puzzle untimed; meta: 15 seconds (Matt)
 

Title: “Staple Singers” by Pete Muller
Prompt: The meta for this puzzle is a California band from the ’70s.
Answer: Bread

Year 13 of the Muller Monthly Music Meta begins! I’d wish to thank Pete for writing these over the previous dozen years, and I’m wanting ahead to 2023’s challenges.

Easy one to begin off with: we’re in search of a Seventies band from California, and our theme entries are:

17-A: [Pioneering 18th-century Black poet] = PHILLIS WHEATLEY
27-A: [Classic Billy Idol tune] = WHITE WEDDING
35-A: [With “The” and 45-Across, classic Looney Tunes cartoon that’s a parody of a classic novel] = SCARLET/PUMPERNICKEL
39-A: [Rhythmic rain sound] = PIT-A-PAT
57-A: [J.D. Salinger classic, casually] = CATCHER IN THE RYE. Deft clue, because the title is “The Catcher in the Rye” however he didn’t need to put “with ‘The’” within the clue since THE can also be within the reply, so he discovered a chic little sidestep.

With WHEAT, WHITE, PUMPERNICKEL, PITA, and RYE, we’re clearly taking a look at super-soft-rock band BREAD. This is about as gentle as rock will get! Lots of beautiful melodies of their tunes. Did you recognize that Aubrey Plaza of “Parks and Recreation” was named after their 1973 hit “Aubrey”? It’s true.

4.20 stars. Thanks to Pete for a simple begin to MMMM MMXXIII. Trust me, they’ll get more durable…