The showgram before the storm

I entered the station Wednesday evening when it was balmy and hot and drove home after my showgram in a deluge and high winds. Do I get paid enough for this? Of course -- I get to keep doing the showgram on MSE! Here are this week's new tracks and the 80s at 8:30 track list.

6 pm hour

The Kills -- Baby Says
Battles -- Ice Cream
Those Darlins -- $
Man Man -- Spooky & Jookie
Panda Bear -- Last Night at the Jetty

Recurrent (4-12 months old)
Tapes n Tapes -- Freak Out

7 pm hour

Times New Viking -- Ways to Go
John Doe and Jill Sobule -- Never Enough
Dengue Fever -- Cement Slippers
Sebedoh -- Rebound
Howe Gelb -- Saint Conformity
Thurston Moore -- Circulation
Black Lips -- Raw Meat

Recurrent
Gil Scott Heron and Jamie xx -- Running

8 pm hour

TV on the Radio -- Caffeinated Consciousness
Felice Brothers -- Cus's Catskills Gym
Let's Wrestle -- Bad Mammaries
Fleshtones -- Bite of My Soul
Obits -- Everything Looks Better in the Sun

Recurrent
Chain and the Gang -- Why Not

80s at 8:30 with guest co-host Bunnyman

Killing Joke -- Eighties
featured artist: Red Lorry Yellow Lorry

Monkeys on Juice
Spinning Round
Chance
Last Train
Hollow Eyes
Feel a Piece

If the weather doesn't get better, we're going to revolt against the weather man. New trax/ 80s for 5-25-11

Yes, I made the "revolt" threat before I left last night and turned it over to Jason for Team Metal. We'll see if the weather man makes the right move. In the meantime here are this week's new tracks and 80's at 8:30 (singer/ songwriter/ Dylan theme)

6 pm hour

Smithereens -- Vienese Hangover
PJ Harvey -- Written on the Forehead
Felice Brothers -- Back in the Dance Halls
Kurt Vile -- Puppet to the Man
Dengue Fever -- Family Business
Polystyrene -- Code Pink Dub

7 pm

Obits -- Naked to the World
Thao & Mirah -- Rubie and Rocks
TV on the Radio -- No Future Shock
Semi Twang -- Do Right
Mountain Goats -- Estate Sale Sign
The Kills -- Nail in My Coffin
Low -- Witches
Times New Viking -- Ways to Go

8 pm

Here We Go Magic -- Backwards Time
Erland & the Carnival -- So Tired in the Morning
Meat Puppets -- Hour of the Idiot
Those Darlins -- $
Feelies -- Time is Right

The 80s at 8:30 (singer/ songwriter -- and Dylan -- theme in honor of his 70th birthday)

Cindy Lee Berryhill -- Ballad of a Garage Band
Lucinda Williams -- I Asked for Water (He Gave Me Gasoline)
Cowboy Junkies -- I Don't Get It
Billy Bragg -- Help Save the Youth of America
John Hiatt -- Riding with the King
Bob Dylan -- Everything Is Broken
Bob Dylan -- Shot of Love

Belated (but ballyhooed) post for May 11 showgram

Blogger, which hosts these free blogs, was down Thursday night so I was not able to post. It's back tonight so here are this weeks new tracks and 80s at 8:30 .....

New stuff

6 pm hour

An Horse -- Window in the City
John Doe/ Jill Sobule -- Never Enough
Thao and Mirah -- Rubies and Rocks
TV On The Radio -- Caffeinated Consciousness
Vivian Girls -- I Heard You Say
Feelies -- When You Know
Mountain Goats - High Hawk Season
Kills -- Baby Says

7 pm hour

Those Darlins -- $
Felice Brothers -- Back in the Dance Halls
Do Dos -- Black Night
Dengue Fever -- Cement Slippers
Smithereens -- What Went Wrong
PJ Harvey -- In Dark Places
Pains of Being Pure at Heart -- Girl of 1000 Dances
Polystyrene -- Code Pink Dub

8 pm hour

Obits -- Naked to the World
Low -- Witness
Panda Bear -- Last Night at the Jetty
Times New Viking -- Ways to Go
Bass Drum of Death -- Nerve Jamming/ GB City

The 80s at 8:30
featuring the bands of Danny (Dan Stuart of Green on Red ) and Dusty (Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate)

Green on Red -- Gravity Talks
Dream Syndicate -- Tell Me When It's Over
Green on Red -- 5 Easy Pieces
Dream Syndicate -- That's What You Always Say
Green on Red -- Brave Generation
Dream Syndicate -- Bullet with My Name on It (live Chicago 1984)
Green on Red -- Sixteen Ways

Pledge drive/ ZMF/ Thanks

The WZMF tapes went over well with listeners on last night's showgram, as did the late '70s stuff and, gosh darn it, the 80s at 8:30. We raised more than $1,500. Thanks to those of you who made pledges. The identity of my 80's 'desert island discs' can now be revealed. As I said on the air, I simply went with the first three that came to mind without too much deep thinking. They are, in no particular order: The Smithereens "Especially for You," X's "Wild Gift" and the Replacements "Let It Be." I will join Richard next Wednesday night during Alt Farm Rock for the spring pledge drive. I also will make an appearance next Monday morning with Brent and Pat on the Monday morning drive time show.

ZMF (!), the late '70s, '80s keepers

By God, it must be the WMSE spring pledge drive and I must be preparing for a special showgram. I decided to play some of the cassette recording from the last night of WZMF-FM (98.3) on March 23, 1979 and other tunes from the late 70s -- the years leading up to the birth of WMSE in 1981. That will happen between 6 pm and 8:30pm Wednesday night April 27. On the '80s at 8:30 I will feature two or three "desert island discs (actually LPs)." They're only somewhat deep and not entirely surprising but you will need to tune in to get the scoop. See you then.

(John Doe) and Jill Sobule at Shank

Let me start my discussion of the John Doe/ Jill Sobule show Monday night at Shank Hall by saying Jill Sobule is a talented, appealing, smart, compelling singer/ songwriter and guitarist. Her material is strong its own right, but I was there to see John Doe and unfortunately I got about 45 percent John and 55 percent Jill. Their harmonizing and interplay was entertaining and added a nice dimension to the show. They also did several songs from their new joint CD “A Day at the Pass.” The turning point may have been about half way into the show when they asked for requests. The small audience of about 55 blurted out none for John (I inexplicably went blank despite owning many X and John Doe albums) and about a half-dozen for Jill. It was almost like John and Jill took that as a cue to do more Jill tunes. The closing song of the encore was Sobule’s 1996 hit “I Kissed a Girl.” Fun show but I would’ve liked to get more John and less Jill. I did get to chat with him for a minute after wards and he said he will be releasing a new solo disc in late summer/ early fall.

We're not gonna talk about winter (playlist 4/13/11)

Hey it was warm yesterday for my showgram. I take no responsibility for what has happened since Wednesday night. Eighties at 8:30 feature was Jonathan Richman as the leader of the 80s "wimp rock" movement. I also played Ben Vaughn. Jonathan will be in Madison May 7 at the Orpheum. He's doing the Chicago-Madison-Minneapolis I-94 tour and skipping our fair town :(

Here are this week's new tracks

6 pm hour

Dengue Fever -- Family Business
(Here is link to a video promoting their new CD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fiVpVikdc4
Mountain Goats -- High Hawk Season
The Kills -- Future Stars Slow
Vivian Girls -- Take It As It Comes
Dodos -- Black Night
TV on the Radio -- You

7 pm hour

Bass Drum of Death -- Nerve Jamming
Mike Watt -- Hammering Castle-Bird Man
Low -- Witches
Semi Twang -- Do Right
Chain and the Gang -- Detroit Music
Obits -- Everything Looks Better in the Sun
PJ Harvey -- The Glorious Land

Recurrent (4-12 months old)

Gang of Four -- I Party All the Time
Paul Weller -- Find the Torch, Burn the Plans

8 pm hour

Kurt Vile -- Puppet to the Man
Jad Fair -- All the Angels Say Go to Her (new best of)
Panda Bear -- Tomboy

The '80s at 8:30

Jonathan Richman

Fender Stratocaster
Chewing Gum Wrapper
Those Conga Drums
Dancing Late at Night
Vincent Van Gogh

Ben Vaughn

M-M-M Motor Vehicle
She's a Real Scream
I Dig Your Wig