Loose Bruce Kerr's Parody/Original Song Podcast

"Choke Your Chicken, from 1979, my first contact with Dr. Demento, won an Honorary Mention in his song contest that fall. Elsewhere on this podcast is a live version from the early 1980's. But this was the Teac 4-track cassette overdubbed version I did on a friend's recorder. Couldn't afford my own till later. Cost $1K. My 32-track digital Teac cost only $450 5 years ago. 32 tracks. (thanks again, Les Paul).

with Bob Dylan’s current resurgence of popularity, and Trump’s NOT! ... this 2016 parody re today’s new continuing-slide poll numbers may be worth a spin (audio w/ today’s CNN poll still shot). Enjoy!

"THE BALD TRUTH" is an early Loose Bruce Kerr original from 1973, performed LIVE by his band with his hometown friend, Steve Hoeft, SPUD CITY - Music With a Peel." They worked New England bars & ski lodges in the late 1970's.   In 1978, Spud City was invited to open a U. of Lowell in Massachusetts concert featuring Jonathan Edwards of "Sunshine" (go away today) fame. Around 3000 college students. "The Bald Truth" was featured in the middle of that set.   It's about the 1973 (and successive, including RIGHT NOW) shortages of gasoline/food/everything...eggs...and having to just get by somehow. Also about Bruce's hair which was also starting to witness a shortage in his early 20's.   The band features Bruce & Steve plus drummer Tyke Ten Eyke whom they met playing on the island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands and Mickey Marien on bass guitar. All 4 members sang vocals. Bruce sings lead on this one.   Bruce went on to have a solo career as Loose Bruce Kerr, opening for "Weird Al" Yankovic and with over 160 song plays on the Dr. Demento Show. He is now retired and lives in northern California with his wife and expecting new cats. Steve is also retired and lives near Boise, Idaho.   This track is without Steve's intro, just the song itself, for audio listening only, like with records in the old days. Enjoy!

"THE BALD TRUTH" is an early Loose Bruce Kerr original from 1973, performed LIVE by his band with his hometown friend, Steve Hoeft, SPUD CITY - Music With a Peel." They worked New England bars & ski lodges in the late 1970's.   In 1978, Spud City was invited to open a U. of Lowell in Massachusetts concert featuring Jonathan Edwards of "Sunshine" (go away today) fame. Around 3000 college students. "The Bald Truth" was featured in the middle of that set.   It's about the 1973 (and successive, including RIGHT NOW) shortages of gasoline/food/everything...eggs...and having to just get by somehow. Also about Bruce's hair which was also starting to witness a shortage in his early 20's.   The band features Bruce & Steve plus drummer Tyke Ten Eyke whom they met playing on the island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands and Mickey Marien on bass guitar. All 4 members sang vocals. Bruce sings lead on this one.   Bruce went on to have a solo career as Loose Bruce Kerr, opening for "Weird Al" Yankovic and with over 160 song plays on the Dr. Demento Show. He is now retired and lives in northern California with his wife and expecting new cats. Steve is also retired and lives near Boise, Idaho.   This track has a band still shot from that concert to make this a video but it's really for audio listening only, just like with records in the old days. Enjoy!

This 11-minute LIVE 4-song performance at a Sun Microsystems Legal All-Hands conference in Silicon Valley in 1998 is by Sun contracts manager, Bruce Kerr, under the moniker he used in his preceding career as a songwriter-performer, Loose Bruce Kerr. Bruce had interrupted his earlier legal career as a legal services lawyer in Milwaukee in 1973 to go on the road and write and perform as a solo, in a duo, or in a band from California to New England to the Caribbean for 20 years. After he resumed his legal career, Sun's General Counsel, John Croll hired Bruce in 1997. After that, John tapped Bruce to perform a short segment of his songs and parodies as an entertainment break at the Sun legal All-Hands conferences in Silicon Valley and elsewhere around the country (including the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas). Bruce stayed with Sun Legal, becoming Assistant General Counsel in 2008 before Oracle acquired Sun in 2010 where Bruce remained until retiring in 2020. These 4 songs consist of a barbershop song arrangement about nearby San Francisco, "Java," about Sun's trademark infringement case against Microsoft at the time, "That Lonesome Road" with Bruce digitally generating 3 harmony parts triggered by his lead vocal per pre-programmed chord changes. Closing the set is one of his parodies about office life, "Black Magic Marker." Back in the day, Bruce opened for "Weird Al" Yankovic and had over 150 song plays on Dr. Demento. Though Bruce is retired, he continues to write, record, and upload his original songs, parodies and videos to his blog loosebrucekerr.com, YouTube, and other platforms. He lives with his wife, Linda, in northern California where they are expecting 2 new kittens. email: BKerrLaw@aol.com  

"DO LET'S DO" (live in 1978) features the band, SPUD CITY led by Bruce Kerr (later: songwriter-parodist, Loose Bruce Kerr) and his boyhood friend from hometown, Waukesha, Wisconsin, Steve Hoeft. On drums: Tyke Ten Eyck from St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, bass: Mickey Marien from New York. This rather rough, live, recording captured at the University of Lowell is a rare one from back in the day. Spud City played gigs in the late 1970's from the top of Vermont ski lodges down to Greenwich, Connecticut and east to Cape Cod. The main stage at the University of Lowell in Massachusetts had the band doing an all-original show except for their opening number, a barbershop arrangement of "The Oscar Meyer Wiener Song." "Do Let's Do" followed that opening in front of about 3,000 college students in 1978. Steve & Bruce play electric guitars, Tyke on drums, Mickey on bass, and all 4 sing the vocals. Bruce sings lead and the last chorus features a combo of Steve on chorus against Bruce on verse simultaneously. It's swing time, baby! (l to r: Mickey Marien, Bruce Kerr, Steve Hoeft, Tyke Ten Eyck - turn your phone 90 degrees to see full photo)

https://youtu.be/xrdTWv-B6cs Congress is vetting Donald Trump's Cabinet appointees this week against a backdrop of Greenland, Canada, Panama and (pick your fear). I woke up with an earworm of a Rodgers & Hammerstein song and, well, this is what happens when things mix up. Enjoy this parody video. You may or may not agree, freedom! https://youtu.be/xrdTWv-B6cs cheers, Bruce Loose Bruce Kerr       Loose Bruce Kerr wrote, recorded & performed his original show (solo/duo/New England band in the 1970’s) for 20 years before returning to law and ending up Assistant General Counsel for Sun Microsystems in Silicon Valley and then as a Deal Manager at Oracle after it acquired Sun. He opened for “Weird Al” Yankovic back in the day and has over 150 song plays on the Doctor Demento Show. In 2022, his romantic holiday original, “Christmas Is You” was published in 5-part jazz a cappella format by Fred Bock Music, distributed by Hal Leonard. Today, Bruce is a retired lawyer in northern California with his Waukesha, Wisconsin hometown wife, Linda, and cats but continues to write and record his originals and song parodies. His videos and some audios are on youtube and all his audios & videos are available for streaming and/or downloading for free on his podcast loosebrucekerr.com. Email Bruce at: BKerrLaw@aol.com

“IT'S BORING IN THE COUNTRY,” (AUDIO) Spud City LIVE at the University of Lowell auditorium main stage, 3000 packed seats.  Spud City played across New England in 1977-79, formed by hometown friends of Waukesha, Wisconsin, Steve Hoeft & Bruce Kerr. Other members were drummer, Tyke Ten Eyck, Dave Giordino (later replaced on bass by Mickey Marien, Mickey plays on this song). This is one of Bruce’s songs performed by the band live here and influenced by the folk group, the Limeliters and their satirical, topical folk songs performed in the early 1960’s by Steve’s and Bruce’s old folk group, the Coachmen in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Loose Bruce inserted a 20-year performing and recording career into his 2 periods as an attorney. He's retired now from his latest 23-year term practicing law, most recently at Oracle. Before that, he was Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems before Oracle acquired it. He continues to record his songs and videos in his garage studio in northern California. He sings and plays each part or instrument one at a time, then mixes it down to create the full recording. Back in the day, he opened for "Weird Al" Yankovic. He's an irregular feature of the Dr. Demento Show on the internet (150 songplays since 1987). His mp3 audio songs and mp4 videos can be streamed or downloaded for free at loosebrucekerr.com. Also, his videos are available for streaming on youtube. email Bruce at: BKerrLaw@aol.com

“TIME TO START NEXT CHRISTMAS” is a satirical song by songwriter-recordist, Loose Bruce Kerr. Tongue-firmly-in-cheek, Bruce suggests we all redecorate in January while all placements are still fresh in mind. The song’s style reflects the Christmas songs of Bruce’s youth in the 1950’s & 60’s in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Loose Bruce Kerr wrote, recorded & performed his original show (solo/duo/New England band in the 1970’s) for 20 years before returning to law and ending up Assistant General Counsel for Sun Microsystems in Silicon Valley and then as a Deal Manager at Oracle after it acquired Sun. He opened for “Weird Al” Yankovic back in the day and has over 150 song plays on the Doctor Demento Show. In 2022, his romantic holiday original, “Christmas Is You” was published in 5-part jazz a cappella format by Fred Bock Music, distributed by Hal Leonard. Today, Bruce is a retired lawyer in northern California with his Waukesha, Wisconsin hometown wife, Linda, and cats but continues to write and record his originals and song parodies. His videos and some audios are on youtube and all his audios & videos are available for streaming and/or downloading for free on his podcast loosebrucekerr.com. Email Bruce at: BKerrLaw@aol.com

3 versions of the Loose Bruce Kerr parody, "THE LEADER OF IRAQ" exist: 1) 1988 audio with 1989 video taped at Sparky's Waterfront Saloon on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Sadaam v. Iran's Ayatolah; 2) 1990 audio version, lyrics document Sadaam's invasion of Kuwait & US response; and 3) 2003 audio, lyrics document the US invasion of Iraq & toppling of Sadaam. The first 2 versions, '88 & '90 were played by Doctor Demento on his show a few times. This is the 3rd version. The first in video is on youtube and downloadable here, as well. The 2nd version, audio, is also available here on this podcast by searching on the title. Loose Bruce Kerr is a songwriter and parodist and is an irregular feature on the Dr. Demento Show. Bruce took 20 years off from his budding law career to write, record & perform his songs in a solo act, duo with Steve Hoeft, also of Waukesha, Wisconsin, as well as in a band, Spud City in New England in the late 1970's with Steve, Tyke Ten Eycke and Mickey Marien. After resuming his law career after the 20 year stint, Bruce started over and worked his way up to Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems, and finally Deal Manager at Oracle. He is now retired but continues to write, record, and post his new original and parody songs & videos to youtube, this podcast, and other social media platforms. this podcast: loosebrucekerr.com

3 versions of the Loose Bruce Kerr parody, "THE LEADER OF IRAQ" exist: 1) 1988 audio with 1989 video taped at Sparky's Waterfront Saloon on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Sadaam v. Iran's Ayatolah; 2) 1990 audio version, lyrics document Sadaam's invasion of Kuwait & US response; and 3) 2003 audio, lyrics document the US invasion of Iraq & toppling of Sadaam. The first 2 versions, '88 & '90 were played by Doctor Demento on his show a few times. This is the 2nd version. The first in video is on youtube and downloadable here, as well. The 3rd version, audio, is also available here on this podcast by searching on the title. Loose Bruce Kerr is a songwriter and parodist and is an irregular feature on the Dr. Demento Show. Bruce took 20 years off from his budding law career to write, record & perform his songs in a solo act, duo with Steve Hoeft, also of Waukesha, Wisconsin, as well as in a band, Spud City in New England in the late 1970's with Steve, Tyke Ten Eycke and Mickey Marien. After resuming his law career after the 20 year stint, Bruce started over and worked his way up to Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems, and finally Deal Manager at Oracle. He is now retired but continues to write, record, and post his new original and parody songs & videos to youtube, this podcast, and other social media platforms. this podcast: loosebrucekerr.com email Bruce: BKerrLaw@aol.com

"SILVER WHERE?" (audio-slide) is a holiday parody by Loose Bruce Kerr of "Silver Bells" and speaks of the many forks, knives, and spoons often facing up at you at some dinner.   Which to use? When? WHY? Bruce plays guitar, mandolin, bass, & sings.   Loose Bruce inserted a 20-year performing and recording career into his 2 periods as an attorney. He's retired now from his latest 23-year term practicing law, most recently at Oracle. Before that, he was Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems before Oracle acquired it. He continues to record his songs and videos in his garage studio. He sings and plays each part or instrument one at a time, then mixes it down to create the full recording.   Back in the day, he opened for "Weird Al" Yankovic. He's an irregular feature of the Dr. Demento Show on the internet (150 songplays since 1987).   His mp3 audio songs and mp4 videos can be streamed or downloaded for free at loosebrucekerr.com.   email Bruce at BKerrLaw@aol.com  

"SILENCED NIGHT" is the audio-slide parody by Loose Bruce Kerr of the Christmas classic, "Silent Night." It bemoans our ever-present smart phones and their disrupting capability in our lives. Loose Bruce inserted a 20-year performing and recording career into his 2 periods as an attorney. He's retired now from his latest 23-year term practicing law, most recently at Oracle. Before that, he was Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems before Oracle acquired it. He continues to record his songs and videos in his garage studio. He sings and plays each part or instrument one at a time, then mixes it down to create the full recording. Back in the day, he opened for "Weird Al" Yankovic. He's an irregular feature of the Dr. Demento Show on the internet (150 songplays since 1987). His mp3 audio songs and mp4 videos can be streamed or downloaded for free at loosebrucekerr.com. email Bruce at BKerrLaw@aol.com

"YOU GIVE GOLF A BAD NAME" is a VIDEO SLIDE SHOW & AUDIO by Loose Bruce Kerr, parody on Trump per the Bon Jovi hit, "You Give Love a Bad Name." Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or asleep, we're just having some fun. Loose Bruce inserted a 20-year performing and recording career into his 2 periods as an attorney. He's retired now from his latest 23-year term practicing law, most recently at Oracle. Before that, he was Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems before Oracle acquired it. He continues to record his songs and videos in his garage studio in northern California. He sings and plays each part or instrument one at a time, then mixes it down to create the full recording. Back in the day, he opened for "Weird Al" Yankovic. He's an irregular feature of the Dr. Demento Show on the internet (150 song plays since 1987).  His mp3 audio songs and mp4 videos can be streamed or downloaded for free at loosebrucekerr.com. email Bruce at BKerrLaw@aol.com

Oct. 3, 2024 is the 29th anniversary of the not guilty verdict for O.J. Simpson.   During the trial that preceding summer of 1995, we released the only known 3.5” PC diskette “single” live multitrack recording of this parody song (“O.J.-0h” to tune: “Day-O”) with an accompanying computer-generated moving (barely) graphic. This was years before video became available on computers. YouTube started 10 years later, in 2005.   The diskette sold on a display rack by the check-out at Tower Records stores in Silicon Valley (Palo Alto & Campbell) at $4.99 a copy wrapped in a see-through plastic…glove (of course).   Here’s the RECENTLY CONVERTED video of that 1995 diskette PC audio-visual as reconstructed using various programs by my former Sun Microsystems engineer whiz-cat colleague, E. Michael Durbin.   The original audio-visual diskette was a collaboration of another whiz-cat engineer Lee Baxter and myself. A copy is lodged in the Computer History Museum in Fremont, California.   Enjoy this 45 rpm vinyl-era “single” release, but which came out on a red 3.5” computer diskette. With “moving pictures!” Or maybe, “quivering pictures.” Only one of its kind in captivity.

In the late 1970's in New England, from the north of Vermont down to Westport, Connecticut, throughout Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts one found, if one was fortunate, the hardest working regional band in rock history, "SPUD CITY - Music with A Peel."  A creation of 2 guys from Waukesha, Wisconsin, Steve Hoeft ("Superstar Steve") and Loose Bruce Kerr, this band did Bruce's originals and just enough cover songs in wild ways to get booked into every bar, club, ski lodge and wherever anyone wanted a night of fun entertainment, flaming electric guitars, drums, bass, banjo & mandolin, comedy and satire. "MY 1943 FORD-CHEVROLET," a car song Bruce had written back in the early 70's pointed out that, during WWII, Detroit switched from doing the latest cool cars to tanks, half-tracks, etc. The very latest models were tricked-out (cannons, machine guns), sold by the 100's of thousands (the Allies couldn't get enough) and actually conquered not just the military market, but the whole world. Certainly beat the Japanese and German models. (However, they did make a reputable comeback years later, what with their BMW's and Toyotas). Steve on slide electric guitar and background vocals (& effects), Bruce on lead vocal and acoustic guitar, Tyke Ten Eyke on drums and background vocals, Mickey Marien on bass and background vocals. "My 1943 Ford-Chevrolet," live, University of Lowell, 3500 college kids in a packed auditorium, 1978.

Here, to the tune of "Maria" (ma-rye-ah) as sung by the Kingston Trio, is "PARIAH" by songwriter & parodist Loose Bruce Kerr, a song about Donald Trump and the 2024 Presidential campaign.   Loose Bruce inserted a 20-year performing and recording career into his 2 periods as an attorney. He's retired now from his latest 23-year term practicing law, most recently at Oracle. Before that, he was Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems before Oracle acquired it.   He continues to record his songs and videos in his garage studio. He sings and plays each part or instrument one at a time, then mixes it down to create the full recording. Back in the day, he opened for "Weird Al" Yankovic. He's an irregular feature of the Dr. Demento Show on the internet (150 song plays since 1987).   His mp3 audio songs and mp4 videos can be streamed or downloaded for free at loosebrucekerr.com.   email Bruce at BKerrLaw@aol.com

Here, to the tune of "Maria" (ma-rye-ah) as sung by the Kingston Trio, is "PARIAH" by songwriter & parodist Loose Bruce Kerr, a song about Donald Trump and the 2024 Presidential campaign. Loose Bruce inserted a 20-year performing and recording career into his 2 periods as an attorney. He's retired now from his latest 23-year term practicing law, most recently at Oracle. Before that, he was Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems before Oracle acquired it. He continues to record his songs and videos in his garage studio. He sings and plays each part or instrument one at a time, then mixes it down to create the full recording. Back in the day, he opened for "Weird Al" Yankovic. He's an irregular feature of the Dr. Demento Show on the internet (150 song plays since 1987). His mp3 audio songs and mp4 videos can be streamed or downloaded for free at loosebrucekerr.com. email Bruce at BKerrLaw@aol.com

It's National Canada Day! And to celebrate our Canadian friends, here's a parody from 1996, multiple plays on the Dr. Demento Show, based on "Heads Carolina, Tails California" by Jo Dee Messina. Recently redone by Cole Swindell & Jo Dee (great version) here's the celebrate-Canada version: "HEADS NOVA SCOTIA, TAILS UP DA NORT POLE" by song parodist, Loose Bruce Kerr. Loose Bruce inserted a 20-year performing and recording career into his 2 periods as an attorney. He's retired now from his latest 23-year term practicing law, most recently at Oracle. Before that, he was Assistant General Counsel at Sun Microsystems before Oracle acquired it. He continues to record his songs and videos in his garage studio. He sings and plays each part or instrument one at a time, then mixes it down to create the full recording. Back in the day, he opened for "Weird Al" Yankovic. He's an irregular feature of the Dr. Demento Show on the internet (150 songplays since 1987). His mp3 audio songs and mp4 videos can be streamed or downloaded for free at loosebrucekerr.com. email Bruce at BKerrLaw@aol.com