Bless This Mess (Retrocast) (Featuring music and recordings offered in loving tribute to the country that I love, with tongue placed forcibly into cheek.)
While I am a big fan of political music that skewers whatever the flavor of the week happens to be, and have done a few Fourth of July shows that were less than respectful to the institutions this country holds dear, I have never had the balls to get down and dirty regarding the subject of 9/11. And with good reason: while the event is well in the past, there has been a cultural sacred cow in place when it comes to mocking what was, in the end, a really awful event in our country’s history. My usual knee-jerk reaction to everything is to make a joke, and while there always seemed like plenty of great throw-aways that could have been used when planning a 9/11 show, I never allowed myself to go down that road for fear that there would be some sort of outcry the moment I showed any amount of disrespect for what has become an accidental holiday in this country.
However, time seems to have dulled my sense of what is and isn’t appropriate, and now that it’s been 11 years, I feel like America might be ready for a podcast that goes the whole 9 yards, and delivers some music that obtusely tackles a subject that seems to be somewhat taboo. While I would never go so far as to be critical of the awful events of that day, it seems odd to me that the day now carries this cultural baggage that causes everyone to get far too serious about their patriotism. I’ve always considered myself a patriot, but in the sense that I am willing to question things, discuss them, and find ways to make sense of them through culture and art that addresses complex issues in entertaining ways. Sometimes these take the form of agressive punk songs that speak their mind without concern for who will be pissed off when all is said and done.
Since Tuesday falls on this particular day this year, and since I will have no one to answer to but myself in the event that people do get pissed off, this year felt like a good year to finally break the silence, and bring you a bunch of songs that present different visions of America. I tried to cover a lot of ground, and thus bring in a number of different voices for this show. But in the end, it’s a bunch of stuff that I like listening to, and all of it has a particular perspective that I feel is very worth exploring. Even if it is temporarily.
And: this mix kicks a whole lot of ass.
Next week’s show may be delayed somewhat, as I will be out of town. However, I will do my best to bring you a road show, which may just end up being short. We shall see.
So: don’t forget to pull out your miniature American Flags, plant it firmly in the most inappropriate place you can think of, and turn this one up just loud enough that it’ll piss off your neighbor in the cubical next door.
See you in seven.
Bless This Mess
Part I: Growin’ Up In America
01.) Boy From Nowhere * DMZ * Live At The Rat
02.) All American Twist * The Champs * “All American”
03.) American Heartbreak * Langston Hughes * The Voice Of The Poet: Langston Hughes
04.) Growin’ Up In America * The Colors * Killed By Death Vol. 20
05.) Terror In America * GG Allin & The Murder Junkies * Brutality and Bloodshed for All
06.) Thinkin’ Of The USA * Eater * Thinkin’ Of The USA 7″
07.) American Terrorist * Chris Burke * diymedia.net
08.) Experiment In Terror * Henry Mancini * Greatest Hits
09.) The Ugly American * Big Black * The Hammer Party
10.) The Half-Eaten Sausage Would Like To See You In His Office * The Locust * The Locust / Melt Banana Split 7″
11.) American Dream * The Redundants * I Hate The Redundants
12.) Amercan America * Godless * 7″
13.) Middle America * J.F.A. * Rat Music For Rat People
14.) N.O.U.S.P.T.D.A. * The Nation Of Ulysses * The Birth Of The Ulysses Aesthetic (The Synthesis of Speed And Transformation) EP
15.) America Has Spoken * Patton Oswalt * Werewolves and Lollipops
16.) Fyt * This Mortal Coil * It’ll End In Tears
Part II: Freedom’s Waiting
17.) Early American * Sonic Youth * Confusion Is Sex
18.) Help Stamp Out America * Kermit Schafer * Pardon My Blooper
19.) Cityman * Negativland * Free
20.) 9/11 is a Joke * Delusions of Parasitosis * Coupon D’état
21.) Mecca: A Vision Of The Next Crusade * Thomas M. Disch / X’s For Eyes * Mecca|Mettle
22.) We’re An American Band * MX-80 * We’re An American Band
Part III: The ABC’s of The USA
23.) Politics In America * Bill Hicks * Philosophy
24.) Pow Wow * Grace Tennessee & The American Spirits * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites: Volume Six
25.) A.B.C’s of the U.S.A. * Ada Jones and Billy Murray * Edison Gold Moulded Cylinder Record: 9903
26.) Land: Part I: Horses, Part II: Land of a Thousand Dances, Part III: La Mer (De) * Patti Smith * Horses
27.) Crimes vs. America * Old Time Radio Commercial
28.) Alaska * The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black * A National Heath Care
29.) Freedom Of Choice * Devo * Freedom Of Choice
30.) Contract With Depravity * Kenyon Hopkins * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
31.) Our Nat’l Anthm * Abbie Hoffman * Wake Up America!
32.) Unwanted Workers Of America * The Firesign Theater * All Things Firesign
A simple Google Search reveals a whole range of other listening options. (And I recommend the image search view to check out the variety of album covers over the years.)
The Spooky Old Tree
I imagine I will be receiving some e-mail from some of you, so again: austinrich@gmail.com.
This is a selection from the Ambrose Bierce collection, “The Ways of Ghosts.” These stories are now in the public domain, and make for excellent holiday reading.
Violin music provided by Béla Bartók, and performed by Gyorgy Pauk & Kazuki Sawa.
Various effects edited and created by Austin Rich.
This is a selection from the Ambrose Bierce collection, “The Ways of Ghosts.” These stories are now in the public domain, and make for excellent holiday reading.
Ambient music by Cindytalk, using excerpts from their song “Of Ghosts And Buildings” from their album, The Crackle of My Soul.
Various effects edited and created by Austin Rich.
The Beginning * The Collectors * Everything You Always Wanted To Know About 60’s Mind Expansive Punkadelic Garage Rock Instrumentals But Were Afraid To Ask
(This was originally produced as a podcast on 11 September 2012 in the St. John’s Studio we used at the time. Enjoy.)
While I am a big fan of political music that skewers whatever the flavor of the week happens to be, and have done a few Fourth of July shows that were less than respectful to the institutions this country holds dear, I have never had the balls to get down and dirty regarding the subject of 9/11. And with good reason: while the event is well in the past, there has been a cultural sacred cow in place when it comes to mocking what was, in the end, a really awful event in our country’s history. My usual knee-jerk reaction to everything is to make a joke, and while there always seemed like plenty of great throw-aways that could have been used when planning a 9/11 show, I never allowed myself to go down that road for fear that there would be some sort of outcry the moment I showed any amount of disrespect for what has become an accidental holiday in this country.
However, time seems to have dulled my sense of what is and isn’t appropriate, and now that it’s been 11 years, I feel like America might be ready for a podcast that goes the whole 9 yards, and delivers some music that obtusely tackles a subject that seems to be somewhat taboo. While I would never go so far as to be critical of the awful events of that day, it seems odd to me that the day now carries this cultural baggage that causes everyone to get far too serious about their patriotism. I’ve always considered myself a patriot, but in the sense that I am willing to question things, discuss them, and find ways to make sense of them through culture and art that addresses complex issues in entertaining ways. Sometimes these take the form of agressive punk songs that speak their mind without concern for who will be pissed off when all is said and done.
Since Tuesday falls on this particular day this year, and since I will have no one to answer to but myself in the event that people do get pissed off, this year felt like a good year to finally break the silence, and bring you a bunch of songs that present different visions of America. I tried to cover a lot of ground, and thus bring in a number of different voices for this show. But in the end, it’s a bunch of stuff that I like listening to, and all of it has a particular perspective that I feel is very worth exploring. Even if it is temporarily.
And: this mix kicks a whole lot of ass.
Next week’s show may be delayed somewhat, as I will be out of town. However, I will do my best to bring you a road show, which may just end up being short. We shall see.
So: don’t forget to pull out your miniature American Flags, plant it firmly in the most inappropriate place you can think of, and turn this one up just loud enough that it’ll piss off your neighbor in the cubical next door.
See you in seven.
Bless This Mess
Part I: Growin’ Up In America
01.) Boy From Nowhere * DMZ * Live At The Rat
02.) All American Twist * The Champs * “All American”
03.) American Heartbreak * Langston Hughes * The Voice Of The Poet: Langston Hughes
04.) Growin’ Up In America * The Colors * Killed By Death Vol. 20
05.) Terror In America * GG Allin & The Murder Junkies * Brutality and Bloodshed for All
06.) Thinkin’ Of The USA * Eater * Thinkin’ Of The USA 7″
07.) American Terrorist * Chris Burke * diymedia.net
08.) Experiment In Terror * Henry Mancini * Greatest Hits
09.) The Ugly American * Big Black * The Hammer Party
10.) The Half-Eaten Sausage Would Like To See You In His Office * The Locust * The Locust / Melt Banana Split 7″
11.) American Dream * The Redundants * I Hate The Redundants
12.) Amercan America * Godless * 7″
13.) Middle America * J.F.A. * Rat Music For Rat People
14.) N.O.U.S.P.T.D.A. * The Nation Of Ulysses * The Birth Of The Ulysses Aesthetic (The Synthesis of Speed And Transformation) EP
15.) America Has Spoken * Patton Oswalt * Werewolves and Lollipops
16.) Fyt * This Mortal Coil * It’ll End In Tears
Part II: Freedom’s Waiting
17.) Early American * Sonic Youth * Confusion Is Sex
18.) Help Stamp Out America * Kermit Schafer * Pardon My Blooper
19.) Cityman * Negativland * Free
20.) 9/11 is a Joke * Delusions of Parasitosis * Coupon D’état
21.) Mecca: A Vision Of The Next Crusade * Thomas M. Disch / X’s For Eyes * Mecca|Mettle
22.) We’re An American Band * MX-80 * We’re An American Band
Part III: The ABC’s of The USA
23.) Politics In America * Bill Hicks * Philosophy
24.) Pow Wow * Grace Tennessee & The American Spirits * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites: Volume Six
25.) A.B.C’s of the U.S.A. * Ada Jones and Billy Murray * Edison Gold Moulded Cylinder Record: 9903
26.) Land: Part I: Horses, Part II: Land of a Thousand Dances, Part III: La Mer (De) * Patti Smith * Horses
27.) Crimes vs. America * Old Time Radio Commercial
28.) Alaska * The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black * A National Heath Care
29.) Freedom Of Choice * Devo * Freedom Of Choice
30.) Contract With Depravity * Kenyon Hopkins * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
31.) Our Nat’l Anthm * Abbie Hoffman * Wake Up America!
32.) Unwanted Workers Of America * The Firesign Theater * All Things Firesign
The Secret True History of Rock ‘n’ Roll Part II: Defending Elvis (Miss Rikki & I discuss music old and new as we cover a Ramones Tribute, discuss how unfairly Elvis is sometimes treated, and introduce to you two things that are from the last 10 years that are good. Promise. )
In another podcast-only edition of AMLOR, we discuss The Ronetts (and to a lesser extent, The Ramones and the passing of Tommy), Elvis (and how hot he was), The Nervous (because: The Nervous), and Bomb The Music Industry, as we slowly (but surely) sort out the format of the show. I might also be a little drunk.
01.) Absolutely Bills Mood (Live) * They Might Be Giants
02.) Stingray * King Peglican * Roots In The Shadows of San Antonio
03.) Boys * The Shirelles * Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found
04.) Be My Baby * The Ronettes
05.) I Never Dreamed * The Cookies * Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found
06.) What A Lonely Way To Start The Summertime * Bitter Sweet * Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found
07.) I Have A Boyfriend * The Chiffons * Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found
08.) I Can’t Let Go * Evie Sands * Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found
09.) Nobody Knows What’s Goin’ On (In My Mind But Me) * The Chiffons * Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found
10.) Bobby Sox Blues * T-Bone Walker * The Roots of Rock ‘n’ Roll
11.) When It Rains, It Really Pours * Elvis Presley
12.) Good Rockin’ Tonight * Wynonie Harris * The Roots of Rock ‘n’ Roll
13.) Saturday Night Fish Fry * Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five * The Roots of Rock ‘n’ Roll
Part II: Some Things New
14.) Cottlestone Pie * Cringer * The Thing That Ate Floyd
15.) Entry Level Position * The Nervous
16.) Boredome Zone * The Mr. T Experience * The Thing That Ate Floyd
17.) Happy Now * Isocracy * The Thing That Ate Floyd
18.) Stand Until You’re Sober * Bomb The Music Industry
19.) No Medicine For Regret * Mogwai * Rave Tapes
20.) Space Ghost * Callow * Blue Spells
21.) Friskers * Rollerball * Companion 2: The Woman At The Well
There used to be a world where people were really fucking passionate about everything. You can hear this world seep through the cracks and pop of old LPs, in the pages of yellowing magazines hoarded by a Learned Council of Wise Men, and they gather at local pubs to argue loudly about early Fred Cole bands and where you can find old back-issues of Backfire.
The world used to have Lester Bangs in it, too. This is a feeble, ham-fisted tribute to a man after my own heart.
I had brought a bunch of LPs to the station, and began going through the stacks at KPSU when a two hour block opened up in the afternoon. I had stumbled across this interview with Sue Mathews, and figured that between the records and this interview I could cobble together something that resembles a tribute. Miss Rikki (fortunately) came in during the second hour to save everything.
If I had done my research I would have tried to pair quotes with the songs. The transitions could have been better. Even some of the musical choices are questionable, mostly driven by my urge to “check out” a track, or suddenly wanting to hear something specific. At least it’s all records.
At the center of this is my own love for Lester. There was a time when I carried around Psychotic Reactions And Carburetor Dung like it was cannon, memorizing lines and internalizing it’s rhythms in everything I wrote. More than that, though, he gave voice to the kind of distrust I had of things that are overhyped, he unabashedly loved terrible things just like I do, he was wrong over and over (and over) again, and in the end he was filled with passion about music, about wanting music to be better, to mean something, and to call shenanigans on every other person who was essentially full of shit when it came to their artistic statement.
Curmudgeon, critic, drug punk, and the least cool person in Rock ‘n’ Roll, ladies and gentlemen, I give you: Lester Fucking Bangs.
Enjoy!
The World’s Greatest Rock Critic, Lester Bangs
Hour 1
01.) Science Fiction Double Feature * The Rocky Horror Picture Show Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
02.) “Music. True Music” * Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs * Almost Famous
03.) Nightclubbing * Iggy Pop * The Idiot
04.) “The Same Old Gunk Dressed Up In New Clothes” * Lester Bangs
05.) Yodeling Yippie * The Fugs
06.) “Musical Sterility” * Lester Bangs
07.) Uh-huh * Thee Headliners * We Made These Songs
08.) Waiting For The Renasaince * Lester Bangs
09.) Flying * The Small Faces
10.) Shove A Martini In His Hand and Forget About Him * Lester Bangs
11.) Electric Aunt Jemima * The Mothers of Invention
12.) The Velvet Underground * Lester Bangs
13.) Night Train * James Brown
14.) The Illiad * Ed Sanders And The Hemptones
15.) Iggy & The Stooges * Lester Bangs
16.) Louie Louie * The Kingsmen
17.) Sales Will Drop Off * Lester Bangs
18.) Graveyard * Dead Moon
19.) Zoot Suit * The High Numbers
20.) Teenage Riot * Sonic Youth * Daydream Nation
21.) Patricia * Perez Prado
Hour 2
22.) “We Want To Sell Records. We Want To Be Rock Stars” * Lester Bangs
23.) Kansas and the BTO’s * The GTOs
24.) Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep * Perez Prado
25.) The Captain’s Fat Theresa Shoes * The GTOs
26.) Ella Guru * Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
27.) The Original GTO’s * The GTOs
28.) Bandido * Perez Prado
29.) WPLJ * The Mothers of Invention
30.) Spaceman * Harry Nilson * Son of Schmilsson
31.) And On And On * Lester Bangs
32.) Higher Ground * Stevie Wonder * Innervisions
33.) Disco’s Dead * Lester Bangs
34.) Bernadette * The Four Tops
35.) I Can’t Buy That This Is An Organic, Populist Movement * Lester Bangs
36.) Stop Breaking Down * The Rolling Stones
37.) The Really Are Being Marketed * Lester Bangs
38.) Ghost * Ty Segall
39.) Anarchy, Or Whatever You Want To Call It * Lester Bangs
40.) Sister * The Black Keys
41.) Here We Are In The ’70’s, Where Everything Stinks * Lester Bangs
42.) …Worms LP Selection
43.) Moonchild (including “The Dream” and “The Illusion”) / The Court of the Crimson King (including “The Return of the Fire Witch” and “The Dance of the Puppets”) * King Crimson * In The Court of the Crimson King
44.) Uncool * Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs * Almost Famous
On The Flip Side (Longer description of the episode, with weird esoteric links and notes about the show.)
Miss Rikki & I continue our Ontological Assault on the world at large with this radio deconstruction of recordings that are on the edge of awareness of their state as recordings. Leaving no symbol unturned, with layers upon layers of meaning and commentary with regards to the current state of our program, we delve quite a ways into the 70’s, offer some Cilantro PSAs, prepare for Time Travel, and offer a number of means for managing your own stress. The mix is thick and dense in some spots, with lots of “Waiting Room” references. Just how we like it.
Part II of this program is reminiscent of one of the ’90’s episode of this program I did at KWVA in Eugene, which you can stream or download here. I’m pretty sure it is the same source material, and it is interesting to revisit the same material with a new perspective. Not much more meta than referencing yourself, right?
Dig it. There’s some dope shit in here.
Enjoy!
On The Flip Side
Part I: The Musical Heritage Surplus Club of Hong Kong
01.) Twenty Minutes of Silence * Flip Wilson * You Devil You
02.) Break Song [Excerpts] * Vanilla Fudge * Near The Beginning
03.) The Church of What’s Happening Now * Flip Wilson & Redd Foxx
04.) 40 Great Unclaimed Melodies! * The Firesign Theater * Dear Friends (Live Broadcasts)
05.) “Real Life” Trailer * Albert Brooks
06.) Checkers Speech * Richard Nixon
07.) What’s Happening News * George Carlin w/ Flip Wilson
08.) Alexander Grahmn Bell * Lilly Tomlin * This Is A Recording
09.) Telephone Courtesy Educational Film
10.) WINO Radio * George Carlin w/ Flip Wilson
Part II: It’s Time For Traveling Through Time
11.) I Hate Cilantro, It’s Gross * Glozell Green
12.) ?? LP?
13.) Traveling Through Time * Pan Am Films
14.) Learn How To Touch Type
15.) Cindy Goes To A Party * Etiquette Lessons
16.) Drugs Are Like That * Anita Bryant
17.) Act Your Age Education Film
18.) You And Your Parents * Coronet Films
Part III: Stress Relief With Tranquilizers
19.) How To Win At Conversations With Mom * Daniel Kibblesmith
20.) The Wayne Mason Trio * LIVE! at the La Pesada
21.) [Excerpts] * Kermit Schafer * All Time Great Bloopers (6 Record Set)
22.) Stress Relief With Tranquilizers * The Relaxed Wife
23.) Cindy Goes To A Party * Etiquette Lessons
24.) Drugs Are Like That * Anita Bryant
25.) Evert 1 Pipkin * Man… Or Astro-Man? * Made From Technitium
The subject of loneliness and being alone came up when I was selecting records for this show, and a jazzy, moody theme quickly began to develop, which Miss Rikki ran with.
We also interview Kevin McCallister, PHD in Social Sciences, who emphasizes students of people who are at Home, Alone.
Then, we throw you to the wolves.
Enjoy!
The Stuff That Myths Are Built On
Part I: 18 Months & Two Weeks
01.) The Wolf You Never Knew [Excerpts] * Robert Redford * The Language and Music of The Wolves
02.) Blue Monk * The Thelonious Monk Quartet And Pee Wee Russell * Miles & Monk At Newport
03.) Word Salad * Miss Rikki
04.) Straight, No Chaser * The Miles Davis Sextet featuring Julian “Cannonball” Adderley * Miles & Monk At Newport
05.) Movie Excerpt
Part II: Kevin McCallister, PHD in Social Sciences & Being at Home, Alone.
06.) ‘Round Midnight” * Lionel Hampton with Rhythm and Reeds * Golden Vibes
07.) “There Is Not A Rhinoceros In This Room”
08.) Move * Charlie Parker, Tadd Dameron & Curley Russell* Live Sessions
09.) The Wolf You Never Knew [Excerpts] * Robert Redford * The Language and Music of The Wolves
10.) Hot House * Carlie Parker, Kenny Dorham, Al Haig, Nelson Boyd & Max Roach * Live Sessions
11.) “What Ever Happened To Baby Jayne?” [Excerpt]
12.) Audrey Hepburn on Dick Cavett
Part III: Someone’s Calling Your Name
12.) Open All Night / My Father’s House [Excerpt] * Bruce Springsteen * Nebraska
13.) A Phone Call From Dr. McCallister
14.) Jeffrey Lee Pierce on What’s Wrong With Everything
15.) I Hear Your Name * The Dead Milkmen * Eat Your Paisley
In spite of my best efforts, there are many of our broadcasts that have been lost either in part or entirely. There are a number of reasons for this: technological failures, archivists errors, you weren’t broadcasting for some reason or another. Any number of problems can arise when you’re quickly trying to get material ready for broadcast.
A large number of problems happened on this day: The playlist was mangled, the recordings were missing 30 minutes of our broadcast, and on top of everything, the recording did not sound great. For a long time I sat on the files, posted a half-assed “edit” of the show, and on the whole wished that I could have done better. Mostly because my guest for this show planned the entire thing with me, and I really wanted to show her a good time.
Recently, Rita passed away suddenly. At least, suddenly to me. I knew her through teaching, but she and I had a lot of similar touchstones and interests, too. She was one of the nicest people I worked with, and her sense of humor and upbeat attitude was and important element of her personality.
In honor of her passing, join me for a remastered, two hour broadcast of songs about running, motion, being on the run, and everything in between. Audience participation was so excellent for this show, she came right into the booth on this one. While she did not speak on the mic, we spent the entire show talking about music, life, and everything in-between. This show cemented our friendship, and I will miss her tremendously.
This show was pieced together from the playlist and three mangled files I was able to retrieve from the KPSU server when it crashed while we were broadcasting. While this is not exactly like the version that was heard by listeners at home, this is a very close approximation in a nearly complete form.
I’ll miss you, Rita. I’ll always remember you sitting in the booth, talking about anything and everything… only not when the mic was on. I guess that’s on memory that will be just for me.
Goodbye.
A Cross Country Extravaganza
Hour 1
Part I: Running Into The Past
01.) Run Better Run * The Cheepskates
02.) Run For Your Life * The Beatles
03.) Running Scared * Roy Orbison
04.) Let ’em Run Wild * Beach Boys
05.) Running from the Enemy * Stinking Lizaveta
06.) Run Run Run * The Velvet Underground * The Velvet Underground & Nico
Part II: Running Hard
07.) Runnin’ Ragged * Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti
08.) Run Run Run * Gestures
09.) Run, Run, Run * The Third Rail
10.) Running Hard * Speed Glue and Shinki
11.) Madman Running Through the Fields * Dantalian’s Chariot
12.) Runnin’ Down A Dream * Tom Petty
Part III: Girl On The Run
13.) Run Chicken Run * Link Wray & His Wray Men
14.) Girl On The Run * Honey Bane
15.) Nowhere To Run * The Pagans
16.) C’Mon * Joan Jett & The Runaways
17.) Running With the Devil * Van Halen
18.) Running In The Shadows * The Neoboys
Hour 2
Part IV: Run Run Run!
19.) Midnight Run * The Pyramids
20.) Run To The Hills * Iron Maiden
21.) Run For Your Life * Screamin’ Lord Sutch & The Undertakers
22.) Run Run Run * The Stimulators
23.) Runaway * Screeching Weasel
24.) Let’s Run * Blue Light Curtain
Part V: Run Away With Me
25.) Forerunner * Ornette Coleman
26.) Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) * The Temptations
27.) Run Paint Run Run * Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
28.) Run Away * Jandek
29.) Run Spook Run * Rod Keith
30.) If you See my Rooster Please Run Him Home * Memphis Minnie
31.) Running Gun * Marty Robbins
32.) Run * Gnarles Barkley
33.) I’ll Come Running * Brian Eno
34.) Run to the Sun * Eddy Detroit
35.) Children Running On The Radio
ABC’s, 123’s, MeYouWe’s (My recent efforts to alphabetize my record collection led us on a discussion of collections, and the behaviors related to them.)
Putting my new house in order – with a specific eye toward my recently assembled record collection – lead the cast of A Momentary Lapse of Reason to a rousing (and lengthy) discussion of systems and organization. Miss Rikki & I put together a great set of Alphabet rock, and obviously, a discussion of the habits of collectors and completists comes up pretty quickly. The Professor – regular guest on Closet Radio – is also in the studio, but usually chimes in when he’s at least 6 feet from the mic. Miss Rikki also shows off her incredibly awesome vintage dress, complete with belt. The Professor admits to some dangerous thinking, and questionable taste in music.
Enjoy!
Miss Rikki’s Fashion Show
ABC’s, 123’s, MeYouWe’s
Part I: Spell It Out For Me
01.) Indian Alphabet Chant (a-i-iddy-i-o-o-o) * Lucia Pamela * Into Outer Space With…
02.) L Y * Tom Lehrer * The Electric Company
03.) All Together Now * The Beatles * Yellow Submarine
04.) Alphabet Dance * Bill Horist * Lyric/Suite
05.) Spelling The Alphabet [Live] * Ornette Coleman * http://youtu.be/_zY2xMhzGRY
06.) Phonetic Alphabet * The Conet Project * https://archive.org/details/ird059
07.) A Progress Report on an Experimental Mathematics Project Part I * Edinah Gnang * http://youtu.be/ptHb4I7hDm8
Booberamapalloozafest Preview w/ Johnathon Boober (Johnathon Boober – local scenester and all around very cool gent – drops by our humble program to talk about the incredible event happening next week, and play some music by the bands that will be there.)
I met Johnathon Boober one night at a Karaoke bar (full disclosure: I ran the Karaoke), and we have been friends ever since. His sense of style, musical taste, artistic interests and inclinations, as well as his sharp wit have made him an invaluable friend, and I regularly miss his incredible radio endeavors when he was host of Is This Music? and Hogwash Hodgepodge & Musical Detritus.
However, you don’t have to go very far to see his influence on the music scene. With friends in more bands than you can safely fit on an iPod, Boober has put on some incredible shows over the years, and his annual Booberamapalloozafest is now four years strong, and an excellent example of the amazing bands he’s built relationships with. In this program, not only do we plug the fourth incarnation of this amazing event, but we listen to samples of the bands performing on this incredible bill. Basically, you’ll want to call in sick Friday, clear your calendar for the weekend, and spend the entire time at The Kenton Club, because shows like this are few and far between.
As mentioned in the program, Boober has hosted a number of great bands on the radio, and my predecessor was involved with two amazing ones: RABBITS & Nasalrod. I cannot say enough nice things about either band, and if you would like to relive these broadcasts to get yourself in the mood for March 8th, then I urge you to follow the links provided:
(Shhhhh. Don’t tell, but: the secret hidden playlist contains some excellent music, curated by me and Boober. Totally worth your time!)
Enjoy!
Booberamapalloozafest Preview
Part I: Birthday Rock
01.) Johnathon Boober Mix [Excerpt]
02.) Hello Ello * Nasalrod * Steward
03.) Reflection * RABBITS * RABBITS / WHORES Split 7″
04.) Show & Tell * Monogamy Party * False Dancers
05.) Eltit Gnos * ubik. * A Hideous Triumph of Form and Function
06.) Tiny Fists * The Fur Coats * Don’t Make Me Beg
07.) ?? * NighTraiN * ??
Part II: Unicorn vs. Pegasus
08.) Johnathon Boober Mix Part II [Excerpt]
09.) ?? * RLLRBLL * ??
10.) ?? * The Fur Coats * ??
Part III: Behind The Curtains
11.) Johnathon Boober Mix Part III [Excerpt]
12.) ?? * RLLRBLL * ??
Bonus DJ Set
<Secret Hidden Playlist>
13.) Ordinary Things * Monogamy Party * False Dancers
14.) ?? * RABBITS * Live on Is This Music?
15.) ?? * RLLRBLL * ??
16.) Under Leaves * Appendixes * False Color EP
17.) The Facebook Fiction Initiative * Austin Rich * acronyminc.blogpress.new
18.) Tell Me Something I Don’t Already Know * The Fur Coats * Goddamn, I’m a Handsome Man!
19.) Four Walls * Monogamy Party * False Dancers
20.) ?? * RABBITS * Live on Is This Music?
</Secret Hidden Playlist>
As a special bonus treat: Tunacan Jones was messaging Miss Rikki during the show, starting at about 6:23 PM. You can read his live comments, here:
Cuddle Time with Mr. Boober
you just ripped me off
My hogwash
you ripped off my cuddle with boober……stab me in the back while i’m listening and supporting the whole fucking sorry lot of ya
i quit
don’t ignore me
i know you’re reading these
i’m still listening.
I want to see what else you or willl rip off of my genius
i built kenton
i created that show
a moment without any mention of me
i publish those papers
i built his house
i’ll touch it
over and over and over again
PRAISE MY NAME
GOD DAMN IT
I’m posting on the internet
never said my name or that damn Boober
The Devo Tribute Show (We pay tribute to Bob Casale – Bob 2 – who passed away this week, by playing a bunch of Devo songs, and taking calls from Devo fans. Lot’s of gushing ensues.)
A Momentary Lapse of Reason goes into full tribute mode for the first time as we pay tribute to Bob 2’s band, Devo. For many, this was a national day of mourning, but rather than dwell on the loss, we tried to celebrate this amazing group with music and stories about them, and all their members. We take a couple of calls, share wonderful interview clips, and revel in one of the greatest artistic achievements of the 20th Century.
Enjoy!
The Devo Tribute Show
Part I: We’re All Devo!
01.) Devo Corporate Anthem * Devo * Duty Now For The Future
02.) Elephant * Mark’s Magic Pictures * Yo Gabba Gabba!
03.) The Bobacatto * Mark Mothersbaugh * The SubGenius Foundation
04.) Peek-A-Boo * Devo * Oh No! It’s Devo!
05.) Mongoloid [Live] * Devo * YouTube.com
06.) Through Being Cool * Devo * New Traditionalists
07.) Big Mess * Devo * Oh No! It’s Devo!
08.) Smart Patrol / Mr. DNA * Devo * Duty Now For The Future
Part II: Down The Devo Hole w/ David Berry
09.) The Royal Tenenbaums Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
10.) What Is De-Evolution? [Part I] * Devo * Night Flight
11.) Devo Is Visual * Devo * Night Flight
Part III: The Waiters Are In Full Effect w/ Justin In Seattle
12.) The Royal Tenenbaums Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
13.) Why Start Again? * Devo * Warner Bros. Promotional Video
14.) The Devo Energy Dome * Devo
Bonus DJ Set
<Secret Hidden Playlist>
15.) Be Stiff * Devo * “Be Stiff” b/w “Social Fools”
16.) One Dumb Thing * Devo * New Traditionalists
17.) Mongoloid * Devo * Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
18.) Speed Racer * Devo * Oh No! It’s Devo!
19.) Midget * Devo * Hardcore Devo Vol. 1
20.) Beautiful World * Devo * New Traditionalists
01.) Love Is Happiness * The Icarus Line * Mono * Buddyhead Records
02.) Crummy Lovers Die In The Grave * The Fucking Champs * V * Drag City Records
03.) Love Is… * King Missile * King Missile * Atlantic Records
04.) Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall In Love * Joan Jett & Paul Westerberg * Tank Girl: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack * Warner Bros. / Elektra Records
05.) Gimme Some Head * GG Allin & The Motor City Bad Boys * “Gimme Some Head” b/w “Dead Or Alive” * Orange Records
06.) Sex Junkie * Plasmatics * Beyond the Valley of 1984
07.) Love Song * The Damned * The Best of The Damned * Big Beat Records
08.) Ass Kisser’s Union * Claw Hammer * Hold Your Tongue (and Say Apple) * Interscope Records
09.) Cellophane Nirvana * The Salvation Army * Happen Happened * Frontier Records
10.) Ever Fallen In Love? * The Buzzcocks * Single Going Steady * EMI Records
11.) We Gotta Get Out Of This Place [Live] * Fear
12.) Love * Screeching Weasel * Boogadaboogadaboogada
13.) Cannibal Lover * Chevreuil * Capoeira * Sickroom
14.) Shotgun–I Love You * Billy Jack * Wrestling The Bald-Headed Champion * Space Age Bachelor Pad Records
15.) Don’t Worry * Sister Double Happiness
16.) I’m In Love With Your Mom * VOM * Live At Surf City
17.) A Love Supreme * Oswald Five-0 * “A Love Supreme” b/w “Crushproof”
18.) Political Song For Michael Jackson To Sing [Live] * Minutemen
19.) Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World * The Ramones
20.) Love Bomb * Ginderman * Grinderman
21.) Rio * Nip Drivers
22.) We Are In Love * Coachwhips * Double Death
23.) Love Lasts Forever (Sometimes) * Half Japanese * Loud And Horrible
24.) Love Love Love * The Queers * Grow Up
25.) What Love Is * Rocket From the Tombs * The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs
26.) This Is Me Without You * Hello Menno
27.) Are We There Yet? [Excerpt] * Pat Metheny
28.) Flamethrower Love * Poison Idea
29.) Bullet Train To Vegas * Drive Like Jehu * Yank Crime * Interscope
30.) No Depression * The Oblivion Seekers
31.) Pervert * The Descendents
32.) Window Shop For Love * The Wipers * Is This Real?
33.) Caterpillar EP * Unwound * Love And Fear
34.) Real Love * NoMeansNo
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Blasphuphmus Radio brings you a special presentation of an X Minus 1broadcast from 1957! It’s all part of that little piece of joy we like to think of as our weekly radio show. Ob-soive:
We rarely consider Valentine’s Day a radio-friendly holiday, but this year the combination of Sci-Fi and creepy love songs was just too irresistible to pass up. But stay tuned! Next week, DJ Will will be in the studio for a Grumpy Punk Valentine’s Day show to end all Valentine’s Day shows. Who says we don’t care about love?
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Part I * X Minus 1 * Lulu (31 October 1957) * NBC Radio
02.) Love Dance * Martin Denny
03.) Part II * X Minus 1 * Lulu (31 October 1957) * NBC Radio
04.) Interplanetary Love * Acid Mother’s Temple
05.) Modern Love Waltz * Philip Glass
06.) Love In (December) * Hal Blaine
07.) Part III * X Minus 1 * Lulu (31 October 1957) * NBC Radio
08.) A Disappointing Love * 101 Strings Orchestra * Astro Sounds From Beyond the Year 2000 * Scamp Records
09.) Satelite of Love * Lou Reed
10.) Love Song of the Saroo * Joe Meek & The Blue Men
11.) Love Cry * Albert Ayler
12.) Love Call (Alternate Version) * Ornette Coleman
I didn’t think it was possible either, but I managed to do an entire show on Valentine’s Day and not once did resorted to cynicism and irony! This was a really challenging show to program, but fortunately this year I actually have someone to celebrate with, and that helped point me in the right direction. Thanks babe!
Next week, stay tuned for the return of Blasphuphmus Radio Theater Presents! With the return of, “The Adventures of Superman, Part II.”
See ya in seven.
Songs For My Baby
01.) Sound Valentine [Excerpt I] * Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic
02.) Somewhere * Tom Waits
03.) Closer To My Baby * Dorothy Williams
04.) Can Your Monkey Do The Dog? * Rufus Thomas
05.) Birds And Bees * Carla & Rufus
06.) What A Man * Linda Lyndell
07.) A Man And A Half * Wilson Pickett
08.) Sound Valentine [Excerpt II] * Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic
09.) Bernadette * The Four Tops
10.) I Can’t Control Myself * The Troggs
11.) Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? * The Beatles
12.) Hit It And Quit It * Funkadelic
13.) Sound Valentine [Excerpt III] * Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic
14.) Boom Swagger Boom * The Murder City Devils
15.) Pablo Picasso * The Burning Sensations * Repo Man Soundtrack
16.) You Give Me Hot Pants! * The Agenda!
17.) Love Comes In Spurts * Richard Hell & The Voidoids
18.) Breathless * X
19.) My Funny Valentine * The Miles Davis Quintet * Cookin’ With…
Recreated using playlist information and the full hour that exists from this show, the original form of this broadcast was a two-hour special, featuring pre-recorded segments from the DJ after me, who would “appear” to discuss his VD plans with his girlfriend. Those segments, minus a handful of voice overs, are missing from this presentation.
However, what you do get is a fantastic DJ set by my friend Isosceles Diego, and the complete first hour, in all of it’s majesty and wonder. Thanks again buddy! You totally delivered a show when I was not ready to do one.
Enjoy!
Isosceles Diego’s Valentine’s Day Special
01.) Cudna suma * Disciplina Kicme * Ove ruke nisu male
02.) Pregenerate * June of 44 * In The Fishtank
03.) Treci vavilon * Darkwood Dugb * U nedogled
04.) Heroina savremenog doba * Jarboli * Budanje prolece
05.) Anarhija all over Bascarsija * Zabranjeno pusenje * Walter go brani sarajevo
06.) Voda u moru * Elektricni orgazam * Elektricni orgazam
07.) Ritam u kojem stojis * Presing * 600 nebo
08.) Generate * June of 44 * In the Fishtank
09.) Five Weetbix and Toast * Bird Nest Roys * –
10.) Wednesday She’s Coming Round * Able Tasmans * –
11.) Ash Grey * Verlaines * Hallelujah All the Way Home
12.) Crazy to Exist * josef k * entomology
13.) Oko moje glave * Sarlo Akrobata * Beograd – Paket Aranzman
14.) In the Fishtank * June of 44 * Modern Hereditary Dance
15.) Valentine * Tsunami * Deep End
16.) Valentine * Lois * Butterfly Kiss
17.) Valentine Card / Kantina / Were, Are And Was Or Is * Unwound * Fake Train
18.) Sing Blue Silver Interlude [Missing]
19.) Mozda ce pasti * Jarboli * Budanje prolece
20.) Gubitnik * Partibrejkers * Partibrejkers
21.) Sweet Smell * Eleventh Dream Day * Prairie School Freakout
22.) Mravalzhamieri * Choir of Shilda * Drinking Horns and Gramaphones
23.) You’ve Got To Be Modernistic * James P Johnson * King of Stride Piano
24.) Sleeping Through Heaven * Game Theory * Distortion of Glory
25.) Mocskos ido * Európa Kiadó * Love 82
26.) Sing Blue Silver Interlude [Missing]
27.) Fado Lisboa * Ercilia Costa * Ercilia Costa and Armandinho
Since today is VD, I decided to send an audio Valentine Card to the world with this schizophrenic and totally rockin’ show. While the first half is just… uhm… “interesting” (to quote some of my friends with a lower tolerance for experimental music), it builds to a triumphant finish with some top-notch metal. This one is for the history books, or at least the CIA’s files since the Number Stations Recording is in there. Such is life…
The VD Show
01.) Quang Duc [Live Excerpt] * John Rambo
02.) Fire * The Crazy World Of Arther Brown
03.) Brand New Sack / Epistemology * Witchy Poo
04.) Thaw Walt * Men’s Recovery Project
05.) Till Death Do Us Part * MX-80
06.) Locoweed In A Bottle * Melt Banana
07.) Chrome Cabal * Nice Nice
08.) “Hit It” * Fat Boys / Syd Louse
09.) Rambo / Murdock / Goldwater [Live Excerpt] * John Rambo
10.) Sticky Sticky * 1910 Fruitgum Company
11.) Greshi’s Dance * Cornflake Mandala
12.) Good Night * Messer Chups
13.) Medieval Dances * Bruce Haack, Esther Nelson & Dimension 5 Records
14.) Lift Ev’ry Voice And Sing * Shooby Taylor
15.) We’re Sort Of A Jazz Band * Hunger Artists
16.) Out Of Their Element * EFS
17.) Morter Waltz [Live Excerpt] * John Rambo
18.) Wahôf Fü Celz * Neutered Prunes
19.) Gary’s In The Park * Gary Wilson
20.) 3 Note Interval Signal * The Conet Project
21.) Iron Fist * Motörhead
22.) The Expendable 50 [Live] * John Rambo
23.) Dark Harbour / Green Mountain Airways / Illgagard Forever * C Average
24.) Legend Of Zelda Ending Theme * Nintendo
Bad Day (I broadcast under the foulest of moods, and Miss Rikki is there to bear the brunt.)
Miss Rikki & I discuss Snow Days, Bad Clients, and introduce a new Segment! Plus: Good music, and a secret bonus DJ set! (Shhhhhh. Don’t tell anyone.)
Enjoy!
Bad Day
Part I: “World’s Smallest Horse”
01.) I Cannot Tell You Where I Am Until I Love You [Excerpt Remix] * The Murmurists * I Cannot Tell You Where I Am Until I Love You
02.) Turf Gnarly * David Berry * http://soundcloud.com/david-h-berry
03.) World’s Smallest Horse * Bob Newhart * Newhart Season 2, Episode 20 [Excerpt]
04.) Neu! [Remix] * Neu! ’75
05.) The Fall * The Wipers * The Power of One
06.) Bad Days * The Flaming Lips * Clouds Taste Metallic
Part II: “Unveiling A New Segment”
07.) Heavens To Murgatroyd, Even! It’s Thee Headcoats!
08.) Miss Rikki & Austin Rich Chat About This & That.
09.) No Way Out * Together Pangea * Badillac (“We Have No Idea What This Sounds Like” Segment)
Part III: “Bad Clients”
10.) Memorial * Russian Circles
11.) Miss Rikki & Austin Rich Chat About This & That
12.) Another Green World * Brian Eno
Bonus DJ Set
<Secret Hidden Playlist>
13.) I Cannot Tell You Where I Am Until I Love You [Excerpt Remix] * The Murmurists * I Cannot Tell You Where I Am Until I Love You
14.) As Of Now * Ken Nordine * Transparent Mask
15.) Tommy Goes Berserk * The Melvins Lite * Freak Puke
16.) Gauze * KARP * Action Chemistry
17.) SPMC * The Icarus Line * Mono
While I was snowed in, I decided to retreat into the Lava Lamp Lounge to indulge in some Snow Day musical treats. This is a selection of my favorite audio that captures the mood I was going for, and I think this makes for a pretty good hour of reflective radio goodness. Arranged in three parts. Special thanks for our Waiter, David Berry, who offers us a great little closing treat he recorded yesterday as part of a dare. It sounds great, David. Well done.
Enjoy!
Snow Day.
Part I: Lost Snow
01.) Lost Snow [Excerpt] * Mono * Walking Cloud And Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered And The Sun Shined
02.) Cold * April Stevens * April Stevens The Weather Girl
03.) Snow Girl * The Billy Nayer Show * BNS
04.) Coldward And Stormward * Bishop of Battle * Prequel Plus
05.) The Fog Is Overflowing The Sewers. The Snow Is Clear Up To My Ass… Ankles. * Kermit Shafer * Pardon My Blooper
06.) Snowflakes and Stars [Excerpts] * Kaye Ballard & Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
07.) Precipice Of Ice * godheadSilo * Elephantitus Of The Night
08.) Cold Machine * Monogamy Party * False Dancers
09.) So Cold * Rocket From The Tombs * The Day The Earth Met The Rocket From The Tombs
Part II: At The First Fall of Snow
08.) Slow Ice, Old Moon * Brian Eno * Small Craft On A Milk Sea
09.) Snowflakes and Stars [Excerpts] * Kaye Ballard & Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
10.) Cold 2 * April Stevens * April Stevens The Weather Girl
11.) Steal Softly Through Snow * Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band * Grow Fins
12.) Crushed Ice * MX-80 * Hard Attack
13.) Freezing Cold * Mad Conflux * Get Back Discharged Arrow
14.) I’ve Got The Ice In Me * Enemy Mine * Enemymine EP
15.) “Hurry Up And Kill Me… I’m Cold.” * Mike Patton * Adult Themes For Voice
16.) Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside) * My Bloody Valentine * Isn’t Anything
17.) At The First Fall of Snow * Hank Williams
Part III: Ice Age
18.) Ice Castles * Ween * White Pepper
19.) Snow * April Stevens * April Stevens The Weather Girl.
20.) The Time Of The Big Snow [Excerpts] * Quiet Please * 2 January 1949 Broadcast
21.) Ice Age * Joy Division * Still
22.) Cold Day * The Flaming Lips * The Day They Shot A Hole In The Jesus Egg
23.) Fake Snow * Alpha Protist * Protiss (bee sides, rarities, & unfinished manifestoes)
24.) Ice * Sailboats * Adrift
25.) Snowstorm * Galaxie 500 * On Fire
26.) Breaking The Ice * Rice * Fuck You, This Is Rice
27.) Turf Gnarly * David Berry * http://soundcloud.com/david-h-berry
Shoegaze Showdown w/ Balms (The gents from Balms drop by for a quick chat as we deliver a slightly more “shoegazey” show that normal. Everyone wins.)
It’s Balms! This San Francisco group is on tour, and I was lucky enough to get them to come into the studio to plug their shows, while checking out their new self released EP. This is the first band I’ve had on the new program, and I was really excited to plug these guys. Fortunately, you get to enjoy the fruits of these labors.
In Part I, I feature selections from the EP, and some of the other bands that were playing with them during their show at The Know and Habesha Lounge. In Part II, not only do we get to meet Balms, but they allowed me to premier a song that has only previously been available from the Bandcamp page. It was a real pleasure to meet these guys, and next time we are absolutely getting them to perform a live set.
And, while we’re at it, here’s a video they made that is fantastic.
In Part III, not only did I replay the Audio Book version of “The Facebook Fiction Initiative” piece, but I address the issue of Underwriting. In order to keep KPSU on the air, there will be a Pledge Drive coming soon, and I want to toy with the idea of getting micropayments from our listeners. This would allow us to avoid having to get a few large donors, and instead collect much smaller payments from a large number of folks. Spare change for radio. For every dollar you put in, you won’t have to put in any more. I’m working out ways that this can work for us, and if you have ideas, I would love to hear them.
Thanks again Balms for coming down to KPSU. They are welcome on our program at any time.
Enjoy!
Shoegaze Showdown w/ Balms
Part I: “Surface To Grave”
01.) Surface * Balms * Balms * Self Released
02.) Lay Your Head Down * Here Come Dots * Dusk * http://herecomedots.bandcamp.com/
03.) At Dagger’s Drawn * Hang The New Year * The Tower * http://hangtheoldyear.bandcamp.com
04.) Grave * Balms * Balms * Self Released
Part II: “All Right”
05.) Pet Sounds * The Beach Boys
06.) Balms Interview
07.) All Right * Balms * Balms * Self Released
Part III: “Underwriting Promises”
08.) The Facebook Fiction Initiative * Austin Rich * acronyminc.blogpress.new
09.) Catastrophic * Beach Party * Beach Party * http://beachpartypdx.bandcamp.com
10.) Another Green World * Brian Eno
Bonus DJ Set
<Secret Hidden Playlist>
11.) While You’re Sleeping, I’m Dreaming * Tamaryn * Tender New Signs
12.) No Medicine For Regret * Mogwai * Rave Tapes
13.) You Are Not A Cat * Dry Cleaners * Lost In The Supermarket * BlasphuphmusRadio.com
14.) Lorelei * Cocteau Twins * Treasure
15.) In Silence * Sean Sandor * Pas Musique / Ben Link Collins / Shaun Sandor Split
16.) Vern’s Answer To The Masses * Unwound * The Future of What * Kill Rock Stars
17.) Here Come The Dogs * Unwound * The Future of What
18.) Monstre Sacre * Stereolab
The Inter-Web-A-Tron offers the wonders of the past in the present… or the future! And in this case, it’s good that we can unite all three, because I ran sound for the only Cramps tribute band that matters, Bikini Girls With Machine Guns!
With the (then recent) passing of Lux Interior, there have been a number of radio tributes, but with a live performance by an actual tribute band, you more or less can’t go wrong. Especially with the choice of musicians filling out the band: half of the sorely-missed Eat Your Heart Out combined with all of the still-amazing Hairspray Blues. Of course, hosting it on Ranger Mike’s signal-to-noise ratio was an excellent choice too, and of course, having the wonderful Miss Meghan return to radio as Mike’s co-host was just the icing on the cake. (Meghan hosted the very-much-missed Songs The Lord Taught Us show before she decided to travel the world for a few years.) All in all, it was the COOLEST hour of radio that’s been broadcast in quite some time, and you would be remiss in your duties as an American not to listen.
(This program was originally broadcast of 3 February 2009.)
Today’s episode of Blasphuphmus Radio asks the question: where have all the Groundhog songs gone?
Today I’m featuring songs about Ground, Hogs, and Shadows. Who knows how much longer this season will last? Only the Groundhog’s Shadow, knows! Bwahahahahahahahahaha!
I was absolutely shocked at how little Groundhog music there was to play for this show. Any musicians out there looking for something to write about, now’s your chance!
About halfway through the show I give a rambling and disjointed history of Groundhog Day. Most of the information was culled from several passes over the Inter-Web-A-Tron, so it’s as reliable as anyone else is these days.
I think I prefer the second half of the show myself.
A Day Off From Work (Featuring thoughts on Super-Hereos, Green Lantern, Blue Beetle, Soriah, Admiran, & our financial future.)
As I stay at home to celebrate this magnificent paid day off, it’s only fair that I produce a new episode for 2014. Jumping right into the program, I threw together a full hour of audio of the Blasphuphmus variety. With all the cool things I’ve been working on recently, it’s nice to work on something a little more fun.
Part I of our show continues the theme of new records I’ve recently acquired, and all of them are pretty awesome. I was also able to pull out a bit of a theme, which set up the remainder of the program.
Blue Beetle!
Part II contains a completely new segment, where I discuss some comics that I’ve been reading recently. I recently picked up the first three volumes of the trade books published for DC’s New 52, which follows the swan-song by Green Lantern scribe Geoff Johns. I give my honest opinion, but it isn’t nice. While this is new, something old joins our program, too: The Blue Beetle! Syndicating the program from 1940, we’ll be presenting serialized Blue Beetle stories as they were originally broadcast. The first storyline is titled “Smashing Dope Ring,” where Blue Beetle tries to stop a gang of dope peddlers. Will Blue Beetle succeed? There’s only one way to find. out.
We close with some experimental drone pieces, in an effort to draw attention to a new video playlist we just launched, featuring live performances by Soriah on What’s This Called? Not to toot my own horn, but I recorded the audio, filmed and produced these videos, along with the help of Jonathan Howitt’s son. These came out pretty good, and really capture how excellent Soriah is.
I conclude with the a request to work with listeners in an effort to fund this program. While some formal fundraising efforts will be coming together in the near future, one way to show your support (and get something back from us) would be to donate any amount – change, singles, other amounts larger than $1.00 – through our handy Pay Pal account. You can send donations to austinrich@gmail.com, and in return for every donation of any amount, you will get some sort of gift from us that fits the kind of donation you make. We have some cool projects coming that we’ll be specifically raising money for, but if you just want to kick something our way, that would be the way to do it.
That’s all we have this week. We’ll be back soon with more. Until then, take care!
And: Enjoy!
A Day Off From Work
Part I: Heroes & Villians (A Vinyl Solution)
01.) Peter Gunn * Henry Mancini
02.) Heroes & Villians * The Beach Boys
03.) Secret Agent Man * Johnny Rivers
04.) Goodnight Mrs. Flintstone * The Piltdown Men
05.) Coesville * Johnny Zorro
06.) Twist Twist Señora * Gary “US” Bonds
07.) Puddin’ * Ernie Freeman
Part II: Comics, Now & Then
08.) Side 1, Disc 4 of “The Golden Age of Entertainment”
09.) Smashing Dope Ring Part I * Blue Beetle * 15 May 1940
The State Of The Podcast Address (Featuring the shape of things to come, and enough of the same old same old to keep you coming back for more.)
2013 has been a transitional year for our program, and as Blasphuphmus Radio has been expanding and changing during this time, we take this hour to reflect on the changes, draw attention to some new projects that we are involved in, and reveal a big change in the program that will signify the future of this entity, and program.
I have been kicking around the new format of this show for a while, and this year has been full of searching and discovering what the podcast format of this program will, ultimately, be. There have been more live broadcasts, video offerings, and a host of other differences this year, and while I’ve tried to return to the old gimmicks, some of them haven’t translated into the modern age. A lot of this has to do with the revelation in the back third of this episode. Still, I can’t say that the old formats are gone. Just being delayed and retooled, so to speak.
The “radio almanac” form of the show will make every effort to use the one-hour mark as a flag indicating that I need to wind things up. The first 20 minutes of every show will be music and audio, edited to my liking. The last two segments – 20 minutes each – will be dedicated to talk segments. Hopefully these segments will not only bring this show new things and changes as 2014 unfolds, but will offer us a chance to re-evaluate what radio means to us.
Here’s a few notes about todays broadcast:
All of the music in today’s episode comes from music that I obtained very recently during a trip to Salem, Oregon for the holidays. Part I is all vinyl selections. While The Vince Guaraldi trio is a record too, the Gershwin & Japanese flute music are from CDs. (Full disclosure.)
In Part II and Part III of the show, we give an overview of some of the projects that I have been working on in 2013. First up, we have the What’s This Called? UltraBlog!This is an archive of all the existing broadcasts by Ricardo Wang for his program, What’s This Called? I spent a lot of time this year organizing, editing, remastering, and uploading the shows from the last 8 years of WTC broadcasts, and they are now available for public consumption. There’s a wealth of material here that we are very excited to offer, and you really should access the link above. (You can also find us on Facebook now, too.)
I’ve also been working on the A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. Inc.’s 20th Anniversary Releases, where I’ve been remastering and offering digital versions of Austin Rich’s old publications from the last 20 years. There are a number of cool publications available that haven’t been available since their original releases, in some cases dating back to the early 90’s. Check out the site and you can find all our publications.
Lastly, we really want you to investigate the neat things being offered on YouTube Channel. We’ve been uploading and editing a number of great videos that you can watch on this very channel. We’ve got live videos by Monogamy Party, ALTO!, Gaythiest, Jennifer Robin & Jacob Anderson, The Dead Air Fresheners, DEAD, Towers, and a whole slew of other artists. All of this is available for viewing right now, to access the link above and enjoy.
Hopefully this is the beginning of something new that we’ll all be able to enjoy in 2014. In the meantime, there’s plenty to enjoy in the hear and now. Hopefully, you’re on the same page.
Keep up the good work. Happy 2014!
The State Of The Podcast Address
Part I: Everything You Know Is Wrong (A Vinyl Solution)
01.) Our Prayer * The Beach Boys * Smile
s02.) ‘This Is Leonard Nimoy’ * Mutual Radio Theater * Programs For The Week of 12 May 1980
03.) (Excerpts From) Everything You Know Is Wrong (Side A) * Firesign Theater * Everything You Know Is Wrong
04.) The Great Imposter * The Piltdown Men * (45)
05.) Crazy… Crazy… * Perez Prado And His Orchestra * (45)
06.) Raunchy * Ernie Freeman * (45)
07.) Sweet * Red Satyrs * No Hold Back… All Attack!!!: Twin Cities Hardcore Punk Rock & Roll
08.) No Trespassing * The Ventures * (45)
09.) Road Hog * Johnny Zorro * (45)
10.) Dance To The Music * Sly & The Family Stone * (45)
Part II: What’s This Called? Really?
11.) Rhapsody In Blue * Royal Promenade Orchestra, Nigel Simpson (Piano / Conductor) * Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue
12.) Excerpt * Crank Sturgeon & Pop Culture Rape Victim * 7 April 2007 ‘What’s This Called?’ Performance
Part III: The Past Comes Back
13.) Jokyoku “Tsuki” Ranjo * The Art Of The Japanese Bamboo Flute
14.) Take No Odori * The Art Of The Japanese Bamboo Flute
15.) Mr. Magazine Man * Hazel * Drinking From Puddles: A Radio History
16.) Kurui * The Art Of The Japanese Bamboo Flute
17.) Inaka-Bue * The Art Of The Japanese Bamboo Flute
18.) O Tannenbaum * The Vince Guaraldi Trio * A Charlie Brown Christmas
19.) What Child Is This? * The Vince Guaraldi Trio * A Charlie Brown Christmas
20.) My Little Drum * The Vince Guaraldi Trio * A Charlie Brown Christmas
As we close this year’s Halloween Spook-tacular we do it with two guest stars that make any Halloween gathering well worth the effort: Basil Rathbone & Vincent Price! Those two alone almost make anything worthy of Halloween viewing, no matter what the premise, and in this case, reenacting a story by Edgar Allen Poe only seals the deal. Minus some bad acting, this is a great way to close out the spooky season, as we segue into overeating and songs about snow.
While I do make fun of the acting in this movie, this era of horror films were absolutely seminal in the world of horror films and horror music. Roger Corman’s studios made so many movies – many from excellent source material – that occasionally a real gem will get lost in the mix. Price and Rathbone’s overacting is only half the fun, and the clips from this movie make for some compelling audio theater. Plus, there’s plenty of early sixties monster songs to keep everything flowing smoothly.
I really love putting together these shows, and Halloween music is some of my favorite music. Plus, my Horror Host – who has really transformed into a sort of Ghoulardi character at this point – is a lot of fun to do. Hopefully, you’re enjoying it too.
Lots of cool stuff on the horizon. But until then, take care, okay.
Happy Halloween!
The Fact in the Case of M. Valdemar
Part I: To Escape A Pitiful & Painful Decline To Death!
01.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part I
02.) The Mad Scientist * The Zanies * 1958
03.) Graveyard * The Phantom 5 * 1966
04.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part II
05.) Nightmare * Scottie Stuart * 1960
06.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part III
07.) The Whip * The Creeps * 1959
08.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part IV
09.) Midnight Stroll * The Revels * 1959
Part II: The Time Has Come.
10.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part V
11.) Down In The Basement * The Munsters * 1964
12.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part VI
13.) Igor’s Lament * Tony’s Monstrosities * 1960
14.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part VII
15.) Cha-Cha With The Zombies * The Upperclassmen * 1959
16.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part VIII
17.) Dead * The Poets * 1958
Part III: You Do But Sleep!
18.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part IX
19.) The Monster Hop * Bert Convy * 1958
20.) Spooky * George Barnes * 1959
21.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part X
22.) Rockin’ Zombie * The Crewnecks * 1961
23.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part XI
24.) Frankenstein Stomp * Lorry & The Biters * 1965
25.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part XII
26.) Wombie Zombie * Billy Taylor * 1959
27.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part XIII
28.) The Lurch * Ted Cassidy * 1966
29.) “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” Part XIV
30.) The Boogie Man * The Cadillacs * 1960
31.) The Blob * The Five Blobs * 1958
32.) Frankie And Igor At A Rock ‘N’ Roll Party * Bob MicFadden * 1959
I am always looking for ways to mash-up my own themes and tropes, and when it dawned on me to do a Halloween Spook-tacular AND a new installment of Blasphuphmus Radio Goes To The Movies, it was hard not to follow this idea to its most logical conclusion. With that in mind, I put together three Audio Essays, each focused on a different Famous Monster from the classic era of Hollywood Horror. Vampires! Frankenstein! The Werewolf! They’re all right here, in this Monster Movie Party!
Credit must be given where credit is due: this show is also inspired by the Wavy Gravy compilations that were put out by Beware Records. Starting in the late 80’s and early 90’s, this label was putting out compilations of hard-to-find rock and roll gems, interjecting trailers for b movies. This was clearly inspired by the mix tapes that Lux Interior had been making since the ’70’s, and of course, the radio work of The Mad Daddy. Since these records were released in a pre-Internet era, it can’t be stressed how strange and incredible these albums were, when this kind of stuff was hard to find. It was their idea of including trailers that has really swept the radio landscape for DJs and oddballs who are into this kind of music, and since I was mining that period in rock history for this show, it only makes sense to do the same.
The early ’60’s – my cut-off date for this show – is a very interesting period in rock music. The beginning sounds of what would become Garage Rock is starting to take shape, but the sound is still heavily rooted in that late ’50’s naiveté. But Shock Theater is starting to take over late night television, and the shape of things to come is just as scary. I really enjoyed putting this show together, and I hope you did it as much as I do.
Enjoy!
Monster Movie Party!
Part I: Vampires!
01.) “Atom Age Vampire” Trailer * Anton Giulio Majano * 1963
02.) Vampira * Bobby Bare * 1958
03.) Vampire * The Crystals * 1960
04.) “Macabre” Trailer * William Castle * 1958
05.) Screamin’ Ball (At Dracula Hall) * The Duponts * 1957
06.) “Dracula” Trailer * 1931
07.) Graveyard Cha Cha * The Three D’s * 1959
08.) “The Vampire & The Ballerina” Trailer * 1960
Part II: Frankenstein!
09.) “I Was A Teenage Frankenstein” * Herbert L. Strock * 1957
10.) At The House Of Frankenstein * Big Bee Kornegay * 1958
11.) Satan Takes A Holiday * Tommy Dorsey * 1937
12.) “Frankenstein” Trailer * James Whale * 1931
13.) Frankenstein Rock * Eddie Thomas * 1958
14.) “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” Trailer * 1963
15.) You Can Get Him Frankenstein * Castle Kings * 1961
16.) “Calling Dr. Death” Trailer * 1943
17.) Don’t Meet Mr. Frankenstein * Carlos Casual Jr. * 1962
18.) “Frankenstein’s Daughter” Trailer * 1958
Part III: The Werewolf!
19.) Dead Man Blues * Jelly Roll Morton * 1926
20.) “The Werewolf” Excerpt * Alan Smithee * 1935
21.) The Werewolf * Carl Bonafede * 1960
22.) “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” * 1956
23.) Werewolf * Garry Warren * 1958
24.) “The Curse of The Werewolf” Trailer * 1961
25.) Mr. Werewolf * The Kac Ties * 1963
26.) “The Wolf Man” Trailer * 1941
27.) Monster Party * Bill Doggett * 1959
Chance of A Ghost! (Featuring Halloween selections from the 1950’s and earlier as we continue this years Halloween Spook-tacular!)
I often associate Peter Lorre with this time of year, as his voice is forever associated with the 100s of imitators who would do his voice as a Halloween Shorthand when I was growing up. His career in film is incredibly well known, but his radio career is less familiar. So I was happy to find a program he hosted that fits the Halloween theme perfectly: Nightmare, a supernatural anthology show that presented a different story every week, hosted by the Master of Macabre, Peter Lorre himself. For this particular broadcast, I chose an episode from the mid-1950’s, and decided to pair it with a fair amount of period music to bring the point home.
As was typical for these kinds of Ghost Stories, there is only the smallest hint that something supernatural has happened during the tale, and even that is handwaved by the participants at the very end. However, as we can see in comparison to last week’s program, rather than report something “supposedly true,” we are starting to get to the point where radio was dramatizing the story, in a way that sets a very good Halloween mood. Considering that the 1950’s saw a resurgence of the Universal Horror Pictures – coupled with The Shock Theater TV package of horror movies that was sold to most stations in the mid-50’s – horror was starting to take hold of the public at large. (Horror comics started to sell like crazy in these days, too.) However, this was a budding genre, and there were still a lot of “mood” pieces that were not so much scary, but evoked the imagination. This is exactly where Nightmare fits in.
Finding musical accompaniment for this episode was harder than I thought it would be. While there is plenty of music that is labeled “1950’s Horror,” when you start to actually compare dates, many of these songs are from 1960 or later. The musical “monster craze” really doesn’t get started until 1957, when Shock Theater was nationwide, and people were seeing horror on TV late at night. However, there were enough songs to help flesh out the show, and in some cases, foreshadow bits and pieces of the story. I was pretty pleased with the evolution of music from last week to this week, and hopefully we’ll continue this evolution as we begin to enter the 1960’s, when the Monster Song genre really began to take off.
Among the selections from this show include a few really excellent gems worth mentioning: Tarantual Ghoul And Her Gravediggers! While I had heard this song on a few compilations prior to this show, in researching this artist I discovered that she was actually a Horror Host here in Portland Oregon in 1957 – 1959 on KPTV! You can find a few images of her here, and I would recommend searching around for other images and the flip side of her 45, “King Kong.” Clearly influenced by Vampira and the other Horror Hosts of the era, this is a great discovery for me, and I’m very excited to learn more about her. Novelty Record nerd will also like to hear that “The Casual Three” is actually a Dickie Goodman production, of the incredibly duo “Buchanan & Goodman,” most well known for their hit, “The Flying Saucer.” While it was common for people to work under a number of names in those days, I thought I knew just about everything there is to know about those guys. Always something new to learn.
Stay tuned, as we will be edging our way into the 1960’s, with more of our Halloween Spook-tacular, 2013!
Enjoy!
Chance of A Ghost!
Part I: Nightmare In A Haunted House!
01.) Chance of A Ghost * Peter Lorre * Nightmare (31 March 1954) (Throughout The Show)
02.) Nightmare Hop * Earl Patterson * 1959
03.) Skeleton In The Closet * Artie Shaw & His Orchestra * 30 October 1936
04.) The Ghost Song * Salty Holmes * 1954
05.) Dead * The Poets * 1958
06.) Haunted House * Cris Kevin And The Comics * 1959
07.) Mad House Jump * The Daylighters * 1959
Part II: In The Graveyard!
08.) Satan Takes A Holiday * John Cali & Tony Guttuso * 1937
09.) Graveyard Rock * Tarantual Ghoul And Her Gravediggers * 1958
10.) Graveyard Boogie * Buster Doss & His Arkansas Playboys * 1948
11.) Nightmare * Jack Turner * May 1955
12.) Midnight Monster’s Hop * Jack And Jim * 1959
Part III: What Is And Isn’t There!
13.) White Ghost Shivers * The New Orleans Owls * 1926
14.) He’s A Vampire * Archie King * 1959
15.) The Invisible Thing * The Casual Three * 1958
16.) The Rockin’ Ghost * The Modernaires * 1962
17.) Nightmares * John Lowell
18.) The Monster * Bobby Please * 1959
19.) Swingin’ At The Seance * The Deep River Boys * 1940
20.) Ghost Satellite * Bob & Jerry * 1958
The Ghost of General Moulton! (Featuring Halloween selections from the 1940’s and earlier as we begin this years Halloween Spook-tacular!)
Since 2003 I’ve been actively collecting Halloween music and recordings, and since 2004 I’ve been hosting this annual Halloween Spook-Taculars on my program. What can I say? This is my favorite time of year, and my favorite kind of music. I’ve been listening to Halloween Music for the last few months, in and effort not only to get into the spirit, but to continue the quest to find new and exciting music. And this year is no exception, as I found a huge treasure-trove of Halloween goodies that I cannot wait for you to hear!
Using a somewhat chronological format for presentation this year, this first show is offering music from the Pre-1940’s ear of Halloween Music. Halloween is a very old celebration, but the music side of this holiday has often been suppressed, or relegated to the “novelty” portion of any record collection. This is a shame, as music like this is really evocative, and presents a kind of musical narrative that is absent from so many other kinds of music. It’s always a pleasure to find a new song about ghosts and monsters, especially from this early period when the “novelty hit” hadn’t quite made it possible to make a whole career out of spooky songs.
To complement today’s selection of songs, we have a period radio broadcast of the Yankee Yarns series, a show hosted by Alton Blackington, who would present a story rooted in Americana in some form or another. For this particular episode – The Ghost of General Moulton – he retells the life story of Johnathan Moulton, and the spooky tale surrounding his life (and death). It not only fit the theme and the mood of our annual Spook-taculars, but is a very curious piece of radio history, making it doubly relevant to our interests.
I’m going to make every effort to bring you a show every week this month, and for next week’s program we’ll be creeping into the 1950’s. Welcome to Blasphuphmus Radio’s Halloween Spook-tacular 2013!
Enjoy!
The Ghost of General Moulton!
Part I: Ghost Dance
01.) “A Welcome Date On Our Calendar” * Bing Crosby * Philco Radio Time 30 October 1946
02.) The Halloween Song * Bing Crosby & Boris Karloff * Philco Radio Time 29 October 1947
03.) Ghost Dance * Truett & George * 1927
04.) The Ghost of General Moulton * Yankee Yarns w/ Alton Blackington * 13 October 1943 (throughout the program)
05.) Ghost In The Graveyard * The Prairie Ramblers * 1938
06.) I’m A Ghost * Scrappy * “Scrappy’s Ghost Story” Cartoon 1935
07.) Haunted House * Ray Noble & His All Stars * 1931
08.) The Skeleton Rag * The American Quartet * 1912
Part II: T’ain’t No Sin
09.) T’aint No Sin * Fred Hall & His Sugar Babies * 1928
10.) The Bat * Alvino Rey & His Orchestra * 1959
11.) The Skeleton In The Closet * Putney Dandridge * 1936
12.) The Wobblin’ Goblin * Rosemary Clooney * 1950
13.) Haunted House * Betty Grable & Dan Dailey * “My Blue Heaven” 1950
14.) Halloween Spooks * Lambert, Hendricks & Ross * 1962
15.) The Boogie Man * Todd Rollins & His Orchestra w/ Chick Bullock * 1934
Part III: The House Is Haunted
16.) Haunted Blues * Memphis Minnie * 1937
17.) Nightmare * Artie Shaw * 1938
18.) With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm * Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees * 1937
19.) The House Is Haunted (By The Echo of Your Last Goodbye) * Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra * 1937
20.) Skeleton In The Closet * Louis Armstrong * 1936
21.) The Ghost Walk * Borrah Minnevitch * 1933
For this particular team up between Blasphuphmus Radio and Ricardo Wang, we bring you the hypnotic and meditative sounds of ALTO! This three piece consisting of two drummers and a guitar player present composed and improvised musical pieces that can exceed 20 minutes, but run as concisely as an AM Rock Song. Think of them as equal parts Glenn Branca and Stravinsky, with an ear for all things Sun City Girls. This combination brings you a fantastic recording that you just have to hear to believe.
ALTO! were one of THE acts to see at NoFest a few weeks back, and this performance was in anticipation of their gig that same evening at Slim’s in Historic St. John’s. If you were at that show: thank you! You helped raise enough money to keep shows like What’s This Called? on the air. You also got to see some incredible performances by a number of other artists, and both footage and recordings from that night are pending. In the meantime, this document of their Radio Performance will give you an idea of how incredible these guys are. There are three releases available on altoexclamationpoint.bandcamp.com, and if you get a chance to see them, pick up their LP. It is incredible!
For this show, I was lucky enough to engineer the band, and aside from two small imperfections in the engineering, I think the sound is pretty great. ALTO! is very much an ASMR trigger for me, and their performances was really incredible for me. I was very lucky to get to be involved in such a cool show.
01.) Indian Summer * Sonic Boom & Spectrum * What Came Before
02.) Interplanetary Music * Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra * Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth / Interstellar Low Ways
03.) Duck & Cover * The Red Krayola * Hazel
04.) Live! * Alto! * What’s This Called?
05.) Season of The Witch * Donovan * Sunshine Superman
06.) Interview! * Alto! * What’s This Called?
07.) Whistling Teapot (Rag) * Smog * The Doctor Came At Dawn
Labor Day has never really meant anything to me in the past, mostly because I either had to work or study that day, anyway. It really only means something when you have a job that gives you the day off – with pay – and that’s something that I never got to experience until I got a real job. Of course, my disdain for the problems that come with capitalism is something I can’t really shake, no matter how hard I try. With that in mind, I decided to offer another installment of the Workin’ Man’s Blues, focusing on more songs about work, working, labor, and other such important thoughts.
In the first part of the show, I do a bit of a Noam Chomsky mix, which I was quite proud of. In part two of the show, I preview a portion of the audio-version of the new ‘zine I just put out. Then, in part three, I cut to the chase, and bring you a mix of music that suits me right. It’s a pretty sweet show, if’n you ask me, and I was happy to get a show squeezed in this weekend, among the other stuff I managed to wrap up and finish this weekend.
Fall is approaching, and we’re getting ready to batten down the hatches for the year. However, we’ll still be producing shows, just at a different rate, and with a slightly different focus.
Short, sweet, and to the point. Enjoy!
Workin’ Man’s Blues Part II
Part I: Wage Slave w/ People Skills
01.) Labor Day * The Dead Milkmen * Dead Milkmen Take the Airwaves Live Broadcast on WXPN-FM May 6, 1984
02.) The Great Climax * The Work * Rubber Cage
03.) Working Man * Rush *
04.) Everyone Is A Wage Slave * Noam Chomsky * Activism, Anarchism and Power (2002)
05.) The Gold We’re Digging * Parts and Labor * Mapmakers
06.) People Skills * Tom Smykowksi * Office Space
07.) Loosen This Job * No Age * Werido Rippers
Part II: Cog In The Machine
08.) Hard Work * Mogollar * Hava Narghile
09.) Your Sanitation Department In Action * Bob & Ray * Lost Episodes Vol. 4
10.) Eat Sleep Work Fuck * Bovine Impulse * Panic On 13th Cassette
11.) The Cog * Hot Victory * Keep Our Heads * Eolian Empire
12.) Put The Clock Back On The Wall * Austin Rich * acronyminc.blogpress.new (Audio Edition)
Part III: Jobs Are For Chumps
13.) Job * Swans * Filth / Body To Body, Job To Job
14.) Give Me A Job You Shits * Half Eye * It’ll Come To You
15.) Summer Job * Art Brut * Art Brut vs. Satan
16.) The Dirty Jobs * The Who * Quadrophenia
17.) Worker Bee * Angst * Not So Quiet On The Western Front
18.) Workhouse Blues * Mattie May Thomas * American Primitive: Pre-War Revenants 1887 – 1939
19.) Accountancy Shanty * Monty Python * Monty Python Sings
The Fourth of July Picnic: partially cannibalized from a Negativland release, this is a july forth presentation that was a lot of fun to put together. Hopefully, you’ll agree!
Live From An Actual 4th of July BBQ: Mixed with some killer tunes and a live phone call to an actual BBQ, this is one of my all-time favorite shows from the first wave of KPSU broadcasts. Enjoy!
New Shows! We’ve expanded our network to include two new shows:
Closet Radio! You can now podcast this program for free from iTunes. We also host all the back episodes on our server. Everything is available, for free or download!
The Night Shift! We’ve also added a goth show! You can paste this link into your RSS aggregator of choice, and enjoy all the back episodes from us, too.
01.) Video Games Buried In The Desert * By The End Of Tonight * Fireworks On Ice
02.) Your Street vs. Wall Street * The Oxes * The Oxes
03.) New Laws * Don Caballero * For Respect
04.) The Pittmans 4th of July Speech * Bob & Ray * The Lost Tapes Vol. 2
Social media has come to dominate every part of our lives. People share music, movies, trips to the coast and, yes, photos of their breakfasts in an effort to journal publicly, in real time, day in and day out. As we are constantly plugged into our Myfacester+ accounts through computers in our pockets, our desk and/or lap oriented tops, and the coffeemaker we program to greet us each day, as we live out the longest, daily-broadcast reality show where no plot advances, no characters develop, and no one is ever voted off of anything.
It is time for a change.
The Facebook Fiction Initiative is an attempt to create something interesting out the deluge of lack-of-status updates, consta-grams, and the digital ejaculate we are swimming in daily. Let’s remove the Non-Fiction from our timelines, and start making things up as we interact with each other.
As the simulacrum of social interaction begins to slowly replace the actual social interaction we used to value, we must remind each other that the 1 and 0 lives we live should not be confused for the so-called real deal that our physical bodies are constantly undergoing. With each fictional post you make to social media, you reclaim your experiential existence outside of screens in a way that no amount of eBaying can fulfill. If we can draw a hard line between the conversations we have in person, and the fictional ones we pretend to have via the Inter-Web-A-Tron, we can ignore the crippling notion that the future is becoming more and more impersonal, and slowly killing our everyday existence.
So: log into your social media accounts. Fill them with made up ideas, slightly believable lies, photoshopped impossible images, and excerpts from the novel you’ve been writing in your head. Promise yourself that you will never post a Truth to your Twitter, never a fact in your Facebook, and that Tumblr will be full of fanciful wonder.
The Facebook Fiction Initiative: taking back social media from The Horrible Truth. You can make a difference, if you start lying today.
Brought to you by BlasphuphmusRadio.com. WE NOW LIVE IN THE FUTURE!
Happy Father’s Day everyone! As we continue to attempt new and exciting things on our program, we are experimenting with a radio format that has more or less disappeared from the dial in the last several decades: a Radio Almanac. These kinds of programs were a kind of variety show, where news, historic anecdotes, music, dramatic readings, sketch comedy, and more were all put in a blender and presented as part of a broadcast for your entertainment. With that in mind, here is my first attempt at something like this, inspired by one of the last great people to attempt something like this, Mr. Orson Welles himself!
I’ve been more than a little obsessed with him lately. (If you aren’t really listening to it already, then you should start podcasting Orson Welles On The Air IMMEDIATELY.) His radio broadcasts were incredible, and in the days where he was the king of radio, he was also at the height of his powers. It’s also incredibly unusual to hear Orson perform comedy, as much of his other career has erased from memory the fact that he was good at it, too. I’ve been looking for a way to sneak his material into our program, and when I hit upon the idea of trying my hand at this kind of radio. As this is my first stab at it, I’m still zeroing in on what does (and doesn’t) work in this format. Hopefully, I can iron out all the kinks as time goes on.
Debuting in this episode is the beginning of my serialization of the incredible Sci-Fi classic, The Moon Maid by Edgar Rice Burroughs. (As I like to say, “The OTHER Burroughs.”) As I began reading this book, I was stunned at the kind of story I was being hit with, which is equal parts Flash Gordon and Jorge Borges. I’ve been kicking around the idea of adding new features to the program, and this seemed like the perfect way to introduce something new and something old at the same time. In this episode, I read the Prologue of this novel. Chapter One, hopefully, will be coming soon.
Father Songs abound in this episode, and I also try to give a little background on this particular holiday, centered around everyone’s favorite patriarch. However, this show should be suitable for all members of the family, whether you have a father or not. Consider this a mish-mash of the kinds of things I love, and hopefully, stuff you love, too.
Enjoy!
Father’s Day Special
01.) Orson Welles Radio Almanac [Excerpts] * 14 June 1944
02.) Orson Welles Radio Almanac [Excerpts] * 21 June 1944
03.) Father * The Great Society * Collector’s Item * Columbia Records
04.) On A Frontier of Fables [Excerpt] * Jonn Serrie * Planetary Chronicles, Volume II * Miramar, Miramar Records
05.) Orson Welles Radio Almanac [Excerpts] * 14 June 1944
06.) Orson Welles Radio Almanac [Excerpts] * 21 June 1944
07.) My Father * King Missile III * The Psychopathology of Everyday Life * Instinct Records
08.) Orson Welles Radio Almanac [Excerpts] * 21 June 1944
09.) Father * Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 * Admonishing The Bishops * Matador Records
10.) On A Frontier of Fables [Excerpts] * Jonn Serrie * Planetary Chronicles, Volume II * Miramar, Miramar Records
11.) Orson Welles Radio Almanac [Excerpts] * 21 June 1944
12.) Father’s Song * Stinking Lizavetta * Tolotta Records
13.) Orson Welles Radio Almanac [Excerpts] * 21 June 1944
Continuing our presentation of the infamous KABC-TV broadcast from 1982, we bring you Part II of our “We Destroy The Family” series. In Part II, Paul Moyer continues his “expose” on the Punk Problem in America, by interviewing the Hodgins’ Family (Rod, Carolyn, Rod Jr. & Rhonda), as they discuss the problems that exist in their formerly happy household. To accompany today’s installment, I include some of The Grumpy Punk’s favorite songs from the period. (Here’s a link to Part I, as it was several months ago that we ran this previous episode.)
In a lot of ways, this is the beginning of Reality TV as we know it. The TV Crew is very clearly leaving out a lot. They focus on both the parents and kids worst clips, and really paint them all as entirely dysfunctional. However, as someone who knew a lot of kids like this, they are probably leaving out stuff like the parents own alcoholism, the sense of community that the punk scene offers, and the moments when the family is acting like… well, a family. The problems exhibited here are not new, or even that terrible, but really just the way life is. Parents and kids will always clash over ideals like this, and while it doesn’t mean that it is the end of suburban life as we know it, the horrible truth is that very soon, Green Day will dominate the pop charts, punk will become completely co-opted into popular fashion and culture, and Dubstep will become just as reviled as this was. And you really should see how pleasant these kids are on film. Here’s the link:
Special thanks again to DJ Swill, who clued me into this video. He and The Grumpy Punk have been really good friends for years now, and we bond over this kind of music. It is, no matter how you slice it, my bread and butter, the kind of music that really gets me going, and makes me happy. Hopefully, you can gleefully laugh at a once naive time in our past.
Here’s this week’s History Lesson.
Enjoy!
We Destroy The Family Part II
01.) We Destroy The Family: Punks vs. Parents * KABC-TV * A Public Affairs Presentation
02.) Suburban Home * The Descendants * Milo Goes To College
03.) We Destroy The Family * Fear * The Record * Slash Records
04.) Programmed Children * McRad * Dominant Force
05.) I Don’t Care * The Kids * The Kids
06.) I Believe I’ll Have Another Beer * Fear * Have Another Beer With Fear
07.) Sheena Is A Punk Rocker * The Ramones * Rocket To Russia
08.) Dance With Me * TSOL * Dance With Me
09.) Mom & Dad * The Theoretical Girls * Theoretical Records
10.) What’s Your Problem * Circle Jerks * Group Sex
Last weekend I took a much needed vacation to the mountains of Northern California, outside of Auburn. It has been a long time since I took a paid vacation, and I wanted nothing more than to go out into the forrest and spend some time drinking whiskey, reading Edgar Rice Burroughs novels, and watching the campfire burn deep into the night.
Needless to say, it was AWESOME.
Of course, being in the state of Jefferson, camping, and attempting to clear my mind of modern life, I was quickly reminded of Richard Brautigan, and this excerpt from his most well-known work. I have had an affinity for Brautigan and his work for a number of years now, and this is not the first time I’ve taken to reading his work on the radio. His voice really speaks to me in a number of ways, and he is never really far from my thoughts. Any chance I can combine radio and his work, you know I’m going to get really excited.
The campfire sounds heard in this episode were recorded on 26 May 2013, at our campsite. It was the first time I’ve tried to record a fire, and I learned a few things about how to do it properly after the fact. There are already a number of plans for future trips this summer, and hopefully I can bring you more recordings like this.
In a new-ish segment to our program, I decided to rundown the rocktacular weekend of amazing music that I got to experience. Up first: the 17th of May at The Doug Fir, with none other than the incredible Man… Or Astro-Man? Their show was incredible, and lived up to the quality of performance that they delivered two years ago, when they also dropped by Portland for a sort of “best-of” performance. This time, they have new material, a new guitar player, and new releases! This mini-show contains three tracks from their new 7″s releases by Chunklet Industries, that I picked up at the show. Enjoy!
I also go on to plug the marathon day of radio on the 18th of May, where I appeared in seven out of 8 hours of radio on KPSU. In that span of time, I managed to cover Ricardo Wang’s What’s This Called?, delivering a two-part audio essay, and ran sound for three bands: Gaytheist, Sweat Lodge & No Bone. In that time, I got to hang with Tunacan Jones, Jonathon Boober, and Miss Rikki Lee. During that time, I got to include a number od DJ selections, and ran sound for all the bands. It was a pretty crazy day, and I had a great time. Links and posts are forthcoming, but in the meantime I wanted to blab about it, so here you go.
I also close the show with a little solo jam, just me and my pedal.
Short and to the point. Just like some radio should be.
Covering for Ricardo Wang, I storm the KPSU studios for an audio essay centering around two selections from The Strange Doctor Weird, a radio program from the 1940’s featuring the voice of Maurice Tarplin as the titular character, written by Robert A. Arthur and directed by Jock McGregor. The program is, in many ways, a sequel to The Mysterious Traveler, a program from which many of the Doctor Weird stories were culled from. These versions, told in 15 minute segments, appeared on a number of stations as material that could easily fill out an hour or programming, and was most well known as being sponsored by Adam Hats, who could afford their own radio program in those days.
Accompanying these stories is a live performance by me, as I mix and apply effects to sounds made in the studio, as well as the sounds of recorded music by The Black Noise Orchestra and Yellow Crystal Star. This performance, in many ways, is in preparation for my NoFest appearance coming in August. I’m really excited about this show, and I need the practice. So consider this show a “practice” session for that show.
During this show, Tunacan Jones was lurking around in the studio, and he helped influence the direction of this audio essay. It’s also Part I of a multi-part radio appearance, which is slowly making it’s way to the podcast-o-sphere. But until then, this humble beginning is available.
Enjoy.
The Strange Doctor Weird!
Part I: Journey Into The Unknown
01.) Excerpt * The Black Noise Orchestra * 20 September 2006
02.) Journey Into The Unknown * The Strange Doctor Weird! * 21 November 1944
03.) Nine Thousand And Second Amaranth Shower [Excerpt] * Yellow Crystal Star * Rainbow Bridge To Nonlocality: Myriad Forms of You
Part II: The Man Who Knew Everything
04.) Excerpt * The Black Noise Orchestra * 27 December 2006
05.) The Man Who Knew Everything * The Strange Doctor Weird! * 20 March 1945
06.) Up Under: Triumph, The Mask Melted Away To Reveal The Way * Yellow Crystal Star * Rainbow Bridge To Nonlocality: Myriad Forms of You
The Restoration (Featuring a selection of new-ish things that I’m really grooving on these days, coupled with some old-fashioned audio-essay collages.)
With all that has been happening here in the Lava Lamp Lounge (as part of our 15th Anniversary), there has been little time to produce an old-fashioned radio show, the kind the OG Blasphuphmites used to make in olden times. (Somewhere around 1991.) But I promise, we have been brewing up some cool things for you, and this will continue over the summer, as fun stuff that is only in the theoretical stages at this point begin to solidify. In the meantime, I decided to turn down the lights, put on the headphones, and kick out the jams, motherfuckers.
Consisting mostly of new-ish-er stuff that I’ve been grooving on lately, this show is in three parts. “Ham On Rye” consisted of a collage I threw together, to feature some experimental artists I’ve been getting off on lately. It had been a while since I did a “smaller” collage like this, and I really had a good time with it. Hopefully, you’re down as well. Part II is definately a more “punk” set, and I was really stoked to feature all of these bands, most of which have been on the show, will be on the show, or are friends of the show. There’s also a mini-collage during the Sweat Lodge track, which I’m rather fond of. Part III is where I get a little political, but also just throw some Russian Satanic Metal. Ya know, for fun.
There are so many cool things happening in the next few months, I hardly have time to mention them all. Don’t forget to pick up a copy of Lost In The Supermarket, our digital compilation that we released at the Blas-Travaganza. Speaking of: there are some cool things being developed from the media we captured that weekend. Our next scheduled live broadcast will be happening from NoFest 6 in August, so mark the date, and DO NOT forget to tune in the Saturday, starting at Noon at going until 8 PM, where myself, Johnathon Boober (of Please Remain Seated) and Miss Rikki will be hosting Gaytheist, Sweat Lodge, and No Bone, in addition to a number of DJ sets and other madness. It will rule, and you will love it.
I’m really proud of this show, so I will now let it speak for itself.
Enjoy!
The Restoration
Part I: Ham On Rye
01.) Second Time Around * Blue Cheer * Vincebus Eruptum
02.) The Uncomfortable Comfortable * Overdose The Katatonic * Absolute Insult
03.) From Ham On Rye (1982) * Charles Bukowski * Uncensored: From The Run With The Hunted Session
04.) Part Four * Death Pact Jass Ensemble * Absolute Insult
05.) Moth To A Flame [Excerpt] * Holy Filament * Year One
06.) Plague of Madness * Moth Hunter * Dust
Part II: Uncool
07.) And Giraffe, Natural Enemies [Excerpt] * OXES * OXES
08.) The Restoration * Gaytheist * Hold Me… But Not So Tight
09.) Protest Protest * /root_DIR * /root_DIR
10.) Weed: It’s Just Like Jesus But Better Because It’s Real * The Thrash-Key Kids * Free Abortions
11.) Circus * Sweat Lodge * Cassette Demo
12.) Uncool * Del Close & John Brent * How to Speak Hip
Part III: Don’t Play With Guns
13.) Autumn Set [Excerpt] * The Black Noise Orchestra * Autumn Set
14.) Interview Excerpts * Ted Nugent & Piers Morgan * 5 February 2013
15.) Don’t Play With Guns * The Black Angels * Indigo Meadow
16.) Люцифер (Lucifer) * Коррозия Металла * Орден Сатаны (Order of Satan)
17.) Side Effects of Being Tired * Unwound * Live In London 12″
First, start your day at 12 Noon for What’s This Called?, hosted by the incomparable Ricardo Wang, for a live radio event in three parts, with engineering help from me, Austin Rich. Overdose The Katatonic and Holy Filament both perform – separately, then together as Death Pact Jazz Ensemble.
Then, at 8:30, come to Habesha Lounge for another chance to catch this show in person. This time, OTK and Holy Filament are joined by the daring and debonair Dead Air Fresheners, performing with Austin Rich of Blasphuphmus Radio, followed by the mind-destroying intensity that is Abusive Consumer.
I am extremely excited to be performing with Dead Air Fresheners, and I can only hope that this is as much fun for everyone else as it will be for me. This should prove to be a tremendous show. See you there!
There are two things that I have been missing ever since I took Blasphuphmus Radio into a podcast-only format: live bands and playing records. No matter how much I tried, getting my studio up to the same level of the studio at KPSU was quite difficult, and I struggled and rebelled against these limitations as best I could, featuring live recordings made in a band’s practice space, and making due with digital audio sources. However, both of these problems are now resolved, since we’ll be hosting live bands at local venues, AND since my amazing girlfriend was kind enough to get my a fantastic turntable to put vinyl back on the menu. I now present to you: Vinyl Solution Part VIII!
I’ve always thought of this show as a mixed-media format, in that I tend to draw audio from a wide range of audio sources. But there is something about playing all records – actual plastic records – that makes a radio program seem that much more alive. I’ve been so excited about my new ability to listen to music that I’ve been re-discovering all sorts of gems and whatnot from my collection, so today’s show is virtually themeless, with the soul purpose of playing bits and selections from my random – and in my opinion, wonderful – collection.
I come from a long line of record collectors, and as a kid working in my mom’s record store, I could never predict that I would end up here, doing this show. However, I’m really proud to be able to continue this tradition, and as I add more and more oddities to the Blasphuphmus Radio archive, you, as the listener, obviously reap the benefits. Aside from the voice overs and commercials, everything in this show is from one of the records photographed above. I would expect the next several shows to be of this same variety, so stay tuned!
And: enjoy!
A Treasury Of Incredible Records
Part I: You Never Know Which Way To Go
01.) Flipper Twist * Flipper * “Flipper Twist” b/w “Fucked Up”
02.) Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory, 1485 [Excerpts] * The Cambridge Treasure of English Prose * Caedmon Records
03.) Amateur Hour * Sparks * Kimono My House
04.) Definitely Clean * The Dream Syndicate * The Days Of Wine & Roses
05.) Pretty Please Me * The Dickies * Stukas Over Disneyland
Part II: Out Of Focus
06.) Miserific Condition * Unwound * Caterpillar EP
07.) Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory, 1485 [Excerpts II] * The Cambridge Treasure of English Prose * Caedmon Records
08.) Out Of Focus * Blue Cheer * Vincebus Eruptum
09.) Lift Up Your Hood * DMZ * Relics
10.) Metal * Gary Numan * “Cars” b/w “Metal”
11.) Dr. Art * Nina Hagen * Nunsexmonkrock
12.) Bullet Shell Underbite * Sleep Capsule * Sleep Capsule EP
13.) Question And Answer Session * The Miss * “Question & Answer Session” b/w “Vast Deference”
14.) C.I.A. * Priapismics * Rock Hard Forever EP
15.) Vetranos * Chicano-Christ * Come’ CaCa EP
Part III: Into The Groove
16.) Intendo * Guyve * Delaying The Inevitable
17.) Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory, 1485 [Excerpts III] * The Cambridge Treasure of English Prose * Caedmon Records
18.) Make You Cry * Last Of The Juanitas * Time’s Up!
19.) Hand Holder * Gaythiest * Stealth Beats
20.) 253-425 * Behead The Prophet No Lord Shall Live * Making Craters Where Buildings Stood EP
21.) Bereft Rescue Mission No. 43 * godheadSilo * The Scientific Supercake L.P.
22.) Again And Again * The Hospitals * The Hospitals
23.) Someday You’ll Be King * MX-80 * “Someday You’ll Be King” b/w/ “White Night”
24.) Bottomless Pit * Men’s Recovery Project * Thank You For Kill Me EP
Saturdays were made for radio, and whenever Eric Hausmann is in the house, it can only mean that you must be listening to What’s This Called?Ricardo Wang and I work to bring you a soothing performance by Tres Gone: Mike Mahaffay, Scott Steele and Eric, bringing you improvisational mastery in a way to kick off your weekend.
Following a half-hour pre-game show featuring hand-picked selections by the host himself, I mixed a great back and forth by these improvisational masters. While many young artists love to just make some noise, when you have performers of this caliber, the art of listening seems to be front and center in this show. This is one of those great shows where you can actually feel the energy in the room in the performance as its recorded, and you can take a look at the pictures and video I shot at the link below. I love working with musicians of this nature, and I can only hope that you can tell.
Thanks again, everyone for letting be a part of this show. Take care!
01.) Slip Inside This House * 13th Floor Elevators * Easter Everywhere
02.) Threnody For Sharon Tate * Freddie Hubbard
03.) Mohawk * Chelsea Light Moving * Chelsea Light Moving
04.) Check It All Out * Black Heat * No Time To Burn
05.) Levitation * 13th Floor Elevators
06.) Sorcery [Live] * Charles Lloyd
07.) Reflections On a Symphony [Excerpt] * Mike Mahaffay * Interprets Charles Ives’ “Universe Symphony”
08.) Underground * Eric Hausmann * Invisible Films
09.) Live Performance * Tres Gone * What’s This Called? 16 March 2013
10.) Moving Malaise * Eric Hausmann * Invisible Films
While not an entirely new broadcast on the theme of Ground Hogs, here’s a retrocast from 2009, when our program was still on KPSU, and when I was on at 3 PM on Tuesdays.
Humorously, I state that the first seven shows were on in this time slot, but with a little research, I’ve discovered that this was, in fact, the last show that was broadcast at this time. So it goes.
So, in the spirit of the holiday, let’s do something again. And again. And Again.
Groundhog Day Retrocast!
01.) I Got You Babe * The Dictators * Go Girl Crazy!
02.) On The Sea Or Solid Ground [Excerpt I] * Fragile X * End Without World
03.) Two Feet Off The Ground * The Dead Milkmen * Eat Your Paisley!
04.) Wild Hog Ride * Angry Samoans
05.) Cold Cold Cold Ground * Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 * Tangle
06.) I’m A Hog For You Baby * Supercharger
07.) On The Sea Or Solid Ground [Excerpt II] * Fragile X * End Without World
08.) On The Sea Or Solid Ground [Excerpt III] * Fragile X * End Without World
09.) Hole In The Ground * Mekons
10.) Wart Hog * The Ramones
11.) Underground * Tom Waits * Swordfishtrombones
12.) Filipino Box Spring Hog * Tom Waits * Mule Variations
13.) On The Sea Or Solid Ground [Excerpt IV] * Fragile X * End Without World
14.) On The Sea Or Solid Ground [Excerpt V] * Fragile X * End Without World
15.) Your Shadow * The Exploding Hearts
16.) Standing In The Shadows Of Love * The Four Tops *
17.) Shadowplay * Joy Division
18.) Shadow And Shadow * The Prids
19.) Shadowy Countdown * Shadowy Men From A Shadowy Planet * Savvy Show Stoppers
20.) Beyond The Shadows * Stinking Lizaveta * Caught Between Worlds
21.) On The Sea Or Solid Ground [Excerpt VI] * Fragile X * End Without World
22.) The Shadow Knows * Link Wray & His Wray-Men
I have always taken for granted the holiday that we take in January to honor Martin Luther King Jr. It was not that I didn’t care, but that the day usually came when papers were due, or when I worked a job that already required me to work that day. But in light of my new job, getting the day off – paid – felt a little weird. I had to be honest with myself that I had never really listened to any of his speeches all the way through, and that I knew very little about the work he did other than the most general, basic sense.
So today’s radio blast is a bunch of stuff culled from my collection of audio that relates to MLK Jr. I have an edited cut-up of his last speech, and a radio broadcast from just after his assassination, as a way of presenting some of what I discovered in actually doing some research of this amazing and incredible man.
I do not have any great epiphanies to share with you, and there is no great revelation at work in this show. It seems very clear that, as he delivered this speech, he knew his days were numbered, but this seems to be the case in most of the time leading up to his assassination. I think the arrangement in this little mini-cast works to reveal why he was considered to be one of the best orators of our day, but also to illuminate much of what his work was about in the most basic and general sense possible.
For those who stay to the end: there’s a little joke to ease the tension of such a serious subject.
I urge all of you to listen to his speechs, read up on this man, and let yourself actually understand the value of this holiday. So much of what happens to us seems so passive, and we let days pass without reflecting on them too often. This time, stop for a moment to consider who this man was, and what effect he had on the world around us.
And: let’s hope you MLK Day was full of the promise and wonder that every new days brings us.
Be seeing you
I’ve Been to the Bemsha Mountaintop
01.) (What Did I Do To Be So) Black & Blue [Excerpt]* Louis Armstrong * Say It Loud: Celebrate Black History Month & Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
02.) “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” [Excerpts] * Martin Luther King Jr. * 3 April 1968
02.) Bemsha Swing * Thelonious Monk * Say It Loud: Celebrate Black History Month & Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
03.) Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated * Bill Kurtis * We Interrupt This Broadcast * 4 April 1968
DJ Really Sloppy here. Just thought I’d throw some songs from the soundtrack albums from the original “broadcast” version of the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer up here to go along with DJ Austin Rich’s recent review of the comic books for season 9. These are a few of my favorites, along with a couple other notquite random musical items. Hope you like what you hear…and if you do, there’s plenty more where that came from!
Also, can I get a Blasphuphmus tech over here? My miniaturization ray doesn’t seem to be working.
It has been a while since The Grumpy Punk has crawled out of his bean-bag chair, took off his massive headphones, and decided to toss out a missive that stimulates as well as educates. He’s been int he process of assembling a long-form, educational history of only the good stuff, but every so often he gets derailed from the chronological narrative, and is compelled to skip around. Hence, this week’s episode, “We Destroy The Family: Punks vs. Parents,” featuring the music of the legendary band, Fear.
The samples are clips from this episode are from a “news” broadcast from 1982, where the news crew put together a five-piece “expose” on the punk scene in LA, narrated by Paul Moyer, who worked for the station at the time. Legend has is that this program was aired in five pieces during their regular news program, then assembled into a full program, and broadcast in the evenings on KABC-TV. There are a number of reports online of people who watched this with their families. It is very much worth viewing at least once, for contextual reasons.
1982 was an important year for Fear. Two years previously they had been signed to Slash Records, after appearing in Penelope Spheeris’ The Decline Of Western Civilization. This exposure earned them a number of fans, not the least of which was John Belushi. He wanted Fear to provide the soundtrack to a movie he was working on, but when he couldn’t commit to this promise, instead opted to book them for the Halloween 1981 episode of Saturday Night Live. (In the audience of the show you can see Belushi, along with a number of prominent punks, pogoing to “Beef Bologna” & “New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophones.”) These appearances created a bit of a buzz about the band, which set the stage for their first album, The Record to come out in 1982.
It was in this environment that this newscast hit the airwaves. With all of the goofy voice overs, the poorly transcribed lyrics, and the opportunity for Lee Ving to showboat for a camera, the film may have been intended to work as punk scare propaganda, but in fact works to sell the band, too. The genius of Fear’s performances in those days was the calculated presentation being made by the band. They wanted to look like this on national television. That was the goal. Paul Moyer begins to hint at the truth, when he suggests that Fear is satire. Yeah, sort of. But more importantly, Lee Ving is subverting music – and media – in a way that amuses him, and this clip really captures what shows were like in those days.
This episode would not exist without DJ Swill, friend of the show and the guy who forwarded this clip to me. This scene was where he grew up, and this was where he was introduced to the beautiful History Lesson we’re all slowly learning. This is part one of three, so expect more of the same soon enough.
Enjoy!
We Destroy The Family Part I
01.) We Destroy The Family: Punks vs. Parents * KABC-TV * A Public Affairs Presentation
02.) We Destroy The Family * Fear * The Record * Slash Records
03.) New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophones * Fear * The Record * Slash Records
04.) Beef Boloney * Fear * The Record * Slash Records
05.) I Don’t Care About You * Fear * The Record * Slash Records
06.) Le’s Have A War * Fear * Repo Man Original Soundtracks * MCA Records
07.) No More Nothing * Fear * The Record * Slash Records
As 2013 kick-starts our lives in this new, post-apocalyptic world that we now live in, it is important to know that you have accomplished something to help make the world a better place. In this mini-cast, I review some e-mail I got from a listener, and how I was able to save a holiday near and dear to their heart. It was very sweet, and in response I played a bunch of a band they requested – Adickdid – and talk about my plans this year. It’s a little bit of everything today, and that’s just the way we like it.
Many shows are currently in production, and the new year will see a variety of new (and old) subjects revisited as we discover what, exactly, our program will be like moving forward. We are enjoying the discovery ourselves, and how that you do, too.
In the meantime: here’s some vintage riot girl awesomeness, in response to the need for more Adickdid in our Eugene Celebration series of shows. Episode III of that series in on the way. This is just a small taste.
Enjoy!
We Saved New Year’s Eve
01.) Mail Box * Adickdid * Dismantle * G Records
02.) Falling * Adickdid * Slaughter on 13th Street * Self-Released.
03.) Ask Nicely * Adickdid * Dismantle * G Records
04.) Stare Right Past You * Adickdid * Dismantle * G Records
Getting Nervous (Featuring an interview with new local band, The Nervous, which includes the world premier of their music on this very podcast!)
I have known Chris and Jesse from The Nervous for years, and the band they’d started in the ’90’s back in Eugene – Mondale – was a rare treat for the few who got to rock out to them. Now, in this far-flung, post-apocalyptic year of 2013, we encounter their newest musical endeavor, a trio (rounded out by their drummer, Splinters), which is offering some of the greatest Nerd Rock anthems guaranteed to start promptly at every performance.
In preparation for their impending live gigs, I was invited down to the compound where The Nervous hone their craft, and managed to sit down with the guys afterward in their comfortable “Living Room” to chat about pursuing music as a hobby, and what its like to be in really terrible bands with assholes. Interspersed throughout the interview are songs that inspire them, two never-before heard songs from their current set, and an old Mondale tune (or two) to round things out.
Long-time listeners may remember a live performance by Jesse Ransom (featured in The Nervous) in 2006. This episode is also available to stream or download at this time, accompanied by a playlist and photos. Jesse Ransom 06 June 2006. It’s an oldie, but a goodie, and it gives you an acoustic taste of what he brings to the party.
Special thanks to Chris, Jesse and Spinters, not only for being stand up guys and great musicians, but for trusting me to record them in their natural habitat. You guys are fantastic, and I can’t wait for more people to hear you.
Enjoy!
MyFacester+ Photoset (with video footage of the band rehearsing on 30 December 2012).
Getting Nervous
01.) Get Out Of Our Way, We’re A-Comin’ Through * Mondale * Square Roots Radicals * Self-Released
02.) Interview w/ The Nervous Part I * 30 December 2012
03.) Musical Interlude * Shadowy Men on A Shadowy Planet * Savvy Show Stoppers * Cargo Records
04.) High Impact Smart Girls * Mondale * Square Roots Radicals * Self-Released
05.) Interview w/ The Nervous Part II * 30 December 2012
06.) Gates Of Steel * Devo * Freedom Of Choice * Warner Bros.
07.) Sex Mad * Nomeansno * Sex Mad * Alternative Tentacles Records
08.) Interview w/ The Nervous Part III * 30 December 2012
09.) Theme From EEVIAC * Man… Or Astro-Man? * EEVIAC: Operational Index and Reference Guide, Including Other Modern Computational Devices * Touch & Go Records
10.) Entry Level Position * The Nervous * Unreleased Practice Recording
11.) Interview w/ The Nervous Part IV * 30 December 2012
12.) Little Girls * Oingo Boingo * Only A Lad * A&M Records
13.) You Look Good In Glasses * The Nervous * Unreleased Practice Recording
14.) Interview w/ The Nervous Part V * 30 December 2012
15.) 21st Century Digital Boy * Bad Religion * Stranger Than Fiction * Atlantic Records
New Year’s Resolution (Featuring a special New Year’s Message, and a welcome to 2013.)
From all of us, here at Blasphuphmus Radio, we want to wish you the happiest New Year, full of possibility and new endeavors. Remember: without you, there is no show.
Be seeing you. In 2013.
Enjoy!
New Year’s Resolution
01.) New Year’s Resolution * Donovan * Open Road * Epic Records
02.) “On Christmas, say Merry Christmas. On New Year’s, say Happy New Year’s.” * Kermit Shafer * Pardon My Blooper * Kapp Records
I was introduced to The Sound of Young America a few years ago, and immediately became obsessed with what Jesse Thorn was able to create out of a college radio show. Somehow, I related. This was another case of being quite late to the game; whenever I would tell people about his show, people would say, “Yeah, I know. Have you heard Bullseye?”
So, I started listening, and have become quite a fan of the entire MaximumFun.com network of shows. And while I would never presume that I need to introduce you to his program, with the holidays, I think it is possible to completely miss their fantastic Holiday Episode that was produced this year.
Consider this my loving tribute to a perfect episode of a podcast.
Enjoy!
Nailed It.
01.) Huddle Formation * The Go! Team * Thunder, Lightning, Strike * Memphis Industries.
02.) The Week Between * Jonathan Coulton & John Roderick * One Christmas At A Time * Self-Released
Number 9. Number 9. (Featuring a new declaration of purpose / series of excuses, and a review of the new Buffy The Vampire Slayer Comic up through Season 9.)
In the last couple months the inertia of this program has slowed down tremendously. This was completely accidental; The Lava Lamp Lounge in Historic St. John’s is a nexus for weirdness magnets of a wide variety, and I am now finding myself working harder than ever, occasionally having to fight crime, assist stranded aliens, discovering new unexplored lands with other groups of weirdos, and in general, working more than I ever have before. No new shows have been happening with any kind of regularity.
But fear not! We are trying something new. Our program has reinvented itself several times over the years, and the time has come to take on a new form. Our means of broadcast is quite unique now, and we have the potential to experiment with form and style in ways we haven’t before. It is with this in mind that I am trying something new, and experimenting with different kinds of shows, in new shapes and sizes. Stay tuned to see how this all is put together as we move on. In the meantime…
I review the new Buffy The Vampire Slayer comics. A good friend of mine works at Dark Horse, and she was able to gift me a large number of comics from Season 8 and 9 of the new Buffy Comics. I just finished catching up to “current” issues with this series, and do a spoiler-less free-form discussion about being a Buffy fan, and how these new comics read to me.
Let us know what you think, and if you like the smaller / differntly sized chunks of shows. I have a variety of thoughts about how this will all get pieced together in the long run, but until then, enjoy these “showlets.”
Enjoy!
Number 9. Number 9.
Part I: “Mea Culpa” or “Something Latin That Sounds Important Or Something”
01.) Nile Hilton Burning * Sun City Girls * The Fresh Kill Of A Cape Hunting Dog * Eclipse Records
Part II: “Season 9. Season 9.”
02.) Buffy TV Theme Song * Nerf Herder * Buffy The Vampire Slayer The Album * TVT Records
03.) The Rat * The Ventures * Ghoulardi Music * Kogar The Swingin’ Ape
04.) RFD Rangoon * Forbidden Five * Lux & Ivy’s Favorites Volume One * Kogar The Swingin’ Ape
05.) Enchanted Farm * Forbidden Five * Lux & Ivy’s Favorites Volume One * Kogar The Swingin’ Ape
06.) Congo * Bo Diddley * Bo Knows Instro * Kogar The Swingin’ Ape
07.) Buzzsaw Twist * The Gee-Cees * Lux & Ivy’s Favorites Volume Three * Kogar The Swingin’ Ape
Institutions, ideas, and the way our lives are governed have come up in my life quite a bit recently, and as I have been making new inroads at my job, filling out Union Paperwork and documents about my future retirement, I find it funny how much unquestioningly people have faith in these things. Recently I’ve been in a number of situations where the unreality of the world around us has come up – quite specifically with regard to money – and people instantly become defensive. “It is SO real! Don’t even suggest otherwise!” I understand the value of believing in these things. (After all, consider all the things that have been possible with religious faith.) But just because someone wants something to be true, doesn’t mean it actually is. This is never more obvious when someone just realizes they are wrong.
Regardless, there is a lot of academic discourse surrounding the unreality – or, as Ira Glass was so kind to say, “The Fictional Quality Of Money,” – that it is somewhat of an irresistible topic for me. This might have something to do with my minor degree in pharmacology, or perhaps my own anarchist leanings when it comes to pointing out to people that most of what the world around us is built upon is predicated on power structures designed to control and manipulate the behavior of humanity. Or, it might just be that I have a problem with authority. It’s hard to say, really, but my standard response to anyone who has too much faith in one thing is to remind them that the universe is constructed by language and images, and that the people who create and design these things are the people who are really in power. Money just happens to be a symbol that has most people by the balls.
The subject of money is particularly fascinating, because rock music seems to be preoccupied with it. Just about every band of a certain age had a song about money, their desire for it, and their love of it. These songs very much have a similar structure, and the effect is the same: to deny the immaterial things in this world, and to embrace capitalism in all of its sticky, disgusting, filth-coated sexy goodness. And there is something thrilling about getting paid in the same way that getting a handjob at a rock concert is thrilling; in that moment, we can do anything, we can go anywhere, and literally nothing can stop us. This is why a number of cultures have sayings relating to money (and the spending of it). In spite of knowing better, we all see the attraction to the dirty side of things, and rock music itself is predicated on the attraction to filth culture. Money is, after all, filthy lucre. How can you not find it fascinating?
This episode is a sequel to Episode 082, a show I have always been very fond of for somewhat different reasons. While I had hit upon the vague idea of doing a show about money, when I did the original program, I built the show almost entirely at the last minute. Using the KPSU studio archives, the Inter-Web-A-Tron, and a few odds and sods that I had brought with me, I completely pulled that show out of my ass, and was quite pleased with the results. Not only did it become a coherent narrative, and a very good example of the kinds of theme shows I wanted to pursue more often, but it reinforced in me this notion that I could do good radio on the fly. I really feel like I turned a corner with Episode 082, and I follow my instincts quite a bit because of what I learned doing this show. It only made since to me to throw together a sequel in the same manner, and I think the results turned out pretty excellent.
The backbone of this episode come from two sources: a film I found on YouTube.com, titled “How Money Is Created,” which is a short (and simple) essay about how the FED creates money. While I could not find the film I was thinking about when I made this episode, this one covers the same subject matter, and offered some pretty good sound clips. (The one I remember was animated, and looked like something from the 60’s, but was clearly from the ’90s.) The samples from this film help spell out some of the things hinted at int he second sound source, an episode of This American Life that featured a number of stories about various problems that have cropped up because of the fact that money isn’t real. (Especially in light of the Housing Bubble crash of a few years ago.) While Ira has a good ear for the funny, I thought something a little more academic might help shed light on the “summing an infinite series” type comments that they made. Really, I just recommend doing some critical reading about the value of money, and try to answer for yourself the question, “What, exactly, is a single dollar worth, objectively?” If you actually think you can answer this question, then the entire field of economics really could use your insight, because they still have no idea.
As with Episode 082, I fleshed out the rest of the show with songs that I think really tackle the subject well, with an emphasis on punk bands, who usually manage to say things in a way that cut straight to the heart of the matter. Any show that has The Dicks, Patti Smith & Thinking Fellers Union Local #282 pretty much offers more insight into who I am than anything I could tell you directly.
Next week we’ll have our annual Thanksgiving Leftovers show, which may double as A Family Affair episode, if I can pull off some recordings during our dinner gathering. The year is winding down, and there’s a lot going on between now and Episode 200, coming up soon. Between that and my new job, there’s a whole lot that needs my attention. Hopefully I can deliver in a timely manner.
See you in seven!
A True Fictional Story
Part I: The Fiction Of Money
01.) “Money Isn’t Real” * Ray Liotta * Blow * New Line Cinema
02.) Money * The Sonics * Here Are The Sonics!!! * Etiquette Records
03.) Love Can’t Buy You Money [Edit] * Motörhead * Overnight Sensation * CMC Records
04.) “Money Is Fiction” * This American Life * Episode 423: The Invention Of Money * PRI
05.) Clean Money * Elvis Costello * Armed Forces * Columbia Records
06.) Money Talks * Penetration * Once Upon A Time Vol. 08: U.K. November ’77 * mythkoz-areyouexperienced.blogspot.com/
07.) Rich Daddy * The Dicks * 1980-1986 * Alternative Tentacles Records
08.) “The Fictional Quality Of Money” * This American Life * Episode 423: The Invention Of Money * PRI
09.) Don’t Wanna Be A Rich * Guilty Razors * Killed By Death Vol. 77 * Killed By Death Records
10.) Rich Plastic People * Killjoy * Not So Quiet On The Western Front * Alternative Tentacles Records
11.) Just Got Paid * Rapemen * Two Nuns And A Pack Mule * Touch & Go Records
Part II: The Idea Of Money
12.) Strike It Rich * Negativland * Over The Edge Vol. 7: Time Zomes Exchange Project * Sealand Records
13.) Money Honey * The Drifters * The Roots Of Rock ‘n’ Roll * Hip-O Records
14.) [Excerpt I] * Your Drugs, My Money * Live At KFJC 8/16 * Self-Released
15.) Summing An Infinite Series * This American Life * Episode 423: The Invention Of Money * PRI
16.) Money * Pink Floyd * Dark Side Of The Moon * Capitol Records
17.) How Money Is Created [Excerpt I] * godisfrauddotcom * How Money Is Created * YouTube.com
18.) Man With Money (alternate) * The Eyes * Arrival Of The Eyes * Lion Production Canada
19.) Free Money * Patti Smith * Horses * Arista Records
20.) Bottom Dollar * Eddie Spaghetti * The Sauce * Abstract Records
21.) “You’ll Have To Pay Cash” * Groucho & Chico Marx * A Day At The Races * MGM
Part III: Gimme A Dollar
22.) Money Money Money * Gene Simmons * Essential SUN Rockabillies * Sun Records
23.) [Excerpt II] * Your Drugs, My Money * Live At KFJC 8/16 * Self-Released
24.) How Money Is Created [Excerpt II] * godisfrauddotcom * How Money Is Created * YouTube.com
25.) Her Dad’s Got Money * Mad Magazine * Fink Along With Mad! * Big Top Records
26.) Money Loans * Mars Production Staff * Mars Production Library * Mars Production Library CK-71
27.) Give Me A Dollar * King Missile III * The Psychopathology Of Everyday Life * Instinct Records
28.) Dollar For Dollar * They Might Be Giants * McSweeney’s Music CD – Issue #6 * McSweeney’s
29.) Million Dollars * Thinking Fellers Union Local #282 * Admonishing The Bishops * Matador Records
30.) How Money Is Created [Excerpt III] * godisfrauddotcom * How Money Is Created * YouTube.com
31.) Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money) * Pet Shop Boys * Please * Parlophone Records
32.) Man, You Won’t Give Me No Money * Memphis Minnie * Hoodoo Lady (1933-1937) * Legacy / Columbia Records
33.) Money * The Android Sisters * Ruby 1: The Adventures of a Galactic Gumshoe Radio * ZBS Productions
On Friday, I found out that I landed a pretty good job. At least, by my standards. In my life I have been paid to do some pretty strange things, and have been paid in some pretty strange ways. Helping castrate goats often gets the most extreme looks, but helping rebuild server racks was just as odd when I was hired on the sly to come in on the weekends so no one could ask questions as to who I was. (Each job paid cash, under the table.) Most of my life has been spent learning to subist on the smallest of wages, the least amount of hours, and under the worst conditions, mostly because I’m really bad at having jobs.
I have never taken to work with any amount of enthusiasm. There is something about trading your time for money that leaves a really bad taste in my mouth, and I have constantly struggled against this like a young child in an itchy shirt. It just doesn’t seem right, and no amount of benefits salve has ever made it seem good. This is probably just my own natural aversion to capitalism, or perhaps I suffer from that same syndrome as great people like Rip Van Winkle or Fran Lebowitz. I have never been able to figure it out. To me, there has always been a relationship between people who are awful, and there relative “boss” level. Ever since my first gig working in a croissant factory, I have found managers to be dispicable.
However, this job is a little different. After slaving away in efforts to earn a degree, I have now gained a fairly respectable position in a place that not only pays well, but offers me all the things that real jobs show: respect, friendlyness, earnestness, and actual worth-while benefits that don’t seem like pennies thrown at you so they can watch you pick them up. My co-workers are genuine, and I actually look forward to work. Landing this job – in this economy – was a pretty big deal, and with jobs on the brain, I thought it would be worth it to explore the theme of work and jobs, and how various artists have gone about them in the past.
Humorously enough, in spite of being really happy about my job, it was very difficult to find any songs about people who like their jobs. My theory is that this has to do with the nature of Rock ‘n’ Roll in general: rebellion is such an integral part of rock music, that it is nearly impossible to write a song endorsing integration into the system. (With the exception of MX-80’s “Thank You Boss,” a meandering drone about a narrator who is extremely thankful for the employment his boss has offered him.) I really did try do my best, and managed to fill a few requests, but sadly there are just no positive songs about jobs. Perhaps this informs my own thoughts about them, too?
As usual, I’ve included a few tracks by some of my favorite commedians, and a couple of songs by bands that have been particularly kind to me in the past. As I regularly love to point out, I am easily bribed, and if you would like to send me any of your releases or records (or even tapes, CDs, wax cylendars, etc.), they will most likely wind up on the show. I’ve been recently contacted by a number of bands, and so far they have been of fairly high quality. By all means, keep it up!
I am slowly amassing equipment to rebuild The Lava Lamp Lounge (here in Historic St. John’s, Oregon), so if you would like to sell any of your gear, please contact me. We’re looking for a cassette deck, at least two more microphones, and any kind of effects processors you may be looking to part with. We’re hoping to turn it into a robust studio, and the best way to do so is to buy things from people who know and love us.
See you in seven!
Workin’ Man’s Blues
Part I: Get A God Damn Job
01.) “Give Us The Tools And We’ll Finish The Job” * Winston Churchill
02.) Get A Job * The Silhouettes
03.) Le Travail [Excerpt] * The Work * Slow Crimes
04.) God Damn Job * The Replacements * Stink
05.) Die On Your Feet * Criminal Authority * Young, Loud and Shitty
06.) Shitty Jobs * Ashtray * The Power of Positive Drinking
07.) Forced Labor * Circle Jerks * Wild In The Streets
08.) I Wanna Get A Job In The City * The Kids * The Kids
09.) Four Yorkshiremen * Monty Python * The Final Rip Off
10.) Working Class Hero * The-Front * Riot Agents
Part II: I Don’t Want To Work
11.) Workin’ Hard Blues * Woodie Guthrie
12.) Worksong * Grails * Red Light
13.) Work For Your Money * Howlin’ Wolf * The Chess Box
14.) I Don’t Wanna Work For British Airways * Scissor Fits * Messthetics #101: D.I.Y. 1978 – 1981: London
15.) Unusual Occupations * Bob & Ray * The Lost Episodes, Vol. 4
16.) At My Job * Dead Kennedys * Frankenchrist
17.) Go To Work Drunk * Men’s Recovery Project * Grappling With The Homonids
18.) I Love My Job * Bill Hicks * Dangerous
19.) Take Stuff From Work * King Missle (Dog Fly Religion) * Fluting on the Hump
Part III: How Long Can This Go On?
20.) Welcome To My Job [Excerpt] * George Carlin * Occupation: Foole
21.) Work Song * Bib Set * It Wasn’t Meant To Happen
22.) Working In A Coalmine * Devo * Hardcore Devo Vol. 2
23.) All Day * Ministry
24.) Steelworker * Big Black * The Hammer Party
25.) Big Strong Boss * Swans * Filth
26.) Serious Business * Grex * Live At Home
27.) Stupid Day Job * Wally Pleasant
28.) Unusual Occupations * Bob & Ray * The Lost Episodes, Vol. 4
Episode 191: Election Night Special! (Featuring Music, Comedy bits, and my own special brand of “rant” regarding the importance of voting, and Presidents in general.)
It’s Election Day, the stage is set, and the population is geared for an incredible victory, a massive disappointment, or in the case of the majority of Americans, complete and totally obliviousness with regards to what day it is. With that in mind, we decided to offer a selection of songs about the process of picking a government official. There are songs about presidents – specific and generic – comedians weighing in on the subject, critical analysis in the form of a song, and a handful of rants from yours truly as I rail on and on about the importance of voting, regardless of your political preference. (Spoiler Alert: I’m voiting for Obama, and you should to. But more than anything, you should make your voice heard.)
I am not usually the kind of person that gets too political, but I have done it a few times on this program. My politics run the “Let’s Dismantle Everything! / Fuck This Shit! / If I Have To Listen To One More Misguided Statement From A Lying & Manipulative Moron I Will Destroy Your Precious Capital And Myself If I Have To In Order To Send A Message About The Rampant Corruption And Nonsense You Guys Are Constantly Spewing!” spectrum of political ideology. I have always believed in the value of tearing things down, questioning everything, and explaining to people that the shared reality most people have agreed upon is merely a construction, and carries no more validity than we arbitrarily assign to it. But this is a difficult position to take, politically, because most people don’t want to have their reality undermined, and more to the point, feel better when they have an ideological coin to flip every four years to set their mind at ease.
However, I do think elections are important, because if you want to hack into the shared reality around us, a very direct way to do so is to make your voice heard. There are a number of elements in this world conspiring against us to minimize the way we can interact with the world, and as things become more compartmentalized and digitized, this problem seems to become amplified. It is quite easy to feel powerless, and as we are constantly searching for quick-fix solutions to this powerlessness (drugs, money, sex, cars, shopping, rock ‘n’ roll etc.) we ignore the things that offer us the most direct connection to affecting change. So please, if you are feeling marginalized, fill your ballot! It’s like working bureaucratic magic in its own weird, round-about way.
I talk and rant in this episode more than I have ever before, and for that I do apologize. But this cause is pretty important, and so I feel it is worth it to have made the effort. The show is only an hour and 30 minutes, and there’s lots of music to help balance it out. I think ranting about the need to vote is probably one of the least harmful things I could do, and if you’ll just ignore my occasional comments on why Obama is the better choice (because he is), then these segments are completely harmless.
(Full disclosure: while there are issues with Obama as president, I haven’t really been too keen on any of our candidates since I was of voting age and helped put Clinton in office for a second term. Politicians in America, by default, have no business running things. However, politics is a lot like a shitty car: the one we have blows, but until we can culturally have the wherewithal to afford one with multiple gears, better steering, and much better features, we’re stuck driving the beater. Obama is not a perfect president, and there is much to be upset about. But compared to the competition, he does not support the war of women, he is not a power-hungry businessman with a short-sighted view on the economy, and he is pro-Health Care, something that everyone in this country needs desperately, no matter what your income might be. That alone makes Obama a much better choice than Mittens. Also: I just can’t see myself voting for Roseanne.)
Many of the selections in this episode are satirical, and humor is indeed something I value more than politics. But I also think humor manages to uncover something about us that sincerity doesn’t manage to get at, and songs like “Homosexual President” and “The President” by King Missile drive at a kind of honesty that you can’t convey without tongue planted firmly (and intentionally) in cheek. With that in mind, I wanted to include some comedy bits here and there, too. There was a period in time where I had mostly memorized the entire “Election Special” routine by Monty Python, and have always wanted to include it in a program, and now I’ve finally gotten my chance. Honestly: if you don’t look at any candidate and think to yourself “slightly-silly,” then I’m not sure you’re paying enough attention. (If you really want some insight into my psyche, as a developing teen I listened to The Final Rip-Off as much as – possibly more, actually – Nirvana’s Nevermind, and I contend both had equal effect on me.) Bill Hicks & George Carlin seemed like an obvious inclusions, but strangely enough I managed to also find a Bob & Ray routine that captured the ludicrousness of most Presidential candidates.
The song I most desperately wanted to include in this show is “The New World” by X. This song, more than anything in this show, seems to embody an aspect to politics that I think is most often overlooked. There are huge swaths of our population who are not only aware of the political process, but are not able to participate for one reason or another. Looking at the long lines in Florida and the entire debacle surrounding that has put this aspect of things into sharp relief. We still live in a democracy in the Greek sense: the privileged have access to rights that others do not. Consider that yesterday was only the 100th Anniversary of female suffrage in Oregon. Our country seems inordinately interested in the idea that only certain classes have the right to make big decisions in this country, and if you think democracy is the backbone of this country, look at the homeless population and ask them about the last time they were able to vote. We may be forward thinking, and we may believe that we are a country founded on idealism and principles, but we have a long way to go.
Maybe in my lifetime? Or maybe when we finally elect Zacherle.
Anyway: hopefully you find a good place, and with good company, to spend the evening, and I hope I haven’t just bummed you out completely. Chin up. We’ll know how things pan out tomorrow night. And in the meantime let’s dream of a time when Friend The Robot Vice President can walk hand-in-hand with a Homosexual President, and lead this country into the 21st Century.
See ya in seven.
Part I: Get Out And Vote!
01.) I Could Never Be President * Johnnie Taylor *The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1968-1971
02.) Aquaduct * The Presidents * Why We Were Right
03.) Open Letter To The President * Billy Jack * Wrestling The Bald-Headed Champ
04.) Homosexual President * Wrangler Brutes * Zulu
05.) The Elite * Bill Hicks * Philosophy
06.) If Reagan Played Disco * Minutemen * Bean-Spill EP
07.) Vice Presidente * Eighth Route Army * Killed By Death Vol. 100
08.) American Dream * The Redundants * I Hate The Redundants
09.) Views Behind The News: Presidential Candidate G.L. Hummerbeck * Bob & Ray * The Lost Episodes, Vol. 3
10.) Take Us To Your President * Hans Conreid & Alice Pearce * Monster Rally
Part II: They Must’ve Been Voting For President, Or Something
11.) The New World * X * More Fun In The Big World
12.) Flawless Victory [Excerpt] * The Fucking Champs * III
13.) Zacherle For President * John Zacherley
14.) The President * King Missile III * The Psychopathology Of Everyday Life
15.) Election Special (Live) * Monty Python * The Final Rip Off
16.) Presidents Song * Zip Code Rapists * Zip Code Rapists
Part III: It Isn’t Hard, If You Try
17.) Good Friday, 2033 * Men’s Recovery Project * The Golden Triumph Of Naked Hostility
18.) Post Election News * WATIV * Baghdad Music Journal
19.) International War Criminal * The Slackers
20.) Let’s Impeach The President * Neil Young
21.) Fuck The Motherfuckin’ President * Witchy Poo * A Slice Of Lemon
22.) Imagine This * Tom Compagnoni
23.) “One Thing I Don’t Complain About” * George Carlin
In our final Halloween Spook-tacular this season, we pull out all the stops and bring you a story straight out of Astounding Science Fiction magazine. As an experienced Private Dick, Dexter Roland has been involved in a number of cases that have often put him in contact with a number of surprising and unusual situations. He’s worked with Humphrey Bogart, presenting the story of The Maltese Falcon, and Peter Lorre, during this Holiday tale Back For Christmas. But this may well be his strangest case yet, as he discovers the horrific events surrounding the disappearance of his friends over at The Broderick Detective Agency. Tune in for an incredible Hard Boiled, Sci-Fi epic as we bring you the tale of The Embassy, where professional PI Broderick is hired to locate the secret base of operations for… a Martian Invasion!
Dexter Roland has been kicking around since the early ‘90’s, trading slugs and shots with the criminal underworld in an effort to right the wrongs that police are unable to involve themselves. Bridging the gap between Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Johnny Dollar, Dirk Gently & Mike Hammer, Detective Roland’s adventures have appeared in a number of quick-and-dirty publications, and most recently in a novel entitled Noir Time Like The Present. But his meta-textual nature, magical realist perception of the universe, and penchant for getting into situations he has no business getting into has made him the perfect radio personality, and his work on this show is always a treat. When he told me about this story, I knew we had to bring it to the air.
I’ve been a fan of X-Minus One since just after High School, when I first came across a collection of cassettes that contained a selection of Sci-Fi programs from the golden age of radio. Of course, it hasn’t been until the last several years that this material has been easily accessible. While there are a number of website that offer a number of old time radio programs for download, I recommend The Twilight Zone Network who offer regular podcasts containing these classic shows as they were heard by audiences in the ‘50’s. It’s nice to be listening to your regular selection of Radiolabs and Planet Moneys, and then have one of these vintage programs pop up in the mix. It offers a good counterpoint to the kinds of radio that exist now, and makes me long for the days when radio brought you narrative programs.
This particular episode – The Embassy – was originally broadcast on Dimension X radio on 3 June 1950. Dimension X was the program that preceded X Minus One, and a number of the same staff, writers and voice actors worked on the program. The story was originally penned by Donald Wollheim for Astounding Science Fiction Magazine, which has sustained a few name changes over the years, and is now known as the well-read Analog. Wollheim was one of the founding Futurians, a group of left-wing science fiction fans (as well editors and writers like Isaac Asimov and Frederik Pohl), and is probably best known the organizer of the first Sci-Fi convention. The Embassy was originally published in March of 1942, and while it was not his most famous story, it is a well-known one among Sci-Fi Radio nerds like me.
The story was “adapted for radio” by George Lefferts, one of the staff writers for both Dimension X and X Minus One. Lefferts had a fascinating and unusual career, that spanned from the ‘40’s into the ‘80’s. He worked for television, film, radio, newspapers, magazines, and documentaries, primarily as a writer, but also as a producer and behind-the-scenes staffer. I know him primarily from the credits of these programs, but his work is so diverse that it makes sense that he would be attracted to a strange story like this. It contains all the usual trappings of a Hard Boiled detective story – a murdered partner, beautiful girls, a client who turns on him, getting drugged and trying to find out why, a run-in with the police – and yet all these elements are completely turned upside down, and the scary, Sci-Fi tinges really sell this episode in a big way. Like a lot of great media, there are parts when you think this could very well just be an exaggerated detective program that will have a sort-of Scooby Doo ending. However, it makes a good hard turn into X Minus One territory in the second act, and as a show that pretends to be one thing and is, actually, another, it seems perfect for Halloween.
I’ve had an incredible holiday season this year, and produced some really excellent shows of which I am proud. Halloween means a lot to me, and shows like this really allow me to indulge in my own interests, tell a story that I find unique, and present radio that is both fun and seasonally appropriate, all at the same time. Thanks again for bringing me to your ears, and supporting something as strange and unusual as I can possibly manage. You guys are amazing, really.
See ya real soon!
The Embassy
Part I:
01.) The Embassy Part I * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
02.) High Terror * Eddie Warner * Cops Crooks and Spies * L’Illustration Musicale Records
03.) The Embassy Part II * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
04.) Divide And Conquer * Hüsker Dü * Flip Your Wig * SST Records
05.) The Embassy Part III * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
06.) Shot by Both Sides * Magazine * Real Life * Virgin Records
07.) The Embassy Part IV * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
08.) Find A Hidden Door * The Misunderstood * Before The Dream Faded * Cherry Red
09.) The Embassy Part V * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
10.) The Sky Is Falling, And I Want My Mommy (Falling Space Junk) * Jello Biafra With Nomeansno * The Sky Is Falling And I Want My Mommy * Alternative Tentacles Records
11.) The Embassy Part VI * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
12.) Body Twist * Frankie Stein And His Ghouls * Monster Sounds And Dance Music * Power Records
Part II:
13.) Postludio Alla Terza Moglie (from Barbalu) * Ennio Morricone * Crime And Dissonance
14.) The Embassy Part VII * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
15.) The Call * Straitjacket * Modern Thieves * Jonny Cat Records
16.) The Embassy Part VIII * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
17.) Little Drop Of Poison * Tom Waits * Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards * ANTI- Records
18.) The Embassy Part IX * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
19.) I Walk Among Them * MX-80 Sound * Out Of The Tunnel * Ralph Records
20.) The Embassy Part X * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
21.) Fascist Cops * The Kids * The Kids * Philips Records
22.) The Embassy Part XI * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
23.) Grave Mistake * David And Jad Fair * Halloween Songs * Thick Syrup Records
Part III:
24.) Diabolo’s Theme * The Ghastly Ones * A-Haunting We Will Go-Go * Zombie-A-Go-Go Records
25.) The Embassy Part XII * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
26.) Keep Talking * The Love Me Nots * In Black & White * Atomic A Go Go Records
27.) The Embassy Part XIII * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
28.) Human Cattail * Last Of The Juanitas * In The Dirt * Wäntage Records
29.) The Embassy Part XIV * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
30.) The Plan * Richard Hell And The Voidoids * Blank Generation * Sire Records
31.) The Embassy Part XV * X Minus 1 Radio * 28 July 1955
32.) Detective Theme * Eddie Warner * Cops Crooks and Spies * L’Illustration Musicale Records
33.) The Invasion is Coming * The Invasion * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume Fourteen * http://kogarsjunglejuice.blogspot.com/
There are a number of people who have become so associated with horror and the macabre that they become culturally associated with Halloween, a holiday that celebrates not only ghosts, vampires and monsters, but these kinds of celebrities as well. While he was most certainly not the first to achieve this kind of notoriety, Vincent Price managed to use this association to his advantage, building a career that spanned stage, screen, radio, television and LP. His singular looks, commanding voice, and overall sense of theater and drama made him perfectly suited to wear capes and speak knowingly about the undead and the midnight hour. While his dedication to the craft was always apparent in everything he produced, his sense of humor was always lurking just beneath, and one need only look at his appearance on The Muppet Show for proof of that. It is with no small amount of fanfare that we bring you an entire hour dedicated to the man himself, presenting his own voice reading stories and poems about ghosts, witches, goblins, and all things creepy as part of our annual Halloween Spook-tacular!
Beginning his career in the late 1930’s, Vincent Price’s horror film debut was with Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone in 1939 in The Tower Of London, but the role that really established his career was 1944’s Laura, a film noir by Otto Preminger, and adapted from the novel of the same name. In 1947 he took on the role of Simon Templar in the radio program The Saint, a heroic adventure program where he solved crimes in much the same manner of The Green Hornet, The Avenger, or The Whistler (a program that shared a similar introduction). He appeared in horror, film noir, and radio programs, and a comedy here and there, throughout the ’40’s and ’50’s. By the 1960’s he was known to many as the character of Egghead in the television adaptation of Batman. However, his work with Roger Corman not only made him permanently associated with horror films (and in particular, screen adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe short stories), but made him a go-to actor when filmmakers wanted to use his incredible voice, or lend a moody atmosphere to the production. Throughout the remainder of his career he worked for a number of director’s, lent his voice to animated films, and hosted endless programs, including PBS’s Mystery!from ’81 – ’89. He passed from this dimension in 1993, but his long career and spectacular command of drama has made him a Halloween icon, and one who I enjoy every year around this time.
One aspect of his career that is often overlooked is his work for Caedmon Records (now Caedmon Audio). Founded in 1952 by Barbara Holdridge and Marianne Roney, Caedmon focused on all manner of spoken word albums, which included authors and poets reading their own work, presentations of speeches or stage performances, poetry collections, children’s stories, and any number of literary works on LP (their slogan: “A Third Dimension for the Printed Page”). They managed to amass an impressive roster of artists, featuring albums by Robert Frost, T. S. Eliot, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, e.e. cummings, Richard Burton, Albert Finney, Vanessa Redgrave and Basil Rathbone just to name a few. These LPs were particularly popular among the hip college crowd in the ’60’s and ’70’s, and offered a new means for listeners to experience well known literary works, often read by the original writers, or at least, consummate performers. Caedmon still releases audio books and literary recordings to this day, though now on CD and in other digital forms, leaving behind the excellent LPs that made their work unique and popular, and today they are thought of as a merely an audiobook production company. It is with this organization that Vincent Price recorded several albums, reading a number of stories totally appropriate for the Halloween season. These albums contained stories about ghosts, goblins, monsters of all variety, and on one record, a series of spells for witches, with their ingredients described in detail. While he recited his share of Edgar Allen Poe stories too, today’s program features stories from his other recordings.
Ghost stories have a long and wonderful tradition that goes back to an time when people primarily heard them around the campfire, and there is something about hearing someone tell you a story that is absolutely mesmerizing. I have fond memories listening to a few scary stories on records when I was a kid, and when I hear recordings like this, I am easily transported to a time when a four minute ghost story would leave me in awe. Putting one of these records on is a fantastic showcase of the different kinds of literary thrills and chills that Vincent Price was so good at delivering, and it seemed appropriate to offer a sort of mix-tape of some well-known moments. I intentionally left out his renditions of Poe works, not only because we featured The Tell-Tale Heart last week, but I wanted to offer some of the other kinds of narratives heard on records like this. Accompanying these stories are the sounds of one of my favorite scary sounds LPs, Haunted House, an Italian record from 1985 with some hilarious typos on the back cover, and an excellent presentation on Side A.
It is sad that, now, both Vincent Price and stories like this are no longer popular, and have been replaced instead with the Horror Movie format as people primary source of Halloween scares. These stories seem permanently lodged in the past, somehow, and while I can easily become excited by work like this, it is every clearly a relic of the past. This show is a sort of snapshot of the way this holiday used to be celebrated, and one that I wish would come back. The real focus of today’s program are tales read by the immortal Vincent Price, and that should be something that is times.
So: light some candles, curl up in a blanket with your loved ones, and enjoy an hour of fantastic tales guaranteed to set the mood for any party. Let’s just hope that you live through the entire show!
An Evening With Vincent Price!
Part I: “Listen, Won’t You?”
01.) Take A Trip Through The Haunted House If You Dare! * Haunted House * Haunted House Music Co.
02.) All-Saints’ Eve * Vincent Price * A Hornbook For Witches * Caedmon Records
Published in 1950 by Leah Bodine Drake in a collection of poems entitled A Hornbook for Witches: Poems of Fantasy, this is perhaps one of the rarest collections of poetry published by a fairly large publisher, Arkham House Press. According to one story, Leah Drake had to shoulder the cost of printing the book, and just over 500 were pressed. 300 were given to the poet for her troubles, and the remainder were sent to distributors. While it is unclear if the book sold well at all when it was published, copies now go for over $500, mostly because of the spooky content and eerie quality to the verse. Most people know these poems from Price’s LP, A Hornbook of Witches, containing a few of the gems from this rare book.
03.) The Lone Grave * Vincent Price * Tales Of Witches, Ghosts, And Goblins * Caedmon Records
This story appeared in a 1956 collection of stories by Carl Carmer entitled The Screaming Ghost And Other Stories. Published as a collection for young adults and illustrated by “Irv Docktor” (a pseudonym if I’ve ever seen one), this is one of the many American folktales and stories Carmer collected and remade for kids. These stories have taken on a number of forms and versions over the years, and made its way into similar collections by other authors, but Vincent Price (and Caedmon Records) seemed to have a fondness for Carmer’s version. This particular story originates from Kentucky, and probably has some basis of fact buried within this frightening tale.
04.) The Phantom Merry-Go-Round * Vincent Price * Tales Of Witches, Ghosts, And Goblins * Caedmon Records
Another story from Carmer’s The Screaming Ghost And Other Stories collection, this one tells the story of the deadly hurricane of 1856, and how it destroyed the resort town of Isle Dernière, near New Orleans.
Part II: “Welcome To Gobbleknoll.”
05.) The Smoker * Vincent Price * Tales Of Witches, Ghosts, And Goblins * Caedmon Records
A story from A Book ofGoblins, published in 1969 and edited by Alan Garner for young adult readers.On the Caedmon LP, this story is listed as “freely adapted from an Iroquois legend.” This is entirely possible, and Garner was merely the editor of this collection of stories. I have yet to track down a copy of this book, so tracing the origins of these stories is entirely dependent on the data available via the Inter-Web-A-Tron.
06.) Don’t * Vincent Price * A Hornbook For Witches * Caedmon Records
This piece was written by Maria Leach, author of the story collection The Thing At The Foot Of The Bed And Other Scary Stories. Originally published in 1959, it saw a number of young adult editions over the years, but is now out of print. Maria Leach, in this collection, took a number of classic folktales and campfire stories and re-told them (similar to the style of Carl Carmer). This was a popular tactic in the ’50’s, ’60’s and ’70’s, as people were less concerned with copyright and the origins of stories like this were never entirely clear anyway. Other stories from this book were often used for Halloween Records, but Vincent’s delivery usually sells the story.
07.) The Leg of Gold * Vincent Price * A Graveyard of Ghost Tales * Caedmon Records
Vincent Price liked his authors British, and Ruth Manning-Sanders was a popular fairy tale collector in the UK. Mostly known for her collections of children’s stories, Ruth would travel the world and collect a variety of stories from different countries, then retell them in her own style for English audiences. One collection in particular – A Book of Ghosts & Goblins – became rather popular in 1969 when it was published, an stories from it have been entertaining people this time of year ever since. This particular tale is of French origin, but the book is worth tracking down due to the wide variety of stories from all over the world.
08.) Gobbleknoll * Vincent Price * Tales Of Witches, Ghosts, And Goblins * Caedmon Records
Also known by the title “Gobble Knowll,” this story is also taken from A Book of Goblins, edited by Alan Garner (also known as The Hamish Hamilton Book of Goblins in the UK). On the Caedmon LP, this story is listed as being “Transposed from a Sioux legend,” which could very well be the case, but most sources agree that Garner’s writing draws from English folktales and stories near where he grew up in the English countryside. Part of the Gobbleknowll story seems to have been used in Garner’s The Weirdstone of Brisingamenbook that he became famous for, and this fame most likely led to him getting the editing job, too.
Part III: “The Calamander Chest”
09.) The Calamander Chest * Vincent Price * Goblins at the Bath House and the Calamander Chest * Caedmon Records
Originally published in Weird Talesmagazine in January of 1954, this story by Joseph Payne Brennan became one of his more popular stories, and might be one of the few included in this presentation that was not originally written for young adults. (Though the audience for Weird Tales definitely skewed young.) Brennan’s work is largely out of print in the modern age, but his stories are considered classic pieces of horror among many authors, including Stephen King. Brennan often used strange and disturbed loners as characters in his work, and was a proponent of the paranormal detective character, which dominated much of his work in the ’60’s. This story is an excellent example of his work, and a great way to close today’s program.
10.) The Broomstick Train * Vincent Price * Tales Of Witches, Ghosts, And Goblins * Caedmon Records
This is a small excerpt from a longer poem by none other than Oliver Wendell Holmes, taken from his collection The One Hoss Shay, illustrated by Howard Pyle. Holmes was a physician and lecturer, and kept company with the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson & Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, among other well known luminaries and poets. This collection was originally produced in 1858, though it was revised a number of times during his life. While the poem is actually about the introduction of electrified street cars in US cities, Holmes strength was in his ability to draw comparisons and connections between the world around him and the supernatural world of the past.
Episode 188: The Tell-Tale Heart (A journey into the Punk-In Patch, featuring Iggy Pop reading Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”!)
The Grumpy Punk hates most holidays, and on the whole has trouble wanting to wish anyone a happy anything, no matter what the circumstances might be. However, our annual Halloween Spook-tacular is something not even The Grumpy Punk can resist, and at least once during the season he likes to take a stroll out into the Punk-In Patch, to bring you a creepy selection of candy-chomping rockers about monsters, the living undead, and the occasional creepy story. It is this in mind that we have turned to our good friend Iggy Pop, the grandfather of punk rock himself, to bring you his rendition of the immortal Edgar Allen Poe short story, The Tell-Tale Heart, a story so closely associated with the season that it regularly shows up on Halloween Records in a number of forms.
In selecting the songs for this particular romp through the Punk-In Patch, I am aided by our good friend Miss Rikki Lee of Closet Radio. While we were unable to secure her to assist us with the recording of this episode, she contributed a number of selections that wound up in the presentation featured today. Not only a fellow traveler of all things Halloween and Punk Rock, her program has been featuring some fantastic Halloween Programming this month, and for the few of you who are not already obsessively listening to everything she broadcasts, you may want to work your way over to her show and check it out. She has made a number of appearances on our fine program, and she is currently celebrating her one year radio anniversary. Show her some love.
In a number of ways, Edgar Allen Poe embodies so much that is Halloween. While his stories and poems contained a wide range of subject matter and characters – including one of the first detective characters in published fiction – there is a creepiness and eeriness that set the done for horror fiction, and only Nathaniel Hawthorne was able to match this tone in the years previous. Poe’s own life was full of tragedy and sorrow, and for someone who had trouble integrating himself into the world he lived in, he had no trouble creating moods and literary landscapes where someone like himself would feel right at home. Reading his stories now has a very unusual effect on readers, as his command of language and the structure of his most famous stories feel like they are a part of the very fabric of scary, campfire narratives.
It is not surprising that Iggy Pop should read this particular selection. Iggy himself loves to mine the world of the horrific for his own narrative purposes, and all of his music has a dark and wonderfully creepy undertone that fills me with both joy and discomfort at the same time. Like Poe, who was developing a tone and style that would become Horror Fiction, Iggy developed what would become Punk Rock, building on a foundation that few before him had already begun, but a number of others afterward would pick up and use ever onward. The merger of these two artists is one that continues to impress me, and when you read the text along with Iggy’s performance, you realize how dedicated he was to this story. His pauses, the lines he emphasizes, and the rise and fall of his delivery flow along with the original text in a way that is completely faithful, and as today’s show unfolds, you’ll find him building to a fantastic crescendo that only someone as masterful as Mr. Pop can deliver. It also illustrates the incredible through-line that exists between this era in literature, and Punk Rock itself.
For those of you unfamiliar with the recording in today’s presentation, it comes from a fantastic double-CD entitled Closed On Account Of Rabies, a collection that I have drawn upon before for this very holiday. It was produced and released by Hal Willner, and if you don’t recognize that name, I am not surprised. His work has been primarily in the realm of tributes and film collaborations, releasing only one album of his own work. His efforts are incredibly diverse, producing tributes to the music of Federico Fellini films, Charles Mingus, Leonard Cohen, Tim Buckley, Randy Newman, Shel Silverstein, Allen Ginsberg, Carl Stalling, and William S. Burroughs, among others. This particular album of Poe stories and poems contains some incredible (and wonderfully strange) performances by the likes of Diamanda Galás, Dr. John, Christopher Walken, Gabriel Byrne and Deborah Harry. Wilner’s production and musical accompaniment is nuanced, and even sounds like a Halloween Record at times. But the effect when combined with Iggy’s throaty, harsh tones not only sound as if it might be Poe’s voice himself, but has a musicality to it that only reveals itself near the end of the tale.
But don’t take my word for it. Sit down and enjoy yet another journey into The Punk-In Patch, as we bring you another Halloween Spook-tacular here on Blasphuphmus Radio.com!
Enjoy!
The Tell-Tale Heart!
Part I: “True! – nervous – very, very dreadfully nervous”
01.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part I) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
02.) Halloween * Siouxsie & The Banshees * Juju
03.) Haunted House Of Rock ’95 * Satan’s Pilgrims * Soul Pilgrim
04.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part II) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
05.) Splatterhouse * The Koffin Kats * Straying From The Pack
06.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part III) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
07.) Monsters * Scratch Acid * The Greatest Gift
08.) Dead Souls * Nomeansno * The Day Everything Became Nothing
09.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part IV) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
10.) In Love With The Dead * Behead The Prophet No Lord Shall Live * Soul System Blackout 7″
11.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part V) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
12.) Raise Up The Dead * Dead Moon * Destination X
Part II: “The old man sprang up in bed, crying out – ‘Who’s there?’ “
13.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part VI) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
14.) King Of The Monsters * Man… Or Astro-Man? * Experiment Zero
15.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part VII) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
16.) The Living Dead * The-Front * “Bad Boy” b/w “The Living Dead”
17.) Back From The Dead * Black Eyes And Neckties * Stiletto
18.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part VIII) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
19.) Blood Visions * Jay Reatard * Blood Visions
20.) Dracula * Sawyer Family * Scary As Hell
21.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part IX) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
22.) Fearless Vampire Killers * Bad Brains * Bad Brains
23.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part X) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
24.) Dead Or Alive * G.G. Allin & The Motor City Bad Boys * Always Was, Is And Always Shall Be
Part III: “If, still, you think me mad, you will think so no longer”
25.) Mummy’s Little Monster * Frankie Stein And His Ghouls * Monster Sounds And Dance Music * Power Records
26.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part XI) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
27.) Monsters * Mad Marge And The Stonecutters * Mad Marge And The Stonecutters
28.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part XII) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
29.) I’m A Mummy! * The Fall * Levitate
30.) I Was A Teenage Werewolf * The Cramps * Songs The Lord Taught Us
31.) The Tell-Tale Heart (Part XIII) * Iggy Pop * Closed On Account Of Rabies
32.) Heartaches * Ted Weems And His Orchestra * The Purple Knif Show
33.) Tell Tale Heart * The Gravetones * On The Edge Of Madness
34.) Undermutter’s Monster Update * The Firesign Theater * All Things Firesign
Episode 187: Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Featuring the complete 1963 story, “Frankenstein’s Monster Talks!” written by Cherney Berg and performed by Hal Johnson & Gabriel Dell.)
Dr. Victor Frankenstein was a scientist of some renown during the early 1800’s, and was not only responsible for the study of a number of fascinating aspects of medicine and biology, but also developed an extremely crude form of sound recording nearly 40 years before the technology was even conceived of by other inventors. Probably his most famous – and dangerous – creation is the Modern Prometheus, the monster that terrorized the world until it was presumedly destroyed in a mysterious fire.
What was not known until the early 1960’s is that Dr. Frankenstein’s monster used this primitive recording technology to document his side of the story. These recordings have been circulated over the last 50 years not only as a document of one of the oldest known recordings to exist, but offer a fascinating look into the life of this creature that terrified people until its tragic demise. (Or so we have been told.)
Now, as part of our annual Halloween Spook-tacular, we present these recordings without any alteration or editing, to give you a chance to decide for yourself the intentions of this often misunderstood creature. Dr. Frankenstein, for many years, has offered his version of these events in prose (as told to an unlucky sailor whom he met just prior to his demise). Now, it’s is the Monster’s turn to talk. To accompany these recordings, we’ve included music in tribute to The Monster, and the time of year associated with him. Brace yourself for a tale too chilling for broadcast radio, entitled “Frankenstein’s Monster Talks!”
As I’ve said numerous times in the past, there is something about Halloween Records that strike a chord and fills me with a certain kind of joy that is hard to explain. Perhaps it is because they embody novelty, a D.I.Y. spirit, childish glee and sense of nostalgia that is fully concerned with the kinds of stories you tell around a campfire, late at night, at the end of summer when you’re trying to build the courage to face the impending winter. There’s probably more to it, too, that any number of psychologists could elucidate I have a few fond memories of listening to Halloween Records as a kid, but to be honest, I never owned any until I was in my early 20’s, and didn’t start collecting with a serious fervency for a few years more.
The golden age of Halloween Records began in the 1950’s and ran through the 1970’s. There were a number of scary and spooky novelty records before that, and they were certainly popular. But in the post-war era the US had a number of things working for it: Television, the LP as a format for music and a burgeoning youth culture with an interest in things esoteric and unique. With the introduction of Shock Theaterin 1957 (and Son Of Shock a year later), TV stations had access to over 70 classic horror movies they could package and use to fill air time in the evenings, where Horror Hosts of every variety dressed up in kooky costumes and waxed poetic about Edgar Allen Poe and Universal Studios.
This was also a period of social change in a number of ways. Culture was homogenizing as the family unit began to solidify and suburbia began to develop. The holiday of Halloween began to morph, and instead of carrying regional variety for reckless, drunken, and sometimes violent adults, became a candy-centric children’s romp with neighbors and at parties, the kind of holiday that middle America craved. The stage was set for Halloween merchandise of every variety to become the seasonal backbone of any company that wanted to manufacture costumes, candy, and of course, novelty records.
The correlation between rock music and Halloween Records seems to be almost too good to be true. Their origins stem from the same post-war realities, their audiences seem to be more or less the same, and when they work in concert with each other, the results are incredible. While the Misfits are an amazing modern example of what can be done when you blend rock music and horror themes, almost as soon as there was rock and roll, there were musicians singing about monsters, graveyards, and prowling the streets at night. It is no wonder that it is a trope that people return to again and again, and one of which I can’t seem to get enough. I have hours and hours (and hours) of Halloween music and scary sounds albums, and every time I think I’ve plumbed the depths, each year I uncover a new batch of things that get me excited about doing Halloween shows like this one.
This particular record, Famous Monsters Speak!, has been reprinted a number of times since its original release in 1963, and is now available in iTunes (and on CD). The production on it is actually quite good for the time, and is above average for Halloween Records in general. Hal Johnson created all the sound effects, about whom it is hard to find any biographical information. (It is safe to assume that he probably worked at A.A. Records, who released the album for Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, through which you could order the LP when it first came out.) All of the voices, however, were performed by Gabriel Dell, a member of the Dead End Kids, a group of New York actors who appeared in a series of plays in the mid-to-late 30’s, and then movies through Universal Studios. His career included a number of films, a stint on Broadway, and quite a few TV shows until until the late ’70’s. He died of leukemia in 1988, and while my Grandmother still waxes poetic about how great the Dead End Kids movies were, I will always remember him fondly from this recording. I was convinced that the other voices were done by different actors, and was pleasantly surprised to find that he’s just that good.
The writer of this particular story is Cherney Berg, someone with a level of fame between that of Hal Johnson and Gabriel Dell. Cherney wrote story adaptations for records, including two other Halloween Records, and two other story records (according to his “discogs.com” page linked above). While I can’t say that the writing stands out here (the great parts of this story are still owed to Mary Shelly), there is a certain style to adapting stories to an audio format that Mr. Berg certainly has dialed in. The B-Side of this record, “Dracula Returns!” is like this too, and sounds more like a one-person radio play making it particularly suited to this program.
Sadly, as the ’70’s wore on, Halloween Records began to decline quite drastically. Scary Stories appeared less frequently on albums, and Scary Soundscapes began to dominate before disappearing entirely. Fewer Monster Songs were recorded by artists to the point where they became actual novelties worse than “The Monster Mash,” performed only by novelty acts who specialized in z-level quality. As companies like K-Tel and Pickwick began to move into the market, re-issues and re-makes began to become the standard for this genre and fewer new compositions were entering into the market. By the ’80’s all you had left were bands like The Misfits and The Cramps keeping the spirit of Halloween Records alive.
The occasional band in the ’90’s and 2000’s (Satan’s Pilgrims, The Bomboras, The Ghastly Ones) worked to right this wrong, and no less an artist than Rob Zombie produced a fabulous Halloween Record featuring one of the most important figures in this genre, Zacherle himself (perviously known as Roland in his Horror Host days in the ’50’s). Now, with bloggers and websites working overtime to help gather material both new and old for modern consumers, the mode and media have changed dramatically, but the genre is sort of back on track. It seems that you can easily find any number of quality songs, new and old, that pay reverential homage to this by-gone era. It’s my dream that, in the not so distant future, the spirit of this Golden Age will return, and spooky compilations and audio oddities will return to the marketplace with the same creepy attitude these records used to embody.
In the meantime: Blasphuphmus Radio will bring you their Halloween Spook-taculars to help fill the void.
See you in seven!
Frankenstein’s Monster Talks!
Part I: Crude Recordings
01.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part I) * Famous Monsters Speak!
02.) Doom At Midnight * Frankie Stein And His Ghouls * Shock! Terror! Fear!
03.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part II) * Famous Monsters Speak!
04.) Over At The Frankenstein Place * The Rocky Horror Picture Show
05.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part III) * Famous Monsters Speak!
06.) Monster Swim * Bobby “Boris” Picket & The Crypt-Kickers * “Monster Swim” b/w “Werewolf Watusi”
07.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part IV) * Famous Monsters Speak!
08.) Graveyard * Leroy Bowman * Monster Bop
09.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part V) * Famous Monsters Speak!
Part II: From Which Graves Did I Come?
10.) Frankenstein * Jad And David Fair * Sing Your Little Babies To Sleep
11.) Frankenstein * Edgar Winter Group * They Only Come Out At Night
12.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part VI) * Famous Monsters Speak!
13.) Frankenstein Walk * Gene “Bowlegs” Miller * “Frankenstein Walk” b/w “Everybody Got Soul”
14.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part VII) * Famous Monsters Speak!
15.) Midnight Monsters Hop * Jack And Jim * Midnight Monster Hop
16.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part VIII) * Famous Monsters Speak!
17.) Frankenstein’s Den * Hollywood Flames * Doo Wop Halloween
18.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part IX) * Famous Monsters Speak!
Part III: Frankenstein Conquers The World!
19.) Frankenstein Conquers The World * Jad Fair & Daniel Johnston * It’s Spooky
20.) The Black Cat * Ozzie Nelson & Orchestra * Halloween Stomp
21.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part X) * Famous Monsters Speak!
22.) Frankenstein Meets The Beetles * Goodman and Ramal * The Monster Album
23.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part XI) * Famous Monsters Speak!
24.) The Boogy Man Is Here * Tom Gerun & Orchestra * Halloween Stomp
25.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part XII) * Famous Monsters Speak!
26.) Main Title (Theme From “Young Frankenstein”) * John Morris * “Young Frankenstein” Original Soundtrack
27.) Frankenstein’s Monster Talks! (Part XIII) * Famous Monsters Speak!
Every year about this time, I feel a slight chill enter my bones, a feeling that sinks into my very thought processes and stays with me well into the winter months. The days are shorter, colder, and cause a little more pause when the sun has set and there is nothing but the darkness behind you. It’s at that time of year that I can think of nothing else but the greatest holiday our fair program celebrates: Halloween! And with this show, we kick off five full weeks of programming as part of our annual Halloween Spook-tacular, the backbone of any year here it BlasphuphmusRadio.com.
It’s hard for me to exert any amount of reserve once October rolls around, and before the week is out I’m listening to non-stop monster songs until sometime in December. What can I say? I’m a sucker for it. But this year, instead of jump the gun when it still feels like the end of summer outside, I instead opted to ease our way into this most sacred of holidays, with a show that dramatically presents the night as it begins to take over our lives, and the effect that darkness has on us all. It seems like a happy medium; rather than blow my wad on songs about zompires and vampwolves this early in the game, I thought I would set the scene first, before jumping out of the darkness and saying, “Boo!”
For those of you who want to stay on top of our Halloween Broadcasts – and relive our past triumphs – this handy link will allow you to subscribe to these shows in iTunes, where all the magic will appear on your computer as these shows come out. Last year I produced a number of great programs that I think are among the best ones I’ve ever done, and there are several in the archives that are bound to set the mood for any kind of party you may be hosting this year. I will be adding a few more shows to this archive throughout the month, so now is a perfect time to fire up the old iTunes and find out what we’ve been up to all these years.
Stay tuned, as there will be plenty of Monster Mash’s and rattling chains for the next several weeks. I get so excited this time of year, I can hardly contain it! Fortunately for you, it comes in the form of listening pleasures the likes of which you will rarely hear anywhere else.
Talk to you next week.
Darkness Descends!
Part I: Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark
01.) Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark * The Sonics * Boom
03.) Night Beat * The Phantoms * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume Eight
04.) Dark Thoughts * New Dawn * Love, Peace & Poetry: American Psychedelic Music
05.) Dark Entries * Bauhaus * In The Flat Field
06.) Thru The Night * The Estranged * Singles
07.) Thanks For The Night * The Damned * “Thanks For The Night” b/w “Nasty”
Part II: Paging Doctor Dark
08.) In Dark Tree’s * Brian Eno * Another Green World
09.) One More Night * CAN * Ege Bamyasi
10.) Oh, Deadly Nightshade * The New Bloods * 09/29/06 In-Studio Performance
11.) Doctor Dark * Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band * Lick My Decals Off Baby
12.) Relief Of The Night * Jandek * Living In A Moon So Blue
13.) Heart of Darkness * Pere Ubu * Terminal Tower
Part III: Darkness, Darkness, Darkness
14.) Nochnaya Melodiya (Night Melody) * Orkestar Vyacheslav Mescherin * Orkestar Vyacheslav Mescherin
15.) Late Night * Syd Barrett * The Madcap Laughs
16.) Night Of The Lotus Eaters * Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds * Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
17.) Dark Lights The Dark * Bishop Of Battle * Prequel Plus
18.) Night Rain * Deuter * Cloud Cuckooland
19.) And Last Night? * The Enablers * End Note
20.) Midnight Raffle * Langston Hughes * The Voice Of The Poet
In my ever-continuing quest to fill the various holes in my record collection, I have been accumulating some 50’s compilations to try and get at the roots of what I love the most: Rock And Fucking Roll. While I am pretty savvy with a lot of the big names, and I would even say I probably know more than the av-er-age bear, I am also constantly amazed at the things I don’t know about. So I am always interested in learning more about music, and especially this era in particular, mostly because it seems that there are so many buried treasures that you really could just limit yourself to the 50’s, and never really discover it all.
So, this is my first attempt and mining for musical rockabilly gold.
This show goes out to Miss Megan, the host of Songs The Lord Taught Us, a long lost show that taught us all about the amazing world of R&B, Country, Roots Rock, and everything great and wonderful in this world. She and I did a few shows together, where I ran the sound for bands she was hosting, and I regularly lament that we no longer have her on the airwaves. With that in mind, I did my best to try and follow in her footsteps, and while I’m nowhere near as cool or knowledgable as she was, this is my attempt at being that cool.
The show is in three parts, and sort of follows a bit of a story. Our lives are full of heartbreak (literally and metaphorically), and we often use partying and chemicals to help quell the unrest we suffer from. But in the end, we want to make another effort at love, not only for the companionship and the physical joy that comes with it, but also to help offer and be understood by another. Sometimes this story is repeated in a number of ways, and all the symbols are interchangeable when it comes to any particular pursuit we may be in search of. But in the end the three-act structure seems to work so well that even The Story of Rock And Roll has that sort of structure to it.
This one is short and sweet, but if all goes well, I’ll get two more shows posted this week. Yes, we are ambitious, but haven’t we always been?
See you soon!
The Story Of Rock And Roll
Part I: She Broke My Heart
01.) Grandpa Stole My Baby * Moon Mullican * Hillbilly Bop ‘n’ Boogie (Roots Of Rockabilly 1944-56)
02.) The Huckle-Buck * Paul Williams * The Roots Of Rock ‘n’ Roll
03.) Please Don’t Leave Me * Fats Domino * The Roots Of Rock ‘n’ Roll
04.) Baby Don’t Do It * The 5 Royales * The Roots Of Rock ‘n’ Roll
05.) You Upset Me Baby * B.B. King * The Roots Of Rock ‘n’ Roll
06.) Who’s Been Here * Commonwealth Jones * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
07.) Tore Up * Tommy La Beff * Rock ‘N Roll and Rockabilly Inferno
Part II: There’s A Party Goin’ On
08.) Teenage Boogie * Web Pierce * 20 Rockabilly Classics
09.) Moovin’ N’ Groovin’ * Duane Eddy
10.) Put Your Cat Clothes On * Carl Perkins * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
11.) Rock Billy Boogie * Johnny Burnette * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
12.) Move * Boyd Bennett * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
13.) Hang Out * Lloyd Arnold Katche * Rock ‘N Roll and Rockabilly Inferno
14.) Sunglasses After Dark * Dwight Pullen * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
15.) Let Me Go Home, Whiskey * Amos Milburn * The Roots Of Rock ‘n’ Roll
Part III: But I Love Her So
16.) Sh-Boom * The Chords * The Roots Of Rock ‘n’ Roll
17.) I Got A Woman * Booker T & The MG’s
18.) Crazy Baby * The Rockin’ R’s * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
19.) Let’s Go Baby * Billy Eldridge * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
20.) Swamp Gal * Tommy Bell * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
21.) I Love Ya Honey * Jimmy Apostle * Rock ‘N Roll and Rockabilly Inferno
22.) Rootie Tootie Baby * Lee Charles Mitchell * Rock ‘N Roll and Rockabilly Inferno
23.) Scuttle Bug * Bo Diddley * Bo Knows Instro
24.) Little Girl * John & Jackie * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
25.) Farewell to Fans (Outro) [November 12, 1959] * Alan Freed * Rock ‘N Roll and Rockabilly Inferno
Episode 183: Bless This Mess (Featuring music and recordings offered in loving tribute to the country that I love, with tongue placed forcibly into cheek.)
While I am a big fan of political music that skewers whatever the flavor of the week happens to be, and have done a few Fourth of July shows that were less than respectful to the institutions this country holds dear, I have never had the balls to get down and dirty regarding the subject of 9/11. And with good reason: while the event is well in the past, there has been a cultural sacred cow in place when it comes to mocking what was, in the end, a really awful event in our country’s history. My usual knee-jerk reaction to everything is to make a joke, and while there always seemed like plenty of great throw-aways that could have been used when planning a 9/11 show, I never allowed myself to go down that road for fear that there would be some sort of outcry the moment I showed any amount of disrespect for what has become an accidental holiday in this country.
However, time seems to have dulled my sense of what is and isn’t appropriate, and now that it’s been 11 years, I feel like America might be ready for a podcast that goes the whole 9 yards, and delivers some music that obtusely tackles a subject that seems to be somewhat taboo. While I would never go so far as to be critical of the awful events of that day, it seems odd to me that the day now carries this cultural baggage that causes everyone to get far too serious about their patriotism. I’ve always considered myself a patriot, but in the sense that I am willing to question things, discuss them, and find ways to make sense of them through culture and art that addresses complex issues in entertaining ways. Sometimes these take the form of agressive punk songs that speak their mind without concern for who will be pissed off when all is said and done.
Since Tuesday falls on this particular day this year, and since I will have no one to answer to but myself in the event that people do get pissed off, this year felt like a good year to finally break the silence, and bring you a bunch of songs that present different visions of America. I tried to cover a lot of ground, and thus bring in a number of different voices for this show. But in the end, it’s a bunch of stuff that I like listening to, and all of it has a particular perspective that I feel is very worth exploring. Even if it is temporarily.
And: this mix kicks a whole lot of ass.
Next week’s show may be delayed somewhat, as I will be out of town. However, I will do my best to bring you a road show, which may just end up being short. We shall see.
So: don’t forget to pull out your miniature American Flags, plant it firmly in the most inappropriate place you can think of, and turn this one up just loud enough that it’ll piss off your neighbor in the cubical next door.
See you in seven.
Bless This Mess
Part I: Growin’ Up In America
01.) Boy From Nowhere * DMZ * Live At The Rat
02.) All American Twist * The Champs * “All American”
03.) American Heartbreak * Langston Hughes * The Voice Of The Poet: Langston Hughes
04.) Growin’ Up In America * The Colors * Killed By Death Vol. 20
05.) Terror In America * GG Allin & The Murder Junkies * Brutality and Bloodshed for All
06.) Thinkin’ Of The USA * Eater * Thinkin’ Of The USA 7″
07.) American Terrorist * Chris Burke * diymedia.net
08.) Experiment In Terror * Henry Mancini * Greatest Hits
09.) The Ugly American * Big Black * The Hammer Party
10.) The Half-Eaten Sausage Would Like To See You In His Office * The Locust * The Locust / Melt Banana Split 7″
11.) American Dream * The Redundants * I Hate The Redundants
12.) Amercan America * Godless * 7″
13.) Middle America * J.F.A. * Rat Music For Rat People
14.) N.O.U.S.P.T.D.A. * The Nation Of Ulysses * The Birth Of The Ulysses Aesthetic (The Synthesis of Speed And Transformation) EP
15.) America Has Spoken * Patton Oswalt * Werewolves and Lollipops
16.) Fyt * This Mortal Coil * It’ll End In Tears
Part II: Freedom’s Waiting
17.) Early American * Sonic Youth * Confusion Is Sex
18.) Help Stamp Out America * Kermit Schafer * Pardon My Blooper
19.) Cityman * Negativland * Free
20.) 9/11 is a Joke * Delusions of Parasitosis * Coupon D’état
21.) Mecca: A Vision Of The Next Crusade * Thomas M. Disch / X’s For Eyes * Mecca|Mettle
22.) We’re An American Band * MX-80 * We’re An American Band
Part III: The ABC’s of The USA
23.) Politics In America * Bill Hicks * Philosophy
24.) Pow Wow * Grace Tennessee & The American Spirits * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites: Volume Six
25.) A.B.C’s of the U.S.A. * Ada Jones and Billy Murray * Edison Gold Moulded Cylinder Record: 9903
26.) Land: Part I: Horses, Part II: Land of a Thousand Dances, Part III: La Mer (De) * Patti Smith * Horses
27.) Crimes vs. America * Old Time Radio Commercial
28.) Alaska * The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black * A National Heath Care
29.) Freedom Of Choice * Devo * Freedom Of Choice
30.) Contract With Depravity * Kenyon Hopkins * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
31.) Our Nat’l Anthm * Abbie Hoffman * Wake Up America!
32.) Unwanted Workers Of America * The Firesign Theater * All Things Firesign
After a full year plus in a state of “hiatus,” Blasphuphmus Radio Theater Presents!is proud to bring you the next installment in The Adventures of Superman! A strange visitor from a doomed planet has taken up residence on planet Earth. Content to merely work as mild mannered reporter Clark Kent, his job continuously puts him at odds with crooks, thieves, street thugs, gangsters, corrupt politicians, misguided corporate masterminds, and a host of down-to-earth criminals that conventional law cannot manage to deal with on their own. It’s up to Superman to settle the score!
This week’s installment finishes the story Donelli’s Protection Racket, which was started in Part II. As The Adventures of Superman is highly serialized (and, on top of that, incredibly fun to listen to), our recommendation is to subscribe to our newest iTunes subscription option, where you can receive all the back episodes (and all new forthcoming ones) delivered to your Borg Implant of choice. Just past the following link – http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/blasphuphmus-radio-adventures/id558120421 – into your aggregator, and watch the content accumulate!
The relationship between our program and these seventy year old adventures series goes back to 2008, when I began to really explore Old Time Radio recordings on the incredible archive.org website. When I began to come up with new ways to improve our program to coincide with the 2009 relaunch, I knew that I wanted to incorporate OTR into the modern radio landscape. When you listen to these programs, it really is like listening to a completely different time and place in American History. It fascinates me to think of a time period when these quaint and entertaining stories where a regular part of radio, and I am constantly lamenting the fact that radio has changed so dramatically that stories like this do not make it into daily programming. The world of podcasting has definitely helped in this department, and features like The Thrilling Adventure Hour offer a modern take on this kind of storytelling. However, modern radio is just not interested in anything but watered down music formats and an endless string of pointless commercials.
Regardless, I’ve been wanting to bring these stories to you – with period appropriate music and commercials in the mix – ever since. While there are many other characters that wound up being interpreted for radio, Superman was not only the most popular, but has the largest wealth of material to draw upon. (There are almost 1000 episodes in existence, spanning a few decades.) What is interesting about this version of Superman, though, is that he is slightly different than the one we meet in comics. In the late ’30’s and early ’40’s, ideas like “continuity” were not in place, and the people who were writing for the radio were not writing for the comics. The radio version of Superman arrives on Earth as an adult, and is not raised by Ma & Pa Kent. He’s got a little bit of a “street-wise” element to him, and is willing to beat a crook into submission, intimidate someone into doing the right thing, and has no qualms with lying to his friends and co-workers in an effort to protect his identity.
The kinds of crooks that Superman gets involved with in these stories aligns more with the earliest comics that were published, too. Unlike the Superman of today, who has powers that attract super-villains of the extreme variety, this is the populist interpretation of Superman, where bad businessmen and corrupt racketeers work against the poor and downtrodden, who are just out to survive in a post-depression America. Rather than use super-powers, a simple fist-fight is usually how most crooks are brought to justice, and where he has a host of abilities to help him in comics, only his strength and flight get any play on the radio. In a way, this is like looking at an adolescent Superman, who has a lot of growing up to do in order to get to the world of today.
These stories are also fascinating to me, in that they introduce elements to the Superman mythology that eventually become important in the comics. Perry White and Jimmy Olsen – two characters that play a huge role in Clark Kent’s job at The Daily Planet, were introduced to Radio Audiences before they ever appeared in the comics. In fact The Daily Planet was a radio invention. Superman, as a comic book, was only introduced in 1939, and before the year was out the radio show was in production. While Superman was being outsold by Captain Marvel on the newsstands, Superman was pulling an incredible share of listeners on the radio, and it was this version of the character that America fell in love with (and, eventually, drove readers to buy the comics). In what was to be a rare set of circumstances, the characters that were unique to the on-air program made their way into the comics. Donelli’s Protection Racket introduced America to Jimmy Olsen, who would soon become a permanent fixture in the series, and would cement the program in the hearts of youngsters across the country.
Unfortunately, information about this period of radio broadcasting is spotty at best. I’ve consulted a number of resources to get the details as accurate as possible, and have used sites like archive.org and the Old Time Radio Researchers Group to make sure these presentations are accurate. However, documentation about these programs were not kept at the time they were broadcast. In 1940, these programs were not seen as media to be saved for the future. Aside from big name voice talents, like Bud Collyer, very few voice actors, foley artists, or writers received much credit for their work, and WWII itself made the production and preservation of transcription discs a feat in and of itself. Superman’s popularity allowed for these shows to be saved when other, lesser-known shows do not exist in any format, and details of their production are nearly nonexistent. These kinds of shows put into perspective the transient nature of media and information as a whole, and helps us to reflect on the value of documentation, in whatever form it may be.
And now, patient reader, its time to travel with us to the past, over 70 years ago, as we bring you the incredible and action-packed story, Donelli’s Protection Racket, part of the continuing Adventures of Superman!
–
The Adventures of Superman Part VIII: Donelli’s Protection Racket!
A thug, gangster, and racketeer by the name of Chip Donelli has created a protection racket on Spruce Street in Metropolis, where the recently-introduced new character, Jimmy Olsen and his mother happen to run a candy store. Clark Kent – both as a reporter, and as his alter ego of Superman, must catch Donelli, thwart his kidnapping plans, and bring him to justice!
I have always been a fan of space exploration, and as a young kid I even wanted to be an astronaut. But as time went on, and it became clear that I would not be the first man to Mars, I started to let my mind wander toward the stars instead, and soon became extremely interested in music, writing, and art. Now, in honor of the successful Curiosity Rover landing on Mars on the 6th of August, I present an audio essay dedicated to that success, filled with music about Mars, and information about exactly how hard it was to get there from here.
There is no shortage of music about our neighbor in the sky, and it was very easy to quickly fill the playlist with a number of choice songs. But the real backbone of this show are the samples from NASA TV. I was watching the rover landing live with some friends of mine, and their coverage of the event was great. They also made some very informative, and extremely well-produced, short videos that helped put into perspective exactly what the task at hand was. Using those videos and a jumping-off point, I assembled an audio essay that highlights two of the greatest forces in the universe: Science and Rock Music!
So, sit back for a journey into both space and sound. See you in seven!
Blues For Planet Mars
Part I: Transmitting Live From Mars
01.) Landing On The Surface * NASA TV
02.) Mars Attacks!: Main Title * Artie Kane (Conductor)* Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
03.) Commander Scott On Mars * The Muffins * Secret Signals 1
04.) Mars In A Minutes * NASA TV
05.) The Stars Our Destination * Stereolab * Mars Audiac Quintet
06.) Seven Deadly Minutes * NASA TV
07.) Conrad Adrift Toward Mars * Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 * I Hope It Lands
08.) Game Over * NASA TV
09.) Within A Martian Heart * Man… Or Astro-Man? * What Remains Inside A Black Hole
10.) The Atmosphere * NASA TV
11.) Martian Band * The Wildtones
12.) Flyin’ Saucers Rock ‘n’ Roll * Billy Lee Riley & The Little Green Men * Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
13.) The Parachute * NASA TV
14.) Beacon From Mars * Kaleidoscope * Egyptian Candy
Part II: Going To A Martian Hop
15.) Wheel On Mars * NASA TV
16.) Mars [Excerpt] * John Coltrane * Interstellar Space
17.) Ballrooms Of Mars * T.Rex * The Slider
18.) Looking At The Surface * NASA TV
19.) Life On Mars? * David Bowie * Hunky Dory
20.) Lowering The Rover * NASA TV
21.) Martian Hop * The Ran-Dells * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
22.) We Won’t Know Right Away * NASA TV
23.) Knocked Out Joint On Mars * Buck Trail * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
24.) Sending A Signal Back To Earth * NASA TV
25.) Here Come the Martian Martians * Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers * The Best of..
26.) The Odyssey’s Role * NASA TV
27.) Mars * The Wipers * Silver Sail
Part III: Planet Heart
28.) We’re Safe * NASA TV
29.) Blues For Planet Mars * Last Of The Juanitas * “The Jay” b/w “Blues For Planet Mars”
30.) Mars, Bringer Of War (From “The Planets”) [Excerpt] * City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
30.) Not A Life Detection Mission * NASA TV
31.) Next Stop Mars * Sun Ra * Nothing Is…
32.) Sending More Data * NASA TV
33.) Honey Bee (Let’s Fly To Mars) * Grinderman * Grinderman
34.) Rocket Science * NASA TV
35.) I Turned Into A Martian * The Misfits * Boxset
36.) Gale Crater * NASA TV
37.) Planet Heart * Guitar Wolf * Planet Of The Wolves
38.) State Of The Art Labs * NASA TV
39.) Life On Mars * Nerf Herder * How To Meet Girls
40.) N.N.End * Mars * Mars LP
Relive college radio from the late 90’s as it actually happened! Experience five edited presentations from the earliest days of this very program, as they were originally heard on KWVA in Eugene Oregon, broadcast at 88.1 FM. For the fist time since their original air dates these programs are being heard again, and at the correct speed in most cases! Join a clumsy and youthful Austin Rich as he stumbles through the act of playing College Radio DJ, and listen to some authentic late 90’s rock as we journey through the decades.
This is part of our 14th Anniversary Explosion that’s been happening all throughout the year, and to a smaller extent, part of an on-going attempt to accurately archive the history of this program in a way that’s accessible to listeners. As many of the programs from the early days are not complete, and in many cases missing entirely, I’ve been creating these shortened “edited” versions of these shows, to give you a taste of what it was like in these early days. As there are still a few shows to come in this series – and still many others for you to enjoy – you may want to slap this feed into your podcast-catching device of choice, as it will keep you up to date with all the appropriate episodes, and give you a good cross-section of the entire history of the program.
Of these particular episodes, it is fascinating to attempt to recreate the circumstances that these programs were recorded under. When Kyle would visit, he would often join me when I would go to the radio station. Both Geni and Pat were roommates at one point or another, and Chris was a near-permanent fixture in the legendary Blitzhäus where we used to live and party in the olden days. These shows evoke a lot of memories, not just of the music that we played, but the parties, shows, girlfriends, boyfriends, arguments, D&D games, and the hundreds of other things that went down in the late 90’s. In an era before cell phones, .mp3s, regular internet access, or very much money to speak of, we still created culture, built mythologies, and had a great time doing in. If only some of that nostalgia can seep through these tape-hiss-infused recordings, then I will feel as if my work here is done.
A request to listeners: if anyone can identify the Man Is The Bastard song that I play during the “Track Night” segment, please let me know! I’ve been trying to identify that one for a while now.
Many apologies for the lateness of the program. Hopefully this is a fluke occurrence, but you know how it goes.
See you in seven!
Introduction: The More Things Continue To Blah Blah Etc.
01.) Adventures Through Inner Space * The Bomboras
Part I: “Senses Shattering” w/ Kyle Rich (06 May 1998)
02.) Jessica * They Might Be Giants
03.) Baby Puts Out Old Flames * Rye Coalition
04.) Beastie Boys * Beastie Boys
05.) There Ain’t No Sanity Clause * The Damned
06.) 13 Ways To A Cavity * KARP
07.) Battle of the Planets * godheadSilo
Part II: “Feet Together, Buttocks Tight” w/ Kyle Rich (14 July 1998)
08.) Imperial Dance * Supergenius
09.) Can You Feel It? * The Jacksons * Jane Fonda Workout
10.) Die Eier Von Satan * Tool
11.) Delirium & Disorder * Bad Religion
12.) Rock & Roll McDonalds * Wesley Willis
13.) Nuts To You * godheadSilo
Part III: “Track Night” w/ Geni (09 September 1998)
14.) Peter Gunn Theme * Poison Ivy
15.) ?? * Man Is The Bastard
16.) The Creeps * Social Distortion
17.) Paul Revere * The Beastie Boys
18.) Degobah * Monkey
19.) Two Little Boys * Splodgenessabounds
20.) Stayin’ Alive * Anal Cunt
21.) “You fuckin’ die.” * The Pixies
Part IV: “Rock And Roll” w/ Chris Brooks (16 December 1998)
22.) Sidewalk City * The Phantom Surfers
23.) Iron Fist * Motörhead
24.) Drag Strip Race * The Rondelles
25.) Ace Of Spades * Motorhead
26.) Take You Higher * Tight Bros. From Way Back When
27.) Clockwork Orange * Walter Carlos
28.) Is It Wicked Not To Care? * Belle & Sebastian
29.) Dad Why Did My Friends Explode? * Deadbolt
30.) Smokin’ Banana Peels (Re-Mix) * The Dead Milkmen
Part V: “A Geosynchronous Orbit” w/ Pat The Pirate (24 March 1999)
31.) Ghoulash * Satan’s Pilgrims
32.) Love Story * Lagwagon
33.) Self Cleanin’ Lovin’ * Royal Grand Prix
34.) Fake Fake Eyes * …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
35.) High School Shop Class Constructs Bicycle Built For Twenty-Six * Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo
36.) No Brains * Eater
37.) Stranger Than Fiction * Bad Religion
38.) Escape Through The Air Vents * Man… Or Astro-Man?
39.) Freak Scene * Dinosaur Jr.
This is where I’ll put the long blog entry once it’s finished. It’ll explain that this week’s show features the work of Kermit Schafer, a radio and TV engineer in the ’50’s through the ’70’s, and who not only coined the idea of a blooper, but also collected hundreds of on-air gaffs and announcer mistakes, which he endlessly released during his lifetime. Mention that included in this episode is a 20 minutes audio essay about his work, and an hour of music mixed with these strange audio oddities from his records.
Make sure to expand this episode entry to include lots of biographical information, and details as to why I picked the different tracks, etc.
See you in seven.
We Interrupt This News Bulletin To Bring You A Program
Part I: Afraid Of The Russians
01.) Edited Sections * Kermit Shafer * Pardon My Blooper
02.) Nuages * Django Reinhardt * Verve Jazz Masters 38
03.) The Bathing Suit She Wore * Jerry Nelson & Marilyn Sokol & Paul Williams * Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
04.) Welfare Bread * King Khan & The Shines * What Is?!
05.) Afraid Of The Russians * Styphanoids * History Of Portland Punk Vol. 1
06.) Russian Dance * Tom Waits * The Black Rider
07.) Big Wave * Johnny Dowd * Temporary Shelter
08.) Confused * The Nuns * The Nuns
Part II: Drinkin’ Man’s Cursing
09.) Prison Camp * Coyle & Sharpe * The Imposters
10.) Limehouse Blues * Django Reinhardt * The Best Of…
11.) Drinking’ Wine (Spo-Dee-O-Dee) * Stick McGhee & His Buddies * Atlantic Rhythm & Blues
12.) Sloppy Drunk Blues * Lucille Bogan * Barrelhouse Mammas
13.) When The Shit Hits The Fan * Circle Jerks * Repo Man Soundtrack
Part III: Kermit Shafer: The Man Behind The Blooper
14.) Honeysuckle Rose * Django Reinhardt * Verve Jazz Masters 38
Part IV: My Outer-Space Mixtape
15.) Wally Ballou: Man On The Street * Bob & Ray * The Lost Tapes Vol. 2
16.) Minor Swing * Django Reinhardt * The Best Of
17.) A4 Preview * The Apollo Four * Soundcloud Page
18.) Rocketman * The Red Elvises * I Wanna See You Bellydance *
19.) Mixtape * JJCnV * Brainiac Handsome
20.) Rock ‘N’ Roll Nurse * Compulsive Gamblers * Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing
21.) The Master’s Bedroom (Is Worth Spending A Night In) * Thee Oh Sees * The Master’s Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In
22.) Don’t Blow Up Your Dog * Half Eye * Don’t Blow Up Your Dog
I know I’ve been teasing something “special” for the last several weeks, and I can now say that it is here: the next installment of our ongoing Blasphuphmus Radio Theater Presents!, with live scoring by Moth Hunter.
YES!
This is something that I’ve always wanted to bring to this show: live, narrative radio. It’s happened a couple of times, in very striped down ways, but never like this. Moth Hunter performed a nearly sixty minute set in may, as the score for an edited version of the X Minus 1 classic, “No Contact.” (In fact, this was the first story X Minus 1 broadcast when they first went on the air on 24 April 1955.) As I have also teased, this will not be an isolated incident. I’ve been working with some other artists too, and this could become a regular feature in the very near future.
As an experiment this time, we’re doing something we’ve never done before: we’re offering the entire live performance, unadorned, as a download via our Bandcamp Page:
We wanted to try something new, and this seemed like a natural extension of this show. Getting to hear them both allows you to enjoy the performance as a stand-alone piece, and then appreciate it more as it is incorporated into the narrative of this show. It’s something that the Inter-Web-A-Tron was intended for in the first place, and I think it’s a very sensible move on our part.
Additionally, I would like to direct you to the photoset below. I always like to snap a few shots when I host bands, and this time was no exception.
We hope you enjoy today’s presentation. We put a lot of work into it, and we are really proud.
Join me for a conversation with Miss Rikki Lee, as we go into detail about her early years as a cub reporter and photographer as she tried to make it on the streets of Chicago. In this episode: musical accompaniment that not only connects specifically with her life while she lived there, but in many cases care a chi-town kind of vibe, too. As she recounts her adventures, strap yourself in, as we have cumulatively produced three entire hours of music and interviews. Hope you like Miss Rikki, cause we’ve got nothing but her this entire show.
What can I say that hasn’t already been said? If you’re not already doing so, check her out on Tumblr, and on kpsu.org every Saturday from 1 – 3 PM. Her show is more “FCC-friendly” there, but when she and I get together there are no rules. If you end up liking what you hear in this episode, and you want to hear more, then check out Episode 158: This Is Not A Photograph, where she and I covered her time in Arizona, and some more general information about her life as well. We’re hoping to do this a little more often than every four months, but we shall see.
With that said, let’s get on with “The Scumburg Manifesto.”
The Scumburg Manifesto
Introduction
Incidental music during our interviews provided by “The Chess Story: 1947-1975”
Part I: She’s In Love With Rock N’ Roll
01.) Fun Tonight * The Riverdales * Riverdales
02.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 1
Part II: I’ve Felt You Up Before
03.) Janie Jones (Demo) * The Clash * Clash On Broadway
04.) Rat Patrol * Naked Raygun * Throb Throb
05.) Time For Me, Time For You * The Felt-Ups
06.) Demons Wear Spurs * The Gravetones * On The Edge Of Madness
07.) She Knocks Me Out * The Runarounds
08.) Little Sister * The Neutron Bombs * E.P.
Part III: Elvis Was My Gym Teacher
09.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 2
Part IV: Record Breakers Frequent Buyer Club
10.) This Is The Part Where I Hit You * Milk At Midnight * A Fit To End All Time
11.) Time Warp * Rocky Horror Picture Show
12.) Underground Army * The Threats
13.) Cranked Up Really High * Slaughter & the Dogs * Cranked Up Really High
14.) Street Where Nobody Lives * The Pagans * Pink Album
15.) I Don’t Give A Fuck * The Partisans * The Partisans
Part V: The Geography of Five Year Differences
16.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 3
Part VI: Geek America
17.) Hero Marauder * Tilt * Collect ‘Em All
18.) Motherfucker Are You Ready To Rock? * Boris The Sprinkler * Is…Gay!
19.) Punk Rock Girl * The Dead Milkmen * Beelzebubba
20.) Hey Ya * Outkast
21.) take a shit * The Left Rights * The Left Rights
22.) Poo Out My Ass * The Left Rights * The Left Rights
23.) Say What You Mean * The Lunachicks
Part VII: Low Brow in High Fidelity
24.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 4
Part VIII: Back Seat Driving
25.) Pussy * Lords of Acid
26.) Promises * Buzzcocks * Singles Going Steady
27.) Six A.M. * Screeching Weasel * Kill The Musicians
28.) Rock Around With Ollie Vee * Buddy Holly * Rockabilly Trash
Part IX: Pop Goes The Weasel
25.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 5
For those of you who are just tuning in, join me for a conversation with Miss Rikki Lee, as we go into detail about her early years as a cub reporter and photographer as she tried to make it on the streets of Chicago. If you’re not already doing so, check her out on Tumblr, and on kpsu.org every Saturday from 1 – 3 PM. If you end up liking what you hear in this episode, and you want to hear more, then check out Episode 158: This Is Not A Photograph, where she and I covered her time in Arizona, and some more general information about her life as well. We’re hoping to do this a little more often than every four months, but we shall see.
We are also trying something experimental with this episode, in that we’re presenting it in two parts, over two days. Part One is was available on Tuesday. Part Two now available. This gave you (hopefully) some time to digest Part One, before you’re ready for the rest. However, if you are like me, and you want your podcasts really long for maximum enjoyment, then you are in luck: The Director’s Cut version is now available, too. Please let us know what you think of this. We’ve been toying with the length of shows for a while now, and we feel that by doing things like this, we can offer a range of listening options for people who have different tastes. As usual, we look for feedback here, or any other our other conduits of communication.
With that said, let’s present Part II of “The Scumburg Manifesto.”
See ya in five!
Rocky Horror
The Scumburg Manifesto Part II
Introduction:
Incidental music during our interviews provided by “The Chess Story: 1947-1975”
Part V: The Geography of Five Year Differences
16.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 3
Part VI: Geek America
17.) Hero Marauder * Tilt * Collect ‘Em All
18.) Motherfucker Are You Ready To Rock? * Boris The Sprinkler * Is…Gay!
19.) Punk Rock Girl * The Dead Milkmen * Beelzebubba
20.) Hey Ya * Outkast
21.) take a shit * The Left Rights * The Left Rights
22.) Poo Out My Ass * The Left Rights * The Left Rights
23.) Say What You Mean * The Lunachicks
Part VII: Low Brow in High Fidelity
24.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 4
Part VIII: Back Seat Driving
25.) Pussy * Lords of Acid
26.) Promises * Buzzcocks * Singles Going Steady
27.) Six A.M. * Screeching Weasel * Kill The Musicians
28.) Rock Around With Ollie Vee * Buddy Holly * Rockabilly Trash
Part IX: Pop Goes The Weasel
25.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 5
Join me for a conversation with Miss Rikki Lee, as we go into detail about her early years as a cub reporter and photographer as she tried to make it on the streets of Chicago. In this episode: musical accompaniment that not only connects specifically with her life while she lived there, but in many cases care a chi-town kind of vibe, too. As she recounts her adventures, strap yourself in, as we have cumulatively produced three entire hours of music and interviews. Hope you like Miss Rikki, cause we’ve got nothing but her this entire show.
What can I say that hasn’t already been said? If you’re not already doing so, check her out on Tumblr, and on kpsu.org every Saturday from 1 – 3 PM. Her show is more “FCC-friendly” there, but when she and I get together there are no rules. If you end up liking what you hear in this episode, and you want to hear more, then check out Episode 158: This Is Not A Photograph, where she and I covered her time in Arizona, and some more general information about her life as well. We’re hoping to do this a little more often than every four months, but we shall see.
We are also trying something experimental with this episode, in that we’re presenting it in two parts, over two days. Part One is obviously available now. Part Two will be available on Thursday, giving you a two day wait, and offering you a chance to digest the interview slowly, over time. If you are like me, and you want your podcasts really long for maximum enjoyment, then you are in luck: we will also be releasing, on Thursday, the Director’s Cut version of this show. Please let us know what you think of this. We’ve been toying with the length of shows for a while now, and we feel that by doing things like this, we can offer a range of listening options for people who have different tastes. As usual, we look for feedback here, or any other our other conduits of communication.
With that said, let’s present Part I of “The Scumburg Manifesto.”
See ya in two!
The Scumburg Manifesto Part I
Introduction
Incidental music during our interviews provided by “The Chess Story: 1947-1975”
Part I: She’s In Love With Rock N’ Roll
01.) Fun Tonight * The Riverdales * Riverdales
02.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 1
Felt Ups
Part II: I’ve Felt You Up Before
03.) Janie Jones (Demo) * The Clash * Clash On Broadway
04.) Rat Patrol * Naked Raygun * Throb Throb
05.) Time For Me, Time For You * The Felt-Ups
06.) Demons Wear Spurs * The Gravetones * On The Edge Of Madness
07.) She Knocks Me Out * The Runarounds
08.) Little Sister * The Neutron Bombs * E.P.
Part III: Elvis Was My Gym Teacher
09.) A Conversation With Miss Rikki Lee Part 2
Part IV: Record Breakers Frequent Buyer Club
10.) This Is The Part Where I Hit You * Milk At Midnight * A Fit To End All Time
11.) Time Warp * Rocky Horror Picture Show
12.) Underground Army * The Threats
13.) Cranked Up Really High * Slaughter & the Dogs * Cranked Up Really High
14.) Street Where Nobody Lives * The Pagans * Pink Album
15.) I Don’t Give A Fuck * The Partisans * The Partisans
Episode 175: Summer, Jam (3365) (Featuring a selections of seasonally appropriate songs, selected by our long-lost, unstuck-in-time co-host, DJ Really Sloppy.)
While the idea of doing a summer show seemed like a good idea at the time, it turned out that this week, I had nothing. Not a single idea for songs about summer, outside of just listening to surf music. Fortunately, my good friend DJ Really Sloppy accidentally called me, and babbled for about an hour about what he thinks of when he hears the term “Summer Jam.” The results are this program.
Summer, Jam
Part I
01.) Island In The Sun * Weezer * Weezer * DGC Records
02.) The Savage * The Ventures * Walk – Don’t Run: The Best of The Ventures
03.) Hipalong Hop * B.J. Cole and Luke Vibert * Stop the Panic * Astralwerks
04.) Penny Loafers * Daedelus (with Inara George) * Bespoke * Ninja Tune
05.) Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto remix) * Massive Attack * Heligoland (Extended Version) * Virgin
Part II
06.) Taco Wagon * Man… Or Astro-Man? * Destroy All Astromen!
07.) A Kissed Out Red Floatboat * Cocteau Twins * Blue Bell Knoll * 4AD
08.) I L U * School of Seven Bells * Disconnect from Desire * Vagrant Records/
Ghostly International
09.) Underwater Love * Smoke City * The Rebirth of Cool Four * 4TH & BWAY/Island
10.) Awake in the Sand * Kaitlyn ni Donovan * Songs for Three Days * hush records
Part III
11.) Monkey Safari * Messer Chups * Crazy Price
12.) Something Tropical * Tipsy * Trip-Tease * Asphodel
13.) Rum and Coca Cola * Wanda Jackson * The Party Ain’t Over * Third Man Records
14.) Groove Is In the Heart * Deee-Lite * World Clicque * Elektra Records
15.) I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) * The Proclaimers * Sunshine On Leith * Chrysalis
16.) Walk Don’t Run * The Ventures * Walk – Don’t Run: The Best of The Ventures
17.) Strawberry Jam * Michelle Shocked * Arkansas Traveler * Mercury
Episode 174: The Mop Top Report (Featuring a selection of fabulous tunes to help provide the perfect soundtrack to a nice summer haircut.)
As life continues to get complicated, I had to actually schedule a haircut during my weekly podcast. Of course, there’s little I can do about it, so instead I just got with a hairy theme this week, and pursue music that is not only dense with follicles, but provides all the vitamins and nutrients of an actual treatment with Salon Selectives products. If nothing else, consider this a companion show to our “teeth” broadcast from last week. Nothing says “radio” like teeth and hair.
Presented in two acts, we offer plenty of rock, noise, punk, drone, and other such incredible musical offerings to track down what, exactly, is under our hats. Armando Iannucci helps explain it all to us, as to Peter & Raymond. All while Tara J. Merritt, of the Tara J. Merritt foundation, gives me my regular trim.
Short and sweet, just the way we like. Until next time, enjoy our Mop Top Review.
See you in seven!
The Mop Top Review
Part I: The Beauty Salon
01.) Cut My Hair * The Who * Quadrophenia
02.) The Long Hair Of Death [Excerpt] * Stereolab * Aluminum Tunes
03.) My Barber 1 * Armando Iannucci * The Armando Iannucci Shows * BBC Television
04.) Hair Pie: Bake 1 * Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band * Trout Mask Replica
05.) Robbie’s Hair Cut * Artless Motives * Everything But The Kitchen Sink
06.) Free Haircut * Dead Fucking Last * Proud To Be DFL
07.) Hairy * The Vaselines * The Way Of The Vaselines: A Complete History
08.) Wind Blows Your Hair * The Seeds * Travel With Your Mind
09.) By Hairs On My Chinny Chin Chin * Thee Headcoats * Knights Of The Baskervilles
10.) Star Of Hairs * Robyn Hitchcock * Invisible Hitchcock
11.) His Hair * Mad Magazine * Fink Along With Mad!
12.) Beauty Salon * Mars Production Library * Mars Production Library CK-713
Part II: Sunset On Hair Mountain
13.) Longhair Stomp * Professor Longhair * The Mercury New Orleans Sessions 1950 & 1953
14.) My Barber 2 * Armando Iannucci * The Armando Iannucci Shows * BBC Television
15.) Hairpiece Lullaby 1 & 2 * Sonic Youth * Made In USA
16.) Hairdryer Peace * The Hospitals * Hairdryer Peace
17.) Hair Raising Excitement * Hunger Artists * Cruisin’ In Zargon
18.) Hairgrowth Speed * Zach Hill And Mick Barr * Shred Earthship
19.) Hair Waves * Mars * Mars LP: The Complete Studio Recordings NYC 1977-1978
20.) Curly Hair * Doo Rag * Chuncked And Muddled
21.) Theme From “Sunset On Hair Mountain” * Hugh Swarts * Duck, Duck, Chimp (Rarities 1987-2001)
22.) Golden Hair * Syd Barrett * The Madcap Laughs
23.) We’ll Set Your Hair On Fire * Raymond And Peter * Shut Up Little Man
24.) New York Mood (A New Haircut And A Busted Lip) * Tom Waits * Night On Earth Original Soundtrack Recording
25.) Hair Pie: Bake 2 * Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band * Trout Mask Replica
26.) Widen Your Horizons: How To Brush Your Hair * Bob & Ray * The Lost Episodes, Vol. 2
Episode 173: Dental Jams (Featuring a selection of recordings about teeth, dentists, and oral hygiene related issues.)
I have been fascinated by media relating to teeth and dentists since I first wrote about dentists in 2007, but as with anything you become interested in, interets ebb and flow over time. However, a recent set of trips to the dentist – with at least two more appointments on the horizon – has caused me to start thinking about teeth more than I’m usually doing so. So with that in mind, I decided to dig up an hour of Dental Jams, to help ease my nerves as I prepare for another visit to have sharp implements put into my mouth for the soul benefit of fixing my already broken teeth.
This is another short show, as I continue to adjust to my various schedule changes and whatnot in my personal life. But it has some top notch music by some of my favorite bands, and closes on a Melvins song. What more could you ask for in a radio show about teeth?
Keep up the good work, and I’ll see ya’ll next week.
Enjoy!
Dental Jams
Part I: Teething
01.) Dentist! * Steve Martin, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold, Tisha Campbell * Little Shop Of Horrors: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
02.) Performance Excerpt * Toiletooth * What’s This Called? Broadcast 13 March 2010
03.) Strawberries Are Growing In My Garden (And It’s Wintertime) * The Dentists * Children Of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts of the 2nd Psychedelic Era 1976-1996
04.) Scotch Teeth * Half Eye * The Rose Mary Murders
05.) 13 * Teeth Collection * Triskaidekaphobia: 13,000.00 MilliSeconds
06.) Sleep (Part II): Carry Stress In The Jaw * Mr. Bungle * Disco Volante
07.) Painted My Teeth * Jandek * Modern Dances
08.) Spolier * Different Dentist * Triskaidekaphobia: 13,000.00 MilliSeconds
Part II: The Tooth Fairy Isn’t Real, Is She?
09.) The Mad Dentist * Cold Pizza * I’m More Like I Am Then, Than I Was Now
10.) Tooth Fairy Retribution Manifesto * Rodan * Rusty
11.) 13 * Teeth Mountain * Triskaidekaphobia: 13,000.00 MilliSeconds
12.) Sharp Teeth * Ax * Our Queen of Dirt
13.) Teeth * Royal Trux * Cats And Dogs
14.) Can God Fill Teeth? * Lard
Part III: They’ve All Gotta Be Pulled Sooner Or Later
15.) The Dentist [Live] * The Action Zone * Blasphuphmus Radio 18 April 2007
16.) Dedicated Thespian Has Teeth Pulled To Play Newborn Baby In High School Play * Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo * Strange But True
17.) The Braces on Your Teeth * Mad Magazine *Fink Along With Mad!
18.) Toothless Baby * Pez Abacus * December 11 2009
19.) Teeth * The Mekons * Punk Rock
20.) Brush Your Teeth * The Queers * Don’t Back Down
21.) Sweet Tooth * King Khan & The Shrines * The Supreme Genious Of…
22.) The Tooth Fairy And The Princess * Hüsker Dü * Zen Arcade
23.) With Teeth * Melvins * Lysol
24.) Tooth Decay Dramatization * Coyle And Sharpe * Coyle and Sharpe: The Imposters Podcast Ep. 83 * MaximumFun.org
Celebrating Jeff Beck’s birthday (June 24th) – Jeff is the Unofficial Official Patron Saint of the Guitar Shop! Other guitar goodies for your ears as well. Tune in.
Episode 172: Eels, Love & Guns (Featuring an assortment of novelty records culled from the archive here in the Lava Lamp Lounge.)
As we prepare for the bountiful fun that summer has to offer, these days spent sequestered in the warm comfort of the Lava Lamp Lounge here in Historic St. John’s are a real treat. I often get to dig through things I have yet to hear, and enjoy rare treats that I don’t always get to listen to. Like this fantastic interview conducted by Chris Morris on BBC3 in January 1994 with none other than Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling himself! I know that I don’t need to get into what an amazing and fascinating person the knighted gentleman is, so I’ll merely let the practiced stylings of Mr. Morris guide us through what will be an hour of Prado meanderings, philosophical musings, drunken engagements, and other random shenanigans.
There will also be music, too.
As part of our series exploring novelty records, we tread ground old and new this week, in an hour-long format that’s perfect for keeping you awake during the commute. As long as you remember that everything you know is wrong, and that you are currently living on a more wonderful alternate earth, then there will be no end to the enjoyment you’ll get out of this episode of Blasphuphmus Radio.
See you in seven.
Eels, Love & Guns
Part I: Everything You Know Is Wrong
01.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt I] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
02.) Hoedown At Alice’s * Steve Martin * King Tut EP
03.) Clink, Clink, Another Drink * Spike Jones & His City Slickers * Musical Depreciation Revue: The Spike Jones Anthology
04.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt II] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
05.) Exotic Suite Of The Americas [Excerpt I] * Pérez Prado * Exotic Suite Of The Americas
06.) Everything You Know Is Wrong (About Shoes!) * The Firesign Theater * All Things Firesign
07.) Marketing & Advertising * Bill Hicks * Arizona Bay
08.) Meaning Of Life * Monty Python * Monty Python Sings
09.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt III] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
10.) Exotic Suite Of The Americas [Excerpt II] * Pérez Prado * Exotic Suite Of The Americas
11.) Selling Out * Tom Lehrer
12.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt IV] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
13.) Exotic Suite Of The Americas [Excerpt III] * Pérez Prado * Exotic Suite Of The Americas
14.) Shaving Cream * Benny Bell
Part II: An Alternate Earth
15.) Skokian * Hot Butter * RE/Search: Incredibly Strange Music Vol II
16.) The Loose Wig * Del Close & John Brent * How to Speak Hip
17.) Exotic Suite Of The Americas [Excerpt IV] * Pérez Prado * Exotic Suite Of The Americas
18.) Earache My Eye * Cheech & Chong
19.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt V] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
20.) Exotic Suite Of The Americas [Excerpt V] * Pérez Prado * Exotic Suite Of The Americas
22.) Don’t Put Onions On Your Hamburger * Fink Along With Mad * Big Top Records
23.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt VI] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
24.) Exotic Suite Of The Americas [Excerpt VI] * Pérez Prado * Exotic Suite Of The Americas
25.) The Laughing Policeman * Tiny Tim * I Love Me * Seeland Records
26.) Alternate Earth * Patton Oswalt * Werewolves and Lollipops
27.) Exotic Suite Of The Americas [Excerpt VII] * Pérez Prado * Exotic Suite Of The Americas
28.) Ben * Crispin Glover
29.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt VII] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
30.) Buchanan & Goodman On Trial * Buchanan & Goodman * Luniverse Records
31.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt VIII] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
32.) Exotic Suite Of The Americas [Excerpt VIII] * Pérez Prado * Exotic Suite Of The Americas
33.) The Beverly Hills Telephone Directory Cha Cha Cha * Bob McFadden * Songs Our Mummy Taught Us
34.) Eels, Love and Guns [Excerpt IX] * Chris Morris and Peter Cook * Why Bother
On crummy days like this I like to get my chores done early, eat a massive breakfast, and listen to a lot of sludgy metal to accompany the strange weather. Often I like to clean my office, too. It’s the kind of day that was meant for reflective listening and clearing out the cobwebs, and there’s nothing better than a nice dose of metal. Sure, it works for a number of other occasions, too, but rainy house-bound days call for nothing more than making a wasted Saturday suddenly awesome with the addition of metal. And, to match the mood, let’s call for some sludgy doom!
There’s really not much to this show. I wanted to hear some metal, I listened to some metal. And now you can enjoy it, too. While by no means an expert, or someone who can claim “metal guru” status, I can say that I knows whats I likes, and I likes me some KARP, Pentagram, Black Sabbath, and Melvins. What can I say? It hits the spot.
Any hopefully it hits yours. This should be me on track for shows that I owed up until last Tuesday. Hopefully I can get one out for this week on time, and we can return to business as usual. Until then, enjoy this blast of hearty metal for a rainy day, and we’ll meet again in the Lava Lamp Lounge with more crazy stuff soon enough.
See ya then!
metal
i
01.) Thor Is Like Immortal [Edit] * The Fucking Champs * IV
02.) Into The Grave * Bedemon * Child Of Darkness
03.) Electric Funeral * Black Sabbath * Paranoid
04.) The Nile Song * Pink Floyd * Relics
05.) Queen Of Bees * Witchcraft * Firewood
06.) All Along The Watchtower * Träd, Gräs Och Stenar * Träd, Gräs Och Stenar
ii
07.) Schuylkill [Edit] * Stinking Lizaveta * …hopelessness and shame.
08.) When The Screams Come * Pentagram * First Daze Here
09.) Meet Me In Lacey * KARP * Suplex
10.) The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown) * Melvins * The Maggot
11.) Nostos Algos * Thrones * Day Late, Dollar Short
Returning to Ken Nordine‘s fantastic Colors album, this episode offers a meditation on color and colors, just in time to celebrate Pride, and to revisit one of the most incredible recordings made in the last 100 years. Nordine has carved out an interesting place for himself over the years, and this episodes helps illuminate his career, and this album in particular, juxtaposed against music that is either color themed, or very much in line with his own musical sensibilities. Plus: it’s just a really good mix of music, if you ask me.
The audacity of someone to do an entire album about color in a medium that is devoid of visual cues itself is sort of like that of a person who would do a radio show that is based on a visual theme. Still, Nordine manages to bend both words and ideas to his will, and presents a fantastic soundscape that is equal parts improvisational and observational, cutting straight to the heart of the human condition in something that is seemingly about the colors of the rainbow. This episode, which features some background information about Nordine and this album, is an attempt to musically capture what he did in this album. The results are for you to hear, now.
Part I of this show, from 2010, was not created with that much forethought. Without a show prepared, I went into the studio with Colors and literally nothing else, I began to present the oldest albums in KPSU’s catalog to highlight what the station would have sounded like in the mid ’90’s. However, the presentation worked much better than, in some cases, an over-thought theme or show. Only recently did I post a playlist for that episode, which inspired this sequel. Rather than plan this one out meticulously, I selected a few things I wanted to hear, and built the show around that.
I could go on and on about the delays and production problems we’ve been having lately, but the short version is: we’re ironing out some kinks in the way we produce this show. In the end, this will be good. But for now, the schedule may be a little wonky, especially since summer is here and there’s a lot more going on. Hopefully we can return to weekly shows, dropping on Tuesdays, for your enjoyment. Until then, we have back-episodes going to 2009, and there is plenty to enjoy while we get our ducks in a row.
That’s all for this week. Keep up the good work, and we’ll see you real soon.
Take care!
A New Coat Of Paint
Part I: Blue Is The Color Of The Sky
01.) Colors * Roky Erickson * Hide Behind The Sun
02.) The Color Of Holy Water * Sun City Girls * Wah
03.) Lavender * Ken Nordine * Colors
04.) Lavender * Jandek * You Walk Alone
05.) Green * Ken Nordine * Colors
06.) Green Man * Bardo Pond * Lapsed
07.) Beige * Ken Nordine * Colors
08.) Beige Balloon * Billy Jack * Wrestling The Bald-Headed Champ
Part II: Are Those Color’s Supposed To Do That?
09.) Colors * Hunger * Love, Peace & Poetry: American Psychedelic Music
10.) Are Those Colors Supposed To Do That? * Cold Pizza * Now Buying Souls By Appointment Only
11.) White * Ken Nordine * Colors
12.) White Ink * Deerhunter * Cryptograms
13.) White Night * MX-80 * “Someday You’ll Be King” b/w “White Night”
14.) Purple * Ken Nordine * Colors
15.) Purple * Morgen * Morgen
16.) Muddy * Ken Nordine * Colors
17.) Mud * Universal Order Of Armageddon * City EP
Part III: “Color Climax” b/w “Coral Flower”
18.) Color Climax 85/86 * Half Eye * Fascist Rumble
19.) Brown * John Oswald * Plunderphonics 69/96
20.) Hazel * Ken Nordine * Colors
21.) Slow Fast Hazel * Stereolab * Emperor Tomato Ketchup
22.) Grey * Ken Nordine * Colors
23.) It’s Gray * T.S.O.L. * Change Today?
24.) Grey Light * The Miss * No Radio
25.) Coral * Ken Nordine * Colors
26.) Coral Flower * Tamaryn * The Waves
(This Show Is Not Recommended If You Are Prone To Peanut Allergies)
Episode 169: Good Grief! (Featuring selections from an unusual novelty record from 1962, wherein Charlie Brown and Lucy – with musical accompaniment – offer an audio version of their incredible comic universe.)
In 1962, when this record was first released, the cultural milieu that encouraged novelties like this was actually only a few years old. Prior to 1958, when Mort Sahl released The Future Lies Ahead on the Verve label (previously known for jazz music), comedy was relegated to 45s and other “short” mediums. The market for things that were “funny” seemed only to be niche at best, and LPs were considered a format for “high” art, or at the very least, actual music. When Inside Shelly Berman was released a year later, and became a huge hit, this completely changed the face of the industry. Comedy LPs of every variety began to make their way into the mainstream, and at the beginning of the 1960’s a format that had not existed a few short years beforehand began to dominate American culture, and the airwaves.
When considered in this light, Peanuts begins to make a lot more sense. A number of labels began to release comedy albums in the hopes that this new market could offer another means of making money. With the rise of teenagers spending more and more money on audio recordings, and the nature and cost of going to the kinds of clubs that would offer live comedy, the LP soon became the primary means through which the middle class, and younger folks, were able to get exposure to a wide range of artists. Much like any boom in the world of recorded sound, labels began to rush into production albums that were remotely connected to comedy, in an effort to absorb this potential revenue. While the comic strip Peanuts had been around well before these events, the strips’ own popularity had caused the syndicate to look for ways to expand the merchandising possibilities of good old Charlie Brown. It is under these circumstances that this album came into existence.
Now, fast forward to present day. I discovered this record in a crate that was given to me by my father, who was delivering it to me via my step-brother, who was cleaning house and found no need for them any longer. There were about a hundred albums, most of which were not worth saving. Not knowing anything about it, I stumbled across the above Peanuts album, and decided to put it on to see if there were any Vince Guaraldi cuts mixed in. Instead, what I found literally blew my mind, and you can now hear selections of this rare gem or audio glory in this very broadcast you are now reading about, intercut with musical accompaniment that I feel only accentuates the glory that is within these grooves.
For those who are curious, here’s a little more backstory on this bizarre (and wonderful) album. Kaye Ballard (the voice of Lucy on this album) was no stranger to comedy by 1962, having worked as a musical comedienne in the 40’s, eventually working with Spike Jones and His City Slickers. She had a slightly acerbic quality to her, and performed stand-up, music, and straight acting through the 50’s. She was the first person to record, “In Other Words,” which would be popularized by a number of other people when the title was changed to “Fly Me To The Moon.” In the late ’50’s and early ’60’s, she had begun making a name for herself in television, and at the time this album was recorded, was a fairly well known entertainer. She has remained active ever since, though never managed to achieve a big break that gained her much national recognition outside of Spike Jones enthusiasts, and an appearance on the first season of The Muppet Show.
Arthur Siegel (the voice of Charlie Brown), on the other hand, was the lesser known member of the duo. Arthur was primarily a songwriter during his formative years, having attended Juilliard, penning a song for Eartha Kitt, and the songs in a number of Broadway revues through the ’50’s. Primarily known on Broadway, and as a pop tunesmith, how exactly he was called upon to work on a Peanuts album is anyone’s guess. Arthur never really achieved mainstream success, in spite of his nearly 50 year career as a songwriter, and passed away in 1994. There are two album from the early ’90’s that document his work.
Lastly, and the component to the album that really makes my mind split open, Fred Karlin “composed” the “music” that accompanies the spoken segments by Kaye and Arthur. Having attended Amherst College, he studied jazz composition, and arranged music for a number of artists, including Benny Goodman. This led to work scoring documentaries, TV commercials, and Radio City Music Hall productions. In later years he would go on to score a number of films, and write three books on the subject of composition before passing away in 2004. However, his most innovative and challenging work during his career was that of the music for the Peanuts LP, something recorded almost as a throw away, and possibly under the assumption that it would never be heard or connected to him. Pure avant guarde experimentation is what he recorded here, using children’s instruments and toys in a way that borders on Harry Partch by way of the Residents. It is astoundingly prescient, for someone who never pursued that kind of music again.
This is a novelty in a way that few others are. The music and voices here have never been associated with the Peanuts property again, and in many ways this album was meant to be forgotten, a throw-away in a world where the audio industry was finding its footing, and trying to figure out what the next move was. Accidentally, they created a strange and wonderful gem, that you can sample here, today, on Blasphuphmus Radio.
Enjoy!
Good Grief! Playlist
Introduction
01.) Charlie Brown * The Coasters
02.) Excerpts from “Introducing Charlie Brown & Lucy” * Fred Karlin * Peanuts
Part I: Strive For Perfection
03.) Excerpts from “Introducing Charlie Brown & Lucy” * Fred Karlin * Peanuts
04.) Perfect * Kaye Ballard & Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
05.) All But Perfection Is Error * Sailboats * Starchart
06.) Deep Beauty * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peantus
07.) Beauty Is Only Skin Deep * Robert Mitchum * Calypso Is, Like, So…
08.) I Can’t Even Get Sick Right * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
09.) Sick * Rice * Fuck You, This Is Rice!
10.) Wishy Washy * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
11.) I Can’t Win * The Monacles * Back From The Grave Vol. 1
12.) You’re Kinda Stupid * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
13.) Super Stupid * Funkadelic * Maggot Brain
14.) Lucy’s Psychiatry Help, 5 Cents * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel Peanuts
15.) You Must Pay * godheadSilo * Elephantitus of The Night
16.) I Am Not Alone * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
17.) Absent Friends * Fred Frith * Cheap At Half The Price
Part II: Blahdom
18.) Excerpts from “Introducing Charlie Brown & Lucy” & “Bugs & Birds” * Fred Karlin * Peanuts
19.) You Are So Blah * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
20.) Habla Blah Blah * Guyve * Smegma Demos
21.) A Face Face * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
22.) Funny Face * The Kinks * Something Else By The Kinks
23.) Autograph * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peantus
24.) The Ego’s Last Stand * The Flaming Lips * Embryonic
25.) You’ll Get Run Over * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
26.) U Got Me Bugged * Devo * Hardcore Devo Vol. 2
27.) The Queen Bug * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
28.) Jelly Bean * Cold Pizza * Cold Pizza
29.) They Don’t Look Up * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
30.) Ant Man Bee * Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band * Trout Mask Replica
Part III: Solving The World’s Problems
31.) Excerpts from “Bugs & Birds” & “Political Cartoons” * Fred Karlin * Peanuts
32.) What Good Are Bugs * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peantus
33.) Army Ants In Your Pants * Bruce Haack * Listen Compute Rock
34.) South For The Winter * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peantus
35.) Bird Journey * Mandrake Memorial
36.) I’ve Been Wrong Before * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peantus
37.) Afraid Of Being Wrong * Husker Du * Everything Falls Apart
38.) Ridicule Everything * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peantus
39.) Mockingbird, Yeah! * Nation of Ulysses * Plays Pretty For Baby
40.) Lashing Out With My Crayon * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peantus
41.) Political Song For Michael Jackson To Sing * Minutemen * Double Nickels On The Dime
42.) Solving The World’s Problems * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peanuts
43.) World Problems * The Causey Way * With Loving And Open Arms
44.) Editors * Kaye Ballard + Arthur Siegel * Peantus
45.) Blackmail * Horde Of Two * Guitar & Bass Actions
Episode 168: The Hobbit (Featuring a nearly-complete retrocast from 12 August 1998, wherein I present an audio version of the story of 1977 animated feature film, The Hobbit.)
In preparation for the impending new film version, join us for a special retrocast of this rare Audio Essay from 1998, where we present the story of the 1977 animated classic, The Hobbit, contrasted against Mike Patton’s Adult Themes For Voice, Mel Brooks & Marlo Thomas, and a host of other College Radio classics. This episode has not been heard since it was originally broadcast on KWVA, and offers listeners another glimpse into the development of our Audio Essay format that has come to dominate much of what we do now. A nearly complete show – only missing 13 minutes of content – this program has been reconstructed using the surviving recordings and documented playlist, offering a close approximation of the kind of show we began doing all those years ago.
Originally scheduled to be a Holden Craft collaboration, circumstances prevented him from showing up until the very end of the show. I had originally planned on just playing “The Greatest Adventure,” among other things, but with time on my hands, Orson Bean and friends got a little more air time than anticipated. It was very much like an Unexpected Party. In the end, I think the results weren’t bad, and it set the tone for a future format that has since become a big part of the show. Heavily influenced by Over The Edge and the usual musical format of KWVA, I had always wanted to bring more sampling and oddness to the program. This, along with the previously presented Flight F – I – N – A – L episode, were probably as close to that vision for the show as I ever got. Fortunately, I’m easily distractable, and had many other visions for the program, too.
A note about the recording: the source tape is a little distorted, and the overall sound clips a little throughout the program. The record of The Hobbit itself, that I used to make the recording, was salvaged from my then-girlfriend’s garage, where it had languished in a filthy box (along with the Marlo Thomas record) for some time. I cleaned it up the best I could, but there is a fair amount of surface noise, or at least, more than normal. Additionally: at some point after the initial recording of the show, for some reason, I excised all the commercials and two or three songs (the names and artist of which completely escape me now). Originally, I also cut out a number of other (yet left them on the playlist), and furthermore removed The Hobbit segments to put them on another tape. So, this show has been reconstructed as best as could be, using my own memory and the surviving record to produce this show. Keep in mind that all of these things happened years ago, before podcasts or digital archiving (on the scale that its available now) was not possible. I never imagined that anyone else would ever hear this, or that there would be some value (or some way) to present this show in a “complete” form. So, all of this is a cicuitous way of saying: this is as good as this one gets. At least it makes me happy.
As with the Flight F – I – N – A – L show, the musical selections used in this one are somewhat curious and confusing at times. Unlike the vast archive I’ve accumulated over the years since this show, my collection was quite small in the late ’90’s, and much of my radio show was dependent on what the station had to offer. This meant that planning a show was sort of a crapshoot, and I often just played something I wanted to hear, over something that made sense, storywise. Some of the song choices are quite inspired: “Where The Hell Is Bill?,” “Ride of the Valykries,” etc. Some song choices are just confusing. At this time in the show’s history, a running “gag” was to play a handful of Mike Patton songs every show, and while that seems to make sense to me at the time (when you listen to the shows over time), they seem like odd selections now. I debated redoing this show entirely at one point, but I like the naive charm and rough, learning-curve qualities this one illustrates. If I only ever did rad shows, right from the beginning, then where’s the fun in that?
Special Thanks to my amazing girlfriend, who is on vacation and who I miss dearly; Lyra Cyst, houseguest and tolerant friend who did not mind that I spent a lot of time while she was visiting recording and editing this episode, Holden Craft, for giving me a ride home after I originally broadcast this program in 1998, and kiisu d’salyss, for, well… you know.
I know that I’ve been, essentially, in re-runs lately, as I re-present all of these old episodes. While most of the material I’m posting now has never been publicly available (at least, not since the original broadcast), there is a certain amount of, “Yes, but…” when it comes to repackaging old-as-new, etc. I have tried to balance this a bit, with new shows mixed with the old shows. My hope is that I can soon wrap up the trip down memory lane shows – of which I believe there will be three or four more – so that a good cross section of the best segments from those early shows are available again. It’s a project with a definite end, and I’m exited about wrapping it up and moving on to something new. I’ve really enjoyed the work I’ve done this year on this program, and I think that with this in the can, the other ideas I have yet to get to will be next.
As you may have noticed, various life obligations have completely destroyed our production schedule as of late. For this I apologize, but as the “we” here at Blasphuphmus Radio is actually a “me,” little can be done to avoid this. However, if all goes well today, we should be able to get back on track with Episode 169. I make no promises, except that someday, we’ll either get back on track, or I will officially take a week off and pretend that we’re back on track. You know how it goes.
In the meantime: In a hole in a ground living A Hobbit…
The Hobbit Playlist
Introduction: “The Bravest Little Hobbit Of Them All”
01.) Bilbo Baggins * Leonard Nimoy
02.) Gollum’s Riddle [Excerpt] * The Hobbit Animated Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Part I: “The Greatest Adventure”
03.) The Hobbit Part I
04.) For Your Entertainment * Unwound *
05.) The Hobbit Part II
06.) Brown Eyed Girl * Lagwagon *
07.) The Hobbit Part III
08.) Pajama Party Horror * Mike Patton * Adult Themes For Voice
09.) The Hobbit Part IV
10.) Get Me Back * Teengenerate * Smash Hits!
11.) The Hobbit Part V
12.) Joco Homo * Devo * Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! * Warner Bros. Records
13.) Boy Meets Girl * Mel Brooks & Marlo Thomas *
14.) Dick * King Missile [Dog Fly Religion] * Fluting On The Hump
Part II: “Burglar, Do Your Burgling!”
15.) Roads (Instrumental) * The Hobbit Animated Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
16.) The Hobbit Part VI
17.) Round And Round * Germs * (MIA)
18.) The Hobbit Part VII
19.) Anti-Pleasure Dissertation * Bikini Kill * The Anti-Pleasure Dissertation 7″
20.) The Hobbit Part VIII
21.) Return Of The Knucklehead * DFL * Proud To Be
22.) The Hobbit Part IX
23.) A Leper With The Face Of A Baby Girl * Mike Patton * Adult Themes For Voice
24.) The Hobbit Part X
25.) Cuts And Bolts * Man… Or Astro-Man? *
26.) The Hobbit Part XI
27.) When You’re Fat And Lonely * Bruce McCullouch *
28.) The Hobbit Part XII
29.) Cooky Puss * Beastie Boys *
Part III: “My Precious”
30.) The Greatest Adventure (Instrumental) * The Hobbit Animated Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
31.) The Hobbit Part XIII
32.) Danimal [Excerpt] * Deathstar * Deathstar 10″
33.) The Hobbit Part XIV
34.) Another Day * Crimpshrine *
35.) The Hobbit Part XV
36.) Where The Hell Is Bill? * Camper Van Beethoven *
37.) The Hobbit Part XVI
38.) The One Armed vs. 9 Killers * Mike Patton *
39.) The Hobbit Part XVII
40.) Let’s Have A Party Tonight * 5.6.7.8′s *
41.) The Hobbit Part XVIII
42.) Funeral Home * Daniel Johnston *
43.) The Hobbit Part XIX
44.) Pillow Biter * Mike Patton *
45.) The Hobbit Part XX
46.) Desert Search (Supergenius) *
47.) The Hobbit Part XXI
48.) Jackals of Botswanna * Deadbolt *
Part IV: “Oh Smog The Magnificent”
49.) Down, Down To Goblin Town * The Hobbit Animated Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
50.) The Hobbit Part XXII
51.) Queerbait * The Queers *
52.) The Hobbit Part XXIII
53.) Rocketman * The Red Elvises *
54.) The Hobbit Part XXIV
55.) Twisted * Zeke *
56.) The Hobbit Part XXV
57.) Swingin’ On Pier 13 * Bomboras *
58.) The Hobbit Part XXVI
59.) Ride Of The Valkyries * Woody Phillips * Toolbox Classics
60.) The Hobbit Part XXVII
61.) Me Big Mouth * KARP *
62.) The Hobbit Part XXVIII
63.) No Fair * Wipers
In the earliest days of the program, my notion of having guests on my program was to invite my roommates into the studio, while we were all drunk, to listen to some college radio. Now, in the distant future, I’m asking you to join us on a similar journey. Highlighting four episodes from 1998, here are my roommates, my friends, and my guests, from the embryonic era that is so near to this programs beginning.
I have to say, with the complete perspective that hindsight so acutely offers, it is interesting to comb through the airchecks, and revisit these programs. I’m friends with nearly all of these people to this very day, and each of them have moved on to pursue their own lives and interests in amazing ways. These programs are small cross-sections, a blip on the radar from their perspective. But to me, these were important evenings, fun times that I happen to have a documented record of, and that is so rare for anyone who considers their youth. Hopefully, some of the joy I get out of these seeps through as you listen to these recordings today.
For the first time since I recorded these shows, they are hearing the light of day, and at the proper speed! The tape recordings were often too slow – or too fast – to make much sense, but modern technology has allowed me to fix these errors. To my knowledge, only these people have ever heard these recordings before, as this program began in a time before podcasts, and before digital distribution. My hope is that this functions as a record of those times, and a sampling of the various formats this show had in the early days.
Many apologies for the delay getting this episode posted. There were a number of personal and production delays, mostly because I wanted these episodes to be presented at their proper speeds, and other recording opportunities popped up at the last minute. Fortunately, these opportunities have manifested in shows that you can download now, and one that you will hear in the future. These opportunities involve live music, and also some cool Sci-Fi remixes. I’m hoping to get back on track, and there may well be another episode this week to make up for this, at least a Mini-Cast. So, stay tuned.
That’s all for this Memorial Day. Thanks again for indulging me.
See you real soon.
Bit Players In The College Radio Drama That Is Blasphuphmus Radio
Introduction: The More Things Stay The Same
01.) Updated Theme From Supercar * Man… Or Astro-Man? * All Punk Rods!: A Gearhead Magazine Collection * Lookout! Records
02.) Sonata For Loudspeakers * Unwound * Challenge For A Civilized Society * Kill Rock Stars Records
03.) The Trials of Being A Jedi * Supergenius * Star Wars Breakbeats * Suckadellic Records
04.) Some Hits * Anal Cunt * Top 40 Hits * Earache Records
05.) Driver Down * Trent Reznor * Lost Highway Soundtrack * Interscope Records
06.) Dragnet Theme * Ray Anthony And His Orchestra *
07.) Fame * Irena Cara * Fame Soundtrack * RSO Records
08.) Satan’s Little Lamb * Ethel Merman * I Get A Kick Out Of You * Pavillion Records
09.) Raw Meat Torn By Saxophone Blasts * Mike Patton * Pranzo Oltranzista
10.) Frank Talk About Mutants, Also * Men’s Recovery Project * Frank Talk About Humans
11.) Rebel Girl * Bikini Kill * “New Radio” b/w “Rebel Girl” 7″
12.) Hard Knock Life * “Annie” Original Cast Recording
13.) ?? * ??
14.) I Love Livin’ In The City * Fear * Fear The Record
15.) Let’s Have A Party * The 5.6.7.8’s * Can’t Help It! * Rockville Records
Part III: “Never Before Has The Beauty Of The Sexual Act Been So Grossly Exploited” (19 August 1998)
16.) El Perversio * Deadbolt * Tijuana Hit Squad
17.) Adventures Through Inner Space * The Bomboras * Head Shrinkin’ Fun * Zombie A Go-Go Records
18.) Eugene OR * The Varicoasters *
19.) Istanbul (Not Constantinople) * They Might Be Giants * Flood * Elekra Records
20.) My Mind’s Got A Mind Of It’s Own * ?? *
21.) When It’s Over * The Wipers * Youth Of America
The recent thunder and lightning – very atypical for the Portland Metro area – has filled out town with lights and sounds that are not usually part of the typical makeup of our fair city. In many ways it reminded me of nothing less that The New Gods themselves traversing the threshold of a Boom Tube, a sound so dramatic that is insists that you listen, above all other things. It was with that in mind that I decided to let The King by my guide, and put together an hour of spacey wonder, ambient landscapes, and droning rock music that would make the man himself proud of where we are going for an hour. It is my great pleasure to bring you The Kirby Krackle! A special How’s It Named? presentation while Ricardo Wang is out of town.
This all came about in an unusual way, but for the sake of brevity: with summer here, much of the KPSU staff were unavailable this week, leaving Miss Rikki (of Closet Radio) short-handed when she needed an engineer. After some wrangling and favor-promising, KPSU offered to let me handle the audio work (more on that next entry). Meanwhile, Ricardo had to leave town unexpectedly during the same week. Thinking back to the days when we were on back to back, episodes of How’s It Named? were a regular feature, and since I was going to be there anyway, he asked if I could lend a hand. And, of course, I was happy to.
As Rikki and I were going to be prepping for the live music blowout (again, more on that next entry), I opted for a long songs show, something I’ve done before and rather enjoy. However, the sounds of thunder and lightning shifted the focus very suddenly, not merely to long songs, but to spaced out rock in honor of the strange storms that appeared out of nowhere, much like Kirby’s amazing artwork. In the end, it worked out perfectly, and the results are this broadcast you can now stream to your heart’s content.
I didn’t get to mention it during the show, but I always like to draw attention to Sailboats whenever I can. Little known, and even less seen, they manage to capture some of the eeriest and most beautiful strangeness every time I listen. They are on the Pecho Grande label, and while their site says that much of their catalog is out of print, I bet if you asked nicely you could locate a copy or two. I highly recommend checking out Sailboats, as well as the other incredible things they have to offer.
Special thanks to KPSU, Ricardo Wang and Miss Rikki Lee, as each of them helped make this show possible. It was fun to be back in the studio for a while, and I know that neither Ricardo or Rikki will allow me to take nearly as long between future appearances. That’s just the way they are.
And then, there was live music…
The Kirby Krackle!
01.) Yeti (Improvisation) * Amon Düül II * Yeti
02.) Trigger In, Trigger Out * Acid Mothers Temple & The Cosmic Inferno * Just Another Band From The Cosmic Inferno
03.) 777 * Autechre * LP5
04.) Attach * Sailboats * Adrift * Pecho Grande
In the mid ’90’s, a group of punky anarchists started a movement called Resist & Exist. The goal was to put on music events, workshops, and allow attendees a chance to forge new friendships and contacts for ‘zine writers, musicians, artists and activists. Primarily organized via message boards, newsgroups, and a variety of websites, these events were happening all over the US, and was rather successful for the simple fact that a lot of folks got to meet, watch a number of bands, and have a good time. In spite of the fact that it happened in 1996, which seems like decades since people were first introduced to the concept of punk rock, a number of people freaked out in Eugene, leading to some of the most hilarious Local News Footage I have ever seen.
Trying to explain Eugene OR to people who never lived there has proved to be rather hard in the years that have passed since I lived there. The best way to make sense of it is to explain that the town is equally comprised of the Ken Keasy type refugees who were counter-culture, creative activist types, and on the other side, UofO Duck supporters. The town was fueled equally by LSD and touchdowns, and this split seemed to run through the entire town to some degrees. You could walk from The Whiteaker Neighborhood – where I lived – to the UofO campus, and you would watch as the weirdos became fewer and fewer, and you ran into more and more people wearing school colors, driving trucks, and were ready to beat the shit out of you. I was lucky enough to never get jumped, but I had a number of friends who were not.
This split seems to manifest itself almost entirely when you listen to the news footage that was broadcast by KEZI, the local ABC affiliate, as they try to make sense of Resist & Exist. As news casters struggle to decide if “punk rockers” or “punkers” is the more appropriate noun to be using, it starts to become apparent why neither side can see the other for what it really is. The police are confused why there is no “leader,” and how something like this could be organized using “The Internet,” while it seems mind numbing to the other side how camping in public spaces, and trying to foster these kinds of workshops and music events, could be construed as “bad.” All of this seems to have been repeated in a number of ways when thinking about the Occupy Movement that has been going on recently, though I worry that the comparison does not bode well for the Movement, considering how well Resist & Exist went in Eugene.
In the end, one person died, a large number of people were arrested or incarcerated for no good reason, a handful of violent assholes took advantage of the situation to beat the shit out of other kids who just wanted to participate in the event, and the city of Eugene provoked and manipulated anyone who wanted to compromise, to the point where the WOW Hall pulled out their support for the event, and everyone was reduced to putting on shows under bridges using generators, while dodging police the entire time. As someone who fed out-of-towners with stolen food, and let a number of people camp in our yard, I was pissed. Though, in hindsight, I’m much more angry that I worked the entire time, instead of participating. I guess my youthful enthusiasm seemed to think that there would be another time.
To go with the samples from the Newscasts, I’ve also selected more wonderful music from the fair burg in question. I tried to focus a little more on the Icky’s Teahouse scene, as they were name checked several times in the Newscasts, as well as being the kind of music that was the backbone of the Resist & Exist Fest. However, I also included a number of tracks from the fantastic Panic on 13th Music Blog, as well as selections from my personal collection of music. I recommend that you check out both of these sites if you are interested in more music from this amazing town. In the two episodes I’ve done, I’ve barely scratched the surface. That being said: if you happen to have been in one of the bands that I’ve featured in these shows – or you were in a band in Eugene and you are noticing your music is suspiciously absent from these shows – please contact me! I would love to expand the scope of these programs, and we can do it… together.
I also want to give a special shoutout to Josh Jones, who was not only in the band Artless Motives (and a number of others), but maintains the Icky’s Teahouse site (and the MyFaceSter+ Page). It was on his Tumblr page that I was able to track down the KEZI footage, which I remember seeing some of when it was originally broadcast, and kept cursing myself for not recording it. Fortunately, he did. Josh was in a few of my favorite Eugene bands when I lived there, and continues to make great music to this very day. I am making it my personal goal to get him on the show in the fairly near future.
Next Week: A Live Performance by Moth Hunter! Fuck Yeah! For those particularly observant folks who might have seen my posts when I accidentally tipped my hat earlier, there was some confusion as to when we would be able to record, how we would do it, etc. But as of this writing, this is a guarantee, and we’ll be bringing it to you in the next program. For those not “in the know,” Moth Hunter is one half of the duo Knuckle Children, and he allowed me into his private studio to record the performance. I’m pretty stoked, as he has been a guest on this show before, and has only gotten better. I’m really looking forward to doing more stuff like this, both with him and with other guests, as I work out the technical challenges that made this one hard to sort out. I really appreciate his efforts to work with me on this, and I know that if you dig experimental, circuit-bent weirdness, then you will LOVE this show when it drops.
And, of course, we’ve got some other great stuff int he works, too. Things are really shaping up here in Historic St. John’s, and we’re excited to bring it to you, one week at a time.
See you in seven!
Resist & Exist: A Eugene Celebration Part II
Introduction: Growing By The Minute
01.) The Punk Rocker Gathering That’s Growing By The Minute * KEZI Local News * 1996
02.) Headline News * The Readymen * Restless
Part I: Rape, Rob & Pillage
03.) [Live Excerpt] * Holy Rodent * 1993?
04.) Most Of Them Are Not Violent People * KEZI Local News
05.) This Fascist Thing * Bovine Impulse * Panic On 13th
06.) 12 Creeps Living In Here * KEZI Local News * 1996
07.) Lame Week * Not My Son * American Devil
08.) Rape, Rob & Pillage * KEZI Local News * 1996
09.) Cuddle * Bicker * Universal Choking Sign
10.) The Crowds Of Punk Rockers * KEZI Local News * 1996
11.) To Protect & Serve * Circus Tents * Circus Tents
12.) What The Threat Was Gonna Be * KEZI Local News * 1996
13.) How Many Pacifists Does It Take To Kill A Cop? * The Spoils * Live At Icky’s 1993
Part II: The Punker Convention
14.) Punker Convention * KEZI Local News * 1996
15.) Viva Albuquerque * Los Mex Pistols Del Norte * Esta Noche We Ride
16.) Officer Dick Grimes * KEZI Local News * 1996
17.) We Are Products Of * Products Of Society * Punk Out Of Springfield
18.) The Whiteaker Neighborhood Is Scared Of The Punkers * KEZI Local News * 1996
19.) Social Anxiety * Some Cheap Christ * Some Cheap Christ
20.) Police Are Already Here * KEZI Local News * 1996
21.) ?? * The Outclass * KWVA Radio
22.) Punkers, Elementary School Children, & Gay Pride Events * KEZI Local News
23.) Don’t Crowd Me * The Falling Spikes * 13th St. Revisited
24.) 500 vs. 30 * KEZI Local News * 1996
25.) Status Quo * Piglet * Not Ralphing At Your First Keg Party
Part III: Hopeless & Pathetic
26.) The Violent Nature Of Some Of Those Punks * KEZI Local News * 1996
27.) Death March * Pecus Gravitas * Eyeeee
28.) Every Day, More Punk Rockers Arrived * KEZI Local News * 1996
29.) Living In The Sewer * The Redundants * I Hate The Redundants
30.) Hopeless & Pathetic * KEZI Local News * 1996
31.) Too Many * Cap Gun Suicide * Bloodstains Across Eugene 2
32.) How Can Folks Get Involved? *KEZI Local News * 1996
33.) Killing Cops * Artless Motives * Everything But The Kitchen Sink
34.) What Is It That Makes You Think These Folks Are Dangerous? * KEZI Local News * 1996
35.) Barefootin’ At Yer Own Risk * Cathead * In Loving Memory Of Harold
36.) 500 Punks Rule *KEZI Local News * 1996
37.) Call In Dead * The Wristrockets! * Humans Are Stoopid
Part IV: Tips On Where To Shoplift
38.) A Man Dressed Like A Punk Rocker * KEZI Local News * 1996
39.) Track 22 * 200 Yang
40.) It’s Hard To Get Hard Answers * KEZI Local News * 1996
41.) Lucy * Billy Jack * Wrestling The Bald Headed Champ
42.) Drunken Chaos Fest * KEZI Local News * 1996
43.) What Makes * Johnson Unit * Panic On 13th
44.) Since The Punkers Came To Town * KEZI Local News * 1996
45.) Still Haunts Me * Snakepit * Soul Like A Goat
46.) Chaos Days Festival * KEZI Local News * 1996
47.) Love * KPANTS * “Love” b/w “Hospital”
48.) Tips On Where To Shoplift * KEZI Local News * 1996
49.) Todd Sparrow * Redmond Shooting Stars * Demo Tape
50.) Icky’s Teahouse * KEZI Local News * 1996
51.) It’s So Dark * Bottled Hungarian * Positively 13th
52.) Where Will All The Punks Sleep Tonight? * KEZI Local News * 1996
53.) No Role (In Society) * Pecus Gravitas * Eyeeee
54.) Broken Windows & Trespassing * KEZI Local News * 1996
55.) My Own Worst Enemy * The Hoogendoorns * We Are The Hoogendoorns
55.) It Should All End Sunday * KEZI Local News * 1996
Epiloge: Punk On Punk Violence
56.) Eraser * Oswald 5-0 * “Eraser” b/w “Felony Flats”
57.) Punk On Punk Violence * KEZI Local News * 1996
Join us for a special 14th Anniversary Retrocast of a program from 1999, where we present the fascinating audio-drama that dares to create, “…a dramatic comparison to death.” Presented in this episode: three quarters of the original broadcast (recreated from cassette recordings and partial playlists that have survived into the modern era), PLUS!: A brand new A Minute With The Pope, a feature that comes and goes with the whims of The Pope Himself, and a confused phone call from DJ Really Sloppy, who has recently become unstuck in time and seems to be having trouble figuring out exactly what that means for a person as confused as him. Plus a couple of Phantom Surfers tracks for good measure.
As you can tell from this show – which approximates what it was like to hear us when we first started – our murky origins have many of the elements that came to dominate our format now. I knew I wanted to play music I liked, and as a huge Over The Edge fan, I knew I wanted to do some form of re-mix on the air. But as a novice, just getting started, my first forays into this realm were not as skilled as they have become. That’s not to say that they were bad, but that they were of an amateur level. The ideas were in place, but the execution was not what it would become.
I remember finding a copy of this record – one that I had heard sampled and began to wonder exactly what it could be – and knew instantly that sooner or later it would appear on the show. In what form, I wasn’t quite sure. But one night I showed up to do the program solo, noticed that I had packed it along with a bunch of other stuff, and it was then that I went to work. The results – or, at least, most of them – are audible in the show you’re hearing today.
Note: If anyone can identify the Satan’s Pilgrim’s song included in this playlist, please let me know. Thanks!
See you in seven.
Flight F-I-N-A-L Playlist
Part I: “One Of The Passengers Appears To Be Singing…”
01.) Holiday Harbor * The Phantom Surfers * The Great Surf Crash of ’97
02.) Revenge * Black Flag *
03.) Land Of Treason * Germs * (MIA) * Slash Records
04.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part I *
05.) Be Good (The Frumpies) *
06.) All My Drugs * Royal Grand Prix * High Performance
07.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part II *
08.) Pacific Coast Highway * Sonic Youth * Sister
09.) Embarrassed Teen Accidentally Uses Valuable Rare Postage Stamp * Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo * Strange But True
10.) High School Witch * The 5.6.7.8’s * The 5.6.7.8’s
11.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part III *
12.) Indication * The Rondelles * Fiction Romance, Fast Machines * Smells Like Records
13.) I’m Gonna Make Him Mine (Tonight) * The Donnas * The Donnas
Part II: “Inter-World Airlines, Flight FINAL.”
14.) Know It Alls * The Fartz * Because This Fuckin’ World Still Stinks * Alternative Tentacles Records
15.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part IV *
16.) The End Of A Skater * The Phantom Surfers featuring Davie Allen * Skaterhater * Lookout! Records
17.) ?? (Satan’s Pilgrims) *
18.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part V *
19.) Brother Rat / What Slayde Says * NOMEANSNO * The Day Everything Became Nothing * Alternative Tentacles Records
20.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part VI *
21.) Here’s To The Losers * Frank Sinatra * Softly As I Leave You * Universal Records
Part III: DJ Really Sloppy Calls In!
22.) Out Of The Window * The Phantom Surfers * The Great Surf Crash of ’97
DJ Really Sloppy, who has become unstuck in time, calls into the show from a darkened room containing a cat, and is not entirely sure what name he knows me by, or what time he is currently a part of. Thinking it is 1999, the time period of my show, he briefly flirts with changing the time stream, then gets confused.
Part IV: “I Am Your Captain, The Lord Jesus Christ.”
22.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part VII
23.) Here Comes The Martian Martians * Jonathan Richman * The Beserkley Years: The Best Of Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers * Rhino Records
24.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part VIII *
25.) The Old Man Blues * Cathead * Greatest sHits * Self-Released
26.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part IX
27.) Title Track * King Missile * Mystical Shit * Shimmy-Disc Records
28.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part X
29.) Mongoloid * Devo * Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! * Warner Bros. Records
30.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XI *
31.) Don’t Know What I Am * The Wipers * Is This Real?
32.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XII
33.) Old Queen Cole * Ween * God Ween Satan: The Oneness
A Minute With The Pope 06: Bob Is Dead All That’s Left Is Earl * The Pope * Recorded on a Handheld Cassette Recorder & an iPhone.
Part V: The Gate Of Death
34.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XIII *
35.) Bleach Boys * The Dead Milkmen * Beelzebubba * Enigma Records
36.) Lousy Weekend * Daniel Johnston * Fun * Atlantic Records
37.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XIV *
38.) Pie * KARP * Suplex * Kill Rock Stars Records
39.) Cowboy Love * The Reverand Horton Heat * Holy Roller * Sub Pop Records
40.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XV *
41.) The Halo Benders * The Halo Benders * Don’t Tell Me Now * K Records
42.) Hair * Adickdid * Stars Kill Rock
43.) Brainwashed * The Crabs * Brainwashed * K Records
44.) Reason To Live * The Oblivians * Soul Food * Crypt Records
As we continue our journey through the nostalgic origins of this program for our 14th Anniversary, we cannot overlook the influence of none other than The Ramen City Kid. Roommate, zinester, bread baker, and much much more, I met him in 1994, and we’ve been friends (and often roommates) ever since. His taste has affected my interest in film, music, radio, people, books, and everything in between, and without him, I would not be the person (or DJ) I am today. It is to him that this episode is dedicated, as we listen to edited highlights from five of his recorded appearances on this program in 1998.
There were others, of course, but time has not been kind, and many of these programs went un-recorded, or lost in the years since. Still, these excerpts serve to give you a sense of what the program was like in those days, with and ear for emphasizing his voice and musical selections as best as possible. None of these shows exist in their complete forms, but I’ve done my best to present the spirit of these shows for a modern audience. I hope you enjoy the results.
As a point of order: aside from the spots, and voice overs, all the music heard in this program were taken from the original broadcasts as listed below. Those songs were actually played that night. I’ve created loops for the voice overs, but those songs really were heard on those days.
This one is a concentrated blast of nostalgic radio, without any of the bells and whistles. Hopefully there will be more bells and whistle in future shows.
01.) The Dr. Who Theme Music
02.) High School Is A Prison * Mojo Nixon
03.) Sunday [Excerpt] * Sonic Youth
04.) Start! * The Jam
05.) Vampire Girl * KPANTS
06.) DIY * Screeching Weasel
07.) The Dreams Of A Working Girl * Comet Gain
08.) godheadSilo [Excerpt]
09.) Polish Cabaret Record
10.) The World Wasn’t Built In A Day [Excerpt] * Nomeansno
11.) Rendezvous Service * Hungaria
12.) The Kids At The Club * Comet Gain
13.) Save The Children! * Sam & Joe
14.) Let’s Go Get Cokes! * The Faction
15.) In The Kingdom #19 * Sonic Youth
16.) Frankie Carle [Excerpt I]
17.) Creep In The Celar * The Butthole Surfers
18.) Another Weekend * Comet Gain
19.) The Switch Is Down * Universal Order Of Armageddon
20.) Fake Fake Eyes * …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
21.) Frankie Carle [Excerpt II]
22.) In The Air Tonight [Excerpt] * godheadSilo
23.) Rah Rah Replica * Bikini Kill
24.) Kill All The White Man [Live] * NOFX
25.) Oregon * The Western Front
26.) D&D Fantasy * KARP
27.) Talent, OR * Fuck
28.) Anatomically Correct * God Is My Co-Pilot
29.) Teenagers Are Boring [Excerpt] * Red Monkey
30.) 49er Stomp * 9th Life
31.) “There’s Always Time To Heal” * Batman Animated Series
32.) “Sinner” * Kult
33.) The Love Theme From Kiss * Adam Woodrow
34.) Beers, Steers & Queers [Excerpt] * Revolting Cocks
35.) Tighten Up * Comet Gain
36.) Carousel of Madonnas * Eva Demarcheck
37.) Rearranged * Crimpshrine
I lived in Eugene from 1994 until the year 2000, when I moved to Portland. In that time I was in one band, wrote a fistful of ‘zines, and drank beer with my friends. I also listened to a lot of music. In this show, I make a solid effort to feature a much of the great music that Eugene has had to offer over the years. A lot of amazing bands came out of the Eugene scene, many of which are still playing and performing. While the years that I lived there were only a small slice of the history of this town, I’ve expanded the content of this show to include a number of bands that I’ve discovered since I moved away. It’s a veritable cornucopia of music that sets the context for life in this unusual town.
A show like this could not have been done without help, and I want to thank two websites that really made this show possible. Panic On 13th is an excellent music blog that features releases by a number of Eugene bands. This site is fantastic, and all the links lead to amazing discoveries that I’m still sorting through. I cannot recommend this site enough. While I still had a number of my own contributions that I could donate to this show, this site really made it possible. Give them the love and respect they really deserve.
I would also like to thank the Icky’s Teahouse Online Music Library. While I only used a few selections that I got from this site, I should point out that they do host recordings by my old band, Cathead, but recordings by a number of other bands that I was really fond of, and I can already sense a few sequels in the works. This site really draws attention to bands that had little more than a cassette release, and it’s great to find a way to hear this music again.
In addition to these sites, there are a few people without which I wouldn’t have the interest in this music that I do. Isosceles Diego (also known as The Ramen City Kid) is not only an important friend who introduced me to a number of amazing bands, local and otherwise. He was the brain behind the fantastic ‘zine, Ramen City USA, which I used as a guide on more than one occasion.
Syd Louse and kissu d’salyss were two people I met when I started taking classes at LCC. Meeting them, and their group of friends, has established a core group of friends that I still know to this day. They also played in Cathead with me, and both continue to play music to this day.
There are also a number of people that influenced my life in a big way, and only a few were mentioned in the show. Hopefully, as I continue this series I will manage to credit everyone who deserves it. Until then, a very special thank you to: Chris Brooks, Jesse Ransom, Lyra Cyst, Brian who is called Brian, the folks that lived at The Blitzhaus & The 19th St. House, the staff at House of Records, Green Noise & Happy Trails, all the members of all the bands, and anyone else we knew back in the day. You guys are all incredible.
Full disclosure: this show is not going to encompass the entire Eugene scene. There are just too many bands. I went from a five hour show to this slim production you hear now, and left at least 30 other bands off the playlist. But the subject of this show has really gotten me excited, so I’m already planning parts two and three. If you were in a band in Eugene at any time, and would like to submit your music for future episodes, please contact me at blasphuphmus [is-at] gmail [ditty-dot] com. I would be more than happy to include your band, too.
And, for that matter, if you were in any of these bands, and you like to comment on your participations in them (or, happened to live in Eugene at any time, and has some memories they would like to share on a future show), you can reach us on Skype at: blasphuphmus. Feel free to leave a message, and it will end up in a future episode. There are a million good stories about bands in Eugene, and there is no way that I know them all. I would love to hear your side of the story.
This show is really near and dear to my heart, and I had a lot of fun putting it together. Stay tuned next week, as I’ll be bringing you our 14th Anniversary show, where I’ll be digging up clips of my airchecks from the earliest days of this program, when I was on KWVA in Eugene, Oregon. This should prove to be… interesting.
See you in seven.
The Grumpy Punk Presents: A Eugene Celebration
Introduction
01.) Eugene, OR * The Varicoasters
02.) Theme * Los Mex Pistols * KWVA Radio
Part I: Got To Get Right Out
03.) Freedom Attack * Attack and the Fun * Freedom Attack 7″
04.) One Step Closer * The Undertakers * Slaughter on 13th Street
05.) Jesus 4 Sale The Treatment * Pollen Count
06.) Sometimes * The Black Dahlias * Slaughter on 13th Street
Part II: We Are Angry And We Have Guitars!
07.) Salt Pepper Ketchup Flavor * 200 Yang * Hot Taste
08.) Track 02 * 200 Yang * Free Samples
09.) Humor Demons * E-13 * No Mercy For Swine EP
10.) Welcome To The Truth * Artless Motives * Everything But The Kitchen Sink
11.) My Own Way * The Redundants * I Hate The Redundants
12.) Weekend Christian * Piglet * Not Ralphing At Your First Keg Party
13.) I Am Undecided (SOPA) * /root_DIR
14.) Apathetic Media Slave * Young Death
15.) Idiot * Cathead * The Album
16.) 49er Stomp * 9th Life
Part III: Anxious
17.) Another Journey By Bus * Johnson Unit * Panic On 13th
18.) Keep Steady * Readymen * Restless
19.) Attraction / Distraction * Mondale * Square Roots Radicals
20.) Alien Girl * The Crabs * Alien Girl EP
21.) Teenage Chainsmokers * The Wristrockets! * Humans Are Stoopid
22.) When I Was * Redmond Shooting Stars * Down In Front: Outtakes + Unreleased 24 Songs
23.) Jungle Law * Thee Headhunters * Jungle Law EP
24.) Pretty Girls * Billy Jack * Wrestling The Bald-Headed Champ
Part IV: A Short Narrative About Surviving
25.) Short Narrative * Snakepit * Panic On 13th
26.) Be In A Country Band w/ Me * Honey Vizer * I Wish We Could Go To The Moon
27.) Guns-Guitars-n-VCR’s * Holy Rodent * Pollen Count
28.) Track 14 * 200 Yang * Free Samples
29.) Tour of Eugene * Zombie Toolshed * Positively 13th
30.) Look At The Girls * Moose Lodge * New World Babies
31.) Decay * Snakepit * Positively 13th
32.) Self Destruction * Johnson Unit * The Triangular Effect
33.) Preyed Upon * Oswald Five-O * Pollen Count
34.) Animal Box * Robert Christie * The Way of Things
35.) Flatland Radio * The Flatlanders * Flatland Radio
36.) Amazing Grace * 13th Ave. Parking Lot Choir * The Way of Things
Time Travel has always been my favorite Sci-Fi subject, and I’ve toyed with the subject myself on this very program a few times before. But it is not always a subject that easily translates to music. For some reason, there are just not that many songs about the Grandfather Paradox. Nonetheless, myself and DJ Really Sloppy made a bonafide effort to piece together a short musical tribute to some of the artists that have tackled the subject. Abstractly at times, yes. But you know how it goes.
This episode also marks the introduction of our new studio! Soylent Green Is People Studios has undergone some improvements in the last week, and we’re happy to report that the show now sounds… well, like a radio program. I appreciate the patience that listeners have shows in the last several weeks as we’ve recorded in some less-than-stellar enviorns, and your reward will come in the form of bigger, better, and more impressive sounding shows. I’ve got a slew of new ideas that will be coming your way in the coming weeks, and now we have a good place to create it all from. If you’ve dug what I’ve done in the past, then you know that what’s to come will be right up your ally.
I want to give a special shout out to kiisu d’salyss, who performed much of the backing music that is throughout this episode. kiisu and I have been friends for years, and he’s appeared on this show in a few of the different bands that he’s been in, and as a solo artist. For the music in this particular episode, the music was performed on a Kitara, a computer / keytar / guitar hybrid, manufactured by Misa Digital. I’m hoping to incorporate more of his performances with this instrument in future episodes, and I really want to thank him for his willingness to join the madness that is our show. If you hear something that sounds spacey in this show, it’s him.
This one is short and sweet, just the way these shows used to be. I’m still trying to pin down exactly how long this show is going to be, now that I have the freedom to go as long as I want. For the time being, I’m going to say that I’ll go anywhere between an hour or two, depending on my mood and the theme. But I do have some ideas for some longer programs in the future, so we shall see.
See you in seven.
Traveling Through Time Part III
Introduction
01.) Is Time Travel Possible? * Michio Kaku * YouTube.com
02.) Kitara Composition [Excerpt I] * kissu d’salyss * Blasphuphmus Radio
03.) Time * The Heartaches * Too Cool For School
Segment One: How To Travel Through Time
04.) Introductory Physics of Time Travel [Excerpt I] * Lost University * YouTube.com
05.) Kitara Composition [Excerpt II] * kissu d’salyss * Blasphuphmus Radio
06.) Slide Machine * 13th Floor Elevators * Easter Everywhere
07.) Introductory Physics of Time Travel [Excerpt II] * Lost University * YouTube.com
08.) Kitara Composition [Excerpt III] * kissu d’salyss * Blasphuphmus Radio
09.) Introductory Physics of Time Travel [Excerpt III] * Lost University * YouTube.com
10.) Time Has Come Today * The Ramones * Subterranean Jungle
Segment Two: Let’s Go Back In Time
Thrift Store 31 March 2012 * The Sounds Of Salem Oregon A Minute With The Pope 04: On Tuesdays * The Pope * Recorded Entirely On An iPhone.
11.) The Conversation We’re Having Right Now * Hurley & Miles * Lost * ABC Television
Segment Three: The ADD Minute And A… w/ DJ Really Sloppy
DJ Really Sloppy and I discuss the Time Travel App he installed on his iPod, and his experiences watching the LACMA Rock get moved, experiencing the awful fashion of the mid ’60’s via Mad Men, and his impressions of the new Nicki Minaj single, and then really becomes unstuck in time. Again.
Segment Four: Some Kind Of Parallel Universe
12.) Time Flies By * Quasi * Early Recordings * Touch & Go 1996
13.) “My name is Peabody.” * Mr. Peabody * Jay Ward
14.) Time (Live) * Clifford Brown & Max Roach * At Basin Street * Verve 1956
15.) Time Machine * Grand Funk Railroad * Capitol Collectors Series * Capitol 1969
16.) “I never look back.” * The Incredibles * Pixar 2004
17.) She Lives (In a Time of Her Own) * The Judybats * Where The Pyramid Meets The Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson * Sire/Warner Bros. 1990
18.) “Some kind of parallel universe?” * Chris in the Morning * Northern Exposure * Universal
19.) Time Theory 11:11 * Miss Murgatroid * Through Alien Empires * Japan Overseas 1995
20.) “Don’t touch it!” * Time Bandits * HandMade Films / Janus Films 1981
Downtown Traffic 31 March 2012 * The Sounds Of Salem Oregon Traffic
Segment Five: Time (Slowly) Marches On
21.) Slow Down Time * Sky Cries Mary * This Timeless Turning * World Domination Music Group 1994
In the ’50’s, amid the din and clatter that was dramatic theater on the radio, the show that blew almost all the others away was undoubtedly X Minus One. They had an amazing crew of writers who went on to do a number of outstanding things, among them Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein and Frederik Pohl, just to name a few. It was the kind of show that could not be missed, and is a big influence on my entire aesthetic.
As part of our Traveling Through Time series, we present A Gun For Dinosaur, writeen by L. Sprague de Camp, originally broadcast on NBC on 7 March 1956. I’m proud of this audio essay, which also includes The ADD Minute And A … with DJ Really Sloppy weighing in on the subject of the Geek & Sundry launch at Wonder Con. And, of course, we have A Minute With The Pope, recorded entirely on his iPhone. I like to think we attempt to deliver a new interpretation of those fantastic radio stories. With music.
As DJ Really Sloppy seems to have become Unstuck In Time, next week will mostly likely continue our Traveling Through Time series. Will he survive his experience unscathed? Tune in next week, to find out.
See you in seven
A Gun For Dinosaur
Introduction
01.) Vanishing of Time * The Vivian Girls * Share The Joy
02.) Live Performance * Mortal Engines * Blasphuphmus Radio * 11 April 2009
Segment One: A Gun For Dinosaur Part I
03.) Have Another Drink * MX-80 * Alway’s Leave ‘Em Wanting Less * Atavistic Records
04.) Tell ‘Em * Sleigh Bells * Treats
05.) Headhunter * Thee Headhunters * Jungle Law EP
Wedding 25 March 2012 * The Sounds Of Portland Oregon
Segment Two: A Gun For Dinosaur Part II
06.) The Small Stuff * The Dismemberment Plan * !
07.) Open Up Your Door * Richard & The Young Lions
08.) Raw Meat * The Black Lips * Arabia Mountain
Dinner Cooking 08 February 2012 * The Sounds Of Portland Oregon
Segment Three: A Gun For Dinosaur Part III
09.) How Long Do I Have To Wait For You? * Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings * Naturally
10.) Where Did He Go? * The Briefs * Hit After Hit
11.) I Don’t See You * Camper Van Beethoven * Telephone Free Landslide Victory
12.) Dinosaur Rock * Narthex * Duo-Phonic Sounds System: 1980 – 1983
Segment Four: The ADD Minute And A .. w/ DJ Really Sloppy
DJ Really Sloppy and I discuss the launch of Geek And Sundry that he attended while he was at Wonder Con, then he accidentally becomes Unstuck In Time after talking about Wil Wheaton.
13.) Museum 1 * 6955 * Nintendo Museum EP
Segment Five: A Gun For Dinosaur Part IV
16.) Bad News * The Trashmen * Tube City! The Best of The Trashmen
17.) All Tied Up * The Shakers * Teenline Vol. 3
18.) Paid In Cigarettes * Hot Snakes * Suicide Invoice
A Minute With The Pope 03: Computer Fight * The Pope * Recorded Entirely On An iPhone.
Segment Six: A Gun For Dinosaur Part V
20.) Prevenge * The Might Be Giants * The Spine
21.) Tell Me When It’s Over * The Dream Syndicate * The Days Of Wine & Roses
22.) No Doubt About It * The Wipers * Follow Blind
(Note: This recording contains background hiss during the voice-overs. This was an unavoidable tech issue with the live stream at KPSU. I’ve re-built the episode, and have cleaned up as much of the hiss as possible. It’s like listening to an old tape version of us talking now.)
In the Spring of 2004 I wandered into the KPSU studios to see if I could revive my radio program, which had been off the air for a little while and was looking for a new home. By the 25th of June, I was back on the air, and was given a paid job that lasted me quite some time. It was the beginning of something new and exciting, a challenge that I could face with new ideas and experience, and a new way to interpret a radio program that I felt very strongly about.
In that time I’ve had a number of incredible experiences, have met amazing and incredible people, and have gotten to have my say and play my music to a number of fantastic listeners and fans from all over the place. It has been one of my favorite things to do, ever. Now, as I am faced with a new chance to start over, to reinvent the show, and to face new challenges to make the show something completely different again, I wanted to mark this occasion not with sadness, but with a party. And that’s what happened during this show.
A number of people joined in the fun to make this one happen, including Miss Meghan from the long-lost Songs The Lord Taught Us, DJ Swill who provided the swill, DJ JustanotherDJ via our sister-station down south, Jaycation, Jonathon Boober and Miss Rikki (all three current and amazing DJs at KPSU)… even Ricardo Wang dedicated an entire hour to us at 12 Noon. It was a really heartfelt, and amazing show, and not only did I play some great songs and have a great time, but it was the perfect send-off. I can’t imagine anything better.
Of course, this is not the end. Not by a longshot. As we take a week off to re-tool, re-align, and re-vamp our program for its new version at FunemploymentRadio.com, we will return on 06 March 2012 with something new, something old, something borrowed, and something that rocks. I’m really excited about the new direction the show is heading in, and I think that alone will overcome the sadness of leaving something that I’ve grown to know and love over the years.
To everyone who listening and came to the studio yesterday: thank you. Here’s to something new!
The Last KPSU Broadcast Show
# Title * Artist * Album
01.) Hello, Goodbye * The Beatles * Magical Mystery Tour
02.) Finale- Endcredits * George & Caplin * Electronic Eulogy From Morse Code Infinity
03.) The Last Goodbye * Agent Orange * Living In Darkness
04.) Goodbye, Bird * The Fastbacks * The Day That Didn’t Exist
05.) Hello / Goodbye * Nomeansno * One
06.) End Titles * Wendy Carlos / The London Philharmonic Orchestra * Tron Original Motion Picture Soundtracks
07.) Mickey Mouse and the Goodbye Man * Grinderman * Grinderman 2
08.) Two Beads At The End * Minutemen * Double Nickels On The Dime
09.) Goodbye Blues * The Mills Brothers * Chronological Vol.1 (1931-1932)
10.) Goodbye Johnny * The Gun Club * Da Blood Done Signed My Name
11.) Goodbye Maurice Or Steve * The Soft Boys * …And How It Got There
12.) End Song * The Willowz * The Willowz
13.) Don’t Say Goodbye * The Standells * The Best of the Standells
14.) Repeater * Fugazi *
15.) Goodbye * Supersuckers * Motherfuckers Be Trippin’
16.) End Of The Season * The Kinks * Something Else By The Kinks
17.) Fri/End * Thurston Moore * Trees Outside the Academy
18.) Goodbye * Land of the Loops
19.) Invader Zim
20.) Bye Bye Blackbird * Quasi
21.) Say Goodbye * Boar * Triskaidekaphobia: 13,000.00 MilliSeconds
22.) Making You Tapes Is Better Than Sex * That Stupid Club
23.) Summer’s End * Gordon Taylor * 14 September 2006 (Practice)
24.) End Times * Weekend * Sports
25.) Everending * Sailboats * Adrift
26.) End On End * Rites Of Spring * End On End
27.) The End Of Radio [Excerpt] * Shellac * Excellent Italian Greyhound
28.) Bye-Bye, Goodbye, Goodbye Everybody * Space Ghost * Musical Bar-B-Que
29.) Ending * Nintendo * Legend of Zelda
30.) The Song Is Ended * The Mills Brothers * Chronological Vol.5 (1933-1938)
Broadcasting on a holiday is always a bit of a strange affair. Most everyone else is enjoying themselves, while you’re actually working. There is a certain kind of loneliness that sets in under those kinds of circumstances. While is why for New Year’s Eve, I decided to throw a party.
Aided by a few recordings that offer insight into this unusual holiday, I mix up a batch of songs about looking forward, onward, and into the future that is rapidly approaching. The cool thing about this show is that you could play it just before Midnight. If you start it about five minutes after 10 PM, it should time out just right.
Either way, I had a lot of fun assembling this one, and I hope you enjoy listening to it. This is our last broadcast in 2011. On to new and different things in 2012.
See you in a year and seven.
A New Year’s Eve Celebration!
# Title * Artist * Album * More Info
01.) New Year’s Countdown * HeWhoIsiam * Times Square, 2008 * Youtube.com
02.) Forward Into The Past * Tit Wrench * Temporarily Committed For Life EP
03.) The New Pomp and Circumstance * Lamborghini * Major Vampire * Battlesnakes.com
04.) Push To The Front * The-Front * Riot Agents * Self-Released
05.) Forward To Death * Dead Kennedys * Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables * Alternative Tentacles
06.) Look Ahead * Senseless Apocalypse * Japanese Assault (2003)
07.) Look Ahead * Gloom * Fuck The System (1991)
08.) Whilst You’re Ahead * Unwound * Demo Tape * Self-Released
09.) New Direction * The Black Lips * Arabia Mountain
10.) Origin of New Years Is Pagan 1 * Megan * Hot Facts Girls * Youtube.com
11.) Time For Livin’ * The Beastie Boys * Check Your Head
12.) What Are You Doing New Years Eve? * Unknown * Black Christmas
13.) Theme From Two Steps Onward (Demo) * R.E.M. * And I Feel Fine: The Best Of The I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 * I.R.S. Records
14.) Frontier * Denizens * Messthetics Vol. 8 * Hyped To Death Records
15.) Kings Of The Wild Frontier * Adam And The Ants * Kings Of The Wild Frontier
16.) Origin of New Years Is Pagan 2 * Megan * Hot Facts Girls * Youtube.com
17.) Full Stop Ahead * Johnny & The Velvetones * History Of Northwest Rock (Vol. 1)
18.) Klingon Advance * The Vulcan Freedom Fighters * Stardate Unknown
19.) Go Ahead * Wire * Chairs Missing
20.) Frontwards * Pavement * Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe
21.) New Flava * 69 A Go-Go * “New Flava” b/w “Fag Hag” * With An X Records
22.) Retired Woman Starts New Career In Monkey Fashions * Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo * Strange But True
23.) New Interns Watusi * Earl Hagan and the Interns * The Purple Knif Show
24.) High Pitch Polytone * The Conet Project * The Conet Project
25.) Origin of New Years Is Pagan 2 * Megan * Hot Facts Girls * Youtube.com
26.) New Prospect * A special group of the Sacred Harp Singers * Southern Journey, Vol. 9: Harp Of a Thousand Strings
27.) It’s a Beautiful World * Devo * E-Z Listening Disc
28.) The Curious Advance * Antediluvian Rocking Horse * Music For The Odd Occasion
29.) 2012 And Countless * Hella * There’s No 666 In Outer Space
30.) Zooing Forward * Oliver Squash * 30 Piece * Self-Released
31.) In the Year 2,000!!! * Lucia Pamela * Into Outer Space with Lucia Pamela * Arf! Arf! Records
32.) Truth About New Years Day 1 * MorningSun29 * Janus, Dionysus, Cronos-Grim Reaper, Pagan Gods * Youtube.com
33.) New Way * Men’s Recovery Project * Resist The New Way
34.) Onward * Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra * Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth / Interstellar Low Ways
35.) New Wilderness * Static Films * A New Soul’s Bene / Diction * Self-Released
36.) On and On * Dead Moon * Dead Ahead * Tombstone Records
37.) New Race * Radio Birdman * The Essential Radio Birdman (1974-1978)
38.) Truth About New Years Day 2 * MorningSun29 * Janus, Dionysus, Cronos-Grim Reaper, Pagan Gods * Youtube.com
39.) One Step Ahead * Jandek * Living In A Moon So Blue * Corwood Industries
40.) Forever Again * The Prids * Until The World Is Beautiful
41.) New Dawn Fades * Joy Division * Unknown Pleasures * Factory Records
42.) Yet Onward We Marched * Joy Wants Eternity * You Who Pretend To Sleep
43.) New Year’s Countdown * HeWhoIsiam * Times Square, 2008 * Youtube.com
44.) New Year’s Eve * Tom Waits * Bad As Me
45.) The Dust Blows Forward ‘n The Dust Blows Back * Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band * Trout Mask Replica
Episode 148: Back For Christmas (Detective Dexter Roland presents a classic episode of Suspense from 23 December 1943, with Peter Lorre in the lead roll!)
Detective Dexter Roland, Private Investigator, was about to head home to Max’s Bar, for a few Christmas Eve cocktails to celebrate the holiday properly. Little did he know that Peter Lorre was going to drop by, to deliver a tale that is perfect for the holiday season. From the Old Time Radio radio archives, we bring you Back For Christmas, a tale well calculated to keep you in… Supense!
This podcast-only show features a perfect marriage: moody, holiday-ish music with a creepy tale with a last minute turn that is perfect for this kind of medium. Bartók has always had a bit of a spooky feel to him anyway, and his renditions of Roumanian Christmas Carols seemed all to appropriate to complement Peter Lorre’s European-is accent. While I can’t exactly claim that Moonbell fits exactly right, I feel as if the “White Light” being sung about could be seen as a metaphor for what the main character may be thinking at that point in the story. And Dexter Roland tying it all together? Well, let’s just say it had been a while, and our guest Peter Lorre inspired his return.
Not much else to say about this one. If all goes well, there should be a good New Year’s show coming up this weekend. And stay tuned for big things in January. 2012 will be interesting.
See you in seven.
Back For Christmas
# Title * Artist * Album * Further Info
01.) Back For Christmas * Suspense Cast * 23 December 1943 * CBS Radio
02.) Roumanian Christmas carols Sz. 57 * Béla Bartók (Performed by György Sàndor) * Complete Solo Piano Music
03.) Winter Snow * Booker T & The MGs * The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959 – 1968 * Stax Records
04.) White Light * Moonbell * Figurine EP * Self-Released
05.) Listen, The Snow Is Falling * Galaxie 500 * This Is Our Music * Rough Trade
Episode 147: The Origins Of Christmas (Featuring a brief history on this troubling holiday, and some songs that attempt to cover an array of feelings associated with this time of year.)
Probably the biggest frustration I suffer from this time of year is one of Holiday Burnout: I just get sick of deluge of Christmas Songs, fake consideration for our fellow man, and the pain-in-the-ass errands that you have to run during a time of year when it is constantly cold and dark 20 hours a day. The plastic sheen of wonder and good tidings cover layers and layers of deception and misdirection that appears to go unnoticed by the majority of the public. And who could blame them? If I could put out of my mind all the things that frustrate me about this time of year, and medicate myself to the point where I have visions of Sugar Plums too, then I might stupidly smile and obliviously wish everyone a happy something or other, that may actually conflict with their religious beliefs, too.
So, I decided to tackle the problem head-on with a radio program that uncovers the origins of this holiday, with an attempt to give my own perspective a much needed positive boost. It wasn’t easy; while I am not a Scrooge or a Grinch, I would say that I don’t find it easy to be as merry or happy as most people want me to be. I could feel one way or the other about Christmas, and while I enjoy the time off and the chance to spend time with friends or family, years of retail job exposure, combined with a fairly virulent case of atheism, has provided me with endless examples of how awful people are to each other, and how easily they try to hide or mask it. It unsettles me to the point of being down on the holidays. Fortunately, I’m not the only one.
The connective tissue of this show comes from a History Channel documentary, The History of Christmas. I have to admit, I’ve lost a bit of faith in The History Channel over the years, and their work now is shoddy (at best). But this one is old enough that it has things like research in it, and the narrator sticks to just relating that research, and doesn’t cut to bone-heads who don’t have any expertise, or rely on weird creepy music followed by a narrator asking a question. (“But who WAS Santa, really?”) Plus, I use about 4 minutes of it, total.
The rest of the show features holiday songs that fit in a little more closely with my view of this time of year, and of the world in general. Of note are two great compilations that I drew heavily from, and have been wanting to use for a while, but never had the chance. The first is from an Andy Cirzan compilation from 2009, called The Cassette Years: Part 2. Andy is a Christmas Music collector, who has been putting together wacked-out comps on tape (and now, CD and radio via Sound Opinions), of the weirdest holiday music you’ve ever heard. His comps are a real treat, and they make even the most annoying holiday tunes seem listenable. The other is called Black Christmas, which I obtained a few years back, and can’t for the life of me remember where I got it. If anyone has any information about it, I would be most appreciative. It contains a number of great holiday songs that are a little more realistic than the average fare. The show is divided into three sections: Punk Songs, Rock Songs, and the Hanukkah / What Does It All Mean? wrap-up. I am extremely happy with the way this show out, and I think it sounds great. I hope you enjoy it too. (Spoiler Alert: The show does end on a bit of an “up” note, if you’re worried about slogging through the horrors of religious subjugation, and songs about the bad things that happen this time of year.)
That’s it for this week. Stay tuned for a Podcast-only Christmas Eve special next week. Be good to each other, and happy holidays.
See you in seven.
The Origins Of Christmas
01.) Carol Of The Bells * George Winston * December
02.) Holiday Sedation * Unknown * The Cassette Years: Part 2
03.) The History Of Christmas Part 01 * The History Channel
04.) The First Noel * Chet Baker * The Cassette Years: Part 2
05.) The History Of Christmas Part 02 * The History Channel
06.) Fuck Christmas * Fear * The Record
07.) Pulling The Christmas Pig By The Wrong Pair Of Ears * The Locust * Plague Soundscapes
08.) Steal Softly Thru Snow * Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band * Trout Mask Replica
09.) C’mon Santa! * Mach Bell & His Elves * Xmas Snertz: Have A Very Gulcher Christmas!
10.) The History Of Christmas Part 03 * The History Channel
11.) Snow Girl * The Billy Nayer Show * BNS Presents
12.) Jingle Bells * Vel Mares * Black Christmas
13.) A St. Nick Dangerous Christmas Eve * The Firesign Theater * All Things Firesign
14.) (It’s Gonna Be A) Punk Rock Christmas * The Ravers * Once Upon A Time Vol. 13: California & Pacific Northwest ’77
15.) Don’t Believe In Christmas * The Sonics * Black Christmas
16.) The History Of Christmas Part 04 * The History Channel
17.) There’s Trouble Brewing * Jack Scott * Black Christmas
18.) Christmas Blues * Washboard Pete * Black Christmas
19.) Mars Wants Santa! * Santa Claus Conquers The Martians * The Cassette Years: Part 2
20.) Christmas At The Byaou * Vin Bruce’s Cajuns * The Cassette Years: Part 2
21.) The History Of Christmas Part 05 * The History Channel
22.) Christmas in Jail * The Youngsters * Black Christmas
23.) Snow * April Stevens
24.) We Three Kings Of Orient Are * X-Ray Tango * Xmas Snertz: Have A Very Gulcher Christmas!
25.) The History Of Christmas Part 06 * The History Channel
26.) Happy Hanukkah * Mr. Paul F. Tompkins * The Pod F. Tompkast Extrasode
27.) What We Do On Christmas * Atom And His Package
28.) Most Wonderful Time Of The Year * Pete Jolly Trio * The Cassette Years: Part 2
29.) Lucretius, Man Of Modern Mystery * Robert Krulwich * Hmmm…. Krulwich on Science Podcast
30.) Snowy Morning Blues * James P. Johnson * Father Of The Stride Piano
31.) Snowfall * Henry Mancini * Greatest Hits
32.) When the Mountains Part 2 * The Cast * Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
33.) Sleepy Santa Interlude * The Cassette Years: Part 2
34.) Snowstorm * Galaxie 500 * On Fire
Episode 142: Going Somewhere New (Featuring a selection of new-ish-er music by artists that I’ve been into, but haven’t had a chance to fit into the show yet.)
As I’ll be running late this week due to an unforeseen problem, to make up for it I’m going to take you on a musical journey through outer space as we present Going Somewhere New. While this show does have Sci-Fi Themes and Content, don’t let that detour you! We are focusing on new-ish-er albums, from the last year or so (or, in some cases, so and so), in an effort to feature music that doesn’t normally make it into this show.
There are a number of great albums that come out all the time, but circumstances don’t always offer me a chance to present them on the air. And while these records are helping me rock at any given time in my own life, when it comes to the radio they are sometimes ignored, and wrongfully so. This is an effort to fix that, by reducing the theme to something really basic: new albums.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t get to have some fun on the way. In the first section of the show, I bring you some samples of the shoegazer gems that have been popping up recently. If you have to bring back a genre, they picked a good one. Section two focuses on some of the pop and hip-hop that I’ve been pretty excited about late. Then we close with some hard-rockin’ slabs of musical wonderment in an effort to stay strong until the very end. All the while, our musical accompaniment for this journey comes from the fantastic sci-fi, hip-hop gem, Star Pilot’s Lament, which mixes sound effects, dancey beats, heavy guitars, and a fantastic plot that spans an entire disc. That, and a cut from the new Tom Waits album. This is a classic episode from start to finish.
See ya in seven!
Going Somewhere New
# Title * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Launch * Kielen King * Star Pilot’s Lament * Self-Released
02.) Plasma Shells [Excerpt I] * Kielen King * Star Pilot’s Lament * Self-Released
03.) Age Class * Weekend * Sports * Slumberland Records
04.) Nostalgia For The Future * Moonbell * Figurine E.P. * Self-Released
05.) Tawny Young Turks * Half Eye * Don’t Blow Up Your Dog * Pecho Grande Records
06.) Plasma Shells [Excerpt II] * Kielen King * Star Pilot’s Lament * Self-Released
07.) The Lie * The Black Lips * Arabia Mountain * Vice Records
08.) Steilacoom * The Knives & Plates & Forks & Spoons * “Firefly” b/w “Steilacoom” * Pecho Grande Records
09.) Rill Rill * Sleigh Bells * Treats * Mom + Pop Records
10.) Tadlock’s Glasses * Beastie Boys * Hot Sauce Committee Part Two * Capitol Records
11.) 1, 2 * Kielen King * Star Pilot’s Lament * Self-Released
12.) Terminal Pain * Sister Iodine * Flame Desastre * Editions Mego Records
13.) Get Lost * Tom Waits * Bad As Me * ANTI- Records
14.) Tax Time * Iarvles * Iarvles * Pecho Grande Records
15.) Birth Dues * Ehnahre * Taming The Cannibals * Crucial Blast Records
16.) Invisibugs * RABBITS * Live KPSU 13 February 2011 * Self-Released
17.) A Little Rest * Kielen King * Star Pilot’s Lament * Self-Released
The Potters of Firsk * Dimension X * NBC * 28 July 1950
Part I
01.) Yellow * Ken Nordine * RE/Search: Incredibly Strange Music Vol II
02.) Speedy Car * Stereolab * Aluminum Tunes
03.) New New * DNA * Dna
04.) Exotic Two (Excerpt) * Sun Ra * We Travel the Spaceways Bad and Beautiful
Part II
05.) Opal (October) * Emil Richards * New Sound Element “Stones”
06.) Mad * Social Outcasts * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 12: The Lux Interior Memorial Edition: Journey into Outer Space
07.) The Duke Arrives / Barricade * John Carpenter * Escape From New York
08.) Controller * Infinitirock * Music For Primordial Recollection
09.) Where Dead People Live * Sun City Girls * Cameo Demons And Their Manifestations: Carnival Folklore Resurrection Vol. 1
10.) The Lie That Liars Know About * Half Eye * The Rose Mary Murders
Part III
11.) Phantom Market (Later Version) (Excerpt) * Power Circus * Power Circus
12.) Hall Of The Mountain King * The Who * The Who Sell Out
13.) Brief Encounter (Excerpt) * Trey Gunn Band * Live Encounter
14.) Suspense * Jib Kidder * Library Catalog Music Series: Music For Hypnotized Minds
15.) Trouble On The Way * Kalahari Surfers Vol. 1: The Eighties
Part IV
16.) Long Gone * Syd Barrett * The Madcap Laughs
17.) Forbidden Planet: Main Titles – Overture * Louis And Bebe Barron * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
18.) Eternal Waltz (Excerpt) * Jandek * White Box Requiem * Corwood 0763
19.) Spirits Drifting * Brian Eno * Another Green World
Part V
20.) Atomic Bomb (Edit) * Deadless Muss * Attack (1987)
21.) Bone Chain * Tom Waits * Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
22.) Death Moon Reprise * Winter Drones * Blood In The Coffin
23.) Beware Of Death * Gricer * Gricer
24.) Yellow Blues * Charles Manson * Commemorating Sixty Years Of Struggle Against Cowardice, Stupidity And Lies
25.) Autumn Leaves * Grex * Live At Home
Part VI
26.) Space Blue * Suicide * Suicide
27.) Big Trak Attack * Man… Or Astro-Man? * Experiment Zero
28.) Frank Talk About Mutants * Men’s Recovery Project * Frank Talk About Humans
29.) Contract With Depravity * Kenyon Hopkins * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
30.) The Twilight Zone * The Ventures * The Ventures In Space
31.) The Great Pumpkin * Vince Guaraldi
How’s It Named? dates back to my appearance on What’s This Called? in 2008, when I guested on his show and came up with this idea that our shows, combined, would take on this name. Then, as time when it, it became the name I used when I was doing an experimental set of music, which is what appears on today’s show.
This time, I’m not only backed by new KPSU DJ Miss Rikki, who has a great mind for this sort of thing when Ricardo Wang suggested coverage, but have added to all of this a layer of Halloween Spook-tacular, by remixing Basil Rathbone’s rendition of The Cask of Amontillado for this particular program. You can check out Miss Rikki on her new program, Closet Radio, which is at 5 PM on Saturday’s, and rounds out the KPSU weekend line-up.
She and I collaborated on the selections for this show, and I think it came out rather nicely, minus the technical issues that we suffered from. Plus, this has an actual element of creepy to it, which is missing from the Spook-tacular shows I’ve done this year. I think Miss Rikki will be joining us often in the future, so hopefully there will be more wonderful shows like this.
The Cask of Amontillado
# Title * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Creature From The Black Lagoon: Main Title * Hans J. Salter (Conductor) * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection * Rhino Records
02.) The Autumn of Our Discontent * Dead Air Fresheners w/ Wolfgang Macivor * Separated By Comas
03.) Bird in a Grave * Sun City Girls * Juggernaut
04.) The Cask of Amontillado [Remix] * Basil Rathbone / Austin Rich * 22 October 2011 * Blasphuphmus Radio
05.) Ghost Bel Canto * Nels Cline / Wally Shoup / Chris Corsano * Immolation/Immersion
06.) Lightnin’ (1:25 Left: Vocals Kick In) 3:51 Sonic Youth NYC Ghosts & Flowers Alternative & Punk 20-10-11 9:08 PM
07.) Ghost Town By The Sea * Jandek * Graven Image * Corwood Industries
08.) Ghost Cracked Glass * Leopards * Leopards * Self-Released
09.) Midnight Sun * Cornflake Mandala * A Boy And His Dog * Self-Released
10.) Syrynx At The Edge Of Nightfall * Jason Robinson * Cerberus Reigning
11.) Minnie the Moocher * Goathoven * Rehearsal 23.8.05 * Unreleased
12.) What Hast Thou Done, Faustus? * Dreamcookie * MySpace.com * MySpace.com
13.) To The Grave * Seth Frost * Sailboats
I have to admit, I am not cool enough to have known about Ghoulardi until only a few years ago. As a Cramps fan, this may seem unusual, but with so much on my radar when I first discovered The Cramps, it just wasn’t possible to keep abreast of all the ins and outs of where they came from. (My introduction to The Mad Daddy is even more recent than that.) However, when I discovered who this amazing personality was, I instantly became obsessed. I’ve been wanting to do a Ghoulardi show every since, but other projects and things got in the way. This is the result of that obsession.
The show is culled from three primary sources: a recreation of the Shock Theater episode, The Hypnotic Eye, done by the good people at The Weirdness Really Bad Movie. This recreation uses all the existing footage of Ghoulardi in action, mixed with an audio recording made from when he hosted The Hypnotic Eye. Computer animation, and authentic commercials from the period, help sell this recreation, and it really works. Watching it is as close to what it must have been like to watch Shock Theater in the late ’50’s and early ’60’s, and while the film is a bomb, the few gems you get from holding on for the Ghoulardi clips are totally worth it. For those of you familiar with watching Horror Hosts, you’ll know exactly what I mean. It is available free on YouTube.com.
The second source for this episode is the great compilation called Ghoulardi Music, which was assembled ages ago by Kogar The Swingin’ Ape! (Also responsible for the Lux & Ivy comps.) I’ve been sitting on this one for a while, and a song or two has appeared on previous shows for a variety of reasons. But all the music from this show is either from that comp, or were songs I tracked down that should have been on this comp. Ghoulardi was a very unique Horror Host, in that he used a lot of music in his clips on the show. There are a number of listings of “songs from Ghoulardi’s show” on the Inter-Web-A-Tron, and they vary from site to site. As very few clips of Ghoulardi exist to compare, these lists are as good as they get. Still, the tracks are all great, and this gives you a feel for what Ghoulardi’s record collection must have been like.
We have more Halloween Spook-tacular’s on the way this month, continuing next week with another legend from the past, Spike Jones! We are your source for Halloween Musical Shenanigans, and we now have a special Halloween Podcast that you can subscribe to, featuring our classic Halloween Shows. Just paste http://feeds.feedburner.com/BlasphuphmusRadioHalloweenSpook-tacular into your listening device of choice, and you can enjoy a number of Spooky Shows, all free. That’s how we like to celebrate the season.
See you in Seven!
The Ghoulardi Show!
# Title * Artist * Album * Website
01.) Light Up An Old Ghould * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye * http://reallybadmovie.weebly.com/
02.) Pygmy * Baby Sticks and The Kingtones * Ghoulardi Music * http://kogarsjunglejuice.blogspot.com/
03.) Goulardi Is Sick Tonight * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
04.) Space Rock Part One * The Baskerville Hounds * Ghoulardi Music
05.) A Ghoulardi Doll * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
06.) Birth of The Beat * Sandy Nelson * Ghoulardi Music
07.) Saturday Letters * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
08.) Blues Theme * Davie Allan and The Arrows * Ghoulardi Music
09.) Eddie’s Blues * Eddie Cochran * Ghoulardi Music
10.) My Ghoul-friend * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
11.) Time Bomb * Johnny and The Hurricanes * Ghoulardi Music
12.) Real Close * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
13.) The Swingin’ Shepherd Blues * Moe Koffman Quartette * Ghoulardi Music
14.) Poker * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
15.) Little Eefin Annie * Joe Perkins * Ghoulardi Music
16.) Stay Wood, Kid * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
17.) Wiggle Wobble * Les Cooper and The Soul Rockers * Ghoulardi Music
18.) Rumble * Link Wray * Ghoulardi Music
19.) Shocker Box * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
20.) Little Boxes * Pete Seegar * Ghoulardi Music
21.) Beat Poem * King of the Beatniks * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
22.) The Rat * The Ventures * Ghoulardi Music
23.) More Ghoul-friend * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
24.) Surfin’ Bird * The Trashmen * Ghoulardi Music
25.) Cool It With The Boom Booms * Ghoulardi * Ghoulardi Music
26.) Wham! * Lonnie Mack * Ghoulardi Music
27.) Ghoulardi Is A Coward * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
28.) Stronger Than Dirt * Tom King and The Starfighters * Ghoulardi Music
29.) Pedal Pusher * The Ventures * Ghoulardi Music
30.) Ghoulardi’s Life Story * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
31.) Papa Oo Mow Mow * The Rivingtons * Ghoulardi Music
32.) Cake * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
33.) Bird Dance Beat * The Trashmen * Ghoulardi Music
34.) Next Week’s Movie * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
35.) Dartell Stomp * The Mustangs * Ghoulardi Music
36.) Hey Group! * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
37.) The Desert Rat * Duane Eddy * Ghoulardi Music
38.) Green Onions * Booker T. and The MG’s * Ghoulardi Music
39.) Stay Sick * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
40.) Sugar Shack * Jimmy Gilmer * Ghoulardi Music
41.) You’re A Lot of Fun To Be With * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
42.) Constipation Blues * Screaming Jay Hawkins * Ghoulardi Music
43.) Wake Up * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
44.) Mumbles * The Oscar Peterson Trio * Ghoulardi Music
45.) Written By The Adults * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
46.) Buzzsaw * The Turtles * Ghoulardi Music
47.) Beachcomber * Bobby Darin * Ghoulardi Music
48.) Less Obtrusive * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
49.) Turn Blue * Jimmy McGriff * Ghoulardi Music
50.) The Laugh * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
51.) Bolo Blues * Jimmy Forrest * Ghoulardi Music
52.) Oxnard * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
53.) Mama Oo Mow Mow * The Rivingtons * Ghoulardi Music
54.) You Can’t See This When You’re Way Out There * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
55.) Space Rock Part Two * The Baskerville Hounds * Ghoulardi Music
56.) Hypnosis Word Of Warning * Narrator * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
57.) Peach Fuzz * The Ventures * Ghoulardi Music
58.) Stay Sick * Ghoulardi * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
59.) CBS Logo * CBS Studios * Shock Theater: The Hypnotic Eye
In the late ’50’s and early ’60’s, the citizens of Cleveland would tune in late at night to hear the rhyming ravings of a real radio genius, The Mad Daddy! Using sound effects on record, a reverb machine, various tape effects, and a stack of records from groups that were not getting regular airplay, he would get on the air and present two and a half h0urs of some of the most inventive radio you’ve every heard. And, in an instant, he was gone. This show is a small gesture toward recreating what a real Mad Daddy show must have been like, using a variety of materials and sources that I dig up just for this broadcast.
These are actual recordings of The Mad Daddy himself, in action. Half of this show is culled from an hour-long air-check tape from 1958, and various from from the great compilation, Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964, make up the bulk of the material for the show. There are also a few period songs from when his show was on the air, and also includes both sides of the 45 Mad Daddy cut in the early 60’s, “I Love A Good Practical Joke” b/w “What Is A Pfisteris?”
Special thanks go out to the excellent archivist and blogger, Kogar The Swinging Ape (the one responsible for the Lux & Ivy compilation series), and the “Salad Days” radio program, which did an excellent tribute show at the beginning of 2010. Both websites helped lead me in the right direction when I was trying to assemble this broadcast, and both led me to recordings and songs that I was unaware of before I had this idea for a show. In particular, Kogar posted on his blog a recording of an acetate that contained recordings of the sound effects that Mad Daddy used when he was on the air. Those are sprinkled liberally throughout this show.
There is something wonderful about listening to The Mad Daddy in action, that I have never heard on any kind of radio before or since. His rhyming weirdness, his theatrical enthusiasm, and the creepy undertones of his weirdness, have all the hallmarks of a good Horror Host, and in many ways he invented the form. This isn’t exactly “creepy” or “spooky,” but definitely has a retro feel that fits the nostalgia that is common around this time of year. Plus, his raps are fantastic. All improvised, and well worth the time and energy.
Stay tuned, as next week we’ll feature his apprentice, Ghoulardi! Enjoy!
# Artist * Title * Album * Label
01.) The Mad Daddy * Show Opening * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records * Norton Records
02.) The Mad Daddy * 1958 Air-Check Excerpt 1 * The Mad Daddy * WHK Radio
03.) The Mad Daddy * News Break * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records * Norton Records
04.) The Mad Daddy * Gillette Razor * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records * Norton Records
05.) Rene Hall * Twitchy * “Twitchy” b/w” Flippin'”
06.) The Mad Daddy * 1958 Air-Check Excerpt 2 * The Mad Daddy WHK Radio
07.) The Joker (The Mad Daddy) * I Love A Good Practical Joke * “I Love A Good Practical Joke” b/w “What Is A Pfisteris?” *
08.) The Mad Daddy * 1958 Air-Check Excerpt 3 * The Mad Daddy * WHK Radio
09.) The Mad Daddy * RCA Dehumid-d-d-d-difier * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records * Norton Records
10.) The Five Stars * Pickin’ On The Wrong Chicken * “Pickin’ On The Wrong Chicken” b/w “Dreaming”
11.) The Mad Daddy * 1958 Air-Check Excerpt 4 * The Mad Daddy * WHK Radio
12.) The Mad Daddy * Record Rendezvous * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records * Norton Records
13.) The Mad Daddy * WHK Jingle * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records
14.) The Tune Rockers * Green Mosquito * “The Green Mosquito” b/w “Warm Up”
15.) The Mad Daddy * 1958 Air-Check Excerpt 5 * The Mad Daddy
16.) The Valiants * Good Golly Miss Molly * “Good Golly Miss Molly” b/w “This Is The Nite”
17.) The Mad Daddy * Random Air-Check Excerpt * The Mad Daddy
18.) The Mad Daddy * Gillette Razor 2 * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records
19.) The Joker * What Is A Pfisteris? * “I Love A Good Practical Joke?” b/w “What Is A Pfisteris?”
20.) The Puddle Jumpers * Snake Charmer * “Snake Charmer” b/w “Mud Puddle”
21.) The Mad Daddy * Big Bad Train * “Snake Charmer” b/w “Mud Puddle”
22.) Muddy Waters * (I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man * Complete Chess Masters
23.) The Mad Daddy * Martian Shave * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records
24.) The Nite Riders * Pretty Plaid Skirt (And Long Black Socks) * “Pretty Plaid Skirt” b/w “I’ll Never Change”
25.) The Mad Daddy * Moldy Basement * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records
26.) The Eternals * Rockin’ In The Jungle * “Rockin’ In The Jungle” b/w “Rock ‘N Roll Cha Cha”
27.) The Mad Daddy * Record Rendezvous 2 * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records
28.) Dwight Pullen * Sunglasses After Dark * “Teenage Bug” b/w “Sunglasses After Dark”
29.) The Mad Daddy * Record Acid Test * Wavy Gravy! Atom Smashin’ Zoomeratin’ Mello Jello Radio Broadcasts 1958 – 1964 * Norton Records
30.) Dale Hawkins * Tornado * “Tornado” b/w “Little Pig”
This week, we continue our journey through the early days of punk rock, backtracking slightly to cover Suicide, the early Ohio Scene, Devo, The Modern Lovers, and the venues of New York, Max’s Kansas City & CGBG’s. All that, and plenty of music as we move chronologically through the early days of punk rock. This one is not to be missed.
History Lesson Part II: The Blank Generation (Still Before ’75)
# Title * Artist * Album * Label
Part I: Ghost Riders In New York
01.) Introduction * Interviews * Rock & Roll Part 9: Punk * PBS
02.) Blank Generation (NYC, 76) * Richard Hell & The Voidoids
03.) Slow Death (San Francisco, California, 72) * The Flamin’ Groovies
04.) Frankie Teardrop [Edit] Suicide * Suicide
05.) Interview Clips * Suicide * Kill Your Idols
06.) Interview Clips * Suicide, Etc. * Punk Attitude
07.) Ghost Rider * Suicide * Suicide
Part II: The Ohio Scene
08.) Longhaired Woman (NYC, 76) * Killer Kane Band
09.) Interview * David Thomas * Toronto TV Clip
10.) 30 Seconds Over Tokyo * Rocket From The Tombs * The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs
11.) Punk Roots In Ohio * The Dead Boys * Punk Rock Diary 1970 – 1979
12.) Down In Flames (Cleveland, Ohio, 75) * Frankenstein
13.) Cleveland Scene 2 * Cheetah Chrome * Interviews From The Edge
14.) She Smiled Wild (Cleveland, Ohio, 75) * Mirrors
15.) Cleveland Scene 3 * Cheetah Chrome * Interviews From The Edge
16.) Rocket To Nowhere (Columbus, Ohio, 75) * Mike Rep & The Quotas
17.) Cleveland Scene 4 * Cheetah Chrome * Interviews From The Edge
18.) Lady Doubonette (Akron, Ohio, 76) * Bizarros
Part III: We’re All Devo!
19.) Loretta (Boston, Massachusetts, 76) * Nervous Eaters
20.) We’re All Devo! * Devo * Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology
21.) Interviews * Devo * Punk Rock Diary 1970 – 1979
22.) Jocko Homo [Booji Boy Version] * Devo * Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology
23.) De-Evolution In Akron 2 * Devo * Punk Rock Diary 1970 – 1979
24.) Clockout * Devo * Hardcore Devo Vol. 2
25.) De-Evolution In Akron 3 * Devo * Punk Rock Diary 1970 – 1979
Part IV: The Modern World
26.) Drop Dead (Detroit, Michigan, 75) * The Punks * Once Upon A Time Vol. 01: U.S.A 1972 – 75
27.) Ramblin’ Rose (Detroit, Michigan, 74) (Edit) * Wayne Kramer * Once Upon A Time Vol. 01: U.S.A 1972 – 75
28.) The Modern Lovers * Interviews * Rock & Roll Part 9: Punk
29.) Roadrunner * The Modern Lovers * The Modern Lovers
30.) The Modern Lovers * Interviews * Rock & Roll Part 9: Punk
31.) Girl Friend * The Modern Lovers * The Modern Lovers
32.) Modern Lovers * Interviews * Rock & Roll Part 9: Punk
33.) That’s All I Know (Right Now) (NYC, 73) * Neon Boys * Once Upon A Time Vol. 01: U.S.A 1972 – 75
Part V: But Where Can We Play?
34.) Agitated (Cleveland, Ohio, 75) * Electric Eels * Once Upon A Time Vol. 01: U.S.A 1972 – 75
35.) CGBGs & Max’s * Interviews * Punk Attitude
36.) Max’s Kansas City ’76 (NYC, 76) * Wayne County & The Backstreet Boys * Once Upon A Time Vol. 02: U.S.A. 1976
37.) What I Remember * CGBG’s: The Roots of Punk
38.) Opening * Punk Attitude
39.) Jungle Rot (Baltimore, Maryland, 75) * George Brigman * Once Upon A Time Vol. 01: U.S.A 1972 – 75
40.) Full of Smoke * CGBG’s: The Roots of Punk
41.) John Rock (Lansing, Michigan, 76) * The Dogs * Once Upon A Time Vol. 02: U.S.A. 1976
Part VI: Garage Revival
42.) Monster Au Go-Go (Minneapolis, Minnesota, 76) * Suicide Commandos * Once Upon A Time Vol. 02: U.S.A. 1976
43.) The Enviornment * CGBG’s: The Roots of Punk
44.) Chicken Queen (Bloomington, Indiana, 76) * The Gizmos * Once Upon A Time Vol. 02: U.S.A. 1976 Punk
45.) CBGBs * CGBG’s: The Roots of Punk
46.) In The Sun (NYC, 76) * Blondie * Once Upon A Time Vol. 02: U.S.A. 1976
47.) Boy From Nowhere (Boston, Massachusetts, 76) * DMZ * Once Upon A Time Vol. 02: U.S.A. 1976
48.) Garage History * Interviews * Rock & Roll Part 9: Punk
49.) Little Johnny Jewel (NYC, 75) * Television * Once Upon A Time Vol. 01: U.S.A 1972 – 75
50.) Punk Previews
As someone who grew up in the ’80’s and ’90’s, Punk was already transmuting into a plethora of other kinds of music by the time I reached musical consciousness. While I came to appreciate everything that spawned from it, I had a real interest in where it came from, which has informed my musical sensibilities in that time. While my interests now may range far and wide, the net that is cast embodies all that is punk, in the way that I define it.
This episode features edited samples from the IFC film Punk Attitudemixed with a variety of music that helped get the ball rolling. I also include a few clips from other sources, to help flesh out the story when needed. If you look at “punk” as a mode of music making, the genesis itself lies in The Blues, leading to Rock ‘n’ Roll. Punk music is often steeped in the roots of Chuck Berry riffs, but as an ethos, encompasses so much more. I try to provide as much musical insight as I have into the music that was bubbling under the surface when 1975, an important year for Punk Rock, was in full swing.
I open the show with the fantastic Pere Ubu version of “Final Solution.” In a lot of ways, Punk was about searching for a Final Solution. Music needed to be forever affected by something new in order to break away from some of the mainstream crimes that had been committed. But the people themselves, desperate and hungry for something else, were also looking for a social Final Solution, a way to put behind them all the pain and horror that the world could inflict. While Punk may not have made any massive, or permanent changes that could be considered “Final,” I think this song really sets the tone for the kind of people that made punk possible. They were those who were searching for that Solution, and punk is the story of what came of their efforts.
This show was a real pleasure to make, and I it features some of my favorite music that has ever been recorded. While this is the only show that is completed in this form, I hope to continue this series much more frequently in the near future. The Grumpy Punk has been reawakened in a way that I cannot sate with a mere two hour show. I wouldn’t be surprised, October and future guests not withstanding, that this will be the foreseeable format of the show for the time being.
There is a lot that could be said of the artists in this show, and I could wax poetic for pages. But I’ll let the radio do the talking. It tells the story much better than I could, that’s for sure. I will say that, before the show even started, I was getting comments and e-mail from people who wanted to make sure that I didn’t leave stuff out. And, of course, I did. Humorously enough, I managed to fit one or two in at the last minute. There is an out-of-chronology Kinks song, sadly, but getting “Louie Louie” in near the front was a wise, wise move. I have plans, after I finish the initial run of this show, to go back and plug all the holes, and expand on the work I did in this show. Hopefully, I don’t loose motivation by then.
That’s it for this week. See you in seven.
History Lesson Part I: Before ’75
Part I
01.) Part 01 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
02.) Final Solution (Cleveland, Ohio, 76) * Pere Ubu * Terminal Tower: An Archival Collection * Rough Trade Records
03.) Louie Louie * The Kingsmen * “Louie Louie” b/w “Haunted Castle” * Wand Records
03.) Part 02 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
04.) “What Have You Got?” * Marlon Brando * The Wild Ones * Columbia Pictures
04.) Search & Destroy (Ann Arbor, Michigan, 73) * Iggy & The Stooges * Raw Power * Columbia Records
05.) Part 03 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
06.) Maybellene * Chuck Berry * The Chess Story: 1947 – 1975 * Chess Records
07.) Part 04 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
08.) Incense And Peppermints * Strawberry Alarm Clock * Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968 * Rhino Records
Part II
09.) Part 05 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
10.) 96 Tears * ? & The Mysterians * “96 Tears” b/w “Midnight Hour” * Pa Go Go Records
11.) Part 06 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
12.) Strychnine * The Sonics * Here Are The Sonics!!! * Norton Records
13.) Part 07 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
14.) Riot on Sunset Strip * The Standells * The Best of the Standells * Rhino Records
15.) Part 08 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
16.) Psychotic Reaction * The Count Five * “Psychotic Reaction” b/w “They’re Gonna Get You” * Double Shot Records
17.) The Gift (Edit) * The Velvet Underground * Peel Slowly And See * Polydor Records
18.) Part 09 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
19.) Lou Reed on Andy Warhol * Lou Reed * Interview * Flora.tv
20.) All Tomorrow’s Parties (1965) * The Velvet Underground * Peel Slowly And See * Polydor Records
Part III
21.) Pushin’ Too Hard * The Seeds * The Seeds * GNP Crescendo
22.) Part 10 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
23.) Boy In The Sandbox (1968) * Michael Yonkers Band * Microminiature Love * Sub Pop Records
24.) Part 11 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
25.) White Responsibility * Huey Newton Punk Attitude * The Complete Malcom X on DVD * http://malcolmxfiles.blogspot.com/
26.) Feel It (1970) * It’s All Meat * It’s All Meat * New Music Records
27.) Part 12 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
28.) Kick Out the Jams (1969) * MC5 * Kick Out the Jams * Elektra Records
29.) Part 13 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
30.) Helium Head (I Got A Love) (1970) * Sir Lord Baltimore * Kingdom Come * Anthology Recordings
Part IV
31.) Queen Of Stars (Loop) * Kim Fowley / Austin Rich * Unreleased * Blasphuphmus Radio
32.) Part 14 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
33.) Light My Fire (Edit) (Live) * The Doors * Alive, She Cried * Elektra Records
34.) Part 15 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
35.) Long Way To Go (71) * Alice Cooper * Love It To Death * Warner Bros. Records
36.) Part 16 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
37.) Not Right (1969) * The Stooges * The Stooges * Elektra Records
38.) Part 17 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
39.) Buick Mackane (72) * Marc Bolan & T.Rex * The Slider * Reprise Records
Part V
40.) Politicians In My Eyes (Loop) * Death / Austin Rich * Unreleased * Blasphuphmus Radio
41.) Part 18 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
42.) Hang On To Yourself (72) * David Bowie * The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars * RCA Records
43.) Part 19 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
44.) Space Age Love (LA 74) * Zolar-X * Timeless * Alternative Tentacles Records
45.) Part 20 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
46.) Vietnamese Baby (NYC, 73) * The New York Dolls * The New York Dolls * Island Records
47.) Part 21 Vietnamese Baby
48.) One Way Spit (Chickasha, Oklahoma, 75) * Debris * Static Disposal * Anopheles Records
49.) You Really Got Me * The Kinks * “You Really Got Me” b/w “It’s All Right” * Reprise Records
Part VI
50.) Part 22 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
51.) You’re A Prisoner (Detroit, Michigan, 75) * Death * …For The Whole World To See * Drag City
52.) Part 23 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
53.) Master Race (NYC, 75) The Dictators * The Dictators Go Girl Crazy! * Epic Records
54.) We Ended Up * The Mumps * How I Saved The World * Sympathy For The Record Industry
55.) Part 24 * Interviews * Punk Attitude * Shout! Factory
56.) The Gift (Instrumental Edit) * The Velvet Underground / Austin Rich * Unreleased * Blasphuphmus Radio
57.) Ain’t It Fun (Cleveland, Ohio, 75) * Peter Laughner * Take The Guitar Player For A Ride * Tim Kerr Records
From the moment I first started assembling the original Philosophy Rock episode (The Truth Is Marching In), I knew I wanted to do sequels to this show. There is so much music that is outside of the usual “I love you / I’m sad about you” range of pop music, and there are a number of artists that really love to embrace the deeper meanings in the world. As a armchair philosopher myself, this is a perfect match.
In this episode, I focus on The Real, The Fake, and everything in between. I had a lot of fun combing through lectures on Youtube.com, and I found enough material for at least two more shows. I’m pretty proud of this one, but I do recommend that you listen on headphones. This is one to pay attention to.
Enjoy. See you in seven.
Realer Than The Realest Thing Ever Playlist:
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) “A Map So Detailed” * tedsaidit.com * tedsaidit.com * Youtube.com
02.) “Even This Show Isn’t Real” * Happy Harry Hard-On * Pump Up The Volume * New Line Cinema
03.) The Real Me * The Who * Quadrophenia * MCA Records
04.) The Surrealist Dream No.1 * The Red Krayola * Japan In Paris In L.A. * Drag City Records
05.) “Illusion Or Reality” * Slavoj Žižek * Slavoj Žižek * Youtube.com
06.) Real World * Pere Ubu * The Modern Dance * Blank Records
07.) Pretenders Zeal * Nuclear Sockets * Killed By Death Vol. 24 * KBD Records
08.) The Real Me * The Champs * All American * Champion Records
09.) Surrealchemist * Stereolab * Peng! * American Records
10.) Francis Bacon * John S.Hall & Kramer * Real Men * Shimmy Disc Records
11.) What We Really Were * Mission Of Burma * ONoffON * Matador Records
12.) Unauthorized Autobiography * Unwound * Repetition * Kill Rock Stars Records
13.) Quark * Ken Nordine * A Transparent Mask * Asphodel Records
14.) You Blow My Mind * Powers Of Blue * Everything You Always Wanted To Know About 60’s Mind Expansive Punkadelic Garage Rock Instrumentals But Were Afraid To Ask * Arf! Arf! Records
15.) The Real World * The Bangles * Children Of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The Second Psychedelic Era 1976 – 1996 * Rhino Records
16.) Storm The Reality Asylum * Rip Rig & Panic * Grlz * Crippled Dick Hot Wax! Records
17.) Trying to Pretend * Vivian Girls * Share the Joy * Polyvinyl Record Co.
18.) Is It Real * Ways * Teenline Vol. 5 * Hyped2Death Records
19.) Hyper Reality * ChrisCooganDesigner * ChrisCooganDesigner * Youtube.com
20.) Segue: In the Realms of the Unreal * …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead * So Divided * Interscope Records
21.) Realness Keepers * Drats!!! * Too Entertaining??? * whothehellisjim? Entertainment
22.) The Valley Of The Blind * Nomeansno * 0 + 2 = 1 * Alternative Tentacles Records
23.) Real World * Z-Rocks * Teenline Vol. 3 * Hyped2Death Records
24.) The Surrealist Dream No.2 * The Red Krayola * Japan In Paris In L.A. * Drag City Records
25.) “Nothing Without Signs” * Lawrence Cahoone * Derrida’s Deconstruction Of Philosophy * Youtube.com
26.) Why Can’t I Touch It? (Excerpt) * Buzzcocks * Singles Going Steady * EMI Records
27.) This Is Really The Zoo Plus Two * The Endd * Everything You Always Wanted To Know About 60’s Mind Expansive Punkadelic Garage Rock Instrumentals But Were Afraid To Ask * Arf! Arf! Records
28.) The Great Pretender * Brian Eno * Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) * Island Records
29.) Is This Real? * Wipers * Wipers Boxed Set * Zeno Records
30.) Let’s Pretend * Germs * (MIA): The Complete Anthology * Slash Records
31.) Fake Names * Parts & Labor * Constant Future * Jagjaguwar Records
32.) Divorce Proceeding (From Reality) * The Homosexuals * Astral Glamour * Hyped2Death Records
33.) I’m A Pretender (Alternate Mix) * The Exploding Hearts * Shattered * Dirtnap Records
34.) Trafelato * Ennio Morricone * Crime And Dissonance * Ipecac Records
35.) Counterfeit Faker * They Might Be Giants * Long Tall Weekend * eMusic.com
36.) Fake Contest * Minutemen * What Makes a Man Start Fires? * SST Records
37.) Okay I’ll Admit That I Really Don’t Understand * The Flaming Lips * The Soft Bulletin Companion * Unreleased
38.) “Everything Is Differences” * Lawrence Cahoone * Derrida’s Deconstruction Of Philosophy * Youtube.com
39.) What Lies Behind (Austin Remix) * Joy Wants Eternity * You Who Pretend To Sleep * Beep Repaired Records
40.) Real * William Shatner * Has Been * Shout! Factory Records
For a medium that is entirely tied to one sense – aural – music can convey a surprising number of dimensions and facets that go beyond the sound-only format. This got me thinking around radio you can see: the big trend these days is to podcast your show in a visual format, too. Well, prior to all this fancy technology, when radio wanted you to see something, it had to be very careful about how it did it. Was it possible to deliver Sight Beyond Sight? There was only one way to find out.
I was very happy with the selection and diversity of songs that I was able to fit into this particular show, and I think the flow works very nicely. I like the slow build to a sludge metal finish, and having a little VU at the end to help tie things up is always a nice way to end a show. It is only my regret that I had to follow the wonderful but somber episode of What’s This Called? this week, featuring a memorial tribute to Ricardo Wang’s wife, who committed suicide this last week. She will be missed, and the tribute was both beautiful and tear-inducing. It was a tough act to follow, but I think I managed to help lighten the mood as much as it is possible, all things considered.
Of note this week is the SuperFriends sample I managed to sneak in. I made that recording at some point in 1998, just before this show was even a glimmer in my eye, and have been waiting for an appropriate time to use it. Good things come to those who wait. I would also like to point out the last-minute addition to the show, “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes,” which came to us via Audience Participation. It’s that easy, folks. @blasphuphmus on twitter, or 503-725-5945 during the live show. Anyone can do it.
Lastly, I want to thank Hogwash for his recommendations during the second hour of the show. As usual, his ideas were way better than mine.
See ya in seven.
Sight Beyond Sight Playlist:
# Title * Artist * Album * Label
01.) The Seeker * The Who * Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy * Polydor Records
02.) I’ll See You In My Dreams * Django Reinhardt * The Best Of Django Reinhardt * Blue Note Records
03.) I See Lights * King Khan & The Shrines * What Is?! * Vice Records
04.) Can You See? * Thee Oh Sees * Help * In The Red Records
05.) Reflections From The Looking Glass * 1910 Fruitgum Company * “Simon Says” b/w “Reflections From The Looking Glass” * Buddha Records
06.) Don’t Look Back * The Remains * Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968 * Rhino Records
07.) Anyone Seen That Cat * Thee Hell Cows * Paver EP * Tim / Kerr Records
08.) See No Evil * Television * Marquee Moon * Elektra Records
09.) T.V. Eye * The Stooges * Fun House * Elektra Records
10.) See Through * Sailboats * Sailboats * Pecho Grande Records
11.) Seen Not Heard * Unwound * A Single History * Kill Rock Stars
12.) See-Thru Plastic * Nice Nice * Chrome * Temporary Residence Records
13.) I Unseen * The Misunderstood * “Children of the Sun” b/w “I Unseen” * Fontana Records
13.) You’ll See * Zoomers * Homework #5 * Hyped 2 Death Records
14.) “To See What They Could See” * Batman & Robin * Super Friends TV Show * ABC Television
15.) The World Looks Red * Sonic Youth * Confusion Is Sex / Kill Yr. Idols * DGC Records
16.) See The Leaves * The Flaming Lips * Embryonic * Warner Bros. Records
17.) See How We Are (Demo) * X * Beyond & Back: The X Anthology * Elektra Records
18.) Lookin’ Out For #1 * Negativland * Deathsentences Of The Polished And Structurally Weak * Seeland Records
19.) You Are In My Vision * Tubeway Army * Replicas * Beggar Banquet Records
20.) What You See Is What You Are * Thee Headcoats * Knights Of The Baskervilles * Birdman Records
21.) Peek-A-Boo * Siouxsie And The Banshees * Twice Upon A Time: The Singles * Polydor Records
22.) See Her Tonite * The Damned * Damned Damned Damned * Stiff Records
23.) See The Constellation * They Might Be Giants * Apollo 18 * Elektra Records
24.) She Took A Long Cold Look * Syd Barrett * The Madcap Laughs * Capitol Reocrds
25.) Man Seeks The Future * Attileo “Art” Mineo * Man In Space With Sounds * Subliminal Sounds Records
26.) Politicians In My Eyes * Death * …For The World To See * Drag City Records
27.) Eyeball * Scratch Acid * The Greatest Gift * Touch & Go Records
28.) Gary Gilmore’s Eyes * The Adverts * “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” b/w “Bored Teenagers” * Anchor Records
29.) I See A Man * Witchcraft * Firewood * Rise Above Records
30.) Seer * Witch * Witch * Tee Pee Records
31.) Seen [Excerpt] * Hochenkeit * Omu4h 4aholab / 400 Boys * Road Cone Records
32.) See How Pretty, See How Smart * Melvins * The Maggot * Ipecac Records
33.) Beginning to See the Light (Closet Mix) * The Velvet Underground * Peel Slowly And See * Polydor Records
Join us for an hour of movie-inspired music from 2 – 3 PM on kpsu.org. (98.1 FM for those lucky few on the PSU campus.) From 2001 to a blurry French Film, we’ve got it all this hour. Audience Participation is at 503-725-5945. Let’s go to The Movies!
I have always been enamored with the Silver Screen, and even as a kid I found film to be a very compelling interest. My first big cinematic love was 2001: A Space Oddyssey, but as time has passed I’ve become interested in a wide variety of movie genres, each offering something unusual and wonderful to the jaded and befuddled person I have become. Very late in the game this prompted me to get a Minor in Film, on top of my other assorted Minors and Degrees, mostly because I couldn’t resist movies and better than I could Comics, 19th Century Literature, or Music.
The genesis of this particular essay, however, was very immediate and last minute: while I had planned a two-hour show after my return from vacation, I had completely forgotten about two bands that were going to play on KPSU this Saturday. (In my vacation frenzy, I had completely forgotten.) So, I jettisoned the two-hour show (still sorted and ready, and may end up being next week’s show), and threw together this one-hour version, to be done after the bands. Of course, at the very last minute, they canceled as well, leaving me in an awkward position. Instead of scrambling again, I went with a truncated, one-hour show.
Not surprisingly, I was able to cram in a lot of my favorite music into this show. Spike Jones is quickly becoming a favorite around the house, and I will never tire of Stereolab, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, or Dead Milkmen. I recently (see: three years ago) acquired the Lester Bangs and The Delinquents album, which is getting a lot of play around the house, too. But I was pleasantly impressed by The Troggs track I found, and any time you can play Wire on your show, you are doing something right.
Thanks for listening, and See you in Seven.
# Title * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Overture – Atmospheres * Gyorgy Ligeti * The Official 2001: A Space Odyssey Soundtrack * MGM Records
02.) Movie Camera Old Clockwork Type * Sound Effects * 100 Spectacular Sound Effects * Public Domain
03.) The Late Late Late Late Movies, Part II * Spike Jones & His City Slickers * Musical Depreciation Revue: The Spike Jones Anthology * Rhino Records
04.) Film Music * Electrelane * Rock It To The Moon * Mr. Lady Records
05.) Exploding Head Movie * Stereolab & Nurse With Wound * Refried Ectoplasm: Switched On, Vol. 2 * Drag City Records
06.) You In A Movie * Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 * Bob Dinners And Larry Noodles Present Tubby Turdner’s Celebrity Avalanche * Communion Records
07.) Psycko (Themes From Psycho And Vertigo) * Laika & The Cosmonauts * Children Of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The Second Psychedelic Era 1976-1996 * Rhino Records
08.) I Just Want To Be A Movie Star * Lester Bangs And The Delinquents * Jook Savages On The Brazos * Livewire Records
09.) Strange Movies * The Troggs * Archaeology (1966-1976) * Polygram Records
10.) (Theme From) Blood Orgy of the Atomic Fern * Dead Milkman * Bucky Fellini * Enigma Records
11.) Murder Movies * Unwound * Repetition * Kill Rock Stars Records
12.) Sweetback’s Theme * Melvin Van Peebles * The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1968-1971 * Stax Records
13.) Films * Gary Numan * The Pleasure Principle * Atco Records
14.) Cracked Actor * David Bowie * Aladdin Sane * RCA Records
15.) French Film Blurred * Wire * Chairs Missing * Restless Records
16.) Theme from ‘Hatari’ * Henry Mancini * Greatest Hits * RCA Records
17.) Road Movie To Berlin * They Might Be Giants * Flood * Elecktra Records
18.) End Theme * John Williams * Return of The Jedi * 20th Century Fox
Sit back for a radio adaptation of The Black Hole, Disney’s attempt at Sci-Fi that is equal parts 2001 and Star Wars. While the film was a bit of a flop when it was released, there were a number of pieces of media released at the time that retold the story of the film, all on vinyl. That, coupled with samples from the film itself, have been combined for two-hour presentation of one of the most over-looked narratives of the last 30 years. Now, today, join us for the entire story, specifically designed for radio enjoyment.
I have to say, as a kid, this film left a pretty big impression on me. My parents took me to see it at a Drive-In, and while most of the film had been forgotten almost immediately, the robot characters stood out so much that I immediately incorporated them into my own imaginary games that I regularly played on my own. Years later, I discovered the audio treat of listening to this film on headphones. Minus one orchestral bit in the last third of the film, the score is creepy and awesome at the same time, and the audio effects fully utilize the stereo effects that were available. It’s really a joy to listen to, and while the delivery of the dialog in many parts borders only on passable, the audio editing is what draws me back to this film over and over again.
Plus, there is also a bit of Odysseus traveling into the Underworld at work here. That always goes over well.
Obsessive Black Hole fans will note that I eliminated two somewhat-confusing subplots from this presentation: the fact that Dr. Reinhardt used to have Kate’s father on the Cygnus with him, but later killed Kate’s father. This subplot adds nothing to the story, and is irrelevant on the whole. There is one bit of dialog that I failed to cut, but it is out of context and I don’t think it makes things any more confusing than it already is. I also eliminated the suggestion that Maximillian (the robot) was actually the one in charge, controlling through intimidation Dr. Reinhardt. Again, it was a confusing subplot that only surfaces once or twice. I also tried to trim as much of the “bad” orchestra cue as humanly possible. (The only used during some of the lazer battle scenes.) With all the good music in this film, that song really stands out. While much of it is still in the show, I cut as much as it made sense to.
Attentive fans will notice that this is the second time I’ve attempted this story for radio. This is an expanded recreation retrocast of a show from August of 2007. At the time, the show was only an hour long, and I did not yet have the LPs that I’ve used to expand and supplement this broadcast. What is funny is that the story finally makes sense in this form; originally I just used samples from the film, which means that the visual elements that tell the story are lost on the audience. (I’m specifically thinking of the ending sequence, that lacks dialog for much of it.) That, coupled with editing out about 45 minutes of the story, made that version a little difficult to make sense of. (However, it was a great piece of experimental audio.) Lastly, there is no recording of the original version. I’ve been planning to do a recreation of it for quite some time. However, now that I have the Disney LPs, it seemed appropriate.
For those curious about the people involved in working on this film, here are the appropriate credits, in terms of the audio story. While I did all the editing and arrangements on the radio version, it was done with original materials created by Walt Disney Pictures. It seems important to give credit where credit is due.
Directed by Gary Nelson
Story by Jeb Rosebrook, Bob Barbash, Richard Landau & Gerry Day.
Narrated by Percy Rodrigues.
Music by John Barry, with help from Evelyn Kennedy, Helen Sneddon, Dan Wallin and Albert Woodbury
Sound Effects and Editing by Wayne Allwine, Nick Alphin, Barney Cabral, Norman Carlisle, George Fredrick, Robert Hathaway, Ben Hendricks, John Jolliffe, Stephen Katz, James MacDonald, Bud Maffett, Al Maguire, Joe Parker, Frank Regula, Herb Taylor, Louis Terrusa, John Van Frey, and Bill Wylie.
Staring: Maximilian Schell as Dr. Hans Reinhardt, Anthony Perkins as Dr. Alex Durant, Robert Forster as Captain Dan Holland, Joseph Bottoms as Lieutenant Charles Pizer, Yvette Mimieux as Dr. Kate McCrae, Ernest Borgnine as Harry Booth, Roddy McDowall as V.I.N.CENT., & Slim Pickens as B.O.B.
Enjoy!
The Black Hole
# Title * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Selected Excerpts & Samples * Walt Disney * The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
02.) Main Title * John Barry * Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
03.) Selected Excerpts & Samples * Walt Disney Productions * Walt Disney Productions Presents the Story of The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
04.) The Door Opens * John Barry * Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
05.) Zero Gravity * John Barry * Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
06.) Six Robots * John Barry * Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
07.) Durant Is Dead * John Barry * Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
08.) Start The Countdown * John Barry * Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
09.) End Credits * John Barry * Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Black Hole * Walt Disney Productions
Join me as I take you on a radio journey through the annual 4th of July picnic, via your old familiar friend, local radio. After hiking out to our remote broadcast location, I bring you a host of songs about America, the 4th of July, BBQ and Picnics, and the complete story behind our own National Anthem. It’s an hour of audio wonders as we explore this ancient and mysterious holiday with the likes of John Phillip Sousa, Galaxie 500, Chuck Berry and Woodie Guthrie (both via requests), Dick Kent, Paul Williams, Johnny Punchclock, and a pair of real-live phone calls from 2007 from an actual, live 4th of July BBQ in progress. How cool is that?
Enjoy!
The Fourth of July Picnic
# Track * Artist * Album
01.) Fireworks General Atmosphere * Madacy Records * 100 Spectacular Sound Effects * Madacy Records
02.) Walking And Driving And Hiking To The Show * Negativland * Over The Edge Vol. 1: Negativland’s 4th Of July Stockholders’ Picnic * Seeland Records
03.) Stars And Stripes Forever March * Sousa’s Band * Amberol Cylinder 4M-285 * Edison Records
04.) Parade Of Condiments * Negativland * Over The Edge Vol. 1: Negativland’s 4th Of July Stockholders’ Picnic * Seeland Records
05.) American Metaphysical Circus * The United States of America * The United States of America * Columbia Records
06.) Fourth Of July * Galaxie 500 * This Is Our Music * Rough Trade Records
07.) 12 O’Clock, July * The Mussies * Everything You Always Wanted To Know About 60’s Mind Expansive Punkadelic Garage Rock Instrumentals But Were Afraid To Ask * Arf! Art! Records
08.) BBQ Call 1 * Austin Rich & Johnny * 04 July 2007 * Blasphuphmus Radio
09.) Sweet Little Sixteen (Single Version) * Chuck Berry * The Definitive Collection * Chess Records
10.) Do Re Mi * Woody Guthrie * Very Best of Woody Guthrie * Music Club Records
11.) Roll Me Through The Fire * Johnny Punchclock * (demos) * Unreleased
12.) The National Anthem vs. Testosterone (Take 4) * kiisu d’salyss * Cabin Fever * Unreleased
13.) BBQ Call 2 * Austin Rich & Tom * 04 July 2007 * Blasphuphmus Radio
14.) Barbeque * Paul Williams * Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas * The Jim Henson Company
15.) UFO’s, Big Rigs And BBQ * Mojo Nixon and The World Famous Blue Jays * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection * Rhino Records
16.) Rat A Tat Tat, America * Dick Kent * The American Song-poem Anthology: Do You Know The Difference Between Big Wood And Brush * Bar / None Records
17.) Our National Anthem * Negativland * Free * Seeland Records
18.) Firesign Goes To War!: No Jokes About America! * The Firesign Theater * All Things Firesign * Artemis Records
19.) America Kicks Ass * King Missile III * Royal Lunch * Important Records
Episode 26: The Emerald of the Incas (5 of 6) * 10 April 1940
Episode 27: The Emerald of the Incas (6 of 6) * 12 April 1940
Clark Kent goes to investigate Dr. Beecham and his daughter Elsie, who happens to have The Emerald of The Incas in a safe in his office. But two Asitlan priests feel very differently about the matter.
Episode 28: Donelli’s Protection Racket (1 of 6) 15 April 1940
Episode 29: Donelli’s Protection Racket (2 of 6) 17 April 1940
A local thug by the name of Donelli establishes a protection racket in Metropolis, and targets – among other people – the newest addition to the cast: Jimmy Olsen.
Episode 112: The Green Hills of Earth (Featuring a re-mixed presentation of three different broadcast version of Robert Heinlein’s The Green Hills of Earth!)
Green Hills of Earth
This episode features samples of Dimension X from June 10th 1950, X-Minus 1 from July 7th 1955, and the CBS Radio Workshop from 21 July 1957.
HOUR 1
01.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 1
02.) Men Into Space * Buddy Morrow * Brain In A Box
03.)The Green Hills of Earth Edit 2
04.) Astrononmie Domine * Pink Floyd
05.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 3
06.) Super Rocket Rumble * Man… Or Astro-Man? * Deluxe men in space
07.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 4
08.) Out to launch * Sonny Sharrock * Space Ghost
09.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 5
10.) The Spaceman * Charles Manson * 60 Birthday
11.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 6
12.) Space Station # 5 * Fastbacks * new mansions in sound
13.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 7
14.) Get Outta That Spaceship And Fight Like A Man * The Grifters
15.) Cosmic Ballad * Perrey And Kingsley
16.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 8
17.) Starship * Spaceman 3
HOUR 2
18.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 9
19.) Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home * Mogwai
20.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 10
21.) Revenge * Black Flag
22.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 11
23.) Follow Blind * Wipers
24.) Dirty Joke From Outer Space pt I * Sunroof!
25.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 12
26.) Hard Travelin’ * Woody Guthrie
27.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 13
28.) Spaceball Ricochet * T. Rex
29.) Space Loneliness * Sun Ra
30.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 14
31.) Clink, Clink, Another Drink * Spike Jones
32.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 15
33.) 2000 Light Years From Home * The Rolling Stones
34.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 16
35.) Talking Hard Work * Woody Guthrie
HOUR 3
36.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 17
37.) Dirty Joke From Outer Space pt II * Sunroof!
38.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 18
39.) Space Age Ballad * Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.
40.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 19
41.) A Long Way From Home * The Kinks
42.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 20
43.) Headed Home * George & Caplan
44.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 21
45.) Dirty Joke From Outer Space pt IiI * Sunroof!
46.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 22
47.) Keep On The Sunny Side * The Carter Family
48.) Homecoming * Replikants
49.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 23
50.) Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire * Small Faces
51.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 24
52.) Spaceship Landing * Kyuss
53.) The Green Hills of Earth Edit 25
54.) Death Is Not The End * Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
55.) The Intergalactic Laxative * Donavan
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Blasphuphmus Radio brings you a special presentation of an X Minus 1broadcast from 1957! It’s all part of that little piece of joy we like to think of as our weekly radio show. Ob-soive:
We rarely consider Valentine’s Day a radio-friendly holiday, but this year the combination of Sci-Fi and creepy love songs was just too irresistible to pass up. But stay tuned! Next week, DJ Will will be in the studio for a Grumpy Punk Valentine’s Day show to end all Valentine’s Day shows. Who says we don’t care about love?
Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Part I * X Minus 1 * Lulu (31 October 1957) * NBC Radio
02.) Love Dance * Martin Denny
03.) Part II * X Minus 1 * Lulu (31 October 1957) * NBC Radio
04.) Interplanetary Love * Acid Mother’s Temple
05.) Modern Love Waltz * Philip Glass
06.) Love In (December) * Hal Blaine
07.) Part III * X Minus 1 * Lulu (31 October 1957) * NBC Radio
08.) A Disappointing Love * 101 Strings Orchestra * Astro Sounds From Beyond the Year 2000 * Scamp Records
09.) Satelite of Love * Lou Reed
10.) Love Song of the Saroo * Joe Meek & The Blue Men
11.) Love Cry * Albert Ayler
12.) Love Call (Alternate Version) * Ornette Coleman
In spite of my best efforts, there are many of our broadcasts that have been lost either in part or entirely. There are a number of reasons for this: technological failures, archivists errors, you weren’t broadcasting for some reason or another. Any number of problems can arise when you’re quickly trying to get material ready for broadcast.
A large number of problems happened on this day: The playlist was mangled, the recordings were missing 30 minutes of our broadcast, and on top of everything, the recording did not sound great. For a long time I sat on the files, posted a half-assed “edit” of the show, and on the whole wished that I could have done better. Mostly because my guest for this show planned the entire thing with me, and I really wanted to show her a good time.
Recently, Rita passed away suddenly. At least, suddenly to me. I knew her through teaching, but she and I had a lot of similar touchstones and interests, too. She was one of the nicest people I worked with, and her sense of humor and upbeat attitude was and important element of her personality.
In honor of her passing, join me for a remastered, two hour broadcast of songs about running, motion, being on the run, and everything in between. Audience participation was so excellent for this show, she came right into the booth on this one. While she did not speak on the mic, we spent the entire show talking about music, life, and everything in-between. This show cemented our friendship, and I will miss her tremendously.
This show was pieced together from the playlist and three mangled files I was able to retrieve from the KPSU server when it crashed while we were broadcasting. While this is not exactly like the version that was heard by listeners at home, this is a very close approximation in a nearly complete form.
I’ll miss you, Rita. I’ll always remember you sitting in the booth, talking about anything and everything… only not when the mic was on. I guess that’s on memory that will be just for me.
Goodbye.
A Cross Country Extravaganza
Hour 1
Part I: Running Into The Past
01.) Run Better Run * The Cheepskates
02.) Run For Your Life * The Beatles
03.) Running Scared * Roy Orbison
04.) Let ’em Run Wild * Beach Boys
05.) Running from the Enemy * Stinking Lizaveta
06.) Run Run Run * The Velvet Underground * The Velvet Underground & Nico
Part II: Running Hard
07.) Runnin’ Ragged * Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti
08.) Run Run Run * Gestures
09.) Run, Run, Run * The Third Rail
10.) Running Hard * Speed Glue and Shinki
11.) Madman Running Through the Fields * Dantalian’s Chariot
12.) Runnin’ Down A Dream * Tom Petty
Part III: Girl On The Run
13.) Run Chicken Run * Link Wray & His Wray Men
14.) Girl On The Run * Honey Bane
15.) Nowhere To Run * The Pagans
16.) C’Mon * Joan Jett & The Runaways
17.) Running With the Devil * Van Halen
18.) Running In The Shadows * The Neoboys
Hour 2
Part IV: Run Run Run!
19.) Midnight Run * The Pyramids
20.) Run To The Hills * Iron Maiden
21.) Run For Your Life * Screamin’ Lord Sutch & The Undertakers
22.) Run Run Run * The Stimulators
23.) Runaway * Screeching Weasel
24.) Let’s Run * Blue Light Curtain
Part V: Run Away With Me
25.) Forerunner * Ornette Coleman
26.) Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) * The Temptations
27.) Run Paint Run Run * Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
28.) Run Away * Jandek
29.) Run Spook Run * Rod Keith
30.) If you See my Rooster Please Run Him Home * Memphis Minnie
31.) Running Gun * Marty Robbins
32.) Run * Gnarles Barkley
33.) I’ll Come Running * Brian Eno
34.) Run to the Sun * Eddy Detroit
35.) Children Running On The Radio
On January 22nd, KPSU was barraged by a terrible tachyon field That caused the station to simultaneously exist in three separate time periods: 1950, 2011, and 2155. Fortunately, no one was hurt too badly, and the results have been rather intriguing. Ob-soive:
Beware The Searchers!
Enjoy!
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) To The Future (Part I)
02.) Time Stands Still * Lee Ranaldo * East Jesus: Some Recordings 1981-1991
03.) Time And Space * Jandek * You Walk Alone
04.) Time Was * John Coltrane * Coltrane * Impulse Records
05.) To The Future (Part II)
06.) The Time Machine Main Title / Credits * Russel Garcia * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection * Rhino Records
07.) To The Future (Part III)
08.) All The Time In The World * Roger Miller * The Benevolent Disruptive Ray
09.) Sentimental Journey * Esquivel * Space Age Bachelor Pad Music
10.) Rewind The Time * Oliver Squash * 30 Piece
11.) Time * The Residents * God In Three Persons
12.) To The Future (Part IV)
13.) Dan vs. Time * godheadSilo * Skyward in Triumph * Sub Pop Records
14.) We Can See Through Time * Le Ton Mite * Tickets to Real Imaginary Places * Zicmuse Records
15.) To The Future (Part V)
16.) Once Upon A Time * Sonny Sharrock * Ask the Ages * Axiom Records
17.) Tomorrow Afternoon * Tony Williams * Life Time
18.) Time Stands Still * Lee Ranaldo * East Jesus: Some Recordings 1981-1991
19.) There’s Nothing Sexy About Time * Kinski * Don’t Climb On And Take The Holy Water
20.) To The Future (Part VI)
21.) She Makes Me Want To Build A Time Machine * Aristeia * You Give Me Strength, You Give Me Patience!
22.) A Spoon Taught Me The Secret Of Time Travel * The Jezebel Spirit * Turtles All The Way Down * (Self-Released)
23.) Abandoned Mine Shaft In The Corridors Of Time * Sinking Body * Grappling With The Homonids * Vermiform Records
24.) To The Future (Part VII)
25.) Take Time * The Books * The Lemon of Pink * Tomlab Records
26.) There Will Never Be A Better Time * Desert Sessions * Volume 9 & 10
27.) Retrovertigo * Mr. Bungle * California * Warner Bros. Records
28.) Universal Time II * Zip Code Rapists * Zip Code Rapists
29.) To The Future (Part VIII)
30.) Time Flies * The Ex * Dizzy Spells * Touch And Go Records
31.) What Time Is It? * Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 * Tangle
32.) To The Future (Part IX)
33.) A Stitch In Spacetimes * Nil Admirari * Togetherness With Battlesnakes
34.) Time Stands Still [Excerpt] * Lee Ranaldo * East Jesus: Some Recordings 1981-1991
35.) Just In Time * Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra * We Travel The Spaceways Bad And Beautiful
36.) To The Future (Part X)
37.) A Second Of Time * Half Eye * Broken Rope
38.) If Not This Time * Fifty Foot Hose * Cauldron * Phoenix Records
39.) Running Out Of Time * Dead Moon * Hard Wired in Ljubljana * Empty Records
40.) To The Future (Part XI)
41.) Time Funnel * Jan Davis * Lux And Ivy’s Favorites Volume 04
42.) To The Future (Part XII)
43.) She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own) * 13th Floor Elevators * Easter Everywhere * Decal Records
44.) I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times * The Beach Boys * Pet Sounds
45.) Stranded In Time * The United States Of America * The United States Of America
46.) Now Is The Time * The Wipers * Over The Edge
47.) Times Encounter * Nigel Simpkins * Messthetics Vol. 1
48.) To The Future (Part XIII)
49.) As Time Goes By * Rudy Vallee
50.) Time Is Tight * Booker T. & the M.G.’s * The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1968-1971
51.) To The Future (Part XIV)
52.) Check Out Time * Ornette Coleman * Love Call * Blue Note Records
53.) To The Future (Part XV)
54.) One Day At A Time * Thee Headliners * Rain & Blood
Well, we’ve had all manner of crazy shit go down in the last few months, and this show has not be as well documented, performed, posted, or heard because of that. But the wait is over, as we are back in business, and ready for action with five hours of downloads, including a special New Year’s Day broadcast, some live electro-glitch, and actual profanity. Yeah, you know you want it.
I should point out that I haven’t had a chance to write a proper footnoted playlist in many moons, which is why this is a big deal.
Episode 098: A New Coat of Paint (Featuring a meditation on the color of music these days, with a little help from Ken Nordine.)
I discovered Ken Nordine a number of years ago, through Negativland mostly, though my en-co-host DJ Revolting Earwig was the first to direct my attention specifically to this particular album, Colors. Nordine has a wonderfully sleepy, and atmospheric tone to his voice, and as you explore his other work, you’ll find that while his primary instrument is the human voice, his verbal meanderings are fun to follow, or let wash over you. However you enjoy it, his attempt to create music around the idea of colors is so completely ludicrous, it is perfect for radio.
I must confess that I had little belief that this show was going to be recorded or archived for the future, and so I put very little thought into what I would play. In many ways this is an accidental show: by not thinking about it too much, I ended up liking it a lot.
Enjoy
A New Coat Of Paint
01.) Begin The Beguine * Art Tatum
02.) Harmonium * Stereolab * Refriend Ectoplasm
03.) Olive * Ken Nordine * Colors
04.) Fourth Shot * Cabaret Voltaire * Mix-Up
05.) Electric Atlamira * Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic
06.) Maroon * Ken Nordine * Colors
07.) Rosetta * Art Tatum
08.) Hundreds of Years * Thinking Fellers Union Local #282
09.) Chartreuse * Ken Nordine * Colors
10.) Ella Guru * Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
11.) The Admiral * Shellac
12.) Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride * Steel Pole Bath Tub
13.) Crimson * Ken Nordine * Colors
14.) Indiana (Back Home Again In) * Art Tatum
15.) ?? * Don Caballero
16.) Blue * Ken Nordine * Colors
17.) Simian Fever * Six Finger Satellite
18.) Shaking Hell * Sonic Youth
19.) Magenta * Ken Nordine * Colors
20.) Wee Baby Blues * Art Tatum
21.) Bodies * Nomeansno * You Kill Me
22.) Flesh * Ken Nordine * Colors
23.) Hey Cops * Crain *
24.) The Fixed Orbit * Antioch Arrow * In Love With Jetts
25.) Booby Trap * godheadSilo * Skyward In Triumph
26.) Tron * Rodan * Half-Cocked Soundtrack
27.) Brown * Ken Nordine * Colors
28.) Stompin’ At The Savoy * Art Tatum
29.) Life * Flipper
30.) Meet Me In Lacey * KARP * Suplex
31.) Disappoint * Unwound * The Future Of What
32.) Black * Ken Nordine * Colors
33.) Last Goodbye Blues * Art Tatum
34.) Soul Giver * Opal * Happy Birthday Nightmare
This week, Blasphuphmus Radio has been taken over by Detective Dexter Roland, Private Investigator. Join him with Humphrey Bogart, The Pink Panther, Mr. Lucky, Mary Astor, Peter Gunn, Richard Diamond, Sidney Greenstreet, Pete – The King of Detectives, Frankie Machine, Richie Dagger and some genuine femme fatales for a two-hour presentation of The Maltese Falcon. Listen as Dexter rambles about skirts and twists, intermixed with edited selections of a 1946 radio adaptation of the popular film The Maltese Falcon.
Enjoy.
The Maltese Falcon
Part I
01.) Peter Gunn Theme Song * Henry Mancini
02.) Mr. Lucky * Elliot Eastion’s Tiki Gods * Shots In The Dark
03.) The Maltese Falcon Part I
04.) Touch Of Evil (Main Title) * Joseph Gershenson & The Universal-International Orchestra * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
05.) Femme Fatale * The Velvet Underground & Nico
06.) Goldfinger * Shirley Bassey
Part II
07.) The Stu Bailey Blues * Warren Barker Orchestra * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
08.) Watching The Detectives * Elvis Costello & The Attractions
09.) The Maltese Falcon Part II
10.) Frankie Machine * Elmer Bernstein And Orchestra * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
Part III
11.) Contract With Depravity * Kenyon Hopkins * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
12.) Experiment In Terror * Davie Allen And The Arrows * Shots In The Dark
13.) The Maltese Falcon Part III
14.) Stool Pigeon * Irving Joseph * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
15.) Life of Crime * The Spits * School’s Out
Part IV
16.) The Pink Panther Theme * Oranj Symphonette * Shots In The Dark
17.) The Maltese Falcon Part IV
18.) Cool * Stan Kenton * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
Part V
19.) Softly * Henry Mancini
20.) Studio Di Colore [Excerpt] * Ennio Morricone * Crime And Dissonance
21.) (She Was A) Hotel Detective * They Might Be Giants * They Might Be Giants
22.) The Maltese Falcon Part V
23.) The Street (Main Title) * Elmer Bernstein * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
24.) Don’t Tell The Detectives * The Zipps * Messthetics Vol. 4
25.) Boy Detectives * Famous Explorers * Messthetics #103
26.) The Maltese Falcon Part VI
27.) Richard Diamond * Buddy Morrow * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
Part VI
28.) Fallout * Henry Mancini & His Orchestra
29.) Pete, King of the Detectives * Big Black * Headache
30.) The Maltese Falcon Part VII
31.) Echo Four-Two * Johnny Gregory And His Orchestra * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
32.) Richie Dagger’s Crime * The Germs * GI
33.) A Shot In The Dark * Naked City * Naked City
34.) The Maltese Falcon Part VIII
35.) Le Fotografie (From Verushka) * Ennio Morricone * Crime & Dissonance
36.) Re-Enact The Crime * Unwound * The Future Of What
37.) Magic Pig Detective * The Melvins * Stoner Witch
38.) The Maltese Falcon Part IX
39.) Naked City * Mundell Lowe * His All Stars * Crime Jazz: Music In The First Degree
Join me for a special extended edition of Blasphuphmus Radio, just in time for the Holidays! That’s right, tune in for a special re-telling of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Black Cat” (read by Diamanda Galás), mixed with Ed Wood samples, Vampires, Bob & Ray, Werewolfs, Lux & Ivy’s Favorite Hits, Ghosts, a Mad Monster Party, a handful of Zombies, a trip to the Graveyard, and four hours of Halloween madness. It’s everything you need to set your mood for the Halloween soiree in your future!
That’s a Halloween Spook-tacular, only on Blasphuphmus Radio.
The Black Cat
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
001.) Halloween Hootenanny * Zacherle
002.) KPSU Halloween
003.) A Night In A Haunted House
004.) Haunted House * Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs
005.) The Baron * Maury Laws * Mad Monster Party * Retrograde Records
006.) Dead Moon Night * Dead Moon
007.) The Black Cat 1
008.) A Night In A Haunted House
009.) Haunted House Blues * Bessie Smith
010.) Monster Surfing Time * Deadly Ones * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 05
011.) Now I Will Talk To The Wolfman And Mummy 1
012.) The Haunted House Sounds
013.) The Haunted House * Vic Crume
014.) Strolling Spooks * Ken Nordine
015.) The Haunted House Sounds
016.) The Black Cat 2
017.) Mad Monster Party * Maury Laws w/ Ethel Ennis * Mad Monster Party * Retrograde Records
018.) It’s Halloween! * The Shaggs * Philosophy Of The World * Third World Records
019.) Now I Will Talk To The Wolfman And Mummy 2
020.) Monster Mash * Bobby “Boris” Picket & The Crypt-Kickers
021.) The Headless Horseman * Bing Crosby
022.) A Night In A Haunted House
023.) The Black Cat
024.) Scream * Ralph Neilsen & The Chancellors * Back From The Grave Part 1
025.) The Boogie Monster * Gnarls Barkley * St. Elsewhere * Downtown Records
026.) The Haunted House Sounds
027.) Anxiety!: Poison Coffee * Bob & Ray * The Lost Episodes, Vol. 3
028.) A Night In A Haunted House
029.) The Black Cat 4
030.) Waltz For A Witch * Maury Laws * Mad Monster Party * Retrograde Records
031.) El Monstruo * Los Shains
032.) Jack The Ripper * The One Way Streets * Back From The Grave Part 1
033.) Now I Will Talk To The Wolfman And Mummy 3
034.) Ghost Hop * The Surfmen * Wild Surf!
035.) The Haunted House Sounds
036.) Mr. Ghost Goes To Town * The Five Jones Boys * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 04
037.) Ghost Wanted * The Carl Stalling Project * The Carl Stalling Project Volume 2
038.) Ghost Train * Electro-Tones * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 04
039.) A Night In A Haunted House
040.) The Black Cat 5
041.) The Spook * The Tomkos
042.) Sir Roderic’s Song * William Schwenck Gilbert
043.) Grim, Grinning Ghosts – The Haunted Mansion * Disneyland
044.) The Haunted House Sounds
045.) The Black Cat 6
046.) Dark Shadows Main Title Theme
047.) Now I Will Talk To The Wolfman And Mummy 4
048.) The Mummy’s Bracelet * Lee Ross * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 10
049.) The Mummy * Bob Mcfadden * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume One
050.) The Way Out Mummy * Bob Ridgley * Lost Treasures
051.) The Mummy * Maury Laws * Mad Monster Party * Retrograde Records
052.) Anxiety!: Commander Nelville Putney * Bob & Ray * The Lost Episodes, Vol. 2
053.) A Night In A Haunted House
054.) The Black Cat 7
055.) The Wolf Wobble * Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti * 1920’s And 1930’s Sides Remastered * JSP Records
056.) Now I Will Talk To The Wolfman And Mummy 5
057.) Frankenstein Walk * Gene “Bowlegs” Miller
058.) Over At The Frankenstein Place * The Cast * The Rocky Horror Picture Show
059.) The Haunted House Sounds
060.) Werewolf Watusi * Don Hinson And The Rigamorticians
061.) The Haunted House Sounds
062.) The Black Cat 8
063.) Night Of The Vampire * The Moontrekkers * It’s Hard To Believe It: The Amazing World Of Joe Meek
064.) Raving Vampire Pt. I * Souls Unlimited
065.) Dinner With Dracula * Zacherle * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 02
066.) Dracula’s Daughter * Screamin’ Lord Sutch * I Hear A New World
067.) Now I Will Talk To The Wolfman And Mummy 6
068.) A Night In A Haunted House
069.) The Black Cat 9
070.) Do the Zombie * The Symbols * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 03
071.) Zombi * Los Sleepers * Mas Rock and Roll – 26 Rare 60’s Teen-Punk
072.) Zombie Lou * Johnson Bros.
073.) Zombie Jamboree * Kingston Trio
074.) Watusi Zombie * Jan Davis * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 11
075.) The Thing Strikes [Excerpt] * Henry Mancini
076.) The Haunted House Sounds
077.) The Twilight Zone Main Title Theme
078.) The Midnight Zone * Bob & Ray * The Lost Episodes, Vol. 2
079.) A Night In A Haunted House
080.) The Black Cat 10
081.) Mad Monster Party Instrumental * Maury Laws * Mad Monster Party * Retrograde Records
082.) Sinister Purpose * Zacherle with Southern Culture On The Skids
083.) Graveyard Shift * Bobby “Boris” Picket & The Crypt-Kickers
084.) Now I Will Talk To The Wolfman And Mummy 7
085.) Morgus The Magnificent
086.) Jungle Madness * Maury Laws * Mad Monster Party * Retrograde Records
087.) The Haunted House Sounds
088.) The Black Cat 11
089.) The Night Of The Phantom
090.) Graveyard * Dead Moon
091.) Rockin’ In The Graveyard * Jackie Morningstar * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume 02
092.) Now I Will Talk To The Wolfman And Mummy 8
093.) Graveyard * Blenders
094.) Cementario * Los Saicos
095.) Cemetery Blues * Bessie Smith
096.) A Night In A Haunted House
097.) The Black Cat 12
098.) Till The Following Night * Screamin’ Lord Sutch
099.) Finale * Maury Laws * Mad Monster Party * Retrograde Records
100.) The Great Pumpkin Waltz * Vince Guaraldi
101.) Happy Halloween * Zacherle
Episode 090: Lost In Space! (Featuring a journey through the stars, and on a rocket, with a little help from The Day The Earth Stood Still.)
Enjoy!
Lost In Space!
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) * * Excerpts from The Day The Earth Stood Still (Throughout)
02.) Interstellar Overdrive * Pink Floyd * Piper At The Gates Of Dawn * Tower / Capital Records
03.) Spaceman * Harry Nilsson * Son of Schmilsso * RCA Records
04.) Mayonnaise vs. Venn * Rocketman * Demo CD * Unreleased
05.) Galaxie 500 * Leave The Planet * On Fire * Rough Trade Records
06.) Space Odyssey * 101 Strings Orchestra * Astro Sounds From Beyond the Year 2000 * Scamp Records
07.) Rocket Machine * Opal * Happy Nightmare Baby * SST Records
08.) Rocket 88 * Jackie Brenston
09.) Rocketship * Dead Milkmen * Bucky Felini
10.) I’m This Rocket * The Gun Club
11.) Music To Watch Space Girls By * Leonard Nimoy
12.) Spacecraft, 1967 [Excerpt] * MEV
13.) A Glorious Dawn * Carl Sagan ft Stephen Hawking
14.) Interplanet Janet * Man… Or Astro-Man? * School House Rock! Rocks
15.) Vixens In Space * The Dirtbombs
16.) Between Planets * The Jesus And Mary Chain
17.) Rockin’ In Orbit * Jimmie Haskell And His Orchestra
18.) Space Monkeys * The Dust Brothers * The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “Fight Club”
19.) Cosmic Serenade * King Khan And The Shrines * What Is?!
20.) Silver Rocket * Sonic Youth * Daydream Nation
21.) Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons * The Pixies * Trompe Le Monde * 4AD Records
22.) Planet * Ken Nordine
23.) Space Junk * Devo
24.) Interstellar Overdrive / Ming’s Theme * C Average
25.) Space II * The Butthole Surfers
26.) Lost In Space * Faction * Collection 1982 – 1985
27.) Voices In My Spacesuit * Last of the Juanitas * Hawaii
28.) Rocket To Nowhere * Webb Wilder
29.) Interstellar Hardrive * Man… Or Astro-Man?
30.) Spacelab [Excerpt] * Kraftwerk
31.) Space Prophet Dogon * Sun City Girls
32.) Space Lonliness * Sun Ra
33.) Starless [Excerpt] * Jandek * Interstellar Discussion * Corwood Industries Records
34.) Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun * Pink Floyd
35.) Space Suit * They Might Be Giants
Moon Voyage
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Phantom Limb * Hovercraft * Experiment Below * Mute Records
02.) Moon Voyage [Excerpt 1] * Herb Galewitz * Moon Voyage * Sunset Records
03.) Manmtn * Thrones * Thrones * Kill Rock Stars Records
04.) Moon Voyage [Excerpt 2] * Herb Galewitz * Moon Voyage * Sunset Records
05.) Longer, Stranger * Universal Order of Armageddon * Universal Order of Armageddon * Gravity Records
06.) Moon Voyage [Excerpt 3] * Herb Galewitz * Moon Voyage * Sunset Records
07.) Black Sea * fennesz * Black Sea * Touch Records
08.) Moon Voyage [Excerpt 4] * Herb Galewitz * Moon Voyage * Sunset Records
09.) Pirates Mix * Bruce Gilbert * Meltaot / Souls On Board Split 12″ * Ash International Records
10.) One Lick Less * Unwound * Leaves Turn Inside You * Kill Rock Stars Records
11.) Au Clair de la Lune [1860] * Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville * Parlortone 7″ * Parlortone Records
12.) Title Music From “A Clockwork Orange” * Walter Carlos * A Clockwork Orange: Music From The Soundtrack * Warner Bros. Records
13.) Hole-Workers At The Mercies of Nature: The Ultimate Disaster (Won’t You Keep Us Working? / First Warning / Back To Normality? / The Sky Falls! / Why Are We Crying? / The Tunnels Are Filling / It Never Stops) * The Residents * Mark Of The Mole * Ralph Records
14.) Operating Room Of An Ancient Roman Doctor / The Slow Down / Flexible Skulls Flapping In Black Winds of Insect Agony [Excerpt] * Sinking Body * Grappling With The Homonids * Vermiform Records
15.) Moon Voyage [Excerpt 5] * Herb Galewitz * Moon Voyage * Sunset Records
16.) D: Contamination * Man… Or Astro-Man? * EEVIAC: Operational Index And Reference Guide, Including Other Modern Computational Devices * Touch and Go Records
17.) American Woman * Butthole Surfers * Rembrandt Pussyhorse * Touch & Go Records
18.) Big Eyed Beans From Venus * Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band * Clear Spot * Warner Bros. Records
19.) Vote Fraud On The Moon Base * Men’s Recovery Project * Resist The New Way * Vermiform Records
20.) Stratosfear [Excerpt] * Tangerine Dream * Stratosfear * Virgin Records
21.) Moon Voyage [Excerpt 6] * Herb Galewitz * Moon Voyage * Sunset Records
22.) Pharaoh’s Dance * Miles Davis * Bitches Brew
23.) 3 [Excerpt] * Negativland * Negativland * Seeland Records
24.) Favorite Things * John Coltrane * The Best Of John Coltrane: His Greatest Years * Impulse! Records
25.) Chemical Marriage * Mr. Bungle * Disco Volante * Plain Recordings
26.) Sister Ray [Excerpt] * Putting On The Ritz * White Light / White Heat * Hot Cup Records
We have to deal with it every day: the capitalist backbone of our culture. It infiltrates nearly every aspect of our lives, and is the focus of some much energy in this world that it is on par with an addiction for some. We spend our days and nights toiling in jobs just to acquire a small amount of it, and spend the rest of the time pouring it into everything that matters: family, relationships, hobbies, and most strangely, survival. We are so concerned with it as a culture that it has become one of the ultimate rock and roll cliches: Gimme Some Money.
For this show, I decided to present all media about money. Rich, poor, new and old, everything in this show centers around cash in one form or another. At first I was initially concerned with taking on this theme, as I wasn’t quite sure if I could fill up a whole show. However, when all was said and done, I had to cut quite a few tracks, and found myself considering how I can probably stretch this out to a multi-part epic. While this might be all I can handle for the time being, it was good to know that this will be an inexhaustible well for ideas.
This show has a couple of firsts working for it. This was the first show that fully utilized the new, two-hour format that will be the usual presentation for Blasphuphmus Radio from here on out. While the show has been “officially” two hours for a number of weeks now, I have been out of town for most of that time, and when I was in town, had to catch up on shows I had fallen behind on. (Hence, the five hour radio event last week, with three new shows in a row.) With all the confusion and weirdness out of the way, this was the first time I could sit down and do a two-hour show that wasn’t an exception. It was just like old times, and while I won’t be using all two hours every week (I will occasionally fill that time with retrocasts), it is fun to have that time available for my use.
It is also one of the first shows that I fully utilized the new equipment that was installed at KPSU. While many DJs are very particular about what they can and can’t use on the air, I have found myself really enjoying the new digital toys that are available to make my show with. While I will never give up using turntables, or even cassettes, it is cool to have computers, iPods, and high-tech CD players at my disposal, too. This show has brought together a number of media sources, all on the fly, to present a pretty awesome show, and I was happy to see what the new equipment can do. Hopefully this will start to make my show even better, as time goes one.
But mostly, I was happy to fit Ray Charles and The Android Sisters into the same radio show. Hell yeah.
Enjoy!
Love Can’t Buy You Money
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Selections From “A Fistful of Dollars” [Excerpt I] * Thinking Fellers Loclal 282 * Porcelain Entertainments * Normal Records
02.) Money Money * Avengers * Avengers * CD Presents Records
03.) Big Money * Big Black * Atomizer * Homestead Records
04.) Way of The Money * Gouka * Chaos of Destruction * Dan Doh Records
05.) Money * Terrible Headache * Dewa Comp Tape * Dewa Records
06.) Greed, Money, Useless Children * Jay Retard * Blood Visions * In The Red Records
07.) Big Money * Village Pistols * Killed By Death #7 * Red Rum Records
08.) Big Money * Aunt Helen * Killed By Death #18 * Red Rum Records
09.) Money * Dead Person * Order of The Kite Vol. #2 * ???? (Cholera Records)
10.) Money Orgy * Ennio Morricone * The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to “Diabolik” * Pallottola Foro Records
11.) Love Can’t Buy You Money * Motörhead * Overnight Sensation * Steamhammer Records
12.) Money Makes The More Go * Conga Fury * Terror-Rhythm Vol. 3 * Terror-Rhythm Records
13.) Cashing In * Minor Threat * Complete Discography * Discord Records
14.) Five Dollars An Hour * Born Against * The Rebel Sound Of Shit And Failure * Vermiform Records
15.) I Spent The Rent * The Queers * A Day Late And A Dollar Short * Lookout! Reocrds
16.) Kill The Rich * Anti-Flag * Kill Kill Kill!!! Kill Kill Kill!!! EP * Ripe Records
17.) “Gimme The Cash” * Bruce Willis & Matthieu Kassovitz * The Fifth Element * Columbia Pictures
18.) I Hate The Rich * The Dils * “I Hate The Rich” b/w “You’re Not Blank” * What? Records
19.) Selections From “A Fistful of Dollars” [Excerpt II] * Thinking Fellers Loclal 282 * Porcelain Entertainments * Normal Records
20.) Rich Man’s Dream * Neoboys * History of Portland Punk Vol. 1 * Zeno Records
21.) Rich Bastards ($5 Show) * Steak Knife! * Steak Knife! * Self-Released
22.) “Where’s The Money Lebowski?” * Jeff Bridges & Mark Pellegrino * The Big Lebowski * Working Title Films
23.) Money * The Causey Way * Causey vs. Everything * Alternative Tentacles
24.) Government Money * Bonemen of Barumba * Homework #9 * Hyped To Death Records
25.) Money Money Money * 9th Life * 9th Life * Self-Released
26.) Money Is All I Need * The Kids * The Kids * Philips Records
27.) The Money Programme * Monty Python * Episode 29 * BBC Television
28.) Money Orgy * Ennio Morricone * The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to “Diabolik” * Pallottola Foro Records
29.) Money Rocks * The Scruffs * Angst: The Early Recordings 1974 – 1976 * Dominic Sciscente Records
30.) Stripping For Cash * Half Japanese * Greatest Hits * Safe House Records
31.) Dollar Signs In Her Eyes * The Dead Milkmen * Metaphysical Graffiti * Restless Records
32.) Feisty Millionaire Fills Potholes With Hundred-Dollar Bills * Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo * Strange But True * Matador Records
33.) If I Were A Rich Man * Chaim Topol * Fiddler On The Roof * United Artists
34.) Selections From “A Fistful of Dollars” [Excerpt III] * Thinking Fellers Loclal 282 * Porcelain Entertainments * Normal Records
35.) For The Love Of Money [Remix] * The O’Jays * The Funk Box * Hip-O Records
36.) How To Become Rich Immediately * Loren Howe * The Real Story of Money, Health, and Religion * YouTube.com
37.) Money Honey * Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters * Atlantic Rhythm & Blues: 1947-1974 * Atlantic Records
38.) Money In My Pockets * The Mills Brothers * Chronological Vol. 2 (1932 – 1934) * JSP Records
39.) It’s Only Money * Groucho Marx & Frank Sinatra * Double Dynamite * RKO Radio Pictures
40.) I’ve Got Money * James Brown * Roots Of A Revolution * Polydor Records
41.) Money * Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings * I Learned the Hard Way * Daptone Records
42.) Greenbacks * Ray Charles * Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection * Rhino / Wea Records
43.) “Your Money Or Your Life?” * Jack Benny * The Stolen Oscar (28 March, 1948) * CBS Radio
44.) Get Rich Quick * Little Richard * The Formative Years 1951-1953 * Bear Family Records
45.) Money Orgy * Ennio Morricone * The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to “Diabolik” * Pallottola Foro Records
46.) Alienation’s For The Rich * They Might Be Giants * They Might Be Giants * Restless / Bar/None Records
47.) Treasury Wizards * The Android Sisters * Ruby 1: The Adventures of a Galactic Gumshoe * ZBS Records
A fact, tumbling alone in the universe, is meaningless. Only On The Hour can make it a news!
For this episode, I stitched together the first two episodes of the BBC Radio show, On The Hour, written and anchored by Chris Morris. I’ve been wanting to do something with these recordings ever since I first received them, but as there were so many other things I was trying to get to, it kept moving to the back burner. Finally, when I was casting around for a second vacation episode, I remembered this, and immediately knew what I was going to do. Throw in a little Radio Athens at the end to round it out, and you’ve got non-stop news satire. Can you dig it?
The recordings in this show come from the first episode, and the pilot, both of which contain main of the same segments. While I didn’t manage to get it perfect, I think I eliminated nearly all the duplicated jokes. However, I may have also cut out a few jokes entirely from both episodes, so after I have a chance to compare my notes, I’ll save the lost segments for a follow up. To round out the show, I included a few voice-over bits I improvised. While it did take a lot of time to produce, I really had a lot of fun putting this one together.
For those who haven’t heard of On The Hour, the show is a news-satire program, hosted by Chris Morris (who has gone on to do a number of things for BBC Radio, and TV). This show marks the introduction of Steve Coogan’s signature character, Alan Partridge.
This Is… On The Hour!
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Pilot Episode * Chris Morris * On The Hour * BBC Radio
02.) Episode 1 * Chris Morris * On The Hour * BBC Radio
03.) Radio Athens * Austin Rich * Radio Athens * Blasphuphmus Radio
As I relax at my island retreat, I thought it would be unfair to bask in the overwhelming opulence the entire time, and thus decided to produce a quick little Vacation-themed podcast to meditate on a single theme: the two-week Summer Vacation. What goes on? What does one do? How does one pass the time? All these questions, and more, are answered in this three-part episode.
As this show was assembled on-the-road, it may not sound like your average show. Couple that, with the three-part nature of the show, definitely puts this into the “its an experiment” category of show. If the technical specs didn’t give it away, the repetition of, “Holiday For Strings,” by two-different artists should have been a dead giveaway. But the song is sooooooooo good! Oh well, perhaps we’ll fare better next time.
I would like to thank my family (Karly, Kyle, Marti and Evelyn as my Sister, Brother, Mother and Grandmother, respectively) for hosting me during this vacation. Thanks again! You guys are amazing.
There should be one more of these before the next live show in August. Stay tuned!
See ya in seven.
Happy Holidays
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Paradise Found * Martin Denny * Quiet Villiage * Liberty Records
02.) Two Week Vacation * The Embarrassment * Heyday 1979 – 1983 * Bar / None Records
03.) Ha Ha Holiday * The White Wires * Girly Girly Girly * Going Gaga Records
04.) Holiday Song * The Pixies * Come On Pilgrim * 4 AD Records
05.) Holiday * Crackerbash * Holiday EP * Imp Records
06.) Holiday Harbor * The Phantom Surfers * Great Surf Crash of ’97 * Lookout! Records
07.) Payed Vacation: Greece * Camper Van Beethoven * Telephone Free Landslide Victory * IRS Records
08.) Doomsdayer’s Holiday * Grails * Doomsdayer’s Holiday * Temporary Residence Records
09.) Holiday For Strings [Live] * Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 * Duck, Duck, Chimp (Rarities 1987 – 2001) * Self-Released
10.) Holiday In The Sun * Los Punkrockers * Los Exitos de Sex Pistols por Los Punk Rockers * Dial Discos Records
11.) Paid Vacation * Circle Jerks * Group Sex * Porterhouse Records
12.) Holiday For Strings * Spike Jones And His City Slickers * Musical Depreciation * ASV Living Era Records
13.) Holiday In Waikiki * The Kinks * Muswell Hillbillies * RCA Records
14.) “Remember Ruby Sue” * Cast * National Lampoon’s European Vacation * Warner Bros. Records
15.) Holiday In Cambodia * Dead Kennedys * Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables * Alternative Tentacles Records
16.) Holiday For Strings * Sun Ra and His Arkestra * Holiday For Soul Dance * Evidence Records
17.) Holiday For Shakespeare * Sun City Girls * Dante’s Disneyland Inferno * Abduction Records
18.) On A Holiday * Brian Wilson * Smile * NoneSuch Records
19.) Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday * William Bell * The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959 – 1968 * Stax Records
20.) Holiday * Weezer * Weezer * DGC Records
21.) Sweet Charity [Excerpt] * Mr. Bungle * California * Warner Bros. Records
22.) Vacation’s Over * Lou Josie * The Chess Story: 1947 – 1975 * Chess Records
Having spent his life dedicated to the preservation of musical taste in all of its inherent forms, Austin Rich dons his headphones every week to aid Blasphuphmus Radio in the never-ending battle against terrible radio in all of its inherent forms. This week Austin is faced with his toughest challenge yet, and he squares off with music that meditates on the nature of heroes and villains themselves. Will he succeed? There’s only one way to find out, by tuning in.
As I’m sure you can guess, I’m a big fan of Comics, and I have often been excited by those rare musical moments when the two converge. It is not very common, believe me; music loves to tell different kinds of stories than the ones you encounter in your typical staple bound beauty, and while I have always felt that there was a huge connection between Comics and Rock ‘n’ Roll (ahem, The Ramones, ahem), you don’t always think about the one when the other is mentioned.
But with a little digging, I was able to uncover a good hour’s worth of material that managed to follow and particularly four-color theme. The only inclusion that feels a little off is the Sabbath song; while I am a huge fan, it is the only representation from Marvel Comics in this particular show. My only defense is that I have always been a DC guy, and I get the references of their Distinguished Competition than I do the ones from the Bullpen. For anyone else who were able to follow those references: We meet at TFAW every Tuesday; where have you been?
As we move into the summer, there will be some scheduling snafus that will change the way we do things here at Blasphuphmus Radio. As usual, we will do our best to keep you entertained regardless. Stay tuned for more information.
See you in seven.
Who Was That Masked Man?
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Jump Into The Fire [Excerpt] * Harry Nilsson * Nilsson Schmilsson * RCA Victor Records
02.) We’re All Devo! [Excerpt] * Devo * Pioneers Who got Scalped * Rhino Records
03.) Satelite [Excerpt] * Kicking Giant * Halo * Spartadisc Records
04.) Batman * John Zorn * Naked City
05.) Heroes And Villains * Brian Wilson * Smile * NoneSuch Records
06.) Superman * R.E.M. * And I Feel Fine… The Best of the I.R.S Years 1982 – 1987 * E.M.I. / I.R.S. Records
07.) Supergirl * The Readymades * Homework #2 * Hyped 2 Death Records
08.) Greatest American Hero * Zoinks * Bad Move Space Cadet * Dr. Strange Records
09.) Green Lantern Theme * Announcer * The Superman / Aquaman Hour of Adventure * Filmation Records
10.) Doctor Who: Main Title * Delia Derbyshire * Brain in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection * Rhino Records
11.) Superhumans * The Flaming Lips * Transmissions From The Satellite Heart * Warner Bros. Records
12.) My Hero, Zero * The Lemonheads * School House Rock! Rocks * Atlantic Records
13.) The Shadow Knows * Link Wray & His Wray-Men * Rumble! The Best of Link Wray * Rhino Records
14.) Iron Man * Black Sabbath * Paranoid * Warner Bros. Records
15.) The Lone Ranger (“March of the Swiss Soldiers”) * Gioachino Rossini / The Lone Ranger / Announcer * William Tell Overture * Mutual Broadcasting System Radio
16.) The Thunderbirds: Main Theme * Barry Gray * Brain in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection * Rhino Records
17.) Doomed Metropolis * Bishop Of Battle * Prequel Plus * Know Wave Records
18.) Go Monkey Go * Devo * The Powerpuff Girls: Heroes and Villains * Rhino Records
19.) Monkey vs. Robot * James Kochalka Superstar * Monkey vs. Robot * The Orchard Records
20.) Taut * Gricer * Gricer * Taut Recordings
21.) Superheroes * Brad, Janet & The Criminologist * The Rocky Horror Picture Show * Ode Sounds & Visuals Records
22.) Taut [Excerpt] * Gricer * Gricer * Taut Recordings
Episode 071: The Future (Featuring a selection of songs dwelling on a single, unified subject.)
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.)
Next, tune in at Noon for another two-hour show as I cover for What’s This Called? Until then, see ya in seven.
The Future
# Track * Artist * Album
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
Episode 069: Summon The Sun (In which I play a bunch of songs dedicated to Frith himself, in an attempt to keep him overhead in the coming months.)
There is a certain amount of logic to all the Festival of Lights cultures, who perform various religious rites in an effort to call back our absent friend, The Sun. I entirely agree with George Carlin, in that I am not religious, but if I were, I would worship The Sun. I regularly see direct evidence of the affects it has on the world around me, something I cannot say for anything else that is worshiped on this planet. I know, personally, that The Sun plays a huge role in my own life. My moods change with the seasons, and I find myself a much happier person in Spring and Summer, than I am the rest of the year.
With that in mind, I feel completely ripped off this Spring. The Sun has been suspiciously absent, making a handful of appearances this entire season. I am not against having a rainy season, and even enjoy the rain from time to time. If I was really against it, I would move. But this time, the season has gone much too far, and it time to perform some emergency Sun-Summoning Rituals, STAT.
Included in this show are a host of songs geared toward paying homage to that fiery ball of hydrogen that we all know and love. Spanning time, genres, and typical radio conventions, I pull out all the stops to bring you a variety of audio sunbeams to help keep us warm and dry, even when the weather isn’t feeling it. 60’s Psyche Rock, Punk Covers, Avant Rock and Discombobulated Pop join forces to create a bright and cheery soundscape, with the single purpose of trying to bring back The Sun from its extreme sojourn beyond the clouds. Plus: this one just plain old rocks, too.
This might also be the largest number of tracks I have played from reissues, compilations, Greatest Hits, and otherwise Non-Original releases in a single show. (I could be wrong, and will be again, even.) While my collection isn’t entirely comprised of re-issues, this show just happened to work out that way. You wouldn’t really know unless I told you, but I thought I should come clean. It’s just not that easy to find some of this stuff.
Hopefully this invocation will prove to The Sun that we are serious, and we would really enjoy his company at this time. Weather or not he listens, however, is entirely up to him.
See ya in seven.
Summon The Sun
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Sunology * Sun Ra and His Arkestra * Super-Sonic Jazz * Impulse! Records
02.) Section 2: It’s The Sun * The Polyphonic Spree * The Beginning Stages Of… * Good Records
03.) Sunshine Love * Rikki Lliong * Love, Peace & Poetry: African Psychedelic Music * Normal Records
04.) Sunshine Superman * Hüsker Dü * Everything Falls Apart * Reflex Records
05.) Biography of the Sun * Pink Mountain * Pink Mountain * Frenetic Records
06.) Sun Spots * No Age * Weirdo Rippers * Fat Cat Records
07.) Children of the Sun * The Misunderstood * Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond * Rhino Records
08.) California Sun * The Ramones * All The Stuff (And More) Vol. 1 * Sire Records
09.) Why Does The Sun Shine? (The Sun Is A Mass Of Incandescent Gas) [Live] * They Might Be Giants * Dial-A-Song: 20 Years Of They Might Be Giants * Rhino Records
10.) Blister In The Sun * Violent Femmes * Violent Femmes * Slash Records
11.) Sun God * Squirrel Bait * Gimme Indie Rock * K-Tel Records
12.) Sunshine * Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti * 1920’s And 1930’s Sides Remastered * JSP Records
13.) Sun City Girls From Ipanema * Sun City Girls * Box of Chameleons * Abduction Records
14.) Sun Zoom Spark * Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band * Clear Spot * Reprise Records
15.) Sunrise * Tidal Waves * Homework #102 * Hyped 2 Death Records
16.) The Sun Shines Down On Me * Daniel Johnston * Welcome To My World * Eternal Yip Eye Music
17.) Keep On The Sunny Side * Carter family * A Proper Introduction To The Carter Family: Keep On The Sunny Side * Proper Introduction Records
18.) Sunology [Excerpt] * Sun Ra and His Arkestra * Super-Sonic Jazz * Impulse! Records
19.) The Warmth of the Sun * The Beach Boys * Endless Summer * Capitol Records
While the point is most definitely debatable, Rock Music – even songs that follow the, “Boy Meets Girl, Falls In Love, And Writes A Song About It,” variety – has always been about the deeper meanings and mysteries that we humans like to wrestle with. Music itself shares so many common themes with philosophy that it is difficult to make the argument that they aren’t, in fact, the same thing. Both construct reality while attempting to define it, both offer insights that are not obvious to the casual observer, and both attempt to get at abstract and difficult concepts through linguistic metaphor and syllogistic structures. But at the end of the day, I would much rather sit down with a Nomeansno record and a bottle of wine than any of the existentialists who have published over the years, which is, to this listener, the difference that gives music the slightest advantage. With that in mind, I felt it would be a good opportunity to coin a new genre – Philosophy Rock – and attempt to spend an hour defining it.
As philosophy is an extremely broad subject (for both a single hour, and radio in general), this particular show uses Truth as a thematic strand that runs through the music. It is, of course, not the only theme; God, the afterlife, and other spiritual interpretations of the universe also wend their way through as well. But the questions surrounding religion always seemed bound up in attempts to define Truth anyway, and seem wholly appropriate. There is also some humor running through this show, to which I can only say: if you don’t have a sense of humor about everything, then there’s no hope of making sense of it all anyway. To paraphrase Calvin & Hobbes, “If you can’t laugh at the things that don’t make sense, we can’t react to a lot of life.” So very, very true.
I suppose that any real philosophers in the audience may have some points to contest with my particular interpretation of how to define Philosophy Rock, and I encourage the debate. Discourse is the only tool we have at our disposal to get to the bottom of these kinds of things, and I would love to pin down this genre more precisely in the future. I already have two future guests lined up that want to go with my on this intellectual (ontological?) journey, and I plan to flesh out this particular genre in as much detail as possible. Watch spaces similar to this one for more information on that.
That does it for us this week. See ya in seven.
The Truth Is Marching In
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Truth Is Marching In (Germany, 1966) [Exerpt I] * Albert Ayler * Albert Ayler: Holy Ghost * Revenant Records
02.) Brand New Sack / Epistemology * Witchy Poo * Witchy Poo Salutes The Space Program EP * Kill Rock Stars Records
03.) Philosophy Of The World * The Shaggs * Philosophy Of The World * Third World Records
04.) Facts – Facts * MX-80 * Hard Attack * Island Records
05.) No God * Germs * (MIA) the Complete Anthology * Slash Records
06.) I Should Be Allowed To Think * They Might Be Giants * John Henry * Elektra / Asylum Records
07.) Truth Is Marching In (Germany, 1966) [Exerpt II] * Albert Ayler * Albert Ayler: Holy Ghost * Revenant Records
08.) Totality * Unwound * “Mkultra” b/w “Totality” * Kill Rock Stars Records
09.) Truth * The Dead C * Vain, Erudite And Stupid * Ba Da Bing! Records
10.) 0 + 2 = 1 * NoMeansNo * 0 + 2 = 1 * Alternative Tentacles Records
11.) Candle * Sonic Youth * Daydream Nation
12.) Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want The Truth? * Minutemen * Double Nickels on the Dime * SST Records
13.) Bruces’ Philosophers Song * Monty Python * Monty Python Sings * Virgin Records
14.) Truth Is Marching In (Germany, 1966) [Exerpt III] * Albert Ayler * Albert Ayler: Holy Ghost * Revenant Records
15.) Levitation * 13th Floor Elevators * Easter Everywhere * International Artists Records
16.) This Is Not A Photograph * Mission Of Burma * Signals, Calls and Marches * Ace of Hearts Records
17.) Fuck the Facts * Naked City * Torture Garden * Shimmy Disc Records
18.) Freedom Of Choice * Devo * Freedom of Choice * Warner Bros. Records
19.) Truth Is Marching In (Germany, 1966) [Exerpt IV] * Albert Ayler * Albert Ayler: Holy Ghost * Revenant Records
20.) Jellyfish Heaven * Dead Milkman * Bucky Fellini * Enigma Records
I have always been fascinated by all things related to space. When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. I loved sci-fi movies and books, and found myself regularly interested in things that related to the idea of leaving this planet in favor of another one. For years I wanted to make a series of tapes with my favorite alien songs on them. These days, I just do a radio show.
As I was covering for What’s This Called? this week, I decided to bring in a lot of the experimental music that I skipped the last time I did a show like this. I think it worked; it gave me a chance to play a lot of samples from The Day The Earth Stood Still, and actually made for some compelling (and strange) radio.
Much of the music speaks for itself, and with this one, I recommend just sitting back and enjoying. It has ups and downs, and I will even admit to a fair number of production gaffs and flubs. These things happen. But on the whole, this was the closest I’ve ever come to sounding like an episode of Over The Edge, and that made me particularly happy.
Don’t forget to tune in Thursday night at 10 PM for a special 12th Anniversary Broadcast, featuring an interview with Exene Cervenka! I know, I can’t believe it either. Then it’s back to business as usual next week.
See ya in seven.
It Came From Outer Space
# Track * Artist * Album * Label
01.) Cosmic Introduction ~ Untitled Space * Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. * Live In Japan * AMT Records
02.) Audio Samples (Throughout) * Edmund H. North / Harry Bates * The Day The Earth Stood Still * 20th Century Fox
03.) Sputnik * Roky Erickson & the Aliens * The Evil One * 415 Records
04.) Aliens Of Gold * The Fucking Champs * V * Drag City Records
05.) SS Cygni * Chrome * Alien Soundtracks * Touch & Go Records
06.) Space Age Love * Zolar-X * Timeless * Alternative Tentacles Records
07.) Watching The Planets * The Flaming Lips * Embryonic * Warner Bros. Records
08.) Spacecraft, 1967 * MEV (Musica Elettronica Viva) * OHM: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music * Ellipsis Arts Records
09.) Space travel w/ changing choral textures (1983) * Alan R. Splet * An Anthology Of Noise & Electronic Music: Second A-Chronology 1936-2003 * Sub Rosa Records
10.) Space Drugz * Lamborghini * The New Lamborghini * Battlesnakesnow.com
11.) Space Dribs * Forcefield * Roggaboggas * Load Records
12.) Jupiter * John Coltrane * Interstellar space
13.) Quarantine The Aliens * Brown Supper * Duck, Duck, Chimp (Rarities 1987-2001) * Self-Released
14.) Circling the 7th Planet * Pink Mountain * Pink Mountain * Frenetic Records
15.) Interplanetary Music * Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra * Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth / Interstellar Low Ways * Saturn Records
16.) Deadly Alien Spawn * Half Japanese * Greatest Hits * Safe House Records
17.) Astrosonic * Jimmie Haskell And His Orchestra * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume Twelve: The Lux Interior Memorial Edition (Journey into Outer Space) * Self-Released
18.) Take Me to Your Leader * Sam Space and the Cadets * The Purple Knif Show * Munster Records
19.) Walking on the Moon * Lucia Pamela * Into Outer Space with Lucia Pamela * Arf! Arf! Records
20.) Space Craze * Rick McGuire * Lux and Ivy’s Favorites Volume Eight * Self-Released
21.) Forbidden Planet: Main Titles – Overture * Louis And Bebe Barron * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection * Rhino Records
22.) Lakes In Space * Zach Hill And Mick Barr * Shred Earthship * 5 Rue Christine Records
23.) Voices In My Spacesuit * Last of the Juanitas * Hawaii * Flapping Jet Records
24.) Space Prophet Dogon * Sun City Girls * Live From Planet Boomerang * Majora Records
25.) Dribcots Space Boat * Joe Meek & The Blue Men * I Hear A New World * RPM Records
26.) Fear Of A Ghost Planet * Sonny Sharrock * Space Ghost Coast To Coast * Cartoon Network Records
27.) Mister Spaceman * Holy Modal Rounders * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection * Rhino Records
28.) Spaceman * Harry Nilsson * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection * Rhino Records
29.) Space Rock Part 2 * Baskerville Hounds * Ghoulardi Music * Self-Released
30.) Lost Planet * The Thunderbolts * It’s Hard To Believe It: The Amazing World Of Joe Meek * Razor & Tie Records
31.) Rampaging Fuckers Of Anything On The Crazy Shitting Planet Of The Vomit Atmosphere * Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 * I Hope It Lands * Communion Records
32.) Leaving Another Dead Planet * Merzbow and Bastard Noise * Voice Pie / Brave New World * Relapse Records
33.) Alien Visitors * Man… Or Astro-Man? * Is It… * Estrus Records
34.) Space Suit * They Might Be Giants * Apollo 18 * Elektra Records
I know he’s been absent from the airwaves recently, but with the end of 2009 being jam-packed with goings-ons, and the beginning of the year being a little chaotic, it took a while to get back into the Old-Time-Radio groove. But we’re back, and this one’s a doozy!
This serial was originally broadcast in April of 1940, exactly 70 years ago. (Episode 2 was originally aired on April 3rd.) The timing is fairly unique, as I will be celebrating my 12 year radio anniversary on the 15th of this year. (Weird, huh?) So, anniversaries are in the air.
See ya in seven.
The Adventures of Superman Part VI: The Emerald of The Incas!
Episode 22: Part 1 of 6 * 01 April 1940
Episode 23: Part 2 of 6 * 03 April 1940
Episode 24: Part 3 of 6 * 05 April 1940
Episode 25: Part 4 of 6 * 08 April 1940
Clark Kent goes to investigate Dr. Beecham and his daughter Elsie, who happens to have The Emerald of The Incas in a safe in his office. But two Asitlan priests feel very differently about the matter.
Let the time and the season dictate what you listen to, and tune in to a miserific, two-hour episode of Blasphuphmus Radio featuring long songs, moody instrumentals, lonely droney audio, and one depressed DJ. What more could you ask for on a cold and stormy day?
As today’s show features songs of an unusual length (for radio), I decided to dig up a show from 2005, which also featured music with equivalent attributes, which got played during the 11 AM hour.
The claim made in the playlist for the retrocast is accurate: that is the fewest number of songs I’ve ever played in a single show. But, somehow, it works. Really.
Over the weekend we had some extreme radio craziness, which ultimately resulted in a Podcast-only broadcast from us, and a live performance by a local Portland two-piece. However, it took a little while for everything to shake itself out, so now, finally, I bring you the Saturday Radio report.
Tune in this coming Saturday for the first of many holiday guests on Blasphuphmus Radio. Who, and what you can expect, is something you’ll just have to tune in to find out about. (Oh yeah, I went there.)
Halloween draws closer and closer each and every day, and if there’s one thing I love more than Halloween and Halloween Music, it’s Halloween Music (and radio) with a Sci-Fi bent. With that in mind, I tried to bring you creepy, Halloween-infused Sci-Fi radio, with an additional self-reflexive angle to kick-start the extravaganza. What would Blasphuphmus Radio‘s Halloween Spook-tacular be without a little Outer Space Shenanigans?
The Outer Limits
01.) The Outer Limits: Control Voice Introduction * Vic Perrin * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
02.) Frozen Neptune * Russ Garcia & His Orchestra * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
03.) Welcome To Tomorrow * Attilio “Art” Mineo * Man In Space With Sounds
04.) Man From Mars * Ferrante And Teicher * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
05.) Changing Channels I * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
06.) The Andromeda Strain: Desert Trip * Gil Melle * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
07.) Guitars In Space * Billy Mure * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
08.) One Step Beyond: Fear * Berlin Symphony Orchestra * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
09.) Doctor Who Main Title * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
10.) The Day The Earth Stood Still Main Title * Bernard Herrmann (Conductor) / Sam Hoffman (Theremin) * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
11.) Changing Channels II * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
12.) Creature From The Black Lagoon Main Titles * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
13.) It Came From Outer Space: Visitors From Space * Dick Jacobs * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
14.) Fantastic Voyage: Main Title Sound Effects Suite * Leonard Rosenman * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
15.) Planet Of The Apes: Main Title * Jerry Goldsmith * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
16.) Changing Channels III * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
17.) On Planet X * David Garland and John Zorn * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
18.) Time Tunnel Main Title Theme * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
19.) Forbidden Planet: Main Titles – Overture * Louis And Bebe Barron * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
20.) On The Dark Side Of The Moon * Frank Comstock * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
21.) Changing Channels IV * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
22.) The Outer Limits: Control Voice Introduction * Vic Perrin * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
23.) Tone Tales From Tomorrow * Frank Coe * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
An obscure bit-player from radio history is the focus of today’s show, as we replay classic bits from his radio broadcasts from the late ’90’s, and from his one appearance in 2006. Ladies & Gentlemen, I speak of none other than Mr. Holden Craft himself (pictured here, on the left).
This one has a special place in my heart, as Holden is one of my oldest friends, and really knows how to craft a great Shaggy Dog story.
Tune in next week, as I present something that has yet to be determined at this point! Can you stand the excitement?
The Man of Steel is always vigilant, working night and day to keep America safe from evildoers everywhere, and this week, he’s trying to stop The Yellow Mask as he shows up again to wreck havoc in a town that could very well have been your own. Ladies and Gentlemen, covering for What’s This Called?, I bring you a two-hour, six-part extravaganza, The Mystery Of Dyerville!
See ya in seven!
The Adventures of Superman Part V!: The Mystery of Dyerville
Episode 16: The Prison Riot * 18 March 1940 Episode 17: The Steam Plant * 20 March 1940 Episode 18: The Wolfe vs the Yellow Mask * 22 March 1940 Episode 19: The Yellow Mask Escapes * 25 March 1940 Episode 20: The Mystery of Dyerville (1 of 2) * 27 March 1940 Episode 21: The Mystery of Dyerville (2 of 2) * 29 March 1940
The Yellow Mask, clearly having survived the airplane crash, has teamed up with The Wolfe and Keno, to begin causing “accidents” in the city of Dyerville, while Clark Kent and Lois Lane are sent to investigate this jinxed town.
There was a time when Blasphuphmus Radio was two hours every week, and the chance to pick up an extra hour these days causes me to look back to where I’ve been before. Going back to the first show I did this year, which could have been sub-titled “Radio About Radio,” I thought I would revisit the subject and attempt to put a new spin on it in the process. The results: “A Sound Salvation,” a two-hour audio-essay on the nature of being a Radio DJ itself, with special insight by none other than author and DJ Mike Staff! Want to get started in radio? Then this is the place to start!
Back in January, I was only able to fit in a handful of songs I’d found that all deserved airplay, and this show seemed like a perfect chance to put those other songs on the air. One thing I found was a pair of narrated cassettes that purported to explain how to become a Radio DJ (and how to make a Demo Tape). I originally planned on including samples from these tapes in that first show, but a variety of factors left the tapes on the cutting room floor. One of the first things I reached for when I began work on this show were those tapes, and they make up the backbone of the show this week. This show could very well be sub-titled, “How To Become A Radio DJ,” but I feared that might create the wrong impression (either seriously, or sarcastically). I figured an Elvis Costello quote would not only send the right message, but hopefully put the samples in context.
I have to say, if it wasn’t already clear enough, this show forefronts my interest (and borderline obsession) with Negativland, and their own weekly radio show, Over The Edge. I’ve been a fan since the mid ’90’s, and have made an effort to listen as often as possible ever since. Over the years I’ve collected a number of recordings of their shows, and have often considered them a major influence on me. The problem is, to do a show like thier’s, you need a LOT of free time, and while I have made a lot of efforts to do something like they would do, it hasn’t always worked out that way. With a full week of free time at my disposal to prepare for this show, I was finally able to pick out and rehearse enough material to step up to the challenge. So, if you like what you hear, and you want to hear something weirder and / or more extreme, Over The Edge on KPFA (in Berkley, though they do stream and podcast it) is well worth your time and effort. Seriously.
This show includes a lot of music that wouldn’t normally appear on Blasphuphmus Radio, and while this isn’t a disclaimer (or even a warning), it seems that a bit of explanation might be in order. My musical interests range far and wide, and I’ve always imagined that at it’s most bizarre and cogent, my show enables a listener to draw a through-line between Bruce Springsteen, Shellac, Wall of Voodoo, Nirvana, Rudimentary Peni, Jet, Kraftwerk, Queens of The Stone Age, and Ornette Coleman. Of course, this is just my particular view of the musical universe, and I wouldn’t go so far as to claim that everyone can make those connections (or would even want to). For those more cynical than I, some of the cornier musical moments are included as “found sounds” that reinforce this Radio Essay; for those less cynical than I, the weirder and stranger moments are included as “found sounds” that, also, reinforce this Essay. I think the mish-mash makes perfect sense, if you consider the subject. Think about it…
I wanna thank Ricardo Wang for giving up his show this week so I could produce something like this, and Michelle Pecchia, Nil Admirari, Heather Hunt-Garrison, DJ Victrola, Steven Koriagin, Jennifer Howell, Shayna Proctor, Kyle Rich, Megan Kent, Reverend Marc Time (from our sister station, KWVA in Eugene), Alpha Protist, Heidi Stauber, Melissa Cooper, Jenna Lynn, Minded Rock Gate, and DJ Medusa, who all made suggestions for songs that should have been included in this show. If I didn’t use your suggestion, don’t sweat; I’ll probably use it next time. This series has some serious future potential.
Next week Blasphuphmus Radio will be coming to you 23 hours later than usual, as various schedule changes will temporarily move from from Saturday at 1 PM to Sunday at 12 Noon. But on Sunday, tune in for Part II of a previous series, A Family Affair, featuring not one, not three, but TWO of my siblings, joining me on the air. Can you believe the excitement?
See ya in seven.
A Sound Salvation (Playlist In Progress)
# Title * Artist * Album *
01.) How Radio Was Done I (Excerpt 1) * Negativland * Over The Edge Radio
02.) Excerpts Scattered Throughout * Mike Staff * How To Become A Radio DJ
03.) Turn It On * The Flaming Lips * Transmissions From The Satellite Heart
04.) Amateur Radio * Sonic Youth w/ Jim O’Rourke Clip 1
05.) Radio Nowhere * Bruce Springsteen
06.) Radio Song * Jet
07.) Radio Song * R.E.M.
08.) Amateur Radio * Sonic Youth w/ Jim O’Rourke Clip 2
09.) Radio Friendly Unit Shifter * Nirvana * In Utero * DGC Records
10.) Please Play This Song On The Radio * NOFX
11.) God Is In The Radio * Queens Of The Stone Age *
12.) Radio Schitzo * Rudimentary Peni
13.) Capitol Radio One * The Clash
14.) Transmission * Joy Division
15.) Radioland * Kraftwerk
16.) Radio 4 * Public Image Ltd.
17.) Amateur Radio * Sonic Youth w/ Jim O’Rourke Clip 3
18.) How Radio Was Done I (Excerpt 2) * Negativland * Over The Edge Radio
19.) Radio Transmissions * Man… Or Astro-Man?
20.) Video Killed The Radio Star * The Buggles
21.) Mexican Radio * Wall Of Voodoo
22.) On The Radio * The Selecter
23.) Amateur Radio * Sonic Youth w/ Jim O’Rourke Clip 4
24.) Radio Silents * Young Marble Giants
25.) Blasting Radio * Desperate Bicyles
26.) Radio * God Is My Co-Pilot
27.) Radio Gra * Unwound * Leaves Turn Inside You * Kill Rock Stars
28.) Amateur Radio * Sonic Youth w/ Jim O’Rourke Clip 5
29.) How Radio Was Done I (Excerpt 3) * Negativland * Over The Edge Radio
30.) I Heard It On The Radio * Ornette Coleman.
31.) The End Of Radio * Shellac
A slew of live performances prevented us from finishing The North Star Mining Company storyline from the classic radio serial, The Adventures of Superman. But fear not, for today we conclude this story in Part IV of our new series, and include a variety of music with this broadcast, all from the time period in question. It’s that extra step that we love to take to bring you your radio entertainment.
Not only will you find three episodes of vintage Old Time Radio from March, 1940, but contemporary commercials, too. Another shoutout goes to archive.org, my supplier for all these wonderful sounds. I should point out that I used a variety of recording methods to recreate the “Old Time” sound, so this episode in particular is going to sound a little strange. I think, by the time we get around to doing Part V, I will have perfected the style.
I also have to thank Ricardo Wang, not only for giving me ideas of how I could present this episode, but for being the excellent radio fill-in host that he always is. No Skinny Ties was great last week, and for that, I commend you. Lastly: thank you Isosceles Diego, who let me record this episode in his house while he was out of town. The echo was, at times, perfect.
This one’s a shocker, and includes a huge twist to the ongoing story at the very end! You won’t want to miss this.
Tune in and follow the story…
See you in seven.
The Adventures of Superman Part IV
Episode 13: The Steamship Madison * 11 March 1940
The crooks who work at The North Star Mining Company board the Madison to retrieve the documents that could blackmail them, but Superman arrives to rescue the captain of the steamship
Episode 14: Plane to Canyon City * 13 March 1940
Clark Kent takes a plane to Canyon City in order to stop the crooks who run The North Star Mining Company
Episode 15: Left to be Killed 15 March 1940
The crooks behind The North Star Mining Company have their plan entirely backfire, and everything winds up just fine. For now.
Just because they didn’t this time, doesn’t mean they won’t! The perfect soundtrack to an alien invasion, UFO sighting, romantic evening for two, or merely something to put on when you’re bumming around the house.
Almost 11 years ago, Austin Rich & Holden Craft did the worst thing imaginable, live on the radio. But today, the past has (finally) caught up with him.
Follow me and Ken Nordine as we lead you on a wonderful trip through The Sound Museum!
This is one of the most personal episodes I’ve done since I got back to radio. Most of these songs are really important to me, for one reason or another, and while some of the transitions were a little faulty, the ending almost entirely makes up for that.
Due to the recent schedule change for Blasphuphmus Radio, I was unable to bring you Part II of “The Adventures of Superman” on February 17th. But fear not, because Part II is here, today, and not a moment too soon!
In this episode, we wrap up the first, six-part storyline, known to some fans simply as “The Wolfe.” Later, as the series progressed, individual episodes lost their names, and were merely titled “Storyline Title (Part x of y).” Since I felt it would be ideal to summarize the events brought to you in Part I, you also get a sample of authentic radio music from that period from the legendary Raymond Scott. What more could you ask for?
In Part II, we also begin the second six-part storyline, known to some fans as “The Yellow Mask.” As was typical in radio serials, the last episode of the previous storyline actually foreshadows the next storyline, making sure that each episode ends with a cliffhanger. If all goes well, we should be able to wrap up this storyline in Part III, which will be brought to you sometime in March (TBA).
It should be noted that I made a mistake in announcing “The Atomic Beam Machine,” merely calling it “The Atomic Beam.” One of the difficulties with the Inter-Web-A-Tron is that you get conflicting information depending on who you talk to. So, the correct name is “The Atomic Beam Machine,” regardless of what I say on the broadcast.
Also noteworthy about that episode is that it’s the first appearance of Lois Lane in the series. Originally played by Rollie Bester, she only stayed with the series for this particular storyline. She ends up being replaced starting with the next storyline. Even though there was a character named “Jimmy” in episode two (“Clark Kent, Mild Mannered Reporter”), Jimmy Olsen – the last of the show’s primary characters – has yet to make an appearance. I find it particularly interesting that none of the primary character – or even voice actors – appeared in the first episode (“The Baby From Krypton”). Since this kind of slow development would probably never happen in modern stories like this, I find it particularly noteworthy.
Again, I dug up some Old Time Commercials to flesh out the overall feel and sound of this broadcast. I think I managed to only use commercials from the year of – or before – these episodes were originally broadcast, but I don’t really know. If anyone else has and further information about these, please, let me know!
See ya in seven!
The Adventures of Superman Part II
Episode 5: Locomotive Crew Freed * 21 February 1940
Clark Kent overhears Keno & The Wolfe’s plans, waits for them to leave, then rescues the kidnapped train crew as Superman.
Episode 6: The Silver Clipper * 23 February 1940
Thanks to the work of Superman, Keno & The Wolfe are finally arrested. But Clark Kent receives a phone call from The Wolfes boss, The Yellow Mask!
Episode 7: The Atomic Beam Machine * 26 February 1940
The Yellow Mask steals The Atomic Beam Machine from Professor Sven Dalgren. Lois Lane is also introduced in this episode!
Episode 8: Fuel * 28 February 1940
While Clark Kent and Lois Lane are investigating Professor Sven Dalgren, The Wolfe threatens to destroy The Daily Planet.
Today’s episode of Blasphuphmus Radio asks the question: where have all the Groundhog songs gone?
Well, there’s still six more weeks of winter according to February 2nd lore, so today I’m featuring songs about Ground, Hogs, and Shadows. Who knows how much longer this season will last? Only the Groundhog’s Shadow, knows! Bwahahahahahahahahaha!
I was absolutely shocked at how little Groundhog music there was to play for this show. Any musicians out there looking for something to write about, now’s your chance!
About halfway through the show I give a rambling and disjointed history of Groundhog Day. Most of the information was culled from several passes over the Inter-Web-A-Tron, so it’s as reliable as anyone else is these days.
I think I prefer the second half of the show myself.
Lastly: this is my last show during the 3 PM slot on Tuesdays. The powers that be have given me a chance to shine on the citywide broadcast signal, starting this Saturday, February 7th! So if you live in the Portland area, tune in at 1450 AM on Saturday in the Portland / Vancouver metro area (just after What’s This Called?), and 98.1 FM on the Portland State University Campus, to hear me do what I do best. You can also stream the show live at kpsu.org.
Those of you who podcast the show: nothing changes. You’ll just start getting the shows on Saturday instead of Tuesday.
Saturday’s show is tentatively titled, “Re-Introduction, Again.” Pleased to meet you… won’t you guess my theme?
Don’t forget audience participation: 503-725-4945. You, too, can be on the radio!
In a new feature on Blasphuphmus Radio, we present the first four episodes of the 1940 radio classic, The Adventures of Superman! I’m an Old Time Radio fan, and have long lamented the fact that there are no stations (that I know of) that play any kind of Radio Theater anymore. (Outside of occasional NPR features.) To remedy this situation, once a month I’ll broadcast various Old Time Radio features, starting with one of my favorites.
Radio in the 1940’s was a very different medium than it is now. On WOR Radio (in New York), the popular shows included scripted features of various types and varieties, vaudevillian variety shows, news programs, and live Big Band music in the evenings. (These performances were then used as recorded music for the early morning broadcasts.) Since a lot of shows didn’t last long, writers and producers were constantly looking for new ideas to try out on the air. Eventually, Producer Frank Chase and Writer George Ludlum hit upon the idea to adapt the then-new Comic Book Character, Superman. Once they found Clayton “Bud” Collyer – who became the voice of Superman – they immediately began producing episodes.
On February 12th, 1940 a few voice actors and foley artists stood around a microphone and recorded the first episode of The Adventures of Superman. Humorously, this first episode lacks the primary characters and voices that would appear in all the future episodes, but by Valentine’s Day – with Bud Collyer voicing Clark Kent – the show became a hit.
The Adventures of Superman aired during the 5 PM hour on most of the stations that carried the show. (Depending on their schedules, it might be heard locally at 5, 5:15, 5:30, or 5:45.)
Most of the information here was pieced together from various different web resources, and I retrieved the episodes I broadcast today from archive.org, which hosts a lot of Old Time Radio using a Creative Commons License. Everything is available for download, free to all. The drawback of Old Time Radio Recordings online, however, is an issue of quality: the limitations of the technology of 1940, combined with the limitations in recording preservation over the years, combined with the limitations of primitive .mp3 encoding from whenever these files were created, have all conspired to create sub-par sounding audio. Of course, in many cases, we’re lucky to have these recordings at all, and as we’ll find out as this series progresses, there are many episodes from the WWII era that do not exist, in any form. (Shades of Dr. Who to come…)
As a Comic Book fan from way back, this show holds a special place in my heart. (Mostly because there was never a Green Lantern show, and this was the next best thing.) I used to have a series of four cassettes that contained at least 20 of the first episodes of the show, and I used to wonder how people could really love something that hokey. Now that I’ve had a few years to percolate on the subject, I’m wondering what I found hokey about them, then.
Throughout the show I inserted some Old Time Radio Commercials to add to the feel of the broadcast. The only commercial I know for a fact was actually broadcast during The Adventures of Superman was the Kellog’s Pep ad at the beginning. (They originally sponsored the show.) The others, unfortunately, could be from any time period (and region of the US – radio was extremely regional in those days), and therefore, may be anachronistic. (The Pepsi commercial, I realize after having done further research, may be from the early 1950s. My bad.) I hope no one calls me on it, and if they do, I hope they don’t feel too cheated. Really, I tried.
Unfortunately, I found two different ways to record my Old Time Voice Overs, and due to a crunch in production time, I had to leave them both in. I think second batch of recordings sound more Old Time-y, but then again, it might be completely unnoticeable with broadcast radio compression and podcasting .mp3 compression. We’ll see.
If there are any Old Time Radio aficionados that can help out a relatively newish fan, please, contact me! I would be most appreciative of a brain to pick about this fascinating time in Radio History.
This one was a lot of fun, and I can’t wait for Part II of the story, which will air on February 17th. Twice the excitement! Tune In, patient listeners!
The Adventures of Superman Part I!
Episode 1: The Baby from Krypton * 12 February 1940
Kal-El is sent to Earth by his parents from their home planet of Krypton.
Episode 2: Clark Kent, Reporter * 14 February 1940
Kal-El adopts the name Clark Kent, secures a job at The Daily Planet, and discovers that someone named The Wolfe is sabotaging a train called The Silver Clipper.
Episode 3: Keno’s Landslide * 16 February 1940
Keno, working for The Wolfe, uses a landslide to take out a train headed for Denver.
Episode 4: Clark Kent – Captured by the Wolfe * 19 February 1940
Keno and The Wolfe kidnap Clark Kent.
Obama-Rama! Inauguration Day Special, 2009! Political Music For Political Times!
I have to admit, I haven’t looked forward to an Inauguration Day for as long as I can remember, so it was really cool to put together a mix for a show like this. And, of course, a huge challenge, too. Having never gotten “political” on my show before, and having never put together a mix like this ever before, I was nervous and cautious as to what I should play. I wanted to focus on somewhat optimistic songs looking to the future, pausing only three times to really put in any amount of critique. It have to say, it was not easy; most of the time, when artists get political, the results are rarely pretty.
Suffice it to say, I think I managed to put together a really stunning selection of tunes to welcome our new President. I hope, if nothing else comes across in this broadcast, that I convey my sincere hope that the future is going to be all the more interesting with Mr. Obama in the White House.
Now, onto the show:
1.) Slightly Newish Opening. I’m still trying to get this right. I’ll probably fool around with new variations on this as the show develops. If anyone out there wants to try their hand at it too, I would be much obliged.
2.) “The American In Me.” (The Avengers) This might be difficult to believe, but I consider myself a patriot, and I think that almost anyone who is critical of the government needs to also come to terms with the fact that WE Are The Government. “Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country can do unto you.” I’m almost positive that the Avengers wanted that song to sound critical of the current government, but I like to think that it’s also loaded with a second meaning: WE are in control of who has the power, not the other way around.
3.) “Presidents Of The Past.” The first big segment of the show is dedicated to songs about Presidents of the past. There are two extremely critical songs in this segment (“Another Political Poem” & “Ronald Reagan”), and my only real defense is that they are both meant largely as jokes: King Missile III is described as, if anything, a Novelty Act, and Men’s Recovery Project wrote a song critical of Reagan in the mid 90’s, which can hardly be topical no matter how you analyze the lyrics. (Side note: reversing the swears from poorly-recorded seven-inch is hard enough, but I realized that in the process of doing so, I actually drew more attention to the swear than if I had just let it play on it’s own. Oh well.)
I guess the biggest problem with the songs featured here is that they are all presented as humorous. Even They Might Be Giants’ earnest attempt to tell the life story of James K. Polk is hard to take seriously when you consider this is the same band that brought us “Particle Man” and a hit single about a night light. Even when I try to take politics seriously, it’s hard not to go for the joke first.
I end this segment with a song by Elton & Betty White, “If I Were The President.” While I thank DJ Revolting Earwig on the air for introducing me to this particular song, I must thank Cheryl Albrect for introducing me to Elton & Betty originally. She came into a copy of their “Sex Beyond The Door” cassette when she used to be a journalist in the late 80’s, and has been turning people on to their music ever sense. DJ Revolting Earwig discovered Elton & Betty through her, and eventually uncovered another cassette album, “The Best Of Elton & Betty” through diligent Inter-Web research. Rumor has it that Elton & Betty will have a new boxed set released soon, despite a lack of input from Elton White’s manager. We’ll see if this ever comes to fruition.
4.) “Running For Mayor.” I went through a huge Jello Biafra phase when I lived in Eugene, and collected almost all of his albums when I worked at Barnes & Noble. I was so inspired by his “Runny For Mayor” story that I began a ‘zine campaign that required me to do some legal research at City Hall, and I toyed with the idea of running for a City Council position as part of a ‘zine project. At least, enough to start looking into the process. It wasn’t too much later that moving to Portland became an option, and so I quickly abandoned the idea in favor of setting up shop in PDX. However, the story has always stuck with me as one of my favorites, and it seemed appropriate given it was Inauguration Day. Hopefully, someone will be inspired to carry on the flame. The music behind Jello Biafra is from John Carpenter’s “Escape From New York” Expanded Soundtrack, which includes cues named, “President at the Train,” “Romero and the President,” and “The President Is Gone.” I felt it was appropriate, given the eerie paranoia present in both Biafra & Carpenter’s music.
5.) “Looking To The Future.” This is probably the most convoluted segment of the show. I was trying really hard to be optimistic, yet Patriotic, and it was really hard to walk that fine line without resorting to the kind of critical songs I played in the first segment. So, I went a little broad, and tried to include “America” in some way, while trying to grab some of that upbeat feeling I was trying to capture. (I did this with the background music throughout, too.) I don’t know if I entirely succeeded, but it’s a good mix of songs that I love, and sometimes that’s what counts. I was particularly proud of getting “Surf Wax America” in the set; I’m a huge fan of the first few Weezer albums, and this song in particular captures the bittersweet-pessimism-with-a-hint-of-hope that really embodies how I feel about politics as a whole.
Anyway, I hope you dug the show. Don’t expect too much more politics in the near future. It’s not my specialty, and more to the point, I’d much rather focus on other things.
Thanks again for everyone who tuned in. Next week, get ready for the premiere episode of “Blasphuphmus Radio Theater Presents,” which begins retrocasting the 1940 classic radio serial, “The Adventures Of Superman!” Audience Participation could be really, really promising on this one…
Part I
01.) The American In Me * The Avengers * The Avengers
02.) Tioga * The American Dream * Everything You Always Wanted To Know About 60’s Mind Expansive Punkadelling Garage Rock Instrumentals But Were Afraid To Ask.
03.) Another Political Poem * King Missile III * Royal Lunch
04.) Ronald Reagan * Men’s Recovery Project * Normal Man 7″
05.) Jimmy Carter Says Yes * Gene Marshall * The American Song-Poem Anthology
06.) Richard Nixon * Rod / The MSR Singers * The American Song-Poem Anthology
07.) James K. Polk * They Might Be Giants * Factory Showroom
08.) If I Were The President * Elton & Betty White * The Best Of Elton & Betty
Part II
09.) All American Twist * The Champs * All American
10.) Running For Mayor * Jello Biafra * I Blow Minds For A Living
11.) President At The Train * John Carpenter * Escape From New York Soundtrack
12.) Romero And The President * John Carpenter * Escape From New York Soundtrack
13.) The President Is Gone * John Carpenter * Escape From New York
Part III
14.) President King’s Theme * Brendan Smalls * Home Movies Soundtrack
15.) American Eagle * Bruce Haack * Listen Compute Rock Home
16.) The American Metaphysical Circus * The United States Of America * The United States Of America
17.) Love American Style * The Mr. T Experience * Milk Milk Lemonade
18.) Surf Wax America * Weezer * Weezer
19.) It’s My Thing * The Presidents * Sensacional Soul
Well, the first episode finished a couple hours ago, and I think it was quite a success. After a brief re-introduction to the medium of radio (and, to one degree, my previous radio incarnations), we jump into an episode that could just as easily have been called, “Radio About Radio.” All the hits (and a few misses) crop up throughout this audio-essay, complete with a Radio Recommendation, and Mr. Joel Gaddis co-staring as “Jerry.”
Some Interesting Factioids of Note: There are three clips from my previous radio broadcasts near the beginning of my show. The first was recorded on January 6th, 1999, exactly 10 years ago, with my then-co-host Holden Craft. That show was broacast at KWVA. The other two clips are from my tenure at KPSU: 06/29/04 (my first comeback show, with Dabney Coleman Knife Fight behind my talking), and 09/18/07 (my second-last show ever).
The “There Is Nothing Wrong With Your Radio” Clip comes from a mix-tape my friend (and ex-bandmate) Syd Louse made me in or around 1995. He recorded it off of a radio station he listened to obsessively as a kid in the ’80’s, the same time I grew up with radio (but in another rural town an hour away). I felt it was nice to play that a bring it full circle.
“WWED”: What Would Earl Do. As a member of the Church Of Blasphuphmus, you can always learn from Earl’s teachings.
“Talk Dirty To Me” is also sort of an inside joke between me and Syd, though in the years since it has taken on an additional significance for me, probably because of that.
“Night Court,” meanwhile, is a bit of an inside joke between myself & Holden Craft (dating back to Jr. High, practically). He and I played it on my show on January 6th, 1999. Again, I was going for the “full circle” effect.
While it’s a rather obvious pick, “This Is Radio Clash” was also important to me because I also played it on my first-ever broadcast when I started at KWVA.
“New Hit Radio”: My roommate of 15 years introduced me to Unwound. I never formally got to thank him for that, so I just play them a lot on my show and think of him.
The Parts & Labor song was picked only because I discovered that band via the Sound Opinions show.
Everything Else Not Already Cited / Credited: Mine Mine Mine!
Next week, stay tuned for It’s Alive: Part I, where I feature some of the recent live recordings I’ve made at KPSU.
As always, your input helps make the show, so please, feel free to send your comments and criticisms to: austinrich [at] gmail [ditty-dot] com. It’s the only way we learn.
This is a 60 Minute audio essay about the Holiday Season, with music, sound effects, voice-overs, and a few commercials. For those of you who have never heard the kind of shows I do, this is an excellent introduction to my radio style, and a wonderful hour of holiday sounds for those New Year’s parties around the corner. (Token mentions of X-Mas were, sadly, unavoidable.) Consider this my holiday gift to the city of Portland, and anyone else I forgot to get a gift for. Sorry.
The original, one-hour version of this program is lost, but this is a recreation from the original discs that I edited and used to mix the broadcast. You can hear the expanded re-creation that I did in 2011 here:
01.) The Outer Limits: Control Voice Introduction * Vic Perrin * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
02.) Frozen Neptune * Russ Garcia & His Orchestra * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
03.) Welcome To Tomorrow * Attilio “Art” Mineo * Man In Space With Sounds
04.) Man From Mars * Ferrante And Teicher * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
05.) Changing Channels I * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
06.) The Andromeda Strain: Desert Trip * Gil Melle * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
07.) Guitars In Space * Billy Mure * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
08.) One Step Beyond: Fear * Berlin Symphony Orchestra * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
09.) Doctor Who Main Title * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
10.) The Day The Earth Stood Still Main Title * Bernard Herrmann (Conductor) / Sam Hoffman (Theremin) * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
11.) Changing Channels II * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
12.) Creature From The Black Lagoon Main Titles * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
13.) It Came From Outer Space: Visitors From Space * Dick Jacobs * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
14.) Fantastic Voyage: Main Title Sound Effects Suite * Leonard Rosenman * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
15.) Planet Of The Apes: Main Title * Jerry Goldsmith * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
16.) Changing Channels III * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
17.) On Planet X * David Garland and John Zorn * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
18.) Time Tunnel Main Title Theme * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
19.) Forbidden Planet: Main Titles – Overture * Louis And Bebe Barron * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
20.) On The Dark Side Of The Moon * Frank Comstock * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
21.) Changing Channels IV * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
22.) The Outer Limits: Control Voice Introduction * Vic Perrin * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
23.) Tone Tales From Tomorrow * Frank Coe * Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection
Based largely on a Negativland recording, and a mix CD I made for a friend of mine years ago, I present a time-traveling epic that includes me from several points in the timestream, and lots of excellent music. Enjoy!
01.) Quet Babies Astray In A Manger * Danava * Danava
02.) Introduction * Del Close & John Brent * How To Speak Hip
03.) Vernal Equinox * Can * Landed
04.) Basic Hip * Del Close & John Brent * How To Speak Hip
05.) Watusa * Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Solar Arkestra * Soundtrack to the Film “Space is the Place”
06.) Cool * Del Close & John Brent * How To Speak Hip
07.) The Music Box * Raymond Scott * Soothing Sounds For Baby Vol. I: 1 – 6 Months
08.) Uncool * Del Close & John Brent * How To Speak Hip
09.) Truth Is Marching In * Albert Ayler * Slug’s Saloon – May 1, 1966
10.) Vocabulary Building * Del Close & John Brent * How To Speak Hip
11.) Fire Engne Dream * Sonic Youth * the destroyed room
12.) Summary * Del Close & John Brent * How To Speak Hip
13.) The Devil Isn’t Red * Hella * Acoustics
This week I decided to locate all my favorite instrumentals by bands that aren’t necessarily known for them. While the obligatory Champs song is included, and some of the transitions are the clunkiest in radio history, after a while a groove starts to settle onto the show that I can really get into. With the sunny weather in mind, it’s best to sit back with a Corona in the grass somewhere when you’re listening to this one. At this time, the show was on from 5 P.M. – 6 P.M.
Instru-Mentals
01.) Welcome To Tomorrow (No Vox) * Attileo “Art” Mineo
02.) Miserific Condition * Unwound
03.) Esprit De Corpse * The Fucking Champs
04.) Horsemen Of The Invisible * Secret Chiefs 3
05.) Lottare Contro Il Campione Clave * Billy Jack
06.) Giant Squid * The Crabs:
07.) SCP * MX-80
08.) Look, You’re On TV * Nice Nice
09.) Drill * Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic
10.) Stretch * Cold Pizza
11.) Psycho Boy Jack * The Dust Brothers
12.) Evaporate * Enemy Mine
13.) Frank Talk About Mutants (Arnold Clausen Remix) * Men’s Recovery Project
14.) High Pitch Polytone (Disc 2, Track 41) * The Conet Project
15.) Blues For Planet Mars * Last Of The Juanitas
16.) Midnight Sun Dial Part II (Real Short) * Cornflake Mandala
17.) Driving Decoys * Ennio Morricone
18.) Balalaika Gap * Camper Van Beethoven
19.) Fiberglass Jungle * The Bomboras
20.) You Will Be Shot * John Zorn
21.) Tchaikovsky’s ‘Valse Sentimentale,’ 1977 * Clara Rockmore
22.) Illinois * John Linnell
23.) Double Dragon 2 – Stage 2 * The Advantage
24.) City Jungle Part 2 * The Beautiful Daze
25.) Sock It My Way * The Animated Egg
26.) Space Suit * They Might Be Giants
This is, officially, the fewest number of songs I’ve every played on a show. I kind of dug it, actually. At the time, the show was on from 5 P.M. – 6 P.M.
Long Songs
01.) Overture * Crispin Glover
02.) They All Must Be Slaughtered * Melvins
03.) Top Trucker * The Oxes
04.) Rambo / Merdock (Live) * John Rambo
05.) Dark Lights The Dark * Bishop Of Battle
06.) Banjo The Ghorst (Live) * The Mayonaise vs. Venn Demonstrational
07.) DANCE * Battles
08.) Bestia (Live) * A.E. Bizottsag
09.) Civilized-Demeyes * MX-80
At this time, the show was on from 5 P.M. – 6 P.M.
Today’s Show Was Brought To You By The Letter M.
01.) 10 lb. Moustache * Man Man
02.) Carry Stress In The Jaw * Mr. Bungle
03.) Ten Dollars A Pile * Melt Banana
04.) Never Ending Math Equation * Modest Mouse
05.) Walking Through Forever * Charles Manson
06.) Reverb 1000 * Man… Or Astro-Man?
07.) This Is Not A Photograph * Mission Of Burma
08.) Free Arthur Lee * The Make Up
09.) 1 2 X U * Minor Threat
10.) Anyone Else But You * The Moldy Peaches
11.) Maximum Radiation Level * Man… Or Astro-Man?
12.) Come In Alone * My Bloody Valentine
13.) Motorbreath * Metallica
14.) Sweet Willy Rollbar * Melvins
15.) Where Is Our Reason? * My Dad Is Dead
16.) Sferic Waves * Man… Or Astro-Man?
17.) Burn It Clean * Mudhoney
18.) Dumb Little Band * The Mr. T Experience
19.) Maybe Partying Will Help * Minutemen
20.) Stanley Kubrick * Mogwai
At this time, the show was on from 4 A.M. – 6 A.M. The file linked above goes to a program from 01 May 2012, which recreated this show as best as possible, with additional material mixed in as part of our 14th Anniversary Explosion.
Partial Playlist:
01.) Revenge * Black Flag *
02.) Land Of Treason * Germs * (MIA) * Slash Records
03.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part I *
04.) Be Good (The Frumpies) *
05.) All My Drugs * Royal Grand Prix * High Performance
06.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part II *
07.) Pacific Coast Highway * Sonic Youth * Sister
08.) Embarrassed Teen Accidentally Uses Valuable Rare Postage Stamp * Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo * Strange But True
09.) High School Witch * The 5.6.7.8’s * The 5.6.7.8’s
10.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part III *
11.) Indication * The Rondelles * Fiction Romance, Fast Machines * Smells Like Records
12.) I’m Gonna Make Him Mine (Tonight) * The Donnas * The Donnas
13.) Know It Alls * The Fartz * Because This Fuckin’ World Still Stinks * Alternative Tentacles Records
14.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part IV *
15.) The End Of A Skater * The Phantom Surfers featuring Davie Allen * Skaterhater * Lookout! Records
16.) ?? (Satan’s Pilgrims) *
17.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part V *
18.) Brother Rat / What Slayde Says * NOMEANSNO * The Day Everything Became Nothing * Alternative Tentacles Records
19.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part VI *
20.) Here’s To The Losers * Frank Sinatra * Softly As I Leave You * Universal Records
21.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part VII
22.) Here Comes The Martian Martians * Jonathan Richman * The Beserkley Years: The Best Of Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers * Rhino Records
23.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part VIII *
24.) The Old Man Blues * Cathead * Greatest sHits * Self-Released
25.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part IX
26.) Title Track * King Missile * Mystical Shit * Shimmy-Disc Records
27.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part X
28.) Mongoloid * Devo * Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! * Warner Bros. Records
29.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XI *
30.) Don’t Know What I Am * The Wipers * Is This Real?
31.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XII
31.) Old Queen Cole * Ween * God Ween Satan: The Oneness
32.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XIII *
33.) Bleach Boys * The Dead Milkmen * Beelzebubba * Enigma Records
34.) Lousy Weekend * Daniel Johnston * Fun * Atlantic Records
35.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XIV *
36.) Pie * KARP * Suplex * Kill Rock Stars Records
37.) Cowboy Love * The Reverand Horton Heat * Holy Roller * Sub Pop Records
38.) Flight F-I-N-A-L Part XV *
39.) The Halo Benders * The Halo Benders * Don’t Tell Me Now * K Records
40.) Hair * Adickdid * Stars Kill Rock
41.) Brainwashed * The Crabs * Brainwashed * K Records
42.) Reason To Live * The Oblivians * Soul Food * Crypt Records
01.) Piss Up A Rope (Ween) *
02.) Dirty Boots (Sonic Youth) *
03.) Girl Hunt (Dead Milkmen) *
04.) The Hurdy Gurdy Man (Butthole Surfers) *
05.) Theme From Superman (John Williams) *
06.) ?? (??) *
07.) Hexezscene (Unwound) *
08.) ?? (??) *
09.) ?? (The 5.6.7.8’s) *
10.) The Flying Sequence / Can You Read My Mind? (John Williams) *
11.) ?? (Misfits) *
12.) The Wonder Of It (??) *
13.) ?? (Jon Cougar Concentration Camp) *
14.) I Think I Love Her (??) *
15.) The March Of The Villians (John Williams) *
16.) ?? (??) *
17.) ?? (The Rondelles) *
18.) Do You Wanna Donuts? (The Frumpies) *
19.) I Wanna Know What Love Is (Julie Ruin) *
20.) ?? (??) *
21.) Mystery Science Theater 3,000 Love Theme (Man… Or Astro-Man?) *
22.) Rags And Bones (NOMEANSNO) *
23.) Song For The Dumped (Ben Folds Five) *
24.) Chasing Rockets (John Williams) *
25.) Paranoid Android (Radiohead) *
26.) Lungful Of Water (Weird Little Boy) *
27.) Ode To My Car (Adam Sandler) *
28.) End Title Theme (John Williams) *
29.) Molly (Ween) *
30.) And She Was (Talking Heads) *
31.) Violenza Domesticata (Mr. Bungle) *
32.) The James Bond Theme (Naked City) *
33.) The Diamond Sea [25 Min. Mix] (Sonic Youth) *
34.) Lust For Life (Iggy Pop) *
35.) Will Ye Be Proud (The Real McKenzies) *
36.) ?? (Sounthern Culture On The Skids)
At this time, our program was on from 4 A.M. – 6 A.M. The link above directs you to an episode from 03 June 2012, where part of it exists in a highly edited form.
Partial Playlist:
01.) Edited Selections From “The Hobbit”
02.) For Your Entertainment * Unwound * The Future Of What
03.) Brown Eyed Girl * Lagwagon *
04.) Pajama Party Horror * Mike Patton * Adult Themes For Voice
05.) Get Me Back * Teengenerate * Smash Hits!
06.) Joco Homo * Devo * Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! * Warner Bros. Records
07.) Boy Meets Girl * Mel Brooks & Marlo Thomas * Free To Be You And Me
08.) Dick * King Missile [Dog Fly Religion] * Fluting On The Hump
09.) Round And Round * Germs * (MIA)
10.) Anti-Pleasure Dissertation * Bikini Kill * The Anti-Pleasure Dissertation 7″
11.) Return Of The Knucklehead * DFL * Proud To Be
12.) A Leper With The Face Of A Baby Girl * Mike Patton * Adult Themes For Voice
13.) Cuts And Bolts * Man… Or Astro-Man?
14.) When You’re Fat And Lonely * Bruce McCullouch * Shame Based Man
15.) Cooky Puss * Beastie Boys * Some Old Bullshit
16.) Danimal [Excerpt] * Deathstar * Deathstar 10″
17.) Another Day * Crimpshrine
18.) Where The Hell Is Bill? * Camper Van Beethoven * Telephone Free Landslide Victory
19.) The One Armed vs. 9 Killers * Mike Patton * Adult Themes For Voice
20.) Let’s Have A Party Tonight * 5.6.7.8′s
21.) Funeral Home * Daniel Johnston * Continued Story
22.) Pillow Biter * Mike Patton * Adult Themes For Voice
23.) Desert Search * Supergenius * Star Wars Breakbeats
24.) Jackals of Botswanna * Deadbolt
25.) Queerbait * The Queers
26.) Rocketman * The Red Elvises
27.) Twisted * Zeke
28.) Swingin’ On Pier 13 * Bomboras
29.) Ride Of The Valkyries * Woody Phillips * Toolbox Classics
30.) Me Big Mouth * KARP * Mustaches Wild
31.) No Fair * Wipers * Youth Of America
01.) Hear How To Touch Type Part I *
02.) ?? (NOMEANSNO) *
03.) ?? (Deadbolt) *
04.) ?? (??) *
05.) A Woman With The Skin Of The Moon (Mike Patton) *
06.) ?? (Bomboras) *
07.) Runnin’ Thru My Bones (Tight Bros. From Way Back When) *
08.) A Lizard With The Skin Of Woman (Mike Patton) *
09.) ?? (??) *
10.) ?? (??) *
11.) The Sound Of Jazz To Come / N.O.U.S.P.T.D.A. (Nation Of Ulysess) *
12.) Catheter (Mike Patton) *
13.) Loser (The Queers) *
14.) Take The Skinheads Bowling (Camper Van Beethoven) *
15.) Strong Influence (Supergenius) *
16.) A Dead Dog Laughing In A Cloud (Daniel Johnston) *
17.) Rice’s Meow (Rice) *
18.) ?? (Crimpshrine) *
19.) Ah-So! (5.6.7.8’s) *
20.) “Fix It So The Bruises Don’t Show” (Mike Patton) *
21.) Have A Cigar (Primus) *
22.) Hear How To Type Part II *
23.) Treats To The Soul (KARP) *
24.) Daddy’s On The Drink Again (Bruce McCullouch) *
25.) Now Showing (Anachronauts) *
26.) Robot Sex [Watercolors] (Mike Patton) *
27.) Slap On Some Pants [Trail Mix] (Men’s Recovery Project) *
28.) Courage (??) *
29.) Cheepnis [Live] (Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention) *
30.) A Ceremony Of Senses, An Alibi In The Red Light District (Mike Patton) *
31.) Rawhide (Dead Kennedys) *
32.) Daria (Cake) *
33.) Hear How To Type III *
34.) I Hate It Too (Hum) *
35.) Butterfly In A Glass Maze (Mike Patton) *
36.) Hear How To Type Part IV
At this time, the show was on from 4 A.M. – 6 A.M.
01.) An Audio Obstacle Course Part I *
02.) ?? (The Bomboras) *
03.) Hot Chocolate (Shonen Knife) *
04.) ?? (NOMEANSNO) *
05.) Mr. Roboto (Styx) *
06.) An Audio Obstacle Course Part II *
07.) ?? (Slayer) *
08.) Gredo Plays Himself (Supergenius) *
09.) Hot Shit, Cold Piss (Jon Cougar Concentration Camp) *
10.) Linus & Lucy (Vince Guarldi) *
11.) The Swinburn Stomp (The Fugs) *
12.) The Man From F.U.C.K. Y.O.U. [Live] (Man… Or Astro Man?) *
13.) An Audio Obstacle Course Part III *
14.) I Can’t Drive 55 (Sammy Hagar) *
15.) Heroin Pig (Bruce McCullouch) *
16.) Punk As An Ulterior Motive (Oswald 5-0) *
17.) Ziggy Stardust (The Moog Cookbook) *
18.) Night Court Theme *
19.) An Audio Obstacle Course Part IV *
20.) I Lost On Jeopardy (“Weird Al” Yankovic) *
21.) Country Feedback (R.E.M.) *
22.) Big Bottom (Spinal Tap) *
23.) ?? (The Halo Benders) *
24.) John E. Smokes (The Butthole Surfers) *
25.) Love Song (The Damned) *
26.) Australian Table Wines (Monty Python) *
27.) An Audio Obstacle Course Part V *
28.) My Ass Is On Fire (Mr. Bungle)
At this time, the show was on from 4 A.M. – 6 A.M.
01.) A Night In A Haunted House Part I * 02.) Silver Lining (New Bomb Turks) * 03.) ?? (Zeke) * 04.) The Things You See, The Things You Don’t (The Red Aunts) * 05.) A Night In A Haunted House Part II * 06.) Rubarb Hubub (The Varicoasters) * 07.) Ne Jabba No Badda (Supergenius) * 08.) A Night In A Haunted House Part III * 09.) ?? (Rye Coalition) * 10.) Sweet Home Alabama (The Moog Cookbook) * 11.) A Night In A Haunted House Part IV * 12.) Stalking (Bruce McCullouch) * 13.) Fat Albert Theme * 14.) A Night In A Haunted House Part V * 15.) C.I.A. Man (The Fugs) * 16.) Forming (The Germs) * 17.) The Rocky And Bullwinkle Theme * 18.) What Went Wrong (Unwound) * 19.) Where Your Eyes Don’t Go (They Might Be Giants) * 20.) A Night In A Haunted House VI * 21.) Who Needs The Kwik-E-Mart? (The Simpsons) * 22.) J Is For Genius (KARP) * 23.) A Night In A Haunted House Part VII * 24.) Michelle’s Farm (Beastie Boys) * 25.) Alf Theme * 26.) Love Is (King Missile) * 27.) What We Do Is Secret (J Mascis & Mike Watt) * 28.) Weightless At Zero Return (Man… Or Astro-Man?) * 29.) A Night In A Haunted House Part VIII
Episode 005: Post-Groundhog Day Special! (2009!)
Mid-Valley Mutations 