THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT OUT TODAY

Hey Folks,

BREAKING NEWS: As you have no doubt heard by now, today Yep Roc will be releasing “The Land That Time Forgot” on CD, digital and (yes, oh yes, yes… vinyl too!). To celebrate, we’re throwing a frozen burrito in the microwave. No, scratch that! We can do better than that. To celebrate we’ve got a few on-line events you can join in on.

If you haven’t checked in on my Trip In The Country radio show, you’re missing out. 2 hours of COVID free jams. Every Friday at 2 PM PST with me your host hand picking records. http://gimmecountry.com This week we have special guest Pat Sansone from Wilco talking about some of his favorite records and his stylish new book of Polaroids.

Today at 12 PM PST, Green Apple Books in San Francisco is hosting an on-line event where Me and Stevie Simkin the author of What Makes the Monkey Dance: The Life And Music Of Chuck Prophet And Green On Red will be doing a Q and A on Zoom. Moderated by Daniel Strickland. General admission includes a signed copy of What Makes the Monkey Dance and exclusive access to the Zoom. There’s also a Premium package with a signed LP too.

Details here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chuck-prophet-and-stevie-simkin-for-green-apple-books-tickets-114482570450

And next week, we’ll be ripping the lid off the Internet with a Newbury Comics listening party. Join us Monday, August 24 at 9 PM – 10 PM EDT. Get yourself a ringside seat, an all access pass. I’ll be live tweeting. In person! On twitter!

Join the Chuck Prophet Twitter Listening Party hosted by Newbury Comics here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1937745813025918/

Oh and for those San Francisco people. I’m throwing in the new CD with every to-go order from Standard Deviant Brewing. Yes, so many local businesses could use your support right now. Today I’m supporting Standard Deviant Brewing. Stop by between 3-5pm, spend $15 or more, and get a FREE copy of my new CD. As they say, while supplies last.

HERE: https://www.standarddeviantbrewing.com

As for release date jingle jangle, this record was originally scheduled to come out in May. And then with all the unforeseen nonsense, we had to push it back to August. And rather than sit on our hands, we released new music one song at a time. Pushing it back was kind of a drag but it’s been a super drag to have to cancel so many tour dates. What could we do? Who knows, maybe we will look into ways of doing some kind of “virtual performance“ in the future. Then again. Maybe we won’t! It doesn’t mean we don’t miss you. Just think of us as having to go in to the army or something. You know, like Elvis! The Mission Express haven’t gone this long without playing together in like ever. We’ve had a couple virtual band meetings on Zoom and well, it’s not the same. Although it does give us a chance to tease Stephie about not having visited a salad bar for months. I think we all are getting a little dispirited. But we’re still reaching for something. Even if it’s just the remote.

Yeah, we want to get out there. It will happen. And just lately, there’s been a flicker of hope here and there. Nice to see PBS’s Judy Woodruff back in the studio last week. No more hitting “Pause” so we can try to read the book titles behind her head.

If you like this newsletter, forward it to a pal. If you want to buy something in my store like the new record? Better yet. It helps. We’ve got a lot of great stuff in our online store if you haven’t checked it out lately. Go here: http://www.chuckprophet.com/shop

Onwards,

-Chuck

PS: I’ll be doing some guest DJ slots on MDR Kultur Radio Germany and BBC Scotland soon so look out for those.

ARE YOU CRYING?

Hey folks,

I was just sitting there. Reading a book. And Stephie sat down in front of me and said, “We need to talk.” And I was like, “Wha…?”

And she said, “Are you going to be okay?” I felt like taking the Fifth, but that didn’t feel right either, taking the Fifth after a simple question from my wife.

I went out for a walk. Then I saw our van parked on the street. And so I walked over, unlocked the door and climbed up in it and sat there. I turned on the radio and leaned back the bucket seat and closed my eyes, and I’m not gonna lie. I cried.

I sat there for a while thinking about everything and nothing like that guy in that song who just wanted a Pepsi. And then someone pulled up alongside and rolled down their window and asked if I was leaving. And I said, “No, I’m on a stakeout, actually.” And then the person in the car said, “Are you CRYING?” Okay, I made that last part up. But yeah, I got a laugh out of that. I felt a little better.

I just said that because, well I don’t know why I said that to the person in the car, it just came out. But I really did feel like I was on a stakeout, in a way. Like I was keeping an eye on a house of ill repute waiting for a city councilman to slide out, with his head bowed. A city councilman who would be no match for my telephoto lens.

In short I was bored. And honestly, more than a little blue. Like the man said: Too much of nothing. It can cause one man to sleep on nails and others to eat fire.

And if these pandemic blues aren’t enough, my Instagram page got pulled down, and right when I was starting to enjoy my Instagram page. For a number of reasons. Well for one, a picture is worth a thousand words and a thousand words can be a lot to type. Let alone spell check. These days I don’t have any gigs. And you guys know me, I’m used to being busy. Out on the road. On the move! (With the best reason in the world to avoid chores. It works every time. You can’t do chores when you’re on the road.) I’m used to trucking along and just shaking my head at social media. Now I’m very much home. And to be honest, I’ve had a rough go of the whole social media thing. And then my damn Instagram page pulled down. It’s hard. I feel like a pedophile or something.

Meanwhile, we put back the release date back on the new LP and we keep putting out songs. Here’s another new one. Willie and Nilli. A song about your kids, after they grow up and get divorced and move into a residential hotel in the Tenderloin. I know what you’re thinking: That will never happen to my kids. Maybe you’re right. But they’re somebody’s kids, and they’re having a good time, which sounds pretty good to me just now. Beautiful losers, yeah, for sure. But there’s a tenderness thanks to Stephie Finch on the choruses. Sonically it’s rain on a conga drum all the way. With an electric e-bow guitar by James DePrato weaving in and out. You can give a listen. It’s got a lyric video and everything with imagery courtesy of Jacob Holdt. I think Jacob Holdt’s photos really capture a world where there’s no way out. And there’s nothing left but to make the best of a bad bargain.

You can check the video out here: https://youtu.be/emqjb4prbn0

And you can check out my brand new Instagram page. HERE: https://www.instagram.com/chuckprophetinexile/

PS: If you haven’t pre-ordered the record, you need to do it now. The Land That Time Forgot. It’s got something for everyone. Fast songs, slow songs, songs about broken hearts, blown gaskets, presidents, rejection, appreciating Metallica, pain, and all the sweet stuff that makes life worth living and songs worth singing and shoes worth tapping. Maybe even you singing along. Hey, a guy with the pandemic blues can dream.

“Hey good lookin’-whatcha got cookin’?” Join us for the Trip in the Country show at 2 PM every Friday.

HERE: http://gimmecountry.com This Friday we have special guest Charlie Sexton. [Yes, THAT Charlie Sexton?] It’s 2PM in California. 5 PM out east. And for the folks on the other side of the pond, it’s like 10 PM. Join us. Why not wake your kids up and make them listen. It’s a family show. Break out the powdered donuts.

Onwards,

-CP