This was apparently taken from a textbook on Swedish living. Jump the flip for the full page. Here's hoping this post doesn't constitute "anything funny".
Continue reading "We Get Mail, Part 2: So Much Evil Coming" »
Here we wrap it up: the final batch of videos from the last night of the Marathon, back on March 9th at Maxwell's. All 36 videos shall live here forevermore.
These vids were shot by Phil Catalano, Taso Stefanidis, and Evan Savitt and lovingly edited by Bryce.
The Hoof & Mouth Sinfonia is our inhouse karaoke band, lead by yours truly, and starring the following major gents:
Drums: Evan "Funk" Davies, Bryce Kretschmann, Irwin Chusid
Bass: Mac, Matt Fiveash
Guitar: Brian Turner, Scott Williams
Fiddle / Theremin: PGB
Keyboard: David Goldman
Sax: Chris Stubbs
Engineers: Gil Shuster, Irene Trudel, Carson Kopp
Images by notladj
The videos:
31 Todd-o-phonic Todd, "I'm a No-Count" by Ty Wagner
Continue reading "Hoof and Mouth Videos 2008 (Part 5 of 5)" »
OK, we're almost there!
Here's another batch of videos from the 8th annual Marathon Finale featuring our very own in-house karaoke band, the Hoof & Mouth Sinfonia. These were shot back on March 9th, live at Maxwell's, and this here's the fourth set, out of five. Tomorrow we wrap this up, and all the vids shall live forever together, with props to all the beautiful people who made it happen, right here.
23 PGB, "Supreme Evil" (Supremes / ELO mashup) by Go Home Productions
Continue reading "Hoof and Mouth Videos 2008 (Part 4 of 5)" »
featuring "Hoffman Estates High School Extreme Ninja Kazoo TKAM!!!"
Man, when I think back to being 15, there's so much shit I'm glad only I've got the evidence of. Tapes can be baked, pictures can be burnt, home movies only happened around rich kids with a Betamax at home; you & me, the normal kids, could hide our histories with nothing more than the removal of a rock down at the local quarry, ravine, or sewer system. Kids these days, um... how can I say this?? They fuk'd.
What follows is a sampling of my current fave youtube subgenre: the AP English class's rendition of the AP English class literary classics. They're all here! Salinger, Flannery O'Connor, Hemingway, Shirley Jackson, Metamorphosis, Lord of the Flies, even some James Joyce! I'm sure I'm forgetting a thousand worthy contenders, so your input is quite welcome here.
Here's another batch of videos from the 8th annual Marathon Finale featuring our very own in-house karaoke band, the Hoof & Mouth Sinfonia. These were shot back on March 9th, live at Maxwell's, and this here's the third set. All the vids, featuring tech & band credits, shall be stashed in perpetuity here. Over the next several days, we'll be posting videos from all the evening's performances, so keep checking this space.
16 Maria Levitsky, "King's Lead Hat" by The Dirtbombs (covering Eno)
Continue reading "Hoof and Mouth Videos 2008 (Part 3 of 5)" »
Several months ago, I was struck to see a piece of advertising defacement in WFMU's PATH station celebrating a WFMU radio program - surely a one-shot deal, never to be witnessed again, I figured. But NO! The Scribbler has struck again!
a closer look:
You can witness this ad yourself, it's in the Newark/Hoboken-bound tube of the Exhange Place PATH stop. The particular piece of high living it advertises is still in the process of becoming a major obstruction to our view of Lower Manhattan, so glad to know we've already gained a foothold. You can visit Brother Nachum thisaway. Sadly, he's not giving away those sweet bathrobes.
The Maysles brothers' doc of the Stones' 1969 tour Gimme Shelter was grim, horrifying, numbing, chaotic, painful, bitter, sad, enraging, complex, terrifying, exhilarating, disturbing, seminal, absorbing, aaaand rocking. But also, it was occasionally hilarious. Here's Jer & Phil, with, I believe, the white guy from Santana, having just been told the Hell's Angels are beating people up.
Jump the flip for a whole gallery of bummers.
WFMU is like the bear in that cute (and totally acid-zen freaky) kiddy song about the mountain - and after the bear climbed over the mountain, what do you think he saw? He saw another mountain!! Well, we're starting the climb up the last mountain of the marathon now, and when we're finished schussing down the other end Sunday night, we hope to be looking at another mountain - a glorious mountain of opportunity, possibility and freeform freedom. We'll take it.
Here's some of the special programming taking place immediately after we finish all this begging:
Monday:
6-9am, Trent starts us off with a visit from producer/mega-mixer Johan Agebjorn to his web-only Safe and Sound program.
8-11pm, Scott presents Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" as read by Flannery O'Connor herself! Scott's been waiting half his life to hear this.
Tuesday:
Noon-3pm, Joe Belock welcomes first-generation NJ punks The Victims to the 3-Chord Monte. They opened for Sid Vicious at Max's, now they're burning WFMU's Love Room!
Wednesday:
11pm-2am, Noah welcomes Class of '88 hip hop legend Masta Ace to Coffee Break for Heroes & Villains.
Thursday: take a break
Friday:
8pm-3am, WFMU will be presenting a showcase at SXSW down in Austin, Texas, and we'll be broadcasting live! Live sets from Harvey Milk, Paul Metzger, the Homosexuals, Kelley Stoltz, the Hank IV, Gary Higgins, Carla Bozulich's Evangelista, Los Llamarada, Half Japanese, Lexie Mountain Boys, Citay, Psychedelic Horseshit, the Bad Trips, and Cheveu. (more info here, here, and here)
Saturday:
10am-1pm, Michael Shelley talks with UK country-rocker Tony Colton, gets the deceased musician report from Phast Phreddie Patterson, and finds out what #1 hit Mr. C has left in Michael's mailbox.
Oh shit, is it that time already?!? Well, what do you know - it's Oscar Weekend. There's been a lot of heavy talk concerning the Coen Bros' beautiful "No Country For Old Men", and its supposed return to the despairing nihilism and hopelessness of "Blood Simple", among other things. So was it really just a few months ago when the chatter surrounding the film's release centered primarily on The Hair? It was, and I'm bringing it back, if for no other reason than I have discovered the direct ancestral source of The Hair.
That's right, I'm saying Javier Bardem's look was inspired by the teenage Paul Stanley. Let's hope the inspiration doesn't extend to some acceptance-speech shenanigans. I pity the schmuck who'd shine a laser on Starchild Chigurh! (link) Oh, or what if Javier shows the same gratitude Paul showed to the fans who didn't buy his paintings at the "Wentworth Gallery" (at a shopping mall in Hackensack)? (link)
I hope this'll tide you over til StSanders comes back.
This is me practicing voice and guitar parts for RUSH 2112, that I performed live through 2000, 2001. It is also one of my favourite CLASSIC ROCK albums, one that is greatly IGNORED by radio, and cable TV. We can CHANGE ALL THAT. RUSH is the best LIVE ACT currently playing , and no new band could hope to touch them. So I salute the ol' CANADIANS, their creativity and ingenuity, and STUBORNESS , they never gave in and" SOLD OUT " carry on guys...I love you
Tony sings lots of other things too - youtube.
I'm sweating in anticipation of the Pseu Braun / Gaylord Fields Wack McCartney solo Beatles special tonight (January 25th 2008). To celebrate their 3-hour "quizzical journey through highly questionable solo Beatles filler tracks", I'm using today's post to offer you some music (& stuff): here's 3 lovestruck ladies singing their odes to John, Paul, and Ringo; and one piece of luscious noise with George's name on it.
Rainbo "John, You Went Too Far This Time" mp3 4.9 megs (1969) "Rainbo" is Sissy Spacek, and this is her first recording - an expression of her shock over the "Two Virgins" cover.
Marianne Rosenberg "Mr. Paul McCartney" mp3, 5 megs (1970) Marianne won a talent contest in her native Germany at age 14 with this, her first song. Some exceedingly charming, yet brief, youtube here.
Bonnie Jo Mason "Ringo, I Love You" (youtube link, audio only) (1964) That's 16-yr old Cher's first solo recording, made under the direction of her boyfriend Sonny's boss Phil.
Azusa Plane "George Harrison Plays Sitar" mp3 5.3 megs (1995) the late great Philly psychster ponders those ponderous Wonderwall sessions, from the cassette "Resonating Subtleties"
And, to prepare you for the lashing Pseu & Gaylord have in store, here's the Beatles doing it themselves:
Paul on John's death: "Drag, innit? Cheers!"
John on Paul: "We got tired of being Paul's sidemen"
George attempts to sell Paul's underpants: "Only $60,000!"
Paul makes up for Paul on John's death on George's death
And as always, Ringo's nose stays clean. We're not mentioning "Caveman".
(Thanks Joe McGasko for invaluable assistance!)
Our good pal Joe McGasko graduates WFMU Finishing School next week, so to fortify him for the struggle ahead, I present this mp3, at Joe's request:
Andore Kandore "Kandore Mandore" (mp3, 6megs)
Here's a vintage slab of Japanese folk-pop with a la-la chorus that'll haunt your waking hours as much as your dreams. It made my 2006 list of New Favorite Songs That're 37 years old.
Andore Kandore was very briefly the stage name for Inoue Yousui, who first hit the consciousness of Japanese listeners in 1969, with this song. Becoming the most requested song on an overnight radio show, soon CBS/Sony came a'knockin' (Stan understands), and a record deal ensued. By 1972, he'd reverted back to his given name, began touring with bands like Haruomi Hosono's Happy End, and has since produced a record with Jack Nitzsche (Nishoku no Koma, pictured above), dueted with Jane Birkin (on her 2004 release Rendez-Vous), and released Japan's equivalent to "Rumours". He's currently just another international mega-star with zero name recognition in the US.
Speaking of 37-year-old things, here's a great piece of existential dread-core from The Macs: "I'm 37" (mp3, 4megs)
One year ago this week, my girlfriend and I became My Wife And I. After hitching up at the drive-thru, we grabbed some quick coffee and bolted outta Vegas. Newly de-bastardized baby in tow, we headed west: Death Valley. We didn't have a plan, but we had a reservation: one night, and one night only, at the Amargosa Opera House & Hotel. (Our room, #22: the *Red Skelton Room, is pictured here)
Some background: the Amargosa Opera House & Hotel is owned and overseen by a one-time Broadway actress / dancer / ballerina named Marta Becket. 
Marta and her then-husband were on vacation in 1967 when they got a flat tire in Death Valley Jct, Ca. While hubby went to fix the flat, Marta explored the old hotel that once housed all the Borax factory workers back in the long gone boom days. Perpendicular to this long adobe building was a theatre, which, Marta claimed, "seemed to be saying..... Take me.....do something with me.....I offer you life". Marta took the building up on its offer, moved in, and soon began dancing in it, 3 nights a week. Given the sparse population density of her adopted desert home, she didn't always have an audience - and thus, the epiphany to paint a trompe-l'œil audience on the walls and ceiling of the theatre.
With no one to see and nothing to do, by the mid-1970s Marta had fully populated her world with her colorful creations. Her painting style was cheerful and bright, and certainly amateurish, but she had a perceptive eye - and an unfailing sense of the perverse. Here's a series of portraits that adorn the lone hallway of her hotel:
Following charming portraits of Robin Williams, Bob Odenkirk and Joanna Newsom, she paints a blank portrait? This was the first of many things to haunt me during our wedding night spent at the Amargosa Opera House & Hotel.
A good sign that a band is in the full embrace of creative possession is revealed in its choice and handling of cover material. The "phantom 4-piece" Big Blood boldly and beautifully tackles a Sumatran pop song (streaming mp3, expires Xmas; here's realaudio) from the indomitable Sublime Frequencies series of musical Asian mysteries; and their take on Can's "Vitamin C" (streaming realaudio) is completely revealing not just of Big Blood, but of Can. And they do it with acoustic instruments. Hearing it is truly like hearing Can with somebody else's ears, and it is fucking thrilling. (both links take you to the WFMU archives, and original versions of both those songs)
Big Blood is clearly in full thrall to whatever demon god of creativity squirrels around under the dirt up there in South Portland, Maine among the loons and the decrepit oil tanks. Rhythmically hypnotic, with a lot of melody and instrumental density; broadly considered a "psych-folk" band (fair enough), it has been suggested that Big Blood have actually tripped over some long hidden threads of indigenous Americana to discover a trove of musical and folkloric delights that somehow fossilized and disappeared, centuries ago. It sounds so "Evil Dead", doesn't it? It can be -- but it can also be intensely and heartbreakingly warm and moving. Now would be a good time to watch this video; if watching it doesn't make you want to watch it again, and then perhaps even again, then skedaddle. You and I will agree to disagree.
That's "Oh Country", performed by Big Blood with their pal Kelly Nesbitt, live on the Pipeline local live music radio show on WMBR out of Cambridge MA. Lots more Pipeline vids here; download a podcast of the entire 40 minute Big Blood set via iTunes, or here.
Jump the flip to learn more, and for lotsa treats, including links and exclusive mp3 downloads.
Last April, WFMU kicked off its Free Music Concert series with an absolutely dynamite show at Brooklyn's Southpaw starring DJ /rupture, Flaming Fire, Jonathan Kane's February, and the Major Stars.
Last month, we were delighted to offer up the first fruits of that show in downloadable form, as Flaming Fire gave us some of their tracks from the night.
Last week, I enjoyed the exquisite thrill of spending a few hours in musical bliss with Jonathan Kane, mixing a song from his band's performance at that savage hoedown back in April, which we offer you now.
Jonathan Kane's February, "Pops" (mp3, 15 holy megs) - live at Southpaw in Park Slope Brooklyn, April 28 2007 as part of WFMU's Free Music Concert Series. "Pops" being Pops Staples, of course.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Briefly, Jonathan Kane busted out in '82 as the original/founding drummer for Michael Gira's groundbreaking downtown NYC noiseniks Swans. From there it was off to Rhys Chatham's guitarmies and support for LaMonte Young's more rockist tendencies. Lately Jonathan's dusted off the field snare for pounding sets with Dave Soldier's Kropotkins,
and become a bandleader himself, as the drumming leader of his very own
micro-guitarmies. A nicer guy in rock and roll you're unlikely to meet
- here's more accolades on this very blog: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Elsewhere, here's Jonathan on myspace
Here's Jonathan describing the beginning, and end, of his time with Swans in Mojo mag, over at Gira's Young God label site.
No, not that Michael Jackson; and not that King of Beers. British journalist Michael Jackson, pictured here, is credited with giving beer a level of credibility that resulted in, among other things, the microbrew movement and the international availability of Good Beer. He has died, aged 65.
While his writing was often hokey and persnickety (at the same time!), still one had to admit he was usually right on. And seriously, if it weren't for Michael Jackson, we'd be stuck drinking that other King of Beers, alas still alive and well.
Thanks for the headsup, Jeff Moore
Jump the flip to find out.
Don't jump the flip if you don't want to find out.
There are many nude rock impulses I can understand: sexy singer, looks good naked (Bow Wow Wow, Boss Hog); fashion (Prince, Buckingham / Nicks); defiance (Slits); unemployed tube sock (Chili Peppers); transgression, shock, titillation, art, and whatever Herbie Mann was thinking. Then there's what these bands are doing. In some cases, it looks like a defiant over-identification with hippiedom, like "we are your children and we are unclothed!"; but what are Orleans, Pablo Cruise, Steam, Styx and Man trying to say? My best guess: "Bros Before Hos".
The great and generous Bill Zurat deposited this on my desk earlier this week, and I laughed for about half an hour. Right now I'm drinking it. It is an IPA made by the Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma Ca.) called "Freak Out!", honoring the 40th anniversary (in 2006) of the Mothers' big freaky debut.
What did Frank Zappa have to say about beer? Basically that it made people militaristic nincompoops who play football, march, and cheer a lot. No doubt, when they're drinking soda-beer made out of corn syrup and sugar. Regarding Zappa, I am a fan, but it's right to remember that he was a cranky cranky man with a low regard for subtlety and a whole lotta not nice to say.
And how does this beer taste? As you'd expect it to taste: bitter. Not that I've got a problem with that.
Within this blog: More beer here (and here); more Zappa here, here and here.
Carl Smith "The Bottle Is Just Fooling You"
Hank Williams "There's a Tear in My Beer"
Mr Swing "Beer Bottle Boogie"
Webb Pierce "There Stands the Glass"
ZZ Top "Beer Drinkers and Hell-Raisers"
Hank Thompson / Bob Wills "Bubbles In My Beer"
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 "Cup of Dreams"
A.C. Ducey "Beer Beer Bottla Beer"
Cat Stevens "Bring Another Bottle Baby"
Matching Mole "Starting In The Middle of the Day We Can Drink Our Politics Away"
Bob & Doug McKenzie "Beer Hunter"
The Tiger Lillies "Lager Lout"
Space Needle "Beers In Heaven"
Bessie Smith / Billie Holiday "Give Me A Pig Foot and a Bottle of Beer"
George Jones
Homer Simpson "It Was A Very Good Beer"
Johnny Russell "Red Necks, White Socks, & Blue Ribbon Beer"
Joe Belock "Daddy Wants A Cold Beer"
Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby "You can't be a man without a beer in your hand"
Frank Zappa "Rudy Wants to Buy Yez a Drink"
Claude King "51 Beers" / "Beers & Pinball"
Dee Mullins "Beers"
Light Crust Doughboys "Beer Drinking Mama"
Replacements "Beer For Breakfast"
Rocky Bill Ford "Blowing Suds Off My Beer"
Scotsmen "Beer Bust Blues"
Smiley Maxedon "Give Me A Red Hot Mama and An Ice Cold Beer"
Goatmen "Beer Bitch" (external link)
Kris Kristofferson "To Beat the Devil"
Pink Floyd "Paint Box"
King Missile "Happy Hour"
Ill Ease "One Hell of a Bender"
Z-Rock Hawaii "Chuggin'"
2 Nice Girls "I Spent My Last $10 on Birth Control and Beer"
Captain Beefheart "Long Neck Bottles"
Mario Lanza "Drink, Drink, Drink"
(All links are internal WFMU realaudio samples unless otherwise noted)
Meanwhile, at 2:40 this afternoon (and every Friday throughout the Summer 2007 WFMU air schedule), I'll be drinking and talking about beer on the air with a bunch of pals. Today we'll be sampling suds provided by WFMU Computer God Doron. I'm podcasting this weekly 20 minute debauch (and even occasionally the after party), feel free to subscribe here. There's even a flickr set devoted to the after party. Past beer posts here, here and here. Past beer-obsessed radio shows via all this
Been drinking a lot of beer this summer. Most of it on the radio. Mmm mm mm, that's so nice I want to watch beer movies. Let's see what youtube can contribute.
Viv Stanshall's ad for Ruddles Real Ale
The legendary Bonzo Dogger swallows the worm and dives down his own peculiar rabbit hole in order to shill for swill.
Yellow Magic Orchestra's ad for Kirin Lager
Or is it Kirin Lager's ad for Yellow Magic Orchestra? The tables turn when they start flashing snapshots of the Band As Young Men.
Gilberto Gil Approves of FREE BEER
The co-cap'n of Tropicalia and Brazil's current Minister of Culture shouts out not just free beer, but GOOD beer!
Live! Nude! Fermentation!
Like it says.
(Thanks Brian Turner for the YMO and Jeff Moore for the flickr set!)
Next week, more zymurgological ephemera -- Beer songs!! I'd love to hear your suggestions in the comment section of this post.
Meanwhile, at 2:40 this afternoon (and every Friday thoughout the Summer 2007 WFMU air schedule), I'll be drinking and talking about beer on the air with a bunch of pals. Today we'll be sampling suds provided by Listener / Volunteers Therese and Colleen. I'm podcasting this weekly 20 minute debauch (and even occasionally the after party), feel free to subscribe here. There's even a flickr set devoted to the afterparty. Past beer posts here and here. Past beer-obsessed radio shows via all this.
Jump the flip to find out, and remember what I said - "for cryin' out loud, don't say I didn't warn you!"
