Zappagram #11
Henry Rollins announces new tour dates, Mick Jagger catches Covid, and I'm starting a new podcast
Hey friends,
I have an exciting announcement: as a music-loving content creator, it was only a matter of time before I realized how badly I wanted to start my own music podcast, and now that time has come!
My plan is to primarily feature interesting interviews with artists (both established and new,) producers, writers, influencers, industry professionals, other music podcasters, and my many cool music-loving friends.
I’m still in the planning stages of getting it off the ground, but I’d love to get your input on what kind of content you’d like (or not like) to hear in such a podcast. Your response would be immensely helpful to me as I work to get this project off the ground. Please reply or comment below and tell me what you think.
Also, are you subscribed to either Spotify or Apple Music? If you are interested in great weekly playlists curated by a real human and not by an algorithm, you should follow me on either platform.
Lastly, please consider backing me with a paid subscription. I can only keep going and growing because of your generous support. Thanks for reading, for sharing, and for caring. It means the world to me that you’re here.
Let’s dive in to this week’s newsletter…
“I love the way music inside a car makes you feel invisible; if you play the stereo at max volume, it’s almost like the other people can’t see into your vehicle. It tints your windows, somehow.”
―Chuck Klosterman, Killing Yourself to Live
RECENT ESSAYS
The latest music essays by Chris Zappa
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How To Automatically Skip Music You Don't Like
A helpful tip for Mac users only
HEAVY ROTATION
New weekly playlists highlighting great music
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WEEKLY PLAYLIST #11
Local Natives • The Shins • Birdtalker • Wilderado • Susto • Broken Social Scene • Neko Case • Ryan Adams • Wilco • Nathaniel Rateliff
MASTER PLAYLIST (ALL WEEKS)
RECOMMENDATIONS
Great content to check out this week
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This week’s recommendations are for my two favorite music-based publications on Medium. If you want to read an endless stream of well-written articles, browse through The Riff and Plethora of Pop. You’ll soon find yourself with a ton of great music-related reading material. Tell them I sent you.
MUSIC NEWS
The latest happenings in the world of music
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Henry Rollins announced new U.S. tour dates for the fall. [via HenryRollins]
Some Rolling Stones’ concert dates were postponed after Mick Jagger tested positive for Covid-19 last week. The legendary singer has since reported that he is feeling much better and will be back to performing soon. [via AP News]
Nick Cave will soon become a cartoon teenager in a new animated series called “Before They Were Gods” which is currently in development. [via HollywoodReporter]
Foo Fighters have announced the lineup for the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert, taking place on September 27 in Los Angeles. Joining the Foos on stage will be Stewart Copeland, Josh Homme, Joan Jett, John Paul Jones, Alanis Morissette, Krist Novoselic, Mark Ronson, Roger Taylor, and Wolfgang Van Halen among others. [via FooFighters]
Paul McCartney celebrated his 80th birthday on June 18th with a host of friends from Ringo to Yoko to Sean Ono Lennon paying tribute to him. [via Billboard]
Father John Misty simultaneously releases Lana Del Rey’s cover of his song “Buddy’s Rendezvous” from his latest album Chloë and the Next 20th Century, and a video for the song directed by his wife, Emma Elizabeth Tillman. [via YouTube]
Legendary produced Steve Albini wins his second World Series of Poker bracelet, taking home $196k prize after conquering a field of 773 players. [via RollingStone]
NEW RELEASES
Dig on these recently dropped albums
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Alanis Morissette: the storm before the calm [listen]
Alice Merton: S.I.D.E.S. [listen]
Bartees Strange: Farm To Table [listen]
Foals: Life Is Yours [listen]
UPCOMING RELEASES
These albums are coming soon
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JUNE 24
Caamp: Lavender Days • Christine McVie: Songbird (A Solo Collection) • James Vincent McMorrow: The Less I Knew • Soccer Mommy: Sometimes, Forever • Wire: Not About To Die
JULY 8
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Toast
JULY 15
Interpol: The Other Side of Make-Believe
JULY 22
Jack White: Entering Heaven Alive • Maggie Rogers: Surrender • She & Him: Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson
VIDEO SPOTLIGHT
See it to believe it
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Check out these sweet isolated vocal tracks from The Beach Boys’ classic, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” [via YouTube]
ON THIS DATE
Musical happenings of historical significance
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JUNE 14
Three fans died during an Ozzy Osbourne gig after falling from a balcony at Long Beach Arena. (1986)
JUNE 15
Birthdays: Harry Nilsson (1941) • Motown Records released “Let's Get It On” by Marvin Gaye. (1973) • Nirvana's debut album Bleach was released in the U.S. (1989)
JUNE 16
Bob Dylan recorded “Like A Rolling Stone” at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City. (1965) • The three-day Monterey Pop Festival in California began, featuring legendary performances by Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, and The Mamas & the Papas. (1967) • David Bowie released his fifth studio album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. (1972)
JUNE 17
Birthdays: Jello Biafra (1958) • Dolly Parton recorded “I Will Always Love You” in RCA's Studio "B" in Nashville. (1973)
JUNE 18
Birthday: Paul McCartney (1942) • Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols was stabbed and beaten during an attack in a car park outside a London pub. The next day, other members of the Pistols were beaten by a gang armed with iron pipes. (1977)
JUNE 19
Birthdays: Nick Drake (1948) • Ann Wilson (1950) • Bob Dylan released his 39th studio album Rough and Rowdy Ways. (2020)
JUNE 20
Birthdays: Brian Wilson (1942) • Lionel Richie (1949) • David Bowie recorded “Space Oddity” at Trident Studios in London. (1969) • David Gilmour’s guitar collection set several auction records when nearly 130 instruments went up for bid at Christie’s in New York. The Pink Floyd frontman’s most iconic instrument, the so-called Black Strat, fetched $3,975,000. (2019)
OFF TOPIC
May or may not be music-related
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GREAT WONDERWALL OF CHINA
Noel Gallagher has been banned for life from China, named by the Chinese government as an “enemy of the people,” for playing at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in New York City back in 1997. Hold a grudge much? [via Guitar.com]
DEAR GOD NO
Remember the Winklevoss twins who claimed (and sued and won) that Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for Facebook? Apparently, they’re now in a cover band, absolutely butchering songs like this Journey hit. Warning: this is beyond painful to listen to. [via Stereogum]
GET WELL SOON
Guitarist/songwriter John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants is now out of the hospital after being seriously injured by a drunk driver in a crash last week in New York. [via Stereogum]
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Inquiring minds want to know
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What’s your music streaming service of choice? Leave a comment and let me know which service you use. If you’re on Spotify or Apple Music, please follow me there for weekly playlists comprised of great music, new and old.
As always, thanks for being here.
If you’re enjoying Zappagram, please share it with friends on social media, and follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok for more music-related content.
Love to all,
CZ 🤘🏻
First, thank you for shouting out The Riff! I know the editor; he’s a good guy. :)
For the pod, yes to everything you mentioned. For the times you have other writers/friends on, I’d take on a record together (2 people review same record). I’d also keep the length in the 25-35 minute range. Maybe that’s just me?? Curious what other people here might think.
Regarding new releases: I just got an email that my copy of Soccer Mommy’s new record is on its way up here, so I’m stoked for that. Still ready for Wire as well. I’m also curious to check out Foals’ new stuff. 🤘
For streaming: Spotify for breadth of selection, and Bandcamp to ease my conscience a little. Amazon’s a distant 3rd.
P.S. The Winklevoss twins are proof that just because you /can/ do something, it doesn’t mean you should…
Really enjoy your passion and digging deep for music! Best part is the playlists!