B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU, 90.5/ SAT., 24 APRIL 2010

Portland singer/songwriter Casey Neill is currently on tour with his outfit The Norway Rats (comprising of members of The Decemberists and The Minus 5, among others). Neill & The Rats will be nesting locally, at the Arcata Playhouse (in the old Creamery Building), on Sunday evening, April 25th. There's also an excellent new album he will be peddling, Goodbye to the Rank and File.
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 9:00-11:00 PM

You Got Me Hummin’/ SAM & DAVE (’67, Doubly Dynamite)

Just One More Day/ OTIS REDDING (‘65,The Soul Album)

Raise Your Hand/ EDDIE FLOYD (’67)

If You Call/ SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS (’10, I Learned the Hard Way)*

Tenshi No Itazura/ EMY JACKSON (’66, ’09 collection, Nippon Girls)

Out in the Street/ THE SHANGRI-LA’S (’65, Myrmidoms of Melodrama)

Just to Walk That Little Girl Home/ MINK DeVILLE (’80, Le Chat Bleu)

Si Tu Disais/ FRACOIZ BREUT (’00, Vingt a Trente Mille Jours)

I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Everyday/ THE POGUES (‘85, Rum, Sodomy and the Lash)

I Wish I Was Your Mother/ MOTT THE HOOPLE (’73, Mott)

Lay and Love/ BONNIE BILLY & THE PICKET LINE (’09, Funtown)

Lapse/ BILL CALLAHAN (’10 compilation, Stroke: Songs For Chris Knox)*

How to Fight Loneliness/ WILCO (’99, Summerteeth)

When I Came to You/ CASEY NEIL (’10, Say Goodbye to the Rank and File)*

Major Leagues/ PAVEMENT (’99, Terror Twilight)

Devil Raises His Own/ FREEDY JOHNSTON (’10, Rain on the City)*

Cells/ TEENAGE FANCLUB (’05, Man-Made)

Weeping Wine/ LLOYD COLE (’91, Don’t Get Weird on Me Babe)

A Chance Counsel/ RICHARD BUCKNER (’04, Dents and Shells)

Secret Meeting/ THE NATIONAL (’05, Alligator)

8’s/ THE SAN FRANCISCO SEALS (w/ BARBARA MANNING) (’94, Nowhere)

Bring Back the Past/ ROKY ERICKSON (W/ OKKERVIL RIVER) (’10, True Love Cast Out All Evil)*

When He Comes/ HOLLY GOLIGHTLY & THE BROKEOFFS (’10, Medicine County)*

Old Fashioned/ FRIGHTENED RABBIT (’08, The Midnight Organ Fight)

I’m Gonna Change My Ways/ PETER CASE (’07, Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John)

When Saturday Comes/ THE UNDERTONES (’81, Positive Touch)

The Rest is Noise/ FIELD MUSIC (’10, Field Music (Measure))*

The Village Green Preservation Society/ THE KINKS (’68, The Village Green Preservation Society)

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU-FM, 90.5/ SAT., 17 APRIL 10

New Zealand singer/songwriter Chris Knox, who led The Tall Dwarfs in the early 1980's, then leading a solo career, suffered a stroke in June 2009. A number of New Zealand musicians/mates (such as Don McGlashan, The Bats), as well as a long, impressive list of Stateside musicians (including Bill Callahan, Portastatic, Yo La Tengo, The Mountain Goats), got together to release a compilation, Stroke: The Songs of Chris Knox (Merge Records) to help raise funds for Knox's rehabilitation. It's a excellent compilation, exhibiting the prolific and expansive songs in Knox's repetoire. On May 6, 2010, there will be benefit concert at New York's Le Poisson Rouge, featuring Jeff Magnum, Yo La Tengo, among others.
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 9:00-11:00 PM

Think / THE 5 ROYALES (’57)

Teenage Rock/ RONNIE JONES & THE CLASSMATES ('57)

Barefoot Rock/ THE BLASTERS (’80, American Music)

I’m Shakin’/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN (’60)

Come On Home/ ANNA KING (’64, Back to Soul)

If You Call/ SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS (’10 I Learned the Hard Way)*

Suki Yo Ai Shite/ MARI ATSUMI (’70, ’09 collection, Nippon Girls)

Run That Thru Your Mind/ THE FEMININE COMPLEX (’69, Livin’ Love)

Every Beat of My Heart/ JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS (’71)

Sugar Man/ RODRIGUEZ (’70, Cold Fact)

Season of the Witch/ LUNA (’96, I Shot Andy Warhol st)

Round These Walls/ THE TOKEY TONES (’10, Stroke: The Songs of Chris Knox)*

In a Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul/ THE CLEAN (’09, Mr. Pop)

Crimson Enemy/ THE BATS (’09, The Guilty Office)

In the Core of the Flame/ THE GO-BETWEENS (’86, Liberty Belle & The Black Diamond Express)

I’m Not in Love/ TALKING HEADS (’78, More Songs About Buildings and Food)

Singers Go First/ THE DANIELSON FAMILE (’01, Fetch the Compass Kids)

Doc Ellis/ THE SF SEALS (’93, Baseball Trilogy)

Past Time/ THE BASEBALL PROJECT (’08, Vol. 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails)

The Right/ LOU BARLOW (’09, Goodnight Unknown)

Insomnia/ THE MONSTER WOMEN (’04, Spacegirl Espionage)

Inside Story/ DON McGLASHAN (’10, Stroke)*

Blue Diamonds/ THE LONG WINTERS ('03, When I Pretend to Fall)

Real Live Flesh/ TuNe-YaRdS (’09, BiRd BrAiNs)

I’m an Example/ THE SLUMBER PARTY (’00, self titled)

16 Weeks/ THE IAN FAYS (’05, The Damon Lessons)

Your Head is on Fire/ BROKEN BELLS (’10, self titled)*

Yassassin/ DAVID BOWIE (’79, Lodger)

Black Tambourine/ BECK (05, Guero)

Forecast Fascist Future/ OF MONTREAL (’05, The Sunlandic Twine)

Real Men/ THE JAZZ BUTCHER (’84, A Scandal in Bohemia)

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU-FM, 90.5/ SAT., 10 APRIL 10

Relative newcomers, JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, a hard-edged Chicago band that mixes R&B, soul and garage. Check out the band's self released 2009 record, Beat of Our Own Drum. They have also played at some special gigs thrown by excellent label, The Numero Group. Hey, if those guys picked this band to play, you know this is a premier outfit.

BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 9:00-11:00 PM

Come On and Gettit (’73)/ MARION BLACK (’07 collection, Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label)

Better Things/ SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS (’10, I Learned the Hard Way)*

Love Is a Wonderful Thing/ PHILLIP ‘PRINCE’ MITCHELL ('68)

Aretha, Sing One For Me / GEORGE JACKSON (’67)

Minnie Skirt Minnie/ WILSON PICKETT ('68)

Harlem Shuffle / BOB AND EARL (’63)

Crawfish/ JOHNNY THUNDERS & PATTI PALLADIN (’88, Copy Cats)

Spanish Stroll/ MINK DEVILLE (’77, Cabretta)

Raw Ramp/ T. REX (’71, Electric Warrior)

Personality Crisis/ NEW YORK DOLLS (’73, self titled)

Killing Floor/ SNAKEHIPS (’10, Month of Sundays)*

Too Bad/ THE FACES (’71, A Nod is as Good as a Wink…To a Blind Horse)

Train Kept A-Rollin’/ THE JOHNNY BURNETTE TRIO (’56)

World Class Fad/ PAUL WESTERBERG (’93, 14 Songs)

Join My Gang/ THE LONG RYDERS (’83, 10-5-60)

Souljacker, Part 1/ THE EELS (’02, Souljacker)

Kingdom of Love/ THE SOFT BOYS (’80, Underwater Moonlight)

Got Nuffin/ SPOON (’10, Transference)*

Damaged Goods/ GANG OF FOUR (’79, Entertainment!)

Effortlessley/ FIELD MUSIC (’10, Field Music (Measure))

Use It/ THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS (’05, Twin Cinema)

Bloodbuzz Ohio/ THE NATIONAL (’10, High Violet)*

The Official Ironman Song/ GUIDED BY VOICES (’96, Under the Bushes Under the Stars)

Don’t Want You Back/ THE SIGHTS (’02, Got What You Want)

Palmcorder Yajna/ THE MOUNTAIN GOATS (’04, We Shall All Be Healed)

Let’s Pretend We’re Dead/ L7 (’92, Bricks Are Heavy)

Make It in America/ THE BEARDS (’02, Funtown)

Ode to a Black Man/ THE DIRTBOMBS (’01, Ultraglide in Black)

Baltimore is the New Brooklyn/ JC BROOKS & THE UPTOWN SOUND (’09, Beat of Our Own Drum)

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU-FM, 90.5/ SAT., 3 APRIL 10

Personally, I can't think a better way for a non-believer like myself to celebrate Jesus' death and resurrection than listen to Patti Smith - in particular to her milestone 1978 recording, Easter. Of course, Ms. Smith has a new nonfictional book title, recounting her deep relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, Just Kids, which has shot up the bestseller book lists. Sometimes, books with good taste actually break through to a wider audience. Sometimes.
THE BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 9:00-11:00 PM

I Can’t Hear It/ BETTY EVERETT (’65, ’07 collection, Goffin & King: A Gerry Goffin & Carol King Song Collection 1961-1967)

Tak dej se k nam a projdem svet/ MARTA KUBISOVA (’66, ’09 collection, Ne! The Soul of Marta Kubisova)

69 Annee Erotique/ SERGE GAINSBOURG (w/ JANE BIRKIN) (’69)

Your Love Is Mine/ HOLLY GOLIGHTLY (‘98, ’01 collection, Singles Round-Up)

Come On Over (Turn Me On)/ ISOBEL CAMPBELL & MARK LANEGAN (’08, Sunday at Devil Dirt)

Bang Bang/ NANCY SINATRA (’66, How Does That Grab You?)

Suki Sa Suki Sa/ NANA KINOMI & LEO BEATS (’68, ’09 collection, Nippon Girls)

A Place Called Home/ PJ HARVEY (’00, Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea)

Broken English (live)/ MARIANNE FAITHFULL (’90, Blazing Away)

Lord’s Prayer/ WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS (’90, Dead City Radio)

Privilege (Set Me Free)/ PATTI SMITH GROUP (’78, Easter)

Beauty and the Beast/ DAVID BOWIE (’77, Heroes)

Moby Octopad/ YO LA TENGO (’97, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One)

Divine Intervention/ MATTHEW SWEET (’91, Girlfriend)

Marquee Moon/ TELEVISION (’77, Marquee Moon)

White Devil (alternate version)/ ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (’82, Porcupine)

When You’re Away From Me/ FAVORITE SONS (’06, Down Beside Your Beauty)

Something’s Gone Wrong Again/ THE BUZZOCKS (’79, Singles Going Steady)

Got Nuffin/ SPOON (’10, Transference)

Cherry Bomb/ THE RUNAWAYS (’76, self titled)

Knockin’ On Mine/ PAUL WESTERBERG (’93, 14 Songs)

Letter to Bowie Knife/ CALEXICO (’06, Garden Ruin)

NYC/ STEVE EARLE (’79, El Corazon)

Goin’ Out West (live)/ TOM WAITS (’09, Glitter & Doom)

Problems/ THE SEX PISTOLS (’77, Never Mind the Bullocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols)

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU-FM, 90.5/ SAT., 27 MARCH 10

Unfortunately, shortly after hearing of Alex Chilton's death, I also learned of the passing of BBC DJ, Charlie Gillet. Along with the legendary John Peel, Gillet wrote books on music, as well as becoming the premier radio messenger of "World" music to the greater Western masses (at least in the UK and Western Europe). As a student in London in 1984, he literally "schooled" me to the music of The Bhundu Boys, King Sunny Ade and many other global artists who were emerging at the time. He also put together terrific compilations that were sold, distributed. Mr. Gillet you will be missed.
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 9:00-11:00 PM

I Can’t Rest/ FONTELLA BASS (’66)

I Take What I Want/ SAM & DAVE (’65)

Ride the Pony/ LEE DORSEY (’65, Ride Your Pony)

Willy Nilly/ RUFUS THOMAS (’65)

Automatic/ THE RED DEVILS (’92, King King)

10 AM Automatic/ THE BLACK KEYS (’04, Rubber Factory)

Nitroglycerine/ THE GORIES (’90, I Know You Fine, But How You Doin’?)+

Mystery Plane/ THE CRAMPS (’80, Songs the Lord Taught Us)+

Left of the Dial/ THE REPLACEMENTS (’85, Tim)+

+songs produced or assisted by Alex Chilton

All Quiet on the Eastern Front/ THE RAMONES (’81, Pleasant Dreams)

Living Well is the Best Revenge/ REM (’08, Accelerate)

Lady in the Front Row/ REDD KROSS (’93, Phaseshifter)

Bad Reputation/ JOAN JETT (’92, Bad Reputation)

Saying Goodbye/ THE MUFFS (’93, self titled)

Pleasure Seeker/ THE BOTSWANAS ('01, Fade and Your Gone)

Swing Set/ THE CUTTERS (’01, Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!)

Fire Engine/ 13 TH FLOOR ELEVATORS (’66, The Pyschedelic Sounds of)

Freed Pig/ SEBADOH (’91, III)

Ramblin’ Man/ HANK WILLIAMS (’53)

The Sounds Are Always Begging/ BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY & THE CAIRO GANG (The Wonder Show of the World)*

Under the Waves/ PSEUDOSIX (’07, self titled)

I Did My Part/ THE HELLCATS (’87, Hoodoo Train)

Bring Back the Past/ ROKY ERICKSON & OKKERVIL RIVER (’10, True Love Cast Out All Evil)*

Sharock No.1/ MIE NAKAO (’68, ’09 collection, Nippon Girls)

Leave My Kitten Alone/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN (’56)

As Long as I Have You/ DETROIT COBRAS (’07, Tied & True)

Another Girl, Another Planet/ THE ONLY ONES (’78)

Unguarded Moment/ THE CHURCH (’81, Of Skins and Hearts)

Statues & Glue/ THE SUNSHINE FIX (’04, Green Imagination)

Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’/ CRAZY ELEPHANT ('68)

Whole Wide World/ WRECKLESS ERIC (’77)

The Good Girls/ AMY RIGBY (’96, Diary of a Mod Housewife)

Brown Paper Sack/ THE REIGNING SOUND (’02, Time Bomb High School)

TV Eye/ THE STOOGES (’70, Fun House)

Bombast/ THE FALL (’85, This Nation’s Saving Grace)

*new or recent release

B.W.'s PLAYLIST/ KHSU-FM, 90.5/ SAT., 20 MARCH 10

Memphis singer/songwriter Alex Chilton, one of the founding members of the now legendary 1970's pop band, Big Star, has sailed an eccentric path, filled with subversion and mischief, often subverting his own recordings and performances. And, on occasion, as I had witnessed at a free concert in Memphis/ Overton Park Bandshell in the early 1990's, he was an incredible musician/guitar player, as well as singer/songwriter. Without saying, his penned "September Gurls" set the bar for a perfect pop song.

One easily forgets that Chilton also produced The Cramps 1980 debut, Songs The Lord Taught Us (recorded at legendary Sun Studios), and I Know You Fine, But How You Doin' by Detroit's explosive garage band, The Gories (recorded at Easley Studios in Memphis). LX, a term known by friends, also played guitar with Tav Falco's Panther Burns, as well as supporting local Memphis bands, such as the all-female rock band The Hellcats. With Alex's death (on St. Patrick's Day, no less!), who died in New Orleans at 59, coupled with the earlier death of fellow Memphis luminary, producer/musician Jim Dickinson, one might ask, with trepidation, who's next? An end of era in Memphis music lore. Rest in peace, LX, my friend.

For an honest obit, please check out former 'Mats frontman, Paul Westerberg's editorial/memorial in Saturday, 20 March 2010 edition of The New York Times. If you want to get a slice of Alex, really listen to Westerberg's lyrics in The Replacements' "Alex Chilton."

BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 9:00-11:00 PM
Feel a Whole Lot Better/ THE BYRDS (’65, Mr. Tamborine Man)
Spring Rain/ THE GO-BETWEENS (’85, Liberty Belle & The Black Diamond Express)
Rockin’ Around With You/ TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS ('76, self titled)
Long Legs/ THE MAGIC NUMBERS (’05, self titled)
Ex-Girlfriend Collection/ THE WRENS (’03, The Meadowlands)
Son of a Gun (’88)/ THE LA’S (’06, BBC in Session)
San Diego Zoo/ THE 6TH'S/ BARBARA MANNING (’95, Wasp’s Nests)

Baby Blue/ THE SF SEALS (’94, Nowhere)
Talk About the Passion/ REM (’83, Murmur)
Your Love is the Place Where I Come From/ TEENAGE FANCLUB (’97, Songs From Northern Britain)
Pieholden Suite/ WILCO (’99, Summerteeth)
I’m Waiting For the Day/ BEACH BOYS (’66, Pet Sounds)
Don’t Look Back/ THE REMAINS ('66)
Oldest Story in the World/ THE PLIMSOULS (’83, Everywhere at Once)
September Gurls/ THE BANGLES (’85, Different Light)
Thirteen (live)/ ELLIOT SMITH (live, Paris/ La Boule Noir, 3 April 2000)
Pale Blue Eyes/ THE VELVET UNDERGROUND ('69, The Velvet Underground)

*Special Tribute to Alex Chilton, 28 Dec. 1950 - 17 March 10
Neon Rainbow/ THE BOX TOPS (’67)
Free Again/ ALEX CHILTON (’75, Bach’s Bottom)
Lovely Day (demo)/ BIG STAR/ALEX CHILTON ('74, '08 collection, Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story)
Watch the Sunrise/ BIG STAR (’72, #1 Record)
Back of a Car/ BIG STAR (’74, Radio City)
Slut (T. Rundgren)/ BIG STAR (live at Lafayette’s Music Room, ’73)
Hey! Little Child/ ALEX CHILTON (’80, Like Flies on Sherbert)

Kangaroo/ BIG STAR (’75, Third/Sisters Lovers)
You and Your Sister (Country version)/ CHRIS BELL (’74, I Am the Cosmos)
Nightime/ BIG STAR (’75, Third/Sisters Lovers)
No Sex/ ALEX CHILTON (’86, No Sex ep)
Make a Little Love/ ALEX CHILTON (’87, High Priest)
Mine Exclusively/ BIG STAR (’05, In Space)
In the Street (alt mix)/ BIG STAR (’72, #1 Record)
September Gurls/ BIG STAR ('74, Radio City)

Thank You Friends/ BIG STAR (’75, Third/ Sisters Lovers)