radiobombast

Got Aqua Net Bangs, Got Amplifier: Transmission 336, 2017 April 12

Here I am again, trying out this new "actually writing posts" thing, seeing how it works. Feels good so far, so let's continue. This broadcast was one iteration of "our weekly time together" that was made "extra Bombastic" by DJ Andrea's early departure to see a Howie Gelb show. Humbly and accurately I suggested that listeners scoot down to that concert rather than listening to me (I am, after all, on every week, and then some) but this program turned out pretty well! It's an odd mismash of "new" music and "leftovers" from the program two nights prior, but that is kind of the dream, after all: connections between the current and the dated, which only I understand, and not even always.

At nearly three hours in length, this program is a real exercise in doing what I used to do 30 years ago, which Monday's program could not be. 180 minutes is a long time to do radio, you guys. I am totally happy with two hours (even that feels like a lot sometimes). I am well tired by the end of this program, even though it's no later than usual. There's probably some unpacking to do there. Anyway--I can't believe I didn't get to Sisters of Mercy, or Smersh, or (a non-interstitial tune by) zoviet:france on Monday night, so the extra time gave me a chance to rectify these horrible oversights.

BOMBAST playlist, 2017 April 12, 2000-2300:

1. "Let Me Be The One (feat. La Femme D'Argent)" | Behind The Name | Confession | Fauxpas
2. "Under Glass" | The Legendary Pink Dots | Under Glass | Play It Again Sam
3. "Blue Moon" | Breathless | Blue Moon [reissue] | Tenor Vossa
4. "Le Mur Mur Nu" | Soviet France | Fight! | Cathexis
5. "Longue Attent de la Mort" | Mirco Magnani + Ernesto Tomasini | Madame E. | Undogmatisch
6. "Friends Of Mine" | Buzzcocks | Spiral Scratch | Domino
7. "Stop" | Quince | Rif | Something Happening Somewhere
8. "Papal Breakdance" | Psychic TV | Magick Defends Itself | Temple
9. "Throbbing Gristle" | The Brian Jonestown Massacre | Groove Is In The Heart | A Records
10. "Autocrat" | For Against | Echelons | Independent Project
11. "Dronz 1 - Ketter" | Richard Pinhas | Reverse | Bureau B
12. "Lights" | The Sisters of Mercy | Reptile House EP | Merciful Release
13. "Golden Hair" | Intenna | Just for a Life, A Homage to Slowdive | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
14. "Farmers and Villagers Living Within the Shadow of Aerodromes" | July Skies | The English Cold [reissue] | Caroline True
15. "Birdsong (feat Merely)" | Mythologen | Mythologen | Hoga Nord
16. "Four Paths" | K. Leimer | Land of Look Behind | Palace of Lights
17. "Atlantic Verticode" | Babe, Terror | Ancient M'ocean | Phantasy
18. "Untitled" | Charles Noel & Archetype | The Transformation | Indigo Aera
19. "Herman" | Smersh | The Part of the Animal That People Don't Like | Dead Man's Curve
20. "Sicktone - Version 2" | Zos Kia / Coil | Transparent | Cold Spring
21. "Amaris" | Ulrich Schnauss / Jonas Munk | Passage | Azure Vista
22. "Pretty" | Love Tractor | Athens, GA - Inside Out | I.R.S.
23. "Vivid Flu" | Michael Vallera | Vivid Flu | Denovali
24. "The Room" | Marcel Dettmann / Ben Klock | Phantom Studies | Ostgut Ton
25. "Honey Power" | Ceremony feat. Candy | Forever and Again, A Tribute to My Bloody Valentine | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
26. "French Morning" | Specimens | Sculptures | First Terrace
27. "Blackwell Dynonetics" | Jesse Osborne-Lanthier | Unalloyed, Unlicensed, All Night! | Raster Noton
28. "Morning Fog" | Mordecai | Abstract Recipe | Richie Records / Testostertunes
29. "Valerie Verb" | Sparrow Steeple | Steeple Two | Richie Records / Testostertunes
30. "2.36am" | Grey Hairs | Serious Business | Gringo
31. "For David Robert Jones" | William Basinski | A Shadow in Time | Temporary Residence Limited

I am the light, or the idea of it

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Most of the Time I'm Somebody Else's Problem: Transmission 335, 2017 April 10

Welcome to the 30th birthday party for my extremely non-lucrative radio career. I pointed out a few weeks ago that it had occurred to me that this anniversary must be approaching, and that I had sussed out when it had to be (more on this in a minute). But I had not anticipated, at that brainwave's first appearance, that I would actually have a chance to observe the anniversary on air, seeing as how it fell on a Monday night instead of "our regular weekly time together." I was more or less prepared to just post that old show tape and be done with it, but then fate decided to send Roger somewhere other than the Kenny Ritter Memorial Studio on this particular evening, so--as it often happens--I "stepped in." Aside from being a special night, numerically, this is also a rare confluence of circumstances: (a) having access to Surprise Airtime and Knowing What To Do With It--I notice that on the last TWO iterations of April 23, I have filled in for someone without managing to do anything for David Gedge's birthday (or William Shakespeare's, for that matter); and (b) having the aforementioned Surprise Airtime at a suitable hour for me to drag my old-ass body down to the station and actually conduct whatever needed to be conducted (still feeling guilty about flaking on Andrew Eldritch).

I started to write this post, and then abandoned it for nearly a month. This probably deserves unpacking, but the time will never come. Odds are, I wanted to discuss circumstances and atmosphere, since, aside from a handful of actual records that I used to play, that's what I carry with me from Spring Quarter 1987. You might think this constituted "traveling light." You would be wrong.

As I mention during the program, the first dozen or so broadcasts I did at KDVS were from 3 to 6 in the morning, that being the standard "debut" slot for a new DJ. Even this undesirable shift resulted from a six-month process of dues-paying, attrition, "extreme vetting," and a bit of training and soundchecking here and there. I have no recollection of how I stayed awake until 3am, and would have to guess that it was 99% "being 18 years old" that did the trick. I do recall the oddity of having a key to Freeborn Hall (the student union, effectively) but not to the station itself (I guess we took security more seriously than the University for some reason). If I'm not mistaken I still have that Freeborn key. Wonder if it still works.

A persistent memory: leaving the building after my program and being greeted by sunlight, which was super-weird. Going back to my dorm room and crashing for several hours (perhaps I didn't have class on Fridays? It probably wouldn't have mattered). Already I was becoming isolated from people--maybe on account of my radio activities, or trying to do music of my own. I don't remember, other than that fights and silences that I didn't understand were piling up quickly, and that this three hours a week of panicked improvisation was really the closest thing to "fun" that I was having. Sometimes I think it was ever thus!

Since I didn't plan this anniversary program either, other than picking the records I brought down to the station, there were some oversights, which I would address in the next regular Wednesday broadcast. There are probably many stories to tell about individual songs and the people of whom they remind me, but it's all gossip. I'll make a general observation sandwiched in between two specific ones. First, it really upsets me that I botched the beginning of the LKJ tracks. That's a thing that never used to happen when I was 18 and competent, and I commit these errors all the time now. Representationally--this broadcast isn't nearly as Wax Trax-y as the first KDVS programs were, which is sort of a beautiful lie; it's also devoid of 4AD content, which is also nice--that would soon be an obsession of mine, but not yet. Finally, Cabaret Voltaire--I can't tell you how much time I spent in the listening rooms, during my "probationary" period, spinning Cabs records. Particularly Voice of America, though for my programs I tended to prefer the ones with heavier drums. I have a very clear memory of listening to VOA while weaving a "friendship bracelet"--but for whom? Did I ever even give it away? Seems like a pretty loaded image.

Thanks for being my friend.

BOMBAST playlist, 2017 April 10, 1900-2100:

1. "Clustering Train" | The Golden Palominos | Visions of Excess | Celluloid
2. "Michael Jackson" | Negativland | Escape from Noise | SST
3. "Qaf Harpy" | Click Click | Fight! | Cathexis | "Physical Evidence"
4. "The Human Jungle" | The Jazz Butcher | The Human Jungle | Glass
5. "Dance of Framin" | Tiokoala | Fight! | Cathexis | "Physical Evidence"
6. "Reality Poem" / "Wat About Di Workin Claas?" | Linton Kwesi Johnson | In Concert with the Dub Band | LKJ Records
7. "Hazey Daze" | Chris & Cosey | Reflection | Wax Trax!
8. "Amputate" | Project GK | Fight! | Cathexis | "Physical Evidence"
9. "The Milkman of Human Kindness" | Billy Bragg | Life's a Riot / Between the Wars | Cooking Vinyl
10. "Out on Your Own" | Easterhouse | Contenders | Columbia
11. "The Pilgrims Progress" | Clair Obscur | Fight! | Cathexis | "Physical Evidence"
12. "Kundalini" / "Vegas El Bandito" | 23 Skidoo | Seven Songs | Ronin
13. "Bela Lugosi's Dead" | Bauhaus | Bela Lugosi's Dead | Small Wonder
14. "Thumbs of a Murderer" | Shockheaded Peters | Fight! | Cathexis | "Physical Evidence"
15. "Israel" | Siouxsie and the Banshees | Nocturne | Polydor
16. "Teen Love" | No Trend | Teen Love | No Trend
17. "T.V. Mind (It's In My Brain Version)" | Revolting Cocks | Fight! | Cathexis | "Physical Evidence"
18. "Uncorrected Personality Traits" | Robyn Hitchcock | I Often Dream of Trains | Midnight Music
19. "Get Out of My Face" | Cabaret Voltaire | 2 x 45 | Rough Trade

sweat and dirt and sloping shoulders

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Break Every Chain and Relieve All Your Pain: Transmission 334, 2017 April 5

I've been feeling existential about the program for the last couple of months. It's been longer than most such phases, or so it seems to me. Aging probably has much to do with it--increased consciousness, sadness, and anger about the passing of time, and questioning which uses of time are really worthwhile, whatever that means. THE age probably has a bit of influence here--wondering whether I am accomplishing anything with these weekly hullabaloos, or if the escape-ism is enough, or if any escape could be. Nevertheless, I press on.

"The Killing of America": it me, I'm helping to do it.

Serendipitously, I find myself playing a tune called "empty rituals." "It hasn't been for me," I say, perhaps thinking wishfully? I can't imagine not doing this week after week. It must mean something.

BOMBAST playlist, 2017 April 5, 2100-2300:

1. "InterOuterNational" | Seekers International | Presents the RaggaPreservation Society EP | Diskotopia
2. "Must Be A Dream / Dreaming (Dub)" | Bim Sherman Meets Horace Andy and U. Black | In A Rub-A-Dub Style | Original Music | "Physical Evidence"
3. "DRY" | Robert G Rough | WET|DRY | digitalDIZZY
4. "Bright Red" | December | Bright Red | Mannequin
5. "Lamb of Judah / Judah (Dub)" | Bim Sherman Meets Horace Andy and U. Black | In A Rub-A-Dub Style | Original Music | "Physical Evidence"
6. "Double Edge Sword Dub" | Jay Glass Dubs | New Teeth for an Old Country | Bokeh Versions
7. "Off Your Face" | Power Pyramid | Forever and Again, A Tribute to My Bloody Valentine | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
8. "Sailor Moon" | Gudrun Gut | Instrumentals for Sirens | Moabit
9. "Unruh" | Vermont | II | Kompakt
10. "Dread Pan Some / Dread (Dub)" | Bim Sherman Meets Horace Andy and U. Black | In A Rub-A-Dub Style | Original Music | "Physical Evidence"
11. "The Killing of America" | Uniform | Wake in Fright | Sacred Bones
12. "Waiting For The Fun" | Annie Anxiety | Soul Possession [reissue] | Dais
13. "In The Park" | The Ludvico Treatment | Colors Compilations - Red "Shoegaze" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
14. "TT" | Jaws | Object Dom | Hundebiss
15. "Power Chant / Chant (Dub)" | Bim Sherman Meets Horace Andy and U. Black | In A Rub-A-Dub Style | Original Music | "Physical Evidence"
16. "Eseme Ikpong" | Chief Inyang Henshaw & His Top Ten Aces | Calabar-Itu Road: Groovy Sounds from South Eastern Nigeria (1972-1982) | Comb & Razor Sound
17. "Mogador Moon" | Eric Random & The Bedlamites | Ishmael | Klanggalerie
18. "Take A Chance On Me" | Abba | The Definitive Collection | Polar / UTV | "Listening Parlour"
19. "The Burning Fields" | Meatbodies | Alice | In The Red
20. "In The Darkest Night" | Plasticstatic | Colors Compilations - Grey "Post Punk" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
21. "Excerptz" | Snad | Psychic Advisor | Smallville
22. "If I Can Make It / Make It (Dub)" | Bim Sherman Meets Horace Andy and U. Black | In A Rub-A-Dub Style | Original Music | "Physical Evidence"
23. "Empty Rituals" | Naaahhh | Themes | Blackest Ever Black

hazey daze and thoughts familiar

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U_D_M Detour 23, 2016 November 6

[GUEST POST]

Guy LeBatard here, after a long absence, about which I can say I hope we didn't miss each other too much. In the fall, I somehow drifted once again into a semblance of "commitment" to a radio program at a certain time. So here I present the first such excursion. It certainly has the feel of a different time, one might say a "lost time," but nothing compared to the current "lost time." If that means anything.

Things are difficult south of the border, I know--you should (always) already know that you are welcome in my squat up north any time, that is, if you can find it. Or you can stay put and listen to this "podcast." Or you can listen while traveling. On this date I was obsessed, seemingly, with "Deep Love." It was a question in a bygone time: how deep is my love? As shallow or as deep as you like. It's not for me to say.

U_D_M playlist, 2016 November 6, 1700-1800:

1. "Go (Loco Dice Mo' Strings Remix)" | Moby | Go (Loco Dice Remix) | Desolat
2. "Act 2 / Dominas" | Carl Craig | More Songs About Food and Revolutionary Art | SSR
3. "Tori Karaage" | Detroit Swindle | Deep Love 100 | Dirt Crew
4. "Boiling" | good guy mikesh | Deep Love 100 | Dirt Crew
5. "Heaven & Earth - Part 1" | Paul Woolford | Heaven & Earth | Aus
6. "Chemicality" | La Fleur | Cocoon Compilation P | Cocoon
7. "Casino - Trev'dub" | Trevino | Casino | Aus
8. "Ice Fractions 1B - Remix" | Silvershower | Ice Fractions 1 Remixes | Montage
9. "Blvd." | Huerta | Deep Love 100 | Dirt Crew

Psycho Hub is right

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What He Knows You Ain't Had Time To Learn: Transmission 333, 2017 March 29

Unlike the previous program, I do remember why I did this one. It was my regular time slot. No, but really, I quivered with anticip-p-pation for this program, because I was featuring one of my favorite records, the Audio-Visual compilation on the mighty Sweatbox label. Why the record is so special is something of a mystery, but I will endeavor to unravel it (WARNING: in the unravelling, there might come learning, which I promise is unintentional).

This is going to seem like a backhanded compliment but Audio-Visual didn't draw me in too far, unlike a Compilation To Be Named Later which I hope to feature soon. Maybe because I'd already been lured down the rabbit hole by that other compilation, I could appreciate what is absolutely terrific about this record: awesome tunes, that sounded like various permutations of What I Wanted To Be; cool graphics; inspirational reading [the Blurt and A Certain Ratio interviews in the accompanying zine still entertain, three decades later]. I say "absolutely" because I am sure that this comp was good enough to lead some poor souls, god help them, down the aforementioned rabbit hole, where a Label becomes an aspiration or Way of Life. Is it simply a matter of being not quite great enough or not early enough to be formative? Is there some kind of Compilation Laffer Curve whereon a line of Diminishing Return indicates declining lifetime enjoyment of a given collection? There could be a dissertation in this. Is this possibility to be embraced or feared?

Ah, it is probably just baggage.

BOMBAST playlist, 2017 March 29, 2100-2300:

1. "Dizzyspells" | Tangible Rays | New Adventures of TBTCI | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
2. "Tearz" | El Michels Affair | Tearz / Verbal Intercourse | Big Crown
3. "They're Biting" | A Primay Industry | Audio Visual | Sweatbox | "Physical Evidence"
4. "Viewpoint" | Multicast Dynamics | Continental Ruins | Denovali
5. "Sea of Lost Hopes" | Cindytalk | The Labyrinth of the Straight Line | Editions Mego
6. "Mma Ama Mbo" | Mari Afi Usuah & The South Eastern State Cultural Band | Calabar-Itu Road: Groovy Sounds from South Eastern Nigeria (1972-1982) | Comb & Razor Sound
7. "They Played in the Harvest Fields At Dusk" | July Skies | The English Cold [reissue] | Caroline True
8. "Come In Alone" | Citrus Clouds | Forever and Again, A Tribute to My Bloody Valentine | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
9. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" | Mrs. Miller | Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits | Capitol | "Listening Parlour"
10. "Bzw" | Ettinger | Sammlung (Elektronische Kassettenmusik, Dusseldorf 1982-1989) | Bureau B
11. "Slow" | Coloring Electric Like | Forever and Again, A Tribute to My Bloody Valentine | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
12. "Umbwalwa Ne Chamba" | Peace | Black Power | Now-Again
13. "Alison" | Fawns of Love | Just for a Life, A Homage to Slowdive | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
14. "Motor City Nightmare" | Hula | Audio Visual | Sweatbox | "Physical Evidence"
15. "Don't" | Dyr Faser | Trio | Bandcamp self-release
16. "Catch the Breeze" | The City Gates ft. Krissy Vanderwoude | Just for a Life, A Homage to Slowdive | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
17. "Ha (Original Mix)" | The Anti Group | Audio Visual | Sweatbox | "Physical Evidence"
18. "Old No 7" | Hey Colossus | Dedicated To Uri Klangers (2003-2013) | Mie
19. "Healing Feeling" | Tornado Wallace | Lonely Planet | Running Back
20. "Lost Gems" | Silence In The Snow | Colors Compilations - Grey "Post Punk" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
21. "Gravespit" | Blurt | Audio Visual | Sweatbox | "Physical Evidence"
22. "Side Of Golden You" | AMyn | Best Heard In Shadows EP | Apollo
23. "Digital Botanics" | Odeko | Digital Botanics / Construct Conduct | Gobstopper
24. "Intensidade" | Abrao | Abrao | Garzen
25. "Xanthippe" | Ice Eyes | New Frame | Seagrave
26. "Bearing and Writhe" | Oto Hiax | Oto Hiax | Editions Mego
27. "Sounds Like Something Dirty" | A Certain Ratio | Audio Visual | Sweatbox | "Physical Evidence"
28. "500 Models (Demo Mix)" | Joris Voorn | The Transformation | Indigo Aera
29. "Hatsunori" | Marconi Union | Tokyo+ | Just Music
30. "118 / 2" | Cummi Flu / Raz Ohara | Y | Album Label

dubious prominence

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Arrive from Nowhere and Go Straight Back There: Transmission 332, 2017 March 28

Confession time: I often play the "I don't recall" game with these mixtapes if enough time has passed, and I'm often exaggerating. The memories are there; either I lack the will or energy to retrieve them, or I deem them too dull to recount here. Which, given the average quality of my posts, is saying QUITE A BIT. This broadcast, though, is a more profound and truer case. Not only do I not know why I did this program, I didn't know why I was doing it when I did it!

Hope you find it enjoyable!

Anyway--in "seriousness"--there is some stuff here that should be spread more widely than I can spread it, and which I've kind of neglected. Which "might" be stretched into an excuse for this weird, early-evening excursion. So big ups and apologies to G.S. Schray, Whore Paint, Blown Out, Ben Frost, and July Skies. "The rest shall keep as they are."

BOMBAST playlist, 2017 March 28, 1900-2100:

1. "Boredom" | Jack Ketch and the Crowmen | Brimfull of Hate | M'Lady's
2. "The Zion Terrorist" | Muslimgauze | Jerusalaam | Staalplaat
3. "Muhajirun" | Alter Echo & E3 | Family Album 2017 | Boomarm Nation
4. "I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It)" | The Age of Colored Lizards | Forever and Again, A Tribute to My Bloody Valentine | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
5. "Phase II" | Blown Out | New Cruiser | Riot Season
6. "Hey Joe" | Azna de L'Ader | Agrim Agadez: Musique Guitare De La Republique Du Niger | Sahel Sounds
7. "Bring On The Dancing Horses" | The Electric Lazarus | Gods Will Be Gods - A Reverence To The Bunnymen | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
8. "My Boyfriend Went To New York And He Didn't Invite Me" | Milk Toast | CD16 | Impermeable
9. "The Unused Detail" | G.S. Schray | Gabriel | Last Resort
10. "Atak Mfat Eyen" | Sunny Risky & The Vitamin Explosion | Calabar-Itu Road: Groovy Sounds from South Eastern Nigeria (1972-1982) | Comb & Razor Sound
11. "Emergence" | Noveller | A Pink Sunset For No One | Fire
12. "I See You've Washed Your Hands Again" | Ben Frost | The Wasp Factory | Bedroom Community
13. "Mossadegh's revenge for 52" | Saint Abdullah | Family Album 2017 | Boomarm Nation
14. "Avant-Garde" | Beate Bartel | Instrumentals for Sirens | Moabit
15. "Hibernation" | Pipe's Not Dead | Colors Compilations - Violet "Dreampop" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
16. "Waste" | Whore Paint | Ultra Sound | Translation Loss
17. "Motorbath" | Soft Error | Mechanism | Village Green
18. "Fallen to Earth, Pt. II" | Paul H. Williams | Fallen to Earth | The Wormhole
19. "Seventh Sun" | Camu | Family Album 2017 | Boomarm Nation
20. "Toree Bahrstad" | Ryan James Ford | Realm of Consciousness | Afterlife
21. "Wish I Was Dead" | Spationauts | Colors Compilations - Orange "Psychedelic" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
22. "Breach" | A Projection | Framework | Tapete
23. "Trans-pop express II" | Avec le soleil sortant de sa bouche | Pas pire pop (I Love You So Much) | Constellation
24. "Quirly Stu" | Leroy | Bambadea | Schamoni
25. "Holidays to Wales" | July Skies | The Weather Clock | Caught By the River
26. "Venus" | This Blinding Light | Colors Compilations - Orange "Psychedelic" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
27. "Paradise Syndrom" | Savas Pascalidis | Breakaway | I/Y

It was my own brainwave

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This Is The Day Someone Remembers What You Said: Transmission 331, 2017 March 22

One of the functions of this program, I have learned, is to teach me to appreciate what I have. Long ago I bought the "Peel Sessions" EP by The Mighty Wah!--because I will buy just about any Peel Session--and was, how shall we say this, underwhelmed. BUT that was a previous life--during graduate school, or the tenure chase, I am sure--and I am 100% certain I was out of my mind and unable to listen properly. Currently, I am still out of my mind, but a better listener. And wouldn't you know it--I find myself enjoying these tunes.

So, since this airdate was Pete Wylie's birthday, according to my long list of birthdays, why not give this a spin? As the kids are wont to say, #YOLO. Looking back, I realize I started some station beef on this day by cracking wise about a conspiracy theorist who fancied himself qualified to be our news director. Life is about stupid risks! Increasingly so, as it is getting shorter and shorter, now that our healthcare system is a smoldering ruin. Look for me to play whatever I want and start hella beef in the near future!

BOMBAST playlist, 2017 March 22, 2100-2300:

1. "Won't Forget to Die" | Aquarian Blood | Last Nite in Paradise | Goner
2. "Altogether" | Basic Nature ft. Adrian (Black Cloud) | Just for a Life, A Homage to Slowdive | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
3. "Yuh Learn" | The Mighty Wah! | The Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
4. "Tehilim" | Yotam Avni | Tehilim | Stroboscopic Artefacts
5. "Landfill" | E.Bias | Emmanuel Bias | Kick & Clap
6. "Is This Music" | Waitress | TBTCI loves TFC | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
7. "Art School Confidential" | Punctuation Club | CD16 | Impermeable
8. "Better Scream" | The Mighty Wah! | The Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
9. "The Prophet Sequence" | Shackleton / Vengeance Tenfold | Sferic Ghost Transmits | Honest Jon's
10. "Organ Loops" | Specimens | Sculptures | First Terrace
11. "Planet" | Current 93 | Honeysuckle Aeons [reissue] | Coptic Cat
12. "Empty Morning" | Lake Ruth | Colors Compilations - Violet "Dreampop" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
13. "Luger" | Sonic Deception | Ghost Army | Radio Bongo
14. "Weekends" | The Mighty Wah! | The Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
15. "Herzog on a Bus" | Soft Grid | Corolla | Antime
16. "Dagger" | Scarlina | Just for a Life, A Homage to Slowdive | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
17. "Prelude" | Hecker | A Script for Machine Synthesis | Editions Mego
18. "Foul Play" | Lillet Blanc | CD16 | Impermeable
19. "Let's Go" | Tristesse Contemporaine | Stop and Start | Record Makers
20. "Basement Blues; The Story Of The Blues" | The Mighty Wah! | The Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit | "Physical Evidence"
21. "Paco" | Claude Rodap | Beletronic | Rush Hour
22. "Go Again" | Jawbones | High And Low And Low And High | 8MM
23. "Shine" | Plant Cell | Just for a Life, A Homage to Slowdive | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
24. "Red Chevrolet" | Butch Hancock | Split & Slide II | Rainlight | "Listening Parlour"
25. "Dance" | Chi | The Original Recordings | Astral Industries
26. "Oiseaux de proie" | Alcest | Kodama | Prophecy
27. "No Id - Slamboree Remix" | Zion Train | Versions | Universal Egg
28. "Room 69" | Kian T | Room 69 | Toy Tonics

I can feel it but I can't see it

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Recognize Your Perfection: Transmission 330, 2017 March 15

Seems like "we" just (relatively speaking) "spoke." But here we are again, with another mixtape and another series of things that don't quite rise to the level of "thoughts." It was fun, listening back to this program on a warm day--at the time of broadcast it was rather cold, as we had just endured a blizzard of semi-historic proportions. Our local Ivy League institution, which--you will never be this macho--"never" closes, actually cancelled classes, events, and staff work for 28 hours. And not a moment too soon--they made the announcement in the middle of the workday, after people had already risked their safety getting to campus. Anyway.

More pertinent to us, and our shared love of tunes, it was the Ides of March. I am too lazy to look this up at the moment, but I am not sure I have done a WRFI program on this calendar date before. And what better to feature than a Thee Mighty Caesars record? I am nothing if not groaningly obvious. Thankfully, Lady Catharsis is also part of our crew, and her selection gives us a break from the inevitability of everything.

BOMBAST playlist, 2017 March 15, 2100-2300:

1. "Modern Day Virgin Sacrifice" | Alice Bag | Alice Bag | Don Giovanni
2. "Ten Bears of the Comanches" | Thee Mighty Caesars | Caesars Remains | Hangman | "Physical Evidence"
3. "Cut Me Loose" | Lady Wray | Queen Alone | Big Crown
4. "In a Hole" | Mordecai | Abstract Recipe | Richie Records / Testostertunes
5. "Los dias" | Eva & John | CD16 | Impermeable
6. "I'm the unknown" | Cavern of Anti-Matter | I'm the unknown | Duophonic
7. "Da Capo Al Coda" | Taso | New Start | Teklife
8. "Death of a Mighty Caesar" | Thee Mighty Caesars | Caesars Remains | Hangman | "Physical Evidence"
9. "Ily" | Mythologen | Mythologen | Hoga Nord
10. "Melody's Actual Echo Chamber" | The Brian Jonestown Massacre | Open Minds Now Close | A Records
11. "I Just Wanna Make Love To You" | Thee Mighty Caesars | Caesars Remains | Hangman | "Physical Evidence"
12. "Shrine" | Ian Boddy | As Above So Below | DiN
13. "AmenBreadren (feat. Sipreano)" | Seekers International | Presents the RaggaPreservation Society EP | Diskotopia
14. "Expressway" | Simic | COROT-7b | Acid Camp
15. "Cadalina" | Thee Mighty Caesars | Caesars Remains | Hangman | "Physical Evidence"
16. "Intervention Sol" | Ulrich Schnauss / Jonas Munk | Passage | Azure Vista
17. "I Will Get Numb" | The Us | Colors Compilations - Violet "Dreampop" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
18. "Defect" | Benoit Pioulard | The Benoit Pioulard Listening Matter | kranky
19. "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" | Thee Mighty Caesars | Caesars Remains | Hangman | "Physical Evidence"
20. "The Colorful Dreams of the Cross Dressing Killer" | The Bunny Tylers | Glitches and Drones 2013-2016 | Ruptured
21. "Dreams Burn Down" | Ten Million Lights | Colors Compilations - Red "Shoegaze" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
22. "Budget Dancehall (SKRS Dub I-Wah)" | Elite Beat | Family Album 2017 | Boomarm Nation
23. "The Swag" | Thee Mighty Caesars | Caesars Remains | Hangman | "Physical Evidence"
24. "On Thin Ice" | Eric Random & The Bedlamites | Ishmael | Klanggalerie
25. "Two Whoops And a Holler" | Jean Shepard | Hillbilly Music... Thank God! Vol. 1 | Bug / Capitol | "Listening Parlour"
26. "Turquoise Days" | Melampus | Gods Will Be Gods - A Reverence To The Bunnymen | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
27. "Better Off Dead" | Thee Mighty Caesars | Caesars Remains | Hangman | "Physical Evidence"
28. "Anderes Osterlied" | Fragile | That's Desire / Here We Are EP | Fragile
29. "Keep Your Hands Off My Child" | Thee Mighty Caesars | Caesars Remains | Hangman | "Physical Evidence"
30. "New Cruiser" | Blown Out | New Cruiser | Riot Season
31. "Aerug" | Pharmakustik | Pulsed Lavage | No.

mixed with the legends of stars

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Can Your Mind Travel Dimensions That Far: Transmission 329, 2017 March 10

It has been a while. It has always been a while; it will always be a while. But we return, with exactly what you demand from the internet: content. This program came a couple of days after a "regularly scheduled" one, which either excuses more sloppiness or unleashes an unusual degree of competence. Listening to this again, I think it is the latter. That is what feels like the truth, anyway.

Things "hung together" more than usual on this night, in both "content and technique." I remember receiving an in-show phone call from our general manager to discuss some unrelated things. He relayed some kudos, and we never look sideways at praise from Caesar. He was also concerned about some foul language in the program, but then remembered it was after 10pm, so all was "good." Whew!

I really did not want to talk much on this Friday night--basically life in microcosm these days. It means either something very good or very bad.

BOMBAST playlist, 2017 March 10, 2100-2300:

1. "Glossolina" | Jaws | Object Dom | Hundebiss
2. "Sawara" | Le Motel | The Gold Play | Tangram
3. "Zombie Stomp" | OvO | Creatura | Dio Drone
4. "Yelen" | Luka Productions | Fasokan | Sahelsounds
5. "Lose My Breath" | Astral Lite | Forever and Again, A Tribute to My Bloody Valentine | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
6. "Baptism of Fire" | Zos Kia | Transparent | Cold Spring
7. "As One" | Mustard Gas And Roses | Becoming | The Mylene Sheath
8. "Das Haus" | Clemens K. | Reverie | Moody
9. "The Village" | Leroy | Bambadea | Schamoni
10. "Punctual Sleepy Soft Power" | Sendai | Ground and Figure | Editions Mego
11. "Articles of Secession" | Ithaca Psychogeographic Liberation Front | Articles of Secession | Bandcamp self-release
12. "Festus" | Camera | Phantom of Liberty | Bureau B
13. "Motto" | Francois Virot | Marginal Spots | Born Bad
14. "Sankt" | Vit Fana | Irrgang | Northern Electronics
15. "Cloudless Climes and Starry Skies" | July Skies | The English Cold [reissue] | Caroline True
16. "Sometimes" | Tonemirror | Forever and Again, A Tribute to My Bloody Valentine | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
17. "Koudedazamin" | Tinariwen | Live in Paris | Wedge
18. "Dronz 2 - End" | Richard Pinhas | Reverse | Bureau B
19. "Salamanders" | frank Hurricane | Mountain Brew Light | Feeding Tube
20. "The State I'm In" | Josefin Ohrn + The Liberation | The State (I'm In) | Rocket
21. "Bags" | Public Image Ltd | Album | Universal
22. "Runaway" | Brian Harris | The Macaw In The Park | self-released
23. "Gellow Mold" | The Prefab Messiahs | Colors Compilations - Orange "Psychedelic" | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
24. "No More Dreams VII" | 1991 | No More Dreams | No More Dreams
25. "Prologue" | Mirco Magnani + Ernesto Tomasini | Madame E. | Undogmatisch
26. "Wyatt's Inspection" | Anthony Child | Electronic Recordings from Maui Jungle, Vol. 2 | Editions Mego
27. "40 Days" | The Cigarettes | Just for a Life, A Homage to Slowdive | The Blog That Celebrates Itself
28. "Observatorio" | Toilettes | CD16 | Impermeable
29. "Turkey Girl" | Annie Anxiety | Soul Possession [reissue] | Dais
30. "Two Voices" | K. Leimer | Land of Look Behind | Palace of Lights
31. "Silicon Chip" | Basil Kirchin | Silicon Chip | Trunk
32. "Broken and Bad" | Coldharbourstores | Wilderness | Enraptured
33. "Dreaming of You" | Ivy's Void | Ivy's Void | Oraculo
34. "The Sign (feat Halibab Matador)" | LoneBlue | The Gold Play | Tangram
35. "Canopy Days" | You Still Have Friends | The Never Years | M.I.S.T.
36. "Lost in Progress" | Simonn | Lost Journey EP | Night Tide

just when the thought occurs, the panic will pass

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I'm Barely Moving, I'm Steady Motion: Transmission -7, 1989 June 30

Dear friends,

About a month ago it struck me that I was approaching the 30th anniversary of my first solo program on college radio. After consulting the college catalog and ye olde internet, I deduced that I must have debuted on April 10, 1987. So here we are.

I'll have more to say about that when I post the sound file of the program I'm doing tonight, but because I enjoy punishment, I went up to the attic this past weekend and found an old show tape. It isn't the debut program, or even one from that academic term, or EVEN one from that calendar year, but it seems to capture some of the spirit of "young me" and that time. At least it will have to, because it's the oldest show tape I have!

It's summer, 1989, and I am 20 years old. I sound it! (Though I think maybe the cassette is playing a tiny bit faster than normal speed.) I also sound nervous and out of breath every time I speak, and self-critical without the self-effacing humor which is my trademark. What was happening to me? I almost never had any kind of plan back then; I would usually bring a small handful of my own records (and it was all records--we didn't bring CD players on board until about 1991, I think)--always including a few compilations--and then make decisions on the fly, running back and forth between the library (a small, small part of it pictured here) and the console. It could have been that. Let's go with that explanation.

Musically, it seems to me that this program is just chestnuts, wall to wall. I am probably biased, but I do remember repeating myself a lot, which makes it a greater shame that I don't have an earlier tape, from a time when it wasn't repetition. I seem to have been much more interested in the past then (albeit the recent past, although a year or two felt like a lifetime back then) than I am now. I certainly wasn't adhering to the station's "currency" rules, at least not during the part of the program captured by these 84 minutes. Music "added" at the station within the prior 3 months was supposed to comprise 30% of our playlists, but the only "current" I know of for sure on this tape is "Into the White," which Discogs tells me was a mere 11 days old at the time of this broadcast (then-GF and I would see the Pixies in San Francisco 3 and a half weeks later; I walked up to Joey Santiago in the bar and strangely he was not delighted to speak to me!) It's possible that Pay It All Back Volume 2 was fairly new to us down in the basement of Freeborn Hall, but I doubt it.

tl;dr this tape finds me doing pretty much exactly what I'd expect me to do. TWO This Mortal Coil songs?! FIVE On-U Sound tracks in the first 45 minutes? Whatever. I am surprised we don't hear from Cocteau Twins, Durutti Column, or Section 25, but I guess even I knew when I was going over the line (or, more likely, I had played them in the first 90 minutes of the program, not captured here).

Other notes: I left in the promo and underwriting spots. We used to have some legendary ads. I miss Sharon MacKenzie (am I spelling that correctly?) and her program. If I recall, she was music director for a while (and never dragged me about my playlists!). She also cracked everyone up in a station meeting this one time when she said, "everyone knows how much I love 7-inches." Maybe you had to be there. Also: Woodstock's Pizza is still a thing! They had better be, as I and everyone I knew gave them so much of our money over the years. I would love to tell you that my program had a high profile sponsor that had chosen me specifically, but our underwriting arrangements did not work that way and everyone was subject to the "luck" of the draw (you're welcome, Woodstock's).

I almost forgot: who is this "Q-TIP" fellow? Why, it's me, of course, with an ill-chosen DJ handle dating from 1987 (TWO YEARS BEFORE A TRIBE CALLED QUEST BECAME FAMOUS, I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW). The name was based on some haircut I must have been sporting at the time, or recently. There was a DJ at the station named "Ridgewood Ray," a slightly older fellow (probably early 30s, which of course meant old to me) who objected to the name. We were a non-commercial radio station, you see, so he insisted that I should call myself "Cotton Swab." I didn't take his advice. Ray was great--he had been at Tower Records in New York City on the day in 1980 when they were giving out free copies of Joy Division's "Komakino" flexidisc. He gifted me his copy because he could think of no one else at the station who'd appreciate it more than I would. He was right about this--and still is!

"Ernst and Deborah" were a couple, these two classical DJs who hated--HATED--following my program, but the program directors, seemingly, would always arrange the schedule so that they did (hmm). They--or one of them, anyway--lived next door to my then-GF's place as well. They got to hear every fight we had, and every other sort of episode. What they would have given to hear Tackhead instead, at any of those times!

Almost certainly I headed out of this program for a sweltering 200-yard walk to my afternoon shift at the Cafe of Regret, which, no doubt, will be the setting of a future tale. Just trying to set the scene for you.

Listening to this yesterday afternoon was a somewhat therapeutic experience for me, good and bad. I hope you get something out of it!

playlist, 1989 June 30, 1330-1500:

1. "Dju Ya Feza" | Zazou / Bikaye / CY1 | It's A Crammed, Crammed, Crammed World! | Crammed Discs
2. "Bedward the Flying Preacher" | Singers and Players | Staggering Heights | On-U Sound
3. "Dateline Miami" | Judy Nylon | Pal Judy | On-U Sound
4. "Turn the Heater On" | New Order | The Peel Sessions | Strange Fruit
5. "Throw It Away" | African Head Charge | Pay It All Back Volume 2 | On-U Sound
6. "Reality" | Tackhead | Reality | On-U Sound
7. "Pressure" | 400 Blows | The Good Clean English Fist | Dojo
8. "Circular Motion" | Forehead Bros | Pay It All Back Volume 2 | On-U Sound
9. "Ha (Original Mix)" | The Anti-Group | Audio-Visual | Sweatbox
10. "Social Studies" | David Byrne | Music for the Knee Plays | ECM
11. "Drugs" | Talking Heads | Fear of Music | Sire
12. "Sixteen Days - Gathering Dust" | This Mortal Coil | Sixteen Days - Gathering Dust | 4AD
13. "Kangaroo" | Big Star | Third / Sister Lovers | PVC
14. "Kangaroo" | This Mortal Coil | It'll End In Tears | 4AD
15. "Bangkok" | Alex Chilton | The Lost Decade | Fan Club
16. "Into the White" | Pixies | Here Comes Your Man | 4AD
17. "Youthful Immortal" | Flux | Uncarved Block | One Little Indian
18. "When You're Sad" | A.R.Kane | When You're Sad | One Little Indian

emerging from a long dark tunnel

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