Wednesday MidDay Medley
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Cody Critcheloe of SSION + Workers Revival Fest
+ David Wayne Reed’s “Eternal Harvest” + Woodstack 2018

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / Universal / Dec. 20, 1979
[WMM’s theme]

2. Rev. Sekou – “Resist”
from: In Times Like These / Zent Records / May 5, 2017
[Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou is an author, documentary filmmaker, public intellectual, organizer, pastor, theologian, noted activist, and musician, he was born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised in the rural Arkansas Delta. “In Times Like These” was recorded at Zebra Ranch Studio, a barn in Coldwater, MS, the album features the six-time Grammy nominated North Mississippi Allstars. Rev. Sekou was a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Martin Luther King Education and Research Institute at the time of Michael Brown Jr.’s killing, and traveled to Ferguson in mid-August 2014 on behalf of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (the country’s oldest interfaith peace organization) to organize alongside local and national groups. With the Deep Abiding Love Project, he has helped trained over five thousands activists in militant nonviolent civil disobedience through the United States. In May 2015, Reverend Sekou moved back to St. Louis to focus on organizing against police violence, predatory court systems, and economic and social injustice. Rev. Sekou is the author of two collections of essays: urbansouls, a meditation on poor black youth in St. Louis, hip hop, and religion; and Gods, Gays, and Guns: Essays on Religion and the Future of Democracy. He has written widely on the 2011 killing of Mark Duggan by British police and the subsequent London riots, and is the author of the forthcoming Riot Music: British Hip Hop, Race, and the Politics of Meaning (Hamilton Books). Rev. Sekou is currently working on two manuscripts: “This is Not Your Daddy’s Civil Rights Movement: Black Lives Matter and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.“ and“A Liberation Theology of Ferguson”. His documentary short film, Exiles in the Promised Land is based on his visit to a refugee camp and lecture in Beirut, Lebanon. It was selected for the Amnesty International Human Rights Film Festival (2009).]

[Rev. Sekou plays the 1st annual Workers Revival Fest, Fri, May 11 & Sat, May 12 at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd, with Downtown Boys, Red Kate, Friendship Commanders, EBONY TUSKS, Nublvckcity, Baracutanga, Rev. Sekou, Austin Lucas, Scruffy & the Janitors, and Lovergurl.]

3. Love. Mae C – “Anxious (Remix)”
from: “Anxious” – Single / Love, Mae C / April 10, 2017
[Also known as Mae C. She is a Soulful, Jazzy, Neo-Soul and Hip-Hop inspired Singer/ Songwriter hailing from Kansas City. She grew up writing poetry, competing in talent shows, participating in plays, and singing in the school choir. Mae C. began her career as an Independent Artist in 2014 when she discovered that her true purpose was to create and record the musical art she had always dreamed of composing. Mae C released the single “Let Me Out” on January 30, 2015. She released the EP, Warning Signs of True Love on May 1, 2016. She has also been featured on singles from Justin Houpe and Gmoney da Boss. Love, Mae C is also part of nublvckcity’ a Kansas City-based music collective. The collective features Duncan Burnett; Love, Mae C; Sauce; Khrystal and Kartez Marcel.]

[Love Mae C (along with her collaborators in NuBlvckCity) plays the 1st annual Workers Revival Fest, Fri, May 11 & Sat, May 12 at recordBar, with Downtown Boys, Red Kate, Friendship Commanders, EBONY TUSKS, Baracutanga, Rev. Sekou, Austin Lucas, Scruffy & the Janitors, and Lovergurl.]

4. Those Far Out Arrows – “Living Today”
from: Where Are You? / John L. Keck / Expected May 2018
[Omaha, Nebraska band formed in 2013, by brothers Ben Keelan-White and Evan Keelan-White wbo now perform with Derek Levasseur, and Tanner Rogerson. Music writer Tim McMahan sid, “They (Those Far Out Arrows) unapologetically cross ’60s British psychedelic with Bowery proto-punk a la Velvet Underground.”]

[Those Far Out Arrows play Voltaire, 1617 Genessee, West Bottoms, Friday, May 11, at 9:30 pm, with Arc Flash.]

10:11 – Interview with David Wayne Reed

David Wayne Reed grew up on a farm in Louisburg, Kansas. After graduating from Kansas State University he moved to Kansas City and began appearing in shows at the KC Rep, and earning his Actor Equity Card. David changed paths as he explored the wild side of KC’s independent professional theatre scene as a principal member of Late Night Theatre. David has written and directed 9 plays including: Help Yourself, (2015), Mother Trucker (2004), Mother Trucker 2: Ride On (2011) and Jolly Rancher (2012). David is an ArtsKC Inspiration Grant recipient and was a esident Artist at the Fishtank Performance Studio. In 2016 and he created the storytelling event: Shelf Life, with bi-monthly shows at The Brick.

David Wayne Reed joins us today to talk about his new short film, Eternal Harvest, capturing the cycle of life as depicted by the growing season on a rural Kansas farm. The film will premiere as part of the Miami County Farm Tour, this Saturday, May 12 at 11:00 am, on David’s family farm, 33499 Cold Water Rd, Louisburg, KS. The film is part of a larger installation including a collection of antique tractors from David’s dad, and his grandmother’s extraordinary quilts.

David Wayne Reed Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Eternal Harvest is a short film by David Wayne Reed, using drones, dance, farm implements, heirloom quilts, agriculture, and video installation, Eternal Harvest re-imagines and re-purposes the familiar agrarian implements and landscape to illustrate and celebrate the land, as well as the coming and going of livelihood it brings.

Eternal Harvest is a 2017 Rocket Grant recipient with support from Charlotte Street Foundation, Spencer Museum of Art, and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

The film will premiere Saturday, May 12 at 11 AM – 1 PM, 33499 Cold Water Rd, Louisburg, KS 66053-8100, United States

Eternal Harvest will premiere as part of the Miami County Farm Tour on May 12th and May 13th. I will be screening the film both days from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. as part of a larger installation including my Dad’s collection of antique tractors and my Grandmother’s extraordinary quilts. The Farm Tour continues on Sunday as well from 10a-4p.

You are invited to attend an artist talk and picnic at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 12th. Please bring a brown bag lunch or picnic basket and a blanket if you wish!

Eternal Harvest, will premiere as part of the Miami County Farm Tour, this Saturday, May 12 at 11:00 am, on David’s family farm, 33499 Cold Water Rd, Louisburg, KS

10:25 – Underwriting

5. The Sleazebeats – “You’ll Sparkle”
from: The Sleazebeats / The Sleazebeats / January 1, 2012
[Charlie Colborne on keyboards, guitar, vocals; Bill Belzer on drums; Jeff Harshbarger on bass; Recorded at More Famouser Studios with Mike Nolte engineer, mixing, mastering the recordings.]

[The Sleazebeats play Woodstack 2018, Sat, May 12 at Woodyard BBQ, 3001 Merriam Ln, KCK, with SopChoppy, Betse & Clarke, Wyco Low Riders, Erica Joy, Claire Adams, The Almighty Trouble Bros.]

10:30 – Interview with Johnny Hamil, Theresa Scott, and Chris Tady

Members of the band Pamper The Madman: Johnny Hamil, Theresa Scott, & Chris Tady join us to share details about Woodstack 2018, this Saturday, May 12 at Woodyard BBQ, 3001 Merriam Lane in Kansas City, Kansas, with SopChoppy, The Sleazebeats, Betse & Clarke, Wyco Low Riders, Erica Joy, Claire Adams, and The Almighty Trouble Brothers.

Theresa Scott is formerly known as Theresa Schloegel. She is one of the original members of Pamper the Madman. Tim Finn in the KC Star wrote: Clever songs made Pamper the Madman one of the area’s biggest bands 20 years ago. The band released their self titled debut on Stress Records in 1995. The band stopped playing in 1998 but after a handful of reunion shows between 2014-2016, the band decided to get back together and is recording new material.

Theresa Scott’s family has owned and operated Woodyard BBQue for generations, so Theresa is throwing a party on the patio to celebrate. This event will featuring Pamper The Madman, and Theresa’s longtime friends Ernie Locke with SopChoppy, Billy Belzer of The Sleazebeats with Charlie Colborne, Betse & Clarke, Wyco Low Riders (Jason Beers & Johnny Hamil’s all bass band), along with: Erica Joy, Claire Adams, and The Almighty Trouble Brothers (their first show).

The lineup – (set times are subject to change):
1:30-2:15 Betse & Clarke
2:35-3:20 The Sleazebeats
3:40-4:25 Claire Adams
4:45-5:30 WyCo Low Riders
5:55-6:40 Erica Joy Music
7:00-7:45 The Almighty Trouble Brothers
8:05-8:50 Sopchoppy
9:10-9:55 Pamper the Madman

$10 for all of these bands, all ages welcome. Advance tix: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3390523. This event is sponsored and supported by 90.9 The Bridge, KKFI 90.1 FM, and The Pitch Kansas City. If you are interested in being a sponsor or volunteer for this event, please call Johnny at (816) 305-7559.

New Music from Pamper the Madman

10:37

6. Pamper the Madman – “Spinning”
from: New Recordings – pamper mixes 5-1-18

7. Betse & Clarke – “Shelvin’ Rock”
from: River Still Rise / Independent / July 1, 2016
[Full-length debut album, from traditional and future folk duo, Betse & Clarke Betse Ellis on fiddles, violins, viola & vocals and Clarke Wyatt on banjos and cello. Recorded during the Winter-Spring of 2016. Produced by Clarke Wyatt and Betse Ellis. Recorded and mixed by Clarke Wyatt/ Final mix assistance from Chad Meise at Massive Sound. Traditional & future folk inspired by explorers Lewis & Clark showing how Betse & Clarke are trailblazers of sound & vision. “River Still Rise,” is a collection of originals and reworked traditional compositions that are presented “to be enjoyed as a musical adventure, much like the river exploration of the famous duo Lewis & Clark, an inspiration for the band’s name.” Betse Ellis writes in the extended liner notes: “The phrase River Still Rise appears in the journals of Meriwether Lewis, and to me, most notably when the Corps of Discovery readied their boats and supplies for the beginning of their river journey. Documenting all the details of the excursion included aspects of the weather, the general demeanor or specific behavior of the crew, and most certainly the level of the river. The river needed to be high enough to be navigable, and in that way, Clarke and I have been putting together our gear and supplies, building our boat, and watching the weather signs for about a year and a half at this point. The process of recording RSR took several months, beginning in early 2016. We made this recording at home.”]

10:42 – Interview with Johnny Hamil, Theresa Scott, and Chris Tady

Johnny Hamil plays nationally and internationally and records music with Mr. Marco’s V7, GAV7D, the Malachy Papers, Mikal Shapiro, and Pamper the Madman. He teaches music, and bass. John graduated from Kansas University with a Bachelors of Music Education. He is also founder and administrator to the Kansas City Bass Workshop, a week-long intensive double bass festival now in its sixth year.

Chris Tady plays in the Cosmic Tady Brothers with his brother Matt Tady, and he also played in the band Dream Wolf.

Pamper The Madman was formed in 1990. Original members were: Theresa Scott, Chris Fugitt, Robbie Wagner, Scott Hassler. Marshall Strong replaced Scott Hassler and joined the band in 1992. Johnny Hamil replaced Marshall Strong and joined the band in 1995. Chris Tady filled in for Robbie Wagner (who now lives in South Korea) and joined the band in 2016 and according to Johnny Hamil, “it’s been magical.”

Johnny Hamil has been writing songs with Robbie Wagner over internet and he will travel to South Korea in July where we will perform the Eric band material and hopefully write some more stuff. Johnny Hamil writes,”Robbie is an incredible song writer and guitar player as well. He and Theresa were the main songwriters in the original group.

Johnny writes: “There were two bass players before me. One that only played the first few gigs. His name was Scott Hassler (he went on to lead the band American Sex Machine). He was awesome (like a Mike Watt type player). Marshall Strong took over and recorded on the demo cassette that some people still have. This was around 1992. Marshall Strong also played on The Pamper The Madman CD that was widely sold in Kansas City.”

Pamper The Madman (CD/Album)
Released on Stress Records in 1995

1. Neer Neer 2:30
2. Preoccupation 3:25
3. Muddle Mind 4:33
4. Slow 4:19
5. I Want It 2:35
6. Frankie 3:33
7. Feeling 2:06
8. She Showed Up 1:47
9. Little Miss Elizabeth 2:38
10. Get Back 3:01
11. Abrasive 1:43
12. You Let 5:17

Copyright (c) – Off The Deep End Publishing
Copyright (c) – Stress Records
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Stress Records (12)
Recorded At – The Sanctuary
Mixed At – OmniSound Studios
Mastered At – Masterworks, Los Angeles
Glass Mastered At – American Multimedia, Inc.

Art Direction, Layout – Zhon Champie
Artwork [Cover And Back Paintings] – Scott E. Hassler

Vocals – Theresa Schloegel
Bass – Marshall Strong
Drums – Chris Fugitt
Guitar – Rob Wagner

Mastered By – John Matousek
Photography By [Band Photo] – Britt Smith
Producer – Barry Poynter (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 8, 11), PTM* (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 8, 11)
Producer, Engineer, Mixed By – Brian Hardin (tracks: 3, 4, 9, 10, 12)

Written by:
PTM – (tracks: 1, 5, 10),
Rob Wagner – (tracks: 2 to 4, 6 to 9, 11, 12),
Theresa Schloegel – (tracks: 2 to 4, 6 to 9, 11, 12)

Pamper The Madman’s song “I Want It” was included on the Kansas City Misery compilation, released in 1995 on Red Decibel out of Minneapolis.

Nick Spacek of The Pitch wrote on July 15, 2009, “The idea that a Kansas City music collection would come out on a Minneapolis record label makes more sense when you know that the comp was curated by Steve Tulipana, and Red Decibel put out two early Season to Risk 7″s, I’m Pogo the Clown and Mine Eyes. Kansas City Misery is as accurate a picture of the Kansas City scene in the ’90s as you’ll find. It’s loaded with pretty much every band that was making noise at the time: Season to Risk (of course), Giants Chair, Tenderloin, Boys Life, Shiner, Outhouse, Shallow, and even a rare live track from the Sin City Disciples. The only act that was big at the time that wasn’t on the comp would be Sacrifice Isaac. It was even carried at area Best Buys as part of a local distribution network that was attempting to get local releases into big box chains.”

Marshall Strong had to leave the band for personal reasons.

Johnny Hamil took over in 1995. Johnny recorded with the band for their EP, Muter, with original members: Chris Fugitt on drums, Theresa Schloegel on vocals, and Bobbie Wagner on guitar.

Pamper The Madman Muter [EP]
Released in 1998

01 Heroin
02 Come On
03 Columbia
04 Famous

Pamper The Madman played their last gig in 1997 at The Hurricane

Johnny Hamil: “Theresa stopped playing because she wanted to raise her family. Now her kids are mostly grown and she needs to play and create again. It’s been amazing for me to create and watch her perform. She is an a rock star, singer, and performer. For me the most explosive performer I’ve worked with. That energy has been put away for too many years and it’s really special thing to hear and see.”

The Band had a series of reunions in 2014-2016

Johnny Hamil: “Theresa moved to Belize but is here in KC most of the time now. Her family has run the Woodyard (a wood company) for many generations. Her father sold Ollie Gates his wood for BBQ and continues to do so. They started their own bbq place there on Merriam drive by chance. This story may be too long to say here.”

“Woodstack is Theresa throwing a party to shine the light on our great Kcmusic scene. We hope to do this every year around Mother’s Day. 8 great local bands bringing in a big PA, Tables of artists set up to have local people showing off their talents there as well. Kid and Pet friendly. 1-10. Great food.”

Johnny continues: “I have one more story I want to tell you just so you know how much I love this band. I was in Wyco in 90 just graduated from Sumner. As you know the town was in full War and I was caught not wanting to leave (flee). I also was just trying to grapple with the idea of being a musician for life. To say it was a burden as a life choice is a good way to say it. For some reason I needed to play music 24 hrs a day. I really didn’t like a lot of the music that was happening. My metal heroes were all starting to suck. Two things happened to me at the time. I saw Sin City Disciples in the warehouse on wood weathers road and soon after I saw Pamper perform their first gig in front room of davy’s uptown. Both shows made me realize I were life changing for me. I was done apologizing for wanting to be an artist that didn’t want to become some kind of super star bullshit pipe dream.”

John says, “My message to Theresa the whole time she was not singing was that her music matters more than just the selfish aspects that making music entails.”

Woodstack 2018, this Saturday, May 12 at Woodyard BBQ, 3001 Merriam Lane in Kansas City, Kansas, with SopChoppy, The Sleazebeats, Betse & Clarke, Wyco Low Riders, Erica Joy, Claire Adams, and The Almighty Trouble Brothers.

11:50

8. Claire & The Classical Revolution – “Enough”
from: In The Blue 7″ EP / Independent / December 12, 2015
[Released on 7″ Vinyl and Digital Download. Song by Claire Adams, Arrangement by Teri Quinn, Produced by Peter Lawless, Recorded, Mixed, & Mastered by Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab A 14-piece musical entity with Claire Adams on vocals & guitar, Peter Lawless as conductor, Christina Wince on flute, Teri Quinn on clarinet, Brandon Crawford on bass clarinet, Mark Lauer on bassoon, Jen Oliverio on trumpet, Austin Peiffer on trombone, Joseph Felton on tuba, Erik Hassell on violin, Alyssa Bell on viola, Eman Chalshotori on cello, Sarah Lahasky on contrabass, and Stephanie Williams on drums.]

[Claire Adams plays Woodstack 2018, Sat, May 12 at Woodyard BBQ, 3001 Merriam Ln, KCK, with SopChoppy, The Sleazebeats, Betse & Clarke, Wyco Low Riders, Erica Joy, Almighty Trouble Bros.]

11:55

Paper Magazine calls Cody Critcheloe, “an insanely talented master-of-all trades (he sings, paints and directs), has refused to play by the rules since he began, manufacturing full-fledged, DIY music-visual experiences. SSION has garnered a cult following, both as an artist and music video director, and now counts pop icons Robyn and Kylie Minogue among his fans.” The new SSION album, O is out Friday May 11 on DERO ARCADE.

9. SSION – “At Least the Sky is Blue (feat. Ariel Pink)”
from: O / Dero Arcade / May 11, 2018
[The music video for “At Least The Sky Is Blue” is directed by Cody Critcheloe and features guest Ariel Pink as “Elizabeth Taylor in a wheelchair” and Critcheloe as Liza Minnelli. SSION (pronounced “shun”) is a multifaceted creative project spearheaded by Cody Critcheloe, consisting of music, videos, art and live performance. It began as a punk band in Kentucky where Critcheloe is from, spent formative years in Kansas City, where it grew into the New York and Los Angeles based project it is today.]

11:00 – Station ID

11:00 – Interview with Cody Critcheloe

(Mark Interviewed Cody Critcheloe at KKFI 90.1 FM om April 26, 2018)

Cody Critcheloe – artist, painter, music maker, songwriter, singer, film maker, musician, Music Video director video , DJ, model, sex symbol, Queer hero, make up artist, photographer

Cody told Noisey at vice.com – “SSION is not really a band, I started it when I was in high school, in Kentucky, and then it sort of mutated throughout the years and right now I’m really the only remaining person. It’s spelled that way because, well, it was a joke—you know words like mission or passion or transgression. I was actually looking at a Mission of Burma record, and I thought, “Oh, I should just call the band SSION.” I thought it was really funny, like, if you shun something…I was like 16, so it was really clever to me. But I actually still like the way it looks! I like that no one knows how to pronounce it.”

SSION (pronounced “shun”) is a multifaceted creative project spearheaded by Cody Critcheloe, consisting of music, videos, art and live performance. It began as a punk band in Kentucky where Critcheloe is from, spent formative years in Kansas City, where it grew into the New York and Los Angeles based project it is today.

Now Toronto wrote: “SSION started during his high school years in Kentucky, SSION evolved into a collective of artists when he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and began creating elaborate DIY music videos and stage shows with friends just as YouTube was becoming a thing. He gained a rep in the queer underground – he first performed in Toronto at the Pride edition of late promoter Will Munro’s beloved Vazaleen party 10 years ago – and fashion circles, but when Bent didn’t take off, he shifted focus to the visual side of SSION”

Growing up in Kentucky Cody had to drive 30 minutes to go see a movie. Cody talked about the Riot Grrrl movement being an influence in his musical formative years; Bikini Kill, Brat Mobile, Sleater-Kinney, Kathleen Hanna. Cody was also obsessed with the band Hole and Courtney Love.

Cody Critcheloe studied at the Kansas City Art Institute, and SSION draws from a range of influences, including the punk spectacle of Iggy Pop and the dance-party new wave of the B-52’s as well as performance art and gay culture. in Kansas City SSION gained a reputation for amazing videos and live stage shows. Kansas City has remained a favorite location for Cody to shoot videos.

Cody currently lives in New York New York, he told The Lowdown (Jan. 4, 2012): “I officially moved to Brooklyn in June right after the SSION show at PS1. I spent the prior year living out of a suitcase and couch surfing, going back and forth between NYC, Kansas City and L.A. Then right before the show at PS1 I got evicted from my loft in KC, which was a bummer because it was such an amazing space — 3,000 square feet and my rent was $1,000 a month. Anyway, I had been wanting to change things up so I sold most of my possessions and moved to NYC within a week. It’s been a surprisingly easy transition mostly because I’ve stayed so busy making videos, working on music, playing shows and traveling. Maybe that still means I’m not really living anywhere.”

SSION Discography

1999 – “Fucked into Oblivion” Album, self-released cassette
2001 – “I Don’t Want New Wave & I Don’t Want the Truth” Album, self-released
2003 – “Minor Treat” EP, Version City Records
2003 – “Opportunity Bless My Soul” Album, Version City Records
2005 – “World’s Worth” 7″, Sound Virus Records
2005 – “Glory Wound” Album, self-released
2006 – “Street Jizz” EP, self-released
2007 – “Fools Gold” Album, Sleazetone Records
2007 – “Clown” 12″ Single & Remixes, Sleazetone Records
2008 – “Street Jizz” 12″ Single & Remixes, Sleazetone Records
2009 – “Ah Ma” Remixes EP, Sleazetone Records
2011 – “Bent” Album, Dovecote Records
2014 – “Pink Christmas” with Hunx and His Punx and Samantha Urbani
2018 – “O”

Cody told Paper (Dec. 14, 2017): “There were a couple of years where I thought I wouldn’t do music again, which is funny to me now. I think in some way I wanted to “grow up” and be taken seriously, whatever that means, and I thought being a director was a serious thing to do. I also got tired of looking at my face and hearing my voice and I just felt like I didn’t know what to say or how to say it — it all felt defeating. I never quit making music or writing songs, I just felt less urgency to put it out into the world. I think in the back of my head I knew it would eventually come back. Right now I can’t think of doing anything else. All I wanna do is SSION 24/7. It feels electric again.”

Cody told From Now Toronto: “It sounds cheesy, but turning 30, you get this idea of what you’re supposed to have accomplished,” he says. “The punk in me left for a bit. I was questioning: should I be a director? People don’t take my music seriously. I should be behind the scenes so I can be taken seriously. But then I was like wait, what? Who gives a shit? Why was I on that trip?”

New SSION Album O will released on DERO ARCADE May 11, 2018.

Now Toronto wrote: “Critcheloe worked on it with several collaborators including Nick Weiss (Teengirl Fantasy), Sam Mehran (Test Icicles) and MNDR. Part of what makes O so much fun is hearing all his queer and nerdy references in music that doesn’t separate punk or pop into silos, or force them into some sort of contrived hybrid format. The songs sound messy and loud, and also hooky and bouncy. Whether the mainstream embraces SSION this time around or not, you can tell he feels good about it.”

Cody told Now Toronto. “This record is a dream come true for me,” he says. “I just want to listen to it from beginning to end.”

O

01 Big as I Can Dream
02 Comeback
03 Forming
04 Dogs on Asphalt [ft. Contessa Stuto, Jennifer Herrema, Melissa Burns]
05 At Least the Sky Is Blue [ft. Ariel Pink]
06 Inherit
07 The Cruel Twirl [ft. Róisín Murphy]
08 1980-99 [ft. Sky Ferreira and Patty Schemel (of Hole)]
09 Marc & Me
10 Let Me Down Like U [ft. MNDR]
11 Tell Me About It
12 Free Lunch (Break) [ft. Devendra Banhart]
13 Heaven Is My Thing Again [ft. Ian Isiah, Jametatone and MNDR]

The first SSION video from O features “Comeback” filmed in Kansas City with appearances from Beth Barden as a waitress at Chubby’s, and a scene shot at Mills Record Company.

Fader (November 20, 2017” writes, “SSION is back, back, back! A new short film, premiering on The FADER today, previews the first two songs from pop genius and video director Cody Critcheloe’s forthcoming new SSION album, “Big As I Can Dream” is a late-night lullaby, the kind you might sing to yourself in your head; a mantra set to music. “Comeback,” on the other hand, is a bright and ballsy singalong of a single that twists and turns from pop to industrial glam rock and back again.”

From Pitchfork: “Ssion, the pop music project of the painter and filmmaker Cody Critcheloe, is proudly campy and cult, skirting the lines between DIY punk, rock opera, and synth-pop. His last album, 2011’s Bent, was a frenzied trip through neon-lit sex clubs and nights spent cruising. “Comeback,” the first single from his forthcoming album O, doubles down on Ssion’s theatrical, in-your-face production. From its opening bars of bubbling, vintage synth chords and disco fingersnaps, “Comeback” is an upbeat romp of 1980s dance vibes. But the song avoids mere revivalism: Critcheloe and co-producer Nick Weiss (of Teengirl Fantasy) use tricks like extravagant mock-EDM beat drops, wittily deconstructing modern pop tropes. The lyrics are ironically vapid, mimicking bygone Top 40 love songs (“I always knew you’d come back to me/So come back, come back to me”) while Critcheloe’s singing is soaring and flamboyant, making for a performance that’s not just fun, but clever and cutting. A minute before it closes, the sweet instrumentals darken into crunchy noise, and Critcheloe launches into a short but devastating cover of Germs’ “Forming,” in a nod to his glam-punk roots. It’s a risky way to close out what is ostensibly a disco-pop hit, but Critcheloe has more than enough daring to pull it off.”

SSION Videography:

2005 – Liars, “There’s Always Room on the Broom”, music video director
2006 – Scream Club & Electrosexual, “I’m Going Crazy”, music video director
2006 – Ssion, “Street Jizz”, music video director
2007 – Ssion, “ASAP”, music video director
2008 – Tilly and the Wall, “Beat Control”, music video director
2008 – Ssion, “Ah Ma”, music video director
2008 – Ssion, “A Wolves Eye”, music video director
2008 – Ssion, “Credit in the Straight World”, music video director
2008 – Ssion, “Warm Glove”, music video director
2009 – Ssion, Bullshit, music video director
2009 – Gossip, Music for Men, infomercial director
2010 – Gossip, Men in Love, music video director
2010 – Peaches, “Billionaire”, music video director
2010 – Ssion, “Clown”, music video director
2011 – CSS, “City Grrrl”, music video director
2011 – Santigold, “Big Mouth”, music video director
2011 – MNDR, “#1 in Heaven”, music video director
2012 – Ssion, “My Love Grows in the Dark”, music video director
2012 – Ssion, “Earthquake”, music video director
2012 – Ssion, “Feel Good (4-Evr)”, music video director
2012 – Ssion, “Psy-chic”, music video director
2013 – Ssion, “Luvvbazaar”, music video director
2013 – Ssion, “High”, music video director
2014 – Dum Dum Girls, “Lost Boys and Girls Club”, music video director
2014 – Kylie Minogue, “Sexercize”, music video director
2014 – Perfume Genius, “Queen”, music video director
2015 – Lower Dens, “To Die in L.A.”, music video director
2015 – Brooke Candy, “Renegade”, music video director
2018 – SSION “Comeback”, director
2018 – SSION “At Least The Sky Is Blue”, director

SSION has toured with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gossip, Fischerspooner and House of Ladosha among others.

11:31

10. SSION – “Comeback”
from: O / Dero Arcade / May 11, 2018
[“Comeback” is the first single from SSION’s forthcoming LP, O. SSION (pronounced “shun”) is a multifaceted creative project spearheaded by Cody Critcheloe. An art-punk act fronted by flamboyant vocalist/artist Cody Critcheloe, Ssion recorded a series of underground releases during the 2000s, yet were perhaps best recognized for their extravagant live show. Ssion (pronounced “shun”) were founded in Kansas City, MO, by Critcheloe, who studied at the Kansas City Art Institute, and draw from a range of influences, including the punk spectacle of Iggy Pop and the dance-party new wave of the B-52’s as well as performance art and gay culture. Critcheloe’s artwork graces the cover of Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Fever to Tell (2003) and the video for Liars’ “There’s Always Room on the Broom” (2004). Besides Critcheloe, Ssion’s membership includes, among others, backup vocalists Taylor Painter-Wolfe and Shannon Michaels, who respectively create costumes and stage props for the act’s live shows. Critcheloe made his recording debut as Ssion in 1999 with Fucked into Oblivion, a self-released cassette/CD-R. I Don’t Want New Wave & I Don’t Want the Truth, another self-released CD-R, followed in 2001. In 2003 Ssion made their label debut, releasing the Minor Treat EP and the Opportunity Bless My Soul album on Version City Records. Next, following a self-released album, Glory Hound (2005), and EP, Street Jizz (2006), Ssion signed to Sleazetone Records. In 2008 the label released the Fools Gold album and the accompanying Clown remix EP. ~ Jason Birchmeier

11:34 – Underwriting

11. Downtown Boys – “Violent Complicity”
from: Cost of Living / Sub Pop Records / August 11, 2018
[Downtown Boys are a punk band formed in 2011 in Providence, Rhode Island. Downtown Boys formed after What Cheer? Brigade tubaist Joey La Neve DeFrancesco met vocalist Victoria Ruiz while working at the Renaissance Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island. DeFrancesco famously quit the hotel by handing in his letter of resignation accompanied by his What Cheer? bandmates. The footage of the resignation went viral. In 2014, Downtown Boys released a 7″ single on Washington D.C.- based Sister Polygon Records to wide acclaim. Downtown Boys released second LP, Full Communism, on Don Giovanni Records on May 5, 2015. The album’s lead single, “Monstro”, drew critical attention from Pitchfork, Stereogum, and the broader music press. Rachel Brodsky of Spin wrote of the single: “Bravely combating, as their press release reads, “the prison-industrial complex, racism, queerphobia, capitalism, fascism, boredom, and all things people use to try to close our minds, eyes and hearts,” Downtown Boys do what their finest punk-rock forefathers did before them: challenge long-held ideas.” The group performed on news show Democracy Now! and was interviewed by host Amy Goodman. Rolling Stone featured the group and dubbed them “America’s Most Exciting Punk Band.” The New Yorker described the group’s live performances, noting that “[t]he tracks speed by with hardcore kineticism, but Ruiz’s lyrics squeeze your hand through the pit: she’s lucid and blunt, celebrating cops, traders, and any other impediment to justice that she can spot. There’s something distinctly post-punk about the Boys, … [i]t could be the saxophone, but it’s probably the spirit.” In 2015, Ruiz and DeFrancesco launched the online magazine Park Mag in collaboration with grassroots advocacy group Demand Progress. The site aims to feature underground and radical artists and connect fans to organizing work.]

[Downtown Boys play the 1st annual Workers Revival Fest, Fri, May 11 & Sat, May 12 at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd, with Rev. Sekou, Red Kate, Friendship Commanders, EBONY TUSKS, Nublvckcity, Baracutanga, Rev. Sekou, Austin Lucas, Scruffy & the Janitors, and Lovergurl.]

11:39 – Interview with L. Ron Drunkard and Natalie Patrick-Knox

L. Ron Drunkard of Black Site Records and the band Red Kate, and Natalie Patrick-Knox from Jobs With Justice join us to share details about the 1st annual Workers Revival Fest, Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12 at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd, KCMO, with Downtown Boys, Red Kate, Friendship Commanders, EBONY TUSKS, Nublvckcity, Baracutanga, Rev. Sekou, Austin Lucas, Scruffy & the Janitors, and Lovergurl featuring speakers from Jobs With Justice, Greater AFL-CIO, Noisey, and more.

Workers Revival Fest, May 11 & 12, adds soundtrack to the fight for workers’ rights!

BANDS: Downtown Boys, Baracatunga, Rev. Sekou, Austin Lucas, Friendship Commanders, Red Kate, Ebony Tusks, Nublvckcity, Scruffy & The Janitors, Lovergurl and more!

SPEAKERS: Erica Smiley, National Jobs With Justice; Kim Kelly, leader and organizer at Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), music and labor writer at VICE; Victoria Ruiz, lead singer of Downtown Boys and national workers’ rights activist; Justin Stein, Missouri Jobs With Justice; Martin Rucker, retired NFL Players Association & LiUNA 663 member.

SPONSORS: Jobs with Justice, Black Site Records Cooperative, Greater KC AFL-CIO, 90.1-FM KKFI, ULLICO (Union Labor Life Insurance Co.), Pipe Fitters Local 533.

Kansas City, MO – This week, volunteers are turning in hundreds of thousands of signatures to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office to place two citizen-driven initiatives on the November ballot – raising the statewide minimum wage to $12/hr by 2023 and reforming Missouri’s pitiful campaign financing and ethics laws. Coupled with last year’s drive to include on the ballot a citizen’s veto of the disastrous, freeloading “right-to-work” law the legislature passed in 2017, it is clear that working people are FED UP with corporate power running their government (and their lives), and they are FIGHTING BACK!

To celebrate the work of thousands of volunteers, union members and concerned citizens throughout the region, we are throwing a WORKERS’ REVIVAL FEST May 11 and 12 at the recordBar in Kansas City. The festival will celebrate work in all its forms and teach one another how to stand up to corporate power, support working people, and come together to demand higher pay and a better quality of life.

“This festival will help us change how we talk about workers’ rights,” said Justin Stein, from festival sponsor Missouri Jobs with Justice. “We can move away from the dangerous right-wing narrative that has eroded pay and working standards and toward the truth – that organizing is the only way to ensure working people are bargaining and not begging for better wages and benefits.”

Sponsored by Jobs with Justice, Black Site Records Cooperative, the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO, ULLICO (formerly known as Union Labor Life Insurance Co), 90.1-FM KKFI, and Pipefitters Local 533, the WORKERS’ REVIVAL FEST will feature a wide range of music from national, regional and local bands including hip hop (Ebony Tusks and NuBlvckCity), Americana/roots (Austin Lucas), Latin/Trad. Central American (Baracutanga), indie rock (Scruffy & The Janitors, Lovergurl) and potent political punk rock and roll (Downtown Boys, Friendship Commanders and Red Kate).

Friday, May 11 – 7 pm
11:45 Downtown Boys
10:45 Red Kate
9:30 Friendship Commanders
8:30 Ebony Tusks
7:30 NuBlvckCity

Saturday, May 12 – 7 pm
11:45 Baracutanga
10:45 Rev. Sekou
9:30 Austin Lucas
8:30 Scruffy & The Janitors
7:30 Lovergurl

Between bands both nights, we’ll have prominent speakers in the labor, arts and activist communities, as well as several local worker leaders and poets. The list includes:

Erica Smiley, National Jobs With Justice
Kim Kelly, leader/organizer – Writers Guild of America East, music & labor writer- VICE;
Victoria Ruiz, lead singer of Downtown Boys and national workers’ rights activist
Martin Rucker, retired NFL Players Association and LiUNA 663 member.
Justin Stein, Missouri Jobs With Justice

Workshops are scheduled on Saturday, May 12 at the Collection Restaurant, 1532 Grand Blvd. Workshops are FREE but registration is requested.

Saturday, May 12
10am-4pm Activist Art led by Julia Cole, Dave Loewenstein, and Rico and IT
10am-12pm Know Your Rights at Work led by labor educator Judy Ancel
1pm-3pm Organizing 101 led by Kim Kelly
1pm-4pm Storytelling Workshop w/ Center for Story-based Strategies

Tickets for the music portion of the Fest are $10 each night, or $16 for both nights and can be purchased at the door, or in advance at http://tinyurl.com/KC-WRF-Tix.

The Fest is All Ages, though minors must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

Connect with the Fest online:
Website – https://workersrevival.com/
Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/workersrevival/
Facebook Event Page – https://tinyurl.com/KC-WRF-FBevent
Workshop Details – http://tinyurl.com/KC-WRF-Workshops
Twitter – https://twitter.com/workersrevival, @workersrevival
Spotify Playlist- https://tinyurl.com/KC-WRF-Playlist

CONTACT: Natalie Patrick-Knox / natalie@jwj.org / 503-915-5701

Workers Revival Fest, Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12 at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd, KCMO, with Downtown Boys, Red Kate, Friendship Commanders, EBONY TUSKS, Nublvckcity, Baracutanga, Rev. Sekou, Austin Lucas, Scruffy & the Janitors, and Lovergurl featuring speakers from Jobs With Justice, Greater AFL-CIO, Noisey, and more. Community Workshops will be available on Saturday, May 12, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Collection Restaurant, 1532 Grand Blvd. More info at: http://www.black-site.org

11:57

12. Friendship Commanders – “Scuffle”
from: Scuffle – Single / Buick Prentice Records / June 23, 2017
[Friendship Commanders are Jerry Roe and B. Arson, a melodic punk/hardcore/sludge duo from Nashville, TN. Their first full-length album, DAVE, was released on February 12th, 2016. They have additionally released four EPs, and four annual Halloween singles which benefit addiction research and/or recovery resources, all on Trimming The Shield Records. Band members Jerry Roe and B. Arson are committed to making work that promotes conversation around tolerance, equality, communication, and human rights. Their second album, recorded with Steve Albini, will be released in 2018.]

13. Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
[WMM Closing Theme]

Next week, on May 16, we talk with international indie rocker Kat Dail who returns to her hometown to play an EP Release show at recordBar, Tues, May 22, w/ Run With It. We will also talk with Mikal Shapiro who will share music form her up coming album The Musical Volume 2. Mikal will have an album release show at The Buffalo Room, 817 Westport Road, Sat, May 26, at 7:00 pm. Also next week, the KC band My Oh My joins us to share music from their new release, The War Outside. My Oh My play an album release show, at recordBar, Sat, May 19, w/ Brandon Phillips & The Condition, Timbers, & Jake Wells. Also next week, members of the band Instant Karma share their new single, release through Sunflower Soul Records. Instant Karma play SoundMachine, Sat, May 26, at recordBar, w/ Dylan Guthrie & The Good Time Guys, and Foshee.

Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information.
Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
http://www.kkfi.org,
http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM

Show #733