😢

Top 5 gigs 2025 #chopsfives #gigs2025 1) Paul McCartney, SB Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA 2) Grandaddy, Glasshouse, Pomona, CA 3) Yama Uba, Knockout, San Francisco, CA 4) Jens Lekman, Lodge Room, Highland Park, CA 5) Bruce Cockburn, Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara, CA

Hi Rich! #5albums25 1) Stereolab: “Instant Holograms On Metal Film” 2) Lifeguard: “Ripped and Torn” 3) Tropical Fuck Storm: “Fairyland Codex” 4) Wednesday: “Bleeds” 5) Horsegirl: “Phonetics On and On” (6-10): Cate Le Bon, Deafheaven, Gabe Nandez/Preservation, TuneYards, Armand Hammer/Alchemist

Top 5 EP’s 2025 #chopsfives 1) Say Sue Me: “Time Is Not Yours” 2) Forty Winks: “Love Is A Dog From Hell” 3) Nodega: “Rot In Helvetica” 4) Adrian Sherwood/African Head Charge/Speakers Corner Quartet: “Barbican Heights” 5) Peel Dream Magazine: “Taurus”

Festive greetings to you and yours, Chops 🙏 1. Stereolab: “Melody Is A Wound” 2. Tune-Yards: “See You There” 3. Cate Le Bon (feat. John Cale): “Ride” 4. The Telephone Numbers: “Ebb Tide” 5. Flock of Dimes: “The Enemy” Deep dive here: music.apple.com/us/playlist/...

Merry Sufjan, for those that observe…

Last go round at the Phoenix Hotel, before they close after New Year’s 😢 So many memories… Special shoutout to Mikala @backstagerider.bsky.social for the suggestion many years ago. Truly a home away from home.

Current reading…

@richards7370.bsky.social Hi Rich! #5debutalbums1014 1) Waxahatchee “American Weekend” 2) Radiator Hospital: “Something Wild” 3) Swearin’ (s/t) 4) Chastity Belt: “No Regerts” 5) No Joy: “Ghost Blonde”

Current reading/listening…

Spent the week at work building a shortlist for #5debutalbums1014 LoneLady: “Nerve Up” Warpaint: “The Fool” Tamaryn: “The Waves” SISU: “Blood Tears” Cold Beat: “Over Me” Upset: “She’s Gone” Ringo Deathstarr: “Colour Trip” East Brunswick All Girls Choir: “Seven Drummers” Chasms: “Subtle Bodies”

Surprise… 🤯 snocaps.bandcamp.com/album/snocaps

Scores from the local library book sale (RZA, TC Boyle, Keri Hulme, & Martin Limón)

The Fugazi Toppermost by @waj.bsky.social www.toppermost.co.uk/fugazi/

Sept Top 5 #chopsfives 1) Wednesday 2-5) the motherload from 26 Sept: Neko Case, Cate Le Bon, Automatic, & The Cords 🙌

Some people have no sense of humor when they overshare your ass with info on their Urinary Tract Infection and you respond by singing Tacocat’s “UTI” 🙃

Grandaddy hitting liftoff… (Software Slump 25th anniversary tour at The Glass House, Pomona, CA)

KEXP has unleashed an in studio performance from @tropicalfuckstorm.bsky.social that’s absolutely 🤯 youtu.be/UCantJzv05k

RIP Terence Stamp 😢 For me, this monologue from The Limey ranks right up there w Orson Welles’ cuckoo-clock riff from The Third Man youtu.be/JsdQYWs3nM4?...

Terence Stamp, the distinctive English actor who came to prominence in 1960s films such as BILLY BUDD and THE COLLECTOR but also excelled in latter day films such as THE HIT and THE LIMEY, has died at 87. Stamp interviewed in 1988. #RIPTerenceStamp m.youtube.com/watch?v=G0Wr...

New single from Toronto band Poor You 👻 pooryou.bandcamp.com/album/alread...

The manager for the Downey Animal Care Center, urges people who are in a position to adopt to stop by to visit dogs like Canela, a five-year-old Belgian Malinois. A total of 18 animals have been turned in due to the deportations. By @janettev.bsky.social 🐕 lataco.com/ice-raids-pe...

Beach book!

Punk rock kid buskers (‘The Whops’, tiktok) near the Edgware Rd. They run into Paul Simonon, play Death or Glory for him. He asks if they know The Guns of Brixton. They do -

#chopsfives (Sly) Everybody Is A Star Underdog Everyday People Brave & Strong Stand! (Brian) The Warmth Of The Sun God Only Knows Wouldn’t It Be Nice Don’t Worry Baby The Lonely Sea

A mysterious woman known as September Jones has mesmerized Northern Soul fans in the U.K. for decades with her raw, haunting voice. Fans have been trying to track her down for years.

Sly 😢 youtu.be/AoDiYTUVVa8?...

The perfect bird feeder doesn't exi--

Toppermost launches its new-look website today with a special post on Plastic Ono Band from @mikepress.bsky.social Exciting times for us - new features - a better read on the mobile - why not have an explore - big thanks to all our contributors - anyone can join in. www.toppermost.co.uk

Current reading…

At a Buffalo Tom gig at Town & Country in London in the '90s, J Mascis was hanging w/us in the dressing room in his typically laconic way. But then George Wendt popped his head in to say hello, J rose out of his chair and exclaimed, “NORM!” I've never seen him as animated before or since. RIP NORM!

In The Neighborhood Potter’s Field Take It With Me Diamonds On My Windshield I Wish I Was In New Orleans

Grumpy old men summit, Santa Barbara, CA 2025 @ghostgirl411.bsky.social @heyalicia.bsky.social

Happy Ruination Day… youtu.be/FjwatDksOvQ?...

Current reading…

RIP Gene Hackman 😢 youtu.be/ws0KAO8XRI4?...

Happy MLK Day and nothing else.

RIP youtu.be/VA6bVJ1vw_A?...

Current reading…

1) Los Campesinos!, Opera House, Toronto, Canada 2) Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, State Theater, Ithaca, NY 3) Peel Dream Magazine, Zebulon, Los Angeles 4) Horsegirl, Tubby’s, Kingston, NY 5) Shivas, Permanent Records Roadhouse, Los Angeles #chopsfives Put on the traveling boots this year 😵‍💫

@chopstopfives.bsky.social @richards7370.bsky.social (Combined for efficiency) #chopsfives #5albums24 1️⃣ Gillian Welch & David Rawlings: Woodland 2️⃣ Peel Dream Magazine: Rose Main Reading Room 3️⃣ Bodega: Our Brand Could Be Your Life 4️⃣ Corridor: Mimi 5️⃣ Mo Dotti: Opaque

2024 top books #chopsfives 1) Hanif Abdurraquib: “There’s Always This Year” 2) Walter Mosley: “Farewell, Amethystine” 3) Tommy Orange: “Wandering Stars” 4) Miranda July: “All Fours” 5) Colson Whitehead: “Crook Manifesto”

…and here’s the year end playlist, music that moved me in 2024 music.apple.com/us/playlist/...

Egret sighting at work yesterday… random AF