Episodes
Friday Jun 26, 2015
Olympic Mess: Transmission 215, 2015 June 24
Friday Jun 26, 2015
Friday Jun 26, 2015
We'll call this the "phantom limb" show, because that is how I described what I was feeling to a couple of colleagues at the station Wednesday night. Having suddenly--suddenly in public, anyway--shed a lot of my station responsibilities last week, I was still struggling with the psychological adjustment (what else is new?). It was a pretty good show, except for the parts that weren't.
Here's what I mean: sometime in the second hour I was reading my email, and got mentally invested in some conversation about station infrastructure that--you know what?--I no longer have a say in, and also one in which I no longer have a need to convince myself that anyone's listening. I've been doing that sort of thing all week, fortunately--you might say "wisely," or you might not--staying out of things. But at this moment I kind of lost track of the music, which was my reason for being here. Anyway, I'll let you find those special moments. Elsewhere, I find myself dropping personal pronouns, a la the artist formerly known as Walter Kovacs. It was a weird night.
I would promise to do better next time, but we both know what that promise is worth. Let's agree to just grit our teeth and power through. Thanks, as always, for your endurance.
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 June 24, 2100-2300:
- "Tell Me When It's Over" | The Dream Syndicate | The Days of Wine and Roses | Omnivore
- "Fluid Cloak" | Helm | Olympic Mess | PAN
- "God-Box" | The Fall | The Wonderful and Frightening Escape Route To... | Beggars Banquet
- "Say" | The Henchmen | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 4 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Fast Ka" | A.R.Kane | "i" | Rough Trade
- "Silent Running" | OMD | Dazzle Ships | Virgin - Telegraph
- "Samurai Thunder" | Gerry Read | Samurai Thunder | Hoss'd
- "I Don't Want To" | La Casa al Mare | This Astro | Bandcamp self-release
- "Four Inches Above The Knees" | The Blue Vistas | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 4 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "The Gloom" / "Lovelight" | Bnjmn | Air Texture, Vol. IV | Air Texture
- "Twenty Four Hour Dawn" | Blind Idiot God | Before Ever After | Indivisible
- "Checkmate" | The Cavaliers | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 4 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Medicated Yoga" | Lifted | 1 | PAN
- "D.U.B." | UB40 | Geffery Morgan | A & M
- "Transformation" | Valet | Nature | kranky
- "Only As Long As You Want It" | The Ryells Combo | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 4 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Siran Fen" | Bassekou Kouyate + Ngoni Ba | Ba Power | Glitterbeat
- "Genesis" | Hunter/Game | Genesis | Just This
- "Side B" | Natural Magic | Natural Magic | Boomarm Nation
- "My Baby Doesn't Love Me Anymore" | The Couriers | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 4 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Evergreen" | The Brian Jonestown Massacre | Tepid Peppermint Wonderland Volume 2 | A Recordings
- "Leaving You" | The Last Image | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 4 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Lunar Caves" | The Orb | Moonbuilding 2073 AD | Kompakt
- "Le soleil est pre de moi" | Air | Premiers Symptomes | Rhino
- "White Sands Pt. 2" | The Fabulous Three | The Best of the Fabulous Three | Truth & Soul
Tuesday Jun 23, 2015
Don't Hang Around Wondering What To Do: Transmission 214, 2015 June 17
Tuesday Jun 23, 2015
Tuesday Jun 23, 2015
I didn't know it at the time, but this program marked the end of an era. I've stopped being a "management type" at the station and am "just" a regular dj, although here's hoping that if you're reading this, maybe you think I'm special. Does it come across in the program that I've just walked out of a completely exasperating three-hour meeting that deprived me of hope that any of my "issues" would be resolved? It doesn't really sound like it. I do find myself saying things that are probably funny only to me, but what's new?
We could probably say this marks a new phase in the show as well; there was the initial stage when it was just a crazy lark; then the program grew up a bit with the first Hall of Legends interview special, inaugurating a long adolescence. Maybe it's the twilight time now. I feel like I have lived about four years' time in just over two, with everything I've been doing, on air and off, but I didn't really look forward to the endgame.
I feel like the moment I think or say I'm over-dramatizing, the axe will fall. My departure was kind of abrupt, you guys! I may be causing some people a bit of hardship and upset. But they are the grown-ups, the capable ones. I'm counting on them to handle it with maturity and professionalism. Bygones, right? Isn't that how a "wise" person would handle it?
By my count, I did some 300 programs at my old station. Approaching that number at WRFI seems weird; it makes no difference to me that those older programs were three hours, not two. A show is a show. I kind of liken this to a boy playing his dad at basketball--you dream of beating him one day, and when you finally do, it's terrible. You're grown up now, no excuses, this isn't a rehearsal anymore. I feel like if this show's duration exceeds what I did in the past, then this becomes the "real" thing, and not a weird fun reprise with nothing real at stake. But with so much behind me, and with possible retribution and certain managerial incompetence ahead, I feel like I have to think about the end.
Will I make every show count from here on? I think we know my capabilities and focus at this point.
Sorry for such a heavy rant, you guys. Boy, it is hot out these days!
How about that Women's World Cup? Isn't it something? What else can we
talk about?
* Noticed that I did say "Weird Owl" aloud, which sounds like "Weird Al," and didn't remark on it.
** Yes I did go straight from adolescence to decline. Don't we all?
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 June 17, 2100-2300:
- "Maithuna" | High Wolf | Growing Wild | Leaving
- "Valve" | Bailter Space | Tanker / Nelsh | Matador
- "All Is Gone" | The Shade | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey (version)" | Byron Lee & The Dragonaires | Uptown Top Ranking | VP
- "2 x 4" | The Fall | The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall [reissue] | Beggars Banquet
- "Will She Love Me" | The Vespers | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Desert" | Mahk & Morpheus | Desert | Souvenir
- "Reactance" | John Tejada & Arian Leviste | Reactance | Areal
- "How to Be a Musician" | Eddie Day and The Night Timers | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Vegetable Man" | The Mothmen | Pay Attention! | On-U Sound
- "Melting Into Rise" | Ah! Kosmos | Flesh | Denovali
- "They Say" | The In-Set | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Skydancer I / Skydancer II" | Kenton Slash Demon | Skydancer | Future Classic
- "Just Like Me" | The Poverty Five | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "The Secret Society" | ASC | Imagine the Future | Samurai
- "Dark Light" | Tiefschwarz | Left | Watergate
- "Interstellar Skeletal" | Weird Owl | Interstellar Skeletal | A Recordings
- "Suki" | Unrest | Imperial F.F.R.R. [reissue] | Teen-Beat
- "All That I Really Want" | The Tempos | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Cocaine Cat" | Tess Parks & Anton Newcombe | Cocaine Cat | A Recordings
- "Claire" | Tal National | Zoy Zoy | Fatcat
- "No Names Bar" | The Fabulous Three | The Best of the Fabulous Three | Truth & Soul
- "Down to the Sea" | The Fathoms | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Hate Me? You Old!" | Birdstriking | Birdstriking | A Recordings
- "Opportunity" | The Rogues | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Kolor, Pt. 2 - C2 Remix" | Mirko Loko | Kolor | Cadenza
- "Lonely Woman -> Distress Signal" | Band of Colors | not on album | Soundcloud self-release
- "Remember Me" | Jose Padilla | So Many Colours | International Feel
- "It's Me Not You" | The Torques | Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns, Vol. 3 | Crypt | "Physical Evidence"
- "Jarg Armani" | Half Man Half Biscuit | Saucy Haulage Ballads | Probe Plus
- "Lies (Ancient Methods Remix)" | Bourbonese Qualk | Lies (Ancient Methods Edit + Remix) | Mannequin
Friday Jun 19, 2015
U_D_M Detour 12, 2014 October 3
Friday Jun 19, 2015
Friday Jun 19, 2015
[GUEST POST]
Guy LeBatard here, displaced in time and space from the program contained herein. Where these "podcasts" are, my truth is not. Reified me [or is it refried?] sounds fairly decent, though, I can assure you. October is safely in the past, unless there is, a la O'Brien in the Ministry of Love, some alternate universe where the past is still happening.
I do recall vaguely that there was another WRFI program around this time that was venturing into the sort of tunes that I play, and perhaps there has been another one since, but they are no more. And, seemingly, nor is this pop-up show. Certain genres don't seem to get the time and energy to be sustainable. Or maybe the people are the wrong people, though I would hate to think of the folk jockeys as the "right" people. Not even Orwell can make me shudder that effectively.
U_D_M playlist, 2014 October 3, 1900-2000
- "Mystericordia - Rodriguez Jr. Remix" | Igor Vicente | Mystericordia | mobilee
- "Medea" | Solomun | Samson EP | DIYnamic
- "The Tubular Arp" | Skinnerbox | Love Songs For The Broken Hearted Arpeggiator | Treat Your DJ Right
- "On My Mind - Version Three" [with Flava D] | Royal T | On My Mind | Butterz
- "Hot Inside" | Jimmy Edgar | Hot Inside | Ultramajic
- "Drum Program" | Djedjotronic | Drum Program | boysnoize
- "Mesohippus" | Strategy | Pressure Wassure | Peak Oil
- "Charge - Rrose Remix" | CTRLS | Charge | Token
- "Born To Be Alive" | Ken Hayakawa | Take 1 | Romancity
Tuesday Jun 16, 2015
Chasing Voices He Receives in His Head: Transmission 213, 2015 June 10
Tuesday Jun 16, 2015
Tuesday Jun 16, 2015
You would think, after taking a 5-day break, and doing a show in my allotted time instead of "stealing" all the fill-in slots, as I stand accused, the Radio Gods would smile upon me and my humble show-that-at-least-one-person-in-power-thinks-should-not-exist. You would be wrong. Listen, as 60-cycle hum becomes an aesthetic element in your left earbud due to a faulty patch in the studio. Apparently this had metastasized throughout our station's output, so if you were listening on air or on the web you would have heard an even worse version of this. (I've cleaned it up a bit.) (You're welcome.)
The question, "is it worse to have a sonically compromised mixtape that you can actually listen to, or for an episode to go missing so you have to wonder forever what it was really like (e.g. Lost Episode 19)?" is hereby answered, one way or the other.
The Pixies recording featured herein is not the best of their live recordings, but it is a thing. You go to war with the "Physical Evidence" you have, not the "Physical Evidence" you wish you had. I saw this band twice, both times too late in their career arc (and I'm not even taking their comeback into account), and both times were weird times. They did just kind of stand there. Except for Kim, who was replaced mid-set by a roadie in the latter show. I have to say, if I had played in this band I might have been routinely trashed as well. What is the point of this human life if one can't learn empathy?
I don't know why fierce love and high standards must be companions, but apparently they must.
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 June 10, 2100-2300:
- "Mauve" | Guerre Froide | Guerre Froide | Born Bad
- "Tomoko's O" / "Solar Eclipse on a Friday Morning" | Boof | The Hydrangeas Whisper | Bubbletease
- "Black Holes" | LOYOTO | Looking at the Starz | Upon You
- "Pickpocket" | The Late Call | Golden | Tapete
- "Urals" | Walls | Urals | Ecstatic
- "My Father, Tall as Goliath" | Pyramids | A Northern Meadow | Profound Lore
- "Guilt" | Darius Vaikas | Guilt | Best Kept Secret
- "Blue Note" | Antigone | Cantor Dust | Token
- "Satanama" | Darkel | The Man of Sorrow EP | Prototyp
- "History of Man" | Amanaz | Africa | Now-Again
- "June" | Unrest | Imperial F.F.R.R. [reissue] | Teen-Beat
- "The Bain Of Constance" | Half Man Half Biscuit | Urge For Offal | Probe Plus
- "Killing Floor" | The Jimi Hendrix Experience | BBC Sessions | MCA
- "Dial up Doll" | The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion | Freedom Tower - No Wave Dance Party 2015 | Mom + Pop
- "Gigantic" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Crackity Jones" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Something Against You" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Tame" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Wave of Mutilation" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Where Is My Mind" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Ed Is Dead" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Vamos" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Tony's Theme" | Pixies | Death to the Pixies (live disc) | 4AD - Elektra | "Physical Evidence"
- "Quantum Corrections" | Grad_U | Space Explorations | Echocord
- "XMAS_EVET1 N" | Aphex Twin | MARCHROMT30a Edit 2b 96 | Warp
Monday Jun 15, 2015
He Employs All Chances to His Own Advantage: Transmission 212, 2015 June 5
Monday Jun 15, 2015
Monday Jun 15, 2015
SEPTIMANA MIRABILIS BOMBASTICUM draws to a close with an appropriately defiant program. Featured is a (Mickey & the) Milkshakes record, but I seem to have gone out of my way to play instrumental tracks. Do you like singing and lyrics? That's fine--here, have two different versions of "Halloween," swears and all. An intervention may be necessary. I am old and seem to have stopped caring. Perhaps some middle-aged DJ retreat, where motivational speakers and rejuvenating exercises reanimate me with purpose and enthusiasm. I wonder if there is grant funding available for this, and whether I would have to account for the funds disbursed--not that I would ever change my mind or betray anyone's good faith.
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 June 5, 2100-2300:
- "Bull's Nose" | Mickey & The Milkshakes | Talking 'Bout...Milkshakes! | Milkshakes | "Physical Evidence"
- "Naught" | James Welburn | Hold | Miasmah
- "Gales Doc" | Nightingales | Mind Over Matter | Louder than War
- "Shed Country" | Mickey & The Milkshakes | Talking 'Bout...Milkshakes! | Milkshakes | "Physical Evidence"
- "The Devil Threatens Me" | Felix Laband | Deaf Safari | Compost
- "Jelly Roll" | Noahlewis' Mahlon Taits | Gift from Noahlewis' Mahlon Taits | EM
- "Loud Mouth - Rough Mix" | Outros | not on album | self-released
- "Ruhrgebeat" | Mickey & The Milkshakes | Talking 'Bout...Milkshakes! | Milkshakes | "Physical Evidence"
- "(Birtwistle's) Girl In Shop" | The Fall | (We Wish You) A Protein Christmas | Action
- "Sound of My Dub" | Lee "Scratch" Perry | Back On The Controls | Rolling Lion - Upsetter
- "I Say You Lie" | Mickey & The Milkshakes | Talking 'Bout...Milkshakes! | Milkshakes | "Physical Evidence"
- "Papageno 30 Years Later - feat. Waa Industry" | Kolsch | 1983 | Kompakt
- "Cherry Cream On" | Unrest | Imperial F.F.R.R. [reissue] | Teen-Beat
- "Halloween" | Sonic Youth | Bad Moon Rising | Goofin'
- "Retrospection" | A Projection | Exit | Tapete
- "Nothing You Can Say Or Do" | Mickey & The Milkshakes | Talking 'Bout...Milkshakes! | Milkshakes | "Physical Evidence"
- "Halloween" | Mudhoney | Touch Me I'm Sick / Halloween | Blast First
- "You Can't Moan Can You?" | The Wedding Present | George Best [reissue] | Edsel
- "Need" | WhoMadeWho | Ember EP | Get Physical
- "Nevertheless" | The Brian Jonestown Massacre | Tepid Peppermint Wonderland Volume 2 | A Recordings
- "Wheels of Progress" | Blind Idiot God | Before Ever After | Indivisible
- "Love You The Whole Night Through" | Mickey & The Milkshakes | Talking 'Bout...Milkshakes! | Milkshakes | "Physical Evidence"
- "As Above, So Below parts 1-3" | Edward Ka-Spel | 10 to the Power of 9 - Chapter III | bandcamp self-release
Friday Jun 12, 2015
Friday Jun 12, 2015
"I'm doing too many shows," I confessed to Grandpa Catharsis the other day. "I'm worried about running out of music." "Don't let that happen," he told me. "Reach back into the archives. The 90s. Play some Smashing Pumpkins or something." Ouch. I was never a fan and they are not in "the archives." He had to be thinking of DJ Segundo, who was a fan, once. I guess that happens in families.
In high school Segundo and I both did lunchtime shows on the mighty KDHR, an unlicensed radio station that served the school quad and, supposedly, houses within about a 1-block radius (was that even legal? anyway...). His time was later than mine, as I discovered later still; at some point when I was a dj and he was not I borrowed his copy of the 1981-1982 EP to play on my show, without asking. He was quite bemused. With this program I try to repay an old karmic debt.
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 June 3, 2100-2300
- "Drink Up and Be Somebody" | Kinski | 7 (or 8) | Kill Rock Stars
- "Turn the Heater On" | New Order | Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
- "Methods of Dance" | Japan | Gentlemen Take Polaroids | Virgin Japan
- "Fragments of Fear" | In Camera | Era | 4AD
- "The Valley of Songs" | Woo York | The Valley of Songs | Life and Death
- "5-8-6" | New Order | Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
- "H 910" | Automat | Plusminus | Bureau B
- "I.C.B." | New Order | Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
- "No Shade - Rough Mix" | Outros | not on album | self-released
- "Cowboy spaziale" | Piero Umiliani | Tra scienza e fantascienza | We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want
- "Truth" | New Order | Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
- "Itous (live)" | Tamikrest | Taksera | Glitterbeat
- "Run Away from the Sun" | Wetdog | Divine Times | Upset the Rhythm
- "Voice of the Structure" | Blind Idiot God | Before Ever After | Indivisible
- "I Have Four Sons, All Named for Men We Lost to War" | Pyramids | A Northern Meadow | Profound Lore
- "We All Stand" | New Order | Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
- "Gaping Void" | Korablove | Gaping Void | High-Jack
- "Exposure" | Aerosol | Leave | n5MD
- "Bell Slide" | Lifted | 1 | PAN
- "Too Late" | New Order | Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
- "No. 33.1 The Game's Ouverture / No. 33.2 Hawk [Part I] / No. 34 Dove [Part II]" | Terron | Whities 003 | Whities
Thursday Jun 11, 2015
The Disappointment of Positive Thinking: Transmission 210, 2015 June 2
Thursday Jun 11, 2015
Thursday Jun 11, 2015
"It usually sounds a bit better than this," I think I say at one point during this broadcast. In retrospect, I'm finding the whole thing pretty awesome. These mixtapes do serve a purpose after all, even if it is to save me from the ravages of myself.
This is the last of the Tuesday night programs for the time being. When Mr. Fishscales of "Dark Parade" fame cancelled his program, I took the opportunity to return to Wednesday, where Bombast now resides--that night has always felt more natural; I have a sentimental attachment to it since that's where we began; I only moved away from it so that Mr. F could do his program when it might not have been possible otherwise. But good things happened for us on Tuesdays--the Durutti Column, Breathless, and Heidi Berry specials happened on that day, and we spent many a Tuesday night following The Humming Wires, and we will miss that terribly.
Nostalgia--a friend gave me Heart of Darkness when it was current; it was also in heavy rotation on the mighty (and currently embattled) KDVS, as were all the No Trend releases at the time. For me it is really the void that has stared back, and has become a part of me; I don't know what the point would be to owning records if I didn't own this one. Mind you, it's not the only one of its kind, but it is definitely one of that kind. Also, this record will really tell you who your friends are. Hang on to anyone who can sit with you throughout the whole thing.
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 June 2, 2100-2300:
- "Swallowtail - Live" | The Brian Jonestown Massacre | Tepid Peppermint Wonderland Volume 2 | A Recordings
- "Your Love" | No Trend with Lydia Lunch | Heart of Darkness | Widowspeak | "Physical Evidence"
- "The Summer Ends Tonight" | Les Big Byrd | Liquid Sky EP | Hoga Nord
- "Let's Go Psycho" | Jah Wobble | Merry Go Round | Cherry Red
- "Champion Nines" | Unrest | Imperial F.F.R.R. [reissue] | Teen-Beat
- "Summer Will (Nothing Here Now But The Recordings)" | William S. Burroughs | William S. Burroughs - In Dub (Selected by Dub Spencer & Trance Hill) | Echo Beach
- "Nothing Is" | TB | City Girl | Permanent Vacation
- "Aquifer Construct PC287d" | Men In Sheds | Death Stalks the Unwary | self-released
- "Reach" | Aerosol | Leave | n5MD
- "Tear You Apart" | No Trend with Lydia Lunch | Heart of Darkness | Widowspeak | "Physical Evidence"
- "Death Valley '69 (with Lydia Lunch)" | Sonic Youth | Bad Moon Rising | Goofin'
- "Peasantry or 'Light! Inside of Light!' / Lambs' Breath" | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress | Constellation
- "Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft" | The Wedding Present | George Best [reissue] | Edsel
- "Another Face" | A Projection | Exit | Tapete
- "Groovin' with the Aces" | Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces | Dedication of Love | Jazzman
- "For Different Folks" | Nightingales | Mind Over Matter | Louder than War
- "Preservation" | Ssleeping Desiress | Ssleeping Desiress | Onderstroom
- "The Curse" | No Trend with Lydia Lunch | Heart of Darkness | Widowspeak | "Physical Evidence"
- "Unchained Dub" | The Lucid Dream | The Lucid Dream | Holy Are You
- "Got To Get What's Been Forbidden" | Thee Headcoats | The Good Times Are Killing Me | M'Lady's
- "Arterial - MOORS remix" | Lusine | Arterial Reworks | Ghostly International
- "Vision Heat Logotone #4" | Vision Heat | The Chosen Themes - Program I | Root Strata
- "Who's To Say" | No Trend with Lydia Lunch | Heart of Darkness | Widowspeak | "Physical Evidence"
- "Sunday" | Valet | Nature | kranky
Tuesday Jun 09, 2015
Tuesday Jun 09, 2015
Every year, as soon as both of our colleges have held their commencements, Ithaca hosts this mean-spirited little festival celebrating what is "special" about itself, as though being host to an Ivy League school plays no part in the specialness and as though Ithaca, left to its own devices, is somehow a nicer place than one of the nearby financially- and culturally-impoverished rural hellholes you've read about in the story about racist Google searches. As a station we were partnered with this carnival of solipsism this year, such involvement being its own "black hole," as a source close to BOMBAST tells me. But this is my website and I can say what I please about this four-day endurance test--I hate it and prefer to stay indoors. So here I am, spinning some records.
The "Factory Sound" being pretty far from what the Ithaca Festival is about, and this being Martin Hannett's would-be birthday, the show went to some predictable but nevertheless awesome places, segues be damned [I'm looking at you, Slaughter and the Dogs]. Of course the Martin compilation would have been "Physical Evidence," but someone decided that all of Manchester punk needed to be Spotified while I wasn't looking, so I was out of luck. I'm feeling pretty defeated with this whole thing! Anyway, this was a "FTS" program and it came off well.
Somewhere in this archive I spat out some words about Joy Division sounding better live than on record--oh yeah, there it is--but I think I'll go in a different direction here. You could do a lot worse than having to listen to a repeating playlist with "Flight," "Ceremony," "Atmosphere," "Dirty Disco," "For Belgian Friends," and "Transmission" on it. Also, since this was a historical fork in the road, I would prefer it had Factory spent whatever money it would have taken to placate Martin Hannett, so we could have more records, rather than dumping all that money into the Hacienda. And no, I'm not bitter or biased just because I never got to visit.
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 May 31, 2100-2300
- "Nostalgia" | The Chameleons | John Peel Sessions | Blue Apple
- "There Is Only Now" | Souls of Mischief | There Is Only Now (Remix) | Linear Labs
- "Right Here" | Tricky | Adrian Thaws | False Idols
- "Code Ext" | John Tejada | Dramamine | Palette
- "Winter Hill" | A Certain Ratio | To Each... | Universal Sound
- "Voyager" | Rival Consoles | Odyssey / Sonne | Erased Tapes
- "That Girl Suicide" | The Brian Jonestown Massacre | Tepid Peppermint Wonderland Volume 2 | A Recordings
- "Erzulie" | Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart | Redux - Anthology 1978-2015 | 30 Hertz - Cherry Red
- "Rackets" | Royal Family and the Poor | A Factory Quartet | Factory
- "Suspended Sentence" | John Cooper Clarke | Martin | Factory
- "Echtrae" | Lakker | Tundra | R & S
- "1974" | Joey Anderson | 1974 | Dekmantel
- "Gyal Circuit" | SEEKERSINTERNATIONAL | Gyal Circuit | Boomarm Nation
- "Cranked Up Really High" | Slaughter & The Dogs | Martin | Factory
- "Atmosphere" | Joy Division | She's Lost Control | Factory US
- "When Thanksgiving Approaches, I'm Usually In My Third Week Without Release" | Exploring Jezebel | On a Business Trip to London | Blackest Ever Black
- "Nix" | Dawn of Midi | Nix | Erased Tapes
- "For Belgian Friends" | The Durutti Column | A Factory Quartet | Factory
- "Atmosphere" | Brian Harris | Behind the Mask | self-released
- "Phantom" | The Sisters of Mercy | Alice | Merciful Release
- "Barrage" | Blind Idiot God | Before Ever After | Indivisible
- "This Could Be the End" | The Legendary Pink Dots | Asylum | Jnana
Monday Jun 08, 2015
If You're Looking for Me, Thank You: Transmission 208, 2015 May 30
Monday Jun 08, 2015
Monday Jun 08, 2015
By hook or by crook I wound up with an embarrassment of riches, "riches" meaning airtime that no one else wanted [I have never understood free-market economics] and "embarrassment" meaning 4 programs in a span of 5 days, beginning with this program on this day. I don't think there has been a week like this in the history of radio, if I may humbly say so, and it deserved its own special name, in Latin: SEPTIMANA MIRABILIS BOMBASTICUM. For a time I left days 6 and 7 of this miraculous week in the hands of fate, but sure enough, someone bailed out of a program on day 7, so it wound up being a grand total of 5 programs.
I would love to promise that my reign won't feature the caning of children to death, or even medium-scale kleptocracy, but I pride myself on truthfulness. Sure enough, roller derby ended half an hour ahead of schedule on this Saturday night, so here I am stealing more airtime. And, needless to say, USING IT WISELY.
I had meant to play Saqqara Dogs much earlier in my WRFI "tenure," but things happened. Better late than never, I hope? It seemed to work out here.
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 May 30, 2030-2300:
- "Cosmic Power" | Natural Magic | Natural Magic | Boomarm Nation
- "Egbe Mi" | West African Rhythm Brothers | Highlife on the Move: Selected Nigerian & Ghanaian Recordings from London & Lagos 1954-1966 | Soundway
- "Sister" | Saqqara Dogs | World Crunch | Pathfinder | "Physical Evidence"
- "Cold Killer / The Darkest Day / Head Musik / Moonstruck" | The Lucid Dream | The Lucid Dream | Holy Are You
- "Transience" | James Welburn | Hold | Miasmah
- "Kolor" | Mirko Loko | Kolor | Cadenza
- "Now U Talkin' Change, Huh?" | Fontarrian | VLV | Antime
- "Hymnin5" | Karl Hector & The Malcouns | Unstraight Ahead | Now-Again
- "Philip" | Rival Consoles | Odyssey / Sonne | Erased Tapes
- "Nailing Honey to the Bee" | The Brian Jonestown Massacre | Tepid Peppermint Wonderland Volume 2 | A Recordings
- "Outamachek" | Tamikrest | Taksera | Glitterbeat
- "Greenwich Mean Time" | Saqqara Dogs | World Crunch | Pathfinder | "Physical Evidence"
- "Pylon" | Lakker | Tundra | R & S
- "Adam Boyle Has Cast Lad Rock Aside" | Half Man Half Biscuit | Urge For Offal | Probe Plus
- "Brassneck" | The Wedding Present | Bizarro | Edsel
- "African Carnival" | Manu Dibango | Africadelic | Aurora
- "Batman Theme" | The Jam | In the City | Polydor [Japan]
- "Infinity Machines" | Gnod | Infinity Machines | Rocket
- "Shutdown" | Blind Idiot God | Before Ever After | Indivisible
- "Dense from Birth" | Saqqara Dogs | World Crunch | Pathfinder | "Physical Evidence"
- "Last Dance" | XXXY | Last Dance | Rinse
- "climb up eh" | Felicita | Frenemies | Gum
- "The Good Times Are Killing Me" | Thee Headcoats | The Good Times Are Killing Me | M'Lady's
- "Here Comes Everybody" | The Wake | Here Comes Everybody | Factory Benelux
- "Veira" | Dave DK | Val Maira | Kompakt
- "Across the Sky" | Saqqara Dogs | World Crunch | Pathfinder | "Physical Evidence"
- "Roundhouse Blues" | Les Big Byrd | Liquid Sky EP | Hoga Nord
Monday Jun 01, 2015
Like Hypnotizing Chickens: Transmission 207, 2015 May 26
Monday Jun 01, 2015
Monday Jun 01, 2015
"Hey, can you play a chicken song?" asks the caller. "My friend--I'm stoned right now--my friend here is running for city council and wants to make it legal to raise chickens in town." Just a regular night in the radio control booth. We never did get around to pinpointing such a song, by the way, but did settle--later, as this person (let's call him Tom) kept calling, and calling, and calling back--on "Lust for Life," because "it has that beat." Fair enough.
Sometimes new hosts ask if we have a request policy. We don't, although (because?) I am of two different minds about it.
On the one hand, there is that time we received a donation of a couple hundred dollars from a grateful listener because we snuck a random song, completely out of context, into an environmental program on his wife's birthday; even when a trainee says "I don't plan on playing records" (which in a perfect world would be grounds for disqualification) I insist on showing them how, "because you never know when some desperate person is going to offer the station ten thousand dollars if we play a request that will save his marriage."
On the other, for me personally it has to be in context, and something that I could see myself playing if left to my own devices (or have played, like "I Zimbra"). Can you imagine someone calling up a public affairs program, saying, "hey, could you guys take a break from talking about drone warfare and start discussing tax legislation?" It never happens, so, no, I won't be taking detours into Americana just because someone can use a phone.
We depend on people like Tom, though, even if he doesn't give us any money (although he should, as he owns a head shop--yes, that's actually true). You do need to know that someone is out there, listening. And, bless him, he was grateful. "I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart," he gushed at the end of the show, even as I told him I couldn't fit in the fifth thing he tried to have me play. "I'm petting a cat right now."
BOMBAST playlist, 2015 May 26, 2100-2300:
- "Intro" | Sonic Youth | Bad Moon Rising | Goofin'
- "Public Image" | Jah Wobble | Merry Go Round | Cherry Red
- "Leave" | Aerosol | Leave | n5MD
- "Prisoner of the Earth" | William S. Burroughs | William S. Burroughs - In Dub (Selected by Dub Spencer & Trance Hill) | Echo Beach
- "Fantastic Voyage" | David Bowie | Lodger | EMI
- "The Only Repeat" | Prefuse 73 | The Only She Chapters | Warp
- "Asunder, Sweet" / "Piss Crowns Are Trebled" | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress | Constellation
- "Dust Heads" | Les Big Byrd | Liquid Sky EP | Hoga Nord
- "Sundrops" | Kristin Hersh | Sundrops / Cuckoo | Heliospheric | "Parlour of Evidence"
- "The Man that Time Forgot" | Nightingales | Mind Over Matter | Louder than War
- "I Takeskogen" | Trulz & Robin | I Takeskogen | Full Pupp
- "Night Driver" | Blind Idiot God | Before Ever After | Indivisible
- "Lust For Life" | Iggy Pop | Lust For Life | Virgin
- "Recovery (Vessels Remix)" | Rival Consoles | Odyssey / Sonne | Erased Tapes
- "I Zimbra" | Talking Heads | Fear of Music | Sire
- "Duration" | James Welburn | Hold | Miasmah
- "Cuckoo" | Kristin Hersh | Sundrops / Cuckoo | Heliospheric | "Parlour of Evidence"
- "Exodus" | Bob Marley & The Wailers | Legend | Island
- "Final Solution" | Pere Ubu | Elitism for the People 1975-1978 | Fire
- "East Kennet Skies" | July Skies | Dreaming of Spires | Rocket Girl
- "Moon Eye" | Walls | Urals | Ecstatic