Beatles, Love You To … one of the first sitar-based tunes to come along (Revolver)
Led Zeppelin, Kashmir
Rolling Stones, Paint It Black
Jethro Tull, Fat Man
Coldplay, Yes … sort of Bulgarian thing going here
Yardbirds, Heart Full of Soul
The Kinks, Fancy
David Crosby, Music is Love … got tix to see him and Nash at the Grand (phew!)
Kate Bush, The Dreaming … “Band, goes another kanga on the bonnet of the van”
Jefferson Airplane, Two Heads … Grace Slick goes Middle Eastern
Traffic, Hole in My Shoe … Dave Mason on sitar
Velvet Underground, Venus in Furs … one of the hottest songs ever recorded!
Rolling Stones, Gomper
The Byrds, Eight Miles High
Mahavishnu Orchestra, Birds of Fire … great gong intro
Peter Gabriel, Biko
Yardbirds (Jimmy Page), White Summer
Beatles, The Inner Light … pretty obscure for these guys
Incredible String Band, Waltz of the New Moon
Donovan, The Hurdy Gurdy Man
The Butterfield Blues Band, East-West

Last night’s Roundtrip, my radio program on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, Wausau) was a bit out there at times, reflecting a mix of then and now, and more than a few extra-long cuts:

Traffic, Glad … just to get things going on an up tempo
Steve Winwood, Raging Sea … Traffic’s ex-front man from his ‘08 release (he’s still got it)
Audioslave, Out of Exile
Velveteen, The Getaway … can anyone get me some background on this mysterious tune and group?
Coldplay, Violet Hill … from their very good new album
Counting Crows, Long December … counting the hours until we see them next week in Milw.
Joni Mitchell, See You Sometime … ah, nice interlude
Roxy Music, The Bogus Man … long, dark cut from glam-rock’s best group
Patti Smith, Land … about 9 minutes of Patti’s punky poetry set against a wall of NYC avant garde rock
Weezer, I’m the Greatest Man That Ever Lived … sort of a Bohemian Rhapsody for 2008
George Harrison, Brainwashed … ex-Beatle gets pretty cynical here, quite rightly so
Sufjan Stevens, All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands
Muse, Starlight
Genesis, Stagnation … art rock trip with Peter Gabriel at the wheel
Nazz, Under the Ice … Todd Rundgren’s early band
Todd Rundgren, Little Red Lights
Death Cab for Cutie, I Will Possess Your Heart … obsession
Coldplay, 42
The Who, It’s Not True … from the dawn of their history

It was weird to think that at the exact same time last night (7-9 pm), Reitman was broadcasting his current edition of that storied program on WUWM in Milwaukee. So, last night’s show featured music that I either remember hearing or would expect to hear on “It’s alright ma …” back in ‘66-’69. Here’s the rundown:

Bob Dylan, It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) … inspiration for Reitman’s program title, and sampled in the show’s promo
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced?
Them, Mystic Eyes … young Van Morrison and group of fellow Irishmen
Beatles, Tomorrow Never Knows … “Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream”
Buffalo Springfield, Broken Arrow … early Neil Young magnum opus
Cream, World of Pain
Jefferson Airplane, The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil
The Who, Pictures of Lily
Small Faces, Song of a Baker
Dr. John, Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya … first heard by me in my Milw. living room on “it’s alright ..”
Jethro Tull, Some Day the Sun Won’t Shine for You
Crosby, Stills & Nash, 49 Bye-Byes … I will snag tix for Crosby/Nash in Wausau in Oct.
Patti Smith, Gloria … the only tune in the show that’s out of time with the 66-69 period, only because it was this tune that caught me when I was channel surfing in Chicago this past weekend and landed on today’s resurrection of “It’s alright, ma …” on WUWM
Velvet Underground, Run Run Run
Steve Miller Band, My Friend
The Baroques, Iowa, a Girl’s Name … Milwaukee’s own, and featured regularly at the Avant Garde on the east side
Love, 7 and 7 Is … Reitman used a snip of this in his original show promo back in the day
Pink Floyd, Matilda Mother … a Syd Barret bedtime story
The Byrds, 5D (Fifth Dimension)
Incredible String Band, A Very Cellular Song … one of the bravest tunes I’ve ever heard (first on “It’s alright, ma …”)
The Seeds, Rollin’ Machine … I don’t think Sky Saxon is singing about his car or Harley here
Moby Grape, Omaha
Traffic, Dear Mr. Fantasy

Next time you’re in Milwaukee on a Thursday or Saturday night, tune in WUWM (89.7) and catch Reitman on “It’s alright, ma, it’s only music” and hear what radio should be like, but usually isn’t.

… perhaps my biggest influence was an “underground” radio station from UWM (can’t remember the call letters) that would play anything and everything of an alternative nature. There was a DJ (Bob Reitman) … his show was called “It’s alright Ma, it’s only music.” Here, I had my first taste of Dr. John (the night tripper), the Incredible String Band (who I later saw perform at Woodstock, but that’s another blog), Bob Dylan, the Mothers of Invention, and local acts like the Baroques, the Velvet Whip and the Shag. This show and this station opened up a crazy compendium of delights that “hit radio” could never offer … and I’ve never recovered from the onslaught.

So, this past weekend as I sat in my van below the el-train just off Wabash in downtown Chicago waiting for my 16-year-old son to emerge from Lollapalooza, I surfed the radio and found an interesting sort of underground program (highlighted by Patti Smith doing “Gloria”) and my jaw dropped as I heard the announcer say, “You’re listening to It’s Alright Ma, It’s Only Music on WUWM, Milwaukee.” Needless to say, this really blew my mind (apologies to Eric Burdon). The DJ was the self-same Bob Reitman. Since then, I’ve learned that Reitman has returned to WUWM with the show he hosted there more than 40 years ago.

And, oddly eerily coincidentally, his show airs Thursday nights from 7-9 just like mine does here (but unlike mine, his is also rebroadcast on Saturday nights). I’m thrilled by this time-warpish development, and to celebrate, my show tonight will feature music of the styles and artists that Reitman introduced me to with “It’s alright Ma …”

Join me tonight for a 2-hour trip down my memory lane.

Bob Dylan, On the Road Again … no relation to the Willie hit
The Doors, Break on Through (To the Other Side)
The White Stripes, Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn
Velvet Revolver, Big Machine
The Jimmy Rogers All Stars, Gonna Shoot You Right Down (Boom Boom) … Robert Plant vocals, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton guitars (and Page on the Theremin)
Led Zeppelin, Friends
Taste, Blister on the Moon … I think Ian’s band Freedown should do this Rory Gallagher classic!
Queens of the Stone Age, Long Slow Goodbye
Fleetwood Mac, Rattlesnake Shake … in honor of all the “Caution Rattlesnakes” signs we saw on the trip. My favorite was at Devil’s Tower: “Rattlesnakes Stay on Sidewalk” (I’m thinking: if they’re staying on the sidewalk then I’m walking in the tall grass)
Muse, Apocalypse Please … apparently when my daughter Molly heard this last night at home, she was most impressed with her Dad! Good band
Pink Floyd, Lucifer Sam … Syd Barrett paints Buffalo, Wyoming in psychedelic colors
John Lennon, Remember
Oasis, Wonderwall
Weezer, The Angel and the One
David Crosby, Laughing … this was perfect for mountainside cruising!
Small Faces, I Feel Much Better … love the girlie backup singers: “shoop shoop do wahdi wahdi”
The Who, Out in the Street … early stuff featuring one of the best 5-second Townshend guitar solos ever
Audioslave, Doesn’t Remind Me
Queens of the Stone Age, This Lullaby
Peter Gabriel, Intruder
Weezer, I’m the Greatest Man That Ever Lived … this sent Molly totally around the bend last night and I’m becoming a Weezer fan!
Grateful Dead, China Cat Sunflower … you cannot drive out West without listening to the Dead; it’s a law
The Seeds, It’s a Hard Life
Moby Grape, Indifference

By the way, there is no “back way” to walk up to the top of Devil’s Tower like they show in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” … take it from me. And rainbow trout fresh-caught from a mountain lake, fried in a pan, tastes better than any restaurant can offer.

On tonight’s Roundtrip, my radio show on WNRB-LP (93.3 FM, 7-9), I will feature the hits of the trip … ranging from the Animals to Audioslave, Moby Grape to Muse, The Who to Weezer. I hope you’ll join me tonight and put your mind in the mountains and foothils and plains of the west … and most of all: the road.

Starting things off with a couple of soulful numbers:
Buddy Guy, Feels Like Rain
Temptations, I Wish It Would Rain

Then, I just let it pour:
Moby Grape, Sittin’ By the Window … some flower power rain ruminations
Blind Melon, No Rain … saw these guys at Woodstock ‘94 (great tune)
Led Zeppelin, The Rain Song … dedicated to my boy Ian, lead guitarist of Freedown
Tom Waits, Rain Dogs
Lovin’ Spoonful, Rain On the Roof
Beatles, Rain … surely, all listeners were waiting for this one
Peter Gabriel, Red Rain
White Stripes, Red Rain … no relation
Counting Crows, Rain King
Hollies, Bus Stop
Robert Johnson, Come On In My Kitchen … “’cause it’s gone to be raining outdoors”
Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Sky is Crying
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Rainy Day Dream Away … phone request (I was planning to play it anyway)
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Still Raining Still Dreaming … these 2 tunes were made to be together
Rolling Stones, She’s a Rainbow
The Kinks, Rainy Day in June
Traffic, Coloured Rain
Rod Stewart, An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down
Counting Crows, Raining in Baltimore
Paul McCartney, Too Much Rain
Grateful Dead, Box of Rain
Bob Dylan, A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall … rain as a metaphor (live version … amazing memorization of 8 minutes worth of lyrics, xlent performance)
Todd Rundgren, Rain … a faithful cover of the Beatles’ number

This was fun. What did I miss?

But, tonight there’s one place where the rain will be pouring … guaranteed: on your radio from 7pm to 9pm. On my Roundtrip program (WNRB-LP, 93.3 FM, Wausau), I will feature only tunes about rain. From the likes of Bob Dylan, Hendrix, Kinks and many more. Of course, with two hours, I’ll only scratch the surface of the subject; rain is one popular song theme! But there will be some greats in the mix tonight.

I hope you’ll join me.

Oh, and catch my post below about a guitar (etc.) event I’m trying to get going. Maybe you’ll climb aboard for that, too.

Been thinking: I’m one of those people who “plays guitar.” That is, I play at guitar, own guitars, covet guitars, like guitar music, and am always interested in … guitars. And, I know I’m not alone. Now, I’m not necessarily talking about professional, performing, repertoire-toting serious guitar slingers (although I’m not excluding them, either). I’m talking about all those closet guitar people. The ones who play to amuse themselves or abuse their families. We’re people who think you can never have too many guitars. We may not be hot, but we’re dedicated.
I cruise by the 400 Block in Wausau and, on occasion, see guitar people out there playing solo or jamming with friends/strangers. Does my heart good. Sometimes I see Jim Carlson on the 400; he’s a guitar advocate … out there playing, bringing people together, keeping the spirit alive.
So, I’ve been thinking: If you’re a guitar people, would you come out for a large guitar gathering? I mean, a LARGE GUITAR GATHERING! An event where guitar people bring their guitars en masse, to jam, meet, trade tips/riffs, swap, sell, listen, covet, form groups … all those things guitar people just do naturally. I’m talking hundreds and hundreds of guitar people. I’m talking a mass rendition of Louie Louie or All Day and All of the Night.
The air, filled with that distinctive guitar smell … and with the sound of guitars. Lots of ‘em.
How many guitar people do we have in Wausau? In surrounding communities? In the region? The state? What if we put out a mass call to all of them to get together? Free. No strings (oh, yeah … lots of strings).
Is this crazy? Not to guitar people!
Maybe we have the makings of a unique Wausau event with this.
This post is my first tickle to test the waters (mixing metaphors). Let me know if you’re a guitar people. And if you’d go to a guitar event like this.

ON SECOND THOUGHT:

Having mulled this and talked to some folks, the question arises: What about bongo players or African drummers? Harmonica blowers? Saxophonists for that matter? And, of course, people who love to listen. Because I suffer from guitar myopia, I easily overlook these other population segments. But, I see no reason to be elitist and exclude anyone.

Kinks, You Really Got Me … their first hit (’64)
Taste, Blister on the Moon … Rory Gallagher’s big “hello” to the rock world
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Little Wing
Velvet Underground, Run Run Run … from the album with the Warhol banana peel cover
Thee Shams, Please Yourself … Midwest rockers in the Iggy/Stones school of rock
Kinks, Powerman … featured on soundtrack for last year’s The Darjeeling Limited
Kinks, Sunny Afternoon … one of the all-time best tunes
Ry Cooder, The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor)
Son Volt, Streets That Time Walks
Mahavishnu Orchestra, You Know You Know … a sublime jazz interlude in an otherwise rockish show
Kate Bush, Aerial … laughing with birds
Kinks, Waterloo Sunset … released a couple weeks before Sgt. Pepper
Kinks, Picture Book … one of their billion songs adopted for TV commercials
Nazz, Meridian Leeward … “you look like a person, but you know you’re a pig” Todd Rundgren’s boyhood band
Counting Crows, Hanging Tree
Ray Davies, The Tourist … Kinks’ front man from his album released a couple years ago
Kinks, Have a Cuppa Tea … very British
Paul McCartney, Mr. Bellamy
John Lennon, Remember
George Harrison, Party Seacombe … from his obscure Wonderwall Music album
Kinks, Tired of Waiting for You
Savoy Brown, Stay While the Night is Young
Grateful Dead, Morning Dew
James Gang, Thanks
Kinks, Mister Pleasant … “how is Mrs. Pleasant?”

Check out the Battle of the Bands at Coral Lanes tonight and make big noise for Freedown!