Andy's Newsletter ✌️ 5 Last Minute Gifts for Music Lovers
YR WEEKEND STARTS NOW
Christmas is tricky. You want to show your love, but also fuck capitalism? In the spirit of the season, I wanted to share just a few things I thought would make for nice gifts. Maybe.
Good luck out there this holiday season!
Bowie “KABUKI” sticker
The David Bowie “official store” has a ton of cool stickers and lapel pins, including an illustration of the ‘KABUKI’ stage costume by Kansai Yamamoto for David Bowie.
Bowie started out as a mime, so in many ways it’s no surprise that later in his career, he incorporated elements of kabuki theatre into his performances and drew inspiration from traditional Japanese music, fashion, and culture.
During Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust tour, he played Radio City Music Hall in New York City for a sold-out crowd on Valentine’s Day in costumes including this one designed by Yamamoto. Unlike typical rock shows back then, the Ziggy Stardust tour featured a theatrical element with narrative and several make-up/costume changes. It was intense, and demanding of Bowie. Hell, at the end of the Radio City show, he collapsed onstage.
But he returned to Radio City the next night. Then did another dozen or so shows in the US before doing nine shows in Japan, including five in Tokyo.
Over 18 months in ‘72 and ‘73, David “Ziggy Stardust” Bowie played 191 shows. For context, Taylor Swift’s recently concluded Eras Tour lasted about 19 months across 149 shows. I think it’s hard to imagine anyone else commanding crowds like Taylor, but Bowie had it like that too.
Black Sabbath, but make it pretty.
This is the best of Sabbath all in one pretty bundle for a cool $200. Black Sabbath: Hand of Doom. If you have an angsty teenage cousin or some stoner dad you’re not quite sure what to get them, well — get them this collection and a turntable and a killer receiver and a pair of Ojas and bag of sticky weed. This is essential listening, but you already know.
Ojas, baby. Ojas.
This ain’t just speakers. This is an art form. And if I read that somewhere I’d probably throw up in my mouth a little bit — until I learned about Ojas.
Devon Turnbull’s custom-built speakers can be heard in Supreme stores, at New York’s hottest new hotel, and in Mark Ronson’s house. But Turnbull is not chasing clout or decibels with his hi-fi audio gear—he’s offering an entirely different approach to the listening experience. — GQ 2022
It’s like a bonsai tree for audiophiles. Bespoke, expensive, downtown hipster shit? Yes, absolutely. But if I could afford a Bugatti, I’d wanna see what that felt like.
Phish. On Broadway.
My wife likes to chide me about talking about Phish at parties, like, how long will I make it before I start jabbering to some sad sucker about this drug band. Well, this is maybe my 6th dispatch of YR WEEKEND STARTS NOW, and that feels like an appropriate amount of time before mentioning the greatest band in the world, no?
As you may know, Phish takes New Year’s Eve very seriously and will play a three-set show that rings in the new year like no other. It’s a spectacle to say the least and I think it’s safe to say that you’d enjoy it even if you’re not a big Phish fan. Maybe.
The New Year’s Eve “gag” as it’s known, often includes Broadway show levels of production: dancers, aerialists, puppets, choirs, cakes, lizards, and more. And the band livestreams the shows, so you can tune in from anywhere in the world. Ya know, if you’re into that sort of thing. Tickets or webcasts, Phish New Year’s Eve makes a great gift!
Ummm, brat bottle.
I can only think of one thing that someone would either absolutely love or absolutely hate to receive as a “music” gift for Christmas and that’s a brat water bottle I say do it.
If they don’t like it, that’s a bummer. But maybe it will have some subtle influence? Maybe if they use it, they’ll feel something different? Maybe they’ll make some new friends? Brat is bright. Brat is brave. Brat is bacchanal. It doesn’t have to be a “water” bottle, y’all.
That’s all for now!
Sorry this one is a bit late, but let’s face it: you ain’t bought gifts yet anyway. And these gifts won’t arrive by Christmas either but hopefully it’s a bit of inspiration?
But whatever on gifts, man. Don’t fall for the capitalistic peer pressure of the holidays. Draw someone a picture. Take a photo and get it framed. Do a dinner, someplace nice. Or, take a tip from Iggy!
Very funny and clever, as usual.