The Ledge #502: Best Records of 2021 NYE Countdown
So your favorite online radio DJ decided to spend a bitterly cold New Year’s Eve playing over six hours of the best music of 2021. But what else would I have done? New Year’s Eve is amateur night, and I haven’t ventured out of my house for the big night in years. With the big night lining up with a Ledge weekly broadcast, the decision to do a “Casey Kasem” was easy. So this show is a true marathon. First off, there’s a countdown of the 20 best reissues, box sets, compilations, and tribute albums of the year. Then there’s a countdown of the 40 best albums of 2021, and we hit the stroke of midnight in the eastern and central time zones with tracks from some of the great singles and EP’s of the year, along with tunes from a number of great albums that barely missed the cut of making the big countdown. Honestly, while the world is melting down we are somehow seeing a cultural renaissance. How else could I put together a six hour playlist of nothing but music from the past year? It’s simply incredible how much wonderful music is coming out on a weekly […]
RNRM584
Manifesto Award™ Nominees back to back. Who gets your vote? See the full list by clicking on the Manifesto Awards™ link above. Awards show is January 12th!
The Ledge #501: Annual Rock & Roll Christmas Party
The goal of the annual Ledge Christmas extravaganza is to prove that holiday music doesn’t have to suck. And once again, it’s certainly true as the vast majority of rock, punk, garage, and Americana tracks are brand new songs specifically f…
The Ledge 500th Episode Celebration!
Almost 12 years to the day after the very first attempt at a podcast, this week markes the 500th episode! To celebrate, I let the listeners take over! The call was made on all social media platforms to suggest bands or songs that were discovered via this show, and those results are reflected in this week’s playlist. Many listeners simply submitted the songs of their choice. Others accompanied their picks with extremly complimentary emails. But a handful actually sent in audio tributes to the show! No matter how these messages were sent, they warmed the heart of this host. I’m blown away by the kind words, and I was especially happy to get some audio from Max, the voice you hear at the beginning and end of each and every show. Here’s a couple of links that were mentioned on the show: To help Max and his high school band travel to New York City, please contribute to his GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/maxwell-to-nyc To read Will Neville’s concert reviews: https://undilutableslangtruth.wordpress.com/ For the latest info on Gorman Bechard’s films: http://whatwerewethinkingfilms.com/ For setlists and other Ledge information: http://scotthudson.blogspot.com I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. […]
The Ledge #499: New Releases
The start of December means that this week’s new release episode is the final one of 2021! And like each of the previous episodes of this type this year this one is full of nothing but great power pop, garage, punk, indie, and there’s even a preview of this year’s Christms special. But more importantly, let’s talk about next week’s show. It’s Ledge episode #500, and I’d love to get some assistance from the Ledge audience. Please please please, regardless of whether you’re a relatively new listener, or somebody who has now listened to all 499, contact me to let me know of some songs, albums, or bands that you’ve discovered via this show. You can even make a little recording talking about the show, your picks, or anything that you feel is important to convey. You can contact me on social media (paulisded on twitter or instagram), or send an email to paulisded@gmail.com! I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of […]
RNRM579
A tribute to Hank Von Hell, new Kevin Patrick Stevenson mixes, new Beaumonts, new Stolen Wheelchairs and more.
The Ledge #498: Covers
I’ve mentioned a few times over the years that I have a folder that I toss cover tunes into for future shows of that sort. The recent release of not one but four fabulous albums of nothing but remakes made me realize it’s time to empy that folder. Those four records are the main focus of this covers show. Spygenius, The Grip Weeds, Die Toten Hosen, and the The Queers features revved up versions of the band’s favorite tracks from the past. Three of them highlight rockers from the 60s, while Die Toten Hosen continues to show their love to the initial punk rock revolution of the late 70s Besides those racuous tunes, this episode also includes The Jazz Butcher (RIP Pat Fish) doing The Modern Lovers, A Bunch of Jerks performing a Bowie classic, a group called Mom resurrecting an old Prince track, and many more. (Unfortunately, an equipment error causes an abrupt end to this week’s episode.) I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but […]
The Ledge #497: New Releases (Pt. 2)
For part two of this month’s new release series it’s the usual formula. New records by veteran acts mix with brand new artists, along with a few tracks from featured reissues. So you get the brand new Sarah Shook & The Disarmers single …
RNRM577
New stuff from Poison Boys, Bitch Queens, Ten-o-Sevens, Bad Secret, Dayglo Abortions, Lorrainas, Gutter Demons, the Monsters, Anger Boys and more.
The Ledge #496: New Releases (Pt. 1)
Once again, the wealth of quality new music means that this month’s new release episode is expanding into a two-part series! This week is dominated by artists and labels that can accurately be described as “friends of the show” – artists such as Dave Sheinin, Dan Israel, Old Town Crier, along with our label friends at Big Stir Records, Red On Red Records, and, of course, Rum Bar Records! But there’s also something special for fans of The Replacements! Well, of course there is. This show isn’t named after one of their songs for no reason! Two weeks ago saw the reissue of their very first album, Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash. 100 tracks, 67 of them previously unreleased. Those who purchased the box at the Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, however, also received a bonus flexidisc with four more unreleased versions. Thanks to Ledge listener Jim Portesan, tonight’s episode includes those four rarities, along with a miniset of songs from the concert disc of the box. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely […]
The Ledge #495: Halloween
Just like almost every episode, the annual Halloween edition of The Ledge would never exist without the friends of the show who provide us with fresh material every year. In the weeks leading up to the ultimate rock and roll holiday, bands and/or labels send us all kinds of material perfect for this ghoulish show. This year is no exception, and thanks must go to Big Stir Records, The Ex-Bombers, Red on Red Records, Mr. Fang and the Dark Tones, The Cutthroat Brothers, and quite a few others for sharing with us a large percentage of the material you hear tonight. Along wtih those donations are a ton of relatively new music that fits the format. It’s the perfect Halloween soundtrack! I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion! […]
RNRM575: Halloween
Spooky stuff, plus new tracks from Cutthroat Brothers, Poison Boys, Mad Rollers and Fake Fun.
The Ledge #494: Sorry Ma I’ve Got Some Reissues To Play
I’m sure that all Ledge fans could have predicted this week’s episode. With today’s release of the 40th anniversary deluxe edition of the very first Replacements album, Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash, it was pretty obvious that there would be a deep dive into this box set. The great news is that this box does not disappoint. Besides a desperately needed remaster of the orginal album, this 4 CD/1 LP set includes 67 previously unreleased tracks. There’s home demos, basement recordings, studio outtakes, and the band’s earliest professionally recorded show. How could I not make this the main reason of the show? But there’s much more. With this being reissue and box set season, I go through a number of other similar releases. Yet I also have some harsh words for a couple of them. There’s also an opportunity for listeners to compare two versions of the same Heartbreakers song. Is the newly discovered “master” of L.A.M.F.’s “Born to Lose” actually better than the “restored” version from the 2012 remix? Let me know what you think. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists […]
RNRM574
New stuff from the Prostitutes, Dirty Flix, Mystery Girl, the Monsters, the Lorrainas, Cutthroat Brothers, Urban Voodoo Machine and more.
The Ledge #493: Velvet Underground Covers
With today’s release of the Velvet Underground documentary on AppleTV it was pretty obvious what tonight’s Ledge was going to be. I just never relaized how easy it would be to comile a show consisting of nothing but Velvet Underground covers. I knew I had quite a few of these types of tracks, but I was shocked at just how many were in my collection. Besides the various one-off covers on quite a few records by the likes of the Beat Farmers, Wreckless Eric, and The Soft Boys, I also had quite a number of indie tribute records. I even had four records that completely covered the entire Velvet Underground and Nico album, including the brand new “I’ll Be Your Mirror” tribute. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them […]
RMRN573
A mashup, a new Manifesto theme, more Halloween tunes, new stuff from Lorrainas and the Beatersband, the Muslims and more.
The Ledge #492: New Releases (Pt. 2)
As announced last week, this week’s episode is a carry over of the previous episode’s new release format. Not that these are second rate to those aired last week. Nope, that’s not how it works on The Ledge. You had two hours of tracks…
RNRM572
New stuff from the Muslims, Reflectors, Dirty Flix, Me-Thinks, Illegal Leather, Bitch Queens, Urban Voodoo Machine and lots more!
The Ledge #491: New Releases (Pt. 1)
It’s almost a given that if Rum Bar Records puts out a sampler, that month’s Ledge “New Release” show will be a two parter, and this month is no exception. Thanks to “Rocktober II”, the massive 38 track collection of…
RNRM571
New stuff from the Me-Thinks, Dirty Flix, Die Fast and some tracks from the new Religious Records compilation and more.
The Ledge #490: Songs About Actors
The idea for this show actually came about earlier this summer when I noticed that over the last few months I had acquired a number of songs about various movie stars. Over the next few days, with the help of a bunch of Facebook friends, I put together more than enough tracks that fit this theme. Tonight’s supersized show is the results of hours and hours of research, and consists of songs about not only classic Hollywood royalty such as Myrna Loy, Joan Crawford, Robert Mitchum, and Clark Gable but relatively recent stars like Keira Knightley, Winona Ryder, Timothy Chalamet, and Emma Stone. It’s a show that jumps from acoustic-based singer/songwriters to classic rockers to some outrageous punk rock. BTW, it should also be noted that the intro voice of the Ledge, Max, is now a high school student who has an opportunity to spend a few days in New York City with his school’s performing arts department. Please consider helping him out by donating at his Gofundme page. (https://www.gofundme.com/f/maxwell-to-nyc) I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every […]
The Ledge #489: This & That
After taking a week off (for various reasons that I discuss at the beginning of the show), The Ledge is back with another show of various odds and ends. There are sets influenced by some packages I received from Indonesian Junk and Lucinda Williams. There’s some memories of that great Replacements show in St. Paul six years ago with a few tunes from a show recorded earlier on that tour. There’s an oddly great tribute album to Elvis Costello that couples Latin singers with the original backing tracks of the legendary This Year’s Model album. And there’s also quite a few songs initially meant to be in the last new release show, but had to be cut for time constraints. Plus quite a few other great tunes in a variety of formats. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes […]
The Ledge #488: New Releases
This is the type of new release show that should appeal to all veteran Ledge listeners. New music by Lydia Loveless! A Stones cover by Brad Marino. A set of nothing but great power pop from Big Stir Records. Always great tunes from Rum Bar Records. Wil…
The Ledge #487: Charlie Watts RIP
The death of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts earlier this week created an obvious opportunity for The Ledge to celebrate his almost 60 years of playing behind fellow Stones members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. But, of course, I didn’t go the obvious route. You don’t get two hours of the band’s greatest hits. You don’t even get the most well known covers of the band. No, instead this tribute consists primarily of bands that fit the true spirit of the “Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World”. The tracks consist of a ton of live encores of Americana artists, garage rock versions recorded for various tribute albums, and a handful of B-sides and other bonus material. Oh yes, and a drunken cover or three found on Replacements’ bootlegs. Rest in peace, Charlie. You will be missed. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let […]
The Ledge #486: Odds and Ends
The “odds and ends” format seems to have worked the last few times I’ve done it, so why not do another show of this type? For those new to The Ledge, the show consists of material I’ve been listening to in my home over the last few days. Some selections are faves from a few years ago that I haen’t pulled out in a while (Sarah Shook, Lydia Loveless). Others are recent purchases that don’t quite fit the new release shows (live Bob Mould, Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows). Add to that my recent fascination over everything involving Ncio, thanks to the new book, You Are Beautiful and You Are Alone by Jennifer Otter Bickerdike, and you get a handful of tracks featuring her beautiful, haunted vocals. Of course, news of a new box set including previously unreleased tracks by The Replacements takes priority over everything. This October, a 40th anniversary reissue of their first album, Sorry Ma Forgot to Take Out the Trash will hit the stores, and features 100 tracks, 67 of them previously unreleased. Expect to hear a lot from this in the next few months! I would love it if every listener bought at least one […]
The Ledge #485: New Releases (Pt. 2)
Part two of this month’s new release series carries on from the excellence of last week’s first show. There are great tribute records to John Prine and The Ramones, along with some other fabulous covers of the Flamin’ Groovies, T. Rex…
The Ledge #484: New Releases (Pt. 1)
This is another of thsoe months where the new release episode is so easy to compile that it just has to be split into two seperate shows. So tonight is part one, and what is especially gratifying is that so much of the broadcast consists of “friends” of the show. Yes, there’s the usual contributions from our friends at Rum Bar Records, Red On Red Records, and Big Stir Records. But there’s also newer friends such as Old Town Crier and Dan Israel, who emailed new tunes to check out. And then there’s The Ex-Bombers, the fabulous “psychedelic jazz noir blues explosion” due that I recently discovered on Instagram. After an exchange of DM’s, they actually sent me a vinyl version of their fabulous new “New Love Is Easy” album. Besides those picks, there’s brand new tunes by longtime Ledge favorites Son Volt, CTMF, Ty Segall, Wavves, and so many otheres. There are new discoveries such as The Pokes, Cosmic Psychos, and The Bug Club. Plus, there are a handful of tracks from Rum Bar’s brand new “XOXOXO Volume One ‘the nice price’” compilation. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either […]
The Ledge #483: Archives, Covers, and Other Stuff
Although I have a montly new release episode, I don’t really have a place for new reissues, compilations, live albums, and other odd releases such as that. Once in a while, I do throw a reissued track or two in the new release show, but for the most part it’s hard to find a spot for them in my usual themed shows. So tonight those types of releases get their own theme. I can’t say it’s all archival material, though, as there are new recordings by the likes of Los Lobos, The Descendents, and The Beat-Hells. But for the most part, tonight’s show comes from the type of releases I mentioned before. There’s archival collections of bands such as The Outsiders, R. Stevie Moore, and David Bowie. There are rare tracks from reissues of classics by George Harrison, Mudhoney, The White Stripes, and many others. And there’s quite a few great cover tunes. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful […]
RNRM561: El Flyin’
El Flyin’ joined me in the studio tonight for a very special episode of the Manifesto.
The Ledge #482: Record Store Day
The joke may be that every day is record store day for this goofball, but it is a fact that I do love almost everything about the actual Record Store Day event. Or events, as the last couple of years the event has been split up into multiple days.
This…
The Ledge #481: 1981 US Punk
The latest in the series of episodes devoted to the music of 1981 consists of nothing but US punk from that great year. Primarily centered around the rise of the Southern California hardcore scene, the show jumps around to all parts of our country, and…
GRPM13: Preacher Boy
13 is my favorite number. This show was dedicated 100% to one of my favorite singers/songwriters/guitarists of all time, Preacher Boy.
The Ledge #480: What Would Paul Westerberg Do? (New Releases)
It’s a question I ask myself multiple times a day. What would Mr. Westerberg do? The answers guide my day to day life, which explains quite a bit about the status of Mr. Hudson these days. But Geoff Palmer understands, and his great track that gives thsi episode its title is just one of the many incredible songs on his upcoming record, Charts and Graphs. (BTW, somebody please count the Westy song references on this track. I just may have a prize for the person who comes closest.) As always, this isn’t the only great record coming out soon on Rum Bar Records, and the last 20 minutes consist of nothing but great tracks from that label. There are also sets devoted to wonderful new music from Red On Red Records and Big Stir Records. These are all great records that really would appreciate some support from Ledge listeners. Go check them out. And that’s not all. I mentioned last month the mystery of a band called The Revenants. They have released over 30 records so far this year, and they’re all free! Please, if somebody out there has any info on this prolific act give me the deets! There’s also the return of the […]
GRPM12
This show is what Guerrilla RPM is about so I thought it would be a good one to post. All over the fucking place. Want this show as a podcast every week? Support the Manifesto on Patreon or via Paypal.
The Ledge #479: Second Quarter Report
There’s not a lot to say about this show, as the title pretty much describes the contents of this broadcast. It’s the final show of June, which means the second quarter of the year has now concluded. Hence, tonight’s show features the…
RNRM556
Record store finds, In Covid We Trust Swiss punk and garage comp tracks, new stuff from the Scoffs, the Dinz, RMBLR, Killer Hearts, Cutthroat Brothers, Zuletzt, Illegal Leather and more.
The Ledge #478: Covers
The decision to do an all-covers show was decided sometime on Wednesday when my good friends High On Stress announced that they would be releasing a Tommy Keene cover on Friday. This was shortly followed by emails containing new cover tracks by Kid Gulliver and The Dirty Denims. Always having a folder full of such tracks ready for air, it was an easy decision that this was the week to do such a show. I also had an intriguing idea to put a new spin on such a show. Searching through my archives, I discovered that I had enough Replacements covers to recreate side one of the “Pleased To Meet Me” album. Although my broadcast program decided to suddenly play two tracks out of order, all of the songs from that group of tracks did make the air. There are also country-tinged coves of old alt-rock tracks by a fabulous British band called Independent Country (including a great ‘mats remake), Richard Thompson and Dead Moon tributes by Country Westerns, Brad Marino doing a lovely Ramones’ track, and many, many other similarly fantastic tunes. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of […]
RNRM555
Tune in for new stuff from Chubby and the Gang, Killer Hearts, Bridge City Sinners, the Gung Ho Rats, the Judex, Mel Machete and Real Sickies plus much more!
The Ledge #477: Summer Means Fun (Plus Recovered Bonus Show)
On last week’s new release broadcast I had attempted to right a wrong. I definitely missed the boat on the fabulous Minneapolis band Low Rats blend of “proto-punk meets ’90s garage rock style”, as reviewer Carolyn Keddy recently wrote. Their full-length debut, Year of the Rat MMXX came out late last year, and last week they debuted a brand new “double-dose” single, “Taxi Driver/Brand New Cadillac”. I was so pleased to finally give some of their tunes a little airplay. And then guess what happened? I had an issue with the file, and I couldn’t upload the episode. Ugh!!! So this week I tried again, and I actually played a couple more songs than I did the week before. And, as an added bonus, I’ve also included a couple of tracks from vocalist Michael Myers’ previous band, Narco States, who I interviewed wasy back in 2015. The rest of this week’s show consists of music I’ve been playing around the house the last fw weeks. There are well over 60 years of tunes on this broadcast, including some stories I’ve picked up from a couple of books I’ve recently acquired. And you fine people also get as a bonus the […]
The Ledge #476: Happy Birthday Bobby D!
Putting together a Dylan tribute show for this week was clearly a no-brainer. After all, he turned 80 years old this past Monday! Of course The Ledge would celebrate! It actually wasn’t until the day of his birthday that I decided on this theme, though, and I have to give special thanks to Lydia Loveless. To help raise money for NIVA (National Independent Venue Association), Lydia and a dozen other artists were a part of Happy Birthday Uncle Bob! A Dylan Tribute. That release is just one of many recent releases that are the focus of the first half of the show. Daniel Romano, Billy Childish (as The William Loveday Intention), Lucinda Williams, and others have full-length albums of Dylan remakes, and the second half of the show consists of some old favorites such as Paul Westerberg, Jason & The Scorchers, Mike Ness, and many others. After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these […]
RNRM522
New stuff from Comino, Pogy et les Kefars, Irmans, KGB’s, Atomic Eater, Mononegatives, X-Intruder, the Owen Guns, Idolizers and more.
The Ledge #475: New Releases (Pt. 2)
This week’s show may be a sequel to last week’s new release episode, but there’s no letdown in quality. Here are two hours of some of the best new music from all over the world – not only the U.S. but Canada, England, Sweden, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Spain. There’s some pure punk, along with power pop, heavy rock, indie rock, and much more. There are longtime veterans with five decades of rocking, along with some brand new bands with their first releases. One of the many highlights is the opening set that includes a handful of newly-discovered tracks by an obscure band called The Jacks. Originating in Oklahoma, one member of the band found himself living in Minneapolis. Working in a record store allowed him to befriend members of The Replacements, Husker Du, and The Suicide Commandos. Recordings featuring these amazing musicians have now been released on the album “Make ‘Em Cry”. We also have the premiere of three tracks from Geoff Palmer’s upcoming album, “Charts & Graphs”. Due out on July 23, this fantastic collection of power poppish punk should be a highlight of the summer. There’s also new tunes by Dropkick Murphys, The Dictators, Juliana Hatfield, […]
The Ledge #474: New Releases (Pt. 1)
I’m back! Yes, I had to take last week off due to some behind the scenes server issues that are too complicated to go into here. That means that this month’s new release episode is NOT the first Friday of the month…which is a fact tha…
RNRM549
New stuff from Suzi Moon, Cutthroat Brothers and Mike Watt, RMBLR, Crystallized Minds, the Nuclears, Prostitutes, Enchanters and much, much more.
The Ledge #473: This and That
A few weeks ago, I experimented with a show that didn’t really have a theme. It consisted of nothing but songs and/or albums I had been listening to around the house. Apparently plenty of listeners enjoyed this show, as I received a number of encouraging messages, so I guess it’s now sort of a “non-theme” that I’m going to try to do at least once a month. So that’s what you’re experiencing on this week’s show. These are all records I’ve been playing around the house the last couple of weeks. Included are excerpts from two giant box sets of important works by John Lennon and The Who that came out just last week. There’s an attempt to prove a theory that Gang of Four influenced Credit In Heaven, the third album of the Suburbs. There’s a few records I pulled out of the archives for the first time in years, along with some great new finds at the used store. And there’s also a set of two great new releases that came out today! Brad Marino’s latest, Looking For Trouble, is every bit as great as expected, and fellow Rum Bar Records artist The Nuclears put out a smoking […]
The Ledge #472: Songs About Records
There are times where a potential theme for a show pops up out of nowhere. This week’s episode of The Ledge is a perfect example. This past Wednesday afternoon I was on my way to a local record store, accompanied by a great power pop playlist on Spotify. Suddenly, a song came on that I hadn’t heard in many years. The tune was “I Need That Record” by Tweeds, a great under-appreciated 70’s power pop band Besides the fact that this title was exactly why I was in my car at the time, it lit up a little light bulb in my head about a show devoted to songs about my favorite objects, records. It didn’t take long to put together the playlist. Wilco’s “Boxful of Letters” was an obvious pick. As were tunes by Todd Snider, Supersuckers, Nick Lowe, and Elvis Costello. iTunes searches came up with a vast majority of the rest of the tracks. But it was the discovery of an old Wreckless Eric track that secured the idea of this show. “33s + 45s” deals with the aftermath of a breakup, and the inevitable splitting of the music library. These lines hit me hard: “My dismantled […]
RNRM547
New stuff from Pat Todd, Neighborhood Brats, Total Massacre, the Judex, Sister Suzie and School Damage, plus tons of other great stuff.
The Ledge #471: 1981 US Punk Faves
1981 was a very special year for your favorite podcast host. I graduated from high school, and immediately started at the local radio station when I entered college. While the 2 – 6 am shift may seem like a nightmare to most people, it was the perfect opportunity for me to investigate the floor to ceiling record racks in the cramped studio. This week’s show represents the US-originated records from that era that mean the most to me today. Most of them I discovered during these late night shifts, but a few of them I must admit they weren’t faves until years later. Of course, I have to highlight the first releases from my two favorite Minneapolis bands of all time, and longtime faves the Ramones put out their sixth album that year. There’s also a couple of new indie labels, IRS and SST, that would greatly influence me throughout the rest of the decade. After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly […]
RNRM546
New stuff from Missile Studs, Chubby & the Gang, the Judex, the Prostitutes, the Limit and the Suck, plus more Manifesto Award nominations!
The Ledge #470: Playing Catch Up
It’s always rewarding when a confluence of ideas results in a show that has a perfect flow. That’s what happened this week. This show began with a slight nudging from a couple of acts that had submitted tracks earlier this year that had just not yet found a place in a show. Add to that a couple of great records featuring Dirty Truckers drummer John Lynch that he sent when we were putting together the Rum Bar Records episode. Then a section of super sweet, relatively new records were discovered at a local record store. I’m talking about mint 2020 releases that I had missed out on when they were first put out. Adding to that secton of the show are a few other 2019 and 2020 albums that I was late in discovering, along with a couple of fabulous archive releases and suddenly I have two hours of great music for tonight! After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the […]
GRPM1
The inaugural episode of Guerrilla RPM! I want to thank everyone who tuned in live tonight and fed me requests to build off of. That’s what is going to make this show so fun, the interaction with the listeners in … Continue reading →
The Ledge #468: First Quarter Report
Since we are just a few days away from April, it makes sense that the last episode of the month is a look back at the first quarter of 2021. What albums, EP’s and singles have caught my attention? Has it been a great year?
The answer is the same …
RNRM543
New stuff from Infamous Stiffs, the Suck, HITS, Pat Todd & the Rankoutsiders, Headcheese and more.
The Ledge #467: Rum Bar Records
Loyalty is an important word in my life. I try to be as loyal as possible to not only friends and family, but also the bands that I love. I’m even loyal to certain record labels. In the 80’s it was Twin/Tone and SST. Merge and a few others fit that category in the 90’s, and I’ve got a handful of current labels these days whose artists I will always check out. One of those is Rum Bar Records. No label has been more loyal to what I do with The Ledge than Rum Bar Records. Head honcho “Malibu” Lou Mansdorf has not only kept me in the loop with his constantly growing stable of releases, but he also routinely tosses a care package of physical releases to my mailbox. It’s because of people like Lou that this show has continued to prosper for over a decade. But it also turns out that loyalty is an important word to Mansdorf, as proven by the testimonials from his artists that pop up throughout this marathon all-Rum Bar broadcast. Most have been his friends for decades, but even recent signing have nothing but glowing words for him. Tonight’s show features tracks from the entire […]
The Ledge #466: Home Plays
I have to admit that I get too hung up on themes. Obviously, the new release episode is always going to be a part of the lineup, but I really don’t have to create a basis for my weekly music choices. I actually wish that I could think in terms of just randomly airing songs that fir my mood for the day. This week I actually attempt such a show, but there’s still sort of a theme. These are all records that I’ve been listening to in my spare time. One is a newly-unearthed Rolling Stones bootleg. There’s tracks from a great compilation of late 60’s rockers from The Dakotas. There’s a new Neil Young live album from his vast archives. But the freedom of this loose theme is that I did throw in some songs that I have never aired before. That Soiuxsie and the Banshees album that I happened to grab at the record store a few weeks ago? Sure, why not. The Lloyd Cole track from the box set I ordered directly from Lloyd? Yep. A great 2018 album by The Conquerors that my friend Dan recommended? Of course. And I just had to air a couple […]
RNRM541
New stuff from Poison Boys, BBQT, the SUCK, Dead Meat, Lawmaker, Creem Circus, Foxycontin and lots more.
The Ledge #465: New Releases
It’s the first Friday of the month, so you know what this means. Yes, once again I have over two hours of the best new indie, garage, power pop, punk, and Americana releases. Plenty of veteran acts, and even more brand new artists. If you care ab…
RNRM540
Lots of new stuff from the Limit, Headcheese, Incisions, New Rocket Union, Bonecrusher, the Welch Boys and more.
The Ledge #464: Ramones’ Album Tributes
After last week’s show featuring songs about The Ramones, it was pretty much a no-brainer to pair it with a show based around covers of the same band. But I’ve done that theme before, so how can I put a new spin on it. Well, the answer came with today’s release of K7s’ remake of the entire Mondo Bizarro album, along with last year’s Subterranean Jungle rerecording by Brad Marino. How about a whole show of album-length covers? If you think about it, that is the ultimate show of respect for a band and/or a record. Anybody can do an individual cover, but to remake an entire album is a huge demand for an artist. Even the best albums have a song or two that’s not up to the standard of the rest of the record, so giving those songs the same attention as the feature tracks is a major accomplishment. So with that all in mind, with the exception of covers by Tommy and the Rockets that bookend the show, this entire episode is “Side A” of these types of releases. Along with the already mentioned new records, the second half of the show dates back from a series […]
RNRM539: Sonny Vincent
From Distance to Testors to the Limit, I dive deep into Sonny Vincent’s catalog. If you weren’t a fan before, you will be after listening to this, guaranteed.
RNRM538
I had to reinstall Windows on my machine and was testing out my broadcasting setup. Enjoy the extra show!
The Ledge #463: Songs About The Ramones
As I state at the beginning of the show, the initial idea for this theme came from the plethora of recent songs that mention The Ramones in the title, both individually and as a group. Add to that a few faves from the past, along with some great sugges…
RNRM536: NOT Valentine’s Day
This was a marathon makeup show with new stuff from Indonesian Junk, BBQT, the Wheelz and Total Massacre.
The Ledge #462: New Releases (Pt. 2)
Last week’s new release show was all about submitted tracks. This week’s part two of the series compiles all of the other new records that have recently been released (or will be soon). The show is marked by the return of quite a few vetera…
The Ledge #461: New Releases (Pt. 1)
Few things make a music critic/internet DJ happier than a package of new music, and I’m blessed to have the support of so many bands and labels. Whenever I receive an email that includes a link to a single or album, or find a packet in my mailbox, I immediately put it in the front of my pile of music to check out. As I was putting together this month’s new release episode, I suddenly noticed just how many great records I’ve received in the past few weeks. So why not do an entire show bassed on artist/label submissions? That’s what we have here this week. Some are from individual artists (Dan Israel, Jeremy Porter, Indonesian Junk, New Rocket Union, etc.) that want me to check out their new tunes. Others are because I’ve found myself on a label’s mailing list. I definitely need to thank Big Stir Records, Red on Red Records, and Rum Bar Records, who really knocked it out of the park with not one but two free samplers of current and upcoming new releases! After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every […]
RNRM535
New stuff from the Limit (featuring Sonny Vincent and Bobby Liebling of Pentagram), Poison Boys and Slaughter Boys, plus a special radio session from the Judex! Went extra long tonight as well.
The Ledge #460: Covers
As I stated on tonight’s all-covers episode, I have a folder on my hard drive where I toss in any cool remakes that I accumulate. When that folder is filled then it’s time to do another show of that type.
Well, the folder is full, and was a…
The Ledge #459: UK Punk 1981
Since it’s a new year I have a whole list of new “anniversaries” to celebrate this year. You can expect many upcoming episodes devoted to years such as 1986, 1991…and, obviously, 1981. Tonight’s broadcast is the first of a…
The Ledge #458: The Ledge Awards
A few weeks ago, I put together a countdown show of my 40 favorite albums of 2020. Now for this annual Ledge Awards I go through various other categories for the past year – Best Reissue, Best Live Album, Best Compilaton, Best Covers Album, Best …
