2016 Christmas Stories, part two.
With 10 days to go (holy smoke) until this year’s marathon, here’s the as-promised second half of the Christmas Stories recorded exclusively for the 2016 edition of my 25-Hour Holiday Radio Show on 103.3 fm WPRB.
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 continue to inspire you to record something for this year.
You’ll be in amazing company.
“Financial Guru” Gregg Gethard – “The Gift of Financial Security”
“Financial Guru” Gregg Gethard is a financial expert and motivational speaker known for his exciting seminars hosted at chain banquet hotel rooms throughout this great country we call America!
John Trenton – “The Pines Before Christmas”
John Trenton, “The Poet of The Pine Barrens,” is a survivalist living in the South Jersey forests bringing his poetry to the people to save nature and become the official Poet Laureate of New Jersey. Currently wanted on several charges of trespassing by the FBI.
Aunt Fredricka and Samantha – “A Christmas Racoon”
Performed by Betsy Herbert (more on her later) and Kristine Kennedy. The latter describes themselves as a non-award winning screenwriter, food photographer, and advertising agency noob. Please explore her #ultrashort story series on Instagram.
Bela Koe-Krompecher – “Christmas Story”
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.
Jack Silbert – “Christmas Story”
Jack Silbert is a Hoboken, New Jersey-based author, music podcaster, and emcee. Brushes with fame include going to school with Ethan Hawke (twice) and buying a drink for Julianne Moore.
Ralph Firneno Memorial Orchestra – “Operation Infinite Xmas”
The Ralph Firneno Memorial Orchestra was formed in March of 2000,
shortly after the passing of Father Ralph “Up the Irish” Firneno, SAC.
Like most artifacts of the 1990s, the Orchestra’s work harkens back to a
more innocent time, when Luna had just released Penthouse and nobody
knew the decade was little more than an after-thought to the twentieth
century. When they’re not listening to WPRB or regretting their
decision to go to graduate school, the Orchestra’s members are busy
editing This is Really Happening: A Journal of What The Fuck Studies.
Also, as an aside, Firneno is pronounced “Fur-neen-oh” for reasons that
were never terribly clear to any of us.
Chip Chantry – “Happy Holidays”
Chip Chantry is a writer and comedian. He’s also the host of the running podcast Junk Miles with Chip & Jeff.
Men And The Sonograms – “The Twelve Days of 2016”
Performed by Robert West and Kristine Kennedy.
Franklin Bruno – “Christmas Incident Report”
Franklin Bruno grew up listening to his Dad’s original Christmas songs in Upland, California, and now lives in Jackson Heights, Queens. He has made music with Nothing Painted Blue, as a solo artist, and in collaboration with the Mountain Goats, Jenny Toomey, and Laura Cantrell. His current band is The Human Hearts: their last album, Another (Shrimper) came out in 2012, and a singles compilation and new album, recorded by Mitch Easter, are in the works. He’s also written a book about Elvis Costello’s Armed Forces in the 33 1/3 series, and a collection of poems (The Accordion Repertoire, Edge Books). When he goes home to the Inland Empire, he guest DJs on KSPC-FM, where he recorded this story.
Betsy Herbert – “TV Talk Show Christmas”
Betsy Herbert is also Lizbeth Herbert and so on. She is a writer of weirdities and weird ditties. Working on a novel. Adjunct Professin’ at Temple. Snaildartha rules!
Sure-Lock – “Tone Forty Xmas (Indian in the Hubbard)”
Rumor has it Sure-Lock are secretly Kalamazoo, MI rock band OUT, but you didn’t hear that from us.
MCSS – “What Child Is This?”
MCSS = MCSS.
That’s it! Next stop Christmas Eve!