Justin’s Newsletter: September 2024
Vol. 4, Issue 9
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What’s Up With Me
Watch the latest episode of Pasadena Media's award-winning TV show "Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman," featuring an interview with Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian. Read more here.
Read coverage of my new book, Paradise Springs, in Pasadena Now. Stay tuned for info on a book reading event I’ll be doing at Paradise Springs next summer. If you’d like a copy, let me know.
Read coverage from the Pasadena Star-News of the memorial/party we held in Kevin Uhrich’s honor this month. It was a great turnout and a fitting farewell to the long-time Pasadena Weekly editor (and my mentor and friend) who passed away last month. If you missed it, check out my obituary/remembrance of him in Pasadena Now here. I’m also quoted in stories about him in Pasadena Weekly and Pasadena Now.
Around Town
Great Reads
Here are some recommendations for interesting books I’ve read recently:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sequels—Frank Cottrell Boyce
Boyce deftly carries on the tradition of Bond creator Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with three sequels to Fleming’s classic children’s story about a magical car that he wrote for his son while in the hospital. The three are Chitty Chitty Bang Flies Again, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Over the Moon. All four of them are fun adventures that provide some nice escapism for any age.
Fear Stalks the Land—Thom Yorke and Stanley Donwood
A collection of poetry and other writings (faxes, notes, lyrics, sketches, lists) from the “Kid A” and “Amnesiac” era, 1999-2000. Some entries became fully formed Radiohead songs, others contain bits and pieces that made it into songs, and others only exist here. A must for anyone who appreciates Radiohead’s art.
Great Listens & Watches
Blink-182 has released a deluxe version of their album, called “One More Time… Part 2” (shoulda called it “Two More Times”), featuring eight new songs. None of these are fillers or b-sides—it’s banger after banger, some of which are even better than some of the songs on the original album, which is saying quite a lot. My daughter is quite partial to “Every Other Weekend.” For my money it’s “If You Never Left” and “Everyone Everywhere.”
Irish rap group Kneecap is out with a semi-autobiographical movie of the same name that is absolutely the best film I’ve seen all year, if not all decade. Everyone should see it. So funny and so good. "The gig sold out faster than Michael Collins. Too soon?" LOL!
Spotlight on My Past Stories
In remembrance of Kevin Uhrich, here’s a throwback to one of the last stories I wrote for the Pasadena Weekly about how the alternative newsweekly’s history actually dates all the way back to 1929. Miss you, KU.
And read all of my journalism here.