J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - Hallowen Mixtape 2010

Happy Halloween, Mayhem readers and listeners!

As I said on the show this week, it felt like All Hallow's Eve was too many days away yet to really do a proper Halloween show. So here, as promised, is the Halloween Podcast 2010. It's around 45 minutes long and contains a hodgepodge of some random and not so random things. The tracklisting below gives you an idea of what songs are on it, though don't necessarily expect them to be there in their entirety or not simply represented through background samples and what not. For instance, The Specials and Bauhaus both get the chopped treatment. You'll recognize a few annual traditions from my Halloween shows (Flaming Lips, Woody Allen, the Louvin Brothers and the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark stories), but a few new things as well.

I had a blast crafting this thing, so I hope you enjoy it. Take care of yourself this weekend, have fun and I'll see you next week on the show!

J's Indie/Rock Halloween Podcast 2010 - Click here to stream/download.

The podcast contains, in their entirety or partial excerpts of:

Wade Denning and Kay Lande - "Halloween"
Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Halloween"
The Specials - "Ghost Town"
Woody Allen - "Down South"
The Flaming Lips - "Halloween on the Barbary Coast"
George S. Irving - "Room for One More" / "Cold as Clay"
C.A. Quintet - "Trip Thru Hell"
A.A. Allen - "I Am Lucifer" / "Crying Demons"
The Louvin Brothers - "Satan Is Real"
The Gun Club - "Ghost on the Highway"
A.A. Bondy - "Oh the Vampyre"
Bauhaus - "Bella Legosi's Dead"
Helium - "Baby Vampire Made Me"
Li'l Marky - "Diary of an Unborn Child"
Drive-by Truckers - "A Ghost to Most"
The Replacements - "Rock and Roll Ghost"

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 28th October 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. My show was a little far away from Halloween this year to go all out on the Halloween theme. In fact, it'll be that way for the next couple of years, but fear not, I still laced the show with some Halloween themed bits of fun. Hope you enjoy.

If you haven't been following our Decade posts over at Aquarium Drunkard, you really ought to check them out. The four main writers are going through their favorite albums of the decade between now and the end of the year, and we're having a blast. I'm playing tracks from each of the albums that go up during the week here on the show, but the articles are even more interesting, so go catch up if you haven't been following along.

Now, while there's still talk of a winning season for the Panthers...somewhere...onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 28th October 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Girls - "Lust for Life" [from their self-titled debut. you know, obviously stolen titles are kind of endearing in a way. the 'mats' let it be, for instance, and the title of this song is no exception. it helps that it's a really great song. helps a lot, actually.]
Mclusky - "Without MSG I Am Nothing" [from the difference between me and you is that i'm not on fire, one of my contributions to this week's decade pieces over at aquarium drunkard. click here to check it out. i love this record - every nasty, snarky, caustic bit of it.]
George S. Irving - "The Hearse Song" [from a audio reading of scary stories to tell in the dark. this series was essential reading when i was growing up, and it still is. remember that woman? yeah, i thought so. i thought i'd insert a few of these throughout the show as is my usual want during the halloween season.]
the Raveonettes - "Breaking Into Cars" [from in and out of control. i need to give this album a listen, really. i hadn't written the raveonettes off or anything, but i'd become progressively less interested in their work over the years, but i like everything i've heard off this so far.]
the Reigning Sound - "Stick Up for Me" [from the excellent love and curses that came out a little earlier this year. great classic sounding rock and roll. this and the obits record may be the best straight up rock albums this year.]
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Finn Riggins - "Wake" [from vs. wilderness. this is a downright fun record and though they aren't gracing us here in the east coast with any tour dates right now, if you get a chance to check them out, it's a fantastic show.]
Adam and the Ants - "Antmusic" [from kings of the wild frontier. so one of the great things about eMusic striking a deal with sony is access to sony's back catalogue at eMusic's really awesome prices. thus, this album. there's a dated sound to adam ant, but you know what? it's still terrific music.]
George S. Irving - "The Slithery-Dee" [from scary stories to tell in the dark. it came out of the sea, you know.]
Nirvana - "Molly's Lips" (live) [from the new gussied-up reissue of their debut album bleach. added on to the remastered album is a complete live show from 1990. it's got great sound quality and catches the band at their energetic early peak. and here they are tearing through their excellent cover of the vaselines' classic that wound up on incesticide. not a bad thing to pick up for big fans.]
the Vaselines - "Son of a Gun" [from enter the vaselines. so why not follow-up a cover with an original? nirvana also covered this vaselines song on incesticide and i'm fairly sure i might never have heard the vaselines without nirvana. weird circles music moves in.]
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Lake Inferior - "Addressing Parents" [from the forthcoming pegasaur 10" EP. they'll be having an EP release party at local 506 on thursday, november 12th and if you want to catch one of north carolinas best newer bands, this is the show to see. for real.]
Fugazi - "Cashout" [from the argument, another of aquarium drunkard's decade albums. read about it here. i love this fugazi record. if the band never recorded another album, it would be a fitting end to their career together. it's a perfect synthesis of everything they had developed over their years together.]
George S. Irving - "Room For One More" [another from scary stories to tell in the dark.]
Mos Def - "Auditorium" [from the ecstatic. featuring a killer verse from slick rick. this will be on my year-end best singles show no question.]
Echo and the Bunnymen - "Shroud of Turin" [from their latest the fountain. it doesn't sound quite like the old echo, but man, it's actually really good. the two songs i've heard at least. here's to bands growing older gracefully.]
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Vic Chesnutt - "Philip Guston" [from at the cut. vic, along with the band that recorded this record - the silver mt. zion orchestra, guy picciotto (from fugazi) and members of godspeed you black emperor - will be at the soapbox in wilmington this saturday night, halloween. and so will i. i really cannot wait to see this show.]
Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs - "And Your Bird Can Sing" [from under the covers vol. 1, their beatles cover from that covers album. sweet and hoffs will be at the carborro arts center on thursday, november 5th. i believe there are tickets still available - i guess they'll be doing mostly music from their new album of 70s covers.]
George S. Irving - "Wait 'Til Martin Comes" [from scary stories to tell in the dark.]
the Low Anthem - "Dignity" [their cover of bob dylan's "dignity" which you can get as a free download if you sign up for the band's mailing list. not a bad trade if you ask me.]
the Alcazar Hotel - "Lucky" [a great song from chapel hill's alcazar hotel who will be playing here in greensboro tomorrow night as part of this month's dotmatrix project free concert at the green burro downtown starting at 8pm. they'll also be joined by the fantastic pinche gringo, so get thee down there. this will be the last dotmatrix show of 2009 as they take a two month break to recuperate.]
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El Perro Del Mar - "Gotta Get Smart" [from the new love is not pop, sarah assbring's third album as el perro del mar. the early reviews on this thing are good, so we'll hear more. i like this song.]
Tiger Bear Wolf - "I Can't See the Light" [from their self-titled record which was also named as one of aquarium drunkard's decade - best albums of the decade. read about it here. are people just coming alive to this band? i got a call tonight raving about this song and how nasty and awesome the guitars were. i agree. i've agreed since this band started. greensboro, represent.]
Wade Denning and Kay Lande - "Halloween" [from halloween - songs and stories. this isn't available on CD, but thankfully vinyl rips of it exist. my elementary school music teacher had us listen to this every halloween. when i found a copy i nearly fainted.]
Lucero - "The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo" [from 1372 overton park. i like this song a lot, people. a whole lot. lucero will be at the visulite theatre in charlotte on tuesday, november 17th.]
Q and Not U - "So Many Animal Calls" [from different damage, my other entry this week in the decade list over at aquarium drunkard. read about it here. i sorely miss this band. a lot.]
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Paul Westerberg - "Ghost on the Canvas" [from pw and the ghost gloves cat wing joy boys EP. i haven't played this song off the EP yet and i guess it's perfect for the halloween show. hey, ghosts, alright.]
A.A. Bondy - "Oh the Vampyre" [from when the devil's loose, bondy's fantastic sophomore album from earlier this year. fit the theme well also. huzzah for themes.]
Califone - "Alice Marble Gray" [from all my friends are funeral singers. i really like califone a lot, if it hasn't been apparent on the show from time to time. their new one is still getting into my head, so we'll hear more.]
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J's Indie/Rock Halloween Mash-Up - "War of the Great Dancing Macabre Pumpkins" [a mash-up i put together years ago that has become an annual staple here on the show. it takes music from romantic composer, charles camille saint-saens, and his "danse macabre" piece and dialogue from the original war of the worlds radio broadcast and a vinyl recording of it's the great pumpkin, charlie brown. enjoy the weirdness and fun. happy halloween!]

That'll do it for this week. I'll be back next week with more awesome music and some nice memories of seeing Vic Chesnutt. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 29th October 2008

[Greetings and welcome to the annual J's Indie/Rock Mayhem Spook-tacular! A lame name for a really fun show. Last year's show was actually on Halloween, so it was a bit of a disappointment to do this year's two days before, but I was still in the spirit and loaded down the show with goodness. Plus, since I ended up having to stay an hour over, I got to actually play all the Halloween music I wanted. So even you, podcast listeners, are in for an extended show. 2 1/2 hours, in fact.

Next week I'll be broadcasting my interview with Linford Detweiler of Over the Rhine. They're playing here on Guilford College campus on Friday, November 7th, as part of the Guilford Homecoming week festivities. I had a great time talking with him a couple of days ago via phone, so I think you'll enjoy the interview as well.

Now, before they trick me for not treating you, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 29th October 2008 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Brian Eno and David Byrne - "Strange Overtones" [from everything that will happens will happen today. i really can't get enough of this song. funky and vibrant and everything a collaboration between these two ought to be.]
Blitzen Trapper - "Black River Killer" [from furr. it's time to start thinking about the top 25 albums list for the end of the year and man, this album is going to be a tough competitor.]
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - "Fix It" [from cardinology. i'm liking this album so far, though again, nothing jumps out at me. while the cardinals have certainly honed and focused adams in a way not seen in some time, it feels sometimes like some of the fire is gone as well.]
TV on the Radio - "DLZ" [from dear science. i need to get this album, don't i?]
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the Streets - "The Escapist" [from everything is borrowed. one of my favorite songs on the album and a definite best single of the year.]
Wade Denning and Kay Lande - "Halloween" [from halloween: games, songs and stories. this was a treasured, yearly bit of music from my elementary music classes taught by ms. bracey. whenever i thought of the holiday for years, i hummed this song to myself.]
the Flaming Lips - "Halloween on the Barbary Coast" [from hit to death in the future head. a standard of the halloween show. i'm not big on this lips album in general, but this song at least is pretty righteous.]
Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Halloween" [from the 1981 album juju. i, admittedly, haven't listened to much siouxsie and the banshees which is something i ought to rectify, but this fit right in.]
Type O Negative - "Halloween in Heaven" [from dead again. i can't go a halloween without playing type o negative. they're just too much fun. in a 'wow, how are you not a parody' sort of way.]
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Deerhunter - "Nothing Ever Happened" [from microcastles. this song was highly regarded by some posts i've read across the web and it's no joke. this album is for real.]
the Advantage - "Ghosts and Goblins" [from their self-titled record. this band does nothing but cover music from 8-bit nintendo games and this is, of course, the theme music from ghosts and goblins. fitting, right?]
the Gun Club - "Ghost on the Highway" [from fire of love. this showed up on an emusic list of haunted songs and, really, anything jeffrey lee pierce wrote is haunted in its own way.]
Woody Allen - "Down South" [from woody allen: stand-up comic. a great bit about woody, a ghost costume, being in the deep south and hilarity ensuing with some klansmen.]
Suicide - "Ghost Rider" [from their self-titled debut. so why not a song about ghost rider? this song is more entertaining than the nicholas cage movie was, i gather.]
Henry Cowell - "The Banshee" [a performance from piano music. this is a dynamic composition that you can read about here. it's as unique a piece of music as you're likely to hear in your lifetime. breathtaking in many ways, too.]
George S. Irving - "The Big Toe" [and the return of irving's readings of scary stories to tell in the dark. these books were so important to me growing up and they continue to be an influence on the type of stories that i pay attention to and watch for.]
Tom Waits - "Big Joe and Phantom 309" (live) [from the dime store novels vol 1: live at ebbet's field 1974. this song originally appeared on waits' album nighthawks at the diner, but tells the classic 'ghost driver' story. think large marge.]
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Alejandro Escovedo - "Sister Lost Soul" [from real animal. i felt like opening the sets with new music threw off the flow a little, but this one, title wise, at least fit in.]
Jurassic 5 - "Remember His Name" [from power in numbers. a classic 'whodunit' in the form of a story that eventually reveals that the person in question is...death. who knew?]
George S. Irving - "Room for One More" [another from scary stories to tell in the dark about a man who finds himself beckoned by death. good thing he knows to turn away.]
Joy Division - "Dead Souls" [from permanent. "they keep calling me," sings curtis. yeah, the dead keep calling you. just like in the story.]
Becky Miller - "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" [a reading of the emily dickinson poem about death showing up with a carriage to take you on your merry way. i thought it tied in nicely with the irving story.]
the Ramones - "Pet Sematary" [from 1989's brain drain. recorded for the film of the same name and from an album with only two great songs ("i believe in miracles" and "merry christmas (i don't wanna fight tonight)"), it's easy to get lost. cheesy fun.]
Bauhaus - "Bela Lugosi's Dead" (live) [from the 1979-1983 vol. 1 album. this version is originally from the press the eject and give me the tape live album and is a pretty awesome rendition of this song. i think i'll go watch ed wood now.]
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Times New Viking - "Sick and Tired" [from the stay awake EP. was anyone else as surprised as i was to hear this band perform at the pitchfork festival? they're nothing like these records - dense noise and pop buried beneath. they're pretty melodic live. they'll be playing this sunday night at the cat's cradle in carrboro alongside deerhunter.]
George S. Irving - "Alligators" [again from scary stories to tell in the dark.]
DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince - "Nightmare on My Street" [from he's the dj, i'm the rapper. a ridiculous song in which the fresh prince encounters freddy kruger and things go from there. the freddy voice is admittedly amusing. if only they'd gotten robert englund to actually do the voice on the song as well.]
Nina Simone - "I Put a Spell on You" [from the best of nina simone. no one sang it like nina and this version of the screamin' jay hawkins classic is divine, to be sure.]
the Dream Syndicate - "Season of the Witch" (live) [yes, the donovan song. covered here on the day before wine and roses, an early live recording done before they had even done their debut LP. they run through some great covers and songs that would appear on days of wine and roses and generally sound pretty awesome. they tear this song apart and it's better for it. trust me.]
Squirrel Nut Zippers - "Hell" [from hot. the best song they ever recorded? i don't know, but i can't ever get enough of it. it's clever and catchy and just a tremendous song.]
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Charles Camille Saint-Saens/Orson Welles/Charlie Brown - "War of the Great Dancing Macabre Pumpkins" [my self-composed mash-up of saint-saens' "danse macabre" and vocal snippets from the radio broadcast of the war of the worlds and a vinyl recording of it's the great pumpkin, charlie brown. i still love hearing how the emotions of the conversation actually somewhat match the music. my favorite being sally's tirade at linus over missing halloween as the music descends into the sad, depressing closing section. good stuff.]
George S. Irving - "The Slithery-Dee" [from scary stories... "the slithery-dee / he came out of the sea / he ate all the others / but he didn't eat...sluuuuuuurp!"]

That'll do it for this week. Tune back in next week for my interview with Linford Detweiler of Over the Rhine and more new music as we begin our descent towards the end of the year best-of show. Until then, Go Heels (Panthers bye week!) and take care.