Here are the major album releases, TV appearances, anniversaries and other events coming up in the next seven days. Mark your calendars and pre-order your favourites — but don’t blame me if things change at the last minute:
TOP NEW ALBUMS
LP
Heart to Mouth
Rejoice, ukulele aficionados! Corkscrew-maned singer-songwriter Laura Pergolizzi is back with the followup to her career-making 2016 single — and subsequent album — Lost on You.
John Mellencamp
Other People’s Stuff
The Artist Formerly Known As Cougar — or, more likely, his record label — roots through the archives to compile a collection of odds ’n’ sods ’n’ ends ’n’ leftovers — along with the mandatory new song Eyes On The Prize.
Van Morrison
The Prophet Speaks
Make that Speaks Yet Again: This is the Belfast Cowboy’s fourth album in the past 18 months. Either he’s in the middle of an incredibly prolific period, trying to run out the clock on his record deal the same way he counts down the time onstage — or he’s finally managed to get himself a contract that allows him to get paid by the song.
Carpenters
With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Calling occupants of the interplanetary fan club: The pop duo’s hits return with new orchestral arrangements conducted by Richard Carpenter at Abbey Road Studios.
Paul McCartney | Wings
Wild Life | Red Rose Speedway
Macca’s 1971 solo effort and his band’s 1973 release are the latest albums to get the box set treatment, complete with outtakes, rehearsals, B-sides, video and more. Just in case the Beatle fan in your life already bought him/herself The White Album box.
* All albums will be released Friday unless noted.
MUSIC ON TV
Monday, December 3
Phosphorescent | Jimmy Kimmel Live
Hootie & The Blowfish | Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats | Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Rufus Wainwright | Late Night With Seth Meyers
Jain | Last Call With Carson Daly
Tuesday, December 4
Gucci Mane | Jimmy Kimmel Live
Alessia Cara | Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Drama | Last Call With Carson Daly
Anderson .Paak | Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Gwen Stefani | Ellen DeGeneres Show
Wednesday, December 5
Rita Ora | Jimmy Kimmel Live
John Legend | Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Lawrence | Last Call With Carson Daly
A Great Big World | Live With Kelly & Ryan
Halsey | Ellen DeGeneres Show
Alessia Cara | Access Live
Thursday, December 6
Gwen Stefani | Jimmy Kimmel Live
Bazzi | Late Night With Seth Meyers
Leon Bridges | Late Late Show With James Corden
boygenius | Last Call With Carson Daly
Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken | The View
Dolly Parton | Ellen DeGeneres Show
Saturday, December 8
Mumford & Sons | Saturday Night Live
BOOKS
Evenings With Led Zeppelin: The Complete Concert Chronicle
Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio
Next time you think about proclaiming yourself the world’s biggest Led Zeppelin fan, consider this: These guys wrote a book about EVERY SINGLE GIG Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham played. Did you? No? Then shut up.
Some Fantastic Place: My Life In and Out of Squeeze
Chris Difford
If you’ve always wanted to know the back story behind songs like Cool For Cats, Up the Junction, Tempted, Black Coffee in Bed and other hits from these U.K. pop vets, your dreams are about to come true.
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Monday, December 3
The good news: In 1969, The Rolling Stones recorded Brown Sugar at Muscle Shoals studios. The song was written by Mick Jagger, supposedly with his secret girlfriend (and mother of his first child) Marsha Hunt in mind. The bad news: In 1979, 11 fans of The Who were trampled to death in a stampede before their show at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati. The surprising news: It’s Ozzy Osbourne‘s 70th birthday. Which only proves yet again that the secret to a long, happy and healthy life is to constantly consume massive amounts of drugs and alcohol.
Tuesday, December 4
It’s a big day for Frank Zappa fans: In 1971, the Montreux Casino in Switzerland burnt to the ground during a gig by Zappa and The Mothers of Invention — a fire later immortalized by Deep Purple‘s Smoke On The Water. Coincidentally and much sadder, 12 years later, Zappa died of prostate cancer at the age of 52. In other news involving men whose last names start in Z, Jay-Z is celebrating his 49th birthday today. Now that he and Beyonce are billionaires, can he still really have 99 problems?
Wednesday, December 5
In 1973, Paul McCartney released Band On The Run, his fifth album since his departure from The Beatles. Interestingly enough, on the same day in 1960, the band were run out of Hamburg after the young McCartney and drummer Pete Best were arrested for pinning a condom to a brick wall and then igniting it. At that point in their career, McCartney and the lads were still covering songs by the likes of Little Richard — so it only seems right that The Georgia Peach is turning 86 today. Also celebrating: Canadian pop icon (and one of my favourite people) Andy Kim — who will be somewhere between 66 and 73, depending on which source you believe, ’cause he ain’t telling.
Thursday, December 6
In 1969, The Rolling Stones played a free festival at Altamont Speedway in California, along with Jefferson Airplane, Santana, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Crosby Stills Nash & Young. Nothing at all went awry and the event passed into history almost unnoticed. Ahem. Another sad anniversary: On this date in 1988, Roy Orbison died of a heart attack at the age of 52.
Friday, December 7
In 1967, Otis Redding went into the studio to record (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay. The song went on to be his biggest hit — chiefly because he died three days later when his plane crashed into Lake Mendota in Madison, Wis. In happier news, the one and only Tom Waits was born on this day in 1949. Which reminds me: Have you seen his episode in the Coen Brothers‘ Netflix anthology The Ballad of Buster Scruggs? If not, you need to get on that right away. If only so you can add the phrase, “Good night, Mr. Pocket!” to your vocabulary.
Saturday, December 8
And the rock tragedies keep on coming: In 1980, John Lennon was shot five times and killed outside his home in The Dakota in New York City. His killer was denied parole for the 10th time earlier this year. And in 2004, former Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell was one of five people killed after a man stormed the stage during a Damageplan show in Columbus. His murderer was shot and killed by a police officer. In happier news, Jim Morrison of The Doors was born on this day in 1943, while Gregg Allman arrived in 1947.
Sunday, December 8
In 1966, the blues-rock supergroup Cream released their debut album Fresh Cream. More importantly, no major rock stars appear to have perished on this day. So that’s something to celebrate.
