Fanfare For The Playing Man

Cash Money!

2009-10-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

So next week is KXLU's Fundrazor. I hope you like me talking, because we have four hours of it coming. In the meantime, I offer as a warmup to the what promises to be the lovechild of a Jerry Lewis Telethon and a the riots at Attica, an entire episode dedicated to money. Hope you enjoy!

But first,

New Adds
Jay Reatard - I'm Watching You *
Vialka - 100% Hello *
Desolation Wilderness - Boardwalk Theme *
The Dry Spells - Black Is The Color *
Bill Frisell - Little Girl *
Steve Shiffman - Ready For You Now *
The Nocturns - Curran *
Gobble Gobble - Misericordia *
At - For a Long Way Through *
Warpaint - Stars *
Looping Jaw Harp Orchestra - Elephant Road *
A Hawk and A Hacksaw - Kertesz *
Foot Village - Take *
Health - Before Tigers *
Cale Parks - Running Family *

Money

Patty Smith – Free Money
Mission of Burma – Fame and Fortune Bad Brains – Pay To Cum
The Vindictives - Money Changes Everything (Cyndi Lauper Cover)
The Boys - No Money
The Slits - Spend Spend Spend
The Sonics - Money
Big Black - Bad Penny
Primal Scream - Blood Money
Little Richard - Money Honey
The 3rd Generation Band - Because Of Money (Band is from Ghana 1973!)
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full
Beat Kondukta (Madlib) - Get Dollaz (Dilla Tribute)
Madvillian - Money Folder
Wu Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M. +
Request By Erica
Bessy Smith - Money Blues
The Beatles - You Never Give Me Your Money
Radiohead - Dollars and Cents
Suicide - Fast Money Music
Gang Gang Dance - God's Money IX
Talking Heads - Love For Sale
David Bowie - Red Money
Deerhoof - Blue Cash
Minor Threat - Cashing In
Fugazi - Cashout
Morphine - Murder For The Money
Blur - The Debt Collector
Gram Parsons - $1,000 Wedding
Califone - Million Dollar Funeral
Weem's String Band - Greenback Dollar
Swan Lake - Spanish Gold, 2044
Woody Guthrie - Do-Re-Mi +
Request by Juan
Modest Mouse - Bankrupt on Selling
Kingston Trio - M.T.A.
Throbbing Gristle - Ten Pence
Beck - Get Real Paid
Ween - Help Me Scrape The Mucas Off My Brain +
Request by Sam
Causey Way - Money + (Now Playing)
Request By Lysistcata
Winehead Willie & Sweet Lucy Brown - The Last Of The Big Time Spenders Pt. 1

A Show In Honor of My Spontaneously Combusted Car: Cars and Fire

2009-10-30T15:51:00.002-07:00

I feel I owe everyone an explanation for my absence last week. After leaving the Troubadour and walking to where my car had been parked, I discovered it was missing. I called the police, only to find it had been towed because it was a "traffic hazard". I figured they towed me for being too far from the curb (which I wasn't and proceeded to tell them). It was then brought to my attention that perhaps it was too close to a hydrant, there had been a car fire and if I blocked the path to the hydrant I would have been towed. Considering my car was at a meter, it seemed that if I was too close to a meter it was the fault of the city for putting the meter too close to the hydrant. However, with a bit more research into the actual situation, it was discovered that it was my car that had been on fire...which I had to concede, was a traffic hazard deserving of being towed (I might not be so willing to roll over on this had my insurance company not covered the tow).

Here's where it gets even crazier, apparently, the guy who called 911 is friends with my friend Matt. I had told Matt about my car and a day or two later his friend calls him and tells him about this crazy car fire he saw and even took pictures of. This is how I am able to include the above photo of my car on fire. Insanity!

So, today, in honor of my former car the theme of this show is Cars and Fire.

But first, New Adds:

Jay Reatard - There Is No Sun * (in honor of the brown clouds that infest our skies and lungs as the mountains to the east are consumed)
Yacht - Don't Fight The Darkness *
Rainbow Arabia - Harlem Sunrise *
Foot Village - Raggae Warzone *
Health - Die Slow *
The Polyamorous Affair - Satellite of Love *
Success Planetaire International - 100% Hello *
The Vampires of Dartmoore - Ende Eines Killers (Killer's End) *
A Hawk and a Hacksaw - Kertesz *
The Cinematic Orchestra - The Awakening of A Woman *
Jaw Harp Orchestra - Soft Metal Tongue *
Warpaint - Elephants *
The Black Drumset - A Dangerous Drive *
Cale Parks - Eyes Won't Shut *
Steve Shiffman - Everyone's Getting Married * (In highest honor to one of my very best friends, Ryan Lee Crosby who married his lady, Nicoline on Sunday) *
Ryan Lee Crosby - Nicoline *

And now - onto the theme: CARS AND FIRES

Harry Nillson - Jump into the Fire
Brian Eno - Baby's On Fire
Liars - Mr. Your on Fire Mr.
Beck - Rental Car
Atilla The Stockbroker - Burn it Down +
Request By Art Guy in Boston check out his website and radio show here
Les Rallizes Denudes - Ice Fire
Ween - Cover It With Gas And Set It On Fire +
Didn't catch the name of the guy who requested this one. Let me know and I'll correct this.
Commander Cody - Hot Rod Lincoln +
Request by my father
Chuck Berry - Maybellene
The 13th floor elevators - fire engine
Serge Gainsbourg - Ford Mustang
The Gun Club - Fire Spirit
Big Black - Kerosine +
Blood Brothers - Burn Piano Island Burn
Lightning Bolt - On Fire
The Dead Milkmen - Bitchin Camaro +
Request by...Damn it, don't have their name either!
The Trashmen - My Woodie
Serge Gainsbourg - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
David Bowie - Always Crashing In The Same Car
Animal Collective - Two Corvettes +
Request By Riley
Randy Newman - Let's Burn Down The Cornfield
Leonard Cohen - Joan of Arc
Spiritualized - Soul On Fire
Wolf Parade - This Heart's On Fire
The Normal - Warm Leatherette +
Request By Lisa
ESG - Parking Lot Blues
Silver Daggers - Burn The World
Blood Brothers - Set Fire To The Face On Fire +
Request By Niesha
El-P - Delorean
Arthur Brown - Fire +
Request By John
Johnny Cash - One Piece At A Time +
Request By Julian
Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon - Let's Go Burn Ole Nashville Down
Iggy Pop - The Passenger
Fear Factory feat. Gary Numan - Cars (remix) +
Okay, here is a good way to slip in this request for Gary Numan's Cars by Vince
T. Rex - Cadillac
Kraftwerk - Morgenspaziergang
Mitch Rider and The Detroit Wheels - Jenny Take A Ride
Spoon - Take A Walk
Harry Nilsson - Driving Along
Big Star - Big Black Car

* New Add
+ Request

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us...And It Ain't Me Who'se Gonna Leave

2009-10-30T15:51:00.001-07:00

Good morning. Today, I have a very special guest. I often reference him on the show, largely because we share a music pool that gets taken to the station and made into my show each week. Danny Gabai is my best friend, DJ partner, roommate and after buying a new house in Silverlake, he is soon to be my landlord.

Despite the fact that we are best friends, an important dynamic of our relationship is that on a cosmic level, we are attempting to destroy each other. Frankly, we are only as close as we are because our antlers are locked.

This week, Danny is on staycation (recessions provide such catchy terms) and announced that he was available to come on the show. We decided to celebrate us in the only way we know how...battle to the death. This week's theme is songs challenging a showdown, songs about battles, songs about each other and songs about fighting words in general.

Check out Danny's blog HERE. It will blow your mind, I promise.

Here are the songs:

Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us

Josh Set 1
Pink Floyd - One Of These Days
Joy Division - The Kill
Ariel Pink - Bloody (Bagonias)
The Pixies - There Goes My Gun

Elvis Costello - wave a
white flag

Danny Set 1
The Soft Boys - I Wanna Destroy You
Bonnie Prince Billy - Beware Your Only Friend
The Beach Boys - Heroes and Villains
Boris - My Neighbor Satan
Lou Reed - Vicious

Josh Set 2

Louis Jordan - You Run Your Mouth And I'll Run My Business Brother
Louis Armstrong - (I'll be glad when you're dead) You Rascal, You
Brian Eno - Dead Finks Don't Talk
Richard Swift - The Bully
The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatry

Danny Set 2
Prince - Strange Relationship
Quasimoto - Put A Curse On You
Pavement - The Hex
Joe Strummer - Love Kills
Nick Cave - Death Is Not The End

Josh Set 3

Dead Kennedys - Let's Lynch the Landlord
Liars - If You're a Wizard Then Why Do You Wear Glasses
Friends Forever - Carnisaur Vs. Unicorn
Lightning Bolt - Duel In Deep
Harry Nilsson/Van Dyke Parks - It's Not Easy Being Me

Danny Set 3

Rolling Stones - Street Fighting Man
Gill Scott Heron - Home Is Where The Hatred Is
Minutemen - Storm In My House
New Order - Leave Me Alone
Harvey Milk - One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong

Pitchfork - Burn Pigs Burn +
Played by Naheed who donated tickets to Modest Mouse/Night Marchers

Josh Set 4

Aesop Rock - Abandon All Hope
Cannibal Ox - Tippin Dominoes
Company Flow - Definitive
Mad Villian - Raid
Deltron 3030 - Battlesong

Danny Set 4

The Homosexuals - Hearts In Exile
Husker Du - Chartered Trips
Japandroids - The Boys Are Leaving Town
No Age - My Life's Alright Without You
Robert Wyatt - At Last I Am Free

Josh Set 5

Stone Roses - Shoot You Down
The Pretty Things - Death
Madlib (Beat Konducta) - The Rumble
Prince Buster - Hard Man Fe Dead
Islands - Pieces Of You

Danny Set 5

King Geedorah - Fazers
The Beatles - Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Woody Allen - Bullet in my Breast Pocket
Grizzly Bear - Knife
The Flaming Lips - The Gash
Guided By Voices - Smothered In Hugs

Josh Set 6

Stiff Little Fingers - I Don't Like You
Night Sun - Plastic Shotgun

Bodies Of Water And Those Who Choose To Cross Them

2009-10-30T15:50:00.002-07:00

Today's theme is all about the oceans, seas, rivers and lake that cover our planet and the intrepid souls who navigate their expanses for adventure, pillage, escape and trade.

First thing is first, though it has been a while since I have played the station's new adds (let's face it, I have had a lot of ground to cover over the last few shows). Here are some new adds for this week...then onto the theme. Enjoy:

New Adds

Dama Dam Masi Qalandar - M. Ashraf *
The Black Drumset - 3 and 33rd *
Church - Crab Magic *
Yacht - I'm In Love With A Ripper *
Rainbow Arabia - Kabukimono *
Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Untitled *
Warpaint - Stars *
Mount Eerie - The Hidden Stone *
These Are Powers - Silver Lung *
Ganglians - Lost Words *
Gobble Gobble - Mountain of Flesh *
Health - Death+ *
Sunn O))) - Big Church *
The Polyamorous Affair - Satellite of Love *
DM Stith - Around The Lion Legs *

Bodies Of Water And Those Who Chose To Cross Them
Neil Young - Cortez The Killer +
Request By Mike Berlin and Jason Smith (requested separately...two minds one heart)
Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea +
Request By Hanna
Charles Trenet - La Mer
Deerhoof - Odyssey
Brian Eno - By This River
David Byrne/Brian Eno - The River
Asobi Seksu - Red Sea
Future Islands - Beach Foam
Pixies - Wave of Mutilation
Baby Gramps - Old Man of The Sea
Tom Waits - Singapore
Randy Newman - Sail Away
Ralph Stanley - Lonesome River
Harry Nilsson/Van Dyke Parks - I Yam What I Yam (Popeye The Sailor)
Harry Nilsson/John Lennon - Many Rivers To Cross
Liars - Sailing To Byzantium
Silver Jews - Trains Across The Sea +
Request By Nick
The Velvet Underground - Ocean
Wooden Shjips - Down By The Sea
Comets On Fire - Whiskey River
The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues +
XTC - Statue +
Request By Alexis
Jaybird Coleman - I'm Gonna Cross The River Of Jordan - Some O' These Days
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Inland S ea

The Decemberists - The Mariners Revenge Song +
Request By Albert
Becky Stark - Ocean and Ground (Live on KXLU. For full audio of the interview and more songs click here) (For the LA Weekly Article on The LA Women's Choir click here)
Joanna Newsom - Bridges and Balloons
Built To Spill - Cortez The Killer +
Requested by lots of people that I play both this and the Neil Young version

* New Add
+ Request (except the Health song, which actually has the "+" in its title)

Krautrock or Kosmische Musik?

2009-10-30T15:50:00.001-07:00

(Songs from the playlist are in pink)

This Episode is dedicated to German rock music from the years spanning roughly from 1968 – 1977. By connecting each song to the next through shared musicians, studio staff or narrative I hope to paint a broader picture of the music movement labeled by the British music press, pejoratively, as Krautrock. It must be noted that many, if not most, of the bands involved in the ‘Krautrock’ scene despise the term. Out of respect for the musicians, beyond a catchy blog title that is easily found on Google (its like that!), I will refrain from using this term to describe the movement, instead using the term coined by Tangerine Dream, Kosmische Musik.

In order to understand why the German scene was so unique to the rest of the world, it is important to identify where it had grown from. The prolific composer, Karheinz Stockhausen was, along with such visionaries as Varese, Berio, Pousseur (a personal favorite) and especially Boulez, a definitive contributor to the ‘Darmstadt School’. Like Krautrock, the term ‘Darmstadt School’ was a derisive invention by its critics but is now used affectionately by some of its admirers. The ‘Darmstadt School’ is a reference to the Internationale Ferienkurse fur Neue Musik, Darmstadt. The Ferienkurse (Summer course) was an annual (it is now every two years) summer school which presents the premier composers of “New Music”, a specific term for post 1945 serial composition. A great deal of the pieces composed as part of the ‘Darmstadt School’ were either organically rooted Musique Concrete or fell under the category Elektronische Musik, utilizing the new invention of synthesizers. Stockhausen’s early masterpiece, Gesang der Junglinge, became one of the first works to successfully merge both approaches.

Listening to this piece one notices the meticulous composition of what might seem like noise to some. There is a sense of minimalism as well as a machine-like precision that would become staple sounds of Kosmische Musik. In 1968, two of Stockhausen’s students, Holger Czukay and Irmin Schmidt would form the band Can. It is with this in mind that I begin this show with two pieces. First, Karlheinz Stockhausen’s seminal work, “Gesang der Jünglinge”. This is followed by Can’s “Sing Swan Song”. It seems that even the water recording that opens “Sing Swan Song” sounds a bit like the synthesized notes of “Gesang der Junglinge”, yet the organic sound would be more aptly described as Musique Concrete: almost a mergence of Elektronische and Musique Concrete in and of itself. Radiohead has often cited Can as an enormous inspiration and “Sing Swan Song” illuminates just how indebted they truly are.

1) Karlheinz Stockhausen - Gesang der Jünglinge
2) Can – Swing Swan Song

Fast forward to 1975, Can’s album Landed introduced Olaf Kubler as a member, which brings us to our transition. On one of Popol Vuh’s most highly regarded albums, Einsjäger & Siebenjäger, Olaf Kubler is again featured on flute on the song Würfelspiel. Kubler, however is most famous for his band, Amon Duul II.

Popol Vuh are responsible for one of the most important contributions to German rock music, the introduction of the moog synthesizer. Founding member Florian Fricke was among the first musicians in all of Germany to own the Moog synthesizer. While Walter Carlos’ (Soon to be Wendy Carlos) Switched on Bach was the first album to popularize the Moog synth, Popol Vuh’s Affenstunde was the first Moog album to feature original works. Popol Vuh’s music is especially well known as the soundtracks for Werner Herzog’s Aguirre: The Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo.

The name Popol Vuh comes from an ancient Mayan text containing mythological narratives and the story of creation. Fricke was quoted as saying, "When I read the book for the first time, I got ideas all of a sudden by which I was able to define other old books. I found a key in the book of ‘Popol Vuh.' I was able to understand the way people in the very early days described the creation of Earth and the way of human evolution. I was touched like by a thunderstorm." This quote seems particularly apt to describe the song Vuh from the album In Den Garten Pharaos.

Finally, the band that has acted as our transition, Amon Duul II. Amon Düül was a German political art commune formed out of the student movement of the 1960s. Civil unrest had swept youth culture across Europe in 1968, most notably resulting in the riots in France. Amon Düül was the German counterpart to this political angst. The commune became known for its free form musical improvisations. Out of this reputation came two groups, Amon Düül (sometimes known as Amon Düül I) and the more famous Amon Düül II. Another link between Amon Düül II and Popol Vuh is that after the death of Amon Düül II's drummer Peter Leopold in 2006, he was replaced by Popol Vuh’s Daniel Fichelscher who had played on and off with Amon Düül II as far back as 1972.

3) Popol Vuh - Wurfelspiel
4) Popol Vuh – Vuh
5) Amon Duul II – Wolf City

Looking further at 1968, the two most important events in the foundation of Kosmische Musik took place: The German Rock Festival in Essen and the foundation of the Zodiak Free Arts Lab. The Zodiak Free Arts Lab, or "Zodiak Club" was only open for a few months but proved the birthing ground for Kosmische Musik. The venue’s importance is immediately evident by the names of the founders. The club was started in what was then West Berlin by German artists/musicians Conrad Schnitzler, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Boris Schaak. Performances at the club were advertised by fliers promoting, simply; “Noise”. Anyone was welcome to create sound. Musicians would work together having never met before. Often two bands would play at the same time, playing against each other. The prevailing attitude at Zodiak was that "songs were considered bourgeois." It was here that Conrad Schnitzler, who had also studied with Stockhausen, first began working with Klause Schulze and Edgar Froes founding the band Tangerine Dream when they were actually cool. Possibly even more importantly, Schnitzler and Roedelius would begin sound and musical experimentation along side Dieter Moebius under the name Kluster. It was after the departure of Conrad Schnitzler in 1971 that Kluster changed their name to Cluster.

Another band founded by Schnitzler was Eruption featuring musicians whom he had played with at the Zodiak Free Arts Lab. Eruption featured Klaus Schulze, Manuel Göttsching, and Hartmut Enke, who would go on to form the trio Ash Ra Tempel, Dieter Serfas of the jazz band Embryo, Michael Gunther and Lutz Ulbrich of Agitation Free, and members of Amon Düül. Unfortunately, I do not have any music by Eruption to play.

I do, however have plenty of music by the group that formed out of Eruption, Ash Ra Tempel. Interesting sidenote: Acid Mothers Temple (prominently featured in my show about music from Japan) named themselves in reference to Ash Ra Tempel.

Walter Wegmuller is not a musician, per se. He is more of a spiritualist, obsessed with the Tarot (and friends with H.R. Giger, who’s phallic poster got the Dead Kennedys in trouble with Tipper Gore over the Frankenchrist album). Wegmuller’s friend Timothy Leary convinced him to create an album based on the Tarot. Wegmuller decided to dedicate one track to every card in the deck. To create the album he brought on board Manuel Göttsching and Klaus Schulze from Ash Ra Temple as well as musicians from Wallenstein. While Wegmuller is Swiss, this album remains an acme of Kosmische Musik.

The Cosmic Jokers are not really a band as much as they are a bunch of guys jamming at an acid party. These recordings come from that party…seriously.

6) Ash Ra Tempel – Amboss (Klaus Schulze, Manuel Göttsching, and Hartmut Enke)
7) Walter Wegmuller – Der Wagen (Featuring Manuel Göttsching and Klaus Schulze from Ash Ra Temple as well as musicians from Wallenstein)
8) Cosmic Jokers – Galactic Joke (a) (Manuel Göttsching and Klaus Schulze of Ash Ra Tempel, Jurgen Dollase and Harold Grosskopf of Wallenstein)
9) Klaus Schulze – Comphära
10) Tangerine Dream – Ashes To Ashes (Edgar Froese, Conrad Schnitzler, and Klaus Schulze)
11) Conrad Schlitzner – Krautrock
12) Kluster - Klopfzeichen, Part Two (Dieter Moebius, Conrad Schnitzler and Hans-Joachim Roedelius. Engineered by Konrad Plank)

Konrad “Conny” Plank might be the single greatest piece to the six degrees game of Kosmische Musik. While performing in countless bands including Guru Guru, Cluster, Mobius and Plank and others, he engineered or produced EVERYTHING. Plank began his career as soundman for Marlene Dietrich became one of the most important figures of experimental music. One of the very first albums he worked on as an engineer was for a band called Organisation. The album was called “Tone Float”. Organisation’s lineup included Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter…Kraftwerk. Other bands/albums he worked on include Ash Ra Tempel, Cluster 71, Kraftwerk 1 (With Michael Rotter and Klaus Dinger) all Kraftwerk records (ending with Autobahn in 1974), Neu!, Brian Eno’s Before and After Science and Music For Airports, Devo: Q: are we not Men? A: We Are Devo. He produced The Eurythmics’s “In The Garden” and Killing Joke’s “Revelations”. He crosses paths with Schnitzler as engineer on Klopfzeichen, from which we just heard Klopfzeichen part II.

Konrad Plank was idolized (and befriended) by Brian Eno. He and Eno worked together throughout the Berlin Period. Listening to his work, it becomes clear just how much influence Plank had over Eno. When albums such as LCD Soundsystem’s “Sound of Silver” are attributed (often by me) as love letters to Brian Eno, one can not understate what a testament to Conny Plank that statement is. Funny aside: Eno's tried to convince Plank to produce U2’s "The Joshua Tree" instead of him. Shortly after meeting the band Plank refused the job saying, "I cannot work with this singer".

12) Organisation (1969) – Milk Rock (Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter Engineered by Konrad Plank)
13) Kraftwerk – Ruckzuck (Florian Schneider, Ralf Hutter, Klaus Dinger, Michael Rother. Engineered by Plank)

After the first Kraftwerk album Klaus Dinger (along with his brother Thomas) and Michael Rother split from the group and formed Neu! Neu! Was highly influential, especially for the use of repetitive 4/4 drum beats later termed “Motorik”, a defining feature of Kosmische Musik. The band Negativeland is named after the Neu! song of the same name and John Lydon cites the song Hero (playing next) as a major influence on PIL, a fact that becomes evident immediately upon listening to the track.

14) Neu! – Hero (Dinger, Rother. Produced by Plank)
15) Faust –Jennifer (Faust toured with Guru Guru bassist Uli Trepte who had also played with Neu!)
16) Guru Guru – Woman Drum (Konrad Plank (band member), Bruno Schaab (who took over bass duties from Uli Trepte on this record) Zodiak Club founder and Cluster member Roedelius was also an on and off member of this band)
17) Night Sun – Crazy Woman (Bruno Schaab from Guru Guru produced by Plank)

The album Material by Mobius and Plank is basically the father of Techno music. The extent of the influence of this pairing is impossible to overstate.

18) Mobius and Plank – Tollkuhn (Mobius from Cluster and Plank from EVERYTHING)
19) Cluster – Fur Die Katz (Mobius and Roedelius. Produced by Plank)
20) Harmonia – Deluxe (Dieter Moebius, Michael Rother, Hans-Joachim Roedelius. Engineered/Produced by Konrad Plank) (Eno joined the band after this album)

The next two songs are notable less in the musicians they have, but the separations that they represent. While Harmonia contained Neu! Guitarist Michael Rother, La Düsseldorf finds his partners Klaus and Thomas Dinger without him. Finally, The album Trans-Europe Express, while one of the most important albums of the genre is notable for the absence of Conny Plank. The band and producer last collaborated on 1974’s Autobahn. Two albums and three years later Kraftwerk released this record, which was later sampled by Afrika Bambaataa for Planet Rock and thereby eternally connected Kosmische Musik with Hip Hop.

21) La Düsseldorf - Düsseldorf
22) Kraftwerk - Franz Schubert

Thus ends the narrative section of the show. For the last 45 minutes I'm going to return to actually being a DJ and just play German tracks that sound good next to each other. Send in your requests. Hope you liked the show!

23) Can - Mushroom +
Request By Cody
24) Amon Duul II - Deutch Nepal
25) Walter Wegmuller - Der Narr
26) Night Sun - Nighmare
27) Jah Wobble and Holger Czukay - How Much Are They
28) Neu! - Hallogallo
29) Guru Guru - Der LSD Marsch (This is the song that Japanese Psych-rock band LSD March got its name from (click here for link to my Japrock Episode Blog))
30) Cluster - Holywood +
Request By Danny Gabai
31) Harmonia - Monza (Rauf Und Runter)

Wednesday's Show Is Going To Be The Best Yet

2009-10-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

Image: Holger Czukay (Can) and Konrad "Conny" Plank

This weekend has been the best in a long time. I decided to take a full day to put together a show on one of my favorite subjects: German Rock...or as the British press derided it, "Krautrock". To make it even harder I am going to connect each song to the next by shared musicians or engineer and in so doing (hopefully) paint a decent picture of the story of a movement that forever changed the musical aesthetics of everything that followed from Rock to Hip Hop to Techno.

In case you can't tell, I'm really excited about this one!

Prost!

Animals and Manimals: with Manymal Vinyl's Paul Beahan and The Polyamorous Affair

2009-10-30T15:47:00.000-07:00

The Polyamorous Affair - Like Animal

Postscript: Here is the audio of the interview segments with Paul Manimal and The Polyamorous affair (which is one band as well as one man whose name I have taken liberties with, but the combination sounds like the best band name ever!)

Introducing Polyamorous Affair

Talking about Manson, Kenneth Anger and Disney

Upcoming Events, Hells Angels, Bolshevik Disco

Charles (RIP) and Eddie, Faith No More, Two Live Crew and TomTom Club

Today's theme is Animals and Manimals. My guests are Manimal Vinyl founder Paul Beahman It will be
an aural exploration of worldly species, cryptozoology, and
EuroDiscoElectroGlam (I think I just invented cryptomusicology).

There's only one way to kick off a show like this: 8 Songs by 8 bands with "Wolf" in their name.

Wolf and Cub - Kingdom
Wolf Parade - I'll Believe In Anything
Aids Wolf - M.T.I.
Wolf Eyes - Dead In A Boat
Guitar Wolf - Planet of The Wolves
Wolf Mother - Mind's Eye
Wolfgang - Angel Eyes
Patrick Wolf - Damaris

Okay, enough warm up. Here is the Animals set
Devendra Banhart - Hey Mama Wolf
Dirty Projectors - Two Doves
Deerhoof - This Magnificent Bird Will Rise
Mika Miko - With My Ducks
Captain beefheart - Ant Man Bee
AU - Are Animals
Islands - Swans (Life After Death)
Talking Heads - Animals
Quinn Walker - Lion Land
Pink Floyd - Sheep
Daniel Johnston - Like A Monkey At The Zoo
Echo And The Bunnymen - Monkeys
13th Floor Elevators – Monkey Island
Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven
Rolling Stones - Monkey Man
Toots And The Maytals - Monkey Man
The Stranglers - The Raven +
Request By Chris
David Bowie - Diamond Dogs +
Request By Ana
The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog
999 - Wolf
The Polyamorous Affair - Babayaga
Antony and The Johnsons - Bird Gehrl
Featherbeard - Whale Song ++
Ariel Pink - Howling at The Moon ++
The Polyamorous Affair - Like Animals (Special Audio from YouTube)
Link Wray - Run Chicken Run
The Nighthawks - Chicken Grabber
Charles Manson - Look At Your Game Girl +++
Holy Modal Rounders - If You Wanna Be A Bird
Ramsey Lewis - Blues For The Night Owl ++
Glass Candy - The Chameleon++
The Polyamorous Affair - Eastern
Gangi - Animals
Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin - Orang Outang
Lou Reed - Last Great American Whale
Brian Eno - Needle in The Camels Eye
The Unicorns - I Was Born (A Unicorn)
Rainbow Arabia - Kabukimono +++
Jimmy Hendrix - 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be) ++
Next Door Neighbors - The Werewolf Song
Pram - Track of the Cat (Now Playing)

+ Request

++ Pick by Polyamorous Affair

+++ Pick By Paul Beahan

If You Were Cool You Would Go To This On Friday: Soul Clap LA - DJ Jonathan Toubin

2009-10-30T15:45:00.002-07:00

I swear I would never post a flyer for an event I didn't believe in, but this is going to be amazing. It's a huge deal in NYC and now my friend Kelsey (DJ Short Shorts) has told me that it's coming out here. Hope I see you there!

featuring DJ JONATHAN TOUBIN and judges DON BOLLES (germs), JENNIFER
HEREMMA (RTX), HOWIE PYRO (INTOXICA RADIO) , and RANDY RANDALL (NO
AGE)

Friday, July 24, 2009 at 10:00pm
NOMAD GALLERY
1992 Blake Avenue
Los Angeles, CA

Fri, July 24 LA Record presents Soul Clap and Dance-Off w/Mr. Jonathan
Toubin and judges Don Bolles (Germs, 45 Grave, 3-Day Stubble, etc),
Howie Pyro (Intoxica Radio, ex-Danzig, D-Generation, Blessed, etc.),
Jennifer Herrema (RTX, ex-Royal Trux), Randy Randall (NO AGE), Nomad
Warehouse (Los Angeles, CA), 10pm - ?, ALL AGES, $5

What is it?
The Soul Clap and Dance-Off is not only New York Night Train’s biggest
and most famous party, but one of the NYC underground’s more popular
monthly nightlife institutions. The first all-soul night of
subterranean maximum rock and soul DJ Mr. Jonathan Toubin, the concept
is elegant - all night dancing to wild amazing 45s and a dance contest
in the middle. The party has grown to sell out every month - draw
nearly 500 paid patrons while remaining true to its DIY aesthetics -
garnering acclaim in practically every NYC publication, featuring
judges from every edge of music from Wire to Quintron and Ms. Pussycat
to Monotonix to MGMT to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and now, as Mr.
Toubin becomes an international name, growing in demand the last
couple of months far beyond local markets and into the global arena.

What’s different about the Soul Clap than other soul nights?
Because New York Night Train and Mr. Jonathan Toubin emerged not from
the soul scene but the punk, post-punk, and general independent
rock’n’roll underground, Soul Clap grew as a uniting force for various
subcultural groups. Toubin began playing obscure soul 45s for these
social circles rather than soul fans - converting non-believers to the
religion of the raw power of his favorite genre of music. Thus by both
necessity and personal aesthetics, the selections were faster, louder,
grittier, and weirder than the typical fare of a soul, funk, northern
soul, or other retro specialty night. Also featuring plenty of
selections either covered by or covering rock bands, these carefully
selected records are frantically pitched up, EQ-ed low down, and
strung together and chopped up with immediate turns, gospel screaming,
and other momentum builders and tension devices. The sound and feel of
this new format, standing in direct contrast to dusty museum collector
nights or gratuitous hit nights, is so fresh and immediate that it
pulls unlikely combination of folks from all over the cultural and
subcultural rainbow who holler and clap, sometimes mosh, and, even
riot (well… once). While Soul Clap has aided the New York Night Train
mission of getting the rock underground dancing to raw immediate
music, it’s simultaneously breathing new life back into these superior
underappreciated recordings.

Who?
New York Night Train Conductor and Soul Proprietor Mr. Jonathan Toubin
has shattered the face of nightlife in the wormy apple the last couple
of years with his revolutionary parties and wild and wooly approach to
his trademark 45rpm “maximum rock and soul” sound. Tirelessly chugging
deep into morning after morning everywhere from dive bars to
underground live music venues to art spaces to giant discos to
festivals like SXSW, CMJ, NXNE, Pop Montreal, Sled Island, Fun Fun
Fun, and Ponderosa Stomp, from Mexico to Israel, averaging over 25 DJ
gigs per month coast to coast the last couple of years both alone and
with the likes of Black Lips, Deerhunter, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Butthole
Surfers, The Melvins, Genesis P-Oridge and Ian Svenonius, and
producing dance party events/shows featuring live performances by the
likes of King Khan and the BBQ/Shrines, Oh-See, and HEALTH plus a
variety of locals like Blank Dogs, Crystal Stilts, Andrew W.K., and
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion/Heavy Trash. While Mr. Toubin’s Soul Clap
and Dance-Off party/contest is his most popular, he has also been key
to the re-emergence and revision of “The Happening” - a spectacular
multimedia approach to nightlife uniting prerecorded music, live
bands, performance, visual art, and, of course, the dance party. As
technological dance music becomes passé, New York Night Train’s
high-speed DIY punk aesthetic employs these classic vinyl tools in a
nostalgia-free manner to whip up a post-modern 45rpm beat collage that
is decidedly fresh and alive enough to exist outside of the retro
world - but rather where the wild things are – NOW!

http://www.newyorknighttrain.com

Covers

2009-10-30T15:45:00.001-07:00

Today's theme is covers. This seems like a pretty self explanatory one, so let's just launch into it...after the new adds:

Greater California - Them The Downs *
Gobble Gobble - Ash Fountain *
Ty Segall - It #1 *
Duke Garwood - Confidence Makes Love *
The Fiery Furnaces - Even In The Rain *
Tremellow - Fewter *
Pterodactyl - Share The Shade *
Oneida - It Was A Wall (With guest vocals by Zach Lehroff from Pterodactyl...see what I did there?)*
Church - Hidden Tone * Peter Project
Peter Project - Fair And Square *
Yacht - I'm In Love With A Ripper *
Ganglians - Lost Words *
Dirty Projectors - Useful Chamber *
AA Kismet - Smellpop *

Cover Songs
DM Smith - Be My Baby (Ronettes) *
Beck - Waiting For The Man (Velvet Underground) Guest Musicians include Giovanni Ribisi and Nigel Godrich
Psychic TV /PTV3 - Foggy Notion (Velvet Underground)
Abe Vigoda - Wild Heart (Stevie Nicks)
The Decemberists - Bridges And Balloons (Joanna Newsom)
Sid Vicious - My Way (Frank Sinatra - written by Paul Anka)
Against All Authority - Centerfold ( J. Geils Band)
Dropkick Murphys - Career Opportunities (The Clash)
The Clash - I Fought The Law (Sonny Curtis)
X - Wild Thing (The Troggs) +
Request By Ty
David Watts - The Jam (The Kinks)
Dirty Projectors - Gimme Gimme Gimme (Black Flag)
Zeke - Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac) +
Request by Wayne
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - It Was A Very Good Day (Frank Sinatra)
Boris w/ Merzbow - Walrus (The Beatles)
Psychic TV/PTV3 - No Good Trying (Syd Barrett)
Califone - The Orchids (Psychic TV) +
Request By Danny Gabai
Beach Boys - Never Learn Not To Love (Charles Manson. Originally Titled Cease To Exist)
David Bowie - See Emily Play (Pink Floyd) +
Request By Noah
Bruce Springsteen - Dream Baby Dream (Suicide)
13th Floor Elevators - It's All Over Now Baby Blue (Bob Dylan) +
Request By James
Brian Ferry - A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall (Bob Dylan) +
Request By Steve Ace Frehley - New York Groove (Hello) +
Birthday Request for a friend of an anonymous yet dedicated listener
Wall of Voodoo - Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash)
Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Lead Belly)
Arcade Fire - Brazil (Ary Barroso)
Siouxie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence (The Beatles)
Otis Redding - Day Tripper (The Beatles)
Request By Dustin Sussman
Walkmen - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Cover of John Lennon and Harry Nilson covering Bob Dylan)
Devo - Satisfaction (Rolling Stones)
Faces - Maybe I'm Amazed (Wings)
Eater - Sweet Jane (Velvet Underground) +
Request By Zach
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Avalanche (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) +
Request By Danny Gabai as well as Pete
Talking Heads - Take Me To The River (Al Green)
Grace Jones - Night Clubbing (Iggy Pop) +
Request By Erica
Johnny Cash - The Mercy Seat (Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds) +
Request By Cindy

* New Add
+ Request

Nothing But Vinyl: Trading Ones with Jason Smith

2009-10-30T15:44:00.000-07:00

Today isn't as much a theme as it is an exercise. My guest is my occasional live DJ partner, Jason Smith. While bored at home we decided to pull out some vinyl and alternate song for song as an interesting challenge. I then decided that I should not be the only one tortured by waking up at 4:30 am to get to the station, so I invited him along (in all fairness, he has been a guest when I was on the 2-6am slot). So here we are, two crates of vinyl and no idea how this is going to work.

First...New Adds:
Pterodactyl - Share The Shade *
Oneida - The River *
Peter Project (featuring More or Les) - Repetitive Stress Injury *
Meteor & Demjen Ferenc - Kivanj te is nekem szep, jo ejszakat *
Coolhaven - Locker Flockig Flott *
Fiery Furnaces - Cut The Cake *
The Builders and the Butchers - Golden and Green *
Dirty Projectors - Useful Chamber *
God Help The Girl - Funny Little Frog * (aborted due to lameness)
Peggy Sue - Revision *
Sam and The Plant - henbane beer *
Duke Garwood - I Bared My Chest *
Ganglians - Voodoo *
Greater California - Five Senses *
She Said - Knives of the official Disappointment *

The Main Event: Jason vs. Josh
Brightblack Morning Light - Hologram Buffalo (Jason)
Can - Sing Swan Song (Josh)
Louvage - Strangers on a Train (Jason)
The Projects - Accidents Will Happen (Broadcast Remix) (Josh)
Glass Candy - Rolling Down the Hills (Jason)
Holy F*ck - Lovely Allen (Josh)
El Guincho - Palmitos Park (Jason)
The Muslims - Walking With Jesus (Josh)
The Damned - New Rose (Jason)
Death - Rock 'N Roll Victim (Josh)
Nirvana - Love Buzz (Jason)
Pere Ubu - Non-Alignment Pact
Silver Apples - Oscillations (Jason)
Captain Beefheart - Zig Zag (Josh)
The Dukes of Stratosphere - You're a Good Man Albert Brown (Jason)
The Fugs - Slum Goddess (Josh)
The Pink Floyd - Arnold Layne (Jason w/ Alice intro)
Psychic TV - Pickles and Jam (Josh)
Those Poor Bastards - Hoist that Skirt (Jason)
Fuck Buttons - Bright Tomorrow (Josh)
Scroobis Pip Vs. Dan Le Sac - Thou Shall Always Kill (Jason)
A Certain Ratio - Flight (Peel Session) (Josh)
The Tubes - Boy Crazy (Jason)
David Bowie - It Ain't Easy (Josh)
Roxy Music - Edition of You (Jason)
Sparks - Thank God It's Not Christmas (Josh)
Enoch Light - What The World Needs Now Is Love (Jason)
The Mohawks - Mony Mony (Josh)
Mayer Hawthorn - Just Ain't Working Out (Jason)
Funkadelic - Can You Get To This (Josh)
Bruce Haack - Electyric Turn Me On (Jason)
Captain Ahab - Health/Foot Village (josh)
Sega Archive - Golden Axe - Turtle Village (Jason)
Devo - Mongloid (For Ludlow) (Josh)
Killing Joke - The Requiem (Jason)
WowWow - Jungle Boy (Josh)
The Flying Lounge Lizards - Money (Jason)
Harry Belafonte - Jump In The Line (Josh)
Johnny Socko - They Know Us at the Spa (Jason)
Desmond Dekker - Beautiful & Dangerous (Josh)
Max Romeo & the Upsetters (Lee Perry) - Chase the Devil (Jason)
Liars - Sailing to Byzantium (Josh)
Tom Waits - 16 Shells from a 30.6 (Jason)
The Meters - Good Old Funky Mnusic (Josh)
Rufus Thomas - Breakdown (Jason)
ESG - Dance (Josh) (Bankrupting 99 Records Now)
Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out (Jason)
Liquid Liquid - Cavern (Josh)
Prinzhorn Dance School - 5 O'Clock Shocker (Jason)
Iggy and The Stooges - Gimme Danger (Josh)
The Cramps - Bikini Girls with Machine Guns (Jason)
The Sonics - Psycho

The Epics

2009-10-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, today's theme is long songs. Nothing under 8 minutes. Normally when you hear songs this long it's because the DJ is running to the bathroom (industry secret).

New Adds
Missing Persons - Sign of The Times *
Our Brother The Native - All Grown *
Ganglians - Voodoo *
Dirty Projectors - Useful Chamber *
Hungaria - Vegallomas *
Pterodactyl - February *
Battlehooch - Take The L-Train *
The Fiery Furnaces - Cut The Cake *
Ty Segall - IT #1 *
The Woggles - Get Tough *
The Woggles - Push *
39 Clocks - Aspettando Godot *
Sam And The Plant - Kawai Kry *
Bike For Three - All There Is To Say About Love *

The Epics
Land Of Kush - Against The Day * 8:36
Acid Mothers Temple - Pink Lady Lemonade 10:15
Dan Deacon - Snookered 8:04
Fuck Buttons - Sweet Love For Planet Earth 9:41
Animal Collective - Chocolate Girl 8:29
!!! - Get Up 9:48
LCD Soundsystem - Yeah (Crass Version) 9:22
Primal Scream - Come Together 10:21
New Order - Temptation 8:47
Can - Yoo Doo Right + 20:20
Request by Christy
Iggy Pop - Mass Production + 8:26
Request by Noah
Thurston Moore - Elegy For All The Dead Rock Stars + 19:48
Request by Eddy
Built To Spill - Cortez The Killer + 20:30
Request by Jake and also Mel (sort of)
The Velvet Underground - Sister Ray 17:31 (Now Playing)

*New Add
+ Request

I am DJing Tuesday Night at The Roosevelt

2009-10-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

I have finally confirmed that I am definitely DJing poolside at the Roosevelt on Tuesday night from 10-11pm. I hope people can make it out.

Songs About Death and Other Musings On Mortality

2009-10-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

Todays show is inspired by the passing of my grandmother the day after my girlfriend's grandmother passed away. There have obviously been a number of high profile deaths this week including Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Sky Saxon. There were a number of songs that ran through my head all week, particularly Leadbelly's Little Children's Blues, so I thought that I would put together a show based on encounters with death and struggles with mortality. Each band brings a different perspective to the subject, some mourning another, some initiating their own passage, some taking stock of life and some questioning what's next.

Okay, here's the set, starting with New Adds:

Dirty Projectors - Temecula Sunrise *

Bachelor of Arts - Beethoven, Freedom & A Hard Place *

Dave Cloud & The Gospel of Power - Fever *

Metro - A Penz *

Health - Die Slow *

Mochipet - It Ain't Trickin' If You Got It *

Don Simon, Klimperei + Telefunken - Trumpet To Eustacchius *

Corvina - A Tuz *

DinoWalrus - Electric Car, Gas Guitar *

39 Clocks - You Can't Count The Bombs (It's Zero) *

Theo Angell - A Crime From The Vine *

Wand - Arriving *

Theo Angell - The Shadow Ring *

Sam And The Plants - Board Snore *

Our Brother The Native - Someday *

Songs About Death and Other Musings On Mortality

The Seeds - Can't Seem To Make You Mine (Sky Saxon RIP)

Pendrecki - Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima

Yoko Ono – Mrs. Lennon

Eels –
Going to Your Funeral Part 1

Abe
Vigoda – The Reaper

Nick Cave - Dig Lazarus Dig

Glenn
Branca – The Ascension

Jens Lekman –
Jens Lekman’s Farewell Song To Rocky Dennis

M.
Ward - Dead Man

Son House - Death Letter Blues

Nirvana – Lake
of Fire

Elliot
smith - A Fond Farewell

Modest
Mouse - Lives

Band
of Horses - Funeral

Pixies
- Monkey Gone To Heaven

Psychic TV –
Papal Breakdance

“I love you as I fall apart / I love you
and your sacred heart.”

Talking
Heads - Heaven

Randy
Newman - Old Man

Lead Belly – Little Children’s
Blues

Ralph
Stanley/Keith Whitley - Oh Death

David Bowie
- Five Years

New
Order - Procession

LCD
Soundsystem - Someone Great

Loretta
Lynn - Little Red Shoes

Lou Reed – The Bed

Walter
Wegmuller – Der Tod

Neil Young - Tonight's The Night

Spiritualized
– Death Take Your Fiddle

Iggy
pop – Tonight

Neutral
Milk Hotel – Ghost

Shangri Las –
Leader of The Pack

One
Way Streets – We All Love Peanut Butter

Jay
Reatard – An Ugly Death

Beat
Konducta (Madlib) – In Jah’s Hands (Dilla’s Lament)

Leonard
Cohen - Death of a Ladies Man

A Day Without A Theme

2009-10-30T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Today I am sick and have been insanely busy. Any free time I have had has been spent trying to sleep, which has been punctuated by bizarre dreams that mash up Arrested Development and Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (true story). By the way, Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (with Dennis Hopper) may be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Anyhow, that said, I have not been able to put together a theme show for today, so its just good old fashioned off the cuff programming for today.

Okay, here's some music:

Sunn O))) - Big Church
Brian Eno - By This River
Arthur Russell - Goodbye Old Paint
Big Star - Kangaroo
Black Angels - Deer-Ree-Shee
Pink Mountaintops - Outside Love *
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
Ian Drury and The Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick +
Request by Chuck
Sparks - The Number One Song In Heaven
Mochipet - Turbo Thizz Petnation *
Quasimoto - Come On Feet
EL-P - Delorean
Jaylib - The Red
ODB with Macy Grey - Don't Go Breakin My Heart
The Faction - Cokebash +
Request By Mitchell
Mika Miko - Sex Jazz *
Big Black - Bad Penny
Brimstone Howl - We Have Come In Peace
Bauhaus - Antonin Artaud
Arrington De Dionyso - All Is On !
Johnny Cymbal - Mr Bassman
Frantic Johnny Rogers - Sassy
Nite Hawks - Chicken Grabber
Earthworm! - Mo' Taters
Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move
David Byrne & Brian Eno - One Fine Day
Can - Sing Swan Song
Flower Travellin' Band - Satori Part II
The Count Five - Psychotic Reaction
The Fugs - Supergirl
Holy Modal Rounders - If You Want To Be A Bird
Animal Collective - Chocolate Girl (Dublab Version)
Sunset Rubdown - I'm Sorry I Sang On Your Hands That Have Been In The Grave
Nordon Bombsight - Four On The Lawn
Asobi Seksu - Strawberries
The Cramps - Psychotic Reaction +
The Queers - Teenage Bonehead
Jakobinarina - His Lyrics Are Disastrous
Jay Reatard - An Ugly Death
The Murder City Devils - Idle Hands
Horses - Father
The Space Elevator - Intergalactic Noise +
Built To Spill - Conventional Wisdom
Band of Horses - The Funeral
The Sugarcubes - Birthday (Happy Birthday Peter Choyce!!!)
Cibo Matto - Birthday Cake (Happy Birthday My Shimoda)
Bright Eyes - At The Bottom of Everything
The Veils - A Birthday Present (Now Playing)

* New Add
+ Request

Far East Family Show

2009-10-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

Today's show (after the new adds, of course) is all music from Japan. This does not mean songs about Japan - meaning I am not playing Turning Japanese by The Vapors. This also does not mean non-Japanese bands recording live from Japan - There will be no live at Budokan. This show is completely dedicated to underground music from the far east.

If you want to learn more about Japanese Psych Rock, the definitive place to start is Julian Cope's book JAPROCKSAMPLER. He also has a website up based on the book www.japrocksampler.com. Check it out if you want a crash course in some of the most mind altering music the world has ever known.

New Adds
Health - Die Slow *
Hecuba - Tom & Jerry *
Xu Xu Fang - Seven Days Now *
Pink Mountaintops - *
Dirty Projectors - Temecula Sunrise *
Are you fucking serious? I can't believe the Dirty Projectors are writing songs about this Riverside County vacuum. They have clearly spent some time there considering they mention the housing developments and car dealerships. This is more surprising than when Clapton name dropped Escondido. What is going on in the world?
Elfin Saddle - Hammer Song *
Mochipet - Marshall Bass Stacks *
Wand - Chrome *
Purple Duck - Get in Shape *
Divisadero - Lefty Goes Soft *
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Rise *
Savath Y Savalas - Adeu *
Gastr Del Sol - Black Horse *
Blake Miller - A Golden Bird, A Wooden Floor, A Box of Skulls *
Our Brother The Native - Someday *

JAPANESE THEME!!!
Flower Travellin' Band - Satori Part I
Far East Family Band – Kokoro
Acid Mothers Temple – Good-Bye Ice Cream
Merzbow – Intro
Merzbow – Munchen
Keiji Haino (From Fushisusha) – I Don’t Want To Know
OOIOO – UMA
OOIOO (EYE Remix) – EYE MIX 1
Boredoms - Chocolate Synthesizer
Boredoms - Acid Police
Melt Banana - Get the Head Back
Melt Banana - About
Melt Banana - Neck on B1
5.6.7.8’s – Green Onions +
Guitar Wolf - Wild Zero +
Nagisa Ni Te – Threads of Souls
Maher Shalal Hash Baz – Kamakura
Shonen Shojo – A Walk In A Dream/Overleaf
Speed, Glue and Shinki – Mr. Walking Drugstore Man
LSD March – Dare Ga Hoera
Fushisusha – This Is
Les Rallizes Denudes – People Can Choose
Boris – Rafflesia
Ghost – Piper
Michio Kurihara – Twilight Mystery of A Russian Cowboy
Blues Creation – Sooner or Later
High Rise – Outside Gentiles
Cornelius – Bird Watching At Inner Forest
YMCK - Magical 8bit Tour (Now Playing)

* New Add
+ Request

The Name Game

2009-10-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

First, New Adds

1) Corridor - Redux Doze *
2) Blake Miller - This Morning *
3) Land of Kush - Rue du Depart *
4) Hal Onserud - Homespun Yarns *
5) Our Brother The Native - manes *
6) Al Duvall - Mary Mack *
7) Divisadero - The Boxers Daughter *
8) Black Moth Super Rainbow - Born on a Day The Sun Didn't Rise *
9) Mochipet - Sumo Hertz *
10) Prefuse 73 - DEC. Machine Funk All ERA's *
11) Diamond Watch Wrists - Simple Love Notes (5 Years Later) *
12) Xu Xu Fang - Seven Days Now *
13) Bike For Three - All There Is To Say About Love *
14) Fever Ray - When I Grow Up *
15) Pink Mountaintops - Outside Love *

Names Theme
16) Shirley Ellis - The Name Game
17) Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels - Jenny Take A Ride
18) The Axcents - Hold It Mary
19) The Stooges - Ann +
20) Suicide - Cheree +
Request by Erica
21) Ariel Pink - For Kate I Wait
22) Acid Mothers Temple - Sweet Juicy Lucy
23) Fiery Furnaces - Chris Michaels
24) Lifter Puller - Katrina and The K Hole +
request by Ian
25) Randy Newman - Suzanne
26) Desmond Dekker - Get Up Adina
27) Islands - Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby
28) Blackblack - Sophia
29) Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
30) Slowdive - Alison +
Request by Ellie
31) Patty Smith - Kimberly
32) The Pixies - Toni's Theme (live) +
Request by Gabe
33) Brian Eno - Blank Frank
34) The Jam - David Watts
35) Dan Deacon - My Name Is Robert +
Request by My Shimoda
36) Arthur Russell - Eli
37) Joanna Newsom - Sadie
The Replacements - Gary's Got A Boner +
Request by Danny
38) David Bowie - Joe The Lion
39) Brian Jonestown Massacre - (David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six
40) Jacques Brel - Jef
41) Belle and Sebastian - Mary Jo
42) Van Dyke Parks - John Jones
43) The Flying Burrito Brothers - Cody, Cody
44) Big Star - Stroke It Noel
45) Jarvis Cocker - Angela
46) The Rakes - Strasbourg
47) Eels - Elizabeth On The Bathroom Floor
48) Blur - Yuko & Hiro
49) Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Madeleine-Mary
50) The Velvet Underground - Stephanie Says +
Request by Danny
51) Charles Spearin Project - Vanessa
52) Siouxie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence
53) Aphex Twin - Ziggy
54) Boards of Canada - Julie and Candy
55) Frank Zappa - The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue (now playing)

* New Add
+ Request

New Day - New Show

2009-10-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Isis Unveiled
Made In Mexico - For Your Own Good *
Mika Miko - On The Rise *
Eu Dirijo O Carro Bomba - Akira S Et Garotas Que Erraram
Double Dagger - Vivre Sans Temps Mort *
Fugazi - Give Me The Cure
MC5 - Kick Out The Jams +
Request by Ludlow
Xu Xu Fang - Fascination Street *
Brightblack Morning Light - Hologram Buffalo *
Land of Kush - The Light Over The Ranges *
Black Dice - La Cucaracha *
Liars - Hold Hands And It Will Happen Anyway +
No Age - Eraser +
Entrance - Grim Reaper Blues +
Ariel Pink - I Wanna Be Young +
M. Ward - Sad, Sad Song +
Bodies of Water - These Are The Eyes +
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - All Around You +
Darker My Love - Rate +
Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us +
Hecuba - Miles Away *+
Devendra Banhart - Long Haired Child +
The Living Sisters - How Are You Doing +
Inara George - Dirty White +
Lavender Diamond - When You Wake For Certain +
Minutes Til Midnight - Innocent +
Warlocks - Come Save Us +
Minute Men - It's Expected I'm Gone +
Condo Fucks - Gudbuy T'Jane *
Pink Mountaintops - Axis: Thrones of Love *
So Many Wizards - I'm Just Like You *
Illinois - Old Saloon
Prolapse - Zen Nun Deb
Jackie O Motherfucker - Bonesaw
The Pretty Things - Mr. Evasion
Happy Birthday Danny Gabai!!!
Tones On Tail - Go!
The Soft Pack - Night Life *
39 Clocks - My Tears Will Drown The World *
Fever Ray - If I Had A Heart +*
Request for Erica
Holy Modal Rounders - If You Want To Be A Bird
Jay Bennett (RIP) - Overexcusers
Silkie - You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
In honor of all who are denied dignity and justice by the upholding of Prop 8 and Don't Ask Don't Tell.
Diamond Watch Wrists * - One Second Early Late
Swan Lake - Spanish Gold, 2044 *
The Walkmen - Many Rivers To Cross
Adanowsky - Estoy Mal
Rita Pavone - Viva La Pappa Col Pomodoro
Jane Birkin - Orang outan
Amanda Palmer - Leeds United
The Microphones - The Glow pt. 2
Neutral Milk Hotel - Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone
The Geraldine Fibbers - Lilybelle
Lou Reed - Sad Song

* Request
+ New Add

The Numbers Show

2009-05-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I really want to thank Scott Beibin for coming onto the show. If you don't know who Scott is I highly recommend googling him and his various activities including The Lost Film Festival, Evil Twin Booking, The Fake New York Times Prank or just reach out to him on Facebook. It's like that!

Today's theme is numbers. All songs significantly revolve around numbers (and a few have them in their titles for no apparent reason). But first...new adds.

Next theme is names which means that 867-5309 Jenny is a song I won't be playing for two theme shows in a row!

Here's the playlist:

Blake Miller - In The Danger *
Black Dice - Earnings Plus Interest *
Hecuba - Miles Away *
The Soft Pack - Future Rock *
Toxic Lipstick - Obsteshun *
Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1 - 11
Mika Miko - Sex Jazz *
X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage (Up Yours)
Xu Xu Fang - Seven Days Now *
Acid Mothers Temple - Sorcerer's Stone Of The Magi *
Elfin Saddle - Hammer Song *
Double Dagger - Camouflage *
The Coathangers - Toomerhead *
Alma Mater - Long *
Funeral Crashers - Disconnected *
Corridor - T. And <-> *
Swan Lake - Spanish Gold 2044 *

Numbers Numbers Numbers

Yeasayer - 2088
Avalanches - Two Hearts in 3/4 time +
Request from Mike
Fourtet – High Fives
DJ Shadow – The Number Song
The Grey Album – 99 Problems
The Jaguars – Exit 6
Django Reinhardt – Swing 42
Serge Gainsbourg – 18 – 39
Deerhoof - +81 +
Request by Mike (different Mike)
David Ramos – Count
Dr. Octagon – 3000
Broadcast – Minus 1
Beta Band - Number 15
The Soviets - 2 and 1 Goes +
Request from Sean was actually for Number One Is Three by The Soviets, but I only had 2 and 1 Goes
Boris – Six three times
Aphex Twin – 4
Pink Floyd – Chapter 24
Suicide - 96 Tears
Wire – The Map Reference 41 degrees N 93 degrees W (Iowa 71 miles outside of des moines)
Toots & The Maytals - 54/46
Desmond Dekker - 007 (Shanty Town)
Waylon & Willie - The Year 2003 minus 25
Violent Femmes - Kiss Off +
Request from Eric, my old friend from college.
Included for the section:
I take one one one cause you left me and
Two two two for my family and
3 3 3 for my heartache and
4 4 4 for my headaches and
5 5 5 for my lonely and
6 6 6 for my sorrow and
7 7 for no tomorrow and
8 8 I forget what 8 was for and
9 9 9 for a lost God and
10 10 10 10 for everything
Everything everything everything

Art Brut - 18,000 Lira
Iggy Pop - Sixteen
Speaking of Iggy, check out the best blog ever dedicated entirely to Iggy Pop's The Idiot: Idiotlust

David Bowie - TVC 15
Tom Robinson – 2-4-6-8 Motorway
Bow Wow Wow – C30 C60 C90
Stiff Little Fingers – Tin Soldiers
Screeching Weasel - 99
Love - Seven and Seven Is +
Request from...damn it I forgot her name!!!

Dirty Little Secret - Guns Guns Guns
Rap about Pi (Don't know song name) - (Don't know artist, but Dragon Boy Suede has a verse) Video is at the top of this blog. How amazing is that?
Sesame Street - 12
School House Rocks - 3 Is A Magic Number
Lightning Bolt – 13 Monsters
Philip Glass - Knee 3

Interview with Scott Beibin

Laurie Anderson - Zero and One

* New Add
+ Request

CRIME & PUNISHMENT

2009-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

Huddie Ledbetter AKA Leadbelly in Prison

I am particularly indebted to Dave Weiner for this episode. He is the first person to hand me the Leadbelly album "Take This Hammer" which I used in the background as I talked between sets. Truly a life-changing record for me.

Alma Mater - Marching On *
Mika Miko - Totion *
Double Dagger - Vivre Sans Temps Mort *
Black Dice - Nite Creme *
Prefuse 73 - Regalo *
Hecuba - Miles Away *
Xu Xu Fang - Underground *
The Soft Pack - Right And Wrong *
Swan Lake - Paper Lace *
Bradbury - Nymphs + Shepards *
Dan Deacon - Of The Mountains *
The Nextdoor Neighbors - We Are The Future *
Elfin Saddle - The Bringer *
Crazyhorse - Eric Kuhlmann *
Lotus Plaza - Redoak Way *

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT SET

PART I: THE DESIRE TO COMMIT A CRIME
Van Morrison – Cypress Street
This Bike Is A Pipebomb – Murder Bike
The Ponys – Pickpocket Song
Jarvis Cocker – I Will Kill Again

PART II: COMMITTING THE CRIME
Tommy Collins – Got To Have A License

The Crime: Illegal Substance
Bill Johnson’s Louisiana Jug Band – Don’t Drink It Here
Randy Newman – Guilty
Curtis Mayfield – Pusherman

The Crime: Theft
Serge Gainsbourg – Bonnie And Clyde
The Fall – Petty (Thief) Lout
Brian Jonestown Massacre – Take It From The Man
The Roots – Don’t Say Nuthin’

The Crime: Murder
The Cure – Killing An Arab
Tom Waits – Murder In The Red Barn
Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Throbbing Gristle – Very Friendly

Health – Crimewave

PART III: THE LAW
Elvis Costello – Watching The Detectives
Public Enemy – 911 Is A Joke
Jay Dee – Fuck The Police

PART IV: ON THE RUN
The Clash – Police On My Back
Mission Of Burma – Outlaw
Panther – On The Lam

PART V: THE TRIAL
Prince Buster – Judge Dread
The Specials – Stupid Marriage
Dangerdoom – Basketcase
Roky Erickson – Please Judge

PART VI: PRISON
Leadbelly – Governor Pat Neff
Loretta Lynn – Women’s Prison
Gram Parsons - Medley Live From Quebec
Islands – Life In Jail
Kid 606 – Juvenile Hall Role Call

DENOUEMENT
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – Mark David Chapman
Beck – Steal My Body Home
The Streets – The Irony Of It All
GZA – Investigative Reports

Charles Manson – Don’t Do Anything Illegal

* New Music
+ Request

THE NEXT THEME WILL BE NUMBERS. PLEASE LEAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS TO THIS BLOG. THIS MEANS ALL SONGS REVOLVING AROUND NUMBERS.

Too much coffee!!! Playlist 4/29/09

2009-04-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

Early Sasha Baron Cohen video as part of a Levi's campaign from about 8 years ago. Click here for Super Greg's website, you won't be disappointed!

Hey everyone. Here is my playlist from today's show. I don't have too much to talk about, even though I am completely wired on the fake coffee that allows me to stay conscious starting at 4:30 am. I would write things as I think them, but instead I find myself saying them out-loud to anyone near me who will listen until they stare at me like a dog being shown a card trick and then slowly back away. For example, "I want to write a comedy sketch about lawyers preparing a wrongful death suit against Willie Wonka"...it's thoughts like these that kept me out of the ivy leagues.

Oh, my set of songs that are frequently sampled in Hip Hop seemed to go over like hotcakes, so I'll tell you where you have heard some of the samples:

Liquid Liquid's "Cavern" was the primary sample in Grandmaster Flash's "White Lines". Liquid Liquid's label, 99 Records eventually went bust trying to sue for royalties (which they never received) for use of this sample as well as ESG's UFO (which I played later). 99 records tells the story best here

The Mohawks' "The Champ" is one of the most widely sampled songs and also inspired the "duh duh duh" section of Onyx's opus, "Slam". Cold Cut also used it in their seminal "More Beats and Pieces". Other people to use it include Slick Rick, De La Soul, Hammer, DJ Shadow, KRS-One etc.

Bob James' "Take Me To Mardi Gras" is another omnipresent sample. Probably best known from either" Hold it Now" by the Beastie Boys, "Rock The Bells" by LL Cool J or Run DMC's "Peter Piper". It is friggin' everywhere; even Massive Attack sampled this one! Credit is due to Jason Smith and his blog (click here) for revealing this gem in its original form.

Edwin Birdsong's "Cola Bottle Baby" is immediately recognized as Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger" and then again as some unlistenable piece of shit by Kanye West. Dustin Sussman turned me on to this one.

Freddie Scott's "You Got What I Need" is by no means new to this show, but here we are again. Thank you Biz Markie for making this famous on Just A Friend!

As mentioned earlier ESG's UFO is everywhere from "Sure Shot" by the Beastie Boys to "Night of the Living Baseheads" by Public Enemy. Often it was sped up from 33 1/3 to 45 when sampled, but there you have it.

Finally: one of the samples that started it all, "Trans Euro Express" by Kraftwerk dropped krautrock to the South Bronx at the very start of hip hop. That's why today if you fall asleep on the 5 train and wake up in the middle of the night alone and far from home l have to do is start talking about Florian and no one will fuck with you. Seriously, try it. This sample is most famous as "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa, who's name uses so many a's I think he might be partly Scandanavian...wait...he's definitely not.

Okay, now I'll just jump to the setlist.

Barr - Complete Consumption of Us Both
Fuck Buttons - Bright Tomorrow
Dungen - Satt Att Se
The Coat Hangers - Time Passing *
Dsico - 70s Classic Hits
!!! - Take Ecstacy With Me
Tarentel - Geneva, Switzerland (track 6) *
Jackie-O Motherfucker - Hey! Mr. Sky
Earth - Rise To Glory
A Tribe Called Quest - Verses From The Abstract +
Hi Red Center - Littlest Giant *
Handglops - The First Party *
Swan Lake - Spanish Gold 2044 *
Sunset Rubdown - Stadiums and Shrines II
Big Whup - Yaaaay! *
Chain and the Gang - Chain Gang Theme *
Aphex Twin - Taking Control
Squarepusher - F-Train
Micachu - Eat Your Heart *
Liquid Liquid - Cavern
The Mohawks - The Champ
Bob James - Take Me To Mardi Gras
Edwin Birdsong - Cola Bottle Baby
Freddie Scott - You Got What I Need
Breakwater - Release The Beast
ESG - UFO
Kraftwerk - Trans Europe Express
Child Bite - Never-Ending Mountain Slammer
Kittens For Christian - Under The Covers
Wavves - So Bored *
Au - Are Animals
Pretty Things - Mr. Evasion (Credit must be given to Danny Gabai for turning me onto this track!!!)
Love - Seven & Seven Is
Death - Rock
The Sonics - Strychnine
Dan Deacon - Build Voice *
Black Dice - Earings Plus Interest *
New Order - Procession
Belle and Sebastian - Electronic Renaissance
The Nextdoor Neighbors - Greener *
David Byrne with Brian Eno - Wanted For Life
The Muslims (Now Called Soft Pack) - Walking With Jesus *
Apples In Stereo - Shine In Your Mind
The Olivia Tremor Control - Memories of Jacqueline 1906
A Certain Ratio - Do the Du (Peel Session version)
Fellini - Rock Europeu
Jacques Brel - Jef
Adanowsky - Estoy Mal (Now Playing)

* New Add
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Interview with Nick Jasenovec

2009-04-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

Below is the interview with Nick Jasenovec, the writer/director of the film Paper Heart staring Charlene Yi and Michael Cera. The reason this interview took place during my Coachella wrap up episode is because Zach Condon of Beirut created an original song for the soundtrack of Paper Heart. The interview focuses on the music of the film as well as the LA comedy community including Nick's place in the Judd Apatow family as well as the LA underground comedy scene as exemplified by Garage Comedy.

Click below to hear the interview:

Stream Nick Interview

As discussed in the interview above, here is the trailer for Paper Hearts. Tell your friends!

Paper Heart (2009) Trailer

Make Way For Ducklings: Playlist and Commentary April 1, 2009

2009-04-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

ducks

Today's show was great, and if doing the show wasn't cool enough, I left the studio only to find a duck and her ducklings! It was so adorable my ear started bleeding! I took some video of them on my computer and have started and finished this posting with clips of it. Good luck reading and not thinking about ducks. I realize that I'm completely upstaging my show with these guys, but come on...

For some odd reason, the blog has decided to double space today. I can't figure out how to fix it. That seems to be my only real problem today, so all in all I figure, I win.

Here is the playlist from today's show:

1) I Blame Bill - Darth Vader on Ukelele

2) ??? - Sur End A

This is a guy who I met at a house party and gave me his CD after he played. He's really quite magical to watch and has a bizarre infectious laugh that is a part of his singing. I believe his name is Marc.

3) Corridor - Barrkks *

New music on Manimal Vinyl. I like the music but am not quite so crazy about the vocals. I'm interested to see where these guys go.

4) Indian Jewelry - Lost My Sight

5) Tones On Tail - Go!

6) Brimstone Howl - We Came In Peace

7) The Stalkers - In Your Street Today

Thanks to DJ Short Shorts for turning me on to these guys. Unfortunately, I was too sick to see them play on Saturday.

8) Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device +

9) Soft Boys - I Wanna Destroy You

10) Strange Boys - They're Building Death Camps *

11) Foot Village - Protective Nourishment +

It's kind of weird to have an Asian girl screaming "I put pee-pee in your coke". I had completely forgotten how much mileage a 9 year old can get with the words "me Chinese, me play joke..." Thank you Foot Village for bringing it all back home. By the way, if you don't know, Foot Village is an all drum three piece band that includes Josh from Friends Forever (hence the next song) and our own International Voice of Reason. They rule, so come see them on the 11th at the KXLU Fundrazor show.

12) Friends Forever - Win

13) Chain and the Gang - Chain Gang Theme (I See Progress) *

New band starring Ian Svenonius and anyone who has ever walked into the K Records office.

14) So Many Wizards - I'm Just Like You *

15) The Nextdoor Neighbors - The Werewolf Song *

16) David Byrne and Brian Eno - Wanted For Life

17) Dan Deacon - Of The Mountains *

What did I tell you two weeks ago? This was a guaranteed new add for KXLU! Anyway, this would be a heavy competitor for album of the year if Animal Collective hadn't gone and released the best album since Kid A. Seriously, 2009 is turning out to be the best musical year ever. Every bands new album is leaving all of their past albums miles behind: Animal Collective, Abe Vigoda, Dan Deacon, Crystal Antlers; and it's only April!

18) Mi Ami - The Man In Your House *+

19) Crystal Antlers - Andrew *

20) Lansing-Dreiden - Dividing Island

They only sound like their from Detroit in the 70's. They are actually contemporary and in New York.

21) Death - Rock

Okay, they actually are from Detroit in the 70's. Check out the best music article I've seen in a long long time in the New York Times CLICK HERE

22) Wavves - Sun Opens My Eyes *

23) Harry Belefonte - Matilda

What? I needed a palette cleanser.

24) Funkadelic - Back In Our Minds

25) Bob James - Take Me To Mardi Gras

I cannot say it better than Jason Smith. CLICK HERE

26) DJ Shadow - Fixed Income

27) Religious Girls - (Rough Mixes Track Four)

Okay, this band used to be called Destroy Tokyo. I discovered them because I saw the spine of their CD and I liked the colors so I pulled it out. I then saw that they were called Destroy Tokyo so I figured I was into that. I then listened to the EP and liked it so much that I made the song Necklace my Myspace song for about 3 months. Then I found out that they changed their name to Religious Girls (which grabs me way less than Destroy Tokyo, but that's just me) and that they were playing Pehrspace. I don't know that I have been as blown away by a relatively unknown band as hard as I was them. They are amazing and need to be discovered by everyone! I convinced Sean Carlson to add them to last years Fuck Yeah Festival line up, but something got screwed up and they wound up not being able to play. If they don't play this year I'm breaking legs! See this band and thank me later!

28) Darker My Love - The Rule of Queen Tsago *

29) Abe Vigoda - Don't Lie *

30) Fucked Up - No Epiphany (No Age Remix) *

Wow! Congratulations to Randy and Dean for putting together a great remix!

31) Little Richard - Goodnight Irene

Okay, I am currently revisiting Little Richard and am pissed that I didn't do it sooner. This man is out of his gourd and his records are so amazing. Far be it from me to pass up a Leadbelly cover!

32) Jeremy Jay - Gallop *

33) Smog - I Break Horses

34) New Order - Procession

35) Belle and Sebastian - Electric Renaissance

36) Beta Band - Dry The Rain

37) Captain Ahab - Health/Foot Village Mash-Up

I have already ranted and raved about this remix from my last 2-6 am show 3 weeks ago. This song still floors me every time!.

38) Portishead - Machine Gun

39) ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Fields of Coal

40) Adanowsky - Estoy Mal

Damn it! Song cut off right before the end due to a computer glitch. I guess that just means I'll have to play it a bunch more times to make up for this injustice! Adanowsky is Adan Jodorowsky, Alejandro Jodorowski's amazingly talented son. Feel free to have a nature vs. nurture conversation about how Adan became so amazing. Is it the genetics of having a father who's films have started full scale riots or perhaps it is from being surrounded by midgets, amputees, mimes and James Brown at various points throughout his life. Either way the guy is amazing and our friends at Skinny Directors are directing his newest video. I will be sure to have them come on the show and explain the debauchery that enseud for themselves when the video is close to release.

41) Black Sabbath - War Pigs (Live) +

Request from Jake and Marc

42) Fever Ray - If I Had A Heart *

43) Velvet Underground - Sister Ray

44) Suicide - Mr. Ray

Maybe I should have finished my Ray set with a wholesome comedy routine from TVs Ray Romano. Oh well...The Chinese use the same word for crisis as they do opportunity, so I guess I really screwed that one up!

Talk later!

Josh

*KXLU New Add

+ Request

...and now, more ducklings!!!

Ducks 2

Becky Stark Interview and Songs

2009-03-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the audio files of some of the talking, songs and performance from my time with Becky Stark on KXLU. Just click the links to stream the audio. I sincerely hope you enjoy listening to this as much as I did being part of it.

Part 1: The Living Sisters

The Living Sisters are Becky Stark, Inara George (The Bird and The Bee & Solo) and Eleni Mendell (Solo) singing the most lush three part harmonies Los Angeles has heard in decades. It's a project of love for the three who each have successful careers, either solo or with other bands, and may be my favorite thing that any of them do. They finally decided to make a record together. It is currently unreleased, but that should change soon. Enjoy the recordings above.

The Living Sisters w/ Becky Stark Interview

Part 2: The Decemberists

Here is Becky discussing her work on the new Decemberists Rock Opera, Hazards of Love.

How this collaboration came to be is described in my posting below, "The Becky Stark Episode".

Decemberists

Part 3: Becky Stark Performs Oh My Beautiful World

This was recorded live at KXLU 3.25.09

Oh My Beautiful World (Accoustic)

Part 4: Becky Stark Performs Ocean and Ground

This was recorded live at KXLU 3.25.09

Ocean And Ground (Accoustic)

The Becky Stark Episode

2009-03-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Becky Stark backstage at Botanique in Brussels
From Lavender Diamond/Decemberists tour 2007
Picture by me

Wow! Yesterday's show was more fun than I've had in ages. Especially considering how sick I am and how easy it would have been to sleep in. Instead, I drank NyQuil at 9pm and tried to get a full night's sleep. I still haven't adjusted to my new time slot so I must have hit the snooze button 8 times or so.

The real excitement was having my first in studio guest at the new time slot (Marnie was over the phone). Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond, The Decemberists (who's album was released on Tuesday), The Living Sisters (who's record will be out soon, but you can hear some songs here along with parts of Becky's interview) and the LA Women's Choir was my guest. She performed with an acoustic guitar (which can also be streamed above).

Special thanks to Becky for guest DJing the final hour (and then some). For some reason I played a lot of covers today. Let's play a game and count them in the commentary. Here's the playlist:

1) Eumir Deodato - Also Sprach Zarathustra
Cover #1 Richard Strauss
I had thought about making this the opening theme to the show. It's great to wake up to at 6am; it's 9 minutes long, so I have the time to set myself up at the booth; it has the magical combination of Rhodes and congas; but there has been something odd about it. I couldn't quite escape comparing it to "A 5th of Beethoven" from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in my mind. I had a feeling it would only be a matter of time before someone who knew more then I did would call me out about this track. Then it happened: I got a call from my father this morning saying that back in the 70s this song was played to death and anyone who actually knew shit about music back then grew to despise it. Oops.

2) Desmond Dekker - Get Up Edina
3) Stiff Little Fingers - Doesn't Make It All Right
Cover #2 The Specials

4) Specials - Concrete Jungle
5) Wall of Voodoo - Ring of Fire +
Cover #3 Johnny Cash
That's right, Wall of Voodoo did more than just "Mexican Radio"! Thanks again to Ludlow at FedEx for the request.

6) Black Angels - Deer-Ree-Shee
Come on, psych rock with sitars? Of course I'm going to play that! Of course, Black Angels aren't close to the first band to drag a sitar into psych, nor will they be the last.
Dig! Brian Jonestown Massacre @ The Viper Room

7) Galaxy 500 - Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste
Cover #4 The Modern Lovers

8) Old Dirty Bastard - Shimmy Shimmy Ya (Instrumental)
9) Mr. Chop - Zoid
10) Abe Vigoda - Wild Heart *
Cover #5 Stevie Nicks

11) Bruce Springsteen - Dream Baby Dream
Cover #6 Suicide
I've already written about this song and how much I love it. You can click here if you want to read it.

12) Next Door Neighbors - Cultural Revolution *
Holy crap, it took a few listens to get in to, but I am now in love with these guys! Quirky minimalist beats hugged by synthesizers and topped off by a meek voice that knows the exact right places to crack. This is the soundtrack to the girlfriend you once had who wanted to stay in every night and do things like knit or make bread from scratch.

13) Jeffrey Lewis - I Ain't Thick It's Just A Trick
Cover #7 Crass
This was my first ever attempt to edit out the curses on a track live by sitting with my finger on the volume and sliding it down over every swear. It's not easy.

14) Mount Eerie - In Moonlight
15) Mynah Birds - Big Time
Okay, here's the story behind this band: The band's singer who went by the name Big Jimmy was skipping out on weekend training in the U.S. Naval Reserve and decided to bail completely and fled to Toronto. He links up with Nick St. Nicholas (later of Steppenwolf) and forms The Mynah Birds. They decide that they want to be on the Motown label (this was 1966). Eventually, the guitarist doesn't like how Motown treats the band so he quits and is replaced by another unknown Canadian named Neil Young. I should also clarify, Big Jimmy would later change his name to Rick James. What I'm saying is, this song is Neil Young and Rick James in a band together on Motown years before Rick James would see any success with the label. Their manager pocketed the Motown advance so they fired him. To retaliate, he reports Big Jimmy to the Navy as a deserter and Rick James went back to the boats.

16) Wavves - I'm Bored *
17) MI AMI - The Man In Your House *
18) Sunset - Loveshines II *
19) The Raincoats - In Love +
If I had been intentionally doing a covers theme, I would have played their cover of Lola. I think I'm going to see if I can do a whole 4 hour show of nothing but covers at some point.

20) Velvet Underground - Lady Godiva's Operation
21) Mars - Hellen Fordsdale *
22) Brother - Track 5
23) Fourtet - No More Mosquitos
24) Broadcast - Come On Let's Go
25) Pram - The Owl Service
26) Serge Gainsbourg - Pauvre Lola
27) Dent May - I'm An Alcoholic *
28) Beirut - The Akara *
29) Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place
30) Beach Boys - Never Learn Not To Love You
Cover #8 Charles Manson...yes, that Charles Manson. The original song was called Cease To Exist. This is from back in the days when Manson was working on his record with Dennis Wilson.

31) The Books - Lost and Safe
32) Caliphone - Michigan Girls
33) Charles Spearin - Vanessa
This song gets the award this week for biggest response. I even got emails asking who this was. A song created around the natural melody of a deaf woman speaking. Absolutely beautiful!

34) Mum - Cosmic Singalong +

And then Becky arrived! Becky picked almost all of the rest of the songs and talked about each of the many projects she was working on, with the glaring omission of Lavender Diamond - but rest assured, there is more Lavender Diamond to come...we just ran out of time. Audio available for streaming on the blog post above.

35) Crypticize - Cosmic Sing-a-long ++
Chris Cohen, formerly of Deerhoof, is in this band along with Nedelle Torrisi and Michael Carreira. Here's the video for this song:
Cryptacize: Cosmic Sing-a-long

36) Trio Bulgaria - ??? ++
37) Dolly Parton - Wildflowers ++
38) Living Sisters - How Are You Doing++
39) Living Sisters - Ferris Wheel ++
The Living Sisters are Becky Stark, Inara George (The Bird and The Bee & Solo) and Eleni Mendell (Solo) singing the most lush three part harmonies Los Angeles has heard in decades. It's a project of love for the three who each have successful careers, either solo or with other bands, and may be my favorite thing that any of them do. They finally decided to make a record together. It is currently unreleased, but that should change soon. Enjoy the recordings above.

40) Harper Simon - The Audit ++
See Harper with Becky at Largo on March 31.

41) Entrance - Grim Reaper Blues ++
42) The Decemberists - The Wanting Comes in Waves ++
43) The Decemberists - Isn't It A Lovely Night ++
44) The Decemberists - Hazards of Love ++
As you probably know by now, Becky is one of the lead vocalists on the new Decemberists rock opera, Hazards of Love which was released earlier this week. I can't explain the plot as well as she does in the stream above.

45) Colin Meloy - Oh No
Cover #9 Lavender Diamond.
The Decemberists/Lavender Diamond connection has to be credited to Laurel Sterns who was with the Decemberists at Capitol records and is now with their management firm. Laurel had her own record label, Cold Sweat Records who put out the first Lavender Diamond recording, a split 7" with The Queens of Sheeba (with Devendra Banhart). She then played Lavender Diamond for the Decemberists which turned into a support slot on their US and then European tour (see photo at the top of this posting). Between tours Colin would sing Oh No to his newborn son at night. In the meantime, Rough Trade Records needed a B side for "Open Your Heart" so Colin agreed to cover it as a favor. Unfortunately, the record can only be found in the UK. Colin Meloy has a masterful ear for covers, by the way. His cover of Joanna Newsom's "Bridges and Balloons" is what convinced me to like his music.

46) Lavender Diamond - Rise In The Springtime +
Peter Choyce request

47) Becky Stark - Oh My Beautiful World +++
48) Becky Stark - Ocean and Ground +++

Well, that was it. I hope everyone can listen in next week and I hope you enjoy the recordings.

* KXLU New Add
+ Request
++ Becky Stark Pick
+++ Performed Live in Studio

Becky Stark is Performing and Guest DJing my broadcast tomorrow

2009-03-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited about my show tomorrow. Becky Stark from Lavender Diamond, the new Decemberists album, The Living Sisters (with Eleni Mendell and Inara George) and countless other projects will be in the studio with me. She is bringing records to play and an acoustic guitar...also to play. Hope you can tune in.

88.9 KXLU - Wednesdays 6-10am.

My Interview with Marnie Stern on KXLU

2009-03-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

Here it is as promised! The interview and some songs from Marnie Stern.

Just click the link below and prepare yourself for wonderful.

Marnie Stern Interview 3.18.09 1

You had better come see her at the Echo on Wednesday 3.25.09 Click here to buy tickets.

The Very First 6-10am Set List and Commentary

2009-03-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is coming a day late. So much going on, I had no time to write this out yesterday.

I am really excited about the new time slot as well as the new show concept, which you can read about in my last entry. I barely got any sleep on top of everything because Trail of Dead was in town playing the Echoplex on Tuesday night. I wound up hanging out with all of them until about 1am and watching Conrad wring the sweat out of his shirt as if he had been thrown in a pool with his clothes on. The show was good. The sound was a bit weird in the room, but the energy was high. Mostly, I was happy because they played "A Perfect Teenhood" intercut with Patty Smith's version of Gloria, which is my favorite song to watch them play (with the exception of the time that the power cut off in the middle of Caterwaul when we were at Sasquatch Festival and Jason got the entire crowd to chant the song until the power came back on...amazing!).

Anyway, going to bed at 1am and setting my alarm clock for 4:30 was no fun especially since my sleep was filled with nightmares about the show. Kind of sad to admit this, but I still get stage fright. My dreams were about turntables not working, playing the wrong tracks, dead air and every conceivable problem a radio show can have. By the end of the dream I was so frustrated that I trashed the studio (maybe being around Trail rubbed off on me somehow).

Okay, so by the time I got to the station for real, things went significantly better. The highlight, of course was my interview with Marnie Stern, which I will post shortly. Everyone needs to come out on Wednesday to see her at the Echo. Anyway, here is the set list and commentary:

1) Iron Maiden - Aces High
Thanks to Dustin Sussman (Link) for helping me narrow down the perfect Maiden song for 6am. After I played this I went on air and claimed that the new Wednesday 6-10 slot is called "Maiden Voyage: Eddie, Set, Go!" 4 hours a week of Iron Maiden Songs, Iron Maiden covers, Iron Maiden side projects and Iron Maiden news. To me, this is funny.

2) Eumir Deodato - Also Sprach Zarathustra
A Rhodes-heavy '70s Jazz fusion version of the song by Richard Strauss. Prominently featured in the film "Being There" with Peter Sellers.

3) Olivia Tremor Control - Memories of Jacqueline 1906
4) Abe Vigoda - Don't Lie
5) Liars - Sailing To Byzantium
6) Andrew Bird - Not a Robot But A Ghost *
This track sounds like Radiohead. I love it.

7) The Bran Flakes - Stumble Out Of Bed *
Seriously? Sampling 9-5 by Dolly Parton? I feel awkward about how much I enjoy this song.

8) Madlib/Beat Konducta - No More Time *
9) Odd Nosdam - Top Rank *
10) Amon Tobin - Chomp Samba
11) Squarepusher - Love Will Tear Us Apart
12) Kid 606 - Catstep/My Kitten/Catnap
Remember when Kid 606 was the craziest most innovative DJ you had ever heard? Every track made you pull your car over and say "what the fuck?" like it was the first time your parents ever heard "A Day In The Life"? What happened? Why is he putting out mediocre Techno albums now like Pretty Girls Make Raves? I miss IDM Kid 606.

13) Trail of Dead - Bells of Creation
14) Animal Collective - Everyone Whistling
From the oft overlooked album, Spirit They've Gone Spirit They've Vanished.

15) Fuck Buttons - Ribs Out
16) MI AMI - The Man In Your House *
17) Little Teeth - Between My Ears
I love this band so much! More people need to buy this record. Grating, moody and pretty at the same time.

18) Geraldine Fibbers - Lilybelle
Speaking of moody pretty music...

19) Dent May - The Girls in the Square
20) Pterodactyl - First Daze
Former members of Ex-Models. Also, Zach and Matt played a few shows as Marnie's backing band.

21) Melt Banana - Picnic in Panic
22) Lightning Bolt - Ride The Sky
23) Dan Deacon - Get Older
This is not a new add, but mark my words it will be soon. If KXLU doesn't add this record you, listener/reader, should riot. This album will wind up on so many best of lists come December. It sounds like the missing link between Animal Collective albums where they discover warmth. This record is a big deal.

24) The Mae Shi - I Get (Almost) Everything I Want
25) Glenn Branca - Lesson No 1 *
26) Surf City - Records of a Flagpole Skater *
Played at the recommendation of Milk Man Miles. That dude is on top of it! Listen to his show before mine at 2-6am (my old slot).

27) BlackBlack - Skulls
I got more calls asking who did this song than any other song I played all morning. This song is so pretty. The effect of the gentle yet disaffected vocals of Diva intertwined with Alex (AKA Clark Schädelkopf) pushing The Misfits' words like "And the blood drains down like devils rain, We'll bathe tonight" is so wonderfully eerie yet totally engaging. I never play this song without having it stuck in my head for at least 3 hours.

28) Bauhaus - Antonin Artaud
Kind of a cheap follow-up song as Diva and Lola from the above BlackBlack incarnation are the daughters of Kevin from Bauhaus. On the other hand, this is my favorite Bauhaus song and I play it all the time so it was going to show up on the program at some point, might as well put it next to BlackBlack.

29) Flesh Eaters - Digging My Grave
30) 999 - Homicide
31) Marnie Stern - The Crippled Jazzer

Interview with Marnie Stern:
I will post the interview on my blog shortly. Highlights include:
-Missing a strip club because they were stuck in line for fast food. Apparently, at this very special strip club exists a stripper named Blondie who "crushes beer cans in her boobs and her butt".
-Marnie explaining how she feels 30 years older while smoking Capri cigarettes and is becoming the eccentric elderly rock 'n roll aunt at the family picnic.
-Marnie's likes and dislikes about travel...okay, just dislikes.

Listen to the interview and then come out on Wednesday to see her play at the Echo.

32) Marnie Stern - Shea Stadium
33) Marnie Stern - Healer
34) Wavves - Sun Opening My Eyes *
35) Man Man - Top Drawer
36) Belle and Sebastian - Me and The Major
Live at Barbican thanks to Zoe Davis

37) Arthur Russell - Love is Overtaking Me
38) Yes Please - Love Probe *
39) Beach House - Wedding Bells
40) Lavender Diamond - When You Wake For Certain
Becky Stark will be guest DJing on my show soon. More details to come.

41) New Order - Blue Monday +
This was a request. I was asked to play a song for a friend of the caller at CAA. I figured, since the song Blue Monday is rumored to be about the bombing of the Falkland Islands, a largely senseless and violent war. I imagine that this is a comparable experience to working at CAA.

42) !!! - Take Ecstasy With Me
43) Liquid Liquid - Optimo *

* KXLU New Add
+ Request

Okay, that's it for this week's show. Hope you enjoyed it! Hope we see you tonight at The Little Joy for this

What Does The Title "Fanfare For The Playing Man" Mean?

2009-03-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Decor determines gestures: we will build passionate houses
-Situationist International Slogan

My new radio show, running on KXLU 88.9 is called "Fanfare For The Playing Man". While I enjoy saying it, it also has a very personal meaning for me.

The "Fanfare" portion is an obvious reference to composer Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man". The immediate point of this reference is to create a sense of celebration for each of us. My show, as opposed to Copland's composition, is a celebration of an urban existence: isolated while perpetually surrounded. The use of Copland also creates a uniquely American experience, separating itself from the very French Situationst International reference found in the term "playing man".

To the Situationists, the city is designed around the working man. Each structure makes human capitol more efficient, from roads, to bus stops to cramped apartment complexes, every aspect of the city is made to accommodate work. Some artists of the movement decided to design cities of their own, not to cradle the working man, rather modeled for the playing man.

It is for this reason that modern graffiti and skateboarding are still two activities that are kindred spirits to the Situationist movement in France in the late 50s. The two activities take a city, designed for work, and rob it of its seriousness; they transform pre-laid objects of work into platforms for play.

It is this concept that guides my show during drive-time. To transform a morning commute, the cattle march to the office, into a time of play is all I can hope to do while celebrating each anonymous individual.

2009-03-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

Come to this or else...

Wayne Coyne Shit Talks Arcade Fire In Rolling Stone

2009-03-13T11:29:00.001-07:00

I don't know why, but this makes me very happy.

Justin Timberlake has had his moment. Wayne Coyne is bringing friendly back.

Here's what he had to say in a disturbingly re-formatted and smaller Rolling Stone (note to Jan Werner: I know you say people will get used to and even like the new format of the magazine, but you are wrong):

"I'm a fan of them on one level, but on another level I get really tired of their pompousness ... We've played some shows with them and they really treat people like shit. Whenever I've been around them, I've found that they not only treated their crew like shit, they treated the audience like shit. They treated everybody in their vicinity like shit. I thought, 'Who do they think they are?' I don't know why people put up with it. I wouldn't put up with it. I don't care if it's Arcade Fire or Brian Eno. If either of them walked into a room and treated people like shit I'd be like, 'Fuck you, get outta here.'

... People treat Arcade Fire like they're the greatest thing ever and they get away with it. Those sort of opinions change my view of their music. They have good tunes, but they're pricks, so fuck 'em. Who does Arcade Fire think they are? I've been around groups. I've been around the Edge from U2 and he's the fucking sweetest guy ever. I was around Justin Timberlake when he was young and he was just a normal, nice, kind person. Anyone can be polite and kind and people who have the privilege and money and attention should understand that. If they don't, then fuck 'em."

Okay, in honor of Wayne Coyne, here is the trailer to his movie which was weirdly and unexpectedly good (better than the trailer lets on anyway). I sat down to watch just a few minutes and was so oddly transfixed the credits started rolling and I realized it was 3am and I had to work in the morning.

Without further adieu, Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space...no, wait, that's someone else:

California Teacher Layoffs - Please Help

2009-03-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

As you may or may not know, The state of California is about to send out 10,100 pink slips in the next few days to let teachers know that they may be laid off. This is due to a $4 Billion cut in education spending in the new California budget.

It is not too late. These slips are not layoffs, but a legally required warning that layoffs are coming. The budget, as it was in 2003, can be revised.

I am asking everyone of my friends in California, not simply as a future teacher, but as a person who believes that education is the strongest stimulus for long term growth in our country, to click this link and find out how you can help protest these layoffs.

If you would like to know more about the cuts, there is an informative article in the San Francisco Chronicle CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE

The California Teachers Association also has information on the subject (spoiler alert: they're siding with the teachers) CLICK HERE FOR CTA

I hope you can all help.

Thanks!

Josh

Save The Little Joy

2009-03-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

It seems that my blog about the downfall of The Little Joy gained some attention.

My friends at the bar have asked Danny and I to come out one more time and try to have a night of remembrance. We want to have a night like it used to be: good music and good people.

After so many years of this bar being good to us, Danny and I want to celebrate everything that was once great about the Little Joy and recreate it for a night (as long as we can ignore the new lighting and paint).

As mentioned in my last post, I have been on a record shopping binge, so I'm excited.

Please come out and support our friends who work at the bar. If they don't get a break from Aerosmith and whatever Quentin Tarantino soundtrack the new DJ is playing off of his computer, people might die. Do it for the community!

More updates to come. Maybe even a snarky flyer. We're thinking about actually putting effort into this...that's how important it is! Mark your calendars and tell your friends.

Thursday, March 19

The Final Broadcast of Passing Through

2009-03-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

At about 11:30 PM last night I received the call: The Wednesday morning 6-10 am DJs on KXLU would no longer be continuing their show. The Wednesday drive-time slot, starting next week, will be mine. I am moving out of the graveyard shift! I have been waiting a log time for this, but my schedule has forced me to turn down the 6-10 shift on other weekdays. To have a day that works is the most exciting feeling in the world!

As I have been blathering about for the past few weeks or so, my passion for DJing has really been rekindled lately, and this is the pinnacle. I have been so excited that I have been buying records as if I were a character on Sex In The City, and if by records I meant shoes. Fabulous!

So, this news left only one loose string: my final 2-6am broadcast...and the big finish that I promised after the very first song that I ever played on KXLU. It has been a pleasure (though, admittedly, sometimes an exhausting one). I will miss my graveyard shift companions, and hope that they can stay up long enough to follow me to 6-10. I will especially miss playing songs with curses in them!

Well, enough of that, here is the final Passing Through set list with commentary:

1) Jonah Ray - Courtney Love Truth or Dare
An amazing true story about playing truth or dare with Courtney Love by Jonah Ray off of his comedy 7" "This Crazy Mixed Up Plumbing". Seriously, a comedy 7"...how pretentious is that? That's why I love him...sigh.

2) Abe Vigoda - Don't Lie *
3) Captain Ahab - Health/Foot Village Mash Up
I saw this spray painted record for sale at Family. It didn't say what was on it. I actually thought it was just a split 12" with Captain Ahab, Foot Village, Health and Jason Forrest as all that belied what was on the record was their names spray painted over and over. Well, it turns out that one side is a Foot Village remix by Jason Forrest that I will save for another posting, but the A side is the above mentioned mash up from the mad geniuses (the complaint "the word genius is thrown around so easily" is thrown around so easily don't you think?) at Deathbomb Arc. This remix might be better than the Crystal Castles remix of Health. It flies out of the gate and absolutely pummels you for the duration of the record. This is exactly the kind of track that makes you pissed off that you thumbed your nose at electronic music for so many years just because you hated glow sticks and grown men with pacifiers. Dear God is this record good!

4) Portishead - Machine Gun
I'm really trying to get the beats matched up between this track and the above Captain Ahab. I have a sneaking suspicion that this might be the perfect transition. Both songs are so hard and intense, but where the mash-up brings an energy that is almost destructive in its force, Machine Gun is dark and brooding. This track is the cherry on top of what may well be the best album Portishead has ever released.

5) Boris - Farewll
See the theme?

6) Kasio Antaxia - Traveling To Space +
Request from Derrik

7) Sonic Youth - Kool Thing
8) Curtis Mayfield - Move on Up
Keeping the theme going!

9) Primal Scream - Movin on Up (live)
Woo hoo!

10) Public Image Limited - Rise
This is my favorite track off of "Album". I think this record is underrated. David Scott Stone, who was in the studio with Damian prior to my show told me, and allmusic.com confirms that the guitarist on this record was Steve Vai. What the fuck, right?

11) Bruce Springsteen - Dream Baby Dream (Suicide Cover)
That's right. You didn't just momentarily forget how to read and start replacing the now jumbled codes of letters with crazy thoughts...that really does say Bruce Springsteen covering Suicide. Thank you is due to Danny Gabai for turning me on to this. UK Label BLAST First is releasing a series of 10"s of bands attempting to cover Suicide. This is the first tasting, and wow! The B side includes a rare live performance of Dream Baby Dream by Suicide and a really great cover of Mr. Ray by Beat The Devil (which will definitely see some play on future broadcasts). Anyhow, if you are like me, then you grew up in New Jersey. In that case you are legally obligated to worship Springsteen. If you are also like me, you left New Jersey and are, to say the least, hesitant to listen to anything New Jersey tells you about culture or taste. Yet there is just something about The Boss that is so...likeable. He seems...really...kind of...cool. Just look at his cameo in High Fidelity. "I want to hang out with that guy" you think to yourself right up until the point when New Jersey starts drunkenly screaming the lyrics to "Born In The USA" while you watch in horror as flecks of pizza crust fall from New Jersey's mouth all over New Jersey's sweatshirt and you just want to scream "put your fucking hat on forward, lose some weight and stop playing beer pong, you are an adult!" but New Jersey is much bigger than you, so you just keep your mouth shut. You turn your back on the boss and his legions of mutated man-children. Then he goes and covers suicide...and it all comes rushing back to you...this guy is okay! Pick up this record, it's limited to 4000 and you will be a happier person for owning it (unless you believe that all possession is theft, in which case you probably won't be happier).

12) Suicide - Cheree
13) Stone Roses - Fools Gold +
Request from "Average Listener" who refused to give her name. Probably in Witness Protection

14) Do Dada - Dance *
15) Heaven 17 - At The Height of The Fighting +
I'm so sorry, I forgot who made this request

16) The Shivers - Beauty +
Request by Tara. These guys played in my friend James's living room on Saturday and were amazing. James was also kind enough to let me DJ after the bands were finished. It should be mentioned that the second time that I ever DJed was a New Years party at James's house. We have all come a long way since that night! Peter and the Wolf also played as did my friends Petecia and Frankie of Fawnhawk. All in all an amazing night!

17) Harry Nilsson - It's Not Easy Bein' Me
Wow, I've played this song many times, but never actually blogged about it. Perhaps you remember the movie, Popeye, staring Robin Williams and Shelly Duvall (who was clearly born to play Olive Oyl. What you may not recall is the soundtrack. Mostly, because it wasn't that spectacular (with the notable exception of "He Needs Me")...until you hear the demos. It seems that Robert Altman recruited Harry Nilsson to write all of the music, who in turn brought on Van Dyke Parks to arrange all of the music. You can get hold of the demos and they are amazing! Thank you to Autumn DeWilde for making me aware of this record!

18) Inara George - Dirty White
Half of The Bird and The Bee and one third of The Living Sisters (Becky Stark, Eleni Mandell, Inara George), this is Inara's solo record. It is breathtaking and..oh...completely arranged by her Godfather, Van Dyke Parks.

19) Ikettes - Trouble's On My Mind
20) Edgar Allen and The Poes - Panic Button
21) Nite Hawks - Chicken Grabber

Hip Hop Collaboration Time:
22) Quasimoto - Come on Feet
Collaboration between Madlib and Quasimoto (aka Madlib)

23) Jaylib - The Red
Collaboration between Madlib and J Dilla

24) Madvillian - Money Folder
Collaboration between Madlib and MF Doom

25) Danger Doom - Basket Case
Collaboration between MF Doom and Danger Mouse

26) El P - Delorean
El P featuring Aesop Rock

27) Blackstar - Definition
Collaboration between Mos Def and Talib Kweli

28) Handsome Boy Modeling School - Holy Calamity
Collaboration between Dan The Automator and Prince Paul

29) Cold Cut - More Beats and Pieces
Matt Black and Jonathan More

End Hip Hop Collaboration set

30) Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World +
Request from the wonderful Mel Yiasemide who wrote the Best of LA Weekly article on KXLU and talked about my show. Read the article by clicking here

31) David Bowie - Cygnet Committee
Early Bowie. This song clearly shows Bowie about to move out of his early adoration and emulation of Bob Dylan. It is an early hint of what was to come with Ziggy Stardust and songs like Five Years and Rock 'n Roll Suicide. It's on the Space Oddity album, which is really a collection of singles and EPs released early in Bowie's career.

32) Lou Reed - Sad Song
33) War On Drugs - Taking The Farm
34) Neutral Milk Hotel - Gardenhead
35) Modern Lovers - Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste
Only performed live. This song was always performed by Jonathan Richman singing with zero musical accompaniment. Often he would finish the song in tears. It is so stark and jarring yet beautiful. Galaxy 500's DVD is named after their cover of this song.

36) Velvet Underground - Black Angel Death Song
From the discovered acetate of the original and, subsequently, rejected version of Velvet Underground and Nico.

37) ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - A Perfect Teenhood
They just wrecked their van touring, but should hopefully still be here to play the Echoplex on March 17. See you there?

38) Divo - Uncontrollable Urge +
Request by Ludlow

39) Lush - De-Luxe +
Request by Ludlow

40) Animal Collective - My Girls *
41) Prefuse 73 - The End of Biters International
42) Triangle - Ride My Bike
43) Liquid Liquid - Optimo *
44) Hello - Back In The New York Groove
45) Black Dice - Things Will Never Be The Same
46) Syd Barrett - No Good Trying
47) David Bowie - Red Money
This is the big finish to my show that I promised after the first song I ever played on KXLU. During the recording of Station to Station, Bowie moved to LA and was under such constant drug influence, he became convinced that the Devil was living in his swimming pool. In the meantime, Iggy Pop was in a hospital trying to kick heroin with no regular visitors other than Bowie. Bowie struck a deal, if Iggy could kick heroin, he could join Bowie's band as the guitarist to tour Europe in support of Station to Station. During the trip, the two decided to move as far from LA as possible and decided on Berlin. Bowie decided to quit making music and instead would only produce Iggy's first solo record, The Idiot.

Recording in Cologne with producer Tony Visconte, Bowie became so inspired he decided to record his own album after all, adding Brian Eno to the mix of collaborators. Though Low was technically released first, The Idiot is often considered the first album of "The Berlin Period" as it was begun first and was the reason they were in the studio to begin with.

The first song on The Idiot is Sister Midnight. Two years later would mark the end of the Berlin Period with Bowie's 1979 release, Lodger. The very last song on Lodger is Red Money. Red Money is the same song as Sister Midnight. Bowie reused the instrumental tracks and re-recorded the vocals with new words and melodies (except the fact that the middle of both songs is each singer, respectively, singing "can you hear me at all" repeatedly).

The very first song I ever played on my show was Sister Midnight with the express intention of bookending my show the same way that the Berlin period was bookended: with this one song made two.

Well, that's all for Passing Through. The name of the show was a reference to the idea that between 2-6am the majority of people listening would be on crazy road trips seeking good music at the bottom of the dial which fades in and out of range as they pass through each new town and city. The name doesn't really make sense in the same way from 6-10am. I think it will be retired. I will keep you updated as I come up with a new name.

Thanks for reading and listening. Please listen in while you wake up/drive to work/work on Wednesday Mornings from 6-10 am.

WOO HOO!!!!

* KXLU new add
+ Request

The Downfall of The Little Joy

2009-03-07T08:50:00.001-08:00

I feel like a friend has died and I missed the opportunity to say goodbye. I have avoided going to The Little Joy for a week. I forgot that Danny and I were supposed to DJ there last Thursday. We never showed up and I felt terrible about it. Finally, I decided to apologize to Drew, the manager, and to start off the weekend at my favorite bar.

I approached the door and saw my friend Pete was working, checking IDs. Pete had been in Alaska, salmon fishing and otherwise taking a cold road to better money. He was back. As we caught up, something struck me as odd: "is that The Black Crowes playing 'hard to handle'" that I'm hearing"? "Oh, you haven't heard?" Pete responded, "just wait, it gets worse".

I walked in and the song changed from "Hard to Handle" to "Jungle Boogie". Some dude (and I use that word explicitly) threw his fist in the air and grinded up on his lady's leg. I saw Drew and told him that I owed him a huge apology. "For what" he asked. I didn't bother explaining. It seemed that he had forgotten that we were supposed to DJ as well, just like the month before when he double booked us with another DJ. Don't get me wrong, I have known Drew for a long time and have always and will always like him, but the DJ calendar has fallen to the wayside of late. Not that it matters, I flaked on my own night, so who am I to complain?

I gave Heather, the bartender, a hug. She had a look of total contempt for the crowd and the DJ on her face. Aerosmith was playing "Walk This Way".

I screamed and worked my way out of the room. I found Pete still at the door. "What did I tell you"? He explained that after Joe (the old manager) was fired, the owner made the woman who had cleaned the place for 14 years a partner. Now, I'm all for rewarding that kind of loyalty and I think that the move was very generous, but I have a few complaints:

1) The woman who cleans the place? I didn't know that the place got cleaned. If you have ever been inside you know; part of the charm of the Little Joy is that it looks as if there may or may not have been a recent fire.

2) Why couldn't she remain a silent partner? I'm cool with good suggestions coming from anyone and anywhere, but these changes are atrocities! She bought "furniture" but apparently has the decorative eye of a burned out janitor. I was told, as P-Funk's Flashlight came on, that the DJ was a friend of her son.

The crowd had changed too. It had the slight feel of the East Side's answer to Saddle Ranch. I said to Pete that it seemed like all of the people inside were people that Joe would have kicked out for no reason at all other than that he didn't like the cut of their jib. It was exactly this attitude that led a lot of people to hate the little joy and to hate Joe. He was always a friend to me, though. He was the first person to ever let me DJ and for that at the very least I will always owe him. He was always good to my friends and I, and I know many others also felt that way. Say what you will, but Joe ran the bar like it was his living room. If he didn't like you he didn't want you in his home and he let you know it. Certainly, claims of exclusivity or snobbery are valid here, but his bouncing policy was not nearly as "discerning" as any Hollywood velvet rope and didn't really have its root in elitism. The policy (as far as I could tell) was that if there was a hint of douchiness you were out. Joe was the sole barometer...at his best he was a benevolent dictator and, admittedly, at his worst he needlessly excluded some good people. Not two minutes after I had mentioned this to Pete (I swear this is true) someone walked into the bar and says to his friend, "Bro! I haven't been to this bar since I got kicked out that time".

This scene flooded my mind:

I know I am inviting calls of snobbery, but we all choose who we let in our living rooms. We all try to expel certain vibrations from the place we feel most comfortable. That is why, if you loved The Little Joy it felt like home like no other bar could.

As I was leaving the bar with the sounds of The Strokes' "Last Night" playing over the speakers it made me laugh. Strokes drummer, Fab Moretti named his new band (at the behest of his bandmate and girlfriend, Binki) Little Joy after the bar (Whose album I have been listening to as I write this). In one interview it was said, "What I always thought was beautiful about the bar, is that it’s just a door in the corner all full of stickers and you see a very mixed crowd hanging out there-hipster kids, old Chinese men from the restaurant across the street-all kinds of people. There’s pool and they play good music". The stickers are gone, the music is awful and the crowd has changed. I do get a kick out of the thought that someone, someday might visit the Little Joy to see what this band found so great, walk in and say, "what the fuck were they talking about"?

Today I Didn't Even Have To Use My A.K.: I Got To Say It Was A Good Show

2009-03-04T12:39:00.000-08:00

I have to say, last night's show felt really good. I did the whole 2-6am show and drank less than 1 energy drink. The music seemed right and I never struggled too much to figure out what I was going to play next (which is always a concern considering I have absolutely no clue what I am going to play when I walk into the studio. Free form radio!) Here is my set list and some thoughts. Hope you enjoy!

1) Chicago Transit Authority - Free Form Guitar
My mother, having not had a record player for many years now, decided to give me all of her records. There were some amazing items in the collection, especially in the way of Beatles albums and a 12 record set of hits from the 50s. The real fun, however was digging through the less than stellar albums searching for buried gems. Enter Chicago. On Chicago's first album from 1969, the band was still using the longer handle, Chicago Transit Authority. Free Form Guitar is 7 minutes of guitar feedback noise (yes it's a Hendrix rip off, but still...Chicago?). Anyway, if you are interested in finding other Chicago gems, my advice is don't bother.

2) Harvey Milk - Death Goes To The Winner
Let's face it, if you see a band from Athens, Georgia with the name Milk in their name, buy the fucking record! This track, aside from being fantastic in it's own right pays homage to The Velvet Underground's "Waiting For The Man" as well as The Beatles' "A Day In The Life".

3) M. Ward (ft. Lucinda Williams) - Oh Lonesome Me *
4) Andrew Bird - Masterswarm *
5) Mike Bones - A Fool For Everyone *
6) Cornelius - Fit Song (Books Remix)
7) Odd Nosdam - Top Rank *
8) Themselves (Featuring Aesop Rock, Busdriver, Why?, cLOUDDEAD and more) - Mix Tape
Themselves (Doseone and Jel) are putting out a mix tape with all of the above artists contributing. The best news, though, is that this is the first time since Ten (That I can think of, but I might be wrong, anyway, it has been a few years) that cLOUDDEAD has worked together as a whole. Here's a link to an excerpt of the mix tape thanks to pitchfork CLICK HERE enjoy!

9) cLOUDDEAD - Bike (1)
If you don't own cLOUDDEAD's first, self titled, album all of your hip hop listening has been prelude to this. Played, of course, out of excitement for the Themselves mix tape.

10) Charles Spearin - Vanessa *
Broken Social Scene's Charles Spearin released his album "The Happiness Project" which is him interviewing various people around his neighborhood about the nature of happiness and then mapping the notes that are produced by their natural speaking voices and using them as melodies for beautifully crafted songs. Vanessa is the best of these, featuring Vanessa, a successful recipient of a cochlear implant discusses being deaf for 30 years and then beginning to hear.

11) Abe Vigoda - Don't Lie *
Track 1 off of the new EP, Reviver, on Dean Spunt's PPM label. This EP miraculously bests their last album, Skeletons, which was already an impressive achievement last year.

12) Jarvis Cocker - Cunts Are Still Running The World
13) Vibrarians - Red Light *
14) Death - Let The World Turn
Newly added to the Pantheon of Black Rock, Death's proto-punk by way of Detroit album "For The Whole World To See" finally got released by Drag City this year. I'll let Danny Gabai tell you more about it: HOTLANTIS You should be reading his blog anyway. One bowl of Danny's blog contains 12 times the fiber as one bowl of your cereal.

15) Red Stars Theory - Rustin *
New music from Jeremiah from Modest Mouse and James from 764-hero

16)Galaxy 500 - Blue Thunder (Peel Session)
17)Bardo Pond - Isle
I'll be perfectly honest, I only played this because it is 11 minutes long and I had to go to the bathroom like I've never had to in my life. That's the ugly truth of DJing solo!

Okay, I decided to invent a game - play one song by any band and follow it with another band who's name shared a word with the previous band (The does not count if you are playing at home). Someday I'll try a longer version of this game linking each song and see how long I can go. Sounds fun.
18) In Waves - Your Favorite Storm +
19) Wavves - So Bored
20) Mr. Scruff - Donkey Ride *
21) Mr. Chop - Zoid
22) Fuck Buttons - Ribs Out
23) Holy Fuck - Korock
24) Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes *
25) Animal (from the muppets) - Conversation with Kermit
Ha! Thank you You Tube

26) Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele - I'm An Alcoholic *
27) Tiny Tim - Tip Toe Through The Tulips
28) Beirut - La Llorna Is Overtaking Me *
30) Nick Drake - Fly
What if I said I was playing the Nick Drake song, but then just played the Sugar Ray song?

31) Bonny Prince Billy - A King At Night

At this point I had so successfully brought the mood down so far I decided to drop the bottom out and go into a roots music/delta blues set of field recordings

32) Bessie Jones & The Georgia Sea Island Singers - O Day
From the Goodbye Babylon compilation...get it, you will thank me later.

33) Lead Belly - Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Alan and John Lomax recording for the Library of Congress. Best cover Nirvana ever did!

34) Blind Willie McTell - Lord Send Me An Angel
The White Stripes covered this song on a 7" with You're Pretty Good Looking as the B side.

35) Jelly Roll Morton - Dirty Dozen
Another field recording by Alan Lomax from 1938. How many recordings from the 30's can you think of that open with the line "You dirty mother fucker, you old cock sucker"? I can only think of 1 and between 2-6am the FCC lets me play it!

36) Skip James - Devil Got My Woman
From Ghost World soundtrack.

37) Robert Johnson - Crossroad Blues
That's all for the Roots Music/Delta Blues Field Recording set

38) Mi Ami - Echononecho *
39) Raekwon - Wisdom Body +
40) Madlib - Never Front *
41) Sporto Kontes - Tower
42) Add N To (X) - P.P. Machine
43) New Order - Ceremony
44) Liquid Liquid - Optimo
45) !!! - Me and Giuliani Down By The Schoolyard
46) ELO - Overature
This is off of ELO's first record and is the best song that Black Sabbath never wrote. Jeff Lynne is a genius, and I'm not afraid to say it!

* KXLU new add
+ request

Well, that's the show. Listen in next week and call in with requests - 310-338-KXLU (5958). The station also does instant messenger at the IM address KXLUdj. If you don't get KXLU on the radio, you can listen on www.kxlu.com.

TTFN

A Night At The Opera

2009-03-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

LA Opera: Das Rheingold

I am ashamed to admit that it has taken me so long to get to the opera, but every time I go downtown, I seem to wind up at The Smell rather than at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. This fact seems to point to a major flaw in my argument that I am a cultured motherfucker. Don't get me wrong, I have listened to a great number of Opera recordings, but have never had (or made) the opportunity to see a large production. Well...problem remedied: on Wednesday, thanks to the generosity of my roommate Chris Evans, I got tickets to my first opera.

The LA Opera has decided to nearly bankrupt itself by presenting Achim Freyer's modernist staging of Wagner's entire Der Ring des Nibelungen. Fueled Los Angeles's presumed love of Richard "Fifth Beatle" Wagner, the LA Opera has overshot its budget and devoted two full seasons to the four operas of the Ring Cycle (Das Rheingold, The Two Towers, Return of The King and Die Walküre, respectively). Freyer's staging is, if the above video didn't make it abundantly clear, decidedly modernist. Many bold decisions were made, some of which I enjoyed and some of which I disagreed with. Clearly as a first time opera goer, my opinion should be the first last and only word of review on this subject.

I, like many reviewers, had a number of problems with this production (opening night apparently found some audience members actually booing). My biggest problem of all was that the entire opera operated behind a lowered scrim. The scrim was used to project images as well as colors onto the action on the stage. Now, when looking at the aesthetic of the staging and costuming, one would assume minimalism...but this was also clearly Hollywood's opera and every technological trick in the theatrical book was used to enhance this production (Plácido Domingo, LA Opera's general director, originally approached George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic to handle the special effects, but the company proved too costly and the collaboration was dropped). While I understand the appeal of these production tactics, if I wanted special effects, I would go see a movie. The scrim was a constant separation between myself and the stage. Perhaps this separation could have been used to make a point about the separation between man and Gods, but I saw no evidence to support this interpretation...just flash and zazz (yes, zazz).

My next issue was with the translation of the libretto (which was actually flashed on a screen above the stage, rather than in book format). I am certainly no expert in German, but I am fairly certain that when a character shouts at another, "Hey", a level of informality has been reached that I doubt the romantic Wagner had intended. Anyhow, the colloquial language clashed with the highly stylized, symbolic and otherwise heady stage presentation and made me a bit uncomfortable. I would have preferred a dialogue, even if less accessible without the effort of thought, that was worthy of the Gods who spoke it. Call me old fashioned, but I like my collars starched and my libretto stodgy.

One final issue I had was the use of masks for some characters. When masks are used, facial expression is lost. Now, I'm no actor, but that seems important. I find when facial expression is compromised, body language becomes overused as compensation. I call this effect Mighty Morphin Power Rangerification...and it drives me up the wall. At one point, the character Alberich does a celebratory butt dance after a particular personal victory. I was terrified that if he threw in a cabbage patch, I might puke.

On the other hand, There were many things about this Opera that I loved. The costumes were beautiful. While many might complain about pretentiousness or even an anti-romanticism that Wagner would have despised, I found them to convey an other worldliness and thoughtfulness appropriate for a land of Gods with confusing and conflicting motivations. They were grotesque yet oddly alluring...and kind of funny (The character Fricka has ludicrously long arms that can only make me think of the "Fishy Fishy Fishy Fish" sketch in Monty Python's Meaning of Life...and it would go wherever I did go).

The very opening of the opera was breathtaking, with a fabric river and two actresses for each maiden character to create a reflection. It was large and bold and truly brought the audience into a new world. Unfortunately, the rigid staging of the Opera meant that though in the plot characters were touching each other and running away from each other, everyone on stage remained stationary. This took a bit to get used to, but I eventually did. I have no fear of minimalism, and while many critics seem to be outraged by this, I got used to it and even enjoyed it.

Despite previous complaints of special effects, there were many effects that I loved. The use of puppetry was amazing. Characters and objects flying through the air were exciting. The "enormous serpent" scene was incredible. Further, the staging made fantastic commentary on size of each of the characters based on their present actions and feelings.

I also loved two individual performances, Loge and Fasolt (a relatively minor role, but an amazing example of a role being as big as the actor, newcomer Morris Robinson).

All in all, I loved this experience. Perhaps it was the excitement of being at the Opera, but all of the problems I had with the production paled in comparison to how much I enjoyed the show. Each of the elements that I had a problem with represented a chance that Freyer took, and I respect his risk taking. I am going to try to see the other three Operas of the cycle as they are brought to stage over the next two years. Who wants to come with me?

Okay, I have written entirely too much and highly doubt anyone will read this far. It has been a while since I have updated this blog, so bear with my over enthusiasm.

Making The Effort

2009-03-01T10:42:00.001-08:00

Okay,

I'm going to start making a better effort to create new entries on this blog. I am abandoning the idea of only mirroring my KXLU blog after I do a show (not to mention, I have not even updated that in ages).

I suppose I should make up for lost time by creating a few posts about things that have caught my attention recently. Enjoy.

Politicians Have Finally Left Us For Dead

2008-09-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

Our own legislative branch has finally let partisan politics get in the way of patching the hole in the Titanic that is our economy. I'm pissed off and have some thoughts about it. I would love to know yours:

First, let's get a firm grasp on why the bailout plan failed and why it was voted down by the people who voted it down:

POLITICS. Remember on Saturday, when the news was the deal had reached agreement amongst Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans and House Democrats? Who is missing? House Republicans. Why? The key is election cycles. Senators are up for election every 6 years, but members of the house of representatives are up every 2 years...meaning all members are up for re-election this year. Democratic seats are all considered relatively safe, but republican seats are all threatened after the past 8 years.

Now, let's look at the emotional issues behind the bailout. "Main Street" (A term that I have grown so sick of, as with any bumper sticker - cutesy term for complex voters with complex needs...see: Hockey Mom) doesn't understand why the people who fucked them in the first place, i.e. big business and wall street should get "rewarded" with $700 billion while their house is getting foreclosed. They feel that the money should go to them directly, rather than "trickling down". While on a gut level this makes sense, the truth is that the $700 billion will cost each tax payer $2,300, however doing nothing could potentially cost them everything. Because banks and institutions prefer to have their money making money, they invest their cash. These investments are in companies like AIG or any number of stocks that have their investments layered with bad mortgage debt and derivatives (that I, admittedly, do not understand) on those mortgages. As the mortgage assets on their books become worthless, so too does their stock and so too do the assets in EVERYONE'S 401K plans, their local banks (who are now not lending money for small businesses to start or survive), people's companies who will have to lay them off because they can't make pay roll. Everyone's jobs and retirement savings are caught up in this mess, and it's worth far more than $2,300. But politics, particularly populist politics is an emotional sport, so people don't see this, they only see the inherent unfairness of giving this money to the millionaires who screwed us to begin with.

Back to elections: The above "Main Street" voters are all fed up and are calling and writing their congress men and women around the clock begging them to vote against this unfair bill. For a democratic congressman/woman whose seat is safe, going against your constituents to do what is best for the country is not political suicide...their seats are already safe. For the 2/3 of the Republican Senators who are not up for re-election this year or next, it is, again, not political suicide to go against your constituents and vote for this bill. That leaves only the House Republicans, who are up for re-election this year. To go against the wishes of their voters assures that they will lose their seats in November. It is their nature of self preservation that was put ahead of the national interest by voting this bill down. They are banking on the full reverberation of this disaster not being felt by election day.

But it is not only the Republicans who are playing politics in this moment when we need to come together as a unified country in the face of disaster and rise to action. Speaker of the House, Nanci Pelosi couldn't help but pepper her pre-vote speech with descriptions of George Bush's "budgetary recklessness" and "anything goes mentality". Seriously? You really think that now is the best time for partisan pot shots? In any previous generation, a leader would give a speech about Americans coming together in the face of crisis. Eric Cantor, the Republican House whip, in turn blamed his inability to do his job and rally his party around the good of the country on Pelosi's speach and Democrats in general.

Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

Congress...do your fucking jobs. I don't give a fuck who you blame, if you can't get your shit together and pass legislation in a time of crisis unparalleled since the great depression then I BLAME YOU! ALL OF YOU! There...you have finally brought the country together. I hate all of you on either side of the aisle! Now shut up, get back to work and save our country.

Love,

Josh

P.S. I would love to know anyone else's thoughts on this. There are plenty of counterpoints I can think of, but the above argument is the one I can most justify...maybe I just need to believe that there is a viable answer because the alternative is just too scary.

And now, for a comparative moment of levity:

Recap of KXLU show July 16, 2008

2008-07-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official, my show is now on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Yesterday's show was the first one ever on this day and I was so excited that I couldn’t fall asleep for my much necessary pre-show nap. I spent all of Wednesday as a zombie, but it was well worth it. It is a very different transition now moving off of Psychotechnics rather than coming off of Metal Storm. Mopi's show is great, of course. I think I need theme music like hers. Obviously, I will miss Peter Choice helping me close out my shows. Anyway, Wednesday is the new Friday, so don't bother showing up to work on Thursday.

There were some real stand out songs this show that I am excited to talk about, so let's get started:

Song #2: Thurston Moore - Creemsikkle. This is off of the Deathbomb Arc label's limited edition Thrash Sabbatical record set. This particular taster's menu consists of Thurston Moore, Kevin Shields, Barrabarracuda and Men Who Can’t Love. Now, I know what you are thinking, I thought it too, “Kevin Shields? From My Bloody Valentine? With Thurston Moore? Golly!” Like an idiot, I voiced this excitement on the air. Then I did some research and found out that, no, this Kevin Shields is actually Eva Aguila who is also in a really cool project called Caldera Lakes which works with softer sounds for their noisescapes. Kevin Shields is also worth a listen, and I recommend the track 12806. It sounds like band sound checking their drums in a high school gymnasium that is being pulled through a storm on Jupiter. Okay, back to Thurston: This is a beautifully powerful noise experiment that plays with dynamic on every level. The piece moves from single notes to unidentifiable depth and from ear damagingly loud to gentle without causing any real sense of audio fatigue. It is only available on the vinyl version of Trash Sabbatical but can be downloaded from certain websites like Other Music. Unfortunately, the vinyl version of the album is sold out.

Song #3: Silver Rockets – Holding On. Silver Rockets is the new project of Mercury Rev and Longwave alumni Paul Dillon. I saw Paul play solo at Little Radio this weekend and he gave me his new 7” with the songs Retreat and Holding On. Holding on immediately grabbed me. It is gentle and very warm and then flushes out to a wide-open field of violins, guitar, feedback, piano and everything else that could be thrown out. It reminds me of Blue Thunder by Galaxie 500 but with vocals more forefront. This is a really great new track and I’m really excited to hear more as it comes.

Song #4: The War On Drugs – A Needle In Your Eye #16. I can’t stop playing this band. The washed out tracks, the organ, the vocals… Lately, any time anyone asks me about brand new bands that I am excited about I immediately respond, The Gang and The War On Drugs. There is something classic about Adam Granduciel’s vocals that I can’t quite put my finger on. All I know is this: this is road music and that is exactly what my show was supposed to be about though I quickly seem to have abandoned. Their song “Taking The Farm” has the road trip pop sensibility of Lindsay Buckingham’s “Holiday Road” yet the low fi country understanding of The Flying Burrito Brothers, all while blanketed by a wave of Psych Rock a la early Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. I think that might be the oddest description of a band ever. Well, it’s really, really good. The album is out on Secretly Canadian.

Song #17: Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog – Party Intellectuals. Marc Ribot’s resume is completely out of hand: First working with John Zorn in 1984 and then with Tom Waits as the guitarist on Rain Dogs, he has worked with Elvis Costello, Marianne Faithfull, Medeski Martin and Wood (Chris Wood is also the drummer for Ribot’s project, Shrek from 1998), Harry Shearer, Rob Wasserman, Foetus, Cibo Matto and the list goes on. Party Intellectuals sounds like a Mothers of Invention song after playing Atari and listening to old school hip-hop. This is what happens when you put Santana’s Abraxas in the microwave.

Song #18: Bunny Brains – (I’m In The) Bucket (Keith). The only way to describe this track is bestial. I find it hard to believe the vocals were performed standing up. Everything on this track is loud and nauseous and perfect. Coming out pretty early in Matador’s history, Bunny Brains seems a good fit with Matador founder Gerard Cosloy’s old band with G.G. Allin. The Big difference, of course, is that Bunny Brains’ music is actually good. Anyway, over 40 people have been in and out of this band, revolving around Dan Bunny. He also made friends with Devendra Banhart and appears on the Cripple Crow album (which is why I played Devendra directly after). It seems that it was a conversation with Dan Bunny that led to Devendra’s song “Little Boys”.

Songs #37 / #38: Broadcast – Come On Let’s Go / Pram – The Owl Service. Both of these bands are amazing and both share drummer Steve Perkins. Broadcast has a deep groovy lounge sound that might draw images from Antonioni’s “Blow Up” or maybe an old James Bond movie. Then comes the cut and paste beat backdrop that creates a more psychedelic, but no less warm, feel of Pram. It struck me, while listening to these songs before my show that they really owe quite a debt to one man…Serge Gainsbourg. I followed up Broadcast and Pram with Gainsbourg’s Pauvre Lola. Just for good measure, I followed that up with Genesis P. Orridge’s (of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV fame) cover of Gainsbourg’s Je T’aime…Moi Non Plus (I Love You…Me Neither). Je T’Aime was originally written for and recorded with his girlfriend, Brigit Bardot, but was never released for fear of revealing the relationship to Bardot’s husband. Instead, the song was re-recorded with his future wife, Jane Birkin. Below are videos of Gainsbourg and Bardot doing Bonnie and Clyde as well as videos of Gainsbourg and Birkin set to the music of Je T’aime…Moi Non Plus just to give perspective on the talent of Serge Gainsbourg and evidence that he is the luckiest man in the world.

Serge Gainsbourg & B. Bardot - Bonnie & Clyde (Good Version)

Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg - Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus

Songs #46 / 47: Marnie Stern - Put All Your Eggs In One Basket And Then Watch That Basket / Hella - Welcome To The Jungle Baby, You’re Gunna Live. Not only are these two songs the longest song titles that I have played on my show, this pairing represents another shared drummer. Hella drummer, Zach Hill is also Marnie’s drummer on her first record on Kill Rock Stars, In Advance of The Broken Arm. Zach has also finished recording with Marnie for her follow up album, from which she will be premiering some of the songs on my show. This song is one of the brightest and shiniest on her record. It is just joyful and poppy from beginning to end. Marnie’s album is one of the best, most bombastic, most mind blowingly talented records of 2007. The way Roy Lichtenstein made comic images legitimate high art; Marnie uses the generally trite technique of guitar taping and creates something beautiful, artistic and nuanced. I followed Put All Your Eggs… with Hella’s Welcome To The Jungle… but this version is acoustic. Wow. It’s extremely odd to hear that kind of bombastic paying on an acoustic guitar and a drum with no snares (is he playing with his hands? How did he get his sound so soft?). The Acoustics EP is definitely a spectacle to behold.

Okay, I hope you enjoyed the show and the blog. Next week, Matt Gangi of Gangi will be joining me and playing a bit. Here is the complete playlist:

Microstoria – Endless Summer NAMM

Thurston Moore – Creemsikkle

Silver Rockets – Holding On

The War On Drugs – A Needle In Your Eye #16

Jesus + Mary Chain – Moe Tucker (Live)

Velvet Underground – New Age (Live)

Darker My Love – Heelium Heels

The Chap – Caution Me

Black Angels – Deer-Ree-Shee

Brian Jonestown Massacre – The Devil May Care

Mad Villian – Enter…Hot Curry

Bombay The Hard Way – My Guru

Dungen – Festival
Octopus Project – Bees Been Strugglin’

Four Tet – No More Mosquitos

Leila – Mettle

Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog – Party Intellectuals

Bunny Brains – (I’m In The) Bucket (Keith)

Devendra Banhart – When They Come

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – So Everyone

Songs: Ohia – This Time Anything Finite At All

Brian Eno – By This River

Jim O’Rourke – Movin On The Way Down

Devon Williams – A Truce

Gangi – Ground

Fleet Foxes – Ragged Wood

Rainbow Arabia – Omar K

Wooden Shjips – Cloud Over Earthquake

Abe Vigoda – The Garden

The Gang – There’s A Beach At The End Of Penny Lane

Frank Black and The Catholics – Bullet

Violent Fems – Country Death Song

Echo & The Bunnymen – Do It Clean (Live)

Spiritualized – Soul On Fire

Twink – What The Dickens

Flying Lotus – Roberta Flack

Broadcast – Come On Let Us Go

Pram – The Owl Service

Serge Gainsbourg – Pauvre Lola

Genesis P. Orridge - Je T’aime

Glen Branca – Lesson No. 2

Gang of Four – Ether

Spinto Band – Japan Is An Island

Page France – Junkyard
Spoon – Anything You Want

Marnie Stern – Put All Your Eggs In One Basket And Then Watch That Basket

Hella – Welcome To The Jungle Baby, You’re Gunna Live

Slavery Is Back In Effect

2008-07-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

I was listening to Mike (Who, I have repeatedly said, I think is
probably the best DJ on KXLU) on Part Time Punks on Thursday and he said some
things that, as a political junky, caught my attention. After a
particularly angsty set he announced (and I am paraphrasing), “You may
have noticed that I’m playing an angry set. Well, I’m angry. Iran
launched 8 missiles yesterday and now Bush is getting upset and
sticking his nose in every other country’s business”. Always excited
for lively debate, even if it is alone in my head, I responded to this
to myself (and now, again, here). I think
this is misguided anger. Frankly, Iran’s missiles were very much our
business, as they were very purposefully a message to us and to
Israel. The tests were done as a show of strength after Israel ran
some tests of their own, flying their aircraft within firing range of
Iran’s nuclear program.

Admittedly, I fall into the typical American viewpoint of skepticism
about Iran’s nuclear ambitions being solely for energy (I am not
ignoring the findings that Iran is at least 10 years away from
developing nuclear weapons if they so desired…I am merely questioning
the ambition). To quote Dennis Miller (and I can’t believe I would
ever positively quote him!) when questioning Iran's desire for alternative energy, “These people are living on top of the
biggest dinosaur mausoleum in the world”. The point is, this is
business as usual in the game of brinksmanship. Iran wants to be a
nuclear force, and due to the moronic foreign policies of this
administration, pre-emptive action has sort of gotten a bad wrap over
these past few years as has unilateral action in terms of world opinion
and support. This, effectively, leaves our hands tied to stop Iran
without direct proof of nuclear armament ambition…Iran knows this.
Israel, of course, is the immediate target…everyone knows this.
Israel, who has been known for having a pretty short fuse, has to make
some kind of a show of force and hope that the bluff of World War 3
will be enough to make the Iranians stand down (and I’m sure even
Israel didn’t think that this would actually work). So Israel ran test
flights within striking distance of Iran’s nuclear development
program. Iran, in turn could not let Israel push and not push back, so
they made a symbolic show of force and launched test missiles. Iran’s
missile tests are with the hope of drawing Israel to attack. If Israel
attacks, then destroying Israel (or severely damaging it) will be
retaliation, therefore, the world’s reaction will be divided and weaker
against Iran. However, were Iran to attack unprovoked, Iran knows that
they will be attacked and destroyed by the world community, especially
if they don’t have nuclear weapons to defend themselves with.

Now, here is my point (sorry it is so laborious): this is absolutely
our business. Feelings on Israel aside, I do not want Iran to have
nuclear missiles. I don’t want us, Pakistan, India, Israel, England,
Russia…anyone to have them. The recent missile tests were an
intentional display, a note on an arrow, if you will, in the game of
brinksmanship. The purpose was to let us and the world know that our
hands are tied to stop Iran from achieving their goals, for the time
being. This is not a new game, nor is it one we are unfamiliar with,
this is another cold war…and I hope that it stays cold if it has to
exist at all. Now, if we had attacked Iran over these tests, I would be
furious. What we have done is issue a statement, essentially, that we
don’t like that Iran fired missiles. If a president failed to do that,
I would be equally furious. The larger discussion, of course, is the
state of international diplomacy, the United State’s go it alone cowboy
politics, the reduction of the UN to a League of Nations style piece of
worthless real estate, etc. We could talk for hours about these
issues, but they are long-term agenda issues and it would turn this
blog into a novel (it is also largely why I support Obama and hate the
current standard of politicians on both sides of the aisle…more on that
later). Frankly, Mike, getting mad about Bush’s reaction is missing
the forest for the trees. The real outrage is that we as humans (as
represented by our leaders, who tend to be caricatures of our own
despicable nature) are so stupid that we miraculously survived a 50
year cold war and not 20 years later can’t wait to jump into another.
With that in mind, I opened my show by stating that I am not angry about Bush’s
statements, they had to be made. Instead, I offered a few reasons to
really be mad.

1) John McCain was recently informed, that despite our
Jets/Sharks-like diplomatic relationship with Iran, our export business
has actually risen. Specifically, American cigarettes are now our biggest
export to Iran. Caught off guard by this information McCain quipped,
"Maybe that's a way of killing them” before his wife poked him in the
back, frantically searching for his “off” button. **Slow clap**.
Bravo, Mr. McCain. How do we intend on diplomatically solving our
problems when you, if elected to lead, make horrific statements about
the death of a country’s innocent citizens? When Ahmadinejad or Chaves
say anything remotely close to this it is a call to arms and a road to
war, but you can casually defecate from the mouth like this and expect
that it’s not in every news paper in Tehran? Bravo!

2) Karl Rove ignored a congressional subpoena to testify about
the firing of eight federal prosecutors. Siting, “executive
priveledge”, Rove refuses to discuss these actions under oath...AND CLINTON
WAS IMPEACHED FOR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE! Aaarrrrggghhhh what kind of
a world are we living in? (P.S. please do not reference my above
tirade on the rules and theater of brinksmanship to claim that Rove is
just playing his role. It’s not that the argument is incorrect, I just
hate having my words thrown back at me. K? Thx)

3) Barack Obama voted for the new federal wire tapping bill (Mike
mentioned this too, I believe). I could forgive him, painfully albeit,
for his turn around on public funding for campaigns (but come on, he
HAD to do it). I certainly understand his Falstaffian denouncement of
his former reverend. I even get the subtle softening of his rhetoric
on leaving Iraq. But come on…the wire tapping bill…with immunity to phone
companies?!?! As mentioned, I can understand and justify all of the
above actions because, frankly, this is politics. But politics have
eroded the content of civics beyond the point of recognition. I AM
VOTING FOR CHANGE. Obama seems to be moving towards the center in
order to seal his victory, but this involves promises to the
center…promises that contradict the spirit of the promises he made to
us on the “fringes”…promises of change, promises of hope and promises
of a new kind of politics. The reason any of us still have faith in
Obama is that we feel that he is saying and doing all of these things
to get elected, and when in office he will be the president that he
promised US. This sounds like old politics, and he sounds like he is
getting mired in it. I hope that he will be different, I hope that we
as Americans will demand that he be different, I hope that the burden
of change will remain on our shoulders and that we will continue to
rise to that challenge as we all seemed to do after Super Tuesday in
February. But I’ve been burned before.

In 1992, during his campaign for the presidency, Bill Clinton
publicly denounced the lyrics and statements of hip hop artist Sister
Souljah. In particular, he lashed out at a specific quote, "If black
people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white
people" taken out of context, that was a reaction to the Los Angeles
riots. Clinton's reaction was purposeful and successful. Known later
as “America’s first black president”, Clinton had a problem in his
general election strategy. He was seen as too far left, black people
loved him and many white people were afraid that he would remain too
beholden to them. By publicly repudiating a sentiment from the
community largely viewed as his base, Clinton symbolically re-assured
white people that he was one of them. This would famously be known as
Clinton’s “Sister Souljah Moment”. Today, in politics, a denouncement
of the actions of one’s base with the pointed goal of appealing to
centrist voters is called a Sister Souljah Moment.

It was in this spirit that I dove straight into Sister Souljah’s,
“Slavery Is Back In Effect” as the first song of my show (also, I know
that Barack Obama always tunes in on Friday mornings to KXLU.com
between 2-6am PST. Truth be told, he’s just listening to Metal Storm,
but doesn’t bother turning the stream off by the time I come on. I hope he got the reference). I
don’t want to be abandoned for center again. Centrist politics have
gotten us where we are today. I want a more educated electorate to
vote on elegant and nuanced policy and to vote intelligently. I
believe Democracy is less flawed than anything else that has been established to
protect the virtues that we claim, but it depends on the electorate.
For tyranny and corruption to take power one needs only keep the voters
ignorant and scared. For a just and free society to emerge (which, I
have been told, is what we want) the electorate must remain vigilant
and educated. This is why I quit the music industry and am becoming a
teacher. I want to be part of the solution.

Okay…I’m sorry. I know this is a music blog. I promise to keep
next week’s blog entirely on music. The show had a bunch of
highlights, I’ll just stick to one because I’ve already taken up so
much space with political rants:

I Am Spoonbender remixing The Locust’s well I’ll Be A Monkey’s
Uncle. Loud, dark and terrifying used to be the way to describe early
Marylin Manson tracks, but if you add the word “cool” then you can
actually be talking about I Am Spoonbender’s remix of The Locust.

Here's a clip of JP from the Locust and Lost Film Festival’s creator Scott Beibin on Springer…just to lighten the mood a bit:

JP from THE LOCUST + Scott Beibin on Jerry Springer (Part 2)

Next week (the show is moving to Tuesday Nights/Wednesday Mornings
2-6am) will be all about the music again and I’ll make sure the blog is
extra music-nerdy…I promise. Special thanks to Peter Choice (my other
favorite DJ on KXLU) for hanging out and making me a better DJ for it!
Oh, and Matt Gangi of Gangi will be coming onto the show in two weeks.

Here’s the playlist:

Sister Souljah – The Final Solution (Slavery’s Back In Effect)
Wire – Mercy (Angry set part 1)
Minor Threat – Minor Threat (Angry set part 2)
Trail Of Dead – Totally Natural (Angry set part 3)
Vaselines – Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam
Geraldine Fibbers – Lilybelle
Powdered Monster – Big Halo
Daniel Johnston – Devil Town
Tom Waitz – Singapore
Olivia Tremor Control – Memories of Jacqueline 1906
Pram – Bewitched (Screwed up and wanted to play The Owl Service to transition into Broadcast…next time…damn you fatigue!!!)
Broadcast – Unchanging Window
Sonic Boom (Spectrum) – Rock ‘N Roll is Killing My Life
Acid Mother’s Temple – Pink Lady Lemonade
Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog – Party Intellectuals (Holy S*#t is this good!)
Locust – Well I’ll Be A Monkey’s Uncle
I Am Spoonbender – Remix of Locust – Well I’ll Be A Monkey’s Uncle
Leila – Mettle
Cornelius – Drop
El-P – Delorean
Los Flores Project – Sounds From Behind Closed Doors
Danger Doom – No Names
Battles - ??? (unmarked burned CD)
Kites – The Hidden Family
Wolf Eyes – Stabbed In The Face
Flying Lotus – Gng Bng
The Gang – Heaven’s Happenin’
Sigur Ros – Olsen Olsen (compare and contrast to Heaven’s Happenin’)
Spiritualized – Sweet Talk
The War on Drugs – Arms Like Boulders
Talking Heads – Houses In Motion
Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players – European Boys
Dr. Dog – From
Fleet Foxes – White Water Hymnal
Television – Careful
Make A Rising – Sneffles Yokul
Abe Vigoda – Animal Ghosts
Aqui – Here
Rainbow Arabia – Omar K
My Bloody Valentine (Covering Wire) – Map Coordinates 41N 93W
Bardo Pond – Cross Current
Built To Spill – Conventional Wisdom
Belle and Sebastian – Me and The Major
Wolf Parade – You Are A Runner and I Am My Father’s Son
Entrance – Grim Reaper Blues
The Make-Up – Live In The Rhythm Hive
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Art Star

July 4th KXLU show highlights

2008-07-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

Oof. Today's show was a bit rocky, and I'm sorry. I have been working 10 hour shifts every day this week starting at 5am. On top of that, I left work, came straight to LMU and had a 3 hour class. Needless to say, I just wasn't in top form today, transitions were off, song selection lagged at certain points...what can I say? Despite all of this, the show was still fun and mostly good. There were definitely a number of highlights that I am excited to talk about.

Song 1 - Holy F%k: Lovely Allen
This is the second time I have played this song, and the second time I have made this mistake: for some reason, someone wrote 45 on the cover of this record, so I played it at 45...it's a 33 1/3. However, I finally went out and bought the full length LP (to play on Sunday) and it's 33 1/3. When I got it home and listened to it, I was wondering what was missing, why it was so slow? Well, when I played the 12" single at 45 again tonight I figured it out. I'm definitely playing this song on Sunday at Little Radio, but can't decide if I should do it at 45 or 33 1/3. Hmmmm. What I love about Holy F%k is that all sounds are analogue. There is nothing digital here. Also notable about this song (and I was so rushed, that I completely forgot to mention this on air) the strings at the end of Lovely Allen are provided by none other than Owen Pallett, AKA Final Fantasy. This is a man who has created an 8 part opus based on each of the different forms of magic in Dungeons and Dragons.

Song 9 - Giraffes? Giraffes! - I am s/h(im)e[r] as you am s/h(im)e[r] as you are me and we am I and I are all our together: Our collective consciousness' psychogenic fugue
Let's start...what a song title! Now, as for the band title, I have no way to confirm this, but I'm guessing that they are named after the book Giraffes? Giraffes! This is a reference book for children to learn all about giraffes and just listen to the description: "Giraffes? Giraffes! is the first in the series, and puts forth the following novel theories: that giraffes were not part of any evolutionary chain, but came here from Neptune, by way of very long (but convenient and fast) escalators; that giraffes are expert dancers, but they become angry if you ask them about their dancing; that giraffes control over 90% of what we see in mirrors; that the Giraffe Navy is as strong as ever, contrary to recent claims in the popular press." Your move John Hodgman! This song is as much a journey from Neptune. Opening with proggy math rock guitar lines and a Zach Hill approach to the drums, the song takes a huge turn to the softer side. Let's just say glocenspiel is involved. Oh, and speaking of this title of this track, I just picked up the Boris collaboration with Merzbow and they actually do the song. Who's the egg man now?

Song 10 - Destroy Tokyo - Necklace
Destroy Tokyo have changed their name to Religious Girls. Wow, what a song. I am so in love with this track, I don't even really know what else to say about it. Synthy, Noisy, Dreamy, this song has everything. They feel like a perfect counterpart to F%k Buttons. I'm just really in love with this band!

Song 11 - The Gang - Heaven's Happenin'
A long and gentle song that just builds up and up and up. The production is really fantastic on this song, leaving each instrument totally isolated in the beginning. It is aurally what "Stop Making Sense" is visually; then the vocals come in and just tear away. The piano is still left haunting the right speaker. Suddenly, it's like a rocket launch rumbling the speakers and the full band (I am assuming it is the whole band) comes in singing an anthem every bit as moving as Sigur Ros's Olsen Olsen. I have been playing Fits and Shadow Fights off of this record for the past few weeks because it is so danceable and I am completely in love with it, but this track really illustrates the depth and range that these guys are capable of.

Song 15 – Lou Reed – Sad Song (Live)
Okay, now anyone who knows Lou Reed's work knows the kind of disappointment that used to be trademarked by Red Sox fans when it comes to live performance. I found this live record in the KXLU library, and wow was I surprised when I heard it! This is good…really really good. The song is originally an unreleased Velvet Underground song (available as a bonus track on both the VU box set as well as the fully loaded version of Loaded). It was actually released, however, on one of my top 5 records of all time, Berlin. This holds up completely to the Bob Ezrin produced original and adds a particular energy that can only be captured live and a flair that only Lou Reed has and only on his very best of days.

Song 17 – Smog – I am Star Wars
Toggling The Rolling Stone's "Honky Tonk Woman" (well, 3 notes of it anyway) on a tape machine, this song would be a novelty if it wasn't so damn good! This is off of Smog's seminal Julius Caeser album, which is also a collaboration with Jim O'Rourke. What hasn't he done?

Song 28 – Twink – I (picture of a heart) Rainbows
This is actually neither a highlight nor a low light. I announced on air that Twink was back as if it was a huge surprise. Well, this Twink is Mike Langlie, NOT '60s British Psych Rock mainstay Paul Alder. Completely different Twink. Anyway, decent song. Sorry for any confusion.

Song 35 – Leila – Mettle
So, for some background, Leila is Iranian and was forced to flee to London when she was a little girl…so, take that MIA. Rather than hooking up with Diplo, Leila wound up playing keyboards with Bjork. This song is off of her new record on Warp. The water sounds remind me of Cornelius' "Drop" and this song is every bit as wonderful!

Song 46 – Spiritualized – Soul On Fire
New Spiritualized! New Spiritualized! New Spiritualized! What more do I have to say?

New song highlights: The Gang, Rainbow Arabia, Dr. Dog, Silver Jews, The War On Drugs (I need to write something about them…maybe next show), Fleet Foxes, Leila, David Ramos, Canopy, Spiritualized

Happy Fourth of July everyone. George III, Cornwallis and Washington are all dead...so a lot of good it did them!

Okay, sorry for such a long post, I get excited. Here's the complete play list:

Holy F%k – Lovely Allen
Dead Meadow – Sleepy Silver Door
Film School – Tangoed Out
SJ Esau – Bubblehead
Gangi – Region Two
Wire – The 15th
The Fall – No Bulb 3
The Wedding Present – Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft
Giraffes? Giraffes! – I am s/h(im)e[r]…
Destroy Tokyo – Necklace
The Gang – Heaven's Happenin'
Desolation Wilderness – Goodbye Summer Girl
Califone – Wing Bone
Bright Eyes – Happy Birthday To Me
Lou Reed – Sad Song
Rainbow Arabia – Hear No See No
Smog – I am Star Wars
Dr. Dog – The Ark
Koko Tayor – Evil
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig Lazarus Dig
Silver Jews – Suffering Jukebox
The War on Drugs – Needle In Your Eye 16
Red Kross – Neurotica
Ramones – Bonzo Goes To Bitburg
Teddy Bears – Cobra Style
Make A Rising – Bradfords Big Boatride
Wooden Shjips – Clouds Over Earthquake
Twink – I (heart) Rainbows
Fleet Foxes – Ragged Wood
Devon Williams – A Truce
The Whitsundays – I want it all
Dimmer – Contrail
Psychic TV – Unclean
Xu Xu Fang – The Mourning Son
Leila – Mettle
David Ramos – Kings + Queens
Odd Nosdam – Hollow Me
Jonathan Richman – You Can Have A Cell Phone, That's Okay, But Not Me
This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb – Murder Bike
Orange Juice – Blue Boy
Rolling Blackouts – Loophole Blues
Neon Blonde – Chandeliers and Vines
Nitzer Ebb – Hearts and Minds
Spires That In The Sunset Rise – Party Favors
Canopy – Everybody Trips A Little Now And Then
Spiritualized – Soul on Fire
Boris with Micho Kurihara – Rufflesia Rainbow
Lansing-Dreiden - Dividing Island

Recap of KXLU show June 27, 2008

2008-06-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody.

Thank you to everyone who tuned in to my show. It seems like a lot of people had a really positive reaction to the music.

As I mentioned on air, I had come directly from DJing at The Little Joy in Echo Park. When I play out, I only use vinyl. The real reason I insist on vinyl only is because when I see a DJ spin, it means a lot to know that they left their house for that song. Granted, mail order beats this system, but even still, the search process is a bit more intense than a torrent or whatever the devil the kids are using to download their music these days. Anyhow, I respect the search. There is something about the hours of digging for every track that comes through in the spirit of a DJ. Don't get me wrong, this is not an indictment, I'm just saying what I prefer to see.

So anyway, I had already packed my box and had to rush from Echo Park, so I really stuck a lot to my personal collection. There were also some new gems that I pulled from the KXLU library! What a pleasure to dig through!

So let's review the highlights:

1st song - Yes, I'm Your Angel by Yoko Ono. This is the B side of Watching The Wheels by John Lennon. What's great about it is that it's so friggin' palletable...people rarely figure out that it's Yoko. The song reminds me of Brigitte Bardot's "Bubble Gum" (which I have to play on a future show...maybe back to back with Jane Birkin's Orangutan).

3rd Song - Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You. This recording is on a split with Jimi Hendrix live at Monterey Pop festival. 6 months after this recording, the world would lose one of it's greatest talents in a horrible plane crash. This is the first performance after returning from tour in Europe with the Stax Records packaged tour. Prior to this, the Stax artists had only seen racist America and were discriminated against in the clubs they headlined. The European tour was the first time that they were truly treated as stars and then Monterey Pop was the culmination of all of that energy. The "love crowd" welcomed the musicians as the geniuses they were. It all comes to a head during I've Been Loving You when Otis, completely lost in the moment screams through the breakdown Oh! Oh! Oh...can we do it one more time? Oh! Oh! Oh! One more time...and it keeps going. Total abandon. This was not planned or rehearsed. Hearing this moment never loses its impact for me.

10th song - Rod Stewart doing I Know I'm Losing You. I've received a certain amount of guff over this selection, but I refuse to accept it. This track is so solid. Probably the best moment in Stewart's career. This song is so f$%*ing hard! The only reason this pick takes heat is because it's Rod Stewart. But ask yourself this, would this be a problematic pick if I had played the Faces? Let's take a look at the credits on Every Picture Tells A Story: Organ - Ian McLagen, Guitar - Ronny Wood, Rod Stewart - Vocals/guitar...For all intents and purposes, this is basically The Faces...and this version of the song is so much better than the Faces version. Let me know your thoughts on this one. It's a favorite of mine!

11th song: David Bowie - "Heroes"/"Helden". This is from the Christiane F. Soundtrack. The song "Heroes" (which is properly spelled with quotes to denote irony) is a culmination of the combined genius of Bowie, Brian Eno on synthesizer, Robert Fripp on guitar and Tony Visconte's production. This was the track that features Visconte's famous invention of placing three mics at various distances from Bowie in order to record room ambiance and create natural reverb. This version, however, I find to be far more intense than the album version that we are all used to. When Bowie switches to singing in German the floor is taken from benieth us and the song becomes an emotional free fall...just a wrenching wail.

28th song: John Lennon - Mother. This week was my friend Josh Fishman's birthday. We all went out to a karaoke bar in Korea Town. For some inexplicable reason, someone thought it was a good idea to make a karaoke version of this song. I'd place money that this unnamed someone mistook it for Danzig's song Mother. Anyhow. I picked this song, curled into a wretched ball in the middle of the floor and belted out this classic while writhing across the ground and occasionally up people's legs. Absolutely cathartic!

34th song: Pixies – Monkey Gone To Heaven. During my set, I got a call from my long lost best friend from my undergrad days. She had moved to London and gotten married (maybe not in that order). Anyhow, I got a phone call in the middle of my show…from Denise…from England…UK. Denise was the first person to ever play me the Pixies, and this song was a special dedication to her, her husband and their beautiful daughter.

39th song: No Age – Scheduling Mishaps. This song is off of the tour split 7" from the No Age/Liars tour. What was especially fun about it was that when I see 7", I immediately assume 45. Nope…33 1/3. But this track sounded so good on 45 that I let it play. Then I played it again at 33 1/3. Please feel free to vote and let me know which version you liked best.

40th song: Abe Vigoda – Animal Ghosts. Dean from No Age/PPM handed me this record last weekend. First of all, the music is wonderful. I hadn't actually seen these guys in well over a year, and I cannot believe how far they have come. Second, this is the best album cover that I have seen this year. The photo is by Dan Monick, and it is really really gorgeous.

Finally, new song round-up. KXLU is fortunate enough to have a particularly great group of new albums. Of the new tracks I played, my highest recommendations of the week are (in no particular): The Gang, Gangi, Abe Vigoda, Rainbow Arabia, David Ramos and Make a Rising. Go give these many many listens.

Special thank yous for this show go out to Joe, Dave Reeves, Heather and Pete from Little Joy. This show is dedicated to Danny Gabai, Mandy Kahn, Jason Smith and Mike Berlin. America needs you back quickly! Europe is overrated.

Here is the full playlist from June 27, 2008

Yoko Ono – Yes, I'm Your Angel
Jens Lekman – Postcard to Nina
Otis Redding (Live) – I've Been Loving You
Gangi – Ground
Unicorns – Tuff Ghost
Rainbow Arabia – Omar K
The Ting Tings – That's Not My Name
Funkadelic – Can You Get To This
Staple Swingers – Perfect World
Rod Stewart – I know I'm Losing You
David Bowie – "Heroes"/"Helden"
The War on Drugs – Taking The Farm
Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymn
Panda Bear – Comfy In Nautica
Roxy Music – Street Life
Pere Ubu – Non-Alignment Pact
The Gang – Fits and Shadow Fights
Liars – Sailing To Byzantium
Fuck Buttons – Bright Tomorrow
Melt Banana – Get The Head Back
Make A Rising – Sneffels Yokul
David Ramos – Kings and Queens
Wooden Shjips – Shrinking a Moon For You
Yeasayer – 2080
The Chap – Carlos Walter Wendy Stanly
Child Pornography – New Neighborhood
Xu Xu Fang – These Days
John Lennon – Mother
My Bloody Valentine – Come In Alone
Flaming Lips – Free Radicals
The Notwist – Good Lies
Pulp – This is Hardcore
Pixies – Monkey Gone To Heaven
Sebadoh – Fantastic Disaster
Pavement – Cut Your Hair
Big Star – Kizza Me
Tom Waitz – Anywhere I lay My Head
Flying Lotus – Camel
No Age – Scheduling Mishaps (45 RPM)
No Age – Scheduling Mishaps (33 1/3 RPM)
Abe Vigoda – Animal Ghosts
Awesome Color – Step Up
Grand Old Party – Nasty Habits
Spoon – Anything You Want
Modern Lovers – A Plea For Tenderness
Fellini – Rock Europeu
Wire – Mercy
Asobi Seksu – New Years
Band of Horses – Is There A Ghost
Jarvis Cocker – Black Magic
Rolling Stones – Tumbling Dice
Primal Scream – Movin' on Up
The Avalanches – Frontier Psychiatry
Autechre – LCC
The Clash – White Man In Hammersmith Palais

Oh Hi. I Didn't See You There

2008-06-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hello.

My name is Josh Frankfort. I like music. A lot. What's that? You do too? What were the odds? I like you. You "get it".

Well, I suppose I should tell you a bit about myself.

I'm a graduate student at Loyola Marymount University, getting my masters in secondary education so I can become a high school history teacher.

Before making the decision to become a teacher, I had spent a number of years in the music industry working both for a large agency as well as a small management firm. The management firm was my last job and I was working with Lavender Diamond, Marnie Stern, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Islands, Triangle, Minutes Til Midnight and a few others.

Now I'm a DJ

My show is called Passing Through, because from 2-6am, I like to imagine that the vast majority of people listening are on a crazy cross country road trip in a car with no CD player and that they are frantically searching the lower end of the dial, trying to find good college stations to get them all the way across this gargantuan land mass. That's what I do anyway.

People ask me, "what kind of stuff do you play"?

I have absolutely no idea idea how to answer this question.

I can say this: here are my top 5 albums of all time:

Iggy Pop - The Idiot
David Bowie - Low
Lou Reed - Berlin
Modern Lovers - Precise Order (is this cheating? Can a bootleg be a favorite album?)
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

I think out of those records, you can get a decent feel for the aesthetic I generally go for. I play obvious music for people who don't like obvious music.

Okay, so that's me.

"May I start by saying how thrilled we are to have you here. We are such fans of your music and all of your records. I'm not speaking of yours personally, but the whole genre of the rock and roll."

- Lt. Hookstratten