Lucked Up

Saturday night, DJ Fontaine hosted a guest appearance by Tom Peloso and the Virginia Sheiks, which was a real treat to engineer- many years ago, I did a recording for his old band King Sour, which featured current Sheiks guitarist Austin Fitch, who was a guitar maniac back then...also in the Sheiks is former GWAR bassist, Mike Bishop. The Sheiks sound is very thoughtful, mature and honest...Tom and I have walked on a lot of common and dangerous ground and his songs hit me close to home once I got a chance to sit down and listen to them...check out 'Night Sky' on his myspace. It's slightly faster than they played it on-air, but I like both versions.

As the song says, I'm lucky to be here to see the night sky.

It wasn't until after the session that I found out that Tom is in Modest Mouse and it wasn't until much later that that I learned (via Whim) that Modest Mouse is a very succesful band with gold and platinum CDs and many fans, including herself...I swear, I'm probably the least cool, most un-hip DJ/Sound man on the planet, always the last to know...I could be doing sound for Elvis Presley and I'd probably be too busy trying to isolate a bad signal to realize that The King was standing in the studio with me.

Things kept getting better after I got home...Suzie Crotchrot (#666) of the Chicago Outfit Roller Derby team left a comment on my last post, which mentioned her by name...hmmm. I'm hanging out with rock stars while Roller Derby chicks read my blog. I must be doing something right.

I really am lucky to be here.

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THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB, JULY 25, 2009

The Kinks- This Is Where I Belong/This Time Tomorrow
If you asked me who my all-time favorite song-writer was, Ray Davies would come to mind...I played a double-shot of Kinks because...because I wanted to.

Ace NoFace-Regret/ Toxic Charm
I am trying to do less harm than good. Am I succeeding? I hope so.

The Old Haunts- Not Hopeless/Poisonous Times/Kill Rock Stars
Down. Not out.

Anousheh Khalili- Modern Genius/Let The Ground.../Triple Stamp
Anousheh (Ah-noo-shay) is a gifted Richmond-based singer/songwriter of Iranian ancestry who just happened to be the very first artist I engineered at WRIR, back when our studio was a living room and our equipment was kept in the trunk of my car.

Monika Jalili- Biya Bare Safar Bandim
Fiddle-driven danceable Iranian power pop. Music is soooo much better than war.

Clara Bellino- Tout est Fini/Embarcado Love/Binky Beano
Keeping it upbeat and international!

Arvel Bird- Caballo
It's your typical Celtic/Native-American jazz fusion jam. In other words, it's awesome.

Underwhelmed- Angel/Reveal/Problematic
Nothing fancy, just meaty slabs of rock big enough to topple the Flintstone's car.

Peter Bayreuther- Kinder vom Universe
Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time!

Kaiser Cartel- Carroll Street Station/Brand new promo!
Hot off the email express, not yet released- a bit rocky, in the good sense.

Sound of the Blue Heart- The Poisoning/Wind of Change promo
Very new and very cool. Johnny Indovina is great.

Jenn Cleary Band- Doesn't Make Sense
I think Jenn Cleary and I see eye-to-eye on this topic. Amen!

Garbage- Push It/2.0/Almo
I'm a sucker for slick production...and for sexy redhead singers. That is why I love Garbage.

Ross Phazor -You'll Never Change/Mr. Mango Man/Rossmusic
One day I'm just gonna play this song 25 times, make a few public service announcements, go home and call it a show.

Steve Hillage- Light in the Sky/Motivation Radio/Atlantic
Holy fuck! Gong -with Hillage back on guitar- are putting out a new LP this year!

Zappa & Beefheart- Muffin Man/Bongo Fury/Discreet
One of my favorite live records, ever.

Television-Friction/Marquee Moon /Elektra
F-R-I-C-T-I-O-N

Be Bop Deluxe- Love With The Madman/Futurama/Capitol
Bill Nelson sings longingly of fugacious love. Look it up.

Manda Mosher- Lay Me Down
This is good rockin' done right.

Stefanie Seskin- Jerkin' My Chains/Edge of Reason
Her use of violin metaphor fits my fiddle-heavy show.

Jennings- Doorway/Storybook/Jenningsmusic
I keep on liking this song.

Ashlee Rose- Save My Soul
If I have a soul, music saved it. This song nails it.

Southern Backtones- Forever
Nothing lasts forever. Too bad about that.

Area 27- Black Sun
Nice nod to Alan Parsons at the end...production!

Shauna Burns- Bloom
New to me and already digging it. Texturally pleasing to my ears..

Damien Dempsey- Sing Our Cares Away/Shots/UFO
Damo!

Gang of Four- Natural's Not In It/ Ubiquitous during the lost years of my youth...

Geoff Westen- Angry Young Man
This song- which is partially sung in jagged phrasing much like 'Natural's Not In It'- sounds more like 1980's New Wave than 1980's New Wave does...setting the stage for DJ Jon H, who followed me with our weekly 1980's show...

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I'm a lucky guy.

Better Dead Than MOR

During my radio show I received a message from an older male friend of mine:

"Mainstream show today! You selling out?", he asked.

I know he was joking, but his words hurt. Mainstream? Mainstream?

Shortly after that, I received another message, this one from a new female penpal that I had been flirting with. She felt that the music I played was a bit "extreme" and that she was sorry, but she would rather not meet in person.

I didn't- and never will- have a response for that message.

Hmmm. I am "mainstream". I am also "extreme".

Extreme + Mainstream = Middle of the Road. MOR? Pass the hemlock,eh?

Middle -of-the-Road (MOR) is what radio stations used to call boring, comfortably bland, predictable, marketable and wholly conformist rock...today, that music is called "alternative".

In any case, here is my musical agenda: I play music that I like and I don't play music that I dislike. Extreme, eh?

THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB, 1PM-3pm JULY 11, 2009:


Guiltless Cult- Supernatural Sun
Dedicated to my favorite star of all time.

Crack The Sky-Lighten Up McGraw
For S. I feel for you, my friend.

Area 27- Black Sun
Nice production, great vocals...a new blend of electronica, on my 'like' list!

Cat Dail- Conscious Mess
A talented songstress with unabashed punnery and humorous wordplay. What's not to like?

Chrissy Coughlin- Big Log
It's a great, melancholy song about the pain of long-distance romance. I have no idea how it slipped into my playlist. Again.

Dare Dukes-Ballad of Darius McCollum/ PTOA/Starland
I owe Dare a big favor- he was one of the first artists to respond to my tentative emails to artists that I like, his reply helped me decide to branch out and look for newer music.

Jethro Tull- Living in the Past
But, damn. I really do love Jethro Tull...Subtext, baby, subtext. Listen between the lines.

Joan As Policewoman- The Ride
JAP's music reminds me of the Cocteau Twins, except with balls and without the sub-aquatic reverb. Actually,they aren't that much alike...but the backing vocals have a tinge of that "big pretty" CT sound. I actually like the Cocteau Twins...don't tell my friends.

Manda Mosher- Keeps on Turning
New favorite song that speaks for itself.

Barry McCabe- Rollin'
I am a sucker for Irish rockers.

Ben Harper- Steal My Kisses
OK...mainstream...but so what?

Southern Backtones- Dirty
"I'm going down there to get a little dirty on you"...hmmm.
I think this might be an adult theme.

CafeBar 401- From Now On
Cool European keyboard-based pop-rock. Good singer.

Songs of The Blue Heart- The Poisoning
Brand-new and I'm digging this! The lyrics presents problems...and solutions. Humanity set to a ear-happy blend of a dozen genres,all good.

Astronauts of Antiquity- Breakthrough/Rocket Science For Dummies/RevCon
I believe in this song. Seriously.

Stephen Luke- Long Way Home/No Man's Land/Sweet Lucy
Nothin' fancy, just a slow-cooked blues served up jes' right.

Ashlee Rose- So Damn Complicated
Ok, so maybe the aftermath of a loved one's suicide is not the happiest subject for a song, but this song hit me in my heart and made me cry- suicide is in my family- and anything that moves me like that deserves some airplay. I apologize if it scares you...there are pills available if needed. Just stay with the recommended dosage, please.

Elu- Scarborough Fair
It's a great song. Right?

Pentangle- The Blacksmith
So is this...it's a traditional tune that never loses relevancy.

Omar Alexander- Shine
Brand new Latin-based funky butt-shaking groove!

Funkadelic- Nappy Dugout/Cosmic Slop/Westbound
Really old ghetto-based funky butt-shaking groove!

Norine Braun- Evolution of The Blood Star
I love Norine Braun...I would bake her a thousand cakes for but a single 'yeah'.

Arvel Bird- No Problems
Part Native-American, part Scot, part...?? It's Celtic fiddle set to a Native mono-beat with the riff fron 'Rudy Can't Fail' carrying the guitar. And it is awesome.

The Frames- Lay Me Down
So pretty...and sad.

Angelfish- Suffocate Me
No, really. I do not have a crush on Shirley Manson. Honest.

Carrie Rodriguez- She Ain't Me
No, but he ain't me either, so that makes us even.

Jennings- Doorway/Storybook/Jenningsmusic
A friend of mine recently called and told me that she really liked this song , which makes me happy because I played it just for for her...it's also on my current 'fave' list, too. Beautiful recording with just the right amount of edge.

HuDost- Royal Mountain/Trapeze/Open Sesame
HuDost describes her music as Country and Eastern, which I like ...this song is true and good.

Underwhelmed- Freak/Reveal
This is what rock is supposed to sound like. Good job!

Next Week: I won't be on-air. I'll be in-flight!

Credits and Edits

If you like your Rock served up loud and punk, then you will love Richmond's own Landmines, a tight-and -fast local combo that played in our studio this weekend. They had the largest wall of guitar amplifiers that I've ever seen in a radio station...whew! The dudes rocked- here's a pic displaying their punk cred:



During my own show earlier that day, I played a song by The Stranglers (Something's Gotta Change from 1977's No More Heroes ) , a record from my own private collection...holy shit! It dawned on me that I have keyboard-punk records that are thirty-two years old! In 1977, punk rock was already in it's second (or fourth) generation...
Ouch.
No wonder I feel jaded. I am jaded.

The previous night, we hosted a visit by emcee El Prezidino:

He and DJ AA had it under control!

Cool rack of DJ gear:

On Sunday afternoon, I recorded a session with an Oregon band called Forever , who may be the most obscure band I've ever met...I cannot find them on the internet!

What I found was a link to a band, also named Forever, that describes itself as " christian [sic] alternative gothic [sic] heavy metal "...sick, sick, sick is right.

Alternative Christian Gothic Heavy Metal is impossible to lampoon...it's pre-satirized on conception...I mean, in one of my old bands, we used to joke about playing Christian Death Metal... but it was a joke, for Christ's sake! We never intended for anyone to actually do it.
Meanwhile down in Hell, Satan spreads his leathery wings and laughs...

Thank Godzilla I didn't have to put up with Christians on Sunday...instead of going to church, I recorded a fun, quirky pop-punk band that reminded me of groups like X and Belly. I wish I had a link...they are barely mentioned by their record label and don't seem to have a myspace or website...they gave me a copy of their CD, but it has almost no info on it...great songs, lousy promotion.

Oh,nevermind. Here's their website. I see that they've actually posted some of the recordings from Sunday's session, I guess they liked the results- but where are my props?

Sheeeesh, I'm getting all sensitive now. Seriously, the more of my work gets posted on-line, the better; but it doesn't help me build a portfolio if I'm not credited- I work at the station as a volunteer, credit is all I get. Well, that and a radio show.

My interview in the local weekly paper was finally published. It was edited down to a single quotation in a tiny article, but at least they spelled my name correctly and quoted me accurately, which is actually pretty cool (and rare). I wish they would have mentioned the day and time of my show, which airs every Saturday at 1 pm and features playlists such as the one below:

The New Breakfast Snob, Saturday June 27, 2009

Ashlee Rose- Save My Soul
Anouschka- Good Girl Gone Wild
Ten Years After- Convention Prevention
The Stranglers- Something's Gotta Change

Cafebar401- Blame The Villian
Cary Grace- Undertow
Neil Young- Winterlong
Jimi Hendrix- Long Hot Summer Night
Jennings- Doorway

Joan as Policewoman- Eternal Flame
Funkadelic- Can't Stand The Strain
Arvel Bird- Native Lovers
Peter Bayreuther- Wild Roses
Norine Braun- Evolution of The Blood Star
Underwhelmed- Freak (Like Me)

Bob Dylan and the Band- Orange Juice Blues
Manda Mosher- Keeps on Turning
Area 27- Wild Card

Bob Marley- Want More
Trench Town Oddities- I Have Never Let You Fall
X- White Girl
Scream Daisy- Bees
Belly- The Bees
T. Rex- Cosmic Dancer

Clara Bellino- Peaceful Solution
Mythica- My Magdalene
Taxi To The Ocean- Crystal Cuts
Cursive- Retreat!
Jeannine Hebb- Things Haven't Been So Bad Lately

And so it goes.

A Cold-Hearted Post

My father phoned me this afternoon,he called it a "pre-emptive" Father's Day call, which is ironic because I really hadn't planned on contacting him- I avoid talking to him whenever he drinks, which is always.

At first, he sounded reasonably sober and almost upbeat but I could hear his words becoming progressively more slurred and contentious as we spoke, after about an hour I finally got sick of asking him to repeat himself, so I lost my patience and offered this bit of advice:

"Dad, have you given any consideration to not drinking? "

"Yes," he said as if it meant something, "I just went an entire week without a drink. Until today."

"Great. Why didn't you call me when you were sober? You know I hate talking to you when you are drunk."


Dad kept telling me that he was afraid that I was upset because I lost my job...he could tell I was upset because a recent radio blog I wrote consisted of a sentence or two stating that I had no time for small talk and would let the music speak for me- dad seemed to attach some sort of significance to this:

" I knew you were upset when I saw the radio thing," he said.

"What thing?"

"The part about small talk and not having time to write. I knew that meant you lost your job."

"Um, actually, I wrote that because I was running late and didn't have time to compose a proper post. It had nothing to do with work. I don't understand how you made that connection."

The more that dad insisted that I was "upset", the more at peace I felt with my unemployment...I have a a new car, a new PC, some money saved up and I'm fairly certain that I'll get my job back within a few months...plus, I'm qualified for Unemployment Bennies- I have to jump through a lot of paperwork hoops due to my status as a former Federal employee (Fed and State are like oil and water when it comes to paperwork) , but it's just paperwork- I'm an accomplished bureaucrat, I can deal with paperwork. It's going to be a pain in the ass, but so what? Paperwork always is.

Anyway, I told him not to worry, that I'd be fine.
I wasn't lying, I meant it. I have been through real serious shit in my life. Being unemployed is nothing compared to internal hemorrhaging or a twenty-five stitch beatdown. Seriously,I'll be fine.

It's a damn shame that he won't remember our conversation tomorrow.

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On a happier note, I've been receiving a lot of wonderful new music lately and it's my great pleasure to share it with you, the potential audience. Keeping up with new bands is hard work and sometimes a bit confusing, but it's also very rewarding, so I try to include links so that you can dig deeper, should you be into finding new tunes...
I sorta over-extended myself regarding a recently-shelved project, but there are other, more realistic plans in the making....and a new playlist every week!

The New Breakfast Snob, Sat . 20 June 2009

Artist-Song/Album/Label (when available)

Underwhelmed- Freak (Like Me)/Reveal/Problematic
Powerful Brooklyn rock by sturdy Italian lads. This song should be a hit- it's already lodged in my earbox!

88 Sundays- Imitation Life
Georgia rocks! Who knew? Listening to them right now, in fact!

Charlie Morris- Got Greedy
Morris -who is new to me- is an amazing slide guitarist and this song just plain fuckin' rocks! Buy his CD- he promises to spend all the proceeds on liquor and weed, which I think is commendable truth in advertising.

The Duhks- Death Came A Knockin'/Duhks/Sugar Hill
Ah, a heartfelt classic, dedicated to my friend G, his mother is gravely ill and has been for a long, long while. G has been there for her the whole time and it's taking quite a toll...soon there will be a time for rest.

Adriana Kaegi- When The Money Runs Out/TAG
Good-looking Swiss woman singing about American Poverty and life in The Hamptons...it actually works!

Sounds of The Blue Heart-The Poisoning/Wind of Change/GritPR
Brand-new undefinable but very ear-friendly multi-genre release, this song went very well with the 'Green Energy' PSA that I played immediately before it.

Cary Grace- Undertow
There are probably fewer than 12 persons under the age of 40 that know who Dik Mik was and why he was so important to psychedelic rock- and I am certain that Cary Grace is one of that select dozen. Great new rock that suits my psychedelicized self just fine.

Dare Dukes- Kick and Holler/Prettiest Transmitter/Starland
I hear new things every time I listen to this disc...the mp3 doesn't do justice to the CD, especially the nice cello touches and sparse,well-designed guitar/keyboard/vocal dubs. Great lyrics and very tight but understated production with excellent instrumental placement, an oft-overlooked skill... Special thanks to Dare for recording a promo for our station..it's always fun to let an artist 'introduce' themselves!

Daddy- Wash and Fold
There are a lot search results for Daddy, but it was worth sifting them to get my hands on this zydeco-inspired update on Neil Young's classic song Welfare Mothers.

Joe Croker- Lil' Miss Combat Boot
Joe sent me this mp3 after reading my blog- it's an ode to Enid from Dan Clowe's Ghost World and it's great fun, especially if you are a comix geek like me...Joe, are you 'Victor Banana'?

Crazy Aunt Mary- Rockin' A Hard Place
This song by LA's CAM starts with this forthright statement : "Don't leave your wife for me!" and only gets better from there... I love a woman who loves her bass with a passion usually reserved for...well, you know.

Patty Hurst Shifter- Promiscuous/Coma La Grava/Pants on Fire
Great NC southern rockers...are they breaking up? I hope not.

Hudson Fall- Factory
Americana from the UK? Works for me, great self-described "melodramatic pop".

Madi Simmons- Melissa
Jammin' reggae from the island nation of Chicago.

Kevin Cahoon -Fashionista
Anthemic! I actually edited the 'fuck' out of this for airplay.

Lisa Bianco- Already Gone/Post Data/
The more I listen to Bianco, the more I like her...great gobs of noisy guitar suddenly dropped on top of a beautifully melodic voice- my kinda thing!

Southern Culture on the Skids/Have You Seen Her Face/Countrypolitan
Full disclosure: Mary from SCOTS is a former band-mate and lifetime friend of mine. As far as I'm concerned, her band can do no wrong...see them live if you can! You'll be glad ya did. Thanks to Mary for the promo and thanks to WRIR's own Galaxy Girl for the tech support!

Niav- Smalltown
I just learned that Niav is Irish...no wonder I like her so much. This song reminds me of people and places I once knew...the whole football team? Really.

Clara Bellino- Swordfish Trombones/Embercado Love
I came home from a depressing day and found this CD in my mailbox- it cheered me up right away! Bellino's own material is wonderful - but this is a Tom Waits cover! How cool is that? Very!

Nijole Sparkis- Parallel Universe
This is cool, dreamy, hopeful and thoughtful. Nice!

Atlas Soul-Lamour en Banlieu
I don't know what the lyrics mean, but the groove is great!

Jeannine Hebb- Things Haven't Been So Bad Lately/TLTCM/
Another new fave of mine, this song is one of my show's unofficial 'theme' songs.

Michelle Malone- Grace
I have been a fan of Malone ever since I heard her play a seven-minute wah-wah/fuzz guitar solo with a three-piece group called Band de Soliel. She rocks!

Jennings- Doorway/Storybook/Jenningsmusic
Another new favorite, Jennings has a powerful, yet nuanced voice that reminds me of someone that I used to listen to...Grace Slick? Sweetwater? Thanks to MJ for providing me with a custom promo for my show, those artist tags add a nice touch to our broadcasts!


HuDost- Royal Mountain/Trapeze
This is different, yet very accessible...very well-blended styles, making it sound easy (but it isn't.)

Astronauts of Antiquity-Everywhere/Rocket Science for Dummies
One of my fave CDs of 2008! Makes me feel more sophisticated than I really am.

Eddie Ramirez- Grace
Rockin' song from Spokane artist- nice crunchy guitar tone!

Stefanie Seskin- I Keep On Trying/Edge of Reason/Check Other
Is there anything that Stefanie Seskin can't do and do well? I doubt it.
This CD is a few years old, but it's still new to me and one of my faves. Enjoy!

Well, that's it for now...I just joined Facebook, so I may be busy for the next several years.

The Changing Tone Of Laundry

Yesterday I did my laundry for the first time since losing my job. I hadn't expected to have any epiphanies, minor or otherwise, while washing my clothes and my lack of expectations were, for the most part, fully met.

Or were they? I was surprised by certain thoughts that I had while I was engaged in my domestic endeavor:

I'm doing the wash on a Tuesday night. This, for me, is an extraordinary break from routine, Sunday is my traditional washing day. Like most persons in recovery, I am a creature of habit, so making a change may be significant...hopefully in a good way.

----------------------------------------------
A lot of bad things have happened recently and I'm not drunk. There are worse things than being depressed...being drunk, miserable, self-destructive and dangerous, for instance. The simple fact that I'm doing several loads of laundry displays a certain proactive and optimistic behavioral pattern generally not found in drunkards and addicts. I hope so, anyway.

--------------------------------------------------

I sort my laundry into two categories: Work and Other.

1) Work: This includes items that require special treatment and tools, i.e., careful folding and the use of coat-hangers. I have very little Work attire in this batch of laundry...no reason to dress up, after all.

2) Other: Everything else. Forget about sorting the colors, after the first time it doesn't matter anyway.

----------------------------------------------------
Have I mentioned my new PC lately? Probably not, since I've been so busy mucking about with my new toy to do much blogging ...even after heavy upgrades, my old PC was too slow for video streams or most post-2004 software and games- my new PC streams Fringe episodes like a racehorse and, after a bit of precariously auto-didactic overclocking, plays Fallout 3 at respectable settings. What more could a guy want?

Well...

------------------------------------------------------------------
How about a weekly radio program?


The New Breakfast Snob, Sat June 13


Elu- Lose Control

Jennings- Doorway

Omar Alexander- Breathe Out

Jeannine Hebb-Things Haven't Been So Bad Lately

Chris Huff- Hey Now Now

Peter Tosh-No Sympathy

Brice Woodall-Redwoods

Dare Dukes- Ballad of Darius McCollum

Underwhelmed- Something In Myself

Ross Phazor- You'll Never Change

The Service Industry- They Fired Me

Stefanie Seskin-Jerking My Chains

HuDost-All My Guitars

Jim Protector-Jim Protector's Guide To Self-Pity

Vocoder- Faithless??
This is on a mix CD I have...I can't find anything on-line that matches it. The band and or song title may be incorrect...I know what a Vocoder is,but I can't find a band that sounds like this rockin' cut.

Southern Backtones- Forever

Anouschka- House of My Father

Joan As Policewoman-Furious

Cary Grace- Firefly

Norine Braun- Je Suis Desolee

Clara Bellino- Peaceful Solution

Damien Dempsey- Marching Season Siege

Robbie Robertson- Go Back To Your Woods

AceNoFace- Snakes

Peter Bayreuther- Hey Baby

Area 27-Wild Card

The Duhks-Mighty Storm

OK, then.

Get Out

A couple days ago I encountered a trio of tourists downtown; the chap on the left is taking a pic of a local pub's banner while the pair on the right are struggling with some sort of GPS gizmo. As I approached, the taller gent asked me if I knew where to find a particular local bar:

"Yes, I do. We are standing in front of it. You just took a picture of the sign."

"Oh. I thought so, but our GPS is telling us that this intersection is 3.8 miles away."

What? Are you completely daft? You are standing in the doorway of the establishment that you are seeking- taking pictures, no less- yet you are hesitant to recognize it for what it is because of the contrary data fed to you by an electronic toy? My advice would be to throw your 'e-map' into the river and learn to trust your eyes.

"No, it's right here. This is the entrance."

I was there for the pub's weekly Trivia contest, which is hosted by my friend and former co-worker Dave, and I was really hoping that the tourists were going to be the competition, but they weren't...they vanished into the downstairs drinkery while I made my way upstairs to the game room.
I was on a team with another former co-worker; we didn't win- but it was fun and served as a reminder that I need to get out more often. I seem to have made a few friends at the former office, which is it's own reward. (All I need now is revenue.)

The next day, I engineered a live radio performance by Atlanta band The Coathangers, a delightfully interactive all-girl combo with the uncanny ability to convert simple beats, good attitudes and odd couplets of rhythmically bent guitar notes into catchy hooks and danceable songs. Great fun!

They were happy, enthusiastic and a true pleasure to be around...I've been depressed for awhile and really needed some good energy- The Coathangers have plenty of energy, that's for sure- so I decided to go check out their gig, which was at a local billiards parlor/nightclub.

There wasn't much in the way of audience, but the girls put on a great show anyway- when a band is having fun, it's easy to smile while you watch them...well, my private, pre-gig 'pep talk' with two of the members helped with the grin, if you know what I mean....there are certainly worse ways to deal with depression than being locked in a van with a pair of Coathangers.

I wish I had thought to bring my real camera, my phone has no flash:














The band is on their way to Baltimore, and then to Canada. Best of luck!

Me, I'm heading back to the radio for awhile. More music to follow.

In The Can

I was released from work Friday but I'm not panicking quite yet. The parting was on good terms and I have been told that I'd be called back once operations resumed later this summer, which takes a huge weight off of my mind. My widening job searches have been less than fruitless, they have been downright depressing- the Websites are chock-a-bloc with "$132 a Day Taking Surveys at Home", "Work From Your Own PC", " Now Hiring On-Line Psychologists" and similar grifting hucksterism, but damned few 'real' jobs are to be found -the kind that you get paid for doing, that is to say.

Note: If an electronically-delivered "job offer" includes a check-box asking you if you are interested in furthering your education or receiving vocational training, the "offer" is a scam. The "employer" wants your contact info, which will then be added to a huge mailing list that is re-sold to other spammers; for you, this means an in-box full of useless, possibly harmful spam to sort through...if it looks fishy, it is. Really.

***************************************

Unsolicited Plugs Department: Months ago, I received an email regarding a blog post I had written that passingly mentioned Jazz music- the email was from a music PR company that wanted to know if I would consider featuring one of their (Jazz) clients for my podcasts...I wrote back saying that I didn't play much Jazz, nor did I have a podcast, but I do have a radio program and I'd love to get my ears on some new music- my request was quickly granted and now a significant number of the new, 'under-known' artists that I feature have been introduced to me by the good folks at Ariel Publicity.

If you are a radio DJ or a podcaster, contact them and check out their service- you can find mp3s, bios, contacts and info on how to get more of what you need -all free! If I were still actively performing/recording, I'd be checking into that too.

I am also a big fan of Airplay Direct- if you are an indie radio DJ, I highly recommend signing up for their free service . It's a very user-friendly site that allows you to search using a wide range of criteria and the mp3 downloads are usually 320/kbs , which is as good as you can expect from an mp3. Again, if I were still writing/playing music, I'd want to be represented by AD.

Curiously, I was showing a fellow volunteer some of the CDs I recently received from [the services mentioned above] and he sneered at my new arrivals- "they have an agenda when they send you that shit", he declared.

"You mean beyond getting paid to promote bands?", I asked, "I mean, that's the whole point, right?"

"Exactly", he replied with cryptic smugness.

Then he departed, leaving me to wonder what the fuck he meant by "agenda".

*************************************************************

No disclosure required: I don't work for either one of the websites mentioned above, nor do I get paid for my radio work- but I do get easy access to great new music that I can share with my listeners:

The New Breakfast Snob, June 6, 2008:

Cafebar 401- The Trip We're On
Ross Phazor- Full Circle
Brian Stoltz- God, Guns and Money
Bob Dylan- Neighborhood Bully

Jennings- Doorway
Mary Jennings recorded her first CD as a way of dealing with the death of her mother. I can relate.
Stefanie Seskin- I Just Keep On

The Duhks- True Religion

XTC- Dear God
The banjo in 'True Religion' seamlessly cross-fades into the opening guitar notes of 'Dear God' and it's one of those perfect little moments that makes life worth living.

Peter Bayreuther-Wild Roses
Cary Grace- Undertow
Cary Grace might be my all-time favorite musician, ever. I say that based on one song (this one) and one photo (which features a synthesizer- a real synthesizer).

Bedtime Story- Little Magic Mushrooms
Nijole Sparklis-Parallel Universe
HuDost- Royal Mountain
Omar Alexander-Stolen From Me

Mythica- Don't Be
Clara Bellino- Potential Criminal
This is a deceptively biting song, told from the POV of a newly-naturalized U.S. citizen - "I now have the right to be a potential criminal".

The Old Haunts- Not Hopeless
AceNoface-Snakes
Anyone who can work Garry Kasparov and Indiana Jones into a pop song is OK in my book, Face or otherwise.

The Purrs- Loose Talk
Underwhelmed-Freak
Cursive- Retreat!
More sacrilege!

Shawn Farley- Lakewater
Spy For Hire- Motorcycle
Kelly Richey- I Want You

Lisa Bianco-Already Gone
Anoushka- Good Girl Gone Wild
Blue Number Nine- Dig My Hands

It was a rockin' show.

**************************************
Help! Is there any non-trial freeware that is not named Audacity and can do what plain old Cool Edit Pro can do? My Cool Edit is trapped on my old PC and I am seriously jonesing for FFT filters and tyrannical amplitude control. If you know what I mean, then you know what I mean. 'Nuff said.

On The Dock

Friday brought a new wave of cuts at work but I have made it to another Monday.
I think I'm being kept on because of my remarkable ability to lift weights exceeding 40 lbs-weights that must pass across one of the worst loading docks I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. What's so wrong with the dock, you ask?

There's no ramp, only a set of stairs. This shortcoming quickly becomes problematic when one is presented with the task of moving Supercans full of paper...imagine a municipal trashcan full of phone books-wet phone books- now, imagine moving the can down a flight of stairs, over and over again-now imagine doing it in the blazing sun, since the dock's rampless state is complimented by it's lack of awning, roofing or overhang of any kind.

It looks like this:


It's bad enough that I have to break rocks in the hot sun, but it doesn't stop there- some non-lifting, non-thinking motherfucker went and put a pair of A/C exhaust fans directly under the dock and the vents blows exhaust directly upward through the cart-killing grating that serves as a dock floor.

Just what I need- more hot air blown up my ass at work. Literally.

At least my new PC works- given my impending joblessness, I really shouldn't have purchased a new PC, but my old one was built in 2001 and home computers have changed a bit since then, so I thought I'd see what all the fuss is about...I'm happy to report that I'm running Vista 64-bit and it rocks! Seriously.

After a week of Vista, I can't really imagine going back to using XP...wow...did I just write that?

****************************************************

Even if I lose my job, I'll still have my radio show. We don't get paid for it, but radio is it's own reward. Here's this week's treats:

The New Breakfast Snob , 30 May 2008:


Jeannine Hebb- Things Haven't Been So Bad Lately
Actually, things have really sucked lately, but I think that's the point. The song has great dynamics...life does too, usually.

Jon Prophet- As Good As Your Yesterday
Great rocker with lovely fuzz bass and difficult rhetorical chorus.

Clara Bellino- Peaceful Solution
I believe in this. I really do. Sometimes I think that I'm not so much a jaded cynic as I am a disillusioned idealist...is there a difference?
In any case, Bellino is a talent worthy of optimism.

Damien Dempsey- Negative Vibes
It's Damo! He's one of my favorite Irish musicians, and that actually says quite a bit...

Claanad- Fortune's Hand
...because I love me some shamrockers.


AceNoFace-Regret
Ask yourself if you do more good than harm...this is a wonderfully written song, but the vocal delivery is a bit off-putting. Get over it.

Richard Thompson- Bad Monkey
Another Irishman -and one of the most under-rated guitarists around, if ya ask me.

10CC- Rubber Bullets
From the original vinyl!

Peter Bayweuther- Wild Roses
Found this on-line Saturday morning and liked it so much I played it the same afternoon! Not your typical Kraut-Rock. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Scream Daisy- Bees
This awesome, heart-hitting song has been in my rotation for weeks...did I mention that SD are from Malta? How many other Maltese bands can you name?

Stranglers- Nice N' Sleazy
Best bass tone , ever.

Astronauts of Antiquity- Beautiful Fate
I can't say enough good things about this ultra-hip ensemble. They are positive, groovy and upbeat; and frankly, I need that right now. New and cool!

Lisa Bianco- Post Data/We Communicate
Talk about dynamics, this songs got 'em, all the way down to the shouting bull-horn EQ tweak in the middle- but it's also a wonderfully melodic cautionary comment on how we present and receive information to each other in our virtual worlds of avatars and anonymity.

(Is that an original Ibanez Tube Screamer and one of those old 'uni-knob' MXR phasers? That is a hot pic!)

Underwhelmed- Freak
More NYC (Brooklyn) rock, starts with a distorted voice asking : " Are you a freak like me?"
Instant love, it was.
I'll be checking into more from these guys, it's solid, manly rock with dark, honest humor. I'm a freak for that.

Cursive- Caveman
I am a goddamned caveman!
Best album of 2008?

Spy For Hire- Things Used To Be Good
I would like for things to be good again.

Skidmore Fountain- Asylum
Brand new on the station's shelves, getting some play because it rocks.

Robyn Hitchcock- Up To Our Nex
Robyn must be over 1,000 years old and he's still a right clever lad.

Carrie Rodriguez- She Ain't Me
No, she's not. Who is? Great, great song...this is country music?

P.J. Harvey & John Parish- Black Hearted Love
I still have an unrequited crush on P.J. Harvey. Things just haven't been the same since the Birthday Party thing went down...it's as if she doesn't know I exist...oh, right.

HuDost- Trespasser
Eastern and Western music can be blended to produce some amazing hybrids...so why are we fighting when we could be jamming?

Azzdine w/Bill Laswell- Britou
Another great East/West cultural mix- more music and fewer bombs, says I.

Omar Alexander- Breathe In
And out. Repeat until dead.
This is good, feet-movin' music with great vocals.

Patty Hurst Shifter- Promiscuous
This EP is earning ground on my play-faves.

Grin- You're The Weight
Nils Logfren was in a band with his dad! How cool is that?

Kinks- You're Looking Fine
Live cut from a Carnegie Hall show, early 1970's; Brother Dave steps out on the guitar and stays out for a loooong time. In a good way.

XTC- Shake Your Donkey Up
'Strewth!

Frames- Star Star
Did I mention my affinity for Irish rock? Great band, finally catching on here-the singer had a cameo on The Simpsons not long ago.

Cecile Corbel- O Stor Mo Chroi
Fetching red-haired French/Irish chanteuse...I am a fool for that sort of thing , ya know?

***************************************************


Next: I've no clue.

Go Ask Lemmy

Today's show is a tribute to the music and spirit of legendary drummer Joe Smoker, founder of seminal 70's grammar-rock band Big Dictionary, a band that defined the short-lived heyday of gram-rock with their bizarre combination of Strunkian philosophy, Bacchanalian excesses, mega-syllablic words and I-IV-V chord progressions.

Big Dictionary was preparing to tour in support of their first LP, What Would We Do Without Rhetorical Questions? ( released in 1975 under the now-defunct Alexandria label), when Smoker was severely injured in a proofreading misadventure, leaving him with the language skills of an eight-year old.

The band's tour was canceled and Alexandria withdrew support for the LP, which was given extremely limited distribution and quickly vanished from the public notice. The original master tapes for Questions have never been located and are rumored to have been destroyed when employees at the Alexandria warehouse triggered the building's sprinkler system during an ill-fated attempt at insurance fraud.

Following a year of rehab, a diminished Smoker briefly re-united with Dictionary bassist Ashton Verb and toured under the name Smoker's Pole, but Dictionary's cult following of voracious readers were soon disenchanted with Pole's new material, which was largely composed of ham-fisted atonal guitar feedback, incoherent guttural consonants and dull male thuds.

After several poorly-received shows, Smoker disbanded the Pole and retired from music altogether, taking a job writing technical manuals for the U.S. Government.

Decades later, a garbled bootleg cassette of a Smoker's Pole live performance surfaced in Oslo, Norway and quickly spread throughout Scandinavia. Some rock historians credit the influence of this tape for inspiring several generations of Nordic Umlaut Death Metal bands.

"That n-not my fault", stammered a terse Smoker during a recent telephone interview. "Go blame Lemmy."

That sounds like a good idea to me.

Lemmy, this is all your fault.

*******************************************

The New Breakfast Snob, Sat. May 16th

Motorhead- Killed By Death
Is Lemmy still alive? He must be, because the current version of Motorhead are getting ready to tour Scandinavia. Really.

Mothers of Invention- Happy Together
Happiness is a warm Turtle.

Crack The Sky- Maybe I Can Fool Everybody Tonight
"The last place I want perspiration odor is under my arms"

Jethro Tull- No Lullaby
Flute Metal at it's best.

King Crimson- 21st Century Schizoid Man
This is a great song for testing the endurance of speaker cones.

Alan Parsons Project- The System of Dr. Tarr & Prof. Fether
A literate rocker! This is what Big Dictionary could have sounded like.

Pere Ubu- My Friend Is A Stooge For The Media Priests
Aren't we all?

Jane's Addiction- 1%
He's right.

Cop Shoot Cop- Two At A Time
"I've been using up my lucky days two at a time"

Ross Phazor- You'll Never Change
This band is from a big city in Massachusetts that already has a band named after it. This track is a great "fuck-you" song that fits my mood quite well. This is one of the bands that I want to interview for my radio project, but they don't know it yet. Shhh. Let it be a surprise.

Kelly Richey- Leave The Blues Behind
My buddy Dave called me after this cool rocker and asked me if this was Chrissie Hynde, which is high praise, I think. Like Hynde, Richey is from Ohio, plays guitar and spins a good musical tale. Look for an interview in the near future.

Paw- Seasoned Glove
A bitter song generated a bitter call. My friend was explaining to me how he just quit his band after nine years. He sounded wounded and angry. I grok.

Pretty Things- Bitter End
I dedicated this to my bitter friend. I feel almost cheerful in comparison.

Golden Palominos- Work Was New
"You better shoot me, electrocute me
Put the hood over my head and execute me
Put me outta my misery like a broken horse"

P.J. Harvey- Rid of Me
I'm hurting.

Agony Column- Bayou
This band has a bummer name.

Suicidal Tendencies- A Little Each Day
Another bummer name.

Coffin Break- Stupid Love Song
One more bummer name.
"Why do/you do to me/what makes me write this/stupid love song?"

The Damned- Just Can't Be Happy Today
The last song of the "bummer name" set.

Nikki Barr- Go
I hate war, but I respect our troops and the bands that entertain them. Props to Barr's band for doing that.

Neil Young- Welfare Mothers
"Dee-vor- cee...beautiful."

Area 27- Wild Card
Wonderfully produced wrathful sex machine song.

Anouschka- Good Girl Gone Wild
This jaunty blues goes out to my favorite Scorpio.

Jenn Cass- Forever Damned
This one also goes out to my favorite Scorpio, because once is never enough for her.

Lou Reed- Vicious
Have another!

Stephanie Seskin- Stay Where You Are
This song sounds nice but isn't. Seskin is another artist that I'm planning to interview for the radio.

Iridesense- Obvious
It took me forever to find this band on-line because of the mis-spelled name. Bookmarked now.

Sexsha Brayne- Armageddon A Go Go
Did you know that Revelations is part of the Gay Agenda? I think that's kinda cool.

***************************************************
Next week: Smooth, 'lite' jazz.

Erm.

Better Late

I am way behind on posting my radio playlists...

THE NEW BREAKFAST SNOB, APRIL 10TH, 2009


Stephen Luke- I Must Be Dreaming
Luke's music is solid, unpretentious and it really makes me want a CD player in my car.

(CORRECTION: The wrong link was up for Luke. Please check out the correct one posted above!)

Dare Dukes- Ballad of Darius McCollum
I had this on MP3 but I recently got the CD and it sounds about 61 zillion times better. It's very layered but not cluttered, the background parts are almost a second song of their own.

Eric Lysaght- Mary Alice
This was sentto me from a promotion agency- the name on the mp3 said their client was named 'Salisbury'...I did some googling and found no 'Salisbury' band...after further digging, I learned that Eric Lysaght is the artist and 'Salisbury' is his album. I got a "I like this" phone call about this song...good stuff!


Robert Wyatt- Age of Self
Robert Wyatt, of course, was the manic, virtuostic drummer for 1960's avant jazzrock band, The Soft Machine. Then he got drunk and took a spill, resulting in serious harm...and a new, quietly intense approach to music. This song from the mid 1980's is a good example.

Jen Foster- Sunday Drive
I love the happily slippy-simple guitar hook. It's cheerful, but the song is a bit...well, it has a nice edge, is what.

The Rolling Stones- She's a Rainbow
This was Keith Richard's band before he was in 'Pirates OTC 3'.

The Band- When I Paint My Masterpiece
For Whim. Keep painting!

Astronauts of Antiquity-Beautiful Fate
I love this band but I cannot define them, which is good. Go listen.

Elvis Costello- Turpentine
Oh yeah. Still kickin'!

Shawn Farley- The Last Time We Talked
Melancholy prog rock ballad with hi-sustain guitar. Props!

Norine Braun- Evolution of the Bloodstar
Yeah, I know I play her a lot- but it's my show and I love the handful of songs I have accumlated from this Canadian Jill of All Genres.

Chris Huff- Hey Now Now
Really neat blend of semi-Tex, island beats, pop hooks and Huff's own touches...reminds me of Damien Dempsey, not so much for the sound, but more for the way myriad influences blend so well.

Southern Backtones- Dirty
Great sexed-up rocker from Texas.

Area 27- Wild Card
The MP3 also had the wrong data...but Area 27 is the band and I like it, despite it being slightly outside my norm- or perhaps that's the appeal! More to come.

Bedtime Story- In A Cage

Angelfish- Dogs In A Cage


Kaiser Cartel- Ok
Really growing on me, although it's dangerously close to 'couples music'.

DOTMIG- She's My Muse
Egregious guitars and snarls. I need that once in a while. Total Rawk!

Scream Daisy- Surrogate City
I like this band but this isn't my favorite song- they have some good rockers, so stay tuned!

Lou Reed- Can't Stand It

Damien Rice- Volcano
Kinda heartbreaking...really.

J.J. Cale- The Sensitive Kind
Is this from the record that had the raccoon on the cover? I want a copy- it's from what? 1970? Cale was a hella songsmith.

Damien Dempsey- Sing All Our Cares Away
Make the world go away with faith and heroin!

Kelly Richey- Leave The Blues Behind
Sometimes ya gotta do just that. I'm a new fan of Kelly's exuberant guitarifying. She clearly loves what she does and she is good at it- not groundbreaking songs, but why should they be? It's more like really good BBQ. Ribs....mmmm.

Stefanie Seskin- Your Own Road
I love this rockin' 3-minute tune. Seskin has been involved in a lot of projects, but I'm sadly sketchy on info...I need to hit the stores soon.

Skidmore Fountain- Earthquake
New to me but they will make another appearance or three soon. Good.

The Meters- Ride Your Pony
You know who they are, right? I helped set up their stage last year during my temp gig at a local music hall. They were great live, even after all these years...but roadie is a young man's job. Me be un-young.

Amber Rose- Sweet Poison
She's 22, affected,moody, cute as heck and likes to sing about cutting herself with glass ...why am I playing this? Because it reminds me of someone I once knew and miss deeply.Plus, Rose can sing!And write...

Joan As Policewoman- Furious
Great ! A+!




Next Friday we will debut our new live broadcast music room- our first band will be world-jazz ensemble Hotel X and we'll have our best engineer at the helm...um, hey, that's me! Plus, my lifelong best friend Ron is in the band- it'll be fun!

Stay tuned!

Don't Try This At Home (or Anywhere)

It's good to take a few precautions before working on an electronic device:

1) Take all the screws out of the chassis and throw them into the trash since you are going to drop them on the floor and lose the tiny little fuckers anyway. Might as well take out the trash while you're at it. Check the litter-boxes too.

2) Check inside the device for capacitors. Depending on the gear, a capacitor can hold a dangerous, even fatal, electrical charge. If you don't know how to identify a capacitor, go fetch the screws out of the trash and put whatever you are working on back together before you hurt yourself.

3) Is it plugged in? Working on live electronics can be extremely hazardous. On the other hand, I like to see the moving parts in action and monitor the changes I make in 'real-time', so I usually make sure whatever I'm futzing around with is plugged in. This is severely un-recommended.

I recently acquired an old DVD player that no longer has a remote control; it is impossible to navigate a DVD menu to watch a movie, but it works fine for music CDs, so I hooked it to my stereo. After a day or two, the drawer stopped opening on command, so I took it apart to check it out.

Notice that there is a warning on the inside about the laser radiation hazard. I peeked underneath the little hood-thing and saw a bright red laser- if I had unplugged the device as recommended, I never would have been able to see where the laser was. Stupid warning label.


I also found the problem. That little green tab in the upper middle needs to be depressed in order for the door to unlatch. The motor that does that seems to be broken. After some experimenting, I found that having a disc in the player provided sufficient weight to 'push' the green lever. With a disc in the player, it opens and closes as normal. If the tray is empty,you need to take the thing apart and manually press the button.

Solution: Always leave a disc in the tray as a placeholder.


Come to think of it, the person who gave me the player found a DVD inside of it when it was given to them. Perhaps the previous owner had figured out the 'placeholder' trick.

The new job is off to a rolling start. Our office is located in a renovated old Public School that is smack-dab inside a notorious crack 'hood. I could look out the window and see deals going down on the far end of the street, but I didn't want to tell my boss that I can spot a drug deal from 100 yards away, I need a better approach...anyway, the building is difficult to get to from any major highway, it's in a bad 'hood, it has no real loading entrance, no real freight elevator, two flights of steep stairs and it has 20' auditorium ceilings that will probably make heating a real issue- it was freezing today, but I get to work at home because we don't have PCs at the office yet.

If I were assigned to scout the entire City and choose the least-practical space available, I would have chosen our new home...the city is full of empty, modern office space and we have a halfway-renovated antique in the middle of Crack Alley. And so it goes.

For the moment ,we don't have any furniture at all, just a folding card table and four chairs that belong to one of the staff.

We have 25+ people in the field, they send me their email reports and I sort them into Excel sheets and Word docs and re-distribute them...I get to listen to music and stuff, I'm at home after all- but it's still pretty intensive...I'm earning my hours. It's going to be a hard job, but I like the people I work with and this is my third go at it, (1990,2000,2010) so I feel confident that we'll do well.

Tomorrow I will be recording the Gamelan orchestra I mentioned a while back, and on Friday night I have VIP passes to see the band Southern Culture On The Skids (below). .
I used to play in a band with Mary, the bassist (she is not the same Mary who attacked me with a wolf) and it'll be great to see her again...ten or fifteen years have passed since we have seen each other. We used to do some serious graveyard drinking together! Ha!

My buddy DJ Will and I will be interviewing the band backstage. It should be a blast. I hope to get some cool pics and stuff...until then, stay warm!