Meanwhile, here’s the most recent entry into the Revolutionary Plastics Hour canon; it’s from December 11, 2012, & I don’t have to tell you that I’m thrilled to finally get this out into the world. Dig, if you will, a picture:

• A non-album track from Neon Neon, the—well, what do you call a super-group if the members aren’t all that amazing but are still something more than just also-rans? Oh, right!—the Avengers-group of Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) and Boom Bip (that whole Anticon scene from the late nineties), whose album was a concept piece centering around the (high) life & (hot) times of John Delorean. This song brings Johnny Carson into the mix; why? Can’t say for sure, but it’s catchy as feezy, yo.
• A song from that single that Prime Minister Louis Farrakhan released, back when he was still going by Louis X.
• A song featuring bassist David Hood, a member of the legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and the father of Patterson Hood, one of the primary driving forces behind the Drive-By Truckers.
• A really fun remix of a great song by Brick, called “Dazz” (which I’ve played on this show in the past) by the also legendary Latin Rascals. It’s from the era when a hell of a lot of high-profile remixes were being done by Arthur Baker, who was certainly cool; but this sounds different, which is great.
• A song that Walter Becker & Donald Fagen wrote for Barbra Streisand, back when they were jobbing songwriters-for-hire.
• The only song Ice-T & Ice Cube did together (at least, until recently; I don’t know if they’ve made a hott collabo anytime in the last, say, ten years, because I haven’t been checking their albums very closely in that time) (oh, like you have).

So—all that, plus even more, ladies & gentlemen. If you want to skip the standard PSA nonsense, start at about 2:50, so you get the setup for the astounding John Oates composition that kicks off this awesome & long-delayed set. Hope you like it.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Forty-Six

Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy—Language of Violence (instrumental)
–
Hall & Oates—The Emptyness [sic] (live)
Helmet Boy—I Know What You Did Last Night
Posh—Mermaid
Neon Neon—Wheels
Louis X—A White Man’s Heaven is a Black Man’s Hell (aka Prime Minister Louis Farrakhan)
Witch Queen—Got the Time (ft. David Hood, aka Patterson Hood’s dad)
Brick—Dazz (The Def Mix by the Latin Rascals)
Richard Pryor and Diana Ross—So You Wanted to See the Wizard (from The Wiz)
Barbra Streisand—I Mean to Shine (written by Becker/Fagen, aka Steely Dan)
Frank Sinatra—I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night
Von Haze—His Love is Fine
Ice-T & Ice Cube—Trespass
MC Serch—Daze in a Weak
–
Ronny Jordan—A Brighter Day (instrumental) (prod. by DJ Spinna)

This week is fundraiser week at the station, so, for your listening pleasure, I’ve eviscerated (without anesthesia!) the chunks of the show that consist of me asking for money, leaving you with a tidy, uninterrorupted half-hour-long mix of seasonally*-appropriate tunes by some of the most highly-respookted names in the (horror) business.

I hope this mix will enhance your evening’s enterpainment, and that your Halloween night is an unMittigated triumph.

* of the witch

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: I Remember Halloween

Cinema (recorded music library)—Music Box
Disneyland—The Haunted House
Kid Koala—Tricks N’ Treats
Dictators—Science Gone Too Far
The Damned—Video Nasty
Glenn Danzig—Spook City, U.S.A.
The Misfits—Die, Die, My Darling
Samhain—To Walk the Night
Turbonegro—Nihil Sleighride
Chromatics—Into the Black
Poolside—Harvest Moon

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Forty-Four

RJD2—Get Off My Spaceship, Bitch
–
Rose Royce—You Can’t Please Everybody
Brooklyn Dreams—That’s Not the Way That Your Mama Taught You to Be
Grace Jones—Bullshit
Santogold—Shove It
Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder—Good-bye Bad Times
Active Child—High Priestess
The Sweat—Why’d You Have to Lie?
Club Nouveau—Jealousy
Mark Ronson—Toxic (ft. Tiggers & ODB)
Latyrx—Bad News
Remy Ma—Whuteva
Ghostface Killah—Be Easy (ft. Trife)
Apocalypse Now—Dialogue (from OST)
Hom—You Won’t Get It (instrumental) (Peter Gabriel/Laurie Anderson sample)
Minor Threat—Betray
Scrotum Grinder—Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Project Reagan
Aeroplane—The Point of No Return

(I know I’m not really selling it, here, but if you give it a listen, you’ll find that this stuff sells itself.)

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Forty-Three

Mike Post—Theme from “L.A. Law”
–
The Hagers—Break My Mind
Roy Clark—Thank God & Greyhound
Jack Reno—Barroom Habits
Petula Clark—Resist
Maxine Sullivan & the Blue Notes—She’s a Rank Chick
Nick Gilpin—We’ll Work it Out
Bryan Ferry—Kiss & Tell
Terminator X—Buck Whylin’ (ft. Chuck D)
Hambo—First Rap Part II
3rd Bass—Gladiator
Sir Mix-A-Lot—My Hooptie (Still Runnin’ Mix)
Montreal Sound—Music (Original Version)
Bert Lahr (Wizard of Oz)—If I Were King of the Forest
Jennifer Hall—Ice Cream Days
–
Irene Cara—Flashdance… What a Feeling (remix) (instrumental)

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Forty-Two

Stevie Wonder—Part-Time Lover (instrumental)
–
Foxy—Lady of the Streets
Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & Stevie Wonder—Pops, We Love You
M—M Factor
Bird & McDonald—The Candy Rapper
Lil’ Louis & the World—I Called U
Straight Edge—Things You Could Have Said
Dead Letter Office—The Girl in the Green Uniform
New Model Army—Brave New World
The Hanson Brothers—Brad (NoMeansNo “Dad” cover)
The ‘Tone—Lost Generation
–
Michael Jackson—Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (instrumental)
Giorgio Moroder—Madeline’s Theme
–
Cee-Lo Green—Closet Freak
Jazze Pha & Cee-Lo Green—Man of the Hour
The Faint—The Conductor
Duran Duran—A View to a Kill
LeToya—All Eyes on Me (instrumental)

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Forty-One

Jimmy Spicer—The Bubble Bunch (instrumental)
–
Evolutionary Control Committee—Rebel Without a Pause (Whipped Cream mix)
Chromeo—Needy Girl (Bloc Party’s High School Prom remix)
Breakwater—Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot
Mayday—This Girl’s On Fire
Southern Culture on the Skids—Eight Piece Box
Southern Culture on the Skids—Girlfight
Maxine Sullivan & the Blue Notes—It’s Bigamy
Verdelle Smith—Sexy
Frankie Stubbs—Old Elvis
–
Blackalicious—Deception (instrumental)
Blackalicious—Deception Pt. 2 (El-P instrumental)
–
Nocera—Summertime, Summertime (Radio Mix)
Ui—Piñata
Crazy Otto—Indiana (Back Home in Indiana)
Deryle Hughes—I Found Freedom
Oliver—Angelica

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Forty

Knuckles O’Toole—The Old Piano Roll Blues
–
Journey—Any Way You Want It
Patrick Juvét—I Love America
Giorgio Moroder—Reach Out (ft. Paul Engemann)
Class—Get Your Chic Together
Heatwave—Beat Your Booty [by Rod Temperton]
–
Pamplemousse—Gitcha Down (slow)
Pamplemousse—Love to Michelle (slow)
–
Bobby Jimmy & the Critters—Roaches (“Rumors” parody)
Club Nouveau—Why You Treat Me So Bad
Lil’ Flip—Haters Still Mad
Roy Ayers—Tarzan
Stevie Wonder—So What the Fuss (remix ft. Q-Tip)
Clint Eastwood—I Still See Elisa (from Paint Your Wagon)
Porter Wagoner—Eat, Drink & Be Merry (Tomorrow You’ll Cry)
Phil Harris—Goofus
Kirby Stone Four—Clyde

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-Nine

Tricky with DJ Muggs & Grease—Pop Muzik (M cover)
Guido MCs—Bensonhurst, 86th St.
DJ Greyboy—To Know You is to Love You (Stevie Wonder cover)
Buck Owens & His Buckaroos—Waiting in Your Welfare Line
Jerry Wallace—Ruby (Red Wine)
Faron Young—Old Courthouse
The Diamonds—Straight Skirts
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis, Jr.—The Summit
Jim Copp & Ed Brown—Off to San Franciscy
Kiss (Paul Stanley)—New York Groove
Eddie Kendricks—Son of Sagittarius
–
Nightmares On Wax—Know My Name (instrumental)
Farah—Chocolate & Martinis (instrumental)
–
Def-Soul & LSD—Motherfuck a Benz
Wendy O. Williams—The Humpty Song
Big Audio Dynamite—Bad (12″ remix by Rick Rubin)
Sandra Bernhard—Boys Come Running
–
DJ Greyboy—To Know You is to Love You (instrumental)

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-Eight

Direct Current—Everybody Here Must Party
The Main Ingredient—Something Lovely (Stevie Wonder/? Wright)
Cher—Bad Love
Abigail—Smells Like Teen Spirit (The Guitar Vocal Version)
Nile Rodgers—Stay Out of the Light (Lights Out Mix)
Brooklyn Bridge—Glad She’s a Woman
–
C.I.A. (Criminals in Action) (Kasz Mix instrumental)
–
Thirstin Howl III—The Polo Rican
Thirstin Howl III—I Still Live With My Moms
Thirstin Howl III—Watch Dees (ft. Eminem)
Foxy—Get Off (Special 12” Disco Remix)
Charlie Brown & Lucy
The Wizard of Oz
Foxy—Tena’s Song (instrumental)

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-Seven

Ramones—Judy is a Punk Rocker [end of Brian’s show]
–
Giorgio Moroder—Valley of the Dolls (from Foxes sdtrk.)
–
Citizen—You’re So Cool
Louise Goffin—Kid Blue
Dan Hartman—I Can Dream About You
Desire—If I Can’t Hold You
Grace Jones—Pull Up to My Bumper
Patra—Pull Up to My Bumper
Santogold—You’ll Find a Way
Platinum Pied Pipers—Countless Excuses
Active Child—Playing House (ft. How to Dress Well)
Reflection Eternal—Fortified Live (ft. Mos Def & Mr. Man)
Guido M.C.’s—Guido Rap
Sir Mix-A-Lot—Cake Boy
RJD2—Good Times Roll (white label promo with uncleared sample)
–
3rd Bass—Steppin’ to the A.M. (instrumental)

The songs are definitely on the scrappier, punk rock end of the spectrum; with only a couple of exceptions (at the beginning & end, coincidentally enough), this could easily have been a playlist from my college radio show (1992-1995).

But don’t write it off, if you’re not a punk fan—there’s a lot to love here. & have no fear; the Revolutionary Plastics Hour is committed to variety & diversity. Coming weeks will definitely see a return to the forgotten country, rap, crooner & pop music that I’ve been playing all along.

Either way, stick around till the end (or skip ahead, if you can’t wait) to hear J.R.R. Tolkien reading from The Two Towers over some very atmospherically complementary music by Earth. Fun stuff. Enjoy!

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-Six

Tiedye—Fisherman’s Bend (A Mountain of One remix)
–
Raphael Saadiq—Just Can’t Jig Anymore
Mike Ladd—Wild Out Day
Snuff—Funny Faces
Seaweed—Bill
Chopper—Kitty O’Shea’s
Jessie—Indestructable [sic]
Muffs—Big Mouth
Hickey—New Anthem for Amerika’s Disenfranchised
Bicycle Face—Speck O’ Dust
Mr. Wrong (Nomeansno)—The End of the World (Herman’s Hermits)
Pogues—London Girl
Pogues & the Dubliners—The Irish Rover
The Larry Brrrds—13th Generation
Dr. Bison—Make Me Yours
Southern Culture on the Skids—C.W. James, 00-Spy
Hickoids—Driftwood 40-23
Earth—Mirage/Land Of Some Other Order
J.R.R. Tolkien—Reads from The Two Towers
–
Desire—Part II

Oh, & you have to listen for the song “Heartstones,” which has been living in my head for a few months now. It’s a sorta contempo-throwback dance track with a sax part that tips my love-hate relationship with that instrument firmly into sweet, sweet puppy love.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-Five

Honey Cone—One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show
–
Rick James—Hard to Get (instrumental)
–
The Wonder Band—Stairway to Heaven (L. Zeppelin)
Snatch—Another Brick in the Wall (P. Floyd)
Witch Queen—Bang a Gong (T. Rex)
Grace Jones—Break Down (T. Petty)
The Wonder Band—Whole Lotta Love (L. Zeppelin)
–
MF Doom—No Snakes Alive (instrumental)
–
Britney Spears—Me Against the Music (ft. Madonna) (Justice Extended Mix)
Nine Inch Nails—Only (El-P remix)
Party Bros.—Heartstones
Nile Rodgers—Stay Out of the Light (Lights Out Mix)

So stick around for the end, because you don’t want to miss the beginning of that dynamite Honeycone song—not to mention the song Bruce Springsteen gave the Pointer Sisters (apparently a very early one of his, from the Asbury Park days). They do it up real nice…!

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-Four

Danger Mouse & Jemini—The Only One (instrumental)
–
War—The Cisco Kid
The Jimmy Castor Bunch—E-Man Boogie
Billy Paul—My Head’s On Straight
Instant Funk (Bunny Sigler)—I Got My Mind Made Up
Francoise Hardy—Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles
Laurie Anderson—From the Air
Ryuchi Sakamoto—Just About Enough (ft. Robin Scott of M)
Ryuchi Sakamoto—Risky (ft. Iggy Pop)
Prince—Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix by Sheila E.)
Sadat X—Don’t Get it Twisted (PUTS remix by Thes One)
EPMD—Strictly Business
–
Party Fun Action Committee—Beer (instrumental, prod. by Blockhead)
–
Pointer Sisters—(She’s Got) The Fever (written by Bruce Springsteen)
Honey Cone—One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show

Anyhow, whether or not punk’s dead* is a topic for another day. Today, we’ll be enjoying some examples of its illustrious history, selected at whim & at random. The show begins with a couple of laid-backish type numbers, then we roll right into it without a break until pretty close to the end. Top-to-tail classics, folks; if you heard it here first, you’re welcome! All from the original vinyl, as usual. Record-collector snobbery isn’t dead, either, apparently.

& yes, in case you’re wondering—looks like we’re back in business, over here. So tomorrow’s show should be up in your grill by midweek, as usual…! Hard to believe. The bitrate for this one is 156, not the usual 192, but I’m hoping to fix that tomorrow night; in the meantime, try to enjoy this stuff despite the dip in aural quality. (Oh, also, start playing at 1:35 if you want to skip the overlap; usually I don’t make a big deal out of it, but it’s a little jarring/lengthy this week.)

Thanks for all the inquiries & encouragement—you people are the best. Really, the best.

* I doubt it, but I haven’t checked with “the kids” lately. They’re all playing their Skrillex too loud to hear me, anyway.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-Three

Mr. Len—Take Yo Ass to the Store (instrumental)
–
Bobbie Gentry—Lazy Willie
Frankie Laine—City Boy
Dictators—What It Is
Dead Boys—I Won’t Look Back
The Jam—Thick as Thieves
Hüsker Dü—Diane
Leatherface—The Scheme of Things
His Hero Is Gone—Like Weeds
Turbonegro—Black Chrome
Gorilla Biscuits—Time Flies
Shellac—Copper
Samhain—The Hungry End
Tenpole Tudor—Swords of a Thousand Men
Social Distortion—It Coulda Been Me
New Model Army—Poison Street
–
Civ—Can’t Wait One Minute More (instrumental)
RJD2—Good Times Roll, Pt. 2
–
Peter Brown—It’s Alright
–
Mr. Len—Take Yo Ass to the Store (instrumental)

Right-click the Download link below to download this download!

In the meantime (while we wait for the future), I give you the most recent Revolutionary Plastics Hour, from May 4 (if my math/memory is right). I managed to eke this out of a three-hour automated recording (under someone else’s name!), but I haven’t been so lucky since, so let’s count our blessings.

We start everything off with a few songs in the memory of MCA, led by Ritchie’s pick & moving into the deep-crate rare stuff I brought along. From there on, it turned out to be a fairly funk/soul/disco/rap-oriented show, yet intriguingly “racially diverse,” as we like to say. Hall & Oates, with their blue-eyed Philly soul cred, get a pass, as does NYC indie-rap impresario El-P, & the Beastie Boys were friends with RUN-DMC, so they’re okay. Hard to say who wins the white guy title for this show—Chet Atkins would seem to have it in the bag, but is there any soul to Jon Anderson at all?

I leave it up to you. Votes will be accepted at the usual address, tallied & archived appropriately. Mind your chads.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-Two

MCA RIP tribute set:
Beastie Boys—Shadrach [Ritchie’s Origins show closer]
Beastie Boys—Rock Hard (early Def Jam 12″, unreleased due to unclearable AC/DC sample)
Beastie Boys—She’s On It (12″ from Krush Groove soundtrack, pre-License to Ill)
MCA & Burzootie—Drum Machine (early Def Jam 12″)
–
El-P—[instrumentals; titles to come] from Megamixxx vol. 3
–
Maurice Starr—‘Bout Time I Funk You
Chuck Cissel—Cisselin’ Hot
Diana Ross & the Supremes & the Temptations—The Weight (The Band)
Bill Cosby—I Luv Myself Better Than I Luv Myself
–
Chet Atkins—Teensville
–
Hall & Oates—Family Man (Rock remix)
Jon Anderson—Cage of Freedom (Moroder)

For example, the technical difficulty that is lodged inside the automated recording software on the station’s computer, which is currently refusing to record my show in its entirety. This week’s podcast, for example, is half the usual length; preceding weeks have netted less than even a quarter of that running time. WTF, HAL?

So, despite being unable to provide a podcast that, shall we say, performs to completion, I didn’t want to sit back for another week’s worth of radio silence. With that in mind, here’s the first half of last week’s show. The second half was really good, too; I’ll have to replay it when this glitch is chased out of the system.

Quick wrapup: The “I Who Have Nothing” versions are intriguingly different, the disco Pink Floyd version is nicely done, and, yes, that is Britney Spears down there; I played it because I like Justice & thought you might enjoy their take. It was an early breakthrough for them; a pretty high-profile slot for a pair of laissez-faire Frenchmen. Sadly, no instrumental version on the 12″.

It’s a fun half hour! Go on, give it a shot. What do you have to lose?

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-One Point Five

Metropolis—I [heart] NY
–
Sadat X—Don’t Get It Twisted (Thes One Remix)
–
Brenda & Herb—I Who Have Nothing
Sylvester—I Who Have Nothing
Snatch—Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 (Pink Floyd)
Britney Spears—Me Against the Music (ft. Madonna) (Justice Extended Mix)

There’s also the usual assortment of covers & quirky WTF-type numbers; Nazareth (“Love Hurts,” “Hair of the Dog”) does a song by Crazy Horse (Neil Young’s backup band—whose impressive levels of scraggly scruffiness make Neil himself look clean-cut & debonair), Johnny Cash sorta covers/re-composes a Ramblin’ Jack Elliott song, & Rotary Connection (who you might remember from last week) do their version of “Soul Man,” which inspires nothing so much as the question, “But—wait, huh?”

Finally, loyal longtime listeners (& if you’re in the Triple-L Club, this week’s password is in the knothole of the third tree from the left next to where they used to keep the bikes) will note that not only have I found yet another song by Indeep (which, I think, will be the last; not counting an instrumental B-side which I’m sure will get its turn someday) as well as, gallingly enough, another version—in my own collection, no less; a criminal oversight, conceptually speaking—of “If You Go Away.” & I think this might be the first Moroder-free week in a while. Not that I’m tired of him (far from it), but I guess we all need a break from time to time.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty-One

Nazareth—Beggar’s Day (Crazy Horse)
M—To Be Is to Buy
Indeep—The Rapper
The Beat Kids—Life is Juggle (ft. Sadat X)
Rotary Connection—Soul Man (Sam & Dave)
–
Hip Hop For Respect—One Four Love Part 1 (instrumental)
–
Lana Cantrell—If You Go Away
Johnny Cash—Mr. Garfield
Phil Harris—Everybody Wants to Be a Cat (from The Aristocats)
Josie Cotton—Johnny, Are You Queer?
Sandra Bernhard—Mighty Real
Jeff Kutash & the Dancin’ Machine—Disco Bones
–
Farah—Law of Life (instrumental) (slow)
–
Three Amigos—My Little Buttercup
Bobcat Goldthwait—I’m a Lot Like You (from Burglar)
Bob & Ray—Two Face West
–
MED—Special (ft. Erykah Badu) (instrumental)

Oh, & three groups just flip the Reverse switch & run the tape backwards. Whaat? Yes, it’s true. A trio of backwards versions, created & released by the artists themselves. Why? Who knows; slowed-down music is enjoying some popularity, but taking songs & running them from back to front doesn’t seem to have caught hold with the music-loving public. Still, one man’s trash is another man’s hsart, I suppose.

Hey, you can take the effort out of clicking this site’s link every week by subscribing to the podcast, btfw. Click here, then click the blue “View in iTunes” button on the left & just do whatever the computers tell you to do. It’s the best way, really.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirty

Rotary Connection—Memory Band
Justice On’n’On (Rick Rubin remix)
Leftfield—Afrika Shok (ft. Afrika Bambaataa)
St. Etienne—Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Ken-Lou B-Boy Mix)
Donna Summer—Spring Affair
Tata Vega—Get It Up for Love
–
SA Smash—Last Night (instrumental)
–
Bangles—Hazy Shade of Winter (Shady Haze mix)
Stone Roses—Simone
Gnarls Barkley—Lous Ym Evas Annog S’ohw
–
Redboy [Robbie Robertson + Howie B]—Making a Noise (Midnight Special)
–
Fam-Lay—Git Busy (instrumental)

Right-click the Download link below to download this download!

I admit, I didn’t expect this show to turn out as well as it did. The assorted, scattered elements I cobbled together really came together in a way that I had hoped would cohere successfully, but really had no idea if they would (or, honestly, any reason to expect them to).

That said, I hope you’re in the mood for pre-House of Pain era Everlast (in his first incarnation as an affiliate of Ice-T’s Rhyme Syndicate crew), a Sarah Jones back-in-the-day classic, a charming Stone Roses b-side, some acoustic & country-tinged gems, plus the (by now) usual allotment of Giorgio Moroder-related synth-pop. Oh, & Kenny G. Did I mention Kenny G? Also Kenny G.

The mic levels are once again a little “hot,” as we say in “the biz.” Sorry about that; it’s the price you pay for quality of this caliber.* Also, I promised Johnny Cash but didn’t deliver, due to a (literally) last-minute timing-based switcheroo. No worries; the Man in Black will be back.

Have enjoyment with the songs of this!

* & you get what you pay for

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-Nine

The Woody Herman Band—I Got the News (Steely Dan cover)
–
Donna Summer—Looking Up
Nite Jewel—Want You Back
Rhye—Open
DJ Vadim ft. Sarah Jones—Your Revolution
Everlast—Syndicate Soldier
Paul Hardcastle—19
Meco—Maniac (Lyricon solo by Kenny G)
–
Meco—Love Theme from Superman III (Moroder)
Helen St. John—Love Theme from Flashdance (Moroder)
–
Sittercise/Harlem Smoke—The Arms Race
T. Maxwell Carlton—I-80
Stone Roses—Goin’ Down
Glen Campbell—The Straight Life
Flatt & Scruggs—I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight (Dylan cover)
Jim Reeves—Waiting for a Train
–
Tom Scott—Car Wars

Right-click the Download link below to add this podcast to your digital “library.” No late fees, never a wait!

The above quote is a ham-handed reference to rock stars who die at twenty-seven years of age.* The phonetic approximation of the chorus from Pearl Jam’s biggest hit serves at once to celebrate this show’s survival past that landmark & to note the innate insignificance of that “achievement.” Did I struggle as much over the course of my august twenty-seven volumes as, say, Kurt Cobain did with his stomach pains & unfathomable fortune? Hard to say. Only my diary knows for sure—& it can’t be bought. (Well, not on your budget; trust me.) Anyhow, it’s in a locked box, under the care of my trusty native bearer, Carl, who has strict instructions not to open it until exactly one hundred years after my death.

It is a sobering thought, for example, that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years.
—Tom Lehrer

Why all this fretting over the passage of time? Well, probably because Friday’s my birthday. No, no, shush, you couldn’t be expected to remember. I’m just thinking, as I always do at this time of year, about mortality, nostalgia & the future…

Ew, gross! Moving on: This week, you’ll hear Frida (of ABBA) singing songs by Bryan Ferry & Giorgio Moroder, plus Gregg Allman & Cher singing songs about how it feels to be in love for just about as long as it takes to make a record. I’ve also got more answers to the microcosmic musical questions I can only imagine are inflaming your curiosity even as I write this, such as:

• You know that classic rap song, “Roxanne, Roxanne,” by UTFO? What else did that label release?

• Did Frank Sinatra ever do a version, arranged by Gordon Jenkins, of “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”?

• Hey, are there words (written by the legendary Sammy Cahn) to the Odd Couple theme song?

• What about Lenny Kaye, from the Patti Smith Group & the Jim Carroll Band—did that guy ever make his own record?

If you will engage the mousian locator on your webular browse-a-tron with the hyperlink at the end of this post, you will be rewarded with the answers to all these questions, & maybe even one or two more. Who can say?

Enjoy the show! I swear it’s going to be worth all this.

* Amy Winehouse: rock star? Tough call.**

** (not really)

Note: There seem to be some technical glitches in the MP3 uploading/downloading process this week; it seems to work, but might take longer than usual. Hoping to sort out why, but for the moment, just act natural.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-Eight

Neal Hefti—The Odd Couple (lyrics by Sammy Cahn)
Mac Davis—Lookin’ at Linda
Allman and Woman [Gregg Allman + Cher]—Move Me
Frida—To Turn the Stone (co-written by Giorgio Moroder)
The Brothers Johnson—This Had to Be (co-written & w/backing vocals by Michael Jackson)
Peter Brown—Fantasy Love Affair
–
Sade—Siempre Hay Esperanza
–
Frank Sinatra—Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Lenny Kaye—I’ve Got a Right
Nonnie & the Onnies—I’m in Love with a Rent Boy
Frida—The Way You Do
Allman and Woman—In for the Night
–
Thawfor—Memories (instrumental, prod. by the Opus)
–
Mark Ronson—Ooh Wee (ft. Ghostface Killah & Nate Dogg)
Bigg Juss—Poor People’s Day
–
Arcadia—She’s Moody & Grey, She’s Mean & She’s Restless

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The Slow World is where things don’t work as well as they should. It’s a place where difficulty arises in figuring out choices or details or plans that, in our normal, day-to-day lives, require little to no thought. What falls into place effortlessly in the real world falls apart in the Slow World. We enter the Slow World in times of excessive physical or mental adversity. A powerful hangover is the most common ticket, but illness or bodily injury can also ease us across the threshold. Grief & sorrow in the wake of personal tragedy are potent modes of transportation into the Slow World. In general, exit is found only through the passage of time. There are other, less reliable methods, but, as with the less reliable methods of entry, they are mainly chemical in nature. It is not recommended to employ drugs or alcohol in an effort to find the Slow World. It is not discouraged to use them while en route, or following arrival.

Execution:

These are not “legit” DJ mixes. They’re not all particularly clean or immaculately polished, & some of the versions aren’t even all that successful. Taken as a whole, though, I think it’s some dynamite stuff & I hope you like it. For me, it was (& remains) a continually rewarding exercise to take DJ Screw’s profoundly innovative style outside its Dirty South birthplace & add some basic DIY punk rock aesthetics to the whole mess. Dusty vinyl? Check. Crackle on the fader? Oh, we got that. Inconsistent volume levels from song to song? Come on, son—you know how we do.

Evaluation:

I hope that, somewhere in these mixes, you can hear some of the things I love about the sound that DJ Screw crafted, & that continues to be explored (and imitated) by countless DJs who found that same beauty in the syrup.

The first half of the show is a little choppy, for which I blame Ritchie, the friendly gent who does the show before me. We got to talking, & anyone who knows me is aware that I can’t actually do two things at once. Something had to go, & that turned out to be competent segues. But the second half? Man, I have to admit, I am very pleased about the suave smoothness with which I meshed the rap tracks together. Seriously, I am not that good, but it sounds sweet. (Or at least, it did at the time. I haven’t listened back yet.)

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-Seven

New Order—Beach Buggy
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McFadden & Whitehead—I Got the Love
Imagination—Just an Illusion
Maria Minerva—Gloria
Teenagers—Trouble
David Hasselhoff—If I Could Only Say Goodbye
The Bob Crewes Generation—Birds of Britain
Indeep—Buffalo Bill
Beans—Mutescreamer (El-P remix)
Slug—RPM Revolutions Per Minute 2.1 (prod. by El-P)
Roots Manuva—Juggle Tings Proper (El-P Madness, Microchips & Hi-Tech War remix)
Sir Menelik—Night Work (prod. by El-P)
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Babbletron—All the Way Hype (prod. by El-P) (instrumental)
Babbletron—And One and What (instrumental)
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Electric Frankenstein—Coolest Little Monster (ft. Zacherle)
Neal Hefti—“Odd Couple” Theme
The Glitterhouse—Barbarella

A scrappy mostly-nineties pop-punk beginning (with a garish vinyl fox pass* at the start of song #3, over which I have much chagrin), followed by some B-sides from popular eighties hits. A few odds & ends (funk-soul brothers, an R&B Paul Simon cover, German novelty pop, b-boy classics) round out the hour & we’re off into the night like a Rick Perry third thing.

A fun show; not the most polished, but there’s a lot to be said for good intentions, right? Sure, there is. (Of course, it’s usually said by parents sighing over report cards &/or girlfriends putting on a brave Valentine’s Day face over gas-station roses,** but still.)

Anyhow, enjoy!

* From the French; literally, “when a fox breaks wind on your efforts.”

** Ladies, did your man laugh at that one? Mmm-hmmm. You fellas know who you are!

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-Six

The Damned—Thanks for the Night
The Barnhills—I Helped Save the Lady
Skimmer—All I Know is Wrong
Leatherface—You Are My Sunshine
Plow United—Yes, Sir!
The Undisputed Truth—You + Me = Love
–
Stevie Wonder—Send One Your Love (instrumental)
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Prince—Hello
Heart—Heart of Darkness
Bruce Springsteen—Janey, Don’t You Lose Heart
Joe Tex—I Mess Up Everything I Get  My Hands On
The Intruders—Mother & Child Reunion
Player—Every Which Way
Dschingis Khan—The Rocking Son of Dschingis Khan
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Nat Cross—Boogie Truck
Terry Baxter & His Orchestra—Thank You Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Again
–
Jellybean Benitez—The Mexican
Malcolm McLaren—Buffalo Gals

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For example, Bill Cosby’s version of “Uptight” is musically amazing; Phoebe Cates’ eighties pop stylings are absolutely up to par with stuff I’ve played by artists who never took their top off in a Judge Reinhold fantasy—& the story Leonard Nimoy tells would be just as vapidly trenchant if it had been read, instead, by a record label intern on a monthly stipend. (I’m just kidding—the record industry doesn’t pay anyone a dime until they reach the level of vice-president.)

Plus, there’s the foreign novelty element—like, did you know that Peter Gabriel released versions of two of his early albums with the vocals re-done in German? Well, he did. Or, hey—which of the following is a weirder idea: Puff Daddy covering Public Enemy? Or Puff Daddy rapping in Spanish? Okay, now, what if he did both? I’ll wait while you climb back onto your chair.

So, there we are. Add an instrumental Led Zeppelin cover that defies any reasonable expectations of lameness & you’re off to the races! Well, I hope you are, anyway. Metaphorically speaking, that is. Look, just check it out & enjoy yourself, okay?

* A term used in marketing; generally synonymous with either “snake oil” or “sow’s ear.”

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-Five

Arcadia—She’s Moody & Grey, She’s Mean & She’s Restless
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Rachel Sweet—New Rose [Damned cover]
Run 21—She’s Very Hot
Cher—Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves
Skeeter Davis—I’m Going Steady With a Heartache
Ray Price—Grazin’ in Greener Pastures
Jack Greene—There Goes My Everything
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The Kane Gang —Gun Law (instrumental, slow)
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Terry Baxter & His Orchestra—Whole Lotta Love
Peter Gabriel—Shock Den Affen (Shock the Monkey, German vers.)
Tupperware’s 1975 Happyland Jubilee—Dr. Doom
Leonard Nimoy—A Visit to a Sad Planet
Bill Cosby—Little Ole Man (Up Tight)
Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby—Well, Did You Evah?
Phoebe Cates—How Do I Let You Know?
Puff Daddy—P.E. 2000 (Spanish version)
Jack Jones & Roger Williams—(Theme From) Charade
Mama Cass—Dream a Little Dream

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On the other hand, if you’re in the right mood, this could be the most enjoyable show so far. I really can’t tell. Either way, I had a ball putting it together & I hope you’ll take a crack at it.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-Four

Part One: The Game of Life—The thrilling play-by-play description of an imaginary football game between Christianity an [sic] The Forces of Evil

[Interspersed with:]
Wynn Stewart—Daddy’s Girl
Little Marcy—Jesus Loves Even Me
Art Linkletter—Cain & Abel
Isaac Air Freight—Rapture Hotline #1
Jerry Jordan—No Hand to Dismiss
Isaac Air Freight—Rapture Hotline #2
Isaac Air Freight—Rapture Hotline #3
Ronnie Laws—Tell Me Something Good (Stevie Wonder)
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Wham!—Bad Boys (instrumental)
–

Part Two: If You Go Away

Neil Diamond—If You Go Away
Glen Campbell—If You Go Away
Jack Jones—If You Go Away
Tom Jones—If You Go Away
Mia Farrow—Lullaby from Rosemary’s Baby
Steely Dan—Dallas
New American Orchestra—End Title (from Blade Runner sdtrk.)

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All over the map again tonight, starting with disco-inflected dance-pop, moving over to bubblegum-pop & then to pop country; then into a block of rap music guaranteed to entertain even the most skeptical of rap music skeptics. The concluding hustle meshes punk rock (including a dash of post-modern comedic flair) with dance-pop, for a finale that can’t be beat.

That’s right: I said it—it can’t be beat…!

Be ear now!

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-Three

Giorgio & Chris—Love Now, Hurt Later
Neon Neon—I Lust You
Q—Knee Deep In Love
Syndicate of Sound—Little Girl
Glen Campbell—Hey, Little One
Porter Wagoner—Doll Face
Roger Miller—Squares Make the World Go Round
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Giorgio Moroder—Flashdance (What a Feeling) (remix instrumental)
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Lifesavas—Gutterfly (ft. Camp Lo)
Dangermouse—Tom’s Diner vs. In Da Club (Suzanne Vega/50 Cent)
Latin Rascals—Macho Mozart
UTFO—Lethal (ft. Anthrax) (Mondo Bass mix)
Silicon Teens—Judy in Disguise
Symptoms—Simple Sabotage
Onra—The Anthem
Hard-Ons with Neil Hamburger—Six Pack (Black Flag cover)
Mylo—Destroy Rock & Roll
No More Boredom—Creativity
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Lifesavas—A Serpent’s Love (instrumental)

Next comes some classic pop-punk with beautiful lyrics, followed by a sweet dose of bafflingly-lyriced pop, then it all just goes to pieces at the end without much in the way of a coherent thread, but a lot of gusto. As Mort Sahl put it, “It’s too bad we don’t have a cause—we have a lot of enthusiasm.”

(Oh—please excuse the blaringly loud station ID during the second song; I did it in a hurry, without headphones. The rest of my on-air levels are much less in the red…)

So, with all that said, on with the show!

* Repo Man, 1984

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-Two

All in the Family—Those Were the Days
Los Lobos—I Wanna Be Like You
King Dream Chorus & Holiday Crew—King Holiday
Nancy Wilson—Uptight (Stevie Wonder cover)
Crimpshrine—Tomorrow
Larry Brrrds—Clarisse
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Duran Duran—View to a Kill (That Fatal Kiss) (slow)
The Dr. Exx Band—Theme from 2001
Ronnie Dyson—If You Let Me Make Love to You (Then Why Can’t I Touch You)
The Critters—Younger Girl
Jon Astley—Jane’s Getting Serious
Tortoise—Djed
Roy Ayers Ubiquity—Running Away
Utopia—Set Me Free
The ‘Tone—Lost Generation
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Little Joe (Michael Landon)—Santa Got Lost in Texas
Dick Unteed—Why Do You Girls Wear Britches

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This week’s show has some really fun disco-soul (undertaking a cover of A Taste of Honey? daring!), some really catchy power-pop & a brutally scathing indictment of the American drinking populace, ca. 1930.

The power-pop block is a cool one; Canadian New Wavers share a song name with NYC rock geniuses (but the Dictators, as always, take the title), then these Private Eye dudes come out of nowhere (you have to see this album cover; click the images below), delivering an intriguingly demanding and insistent take on what’s usually a pretty lighthearted, flirtatious come-on.

The Neil Young track is the B-side of a single from his then-controversial Trans album (he went electronic—our Neil!); a now-charmingly-antiquated hi-tech take on an old classic of his.

Basically, this is a good one—it’s always fun finding these random esoteric gems, but sometimes they pile up in a higher ratio of hits to misses. Tonight, ladies & gentlemen, is all about the hits. (The Mrs. was at home, sleeping.*)

As always, the tracklist is embedded in the MP3 for your convenience & the artwork is included free of charge. As for the website, we’re off to a good start, but by next time, things should be organized a little more suavely. Just hold your horses, people!

Let me know how you like it—& hey, why not tell your friends? Surely they enjoy good music, too. Who doesn’t?

* You see what I’ve done there.

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty-One

GQ—Boogie Oogie Oogie
Baccara—Sorry, I’m a Lady
Neil Young—Mr. Soul (Dance Remix) (from Trans 12” single)
100 Proof (Aged in Soul)—Don’t Scratch Where It Don’t Itch
The Sweat—Why’d You Have to Lie?
Ohio Express—Mercy
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Blockhead & DJ Signify—Nobody’s Smiling (Part One)
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Doug & the Slugs—Stay With Me
Dictators—Stay With Me
Private Eye—Your Place or Mine
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Mike Oldfield—Hergest Ridge (excerpt)
Gilbert Seldes—The Future of Drinking (1930; excerpt)
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Kid Koala—Space Cadet
Downtown Science—This is a Visit

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At the moment, most of the audio on this site is podcasts of my radio show. I do plan to add more, though—music from my bands, the High-Steppin’ Nickel Kids (1991-2002) & the Boston Ruin (2009 & semi-ongoing), as well as more of my chopped & screwed versions of popular songs & just the odd hott DJ mix I’ve done from time to time. So, you know—stay tuned for that! (But not, like, on the edge of your seat, or anything. These things take time, you know.)

Meanwhile, please do drop by soundcloud.com/xdonricklesx for some slowed-down entertainment. We now return you to the Internet, already in regress.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Twenty

Bob Marley—Burnin’ & Lootin’
Against Me!—What We Worked For
Police—The Bed’s Too Big Without You
Falco—Do It Again (Steely Dan)
M—Moderne Man/Satisfy Your Lust
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Michael Jackson—Wanna Be Startin’ Something (inst)
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Rodney Dangerfield—Rappin’ Rodney
King M.C.—What have I Done For You Lately
Madvillain—All Caps
Earth—Land of Some Other Order
Don Lonie—Talks to Teens
Hose (Rick Rubin)—You Sexy Thing
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Loka—Safe Self Tester
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Social Distortion—So Far Away

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The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Nineteen

Mike Post—Theme from L.A. Law
Quincy Jones—The Dude
The Dark—Judy
Negativland—The Letter U & the Numeral Two
Penn Jillette—Dino’s Head
Oscar the Grouch—I Love Trash
Sesame Street—The Square Song
George Burns—Wish I Was 18 Again
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Stina Nordenstam—People Are Strange (UNKLE remix)
Howie B—Under the Boardwalk
Ben Folds—Lonely Christmas Eve
Frank Sinatra—The Christmas Waltz
C.J. & Company—Devil’s Gun

Anyhow, some vinyl-only classics from Rancid & Dillinger Four give the set some street cred, offsetting the literary pretensions of the reading from H.G. Wells’ When the Speaker Wakes. Enjoy it all!

* It’s one of many Lieber-Stoller classics, also performed (less werewolfily, but more hip-jiggily**) by Elvis.

** No typo; that’s “hip-jiggily,” i.e., indicating hips that get jiggy, as opposed to the more conventional “hip-jiggly,” which simply describes the jiggling of the hips.

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Eighteen

Bottin— No Static (Club Version) (slow)
Fog—Check Fraud (Kid Koala’s Space Cadet 2002 mix)
Pet Shop Boys—What Have I Done to Deserve This? (ft. Dusty Springfield)
Night Hawk—Eye of the Tiger (Disco Version)
Aerobic Dance Hits (Casablanca)—I Can’t Go For That (with instruction)
The World/Inferno Friendship Society—Our Candidate
Bob Dylan—Most Likely You Go Your Way & I Go Mine (Mark Ronson remix)
Southern Culture on the Skids—BSA-441
–
DJ Spinna—Adyzmal
King M.C.—What have I Done For You Lately (inst)
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Dictators—Loyola
Danzig—Trouble
Superkools—Why Baby Why
Rancid—Media Controller
Dillinger Four—An American Banned
China Drum—Barrier
–
Bottin— No Static (Club Version) (slow)
H.G. Wells—When the Sleeper Wakes (conclusion)

I can only blame my own absent-mindedness for that; I try to avoid repeating artists too frequently (although certain names & faces keep cropping up—I’m looking at you, Stevie Wonder, Giorgio Moroder & the Dictators), but playing the same song two shows in a row? That’s just poor form. Plus, it’s a disservice to Ms. Jones herself; a wasted opportunity. I’ll have to make it up to you (& her) with a dedicated show, one of these days.* Ah, that will be awesome.

Anyhow, this show also features Tiombe Lockhart, another Revolutionary Plastics favorite, along with Malcolm Gladwell essay topic, Kenna, a couple doses of Cee-Lo from deeper in his catalogue, a N*E*R*D remix (sorry for the swear-censoring; I didn’t realize it was that kind of radio edit—just thought it was the shorter version) & a song by Bilal, whose album topped my 2010 list of what’s good, yo.

Oh, & the Infesticons (aka Mike Ladd & co-conspirators) track is a triumphant closer like whoa!**

* In my defense, those were some crazy weeks.

** © 2002, The Kids

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Seventeen

Brick—Music Matic
Sleepy Brown—Come Dance With Me
Cee-Lo Green & Jazze Pha—Happy Hour
Platinum Pied Pipers—Angel
Grace Jones—Warm Leatherette
Waajeed—The Overtaking (ft. Tiombe Lockhart)
Kenna—Say Goodbye to Love
Nino Moschella—If You Believe (Sa-Ra “Get It Girl” remix)
Sa-Ra Creative Partners—Glorious
N*E*R*D—Provider (Zero 7 radio mix)
Cee-Lo Green—Country Love
Lil’ Flip—Sunshine (ft. Lea)
Bilal—Restart
Infesticons—Hang It Up Anthem
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Aeroplane—Caramellas
–
Aeroplane—Fish In the Sky

The second block goes a little sideways, starting with a pair of very different tracks that both feature the Aphex Aural Exciter (I have no idea what this gadget is, but it’s important enough to get its own credit in the liner notes) & concluding with a really great song—hamstrung by a way-overlong solo that goes from Jerry Garcia to “November Rain” yet somehow doesn’t entirely derail the song’s overall catchiness.

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Sixteen

Bonde Do Role—Sole o Frange
Platinum Pied Pipers—On a Cloud (ft. Karma)
LeToya—All Eyez on Me
Jazze Pha—Playboy
Dwight Trible—Equipoise (ft. Sa-Ra Creative Partners)
Sleepy Brown—Me, My Baby & My Cadillac
Grace Jones—Warm Leatherette
Surkin—Chrome Knight (ft. Chromeo)
Human League—Seconds
–
Stevie Wonder—Earth’s Creation + The First Garden
–
The Raes—Gonna Burn My Boogie Shoes
The Boyzz—Wake It Up, Shake It Up
Skunk—There’ll Be Other Girls (Hoss)
–
Blockhead—Jet Son (Aesop Rock remix inst)

Standouts include the Sa-Ra MMW remix, the O’Jay’s glimpse into the future & Chic’s “Happy Man,” which will be stuck in your head for days afterward (if you’re lucky!). Also, a begrudging commendation to Chevy Chase for being an early-enough-adopter to recognize that hip-hop music was a significant enough musical trend to merit parody. (Even if his parody is on the lamer side—basically, almost on par with any given wack rap song from that era…)

Also, the classic Hall & Oates song, “Kerry,” was actually co-written by Stephen Dees; the version here comes from Dees’ solitary solo album, produced by Daryl Hall himself.

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Fifteen

The Clash – Magnificent Dance (instrumental)
Medeski, Martin & Wood – Midnight Birds (Sa-Ra remix)
Oran “Juice” Jones – The Rain
Chevy Chase – Rapper’s Plight
Steve Martin – Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
Phil Harris – Woodsman, Spare That Tree!
–
Beastie Boys – Paul Revere (instrumental)
–
Godfather Don – 3 The Hard Way (ft. Prince Po & R.A. the Rugged Man)
Donald Fagen – Century’s End
The O’Jays – The Year 2000
Chic – Happy Man
Narval Felts – Stand By Me
–
Tom Tom Club – Genius of Love (instrumental)
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Stephen Dees – Kerry (Hall & Oates semi-cover)
–
Godfather Don – 3 The Hard Way (instrumental)

Then, a lovely setup/payoff, courtesy of Don Rickles & Robert Goulet, followed by another one-two punch, this time focusing on egregious song-ripoffery (the imitator comes first, then the originator). After that, a really fun, catchy country-pop tune & some in-studio bickering by the group who brought you “Wild Thing.” The evening concludes with a bittersweet rendition of “September Song,” by the man who was born to put the “awwww” in “maudlin,” Jimmy Durante.

All in all, a great example of what this show should provide & embody. Hope you like it…!

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Fourteen

Glass Candy – Candy Castles
Shafiq Husayn – Lil’ Girl (W/Fatima)
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El-P – I Can’t Understand You (remix)(slow speed)
–
DJ Shadow – Lost & Found (S.F.L.)
3rd Bass – Wordz of Wizdom
3rd Bass – Hail to the Chief
Don Rickles – Robert Goulet
Robert Goulet – Sunny
–
Bionic Boogie – Feel Like Dancing
–
Deserters – Thought Police
Elvis Costello – Watching the Detectives
Donna Fargo – The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.
The Troggs – The Troggs Tapes
Chess – Endgame
Jimmy Durante – September Song
–
El-P – I Can’t Understand You (remix)(normal speed)

I hope you get to check these songs out on a drive or on a jog, or something; any context where you can hear the lyrics & get a sense of what the songwriter’s doing with his/her protagonist(s). These are the songs that come to mind whenever I hear someone singing a song about how they feel. There’s been quite enough of those songs, thank you. More songs about people who don’t write songs, please!

Oh—I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the show concludes with the most brilliantly-written song ever written, “The Ballad of the Shape of Things.” Check out the lyrics. (I just got a chill re-reading them!) Up yours, Dashboard Confessional!*

* arbitrary example

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Thirteen

Beans – Nude Paper (instrumental)
–
The Jam – Smithers-Jones
Old 97s – The Other Shoe
Drive By Truckers – My Sweet Annette
Woody Guthrie – Buffalo Skinner
–
Mr. Complex – Gitcha Gitcha Gitcha (instrumental)
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Dillinger Four – Shut Your Little Trap, Inc.
Snuff – Martin
Dictators – Loyola
Jawbreaker – Kiss the Bottle
Peter Gabriel – Home Sweet Home
–
Danger Mouse & Jemini – Live on Both Sides (instrumental)
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Ben Folds – Fred Jones, Part Two
Lynn Anderson – Fancy
Aesop Rock – No Regrets
–
Mr. Complex – Stabbin’ You (instrumental)
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Kingston Trio – The Ballad of the Shape of Things
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Beans – Star Killer (instrumental)

There’s also Mr. Rogers, with his classic “alternate version” of “Row Your Boat,” & UiLab (which is Ui, Sasha Frere-Jones’ old band, teamed with Stereolab, forming a math-pop indie kid’s wet dream) doing an Eno song, an unearthed gem by an Italo-disco legend (courtesy of the stellar Italians Do It Better label) & a fully-accredited (Casablanca Records, yo) disco version of an early Shakespeare banger.

Then, the host of Hollywood Squares (Eighties version) takes on Simon & Garfunkel, followed by a dynamite a old-school Stevie Wonder track, from his lesser-known album, Where I’m Coming From (1971), the first step on his streak of untouchable perfection that lasted through 1980, with his stellar Hotter Than July. (We’ll leave that Plants album out, as the exception that proves the rule.)

Episode Ten coming at you!

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Ten

New American Orchestra – Love Theme (Blade Runner OST)
Finger – Another State
Max Frost & the 13th Power – 14 or Fight
Stevie Wonder – Think of Me as Your Soldier
John Davidson – 59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)
Bernadette Peters – Don’t
–
New American Orchestra – End Title (Blade Runner OST)
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Uilab – St. Elmo’s Fire
Fred Ventura – The Years Go By
Devoshun – No, No, No, My Friend (You’re Wrong So Do It Again)
Alec R. Costandinos & the Syncophonic Orchestra – Romeo & Juliet (Act I)
Chromium – Haunted Disco
Saul Williams – Penny for a Thought
Ella Fitzgerald – It’s Only a Paper Moon (w/the Delta Rhythm Boys)
–
Saul Williams – Purple Pigeons (instrumental)
–
Mr. Rogers – Propel Your Craft
New American Orchestra – Main Theme (Blade Runner OST)

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This week’s episode features music by Sa-Ra Creative Partners, a spectacularly upbeat & catchy number by the Glass Bottle, a song by Graduate (UK power pop by pre-Tears for Fears blokes!), an eighties(ish) novelty block, & then we get real, real French for a change, with the scowly Jacques Brel & the delightful Francois Hardy.

We conclude with some dialogue between Antony Perkins & Melina Mercouri, which includes a bit of sweetly melancholic singing, preceding a manic monologue that, unfortunately, cuts off just before Perkins drives over a cliff. (Yes.)

Overall, I’m pretty happy with this show; no glaring screwups, apart from a couple of slack segues. I tried to keep the chatterboxery down this time, but it still got the better of me here & there. But really, it’s a journey, not a destination, right? Hey, man.

Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Six

Dennis Miller – Self-Expression
Sa-Ra Creative Partners – Hollywood
Duran Duran – My Own Way
The Glass Bottle – Sorry, Suzanne
Graduate – Shut Up
–
Giorgio Moroder – Palm Springs Drive
Giorgio Moroder – Night Drive (reprise)
–
Bullet – I’m Billie Jean
Buckner & Garcia – Pac-Man Fever
Agallah – The Crookie Monster
Dangermouse & Jemini – The Only One
–
Blue Series Continuum – The Stakeout
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Jacques Brel – Les Bourgeoisie
Francois Hardy – Les Temps De L’amour
CSNY – Country Girl (Neil Young)
Melina Mercouri – Rodostimo (from Phaedra sdtrk.)
Blue Series Continuum + Anthony Perkins – Outro

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Some slow-paced favorites here, around the middle set. Label namedropping: Tri Angle, Italians Do It Better. So far, these have both utterly failed to disappoint, across the board.

Full disclosure: There’s more talking on this one than there should be; I chalk it up to new-radio-show giddiness. These days, I’m less chatty.

Enjoy!

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume Two

Arcadia – The Promise (instro)
Battles – Tras
Peter Brown – Overnight Sensation (12″ version)
Sherbs – Juliet & Me
Caress – Just Like in the Movies
–
Indeep – When Boys Talk
Gayngs – The Walker
Desire – Under Your Spell
oOoOO – Burnout Eyes
–
Tiedye – Nothing Else Matters
Bernie Schwartz – Round & Round
Robert A. A. Lowe – Gyromancy

A really fun handful of songs to get rolling with, though, so that’s a start…!

* “A New Hope.” There; happy now?

The Revolutionary Plastics Hour: Volume One

Fancy—She’s Riding the Rock Machine
Hall & Oates—I’m Just a Kid (Don’t Make Me Feel Like a Man)
The Wonder Band—Stairway to Heaven
Dictators—Sleepin’ With the TV On (demo)
Sebastian Tellier—Divine
Fancy—I Was Made to Love Him
Syreeta Wright—I’m Goin’ Left
–
Boxer—Hip Kiss
Two Fingers—What You Know (remix inst)
–
Ratatat—Wildcat
Swedish House Mafia—The One (interrupted)
The Dream Team— The Dream Team Is in the House
Swedish House Mafia—One (also interrupted)
–
Cocoa Brovaz—Super Brooklyn (inst)

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Right-click to download any of the tracks, or each release as a .zip file.

All tracks 320 kbps MP3, yo.

The concluding single:

These were the last recordings the High-Steppin’ Nickel Kids made. Recorded in the semi-mythical Mansfield Street basement by Steve “Albini” Foote. Me on scruffy mid-range vocals, Morgan on shouty higher-range vocals, Tigger on bellowy lower-range vocals, Joe on screamy backup vocals.

I wrote “Scratch & Win,” Morgan wrote “Adventureland” and “27,” Tigger wrote “Midwest.” These ten or so minutes were our finest hour.

Is It Wrong to Imagine the Impossible?

The Good The Bad The Midwest

Download the whole 7″ single.

The “intriguing” middle period:

Also recorded by Steve in an Allston basement, but a different one. Cleaner, more polished, these tracks (not the basement) contain more Tim and zero Tigger, which is unfortunate. Tim was a swell guy, but Tigger’s joining up (some time after Tim left) was when the Nickel Kids finally got real.

Still, these songs are the best-recorded versions of our earlier period’s sound, style and approach. Not to take anything away from them; they’re a lot of fun and are good examples of Morgan’s songwriting skill (lyrically and musically). He wrote them all, except for “Tammy All the Way” (and my verse in “Indiana”).

Where Do We Go Now?

Download the long-lost, unreleased “missing album.”

The early demos:

Except for the live tracks, these songs were all recorded at the practice space we shared with the Allstonians (we also shared Morgan with them, for a while). Morgan did all the “producing” on a borrowed four-track. Yes—these were made direct to cassette, but you can barely not even tell, hardly.

So, let’s see. Morgan wrote pretty much all of these, except for “Erica Online” and “The Line,” which were me, and the lyrics for “Obligatory Avail Patch,” which were raw, uncut Hoosier pathos, channeled by Joe. “Girl/Planet” was by the Only Ones and “You Can Get It” was, of course, by Jimmy Cliff.

Incidentally, the first three songs in this collection are the same “middle period” versions as the ones above. They must have been mixed and ready to go sooner then the rest; can’t think why else they’d have been stuck on this CD with the older stuff.

Killing You Softly With Our Songs

Who Will Run The Frog Hospital?
Hello, I Must Be Going
The Jell-O Shot Heard ‘Round The World
Erica Online (Live)
We’ll Always Have Indiana (Live)

Download all of this magnificent nonsense.

Don’t miss the movie!

.99 cents per copy. Thanks, Bull Moose Music.

Thanks to V/VM; I was going to do this anyway, but his version gave me confidence that it was all going to turn out okay.

This is a song featuring Lou Reed, before he got better known & did that album with Metallica.

A pleasant instrumental, enjoyable at any speed.

White vinyl. Jealous? Make me an offer…*

* © Leeway, 1991

This is the “Scratch Mix” version. (One guess.)

A song I recorded onto a tape (remember those?) at the wrong speed; turned out to be the right speed. Finally found another copy of the 10″ & realized a years-long ambition with this version.

This version got the Pitchfork stamp of approval, yo.