Hey everyone,
I hope you all had a nice holiday. I’m not a religious person, but I do wish to say: may Saint Dave bless and keep you all, and may he be ever-present with you as you go through life fighting foo. Amen.
This is issue #52 which means that Zappagram is celebrating its first birthday slash one-year anniversary slash holy shit has it been that long already?!
Time flies when you’re rockin’ in the free world.
Thank you to everyone who has been with me since day one, to everyone who has joined me along the way, and to all the new subscribers who’ve hopped on the train over the past few days.
We all love music which is why we’re here, but all of this would mean nothing without you, so thanks for subscribing, listening, reading, and sharing. I couldn’t do it without you. ❤️🤘🏻
Speaking of sharing, if you’re enjoying the podcast, please tell your friends, enemies, spouses, neighbors, dentists, deli workers, Amazon delivery drivers, mechanics, and anyone else who will listen, and be sure to leave a review on your streaming platform of choice.
Okay, enough shameless self-promotion.
Ground control to reader. Take your protein pills. Put your helmet on.
This music newsletter ain’t gonna read itself.
“He not busy being born is busy dying.”
—Bob Dylan
ROCK THE VOTE
:: MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
- - -
WEEKLY PLAYLIST #52
:: NEW MUSIC EVERY WEEK
Featuring: Cliffdiver, Jenny Owen Youngs, Oracle Sisters, Free Whenever, Devon Church, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Devon Gilfillian, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Blondshell, Fruit Bats, Stay Outside, Slow Joy, Fatso Jetson, Ghost Funk Orchestra
MASTER PLAYLIST (ALL WEEKS)
- - -
MUSIC NEWS
:: WHAT’S GOING ON
Metallica Preps for ’72 Seasons’ Album Release With ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Takeover
"We'll be playing live for all four shows, and you'll also catch us on the couch, chatting with Jimmy one night," band says. [RollingStone]
Foo Fighters, Pixies, Spoon, and More to Play Intimate Shows at Replica 9:30 Club in D.C.
A replica of the Washington, D.C. venue’s cosy original space will host $44 shows for its 44th anniversary; the Walkmen, Yo La Tengo, and Jeff Tweedy will also perform. [Pitchfork]
Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy Will Tour Solo This Summer
Dates arrive ahead of artist's 'World Within a Song' book. [RollingStone]
Coachella 2023 Will Livestream Shows From All Festival Stages on YouTube
YouTube will stream Coachella live on six separate feeds across both weekends. [RollingStone]
Steely Dan Reissuing Countdown to Ecstasy on Vinyl
Donald Fagen oversaw a new remaster from the original analog tapes. [Pitchfork]
David Crosby Died After Contracting Covid-19, Says Graham Nash
It was the second time the legendary singer-songwriter contracted the disease. [NM E]
Christine McVie Died of a Stroke and Metastasized Cancer
The Fleetwood Mac star told Rolling Stone last June that she had been suffering from a "chronic back problem that debilitates me." [RollingStone]
Longtime Abba Guitarist Lasse Wellander Dies Aged 70
Wellander played guitar on many of ABBA’s most well-known tracks, toured with the band for years and helped to create the Mamma Mia! soundtrack. [NM E]
Coolio’s Cause of Death Revealed to Be Fentanyl
The rapper, who died last September at age 59, also reportedly had traces of heroin and methamphetamines in his system. [RollingStone]
Nora Forster, Wife of John Lydon and Mother of Ari Up, Dead at 80 After Alzheimer’s Battle
Sex Pistols/Public Image Ltd. singer has spoken candidly about wife's condition after her diagnosis in 2018. "I don’t see how I can live without her," he said earlier this year. [RollingStone]
Vivian Trimble, Former Luscious Jackson Keyboardist and Backup Vocalist, Dies at 59
Musician was also known for Dusty Trails, her collaboration with Josephine Wiggs. [ ]
Ian Bairnson, Guitarist for Alan Parsons Project and Kate Bush, Dead at 69
"He was a true master of the guitar - he knew every possible playable guitar chord and how to describe it," Parsons write of the musician responsible for the release of the hit "Eye in the Sky." [RollingStone]
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OTHER NEWS
:: MAY OR MAY NOT BE MUSIC-RELATED
Metallica’s James Hetfield Announces New Book About His Guitars
The frontman "shares the emotional and technical elements of the chosen tools that have shaped his singular musical journey." [NME]
Bob Dylan Biopic Starring Timothée Chalamet Is Moving Forward
James Mangold says his long-delayed Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet is moving forward, with filming set to begin this year. [CBR]
Patti Smith Warns Against “Stupid” Fraudster Asking Fans to Send Hair
Patti Smith has warned fans about a fraudster who is posing as one of her reps and asking people to send pieces of their hair. [NME]
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Z-REX
:: ZAPPA’S RECOMMENDATIONS
+ Josh Friedberg, writing for PopMatters, penned a piece titled, “A Lost Revolution? 35 Years of Tracy Chapman” which dives into the singer’s debut album, its sociopolitical statements, and its enduring relevance today.
+ Watch as Rick Beato tours the legendary Abbey Road Studios.
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NEW RELEASES
:: RECENTLY DROPPED MUSIC
Blondshell: Blondshell [listen]
Cliffdiver: Cliffdiver [listen]
Devon Gilfillian: Love You Anyway [listen]
Groundlift: “Bottleneck” (single) [listen]
Matthew Logan Vasquez: As All Get Out [listen]
Mudhoney: Plastic Eternity [listen]
Oracle Sisters: Hydranism [listen]
Thomas Bangalter: Mythologies [listen]
Wednesday: Rat Saw God [listen]
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RELEASE RADAR
:: UPCOMING RELEASES
- APR 14 -
Angel Olsen: Forever Means EP
Chat Pile & Nerver: Brothers in Christ EP
Feist: Multitudes
Fruit Bats: A River Running to Your Heart
GoGo Penguin: Everything is Going To be OK
Kiersten Blue: “Thriving” (single)
Metallica: 72 Seasons
Mickey Sunshine: Mickey Sellout Pt 1
Natalie Merchant: Keep Your Courage
The Tallest Man on Earth: Henry St.
- APR 21 -
Everything But the Girl: Fuse
St. Paul & The Broken Bones: Angels in Science
The Smashing Pumpkins: ATUM (Act 3)
Twin Ritual: Allie
- APR 28 -
Glen Matlock (of Sex Pistols): Consequences Coming
Smokey Robinson: GASMS
Stephen Stills: Stephen Stills Live at Berkeley 1971
Taj Mahal: Savoy
The Damned: Darkadelic
The National: First Two Pages of Frankenstein
- MAY 5 -
Durand Jones: Wait Til I Get Over
Ed Sheeran: - (subtract)
Jenny Owen Youngs: Offair: From The Forest Floor
The Lemon Twigs: Everything Harmony
Olivia Jean: Raving Ghost
SBTRKT: The Rat Road
Sqürl: Silver Haze
- MAY 12 -
Alison Goldfrapp: The Love Invention
Daft Punk: Random Access Memories (10th Anniversary Edition)
Dropkick Murphys: Okemah Rising
Esben & The Witch: Hold Sacred
Madison McFerrin: I Hope You Can Forgive Me
Moby: Resound NYC
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ON THIS DATE
:: MUSICAL HAPPENINGS OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
- APR 10 -
Birthdays: Bunny Wailer (1947) • Fred Smith of Television (1948) • Eddie Hazel of Parliament-Funkadelic (1950) • Steven Gustafson of 10,000 Maniacs (1957) • Katrina Leskanich of Katrina and the Waves & Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats (1959) • Mark Everett (a.k.a. E) of the Eels (1963) • Q- Tip of A Tribe Called Quest (1970) • Andrew Dost of Fun (1983) • Mandy Moore (1984) • The Beatles first bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe, died of a brain hemorrhage, aged 22. (1962) • Marvin Gaye recorded his version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.” (1967) • Tom Waits took Doritos Chips to court for using a Waits sound-alike on radio ads. The jury awarded him $2.4 million in punitive damages. Waits comments after the case, “Now, by law, I have what I always felt I had...a distinctive voice.” (1990)
- APR 11 -
Birthdays: Neville Staples of The Specials (1956) • Tom Thacker of Sum 41 (1978) • Joss Stone (1987) • Bob Dylan played his first live gig in New York City at Gerde's Folk City, opening for John Lee Hooker. (1961) • Buffalo Springfield made their live debut at The Troubadour in Hollywood. (1966) • Eddie Van Halen married actress Valerie Bertinelli. (1981)
- APR 12 -
Birthdays: Tiny Tim (1933) • Herbie Hancock (1940) • John Kay of Steppenwolf (1944) • David Cassidy (1950) • Art Alexakis of Everclear (1962) • Amy Ray of Indigo Girls (1964) • Foo Fighters released their seventh studio album Wasting Light. (2011)
- APR 13 -
Birthdays: Lowell George of Little Feat (1945) • Reverend Al Green (1946) • Max Weinberg (1951) • Jimmy Destri of Blondie (1954) • Hillel Slovak of Red Hot Chili Peppers (1962) • Madonna struck back at web sites who were offering illegal downloads of her new album, 'American Life' by flooding file-sharing networks with decoy files. When the files were opened they were greeted by the voice of Madonna asking, “What the fuck do you think you're doing?” (2003)
- APR 14 -
Birthdays: Loretta Lynn (1932) • Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple (1945) • Bassist Kenny Aaronson, who recorded or performed with several notable artists such as Bob Dylan, Billy Idol, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, New York Dolls, and Hall and Oates. (1952) • A man was arrested accused of making up a Björk concert then selling tickets worth $14,000 (at $40) each after persuading a San Diego nightclub owner that Björk had agreed to play there. He was accused of taking the money and moving to Hawaii, where he was later arrested. (2003) • Soul singer Percy Sledge died, aged 73. (2015) • Rusty Young of Poco died, aged 75. (2021)
- APR 15 -
Birthdays: Bessie Smith (1894) • Dave Edmunds (1944) • Composer Michael Kamen (1948) • Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes (1965) • Ed O'Brien of Radiohead (1968) • Country/bluegrass musician Chris Stapleton (1978) • Patrick Carney of The Black Keys (1980) • Joey Ramone died at the age of 49 after a long battle with lymphatic cancer. (2001)
- APR 16 -
Birthdays: Henry Mancini (1924) • Dusty Springfield (1939) • Gerry Rafferty (1947) • Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil (1953) • Paul Buchanan of The Blue Nile (1956) • Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum (1964) • Sean Cook of Spiritualized (1969) • Selena (1971) • Chance the Rapper (1993) • Elektra Records dropped Detroit's MC5 from their label after the band took out an advertisement in a local paper that included the company logo and said; 'Fuck Hudsons.' The band were protesting at the Michigan department store's refusal to stock their albums. (1969) • David Lee Roth was arrested in New York's Washington Square Park for allegedly buying a $10 bag of marijuana. (1993)
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Be good to each other,
CZ 🤘🏻
Zappagram #52: Coachella from your couch(ella) + Zappagram turns 1