WHAT MAKES THE MONKEY DANCE
Hey folks,
Today is Friday. So, it’s Trip In The Country day around here. More on that in a hot second.
First off, my new record “The Land that Time Forgot” (Yep Roc) was originally scheduled to be released May 15. Because of disruptions of normal living that you probably are aware of, the release date has now been pushed back to August 21.
But that’s not all! Right this moment, there happens to be a mess of pre-sale bundles and other fun stuff available in our store. And we’ve got a UK store now too!
Is there more, Chuck? the voice inside my head asks. Funny you should ask, voice inside my head, because aside from the new record and T shirts and bundles, there’s a limited edition, deluxe collector’s edition of “What Makes the Monkey Dance: The Life and Music of Chuck Prophet,” by Stevie Simkin with photo prints all signed by me. It’s a hardcover edition with hand-sprayed page edges, housed inside a specially designed slipcase with a set of six photographic prints by Tom Erikson taken between 1988–1999. $75.00. ONE PER CUSTOMER.
And if you pre-order this collector’s edition of the book TODAY, you are cordially invited to attend an exclusive invite-only event: “Chuck Prophet in Conversation with Author Stevie Simkin” Live Zoom event and Q&A Saturday, May 30th 12:00 PM PDT / 20:00 PM GMT
PRE-ORDER AND SHOP HERE: http://www.chuckprophet.com/shop
Sorry I hadn’t checked in about this sooner. I’m keeping a real tight schedule. I’ve been super busy checking my e-mail and doing a lot of scrolling through my social media. [Scrolling, scrolling, scrolling…] Except when I’m drinking coffee and playing guitar in my pajamas. Or when I’m picking away at something I’m writing. And when I say “writing,” I of course mean crossing out a line, adding a comma, and then printing it out again and looking at it with satisfaction. That comma was a masterstroke!
And then, and then, and then, I decide it’s hopeless and pick up a book. Put it down. Pull a Roy Orbison record out of its sleeve and put it on the turntable. And before I know it I’m like, “What’s for dinner?” That’s a typical day here on the edge of the Castro.
I don’t know what it is. I have no discipline. I’ve got those pandemic blues. Why should I have any discipline? I had a mess of places to go and people to see. And now that’s all gone. I’m listless. Questioning my life choices.
Maybe I need a hobby. I can’t get to my studio to work on my collages, so that’s out. I’m thinking of taking up an expensive cigar habit. Please don’t send me your TV recommendations! I used to be good for about 3 episodes of anything. That was then.
All of this is because I’m not on tour.
Meanwhile, all this lying around and listening to Roy Orbison is pretty fun it turns out, and has come in handy for my radio show. We’re calling it the Trip In The Country show. It’s on Gimme Country every Friday at 2pm. Gimme Country is a streaming radio station.
Sure it’s Country music, but we take it places. Other countries. Places like Italy and Jamaica and Canada too! And the Americas. North America… South America… I’m enjoying doing the show. Seems like the more out there it gets, the more people dig it. And it’s fun turning people on to music.
Plus, I love radio. And this one is interactive. People from all over the globe come and hang out and mouth off in the chat.
I try to think back to the great radio shows that inspired me. I’m thinking of the old Maximum Rock and Roll show, Tuesday nights on KALX. Broadcast out of Berkeley and right into my suburban bedroom. That show had a kind of freeform spirit. The hosts would announce whatever live gigs were happening in the Bay Area. They’d spin records and inject some progressive politics between tunes. They also played local punk rock records, along with the latest imports from England, Kinks rarities, rockabilly sides. I used to tape the show. In fact, I’m pretty sure it was there I first heard about the Temple Beautiful. That show was a beacon. Something to aspire to.
So come hang out at Gimme Country. Download the app. And follow me. You’ll get a notification when the show is about to start. It’ll go out 10 minutes before the show starts to remind you. Fair nuff? HERE’S THE LINK: https://gimmecountry.com/#/radio
P.S.: In case it got past you, I filmed a travel show for Southwest Air and Luck Reunion. A kind of Anthony Bourdain (R.I.P.) styled show where you can ride shotgun with me and Aaron Lee Tasjan through the backstreets of San Francisco. The Luck Reunion team is brilliant. This ain’t some insidious internet trash. There are real production values. I think you’ll enjoy it.
LINK: https://southwest.fm/sites-and-sounds/episode-3/
Onwards,
-CP
