CJ Simonson
@cjsimonson.bsky.social
Editor-in-Chief At Merry-Go-Round Magazine | Arizona Sports and Music Posts Exclusively | merrygoroundmag@gmail.com https://merrygoroundmagazine.com/
Interviewed Zack about drumming, indie rock, etc etc
Merry-Go-Round Magazine@mgrmagazine.bsky.social · last wk.Dari Bay's Zack James very well might be the best singing drummer in indie rock right now. He chats with us about the new album SURPRISE WISH, out now via Double Double Whammy, his work in Robber Robber (including their excellent new LP TWO WHEELS MOVE THE SOUL), and music becoming a full time job.
I cannot write about it as a Bandcamp Pick for MGRM as Swami for whatever reason don't throw their stuff on Bandcamp (missing out on a lot of money imo!) but the I Will Die In This Jean Jacket album fucking rules.
If you're looking for something fresh this Bandcamp Friday, my buddy Jake (occasional Merry-Go-Round contributor) just put out an EP! RIYL: The Cult, Alien Boy, Protomartyr, Fucked Up, The Twilight Sad, The Replacements. Olivia Rodrigo's drummer Jordi Radnoti is behind the kit on the whole EP!
Ritual, by Mac Luster
6 track album
macluster.bandcamp.com
The new Widowspeak is as close as they've ever gotten to interestingly sounding like Mazzy Star (and god knows they've tried, ample times); do with that what you will!
Out now wherever you find podcasts, we’re joined by @cjsimonson.bsky.social & Luke Phillips of @mgrmagazine.bsky.social on this week’s episode to talk butt rock bands covering songs, paired with butt rock songs covered by indie bands/artists. Listen now: linktr.ee/indieheadspodcast
On this episode, we're joined by @cjsimonson.bsky.social & Luke of @mgrmagazine.bsky.social to talk butt rock bands covering songs, paired with butt rock songs covered by indie bands/artists. Support us on Patreon for as low as $1/month to hear this episode over 48 hours early!
Watched THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE last night and I cannot stress enough, it posits that Jimmy Stewart for most of the film is a young man that just left Law School, meanwhile he looks like this. Makes him as a late 40s teen in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE look like child's play (pun intended).
Been a while since I just cried to a song, but "Where It Lands" on the new Andrew Sa album just came outta nowhere and got me.
For anyone needing a roughly 2.5 hour distraction, really enjoyed playing KABUTO PARK, now available wherever you play games.
Hey Nongman, go read @jackprobst.com’s profile of Scotty Aux
Merry-Go-Round Magazine@mgrmagazine.bsky.social · 4mo agoMonday marked the start of COMEDY BANG! BANG!'s 2026 Ground Beefing tour. Ahead of tomorrow's Chicago date, we chatted with @scottaukerman.bsky.social about what 17 years of the show looks like on the road, his persona on @cbbworld.bsky.social, the podcast medium's importance to comedy, and more!
Monday marked the start of COMEDY BANG! BANG!'s 2026 Ground Beefing tour. Ahead of tomorrow's Chicago date, we chatted with @scottaukerman.bsky.social about what 17 years of the show looks like on the road, his persona on @cbbworld.bsky.social, the podcast medium's importance to comedy, and more!
Scott Aukerman On Comedy, Community, and Taking COMEDY BANG! BANG! Back on the Road - MGRM
Scott Aukerman chats about the legacy of COMEDY BANG! BANG!, the podcast medium's importance to comedy and his own career, Chicago as a comedy town, and crafting a live show 17 years into the podcasts...
merrygoroundmagazine.com
Was at Planetary working Arlo's first record when we had #1 for like, 11 weeks or something insane, and have been at [PIAS] for both of the next two albums. Been really exciting to have been there since the beginning and see the reaction at radio evolve and grow.
NACC: North American College & Community Chart ("knack")@naccchart.bsky.social · 4mo agoArlo Parks easily collects a fifth week at #1 on the NACC 200 this week with her third LP, Ambiguous Desire. That ties her with Dry Cleaning for the second-longest stay at #1 this year. She also returns to #1 on NACC R&B/Soul. #NACCChart #music #Indie #Indiemusic #CollegeRadio #NACC200
New Labrador tune fully out today, good record and fun video!
Labrador@labrador-tunes.bsky.social · 4mo agoHead over to @mgrmagazine.bsky.social to see the premiere of the video for our new song “Slow Down, King.” It’s a song about our collective power. We will defeat and outlive the fascists. But we have some work to do ✊ merrygoroundmagazine.com/video-premie...
@cjsimonson.bsky.social nailed it with this opening graf. Also, hey @ratboysband.bsky.social 👋
Labrador@labrador-tunes.bsky.social · 4mo agoHead over to @mgrmagazine.bsky.social to see the premiere of the video for our new song “Slow Down, King.” It’s a song about our collective power. We will defeat and outlive the fascists. But we have some work to do ✊ merrygoroundmagazine.com/video-premie...
Released a new Sequence Selector with the undeniable Cold Gawd. Prompt Matt drew was a playlist for the final moments before the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs. Fun episode, he has some fun jabs at various punk and rock institutions as well. Like, Subscribe, etc!
Cold Gawd Builds A Playlist For The Final Moments Before the Asteroid Wiped Out the Dinosaurs
YouTube video by Sequence Selector
m.youtube.com
Fascinating things are being asked on the Grateful Dead Facebook fan pages
My Phoenix Suns don’t have a lot, but at the very least when people hit threes at home the announcers will always be able to yell “they’re making it rain in the desert!”
Listening to an album, getting to a song that's 11 minutes long, and just leaning back like Antonio Banderas in the 1995 film ASSASSINS evernever-records.bandcamp.com/track/gizzard
Gizzard, by National Photo Committee
from the album Red Hot Photo Committee
evernever-records.bandcamp.com
Baffling new Spotify playlist to stumble upon, why does it look like this guy has killed his wife and is in a holding cell?
The Home Front + Spiritual Cramp Co-Headline would frankly save a lot of older punks lives, and that’s just a fact
No one has asked for this but, my top five U2 songs of the last 20 years: 5. "Ordinary Love" (Extraordinary Mix) 4. "Get On Your Boots" 3. "You're The Best Thing About Me" 2. "Every Breaking Wave" 1. "Song of the Future"
On ECHO IN THE DUST, you can sense Julianna Riolino's confidence growing. Both as a songwriter and especially as a performer, the varied and dazzling alt-country songs on her sophomore album exude a playful boldness. Check out our premiere of the deluxe version of the album today!
Julianna Riolino's Thoughts Settle On The Sprawling ECHO IN THE DUST - MGRM
On ECHO IN THE DUST, you can sense Julianna Riolino's confidence growing. Both as a songwriter and especially as a performer, the varied and dazzling alt-country songs on her sophomore album exude a p...
merrygoroundmagazine.com
This IG ad is trying to tell me old people are putting peanut butter on their phones and that’s one of their biggest mistakes is that true?? I love putting peanut butter on my phone fml
The prompts for Sequence Selector are randomly assigned before we start rolling the cameras, but I really couldn't have given Gelli Haha a more Gelli Haha prompt than to build a playlist "for shrinking down in the Magic School Bus and exploring the human anatomy." SWITCHEROO coded for sure.
Gelli Haha Builds A Playlist For Shrinking Down In The Magic School Bus And Exploring Human Anatomy
YouTube video by Sequence Selector
youtube.com
Best Remember Sports album since ALL OF SOMETHING, really great stuff
This is the kinda name / set up / premise a @pftompkins.bsky.social Comedy Bang! Bang! character would begin with ten years ago
A ripper that’s out now!
The Alternative@getalternative.bsky.social · 7mo ago❗️🚨Premiere 🚨❗️we are thrilled to present “The Lovers (Truce),” the latest single from Mac Luster. The track “draws from jangle pop and heartland rock in equal measure, a three-minute sugar rush.” Check it out now! www.getalternative.com/premiere-mac...
An artist that has been posted plenty on indieheads, where plenty of weird video interview content gets shared, will get taken down, but a band called Daddy's Beemer can get zero upvotes and stay on. Make it make sense.
Any successful news operation that emerges going forward will have to be unabashedly left wing. Landlords fucking people over? That's a left wing cause. Businesses polluting? Left wing. City councilor is corrupt? Left wing. Workers being mistreated? Sports stadium displacing housing? Buddy,
