i’ve been told there’s a lengthy essay in today’s NY Times, something along the lines of “Is Rock Dead : Maybe?” I’ve neither the time or inclination to read such a piece, particularly as I’m already aware rock has been on life support for some time and only following Rusted Shut’s January 17 set at the Crowbar can we conclusively declare it d-e-a-d. However, following news that a revered local nightspot (ok, repository for the worst fucking pop-punk / dork metal / who-gives-a-sh...
I’ve been asked once or twice, what, if anything, would i want to do MORE THAN ANYTHING to commemorate my 6100st birthday? I’ll admit, it was a difficult choice. Drive into the Comal Street's White Horse with a bulldozer? Visit the Turner Curling Museum of Weyburn, Saskatchewan? Spend the afternoon with Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian and his lovely family? These are all very attractive options, however it’s too late in the day to rent a bulldozer, the Curling Museum is closed for...
today’s program, the penultimate episode of 2025, was meant to be a full review and unboxing of the latest reissue of NME’s 1986 classic (?) ‘Unholy Death’ - a 7 LP + blu ray + coffee table book collection. Sadly, I misplaced my half dozen or so box cutters (these are like socks for me except they’re much sharper and cause more damage when you find them inside pockets) and I cannot get the fucking box open. As such, I am only able to speculate as to the quality of the unreleased demos, the qu...
it’s been several years since I asked you, dear listeners, to join me in mourning for my dearly departed Amaré Stoudemire Skullkandy headphones. To recap, said cans sounded like SHIT, however they were glorious to look it. Sadly, they were also about as durable as their namesake. And with that, I pivoted to Grado Labs’ open back headphones (looked like shit, sounded glorious). In the space of less than 4 years, I’ve had no fewer than 2 pairs of new Grado phones fall-the-fuck-apart and it’snot...
with each holiday season, there’s typically one or two highly coveted items that set up a frenzy amongst consumers, the-must-have-gift-of-the-year, if you will. The Furby. Nintendo Switch. For the well heeled and easily influence by marketing amongst us, perhaps the Peloton. In 2025, however, the can’t-miss gift is unquestionably the 7 DVD box set, “Dr. Gene Scott 95th Birthday Commemorative Edition : The Spiritual Nitro Pills” Currently marked down from $139.99 to a mere $59.99, ...
as a few of you are probably aware, today’s NY Times has an extensive report cataloging recent signs of abject fatigue displayed by the current chief executive. While I am typically not in the habit of defending a charmless, thoroughly corrupt pathological liar and bigot, in fairness, his alleged propensity for DOZING OFF while on the job is something I can (sadly) relate to. Over the years, here’s a short list of circumstances in which I have fallen asleep : du...
today’s show marks the 21st anniversary of what came to be known as “Malice At The Palace”, the (in)direct inspiration for Wizznuttz’ amazing reinterpretation of Picasso’s “Guernica”, aka “Aubernica”. For all the seismic changes the incident brought about in spheres of professional sports and crowd control, it is deeply regrettable “Aubernica” does not occupy space in a public gallery (aside from, well, this post), but we live in different times. If I want to watch the clip of Jermaine ...
We live in times of GREAT UNCERTAINTY. Who can say, for instance, if the charade we call democracy will even maintain the pretense for another 12 months? If you’re lucky enough to afford to climb aboard an airplane, what guarantee is there you won’t smash into another? Will anyone, besides the uber wealthy, be capable of feeding their families or availing themselves of health care? The answer to these questions, much like “should anyone pay for a premium ...
good morning friends, and as deeply encouraged many of us might be following last night’s mayoral election results in New York City, I remain cautiously hopeful that some day in the future there will be a major candidate for high office willing to address the needless, senseless proliferation of hot takes. I don’t wanna hear your reasoned argument that a hot dog is not a sandwich. I don’t wanna hear some self-styled artist/bozo in pajamas taking about which Seals & Crofts albu...
with all due respect to my many friends and loved ones who deeply enjoy the occasion, this week’s program will not include a Halloween theme, Halloween music or any other sort of pandering, infantile bullshit designed to distract from the ongoing tire fire we’re engulfed in. By all means, have a great time with your Halloween parties and however you choose to disguise yourselves. Sexy science denialist. Sexy utility infielder. Sexy sex worker. Sexy drum tech for Dream Theater (admittedly, an ...
to quote Charlotte Caffey and Kathy Valentine, I am certain there are moments “"head over heels, to time to think / Looks like the whole world's out of sync” resonates deeply with each and every one of you. And that’s why I do this program each and every week, to try and help you make sense of the senseless. I’ll admit that I’ve not done a particularly good job in the regard — I tend to get sidetracked with a particular musical theme and completely disregard whatever larger point I’d so...
so none of my so-called friends thought it was worth mentioning that the National Crime Prevention Council’s ill-advised 1988 cassette, ‘McGruff’s Smart Kids Album’ had recently been reissued on multiple formats by some enterprising record label and all available copies are G O N E. On the endless list of things going wrong near and far, this probably ranks rather low when it comes to issues to be massively upset over. But as you have probably learned by now, with the possible exception of Pa...
if you’re like me (and I suspect a few of you are), you were surprised but hardly outraged at the NFL’s recent announcement that Bun E. Carlos would be headlining the Super Bowl halftime show next February. Granted, a 15 minute drum solo is not everyone’s brand of entertainment (and technically, since this is an instrumental performance, no one will be singing in English) but given Cheap Trick’s election to tour without Bun E. for several years now, this is a unique opportunity to remin...
greetings friends, I nearly wasn’t able to complete this week’s episode after being diagnosed with a case of minor men’s whiplash acquired while reading the New York Times’ recent, “Is It OK To Use Your Phone On The Toilet?” article. Weirdly enough, I was not reading said think (?) piece on the toilet but instead an airport monorail that made an abrupt stop, hence the Joel Gertner signature neck brace that I’ll be sporting for the foreseeable future. On the bright side, this does open the doo...
this week’s planned Goner Fest preview was scrapped at the last minute in favor of a two hour roundtable (pizza) discussion concerning the mooted mid 1990’s merger of eco-cult Zendik Farm with purveyor of delicious (albeit highly processed) baked goods Pepperidge Farm. Did it fall apart when the former’s patriarch, the late Wulf Zendik (above) learned the latter’s vaunted cheddar cheese goldfish in fact, contained no fish whatsoever? Or was the issue Pepperidge Farms upper management taking u...
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...