New Nick Drake, Plus Cartoons Thursday!

Also, Colbert again, and Warren Zevon's message from the grave to Trump's kids.

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books and now writer/director of three award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre.” Now watch trailer for acclaimed 2025 film “The Atomic Bowl.” Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. At Blue Sky and Twitter: as @gregmitch. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for FREE. Sustain this newsletter by ordering one of his books.

Last night’s Colbert monologue following terrified Trump backing down on tariffs.

Then, stop the presses, word just this morning that a 4 CD/vinyl package coming in a few weeks with dozens of demos and outtakes from the great Nick Drake’s debut album, “Five Leaves Left.” Some 30 cuts previously unknown or unavailable, including one found by Beverly Martyn in box of mono demos 50 years after the fact. See details and ordering info and Nick site. (My tribute to Nick here with many songs to hear.)

They’ve released one song, and it’s amazing and fascinating: an early version of his incredible “Cello Song” but without cello so still known as “Strange Face”:

From the original album, “River Man.”

Now, going out to Eric Trump and Don Jr. (“Dad, get me out of this!”), and before I get totally off the T Bone Burnett bus, here he accompanies Warren Zevon in 1984 on one of the best live versions of “Lawyers, Guns and Money”:

Then there is this:

A New Thomas Pynchon Novel Is Coming This Fall

Featuring a Depression-era private eye, “Shadow Ticket” will be the 87-year-old writer’s first book since 2013.

And this:

Trump Agonistes