WFMU's Beware of the Blog

Old Jersey vs. New Jersey, Part 2

Billy Jam sez:

In the first part of this series (posted a week ago) I included an MP3 of people on the streets of Jersey City speaking on their knowledge (or lack thereof) of the origins of the name of New Jersey. This time I am including an sample of what the folks I stopped on the streets of St. Hélier in "old" Jersey had to say when quizzed on their knowledge of New Jersey (MP3). I am also including my new favorite old Jersey song which sums up so perfectly the unique and special place that is the small island of Jersey, Hedley Le Maistre's "Jersey, Mon Vie!" (MP3).

Friday, October 2nd's WFMU live remote broadcast (during Doug Schulkind's timeslot) from Jersey's capital of St. Hélier during the Channel Island's 2nd annual Branchage Film Festival was an amazingly wonderful event to be a part of, and a rewarding one on many levels. First off it was a really great idea of the festival's director Xanthe Hamilton to link "old" Jersey with New Jersey via WFMU - something she presented to a receptive FMU station manager Ken Freedman about five months ago, and whose concept grew in scope since. And secondly for the dialog it began between the two Jerseys - one which we hope to keep going on the air here at WFMU. Expect to regularly hear "Jersey Bites" on Friday afternoons during the new WFMU Fall/Winter season which kicked into effect Monday, October 12th.

If you missed last week's broadcast it is archived - in playlist and audio forms - here, and includes a wide variety of guests getting on the FMU airwaves to share insights on the island of Jersey; a place that may only be 45 square miles in size but is incredibly rich in culture and history. A British Crown dependency the Bailiwick of Jersey, as it is officially known, is 100 miles south of England and lies only 14 miles west of the coast of Normandy, under whose rule it was once governed.

The WFMU remote show guests included Philip Malet de Carteret whose ancestors - several centuries ago - owned the land now known as the Garden State and were the ones responsible for giving New Jersey its name. The interview I conducted with him at his historic manor in the parish of St.Ouen (Jersey is divided into parishes, not counties) ran a lot longer than the segment included in the remote broadcast. Hence snippets of it will be played over the coming months on the air. Same for the organic Jersey dairy farmer Ian Mitchell, who was a live guest during the October 2nd remote but whose farm I visited the following day (see video below) and recorded more footage about the Jersey cow (a highly intelligent & unusally friendly animal) and its rich dairy product.

Old Jersey vs. New Jersey: WFMU On Location

Billy Jam sez:

If you stop people on the streets of Jersey City and quiz them about the origins of the name of the Garden State, the majority will be unaware of the island of Jersey - the British Crown Dependency located in the Channel Islands off the coast of Normandy. I know because recently I did exactly this: I interviewed a sampling of Jersey City folks on the street near the WFMU studios (MP3). 

I will be playing back this vox pop on Friday (Oct 2nd) between 9am and 12 noon (NJ time) during the WFMU live remote broadcast from Weighbridge Square on the harbour-front in St Helier (Old Jersey's capitol), during day two of the four-day Branchage Film Festival in Old Jersey.

In addition to talking on the air with the film festival's director Xanthe Hamilton and many others about the festival that also involves music, I will be talking with several authorities on the relationship between Old Jersey and New Jersey. These will include Philip Malet de Carteret whose ancestors are literally responsible for New Jersey. Back in 1663 King Charles II rewarded the de Carterets for their loyalty during the Civil War by gifting them with a large tract of land in North America. That tract of land would become New Jersey.

Also to be interviewed will be Rod McLaughlin - an acclaimed Jersey historian who will speak on Jersey's status as a Crown Dependency, how it was once under French rule, its occupation by the Nazis, and its relationship to New Jersey. Jersey cow farmer Ian Mitchell, who will bring along samples of some dairy products derived from the rich creamy Jersey milk, will discuss Jersey's popular export.

And in conjunction with BBC Jersey, who are producing the festival's Shear Music showcase of local talent, I have invited numerous Old Jersey artists including Jjjiiim, Jersey Bob, and Wizard & Frog to come on the air live to perform. There are many more guests expected on this WFMU remote broadcast but who knows just what might happen on freeform FMU. Tune in to find out on Friday 9am to 12 noon (Doug's normal slot) on WFMU. For exact details on the Branchage Film Festival click here. And check back here on the WFMU blog for updates from Jersey on the Branchage Film Festival. 

- Billy Jam

Join us for the IBJ Schmooze Cruise, Oct 11th!

WFMU's Glen Jones and X. Ray Burns celebrate their recent 2009 Marathon victory with the first-ever IBJ Schmooze Cruise and live broadcast around Manhattan on Sunday, October 11th.

You can be a part of this incredible nautical disaster!

The IBJ vessel departs at noon, and the cruise will last until approximately 4pm. It's time to rock the boat! For more info or to purchase tickets, click here.

Car Bras and the Bros that Bought 'em

Where have all the car bras gone?

Did they leave embarrassing tan lines and end up in a landfill somewhere? Did cars become chubbier, unable to squeeze back into their old cup size? Did highway patrol technology finally catch up with the radar-absrobing car bra and ruin the party?

A cursory survey of cars parked on the mean streets of downtown Jersey City revealed the following:

0% cars with bras (left)
1% cars with the De-Fender (right)

Is the De-Fender the new stigma-free version of the car bra? It's more rugged, clearly not made of leather, designed for the rear-end instead of the bust, and is definitely not form-fitting. Seems like a more manly way of protecting your Honda's bumper (bootie?). Have car owners lost interest in their vehicle's front-end assets? Or is there something more to this newfound concern for a car's rump over its rack? A sign of ass-worship or fear of rear-end penetration?

Speaking of bromobiles, you call 'em Iroc-Zs, I call 'em Camaros. If you still have one kicking around, you should donate it to WFMU.

Thanks to Scott, Ari, Chad, Jason, and Alex for their insights concerning these pressing matters.

3puen: "Secret Hot Dog Party"

3puen (pronounced "Pyoon"), a DIY-electronic pop combo, might be the closest thing NYC's had to Sparks for the last seven years or so, plumbing pipes no less Warholian, though excelling with focus on personal psychodramas, sometimes tied in to food or movies/television (things the band knows exceptionally well). However, unlike Sparks, there are no brothers, and 3puen only sold their CD's in a deli on 2nd Avenue in the East Village. They started out on an acid trip, played live and did some Fad Gadget covers, developed a repertoire of originals and performed once on Michael Goodstein's Choking on Cufflinks. "Secret Hot Dog Party" is part of a three-song "Self Hatred Suite" from a few years back, this video is brand new. One of the composers resides in Austin these days and is getting back on the wagon making music. While WFMU never really played this tune on air for FCC reasons, their tune "Sugar Cookie" continues to be somewhat of a hit staple among the staffers. Fun stuff.

SFL Mid-Season Review

The Summer Fun List is one of DJ Kelly’s more genius ideas: Sometime in late spring you make a list of all the fun things you want to do during the upcoming summer, so that the whole season doesn’t fly past without your having done anything fun at all. (This is especially useful for former Midwestern Protestants such as myself, who tend to forget that “fun” is not the same thing as “evil.” Or maybe it is, and that’s why it feels so jolly. But I don’t wanna get all philosophical about it now.) A few weeks ago I was feeling pretty unhappy about something and I drew a big X across the Summer Fun List page and wrote “KILL MYSELF” instead, but I’m sort of over that now, so I figured I’d take another look. Plus, it finally got sunny for three days in a row, and it’s starting to feel a little bit like summer at last. Here’s what’s on my SFL this year:

UConn Puppet Museum
Rosendale (more bees?)
Fireworks
Yankees game
Bruno
Musical Saw Festival
Book Arts Lounge and/or Class
Bacon Retrospective (& other art)

So far, this has not been a particularly successful SFL season. I used to try to go to one Yankees game a year, but now that tickets cost more than I make in a month, I won’t be doing that. And because of Global Economic Change, there weren’t any 4th of July fireworks anywhere near where I live: All the usual displays were canceled. So Sluggo and I went up on a hill near our house and looked down the Hudson toward New York City and saw just the tippy-top of the Macy’s fireworks—we wouldn’t see anything for two or three minutes, and then there’d be a little puff of red light, and then nothing for another couple of minutes, and then some silvery sparkles. Even though I tried as hard as I could, I wasn’t able to convince myself that it was actually “fun.” And I have been SO looking forward to this year’s Musical Saw Festival on Saturday, July 18. I went last year, and it was truly fantastic. I heard Satie’s “Gymnopedie” performed by a musical saw and the Trinity handbell choir, and I am not kidding when I say that it was life-changing. Seriously. It was great, and weird, and great-and-weird, and I have been looking forward to going again for a whole year—and I have an unavoidable conflict that day and can’t go. But you should. It’s in Astoria, it costs only $10, and this year they’re going to try to break the Guinness World Record for “largest musical saw ensemble.” This is a musical event I sincerely recommend for any WFMU Listener, so add it to your Summer Fun List and go.

That’s the disappointments so far, but there’s been some surprise fun, too. Sluggo and I got invited to cocktails at the penthouse residence of an ambassador to the U.N., which was clearly some kind of mistake but we went anyway and had a very nice time. We also went to the “Agitprop!” Book Arts Lounge at the Center for Book Arts, where we talked about Russian constructivist advertising art with polymath poet Mr. Jeremy James Thompson and letterpressed some little flyers that say “Money is No Object.” I got to take the “Brown Bag Bindery” class, too, and built my own piercing cradle, sewing frame, and finishing press. Sylvia Alotta, the teacher, used to be an industrial designer for GM, and has come up with the most beautiful, functional, simple designs for binding equipment. She is my new hero, and almost makes me want to move to Chicago just so I could study with her there. (*Almost.*) Now I’m looking forward to the “Embroidered Bindings” Book Arts Lounge on August 14. Maybe I’ll see you there.

My friend Miss Manytitles has arranged for me to attend a free screening of Bruno with her this week, but the movie I’m really looking forward to seeing is ROBOGEISHA. Here's the trailer, so you will want to see it too. OMG, I have to see it! My Grammy Carlton used to say, “The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings,” and when there are movies like Robogeisha in the world, I think she was right.

Thanks for reading my blogpost this time, and may God bless.

Highlights from Wildwood, N.J. - 1994

Oneida, live at Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona Spain (mp3s)

WFMU dropped anchor on the shores of the Mediterranean last month at the invitation of Barcelona's stunning Primavera Sound Festival, where we joined 80,000 of our new best friends in an ecstatic celebration of music, good livin', good eatin', and futball victory.  We're still a bit dazzled and sorting the spoils, but it looks like we had a fabulous radio weekend, broadcasting more than 20 excellent band sets and meeting many new friends from all over the world.  We've just added streaming archives of many of the sets, and a bunch of mp3s for download as well. It fills my breast with great honor to offer this fresh batch of Barcelona mp3s from our hometown faves and longtime bruhs Oneida!

ONEIDA live at Primavera Sound Festival, May 30th 2009 (mp3s)

Spanish Jam / Each One Teach One  ||  All Arounder  ||  Sheets of Easter

This was Oneida in a beautiful and psychotic dream: surrounded by gigantic weird paranoia-inducing ads for sunglasses, with the skyline of Barcelona behind the band and the Mediterranean Sea behind the audience, plus a killer light show.  This was a one-off edition of the band, as core member Fat Bobby couldn't make it.  In his temporary stead was founding member Papa Crazee, who some years back amicably departed Oneida to form the equally excellent Oakley Hall.  A truly glorious evening.  

• Pics from the festival at the WFMU flickr group here.
• Archives and playlists from WFMU's Primavera Sound festival broadcasts here.
• Some of Oneida's past visits to WFMU here, here, and here.

WFMU Streaming 19 Sets from Primavera Sound, Some Downloads

WFMU's three day stand at Barcelona's Primavera festival is now a memory, but we've just put up 19 streaming/archived sets here! So far, we're archiving Spectrum, the Vaselines, Magik Markers, Jesus Lizard, Dead Meadow, Wooden Shjips, Ponytail, the Bats, Throwing Muses, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Saint Etienne, Crystal Stilts, Vivian Girls, Dan Deacon Ensemble, Deerhunter, th' Faith Healers, Jeremy Jay, Oneida, Fucked Up, with more to come. A few of these sets are also available as downloads via the Free Music Archive. Check WFMU for future updates, and if you want to scope out some glamorous pictures from the station's European (working) Vacation, check out our Flickr page.We had an amazing time (and saw more sunrises over consecutive nights than many of us have since who knows when); severe thanks to Jaime Casas, and also to Florence Thiébaud and everyone at Primavera, the bands and production people for being so gracious and accomodating, the labels who helped a hand, and the 5AM ravers who passed out at our tent and didn't break any of our broadcast gear. Was great to meet many of our overseas friends and listeners too!

ISSUE Project Room: NYC Soundwalks 6/7/09

ISSUE Project Room, Brooklyn's progressive non-profit performance space, has put together the most interesting walk-a-thon we've ever heard:

 On the afternoon of Sunday June 7, a group of visionary artists will lead sonic excursions throughout New York as part of a rare live sonic arts experiment — the ISSUE Project Room Soundwalk-a-thon — a fundraiser and collective public inquiry into the connection between urban space and our collective sonic imaginations.

You can sign up to...
* Bang a Gong for Issue with Swans co-founder and WFMU's favorite drummer, Jonathan Kane.
* Walk through the Brooklyn Botanical Garden contemplating the simulated sound of tinnitus with Anthony Coleman.
* Explore the sounds of Gowanus with Marc Ribot.
* Join a game of urban "telephone" -- the Tin Can Telewalk -- led by Marie Evelyn and WFMU DJ Kurt Gottschalk

There are 20 options to choose from, but you don't just have to pick one! You can experience them all in the disruptive We would like to run past all your walkers, opposite their direction, while screaming songs walk led by friends of the station Flaming Fire. And if you won't be able to attend, you can pledge your support to those who can.

...Speaking of ISSUE Project Room, have you heard their recent contributions to the Free Music Archive? Here's a recent highlight from James Blackshaw, live at ISSUE Project Room on March 7, 2009 excerpt (MP3)

Check out IPR on the Free Music Archive for Meg Baird's set from that night, along with IPR-curated audio from Elliott Sharp, Arthur's Landing, Stars Like Fleas, Carlos Giffoni & Okkyung Lee, Alex Waterman, Arthur Doyle, Teeth Mountain, and much more.      (photo via Urban Zen Sound Meditation and Labyrinth Walk  led by Eric A. Dah)

Motor/Mouth: Scott Williams

Motor/Mouth is an ongoing series about WFMU staffers and their vehicles. Say "Hello!" to Scott Williams (Thursdays, Noon - 3 PM Eastern time), WFMU's Volunteer Director. PSA Director and leader of the Hoof & Mouth Sinfonia.

1st car: Dad's old '84 Buick Skyhawk, 2-tone (brown & tan). Uber dadcar. This is the car with which I hit an off-duty cop on his way home from the caterer's to his daughter's first birthday party. Sausage-and-pepper grease all over his Malibu interior. My 17 years of inexperience left not a finger on his sympathies and he threw every book at his disposal at me. Fortunately the judge recognized the cop was on a vengeance kick and came up with a plan to keep me outta the pokey. Years later, I left this car parked, disabled, in a place I shouldn't have. Some authority mercifully removed it and didn't trouble me with the details.

Next: '81 Dodge Colt, gained for a buck at an estate sale. This fucker looked like the "B.O.B." robot from that "Black Hole" movie. I left it running while I ran into a donut shop in Lodi, NJ. Valuable lesson imparted by teenaged menace who took the opportunity I presented him (along with a small CD collection). The car was found in Newark, NJ several days later, completely totalled. The towing company and tow-yard each tried to extort a good chunk of change from me. I didn't fall for that shit.

And then: '78 Buick Skylark. This is the car I drove to my sweet new WFMU volunteering gig in the mid-90s; the one whose insurance policy I let lapse; the one that thus robbed me of my driver's license for awhile, offering far greater rewards than I realized at the time.

Then I bought a car with my girlfriend. 1989 VW Golf, beat to hell, purchased with cash at a White Castle parking lot in Journal Square. Man, I miss that car - what were we thinking, driving it non-stop to Tennessee in a rain-&-sleetstorm?? Well, my girlfriend became my wife, and I've still got her, and baby makes three; and now we've added another VW Golf to the family. This one's green, of 1995 vintage. We've had it for almost 4 years and hope it'll stick around awhile.

Motor/Mouth: Chris T.

Motor/Mouth is an ongoing series about WFMU staffers and their vehicles. This installment is about my current car.

Chris T. (NIghtmare Lounge / Aerial View / Communication Breakdown Archives)

Main form of transportation: 1983 Mercedes 300D

Mileage: Approx. 224,000

Where did you get it? On eBay. It was in a town near Cherry Hill, NJ. It took three buses to get there from Hoboken.

What made you pick it? I first read about the Mercedes 240 Diesel in either the Village Voice or the New York Press (I don't remember which). The article described the 240D as being a bullet-roof city car. I also borrowed a friend's 300D and liked it. I picked my particular car because it was in great shape, had never been in an accident and was $3,000.

How long have you owned it? 6 years.

How much longer will you keep it? It's all about the corrosion. Rust never sleeps.

Favorite thing about it: The sunroof.

Least favorite thing about it: Since the accident, water gets in the passenger footwell. The A/C doesn't work (though I think the new auxiliary fan, yet to be installed, should fix that) and the driver's seat should be rebuilt. The foam is shot..

Rate your satisfaction level from 1 (least) – 10: 8.

What is your dream form of transportation? Friggin' flying car. An auto-gyro. Failing that, I want: diesel engine; 4-wheel drive; convertible top; automatic transmission (I like a car that shifts itself).

Anything else you’d like to mention: About six months after I bought this car I was in accident while on the way to WFMU to do "Aerial View". An 18 year-old girl, with her father in the passenger seat, turned left in front of me by the Target store in Jersey City. She miscalculated how far away I was and I hit her rear bumper with my right fender. I eventually got her insurance company to pay for everything but it was a RPITA (real pain in the ass). More pictures after the jump.

Motor/Mouth: Debbie D.

Motor/Mouth is a bi-weekly series featuring WFMU staff and their rides. This installment puts Debbie D. (Debbie Does WFMU) behind the wheel.

Main form of transportation: 1999 Ford Ranger.

Mileage: 79.236.

Where did you get it? Macon, GA.

What made you pick it? It had been repossessed and was affordable.

How long have you owned it? 9 years.

How much longer will you keep it? Until it has some major repair job needed.

Favorite thing about it: I can hook up my ipod to the radio.

Least favorite thing about it: It has a busted window on the camper top.

Rate your satisfaction level from 1 (least) – 10 (most): 10.

What is your dream form of transportation? Ferry.

Anything else you’d like to mention: A few years ago, Rex and Coco and Spazz and I drove out to the Chiller Convention in Jersey. I got ticketed for having Rex and Dave riding in the back without seatbelts.

Debbie's Favorite Truck Driving Songs (from the bottom up):

Jim & Jesse Diesel On My Trail
Dave Dudley I Got Lost
Ray King Big Wheel
Russ Meyers Up
Doyle O'Dell Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves
Del Reeves Girl On The Billboard
Dick Curless Chick Inspector
Hylo Brown Truck Drivin' Man
Red Sovine Woman Behind The Man Behind The Wheel
Kitty Wells My Big Truck Drivin' Man
Merle Haggard White Line Fever
Red Simpson I'm a Truck
Kay Adams Little Pink Mack

Serene Roots of Korean Free Jazz

I've been working on a feature length article about Korean free music that should appear this June in Wire magazine and wanted to share some of the bounty for you WFMU folk.  Top left is a solo performance by Kang Tae Hwan.  Kang Tae Hwan was improvising as early as the '70s, one of Korea's first free players.  The only Occidental Kang Tae Hwan release is 2003's Love Time, out on the VHF label.  Some things can be ordered straight from Korea though; check this page out (click on Korea Collection). Also, Inconstant Sol blog posted a mega limited Kang Tae Hwan record here. On the whole, however, none of the early masters have left many recorded testaments of their greatness.  Alfred Harth (by his own rights an incredible saxophonist, having performed in Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Orchestra as well as in Cassiber with Chris Cutler back in the day) has lived in Seoul since 2001 and has collaborated with many Korean masters, has told me that this is the result of the spirit of their improvisation, which is not directed toward preservation, just toward playing in the moment. You can sense some of that sentiment in the Kang Tae Hwan clip on the top left.  The playing just blows me away, it's so meditative and perfect.  I could listen for hours.  There are more Kang Tae Hwan solo clips here.  On the right is another Kang Tae Hwan performance with Lauren Newton (singer), Miyeon (piano), and Je Chun Park (percussion).  Miyeon and Je Chun Park are two other very important Korean free jazz players, with releases as far back as 1987.

On the bottom left is a recent performance in Seoul with Alfred Harth, Joe Foster, Choi Joonyoung, Jin Sangtae and Jeong Youp Shin.  All these performers are part of the Relay circle of improvisers in Seoul.  At bottom right you'll find more fruit of the relay circuit, a duo by Kevin Parks and Jin Sangtae in a Dotolim performance, more of which you can find here.  I won't give the full report on all these incredible performers for the obvious reasons, but look for the Wire article in June if you haven't already spent all your money pledging to WFMU...

Motor / Mouth: Keili

Motor/Mouth is a bi-weekly series featuring WFMU staff and their rides. This week we focus on Keili of Beastin' the Airwaves!

Beastin' The Airwaves! with Keili is All Things All Ages/DIY.

Main form of transportation: SUBWAY (F Train), Converse All Stars, Honda Minivan (nicknamed "The MomVan" by WFMUers)

Favorite thing about it: Subway: People-watching/studying subway etiquette. Converse: The abuse I inflict on them only makes them better: more comfortable, better looking.

Least favorite thing about it: Subway: Fearing the doors closing on me. Fearing other people. The Smells. Converse: They have holes in the sides that let in water and snow. Canvas also absorbs a lot of water and coldness.

Rate your satisfaction level from 1 – 10: 7 for both.

What is your dream form of transportation? Teleportation - as long as I didn't come out mutated on the other side.

Anything else you’d like to mention: I like Unicorns. If I can't teleport, I would like to ride bareback on a Unicorn with a beautiful rainbow mane waving in the breeze.

Motor/Mouth: Billy Jam

Motor/Mouth is a bi-weekly series featuring WFMU staff and their rides.

This week we meet Billy Jam of Put The Needle On The Record, Fridays, 3 - 6 PM.:

Main form of transportation: Mass transit. MTA trains, and to lesser degree MTA buses and PATH train.

Favorite thing about it: Reliability, predictable low-cost (compared to car), and fact it runs 24/7, and that it forces you to not be lazy (unlike having a car at your constant disposal).

Least favorite thing about it: It can't fit a hundred people in it.

Rate your satisfaction level from 1 – 10: 8.

What is your dream form of transportation? That "beam me up" travel transporter thing they have on Star Trek.

Anything else you’d like to mention: Carrying records on public transit (as I do now on WFMU taking MTA & PATH) versus previously always having a car (in Cali at the radio stations I DJ'ed on) ultimately changes the nature of one's radio show since records are too damn heavy to lug around on public transit.

It's Why We Say Gesundheit

I am minding my own business, sitting at Gate 62 in LAX ready to fly back to the east coast. In the morning, I will hit the ground running, as I'm going to be hosting Cheetah Chrome with very special guests The Blackhearts on my program the next day on very little sleep. My mind is jammed with my "to-do" list; my hopes of catching some shuteye on the plane, what records I need to pull and notes I need for my program, what the weather will be like when I get back --and other annoyances. THEN I become absolutely, and completely 100% present to what I see walking past me at Gate 62...

Heavy Wah, Rubber Duck Squeaks and Manic Guitar Slidage from 佐藤行衛

Although he originally hails from Japan, Sato Yukie (you know, 佐藤行衛) has been a crucial figure in a small but tight knit circle of Seoul experimentalists.  For one, he organizes one of the few regular experimental showcases in town, Bulgasari.  He also happens to be Seoul's finest exporter of whacked out noise.  His improvisations usually involve an electric guitar played with chopsticks, a rotating cast of rubber ducks, light up guns and anything else with a cheap speaker to feed through his pickups.  All this crowds a few dozen pedals and electronic devices.  The result comes out something like a zany retelling of Kagel's Acoustica plus updated electronics, psyched out wah and tape speed manipulation.

Sato Yukie - Yeoboseyo

The above track is a 2000 recording from the "Solo 1977-2000" CD on the now defunct Jabrec label.  The phone call which ends the recording was actually unplanned.  Yukie "was practicing acoustic guitar at home, and suddenly somebody called me. So I picked up the phone and said hallo!  In 2000 we had no place to play noise/experimental music in Seoul, so I usually played at home."  His earlier recordings from this CD reveal Yukie's roots in harsh noise and his unusually early fascination with experimental improvisation.  Yukie has continued to perfect his act in the live setting (often at Seoul's experimental venue Yogiga) with more visual elements added.  Below is a portion of a live set recorded in the Netherlands last year.  More clips from the same show and other shows can be found here.

Motor/Mouth: Andrew Cohen

Motor/Mouth is a bi-weekly series all about WFMU staffer's rides, whether motorized or non, private vehicle or public transportation, new and fuel-efficient or old and ready for the junk heap: everyone's got to get to the station one way or another.

We kick things off with Andy Cohen, co-host of Shut Up, Weirdo, Fridays at 6 PM (a time-slot I remember well!):

Main form of transportation: 2007 Toyota Prius, 23K miles, purchased Sep. 2007 at Toyota of Caldwell.

What made you pick it? Good mileage (duh!). Didn't make rattling sounds like previous car ('94 Saturn SL1). Was much less expensive than first-choice car (Lexus ES350), but still had a cool high-tech vibe that made up for the lack of leather seats and burled wood.

Your nickname for it: "The car," as in "Hey, I'm taking the car to the store. You want anything? Really? Nothing? You sure? Well tell me now, because I don't want to have to make two trips like last time … Right, got it. Hey, aren't we low on milk, too? Well, check then. I'll get that, too. Skim, right? OK. Bye." (We just have one car.)

How much longer will you keep it? About 10 years.

Favorite thing about it: Ridiculous amount of leg room in the back seat. It's like a Lincoln Town Car back there, but still has the same overall length (i.e., easy to park) as our old Saturn. Also: Driving in near-silent electric mode, a.k.a. stealth-ninja mode, which frequently startles peds who don't look first before jaywalking. And it's cool to not be pointlessly burning gas when you stuck at a long light or in creepy-crawly traffic.

Least favorite thing about it: I wish it was two inches wider. I wish I could see better out the back window and didn't need the supercool dashboard video screen that works as a display for the rear-mounted back-up video camera.

Rate your satisfaction level from 1 – 10: Oh, hard 8.

What is your dream form of transportation? Magical luxury-appointed limo-bus that shows up when you want it and takes you nonstop to your destination quickly and quietly at minimal expense. I'd go for that.

Jack Mello's Highlights of 2008

(all listen links point to real audio archives)

1) Songs of the Summer:

Matias Aguayo – Minimal (DJ Kosi Maxi version) (Kompakt) | listen

Wiley – “Wearing My Rolex” (Asylum) | watch

 

 

 

2) Play that (UK) Funky Music:

Marcus Nasty & Mac 10, October 1 Rinse | set

Geeneus – Volumes: One (Rinse)

Crazy Cousinz – Bongo Jam (Bongo) | listen

Paleface feat. Kyla – Do You Mind (Crazy Cousinz mix) (Maximum Bass)

DJ NG feat. Katy B. & Versatile – Tell Me (Data) | watch

 

3) Stepper’s Delight/Wonky Wonders:

Various – Soundboy’s Gravestone Gets Desecrated by Vandals, 2cd comp. (Skull Disco) | listen

Dusk & Blackdown, October 2 Rinse | set

Ikonika – Please b/w Simulacrum (Hyperdub) | watch

Darkstar – Need You b/w Squeeze My Lime (Hyperdub) | watch

Joker – Stuck in the System (Earwax) | watch

 

4) Lo-fi Avant-Dance/Weirdhouse:

Theo Parrish – Sound Sculptures, Vol. 1 2cd (Sound Signature) | watch

Syclops – I’ve Got My Eye on You (DFA) | listen

 

 

5) Mood Music:

Swod – Sekunden (City Centre Offices) | watch

Jacaszek – Treny (Miasma) | watch

TAM – s/t (Variz) | info

 

 

6) Getting married, way cool honeymoon in Portugal!

Jack's Playlists

Other WFMU DJ Year End lists for 2008 can be found here.