the finest kiss

My singles collection, Vol. 14

McTells - Break Up 7″ (Vinyl Japan)

The McTells were a UK band that released most of their music on slabs of 7″ vinyl. Vinyl Japan compiled a whole bunch of those records onto a CD called What Happens Next and the band actually did release two alums titled Cut Up and Smash Up. This single came out at, or near the end or the bands career back in 1994. Of all their records, I think that this was my favorite. It was just the right amount of McTells, four songs, 2 on each side. They were as catchy as the band had every wrote and it did what a single is supposed to do, leave you wanting more. The needle on my record player usually stayed on side A of this single with the one two of Clearly and C without I ringing out in my bedroom as long as I had the energy to get up and put the needle back to the beginning.

Half the stuff in my collection I can barely remember where I got it, but this single was purchased on a trip to Boston at Newbury Comics in Cambridge. It got a lot of play from me and a few others on my grad school college radio station, WCDB, Albany. Sorry about the scratches, but that’s the way it goes. It seems like most of the singles that came out on back in the 90’s were on low grade wax, plus when you try to fit two songs on a side, the sound quality tends to go down as well. This was also released on cd single, so someone out there likely has a better copy of this stuff.

Side A 1 mp3: Clearly
Side A 2 mp3: C without I

Side B 1 mp3: Jump Start
Side B 2 mp3: Let You Back

My College radio station u92 turns 25 this year, and this past weekend was the birthday party. So I made the trip back to Morgantown, WV for the birthday/reunion weekend. U92 is an excellent college radio station that not only plays cool music, but it’s sports, news, promotions, production and specialty shows are great as well.  I think probably most of us that worked there didn’t go on to radio/entertainment jobs, but those that did have been successful because what they learned at U92.  The rest of us are music obsessed geeks and misfits or just regular people with a thing for radio. And those of us that fall into that category, even learned a few things doing college radio. 

So it was a blast to see old friends, party it up, bowl a few games, see some bands, and get back on the air.  It was like I never left, and it went by way too fast.  Air-shifts were short, to get as many of us on a possible. So I had an hour to reminisce on the air, by playing old favorites.  Here’s the playlist from my shift:

Nick Lowe - So It Goes
Railway Children - A Gentle Sound
Sebadoh - The Freed Pig
Ian Dury and the Blockheads - Reasons to be Cheerful, pt. 3
Kirsty MaColl - The End of a Perfect Day
Stereolab - The Seeming and the Meaning
The Saints - I’m Stranded
The Fall - I’m Into CB
Cud - Sometimes Rightly, Sometimes Wrongly
John Cooper Clark - I Don’t Wanna be Nice
Camper Van Beethoven - Take the Skinheads Bowling
Wedding Present - Suck
Brian Eno - Burning Airlines Give You So Much More
Prefab Sprout - Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone)
The Swirlies - Chris R

You don’t have to take my word for it about how great u92 is.  The folks at CMJ have nominated if for CMJ Station of the Year this year.  It’s up against some heavy hitters including Seattle’s KEXP.  Since it is an award for College Radion Station of the year, it would be great if a real college radion station won the award.  If you’re attending CMJ this year you can vote for WWVU!

mp3: The Chameleons - Nostalgia 

Thanks to Bill for the photo.  Bill also did a shift, which you can check out the details of over at his blob Sound Bites.

 I Would go back to college in a heartbeat, well at least back to the idea of college.  With finals in two weeks, I don’t really pine for that feeling of dread.  It was a total blast being able to go back for a 3 hour shift on my college radio station U92!  Since I’m an alumni, they humored me by letting me play whatever I wanted.  I probably could have planned what I played a little better, but going on impulse, was a lot of fun.  Here’s the jumble of songs that were heard:

Hour 1 
Orange Juice - What Presence?
Jarvis Cocker - From Auschwitz to Ipswich
Pelle Carlberg - I Love you, you Imbecile
Gruf Rhys - Skylon
Afraid of Stairs - Let Me
Ride - Like a Daydream
Pastels - Truck Train Tractor
Rakes - Trouble
That Petrol Emotion - Genius Move
Richard Swift - Kisses for the Misses

Hour 2

Schwa - Saccharin Glue
Divine Comedy - The Pop Singer’s Fear of the Pollen Count
Jacques Dutronc - Les Cactus
Katerine - Le Train de 19h
DiMaggio - Nova Mars
Fine Arts Showcase - Danish Light
Moose - I Wanted to See You, To See if You Wanted Me
Boat - Remember the Romans
Lucksmiths - A Little Athletics
Euros Childs - Henry A Matilda Supermarket Super
Lucy Show - A Million Things
Ryan McPhun & the Ruby Suns - My 10 Years on Auto-Pilot
Julian Cope - Out of my Mind on Speed and Dope
The Jazz Butcher - The Devil is My Friend
Number One Cup - Stereo

Hour 3

Swervedriver - The Other Jesus
Long Blonds - Lust in the Movies
House of Love - Shine On
Monkey Swallows the Universe - Jimmy Down the Well
Wombats - My First Wedding
Stevie Wonder - You Haven’t Done Nothin’
Shortwave Set - Is It Any Wonder
Sibiria - Jug Minns Bara Nar Du Plagade Mig
Superfriendz - Karate Man
Sondre Lerche - Airport, Taxi, Reception
Magick Heads - Standing at the Edge
The Rifles - Peace and Quiet
Shout out Louds - the Comeback
The Triffids - The Seabirds
Darren Hanlen - Couch Surfing

In the shameless self promotion department, you can catch me on the air this Friday from 12-3 pm eastern time on my old college radio station U92.  You can listen on line by going to the station’s website and clicking on Listen Live, or if you’re in Morgantown you can tune into 91.7.  This is one of the best perks about being an alumni, I can call up and ask to do a show and voila, I’m given a slot.  I brought a bunch of stuff to play as well as having the vast U92 library at my disposal…Can’t wait!

My 7″ Single Collection: Vol. 5

Back in the mid 90’s 7″ vinyl ruled. We played a ton of 7″ singles at my college radio station . A lot of the stuff I was into back then was usually influenced by My Bloody Valentine or some derivative of them. This split 7″ is no exception. Postal could have been Velocity Girl if you didn’t know any better. They recorded at least one other single, which I’ll get around to posting eventually. #Poundsign# were a bit more prolific, putting out a couple full length cd’s. This record was put out by the short lived No-Life label. No-Life was not only a label but a record store in LA.
I remember visiting the store on a trip out to LA in ‘96 or ‘97. I knew the owners, because they also did radio promotion not only for their stuff, but also for other indie and major labels. The store was right across the street from the very cool Fromosa. So on my visit, after I dropped a bunch of $$ on records and cd’s we went over to the Fromosa for some drinks.

Anyway this is one of the records that we played at WCDB and then I later bought from No-Life. Here are both songs in all of their snap, crackle and pop! excellence.

Postal - Dizzy mp3

#Poundsign# - Disaster mp3