PANDEMIC USA!

Hey Folks,

PANDEMIC USA! “We don’t know where we’re going or what we’re going to do when we get there but you’re welcome to come along.” That’s one long-ass mantra, but the whole band chants it in unison on every one of our Zoom band meetings, or my name isn’t… Hell, you guys are too smart for me, and you saw that coming from a mile away, didn’t you?

Me, punchy?

Alright, then. I’m doing my breathing exercises and I think I’m okay now. Okay enough to tell you that we’re looking at some Mission Express California gigs that might be ready to up and announce themselves soon. It’s a stay tuned situation to the max.

In the meantime, we’re happy to announce our Mid-Season Replacement Show on StageIt. With Chuck Prophet, Stephanie Finch and the Mission Express. It’s our first inner web TV special. Filmed and taped by us in our Pandemic Bunker. If you like live music and choreography and skits. This will be the place. New songs, old songs, the Mission Express, songs off our new Long Player The Land That Time Forgot and the odd cover versions. See the performance LIVE right from the comfort of your own home! The StageIt show is “pay what you can.” Does it get any better than that? I’ll take my answer off the air.

UK Show – March 28 – 8pm GMT/ 12pm PST (((tickets)))

US Show – March 28 – 8pm PST – (((tickets)))

As for today, which is much sooner than March 28, we are thrilled to be returning to NPR’s Mountain Stage. The episode is scheduled for broadcast and begins feeding to 270+ NPR stations as of Friday March 5th, which rumor has it is today. Airtimes and stations can be found at mountainstage.org.

So much crazy stuff we took for granted in the Great Before. Driving to the airport, getting on a plane, picking up the rent-a-car, checking into the hotel room, waking up early, then waking up late, eating breakfast out of a to-go cup and lunch in a parking lot and wondering what’s for dinner, and getting lost on the way to the gig. Not lately, though. Seriously, I can’t wait to get lost on the way to a gig!

Where was I? Oh yea, Stephie and I have big love for Larry Groce and everyone in the Mountain Stage family. We jumped at the chance to fly out to West Virginia and be part of their first new show in months. This all happened the day before the election. (Remember the election?). Two masks each and a shield or two, not to mention one cancelled flight and a 12 hour drive later and there we were. Thanks to Daniel Strickland for looking after us and reminding everyone to take their behavioral cues from Anthony Fauci. The weather was beautiful. And as you might expect, sharing the stage with Kim Richey, S.G. Goodman and Sierra Ferrell was a total treat.

We couldn’t be happier to be a part of Mountain Stage’s 2021 season. Today Charleston feels like a million miles away from Start Up City USA. [“For appointments press one, for black lung two.”] West Virginia is a state of 1.7 million contradictions. And is all the better for it.

So how are all YOU doing? Going to get a vaccine? Ready to hit the gym again? Just curious. Around the Prophet / Finch household, to be honest – just this once! - we’re a little banged up. But we’re riding this pandemic out. The way I used to figure it is if you can afford to have your clothes drycleaned then you’re doing alright. Right now, I would love any excuse to go to the drycleaner. Just to make something up to complain about.

IN OTHER NEWS: Today is Bandcamp Friday. So, check out our store. A quick word about Bandcamp to those unfamiliar: it’s a cool organization that pays more than some of the other music sites I could mention but won’t. The first Friday of every month is “Bandcamp Friday”, wherein the site waives all its service fees, so that the artists get the full monty. We have a couple rare items in there now. Not available anywhere else. Including our Strings In The Temple show, the Balinese Dancer CD on China Records original UK pressing and an Austin City Limits set from 2002. I’ll sign ‘em if you like.

Act soon. Once this stuff is gone, it’s gone. The past is never past—except in the case of THESE RARE ITEMS.

Here’s the Bandcamp link: chuckprophet.bandcamp.com/music

P.S.: I would be remiss if I did not remind you about my Trip In The Country show, which airs every Friday at 2 PM PST on GimmeCountry.com. Two hours of hand-picked jams curated by yours truly. And it’s a cool hang. A shared experience. Like hanging out with your friends listening to records. There’s no dress code. But if you want to slouch and wear yoga pants that’s OK too.

Just stomp your hands and clap your feet! And join me at 2 PM PST today and every Friday. gimmecountry.com. Sign up and follow CP. They’ll shoot you a reminder. Hell, I follow myself. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even know about it.

Onwards,

Chuck