Zappagram #102: Khruangbin's new album is *chef's kiss* the chillest thing you'll hear this month

Hey Zappagrammers,

After my Beyonce diatribe last week, I’ll keep this week’s commentary to a minimum. A few things of importance I think you should know:

• The new Khruangbin album is a thing of absolute beauty. If you want music to soothe your troubled soul, look no further than their sublime new release, A La Sala. Click the link to buy the album or stream on your platform of choice.
• It’s been 30 years since we lost Kurt Cobain. Do you feel old now? I do.
• Once again, Spotify is about to raise their prices. Read more on this greedy bastard move below.
• Billie Eilish added everyone following her to her close friends list on Instagram. She also has a new album rumored to drop soon.
• There are tons of tours to look forward to in 2024.
• Billboard published a piece asking whether UMG’s TikTok ban is hurting its U.S. streaming numbers. Spoiler alert: fuck no.

That’s it for now.

Ground control to reader: Take your protein pills. Put your helmet on.

This newsletter ain’t gonna read itself.

“I'm disgusted by my own and my generation's apathy. I'm disgusted at what we allow to go on, by how spineless, lethargic, and guilty we are of not standing up against racism, sexism and all those other 'isms' that the counterculture has been whining about for years.”
—Kurt Cobain

MUSIC NEWS

Frances Bean Cobain: ‘I Wish I Could’ve Known My Dad’
Kurt Cobain’s daughter honors his memory with a heartfelt post on social media: “As It turns out, there is no greater motivation for leaning into loving awareness than knowing everything ends”

Spotify has now officially demonetised all songs with less than 1,000 streams
Around 60 per cent of tracks will not qualify for the new threshold

Look Out, Spotify’s Increasing Prices Again
Also, a new plan for people who don't want audiobooks

Joey Ramone’s Brother Hits Back at “Baseless and Flimsy” Biopic Lawsuit
Johnny Ramone's sister had filed a lawsuit against Joey's estate in January

The Black Keys Unveil 2024 ‘International Players’ Tour Dates
The run of shows, in support of the band's upcoming album Ohio Players, will feature The Head And The Heart on select dates

Nine Inch Nails Plan New Album, Music Festival, TV Show, XR Game, Clothing Line, Etc.
Nine Inch Nails are the subject of a big GQ cover story today (Al Jourgensen would never!) in which they reveal so many new plans

Smashing Pumpkins Announce Headlining Tour Dates
To go along with the band's upcoming gigs supporting Green Day

Casey Benjamin, Ace Multi-Instrumentalist for Robert Glasper, A Tribe Called Quest, Dead at 45
The musician, best known for his work on saxophone and keys, also played with Beyoncé, John Legend, Lady Gaga, and more

Keith LeBlanc, Influential Drummer & Nine Inch Nails Producer, Dead at 70
LeBlanc was a major contributor to NIN's Pretty Hate Machine album

Coachella Livestream to Employ Multiview Feature on YouTube
Festival attendees can only be in one place at one time, but this year, livestreamers can watch up to four performances at once

Billie Eilish, R.E.M., Kacey Musgraves, and More Sign Open Letter Warning of AI’s Infringement on Artists’ Rights
The statement from the Artist Rights Alliance was also signed by Elvis Costello, Nicki Minaj, Mac DeMarco, Jason Isbell, and others

Goose Add New Slate of 2024 US Tour Dates
The jam band will embark on a 15-date trek in September

Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Danny Carey, and Steve Vai to Celebrate King Crimson on 2024 Tour
The all-star ensemble has Robert Fripp's approval

Manchester Orchestra Announce Cope 10th Anniversary Tour
With Militarie Gun as support on all dates

Bruce Springsteen Signs Absentee Note for Young Fan So They Could Attend His Show
The fan held up a sign that read: "Skipping School Sign My Note?"

Orville Peck Announces Tour, Shares New Video With Willie Nelson
The country singers come together for a new version of “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other”

How Pirates and Factory Workers Changed Music Forever (and Made Eminem’s Life Miserable)
Filmmaker Alex Stapleton and writer Stephen Witt discuss their new documentary How Music Got Free about the file-sharing era

Z-REX

It’s been 30 years since Kurt left us and while it’s hard to believe it’s been that long, this performance of “Aneurysm” still sounds as badass as it did on Halloween 1991 when they played it live at the Paramount Theater in downtown Seattle. Watching this now that I’m an old fuck, all I can think is, “Christ, they were all so young!” thus making me feel like an even older fuck.

NEW RELEASES

The Black Keys: Ohio Players
Khruangbin: A la Sala
The Libertines: All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade
Lizzy McAlpine: Older
Novo Amor: Collapse List
Old 97’s: American Primitive
Phosphorescent: Revelator
Vampire Weekend: Only God Was Above Us

RELEASE RADAR

- APR 12 -

Eagles: To The Limit - The Essential Collection
Maggie Rogers: Don’t Forget Me
Mark Knopfler: One Deep River
Nia Archives: Silence Is Loud

- APR 19 -

Bruce Springsteen: Best of Bruce Springsteen (Expanded Edition)
Hozier: Wasteland, Baby! (Vinyl Reissue)
The Melvins: Tarantula Heart
Pearl Jam: Dark Matter
Pink Floyd: The Dark Side Of The Moon (Remastered Collector’s Edition)
Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department

- APR 20 -

Record Store Day 2024!

- APR 26 -

Iron & Wine: Light Verse
Justice: Hyperdrama
Laufey: Bewitched: The Goddess Edition
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Fu##in’ Up
Pet Shop Boys: Nonetheless
St. Vincent: All Born Screaming

- MAY 3 -

Better Than Ezra: Super Magick
The Lemon Twigs: A Dream Is All We Know
Mdou Moctar: Funeral for Justice

- MAY 10 -

Dehd: Poetry
Incubus: Morning View XXIII
Keane: Hopes and Fears (20th Anniversary Edition)
Kings of Leon: Can We Please Have Fun
Victoria Bigelow: Songs For No One Vol. 2 EP

ON THIS DATE

- APR 8 -

Birthdays: Izzy Stradlin of Guns N' Roses (1962) • Julian Lennon (1963) • Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend (1984) • Matthew Healy of The 1975 (1989) • Singer-songwriter Laura Nyro died from ovarian cancer. (1997) • Malcolm McLaren former manager of the Sex Pistols, the New York Dolls and Bow Wow Wow died from cancer aged 64. (2010)

- APR 9 -

Birthdays: Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance (1977) • Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes (1980) • Lil Nas X (1999) • Rapper DMX died of a cocaine-induced heart attack, aged 50. (2021)

- 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)

Until next week, friends…peace and love to all.

🤘🏻🖤