Here’s everything you need in one location while Jon Solomon hosts his 30th Annual Hour Holiday Radio Show between 3:00 pm ET on Christmas Eve and 9:00 pm ET on Chirstmas day on WPRB.
30 years! 30 hours!
Festive requests? Call 609.258.1033 or email jon@wprb.com!
Listen to the marathon at 103.3 fm WPRB or by clicking here.
Real Player and Windows Media Player options can be found on the upper left side here.
If you’re in the terrestrial broadcast radius, tuning in via an actual radio is preferable so as to not keep those far away from accessing the web stream.
The 2018 Xmas Playlist will be updated throughout the program at wprb.com.
Expect a new “Christmas Story” each hour, with older stories interjected frequently.
Above, please find something special by Aerialist.
May these works inspire you to record something for this year.
The deadline is 12/22!
Brian & Kerry Kijewski – “E.T. and a Slinky”
Brian and Kerry Kijewski are a brother and sister creative team from Ontario, Canada behind the podcast Ketchup On Pancakes along with other audio projects. Kerry has a blog where she shares her writing. Brian hosts a music radio show at the campus radio station in London and plays in the band Riker.
Jason Sims – “An Open Letter to the Person or Persons Mailing Me Boxes of Wasps”
Steve Gillies lives and works in Chicago. He has had stories published in Artifice Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, Curbside Splendor, and the American Journal of Orthopedics.
Brett Davis, Danny Tamberelli & Jeremy Balon – “The New Christmas Story”
Comedian Brett Davis (The Special Without, The Podcast For Laundry) is joined by Danny Tamberelli (The Adventures Of Pete & Pete, The Adventures Of Danny & Mike) and Jeremy Balon (Fresh Beef) to tell a new holiday classic.
“Financial Guru” Gregg Gethard – “What to Get Your Cruel Mentor for Christmas”
Tobias Carroll is the author of the short story collection Transitory and the novel Reel. He is the managing editor of Vol.1 Brooklyn, and writes Words Without Borders’ Watchlist column.
Nick Millevoi – “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”
Nick Millevoi is a guitarist and composer whose music searches for the sonic cracks between jazz, rock and roll, noise, and modern composition. His band, Desertion Trio, featuring bassist Johnny DeBlase and drummer Kevin Shea, takes on the history of instrumental electric guitar music and throws it in a blender. Last year Desertion Trio released the excellent album Desertion on Shhpuma.
Bret Saunders’ Swingin’ Holiday Synths – “Carol Of The Bells”
Vancouver’s Joel Phelps is a member of The Downer Trio. Joel is also the only artist to record a “Christmas Story” for the show each of the last seven years. Many demos and new recordings of his have been posted on Soundcloud, with the lion’s share of his studio output available through Bandcamp, including the 2017 EP “Consulate.”
With under three weeks to go (!!!!!!) until this year’s 30th-annual marathon, here’s the first half of the Christmas Stories recorded exclusively for the 2017 edition of my Holiday Radio Show on 103.3 fm WPRB.
Part two will appear next week!
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 – “Winter’s Colder (When You’re Gone)”
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. Their full-length “Close Counts” was released on Mint 400 Records last year.
This is their third contribution to the marathon.
50 Helens – “Holiday Train to Rasa Ria”
50 Helens are members of Korean Jeans, Petrillo and OUT. All proceeds from this holiday record (which includes songs beyond what was played during the marathon) will be donated to Planned Parenthood.
King Mistletoe Jr. – “Last Xmas (for real this time)”
The fifth King Mistletoe song! Perhaps the last one? Time will tell!
Jim Lewis – vocals, drums
Steve Heise – guitars
Neil Pye – Father Christmas
Jake McKelvie & The Countertops – “Rock & Roll Saint Nicholas”
Jake McKelvie tours around the country both as a solo act and with his band, The Countertops. Having self-released numerous full-length albums and EPs over the years, he has carved himself a niche as a songwriter, combining a rapid delivery with stream-of-self-consciousness writing in a manner so singular that it is never in question whose songs are being played.
This song was penned by Jolly Old Saint Nick Votruba.
After The Fall – “Totally Tired (of Xmas)”
A remarkable reworking of The Fall’s “Totally Wired.”
T Penn- vox/bass
Mike Templar – drums
Mike Witwer – guitar / vox
The ‘Mericans – “Blue Christmas”
Returning welcomely for another marathon, The ‘Mericans are a Rhode Island band founded in 2001 by singer / guitarist Chris Daltry (Purple Ivy Shadows).
This is her fifth contribution to the marathon in as many years.
Doug Gillard – “Christmas Time Is Here”
Doug Gillard’s formidable body of recordings is as impressive as it is voluminous, encompassing his work as a key member of such notable combos as Guided by Voices, Death of Samantha, Cobra Verde, Gem and Nada Surf, as well as an array of notable collaborations with the likes of Richard Buckner, My Dad Is Dead, Yuji Oniki, Bill Fox, The Mice, Mascott and Sally Crewe & the Sudden Moves. Parade On, the Ohio-bred, New York-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist’s third official solo album, was released in 2014.
David Nagler – “Regard du Pere (from Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jesus)”
David Nagler is a Brooklyn-based musician and songwriter. He is the founder and frontperson of NY metropolitan area pop group Nova Social, the musical director for Wesley Stace’s Cabinet of Wonders at City Winery, and the host of The Oracle Show at NYC piano bar Sid Gold’s Request Room.
“Regard du Père (“Contemplation of the Father”) is the first part of composer Olivier Messiaen’s 20-part solo piano composition Vingt regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus (“Twenty contemplations on the infant Jesus”). Though not canon, I’ve always considered it a Christmas composition, and try to listen to it every year around this time.”
Junk Miles Holiday Spectacular
Chip Chantry and Jeff Lyons braved a chilly December Sunday morning run in a desolate meadow in New Jersey while chatting with a surprise special guest Jon Solomon, who might or might not have fallen in a creek during the outing.
This is the full version of the “Junk Miles” episode that was excerpted throughout the 2017 marathon.
The following topics are discussed: gift giving, gift getting, Christmas songs, John Cougar Mellencamp, Stiff Little Fingers, Benny Goodman, Atari, CD long boxes, back injuries, Mac McCaughan, Ian Curtis, basement flooding, goths, goth runners, The Gift of The Magi, Hall & Oates, Todd Glass, and of course, old running shoes, plastic tubs with sealable tops.
SAVAK – “Relax, It’s The Holidays”
SAVAK was formed in 2015 by members of The Obits, Holy Fuck, Nation of Ulysses, and The Cops. Their third song for the marathon is a doozy. Their third album “Beg Your Pardon” is out now on Ernest Jenning.
“We’d considered “What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?)” and the 1961 gem “Merry Twistmas” by The Marcels. But after scouring folders of various recordings in even more various states, we pulled a few sounds together that’d been captured in our practice space and home noodling and started fiddling around. 135 bpm felt right. As did a few samples Sohrab had left over from his days of writing soundtracks to cartoons for the world wide web. Stretch, cut, re-stretch, filter and a-zabble-dabble-doo. Music really was meant to be free! Though we all signed a non-disclosure agreement, so mum’s the word on that Leo Nocentelli lick, folks. Anyway, what’s a hodgepodge of a loop if not a bed for some fella to fall asleep in with his boots still on? Written and delivered in a single take for minimal hassle and maximum joy.”
Cherubs – Chanukka – Short Of Popular – Happy Hanukkah!!
Ndlourel – Gestu De Dakar – Senegal 70 – [C]
The Breeders – Do You Love Me Now? / Don’t Call Home – Safari EP
Ike Ufomadu – Live in New Brunswick (excerpt) – Your Face, My Tomato Vol. 1 – [C]
Rapeman – Song Number One – 45
Czarface & Ghostface – Iron Claw – Czarface Meets Ghostface – Coming in 2019.
Wussy – Happiness Bleeds – S/T
Pylon Reenactment Society – Cliff Notes – 45
SUSS – Salt – Ghost Box
Connor Ratliff & Mikey Erg – All The Girls/Boys Hate Summer YEAH! – The Spirit Of Ratliff
The Student Teachers – Samantha – Invitation To…
Kikagaku Moyo – Dripping Sun – Masana Temples
Christian Frederickson – Islands Of Light – Islands Of Light
Rays – Yesterday’s Faces – Do The Math: 18-3 = 15 Hits From 2018 – [C]
Margaret DollRod’s Heartthrob Chassis – Sister – Milan
The Manischefits – Hanukkah – .mp3 – Happy Hanukkah!!
Os Chavez Feat. MC Language Master – Enjoy Hanukkah – The Hanukkah Project – [C]
Recreational Epistiotomy – Hanukkah Routlette – Thanks For Ruining Christmas – [C]
Diwon – Sivivon – Chanukah Instrumentals
Robby & Dina – Not Hanukkah – Baltimas!! – [C]
Beck – Little Drum Machine Boy – Just Say Noel – [C]
Herman Dune – Hannukah In Florida – .mp3
The Yule Logs – Story Of Hanukkah – Up All Night
Jingle Punx – Chanukah – It’s What I Got In My Sack
Dee Bird – I’ve Never Known You In December – The Hanukkah Project – [C]
The Temple Rockers – Dub Can Retell – Festival Of Dub
Dan Bern – So Many Ways – Hannukah Songs
Nova Newyorker – Happy Hanukkah – Mrry Chrssmss Vol. III
Phranc – Hannukah Snowman – Kill Rock Stars Winter Holiday Album – [C]
Kyle Rapps vs. Kosha Dillz – Hannukah vs. Christmas (Hannukah Wins) – .mp3
Angry Snowmans – Hanukkah – S/T – Adolescents song, re-worked.
Santa Sabbath – Electric Hanukkah – Children Of The Sleigh
Chibi Vision – The Maccababies – The Hanukkah Project – [C]
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – 8 Days of Hanukkah – It’s A Holiday Soul Party
Andy Rivkin and his Gedankenband – Judah & The Maccabees – Holiday Single
Asher Zetler – Hanukkah Nation – Volleyball Is My Game, Jesus Is My Life
H83R + Kent Rockafeller – Leopold Stein – Ma’oz Tzur – I.C.M. (Intelligent Christmas Music)
Ella Jenkins – Harmonica For Hanukkah – Holiday Times
The Goblins – Ha-Ha Hannukah – Ha-Ha Hannukah
The Missile Toads – Good Ol’ Dreidel Game – Sombertown’s Most Wanted
J-Tran – Four Potatoes – The Hanukkah Project – Samples Chasia Segal!
David Nagler – Hanukkah In Cambodia – The Oracle Show #7 (Places)
Gypsyphonyc Disko feat. Katey Red – Gypsophonyc Dreidel Song – .mp3
Thee Volatiles – Oy Hannukah – Pogo For Christmas
Jason Berk & Ellen Den Herder – Baby It’s Hanukkah – Low Elf-Esteem
The Feud – Hanukkah – .mp3 – Unreleased medley.
Emotional – I Wanna Be Your Dradle – Gnartivity Scene – Ramones tribute.
Gods Of Fire – Hanukkah Gone Metal – Hanukkah Gone Metal
DJ Flack – O Chanukah Dubstep Baseline Remix – Menorah Mashups
Stephen Colbert & Jon Stewart – Can I Interest You In Hanukkah? – A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All
Hxlly’s Wxrld – Explanation Of What Chanukah Is – TRASHFUCK Chanukomp 2012
Amanda Duncan – Light Those Candles Bright – .mp3
Trent Austin – Hanukkah, Hanukkah – Happy Holidaze (Christmas With The Austins 2012)
Spleverb – We Want Fun For Chanukah – Hell In Other Languages
THE FUN SLUTS – A Holiday For The Jews – FUN SLUTS CHRISTMAS
Yidcore – The Dreidel Song – The Great Chicken Soup Caper
Ray Brenner & Barry E. Blitzer – Shut Up, Irving – Have A Jewish Christmas?
Calamity Jane – Hanukkuh Song – It’s Finally Christmas – [C]
Woody Guthrie – Hanukkah Dance (Alternate Take) – Hard Travelin’: The Asch Recordings, Vol 3
Dude York – True Meaning – Halftime For The Holidays
BLAMMOS – Chanukah With A C – It’s Christmas Everywhere (Except in my Heart)
N E One – Happy Hanukkah – .mp3
Gumdrop Alley – It’s All Hanukkah From Here On In – I Made It Out Of Clay – [C]
The Mountain Goats – Give Your Mom Some Pie For Hanukkah – Ha Ha Hanukkah
Mothguts – Hava Negila / Dradle – Xmas
Thrilling Adventure Hour – King Of Coffee Christmas – Merry Swacmas 2013 – [C]
ComputeHer & 8 Bit Weapon – Hanukkah – It’s A Chiptune Holiday!
Tom Leher – (I’m Spending) Hannukah In Santa Monica – The Remains Of Tom Lehrer – For my mom.
Shawn Anthony – Happy Hanukkah – .mp3
Dubb Nubb – Hanukkah At Home – A Very Bert Dax Christmas, Volume Nine – [C]
Don’t Trust Larry – Holy Hanukkah – Pissed On Christmas
Jawbox – Ones & Zeros – 45
Orchestre Laye Thiam – Kokoriko – Senegal 70 – [C]
Snakeskin – Limbless – Hangnail – [N]
The Royal Arctic Institute – Northern Progress Exploration Company – Accidental Achievement
Bryan McCann – Baby Yr Gonna Love Me – Lose Weight While Driving
Pink Skull – Vr4l4r – You Ruined SST For Me
Negative Scanner – Shoplifter – Nose Picker – [N]
The Gotobeds – No Present – Split 7″ with Honey Radar – Previously unreleased.
Jane Weaver – The Electric Mountain – The Silver Globe
LWW – PRC – 3P3 – [N]
Secular Joy – The Loneliest Smile – .mp3 – Mark Edwards from My Dad Is Dead.
Roderick Romero & Transistor Rhythm – The Extended Moment (edit) – Live At Moe 1 – [C]
Didi – Sinking-Floating – Like Memory Foam
Spowder – Pastry Changer – Health Palm
Candy Machine – My Old Man – Screw – [C]
Janek Schaefer – What Light There Is Tells Us Nothing [For Robert Wyatt] – What Light There Is Tells Us Nothing
Prince – I Would Die 4 U (Extended Version) – 12″
Hexuus – Dead Horizon – Avalon Dust
Trad, Gras och Stenar – Sommarlaten – S/T
Jon Spencer – I Got The Hits – Spencer Sings The Hits!
Slaphappy – Gangway – Decline Of The Western Suburbs – [C]
The Paranoid Style – Hawk vs. Prez – Underworld USA
Fucked Up – Normal People – Dose Your Dreams – [N]
Orchestra G.M.I. – Africa – Senegal 70 – [C]
I Think Like Midnight – Daydream Pusher – Kompromat EP – Local. – [N]
Ty Segal – Archangel Thunderbird – Fudge Sandwich – Amon Dull II cover.
Goat – FP – Rhythm & Sound
Bright Like Ice – Full Moon – 45 – Mecca Normal + two friends from Olympia
Gauge – Iron Clad – Blank
Hotline TNT – What UR Sign – Cool If I Crash – [N]
Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band – Siguisso – Siri Ba Kele
Protomartyr – Forbidden – Telemetry At How Bridge – Preoccupations cover.
Koren Jeans – Wyborcy Wybiora – Midterm: An Election Day Benefit for the Brennan Center for Justice
David Nance Group – When I Saw You Last Night – Do The Math: 18-3 = 15 Hits From 2018
Superchunk – Total Eclipse – 45 – Klaus Nomi cover.
Spitboy – The Threat – 45
Boyracer – Walls Come Tumbling Down – Walls Come Tumbling Down – Style Council cover.
Superchunk – Our Work Is Done – 45
Public Enemy – Don’t Believe The Hype – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Civil Union – Dress For Success – Seasick, Lovedrunk
Positive No – Thanksgiving – .mp3
Goat – MW – New Games
Baby Neal & The Smart Brothers – I’m Not Ashamed – Eccentric Soul: Smart’s Palace – 1965. – [C]
Flag Of Democracy – Welcome To Camden – No School No Core – [N]
Sick Thoughts – Chainsaw – S/T – [N]
boygenius – Souvenir – S/T – Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus.
Hot 8 Brass Band – Love Will Tear Us Apart – .mp3 – Joy Division cover.
Jessamine / Angel Ripper – Greg Anderson – Live At Moe 1 – [C]
Tron – Working Yourself Into A Shoot – Tronamania III – Samples Waxahatchee.
100 Flowers – Fascist Groove Thang – .mp3 – Heaven 17 song.
Bad Sports – Giving In – Constant Stimulation
LANE – Teaching Not To Pray – Teaching Not To Pray – Ex-Les Thugs!
Al Green – Hot Wire – 45 – 1972.
The Writhing Squares – A Whole New Jupiter – Out Of The Ether – Coming early next year.
Something Tough – Ask Me Later – Everett-2018
Denis Wise – Love In Foam & Surf – Wize Music
Wild Flag – Future Crimes – 45
LIFE – Ba Ba Ba – Popular Music
Civic – Pleasure – Those Who No
Cale Brandley with Triptych Myth – Finding Fire – Finding Fire – Lost 2005 recording.
Snail Mail – The 2nd Most Beautiful Girl In The World – .mp3 – Courtney Love cover. Game recognize game.
AC/DC – If You Want Blood – Highway To Hell
Couples Skate Only feat. Zebra Zebra – Absentees & Invites (The Solstice Show) – Gotta Groove 2017 Xmas 7″ – [C]
The Foolish – Time…Wasting – Pleasantly Depressing
Target – What Do You Call It? – Decline Of The Western Suburbs – [C]
Resounding No – Hexed Pet – Gross Dominance
The Units – Mission – BART – Bay Area Retrograde Volume 1 – 1980. – [C]
Wowza In Kalamazoo – Lament – Midterm: An Election Day Benefit for the Brennan Center for Justice – [C]
Roy Montgomery – Rainbird – Suffuse – Vocals by She Keeps Bees. – [N]
Borzoi – Schlock – A Prayer For War – [N]
Danger Mouse featuring Run The Jewels & Big Boi – Chase Me – 12″
Mint Mile – Disappearing Music – 12″
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band – Solar Motel Pts 1 & 2 – Solar Live 11.15.13
N.F.A. – Standard Of Living – BART – Bay Area Retrograde Volume 1 – 1982. – [C]
Al Green – Let Me Help You – 45
Connections – Love Me Still – Foreign Affairs – [N]
Mickey Finn – 3 On A Match – 3 On A Match
Hollie Cook – Dub Like Chocolate – 45
Hurl – One Man, Buck – Bessmer Process – Live on WRCT.
Mello Kings – Chip Chip – The Golden Groups Part 5 – The Best of “Herald” Records – [C]
Charnel Ground – Charnel Ground – S/T – [N]
Fudge – Astronaut – 45
Ethers – Temporary Exiles – S/T – [N]
Upper Wilds – Live On WPRB – 29:22 – https://upperwilds.bandcamp.com
Chisel – Listen – 45
Timmy Mc. Cook – Black Coffee – Moonlight Groover – [C]
The Wad – Ron Is Wrong – 45
John Schooley + Walter Daniels – Uncloudy Day – Dead Mall Blues
Geek – Hemingway Shotgun – Screw – [C]
John Lushi – Bamgufya Ba Kwoti Banapengili Amapa – African Acoustic – “From The Copperbelt…Zambian Miners’ Songs.” – [C]
Samiam – Too Many Buttons – I Am
Gears – Hard Rock – Bloodstains Across California – [C]
Stereolab / Nurse With Wound – Exploding Head Movie – Crumb Duck 10″
Killdozer – Good Lovin’ Gone Bad – For Ladies Only – Bad Company song.
Western Civ – Blister Pack Outreach Program – Horrendous New Wave – [C]
Unearthly Trance – 5 – Eleven Are The Voices
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.
