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 #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 #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 #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 #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 #590: S.W. Lauden Takeover!
A few days ago, power pop expert S.W. Lauden reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in helping promote his new book, Remember The Lightning – A Guitar Pop Journal, Vol. 2. Duh, of course as a big fan of Lauden’s writing I was honored at the request. But I had a better idea. I asked him if he’d like to take over the show for a couple of sets. So tonight’s episode includes eight tunes from bands covered in this fabulous book, along with Lauden’s commentary.But obviously that’s not tonight’s entire show, and honestly I had to do a quick change after news came out earlier this week that power pop legend Dwight Twilley had passed away. A big fan of is first hit, “I’m On Fire”, along with his comeback albums of the early 80s, I quickly put together some originals and covers to help tell the story of a man who deserved a better fate in the record business.It’s also story time on this week’s Ledge, as I recently attended the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not only was I honored to be a part of the induction of the publication I […]
The Ledge #583: New Releases
The Ledge has always been known to enjoy music from all over the world. This month’s new release episode, however, goes ever further than usual. Yes, we have new tunes from many of the usual suspects – Canada, Australia, England, Sweden, etc. But this month we expand that a little bit and have tunes from Indonesia and Japan! (Ok, Japanese rock and roll is not so unusual in these parts, but you get the picture.) There’s also the usual mix of long-awaited returns (Uni Boys, Wreckless Eric), and new (at least to me) artists such as Hurry, Young Francis Hi Fi, and Dennis Cometti. There’s a set devoted to a trio of solo artists who have shared the stage countless times over the years (Brad Marino, Geoff Palmer, and Kurt Baker), and who always seem to have new records right around the same time. We also have a sneak peak of the upcoming Replacements box set, Tim: Let It Bleed Edition. The “cello version” of “Can’t Hardly Wait” was actually a Paul Westerberg demo with Twin/Tone secretary Michelle Kinney on cello. The box set comes out on September 22, and as you may imagine, I…ok, I won’t go with the obvious […]
The Ledge #580: Some Stuff
Tonight’s show is a mishmash of primarily recent releases. There’s some material from great box sets. There’s a set devoted to a classic old live album and one brand new one. I’ve got a set from that great new tribute album, Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies, along with more material from the tribute album I premiered last week, Goo Goo Muck – A Tribute to The Cramps. There’s also a Rum Bar Records set, and previews of new records by Graham Parker & The Goldtops, Tamar Berk, and others. It’s a show featuring a wide variety of genres that you only hear on shows like The Ledge. As for this week’s “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” series, I have a mystery track by a band called The Shades. The cover is from the soundtrack to the Elle Fanning film, Teen Spirit, but I have yet to find out any information regarding the band. Could it be something cooked up in the studio by the film’s musical directors? Who knows? And like always, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the […]
The Ledge #578: Covers
Every few months, I like to put together an all-covers edition of the show. As I’ve stated before, I have a folder all set up to toss in whatever tracks I want to later air. This edition came a little bit sooner than usual due to a couple of fabulous tribute records. The first release I wanted to highlight is the brand new An International Tribute To The Muffs, which features 26 fabulous covers of Kim Shattuck tunes. Proceeds from this release goes to the Team Shattuck Foundation of Kim´s Sister, Kristen Shattuck. The other great tribute record is Drunk Dial Fakes, Vol. 2. This ingenious set features “real” bands covering songs that were written for fictional TV and film bands. How can you not love covers from The Rutles, CHiPs, and That Thing You Do? As for the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks”, I’ve got a twofer for you this week. I recently discovered a couple of fabulous Undertones tribute records, and Teenage Hits – A Tribute To The Undertones features two wonderful remakes. And like always, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take […]
The Ledge #576: New Releases
It’s the first show of a new month, so it’s pretty obvious what’s going on this week. It’s over two hours of brand new music, ranging from Americana to punk to power pop to (lots of) garage rock. There are veteran acts and more…
The Ledge #575: Second Quarter Report
With tonight’s show being the last broadcast of June, and especially as it is also the last day of the month, it’s pretty clear that it needed to be a second quarter recap. There’s over two hours of great music that has come out in the last three months, similar to the first quarter recap show of March 31. The material ranges from the fantastic power pop of Paint Fumes and Jagger Holly to veteran rockers such as Ian Hunter and The Waco Brothers. There’s some rootsy rock and roll from Tommy Stinson, Deer Tick and The Baseball Project. The music comes from not only the usual US, UK, and Canadian artists but also from Australia, Austria, France, and Germany. As for this week’s “52 weeks of Teenage Kicks” series, I have a very special cover by German punkers Die Toten Hosen. Way back in the early 90s they had a fantastic covers record called Learning English, Lesson One, where they invited members of the original bands to assist them with their remakes. 2017 saw the relese of Learning English, Lesson Two that continued that format. For their version of “Teenage Kicks”, they featured original Undertones guitarist Damian O’Neill! I […]
The Ledge #574: Summer
The summer is the real rock and roll season. From the very beginning of Chuck Berry and our other musical grandfathers, these three months have inspired a ton of great tunes. Since summer officially began just two days ago it was only natural that I bring back that theme for tonight’s broadcast. There are so many songs dedicated to this time of year that I easily put together a playlist that is primarily brand new tracks. In fact, one highlighted album, Jagger Holly’s Rivoltella, came out just two days ago! There’s also a set dedicated to tracks from summer’s favorite record label, Rum Bar Records, along with a handful of older tunes from new reissues of albums by The Barracudas and The Lemonheads. Of course, there’s also this week’s entry in the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” subtheme, and if you really think about it that song certainly does fit the summer theme. This week’s contribution is from the veteran Cleveland band Cobra Verde, and their 2005 album, Copycat Killers. And like always, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take […]
The Ledge #573: Even More Miscellany
This week’s episode is another show consisting of material I’ve been a bit obsessed with around the Hudson compound. The first half is primarily new or new-ish material. The tribute to Justine Covault continues with tracks off the brand new Justine and the Unclean album, The Signal Light, along with new tunes by Lydi Loveless, Kate Redgate, Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire, and a great Alice Cooper cover by veteran rockers Zero Boys. The second half of the show is dominated by older records that I’ve recently picked up. Many were originally owned by my buddy Phil who had his semi-annual record sale last weekend. But I also have included a couple of reissues of records that I’ve been trying to acquire for years. The Lyres On Fyre, for example, was the very first truly independant record I’ve ever owned, and I desperately needed a copy to replace the one I lost decades ago. And then there’s Double Nickels On the Dime, the classic double album by Minutemen. Going for big bucks on the used market, SST finally pressed some more copies, and I just could not resist! Of course, there’s also this week’s installment in the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” […]
The Ledge #572: New & Old
This week’s show was all set when some tragic news changed a good portion of the broadcast. Yes, there was still the mix of old and new tunes that had been originally planned. But I could not help but make room for a couple of remembrances of fabulous artists who had passed away in recent days. The first death was Jack Lee, who got his start in The Nerves, a band that also featured Paul Collins and Peter Case. A song he wrote for that band, “Hanging on the Telephone”, was later made famous, and he also wrote hits for Paul Young (“Come Back and Stay”) and Suzi Quatro (“You Are My Lover”). He passed away on May 26 of colon cancer. The other tragic passing hits hard. Throughout the past few years, Justine Covault’s music has been a regular feature of The Ledge. I first became aware of her with her Rum Bar Records releases as Justine and the Unclean and Justine’s Black Threads. She then moved on and started Red On Red Records, a lable that regularly put out some fabulous Boston-based rock and roll. Earler today, her daughter, Haley, announced on Facebook that Covault had passed away, […]
The Ledge #569: Jeremy Porter’s Teenage Kicks
When I conceived the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” project late last year one of the first things I did was to contact artists that I considered friends of the show. I’ve been blessed over the years to have some wonderful musicians regularly send me their latest projects. One of those friends was Jeremy Porter, leader of Jeremy Porter & The Tucos. For almost the entire time I’ve been producing The Ledge, Porter has provided me with fabulous music, and has also introduced my show to many of his fellow musician friends. It was honestly no surprise when Porter responded that he was indeed interested in contributing a version of “Teenage Kicks”, but I was blown away by his overall plans with the tune. Tonight’s episode is the world premiere of his cover, which will be officially released next Friday (5/26) on his bandcamp page. While the track will be a “name your price”, proceeds from those who do the right thing and pay for the track will go to the Detroit-based charity, Hater Kitty Army, led by Sue Summers. “Hater Kitty Rescue Army is a neighborhood cat haven on Detroit’s Eastside,” Summers explains. “We have been serving abandoned cats for the past […]
The Ledge #566: Twofers
Tonight unveils a new sort of theme for a Ledge episode – Twofers! Everybody loves a twofer deal at the bar, so why not transfer the idea to rock and roll. (Yeah yeah yeah, I know radio stations have done this for decades. But it’s new to The Ledge!) The inspiration was a handful of great records that I’ve been paying a lot of attention to in the last few days. Last Saturday, for Record Store Day Sioux Falls (soon to be) legends Off Contact put out a few advance copies of their upcoming debut album, Pearls Before Swine. Of course I had to air some tracks off it! And then two days ago I received what may be my second-favorite power pop album of the year. Paint Fumes new record, Real Romancer, is chock full of great hooks accompanied by the sort of noisy guitars that everyone knows I love so much. Of course, I couldn’t resist airing tracks from the brand new albums of original punkers The Damned and former Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock. But it’s not all twofers on the show. There’s a “four-fer” of selections from the Record Store Day release of previously unreleased live Husker Du […]
The Ledge #565: Some More Home Plays
This week is another show devoted primarily to music I’ve been listening to around the house. The first half is dominated by new tracks recently sent to me by various labels, and sometimes the artists themselves. There’s a new tune from Sioux Falls’ own Thought Patrol. There’s Big Stir’s latest projects featuring former Standells leader Tony Valentino. There’s the usual handful of Rum Bar Records releases, including the return of The Short Fuses. The second half of the show are highlighted by recent box set releases of The Velvet Underground, Dead Moon, and the legendary live 2Tone Dance Craze soundtrack, along with favorites by the New York Dolls, The Mummies, The Creation, The Pretty Things, and Paul Revere & The Raiders. There’s almost 60 years of fabulous rock and roll! As for this week’s edition of “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks”, I don’t have a lot of background information regarding the version by a band called Funeral Service. All I’ve managed to find out is that they were a French band that put their cover out in 1986 as the b-side to a version of the classic “Pills”. If you have any info on this band, please let me know. […]
The Ledge #562: First Quarter Report
As this is the last show of the first quarter of 2023, and even airing on the last day of the month, it’s only natural that we take a look back at some of the stunning new records released so far thsi year. It has been quite a year, especialy if you are a fan of guitar-driven music. Power pop, in particular, has made a great comeback this year, highlighted by the likes of The Whiffs, Local Drags, and Ryan Allen And His Extra Arms. But it’s also a great year for returning legends. Yo La Tengo, The Long Ryders, The Church, and Iggy Pop released their best albums in years. Billy Childish reunited the legendary Thee Headcoats for their first album in 22 years, and it’s a smoker! For this show, obviously, the main highlight comes from the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” subtheme, and we received thrilling news earlier this week. The very first person I contacted when I came up with this idea was Malibu Lou from Rum Bar Records. Obviously, I was hoping that he could convince some of his bands to participate (and I still hope they do). What I wasn’t expecting was for Lou […]
The Ledge #557: 1998
It’s always shocking when you stumble upon tweets or articles noting the anniversary of beloved albums. You can’t help but wonder how something that seems like it came out yesterday is actually…well, old! That’s the case with tonight’s show. Every single song you hear is 25 years old. It’s just insane to me that some of my favorite Americana (Son Volt, Golden Smog, Drive-By Truckers), power pop (Sloan, Tommy Keene, Nada Surf), singer/songwriter (Elliott Smith, Silver Jews), and punk (Fugazi, Screeching Weasel, Bad Religion) records have hit this milestone. It just doesn’t feel like nostalgia As for the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” entry, I’ve got a fabulous rarity. 1998 saw the release of Scandal Controvery and Romance, the classic debut record by The Prissteens. To celebrate the 45th birthday of their A&R rep, Howard Thompson, the pressed up 45 copies of a tribute song called “Oh Howard!”. The b-side of this single was their Undertones cover that featured a few lyrical changes and retitled “Teenage Dicks”. (Both of these tracks were eventually reissued on 2020’s The Hound collection of rarities and demos.) Once again, I’m always actively looking for new covers of “Teenage Kicks”. Please don’t hesitate to create your own personal […]
The Ledge #555: This And That
Once again we have a show devoted primarily to material I’ve been listening to around the house. Honestly, since it was announced that Television’s Tom Verlaine had passed away on January 28, 2023, I have wanted to do a little tribute to him on The Ledge. So tonight you can hear a handful of his classic Television and solo tunes. RIP. There’s also a wide variety of tunes that comprise almost 60 years of rock and roll. There’s a handful of garage rock classics from the acclaimed Pebbles series. There’s a track from one of Robert Gordon’s collaborations with guitarist Link Wray. There’s also a sort of tribute to Burt Bachrach in the form of a Stranglers cover that somehow caught my ear a day or so before the announcement of his death. And there’s also a couple of sets of new tunes, primarily songs that were cut from last week’s new release episode, along with more cuts from recent Rum Bar Records releases. I’ve also premiered the newly reissued single from Popsicko on Big Stir Records, which was officially released today. (Look for a full album later this spring). Don’t think that I’ve forgotten about my yearlong sub-theme, “52 […]
The Ledge #553: Miscellany
Every now and then it’s nice to have a show without any real theme, and that’s what we have tonight. Instead, it’s really just a collection of records I’ve been listening to over the last few weeks, and interesting collection of various genres that represent over 50 years of great rock and roll. There’s a handful of recent releases side by side with all time classics. There are veteran bands that are brand new to me, and relatively new artists that I’ve been obsessed with over the last few months. Of course, there’s also this week’s selection for the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” subtheme. I’ve got a homegrown talent by the name of Link West, and his mainly acoustic version is a really nice change of pace. He also contributed a little piece of spoken word audio where he talks of his love of the song and his history of playing it in his original band in Columbus, Ohio. He describes the tune as “50% bubblegum, 50% booty call”. I can’t argue with that. Link West’s version marks a run of (at least) three straight weeks of listener contributions, but of course I always want more. Nothing would make […]
The Ledge #552: Covers
With my brain focused on “Teenage Kicks” covers these days, it seems natural for me to put together another show of nothing but covers of classics tunes from the past. And tonight’s show could not have been timed better, as today Kepi Ghoulie of the Groovie Ghoulies put our a fabulous covers record, Full Moon Forever. Plus I’ve uncovered a number of other great new remakes the last few days, including Juniper’s lofi redo of “James” by The Bangles, Devil Love’s lovely tribute to Big Star’s “Thirteen”, and a trip back to my childhood with Jenny Dee & The Deelingquent’s rousing “Fox On the Run”. But, of course, the main focus is on the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” series, and tonight features the very first submission! It may be a bit fitting that said cover is by the one and only Malibu Lou at Rum Bar Records!!! Yes! He’s a huge fan, as you can tell by the accompanying email: “It’s one of my top 5 personal favorite songs ever. I covered it many years in many bands!! Here’s a demo version of Malibu Lou & The Attackers performing it circa 96 in NYC!!” I couldn’t be more thrilled, and […]
The Ledge #550: 1978
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been hinting that I’ll be starting 2023 with a big announcement. Well, tonight’s the night!In my eyes, “Teenage Kicks” is a perfect pop song; the greatest punk-inspired single of all time. Two minutes and 27 seconds of rock and roll at its finest. The sentiments are the same youthful expressions of the original rock and roll explosion of the 1950s. Instead of Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis boogie woogie piano, it’s buzzsaw guitars that accompany Undertones vocalist Fergal Sharkey’s desire for that “girl in the neighborhood” that he wishes “was mine she looks so good”. It’s the musical template later utilized by Husker Du, Pixies, Green Day, and hundreds of other pop-punkers for decades to come (for better or worse).Since I love the song so much, I have found myself collecting all kinds of versions over the years. In fact, a little glance at my master iTunes library a few months ago showed that I owned over 30 covers of this tune. Just two weeks ago, I discovered that a Minneapolis band I loved in the 90s had released a remake as a now rare b-side (more on that next week). With […]
The Ledge #547: Best Albums of 2022
Once again, this obsessive mind spent weeks and weeks overthinking this year’s list. Notes were taken. Records were spread out all over the living room. iTunes searches revealed some forgotten gems. But I can once again say that this was a fabul…
The Ledge #544: Power Pop, Pt. 2 (The Present)
Last week’s show featured classic power pop tracks from the past. This week, we take a look a the current state of the genre with 40 tracks of fabulous guitar-driven pop music. In fact, the vast majority of these tracks are from 2022, with a handful of tunes from 2021 and 2020. The oldest song of the bunch dates back to 2014, and that tune from The Cry! was selected to be paired with the brand new single by lead singer Tommy Ray. It should be to nobody’s surprise that a good portion of the show compiles highlights from Big Stir Records as they are the without a doubt the gold standard of new music of this type. Author S. W. Lauden’s influence also extends beyond the books he compiled with co-author Paul Myers. Not only does he appear on a couple of the Big Stir tunes broadcast in this episode, his suggestions resulted in quite possibly the most exciting set of the show. 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 […]
The Ledge #543: Power Pop, Pt. 1 (The Past)
On a fairly regular basis I’m asked what type of music I most enjoy. It’s a pretty tough question to answer, to be honest. The standard answer I hear in return is “I love all kinds of music”, which to me is code for “I only like what’s popular”. Sorry, but having a playlist on Spotify that includes both Drake, Meghan Trainor, and Luke Bryan isn’t the proof of versatility most of these poeple believe it is. So what is the genre or sub-genre that is closest to my heart? “Punk” is a little too confining, and honestly there is a lot of shitty music under that moniker. “Alternative” doesn’t mean the same today as it did 30 years ago since maintstream rock radio has co-opted it. “Garage rock” is indeed getting closer but still doesn’t feel right. I think deep in my heart the term power pop, or at least my version of the term, best describes my music taste. I was, after all, born the day The Beatles recorded their first single, and the first two rock and roll albums I owned just out of my toddler phase was the first Monkees record and the A Hard Day’s Night soundtrack. My […]
The Ledge #541: Halloween Spooktacular
I may say this every year but it is worth repeating. Halloween is the ultimate rock and roll holiday. Like truly great rock and roll, Halloween is dangerous, controversial, and noisy. Religious idiots for decades have claimed both are associated with …
The Ledge #540: Archival Releases
It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for box sets and other repackages of previously released material. I may be new release oriented, but I love a good set of odds and ends. Give me those unheard demos. Let me hear those old concerts. Tonight’s show compiles those types of records. There’s unreleased material by a forgotten band that were contemporaries of the New York Dolls. There’s a new mixes of classic Dead Kennedys songs. There’s numerous outtakes by the likes of Wilco and Joe Strummer. And there’s also the recently discovered early recordings of future Velvet Underground tunes by Lou Reed. Plus, a ton of live releases from Todd Snider, Pixies, Soul Asylum, and others. 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! For more information, including setlists, […]
The Ledge #539: New Releases (Pt. 2)
As I said last week. this is another month where there is so much great new music that it couldn’t be contained to one new release episode. So this is part two of this month’s series, and it’s dominated by veteran artists. Pixies, Of…
The Ledge #537: Twin\Tone Records
After the success of last month’s series on SST Records, it was only natural that I took a look at doing a similar series featuring another of my favorite record labels of the 80s. I’d actually been thinking about a Twin\Tone Records episode for a long, long time, so why not do it now? Many people think of only bands such as The Replacements, The Suburbs, and Soul Asylum when thinking about this label. Oh no, there is so much more. There is such a wealth that even this two hour episode misses out on some great, great releases. But I did what I could. Just like with the first SST episode, the initial 45 minutes or so are a chronological look at the label’s early releases. Singles by not only The Suburbs but Fingerprints, Curtiss A, and The Pistons. Later in the show I’ve got some favorite tracks by The Phones, The Magnolias, and The Feelies, along with an early release by The Jayhawks. I did refrain from including material from the many sub-labels that were in the Twin\Tone empire. Maybe that could be a future show? I would love it if every listener bought at least one record […]
The Ledge #536: Covers
As I have stated quite often during these cover tune broadcasts, I have a special folder where I place remakes as I come across them. Once that folder is full, it’s time to do a show. This time around, that folder grew at a pretty rapid pace. Of course I’m going to air Ultrabomb’s version of “Sonic Reducer”. I don’t think anybody is surprised by the inclusion of “Borstal Breakdown” from that new live Replacements album. But many may be shocked by the inclusion of two tracks from the 1968 collaboration between Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood. Honestly, I had never heard these bonkers tunes until one day I hung out in my friend’s record store. Seriously, that version of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” is something everybody should check out. But what made it essential that I do this theme this very week are two special records that arrived a few days ago. The first is All The Covers (And More) by The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs. Released on September 30 on Rum Bar Records, this 38 track compilation gathers together all of the remakes the band has recorded in their 25 year history. The other is the latest project by Geoff Palmer. Standing In […]
The Ledge #535: God Save The Queen
Once I heard the news of Queen Elizabeth’s death on Thursday morning, I knew I had to dump my planned broadcast for this week. Surely I could put together a show that both celebrates and criticizes not only the monarchy but the entire country. For me, the quintessential British rock band is The Kinks. There may be better bands from that country (name them!) but nobody captures that country like the writings of Ray Davies. Same with The Jam and The Clash a decade later, or Billy Bragg, The Smiths, Robyn Hitchcock, and mny others a decade after that. Pairing a few highlights of those artists with some samplings of the great British punk movement of the late 70s, and you have two hours of fantastic British tributes…even if a couple of the artists are actually American. 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 […]
The Ledge #533: SST Records (Pt. 2)
Part two of The Ledge’s look at SST Records focuses on the second half of the 80’s. There are a few big names involved, including Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Buffalo Tom, and future grunge major label heroes Screaming Trees and Soundgarden….
The Ledge #532: SST Records (Pt. 1)
When I was informed there was a new book about one of my favorite labels of the 80s, I just had to have it. Jim Ruland’s Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise & Fall of SST Records is every bit as great as I hoped. It really tells the controversil tale of not only label founder Greg Ginn, but the entire circus of bands and staffers that ran a label that launched the careers of dozens of legendry artists. It was only natural that I put together a show dedicated to these artists, but I quickly discovered this story could not be told in one episode. Tonight’s broadcast starts off with a chronological look at most of the label’s first 20 or so releases, followed by another hour spotlighting some of my personal favorites. While I still have dozens of records to sample for next week’s episode, if there’s any you feel needs to be included, please let me know! 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 #531: New Releases (Pt. 2)
I may have called part one of this month’s new release series the “friends of the show” episode, but that mentality continues in part two as we have a nice set of tracks from our friends at Big Stir Records. We also have brand new tr…
The Ledge #529: Summer Songs
We may be entering the last month of the summer, but it’s never too late to put together a show of songs about the hottest months of the year. Rock and roll has always had a fondness for the sun, and everything else that goes with the season. So tonight you get nothing but songs about not only the season, but girls, bikes, surfing, and the beach. It’s also almost a complete set of recently released material. The vast majority of these songs have been put out in the last six months, although there’s always room for some old tracks that have caught my attention. This is why there’s some great oldies by The Hold Steady, The Scientists, The Muffs, and M.I.A. And you really can’t have a summer show without the greatness of 50’s visen (and South Dakota raised) Mamie Van Doren! By the way, if you haven’t seen the cult classic, Untamed Youth, you should rent it tonight! 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 […]
The Ledge #528: New Replacements & Other Treats
A few weeks ago, fans of The Replacements noticed that a new live record was starting to appear on vinyl distribution lists. Most at first assumed this was a bootleg, but it turns out tht the Live At Riot Fest Toronto was in fact a legitimate live album. Or sort of, as many rumors starting floating around. Tommy Stinson had reportedly made a deal with a distributor to release it, but some have said that Paul Westerberg had actually vetoed the deal. In a series of DM’s with the distributor, it was verified that Stinson had set up the deal to put it out but there was no word on the Westerberg rumor. It’s also the first in a series of three live releases, as the other two Riot Fest shows in Chicago and Denver are currently being pressed. The record itself is quite great. The source is a soundboard recording, although it’s not a remixed multi-track. Tonight’s show features a few songs from this record, along with a number of other albums that have been played in the Hudson household these last few weeks. I’ve also included a handful of songs that Frank Turner performed at Total Drag on July 12 […]
The Ledge #526: Low Rats
When the news broke that swaggering rock and rollers Low Rats were hitting my little city of Sioux Falls I immediately began begging the band to make a stop at my house before the show for a Ledge interview. Although final plans were up in the air until the last minute, lead singer Michael Meyer promised me that he would definitely show up in time for my Friday night broadcast. Unfortunately, I had some technical issues throughout the day, and they were not completely fixed by the time Meyer arrived just before my Realpunkradio shift. So instead of a mix of chat and music, we could only broadcast the conversation. The two of us spent an hour talking about his Sioux Falls childhood, along with the various bands he had not only in this little town but in other cities, including his time a few years ago leading Narco States. In a case of perfect timing, the rest of the band (guitarist Rob Sells, bassist Joe Holland, and drummer Ben Crunk) arrived just when I was going to begin asking Meyer questions about Low Rats. Although I now had more people than microphones, we carried on with the entire band […]
The Ledge #525: 60 Years of Rock n Roll
This show ended up being quite different than originally planned. The initial idea was another “odds and ends” show where I aired tracks from some records that I had been playing around the house. I suddenly realized, however, that I’ve been listening to quite a few compilations in the past few weeks. And that I’ve been digging into the archives quite often for some of my oldest records. So tonight actually is an odds and ends show that features 60 years of great rock and roll, from the standard bearer Chuck Berry to the current sounds of Low Rats, a band that bodes well for the future of the genre. Four compilations have feature spots in the show – Louie’s Limbo Lounge (Las Vegas Grind, Vol. 2) gathers togehter raw 50’s stompers, Back From the Grave Vol. 5 highlights 60s garage bands, Punk 45: There is No Such Thing As Society, Vol. 2 is centered around late 70’s UK punk and post-punk, and Du Huskers: The Twin Cities Replay Zen Arcade is a 1993 tribute to the classic Husker Du album. I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. […]
The Ledge #524: Birthday Covers
When I read that the 35th anniversary date of the release of the fifth Replacements full-length album, Pleased to Meet Me, fell on a “Ledge” night, it obviously became the focal point for a theme. I decided to celebrate the birthday by recreating the album’s track listing with covers of each and every song. This became a bit of an issue, however, as some songs were missing from my initial search through my archives. And while I inevitably found some of the missing pieces, I still was short two songs just days before tonight’s show. Luckily, I was alerted to a message board compilation of Replacements covers that included a track donated by our friend Jeremy Porter. Since this comp also included a version of “Red Red Wine”, I quickly contacted him to see if he had the whole release! Well, not only did he have the needed track, he actually played on it! The Regulars were his high school band, and on this cover he played guitar and provided backing vocals! Yes, I was set! Unfortunately, a few minutes in my show I was informed that June 17, 1987 was not the actual release date for the album. “Trouble […]
The Ledge #521: Reissues & Live Albums
I understand that many, if not most, people look at the deluge of box sets, reissues, and live albums as just more excuses how the record industry will suck any pennies they can get out of an artist. It’s a valid view. However, I live for this stuff. Sure, my main inspiration is new music, but if I love an artist I want everything. I want the live recordings. I want the demos and outtakes. I want that rare b-side. Tonight’s show is sort of a new release episode, but it’s new “old” material. It’s the tunes from expanded editions of classic records by the likes of The Clash, The Muffs, Pavement, and The Lemonheads. It’s live tunes discovered in the vaults from The Rolling Stones, T. Rex, and Georgia Satellites. There’s also great, previously unreleased material from our friends Jeremy Porter & The Tucos, and the great Rum Bar Records compilation of Cindy Lawson’s old band, The Clams. There is even a multi-disc set for a great 60s band, Betterdays, that initially only put out one single! I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists […]
The Ledge #520: New Releases (Pt. 2)
I may have labelled last week’s part one of the monthly new release series as only “friends of the show” but that doesn’t mean this episode is nothing but unknown artists. In fact, quite a few acts are pretty regular Ledge artists. The super prolific Wild Billy Childish is back with not one but two new projects. A new supergroup, UltraBomb, featuring members of Husker Du, The Mahomes, and U.K. Subs debuted their first single. And our good friends Torpedohead submitted a brand new track to promote their upcoming TRPHD EP. There’s plenty of other great new tracks this week, including some fabulous punk from Minneapolis’ The Von Tramps. The teenage members of Linda Lindas prove that rock and roll still has a rosy future. And Starky again proves that you can’t go wrong with covering “Teenage Kicks”. 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 #516: RIP Chris Bailey
The music world was shocked when news came out on April 9 that Chris Bailey, the leader of The Saints, had passed away. This legendary band actually predated The Damned and The Sex Pistols with the self-release of their classic first single, “(I’m) Stranded”. The original lineup went on to put out a trio of great records before they imploded. Bailey kept The Saints going, though, and scored a hit in 1986 with “Just Like Fire Would”, a song that Bruce Springsteen would cover over two decades later. Tonight’s show begins with featured sets of those first three albums, then follows up with a few tracks from the latter era, along with a handful of solo tracks. The rest of the show is highlighted by some great covers of songs by The Saints. Nashville Pussy, Nomads, The Fall, and The Mono Men are just a few of the bands who added new life to these great 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 […]
The Ledge #515: 1977 Redux (Rerecorded)
I was so excited to upload last night’s episode of The Ledge, as I believed I had a pretty cool theme put together. Unfortunately, once the live broadcast on RealPunkRadio concluded, I discovered that my recording device had malfunctioned. Still determined to share the episode, I decided to rerecord on Saturday afternoon. The first ten minutes of the broadcast had survived, so I included that bit and then recut my intros before reconstructing the rest of the show with the song files. What you get here is the natural successor to my earlier shows devoted to the magnificent year of 1977. This time, however, you’ll hear covers of songs played on those shows. And what an eclectic group of artists. You even hear southern rock legends The Outlaws bravely take on an Elvis Costello song in 1977. Who knew that even existed? I hope you enjoy this episode. A little warning, though. There may be some fluctuations in the levels, as some tracks are mastered louder than others. My broadcast program takes care of that during live shows, and I did attempt to manually boost a couple of really quiet tunes. I would love it if every listener bought at […]