Zappagram #5
Bono and Edge visit Kyiv, Something is going on with Evan Dando, and Arcade Fire rocks SNL
Zappagram is the mother of all music newsletters, covering the latest in music news, reviews, interviews, releases, discovery, history, and more.
Making a special guest appearance in your inbox every Monday.
Hey friends,
Last week wasn’t the busiest in terms of music news. However, it was a monumental week for me, and I’m excited to share some big news with you.
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“Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.” ―Frank Zappa
Recent Essays
The latest music essays by Chris Zappa
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The last few weeks have been incredibly busy. I’m currently working on several drafts that will be completed soon. Please look for several music essays linked in next week’s newsletter. Here’s my most recent piece:
Things Are Great with Band of Horses
A return to greatness for Ben Bridwell & co.
Music News
The latest happenings in the world of music
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Following a personal invitation from Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, U2’s Bono and the Edge visited Kyiv on Sunday to perform an acoustic concert in one of the city’s subway stations-turned-bomb shelters. “The people in Ukraine are not just fighting for your own freedom, you are fighting for all of us who love freedom,” Bono told the audience, which included soldiers. “We pray that you will enjoy some of that peace soon.” [via RollingStone]
Something is going on with Evan Dando, but nobody really knows what. The Lemonheads were out on tour with Jawbreaker when they were suddenly dropped from the tour. Dando then flamed off on the band with some choice words for them on Twitter. Then he apologized. The entire fiasco, while bizarre, is chronicled here. [via Stereogum]
Ric Parnell, who portrayed Spinal Tap drummer Mick Shrimpton in the iconic 1984 film This Is Spinal Tap and later recorded and toured with the group, died Sunday, May 1, at the age of 70. Harry Shearer, who portrayed Spinal Tap bassist Derek Smalls, revealed the news on his Twitter account. No cause of death has been announced. [via Spin]
Heavy Rotation
Great music, new and old, getting lots of spins
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NEW ALBUM
The Juliana Theory: Still the Same Kids, Pt. 1 [listen]
NEW ALBUM
The Ocean Greys: Where To Now [listen]
THROWBACK ALBUM
Beck: Morning Phase [listen]
NEW SINGLE
The Juliana Theory: “Less Talk” [listen]
NEW(ISH) SINGLE
Mini Trees: “Moments In Between” [listen]
THROWBACK SINGLE
David Gray: “Last Boat To America” [listen]
Video Spotlight
See it to believe it
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Although Gotye really only had this one big hit, you’ll likely remember it. (This entire album was actually great.) This performance from KCRW’s studio is more than 10 years old now, but it’s so good it deserves a revisit. Also, Kimbra’s backing vocals here are absolute 🔥. [via YouTube]
New Releases
These albums have recently dropped
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- MAY 6 -
Arcade Fire
We [listen]
Sharon Van Etten
We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong [listen]
Suki Waterhouse
I Can’t Let Go [listen]
Upcoming Releases
These albums are coming soon
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- MAY 13 -
The Black Keys
Dropout Boogie
Florence and the Machine
Dance Fever
Monophonics
Sage Motel
The Rolling Stones
Live at The El Mocambo
The Smile
A Light For Attracting Attention
- MAY 20 -
Blake Morgan
Violent Delights
Delta Spirit
One Is One
- MAY 27 -
Liam Gallagher
C’MON YOU KNOW
Wilco
Cruel Country
On the Horizon
Upcoming albums with no release date yet
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Smashing Pumpkins ♯ Butthole Surfers ♯ The Cure ♯ Lana Del Rey ♯ Todd Rundgren
Tour Dates
Currently on tour
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Aimee Mann ♯ Andrew Bird ♯ Arcade Fire ♯ B-52’s ♯Bob Dylan ♯ Broken Social Scene ♯ Caamp ♯ Dead & Co ♯ The Doobie Brothers ♯ Father John Misty ♯ Florence and the Machine ♯ Interpol ♯ Jackson Browne ♯ James Taylor ♯ Khruangbin ♯ Local Natives ♯ Lollapalooza ♯ The Melvins ♯ Monophonics ♯ The National ♯ Primus ♯ Ray LaMontagne ♯ Red Hot Chili Peppers ♯ Robert Plant & Alison Krauss ♯ Smashing Pumpkins ♯ Spoon ♯ Stevie Nicks ♯ Tears For Fears ♯The War on Drugs ♯ The Who ♯ Tori Amos
On This Date
Musical happenings of historical significance
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May 3
Josh Tillman, a.k.a. Father John Misty is born in Rockville, Maryland. (1981) ♯ Jimi Hendrix records his classic song “Voodoo Chile.” (1968)
May 4
“The King of the Surf Guitar,” Dick Dale, is born in Boston. (1937) ♯ American rapper, musician, film director, and human rights activist Adam Yauch of The Beastie Boys dies of cancer aged 47. (2012)
May 5
Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward is born in Birmingham, England. (1948) ♯ Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr marries Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde in a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park, New York City. (1984)
May 6
Bob Segar is born in Detroit, Michigan. (1945) ♯ In their Clearwater, Florida hotel room, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards work out the opening guitar riff of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” following Richard's purchase of a Gibson fuzz-box earlier that day. (1965)
May 7
Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann is born in Palo Alto, California. (1946) ♯ Wilson Pickett is arrested after running into an 86-year-old man and yelling death threats whilst driving his car over the mayor's front lawn in Englewood, New Jersey. (1991)
May 8
American blues legend Robert Johnson is born in Hazelhurst, Mississippi. (1911) ♯ Roger Waters releases his first solo album, The Pros And Cons Of Hitch Hiking. (1984)
May 9
American singer-songwriter Billy Joel is born in New York City. (1949) ♯ Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan is born in Epping, Essex. (1962) ♯ The Doors audition for the position of the Whisky a Go Go house band. (1966)
Off Topic
May or may not be music-related
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FILED UNDER: WEIRD (AL)
Daniel Radcliffe stars as Weird Al in a new biopic “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” coming this fall to The Roku Channel. I didn’t even know Roku had a channel, did you? Watch the trailer here. [via YouTube]
FILED UNDER: SNL
Arcade Fire had a great performance on SNL. Their first song, “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)” started off with Lin Butler exclaiming, “I love you, Eddie.” (Eddie is his son.) Butler’s guitar sported the words, “Call Your Mom.” He ended the song by blowing his mom a kiss on camera, saying, “I love you, mom.” Come for the music, stay for the feels, and for the wacky, flailing, waving-arm, inflatable tube men. [via YouTube]
FILED UNDER: INTERVIEW
Spin has a great interview with John Waters, the legendary “Elder of Filth” that’s worth checking out. [via Spin]
FILED UNDER: CLIMATE
Billie Eilish’s upcoming UK tour will include a 6-day event focused on climate change action. “Overheated Live” will take place at London’s O2 Arena. An accompanying documentary will be available online to watch for free. I will highlight this when it’s available. [via Bustle]
Question of the Week
???
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What are you enjoying most about Zappagram? I want this newsletter to be the best damn music newsletter on the planet, but in order for that to happen, I need your feedback. What do you love about it? What could use improvement? Is there a type of content you’d like to see that I’m not covering? Please leave a comment or hit reply on this email and let me know!
Your help is deeply appreciated.
As always, thanks for reading!
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Have the best week you’ve had all year!
Peace and love,
CZ 🤘🏻
Awesome. Congrats to being a freelance writer now !
"As of today, I’m working full-time as an independent writer."
Hell yeah! Congratulations!