Zappagram #9
Remembering Jeff Buckley 25 years after his death and Dee Dee Ramone 20 years after his passing, Exile on Main Street turns 50, and oh my god, do I feel old
Hey friends,
I’m pleased to announce that in addition to writing here and on Medium, I now also have the honor of being published by the legendary music journalist Legs McNeil on his website legsville.com. Be sure to check out the great writing there by Legs himself, as well as a host of other incredibly talented writers.
Please be sure to check out the playlists highlighted below in the “Heavy Rotation” section. There’s a new playlist every week, as well as a master playlist which is a compilation of all songs shared in previous weekly playlists.
I also removed the “Tour Dates” section of the newsletter as it was getting a little unruly. If you really miss this section, let me know and I’ll see what I can do to somehow reincorporate that info.
This newsletter took me nearly 8 hours to compile. If you have the means, please consider supporting my work with a modestly-priced paid subscription. Your backing allows me to keep going and growing (and buying diapers for my son. Kids are expensive.)
Hey! Ho! Let’s go!
“Can a mere song change people’s minds? I doubt it. But a song can infiltrate your heart, and the heart may change your mind.”
―Elvis Costello
RECENT ESSAYS
The latest music essays by Chris Zappa
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Dee Dee Ramone Died 20 Years Ago Today
Remembering the legendary Ramones bassist
Half a Century of Exile On Main Street
The classic album made in exile takes an inevitable journey to Main Street where it remains relevant fifty years on
The Voice of Jeff Buckley Defines the Word Grace
The phenomenally gifted singer died 25 years ago today
HEAVY ROTATION
New weekly playlists highlighting great music
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Reply and let me know if you find a new favorite.
SPINNING THIS WEEK
Richard Swift • Hozier • Elbow • Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds • Spoon • Flock of Dimes • Shuggie Otis • Soccer Mommy • Warren Zevon • Faith No More
WEEKLY PLAYLIST #9
MASTER PLAYLIST (ALL WEEKS)
RECOMMENDATIONS
Great content to check out this week
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You’ll find no bigger fan of Bruce Springsteen anywhere in the world than my friend, Paul Combs. An authority on all things Springsteen, Paul has amassed an impressive body of work writing about The Boss and his nearly 50 year career as one of the greatest American musicians of all time. Check out Paul’s work here. Tramps like us…
MUSIC NEWS
The latest happenings in the world of music
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Creem magazine has relaunched as a website and quarterly print magazine, with all of their back issues from 1969-1989 available online. [via Creem]
Drummer Manu Katché says the first new Peter Gabriel album in 20 years is coming later this year, followed by a tour in 2023. [via Stereogum]
Kate Bush reacts to a well-deserved, renewed interest in her music since her song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” has been used in the new season of Stranger Things on Netflix. Her streams are up by approximately 8,000%. [via Billboard]
Rockabilly Star and first leader of The Band, Ronnie Hawkins, has died at 87. Hawkins cut hits like “Who Do You Love?” and featured prominently in Martin Scorsese’s 1978 documentary The Last Waltz. [via Pitchfork]
Jeff Beck announced that he and Johnny Depp are releasing an album together later this summer. [via Variety]
NEW RELEASES
These albums have recently dropped
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Andrew Bird
Inside Problems [listen]
Angel Olsen
Big Time [listen]
Leonard Cohen
Hallelujah & Songs From His Albums [listen]
UPCOMING RELEASES
These albums are coming soon
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JUNE 10
Billy Howerdel: What Normal Was • Rufus Wainwright: Rufus Does Judy At Capitol Studios
JUNE 17
Alanis Morissette: the storm before the calm • Alice Merton: S.I.D.E.S. • Foals: Life Is Yours • Nick Cave: Seven Psalms
JUNE 24
Caamp: Lavender Days • 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
ON THIS DATE
Musical happenings of historical significance
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MAY 31
Guitarist Robert Quine who worked with Richard Hell And The Voidoids, Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Lloyd Cole, Tom Waits, and They Might Be Giants was found dead of a heroin overdose in his New York City home. (2004)
JUNE 1
The Plastic Ono Band recorded “Give Peace A Chance” during a “bed-in” in Montreal, Canada. (1969)
JUNE 2
Paul McCartney threw his fiancé, Heather Mills', engagement ring out of a hotel window during a fight. Guards combed the grounds using metal detectors and later found the ring valued at $25k. (2002)
JUNE 3
Valerie Solanas shot Andy Warhol at Warhol's studio in New York City. (1968)
JUNE 4
Bruce Springsteen released the album Born In The USA. (1984)
JUNE 5
Dee Dee Ramone died, aged 49, at his Hollywood apartment of a heroin overdose. (2002)
JUNE 6
The Rolling Stones released “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” in the US. (1965)
VIDEO SPOTLIGHT
See it to believe it
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This week, we’re watching Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorshach, better known as The Cramps, perform one of their final blistering sets, live from Oslo in 2006. [via YouTube]
OFF TOPIC
May or may not be music-related
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THE BOYS ARE BACK IN…SPACE
Beavis and Butt-Head are back in the dumbest sci-fi movie ever made, Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe, streaming June 23rd exclusively on Paramount+. Watch the trailer at the link. [via YouTube]
PODCASTING CALL
Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary are teaming up for The Video Archives Podcast, a new program where the filmmakers revisit the movies they used to recommend 40 years ago when they worked at a video rental store. The podcast premieres on SiriusXM subsidiary Stitcher on July 19th. [via Variety]
THAT TAKES THE CAKE
A climate activist, disguised as a wheelchair-bound elderly lady, attempted to smear the Mona Lisa with cake, but his attempt was foiled by the bullet-proof glass protecting the famous painting, reminding everyone that cake is for eating, not for throwing. [via Consequence]
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Inquiring minds want to know
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Are you enjoying the weekly playlists included in each newsletter? Have you listened to them and discovered a new song or artist that you really liked? Leave a comment and let me know.
As always, thanks for being here.
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Peace, love, and rock & roll,
CZ 🤘🏻