Random Signal

R.S. #88 - Halloween 6. 6? 6!

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 03:53:00 +0000

Welcome to the sixth annual Random Signal Halloween show!

Here's the track list (full links to be updated shortly):

1. Night Creatures - Superchunk (from Tossing Seeds: Singles 1989-91)

2. Graveyard Ghoul - The Ills (demo track)

3. Invisible Man - Thee Spivs (from Taped Up)

4. Zombie Dance Party - Beware The Dangers Of A Ghost Scorpion (from Undead In the Fallout Shelter)

5. Blue Sunny Day - Jonathan Coulton (from The Aftermath)

6. Crowd of Drifters - The Magnetic Fields (from The Charm of the Highway Strip)

7. In The Backyard - The Rosebuds (from Life Like)

8. Halloween - Steve Goodie (from Something To Sneeze @)

9. Zombie Attack - Rock 'n' Roll Monkey and The Robots (from Back To Beatsville)

10. Halloween Is Awesome - GeminiDragon

11. What a Friend We Have In Cthulhu - Consortium of Genius (from Music For Supervillains)

R.S. #87 - State of the Podcast 2010

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 03:24:31 +0000

Hello! After a long break...we're back! If you came here looking for the annual Halloween show, have no fear (yet)! IT LIVES...SOON!!!

Song 1: Ready To Start - Arcade Fire (from The Suburbs)

[Emusic] [iTunes] [Merge]

So what have I been up to these last many months? (Not podcasting, obviously.) I have discovered, and become slightly addicted to, Tumblr! Check out my many (too many?) new projects:

Random Signal Annex - My general Tumblr for all things awesome.

Droidcast - Short podcast on random topics. Soon to be included with this feed!

The Brave & The Beard - Comics books and facial hair, together at last!

Fuck Yeah, Merge Records! - Music, video, photos and news from my favorite indie label.

Song 2: How I Left the Ministry - The Extra Lens (from Undercard)

[Emusic] [iTunes] [Merge]

R.S. #86 - Voight-Kampff in Bon Temps

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:44:00 +0000

Well, it turns out that this podcast is only mostly dead, and, as we all know, mostly dead means slightly alive!

I'm actually incredibley excited that I now have clearance from Chapel Hill's Merge Records to podcast both their new releases and back catalog! A lot of my favorite bands are with Merge, and I never thought I'd ever have the opportunity to feature artists like The Magnetic Fields and Arcade Fire! Go to www.mergerecords.com to check out their complete roster, listen to free streaming music, and purchase CDs and downloads.

Song 1: We Are The Men You'll Grow To Love Soon - Let's Wrestle (from In the Court of the Wrestling Let's)

[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [Blog]

Song 2: Coast of Carolina - Telekinesis (from Telekinesis!)

[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [Blog]

Song 3: Better - Jonathan Coulton (from Our Bodies, Ourselves, Our Cybernetic Arms)

[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

Song 4: I Have the Moon - The Magnetic Fields (from The Charm of the Highway Strip)

[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [Merge]

R.S. #85 - Aprilween V: The Fivening

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:51:00 +0000

Aprilween (observed) was three days ago, and I have finally managed to overcome a vertiable Rube Goldberg machine of technical annoyances that was keeping me from getting this show finished. In grand Aprilween fashion, I have ten frightening tunes for your post-Tax day listening pleasure. I also muse about the future, if there is one, of the podcast. With shows coming so few and far between, is it time to face facts and call it a day, or should I let it evolve into something new? Any opinions? Let me know!

Song 1: Evil Soul - The Young Werewolves (from The Young Werewolves)

[Myspace ] [Music Alley]

Song 2: Creeps At Night - The Hydeouts

[MySpace] [Music Alley]

Song 3: Head Blown Off - Cretin 66 (from Demolition Safari)

[MySpace] [Emuisc] [iTunes] [Music Alley]

Song 4: The Black Scorpion - the Happy, Happy, Jihads

[MySpace] [Music Alley]

Song 5: World War Z - CSHC/Conyeezy

[MySpace] [Music Alley]

Song 6: It Is Pitch Dark - MC Frontalot (from Secrets From The Future)

[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

Song 7: HSAS - Zombies! Organize!! (from Before It's Too Late)

[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

Song 8: Graveyard Hand - Get Three Coffins Ready (from Get Three Coffins Ready: Era III An Experiment In Audio Science And Static Manipulation)

[MySpace] [iTunes] [Music Alley]

Song 9: Down In The Graveyards - The Creeping Cruds (from Tennessee Bloodbath)

[MySpace] [Emuisc] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

Song 10: Vulture - Artichoke (from 26 Animals)

[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

R.S. #84 - The reports of my undeath have been greatly exaggerated!

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:30:00 +0000

It's the 5th Annual Random Signal Halloween Music Show!!!

It's also been Halloween Week over at my Indie Squid Kid blog, so check it out if you want to experience the holiday from the cephalopod's perspective.

Here's the play list for today's show:

Song 1: Halloween - Artichoke (from Evaporation)
[Emuisc] [MySpace] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

Song 2: Diggin' Graves - Thee Gravemen
[Emusic] [MySpace] [iTunes] [Music Alley]

Song 3: Mosquitos - The Creeping Cruds (from Tennessee Bloodbath)
[Emuisc] [MySpace] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

Song 4: The Girls of Monster Island - Jerk Alert
[MySpace] [Music Alley]

Song 5: Vampires In My Neighborhood - Mors Ontologcia (from Used Kids Sessions and the WFMU Creative Commons Halloween Mix)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

Song 6: Graveyard - Trailer Bride (from Smelling Salts and the WFMU Creative Commons Halloween Mix)
[Emusic] [MySpace] [iTunes]

Song 7: The Hangman's Song - The Pine Valley Cosmonauts (from The Executioner's Last Songs: Volume One and the WFMU Creative Commons Halloween Mix)
[Emusic] [MySapce] [iTunes]

Song 8: Vampire Strippers - The Astronauts (from the Astronauts EP)
[Emusic] [MySpace] [iTunes] [Music Alley]

Song 9: Zombie Manifesto - Zombies! Organize!! (from Before It's Too Late)
[MySpace] [iTunes ] [CD Baby]

But wait! As a reward for coming to the site, here is a bonus music video. I couldn't include "Fresh Blood" by Eels in the podcast, but it did make it into this year's Halloween mix CD, and it's probably my favorite monster song of the past year!

R.S. #83 - Parenthood, The Final Frontier

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:07:00 +0000

We are pleased to finally announce that Paul Fischer, of the Balticon Podcast, is winner of the Great Random Signal Name Our Roomba^TM Contest! His winning submission is...*drumroll*...3-Sweepio! Paul's prize is a plush robot by Futuregirl (Leah Riley). Thanks to everyone who sent in suggestions.

This episode is not only the first official Father's Day episode, but it also marks the podcast's fourth anniversary!

Song 1: When I Was Your Age - Beatnik Turtle featuring George Hrab (from The Song of the Day podcast, March 30, 2009)

Ryn and I discuss our thoughts on being new parents: drool, boogers, and chewed food.
Code Name: Commander Awesome!
surprise tangent: Frasier

Song 2: Mr. Fancy Pants - Jonathan Coulton (from Thing A Week Four)

mint julep: the official drink of hot summer days (in the South, anyway)
J. J. Abrams' Star Trek
Vasquez Rocks
Transformers ("robots from a planet made out of robots"): movie sequel is imminent and the first season of the classic animated series is out on DVD!
Yes, CD Baby is still around (and still awesome)!

Song 3: Elephant - Artichoke (from 26 Animals)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [CD Baby]

R.S. #82 - Aprilween 4: This Time It's Personal!

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:20:00 +0000

Random Signal crawls it's way out of the grave once more, proving that it is the Podcast That Wouldn't Die!!!

News In Brief: It's a boy!

And now, the music...

Song 1: I Kicked Dracula's Ass - The Creeping Cruds (from Tennessee Bloodbath)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 2: Cool Coffin Kids - Dark Torch Anthem (from The Preamble)
[MySpace] [Podsafe Music Network]

Song 3: Re: Vos Cerveaux - Jonathan Coulton
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [Podsafe Music Network]

Song 4: Trioxin - Zombies! Organize!! (from Before It's Too Late)
[MySpace]

Song 5: Ghostified - Persian Claws
[MySpace] [Podsafe Music Network]

Song 6: The Livin' Dead - Troy Sinister & The Cemetery Men (from The Legend of Gordy Sawdust & The Spiders from Moncton)
[MySpace] [Podsafe Music Network]

Song 7: Return of the Mantis - The Hydes (from The Hydes' First Experimental EP)
[MySpace] [Podsafe Music Network]

Song 8: Zombie Werewolf Alien Vampire Monsters - The Volume Brothers
[MySpace] [Podsafe Music Network]

R.S. #81 - 2009, and feelin' fine!

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:38:00 +0000

It's the last day of 2008! It is also, somehow, the first day of 2009...weird. I never will get used to all this "time shifting." Ryn and I cover all manner of interesting topics, and play some songs by my favorite bands of 2008. Enjoy!

Song 1: All Night - Countdown Quartet (from Party With! The Countdown Quartet)
[MySpace] [Emuisc] [iTunes]

Toxoplasmosis/Giant Microbes
Trader Joe's 2008 Vintage Ale
That shit is pajamas!
We don't think our baby will be a Xenomorph!
Clockwork Ball and Lemming Malloy

Song 2: Don't Act Like Prey - Lemming Malloy (from Avalauncer EP)
[MySpace] [Emuisc] [iTunes]

Rocky IV, the best Cold War/Christmas movie of all time?
Which movies will you always watch the rest of?
Which is worse: Rocky V or Star Trek V? Discuss.
Fringe VS Eleventh Hour (here's a hint, one sorta sucks and one does not)
CANCELED: Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money
MOVING: Scrubs
DISAPPOINTING: Heroes
We explain that we are old and don't want to watch TV on our computers.
Dexter and the problem with High-Def

Song 3: Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats - Los Campesinos! (from Hold On Now, Youngster)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [Podsafe Music Network]

Goodreads.com
Asimov and his short-sighted far future
Sookie Stackhouse novels and True Blood
Ryn's bizzare vampire-phobia seems to have passed.
Read! Darwinia
Reading! More Information Than You Require
About To Read! Corrupted Sciene/Discarded Science
Why Ryn doesn't like comics anymore.
DC Comics Encyclopedia and On the Origin of Species: Illustrated Edition
Star Wars prequels revisited
Name our robot...LAST CALL!
I Like Turtles

Song 4: I Like Turtles - Zombies! Organize!! (from Before It's Too Late)

R.S. #80 - Thankful for robots

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:51:00 +0000

The Great Random Signal Name Our Roomba^TM Contest is still open for submissions! So, to get your creative meat juices flowing, here is an assortment of robot-y songs. The supplier of the winning name will receive an piece of original hand-made robot art and/or craft by Futuregirl (Leah Riley) ! Stay tuned for further details.

Song 1: Pathways to Progress - Eyes To Space (from From The Bureau of Robotic Affairs)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 2: Techno Machine (With a Lazer Beam) - Math The Band (from Math The Band Banned The Math)
[MySpace]

Song 3: Speed Food Pyramid - Captured! By Robots (from The Ten Commandments/Get Fit With...)
[MySpace]

Song 4: Robotacus - Zombies! Organize!! (from Before It's Too Late)
[MySpace]

Robotacus by Zombies! Organize!!

Song 5: Automaton - No They Do (from When Robots Rule The World)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [Podsafe Music Netork]

Song 6: Tom The T1000 - Jonathan Coulton (from Our Bodies, Ourselves, Our Cybernetic Arms)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [Podsafe Music Network]

Song 7: FU Robot - Pro Audio (from Make The Happiness Stop)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [Podsafe Music Network]

Song 8: World Robot Domination - Sudden Death (from Fatal Error)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [Podsafe Music Network] [The FuMP]

Song 9: The Laws of Robotics - No They Do (from When Robots Rule The World)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [Podsafe Music Network]

This Thanksgiving, don't forget to thank all the hard-working robots in your life--the security and well being of the human race may depend on it!

R.S. #79 - Creepy Kids Club

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:18:00 +0000

Better late than never I suppose...

Real show notes to follow.

1. Zombie I - CALABRESE

2. Shoot The Zombies - songstowearpantsto.com

3. Creature From The Black Lagoon - the Happy, Happy Jihads

4. Roy O'Bannon vs. The Mummy - Get Three Coffins Ready

5. When They've Come For You - Beatnik Turtle

6. Ghost With The Most - B-Movie Britz

7. Zombie Swamp - Thee Strawberry Mynde

8. Zombie Highschool - Sidekick Lupchen and The Bad Generation

9. Creepy Kids Club - Creepy Kids Club

10. Giant Robot - Lizards From Afar

11. Zombie Town - Midnight Peacocks

12. Monster In The Canyon - The Dynamite Brothers

13. Song For The Death Eaters - Harry and The Potters

R.S. #78 - Good news, everyone!

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:41:00 +0000

Hello! We're back and we have lots of exciting news!

What's all this news you ask? Well, you are going to have to listen to the podcast to find out! :p

Speaking of podcasts, you really should be listening to:
Radio Free Hipster
Radio Isopod

All three bands featured in this show were part of this past summer's Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo tour.

Math The Band

Song 1: Let's Hear It For Capitalism!

Song 2: Everyone's Embarassing

(from Math The Band Banned The Math)

Uncle Monsterface

[MySpace] [iTunes]

Song 3: Lobster Building (from Letter Green (I Love You))

Song 4: The Gary Gygax Song (from This Is an Adventure!)

Harry and The Potters

[MySpace] [iTunes]

Song 5: The Human Hosepipe (from Voldemort Can't Stop The Rock!)

Song 6: Save Ginny Weasley (from Harry and The Potters)

R.S. #77 - Oh, So Many Books!

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:56:00 +0000

As the summer comes to a close, Ryn and I talk vacation and books. This podcast begins in the mountains and ends at the beach...well, sort of.

Video 1: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him (from Volume One)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 1: Human Hands - Bowerbirds (from Hymns For a Dark Horse)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Buy Playing For Keeps by Mur Lafferty!!!

Also, Dragon*Con 2008 is right around the corner!

Song/Video 2: Valentine - Festival (from Come, Arrow, Come!)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

FESTIVAL - Valentine from Language of Stone on Vimeo.

Books, books, books! A full list is forthcoming...

Song 3: House of Cards - Lemming Malloy (from Avalauncher EP)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

...and more books!

Song 4: Playing For Keeps - Beatnik Turtle (from The Song of the Day podcast)

Buy Playing For Keeps by Mur Lafferty!!!

R.S. #76.5 - Driving to Maryland, talking about Batman

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:25:00 +0000

Ryn and I went the midnight opening of Batman: The Dark Knight, and we discuss out thoughts on the movie while driving to my family reunion on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. SPOILER ALERT! We assume that anyone listening has either seen the movie, or doesn't care about having the details of the film revealed.

Outro song: Batmobile - the Happy, Happy Jihads (courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network)

R.S. #76 - Popcorn and Pop Music

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:26:00 +0000

I'm beginning to suspect that my microphone is dying, and I apologize in advance if I sound like I'm recoring in a tin can. Ryn, on the other hand, sounds great! You'd think after three years I'd have this stuff down...

Also, the crickets...WTF?!

Song 1: Make My Day - Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies (from EP 1)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

We kick things of with an uplanned discussion of our favorite member of the Star Trek family: Deep Space Nine. We make special mention of the Season 6 episode "Far Beyond the Stars".

Song 2: We Are All Accelerated Readers - Los Campesinos! (from Hold On Now, Yougster...)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Superhero Move Roundup!

The Marvel Universe:

The DC Universe:

and on DVD...

Song 3: Dear Mr. & Mrs. Troublemaker - All Girl Summer Fun Band (from 2)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

And even more movies...

Song 4: The Crash, The Wagons, The Dying Horses - The Craft Economy (from All On C)

R.S. #75 - After three years, we have finally achieved a Maryland-quality podcast!

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:03:00 +0000

Not only is this episode 75 (it's divisible by 5, so you know it's important), but today is the 3rd anniversary, to the day, of the launch of www.randomsignal.com!

All music in this episode is from the album Clap Along with... by The Dynamite Brothers from Chapel Hill, NC.
[MySpace]

Song 1: Bus Stop

Ryn and I share our thoughts on Balticon 42, including...

Geek Fu Morning Show After Dark #13, LIVE!
The Takeover--Now with 100% more Ryn!
The Balticon Podcast

Song 2: My Lover

Ryn and I talk, once again, about one of our most favorite topics: television.

Song 3: One Way Blues

A bit more about TV, specifically, Joss Whedon's new series Dollhouse and J.J. Abrams' new series Fringe.

Introducing Indie Squid Kid, my new cephalopod-focused blog!

Want to get a beet (or maybe a turnip) in the mail? Well, all you have to do is drop me an email. I guarantee it will be, at the very least, Maryland-quality produce.

Song 4: Raw Dawggin' Again

R.S. #74 - Awesome words for your sexy ears

Thu, 22 May 2008 13:59:00 +0000

Balticon 42 begins tomorrow! So here's a quick one before I go.

Song 1: The World The People Together (Come On) - The Dandy Warhols (from ...Earth To The Dandy Warhols...)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

And now, some awesome words for your sexy ears...

The Takeover only at ZombInc.net (Zombies!! At work!!)

The Failed Cities Monologues by Matt Wallace and Variant Frequencies

Song 2: I'm Dungeons You're Dragons - The Alligators (from ???)
[MySpace] [PMN]

I'm providing a voice for Chris Lester's awsome new podcast novel Metamor City: Making The Cut

Go see Iron Man, it's really very good.

Song 3: Springtime Can Kill You - Jolie Holland (from Springtime Can Kill You)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

R.S. #73 - The Bat Slayer

Sun, 11 May 2008 16:40:00 +0000

My wife Ryn joins me once again as co-host. Check out her brand new blog The Suburban Herbivore!

All the music in this episode is from the album Our One Mistake by The Old Ceremony from Chapel Hill, NC.
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 1: Get To Love

The Great Bat Incident

Bats my be hella creepy when they get in your house, but they are actually fascinating creatures!
Read more about them on Wikipedia, The Source of All Knowledge.

If you have a wild animal problem, we highly recommend AAAnimalControl.com

Song 2: Believer

Comic book reviews

1. Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Joss Whedon's Season Eight

Publisher: Dark Horse Comcis
Writers: Joss Whedon, Brian K. Vaughan, and Drew Goddard
Principle artist: Georges Jeanty

2. Angel: After the Fall

Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writers: Joss Whedon and Bryan Lynch
Art: Franco Urru

Song 3: Papers In Order

R.S. #72 - Aprilween III: The Re-Aprilweenening!

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:16:00 +0000

Hang on to your ear holes, and cover the furniture in plastic, because it's Aprilween and we may not make it out alive...

Song 1: Monster Party - The Powerknobs (from Tomorrow's Never Going To Come)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 2: Where They Wander - Horrorpops (from Hell Yeah!)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Video 1: Ghouls - Horrorpops (from Hell Yeah!)

Song 3: Hunting For Witches (Fury666 Remix) - Bloc Party (from Hunting For Witches [Remixes])
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Video 2: Hunting For Witches - Bloc Party (from A Weekend In The City)

Song 4: Who Wants To Be a Zombie Anyways? - The Mansfields (from Cramp Your Style, coming in May 2008 from Gearhead Records)
[MySpace] [PMN]

Song 5: Vampires of the West Coast - Ghost Bees (from Tasseomancy)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 6/Video 3: Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (from Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 7: Knee Deep In Wolf Guts - Two Headed Phantom (from Her Majesty the Witch Demo)
[MySpace] [PMN]

Song 8: Black Cat - The Young Werewolves (from The Young Werewolves)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 9: Demons Are a Ghoul's Best Friend - Ghouls Night Out (from The Mourning After)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 10: Elena's Empty Tomb - Thee Merry Widows (from The Devil's Outlaws)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

R.S. #71 - Unfrozen Superhero Blues

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:53:00 +0000

What's this? A new episode of Random Signal already? Could this be some kind of wonderful dream and/or psychotic break?

Probably. My advice--roll with it...

Song 1: Wreck My Flow - The Dirtbombs (from We Have You Surrounded)
[MySpace] [Emuisc] [iTunes] [PMN]

Comic review - The Twelve

Song 2: Pins In My Doll - The Dynamite Brothers (from Clap Along With...)
[Ask me and I bet I can hook you up!]

Comic review - Project Superpowers

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Plot: Jim Kruegar and Alex Ross
Scripts: Jim Kruegar
Cover Art: Alex Ross
Interior Art: Doug Klauba and Stephen Sadowski
Wikipedia entry

Watch Jon Stuart geek out about Man-Bat!

Song 3: Boogie Chillen - John Lee Hooker (from Face To Face, Volume 1)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

R.S. #70 - How to waste time on The Internet(s)

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:05:00 +0000

Ryn joins me as co-host again to talk about her recent trip to South By Southwest Interactive and her new-found addiction to social networking.

All music in this episode is by one of my new favorite bands, Los Campesinos!

[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Their first full lengh CD, Hold On Now, Youngster is realesed in the US on April 1, 2008 (pre-order here), but you can get it now at Emusic.com.

Song 1: This is How You Spell "HAHAHA, We Destroyed the Hopes and Dreams of a Generation of Faux-Romantics"

Video 1: The International TweeXcore Underground (from The International TweeXcore Underground EP)

Ryn's SXSW report -- "There was a moustache going around."

Song 2/Video 2: Death to Los Campesinos!

Need a new drug?
Socialthing!
Get Satisfaction
Good Reads

Song 3: My Year In Lists

A couple of sites that came up during listener feedback...

Andy Lee - www.findandy.com
The Clockwork Cabaret - www.clickcaster.com/clockworkcabaret

Song 4/Video 3: We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives (from Sticking Fingers Into Sockets EP)

Video 4: You! Me! Dancing!

R.S. #69 - Airships vs Acrocanthosaurs

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:14:00 +0000

Being an experiment in tandem podcasting. For more steampunk and dinosaurs, listen to The Voice of Free Planet X (aka Jared Axelrod).

Song 1: The Lives of Captured Scientists - The Craft Economy (from All On C)
[MySpace] [on Boingboing.net]

Steampunk!

As definied on Wikipedia

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore
The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

On Flickr - The Guild of Justice-Minded Citizenry! (as seen on Boingboing.net)

Steampunk Spectacular podcast

The Clockwork Ball - Ringside, Durham, NC (Saturday, March 28)

Song 2: Airship Pirate - Abney Park (from Lost Horizons)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

Dinosaurs!

Paleo-blogs:
Tetrapod Zoology
Laelaps

On Flickr - Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries

Cladistics on Wikipedia

North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences

Song 3: Age of the Fern - George Hrab (from [sic])
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

R.S. #68 - Blood and Treasure

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:01:00 +0000

WARNING: This episode of Random Signal contains snarky Liberal ranting about the state of American politics and the 2008 presidential election. Not Safe For Work, Children, or Easily-offended Republicans.

Song 1: Dick Is a Killer - rx

Video 1: Imagine - rx

Song 2: The Happiest Place on Earth - Desaparecidos (from Read Music/Speak Spanish)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 3/Video 2: Exit Strategy - Valient Thorr (from Legend of the World)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 4: W's Duty - Jonathan Coulton (from Thing a Week One)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

JoCo on Obama

Video 3: The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song - The Flaming Lips

Video 4: Dr. Who on Holiday - Dean Gray

Song 5: When The President Talks to God - Bright Eyes
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

R.S. #67 - Hometown Tunes

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:18:00 +0000

I've been called out by listener Brandt for "shenanigans" because this episode is coming one month and one day after my last show. But you know what, Brandt? I don't care because I got a new job! That's right, I am the newest project manager at Newfangled Web Factory in Carrboro, NC. To celebrate, all of today's music is by local bands.

Song 1: Dark Horse - Bowerbirds (from Hymns For a Dark Horse)
[MySpace] [Emusic]

Song 2: Terrier - The Moaners (from Dark Snack)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 3: Say You Will - The Honored Guests (from Tastes Change)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

Song 4: Give It Away If You Can - Tad Dreis (from Play To Remember)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 5: For All I Know - SNMNMNM (from Crawl Inside Your Head)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

R.S. #66 - All Aboard the Christmas Train!

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 17:10:00 +0000

It's Christmas! To celebrate, I bring you an extra-long episode filled with wine, women, and song. And chocolate cookies. All songs by Beatnik Turtle from The Song of The Day podcast.

00:00 The Christmas Train (Song of the Day for 12/10)

04:00 I welcome my two special guests: Jared Axelrod, host of podcasts The Voice of Free Planet X and Aliens You Will Meet, and JR Blackwell, host of Voices of Tomorrow.

08:58 JR is a runner-up in Violet Blue's list of the Top Ten Sexy Geeks of 2007!

11:44 How to tell if your waiter is Wolverine.

18:33 Christmas Is Coming To Your House (Song of the Day for 12/9)

21:06 We discuss "Comfort and Joy" the Justice League Christmas special. For the record, the Ultra-Humanite was voiced by Ian Buchanan, not Kelsey Grammer.

28:25 The Ultra-Humanite vs NPR

34:18 Fun with Mythology Pt. 1

A short reading from Classical Myths That Live Today (Silver, Burdett & Co., 1927) by Frances E. Sabin (who was a woman, incidentally).

Question for discussion: Is classical mythology a "girl's subject"?

38:45 Christmas Is a Vulture (Song of the Day for 12/12)

42:28 Fun with Mythology Pt. 2

Question for review: Was Juno justified in her jealous attitudes toward Jupiter?

50:00 Coed Naked Drunk Xmas Shopping (Song of the Day for 12/11)

52:16 Trader Joes's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's: "Oreos to the next, NEXT level."

55:00 Will Jared and JR ever discover the true meaning of Empire Day?

58:59 A Random Signal exclusive--JR Blackwell will launch her new podcast, Blackmail, early 2008!

01:01:10 For Lee at the I Motor Away podcast, "I Motor Away In a Manger" a drunken, a capella, improv (mostly), karaoke Christmas carol.

R.S. #65 - Sounds from the Bottom of the World

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:30:00 +0000

November ended badly, and I'm not quite up to my normal geeky ramblings. Therefore, RS65 is wall-to-wall music. Enjoy.

Song 1: Tip of My Tongue - Tall Dwarfs (from Weeville)
[MySpace]

Song 2: Boy With a Coin - Iron and Wine (from The Shepherd's Dog)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 3: Science VS Romance - Rilo Kiley (from Take Offs and Landings)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 4: My Favorite Book - Stars (from In Our Bedroom After the War)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 5: Revenge! - Spoon (from 30 Gallon Tank EP and the Wired Magazine CD)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 6: The Love I Crave - The Blow (from Poor Aim: Love Songs)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 7: So What - Space Mtn (from A Drawing of a Memory of a Photograph of You)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 8: Feathers - Man Man (from Six Demon Bag)
[MySpace] [Emuisc] [iTunes]

Song 9: Bottom of the World - Tom Waits (from Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards)
[MySpace] [Emuisc] [iTunes] [PMN]

R.S. #64 - The one where Ryn gets bitten repeatedly by our cat

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 17:32:00 +0000

The lovely (and giggly) Ryn joins me once again to talk about what's new in the world of television.

Song 1: Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Promo: 7th Son and Heaven on Podiobooks.com

Ryn and I run down the pros and cons of the Fall TV season.

Torchwood (Jason: Yes/Ryn: No)
Bionic Woman (Jason: No/Ryn: No)
Journeyman (Jason: No/Ryn: No)
Pushing Daisies (Jason: Very Yes/Ryn: Yes)

Dirty Sexy Money (Jason: Maybe/Ryn: Yes)
Damages (Jason: Yes/Ryn: Yes)
Moonlight (Jason: Very No/Ryn: Yes)
Big Bang Theory (Jason: Yes/Ryn: Yes)

Chuck (Jason: Maybe/Ryn: Maybe)
Reaper (Jason: Maybe/Ryn: Maybe)

Song 2: Fake French - Le Tigre (from Feminist Sweepstakes and the Wired Magazine CD)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

After we finish up our TV discussion, we review Guitar Hero III for the PS2.

Song 3: Helicopter - Bloc Party (from Silent Alarm and featured in Guitar Hero III)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 4: Wasp Nest - The National (from Cherry Tree EP)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

R.S. #63 - Monsters, Music and Mayhem

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 03:22:00 +0000

Welcome to the Third Annual Random Signal Halloween Music Spectacular! Let's get right down to tonight's tracks...of TERROR!!!

Song 1: All Hail the Horror Host - The Creeping Cruds (from The Incredibly Strange People Who Stopped Living and Became...)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 2: House of Mysterious Secrets - Calabrese (from The Traveling Vampire Show)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 3: Zombie Love Affair - Johnny O and The Jerks (from Taking Out the Trashabilly)
[MySpace] [PMN]

Song 4: Fiend Without a Face - Aliens and Strangers (from Fiend Without a Face EP)
[MySpace] [PMN]

Song 5: Bloodlust - The Quintessentials (from Legends From the Grave)
[MySpace] [PMN]

Song 6: Mother Was a Carpegian - Reverend Glasseye (from Our Lady of the Broken Spine)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 7: The Cemetery - Get Three Coffins Ready (from S/T)
[MySpace] [PMN]

Special Bonus Episode 005 - Interview with Randy and Jason from Beatnik Turtle

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:38:00 +0000

Back in July, Mur and I had the pleasure of interviewing Randy and Jason from prolific geek band Beatnik Turtle. (Recorded live during brunch on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center in downtown Chicago--"the most recognized building in the world.")

All songs featured in this show are from BT's The Song of the Day podcast.

1. This Is Chicago (Theme To 849)
2. Ants
3. Until My Parents Were Called
4. Bunsen Burner

Special Bonus Episode 004 - Stupendous Adventures (live at Dragon*Con 2007)

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 13:29:00 +0000

The Stupendous Adventures of Starman and Batman!

Episode One: Dragon*Con

Wherein our heroes encounter nefarious villains, confused fans, and frat boys.

Starring Jason Adams, Jared Axelrod, JR Blackwell, and a cast of thousands.

Filmed live at Dragon*Con 2007.

R.S. #62 - Cease and De-Cyst

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:54:00 +0000

It's been a strange, busy summer, but we're back!

Song 1: Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn, and John (from Writer's Block)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 2: Rock n Roll - A. Rex (from Moving Backwards)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 3: Oh Christy - The Moaners (from Dark Snack)
[MySpace] [Emuisc] [iTunes]

Promo: This Day In Alternate History

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:47:00 +0000

Here's our new promo for the TDAH video podcast. If you're a podcaster, please feel free to play it in your show. In fact, play the heck out of it!

R.S. #61 - Can Voldemort Stop the Rock?

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:54:00 +0000

Today is my 33rd birthday!

Song 1: Misfit Out of Time - SNMNMNM (from Exploderama)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Working hard at Lulu.TV...

This Day In Alternate History
Zombies In the Workplace
Writer Stalking
George Hrab live at Balticon

Join The Order of the Digital Trebuchet, Christiana Ellis has!

Song 2: Our Haunt - Palomar (from All Things, Forests)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

I've finally got around to checking out a few things...

Ninja Warrior
Man vs Wild (see also, Man vs Child by Tee Morris and Paul Fischer )
The Geologic Podcast

Song 3: This Book is So Awesome - Harry and the Potters (from Harry and the Potters and the Power of Love)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

Ryn and I discuss theories about Harry Potter Book 7, such as:

Is Snape evil?
Who will live and who will die?
Is Harry a Horcrux?

Song 4: Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock - Harry and the Potters (from Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock!)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

R.S. #60 - Pirates and Puritans

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:41:00 +0000

Song 1: Eyes to Space - Eyes to Space (from From the Bureau of Robotic Affairs)
[MySpace] [Emusic]

Bonus website-only video track! Peelander-Z!!!

This Week In Alternate History - My new daily (well, weekdaily) video podcast that I do with Mur Lafferty.
Available only at Lulu.TV.

Movie review - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Song 2: Get Up Get Out - The Rosebuds (from Night of the Furies)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Comic review - Gutsville by Simon Spurrier and Frazier Irving

Song 3: Ain't It Hard - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (from Dap Dippin' with the Dap-Kings)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Thanks to Mark and Andrew for entering the Death Cab for Cutie contest. The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (and/or The Magical Mystery Tour) was, of course, the correct answer.

R.S. #59 - Second Anniversary Show: Balticon wrap-up, music by podcasters, new house

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:46:00 +0000

Random Signal is two years old, and I nearly forgot!

Who are you to argue with Kilroy 2.0?

Song 1: My Generation (live) - The Who (from Monterey International Pop Festival courtesy of Razor & Tie)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [PMN]

Balticon was totally Airwolf! I got to meet/get drunk with a ton of awesome podcasters. Let's see if I can remember them all...

Mur Lafferty - Geek Fu Action Grip, I Should Be Writing, Pseudopod, Lulu Radio
Jim Van Verth - The Vintage Gamer
Matthew Wayne Selznick - Brave Men Run, DIY Endeavors, Five Minute Memoir, Writers Talking
J.C. Hutchins - 7th Son
Evo Terra - Podiobooks.com
Michael R. Mennenga - Farpoint Media
Jared Axelrod - The Voice of Free Planet X, Aliens You Will Meet
J.R. Blackwell - Voices of Tomorrow
Susan Z and Buscuit - Kulture Kast
George Hrab - The Geologic Podcast
Tee Morris - Podiobooks.com, The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy
Steve Eley - Escape Pod
Paul Fischer and Martha Halloway - The Balticon Podcast, ADD Cast
Rick Stringer - Variant Frequencies
Matt Wallace - The Failed Cities Monologues
Rich Sigfrit - Outcast Multimedia
Earl Newton - Stranger Things
Phil Rossi - Crescent
Leann Mabry - Tag in the Seam
Command Line - The Command Line
Christiana Ellis - Nina Kimberly the Merciless,
Talking About Stuff, with Mike and Christiana, Hey, Want to Watch a Movie?
Jack Mangan - Spherical Tomi, Jack Mangan's Deadpan
Nobilis - Nobilis Erotica

Did I forget anyone? Probably...

Song 2: Ilyana - Phil Rossi and The Bad Habit
[MySpace] [PMN]

Song 3: Faithful - The Shillas
[MySpace] [PMN]

We have a new house! See?

Song 4: Cruel Spines - George Hrab (from Vitriol)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Wikipedia entry on the candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa)

Song 5: Octopus - Jonathan Coulton
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Special Bonus Episode 003 - Free Comic Book Day, Live at Chapel Hill Comics

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 02:36:00 +0000

I realize this is about a month out of date, but I recently remembered that I had done some recording at this year's Free Comic Book Day (May 5, 2007) at Chapel Hill Comics, the greatest comic book shop in the world.

Special thanks to Andy and Vanessa for letting me stick a microphone in their faces on one of the busiest days of their year!

A regular episode of Random Signal is on its way...

R.S. #58 - It's Random Signal!! It's been updated!! I can't believe my ears!! Ahhhh!

Thu, 24 May 2007 13:38:00 +0000

Song 1: They are Night Zombies!! They are Neighbors!! They've Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh! - Sufjan Stevens (from Illinoise)
[Emusic] [iTunes]

Life's been kinda hectic these days. New house (soon), new job (sorta), Balticon 41.

Song 2: License and Registration - Death Cab For Cutie (from Transatlanticism)
[MySpace] [iTunes] [PMN]

Song 3: Jet Ski Accidents - The Blow (from Bonus Album)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Two new ways to find me online:

Twitter - HoboZero
Last.fm - RandomSignal

Song 4: Average Guy - Beatnik Turtle (from The Song of The Day podcast)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

Song 5: Secrets From the Future - MC Frontalot (from Secrets From the Future)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

One of the very first podcasts I ever listened to, Seth and Jessica's WHYME (Worst Music You Ever Heard) has ended. Thanks for all the great music!

Song 6: Jessica Deserves a Quiet Night - Seth - third son of albert
[MySpace]

R.S. #57 - Aprilween 2: The Son of the Revenge of Aprilween

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:39:00 +0000

Welcome to the Second Annual Aprilween Music Spectacular! April 17, is tax day for those of us in the US, and, for many, it is the scariest day of the year. To celebrate, I bring you a coffin-full of horrror-themed music straight from the vaults at the Podsafe Music Network. Also, to add to the spooky ambience, keep in mind that I recorded this show at Gothic Duke University.

Song 1: Monster Party - The Husbands (from There's Nothing I'd Like More Than To See You Dead)
[Emusic] [MySpace]

Song 2: Alligator Wine - Killionaires (from ???)
[MySpace]

Song 3: Miami Surf Graveyard - The Vultures (from The Vultures EP)
[MySpace]

Song 4: Wolfman - Cakey Face
[MySpace]

Song 5: The Haunted House of our Love - Evil Wiener (from The Haunted House of our Love)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

Song 6: Me enamore de una Zombi - Manganzoides (from ???)
[MySpace]

Song 7: Werewolf - Rusty Springfield (from Werewolf/Cold Beer Single)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

Song 8: Gothsylvania - Big John Bates (from Take Your Medicine)
[Emusic] [MySpace] [iTunes]

R.S. #56 - Under The Radar

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 13:19:00 +0000

This podcast is for Joe...

I'm pleased to say that Mur Lafferty finally joins me as guest co-host! Our main topic today is geek music, and Mur has hand picked every song.

Song 1: Mason Rocket (Spy Extraordinaire) - Beatnik Turtle (from The Song of the Day podcast)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

The Joe Murphy Memorial Fund

Song 2: Heaven Must Be Boring - George Hrab (from Coelacanth)
[Emusic] [MySpace] [iTunes]

This is the theme-song for Mur's totally Airwolf serial podcast novel Heaven. If you haven't heard it yet, you can get the first two books at Podiobooks.com and, of course, at her own podcast Geek Fu Action Grip.

Geo has his own podcast! The Geologic Podcast

Next, we take a break from talk of music to really geek out over Dragon Magazine #352 (Feb. 2007) which features China Mieville's world of Bas-Lag adapted for d20 role-playing.

Song 3: Bad Influence (live) - Throwing Toasters (from Dork)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

Intrepid podcast fans my know lead Toaster, Grant Baciocco, from The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd.

Song 4: Under The Radar - Beatnik Turtle (from The Song of the Day podcast)

One final note--I got the date of Aprilween wrong! This year it falls on Tuesday, April 17. Stay tuned...the festivities will begin very soon...

R.S. #55 - Of Beasts and Blogs

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 14:45:00 +0000

Song 1: Grizzly Bear - All Girl Summer Fun Band (from 2)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Welcome to any new listeners who found this podcast via BoingBoing.net, Craphound.com (thanks Cory!), or 7th Son (thanks Hutch!).

Sites of interest:

Loren Coleman's Cryptomundo (cryptozoology and news of the weird)
*New species of hagfish discovered
*Largest colossal squid ever caught

Darren Naish's Tetrapod Zoology (vampire bats, narwhals, and feathered dinosaurs, oh my!)

Promo: The Surreal O'Rama Bizarre Lyrics Song Poem Contest
(deadline: March 10, 2007)

Song 2: It's Carrboro - Billy Sugarfix and Brian Risk
[MySpace] [YouTube]

Song 3: Disconnect the Dots - of Montreal (from Satanic Panic in the Attic)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes] [PMN]

Special Bonus Episode 002 - Cory Doctorow at Duke University

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 01:03:00 +0000

On February 22, 2007, Cory Doctorow--science-fiction author, technology activist, and co-editor of BoingBoing.net--gave a talk at Duke University on privacy. Cory, who is totally Airwolf, allowed me to record the lecture, and I am pleased to present to you "MySpace to Homeland Security: Privacy and the Totalitarian Urge."

R.S. #54 - Getting Back On Track

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 01:08:00 +0000

Song 1: So Begins Our Alabee - of Montreal (from The Sunlandic Twins)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

I'm going to see them in Chapel Hill early next month. Other recent shows I've been to:

Yo La Tengo (with The Rosebuds)
Squirrel Nut Zippers (with The Old Ceremony)

Also, we're thinking about going to Bonnaroo!

Song 2: Staring at the Sun - TV on the Radio (from Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

A few comics of note: 52, Justice Society of America, Nextwave, Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil, Fables, Shadowpact

Promo: 7th Son Trilogy

"7th Son" by J.C. Hutchins is amazing! Speaking of clones, check out Mur's Heaven/7th Son crossover. And speaking of Mur, I recently recorded another story for Pseudopod - Episode #21: Fetal Position.

Song 3: The Presidents - Jonathan Coulton (from Thing a Week)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Finally, like Kilroy 2.0, these days I am evvvverywhere...

LiveJournal
Flickr
Facebook
Yelp
Upcoming
Tagworld

R.S. #53 - Slug Nog

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:48:00 +0000

Song 1: Virgin Hovercraft - Billy Sugarfix

Happy 2007 and welcome back to Random Signal!

I hope everyone got lots of good loot for Christmas, I know I did...

Justice League: Heroes (for the PS2)
Star Wars: Battle Front II (also for the PS2)
Kingdom Come (Absolute Edition)
DC: The New Frontier (Absolute Edition)

Also, as promised, here's the link to Ryn's cousin's art gallery:
Art & Invention Gallery - Nashville, TN

Song 2: The Eggnog Song - The Morning Squirrels (from The War on Christmas by Lee Harris and Friends)

7th Grade Slug cartoons--behold my adolescent scribblings!

Song 3: Van Helsing Boombox - Man Man (from Six Demon Bag)
[MySpace] [iTunes]

Song 4: Gut Bucket - James Brown (R.I.P.)
[Emusic] [iTunes]

Disclaimer: No slugs were harmed in the making of this podcast.

R.S. #52 - Raawk! 52! Raawk!

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 03:15:00 +0000

My wife joins me again for an in-depth discussion of DC Comics current weekly series 52. There are also a few Christmas songs.

Song 1: Hovercraft - Space Mtn (from A Drawing of a Memory of a Photograph of You)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 2: Deck the Halls and Rattle the Walls - Music for Viola (member of the Oilville Christmas Dynasty, courtesy The Lee Show by way of PMN)

Song 3: Chiron Beta Prime - Jonathan Coulton (from Thing a Week)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

R.S. #51 - RNSNSNS

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 04:49:00 +0000

After an unplanned hiatus, Random Signal is back with talk of weather, rock music and politics.

Song 1: Exploderama - SNMNMNM (from Exploderama EP)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

During my little break, I did guest spots on two of my favorite podcasts...

Pseudopod -- Episode 10: Turista

The Voice of Free Planet X -- Episode 32: Hoist That Rag

Song 2: Indian Summer - Beat Happening (from Jamboree, by way of the PMN and courtesy of K Records)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Interview: Jonathan Coulton - special thanks to Mur Lafferty!

Song 3: Sibling Rivalry - Jonathan Coulton (from Thing a Week One)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 4: My Defense! - SNMNMNM (from As Best As We Can)

R.S. #50 - Tricked-Out Treats

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 12:09:00 +0000

It's my 50th show! It's Halloween! Horray!

Song 1: Midnight Cabaret - Reverend Glasseye (from Black River Falls)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 2: Creepy Doll - Jonathan Coulton (from Thing a Week V)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 3: Halloween - The Coffinshakers (from Dark Wings Over Finland, maybe, courtesy of Reanimator Records by way of PMN)

Song 4: Vampire Lover - The Deformities (from Baloney, via PMN)
[MySpace]

Song 5: Baby We'll Sleep In the Graveyard Tonight - Bad News Bats (from Bad News Bats)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Song 6: Haunted Castle - Belaire (from Haunted Castle 7" Single)
[MySpace]

Song 7: Monster Rap - Andrew Bush/Haberdash Films -- see the video at Lulu.TV (Warning: Very Not Safe For Work!)

R.S. #49 - TV Party Tonight

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:37:00 +0000

My wife Ryn returns to Random Signal for an in-depth discussion of how much fraking TV we watch. It's also the weekend of our 4th wedding anniversary. But first...

Song 1: Jason Lee - All Girl Summer Fun Band (from 2)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Ryn and I kick things off by discussing the new shows this season that we are currently watching. Such as...

Heroes
Men In Trees
Ugly Betty
Studio 60
Jericho

Of course, we also talk about a few of our returning favorites...

Prison Break
Grey's Anatomy
Supernatural

Song 2: Shake Our Tree - The Rosebuds (from Birds Make Good Neighbors)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

Wait, it's not quite over...

Lost
Doctor Who
Battlestar Galactica

Song 3: You Can Never Hold Back Spring - Tom Waits (from the soon to be released 3 disc rarities collection, Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network)
[MySpace] [Emusic] [iTunes]

R.S. #48 - End-of-Summer Fun

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 16:04:00 +0000

This podcast is an All-Girl-Indie-Pop-Fun-Fest!

Song 1: Video Game Heart - All Girl Summer Fun Band (from 2)
[MySpace] [Emusic]

Song 2: Ces Mots - Belaire (from the Belaire EP) - watch the video!
[MySpace]

Song 3: Oh - Space Mtn (from A Drawing of a Memory of a Photograph of You) - watch the video!
[MySpace]

Song 4: You Dance Bad - Palomar (from Palomar III: Revenge of Palomar)
[MySpace] [Emusic]

Podcasts shouted at, er, out during the the course of the show:

I Motor Away
WHYME
Notes Underground - check out the Space Mtn interview!
The Geeklabel Podcast
The Voice of Free Planet X
Voices of Tomorrow

R.S. #47 - I Color Everything

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 02:13:00 +0000

Len of Jawbone Radio has illustrated the official Jonathan Coulton coloring book! Buy it now at Lulu.com.

In other JoCo news, he has joined John Hodgman on his ongoing book tour (for the paperback edition of Areas of My Expertise), and they will be in North Carolina in October.

In other hobo news, all 700 Hobo Names have been illustrated! (Although rumor has it that the new edition of AoME has added 100 more.) Visit E-Hobo.com to see them all.

Song 1: I Crush Everything - Jonathan Coulton (from Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow)

Next, I talk about giant squids and Yosemite National Park.

Promo 1: Radio Clash

Hijack my podcast! I dare you!

Promo 2: I Motor Away

Song 2: Experts Made the Forcast (live at Cat's Cradle) - Eyes to Space (from emusic.com)

R.S. #46 - Dragon*Con Report: So Much Geek, So Little Time

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 13:43:00 +0000

Reasons I love Dragon*Con #633: melting Nazis

I am still totally wiped out from back-to-back (and coast-to-coast) conventions. My one day at Dragon*Con was hectic, exhausting, and totally freakin' Airwolf! I spoke on two panels, performed Lance Biggs, purchased some awesome new games, and took a few pictures. Unfortunately, I missed out on the Parsec Awards (congratulations to all the winners!) and the already legendary live episode of Wingin' It. However, I still got to see all my old poscasting friends and make some new ones.

Here's the Who's Who:

Mur Lafferty - Geek Fu Action Grip, I Should Be Writing, Pseudopod
Jim Van Verth - The Vintage Gamer
Michael and Evo - Wingin' It, Slice of Sci-Fi, DragonPage Cover to Cover
Joe and Summer - The Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas
Lorrie and Sheila - DragonPage With Class
Derek and Swoopy - Skepticality
Paul and Martha - The Balticon Podcast, ADDcast
Tee Morris - The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy
Patrick McLean - The Seanachai
Michael A. Stackpole - The Secrets
Steve Eley - Escape Pod
Les and Kari - The Signal
Marc Gunn - Too many podcasts to list!
John Campbell - Comics Radar
Stephen Euin Cobb - The Future and You
Rich Sigfrit - Requiem of the Outcast
Christiana Ellis - Christiana Talks About Stuff, Nina Kimberly the Merciless
J.C. Hutchins - 7th Son
Scott Sigler - Earthcore, Ancestor, Infection

Song 1: Do Virgins Taste Better Medley - The Brobdingnagian Bards (from A Faire To Remember)

Song 2: Brainsbodyboth - George Hrab (from Coelacanth)

R.S. #45 - PAX Report: Runebound, Nerdcore, and more!

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:34:00 +0000

This was recorded on my iRiver, first in my hotel at PAX, and then back at home in NC during a thunder storm (we had the computers turned off), but I think there is something wrong with the iRiver because there is this annoying background noise. I'm really sorry about that, and it's quite embarassing, considering that I've only done one show with the new gear.

Anyway...

In this show, I report on my recent trip to Washington state to attend the Penny Arcade Expo--aka, PAX. I got to hang out with my friend Stuart, and it was a lot of fun, despite the crazy crowds. Highlights of the convention include:

Watching Stuart compete in the D&D Open Duel (run by Technomancer Press)
Seeing the demo of Guitar Hero II
Playing Arkham Horror and Runebound
Meeting MC Frontalot and seeing him perform

Song 1: Miskatonic Massacre - The Von Dooms (courtesy of Reanimator Records)

Song 2: Penny Arcade Theme - MC Frontalot (from Nerdcore Rising)

I totally meant to get this posted days ago, but even though it's probably too late, look for me (and a ton of other Airwolf podcasters) at Dragon*Con! (Atlanta, GA, September 1-4, 2006)

Special Bonus Episode 001 - Lancelot Biggs PodPlay

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:28:00 +0000

Presenting the first Random Signal Bonus Episode--the Laneclot Biggs podplay.

Based on Lancelot Biggs: Spaceman by Nelson Bond, adapted by Mur Lafferty, and edited by Paul Fischer and Martha Holloway (who also let me gank an entire episode of the Balticon Podcast so I could share it with all of you!). It was originally preformed live (pictured here) this past Spring at Balticon 40, but due to some unfortunate technical difficulties, we weren't able to record it with the proper sound effects. This performance of Lancelot Biggs: SPAAAACE MAAAAN!!!! is released under a Creative Commons 2.5 non-commerical, attribution license.

I play Dick Todd, second mate of The Saturn. He's earnest, but not the sharpest tool in the shed. Most of the cast will be reuniting for an encore performance of Lance Biggs at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA during Labor Day weekend. Stay tuned for more details in upcoming editions of Random Signal.

R.S. #44 - My, The Earth Really Is Full of Things!

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 17:02:00 +0000

I can't stop playing Katamari Damacy! However, I did manage to break away long enough to set up my new recording gear. Please let me know what you think of the new sound!

The Tom Waits show was, as expected, amazing. Here's a scan of the setlist I jotted down during the show, in the dark. Yes I am a big nerd. The Eyeball Kid has complete coverage of all the shows on the Orphans tour.

Song 1: Another Man's Vine - Tom Waits (from Blood Money, courtesy of Epitaph)

Promo: The Voice of Free Planet X

I had a fantastic time in San Jose at BlogHer 2006. We met a ton of awesome people, including "sexpert" Susie Bright and Heather Powazek Champ, community director at Flickr and co-editor of JPG Magazine. Our interviews with both women can be found in Lulu Radio #9.

Song 2: Fragile - Tall Dwarfs (from Fifty Flavours of Glue)

The Military Moustaches of Stratego Trivia Challenge was a spectacular failure. Thank you for those loyal few who participated. The ranks with facial hair as depicted on my 1986 version of the board game are as follows:

#2 General
#3 Colonel
#6 Leiutenant
#7 Sergeant
#9 Scout

And, as always, Random Signal is brought to you by Lady Bone Water -
"Strong enough for a man, but made with the bones of real ladies!"

R.S. #43 - Ice and Obsession

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 03:38:00 +0000

Song 1: Alice - Tom Waits (from Alice, courtesy of Epitaph)

So far, July has been a totally Airwolf month. Here's why:

*I got Tom Waits tickets!!!! (Looking to buy, sell or trade tickets at face value? Try the Tom Waits Fan Forums.)
*For my birthday I got a PS2 and Guitar Hero, the greatest game ever, and new podcasting gear.
*This weekend I'm flying out to San Jose to attend BlogHer as a Lulu representative.

Song 2: In Our Talons - Bowerbirds (from Danger at Sea)

Audio Clip: Neil Gorman's ology podcast - some good advice.

Song 3: Zombie Twist - The Deformities (courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network)

Movie review: Superman Returns

R.S. #42 - Clang, Boom and Steam

Thu, 13 Jul 2006 01:18:00 +0000

I had a ton of fun at HeroesCon. I got to meat a lot of really cool people, like Matt Fraction and Tony Harris, and got to see our favorite local vendors of geeky goodness--Chapel Hill Comics and Wootini. My friends and I even dressed up like superheroes! See the pictures here.

I'm trying someting a little different by focusing on two different bands and playing two songs by each.

First up...

Man Man - www.wearmanman.com and www.acefu.com
1. Black Mission Goggles - from Six Demon Bag
2. 10 lb. Moustache - from Man Man (aka The Man In the Blue Turban With the Face)
- check out the video!

And then...

Tom Waits (!!!!) - www.anti.com and www.tomwaitslibrary.com
3. How's It Gonna End - from Real Gone
4. Hold On - from Mule Variations
(both songs courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network)

Tom Waits is touring the southeast in August! Find out more from The Eyeball Kid.

R.S. #41 - Military Moustaches

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 00:37:00 +0000

The anniversary month continues with an exta long one (~1 hr.), but fear not, it's full of kick-ass tunes and randomy geeky goodness. Also, it's Not Safe For Work or Children!

Song 1: Banner Year - Can Joann (from The Aiden Grace EP)

HeroesCon - June 30-July 2 - Charlotte, NC

The Lulu Comics Subversives will be out in force! This year's Con guests include such comics luminaries as:

Warren Ellis
Tony Harris
Charles Vess
Brian Wood
Rob G and Rick Spears
Tim Sale
Matt Fraction
Michael Avon Oeming
Andy Lee

Song 2: Heatseeker - Valient Thorr (from the soon to be released Legend of the World, courtesy of PSM)

Comic reviews:

1) The Five Fists of Science by Matt Fraction and Steven Sanders

2) Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse: The Taster (#0) by Ben Templesmith

Promo: The Vintage Gamer

Game review: Stratego (published by Milton Bradley)

Enter the Military Moustaches of Stratego Trivia Challenge - the very first Random Signal contest!!!

Question: Which of the ten ranks in Stratego have facial hair, as depicted on my copy of the game board (Milton Bradley, c. 1986)?

Send your answers to randomsignal@gmail.com - from the correct answers received, up to two will be randomly selected to win a Random Signal Prize Pack (Random Signal button, your choice of Airwolf t-shirt, plus a secret surprise!).

Contest deadline - TBA.

Song 3: Woah! - Palomar (from Palomar 3.5 Demo EP)

Movie review: Top 10 Cool Things About X-Men: The Last Stand

Song 4: The Future Soon - Jonathan Coulton (from Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow)

Last but not least, Random Signal now has LiveJournal syndication!

R.S. #40 - Now We Are One

Thu, 08 Jun 2006 18:16:00 +0000

Balticon was totally Airwolf! With swords!

This week marks the one year anniversary of Random Signal!

There are special plans in store, oh yes! Just...not yet.
Soon. I promise.

First up is a brief sample of the Lancelot Biggs: Spaceman podplay. It was recorded live at Balticon 40 on May 28. It is based on the book by Nelson Bond, and was adapted by our very own Mur Lafferty. I play Dick Todd, the earnest, but none-to-bright, second mate of The Saturn.

Song: Captain of the Future (live at Chop Suey) - We Wrote The Book On Connectors (via PMN)

Mur and Rob (from podcast411) wrote a podcasting book - Tricks of the Podcasting Masters (Random Signal is mentioned on pages 120-121, and Lulu Radio is mentioned on pages 321-322!)

Mur and I recorded our con wrap-up in the car on the way home. Here are the high-lights in link form:

Best of the Balticon Film Festival:

Sins of the Mother (by podcaster Earl Newton)
They Are Made Out of Meat
Grandfather Parodox
Cost of Living
Jesus Christ Supercop

Fast-Forward.tv
Mur's Interview with Neil Gaiman
Lisa Snelling-Clark's rat sculptures
The Eye of Argon

R.S. #39 - Yay Gilgamesh!

Fri, 26 May 2006 04:53:00 +0000

Ok...I'm running short on time this morning, so let's make this quick...

Song 1: Over and Over Again (Lost & Found) - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)

Song 2: Am I Awake - They Might Be Giants (from Indestructible Object, courtesy of Barsuk Records via the Podsafe Music Network )

Song 3: One More Smoke - Reverend Glasseye (from Black River Falls)

Promo 1: One Minute How-To
Promo 2: Balticon Podcast

Other Links

Random Signal Spreadshirt store
RockButtons
Willrad
Achewood (Totally Airwolf!)
Diesel Sweeties
Eclectic Mix
All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder #4 by Frank Miller and Jim Lee
Lostpedia
The Epic of Gligamesh

R.S. #38 - Bea Arthur's Feet

Thu, 18 May 2006 11:59:00 +0000

Balticon is coming! Memorial Day Weekend (May 26-29)

Here's the complete list of podcasters (other than myself) who will be attending:

Mur Lafferty - Geek Fu Action Grip and I Should Be Writing
Jim Van Verth - The Vintage Gamer
Paul Fischer and Martha Holloway - The Balticon Podcast and The ADDcast
Steve Eley - Escape Pod
Tee Morris - The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy
Patrick McLean - The Seanachai
Jared Axelrod - The Voice of Free Planet X
J.R. Blackwell - Voices of Tomorrow
Rich Sigfrit and Earl Newton - Requiem of the Outcast
Steve Wilson - Prometheus Radio Theatre

Promo: The Voice of Free Planet X

Song 1: Roadkill - Eyes to Space (from Eyes to Space EP)

Song 2: Celebrity Diet - Captured! By Robots (from The Ten Commandments/Get Fit With...)

Subaru Confessions - Cornered at Home Goods (sorry about all the highway noise!)

Promo: The Seanachai

Song 3: Thicker Skin - Can Joann (from Hurt People Hurt People)

The theme music for this episode is "Divebomber" by Ron Arnold.

R.S. #37 - Florida Vacationcast

Wed, 03 May 2006 03:58:00 +0000

This podcast was recorded over the course of 5 days while on my recent vacation to the Gulf coast of Florida. Cut off from every last one of the internets, all I had was my trusty iRiver - so the sound quality is a little worse than normal. Also, it's long. Clocking in a just over an hour, this show is twice the usual length. You've been warned! Also, my wife Ryn makes her Random Signal debut.

For obvious reasons, I had hoped to have this uploaded on May 1. Oh well, such is life.

Places visited:

Estero, Florida
Sanibel and Captiva Islands
Lover's Key State Park

Songs played:

1. Unwind - The Rosebuds (from The Rosebuds Unwind)
2. Alcohol - David Karsten Daniels (from Angels)
3. Kaw Kaw Kaw - Seth - third son of Albert (of the WHYME podcast)
4. Radiation - The Epoxies (from Stop The Future, via the PMN, courtesy of Fat Wreck Chords)
5. Knives and Snakes and Mesquite - Bowerbirds (from Danger at Sea)
6. Four Fingered Fisherman - Modest Mouse (from Sad Sappy Sucker, via the PMN, courtesy of K Records)
7. First of May - Jonathan Coulton (from Smoking Monkey)

Podcast promo'd - Nuketown Radio Active

Books read:

-me
Transmetropolitan, Vol. 6: Gouge Away by Warren Ellis
Transmetropolitan, Vol. 0: Tales of Human Waste by Warren Ellis
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Towing Jehovah by James Morrow (still reading this one!)

-Ryn
The Moor by Laurie R. King
Enslaved By Ducks by Bob Tarte
The Bookman's Promise by John Dunning
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Vacation photos on Flickr! (Yes, mostly birds and shells.)

R.S. #36 - Catching Up On the Classics

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 15:03:00 +0000

Nick Cave is on the Podsafe Music Network!
(Shout-out to Mikel OD of Most People are DJs for bringing it to my attention.)

Song 1: Bring It On - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
(from Nocturama, by way of the PMN, courtesy of Epitaph Records)

Rambly reviews of comics I should have read long ago...

Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis
New X-Men by Grant Morrison
Ulitmates Vol. 1 by Mark Millar

Song 2: The Waydown - Modest Mouse
(from The Fruit That Ate Itself, by way of the PMN, courtesy of K Records)

I'm going to be a guest at Balticon! (Baltimore, MD - May 26-29)

R.S. #35 - Happy Aprilween!

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 12:41:00 +0000

It's April 17th, aka Tax Day, the scariest day of the year.

I decree this day shall henceforth be renamed "Aprilween," and to celebrate, I bring you a blood-chilling line-up of Hal...uh, I mean, Aprilween music.

1. Vampire Club - Voltaire (from Boo Hoo)

2. Re Your Brains - Jonathan Coulton (from his Thing a Week Podcast)

3. Blood Moon - The Creeping Cruds
(from The Incredibly Strange People Who Stopped Living and Became...)

4. They Walk Among Us - New Math
(from the Podsafe Music Network, courtesy of Reanimator Records)

5. Black River Falls - Reverend Glasseye (from Black River Falls)

6. I'm a Poltergeist - Evil Wiener (form The Evil Wiener Halloween Record)

(ps, hope you remembered to do your taxes!)

R.S. #34 - I hear some islands are actually quite nice

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 12:41:00 +0000

The winners of the 2006 Lulu Blooker Prize has been announced! Visit the Blooker website for all the details and to hear my interviews with all three winning authors.

Board game review: Survive ! (aka Escape from Atlantis)

Check out The Vintage Gamer if you like great reviews of older games.

Song 1: Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Lost is so frickin' awesome, I ramble on about it for ten minutes!
See Entertainment Weekly for a detailed look at The Map.

Song 2: I'd Feel Better - The Rosebuds (from The Rosebuds Unwind)

Song 3: Bur Oak - Bowerbirds (from Danger at Sea)

R.S. #33 - Lots of Planets Have a North

Sat, 25 Mar 2006 23:02:00 +0000

New theme song by Seth - third son of Albert of the WHYME podcast. Thanks Seth!

Hobo fever is spreading...

Willrad - Tales of the Robo-Hobo
Penny Arcade - The Gambler
The 700 Hoboes Project at E-Hobo.com

John Hodgman and Jonathan Coulton were right! Furry lobsters discovered!

Song 1: Chemicals - North Elementary
(From Lose Your Favorite Things - available at Sit-n-Spin Records)

Movie review: V for Vendetta (yes, Mr. Anderson, it's that Hugo Weaving!)

Song 2: Doctor Who Theme

Probably a little more than you wanted to know about Doctor Who.
Free Dr. Who downloads from the BBC!

Song 3: Fatal Flaw of the New - Tall Dwarfs (From Fifty Flavours of Glue)

Comic review: NEXTWAVE! by Warren Ellis

Song 4: NEXTWAVE! - Thunder Thighs

R.S. #32 - Nerd Flu Unlimited

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 05:11:00 +0000

Geeky tangents abound tonight...

Arkham Horror revisited

Song 1: The Planeiac - Palomar (from Palomar III: The Revenge of Palomar)

Movie review: Night Watch

Promo: Most People Are DJs

Comic reviews (sorta): Local and DMZ by Brian Wood

Who's Who in the DC Universe and Justice League Unlimited

Song 2: Marching Band - Evil Wiener (from Evil Wiener Presents Billy Sugarfix's Lost Gumdrop Kingdom)
-Song-a-day Podcast
-Custom Serenade

Don't forget the Random Signal Store! It is totally Airwolf!

R.S. #31 - One Monster After Another

Tue, 21 Feb 2006 05:14:00 +0000

The audio problem with the second half of this show has now been fixed! Thanks for bearing with me.

Hey, look...shownotes!

I'm now podcasting professionally! Check out my other podcast - The Lulu Podcast

Song 1: Derrida - Veronique Diabolique (from their Carte Postale EP)

Voice Mail from Ryan(?) in Michigan
- hear John Hodgman's revision of Star Wars: Episode 1 on This American Life, ep. 232, The Real Story (Feb. 14, 2003)

Tonight's beer - Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barlywine Style Ale

Song 2: Concerning Lessons Learned From the Aliens - The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers
(from their 2005 CD The Mother of Love Emulates the Shapes of Cynthia)

Stellarcon 2006 podcasting panel (which I crashed):
*Micheal Stackpole - The Secrets
*Mur Lafferty - Geek Fu Action Grip and I Should Be Writing
*Patrick McLean - The Seanachai (he also crashed the panel)
*Tee Morris - Podiobooks.com

TANGENT
Evo Terra of The DragonPage is trying to replace Airwolf with the obviously inferior phrase "Snakes on a Plane." The Urban Dictionary makes it clear, Snakes on a Plane does not mean the same thing as Airwolf. It means, roughly, "shit happens." Email the DragonPage and tell Evo how wrong he is, and proudly display your own airwolfness with an Airwolf Emoticon T-shirt (Random Signal shirts comming soon!).
/TANGENT

Game review - Arkham Horror by Fantasy Flight Games

Song 3: Jefferson, Thomas - Artichoke (from 26 Scientists, Volume One: Anning-Malthus)

R.S. #30 - The Year of the Hobo

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 02:40:00 +0000

Here are some of the 700 hobo names you have requested. Included here with permission from John Hodgman, a professional writer.

READ! The Areas Of My Expertise

WATCH! John Hodgman on The Daily Show

BELIEVE! John Hodgman is a Deranged Millioniare

Bonus Material:

Citizen Hobo vs. Railroad Bull

700 Hoboes on Flickr

Promo: Jawbone Radio
(Check out the Jawbone interviews with John Hodgman and Jonathan Coulton)

Song 1: Furry Old Lobster - Jonathan Coulton (from his Thing A Week podcast)

I think the Others on Lost are, in actuallity, hoboes. Discuss.

I've got a new K7 number. Call me!!!

Song 2: Boxcar - The Rosebuds

R.S. #29 - New Logo!

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 05:20:00 +0000

My new logo is by the totally Airwolf Leah Riley. You should check out her webcomic - Willrad.

I'm thinking about offering some Random Signal merch, either through CafePress or SpreadShirt. Any opinions?

PodcasterCon 2006 has it's own Flickr Group!

Promo: Geek Fu Action Grip (Send me promos!)

Song 1: IKEA - Jonathan Coulton

I talk about V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. (Is it possible that the movie could actually be good?)

Tonight on Random Signal History Corner: Guy Fawkes Night

I also talk about Battlestar Galactica: Season 3.

Song 2: Dear Sir - Eyes to Space

R.S. #28 - In a Malty Mood

Fri, 06 Jan 2006 03:50:00 +0000

Warning: The songs in this podcast contain BAD WORDS!

PodcasterCon is Saturday (January 7, 2006) in Chapel Hill, NC. Be there!!!

Song 1: Pirovette - Tall Dwarfs (From the album Weeville, which is back in print!)

Song 2: Mississippi Love - American Giraffe

Song 3: Destroy the Mother Brain - Bad News Bats

Don't forget to check out my Frappr map and my Flickr page!

R.S. #27 - Bear Nog

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 17:25:00 +0000

Dag, sorry about the late show notes!

I hope everyone had (or is still having, as the case may be) a good holiday break.

Thanks again to Tee Morris for the totally Airwolf promo!

Song 1: Anxiety - The Lee Harris 3

Bear Nog: A Cautionary Tale - A true story from my childhood growing up in Yosemite National Park.

Song 2: He Wants Everything - Jimmy Jamz and Xtopher (again, courtesy of Lee Harris)

Two movie reviews:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
King Kong

Song 3: Feliz Navidad - The Ukulele Hipster Kings

(ps, "I want every Bionicle!")

Random Signal promo

Wed, 21 Dec 2005 13:12:00 +0000

I've finally got a promo!

It was made for me by Tee Morris of The DragonPage (and co-author of Podcasting For Dummies), and it is totally Airwolf!

Please feel free to distribute the hell out of it.

R.S. #26 - Wintry Mix

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 04:31:00 +0000

To all my new listeners who found me via Geek Fu Action Grip, The DragonPage, or some other happy accident, welcome! You are all totally Airwolf!

I've got a cold tonight, so it's less of me talking and more music, Christmas music to be precise.

Song 1: It's Christmastime - Lee Harris
(Available at www.soundclick.com and the Podsafe Music Network.)

Song 2: All Around the World - Evil Wiener

Song 3: The Day Monty Saved Christmas - Monty Jones (of The Ukulele Hipster Kings)

Song 4: Xmas Bubble Gum Machine - The Sultans of Ping

Join the Airwolf Army!

Sun, 11 Dec 2005 16:57:00 +0000

You too can be totally Airwolf! Just send me a picture of yourself making the Airwolf sign, and you will be added to the official ranks.

Or better yet, become one of the Airwolferses!

R.S. #25 - Totally Airwolf!

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 04:35:00 +0000

Song 1: Lie - Tall Dwarfs

A close look at the sinister secrets of Bally's 1976 Captain Fantastic (and The Brown Dirt Cowboy) pinball machine. (Coincidentally, the very same one mentioned in The Seanachai, episode 45: Lather, Rinse, Repeat.)

Song 2: Lady Luck - Can Joann

Dave's Long Box is my new favorite blog. Anyone even remotely interested in comics should check it out. It is totally Airwolf!

Song 3: Black Friday - Music for Viola

(More Christmas music from Lee Harris and The Lee Show can be found at Soundclick and The Podsafe Music Network.)

R.S. #24 - Jared Axelrod Interview (pt. 2)

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 13:59:00 +0000

The talky parts were recorded early in the morning on an iRiver, so the sound quality is all over the place. Sorry about that.

Only one song today: Leaves Do Fall - The Rosebuds

The rest of my interview with 365 Tomorrows' Jared Axelrod. In this part we talk about his podcast, The Voice of Free Planet X, and I play a clip from Episode 4: Welcome To The Hotel Kraken. We also wax a bit philosophical about podcasting in general.

Links from the interview:
Magnatune
Skepticality
The Signal
Geek Fu Action Grip
The Seanachai

R.S. #23 - Jared Axelrod Interview (pt. 1)

Thu, 24 Nov 2005 06:14:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

For your holiday enjoyment, I play two songs and interview benevolent emissary from the future, Jared Axelrod.
Please let me know what you think of this bold new experiment!

Also, check out the Random Signal Frappr map.

Songs:

Skullcrusher Mountain by Jonathan Coulton

You Are the Golden Snitch by Billy Sugarfix

Podcasts shouted-out:

The Comicology Podcast
Evil Genius Chronicles
Song-a-Day Podcast
The Voice of Free Planet X

Links from the interview:

365 Tomorrows
365 Tomorrows store
AxelHead store
Lulu

Don't forget you can meet Jared and the rest of the 365 Tomorrows crew at PhilCon! (December 9th-11th)

R.S. #22 - The Best Part of Waking Up

Tue, 15 Nov 2005 14:34:00 +0000

Recorded at 7:30 am, a feat made possible by wonderful, glorious, life-giving coffee.

Song 1: Albacore - Palomar

What I've been up to in my first three months at Lulu:

The 2006 Lulu Blooker Prize - the world's first literary prize for books based on blogs and other websites.
SAM, World's Ugliest Dog 2006 Calendar (Warning: this dog is seriously ugly!)

Recent books I have read/am reading:

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Country: The Twisted Roots of Rock 'N' Roll by Nick Tosches

Special thanks to Jared Axelrod, of The Voice of Free Planet X podcast for the bump. He is also a contributor to 365 Tomorrows sci-fi flash fiction blog.

Song 2: Blue Bird - The Rosebuds (also check them out on MySpace and Merge Records)

R.S. #21 - Forbidden Car Wash

Tue, 08 Nov 2005 05:04:00 +0000

Songs:

Cannot Eat Better Not Sleep - The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers

The Fountain of Youth Dries Up in an Election Year - The Physics of Meaning

Links:

Bu Hanan Records
Blue Sun Shirts
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Best. Carwash. Ever.)

Stickers:

R.S. #20 - It's Alive!

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 04:50:00 +0000

It's a Halloween music spooktacular!

1. I Eat the Living - The Creeping Cruds (Buy it here!)

2. Spleen - Veronique Diabolique (also www.myspace.com/veroniquediabolique)

3. Godzilla - Bad News Bats

4. Black Cat Black Cat - Evil Wiener (also check out Billy's Song-A-Day podcast!)

R.S. #19 - High Gravity

Wed, 05 Oct 2005 02:11:00 +0000

It's finally starting to feel like Fall around here, which means, of course, that pretty soon I won't have to worry about mowing my lawn for a few months!

The Duke University Podcasting Symposium went well, at least the small part of it that I was involved in did. I had a great time, and I hope they invite me again next year!

I am starting to worry that this show is too eclectic to ever find a big audience.
Too much geek? Not enough? I wonder...

Oh well, let's talk about giant squids instead! And beer.

In particular, the World Beer Festival in Durham, NC (this weekend) and the newly legal (in NC at least) high gravity beers. Hoorah for beer!

Spoiler Alert!!!
Beware my rambling look at Lost season two if you're not caught up with the show.

And of course, there's a song...

"Malthus, Thomas Robert (1809-1882)" by Artichoke

R.S. #18 - Bad at Mingling

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 02:51:00 +0000

Tonight I attended the reception for the Duke University Podcasting Symposium.

I'll be on the Triangle Podcasters panel tomorrow afternoon along with:

Mur Lafferty - Geek Fu Action Grip
Brian Russel - Audio Activism
Dave Warner - Dave's Lounge
Anne Bramley - EatFeed

Michael Geoghegan of Reel Reviews (and Grape Radio) was also there, as was Dave Slusher of Evil Genius Chronicles.
I'm afraid Mur and I might have bored Dave to death. Sorry Dave!

For those of you who can't make the Symposium, it will be webcast live.

I'm finally on iTunes! The best part is I never got around to submitting my feed. Yet there it is.
(Maybe if I wait a little while longer, I'll magically have a logo.)

Just one song tonight...

Down at Columbia and Cameron - The Physics of Meaning

I told you I was a geek...

Sun, 18 Sep 2005 15:01:00 +0000

(pictures by Eric Coker)

I think I make a pretty good Starman, even if I do say so myself.

R.S. #17 - Neck Deep in Geek

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 01:26:00 +0000

"Fuller, Richard Buckminster (1895-1983)" by Artichoke
(dedicated to Derek from Skepticality)

More on Dragon*Con 2005 with specific mentions of Geek Fu Action Grip, The DragonPage: Wingin' It, The Brobdingnagian Bards, The Signal, and The Seanachai.

I'm going to be part of the Duke Podcasting Symposium! (September 27-28, 2005)

I'm also buried in a back-log of podcasts and comics.

"Just There" by Kapow! Music (www.buhananrecords.com)

I'll post pictures of my Starman costume soon!

"Siamese Hearts" by David Karsten Daniels (www.buhananrecords.com)

R.S. #16 - At a Loss For Words

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 02:01:00 +0000

My thoughts this week are on Derek from Skepticality, but I can't seem to articulate much of anything tonight. Here's to a speedy recovery.

"Rorschach" by Tall Dwarfs seems to express what I'm feeling better than anything I can think to say...

R.S. #15 - Chicken & Dumplings

Tue, 30 Aug 2005 03:00:00 +0000

It's late, so just links tonight...

Lulu.com and The Lulu Podcast

"One Minute Mile" by Eyes to Space from the compilation New Frontiers

The Signal Podcast

"Earth is the Best" by The Phenomenauts

365 Tomorrows flash fiction blog

Podcasters galore at Dragon*Con!

-Mur from Geek Fu Action Grip
-Steve Eley from Escape Pod
-Michael & Evo from The DragonPage and Slice of Sci-Fi
-Michael Stackpole from The Secrets Podcast
-Derek and Swoopy(?) from Skepticality
-and, of course, me!

R.S. #14 - Knock on Wood

Mon, 22 Aug 2005 02:17:00 +0000

So far so good...

Again, I'm very sorry about show #13! It's safe to say that I've learned a lot from my many mistakes.

Tomorrow I start my new job! Lulu.com

"Peter Pan's Revenge" by Seth - third son of Albert (from the WHYME podcast)

My brother's homecoming and a feeble rant about the war in Iraq.

"Mr. Brocolli" by Tall Dwarfs

Belated apology to Tad Dreis for mispronouncing his name.

A reminder about the podcasting panel at Dragon*Con! (Atlanta, GA, Sept. 2-5)

And last but not least...
My Odeo Channel (odeo/0bea6da7496d8a2d)

R.S. #13.4 - Fixed, for real this time!

Wed, 17 Aug 2005 10:44:00 +0000

Ok. Fourth time's a charm.

Thanks to everyone for bearing with me. Show 14 will be a different podcast, I promise!

Arrrgh!

Wed, 17 Aug 2005 10:10:00 +0000

So, I just found out that podcast 13 is still fucked up! It seems that by adding an intro onto the beginning, it dis-aligned all the recorded segments. The end result is that I'm talking over all the songs. Goddammit.

To any new listeners out there, please know that the show is usally better than this. I promise.

Perhaps it's not too late to fix it. Again.

R.S. #13.3 - Triskedecaphobia, again

Tue, 16 Aug 2005 01:00:00 +0000

Third time's a charm!

I re-exported the original Audacity file (now with Exclusive Bonus Intro!), and, just like that, I'm golden. Or, at the very least, it doesn't suck anymore. Show notes are the same, so I left the orginal post as a text blog entry.
It's just a little bit down the page...

a little further...

There it is.

crud

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 14:47:00 +0000

The curse of Random Signal #13 continues!

Apparently, when I re-recorded my show Saturday night, I should have restarted my computer or something because Audacity seems to have been a wee bit over-taxed. The resulting podcast that went up was a pile (file?) of unlistenable shit.

For anyone who has already downloaded show 13 and tried to listen to it, I'm very, VERY sorry. For anyone who hasn't got around to hearing it yet...DON'T DO IT!

I will be recording a new show tonight, and, most importatnly, I will preview it before I post it.

Again, sorry.

R.S. #13 - Triskedecaphobia (Take 2)

Sun, 14 Aug 2005 12:42:00 +0000

Audacity crashed right as I was putting the finishing touches on what would have been, if I do say so myself, a totally kick-ass show. Of course I hadn't saved any of it. So, what you get instead is my grumpy-cast.

podCast411
Audacity Crash Recovery Wiki
Podspam
---
"Cousin Fucker" - American Giraffe (also www.myspace.com/usagiraffe)

"Fatty Fowl in Gravy Stew" - Tall Dwarfs (Flying Nun Records/Carrot Top Records)

Holly Golightly

"The Lost Freshman" - Palomar (also www.mayspace.com/palomar)

As promised...

Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:00:00 +0000

It's been a crazy week, but I plan to get a new podcast up sometime this weekend. Hopefully Jack Palance's smiling face can tide you over!

R.S. #12 - Returning to the Forest of Love

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 12:06:00 +0000

I'm going to be on a podcasting panel at Dragon*Con with Mur from Geek Fu Action Grip and Steve Eley from Escape Pod! It's even possible that Michael Stackpole from The Secrets podcast, and Michael and Evo from The Dragon Page will be there too.

I go on for a bit about celebrities I've seen while at work. (Unfortunately I haven't yet been able to locate my promotional Forest of Love perfume, but I know it's around here somewhere!)

-"Doing Your Dishes" - Tad Dreis

Shout out to Seth from WHYME

-"Back Spasm" - Seth - third son of Albert

I failed miserably to get Audacity to play nicely with the two voice mails I wanted to include. If anyone out there has any advice, I'm all ears.

Shouts out to Neil Gorman from Comicology and Kenneth Newquist from Nuketown Radio Active

-"Baby It's Over" - Tall Dwarfs (They will be performing in Chapel Hill, NC at Local 506 on August 4!)

R.S. #11 - It's One Louder, Isn't It?

Tue, 26 Jul 2005 02:23:00 +0000

Chapel Hill, North Carolina gets the show cranked up all the way to eleven!

Apologies for the mysterious background static during the talky parts. I didn't do anything differently during editing, so the only possible explaination is that Audacity decided it doesn't like my microphone. That must be it.

After some lame excuses for not podcasting more frequently, I get right into some local music.

1. Good For You - Tad Dreis (www.taddreis.com)
2. Sympathetic Thrill - Can Joann (www.canjoann.com, www.myspace.com/canjoann)
3. Ma Tutrice - Kapow! Music (www.buhananrecords.com, www.kapowmusic.net)
4. Ships As Friends - North Elementary (www.northelementary.com, www.sit-n-spinrecords.com)
5. Destructive Behavior - Eyes to Space (www.eyestospace.com, www.myspace.com/eyestospace)

Happy birthday Mur!

R.S. #10 - Einstein on a Mission

Sun, 17 Jul 2005 14:39:00 +0000

The universe seems to have been conspiring against me these past couple of weeks, but I'm back up and running - both physically and technologically.

Here's the rundown:

-"Einstein, Albert (1879-1955)" - Artichoke

-Last week I returned as Mur's special guest on Geek Fu Action Grip #31!

-Books and comics:
Harry Potter 6
Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan
Batman : Year One by Frank Miller
Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale

-"Mission" - The Phenomenauts

Stickers!

Thu, 07 Jul 2005 15:04:00 +0000

It occurred to me that I should probably mention that the podcast stickers I refered to in show #9 are available at http://podcaststickers.com.

R.S. #9 - Pink Eye To Space

Tue, 05 Jul 2005 01:50:00 +0000

Today is the day we celebrate our independence day! (It's an in-joke, sorry.)

-I talk a little bit too much about my conjunctivitis, and not nearly enough about watermelon margaritas.

-"In an Unfamiliar Land" - Eyes To Space

-Bumper-stickers, superstitions, and me.

-The groovy Communist-Bloc-meets-School-House-Rock stylings of Red Shadow. The song "Understanding Marx" comes courtesy of The 365 Days Project.
---
Geek Fu
She Said, He Said
Radio Clash
The Last Radio Station

Random Signal #8

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 02:54:00 +0000

More geek music! I play two songs (with permission) by the band Artichoke:
"Anning, Mary (1799-1847)" and "Darwin, Charles Robert (1809-1882)."
Both are from the amazing album 26 Scientists Volume One: Anning-Malthus.
---
Buy the CD!
Learn more about Mary Anning!

Random Signal #7

Sun, 26 Jun 2005 04:23:00 +0000

My wife and I went to the North Carolina Symphony tonight to see the phenomenal band Pink Martini. I will return to geek and/or indie rock soon, I promise!
---
NC Symphony
Pink Martini

Random Signal #6

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 04:17:00 +0000

I continue the geek music thread that Mur and I started in her newest installment of Geek Fu Action Grip. I also list my 5 geekiest CD's and play "Fett's Vette" by MC Chris. (Sorry about the volume levels!)
---
Geek Fu Action Grip
Homestar Runner
MC Chris

Random Signal #5

Sat, 18 Jun 2005 05:02:00 +0000

Recorded late at night with no apparent trace of our previous technical difficulties.

You must see Batman Begins! Yes, I mean you.