ZYZXX

New ZYZXX Blog!

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 21:49:00 +0000

I recently got laid off from my music biz job. I saw it coming so it is not a shock and I am actually very happy that I do not have to work for the company that acquired ours... they pretty much blindly decided that the human assets that came with their purchase were of no value to them. Such is life among the dinosaur majors.

Therefore, in-between gigs, I have a bit more time on my hands and have been doing a lot of writing. One project I've started is being documented in a new blog. I decided that I am going to "review" each and every one of the CD's in my physical library of music. That is thousands of CD's people. I will be posting a new "review" every Monday and Thursday.

The first official "review" is up, and the CD that kicks off my collection is 4 Non Blondes. I hope you will give it a read. If you feel like you might like where all this is going, please subscribe to the blog, which you can find by clicking here: http://zyzxx.wordpress.com/

I still plan on doing my podcast at some point, and will continue to post info about it here but for now, what I am feeling is the art of the written word, so be sure to check in at http://zyzxx.wordpress.com/

Let me know what you think!!

NiNTY SoMeTHiNG - Sugar & Michael The Cat Sneak Peek

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 17:13:00 +0000

The Ninety Something webseries is plugging along people! This week we had two shoots on location. We dodged rusty nails and spiders and shot at a broken down hot tub for a flashback/dream sequence on Saturday. Sugar was Sugar of course. Our friend Tig played Katharine Hepburn. Kristy McInnis played Joan Crawford and Mia Ferraro was... well... that will have to be a surprise. The day before that we went on location in the heart of Sugar's favorite town, Hollywood.... Hollywood Boulevard to be exact. And to be even more exact... right in front of the famed Grauman's Chinese Theater. For these scenes, I got to do some "acting" by playing Marilyn Monroe. That's right. Marilyn Monroe. You all will just have to wait to see some of that action...

For now, here is this weeks sneak peek at what you have to look forward to when we release the series in the fall.

CLICK HERE FOR Ninety Something SNEAK PEEK!! Sugar & Michael

Find us in Social Media-sphere:

"LIKE" US ON FACEBOOK

NiNeTY SoMeTHiNG Webseries!

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 05:37:00 +0000

Sugar T. Russell contemplates
Old Hollywood under Joan's watchful eye

Well it has been a while and I know you all have been wondering...where on EARTH has the ZYZXX podcast gone? Well I, Jen Hitchcock have missed doing it. There has been a lot of great music I have discovered for myself that has been lighting up my life. And I hate not sharing it with my dedicated podcast listeners, so I promise that I will do another one soon.

But I do have something fun to share with you. What has been occupying a good chunk of my time has been writing scripts for a comedy webseries called Ninety Something. It is based on my good friend Sara's character Sugar T. Russell who is a ninety-something year old woman and sees the world through the lens of Old Hollywood. I am blown away by the incredible talent involved from all the actors to our director/producer Kristy McInnis. It has been a blast to do and a completely different, new and rewarding creative outlet for me!!

Here is a sneak preview for you all to watch. If you like it, please subscribe to our youtube channel where we will be posting preview clips right up until the Fall 2012 release of our wacky-ass little series.

Sugar's STD's (A Preview)

You can find Sugar on Facebook here, where she is always dropping great insights and words of wisdom:
Sugar's Facebook Page

Find us on Twitter
@NinetySomething

ZYZXX Podcast Episode 7 - Music by Little Red Lung & Real Web Advice reenacted by ZYZXX Actors

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:49:00 +0000

Photo by Sarah Negahdari

Little Red Lung is the ideal choice to feature in the first podcast episode of the new year because ZYZXX believes that they are THE band to watch in 2012. Enchanting, unpredictable, theatrical and beautifully textured, Little Red Lung wrap their twisting and turning melodies around you, lulling one into the blissful hypnosis of a dark and blustery fairytale-hued night. Look for a release from them sometime in the spring. Also in this episode, the ZYZXX Actors Studio re-enact real and unedited advice as found on the World Wide Web.

ZYZXX Podcast Episode 6 - Evil Beaver and Old Hollywood Film Reviews!

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:41:00 +0000

This week's featured band Evil Beaver, and their bad-ass bassist and vocalist will rock your tits off. Also, be sure to pack your opium pipe and make sure the absinthe spoon is polished, because this episode features Sugar T Russell and her Old Hollywood Film Reviews.

ZYZXX Podcast Episode 5 - Featured band The Ethers. And Comedy too!

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:27:00 +0000

Making a whole slew of folks happy in Los Angeles and beyond, The Ethers have reunited, after ten years of leaving us all in a state of longing for their soulful, dynamic ethereal rock and roll bliss. This weeks podcast features two of my favorite tunes taken off their rereleased, remastered, remixed and absolutely beautiful sounding self-titled album. Also featured this week is a bit based on a column I used to do in the fanzine version of ZYZXX called... the Email the Result! Download the podcast now to hear it all!

ZYZXX Podcast Episode 4 - GREAT NORTHERN

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:36:00 +0000

What drew me to the music of Los Angeles band Great Northern was its ability to get me to visit both the darkest corners and highest mountain peaks of my psyche simultaneously. Meshing reflective, searching lyric with an anthemic musical sense, Great Northern creates an ocean swell of dynamic, atmospheric textural sound. I sat down with Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte in a lively Los Feliz bar to chat about their experiences in recording the upcoming album, their music in general and of course, childhood injuries. Download Episode 4 to have a listen to the interview, some music from their past releases and... a demo version of a song from their upcoming new release!!!

ZYZXX Song of the Week "Welcome To The Party" by Ruby Friedman

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 08:05:00 +0000

The song this week is special for several reasons. One, it is a song, previously unpublished, written by the great 20th Century American composer Harry Warren. And two... it was recorded by a singer whose music and voice is very near and dear to ZYZXX, Ruby Friedman. Ruby has recorded a handful of contemporary versions of his tunes for the Harry Warren folks as part of The Department of Harry Warren project. All beautiful renditions, as is to be expected from the hugely talented leader of the RFO. Enjoy her haunting and lovely recording of "Welcome To The Party."

ZYZXX Song of the Week "Tonight" by Le Butcherettes

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 03:53:00 +0000

The ZYZXX Song of the Week "Tonight" is merely a tantalizing tease for what you get from former Mexican and now Los Angeles based garage-punk band Le Butcherettes. The trio's leader, the commanding and terrifically terrifying Teri Gender Bender, will force you to your knees with her raw in-your-face, up-your-dress energy as she growls, prowls and screams amid an aural barrage of filthy grooves and raw intensity. ZYZXX likes. "Tonight" is on their latest album Sin Sin Sin released on Rodriguez Lopez Productions.

ZYZXX Song of the Week "Every Third Hour" by Sister Crayon

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:59:00 +0000

The ZYZXX Podcast Song of the Week is "Every Third Hour," a tune by Sacramento based band Sister Crayon. Their album Bellow has been the soundtrack to my morning drive pretty much non-stop since I picked up this release a few months ago. Gorgeous, melodic, shimmering, ethereal, moody... perfect to help my mind float as I fight in body through a typical Los Angeles commute. Go to their website to get yourself some. Sister Crayon Website Click Here!

Click the title on this here post to listen and/or download. Subscribe to the ZYZXX Podcast at Itunes or listen and download at Soundcloud.

ZYZXX Song of the Week "Where I Begin" by Johnny Bertram & The Golden Bicycles

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:28:00 +0000

This weeks featured song, "Where I Begin" by Johnny Bertram & The Golden Bicycles is off of their release Days That Passed. One of the most stellar songwriters out there right now, Bertram's folk-rock leaning tunes can be both delicate and boldly dynamic, and always shimmer with insightful and powerful poetic beauty. Visit his website here www.johnnybertram.com.

ZYZXX Podcast Episode 3! Featuring Eleni Mandell

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:57:00 +0000

ZYZXX has been a longtime fan of the lovely, talented Eleni Mandell, who is currently in the studio finishing up a new album. Episode 3 features an interview with Eleni, who caught us up on the upcoming release and what life is like as a rockin' mother of nine month old twins! Also in this episode, the newly formed ZYZXX Actors Studio reenacts real advice from the World Wide Web, and Sugar T Russell sits with Errol Flynn to review new Hollywood crap. Email love letters and hate mail to the ZYZXX Podcast at zyzxxzine@gmail.com.

ZYZXX Song of the Week "Boom Boom Boom" by MEN

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 07:10:00 +0000

MEN is JD Samson from Le Tigre's latest fantastic band. The song that is getting our asses up and out of our seats this week is the rousing "Boom Boom Boom." This tune can be found on their latest release Talk About Body on IAMSOUND. Visit MEN at their website http://blog.menmakemusic.com/.

ZYZXX Song of the Week "The Girl Lights Up" by The Love Me Nots

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 04:56:00 +0000

ZYZXX new favorite band The Love Me Nots have the Song of the Week spot this week, with "The Girl Lights Up" off of their release The Demon and the Devotee. "The Girl Lights Up" in all its retro-jangle garage-y splendor is a stand out track off an album chock full of kick ass songs. Check them out and get their stuff at www.thelovemenots.com. Bonus...a collectable limited edition colored vinyl album can be had at Project Infinity Records... if there are any left. If not, plenty of other goodies there! Subscribe to the ZYZXX Podcast at Itunes to always get the Song of the Week, and never miss an Episode. Episode 3 will be out July 15th!!!

ZYZXX Song of the Week "Bad Night" by Wait.Think.Fast.

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:36:00 +0000

June 25, 2011 ZYZXX Podcast Song of the week comes from Los Angeles band Wait. Think. Fast. The tune is one of my favorites --a cool, torchy number called "Bad Night". Find them online here waitthinkfast.com.

ZYZXX Podcast will be doing a featured song every week! Subscribe at Itunes! zyzxxzine@gmail.com.

ZYZXX Podcast Episode 2! Featuring the Ruby Friedman Orchestra

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:04:00 +0000

Episode 2 of the ZYZXX podcast features an interview with Ruby Friedman of the Ruby Friedman Orchestra. Also, Old Hollywood reviews new movies and a call from Imaginary Bear!!! Subscribe for free on Itunes! Contact us at zyzxxzine@gmail.com.

ZYZXX Podcast Episode 1 is available! Featuring Lisa Papineau!

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Sun, 15 May 2011 19:30:00 +0000

And now... the debut of the ZYZXX Podcast, the music and humor podcast for the thinking cynic.

This episode features one of my favorite artists, the talented Lisa Papineau. Her music has enhanced the soundtrack of my life for a long time as both a solo artist and in her various projects (Pet, Big Sir).

To purchase Lisa's stuff go to her website at www.lisapapineau.com or visit her label to find out about her upcoming releases this summer www.sargenthouse.com. You can also click on the widget to the right to buy her stuff through Amazon.

In this first episode we will also hear from one of our ZYZXX correspondents Shoshanna Mitchell of the Female Heartbeat, who happily has turned the spotlight on musical duo the Butch and Femme once again.

Click the title of the blogpost above to listen to the ZYZXX podcast!
Don't ever miss an episode! Subscribe! Now available on Itunes!
Enjoy the first episode.
Speak to us at zyzxxzine@gmail.com

Jen Hitchcock

ZYZXX Teeshirts and Junk!

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Sat, 14 May 2011 17:09:00 +0000

All proceeds go towards feeding my drug habit.

http://www.cafepress.com/ZYZXX

ZYZXXZINE Promo Spot for Episode 1

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Fri, 06 May 2011 15:21:00 +0000

In the upcoming debut podcast you will be hearing a spectacular interview with the amazing musician and singer Lisa Papineau, who will soon be releasing a new solo record as well as a great new album with Big Sir. Lisa Papinau's website and click here for her Sargent House House page.

You will also be hearing from ZYZXXZINE correspondent and vegan feminist and womyn lover Shoshanna Mitchell, who was kind enough to do a promo for us. Listen and anticipate.

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-6eef27292af0127ea4d7ef62a6c6943f}

HIGH ROAD by Kerry McPherson

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Fri, 21 May 2010 07:46:00 +0000

Hi everyone! It has been a while, and I swear I will digitize all the issues of ZYZXX someday soon. In the meantime, I am honored that super talented musician and our good friend Kerry McPherson has allowed me to post an essay she wrote. Many of you know her from Los Angeles band Patsy, a band that was a staple on the music scene during those still very much missed days of Club Sucker, Milk, Al's Bar, Saint Lucy's, and all the other great clubs, nights and gatherings that were going on during that very special time of great music. I love Kerry's writing as much as I love her music. Thank you Kerry for sharing this very personal piece.

High Road
By
Kerry McPherson

I remember my mom telling me that something significant happens to people at the age of twenty-seven. It had to do with the stars and all the other cosmic things that affect you. After twenty-seven years they complete a full cycle and everything lines up to the way they were when you were born. I also remember waiting for that something significant to happen.
This is the age that I was when I went out on my first national tour. It was 1997 and my Los Angeles based band Patsy went on tour with the Olympian band, The Need.
I was drinking a lot that year and it didn’t really mix well with my anti-depressants. There are also a million black holes in my brain where names or places often fall through so the details of my stories are often fictionalized. For example, in the next sentence the actual year of the car and the number of dollars paid are both guesses.
It was a cold month when we loaded up Bessie, the 62 Plymouth Fury Station Wagon that Patricia got for $600 for us to drive across the country. We first drove up to Olympia to hook up with The Need. We played a show with them at some building on the corner that looked like it used to be a bank or a restaurant.
From Olympia we drove somewhere else in Washington to play a show with Team Dresch. Before the show in this mysterious town, Patsy did an interview with a girl in a tiny, little room in this college-like building. I think it was for a radio station. I know that it was Washington because I met Emily Kingan last year through the band The Lovers here in Portland. We figured out that we had met before when she was in the band The Haggard. Apparently she was at the hotel in Washington after the show. She has some insight as to what happened that night in the hotel and what city the show took place. All I remember is that we had a few rooms and there were some drinking games. But nothing raunchy happened, not to my knowledge anyway.
I think the highlight of the tour for me was when our good friend Seal surprised us in Memphis, Tennessee. While she was with us The Need hosted a murder mystery party in their hotel room. Surprisingly, my character was a sleazy cowboy, at least that was the way I played it. We had to get costumes for our characters so we went shopping or shoplifting. (For some reason on this tour, the four year old within me, the one that used to stick candy bars in her socks at the liquor store, reared her ugly head again).
So I walked around the store very nonchalant while I viciously tore the hair out of this little doll’s head and shoved it in my pocket for some chest hair of my own. Never mind the shoplifting, the condition in which I finally left that poor doll was horrific. Even though it had patchy hair and little holes in its bare head were showing, it continued to smile at me like it loved me, unconditionally. I could’ve done anything to that doll and it still would’ve smiled its loving, little smile up at me.
And I am hoping that this hair ripping crime took place before I got caught shoplifting at a supermarket for stealing a “Free Gift Inside” Bugs Bunny from a tin of candy. The most embarrassing part of that incident, and there were many embarrassing aspects, was that the female security guard that banished me from that market and any other market bearing that name FOREVER!, was practically a kid.
There are so many other quick flashes of the tour that I remember like going to Elvis’ house, holding a cute girl’s hand in Meow Mix in New York, driving all the way to the Pabst brewery only to find that it was closed, staying at Kaia’s house in Georgia and not being able to buy any alcohol because it was a Sunday, having lunch in a cemetery on the east coast, buying tons of fireworks at a huge firework store, Patricia and Radio playing soccer and Patricia playing in the bright yellow leaves.
But the memories that are really stuck in me, like nails in my brain, are the ones that make me cringe and are always a good reminder not to drink. Looking back, it feels as though the further east we drove, the deeper I went into my drunken haze.
First, there was the time in Boston that I bailed on my band mates and stayed the night with a friend that I had met online a year or so earlier. At her house we partied all night and the next morning Marcie and Patricia had a hell of a time locating me to pick me up.
There was another show, the worst show of my entire drumming career. We were hanging out at a bar for hours before the show and I got so drunk that I couldn’t play the drums. I remember that we were on stage and I must’ve been playing something crazy because Marcie turned around and asked if I could play. Like any good drinker, I really tried to hide when I was a little tipsy, so I naturally defensive when she broadcasted it on stage that I was too drunk to play. I think we tried to play one more song before we stopped the train wreck. Oh yeah, did I mention that I had really big, black eyebrows Sharpied onto my face?
I also remember watching The Need play almost every night and never getting sick of watching them. Rachel’s drumming and singing to this day continues to blow me away. Which leads me to my hugest, most embarrassing drunken moment to date, that I can remember.
One night Marcie and I went to the bar at our hotel and had some shots. We were all sharing one room and come to think of it, I think this was the last time we shared a room. Marcie and I walked into the calmness of the room, completely obliterated. Everyone was mellow lying on the beds watching television. Naturally, Marcie and I thought it was brilliant to start wrestling on the floor right in front of it. We could entertain them! I would never take on Marcie if I were sober. She is a million times stronger than I am on a good day. I don’t have a clear picture of what the exact outcome was but that may be the trauma of the incident and not actually the alcohol. No doubt, humiliated me and kicked my ass real good.
Radio and Rachel were in a relationship together as were Marcie and Patricia. Perhaps I realized that I wasn’t in a relationship and the alcohol truth serum had set in. I don’t know exactly but I had turned my “charms” and drunken gaze on poor Rachel… yeah, in front of everyone. I must’ve decided that this was the time and place for me to let her know that I had always had a little crush on her. Since my four-year old thief had joined me on tour, why not my catholic girl? Confess that secret.
At this point Radio had every right to tell me to back the fuck off, get the hell out, kick my ass or something, but she didn’t. I remember her being upset and moving to the other side of the room but she didn’t smash my face in.
I believe I sat next to Rachel on the bed, facing her. I think Rachel was too stunned to run or just very kind to me because the only bruises I had the next day were from Marcie. If I did get a kiss, I don’t remember. (Another reason I quit drinking).
When I finally did come to the next day, the hangover was only part of the price I had paid for that night of drinking. I was so embarrassed that I just wanted to curl up and die and never face them again. I did manage to apologize but I was never the same around them again.
This road trip for me was a quick magnification of my life’s journey. And I apparently wasn’t on a very constructive path and I can say that twenty-seven wasn’t very kind to me. Actually, like Marcie, it too kicked my ass. So far thirty-nine has been better. Let’s see if it holds for the next tour.

Kerry is currently living in Portland and besides writing, is again, much to the world's benefit, playing music. The band is called The I's.

CHECK OUT THE PATSY REUNION SHOW (ALSO WITH KERRY'S NEW BAND) THIS SUNDAY AT 10PM!!!! PLAYING AT THE BOOTLEG THEATER SUNDAY MAY 23 AT 10PM. THE ADDRESS IS 2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles. See you there!

Apparently ZYZXX did have an earlier digital life...

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:48:00 +0000

I did this before! Indeed! In 2004. Check out all two posts on my old blog here:

http://zyzxxzine.blogspot.com/

Hello...my name is ZYZXX

zyzxxzine@gmail.com (Jen Hitchcock and friends.) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:29:00 +0000

I have been wanting to do this for a while, and may have even tried to do it before.... zyzxxzine as a domain name on blogspot was used (probably by me at one point). So it is here now, I would once again like to try and post current musings, some writings and perhaps digitize some old stuff from my fanzine ZYZXX.

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