MP3 Truffles: If You Want My Potty

Before we get to this month's MP3 finds, I need to tell you all about something terrible that is happening in Colorado right now:
Cross dressers are invading the public restrooms!!! Protect the children!!!
Well, at least, that's exactly what Focus on the Family suggests in their newest PSA.

Seriously, the proposed bill is just a simple anti-discrimination act (pdf of the bill) that updates all the basic rights so that they also apply to *gasp* sexual orientation. It has absolutely nothing to do with letting people use whatever toilet they feel like, unless you very literally read "Places of Public Accommodation" to mean the shitter and not, you know, the legal definition which refers to hotels, restaurants, stores, and other public places. The religious conservatives threw a fit trying to tilt this into something way weirder than it was. And they failed, as the bill passed and was signed into law.

Music for Maniacs responds to this lunacy in the only logical manner: with a tribute to Ed Wood.

And now for some science. You may have heard Komar and Melamid & Dave Soldier's "Most Unwanted Song", a lab experiment/artistic collaboration in music, a few times on WFMU. The project has been around since 1997, but this April, Wired billed it as the most annoying song ever. Hardly.  Unwanted is way more interesting than that: a 27 minute piece featuring the most unpopular elements in musical history, including bagpipes, children, political jingoism, bossanova synths, tubas and opera rap. Heck, it almost sounds like a lost Nurse With Wound album. But far from annoying. I reserve that distinction for the Celine Dion boat song.
Listen to: The Most Unwanted Song (Real Audio archive link). This is just a taste, and you can find the whole thing on CD.
From the same project, also check out The Most Wanted Song (Real Audio archive link)
Listen to: The Most Annoying Song - Yamaha Electrone HX-1 version (via)

Space girls, Bo Diddley, Merv, the Letter People, and more of this week's MP3 finds after the jump.

Speaking of Science, here's a musical tribute to Mars in honor of our new space missions. But you don't need expensive science to make it out into the galaxy these days. All you need is a cool hi-fi, some sound-eliminating headphones, and a little personal time with Gregory. No, not that one, just the cheesy eurodisco artist. And while you're up there, keep an eye out for Emy-Six.
Listen to: Gregory, "Space Trip"
Listen to: Emy-Six, "The Girl From Space"

Of course, the saddest news on the music blogs in the past couple of weeks has been the passing of Bo Diddley. In memory of this bona-fide legend, The B Side pulls out one of his usual comprehensive tributes, as does Living In Stereo, and of course, Reverend Frost, who idolized the man. And don't miss out on the story of Bo's run in with Ed Sullivan. You can explore his music by starting with some classic tracks, then some Rare & Well Done (courtesy of this very blog), then jump into the funk-blues of 1970's Black Gladiator and 1971's Another Dimension, then wind down with Bo on stage Live In '82. As for his lasting influence, you can always take a listen to the Animals' "Story of Bo Diddley", or check out some 60s garage covers, as well as look at songs that use the famous Diddley beat. And then of course there is his influence on Maureen Tucker, so we have to throw in some VU songs as well.

But there is one song in particular that lyrically stands as the most fitting Bo Diddley epitaph, from his 1976 album The 20th Anniversary of Rock'N'Roll.
Listen to: Bo Diddley, "Kill My Body"

He passed away last year, but Merv Griffin still knows how to entertain with one of the best celebrity gravestones out there. On your way to get your own photo, be sure to listen to his anti-drug anthem.
Listen to: Merv Griffin, "Have a Nice Trip"
More Merv on Beware of the Blog.

For the rest of this month's MP3 finds, let's start with some wonderful amateurs:
Funky and groovy in a Broadway talent show kind of way, that's possibly the kindest way to describe this 45 from Crud Crud.
Listen to: Eddie Walker with Lenny & Kenny, "Game of Hearts"
In related amateurishness, here's a blasting the country funk from Texas couple Phyllis and Bryan Barnes, aka Just Us 2
Listen to: Just Us 2, "Jive Talking"
JIM (all caps) is currently my favorite artist not only because of his excellent Talkbox jams, but the lyrics are hard to top. See him in action here.
Listen to: JIM, "How Do U Like It?"

While not exactly amateurs, San Francisco's early 90s trash rock n roll group The Brentwoods remain mired in obscurity. Even on the internet! And so, to raise awareness of this scorching spinoff from members of Supercharger and the Trashwomen, Detailed Twang is starting a fan cult. 
Listen to: The Brentwoods, "Go Little Sputnik"    "Little Barfy Bobby"

Egg City Radio is offering up a slew of John Carpenter original soundtracks (1  2  3). Carp doodling at the keyboards is always a delight, but can we forgive him for The Coupe de Villes?
Listen to: The Coupe de Villes, "Big Trouble In Little China"

Who remembers the 70s PBS kids show, the Letter People? Our friends at Record Robot jog your memory with the soundtrack.
Listen to: Mr. S  |   Mr. X  |   Miss I  |   Mr. D  |   Mr. H
(And while you're over at Record Robot, pick up a bit of WFMU fave Heino)

Full length MP3 albums - go grab them on their home blogs:
Volume 3 of Songs From the Third Floor: essential Bollywood.
Clint Eastwood on vinyl. But probably not the one you're thinking.
Pioneering electronic library music from French composer Roger Roger, issued as Cecil Leuter's Pop Electronique.
If you like modern surf rock, check out the three collections of Surf Guitar currently on line at archive.org.

And In the spoken word department:
Radio legend Jean Shepherd reads his stories of summer.
Glyph Jockey tells the true story of his dad's obsession with farting. 
Televangelist Jack Van Impe's From Night Clubs to Christ is a story of loss, redemption, and insane apocalypse babbling.
But you'll be ready for end times when you learn how to talk CB.

And finally, this June 1978 news item confirms that punk did indeed die - and so did Farrah Hair.

Lovely clip via Armagideontime.

Comments

[phillyradiogeek]

MP3 Truffles, how I've missed you! Looks like I have a lot of downloading to do.

[K]

hehe, that PSA reminds me of this. A few years ago, the Museum of Radio and Television did a massive multipart retrospective of David Bowies career. The scene in the lobby for those showings was quite a hoot. After one particularly flamboyant period ( early 70's ) the restroom area was just teeming with trannies. I suppose someone from another show complained, and a security guard wobbled out over to the ladies room and "talked" to a few folks. I can still remember the response. "Well, what you have us do, use the mens room?". He chewed on that one for a while... and did have to concede the logic of the position. Needless to say, the children of a few midtown swells got a taste of the old downtown that day.

[Bren C.]

You know what? Not to sound *terribly* judgemental here (regarding the "Focus on the Futile" PSA there)... but is a man in a dress really all that likely to prey on little girls?

Just a question, is all.

[Mp3main]

the letter people - mrs N do not open..

[K]

Hey, in a strange coincidence, the solution to CO's problems is close at hand...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,368301,00.html

BTW, I'd be a lot more concerned if senators or congressmen were lurking in that bathroom.

[jenjen]

Bathroom use and safety is a big issue among transgender people. This website http://www.safe2pee.org/ is an attempt to help people find safe places where there are unisex publicly accessible facilities.