After a long holiday break, we return to our regularly scheduled programs. It is nice to get back to the stories of Richard Diamond, Rocky Jordan, and Blackstone The Magic Detective, as well as see what is happening in our Vaudeville Documentary, as well as on, X-Minus One.
Richard Tracks a cop-killer with some of his old friends on the force, while Rocky Jordan gets involved in a story that involved Madame Dulac, her daughter, and a gambling crime setup that leads Rocky to being considering the suspect! Blackstone offers more coin tricks and mysteries from his career, while X-Minus One explores the world of automation, AI taking over, and how the only way to make it in this horrible future is to become a dishonest tech bro. (In a story from 1957.)
It’s two hours of mid-century radio wonder, and it’s all for you, today!
We forego our regular shows this time of year, and for this program, offer you a variety of holiday tidbits, all originally aired on this same date, but many decades before.
First, we offer you the comedic stylings of Duffy’s Tavern, as the cast try and work out what they should do about some missing Christmas cards. (Dorothy Shaye guest stars to sing a song and flirt with the lead.) They we’re off to Hawaii for an episode of Hawaii Calls, as the perform traditional Hawaiian songs, and a few New Year’s tunes as well. Bill Stern gives up a New Year’s Sports roundup, with Jack Benny along for the ride. and finally we hear a New Year’s centric episode of Quiet, Please, to properly horrify you before bed.
It’s two hours of vintage holiday broadcasts, ready for you this holiday season.
We forego our regular shows during the holidays, and for this program, we offer you a variety of holiday fare, all originally aired on this same date, but many decades before. This week our theme is: Jack Benny?
First, it’s an episode of CBS Town Hall Tonight, a variety show with music and comedy, hosted by Fred Allen, and featuring Jack Benny. After some brief Revelations, we offer a Christmas 1946 transcription disc from the Grandpas’s iPod blog (essentially a 1946 “Christmas mix tape”). We close the show with an installment of Jack Benny’s program, The Jell-O Show, where they get into their usual holiday shenanigans.
It’s two hours of vintage holiday broadcasts, ready for you this holiday season.
We forego our regular shows during the holidays, and for this program, we offer you a variety of holiday fare, all originally aired on this same date, but many decades before.
This week, we air an episode of The Good News of 1939, a variety show with music and comedy, and a performance by Lionel Barrymore, recreating some key moments for A Christmas Carol. Voice of The Army brings us a unique (and somewhat unusual) broadcast, Christmas Harps, with harp-renditions of Christmas classics. Finally, we bring you a story from the anthology program, NBC Radio City Playhouse, with a story that is using a very familiar title.
It’s two hours of vintage holiday broadcasts, ready for you this holiday season.
Continuing our Holiday Anniversary trend, we bring you two more episodes of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater, and a short holiday installment of The Gift of The Magi, which apparently makes everyone else in the world cry, but makes me laugh.
Our Holiday Season this year is filled with anniversary retrocasts: shows that originally appeared on the same date, but many decades previous. We start this year off with two installments of CBS Radio Mystery Theater, and a short holiday installment of The Victory Front.
(Featuring a re-mixed presentation of three different broadcast version of Robert Heinlein’s The 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
After a long diversion of playing nothin but Ken Nordine, we continue our journey through the people who we lost in the last few years.
Enjoy!
The People Who Died
Part I:
01.) Nut Rocker * B. Bumble & The Stingers
Part II:
02.) Any Other Way * Jackie Shane
03.) Just Want A Little Lovin’ * Andre Williams
04.) Hey Baby (Live on KRVS) * Lil’ Buck Sinegal
Part III:
05.) I’m Not Your Stepping Stone * The Monkees
06.) Dignified And Old * The Modern Lovers
07.) Waters Part * Let’s Active
08.) Gotta Keep A Runnin’ * The Godz
Part IV:
09.) Who Do You Love? * Juicy Lucy
10.) Up Against The Wall * Tom Robinson Band
11.) Two Swords * The Beat
12.) Eye of The Tiger * Survivor
13.) Twix Commercial
14.) Nightmare * Viper * The Killera Sword (1985)
15.) Perfect Murder * The Glove
Part V:
25.) Madame Dulac’s Daughter * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 12 February 1950
The third / fifth installment dedicated to the work of Ken Nordine.
Enjoy!
The People Who Died:
This show contains excerpts from a documentary on Book Television (2005), on a show called “The Word This Week,” with a show the called, Stare With Your Ears.
Part I:
01.) Word Jazz Episode Three (Except 3 & 4)
Part II:
02.) Word Jazz Episode Three (Except 5)
03.) Amber * Ken Nordine * Colors
04.) Bathtub * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
05.) Word Jazz Episode Three (Except 6)
06.) Turquoise * Ken Nordine * Colors
07.) Envelope * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
08.) Word Jazz Episode Three (Except 7)
09.) Fuscia * Ken Nordine * Colors
10.) Cracks In The Sidewalks * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
11.) Word Jazz Episode Three (Except 8)
Part III:
12.) Green * Ken Nordine * Colors
13.) Cellophane Shoes * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
14.) Word Jazz Episode Three (Except 9)
15.) Crimson * Ken Nordine * Colors
16.) Lampshades * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
17.) Word Jazz Episode Four (Except 1)
18.) Russet * Ken Nordine * Colors
19.) Pea * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
20.) Word Jazz Episode Four (Except 2)
Part IV:
21.) Azure * Ken Nordine * Colors
22.) When You’re Born * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
23.) Word Jazz Episode Four (Except 3)
24.) Word Jazz Episode Three (Except 10)
Part VI:
25.) An Air of Death * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 5 February 1950
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we bring 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.
(This show originally aired on KPSU in 2011.)
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
The second installment dedicated to the work of Ken Nordine.
Enjoy!
The People Who Died: Ken Mordine
This show contains excerpts from a documentary on Book Television (2005), on a show called “The Word This Week,” with a show the called, Stare With Your Ears.
Part I:
01.) Word Jazz Episode Two (Except 1)
Part II:
02.) Hunger Is From * Ken Nordine * Jazz Horizons
03.) Eyelashes * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
04.) Gold * Ken Nordine * Colors
05.) Word Jazz Episode Two (Except 2)
06.) What Time Is It? * Ken Nordine * Jazz Horizons
07.) Ping Pong * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
08.) Ecru * Ken Nordine * Colors
09.) Word Jazz Episode Two (Except 3)
Part III:
11.) Looks Like It’s Going To Rain * Ken Nordine * Jazz Horizons
12.) Word Jazz Episode Two (Except 4)
13.) Chimney * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
14.) Muddy * Ken Nordine * Colors
15.) My Baby * Ken Nordine * Jazz Horizons
16.) Sounds In Space (The Rite of Spring) * Ken Nordine * Sounds In Space
18.) Rollerskate * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
19.) Maroon * Ken Nordine * Colors
Part IV:
20.) Word Jazz Episode Two Except 4
21.) Suede * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
22.) Yellow * Ken Nordine * Colors
23.) Word Jazz Episode Three Except 1
24.) Clock * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
25.) White * Ken Nordine * Colors
23.) Word Jazz Episode Three Except 2
Part VI:
18.) An Air of Death * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 29 January 1950
02.) A Thousand Bing Bangs * Ken Nordine w/ Tom Waits & David Grisman
03.) The Shifting, Whispering Sands Part 1 * Billy Vaughn & Ken Nordine
04.) Roger * Ken Nordine * Jazz Horizons
05.) Puce * Ken Nordine * Colors
06.) Great * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
07.) Six Commercials In Search of A Client * Ken Nordine
Part III:
08.) Word Jazz Episode One (Excerpt 2)
09.) The Movie * Ken Nordine & Tom Waits
10.) The Shifting, Whispering Sands Part 2 * Billy Vaughn & Ken Nordine
11.) Flibberty Jib * Ken Nordine * Jazz Horizons
12.) Brown * Ken Nordine * Colors
13.) Dream * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
Part IV:
14.) Word Jazz Episode One (Excerpt 3)
15.) The Vidiot * Ken Nordine * Jazz Horizons
16.) Gabberdine * Ken Nordine * Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure
17.) Word Jazz Episode One (Excerpt 4 & 5)
Part VI:
18.) The Face of Diana * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 22 January 1950
It is astonishing how many artists passed in the last three years. Here’s even more that deserve remembering at least one more time.
Enjoy!
The People Who Died
Part I:
01.) Sentimental Journey * Doris Day
02.) Air * Cecil Taylor * The World of Cecil Taylor
Part II:
03.) Oh What A Night * The Dells
04.) The Way You Look Tonight * The Lettermen
05.) Don’t Have To Shop Around * The Mad Lads
06.) I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire * The Ink Spots
07.) Port of Call * Cecil Taylor * The World of Cecil Taylor
Part III:
08.) Ain’t That A Shame * Fats Domino
09.) Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Here To Stay * Danny & The Juniors * Live on American Bandstand
10.) C’est Pas Serieux * Les Chats Sauvages * Les Meilleur
11.) Help! (Live) * The Beatles * Blackpool Night Out, ABC Theater
12.) The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore * The Walker Brothers
13.) Ain’t Got The Time * The Charlatans
Part IV:
14.) The Wedge * Dick Dale
15.) You’re Gonna Miss Me * 13th Floor Elevators
16.) Right Place Wrong Time * Dr. John
17.) Feet Start Walking * Doris Duke
18.) Diddy Wa Diddy (Live) * Leon Redbone * Live On The Tonight Show
19.) Lazy Afternoon * Cecil Taylor * The World of Cecil Taylor
Part V:
20.) Invaders! * Hal Blaine * Have Fun!!! Play Drums!!!
21.) On The Road Again * Canned Heat
22.) Whatcha See Is What You Get * The Dramatics
23.) Oh, What A Feelling * Crowbar
24.) Revolution Blues * Neil Young
Part VI:
25.) The Loomis Affair * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 15 January 1950
An old-fashioned New Year’s Holiday Program from me, in that it’s the way I used to do them, 10 years ago. Join us for a Supernatural, Time Traveling New Year’s story, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of drinking too much.
Enjoy!
New Year’s Nightmare
Featuring cut ups of “New Year’s Nightmare,” an episode of The Mysterious Traveler from 5 January 1947, and the KMART Christmas Tape.
Part I:
01.) Drink! * They Might Be Giants * Mink Car
02.) Look Around You * The Resistance * The Resistance
03.) Jagged Time Lapse * John’s Children * A Midsummer Night’s Scene
Part II:
04.) Another Name * The Miss * The Ride
05.) You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory * Ronnie Spector * Jackson’s Jukebox
06.) I Want To Tell You * The Rockers * Teenline Vol. 1
07.) Something I’ve Got To Tell You * Glenda Collins * It’s Hard To Believe It: The Amazing World of Joe Meek
08.) Over Now * The Tools * Teenline Vol. 2
Part III:
09.) Love’s Gone Bad * Chris Clark * Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found: One Kiss Can Lead To Another
10.) I Wanna Be Free * The Rings * Once Upon A Time Vol. 04: UK April to July 1977
11.) Aba Daba Honeymoon * Debbie Reynolds & Carleton Carpenter * 50’s Love Songs
12.) Murderer’s Night * Sun City Girls * 330,003 Crossdressers From Beyond The Rig Veda Can’t Be Wrong
Part IV:
13.) Headache * Frank Black * Teenager of The Year
14.) I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You * Klaus Nomi * Eclipsed: The Best of Klaus Nomi
15.) New Year’s Eve * Tom Waits * Bad As Me
Part V:
16.) Visible Alex * Moth Hunter * Visible Alex
17.) Subterranean Waterway Barge Conveyance * Hal McGee * Battery Operated
An old-fashioned Holiday Program from me, in that it’s the way I used to do them, 10 years ago.
Enjoy!
Dancing Dan’s Christmas
Featuring cut ups of “Dancing Dan’s Christmas,” and episode of The Damon Runyon Theater from 13 March 1949, and the KMART Christmas Tape.
Part I:
01.) American Story * Cult Heroes * Killed By Death Vol. 12
02.) (I Should Better Be Lookin’ For) Dangerman * The Mummies * Death By Unga Bunga!!
03.) Searchin’ * The Coasters * The Coasters
Part II:
04.) A Change At Christmas (Say It Isn’t So) * The Flaming Lips * Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell EP
05.) One Christmas At A Time * Jonathan Coulton & John Roderick * One Christmas At A Time
06.) Mr. Santa Claus * Nathaniel Mayer * Village of Love
07.) Santa’s Beard * They Might Be Giants * Lincoln
Part III:
08.) Follow Blind * The Wipers * Follow Blind
09.) Christmas In The Congo * Marquees * Jeezus Fuck, It’s Christmas!
10.) Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto * James Brown * Jeezus Fuck, It’s Christmas!
Part IV:
11.) (It’s Gonna Be A) Punk Rock Christmas * The Ravers * Once Upon A Time Vol. 13: California & Pacific Northwest 1977
12.) It Came Upon A Midnight Clear * Eban Schletter * Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas
13.) Christmas Blues * Washboard Pete * Jeezus Fuck, It’s Christmas!
14.) Christmas In Jail * The Youngsters * Black Christmas
15.) Yulesville * Edward ‘Kookie’ Byrnes * Jeezus Fuck, It’s Christmas!
16.) C’mon Santa! * Mach Bell & His Elves * Xmas Snertz: Have A Very Gulcher Christmas!
Part V:
17.) I Am A Human Recording * Hal McGee * Battery Operated
This is sort of a grab-bag program, in many ways. There’s some live Mini-Mutations, what I’m calling Futuristic Christmas Carols, as I pontificate on the holiday season.
Then, there’s a quartet of Holiday Episodes from Calling All Detectives, with Jerry Browning.
Then we close with another installment of Hal McGee’s Holiday Audio Assemblage from last year, “Battery Operated,” with the second track from that disc.
Enjoy!
Christmas Shopping In The Future With Jerry Browning
Part I:
01.) Santa Claus Is Murdered * Calling All Detectives * 7 December 1948
Part II:
02.) Too Many Santas * Calling All Detectives * 24 December 1948
Part III:
03.) A Case While Shopping * Calling All Detectives * 31 December 1948
Part IV:
04.) A Christmas Ornament Is A Valuable Clue * Calling All Detectives * 5 January 1949
Part V: battery operated
05.) a dream from which I just awoke * Hal McGee * battery operated * Self-Released (2020)
Part VI:
06.) High Pressure * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 27 November 1949
Here’s a jukebox show, of some stuff that is new-ish to me, but I haven’t had a chance to listen to.
Enjoy!
I Want To Do Your Laundry
Part I: Erratic Warrior
01.) Erratic Warrior * Dylan Houser * EC Split 3 * HalTapes (2020)
02.) Durante y después de la exposición al sol * Rafael González * EC Split 8
Part II: springs and gears
03.) Only from the Heart Can You Touch the Sky * Space Gambus Experiment * Into The Light * Self-Released (2014)
04.) 23 July 2012 No. 6 * Tom Furgas * OneOfAKind Disc 23 July 2012 * Self-Released (2012)
05.) The Watchmaker, struck a mortal blow, is surprised to find he is only springs and gears inside [Exceprt] * Tower Sisters * Tower Sisters * What is the Response Threshold and How Does it Work? * Naked Raabbit
Part III: Unproductive Thinking
06.) Strange and Unproductive Thinking * David Lynch * Crazy Clown Time * Pias America (2011)
07.) I Want to do Your Laundry * Fate vs. Free Will Turn Signals * Wolf In A Pulpit * Self-Released (1987)
08.) Sister Schizo * Walls of Genius * Before …and After * Self-Released (1984)
Part IV: battery operated
09.) My doppelgänger is naughty * Hal McGee * battery operated * Self-Released (2020)
Since big things are frowned upon this Thanksgiving, we are relying on a much smaller form of entertainment to keep in step with the need this year. All 3″ discs are on the menu.
Enjoy!
Keeping Things Small For The Holidays: 3″ of Pure Pleasure
Part I: Blood of the Land
01.) Blood of the Land * Daniel Menche * Blood of the Land * ferns_rhizome (2010)
Part II: Childhood And Sudden Memories
02.) 1031 * endometrium cuntplow * endometrium cuntplow / dogprodz split * Love Torture Records (2009)
03.) Childhood And Sudden Memories * Boar * endometrium cuntplow / boar split * Love Torture Records (2009)
04.) unsustainable growth * Chefkirk + Carl Kruger * designer consciousness * bicephalic records (2018)
05.) 34275 * dogprodz * endometrium cuntplow / dogprodz split * Love Torture Records (2009)
Part III: Object Lesssening
06.) Human vs. Mechanical Turtle Part IV * DJ EmbryonicPetitSac * Sac + Tinklepotty * Sweat Band Records (2012)
07.) Impact Melt Pools * Styrofoam Sanchez * Crank Sturgeon / Styrofoam Sanchez Split * Lewcid Joosebox Recordings
08.) [untitled] * JUICE MACHINE * [peach dot sticker] * Self-Released
09.) Object Lessening * Crank Sturgeon * Crank Sturgeon / Styrofoam Sanchez Split * Lewcid Joosebox Recordings
10.) Mantra No.55 [Excerpt] * Durastatic * Mantra No.55 * Self-Released
Part IV: Dimestore Radio Theater
11.) The Strange Death of Van Dorn * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 13 November 1949
A little DJ show to feature some of the new stuff that has come my way recently. Lots of new stuff!
Enjoy!
The Body & The Mind: Blood & The Fading Light
Part I: The Visitor
01.) Vast * Brad Anderson * Darwinian Playground * Brad Anderson Music (2020)
02.) Create The Visitor (Live in Glasgow) * Negativland * LIVE BRAIN Eurotour 2019 * Seeland Records (2020)
Part II: Exposed
03.) Blood On My Craft Table * Leporidae * Klowd / Leporidae / Audioemetic – Split * Skeletonhand Records (2006)
04.) Out Kew * KR Seward * EC Split 5: bless with Boss? * HalTapes (2020)
05.) Exposed In The Fading Light * Scot Jenerik 8 * MEAT * Auscultare Research (1999)
Part III: Misdirection
06.) Side of Orca * Spiral Tanks * November Postcard * Spiral Tanks Music (2020)
07.) Models of Misdirection I I * Vasectomy Party * EC Split 6 * HalTapes (2020)
08.) Dying For Cigarettes * Greaathumor * Crowd Pleasers * Industrial Sentiment (2020)
09.) The Blood Ov (Excerpt) * Instagon * Thee Most Creative Thing I’ve Ever Seen In A Slight English Accent * Thee Instagon Foundation (1994)
Part IV: Dimestore Radio Theater
10.) The Black Ball * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 6 November 1949
Somehow I have would up in Florida, but my good friend Bill Martin happens to own a boat there. Maybe he can help me get home, somehow, on his way to Horror Island?
Enjoy!
A Night On Horror Island
01. ) Horror Island * George Waggner
02.) Quest For The Traneeneh * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 16 October 1949
I continue my way home, through an awfully creepy forest, I stumble upon a very strange house on a Haunted Hill, where some unusual characters are having what they call a “party.”
Enjoy!
A Night On Haunted Hill
01. ) A Night On Haunted Hill * William Castle
02.) Occasional Organ * Mini-Mutations
03.) The Man With No Name * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 9 October 1949
As at the smokey chokey Pacific Northwest continues to experience the worst from fires, my mind turns to rain and the healing effects it can have on us.. if it will only come.
Enjoy!
Happy When It Rains
HOUR 1
Part I: He Begins
01. ) He Begins * Jeremy Hight / Read by Austin Rich * 15 September 2020
Part II: Happy When It Rains
02.) Rainbirds * Tom Waits * Swordfishtrombones * Island Records
03.) Rain * Charles Bukowski
04.) Happy When It Rains * The Jesus & Mary Chain * Darklands (1987)
Part III: Acid Rain
05.) Acid Rain * Grails * Doomsdayer’s Holiday (2008)
06.) Rain * Sailboats * Adrift
07.) Rain * Guyve * Live 9-27-06 Valentines
08.) Sandoz in the Rain * Amon Duul I * Yeti
09.) Rain Roots * King Tubby * King Tubby Meets The Upsetter
HOUR 2
Part IV: Windowpane Rain
10.) Didn’t It Rain * The Golden Gate Quartet * Radio Transcriptions 1941 – 1944
11.) Windowpane Rain * George & Caplin * Things Past (2006)
12.) Rainforest Version 1, 1968, performed 1990 * David Tudor * OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music (2000)
13.) Brown Rain * Christian Marclay * Records (1982)
Part V: Singin’ In The Rain
14.) aleanRainsong * devilsclub
15.) Jade Planet Rain * Knuckle Children
16.) We Ain’t Got No Money, Honey, But We Got Rain * Charles Bukowski
17.) Singin’ In The Rain * Gene Kelly
Part VI: Dimestore Radio Theater
18.) Adventure With Andrea * The Adventures of Rocky Jordan * 11 September 1949
As 2016 rolls to a close, any reasonable assessment of the last 12 months has left all of us a little worse for wear. As I try to re-focus my efforts for 2017, Mid-Valley Mutations is taking a few weeks off for the holidays, to recuperate and prepare for what will be a much better year, no matter how you slice it.
But we don’t want to leave you hanging, as you have come to expect weekly entertainment, and weekly entertainment you shall receive. So we’re still bringing you some good old fashioned holiday programming, just in time for the Christmas Season. We are featuring two Old Time Radio Classics, stories that involve detectives solving Yule Tide mysteries that play themselves out over two half-hour blocks. But that’s not all! We found shows where the leads are played by two stalwart performers of the Golden Age of Radio: Vincent Price and Frank Sinatra!
First, Vincent brings you a tale of The Saint, a character that he portrayed on the radio from 1947 until the end of the radio run in 1951. Vincent is a fantastic actor, and his style and sophistication come through in his portrayal of The Saint, who is as concerned with being a gentleman as much as he is concerned with solving the case. It is worth it to hear Vincent perform the character of Simon Templar, an actual saint in world where crime may strike at any moment. The Saint is often – as he is in this story – accompanied by a cab driver named Louie, expertly played by Lawrence Dobkin, no stranger to Detective Radio Programs. (He played Archie in the radio adaptations of the Nero Wolf stories, and guest starred in The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, Jeff Regan and Yours Truly Johnny Dollar.) This story is sort of typical of what you would find of The Saint. A little action, a little comedy, and plenty of chances for Vincent and Lawrence to spar, verbally. The recipie continues to work, even 60 years later, and it is a great addition to our Holiday Programming.
Second, Frank Sinatra plays a lesser known character from the world of noir fiction: Rocky Fortune. This makes perfect sense, as Sinatra was experiencing extreme popularity in post-war America, and he was the kind f personality that radio usually enjoyed. To top it off, it seemed to have the right juice behind the show, as the creator was none other that Dimension X series creator George Lefferts. There was also a certain amount of fourth wall breaking that happened on the show; Rocky references Dimension X, in one episode, sings lines from the Sinatra catalog, and would throw in references to From Here To Eternity as often as possible. Perhaps that was the nail in the coffin for the program, or perhaps it was Sinatra, who was never the greatest actor, in spite of his incredible voice. The show only lasted 25 episodes, and strangely, the final broadcast was less than a week after he won the Academy Award for acting, solidifying his career in film, making his radio career merely a footnote. Still, this holiday installment of his program is not only a great way to close this particular episode, but is a perfectly holiday tale, best told on the radio.
It’s just one of the many ways we like to celebrate the holidays, on Mid-Valley Mutations, and we hope you enjoy listening to Old Time Radio the way we do. And, stay tuned! There’s all sorts of podcast-only treats, and further Old Time Radio goodies that will hit the airwaves in the coming weeks. Get into the Yule Tide Spirit, with plenty of radio for your ears.
Detectives For Christmas w/ Vincent Price & Frank Sinatra!
Part I: The Saint!
01.) Austin FM Theme * Paco Jones * Austin FM Theme * Self-Released (2016)
02.) See How Pretty, See How Smart [Excerpt] * Melvins * The Maggot * Ipecac Records (1999)
03.) Nineteen Santa Clauses * The Saint * 24 December 1947 Broadcast * NBC Radio (1947)
Part II: Rocky Fortune!
04.) The Plot To Murder Santa Claus * Rocky Fortune * 22 December 1953 Broadcast * NBC Radio (1953)
Dreams Dissolve
Happy When It Rains
Dimestore Radio Theater
Dimestore Radio Theater
Dimestore Radio Theater
Dimestore Radio Theater
Detectives For Christmas w/ Vincent Price & Frank Sinatra! (#29)
Mid-Valley Mutations 