PRELUDE
The year was 1994. Kurt Cobain had taken his own life. His Nirvana bandmates—Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic—were understandably beside themselves with grief. Grohl stated that after Kurt's death, he didn't feel like he'd ever be able to make music again. He couldn't even bring himself to listen to music. He knew he had to get away for a while—go somewhere remote, somewhere he could collect himself and figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his life.
Dave ended up taking a soul-searching trip to Ireland, and found himself in the remote region of the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland in an area known as The Ring of Kerry, known as much for its scenic rolling hills as for its afforded peace and solitude.
Dave explained one particular day of this trip: “I’ve been before. It’s so beautiful there. You really feel like you’re at the end of the Earth. I was driving around in my rental car on a country road and I saw this hitchhiker kid. And I thought, "Well, maybe I’ll pick him up. And as I got closer to him, I saw that he had a Kurt Cobain t-shirt on. It was Kurt’s face looking back at me…in the middle of nowhere!”
After the two exchanged shocked looks, Dave—clearly freaked out—sped off.
Years later in an interview Dave explained the impact of this moment, stating: “I realised like, ‘Oh. I can’t outrun this’. So I need to go home and fucking get back to work. And so I did.”
The result of him getting back to work was, of course, the birth of Foo Fighters.
For 30 years, the identity of the Irish hitchhiker Dave encountered that day has been unknown...until now.
Eddie Fu writing for Consequence: "In a video posted by his cousin Eoin Tighe on Twitter, Lorcan Dunne explains he recently realized the connection after watching a video of Grohl talking about getting lost in rural Ireland after Cobain died in 1994. Looking back, Dunne remembered going on a hitchhiking trip with friends and approaching a car ahead of his group.
Dunne said when he spotted Grohl (whom he didn’t recognize at first) in the passenger seat, he saw “this look of shock” at his “Nirvana t-shirt with Kurt Cobain on it.” For whatever reason, Dunne didn’t get a ride because the “car just tore off away,” but he obviously left an impression on Grohl. Naturally, nobody believed Dunne when he tried to tell his friends.
Now, 30 years and 11 albums later, this story comes foo circle, you might say.
Dunne's cousin Eoin tweeted at the band's offical Twitter account. No word yet on a response, but knowing Dave Grohl, I imagine some kind of cool reunion between the two will be in the works.
I'll be following this story for further developments. You'll be first to know about any updates if or when they happen.
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Ground control to reader: Take your protein pills. Put your helmet on. This newsletter ain’t gonna read itself...
ON TOUR
💡 Now through November 23rd, Local Natives is on tour, gracing North American cities with their unique blend of what Flood Magazine calls “upbeat-yet-melancholy alt-pop.” Check tour dates here and stream their gorgeous new album, “But I’ll Wait For You” here.
WEEKLY PLAYLIST
Zappagram #121 featuring: Alberta Cross, Dylan LeBlanc, Foster the People, Georgia Parker, Ezra Glatt, Blind Pilot, Ray Lamontagne, Balu Brigada, October Drift
Listen on Spotify or Apple Music
Master playlist (compilation of all music) on Spotify or Apple Music
MUSIC NEWS
» Leon Bridges is going on tour in support of his recently announced new album, Leon. The Leon Tour begins in October and stretches into November. Supporting Bridges on nearly all dates are Hermanos Gutiérrez. The last U.S. stop, in Fort Worth, will feature direct support from Texas country singer Charley Crockett. See Leon Bridges’ tour dates here. ❖
» Willie Nelson is 91 years old. Ninety-one. He’s been a living legend for well over half his life, and he’s continuing to earn that reputation here in his tenth decade of life. Today Nelson has announced Last Leaf On The Tree, his 153rd album, which has the very autumnal release date of Nov. 1. For Last Leaf On The Tree, Nelson’s son Micah deployed the Rick Rubin/Johnny Cash method, curating a range of songs for his father to cover in addition to some new originals. Beck’s “Lost Cause” is on there, as is the Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” The album also features tunes from Nina Simone, Neil Young, Keith Richards, Warren Zevon, Sunny War, and Micah’s band Particle Kid. ❖
» One of the more fascinating music-adjacent stories in recent memory arose in May when Elvis Presley’s world-famous Memphis estate Graceland almost went up for auction after a creditor alleged that the late Lisa Marie Presley had offered up the property as collateral on a loan. Elvis’ granddaughter and Lisa Marie’s daughter, actress Riley Keough, sued to block the sale, after which more intriguing details emerged. The contract bearing Lisa Marie’s signature was revealed to be fraudulent, and a mysterious ring of international identity thieves who claimed credit for the scheme. Three months later, an arrest has been made. ❖
» Brent Clifford, son of Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer Doug Clifford, was arrested in Portola, California on Wednesday (August 14th) in connection with a Nevada homicide and a missing person case in California. Clifford was taken into custody on an active warrant by the Reno Police Department with the help of the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office. The Reno Police Department had a warrant out for Clifford’s arrest in the fatal shooting of William Andrews, who was found dead on Sunday (August 11th) in Reno with a gunshot wound to the head. Authorities believe Clifford took off with Andrews’ red 2003 Chevrolet Blazer after his death. Separately, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office was investigating Clifford for the disappearance of his girlfriend Patricia Portella-Wright when they discovered he was a person of interest in the Reno case. She was reported missing on Friday (August 9th) and believed to be in a vehicle matching the description of Andrews’ Chevrolet Blazer. ❖
» The band Live have unleashed their first single in six years, “Lady Bhang (She Got Me Rollin’)” featuring Stone Temple Pilots guitarist Dean DeLeo. The new song comes just as Live and Stone Temple Pilots kick off their co-headlining “Jubilee” North American tour. Live and Stone Temple Pilots are celebrating the 30th anniversaries of their landmark albums Throwing Copper and Purple, respectively on the summer tour. Live was one of my favorite 90s bands. They had an exceptional run with their first five albums being bangers, but spoiler alert: the new single suuuuuucks. ❖
» Maurice Williams, a rhythm and blues singer and composer who with his backing group the Zodiacs became one of music’s great one-shot acts with the classic ballad “Stay,” has died. He was 86. Williams died Aug. 6, according to an announcement from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, which did not immediately provide further details. ❖
» Jack Russell, founding singer of Great White, has died at the age of 63. Just last month, Russell retired from touring after announcing he was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy. He passed away “peacefully” on Thursday, August 15th, surrounded by his family and friends. ❖
» Greg Kihn, who scored hits in the 1980s with the tunes “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em),” passed away Tuesday (August 13th) at 75 years old after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. His death was announced by his family. ❖
» After helping Snoop Dogg close out the Paris Olympics, Dr. Dre is already looking ahead to the next Summer Games. The hip-hop legend is hoping for the opportunity to take his shot at making the Team USA archery team for the 2028 Olympics in his hometown of Los Angeles. “I’m trying to try out for the Olympics in 2028,” he recently told Entertainment Tonight host Nischelle Turner. “I’m really good at archery… I’m deadass serious.” Though Turner was skeptical, Dre insisted he has a long history with the sport. ❖
» This year marks the 40th anniversary of Violent Femmes’ Hallowed Ground, and in addition to performing it in its entirety on their ongoing tour (get tickets), the band has announced a vinyl reissue of the album. Due on November 8th via Craft Recordings, the 40th anniversary edition of Hallowed Ground features a remastered version of the 1984 release, sourced from the original stereo tapes. Beyond the standard black vinyl, the album will be offered in four limited-edition colored vinyl variants, each available from a different retailer. ❖
B-SIDES
All the Artists Who Don’t Want Donald Trump Using Their Music
From Céline Dion to the Smith’s Johnny Marr, these musicians have demanded that the former president stop playing their songs at events [RollingStone]
Seattle Music Journalist Dies at 67
Charles R. Cross, the Seattle music journalist and bestselling author behind Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain and Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix, has died. [Pitchfork]
Fans Can Bid for a Dinner Date With Metallica’s James Hetfield at Charity Auction – but the Winner Will Have to Foot the Bill
Bids for the meal with the metal icon have nearly reached $30,000 [NME]
In Music and Life, Ray LaMontagne Cherishes Things That Last
Twenty years after his debut album, ‘Trouble,’ the New England singer-songwriter keeps to his own path, taking the ‘Long Way Home’ [Spin]
Zombie Bands Attack! These Touring Groups Don’t Have a Single Original Member
From Lynyrd Skynyrd to the Four Tops, our rundown of bands that continue to tour without a single classic-era member [RollingStone]
Eugene and Dan Levy to Host 2024 Emmy Awards
Father-and-son duo and former Schitt’s Creek co-stars Eugene and Dan Levy have closed a deal to host the 2024 Emmy Awards. Now in its 76th year, the annual awards show honors the best in television. This year’s ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 15th, and will be broadcast live on ABC. [Consequence]
Multiple People Arrested in Connection with Matthew Perry Overdose
Two doctors, Perry's personal assistant, and others have been taken into custody [Consequence]
Alain Delon, Icon of the French New Wave, Dead at 88
Delon was pictured on the album cover for The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead [Vulture]
Z-REX
NEW RELEASES
Blind Pilot: In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain • Foster the People: Paradise State of Mind • Georgia Parker: Same Time Tomorrow • Ray Lamontagne: Long Way Home • Shelby Lynne: Consequences of the Crown
RELEASE RADAR
AUG 23 - Bryce Dessner: Solos • Fontaines D.C.: Romance • Gillian Welch & David Rawlings: Woodland • Lisa Loeb & The Hollow Trees: That’s What It’s All About • Mark Lanegan: Bubblegum XX (Reissue)
AUG 30 - Jon Hopkins: Ritual • Los Bitchos: Talkie Talkie • Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Wild God • Oasis: Definitely Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) • Ty Segall: Love Rudiments • U2: ZOO TV – Live In Dublin 1993 EP
SEPT 6 - Alanis Morissette: Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (Thank U Edition) • David Gilmour: Luck and Strange • Eva Cassidy: Walkin’ After Midnight • The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin (25th Anniversary Vinyl Reissue) • The Heavy Heavy: One of a Kind • Max Richter: In a Landscape • Mercury Rev: Born Horses • MJ Lenderman: Manning Fireworks • Neil Young: Neil Young Archives Vol. III Takes
SEPT 13 - Chilly Gonzales: GONZO • Dale Crover (of Melvins): Glossolaliao • The Damned: AD 2022 – Live in Manchester • Floating Points: Cascade • Foxing: Foxing • London Grammar: The Greatest Love • M. Ward: For Beginners: The Best of M. Ward • Nada Surf: Moon Mirror • The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready To Die (30th Anniversary) • Snow Patrol: The Forest Is the Path
ON THIS DATE
AUG 19 - Birthdays: Ginger Baker of Cream (1939) • Johnny Nash (1940) • John Deacon of Queen (1951) • Saxophonist LeRoi Moore, a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, died aged 46. (2008)
AUG 20 - Birthdays: Isaac Hayes (1942) • Robert Plant (1948) • Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy (1949) • John Hiatt (1952) • Michael Shuman of Queens of the Stone Age (1985) • American keyboard player and bassist Larry Knechtel died at the age of 69 of an apparent heart attack. He is best known as a member of the Wrecking Crew who worked with such artists as Simon And Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Doors, Jerry Garcia, Elvis Presley, and as a member of the 1970s band Bread. (2009)
AUG 21 - Birthdays: Count Basie (1904) • Joe Strummer (1952) • Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone had a four-hour brain surgery operation, after being found unconscious in a New York Street where he had been involved in a fight. (1983) • After the Westboro Baptist Church, famous for their anti-gay demonstrations, staged a protest before a Foo Fighters concert in Kansas City, the band responded by driving a truck in front of the demonstrators and Rickrolling them by blasting a version of Rick Astley's hit "Never Gonna Give You Up." (2015) • Don Everly, the surviving member of The Everly Brothers, died at the age of 84. (2021)
AUG 22 - Birthdays: John Lee Hooker (1917) • Vernon Reid of Living Colour (1958) • Roland Orzabal of Tears For Fears (1961) • Tori Amos (1963) • Layne Staley (1967) • Al Dvorin, the announcer who popularized the phrase "Elvis has left the building" died in a car crash, on his way home from an Elvis Presley convention in California. (2004)
AUG 23 - Birthdays: Keith Moon (1946) • Rick Springfield (1949) • Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots (1961) • Cedella Marley (1967) • Julian Casablancas of The Strokes (1978) • The Velvet Underground performed together for the last time at Max's Kansas City in NYC. (1970)
AUG 24 - The Doors started recording their first album at Sunset Sound Recording Studios in Los Angeles. (1966) • 17-year-old Bruce Springsteen joined a group called Earth. (1967) • British musician Fritz McIntyre died age 62. He was the keyboard player in the original line-up of Simply Red, a founder member of the band, and played from their debut album Picture Book in 1985 until their 1995 album Life. (2021) • Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts died at a London hospital at the age of 80. (2021)
AUG 25 - Birthdays: Leonard Bernstein (1918) • Wayne Shorter (1933) • Gene Simmons (1949) • Rob Halford of Judas Priest (1951) • Elvis Costello (1954) • Jeff Tweedy (1967) • Two female Beatles fans hired a helicopter to fly over the house The Beatles were renting in Beverly Hills, California and jumped from the helicopter into the swimming pool. (1965) • Bruce Springsteen released Born To Run. (1975)
CODA
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May your days be filled with joy and may your vinyl records be scratch-free,
-CZ
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