Would it surprise anyone to hear how much I’m enjoying JUST DJing the blog and having free reign to program TVD Radio without the encumbrances of a playlist?
Unlike corporate radio beholden to a genre or theme, it’s really quite liberating go beyond the tired box of records that fit any (often my) self-imposed restrictions for the TVD week or theme at hand. And I think it’s a lesson the corporate suits might want to heed if they’re to ever draw back the listenership that’s abandoned the dial long ago.
What to do with all of those email alerts we get that we simply can’t do justice throughout the week? Why, it’s condense them right here in our now monthly bulletin board, ‘plugs.’
This wonderwall of events info is yours to scrawl upon no matter where you’re reading TVD. Have something we should be hearing, reading, or attending? Let us know each week, right here in the comments box to this post. And keep checking back to see who’s clued you into what. Or where. And when.
Aussies The Drones sweep into town Saturday night, hot on the heels of their new ATP release ‘Havilah,’ as openers for DC’s very own hot ticket, Deleted Scenes—and at the last minute your pals here at TVD have come up with an extra pair of tickets to give away for what’s certain to be One. Hot. Show.
But there’s no time to waste on this one. The show’s Saturday night and you have 24 hours to jump up and down and get our attention in the comments to win the tickets. Shiny beads, interesting bits of stone, cookies, and attractive headgear may be considered—but we’re really looking for you to drone on and state your case.
We’ll choose a winner by 5PM on Friday and remember to leave us your email address so we can hook you up. Now, …go!
“Serious, give these fuckers time and they’ll rip out your eardrums, perhaps even your heart.” —Pitchfork
“There’s no shortage of rough-edged rock music out there, but most of it stops short of the next-level sort of workmanship found with The Drones.” —Tiny Mix Tapes
The Breeders have announced that they are pushing up the release date of a new four-song EP to celebrate Record Store Day.
‘Fate To Fatal’ is due out in the US on April 18 as part of the day that celebrates the unique culture surrounding the more than 700 independently owned record stores across the US and hundreds of similar stores internationally.
The EP will be released as a digital download and as a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl EP, with artwork hand-screened by Kim and Kelley Deal. The track ‘The Last Time’ features guest vocals by Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees fame. (Via NME)
…an open plea this morning for some needed assistance on converting cassettes into Mp3 files, because I’ve got some of my old radio shows from the ‘80’s that are most likely: hilarious.
Meanwhile, it’s 11:13 on a rainy Thursday morning here in the District. You’re listening to TVD On The Radio. Here’s the first single off the new—yes, new—Blow Monkeys record, ‘Devil’s Tavern,’ —‘The Bullet Train…’
…and it’s classic FM radio rock this week with the 180-gram vinyl re-release of ZZ Top’s Classic ‘Fandango’—equal Texas-sized helpings of live tracks and studio cuts featuring the AOR staple, ‘Tush.” And if you’re looking to deck out your deck, we’ve got two limited-edition, promotional Led Zeppelin Record Mats to send you as well!
You know the drill by now, right? Grab our attention in the comments (WITH your email address–important!) gushing over TVD’s Record Store Day Vinyl Giveaway Week #9 to set yourself up to win both of these classic rock gems. (Or, you can comment and forward your email address in an email to us. We’re not picky.) And remember – each entry into our vinyl contest is an automatic entry to win the Stanton T.90 USB turntable on Record Store Day 2009!
Just make it funny. Or make it smart. About record stores. Or Record Store Day. Or vinyl. About us or you. Or something else all together. Just make it before next Monday (3/30) when we’ll choose our winner. (AND launch giveaway #10 of 11–where does the time go…?)
Last week we had not one but two First Dates for your Wednesday, and this week we’ve got our first Double Date as we sit down with both LA’s Eulogies and DC’s very own Middle Distance Runner. (We did mention last week just how irresistible we are, right?)
Even more irresistible is their combined tour this Spring which stops in our area this Saturday night (3/28) over the bridge at Iota. TVD had a chance to catch up with both bands last week and not at all surprisingly found that they too …are digging on the vinyl.
“i’m not a vinyl junkie, but if i didn’t have my vinyl collection i might start using heroin. vinyl for me represents the deepness and grit, the heartache and triumphs of music and the music industry. put on a hendrix or dylan or clash record and you’re experiencing it the same way the artist did when it was first recorded and released, the way it’s meant to be heard. the old mono recordings are brilliant, too in the way they build a soundscape with one channel. listening to new music on new vinyl is just as great, because it adds a bit of physical reality to digital music. even if it was recorded in a computer, the fact that the music is actually sitting there in those grooves means something energetically and spiritually. also the simple act of putting the needle to the resin (wow that sounds illegal) is a time-honored, ritualistic phenomenon. -Peter Walker, Eulogies
“Vinyl is something we’ve wanted to have since we started making music. Since I first heard my mom’s vinyl collection, I was amazed at how different the experience of listening to music is on vinyl, rather than digital formats. I couldn’t believe that the oldies I knew from the radio actually sounded like that to people for years and years before tape and digital. The idea of our music being given that same treatment was always alluring. When we decided that “The Unbeliever” and “The Wrong Hole” would be the two songs on the 7″ vinyl, we knew they’d come across great, as one is a 60s-garage sounding song, and the other is borderline soul. When we got the vinyls in the mail, we were thrilled to find that they had that extra factor that made our parents’ records sound mysterious and far-away. These songs that we’d heard a million times in the studio sounded brand new. I can’t encourage young musicians enough to get at least one release on vinyl.” -Stephen Kilroy, Middle Distance Runner
If there’s one RSD09 vinyl exclusive that’s been met with wide applause here at TVD HQ, it’s this little gem that came in today:
“2009 marks the 50th Anniversary of Berry Gordy’s legendary Motown records. Motown made its mark not just on the music industry, but society at large, with a sound that became one of the most significant global musical accomplishments and stunning success stories of the 20th century. The independent record store has played a significant role in Motown’s success, and we are proud to make nine landmark LPs available to all the independent stores for an exclusive three week window! These premium audiophile vinyl reissues are pressed on heavyweight 180-gram vinyl in all the original packaging.”
The list of nine Motown premium audiophile reissues are: Stevie Wonder “Songs in The Key Of Life” | Jackson 5 “ABC” | The Supremes “I Hear A Symphony” | Rick James “Street Songs” | The Temptations “Cloud Nine” | Smokey Robinson “A Quiet Storm” | Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “United” | Four Tops “Reach Out” | Diana Ross “Diana Ross”
Need any extra incentive to hit your local mom and pop record store on Record Store Day 2009? Didn’t think so–but we’ve got one.
Purchase vinyl from any of the artists shown above (and others) on RSD09 and you’ll be handed the iron-on transfer (above) for personalizing your very own tee. The images come rather large actually, just like it should be.
RSD09: Not only do they got your back, they’ve got your front too. (While supplies last!)
The White Stripes and Raconteurs’ main man, Jack White has a new thing going on. It’s called The Dead Weather, and it makes its debut in the marketplace on April 18th, 2009, Record Store Day.
The Dead Weather’s first two songs, “Hang You Up From The Heavens” and a brilliant cover of Gary Numan’s “Are Friends Electric?” will be back-to-back on 7” vinyl to be exclusively released for the event.
The band, that sees White actually opting for the drum kit over the guitar this time, is fronted by the Kills’ Alison Mosshart along with Queens Of The Stone Age’s Dean Fertita on guitar and the Raconteurs’ Jack Lawrence on bass, had their first gig a few weeks back at a small club in Nashville, where White also unveiled his new label, Third Man Records.
“Psychopathy Red,” the first new track from Slayer since 2006’s thrashterpiece Christ Illusion, will be available as a 7-inch vinyl disc beginning Saturday, April 18, 2009 as part of the second annual Record Store Day. Only 5,000 of these limited edition discs will be manufactured worldwide, and will be available exclusively at participating independent record stores.
The blood-red vinyl “Psychopathy Red” 7-inch collectors item will be packaged in a special Russian crime scene “evidence envelope,” as the song was inspired by the heinous Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, aka the Rostov Ripper, who confessed to brutally murdering 56 children. The song was recorded by the band – guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, and drummer Dave Lombardo – in a Los Angeles recording studio last October.
Know what I still do each morning to start the day? I turn on the radio like I’ve done for a million years. But over time, radio’s come to turn me off. Where once the staple of the sunrise was the sweet, sweet sound of SOMEthing musical, it’s all news and talk radio for me now.
And it’s not because I’ve abandoned the music stations—they’ve abandoned me. And yes, I have Sirius/XM radio, but aside from Little Steven’s truly inspired garage rock show—the rest of the stuff is the same ol’ box of records–just sorted a bit differently.
I’ve also felt quite often that this blog endeavor was a bit like radio DJing like I did back in my college days. Log into Blogger/switch on the mike—and we’re live.
Well, sit back. Relax. Let me program your radio for a week. Or more.
The gist: Vinyl is making a comeback. Speakers from the pressing plant to the record shop discuss how they cater to the crate diggers and casual fans.
The panelists: Moderator: John Kunz, owner, Waterloo Records; Douglas Hanners, owner, Austin Record Convention; Jay Millar, marketing director, United Record Pressing; Monti Olson, senior vice president, Universal Music Publishing /Interscope; Mason Williams, director A&R, Rhino Entertainment; Sandy Bitman, owner Park Avenue record shop, Orlando.
The lowdown: According to Jay Miller of United Record Pressing, the plant has been producing vinyl since 1949. “Vinyl was king,” he says, “but it died off in the 1990s. I wasn’t even purchasing vinyl back then. It was mostly dance and hip hop DJs buying 12” records, and for a decade that’s what kept us afloat. But the rise of digital has led to a resurgence. As soon as I got my first iPod I was looking at my walls and walls of CDs and didn’t want to let go of all that artwork and those liner notes. And that’s exactly what I liked about vinyl, so I started selling my CDs and putting the money back into vinyl. People wanting artwork are turning to vinyl.”
Sandy Bitman, owner of Park Avenue record shop in Orlando, says for DJs, the 12” is all but dead. “They don’t come into our store any more. Instead it’s people wanting to buy LPs. It’s fun to watch kids of 15 or 16 competing with guys in their 50s and 60s to flip through the vinyl and get to the next letter.
Monti Olson of Universal Music says if consumers are going to spend 30 to 50 dollars on a record they demand a piece of art. “They’ll ask questions before buying a record, like ‘does it come with the original poster’, ‘is it a gatefold’, etc. Artwork is increasingly important to the audiophile market … there’s a social issue with playing vinyl. With an iPod you can’t really have a friend over to listen to music, but with an LP you can put it on, look at the sleeve. And I think we’re going to see more of that.” (By Alex Hannaford/austin360.com.)
Our good friend Leerone returns to TVD and this time she’s down at the SXSW Music Festival bathing in the warm glow that is creative musical expression. We’ve asked her, in between the music and the festival and the long, long evenings, to send us some thoughts and impressions on what she’s seen go down. Her first dispatch from the festival arrives this very morning:
St. Vincent @ Presbyterian Church Annie Clark of Saint Vincent is not apologetic and I like that. She performed at the Presbyterian Church- the acoustics were gorgeous! She is a sick guitarist. Her voice is deliciously sweet… Definitely a fantastic performer.
Cesi Bastida @ Flamingo Cesi Bastida, a Latin indie artist from Tijuana, performed at Flamingo last night. She sings in Spanish, dances and plays an array of instruments including the melodica and a tom (drum). She’s pretty darn amiable! The band was very tight and looked like they were having the best time (that’s always a pleasure to witness). I heard quite a few people in the crowd saying “Te Llamó” and in addition to professing their love, the audience was jumping and dancing. Her energy is contagious, uplifting and fun.
Would it surprise anyone to hear how much I’m enjoying JUST DJing the blog and having free reign to program TVD Radio without the encumbrances of a playlist? 
