Zappagram #84: The Great Brian Jonestown Massacre Brawl of 2023
Why can't we all just get along?
Hey friends,
I hope everyone had a nice, relaxing holiday and Record Store Day. Did you score something you’d wanted for a long time? Were the lines insanely long? Sound off in the comments.
There’s a lot to cover this week, so let’s jump in.
Ground control to reader: Take your protein pills. Put your helmet on.
This newsletter ain’t gonna read itself.
“Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most.”
—Ozzy
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WEEKLY PLAYLIST
:: NEW MUSIC EVERY WEEK
Featuring: Ezra Glatt, Velocihamster, Harry Nilsson, Mott The Hoople, Roxy Music, Alexander, Amy Winehouse, Andrew Belle, Nouvelle Vague, The Apache Relay
ZAPPAGRAM #84
ZAPPAGRAM PLAYLIST (ALL WEEKS)
MUSIC NEWS
:: WHAT’S GOING ON
Killing Joke Guitarist Geordie Walker Has Died, Aged 64
No official statement has been released, nor a cause of death. NME has reached out to representatives of Killing Joke for comment [NME]
Members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre Brawl Onstage
The fight occurred after frontman Anton Newcombe appeared to fire guitarist Ryan Van Kriedt in the middle of a concert [Consequence]
Neil Young Boycotts Twitter Over Elon Musk’s Antisemitic Comments
"For reasons that should be obvious to the richest man on Earth," the singer wrote in the Neil Young Archives, "we are taking this action against his company” [RollingStone]
It’s Official: Songs Need 1,000 Streams to Earn Royalties on Spotify
Spotify announced the new royalty system as well as penalties and other new policies in an effort to fight streaming fraud [RollingStone]
Daryl Hall Suing John Oates Over Pending Sale of Joint Venture
Hall was granted a temporary restraining order to block the sale [Consequence]
Radiohead Side Project The Smile Announce ‘Wall of Eyes’ Album, Drop Paul Thomas Anderson-Directed Video
The follow-up to 2022’s debut LP, A Light for Attracting Attention, will drop on Jan. 26 [Billboard]
Music Licensing Powerhouse BMI Is Being Sold to a Private Equity Firm
New Mountain Capital and Broadcast Music Inc. say they expect the deal to close by the end of 2024’s first quarter [Pitchfork]
Squeeze Unveil Dates for 50th Anniversary Tour with Badly Drawn Boy
The 27-date outing kicks off next October [Consequence]
Ms. Lauryn Hill Postpones Miseducation Anniversary Tour Dates Due to Vocal Strain
The singer hopes to play one more show this year before getting back on the road in 2024 [Pitchfork]
KISS Fan, Not Terrorist, Crashes Vehicle on Rainbow Bridge
A fiery crash occurring on a bridge connecting Canada and the United States on Wednesday was initially and erroneously reported as a terrorist attack. In actuality, the driver of the vehicle was a 56-year-old man who had traveled to Ottawa to attend a KISS concert. [Consequence]
The Rolling Stones Announce ‘Hackney Diamonds’ North American Stadium Tour
The 16-city tour — which includes a headlining spot at Jazz Fest — kicks off April 28 in Houston and wraps up July 17 in Santa Clara, CA [RollingStone]
Tool’s Adam Jones and Gibson Unveil Signature Model Flying V Collector’s Edition Guitar
The axe is limited to 50 worldwide and retails for $19,999 [Consequence]
Tom Waits to Co-Host BBC Radio Special with Iggy Pop
The two are set to reunite next month when they co-host a two-hour special on BBC Radio 6 Music. [Consequence]
Mars Williams, Saxophonist of The Psychedelic Furs & The Waitresses, Dead at 68
The musician died after a yearlong battle with cancer [Billboard]
Z-REX
:: ZAPPA’S RECOMMENDATIONS
‘Coke Was Everywhere’: Getting High During Neil Peart’s Drum Solos, and More Geddy Lee Revelations
From getting "obnoxious" with synths to recording Caress of Steel on hash oil, here are some highlights from our new interview with Rush's Geddy Lee [RollingStone]
ASSHOLE(S) OF THE WEEK
:: BECAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS (AT LEAST) ONE
Third Accuser Sues Sean Combs for Sexual Assault
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been hit with a third lawsuit alleging sexual assault under the Adult Survivors Act that expired after Thanksgiving. [RollingStone]
Anti-Flag’s Justin Sane Sued for Sexual Assault
A woman is suing Anti-Flag’s Justin Sane for sexual assault, four months after the punk-rock group disbanded in the wake of multiple women coming forward to accuse the frontman of predatory behavior, sexual assault and statutory rape. [RollingStone]
Axl Rose Accused of 1989 Sexual Assault in New Lawsuit
Sheila Kennedy, a former model, claimed that she met the Guns N’ Roses frontman at a nightclub in New York in 1989 at around age 26. The night they met, Kennedy alleged, he violently sexually assaulted her in his hotel room. [RollingStone]
NEW RELEASES
:: RECENTLY DROPPED MUSIC
Busta Rhymes: BLOCKBUSTA [listen]
Guided By Voices: Nowhere to Go But Up [listen]
My Morning Jacket: Happy Holiday! [listen]
Snoop Dogg: Doggystyle (30th Anniversary Edition) [listen]
RELEASE RADAR
:: UPCOMING RELEASES
- DEC 1 -
Dillon Francis: This Mixtape Is Fire Too
Harp (feat. Midlake’s Tim Smith): Albion
Khruangbin: Live at Sydney Opera House
Minor Threat: Out of Step Outtakes EP
Peter Gabriel: I/O
Steely Dan: Gaucho (Vinyl Reissue)
Violent Femmes: Violent Femmes (Deluxe Edition)
- DEC 8 -
Arlo Parks: My Soft Machine (Deluxe)
Car Seat Headrest: Faces From the Masquerade
The Killers: Rebel Diamonds
Neil Young: Before and After
Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother (Special Edition)
- DEC 15 -
The Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion (Super Deluxe Box Set)
EELS: EELS So Good: Essential EELS, Vol.2
Fall Out Boy: Take This to Your Grave (20th Anniversary Edition)
ON THIS DATE
:: MUSICAL HAPPENINGS OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
- NOV 27 -
Birthdays: Jimi Hendrix (1942) • Randy Brecker of Blood Sweat & Tears (1945) • Mike Bordin of Faith No More (1962) • A disturbed rock fan brought the funeral of INXS singer Michael Hutchence to a standstill when he tried to launch himself from a 20ft high balcony with a cord around his neck. He was removed by police and taken away to a psychiatric unit. (1997)
- NOV 28 -
Birthdays: Founder of Motown, Berry Gordy (1929) • Randy Newman (1943) • Drummer Matt Cameron (1962) • Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend (1983) • R.E.M. had their first entry in the Top 10 on the U.S. singles chart with “The One I Love.” (1987)
- NOV 29 -
Birthdays: John Mayall (1933) • Chuck Mangione (1940) • Denny Doherty of The Mamas & the Papas (1941) • Drummer Keith Carlock (1971) • John and Yoko's Double Fantasy album was released. Lennon would be killed three weeks later. (1980) • Curtis Knight died aged 54. (1999) • George Harrison died. (2001)
- NOV 30 -
Birthdays: Dick Clark (1929) • David Sancious of the E Street Band (1953) • Billy Idol (1955) • John Ashton of The Psychedelic Furs (1957) • American singer and ukulele player Tiny Tim (Herbert Khaury) died from a heart attack on stage while playing his hit “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” at a club in Minneapolis. (1996) • A block of East 2nd Street in New York City was officially renamed Joey Ramone Place. (2003)
- DEC 1 -
Birthdays: Lou Rawls (1936) • Sandy Nelson (1938) • Bette Midler & John Densmore of The Doors (1944) • Gilbert O'Sullivan (1946) • Jaco Pastorius (1951) • Julee Cruise (1956) • Keyboardist Isaiah "Ikey" Owens (1974) • Buddy Holly and the Crickets appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing “That'll Be The Day” and “Peggy Sue.” Sam Cooke was also a guest on the same show performing “You Send Me.” (1957)
- DEC 2 -
Birthdays: Nate Mendel of Foo Fighters (1968) • Charlie Puth (1991) • The first day of the photo shoot for the forthcoming Pink Floyd Animals album cover took place at Battersea Power Station in London, England, with a giant inflatable pig lashed between two of the structure's tall towers. A trained marksman was hired ready to fire if the inflatable pig escaped, but was not needed on this day. Unfortunately, the following day the marksman hadn't been rebooked, so when the pig broke free from its moorings, it was able to float away, eventually landing in Kent where it was recovered by a local farmer, reportedly furious that it had “scared his cows.” (1976) • Singer, songwriter, civil and human rights activist Odetta died, aged 77. (2008)
- DEC 3 -
Birthdays: Andy Williams (1928) • Ozzy Osbourne (1948) • Mickey Thomas of Jefferson Starship & Starship (1949) • Scott Weiland died aged 48. (2015)
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Until next week, friends…
🤘🏻🖤
