Zappagram #79: CEASEFIRE NOW!
Hey friends,
There will be no podcast this week. With all that’s happening in the world, it would be disingenuous for me to try to sound happy while talking about music news. However, some fantastic albums came out this week, and I encourage you to check them out if, for no other reason, we need some healing at this terrible time, and music can provide some of that.
I feel compelled to address something I see many people getting wrong.
When someone says “Free Palestine!” it doesn’t mean they condone the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas in any way, shape, or form. I unequivocally condemn the loss of innocent life anywhere, anytime, for any reason. I mourn the loss of innocent lives in Israel and the Palestinian territories. How some seem incapable of understanding this isn’t one-sided — or maybe just don’t want to because they have too much hate in their hearts — is beyond me. Innocent people are suffering on both sides of this conflict.
It is possible to abhor the attacks on innocent Israelis and condemn the carpet-bombing of innocent Palestinians simultaneously. Did you know that roughly half of the Palestinians in Gaza are children under 18, and a large percentage are under the age of 15? If there was anyone who didn’t ask for this, it’s the innocent children caught in the crossfire. They certainly do not deserve the utter hell being forced upon them.
All innocent people deserve to live in peace. I send my love and support to all peaceful Israelis and Palestinians.
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of living through unprecedented times.
Ground control to reader: Take your protein pills. Put your helmet on.
This newsletter ain’t gonna read itself.
“War does not determine who is right - only who is left.”
—Bertrand Russell
ROCK THE VOTE
:: MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
WEEKLY PLAYLIST
:: NEW MUSIC EVERY WEEK
Featuring: Morning Bear, Dylan LeBlanc, Hozier, Honeycrush, Bluhm, Golden Blue, The Blue Nile, Glen Hansard, A.O. Gerber, Mitch Rowland
ZAPPAGRAM #79
ZAPPAGRAM PLAYLIST (ALL WEEKS)
MUSIC NEWS
:: WHAT’S GOING ON
Half Of Bandcamp’s Work Force Laid Off After Songtradr Acquisition
The layoffs reportedly impacted both the tech team and members of the editorial team behind the company's music blog Bandcamp Daily [RollingStone]
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Has Biggest Ever Concert Film Opening Weekend
It earned an estimated $126 million in movie theaters globally this weekend [Pitchfork]
Liam Gallagher Announces ‘Definitely Maybe’ 30th Anniversary Tour
Ex-Oasis singer will perform the album in full at June dates in the U.K. and Ireland [Spin]
Danny Elfman: Second Woman Accuses Composer of Sexual Misconduct
The musician was accused of sexual assault and gender violence in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles, three months after Rolling Stone's disclosure of a $830,000 sexual-harassment settlement [RollingStone]
James Mercer Says His Next Project is a New Shins Album
He also comments on the impact of Neal Langford and his passing on the band [Consequence]
Green Day Announce Tour With the Smashing Pumpkins
Rancid and the Linda Lindas will support the stadium shows around North America next year [Pitchfork]
Thurston Moore Gives Update on Health Condition, Calls Prognosis “Very Good”
After recently canceling a book tour, the Sonic Youth co-founder has discussed recent “concerning” struggles with atrial fibrillation [Pitchfork]
U2 Announce 2024 Shows at Las Vegas’ Sphere
The band expands its run of shows at the new venue, which now includes Super Bowl weekend dates [Pitchfork]
Idles Announce New Album Tangk, Enlist LCD Soundsystem for New Song
“Dancer” features vocals from James Murphy and Nancy Whang, while Nigel Godrich and Kenny Beats contribute production to the album [Pitchfork]
MTV EMAs 2023 Canceled Due to Israel-Hamas War
“As we watch the devastating events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, this does not feel like a moment for a global celebration” [Pitchfork]
Z-REX
:: ZAPPA’S RECOMMENDATIONS
A few years ago, Morning Bear performed live at Red Rocks and gave an absolutely sublime performance, which you can watch here.
ASSHOLE OF THE WEEK
:: BECAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS ONE
Staind’s Aaron Lewis Spells Out “Trump 24” Using 32 Dead Coyotes
What a disgusting piece of shit this clown is. I agree with the commenter who said it best: “Those coyotes aren't nearly as dead as your career has been for the last 20 years."
NEW RELEASES
:: RECENTLY DROPPED MUSIC
Blink-182: One More Time... [listen]
Bluhm: Garden Of Hearts [listen]
Bombay Bicycle Club: My Big Day [listen]
Brian Eno: The Ship (2023 Remaster) [listen]
Charlotte De Witte: Power Of Thought EP [listen]
Devo: 50 Years of De-Evolution 1973–2023 [listen]
Duff McKagan: Lighthouse [listen]
Dylan LeBlanc: Coyote [listen]
Glen Hansard: All That Was East Is West Of Me Now [listen]
Golden Blue: Museum [listen]
Honeycrush: Milk Teeth EP [listen]
Middle Kids: Dramamine EP [listen]
Moonwalker: Apocalypticism [listen]
Morning Bear: “Reap And Sow” (single) [listen]
The Rolling Stones: Hackney Diamonds [listen]
RELEASE RADAR
:: UPCOMING RELEASES
- OCT 27 -
Black Pumas: Chronicles of a Diamond
DJ Shadow: Action Adventure
The Gaslight Anthem: History Books
José González: Veneer (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
The Kills: God Games
Nirvana: In Utero (30th Anniversary Super Deluxe)
Prince: Diamonds and Pearls (Super Deluxe Edition)
Taylor Swift: 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
U2: Zooropa (Vinyl Reissue)
- NOV 3 -
Bob Marley and The Wailers: Catch a Fire (50th Anniversary Edition)
Christine McVie: Christine McVie (Reissue)
Christine McVie: In the Meantime (Reissue)
Cold War Kids: Cold War Kids
Dave Matthews Band: Before These Crowded Streets (Vinyl Reissue)
Frank Zappa: Over-Nite Sensation (50th Anniversary Edition)
Jimmy Buffett: Equal Strain on All Parts
Neil Young: Time Fades Away 50 (Vinyl Reissue)
Semisonic: Little Bit of Sun
The Struts: Pretty Vicious
- NOV 10 -
Beirut: Hadsel
Cannons: Heartbeat Highway
Cat Power: Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert
New Order: Substance (2023 Expanded Reissue)
Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Vinyl Reissue)
Pure Bathing Culture: Chalice
R.E.M.: Up (25th Anniversary Edition)
ON THIS DATE
:: MUSICAL HAPPENINGS OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
- OCT 23 -
Birthdays: Dwight Yoakam (1956) • Weird Al Yankovic (1959) • Rob Trujillo (1964) • Bob Dylan recorded 'The Times They Are A-Changin' at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City. (1963)
- OCT 24 -
Birthday: Bill Wyman (1936) • Debbie Googe of My Bloody Valentine (1962) • Taylor Swift released her self-titled debut studio album. Swift was 16 years old at the time. (2006) • Fats Domino died aged 89 at his home in Harvey, Louisiana. (2017)
- OCT 25 -
Birthdays: Richard Lloyd of Television (1951) • Chad Smith (1962) • Katy Perry (1984) • John Peel died in Peru of a heart attack, aged 65. He was BBC’s longest-serving radio DJ and the first DJ to introduce the Ramones, The Smiths, Rod Stewart, Blur, the Sex Pistols, T Rex and others to the masses. He founded Dandelion Records in 1969, and was also known for his ‘Peel Sessions’, releases of live radio sessions. (2004) • Jack Bruce, best known as one-third of Cream, died of liver disease aged 71. (2014)
- OCT 26 -
Birthdays: Mahalia Jackson (1911) • Bootsy Collins (1951) • Keith Strickland of The B-52’s. (1953) • Natalie Merchant (1963) • Keith Urban (1967) • Legendary rock concert promoter Bill Graham was killed when the helicopter he was in struck the top of a Pacific Gas and Electric transmission tower near Sears Point, northwest of Vallejo, CA and exploded. (1991)
- OCT 27 -
Birthdays: Garry Tallent of The E Street Band (1949) • Simon Le Bon (1958) • Scott Weiland (1967) • Lou Reed died from complications of liver cancer at the age of 71. (2013)
- OCT 28 -
Birthdays: Desmond Child (1953) • Stephen Morris of Joy Division (1957) • William Reid of The Jesus and Mary Chain (1958) • Ben Harper (1969) • Frank Ocean (1987) • The live-action movie KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park, was shown on NBC in the U.S. (1978) • Jerry Lee Lewis died aged 87. (2022)
- OCT 29 -
Birthdays: Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac (1946) • Roger O'Donnell of The Cure (1955) • Peter Timmins of Cowboy Junkies (1965) • Chris Baio of Vampire Weekend (1984) • Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle on a Macon, Georgia street while trying to swerve to avoid a tractor-trailer and was thrown from the motorcycle. The motorcycle bounced into the air, landed on Allman and skidded another 90 feet with Allman pinned underneath. He was three weeks shy of his 25th birthday. (1971)
Follow me on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or Medium for more music-related content. Check out the “Will Work For Vinyl” t-shirts available in my shop. Subscribe to the podcast here on Substack or wherever you get your podcasts.
Until next week, friends…
🤘🏻🖤
