Ear Candle Radio's Top 20, June 2011

1. Kaki King - Falling Day - Junior
2. X-tal - Census - Everything Crash
3. Yoko Ono - Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage All Over The City - Plastic Ono Band
4. Wendy Carlos - La Gazza Ladra (The Thieving Magpie, Abridged) - A Clockwork Orange: Wendy Carlos's Complete Original Score
5. Thai Elephant Orchestra - Gentle Monsoon - Water Music
6. Suicide - Universe - Why Be Blue?
7. KXP - Labyrinth - K-X-P
8. The Fall - What About Us? - The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004
9. Cabaret Voltaire - Split Second Feeling - Red Mecca
10. 101 Strings - Flameout - Astro Sounds From Beyond the Year 2000
11. The Dirtbombs - Strings Of Life - Party Store
12. Marc Riley With The Creepers - Jumper Clown - Cull LP
13. X-tal - Frightened - Mayday
14. The Mekons - Heaven And Back - Rock N Roll
15. Alan Price - In Times Like These - Between Today And Yesterday
16. Wingless Angels - Zion Bells - Wingless Angels Volume II
17. Steve Hillage - Solar Musick Suite a)Sun Song (I Love It's Holy Mystery b) Canterbury Sunrise c) Hiram Afterglid Meets the Dervish d) Sun Song - Fish Rising
18. The Experimental Bunnies - Ready For Your Instructions - Biology And Physics
19. Joe Rut - And The Horse I Rode In On - Injured While Faking Own Death
20. King Missile - Cheesecake Truck - Mystical Shit / Fluting on the Hump

Lifeless masses of matter that resemble vegetables

If "conventional" produce (which is anything but) was not subsidized by the government while organic farmers are forced to pay extra to do the work they do, the whole "but organic food is so EXPENSIVE!" argument would disappear overnight. Me, I'll take the yam that sprouts when left to its own devices.



When I was a naive young punk rock hipster, I was a bit embarrassed to admit I grew up on a farm. Now, when I look back, I realize I was exposed to things my peers never knew, and that younger generations can't afford to take for granted.

Not to over-romanticize things too much because my dad did try using chemical fertilizers sometimes and he did die of colon cancer, but even so, it was a family farm, which a lot of kids have never seen. Everyone could benefit from a spell of tilling the soil, just to see how this stuff actually comes out of the ground.

What's happening to the food you find in American stores and restaurants is a travesty, so bear with me as I harp on the subject. The fun and music of our blog has not ended; it's just taking a time out.

Pieces of a man

Missed this one when it came out. Michael Franti offers a no-holds-barred eulogy for the recently departed Gil Scott-Heron. Read it.

Robyn O'Brien gives us the lowdown on the toxic swill we call food in America

We buy poisonous agribusiness-grown food for ourselves and our kids, which makes us sick. Then we go to our doctor to be treated, and our crappy health insurance (or none at all) forces us to pay an arm and a leg to be "treated". And corporations make a bundle every step of the way. Diabolically clever of them, isn't it?

Meanwhile, other countries have banned the kinds of genetically-mutated, patented, pesticide-filled foodlike products that are the staples of our dinner table. We could do the same, but we don't, because we are AMERICA and we are FREE! A sea change in US food policy would seem to logically go hand in hand with health care reform, if our political system and our media were not under the thumb of the very people who make all of this possible.

Spread the word. It ain't gonna spread itself.

Something to brighten your day

Here's a very sweet young lady who knows how to take care of business. I can think of quite a few public figures I'd like to turn her loose on. ("Now I'm going to give him a real thrill!")



Hat tip to Big Bad Bald Bastard for sharing this.

Jason: A good guy who needs your help

We have added a donation page to our website for Jason Axis, a member of our family who is fighting a hard battle against lymphoma. Please stop by and pay a visit.

The Merry Go Round has stopped

Maati Stojanovich and I were walking to some gig in North Beach around 1979 or so, and this wild-eyed, disheveled homeless-looking guy came up to us, saying, "Hey! Do you guys like Captain Beefheart?" And then he introduced himself as Wild Man Fischer, went into a long tirade of how Frank Zappa ripped him off, and asked us for some spare change. I think we gave him a couple of dollars, and he took off in search of more punk rock hipsters to panhandle.

Kind of surprised he lived this long. Farewell to a troubled soul.

Strike up your matches, there's so much to see

We updated our video link at the top. The movie page on our site is up and you can find loads of exclusive stuff there. Go thou and take a gander.

(By the way, the post title is a little hat-tip to the mighty Trader Horne, who are well worth your attention.)

Meanwhile...

Let's keep talking about Weiner, shall we? After all, nothing else of interest is happening in America right now.



UPDATE: This dickish regime will not last. If there were any fence-sitters in Wisconsin, I can't imagine they will stand for this sort of Big Government intrusion on their right to enjoy beer for very long.

Thought for the day

I know politics attracts narcissists like honey attracts ants, but anyone with a lick of sense should know that if you decide politics is your calling, you forfeit the right to be Iggy Pop. Sorry. It's the simple truth.

UPDATE: As usual, Doghouse Riley hits all the right notes.

An informed citizenry speaks out

This is what happens when a population grows up without being taught basic critical thinking.

Typical girls reluctantly celebrate the royal wedding

Time for something more wholesome after the last couple displays of Horrid American Wrongness. How about a charming UK musical heroine?

This is a British series I've never seen before, where the host drives the guests around London, interviewing them casually as he drives. As a videographer, I'm wondering where they put the cameras. I was amused when she referred to "Mick and Keith" and it turned out to be Mick Jones and Keith Levene, not those other guys.

We saw Viv do a solo performance a couple of years ago. She has some great new material, very different from the direction Ari took the Slits in her final years. I look forward to the full album.

Somebody badly needs a hug...or something

Another jaw-dropping video passed on by one of my Facebook buddies. Do you suppose this passionately sincere gentleman might be in denial about something?



The cross is good! The penis is evil!

This is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen

Just looking at this will make you want to go on a detox diet.

This is to announce: We are on a new spiritual path

Ear Candle Radio's Top 20, May 2011

1. Vivian Girls - The Other Girls - Share the Joy
2. Poly Styrene - Code Pink Dub - Generation Indigo
3. Van Morrison - Listen To The Lion - Saint Dominic's Preview
4. The Units - The Mission is Bitchin' - The Early Years of the Units 1977-1983
5. Trial - The Border - Moments Of Collapse
6. Suicide - Super Subway Comedian - The Second Album + The First Rehearsal
7. Mallard - Road to Morrocco - Mallard
8. Ken Nordine - Down the Drain - The Best of Word Jazz, Vol. 1
9. The Granite Countertops - Something Different - Crashing Into The Future
10. Culture - Poor Jah People - Cumbolo
11. Wyatt / Atzmon / Stephen - What A Wonderful World - For The Ghosts Within
12. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Sweet Sweet Bulbs - Trout Mask Replica
13. Vivian Stanshall - Possibly an Armchair/Fresh-Faced Boys - Teddy Boys Don't Knit
14. Moon Duo - Seer - Mazes
15. Sleater-Kinney - Get Up - The Hot Rock
16. Peter Cook & Dudley Moore - The L.S. Bumble Bee - 7" Single
17. Lost Cherrees - You're You, I'm Me - In The Beginning - The Studio Recordings 83-85
18. Linda Smith - Something New! Remix By Arthur Loves Plastic - Something New!
19. Society of Rockets - The Great Experiment - Future Factory
20. Paul Revere & the Raiders - Get It On - Midnight Ride

He was new here

We lost another amazing artist. If you didn't see Gil Scott-Heron live, you missed something. We have the records and some live videos, but to be there when he launched into one of his elegant, hilarious, sharp 10-minute monologues was an unforgettable experience that will never be available again. What a brilliant mind.

Here's an old post about the night we saw him two years ago.

Quote of the week

"Jumping off a bridge is bold, too."

Stupid or crazy: Which is worse?

A thought-provoking essay from the Phil Nugent Experience:

Maybe this is connected to the plight of the mentally ill in this country, who are ignored, shunned, stigmatized, until still-functioning people with real problems are afraid to seek help. Maybe people figure that if they weren't monsters, we'd do better by them.

On the other hand, we do pretty well by stupid people, even erecting shrines to the idea that they're morally superior to people with more complicated thinking processes: these can take the form of a movie like Forrest Gump, or the kind of press coverage that George W. Bush enjoyed until about 2006...

I always thought that the movie industry's evolution from Being There to Forrest Gump spoke volumes about how the U.S. has changed between the '70s and today.

Feedback is nice

It's great to get listener feedback for our station, even when it's this short and simple:

hello, from Quebec Canada. keep on grooving

Many thanks! We'll add some new Leonard Cohen tracks just for you.

Ear Candle Radio status report

Hey, dear listeners:

The recording and editing of our DJ segments for the latest playlist has been held up due to family emergencies and a heavy load of schoolwork. (At the moment we only have four of them done and uploaded.) But don't let them stop you from enjoying all the great music we are broadcasting! So keep listening and voting on the songs, while I finish writing up my research paper on the state of internet radio for Introduction To Electronic Media.

The Granite Countertops: Something Different

Killing two birds with one stone:

Our first official Granite Countertops music video, and J Neo Marvin's final project for his Digital Media Skills class. Can you spot the John Waters quote in the lyrics?

Ear Candle Radio's Top 20, April 2011

1. The Who - Call Me Lightning - The Ultimate Collection
2. John Lee Hooker - John L's House Rent Boogie - The Best of John Lee Hooker
3. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Gloomy - Creedence Clearwater Revival
4. Calamity Jane - You Got It Rough - Martha Jane Canary
5. Alan Price - In Times Like These - Between Today And Yesterday
6. The Slits - Newtown - Cut
7. Scrawl - Public Image - Nature Film
8. Steve Hillage - Solar Musick Suite a)Sun Song (I Love It's Holy Mystery b) Canterbury Sunrise c) Hiram Afterglid Meets the Dervish d) Sun Song - Fish Rising
9. Frank Zappa - The Gumbo Variations - Hot Rats
10. Slim Gaillard - Dunkin' Bagel - Vout For Voutoreenees
11. Mark Eitzel - Seeing Eye Dog - The Invisible Man
12. Division By Zero - InSight - Division By Zero
13. Robert Wyatt - Trickle Down - Cuckooland
14. Peter Green - Hidden Depth - The End Of The Game
15. Pelt - Empty Bell Ringing In The Sky No.2 - Empty Bell Ringing in the Sky
16. Neil Young - Walk With Me - Le Noise
17. The Granite Countertops - Shiny Objects - Crashing Into The Future
18. Fleetwood Mac - Oh Well Part 1 & 2 - Then Play On
19. The Experimental Bunnies - The Process - Bunnies On Fire
20. The Zombies - Care Of Cell 44 - Odessey and Oracle

The Blame SF: Wagons And Boys

Our official video for this deceptively sweet Davis Jones composition by The Blame SF, which was first released on The Full Disclosure Principle in 2008. Originally created for an assignment in J Neo Marvin's Digital Media Skills class at CCSF. (Using vintage 60s TV ads provided by the school.) How's it look?

Poly

She has a new album out this week, and the snippets of songs and her words in this interview make it sound like it's going to be really good. How sad that we have to lose her voice on the eve of her triumphant comeback. Poly Styrene, you left us way too soon.

The Same Five Questions

Thomas Crone is a St. Louis-based writer who was extremely supportive of X-tal back in the 90s. I recently got invited to do a fun interview on his blog The Same Five Questions, which puts me in the company of the great Tony Visconti, two posts below me. Thanks, Thomas!

Spotify! What is this and how will Google provide?

Rather than launch its own digital music service, Google is considering whether to partner with an existing service, including the likes of Spotify, to power Google Music.

According to a source with knowledge of the talks, Google has told the labels that it has begun discussions with Spotify in recent weeks, though no agreement is in place. Spotify is the European streaming-music service that also has ambitions of launching in the United States.

The talks with Google and Spotify have coincided with an inability by Google to reach agreements with the four top record labels on licensing a cloud music service, the source told CNET. Google had originally hoped to launch a new music service by the end of the year, and then was aiming for March, but now it's indefinite on when it might debut.

Google declined to comment for this story. Spotify, however denied that it has spoken to Google about powering the company's service. "Nothing in it," said Spotify spokesman Jim Butcher.

So, the question is whether Google is trying to scare the labels into ceding better terms. All the major labels would like nothing better than to see another large distributor competing against Apple.

Read more

Skystone!

Paula Frazer of Tarnation fame has a new band, Skystone, with a crunchy, soaring "late 60s hard rock meets the Banshees" sound. We shot this video of them at the Make Out Room on Mar. 22, 2011. Dig it.

Kucinich meets Walker: This is priceless!

Getting down to the people's business, even when surrounded by wankers.

Meet The Housemartins -Think for a Minute

Ear Candle Radio's Top 20, March 2011

1. Frankie Rose And The Outs - Memo - Frankie Rose And The Outs
2. Danbert Nobacon - Christopher Marlowe - The Library Book of the World
3. The Andrew Oldham Orchestra - The last time - The Rolling Stones Songbook
4. The Quails - Your Heart Is A Muscle The Size Of A Fist - Atmosphere
5. Neo Boys - Poor Man's Jungle - Crumbling Myths
6. Colin Newman - Lorries - The Singing Fish / Not To
7. Steve Hillage - Solar Musick Suite a)Sun Song (I Love It's Holy Mystery b) Canterbury Sunrise c) Hiram Afterglid Meets the Dervish d) Sun Song - Fish Rising
8. The Granite Countertops - Atlas Wept - Crashing Into The Future
9. Rob K/MDA - Time to Pay - The Purgatory Home Companion
10. Nico - Frozen Warnings - The Marble Index
11. Love - Love Is More Than Words (or Better Late Than Never) - Out Here
12. Janis Ian - Society's Child - The Essential Janis Ian
13. Incredible String Band - No Sleep Blues - The 5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion
14. George Harrison - Microbes - Wonderwall Music
15. Funkadelic - Can You Get To That - Maggot Brain
16. The Firesign Theatre - The Giant Toad - Dear Friends
17. The Firesign Theatre - 40 Great Unclaimed Melodies! - Dear Friends
18. The Arrows - Make Love Not War - Everything You Always Wanted To Know About 60's Mind Expansive Punkadelic Garage Rock Instrumentals But Were Afraid To Ask
19. Vivian Stanshall & Kilgaron - Are You Having Any Fun? - Keynsham
20. Tall Dwarfs - Michael Hillbilly - The Sky Above, The Mud Below

New Terese Taylor videos up!

We have some new movies of Terese Taylor from the El Rio on Oct. 28, 2010. We caught Terese and her bandmates working out some new material, resulting in some fresh performances. Dig it:



And another. "Mental health, yeah!"

Let's get the hell out of Flatland

The late, great Carl Sagan on dimensions. Wanna see what a shadow of a four-dimensional object looks like? Watch.

the sights and sounds of Madame P

Madame P and her machines play the Undisclosed Location a few years ago, captured by our cameras.

The bad one

Video montage by an old friend. Sleater-Kinney juxtaposed with the tsunami.