We Want The Airwaves

Working Together - 4/6/07

2007-04-06T18:59:00.001-04:00

Okay. I started typing this one in a LONG time ago. I'm gonna try to get my act together and post these more regularly and also, you know, just post more regularly.

After looking down through this show, I'm gonna recommend a few songs/albums/artists you should run out a buy stuff by like today.

Lucinda Williams - because her voice is among the best sounding things ever put to music.
Kings of Leon - because they make country-fied, rock 'n' roll that makes you think about all the things you love about music.
The Dollyrots - because they put the fun back in female-fronted punk.
The Charms - because they could have been just like The Dollyrots but they went in a different direction - think The Dollyrots crossed with Heart (early, good Heart).
Faulter - solid new emo.

Okay. That's that. Enjoy. Here's to more posting!

Dinosaur Jr. - Pick Me Up
Chumbawumba - By & By
Ry Cooder - Footprints In The Snow
Kings of Leon - Because Of The Times
Lucinda Williams - Fancy Funeral

(Beginning of CD)
Sia - Breathe Me
The Dollyrots - Watch Me Go (Kissed Me, Killed Me)
The Charms - LTD
Ben Folds - Bruised
Bright Eyes - Amy In The White Coat
*PSA - Adoption*
The Winks - Hope So
Relient K - Forgiven
Honkytonk Homeslice - Sweet Peach
Warren Haynes with Matt Abst - In My Life
John Popper with Warren Haynes - Alone
*Talk & Promo - Web*
Imperial Crowns - Restless Soul
Katchafire - Hey Girl (A Version)
Faulter - Eyes Like Stars
Dirty Faces - Punkin Pie
Aqualung - Somebody To Love (Queen) (Live)
The Breezeway - TV
Asono - She Loves L.A.
The Emergency - Hey Whoopy Cat
Papercuts - Just Another Thing To Dust
Mor - Save A Prayer (Duran Duran)
Martin Sexton - Marry Me
(End of CD)

The Little Ones - Cha Cha Cha

Working Together - 03/16/07

2007-03-16T19:16:00.000-04:00

Okay, so we played a lot of new stuff but we mixed in a bunch of stuff from my CDs as well.

New stuff
The Dollyrots: I totally [heart] this band. They're so much fun.
Son Volt: This was Steph's pick. She digs Son Volt more than I do but she didn't really dig this song too much.
Joe Stickley: I picked this for Steph because she loves Bob Dylan and this was from a compilation of Misourri artists covering Bob Dylan songs. This one wasn't as good as we'd hoped.
Artichoke: I picked this one and I can't remember what it was like. Musta been awesome, no?

Old stuff
Talking Heads: This whole album makes me remember mowing the lawn at the lake. I always used to put this on in my sweet, yellow Sports Walkman.
UB40: My cousin introduced me to this album when I was about 15. For the longest time I didn't even realize all the songs were covers.
Tom Petty & The Heatbreakers: I CANNOT get enough of Tom Petty. It's my American music.
Jaime Walters: EVERYONE who knows me knows of my love for ALL things 9-0.
Joey Ramone: This album was recorded right before he died and, for me, it's all the things that made my favorite Ramones songs my favorites.
Brandy with Monica: Brandy = yummy
David Gray: I saw his tour at The State when it came through and his drummer simply blows me away. I also totally dig the "dreamy atmosphere" of his songs.
R.E.M.: I'm getting more and more into R.E.M. every day.
Journey: Despite the newfound cache of popularity (which surprisingly didn't seem to come exclusively from The O.C.), Journey has always been one of my favorite bands. Personally, I like a little REO a little bit better.
Allman Brothers Band: I visited a girl I knew when she was at Bowdoin (Hi Kristen!) and we went skiing after what was my first real party (and first real hangover). The guy who tagged along was a BIG Allmans fan and after that weekend I was too.
Whitney Houston: Whitney is my all-time guilty pleasure. My love for her knows no bounds.
Christina Aguilera: Little X-Tina could be the next Whitney. If she'd only figure out who she is as a person.
Melanie C.: most people who know me know my love for all things "Spicey."
Bif Naked: Oh, Bif Naked. Where is your sophomore album. P.S. I loved you on "The Chris Isaak Show."
U2: This one is from one of the early albums (I can never keep straight what comes from what) which are, in my opinion, the only good ones. Pre-Joshua Tree for me, please.
Counting Crows: I'm not sure when it happened but I've become a Counting Crows fan.
Neil Young: I watched this Unplugged when it was on and I recorded it on tape in Ben Lefever's room at school. I listened to that tape a LOT before this was actually released.
Lou Rawls with Diane Reeves: This from the soundtrack to "That Old Feeling" (Bette Midler, Dennis Farina). I saw this movie at UMaine and when it was over, I ran down to the record store and bought a copy. It's that good.
Sarah Vaughn: Same as above.
The Spinners with Dionne Warwick: Who doesn't like the Spinners. I was gonna play, like, "Rubberband Man," but Steph likes The Spinners (and knows their music better than I do) so she picked. She picked this and it's a GEM.
Angie Stone: If Angie Stone could stop writing about such stupid topics - in one song she'd rather be pickin' up bottles than not be with her man - I'd like her a whole lot more. But when she's good, she's absolutely amazing.
Michael Jackson: King of Pop. For sure.
Al Green: Can't get enough of Al Green. EVER.

Enjoy.

The DollyRots - Nobody Wants U
Talking Heads - Pull Up the Roots
UB40 - Johnny Too Bad
Tom Petty - Shadow of Doubt
Jamie Walters - Hold
Son Volt - Highways and Cigarettes
Joe Stickley - You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Bob Dylan)
Artichoke - No Feelings
Joey Ramone - What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
Brandy with Monica - The The Boy is Mine
David Gray - Say Hello Wave Goodbye
R.E.M. - Gardening at Night
Journey - Faithfully
Allman Brothers Band - Sweet Melissa
Whitney Houston - Whatchulookinat
Christina Aguilera - Lovin Me 4 Me
Melanie C. - Gaga
Bif Naked - I Died
U2 - Scarlet
Counting Crows - Long December
Neil Young - Pocahontas
Lou Rawls with Diane Reeves - At Last (That Old Feeling soundtrack)
Sarah Vaughn - Embraceable You (That Old Feeling soundtrack)
The Spinners with Dionne Warwick - Then Came You
Angie Stone - No More Rain
Michael Jackson - PYT
Al Green - Hold On

Working Together - 03/02/07

2007-03-02T18:52:00.000-05:00

Okay, for this one we played all stuff from the "New Music Racks."

Since I'm doing this a "little" after the fact, I'm just gonna point out what I remember as being good enough to recommend.

Bikeride (fairly emo?), The New Lou Reeds (female-fronted, who knew?), Big D & The Kids Table (sorta ska-ish), Atlantics (very New Wave).

The rest (as far as I remember) were fairly "eh." There were some stinkers though but I can't exactly remember which ones they were (teitur, though, for sure.)

enjoy.

The Safes - Everybody In The World
Lucinda Williams - Mama You Sweet
Beirut - My Family's Role in the World Revolution
Anagram - Right Kind of Love
Besnard Lakes - Ride The Rails
Bikeride - A Dancer's Feet Are Not So Neat
Thunderbirds Are Now! - Sound Issues/Smart Ideas
Ladyfinger (NE) - Too Cool For School
The Kamikaze Hearts - You Can't Just Get Up And Leave
The Naysayer - I'm A Shark
teitur - Dont' Want You To Wake Up
Robert Wagner - Preacher Girl
The Shimmers - Here I Stand
Pere Ubu - Caroleen
Sparklehorse - Shade and Honey
The New Lou Reeds - I Am A Monster
These Arms Are Snakes - Subtle Body
Big D & The Kids Table - She's Lovely
Tokyo Police Club - If It Works
Cul de Sac - The Moon Scolds the Morning Star
Jeffrey & Jack Lewis - New Old Friends
Captain Fatass - Yellow Windows
The Comfies - Close To Me
John Gorka - I'm From New Jersey
Atlantics - I Need A Girl
Malajube - Montreal -40 degrees Celcius
Stars of Track & Field - Arithmatik
Weatherbox - Cowboy Mountain
Tony Furtado - Take Me to the Pilot (Elton John)
Brothers & Sisters - Sunday Living
Owen - Use Your Words
Blood Feathers - Origins

Working Together - 02.15.07

2007-02-18T11:18:00.000-05:00

Okay, I had to skip a couple of weeks because of car drama and a work-related trip to Boston for a conference. But upon my return, neither of my cohorts joined me. *sigh*

Anyway, mostly what I know and like with a few new rack songs thrown in (there's a requirement now - four per show which I don't have a problem with per se - I can do it - but one of these days, that's just not gonna fit in).

The ones I like the most:
Lyrical Lies, all Dashboard, all Jimmy Eat World - actually, I liked them all.

Kasey Chambers, The Kooks, The Charms and John Mayer were the new tracks. They were all good. I heard a song by The Kooks on some TV show (probably on the CW) but the one I played was not the one I'd heard. I'm gonna have to try again.

(started at 6:20)

Lyrical Lies - Cute Is What We Aim For
The Best Deceptions - Dashboard Confessional
Kill - Jimmy Eat World
*talk*
Fall Behind Me - The Donnas
Heart of the City (Ain't No Love) - Jay-Z (live from Unplugged)
I Don't Want You - The Ramones
I'm Nuthin' - Ethan Hawke (Reality Bites soundtrack)
Dangerous - Kasey Chambers
The Go-Go's - Fading Fast
Don't Need A Gun (Single Edit) - Billy Idol
*Talk & PSA-College*
Sofa Song - The Kooks
Living On A Thin Line - The Kinks (live from The Road)
Take A Look - Liz Phair
Brilliant Mind - Furniture (Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack)
Walking After Midnight - Patsy Cline
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - John Mayer
Me and My Friends - Red Hot Chili Peppers
My Friends - The Charms
A Sort of Homecoming - U2 (live from Wide Awake In America)
*Talk*
For Me This Is Heaven - Jimmy Eat World
If You Don't, Don't - Jimmy Eat World
Got To Give It Up - Aaliyah featuring Slick Rick
Sugar Sugar - Wilson Pickett
Break Myself - Something Corporate
Screaming Infidelities - Dashboard Confessional (live from Unplugged)
Closer - Jimmy Eat World

I apparently forgot to completely clean up after myself (see below):

[Hey dude, this is Marshall (10-midnight). You left this email open, silly person. You're welcome.]

Working Together - 02.02.07

2007-02-02T18:21:00.000-05:00

This week it was a more of what we know. I picked most of this stuff (The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, Common and Lady Sovereign) were courtesy of Katie.

We had a couple of requests. One guy wanted to hear either some Pink Floyd or some David Bowie. There was an odd assortment of both so we heard some of each and also a Pink Floyd electronica cover that I actually dug. Another guy wanted to hear some Arab Strap (He was also a DJ, I could tell because he described to me where it was in the station. Couldn't he have just waited and played it on his own show? He didn't even care which song because "they're all great.") And our last caller was a guy who was in the mood for some Cranberries.

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Crazy Baldheads
*Talk*
STYX - Renegade
The Donnas - Friends Like Mine
Concrete Blonde - Everybody Knows (Leonard Cohen) (Pump Up The Volume soundtrack)
The Pixies - Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf Mix) (Pump Up The Volume soundtrack)
*Talk*
Michael Franti & Spearhead - One Step Closer to You
Lady Sovereign - Love Me or Hate Me (Fu*k You!!!!) (clean)
Dashboard Confessional - Don't Wait (Single)
*PSA - High School Dropout Prevention*
David Bowie - I've Been Waiting For You
David Bowie - She'll Drive the Big Car
Pink Floyd - St. Tropez
Kinetika - Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun (Pink Floyd)
*Talk // Promo - Listen On-Line*
Prince - Alphabet Street
Beastie Boys - Get It Together (Cut off due to language)
Tears for Fears - Mad World
Scissor Sisters - Take Your Mama
Kasey Chambers - The Rain
Suzanne Vega - World Before Columbus
*Talk*
Jimmy Eat World - If You Dont, Don't
Something Corporate - Only Ashes
Dashboard Confessional - Best Deceptions (live)
*PSA - Adoption*
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
Yaz - Only You
Billy Idol - Catch My Fall
Go-Go's - This Town
Cranberries - Sunday (Edit)
Arab Strap - Turbulence [bis Remix Radio Edit]
Common - Testify

Working Together - 01/19/07

2007-01-19T17:55:00.000-05:00

Okay, so, for all of you loyal fans out there (and site tracker tells me there are as many as four of you), you'll be overjoyed to know that I recently got back into the swing at WRBC. While I haven't recorded any of the shows yet this semester, I have still been keeping track of what was played.

This show was pretty much all stuff from the new racks and almost all of it was good. The exceptions were: Gnarls Barkley, Matt Nathanson and Howie Day (Katie Bell selections) & Mark Mallman (one of my favorites) - these were all good but not new. And, Stacey Rock was new but definitely not good. A Hawk and A Hacksaw was very weird and instrumental and I wouldn't necessarily go out and buy it but if that's your thing, you might enjoy that. And I'd also give a thumbs down (sadly) to the Sean Lennon album. The rest of this stuff is pretty energetically approved by me.

Starlight Mints - Eyes of the Night (Van Wilder - Taj Soundtrack)
Dirty Pretty Things - Bang Bang You're Dead (acoustic)
*Talk - ID*
Lady Sovereign - Fiddle With The Volume
Rock Kills Kid - Turn My Camera On (The OC Mix - Vol. 6)
Robbers On High Street - Married Young
The Jennifers - Fell In A Hole
Hot Chip - Over & Over (cut off)
*Talk*
The Duhks - Three Fishers
Katchafire - Human Bonding
*Talk*
Tenacious D - Dude (I Totally Miss You) (The Pick of Destiny Soundtrack)
Gnarls Barkley - Go Go Gadget Gospel
*PSA - Energy Conservation*
Matt Nathanson - Lucky Boy
Bloc Party - This Modern Love
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
*Talk - Promo*
The Zutons - Oh Stacey (Look What You've Done)
The Radiators - Ace In the Hole
Foo Fighters - Times Like These
Sean Lennon - On Again, Off Again
Ray Lamontagne - Barfly
Mark Mallman - Better People Do It Better
Scream!Hello - White Skies and French Fries
*Talk*
A Hawk and A Hacksaw - The Way the Wind Blows
Ladyfinger (NE) - Too Cool for School
Ben Kweller - I Don't Know Why
Howie Day - Slow Down
Howie Day - Ghost
Stacy Rock - The Lifeline of Jim (cut off)
Maxeen - Stay
*PSA - Global Warming*
Brazilian Girls - Never Met a German
Cezanne - Two Wings To Fly

And Rick Comes In Again - 7/17/05

2005-07-19T14:58:00.000-04:00

Aaliyah - Got to Give It Up
The Chantays - Pipeline

CD1
The Sonnetts - Friday Nights
Cass McCombs - Bury Mary
Beatallica - Garage Day's Night
Kevin Kinney's Sun Tangled Angel Review - In the Land of Plenty
Harpswell Sound - A Bit Less
Eisley - I Wasn't Prepared
Petra Haden - Sunrise (The Who)
The Pubcrawlers - The Last Saskatchewan Pirate
Jim White - Done Got Old
Transcendence - All This Is Beginning to Feel Like an Ending
Nina Simone/The Postal Service - Little Girl Blue (Verve3)
Tori Amos - Ribbons Undone
Tim Miller - Southbound
(this got cut off because I hit the wrong button)
Thunderbirds Are Now! - Enough About Me, Let's Talk About Me
Heavy Trash - Justine Alright
Clem Snide - When We Become
Jessi Alexander - Reason to Run
Bratmobile - I'm In the Band
Aneuretical - Hampers Are Hideouts
Cyanide Valentine - Number Four
The White Stripes - White Moon
Vic Chesnutt - What Do You Mean?
Tom Principato & Danny Gatton - I'm On Fire
Eisley - Lost at Sea (single version)
Emperor X - Sfearion
*something I can't remember and I didn't write down*
Magnolia Electric Co. - The Dark Don't Hide It

A Little Help From A Friend - 7/10/05

2005-07-19T14:49:00.000-04:00

CD1
Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice (single version)
Dropkick Murphys - The Burden
Goldie Lookin' Chain - Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do (clean)
Curtis Mayfield - We People Darker Than Blue (live) (Dead Presidents soundtrack - Vol. 2)
Michelle Lewis - Never Cared for You
Ethan Hawke - I'm Nuthin' (Reality Bites soundtrack)
AC/DC - Ride On
The Frotus Caper - Hello Out There
The Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way (Wedding Singer soundtrack)
The Charms - Talk Is Cheap
Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman
Joan Armatrading - I'm Lucky
The Spinners - Rubberband Man
Will Smith - Gettin' Jiggy With It

Jessy Kendall - I'm Going to Stay in the My Way
Big Country - In a Big Country

CD2
Grateful Dead - If I Had the World to Give
Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall
The Giraffes - Man U
Jackson Browne - Rosie
Eric Clapton - Willie & The Hand Jive
The Cure - Hot, Hot, Hot
LL Cool J - I Want You
Salt & Pepa - My Mic Sounds Nice
Alicia Keys - If I Ain't Got You
Mando Diao - Annie's Angle
Mrs. Skanotto - My Girlfriend Doesn't Understand She's Still My Girlfriend
The Turpentine Bros. - Why Can't I Do?
The White Stripes - Forever Is Over for Me

A Little Break - 6/26/05

2005-07-19T14:00:00.000-04:00

CD1
John Lennon - It's So Hard (live)
Jason Spooner - People Like You
Pam Grier - Long Time Woman (Jackie Brown soundtrack)
Joan Armatrading - Weakness In Me
Madonna - Material Girl
Natalie Imbruglia - Wishing I Was There
John Mayer - 83
Aerosmith - Cryin'
White Lion - Wait
Cinderella - Don't Know What You Got 'Til It's Gone
Tom Petty - California (She's The One soundtrack)
B-52's - Bushfire
The Brothers Johnson - Get the Funk Out Ma Face
Prince - When Doves Cry

CD2
Jennifer Lopez - Promise Me You'll Try
The Ventures - Walk Don't Run
TLC - Lovesick
Ricky Fante - It's Over Now
Frank Sinatra - Young at Heart
Led Zeppelin - What Is and What Should Never Be
X - I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts
The Charms - Need Your Love
Peter Gabriel - Kiss of Life
The Fixx - One Thing Leads to Another
Janet Jackson - Escapade
Britney Spears - From the Bottom of My Broken Heart
Natalie Merchant - Cowboy Romance
Booker T & The MGs - Hip Hug Her
Col. Bruce Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit - Basically Frightened
The White Stripes - White Moon
Berlin - No More Words (live)

Back on the Air - 6/12/05

2005-07-19T13:53:00.000-04:00

Okay, I've been very lax about writing this blog (and, frankly, even more lax about writing the other one). Want this to change. But I'm not sure how. I've been less than excited to go to my radio show since the start of the summer schedule and I'm trying to figure out why. My thoughts have led me to realize that I am not particularly "jazzed" about any one kind of music right now. There's no huge New Wave/Punk nostalgia trip getting me all psyched to buy music and to play it. Old school rap is still all good but I'm not as hyped about it as I am sometimes. Lately I've been somewhat into solo singer/songwriter stuff. Everything from Ryan Adams to alt-country (and some might argue actual country - this is a shock to my system) like Kasey Chambers and Jessi Alexander. I'm also a pretty big Something Corporate fan these days. That being said and also being what I'm into right now, it's not enough to get my all excited for radio. And it shouldn't be. So, I'm trying to fix this but it might take some time.

On this list, things that rock and that you should run right to your local, locally-owned record store and buy right now are:

The Charms - This Boston-based band fronted by two females and comprised of two more guys will rock your socks off. Kind of like The Donnas, but with far less polish than even some of their early stuff.
The White Stripes - Their newest album, "Get Behind Me Satan," is not as guitar and rock-heavy as their last couple but the songwriting has gotten as much better as their recent influences are obvious.
Dashboard Confessional - I prefer my emo to be a bit more whiny than screamo and this falls far short of true screamo but sometimes I find it too loud for my taste. But anyone who needs to hear a band they might not have given a fair chance to should pick up at least one album by these guys.
The Violent Femmes - The classic Femmes album has been remastered. With a whole extra disc of demos and out-takes, this high school classic has been given a new, and entirely deserved, life.
Jennyanykind - Not the best band in the world (and I'd be surprised if you could even find too much of their stuff out there) but I had to mention this band because I think this is possibly the best band name I've ever heard.
Kasey Chambers - Yes, I am STILL ranting about this girl. She just blows me away.
Say Hi To Your Mom - These guys played in Austin at SXSW. I didn't see them but they were on my list. Just not at the top.
Patsy Cline - This is what I'm talking about. I've been listening to a lot of Patsy Cline lately. And while that's not bad, it sure isn't going to make anyone particularly excited to do much beyond get really drunk.
Michael Jackson - I'm only gonna say this a few more times, Michael may be a creepy guy but he isn't a total perv either. By being robbed of his childhood in favor of the almighty dollar, Michael missed out on something he can never do over. He is doing whatever is in his power to help make sure other kids get things he never did. And while he probably does a few inappropriate things (like sleep-overs period much less sleep-overs in his room (which, it's probably worth remembering, is MUCH larger than most houses anyone I've ever known has walked through) but I don't really believe he is anything more than the target for opportunistic parents looking to take advantage of a very generous guy.
Prince - Another weirdo but a total musical genius. Everything he's ever done, I like.
Bon Jovi - This band has been experiencing a major renaissance in my computer. Only stuff up to and including Slippery When Wet though.
Common - I put this in because it was the end of my show - which means, if I put in something from the station, I can just take off and let the next guy put it away - and I've heard all kinds of good stuff about this guy. It's all true. This was way better than I expected and was catchy and conscious all at the same time.

It's time for the list. Are you ready? I think maybe. It's down below.

The Charms - Gimme That Shot
The White Stripes - Take, Take, Take
Dashboard Confessional - Bend & Not Break
Jackopierce - Along for the Ride
Violent Femmes - Gone Daddy Gone
The Dead Milkmen - Swordfish
Jackopierce - Iron John
June - Genius
Macy Gray - Caligula
Big Brother & The Holding Company - Call On Me
The Slickers - Johnny Too Bad (The Harder They Come soundtrack)
Jennyanykind - When the Sun Shines Down on the Average People
Puffy Ami Yumi - Love So Pure
Grace Jones - Love Is the Drug (Roxy Music)
Johnny Taylor - We're Getting Careless With Our Love
Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
Buckwheat Zydeco - You Looking for Me?
Kasey Chambers - Follow You Home
Say Hi To Your Mom - I Think I'll Be A Good Ghost
The Jessica Fletchers - Bloody 70's Love
Daniel Johnston - Foxy Girl
Reggie & The Full Effect - The Trooth
Patsy Cline - Walking After Midnight
Michael Jackson - Human Nature
Prince - When Doves Cry
Bon Jovi - Lay Your Hands On Me
Josie Cotton - Johnny Are You Queer?
Fine Young Cannibals - Good Thing
Common - GO!

Working Together - 6/5/05

2005-07-10T10:11:00.001-04:00

Okay, It sure has been a while and I've got a few of these playsheets lying around just waiting for me to type them in. So, today you get one and then I'll put the other two in (and the one I'll make today) before next week's show. I promise to return to form and get back on top of this.

This one was from a few weeks ago. The highlight would be the Nina Simone three-for, the two Hank covers, Mark Mallman, Petra Haden's cover of The Who song and the Dinah Washington song remixed by DJ Danger Mouse.

Beyond that, I liked what was played. I mean, of course I did since I played it. There weren't any really big surprises and it was a solidly good show. Hopefully we'll get some of that luck again tonight.

Well, I know I wasn't too chatty today but I will be later. Don't you want to see the playlist? I know I would want to if I were you. So, look at it. Really. It's right down there. Under here.

Joan Armatrading - Weakness In Me
Nina Simone - Nobody's Fault But Mine
Nina Simone - Another Spring
Nina Simone - Compassion
X- You
The Donnas - Fall Behind Me
Jessi Alexander - Run Right Back To You
Janet Jackson - Escapade
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mystery Girl
Spoon - My Mathematical Mind
Ricky Fante - It Ain't Easy
Keb Mo - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (Hank Williams)
Tom Petty - You've Gotta Change (Or I'm Gonna Leave) (Hank Williams)
The Dears - Heaven Have Mercy
Garbage - Why Do You Love Me
Dinah Washington & DJ Danger Mouse - Baby Did You Hear Me (Verve Remixed 3)
Millie Jackson - A little Taste Of Outside Lovin'
The Spinners - I'll Be Around
Something Corporate - Me & The Moon
Blue Room - Cry Like This (Some Kind Of Wonderful soundtrack)
Petra Haden - I Can See For Miles
Kasey Chambers - More Than Ordinary
Mark Mallman - I Just Want To Play Piano
Little Milton - I'll Be
Kasey Chambers - Pony
Blind Boys of Alabama - Run On For A Long Time
Ryan Adams - Let It Ride
Angie Stone - Come Home (Live With Me)
Sade - Keep Working
Parliament/Funkadelic - If Anyone's Gonna Get Funked Up (It's Gonna Be You)

Working Together - 6/5/05

2005-07-10T10:11:00.000-04:00

Here It Is - 5/16/05

2005-05-17T01:26:00.000-04:00

I showed up for today's radio show an hour early by mistake. When it was a little before three, I was getting ready to go (since I'd been there for two hours already) and I looked up at the clock and noticed that it was only three. Which meant I had a whole hour left to go.

There's a lot of good stuff here.

Things I played for the first time and liked:
X, Blondie, Mary J. Blige, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Dana & Susan Robinson, Sade, Thelma Houston

The Randy Crawford with Eric Clapton and David Sanborn was a new one to me too but it wasn't as good as I'd hoped.

Everything else I'd heard before.

Have you? Look at the list. No, really, look at the list.

CD1

X - My Goodness
Blondie - Slow Motion
Soul Kid #1 - More Bounce In California (Win A Date With Tad Hamilton soundtrack)
Christina Aguilera makes a joke (2004 Grammy Awards)
Christina Aguilera - Beautiful (live from the 2004 Grammy Awards with Introduction by Queen Latifah)
The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) (Dead Presidents soundtrack Vol. II)
Randy Crawford with Eric Clapton and David Sanborn - Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cross-Tie Walker
Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Mary J. Blige - Crazy Games
Big Brother & The Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin - Blindman
Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out For A Hero (Footloose soundtrack)
Big Head Todd & The Monsters - Tomorrow Never Comes
Genesis - Man On The Corner
Suzanne Vega - No Cheap Thrill
Dana & Susan Robinson - Red Rocking Chair
Sade - Haunt Me

CD2

The Kinks - Come Dancing (live from The Road)
Smoking Popes - I Need You Around (Clueless soundtrack)
Dana & Susan Robinson - The Cuckoo
John Mellencamp - Pink Houses
Counting Crows - Long December
Rick Springfield - I've Done Everything For You
Sammy Davis Jr. - The Goin's Great (live from The Rat Pack - Boys Night Out)
Thelma Houston - It's Just Me Feelin' Good
James Brown - Gonna Have A Funky Good Time (live from When We Were Kings soundtrack)
The Beach Boys - I Get Around
Rod Stewart - Handbags And Gladrags
Van Morrisson - T.B. Sheets

Not on a CD

10,000 Maniacs - Gun Shy
Millie Jackson - Cheatin'
Millie Jackson - If You're Not Back In Love On Monday
Kelly Clarkson - Beautiful Disaster (live from Breakaway)
Toots & The Maytals with Ben Harper and Jack Johnson - Pressure Drop (live from Saturday Night Live)
Toots & The Maytals with The Roots & Bootsie Collins - Funky Kingston (live from Saturday Night Live)
Sam & Dave - When Something Is Wrong With My Baby (from Dead Presidents soundtrack Vol. II)
Curtis Mayfield - We People Darker Than Blue (live version) (from Dead Presidents soundtrack Vol. II)
Zapp - Computer Love

Been A While - 5/9/05

2005-05-14T09:36:00.000-04:00

I guess the show title was more prophetic than I knew. I called it "Been A While" becuase I hadn't done a show for a couple of weeks. But now that it's the following Monday and I still haven't actually posted this yet, it seems even more appropriate. So, to that end, I'll post. I was trying to make it just a random mix of songs. Stuff I like. And it sort of turned out that way but not quite as cohesively as I might have liked (this week's is going about the same, just so you know).

Anyway, either way, I dig 'em. Do you? Check out the list below.

CD1
The Donnas - Mama's Boy
Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself
Journey - Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion
New York Dolls - Lookin' For A Kiss
The Strokes - Last Night
Tiffany - I Think We're Alone Now
Lone Justice - Ways To Be Wicked
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Cities In Dust
Warren Zevon - Werewolves Of London
Queen - I Want It All
Elton John - Madman Across The Water
James Taylor - Steamroller
(totally forgot he says "motherfucking" right at the end of this song)
Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy
Sparks - Angst In My Pants
The Ramones - Chinese Rock
(this one says "bitch" several times and I'm not sure that that's a bad thing)

CD2
Blues Traveler - Alone (live from Live From The Fall)
Meatloaf - Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad
Van Halen - Jump
Michael Jackson - Pretty Young Thing
Wilson Pickett - Don't Let The Green Grass Throw You
Joan Armatrading - Me Myself I
(played a little of Michael Jackson "Lady In My Life" by mistake before this one)
Styx - Renegade
Duran Duran - Union Of The Snake
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - I Hate Myself For Loving You
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Even The Losers
Kasey Chambers - Paper Aeroplanes

Quickie

2005-04-22T13:13:00.000-04:00

Just trying to fix something.

And I'll post this little mix I made recently.

Everyday People - Joan Jett
Simply In The Distance - Mark Mallman
Une Année Sans Lumiere - The Arcade Fire
My Love Is Like Woah (remix) - Mya featuring Missy Elliott
Fading Fast - The Go-Go's
Scalped - Dick Dale & The Del-Tones
Hello - Lionel Richie
Israeli Folk Song in 5/4 Time - Nina Simone
Sex Is On My Mind - Blulight
Miss America - Something Corporate
King for a Day - XTC
Ask Me to Dance - The Dead Milkmen
Rainbow Connection - Kermit the Frog
Walking In The Rain (stereo) - Ronettes
Do What You Want, Be What You Are - The Dramatics
Comme Un Boomerang - Dani & Daho
Little Girl Blue - Nina Simone
Visions - Stevie Wonder
Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
The End Of An Act - Team America: World Police
I'll See You In My Dreams- Chet Atkins/Mark Knopfler

Whatever - 04/18/05

2005-04-20T03:03:00.000-04:00

Well, well, well, this week's so was a four hour block (the Batesies are on break so there were tons of open spots and I took the one right before my regular show - I'll be doing it again this coming Monday (from noon until 4 p.m.) so feel free to tune in and if you want to make requests (although I can't garauntee I'll play them) you can call the station at 777-7915 or 777-7916 or, as long as the computer in the studio is working, I'm usually checking my work e-mail address (jrathbun@sunjournal.com) constantly or you can call my cellular phone at 577-7558 - that should be enough ways for everyone to get anything said that they want to say).

For this week's show, I went back to new racks again (I'll be doing that again this coming Monday as well), this time picking from the 5th and 6th shelves (hopefully next week I'll make it through most of 2, 3 and 4). The show went pretty well but the computer was down so I'm typing all of this in right now. I'm not sure I'll get the breaks in the CDs just right but I'll do my best.

This week, I'm only going to the good and the bad. And I'll leave out all the stuff I'd heard before. The U2 was because a friend of mine just won tickets on 97.9 to see U2 in concert in Seattle this weekend (how awesome is that?). I also played Kasey Chambers, The Donnas, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Daniel Johnston, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, M.I.A. and Living Colour because they were in the racks. And Neutral Milk Hotel (from my iPod, thank you very much) because someone called and requested it.

The Good:
Hot Hot Heat (the label review said that they just missed being Franz Ferdinand and I think the review was right and wrong - right because they do sound somewhat like them and wrong because, in general, this is just better), 2 Hour Parking (I actually liked the second song better than the first but had I just played the first one, they'd still be on this list), Lynn Paul Jr. (straight up barroom rock 'n' roll), Todd Fraud (singer/songwriter but a bit more rock than the usual breed), Flunk (catchy girl-fronted pop), Son, Ambulance (typical sort of mellow/sort of rock-ish), Wes McDonald (the label review said it was singer/songwriter and it was - and also a little average - but it had an odd lilt that has stuck with me), Iron & Wine (last week I said I didn't get all the hype, this week I do), Brice (just nice mellow pop-y folk-y kind of stuff), Heavy Sleeper (this band rocked out in a heavy Duran Duran kind of way - at least that's what I remember), Jennifer Gentle (the cover art was pretty wild but the music was pop-y and pleasant), Jason Anderson (this song is still stuck in my head), Reckless Kelly (despite a pretty terrible name this song, like the title implies, haunts me still) and Tim Booth (sappy singer/songwriter stuff - but that's how I like it).

The Bad:
The Gripweeds, Luna, Sons & Daughters, Head Automatic, The Breeze Way, Parchman Farm, Anubian Lights, The Salem Lights, Codetta, Four Volts, The Silver State, Hank & Ruth and Pilot Scott Theory (these bands might not be all bad but they weren't that good either.

CD1
U2 - 4th of July
U2 - Bad
Z-Trip featuring Chuck D - Shock & Awe
The Doves - Almost Forgot Myself
Hot Hot Heat - You Owe Me An IOU
The Gripweeds - Astral Man
Die Manitr Batts (Dive Monica Beats) - Pausing The Panty Scenes (Menopausing: The No Panty Years)
The Donnas - Out Of My Hands
2 Hour Parking - Staring At The Ceiling
Zap Mama - Ca Varie Varie
Zap Mama - Alright
The Safes - Dead & Gone
2 Hour Parking - Drag Me Down
Lynn Paul Jr. - Hollywood Blonde Tattoo
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Little Dawn

CD2
Seedy Gonzalez - Just Killing Time (Before Time Kills Me)
Luna - Still At Home
Sons & Daughters - Start To End
Dallas Orbiter - 73rd & Something
Jarvis Humby - 99 Steps To The Sun
Head Automatic - King Caesar
Todd Fraud - It's Never As Bad As That
Gordon Gano - Impossible Love (Daniel Johnston)
Daniel Johnston - Impossible Love
The Breeze Way - Take Five Minutes
Flunk - Six Seven Times
Daniel Johnston - Living Life
Son, Ambulance - Entropy
Son, Ambulance - Paper Snowflakes
Parchman Farm - Say Yeah
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - If Love Is The Drug
M.I.A. - Galang (clean)
The Peels - I Don't Know
Anubian Lights - Lady Berlin
Action Action - Eighth Grade Summer Romance
The Stepbrothers - I'll Have Another
Wes McDonald - Pirate Fish
Kasey Chambers - Pony

CD3
Iron & Wine - Freedom Hangs Like Heaven
The Salem Lights - Barefoot In The Bathroom
Codetta - Slow Drip Nightmare
Brice - True Love
John McLaughlin - Already In
Living Color - Solace Of You (live from Live From CBGB's)
Heavy Sleeper - Nothin' New
Four Volts - Didn't You Used To Be Invisible (Daddio Nipple remix)
Neutral Milk Hotel - Engine (by request)
Downtown - Fallen Angel
The Silver State - Sunday A.M.
Hank & Ruth - Sun Burn Brighter
Jennifer Gentle - Circles Of Sorrow
Jason Anderson - Theory & Practice
Reckless Kelly - Nobody Haunts Me Like You
Tim Booth - Love Hard
Pilot Scott Theory - Any City

All New (at least to me) - 04/11/05

2005-04-12T13:04:00.000-04:00

Okay, for today's show I went back to the racks of new stuff to find things I should be listening to. I pulled a bunch of the ones with stars (which mean that not only are they new, but that the people (or at least one person) who listen to them think they're good too) and then I jumped down to the bottom shelf (of six or seven shelves) which is the stuff that is still new but it's the oldest of the new stuff and will be rotated out when a new shelf worth of stuff is ready to be put out. In making my picks I use several factors. The archivists (the people who listen to the new discs before they go on the shelves) write little (usually a sentence or less) reviews on the label stickers and offer R.I.Y.L. (recommended if you like) comments and tracks they thought were good as well as whether or not it is FCC acceptable to be played during daytime hours. Sometimes, when I've been doing my show this way for a while, I can tell what I'll like just by who wrote the review and how much they liked it. I also judge by band name, cover art, band name logo and band name and album title font choice and song titles. It's a very scientific process.

But to get to the good stuff, let's move on. Since it was all new stuff and thus stuff I hadn't heard before (or at least very much of, in some cases), I'll be doing the "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" listings.

The Really, Really Good:
Kelly Buchanan, The Peels, The Wonder Stuff, The Sixfifteens, The Go-Betweens

This was all really good stuff. Solid, driving rock 'n' roll. The Kelly Buchanan was like angst-y, girl-fronted rock. The Peels just rocked. As did The Sixfifteens. The Wonder Stuff was a bit lighter but catchy as all get out. The Go-Betweens was a reissue sampler of past stuff. I really dug it.

The Good:
Karmella's Game, The Phenomenauts, Cheating Kay, The Organ, Miss TK & The Revenge, The Last Conservative, Grey Does Matter, Mates Of State, Dynamite Boy

I was surprised by the sound of Karmella's Game. I'm not sure what I had expected but the rocking, guitar-driven music was not it. The Phenomenauts was this really neat rockabilly sounding stuff. All based around space. It was really surprising. The Organ was a little lighter than I thought it was going to be, but in an "air-y" kind of way. I'm not sure what I thought Miss TK & The Revenge was going to be but it turns out to be synth-y kind of pop. I liked it. The Last Conservative was catchy. Grey Does Matter was abou the same. Which was what I was in the mood for. I'd heard the Mates of State cover before. It's just as good as I remembered it. Dynamite Boy was what I played instead of a request. The guy wanted to hear Dynamite Hack. Dynamite Boy was pretty good though. Average guy pop-punk.

The Pretty Good:
Kasabian, The Rosebuds, The Decemberists, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Iron & Wine, Allison Krause & Union Station, Louis XIV, Love Tractor, Kristy Hawkshaw, The Crimea, Cantinero

Every review I've read of Kasabian rips on them but I find their sound to be unique, at least at times, and I think they've got a good thing going there. The Rosebuds was early in the show and while they were good, they fell behind as better stuff came along. The Decemberists are coming to Portland in May. I plan to go. Hopefully I come around on the band a little bit. Handsome Boy Modeling School is one of those groups that all the hipsters dig and, frankly, I've never really seen why. Sure this album had some really creative guest appearances but it did very little for me as music. I expect better and am constantly disappointed. I'd heard a ton about Iron & Wine and upon listening, while I liked it, found it to be a bit lackluster. I should really love Allison Krause & Union Station. I cannot for the life of me figure out why I don't. Louis XIV played in Austin while we were down there (actually so did about a third of the bands I played today - The Peels, Love Tractor, The Crimea, The Books, for instance). I didn't see them then and I'm now glad I didn't make too much effort. Love Tractor, however, I did see in Austin. Not how I remembered them but it was the end of the night and the end of the week, so I was pretty dead. I love "Nip/Tuck," but I didn't love Kristy Hawkshaw. Kind of Kylie Minogue-lite. The Crimea were just not as good as their hype. Good but not great. The Cantinero song was catchy and all but it really didn't stand out. Kind of like the wallflower of the bunch.

The Really-Not-Too-Bad-But-Just-Not-Very-Good:
Little Barrie, Anders Parker, Githead, Mae, Damien Dempsy

Little Barrie was just unexcitingly like all the rest. But not quite as good. Anders Parker was billed as an alt-country journeyman but if so, I can see why he's never had great success. Githead featured a guy from Wire. I don't think it was the most talented guy from Wire though. Honestly, I didn't really give Mae a fair shot (see below) but I wasn't too impressed with the first 30 seconds or so. Damien Dempsy was billed as an Irish singer/songwriter and he sure was, which is not something I really dig.

The Really Bad:
Minus Story, The Books, The Kills, Arkade

Minus Story was kind of disonant and not catchy at all. But still better than (albeit just slightly) The Books. This was hardly music. And for that matter so was The Kills. I meant to play a different song but this is what I ended up playing. And it wasn't too good. The Arkade wasn't too bad (it could be on the list above this) it just paled in comparison to some of the better stuff.

The Doesn't-Count-Because-I-Knew-I-Liked-It-Because-I-Own-It-And-Have-Listened-To-It-A-Hundred-Times:
Kasey Chambers - If you read my blog at all you know I'm in love with this girl and her voice.

The Pleasant Surprise:
Green Jelly - This one was a request and, since apparently I had them confused with the purveyors of that abominable "Everything About You" song (Ugly Kid Joe), I was not looking forward to it. But it was good. Solid hair-metal rock. I'd listen to more. Big surprise. Seriously.

Kasabian - Running Battle
The Rosebuds - El Camino
The Decemberists - We Both Go Down Together
Handsome Boy Modeling School featuring Pharrell Williams & Julee Cruise - Class System

CD1
Iron & Wine - Gray Stables
     (started the CD-R a bit into the song)
Kasey Chambers - More Than Ordinary
     (played a little of Follow You Home and then switched)
Allison Krause & Union Station - Crazy As Me
*Talk*
Minus Story - Misery Is A Ship
The Books - If Not Now, Whenever
Kelly Buchanan - Letter In Your Mailbox
Black Lipstick - Viva Max
Louis XIV - All The Little Pieces
Love Tractor - Another One
Kristy Hawkshaw - Just Be Me (Nip/Tuck soundtrack)

*Talk - PSA - Wildlife Land Trust*
The Peels - I Only Miss You When You're Gone
The Wonder Stuff - Better Get Ready For A Fistfight

CD2
The Sixfifteens - Since Yesterday
The Kills - Now Wow
Arkade - Theodore [Heart]'s Rainclouds
Karmella's Game - In Spite Of Karl
Little Barrie - Be The One
The Phenomenauts - Welcome Back
Anders Parker - Something New
*Talk*
Githead - 12 Buildings
Mae - This Time Is The Last Time (Wave remix)
     (I mistakenly switched the track knob on this one just after it started and decided to just move on)
The Go-Betweens - A Little Romance
Damien Dempsy - Apple Of My Eye
Tina DiGeorge - Steal
The Crimea - Bombay Sapphire Coma
Cheating Kay - You Take The Words Away
Canitnero - That Guy
Neko Case - Soulful Shade of Blue (Buffy Ste. Marie)
*Talk - By Request*
Green Jelly - Carnage Rules (request)
The Organ - There Is Nothing I Can Do
Miss TK & The Revenge - Nowhere To Go
The Last Conservative - Anything But Goodbye
Grey Does Matter - Already All Ready
Mates Of State - Starman (David Bowie)
*Talk - Promo - Web*
Dynamite Boy - Man Of The Year

No new show this week

2005-04-05T14:05:00.000-04:00

Since I was sick this weekend and yesterday, I went to work but did very little else. Sadly this included not going to my radio show. I know, I know. I can hear the uproar from here. You are all so very sad.

But, ye of little faith, I'll post a little list of a recent CD I burned for a guy at work since he has given me about 25 of those Pepsi caps good for free songs on iTunes. This mix was burned using songs I've downloaded from iTunes only. Nothing from LimeWire or from my CDs or from songs I've gotten from other people. Just iTunes. I did get two cards for free downloads of specific songs from specific bands (Original Sinners and Louis XIV) while I was Austin and these both made the mix (I think).

Since it was a Mix CD, I didn't do Kenzie's list. Sorry Kenz. But this isn't too bad.

Here goes. You know the drill, look below, you'll see the list.

Oh Atlanta - Little Feat
My City Was Gone - Pretenders
Who's Laughin' Now? - Original Sinners
Make Me Whole - Amel Larrieux
Jeepster (Single/LP Version) - T. Rex
Green Grass - Big Audio Dynamite II
Eleanor - Low Millions
Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up - LCD Soundsystem
Worn Me Down- Rachael Yamagata
A Pirate Looks at Forty (iTunes Originals Version) - Jack Johnson
Walk This Way - Macy Gray
Cuyahoga - R.E.M.
Bitchin' Camaro (Live on WXPN) (recorded at 88.5 WXPN Philadelphia) - The Dead Milkmen
She Caught the Katy and Left Me a Mule to Ride - Taj Mahal
Shoot Your Gun - 22-20s
Before Three (live) - The Cure
Forty - John Eddie
Los Angeles - X
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf Mix) - Pixies
Overnight Celebrity - Twista

Another Rainy Day - 3/28/05

2005-03-29T10:44:00.000-05:00

Okay, so Monday was a rainy day and as most people who know me know (they might not realize they know but they do) on rainy days I'm often inclined to play a mixture of soul and R&B. I'm not sure why rain makes me want to do this but it does and who am I to fight that inclination?

It had been so long since I'd done one of these shows that I didn't dig too deeply into the albums and pretty much stuck with the hits. I played mostly older stuff but some new stuff and a couple I hadn't listened to yet (Marvin Gaye's live version of What's Going On was new to me).

I know I should make a little effort to explain a few of these choices but I think they speak for themselves really. Oh...okay, but just a few...

There is no one more funky than Prince and therefor there is no funkier way to start the show.

Al Green has a new album out and I hear it's a little less great than last year's but still a little less great for Al Green is still one of the best things out there.

I know it's not very cool to dig Christina Aguilera for her talent but that girl can sing. And this is a sweet little song.

I'm still raving about this Ricky Fante disc. If you like old soul, this disc is practically can't miss. His voice is like something from another era.

I was first introduced to the song Johnny Too Bad by Mary when she brought UB40's Labour of Love to camp one summer. That album has been a staple in my record/tape/cd collection ever since. This is the original from The Harder They Come soundtrack.

I once dated a girl whose last name was Jones. And then she got married. I never dated her while she was married and even so her last name wasn't Jones at that point either. She was a sweet girl though. Now she's a mother of two and lives in Baltimore and is happily married - again.

Midnight Train to Georgia is one of those perfect songs. It goes on just long enough. It is as sweet and bittersweet as it should be to tell its story. And Gladys Knight's pipes give it just the right amount of emotion.

This Tracy Chapman song is not the "hit" from the album (that would be "Fast Car") but frankly there's not a song on this album that falls short.

I still think Res's They-Say Vision should have been a much bigger hit. But then again, I think Angie Stone should be a household name. There was a little article-let in EWeekly a couple weeks ago about why people like Angie Stone don't get the recognition they deserve. The writer boiled it down to hooks over talent. Makes sense but still it sucks.

I bought a bunch of these Motown collection cds once and they really are great early year showcases. The Four Tops, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Jr. Walker and The All-Stars, The Jackson 5 and a few others. Motown was the best era in music. So many truly wonderful songs all came out of a simpler time.

I was intrigued by this Nina Simone that Bridget Fonda's character kept talking about in Point of No Return (a movie I don't particularly like but can't seem to not watch every once in a while) so I checked her stuff out one day. Blown away is the only way to describe what I felt. I listened to the disc like four times in a row. Nina's Choice. I've now expanded my Nina knowledge and as anyone who knows her music will tell you, it's haunting and beautiful and strong and sweet. It's everything everyone always said music could and should be.

Okay, that's it...more next week...now look at the list.

CD1
Prince & The New Power Generation - Eye Wanna Melt With U
Wilson Pickett - Land of 1,000 Dances
Al Green - Here I Am (Come And Take Me)
Curtis Mayfield - Freddie's Dead
(this one skipped near the end so I had to cut it short)
Christina Aguilera - Lovin' Me 4 Me
Whitney Houston - Exhale (Shoop Shoop) (Waiting To Exhale soundtrack)
Millie Jackson - Lovin' Your Good Thing Away
Kelly Clarkson - Since You've Been Gone
Ricky Fante - I Let You Go
The Spinners - I'll Be Around
Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes - If You Don't Know Me By Now
The Slickers - Johnny Too Bad (The Harder They Come soundtrack)
Bill Withers - Kissing My Love
The Dramatics - Me & Mrs. Jones

CD2
Richie Havens - What About Me
The Grass Roots - Midnight Confessions (Jackie Brown soundtrack)
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train To Georgia
Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You
Angie Stone - No More Rain (In This Cloud)
Res - They-Say Vision
Sade - No Ordinary Love (live from Lovers Live)
Rufus & Chaka Khan - Sweet Thing (live from R&B LIVE! Essentials)
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion
The Four Tops - Reach Out, I'll Be There
The Temptations - Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
Diana Ross - Love Hangover (extended longplay club version)
Nina Simone - Do What You Gotta Do
*Talk*
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (live from What's Going On - Deluxe Edition: Disc 2 - Live at the Kennedy Center - May 1, 1972)

First Day Back - 3/21/05

2005-03-22T12:55:00.000-05:00

Okay, so today was my first day back from vacation and I was so not completely into doing my radio show (check out the end of the list). Which is kind of lame I know but 8 or 9 days (I'm not even really sure how long I was gone - how sad is that?) away from home will do that to you.

Anyway, I started the show with Finley Quaye as I almost always do now and then moved into my plan of playing all stuff I'd heard while I was drinking my way down 6th Street in Austin at the South By Southwest Film & Music Festival.

Well, I had my little list in hand I wandered around the studio looking for bands to play. I found Daniel Johnston and more Cracker. Not a very good showing. I'm going to have to look around a bit harder at the studio and download a few I think.

But for the most part CD1 is stuff I saw at the festival. And before you get all excited and say "Holy crap, Jason. Are you telling me X reunited?" I didn't see X (although both Exene and John Doe were in town for seperate shows), I only saw Exene and her new band Original Sinners. But I didn't have any of that stuff for my show. And I also saw Magnapop (see CD2) one night.

I will also - in the next couple of weeks - do a couple of shows of stuff I wanted to see at SXSW but didn't get to for one reason or another.

Enjoy the list.

Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
The Rezillos - Glad All Over

CD1
X - A Country At War
(missed a little at the beginning)
X - You Wouldn't Tell Me
X - Drawn In The Dark
Cracker - Sunday Train
The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black - There's So Many Things That I Can Do
M.I.A. - M.I.A.
Daniel Johnson - Girl of My Dreams
The Donnas - Friends Like Mine
The Donnas - Have You No Pride
Pretty Girls Make Graves - All Medicated Geniuses
The Raveonettes - Love Can Destroy Everything
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
Billy Idol - White Wedding

CD2
Smoosh - It's Not Your Day To Shine
(missed a little at the beginning)
X - Once Over Twice
Jason Spooner - Big Black Hole
Cracker - Let's Go For A Ride
Magnapop - Come On Inside
A few Kasey Chambers tunes
Two Trains by Little Feat

Get Ready (SXSW2005 mix) - 3/7/05

2005-03-08T07:57:00.000-05:00

Okay, so today's show was supposed to be primarily songs by bands playing at this year's South By Southwest festival, which is where I will be taking my first vacation of the year beginning Saturday. But, being as scatter-brained as I am, I knew I couldn't stick to that totally so I included some other stuff as well. Which was all well and good. It worked pretty well. In the lists below (yes) = at SXSW and (no) = not at SXSW.

The Good:
Leonard Cohen (no), Bloc Party (yes), UTFO (no), M.I.A. (no), MC Lyte (no), Taj Mahal (no), The Dears (yes), The Gourds (yes), Hot Hot Heat (yes), The Raincoats (yes), Too Short (no), Dick Dale & His Del-Tones (no), Rezillos (yes), Otis Day & The Knights (yes), Millie Jackson (no), Ryan Adams (no), Tyler Hilton & Bethany Joy Lenz (no)

The So-So:
LCD Soundsystem (yes), Kasey Chambers (no), Aimee Mann (yes), Blessid Union of Souls (yes), Amel Larrieux (no)

The Not-So-Good:
The Juliana Theory (yes), John Frusciante (no), Melissa Ferrick (yes), The Slits (no), Ely Guerra (no), The Rev. Horton Heat (no)

I played Leonard Cohen - "Everybody Knows" as an homage to the Christian Slater 80s classic "Pump Up The Volume."
For some reason I thought The Juliana Theory was a female-fronted band. It's not. And for some reason this disappointed me - a lot.
I've been reading a lot about LCD Soundsystem and while some of the praise is justified, this tune falls a bit short of the hype.
Bloc Party - "Banquet" is a good song. The whole album is actually pretty good. I will be seeing them (if it doesn't interfere with my mission to see The Donnas).
UTFO - "Bite It" is an old school rap classic. And everybody knows I'm all about classic rap.
That John Frusciante song was all instrumental and wasn't bad but I wanted there to be words - and there usually are.
Kasey Chambers - "True Colors" was just not as great as the original. As much as I like the New Zealand cutie's voice, there's just no need to cover Cyndi Lauper tunes.
Everyone is raving about M.I.A. and I agree. Check her out. It's rap and it's political and it's good. Really good (when you say that you should think John Cusack and Jack Black discussing the "skate punks'" band in "High Fidelity.")
My sister loves Melissa Ferrick and I just don't get it. It's like upbeat - without the hardcore lesbianism - Ani DiFranco.
Taj Mahal gives a great rendition of "She Caught The Katy..." I always think of this song in terms of the Blues Brothers but there are so many different versions and they're all worth checking out.
Aimee Mann - "I Should've Known" starts out very dischordantly (kind of weird techno-y) and then settles into her traditional mode but by the time it got around to be traditional Aimee Mann I'd lost interest.
Blessid Union of Souls are going to be at SXSW. This surprised me as much as seeing that Vanilla Ice was going to be there too.
The Dears sound so much like The Smiths it's scary. But it helps them to be really good too.

The Gourds are best known to me as being the band that did that off-kilter cover of Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Gin & Juice" but this cover is equally inspired.
Hot Hot Heat is a band I really hadn't heard but some of the first songs I loaded into iTunes were from some discs a friend of mine was carting around and one of their albums was among the songs. And it's good. Good enough to listen to repeatedly.
I was first exposed to The Raincoats in "10 Things I Hate About You" (a passable movie with an exceptional soundtrack).
The Slits are, apparently, one of those early grrrl punk bands that everybody claims to love but I have to say: me = not so much.
Ely Guerra - "Lucrecia Y Rigoberto" was a recommended download in Blender a couple of months ago and after all that effort I was not blown away. Or even interested, really.
The Rev. Horton Heat has an extensive discography and I just think this song doesn't live up to his (their) potential. When it's good, it's rockabilly with force. This song is more ballad-y and I felt gyped.
Too Short - "Oakland" is another classic rap cut (Meaghan knows what I'm talking about) and, surprisingly - it being Too Short and all - expletive free.
Dick Dale is an amazing guitarist (and from what I hear he puts on what is the loudest concert - I know, I know we've all seen really loud shows but supposedly this one makes them all seem like a quiet evening at home).
Rezillos - "It Gets Me" is a song I heard about from reading an interview with former Sex Pistol Steve Jones (who apparently has a radio show in L.A. these days). I'm really glad I found this band.
Otis Day & The Knights - "Shout" is a song that I have loved from my days at summer camp. A little bit louder now.
Millie Jackson is the best of the best in sassy soul. If you love soul and you like women who speak their minds (and do it while singing great R&B/Soul) you should be a Millie Jackson fan too.
I've had Ryan Adams - "Hotel Chelsea Nights" in my head since I first heard it. It is such a slow-burning tune that it takes a while to sink in but it is easily one of the best tunes I've heard in the last few years. The guy who does the show after me said it reminded him of Prince - Purple Rain and, after thinking about it, I had to agree. I love Prince and maybe that's why I like this song so much. Subconscious association.
Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm a sucker for teen television dramas and "One Tree Hill" is no exception. Tyler Hilton and Bethany Joy Lenz combined their talents to bring this song to television and iTunes delivered it to me.
I stumbled across Amel Larrieux while looking for something else on Amazon.com and the reviews were so glowing I decided to check her out. I think she'll grow into my new favorite, but today: eh. Tomorrow will probably be a much different story.

Look below. It's the list.

CD1
Leonard Cohen - Everybody Knows
The Juliana Theory - This Is Not A Love Song
LCD Soundsystem - Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up
Bloc Party - Banquet
UTFO - Bite It
John Frusciante - Breaking The Girl (acoustic - instrumental)
Kasey Chambers - True Colors (Cyndi Lauper)
M.I.A. - M.I.A.
MC Lyte - Keep On Keepin' On
Melissa Ferrick - Everything I Need
Taj Mahal - She Caught The Katy And Left Me A Mule To Ride
Aimee Mann - I Should've Known
Blessid Union Of Souls - Hey, Leonardo
The Dears - Lost In The Plot

CD2
The Gourds - Isis (Bob Dylan)
(The Raincoats - Love A Loser and a little bit of The Slits - Love And Romance played over the about half of this song)
Hot Hot Heat - This Town
The Raincoats - Love A Loser
The Slits - Love And Romance
Ely Guerra - Lucrecia Y Rigoberto
The Rev. Horton Heat - Hello Mrs. Darkness
Too Short - Oakland
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash)
Rezillos - It Gets Me
Otis Day & The Knights - Shout
Millie Jackson - My Man Is A Sweet Man
Ryan Adams - Hotel Chelsea Nights
Tyler Hilton & Bethany Joy Lenz - When The Stars Go Blue (Ryan Adams)
Amel Larrieux - Make Me Whole

I also decided that I'd include the track listings from the discs I burned to do Monday's show. Which is going to make this week's blog really huge but since there'll be no show next week (hello, I'll be in Austin), I thought this would be okay. There are a few duplicate songs because I was in a hurry while making the discs.

CD1
1. I Should've Known - Aimee Mann
2. Hey Leonardo - Blessid Union Of Souls
3. Lost in the Plot - The Dears
4. Isis - The Gourds
5. This Town - Hot Hot Heat
6. This Is Not A Love Song - The Juliana Theory
7. Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up - LCD Soundsystem
8. Dance a Little Closer - Nancy Griffith
9. Rapture - Pedro the Lion
10. It Gets Me - Rezillos
11. Walking With a Ghost - Tegan and Sara
12. I Should've Known - Aimee Mann
13. When the Stars Go Blue - Tyler Hilton & Bethany Joy Lenz
14. Bite It - UTFO
15. Shout - Otis Day & The Knights
16. My Man's A Sweet Man - Millie Jackson
17. Hotel Chelsea Nights - Ryan Adams

CD2
1. Leftfielder - Buck 65
2. Listen To The Spirit - Pousette-Dart Band
3. Love A Loser - The Raincoats
4. Love And Romance -The Slits
5. Lucrecia Y Rigoberto - Ely Guerra
6. Make Me Whole - Amel Larrieux
7. Ne Me Quitte Pas - Regina Spektor
8. Neighborhood #2 (Laika) - The Arcade Fire
9. Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up - LCD Soundsystem
10. Rapture - Pedro the Lion
11. Ring Of Fire - Dick Dale
12. She Caught the Katy and Left Me a Mule to Ride - Taj Mahal
13. Splash - The Saints
14. Stolen Car - Beth Orton
15. This Is Not A Love Song - The Juliana Theory
16. This Town - Hot Hot Heat
17. You Got The Love - Candi Staton
18. Zuton Fever - The Zutons

CD3
1. Ain't It A Shame (new edit) - The B-52's
2. Angel Eyes - Beres Hammond
3. Baby I'm Drunk - Reverend Horton Heat
4. Banquet - Bloc Party
5. Bite It - UTFO
6. Breaking The Girl (acoustic) - John Frusciante
7. Breathe (2 a.m.) (long) - Anna Nalick
8. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You - Lauren Hill
9. Computer Age (Push T) - Newcleus
10. Everybody Knows - Leonard Cohen
11. Filet of Sole (Live on WXPN) - The Dead Milkmen
12. Hello Mrs. Darkness - Reverend Horton Heat
13. Hey Leonardo - Blessid Union Of Souls
14. I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany
15. Iesha - Another Bad Creation
16. Isis - The Gourds
17. It Gets Me -Rezillos

CD4
1. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
2. Lonely - Nomeansno
3. Looking Back On Vanity - Remy Shand
4. What We Shared - TaMara
5. You Got The Love - Candi Staton
6. Ring of fire - Dick Dale
7. Lucrecia Y Rigoberto - Ely Guerra
8. Sunshine On A Rainy Day - Emma Bunton
9. Get Up Out of the Ghetto - Gil Scott-Heron
10. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You - Lauren Hill
11. Everybody Knows - Leonard Cohen
12. Pretty Brown Eyes - Mint Condition
13. Ocean's Eleven - Moloko
14. Don't Give Up - Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush
15. I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany
16. Oakland - Too Short
17. I Touch Myself - Jack Off Jill

CD5
1. Neighborhood #2 (Laika) - The Arcade Fire
2. Stolen Car - Beth Orton
3. Reasons To Quit - Cracker
4. Bike Ride To The Moon - Dukes Of The Stratosphear
5. Sabrina - Hanson Brothers
6. Mudfootball - Jack Johnson
7. True Colours - Kasey Chambers
8. M.I.A. - M.I.A.
9. Keep On, Keepin On - MC Lyte & Xscape
10. Everything I Need - Melissa Ferrick
11. And You - Mindy Smith
12. 22 Questions - Queen Omega
13. Worn Me Down - Rachael Yamagata
14. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning (live) - Richard Thompson
15. A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing) - Romeo Void
16. Love And Romance - The Slits
17. The Good Kind - The Wreckers (Michelle Branch & Jessica Harp)

CD6
1. Make Me Whole - Amel Larrieux
2. Bertha Lou - Meteors
3. Pyar wich (Planet Rock remix) - Panjabi MC
4. Love A Loser - The Raincoats
5. Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly) - K-Ci & JoJo
6. Nightmares - The Creation
7. Let's Hibernate - Eugenius
8. Never Had A Dream Come True - S Club 7
9. Release The Bats - The Birthday Party
10. Suspect Device - Stiff Little Fingers
11. Modesty Plays - Sparks
12. Queens Of Noise - The Runaways
13. After The Lights Go Down Low - Scofflaws
14. I Wanna Be Your Dog - Iggy Pop & the Stooges
15. I Can't Stand The Rain - Ann Peebles
16. Keep On, Keepin On - MC Lyte & Xscape
17. Expect The Worst/'Cos She's A Tourist - The Dears
18. I'm Coming Over - X

My Little Mess - 2/28/05

2005-03-02T12:21:00.000-05:00

Okay, I thought I today's show was going to be really weird and not very good but it turned out to be pretty great (natch).

~~Stuff I've heard a hundred times~~

Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice - I'm loving this song...still. This and the song they're using as the theme for "Veronica Mars" make the soundtrack for "The O.C." a staple of my CD collection.

The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones - Where Did You Go? - This song always makes me think of my trip along the East Coast and part of the "Southland" with Meaghan. In particular, our stop at the incredibly huge Biltmore estate. The pleasant drives through the landscape punctuated by all of the "Clueless" soundtrack but this song in particular. And yes, I played it twice. I forgot to hit record on the CD burner.

Roxy Music - More Than This - EWeekly did a big list of the top Love Songs (which is actually one of the better compiled lists I've seen recently) and this song was on it. It shouldn't have surprised me but it kinda did. Until I put it on again today.

Stevie Nicks - Edge Of Seventeen - It took me the longest time to figure out the title - much less the words - to this song. But now I have. And it doesn't make the song better because it was already a great tune.

Elton John - Madman Across The Water - My buddy Andrew Scofield, from my Hobart days, put this on one day in that third floor room he shared with Alex, E.J. and Perkins (holy crap, did I just remember that?) and I was an Elton dovotee again. My dad was a pretty big Elton John fan so I'd heard a lot and had gotten a little burned out on it but this one brought me back.

Jamie Walters - Hold On - I heard this a ton of times on "9-0" and I hate him a little bit for being the guy who cheated on - and beat up on - Donna but I really like his album. Good songs, good voice, what's not to like? A few years ago he played in Portland at the Old Port Festival but Meaghan couldn't motivate out of her lush third floor digs at the former Casa del
Rynnes on Gamage in Auburn so we missed him (and Night Ranger) but we did see Suzanna Hoffs, who was really good.

Meatloaf - Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad - Okay, here's where I embarass someone (albeit most likely indirectly). In high school, I looked down my nose at Meatloaf until Mindy Dunleavy (formerly, I'm not sure what her last name is now) told me how much she loved "Paradise By The Dashboard Lights" in particular and the whole "Bat Out Of Hell" album in general. For some reason, I have this memory placed side-by-side with my realization that panty lines can be sexy as I noticed Mindy's while following her up the stairs at the corner where the junior lockers are (or maybe were, who knows?) that came out by Mr. Lougee's class. Anyway, I've given this album a few more listens and I say, "If you don't like Meatloaf, you're not trying -
and you're nuts."

George Thorogood & The Delaware Destroyers - Delaware Slide - Thorogood is one of the few guys I have yet to see that I've always wanted to see. He played The State in Portland a few years ago and I had tentative plans with his woman a few years my senior and I chickened out (I was probably also a little poor). But if he comes back, I'm there and if I remember, I might
even ask that girl again.

The Dead Milkmen - Rastabilly - Back in junior high or so, when my friends and I all started skating, someone (I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say Doug) introduced me to a righteous tune called "Bitchin' Camaro." This song is on the same album, "Big Lizard In My Backyard," and is one of the funniest things I've ever heard. These guys never did get the recognition
they deserved. "My girlfriend is a heck of a ... friennnd." Also see Jason Spooner - Pickup Truck blurb below.

John Mayer - Your Body Is A Wonderland - Still cheesy but he says the things I think. So does that make me cheesy? Yes, I guess it does.

U2 - All I Want Is You - The levels were all off on this song but I think I pretty always remember it being a bit fuzzy so maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. This song gives me goose bumps. I love the parts where Bono just wails. Lets go and wails.

~~Stuff I've heard like twenty times~~

Kelly Clarkson - Beautiful Disaster - This song is not the live version so it's different from last week. But still, just as good.

Kasey Chambers - For Sale - STILL CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF THIS CHICK. Love her voice.

The Donnas - Friends Like Mine - This is from their newest album, "Gold Medal," which, I must say, rocks just as hard as "Skintight," "Turn 21" and "Spend The Night." This is definitely my favorite band I've found in the last few years.

Jason Spooner - Pickup Truck - I've really only listened to this song a couple of times but it's so catchy, I've had it running through my head all weekend. But, today, I played it because it also occurred to me that it's a lot like "Rastabilly" by The Dead Milkmen. So I played 'em back-to-back. And I think I'm right. And I think "Rastabilly" is still hilarious.

Something Corporate - Down - I simply cannot find a bad song on this album ("North"). I like it all.

George Clinton & The P-Funk All-Stars - If Anybody Gets Funked Up (It's Gonna Be You) (radio edit with rap) - This song, like almost everything George touches, is filled with funk. And it's catchy as all hell.

Wilson Pickett - Funky Broadway - If there really is a "Funky Broadway," can we go? I've got a live version of this on vinyl at home from some great big concert in Africa with all these groups at it and that version is a little better. If I can dig it out, maybe I'll put it on next week.

~~Stuff I've heard like two times (or less)~~

Jason Spooner - One More Moment - As I said last week, Jill introduced me to this dude's music and I gotta tell you it's pretty catchy. I like the other song better though. It's funny.

Big Head Todd & The Monsters - It All Comes Down - Another solid offering from BHT. I thought of something else about these guys. I was "working" at dad's store one year and, as a way to break up my day, I'd ask some of the sales reps (this one worked for California Paints) what music they were into (if they looked like they were into music, that is). This guy recommended these guys and if I knew who he was, I'd thank him with a sixer.

Imani Coppola - Pigeon Penelope - This is a catchy little number. Not nearly as light and fluffy as you might imagine. But still sweet enough to give you a little toothache.

Zapp - Computer Love - Jill and I went to the thrift stores (Goodwill in Auburn and Lewiston, thank you) Sunday and I found several musical treasures: Tiffany on vinyl, Thelma Houston on vinyl, More Songs from The Big Chill on cassette, Jamie Walters on CD (see above, Natalie Imbruglia on CD, Warner Bros. Love Jams CD and a Tommy Hilfiger CD - we'll get to that one later. I looked at this disc and as soon as I saw this song on it I'd made up my mind to get it. This song is playing when Kane shows up at the barbecue in Menace II Society and stops behind that fine little thing. "What, you like bein' in my way?"

X - Burning House Of Love - I'm still working my way through "Make The Music Go Bang" and this song was good but I think I like the Exene-fronted ones better. At least at this point.

Ricky Fante - He Don't Love You - I've been ranting about this guy for weeks. Do you have the album yet? No?!? Go get it. Now's okay, I'll wait...

The Brothers Johnson - Get The Funk Out Ma Face - This one is our Tommy Hilfiger contribution and it's worth the embarassment of owning a Tommy Hilfiger collection. When I first started doing shows, I was talking to one of the editors at work about what I played. I mentioned I played soul and he mentioned The Brothers Johnson. Boy, am I glad he did. Six and a half minutes might have been stretching it, but they manage to bring it home.

~~And lastly~~

*PSA - Breast Feeding* - This is the funniest thing. Barry White meeks the theme from "Shaft" but it's all about mommy milk. What will they think of next?

Well, that's it for today's show. Make like a good reader and check out the list below.

Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones - Where Did You Go? (Clueless soundtrack)

CD1
The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones - Where Did You Go? (Clueless soundtrack)
Kelly Clarkson - Beautiful Disaster
Jason Spooner - One More Moment
Big Head Todd & The Monsters - It All Comes Down
Roxy Music - More Than This
Imani Coppola - Pigeon Penelope (Limited Too compilation)
Kasey Chambers - For Sale
Stevie Nicks - Edge Of Seventeen
Elton John - Madman Across The Water
*Talk*
Zapp - Computer Love (Warner Bros. Love Jams compilation)
Jamie Walters - Hold On

*Talk*

CD2
*PSA - Breast Feeding*
The Donnas - Friends Like Mine
Meatloaf - Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad
George Thorogood & The Delaware Destroyers - Delaware Slide
*Talk*
Jason Spooner - Pickup Truck
*Talk*
The Dead Milkmen - Rastabilly
X - Burning House Of Love
John Mayer - Your Body Is A Wonderland
U2 - All I Want Is You
Something Corporate - Down
*Talk - PSA - Breast Feeding*
Ricky Fante - He Don't Love You
The Brothers Johnson - Get The Funk Out Ma Face (Tommy Hilfiger Collection compilation)
George Clinton & The P-Funk All-Stars - If Anybody Gets Funked Up (It's Gonna Be You) (radio edit with rap) (single)
Wilson Pickett - Funky Broadway

Working Together (for four hours) - 2/25/05

2005-02-27T11:39:00.000-05:00

Hi everybody. Since this was spring break week (or at least some kind of break week) at Bates, I volunteered my time to do two long (four hour) shows. This one is the second of the two.

Again, I was trying to play a lot of the new stuff I'd bought, but I was also just trying to play a lot of stuff I really like.

I am going to try to stop harping on this, but I REALLY like Kasey Chambers' voice. It has a haunting quality that I can't get out of my head. She bends it from the deep twang of traditional country to an almost raspy tone to give some songs a harder edge.

I know John Mayer is all cheese but I can't help liking his songs. They're sweet, yet poignant and they make me long for bigger things.

The Go-Go's - this song recently has me thinking of a scene in Gilmore Girls where Luke was complaining about "this town" (Stars Hollow) and Lorelei follows up with "is so glamorous/bet you'd live here if you could/and be one of us." Warren Zevon- I always think of working at the P.I. indoor pool with Eric Lisnik (who frankly had a way better knowledge of good classic rock than I did back then thanks to his brother) because this was one of the tapes sitting in a dirty little bin that we played in one of those way cool, little yellow Sony Sports radios.

Joan Armatrading writes some of the best songs I've ever heard. I remember when Tracy Chapman first came along with "Fast Car," a lot of her press referred to her as "the next Joan Armatrading." And while her battle with crack derailed that destiny for a while, i honestly can't find a Tracy Chapman song I don't like. So in that respect she really is the next Joan Armatrading.

Jason Spooner is this guy who plays in Portland all the time. I'd heard his name but when Jill moved into my tiny little pad and started looking for stuff to do, she got all excited because he used to go to - and play at - Colby when she was there. She's been down to see him in Portland several times and she brought home his CD. And since she was listening to the show, I thought she'd think it was pretty cool if I played it on the show. P.S. See, I don't even know this guy and I play his stuff. Hint, hint...John, Chris, Tim, Will (via Pat)...

Little Feat fits into that classic rock category. Best Little Feat memory: Meaghan: You can't like Little Feat, they're my thing."

Joan Jett, it was either this, I Hate Myself for Loving You or Bad Reputation, but I've always dug the reverb in this song.

Van Halen - I played "Ice Cream Man" last week. But really, does anyone think that Eddie Van Halen does not absolutely rock the guitar?

Nick Drake - Everyone always talks about how great Nick Drake is but, honestly, I don't see it too much. But this song gets to me. Perhaps because of that dream-like quality of his voice or the memory of the VW ad.

James Taylor - If you look back a couple of weeks (or if Ebony could tell me how to make those links in the text of my blog), you'll find the little theory I wrote about how JT is a part of everyone's musical heritage. And it seems to occur at the same age. But that doesn't mean it's not good. JT knows how to spin a song.

10,000 Maniacs were just this little band when my cousin Mary blew into Portage one summer with the tape in her little brown Honda. That summer also gave me Premiere magazine and Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians.

The B-52's put on one of the best shows I've ever seen (and it was my first one too). And I always think of Jocelyn when I hear them.

Somehow I can never remember that this Grateful Dead tune is George Ferland's "Odessa" song. But it is. And that's what I always think of when I hear it.

I've always loved The Ramones and this, the first and last solo album from Joey, is as good as anything I can think of. The ode to Maria Bartiromo is more than just a silly love song.

Kathy Cyr (formerly - now Sligh) reminded me of how she came to UMO for this show. I don't really remember that too much but that's pretty typical of most of UMO for me and especially weekends when there were shows. But I do remember their show. They sounded like they do on album but even better.

I still can't stop liking Kelly Clarkson (Nason knows what I'm talking about). And this song is the hidden gem of Breakaway.

Bob Marley holds a special place in my heart. One summer in P.I., I spent a lot of time riding around in my car and in between wearing out copies of Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Doggystyle" on cassette I found out that nothing makes the rear view mirror bounce like a little Bob.

I was holed up in my room at UMO one day watching the campus movie channel and this movie came on. Now I'm not much of a Bette Midler fan but Dennis Farina is awesome. And the soundtrack to this movie is one of the best. If you like standards (Nat King Cole's "Love" and Ella Fitzgerald's "At Last." for examples), this is a great disc. After the movie ended, I ran out and found this disc.

The Eagles - Keri Sewell's (formerly, now Sietz) mom (and maybe her dad too) was always a huge Eagles fan and I always think of sitting in their living room on Dupont Drive when I hear their tunes.

Marcy Playground had a huge hit on the radio and the summer it was a hit Jossie and Daniella were in P.I. I went over one day and Joss asked me if I'd heard of them. Since I listen to the radio, I had but thought they'd stumbled on something really great. And I think they did. Some of their songs a little too geeky for me but they all pretty much rock. Except that hit. "Sex and Candy" doesn't rock but it always makes me think of that kitchen.

Sade makes every song she sings sound like she's trying to break my heart. And she does, almost every time.

Bif Naked guested on "The Chris Isaak Show" one time and it was the funniest thing I've seen in ages. Just introducing yourself to someone's parents as Bif Naked is funny but that wasn't even the funniest part.

I hadn't heard and REO in a while but after I played this song Friday, I've heard it three times since then. Allen Deeves used to be THE biggest REO fan. I bet he denies that now.

I bought a few DVDs the other day and Pretty In Pink (along with St. Elmo's Fire and The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles) was among them. Jill told me I bought lame movies. But sometimes the music in the movie makes the movie better than it is. These movies do not fall in this category because they are awesome, timeless masterpieces but the soundtracks are also phenomenal.

Madonna - Some time ago remastered editions of Madonna's albums (and Michael Jackson's too) were released and I've managed to come across a few of them. As good as this one is (and True Blue) I've GOT to get her first album.

Angie Stone's voice is among the best out there. If you've never heard her, check her out. Personally, I like stuff from Black Diamond but I had Mahogany Soul with me so that's what I played. And this song didn't disappoint me.

Ricky Fante's album is the other one I can't stop talking about. It sounds like 50's-70's soul but it's all new. I thought it was all covers the first time I heard it.

Floetry - I thought this whole disc was live but I guess I was wrong. That doesn't make it less good though. The girls mix it up with Mos Def here and make it look easy.

Something Corporate has quickly become one of my favorite bands. I first heard them when Brooke Woodard's show used to follow mine but I was never really taken in - well, sort of maybe. I saw them on Cold Pizza one morning and they were really good too. Eventually, I came to own a couple of their albums and every time I listen to them I like them a little bit more. The new angst-rock they way I want it to be.

I'm slowly working my way through this Echo & The Bunnymen greatest hits package and I've got to tell you "Bring On The Dancing Horses" and "Lips Like Sugar" are not a good overview of this band.

I'm not sure I've ever made it past the Aimee Mann song on the Melrose Place soundtrack.

I'm not sure how I managed to make it this long without really ever having heard X but I'm pretty sorry I did. Their GH package is getting better the more I listen to it.

Cheap Trick might be coming to Rumford this summer. And the band is all back together. And it's the Moontide festival. And...aww, hell, it's Cheap Trick, I'm so going if it happens.

I'm not going to claim to be some huge "Luka" fan but Suzanne Vega has had my attention since that "Tom's Diner" thing with D.N.A. This album is good. Soft and sweet but with a little touch of bitter.

I was hanging out in a Bar Harbor bar one night with the one and only alternateen, Lara Hodge, and I got talking to this guy about music. He said The Motels were one of the most underrated bands ever. I agree. On a side note, about a month later I accosted a guy in a store and accused him of being the one who'd told me about them and how much I agreed with him. He took umbrage at my mistake and left.

The Cure has been a part of the soundtrack of my life since junior high. I'd like to thank Doug Dow for his early enthusiasm for all things music and for making all of us listen to all this stuff since way back.

Cyndi Lauper is so much more than "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "She-Bop". This song is beautiful and she has a voice that matches.

Dashboard Confessional - this is the band I thought was going to be as good as Something Corporate. I don't think they are. They're not bad, and this song has everything a good song needs but the album is not the end-all-be-all.

Okay, my fingers hurt now, so I'm gonna stop. I bet you think I forgot it, but no, if you look down, you'll see the list.

Kasey Chambers - A Little Bit Lonesome

CD1
The Go-Go's - This Town
(missed a little of the beginning)
John Mayer - Come Back To Bed
Warren Zevon - Ain't That Pretty At All
Joan Armatrading - Love And Affection
Jason Spooner - Cry Me To Sleep
Little Feat - Fat Man In The Bathtub
*Talk - PSA - Maine Lobster - Promo - Rockin' Roger*
Kasey Chambers - Stronger
Tracy Chapman - You're The One
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - Crimson & Clover (Tommy James & The Shondells)
Van Halen - Little Dreamer
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
James Taylor - Country Roads
10,000 Maniacs - Don't Talk (live from MTV Unplugged)
The B-52's - Bushfire

*Talk - PSA - Maine Lobster*
The Grateful Dead - All New Minglewood Blues
Joey Ramone - Like A Drug I Never Did Before
Big Head Todd & The Monsters - Bittersweet

CD2
Kasey Chambers - On A Bad Day
Kelly Clarkson - Beautiful Disaster (live from Breakaway)
Bob Marley - Roots, Rock, Reggae
Keely Smith - There Will Never Be Another You (That Old Feeling soundtrack)
The Pretenders - A Thin Line Between Love And Hate
(played a little of 2000 Miles because I can never remember that it's the "Christmas" song)
Bob Dylan - Forever Young
The Eagles - Peaceful, Easy Feeling
*Talk - Promo - Ky Winborn*
Marcy Playground - Shadow Of Seattle
Sade - Nothing Can Come Between Us
Jason Spooner - Pickup Truck
Violent Femmes - Please Don't Go (demo - 1981)
Bif Naked - Lucky
REO Speedwagon - Keep On Loving You
*Talk*
The Psychadelic Furs - Pretty In Pink (Pretty In Pink soundtrack)
Madonna - Shoo-Bee-Doo
Angie Stone - Snowflakes
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Kasey Chambers - Guilty As Sin

*Talk - PSA - Blood Donation*
UB40 featuring Chrissie Hynde - Breakfast In Bed

CD3
Joan Armatrading - Weakness In Me
Ricky Fante - A Woman's Touch
Floetry featuring Mos Def - Wanna B Where U R (Thisizzaluvsong)
The Cars - Just What I Needed
Something Corporate - She Paints Me Blue
Echo & The Bunnymen - Silver
*Talk*
Kasey Chambers - This Mountain
Aimee Mann - That's Just What You Are (Melrose Place soundtrack)
The Dead Milkmen - Born To Love Volcanos
X - When It Rains...
Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me (live from At Budokan: The Complete Concert)
Jason Spooner - No Fantasy
Suzanne Vega - World Before Columbus
*Talk*
The Motels - Suddenly Last Summer (live from The Motels, The Fixx & Berlin Live)
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Dashboard Confessional - As Lovers Go
Kasey Chambers - Pony

Slow and Easy - 2/22/05

2005-02-22T15:05:00.000-05:00

This is a bonus show (sort of) since it's break week at Bates. I didn't do my show on Monday (previously engaged) so I did four hours today and I'll be back for four more on Friday (12-4 p.m. if anyone cares to tune in - www.bates.edu/wrbc and then find the listen link and follow the directions).

I'm still trying to successfully play all the new stuff I've bought recently. Almost did a decent job today but still missed a few. You'd think four hours would be more than enough time but I woke up with about 12 minutes to get to the station (of course, when I put the station on in the car and heard a jazz mix and then called the station and no one answered I realize there was no big hurry so I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for some coffee).

Anyway, I did play a lot of stuff (and a lot of the comments from last week still apply) and I'm going to try to get this all together for Friday as well. I've got my fingers crossed and I know you do too.

See this thing below? It's the list.

Marvin Gaye - After The Dance (Hellos) (live from Live in Montreux 1980)

CD1
Marvin Gaye - Come Get To This (live from Live in Montreux 1980)
(missed a little of the beginning of this)
*Talk*
Kelly Clarkson - Since You've Been Gone
Talking Heads - Moon Rocks
Joey Ramone - I Got Knocked Down (But I'll Get Up)
Kasey Chambers - Not Pretty Enough
Elton John - Indian Sunset
10,000 Maniacs - Trouble Me (live from MTV Unplugged)
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Cities In Dust
Dashboard Confessional - Take This Picture
Dire Straits - Follow Me Home
*Talk & PSA - Clean Maine*
(played a few seconds of John Mayer (see below) and then talked to
apologize)
Meatloaf - All Revved Up With No Place To Go
Madonna - Angel
John Mayer - Your Body Is A Wonderland
Harry Connick Jr. - Autumn In New York (When Harry Met Sally... soundtrack)
Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
Ricky Fante - Are You Lonely Too?
Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me (live from One Night Stand: Live at the
Harlem Square Club, 1963)
(this cuts off because the disc was going to run out anyway)

Sade - Love Is Stronger Than Pride
Floetry - Butterflies (live from Floacism "Live")
The Donnas - I Don't Want To Know (If You Don't Want Me)
Sarah McLachlan - Drifting

CD2
James Taylor - Fire And Rain
Jerry Lee Lewis - Breathless
The Kinks - Apeman (live from The Road)
The Ramones - Baby, I Love You
Echo & The Bunnymen - A Promise
Genesis - In Too Deep
Meatloaf - You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face
Liz Phair - My Bionic Eyes
Janet Jackson - Spending Time With You
*Talk*
Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)
The Impressions - Woman's Got Soul
Angie Stone - Easier Said Than Done
Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights (new vocal)
Whitney Houston - Where You Are

*Talk - PSA- Breast Feeding (Soul)*

CD3
Brandy - Love Wouldn't Count Me Out
(missed a little bit of the beginning of this one)
Jennifer Lopez - Promise Me You'll Try
Curtis Mayfield - (Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below We're All Going To
Go (edited single version)
Sammy Davis Jr. - Once In A Lifetime (live from Boys Night Out)
Allison Krauss & Union Station - But You Know I Love You (live from Live)
Tracy Chapman - You're The One
Kasey Chambers - Falling Into You
Sade - The Sweetest Gift
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Something Big
*Talk*
Something Corporate - Me And The Moon
The Grateful Dead - From The Heart Of Me
Dire Straits - Single-Handed Sailor
Alicia Keys - Nobody Not Really
Toni Braxton - Breathe Again
Wilson Pickett - 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)
X - Motel Room In My Bed
Joey Ramone - Don't Worry About Me
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

Keeping It New - 2/18/05

2005-02-20T13:59:00.000-05:00

Okay, this one was from Friday (note the date above, jason. duh.). Anyway, I've picked up a bunch of new discs lately and I decided to play a sampling of stuff from them. It turned out pretty well but I didn't make it through them all and I got sidetracked a couple of times and I was a bit leary of playing a few songs for fear of swear words (not during safe-harbor hours, you know) not that that prevented a few choice words from slipping through anyway.

That Femmes song is great. I remember this most about the Femmes (well, first that I first heard it at Camp Chingachgook) that I never think I know as many of their songs as I really do and if you get a chance to see them live you should. You will not be disappointed.

I'm addicted to Kelly Clarkson. I can't tell you why (I honestly don't know) but I am and I'm reveling in it.

The Donnas rock the pants off just about every band making albums right now.

Brandy, J-Lo, Marvin, Angie, Whitney. It's all about the voices. Actually with J-Lo it's also about the butt, the body - the whole package and with Whitney (as anyone who knows me can tell you) it's about her being super-sexy. And I love Brandy. If the next guy she marries turns out to be a dick to her too, I'm available. And how shocked was I about that guy from Moesha getting killed in a car crash?

Ricky Fante's album is so good everybody should own at least one copy. How this guy slipped under the radar I'll never understand.

Kasey Chambers' voice is angelic. I can't say it enough (which is obvious to anyone who reads this blog). Get her stuff.

Sade is not only among the sexiest women on the planet, her voice totally melts me. Everything she touches smolders.

And The Dead Milkmen are officially the best band I'll never get to see live (one member - guitarist, I think - died last year).

Check it out and keep checking back. I'm not sure why you're looking up, the list is below.

Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
Violent Femmes - Promise
The Dead Milkmen - Punk Rock Girl

CD1
Pink - Dear Diary
Kelly Clarkson - Since You've Been Gone
The Donnas - Fall Behind Me
The Kinks - Come Dancing (live from Live The Road)
*Talk*
Jewel - Kiss The Flame
Brandy - What About Us?
(forgot she says "bullshit" in this song)
Jennifer Lopez - Feelin' So Good (featuring Big Pun & Fat Joe)
Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up (live from Live in Montreux 1980)
Whitney Houston - Didn't We Almost Have It All
Angie Stone - The Ingredients of Love (duet with Musiq Soulchild)

*Talk - PSA - Blood Donation*

Dire Straits - Portabello Belle
The Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination

CD2
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Insider (with Stevie Nicks)
Ricky Fante - Smile
The Impressions - Keep On Pushing
John Lee Hooker - Goin' Down Highway 51
*Talk*
James Taylor - That's Why I'm Here
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Cities In Dust
Liz Phair - Why Can't I?
(never noticed she says "fucked" in this song)
Kasey Chambers - Pony
Jerry Lee Lewis - Breathless
Sarah McLachlan - Push
Sade - Every Word
Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away (live from Live at The Harlem Square
Club, 1963)
Fleetwood Mac - You Make Lovin' Fun

Heck Yes! - 02/14/05

2005-02-14T16:41:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I've decided my radio blog is more interesting when I talk about the songs, so that's what I'm going to do today. But I've realized it is going to be a VERY long blog, so you might want to get a pillow so you can take naps..

I've started to begin my show with Dice because I always thought it was cool to have a song to start your show with but I never really found a great one (well, maybe Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get by The Dramatics, but I never got around to it) but now I have. I really like this song and it generally fits in well with my show (maybe I'll use that Dramatics song for the soul shows).

It took me a little while to find that AC/DC song. I'm a big old AC/DC fan and when I heard that song in Empire Records I knew it was the Aussie lads but I had no idea what song it was. I have the If You Want Blood album and shockingly that song is not on that album. It's on Dirty Deeds. The opening drumming is on like all the lights in my apartment.

Land of 1,000 - This was another song I had to hunt down. CMT played The Great Outdoors over and over this weekend and aside from being a comic classic (lips and assholes, anyone?) with the late great John Candy and Dan Aykroyd it features a great duet from the two of them on this tune at the end. It was so good I had to hunt the original down.

Breathing - I just read an "article" in Blender where Chloe Sevigny was talking about how much she loves Kate Bush. I've always dug that track she did with Peter Gabriel so I got myself her greatest hits album and this was the first song I've played. It was really, really quiet but lush at the same time.

Icebox - I've got this buddy - the inimitable Chris Chaplin - who lives and works in L.A. As part of his job, apparently, a myriad of CDs of dubious merit come across his desk and end up - it would seem - in a box. This box usually, eventually, finds its way to my house. This was not the best thing he's sent me but it isn't even close to the worst either. I'm going to give it more chances though.

Devil Inside - I've always been a bit of a New Wave geek (actually, it's not just a bit and it's not limited to New Wave either) and I've been an INXS fan from way back. It was either this tune or Original Sin but I've heard that one too much lately.

Purple Rain - EWeekly did a list of the best love songs of all time this week and this was on the list. That kind of surprised me, although I can't tell you why. It is a great song. Prince is so completely the shit.

Pressure Drop - If this hadn't been introduced by "The Donald," I could have nearly died happy. One of my favorite songs with three of my favorite musicians.

The Wasp - The Doors and I have a love/hate relationship. I was pretty into them for a while early on in my college career (thanks to their biggest fan - James Lainsbury) and then I kind of got sick of them, but this has always been a cool tune.

Miss Me Blind - I'm such a big fan of VH1 Storytellers. I wish they'd bring it back. Or at least release all the performances from it. And while they're at it they could get out all those VH1 Unplugged things too. And I'd like to see some of those Today Show performances too, since I'm rarely, if ever, up when they are on.

Late In The Evening - In the live version from the Central Park concert there are two spots in this song where the crowd goes crazy. The first is when he says that line about New York City and the second is the line about stepping out to smoke a J. When I hear this song, I am always waiting for that crowd reaction and when it doesn't come I am always a little bummed. Not because the song is any less good, but just because I'm not getting what I expected.

Little Dreamer - I love that line in Bowling For Soup's tune 1985 when he says "and who is that new guy singing in Van Halen?" Because everybody knows that no one did VH like Diamond Dave.

Wild Thing - I can still remember the first time I realized that he was referring to this song as the American national anthem. No one has ever or will ever play guitar like Jimi. I read something recently where someone was saying that it was as if whatever Jimi thought, he could play. If he could imagine the sound, he could make it.

Renegade - I've never had a big car stereo with the boomin' system, but one summer this song - and pretty much anything by Bob Marley - made my rearview mirror bounce like crazy.

Rooms On Fire - My cousin Liz was always a really big Stevie Nicks fan and I still can't listen to anything with Stevie in it and not think of Liz. And I really like Stevie Nicks (alone, with Fleetwood Mac, with Tom Petty - however).

Stronger - I bought this compilation disc at Eddie Bauer a couple of years ago and gave it it's first real listen on the way to P.I. for Christmas this year. It's mostly country (or alt-country) and anyone who knows me at all knows I hate country but her song A Little Bit Lonesome made me one of her biggest fans. I just can't get enough.

Hurts So Good - Back when John Mellencamp went by the decidedly cooler moniker Johnny Cougar.

White Wedding - I bought Billy Idol's greatest hits recently and with the exception of Mony, Mony (funniest thing I heard about Billy Idol was when he was doing VH1 Storytellers the EWeekly review of it said that it contains rare insight into the song process like when Billy said "Hey. How about we do a cover of that Tommy James tune?") I listened to it all the way through without stopping. I haven't been able to say that about an album - much less a greatest hits package - in a VERY long time.

I Can't Get Next To You - If there is a better singer out there than Al Green I don't know who it is. The next time I pass through Memphis I'm going to his church. Yeah, you heard me right, I'm going to church. The Rev. Al Green, ladies and gentlemen.

Are You Gonna Move It For Me - These girls absolutely rip and if all is right with the world I will get to see them live in Austin during the SXSW film/music festival in March. I'm so excited. I'm going to scream like a little schoolgirl.

Night Time Is The Right Time - A friend of mine sent me a list of songs he'd like to hear on my radio show and he included a little CCR (not this tune but still). One of these days I'll play the whole set but for now I give him a little CCR every once in a while. Even though I can't really take too much of there "start-fast-then-get-slow-then-speed-up-again" playing style. For me, if your looking for vintage southern classic rock (and you can't stand hearing Saturday Night Special again), ZZ Top is the way to go. La Grange is probably among my top five favorite songs of all time (which is why that "immediately come to mind" caveat is on my other blog).

Refugee - There are so many really great Tom Petty & The Heartbreaker songs that I could do a whole show of only them. I might, now that I mention it.

Chinese Rock - The Ramones definitely were a key part of my musical learning curve. Four guys playing songs that only last a couple of minutes but it changed the world.

I Drove All Night - If you haven't listened to Cyndi Lauper lately, pick up any of her albums and listen to it. Her voice is angelic.

Girls On Film - More than anything else I like the sound of the camera at the beginning.

Hammer To Fall - It's always a toss up between this or Radio Ga-Ga or Under Pressure or Stone Cold Crazy or Crazy Little Thing Called Love or I Want It All, well you get the picture.

And so that was this week's radio show. Come back next week for another one. I know I will.

As usual, look below for the list.

Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
AC/DC - If You Want Blood (You've Got It)

CD1
Wilson Pickett - Land of 1,000 Dances
Floetry - Floetic (live from Floecism "Live")
Kate Bush - Breathing
Nada Surf - Icebox
INXS - Devil Inside (Australian Single version)
Prince - Purple Rain
Toots & The Maytals w/ Ben Harper & Jack Johnson - Pressure Drop (live from Saturday Night Live w/ introduction by Donald Trump)
The Doors - The Wasp (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)
Culture Club - Miss Me Blind (live from VH1 Storytellers)
Paul Simon - Late In The Evening

*Talk - PSA - AIDS Awareness (with Michael Douglas)

Van Halen - Little Dreamer

CD2
Jimi Hendrix - Wild Thing (live from Live At Winterland)
STYX - Renegade
Stevie Nicks - Rooms On Fire
Kasey Chambers - Stronger
John Cougar Mellencamp - Hurts So Good
Billy Idol - White Wedding (Part 1)
Al Green - I Can't Get Next to You
The Donnas - Are You Gonna Move It For Me
Credence Clearwater Revival - Night Time Is The Right Time (live from CCR the Concert)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Refugee
The Ramones - Chinese Rock
Cyndi Lauper - I Drove All Night
Duran Duran - Girls On Film
*Talk*
Queen - Hammer To Fall

Working Together - 02/07/05

2005-02-07T19:56:00.000-05:00

Look do you guys even read this? I keed (like Triumph the Insult Comic Dog). But seriously, I hope somebody is getting some good use out of this thing.

Today's show (which I showed up a little late for, natch) was pretty good. I didn't really get it all together until about 3:30 which only left me with about a half an hour of organized radio-ing. But that's okay.

I've been playing a lot of the same stuff lately though. Not necessarily the same songs over and over but different stuff by the same bands. I gotta break out of that rut. Maybe next week.

Anyway, take a peak because, as usual, the list is below...

CD1
Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
Something Corporate - Space
Warren Zevon - I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Kendra Smith - Aurelia
The Robert Cray Band f/ the Memphis Horns - Bouncin' Back
Jr. Walker & The All Stars - Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)
(I stopped this halfway through by accident but I wanted to hear the rest so I started it over again)
Janet Jackson - SloLove
Sarah Vaughn - Last Night When We Fell In Love
Little Feat - Two Trains
Tracy Chapman - Almost
Kasey Chambers - A Little Bit Lonesome (Coming Home - Eddie Bauer collection)

*Talk - PSA - Clean Maine*

New Order - Shell-Shock (Pretty In Pink soundtrack)
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Nowhere to Run (Bringing Out the Dead soundtrack)
X-Ray Actress - I Want It All
(I played a little bit of Trampoline but then decided against it)

CD2
Pitty Sing - ctwyl
Ricky Fante - I Let You Go
Wiliam DeVaughn - Be Thankful for What You Got
Sammy Davis Jr. - (Love Is) The Tender Trap
Sade - Somebody Already Broke My Heart
Joan Armatrading - The Weakness In Me
John Mayer - Neon
Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come
Berlin - No More Words (live)
Madonna - Open Your Heart
Blind Melon - No Rain (Ripped Away Version)
Kasey Chambers - Paper Aeroplanes
*Talk*
Liz Phair - Friend of Mine
Blue Room - Cry Like This (Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack)
Dashboard Confessional - Ghost of a Good Thing
(this got cut off by the impatient Spanish dude who does the show after me)

Moving Right Along - 1/31/05

2005-01-31T21:17:00.000-05:00

Okay, today's show was kind of a mess. I woke up at 1:30 to get to my 2 o'clock show so I threw some stuff in a bag and raced across town sans shower. Ick.

The Pretenders song is that one where Chrissie Hynde sings about Christmas. I didn't realize it was that one until it was halfway over but I would have played something else if I'd thought of that.

The CD burner was a bit out of whack today which is why there are so many songs that didn't make the discs.

The personal emergency. I'll leave that one to your imaginations.

As usual, see below for the list.

Original Mirrors - Reflections (Diana Ross & The Supremes)
Soul Kid #1 - More Bounce in California (Win A Date With Tad Hamilton soundtrack)
Liz Phair - Why Can't I? (Win A Date With Tad Hamilton soundtrack)

Cd1
The Pretenders - 2000 Miles
Shonen Knife - Cobra Versus Mongoose
The Strokes - Trying My Luck
*Talk*
Daryl Hall & John Oates - Rich Girl
Boston - Rock 'n' Roll Band
Britney Spears - What It's Like to Be Me
Peggy Lee - Where Can I Go Without You
Little Feat - Roll Um Easy
Meatloaf - You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
Johnny Thunders - You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Bringing Out the Dead soundtrack)
Dean Martin - Baby-O

*Talk - PSA - Big Difference/Energy Star*

James Taylor - Sweet Baby James

*Talk*

Something Corporate - The Runaway
Huey Lewis & The News - Now Here's You
Bryan Adams - Long Gone
Aerosmith - Draw The Line
(cut off for personal emergency)
Genesis - In Too Deep
Genesis - Tonight, Tonight, Tonight
(cut off because personal emergency was over)
*Talk*

CD2
Rufus Wainwright - Poses
10,000 Maniacs - Like the Weather
Floetry - If I Was a Bird (live)
Josie Cotton - He Could Be the One (Music from the Soundtrack Valley Girl)
Janet Jackson - Island Life
Joan Armatrading - Down to Zero
Bob Marley - Africa Unite
John Mellencamp - Lonely Ol' Night
*Talk*
Fleetwood Mac - Over My Head

Who? What? Where? - 1/24/05

2005-01-24T17:55:00.000-05:00

The title of today's show could also describe most of my weekend. Thanks to the never-ending cold (it's here, it's gone, it's here, it's gone - ENOUGH ALREADY), I have been self-medicating the over-the-counter way: with NyQuil and i missed my show on Saturday. This is a half truth, natch, and I'd tell the real story but it's too sordid for blogging. Suffice it to say, sometime on Sunday, I bolted upright and thought to myself, "self, you had a radio show you missed yesterday. yikes!" (I speak to myself in all lower-case letters). Anyway, upon this realization, I quickly logged into my soon-to-be-defunct exploremaine.com e-mail account and found a message from the newly appointed GM telling me my new show was today (yipee!) and nothing announcing my brief lapse of all brain activity (yipee! yipee!).

To make that completely clear - the new time for my show - formally known as Working Together - is from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Mondays.

So, I was nearly completely unprepared for today's show since NyQuil sleep seems to only keep me in SleepyTown (thanks for that one Mathy) for the documented 6 hour dosing and my early awakening was quickly followed by a little nappy-poo. So, arising abruptly to a Rush rock-block on VH1 Hits at about 1:20, I crawled out of bed, threw a handful of records, a couple of handfuls of CDs and a pile of blank discs into my backpack and raced across town to the radio station. I played about 70 percent of the CDs I brought and none of the records. I also had no phone calls today, from people who are incredibly hammered at noon or otherwise (right Ebony?).

Anyway, I think it was good and my one confirmed listener (Melinda) agreed.

CD1
Ms. Dynamite - Put Him Out
Floetry - Getting Late (live)
Lenny Kravitz - Sister
Luscious Jackson - Water Your Garden
Journey - Wheel in the Sky
The Cars - Drive
The Robert Cray Band featuring The Memphis Horns - Move A Mountain
Big Head Todd & The Monsters - It All Comes Down
David Bowie - Pallas Athena
Led Zeppelin - Misty Mountain Hop
Nick Drake - Which Will

*PSA - Global AIDS Awareness (Michael Douglas) & Talk*

John Mayer - Back To You
Suzanne Vega - Stockings

CD2
Bone Thugs -N- Harmony - Days of Our Lives
(there were a couple of swears in this but I won't tell anyone if you don't)
Marvin Gaye - I'll Be Doggone (live)
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jr. - We Open In Venice (live)
Elton John - Dark Diamond
Ray Davies - See My Friends (live - acoustic)
Counting Crows - A Long December
The Knack - My Sharona (Reality Bites soundtrack)
Smash Mouth - Padrino
Widespread Panic - Tall Boy
The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
LL Cool J - Goin' Back to Cali
Bob Marley - Who The Cap Fit
Kings Of Leon - Taper Jean Girl
(fades out into the all-Spanish, all-the-time show after mine)

Thrown Together...but well - 1/18/05

2005-01-18T14:42:00.000-05:00

Okay, so today's show started off as a big mess. I'm just ill-prepared in general I think. But then it settled in and turned out pretty well I think. I had another person tell me I should talk more. Tell people what they're hearing and all. But I've never been very into that. People who know me might think that's pretty odd though since I do tend to talk a lot. But talking to people is generally easier than talking on the air.

I liked everything I played again today but I was especially impressed with Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Something Corporate, Nikki Meets the Hibachi, the second Tom Petty song and the Talking Heads.

I was a little underwhelmed by Television, James, New Potato Caboose and Julian Lennon.

If you look below, you'll see the list...

Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice

CD1
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - A Thing About You
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Change the Locks (She's the One soundtrack)
The Ramones - I Wanted Everything
New York Dolls - Looking for a Kiss
Television - Prove It
Something Corporate - Space
(a little of New York Dolls - Vietnamese Baby snuck in there)
Nikki Meets the Hibachi - Outside Looking In
Matthew Sweet - I've Been Waiting
Big Head Todd & The Monsters - Circle
Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London
James - What For
New Potato Caboose - She Don't Know Why
David Gray - Babylon II
Original Mirrors - Reflections (Diana Ross & The Supremes)
Kelly Price f/ Darron Jones & Quinnes Parker - You Complete Me

*Talk - PSA - Something*

CD2
Soul Kid #1 - More Bounce in California (Win a Date with Tad Hamilton soundtrack)
The Flirts - Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime) (Music from the Soundtrack - Valley Girl)
The Jam - Town Called Malice (More Music from the Soundtrack - Valley Girl)
Julian Lennon - Let Me Tell You
Native Tongue - Speaking In Captions
Flesh For Lulu - I Go Crazy (Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack)
(problem with the start - Adrianne called and was distracting me)
Josie & The Pussycats - 3 Small Words (Josie & The Pussycats soundtrack)
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - Bad Reputation
The Motels - Anticipating
Talking Heads - Slippery People
The Cure - Why Can't I Be You?
The Cure - Fire In Cairo
The Clash - Rudie Can't Fail
Keane - We Might As Well Be Strangers

On Time - 1/11/05

2005-01-13T16:58:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the show was going along pretty well and then Ebony showed up at the door and since I'm a bonehead and didn't see the doorbell light blinking I got a call on my cell phone saying, "Open the door." Then she came in and proceeded to tell me all the music I was playing was junk and bad. But this is a criticism I've endured for ages so it rolls off me like a cup off coffee flies off my dashboard.

Anyway, today's show was, once again, all stuff I regularly listen to so "The Good" pile would be all of it. I was very upset about the skipping song ("Reuters" by Wire) that Jeremy Toback tune (from a CD from my buddy Christopher Chaplin which looked like it was a submitted sampler of stuff to use in TV shows or movies - pretty hit or miss over all) was kind of lame.

Ebony picked out the Mandy Moore cover tune, the Kleenex Girl Wonder tune and then asked if we could play the Gladys Knight and The Pips song at the end. She must not have realized how much I love Gladys Knight and The Pips and especially "Midnight Train to Georgia."

Again, here's the list.

CD1
Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
Urge Overkill - Heaven 90210
The Clash - London Calling
New York Dolls - Subway Train
Something Corporate - 21 and Invincible
The Pretenders - Talk of the Town
Joan Armatrading - Me Myself I
Floetry - Say Yes (Intro) (Live)
Floetry - Say Yes (Live)
Nina Simone - Seems I Never Tire of Lovin' You
Muhammad Ali - Mr. Tooth Decay (When We Were Kings soundtrack)
The Spinners - I'm Coming Home (Live) (When We Were Kings soundtrack)
Bob Marley - Iron Lion Zion
The Rolling Stones - Jump On Top of Me (Pret-A-Porter soundtrack)
The Ramones - She's the One
Jeremy Toback - Perfect From the Start
The Cure - Hot Hot Hot !!!

CD2
Duran Duran - Save A Prayer
Josie & The Pussycats - I Wish You Well (Josie & The Pussycats soundtrack)
Kasey Chambers - A Little Bit Lonesome (Eddie Bauer Homeward Bound collection)
Janet Jackson - Come Give Your Love to Me
Bow Wow Wow - Sexy Eiffel Towers
X-Ray Actress - More of This
The Strokes - Alone Together
Wire - Reuters
(this skipped so I faded it out)
Big Brother & The Holding Company - Combination of the Two (Bringing Out the Dead soundtrack)
Mandy Moore - One Way or Another (Blondie)
(this was so awful Ebony faded it out)
Television - Guiding Light
Sparks - Eaten By the Monster of Love (More Music from the Soundtrack Valley Girl)
Sparks - Angst in My Pants (Music from the Soundtrack Valley Girl)
Kleenex Girl Wonder - The Bostonians
Tom Petty - A Thing About You
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia

In My Head - 01/08/05

2005-01-08T17:03:00.000-05:00

So, today I was joined in the studio for the last hour of my show by the one and only Ebony. Which was fun. Her picks = Simon & Garfunkel, Can, The Beatles, Built to Spill, Pavement and Reel Big Fish (this pick was inspired by her picking up my cell phone which I have named Unity (for the time being) instead of just putting in the super-lame "Jason's phone" or something equally as wack).

Most of her selections came from a mix CD she had made which led me to the realization that mix tapes or CDs or what have you are often designed along an age thing. For those of you who make (or made) these things, you'll realize that certain songs are like coming-of-age rights of passage. Like Simon & Garfunkel (especially Cecilia, Me & Julio and I Am A Rock) was for Ebony's mix CD, James Taylor, The Violent Femmes (which I've gravitated back to by now) and a certain amount of 60's and 70's classic and prog-rock (Alan Parson's Project, ELO, etc.). And it became apparent today that these inclinations are based on age and personal discovery more than anything else. You just find these bands at a certain age, I guess. Not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, it's kind of a refreshing revelation.

But to move on, today's show went pretty well. It was rudely interupted several times by a very drunk caller (and yes, my show is from noon until two in the afternoon) making several requests. I played what I could find and flat out refused to play a couple (Robert Plant, for instance, I was just not in the mood to look for). And then, near the end, another guy called and wanted the Granddaddy song (which made Ebony very happy although I'd never heard of them) and he said he loved my show (which made me very happy).

The CD burner worked like a charm.

CD1
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Cities In Dust
Jesse Johnson - Get To Know Ya (Pretty In Pink soundtrack)
The White Stripes - Offend In Every Way (live)
Roxy Music - Would You Believe?
Paul McCartney - We Can Work It Out (live - Unplugged)
Widespread Panic - Hope in a Hopeless World
(mistakenly played about 30 seconds of the next song - Happy - too)
*Talk*
Rod Stewart - Street Fighting Man
The Stone Roses - Love Spreads (request)
X-Ray Actress - In Your Light
*PSA - Blood Donation*
Changing Faces - Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper)
(played the opening of the album (rain sound) by mistake)
Christina Aguilera - Loving Me For Me
Kelly Price - You Should Have Told Me

CD2
Michael Jackson - Why You Wanna Trip On Me
Boogie Down Productions - My Philosophy
Kid 'N' Play - Gittin' Funky
Slick Rick - Children's Story
(this skipped)
Bill Withers - Who Is He (And What Is He to You?) (Jackie Brown soundtrack)
Tracy Chapman - Give Me One Reason (request)
Simon & Garfunkel - Cecilia
Can - Turtles Have Short Legs
The Beatles - I'm Looking Through You
Built to Spill - Big Dipper
Pavement - Shady Lane
Dead Milkmen - Big Lizard In My Backyard
(this had swears so I had to shut it off)
The Ramones - Needles & Pins
Reel Big Fish - Unity
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax (request)
Grandaddy - Taster (request)
Foo Fighters w/ Chick Corea - Times Like These (live - Grammys with intro by Snoop)

Working Together - 02/05/02

2005-01-06T22:13:00.000-05:00

Again, I was digging through my old e-mails and I found this set list. Apparently I wasn't being very ambitious this day (note the four-in-a-row from The B-52s) but it seems like I got most of this stuff from the record (LPs) archives at RBC which is cool.

Since the reorganization of the records room I think I'll be having to make another foray into the racks to gather up all the stuff that I like. Not sure how I'll keep tabs on it though since I'm sure not too many people appreciate the "Jason's picks" shelf I was keeping before. Maybe a list or something. Not that this part is too interesting to all of you.

Anyway, this is what a lot of my old shows sounded like and surprising (or not) some of them still do.

Tony Bennett - Jeepers Creepers
*Talk*
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Peek-A-Boo
The Style Coucil - Shout To The Top [this one's a little skippy]
The Waitresses - Square Pegs
The B-52's - Toss That Beat In The Garbage Can
The B-52's - 6060-842
The B-52's - Girl From Ipenema Goes to Greenland
The B-52's - Rock Lobster
*Talk*
Stacey Q - Two Of Hearts
The Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed
The Go-Go's - Vacation
*PSA*
The Runaways - Bad Reputation
Mel C - Goin' Down
Pat Benetar - All Fired Up
Meatloaf - You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Nights)
*Talk*
Lou Reed - Romeo Had Juliette
The Jam - A Town Called Malice
The Housemartins - Happy Hour
The Furies - The Museum Song
The Cure - Why Can't I Be You?
Danny Hutton's Hitters - Wouldn't It Be Good? (Pretty In Pink soundtrack)
The March Violets - Turn To The Sky (Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack)
Wild Men Of Wongo - Why Don't Pretty Girls Look At Me? (Weird Science soundtrack)
Kim Wilde - Kids In America (Clueless soundtrack)
The Plimsouls - A Million Miles Away (Valley Girl soundtrack)
Big Audio Dynamite (B.A.D.) - Champagne
*PSA - Talk*
The Vapors - Turning Japanese
The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays
INXS with Jimmy Barnes - Good Times (Lost Boys soundtrack)
The March Violets - Miss Amanda Jones [this one's a little skippy] (Rolling Stones) (Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack)
X-Ray Spex - Warrior In Woolworths
*Talk*
The Flirts - Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime) (Valley Girl soundtrack)

That's it. That's the end. Woohoo!

All Alone - 01/04/05

2005-01-06T18:43:00.000-05:00

Hey all. For Bates holiday break this year I decided to do an extra radio show. Tuesdays from noon until two. This edition saw me moving back to my traditional format. Which is not so much a format as it is just stuff I like to hear. Rather than having to listen to what other people want to hear. Also known as "why I do a radio show in the first place."

Marden's was having a huge sale on CDs they must have gotten from a flooded or burned out store and I bought a live Floetry CD (which came with a DVD), the soundtrack to Win A Date With Tad Hamilton (very cute - just like the movie) and Ms. Dynamite. I haven't a bulk (-ish) CD purchase go that well in ages.

I don't feel the need to explain the songs I picked and played because they are all great tunes but if you want to make comments feel free.

There are CDs for this set but I missed about three seconds at the beginning of CD2 because I pushed the bottons in the wrong order.

CD1
Finley Quaye w/ William Orbit - Dice
Soul Kid #1 - More Bounce in California (Win A Date With Tad Hamilton soundtrack)
Liz Phair - Why Can't I? (Win A Date With Tad Hamilton soundtrack)
Joan Armatrading - Drop the Pilot
Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London
Aerosmith - Back in the Saddle
David Gray - Silver Lining
Bif Naked - I Died
Boney M. - Rasputin
Elton John - Love Her Like Me
Alvin Lee - I Hear You Knockin' (Live)
Tom Petty - Don't Do Me Like That
Talking Heads - Swamp

CD2
Kevon Edmonds - No Love
Janet Jackson - Like You Don't Love Me
Mary J. Blige - Beautiful Day
Something Corporate - I Won't Make You
Rufus Wainwright - One Man Guy
Ms. Dynamite f/ Kymani Marley - Seed Will Grow
Melanie C - Be The One
Alicia Keys - A House Is Not A Home (Luther Vandross) (Live) (2004 Grammy Awards)
Frank Sinatra - How Little It Matters How Little We Know
Hall & Oates - Rich Girl
The Cars - Tonight She Comes
REO Speedwagon - Keep On Loving You
10,000 Maniacs - My Sister Rose
The March Violets - Miss Amanda Jones
Pink - Eventually
The Crimea - Baby Boom

Little Ricky's World - 01/01/05

2005-01-06T17:40:00.000-05:00

Today there are no CDs because the burner wouldn't take the second disc. Rick was in the studio to help pick tunes and he brought some stuff too. So we heard picks from the studio albums (L.A. Guns, Bonham, Triumph, Temple of the Dog, Loverboy) and things he brought from home (Gerry Rafferty, Chicago, Foreigner, Steely Dan, The Cutting Crew, Roger Miller). All in all a fairly disjointed show with no real theme or anything. Not my best effort. Rick and I will have to work on getting it together a little better. This is also an incomplete list of tracks as I forgot to e-mail it to myself directly after the show and also, apparently, forgot to write the last four or five tunes on the playlist in the studio.

INXS - What You Need
Joan Armatrading - Drop the Pilot
Chicago - Saturday in the Park
Patsy Cline - Walking After Midnight
James Taylor - Handy Man
Gerry Rafferty - Right Down the Line
L.A. Guns - Ballad of Jane
U2 - Love Tumbling Down
Temple of the Dog - Say Hello to Heaven
Bonham - Wait for You
Roger Miller - King of the Road
Foreigner - Double Vision
Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse - Look Out For My Love
Steely Dan - Any Major Dude
Steely Dan - Barrytown
Billy Joel - Los Angelenos
Elton John - Madman Across the Water
Cutting Crew (I Just) Died In Your Arms
Fine Young Cannibals - Suspicious Minds
Loverboy - Turn Me Loose
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax
Triumph - Lay It On the Line

Many Thanks to the Hughes Brothers - 12/28/04

2004-12-28T16:08:00.000-05:00

Hey all. I was kind of sick for my first of the Tuesday-during-break radio shows so we listened to the Dead Presidents soundtrack Vol. 1 & 2 primarily. This is probably my favorite soundtrack ever. All soul.

But I wasn't in the mood yet at the beginning and we had to throw on a couple of things real quick. Hence Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, the Ted Leo and the Christina Aguilera (I love that she does those little interlude things like Janet Jackson).

And they didn't fill up the whole show which is why we had the three-for from Nina Simone and the live Marvin Gaye tune.

The rest, all Dead Presidents.

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes - Take It On The Run
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Criminal Piece

CD1
Christina Aguilera - Loves Embrace interlude
Christina Aguilera - Loving Me 4 Me
Curtis Mayfield - We People Darker Than Blue (Live)
Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes - I Miss You
The Dramatics - Get Up & Get Down
(this one skipped a few times)
Curtis Mayfield - If There's Hell Below
Aretha Franklin - Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
Al Green - Tired of Being Alone
The O'Jays - Love Train
Isaac Hayes - The Look of Love

CD2
James Brown - I Got the Feelin'
The Impressions - Keep on Pushing
The Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces Sometimes
Curtis Mayfield - Right On for Darkness
The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
The Intruders - Cowboys to Girls
Jerry Butler - Never Gonna Give You Up
Stevie Wonder - I Was Made to Love Her
The Impressions - (Man Oh Man) I Want to Go Back
Sam & Dave - When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
Nina Simone - Go to Hell
Nina Simone - Sugar In My Bowl
Nina Simone - Do What You Gotta Do
Marvin Gaye - Got to Give It Up (Live)

For the Ladies - a mix CD

2004-12-25T22:56:00.000-05:00

Since there is was no radio show this week, I'm serving this up instead.

Okay, so for those of you reading this who have no idea why I'd be posting this here, a few weeks (or a month or so ago), Jen, Jenn and Karen and Tom accompanied me to an O.A.R. show at The State Theater in Portland. And since we had such a good time I decided to put together a mix CD (which would conveniently double as a Christmas gift).

The disc had to include more than just O.A.R. stuff though and as such includes anything we talked about and heard at the bar before hand, the songs playing at The State before the show started and songs that were playing after the show ended as well as a couple of tunes I just felt like including.

So girls, here it is. I started putting this mix together a couple of days after the show and between writing papers and driving back and forth to Orono and trying to get to work on time I it took me six "drafts" to reach this final incarnation. I've listened to this disc more than you all probably will combined but it was fun and since I'm trying to make more mix-CDs (the new mix-tape), it was good practice. The delay in mailing can be attributed to my inability to get a hold of Karen to find out her address. But now it's in the mail and you should all get it soon.

Playing at the bar:
The Violent Femmes (this is the live version of the song that was playing over and over again)
The Sex Pistols (this turned the conversation to that Crazytown song)

Talked about at the bar:
The Dollyrots (one of three albums I'd listened to on the ride to and from Orono that day and a great, funny song about crappy boyfriends)
Crazytown ("you and me girl, like Sid and Nancy" is The Sex Pistols reference and also the least romantic line ever included in a song - unless double overdoses are your thing)
Liz Phair (another of the three albums I'd listened to on the ride to and from Orono that day, and also a truly catchy tune)
Green Day (another of the three albums I'd listened to on the ride to and from Orono that day, and this album is consistently making nearly every "Top Albums of the Year" list)
Jackopierce (I'm not sure how this song came up but I think it's a very good version of a sappy classic)
John Mayer (this was mentioned for the way this guy manages to make every situation seem both sweet and tender and horribly heart-wrenching)
The Gourds (this you're going to love, I read a review of their most recent album the other day that called them the originators of "hick-hop")

Stuff heard around the show:
O.A.R. (the two songs were both played by the band during the show, "Crazy Game of Poker" was my motivation for attending the show and I was not let down)
The Rolling Stones (this song was playing between the opening band and O.A.R., while everyone was off peeing and getting beers, I was sitting in the balcony)
Jackson 5 (this was playing as the band took the stage)
Jimi Hendrix (this played after the show ended)

Things that were just included for the fun of it:
Damien Rice (I really like this song and thought at least a couple of you would too, it was either this or Howie Day's "Collide")
Northern State (I put this in for the line "I'm gonna break this shit up like Brenda and Dylan" - the song skips a little but listen to it anyway, I'm sure you'll appreciate it)
Jamie Walters (we all know him best as the guy who played Donna's abusive, cheating boyfriend Ray on my favorite (and all of yours too, natch) show, the incomparable "Beverly Hills, 90210."

I also threw in a copies of the live O.A.R. album "Any Time Now." You can look it up on Amazon.com for a list of the tracks and to get a copy of the cover art.

if i didn't know... - a concertgoer compilation

O.A.R. - Crazy Game of Poker
Dollyrots - Fight Like Jackie Chan
Damien Rice - Cannonball
Crazytown - Butterfly
Violent Femmes - Kiss Off (live)
Liz Phair - Fuck and Run
The Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden
O.A.R. - Hey Girl
Northern State - The Man’s Dollar
The Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
Green Day - Wake Me When September Comes
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chile (A Slight Return)
Jamie Walters - Hold On
Jackopierce - Please Come to Boston
John Mayer - Comfortable
The Gourds - Gin & Juice

Have You Heard? - 12/18/04

2004-12-20T14:29:00.000-05:00

It's been a couple of days since I did my show so this isn't as fresh in my mind but I'm sure I'll muddle through.

My friends Tom and Rick were supposed to come up to do the show but Rick's snowblower broke and fixing that was more important than coming up and Tom didn't show up (I'm not sure why but I'm guessing his reason was better than a broken snowblower). So, instead I continued on with a little more of listening to my own CDs that I really haven't listened to that much. It was all pretty good stuff.

The Good:
The Maytals (I forgot that even though The Harder They Come is generally considered a Jimmy Cliff album that it includes lots of other reggae acts. Since this is the first song of the show (and for me it's usually a crap shoot what's going on then) this was a pretty good pick. I got this from one of the record clubs and was the album I put in the alarm clock during a trip to Chicago last year.)
Curtis Mayfield (This guy is just awesome. There was never any doubt in my mind that this would be good. I bought this album at Dr. Records in Orono one day. That is such a great little record store.)
Linton Kwesi Johnson (Solid reggae, this was from a Shanchee (not sure of the spelling) sampler I got a while ago. It's got a really good Bunny Wailer tune on it too.)
Sade (I love Sade. Like Curtis Mayfield, I really had no doubt I would love this song too. I just can't get enough Sade.)
Angie Stone (I'm a big Angie Stone fan. I think she's got a fantastic voice and her first two CDs (I haven't heard the third one yet) are among the best stuff I've heard in ages. This song is basically Angie over a Marvin Gaye tune (which kind of surprised me) and she is a big Marvin appreciator so I was not too disappointed. If you like classic soul, get some Angie Stone.)
Janet Jackson and Kanye West (Okay, it's true that everything Kanye touches is good and this is no exception but I was surprised to see this album (Janet's Damita Jo) on the Blender Top 100 albums of the year list.)
Christina Aguilera (The more I listen to this album the more I really like it. Is that so wrong? The anti-Britney is way more than that.)
Patti Smith (Just what you'd think it is but prettier.)
Son Volt (I bought a bunch of Eddie Bauer collections a while ago and this is the only one I haven't really listened to yet. It's a lot more country than what I usually listen to but it's kind of that alt-country stuff so I'm saying it's pretty good. There a tune by Kasey Chambers on here that sounds like old Loretta Lynn and is, thus, really great.)
The Dead Milkmen (These guys are the best. Once I thought to buy some of their stuff, it took me like a year to find this album and Big Lizard in My Backyard. But some treasures are worth a little search.)
Roxy Music (I have been a Roxy Music fan since like 1985 and while some of their stuff is a bit odd, it's all good. I bought this album (and another one) at the Salvation Army store in Augusta one day.)
Mary J. Blige (This is the album with No More Drama and Family Affair but I'd never gotten very far past those two tracks. I will now though.)
Alicia Keys (I really like her sound. This album was one that I was surprised to realize I hadn't listened to too much.)
The Delfonics (This is good stuff too. I'll be putting this one in the car for a while.)
Bobby Womack (Bobby Womack has always been pretty impressive and while this album isn't the all-around best showcase for that, it is good.)
Whitney Houston (I am always surprised by the amount of haterating that goes toward Whitney and I was really surprised this album didn't do a lot better but it's all good. Really though, can Whitney do any wrong?)
Changing Faces (This is one of those late-90s R&B groups that kind of got lost in the crowd. They shouldn't have. Two girls with great voices.)

The Middle-of-the-Road:
Fine Young Cannibals (I like FYC but this wasn't the most inspired song. I can see why I recognize other names on the album and not this one.)
The Frotus Caper (My friend Chris's band. I do like this song. If you get a chance to see them play (they play around Portland a lot), go and see them.)
Patsy Cline (I like Patsy too. Some of her stuff is just a little too plain for me though.)
Atlantic Starr (Sugary-80's R&B. Not bad but not great.)
Kelly Price (This girl has a great voice but her choice of subject matter leaves something to be desired.)
Us3 (I kept thinking this was something else the whole time it was on.)

The Not-So-Good:
Madonna (From the Ray of Light album. This song stunk. It was techno-y and I was not even remotely in the mood for that.)
Jennifer Lopez (This song was not good either. I'm sure there are other songs on this album that aren't too bad but I haven't found them yet.)
Aaliyah (This is from that album she made when she was hooking up with R. Kelly and the whole thing is just kind of disturbing. And it's quite obvious she hadn't figured out what she wanted to say yet either. Good for what it is but that doesn't make it all good.)

Here's the list ->

CD1

The Maytals - Sweet Dandy (The Harder They Come soundtrack)
(missed a few seconds at the beginning)
Madonna - Sky Fits Heaven
Jennifer Lopez - Let's Get Loud
Aaliyah - No One Knows How to Love Me Quite Like You Do
Curtis Mayfield - So In Love
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Sense Outa Nansense
*Talk*
Fine Young Cannibals - Don't Let It Get You Down
Sade - Clean Heart
Angie Stone - Wish I Didn't Miss You
Janet Jackson f/ Kanye West - My Baby
Christina Aguilera - Soar
Patti Smith - 1959

*Talk - PSA - Energy Star*

CD2

Son Volt - Windfall (Homeward Bound - Eddie Bauer collection)
The Dead Milkmen - I Walk the Thinnest Line
Roxy Music - Eight Miles High
Rufus Wainwright - Grey Gardens
The Frotus Caper - I'm Not Fun
Peter Gabriel - Lay Your Hands On Me
Patsy Cline - Too Many Secrets
Atlantic Starr - Touch A Four-Leaf Clover
Alicia Keys - Heartburn
*Talk*
Mary J. Blige - Never Been
Kelly Price - Can't Run Away
The Delfonics - Trying to Make a Fool of Me
Us3 - It's Like That
Bobby Womack - Just My Imagination
Whitney Houston - Get It Back
*Talk*
Changing Faces - Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper)
(this got cut off by the jerk who came on after me)

Unheard - 12/11/04

2004-12-11T17:03:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the idea behind the theme of today's radio show came about as I was looking through my CD collection (at least the ones that are in cases) for songs to put on a couple of mix CDs. I realized that a lot of the CDs in my collection are there either for their one-hit wonders or because I bought them super cheap (think Bull Moose cut-out bin) or because they just somehow migrated into my collection. Of these CDs, many have received only a cursory listen, if any listen at all, and it's because of this that I decided to put together a bucket (or, more accurately, a milk crate) of the CDs I haven't really listened to and are just sitting in my collection getting little to no love.

The Good:

Lou Rawls (I've never figured out the whole story of why this guy is the pariah of the Soul world but I really dig his voice and this album (Stormy Monday with Les McCann Ltd.) is a great combination of his voice and really, really lush orchestration (really just kind of traditional jazz backing)
The Cure (The original goth band and still the best. I bought this album, Wild Mood Swings, in one of those Columbia House sales and have barely put it in the CD player. But it's good, as all of their albums are.)
X-Ray Actress (This is, from what I gather a Maine band (at least the singer's from Maine according to my limited recollection) and I really liked this song. Girl-fronted and poppy. Gets me every time.)
Cracker (I'm not sure how this one made it into my CD collection but this song was a lot better than I expected. I've had the poster for this album rolled up among the hundreds of others I have for years.)
Al Green (I bought this album used at Bull Moose but I also picked up a copy of LL Cool J's Radio the same day so this one got left behind. It's got "Take Me to the River" on it but I played one I'd never heard before. It's Al Green, do you really even need to ask how good it was?)
Marvin Gaye (This is from the Live at Montreaux double disc and it was just as good as you would expect it to be.)
Big Head Todd and the Monsters (I've been a fan of this band from way back and this disc is no exception. Surprisingly this band has come up as a topic of conversation 3 or 4 times in the last week.)
Smashmouth (Okay, this band really should suck but I have to admit that their particular brand of catchy pop is like candy for the ears, this song was no exception. From the Fush Yu Mang album.)
Widespread Panic (This song was no "Coconuts" (or anything else from the Space Wrangler album) but it was as good as I wanted it to be. This band, for me anyway, sort of fell by the wayside after my (first) freshman year and with the death of their original singer a few years ago I really hadn't paid too much attention to them. But I used to really like them and now I remember why.)
Luscious Jackson (I always lumped this band in with a bunch of others I think of as angry-type, all-female (or female-fronted) grrrl bands (think L7, most of the bands on the Mad Love soundtrack) but I'm not sure how accurate that was. I liked this song.)
Television (This album was something I bought when I was listening to a lot of early and early-ish punk. I can't believe how little I've listened to it because every time I put it on I like it and think to myself how I can't believe how little I've listened to it.)

The So-So:

Tears for Fears (Okay, so I'd heard this song before, I just didn't recognize the name. That "Songs From the Big Chair" album really is a classic.)
Tin Machine (As much as I like David Bowie, I've never really been able to wrap my tastes around Tin Machine. I do like them, just not as much as I always think I should.)
Ray Davies (This is a pretty cool album ("Storyteller" or something like that although I'm pretty sure it has no relation to the VH1 program of the same name) and the songs are good. I don't know how many are Kinks tracks but it's all acoustic (at least what I've listened to so far) and the version of "You Really Got Me" on here is really good.)
Atlantic Starr (This is one of those old R&B bands that I always wanted to listen to and I found a CD cheap a while ago but I'm pretty sure this is the first time it's been near any of my CD players. It was good. A little fluffy but I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing.)
Janet Jackson (Okay, we've all heard Janet - a LOT - but this is from her first album (you know, the one with her in the pool on the cover) and it shows. Not great but that always gets colored by the fact that a lot of the stuff that came later was just so freaking great.)
Redd Kross (I've always heard good things about this band which is, I imagine, why I own this CD but I'm pretty sure this has never seen the inside of my CD players either. But it was good. Not great but good.)
Oasis (Song #6 (which has no name on the track listing on the back of this CD) is apparently very short so I played the next song too. Aside from "Wonderwall" (the Ryan Adams cover of this song is really good too) and the other tune that was a hit from this disc, I hadn't listened to any of the rest of it. This was good enough. Just what I expected.)
G.E. Smith & Saturday Night Live Band (I always knew G.E. had chops and this song proves it as well as anything else. I still miss him on SNL.)
Lenny Kravitz (This guy has been getting on my nerves lately (that new "Lady" song SUCKS) but this song is pretty good. I'd heard it before. Apparently I don't remember the track names as well as I used to. 10 years or so between listens probably doesn't help much.)
Billy Lawrence w/ MC Lyte (I LOVE MC Lyte but I don't know who Billy Lawrence is and now I know why. MC Lyte is the only reason this song stayed on this list and not the one below.)
Nick Drake (Aside from "Pink Moon," this CD gets very little love from me. Which is a shame considering how good this guy was.)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (This sounds like updated Beatles stuff. Early Beatles stuff. But a little different. And it's good. I can see why it was getting all that press back when it came out.)

The Bad (not so bad that it's awful, but still not really that good):

Guns 'N' Roses (I meant play "Dead Horse" but apparently I picked the wrong track on the CD player. This song was not all that. Or even a little that.)
Nona Gaye (I was playing this when the guy who does the show after me walked in and the first thing he said (yes, even before hello) was "Is this Paula Abdul?" Now it's not like I have anything against Paula (I mean we're talking about a whole lot of high school dance memories there), but this just isn't really a compliment. And the song deserved it.)

The Really, Really Not Good (or The Absolutely Horrible):

The Toadies (This was just awful. I was expecting kind of an edgy, jam band kind of sound and it was more like bad garage metal kind of stuff. Not good.)

Look below. It's the list.

CD1

Lou Rawls with Les McCann Ltd. - Stormy Monday
Tears for Fears - Head Over Heels
The Cure - Jupiter Crash
Tin Machine - Prisoner of Love
X-Ray Actress - I Want It All
The Toadies - Quitter (Live)
Ray Davies - See My Friends
Atlantic Starr - When Love Calls
Janet Jackson - Forever Yours
Redd Kross - Visionary
Cracker - Sick of Goodbyes
Oasis - #6 & Some Might Say
G.E. Smith & The Saturday Night Live Band - Might As Well Get Drunk

CD2

Lenny Kravitz - My Love
Billy Lawrence w/ MC Lyte - Come On (Set It Off soundtrack)
Al Green - Hangin' On
Marvin Gaye - Come Get To This (Live)
Nick Drake - Things Behind the Sun
Big Head Todd and The Monsters - Salvation
Smash Mouth - The Fonz
Guns 'N' Roses - Bad Obsession
Widespread Panic - You Got Yours
Luscious Jackson - Mood Swing
Television - Friction
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Too Real
Nona Gaye - When You Were Mine

Blast from the past - 3/8/04

2004-12-05T18:18:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I was digging around in some old e-mail this afternoon and I came across this. And now that I have this little forum for my pet project, I thought I'd tack this on. It's not too old and I still listen to all of this stuff. If it rains pretty soon here (which I'm sure it will) I'll be dragging out all the R&B and Soul. For some reason I always feel more inclined to play that stuff on a rainy day. But for the record, here's one for the archives (and I believe the CDs are still kicking around as well.

Martha and the Vandellas - Nowhere to Run

Talk

Al Green - Love and Happiness
Dean Martin - You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You
Sammy Davis Jr. - Ee-O Eleven (a little mixup near the end)
David Gray - Babylon
Talking Heads - Girlfriend Is Better
Tom Petty - I Need to Know
Rod Stewart - Reason to Believe
Blind Faith - Had to Cry Today
Journey - Faithfully
James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
Warren Zevon - Poor Poor Pitiful Me
Big Head Todd and the Monsters - Bittersweet
Joan Armatrading - Weakness In Me
Sade - No Ordinary Love

PSA - not on disc
Talk - not on disc

Neil Young - Natural Beauty
Little Feat - Dixie Chicken
Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue
Bryan Adams - Heaven
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Louis Armstrong - We'll Be Together Again
Rufus & Chaka Khan - Sweet Thing
Angie Stone - Holding Back the Years
Prince and The New Power Generation - Blue Light
The Ramones - I Want You Around
The Cure - Boys Don't Cry
Fine Young Cannibals - Good Thing
Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark - If You Leave

Back In The Day - 12/04/04

2004-12-04T16:54:00.000-05:00

Yes, yes, y'all. So today's show was all old school cuts. I could have gone for hours longer. Which would have been cool but time runs out. Aside from having a few cueing issues (duly noted below), the only real problem I had was trying to figure out which of those awesome cuts would come next.

Mad props to Meaghan and Ebony for both listening via the "intraweb" and also calling in to say hi. Hi back girls. It's always nice when your friends listen to what you do. Songs for Meaghan: Positve K - I Got A Man, Too $hort - More Freaky Tales (clean) and by specific request the Queen Latifah/Monie Love collaboration Ladies First. Meaghan had a few other requests but I didn't bring in Adina Howard or the other one she suggested. Song for Ebony: Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge). It was her only request.

The other funny thing was I played Goin' Back to Cali while I was talking to Meaghan and she said she didn't think that was that old. I pointed out that, according to the liner notes, the song was released in January 1988. She said that wasn't that long ago. I laughed. She said it was a good year with several more to follow. I thought that was nice.

Let a couple "shit"s slip through. One in Ice-T - Colors and one in Roxanne Shante - Roxanne's Revenge. I was really pissed about that Kid 'N' Play tune skipping. I screwed with the CD player to see if I could get through it but that seemed to make it even worse so I cut in and put on the next tune.

CD1

Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
(missed a little at the beginning)
Whodini - Freaks Come Out at Night
Kool Moe Dee - Suckers
(went a little long because of some freaky caller)
*Talk*
LL Cool J - Goin' Back to Cali
Positive K - I Got A Man (radio mix)
Biz Markie - Pickin' Boogers
Ice-T - Colors
(a little bleed at the end as I forgot to turn off the turntable)
Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day (remix)
Public Enemy - Don't Believe the Hype
Too $hort - More Freaky Tales (Clean)
Kid 'N' Play - Hype
(skipped with a minute-forty-eight left)
*Talk (quick to cover screwup)*
Kwame (The Boy Genius) - The Man We All Know and Love

*PSA - He's So Hot - Talk*

CD2

UTFO - Roxanne, Roxanne
Roxanne Shante - Roxanne's Revenge
Doug E. Fresh - Cut That Zero
Sir Mix-A-Lot - Posse on Broadway
(screwed up the opening but then started it over)
De La Soul - Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge)
Queen Latifah w/ Monie Love - Ladies First
Salt 'N Pepa - The Showstopper
Boogie Down Productions - My Philosophy
*Talk - PSA - Showers*
Def Jef - Give It Here
Stetsasonic - Talkin' All That Jazz
Eric B. & Rakim - Microphone Fiend

Wouldn't You Like To Know - 11/27/04

2004-11-27T16:52:00.000-05:00

Hi all. So, today I was joined in the studio by my buddy Rick Haney and that sweet girl Ebony Nicolas (all the way from the big city). Rick tried to run me over in the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot and Ebony showed up some time around Urge Overkill (give or take a song).

I went to see O.A.R. at the State Theater this past week and while the show was not as great as I thought it might be (I attribute this mostly to the fact that I thought I knew way more of their songs than I actually do), seeing "Crazy Game of Poker" live was totally awesome. Karen Zeigler (I am so never sure if I'm spelling her last name right, sorry K), Jen MacBride, Jenn Adams and Tom Houghton were in tow and were a fun crowd to see the show with. Thanks to all of you guys. And to the handful of other folks who rolled into the Free Street Taverna for pre-show beers.

The whole point of that ramble was to say that I had a little plan to play a bunch of O.A.R. and other bands that came up in conversation while drinking before the show (everything from Green Day to John Mayer and from The Jackson 5 to The Violent Femmes) but alas this was not to be as I knew Ebony would be there and that would throw the plan off. Not that that's bad. In fact, and I don't mean to sound surprised, today's show was pretty good. Ebony's few choices (she could have put on more stuff but she just didn't for whatever reason) were things I'd never heard (The Futureheads, The Unicorns), things I'd heard of but never heard (The Pixies, The Shins) and things I've heard a lot (Queen with David Bowie). Rick burned several cds for himself and picked no songs to play on the air. Boooo.

There are no CDs for today as the one I did burn wouldn't finalize and is therefor useless and even so it stopped somewhere around Van Morrison or so anyway. I'll be making a dreaded trip to the place I hate the most - yes, that's right, Wal-Mart - in pursuit of some Maxell Audio CD-Rs (since they seem to be the ones that work most consistently in our rack-component burner, according to my informal polling of other WRBC DJs). This is going to be a torturous experience for me but I'm getting really fed up with not being able to burn my shows consistently. I almost switched back to tapes today.

Anyway, Happy "after" Thanksgiving and enjoy.

Marcy Playground - Poppies
The Dollyrots - Fight Like Jackie Chan
The Go-Go's - This Town
Green Day - Warning
Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
Roxy Music - In Every Dream Home A Heartache
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
Urge Overkill - Erica Kane
Bif Naked - I Died
David Gray - Say Hello Wave Goodbye
The Furies - Fun Around the World
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - I Hate Myself for Loving You
The Futureheads - Decent Days and Nights
Joeski Love - Pee-Wee's Dance
*Talk & PSA - read by Ebony*
Josie Cotton - Johnny Are You Queer?
Sparks - Eaten By the Monster of Love
The Shins - We Will Become Silhouettes (The Postal Service)
The Pixies - La La Love You (Live - April 13, 2004)
The Rugburns - Suburbia (Bio-Dome soundtrack)
Van Morrison - T.B. Sheets
The Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
The Unicorns - Sea Ghost
Foo Fighters w/ Chick Corea - Times Like These (Live - 2004 Grammys)
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Babylon System (Bob Marley)
De La Soul - This Is A Recording 4 Living In a Full-Time Era (L.I.F.E.)
The Dead Milkmen - The Guitar Song
The Donnas - Living After Midnihgt (Judas Priest)
Queen w/ David Bowie - Under Pressure
Mel C f/ Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopez - Never Be the Same Again

Working Together - 11/20/04

2004-11-20T16:03:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the CD burner thing didn't take CD number 2 today so there's only one. Only one person so far has asked for CDs and I'm a slacker so he hasn't even gotten them yet. I'm working on it though - between going to classes, going to work, writing papers and studying for tests for my two ridiculously work-heavy classes and trying to squeeze in reasonable amounts of sleep - but it's not going to quickly.

Today's show was kind of a mess. I wrote in the list that Roxy Music - Amazona skipped but I don't think it really did. On the turntables, there's this little arm that lifts the needle up by pushing the tone arm up with this little ramp-like thing and for some reason, even when you put the little arm down (which I hardly even look at since I don't usually use it, even though I should) the little ramp doesn't go all the way down and I think that was what was making the record skip. Arrghhh.

Anyway, other than that and aside from the fact that I only played CDs and albums I brought from home, I thought the show went pretty well. I finally played something from the B-52's - B-52's album I got about two months ago. And I squeezed in some Magnapop and some Television - two albums (Rubbing Doesn't Help and Marquee Moon, respectively) that I own and hardly ever listen to. I played Ain't That Pretty At All by Warren Zevon because I've read a couple of things recently that talk about a great recent cover of that song but I can't remember who does it or what album it would be on.

So here's the list.

CD1
Blues Traveler - Gina (Live)
(missed the first 20 seconds or so since I forgot to push record)
Blind Melon - Changed (alternate version of Change)
*Talk*
Generation X - One Hundred Punks
B-52's - Party Out of Bounds
B-52's - Planet Claire
The Cure - Jumping Someone Else's Train
Roxy Music - Amazona
(skipped so I had to stop it)
Shonen Knife - Johnny Johnny Johnny
The Clash - Koka Kola
Mandy Moore - Quit Breaking My Heart
The Ramones - I Want You Around (Ed Stasium version)
The Go-Go's - This Town
Britney Spears - I Love Rock & Roll (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
Johnny Thunders - You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory
(Bringing Out The Dead soundtrack)
Warren Zevon - Ain't That Pretty At All

Not on a CD

*Talk - PSA - Showers*
John Mayer - Come Back to Bed
Fine Young Cannibals - Not the Same Man I Used to Be
Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
Simply Red - Love Fire
Huey Lewis & The News - Some of My Lies Are True (Sooner or Later)
Talking Heads - Swamp
Magnapop - Down on Me
Dire Straits - Angel of Mercy
Suzanne Vega - No Cheap Thrill
New York Dolls - Frankenstein (Orig.)
Television - Elevation
*Talk*
Credence Clearwater Revival - Green River (Live)
Rod Stewart - (I Know) I'm Losing You
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
The Cars - Just What I Needed

A Little Mess - 11/13/04

2004-11-13T16:20:00.000-05:00

Okay. Today's show title is because I got up this morning and really couldn't decide what to play. I'd thought about doing a show of only bands I've seen in concert. That show would have been very heavy on The Dead and Phish but it also would have included Green Day, The B-52's, David Gray, David Bowie, The Allmans, The Spin Doctors, The Strokes, Bob Dylan, Tori Amos, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Rusted Root, Blind Melon, Jimmy Cliff, Jimmy Buffett, AC/DC, Kiss, Black Sabbath, maybe even a little Dave Matthews Band. Actually that might have been a pretty good show. Maybe next time. I was also thinking of doing an all Old School rap show but I didn't have the time to dig through the records to find a bunch of stuff I really would have liked to play (MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Redhead Kingpin and F.B.I., Heavy D. & The Boyz, Slick Rick, Kwame - The Boy Genius, Def Jef, Digital Underground) so this fell by the wayside as well. I just wasn't into doing an all slow jams R&B and Soul show but I can definitely feel one of those coming on pretty soon but I tend to save those for rainy days.

So what I decided to do was do one of the all-from-the-new-racks-stuff shows. And I have to think that it turned out pretty good. I picked 90 percent of the stuff from the bottom shelf of the new rack - hate to see all that stuff move away before I get to listen to it - and I'm glad I did because some of it was really good.

The good:
The Dollyrots, the second Elliott Smith song, Mates of State, Gibby Haynes (actually this was really good), the Isley Brothers cover, Unbunny, Concrete Blonde (of course we've all heard of this band and while I'm not always a fan, this song was definitely good), Talib Kweli, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes (this is my absolute favorite band name) and Libbie Schrader

The in-between:
Elvis Costello, the first Elliott Smith song, The Neville Brothers, Karen Ann, Copeland, Rilo Kiley, D-Super, Roy Ashen, Rosemary Clooney, Gravenhurst, Nina Nastasia and The Safes

The bad (stuff I won't be playing again):
Virginia Coalition, The Rogers Sisters, Dollhouse, Halo Star (none of this stuff was REALLY horrible - although I really wasn't into the Halo Star thing - but it wasn't too good either)

The Isley Brothers stuff came from a compilation disc called The Isley Brothers: Taken to the Next Level (Reconstructions). This was really good. A tribute disc. The two songs I heard from it were really great. The other one was by Questlove from The Roots. If you can get your hands on this, I recommend doing just that.

Bob Dylan - Dignity

CD1

Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Monkey to Man
(missed a little at the beginning)
Elliott Smith - A Passing Feeling
The Dollyrots - Skinny
Virginia Coalition - Walk to Work
Elliott Smith - The Last Hour
*Talk - PSA - He's So Hot*
Mates of State - Starman (David Bowie)
Gibby Haynes & His Problem - 15,000
D-Nat & Onda f/ De La Soul - It's a New Thing (It's Your Thing) (Isley Brothers)
The Neville Brothers - Kingdom Come
Karen Ann - Right Here & Right Now
(cut off a little and it played through the beginning of the next song for a second)
The Rogers Sisters - 45 Prayers
Copeland - Another Day in Paradise (Phil Collins)
Rilo Kiley - accidntel deth

- End of CD1

*Talk*

CD2

D-Super - Water
Roy Ashen - It's Not Too Late
Rosemary Clooney - Limehouse Blues
Unbunny - Pink Lemonade
Dollhouse - I'm a Man on the Move
Concrete Blonde - Because I Can
*Talk*
Karen Ann - End of May
Talib Kweli f/ John Legend - Around My Way
Halo Star - Indefinable, yet
Gravenhurst - ...the diver...
Nina Nastasia - Johnny's Rose Tatoo
Me First & The Gimme Gimmes - For the Longest Time (Billy Joel)
The Safes - Mind Meltdown
Libbie Schrader - Come When I Call

Working Together - 11/06/04

2004-11-06T16:21:00.000-05:00

Not much to say about today. And I'm sick so even if there was I'm not sure how coherent it would be. Rick Haney came up - with his "lady friend," Denise, from Biddeford - and I always think it's kind of funny when people come to the radio station. I'm not sure what people expect but I'm pretty sure their imaginations make it seem a lot more interesting than reality.

I played some stuff I hadn't really heard in a while (Mother Love Bone, Shonen Knife and Pat Benatar) and I played some stuff from that disc I put together for Tom (and then made a copy of for myself) of stuff from the 2004 Grammy Award ceremony and Toots on SNL.

Rick's Picks: AIR, Wilco, Sting
Denise's Picks: U2, The Wallflowers

and Punk Rock Girl was by request because some guy called and asked if I wouldn't mind playing it even though it came right after (nearly) Born to Love Volcanos. I said "No, I don't mind at all."

There are no CDs of today's show because the stupid player/recorder thing-y sucks.

Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice
Toots & The Maytals w/ The Roots f/ Bootsie Collins - Funky Kingston
(Live - SNL - intro Donald Trump)
The Clash - Lost in the Supermarket
Mother Love Bone - Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns
*talk*
Faster Pussycat - You're So Vain
Eric Clapton - After Midnight
(Rainbow Concert - Live - f/ P. Townsend, R. Wood, S. Winwood)
Kenny Loggins - Footloose
AIR - J'ai Dormi Sous L'eau
Foo Fighters w/ Chick Corea - Times Like These
(Live - 2004 Grammy Awards - intro Snoop Dogg)
Patsy Cline - Walkin' After Midnight
Frotus Caper - Hello Out There
O.A.R. - Hey Girl
*Talk - PSA - Math*
Shonen Knife - Little Tree
Pat Benatar - All Fired Up
New York Dolls - Looking For A Kiss
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
(Live - 2004 Grammy Awards)
U2 - If God Will Send His Angels
The Wallflowers - 6th Avenue Heartache
Tom Petty f/ Stevie Nicks - The Insider
Wilco - Kamera
The Dead Milkmen - Born to Love Volcanos
Talking Heads - I Get Wild/Wild Gravity
The Dead Milkmen - Punk Rock Girl
*Talk*
Sting - Fortress Around Your Heart

Working Together - 10/23/04

2004-10-23T16:49:00.000-04:00

This was a pretty good show. I liked most of the stuff I played. My sister, Jill, came along but didn't pick too much music to play or talk at all. But she helped a little anyway. She did pick out Daby Toure (foreign and weird but not that bad - review label said he's opening for Peter Gabriel) and The Clinton Administration (an all-Sly & The Family Stone cover album and the song we played was instrumental, I'm not sure if the whole album is though). People who know me know I don't like DMB but I played a song for a friend of mine. Hi Mathy. That one's for you. The Morissey song (the second tune in the list), I'm really not sure what the name of it is and I couldn't even figure it out looking it up on Amazon. This is going to take a little more effort.

I'm really falling in love with that Something Corporate album. I think it might be time to get a couple more of their albums. Northern State kills. They are friggin' great. And funny. Get All City but really get Dying In Stereo (the first album). That Jimmy Cliff tune was good. New album. Played a little Poison. Played the Crazy Town. I just love that they compare the relationship to that of Sid and Nancy. Like Chris Rock says, that's not right. Remix of the B.A.D. classic (which to me is just the stuff from Tighten Up Vol. 88) 2,000 Shoes. Can't go wrong with B.A.D. Sugar Hill Gang. What do I have to say? "Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn/If your girl starts actin' up, then you take her friend." That Johnny Bravo tune was cool. I don't think I'd actually listened to that CD yet but any band named after Greg Brady's alter ego can't be bad at all. I have always dug the Fine Young Cannibals stuff. Alex Chilton. It's true, we all wanna be Big Stars.

Dave Matthews. The source of many people giving me "get the hell away from me" looks when I say I don't like him/them. But after seeing him in concert like 5 or so times (don't ask) I know a lot of the stuff. And for Mathy I make an exception and that one was never as bad as others. Tracy Chapman. This song reminds me a lot of Joan Armatrading stuff. If you can write sadder songs than either of these women, I'd love to hear them. The Killers. Just trying to get the show out of the dumps. James. This song is one of my new favorites. I'm not even sure I've actually listened to the words yet (that's hard to do while running a radio show) but it's really nice. Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper skewer the Smiths - and more precisely Morissey - with this humorous tune. Good stuff. Thanks Doug for putting that one on the disc for me. Thought I'd follow it up with an actual Smiths tune but then it skipped with about a minute left and I had to shut it off. Oh well. Too bad. Like Ebony, I'm unprofessional. A few years ago Jason Leiva recorded a couple of tunes at his place and put them on a disc. I still have this disc and the 8 and 1/2 minute jam that he called Uncanned is pretty groovy. Played a little Paul Simon. Yes, I did. And yes, it was Boy in the Bubble (it was gonna be She Moves On but I changed my mind). And yes it was the Concert in the Park version. Sue me. The new Duran Duran was awesome. If you liked them before, you'll like this. It sounds like today's pop a little but it's so totally them. More 7 And The Ragged Tiger than say Rio. But that might just be this tune. I'll be playing more. Don't you worry. The Charms are a little band from Boston. They rock. Two girls, two guys. Pretty punk. Pretty good. Morcheeba featuring "the man, the legend" Biz Markie. It's got Biz Markie on it so you know it's freakin' awesome. And it was. Is. You know what I mean. You know, when I saw the new Afrikaa Baambaata on the shelf my first thought was "I thought that guy was dead." But he's not. He's SO not. Get this. It's good. And then I finished with The Beautiful Girls. This is not what I expected it to be at all but I burned it for myself last week (the problem with going by the reviews on the label is that they're not always very good reviews) and I don't like to admit that I make mistakes. I'm not saying it's bad though. In fact, it's pretty good. See, covering my tracks. No, really, it's not too bad at all.

CD1

Something Corporate - Me and the Moon
(missed the first few seconds on the cd)
Morissey -
(it was song #7 on the CD that has a picture of a tail of an airplane on the disc)
Northern State - Don't Look Down
Jem - Just a Ride
*talk*
Jimmy Cliff (f/ Joe Strummer) - Over the Border
Poison - Something to Believe In
Crazy Town - Butterfly
B.A.D. - 2,000 Shoes (Top Mix)
*Talk & PSA - She's So Hot*
Daby Toure - Dendecuba
The Clinton Administration - Dance to the Music (instrumental)
(Sly & The Family Stone)
Sugar Hill Gang - Rapper's Delight
Johnny Bravo - Kick the Cat
Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy
Alex Chilton - You Don't Have to Go

CD2

Dave Matthews Band - Don't Drink the Water
Tracy Chapman - Less Than Strangers
The Killers - Somebody Told Me
James - So Many Ways
Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper - Girlfriend in a Coma
The Smiths - What She Said (live)
(skipped a lot near the end so I cut it off)
Jason Leiva - Uncanned
Paul Simon - Boy in the Bubble (live - Concert in the Park)
*Talk*
Duran Duran - Want You More!
The Charms - So Pretty
Morcheeba (w/ Biz Markie) - In the Hands of the Gods
Afrikaa Baambaata - 2137
The Beautiful Girls (f/ Mason Jennings) - Freedom (pt. 2)

Working Together - 10/16/04

2004-10-17T18:09:00.000-04:00

Okay. So the CD burner didn't work this week so no copies. Not that I've sent any out yet anyway. Played O.A.R. because of the upcoming concert.
The new Afrika Bambaataa album was on the rack and since he's the original originator, I thought I'd play a tune. And it was REALLY good.
Three from Siouxsie because I had to get something out of the car.
The Charlie Mars tune was pretty good too.
For some reason Come to Boston sounded all static-y like it was recorded from a bad radio signal but I know that's not true. It was just weird. But probably just as well because that song always makes me weepy.
Singapore Sling is a good band. I am saying this to everyone. They're good.
Mark Dawson and Aileen Morgan were on the new racks and I liked both of them.
Mandy Moore's cover of John Hiatt's Have a Little Faith in Me was, not unexpectedly, not as good as the original. I think buying her Coverage album might have been one of my biggest disappointments recently.
And that Moco thing was on the new racks as well and it was cool. The sticker on the cover said it was The Strokes meets The Doors and that it pulled it off and I can see that analogy but it was more like The Strokes than The Doors and it was pretty cool.

O.A.R. - Hey Girl
Native Tongue - Speaking in Captions
Afrika Bambaataa - 2137
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Hong Kong Gardens
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Miracle
Siouxsie & The Banshees - The Staircase (Mystery)
*Talk & PSA - He's So Hot*
Charlie Mars - Try So Hard
Jackopierce - Come to Boston
Singapore Sling - J.D.
Mark Dawson - Blindly
Aileen Morgan - Pretty Pictures
*Talk*
Peggy Lee - Be Anything (But Be Mine)
Mandy Moore - Have a Little Faith in Me (John Hiatt)
Bif Naked - I Died
Suzanne Vega (with Joe Jackson on piano) - Left of Center
(Pretty in Pink soundtrack)
Blue Room - Cry Like This
(Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack)
Something Corporate - Me and the Moon
Sparks - Eaten by the Monster of Love
(Valley Girl - More Music from the Soundtrack)
The Dead Milkmen - Everybody's Got Nice Stuff But Me
The Cure - Shake Dog Shake
The Fixx - Saved by Zero (Live)
The Motels - Suddenly Last Summer (Live)
Berlin - Take My Breath Away (Live)
*Talk & PSA - She's So Hot*
Moco - Completely Gone
David Gray - Sail Away

Working Together - 10/09/04

2004-10-09T17:21:00.000-04:00

Well, hello again everyone. Today's show went really well. No guests. No trouble. It was pretty fun. I was kind of digging through some stuff to find stuff I wanted to hear and with a few exceptions it was all as good as I wanted it to be.

I would have probably not played Robert Palmer - Pressure Drop. I like that version a lot but it just wasn't what I wanted to hear right there. I really wanted to hear My City Was Gone by The Pretenders but that, apparently, is not on the Singles (Greatest Hits) disc so I played Talk of the Town instead. The David Gray song wasn't as lively as I'd remembered either. I should have picked a different one there as well. And I wouldn't have played the Pink song that I played either but I forgot that that was the one that it was. Did you follow that? Basically I would have just picked a different track (again). And, finally, The Apartments song from the Some Kind of Wonderful Soundtrack just stopped mid-track. Probably due to some kind of scratch or gunk on the disc but it just stopped with no skipping or anything. It was really very weird.

I did play PSA's and stuff today but that's when I changed the discs so that's why they're not listed.

It's come to my attention that some people can't remember what time (or day) my show is on. Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m. This is for people who would like to listen on-line. This can be done by visiting www.bates.edu/wrbc and following the appropriate links and subsequent instructions on the left hand side of the page. As far as I know it's pretty self-explanatory. I'm not sure of that though so don't hold me to it. If you can't figure it out, e-mail me and I'll try to get some answers for you. At this time you can only listen to my show on-line while it's going on. As some of you who are familiar with WRBC know this isn't how it has always been. At one time there was an archive. I've asked several times about bringing this back and it seems that it's in the works but I wouldn't hold my breath. So for the time being, if you're home between noon and 2 p.m. on Saturdays, turn your computer on and listen in. And if you're feeling really ambitious you can call the station at 777-7915 or 777-7916.

Disc 1

Finley Quaye & William Orbit - Dice (from The O.C. soundtrack)
(missed a little at the beginning)
Original Mirrors - Reflections
(Diana Ross & The Supremes)
Duran Duran - Rio
Berlin - No More Words
Robert Palmer - Pressure Drop
O.A.R. - Hey Girl
Jaime Walters - I Know the Game
(this is the guy from The Heights and the guy who played Donna's (Tori Spelling) on
Beverly Hill 90210)
Frotus Caper - Hello Out There
(Chris White's band)
James - So Many Ways
Something Corporate - Ruthless
Bif Naked - I Died
The Pretenders - Talk of the Town

Disc 2

The White Stripes - Expecting
Wire - Reuters
The Bauhaus - She's in Parties
The Cure - 10:15 Saturday Night
The Plimsouls - A Million Miles Away (from the Valley Girl soundtrack)
The Apartments - The Shyest Time (from the Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack)
(this just hung up in the middle of the track - very weird)
Nikki Meets the Hibachi - Outside Looking In
Aimee Mann - That's Just What You Are (from the Melrose Place soundtrack)
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
David Gray - My Oh My
Melanie C (f. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez) - Never Be the Same Again
(Sporty Spice)
Native Tongue - Speaking in Captions
Pink - Most Girls
Josie & The Pussycats - Pretend to Be Nice (from the Josie & The Pussycats soundtrack)
The Rugburns - Suburbia (from the BioDome soundtrack)

Are You There? - 10/02/04

2004-10-02T17:00:00.000-04:00

So, today's show featured a few in-studio guests. I was joined by Alicia Ford and Rick Haney and Chris Kelley (CK). All in all it was pretty fun. The beginning of the show was kind of a mess as people were attempting to fix one of the in-studio speakers which was just flopping around (tape was the answer in case anyone cares) and one of the computer guys was in trying to fix up the web stream. After that all cleared out though things got under way. There was more talking than usual today and we took two phone calls on the air (Adrianne Robert called to remind me to buy Powerball tickets and then we got a solicited call from Josh Nason to round out the show).

We played all kinds of stuff but not too much new. Remy Zero, The Shins and Nick Drake were all from the Garden State Soundtrack. Counting Crows and Five For Fighting were from Alicia's collection. Rick picked Ben Folds Five and The Beta Band.

There was a lot of disorganization during today's show though and because of that I'm not even sure where the CD break was. Below is a close approximation.

CD1

Led Zeppelin - Over the Hills and Far Away
Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train
(skippy - played most but then turned it off)
Finley Quaye and William Orbit - Dice
Jack Johnson - #4 or #5 from Inaudible Melodies
Remy Zero - Fair
AC/DC - If You Want Blood
ZZ Top - La Grange
Big Head Todd - Sister Sweetly
A little Rick thing (actually a pretty funny little prank call from the old college days)
Counting Crows - Mrs. Potter's Lullaby

CD2

The Modifiers - Favorite Waitress
Iggy Pop f/ Kate Pierson - Candy
Five For Fighting - American Town
The Shins - The New Slang
The Donnas - 40 Boys in 40 Nights
Cibo Matto - Sci-Fi Wasabi
Jimmy Buffett - The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful
Nick Drake - One of These Things First
The Beta Band - Dry the Rain
5,6,7,8s - Woo Hoo
Guru f/ Macy Gray - All I Said
Ben Folds Five - Your Redneck Past
Dead Milkmen - Bitchin' Camaro
U2 - Trip Through Your Wires
(we talked to nason through the end of this song)

You Say Ick - 09/06/04

2004-09-25T17:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've done it again...Can't just stick to one of these Blog-y things...So I'm starting another...This one will deal with my radio show on a weekly basis...

Today's radio show (like the last two) featured music taken from the RBC archives during a "cleaning" this summer...This is stuff I thought was worth keeping...Some of it I've heard before (Swing Out Sister, Kim Carnes, Daryl Hall, Julian Cope, Michael Penn, Doctor & The Medics, Tanita Tikaram, Jane Siberry), some of it I've heard of but never heard (Dave Stewart & The Spiritual Cowboys (Dave Stewart was the guy in Eurythmics) , Thrashing Doves, James, Westworld) and the rest was just plain new to me...

First for "The Good"
The songs from Dave Stewart, Swing Out Sister, at least one from The Chemical People, Comateens, The Triplets, The Only Ones, James, The Outlets, The Judy's, Chihoe Hahn and Westworld were all really good...Some of these bands, I'm sure, have disbanded since the albums came into the station mostly in early- to mid-80's but that's too bad...I thought the Westworld tune was really pretty good...I can see why they sold so many albums in England...But I was a really big fan of Comateens, Chihoe Hahn, The Outlets and Dave Stewart and The Spiritual Cowboys...

"Covers"
The Communards (really good but not too surprising after I read the back of the album cover and saw that one of the guys in this band was one of the guys in Bronski Beat)...What Is This (this was a live version and it was good...it took me a while to place where I knew it from...there is a great version by The Spinners on the soundtrack to When We Were Kings)...Julian Cope (I first heard The Vogues version of this song on the Platoon soundtrack in like 1988 or something...aside from Groovin' by the Rascals and, of course, Otis Redding's Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay, this is as good a reason as any to buy this soundtrack (it also has dialog clips))...

"The So-So"
Swing Out Sister, Thrashing Doves, The Vels, Daryl Hall, Naked Eyes, The Judy's, Novo Combo, Altered Images, Tanita Tikaram, Jane Siberry, Michael Penn...all of these were passable...playable...the Thrashing Doves song I had to play because of The Gilmore Girls (season starts next week, I think), I'm thinking of writing to the show to alert them to the existence of this song...the Daryl Hall song was good (I always forget how good that guy's voice is) but it wasn't anything special, Bruce Hornsby should listen to that stuff though so he doesn't copy it all...The Judy's and Altered Images were catchy, fast-paced New Wave, punk-y kind of stuff...good enough...I did like that Naked Eyes song and the Novo Combo song but not so much that I'm pulling for new releases...Tanita Tikaram (you remember that One Tin Soldier song?) is really growing on me...she's got a voice that offers a lot more in the way of color than you would think...I was really hoping the Jane Siberry song would be a lot poppier...that Michael Penn song is good enough and this was an acoustic version, but I've never really loved that tune (but how many other songs can you name with Wuthering Heights references?)...

"The Bad"
Am I the only one glad Kim Carnes isn't making records any more? (she isn't is she? that'd be embarassing...)

"The Absolutely Horrible" (aka it's so bad i'm seriously considering throwing the album away)
Doctor and The Medics (this song sucked SOOOO much...there's a line in the chorus - yes, the chorus - about golden showers...the song is just awful...and I always really liked their version of the Norman Greenbaum classic The Spirit in the Sky...)

Today's show was called "Throwaways"

CD 1
Dave Stewart & The Spiritual Cowboys - Party Town (Flatliners sndtrk)
Swing Out Sister - Where In the World
The Chemical People - Don't Tell Me
The Chemical People - Human Fear
Comateens - Comateens
The Triplets - Boys
Thrashing Doves - Lorelei
*talk*
Kim Carnes - Jamaica Sunday Morning
The Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way (Thelma Houston)
The Vels - Girl Most Likely To
The Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
Daryl Hall - Without Tears
*talk & PSA - He's So Hot*
James - Fairground

CD 2
Nikki Meets the Hibachi - Life Is Just Like That
The Outlets - Whole New World
Doctor and The Medics - I Wanna Choke On Your Love
What Is This - I'll Be Around (live) (The Spinners)
Naked Eyes - Eyes of a Child
The Judy's - High Society
Chihoe Hahn - Forever Blue
(started a bit off - the previous song ended pretty abruptly)
Michael Penn - No Myth (acoustic)
*PSA - Call Yo Momma - talk*
(and then, mistakenly, the beggining of another PSA - Wildlife Land Trust)
Julian Cope - 5 O'Clock World (The Vogues)
Westworld - Sonic Boom Boy
Novo Combo - Slow Fade
Altered Images - Pinky Blue
Tanita Tikaram - It All Came Back Today
(skipped twice)
Jane Siberry - Seven Steps to the Wall

Some Treasures - 09/25/04

2004-09-25T17:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, so apparently there were two shows this week. Good stuff. Since I remembered to bring along the blanks to burn the show, I went back to the "play stuff that the station deemed unworthy of keeping" format. Today's show was great though. I can't actually remember anything that was so bad I'd give it back. There were a couple of less than stellar songs but all in all it was pretty solid. So, except for the two Greg Kihn songs (I had a request for Jeopardy but couldn't find it and played two from Greg Kihn instead) and the Wild Men of Wongo song the rest of the show was all stuff I'd never heard of.

The Good:
Push Push, The Sneetches, Hanover Fist, Wild Seeds, Wet Wet Wet, Northern Pikes, Noiseworks, Loey Nelson, Native Tongue (I think I might have heard this before actually. I'm not sure but it sounded really familiar (at least once I got it going at the right speed)), Sixtieth Parallel.

1,000 Clowns was pretty funny (and interesting choice of samples too - Buffalo Springfield) too but I'm not sure it goes in this category - definitely funny though.

The So-So:
Ups & Downs, The Truth, Sky Cries Mary (this was just experimental, weird stuff not so much a song per se. I'll try another tune next time.), One Plus Two, Supreme Love Gods, Sunday Cannons, World at a Glance, The Now, Marti Jones.

The Covers:
Town Without Pity (I can't remember who sang this in the '80s and it's driving me freakin' nuts), Powderfinger (see below).

The on album review of Yung Wu said that it was "gods in disguise. neil young and rolling stones." and I'm not sure but the Powderfinger "cover" did kind of sound not so cover-y.

The second Wild Swans song was good, the first: not so much.

And I liked both of the Greg Kihn songs a lot more than I thought I was going to.

Vol. 1
The Wild Swans - Bible Dreams
The Wild Swans - Young Manhood
*talk*
Yung Wu - Powderfinger (Neil Young)
Push Push - Love & Misery
*talk*
The Sneetches - Things We'll Never See
Ups & Downs - Living Inside My Head
(started on the wrong speed; restarted)
*talk & PSA - Get The Keys*
Thin White Line - Town Without Pity (Dimitri Tiomkin)
The Truth - You Play With My Emotions
Hanover Fist - American Dream
Sky Cries Mary - Moon Dream Meadow Allegory
*talk*
Greg Kihn - Love's Made a Fool of Me
Greg Kihn - They Rock at Night
*talk*
Wild Seeds - I Have Died a Thousand Times for True Love

Vol. 2
Wet Wet Wet - Wishing I Was Lucky
One Plus Two - Midnight Train
The Northern Pikes - Just Another Guy
*talk*
Noiseworks - Voice of Reason
Loey Nelson - All Or Nothing
Native Tongue - Speaking in Captions
(started on the wrong speed; restarted)
Supreme Love Gods - All Over
Sunday Cannons - Friends Become Flowers
*talk*
1,000 Clowns - Kitty Kat Max
World at a Glance - (Let's Play) The Cat's Away
The Now - Trans-World Express
Sixtieth Parallel - One Day
Wild Men of Wongo - Deep in the Jungle
Marti Jones - The Real One

What is that? - 09/20/04

2004-09-21T01:38:00.000-04:00

Okay, for today's show, since I forgot to bring blank CDs to record my show, I played all stuff (or at least mostly stuff) from the new racks. For the most part I liked it all. There was nothing that jumped right out and sucked.

Adrianne's picks (so they weren't mine and since I like people to come to my shows with me I sometimes have to play stuff they like):
Guster - Ramona (I actually picked this disc, Guster on Ice, off the shelf and was going to play something anyway but Adrianne wanted to hear it too so, instead of falling by the wayside, it got on).
Alana Davis - Can't Find My Way Home (This was actually pretty good. It's from The Mod Squad soundtrack. Of course I like the original better but if you're in the mood for a version sung by a woman and half as long, this is for you.)
Ivy - Quick, Painless and Easy (This is from the Carrie 2: The Rage soundtrack and was a LOT better than I expected. Kind of a mix between that loud, angst rock and soft emo-ish stuff. It never gets really loud and it never gets very weird. This was a good find.)
Crush - Days of Joy (This was something Adrianne's friends had told her was good. I'm not sure if I trust those people. Really reminded me of like Emerson, Lake and Powell (Powell...not Palmer), that Touch and Go song specifically (the only one I liked off that album anyway).)
Marvin Gaye - Got to Give It Up (Adrienne picked the Summer of Sam soundtrack (probably not knowing how much of love soul and disco but that's too bad for her). I was going to play three or so songs from this but time was running out so I just played Marvin. A good choice. Always.)
Tori Amos - Playboy Mommy (I'd never heard this song. I liked it about as much as I like all Tori. A little.)
The Commons - Jesus Had A Brother (This, I think, was just something she picked off the shelf. But I liked it. I'd play it again.)
Deftones - Change (In the House of Flies) (Not a big Deftones fan. This was typical.)
Smashing Pumpkins - Blank Page (ditto)

Kinda weak:
Carina Round, Jackpot, Sam Phillips (although if you like her stuff, this is pretty typical) and maybe Bodie

The really good stuff:
Saves the Day (When I realize I had forgotten the blanks to record the show I threw this in to start the day off. It was good and set the tone for most of the rest of the show.)
Singapore Sling (The label said something about laid-back and Icelandic, I thought it'd lead into Bjork well. It didn't necessarily but that doesn't make it any less good.)
Carbon Leaf (Not what I expected. I expected female fronted vocals but it wasn't and surprisingly I wasn't that disappointed.)
Bright Eyes/Neva Divona (I wasn't too surprised that I liked this but I was kind of surprised that I liked it a lot.)
The Fall (The label on this said something about the reviewer thinking this was one of the best post-punk bands. I didn't really see that a lot but I did really like it. Not nearly as hard as I was expecting and that's a good thing.)

Saves The Day - Ups & Downs
Saves The Day - Sell My Clothes, I'm Off to Heaven
Saves The Day - A Drag in D Flat
Laura Viers - Rapture
Death Cab for Cutie - This Temporary Life
Singapore Sling - Life Is Killing My Rock 'N' Roll
Bjork - Where is the Line?
Rolling Blackouts - Rock Paper Scissors
The Delays - Bedroom Scene
Carina Round - Hookah
The Muffs - How I Pass the Time
Carbon Leaf - Grey Sky Eyes
Danielson - Things Against Stuff
Bright Eyes/Neva Dinova - I'll Be Your Friend
Jackpot - If We Could Go Backwards
Sam Phillips - I Dreamed I Stopped Dreaming
Guster - Ramona
Alana Davis - Can't Find My Way Home
Ivy - Quick, Painless and Easy
Crush - Days of Joy
Marvin Gaye - Got to Give It Up
Tori Amos - Playboy Mommy
The Commons - Jesus Had A Brother
The Fall - Janet Vs. Johnny
Deftones - Change (In the House of Flies)
Grain - I Ruined Love
Bodie - Save Me From You
Smashing Pumpkins - Blank Page
The Engine Room - A Perfect Lie (Theme from Nip/Tuck)

Throwaways - 09/13/04

2004-09-13T20:38:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've done it again...Can't just stick to one of these Blog-y things...So I'm starting another...This one will deal with my radio show on a weekly basis...

Today's radio show (like the last two) featured music taken from the RBC archives during a "cleaning" this summer...This is stuff I thought was worth keeping...

Some of it I've heard before (Swing Out Sister, Kim Carnes, Daryl Hall, Julian Cope, Michael Penn, Doctor & The Medics, Tanita Tikaram, Jane Siberry), some of it I've heard of but never heard (Dave Stewart & The Spiritual Cowboys (Dave Stewart was the guy in Eurythmics) , Thrashing Doves, James, Westworld) and the rest was just plain new to me...

"The Good"

The songs from Dave Stewart, Swing Out Sister, at least one from The Chemical People, Comateens, The Triplets, The Only Ones, James, The Outlets, The Judy's, Chihoe Hahn and Westworld were all really good...Some of these bands, I'm sure, have disbanded since the albums came into the station mostly in early- to mid-80's but that's too bad...I thought the Westworld tune was really pretty good...I can see why they sold so many albums in England...But I was a really big fan of Comateens, Chihoe Hahn, The Outlets and Dave Stewart and The Spiritual Cowboys...

"Covers"

The Communards (really good but not too surprising after I read the back of the album cover and saw that one of the guys in this band was one of the guys in Bronski Beat)...What Is This (this was a live version and it was good...it took me a while to place where I knew it from...there is a great version by The Spinners on the soundtrack to When We Were Kings)...Julian Cope (I first heard The Vogues version of this song on the Platoon soundtrack in like 1988 or something...aside from Groovin' by the Rascals and, of course, Otis Redding's Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay, this is as good a reason as any to buy this soundtrack (it also has dialog clips))...

"The So-So"

Swing Out Sister, Thrashing Doves, The Vels, Daryl Hall, Nikki Meets the Hibachi, Naked Eyes, The Judy's, Novo Combo, Altered Images, Tanita Tikaram, Jane Siberry, Michael Penn...all of these were passable...playable...the Thrashing Doves song I had to play because of The Gilmore Girls (season starts next week, I think), I'm thinking of writing to the show to alert them to the existence of this song...the Daryl Hall song was good (I always forget how good that guy's voice is) but it wasn't anything special, Bruce Hornsby should listen to that stuff though so he doesn't copy it all...a couple of weeks ago I played a song by James because I'd heard of the band (and was reminded of them when I was watching an episode of The Days on tv this summer and I saw a poster in one the room of one of the kids) but had never heard the band and the song I played then was really good...this one was only so-so...still good just not as good as the last one...the song by Nikki Meets the Hibachi wasn't nearly as good as the ones from the other album I've heard...I've been ranting about that one to a couple of friends since I first played it...this one sounded a lot too much like The Indigo Girls (which is not good, as far as I'm concerned)...The Judy's and Altered Images were catchy, fast-paced New Wave, punk-y kind of stuff...good enough...I did like that Naked Eyes song and the Novo Combo song but not so much that I'm pulling for new releases...Tanita Tikaram (you remember that One Tin Soldier song?) is really growing on me...she's got a voice that offers a lot more in the way of color than you would think...I was really hoping the Jane Siberry song would be a lot poppier...that Michael Penn song is good enough and this was an acoustic version, but I've never really loved that tune (but how many other songs can you name with Wuthering Heights references?)...

"The Bad"

Am I the only one glad Kim Carnes isn't making records any more? (she isn't is she? that'd be embarassing...)

"The Absolutely Horrible" (aka it's so bad i'm seriously considering throwing the album away)

Doctor and The Medics (this song sucked SOOOO much...there's a line in the chorus - yes, the chorus - about golden showers...the song is just awful...and I always really liked their version of the Norman Greenbaum classic The Spirit in the Sky...)

Today's show was called "Throwaways"

CD 1
Dave Stewart & The Spiritual Cowboys - Party Town (Flatliners sndtrk)
Swing Out Sister - Where In the World
The Chemical People - Don't Tell Me
The Chemical People - Human Fear
Comateens - Comateens
The Triplets - Boys
Thrashing Doves - Lorelei
*talk*
Kim Carnes - Jamaica Sunday Morning
The Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way
(Thelma Houston)
The Vels - Girl Most Likely To
The Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
Daryl Hall - Without Tears
*talk & PSA - He's So Hot*
James - Fairground

CD 2
Nikki Meets the Hibachi - Life Is Just Like That
The Outlets - Whole New World
Doctor and The Medics - I Wanna Choke On Your Love
What Is This - I'll Be Around (live)
(The Spinners)
Naked Eyes - Eyes of a Child
The Judy's - High Society
Chihoe Hahn - Forever Blue
(started a bit off - the previous song ended pretty abruptly)
Michael Penn - No Myth (acoustic)
*PSA - Call Yo Momma - talk*
(and then, mistakenly, the beggining of another PSA - Wildlife Land Trust)
Julian Cope - 5 O'Clock World
(The Vogues)
Westworld - Sonic Boom Boy
Novo Combo - Slow Fade
Altered Images - Pinky Blue
Tanita Tikaram - It All Came Back Today
(skipped twice)
Jane Siberry - Seven Steps to the Wall