Show #69 November 26, 2011

For Dianalee... with a big thanks to friends past and present!

Dianalee- Nerf Herder IV
I Wanna Thank You- Sloan Navy Blues
Blame It On The Kids- The Pets Misdirection
Formal Letter- The Laughing Dogs Meet Their Makers
Second Hand Man- John Keaney Nashpop: A Nashville Pop Compilation
Ash & Earth- Velvet Crush In The Presence Of Greatness
New Promotion- Hubble Bubble Hubble Bubble
Everywhere- Translator The Best Of 415 Records
^Thank U Very Much- The Scaffold Thank U Very Much
Can't Hardly Wait (Tim Version)- The Replacements All For Nothing
Lipstick- Advertising Advertising Jingles
One Look At You -The Smithereens 2011
Rustle- The Tories Wonderful Life
If It's Not Too Much- The Keys The Keys Album
*Thank You- Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias Heads Down, No Nonsense, Mindless Boogie
*Thank You- Barry & The Remains The Remains
*Thank You- Lost In Kostko Extended Play
*Thank You- The Redwalls De Nova
*Thank You- Descendents Everything Sucks
Heaven- The Del-Lords Johnny Comes Marching Home
On Every Page- Jimmy Silva & The Goats Heidi
Niteliner- Urge Overkill Rock & Roll Submarine
Good As Gone- The Vacant Lot ...Because They Can
Out There In The Night- The Only Ones Special View
Runaway- The Adicts Smart Alex
>Thank You Friends- Big Star Big Star's 3rd: Sister Lovers
I Can't Do Anything- X-Ray Spex Germ Free Adolescents
Thanks- Arrows First Hit

^Power Pop Peak: #69 Billboard Hot 100 2/10/68

*SacroSet: Songs Called "Thank You"

>Power Pop Prototype: 1978

"Thank You For The Music," ABBA really hit the nail on the head with that one:

So I say
Thank you for the music,
the songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing
Who can live without it,
I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

Not a day goes by that I don't listen to or think about music- it has been a constant presence in my life. My friend Ted Maguire called in tonight and when asked what he was thankful for, "music" was his immediate response. I've known Ted since high school and it was music that brought us together. Same story with my friends Frank and Jim. (In fact Ted, Frank and Jim were also the first people I was in a band with back in the Maguire's basement in Duxbury.) Cousin Rich is a blood relative but music has always been our common language as well.

The bands I loved were a huge part of my identity growing up. My music tastes painted a picture of how I wanted to see myself and be seen by other people. I was a shy kid so I let the music do the talking. Rather than join the ranks of Springsteen and J. Geils Band fans, however, my friends and I loved The Ramones, The Clash, Elvis Costello, Buzzcocks, etc. While our love of this music set us apart from 99.9% of our high school classmates, it also helped forge life long friendships. And really, how many friends do you really need?

Another important factor in my friendship with Ted, Frank and Jim was their rejection of drugs, alcohol and using the word "party" as a verb. This further distanced us from our high school peers. I had started drinking and smoking pot years earlier at age twelve but at sixteen I'd had enough. This lead to a falling out with my best friend Paul, which was hard because I didn't have many friends at school. I'd "quit" before (it was what you said for two weeks after getting busted by your parents), but this time it stuck, largely because I had started hanging out in Ted's basement. My new friends all had their own drunk stories but mocked Duxbury High School's drinking culture and our classmates who seemed to make obtaining/consuming alcohol their life's work (as I had six months earlier).

Interestingly, I've only known one woman who was as wholeheartedly devoted to music as Ted, Jim, Frank, Cousin Rich and I. One woman who could fiercely debate a band's worthiness or spend as much time in a record store. One woman who would fight her way up to the front row at a show no matter how gnarly the mosh pit. I met Michelle my first week at Emerson College in Boston. She made quite an impression: spiked hair, leather jacket, punk rock t-shirt, bondage pants, combat boots, and a f**k you attitude that could peel paint. Michelle loved hardcore (Discharge, Minor Threat, Battalion of Saints, etc.) which was new music to me at the time (I had Black Flag's Jealous Again, but that was about it). She was a sophomore and had been at all the 1981 hardcore shows at Gallery East and the Media Workshop. The local hardcore scene received national exposure the following year with the release of the album This Is Boston, Not LA on Newbury Comics' Modern Method label.

Michelle and I had a mutual friend named Howard, a ranting English contrarian sophomore. Just as he had turned his back on the music he brought from home freshman year (famously throwing a Spandau Ballet single out the 8th floor window of the Charlesgate dorm), Howard was done with hardcore a few months after I got to school. Luckily for me, I was there to stop further vinyl destruction and he gave me his singles by Minor Threat, SOA, Infa Riot, Anti-Pasti, Discharge, The Necros and a few other bands. I would see several of these groups play in the coming months, often buying more singles from members of the band out of their van after a show. It was very exciting taking the T out to some middle of nowhere teen center or VA hall (hardcore was first and foremost all ages music) with Michelle, Howard and a few other friends to see some band tear it up. Minor Threat were the best, The Meatmen were the funniest and Boston's Proletariat were the most intense.

I doubt I would have had the strength to keep my high school no drugs or alcohol pledge in college if Michelle and Howard hadn't been devoted adherents to the Straight Edge philosophy introduced by Washington D.C.'s Minor Threat in 1981. I was inspired by songs like "Straight Edge:"

I'm a person just like you
But I've got better things to do
Than sit around and smoke dope
'Cause I know I can cope
Laugh at the thought of eating ludes
Laugh at the thought of sniffing glue
Always gonna keep in touch
Never want to use a crutch
I've got the straight edge

and "Out of Step"

Don't smoke
Don't drink
Don't f**k
At least I can f**king think

I can't keep up
Can't keep up
Can't keep up
Out of step with the world

As the songs show, Straight Edge means no drinking, smoking, drugs or promiscuity. The funny thing was that by the time I got to Boston in 1982, a lot of the kids with Straight Edge X's on their hands on the cover of This Is Boston, Not L.A. had gone back to drinking and smoking pot. There were even rumors that Springa, lead singer of Boston Straight Edge stalwarts SS Decontrol, dropped acid. In any case, my new friends at Emerson remained loyal to the Straight Edge, helping me do the same. While I bet few use drugs, I may be the only one of my Duxbury or college friends that continues to avoid alcohol (admittedly I fudged it a little on the "no casual sex" tenet in my early 20's). I haven't thought of myself as "Straight Edge" in 25 years yet, while the superiority complex and preaching are long gone, the label pretty much still applies today.

Talking about my wife Jaime in the last post I referenced taking the "terrifying plunge into 'more than just friends.'" It's terrifying because the stakes are so high- if the newly defined relationship doesn't work out, you could lose a close friend. I learned this the hard way with Michelle at Emerson. My closest friend freshman year, by that Spring she wanted to take the relationship to the next level. I really cared for Michelle, just not in the same way but I went along with it anyway. Even writing this today, I have no idea why I did, because it was a colossal mistake. Over the summer I brought her home to Duxbury and got a stern talking to from my father about my "foul-mouthed girlfriend" (Dad was okay with her combat boots, but nobody drops the f-bomb in front of my mom). In August I broke up with Michelle, over the phone no less, and it was AWFUL. We tried to rekindle our friendship at school in September but it was awkward as hell, especially when I started seeing my next girlfriend Sue around Christmas.

The next year I heard Michelle's mom won the Massachusetts Megabucks lottery for $16 million or so. Despite my friend Carl's assertion that she was going to hire a hit man to kill me, I was happy for Michelle and her mother. About five years after this I was walking down Boylston Street with Jaime when she made a comment about "the homeless girl up ahead." Much to Jaime's dismay, I responded "oh, I used to go out with her." Sure enough, it was Michelle, though what Jaime had mistaken for "homeless" garb was actually high-end fashion. All kidding aside, I feel lucky that I don't have many regrets in life, but I'm ashamed of the way I treated Michelle. Who knows, had I been a better friend we still might be arguing about music today.

I've known many people who seemed to love music when they were younger (I've always thought of the musical "sweet spot" as age 16-24) but their interest in music has fallen off over the years. I know this is not the case with Ted, Frank, Jim and Cousin Rich and I bet the same goes for Michelle. Tastes may evolve but our overall passion and commitment to music remains consistent. So to all my Duxbury and Emerson friends I dedicate tonight's Power Pop Prototype, Big Star's "Thank You Friends:"

Thank you, friends
Wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you
I'm so grateful
For all the things you helped me do
All the ladies and gentlemen
Who made this all so probable

Thank you, friends
I rejoice to the skies
Dear ones like you, the best I do
As far as can see my eyes
All you ladies and gentlemen
Who made this all so probable

Without my friends I got chaos
I'm off in a bead of light
Without my friends I'd be swept up by the wind

Thank you, friends (thank you, again)
Dear dear friends (I wanna thank you again)

You can download tonight's show below (Right click and "Save Target As")
Hour 1
Hour 2

Show #68 November 12, 2011

 

For Dolly in Ye Olde Boston Towne.... 

 

Dolly- The Lyres On Fyre 

Talking About The Weekend- Seventeen A Flashing Blur Of Stripped Down Excitement 

Johanna Beach- Hawaii Mud Bombers Mondo Primo 

She's Only Cool- Cotton Mather Kontiki 

Words- The A's The A's 

Late Nights with the Power Pop- Matthew Sweet Modern Art 

Runaround- The Lambrettas Beat Boys In The Jet Age 

Ain't No Use In Tryin'- The Finders Calling Dr. Powerpop

 ^Just What I Needed- The Cars The Cars 

Losing Your Cool- Paul Collins King Of Power Pop 

Still Around- Slaters The Big Black Bug Bled Black Blood 

Noisy Song- Cute Lepers Adventure Time 

The Devil Has Work For Idle Hands- Psycotic Pineapple Where's The Party 

Every Time I Ask You Out- D-Day Too Young To Date 7"

*At The Rat- Willie Loco Alexander Boom Boom Band Live At The Rat 

*I Don't Want To Know Your Name- Susan Live At The Rat 

*Boy From Nowhere- DMZ Live At The Rat 

*Better Be Good- The Real Kids Live At The Rat

Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart- Fountains Of Wayne Sky Full Of Holes 

Nights With You- The Heats Have An Idea 

Don't Tell Her- City Lights Blackout EP 

How Much More- The Go-Go's Beauty And The Beat 

Rebel Rousers- The Reactions Love You E.P. 7" 

Rachel Rachel- Richard Taylor Rachael Rachael EP

 ^Rendezvous- The Sidewinders The Sidewinders 

Just A Number- The Last Stand Shake Some Action Vol 1 (UK) 

Bear With Me All The Way- Van Duren Idiot Optimism

The Seeker- Sunnyboys Love To Rule EP 

Suburban Paradise- The Agents Need The Girl EP 

Blame It On The Kids- The Pets Misdirection 

The Fenway- Jonathan Richman Rockin' & Romance

 

^Power Pop Peak:  #8 Billboard Hot 100 9/27/19

 

*SacroSet: Live At The Rat 

 

^Power Pop Prototype: 1972 

 

Nostalgia is funny.  It's one thing to pine for an earlier time in your life but you know you're getting older when you yearn for a place that doesn't even exist anymore.  I remember my dad reminiscing about Scollay Square in Boston: freak shows, boxing matches, vaudeville comedy acts and especially the burlesque houses he was always trying to sneak into as a kid. In the mid-70's a guy named Rik Tinory released a song called "Remember Ol' Scollay Square" that includes the verse:

 

Remember ol' Scollay Square All the dancin' ladies were there Doin' bumps and grinds, people in long lines 

Remember ol' Scollay Square Four ladies chain across the ring 

Turn and chain them right back home again  

Promenade go 2 by 2 I sure hope that you 

Remember good ol' Scollay Square 

 

Scollay Square was bulldozed in the 60's to make way for the godforsaken hellscape of Government Center, an excellent example of Soviet era architecture, only less warm.  In fact, on wind chill days I believe it is among the coldest places on the planet. 

Jonathan Richman sums it up in his song "Government Center:"

 

Well we've got alot alot of hard work today

We gotta rock at the government center

To make the secretaries feel better

When they put those stamps on the letters

 

We won't stop until we see secretaries smile 

And see some office boys jump up for joy 

We'll tell old Mr. Ayhern, "Calm down a while,  

Sir, that's the only way the center is ever gonna get better" 

 

Replacing Scollay Square with Government Center- now that's adding insult to injury.  All these years later, I know what my father was feeling when he talked about Scollay Square because that is exactly how I feel about Kenmore Square today. 

 

One of the things that helped me endure the suburban high school torment was thinking about moving to Boston for college. Cousin Rich and I had been making monthly record buying pilgrimages to Boston for years and I couldn't wait to live there.  From Fensgate, a former hotel that was my Emerson College dorm, it was a short walk to Kenmore Square, home at one time to record stores New England Music City (a chain, but one that sold singles by Boston rock bands), Planet Records (a cool indie store where Barrence Whitfield was often working behind the counter), Strawberries (a lame chain store), and Nuggets (a past its prime institution that remarkably is still there). Kenmore Square was also home to my favorite pizza place, Captain Nemo's. Of all these landmarks however, the one I was most excited about was Boston's infamous rock & roll club The Rathskellar a.k.a. The Rat. 

 

After discovering The Real Kids first album (which included my radio show's namesake song "All Kindsa Girls"), Cousin Rich and I went looking for more and soon discovered Live At The Rat. The record had come out in 1976 and included all of the great Boston rock & roll bands of the time (the word "punk" hadn't caught on yet and in any case, never felt right with this music). Live At The Rat kicks off with an introduction from Boston college radio legend Oedipus (who went on to program powerhouse commercial rock station WBCN) and Godfather of Boston Rock Willie "Loco" Alexander (who replaced Lou Reed in a late era Velvet Underground incarnation). An amazing document of its era, Live At The Rat is in my opinion far superior to New York counterpart Live At CBGB's, which didn't include the leading lights of the its scene (Ramones, Blondie, Television, Dictators, etc.) as they had already been signed to major labels. In fact, Live At The Rat preceded debut releases of The Real Kids, Willie "Loco" & The Boom Boom Band, Thundertrain, and the amazing DMZ (pictured below on The Rat stage).  

Reading in The Boston Globe about 2am street fights between patrons of The Rat and the disco across Comm Ave (called "Narcissus"- what a perfect name), in what the paper dubbed "The Battle For Kenmore Square," only added to its infamy. This was in the late 70's before my time, but The Rat was still standing when I got to town in 1982 and I'm proud to say my band No Idea played there several times:  

No Idea was Pete Levine (bass, vocals), Frank Prosl (drums, vocals), Jim Harris (lead guitar) and me on rhythm guitar/lead vocals. (After seeing The Clash in hats in the London Calling photo sessions I started wearing them on on stage). It was incredible playing at The Rat- the sound and lights were fantastic for a club that size. If sound man Granny and the light guy were in the right mood, you could have an amazing show. Those light banks on the side you can see in the top pictures were brighter than the sun and you could actually feel the heat on your face- what an incredible feeling. 

 

The last time I was on stage at The Rat was in 1989 or so. I was playing bass in a band that was listed as "Gravel Pit" though Carl the drummer and I had never agreed to the name (which another Boston band used later on). We were first up on the bill at a reunion show of Boston Rock heroes Unnatural Axe and it was an incredible show. My mom came, so did my girlfriend Lisa and "work friend" Jaime (who would soon replace Lisa) as well as this anal retentive friend Jaime dragged along. Seeing The Rat through the eyes of Jaime's friend really reminded me what an underground cavernous, urine-smelling, sh*thole my beloved club really was- after a while I'd just forgotten. The best part was when this woman had to go to the bathroom, dragging Jaime with her of course, they found the toilet overflowing with the seat broken in half and sticking up out of the bowl! (I LOVE that story.) 

 

 

Jaime and I went to The Rat many times. In fact our terrifying plunge into the abyss called "more than just friends" was after a Zulus show in December 1989 ("first kiss to first $%*$ in 45 seconds" she later joked).  The Rat was even part of our wedding as my bachelor party started at the Hoodoo Barbecue, the restaurant upstairs. 

 

Boooooooo!

 

The Rat closed in 1997, replaced by monstrosity The Hotel Commonwealth.  While the hotel isn't as ugly as Government Center, it pretty much completed the gutting Kenmore Square started by the Barnes & Noble @ Boston University store (enveloping the space once occupied by the disco Narcissus).

Mr. Butch in front of Captain Nemo's

B.U. cops even "relocated" Mr. Butch, a homeless dude dubbed"The King Of Kenmore Square," to Allston. Unlike Scollay Square, Kenmore Square still technically exists, yet it is a mere shadow of its former self. Even so, I'm thankful for The Rat, Captain Nemo's, Planet Records, Mr. Butch and all the unforgettable times I had there. 

 

Rather than end this post on a downer, I'll conclude with the
lyrics to the first song in tonight's SacroSet: Willie "Loco" Alexander & The Boom Boom Band's "At The Rat." 

 

(spoken) "You know this song's about Boston. Boston Rock & Roll started right here with Barry & The Remains back in 1965. The stage used to be over there but it's here now and we're still here...so is rock & roll in Boston." 

 

Down in Kenmore I saw her standing there at The Rat  

She took off my hat sat down on my lap at The Rat  

She was my B.U. baby and I don't mean maybe at The Rat 

  

Under the Citgo sign she was looking so fine at The Rat 

Everybody goes crazy baby save me save me at The Rat  

Down in Kenmore Square, all the bands play there at The Rat 

 

(spoken: "Don't they now, oh everybody sing!") 

 

Let's go to The Rat (4x)  

Down in Kenmore Square, all the bands play there at The Rat Oh yeah, oh yeah 

Here's the link to stream this show, to download, right click and "Save Link As:"

ALL KINDSA GIRLS #68

Show #67 October 29, 2011 Halloween AFRADIO Show

The Halloween AFRADIO Show is dedicated to Wicked Annabella and The Last Gladiator...Evel Knieval!


Wicked Annabella- The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society
Chain Saw- The Ramones The Ramones
Rendevous With The Devil- The Doits This Is Rocket Science
Skeleton- Elf Power The Winter Is Coming
Devil's Food- Alice Cooper Welcome To My Nightmare
^Eye Of The Zombie- John Fogerty Eye of the Zombie
Little Jack O'Lantern- The Dead Elvi Graveland
Skeletons- The Sound From The Lion's Mouth
Ghost Ride- Nebula Apollo
Black Night- Green on Red Gas, Food, Lodging
Halloween Parade- Lou Reed New York
Graveyard Groove- The Revillos Attack of the Giant Revillos
The Witch- The Sonics Here Are The Sonics
Arthur Is Dead (Let's Rot)- Radio Stars Songs For Swinging Lovers
*Zombie Dance- The Cramps Songs The Lord Taught Us
*Zombie Creeping Flesh- Peter & The Test Tube Babies Zombie Creeping Flesh 7"
*I Walked With A Zombie- Roky Erickson and the Aliens The Evil One
*I Was A Teenage Zombie- Fleshtones I Was A Teenage Zombie Soundtrack
*Zombies Ate Her Brain- The Creepshow Sell Your Soul
Chupacabras- Groovie Ghoulies Go! Stories
The Time Warp- The Rocky Horror Picture Show The Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack
Victims of the Vampire- Slaughter and the Dogs Do it Dog Style
Where Evil Grows- Gore Gore Girls Get The Gore
Nightmares- Jay Reatard Blood Visions
Ghosts on the Road- Guadalcanal Diary Walking In The Shadow Of The Big Man
>Rockin' Zombie- Crewnecks Doo Wop Halloween is a Scream
Lucifer Sam- The Three O'Clock Baroque Hoedown
Party in the Woods Tonight- Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers 23 Great Recordings
God Of Thunder- Kiss Destroyer
Attack of the Ghost Riders- The Raveonettes Whip It On
Skulls- The Misfits Walk Among Us
Country Death Song- Violent Femmes Add It Up
Halloween- Dream Syndicate Days of Wine and Roses

^Power Pop Peak: #81 Billboard Hot 100 9/6/86

*SacroSet: Zombies!!!

>Power Pop Prototype: 1961

I put two shows together while I was in the hospital, but with Halloween fast approaching I realized I had to get going on a third. Since I was still rehabbing and had the time, I also thought it might be cool to find a few Night Of The Living Dead quotes to use in the SacroSet which shouldn't be hard since the film is in the public domain. In fact a few years back my friend Joe and I hosted the first "Sonoma Drive-In" show on the local cable station screening George Romero's classic:

Next time you've got a couple of hours on your hands, you should check it out. Bob Taylor did a great job putting the program together.

Anyway, a quick web search revealed not only Night Of The Living Dead audio but clips from hundreds of other films. So, along with great music, the Halloween AFRADIO Show includes audio from my favorite horror films, including the obscure (2000 Maniacs) popular (Nightmare On Elm Street) and just plain nasty (Candyman).

In my opinion, vampires (especially the modern broody, perfectly coiffed versions) have nothing on zombies. I've been a zombie fan from the first time I saw Night Of The Living Dead at a midnight show when I was in junior high school. On top of the success of the brilliant TV show The Walking Dead (which calls them "walkers"), zombies were the obvious choice for tonight's features. And I'm talking flesh eaters only- no metaphorical zombies allowed. I mean, c'mon its Halloween!

I had a pretty bad head cold when I recorded this show and was surfing a wave of Dayquil. My insane alter ego "Dick Hate" was supposed to sound menacing, but came off more like Droopy Dog. My friend Jim from Japan commented that "Dick Hate" sounded "very, very, very gay." In any case, I had fun doing the show as somebody else- especially telling the "poop hand" Halloween story in the second hour.

As for my Halloween, Jaime and I had rehearsal for Romeo & Juliet that night but I still got in 90 minutes of Trick or Treating with Nica and her friends. I think you'll agree- I looked awesome!! Jaime got me the Evel suit for Christmas last year and I have to say it is one of the best presents I've ever been given. I was still using a cane at the time, which made it even more authentically "Evel." (My goal for next year is to get the helmet.)

Along with the suit, Jaime gave me the Evel Knieval stunt cycle I had loved as a boy but lost somewhere along the way. If I may say so myself, the resemblance is uncanny:
I loved Evel Knieval when I was growing up. I wasn't a big sports fan, but I would sit through 90 minutes of ABC's Wide World of Sports to see Evel's jumps on TV (which always seemed to run in the last 15 minutes of the show). Leading up to the jump they would show his most heinous crashes, especially Caesar's Palace (12/31/67) and the Cow Palace, San Francisco (3/3/72) so by the time he was ready to go my head was about to explode in anticipation. I have to say I was rooting FOR Evel, not hoping he would crash- to me he was an American Hero. To this day it blows me away that he would go back to jumping after a crash- the guy had balls of steel, no doubt.

My father was beside me on the couch for most of those Wide World Of Sports broadcasts. Dad would poke fun at my love of Evel, but I could tell he had a grudging respect for the man. One of the things I love about my dad was that he would take the time to find out what I was into. So, without my even having to ask, he bought us tickets to see Evel jump at Fitton Field at Holy Cross University in Worcester, Mass on October 9th, 1976.

I just about had a heart attack when the jump was rained out, but thankfully it was re-scheduled for Monday the 11th, which was Columbus Day, so I was already out of school. The pre-show was great- a maniac in a monster truck crushed a bunch of cars demolition derby style and 14 year old Robbie Knieval jumped four U-Haul vans in what I just learned was the start of his illustrious career as a daredevil. Evel came out like a rock star with his cape and cane, did some amazing trick riding and told us some cool stories about his past. He started with a jump of four U-Haul vans, then seven and finished with a smooth as silk jump over ten of them. What an amazing day! Dad and I had a great time and I felt like I was seeing history being made. In a sense I was. Evel only jumped three more times after Worcester; two in Seattle and the infamous aborted "Shark Jump" in Chicago (1/31/77- he crashed on a practice jump over a tank filled with 13 sharks broke both arms again and retired for good).

Perhaps Evel Knieval's greatest success was that he beat death for 69 years, passing away on November 30, 2007 of pulmonary disease. There will never be another like him.

Click the links below to download this week's show (right click and "Save Target As"):
Hour 1
Hour 2

Show #66 October 15, 2011

Dedicated to Paula, Jaime and my wrecked left side...

Paula- The Golden Horde The Golden Horde
Sorry- The Smithereens 2011
Adventure Time- Cute Lepers Adventure Time
Can I Take You Home Tonight- The Lookalikes Can I Take You Home Tonight Single
Salad Days- The Grip Weeds Infinite Soul: The Best of the Grip Weeds
Got You Where He Wanted- David Myhr Got You Where He Wanted Single
Nightlife- Kevin K Band Nightlife
New Feeling- Future Dads 24 Winship
^My Girl- Donnie Iris 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Donnie Iris
Answers- The Questions Can't Get Over You Single
Dirty Back Road- The B-52's Wild Planet
You Belong To Me- Incredible Kidda Band Too Much, Too Little, Too Late
A Beautiful Lie- Bill Lloyd Set to Pop
(Can't Tell You) It's Over- The Jolt The Jolt
*My Girl- Face Dancer About Face
*My Girl- Hoodoo Gurus Stoneage Romeos
*My Girl- Madness The Business
*My Girl- Eric Carmen Eric Carmen
Can't Be Wrong- Travoltas Modern World
Drop By And Stay- Piper Piper/Can't Wait
Feel Like Myself- Brendan Benson The Alternative To Love
Thought Balloon- Urge Overkill Rock & Roll Submarine
The Girl is Alright- Big Kid You Must Be Kidding
Dame to Blame- Slaughter and the Dogs Do it Dog Style
>My Girl- Master's Apprentices Complete Recordings 1965 - 1968
Livin Alone- The Rattlers On The Beach Single
I Wanna Be Free- The Rings I Wanna Be Free
Catch Your Wave- The Click Five Greetings From Imrie House
Hit And Run- Battered Wives Cigarettes
Dance- The Fevers Love Always Wins

^Power Pop Peak: #25 Billboard Hot 100 3/27/82

*SacroSet: Songs For "My Girl"

>Power Pop Prototype: 1968

Do you know where your acetabulum is? Neither did I, but I sure as hell do now. On September 10th, 2011 I went on a bike ride with my friend Phil. The plan was to climb Cavedale Road- the highest elevation within riding distance of our houses:

CAVEDALE ROAD

7.61 miles, 2145 feet (200 feet per division)

We've done this climb dozens of times over the years, in fact I had done it on my own the preceding Saturday (9/3/11). In other words, no big deal. Phil and I hadn't ridden together in a while so it was good to reconnect. The trip up Cavedale was its usual bastardly self (I said I'd done it a lot- not that it was easy) with the descent down Trinity Road (3.01 miles, 1715 feet, pictured below). The top of Trinity is very steep with some tight switchbacks but down at the bottom, it evens out and you can build up some speed before you have to stop at Route 12. Well, I'm at the bottom winding part (formerly my favorite) when I come around a bend and my front wheel starts shaking violently, like it's going to potato chip and send me flying over the handle bars. I was going about 25 miles an hour, so there was no way I could slam on the breaks but I also couldn't control the bike enough to stay on the road. I took a bead on an open field on the left side of the road and hoped for the best. I don't remember the impact but I must have gone off the bike immediately because the next thing I remember I'm on my back with my knees up. Goddamn if it didn't hurt.

Phil was about a minute behind me so he didn't see anything. When the pain didn't let up, he called 911 and a Sonoma ambulance came. Paramedics nixed my request to go to Sonoma Valley Hospital and took me to Santa Rosa Memorial which has a trauma unit. My neck wasn't injured but they put me in a collar anyway. The worst thing though was the backboard. Sweet mother of mercy, that thing just about killed me. I was on it for the next three and a half hours, strapped in with my body weight pressing down on my wrecked ("involved" is what the Physical Therapists call it) left side. The dope they were giving me simply wasn't cutting it- just thinking about it now puts my teeth on edge. Anyway, my trauma wasn't as traumatic as other people's that day which is why I spent so much time on the board. I'm not complaining, "first come first serve" may work for the deli but not a trauma ward.

When Jaime got to the hospital I was surrounded by cops who were trying to get away from the raging douchebag on the other side of the curtain who got tazered in a domestic dispute in which he threatened his girlfriend with a gun. As you might imagine, the trauma ward is aptly named. They finally let me off the board when I went upstairs for a CT scan. Jaime got the news piecemeal: first they told her I had a cracked acetabulum. This is the part of your hip that your femur fits into, like a "hip socket." Of the injuries I sustained that day, this was the most serious. This image shows the acetabulum as if the femur isn't even there- the doctor kept going on about his new imaging machine and seemed bummed out that Jaime wasn't suitably impressed with the awesome special effects.

As I said, Jaime got the prognosis in stages, so about fifteen minutes after the acetabulum deal they told her I had a broken pelvis. This sounded much worse to Jaime (as it would have to me if I wasn't in a narcotic cloud) but when she asked about it they told her the words "broken" and "fractured" were interchangeable. Finally, they threw in three broken ribs. In summary, the left side of my body was blown up real good.

By this time the drugs had taken over- I don't even remember saying goodbye to the accursed backboard- and at some point I was admitted and got a room. Jaime brought the kids to see me and Reverend Nancy from my church came by that night but it is pretty blurry so I don't remember much else. The next day a bunch of friends visited: Chris, Todd, Joan, Beverly, Frank & Joanna- it was great to see all of them. Dr. Schaeffer, my GP from Sonoma also came by and got to talk with my orthopedist who was still hyping his fancy new machine.

The nurses were great- especially when I clarified that I was hurt on a bike and not a motorcycle. In my limited experience, it seems that nurses, especially female nurses, hate motorcycles with an all-encompassing passion. If I'd seen what they'd seen I might feel the same way. The drugs were free-flowing; a mix of Oxycontin, blood thinners, and at one point some Atavan that, in combination, had me insisting that I could hear Metallica music coming out of the air conditioning vent (I'm pretty sure it was Side 2 of Ride The Lightning). Jaime and the kids loved that one. Being in the hospital kicks your ass, if you don't believe me check out this sexy, sexy picture that my daughter Nica took.

The second night they moved a guy into the room with me who was a hardcore junkie. I've heard how boring and "one note" drug addicts can be and got to see for myself. The dude asked for drugs every five minutes, driving me and the nurses nuts. I'd have given him my hillbilly heroin if they'd let me. Luckily he was moved from the ward before lunch. I was in such a haze on Sunday and Monday that I forgot to re-schedule a conference call already set up for Tuesday. So, I took a mid-day drug holiday and re-presented a research study for some Wichita clients and their new consultant. It went pretty well and the clients seemed happy- I have to admit I was pretty proud of myself. Afterwards, I met with physical and occupational therapists who gave me the go-ahead to get out the next day.

Our friend Diana lent us her huge van for the ride home on Wednesday so it went off without a hitch. There was a point though where I said to Jaime: "you have a yellow mustache." I can still picture it clearly in my mind- bright yellow, like sunflower pollen, on her upper lip. She looked in the rear view mirror and tried to wipe it a way for a minute, with me saying "nope, still there," before it dawned on her and she said: "why am I listening to you, you're stoned." Apparently I was talking drugged out nonsense. Whatever I'd taken really kicked in when I got home. I don't drink so my son Jack had never seen me in giggling idiot mode- it really freaked him out.

Jaime had ordered a hospital bed for the living room and that's where I slept for the next three weeks or so. (In case you're wondering, there's no way to feng shui a hospital bed in the living room.) Jaime had a ton of work lined up, so my mom came out from Massachusetts for the next ten days, which was a blessing. After crutches, crutch and cane, I am now walking unassisted- two months after the accident. I dropped my bike off at the shop this week. I'm hoping they can do a CSI job on it and tell me what went wrong.

I put this show together while still in the hospital and despite the blistering drug cocktail, I think it is surprisingly coherent. Jaime has been amazing since day one of this ordeal, so that's where the idea for the "My Girl" features came from. Paula is this show's namesake but it is especially dedicated to "My Girl" Jaime to thank her for everything these past two months- and the 20 years or so leading up to them. I am a very lucky guy.

Click the links below to download this week's show (right click and "Save Target As"):
Hour 1
Hour 2

Show #65 September 3, 2011

Tonight we rock for Mary Annette... and Music City's "Other Music"

Mary Annette- Doug Powell Four Seasons
Absolutely Sweet Marie- Jason & The Scorchers Fervor
She Walks The Night- Matthew Sweet Modern Art
Back To Front- Stiff Little Fingers Go For It
Everything Is Getting Better- The Hitmakers It's Only Sad 7''
Third Generation- The Rings The Rings
We Can Make It Together- Arrows First Hit
A Dip In The Ocean- Fountains Of Wayne Sky Full Of Holes
^That's What You Get- Paramore Riot!
New Red Shoes- The Windbreakers Time Machine
Schoolgirl Love- Eddie And The Hot Rods The End Of The Beginning
All The Same- The Smithereens 2011
High Rise- The Trainspotters Shake Some Action Vol 8 (UK & Ireland)
Say Yeah- Utopia Utopia
*Johnny Come Lately- The Semantics Powerbill
*Sunshine Tonight- The Shazam Godspeed the Shazam
*Ride- Swag Catchall
*Back To The Middle- Pink Spiders Teenage Graffitti
Mystery Achievement- The Pretenders Pretenders
Rockets And Rose- Swingers Resort Rockets And Rose Single
The Plan- Richard Hell & The Voidoids Blank Generation
Other End Of Town- Code Blue Code Blue
Who Do You Love- Sneakers Ear Cartoons
The Hurt's Gone- The Nads The Nads Single
>I Wish I Could Sing- R. Stevie Moore Phonography
Boys Must Be Strong- Off Broadway Quick Turns
Funny Little Frog- Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit
Tommy's On His Own- The Bis-quits The Bis-quits

^Power Pop Peak: #66 Billboard Hot 100 12/12/08

*SacroSet: Nashville Power Pop

>Power Pop Prototype: 1976

My music tastes have expanded considerably as I've gotten older but I have yet to gain an appreciation of Nashville Country music. To me it sounds just as calculating and manipulative as most hip hop- a product specifically created to fill a market niche. So, needless to say I never thought I'd find much great Power Pop from Nashville, but as tonight's show proves, I was wrong. Interestingly, several of the Power Pop musicians I played tonight have day jobs as songwriters, producers or session players on Nashville Country records:

• Will Owsley of The Semantics worked with Shania Twain and Faith Hill;
• After the break up of his country band The Mavericks, Robert Reynolds went on to found Power Pop "Supergroup" Swag along with members of Cheap Trick (Tom Petersson) and Wilco (Ken Coomer);
• Will Kimbrough of The Bis-Quits has produced records for several country artists including Rodney Crowell and Kim Richey.

I guess Nashville Power Pop musicians are like those in other company towns- working their day jobs to pay the bills while saving their passion for stages in sweaty bars on the weekend. Even so, I'd take working with Shania Twain in Nashville over the corresponding factory/lumber mill/chemical plant day job in another company town any day of the week.

Arguably the most fascinating Nashville artist I played tonight is R. Stevie Moore. Dubbed a "lo-fi legend" by The New York Times, Moore is a forbear of the DIY home recording aesthetic, having released over 400 cassette and CD-R albums since 1968. Moore's father was part of the Nashville A-Team session men, working with numerous country stars as well as Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison. Needless to say R. Stevie Moore did not follow in his fathers footsteps. Moore's home recording career began in 1966 with a reel to reel tape deck in his parent's basement. After dropping out of college, Moore dedicated himself to his debut album, 1976's Phonography. A combination of songs, spoken word pieces and weird sound collages, Phonography is a truly original record. That said, it leaves you with the impression that Moore isn't right in the head- no amount/combination of drugs could produce such a bizarre work. Yet while his music clearly sounds like "outsider art," Moore is no Daniel Johnston.

I first saw R. Stevie Moore performing on the Uncle Floyd TV Show in the early 80's. I watched Uncle Floyd in hopes of seeing punk and power pop bands so I must admit my first reaction to Moore was "who is this crazy hippie on my TV." A few years later we got one of his studio albums at my college station WERS and, as is the case with virtually all his records, amid all the whacko stuff there are one or two great pop songs. I hadn't thought of R. Stevie Moore for years when his name came up in my research for tonight's show. There is no better Power Pop Prototype for a Nashville show than R. Stevie Moore.

Sorry, links for this show have already been taken down. I'll re-post if they become available again.

Show #64 August 20, 2011

STELLA... STELLAAAAAAA!!!!

Stella- Ida Maria Fortress Round My Heart
Star- The Genuine Fakes The Striped Album
Radio Bar- Fountains Of Wayne Sky Full Of Holes
Better- Blue Shoes Someone Like You E.P.
All I Want Is Everything- Jellyfish Bellybutton
Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)- Wilco Summerteeth
Baby Don't Go- Pushtwangers Here We Go Again
'Til She Goes- The Hot Dates The Hot Dates
^I'll Be There for You- The Rembrandts L.P.
Next Time- Three Hour Tour Three Hour Tour - 1969
Not the Way I Loved You- The Marshalls Wicked Good Music!
Beverley Terrace- Sloan The Double Cross
Sad Girl- The Stems Violets Are Blue
One More Time- Joe Jackson Look Sharp!
*Boss Of Me- They Might Be Giants Boss Of Me
*California- Phantom Planet California
*Time For You- The Tories The Upside of Down
*C`Mon C`Mon- The Von Bondies C'mon C'mon
Looking For A Life- David Myhr Looking For A Life [Single}
Women In Love- Gobblinz London 7"
That's When You Come Back- Walter Clevenger & The Dairy Kings Love Songs To Myself
Believe You All- Dred Scott Believe You All E.P.
King Kapp- Jook Different Class
Ya Don't Do Ya- The Moondogs She's 19 7"
>That 70's Song- Cheap Trick That' 70's Show Presents That 70's Album: Rockin'
14th Floor- Television Personalities 14th Floor 7"
Love Will Stone You- Emitt Rhodes Mirror
Everyday- Dipsomaniacs The Life You're Faking
Capitol Idea- Enemies Capitol Idea 7"
21st Century Rip Off- The Soundtrack of Our Lives Behind The Music
See And Say- The Fastbacks ...And His Orchestra

^Power Pop Peak: #17 Billboard Hot 100 6/17/95

*SacroSet: Power Pop TV Show Themes

>Power Pop Prototype: 1972 (Big Star), 1999 (Cheap Trick)

Since its 1979 heyday, Power Pop has had limited exposure on commercial radio. Nowadays you you seem to find little guitar music of any kind on the radio. It's interesting then that as television shows have moved away from instrumental music for their opening credit sequences (suck it Mike Post), several have opted for Power Pop songs.

Perhaps the best example is tonight's Power Pop Peak, "I'll Be There For You," from the show Friends (NBC 1994-2004). When They Might Be Giants and REM passed on the song it was given to The Rembrandts, who included Danny Wilde of legendary LA Power Pop group The Quick. They cut a one minute version that became the Friends theme and that was supposed to be the end of it. After a Nashville DJ looped the song into a full length track and started playing it, other radio stations did the same and demand for a single grew. The Rembrandts played hardball- they wouldn't record an expanded version unless they got songwriting credit (for additional verses and bridge) and refused to release "I'll Be There For You" as a single, forcing people who wanted the song to buy their album L.P. It was a huge hit and cemented the band's place in history. Yet, as was the case with Power Pop predecessor "My Sharona," once the radio spins for "I'll Be There For You" climbed into the thousands it became cool to hate on the record. Even so, it remains a super-catchy song and I enjoyed hearing it again.

After missing the bus on "I'll Be There For You," They Might Be Giants got into the TV theme business with "Boss Of Me" from Malcom In The Middle (Fox 2000-2006). They won a grammy in 2002 (Best Song Written For A Motion Picture, Television, Or Other Visual Media) and had their greatest chart success, hitting the top 30 in the UK and Australia. Likewise, Phantom Planet's "California" is that band's biggest hit thanks to its use as the theme for The O.C. (Fox 2003-2007), charting in the UK, Ireland and Italy. I liked Malcom In The Middle but The O.C. always struck me as one long ad for Abercrombie & Fitch.

Of all the TV shows featured this week, the one I like the best is Rescue Me, which starts with The Von Bondies' "C'mon C'mon." I don't know how Boston born Dennis Leary can bear to wear the Yankees/Rangers gear, but I'm glad he does because Tommy Gavin is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen on television.

The idea for a Power Pop TV Themes show started with "Time For You" by The Tories which was used in a short-lived show called Jesse (NBC 1998-2000). It came on after Friends and I had never heard anything like "Time For You" on TV before. I actually watched a few episodes on the strength of the song alone (it was a pretty mediocre sitcom, though star Christina Applegate is always fetching). Hearing the theme to That 70's Show (Fox 1998-2006) for the first time was an even greater shock- the producers used a re-recorded version of "In The Street" by the greatest Power Pop group of all time, Big Star. Later seasons used Cheap Trick's version of the song, re-titled "That 70's Song" with the added refrain "we're all alright" from their hit "Surrender." Subsequent episodes of That 70's Show featured Big Star's "I'm In Love With A Girl," "September Girls" and "Thirteen," along with several Cheap Trick songs. Big Star front man Alex Chilton once joke that he made $70 dollars in royalties every time That 70's Show aired, but I bet it added up to some serious cash the last few years of his life. What's more, I've heard "Thirteen" on Scrubs and How I Met Your Mother, so That 70's Show started a trend.

Hearing this music on TV over the years has made me realize that my dream job is to be Music Supervisor on a long running TV show. What could be better than watching a show, combing through your record collection and making musical suggestions to the writers and director. You could expose people to great older music they've never heard before and introduce cool new music to people. Maybe I'm being naive and it's all just corporate synergy- the show uses music from its sister record label- but if not, I think Music Supervisor sounds like a great job. So, if you know anybody...

Download this week's show below ("Right click and "Save Target As")
Hour 1
There was a problem with the second hour, I'll put it up when it's ready.