2 Ton Bug – Moon Dater – It’s A Wonderful Life
Bob James – Westchester Lady – Blaxploitation – The Payback – Volume 3 – [C]
Talking Heads – Crosseyed & Painless – Remain In Light
The Double – Dawn Of The Double – Dawn Of The Double
Chavez – The Bully Boys – Cockfighters – Forthcoming.
Clipping. feat. SICKNESS – Body For The Pile – NOISE – [C]
Feral Ohms – Teenage God Born To Die – Live In San Francisco
Risk Relay – Healer Revealing – As We Descend – Local. – [N]
Lazy Salon – Chip’s Folly – Invisible Like Peace
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Tupelo – The Best Of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Jim O’Rourke – Fast Car – Live In Japan 9/16/02 – Tracy Chapman “cover.”
Savoy Motel – Souvenir Shop Rock – S/T – Members of Cheap Time & Heavy Cream.
Speed The Plough – Final Day – Stuart Moxham In The Straight World – Originally by Young Marble Giants. – [C]
Uranium Club – Opus – All Of Them Naturals
T-Tops – Dead Magician – 45 – [N]
Jennifer O’Connor – Dancing In The Dark – .mp3 – Springsteen cover.
Valley Exit – What Pulls Us Through – S/T – Mr. Jeff Ziegler’s latest project.
Sneaks – Tough Luck – Gymnastics
Joel R.L. Phelps – Come Dancing – .mp3 – Unreleased.
Daniel Ponce – Solo Para Ti – New York Now
Tripod Jimmie – Autumn Leaves – Long Walk Off A Short Pier
Dope Body – Weird Mirror – Natural History
Lee Fields & The Expressions – Make The World – Special Night – [N]
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band – American History & Science Fiction – Live at Union Pool 12/3/16
PJ Harvey – Bitter Branches – Let England Shake
Diseno Corbusier – Festival Para Dos – Stadia – 1982 cassette debut, re-issued. – [N]
The Dentists – Outside Your Inside – Speak No Evil
Red Fang – Prehistoric Dog – S/T
Empty Markets – Rash Decision – Stainless Steel
Jennifer O’Connor – Million Dollar Smile – The Color & The Light
The Feelies – Been Replaced – In Between – Coming in 2017!
Patrick Cowley & Candida Royalle – Shimmering (Where Am I?) – S/T – Lost 1973-75 recordings. – [N]
Neil Young – Human Highway – Comes A Time
Syl Johnson – Different Strokes – The Best Of Blaxploitation – [C]
Tyvek – Can’t Exist – Origin Of What – [N]
Bad Times – After All, It’s Just A Song – Rip In Peace
Azalia Snail – Field Rep – .mp3
Make Us Gods – Yahweh Took Judea Satan Took Kenosha – Northwoods – Chris Fuller of Dis- is involved in this band somehow.
Evasive Backflip – Chewbacca Speed Metal – Boys on Boys on Boys on Boys on Boys on Boys
Ty Segall – Orange Color Queen – Orange Color Queen – Forthcoming.
Sloth – Getting Ready For Christmas (It’s About Malt Liquor) – It’s Not Our Worst A.K.A. Progression?
Senor Citizen – Agitated – OH7O – Electric Eels cover. – [C]
Danny & The Darleans – Cat Squirrel – Bug Out – Doctor Ross cover. – [N]
Tony Conrad – The Heterophony Of The Avenging Democrats, Outside, Cheers The Incineration Of The Pythagorean Elite, Whose Shrill Harmonic Agonies Merge And Shimmer Inside Their Torched Meeting House – Slapping Pythagoras
Don Muro – The Whistler – Winter Sampler 2016 / 2017 – Previously unreleased.
As promised, here’s the second half of the Christmas Stories recorded exclusively for the 2015 edition of my 25-Hour Holiday Radio Show on 103.3 fm WPRB.
I’ve posted them in the order they originally aired during the program.
Please click on the links provided and support these musicians, artists and talented individuals who were so kind to tape remarkable original pieces for the show. Follow them on Twitter! Like them on Facebook! Buy their records and books! Support their events!
May these works inspire you to record something for this year.
Joshua and Emily Hensley of The Rutabega with Michael Harold Doty of Ceiling Star and Secret Souvenir – “Feliz Navidad”
This is indeed Josh and Emily from The Rutabega with Michael of Secret Souvenir calling Emily’s mom on the phone to sing her a song.
Christopher Williams – “Where Christmas Dreams Come True”
Christopher Williams is half of Glass Bees. The source of the original tape he built his piece around was recorded in a Kmart several decades ago. It can be heard here.
Michael T. Fournier is Policymaker. Mike is also the drummer/songwriter of Dead Trend, and the author of Double Nickels on the Dime (33.3/Bloomsbury) and, most recently, Swing State (Three Rooms Press). He lives in Western Massachusetts.
Mr. Bret Saunders is from Denver, Colorado where he hosts the KBCO Morning Show. He recorded this short version of a holiday classic using a Microbrute synth and a couple of electronic noise gadgets. The melody hangs in there pretty much to the end.
Live. One take. No overdubs or anything else – just composer/musician/noise maker Neal Markowski in a room with the instruments. The ending is actually shorter than it should be, but as Markowski recorded this on his cassette 4-track, the tape kept bunching up for some reason towards the end, hence the “jarring” cuts in the solo drums.
Pete & Alex from Star Wars Minute – “What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?)”
My favorite podcast is Star Wars Minute, a show that analyzes, scrutinizes and celebrates each Star Wars film one minute at a time. Hosted by Pete The Retailer and cartoonist Alex Robinson, SWM is currently on it’s fifth season, slogging their way through “Attack of the Clones.” On this “bonus episode,” a song from “Christmas in the Stars” is examined.
Philadelphia’s Prowler are no strangers to the WPRB studios, having visited the station thrice to play live on Jon Solomon’s weekly show. There are many different strains of their infectious, head-bobbin’ tunes for free download on their Bandcamp page. “Buyers Beware” is also found on their record “Trash Bag.”
Edith Frost – “Coventry Carol (arranged by James Dering)”
This is their third contribution to the marathon in as many years.
These Estates – “Christmas Creep”
Bourbon-driven young Canadian trio These Estates broke from their hiatus to record a holiday song for you. Their two albums “Triumph, Reign” and “The Dignity of Man” are both well worth your time.
Earlier this year Pittsburgh #clowns The Gotobeds released their second album (and first for Sub Pop) “Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic.” Boy is it terrific. If you like “smart-dude avant punk,” have I got a band for you!
SAVAK – “Christmas In Park Slope”
SAVAK was formed just last year by members of The Obits, Holy Fuck, Nation of Ulysses, and The Cops. Their acclaimed debut album “Best of Luck in Future Endeavors” is out now!
Vancouver’s Joel Phelps is a member of The Downer Trio and has also recently played with the group Dama/Libra. Joel is the only artist to record a “Christmas Story” for the show each of the last five years. Many demos and new recordings of his have been posted on Soundcloud, with the lion’s share of his studio output now available through Bandcamp.
Here’s several weeks of warning that I will be celebrating the 28th annual edition of my 25-Hour Holiday Radio Show on 103.3 fm WPRB / wprb.com starting this Christmas Eve at 5:00 pm ET until Christmas day at 6:00 pm ET.
If you would like to submit music for airplay or make some requests, by all means get in touch.
Ex-Cult – Mister Investigator – Negative Growth – [N]
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings – 100 Days, 100 Nights – 100 Days, 100 Nights – RIP.
The Constantines – Hyacinth Blues – Live On WPRB – 2005 session.
The Zoomers – From The Planet Moon – 45 – 1981 single, re-issued. – [N]
Dirty Three – Everything’s Fucked – S/T – As heard on this week’s “The Walking Dead.”
Positive No – Reinvent The Space – .mp3 – 100% of the sales from this digital single will be donated to Hollaback, the non-profit organization to end harassment in public spaces.
The Blind Shake – Apostle Island – Celebrate Your Worth – [N]
Pissed Jeans – The Bar Is Low – Why Love Now – Forthcoming.
War – The World Is A Ghetto – Blaxploitation – The Payback – Volume 3 – [C]
Mint Mile – Park – The Bliss Point
Emptyset – Speak – Borders
TFC – The Bike (Half-Baked) – White Power Is For Dummies – The For Carnation! – [C]
Gary Wilson – Holiday – It’s Christmas Time With Gary Wilson
No Action – Joy Leaves Out – Cdr – Australian.
Angry Cougars – Pissed Again – OH70 – Aggravators cover. – [C]
The Politicians feat. McKinley Jackson – The World We Live In – The Best Of Blaxploitation – [C]
Thee Oh Sees – Nervous Tech (Nah John) – An Odd Entrances – Second album of 2016!
The Bats – Antlers – The Deep Set – Coming soon.
Body/Head – Abstract Actress – No Waves – Live record.
Howe Gelb – Terribly So – Future Standards
Oozing Wound – Mercury In Retrograde Virus – Whatever Forever
Tenement – Your Shadowed Alleyways – The Self-Titled Album – [N]
Joseph Washington Jr. – New Year – Merry Christmas To You – 1981.
Bedhead – Burned Out – Beheaded
Steve Hauschildt – Sundialed – Where All Is Fled
Myrrias – PEAK – .mp3 – Local.
Curtis Mayfield – Ghetto Child (demo) – Superfly – Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition
Soggy – Waiting For The War – S/T – [N]
Tanner – Not A Fitting Niche – Ill-Gotten Gains
Wicked Witch – Under Your Spell 2016 – Under Your Spell – [N]
With under a month to go (!!!!!!) until this year’s marathon, here’s the first half of the Christmas Stories recorded exclusively for the 2015 edition of my 25-Hour Holiday Radio Show on 103.3 fm WPRB.
I’ve posted them in the order they originally aired during the program.
Part two will appear next week! Or else!
Please click on the links provided and support these musicians, artists and talented individuals who were so kind to tape remarkable original pieces for the show. Follow them on Twitter! Like them on Facebook! Buy their records and books! Support their events!
May these works inspire you to record something for this year.
The Brixton Riot – “Holiday In The Sun”
Combining American and English influences, New Jersey’s The Brixton Riot fuses elements of 70’s power-pop and punk, 80’s jangle-rock and 90’s indie rock into a sound that is both familiar and distinct. The Replacements, Big Star and The Jam represent only a small fraction of their influences.
An original story by Philadelphia’s Amy Zuccarino, joined by her husband Ralph on the piano.
Modern Hut – “Silver Bells”
Playing “extreme loner folk” with a 2013 album on Don Giovanni Records titled “Genetic Treasure,” Modern Hut for this recording is Mr. Joe Steinhardt on the acoustic guitar. Enjoy the group’s third contribution to the marathon in as many years!
The Feelies drummer Stanley Demeski provides an introduction to the Luna instrumental “Egg Nog,” telling the story behind this 1992 recording. Hear the song in question below.
Mark Robinson founded Teen-Beat Records in 1984. Best known for founding Unrest (with Phil Krauth and Tim Moran), he has also been a member of Air Miami, Flin Flon, Grenadine, and currently plays with Evelyn Hurley (Blast Off Country Style) in Cotton Candy and also with D. Trevor Kampmann as Fang Wizard.
He has released a number of solo records. His recordings are typically sparse, often based around a carefully controlled guitar.
A last minute submission from King Mistletoe (just Steve and Jim), in the style of Beat Happening’s “Our Secret.”
Amanda Xmas – “New Years”
Hailing from the Kensington area of Philadelphia (home to infamous gangs such as the Yos, Twerks and Fuzzies), Amanda X imperviously sallys forth, creating an oasis of bedroom pop and post-punk among a landscape of toxic speed, eroded enamel and chattering human skin suits. Their debut album was released by Siltbreeze in 2014 and a follow-up is tentatively slated for 2017.
Bela Koe-Krompecher has been running Anyway Records from Columbus since 1992, he also writes about his life with his blog. Bela also writes sporadically for various music websites and last year saw the publication of a comic book based on a story about the Ramones adapted from his blog (“Do You Remember Rock & Roll Record Stores?, via Nix Comics). He works as a social worker and addictions counselor.
Bill & Karlee Goffrier – “South Side Of The North Pole”
Bill Goffrier was in two of my favorite purveyors of terminal plaid shirt rock, The Embarrassment and Big Dipper. He currently lives in Alaska with his wife Karlee.
The author of “A Newer Wilderness,” Roseanne Carrara holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Toronto. She is now completing an “opera novel set in Toronto” entitled, The Week In Radio, a second book of poems, “Spectral Evidence ” and with her husband Blaise, a translation of “Silences,” the poetry of Jacques Ellul. Roseanne documents her activities with her children during the school year at The Lunchbox Season and at Summer of Funner over the summer holidays. She also works as a professional writer and educator.
The Beach View Family Singers – “Wenceslas of Sound”
Beatrice, Toby and Blaise, with a grand piano and sundry virtual instruments, including a mellotron, give a holiday favorite a somewhat psych deconstruction. Recorded and mixed on a phone.
From the non-existent album “Winter Fuel”, just over 90 seconds at 110 bpm in the key of A major.
Aerialist – “Little Andromeda Boy”
Lary Hoffman began making music as Aerialist in 1997. Over the years the project morphed from bedroom electronic pop to synth-rock collaborations with drummers Stevie Treichel & Nikhil Ranade, to both analog and computer-based solo instrumental productions. After a long hiatus, Lary has been steadily digitally self-releasing new Aerialist music since the fall of 2015. Based in the DC area, Lary and his wife Erica own Virginia bars Galaxy Hut and Spacebar.
Keith Beck’s Zigman Bird – “Santa Clause Where Are You (Don’t You Leave Me Out)”
Keith Beck’s Zigman Bird fearlessly switches between a full-piece rock’n’roll band and an exciting acoustic act, mixing catchy hooks, melodies and lyrics.
J Church – Not Proud Of The USA – Palestine – The Mice cover.
Curtis Mayfield – Mighty Mighty (Spade & Whitey) – Live! – 1971.
Girls Against Boys – Kill The Sexplayer – Cruise Yourself
Electrelane – V.O.R. / “As Yet Untitled” / The Partisan – Live on WPRB – Last song is a Leonard Cohen cover. RIP.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard – I Can’t Wait (Instrumental) – Got Your Money Cd5
The A-Bones – A-Bomb Bop – Free Beer For Life! – RIP Billy Miller.
2.3 – Where To Now? – Mutant Pop – [C]
E – I Want To Feel Good – S/T – Thalia Zedek, Jason Sanford & Gavin McCarthy.
Sekou Kouyate – Fanion Diarra – Mali Stars – Malian.
Green Milk From The Planet Orange – Phoenix – .mp3 – They’re back!
Tara Jane O’Neil – Hey That’s No Way – Wings. Strings. Meridians. – Leonard Cohen cover. RIP.
Lambchop – The Hustle – FLOTUS
Jake McKelvie – Rhinestone Busboy – The Rhinestone Busboy EP
TAD – Hibernation – Salt Lick – Re-mastered re-issue.
James Arthur’s Manhunt – Chain – Digital Clubbing
Creative Source – Who Is He And What Is He To You – Blaxploitation – The Payback – Volume 3 – [C]
Joel R.L. Phelps – The March 1970 – .mp3 – Unreleased!
Inter Arma – Transfiguration – Relapse Sampler 2016 – [C]
Ruin… – Master Song – Songs Of Reverie & Ruin – Leonard Cohen cover. RIP.
Dexter Story – Veggie Wondem Combo (Ras G Afrikan Space Program Remix) – Wondem Remixed
The Intended – Huguenot – Time Will Tell
Frustrations – Dreamt – Transmission From The Ether – [N]
Harvey Milk – One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong – Courtesy & Good Will Toward Men – Leonard Cohen cover. RIP.
Joe Tex – I Gotcha – Funk Essentials – [C]
Furry Things – Introism – The Big Saturday Illusion
The entirety of tonight’s program was a sound collage I built earlier today around the opening of The Mice’s “Not Proud Of The U.S.A.” It was broadcast at 19:00 pm ET, 20:00 pm ET and 21:00 pm ET.
I have archived the first of these airings below. If you want to re-create the full show, just listen to it two more times!
The Drags – Anxiety – 45 – Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Frontier – Heatstream / Now – Heater
The Church Universal & Triumphant – Invocation For Judgement Against & Destruction Of Rock Music – American Doomsday Cults
Something Tough – Never Heard That Before – Seattle 2016 – Minutes / Bismarck folks.
Contact – Grand Detector – Zero Moment
Honeybunch – Count Your Blessings – 45 – “International Pop Underground Vol. LI.”
Mike & The Melvins – Limited Teeth – Three Men & A Baby
E – Candiate – E – Forthcoming.
Risking Conversations – The 70s Ruined Everything – S/T – Chris Fuller of Dis-/Sixto’s new moniker.
The Breeders – Istanbul – Mountain Battles
Graves At Sea – The Curse That Is – Relapse Sampler 2016 – [C]
Creek Beds – Taco Truck – .mp3
Landing – Grow – Complekt
Brat Curse – Ride – OH70 – Brainiac cover. – [C]
Hard Left – Western Rifles – Strike For America
Tony Molina – Banshee – Confront The Truth
Pere Ubu – Guitars & One Girl – Architecture Of Language 1979-1982
Lycus – Solar Chamber – Chasm – Out in January.
Laser Background – Something Wicked This Way Comes – Correct
The Terminal Orchestra – The Drums Of War – Leave Home, Rabbit
Groove Diggers – All Time – 45
Tyvek – Origin Of What – Origin Of What
1929 – Happy Electionics – Live On WPRB – 2003 session.
The Silence Kit – One Sixty – One Sixty
Del Rey – E Pluribus Unicorn – Immemorial
The Teeth – Great Failure / Teeth – The Strain
Thomas Leer – Private Plane – Machines – 1980. – [N] – [C]
Raw Power – I Do What I Like – Wop Hour 1984-1994
Each of the last five years I have asked a number of friends, musicians, comedians and others that I admired to record their definition of an original “Christmas story” to be interspersed throughout my 25-Hour Holiday Radio Show on 103.3 fm WPRB.
Come December 24, 2016 – the 28th annual edition of this marathon program will begin.
In 2011-2015, Mac McCaughan (Superchunk), wrestler/author Mick Foley, Glenn Mercer (The Feelies), Tom Scharpling (“The Best Show”), director Lance Bangs, Screaming Females, Pete & Alex from Star Wars Minute, Chris Brokaw, Jennifer O’Connor, Peter Prescott (Mission of Burma/Volcano Suns/Minibeast), Rick Rizzo (Eleventh Dream Day), David Hill (“Snap Judgement”, “This American Life”), Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz), Jon Daly (“Kroll Show”), Nick Thorburn (Islands), Doug Gillard, Rebecca Clay Cole (Wild Flag), Bill Goffrier (The Embarrassment/Big Dipper), Joel R.L. Phelps (Silkworm/The Downer Trio), Mark Robinson (Unrest/Flin Flon/Air Miami), Brett Davis (“The Special Without”), Seth Herzog (“The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”), Boston Red Sox organist Josh Kantor, actor Ethan Sandler (“Crossing Jordan”), Matthew Reid-Schwartz (Kinski), Pat Byrne (“Prove It All Night”), Edith Frost, The Rutabega, SAVAK, AmandaX, The Gotobeds and many other remarkable folks have recorded pieces for the marathon.
2015’s stories are posted here (part one) and here (part two).
2014’s stories have been posted here (part one) and here (part two).
2013’s recordings can be heard here. 2012 stories can be streamed here and 2011 contributions reside here.
The time has come to build on this success with ample advance warning!
I’m not only going to be reaching out to more folks personally to join the ranks with works for the marathon’s 2016 installment but I also wanted to extend the offer TO YOU.
Record something between now and December 21st and there’s a solid chance it will make it into the show. It can be a reading of a favorite Xmas story, a cover of a holiday song you love or an original piece. I leave that in your hands.
Listen to some of the past works as inspiration if you’ve been stumped when I’ve called on you in prior years.
It would be great if these contributions did not exceed seven minutes but if you run long…I am likely going to allow it.
I’d love to get so many recordings that I can yet again debut one of these an hour throughout the marathon.
My lone request is that you do not post your piece elsewhere before it airs during the show! Afterwards knock yourself out, just mention the show when you do share on Bandcamp/Soundcloud/Et cetera, OK?
Please spread the word and have a happy holiday season. The stretch run to the marathon begins…now!
Jon Solomon can be heard every Wednesday evening across the Delaware Valley from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm ET on 103.3 fm WPRB.
A veteran, award-winning DJ with over three decades of experience, Solomon is also available to DJ parties, weddings or private events. Just ask him nicely.
