paulisded@yahoo.com (theledge)
The Ledge #686: Dave Scarbrough Tribute Plus New Releases (Pt. 1)
I had just finalized the tracks for the first part of the October new release series when I received some tragic news. South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame member (and good pal) Dave Scarbrough had passed away. Obviously, that changed tonight’s broadcast as I needed to share some of the great music Dave produced over the past 40 years or so. Dave’s music story began when he first heard punk rock on KAUR in the late 70s, was expanded by the cool records found at Soux Falls record stores Iron Creek and Ernie November, and culminated in fabulous bands such as Ill Bill and the Spinal Chills, State Birds, The Habitual Groove Of It, and The Harvesters. He also engineered and/or produced a number of local projects, and put out quite a few solo records, including 2022’s Happy Ever After. You will be missed, Dave. We move from there to a show devoted heavily with friends of the show. Vista Blue and Rob Moss & Skin-Tight Skin/Eytan Mirsky’s double-sided singles are aired, along with new tracks by The Pozers, Ricky Rochelle, wht.rbbt.obj, and Numb Surprise. Tav Falco returns with a record that looks back at his storied career, […]
The Ledge #685: Third Quarter Recap
The last Friday of September means that this is also the last episode of The Ledge during the third quarter of this year so it’s time for a little look back over the past three months. And once again, it’s a wonderful time to be into the s…
The Ledge #684: Covers
Ok, the “covers” folder is full so it’s again time for a show of nothing but remakes! What’s surprising is that it usually takes five or six months to be ready for each of this type, but it was only two months ago that I utilized this theme. But then again, there’s been a plethora of tribute albums in the last few weeks, mot notably the fabulous Make Something Happen: A Tribute To The Flashcubes on Big Stir Records. I aired a set off this release in my new release episode earlier this month, but it definitely deserved another outting in this episode. But that’s not all from our pals at Big Stir Records. On October 10th, they will have the perfect Halloween album with Chilling, Thrilling Hooks and Haunted Harmonies: The Big Stir Records Halloween Grimoire. Featuring almost all of the label’s great acts, they’ve released a prerelease single off the record, a cover of “Eyeball Eater (From Outer Space) by sparkle*jets u.k. What’s especailly cool is that the digital version of the single includes a previously unreleased 1958 version by The Legends, a band featuring Richard West, fathre of sparkle*jets u.k.’s Susan West. Elsewhere, there are fab covers […]
The Ledge #682: New Releases Pt. 1
Another month, another two episodes devoted to new music! This week’s part one is centered around two great tribute albums released by two great labels. Our friends at Big Stir Records are set to release a fabulous tribute to power pop hall of f…
The Ledge #680: Inside The Hudson Compound
If you happen to follow me on social media (and why wouldn’t you?) you have probably noticed that every week I post a collage of some of the albums I’ve listened to over the course of the week that I note as from “the Hudson Compound”. Well, tonight’s show is an audio version of one of those collages. Every track I played tonight comes from a record that has either been on my turntable, in my earbuds during walks, or blasting in my car as I run errands. These 32 songs represent almost 60 years of great rock and roll, but there are a couple of somewhat new tunes. First off, earlier this week Rhino Records announced an upcoming box set version of my third favorite album of all time, Let It Be. The 3 CD/4 LP box, which comes out on October 24, includes an entire disc of rarities and outtakes and a full show from The Cubby Bear in Chicago. This announcement was accompanied by one of the outtakes – an alternate version of “Androgynous” that kicks off the show. The other new tunes (at least to me) comes right after that track. A few weeks ago our […]
The Ledge #677: New Releases Pt. 1
It’s a new month so obviously it’s time for another two part new release series. Like usual, tonight’s part one is full of “friends of the show” that includes artists on Big Stir Records, along with tracks submitted by th…
The Ledge #674: New Releases Pt. 1
It may be our nation’s birthday, but that’s not stopping The Ledge from their usual routine of every first Friday of the month. Yes, once again we have a two part new release series, and this week’s first episode is primarily “friends of the show”. Artists that regularly send us tracks (Numb Surprise), along with labels that alway keep us in the loop (Big Stir Records), along with a ton of artists who so nicely provided us with singles or full-length releases. But we also had to break our usual format with this news from the Numero Group – “The rumors are true. On January 30, 1985, Hüsker Dü recorded a peak high performance to 24 track tape at Minneapolis’s First Avenue club in front of their hometown massive. This performance was supposed to come out as a live album later that year, but the band’s rapid upward trajectory caused priorities to shift. The tapes were shelved – thought to be possibly lost in the same 2011 house fire that consumed a precious portion of the Hüsker Dü archive. Nearly 40 years later, these tapes have been rescued from the abyss, and we’ve tasked the team at Steve Albini’s Electrical […]
The Ledge #672: RIP Brian Wilson
Full disclosure here, and it’s sort of controversial. I’ve never been a Beach Boys fan. It’s just never really worked for me. As a kid, it just seemed to be a parent’s version of what rock and roll is supposed to be. The fact they had a song called “Be True To Your School” was enough evidence for me to not buy that Endless Summer collection that came out around the same time as I was discovering The Ramones and Sex Pistols. That’s not to say that I don’t have respect for the band, especially Brian Wilson, who passed away on June 11. The fact that so many of my favorite bands revered Wilson (including the Ramones) gave me some new insight. In fact, I always have said that I love the bands influenced by The Beach Boys more than the actual band. Plus, I have developed an appreciation for Pet Sunds, although I’m still not prepared to call it the greatest album ever. But I pulled it out after hearing the news of Brian’s death, and I also played the version of Smile that came out in 2011. That may be my favorite album by them, but is it […]
The Ledge #670: New Releases Pt. 1
The first half of the monthly new release series is always dominated by “friends of the show”, and this month it’s no different. Tonight’s episode features are good friends Numb Surprise, the latest Rob Moss split 7″ cove…
The Ledge #669: Namedropping
Tonight’s show features the debut of a new theme. It’s a format that I’ve long considered trying out, and this week seemed like the perfect opportunity. Quite often, new albums that I’ve come across have included songs with a f…
The Ledge #668: Covers
At first glance, the latest installment of the cover song series is no different than any previous episode. Behind the scenes, though, serendipity is at play here. Like usual, I had quitely filled my “covers” folder over the last few months. A few weeks ago, I had accumulated enough tracks to schedule the show. I could have done it at the end of April, or last week. Next week even. Or I could have held it over until June. But no, I was determed in do on May 23. Then on my usual record store run last Friday I found a number of great Minneapolis garage rock records from the 50s and 60s. Most were compilatons, but I also found a Sundazed Music reissue of The Gestures’ self-titled album from 1966. Hailing from Mankato, MN, they had a hit in 1964 with “Run, Run, Run”, their debut single. I picked up this reissue, and loved it! Fast forward to yesterday as I was looking at the various new releases for the week. I was excited to see that Beebe Gallini had a new record out called Begged, Borrowed and Stealed! Even better was the fact that not only is this a […]
The Ledge #667: Mofo
This episode started off with a simple search for a Mother’s Day song. I just wanted to check out what songs I had about moms. But I noticed something quite off. I also had quite a few songs whose title included a much longer word that included …
The Ledge #665: New Releases Pt. 1
Once again, The Ledge new release series travels the globe for the latest in quality rock and roll. From Rapid City, SD (Friends of Cesar Romero) to Sydney, Australia (Game Set Match), with various stops all over the US and Europe. There’s solo …
The Ledge #664: Record Store Day
The Ledge is back! Yes, I did announce that it was unlikely that I’d have a show this week due to my recent medical procedure. But I seem to be recuperating nicely, so why not put together a show? I do chat about my experiences at the top of the program, and I do want to thank everyone that reached out to say they were thinking of me. It’s so much appreciated. As for this week’s broadcast, it’s all about Record Store Day. Yes, I know there are a lot of people that are not fans of this event. It didn’t help that this year included a couple of mainstream titles that should have had better availability (in other words, a much higher pressing). Yes, I understand that most people don’t care about rarities such as outtakes and live recordings. I get it. If that’s your belief then stay away! But I love everything about it. It’s the one day that this curmudgeon hangs with the crowd before the doors open. I enjoy chatting with folks about what they’re hoping to find, or what they’ve bought in the past. And yes, I do love live albums. I do love rare […]
The Ledge #662: New Releases Pt. 1
It’s time for another rundown of brand new tunes, and once again this month it’s a two part series. This week features, as always, a number of “friends” of the show – Tom Whillock, Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin, The Amplif…
The Ledge #660: The Real Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (Pt. 3)
For the third, and final, episode where The Ledge attempts to fix the godawful errors of The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame we handle the overlooked bands of the 90’s. Along with the usual punk and indie rock bands of that time, there’s also a couple of sets devoted to the Americana sub-genre that rose in popularity during that time. Again, just think of how much fun a ceremony would be that included the likes of the Supersuckers, Steve Earle, Rocket From the Crypt, Fugazi, Superchunk, and so many other greats. Maybe an Uncle Tupelo reunion could be negotiated after an all star jam under the Golden Smog name. Billy Childish could possibly jam with Reverend Horton Heat and Archers of Loaf! Oh that would be a show I wouldn’t miss! I also start the show with a lengthy discussion about my friend Monica Kindt, who tragically passed away earlier this week. She was my manager at two different record stores over the years, and was a person who endured many of my childish rants over the years. My thoughts go to her family and all of us friends who miss her so much. She would have loved my […]
The Ledge #658: New Releases Pt. 1
It’s that time of the months once again – new release night! And once again, it’s a two part extravaganza! This week features the usual Ledge mix of power pop, punk, garage, and a little trace of Americana!
For more info, includin…
The Ledge #657: The Real Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (Pt. 2)
Last week I debuted a new series where The Ledge rights the wrongs of that inept board that handles the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. The previous episode presented artists from the 50s, 60s, and 70s that deserves to be inducted. This week we handle the…
The Ledge #656: The Real Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame
A few days ago, the 2025 nominees for The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame were announced. Like usual, there was very little actual rock and roll reflected in their choices. Whatever. Honestly, I’ve stopped caring about that nonsense many, many years …
The Ledge #654: New Releases Pt. 1
We are back to our usual double dose of monthly new release episodes, with tonight being part one of this month’s series. Like usual, it’s a wide mix of garage, punk, indie, power pop and Americana, highlighted by a great number of artists…
The Ledge #653: More Songs From The Hudson Compound
Just like my cover show series, I have another folder where I throw in some tracks that I’ve listened to over the course of my day to day life. They’re primrily the vinyl I’ve either recently acquired or have pulled out of the archiv…
The Ledge #651: Slim & Beej
We lost two Minneapolis icons in the last month, and this week’s episode is a tribute to both.
After suffering a sever stroke in 2012, Slim held on for well over a decade before passing away on December 18, 2024. Besides a couple of great tri…
The Ledge #650: Runners Up
Two weeks ago, I unveiled my list of the 40 best albums of 2024. To get to that number, though, I considered over 100 different records that came out over those 12 months. Tonight’s episode is devoted to those records that almost made the list.
…
The Ledge #648: Hudson’s Best of 2024
It’s that time of year once again. I’ve spent weeks going through all of the new releases of the past 12 months, and tonight I unveil what I have decided are the 40 best albums of 2024. What a great year! Just like the last few years, my i…
The Ledge #647: Annual Rock & Roll Christmas Party
It has become an annual tradition for The Ledge to put together at least two hours of (mainly) brand new holiday music that does NOT suck. That’s the key word here. While most commercial Christmas music is banal, saccharine nonsense designed to …
The Ledge #645: New Releases Pt. 1
It’s a testament to the quality of 2024 new music that even in December The Ledge’s monthly new release series is again a two-part extravaganza. Tonight’s part one features the usual new tunes by “friends” of the show, al…
The Ledge #644: Holiday Odds & Ends
Given that it’s Thanksgiving weekend, I thought it was high time to have a show consisiting of nothing but tracks from albums that I’ve been playing around the house. Yeah, not exactly a novel idea, but it’s a great soundtrack for a …
The Ledge #642: Reissues and Vault Releases
Fall is the time for the record industry to unleash a torrent of reissues, box sets, live albums, and all kinds of other sorts of vault releases. Yes, it’s admittedly a bit of a chase for easy cash, but as a collector I love it. Give me that compilation of pre-Velvet Underground songs Lou Reed wrote as a songwriter for Pickwick Records. Give me those box sets versons of my favorite records featuring demos and live tracks. Give me straight ahead compilatons and live albums. Give me all of this stuff! If you are anything like me, you’ll love this overview of those sorts of releases. And yes, there is one track here that doesn’t really fit the format…yet it sort of does. I recently picked up Never Understood: The Jesus and Mary Chain, the memoirs of J&MC brothers Jim and William Reid, and I was intrigued to find out that a few years after the band broke up they both helped out their sister, Linda, in a musical project called Sister Vanilla. Yes, you can certainly tell that she learned a lot from her big brothers. This needs to also be reissued! For more info, including setlists, head to […]
The Ledge #640: New Releases (Pt. 1)
Once again, the monthly new release episode is expanded to a two part extravaganza! This week’s show is split between “friends of the show” and long time veterans of the business. The “friends” sections include hometown h…
The Ledge #639: Annual Halloween Spooktacular!
The annual Halloween show is yet another Ledge tradition. Every year I gather up whatever new scary tunes have been released, and fill up whatever time is left with tracks I call “new to me”. Thanks to a plethora of subissions this year, I…
The Ledge #638: The Hudson Basement Excavaton Project
If you follow me on the various social media platforms (paulisded) you’ve probably seen a variety of pictures with the tagline “The Hudson Basement Excavaton Project”. A little explanation is needed. Decades ago, my son needed a rack to store his records as he had followed in the old man’s footsteps and put together his own sizable library. As I did not at that point even own a turntable, my records were all boxed up and stored in the basement. A few years later, home renovatons meant that these boxes were joined by more boxes of CD’s, books, magazines, and other junk that needed to be moved out of the way of new carpet and paint. The original boxes of records were now buried. When I returned to vinyl a decade ago, I had a feeling that somewhere there just had to be a bunch of albums. I mean, come on. I would never sell or give away Replacements records, right? This feeling carried on whenever I saw a good stash of used records at local stores, or when a classic album was reissued. There just has to be records somehwere/anywhere! I would take tentative searches while doing laundry from […]
The Ledge #636: Third Quarter Report
The end of September also means it’s the end of the third quarter of the year, so tonight’s show celebrates the great music that has come out these last three months. There’s a little something for everyone tonight, from the melodic …
The Ledge #635: New Releases Pt. 2
Part two of this month’s new release series is highlighted by long-awaited returns by legendary veteran bands. The Dictators celebrate their 50th anniversary with their first album in 25 years. The Fastbacks are back after a 23 year hiatus. Peter Noone of 60’s pop idiols Herman’s Hermits is back with vocal contributions to a Buffalo Springfield-Rolling Stones hybrid cover created by The Weeklings. Other veteran artists with new tunes include Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Jon Spencer. There’s also a plethora of brand new tunes from our friends at Rum Bar Records, including the kickoff of a new monthly singles campaign by The Dogmatics. There’s hot new singles from Rum Bar regulars The Laissez Fairs, Cheap Cassettes, along with Junior Varsit, Joe Jennings MVP’s, and a Dogmatics side project called Hotbox. Besides all of those hot acts, there’s a ton of female voices heard on this episode. Cherrie Currie collaborates with the Dead Boys on a “believe it or not” cover of Taylor Swift. Lura Jane Grace is back with a wondefully angry new EP. There’s also new music by The Bell Rays, The Dahlmanns, Vicious Dreams, and many others! For more info, […]
The Ledge #634: New Releases Pt. 1
As we have all year long, this month’s new release eisode is once again a two part series. This week’s first part features a ton of “friends of the show”. There’s the monthly tracks by White Rose Motor Oil, Rob Moss and S…
The Ledge #633: 1984
1984 was a magical year for your favorite podcast host. It was my senior year of college, and I had worked my way up the ranks to be the music director of KAUR. This was the perfect gig for me, along with the record store job I had in my spare time. Of course, gigs like this would mean little if the music business was in a bad way. But it wasn’t. It was one of the greatest years ever for the sort of material I loved. College rock was more popular than ever. British pop had moved away from the “New Romantics” garbage, and guitars were once again popular. Australia was again pumping out energetic rock and roll. And here in America, there was a grass roots movement that saw the beginnings of what would eventually become Americana, along with two labels, SST and Twin/Tone, that were regularly releasing classic records. It’s a holiday weekend, so why not celebrate the material that changed my life 40 years ago? These are all records I loved then, and still love today! Also, please head to YouTube and subscribe to our channel – Public Domain Classics 888. We have over 500 classic films […]
The Ledge #632: More From The Hudson Compound
Last week’s look at my personal home plays was so much that I carried it on this week. Once again, there were almost 60 years of rock and roll represented, from The Troggs and Small Faces to my favorite record of 2023, Scratch ‘N̵…
The Ledge #631: Inside The Hudson Compound
If you follow me on the ol’ Instagram, you may have noticed that every Saturday night I post a collage of my Last.FM stats that, for the most part, highlights the vinyl I’ve played in my home over the past week. So I figured why…
The Ledge #629: New Releases Pt. 1
We may be heading to the end of summer but it’s not the end of great music. Once again, the new release episode for this month has been expanded into a two part extravaganza. Tonight’s first part features a number of “friends of the show”, including monthly singles by White Rose Motor Oil and Rob Moss & Skin-Tight Skin. There Realpunkradio’s Greg Lonesome with his Intrusive Thoughts project, a teaser from Tamar Berk’s upcoming record, a couple of new tracks from Big Stir Records, and plenty of others that so graciously keep me on their mailing list! Of course, that’s not all. We have the return of X with reportedly their final album. There’s the first new Kaisers album in 246 months! Jack White is also represented with his surprise new release that I’m not afraid to say is his best music since the demise of The White Stripes. Plus so much more! Along with these releases are the usual mix of punk, garage, power pop, and much more! Also, please head to YouTube and subscribe to our channel – Public Domain Classics 888. We have close to 500 classic films from over 110 years of releases! For more info, including […]
The Ledge #628: Covers
It’s that time again. The “Covers” folder on my laptop is full, so it’s time to turn those into a Ledge episode. But it’s not just new releases this time around. Oh sure, we’ve got new remakes by The Half-Cubes (Phil Seymour), Wyldlife (Tom Petty), The Loons (Pretty Things), and so much more. There are also sets devoted to new tribute records devoted to Jagger/Richards and Guided By Voices, along with a pair of tracks from a new covers album by The Raveonettes. Most importantly, I have another new verson of ‘Teenage Kicks”! This time it’s by the triumphant return of Lone Justice! I was also inspired by some old finds. A nice find in the used bin at the record store resulted in the Troggs cover by Buzzcocks. Watching a documentary on Tubi regarding the fabulous 90s power pop band Material Issue (Out of Time: The Material Issue Story) found me searching out a couple of fantastic rare remakes. Doing a deep dive on the super lengthy discography of South Dakota’s own Friends of Cesar Romero led to a discover of a Cheap Trick tribute spinoff called Chief Trick. All of these, and more, are represented on tonight’s show! […]
The Ledge #627: New Releases, Pt. 2
The second episode of this month’s new release series focuses heavily on single releases. I’m talking the traditional sort of single, with an a-side and b-side. Not the modern streaming-era lone song that doesn’t even necessarily promote an upcoming album. Nope, this week we have quite a few two (or more) track singles, and the majority of them are available on traditional 7″ vinyl. There’s a split single feauring two tracks from The Drolls and Gentlemen Rogues. There’s an all-covers “supergroup” that sees members of the U.K. Subs and The Dead Boys covering a trio of 60’s classics. There’s fabulous punky garage-rock from The Legendary Swagger. You also get to hear the first new tunes in four years from Wyldlife. And you also get a trio of releases from a fantastic label called I-94 Recordings. Their series of releases features a brand new A-side, along wiht a cover of a Detroit artist on the flip. This is a perfect format for fans of The Sleeveens, Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders, and Norcos Y Horchata. Along with these releases are the usual mix of punk, garage, power pop, and much more! Also, please head to YouTube and subscribe to our channel – Public […]
The Ledge #626: Laurie Lindeen Tribute & New Releases (Pt. 1)
Earlier this week, fans of Minneapolis rock and roll were stunned by the news that former Zuzu’s Petals leader Laurie Lindeen had passed away on July 1 due to a brain aneurysm. Besdies that wonderful 90s band, Lindeen later published her memoirs…
The Ledge #626: Laurie Lindeen Tribute & New Releases (Pt. 1)
Earlier this week, fans of Minneapolis rock and roll were stunned by the news that former Zuzu’s Petals leader Laurie Lindeen had passed away on July 1 due to a brain aneurysm. Besdies that wonderful 90s band, Lindeen later published her memoirs…
The Ledge #625: Second Quarter Recap
Besides the monthly new release episodes, another regular feature of this show is the “quarterly recap”, where I play tracks from the best albums released over the last three months. This month features a wide variety of rock, punk, power pop, Americana, and a few other sub-genres. Everybody should be able to find a new favorite record in this expanded episode. Before we get to the highlights of the quarter, though, I’ve got a tribute to arguably the greatest rock and roller my state has ever produced. Myron Lee, the leader of Myron Lee & The Caddies, passed away just days before his 83rd birthday. Along with airing a handful of his late 50s/early 60s hits, I come clean about the simple fact that for the longest time I was completely unaware of his true rockin’ sound. In fact, it was due to an appearance on another Real Punk Radio broadcast that I finally understood that rockabilly and punk fanatics have been collecting his singles for decades! RIP Myron! Also, please head to YouTube and subscribe to our channel – Public Domain Classics 888. We have close to 300 classic films from over 110 years of releases! For more info, including […]
The Ledge #625: Second Quarter Recap
Besides the monthly new release episodes, another regular feature of this show is the “quarterly recap”, where I play tracks from the best albums released over the last three months. This month features a wide variety of rock, punk, power pop, Americana, and a few other sub-genres. Everybody should be able to find a new favorite record in this expanded episode. Before we get to the highlights of the quarter, though, I’ve got a tribute to arguably the greatest rock and roller my state has ever produced. Myron Lee, the leader of Myron Lee & The Caddies, passed away just days before his 83rd birthday. Along with airing a handful of his late 50s/early 60s hits, I come clean about the simple fact that for the longest time I was completely unaware of his true rockin’ sound. In fact, it was due to an appearance on another Real Punk Radio broadcast that I finally understood that rockabilly and punk fanatics have been collecting his singles for decades! RIP Myron! Also, please head to YouTube and subscribe to our channel – Public Domain Classics 888. We have close to 300 classic films from over 110 years of releases! For more info, including […]
The Ledge #622: New Releases, Pt. 1
I don’t think anybody is surprised that once again the monthly new release episode is a two parter. That’s the way this excellent year in music has gone, and will hopefully carry on all the way through December. This week’s episode kicks off with a “friends of the show” series of tracks. There’s the latest in White Rose Motor Oil’s “pre-owned songs” series, along with the monthly releases of new tracks by Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin and Rob’s side project Robotom, LTD. But there’s also the exciting news that fellow RealPunkRadio DJ Greg Lonesome, host of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Manifesto, has a new project called Intrusice Thoughts. As legendary blogger Lord Rutledge wrote on his Faster and Louder blog, “the band’s debut single ‘Daytime Drama’ is a ferocious shot of rockin’ old school punk with a very important message. Greg wrote the lyrics as a reflection of how he felt starting therapy…of course ‘Daytime Drama’ is a dark song, but it ends with a glimmer of hope.” Along with these great tunes from our pals, there’s a set devoted to the fantastic Jem Records Celebrates Jagger & Richards, along with new music by Buffalo Tom, Memo PST, Ultrabomb, Micah Schnabel, […]
The Ledge #621: Another Tuneless Racket, Vol. 1
Anyone who has listened to recent episode of The Ledge has heard me wax (somewhat) poetically about Steven H. Gardner’s four-part series of Another Tuneless Racket – Punk and New Wave In The Seventies books. They are quite possib…
The Ledge #620: RIP Steve Albini
The May 7 death of musician/engineer/producer/ranconteur Steve Albini shocked music fans all over the world. What may have surprised fans even more is the discovery of just how much classic records he helped create in his four decade run. Besides famo…
The Ledge #618: New Releases (Pt. 1)
As we have done all throughout 2024, this month’s new release show is once again a two-part extravaganza. This thrills me, as that obviously means it’s a super great year so far, and I hope this is the case each and every month.
This ep…
The Ledge #617: Record Store Day
I know the event has plenty of naysayers, but I absolutely love Record Store Day. I love the ritual of standing in line with other record nerds of all ages, and discussing exactly what treats we’re looking for. Even standing in line to pay, a ta…
The Ledge #613: First Quarter Recap
During the process of putting together tonight’s look back at the first three months of 2024 I suddenly realized that just by looking through the January and February releases I already had more than enough tunes for a two hour show. That’…
The Ledge #612: Once Again Some Odds And Ends
This is another of those shows inspired primarily by what I’ve been listening to around the house. But it’s not just records this time, as the inspiration is coming from all sorts of media forms. The first main set, for instance, was inspired by the “Great Plains” section of Steven H. Gardner’s excellent Another Tuneless Racket: Punk and New Wave In the Seventies, Volume 5, The American Beat West. In late 70s Kansas City, there was a shortlived but extremely influential label called Titan Records. Gardner profiles the label, the principal owners, and the artists whose records were released in their short lifespan. Also represented in tonight’s show is music from the legendary label, Good Vibrations. No, it’s not Beach Boys-related. Good Vibrations was a Belfast record store and label that existed in the late 70s, and is most known for discovering and releasing the first Undertones single, “Teenage Kicks”. I suggest that all music fans head right away to Freevee and watch the wonderful film, Good Vibrations. If you love the tunes of that era, you’ll enjoy this film as much as I did The rest of the show consists of records I’ve thrown on my turntable the last […]
The Ledge #611: Those Big Ten Inch Records
Ten inch records are the forgotten treasures of my library. They’re housed in a little side section of my entertainment center, and most are rarely touched. This is why a couple of weeks ago I decided to have a marathon listening session of thos…
The Ledge #609: New Releases Pt. 1
Once again, the monthly new release show has to be expanded into a two-part extravaganza. 2023 is seriously shaping up to be a wonderful year for new music, as evidence not only by tonight’s show but all of our new release broadcasts so far this year. As always, we have some tracks by “friends” of the show (Rob Moss, Dave Strong, Robbie Quine, Friends of Cesar Romero and others), some longtime faves (The Hillbilly Moon Explosion, Laura Jane Grace, Keith Richards, etc.) and quite a few relative newcomers (Shadow Show, Mala Vista, Faz Waltz, and so much more). But this episode also includes a couple of tunes by a record that could quite possibly end up being my favorite record of the year, the self-titled debut album by The Sleeveens on Dirtnap Records. This is the dirty garage/punk record I’ve been crdaving for quite some time, and I hope you folks all love it as much as I do. And once again I have a late entry to the “Teenage Kicks” cover series, thanks to a fellow DJ who sent me a version set to be released in April by Canadian Music Hall of Famer Lee Aaron. The Undertones tune […]
The Ledge #608: Covers
As I’ve said before, I have a folder on one of my laptops that I keep around just to acccumulate cover tunes for episodes like this one. Once that folder is full, it’s time to broadcast! This version of that theme includes sets devoted to …
The Ledge #607: Love Stinks
Anti-love songs is a rock and roll specialty. From the very beginning of the genre, writers with a poison pen have created a plethora of material that is not exactly Hallmark card material. Tonight’s show celebrates tracks of this time, highligh…
The Ledge #606: New Releases Pt. 2
This may be the second part of this month’s new release series, but there is no letdown in quality. Once again, there’s an intriguing mix of styles, ages, and even home locations. There are brand new acclaimed artists such as Liquid Mike and Sprints. There’s the returns of veterans such as Paul Collins Beat, J. Robbins, and Sham 69. There’s also the usual trademark of quality from our friends at Slovenly Records and Rum Bar Records. Most intriguing to me, is the story behind “Get the Experience” by The Ex-Bombers. Band members Keri Cousins and Scott Walus are “rasslin’” fans, just as I am. Many of their late night drives after gigs have found them listening to legendary wrestling manager Jim Cornette’s podcast, Jim Cornette Experience. Hearing that he was looking for a new theme song, the band quickly put together “Get the Experience”, and just this week they were informed that the song is now the official theme song of the show! Thanks to the band for not only sending me a copy of the song to air, but including a little interview segment telling the story. And once again, even thought the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” series […]
The Ledge #605: New Releases Pt. 1
Once again the music gods have bestowed so much great new tracks that the monthly new release show must be expanded into two episodes. That is a great sign for 2024, and especially so because not only is there quality and quantity, but there’s a great mix of classic artists and brand new acts. There’s 18 year old Owen Adamcik’s plan for a new EP every month this year. There are Ledge “friends” such as Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin’s monthly single and a new tune by local legends Thought Patrol. There’s the return of veterans The Smoggers and Rubber City Rebels. Plus surprisingly great new tracks by the liks of J. Mascis, Green Day, and Superchunk. And to kick things off is a late submission for last year’s “52 weeks of Teenage Kicks” series. Two weeks ago Thee Volatiles, “thee best punk rock band in all of Montclair NJ!” sent me their version, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! In fact, I will always accept new covers of the tune. So if you were considering it last year, please go ahead and do it and I’ll guarantee to open my next show with it! For setlists and other info, […]
The Ledge #604: Odds & Ends Again
The “odds and ends” series is an opportunity for me to mix all kinds of material. This week’s version mixes a bunch of new releases with a ton of material I’ve been playing around the house in recent weeks. There’s also a…
The Ledge #603: 1979 UK
1979 was an important year for rock and roll, but it was a bigger year for my musical journey. This was the year that the real obsession with buying records began. I had a job. I had a car. And I had put together a pretty awesome sound system in my be…
The Ledge #600: Hudson’s Best of 2023
Choosing my favorite records of the year is always a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s great fun for a music nerd like me to revisit the hundreds of releases I’ve checked out the last twelve months. But it’s also frustrating trying to thin down those picks into a list that truly represents the past year. Many records that initially seemed a lock are suddenly eclipsed by new records that I simply can’t ignore. Other albums that I had prematurely set aside have revealed themselves to be chock full of fabulous tunes that I can’t imagine living without. Overall, this is another great year for music. I’ll never understand the mindset of people, especially those around my age, that complain how there’s no great bands or records these days. Sure, the pop charts are primarily filled with garbage, and one does have to spend more time than ever finding new artists. But the search has always been a great part of the fun of being a collector, and my main reason I’ve now put together 600 episodes of this show is to share my findings with others. I’m always thrilled when I hear that someone has bought a record […]
The Ledge #600: Hudson’s Best of 2023
Choosing my favorite records of the year is always a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s great fun for a music nerd like me to revisit the hundreds of releases I’ve checked out the last twelve months. But it’s also frustrating trying to thin down those picks into a list that truly represents the past year. Many records that initially seemed a lock are suddenly eclipsed by new records that I simply can’t ignore. Other albums that I had prematurely set aside have revealed themselves to be chock full of fabulous tunes that I can’t imagine living without. Overall, this is another great year for music. I’ll never understand the mindset of people, especially those around my age, that complain how there’s no great bands or records these days. Sure, the pop charts are primarily filled with garbage, and one does have to spend more time than ever finding new artists. But the search has always been a great part of the fun of being a collector, and my main reason I’ve now put together 600 episodes of this show is to share my findings with others. I’m always thrilled when I hear that someone has bought a record […]
The Ledge #599: Annual Christmas Extravaganza!
Every year I spend the last few weeks of the year searching for new holiday songs for The Ledge’s annual Chirstmas special. Inevitably, every year I find more than enough songs to fill over two hours of broadcast time. This is the perfect soundt…
The Ledge #598: Best Reissues, Compilations, etc. of 2023
It’s the time of year for everybody to unveil their various lists of the best records of the year, so here is the unveiling of the first part of my lists. This week’s show features a countdown of my 20 favorite reissues, box sets, live alb…
The Ledge #597: More Replacements Tributes
Two weeks ago, I put together a show centered around seven different tribute records celebrating The Replacements. A couple of days after that episode was released I was contacted by a fan who noted that I had missed a couple of these sorts of records. After a bit of scrambing, I discovered that indeed I forgot all about some great fan-based compilatons. Yes, that’s the beauty of tonight’s selections. These three records were unofficial collections of musicians that had come together via online fan boards. The first such set, Cover Me Impressed – Alt.Music.Replacements Tribute, is pretty self-explanatory collection of tunes compiled by a popular usenet group in 2002. The other two tributes, Bring Your Own Lampshade (2005) and Dead Man Fake: Bring Your Own Lampshade 2 (2009), came together through contributors on the wonderful Man Without Ties message board, and include both solo and band tracks written by Paul Westerberg. Highlighting both of those compilatons are tracks by our old friend Jeremy Porter. Besides a handful of recently acquired tunes, the rest of tonight’s show features tracks from two fabulous new Cherry Red Records box sets, Looking For The Magic: American Power Pop In The Seventies and Into Tomorrow: The Spirit Of Mod 1983-2000. Cherry Red always […]
The Ledge #595: Replacements Tribute Albums
As one of those lunatics who tends to collect anything and everything asoociated with artists I love, it’s probably no surprise that I have quite a few tribute albums devoted to The Replacements. When Let the Bad Times Roll (a Tribute to The Replacements) was released earlier this month, I did a deep dive in my archives and discovered that I actually owned seven of these types of records. With that in mind, it was a no-brainer to do a show devoted to nothing but Replacements tribute albums. The seven records represented tonight have been released throughout the last three decades, and include releases originating in Australi and Italy. There’s a few semi-big names but there are as many, if not more, bands whose career I know nothing about. I also made myself a challenge that I would try not to duplicate any songs…and I succeeded! There are 35 different Replacements tracks covered by 35 different artists. Ok, there is one artist who appears twice – Mikey Erg’s band, Ergs, covers “I’m in Trouble” while as a solo act he performs “Wake Up” Just because the overall theme revolves around The Replacements doesn’t mean that I’m ignoring the “52 Weeks of Teenage […]
The Ledge #594: More From The Hudson Compound
This week’s episode is a little peek into the day to day picks I make to get through my day. A few old favorites (ok, quite a few), some fantastic discoveries at the used record store, and some fabulous new vinyl reissues. The main highlight thi…
The Ledge #593: New Releases (Pt. 2)
The second part of this month’s new release series is admittedly dominated by cover tunes. Great bands such as Superchunk, The Feelies, Cruzados, The Routes, Hayley and the Crushers and the Rick White Archive are featured remaking classics by The Cure, The Minutemen, Buzzcocks, and others. But the main focus of the covers blasted on tonight’s show is the brand new tribute album to, of course, The Replacements. Let the Bad Times Roll, and it’s definitely worth they hype. “December 2022 I was drinking at the Fishtown Tavern and ‘Can’t Hardly Wait ‘ came on the jukebox, and at that moment I knew this tribute to the Mats needed to happen,” Arik Victor from Creep Records says in a press release. “The next day, we invited all the bands we love.” Of course, tonight’s show is more than cover tunes. We have the return of The Alarm, the second 2023 album by bar italia, and wonderful material from the Netherlends, Australia, Italy, and other countries around the world. As for this week’s edition of “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks”, I admittedly discovered a real treat on YouTube. Baby Shakes have routinely performed the tune as an encore, and this live version I […]
The Ledge #592: New Releases (Pt. 1)
Once again, there’s so much great music being released each and every week that this month’s new release show is a two-part extravaganza! Part one is admittedly heavy on the power pop – Uni Boys, The Speedways, The Len Price 3, and m…
The Ledge #591: Halloween
It’s become a Halloween tradition for this show to celebrate the holiday with over two hours of spooky music. As it is the ultimate rock and roll holiday, it’s never hard to find enough new tunes to fill a show, and this year is no excepti…
