WMM Playlist from Jan. 8, 2020

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, Jan 8, 2020

Wednesday MidDay Medley Celebrates David Bowie!

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980 [WMM’s theme song]

2. David Bowie – “Intro [Live]” [ :08 Intro only]
from: Live Santa Monica ’72 / Parlophone / June 30, 2008
[Santa Monica ’72 is a live album by David Bowie, recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on 20 October 1972 during the Ziggy Stardust Tour. Taken from KMET FM’s radio broadcast, it was available only as a bootleg for more than 20 years; according to author David Buckley, possessing a copy was the test of a “proper Bowie fan”. The recording was issued semi-legally/officially and without Bowie’s approval by the Golden Years label in 1994, with Griffin Music handling the American release in 1995. This live album features a quite different setlist to the one found on Ziggy Stardust – The Motion Picture (1983) (namely that, with the exception of The Jean Genie, the setlist contains no songs from Aladdin Sane, which were very present by the end of the tour), which was recorded nine months afterwards and similarly bootlegged prior to its belated official release. The Santa Monica recording is generally considered a superior representation of the Ziggy Stardust concerts in terms of both sound quality and standard of playing.]

3. David Bowie – “Rebel Rebel (Live)”
from: A Reality Tour (Bonus Track Version) [Live] / Sony Music / Jan. 22, 2010
[“Rebel Rebel”by David Bowie was released as a single by RCA Victor on February 15, 1974 from the album Diamond Dogs the B-side was “Queen Bitch” (a song from Hunky Dory). “Rebel Rebel” is Cited as Bowie’s most covered track, it has been described as being effectively Bowie’s farewell to the glam rock movement that he had helped pioneer, as well as being a proto-punk track. A Reality Tour is a live album by David Bowie that was released on 25 January 2010. The album features November 22, and 23, 2003 performances in Dublin during his concert tour A Reality Tour. Eventually this world tour made it’s way to Kansas City, where Bowie played Starlight Theatre, on Sunday, May 10, 2004.]

10:04 – WMM Celebrates David Bowie

David Bowie seemed to be from another world. He seemed to have multiple lives, he seemed immortal. His art kept coming. His influence vast. He was a guide. Much of my journey as an outsider queer kid finding a light in the darkness, was influenced by Bowie.

Bowie’s death, four years ago, in NYC, on January 10, 2016 sent shock waves of grief across the world. Bowie made over 50 years of music, continually reinventing his image, his sound, his bands. Bowie’s lyrics and music touched the lives of us who felt like, outsiders.

Bowie was a “gateway drug” to other important influences: The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, Iggy Pop, Glam Rock, Electronica, Brian Eno, William S. Burroughs, Beat Poetry, Mick Ronson, Tony Visconti, T-Rex, Kraftwerk, Klaus Nomi, Nicolas Roeg, Bauhaus, Gender Expression, and more. Bowie was a synthesizer weaving them together.

Thanks for tuning into Wednesday MidDay Medley, on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio. 


I’m Mark Manning. Today we Celebrate David Bowie on his actual Birthday, with selected songs from some of his 27 studio albums, and recordings that Bowie wrote and produced for Lou Reed, and Mott the Hoople.

Plus, we’ll play some of our favorite Bowie songs performed by musicians he influenced: Joan As Police Woman, Nile Rodgers, OK Go & Bonerama, including two Kansas City bands: Soft Reeds, and The Band That Fell To Earth.

At 10:30 Jocelyn Olivia Nixon of The Creepy Jingles, Alisön Hawkins of True Lions, and Mazzy Mann of UN/TUCK join us to share details about The Bandwaggn Winter Formal, Saturday, January 11, at 8:00 PM at The Crane Building at 1107 Hickory Street, KCMO 64101 in the West Bottoms. This event is presented by Bandwaggn Kansas City and UN/TUCK and will feature the music of Hadiza., Hannah, Dr. Violet Dream, and Whorxata. Doors at 8:00 PM,

And at 11:15, we welcome musician and writer, Michelle Bacon and musician Kyle Dahlquist join us to share details about The Band That Fell To Earth and the 5th annual tribute to David Bowie with TWO nights of music: Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25, doors at 8:00 PM, show at 9:00 PM, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO. A portion of ticket sales will benefit Kansas City Anti-Violence Project, an organization that provides advocacy, support and education to the LGBTQ+ community, including survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and hate crimes. More info at: http://www.therecordbar.com

And into this mix of interviews, original songs and covers, we’ll feature short stories about David Bowie, from a few of his biggest fans: Michelle Bacon, Ben Grimes, Cody Wyoming, Krystle Warren, and Nico Gray.

Our first story comes from our talented friend, singer, songwriter, Krystle Warren, who has worked with some of the musical artists we’re played today, including Joan As Police Woman. Krystle sent us her story from France, where she now lives.

10:08

4. Krystle Warren’s Bowie Story –”Always be genuine in your expression”

5. Mott The Hoople – “All The Young Dudes”
from: All The Young Dudes / Columbia / September 8, 1972
[The album was written and produced by David Bowie, during the same year he recorded and released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Regarded as one of glam rock’s anthems, the song originated after Bowie came into contact with Mott the Hoople’s bassist Peter Watts and learned that the band was ready to split due to continued lack of commercial success. When Mott rejected his first offer of a composition, “Suffragette City” (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars), Bowie wrote “All the Young Dudes” specially for them, allegedly sitting cross-legged on the floor of a room in Regent Street, London, in front of the band’s lead singer, Ian Hunter. With its dirge-like music, youth suicide references and calls to an imaginary audience, the song bore similarities to Bowie’s own “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”, the final track from Ziggy Stardust. Described as being to glam rock what “All You Need Is Love” was to the hippie era, the lyrics name-checked contemporary star T. Rex and contained references to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Bowie himself once claimed that the song was not intended to be an anthem for glam, that it actually carried a darker message of apocalypse. According to an interview Bowie gave to Rolling Stone magazine in 1973, the boys are carrying the same news that the newscaster was carrying in the song “Five Years” from Ziggy Stardust; the news being the fact that the Earth had only five years left to live. Bowie explains: “All the Young Dudes’ is a song about this news. It’s no hymn to the youth, as people thought. It is completely the opposite.” “All the Young Dudes” is also thought of as a gay anthem. Lou Reed said “It’s a Gay Anthem! A rallying call to the young dudes to come out in the streets and show that they were beautiful and gay and proud of it.”

10:14 – 1972 was an amazing year for the 25 year old David Bowie

Starting with Bowie’s third album, The Man Who Sold The World, in 1970, through Hunky Dory in ’71, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars in ’72, Alladdin Sane and Pin Ups in ’73, Bowie records were built around a 4-piece band that included the great Mick Ronson on lead guitar, backing vocals, piano, and arrangements.

Mott The Hoople’s “All The Young Dudes” was written and produced by Bowie, in 1972, the same year he recorded and released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. “All the Young Dudes” was written specifically for Mott The Hoople to keep them from breaking up, with Bowie allegedly sitting cross-legged on the floor of a room in Regent Street Hotel in London, in front of the band’s lead singer, Ian Hunter.

During this same year, David Bowie and Mick Ronson also served as producers on Lou Reed’s second solo album, the classic, Transformer, released on Bowie’s label RCA, in November of 1972.

In many ways Bowie was giving back to one of his biggest influences. Six years earlier, David Bowie’s manager Ken Pitt, returned from a trip to New York City, where he had met with artist Andy Warhol about the possibilities of representing a new, unknown group called The Velvet Underground. Ken Pitt didn’t much care for their music, so he gave the Andy Warhol signed acetate of The Velvet Underground & Nico, the band’s unreleased debut, to the 19-year old Bowie. Bowie said that receiving this acetate was “life changing.” He immediately learned the songs, and encouraged his band to perform, “I’m Waiting for the Man” in live shows, long before the album had been officially released. The Velvet Underground would mark the start of Bowie’s love affair with New York City.

I was able to view up close, this holy grail of rock music, the very special acetate, from Bowie’s own personal collection, as part of the internationally touring exhibition, David Bowie Is, at the The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, in September 2014.

Next we play a rare, track from the recording sessions of Lou Reed’s, Transformer” produced by David Bowie & Mick Ronson, from the incredible year of 1972.

10:17

6. Lou Reed – “Walk on The Wild Side” (rare unreleased track)
from: Monitor This / Monitor This / June-July 2003 (Transformer / RCA / Nov. 8, 1972)
[Produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson. A previously unreleased version found during remastering sessions for Transformer release – different from version found on the BMG album NYC Man: The Collection. A Lou Reed song from his 1972 second solo album Transformer. It was produced by David Bowie. The song received wide radio coverage, despite its touching on taboo topics such as transsexuality, drugs, male prostitution and oral sex. In the United States, RCA released the single using an edited version of the song without the reference to oral sex. The lyrics, describing a series of individuals and their journeys to NYC, refer to several of the regular “superstars” at Andy Warhol’s New York studio, The Factory, namely Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis and Joe Campbell (referred to in the song by his nickname Sugar Plum Fairy). Candy Darling was also the subject of Reed’s earlier song for The Velvet Underground, “Candy Says”. Mick Ronson (who was at the time the lead guitarist with Bowie’s band, the Spiders from Mars) played a major role in the recording of the album at Trident Studios, serving as the co-producer and primary session musician (contributing guitar, piano, recorder and backing vocals), as well as arranger, notably contributing the lush string arrangement for “Perfect Day”. Reed lauded Ronson’s contribution in the Transformer episode of the documentary series Classic Albums, praising the beauty of his work and keeping down the vocal to highlight the strings. The songs on the LP are now among Reed’s best-known works, including “Walk on the Wild Side”, “Perfect Day” and “Satellite of Love”, and the album’s commercial success elevated him from cult status to become an international star.]

10:20

You are listening to WMM’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM Our next story comes from band leader, musicain, actor and director, Cody Wyoming, lead guitarist, singer, and founder of the KC band, The Philistines, and member of the Pedaljets.

7. Cody Wyoming’s Bowie Story – “You’re Wonderful”
recorded by Mark Manning, Saturday, February 7, 2016

8. OK Go & Bonerama – “Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide”
from: You’re Not Alone – EP / Capital / November 7, 2006
[Collaboration by rock band OK Go and brass funk rock band Bonerama, recorded to raise money for New Orleans musicians displaced in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. The EP was recorded in August 2007 in New Orleans, Bonerama’s home city.] [“Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” by David Bowie, was originally released as the closing track on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in June 1972. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine found it to have “a grand sense of staged drama previously unheard of in rock & roll”. The exhortation “Oh no, love, you’re not alone” references the Jacques Brel song “You’re Not Alone” (“Jef”) that appeared in the musical Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Bowie covered Brel’s “My Death” during some Ziggy Stardust live shows. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”, recorded on February 4, 1972, was one of the last songs recorded for Ziggy Stardust, along with “Suffragette City”, which would immediately precede it in the album track list. As the final song on the album and climax to the Ziggy Stardust live shows throughout 1972-73, it soon became a slogan, appearing on many fans’ jackets.]

Jocelyn Olivia Nixin, Alison Hawkins, and Mazzy Mann on the January 8, 2020 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley on KKFI 90.1 FM.

10:30 – Interview with Jocelyn Olivia Nixin, Alisön Hawkins, & Mazzy Mann

Alisön Hawkins is a co-founder/organizer for BANDWAGGN KC, a music camp for girls/trans/gender expansive youth. They are a nonbinary songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, full-time piano teacher, and musician in multiple local acts including Chase the Horseman, Calvin Arsenia, Empty Moon, and Una Walkenhorst, among others. Alison dropped out of music school and dedicated their life to smashing the patriarchy. Realizing music was a fun way to accomplish this, they created the all-femme twee pop band True Lions a year ago, and released two EPs in 2019.

Mazzy Mann is co-founder of UN/TUCK KCMO Queer/Trans/Femme collective, band leader of the subversive jazz big band HANNAH, electronic producer MX.MRS, and curator of dozens of pop-up events across Kansas City’s underground network, inflitrating rave culture, jazz culture, and alternative indie culture. In creating safer spaces for queer, trans, and under-represented voices in KC’s music scene, she has become a force in a community that often goes unnoticed. Mazzy’s approach to music and curation is unapologetic, fierce, and powerful: A dominant force of new era awakening.

After returning back to Kansas City for a Austin, Texas, Jocelyn Olivia Nixin, formed the band The Creepy Jingles where she is lead singer, songwriter, keyboardist & guitar player with Travis McKenzie on guitar, Nick Robertson on drums. The Creepy Jingles were signed to High Dive Records and released their self titled debut EP on May 3, 2019 to critically acclaim and landing in the Top Ten ow WMM’s 119 Best recordings of 2019.

Alison, Mazzy and Jocelyn are here to share details about The Bandwaggn Winter Formal, Saturday, January 11, at 8:00 PM at The Crane Building at 1107 Hickory Street, KCMO 64101 in the West Bottoms. This event is presented by Bandwaggn Kansas City and UN/TUCK and will feature the music of Hadiza., Hannah, Dr. Violet Dream, and Whorxata. Doors at 8:00 PM.

Jocelyn Olivia Nixin, Mazzy Mann and Alison Hawkins thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Mazzy Mann, I first met you around 5 years ago at Mills Record Company. Like you record stores have been one of the community spaces where I hang out and where I felt safe and accepted. I remember you hanging out looking through records and talking about “crucial” recordings.

Since then you have been the recipient of a Rocket Grant, started a residency with Charlotte Street Foundation and come out as a multi – media musical performance artist, co-founder of the UN/TUCK Collective with Intelligent Sound, released multiple recordings from several musical and performance identities, became the band leader of the subversive jazz big band HANNAH, and electronic producer MX.MRS, and curator of dozens of pop-up events across Kansas City’s underground network, infiltrating rave culture, jazz culture, and alternative indie culture.

HANNAH is a child pop star turned ambient catharsis apparition appearing in shapes outside physical realms. On December 8 HANNAH released the double album: Trans/Portal and Trans/Human

In creating safer spaces for queer, trans, and under-represented voices in KC’s music scene, she has become a force in a community that often goes unnoticed.

Mazzy Mann is a Kansas City-based performance artist and co-founder of UN/TUCK Queer and Trans Electronic Collective, whose work explores the loss of identity through themes of existential horror, film noir, vaudeville, old soul, jazz, and folklore. Through combining archetypes of 1950s and 60s American horror genres and existential ideologies with the modern transgender experience, Mazzy aims to address the trans perspectives of dysphoria, dysmorphia, isolation, trauma, and abuse. In doing so, they work to build a platform for queer voices, and normalize queer peoples into a broader culture.

In contrast to the colorful and celebratory approach of queer pop culture, Mazzy takes a back swing on the pendulum to the sheer horror of waking up and no longer knowing who you are. Using visceral film, music, and stage performance, Mazzy conveys a message that is truly hypnotic, horrifying, and eye-opening.

Alison Hawkins created the all-femme twee pop band True Lions who released two great EPs in 2019. Congratulations.

Alison Hawkins plays with Chase the Horseman, Calvin Arsenia, Empty Moon, and Una Walkenhorst, among others. They are a nonbinary songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, full-time piano teacher.

This event is presented by Bandwaggn Kansas City and UN/TUCK

Bandwaggn’s mission is to empower girls and trans youth to build community through authentic relationships and lead a movement toward collective liberation. Music is our chosen tool for teaching, learning and building into our future. Bandwaggn is entirely volunteer-led.

Bandwaggn’s goal is to create a youth-centered arts and social justice organization. We’d like to be the Kansas City chapter of a 6-day summer music program under the national umbrella “Girls Rock Camp Alliance.” The camp will serve kids who identify as girls, gender nonconforming, and trans, ages 8-17. Our goal is to host at least 20 kids at the camp June 2020. We strive to be inclusive and reach as many deserving young folks who want to participate as possible. Outcomes we hope to see include community building and empowerment among our youth participants. We see a need for this in Kansas City because most extracurricular opportunities often exclude the most marginalized children and most music camps require previous musical skill and experience.

UN/TUCK is part of Intelligent Sound, it is a Queer/ Trans electronic collective
CURATORS/ FOUNDERS: Mazzy Mann, Zoey Shopmaker, Lorelei Davis

The Bandwaggn Winter Formal, Saturday, January 11, at 8:00 PM at The Crane Building at 1107 Hickory Street, KCMO 64101

Will Feature the music of Hadiza., Hannah, Dr. Violet Dream, and Whorxata.

Doors at 8:00 PM.

Related Shows:

The Creepy Jingles play Community Empowered, A Benefit 4 KC Passages, tomorrow Thursday, January 9, at 7:00 PM at The Rino, 314 Armour Rd, NKC with Rachel Mallin, and Havanna Affair.

True Lions, Helkat, and Mild Cats, play Stray Cat Film Center, 1662 Broadway Blvd, KCMO, Friday, January 10, at 8:00 PM to benefit local animal rescues.

From In Kansas City Magazine – Tim Finn interviews Michele Bacon and asks: What are the best things about the Kansas City music community?

Michelle answers: “There are a lot of dedicated, talented artists in Kansas City, but I think that the inclusivity is unparalleled. I entered the music scene while going through a major life change and found sanctuary in it. I also learned so much about being a musician and a music professional through the mentorship of others. I often return to that spirit of community, but it seems crucial to have a system of support and connectivity to share with one another. It drives us to create and instills the confidence to put our passions out to the rest of the world.”

From UN/TUCK Facebook page: “Come out and reclaim queer prom for those of us who never got the opportunity to dress and be ourselves at the high school formal. In affiliation with @bandwaggnkc , we are excited to announce a Winter Formal fundraising event that will help provide summer camp for femme, queer and trans youth.”

Alison Hawkins, Mazzy Mann, Jocelyn Olivia Nixin, thanks you for being on WMM

The Bandwaggn Winter Formal, Saturday, January 11, at 8:00 PM at The Crane Building at 1107 Hickory Street, KCMO 64101 in the West Bottoms. This event is presented by Bandwaggn Kansas City and UN/TUCK and will feature the music of Hadiza., Hannah, Dr. Violet Dream, and Whorxata. Doors at 8:00 PM.

10:50

9. Joan As Police Woman – “Sweet Thing”
from: Real Life (B Sides) – EP / Cheap Lullaby Records / June 12, 2007
[Extra tracks from the solo debut recording of Joan Wasser, born July 26, 1970, known by her stage name, Joan As Police Woman. She is an American musician and singer-songwriter. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders. Throughout her career, she has regularly collaborated with other artists as a writer, performer and arranger. KC artist Krystle Warren has toured around the world with her.] [“Sweet Thing” or “Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)” is a suite of songs written by David Bowie for the album Diamond Dogs. Recorded in January 1974, the piece comprises the songs “Sweet Thing” and “Candidate” and a one-verse reprise of “Sweet Thing.” In the opening line, “Sweet Thing” contains the lowest note Bowie had recorded in a studio album (C2) until “I Took a Trip on a Gemini Spacecraft” for the album “Heathen” (2002), where he growled the word “Well” (G1) towards the end of the song. Diamond Dogs was the 8th studio album from Bowie, was released May 24, 1974, after the ‘retirement’ of Bowies’s Ziggy Stardust, character. Diamond Dogs featured a new lead character named Halloween Jack, “a real cool cat,” who lives in the decaying “Hunger City”. Bowie, however, still wore the Ziggy haircut on the cover of Diamond Dogs, and the first single, “Rebel Rebel” continues his glam rock sound. However, with the rest of the album, music writers noticed a new Bowie. For his song “Sweet Thing” / “Candidate”/ “Sweet Thing (Reprise)” Bowie first used the William S. Burroughs’ cut-up style of writing. The song “1984” reflected the “plastic soul” sound of Bowie’s next release, Young Americans, from 1975. The Diamond Dogs Tour of 1974 was one of the first huge Rock and Roll, bus and truck tours, like a big Broadway production.]

10:53

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM

For his song “Sweet Thing” Bowie first used the William S. Burroughs’ cut-up style of writing. Sweet Thing was from Diamond Dogs, Bowie’s 8th studio album, released May 24, 1974. The first single from Diamond Dogs was “Rebel Rebel” which continued Bowie’s glam rock sound, but the rest of Diamond Dogs was different, Mick Ronson was gone, Bowie was on lead guitar, music writers noticed a new Bowie, and songs like “1984” reflected the “plastic soul” sound of Bowie’s next release, Young Americans, from 1975. Bowie released his 10th album, Station to Station in 1976. It’s first single “Golden Years” was completed during a period when Bowie’s cocaine addiction was at its peak. “Golden Years” was more similar in style to his previous album Young Americans, but the rest of the songs on Station to Station were all foreshadowing of the Kraftwerk-influenced and electronic music of Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy of 1977’s Low, Heroes, and 1979’s Lodger.

Our next Bowie story comes from Ben Grimes, founder of two influential KC bands: Soft Reeds and The Golden Republic. Ben recorded this story for us when he was living in Los Angeles working on the TV show “Baskets.” Following Ben’s story is a special track, written by Bowie, during that Berlin Trilogy, and recorded by Ben’s band Soft Reeds.

10. Ben Grimes Bowie Story – “You are Never Stuck In One Thing”
recorded by Ben Grimes, Sunday, February 28, 2016

11. Soft Reeds – “Sound and Vision”
from: unreleased track recorded during the sessions for Soft Reeds album ‘Blank City’
[Blank City was Soft Reeds second album, released by The Record Machine on April 23, 2013. Produced at Element Recording with Joel Nanos. Soft Reeds is the brainchild of Ben Grimes (formerly of Astralwerks’ The Golden Republic), a Chicago native whose roots grip firmly in the ’77 Berlin sounds of Brian Eno, David Bowie and Iggy Pop, with Austin, TX native Josh Wiedenfeld on drums, Beckie Trost, a fellow Chicagoan and childhood friend of Grimes on bass, and KC native John Mitchell on guitar, saxophone, keys.]

11:03 – Station ID

Our next Bowie story comes from Nico Gray, a writer, and actor who has worked with The Kansas City Rep, Gorilla Theatre, Actor’s Craft, and Big Bang Buffet. Nico is also a marketing and advertising consultant with Union Station and KC Fringe Festival.

12. Nico Gray’s Bowie Story – “Thank you Bowie!”
recorded by Nico Gray, Sunday, February 28, 2016

13. David Bowie – “Changes”
from: Hunky Dory / RCA – (Rykodisk – Virgin – Sony – EMI – Columbia ISO) / Dec. 17, 1971
[Written by David Bowie, originally released on Hunky Dory and as a single in January 1972. “Changes” became one of Bowie’s best-known songs. The lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality, the frequent change of the world today, and frequent reinventions of his musical style throughout the 1970s. This single is cited as David Bowie’s official North American debut, despite the fact that the song “The Man Who Sold the World” was released in North America two years prior. This was the last song Bowie performed live on stage before his retirement from live performances at the end of 2006.]

11:11

Our next story about Bowie comes from another one of Bowie’s biggest fans, musician and writer, Michelle Bacon who talks about The Band That Fell To Earth and band she put together for a Tribute to David Bowie that has now become an annual event.

14. Michelle Bacon’s Bowie Story – “Putting together a perfect band”
recorded by Mark Manning, Saturday, February 27, 2016

15. The Band That Fell To Earth – “Boys Keep Swinging”
from: Recorded Live at recordBar for A Tribute To David Bowie / January 2018

Kyle Dahlquist and Michelle Bacon January 8, 2020 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley on KKFI 90.1 FM.

11:20 – Interview with Michelle Bacon & Kyle Dahlquist

You are listening to WMM’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM KKFI

Multi talented, musician and writer, Michelle Bacon is the Content and Database Manager at 90.9 The Bridge, where she helps to shine a light on area musicians and events. Michelle has written for The Kansas City Star, The Deli Magazine KC, and Folk Alliance International. Michelle plays bass with Other Americans, and Nathan Corsi Band. Over the last several years she performed and recorded music with, The Band That Fell To Earth, Heidi Lynne Gluck, Erica Joy, Chris Meck and the Guilty Birds, The Blackbird Revue, John L. Johnson, The Philistines, Deco Auto, and many others.

Michelle Bacon, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Also with us is musician Kyle Dahlquist who plays with The Band That Fell to Earth, Victor & Penny’s Loose Change Orchestra, Men of Men, Johnny Hamil’s GAV7D, Amy Farrand and The Like, and other groups. Kyle has also previously played with The Hardship Letters, alacartoona, Mr. Marco’s V-7, and Mongol Beach Party.

Kyle Dalquist, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Michelle Bacon is the producer and organizer of The Band That Fell To Earth: A Tribute to David Bowie, with TWO nights of music: Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25, doors at 8:00 PM, show at 9:00 PM, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO.

The band was curated by musician/writer Michelle Bacon to pay homage to the groundbreaking artist while showcasing talent across Kansas City’s vast musical spectrum.

Michelle Bacon on bass,
Alex Alexander on guitar,
Nathan Corsi on vocals/guitar,
Kyle Dahlquist on keys/brass,
Katy Guillen on guitar,
Steve Tulipana on vocals,
Stephanie Williams on drums,
Havilah Bruders on backing vocals,
Camry Ivory on backing vocals,
Matt Ronan on percussion,
Christine Broxterman on cello,
Betse Ellis on violin,
Rich Wheeler on saxophone,

American Sign Language interpretation from Peige Turner and video projections from XO Blackwater.

Each night will contain a unique set list and different special guests. Special guests include: Julia Haile, Danielle Nicole, Kianna Alarid, Heidi Phillips, and Chase The Horseman.

A portion of ticket sales will benefit Kansas City Anti-Violence Project, an organization that provides advocacy, support and education to the LGBTQ+ community, including survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and hate crimes.

More info at: http://www.therecordbar.com

Commemorative David Bowie prayer candles & pillows will be sold by Kitschup Creations.

Michelle Bacon and Kyle Dahlquist, thanks for being with us on WMM.

The Band That Fell To Earth: A Tribute to David Bowie, with TWO nights of music: Fri, January 24 and Sat, January 25, doors at 8:00 PM, show at 9:00 PM, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO.

11:35

16. Katy Guillen & The Drive – “Other Side”
from: Dream Girl [EP] / Katy Guillen / January 11, 2020
[New 7 song EP from Katy Gullien and Stephanie Williams]

[Katy Guillen & The Drive plays Knuckleheads, Saturday, Janury 11, at 8:00 PM]

11:39 – Underwriting

11:41

To study Bowie’s albums is to learn about the many great guitarists and producers who have collaborated with Bowie including on of the most influencial guitarists and producers of modern music…Nile Rodgers.

17. Nile Rodgers talks about making “Lets Dance”

11:45

18. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (Single Version)
from: Let’s Dance / EMI / April 14, 1983
[Let’s Dance was co-produced by Chic’s Nile Rodgers, the album contained three of his most successful singles; the title track, “Let’s Dance”, reached No. 1 in the US, “Modern Love” and “China Girl” both reached No. 2 in the UK. “China Girl” was a new version of a song which Bowie had co-written with Iggy Pop for the 1977 album The Idiot. The album also contains a re-recorded version of the song “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” which had been a minor hit for Bowie a year earlier. Let’s Dance was a stepping stone for the career of the Texas blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who played on it. Let’s Dance has sold over 10.7 million copies worldwide, making it Bowie’s best-selling album. Let’s Dance is Bowie’s 18th official album release since his debut in 1967, including two live albums, one covers album (Pin Ups, 1973), and a collaboration with the Philadelphia Orchestra (1977). The success of the album surprised Bowie, who felt he had to continue to pander to the new pop audience he acquired with the album. This led to Bowie releasing two further solo albums in 1984 and 1987 that, despite their relative commercial success, did not sell as well as Let’s Dance, were poorly received by critics at the time and subsequently dismissed by Bowie himself as his “Phil Collins years”. Bowie would form the hard rock and grunge-predecessor band Tin Machine in 1989 in an effort to rejuvenate himself artistically. David Bowie had planned to use producer Tony Visconti on the album, as the two had worked together on Bowie’s previous four studio albums. However, he chose Nile Rodgers for the project, a move that came as a surprise to Visconti, who had set time aside to work on Let’s Dance. Visconti called [Bowie’s personal assistant] Coco and she said: “Well, you might as well know – he’s been in the studio for the past two weeks with someone else. It’s working out well and we won’t be needing you. He’s very sorry.” The move damaged the two men’s relationship and Visconti did not work with Bowie again for nearly 20 years (until 2002’s Heathen). Rodgers later recalled that Bowie approached him to produce his album so that Bowie could have hit singles. Rodgers reported that Bowie came into his apartment one day and showed him a photograph of Little Richard in a red suit getting into a bright red Cadillac, saying “Nile, darling, that’s what I want my album to sound like.”]

11:52

27 studio albums, 8 live albums, over 50 compilation albums, 119 singles, 58 music videos, over 25 films. Bowie was a working artist. He was always working, always creating, always studying, always interested in how it could be put together. Bowie inspired multiple generations of people with his beautiful catalog of music, demonstrating one of the most creative arcs of any artistic career.

I would like to thank all of our contributors for sharing their stories: Cody Wyoming, Nico Gray, Ben Grimes, Michelle Bacon, and Krystle Warren.

And we’ll close with “Lazarus” the final single from David Bowie, released on his 27th and final studio album, Blackstar, on 4 years ago on January 8, 2016, on Bowie’s 69th birthday. Bowie died two days later. Co-producer Tony Visconti described the album as Bowie’s intended swan song and a “parting gift” for his fans before his death.

For Wednesday MidDay Medley I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:53

19. David Bowie – “Lazarus”
from: Blackstar / ISO Records – Columbia / January 8, 2016
[Lazarus features David Bowie on vocals, acoustic guitar, and Fender guitar; Donny McCaslin on saxophone, flute, and woodwind; Jason Linder on piano, Wurlitzer organ and keyboards; Tim Lefebvre on bass; Mark Guiliana on drums. McCaslin and the rest of the jazz group recorded their parts in the studio over a period of about one week a month from January to March 2015, and until later in recording were unaware of Bowie’s declining health. The song “Lazarus” is part of Bowie’s Off-Broadway musical of the same name. The album has received universal critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching the number one spot in a number of countries in the wake of Bowie’s death and becoming his first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 album chart in the U.S. Blackstar is the twenty-fifth and final studio album by musician, writer, actor, chameleon, David Bowie. It is the 27th when you count the Tin Machine records, which you should. The album was released worldwide on January 8, 2016, on Bowie’s 69th birthday, and just two days later David Robert Jones passed away at home surrounded by his wife Iman, and his son Duncan Jones from his marriage to Angela Bowie, and daughter Alexandria from his marriage to Iman.]

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

Next Week on January 15, WMM celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929 music of the movement from: Mavis Staples, Pops Staples, The Staple Singers, Krystle Warren, Bobby Watson & The I Have A Dream Project featuring Glenn North, Bob & Una Walkenhorst, Kelly Hunt, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Labelle, Curtis Mayfield, Maceo & The Macks, Mahalia Jackson, Marian Anderson, The Swan Silvertones, Sweet Honey in The Rock, Aaron Neville, Soweto Gospel Choir, Tramaine Hawkins, Ella Mitchell, Billy Porter, Solomon Burke, Nina Simone, Pete Seeger, and Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion.

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 #819

WMM Playlist from January 9, 2019

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, Jan 9, 2019

Wednesday MidDay Medley Celebrates David Bowie

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980 [WMM’s theme song]

2. James Murphy – “Golden Years”
from: While We’re Young (Original Soundtrack) / Power Elite / March 23, 2015
[Born February 4, 1970. James Murphy is a musician, producer, DJ, and co-founder of record label DFA Records. His most well-known musical project is LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy was influenced by Bowie and remixed songs for Bowie’s The Next Day Extras, and is credited as a percussionist on Bowie’s Backstar.][“Golden Years” was written and recorded by David Bowie in 1975, and originally released in a shortened form as a single in November 1975, and in its full-length version in January the following year on, Station to Station. It was the first track completed during the Station to Station sessions, a period when Bowie’s cocaine addiction was at its peak. “Golden Years” was more similar in style to the Young Americans funk/soul material from earlier in 1975 than the rest of Station to Station, that foreshadowed the Kraftwerk-influenced Euro-centric and electronic music that Bowie would move into with his ‘Berlin Trilogy’.]

3. Col. Chris Hadfield – “Space Oddity”
from: Space Sessions: Songs From a Tin Can / Chris Hadfield / October 9, 2015
[The video has had over 27,000,000 views on YouTube. The performance was the subject of a piece by Glenn Fleishman in The Economist on 22 May 2013 analyzing the legal implications of publicly performing a copyrighted work of music while in earth orbit. The song is the only one of Bowie’s for which Bowie did not own the copyright. Bowie’s publisher granted Hadfield a license to the song for only one year. Due to the expiry of the one year license, the official video was taken offline on May 13, 2014, despite Bowie’s explicit wishes that the publisher grant Hadfield a license at no charge to record the song and produce the video. Following a period of negotiations, the video was restored to YouTube on November 2, 2014 with a two-year license agreement in place.]

In May of 2013, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, commander of Expedition 35 to the International Space Station, recorded a video of “Space Oddity” while on board the space station. This was the first music video ever shot in space. The lyrics were slightly changed to reflect Hadfield’s imminent return from his final mission. Hadfield announced the video on Twitter, writing, “With deference to the genius of David Bowie, here’s Space Oddity, recorded on board the Station. A last glimpse of the World.” Bowie responded to the video, tweeting back to Hadfield, “Hallo Spaceboy”.

David Bowie seemed to be from another world. He seemed to have multiple lives, he seemed immortal. His art kept coming. His influence vast. He was a guide. Much of my journey as an outsider queer kid finding a way through, was influenced by Bowie.

Bowie’s death, three years ago, in New York City, on January 10, 2016 sent shock waves of grief across the world. Bowie made over 50 years of music, for those of us who felt left out.

Bowie was a “gateway drug” to other important influences: The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, Iggy Pop, Glam Rock, Electronica, Brian Eno, William S. Burroughs, Beat Poetry, Mick Ronson, Tony Visconti, T-Rex, Kraftwerk, Klaus Nomi, Nicolas Roeg, Bauhaus, Gender Expression, and more. Bowie was a synthesizer weaving them together.

Thanks for tuning into Wednesday MidDay Medley, on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio. I’m Mark Manning. Today we Celebrate David Bowie with selected songs from some of his 27 studio albums, and recordings that Bowie wrote and produced for Lou Reed, and Mott the Hoople.

Plus, we’ll play some of our favorite Bowie songs performed by musicians he influenced: Joan As Police Woman, Nile Rodgers, OK Go & Bonerama, including two Kansas City bands: Soft Reeds, and The Band That Fell To Earth. We started with James Murphy and Chris Hadfield

And into this mix of original songs and covers, we’ll feature short stories about David Bowie, from nine of his biggest fans: Michelle Bacon, Barry Lee, Ben Grimes, Cody Wyoming, Krystle Warren, Jesse Bartmess, Marion Merritt, Ian Michael Flanagan Johnson, and Nico Gray.

Our first story comes from band leader, musician, and director, Cody Wyoming, lead guitarist, singer, and founder of the Kansas City band, The Philistines, who released their debut full length album, “The Backbone of Night” on May 27, 2016 and was #1 on WMM’s 116 Best Recordings of 2016.

4. Cody Wyoming’s Bowie Story – “You’re Wonderful”
recorded by Mark Manning, Saturday, February 7, 2016

5. OK Go & Bonerama – “Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide”
from: You’re Not Alone – EP / Capital / November 7, 2006
[Collaboration by rock band OK Go and brass funk rock band Bonerama, recorded to raise money for New Orleans musicians displaced in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. The EP was recorded in August 2007 in New Orleans, Bonerama’s home city.] [“Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” by David Bowie, was originally released as the closing track on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in June 1972. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine found it to have “a grand sense of staged drama previously unheard of in rock & roll”. The exhortation “Oh no, love, you’re not alone” references the Jacques Brel song “You’re Not Alone” (“Jef”) that appeared in the musical Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Bowie covered Brel’s “My Death” during some Ziggy Stardust live shows. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”, recorded on February 4, 1972, was one of the last songs recorded for Ziggy Stardust, along with “Suffragette City”, which would immediately precede it in the album track list. As the final song on the album and climax to the Ziggy Stardust live shows throughout 1972-73, it soon became a slogan, appearing on many fans’ jackets.]

6. Jesse Bartmess’ Bowie Story – “Changes in my 4-year old ears”
recorded by Mark Manning, Saturday, February 27, 2016

7. David Bowie – “Changes”
from: Hunky Dory / RCA – (Rykodisk – Virgin – Sony – EMI – Columbia ISO) / Dec. 17, 1971
[Written by David Bowie, originally released on Hunky Dory and as a single in January 1972. “Changes” became one of Bowie’s best-known songs. The lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality, the frequent change of the world today, and frequent reinventions of his musical style throughout the 1970s. This single is cited as David Bowie’s official North American debut, despite the fact that the song “The Man Who Sold the World” was released in North America two years prior. This was the last song Bowie performed live on stage before his retirement from live performances at the end of 2006.]

8. Nico Gray’s Bowie Story – “Thank you Bowie!”
recorded by Nico Gray, Sunday, February 28, 2016

9. Mott The Hoople – “All The Young Dudes”
from: All The Young Dudes / Columbia / September 8, 1972
[The album was written and produced by David Bowie, during the same year he recorded and released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Regarded as one of glam rock’s anthems, the song originated after Bowie came into contact with Mott the Hoople’s bassist Peter Watts and learned that the band was ready to split due to continued lack of commercial success. When Mott rejected his first offer of a composition, “Suffragette City” (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars), Bowie wrote “All the Young Dudes” specially for them, allegedly sitting cross-legged on the floor of a room in Regent Street, London, in front of the band’s lead singer, Ian Hunter. With its dirge-like music, youth suicide references and calls to an imaginary audience, the song bore similarities to Bowie’s own “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”, the final track from Ziggy Stardust. Described as being to glam rock what “All You Need Is Love” was to the hippie era, the lyrics name-checked contemporary star T. Rex and contained references to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Bowie himself once claimed that the song was not intended to be an anthem for glam, that it actually carried a darker message of apocalypse. According to an interview Bowie gave to Rolling Stone magazine in 1973, the boys are carrying the same news that the newscaster was carrying in the song “Five Years” from Ziggy Stardust; the news being the fact that the Earth had only five years left to live. Bowie explains: “All the Young Dudes’ is a song about this news. It’s no hymn to the youth, as people thought. It is completely the opposite.” “All the Young Dudes” is also thought of as a gay anthem. Lou Reed said “It’s a Gay Anthem! A rallying call to the young dudes to come out in the streets and show that they were beautiful and gay and proud of it.

10:30 – Underwriting

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM

1972 was an amazing year for the 25 year old David Bowie

Starting with Bowie’s third album, The Man Who Sold The World, in 1970, through Hunky Dory in ’71, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars in ’72, Alladdin Sane and Pin Ups in ’73, Bowie records were built around a 4-piece band that included the great Mick Ronson on lead guitar, backing vocals, piano, and arrangements.

Mott The Hoople’s “All The Young Dudes” was written and produced by Bowie, in 1972, the same year he recorded and released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. “All the Young Dudes” was written specially for the band to keep them from breaking up, with Bowie allegedly sitting cross-legged on the floor of a room in Regent Street Hotel, in London, in front of the band’s lead singer, Ian Hunter.

During the year that saw the recording, and release, of two of rock music’s most important albums, David Bowie and Mick Ronson also served as producers on Lou Reed’s second solo album, the classic, Transformer, released on Bowie’s label RCA, in November of 1972.

In many ways Bowie was giving back to one of his biggest influences. Six years earlier, David Bowie’s manager Ken Pitt, returned from a trip to New York City, where he had met with artist Andy Warhol about the possibilities of representing a new, unknown group called The Velvet Underground. Ken Pitt didn’t much care for their music, so he gave the Andy Warhol signed acetate of The Velvet Underground & Nico, the band’s unreleased debut, to the 19-year old Bowie. Bowie said that receiving this acetate was “life changing.” He immedately learned the songs, and encouraged his band to perform, “I’m Waiting for the Man” in live shows, long before the album had been officially released. The Velvet Underground would mark the start of Bowie’s love affair with New York City.

I was able to view up close, this holy grail of glam rock music, the very special acetate, from Bowie’s own personal collection, as part of the internationally touring exhibition, David Bowie Is, at the The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, in September 2014.

Next we play the rare, previously unreleased track from the recording sessions of Lou Reed’s, Transformer” produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, from the incredible year of 1972.

10. Lou Reed – “Take A Walk on The Wild Side”
from: Monitor This / Monitor This / June-July 2003 (Transformer / RCA / Nov. 8, 1972)
[Produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson. A previously unreleased version found during remastering sessions for Transformer release – different from version found on the BMG album NYC Man: The Collection. A Lou Reed song from his 1972 second solo album Transformer. It was produced by David Bowie. The song received wide radio coverage, despite its touching on taboo topics such as transsexuality, drugs, male prostitution and oral sex. In the United States, RCA released the single using an edited version of the song without the reference to oral sex. The lyrics, describing a series of individuals and their journeys to NYC, refer to several of the regular “superstars” at Andy Warhol’s New York studio, The Factory, namely Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis and Joe Campbell (referred to in the song by his nickname Sugar Plum Fairy). Candy Darling was also the subject of Reed’s earlier song for The Velvet Underground, “Candy Says”. Mick Ronson (who was at the time the lead guitarist with Bowie’s band, the Spiders from Mars) played a major role in the recording of the album at Trident Studios, serving as the co-producer and primary session musician (contributing guitar, piano, recorder and backing vocals), as well as arranger, notably contributing the lush string arrangement for “Perfect Day”. Reed lauded Ronson’s contribution in the Transformer episode of the documentary series Classic Albums, praising the beauty of his work and keeping down the vocal to highlight the strings. The songs on the LP are now among Reed’s best-known works, including “Walk on the Wild Side”, “Perfect Day” and “Satellite of Love”, and the album’s commercial success elevated him from cult status to become an international star.]

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM.

Marion Merritt grew up in Los Angeles and St. Louis and used to sing the lyrics to David Bowie’s “We Are The Dead,” at her family reunions, when she was just a kid. Marion is creator of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business. Marion is keeping the tradition of, female-owned, independent record stores, on Westport Rd., alive. Here is Marion’s story…

11. Marion Merritt’s Bowie Story – “Strange Scary Bowie”
recorded by Mark Manning, Monday, February 22, 2016

12. Joan As Police Woman – “Sweet Thing”
from: Real Life (B Sides) – EP / Cheap Lullaby Records / June 12, 2007
[Extra tracks from the solo debut recording of Joan Wasser, born July 26, 1970, known by her stage name, Joan As Police Woman. She is an American musician and singer-songwriter. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders. Throughout her career, she has regularly collaborated with other artists as a writer, performer and arranger. Kansas City artist Krystle Warren has toured around the world with her.] [“Sweet Thing” or “Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)” is a suite of songs written by David Bowie for the album Diamond Dogs. Recorded in January 1974, the piece comprises the songs “Sweet Thing” and “Candidate” and a one-verse reprise of “Sweet Thing.” In the opening line, “Sweet Thing” contains the lowest note Bowie had recorded in a studio album (C2) until “I Took a Trip on a Gemini Spacecraft” for the album “Heathen” (2002), where he growled the word “Well” (G1) towards the end of the song. Diamond Dogs was the 8th studio album from Bowie, was released May 24, 1974, after the ‘retirement’ of Bowies’s Ziggy Stardust, character. Diamond Dogs featured a new lead character named Halloween Jack, “a real cool cat,” who lives in the decaying “Hunger City”. Bowie, however, still wore the Ziggy haircut on the cover of Diamond Dogs, and the first single, “Rebel Rebel” continues his glam rock sound. However, with the rest of the album, music writers noticed a new Bowie. For his song “Sweet Thing” / “Candidate”/ “Sweet Thing (Reprise)” Bowie first used the William S. Burroughs’ cut-up style of writing. The song “1984” reflected the “plastic soul” sound of Bowie’s next release, Young Americans, from 1975. The Diamond Dogs Tour of 1974 was one of the first huge Rock and Roll, bus and truck tours. Bowie produced the show with a giant set, like a big Broadway production.]

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM

For his song “Sweet Thing” Bowie first used the William S. Burroughs’ cut-up style of writing. Sweet Thing was from Diamond Dogs, Bowie’s 8th studio album, released May 24, 1974. The first single from Diamond Dogs was “Rebel Rebel” which continued Bowie’s glam rock sound, but the rest of Diamond Dogs was different, Mick Ronson was gone, Bowie was on lead guitar, music writers noticed a new Bowie, and songs like “1984” reflected the “plastic soul” sound of Bowie’s next release, Young Americans, from 1975. Bowie released his 10th album, Station to Station in 1976. It’s first single “Golden Years” was completed during a period when Bowie’s cocaine addiction was at its peak. “Golden Years” was more similar in style to his previous album Young Americans, but the rest of the songs on Station to Station were all foreshadowing of the Kraftwerk-influenced and electronic music of Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy of 1977’s Low, Heroes, and 1979’s Lodger.

Our next story, about Bowie, comes from one of Bowie’s biggest fans, Ben Grimes, founder of two influential KC bands: Soft Reeds and The Golden Republic. Ben Grimes now lives with his family in Los Angeles, where he recorded this story for us, along with sharing a special track, written by Bowie, during that Berlin Trilogy, and recorded by Ben’s band Soft Reeds. Ben will also be performing with The Band That Fell To Earth, Saturday, January19 as a special guest.

13. Ben Grimes Bowie Story – “You are Never Stuck In One Thing”
recorded by Ben Grimes, Sunday, February 28, 2016

14. Soft Reeds – “Sound and Vision”
from: unreleased track recorded during the sessions for Soft Reeds album ‘Blank City’
[Blank City was Soft Reeds second album, released by The Record Machine on April 23, 2013. Produced at Element Recording with Joel Nanos. Soft Reeds is the brainchild of Ben Grimes (formerly of Astralwerks’ The Golden Republic), a Chicago native whose roots grip firmly in the ’77 Berlin sounds of Brian Eno, David Bowie and Iggy Pop, with Austin, TX native Josh Wiedenfeld on drums, Beckie Trost, a fellow Chicagoan and childhood friend of Grimes on bass, and KC native John Mitchell on guitar, saxophone, keys.]

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM.

1977 was another big year for the 30 year old David Bowie. He released the first two albums of his “Berlin Trilogy” Low and Heroes, recording with longtime friend and producer Tony Visconti, and collaborating with musician Brian Eno.

Low came from the creative energy of Bowie’s previous album Station to Station, and music he had intended for the soundtrack to he film The Man Who Fell to Earth. When Bowie presented his material to Nicolas Roeg, the director decided that it wasn’t suitable. Elements from these pieces were incorporated into Low instead. The album’s cover, like Station to Station, is a photographic still from “The Man Who Fell To Earth.”

As a recovering cocaine addict, Bowie’s songwriting on Low dealt with difficult issues. Visconti contended that the title was partly a reference to Bowie’s “low” moods during the album’s writing and recording. Bowie said, “There’s oodles of pain in the Low album. That was my first attempt to kick cocaine, so that was an awful lot of pain.” Bowie and Iggy Pop went to Berlin together to try to kick their drug habit. Bowie said “And I moved to Berlin to do it. I moved out of the coke center of the world, Los Angeles, where Station to Station was recorded, into the smack center of the world, Berlin”.

Heroes was Bowie’s 12th studio album also released in 1977. The second installment of his Berlin Trilogy with Brian Eno .”Heroes” developed the sound of Low and featured the contributions of guitarist Robert Fripp, who flew in from the US to record his parts in one day. Of the Berlin Trilogy, it was the only one wholly recorded in Berlin. The title track remains one of Bowie’s best known. Recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in what was then West Berlin, “Heroes” reflected the zeitgeist of the Cold War, symbolized by the divided city. Co-producer Tony Visconti considered it “one of my last great adventures in making albums. The studio was about 500 yards from the Berlin Wall. Red Guards would look into our control-room window with powerful binoculars.”

11:00 – Station ID

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio,

15. Ian Johnson’s Bowie Story – “My Dad Tim”
recorded by Mark Manning Sunday, February 13, 2016

16. David Bowie – “Heroes” (Single Version)
from: Heroes / RCA / October 14, 1977
[Twelfth studio album by David Bowie, released in 1977. The second installment of his Berlin Trilogy with Brian Eno – the other releases being Low and Lodger – “Heroes” developed the sound of Low and featured the contributions of guitarist Robert Fripp, who flew in from the US to record his parts in one day. Of the three albums, it was the only one wholly recorded in Berlin. The title track remains one of Bowie’s best known, and the song has received lasting critical acclaim and is continually mentioned as one of the greatest songs of all time. Recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in what was then West Berlin, “Heroes” reflected the zeitgeist of the Cold War, symbolised by the divided city. Co-producer Tony Visconti considered it “one of my last great adventures in making albums. The studio was about 500 yards from the Berlin Wall. Red Guards would look into our control-room window with powerful binoculars.” Earlier in 1977, Kraftwerk had name-checked Bowie on the title track of Trans-Europe Express, and he again paid tribute to his Krautrock influences: the title is a nod to the track “Hero” on the album Neu! ’75 by the German band Neu! – whose guitarist Michael Rother had originally been approached to play on the album – while “V-2 Schneider” is inspired by and named after Kraftwerk’s Florian Schneider.]

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM.

Our next story about Bowie comes from another one of Bowie’s biggest fans, musician and writer, Michelle Bacon who talks about The Band That Fell To Earth and band she put together for a Tribute to David Bowie that has now become an annual event.

19. Michelle Bacon’s Bowie Story – “Putting together a perfect band”
recorded by Mark Manning, Saturday, February 27, 2016

19. The Band That Fell To Earth – “Boys Keep Swinging”
from: Recorded Live at recordBar for A Tribute To David Bowie / January 2018

11:15 – Interview with Michelle Bacon

Multi talented, musician and writer, Michelle Bacon, is Content Writer at 90.9 The Bridge, where she helps to shine a light on area musicians and events. Michelle Bacon works as a freelance writer and has written for The Kansas City Star, The Deli Magazine KC, and Folk Alliance International. Michelle Bacon plays drums, bass, and sings harmony vocals. Over the last several years she performed and recorded music with, Other Americans, The Band That Fell To Earth, Heidi Lynne Gluck, Erica Joy, Chris Meck and the Guilty Birds, The Blackbird Revue, John L. Johnson, The Philistines, and Nathan Corsi.

Michelle Bacon is the producer and organizer of The Band That Fell To Earth: A Tribute to David Bowie, with TWO nights of music: Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19, doors at 8:00 PM, show at 9:00 PM, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO. A portion of ticket sales will benefit KC for Refugees, an organization that creates a welcoming environment for refugees moving to and living in the greater Kansas City area.

Michelle Bacon, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

The band was curated by musician/writer Michelle Bacon to pay homage to the groundbreaking artist while showcasing talent across Kansas City’s vast musical spectrum. Their annual With Bowie’s untimely passing only three weeks before the inaugural concert, the event garnered an attendance of more than 800 at the Uptown Theater, and generated press from KCPT, The Kansas City Star and various radio stations, along with high demand for an annual show.

Michelle Bacon on bass,
Alex Alexander on guitar,
Nathan Corsi on vocals/guitar,
Kyle Dahlquist on keys/brass,
Katy Guillen on guitar,
Steve Tulipana on vocals,
Stephanie Williams on drums,
Havilah Bruders on backing vocals,
Camry Ivory on backing vocals,
Matt Ronan on percussion,
Christine Broxterman on cello,
Betse Ellis on violin,
Rich Wheeler on saxophone,

American Sign Language interpretation from Peige Turner and video projections from XO Blackwater.

Each night will contain a unique set list and different special guests.

Guest vocalists for Friday, Jan. 18:

Julia Haile who performs solo and with neo-soul/funk group Hi-Lux.

Rachel Mallin songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, leader of Rachel Mallin & The Wild Type.

Michael Tipton who fronts the Talking Heads tribute band, Found A Job!

Wick Thomas activist and educator who leads the glam punk band Wick & The Tricks.

Guest vocalists for Saturday, Jan. 19

Ben Grimes – musician, writer, filmmaker, leader of Soft Reeds and The Golden Republic. He works in TV production on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Baskets.

Madisen Ward of Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, “The Radio Winners” received accolades from NPR, the AP and was in the Top 5 of WMM’s 118 Best Recordings of 2018

Slim Hanson singer/songwriter, founding member of the Hellcat Trio and Grand Marquis. He now leads the honky tonk country band Slim Hanson and the Poor Choices.

Miki P is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, she was in American Slim, and recently released her debut solo album, “Dome of Swallows.”

Jeff Harshbarger is a bassist, composer, teacher, radio show host on KKFU, and has performed with jazz, rock, tango and avant-garde collectives including Bach Aria Soloists, Krystle Warren, and The People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City.

A portion of ticket sales will benefit KC for Refugees, an organization that creates a welcoming environment for refugees moving to and living in the greater KC area.

Commemorative David Bowie prayer candles & pillows will be sold by Kitschup Creations.

Michelle Bacon, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

The Band That Fell To Earth: A Tribute to David Bowie, with TWO nights of music: Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19, doors at 8:00 PM, show at 9:00 PM, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO. A portion of ticket sales will benefit KC for Refugees, an organization that creates a welcoming environment for refugees moving to and living in the greater Kansas City area. More info at: http://www.therecordbar.com

11:32 – Underwriting

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM.

To study Bowies albums to to learn about the many guitarists and producers who worked with Bowie including on of the most influential guitarist of modern music…Nile Rodgers.

19. Nile Rodgers talks about making “Lets Dance”

20. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (Single Version)
from: Let’s Dance / EMI / April 14, 1983
[Let’s Dance was co-produced by Chic’s Nile Rodgers, the album contained three of his most successful singles; the title track, “Let’s Dance”, reached No. 1 in the US, “Modern Love” and “China Girl” both reached No. 2 in the UK. “China Girl” was a new version of a song which Bowie had co-written with Iggy Pop for the 1977 album The Idiot. The album also contains a re-recorded version of the song “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” which had been a minor hit for Bowie a year earlier. Let’s Dance was a stepping stone for the career of the Texas blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who played on it. Let’s Dance has sold over 10.7 million copies worldwide, making it Bowie’s best-selling album. Let’s Dance is Bowie’s 18th official album release since his debut in 1967, including two live albums, one covers album (Pin Ups, 1973), and a collaboration with the Philadelphia Orchestra (1977). The success of the album surprised Bowie, who felt he had to continue to pander to the new pop audience he acquired with the album. This led to Bowie releasing two further solo albums in 1984 and 1987 that, despite their relative commercial success, did not sell as well as Let’s Dance, were poorly received by critics at the time and subsequently dismissed by Bowie himself as his “Phil Collins years”. Bowie would form the hard rock and grunge-predecessor band Tin Machine in 1989 in an effort to rejuvenate himself artistically. David Bowie had planned to use producer Tony Visconti on the album, as the two had worked together on Bowie’s previous four studio albums. However, he chose Nile Rodgers for the project, a move that came as a surprise to Visconti, who had set time aside to work on Let’s Dance. Visconti called [Bowie’s personal assistant] Coco and she said: “Well, you might as well know – he’s been in the studio for the past two weeks with someone else. It’s working out well and we won’t be needing you. He’s very sorry.” The move damaged the two men’s relationship and Visconti did not work with Bowie again for nearly 20 years (until 2002’s Heathen). Rodgers later recalled that Bowie approached him to produce his album so that Bowie could have hit singles. Rodgers reported that Bowie came into his apartment one day and showed him a photograph of Little Richard in a red suit getting into a bright red Cadillac, saying “Nile, darling, that’s what I want my album to sound like.”]

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM. Our next story comes from our talented friend, singer, songwriter, Krystle Warren, who has worked with some of the musical artists we’ve played today, including Joan As Police Woman. Krystle sent us her story from France, where she now lives.

21. Krystle Warren’s Bowie Story – “Always be genuine in your expression”

22. David Bowie – “Without You” (Single Version)
from: Let’s Dance / EMI / April 14, 1983

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM.

27 studio albums, 8 live albums, over 50 compilation albums, 119 singles, 58 music videos, over 25 films. He was a working artist. He was always working, always creating, always studying, always interested in how it could be put together.. Bowie inspired multiple generations of people with his beautiful catalog of song.

I would like to thank all of our contributors for sharing their stories: Cody Wyoming, Jesse Bartmess, Nico Gray, Marion Merritt, Ben Grimes, Ian Johnson, Michelle Bacon, Krystle Warren, and Barry Lee, who we will hear from in just a few moments.

And we’ll close with “Lazarus” the final single from David Bowie, released on his 27th and final studio album, on January 8, 2016, Bowie’s 69th birthday. Bowie died two days later. Co-producer Tony Visconti described the album as Bowie’s intended swan song and a “parting gift” for his fans before his death.

For Wednesday MidDay Medley I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

23. Barry Lee’s Bowie Story –”i wasn’t always a fan”

24. David Bowie – “Lazarus”
from: Blackstar / ISO Records – Columbia / January 8, 2016
[Lazarus features David Bowie on vocals, acoustic guitar, and Fender guitar; Donny McCaslin on saxophone, flute, and woodwind; Jason Linder on piano, Wurlitzer organ and keyboards; Tim Lefebvre on bass; Mark Guiliana on drums. McCaslin and the rest of the jazz group recorded their parts in the studio over a period of about one week a month from January to March 2015, and until later in recording were unaware of Bowie’s declining health. The song “Lazarus” is part of Bowie’s Off-Broadway musical of the same name. The album has received universal critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching the number one spot in a number of countries in the wake of Bowie’s death and becoming his first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 album chart in the U.S. Blackstar is the twenty-fifth and final studio album by musician, writer, actor, chameleon, David Bowie. It is the 27th when you count the Tin Machine records, which you should. The album was released worldwide on January 8, 2016, on Bowie’s 69th birthday, and just two days later David Robert Jones passed away at home surrounded by his wife Iman, and his son Duncan Jones from his marriage to Angela Bowie, and daughter Alexandria from his marriage to Iman.]

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

Next Week on Wednesday, Jan 16, we present: “Remembering MLK” to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929. We’ll play music from: The Isley Brothers, Curtis Mayfield, Mahalia Jackson, Sweet Honey in The Rock, Tramaine Hawkins, Ella Mitchell, Billy Porter, Solomon Burke, Nina Simone, Pops Staples, Mavis Staples, The Staple Singers, Thelonius Monk Septet, Pete Seeger, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Labelle, Darwin Hobbs & Karen Clark-Sheard, Bobby Watson & The I Have a Dream Project.

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 #768

Wednesday MidDay Medley Celebrates David Bowie

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, Jan 9, 2019

Wednesday MidDay Medley Celebrates David Bowie

David Bowie’s death in New York City, on January 10, 2016 sent shock waves of grief across the world. Bowie made music for those of us who felt left out. Bowie taught us how to be ourselves, to celebrate being different. Bowie understood the theatre of rock and roll. Bowie was a gateway for his fans to other important discoveries like: The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, John Cale, Andy Warhol and The Factory, Iggy Pop, Glam Rock, New Wave, Electronica, Brian Eno, Roxy Music, William S. Burroughs, Beat Poetry, Mick Ronson, Luther Vandross, Tony Visconti, Carlos Alomar, Robert Fripp, T-Rex, Kraftwerk, Klaus Nomi, Bauhaus, Gender Expression, Independent film, Arcade Fire, TV on The Radio, and so much more.

Wednesday MidDay Medley presents our Tribute to David Bowie, featuring short stories about David Bowie from nine of his biggest fans: Michelle Bacon, Barry Lee, Ben Grimes, Cody Wyoming, Krystle Warren, Jesse Bartmess, Marion Merritt, Ian Michael Flanagan Johnson, and Nico Gray.

We’ll feature selected songs from, and representing, some of David Bowie’s 27 studio albums, and recordings David Bowie wrote and produced for other artists, including: Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople, and Bowie songs performed by: Joan As Police Woman, OK Go, Bonerama Col. Chris Hadfield, Nile Rodgers and James Murphy and two bands with Kansas City connections: Soft Reeds, and The Band That Fell To Earth.

At 11:15, we welcome musician and writer, Michelle Bacon who joins us to share details about The Band That Fell To Earth and the 4th annual tribute to David Bowie with TWO nights of music: Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19, doors at 8:00 PM, show at 9:00 PM, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, featuring: Michelle Bacon on bass, Alex Alexander on guitar, Nathan Corsi on vocals/guitar, Kyle Dahlquist on keys/brass, Katy Guillen on guitar, Steve Tulipana on vocals, Stephanie Williams on drums, Havilah Bruders on backing vocals, Camry Ivory on backing vocals, Matt Ronan on percussion, Christine Broxterman on cello, Betse Ellis on violin, Rich Wheeler on saxophone, with American Sign Language interpretation from Peige Turner and video projections from XO Blackwater. Each night will contain a unique set list and different special guests, to be announced! A portion of ticket sales will benefit KC for Refugees, an organization that creates a welcoming environment for refugees moving to and living in the greater Kansas City area. More info at: http://www.therecordbar.com

On your local radio dial 90.1 FM or
STREAMING LIVE at: kkfi.org

Show #768

WMM Playlist from July 4, 2018

Does this look like fireworks to you?

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, July 4, 2018

Spinning Songs about America from Americans,
plus a few Russians, Canadians, Swedish, Nigerians, & English too
.

The Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and were no longer part of the British Empire. The Congress actually voted to declare independence two days earlier, on July 2.

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980
[WMM’s theme song]

2. U.S. Girls – “Velvet 4 Sale”
from: In a Poem Unlimited / 4AD / February 16, 1979
[6th studio album from U.S. Girls, the recording moniker of American-Canadian musician Meghan Remy. Formed in the United States in 2007 as a noise-pop project, Remy later moved the band to Toronto after marrying Canadian musician Max “Slim Twig” Turnbull. She released music on a variety of independent labels in both the United States and Canada before signing to 4AD in 2015. Her first record for that label, Half Free, was released the same year. Half Free garnered a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2016, and was a shortlisted finalist for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize. In a Poem Unlimited is her follow up and second release on 4AD.] [First play February 28, 2018]

3. Gil Scott-Heron – “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”
from: Pieces of a Man / RCA / 1971
[Gilbert “Gil” Scott-Heron was born April 1, 1949 and died May 27, 2011. He was an American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author, and activist. Its amazing how relevant this piece is 46 years after its release. Written by Gil Scott-Heron who first recorded it for his 1970 album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, on which he recited the lyrics, accompanied by congas and bongo drums. A re-recorded version, with a full band, was the B-side to Scott-Heron’s first single, “Home Is Where the Hatred Is”, from his album Pieces of a Man (1971). It was also included on his compilation album, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1974). All these releases were issued on the Flying Dutchman Productions record label. The song’s title was originally a popular slogan among the 1960s Black Power movements in the United States. Its lyrics either mention or allude to several television series, advertising slogans and icons of entertainment and news coverage that serve as examples of what “the revolution will not” be or do. The song is a response to the spoken word piece “When the Revolution Comes” by The Last Poets, from their eponymous debut, which opens with the line “When the revolution comes some of us will probably catch it on TV”.]

4. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – “White Man’s World”
from: The Nashville Sound / Southestern Records / June 16, 2017
[Michael Jason Isbell was born February 1, 1979 and is a singer-songwriter & guitarist from Green Hill, Alabama, two miles from the Alabama/Tennessee state line. He is best known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a former member of Drive-By Truckers, from 2001 to 2007. He has won two Grammy Awards. This is the 6th studio album by Jason Isbell, credited with the 400 Unit. It was produced by Dave Cobb, who also produced Isbell’s previous two records: 2013’s Southeastern and 2015’s Something More Than Free. The Nashville Sound was nominated for Best Americana Album in the 2018 Grammy Awards. The 400 Unit, is primarily made up of musicians from the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, area: Sadler Vaden on guitar, backup vocals; Jimbo Hart on bass, backup vocals; Derry DeBorja on keyboard, accordion, backup vocals; Chad Gamble on drums, backup vocals; Amanda Shires on fiddle, backup vocals. “The 400 Unit” is a colloquial name for the psychiatric ward of Florence, Alabama’s Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital, which is now named the Behavioral Health Center, and is located on the hospital’s first floor. It was originally called the 400 unit because it was in a separate building from the main building’s 3-story hospital. After renovation in the 1980s, the name was changed. Isbell married singer-songwriter and violinist Amanda Shires, with whom he’d worked on and off for a decade, in February 2013, two days after they finished Southeastern. Musician Todd Snider married them. The couple had a baby girl, Mercy Rose, on September 1, 2015. Isbell has lived in Nashville, Tennessee, since 2011. He is an Atlanta Braves fan and a Democrat. In November of 2017 Isbell was asked on Twitter “Why do we have to inject politics in every aspect of our life can’t we just enjoy the music and the football games?” He responded “Until you are the one being treated unfairly, that’s easy to say.”]

[Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit play Providence Amphitheatre, 633 N. 130th St., Bonner Springs, Kansas on Friday, July 13, at 6:30 with Turnpike Troubadours, and Old 97’s.]

5. The Milk Carton Kids – “Mourning in America”
from: All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do / Anti / JUne 29, 2018
[The Milk Carton Kids are an American indie folk duo from Eagle Rock, California, United States, consisting of singers and guitarists Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, who began making music together in early 2011. The band has recorded and released five albums: Retrospect, Prologue, The Ash & Clay, Monterey, and All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do. They are noted for releasing their first two albums for free. Pitchfork writes about their new album: “Pattengale and Ryan have loosened their restrictions, inviting a cast of session pros that includes Wilco’s Pat Sansone to add splashes of piano, strings, and thumping drums to their songs. The additions are often subtle—conceptually, they have more in common with Beach House’s quiet amalgamation of synth tones than with Bob Dylan going electric—but they have an outsized impact on the group’s dynamics. These songs continue the world-weary narratives of earlier tracks like “Michigan” and “Years Gone By,” albeit with heightened urgency: Pattengale overcame a cancer diagnosis and the dissolution of a long-term relationship before recording got underway. Paradoxically, though, the album crackles with newfound levity and muscle.”]

6. Brian Eno & David Byrne – “America Is Waiting (2006 Digital Remaster)”
from: My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts / Nonesuch / February 1, 1981 [Reissued 2006]
[My Life in the Bush of Ghosts is the first collaborative album by Brian Eno and David Byrne, released in February 1981. Borrowing its title from Amos Tutuola’s 1954 novel of the same name, the album integrates sampled vocals and found sounds, African and Middle Eastern rhythms, and electronic music techniques. It was recorded prior to Eno and Byrne’s work on Talking Heads’ fourth album Remain in Light (1980), but sample clearance problems delayed its release until several months after. The extensive use of sampling on the album is widely considered innovative, though its influence on the sample-based music genres that later emerged is debated. AllMusic critic John Bush describes it as a “pioneering work for countless styles connected to electronics, ambience and Third World music”.[3] Pitchfork listed it as the 21st best album of the 1980s, while Slant Magazine listed the album at No. 83 on its list of the “Best Albums of 1980s”. Eno and Byrne first worked together on More Songs About Buildings and Food, the 1978 album by Byrne’s band Talking Heads. My Life was primarily recorded during a break between touring for Fear of Music (1979) and the recording of Remain in Light (1980), subsequent Talking Heads albums also produced by Eno, but the release was delayed while legal rights were sought for the large number of samples used throughout the album. Eno described the album as a “vision of a psychedelic Africa.” Rather than conventional pop or rock singing, most of the vocals are sampled from other sources, such as commercial recordings of Arabic singers, radio disc jockeys, and an exorcist. Musicians had previously used similar sampling techniques, but critic Dave Simpson said it had never before been used “to such cataclysmic effect” as on My Life. In 2001, Eno denied that he and Byrne had invented sampling, citing Holger Czukay’s experiments with dictaphones and short-wave radios as earlier examples. He felt that the “difference was, I suppose, that I decided to make [sampling] the lead vocal”. According to Byrne’s 2006 sleeve notes, neither he nor Eno had read Tutuola’s novel, but felt the title “seemed to encapsulate what this record was about”. “America Is Waiting” samples Ray Taliaferro of KGO NEWSTALK AM 810, San Francisco, April 1980.]

7. Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 – “The Basement Beat (Part 2)”
from: “The Basement Beat” – Parts 1 & 2 / Sunflower Soul / June 22, 2018
[Hammond organist Chris Hazelton and his large-group Boogaloo 7 pay homage to greats such as Lonnie Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Grant Green, and Lou Donaldson with their groove-centered brand of jazz, all the while pushing the genre forward with exciting new and original music. More information at: http://www.chrishazelton.com. Chris Hazelton on Hammond B-3 organ, Nick Howell on trumpet, Nick Rowland on tenor sax, Brett Jackson on baritone sax, Matt Hopper on guitar, Danny Rojas on drums , and Pat Conway on congas. Recorded live to 8-track analog tape, mixed, and produced by Chris Hazelton at the FORTRESS OF SOULITUDE. Mastered and lacquers cut by Adam Boose at Cauliflower Audio. Pressed by Gotta Groove Records. Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 will be releasing “The Basement Beat” 6-song EP on 12″, on July 20, and a second single 7″ called “100 Days, 100 Nights” also on July 20, but released on Lugnut Records as part of a tribute to Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings.]

10:27 – Underwriting

9. Other Americans – “Curtis Mayfield”
from: Other Americans EP / AWAL Records / June 29, 2018
[Debut self-titled EP from Julie Berndsen on lead vocals, Adam Phillips on drums, Brandon Phillips on guitar, Zachary Phillips on bass. Hailing from the musical hotbeds of Kansas City, MO, and Lawrence, KS, the electro-alternative OTHER AMERICANS are comprised of members of such regional luminaries as The Architects, Latenight Callers, Radar State and Brandon Phillips and The Condition, Other Americans is a virtual Midwestern supergroup of sorts. The cohorts first crossed paths in when a mutual friend and matchmaker introduced Brandon Phillips to vocalist Julie Berndsen “We were all looking for something new to do musically, recalls Brandon. “The way I remember it, a mutual friend (KC music producer Joel Nanos) told me that Julie was looking to start something new and I sent her a note about it. We had tacos to see if we liked each other.” With first date jitters behind them, the duo enlisted drummer Adam Phillips, bassist Zachary Phillips and late keyboardist Ehren Starks, who passed away suddenly in March 2018, and began writing the material that would become the EP. The band premiered the late night public access by-way-of 120 Minutes-inspired video for lead single, “Murdering Crows,” directed by artist Adrian Halperin, via The Spill Magazine in May 2018, exposing the band’s brand of kickass dance rock to a broad and international audience. Superlatively catchy and conjuring up well-intentioned comparisons to Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fiery Furnaces, and even a jauntier and more aggressive Passion Pit, the new EP captures the excitement and spontaneity that punctuates coastal indie rock while embracing elements of the electronic dance rock that populates midnight warehouse parties. “All the basic tracking [for the EP] was done at Element Recording and was mastered by Nanos,” he recalls. “Then I took it to my spot and worked and reworked it all for a year until it sounded like something none of us had heard before.” Prior to the EP’s release the band makes their hard fought and won live debut on June 11, 2018, at Kansas City’s Riot Room, an already sold-out performance supporting singer songwriter Meg Myers. The band will also release their video for “Make Me Afraid,” directed by Todd Norris and Mitch Brian, in coming weeks. Illuminated with the knowledge that the journey is as important as the destination, Phillips admits to looking forward to the period of dues paying that their debut brings. “I’m looking forward to all the firsts;. first show. first record. first tour. Magical thinking could have me pining for a post-Grammys Maserati coke party by the sea, but if I’m all wrapped up in making that fantasy come true, I’ll miss the fun of being present for the firsts and the fifths and the tenths.” From there the plan becomes a bit more complicated, “ The ‘Plan” as I see it is to con some major label artist into taking us out as support, steal their identities on laundry day, have reconstructive surgery, then only tour in countries without U.S. extradition treaties,” Brandon jokes. ]

[Other Americans played Middle of The Map Saturday, June 30, at 1:30, at The Brick, 1727 McGee.]

10. Curtis Mayfield – “Superfly”
from: Superfly (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) / Curtom Records / July, 1972
[We hear in the bridge Curtis singing, “Trying to get over” the theme we hear in so many of Curtis Mayfield’s incredible recordings. Super Fly is the third studio album by American soul musician Curtis Mayfield. It was released as the soundtrack for the Blaxploitation film of the same name. Widely considered a classic of 1970s soul and funk music, Super Fly was a nearly immediate hit. Its sales were bolstered by two million-selling singles, “Freddie’s Dead” (#2 R&B, #4 Pop) and the title track (#5 R&B, #8 Pop). Super Fly is one of the few soundtracks to out-gross the film it accompanied. Super Fly, along with Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, was one of the pioneering soul concept albums, with its then-unique socially aware lyrics about poverty and drug abuse making the album stand out. The film and the soundtrack may be perceived as dissonant, since the film holds rather ambiguous views on drug dealers, whereas Curtis Mayfield’s position is far more critical. Like What’s Going On, the album was a surprise hit that record executives felt had little chance at significant sales. Due to its success, Mayfield was tapped for several film soundtracks over the course of the decade. Curtis Lee Mayfield was born in Chicago on June 3, 1942, He died on December 26, 1999. An American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music, he first achieved success and recognition with The Impressions during the civil rights movement of the late 1950s and 1960s, and later worked as a solo artist. Mayfield started his musical career in a gospel choir. Moving to the North Side, he met Jerry Butler in 1956 at the age of 14, and joined the vocal group The Impressions. As a songwriter, Mayfield became noted as one of the first musicians to bring more prevalent themes of social awareness into soul music. In 1965, he wrote “People Get Ready” for the Impressions, which displayed his more politically charged songwriting. Ranked at no. 24 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, the song received numerous other awards, and was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, as well as being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. After leaving the Impressions in 1970 in the pursuit of a solo career, Mayfield released several albums, including the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film Super Fly in 1972. The soundtrack was noted for its socially conscious themes, mostly addressing problems surrounding inner city minorities such as crime, poverty and drug abuse. The album was ranked at no. 72 on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after lighting equipment fell on him during a live performance at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, on August 13, 1990. Despite this, he continued his career as a recording artist, releasing his final album New World Order in 1996. Mayfield won a Grammy Legend Award in 1994 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995, and was a double inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of the Impressions in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist. He was also a two-time Grammy Hall of Fame inductee. He died from complications of type 2 diabetes in 1999 at the age of 57.]

11. First Aid Kit – “Fireworks”
from: Ruins / Columbia / January 19, 2018
[4th full length album from Swedish folk duo of sisters: Klara (vocals/guitar) and Johanna Söderberg (vocals/keyboards/Autoharp/bass guitar). When performing live, the duo are accompanied by a drummer, a pedal steel guitarist and recently a keyboard player. They have now released four albums, two EPs and a handful of singles. In 2015 they were nominated for a Brit Award as one of the 5 best international groups. Sisters Johanna & Klara Söderberg are from Enskede, in the outskirts of Stockholm. Johanna was born Oct 31, 1990 and Klara on Jan 8, 1993. Their father was a member of the Swedish rock band Lolita Pop but he quit before Johanna was born and later became a teacher of history & religion. Their mother is a teacher of cinematography. From childhood, Klara & Johanna were eager singers by giving concerts using a jump rope as a pretend microphone. Klara’s first favorite songs were Judy Garland’s songs from The Wizard of Oz and Billie Holiday’s version of Gloomy Sunday, that she sang without much understanding of the English lyrics. Klara wrote her first song “Femton mil i min Barbiebil” when she was six. They both attended the International English school of Enskede. Klara applied for admission to a music school but she was not accepted. In 2005 when Klara was 12, a friend introduced her to the band Bright Eyes. This led her to country music stars such as Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Carter family, Louvin Brothers, Townes Van Zandt, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. The same year she received a guitar as a Christmas present and quickly learned to play it. Johanna enjoyed a wide range of music from Britney Spears to German Techno. However, it wasn’t until watching the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? and listening to the film’s soundtrack that she was inspired to sing “Down to the River to Pray” with sister, Klara. Fascinated by the result they started to sing together at home and then as street singers, in the Stockholm metro and in front of liquor stores. They came up with the name for their band simply by randomly opening a dictionary.Klara and Johanna also started to write and compose their own country-folk songs inspired by Devendra Banhart and CocoRosie, among others, without much influence from their parents who were more fond of Patti Smith, Velvet Underground and Pixies. Their father confessed later in a Swedish radio program that he was astonished and actually a little jealous of the ease his daughters had in producing top-notch music. The most important advice their father gave to them was to sing so loud that even somebody behind the wall could hear it.]

12. Talking Heads – “No Compassion”
from: Talking Heads: 77 / Sire / September 16, 1977
[Talking Heads: David Byrne on guitar, lead vocals; Chris Frantz on drums, steel pan; Jerry Harrison on guitar, keyboards, backing vocals; Tina Weymouth on bass guitar. Production: Tony Bongiovi & Lance Quinn & Talking Heads – producers; Ed Stasium – engineer; Joe Gastwirt – mastering; Mick Rock – photography. Talking Heads: 77 is the debut album by the American rock band Talking Heads, released in September 1977. The single “Psycho Killer” reached No. 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. In 2003, the album was ranked No. 290 on Rolling Stone magazine’s The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. The album was released by Sire Records in the UK and US and Philips Records throughout continental Europe. In 2005, it was remastered and re-released by Warner Music Group on their Warner Bros./Sire Records/Rhino Records labels.]

13. David Byrne & Fatboy Slim feat: Sharon Jones – “Dancing Together”
from: Here Lies Love / Todo Mundo – Nonesuch Records / April 6, 2010
[a collaboration between David Byrne & Fatboy Slim, (a.k.a. Norman Cook). A musical documentary that tells the story of Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos and her rise to prominence as a young beauty Queen, who is pursued and then married to Ferdinand. The 2-disc album includes 22 songs, that tell the parallel tale of Estella Cumpas, the servant who raised Marcos. The songs are in chronological order of the major periods in Imelda’s life. Delux edition comes with 120-page book with photos where you can follow her story. Later staged as a musical and an original musical soundtrack.]

14. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – “This Land is Your Land”
from: Naturally / Daptone / 2005
[written by Woody Guthrie][In November 2016, Sharon Jones suffered a stroke while watching the 2016 United States presidential election results and another the following day. Jones remained alert and lucid during the initial period of her hospital stay, jokingly claiming that the news of Donald Trump’s victory was responsible for her stroke. She died on November 18, 2016, in Cooperstown, New York, aged 60. Sharon Lafaye Jones was born May 4, 1956 and died this year on November 18, 2016. She was an American soul and funk singer. Although she collaborated with Lou Reed, David Byrne and others, she is best known as lead singer of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, a soul and funk band based in Brooklyn, New York. Jones experienced breakthrough success relatively late in life, releasing her first record when she was 40 years old. In 2014, Jones was nominated for her first Grammy, in the category Best R&B Album, for Give the People What They Want. Jones was born in Augusta, Georgia, the daughter of Ella Mae Price Jones and Charlie Jones, living in adjacent North Augusta, South Carolina. Jones was the youngest of six children; her siblings are Dora, Charles, Ike, Willa and Henry. Jones’s mother raised her deceased sister’s four children as well as her own. She moved the family to New York City when Sharon was a young child. As children, she and her brothers would often imitate the singing and dancing of James Brown. Her mother happened to know Brown, who was also from Augusta.Jones grew up in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. In 1975, she graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn. She attended Brooklyn College. A regular gospel singer in church, Jones often entered talent shows backed by local funk bands in the early 1970s. Session work then continued with backing vocals, often credited to Lafaye Jones, but in the absence of any recording contract as a solo singer, she spent many years working as a corrections officer at Rikers Island and as an armored car guard for Wells Fargo, until receiving a mid-life career break in 1996 after she appeared on a session backing the soul and deep funk legend Lee Fields. Sharon Jones was part of the very beginning of Daptone Records Daptone Records’ first release was a full-length album by Sharon Jones. A new band, the Dap-Kings, was formed from the former members of the Soul Providers and the Mighty Imperials. Some of the musicians went on to record for Lehman’s Soul Fire label, while some formed the Budos Band, an Afro-beat band. From the original Soul Providers, Roth (also known as Bosco Mann) on bass, guitarist and emcee Binky Griptite, percussionist Fernando Velez, trumpet player Anda Szilagyi and organist Earl Maxton were joined by original Mighty Imperials saxophonist Leon Michels and drummer Homer Steinweiss, plus Neal Sugarman from Sugarman 3, to form The Dap-Kings. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, the released the album Dap Dippin’ with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings in May of 2002, , for which they received immediate attention and acclaim from enthusiasts, DJs and collectors. Next they released, Naturally (2005), 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007) and I Learned the Hard Way (2010). They are seen by many as the spearhead of a revival of soul and funk.]

11:00 – Station Identification

14. Janelle Monáe — “Americans”
from: Dirty Computer / Wondaland Arts Sociaety – Bad Boy – Epic / April 27, 2018
[Janelle Monáe moved from Kansas City, Kansas to New York to study theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Her original plan was to pursue a career on Broadway, but she soon changed her mind and returned to music. After moving to Atlanta, GA, where she met OutKast’s Big Boi, Monáe founded the Wondaland Arts Society with like-minded young artists and made appearances on Outcast’s Idlewild, where Janelle is featured on the songs “Call The Law” and “In Your Dreams”. In 2007, Monáe released her first solo work, titled Metropolis. A few months later she was signed to Sean “Diddy” Combs’ label, Bad Boy Records. Dirty Computer is the third studio album by Janelle Monáe. In October 2016, Monáe made her big screen acting debut in the critically acclaimed film Moonlight. Monáe also starred in the film Hidden Figures. While filming her two movie roles, Monáe remained active in music with features on Grimes’ “Venus Fly” from her Art Angels album and also the soundtrack for the Netflix series The Get Down with a song titled, “Hum Along and Dance (Gotta Get Down)”. She was also on the tracks “Isn’t This the World” and “Jalapeño” for the Hidden Figures soundtrack. In an interview with People, Monáe revealed that she was already working on her third studio album when she received the scripts for her two first acting roles; therefore, she put the album on hold. It was confirmed by Monae after “Make Me Feel” was released that Prince, with whom she collaborated on her preceding album, The Electric Lady, had worked on the single, as well as the entire album, before he passed away. This was confirmed after listeners noticed similarities between the single’s sound and the late musician’s work. Monae stated in an interview with BBC Radio 1: “Prince was actually working on the album with me before he passed on to another frequency, and helped me come up with some sounds. And I really miss him, you know, it’s hard for me to talk about him. But I do miss him, and his spirit will never leave me.”

15. David Bowie – “Under Pressure”
from: A Reality Tour / ISO – Columbia – Legacy / January 25, 2010
[David Bowie on vocals, guitars, Stylophone, harmonica; Gail Ann Dorsey on bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on “Under Pressure”; Earl Slick on guitar; Gerry Leonard on guitar, backing vocals; Sterling Campbell on drums; Mike Garson on keyboards, piano; Catherine Russell on keyboards, percussion, acoustic guitar, backing vocals.A Reality Tour is a live album by David Bowie that features November 22 and 23, 2003 performances in Dublin during his concert tour A Reality Tour. This is an audio version of the concert video of the same name, except that it adds three bonus tracks. The digital download on iTunes adds two more bonus tracks. The set list includes tracks spanning Bowie’s 30 plus years in the music business, from The Man Who Sold the World (1970) all the way to the then current Reality (2003), along with collaborations such as “Sister Midnight” (with Iggy Pop; originally from The Idiot (1977)) and “Under Pressure” (with Queen; released as a single in 1981 and later found on Hot Space the following year). There is a bit more focus, however, on tracks from the albums released since the Earthling World Tour in 1997, Heathen (2002), and Reality, whose tracks constitute 10 of the 35 songs performed. The only exception from his latest albums is Hours (1999); no tracks from this album were included on this release, possibly due to poor reception of the album, and no songs from the album were included in his touring repertoire. Other albums with no appearance included the cover album Pin Ups (1973), Never Let Me Down (1987), the albums produced with the band Tin Machine (Tin Machine (1989) and Tin Machine II (1991), and Black Tie White Noise (1993). Aladdin Sane (1973) & Station to Station (1976) also made no concert appearances in the video, although songs from both albums were performed on the tour. A notable inclusion into the performance was the set of three songs from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) as the final encore. Though Bowie had performed the pieces many times through his career, the pieces had not been toured regularly since 1978 when the live interpretations were featured on the Stage album released that same year. The interpretations presented often a heavier and more complex sound than those of the album releases to suit the band for which the Reality album had been written; a more dynamic “Rebel Rebel” was arranged as an opener which included notably some audience participation and Bowie finishing his performance with the Irish phrase “Tiocfaidh ár lá”, which means “Our day will come”. Use of audience vocals appear in a number of tunes, including “All the Young Dudes”and “Life on Mars?”, which the audience faithfully sang along to. Electronic songs such as “Sunday” and “Heathen (The Rays)” feature new “Spooky Ghost” guitar arrangements by Gerry Leonard. “Loving the Alien” is rearranged for acoustic guitar and is performed solely by Bowie and Leonard. “Under Pressure” is a 1981 song by the British rock band Queen and the British singer David Bowie. It was included on Queen’s 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Queen’s second number-one hit in their home country (after 1975’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which topped the chart for nine weeks) and Bowie’s third (after 1980’s “Ashes to Ashes” and the 1975 reissue of “Space Oddity”). The song only peaked at No. 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1982, and would re-chart for one week at No. 45 in the US following Bowie’s death in January 2016. It was also number 31 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the ’80s. It has been voted the second best collaboration of all time in a poll by the Rolling Stone magazine. The song was played live at every Queen concert from 1981 until the end of Queen’s touring career in 1986.] Timothy Finn reviewed David Bowie’s May 10, 2004 concert at Starlight Theatre, his last appearance in KC. check the archives at: http://www.kansascity.com: “Monday’s show before a near-sellout crowd lasted nearly 150 minutes and covered 27 songs and 35 years of material. – The crowd, which ranged in age from kids in their early teens to men and women in their 60s (new punks to retired hippies), responded as expected to the well-known songs, like “The Man Who Sold the World.” – The heart of the show came late. After a brilliant version of “Under Pressure, “ featuring the vocally endowed bassist Gail Ann Dorsey (filling in for Freddie Mercury) and a straight rendition of “Changes, “ Bowie indulged in something old and obscure, “The Supermen” (from 1969).”

16. Superchunk – “Erasure (feat. Waxahatchee & Stephin Merritt)”
from: What a Time to Be Alive / Merge / Expected: February 16, 2018
[11th album release from band formed in 1989 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Superchunk is Mac McCaughan (guitar, vocals), Jim Wilbur (guitar, backing vocals), Jon Wurster (drums, backing vocals), and Laura Ballance (bass, backing vocals). Since releasing their first 7-inch in 1989, Superchunk has run the gamut of milestone albums: early punk rock stompers, polished mid-career masterpieces, and lush, adventurous curveballs. Recorded by Beau Sorenson at Manifold Recording, Pittsboro, NC., except “Break the Glass” and “I Got Cut” at Overdub Lane. Mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering .]

17. Pussy Riot – “Make America Great Again”
from: xxx – EP / Big Deal – Nice Life – Federal Prism / October 28, 2016
[Nadya Tolokonnikova & Masha Alekhina from Pussy Riot just released “Make America Great Again” their third video released in October, following “Straight Outta Vagina” and “Organs.” Both those songs featured production from TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek, with all three songs appearing on the band’s new EP, xxx. From Rolling Stone: “Make America Great Again” imagines a world in which Trump wins the upcoming presidential election. In the video, America’s new leader relies on muscled thugs to enforce his values, often by branding people he doesn’t like with hot metal. As Trump’s stormtroopers engage in various forms of torture, Pussy Riot sing a simple refrain: “Let other people in/ Listen to your women/ Stop killing black children/ Make America great again.” The jaunty, carefree music contrasts with the brutal events depicted on screen. The track came together with help from Ricky Reed, who has written and produced hits for Jason Derulo, Pitbull and 21 Pilots. Jonas Akerlund, who has helmed clips for Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, directed.]

18. MorMor – “Waiting on the Warmth [radio edit]”
from: Heaven’s Only Wishful – EP / Don’t Guess / June 22, 2018
[Artist, Singer-Producer, multi-instrumentalist, born and raised in Toronto. MorMor writes, records, and produces most of his own work. He tells pigeons and planes, “A lot of my inspiration stems from wanting to share a perspective of Toronto that I feel hasn’t been represented,” he says. “I’m glad Toronto is getting a lot of attention right now, but my experience of the city that has shaped me isn’t really part of the story yet.” he goes on to say, “I always felt different from the other kids at school. I went through a really hard time because I was the kid who always hung out with a wide variety of people. I kept searching for kids like me, but it never happened. In the end it gave me some good perspective. I was a pretty rebellious person when I was young. I had a problem with authority. I was reluctant to take orders if I didn’t believe in the cause. I might be the only kid who got suspended in the first grade. Music was something that I could escape through.]

11:24 – Underwriting

19. Femi Kuti – “One People One World”
from: One People One World / Knitting Factory Records / February 23, 2018
[Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti was born June 16, 1962 and is popularly known as Femi Kuti, a Nigerian musician born in London and raised in Lagos. He is the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, and a grandchild of a political campaigner, women’s rights activist and traditional aristocrat Funmilayo Ransome Kuti. Femi’s musical career started when he began playing in his father’s band, Egypt 80. In 1986, Femi started his own band, Positive Force, and began establishing himself as an artist independent of his father’s massive legacy. His first record was released in 1995 by Tabu/Motown, followed four years later by Shoki Shoki (MCA), which garnered widespread critical acclaim. In 2001 he collaborated with Common, Mos Def and Jaguar Wright on Fight to Win, an effort to cross over to a mainstream audience, and started touring the United States with Jane’s Addiction. In 2004 he opened The Shrine, his club, where he recorded the live album Africa Shrine. After a 4-year absence due to personal setbacks, he re-emerged in 2008 with Day by Day and Africa for Africa in 2010, for which he received two Grammy nominations. In 2012 he was both inducted into the Headies Hall of Fame (the most prestigious music awards in Nigeria), was the opening act on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ European arena tour and became an Ambassador for Amnesty International.]

20. Joan Baez – “The President Sang Amazing Grace”
from: Whistle Down the Wind / Razor & Tie Recordings / March 2, 2018
[On June 26, 2015 The Washington Post reported, “This whole week, I’ve been reflecting on this idea of grace,” said President Obama today, just before he broke into song at the funeral for South Carolina State Sen. Clementa Pinckney, a pastor killed along with eight others in last week’s Charleston, S.C., church shooting. Presdent Obama then sang “Amazing Grace.” singer songwriter Zoe Mulford wrote a song about nd included it in her January 7, 2017 album, Small Brown Birds. Joan Baez told The Atlantic, “I was driving when I heard ‘The President Sang Amazing Grace,’” Joan Baez told The Atlantic, “and I had to pull over to make sure I heard whose song it was because I knew I had to sing it.” The 77-year-old folk legend included the song in her final album, Whistle Down The Wind, released in early March. Originally written and performed by Zoe Mulford following the 2015 mass shooting in a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina. Whitsle Down The Wind is the 31st album release from Joan Chandos Baez born January 9, 1941, her first studio album in almost a decade. The album features songs written by such composers as Tom Waits, Josh Ritter and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Joe Henry produced the album. Joan Baez is a singer, songwriter, musician, and activist whose contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest or social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years,is fluent in Spanish and English, and has recorded songs in at least six other languages. Although regarded as a folk singer, her music has diversified since the counterculture era of the 1960s, and encompasses genres such as folk rock, pop, country and gospel music. She was one of the first major artists to record the songs of Bob Dylan in the early 1960s; Baez was already an internationally celebrated artist and did much to popularize his early songwriting efforts. Baez also performed fourteen songs at the 1969 Woodstock Festival and has displayed a lifelong commitment to political and social activism in the fields of nonviolence, civil rights, human rights and the environment. Baez was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 7, 2017.

21. Radiohead – “Karma Police”
from: OK Computer / XL Recordings / May 21, 1997
[2nd single from Radiohead’s third studio album. The song’s title and lyrics derive from an in-joke among the band, referring to karma, the Hindu theory of cause and effect. The song became a commercial success, charting at No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart and at No. 14 on the US Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. In Iceland the song peaked at No. 1. Critical reception to the single was also favorable. Thom Yorke on lead vocals, acoustic guitar; Jonny Greenwood on piano, mellotron, analogue synthesizer; Colin Greenwood on bass; Ed O’Brien on electric guitar, backing vocals; and Phil Selway on drums.]

22. Krystle Warren – “I Don’t Know”
from: Sing Me The Songs Celebrating The Works of Kate McGarrigle / Nonesuch / June 21, 13
[Features highlights from three concerts in honor of the late Kate McGarrigle. Proceeds from the concerts provided seed money for the Kate McGarrigle Foundation a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money in the fight against sarcoma and also to preserving her legacy through the arts. Net proceeds from the sale of Sing Me the Songs also will be donated to the Foundation. The double-disc set was produced by Joe Boyd, who curated the concerts, and features performances by Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Anna McGarrigle, Emmylou Harris, Antony, Norah Jones, and Teddy Thompson, among others. The New York concerts were filmed for a feature documentary entitled Sing Me the Songs That Say I Love You: A Concert for Kate McGarrigle, directed by Lian Lunson (Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man) and produced by Luson and Teddy Wainwright. Candid interviews with McGarrigle’s family and friends are paired with rousing performances of her music.]

23. Simon & Garfunkel – “America”
from: Bookends / Columbia / April 3, 1968
[“America” is from their 4th studio album, Bookends. Produced by the duo and Roy Halee, the song was later issued as a single in 1972 to promote the release of Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits. The song was written and composed by Paul Simon, and concerns young lovers hitchhiking their way across the United States, in search of “America,” in both a literal and figurative sense. It was inspired by a 1964 road trip that Simon took with his then girlfriend Kathy Chitty. The song has been regarded as one of Simon’s strongest songwriting efforts and one of the duo’s best songs. A 2014 Rolling Stone reader’s poll ranked it the group’s fourth best song. Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music groups of the 1960s and became counterculture icons of the decade’s social revolution, alongside artists such as the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Bob Dylan. Their biggest hits—including “The Sound of Silence” (1964), “Mrs. Robinson” (1968), “The Boxer” (1969), and “Bridge over Troubled Water” (1970)—reached number one on singles charts worldwide. The duo met in elementary school in Queens, New York, in 1953, where they learned to harmonize together and began writing original material. By 1957, under the name Tom & Jerry, the teenagers had their first minor success with “Hey Schoolgirl”, a song imitating their idols The Everly Brothers. In 1963, aware of a growing public interest in folk music, they regrouped and were signed to Columbia Records as Simon & Garfunkel. Their debut, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., sold poorly, and they once again disbanded; Simon returned to a solo career, this time in England. In June 1965, their song “The Sound of Silence” was overdubbed, adding electric guitar and a drumkit to the original 1964 recording. This version became a major U.S. AM radio hit in 1965, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. They reunited to release a second studio album Sounds of Silence and tour colleges nationwide. On their third release, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966), the duo assumed more creative control. Their music was featured in the 1967 film The Graduate, giving them further exposure. Bookends (1968), their next album, topped the Billboard 200 chart and included the number-one single “Mrs. Robinson” from the film. Their often rocky relationship led to artistic disagreements, which resulted in their breakup in 1970. Their final studio record, Bridge over Troubled Water (released in January of that year), was their most successful, becoming one of the world’s best-selling albums. After their breakup, they both continued recording, Simon releasing a number of highly acclaimed albums, including 1986’s Graceland. Garfunkel also briefly pursued an acting career, with leading roles in two Mike Nichols films, Catch-22 and Carnal Knowledge, and in Nicolas Roeg’s 1980 Bad Timing, as well as releasing some solo hits such as “All I Know”. The duo have reunited several times, most famously in 1981 for “The Concert in Central Park”, which attracted more than 500,000 people, the seventh-largest concert attendance in history. Simon & Garfunkel won 10 Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, and their Bridge over Troubled Water album was nominated at the 1977 Brit Awards for Best International Album. It is ranked at number 51 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Richie Unterberger described them as “the most successful folk-rock duo of the 1960s” and one of the most popular artists from the decade in general. They are among the world’s best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records.]

24. Phosphorescent – “This Land Is Your Land”
from: Our First 100 Days / Our First 100 Days / May 1, 2017
[Phosphorescent is the working moniker of American singer-songwriter, Matthew Houck (born 1980). Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Houck began recording and performing under this nom de plume in 2001 in Athens, Georgia. He is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. This was the final entry into the series, Our First 100 Days, releasing of a new song to inspire progress and benefit a cause for change in each day of Donald Trump’s first 100 days as president. The song series was highlighted by tracks from Angel Olsen, The Mountain Goats, Mitski, Kevin Morby. The project was started in conjunction with Secretly Group and 30 Songs, 30 Days, and aims to raise funds and awareness for organizations supporting causes that are under threat by the proposed policies of a Trump administration. Produced with the help of Revolutions Per Minute, providing strategy & support for artists making change. More info at: http://www.ourfirst100days.us ]

25. Tracy Chapman – “America”
from: Where You Live / Elektra Entertainment / September 12, 2005
[Tracy Chapman’s seventh studio album co-produced by Tchad Blake. It produced two singles: “Change”, and “America”. Tracy Chapman on acoustic & electric guitar, clarinet, harmonica, mandolin, percussion, glockenspiel, keyboard bass, hand drums; Paul Bushnell on bass, Flea on bass; Mitchell Froom on organ, celeste, harpsichord, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer; Joe Gore on acoustic & electric guitar, dobro, percussion, bass, lap steel guitar, keyboard bass; David Piltch on upright bass; Michael Webster on keyboards; Quinn Smith on percussion, piano, drums, glockenspiel. Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, known for her hits “Fast Car” and “Give Me One Reason”, along with other singles “Talkin’ ’bout a Revolution”, “Baby Can I Hold You”, “Crossroads”, “New Beginning” and “Telling Stories”. She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist. Chapman was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she released her critically acclaimed debut album Tracy Chapman, which became a multi-platinum worldwide hit. The album garnered Chapman six Grammy Award nominations, including Album of the Year, three of which she won, including Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her single “Fast Car”, and Best New Artist. Chapman released her second album Crossroads the following year, which garnered her an additional Grammy nomination. Since then, Chapman has experienced further success with six more studio albums, which include her multi-platinum fourth album New Beginning, for which she won a fourth Grammy Award, for Best Rock Song, for its lead single “Give Me One Reason”. Chapman’s most recent release is Our Bright Future, in 2008.]

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

Next week, on July 11, Fally Afani of I Heart Local Music joins us as Guest producer to play music from Lawrence Field Day Fest – July 19th – 21st. We’ll also talk w/ Liz Jeans.

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

Commentary:

Remember just because our nation is perpetually at war doesn’t mean we must make our cozy summer neighborhoods look and smell and sound like a war zone. Please consider the birds, and the animals who we share space with in our environment. Remember, within the city limits of KCMO it’s against the law to light fireworks. It’s really not very patriotic.

I will tell you what is patriotic! A huge part of the democracy of The United States of America is our 1st Amendment. Remember it is the 1st Amendment, because it is the most important.

Now more than ever, artists & musicians are speaking out, asking for accountability, and fairness, and humane treatment of people at our borders as well as in our communities.

As an LGBTQIA American I know what it feels like to be treated with prejudice, violence, and inequality. As an LGBTQIA American I honor the activists that came before me to blaze the trail. As an LGBTQIA American I’ve come of age through the years of ACT-UP, fighting for my brothers and sisters, fighting for equality in housing and employment, fighting for Marriage Equality, fighting against sexual assault and harassment.

Please remember that most of the citizens of our country are not privileged, straight, white, and male. Most of the citizens of our country didn’t have their college and apartment and automobile and insurance paid for by their mom and dad. Please remember that most people are working multiple jobs to pay their bills, to pay off student loans, to try to get health insurance. Please remember that the reason some people have a paid holiday today, and a 40-hour work week, is because of the struggles of labor right’s activists who picketed and collectively bargained for better conditions and better lives. They spoke up!

Please don’t be one of those people who the only time they have ever protested anything in their life was “last call at the bar.” Speak up. It’s the American thing to do.

For Wednesday MidDay Medley I’m Mark Manning. Happy Independence Day!

Show #741

Wednesday MidDay Medley

Wednesday MidDay Medley Spins America with Songs from Americans, etc.

Does this look like fireworks to you?

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, July 4, 2018
(associated with fireworks)

Spinning Songs about America from Americans,
plus a few Russians, Swedish, Nigerians, & English too
.

On Independence Day Mark plays New & MidCoastal Releases from: Other Americans, Chris Hazleton’s Boogaloo 7, Krystle Warren, Janelle Monáe, U.S. Girls, The Milk Carton Kids, First Aid Kit, MorMor, Superchunk, Femi Kuti, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, and Joan Baez. Plus tracks from: Pussy Riot, Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Eno & David Byrne, Curtis Mayfield, Talking Heads, David Byrne & Fatboy Slim featuring Sharon Jones, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, David Bowie featuring Gail Ann Dorsey, Radiohead, Simon & Garfunkel, Phosphorescent, and Tracy Chapman.

The Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and were no longer part of the British Empire. The Congress actually voted to declare independence two days earlier, on July 2.

Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the National Day of the United States.

Let us be your DJ for two hours in the MidDay while you are getting ready to go to the lake.

On your local radio dial 90.1 FM or
STREAMING LIVE at: kkfi.org

Show #741

WMM Playlist from October 26, 2017

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, October 25, 2017

New & Scary Cool Songs + Michael McQuary
+ Freight Train Rabbit Killer + Calvin Arsenia

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

2. David Bowie – “Fashion (Single Version) [Remastered]”
from: Everything Has Changed / Parlophone / November 17, 2014
[Originally released as a single 37 years ago on October 24, 1980. 2nd single from Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), David Bowie’s 14th studio album. It was his final studio album on RCA and his first following the Berlin Trilogy of Low, Heroes, and Lodger (1977–1979). With Scary Monsters, Bowie achieved what biographer David Buckley called “the perfect balance” of creativity and mainstream success as well as earning critical acclaim; the album peaked at No. 1 in the UK and restored Bowie’s commercial standing in the US. This song draws an implicit analogy between fashion and fascism. Goon squads – referenced in the lyric, “We are the goon squad and we’re coming to town” – are groups of thugs who are hired to perform violent acts on their boss’ behalf. In the context of this song, it is most likely that Bowie is light-heartedly comparing goon squads to the New Romantics – a late ’70s subculture, who were known for their meticulously flamboyant fashion sense. Moreover, the lyric, “Turn to the left, turn to the right,” is not only referring to the mechanical movements of fashion models, but also to the military instruction. According to the producer, Tony Visconti, this song’s bass line and melody took inspiration from Bowie’s 1975 Soul hit, “Golden Years.” King Crimson virtuoso Robert Fripp played guitar on this track. Fripp also played lead guitar on Bowie’s 1977 song, “Heroes.” Bowie had previously used that famous “beep beep” hook in a little-known song that he wrote in 1970 called “Rupert the Riley.” This single reached #5 in the UK and #70 in the US. It was Bowie’s first song to chart in America in three years (his last hit was “Sound And Vision,” which peaked at #69 in 1977). In 1997, Bowie performed this song during his 50th birthday bash at Madison Square Garden with The Pixies’ front man, Frank Black.]

3. Laurie Anderson – “Poison”
from: Bright Red / Warner Bros. / October 25, 1994
[Laurie Anderson on vocals & keyboards, Joey Baron on drums, Brian Eno on treatments & keyboards, Adrian Belew on guitar, Marc Ribot on guitar. Produced by Brian Eno (who also co-wrote several of the songs with Anderson, including “Poison.”). This was Laurie Anderson’s 6th album overall and 5th studio album, released by Warner Bros. Laura Phillips “Laurie” Anderson was born June 5, 1947. She is an American avant-garde artist, composer, musician and film director whose work spans performance art, pop music, and multimedia projects. Initially trained in violin and sculpting, Anderson pursued a variety of performance art projects in New York during the 1970s, making particular use of language, technology, and visual imagery. She became widely more known outside the art world in 1981 when her single “O Superman” reached number two on the UK pop charts. She also starred in and directed the 1986 concert film Home of the Brave. Anderson is a pioneer in electronic music and has invented several devices that she has used in her recordings and performance art shows. In 1977, she created a tape-bow violin that uses recorded magnetic tape on the bow instead of horsehair and a magnetic tape head in the bridge. In the late 1990s, she developed a talking stick, a six-foot (1.8 m) long baton-like MIDI controller that can access and replicate sounds. Anderson started dating Lou Reed in 1992, and was married to him from 2008 until his death in 2013.]

4. Michel Rubini & Denny Jaeger – “Sarah’s Panic”
from: The Hunger (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) MGM/UA Entertainment Co./ 1983

10:09 – Show Intro & Michael McQuary

Anticipating the Halloween weekend, we played New & Scary Cool Songs from: The MGDs, Amy Farrand and The Like, Freight Train Rabbit Killer, Jametatone, Season To Risk, Looming, Arcade Fire, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Ministry, Iggy & The Stooges, and Regina Spektor. We started with David Bowie, and Laurie Anderson.

Michael McQuary on the October 25, 2017 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley

Michael McQuary with his Classic Monsters of Filmland shared his interpretations of Béla Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Bette Davis and more. Michael is the creator of the award winning one-man shows in New York City including: Matinee Idol, Man of 1001 Faces, My Own Space and more recently, “I’m Hollywood,” for the KC Fringe Festival. Michael McQuary is also a visual artist of personal portraits and life captures, and he creates personal art works of metal. Michael is seen in multiple films, in promotional shorts for the OM Film Festival, and recently in the Mile Deep Films short film, “Corvalo.”

10:15

5. Jametatone – “Too Late”
from: Empty Bliss / J. Ashley Miller / March 21, 2017
[New EP from Jametatone, the solo project of J. Ashley Miller who also records with his band as Metatone. J. Ashley Miller is the The 2016 Charlotte Street Generative Performing Artist Award Fellow. He is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. His genre-bending trans-modern work has been performed everywhere from YJ’s to the Kauffman Performing Arts Center, to the MoMa PS1 in NYC. Ashley utilizes a diverse range of technologies, techniques, and collaborators to access obscure facets of the human emotional landscape. Jametatone opened all four shows at The Outburst KC, where Calvin Arsenia performed his 2017 Release Catastrophe Unplugged with guest musicians Beau Bledsoe, Fritz Hutchinson, Mark Southerland, and artist & vocalist Seth M. Jones. You can view more of Ashley’s work at http://www.jametatone.com.]

[Jametatone plays The Ship, 1217 Union Avenue, in the West Bottoms, on Halloween, Tuesday, Oct. 31, with Natural Man & The Gland Band, and Takin’ A Dive.]

6. The Brian Jonestown Massacre – “Charmed I’m Sure”
from: Don’t Get Lost / A Records / February 24, 2017
[Formed in San Francisco in 1990 by frontman Anton Newcombe. Their early music was in a shoegaze style. Following their debut album, Methodrone, the group’s sound transitioned to a broader style of psychedelic rock, incorporating styles such as garage rock, folk rock and, later, electronica into their sound. The act continue to experiment with musical styles. The band was the subject of the 2004 documentary film Dig!, and have gained media notoriety for their tumultuous working relationships as well as the erratic behaviour of leader Newcombe. The Brian Jonestown Massacre have released seventeen albums, five compilation albums, five live albums, thirteen EPs, sixteen singles as well as two various-artist compilation albums to date.]

6. Iggy & The Stooges – “Gimme Danger”
from: Raw Power / Columbia / February 7, 1973
[3rd studio album from Ann Arbor, Michigan band, first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003. The Stooges were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. After their first two albums, The Stooges (1969) and Fun House (1970) were released to little commercial success, The Stooges were in disarray: they had officially broken up, bassist Dave Alexander was fighting alcoholism, and singer Iggy Pop’s heroin addiction was escalating prior to the intervention of David Bowie. Pop later recalled, “Very few people recognized the quality of the Stooges’ songwriting, it was really meticulous. And to his credit, the only person I’d ever known of in print to notice it, among my peers of professional musicians, was Bowie.” Pop relocated to London, having signed on as a solo artist to MainMan Management, who also handled Bowie. Pop said that Columbia executives insisted on two ballads “Gimme Danger” and “I Need Somebody”. The album was recorded in London’s CBS Studios, from Sept. 10 to Oct. 6, 1972. Pop produced and mixed the album by himself; unfortunately, his botched first attempt mixed most of the instruments into one stereo channel and the vocals into the other, with little regard for balance or tone quality. Tony DeFries, the head of MainMan, informed Pop that the album would be remixed by Bowie. Pop agreed to this, claiming that “the other choice was I wasn’t going to get my album out. I think DeFries told me that CBS refused to release it like that, I don’t know”, but insisted that his own mix for “Search and Destroy” be retained. Due to budgetary constraints, Bowie remixed 7 songs in one day in an inexpensive LA studio, Western Sound Recorders, in October 1972.]

10:25 – More with Michael McQuary

Michael McQuary is the creator of the award winning one-man shows in New York City: Matinee Idol, Man of 1001 Faces, and My Own Space, and most recently, for the KC Fringe Festival “I’m Hollywood.” Michael recently appeared in the Mile Deep Films short film, “Corvalo.”

10:30 – Underwriting

8. Amy Farrand and The Like – “Scared To Death of Dying”
from: Apocalypse Meow 10 Compilation / Midwest Music Foundation / November 2, 2017
[Amy Farrand and The Like are Amy Farrand on lead vocals & guitar, Steve Tubbert on bass, Felix Dukes on drums, Kyle Dahlquist on keyboards & backing vocals, Stephan Jean-Francois on trumpet, and Katie Gilchrist on backing vocals. The band is currently in the studio working on an 11-song debut full length album recorded with Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Soundlab. They are getting ready to start a Kickstarter to help fund the recording. This new 34 track compilation of features Kansas City area bands, and their most recent recordings, along with a few tracks that representative the 10 years of Midwest Music Foundation and Apocalypse Meow. Brenton Cook of Haymaker Records put this new compilation together as he has done in previous MMF compilations. Apocalypse Meow is the annual benefit for Abby’s Fund, named for Abigail Henderson, who co-founded the not-for-profit organization Midwest Music Foundation. MMF unites and empowers the greater Kansas City music community by providing programs and resources to area musicians through outreach, support, education, and health care opportunities. ]

[Amy Farrand and The Like play The Brick, 1727 McGee St, KCMO, on Saturday, November 4, at 8:00 pm, with Grand Marquis, and Kelly Hunt.]

9. The MGDs – “Snakebite”
from: Somos Como Somos / The MGDs / November 4, 2017
[From the band’s new EP, their 3rd studio release. Matt Davis on drums, percussion & vocals, Greg Bush on bass, Damon Parker on keyboards & vocals, Scott “Snoof” Middleton on guitar, Rudy Vasquez on saxophones, and Eric Martens on trumpet. This Kansas City based 6-piece band that mixes piano and brass with a dynamic rhythm section that adds a unique flavor to the iconic Kansas City music culture, blending of funk and blues with soulful stylings. In what started as a 3-piece between longtime friends in 2008, the MGDs have evolved into a potent powerhouse, high-energy ensemble with regular monthly appearances at the Phoenix, and appearances at the Sunset Music Fest, the City Market Crawfish Fest, the 6th annual Phoenix Fest, Crossroads Music Fest, Middle of The Map Fest, Boulevardia, The Plaza Art Fair, Kauffman Stadium before two Kansas City Royals games. In 2016 the band released their 2nd studio LP, “Wake Up”.]

[The MGDs play The Phoenix, 302 West 8th St. KCMO, Friday, October 27, at 9:00 PM]

[The MGDs play an EP Release show, Saturday, November 4, at 9:00 pm, at The Black Dolphin]

10. Looming – “Leaves”
from: Seed / No Sleep Records / September 29, 2017
[Springfield, Illinois based band formed in 2013. The band consists of: Jessica Knight on bass & lead vocals, Brandon Carnes on drums & backing vocals, Mitch Baker on guitar & backing vocals, Nick Demarco on guitar, Cassie Staub on guitar & synthesizer. (Original member Jordan Fein left the band after their debut release.) “The band originally came together over a shared common vision and passion for songwriting. After years performing in various Springfield bands (Mother Leopard, Lovecow, Our Lady, Big Storm) the group fell into a natural groove with one another and became known for their unique emo-pop that’s led by the inimitable vocal stylings of Knight that pair perfectly with the band’s bright, airy sound.” “Three guitars work together to perform thick, overlapping lines that lead to satisfying breakdowns. Front-woman Jessica Knight’s curious, chewy singing style and a thumping rhythm section give Looming a potent edge above their peers. ” This album is a follow up to their debut full-length album, Nailbiter that came out in August 14, 2015.]

[Looming play The Rino 314 Armour Rd, North KC, Tuesday, October 31, with Vigil & Thieves, and Riala.]

10:44 – Interview with Michael McQuary

Michael McQuary on the October 25, 2017 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley

Joining us as our special guest is actor of stage & screen, Michael McQuary, the creator of the award winning one-man shows in New York City: Matinee Idol, Man of 1001 Faces, and My Own Space, and most recently, for the KC Fringe Festival “I’m Hollywood.” Michael recently appeared in the Mile Deep Films short film, “Corvalo.”

10:47

11. Arcade Fire – “Cold Wind”
from: Six Feet Under, Vol. 2: Everything Ends / Astralwerks / January 1, 2002
[Montreal, Quebec, based Arcade Fire released their 5th album Everything Now on July 28, 2017. Consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, along with Win’s younger brother William Butler, Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara, the band’s current touring line-up also includes former core member Sarah Neufeld, frequent collaborator Owen Pallett, two additional percussionists, Diol Edmond & Tiwill Duprate, and saxophonists Matt Bauder & Stuart Bogie. Founded in 2001 by friends and classmates Win Butler and Josh Deu, the band came to prominence in 2004 with the release of their critically acclaimed debut album Funeral. Their 2nd studio album, Neon Bible, won them the 2008 Meteor Music Award for Best International Album and the 2008 Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year. Their 3rd studio album, The Suburbs, was released in 2010 to critical acclaim and commercial success. It was the 2011 Grammy for Album of the Year, the 2011 Juno Award for Album of the Year, and the 2011 Brit Award for Best International Album. In 2013, Arcade Fire released their 4th album, Reflektor. All four of their studio albums have received nominations for the Best Alternative Music Album Grammy. The band plays guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, xylophone, glockenspiel, keyboard, synthesizer, French horn, accordion, harp, mandolin, hurdy-gurdy, and the multi-instrumentalist band members switch duties throughout shows.]

[Arcade Fire play Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, 19100 E Valley View Pkwy, Independence, MO. Friday, October 27 at 7 PM, in the round.]

12. Season To Risk – “Scorched”
from: Season To Risk / Columbia – Red Decible / 1993
[Members present and past include: Founding member, Steve Tulipana on vocals, guitar, synthesizer (1989-present) Bands: Roman Numerals, Pornhuskers, Unknown Pleasures, Thee Water Moccasins; Founding member, Duane Trower on main guitar, voice, synthesizer, recording engineer, (1989-present) Bands: Overstep, Quitters Club, Weights and Measures; Billy Smith on bass, voice, guitar, synthesizer, (2000-present) Bands: Dirtnap, Olympic Size, Unknown Pleasures, Roman Numerals; David Silver on drums, synthesizer, oscillator, samples, (1994-present), Bands: Iron Rite Mangle, E.A.R.S.H.O.T., Antibodies; Wade Williamson on guitar, keyboard, (2000-present), Bands: Olympic Size, The Stella Link; Josh Newton on bass, voice, synthesizer, (1995- 1999), Bands: Shiner, Reggie and the Full Effect, Glazed Baby, Iron Rite Mangle, From Autumn To Ashes, ETID; Founding member, Paul Malinowski on bass, voice, recording engineer, (1989- 1995)Bands: Fire of 1666, Shiner, Big Sky Blue Earth; Jason Gerken on drums, (1994-studio) Bands: Molly McGuire, Kingdom of Snakes, Gunfighter; Tim Dow on drums, Recurring Member-live show: (1990,1992, 1994) Bands: Shiner, Year of the Rabbit, the Joy Circuit.Season To Risk is the luckiest band alive. Shortly after getting together at school in 1989, they won a ‘Battle of the Bands’ which brought them into the studio for the first time. The only copy of the resulting demo tape that was actually mailed out ended up at Red Decibel records in Minneapolis, MN, who as luck would have it, were starting to work in conjunction with Colombia records. Before they knew what hit them, the band was signed to Columbia records, recording more demos at Sony Studios in NYC, and then living in Chicago, IL to record their self-titled first album at Soundworks Studio. The band spent years constantly touring throughout North America; returning briefly to their hometown of Kansas City, MO for a few days or weeks, sometimes on the road 8 – 10 months out of the year. They lived at Bisi Studios, NYC for the Summer of 1994 recording their second album In a Perfect World. The music was a darker, more complex collection of songs, and the album was received with rave reviews from fans, and puzzled looks from the people at Colombia records. There was no place on the radio for music like this yet, and exactly what category in the music store was this CD supposed to be displayed in? By chance, someone at Sony was looking for a band to play during a scene in the film ‘Strange Days’ and within days, the band was in Hollywood, playing the song ‘Undone’ over and over again. For the next year, the band was in a different city every night, which led to total exhaustion by the end of a summer 1995 arena tour with Corrosion of Conformity and Monster Magnet, resulting in the cancellation of their European tour scheduled with CIV for the Winter of 1996. The band was dropped from Columbia Records. And bass player Paul Malinowski quit to join the KC band Shiner. The band quickly took on bass player Josh Newton and got busy writing music. Pooling their resources, they spent most of the next 2 years building Trainwreck Sound Studios in KC. As floors, walls and ceilings were built, new Season To Risk songs were written, members worked with their other bands, and recording started at Trainwreck, including work by Casket Lottery, The Farewell Bend, Dirtnap, Iron Rite Mangle, Gunfighter and the Pornhuskers. They built their dream studio from the ground up: a 15 x 20 control room, equipped with a 1974 24-channel Auditronics (quadrophonic!) console and a 2-inch tape machine, a 30 x 50 foot tracking room with antique oak floors, and a huge apartment/rehearsal studio upstairs on the second floor. In October 1998, shortly after the studio officially opened to the public, a sudden flash flood of the Missouri river totaled everything in the neighborhood in 15 minutes, destroying the building, their tour RV in the parking lot, their bank account and almost everything else. They’re lucky no one was killed. Luck never gives, it only lends. And the river takes. And then Josh Newton was also lost to Shiner. Fortunately, the 3rd album was finished prior to the flood, and the band was able to wade through the five-foot deep, freezing, flood waters in total darkness out of the building to safety. Unfortunately, they discovered that the album Men Are Monkeys, Robots Win (Thick Records) was printed ‘out-of-phase’, making the songs sound hollowed-out. The label never re-released the printed CD, but the corrected mix is available on iTunes. Legendary punk rock drummer/producer Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, Decendents) has always been a friend to Season To Risk, and has brought the band on tour with ALL several times. This led to the recording of the album The Shattering in 2000 with Jason Livermore and Bill Stevenson at the Blasting Room in Ft. Collins, CO, and its release on Owned & Operated records in 2001. The addition of the third and final bass player of S2R, Billy Smith of the band Dirtnap, brought the band full circle. The Shattering album is more diverse than ever, fusing elements from all of the band’s previous work and some new experimentation into twelve heavy, melodic songs. Several tours followed after The Shattering CD release, and the band spent a few years resting, recouping, and regrouping – working on many other projects, musical and otherwise.]

[Season to Risk play The Uptown Theatre, Fri, Nov 3, 8:00 PM, with Descendents, and Less Than Jake.]

13. Ministry – “I Prefer”
from: The Land of Rape and Honey / Sire-Warner Bros. / October 11, 1988
[3rd studio album from the band founded in 1981 by Al Jourgensen in Chicago, Illinois. The band has recorded 16 studio albums to date. Originally a new wave synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to become one of the pioneers of industrial metal in the mid-1980s. The band’s lineup changed consistently throughout the band’s history, with Jourgensen remaining the only constant as the band’s main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. Ministry found mainstream success in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the albums The Land of Rape and Honey (1988), The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989) and Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs (1992), with the former of the two certified gold and the latter certified platinum by the RIAA. The band has been nominated for six Grammy Awards, and performed at several notable music festivals, including participating in the second annual Lollapalooza tour in 1992 and co-headlining Big Day Out in 1995. Ministry broke up in 2008 after 27 years of recording and performing, and Jourgensen had since stated that they would never reunite. However, the band announced a reunion in August 2011, and has released two more studio albums since then: Relapse (2012) and From Beer to Eternity (2013). Their next studio album (and first in five years), titled AmeriKKKant, is expected for release in early 2018.]

[Ministry plays The Uptown Theatre, Friday, October 27, at 8:00 pm with Death Grips]

11:00 – Station ID

11:00 – Interview with Kristopher Bruders & Mark Smeltzer / Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Freight Train Rabbit Killer, a musical duet made up of Kristopher Bruders (Freight Train) and Mark Smeltzer (Rabbit Killer). Described as “Apocalyptic Roots” or “Doom Blues” their intense and riveting live shows are accompanied by suits and masks. Freight Train Rabbit Killer have teamed with Haymaker Records to release a 7 inch vinyl series called “Wake Snake Death Dance”. Freight Train Rabbit Killer play a Vinyl Release & Costume Party, on October 28, at 8:00 pm, at Stockyards Brewing Co. 1600 Genessee Street. Freight Train Rabbit Killer also play Socialheart Rockin’ Halloween, Sunday, October 29, at 7:00 pm at recordBar, 1520 Grand, with The Haunted Creepys, Loaded Goat, and Thunderclaps. A benefit for MMF. More info at: http://www.freighttrainrabbitkillerband.com

11:05

14. Freight Train Rabbit Killer – “Maybe It’s You” [B-Side]
from: Maybe It’s You – 7″ Vinyl Single / Haymaker Records / October 28, 2017
[Volume 1 of a 4-part 7″ vinyl release called, Wake Snake Death Dance.This song was written by Kristopher Bruders. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Organica Studios with Andrew Crowley who also played keyboards. Freight Train Rabbit Killer, a musical duet made up of Kristopher Bruders (Freight Train) and Mark Smeltzer (Rabbit Killer).]

11:10 – Interview with Kristopher Bruders & Mark Smeltzer / Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Many Kansas City music fans know Kristopher Bruders for his great work with band, Cadillac Flambé with vocalist and keyboardist, Havilah Bruders, who is also married to Kris.

Mark Smeltzer is a principle musician of Rural Grit and the Rural Grit Happy Hour Mondays at The Brick, one of Kansas City longest running weekly live musical shows. Mark has also been part of bands: Columbo, Trouble In Mind, E.I.O., and Dually Jukes.

11:14

15. Freight Train Rabbit Killer – “Old Man of the Mountain” [A-Side]
from: Old Man of the Mountain – 7″ Vinyl Single / Haymaker Records / October 28, 2017
[Volume 1 of a 4-part 7″ vinyl release called, Wake Snake Death Dance.This song was written by Mark Smeltzer. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Organica Studios with Andrew Crowley who also played keyboards. Freight Train Rabbit Killer, a musical duet made up of Kristopher Bruders (Freight Train) and Mark Smeltzer (Rabbit Killer).]

Freight Train Rabbit Killer play a Vinyl Release & Costume Party, on October 28, at 8:00 pm, at Stockyards Brewing Co. 1600 Genessee Street.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer play Socialheart Rockin’ Halloween, Sunday, October 29, at 7:00 pm at recordBar, 1520 Grand, with The Haunted Creepys, Loaded Goat, and Thunderclaps. This is a benefit for Midwest Music Foundation.

More info at: http://www.freighttrainrabbitkillerband.com

11:28 – Underwriting

11:30 – Interview with Calvin Arsenia

Since 2014 we have been celebrating the music of Calvin Arsenia who came home to KC after living in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has released his EPs, Moments, Prose, and this year his full length debut, Catastrophe. He has played Folk Alliance International, Kansas City Fringe Fest, The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, The Kauffman Center For The Performing Arts, The Middle of the Map Fest., The Folly Theatre. Calvin has just returned home from a three month US/European Outlyre Tour where he has played San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver, NYC, Boston, Edinburgh, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Switzerland, Lyon and Paris.

Calvin Arsenia played over 40 shows on tour.

Calvin is working to release new music from Calvin’s June 11th, Live Recording at Kansas City’s newly restored Greenwood Social Hall, at 1750 Bellevue Ave. in KC.

11:35

16. Calvin Arsenia – “Back To You” (LIVE)
New song by Calvin Arsenia / Calvin Arsenia on vocals & harp, Simon Huntley on percussion

Simon Huntley & Calvin Arsenia on the October 25, 2017 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley

Calvin Arsenia plays Apocalypse Meow 10, Saturday, November 4, at recordBar, starting at 6:00 PM with Brandon Philips and The Condition, IVØRY BLACK, Nathan Corsi, Chris Meck and The Guilty Birds, Sandoval (reunion), and Split Lip Rayfield, 2 stages. Also featuring a silent auction and raffles with prizes donated from local businesses. Apocalypse Meow is a three-day-event starting Friday, November 3, at 7:00 PM, at Mills Record Company, with The Country Duo, Bohemian Cult Revival, and Headlight Rivals. The Apocalypse Meow weekend closes on Sunday, Nov 5, 2017, at recordBar, with the Meow Hangover Brunch starting at noon, and then at 4:00 PM Expassionates play live on stage. For more info you can visit: http://www.midwestmusicfoundation.org/apocalypsemeow%5D

11:48

17. Calvin Arsenia – “Poseidon” (LIVE)
New song by Calvin Arsenia / Calvin Arsenia on vocals & harp, Simon Huntley on percussion

11:56

18. Regina Spektor – “On The Radio (Live In London)”
from: Live In London / Sire Records / November 19, 2010
[The first live album by Russian-American musician and songwriter, Regina Spektor, recorded at the Hammersmith Apollo Theatre, in London, during her Far Tour. Regina Spektor was born February 18, 1980, in Moscow (former Soviet Union, now Russia), and began classical training on the piano at the age of six. When she was nine years old, her family left the Soviet Union in 1989, during the period of Perestroika, when Soviet citizens were permitted to emigrate. Regina had to leave her piano behind. The seriousness of her piano studies led her parents to consider not leaving the Soviet Union, but they finally decided to emigrate, due to the racial, ethnic, and political discrimination that Jews faced. Traveling first to Austria and then Italy, the Spektor family was admitted to the United States as refugees with the assistance of HIAS (the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society). They settled in the Bronx, where Spektor graduated from the SAR Academy, a Jewish day middle school in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Since the family had been unable to bring their piano from Moscow, Spektor practiced on tabletops and other hard surfaces until she found a piano on which to play in the basement of her synagogue. She began to write original songs shortly thereafter. Spektor gradually achieved recognition through performances in the anti-folk scene in downtown New York City, most prominently at the East Village’s SideWalk Cafe. She also performed at local colleges (such as Sarah Lawrence College) with other musicians, including the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. She sold self-published CDs at her performances during this period: 11:11 (2001) and Songs (2002). After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in New York City’s anti-folk scene, Spektor signed with Sire Records in 2004 and began achieving greater mainstream recognition. After giving her third album, Soviet Kitsch a major label re-release, Sire released her fourth album, Begin to Hope, which would go on to achieve a Gold certification by the RIAA. Her following two albums, Far and What We Saw from the Cheap Seats, each debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200. Spektor married singer-songwriter Jack Dishel in 2011. Formerly a guitarist with the band the Moldy Peaches, Dishel is a member of the band Only Son and duets with Spektor in the song “Call Them Brothers”. On January 23, 2014, Spektor announced her pregnancy on Facebook. The couple announced the birth of a son in March 2014.]

[Regina Spektor plays A Special Solo Performance, Sun, Oct.28, at 8:00 PM, at The Uptown Theatre]

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

Next week on Wednesday, November 1, November 1, Rebecca Liberty joins us with a young friend from Italy, who she has been hosting for the last month, helping him explore and experience the KC music scene as a participating musician and student. Both will join us to share about his time here in Kansas City. Also next week Andrew Foshee joins us to share music from his new record, STRANGE RELATIONS, recorded in Nashville at The Bomb Shelter with producer and engineer Andrija Tokic, who has worked with, Alabama Shakes, and Hurray for the Riff Raff. Also next week, Sondra Freeman of Midwest Music Foundation and musician Nathan Corsi, join us to talk about Apocalypse Meow 10. Apocalypse Meow 10, a three-day-event starting Friday, November 3, at 7:00 PM, at Mills Record Company, with The Country Duo, Bohemian Cult Revival, and Headlight Rivals. and continuing on Saturday, November 4, at recordBar, starting at 6:00 PM with Brandon Philips and The Condition, IVØRY BLACK, Calvin Arsenia, Nathan Corsi, Chris Meck and The Guilty Birds, Sandoval (reunion), and Split Lip Rayfield, 2 stages. Also featuring a silent auction and raffles with prizes donated from local businesses. The Apocalypse Meow weekend closes on Sunday, Nov 5, 2017, at recordBar, with the Meow Hangover Brunch starting at noon, and then at 4:00 PM Expassionates play live on stage. For more info: http://www.midwestmusicfoundation.org/apocalypsemeow

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 #705

WMM Playlist from October 31, 2012

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, October 31, 2012

Local & New Releases
+ Abigail Henderson & Midwest Music Foundation’s Apocalypse Meow 5
+ Les Vilda, Presidential Candidate

1. MarchFourth Marching Band – “Lesley Metal”
from: Magnificent Beast / Independent / Oct. 25, 2011
[Portland, Oregon based instrumental brass band that performs music in a marching band style, combined with a visual performance by stiltwalkers and fire- and flag-dancers. They’ve performed with Fleetwood Mac, No Doubt, KISS, Blink 182, Galactic, The Neville Brothers, Antibalas and Pink Martini and have toured Germany, The Netherlands, France, British Columbia and the United States. Their name is from the date of the band’s creation, March 4, 2003, Fat Tuesday.]

[MarchFouth Marching Band play Beaumont Club, TONIGHT w/ Afrobeats feat. Brandon Draper & Leonard D Stroy.]

By request…

2. Brian Eno – “Baby’s On Fire”
from: Here Come The Warm Jets / Island / 1974
[Solo debut produced by Eno. A hybrid of glam rock and art rock. Recorded in 12 days during Sept. 1973. Eno invited 16 musicians: John Wetton & Robert Fripp of King Crimson, Simon King from Hawkwind, Bill MacCormick of Matching Mole, Paul Rudolph of Pink Fairies, Chris Spedding, and all of Roxy Music except vocalist Bryan Ferry. Eno stated that he “got them together to see what happens when you combine different identities and allow them to compete. Eno directed the musicians by using body language and dancing. After recording the tracks, Eno condensed and mixed the instrumentation deeply, resulting in the tracks bearing little resemblance to what musicians recorded during the sessions.]

3. The Brannock Device – “The Consequence of Hope”
from: Into The Witness Chamber / Independent / July, 2012
[Originally formed in 1994, The Kansas City band The Brannock Device includes: Jason Beers on Bass & Vocals, Bernie Dugan on Drums, Marco Pascolini on Guitar, and Elaine McMilian on Vocals. ]

[Jason Beers and Marco Pascolini also play together in the band Dead Voices with Mike Stover, Matt Richey and David Regnier. Dead Voices play Apocalypse Meow 5, A Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation’s Musician’s Emergency Health Care Fund, Friday November 2, from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm at Midwestern Musical Co. withTiny Horse.]

10:15

4. White Girl – “Setting Fire”
from: White Girl Vol. Two [EP] / Independent / Oct. 5, 2012
[White Girl is the brain-child of Martin Bush, a dance infused pop romp through eternal fields of post punk grasses and rolling new wave hills. He is joined by Marc Pepperman of the Republic Tigers, Nick Organ of Beautiful Bodies, Various Blonde, Skyler McClun, and Matt Epstein.]

5. John Vanderslice – “Exodus Damage (Edit)”
from: Pixel Revolt / Barsuk Records / Aug. 23, 2005
[Born May 22, 1967, John Vanderslice grew up in Florida and Georgia, before his family moved to Maryland when he was 11. After playing in several bands as a teenager, he spent five years as a member of the experimental pop band MK Ultra, with whom he released three albums in the 1990s. During this period, he also founded a recording studio, Tiny Telephone, in the Mission District of San Francisco. Established in 1997, the studio was initially used as a rehearsal space before being developed as a full-time, all-analog recording studio. Bands who have recorded in the studio include Death Cab for Cutie, Okkervil River, Deerhoof, The Magnetic Fields, and Spoon.]

[John Vanderslice plays the recordBar, 1020 Westport Rd. on November 10 with Crooked Fingers.]

6. The Helio Sequence – “October”
from: Negotiations / Sub Pop / Sept. 11, 2012
[Formed in 1999 in Beaverton, Oregon, the band was and consists of Brandon Summers on vocals and guitars and Benjamin Weikel on drums and keyboards. The band has released two albums on Sub Pop, two on the Portland-based label Cavity Search and a self-released EP. Their fourth album, entitled Keep Your Eyes Ahead, was released on January 29, 2008, on Sub Pop.]

[The Helio Sequence play the recordBar, tomorrow night, Thursday, November 1.]

10:29 – Underwriting

10:30 – Interview with Les Vilda, B.E.E.R. Party Presidential Candidate.

For over 25 years Les Vilda has been the owner of his own Living History business called “Have Donkey Will Travel” where he brings U.S. history alive for school programs, community civic organizations, and festivals. Les has canoed the full length of the Missouri River (2500 miles) and 500 miles of the Mississippi River. He walked 980 miles of the Santa Fe Trail with a pack donkey in 1984, and 1100 miles of the trail with a horse and wagon in 1987. In 1988, Les traveled nearly 300 miles of the Oregon Trail in Wyoming on horseback and, in 1992, traveled 170 miles of the Nebraska City Cut-Off of the Oregon Trail in Nebraska, with a wagon and a donkey-mule team. In 2007 he added another real life experience to his resume, he decided to run for President of the United States. With the help of friend he formed the B.E.E.R. party and has attracted the attention of NBC News, MSNBC, Keith Olbermann, and local Nebraska Television stations and Newspapers. The Wilber, Nebraska native has been busy running for president of the United States for a second time in 2012, after suffering defeat at the hands of Barack Obama in 2008.

Les Vilda joined us today to talk about his campaign and his travels across the United States of America. For more information visit: havedonkeywilltravel.com.

In 2008 Barrack Obama received 66 million votes, the Les Vilda campaign estimates that you received an estimated ten votes, as a write-in candidate, but that hasn’t discouraged Les from running again this year.

His campaign headquarters are at Gary’s Bar in Wilber, Nebraska.

A 1920 Ford Model T that had been sitting in a garage for 40 years was the inspiration for his campaign.

Les has already broken ground and built his own Presidential Library in Wilbur and it has become quite an attraction.

Earlier this month THE B.E.E.R. Party officially nominated Les as their candidate, and just this week they will hold one of their last campaign events at Swanton, Nebraska, with the Czechland Trio. Polka bands have been part of his campaign events.

Les Vilda was an award winning Eagle Scout, he has won numerous rope tying competitions, he graduated from Doane College, in Crete, Nebraska, with a degree in Biology, and he served in the US forces and is a Vietnam War era veteran.

Les lived in the Kansas City area in 1983, at Fort Osage during a cold, cold, winter.

After living at Fort Osage, Les walked 980 miles of the Santa Fe Trail with a pack donkey. That was where his “Have Donkey Will Travel” company was born.

In 1987 Les traveled with a horse and wagon 1100 miles of the Santa Fe Trail.

In 1988, Les traveled nearly 300 miles of the Oregon Trail in Wyoming on horseback and, in 1992, traveled 170 miles of the Nebraska City Cut-Off of the Oregon Trail in Nebraska, with a wagon and a donkey-mule team.

Les was featured in the film “Dances With Wolves” as a Buffalo hunter.

For over 25 years Les has brought history alive in his life and in his teachings. His website has an extensive list of education programs he has created and offered, making important connections between our lives, our history, and the geographical lands where we live.

To learn more about Les Vilda, B.E.E.R. Party Presidential Candidate and his Living History business called “Have Donkey Will Travel” where he brings U.S. history alive for school programs, community civic organizations, and festivals you can visit: havedonkeywilltravel.com.

10:45

7. Forrest Whitlow – “Judd’s Ephemera (Green)”
from: Ghosts From the old Country (Double Album) / eternal return music / November 8, 2012
[Originally from Greensburg, Kentucky, Forrest Whitlow is now based in Kansas City, KS. 90.1 FM”s Signal To Noise host Barry Lee describes Forrest Whitlow as, “David Lynch meets Neil Young.” This is Forrest’s ninth studio album, Ghosts From The Old Country, will be released on November 9, 2012. Produced by Pat Tomek.]

[Forrest Whitlow will be playing two special album release shows for the upcoming Ghosts From the Old Country: Friday, November 9th at the recordBar 6:00 PM and Saturday, November 10th at Prospero’s Books at 10:00 pm. Both shows will feature special guests and openers, such as Harry Hewlett and Rick Gray.]

8. Snuff Jazz featuring Brian Haas – “Trailer Ride”
from: I Heard It On 18th Street II: No Foolin’ We Schoolin’ / Independent (David Ford) / 2009
[Founded in 2001 by Mark Southerland]

[Snuff Jazz play The Brick, Monday, November 5.]

11:00

9. Gentleman Savage – “Overlord”
from: Gentleman Savage [EP] / Independent / Oct. 12, 2012
[Psychedelic-pop band from Kansas City with: Holden Simpson on Vocals/Guitar/Keys, Kyle Anthony on Bass, and Nick Talley on Drums/Percussion]

[Gentleman Savage play the recordBar, Thursday Nov. 8 with Pawns and Squirt.]

10. Cadillac Fambe’ – “Long Black Train”
from: Eli’s Porch / Independent / July 29, 2011
[KC based band dedicated to pushing the envelope and blending various styles to create a new class of blues. The band was featured at Murder Ballad Ball of 2011, a Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation, on Dec 9, at The Riot Room. Cadillac Flambe’ was one of 26 bands chosen to represent KC at the MidCoast Takeover at SXSW in Austin.]

[Cadillac Flambe’ play Apocalypse Meow 5, A Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation’s Musician’s Emergency Health Care Fund, Sat, Nov 3, from 5 to 2:00 am at The Beaumont Club, with: School of Rock, Deco Auto, The Empty Spaces, The Blue Boot Heelers, The Atlantic, and The Architects. ]

11. Tiny Horse – “Ride”
from: Single Track Release / Independent / August 2012
Also from: Midwestern Audio Vol. 1 / Midwest Music Foundation / September 23, 2012
[One horse. Very small. Chris Meck & Abigail Henderson are Tiny Horse, an electric/acoustic duo based in Midtown KC. They were a big part of our July 11, “Story in A Song” LIVE at the recordbar where Abigail Henderson sang “Close to You” and Chris Meck sang the Velvet Underground song, “That’s The Story of My Life” as well as Bowie’s “TVC15.”]

[Tiny Horse play Apocalypse Meow 5, A Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation’s Musician’s Emergency Health Care Fund, Friday November 2, from 7 to 11:00 pm at Midwestern Musical Co. with Dead Voices.]

10:30 – Interview with Abigail Henderson & Christopher Meck

Abigail Henderson and Chris Meck are known for their bands: The Gaslights, Atlantic Fadeout, and Tiny Horse. Abigail Henderson is a songwriter, musician, activist, & survivor. After non-stop touring, recording, & promoting, she was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. That year, The Apocalypse Meow Fund was created by Abby’s friends & fellow musicians, who rallied around her and raised money to help her with the enormous hospital bills. Abigail has spent the last 5 years working to create a permanent net for musicians in the area and Apocalypse Meow is now an annual event to help raise funds for the Musicians Health Care Fund for Artists living and working in the KC area. The Foundation aims to create mechanisms where Musicians, Live Sound Engineers, Music Club Employees, and Recording Engineers can gain affordable access to health care.

About Midwest Music Foundation: Founded in 2008, MMF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational arts organization that unites performer and audience and fills a health care gap for Kansas City musicians. More information can be found online regarding services and programming at midwestmusicfound.org.

The South By Southwest Showcase: “Midcoast Takeover,” will be happening in March of 2013 bringing artists from KC and the region to the national stage at South by Southwest.

Apocalypse Meow 5, A Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation’s Musician’s Emergency Health Care Fund, Friday November 2, 2012, from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm at Midwestern Musical Co. with music by Dead Voices and Tiny Horse.

This First Friday event will showcase music-inspired posters and artwork by local artists.

This event is all ages and free, but donations are encouraged. A custom built Scarlett Amplifier is currently on display at Midwestern Musical Company and $1 raffle tickets can be purchased there any time prior to the drawing on November 3rd. Tickets will also be available at the Beaumont Club on Saturday.

Apocalypse Meow 5 continues Saturday, November 3, from 5:00 pm to 2:00 am at The Beaumont Club, featuring: School of Rock, Cadillac Flambe, Deco Auto, The Empty Spaces, The Blue Boot Heelers, The Atlantic, and The Architects. Hosted by Michael Byars and Amy Farrand.

The event will include raffles, auctions, food, vendors, and health care information tables. DJ Clockwerk will be spinning tunes on the patio as well. The event is all ages until 9 pm.

For more info: Rhonda Lyne rhonda@midwestmusicfound.org or 816.830.0382

Apocalypse Meow is an annual fundraiser for the Musician’s Emergency Health Care Fund, designed to help Kansas City’s uninsured working musicians negotiate emergency health care situations. Funds are now available to musicians in need. Grant applications and more information are available online at http://www.apocalypsemeow.net.

For more info: midwestmusicfound.org

11:34 – Underwriting

11:35

12. Deco Auto – “Pointless Fight”
from: Past Mistakes and Hauntings / Independent / 2012
[Steven Garcia – guitar, vocals; Tracy Flowers – bass, vocals; Michelle Bacon – drums. The band’s EP was recorded by Pat Tomek at Largely Studios in KCMO.]

[Deco Auto play Apocalypse Meow 5, A Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation’s Musician’s Emergency Health Care Fund, Sat, Nov. 3, from 5 to 2:00 am at Beaumont Club, with: School of Rock, Cadillac Flambe, The Empty Spaces, The Blue Boot Heelers, The Atlantic, and The Architects.]

13. The Empty Spaces – “It’s All For You, Suzie Q”
from: Party Line / Golden Sound Records / 2012
[KC based band formed from a studio band that recorded Mat Shoare’s solo album The Empty Spaces in 2010. Mat Shoare is a founding member of Everyday/Everynight and a founding partner in Golden Sound Records.]

[The Empty Spaces play Apocalypse Meow 5, A Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation’s Musician’s Emergency Health Care Fund, Sat, Nov 3, from 5 to 2:00 am at The Beaumont Club, with: School of Rock, Cadillac Flambe, Deco Auto, The Blue Boot Heelers, The Atlantic, and The Architects.

14. The Casket Lottery – “My Father’s Son”
from: REAL FEAR / No Sleep Records / Nov. 3, 2012
[KC based band was formed by Nathan Ellis (guitar/vocals) and Stacy Hilt (bass) in July of 1997 while Nathan was in the band COALESCE. Nathan “Junior” Richardson joined in on drums. They toured with other late 1990s bands: GIANTS CHAIR, BOYS LIFE, and SHUDDER TO THINK. In the band’s initial 5 years they created over 50 songs, including three full length albums, three EPs, numerous 7″, split 7″, and compilation appearances. After one last tour to the West Coast in support of their 2006 release “Smoke and Mirrors,” the band called it quits. Now a 5-piece band, the group has returned like a phoenix with new music that was recorded with Ed Rose, at Black Lodge Recordings, in Eudora, KS, during the fall and winter of 2011/2012.]

[The Casket Lottery play recordBar, 1020 Westport Rd, Saturday, November 3, in a CD Release Show with: Muscle Worship, & New Franklin Panthers]

15. The Tambourine Club – “Summertime”
from: Single release / Electric Kite Records / September 18, 2012
[“Infectious low-fi dark lustful alternative pop sound” written/recorded by Tambourine Club, Mastered by Matt Stager @ Electric Kite Records. Artwork & Video is by artist Danny Joe Gibson. Their 2011 EP: Lo-Fi Feeling, is available on bandcamp, for more info you can visit tambourineclub.com.]

11:50

16. Kelley Hunt – “I’m Ready”
from: Gravity Loves You / 88 Records / Feb. 15, 2011
[5th full length recording from KC born, Singer, Songwriter, Recording artist, Piano player, Guitarist who also co-produced the record.]

[Kelley Hunt plays the South Florida Boogie Woogie Festival, November 16, in Delray Beach, Florida, and in January she’ll be part of the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise.]

17. Hello BiPlane – “Hide and Go Seek”
from: Hello BiPlane [EP] / Independent / Dec. 17, 2010
[Originally formed in Lawrence, Kansas by Braden Young and Spencer Goertz-Giffen who write songs and play them with their friends, and record infrequently, and play shows for fun. Jordan Geiger and Jeff Jackson joined the duo for this EP. Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young now both live in Oakland, California.]

11:59:30

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

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

Show #445

The 111 Best Recordings of 2011*

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

* The 111 Best Recordings of 2011 are based on the playlists of Wednesday MidDay Medley. In 2011 Wednesday MidDay Medley has featured hundreds of New & Local Releases, we’ve featured dozens of LIVE in-studio performances from area performers, and we’ve interviewed over 150 local and national artists. Over 40 recordings on our list are from the KC & Lawrence area. Tune in Wednesdays in December, on 90.1 FM, for our annual 4-week special event. We’ll play nearly 8-hours of representative tracks from our favorite recordings.

The 111 Best Recordings of 2011

1. Howard Iceberg & The Titanics – Welcome Aboard / Independent / June 26, 2011
[7-CD set, includes over 100 new songs, featuring The Titanics: Gary Paredes on lead guitar, Dan Mesh on rhythm guitar, Scott Easterday on bass, Pat Tomek on drums. With contributions from over 70 local artists, who’ve joined in on Howard’s “never-ending recording project” conducted in Pat Tomek’s home studio. Howard Iceberg, Pat Tomek, Scott Easterday, Elaine McMilian and Danny Alexander joined us LIVE on June 22, just days before the huge tribute to Howard Iceberg and his music at Crosstown Station on June 26.]

2. The Wilders – The Wilders
/ Free Dirt Records / June 21, 2011
[The 10th release from Ike Sheldon- Guitar, Lead Vocals, Betse Ellis- Fiddle, Vocals, Phil Wade- Dobro, Banjo, Mandolin, Vocals, Nate Gawron- Bass, Vocals. On December 6, Ike and the band announced that they would be taking a hiatus in 2012, after 12 years of almost constant touring. We absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this band and each of the members who are some of the most amazing musicians and as well as being really great human beings. Betse Ellis was with us on WMM on March 2 as our guest producer and host in a show that celebrated Cajun Music.]

3. Hidden Pictures – Synchronized Sleeping / Hidden Pictures / April 1, 2011
[Richard Gintowt and Michelle Sanders first met at the Record bar and performed together in OK Jones before starting Hidden Pictures. This is their debut full length.]

4. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey – Race Riot Suite / Kinnara – The Royal Family / Aug. 30, 2011
[from Tulsa, Oklahoma, their 20th album, Race Riot Suite, written by Chris Combs for the current quartet of Brian Haas on piano & keyboards, Josh Raymer on drums, Chris Combs on lap steel and Jeff Harshbarger on upright bass. For this recording the band is accompanied by a horn section consisting of Sex Mob’s Steven Bernstein, Jeff Coffin (of Dave Matthews and Bela Fleck fame), Mark Southerland (Snuff Jazz, Malachy Papers), Peter Apfelbaum, and former JFJO member Matt Leland. The album is dedicated to the victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, the largest race riot in United States history. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey joined us LIVE in the studio on March 30.]

5. Everyday/Everynight – Etc. / Golden Sound Records / May 3, 2011
[Nominated for a Pitch Music Award for “Best Emerging Act”. Evan Ashby on Guitar, Mat Shoare on Guitar/Keyboard/Vocals, Austin Lyon on Drums, and Jerad Colton Tomasino on Guitar/Keyboard/Vocals of Everyday/Everynight. The band includes three members who sing and write songs. Golden Sound Records is a new local recording company who also released the music of Oriole Post, The Fullbloods, and The Empty Spaces, as well as the solo works of Jerad Colton Tomasina and Mat Shoare.]

6. Atlantic Fadeout – Better Run of Bad Luck / Flyover Records / May 23, 2011
[Debut album of Atlantic Fadeout featuring: the great…Abigail Henderson on lead vocals and guitar; Chris Meck lead guitar, steel guitar, vocals; Dutch Humphrey on bass, vocals; and Amy Farrand on drums. The new band was created from the ashes of The Gaslights, combined with the super powers of Amy Farrand who plays bass in American Catastrophe (amoung several other bands) and Dutch Humphrey who sings lead in Cherokee Rock Rifle.]

7. Mr. Marco’s V-7 – Sparkin’ Your Mama / Independent / 2011
[Drummer Kent “Precious Metalz’ Burnham, bassist Johnny “License Bolt” Hamil, guitarist Marco “Hair Party” Pascolini and console/steel / Theremin / moog man Mike “Creeping Death” Stover. 3 of the 4 members were our guests, February 16, on Wednesday MidDay Medley.]

8. Sara Swenson & The Pearl Snaps – Never Left My Mind [EP] / Indep. / Nov. 19, 11
[The Pearl Snaps are: Ian Davidson, John Flynn, Brandon Graves, Sarah Magill and Roger Strong. Their new EP, “Never Left My Mind,” features five tracks recorded and produced in Kansas City by Mike Crawford and Beau Davidson. Sara Swenson & The Pearl Snaps EP Release was November 19 at The Brick.]

9. Greg Brown – Freak Flag / Yep Roc / May 10, 2011
[Accomplished songwriter, co-founder of the influential indie roots label Red House, and former musical director for Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion radio program. While recording what was to be his next album lighting hit the studio where he was working, and Greg Brown lost the recordings. Greg, used the experience to turn inward and write more songs that comprise his 24th album: Freak Flag, the title track is all that remains of the lost original album. Greg wrote ten new songs, recording them at Memphis, Tennessee’s legendary Ardent Studios. Produced by Bo Ramsey, the album also includes a cover of Brown’s wife Iris Dement’s ”Let the Mystery Be” and Brown’s daughter Pieta’s song ”Remember the Sun.” Greg Brown played LIVE on our November 9 WMM.]

10. The I’ms – Second MIXES / Independent / 2011
[from The I’ms Facebook Page – Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch. Collin Rausch & his cousin Kasey Rausch performed together at Barry Lee’s Beatles Tribute. Kyle Rausch also plays with The ACB’s.]

11. Cut Copy – Zonoscope / Modular / Feb. 8, 2011
[3rd studio album by electronic band Cut Copy, formed in 2001 in Melbourne, Australia. It was originally a solo-project of Dan Whitford, a DJ and graphic designer. The band now includes: Tim Hoey on guitar and sampler, Ben Browning on bass guitar and Mitchell Scott on drums. Zonoscope has also been nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 54th Grammy Awards.]

12. Cass McCombs – Wit’s End / Domino / April 26, 2011
[Born in Concord, California in 1977. Famed DJ John Peel called his music “unobtrusively brilliant.” Cass McCombs has received widespread critical acclaim. He has led a nomadic existence for most of his adult life, moving from one city to the next, living in cars, on couches and at campsites. McCombs spent time developing his music bouncing between NYC, San Francisco, the Pacific Northwest, England and Baltimore. McCombs has stated that his tombstone will read “Home At Last.”]

13. The Empty Spaces – Low Noise / Golden Sound Records / 2011
[Debut EP from a KC based band formed from a studio band that recorded Mat Shoare’s solo album: The Empty Spaces in 2010. The three piece began to collaborate more with song arrangements and came up with a kind of “retro-punk rock” that is fronted by an energetic, yelping vocal style. One writer described their sound as “charming fuzzed-out slacker rock.” The band has been touring to support the release. Mat Shoare is also a founding member of Everyday/Everynight and a founding partner in Golden Sound Records.]

14. John Vanderslice – White Wilderness / Dead Oceans / Jan 25, 2011
[9 new songs captured live over 3 days in a collaboration with the Magik*Magik Orchestra, a collective of classically trained musicians in the Bay Area led by artistic director Minna Choi who arranged and conducted White Wilderness with 19 members of the Magik*Magik playing strings and horns, vibraphone, pedal steel and piano, an assortment of reed instruments, and with the voice of Minna Choi singing backup at key moments throughout the album.]

15. tUnE- yArDs – W H O K I L L
/ 4AD Records / April 19, 2011
[2nd studio release by Merrill Garbus’ experimental solo-project tUnE-yArDs. When performing live, Garbus creates drum loops on the spot, and layers these w/ ukulele, voice, & electric bass played by Nate Brenner. tUnE-yArDs played The Jackpot Lounge in Lawrence on November 7.]

16. Deer Tick – Divine Providence / Partisan Records / October 24, 2011
[from Providence, Rhode Island led by guitarist and singer-songwriter John McCauley]

17. Wire – Red Barked Tree / Pink Flag / Jan. 10, 2011
[12th studio album from Wire, formed in London in 1976 by Colin Newman (vocals, guitar), Graham Lewis (bass, vocals), Bruce Gilbert (guitar), and Robert Gotobed (drums). They were originally associated with the punk rock scene. Wire’s debut album, Pink Flag from 1977, is one of my all-time favorite recordings.

18. Low – C’Mon / Sub Pop / April 12, 2011
[9th full-length album from the band formed in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1993. C’mon was recorded in an old church in Duluth, MN and mixed in an apartment in Hollywood, CA.]

19. Pieta Brown – Mercury / Red House / September 27, 2011
[Born in Iowa City, Iowa in 1973, she is the daughter of two preachers’ kids. Her early upbringing in Iowa was in a rural outpost with no furnace or running water. There, Brown was exposed to traditional and rural folk music through her father, singer songwriter Greg Brown. Brown spent her childhood living in 17 different residences between Iowa and Alabama. While living with her mother in Alabama, Brown began writing poetry and composing instrumental songs on piano. She has released four critically acclaimed albums and three EPs in the last decade. She has performed with artists such as Mark Knopfler, John Prine, Amos Lee and Calexico. Collaborator Bo Ramsey produced her 2002 debut record, Pieta Brown and co-produced her 2005 album In the Cool which was named one of the year’s best by Amazon. Pieta and Bo are now married.]

20. Victor & Penny – Antique Pop / V & P Productions / December 9, 2011
[Victor & Penny performed LIVE on our Sept. 7 WMM. This Chicago / KC based duo is Jeff Freling of the Chicago Blue Man Group; and Erin McGrane of the cabaret group Alacartoona. Antique Pop contains 8 vintage songs plus 2 original songs written by Jeff Freling and a song written by Barclay Martin.]

21. Austra – Feel It Break / Domino Records / May 17, 2011
[Co-founder and lead singer, and songwriter Katie Stelmanis, draws upon her classical and operatic upbringing and mixes it up with drummer Maya Postepski and bassist Dorian Wolf to create what Amazon calls, “a stark, danceable masterpiece suitable for both ritual incantations and clubs.”]

22. Tom Waits – Bad As Me / Anti Records / October 21, 2011
[17th studio album and Waits’ first album consisting completely of new material in seven years since Real Gone (2004). Waits’ label, ANTI-, recently agreed on a distribution deal with Warner Music Group allowing them to release the album internationally. This marks Waits’ first release through the Warner organization since Heartattack and Vine (1980). Upon its release, Bad As Me received widespread critical acclaim.]

23. David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights – Left By Soft / Merge / April 26, 2011
[8th album from former leader of legendary New Zealand band, the Clean.]

24. Thee Oh Sees – Carrion Crawler – The Dream / In The Red Records / Nov. 8, 2011
[From San Francisco. It began as an outlet for John Dwyer to release his instrumental, experimental home recordings. Over the course of several albums a full band evolved. We first played The Oh Sees on Sept. 28.]

25. Dengue Fever – Cannibal Courtship / Concord Music / April 19, 2011
[Newest release from 6-piece band formed by brothers: Zac and Ethan Holtzman in 1981 after being inspired by a trip to Cambodia.]

26. The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh / Nonesuch / February 21, 2011
[The follow up to their critically acclaimed “Oh My God, Charlie Darwin” where the three original band members-Jocie Adams, Ben Knox Miller, and Jeff Prystowsky took over a Block Island cabin in the dead of winter. To record Smart Flesh, the group expanded to a quartet with the addition of drummer Mat Davidson and they found a former pasta factory in Central Falls, Rhode Island, a cavernous loft space that became crucial to the shape of the album. Says vocalist Miller, “We knew right away when we stepped into the factory that the space was really the main instrument for the whole record. The resonance was chilling. We were able to experiment with new recording techniques to capture the sound at different distances. Mics 100-200 feet away caught the sound barreling across the room.” Additional tracks were recorded in a garage that had previously been home to a reptile breeder, another unconventional studio space that the quartet dubbed “the gator pit.”]

27. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – It’s A Corporate World / Warner Brothers / June 3, 2011
[A project started by Detroit based Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott, recording in a basement without the benefit of expensive microphones or big-name producers.]

28. Wilco – The Whole Love / dBpm Records – Epitaph Records / Sept. 23, 2011
[8th album by Chicago based band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of Uncle Tupelo following Jay Farrar’s departure. Wilco’s lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John Stirratt remaining from the original incarnation. Since early 2004, the other current members are guitarist Nels Cline, multi-instrumentalists Pat Sansone and Mikael Jorgensen, and drummer Glenn Kotche. Wilco has released 8 studio albums, a live double album, and three collaborations: two with Billy Bragg, and one with The Minus 5. Wilco played The Uptown on December 3, in a show that had been sold out for months.]

29. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes / LL Records / March 1, 2011
[The second studio album by Swedish recording artist Lykke Li who spent six months writing and recording the album in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, while visiting the desert, and eventually coming up with songs she calls “hypnotic, psychotic and more primal”. In an interview with Pitchfork Media on November 18, 2010, she said, “I’m from Sweden so I don’t enjoy winter at all; there’s nothing cute about it. I was totally romanticizing the idea of Los Angeles when the Doors, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young were hanging out there. I was trying to find David Lynch and Leonard Cohen with no luck. It was just more of a retreat. And Los Angeles is such a mysterious place because there’s so much evil in that city, but there’s also so much light. You can be totally alone on a hillside and I love that kind of secluded, deserted rawness.”]

30. Little Dragon – Ritual Union / Peace Frog / July 26, 2011
[From Gothenburg, Sweden. This is the 3rd release from the four-piece band that blends R&B, new wave, electronica and experimental pop with the lead vocals of Yukimi Nagano.]

31. Destroyer – Kaputt / Merge / Jan. 25, 2011
[9th album from the Canadian indie rock band fronted by singer-songwriter Dan Bejar (pronounced /ˈbeɪhɑr/) a singer-songwriter from Vancouver who formed Destroyer in 1995. Bejar is also a member of the supergroup: The New Pornographers. Last year we featured the Merge records reissue of 2001 release Streethawk: A Seduction on our list of the 100 Best recordings of 2010. ]

32. Radiohead – King of Limbs / Ticker Tape / Feb 18, 2011
[8th studio album by English rock band Radiohead, produced by Nigel Godrich. It was self-released on February 18, 2011 as a download in MP3 and WAV formats. The King of Limbs has been nominated for five categories in the 54th Grammy Awards: Best Alternative Music Album, Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, Best Short Form Music Video (for “Lotus Flower”), Best Rock Performance (for “Lotus Flower”) and Best Rock Song (also for “Lotus Flower”).]

33. Vivian Girls – Share The Joy / Polyvinyl Records / April 12, 2011
[Third album by lo-fi/punk band Vivian Girls, the female trio from Brooklyn.]

34. Mary Fortune – Mary Fortune / Independent / May 6 2011
[Mary Fortune are: Jori Sackin- guitar, vocals, Laura Frank- vocals, singing saw, accordion; Billy Belzer- percussion; Andrew Connor- bass guitar, vocals; Liz Connor- violin. Mary Fortune played Midwestern Musical Company, 1830 Locust, Friday May 6 in a CD release concert with: Ghosty. Jori Sackin was out guest on WMM on September 28 joining us to discuss his film project with Pat Vamos called “Space Thang” that premiered at The Strand Theatre on Troost.]

35. Civil Wars – Barton Hallow / Sensibility Records / July 19, 2011
[First full length from singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White. The duo met during a Nashville, Tennesee songwriting session.]

36. Barnaby Bright – Gravity / Mishara / June 7 , 2011
[Brooklyn-based indie folk rock duo Barnaby Bright, have garnered high accolades for their lyrically captivating and impeccably balanced songwriting and sound. Finalists in the New York Song Circle Contest for two years in a row, Barnaby Bright was awarded the Grand Prize, winners in November 2010 for their song, “Don’t Look Down.”]

37. Spirit is the Spirit – Mother Mountain / Independent / February 26, 2011
[Folk-psychedelic-rock from Lawrence, Kansas. Austen Malone, Noah Compo, Wayne Zimmerman, Josh Landau, Brook Partain, Danny Bowersox. “a Lawrence band with a cosmic hippie vibe plus horns (trumpet, trombone), lots of percussion and supernal vocal harmonies”- Tim Finn]

38. Cherokee Rock Rifle – …and the plains are burning / Independent / Jan. 2011
[Debut EP from KC based band fronted by Dutch Humphrey. The 5-piece band also features: Douglas Nelson on lead guitar, Scott Reed on rhythm guitarr, Bert Northward on drum, and Evan John on bass. Cherokee Rock Rifle played the Crossroads Music Fest, on Sept 10 KC Uncovered II, and multiple shows through out the Mo/Kan region.]

39. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra / Fat Possum / June 21, 11
[Self-titled debut from Portland based band, initially conceived by New Zealand native, Ruban Neilson, who pieced a band together, with his producer, Jake, on bass, and a teenage drummer named Julien. Their facebook page describes them as, “bring(ing) break-beats together with 60’s/70’s Beatles sounding pop harmonies and a minimal Krautrock rhythm section.”]

40. The Sea and Cake – The Moonlight Butterfly / Thrill Jockey / May 10, 2011
[9th release from Chicago based band formed in the mid 1990s out of the ashes of local bands The Cocktails and Shrimp Boat. Archer Prewitt and Sam Precop have both also release several fine solo recordings.]

41. Times New Viking – Dancer Equired / Merge / April 26, 2011
[5th studio release from the lo-fi indie rock from Columbus, Ohio. With guitarist Jared Phillips, drummer and vocals from Adam Elliott, and Beth Murphy on keyboards and vocals. “Times New Viking,” is a play on the popular typeface Times New Roman.]

42. Joan As Police Woman – The Deep Field / 101 Distribution / Feb. 1, 2011
[Joan Wasser was a professional violinist, who after the death of her boyfriend Jeff Buckley, began to sing and write songs with some of Jeff’s band mates in a project called Black Beetle. Since assuming her current moniker in 2002 she assumed her new identity – a reference to the 70’s cop show, and has toured and collaborated with Rufus Wainwright and Antony and the Johnsons. She has received critical acclaim for her three studio albums REAL LIFE (2006), TO SURVIVE (2008) and a compilation of covers aptly titled COVER (2009).]

43. The Appleseed Cast – Middle States [EP] / GRAVEFACE RECORDS-RED / June 7, 2011
[Based in Lawrence, Kansas, with CHRIS CRISCI on guitar and vocals, TAYLOR HELENBECK on guitars, NATE WHITMAN on bass, NATHAN WILDER on drums. The Appleseed Cast played The Middle of The Map Festival on April 8, at The Riot Room, 4048 Broadway.]

44. King Creosote & John Hopkins – Diamond Mine / Domino / March 28, 2011
[Nominated for the Mercury Prize King Creosote is the stage name for Kenny Anderson, an independent singer-songwriter from Fife, Scotland, who has released over 40 albums. Anderson is also a member of Scottish-Canadian band, The Burns Unit.]

45. London Transit – Fake Figures [EP] / Independent / Jan 1, 2011
[Brian Schick – Vocals / Guitar / Keyboards, Rellemurd Jones – Keyboards / MPC / Vocals, Robert William Jarrett III – Drums / Percussion. Recorded from January 2010 to October 2010. All songs written and recorded by London Transit.]

46. Ha Ha Tonka – Death of A Decade / Bloodshot Records / April 5, 2011
[Originally formed in Springfield, Missouri their music is steeped in Ozark folk. They are currently signed to Bloodshot Records out of Chicago. Recently, Ha Ha Tonka was a guest on The Travel Channel’s flagship show, “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.” In March 2011, Ha Ha Tonka kicked off a year of touring with shows at the SXSW festival in Austin, TX. In April and May, the band toured the US with stops at Wakarusa in June. The band is named after Ha Ha Tonka state park in southern Missouri.]

47. Margo May – Space/Face / Independent / July 2011
[She grew up in Kansas City and worked as an actor at The Coterie Theatre. She studied Liberal Arts and English at UMKC and made her national network television debut on American Idol in 2010. Margo May, first appeared on our show on March 17, 2010 where she performed live, just a few days before she traveled to Austin, Texas for the SXSW Music Fest. Her debut recording “Summerof” was one of our favorite recordings of 2010 and has received critical acclaim. She was the winner of the 2010 Pitch Music Award for Best Emerging Act. 24-year-old singer-songwriter Margo May is now based in Portland, Oregon. Margo May played LIVE on our June 8 WMM.]

48. Cornershop – Cornershop & The Double-O Groove of / Ample Play / March 14, 2011
[The follow up to their 2009 album Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast. The album had been six years in the making and is a collaboration album a previously unrecorded, New Delhi-born, Lancashire-raised housewife, Punjabi singer, Bubbley Kaur, who sings all the lead vocals. Uncut Magazine wrote, “[It] isn’t just great music, it fuses disparate cultures with such joyous irreverence that, for 40 inspirational minutes, entire notions of national borders and racial divides cease to exist”.]

49. Dirty Projectors & Bjork – Mount Wittenberg Orca / Domino Records / Oct. 24, 2011
[In 2009, Björk and Dirty Projectors, were asked to perform a charity concert of seven songs written just for the occasion. A year later they recorded the songs and released a digital-only format. Now over two years later the recording was released on CD and Vinyl by Domino Records. All proceeds from the digital sales at mountwittenbergorca.com go to the National Geographic Society for the project of creating international marine protected areas. Mount Wittenberg is located at Point Reyes National Seashore in California. The inspiration for the EP came when Amber Coffman of Dirty Projectors saw a pod of whales off the coast while hiking at that spot.]

50. The Republic Tigers – No Land’s Man [EP] / Chop Shop – Atlantic / April 18, 2011
[Formed in Kansas City, Missouri by Kenn Jankowski, a pastor’s son, who moved all over the US, and ended up in the Springfield, Missouri suburb of Republic. In 1999, he moved to KC where he began playing guitar in The People, a band that later changed their name to The Golden Republic. When the Golden Republic split in early 2006, Jankowski reached out to his friend Adam McGill and a new band was born. Jankowski explained on the Chopshop website that “‘The Republic Tiger was my high-school mascot,” “… I don’t like band names very much and I don’t like thinking about them either, so I just took something that I knew was timeless to me, and big enough that we could color it with our music and create its meaning with our songs.” guitarist/pianist Ryan Pinkston, bassist Marc Pepperman, and drummer Justin Tricomi all brought their multi-instrumentalist talents to the band who were the first act to sign with Chop Shop Records (an imprint of Atlantic Records). The song The Infidel was also featured on the Grey’s Anatomy Vol. 4 Soundtrack.]

51. Ford & Lopatin – Channel Pressure / Software / June 7, 2011
[Full length debut from Daniel Lopatin and Joel Ford who began working together early in 2010 on music heavily influenced by 1980s-era production techniques, including the use of digital and analog synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers.]

52. Motorboater – Sport / The Record Machine / June 21, 2011
[Motorboater is Kansas City’s very own Dan Eaton who performs with one of his primary instruments: a Mac laptop. Mark Schoneveld in his music blog, yvynyl (‘why-vinyl’) describes Dan Eaton as making, “frenetic mellow music. It’s got that slow rumbling bass that you feel in your solar plexus on a big system, but is just chill enough for a late night makeout sesh. Throw in some 80s synth hooks and a warped glitch-art video and you’ll understand where he’s going with this.”]

53. Wild Flag – Wild Flag / Merge / Sept. 21, 2011
[Debut of the four-piece super group, of sorts, based in Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C. that consists of Carrie Brownstein (formerly of Sleater-Kinney), Mary Timony (formerly of Helium), Rebecca Cole (formerly of The Minders) and Janet Weiss (formerly of Quasi and Sleater-Kinney). The band recently played the RecordBar on Oct. 5.]

54. Lazy – Lazy [EP] / The Record Machine / 2011
[Sarica Douglas, Brock Potucek, Matt Huff, and Zach Van Benthusen originally formed as Lazy K for late 2009 show in Lawrence, KS. The band eventually went on to write their own original material. In the summer of 2010 they recorded their self titled debut with the help of Mike Tuley of Ad Astra Arkestra. Local label The Record Machine signed on to release their debut ep just before the band took off on a summer tour down the west coast. Lazy is currently writing and working on material for the follow up release.The Pitch wrote: “The local art-rock band’s self-titled EP is sopped with Modern Loversbeats, Velvet Underground dissonance and lo-fi discord…” We first played Lazy back on March 23.]

55. Baby Teardrops – X Is For Love / Golden Sound Records / November 15, 2011
[KC native and former Doris Henson leader, Matthew Dunehoo’s new band, was formed in NYC with Megan Thomas and Gerry White. Golden Sound Records, of Kansas City, re-released “X is for Love” on November 15th, in digital, CD, and for the first time, vinyl formats. The release also included exclusive remixes of album tracks. Matt Dunehoo and a Kansas City version of Baby Teardrops performed in concert for a Vinyl release party on November 25 at The Brick, with Olivetti Letter opening the show.]

56. TV On The Radio – Nine Types of Light / DGC Records / April 12, 2011
[4th album from Brooklyn based band formed in 2011. It is also the final TV on the Radio album to feature bassist Gerard Smith, who died of lung cancer nine days after Nine Types of Light was released. ]

57. Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest / Acony Records / June 28, 2011
[Born October 2, 1967 in NYC, her biological mother was a freshman in college, and her father was a visiting musician. Alec Wilkinson of The New Yorker stated that “from an address they had been given, it appeared that her mother … may have grown up in the mountains of North Carolina”. Gilian was adopted by Ken and Mitzie Welch, comedy and music entertainers. When Welch was three, her adoptive parents moved to L.A. to write music for The Carol Burnett Show. As a youngster, Welch was introduced to the music of American folk singers Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and the Carter Family. She performed folk songs with her peers at the Westland Elementary School in Los Angeles. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in photography, Welch attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she majored in songwriting. Welch met her music partner David Rawlings at a successful audition for Berklee’s only country band. Upon finishing college in 1992, She recalled, “I looked at my record collection and saw that all the music I loved had been made in Nashville—Bill Monroe, Dylan, The Stanley Brothers, Neil Young,” so she moved there. Rawlings soon followed. “The Harrow & The Harvest” on Acony Records, is her first record in over 7 years. Gillian Welch played Liberty Hall in Lawrence on Sunday September 4.]

58. Glen Campbell – Ghost On The Canvas / Surf Dog Records / August 20, 2011
[Intended as his farewell to studio recording due to his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. The album’s creation was made public in March 2010,but Campbell and his wife delayed informing the public about his illness until shortly before he embarked on the Glen Campbell Goodbye Tour. The duo decided to go public so fans of his would not be confused if the performer flubbed his lines or seemed erratic onstage.]

59. Elaine McMilian – The Messenger / Independent / July 22, 2011
[Elaine McMilian grew up in Independence, and graduated High School in 1973. She went to college as a vocal music major, but left after her first year to get married and start a family. In her mid thirties she went back to college a UMKC where she met Christian Hankel, who introduced her to a whole new generation of musicians in KC. She graduated in 1991 and answered an ad in The Pitch which led to her being involved in the band Swingin’ Six with Erin McGrane and Suzi Seigler. Elaine has performed in and around KC for almost 20 years as a solo artist and in the bands: Swingin’ 6, Easterday, Bonnys’ McGill, Toy Box, Sugar Plums and The Brannock Device. Elaine recently created EME LLC, a musician’s representation company to promote bands and solo artists. Elaine has appeared on WMM several times this year to talk about her work organizing the Howard Iceberg tribute show at Crosstown Station, and the reunion show of Easterday at The Recordbar on August 26. She also joined us prior to the release concert of “The Messenger,” on July 22 at The Record Bar, in a show that included Dollar Fox and one of the last performances of the great band, Expassionates.]

60. Jason Beers – Bangoism…Da / Independent / Late 2010
[Released in late 2010, this didn’t make it onto our playlists until 2011. Jason Beers has collaborated with many of KC’s best musicians. He writes, sings and plays bass with his band, The Brannock Device , made up of Jason, Elaine McMilian, Marco Pascolini, and Bernie Dugan. He is a father of two, who teaches children with special needs. The Brannock Device are currently working on their latesr recording expected in 2012. Banjoism…Da was recorded at Hideaway Studios.]

61. Folkicide – Devotional Hymns of the Church of the Darwinian Snuff Film / Indep. / 11
[After his band the Charge Droplets ended, Burnie Booth created his solo project: Folkicide, to “continue the exploration into the decaying frame of Western Civilization.” Burnie Booth grew up in Spring Hill, Kansas. In high school in the latter half of the 1980s, he was in a band called Big Toe, that played the Outhouse in Lawrence. He moved to Seattle in 1991 and played for four years with the Moogs, working days in pest control. He eventually married and moved back to Kansas City with his wife in 1999. Folkicide performed a CD Release concert at the RecordBar on September 9.]

62. Beirut – The Rip Tide / Pompeii Records / August 2, 1011
[Originally the solo musical project of Zach Condon, born in Santa Fe, New Mexico on February 13, 1986. He was brought up in Newport News, Virginia before moving back to New Mexico. Zach played trumpet in a jazz band as a teenager and cites jazz as a major influence. Condon attended Santa Fe High School, but dropped out at the age of 16. In Santa Fe he was exposed to Mariachi music. He also worked at a cinema showing where he was exposed to the international films of Fellini arias and Sicilian funeral brass as well Balkan music. He later enrolled in community college, but only attended for a short period before traveling to Europe at the age of 17 with his older brother, Ryan. Condon’s subsequent exploration of world music proved to be instrumental in the development of Beirut’s melodic sound. The Rip Tide was recorded in Upstate New York, Brooklyn and Condon’s hometowns of Albuquerque and Santa Fe.]

63. Seun Kuti – From Africa with Fury: Rise / Knitting Factory Records / June 21, 2011
[Nigerian musician, and the youngest son of legendary afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. After Fela’s death of AIDS in 1997 Seun, then only 14 years old, became the lead singer of Egypt 80. While in school Seun had to choose between a career in music and one in American Football for which he has an outstanding talent. About three-fourths of the current Egypt 80 line-up consists of musicians that not only played with Fela Kuti, but often were arrested and harassed alongside the founder of the Afrobeat movement. Live sets consist of both new material and originals from Seun’s father. During his lifetime Fela Kuti never performed songs he had recorded, so for many fans this is their first chance to hear many Kuti classics.]

64. Canon Blue – Rumspringa / Temporary Residence Limited / August 16, 2011
[Blue Canon is Daniel James, from Nashville. His 2007 debut, Colonies, was a collaboration w/ Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor. Rumspringa was made partly in Copenhagen with Danish orchestral pop ensemble Efterklang and partly in Iceland withmembers of Sigur Ros, “Canon Blue (Des Moines)” is the album’s first single.]

65. Pulseprogramming – Charade Is Gold / Audraglint / May 3, 2011
[born as an experimental, concept in Portland, Oregon in 1998. Pulseprogramming is currently centered around Marc Hellner and new member Chanel Pease, but also includes art directors: John Schacter and Hans Seeger, a filmmaker/video artist: Eric David Johnson, aka DJ Bunny Ears, and a poet: Joel Craig. Their 1999, self-titled debut album was predominantly a work of ambient music, and was released on Chicago’s Aesthetics Records. The group’s current work leans towards the early 1980s and is more song-oriented.]

66. Digitalism – I Love You, Dude / V2 Records / June 21, 2011
[2nd studio album by German electro pop duo who met at a record store in Hamburg in 2004, and became friends. Later, the store’s owner asked them to DJ a party, and they then began mixing and recording. They record their music in a World War II bunker they own in Hamburg. They perform live using a Macbook Pro laptop as the heart of the act.]

67. Piney Gir – Geronimo! / Damaged Goods / Aug. 23, 2011
[Piney Gir is Angela Penhaligon who was born in Kansas and is now based in London, England. We had the chance to interview her on WMM. She was encouraged by her parents to learn the piano from the age of four, she wrote her first song at the age of nine. Having earned a degree in music, she moved to England in 1998 to study at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. She released her debut solo electronica album, Peakahokahoo, in 2004 on UK label Truck Records (and licensed to Greyday Records for release in North America). She toured extensively, including opening for Erasure on a month long European tour. Geronimo! was recorded in early 2011 in Los Angeles.]

68. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake / Island / Feb. 15 2011
[8th studio album. Produced by Flood. Written between late 2007 and 2008, and recorded over a five-week period. Musically, Harvey dislikes repeating herself. She has experimented with rock, pop, electronica, and folk. She is also known for changing her appearance from album to album by altering her mode of dress or hairstyle. Each look is then incorporated into the album’s artwork, music videos, and live performances. One of the more unexpected British TV highlights of 2010 came when a black-clad PJ Harvey performed the title track, Let England Shake, in front of then prime minister Gordon Brown. As Brown sat soberly, Harvey played an autoharp, relishing the line “England’s dancing days are done.”]

69. Wanda Jackson – The Party Ain’t Over Yet / Third Man Records / Jan. 21, 2011
[Wanda Lavonne Jackson was born October 20, 1937. She is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist. She is known to many as the First Lady of Rockabilly. She has been releasing albums since 1958. This year at age 74, she released her 33rd album, produced by Jack White.]

70. Exene Cervenka – The Excitement of Maybe / Bloodshot / March 8, 2011
[2nd solo release. Exene is a singer, artist and poet and cofounder of the legendary punk band X as well as The Knitters and The Original Sinners. Her spoken word performances with Lydia Lunch in the 80’s led to the publication of “Adulterers Anonymous” and another four volumes of poetry followed. Upon relocating to rural Missouri, Cervenka found inspiration in the simplicity of country living and began writing her first solo album in 19 years. The product, Somewhere Gone, recorded and produced in Springfield by Lou Whitney, was released in 2009. It was on of our favorite recordings of that year. In 2009 Exene Cervenka revealed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She continue writng new songs and recorded her second solo record, but on April 14 her tour was cancelled, due to a flare-up of her MS.]

71. Heather Thornton – Obvious / Saunders Street Records / April 28, 2011
[Heather Thornton moved with her family to KC from Arkansas. She has been singing and performing for over 10 years in KC. She plays keyboards and sings and plays on the first Saturday of every month at Jazz 1823 W 39th Street KCMO with Jeramy Johnston – guitar/bass, Brian Ruskin – guitar, Bree Plaster – drums. Heather’s background vocals can be heard on the Saunders Street Records releases of Jen Lawless and William Sauders. Heather has a new Christmas CD available at heatherthornton.com.]

72. Kirsten Paludan – All In / Independent / 2010
[Released late 2010. Kirsten Paludan’s worked for over a decade as a solo artist and with the band Olympic Size. As an actress she has appeared on FOX Television’s “Melrose Place.” In the Ang Lee film “Ride With The Devil,” the Spike Lee produced, Confederate States of America, directed by Kevin Wilmoth. Kirsten Paludan joined us LIVE on our January 26 WMM.]

73. Ruddy Swain – Ruddy Swain [EP] / Independent / November 13, 2011
[Ruddy Swain is David Regnier of Dead Voices and Lauren Krum of The Grisly Hand.]

74. Fruit Bats – Tripper / Sub Pop / Aug 2, 2011
[5th album since signing with Sub Pop Records in 2001. Formed in Chicago in 1997 by singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson who has performed as a side man in the the band Califone and as the leader of I Rowboat.]

75. Sleepy Kitty – Infinity City / Euclid Records / July 12, 2011
[From Chicago and St. Louis. Paige Brubeck on vocals/guitar/keys, and Evan Sult on drums/vocals/tapes. More info at: sleepykittymusic.com]

76. Yellow Ostrich – The Mistress / Barsuk Records / August 16, 2011
[Barsuk records has re-released “The Mistress” originally put out on Vinyl by AFTERNOON RECORDS on February 15, 2011. It’s what they are calling “a bedroom project,” from Alex Schaaf, the individual behind the NYC based Yellow Ostrich, who now tours as a three piece band. Yellow Ostrich played the Bourbon Theatre in Lincoln, NE, on Nov. 16 with Ra Ra Riot + Delicate Steve.]

77. The Coathangers – Larceny and Old Lace / Suicide Squeeze Records / June 7, 2011
[3rd album from the all female punk uartet from Atlanta, Georgia, includes: lead vocalist – Julia Kugel, drummer – Stephanie Luke, keyboardist – Candice Jones and bassist – Meredith Franco. ]

78. Sour Babies – Morning Star / Independent / Mar 30, 2011
[Brent Jamison, Chas Felkins, Mark Harvey, Mary Sanders, Ben Hume and Jason Martinez of The Sour Babies, played live on our July 20 WMM.]

79. The Finsters – The Finsters / Independent / 2011
[The Finsters, are an old time Americana band, dedicated to playing the music of Harold Finster. The band includes: Andrew Connor on guitar and vocals, Liz Connor on fiddle and mandolin, Allan Winkler on accordion and percussion, and Jami Blakeley on banjo and vocals.]

80. Wild Beasts – Smother / Domino Records / May 10, 2011
[3rd album and follow up to their Mercury Award nominated “Two Dancers.” One critic wrote the band possesses, “oscillating falsetto and baritone vocals, lyrical wit, and a penchant for seedier topics.”]

81. Holy Ghost! – Holy Ghost! / DFA / April 4, 2011
[The brainchild of childhood friends Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser, the Brooklyn-based band Holy Ghost! recently transformed from a duo into a 4-piece band that has spent the summer touring with LCD Soundsystem and Chromeo The tour culminated with Hot Chip and Hercules and Love Affair at Central Park Summerstage on August 4th. Holy Ghost uses a lot of vintage synths.]

82. Molly Picture Club – four on the floor [EP] / Independent / late 2010
[KC Based featuring: Aniko Adany- vocals, synths, keys, omnichord, Matthew Hayden- drums, drum sequencing, & Michael Tipton- vocals, guitar, bass.]

83. Prefuse 73 – The Only She Chapters / Warp Records / April 25, 2011
[Guillermo Scott Herren was born in Miami, Florida and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. His father is Catalan and his mother is Irish and Cuban. At an early age his parents encouraged him to play piano and other instruments; his mother “forced” Herren to play a wide variety of instruments, even going so far as to teach him the Suzuki Method in order to “keep him out of trouble”. Growing up, Herren’s musical tastes branched out and he became interested in hip-hop, punk rock, and electronic music.]

84. Com Truise – Galactic Melt / Ghostly / July 2011
[Com Truise, is New Jersey based designer and musician named Seth Haley, who said he envisioned this record as a “sort of film score…from the mind,” chronicling the life and death of Com Truise, the world’s first robotic astronaut, from his creation and life on Earth to his subsequent mission to a newly discovered galaxy called “Wave 1.”]

85. Neon Indian – Era Extrana / Mom + Pop / September 13, 2011
[Recorded in Helsinki, Finland during the winter of 2010, Era Extraña translates: “Strange Era.” Neon Indian is an indie electronic band from Denton, Texas with music created by Mexican-born composer by Alan Palomo who was born in Monterrey, Mexico in 1988 and moved to San Antonio, Texas at the age of 5. He relocating to Denton, Texas for college. Neon Indian played The Record Bar on October 11 tour with Com Truise and Purity Ring.]

86. Mountain Man – Live At The Wiltern / Partisan Records / July 5, 2011
[Molly Erin Sarle, Alexandra Sauser-Monnig and Amelia Randall Meath met at Bennington College, in the small town of Bennington, Vermont. This fall the trio toured with Feist.]

87. Cadillac Fambe’ – Eli’s Porch / Independent / July 29, 2011
[KC based band dedicated to pushing the envelope and blending various styles to create a new class of blues. The band was featured at Murder Ballad Ball of 2011, a Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation, Fri, Dec 9, at The Riot Room, 4048 Broadway, KCMO also appearing: American Catastrophe, Rural Grit All Stars, Tommy Donoho, Bob & Diana Suckiel, Sons of Great Dane, Cody Wyoming, Tony Ladesich, The Delighted, and others.]

88. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’ / Sony / May 10, 2011
[Born Charles Ray Wiggins in Oakland, California on May 14, 1966, Saadiq has been representing “old school” R&B since his early days as a member of the group Tony! Toni! Toné! He’s produced songs for TLC, Joss Stone, D’Angelo, Mary J. Blige, and John Legend. For his 4th studio album he pushed beyond the “classic soul revival” with more rock-inspiring funk, Chess Records-blues, and the more expansive orchestral sound of post-Detroit Motown and 1970s Philadelphia sound.]

89. Stephin Merritt – Obscurities / Merge Records / August 30, 2011
[In 1999, The Magnetic Fields’ three-CD collection 69 Love Songs established Stephin Merritt as one of this generation’s most talented songwriters. The LA Times called Merritt, “one of indie-rock’s most acclaimed figures.” “The Sun and the Sea and the Sky,” could be considered the 70th love song. Stephin Merritt writes that “this song didn’t go on 69 Love Songs because it wasn’t actually about romantic love. Now it sounds like a Germanic hymn to nature, as directed by Leni Riefenstahl.” This previously unreleased track is part of Stephin Merritt’s latest release, Obscurities, in his return to Merge Records, a collection of Merritt’s hard-to-find recordings dating back to his time on Merge (1994 1999) and prior, as well as 5 previously unreleased tracks. Pitchfork reports The Magnetic Fields will be releasing a new album on Merge in early 2012.]

90. Tom Russell – Mesabi / Shout! Factory Records / September 5, 2011
[Identified with the Texas Country music tradition, his music also includes elements of folk, Tex-Mex, and cowboy music of the American West. Mesabi includes songs about Bob Dylan, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards, Jimmy Driscoll and Sterling Hayden. Furious Love (For Liz)” was the last song written for Mesabi. Following the recent death of Elizabeth Taylor, Russell says, “I married a Swiss lady and we have a place in Switzerland in the Alps, and Liz Taylor had a chalet right down the street. Then I found out she lived for a short while in a penthouse in El Paso, with her first husband, Nicky Hilton. That overlooks Juarez, Mexico, and I thought, I’d write a waltz about Liz looking out on Juarez.” Tom Russell played Knuckleheads on October 6, 2011.]

91. Robert Ellis – Photographs / New West / July 5, 2011
[The New York Times writes that Robert Ellis is “Equally inspired by Jackson Browne and George Jones.” Based in Houston, Texas, the 22 year old singer songwriter was first brought our attention by our Artist Joey Grimm, KCAI graduate from 2010, (now doing graduate work in Delaware) who played him on WMM back on August 10. Joey had just seen him live in Texas.]

92. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy / 4AD / September 13 , 2011
[Manhattan based Annie Clark’s 11-song follow up to her critically acclaimed release “Actor” from 2009. Strange Mercy was eecorded in Dallas, TX. St. Vincent played Lawrence, KS on October 7.]

93. Jenny Carr – Maybe Definitely Really For Sure / Independent / Dec, 2010
[A Missouri native, Jenny Carr has fronted the KC band the Waiting List and played bass for indie-rock bands: Anvil Chorus and Lights & Siren. She lists her influences as: The Beatles, The Kinks, Joni Mitchell, Elliott Smith and The Cranberries.]

94. Yuck – Yuck / Fat Possum Records / Feb. 15, 2011
[Indie rock from London, England. Critics have compared their self-titled debut album to Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth.]

95. Brian Eno – Drums Between The Bells / Opal – Warp Records / July 5, 2011
[40 years in music as an glam rocker, Ambient pioneer, producer, multimedia artist, technological translator, world beat drum-beater, and self-described non-musician. In the early years of Roxy Music, he set up a sound table off stage and turn knobs to create textures and echos.]

96. They Might Be Giants – Join Us / Idlewild Recordings / July 19, 2011
[15th studio album and the first non-children’s album from the band since “The Else” in 2007. They Might Be Giants playde Beaumont Club October 14.]

97. Jason Vivone – My Roaring Twenties / Independent / 2011
[Jason Vivone is the former Kansas City Blues Society’s International Blues Challenge solo winner. His band the Billy Bats were crowned KINGS OF THE ROOTS at the showdown at the Blue Note in Columbia, Missouri. In an annual event held by the Missouri Lottery and the Roots and BBQ fest, the Billy Bats beat out three other bands with their soulful, energetic live show. In January, Jason Vivone’s new solo CD “MY ROARING TWENTIES” was released to acclaim and terrific on-line sales. In March the new line up of the Billy Bats opened for Fishbone and also performed at the SXSW Festival in Austin. Jason Vivone performed LIVE on our Nov. 2 WMM show.]

98. William Saunders – Tales of Weathered Plains / Saunders Street Records / 2011
[Born in L.A. and raised in KC and Raymore, Missouri, he spent eight years in the U.S. Army and served in the first gulf war. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia he first started singing and writing. After the military, he started his business career. In the early 90’s he formed a band called “The Decadent.”After 16 years in the corporate world he had written nearly seven hundred songs. In 2010, he left the corporate life to created Saunders Street Records and pursued a career in music and the development of other musical artists. William Saunders played LIVE on our March 23 WMM.]

99. Sterling Witt – Sounds of The Future [EP] / Bright Orange Records / 2011
[Born and raised in the rural countryside of Cass County he went to school in Harrisonville. At 15, he picked up the bass guitar, and taught myself how to play a right-handed instrument upside-down, left handed. Sterling Witt joined us LIVE on April 13 on WMM for the 90.1 FM Band Auction and again on August 31st.]

100. Jen Lawless – Runnin’ Hot / Saunders Street Records / April 8, 2011
[By day, the 5′ 3″ Kansas City Native, Jen Lawless, drives an ambulance for the Fire Department and is responding to emergencies and racing between hospitals. Her occupation is the inspiration for many of the original songs on her Saunders Street Records release. Jen appeared on our May 11th WMM.]

101. Poly Styrene – Generation Indigo / Future Noise Music / April 26, 2011
[On the verge of the release of her third solo release, singer Poly Styrene, former singer with the X-Ray Spex, died at the age of 53, after suffering from cancer. In February, in an interview published in The Sunday Times magazine, she revealed that she had been treated for breast cancer, and that it had spread to her spine and lungs. She died on April 25. She was one of the first female punk icons. She was very influential, with an unorthodox style. Poly Styrene formed her band the X-Ray Spex after watching the Sex Pistols perform on Hastings Pier on her 18th birthday. The band released just one album, “Germ Free Adolescents,” in 1978, before splitting up. The singer went on to record a solo album, Translucence, in 1980, before retreating from the music industry to join the Hare Krishnas. Singer Billy Bragg told a radio station that, “It’s always hard for women in rock music but it was particularly hard in the 70s,” he said. “I think she cut right through that. The work that she did and the things that she produced always stayed true to that original spirit of punk.”]

102. Marketa Irglova – Anar / Anti Records / October 7, 2011
[Solo debut from one-half of the Irish duo The Swell Season and co-star of the motion picture Once. Now at 23, she decided to branch out on her own after relocating to NYC and while The Swell Season were on hiatus.]

103. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead / Capitol / Jan. 14, 2011
[Recorded during the spring of 2010 in the Portland area. The album title has been speculated to pay homage to The Smiths The Queen Is Dead, due to front man, Colin Meloy’s long-touted influence from the band.Meloy has cited that a primary musical influence for much of The King Is Dead is R.E.M., and three songs, feature R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck including “Down By The Water.” The band played The Uptown Theatre Monday, February 7.]

104. Peter, Bjorn & John – Gimme Some / Star time / March 29, 2011
[Our “Best of…” lists always seem to include representatives from Sweden. Gothenburg is a music town that rivals Montreal, Brooklyn, Omaha, and Nashville. Lykke Li also appears on our list . Peter Morén from Dalarna in the North of Sweden and Björn Yttling from Västerbotten – even further to the North – had been playing music together for 8 years when they in 1999 met John – from Norrbotten – which is yet even further to the North! Peter, Bjorn & John are back in our playlists this year with their sixth album.]

105. Telekinesis – 12 Desperate Straight Lines / Merge / Feb. 15, 2011
[Telekinesis is Michael Benjamin Lerner, an indie rocker from Seattle. This is his 2nd album on Merge.]

106. The Middle East – I Want That You Are Always Happy / Spunk Records / April 2011
[debut studio album by Australian folk band The Middle East, released in Australia and New Zealand. Based in Townsville in Queensland, Australia. Formed in 2005, the group played locally and completed several East Coast tours of mainly Christian festivals throughout Australia. They played their last show on July 31, 2011.]

107. The Go Team – Rolling Blackouts / Memphis Industries / 2011
[3rd studio album from Brighton, England-based band that combine indie rock & garage rock w/ a mixture of blaxploitation & Bollywood soundtracks, double dutch chants, old school hip hop and distorted guitars. Their songs mix of live instruments and samples.]

108. Bootsy Collins – Tha Funk Capitol of The World / Mascot / April 26, 2011
[23rd studio album by funk musician Bootsy Collins, features an incredible line up of Bootsy’s friends including Chuck D, Snoop Dogg and Bootsy’s Parliament and P-Funk bandmates, George Clinton & Bernie Worrell.]

109. Veronica Falls – Veronica Falls / Slumberland Records / Sept. 20, 2011
[self-titled debut record from a UK band that daringly recruited a bass player that didn’t know how to play until joining the group. Their first live performance was opening for Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.]

110. Soley – We Sink / Morr Music / October 3, 2011
[From Iceland comes Soley, an introverted singer-songwriter who was recently featured in “Backyard” a documentary about the influential Iceland music scene.]

111. Raleigh Moncrief – Watered Down / Anticon Records / October 25, 2011
[Debut full length recording from Sacremento based, Raleigh Moncrief, who has collaborated with Dirty Projectors for their Bitte Orca recording that is also on our list of 111 Best Recordings of 2011.]

Note: Sources for notes: artist’s websites, wikipedia.org

WMM Playlist from Dec. 7, 2011 – The 111 Best Recordings of 2011 (Part 1 of 4)

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, December 7, 2011:

The 111 Best Recordings of 2011
(Part 1 of 4)

1. (111.) Raleigh Moncrief – “Lament for Morning”
from: Watered Lawn / Anticon Records / October 25, 2011
[Debut full length recording from Sacramento based, Raleigh Moncrief, who has collaborated with Dirty Projectors for their Bitte Orca recording that is also on our list of 111 Best Recordings of 2011.]

2. (110.) Soley – “Blue Leaves”
from: We Sink / Morr Music / October 3, 2011
[From Iceland comes Soley, an introverted singer-songwriter who was recently featured in “Backyard” a documentary about the influential Iceland music scene.]

3. (109.) Veronica Falls – “Veronica Falls”
from: Veronica Falls / Slumberland Records / Sept. 20, 2011
[self-titled debut record from a UK band that daringly recruited a bass player that didn’t know how to play until joining the group. Their first live performance was opening for Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.]

10:15

4. (108.) Bootsy Collins –“FreeDumb” w/ Dr. Cornel West
from: Tha Funk Capitol of The World / Mascot / April 26, 2011
[23rd studio album by funk musician Bootsy Collins, features an incredible line up of Bootsy’s friends including: Chuck D, Snoop Dogg and Bootsy’s Parliament and P-Funk band-mates: George Clinton & Bernie Worrell.]

5. (107.) The Go! Team – “T.O.R.N.A.D.O.”
from: Rolling Blackouts / Memphis Industries / 2011
[3rd studio album from Brighton, England-based band that combine indie rock & garage rock w/ a mixture of blaxploitation & Bollywood soundtracks, double dutch chants, old school hip hop and distorted guitars. Their songs mix of live instruments and samples from.]

6. (106.) The Middle East – “Jesus Came To My Birthday Party”
from: I Want That You Are Always Happy / Spunk Records / April 2011
[Debut studio album by Australian folk band The Middle East, released in Australia and New Zealand. Based in Townsville in Queensland, Australia. Formed in 2005, the group played locally and completed several East Coast tours of mainly Christian festivals throughout Australia. They played their last show on July 31, 2011.]

7. (105.) Telekinesis – “Car Crash”
from: 12 Desperate Straight Lines / Merge / Feb. 15, 2011
[Telekinesis is Michael Benjamin Lerner, an indie rocker based out of Seattle. This is his 2nd album on Merge.]

10:30 – Underwriting

10:31

8. (104.) Peter, Bjorn & John – “Breaker Breaker”
from: Gimme Some / Star Time / March 29, 2011
[Our “Best of…” lists always seem to include representatives from Sweden. Gothenburg is a music town that rivals Montreal, Brooklyn, Omaha, and Nashville. Lykke Li appears on our list as we continue the count down. Peter Morén from Dalarna in the North of Sweden and Björn Yttling from Västerbotten – even further to the North – had been playing music together for 8 years when they in 1999 met John – from Norrbotten – which is yet even further to the North! Peter, Bjorn & John are back in our playlists this year with their sixth album.]

9. (103.) The Decemberists – “Down By The Water”
from: The King Is Dead / Capitol / Jan. 18, 2011
[Recorded during the spring of 2010 in the Portland area. The album title has been speculated to pay homage to The Smiths The Queen Is Dead, due to front man, Colin Meloy’s long-touted influence from the band. Meloy has cited that a primary musical influence for much of The King Is Dead is R.E.M.,[21] and three songs, feature R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck including “Down By The water.” The band played Uptown Theatre Monday, February 7.]

10. (102.) Marketa Irglova – “Go Back”
from: Anar / Anti- Records / October 7, 2011
[Solo debut from one-half of the Irish duo The Swell Season and co-star of the motion picture Once. Now at 23, she decided to branch out on her own after relocating to NYC and while The Swell Season were on hiatus.]

11. (101.) Poly Styrene – “Kitsch”
from: Generation Indigo / Future Noise Music / April 26, 2011
[On the verge of the release of her third solo release, singer Poly Styrene, former singer with the X-Ray Spex, died at the age of 53, after suffering from cancer. In February, in an interview published in The Sunday Times magazine, she revealed that she had been treated for breast cancer, and that it had spread to her spine and lungs. She died on April 25. She was one of the first female punk icons. She was very influential, with an unorthodox style. Poly Styrene formed her band the X-Ray Spex after watching the Sex Pistols perform on Hastings Pier on her 18th birthday. The band released just one album, “Germ Free Adolescents,” in 1978, before splitting up. The singer went on to record a solo album, Translucence, in 1980, before retreating from the music industry to join the Hare Krishnas. Singer Billy Bragg told a radio station that, “It’s always hard for women in rock music but it was particularly hard in the 70s,” he said. “I think she cut right through that. The work that she did and the things that she produced always stayed true to that original spirit of punk.”]

10:45

12. (100.) Jen Lawless – “All Goes Down”
from: Running Hot / Saunders Street Records / April 8, 2011
[By day, the 5′ 3″ Kansas City Native, Jen Lawless, drives an ambulance for the KC Fire Department and is responding to emergencies and racing between hospitals. Her occupation is the inspiration for many of the original songs on her Saunders Street Records release. Jen appeared on our May 11th WMM.]

13. (99.) Sterling Witt – “Perfect Girl”
from: Sounds of The Future (EP) / Bright Orange Records / 2011
[Born and raised in the rural countryside of Cass County he went to school in Harrisonville. At 15, he picked up the bass guitar, and taught myself how to play a right-handed instrument upside-down, left handed. Sterling Witt joined us LIVE on April 13 on WMM for the 90.1 FM Band Auction and again on August 31st.]

14. (98.) William Saunders – “Undone”
from: Tales of Weathered Plains / Saunders Street Records / 2011
[Born in L.A. and raised in KC and Raymore, Missouri, he spent eight years in the U.S. Army and served in the first gulf war. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia he first started singing and writing. After the military, he started his business career. In the early 90’s he formed a band called “The Decadent.” After 16 years in the corporate world he discovered that he had written nearly seven hundred songs. In 2010, he left the corporate life to created Saunders Street Records and pursue a career in music, and the development of other musical artists. William Saunders played LIVE on our March 23 WMM ]

15. (97.) Jason Vivone – “Lemme Come Up For Air”
from: My Roaring Twenties / Independent / 2011
[Jason Vivone is the former Kansas City Blues Society’s International Blues Challenge solo winner. His band the Billy Bats were crowned KINGS OF THE ROOTS at the showdown at the Blue Note in Columbia, Missouri. In an annual event held by the Missouri Lottery and the Roots and BBQ fest, the Billy Bats beat out three other bands with their soulful, energetic live show. In January, Jason Vivone’s new solo CD “MY ROARING TWENTIES” was released to acclaim and terrific on-line sales. In March the new line up of the Billy Bats opened for Fishbone and also performed at the SXSW Festival in Austin. Jason Vivone performed LIVE on our Nov. 2 show.]

11:00

16. (96.) They Might Be Giants – “Judy Is Your Vietnam”
from: Join Us / Idlewild Recordings / July 19, 2011
[15th studio album and the first non-children’s album from the band since “The Else” in 2007. They Might Be Giants played Beaumont Club on Oct. 14.]

17. (95.) Brian Eno – “Glitch”
from: Drums Between The Bells / Opal – Warp Records / July 5, 2011
[40 years in music as a glam rocker, Ambient pioneer, producer, multimedia artist, technological translator, world beat drum-beater, and self-described non-musician. In the early years of Roxy Music, he set up a sound table off stage and turn knobs to create textures and echos. ]

18. (94.) Yuck – “Get Away”
from: Yuck / Fat Possum Records / Feb. 15, 2011
[Indie rock from London, England. Critics have compared their self-titled debut album to Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth.]

19. (93.) Jenny Carr – “tease”
from: Maybe Definitely Really For Sure / Independent / Dec, 2010
[Missouri native, Jenny Carr has fronted the KC band the Waiting List and played bass for indie-rock bands: Anvil Chorus and Lights & Siren. She lists her influences as: The Beatles, The Kinks, Joni Mitchell, Elliott Smith and The Cranberries.]

11:15

20. (92.) St. Vincent – “Cruel”
from: Strange Mercy / 4AD / September 13 , 2011
[Manhattan based Annie Clark’s 11-song follow up to her critically acclaimed release “Actor” from 2009. Strange Mercy was recorded in Dallas, TX. St. Vincent played Lawrence, KS on October 7.]

21. (91.) Robert Ellis – “Comin’ Home”
from: Photographs / New West / July 5, 2011
[The New York Times writes that Robert Ellis is “Equally inspired by Jackson Browne and George Jones.” Based in Houston, Texas, the 22-year old, singer songwriter was first brought our attention by our Artist Joey Grimm, KCAI graduate from 2010, (now doing graduate work in Delaware) who played him on WMM back on August 10. Joey had just seen him live in Texas.]

22. (90.) Tom Russell – “Furious Love (For Liz)”
from: Mesabi / Shout! Factory Records / September 5, 2011
[Identified with the Texas Country music tradition, his music also includes elements of folk, Tex-Mex, and cowboy music of the American West. Mesabi includes songs about Bob Dylan, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards, Jimmy Driscoll and Sterling Hayden. Furious Love (For Liz)” was the last song written for Mesabi. Following the recent death of Elizabeth Taylor, Russell says, “I married a Swiss lady and we have a place in Switzerland in the Alps, and Liz Taylor had a chalet right down the street. Then I found out she lived for a short while in a penthouse in El Paso, with her first husband, Nicky Hilton. That overlooks Juarez, Mexico, and I thought, I’d write a waltz about Liz looking out on Juarez.” Tom Russell played Knuckleheads on October 6, 2011.]

11:27 – Underwriting

11:28

23. (89.) Stephin Merritt – “The Sun and the Sea and the Sky”
from: Obscurities / Merge Records / August 30, 2011
[In 1999, The Magnetic Fields’ three-CD collection 69 Love Songs established Stephin Merritt as one of this generation’s most talented songwriters. The LA Times called Merritt, “one of indie-rock’s most acclaimed figures.” “The Sun and the Sea and the Sky,” could be considered the 70th love song. Stephin Merritt writes that “this song didn’t go on 69 Love Songs because it wasn’t actually about romantic love. Now it sounds like a Germanic hymn to nature, as directed by Leni Riefenstahl.” This previously unreleased track is part of Stephin Merritt’s latest release, Obscurities, in his return to Merge Records, a collection of Merritt’s hard-to-find recordings dating back to his time on Merge (1994 1999) and prior, as well as 5 previously unreleased tracks. Pitchfork reports The Magnetic Fields will be releasing a new album on Merge in early 2012.]

24. (88.) Raphael Saadiq – “Stone Rollin’”
from: Stone Rollin’ / Sony / May 10, 2011
[born Charles Ray Wiggins in Oakland, California on May 14, 1966, Saadiq has been representing “old school” R&B since his early days as a member of the group Tony! Toni! Toné! He’s produced songs for TLC, Joss Stone, D’Angelo, Mary J. Blige, and John Legend. For his 4th studio album he pushed beyond the “classic soul revival” with more rock-inspiring funk, Chess Records-blues, and the more expansive orchestral sound of post-Detroit Motown and 1970s Philadelphia sound.]

25. (87.) Cadillac Fambe’ – “Devil’s Branch”
from: Eli’s Porch / Independent / July 29, 2011
[KC based band dedicated to pushing the envelope and blending various styles to create a new class of blues. The band will be featured at Murder Ballad Ball of 2011, a Benefit for the Midwest Music Foundation, Fri, Dec 9, 6 to 2:00 AM, at The Riot Room, 4048 Broadway, KCMO also appearing: American Catastrophe, Rural Grit All Stars, Tommy Donoho, Bob & Diana Suckiel, Sons of Great Dane, Cody Wyoming, Tony Ladesich, The Delighted, and others.]

26. (86.) Mountain Man – “Animal Tracks”
from: Live At The Wiltern / Partisan Records / July 5, 2011
[Molly Erin Sarle, Alexandra Sauser-Monnig and Amelia Randall Meath met at Bennington College, in the small town of Bennington, Vermont. This fall the trio toured with Feist.]

11:45

27. (85.) Neon Indian – “Polish Girl”
from: Era Extrana / Mom + Pop / September 13, 2011
[Recorded in Helsinki, Finland during the winter of 2010, Era Extraña translates: “Strange Era.” Neon Indian is an indie electronic band from Denton, Texas from Mexican-born composer by Alan Palomo who was born in Monterrey, Mexico in 1988 and moved to San Antonio, Texas at the age of 5, relocating to Denton, Texas for college. Neon Indian played The Record Bar on October 11 tour with Com Truise and Purity Ring.]

28. (84.) Com Truise – “Futureworld”
from: Galactic Melt / Ghostly / July 2011
[Com Truise, is New Jersey based designer and musician named Seth Haley, who said he envisioned this record as a “sort of film score…from the mind,” chronicling the life and death of Com Truise, the world’s first robotic astronaut, from his creation and life on Earth to his subsequent mission to a newly discovered galaxy called “Wave 1.”]

29. (83.) Prefuse 73 – “The Only Recycled Intro”
from: The Only She Chapters / Warp Records / April 25, 2011
[Guillermo Scott Herren was born in Miami, Florida and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. His father is Catalan and his mother is Irish and Cuban. At an early age his parents encouraged him to play piano and other instruments; his mother “forced” Herren to play a wide variety of instruments, even going so far as to teach him the Suzuki Method in order to “keep him out of trouble”. Growing up, Herren’s musical tastes branched out and he became interested in hip-hop, punk rock, and electronic music]

30. (82.) Molly Picture Club – “Satellites”
from: four on the floor [EP] / Independent / late 2010
[Kansas City Based band featuring: Aniko Adany- vocals, synths, keys, omnichord, Matthew Hayden- drums, drum sequencing, and Michael Tipton- vocals, guitar, bass.]

31. Owen/Cox Dance Group & The People’s Liberation Big Band – “Spanish Dance”
from: The Nutcracker & The Mouse King / TZIGANE / December 2011
[Owen/Cox Dance Group Presents: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King featuring: Fifteen musicians of the People’s Liberation Big Band, horn sculptor Mark Southerland, artist Peregrine Honig, and students from the Paseo Academy of the Performing Arts as well as the award-winning choreography of Jennifer Owen. Performances: Friday & Saturday, December 9 & 10 at 8:00 PM, Sunday, December 11, at 2:00 PM. Friday & Saturday December 16 & 17, at 8:00 PM, Sunday, December 18, at 2:00 PM at The City Stage in Union Station, 30 West Pershing Rd Kansas City, MO. Tickets: $20 per person, $15 for students, seniors, and groups of 15 or more, $10 for children, ages 12 and under. Tickets & Information: http://www.unionstation.org/Nutcracker%5D

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

Sources for notes: artist’s websites, wikipedia.org

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

Wednesday, December 14 we continue with part-2, of our 4-week special: The 111 Best Recordings of 2011

Show # 398

WMM Playlist from November 23, 2011

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, November 23, 2011:

Marion Merritt’s Musical Discoveries!

Marion Merritt

Marion Merritt is the creator of the blog: a2-m3.com. This valuable site gives visitors a wealth of information on new CD, Vinyl, and DVD releases. Marion also shares the latest news on: Theatres, Bookstores, and Art Galleries. The site features links, downloads, and articles to keep us current with all the latest releases and arts news.

1. Billy Preston – “That’s The Way God Planned It”
from: Concert For Bangladesh / Capitol – Sony Records / 1971 – Reissued 2005

2. George Harrison – “Living In The Material World”
from: Living In The Material World / Capitol / 1973

3. David Lynch – “Pinky’s Dream”
from: Crazy Clown Time / PIAS / 2011

4. David Lynch – “Crazy Clown Time”
from: Crazy Clown Time / PIAS / 2011

5. Atlas Sound – “Terra Incognita”
from: Parallax / 4 AD / 2011

6. Atlas Sound – “Wire Brush Stomp”
from: Bedroom Databank / Atlas Sound / 2010

7. Colleen Green – “Rabid Love”
from: Cujo / Art Fag / 2011

8. Yelle – “A cause des garcons”
from: Pop Up / Source Records / 2007

9. Grand Ole Party – “All Night”
from: Under Our Skin / DH Records / 2011

11:00

10. David Bowie – “Heart’s Filthy Lesson”
from: Outside / Virgin Records / 1995
[Co-Produced with Brian Eno]

11. David Bowie – “Never Get Old”
from: Reality / Columbia Records / 2003
[Bowie’s last studio album.]

12. Dirty Beaches – “Badlands”
from: Lord Knows Best / Zoo Music / 2011

13. Piers Faccini – “Where Angels Fly”
from: Streets of London [EP] / Everloving / 2006

14. Miles Davis Quintet – “The Theme”
from: Miles Davis Quintet – Live in Europe / Sony Legacy / 2011

15. Miles Davis Quintet – “Footprints”
from: Miles Davis Quintet – Live in Europe / Sony Legacy / 2011

16. Amen Dunes – “By The Bridal”
from: Dia / Locust / 2009

17. Amen Dunes – “Christopher”
from: Through Donkey Jaw / Sacred Bones / 2011

18. SunGodSuns – “Minors Into Fire”
from: Over The Counter Culture / Up & Above / 2005

19. Speech – “Esmerelda”
from: The Vagabond / Bluhanmoch Music / 2005

20. Hype Williams – “Businessline”
from: One Nation / Hippos In Tanks / 2011

11:59:30

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

Show # 396