Playlist for 12/30/09: Baby, You're the Best

Zero Hour this week featured as many of my favorite artists, albums and songs from 2009 that I could squeeze into three hours. Overall, I think it was a pretty good year for music, or at least there was plenty to keep me busy and entertained. Having a show on WMSE certainly exposed me to a ton of tunes, and simply planning and doing a three-hour show each week made me consider a lot of music I might not have otherwise. My top 10 albums this year (in no order) came from the A-Bones (Not Now/Norton), Tommy Keene (In the Late Bright/Second Motion), Dinosaur Jr. (Farm, Jagjaguwar), The Tripwires (House to House/Spark and Shine), Jack Oblivian (Disco Outlaw/Goner, Saturday Night Part 2 EP/Big Legal Mess), Fairlane (Light So Bright/ Chrome Heart), Chuck Prophet, (¡ Let Freedom Ring!/Yep Roc), Marshall Crenshaw (Jaggedland/429), Wheels on Fire (Get Famous/Big Legal Mess) and The Shazam (Meteor/Not Lame). Pick up your prize at the window. For other ideas to help you go broke, check out this and this and this.

Download or stream the show right here.

He Sure Could Hypnotize - A-Bones
Walk of Shame - Jack O & the Tennessee Tearjerkers
Baby What's Wrong - The Chatham Singers
Gallon of Gin - Wheels on Fire
Kapn' Crunch - Los Straitjackets

Secret Life of Stories - Tommy Keene
Dangerous Boys - Paul Westerberg
Stormy River - Marshall Crenshaw

Nothing to Hide - Yo La Tengo
Hey Boy - Magic Kids
Learned to Surf - Superchunk
Oceans in the Way - Dinosaur Jr.

Willie Mays - Terry Anderson & the Olympic Ass-Kickin' Team
Let the Good Times Crawl - Young Fresh Fellows
Get it Started - The Midwest Beat
Flowers of Winter - The Tripwires
She - Plexi 3

Dream Crusher Machine - The Shazam
Shirley Maclaine - The 757s
I Don't Feel Anything - Dutchess & The Duke
Me Va Muy Mal - Davila 666
Ronald Dean – The Box Elders

Wanna Get Old - Fairlane
Man I Keep Hid - Joe Henry
Back of a Bible - Patterson Hood
Fence - Chip Robinson
Flirted With You All My Life - Vic Chesnutt

Glass to You - Those Darlins
Rock'N Roll Will Break Your Heart - John Paul Keith & The 145's
It's Too Late - Dex Romweber Duo
Dan's Song - Frank Turner

Milkshake Baby - Jack Oblivian
Animal Party - King Khan & BBQ Show
I Wanna Be a Girl - King Khan & The Shrines
Debris - Reigning Sound
Gudbuy T'Jane - Condo Fucks
Thunderclap for Bobby Pyn - Sonic Youth
From What I've Done - Doug Gillard
Steppin' Out - The Bats

This Will Not End Well - Wussy
You Was For Real - Greg Dulli
Wash & Fold - Daddy
American Man - Chuck Prophet
No Mindless Love - Jail
Trouble - Spider Bags

A Messe Christmas

Feeling under the weather this week due to a likely case of food poisoning (for my wife, there was no "likely" to it; it was for sure and much, much worse than I got it), I didn't do a Zero Hour. I had planned to do a show of Christmas tunes and 7-inches. I won't be doing that now, but fortunately, I'll still be on the air this week. I'm subbing for Pete Rohde on Messe Radio from 9 p.m. to midnight on Christmas. Please tune in if you get a chance. I'll try to provide the perfect soundtrack for all your post-family-party-break-out-that-bottle-of-good-whiskey-you-got-from-your-new-favorite-person-pass-out-in-your-new-Snuggie-blues. In the meantime, if you are looking for some classic Christmas viewing, this here list and a bucket of egg nog will keep you entertained for hours.

Playlist for 12/16/09: 10 Wheels for Santa

Looking back at my playlist, I suppose I was in a very garagey frame of mind this week, from the bands used in the opening Christmas-themed set to the nutty mofos who ended the show. I don’t know – I imagine bleary-eyed insomniacs at 2:45 on a workweek morning, turning on WMSE and hearing “10 Wheels for Jesus” and then making life-changing vocational choices. And that makes me happy. New music from Bob Log III, a selection from the highly recommended two disc-set that accompanies the new Oxford American music issue and a Zero $ Quartet salute to the mighty Tom Russell.

Anyone wondering what to get Zero Hour for Chrismas? Look no further.

Download or stream the show right here.

Run Rudolph Run - The Fleshtones
Sock It to Me Santa - King Salami & The Cumberland Three
Santa's Gonna Shut 'Em Down - The Untamed Youth
Deck the Halls - Los Straitjackets
Santa Claus is Surfin' to Town - Soupy Sales

1,2,3 Party - Mission of Burma
Me Hungry - King Kong
All I Ever Do - Daisy
Temperament Twist - Doug Gillard
The Replacements - Art Brut

Heartbreaks & Razorblades - Miss Derringer
Shake A Little, Wiggle It, and Jiggle It Too – Bob Log III
Apple Pie and Genocide - Greg Ashley
Biggest Nugget of Them All - Jail
Scorpio - Dutchess & the Duke
The Memphis Train - Rufus Thomas
Trying to Live My Life Without You - Otis Clay
It Happened in Tennessee (Part 2) - Wayne Jackson

7” Six-Pack
Statues - The Cake People (November Rain)
Hey Girl - The Loose Rails (Prospective)
Walking With My Girl - Los Portros (Munster)
Spying on The Spys - Portastatic (Merge)
I Can Hardly Spell My Name - Lambchop (Blood Sucker)
Nowhere Town - Chris Mills (Skyco Brand)

Waking Up Drunk - Spider Bags
So Bad - Harlan T. Bobo
3 Piece Suit - Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
Let it Fly - The Shazam
Cry No More - Ko & the Knockouts
Underdog - The Dirtbombs
Iron Curtain Rock - The Drags
Southern Drums - Flat Duo Jets
Last Dance - Hearts of Stone

Zero $ Quartet
Criminology - Tom Russell
Tijuana Bible - Tom Russell
Tonight We Ride - Tom Russell
California Sun - Tom Russell

Close Up the Honky Tonks - Dwight Yoakam
Lonely All Alone - Two Dollar Pistols

Tease - Beach Patrol
Ain't Got No Money - Jack O. & the Tear Jerkers
Tonight, Tonight - The Anabolics
Dug My Grave - The Fall-Outs
Heavy Kids - Leather Uppers
Memphis Chicken - Gibson Bros.
10 Wheels for Jesus - Beasts of Bourbon
Wah-Hey - The A-Bones
Mascara, Miniskirts and Madness - Neanderthals

12/09/09 playlist: Go to Rhino Records

I finally got around to doing another I Love My Label spotlight this week. L.A.’s Rhino Records got the - full show salute this time. I brought in a crate and backpack full of Rhino releases and had a ton of stuff I didn’t get to. The label’s output over the last 30+ years has been amazing; let’s hope it does indeed have a future beyond download-only releases. For interesting reading on the history of Rhino Records and a discography, go here.

Download or stream the show right here.

And don't forget to donate to WMSE during the 15-hour marathon (chock full of excellent themed programming!) going on today (12/11)until 9 p.m.

There's Trouble Brewin' - Jack Scott – The Best of Cool Yule
Careless Santa - Mono Puff - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Xmas
Be Bop Santa Claus - Babs Gonzales - Hipster's Holiday
Christmas in Jail - The Youngsters - Bummed Out Christmas!
Christmas Blues - Canned Heat - Blue Yule: Christmas Blues and R&B Classics
Silver Bells - Booker. T & The MG's – The Original Soul Christmas

The Swag - Link Wray - Rumble! The Best Of Link Wray
I'm a Man - The Yardbirds – Ultimate!
Try It - The Standells - The Best of The Standells
No Way Out - Chocolate Watch Band - The Best of the Chocolate Watch Band
Woolly Bully – Love – Forever Changes (reissue)

Spasms - Little Willie John – Fever: The Best of Little Willie John
Bloodshot Eyes - Wynonie Harris – Bloodshot Eyes: The Best of Wynonie Harris
Tore Up Over You - Hank Ballard and the Midnighters - Sexy Ways: The Best of Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
Down in the Alley - The Clovers – The Best of the Clovers

Cast Iron Arm - Peanuts Wilson - Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly
Perkins' Wiggle - Carl Perkins - Original Sun Greatest Hits
Beaver Patrol - The Blazers – Cowabunga! The Surf Box
Dressed in Black - The Pussycats - Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found: One Kiss Can Lead To Another

Suburban Home - The Descendents - Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The '80s Underground
Louie, Louie - The Last – The Best of Louie, Louie
When You Smile - Dream Syndicate – Days of Wine and Roses (reissue)
Something to Remember Me By - Steve Wynn – Kerosene Man
White Folk's Blood - House of Freaks – Tantilla
On the Radio (For Ray Davies) - Chris Stamey - Fireworks

Twist & Shout - Mae West – Golden Throats: The Great Celebrity Sing Off
Daytripper - Mae West – Golden Throats: Celebrities Butcher the Beatles
The International Elvis Impersonators Convention Side 1:
Hound Dog - Yankel Prestein
Heartbreak Hotel - Gunga Maharesley
Love Me Tender - Elvis Von Borman

Mr. Pharmacist - The Other Half - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era
I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight - Boyce & Hart - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era
Farmer John - The Premiers - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era
Can't Seem to Make you Mine - The Seeds - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era
You Burn Me Up & Down - We The People - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era

Hey Senorita - The Penguins – Doo Wop Box, Vol. 2
Right Around the Corner - 5 Royales - Monkey Hips And Rice: The "5" Royales Anthology
Maybe - The Chantels - Doo Wop Box, Vol. 3
Nothing But a Heartache – Flirtations - Beg, Scream & Shout: '60s Soul

Wishful Thinking - Wynn Stewart - Hillbilly Fever - Vol. 4: Legends Of The West Coast
Love Bug - George Jones - Best Of
Promised Land - Johnnie Allan - Alligator Stomp, Vol. 1
Nitty Gritty - Shirley Ellis - Bar-B-Que Soul-a-Bration!
Nuki Suki - Little Richard - What It Is! Funky Soul & Rare Grooves: 1967-1977
Feast of the Mau Mau - Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Voodoo Jive: The Best of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
She Ain't Got No Hair - Professor Longhair – Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge

Whole Wide World - Wreckless Eric - D.I.Y. Teenage Kicks - UK Pop, Vol. 1
Baby It's You – Smith – Super Hits of The '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 1
I Wish It Would Rain - The Faces – Five Guys Walk Into a Bar …

Elenore - The Turtles – 20 Greatest Hits
Raw - Big Daddy Kane - Kurtis Blow Presents the History of Rap
Let It All Hang Out - Los Hombres - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era

Playlist for 12/2/09: I Want a Rock and Roll Guitar

For December, I’m planning on beginning with a holiday theme each week. I’ll probably do an hour of Christmas music or more on Dec. 23. Hope you dig that. New music from Ike Reilly, a Zero $ Quartet feature on Exene Cervenka and a lot of King Khan & BBQ Show, who I missed play at Mad Planet because I was on the radio. Sounds like it was just OK – or at least I’ll make myself feel better that way.

Download or stream this week's show right here.

Mr. Santa Claus (Bring My Baby Back) - Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights
Santa Had a Wreck - Terry Anderson & the Olympic Ass Kickin' Team
I Wanna Spend My Christmas With You - Phil Lee
Your Christmas Whiskey - Minus 5
Christmas on Interstate 80 - 5 Chinese Brothers

7 Come 11 - Ike Reilly
Sonny Liston's Blues - Chuck Prophet
Dan's Song - Frank Turner
Red Light Love - Those Darlins
Land of the Freaks - King Khan & the Shrines
Spin the Bottle - King Khan & BBQ Show

Who's Gonna Take Your Garbage Out - Rosie Flores
She Got the Ring (I Got the Finger) - Chuck Mead
Rock 'n' Roll Will Break Your Heart - John Paul Keith & the 145s
Cheater's World - Amy Allison

Playing Bogart - Any Trouble
In a Lonely Place - The Smithereens

Insane Thing - Exene Cervenka
Tavern Love - Exene Cervenka & the Original Sinners
Real Estate - Exene Cervenka
Why Don't We Try Anymore? - The Knitters
White Girl (acoustic) - X

Good as Gone - Vacant Lot
Sweet Nuthins - Trick Babys
*Outta My Mind - King Khan & BBQ
*Do the Chop - King Khan & BBQ

Tom, Dick n' Harry - Big Al Sears
Wiggle Waggle Woo - Sticks McGhee
Rock Roma Rock It - Scatman Crothers
96 Tears - Big Maybelle
I Hear You Talking - Beverly Jones & the Prestons
Forever - Henry & the Kasuals
She Shot a Hole in My Soul - Clifford Curry

Beat, Beat, Beat - The Sugar Stems
Baby (It's Gonna Be Alright) - The Flips
Money, Money - Beach Patrol

Call From Restricted - Doug Gillard
Late in the Day - Velvet Crush
Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam - The Vaselines
I Don't Feel Anything - Dutchess & the Duke

Turn Up the Heat - Magic Christian
Wait a Minute - The Holy Cows
Turn on the Water - Afghan Whigs
Hymn for Lonely Hearts- Eddie Hinton
Return of the Grievous Angel - Lucinda Williams and David Crosby
All the Same to You - Laura Cantrell
Happy Hour - Tin Star
Love in a Bottle - Daddy
As Mean as You Do - Workhorses of the Entertainment/Recreation Industry
It Don't Worry Me - Lost Crusaders
*By Request

Playlist for 11/25/09: Give Back the Key to My Heart

Better late than never, I paid tribute to the late Doug Sahm to begin this week's show. The legendary Texan died Nov. 18, 1999 at age 58.

Download or stream this week's show right here.

Goodbye San Francisco, Hello Amsterdam - Doug Sahm
Bacon Fat - Sir Douglas Quintet
Who Were You Thinking of - Sir Douglas Quintet
Mendocino - 6 String Drag
Too Little Too Late - Alejandro Escovedo
Love Minus Zero/No Limit - Doug Sahm

Midnight in the Sitay - Reckless Hearts
Animal Party - King Khan & BBQ

Underwater Again - Rainy Day Saints
Anything Could Happen - The Clean
The Dream Inspires - Television Personalities
I am the Cosmos - Chris Bell

*Boilermarker - Jesus Lizard
Subiaco Shuffle - Spiral Stairs
Knowledge is Power - The Bats

* Don't Take it So Bad - Townes Van Zandt
*Bittersweet Sounds - The Candeliers
Black Dog - Kevin Gordon
If Only the Sky Was Blue - Fairlane

Thanksgiving Day - Bryan Harvey
Almost Thanksgiving Day - Graham Parker
Thanksgiving in Zuma - Liquor Giants
Thanks a Lot - Neko Case & Her Boyfriends

7" Six-Pack
Soul Power, Pt. 1 - James Brown (King)
Dark Skinned Woman Pt.1 - Sir Mack Rice (Truth)
Here it Is - Dorothy Moore (Malaco)
Fantastic Voyage - Lakeside (Solar)
Come Get It - Swamp Dogg (ALA)
I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open the Door, I'll Get it Myself) (Part 1) - James Brown (King)

Let it Ring - Rubin Russell
He Called Me Baby (All Night Long) - Ella Washington

Gwyneth - Nick Pipitone & the Four Forces of Evil
She's on the Cover - The Model Rockets
Another Planet Now - The Tripwires
I Know Nancy - Blow Pops

I Wasn't Born to Follow - Social Distortion
I Wish You Would - The Blasters
The Devil's Comin - Stud Cole
Cat Nip - The A-Bones

Too Much Woman (For a Henpecked Man) - Ike & Tina Turner
Driving Wheel - Little Junior Parker
What's Your Name - The Monorays
Boogie Children - John Fred & the Playboys
Rockhouse - Bobby Fuller
Shorty, Shorty - Bob & Ray
Bed Spring Motel (23 Spring Street) - Roy Hall
Rattlesnakin' Daddy - Hawkshaw Hawkins
You're a Humdinger - The Farmer Boys

* request

Playlist for 11-18-09: Livin' After Midnight

New music this week from Doug Gillard, CoCoComa and Dennis Diken with Bell Sound, a Zero $ Quartet segment featuring Dinosaur Jr., who were quite excellent last night at Turner Hall, and a midnight theme (cause the show starts at midnight and stuff).

Ooh Midnight - Pete "Guitar" Lewis
Midnight Blues - The Detroit Cobras
Moanin' at Midnight - Howlin' Wolf
Midnight in Mississippi - Blue Mountain
Alone at Midnight - The Smithereens
Zero Hour - The Plimsouls

Alright, Alright, Alright - CoCoComa
Alice & Friends - The Box Elders
Bumble Bee - The Heavy Trash
(M M M M Andre Williams Is) M-M-Movin' - Andre Williams
Soupy - Maggie Thrett

Put Me Down - The 27 Various
From What I've Done - Doug Gillard
Back to Zero Now - Tommy Keene
Greetings to the New Brunette - Billy Bragg

Up All Night - Green
One Minute Forty Five - The Nice Outfit

7" Six-Pack
Mary Ellen - Dutch Oven (Prospective)
Covered by an Underground Umbrella - Drop (Splunge)
Could it be You - Superstar (Superstar)
Do You Have a Brother - The Mavis's (Heat Beat)
Everything Counts - Shake Appeal (Deep Elm)
Cocktails with Gravity Girl - Galaxy Trio (Estrus)

Wintertime's a Comin' Martha Raye - Permanent Green Light
Hissy Fit - Pipitone
So Hard to Say Goodbye - Dennis Diken with Bell Sound
Dear Employer - The Minus Five

Ain't Exactly Good - Slim Dunlap
Eat Myself to Death - Billy Dankert
Punk Rockin' Honky Tonk Girl - The Blue Chieftians
Cheesburger Deluxe - World Famous Blue Jays
Boudin Man - Evan Johns & His H-Bombs

Over it - Dinosaur Jr.
In a Jar - Dinosaur Jr.
Cats in a Bowl - Dinosaur Jr.
The Post - Dinosaur Jr.

Trophy Girlfriend - Heavenly
Hymn for the Alcohol - Hefner
Nite Lites, Dark Days - Oakely Hall
Letter Full of Tears - Little Milton
That's How Strong My Love Is - O.V. Wright
My Heavy Head - Nick Heyward
Stop the World and Let Me Off - John Doe & the Sadies
Walk Me Across the Night - Exene Cervenka
Slowride - Freakwater
King of Coming Around - Ken Will Morton
Claudine - Five Chinese Brothers
Blue Days, Black Nights - Buddy Holly

Playlist for 11-11-09: Yankees are the Chumps

My feeble attempt to stick it to the Yankees was to start the show with an all-Dead Milkmen (the pride and joy of Philly) set. Hey, at least one listener called and said he dug it. New music from King Kahn & BBQ Show, a Zero $ Quartet feature on Chuck Prophet and Side B of the International Elvis Impersonators Convention (Rhino, 1979).

Planning to head to Chicago on Saturday to catch Andre Williams reading from his new book Sweets out on Kicks Books, Norton Records' new publishing division. I will be sure to report back on Zero Hour next week.

Stream or download the show right here.

I Hate You I Love You - The Dead Milkmen
Plum Dumb - The Dead Milkmen
Tiny Town (live) - The Dead Milkmen
Punk Rock Girl - The Dead Milkmen
Blood Orgy of the Atomic Fern - - The Dead Milkmen

Lonely Boy - King Khan & BBQ Show
Que Viva Elrocanrol - The Spider Bags
Thunderbird - Raunch Hands
Stranded - Mistreaters
Love is My Business - Tav Falco & the Panther Burns
This Town - Green River

Saturday Groovers - Robyn Hitchock
Something in a Friday Night - The Tripwires
Thank You For Being You - The Pastels
Everything Flows - Teenage Fanclub

Deuce - Redd Kross
No Place Fast - The Real Kids
Bums I Used to Know - The Reducers
In My Gremlin - The Rave-Ups

American Man - Chuck Prophet
Balinese Dancer - Chuck Prophet
The Hurting Business - Chuck Prophet
After the Rain - Chuck Prophet

Lost in My Own Town - Jeffrey Dean Foster
Everything You Should - Buzz Zeemer
Part of Me Now - The Spongetones
Dancing Late at Night - Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers
Settin' the Woods on Fire - Will Rigby
Honk If You're Lonely - Silver Jews

Motor Away (live on WHFS) - Guided by Voices
Good Slot - Grand Champeen
Dave the Talking Bear - Smudge
Goin' Out of My Mind - The Insomniacs
Reggie Jackson - Phillistines Jr.
Smoke on Jerry - The Minus Five

Rare Ould Mountain Dew/Dubliners Fancy - The Pogues w/ the Dubliners
Forever Young - Madness
Long Limbed Girl - Nick Lowe
Killer Pillow - Kevin Johnson
She Ain't My Girl - Ian McLagan & the Bump Band
Taste Your Love - Fairlane

The Hunch - Mad Mike & the Maniacs
All Shook Up – Hound Dog Fujimoto
Jailhouse - Elvisini Presiliano
My Way - Entire Cast
For He's A Jolly Good Fellow - The Singing Dogs
Oomp Boomp - Rhythm Addicts
Your Mouth Got a Hole in It - Pinocchio James
Screamin Boogie - Dick Davis
Get Rich Quick - Little Richard
Slots of Fun - Phantom Surfers
Goo Goo Muck - Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads
Jungle Talk (I Want Some of That) - Shane Kai Ray
Japanese Farewell Song (Sayonara). - Martin Denny

Playlist for 11/4/09: Pledge Drive Pig Out

Big thanks to Corey for sitting in with me during the last week of the fall pledge drive. We set a Zero Hour record - OK, it was 60 bucks, but you can make up for that by donating here.

Stream or download the show right here.

Pig Snoots Pt. 1 - The Natural Bridge Bunch w/Andre Williams
Do the Pig - Merced Blue Notes
Gimme a Pigfoot - Bessie Smith
I Crave My Pig Meat - Blind Boy Fuller
Pig Snoots Pt. 2 - The Natural Bridge Bunch

Wanna Get Old - Fairlane
Sun Gone Down - House of Freaks
Flirted With You All My Life - Vic Chesnutt
Sunday Nights - Frank Turner

Lookout - Dex Romweber Duo
She - Plexi 3
That Girl Stacey – The Flips
One Mint Julep – The Exotics

Phillies ‘76 – The Phillies
Message From a Black Man – Derek Harriott
As Long (live) - Greg Cartwright

7” Six-Pack
She’s My Chemist – Mighty Deerlick (Subatomic)
Pretty Lizard – Liquid Pink (Susstones)
Ticket to L.A. – Urge Overkill (Touch & Go)
Lolita – Paw (Nasty Pope)
Grand Slam Baby – Pork (No. 6)
A Good Flying Bird - Thee Crappy Dracula (Self-released)

I Want Everything – The Godfathers
Dead Roo – Cosmic Psychos
Gallon of Gin - Wheels on Fire
Common at Noon – The Real Kids
Glad & Sorry – The Royal Purple

You’re So Rude - Ian McLagan & The Bump Band
Good Morning John – Kris Kristofferson
You and Me Baby (Holding On) - Chuck Prophet
Neon Tombstone – Phil Lee

Dream Crusher Machine – The Shazam
Shake Your Magazines – The Young Fresh Fellows
Flowers of Winter – The Tripwires
One + One – The Goldstars

Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette – Tex Williams & His Western Caravan
Hey Bartender – Bob Gallion
Pistol Packin’ Mama - Peter Pete & The Lovers
Coffee, Cigarettes & Tears – The Larks
Check Yourself Bay – Tony Allen & The Chimes
Insect Ball – Big Jay McNeely
Watch Dog – Etta James
Rumble - Jack Nitzsche
Sock it to Me-Baby – Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Whee
Jump, Jive & Harmonize – Thee Midniters
Spoonful – Jim Ford
Meadowlark Boogie – Buck Griffin
Rock the Joint - Bill Haley & the Saddlemen

Playlist for 10/28/09: Burn She (and He) Devils Burn

It was Halloween and fall pledge drive time on Zero Hour this week. I played lots of devil songs, a few hell songs and plenty of just plain weird ditties. A blast was had by, well, me. If you get a chance to check it out, I wrote a Halloween post for Sonic Diet detailing some of my seasonal faves, most of which made it onto the show. The pledge drive continues next week, so do your duty to freeform radio and pledge.

Download or stream the show right here.

Rockin' in the Graveyard - Jackie Morningstar
Morgus the Magnificient – Morgus & the Ghouls
She's My Witch - Kip Tyler
Bo Meets the Monster - Bo Diddley

I Was a Teenage Zombie - The Fleshtones
Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon - The Cramps
The Phantom - Bleed
Circle in Hell - Golden Boys
Experiment in Terror/Stalkin' - Impala

Take the Devil Out of Me - Tres Chicas
Run Devil Run - Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins
The Devil and Me - BR549
There's A Devil on the Loose - Mavis Staples
Lurking in the Shadows - Los Straitjackets

Vampira - Bobby Bare
Graveyard Rock - Tarantula Ghoul and Her Gravediggers
Sinners - Freddie & the Hitchhikers
Rockin' Round the Tombstone - Casper & The Ghosts

Virus Human - The Ponys
Don't Shake Me Lucifer - Roxy Erickson
Slow Death - Wanda Chrome and the Leather Pharaohs
Satan's Buddies - Couch Flambeau

Haunted House - Johnny Fuller
Little Demon - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
The Shadow Knows - Link Wray

Frankenstein - New York Dolls
Trick or Treat - Otis Redding
Evil - Howlin' Wolf
Halloween - The Dream Syndicate
Homicide - The A-Bones
Grave Up - Satan's Pilgrims
Dance of the Living Dead Chicken - Jack Blanchard

The Witch – The Sonics
Night of the Sadist - Larry & the Blue Notes
I'm a Devil - Satan and Satan's Roses
Raisin Hell - Wild Jimmy Spruill
Haunted House - Hasil Adkins

The Devil Went Down to Newport - Mono Puff
Big Top Halloween - Afghan Whigs
Demonic Possession - Drive By Truckers

Burn She Devil Burn - The Cramps
The Mummy - Bob McFadden & Dor
Dead - The Poets
It's Your Voodoo Working - Charles Sheffield
Werewolf - The Kact-ties
The Fang - Nervous Norvus
The Witch - Dexter Romweber
Weird - Roscoe & The Little Green Men
Watusi Zombie – Jan Davis
Bucket o’ Blood – Big Boy Groves

Playlist for 10/21/09: Rags to Riches to Rags

A new documentary on HBO about New York City’s Garment District, Schmatta: Rags To Riches To Rags, is well worth your time and was well worth serving as my opening theme this week. Director Marc Liven tells of the decline of the fashion industry in America with a particular focus on the Garment District and its workers. Schmatta casts the fall as a symbol of many things wrong with American business and the economy. Perhaps the key stat: 95% versus 5%. The former is the percentage of American clothing made in the United States in 1965. The latter is the percentage today. Cheery theme, I know.

Paid tribute to NRBQ founding member Steve Ferguson, who passed away Oct. 7 of cancer, and Captain Lou Albano, who went to the big wrestling ring in the sky Oct. 14. “Ned Beatty’s in Love” by Seattle-based power pop supergroup The Tripwires is not only my favorite song about a former member of Homicide: Life on the Streets (until someone pens an ode to Daniel Baldwin, aka, Beau Felton) but one of my favorite songs of the year.

WMSE’s fall pledge drive runs Oct. 26-Nov. 6, so please get out your wallets and pocketbooks in honor of freeform radio and Milwaukee’s best radio station. The station has started a new blog, Sonic Diet, which is linked on the right side over there. I’ll wait a minute while you look. I’m postponing my monthly I Love My Label segment until after the pledge drive. Next week I’m planning on doing an all-Halloween show and may have a guest along with me who may or may not be the manager and cleanup hitter for the White House (the bar in Bay View, not the president’s joint) softball team. Check out WFMU's Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban for Rex's wild Halloween mix, Seven Corpse Dinner, from which I will no doubt pick a tune or two for my show.

Download or stream Zero Hour right here.

Put Your Cat Clothes On - Carl Perkins - Original Sun Greatest Hits (Sun/Rhino)
Shoppin’ for Clothes - The Coasters – 50 Coastin’ Classics (Rhino)
Touch the Hem of His Garment – The Soul Stirrers with Sam Cooke – The Specialty Story (Specialty)
Lost My Job - Alex Chilton – Stuff (New Rose)
Plenty Tuff Union Made - Waco Brothers – Live and Kickin’ at Schubas Tavern (Bloodshot)

Ned Beatty's in Love - The Tripwires – House to House (Spark and Shine)
Cheap Cassettes - The Figgs – Sucking in Stereo (Hear Box)
Everyday I Write the Book - Elizabeth McQueen & the Firebrands – Happy Doing What We’re Doing (Freedom)
Please Give Me Something - P.J. O'Connell – Dream Life (Sonic Trout)

Flat Foot Flewzy - NRBQ – Live at Ludlow Garage 1970 (Sundazed)
Captain Lou – NRBQ – Peek-A-Boo: Best Of NRBQ 1969-1989 (Rhino)

*Up Jumped the Devil - .357 String Band – Ghost Town (Self-released)
Thunder Road – Fireworks – Set the World on Fire (Crypt)
Death Valley Rain - Steve Wynn – Here Come the Miracles (Blue Rose)
Knockin' Em Down (In the City) - Iggy Pop – Milwaukee’s Blank Generation (WMSE)
Hand Clappin' Time – Gino – Wolf Call (Norton)

7" SIx Pack
Truly Ugly and Dead Too - Jonny Polonsky (Rapid Releases)
Farmer Brown in Vermont - Philistines Jr. (Dot Dot Dash)
We Could Just Die - Permanent Green Light (Gastanka)
Bliss - February (Prospective)
Baby Stones - Robert Forster (Beggars Banquet)
Love Goes Home to Paris in the Spring - The Magnetic Fields (Feel Good All Over)

Is it True - Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs (Matador)
Are You Really on Drugs - The Clean - Mister Pop (Merge)
Share the Night - The Clientele - Bonfires on the Heath (Merge)

Say What You Mean - The Hot Dogs - Say What You Mean (Ardent)
I Love You Anyway - Cargoe - Thank You Friends: The Ardent Story (Big Beat)
Look Up - Chris Bell - I Am The Cosmos (Ryko)
Think It's Time To Say Goodbye - Rock City - Thank You Friends: The Ardent Story (Big Beat)
Save a Chance - The Castels - A History Of Garage And Frat Bands In Memphis 1960-1975 (Shangri-La Projects)

Geraldine - The A-Bones – Not Now! (Norton)
Lookin' For a 7-11 - Ben Vaughan Combo – The Many Moods of Ben Vaughan (Fever/Restless)
Lookin for a Kiss - David Johansen - Milwaukee’s Blank Generation (WMSE)
Heartbreak Hotel - Roky Erickson & the Aliens – Don’t Knock the Rok (Norton)

Love Canal – Flipper – Blow’n Chunks (ROIR)
One Day We Will Live There - Mission of Burma – The Sound The Speed The Light (Matador)
Molly's Lips (live) – Nirvana – Bleach reissue (Sub Pop)
Luka – Lemonheads – Lick (Taang!)
I Don't Feel Anything - Dutchess and the Duke - Sunset/Sunrise (Hardly Art)

Funky Football - Harvey Scales - Love-Itis: All Of The Rare & Unreissued 45's From The Vaults Of Magic Touch (1967-1977) (Soul-Tay-Shus)
Hit Git and Split – Mickey Baker w/Young Jessie - In The '50s: Hit, Git & Spit (Rev-Ola)
Crawlin' King Snake - Roy Head – Dismal Prisoner (TMI)
Oh So Nice - Johnny Adams – I Won’t Cry: From the Vaults of Ric & Ron Records (Rounder)

Fevered Paper - Exene Cervenka – Somewhere Gone (Bloodshot)
By the Way - Cagney & Lacee – Six Feet of Chain (No. 6)
No Dreams - Oakley Hall - I'll Follow You (Merge)

* by request

Playlist for 10/14/09: On Boozy Bloating & Baseball

Better late than never I suppose. The baseball playoffs (the opening theme for this episode of Zero Hour) and grading papers have kept me busy – and then there’s the whole laziness factor to overcome. Greg Cartwright, bad man and onetime WMSE guest DJ, was saluted in my Zero $ Quartet feature. I’ll try to post this week’s playlist tomorrow or at least not wait until next week.

Download or stream the show right here.

The Death of Big Ed Delahanty - The Baseball Project - Volume 1: Frozen Ropes And Dying Quails (Yep Rock)
Rain Delay – Marah - Let's Cut the Crap and Hook Up Later On Tonight (Phidelity)
TV Party Tonight - Black Flag – Damaged (SST)
Personality Crisis (live) – New York Dolls – Manhattan Mayhem (Jungle)
Stukas over Disneyland - The Dickies - Stukas over Disneyland (Restless)
Harvey Haddix - The Baseball Project – Live at Cat’s Cradle 9-26-2009 (Archive.org)

Let it Die - The Dutchess and the Duke – Sunset/Sunrise (Hardly Art)
I’ll Be Your Lover (But I Can’t Be Your Baby) – The Ettes – Do You Want Power
Hombre Lobo - Los Explosivos – S/T (Get Hip)

Like A Rolling Stone - Gang War - Milwaukee’s Blank Generation (WMSE)
My Mustang Ford – Chuck Berry - More Rock 'n' Roll Rarities (Chess/MCA)
I’m the Man – Al Ferrier - Hey Baby! The Rockin South (Ace)
Let’s Get Funky - Jack O’Fire – Destruction of Squaresville (Estrus)

I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide - Dwight Yoakam – Dwight’s Used Records (Koch)
Wham Bam – Buck Owens - Tiger by the Tail (Sundazed)
Chew Tobacco Rag – Zeb Turner - Tennessee Boogie & Jersey Rock (Westside UK)

Zero $ Quartet
If I Can’t Come Back - Reigning Sound – Love & Curses (In the Red)
I’m Not a Psycho I’ve Got a Plate in My Head – Oblivians – Soul Food (Crypt)
Brown Paper Sack - Reigning Sound - Time Bomb High School
Bad Man - Greg Cartwright - Live at the Circle A (Dusty Medical)

Members Only – Bobby “Blue” Bland – Chitlin’ Circuit Soul (Rhino)
Hell Yes, I Cheated – Johnny Adams – More Dirty Laundry: The Soul Of Black Country (Trikont)
Love You So – King Khan & BBQ Show – S/T (Goner)
In Case You Need Love – The Screws – Shake Your Monkey (In the Red)

100 Years From Now - Velvet Crush – Hold Me Up single (Creation)
Sorry – The Plimsouls – Live One Night in America (Oglio)
Who Taught You To Live Like That? – Sloan - Never Hear The End Of It (Yep Roc)
Rainbow - Apples in Stereo - #1 Hits Explosion (Yep Roc)
Let Your Heart Decide It – Noise Addict - It was Never About the Audience (noiseaddict.net)
Brokenhearted I Will Wander – Dennis Brennan - Engagement (Hi &Dry)

Another Foggy Yesterday - Goodnight Loving – Crooked Lake (Dusty Medical)
Blues of the Teenage Mind – The Gondoliers– S/T (Earie)
Kiddie Pool - Killer Filler - Filler Up! (Self)


I’m the Mail She’s Waiting For – Chuck Wood - Plantation Gold: the Mad Genius of Shelby S. Singleton Jr. and Plantation/SSS Records 1967-1976 (Omni)
Four On The Floor (And A Fifth Under The Seat) - Trooper Jim Foster - Plantation Gold: the Mad Genius of Shelby S. Singleton Jr. and Plantation/SSS Records 1967-1976 (Omni)
The Good Lord Giveth And Uncle Sam Taketh Away- Webb Pierce - Plantation Gold: the Mad Genius of Shelby S. Singleton Jr. and Plantation/SSS Records 1967-1976 (Omni)
Yes, My Goodness, Yes – Willie Hobbs - My Goodness, Yes: Soul Treasures from the Silver Fox Label (Sundazed)
Crying in the Streets, Part 1 - George Perkins & The Silver Stars - My Goodness, Yes: Soul Treasures from the Silver Fox Label (Sundazed)

Kerosene – Bottle Rockets – S/T (ESD)
Waitress Song – Freakwater – Old Paint (Thrill Jockey)
Tall Boy – The Meat Purveyors – More Songs About Buildings and Cows (Bloodshot)
Why I Drink – Go to Blazes – Waiting Around for the Crash (ESD)

Little Girl – Bo Diddley – The Chess Box (Chess/MCA)
Justine - Don & Dewey – Jungle Hop (Specialty)
Quiet Whiskey – Wynonie Harris – Bloodshot Eyes (Rhino)
Bar the Door – The Roamin’ Togas – Teenage Shutdown: Things Been Bad (Crypt)
I Wish You Would – The Yardbirds – Ultimate (Rhino)
Shakin’ All Over – Raylene & The Blue Angels - Destroy that Boy: More Girls With Guitars (Ace)
Rock And Roll Is On My Soul - Chuck Grey - Just Shuckin' Around:'53-'63 Wild & Crazy L.A. R&B (Panic)
I’ll Do the Dishes – Joe Carson – Hillbilly Band From Mars (Bear Family)
Don’t Play Number Ten (On the Juke Box Tonight) – Joyce Moore – One More Record Please (Bear Family)
Make Up Your Mind – The Spencers - Country & West Coast: The Birth Of Country Rock (Big Beat)

Playlist for 10/7/09: In Praise of Like

For some reason, while listening to a new vinyl acquisition, From the Vaults of Duke/Peacock, Vol. 2, “I Like It” by Clarence (Carter) & Calvin (Scott) made me think of all the songs with “like” in the title. I decided it was worth the first hour of my show to explore. By gosh and all, it’s a thinking person’s show, see. New music this week from Vic Chesnutt, Mission of Burma and Exene Cervenka. I started a new feature that I’ll call the “Zero Dollar Quartet” or something along those lines. Essentially, I’ll take a somewhat established performer, or at least one with four albums, and play a song from their latest release and three older songs. I went with those wacky and cuddly folks from Hoboken, Yo La Tengo, this time around. I have to keep myself entertained, if not the listening audience, somehow.

For some good reading on Lester Bangs, check out this entertaining and informative post from The Hound. For all the free damn Mojo Nixon albums anyone could ever want, go to Amazon.

Download or stream the show right here. If nothing else, it's your chance to hear me mispronounce "cello" in a moment of brain deadness.

I Like It Like That - Chris Kenner - It Will Stand - The Soul Of New Orleans - Volume 2 (Charley)
I Don't Like It Like That - The Bobettes - Spazzy Answer Songs - (WFMU)
I Like it Like That - The Ventures - The Ventures - (HHO Licensing)
I Like it Like That - The 5 Royales - Monkey Hips And Rice: The "5" Royales Anthology (Rhino)

You Got the Look I Like - Nick Lowe - Party of One (Upstart)
I Like It - Clarence & Calvin - From the Vaults of Duke/Peacock (ABC)
I Don't Like It - Daddy - At the Woman's Club (Cedar Creek)
I Think She Likes Me - Treat Her Right - S/T (Soul Selects)
I Don't Like the Man I Am - Pete Molinari - A Virtual Landslide (Damaged Goods)

I Like Girls - Nervous Norvus - Stone Age Woo: The Zorch Sounds Of Nervous Norvus (Norton)
I Don't Like You - Big Hello - The Apple Album (Parasol)
I'd Like To Think So - Eugene Edwards - My Favorite Revolution (Flagship)
I Like Food - The Descendents - Somery (SST)
I Like Girls - The Know - DIY: Shake It Up! - American Power Pop II (1978-80)

I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing - Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals' Starvation League - OK -I'm Sorry ... EP (Bloodshot)
I Like Everything About You - Jimmy Hughes - The Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles Volume 2: 1968-1971 (Stax)
I Like Them Fat Like That - Western Box Turtles - Streamline
That's What I Like - Terry Fell - Boppin' Hillbilly To Red Hot Rockabilly (Proper)
My Baby Likes to Boogie Woogie Real Low - Frankie Lee Sims - Texas Music Volume 1: Postwar Blues Combos (Rhino)

7"Six-Pack
Bring the Water - The Midwest Beat (Tax Return)
Please Don't Die - The Bomb Bassets (Lookout)
I Am Right - The Dictators (Norton)
Mighty Ranxerox - The Bottomfeeders (Scooch Pooch)
The Piper - Brian Stevens (Q Division)
Payday - Cotton Mather (Biffco)

Philip Guston – Vic Chesnutt – At the Cut (Constellation)
Little Paper Birds – Wussy – S/T (Shake It)
Feed - Mission of Burma – The Sound, The Speed, The Light (Matador)
Gravitate - Lou Barlow – Goodnight Unknown (Merge)
Progress of Love - Joe Henry – Blood From Stars (Anti)

The Willow Tree - Exene Cervenka – Somewhere Gone (Bloodshot)
Heading East - Amy Farris – Anyway (Yep Roc)
Somewhere Gone - Exene Cervenka – Somewhere Gone (Bloodshot)
Your Happiness - Greg Cartwright - Live at the Circle A (Dusty Medical)
Trash Talk - Reigning Sound – Love & Curses (In the Red)
Make Up Your Mind - Jack Oblivian – Saturday Night Part 2 (Big Legal Mess)

When It’s Dark - Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs (Matador)
Crying of Lot G - Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out (Matador)
Barstool Blues - Yo La Tengo – Here Comes My Baby (Bar/None)
Autumn Sweater - Yo La Tengo – I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One (Matador)

Red Headed Woman – Jimmy Dickinson & the Cramps – Rockabilly Psychosis and the Garage Disease (Big Beat)
I Don’t Care – The Beguiled – Sounds of Now (Dionysus)
Glue Sniffing Revival – Al Perry – Sounds of Now (Dionysus)
Come Out and Play – Mad Violets – Time Bomb: The Big Band Theory (Skyclad)
Vanna White – The Immediates – Consumer Frenzy (Pop)
Big Black Truck – Peter Holsapple – Shake to Date (Shake/Albion)

Chicken Thighs - Andre Williams – Movin’ On With (Vampisoul)
From Warm to Cool – Wee Willie Walker – The Goldwax Story, Vol. 1 (Ace)
You Don’t Know Me at All – Bettye LaVette – The Scene of the Crime (Anti)
He’s Gone – Patti La Belle & The Blue Belles - Blame It On The Dogg: The Swamp Dogg Anthology 1968-1978 (Kent)
Shorty’s Got to Go – The Impressions with Riley Hampton Orchestra – The Birth of Soul, Vol. 3 (Kent)

Playlist for 9/30/09: Merge Records: On the Mouth

I gave Merge Records the I Love My Label treatment this month in honor of the label’s 20th anniversary. My theme to start to the show was covers of songs from the Merge catalog, beginning with what I believe to be the only Butterglory cover in recorded history. The Merge catalog is as massive as it is impressive, with more than 350 releases since 1989. There is a lot I missed, of course, but that’s always the case with my I Love My Label segments. I did an hour-long Merge tribute over the summer in honor of the big, reunion-heavy Merge XX show, so I avoided repeats for the most part.

If you’re looking for information on Merge, there’s an overwhelming amount out there. The new book on Algonquin about the label, Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, has its own Web site, and it’s very much worth checking out, including a well-done timeline. Coming soon is The Merge Records Companion: A Visual Discography of the First 20 Years. The North Carolina Triangle’s Independent Weekly did a tremendous spread on the label in July, with period overviews, a top 20 list, a discography, and “Where Are They Now” features on the likes of Richard Buckner, Pure and Ashley Stove (all three of which I managed to skip over somehow, Part 2 for sure, I guess). Here’s another perspective on Merge’s best, a mid-1990s interview with Superchunk from Option magazine, and NPR’s nicely put together “American Indie: 20 Years Of Merge Records.”

Download or stream the show right here.

Waiting on the Guns - The Wedding Present - Singles 1995-1997 (Cooking Vinyl)
Through With People - Barbara Manning - Score: 20 Years of Merge Records: The Covers! (Merge)
Beatnik- Comet Gain - Broken Record Prayers (What's Your Rupture)
No One Will Ever Love You - Sarah Borges - The Stars Are Out (Sugar Hill)
Driveway to Driveway - Two Dollar Pistols - Songs for Sixty Five Roses (Self-released)

I Got the Bomb - The Shazam - Meteor (New Boss Sounds)
Treat Her Right - Muck & The Mires - Hypnotic (Dirty Water)
Hole in My Head - Box Elders - Alice & Friends (Goner)
Hey Boy - Magic Kids - Single (Goner)

Everybody Knows - Scotland Barr & the Slow Drags - We Will Be Forgotten (Self-released)
The Way It Used to Be - The Bottle Rockets - Lean Forward (Bloodshot)
Good as the Cat - Paul Westerberg - PW & the Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys (Dry Wood)
Poetry of the Deed - Frank Turner - Poetry of the Deed (Epitaph)

All Your Secrets - Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs (Matador)
Sugar & Spice - Madness - The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Yep Roc)

I Love My Label: Merge Records, Chapel Hill, NC
7” Six-Pack
Seed Toss – Superchunk
On the Mouth – Superchunk
100,000 Fireflies – Superchunk
Who Needs Light – Superchunk
Watery Hands – Superchunk
Blinders (fast version) – Superchunk

Bullet Train to Vegas - Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime reissue (Swami)
Favorite Dirty Flavor - Pipe - Slowboy
The Curtain Remembers - Polvo - Cor-Crane Secret
Tourettes - Breadwinner - Burner

Beautiful Thing - The 3D's - Venus Trail
Anything Could Happen - The Clean - Anthology
Tensile - The Clean - Mr. Pop
Blue Sky - David Kilgour - Frozen Orange

My Face Your Ass - Lambchop - Thriller
Alll My Love - American Music Club - The Golden Age
Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of the Country
Don't Know Why You Stay - The Essex Green - Cannibal Sea

Me and the Bean - Spoon - Girls Can Tell
Dancing Girls and Dancing Men - Robert Pollard - From a Compound Eye
Born Under a Good Sign - Teenage Fanclub - Man Made
Back to Boston – The Rosebuds - Make Out
Down in the Valley - The Broken West – I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On

Time Enough for Rocking When We're Old - Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
Bring on the Loser -East River Pipe - Poor Fricky
Holland 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Crown of Love - Arcade Fire - Funeral

I Wanna Know Girls - Portastatic - Bright Ideas
My Noise - Superchunk - Tossing Seeds

Playlist for 9/23/09: Down By The River Where The Dead Men Go

This here very cool photo spread inspired me to start with a film noir/crime- themed set. I just might one day soon revisit this idea for perhaps the first hour of my show. New music this week from Paul Westerberg and Lou Barlow, an all-female 7-inch Six-Pack, two Sweet covers and a ton of tunes from vinyl.

I can't stop listening to one of WFMU's new web streams, Ichiban Rock & Soul, which is described thusly: "the best in obscure 50's and 60's Rock 'n' Soul as selected by Debbie D., Dave the Spazz, Rex and Mr. Finewine." It's a mix of individual songs and excerpts from archived shows of the aforementioned DJ's. The names of the songs appear at the top of iTunes to aid in any music hunting. A blog with assorted pics and videos that fit with the music is here.

Download or stream Zero Hour right here.

Cold Dark Night - Charlie Feathers – Uh Huh Honey (Norton)
Murderess in a Purple Dress – The Scientists – Absolute (Sub Pop)
Vengeance is Mine - Johnny Dowd - Temporary Shelter (Koch)
Touch of Evil - Tom Russell – Borderland (HighTone)

Sunday Blues - Marshall Crenshaw – Jaggedland (429)
The Right - Lou Barlow – Goodnight Unknown (Merge)
He's Frank - The Sneetches - "Please Don't Break My Heart” 12-inch (Alias)

Dangerous Boys - Paul Westerberg - PW & The Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys (Dry Wood)
Watch it Burn – Hadacol – All in Your Head (Slewfoot)
Forever Came Today - Eric Ambel – Roscoe’s Gang (Enigma)
Found Missin’ –The Olympic Ass Kickin’ Team (Doublenaught)

Me Va Muy Mal - Davila 666 - Pingorocha Y La Diva Rockera (Doublenaught)
I Wanna Be Loved - Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers – L.A.M.F. (Jungle)
Going Back to Miami - The Stepbrothers – Baby It’s Over (Licorice Tree)

7” Six-Pack
Ain’t Got No Sense – Top Ten (Classic Bar Music)
All Talk No Action – Scott Morgan & Miss Georgia Peach (Ramo)
Wig-Wam Bam – The Donnas (Gearhead)
Broke My Heart – The Eyeliners (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Crawdaddy – The Hectics (Scooch Pooch)
Trudy – Swirlies (Simple Machines)

Broadway – Hank Ballard and the Midnighters – Jook Block Busters, Vol. 1 (Valmor)
Watts – Brother Woodman and the Chanters – Blowin’ Through Yokohama (Atomic Passion)
You’re Killin’ Me – The Treniers – You’re Killin’ Me (Dr. Horse)
Teenage Beat – Little Walter – Boss Blues Harmonica (Chess)
Bing Bong (There’s a Party Goin’ On) – The A-Bones – Not Now! (Norton)
Bloody Mary – Barrence Whitfield & The Savages - Dig Yourself (Rounder)

Bikeage – The Descendents – Milo Goes to College (New Alliance)
Stuck in a Pagoda (With Tricia Toyota) – The Dickies – We Aren’t the World (ROIR)
Pull My Train – The Unknowns – S/T (Invasion)
Cheated and Lied – The Vipers – Outta the Nest (PVC)
Set Me Free – Fastbacks – …And His Orchestra (PopLlama Products)
She’s A Real Scream - Ben Vaughn Combo – Beautiful Thing (Restless)
Big House With a Yard Ben Vaughn Combo – Beautiful Thing (Restless)
The Thing That Only Eats Hippies – The Dead Milkmen – Eat Your Paisley (Fever/Restless)

Trouble – The Spider Bags – Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World (Birdman)
Meanest Jukebox in Town – Johnny Paycheck – Jukebox Charlie (Little Darlin’)
I’ll Be All Smiles Tonight – Shot Jackson – Unforgettable Country Instrumentals (Starday)
Blue Endless Highway – Tom O’Neal – Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves and Other Truck Driver Favorites (Starday)
Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves – Bobby Sykes – Diesel Smoke Dangerous Curves and Other Truck Driver Favorites (Starday)

Guess I’m Falling in Love – Moe Tucker and Jad Fair - MoeJadKateBarry EP (50 Skidillion Watts)
Howard Johnson’s Got His Ho-Jo Working – NRBQ – Scraps (Sundazed)
Poor Jenny – The Everly Brothers – All They Had to Do Was Dream (Rhino)
Mayonnaise – Bobby Lee Trammel – The Big Itch, Vol. 8 (Mr. Manicotti)
Home By Eleven – Steve Alaimo and the Red Coats – Rampage: 17 Full-Throttled Rockers! (Atomic Passion)
Rocket in My Pocket – Jimmy Grubbs – Kicksville, Vol. 1 (Norton)
Rockin’ Star – Arlie Neaville - Kicksville, Vol. 1 (Norton)

Mr. Soul – Patty Hurst Shifter – Fugitive Glue (Pants on Fire)
Black & Gold – Gutterball – Weasel (Brake Out)
If I Can’t Hold You in My Arms – The Golden Boys – Whiskey Flower (Hook or Crook)
Hello Trouble – Two Dollar Pistols – Step Right Up! (Yep Roc)

Playlist for 9/16/09: The Electric Fetus Ate My Wallet and All I Got Was This Crummy Playlist

Feeling Minnesota after our trip to the Twin Cities - and still high on Surly (or so my bumbling and occasional brain deadness would indicate) - so I began this week’s show with a set of old and new bands from in and around those fine burgs. New music from Gordon Gano & the Ryans, Greg Cartwright live in Riverwest and a double shot of Harlow Wilcox & the Oakies. Can you smell the fun?

Stream or download the show right here.

If Only You Were Lonely - Replacements - Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out the Trash (reissue) (Twin/Tone/Rykodisc/Rhino)
Backstreet Girl - Golden Smog – On Golden Smog (Rykodisc)
You're Not Her - Loose Rails - Red Turns Green (Crackpot)
Shirley McClaine - The 757's - Freeway Surrender (Electone)
Airport Bar - Chooglin' - Sweet Time (Big Legal Mess)
Nashville - Gospel Gossip - Dreamland (Guilt Ridden Pop)

Always Wrong - Jail - There's No Sky (Oh My, May) (Self-released)
Two Runaways - Reckless Hearts - Get Up & Run (Off the Hip)
Under the Sun- Gordon Gano & the Ryans - Under the Sun (Yep Roc)

Signal in the Sky - Apples in Stereo - #1 Hits Explosion (Yep Roc)
La La La - Cavedogs - Joyrides for Shut-ins (Engima)
If You Knew Susie - Chopper - Slogans & Jingles (Big Deal)
If You Knew Sushi - Waxing Poetics - Hermitage (Emergo)
Tape Op Blues - Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey - hERE aND nOW (Bar None) (disc shut off )

That's How I Got to Memphis - Joe Pernice - It Feels So Good When I Stop (Ashmont)
DUI or die - Those Darlins - S/T (Oh Wow Dang)
Groovy Grubworm - Harlow Wilcox & the Oakies - Plantation Gold: the Mad Genius of Shelby S. Singleton Jr. and Plantation/SSS Records 1967-1976 (Omni)

7" Six-Pack
Moose Trot – Harlow Wilcox & the Oakies (Plantation)
Let’s Talk About Them – Bobby Russell (Elf)
Movin’ Round – Vern Stovall (Longhorn)
It’s All Between the Lines – Webb Pierce (King)
Airline Girl – Jack Reno (Target)
I’ve Got Someone New – Ginny Wright (Fabor)

As the Stars Fade Away - Rainy Day Saints - Reflected (Get Hip)
On the Town – Madness – The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Yep Roc)
Five Minutes to Midnight - Star Anna - Crooked Path (Malamute)
Progress of Love - Joe Henry – Blood From the Stars (Anti)

Long Tall Shorty - Jim Carroll - Back to the Streets: Celebrating The Music Of Don Covay (Shanachie)
Differing Touch - Marah - Put Your Tounge to the Rail: The Philly Comp for Catholic Children (Songs of the Jim Caroll Band) (Genus)
It Doesn't Matter Anymore - Chris Bailey - Everyday is a Holiday (Emergo)
Country Honey - Buick MacKane - Resurrection of the Warlock: A Tribute to Marc Bolan & T-Rex (Old School)
Which Witch is Witch - Hypnolovewheel - We're All Normal and We Want Our Freedom: a Tribute to Arthur Lee and Love (Alias)
Baby, It's You - Michael Shelly - What The World Needs Now: Big Deal Recording Artists Perform The Songs Of Burt Bacharach (Big Deal)
Words of Love - Shoes - Everyday is a Holiday (Emergo)

Casi Las 3 - Davila 666 - Pingorocha Y La Diva Rockera (Douchemaster)
Love Won’t Leave You a Song - Reigning Sound - Love & Curses (In the Red)
Crook for Your Look - Jack O & The Tennessee Tearjerkers - The Disco Outlaw (Goner)
Hang Them All - Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall (Matador)
Live the Life - Greg Cartwright - Live at Circle A - (Dusty Medical)

Silver Rocket - Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation (Blast First/Enigma)
Death Valley ‘69 – Sonic Youth w/ Lydia Lunch - Bad Moon Rising (Homestead)
Cotton Crown - Sonic Youth – Sister (SST)
Poison Arrow - Sonic Youth - The Eternal (Matador)

XL-3 – The Phantoms – Diggin’ Out (Mr. Manicotti)
Viva Viva Rock and Roll – The Church Keys - I Still Hate CD's: Norton Records 45 RPM Singles Collection (Norton)
Fraternity, USA – The Lady Bugs - Destroy That Boy! More Girls with Guitars (Ace)
Outcast - The Downbeat 5 – Smoke & Mirrors (Steel Cage)
Can’t Get Off That Train – The Mezcal Brothers – Go Go Rhythm (Spinout)
Come on Up - Condo Fucks – Fuckbook (Matador)

Playlist for 9/9/09: Shut Your Mouth

It was all instrumental for the first hour this week. Why? Why the hell not? New music this week from Yo La Tengo, the Box Elders and the other new release (in addition to In the Music) from the Trashcan Sinatras. I also did a set in tribute to my North Carolina friend Rick Cornell, the host of the twangin’ and soulful Dirty Laundry who is no longer a DJ at Duke University’s WXDU after 12 years due to a scheduling conflict. His show was previously called Border Radio/Soul City, N.C. and he did a power pop show under the moniker Starry Eyes. Rick’s playlists and suggestions have always provided me with tons of great music to check out and his show will no doubt be missed by many. Here’s hoping he gets back on the air soon.

Download or stream the show right here.

Taking of Pelham 123 - David Shire - The Score (Mojo insert)
The Sound of Soul - Harvey Scales & the Seven Sounds - Love-Itis (Soul-Tay-Shus)
Shake Your Po Po - Earl Carter & The Fantastic 6 – Ol’ Virginia Soul, Vol. 2 (Arcania)
Raisin' Hell - Wild Jimmy Spruill - Scratch 'N Twist: Rare and Unreissued New York Rhythm and Blues 1956-1962 (Night Train)
Untitled Instrumental - Bo Diddley – The Chess Box (Chess/MCA)

Buck Hill - The Replacements - Hootenanny (Twin/Tone)
Bud Nanney Theme - Bottle Rockets – S/T (East Side Digital)
Poppycock - The Derailers – Soldiers of Love (Palo Duro)
Driving to Mexico - Dave Alvin and Steve Berlin - Border Radio OST (Enigma)
Mi Vida Loco (Border Radio Theme) - Dave Alvin - Border Radio OST (Enigma)
Hell of a Woman - Impala - Play R&B Favorites (Estrus)

Cozy Corner – Impala - Play R&B Favorites (Estrus)
Don't Call Me Flyface - The Reekers – Strummin’ Mental Part Three (Link Wraycords)
Ski Storm Pt. 1 - The Snowmen - Shiverin' and Shakin': Hop Rockers & Sleazy Instros (RPM)
Dead by Sundown - Huevos Rancheros - Muerte Del Tore (Mint)
Rumble 69 - Link Wray – Some Kinda Nut - Missing Links, Vol. 3 (Norton)

Cockroach Run - Lafayette "The Thing" Thomas – Stompin’ 2 (Stompin)
Prancing - Billy Peak - Stompin’ 24 (Stompin)
Space Guitar - Johnny "Guitar" Watson – The Very Best of Johnny "Guitar" Watson (Rhino)
Cigarillo - Jack Oblivian - Saturday Night, Part 2 (Big Legal Mess)
Theme for a DJ - Jerry Byrd – mp3

7-inch Six Pack
When I Was Younger - The Shivvers (Fliptop)
I Can't Stop Smiling - Velocity Girl (Sub Pop)
Flank - Red Red Meat (Sub Pop)
Vocal Shrapnel - Archers of Loaf (Alias)
Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Werewolf - Wanda Chrome & the Leather Pharaohs (Splunge)

Nothing to Hide - Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs (Matador)
Are You Really on Drugs - The Clean - Mister Pop (Merge)
Oceans in the Way - Dinosaur Jr.- Farm (Jagjaguwar)
Obscurity Knocks - Trashcan Sinatras - Live Series (Bobame)
Forever Young – Madness - The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Yep Roc)

Border Radio - The Blasters – Live Going Home (Shout Factory)
Dirty Laundry - Curtis Mayfield – Dirty Laundry: The Soul of Black Country (Trikont)
Soul City – Fleshtones – Hitsburg Revisted (Telstar)
Starry Eyes – The Records - D.I.Y.: Starry Eyes - UK Pop, Vol. 2 (Rhino)

Ronald Dean - Box Elders – Alice and Friends (Goner)
Doreen - Muck & the Mires – Hypnotic (Dirty Water)
Shallow Grave – The A-Bones – Not Now! (Norton)
Your Mexican Restaurant - Young Fresh Fellows - I Think This Is (Yep Roc)
So Awesome - The Shazam - Meteor (New Boss Sounds)

Tennessee Fire - The Silos – Cuba (Record Collect)
Lookin for a Thrill - John Paul Keith & The 145’s – Spills & Thrills (Big Legal Mess)
Right on Time - Marshall Crenshaw – Jaggedland (429)
Love's Lost on You - The Grip Weeds – Infinite Soul: The Best of the Grip Weeds (Wicked Cool)

Stay Awake - Mono Men - Stop Draggin’ Me Down (Estrus)
Wreck My Flow - The Dirtbombs - We Have You Surrounded (In the Red)
Wake Up To Rock 'n' Roll - Roky Erickson & The Aliens – Don’t Knock the Rok (Norton)
Hoodlum - Ronnie Dawson – Just Rockin’ and Rollin’ (Upstart)
Shake Walkin- - Mickey Baker – In the ‘50s: Hit, Git and Split (Rev-Ola)
Night Train - Travis Wammack – That Scratchy Guitar From Memphis (Bear Family)

Swingin’ Party: Q&A with the Baseball Project

photo by Vivian Johnson

2008 was a mean year for several music magazines that had at one time or another been kind enough to publish my articles and reviews. No Depression, Country Standard Time, Harp and Pop Culture Press all bid adieu to the paper versions of their publications. No Depression and Country Standard Time live on through the interwebs and Harp has been reborn anew in print as Blurt. Pop Culture Press, meanwhile, I suppose you would say is on indefinite hiatus and could come back as a blog, according to editor Luke Torn.

I completed two articles and a dozen or so reviews for the fall/winter issue of PCP that never was. With the Baseball Project-Minus 5-Steve Wynn tour currently on the road, I figured it would be my last chance to post the Q&A I did with Wynn and Scott McCaughey last summer. The interview doesn’t appear to be ridiculously outdated, and Wynn and McCaughey are indeed blessed with timeless wits, so hopefully you’ll find something to enjoy. Here’s a recent review of their appearance in San Francisco from Magnet.

By Andy Turner
If there were an award for Damn Fun Album of the Year, you can bet the Baseball Project’s Vol. 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails would win it. Featuring the indie supergroup of Steve Wynn, Scott McCaughey, Linda Pitmon and Peter Buck, it’s no lollygagger when it comes to the rock either.

Formed by admitted baseball geeks Wynn and McCaughey, the Baseball Project playfully but passionately plunder the game’s history from the familiar (Jackie Robinson Mark McGwire and Willie Mays) to the less celebrated (the nearly perfect Harvey Haddix and Big Ed Delahanty and his “boozy-bloat tongue”). Along the way, they spin tales of rowdy romps with Jack McDowell, pay tribute to Curt Flood and deliver a wonderfully profane and catchy ode to Ted Williams – all the while providing Cy Young and MVP levels of hooks, playing and energy.

Skippers Wynn and McCaughey talked to PCP recently about laying down a good bunt, the importance of hitting the cutoff and keys to highly effective dugout tirades – or something.

Can you tell me how this went from an idea to reality and how the band members came together?

Steve Wynn: I'd had the idea to do a record about baseball for years and kept talking about it but never going too far beyond that. Linda kept saying, “You have to do this record or at least stop talking about it or else someone will do it before you do.” Well, it turns out that all the while Scott had a similar idea. Our concept and ensuing procrastination met head-on during a fun, drunken party for REM's induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York City last year. We had already met and hung out before but I don't think we each knew that the other was such a big baseball fan. The concept, the partnership and even the execution was born that evening. And we even remembered it the next day.

What were the songwriting and recording processes like? Did you all gel pretty quickly (the album sure sounds like you did)? You also all did a great job balancing the tone of the album between reverential, humorous, insightful, wistful, etc. Is that something you talked about and really strived for or did it happen pretty naturally?

SW: Once you have such a defined concept and such an endless wealth of stories and players and history, the songs almost write themselves. And the stories that we wanted to tell made it easy to set the mood for the song. Ted Williams was a cocky, swaggering guy? Let's give him a faux-Gary Glitter glam tune! Curt Flood's contribution to the game and American history was unrecognized and he was buried without any fanfare from major league ballplayers? He gets a haunting, cautionary tale. See what I mean? Scott and I are already writing volumes 7 and 8.

As far as the baseball stories/legends, were most of the details already in your heads? Did you have to consult books or other sources a lot during the course of writing and recording? Was it hard sometimes to keep your “baseball geek meter” in check with the songs?

SW: Oh, man. The Baseball Geek Meter could have easily been pinned into the red for the entire record. But we tried to concentrate on the things about each player or each story that was more universal. You don't have to care about Sandy Koufax (imagine that!) to wonder what it feels like to walk away from the thing you love when you are still at your peak. I did re-watch the Ken Burns series to get into the mood to write a lot of the songs. That's a great history of baseball. And there was a lot of Wikipedia checking to find out all of the pitchers who threw perfect games for “Harvey Haddix.”

Were any of you baseball standouts growing up or really into playing? What positions did you play? Who are your favorite teams – current or all-time? Who are your favorite current players?

Scott McCaughey: I played Little League in Callfornia, from age 9-12, and, not being a "stand-out" (though I made the All-Star team twice as a catcher at the lower levels), pretty much ended my baseball career before high school. I did play in organized keg leagues in my 20s and 30s, where I was actually a pretty decent fielder, hitter, and drinker. I was also really good at ripping up my knees and elbows – lots of blood the way I played the game!

I follow the A's, Giants, and Mariners pretty heavily. Grew up first as a Giants fan, fill in love with the Swingin' A's when they moved to Oakland , and then gradually fell for the M's during my 25-year stay in Seattle . Willie Mays is probably my all-time favorite player. Of the current crop, I am often in awe of Ichiro and Albert Pujols because of the sheer consistency they've shown so far in their careers. I like the way Aaron Rowand plays the game – really gritty! And this year I'm really excited about Tim Lincecum, the great young Giants hurler.

SW: Different story for me. I never played Little League but I did play a lot of “Over-The-Line” and “500” with my buddies. I was actually a sportswriter for most of my teenage years, dreaming of writing for Sports Illustrated and getting sidetracked in 1977 by punk rock and new wave.

I’m a geographically uprooted turncoat like Scott. Grew up a Dodgers fan in LA and then became a Yankees fan when I moved to New York in 1994. I would say that I'm primarily a Yankees fan now but I sure would love to see Joe Torre beat his old team in the World Series. I dig Torre. I think he is my role model when I'm producing records.

Have you gotten any response from any players or baseball-related folk about the album? Think anyone will want to use your songs for their intro music? A crowd singing along to “Ted Fucking Williams" would be beautiful, don't you think?

SM: Still waiting to hear what Jack McDowell thinks of “The Yankee Flipper”! Hope he likes it! Yeah, I think Young At Heart should do “Ted Fucking Williams” with the Boston Pops.

Do you ever get disgusted with professional baseball when hearing about steroids, exorbitant salaries, etc.? What makes you remain a fan?

SM: Yes, maybe more bored than disgusted. The amazing thing is that the game itself is still so beautiful. While it's changed a lot, there remains some kind of amazing purity in the way it unfolds each time two teams take the field, thousands of times a year.

Any oddball or unheralded players or managers just waiting to be immortalized in song?

SW: There are so many. I've already got some songs about Tim “Rock” Raines and Dizzy Dean for Volume 2. And even though Warren Zevon and Barbara Manning have already done them justice, I think that Bill Lee and Dock Ellis need more songs written about them. Really, there is no end to the inspiring stories, the songwriting fodder in the history of baseball. It's one of the reason that I love the game. More than any other team sport it is a game led by individuals and characters.

Will there be a Vol. 2 and if so, do you see other musicians joining the Baseball Project? Will you tour to support the album at all?

SM: I think Volume 2 will happen. It will hopefully feature Loretta Lynn on the hill, Miles Davis in the dugout, and the Replacements around the horn. Anything can happen!

SW: Maybe we can do a duet of “The Wabash Cannonball” with Dizzy Dean a la Natalie and Nat "King" Cole.

Any general comments you want to add?

SW: Fire Bud Selig! Now!

Playlist for 9/2/09: Back to School (Rodney Dangerfield Sadly Not Included)

School is back in session for many (including teacher me), so I went with the obvious. New music this week from the Rainy Day Saints, Apples in Stereo and the Clean. Next week I think I’ll begin with an hour of all instrumental music – or not. Favorite WMSE library finds were The Turbines’ Last Dance Before the Highway (the nutty “Wah-Hey”) and the excellently rocking “Royal” 7-inch from the Mercy Rule.

Stream or download the show right here.

Going Back to School - the Fleshtones - Take a Good Look (Yep Roc)
Little School Girl - Wild Jimmy Spruill (with Jim and Bob Harrison) - Scratch 'N Twist: Rare and Unreissued New York Rhythm and Blues 1956-1962 (Night Train)
College Man - Billy Lee Riley & the Little Green Men - Red Hot Riley (Sun/Charly)
College Girls - Terry Anderson & the Olympic Ass Kickin' Team -When the OAKTEAM Comes to Town (Doublenaught)
Still in School - NRBQ - Peek-a-Boo: The Best of NRBQ 1969-1989 (Rhino)

If I Can't Come Back - Reigning Sound - Love & Curses (In the Red)
Baby What's Wrong - The Chatham Singers - Juju Claudius (Damaged Goods)
This Isn't Real - Rainy Day Saints - Reflected (Get Hip)
*Shadow Play - Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (Factory)
Rev - Elusive Parallelograms - And Everything Changes (Self-released)

In the Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul - The Clean – Mister Pop (Merge)
In the Music - Trashcan Sinatras – In the Music (Lo-Five)
Later On That Night - The Bats - The Guilty Office (Hidden Agenda/Parasol)
Swimming Against the Tide of Reason – Wreckless Eric - The 2009 Believer Music Issue (Magazine insert)

Taste of Honey - The Exotics - Go Go Guitars (Tiki-Tone)
Minority Report – Los Straitjackets – The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets (Yep Roc)
It's Karate Time - Travis Wammack - That Scratchy Guitar From Memphis (Bear Family)

7-Inch Six Pack
How Does it Feel to Feel - Chopper (Susstones)
Wine, Wine, Wine - Jack O'Fire (Undone)
Indianapolis - Brian Henneman (Rockville)
Royal - Mercy Rule (Faye)
Tall Buildings - Jack Drag (Hep-Cat)
Dumb - The Abraham Lincolns (Making of Americans)

Gun - Uncle Tupelo - Still Feel Gone (Rockville)
Drink Myself to Sleep - Gladys - A Small Season (Coolidge)
Most Every Night - The Starkweathers - 5-Song EP (Faye)
Stayed & Gone - New Town Drunks - The Ballad of Stayed & Gone (Hmm)
Song for Tift Merritt to Sing - Schnitzel - Southbound Freight
Stray Paper - Tift Merritt - Buckingham Solo (Fantasy)

Let it Slide - Mudhoney – Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (Sub Pop)
Interstellar Overdrive - Teenage Fanclub - The King (Creation)
She's Out There - The Fall-Outs - Here I Come and Other Hits (Estrus)
Loose Nut - Black Flag - Loose Nut (SST)
Mudhoney - Teenage Fanclub - The King (Creation)

Ruby - Apples in Stereo - #1 Hits Explosion (Yep Roc)
La Di Da - The Gladhands - La Di Da (Big Deal)
Comedienne - Tripwires - Makes You Look Around (Paisley Pop)
My Danger - Shake Appeal - You're Too Rich (Go-Kart)
Corporation Radar Girl - Blank Stares - All Grown Up (Full-Tilt)

Wah-Hey - The Turbines - Last Dance Before Highway (Big Deal)
Shot Down - the Sonics – Full Force! (Etiquette)
Thunderbird - Nightcaps - Texas Music, Vol. 3: Garage Bands and Psychedelia (Rhino)
Here Comes the Fool – Donoman & The Lakettes – All Tore Up: Unrequited Love, Tormented Romance, Tragedy and Tearjerkers…. 1955-1968 (Bluesbeat)
Homeboy - Mr. Wiggles – Talking Trash: Greasy Rhythm & Blues With Attitude ’54-‘63 (Greasy)

Hello I'm Johnny Credit – Johnny Credit – Plantation Gold: the Mad Genius of Shelby S. Singleton Jr. and Plantation/SSS Records 1967-1976 (Omni)
Piledriver - Dennis The Fox – Yee-Haw! The Other Side of Country (Normal)
Honk Kong Hillbilly (aka Nashville West) – Clarence White - Country & West Coast: The Birth Of Country Rock (Big Beat)

Green Eyes - Husker Du – Flip Your Wig (SST)
Favorite Thing – Replacements – Let it Be (Twin/Tone)
Another Girl, Another Planet – The Only Ones – DIY: Teenage Kicks, U.K. Pop I (1976-79) (Rhino)
Not the Only Girl in Town - Cool Jerks – Cleaned A Lot of Plates in Memphis (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

*by request

Playlist for 8/26/09: Norton Records, The World's Greatest Sinners

New York City’s legendary Norton Records got the I Love My Label treatment this month. For the first time, I dedicated a whole show to one label, and with a catalog like this (look for the link at the top), Norton truly deserves much more than that. I did sets dedicated to the new I Still Hate CD’s Vol. 2 digital-only comp, the 5-LP Benny Joy retrospective, the A-Bones, who have their first new album out in over a decade, and the one-and-only Hasil Adkins, who I appropriately began and ended the show with.
Regrets? I didn’t play nearly enough Link Wray, Andre Williams was recognized only through a Church Keys sample, and I left out T. Valentine, the Flamin’ Groovies and Doug Sahm. There will be a next time. Perhaps when Norton turns 25 in 2011.
For a great interview with Norton co-founder Billy Miller, look here. Miriam Linna, the other half of the Norton dynasty, Miller’s wife and A-Bones drummer, has an excellent blog, Kicksville 66, detailing her wild and wacky experiences after landing in New York City from Ohio in the mid-1970s. Norton also has its own blog and has begun a podcast. Need more Norton? The Hound has great and nutty unreleased Hasil Adkins recordings, here’s the latest news about Norton releases, here’s another interview with Billy Miller from 1996 (I think) that’s interesting despite being apostrophe-free, and check out an interview with the Haze from 1995. Finally, big thanks to Miriam for the extras she put in my recent order after I told her about the show.

Download or stream it right here.

I Love My Label special - Norton Records, New York, NY

The Hunch - Hasil Adkins - Out to Hunch
The Rock-Around - Esquerita - Vintage Voola
Born Bad - Jack Starr - Born Petrified
Drag Strip - The Fender Benders - Some Kinda Nut
Go Go Ferrari - Untamed Youth - Untamed Melodies
Wild Guitar Trailer - Arch Hall Jr. & The Archers - Wild Guitar

I Still Hate CD's: Norton Records 45 RPM Singles Collection, Vol. 2
Go Go Go - Del Tinos
Let's Dance - The Excels
Trick Bag - The Artesians
Study Hall - C.J. & The Casuals
Railroad Jag - The Jaguars

Vendetta - Link Wray - Hillbilly Wolf - Missing Links, Vol. 1
Ale Up - Church Keys - Work With It!
Feelin' Fine - The Alarm Clocks - The Time Has Come
Come on Up - The Jinx - Fort Worth Teen Scene, Vol. 1
Shortnin' Bread - The Ready Men - Get Ready

Gino is a Coward - Gino Washington - Out of This World
You Shouldn't Oughta Done it - Night Owls - The Rock-A-Round
Black Bottom Blues - King Coleman - It's Dance Time
Fishin' Pole - The Mighty Hannibal - Hannibalism
.
7" Six-Pack
Congratulations I'm Sorry - King Khan
Voodoo Woman – Gene Maltais with the Flat Duo Jets
Witch – Stud Cole
A Certain Guy – Mary Weiss
Button Nose – Benny Joy
Rockin' Satellite – The A-Bones

A-Bones
She Sure Could Hypnotize – Not Now
Little Egypt – I Was a Teenage Zombie OST
World's Greatest Sinner – Daddy Wants a Cold Beer
Time Machine – The Life of Riley
Darlene – Free Beer for Life
Cat Nip – Not Now

Benny Joy
Wild Wild Lover - Crash The Party (The Benny Joy Story 1957-61, Vol. 1)
Rebel Rock - Wild Wild Lover (The Benny Joy Story 1957-61, Vol. 4)
Night Owl - Rollin' To The Jukebox Rock (The Benny Joy Story 1957-61, Vol. 2)
Don’t Boo Hoo Mary Lou - I'm Gonna Move (The Benny Joy Story 1957-61, Vol. 3)
Love Zone – Love Zone (The Benny Joy Story 1957-61, Vol. 5)

Wild Weekend - Jon & The Nightriders - Stampede!
Wild Little Willie - The Hesitations - Go! Go! Go! To Surfing School
Eaffin & Surfin' - Ron Haydock - 99 Chicks
Tight-Spot - Paul & The Four-Most - Wolf Call! Tall Cool Ones From the Vaults of Golden Crest
Peppermint Twist - King Uszniewicz & The Uszniewicztones - Twistin' and Bowlin'
Firewater - Premieres - Mad Mike Monsters, Vol. 3

Backseat Boogie - The Dictators – Everyday is Saturday
All Kindsa Girls – The Real Kids – S/T
You Get What You Deserve (live) – Big Star – Nobody Can Dance
Going to a Town - Flat Duo Jets - Introducing the Flat Duo Jets
Nobody Knows (But I Do) – Mary Weiss – Dangerous Game
Cockroach - Charlie Feathers – Wild Side of Life: Rare and Unissued Recordings, Vol. 1

Front Porch Entertainers – The Hentchmen – Three Times Infinity
Why Not Knock Yourself Off? - Figures of Light - Smash Hits!
Step it Up and Go - Rudy Ray Moore – Hully Gully Fever
Hot Lips and Swivel Hips - Gene Rambo & The Flames – Kicksville, Vol. 4

Hasil Adkins
Let’s Do Like We Done – Look at that Caveman Go!!
The Slop – Peanut Butter Rock and Roll
Chicken Flop – The Wild Man
She Said – Out to Hunch
A Fool in this Game – Moon Over Madison
Gonna Have Me a Yard Sale – Acky Breaky Ha Ha Ha