Beatin’ the bushes for a little culture & diversion
by Tom Neal on October 10th, 2008 • 3 Comments »
What’s with all the “Hello World” blogs this morning? Smells like a porn barrage.
Last night on my Roundtrip radio show (WNRB-LP, 93.3 FM, Wausau) I did a second installment of the political music theme … two hours of tunes about politics, issues, revolution and such. I hpe you’re registered and plan to vote. Here’s last night’s show (can you find the one tune that I really didn’t play?):
Jimi Hendrix, The Star Spangled Banner … fitting opener from the closer at Woodstock
Canned Heat, So Sad (The World’s in a Tangle)
REM. World Leader Pretend
They Might Be Giants, Particle Man
Joe Jackson, Obvious Song … “You don’t have to be a hippie to believe in peace”
Jefferson Airplane, Volunteers … morning reveille at Woodstock “Look what’s happenin’ out in the street”
Elvin Bishop, What the Hell is GOing On
Todd Rundgren, Liar
Kate Bush, Experiment IV … “and they told us what they wanted was a sound that could kill someone from a distance”
Peter Gabriel, San Jacinto … “I’ll hold the line”
David Crosby, What Are Their Names
Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ohio
Ray Davies, Peace in Our Time
The Clash, Revolution Rock
John Prine, Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore
Wilco, All You Fascists … Woodie Guthrie’s words, Billy Bragg’s voice, Wilco’s music
Ry Cooder, Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All
Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks, Moody Richard (The Innocent Bystander) … dedicated to the non-voters out there
Wilco, Christ for President … Woodie Guthrie’s words, Billy Bragg’s voice, Wilco’s music
Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come
Mothers of Invention, Who Are the Brain Police? … “What would you do if the people you knew were the plastic that melted and the chromium too?”
Donovan, The Universal Soldier
Bob Dylan, It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
Bob Dylan, Song to Woodie
I hope to do another one of these before election day … but I need to scrounge around for more material.
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by Tom Neal on October 9th, 2008 • No Comments »
Thanks, Martin James, for filling in for my radio time slot last Thursday night. Tonight, I will reprise the show theme of political tunes (protest songs if you will). I did this a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Tonight, I’ll surely replay some of the heavy hitters from that show, and will mix it up with other things.
I’m a long-time fan of music that goes on the offensive, challenging leaders and their followers to deal differently with issues of social and global consequence. Some tunes are subtle and others are as overt as hell. If you feel an affinity for those who rally against injustice, violence or corruption … if people like Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, John Lennon and Country Joe are the kind of folks you’d like to have over for dinner, then tune in tonight 7-9 on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau).
And, be sure to register if you haven’t and vote.
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by Tom Neal on October 2nd, 2008 • No Comments »
Tonight, from 7-9, my program slot on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau) will be filled by Martin James (Monday night DJ at WNRB-LP). I know it’s a crushing blow for the many loyal fans of Roundtrip with Neal at the Wheel, but Martin’s countless legions will be glad to know of this bonus show.
If you are among the few who have not yet heard one of Martin’s shows, you owe it to yourself to tune in. Maybe put on the VP debate on TV, but with the sound turned off, and just watch while you listen to the radio. An MJ show is a rare chance to catch up with what’s happening on the current alternative / indie music scene and the musical underground in general. Be sure to take notes.
Catch you next Thursday … probably with Political Music Show #2.
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by Tom Neal on September 30th, 2008 • 3 Comments »
I’ve been remiss, fuddle-brained, in logging in with my playlist from last week’s radio show (Roundtrip) on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau). Just in case there are any avid archivists struggling with this omission, here’s what went down during those 2 hours of alternative music Thursday night (7-9):
10cc, Dreadlock Holiday … “I don’t like reggae, uh, I love it!”
Beach Boys, Do It Again … ok, it was real warm last Thursday and I was feeling summery
REM, Lightnin’ Hopkins
Okkervil River, Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe
Elbow, Grounds for Divorce
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Little Wing
Cat Power, I Believe In You … Stones’ vibe
Rolling Stones, Rough Justice
Dandy Warhols, Bohemian Like You … Stones’ vibe again
Weezer, Hash Pipe
Country Joe & the Fish, Flying High … speaking of hash pipes
The Kinks, He’s Evil
New Pornographers, Mutiny, I Promise You
The Pogues, Wild Cats of Kilkenny
Warren Zevon, I Was in The House When the House Burned Down
Conor Oberst, Sausalito
Thee Shams, Want You So Bad
Captain Beefheart, Clear Spot … “Mr. Zoot Horn Rollo, hit that long lean note, and let it float”
Alexi Murdoch, Orange Sky
Wilco, Muzzle of Bees
MGMT, Kids
Radiohead, You
Mose Allison, If You Live … “… Your Time Will Come”
Savoy Brown, When I Was a Young Boy
Ben Harper, Get It Like You Want It
Pink Floyd, The Narrow Way (Pts 1,2,3)
Listen to music … it’s good for your soul. Listen to good music … it’s better for your soul.
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by Tom Neal on September 19th, 2008 • No Comments »
Great fun on the radio last night … thanks in large part to the generosity of Martin James, Monday night DJ on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau). At times, last night’s Roundtrip program was like a temporal ping-pong match with tunes bouncing between ultra-recent and ultra-vintage. Martin supplied me with much of the recent stuff; really helps to freshen up the mix. Here’s the show that was:
Jeff Beck, Beck’s Bolero … about 3 minutes of lofty, soaring instrumental bliss; nice start
Paul McCartney, How Kind of You … from his next-to-most-recent album (strong effort, maybe his best or close to it)
Coldplay, Viva La Vida … new album
The Replacements, Merry Go Round
Ray Davies, The Getaway … from his next-to-most-recent album
Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians, The President … a Brit’s take on our prez
The Band, Rockin’ Chair … “oh to be home again, down in old Virginny”
Steve Miller Band, Going to the Country
Conor Oberst, Sausalito … former Bright Eyes frontman’s new solo effort
Wilco, Can’t Stand It
Arthur Brown, The Green Manalishi … the god of hellfire belts out a Peter Green classic … volcanic!
Kate Bush, Rubberband Girl
Weezer, Beverly Hills … “gimme, gimme”
Beatles, I Want to Hold Your Hand … they really say “wanna” not “want to”
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Baltimore … check this out if you can
The Hollies, Pay You Back with Interest … Graham Nash’s older band; he’s coming to Wausau with David Crosby
Elbow, Mirrorball … up and coming band from Manchester, U.K.
Nick Drake, Pink Moon … tune featured in a 2000 TV commercial: young folks cruising the country at night in a convertible VW Cabriolet … within a month more Nick Drake albums were bought than in the previous 30 years combined
Alexi Murdoch, All of My Days … new talent; Nick Drake reincarnated
Squeeze, Jolly Comes Home
LCD Soundsystem, Someone Great … I don’t play a lot of tech band stuff, but this is catchy as heck
MGMT, Kids
Police, Don’t Stand So Close to Me
Rolling Stones, Moonlight Mile … nice tune for the road home
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by Tom Neal on September 18th, 2008 • No Comments »
What do you have planned from 7-9 tonight? That’s when my radio show (Roundtrip) on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau) takes to the airwaves. If you’re a regular or semi-regular listener, you might expect me to do a themed show … not tonight. Last week it was political / protest music. Tonight, it’s just spinning tunes. But, what tunes! This is music that gets my juices flowing. I have a bunch of somewhat new things to air, from people like Elbow, Conor Oberst, Frightened Rabbit, Magnetic Fields, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, and such. But, you know me … I’ll sprinkle it liberally with deep, deep cuts from days gone by. Hope you’ll tune in. If you have trouble picking up our low-power FM station, try moving your radio around a bit, attaching a simple antenna. You may be pleasantly surprised … when you get a good signal, the station sounds great.
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by Tom Neal on September 12th, 2008 • One Comment »
Political subject matter was the rule last night on Roundtrip (WNRB-LP, 93.3 FM, Wausau). I almost felt subversive as tune after tune attacked political badness of all sorts. The goal for the show: just to add to the general presidential polemic in some small way … make people think a little more about issues and choices and stuff. I will do this sort of show a few times again before voting day. Here’s last night’s lineup:
Bob Dylan, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall … Bob always said he didn’t do protest songs
Bob Marley, Get Up Stand Up
Cream, Politician
The Clash, Guns of Brixton
John Prine, Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore … thanks, Jim S. for the loan
Randy Newman, Political Science … “let’s drop the big one and see what happens”
Elvis Costello, Tramp the Dirt Down … not a big Maggie Thatcher fan evidently
Kate Bush, Army Dreamers
Cat Stevens, Where Do the Children Play?
Buffalo Springfield, For What It’s Worth
David Crosby, What Are Their Names?
Uncle Tupelo, No Depression
Wilco, Christ for President … Woody Guthrie’s words, Billy Bragg’s voice
REM, Exhuming McCarthy
Rolling Stones, Sweet Neocon
Green Day, American Idiot
Jefferson Airplane, Volunteers … it’s morning at Woodstock “up against the wall, tear down the wall!”
Joe Jackson, Obvious Song … “the walls are coming down!”
Mothers of Invention, Trouble Every Day … “I’m watchin’ and I’m waitin’ hopin’ for the best … but there’s no way to delay that trouble comin’ every day”
John Prine, Some Humans Ain’t Human
Peter Gabriel, Wallflower … “I will do what I can do”
George Harrison, Brainwashed
Beatles, Revolution
Don’t be afraid to talk about politics. And make sure you vote.
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by Tom Neal on September 11th, 2008 • No Comments »
Tonight’s the night for political songs on Roundtrip (WNRB-LP, 93.3 FM, Wausau). For two hours, from 7 to 9, I’ll be airing tunes that express views about politicians, presidents, politics, social issues, war, citizens … you get the idea. There’s a lot of complicated stuff in the news, coming out of candidates’ and commentators’ mouths, going on between debating citizens, being written on blogs and Web sites. Sometimes, it’s good to boil things down to their essence … the basic messages … the core gripes … the personal feelings … the things that matter. And music is a great way to do that. Sometimes, people even sing together. And then, anything can happen.
So tonight, Dylan, the Clash, Wilco, John Prine, REM, Bob Marley and many others will be featured putting it out there. Tune in, get fired up, then get off your ass … and sing your own political song.
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by Tom Neal on September 9th, 2008 • 7 Comments »
The Fish Cheer by Country Joe and the Fish … I was in the crowd at Woodstock when that irreverent intro and legendary war protest tune were performed to the crowd of a half-million, then on to a far greater audience through the movie and album. Just one of countless politically motivated tunes. Songs of protest and political positions have been recorded for about as long as recording was possible. People listened to laments about the Great Depression in the ’30s, rallied around the tunes of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger in the ’40s and ’50s, then on to the folk and rock movements of the ’60s, Anarchy in the ’70s and right up to now.
My radio show (Roundtrip) on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau) this Thursday night (7-9) will be dedicated to that sort of thing. This is where politicians get skewered, tyrants get exposed, policies get argued, people get prodded to get off their asses and act. I will likely do this sort of show several times between now and presidential voting day.
Big-time politics is in the air. Crap and rhetoric are flying like cows in a tornado. It’s time to get fired up. It’s time to take a stand. Tell me what you think I should play this Thursday. Offer me a loan of your CDs for the things I don’t have. Step up to the barricades and be heard. Let’s all get off our asses! “Gimme an F …!!!!”
P.S. — general thoughts:
Political tunes:
1. should be topical (i.e. about things like war, equality, environment, hypocrisy, greed, politicians)
2. should be smart or funny or angry or sad or rousing or any combination of these
3. can be ironic or tongue-in-cheek
4. should not be so subtle that you don’t know what the hell is being communicated
5. can be specific to a “now” issue, past issue or deal with general, universal observations
6. should not be about “I hate my parents, hate my school, hate the world, want to die or kill someone”
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by Tom Neal on September 5th, 2008 • No Comments »
My Roundtrip radio program last night on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau) was a semi-random, eclectic mix that I think kept the listeners guessing. Not guessing what song was next, but what style and era was next. Next week, I will present a political edition of Roundtrip, featuring music about politics, politicians, issues, protest, social consciousness, etc. I welcome any suggestions you can give me here to come up with an interesting show. So, here’s last night’s lineup:
Dave Clark Five, Glad All Over … early ’60s rockers who made it into the R&R Hall of Fame recently
Bryan Ferry, The Price of Love … former Roxy Music frontman croons an Everly Bros. tune
Wilco, I’m a Wheel
King Crimson, Elephant Talk … referencing the Republican Convention’s final night
Psychedelic Furs, So Run Down … these guys can just straight-ahead rock when they want to
Rolling Stones, Sweet Neocon … ode to Sarah Palin? (everybody’s talkin’ ’bout those groovy glasses)
Peter Mayer, Africa … folk / coffee house circuit performer who’s been around here before
Stephen Stills, Fishes and Scorpions … Steve gets down on astrology(!?)
Beatles, Not Guilty … deep cut from George with some nice Gretsch guitar work
Honeyboy Edwards, I Was in New Orleans Last Night … as a nod to the Big Easy, post-Gustav
Keith Richards, Take It So Hard
Paul Revere & the Raiders, Don’t Take It So Hard … no relation to Keith’s number
The Kinks, Powerman … a rock show without some Kinks is incomplete
Buzzcocks, Something’s Gone Wrong Again … cockney blokes moaning about bad luck
Radiohead, You … from way back on their first album
Counting Crows, A Murder of One … live version; they’re on it like flies on meringue pie
Bob Dylan, Someday Baby … cool Bobby
The Seeds, It’s a Hard Life … had to have my almost-weekly dose of Seeds
Patti Smith, Break It Up
Adrian Belew, Troubles … should have played this after the Buzzcocks tune!
X, White Girl … takes me back to a fun, sweaty night seeing them
Sufjan Stevens, All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands … latter day hippie?
Weezer, Hash Pipe … so this is what our kids are listening to!
Velveteen, The Getaway … a well-kept Danish secret worth discovering
Join me next week for a Political Roundtrip (7-9 pm, Thursday).
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