The Future (Retrocast)
(Originally aired 19 June 2010, featuring a selection of songs dwelling on a single, unified subject.)

Playlist & Footnotes: http://anywhereanywhen.com/2016/04/26/the-future-retrocast

(From the original blog post.)

For generations, mankind has always tried to make sense of what lies ahead of them because, as the old saying goes, it is where we will be spending the rest of our lives. Time and again, artists have hedged their bets on their particular version of what is to come, ironically leaving this train of creative evidence in the past. But what of us doomed to forever remain rooting in the now? As usual, we here at Blasphuphmus Radio have considered your needs, and thus have designed this show as a way of dealing with that very problem. Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you: The Future.

I myself needed a show like this, as my own life seems to be resting on its own divide between the future and the past. As I lay suspended in that in-between place, attempting to chart new paths based on places I’ve been, it seemed very appropriate to meditate on other visions of The Future, to see if I could help make sense of where I might want to go myself. Often, there is a certain amount of Science Fiction associated with perceptions of The Future (with capital letters), and while this show veers into that territory occasionally, my interpretation seems to have more of the dream-like qualities or Blade Runner rather than the frantic, technological advances of Minority Report. Weather or not this differentiation is meaningful to anyone else by myself is something academics will have to argue at another point in time.

This one is perfect for – ahem – continued installments down the road, so keep your ears free of wax for other trips down this particularly predictive path. I had a lot of fun putting this one together, and even more performing it in KPSU’s brand-new broadcast studio (on which I’m blaming the technical errors this week). Special thanks again to Will for making sure I remembered to play a Devo song, something that completely slipped my mind somehow. (I know. I know. It shan’t happen again.)

The Future

01.) Sue’s Future * Refect Refect * The Future: Sue P. Fox & Matt E. Moon * Kill Rock Stars Records
02.) Scientist Of The Future * Stinking Lizaveta * Caught Between Worlds * At A Loss Records
03.) Five Years * David Bowie * The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars * RCA Records
04.) Lost In The Future Take 1 * The Stooges * 1970: The Complete Fun House Sessions * Rhino Handmade Records
05.) Man Seeks The Future [Excerpt] * Attileo “Art” Mineo * Man In Space With Sounds * Subliminal Records
06.) Secret Agent Man * Devo * In The Beginning Was The End: The Truth About De-Evolution * Rhino Records
07.) Talkin’ ‘Bout The Smiling Deathporn Immortality Blues (Everyone Wants To Live Forever) * The Flaming Lips * Hit To Death in the Future Head * Warner Bros. Records
08.) N.O.U. Future Vision Hypothesis * The Nation Of Ulysses * Plays Pretty for Baby * Dischord Records
09.) Ingenious Scientist Invents Car Of The Future * Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo * Strange But True * Matador Records
10.) Future Right * The Fastbacks * Answer The Phone, Dummy * Sub Pop Records
11.) A Future Confronting The Past Which Is Our Future * Negativland * Over The Edge Vol. 7: Time Zomes Exchange Project * Seeland Records
12.) The Future, Wouldn’t That Be Nice? * The Books * The Lemon of Pink * Tomlab Records
13.) Future Myth [Excerpt] * Akron/Family * Angels Of Light & Akron/Family * Young God Records
14.) Matt’s Future * Refect Refect * The Future: Sue P. Fox & Matt E. Moon * Kill Rock Stars Records
15.) The Future Is The Past * NoMeansNo * All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt
16.) Man Seeks The Future [Excerpt] * Attileo “Art” Mineo * Man In Space With Sounds * Subliminal Records

KPSU Playlist