52 Songs #13

This week: Mark Knopfler, Wild Theme, from the soundtrack lp Local Hero, released in 1983.

I was thinking about the movie Local Hero the other day and I remembered how wonderful Mark Knopfler's soundtrack is. If you haven't seen the movie, I don't think I can explain how sweet and quirky it is, or how you can fall in love with Scotland via Peter Riegert. But the music is the thing that ties it all together, and captures the longing for a magical place you passed through once in your life. Wow, that's pretty sappy! But listen to this and you'll know what I mean. Knopfler's guitar playing is, of course, stellar.

For the record, I went to Spanish City because it was mentioned in a Dire Straits song.





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52 Songs #12 - Dukes of the Stratosphear, Pale and Precious

This week: Dukes of the the Stratosphear, Pale and Precious, from the lp Psonic Psunspot , released in 1987.


Do you know about the Dukes of the Stratosphear? No? OK, go here and read this.

I had been an XTC fans for a long time and was thrilled when they released this stuff; we played the records - RECORDS, cos they were only released as lps at first - in the record store all the time. Each track is such a deft homeage/parody/infusion of specific bands and sounds of the 1960s - you can spend hours figuring out where certain hooks and vocal lines came from. But I've picked the most obvious example: this is pure Beach Boys, and just as good as the original. Andy Partridge has such a lovely voice on this track - sweet and honest without being overly respectful. Things really get moving at about the 2:30 mark. And there's a theramin (I think).




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52 Songs #11 - Shaggy, Oh Carolina

This week: Shaggy, Oh Carolina, released in 1993.

I think I heard Oh Carolina on the radio while I was still in grad school at UC Berkeley and I was instantly hooked by the dance-hall echoey mix and the shambling beat. I hadn't listened to new music since I left the record store in 1989 so I had no idea who the hell Shaggy was (and still didn't for a long time - Mr. Boombastic came out in 1995 and I don't think I heard it till it was in some commercial about 5 years ago - jesus I'm old). But I had listened to a lot of reggae and ska and Jamaican dance hall and I knew a good thing when I heard it. As with many classic songs, like Louie Louie, the lyrics are mysterious, tongue-twisting, and superbly executed. Special info: in the wiki entry on Shaggy, they describe his bullfrog voice as "sub-baritone", but he doesn't actually talk like that when he's not singing.

Anyway, I managed to track down a copy of it on cassette of British singles and listened to it a LOT in my car. And forced my friends to listen to it too. And now it's your turn.

PS. Found a nice interview where he says that homophobia is stupid. Yay!



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52 Songs #10 - Bowling for Soup, Today Is Gonna Be a Great Day

This week: Bowling for Soup, Today Is Gonna Be a Great Day (Theme Song) from the LP Phineas and Ferb, released in 2009.

OK, so you know I'm a freak for Phineas and Ferb - and honestly, who isn't? If you've seen it, you know that it's the most awesome cartoon on television right now. Part of its appeal is the music, as they have a new song (sometimes two) every week, in addition to the kick-ass theme song and a few other recurring tunes. I don't think I'd ever heard anything by Bowling for Soup - well, not on purpose, anyway - but I love this song, especially in this full version. It reminds me of a less-cynical Green Day (or maybe even Cheap Trick) - same power pop chords and major harmonies, and really fun lyrics. And who could disagree with the sentiment? Seize the day and make this the best day ever!

PS. The rest of the soundtrack is great too. Squirrels in my pants!



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Show #86 - Nov 8

Show 86 on MP3

Stan Lee is on Twitter!
Buy the Mayerson CD
Nightlife by Dale Lazarov and Bastian Jonsson
Was Superman a Spy? by Brian Cronin
Low Moon by Jason
Watchmen movie review


You can still check out the Watchmen Motion Comics here (all uploaded), and now Under the Hood!

A proud member of the Comics Podcasts Network!

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This podcast is sponsored by Comic Relief, the best comics store ever, and the Lincoln Heights Literary Society - Ontology On the Go!

Music, as always by Ginger Mayerson


Real superheroes don't wear high heels.

Erotique #1 Now On Sale

Special price: $4.50 until December 1, 2009 when it will be $6.50. 10% discount code: E8D4M32G

Cover by Karl Christain Krumpholz

Erotica by Allison Yates, Lene Taylor, Frek Skolnik, Amy Throck*-Smythe, and Karmen Ghia

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Hey, that's my name! I've got a cute little story in here called "Oh, Margaret". Check it out, and all the other wonderful smut!

52 Songs #9: The Scofflaws - William Shatner

This week: The Scofflaws, William Shatner (live version) from the LP Live! Vol 1, released in 1996. This track is NSFW!

I can't remember where I heard it, but it's true: Ska is reggae played fast by white people. The Scofflaws were/are an East Coast ska band who had their heyday in the mid-80s and early 1990s. I wonder if I ever saw them live during my days at the record store - certainly I saw the Toasters, another ska band in which some of their members played. Their records are good but the live stuff is so much better, as you can tell by this recording of the CLASSIC song about Bill. We've used this song on the Look At His Butt podcast many times (and also in our live show). It should totally be Bill's theme music, and it should play whenever he walks into the room.

The Scofflaws are still playing live, apparently. I've love to let them know how much we dig this song, and make sure it's OK that we keep playing it on the show. He IS the sexiest fuckin' skinhead in the galaxy!



Come back next Monday for another of the 52 songs!