolling Stones’s Gimme Shelter, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Feb. 2001
“It’s a Mad World After All: The Same Old Gas Meets a New Medium” CD-ROM review of the Complete Mad Magazine, Public Arts: Fine Grind syndicated column, Dec. 1999
“Review of Invisible Republicby Greil Marcus,” The Boston Review, October/November, 1997
“For the Beatles: Notes on their achievement,” Journal of Popular Music, Volume 6, Issue 03, Oct. 1987, pp 257-272.
BROADCAST
“The Year In Music 2017.” Radio Boston, WBUR Boston, NPR, December 27, 2017
“Eight Speakers That Will Convince You To Give Bluetooth a Try.” The ARTery, WBUR Boston December 14, 2017
“Sgt. Pepper at 50: The Beatles Teach Us About Trump.” Cognoscenti, WBUR Boston, June 1, 2017
“Prince: His Royal Badness, Dies at 57.” Radio Boston, WBUR Boston, NPR, April 21, 2016
“Remembering Music Icon Chuck Berry.” Radio Boston, WBUR Boston, NPR, March 20, 2017
“George Martin: the Fifth Beatle.” On Point, WBUR Boston, NPR, March 11, 2016
“Ground Control to David Bowie.” On Point, WBUR Boston, NPR, January 12, 2016
“Bill Medley’s Blue-Eyed, ‘Unchained’ Soul.” On Point, WBUR Boston, NPR, January 1, 2016
“Insider’s View of Bob Dylan.” On Point, WBUR Boston, NPR, September 17, 2014
“The Rock Christmas Canon.” On Point, WBUR Boston, NPR, December 24, 2012
“Raphael Saadiq.” On Point, WBUR Boston, NPR, April 26, 2012
“Remembering Springsteen’s Saxman, Clarence Clemons.” On Point, WBUR Boston, NPR, June 23, 2011
“John Lennon: A Life and Legacy.” On Point, WBUR Boston, NPR, October 4, 2011
“Lennon: Then and Now,” Soundcheck with John Schaefer, WNYC, September 30, 2011
Smackdown: The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones, Soundcheck with John Schaefer, WNYC, August 31, 2010
“This song is brought to you by…” Soundcheck with John Schaefer, WNYC, March 23, 2010
“Steely Dan: Rent Money Tour, Boston.” Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR , July 19, 2009
“Leon Fleisher At One With Two.” Preview of Cinemax documentary with interview, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Aug. 1, 2007
“Guilty Pleasures.” With Globecritic Joan Anderman, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, May 2007
“Sly Stone: Funkmeister Triumph.” Box set review, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, April 21, 2007
“Long Live Box Sets.” Review of Fats Waller, Bob Wills, Buddy Guy, Gram Parsons, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Dec. 1, 2006
“The US vs John Lennon.” Film review, director David Leaf interview, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Sept. 26, 2006
“Chopin X-Rays.” Interview, Maurizio Pollini Performs Chopin’s Nocturnes, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR (on DG), Aug. 23, 2006
“Roots Rock Lives.” CD review, The Bottle Rockets, Deadstring Brothers, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, July 11, 2006
“Radical C&W.” Dixie Chicks, Merle Haggard transform country politics, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, May 26, 2005
“Undiscovered Gems.” CD review, Complete Motown Singles, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Dec. 12, 2005
“No Direction Home.” TV review, Scorsese’s Dylan, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Sept. 26, 2005
“Animals.” Pink Floyd regroup for Live 8, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, July 1, 2005
“Radical Covers.” Petra Haden sings The Who Sell Out, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, April 29, 2005
“Love Among Rockers.” Valentines and apologies in song, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Feb. 14, 2005
“2004 As Meathook.” Year-end list, On Point, WBUR Boston, Jan. 4, 2005
“Potpourri.” CD reviews, Beatles Capitol box, Fiery Furnaces, Dan Zanes, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Nov. 30, 2004
“Not Your Daddy’s Sexual Personae.” Fever: Rock Transforms Genderauthor appearance, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Sept. 13 2004
“Lost War, Won Future.” CD review, Punk’s Revenge, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, July 5, 2004
“Undermining Phish.” CD review, Cult band without a cause, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, June 15, 2004
“Clichés Come Back in Style.” CD review, Jack White’s Loretta Lynn, Melissa Auf der Maur, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, May 11, 2004
“A Little Bit Country.” CD review, Night Train to Nashville’s R&B, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, March 15, 2004
“Don’t Diminish What We Do.” TV review, Grammy Gab, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Feb. 1, 2004
“What Goes Around.” CD review, remastered rock, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Dec. 11, 2003
“Let It Be Naked Not.” CD review, Beatles, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Nov. 24, 2003
“R-E-S-P-E-C-T.” CD review, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, Lefty Frizzell tributes, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Oct. 13, 2003
“Rock Minus Fusion/No Limit.” CD review, Jack Johnson, Miles Davis, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Sept 8, 2003
“Exiles Know Best.” CD review, Liz Phair, Amy Rigby, Julianna Hatfield, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Aug. 4, 2003
“Do the Mash.” Internet mash-ups, including Danger Mouse’s Black Album, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, June 30, 2003
“Emotional Compass.” CD review, Rules of Travel, Rosanne Cash, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, April 21, 2003
“Genre-Busting.” CD review, Country Pop, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, March 17, 2003
“We Do This Every Year Whether We Like It or Not.” TV review, Grammy humbug, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Feb. 10, 2003
“Previous Incarnation.” CD review, Peter Green’s vintage Fleetwood Mac Live 1969, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Jan. 06, 2003
“Comebacks and Preludes.” CD review, Joni Mitchell, Chrissie Hynde & Sinead O’Connor, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Dec. 2, 2002
“Back at the Ranch.” CD review, Mekons, Alison Moorer, Chuck Prophet, Joan Osborne, Beck, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Oct. 26, 2002
“Really Big Shoe.” DVD review, Ed Sullivan Rocks, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Sept. 23, 2002
“Movie Music.” Movie review, 24-Hr Party People, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Aug. 23, 2002
“Rap Is the New Rock.” CD review, Eminem, Nelly, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Aug. 12, 2002
“Madison Avenue Rebels.” Essay, Gap TV ads, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, July 8, 2002
“In a Galaxy Far, Far Away.” CD review, The Wipers Box, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, June 3, 2002
“Kids These Days.” CD review, The Langley Music Project, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, April 1, 2002
“Outside Time and Space.” CD review, Mission of Burma, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Feb. 25, 2002
“If Bruce Were From Kansas.” CD review, Freedy Johnston, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Jan. 7, 2002
“Don’t Even Think.” CD review, Duds: Andrea Bocelli, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Wacko Jacko, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Dec. 18, 2001
“Remembering George Harrison,” Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen, WNYC, December 8, 2001
“All Those Years Ago.” Obituary, George Harrison, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Nov. 30, 2001
“Eat Your Heart Out Phil Spector.” CD review, Shelby Lynne, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Oct. 29, 2001
“Outflanking His Own Persona.” Bob Dylan’s Love and Theft, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Sept. 27, 2001
“Bassists Rejoice.” CD review, Buena Vista Social Club’s Cachaito Lopez, Here and Now, WBUR Boston, NPR, Aug. 13, 2001
Expert commentator on Beatle remasters, PBS: Jim Lehrer News Hour, September, 2009
“When America Was Rocked: Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan Show 1956,” The History Channel: 10 Days That Changed America, 2006
LECTURES
The White Album: An International Symposium
Keynote speaker
“Producing an Enigma for the Ages”
November 8-11, 2018
Monmouth University
Sponsored by Kenneth Womack, Ph.D.
Dean, Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities & Social Sciences
Sgt. Pepper Symposium
Keynote speaker
June 1-4, 2017
University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Sponsored by Professor Walter Everett
Cloud Community College, Concordia, Kansas
November 17, 2016
Journalism Educators Association (JEA)/National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) High School Journalism Convention, “How the Beatles Teach Writing: Sgt Pepper,” Los Angeles conference, April 16, 2016, 2018
Online News Association “Mobile Bootcamp: Shoot, Edit and Publish Video on the Fly,” with Cindy Rodriguez, Chicago, IL. September 25, 2014
Massachusetts Historical Society “Symphony and Song: Writing Lives in Music” (pdf) moderated by Pulitzer-Prize Winner Megan Marshall, with Jan Swafford and Judith Tick, Boston, MA. October 4, 2012
92Y Tribeca Featured presenter, New York, NY. September 2012
Newton Free Library Featured Author, 16thAnnual Spring Fling, Newton, MA. June 2012
Boston Book Festival (streaming audio) Featured Author, Boston, MA. October, 2011
Newburyport Literary Festival Featured Author, Newburyport, MA. April, 2012
Society For Music Theory Plenary Speaker, “Towards a Pop Music Catalog,” Nashville, TN November 7 & 8, 2008
Skidmore College of Music
John Lennon’s 70th Birthday Symposium, Saturday, November 20, 2010
White Album 40th Anniversary Symposium, Saturday, November 22, 2008
Boston University
Guest Lecturer in Professor Jeremy Yudkin’s courses:
Music of the Beatles, Boston, MA. November 2013
Music of Bob Dylan, Boston, MA. November 2016, 2018, 2019
Northeastern University
Frequent Guest Lecturer in Professor Dennis Miller’s Beatles course, Boston, MA. 2010 – 2016
Beatles 2000: International Cross-Disciplinary Conference Keynote
“Drive My Car: Sixties Soulsters Embrace Lennon-McCartney,” Jyväskylä, Finland (June 2000). Excerpted in “Beatles 2000: International Cross-disciplinary Conference, 15-18 June 2000, Jyvaskyla, Finland.” Popular Music 20, no. 1: 117. Academic Search Premier, EBSCO host (accessed May 29, 2016).
Censorship In The Arts, JFS Speakers Agency, 1990, Over 1500 campus lectures and residencies covering 2 Live Crew, Robert Mapplethorpe, culture wars since 1990, including appearances at: Chautauqua Festival, NY; Tufts University, MA; Oberlin College, OH; The Goldring Arts Journalism Program at Syracuse University, NY; USC Annenberg / Getty Arts Journalism Program, CA; Wellesley College, MA; Trinity College, NY; Emerson College, MA; Carleton College, MN; The Eastman School of Music, NY; University of Texas, TX; University of Utah, UT; University of Washington, WA; Temple University, PA; The New School, NY; The Chautauqua Festival, NY; Tulane University, LA; Vanderbilt University, TN
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Music Perspectives, Editorial Board
National Book Critics Circle
Online News Association
Society of Professional Journalists
Journalism Educators Association
American Association of University Professors
