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This week’s post comes from my post-birthday fervor. I turned An Age on Saturday and I will not be acting it or taking further questions at this time. I did have some adult-sized fun, though — one of our local cocktail bars developed a menu based on astrological signs and yes, I drank a Virgo (which was non-alcoholic so I asked them to add Mezcal).
Good Reads
People have been speculating that Morris would jump to a pop crossover career since she had that hit with Zedd but what finally made it happen was Trump-era politics in country music. She talks about the way the genre continues to close its doors to women and POC, shoving them into Americana and its focus on what she calls “butt rock.” While she mentions following in the footsteps of Taylor Swift (and doesn’t mention but is following Shania Twain and the Chicks), it’s the callout to Linda Ronstadt and her multi-genre career that’s the most interesting.
Jann Wenner Defends His Legacy, and His Generation’s (New York Times)
This turd wrote a second post-Rolling Stone book and then finally said the quiet part loud. When asked why Masters contains only interviews with white men, Wenner says because they’re the only ones who can speak to the development of rock music eloquently. I was angry at first, but then I realized, he just confirmed everything I’ve ever written or suspected about why these groups are so underrepresented in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in rock music’s history, in the canon…it wasn’t a fever dream.
What Does It ‘Feel’ Like to Be a Chatbot? (Scientific American)
If you’re feeling anxious about AI’s capability to catch up to or even mimic human consciousness, this is a surprisingly comforting article. A little dense with jargon and kind of a dark ending, but worth reading.
The Show Must Go On (Slate)
An interesting nugget on drag’s history in the military and what current and past enlisted folk think of the GOP banning it.
This is just unbelievable. It’s the part where she got her husband to sign a contract that says she can work starting at 5 a.m. and go uninterrupted for several hours, and he has to handle getting the kids ready in the morning that sent me reeling into a dream.
Is That Restaurant Gonna Suck? (Grub Street)
A short read for the lols that was burning up work Slack this week.
Land Ho (The Baffler)
A take on trad wives that manages to rope in the greater issues of TikTok influencers, the 1 percent masquerading as humble working class folk, and the cult-like influence of conservative values. Brilliant — also a fairly long read.
Good Stuff
Just thinking about how Olivia Rodrigo is taking the Breeders on tour with her. And the lyrics to this song.
Ladies and gentlemen, my song final song of the summer part 5
My Stuff
Lola Kirke joined Songs My Ex Ruined this week to talk about how Paul Stanley sang “Beth” to her after her dad Simon, who was in Bad Company and Free, did one of those rock star camps with him and her boyfriend’s jealousy meter shot through the roof. But we really got into it talking about country music, which is the kind of music she’s making with an EP produced by Elle King.