i’ve looked forward to the day I’d be able to do this program live from East Village Radio’s lovely 1st Avenue booth, however in light of recent events in the USA, I have implored station management for INCREASED SECURITY. Not for everyone, necessarily, primarily for me. I’ve come to understand that despite this show’s wild popularity, some of the views I routinely espouse (ie. liquor and cabaret licenses should be revoked for failure to post set times, the Dandy Warhols should be...
this week’s program comes to you from Wood Green where following a fascinating guided tour of guitarist Barry D'Amery’s birthplace/museum, we’ll discuss the disappointing, nah, shocking paucity of details on INFA RIOT’s wikipedia. How can an ensemble with such a rich and colorful historybe summed up in a mere two paragraphs? Is there really nothing to be said of the band’s ill-advised decision in 1984 to change their name to The Infas? Are there no details — say, for instance, calls for...
he accompanying photograph is from an aborted IG account called ShaneandKaneOuttaContext. The problem is, I cannot possibly share such an arresting visual without providing some context. For the crap politician on the right, this is maybe the most (only?) relatable thing he’s ever done. For the Bill Simmons lookalike on the left, a man whose only marketable skill is his ability to fall from great heights, this was a grim reminder that running wild on the mean streets of Greenwich, CT wi...
The other day, an East Village Radio colleague played a new recording by a band so derivative, so feckless, so utterly craven, so thoroughly lacking any musical or lyrical creativity that I knew I had to do something about it. Except of course, there’s nothing I can do about it. Where I to name and shame this particular ensemble, I would almost certainly subject myself to accusation of bullying, or even worse, “gate-keeping”. Putting aside how I’ve kept MANY rec...
like many of you, I was confused, befuddled, even, when the Kennedy Centers Honors list was released earlier this month and BRAINBOMBS were included. I mean, they’re Swedish. OTOH, much of their subject matter would be right in line with the administration’s general worldview . As it turns out, I, like many of you, had presumed these presentations were under the auspices of the John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts, but in fact, this was for the OTHER Kennedy Cente...
i hate to get personal on mornings it’s time to promote the radio show, but I received a rather devastating health diagnosis last week. My doctor says if i do ONE MORE FAVOR for someone I barely know, I’m probably going to expire. As it happens, I did just agree to do another favor and that’s writing the liner notes to the long-mooted SLAMBODIANS box set. Trouble is, I did not read the fine print in my agreement with Light In The Car Sick Records and it seems I also have to...
the recent Sydney Sweeney / eugenics dog whistling campaign is not only deeply stupid, but sadly, brought to mind my ill-fated attempt several years ago to revive Sears Roebuck’s once-vaunted Toughskins brand. An expensive-to-produce television commercial featuring adolescents declaring “we’ve got really average to below average jeans” had to be scrapped following legal action from Kent, OH Oi revivalists who’d since claimed the Toughskins name. Though this was not the first or last time I’ve...
i am presuming you are all caught up in the sorry tale of police harassment / judicial overreach that has seen a beloved american icon (ok, Chuck E. Cheese) hauled away on the most specious of charges. who amongst us at one time or another not inadvertently borrowed a credit card and run up some miscellaneous charges at a local smoke shop or tavern? Are these not-quite capital crimes justification for zip ties and shaming on the grandest of stages (ok, Daily Mail dot com)? I think not. instea...
greetings and welcome to episode 269. There were some last minute edits to today's episode --- i took a call on-air last night from an agitated individual who took great umbrage at Drake acknowledging Ozzy Osbourne's passing yet having nothing to say about the death of fellow Canadian Bill Exley (Nihilist Spasm Band). Though this caller sounded suspiciously like the same person who used to harangue Rudy Giuliani about the latter's views on ferrets, I can't prove it and besides, he...
Over the past several weeks I feel as though I’ve inundated with unreasonable requests, many of them coming from persons I have no relationship with, personally or professionally. I’ll grant that my reactions to such demands are a tad on the sensitive side , but in the interests of separating the kellogg’s mini-wheats from the chaff, going forward I’ve established a price list that will hopefully save everyone some time (and help pay for the powerful anti-depressants I require to deal w...
earlier this week, a (very funny) social media post by David Stubbs extensively cataloged the myriad ways Oasis suck-like-crazy, laying waste to the revisionist history these dopes had any redeeming values, musical or otherwise. As this post was timed to coincide with the (less interesting) Bruddas’ reunion stadium tour — not titled “Triumph Of The Norms & Normettes”, but perhaps it should’ve been — it’s been circulated far and wide. The thing is, you don’t need Stubbs’ permission to con...
June 25 marks the advent of two incredibly important inventions in the history of civilization ; June 25 1630 saw the introduction of the fork, while June 25, 1867 was day barbed wire was patented. Today’s program considers how our history might’ve changed had these dates been reversed ; nearly 250 years could’ve elapsed with nothing being eaten except soup. Conversely, barbed-wire death matches (electrified and otherwise) could’ve begun much, much earlier. Of c...
as this NBA season draws to a close, this week's program celebrates (belatedly) the 22nd anniversary of a troubled Calvin Klein accosting Latrell Sprewell in the middle of a Raptors/Knicks game. These days if you want to be led away in handcuffs, all you have to do is ask some reasonable questions at a press conference. In (slightly) less authoritarian times, however, far more effort was required. You had to purchase a court side seat at MSG and then risk strangulation at the hands of Latrell...
my planned day and a half to do a comprehensive social media cull keeps getting put off which is a shame, because I end up seeing posts from respected members of the underground music world (ok, Don Walsh) alleging Los Angeles anti-ICE protesters are in fact, paid agitators getting rich from the generosity of someone named George Sore Eros. Putting aside for a moment the disconnect of the current regime’s (laughable) promises to wipe out antisemitism while engaging in the m...
for this week's episode, I pay tribute to the late Colin Jerwood in the most respectful, appropriate manner possible --- by updating his look for 2025. OK, it was really JJ Ruiz' idea, and much like Jerwrood's original shirt, the best ideas are always subject to revision (except for mine -- and I'll let you know if I ever have a good idea). Jerwood's original "Only Stupid Bastards Help EMI" tee is available from DC's Joint Custody for a modest sum and if you'd like to amend it in whatev...
when this program began 5 years ago, America, nah , the world was in the midst of near-universal harmony, health and prosperity. It would be the height of exaggeration to say the global events that followed were in any way influenced or informed by the launch of this radio program, but really, it's ok with me if only 3 or 4 of you are willing to say it out loud. It's been my privilege to bring you two hours of music (that feel like 3 or 4) every week and while co...
if this were a real call-in show, an all-too obvious topic for discussion might be "who is the worst live band you've ever seen?" I mean, for there are some all-too obvious candidates (Sump, Juliette Lewis & The Licks, Quiet Company, Ween) however what does it mean if you never thought the band in question was any good to begin with? How can you properly measure a performance if you’re already disinclined to like the material or the performers? so maybe the real worst show you’ve ever see...
While the New York Knicks are on the precipice of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, said development neatly coincides with Erik and Lyle Menendez (shown above sitting courtside at a 1990 Knicks game) being eligible for parole, there is the likelihood, however slim, the convicted parent-slayers might actually be front and center when Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Townes et al capture New York's first NBA Championship in 52 years. Of course, this would require someone else being suppl...
I really hate the expression "there's so much to unpack" but regarding Celtic Frost's open solicitation for auditioning drummers, THERE'S SO MUCH TO UNPACK. "MUST BE WILLING TO LIVE IN SWITZERLAND". "MUST BE WILLING TO TURN A BLIND EYE TO ASSAULTING SOMEONE IN A MOTLEY CRUE TEE". "WE HAVE A STRONG IMAGE" (yeah, we've seen the back cover to 'Cold Lake'). We can spend all day getting bogged down in whether or not there's a contradiction between coveting a drummer ...
while preparing this week’s sbow, like many of you, I could not help but reflect on Shedeur Sanders’ precipitous free-fall thru the NFL Draft, with the projected early-round pick sliding thru rounds 1-5, then doing a complete nose dive thru the UFL Draft before finally being selected in 3rd round of the 2025 Arena Football League draft. Despite Sanders’ humiliation, this is an impressive achievement just the same given the AFL has been defunct since 2019. But Sanders’ difficult weekend ...