Dia daoibh, a chairde, and greetings from the B-Side Brewery! I’m still trying to figure out the shape of this newsletter thing, but that’s easier to do when you’re not traveling over the holidays and spending your birthday with a sick toddler eager to share his RSV with you. (seriously, what is up with kids coughing in your face?!)
I’m not sure how useful my previous “HERE’S EVERYTHING I CONSUMED” approach to this thing worked, so I’m just gonna hit the highlights this time. You dig? An dtuigeann tú? Great, go team.
Soccer, St. Vincent, and Anti-Fascist Action
As some of you may know, I’ve been doing some podcast scripts for Double Elvis Productions, the folks behind the immensely popular Disgraceland true crime rock n’ roll history podcast. I’ve had a few episodes come out recently and an exciting announcement I’ve been sitting on for months now!
Diego Maradona: Stolen Blood, Italian Gangsters, and the Hand of God is part of the Badlands’ podcast World Cup-themed “Sportsland” pod. I’m not a huge soccer aficionado, but I do know a thing or two about anti-imperialist and indigenous resistant, both of which were major parts of Maradona’s life both on and off the soccer pitch. Of course, the same can be said about cocaine and prostitutes, which sort of encapsulates everything you need to know going into this one. I got to write some real fun action scenes here, too.
About a Girl is a newer podcast about remarkable women from history who have been largely overshadowed by the more famous musician men in their lives. My first foray into this field could not have more perfect: it’s about Marjorie Mazia, second wife of Woody Guthrie; protegé to Martha Graham, the matriach of modern dance; and a tireless advocate for Yiddish literary arts and neurological healthcare reform. It should not surprise anyone that I’m a huge Woody Guthrie fan, but Marjorie was truly a remarkable woman, which made this a particular exciting assignment. As Woody himself once said, she had more plans in a day than fascism could tear down in a century (which is honestly the sort of thing we should all aspire to). I also got to interview Woody and Marjorie’s granddaughter for the project, which was neat.
And finally, the first podcast that I wrote for this company well over a year ago now has finally been announced — on Pitchfork, no less! History Listen is an Audible-exclusive series narrated by St. freakin’ Vincent!, with each episode offering a dramatic history of a sub-genre of rock n’ roll, as told through the lives of the people who lived it. I’m not going to spoil you and tell you which genre I wrote for, but suffice to say, it is probably one of the very last ones you’d expect from me. Which ultimately made for a new and exciting experience, and I learned a lot, so that was cool. That doesn’t launch until January, but we’ve got a neat trailer to give you a feel for the vibes:
Rockin’ the Depths of Wikipedia, and Jamaica Plain
If you’re not one of the million-plus already following the Depths of Wikipedia, you’re missing out. The premise is pretty simple: annie rauwerda shares all the most wonderfully weird shit that she finds in her Wikipedia wormholes. It's so pure, yet so perfect. She's also turned this wacky project into a hilarious stage show, which comes to theArts at the Armory in Somerville on Friday — and there just maaaaaaaaybe a special musical guest involved in the comedy? wink wink okay cool good talk
And then, next weekend, December 17, my rock band the Roland High Life is back at the Midway Cafe, one of my favorite rock n’ roll dive bars in the world. It’s an all-ages matinee show, and we’re up first at 3:30pm, so you can come hang out and still make it to your holiday party later (and/or stay home and watch Hallmark movies, I know you). This is also our first show with our ✨new guitar player✨ Nick Krefting, who not only makes us sound a million times better, but also gives me a god damn break every now and then, which is the real treasure.
Not but seriously buy this book
My old friend Jess Keefe has her ✨debut book✨ and all personal bias aside, it’s one of the best things this year. It’s called Thirty-Thousand Steps: A Memoir of Sprinting toward Life after Loss and it is — I kid you not! — the most hilarious and heartfelt page-turner I could possibly imagine about opioid deaths. Are there some horribly bleak moments as well? Oh yeah. But Jess has such a phenomenal way with words, and her wit and honesty carry you to such incredible depths here. It’s a helluva journey; but then, she went through a helluva journey in order to write this.
It is genuinely so fucking good, and I am so fucking proud of her. (And also sad that she had to write it.)
Okay that’s it for now. What more do you want from me? No seriously, please tell me. You want recommendations? Original writing? Fiction/essays? Music stuff? WHAT AM I EVEN DOING HERE I’M TRAPPED IN THE MACHINE