Zappagram #40
2023 is slated to be an absolutely crazy year for music and we're already off to a pretty insane start...
Wow, you guys…
So much has happened this week. We lost the great Jeff Beck. We lost Lisa Marie Presley. I gotta be honest. We’re not off to a great start here, 2023. Do better, will ya?
Despite these losses, this year is slated to be huge—so many anticipated releases, so many tours and festivals coming together, so many exciting new artists to keep an eye on. It’s…a lot.
You know how sometimes you end up scrolling Netflix for an hour before finally landing on something to watch because there’s just so much crap to sift through? Musically, I’ve experienced this same phenomena over the last week, except I’m not sifting through crap. Instead, I’m overwhelmed with so much great new music from truly exciting emerging artists that it’s nearly impossible to keep up with it all. It’s a bit of a full-time job, but that’s why they pay me the big bucks.
LOL JK nobody pays me big bucks, but every paid subscription puts food on my table and gas in my tank. Please consider lending your support if you can.
Are you tired of missing out on new music releases? MusicButler is a brilliant service I discovered recently that alerts you of new music releases by artists in your music library. Start your 30-day free trial today!
“Religion is for people who are afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who have been there.”
―David Bowie
HEAVY ROTATION
New weekly playlists highlighting great music
🎶
WEEKLY PLAYLIST #40
Patchnotes • Ethel Cain • Spoon • Jensen McRae • Illiterate Light • Joesef • The Arcs • Gaz Coombes • Hammock • Jeff Beck • Ezra Glatt
MASTER PLAYLIST (ALL WEEKS)
MUSIC NEWS
The latest happenings in the world of music
🎶
Jeff Beck, Rock’s Quiet Guitar Virtuoso, Dead at 78
Hall of Fame musician and former Yardbird guitarist dies following short bout with bacterial meningitis. [RollingStone]
Lisa Marie Presley Dies at 54
Her death in a Los Angeles hospital was confirmed by her mother, Priscilla, a few hours after her daughter was rushed to the hospital after having a medical emergency at home. [NPR]
Lana Del Rey Reveals Tracklist, Artwork for New Album
The release date for Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd has been pushed back from March 10th to March 24th. [Consequence]
New Pornographers Ink With Merge For New Album Continue As Guest
The new LP arrives on March 31. [Spin]
“Fortunate Son” John Fogerty Reclaims the Rights to CCR Catalog
His music has been a ubiquitous part of the culture for half a century. Now, John Fogerty is miraculously back in control. [AVClub]
Robbie Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive Has Died
"Maybe Jeff Beck needs a drummer!" his brother Randy Bachman said in tribute. [NME]
Everything But the Girl Announce First Album in 24 Years
The downtempo pop and trip-hop duo of Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn have announced their first new album in 24 years titled Fuse, out April 21. [Pitchfork]
New Orleans Jazz Fest 2023 Lineup Announced
This year’s incredible roster includes Dead & Company, The Lumineers, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Santana, Jon Batiste, Jill Scott, Leon Bridges, Buddy Guy, Herbie Hancock, and tons more. [BrooklynVegan]
The National Tease LP9, Two New Songs, Collabs with Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens
The band dropped a teaser and a whole lit class’ worth of clues for their ninth studio album and follow-up to 2019’s I Am Easy to Find. [Consequence]
Noel Gallagher Teases New Music and Incoming Announcement
The former Oasis man's fourth album with the High Flying Birds is slated for a May release. [NME]
Father John Misty Adds Spring 2023 Tour Dates
Following shows in Europe, the singer-songwriter returns to the United States for more concerts in support of Chloë and the Next 20th Century. [Pitchfork]
Puscifer Drafts Trent Reznor, Phantogram For Existential Reckoning Remix LP
Members of Queens of the Stone Age, Failure, and Tool also appear. [Spin]
Joni Mitchell wins Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from Library of Congress
Mitchell is the third woman to be recognized, after Carole King in 2013 and Gloria Estefan (in tandem with her husband Emilio) in 2019. [NPR]
U2 to Revisit 40 Classic Tracks on Songs of Surrender Collection
The reworked versions of the band's songs will be released March 17. [Billboard]
NOFX Announce Final Tour
The Los Angeles band is calling it quits, but not until after an extended final tour that will kick off this spring and wrap up late next year. [Stereogum]
M83 Announces Tour and New Album Fantasy
Anthony Gonzalez’s follow-up to 2019’s DSVII is out in March. [Pitchfork]
New Frank Zappa Live Set Captures Unreleased, Blistering 1980 Concerts
Zappa '80: Mudd Club/Munich highlights short-lived lineup's shows at a tiny New York club and a packed German arena. [RollingStone]
OFF TOPIC
May or may not be music-related
🎶
Third Man Preps 20th Anniversary Edition Of White Stripes’ Elephant
Release is part of label’s long-running Vault subscription program. [Spin]
Iggy Pop on the ‘Chutzpah’ of Andrew Watt and Why He’s Retired From Stage Diving
Pop teamed up with the Grammy-winning producer for his new album 'Every Loser.' [Billboard]
Caroline Polachek Hits Back at Being Called “This generation’s Kate Bush.”
“I am this generation’s Caroline Polachek.” [NME]
Neil Young Dives Deep Into His TV History in New Conan O’Brien Interview
On SiriusXM's Team Coco Radio, Young looks back on his appearances on Mannix, The Johnny Cash Show, and Saturday Night Live. [RollingStone]
Watch U2’s Bono & The Edge Return to Dublin With David Letterman in A Sort of Homecoming Teaser
The rockers take Letterman to their native country for the Disney+ concert special. [Billboard]
Marisa Abela To Star As Amy Winehouse In Back To Black Biopic
The actress was previously seen in the HBO drama Industry. [Spin]
GOOD READS
Read it to believe it
🎶
Happy Belated Birthday, and Farewell, Starman: Some Shreds Of David Bowie’s Lasting Wisdom
by Madeline Dovi
[via Medium]
WATCH THIS
See it to believe it
🎶
HBD, DG!
Dave Grohl is notoriously one of the coolest guys on the planet and he just celebrated his 54th birthday this past Saturday. In his honor, I wanted to share one of my favorite Dave Grohl moments ever. [via YouTube]
NEW RELEASES
Listen to these recently dropped albums
🎶
Belle and Sebastian: Late Developers [listen]
Dropkick Murphys: This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Expanded Edition) [listen]
Ezra Glatt: Pathways [listen]
Joesef: Permanent Damage [listen]
Margo Price: Strays [listen]
RELEASE RADAR
New music that’s coming soon
🎶
JANUARY 20
Bad Brains: The Youth Are Getting Restless (Reissue) • Ella Fitzgerald: Live At Montreux 1969 • Gemma Ray: Gemma Ray & The Death Bell Gang • Guided By Voices: La La Land • Honeyyycrush: I Want It To Be Light So They Can See We Disappeared • John Cale: Mercy • Måneskin: Rush!
JANUARY 27
The Arcs: Electrophonic Chronic • Elle King: Come Get Your Wife • Green Day: Nimrod (25th Anniversary Edition) • Hammock: Love In The Void • Kimbra: A Reckoning • Meg Baird: Furling • New Order: Low-Life (Definitive Edition Box Set) • Patchnotes: Endless Surrender • Pelican: City of Echoes
JANUARY 31
The Smashing Pumpkins: ATUM – Act 2
FEBRUARY 3
Korn: Requiem Mass • Young Fathers: Heavy Heavy
FEBRUARY 10
Caroline Polachek: Desire, I Want To Turn Into You • El Ten Eleven: Valley of Fire • Paramore: This Is Why • The Rolling Stones: GRRR Live! • Tennis: Pollen • Yo La Tengo: This Stupid World
ON THIS DATE
Musical happenings of historical significance
🎶
JANUARY 16
Jamaican authorities opened fire on Jimmy Buffett's seaplane, mistaking it for a drug trafficker's plane. U2 singer Bono was also on the plane; neither singer was injured in the incident. (1996)
JANUARY 17
Birthdays: Susanna Hoffs (1959) • Andy Rourke of The Smiths (1963) • Motley Crue formed in Los Angeles. (1981)
JANUARY 18
Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle died of cancer at home in Montreal at the age of 63. (2010) • Glenn Frey died at the age of 67 in New York City from complications arising from rheumatoid arthritis, colitis and pneumonia. (2016)
JANUARY 19
Birthdays: Phil Everly (1937) • Janis Joplin (1943) • Dolly Parton (1946) • Robert Palmer (1949) • Carl Perkins died aged 65 from throat cancer. (1998) • The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner announced that Tom Petty had died accidentally from mixed drug toxicity. (2018)
JANUARY 20
Birthdays: Paul Stanley (1952) • American DJ Alan Freed died at the age of 42 from cirrhosis brought on by alcoholism. (1965) • During an Ozzy Osbourne concert in Des Moines, Iowa, a member of the audience threw a bat onto the stage. Stunned by the light, the bat lay motionless, and thinking it was a rubber fake, the singer picked it up and attempted to bite its head off. After the show Ozzy was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital for rabies shots. (1982) • Etta James died from complications of leukemia at the age of 73. (2012) • American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor Meat Loaf died age 74. (2022)
JANUARY 21
Birthdays: Wolfman Jack (1938) • Richie Havens (1941) • Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack (1965) • Soul singer Jackie Wilson died aged 49. (1984)
JANUARY 22
Birthdays: Sam Cooke (1931) • Steve Perry of Journey (1949) • Michael Hutchence of INXS (1960) • Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses (1965) • The Beach Boys went into Gold Star studios to record 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', which would be the opening track on their forthcoming album Pet Sounds. (1966)
Please consider backing Zappagram with a paid subscription.
The mother of all music newsletters can only keep going and growing as a direct result of your generous support.
If you’re enjoying the newsletter, please share it with your friends (or enemies) on social media, and follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Medium, Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok for more music-related content.
Thank you for being here.
Until next week,
🤘🏻
CZ
Caroline Polachek is a fave--she's touring with Ethel Cain!!!
They're playing the Ryman on May 17...and we project to be in Italy then. Else, I'd be there.