Sunday, January 20, 2008

Smell My Vinyl


It felt good to be back on the air this morning. Lately I've been feeling way, way off-groove; I had been wondering if I was ever going to feel 'right' again...my fear was unwarranted, once again, music has proven itself to be a great restorative.
Recent events have caused me to miss a couple of shows and postpone my band plans, but this morning I was back on-the-air and I felt the equilibrium returning as soon as stylus hit vinyl.

I imagine that from the listener's perspective one show sounds pretty much like the next one, but from the DJ view there are good shows and there are bad shows; for me a lot depends on my own internal rhythm ...this morning was very good, my groove was hoppin'...it was all I could do to keep myself from lapsing into prolonged extemporaneous monologues about every song- I saved that for blog. Lucky you.

Sunday morning at 7am is a rough time spot. I've been doing it for well over a year and would like to move to a better time...such as the Tuesday night slot that just opened up. I think I have a pretty good case to make:

-When I took the Sunday spot, I was replacing the DJ who moved to Tuesday night- the same DJ who just left...it's a natural progression for me to move into his vacancy again.

-I have been a core volunteer since our very first fund drive in 2005-I was our first 'Volunteer-of-the-Year' fer chrissakes. Seniority should count for something.

- I have hundreds of hours of air-time logged. Hundreds is a lot.

-I can do - and have done- shows of any style or genre. I can improv with the best or I can plan to the nth second- I'm good at being a DJ.

There are others who have been on-air as long or longer than me but I don't know if they want the spot or not- IMO it would be theirs first, then mine...that is how a meritocracy works and I really think that the station should be run as a meritocracy.
Unfortunately, the station's default setting is "democracy"; in this case, that means committees and indecisions; ultimately a vote by the music committee will decide who gets the coveted spot.
Personally, I think democracy is an unworkable business model - please give one example of a effective business that runs on the one-person/one-vote ideal, just one- but I am in a minority. I was *ahem* out-voted.
It burns me up that our committee would even consider giving a brand-new DJ (someone not a current volunteer) a prime spot when there are long-term, dedicated, proven veteran DJs who would like it...grrr.

I'm not sanguine about my chances of winning a 'vote' but I do want the spot; I fear it will come down to who is coolest and schmoozes best- I am not especially cool and I suck at schmoozery...but I can put together a good show. I'm not sure if that matters though- we will see. I do have some friends at the station- if they show up to vote I might get the show. If not...I don't know. It'll be a hell of an insult if a newbie gets it, I know that much. The newbie can have the Sunday spot- it was good enough for me, it'll be fine for them. Just sayin'.

For now, it's Sundays for me...if I move up I'll need a new show name.

The New Breakfast Snob, Sunday Jan 20, 2008

Fairport Convention- Fotheringay
FC are one of my favorite Sunday bands...this musty old two-LP 'best of' is a happy recent find. One dollar!

Chieftains- O'Keefe's Slide
Another fave Sunday band... a bottomless well of great music, old and new.

Cat Stevens- Kypros
Cat- when he was still 'Cat'- getting down with a Casio. Really.

Stranglers- Paradise
They said it would be good for my head...

Leo Kottke- Morning is a Long Way Home
I can play this song on vinyl. On guitar, not so much.

Snakefinger- I Can't Be Satisfied
This is from a live Blues CD that my pal Schlep sent my way months past...I've gotten quite a bit out of it.

Claanad- Last Rose of Summer
Pretty.

Robert Wyatt- Little Red Riding Hood
This album, Rock Bottom, contains two songs with same title- during my last show I played side 'A'...this week, side 'B'.

Bill Whelan- Caracena
Will someone please explain to me the difference between a 'reel' and a 'jig'?

Loreena McKinnett- All Souls Night
I would love to see her in concert. Sigh.

Moody Blues- Higher and Higher
This record sounds really stoned. In a good way.

Fred Frith- Ahead in the Sand
One of my favorite avant-garde Swedish guitarists.

Steve Earle & Pogues- Johnny Come Lately
Two sides of the same pond..what a great combo!

Moving Hearts- The Storm
Made me bop up and down.

Siobhan Skates- Short a Penny
99 pence shy of love...sigh.

Eleni Mandell- Dreamboat
The Twin gave me this CD- I'm on the lookout for more, she's amazingly versatile; cabaret, punk, broken folk/blues, jazz...weird. Great stuff.

Bob Marley- Night Shift
Please give me Tuesday night.

Roy Buchanan- Filthy Teddy
What became of Roy? He sure could play...in the Alvin Lee way.

Klark Kent- Grandeliquent
What became of my beloved Gear Slut? One of the many things we shared was a love of this 1980 EP by Police drummer Stewart Copeland- Stew plays every instrument and sings too- awesome! I FINALLY found a copy- GS, where are you?

Jefferson Airplane- Wild Turkey
Another recent find, still in the original brown paper-bag wrapper, the album cover satirized the old 'A&P' grocery bags...the fossilized reader may remember 'A&P' stores...and Jefferson Airplane.

Faces- Ooh La La
I wish that I knew what I know now- when I was younger...

Rod Stewart- Angel
Another dose of Rod, this one goes out to South Africa.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer- Lucky Man
At the end the synthesizer goes "whooee-eeee-wheeeeeeooow-weeep", which is still cool after all these years.

XTC- The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul
Todd Rundgren producing XTC= Genius. Snap!

Pretty Things- Grass
The Pretty Thing's Parachute was Rolling Stone Magazine's Album-of-the-Year back when that actually meant something. (1970)

Kinks- Most Exclusive Residence For Sale
While I was doing my recent five-day temp job, I was approached by over 3000 Realtors- all of whom tried to sell me a house despite the fact that I'm unemployed and have 'sub-prime' tattooed on my forehead. That's a bad sign.

Little Feat- Old Folks Boogie
I really hope my grandmother gets to spin one more yarn.

Gong- Shadows Of
This jazzy instrumental features a young Alan Holdsworth on guitar...his solo albums annoy me but he can really play...he sounds perfect with this line-up, despite it's distinctly 'non-Gongesque' style. 'Real' Gong sure would sound good on Tuesday night...


Next week: The 80's Show.

14 comments:

schlep said...

A reel is a kind of a dance in 4/4, a jig is in 6/8. A slide is a faster sort of jig, in 12/8.
Don't ask me what a hornpipe is, it just is.
Nice show - I'm rooting for your Tuesday night bid, much easier for me to be awake then!

yellowdoggranny said...

if i could remember that I can get you on my computer now I would have set the alarm so i could have listened to you and called and said howdy...dang..I just keep forgetting...good luck on tuesday.

billy pilgrim said...

nice to see someone remembers rod and sun city.

Anonymous said...

I found this on the interwebs:

a reel is an alligator.
alligator alligator aligator...
a jig is a crocodile
crocodile crocodile crocodile...

But someone already answered that question. Anywho, great show - wish I was awake, sadly no.
But hello? Leo Kottke (purrrrr)
You are a fantastic DJ. Best of luck on the new show.
Hey, you could call it, "Tuesday Tangle" cuz of you know, how many different types of tunes you play. Hi!

whimsical brainpan said...

I'm glad you got your groove back and I hope you get the Tuesday slot.

I love that you play XTC so much.

Enemy of the Republic said...

Works for me. I can't smoozze worth a tinker's damn.

CS said...

Glad you are getting back into your life. I'm just cathcing up, but I know sittign by as your grandmother declines has been excruciating. I'm sorry, and still keeping you in my thoughts.

Sling said...

Good luck on the Tuesday thing buddy!
Hey,if you get it,do we get to have a contest for your new name?
How 'bout Marty Graw!..get it?..fat Tuesday?..nevermind.

AngelConradie said...

aw thanx allan, fargin awesome song!!! awesome list too, as always!
thinking of you...

Allan said...

Schlep- What is a hornpipe?

JS- Wow...that would be cool- it's early in West though...hoping for Tues night!

BP- I like the Faces...what a great band that was.

Hat- I thought St. Patrick lead all the alligators out of Ireland. Hi!

Whim- I love it that you love it.

Enemy- As Ruby sez : "I didn't get where I am today by schmoozing."
Sadly,I'm at the bottom of every ladder.

CS- Thanks... I'm trying to keep going. Easy for me to say, doing is more problematic...when I get back on my feet I am gonna take up fencing. (Not the stolen goods kind:)

Sling- Ha, thanks! I hope I get to have that contest.

Angel- Aww...

Allan said...

Led, not lead.

Craig D said...

Next week: The 80's Show.

That explains THE KNACK sleeve in the bottom photo..?

I heard their fist hit-to-be at about 2:00 am on a college radio station all-night show back in "the day."

I could've sworn they were singing RICE-A-RONI!

Then "Weird Al" had to come along and ruin it for me...

Allan said...

Ha! The stickee on the cover says "My Payola"...I wish.

Anonymous said...

I agree about the voting on the show thing... what if a DJ brings all his/her friends to "volunteer" that night and they all vote for his show?

It's not the choice spot I would like but it's a nice one. I do wish they would decide on the show as opposed to handing it over to the committee...

"Cotton" Dick Clinton guy