Also, it wasn’t until after I put this together yesterday that I realized that there’s an Americana theme running through all four acts. It wasn’t intentional at all. It just kind of worked out that way. Two veterans, the son of a legend, and a band of hellraising chicks – all with roots in the history of American music, but taking them in very different places indeed.

Closing Song: Courtney’s Basement by Jonny Rumble. Download it for free here.

Thanks again to Brian at Broken Headphones for telling me about Those Darlins.

You can download the episode (27:00, 24.8 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC

You can download the episode (32:06, 29.5 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

At just over 25 minutes, this is one of the shortest episodes I’ve ever done. I didn’t feel the need to come up with three paragraphs worth of material about every song, but instead decided to let it flow a little more naturally. I think it works pretty good.

What are you favorite summer songs? Leave them in the Comments.

LINKS

Episode 26: Summer Songs, Part 1

Bill’s blog

Michele’s blog

Brian’s blog

MUSIC

Closing Music: The Detroit Cobras courtesy of the Free Music Archive

You can download the episode (25:24, 23.2 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Does any more need to be said? Yes? then how about this?

I should point out that neither of these are the view from my apartment.

MUSIC

LINKS

Blues Heaven Foundation
Episode 45: Guilty Pleasures
Review of The Numero Group’s Eccentric Soul Revue by Heather at Fuel/Friends
DC To Chicago
JC Brooks And The Uptown Sound at the Free Music Archive

You can download the episode (41:41, 38.1 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

(At least I’m tall enough that I could have looked him in the eye. I also wouldn’t have worn a peach shirt)

Anyway, I can think of no better way to re-launch the podcast than to celebrate Townshend’s 64th birthday with another huge Who fan. I just wish Tim could have joined us because he knows his Who, too.

It felt great to be back recording podcasts again. I really missed doing it over the last nine months and I hope to get back into the regular two-week production cycle. Now that the personal stuff is out of the way, only future professional considerations and my own laziness will prevent that from happening.

MUSIC (click to see playlist and hear samples)

The version of Drowned that we play isn’t available at Amazon, but you can get it here.

By the way, Jason’s not the only person on the show with a picture of himself with Pete. Here I am circa 1995 with Pete, my old Fender Gemini II acoustic named after Townshend.

I know what you’re thinking: Whatever happened to that handsome skinny kid with all that talent on guitar? I think I ate him.

Yeah. I know I used that same joke on Facebook.

Closing Music: My Generation by The Who courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

And remember, read Popdose every day!

You can download the episode (1:19:13, 72.5 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

I’m enclosing an mp3 of this for those who are only subscribed to the podcast.

Thanks,

Dave Lifton

Here are the episodes I used:

Opening Music: Two Years of Torture from The Genius of Ray Charles

Episode 40: Boston vs. New York

Episode 45: Guilty Pleasures With Popdose

Episode 50: Danny Federici, R.I.P.

Episode 52: Chart Attack With Popdose

Episode 55: The Summit, Part 2

Closing Music: Tonight by Johnny and the Stingrays

And, as I say on the show, a special thanks to all of you for all the feedback and encouragement that I’ve gotten over these past two years.

As always, you can download the episode (42:56, 39.3 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Here’s the book I was talking about, Temples Of Sound by William Clark and Jim Cogan.

MUSIC

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols by The Sex Pistols (Anarchy In The U.K., Pretty Vacant, E.M.I.)

Recovering The Satellites by Counting Crows (Angels Of The Silences, A Long December, Have You Seen Me Lately)

Whatever by Aimee Mann (I Should Have Known, Could’ve Been Anyone, Mr. Harris)

Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet (Take Five, Blue Rondo Alla Turk, Strange Meadow Lark)

Maiden Voyage by Herbie Hancock (Maiden Voyage, Eye Of The Hurricane, Dolphin Dance)

Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, Satisfaction, Respect)

Meet The Beatles by The Beatles (I Wanna Hold Your Hand, It Won’t Be Long, I Wanna Be Your Man)

The Royal Scam by Steely Dan (Kid Charlemage, Haitian Divorce, Don’t Take Me Alive)

Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones (Sympathy For The Devil, Salt Of The Earth, Street Fighting Man)

All music available at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Song: Headache by Splitsville courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

As always, you can download the episode (1:44:34, 95.7 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC

The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 by The Traveling Wilburys (Handle With Care, Tweeter & The Monkeyman, Not Alone Any More)

New York by Lou Reed (The Last Great American Whale, Hold On, Dirty Blvd.)

Reading, Writing & Arithmetic by The Sundays (Here’s Where The Story Ends, Can’t Be Sure, Hideous Towns)

Goodbye Jumbo by World Party (Way Down Now, Put The Message In The Box, Sweet Soul Dream)

Dear 23 by The Posies (My Big Mouth, Golden Blunders, Suddenly Mary)

Rumor & Sigh by Richard Thompson (I Feel So Good, Read About Love, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning)

Closing Song: The Richest Kids by This Is Ivy League

All music available at the WFW Amazon Store

As always, you can download the episode (38:23, 35.1 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

LINKS

I’ll Be Lightning by Liam Finn (Second Chance, Fire In Your Belly, Better To Be)

The Good Life by Justin Townes Earle (Hard Livin’, Who Am I To Say, Ain’t Glad I’m Leaving)

Hello Starling by Josh Ritter (Snow Is Gone, You Don’t Make It Easy Babe, Kathleen)

Come Dancing With The Kinks by The Kinks (Come Dancing, A Rock ‘N Roll Fantasy, Better Things)

Closing Song: Even The Sunbeams from A Soft Kill by From Bubblegum To Sky

As always, you can download the episode (27:19, 25.6 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Click below to get started.

But take a listen to our take on the Top Ten singles of June 9, 1984, as we discuss the unfortunate impact of cocaine, legendary songwriter Dean Pitchford, and Ruth Pointer’s Adam’s apple. And when you’re done, be sure to add Popdose to your RSS aggregator.

As always, you can download the episode (1:17:19, 70.7 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC (available at the WFW Amazon Store)

Intro: Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by The Eurythmics (video)

10. Jump (For My Love) by The Pointer Sisters

9. Self Control by Laura Branigan

8. Breakdance by Irene Cara

7. Hello by Lionel Richie

Jason’s acoustic version of Hello

6. Heart Of Rock & Roll by Huey Lewis & The News

5. Sister Christian by Night Ranger (Video)

1983 live video

2001 video

4. The Reflex by Duran Duran

3. Oh Sherrie by Steve Perry

2. Let’s Hear It For The Boy by Deniece Williams

1. Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper (Video)

Closing Music: All Over The World by Paul Collins Beat courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

MUSIC

After My Divorce by Looker
It Stands To Reason by James Deem
Give Me Everything by Truth In Fiction
Thirteen Steps by The Birdinumnums
Where You Goin’ Suzanne by Milkshake Jones
I’m So Glad by Frank Royster
The Man In My Head by Monkeeman
Run Away by Rocketship Park
Creepy by John Hoskinson
Make It Work by Stratocruiser

All songs can be found at the Podsafe Music Network

As always, you can download the episode (33:42, 30.8 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

LINKS

Danny Federici Melanoma Fund
Bruce Springsteen’s Eulogy for Danny
Lawrence’s book: For You: Original Stories and Photographs By Bruce Springsteen’s Legendary Fans
Matt’s sites: Alert Nerd and Pop Geek
Episode 39: For You
Episode 10: Dave Marsh
Episode 1: The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle

MUSIC

“Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” from Live in New York City
“Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)” and “Hungry Heart” from Live 1975-85
“Restless Nights,” “Bishop Danced” and “This Hard Land” from Tracks
“Incident on 57th Street” and “4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” from The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle
“You’re Missing” from The Rising
“Fade Away” from The River
“Quarter To Three” from No Nukes
“Racing In The Street” from Darkness On The Edge Of Town

As always, you can download the episode (48:13, 44.1 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

This is the first time I’ve interviewed an entire band, and I have to say that, even though it was conducted over the phone, being passed around like that made me feel a little bit like a groupie slut who’s pushing 40. But Jukebox The Ghost were gentle about it, and that’s all you need to know. Now, when you’re done listening to the show, go and buy this at the WFW Amazon Store or E-Music by taking advantage of our special offer.

MUSIC

Hold It In

Under My Skin

Beady Eyes On The Horizon

Where Are All The Scientists Now?

Lighting Myself On Fire

Victoria

Good Day

As always, you can download the episode (28:45, 26.3 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Here’s what we got for this week, with all music courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

Poison The Hit Parade – The Ike Reilly Assassination
Be Your Man – The Hall Monitors
Come Over, Come Over – Spoilsport
Young Folks – Peter, Bjorn & John
Helen – Paul Collins
The Quotient – Darla Farmer
Space Elevator – Glen Phillips
One More Night With You – Brian Setzer Orchestra (Thanks, Noebie!)
The Silence Between Us – Bob Mould

As always, you can download the episode (36:23, 33.3 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Originally, my idea was to do Minnesota vs. DC, similar to the Boston vs. New York episode a few months ago. Then I realized that there were too many great Minnesota bands that would have to be excluded in order to make that happen. Besides, it wouldn’t be a fair fight.

This was one of the toughest shows to edit, but it was also an awful lot of fun, because I kept flashing back to that night, drinking Captain and Coke (the reason why I become less and less coherent as the show goes on) and hanging out with good friends. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did.

In the future, I’m doing a Podsafe show in two weeks, and after that I’ll have an interview with an up-and-coming band I think you’re going to like.

LINKS

Five Hundy By Midnight and the episode we recorded immediately after this one
More pictures from the trip up at my Flickr account
Former Hüsker Dü bassist Greg Norton’s restaurant
The Hold Steady Guide To The Twin Cities

RELATED EPISODES

Episode 8: Tim and I talk about the music of Las Vegas
Episode 35: Bob Mould and I talk about his career
Episode 38: Jim Walsh and I talk about The Replacements

MUSIC

Prince: Little Red Corvette, Gold, Face Down
Dan Wilson: Snow Days (Trip Shakespeare), Sculpture Garden (Semisonic) and Cry (Dan Wilson)
Jayhawks/Gary Louris: Nothing Left To Borrow and Blue (Jayhawks) and He’s A Dick (Golden Smog)
The Replacements: Waitress In The Sky, If Only You Were Lonely, Bastards Of Young
Paul Westerberg: Waiting For Somebody, Good Day, AAA (Anything, Anyone, Anymore)
Hüsker Dü: Sorry Somehow, Flip Your Wig, Never Talking To You Again
Gear Daddies/Martin Zellar: Color Of Her Eyes, Strength, Something’s Gotta Happen
Soul Asylum: Whatcha Need, Cartoon, Black Gold
The Hold Steady: How A Resurrection Really Feels, Your Little Hoodrat Friend, Chillout Tent

All music available at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Music: Sugar Chalet by Supraluxe courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

As always, you can download the episode (1:45:31, 96.6 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

But as for God Save The Fan, buy it now if you’re a sports fan. It’s very insightful and incredibly funny. It’s like Bill Simmons used to be, but thankfully without nearly as many references to the Red Sox and Jimmy Kimmel. Here’s my friend Aaron’s review of it.

One more thing, I recorded this before this week’s Five Hundy By Midnight came out. Now I learn that the episode we’re recording will not be up until Monday, even though I said Sunday. Still, I’ll link to it here when it is ready, if I’ve sufficiently recovered by then…

MUSIC

The Hockey Song (Hit Somebody) from My Ride’s Here by Warren Zevon

Centerfield from The Long Road Home by John Fogerty

Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball from Baseball’s Greatest Hits by Count Basie

Super Bowl Shuffle by the 1985 Chicago Bears (not available)

Heart from Damn Yankees (Original Cast Recording)

Basketball from 20th Century Masters by Kurtis Blow

Boxing from Ben Folds Five by Ben Folds Five

You can find all this music and more at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Song: Kenesaw Mountain Landis from Smoking Monkey by Jonathan Coulton

As always, you can download the episode (42:11, 38.7 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Even after Jason and Jeff from Popdose had agreed to appear on the show, I wasn’t sure what the topic should be, and then it hit me that we should air our guilty pleasures. After all, they’re the guys behind Mellow Gold, Cutouts Gone Wild, and Chartburn. They live to talk about crap!

But what did we learn from this? We discovered that a) nothing is more important than melody; b); music from our childhood will always have a hold on us and shape our tastes, no matter how lousy or just plain un-hip they may be; and c) we possibly owe Jason’s entire existence to a Starland Vocal Band concert and some Quaaludes.

Editing this was tougher than most episodes, not only because there was so much good material form Jason and Jeff, but also because I actually had to determine which parts of the songs were best/worst to use as examples. As a result, I’ve become more familiar with “Even The Nights Are Better” than I ever wanted to be.

MUSIC

Opening Music: Guilty by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb

Niagara Falls, Chains and Will You Still Love Me by Chicago

Angelia, Don’t Mean Nothing, and Now And Forever by Richard Marx

New York State Of Mind, Only The Good Die Young, and Summer, Highland Falls by Billy Joel

When She Smiles, Charm The Snake and Someday by Christopher Cross

Afternoon Delight, American Tune, and Boulder To Birmingham by Starland Vocal Band

A Murder Of One by Counting Crows, Hey Jealousy by Gin Blossoms, and It’s A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads

Fighting The Nights, All I Need, and Stay Where You Are by Jack Wagner

Lost In Love, Even The Nights Are Better, and Making Love Out Of Nothing At All by Air Supply

Soliloquy from Carousel, Have I Got A Girl For You from Company, and Almost Like Being In Love from Brigadoon

If for some reason, you want any of this, you can find it at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Music: Soft Rocked By Me by Jonathan Coulton courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

OTHER LINKS

Jason’s review of the Air Supply concert that got him hate mail
Captain Video dissects “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All”

As always, you can download the episode (1:28:20, 60.6 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC

Sideways, Here We Come by Die! Die! Die! (Myspace)

Forgotten Souvenirs of The Modern Age by Hunters, Run! (Myspace)

The Foreigner by The Buddyrevelles (Myspace)

Saturday Night by Kate Tucker And The Sons Of Sweden (Myspace)

I Own The City by Saint Bernadette (Myspace)

Sunny Skies by Hello, Blue Roses (Myspace)

I Can Float by The Billie Burke Estate (Myspace)

Empty Bottles by Reed KD (Myspace)

The Freest Man by Tilly And The Wall (Myspace)

As always, you can download the episode (39:41, 36.0 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Anyway, as I say on the show, I’m looking to devote a show in the near future to Paul Weller, encompassing The Jam, The Style Council, and his solo work. If you’re interested in being my guest on that episode, send me an e-mail.

MUSIC

Squeezing Out Sparks by Graham Parker & The Rumour (Protection, Passion Is No Ordinary Word, I Want You Back (Alive))

I’m The Man by Joe Jackson (I’m The Man, Don’t Wanna Be Like That, It’s Different For Girls)

Making Movies by Dire Straits (Tunnel Of Love, Expresso Love, Romeo And Juliet)

Sound Affects by The Jam (That’s Entertainment, Man In The Corner Shop, Start)

Seconds Of Pleasure by Rockpile (Teacher Teacher, When I Write The Book, Poor Jenny)

East Side Story by Squeeze (In Quintessence, Piccadilly, Tempted)

All albums available at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Music: Let’s Have A Baby by The Candy Butchers courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

As always, you can download the episode (28:53, 26.4 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC

Inside Of Me by Starlight Mints

Pulling Teeth by Deathray Davies

Fairest Of The Mall by Griddle

Support The Truth by Jim’s Big Ego

Fly Me Home by Blackout Pilot

Talk Of The Town by Lee Maddeford

Derek Malone by 3 Blind Mice

She’s Got My Darts by Curiosity Shop

Too Much Thinking by Black Tie Revue

The High Road by Bettye Lavette

As always, you can download the episode (36:10, 33.1 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC

10. Wincing The Night Away by The Shins (Australia, Red Rabbits, Phantom Limb)

9. At My Age by Nick Lowe (A Better Man, I Trained Her To Love Me, Hope For Us All)

8. 100 Days, 100 Nights by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (Nobody’s Child, Tell Me)

7. Neon Bible by Arcade Fire (Keep The Car Running, Intervention, Antichrist Television Blues)

6. Washington Square Serenade by Steve Earle (Tennessee Blues, City Of Immigrants, Steve’s Hammer (For Pete))

5. Traffic And Weather by Fountains Of Wayne (Someone To Love, New Routine, I-95)

4. The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter by Josh Ritter (Right Moves, To The Dogs Or Whoever, The Temptation Of Adam)

3. Everybody Else by Everybody Else (Meat Market, Say Goodbye, In Memoriam)

2. Challengers by The New Pornographers (All The Old Showstoppers, Mutiny I Promise You, Go Places)

1. Magic by Bruce Springsteen (Long Walk Home, Your Own Worst Enemy, Radio Nowhere)

Closing Song: 100 Days, 100 Nights by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

All this music available at the WFW Amazon Store

LINKS

Flight Of The Conchords – The Complete First Season DVD (If You Want Me To)

Five Hundy By Midnight (Episode 8)

Mike Carter (Episode 36)

Danielle

As always, you can download the episode (50:51, 46.9 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Once again, I’m putting out a call to send me your Top Ten CDs of this past year, and I’ll work them into my Best Of 2007 show in a few weeks. I’ve already got a few, with some others promising to have theirs ready soon. I finally nailed down my list the other night, and now I’ve got to figure out which songs to play. Fun! remember, my e-mail address is dslifton [at] wingsforwheels.net.

MUSIC

New York, New York by Ryan Adams from Gold or Heartbreaker

Dirty Water by The Standells from Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era

Just What I Needed, My Best Friend’s Girl, and You Might Think by The Cars

My Old School, Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me), and Bad Sneakers by Steely Dan

Dude Looks Like A Lady, Sweet Emotion, and Walk This Way by Aerosmith

Late In The Evening, Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard, and Kodachrome by Paul Simon

Looking For A Love, Musta Got Lost (Live), and Freeze Frame by The J. Geils Band

I Wanna Be Sedated, Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, and Rock ‘n’ Roll High School by The Ramones

Roadrunner, She Cracked, and Government Center by The Modern Lovers

Psycho Killer, Burning Down The House, and Once In A Lifetime by Talking Heads

BOOKS

Psychotic Reactions & Carburetor Dung by Lester Bangs (here’s where he tells the story of performing with The J. Geils Band

Main Lines, Blood Feasts, and Bad Taste: A Lester Bangs Reader by Lester Bangs

Let It Blurt by Jim DeRogatis

All these available at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Music: Manhattan by Alec Berlin and Boston Band by Jim’s Big Ego courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

As always, you can download the episode (1:30:58, 83.6 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the links on the right.

Just when you non-Springsteen fans thought it was safe to return to WFW, I hit you with a full hours worth of Bruce discussion with two guys who were grooving to The Boss while I was still singing along with Big Bird.

Remember to submit your Top 10 list for the Best Of 2007 show coming up next month. Send an e-mail to dslifton [at] wingsforwheels.net.

I ran into a problem as a result of a new plugin I thought would work, so I’ve had to repost this.

LINKS

Purchase For You directly from their website

Episode 1 of WFW – The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle

Episode 10 of WFW – The Dave Marsh Interview

Here are some of Rocco’s photos that didn’t make it into the book:

Here’s Rocco with Bruce

The now-famous Living Proof Santa hat

A thrilling concert moment

MUSIC

For You from Greetings From Asbury Park

Incident On 57th Street and Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) from The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle

Badlands from Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Jackson Cage from The River

Reason To Believe from Nebraska

Living Proof from Lucky Town

Be True and Restless Nights from Tracks

Devil’s Arcade, Livin’ In The Future, Last To Die, and I’ll Work For Your Love from Magic

Purchase these at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Song: Broken Radio by Jesse Malin with Bruce Springsteen courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

As always, you can download the episode (1:01:36, 56.8 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

You’ll hear Jim and I talk about how this book gives you a real sense of what the Minneapolis scene was like back then. Well as I was reading it, Tim tells me that Springsteen is playing St. Paul in mid-March. So as long as I’ve got this whole Twin Cities vibe going on, and that we can never match our schedules to meet up in Vegas, I’m flying out to Minnesota for the concert and to finally get to hang out with him and Michele. Between Bruce and trying to keep up with their alcohol consumption, pray for me.

MUSIC

Color Me Impressed from Hootenany
I Will Dare, Unsatisfied, and Sixteen Blue from Let It Be
Left Of The Dial, Bastards Of Young, and Here Comes A Regular from Tim
Never Mind, Can’t Hardly Wait, Skyway from Pleased To Meet Me
I’ll Be You from Don’t Tell A Soul
We May Be The Ones by Paul Westerberg from Stereo courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

Purchase all this, and All Over But The Shouting, at the WFW Amazon Store

As always, you can download the episode (49:56, 45.7 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

This was a tough one because Johnny Cash is such a huge, mythical figure, yet we want to believe that he was really no different from us. But John Carter Cash knows what he was really like, so I had to remove both my projections and the myth from the questions (the exception was the one about his politics). If I was talking to a biographer, it would have been an entirely different set of questions.

And contrary to Kim’s hopes, he does not answer his phone by saying, “Hello, I’m John Carter Cash.”

MUSIC

A Boy Named Sue, Girl From The North Country and the montage from The Best Of The Johnny Cash TV Show, 1969-1971 DVD

Man In Black, The Ballad Of Ira Hayes, Delia’s Gone and Highway Patrolman from The Legend

Jackson (with June Carter) from At Folsom Prison

Daddy Sang Bass from At San Quentin

Unchained from Unchained

As always, you can download the episode (39:01, 36.1 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Even though he had troubles staying on mic, Carter needs to get a blog or podcast of his own. But he just got married (congrats, pal!) so I’ll let he and his lovely bride settle in before I work on him about that. Until then, though, here’s his guest-blog review of the Costello show from the 9:30 Club back in May.

Keith, on the other hand, was much better at staying on mic than last time. Stick around after the closing song for an outtake of me harassing him for not liking Emmylou Harris’ brilliant Wrecking Ball CD.

MUSIC

The Dirty South by Drive-By Truckers (Carl Perkins’ Cadillac, Puttin’ People On The Moon, Danko/Manuel)

Hard Candy by Counting Crows (Up All Night, Hard Candy, If I Could Give All My Love To You)

Summer Teeth by Wilco (I Can’t Stand It, She’s A Jar, I’m Always In Love)

The River In Reverse by Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint (On The Way Down, The River In Reverse, Who’s Gonna Help Brother Get Further)

King Of America by Elvis Costello (Brilliant Mistake, I’ll Wear It Proudly, Indoor Fireworks)

Trust by Elvis Costello and the Attractions (Clubland, Watch Your Step, Strict Time)

Love And Theft by Bob Dylan (Summer Days, Mississippi, Po’ Boy)

Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan (Tangled Up In Blue, Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts, Shelter From The Storm)

Another Side Of Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan (All I Really Want To Do, I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met), My Back Pages)

All music available at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Song: My Generation by The Who from The Complete Monterey International Pop Festival courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

As always, you can download the episode (1:28:58, 81.5 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Here I am, actually standing on the edge of the Hoover Dam from our first trip to Vegas in 2004. Unlike the character in the song, however, I’m not contemplating taking the journey downward.

And yeah, I realize now I said “1966″ instead of “1996″ when asking about the theme to The Daily Show.

Here’s the link to my review of Circle Of Friends at Blogcritics

MUSIC:

“It’s Too Late” from Black Sheets Of Rain

“Circles,” “See A Little Light,” “Hoover Dam,” and “Makes No Sense At All” from Circle Of Friends

“Turning Of The Tide” from Beat The Retreat: Songs By Richard Thompson

“Helpless” from Copper Blue

“Your Favorite Thing” from File Under: Easy Listening

“Standing In The Rain” from Warehouse: Songs And Stories

You can buy all of these at the WFW Amazon Store

As always, you can download the episode (36:28, 33.4 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

I only had 15 minutes with him (he had a pressing tee time), so it’s a shorter show than usual. I could have padded it out by using all 18:36 of Isaac Hayes’ version of By The Time I Get To Phoenix, but that would have been gratuitous.

MUSIC:

Rhinestone Cowboy, Gentle On My Mind, By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Southern Nights, Galveston, and Wichita Lineman from Glen Campbell: 20 Greatest Hits

Cryin’ Time from the Glen Campbell Good Times Again DVD

That’s Not Me and Sloop John B from Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys

As always, you can download the episode (25:00, 22.9 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC:

There Used To Be A Ballpark from Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back

Glad To Be Unhappy from In The Wee Small Hours

Violets For Your Furs from Songs For Young Lovers

Baubles, Bangles And Beads from Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

East Of The Sun from The Essential Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

(Love Is) The Tender Trap from The Best Of The Capitol Years

From The Bottom Of My Heart from Complete Recordings of Harry James and his Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra

You And The Night And The Music from Ring-A-Ding-Ding!

Street Of Dreams and Angel Eyes from Sinatra at the Sands

The House I Live In from The Best of the Columbia Years 1943-1952

The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game In New York from The Rat Pack Live At The Sands

Closing Song: Coast Highway by Alameda Zoo courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

Also, here’s the clip of Springsteen singing Angel Eyes that Brian mentioned. I hadn’t seen it for some reason, but I think he does a nice job with it, and Bruce’s speech about Sinatra being the Patron Saint of New Jersey is his usual perfect.

As always, you can download the episode (69:05, 63.3 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC:

I Feel Alright by Steve Earle (I Feel Alright, Hard Core Troubadour, More Than I Can Do)

Other Songs by Ron Sexsmith (Thinking Out Loud, Average Joe, April After All)

Too Far To Care by Old 97s (Niteclub, Barrier Reef, Timebomb)

All The Pain Money Can Buy by Fastball (The Way, Fire Escape, Out Of My Head)

XO by Elliott Smith (Bled White, Waltz #2 (XO), Baby Britain)

Midnite Vultures by Beck (Sexx Laws, Mixed Bidness, Debra)

Closing Song: Ellis Unit One by Steve Earle courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

Buy all these at the WFW Amazon Store

As always, you can download the episode (36:39, 33.5 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC:

Intro: Let The Idiot Speak by Old 97s

Crack One Open by The All-American Playboys

Love’s Long Sleep by The Candy Butchers

Wishing All These Old Things Were New by Merle Haggard

Neighbor by The Lascivious Biddies

Long Island Cowboy by Red Molly

Train Of Thought by Andrew Lubman

Ain’t It Hard by Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings

Am I Just Fooling Myself by Eli Paperboy Reed And The True Loves

Big Fine Hunk Of Woman by Rufus Thomas

Closing: Your Papers Please by Captain Pop

As always, you can download the episode (43:05, 39.4 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

This is our Elvis shrine I mentioned at the end of the show. Granted, it doesn’t compare with this collection at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Vegas that Kim is standing in front of, but we don’t have the space for it.

One day, Kim. One day…

I also found on YouTube the video of Elvis singing Unchained Melody at his last-ever concert, less than two before his death.

ELVIS SONGS

I Want You, I Need You, I Love You

Mystery Train

What’d I Say

Pocketful Of Rainbows

Little Sister

(Marie’s The Name) His Latest Flame

All That I Am

It Hurts Me

Suspicious Minds

If I Can Dream

OTHER MUSIC

I Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine by Dean Martin

Baby, What Do You Want Me To Do by Jimmy Reed

Nobody Noticed It by Lisa Marie Presley

Pink Cadillac by Bruce Springsteen

Shake by Otis Redding from The Monterey International Pop Festival courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

BOOKS

Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams by Nick Tosches

Last Train To Memphis: The Rise Of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

Careless Love: The Unmaking Of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

All these are available at the WFW Amazon Store

As always, you can download the episode (57:04, 52.2 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

This is the logo that was created by my nephew, Ben. I’ve got a few styles of shirts and some mugs for sale at Cafe Press. If the store becomes successful, I’ll add some more items. Please remember to buy only official WFW merchandise. Don’t buy the bootleg shirts from the stoners in the parking lot.

So I decided to celebrate the anniversary of the podcast by putting together a show with some outtakes from Episode 28 and with some highlights from the interviews I did in the first few months of the show. If you haven’t heard those before, go back and check out what you’ve missed.

Episode 2: Jonathan Coulton

Episode 3: Gavin Edwards

Episode 7: John Hodgman

Episode 10: Dave Marsh

Episode 11: Paul Grushkin

Episode 28: The Summit

OTHER PODCASTS

Five Hundy By Midnight

The Frank Truth and all of Brian’s other shows

Coverville

The Sound Of Young America

MUSIC

Opening: 51st Anniversary from Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Closing: Understand by Andy Stone

Write a review of the podcast over at the iTunes Music Store

As always, you can download the episode (55:47 51.0 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Well, it’s not really Frank, Sammy and Dino at the Sands – The Three Schmucks is probably a more apropos name for it – but it is three friends hanging out and having a good time. Oh yeah, and we also talk about some of our favorite albums. True to form, Keith picked some well-known albums, Mike went for the bizarre and obscure (except Teenage Fanclub, of course), and I was kind of in between.

This one is nearly twice as long as my second-longest episode, but we also went on for another hour on a whole bunch of other topics. I may release those as bonus podcasts next week, so keep an eye out for them. There’s also quite a bit of us goofing around that’s unfit for release. All I can say is that I’ll never be able to think of the Loch Ness Monster the same way again…

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE. A LOT.

MUSIC

American Beauty by the Grateful Dead (Friend Of The Devil, Brokedown Palace, Sugar Magnolia)

The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks (The Village Green Preservation Society, Picture Book, Big Sky)

Satan Is Real by The Louvin Brothers (Satan Is Real, The Christian Life, Kneeling Drunkard’s Plea)

The Concert In Central Park by Simon and Garfunkel (America, American Tune, The Boxer)

#1 Record/Radio City by Big Star (The Ballad Of El Goodo, Give Me Another Chance, September Gurls)

Bandwagonesque by Teenage Fanclub (The Concept, Alcoholiday, Sidewinder)

Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains Of Wayne (Hackensack, Halley’s Waitress, Bright Future In Sales)

Marshall Crenshaw by Marshall Crenshaw (Someday Someway, There She Goes Again, Cynical Girl)

Oar by Alexander “Skip” Spence (Little Hands, Dixie Peach Promenade, War In Peace)

Blue by Joni Mitchell (River, Carey, A Case Of You)

Bring The Family by John Hiatt (Have A Little Faith In Me, Your Dad Did, Thing Called Love)

Missa Luba by Missa Luba (Kyrie, Sanctus, Benedictus)

Closing Music: Forever by Splitsville courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

Purchase these at the WFW Amazon Store

As always, you can download the episode (1:30:38, 82.9 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Then, shortly after I uploaded Episode 26, I started thinking about The Jayhawks and Sam Phillips and wondered why, for all their greatness, I don’t play them as often as I should, and the idea for this show came to me.  All I needed was a few more CDs to fill out the show, which didn’t take too long, and I had it. 

As I say in the show, hopefully this will inspire you to dig up some of those albums in your collection that you tend to skip through.  Let me know if it does in the Comments below.

MUSIC

Change Everything by Del Amitri (Always The Last To Know, Surface Of The Moon, As Soon As The Tide Comes In)

Hollywood Town Hall by The Jayhawks (Waiting For The Sun, Settled Down Like Rain, Sister Cry)

Martinis And Bikinis by Sam Phillips (I Need Love, Same Rain, Baby I Can’t Please You)

This Perfect World by Freedy Johnston (Bad Reputation, This Perfect World, Dolores)

Grand Prix by Teenage Fanclub (About You, I’ll Make It Clear, Don’t Look Back)

Find A Door by Pete Droge and the Sinners (Mr. Jade, Find A Door, Sooner Than Later)

Closing Song: Broken Radio by Jesse Malin with Bruce Springsteen courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

Purchase these at the WFW Amazon Store

OTHER LINKS

Keith’s blog…and Mike’s

Mike’s interview with Teenage Fanclub

As always, you can download the episode (35:32, 32.5 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC

All Summer Long by The Beach Boys

Rockaway Beach by The Ramones

We Got The Beat by The Go-Go’s

Summer In The City by The Lovin’ Spoonful

Livin’ La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin

The Boys Of Summer by Don Henley

Cherish by Madonna

Dancing In The Street by Martha & The Vandellas 

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak

Stacy’s Mom by Fountains Of Wayne

Hot Fun In The Summertime by Sly & The Family Stone

Low Rider by War

Mas Que Nada by Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 

Stroller Town by Jonathan Coulton

Purchase these songs at the WFW Amazon Store

As always, you can download the episode (49:34, 45.4 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

This picture of Kenney with Kim and me was taken at Foxwoods a few years ago, so when Kenney said during the interview that he was a ham, I knew from personal experience that he was telling the truth. 

LINKS:

Chris Isaak’s Website – click the Tour link to find dates of a show near you

Kenney’s Blog

Episode 5 of WFW – Album Spotlight on Forever Blue

Hear Kim and I talk about Chris Isaak on Episodes 12 and 16 of WFW

MUSIC HEARD

Wicked Game from Heart Shaped World
Only The Lonely from Baja Sessions
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town from Christmas
Notice The Ring, American Boy and Let Me Down Easy from Always Got Tonight
San Francisco Days from San Francisco Days
Gone Ridin’ from Silvertone
Speak Of The Devil from Speak Of The Devil

Buy these at the WFW Amazon Store

Closing Song: No Heart Ache by Phil Ayoub

As always, you can download the episode (33:10, 30.3 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Carrick Moore Gerety of Everybody Else joins me on this episode to talk about his band, whose debut album has been in steady rotation on my iPod ever since I reviewed it two months ago. I didn’t think it was possible for anybody to reference Proust and not sound pretentious, but Carrick, who went to Harvard, did it somehow. As you can tell, I’m a big fan of this band because they incorporate so much of the best of the past 50 years of pop music while still sounding original.

LINKS:

Everybody Else’s website and MySpace page

Buy Everybody Else at Amazon and iTunes

SONGS PLAYED:

Meat Market

Makeup

Without You

I Gotta Run

In Memoriam

Faker

Say Goodbye

The Longest Hour Of My Life

Rich Girls, Poor Girls

As always, you can download the episode (37:00, 33.8 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Part 2 of WFW’s look at the life and music of the legendary Warren Zevon continues with in interview with Warren’s ex-wife, Crystal, who wrote the book pictured above. The delay was because I was trying to get permission from Jordan to use another of his songs to close out the show, but I couldn’t get in touch with him in time. He’s got a full-length album coming out next month and I can’t wait to hear it.

EDIT: Apaprently some of the song fades I made in Audacity did not properly take. I went back to the project file to fix it and unfortunately, it has been corrupted somehow. I can fix it by re-editing the interview, but I probably won’t be able to get to it for a few days. It’s not so bad that you can’t make out what’s being said, but I still want to apologize to everybody for not having something up to my regular standards.

LINKS:

Crystal Zevon’s website

Purchase I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead at Amazon

Maggie Drennon’s website

WFW interview with Jordan Zevon

We Talk About Cars by Ric Seaberg on Episode 13

MUSIC:

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, Carmelita from Warren Zevon (Amazon, iTunes)

Reconsider Me from Sentimental Hygeine (Amazon, iTunes)

Mr. Bad Example from Mr. Bad Example (Amazon)

Splendid Isolation from Transverse City (Amazon, iTunes)

Accidentally Like A Martyr, Tenderness On The Block from Excitable Boy (Amazon, iTunes)

The French Inhaler and The Indifference Of Heaven from Learning To Flinch (Amazon, iTunes)

Closing Music: The Bill Walton Song by Ric Seaberg

As always, you can download the episode (36:00, 33.0 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS MUSIC WITH EXPLICIT LYRICS

MUSIC:

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life from Spamalot (Amazon, iTunes)

Commercial parodies provided by Smart Bomb Radio (iTunes)

Opening Band by Paul & Storm (Amazon, iTunes)

Fan Of The Bean by The Clintons (Amazon, iTunes)

Unbreakable Heart by Trouble Club (Amazon, iTunes)

Hey Kate! by The Fire Apes (Amazon, iTunes)

Here He Comes by The Dents (Amazon, iTunes)

4 Barrel Carb Dual Exhaust P.O.S. by Lords Of The Highway (Amazon, iTunes)

Raise Up Your Hands by American Heartbreak (Amazon, iTunes)

First Of May by Jonathan Coulton (Amazon, iTunes)

OTHER LINKS:

Five Hundy By Midnight: The Original Las Vegas Podcast

The Rock & Roll Geek Show

BACK EPISODES OF WFW:

Episode 2: Jonathan Coulton Interview

Episode 8: Vegas with Tim from FHBM

As always, you can download the episode (32:29, 29.7 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Good times, good times…

MUSIC PLAYED:

March and Free-For-All (Amazon, iTunes): No Myth, This And That, Brave New World, Seen The Doctor
Resigned (Amazon, iTunes): All That That Implies, Figment
MP4: Days Since A Lost Time Accident (Amazon, iTunes): High Time
Mr. Hollywood, Jr., 1947 Expanded Edition (Amazon, iTunes): Walter Reed, Denton Road
Palms & Runes, Tarot & Tea: A Michael Penn Collection (Amazon, iTunes): Long Way Down (alternate version), No Myth, Brave New World, All That That Implies, Figment, Walter Reed

As always, you can download the episode (33:44, 30.8 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

MUSIC:

Someone To Love by Fountains Of Wayne from Traffic And Weather (Amazon, iTunes) – Review

Can I Call You A Cab by Minibar from Desert After Rain (Amazon, iTunes) – Review

At The Texaco by Don DiLego from Photographs Of 1971 (Amazon, iTunes) – Review

25 Years Ago by Tommy Womack from There, I Said It! (Amazon, iTunes) – Review

Jealous And Drunk by Leeroy Stagger from Depression River (Amazon, iTunes) – Review

Rock And Roll City by Stratocruiser from Revolutions (iTunes) – Review

In Memoriam by Everybody Else from Everybody Else (Amazon, iTunes) – Review

As always, you can download the episode (32:45, 29.9 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

LINKS:

Pre-order Excitable Boy, Stand In The Fire, and The Envoy at Amazon.

Buy Jordan Zevon’s EP at CD Baby and iTunes.

Pre-order I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead: The Dirty Life And Times Of Warren Zevon by Crystal Zevon at Amazon.

MUSIC:

Lawyers, Guns & Money

The Hula Hula Boys

Desperados Under The Eaves

Excitable Boy

Werewolves Of London (Live)

Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner

Jeannie Needs A Shooter (Live)

Gorilla, You’re A Desperado

Detox Mansion

Raspberry Beret

Trouble Waiting To Happen

Mutineer

This Girl by Jordan Zevon

As always, you can download the episode (34:41, 31.8 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

I took this picture on our only trip to Memphis in November 2002. You can see that the building wasn’t yet completed, and it wouldn’t open for another six months or so. That was a fun vacation, and hopefully I’ll be able to get back there at some point soon and finally get to see the museum. I think this is the longest episode so far, and has more clips than any other show, but that’s because there are so many awesome songs in Stax’s catalog, that it was impossible to pick out just a few. Hell, I didn’t even use Dock Of The Bay or Soul Man. And then I remembered that clip from NewsRadio and I had to use that, too. Also, I would have loved to have spoken with Rob Bowman for even longer, but the guy’s got a life.

LINKS:

Soulsville, U.S.A. by Rob Bowman

Wattstax DVD

My Blogcritics review of Johnnie Taylor – Live At The Summit Club

See yesterday’s TML for more Stax links

MUSIC:

Ten of these songs (only ‘Cause I Love You and Hard To Handle are excluded) are on the Stax 50 set to be released on March 13 (Amazon pre-order)

Theme From “Shaft” by Isaac Hayes (iTunes)

Respect Yourself by The Staple Singers (iTunes)

‘Cause I Love You by Rufus & Carla Thomas (iTunes)

Walking The Dog by Rufus Thomas (iTunes)

Green Onions by Booker T. & The MG’s (iTunes)

Born Under A Bad Sign by Albert King (iTunes)

Last Night by The Mar-Keys (iTunes)

I Can’t Turn You Loose by Otis Redding (iTunes)

Hold On, I’m Coming by Sam & Dave (iTunes)

Hard To Handle by Otis Redding (iTunes)

What A Man by Linda Lyndell

Mr. Big Stuff by Jean Knight (iTunes)

Closing Music: Johnnie Taylor Live At The Summit Club (Amazon, iTunes)

As always, you can download the episode (53:31, 48.9 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

LINKS:

Don’t Download This Song by Weird Al Yankovic

Jona Lee by Roomful Of Blues

The Moon Is Full by Albert Collins, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland

When The President Talks To God by Bright Eyes

Rich Man’s War by Steve Earle

Bubblegum and Beer by The Supersuckers

I’ll Never Fall In Love Again by Splitsville

No Backbone by The Lemonheads

As Far As I Know by Paul Westerberg

You Can Never Hold Back Spring by Tom Waits

As always, you can download the episode (39:49, 36.4 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Another great job by Kim here, flummoxing me on several occasions with her perverse thoughts. I’d love to do a weekly show where we give you a glimpse into our lives, but we’re both so busy with other projects that we could never record on a regular basis. But it would definitely be a lot of fun.

MUSIC LINKS:

Wouldn’t It Be Nice by The Beach Boys

I Walk The Line by Johnny Cash

Ain’t That A Kick In The Head by Dean Martin

I’ve Got The World On A String by Frank Sinatra

Can’t Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley

If I Should Fall Behind by Bruce Springsteen

Two Hearts by Chris Isaak

Hey Julie by Fountains Of Wayne

Something by The Beatles

Message To My Girl by Split Enz

Baby I Love You by Aretha Franklin

You’re All I Need To Get By by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

I Melt With You by Modern English

Johnny Are You Queer by Josie Cotton

iMix of all the songs and nine others

SITES MENTIONED:

Five Hundy By Midnight

Frank Truth

Shine Silently

A Video Message From John Waters

You can download the episode (47:34, 43.5 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Thanks to Marika for helping me out with the interpretation. I was listening to it in preparation for the show and I realized I had no idea what it was about, and she graciously gave me the background on the song. Anyway, I don’t really have anything more to say here. It’s pretty much all in the show and in Tuesday’s TML.

Buy Woodface (Amazon, iTunes)

Closing Music: What To Do With Michael by The Candy Butchers courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

As always, you can download the episode (25:21, 23.2 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

LINKS:

10) Rabbit Fur Coat by Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins (Amazon, iTunes)

9) The Believer by Rhett Miller (Amazon, iTunes)

Barenaked Ladies Are Me by Barenaked Ladies (Amazon, iTunes)

7) Ray Sings, Basie Swings by Ray Charles and The Count Basie Orchestra
(Amazon, iTunes)

6) All The Roadrunning by Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris (Amazon, iTunes)

5) The River In Reverse by Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint (Amazon, iTunes)

4) Modern Times by Bob Dylan (Amazon, iTunes)

3) We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions by Bruce Springsteen (Amazon, iTunes)

2) Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case (Amazon, iTunes)

1) Boys And Girls In America by The Hold Steady (Amazon, iTunes)

Chips Ahoy by The Hold Steady played courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

You can download the episode (34:24, 31.5 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

LINKS:

Intro: Cars by Gary Numan

Ragtop Cadillac by George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal

Drive On by Lift

Tailgaitin’ by Highway Dave & The Varmints

We Talk About Cars by Ric Seaberg

Judy’s Got A Stick Shift by The Hot Rods

Drive by Common Ground

Copperhead Road (Live) by Steve Earle

You can download the episode (35:25, 32.4 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

I was really glad when Kim agreed to do the show because I don’t think I could have done this one by myself. It needed her musical taste and sense of humor. Usually when I’m recording these, I have no idea whether or not it’s going well, but as soon as she started talking, I knew this was going to be a good one.

Afterwards, she asked me why I didn’t pick Bruce’s version of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, and the reason is because the last two episodes have dealt at least in part with Springsteen, so I didn’t want to do three in a row. Besides, I didn’t want to deal with her dislike of Bruce. I don’t mind it off the air, but on my show, there is no trashing of The Boss.

I do want to clarfy something Kim said. The version of Snow that we played was pulled directly from the White Christmas DVD. The CD version features Peggy Lee instead of Rosemary Clooney due to contractual obligations. Starbucks has released an exclusive package (link below) with both the DVD and CD, which you can pick up at any of your local Starbucks, except for the first one that we went to.

This is the Department 56 Christmas At Graceland set that we talk about, with the gates and the pink Cadillac. Between the bare trees, it says, “Merry Christmas to all, Elvis.” The house is lit internally and the colored trees have blinking lights on them. It’s really cool.

MUSIC LINKS:

Gotta Be Good and Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer by Chris Isaak from Christmas (Amazon, iTunes)
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love from A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector (Amazon, iTunes)
Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Dean Martin from A Winter Romance (Amazon, iTunes)
Man In The Santa Suit by Fountains Of Wayne from Out-Of-State Plates (Amazon, iTunes)
Santa Claus Is Back In Town by Elvis Presley from If Everyday Was Like Christmas (Amazon, iTunes)
Hanukkah Blessings by Barenaked Ladies from Barenaked For The Holidays (Amazon, iTunes)
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve by Nancy Wilson from Ultra-Lounge: Christmas Cocktails, Part One (Amazon, iTunes)
2000 Miles by The Pretenders from Learning To Crawl (Amazon, iTunes)
Snow by Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Trudie Stevens from White Christmas (DVD & CD Package at Starbucks)
Fairtytale Of New York by the Pogues with Kirsty MacColl from If I Should Fall From Grace With God (Amazon, iTunes)
White Christmas by Bing Crosby (Amazon, iTunes)
The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole from (Amazon, iTunes)
Chiron Beta Prime by Jonathan Coulton from Thing A Week 2 (CD Baby, iTunes)
Santa Already Filled My Stocking by Jen Sandifer and Patrick Shannon (no website, sadly)

As always, you can download the episode (41:49 38.2 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Despite my father’s attempts to teach me, I don’t know squat about cars, other than how to drive one. Hell, I don’t even own a car. Living in a city with an effective public transportation system means that I don’t need one. Back in high school, I nearly failed Drivers Ed because I blew the “How The Car Works” part of the course.

At a job I used to have, two older male co-workers were talking about the cars they had in their teenage years and how they had souped them up. I stood there listening for a few minutes and said, “I used to have a ’69 Chevy with a 396, fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor.” “Really?” one of them asked. “No,” I replied, “It’s a Springsteen lyric,” and walked away

But not understanding how the things work doesn’t mean that I don’t love car songs. All it means is that pretty much everything I know about cars I learned from Springsteen, The Beach Boys, etc. Then again, that can be said for almost everything else in the universe.

LINKS:

Paul Grushkin’s website

Rockin’ Down The Highway

All books by Paul Grushkin

MUSIC PLAYED:

Mustang Sally by Wilson Pickett (Amazon, iTunes)

Highway Star by Deep Purple (Amazon, iTunes)

Little Red Corvette by Prince (Amazon, iTunes)

Brand New Cadillac by The Clash (Amazon, iTunes)

Rocket 88 by Jackie Brentson (Amazon, iTunes)

Back Of A Car by Big Star (Amazon, iTunes)

No Particular Place To Go by Chuck Berry (Amazon, iTunes)

Long Black Limousine by Elvis Presley (Amazon, iTunes)

Fun, Fun, Fun by The Beach Boys (Amazon, iTunes)

Low Rider by War (Amazon)

Racing In The Street by Bruce Springsteen (Amazon, iTunes)

(I’m A) Roadrunner by Junior Walker & The All-Stars (Amazon, iTunes)

Five-O Ford by The Reverend Horton Heat (Amazon, iTunes)

Santa’s Too Drunk To Drive by The Hot Rods

As always, you can download the episode (40:55, 37.4 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Bruce Springsteen is notorious for recording tons of songs for an album, then trying out different combinations and sequences until he settles on the themes that he wants the album to convey. While working on the questions for this interview, I think I got a glimpse into that world. There are so many things that I’ve wanted to discuss with Dave Marsh about Bruce as a performer that there was no way I could get through it all in 30 minutes. I probably went through 50 questions framed in many ways, and in different sequences, before settling on the ones I used.

There’s a spot in our conversation where he says that it’s tough for him to rank his favorite songs, and I respond with, “I have that book, too.” That book is his The Heart Of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made, and it’s required reading. As with any list, you can argue with the rankings, inclusions, and exclusions, but Marsh’s ability to describe why these songs matter – whether their greatness is due to reasons musical, lyrical, political, or personal – is unparalleled. I’ve learned tons from it, not just about some songs I might not have heard otherwise, but also about writing. It thoroughly contradicts the famous line (attributed to many people, but I believe it was said by Frank Zappa) that writing about music is like dancing about architecture.

There’s also a spot where he talks about a song called, “The Wall,” which Bruce has never released. It’s about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial here in Washington, DC. You can find the lyrics, and read the story behind the song, here.

LINKS:

Kristen Ann Carr Fund

Bruce Springsteen On Tour: 1968-2005 by Dave Marsh

Other books by Dave Marsh

Episode 1 of WFW: The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle

Some Springsteen videos I found on YouTube a while back

Discuss Bruce Springsteen in the Wings For Wheels Forum

MUSIC PLAYED:

Born To Run, Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, and Quarter To Three | Hammersmith Odeon London ’75 (Amazon, iTunes)

Thunder Road, Hungry Heart, War, The River | Live/1975-85 (Amazon, iTunes)

Darkness On The Edge Of Town | In Concert: MTV UnPlugged (Amazon, iTunes)

Land Of Hope And Dreams, If I Should Fall Behind | Live In New York City (Amazon, iTunes)

As always, you can download the episode (34:02, 31.2 MB) by right-clicking here and and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

On this episode of Wings For Wheels, I speak with Deirdre Dolan, the author of Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book. The book looks at the first five seasons of the groundbreaking hit HBO series starring Larry David, the co-creator of Seinfeld, and it’s pretty good. Pret-ty, pret-ty good (buy the book to learn the origin of that recurring joke)…

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Larry David talks to Ricky Gervais

Links:

Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book
Curb Your Enthusiasm on DVD
Chris Juergensen’s website
Big Bad Sun (Amazon, iTunes)

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE

As always, you can download the episode (34:16, 31.4 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Links:

Opening song: Luck Be A Lady (live version) by Frank Sinatra
Frank Truth Podcast
Cult Vegas: The Weirdest! The Wildest! The Swingin’est Town On Earth by Mike Weatherford

Tim’s Picks:

Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley (Amazon, iTunes)
People Get Really Drunk In Las Vegas by Size 14 (Amazon)
The Gambler by Mike Doughty (iTunes)
Ain’t That A Kick In The Head by Dean Martin (Amazon, iTunes)
Walk On by U2 (Amazon, iTunes)
Big Spender by Peggy Lee (Amazon, iTunes)

My Picks:

Embraceable You/I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good) by Louis Prima and Keely Smith (Amazon, iTunes)
Ooh Las Vegas by Gram Parsons (Amazon, iTunes)
Casino Queen by Wilco (Amazon, iTunes)
With Plenty Of Money And You by Tony Bennett and Count Basie (Amazon, iTunes)
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Aretha Franklin (Amazon, iTunes)
Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley (Amazon, iTunes)

Closing song: Las Vegas Is Waiting by Kevin Bowe

As always, you can download the episode (44:44, 41.0 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Direct Download: Berating (2:17, 2 MB)

To mark the recent publication of the paperback edition of the book, Hodgman is in the middle of a 20-city book tour that brought him to the University of Baltimore on Monday, where he appeared in the Student Center’s fifth-floor Multipurpose Room. (“As you know, this room is made possible by a generous grant from the Multipurpose Family,” he said.)

He told the standing-room-only audience that his book “is written in the voice of a deranged, know-it-all character who is kind of me, but not entirely me.”

The show opened up with F.W. Thomas Performances creator (and high school friend of Hodgman) Adam Mazmanian reading a very funny story about a boy negotiating with his father for a raise in his allowance.  The catch was that the process was conducted entirely via memos (see, these are the things I need to learn how to write).  Next up was David Rees, who showed one of his cartoons (maybe two?) and made some jokes at the expense of Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat.

Next was Hodgman, with Jonathan Coulton providing musical accompaniment.  He read some bits from the book (The Six Oaths Of The Virtuous Child, excerpts from Hobo Matters, etc.), followed by a Q & A session, about which Brunch Bird offers this:

Although I’d imagine the overwhelming number of fellows in the audience deciding they were going to try to be funny with their “wacky” questions–despite his specific prohibition of “wacky” questions just prior to the session starting–was tiresome. To his credit, he merely reduced them to rubble with his acid wit in front of the crowd and moved on.  

Coulton finished off the evening with performances of First Of May and Re: Your Brains. 

At the signing after the show, I introduced myself to Hodgman and we exchanged pleasantries about the interview.  I got my book signed, and then Kim and I talked to Coulton for a bit before heading back home. 

As promised, here are the two outtakes from our interview.  In this one, he talks about the genius of Stephen Colbert and the 700 Hoboes Project (the clip of Hodgman reading the hobo names can be found here).  The other clip will follow in the next post.

Direct Download: Colbert (4:34, 4.18 MB)

Thankfully, I don’t think I embarassed myself too much, and all my worrying was for naught, as he was every bit as great a guest as I had hoped. He gives us some great insight into his newfound fame, the workings of The Daily Show, and talks about some of my favorite parts of his book.

So, here is the show. I’ve got a few other good bits that, as I say on the show, I’m probably going to upload in the middle of next week as a bonus. I didn’t want to cut a word of it, but I had to think of the flow of the show. And, there is the music of the great Jonathan Coulton interspersed throughout the show to keep things peppy.

I also made up a special promo for this episode, kind of an homage to novelty song legend Dickie Goodman. If you want to use it on your podcast, you can download it from the sidebar.

Links:

Hodgman/Coulton tour dates
The Sound Of Young America interview with the both of them.
The Areas Of My Expertise (Paperback, Audiobook)
Songs played: A Talk With George, I Feel Fantastic, Mr. Fancy Pants, Brookline, Furry Old Lobster, IKEA, The Presidents
Screaming Eagles Podcast

As always, you can download the episode (45:33, 41.7 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

Intro Music: Washington, DC by The Magnetic Fields

I’m Going With You by Sean Michael Dargan

Well, Well, Well by The Five Maseratis

Ain’t Seen My Baby by Cephas & Wiggins

Wrap Yourself In Glamour by The Blues Vultures

All In On The Big Blind by Full Minute Of Mercury

Write Off Summer by Yuma House

Red Line Train by Rhodes Tavern Troubadours

Other DC Links:

Washington Music Hall Of Fame

Historic U Street

Ben’s Chili Bowl

As always, you can download the episode (30:16, 27.7 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

And opening the show is the promo for one of my favorite podcasts, and a big influence on Wings For Wheels, The Sound Of Young America.

Buy Chris Isaak’s Music (Amazon)

Buy Chris Isaak’s Music (iTunes)

Rowland Salley – Killin’ The Blues

Closing Song:You Could Be Here by Eli Renner, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

Eli Renner’s Website

As always, you can download the episode (21:06, 19.3 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

1) Sitcoms that defined their eras
2) NBC didn’t realize what they had
3) Screwball comedies
4) Cast: Dave Foley,Maura Tierney, Phil Hartman, Khandi Alexander, Vicki Lewis, Joe Rogan, Andy Dick, Stephen Root
5) More on Phil Hartman’s death
6) Fifth Season was not very funny
7) Closing Music: Dance, Soterious Johnson, Dance by Jonathan Coulton
9) Bonus NewsRadio Clip

NewsRadio on DVD: First & Second Seasons, Third Season, Fourth Season

Here’s a website dedicated to NewsRadio that I used in researching this episode. It clued my into the idea of the show as an old-time screwball comedy, for example. It takes an almost scholarly tone towards the show, and the author is prone to hyperbole, but it’s still an interesting read, and will probably remind you of some of your favorite episodes.

As always, you can download the episode (26:40, 24.4 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

1) Intro music: Tiny Dancer by Elton John
2) The new website is up, but if you’re reading this, you already knew that
3) Song: Note From The Heartland by Sean Michael Dargan (buy it at CDBaby)
4) Interview: Gavin Edwards
5) Songs played: Tiny Dancer (again), Every Picture Tells A Story by Rod Stewart, Have You Fed The Fish by Badly Drawn Boy, and Be My Baby by the Ronettes
6) Outro song: The Last Of The Superheroes by American Heartbreak

iTunes Links To Music:

Tiny Dancer by Elton John

Every Picture Tells A Story by Rod Stewart

Have You Fed The Fish? by Badly Drawn Boy

Be My Baby by The Ronettes

The Last Of The Superheroes by American Heartbreak

Gavin Edwards Merchandise:

Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton’s Little John?: Music’s Most Enduring Mysteries, Myths, and Rumors Revealed

Compilations of Misheard Lyrics:

Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy

He’s Got The Whole World In His Pants

When A Man Loves A Walnut

Deck The Halls With Buddy Holly

Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy (2007 Calendar)

As always, you can download the episode (25:30, 23.3 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

I do want to apologize for the overall sound quality of the interview. As I say in the intro, I had originally intended on only transcribing it, not releasing it as a podcast. Since only I needed to hear it, I kept the recorder on the table, which is why it’s tough to hear me at times, although I did some remastering. If you want the transcription, here is Part One, and Part Two

And once again, thanks to Jonathan Coulton for the interview, and his great music. Be warned: This episode has some explicit lyrics.

1) Intro song: Tom Cruise Crazy.

2) Comedic influences: Tom Lehrer, Douglas Adams, Steve Martin, Monty Python. Songs: Mandlebrot Set, First Of May, Re: Your Brains.

3) Using songs as autobiography. Song: I Crush Everything.

4) Understanding characters. Song: Skullcrusher Mountain.

5) Arrangements and harmonies. Song: Stroller Town

6) Connecticut and Yale – the home of bluegrass. Song: Just As Long As Me.

7) Podcasting and success. Song: Code Monkey.

Coverville, great covers and ironic white guys. Song: Baby Got Back.

9) Friendship with John Hodgman.

10) JoCo on American Idol?

11) Outro songs: Shop Vac, Not About You.

As always, you can download the episode (37:02, 34.0 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.

As always, you can download the episode (23:16, 21.3 MB) by right-clicking here and selecting “Save Target As…” or by subscribing using the buttons on the right.