Coco Zandi of Wild Child

 CocoZandi of Wild Child goes solo

New Single "Time to Get Away" Coming July 15th

Debut album "As Simple As A Dream" on OneRPM coming August 27th

1950s Hawaiian and exotica records with a modern twist

Better known (for now) as Alexander Beggins, half of the duo Wild Child, CoCo Zandi makes music inspired by an acute love of the sound and vibe of 1950s Hawaiian and exotica records, chased with a modern twist. Armed with his trusty baritone ukulele, an irrepressible crooning swagger, a tablespoon of steel drums plus a pinch of electro 808s, and his trio of backup sirens known as The Coquettes, CoCo Zandi’s forthcoming debut album As Simple As A Dream explores themes of love and loss and all that jazz, but always with a smirk on the lips and a half-empty (half-full!) piña colada in hand. The first single, Time To Get Away, will be released on July 15th. Zandi says, "We all felt it deep in our bones, bubbling up like a rush of blood to the head, an indescribable angst to skip dodge, get out of town, and break away from the shackles of our respective quarantine lives. I'm used to being on the move. After a decade of shows on the road I found myself struggling to stay still. Time To Get Away is an ode to that unforgettable moment in time. Sometimes simplicity in writing can convey the loudest message. I think it is, indeed, time to get away. " He continues: “Kelsey [Wilson] and I have been writing music together for almost a decade, which completely blows my mind,” says Beggins. “We've been writing songs together for a third of my entire life. Ever since the first song we wrote together, there was magic and palpable chemistry. We both bring something unique to the song writing equation. And we both have very different tastes in music, which I think makes our music unique. We pull from such different inspirations and listen to very different music so when we sit down to write together we create something new. If there was a Kelsey and Alexander venn diagram the overlap is Wild Child. But now, with our new projects we can give the other sides names: Sir Woman and CoCo Zandi. Listening to each of the projects, you get a sense of how Wild Child was born with both of our musical DNA. We will always have Wild Child, and we'll be making records together until we're old and wrinkly, but I think we've found how important it is to have separate outlets as well. It's refreshing and makes us better musicians and people.” CoCo Zandi started out as a byproduct of an identity crisis. It was 2019, and Wild Child had just finished an arduous tour for their fourth LP Expectations and their souls were tired. They'd been grinding for a decade and they were feeling it. It was clear they needed a break. Zandi says, "I had always wanted to make a solo record but it never felt like the right time. In some ways it felt too daunting. I was too comfortable and complacent but all the sudden I found myself with a lot of time and a lot to say. As Simple As A Dream is a record about finding my own voice, written from a place of trying to understand my place in the world. I like records that have a good narrative. Records where you feel a full spectrum of emotions, like watching a really good flick where you find yourself smiling and before you know it, crying. As Simple As A Dream should take you on an excellent roller coaster ride of emotions. And if nothing else, it's good music for a beach/pool day." As Simple As A Dream, Zandi's debut solo album, was produced by Walker Lukens and recorded at Public Hi-Fi in Austin TX.



Michael's Musings

How I'm Moved, How You Move Me
Michael Shinafelt

I am writing this presently in my new apartment, that's correct Minions I have a new vibe. I didn't sleep so well, had to hit the futon in the living room. Why? Because I was too lazy to make the bed after spending the day moving, that's why. 

It's just me in the corner on my chair, wishing I could wave my hands in the air like I don't care. But I can't I ain't got time for that! Moving on (get it???)

Stop in the name of lip fillers

The customer service rep I spoke to at the AT&T call center in India told me she was happy to be alive...the more you know

I'm tired of sh!t not killing me and only making me stronger

Discovered the cure for insomnia, I fell asleep fifteen minutes in to this weeks episode of The Real Housewives of New York City

Speaking of which there is someone on Twitter who uses the handle: Dorinda Deadly LOL

I find it odd that gay men never win hot dog eating contests 

While were on the subject: to the holier thou priest who tried to deny Pro-Choice Biden communion and was on Grindr everyday and went to gay bars: Being a holier than thou jerk is one thing, being a flat out hypocrite is another, just sayin' 

Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own

Woman Crush of the Week - Kate Bush, if you don't know her and her music, well, who are you?!?!

You've mistaken me for someone who would care about that

Jeff Bezos wins the big dick competition 2021 hands on

I thought you should know that I've seen all three movies in the Fear Street trilogy

Sometimes a metaphor is just too glaring to ignore

It's time to unpack

Find out what here:

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt   

Hump Day & Chill

Richard Gere

A little while back I was having lunch with a friend at my favorite local Square One Dining. When this Silver Fox in a mask walked in, he oozed sex appeal out of every pore of his being. He sat at the table adjacent to me and my friend, when he removed his mask I kept thinking there was something familiar about him. Then it hit me Richard Gere was sitting next to us.

This of course got me thinking about his high profile controversial role in Paul Schrader's American Gigolo. It featured something rare in American Films, full frontal nudity courtesy of it's leading man, Richard Gere, naturally. 

Of course I then wondered if Tye Briggs had done a piece on this particular film for his Favorite Hunks & Other Things blog. Guess what? He did!!!

Thus today Minions we are going to Hump Day & Chill to Mr. Gere baring it all as the American Gigolo. Hey, that's what gigolos do, take off their clothes. 

You know what to do, the link below awaits your clicking!

https://favoritehunks.blogspot.com/2010/02/flashback-richard-gere-in-american.html 

Score! Luke Prokop

Luke Prokop

Luke Prokop of the Nashville Predators made history as the first hockey player to come out as gay in the NHL. 

Hats off to Luke and his courage to be his authentic self. His visibility will serve as an inspiration to others struggling with their sexual identity.

Below is Luke's official coming out letter: 

Luke on IG -

https://www.instagram.com/lukeprokop_/

Send in the Clowns

Clowning Around
David Arquette

Here we are another week, another Monday. Thus I thought to myself "Self let's send in the clowns!"

The clowns are brought to you by one David Arquette sporting, what else? A clown sweater, naturally...

While I know there are those of you who might be afraid of clowns, and those of you who do not think they are funny, they are still colorful and lighten the mood nonetheless.  

If that doesn't do it for you, there is also Mr. Arquette who I saw play Dr. Frank-N-Furter in a production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in Los Angeles. "Yes" he was SAF in the role and he is the same IRL.

Yeah, there's that, now tell me why you don' like Mondays - Hmmmmmm?!?!

David on IG -

https://www.instagram.com/davidarquette/?hl=en

It's National Ice Cream Day...Hurray!

Lick It Up!
Mia Farrow

While hitting the WWW this ayem it revealed to me that today, Sunday July 18th 2021 is indeed National Ice Cream Day!

Since the Nation's weather is hot, hot, hot I just knew I had to commemorate it right here, right now...

Thus I present one vintage shot of Actress Mia Farrow taking her ice cream cone from behind and looking mighty sultry while engaging in the activity.

Not sure what she was thinking when this photo was shot, but it looks like something, well, naughty quite frankly.

Hey, who says ice cream is only a family treat?! Not this guy! Time to get out there and lick it up Minions!!!

National Ice Cream Day on the WWW -

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-ice-cream-day-third-sunday-in-july/

The Addams Family

"Their creepy and their kooky, Mysterious and spooky, Their all together ooky
The Adams family..." - The Addams Family Theme Song

Nostalgia is my vibe today and it's gonna stay that way. I wanted to share how excited I am that local Los Angeles station ME-TV has brought back The Addams Family weekdays at 6 pm! Yay!

While the show originally aired one year prior to my birth it was in re-runs constantly during my youth.

I always dug the Addams clan, I'm pretty sure it was some sort of connection to my feeling like an outsider. They definitely made me feel seen.

The infamous Wednesday Addams is one of my spirit animals.

Many of you, like me enjoy the weekend. However I can't wait for the return of Monday because at 6 pm you know what I'll be doing. OK, I could possibly be doing something else and recording it, but you get the drift.

The Addams Family on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Addams_Family_(1964_TV_series)