Zappagram #23
Discover more from Zappagram
Zappagram #23
I'm starting a graphic design business and need to find work ASAP, the entertainment world reacts to the death of Queen Elizabeth, and Neil Peart (RIP) would have turned 70 today...
Hey friends,
I have an announcement that I’m excited to share. I am starting a graphic design business. After 25 years of designing websites, I completely burned out on building things for the web. However, my passion in that field of work was always in the design aspect. I am taking my two and a half decades of experience and focusing that passion directly on graphic design. I’m hoping to work with both emerging and established bands, artists, and brands to bring their artistic (and business-centric) visions to life.
As I am now operating in the startup space once again, I’m interested in working with anyone on any sort of project for which I’m a good fit. Basically, I need gigs and I need them now! If you know someone who needs branding work—logo design, poster design, business cards, social media assets, branding, etc.—please pass along my contact info.
I’d be eternally grateful for any business you can send my way.
Of course, this weekly newsletter will continue to grace your inboxes as there is always much to report from the world of music.
And so, without further adieu, let’s jump into what’s going on this week…
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Inquiring minds want to know
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“When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest.”
―Henry David Thoreau
RECENT ESSAYS
The latest essays by Chris Zappa
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HEAVY ROTATION
New weekly playlists highlighting great music
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WEEKLY PLAYLIST #23
Lauren Balthrop • She She She • Charles Stepney • Oliver Sim • Hush Kids • Pinegrove • Crowded House • Tennis • Paolo Nutini • Escondido
MASTER PLAYLIST (ALL WEEKS)
MUSIC NEWS
The latest happenings in the world of music
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Entertainment world reacts to the death of Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral on September 8. [via NME]
John Lydon, Singer on Sex Pistols’ Anti-Royalty Anthem ‘God Save the Queen,’ Pays Tribute to Elizabeth II
Punk formerly known as Johnny Rotten had softened his stance on the monarchy in decades following 1977 smash. [via RollingStone]
Jack White Announces New Live Album Recorded During Current Tour
Jack White Live: The Supply Chain Issues Tour includes 3xLPs of songs from his ongoing 2022 trek. [via Pitchfork]
Siouxsie and the Banshees Announce New Archival Album
Siouxsie and the Banshees have announced a new archival album celebrating the autumn season. Entitled All Souls, the 10-track collection was personally curated by Siouxsie Sioux, who also directed the cover artwork. [via Consequence]
Pearl Jam Delivers Iconic Show at New York City’s Apollo Theater
The band's intimate performance was part of SiriusXM's Small Stage series. [via Billboard]
PJ Harvey Cleans Out Her Closet With Career-Spanning Outtakes Box Set
The three-CD or six-LP anthology, out November 4, collects 59 black sheep from the alt-rock firebrand’s career, including several previously unreleased tracks. [via RollingStone]
The Beatles Announce Deluxe Revolver Reissue w/ Unreleased Studio Takes
The newly-mixed edition of their 1966 LP includes home demos, a 100-page hardbound book, and more. [via Pitchfork]
Puscifer Announce Reimagined Existential Reckoning Featuring Trent Reznor, Justin Chancellor, and More
The band announced Existential Reckoning: Rewired, a reimagining of their 2020 album set to arrive December 9th. [via Consequence]
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard Set October Release For Three New LPs
‘Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava,’ ‘Laminted Denim’ and ‘Changes’ all arrive within three weeks of one another. [via Spin]
The Police Announce Ghost in the Machine Vinyl Reissue
The Police are reissuing the 1981 Ghost in the Machine LP on a limited edition vinyl picture disc, featuring an alternate tracklist and three additional songs. The project arrives on November 4th. [via Consequence]
OFF TOPIC
May or may not be music-related
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A Filmmaker Explores David Bowie’s Life and Finds Clarity About His Own
With the epic “Moonage Daydream,” Brett Morgen contended with a chameleonic star whose approach to living helped him refocus after a heart attack. [via NYTimes]
10 Classic Recording Sessions and the Studios that Shaped Them
Classic albums covered here include Pet Sounds, The Unforgettable Fire, Bone Machine, Abbey Road, and OK Computer. [via Paste]
Aretha Franklin’s Unsealed FBI File Shows Bureau Tracked Her Civil Rights Activism
The huge, declassified document includes death threats, red scare performances, and extensive investigation into her Yahoo! Groups fan site. Yes, really. [via Pitchfork]
Led Zeppelin: Footage Unearthed of 1970 Los Angeles Gig
It's the latest decades-old gig from the band to have footage restored and posted online this year. [via NME]
Watch a playlist of every video MTV’s ‘120 Minutes’ showed
YouTube user Chris Reynolds has put together a playlist he says features every video that ever aired on the show. [via BrooklynVegan]
NEW RELEASES
Listen to these recently dropped albums
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The Afghan Whigs: How Do You Burn? [listen]
Built to Spill: When the Wind Forgets Your Name [listen]
Charles Stepney: Step on Step [listen]
Jockstrap: I Love You Jennifer B [listen]
John Legend: Legend [listen]
Oliver Sim: Hideous Bastard [listen]
Ozzy Osbourne: Patient Number 9 [listen]
Preoccupations: Arrangements [listen]
Santigold: Spirituals [listen]
UPCOMING RELEASES
These albums are coming soon
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SEPTEMBER 16
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall • Dan Wilson: Dancing on the Moon EP • Death Cab For Cutie: Roman Candles • Gogol Bordello: SOLIDARITINE • Joe Strummer: Joe Strummer 002: The Mescaleros Years To Honor • Lou Reed: Words & Music, May 1965 • The London Suede: Autofiction • Marcus Mumford: (self-titled) • The Mars Volta: The Mars Volta • Pink Floyd: Animals 2018 Remix • Ringo Starr: EP3 • Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Super Deluxe Edition)
SEPTEMBER 23
ABBA: ABBA Gold (Reissue) • Alice In Chains: Dirt (30th Anniversary Edition) • Beth Orton: Weather Alive • Billy Idol: The Cage EP • Daniel Lanois: Player, Piano • Joni Mitchell: The Asylum Albums (1972 – 1975) Boxed Set • Khruangbin and Vieux Farka Touré: Ali • Magdalena Bay: Mercurial World (Deluxe) • Nils Frahm: Music For Animals
SEPTEMBER 30
Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (2022 Mix) • High Vis: Blending • Keith Jarrett: Bordeaux Concert • Lambchop: The Bible • Office Culture: Big Time Things • Pixies: Doggerel • Titus Andronicus: The Will to Live • Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Deluxe Edition) • Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Cool It Down
OCTOBER 7
Broken Bells: Into The Blue • Bush: The Art Of Survival • Courtney Marie Andrews: Loose • The Cult: Under The Midnight Sun • The Cure: Wish (30th Anniversary Edition) • Dayglow: People In Motion • King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava • Lindsey Stirling: Snow Waltz • Mark Knopfler: The Studio Albums 2009-2018 • Tom Waits: Alice (Vinyl Reissue) • Tom Waits: Blood Money (Vinyl Reissue) • Will Sheff (of Okkervil River): Nothing Special
VIDEO SPOTLIGHT
See it to believe it
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Calexico live on Rockpalast (2006)
An incredible live performance from Calexico (this first song is so killer) that I must have watched at least a dozen times. A must-see if you’re a fan of the Arizona-based Americana/Tex-Mex indie-rock band. [via YouTube]
ON THIS DATE
Musical happenings of historical significance
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SEPTEMBER 12
Birthdays: Neil Peart (1952) • Ben Folds (1966) • Johnny Cash died of respiratory failure aged 71. (2003)
SEPTEMBER 13
Birthdays: Don Was (1952) • Steven John Kilbey of The Church (1954) • Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction (1967) • Fiona Apple (1977) • Geffen Records threw a party to launch Nirvana's “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The band ended up being thrown out of their own party after starting a food fight. (1991)
SEPTEMBER 14
Birthdays: Morten Harket of A-Ha (1959) • Mark Webber of Pulp (1970) • Amy Winehouse (1983) • Roy Orbison's house in Nashville burnt down, his two eldest sons both died in the blaze. Orbison was on tour in the UK at the time of the accident. (1968)
SEPTEMBER 15
Johnny Ramone died in Los Angeles after a five-year battle with prostate cancer. (2004) • Pink Floyd keyboardist and founding member Richard Wright died aged 65 from cancer. (2008) • Ric Ocasek, lead singer with The Cars, was found dead in his New York City apartment, he was 75. (2019)
SEPTEMBER 16
Birthdays: B.B. King (1925) • Richard Marx (1963) • Former Clash drummer Topper Headon was released from jail after serving 10 months of a 15-month sentence on a narcotics charge. (1988)
SEPTEMBER 17
Birthdays: Hank Williams (1923) • Baz Luhrmann (1962) • Keith Flint of The Prodigy (1969) • The Doors were banned from The Ed Sullivan Show after Jim Morrison broke his agreement with the show’s producers. Morrison said before the performance that he wouldn’t sing the words, “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher,” from “Light My Fire” but did anyway. The Doors also performed their new single “People Are Strange.” (1967)
SEPTEMBER 18
Birthdays: Dee Dee Ramone (1952) • Jimi Hendrix was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Mary Abbot's Hospital in London at the age of 27. (1970) • Rob Tyner of MC5 died after he suffered a heart attack in the seat of his parked car in his hometown of Berkley, Michigan. (1991)
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Love, peace, and harmony…
CZ 🤘🏻
Zappagram #23
The new Afghan Whigs is incredible. 🔥
Jack White Live--going to see him Friday night in Asheville. New Yeah Yeah Yeah's and Broken Bells!!!!