Cody's On The Inter-Webs

We Have Moved

2011-08-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

Please redirect all your interests in our material to the following new sites:

A.C.R.O.N.Y.M., Inc.: For all bloggery and whatnot.

Blasphuphmus Radio: For all radio-related updates and posts.

Thank you for your time. We hope the future is as much fun as the past has been.

The Next Chapter

2011-06-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

You Have No Sense Of Humor

2011-05-10T10:16:00.001-07:00

This is not the first time this has happened to me.

Regularly, people tell me that they don't like my behavior or attitude. I guess I can cope with that. I am not exactly easy to get along with at times. I have extreme beliefs and points of view, and I'm extremely passionate about the things I care for. I get that. Most people are bland and uninteresting, and they take any sign of something outside their sphere of understanding to be a threat. This is why mental illness is often seen with hatred, or hostility. It telegraphs a potential for aberrant behavior that is within all of us, and shows us what can happen when all regard for social mores are thrown out the window. Most people fear it, seeing it as a disruption to the normal way of life.

To them, I say: fuck off.

Throughout my academic career, I have had one conversation, ad infinitum, with nearly every teacher: "We need to discuss your behavior in the classroom. Now, certain students have come to me, saying that they find your laughter and comments in class to be disruptive. I need to ask you to stop having a good time when you're in my class."

Fuckity bullshit, is what it is.

Admittedly, I like to laugh. This universe makes little sense, and nearly every interaction with other people is embedded with human shortcomings, moments of bizarre circumstance, the comedy of humanity trying to find its place in nature, and millions of other things that are so ridiculous and hard to make sense of. I can't help but laugh at everything. There are few things I see every day that do not make me want to laugh out loud. If you are not laughing at 90% of what happens to you on a daily basis, you are not paying attention, vapid beyond the point of value, and most likely someone with poor judgment and morals that should not have influence on the world around you, anyway. It is sad, but true. If you cannot come to terms with the fundamental absurdity of every waking minute of human life, then you do not deserve to share oxygen with the rest of us. Grow some common sense and perspective, or get the fuck out of my way.

What's worse is that this always happens in classes with jokey professors. These are the kinds of teachers that can't resist a pun, always have to comment on the course material, look for the absurd and strange in the way they lecture, and when all else fails, regularly tell jokes in class. This is like taking a kid with a Nintendo habit to a video arcade, then asking him to sit quietly in the foyer while Mom & Dad play pinball. It is not going to happen. What's worse is to imagine the scores of other people in that room with the professor, all staring blankly at this person who is giving it their all. Are they cruel? Do they have no sympathy for those around them? They clearly do not feel the need to allow any joy into their lives, and what's worse, they themselves probably think they are right. How awful it is to intentionally leave a professor in the lurch like that, refusing to let them get in a moment of joy as they attempt to teach you something that you could care less about? I can't think of anything more mean-spirited.

And, of course, the passive aggressive angle is even worse. It would just be too reasonable to come up to me directly and tell me that my behavior in class is disruptive. (Which it isn't, as I'm interacting diologically with the professor's own rhetoric.) The tactic of telling the professor to tell me to shut up only creates an us-vs.-you dynamic. In every case where I've had this conversation with the professor, it has ended with, "I know this is silly. I don't mind you laughing, and I think it adds to the class. But this person feels really strongly about it, so..." You have already illustrated - to both the professor and I - that you have no real academic value in the class, and that this issue is more about asserting arbitrary power to prove that you can, rather than to actually balance a classroom that was previously on the edge of chaos.

This has happened to me more times than I can count, going back as far as I can remember. Someone got mad at me for having too much fun, at school. They were angry because I was engaging with the professor and the material. They saw my slightly unhinged behavior negotiating with reality, and they panicked. And the worst part is, this is the same kind of person who will undoubtedly be my boss at some point in the future.

Let it be said: you have no sense of humor. You are a terrible person. You fear the unknown and you have no ability to deal with the world as it truly is, or how it truly functions. You have no joy in your life, you are most likely unhappy at home, and chances are you lie to yourself daily to prevent yourself from facing any of these truths. You will continue to be a poor excuse for humanity, devoid of any real cultural value, and your passive aggressive bullshit will continue to alienate you further and further from those who may be able to help you. Eventually, you will end up sad, alone, incapable of understanding how your life brought you to this point, and undoubtedly a small person with a minuscule amount of power over something that is ultimately meaningless.

Good luck in life. I will be laughing at you, and everyone else like you, until the day I die.

Goodbye and fuck off.

13th Anniversary Broadcast!

2011-04-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

In honor of the 13th Anniversary of our first broadcast, Episode 113: ...And All That Jazz features a wide selection of jazz music to set the mood for the cocktail party that we threw from 1 - 3 PM. While you already missed the party, you can hear the audio record now at kpsu.org.

Hour 1
Hour 2

Playlist & Footnotes

New KPSU volunteer Nate joined me for the show, and on the whole it was great to have a number of the KPSU crew in the studio to help me celebrate. There are plenty of Pledge Drive shenanigans going down in the next few weeks, so keep you browser locked for some cool radio happenings.

While you're at it, check out the great performance by Crank Sturgeon and Pop Culture Rape Victim from today's episode of What's This Called?. On tour from the other Portland (by way of Montana), these guys tore up the studio in the best possible sense.

Crank Sturgeon & PCRV on What's This Called?

Radioin', Radioin', Yeah. See ya in seven.

Rites of Spring

2011-03-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for five hours of radio fun, then check out today's broadcast in the archive on KPSU. First, from Noon - 3 PM, check out the newest Blasphuphmus Radio creation.

Episode 111: The Rites of Spring

Hour 1

Hour 2

Hour 3

Then, keep your iPod locked for two hour-long re-runs from 2009:

The Sound Museum

When The Flying Saucers Attack!

It's all part of what we do best here. Enjoy!

Avatar Updates

2011-02-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

Off to the left of this here Blog, you'll find two new widgets that direct you to content on Twitter. Yes, I've finally joined the club. As it turns out, I had no real idea what Twitter was, or how it worked, and my vision of it involved kids 15 and under using it. More specifically, I misunderstood the function entirely. I knew people made posts, but I had a hard time wrapping my brain around why that was a big deal. Somehow, I had gotten the impression that there was more to it. When I signed up for an account, and started poking around, I realized it was like Facebook, only stripped down to a short Status Update. Now it makes a lot more sense.

Point being, I've actually gotten quite into using Twitter, and it has sort of become my new creative outlet at a time when I can't really invest more than a few minutes at a time. Plus, it has given me an opportunity to promote my radio going-ons, and remain quite entertained by reading a variety of other users. One revelation that I've been shocked by: the average age of Twitter users. This is a much older crowd of Inter-Web-A-Tron users, and there is a decidedly different tone and flavor to the content than I initially suspected. I entirely rescind every Twitter joke I've ever made. (Though, to be fair, I have defended it a fair amount, too.)

I do recommend looking at the KPSU search I added as a widget to the right. It gives you an overview of everything KPSU related that gets posted to Twitter. Also, check out #justgotonthebus and #bandideas, two tags I'm trying to start, as they are both things I think about quite a bit anyway. This will not replace blogging, writing, or radio in terms of things I love to do. But it is a good way to stay creative while I'm wrapping up things for my Undergraduate degree, which eats up far too much of my time.

Lastly: I will be slowly moving away from using Facebook, until I reach the point where it will be entirely for Radio / Art posts. Not only have I had a long-time love/hate relationship with FB anyway, I have come to terms with the fact that it just isn't my style. The recent hack to my account (partially my own fault) helped me realize that I just don't want to put the time into it. Everyone has to grow up sooner or later, and FB will mostly likely wind up like MySpace too, once there's something newer and hotter. So, time to start moving away from it.

I'll still be here, and in all the other usual places. And who knows, perhaps there is something else even more exciting just around the next bend. That's a guaran-tease.

RABBITS: Live!

2011-02-13T21:40:00.001-08:00

Boy, did I get lucky this week. Hogwash of Is This Music? was lucky enough to have Portland's own RABBITS come in for a live performance, to help plug their new record, Lower Forms, which comes out on Tuesday on Relapse Records. The upshot was that I got to run the sound for it. Check it out:

Is This Music? w/ RABBITS, Live!

(Featuring a live set and interview by Hogwash and Austin Rich.)

I love this band, and it was really cool to meet them, and help engineer the show. These guys are pros, all the way, and their songs totally show it. I took some pictures and a video of one song, so I'll try to get those posted soon. In the meantime, you've got this awesome performance that I'm really proud of. If you like quality metal (and I know you do), then this is the program for you.

The Future of Love: Lulu

2011-02-12T18:21:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Blasphuphmus Radio brings you a special presentation of an X Minus 1 broadcast from 1957! It's all part of that little piece of joy we like to think of as our weekly radio show. Ob-soive:

Episode 107: The Future of Love: Lulu

Hour 1

Hour 2

(Featuring the NBC classic X Minus 1, with the episode "Lulu," originally broadcast on 31 October 1957.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

We rarely consider Valentine's Day a radio-friendly holiday, but this year the combination of Sci-Fi and creepy love songs was just too irresistible to pass up. But stay tuned! Next week, DJ Will will be in the studio for a Grumpy Punk Valentine's Day show to end all Valentine's Day shows. Who says we don't care about love?

Also: those who tuned in at noon for What's This Called? also got to catch a mind-melting performance by local psyche-rockers Mangled Bohemians, who I got to run sound for. Ob-soive:

What's This Called? w/ Mangled Bohemians, LIVE!

(Featuring a live performance by Mangled Bohemians)

Playlist & Footnotes.

I also got to conduct the interview, too, which is always fun. Jimmy is a good friend, and his music only gets better with age.

That's all for this week. See ya in seven!

Live Music Downloads

2011-02-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

What's This Called?, Blasphuphmus Radio & Psychedelic Renaissance are proud to present three live performances, now available in the KPSU archive. Just another gift to our listeners, from our bandwidth to yours.

First, get your daily dose of experimental joy with a live performance by Offset Needle Radius, hosted by Ricardo Wang. Offset Needle Radius provides soundscapes composed on instruments made of bicycle parts and contact mics. While the audio is fantastic, the performance was something to be seen.

Offset Needle Radius on What's This Called?

Then, check out a live performance by Summer Twins, hosted by the Legendary Cosmic Jim! Bringing you Pop, Rock & and little bit of Surf, Summer Twins are the cure for the wintertime blues. You can't help but smile when they're on the stereo.

Episode 106: Summer Twins & Naive Thieves LIVE, w/ Cosmic Jim! (Hour 1)

Then, keep on listening for a live set by their tour mates, Naive Thieves. Taking their cues from The Velvet Underground, Freak Folk, and a host of other great rock and roll, Naive Thieves are excellent performers that have a lot of energy, and really great harmonies. Well worth your investment.

Episode 106: Summer Twins & Naive Thieves LIVE, w/ Cosmic Jim! (Hour 2)

Special thanks to Cosmic Jim for hosting the show. I've been a huge fan of his radio work for quite some time, and it was a real pleasure to see him in action.

Enjoy!

Now Available Via TwitSpace

2011-02-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

After much hemming, hawing, and making bad jokes (and then defending it for no obvious reason), we here at Blasphuphmus Radio have decided to do a test drive of this new-fangled technology known as Twitter. You can find us at the following link:

http://twitter.com/blasphuphmus

We have also decided to abandon our MyFace account. While it was fun to get started, the truth is we have not even logged into the account in many, many months, and will probably fail to update it at any point in the future. I've adjusted the links to the right to reflect these recent changes.

While I'm entirely unsure as to how TwitSpace works, I will forge blindly into the future like a galumphing Jabberwock, snicker-snacking my way through code, followers, hash tags and shortened links in an effort to squeeze even more unnecessary information into the Inter-Web-A-Tron. If, by chance, you have any recommendations for the newbie, I will gladly take them. Etiquette and protocol would be very, very welcome.

And that's a the news that's fit to blog.

Time Travel Radio Now Available In Past, Present, And Future Tense!

2011-02-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

On January 22nd, KPSU was barraged by a terrible tachyon field That caused the station to simultaneously exist in three separate time periods: 1950, 2011, and 2155. Fortunately, no one was hurt too badly, and the results have been rather intriguing. Ob-soive:

Episode 104: Traveling Through Time Part I: To The Future
Hour 1
Hour 2
Hour 3

Playlist & Footnotes

Beware The Searchers! Enjoy!

Triple Header This Saturday w/ Summer Twins & Friends!

2011-02-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

Saturday, 5 February 2011, tune in from 12 Noon to 3 PM for a special three-hour live presentation, with local & touring, and experimental & pop artists. It's all part of the kind of unique events we deliver 23/8.

First, tune in to What's This Called? with Ricardo Wang for a live performance with experimental artist Josh Baker (OffsetSound). Playing bicycles as his primary instrument, this is a first for KPSU, and should make for a great way to kick-start the show.

Then, stick around for a very special episode of Blasphuphmus Radio, as we join forces with the legendary Cosmic Jim of the Psychedelic Renaissance show, to bring you Summer Twins in conjunction with Naive Thieves! Mining the Phil Spector / Surf Pop style that has been in hot demand these days, both of these bands are hitting the road to show off their songwriting and performance chops, and are making a rare radio appearance at KPSU. Cosmic Jim will host the show, while Austin Rich will be supplying the audio, a rare meeting of the minds that should result in some amazing live rock and roll.

That's from 12 Noon - 3 PM, at 98.1 FM for those lucky few on the PSU campus, and taking over the entire planet at kpsu.org!

New Updates

2011-02-02T14:27:00.000-08:00

I just went through and cleaned house in terms of this site.

If you look to the right, under "A Sound Salvation," you'll find current, updated links for Blasphuphmus Radio on the new and improved kpsu.org. Sadly, the old links will not be updated, or maintained, and won't go anywhere in the near future. So it goes.

I should also point out that there are fewer links at this time. KPSU does not yet have RSS feeds for podcasts and other consistently-updated content, so those links do not yet exist. If you follow the link for the show, you'll find download links for all the episodes, info about the show, and a list of recent playlists. If you follow the link for me, you'll find a short bio, and another listing for both playlists and blog posts. As things change, get added, or updated, I'll post more info here.

In terms of the "Podcasts & Radio" and "Offsite" links, I eliminated many of them. A number of the shows and blogs have either been canceled, stopped posting new content over a year ago, or otherwise disappeared somehow. I eliminated about half the links that no longer work. Of course, things do fall through the cracks now and then, and I'm always on the lookout for new content and whatnot lot read and / or listen to, so send your links this way. I would appreciate it.

More changes on the way. Keep your eyes peeled for more updates.

Falling Behind

2011-02-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

The life of a DJ is not a glamorous one, and things have ground to a halt here at Blasphuphmus Radio. But fear not! kpsu.org has been revamped and revised recently, and we are about ready to get back to the regular web-presence that we have come to know and love in the recent past.

The good news is that our previous efforts are still available at kpsu.org. I'll be updating links elsewhere soon, but if you follow this one:

http://kpsu.org/programs/199

You've find all our recent broadcasts, and some somewhat incomplete playlists. (I'm working on it.) As we transition to this new medium, we must pause and reflect that this is a change for the good. Our show will be bigger, stronger, and faster. It will also be full of the same kind of Old-Time Radio, loud rock and roll, and long and profound somethings, that are at the heart and soul of all things good in the world.

So, keep up the good work, and thank you for sticking with us.

In Earl We Trust.

2010 Year End List

2011-01-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

The staff at KPSU asked me to fill out a year-end list, of my top 10 favorite records of 2010. I don't normally do lists like this; most of the music I buy is not new, most of the music I listen to is not new, and I think year-end lists are extremely misleading, often because there don't have context. But, since I had to fill one out, here's my context:

These are the albums I listened to in 2010, that were released in 2010. This isn't everything that I was a fan of, nor is it everything that I listened to in 2010. It is merely the honorable mentions that were released in the year 2010, that I listened to in 2010. I'll be the first to say that the list is subjective, missing a ton of things that you would rather see on the list, and in some spots, I cheat. But this is the closest accurate reflection you will get from me about how 2010 went down, musically speaking. Enjoy!

01.) Ke$ha - Animal
If, for no other reason, "Tik Tok" made this album all worth while. I kept coming back to it, even when I knew I shouldn't.

02.) Moment In Static - Demos
Local math-rockers are stellar, live and recorded. Check out one of their rare live shows, or their archived KPSU performance.

03.) The Oblik - Demos
Pop rock like they used to make, with equal-parts goth and glam. Hooks and then some, and rewarding upon multiple listens.

04.) Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings - I Learned The Hard Way
You need this album the way you need to hit the clubs on a Friday night, but this is better for the wee hours of the night, when you're feeling introspective.

05.) The Black Keys - Brothers
This is what rock and roll is all about. The hyper-color disc says it all: this band either polarizes you one way or the other. For me, I became a full-on convert.

06.) Grinderman - 2
The most anticipated record of the year, and well worth the wait. Nick Cave with a sense of humor is the best kind of Nick Cave to listen to, and this record is something to get genuinely creeped out about.

07.) No Age - Everything In Between
Get this album. Listen to it twice daily. Then try telling me I'm wrong about it. I dare you.

08.) Weekend - Sports
This album snuck in late for me, as I found only a week or so ago. But it is, without a doubt, the best album of 2010.

09.) Quasi / Pavement - Live!
A chance to see Pavement was the highlight of the year, and the show delivered everything I wanted and more. Quasi was great, too.

10.) kpsu.org
When all was said and done, I had my computer locked on kpsu.org. It had all of this, and more, 24 hours a day.

Live Music Blowout!

2011-01-17T10:16:00.000-08:00

Not content to deliver our usual weekly blast of radio with some cleverly selected songs and concise talk breaks, this week Blasphuphmus Radio brings you something a little bit crazy, merely because we can. Prepare yourselves for a three-hour block of Live Music. Ob-soive!:

Episode 103: Live Live Live! w/ Hogwash!

(A three-hour presentation, hosted by Hogwash of Is This Music?, featuring live performances by Paco Jones, Spokane Belmont and Gender Roles!)

Hour 1: Paco Jones

Hour 2: Spokane Belmont

Hour 3: Gender Roles

This one slowly developed into the show it became. First, Gender Roles contacted me about a live in-studio, and very soon Spokane Belmont got added to the bill. But when Ricardo Wang came down ill this week, and he asked me to host Paco Jones as well, I called in the big guns and asked Hogwash to host the show for me while I ran sound. Hogwash is a radio genius, and his show is one of the best things on the dial these days (he also works over at KBOO, engineering twice a month on Mondays). Between his know-how, and my sound-tech skillz, this proved to be a fantastic three-hour block of radio that you can't deny.

Who knows what the future holds? Tune in, and find out.

See ya in seven.

It's Time For A Soul Explosion!

2011-01-08T20:45:00.000-08:00

To start the New Year out right, Jaycation and I have teamed up to bring you a five hour SOUL EXPLOSION, and a one hour retrocast, all in the name of quality radio. It's not an easy job, but the hours are fantastic. Ob-soive:

First, start things off right with a little blast from the past, circa August of 2009.

Retrocast of "Vinyl Solution, Part I"

(Where I play a whole lot of records, and have fun doing it.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

This, I dive into a three hour block of soul that is continued afterward by fellow DJ and connoisseur, Jaycation.

Episode 102: Soul Explosion!

Hour 2: http://archive.kpsu.org/node/37152

Hour 3: http://archive.kpsu.org/node/37153

(Where I dig into my collection of Atlantic and Stax Records for a three hour blast of Soul Power!)

[Note: At this time, Hour 1 does not appear to have been recorded. We apologize for this inconvenience.]

Playlist & Footnotes.

Then, keep it locked as Jaycation takes over to deliver his own soul favorites.

Jaycation Hour 1

Jaycation Hour 2

What can I say? When you need soul, you need a lot of it.

Next week: A live performance by Gender Roles, and more!

See Ya in Seven.

Back In The Saddle Again

2011-01-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

Well, we've had all manner of crazy shit go down in the last few months, and this show has not be as well documented, performed, posted, or heard because of that. But the wait is over, as we are back in business, and ready for action with five hours of downloads, including a special New Year's Day broadcast, some live electro-glitch, and actual profanity. Yeah, you know you want it. Here we go:

Episode 101: Some Changes For The New Year (Hour 1)

Episode 101: Some Changes For The New Year (Hour 2)

(Where I play a whole slew of songs about newness, beginnings, and chan

ge.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

(I should point out that I haven't had a chance to write a proper footnoted playlist in many moons, which is why this is a big deal.)

Also, I got to run sound for What's This Called? today, too. Ob-soive:

What's This Called? w/ Doug Theriault, LIVE!

(Featuring a live performance by local noise artist, Doug Theriault.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

Doug is a circuit bender, a noise artist, and a really wonderful and friendly guy. I had a great time meeting him today, and he is just as kind and considerate as his music is weird, noisy and wonderful. You should give it a listen.

Lastly:

For those of you who didn't already hear the gossip, Greg and Sarah from Funemployment Radio (dot com!) were kind enough to invite me as a guest on their show last Thursday. Here are the results:

Funemployment Radio #275 w/ Cody Austin Rich

(Featuring Greg Nibler, Sarah X Dylan, Kenny B, and special guest Cody Austin Rich.)

Greg and Sarah need no introduction, but a little known fact is that I was involved in Greg's tentative beginnings in radio at KPSU. Hear us shoot this shit about nothing in particular (with profanity!), all the while having a really, really good time. I was really excited to be a guest on their show, and I'm looking forward to where they end up next.

And that does it for this week. Now, there are 51 more shows I need to prepare for. Until then...

See ya in Seven.

Correction & News

2010-12-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

This just in: it appears that the course I was scheduled for during Winter Term has been canceled. So it goes. After some departmental re-arranging, I've been reassigned. There's some info below.

Here's the bad news: it looks like the course is full. There's not much I can do about getting folks into the course at this point. I have also heard that Professor Bohnaker will dismiss the class on the first day, to let enrollment settle down before the course gets started.

HOWEVER, if you are interested in the course, and you are not currently enrolled, I suggest showing up and trying to get us to register you. Often there are a lot of people who drop and don't show up early on, and we may be able to fit you in anyway.

Thanks.

43875: UNST 254E: "Popular Culture" w/ William Bohnaker. TR, 14:30 - 15:15
(Main Session Course. So far, it looks like we're already full.)

43878: UNST 254F: "PC Mentor Session" w/ Cody Rich. T, 16:00 - 16:50
43877: UNST 254F: "PC Mentor Session" w/ Cody Rich. R, 16:00 - 16:50
43876: UNST 254F: "PC Mentor Session" w/ Cody Rich. R, 17:00 - 17:50
(The Accompanying Course that I'll be teaching. So far, it looks like we're already full.)

Teaching Assignment For Winter Term '11

2010-12-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

I just found out what my Teaching Assignment will be for Winter Term 2011 at PSU. As there was much confusion at the beginning of the year as to what I would be doing in the classroom, now it seems that I will be stuck doing that same thing for the rest of the year. (Make me worry up front, then do nothing different for a full year.) So it goes. Here's the lowdown:

45861: UNST 212G: "American Studies: The 1930's" w/ Scott W. Parker. MW, 17:30 - 18:45
(Main Session Course. So far, it looks like we have 8 Students Registered.)

45862: UNST 212H: "AS: 1930's Mentor Session" w/ Cody Rich. M, 19:00 - 19:50
45864: UNST 212H: "AS: 1930's Mentor Session" w/ Cody Rich. M, 20:00 - 20:50
45863: UNST 212H: "AS: 1930's Mentor Session" w/ Cody Rich. W, 19:00 - 19:50
(The Accompanying Course that I'll be teaching. So far, it looks like I have 8 Students Registered in the first section.)

Scott and I have worked out a pretty sweet course for next term, after having spent this term fine-tuning the material we wanted to get through this term. Since it is an overview course, you won't be doing any in-depth historical research, nor will it be much like a typical history class. And Scott is usually an acting instructor, which means that we tend to focus on creative assignments, which involve some amount of theater sports. But you do writing weekly papers that engage with course material, and there are other larger assignments that do involve research. It's sort of a hodge podge of 1930's American History and Culture. Expect something about Hard Boiled Detective Fiction, Music and Film from the era, and other assorted bits and pieces. It's the way I roll.

If you are a PSU student, and need another Sophomore Inquiry Course, I recommend this one. Scott and I are a pretty good team.

This Week's Radio Update

2010-11-28T17:42:00.000-08:00

Much like last week, this week's show was not recorded into the archive. So Episode 096: Thanksgiving Leftovers w/ Special Guest Co-Host, Will! is not available for download. I did manage to get a really poor digital recording, with heavy distortion. It was also not recording off of the proper output from the board. (It was from the cue channel.) So it is only for the desperate, and not for the squeamish. If you e-mail me I will forward you a link. But really, it is hard to listen to.

While we're on the subject: the KPSU.org archive is offline right now, which means that Blasphuphmus Radio is not available as a podcast for the time being. I will continue to do live shows on the webstream (http://kpsu.org/node/4855/High.m3u) for the time being, but unless you catch it live, there isn't a show. Back episodes are also not available until the archive is up and running again. Aside from the last two, I have recordings of all previous shows, and again will offer personal download links if you e-mail me.

A big shout-out goes to Daniel Menche, who I recorded Saturday morning for What's This Called? While the broadcast was not saved, his live performance was. I'll be re-airing it at some point soon, as it was quite good, and it was a shame that not many heard it. If you are going to be in the area, he will be performing at All Tomorrow's Parties, which should prove to be a really great show as it is curated by Animal Collective this year.

Another big shout-out goes to my special co-host, Will, who helped me provide two hours of non-stop rock Saturday afternoon. It had been far too long since he was on the air with me, and my New Year's resolution is to make sure we do this again, soon.

Hope all is well. I'll keep you posted when I have any news. Stay out of trouble.

No Episode 095 Download

2010-11-21T19:27:00.000-08:00

Due to an unfortunate technical problem at KPSU this weekend, Episode 095 of Blasphuphmus Radio was not recorded, and was only available to those who listened live at 98.1 FM on the PSU campus, and at kpsu.org.

Hopefully, some of you caught it. And, if you by chance caught a recording of it too, I would love to hear it. But chances are, this one is lost to the ether. This was a two-for-one episode is some ways: it was the fifth installment of The Grumpy Punk, AND the fourth installment of Vinyl Solution. I may try to do a recreation of it someday, as it was a really fun show to DJ. But for the time being, I'll just have to let this one go.

Next week, tune in for a very special appearance by my good buddy Will. It's been almost a year since we teamed up for a radio show, and I think this one will be a doozy. It may even be another Grumpy Punk show. It just depends on how it all plays out.

See ya then.

Detective Dexter Roland, Private Investigator on KPSU.

2010-11-13T17:35:00.000-08:00

This week, Blasphuphmus Radio has been taken over by Detective Dexter Roland, Private Investigator. Join him with Humphrey Bogart, The Pink Panther, Mr. Lucky, Mary Astor, Peter Gunn, Richard Diamond, Sidney Greenstreet, Pete - The King of Detectives, Frankie Machine, Richie Dagger and some genuine femme fatales for a two-hour presentation of The Maltese Falcon. Listen as Dexter rambles about skirts and twists, intermixed with edited selections of a 1946 radio adaptation of the popular film The Maltese Falcon.

http://archive.kpsu.org/node/35830: Hour 1
http://archive.kpsu.org/node/35831: Hour 2

Enjoy.

Noir

2010-11-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, November 12th, on Blasphuphmus Radio (from 1 - 3 PM), join replacement DJ Detective Dexter Roland, Private Investigator for a special retrocast of a 1946 episode of Academy Award Theater, presenting a fantastic radio adaptation of The Maltese Falcon, acted by Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, and Sidney Greenstreet, all of whom acted in the well-known film version.

As if that weren't enough, Dex dug deep to locate a veritable montage of noir-themed music, from the fantastic Crime Jazz compilation, as well as essential tracks by Unwound, Henry Mancini, Elvis Costello, The Velvet Underground, and a host of others. Audience participation is happening at 503-725-5945.

Detective Dexter Roland Presents: The Maltese Falcon. Only on Blasphuphmus Radio.

The Black Cat & Other Frightening Tales

2010-10-29T22:19:00.000-07:00

Join me from 1 - 5 PM tomorrow for a special extended edition of Blasphuphmus Radio, just in time for the Holidays!

That's right, tune in for a special re-telling of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Black Cat" (read by Diamanda Galás), mixed with Ed Wood samples, Vampires, Bob & Ray, Werewolfs, Lux & Ivy's Favorite Hits, Ghosts, a Mad Monster Party, a handful of Zombies, a trip to the Graveyard, and four hours of Halloween madness. It's everything you need to set your mood for the Halloween soiree in your future!

That's a Halloween Spook-tacular, only on Blasphuphmus Radio.

Moth Hunter & Knuckle Children! Live!

2010-09-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

I've been packing in the guests lately, and this week is no exception. As promised, I bring you a rare appearance by a local Circuit Bender, and a reunion gig by an experimental duo that hasn't played together in years. All in the same, nearly two-hour performance, no less. It's just part of the magic we like to provide every week, in easy-to-swallow audio format. Ob-soive:

Episode 086: Moth Hunter & Knuckle Children, LIVE! (Hour 1)
Episode 086: Moth Hunter & Knuckle Children, LIVE! (Hour 2)
(Featuring a live performances by local audio experimentalists, Moth Hunter & Knuckle Children.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

Flickr Photoset.

It's cool when you can get different sounds out of radio that you don't normally get to hear. One of the things that makes me jealous about the kinds of shows that What's This Called? and Is This Music? have become is that this kind of thing is a little more par for the course. I'm glad to be able to feature something a lot more left of center when I can, this these guys both did the job justice.

At this moment I don't have any plans for next week, but on Monday I'll be running sound for a band on Anti-Apathy, and then again on Friday for Crank Sturgeon's Live Friday Appearance. Man, the radio really ramped up this week.

See ya in seven.

Wizard Rifle!

2010-09-18T19:30:00.001-07:00

Man, this show was fan-fucking-tastic. Join me and Hogwash from Is This Music? as we host a live performance by an amazing local metal duo who love to magically blow us away. Ob-soive:

Episode 085: Wizard Rifle, LIVE! w/ Hogwash (Hour 1)
Episode 085: Wizard Rifle, LIVE! w/ Hogwash (Hour 2)
(Featuring a live performance by an amazing local band, Wizard Rifle!)

Playlist & Footnotes

Flickr Photoset

I love shows like this, and these guys were really fun to host on the air. I'm hoping to get them on the air again soon, as they are one of my fave local metal bands.

Next week: Moth Hunter and Knuckle Children, live in the studio! Hell yeah!

See ya in seven.

Media Team Update

2010-09-17T18:04:00.001-07:00

News Just In:

We finally got the photos processed from the great on-air appearance on What's This Called? by Paco Jones from 11 September 2010. Paco was a lot of fun to work with, and these pictures give you a little insight into how he makes the strange and weird sounds that come out of his guitar.

Entire Photoset

Don't forget: Wizard Rifle tomorrow! I'm pretty stoked.

It's Marti Grissom

2010-09-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

On a very special episode of Blasphuphmus Radio, we add another entry into the A Family Affair series, with an appearance by none other than my own mother, Marti Grissom! Ob-soive:

Episode 084: A Family Affair, Part V (w/ Marti Grissom) Hour 1
Episode 084: A Family Affair, Part V (w/ Marti Grissom) Hour 2
(Featuring a DJ set by my own mother, Marti Grissom)

Playlist & Footnotes.

My mom used to work at a radio station, and was a bit of a musician in the late '60's, too. (The photo is cropped from one of the band's promo photos, a group called Borrowed Time.) While our tastes in music aren't exactly the same, this is a really good set, and I was impressed with how easy it was for her to jump back in the saddle again.

Wizard Rifle on Saturday. More to come in the approaching weeks. Who, there's a lot going on these days.

See ya soon.

The Schedule Is Getting Packed

2010-09-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

I just got one more confirmation for an on-air guest: my buddy Steve will be in town on October 9th, and will be joining me for a good old-fashioned radio throw-down. He's been on the air before as DJ Sackbut, but I think we're doing something else this time. He may be appearing more often as DJ JustanotherDJ, but we'll take things one step at a time, and go from there.

Whew. What a busy month.

TJ The DJ & Kris on Blasphuphmus Radio

2010-09-12T19:00:00.001-07:00

I pulled double duty again this week, running sound for What's This Called?, and hosting some DJ guests for my own show, in a radio-tastic extravaganza. Ob-soive:

Episode 083: Mystery DJ, Will You Please Stand Up? w/ guest DJs, TJ The DJ and Kris Hour 1
Episode 083: Mystery DJ, Will You Please Stand Up? w/ guest DJs, TJ The DJ and Kris Hour 2
(Featuring a two-hour DJ Set by my friends, TJ The DJ and Kris.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

This show was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed both the on and off-air companionship yesterday. We are talking about doing a follow-up show, that may involve our favorite comedy routines. Stay tuned.

Then, on What's This Called?:

What's This Called? w/ Paco Jones, LIVE!
(Featuring a live performance by experimental guitarist, Paco Jones!)

Playlist & Footnotes.

I ran sound for Paco's experimental guitar performance. Paco's nearest analogue would be Bruce Anderson or Roger Miller, who had used electronics, virtuosity, and mobius strip type lyrics to create a great noisy performance. Paco was a pleasure to work with, and probably one of the friendliest (and most punctual) musicians I've had to privileged of recording.

That's it for this week. My mom comes in on Tuesday, then Wizard Rifle next week. Should be great.

See ya soon.

Two More Confirmations

2010-09-09T16:01:00.001-07:00

Today I just got word of two more confirmations for some live, on-air appearances:

14 September 2010: On a very special episode of Blasphuphmus Radio, join me for "A Family Affair," with an appearance by my Mom, Marti Grissom! My mom has made an appearance on the KWVA incarnation of my show near the end of its run, and she herself worked in radio when I was growing up (she left that job just after I graduated from High School). It'll be great to give her a two hour format to cut loose on. This'll be one you shouldn't miss. Tune in live from Noon - 2 PM; it'll be available for a download shortly thereafter.

18 September 2010: Then, at our regularly scheduled time, tune in for a live, in-studio performance by Portland's very own, Wizard Rifle. These guys blew me away when I saw them at Duckett's a while back, but between our various busy schedules, we weren't able to get things sorted out until now. A fantastic two-piece that mixes noise-rock and fantasy metal into a perfect blend for rock satisfaction. It'll be fantastic to see them play in our studio. I'll post pictures, promise.

That's it for now. September will be a busy, busy month, no doubt.

Media Team Presents

2010-09-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

As mentioned previously, I ran sound for Neutral Uke Hotel on 30 August 2010. (Which you can still hear at this link.) My Media Team was instantly dispatched, and used my Borg Implant to take some photos.

Anyway, you can see all the pictures here:

Neutral Uke Hotel on Cat's Cradle 30 August 2010.

These aren't fantastic, as the quality on those Borg Implants aren't great. (And doesn't have a flash.) Still, it was a really fun show, and I'm glad I snapped some pics.

Anyway, keep up the good work, and I'll talk to you next time.

Upcoming Radio Events

2010-09-07T14:32:00.000-07:00

While I've been a little behind in my radio work recently, I'm more or less back on track, and have four announcements for upcoming live radio, all for your listening pleasure. Can you believe it? Check it out:

On 11 September 2010 on What's This Called?, tune in for a special live performance by Paco Jones. I will be running live sound for this one, and Ricardo Wang will (of course) be hosting and interviewing. Paco is a Seattle based experimental artist, and will be making a KPSU live debut on the 9th anniversary of a very dark day in US history. It should be a pretty awesome show, and I'm stoked to see how this one goes down.

Then, during my show (1 PM - 3 PM the same day), join me and special guests Kristopher White and Tara J. Merritt as they come in to show of their DJing skills for a two-hour 9/11 set. I've been ogling Kris's record collection for a while now, and this is will a great chance to hear some of it by making them come down to KPSU and forcing them to play it for me. Tara promises to back-announce and pick out the occasional tune, so this should be a pretty sweet show all around.

And, on 25 Spetember 2010, tune in for a live double-header with Moth Hunter and Knuckle Children on Blasphuphmus Radio, from 1 PM - 3 PM. Both acts are related, and play electronic, circuit bend, and other home-brewed equipment to bring you sounds you've never heard before. This will be a pretty awesome show no matter how you slice it, and I'm really looking forward to running sound for these guys. This is not a show to miss.

And, lastly, tune in on 1 October 2010 for a special Live Friday appearance by Crank Sturgeon. Crank is no stranger to KPSU, and it will be good to get him into the studio again for his particular brand of wild, wonderful weirdness. This episode of Live Friday will be hosted by none other than, you guessed it, Ricardo Wang, as we usually work together, and manage to produce some pretty excellent stuff when we do.

Having run Live Friday for quite some time, this will be strange to be working on the show again, even as a one-off kind of thing. I have quite fond memories of working on the show, and I feel like I brought in a lot of stuff that doesn't normally get a lot of radio air-play, let alone on KPSU. It is one of KPSU's longest running shows, and has featured a surprising number of artists, well known and obscure, over the years. I am always happy to lend a hand where needed, and it always feels right to be contributing to this show. Thanks again to the current host and show runner, Aaron Bikis, for giving us that particular show to do with as we please. Hopefully, you won't regret it.

That's all I've got at this point. Thanks for listening, and I'll talk to ya'll soon.

As Usual, Motörhead Was Right

2010-09-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

While it has been a few weeks since my show was expanded to a two-hour format, I haven't really been able to utilize that extra time to its fullest extent. With additional summer craziness, a severe drain on my free time, and other things tripping me up, this one was, in many ways, an accident. Fortunately for me, it was a beautiful one. Ob-soive:

Episode 082: Love Can't Buy You Money, Hour 1
Episode 082: Love Can't Buy You Money, Hour 2
(Featuring a variety of audio media centering around a bullshit capitalist symbol.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

This was one of the first shows that I fully utilized the new equipment at KPSU, and threw in a lot of other media on the fly. (I actually played fewer of the songs I'd picked out because I changed up so much stuff as I was going.) It was a lot of fun, and I'm really looking forward to trying out again.

AND, I also managed to fit in a retrocast from earlier this year in the hour before.

Rock Out With Your Goth Out (24 April, 2010)
(Featuring some of my favorite goth tunes.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

This one was a pledge drive show, and was also a training show (featuring Anonymous 2). While it's a little out of date because of that factor, it is still a great show, musically.

Whew. Finally caught up on radio. Hopefully I won't fall behind again.

See ya in seven.

Neutral Uke Hotel?

2010-09-05T16:05:00.001-07:00

As usual, I fill a number of roles at KPSU, but it has been a while since I was tapped to record a band that didn't appear on What's This Called? But, of course, it was only a matter of time, and I was stoked to lend a hand to Cat - for her show Cat's Cradle - for a band that showed up last Monday. I'm only a week late, right? Ob-soive:

Cat's Cradle w/ Neutral Uke Hotel, Live! (30 August, 2010)
(Featuring a live performance by Neutral Uke Hotel, comprised of members of Golden Bloom and other groups.)

Playlist & Footnotes

Later that evening, they played a show at Mississippi Studios, and they seem to be on a pretty well promoted tour. You can probably catch them in your own home town sooner or later, but until then, you can listen to this performance on KPSU. I snapped a few pictures, too, and will post more of them fairly soon.

Earlier that same day, I also managed to squeeze in a retrocast:

The Grumpy Punk, Part I (28 February, 2009)

Playlist & Footnotes

This one was mostly picked because I'd done Part IV the previous Saturday, and thought I'd revisit my hits of the recent past. But, of course, it also has some pretty awesome songs in it.

One more post, and I should be caught up. Yeah, it's been that kind of week.

Last Week

2010-09-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

Wow. With all my summer happenings and whatnot, I fell WAAAAAY behind on... well, everything. Here's some info about last week's show in an effort to get caught up:

First off: I covered for What's This Called? last week, which gave me three hours to work with. As I was a bit behind this summer from all my vacation travels, I decided to do three distinct shows in that three hour span. This was a bit insane (as I'm sure you can guess), and to make it even crazier, I showed up a couple hours early to bring you a couple of retrocasts, too. Yeah, it was a five hour radio event. Seriously. Ob-soive:

Episode 079: Songs The Cramps Taught Us, Part II
(Featuring even more selections from the Lux & Ivy's Favorites compilations.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

Following up on the last live show I did, I picked out another hour of great rare rock songs that are fantastic. If you can only handle one of these shows, pick this one. It's dirtier.

Episode 080: The Grumpy Punk, Part IV
(Featuring even more songs that anger up the blood, and remind me of the good-old-days.)

Playlist & Footnotes

This one was sort of thrown together, which is a little obvious when you realize that very few of the songs actually get past the "D"s in my record collection. Nonetheless, this one came together pretty quickly, and I really enjoyed it.

Episode 081: More Songs About Madness & Girls
(Featuring songs about... well, going crazy over girls.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

While this isn't particularly a unique (or new) insight, it occurred to me that the perspective presented in a love song could very easily be construed as crazy if you actually pay attention to what they are saying. While this might seem like a bit of a stretch, those of you who are thinking that this was just an excuse to play a mix of new and old songs that I'm into are probably closer to the truth.

THEN:

I decided to present a pair of shows from August of 2005, shows that each celebrated their five year anniversaries recently. Enjoy!

Brought To You By The Letter M (30 August, 2005)
(Featuring one of my first ever theme shows at KPSU.)

Playlist & Footnotes

There's not much to say about this show, except that there are quite a few great bands that all start with the Letter M, and that this was the first time when I managed to find the balls to play a Charles Manson song on the air.

Sub-Basement Psyche w/ Ricardo Wang (2 August, 2005)
(Featuring Ricardo Wang's first appearance on KPSU.)

Playlist & Footnotes

While Ricardo Wang has been on KPSU for five years now (and is a long-time radio personality since the '80's), there was a time when he was new to Portland, and wanted to get involved with our humble radio station. This show features his first on-air appearance, which was cool enough to be on my show. This one showcases the kind of show I did at the time, the kind of music Ricardo is into, and is very much like the venn diagram of our musical tastes.

Well, that's about it for now. I've got more radio notes I need to update, so stay tuned. Yes.

New Assignment

2010-09-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

Well, after much confusion and whatnot, it appears that I have a re-assignment at PSU for the 2010 - 2011 school year. Given that they had to cancel a number of FRINQ courses this year due to low enrollment, and given that I am about 15 years older than most everyone else that teaches in the program, they decided to allow me to teach SINQ courses instead. This is a bit of a promotion; normally, they only allow Grad Students to do this. There are still openings in the course if you happen to be looking into taking SINQ courses at PSU this year. Here's the lowdown:

UNST 213G (CRN 16522): American Studies w/ Scott Parker & Cody Rich (Main Session)
UNST 212H (CRN 16521): Mentor Session 1 w/ Cody Rich
UNST 212H (CRN 16520): Mentor Session 2 w/ Cody Rich
UNST 212H (CRN 16519): Mentor Session 3 w/ Cody Rich

This is a huge relief for me, as for a while it seemed like I might not get a course assignment this year. Regardless, I will do my best to make American Studies as interesting and entertaining as possible.

The other piece of news about this is: I will be teaching three distinct courses this year, one each term. I have no idea what they will be during Winter or Spring Term, but I will be working as hard as I can to get something a little more my speed.

The Men Who Don't Fit In

2010-08-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

by Robert Service

There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain's crest;
Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don't know how to rest.

If they just went straight they might go far;
They are strong and brave and true;
But they're always tired of the things that are,
And they want the strange and new.
They say: "Could I find my proper groove,
What a deep mark I would make!"
So they chop and change, and each fresh move
Is only a fresh mistake.

And each forgets, as he strips and runs
With a brilliant, fitful pace,
It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones
Who win in the lifelong race.
And each forgets that his youth has fled,
Forgets that his prime is past,
Till he stands one day, with a hope that's dead,
In the glare of the truth at last.

He has failed, he has failed; he has missed his chance;
He has just done things by half.
Life's been a jolly good joke on him,
And now is the time to laugh.
Ha, ha! He is one of the Legion Lost;
He was never meant to win;
He's a rolling stone, and it's bred in the bone;
He's a man who won't fit in.

Whoops

2010-08-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

It appears that PSU has over-scheduled freshman courses this year. So, apparently, I will not be teaching during Fall term.

Watch this space for more info as I get it myself.

I am not happy.

Some Thoughts About Eugene, OR

2010-08-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

My friend kungfuramone once said that Eugene is like a nap, in town form, and compared to some of the other places he's lived, his assessment is pretty much spot on. If you aren't married with kids, and long for a vibrant night-life, then Eugene is not the town for you. You'd be better off living in your nap-induced dreams, really.

I lived in Eugene from 1994 - 2000, and haven't been back to visit in a number of years, primarily because I don't know anyone else that lives there anymore. The initial impulse for this particular trip - to visit with Lyra Cyst during the brief window that she will be in the United States - was enough to get me to visit, but behind all of that was also this idea of retracing old footsteps, and experiencing the unique form of Deja Vu that you experience when things that are strangely familiar are covered in 10 year of cruft and development.

One thing became apparent very quickly: without a core group of friends to spend time with, Eugene is pretty lame. If you ignore the campus, and the people there because of the UofO, what you have left are disaffected locals, a very small batch of people on the fringes attracted by The Country Fair and the left-over drug scene brought by Ken Keasy, and the Saturn driving ex-hippies who now have some of the few corporate jobs that fuel the non-resale-or-drug-related economies. I have to say that, while I did have fun while I was visiting last week, all of it was dependent on who we were with, not by what we were doing.

However, nostalgia is a pretty powerful drive for me, and as I tried to find landmarks and sights that triggered old memories, I did find myself smiling here and there. So what if Icky's Teahouse is closed, or if The Bookstore I used to work at is now a used Children's Clothing store? Perhaps it is a good thing that some respectable people now live in The Blitzhäus. All we ever did was stain the carpet and piss off the landlord, anyway. Perhaps it is a good thing to touch on these memories briefly, before moving on?

Regardless, I can't say that I wasn't extremely happy to see the Portland skyline again as the train made it back into Multnomah County. While I might have lived in Eugene for six years of my adult life, the last decade has been in Portland, and I'm light-years away from that drunk and irresponsible kid who used to look up into the night sky and wonder what the future might hold.

Who knew it would all lead to this?

'10 - '11 Teaching Assignment

2010-08-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

So, after much patient waiting and gritting of teach, I have gotten my teaching assignment for the following year at PSU. This is a huge change of pace from last year, where I was teaching a Poli Sci class (outside my area of expertise) to a number of uninterested students, working with a Professor who has a very, VERY different teaching style than my own. First off, it's an Art Class. Second, I'll be working with a Professor who I had as a student myself. So far, so good.

Like last year, the students meet twice a week, all together, with my faculty partner, Sarah Newlands, a local artist and Assistant Professor in the University Studies Dept. Prior to this class, I will be teaching three sections of a Mentor Session, that complement the work they do in her class. The focus of this course will be studying, analyzing, and producing art, with concurrent projects that focus on the core competencies that all PSU students need to graduate (Quantitative Literacy, Computer Literacy, The Diversity of Human Experience, and other hippy-dippy things.) This is a Freshmen course, but like last year, there will be a few exceptions here and there. (I had a handful of students that were in their mid-to-late 20's, and one in his 30's.)

If you are going to be attending PSU as a Freshman during the '10 - '11 year, and need to take your Freshman UNST Requirements, why take The Work of Art, with me? All three sections still have plenty of openings.

The Work Of Art Course Description & Faculty Bios

The Work Of Art: 15151 UNST 131L-001. Mon. & Wed. 12:00 - 12:50
The Work Of Art: 15152 UNST 131L-002. Mon. & Wed. 13:00 - 13:50
The Work Of Art: 15153 UNST 131L-003. Mon. & Wed. 14:00 - 14:50

Classes start September 27th. See ya then!

Radio Backlog

2010-08-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

There's a lot on the plate today, both in radio and news form. I've been fairly busy with the summer of insanity, so this sort of backed up. But, never fear, because we'll take it all one step at a time until we're through. Ob-soive:

Episode 077: This Is... On The Hour (Part I)
(Featuring episodes of the BBC Radio Comedy, On The Hour.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

As I was unable to bring you a second vacation episode while I was visiting family in Washington, today I brought you selections from On The Hour. This broadcast contains the entire first episode, selections from the unaired pilot, and for the first time broadcast on KPSU, the Radio Athens news parody I produced a few months back. I really like how this show doesn't sound like anything I usually do, both in the kind of content, and in tone. While the voice overs don't really amount to much, they were some of the most entertaining things I've ever recorded for this show.

Episode 078: Songs The Cramps Taught Us, Part I
(Featuring songs from the Lux And Ivy's Favorites series of internet-only compilations.)

Playlist & Footnotes

I've been getting into these compilations lately, so I culled a few selections from this series for this particular show. This is totally the punk rock of its time, dirty and filthy, rockin' and in-your-face, offensive and just play wonderful. There's a wealth of material in this vein that I can't wait to explore more, and as I continue to mourn Lux's untimely death, this is a great way to help me get over it.

And, as a special treat, there's a retrocast, too:

Retrocast of "Senior Citizens: Revenge of the Lawn" (28 March, 2006)
(Featuring a live on-air reading of selections from the classic Richard Brautigan collection, by Tim Nicodemus and Austin Rich)

While this particular Retrocast isn't of an episode of Blasphuphmus Radio, it is so close to what I do in spirit that it is worth the listen. Tim and I read our favorite selections from this book, mixed in with a little music, too. I love this one.

And, as if that weren't enough:

Jackie An on What's This Called?
(Featuring a live solo-performance by Jackie An of New Red Sun.)

Playlist & Footnotes

Jackie An came into KPSU for a solo set of mind-bending, beautiful, enchanting violin music, with a twist. This performance practically gave me chills when I was recording it, and this performance is highly recommended for anyone who is a fan of New Red Sun, the violin, or experimental music of any variety.

And, speaking of New Red Sun, here's some news:

New Release on featherspines records:

New Red Sun, who made an appearance on What's This Called? on 3 October, 2009, just released a new CD called Book of Sand and Moss. The best part about this CD is that it features the recording I made on that day. The CD contains two tracks, and clocks in at about 30 minutes. If you like beautiful guitar / violin work that gets as loud and aggressive as it does quiet and melodic, then this is the disc for you. It was cool to hear a recording I made have actual mastering; while I wasn't 100% pleased with the original recording I made, Jason Martinez at Fuzzhouse Productions did a fantastic job of cleaning up my mess. This CD rules. And I had something to do with it. Just sayin'.

And now, some scheduling news:

I will miss the next two weeks of shows due to more summer shenanigans. On the 14th, of August, a KPSU alum - Sascha - will be guesting on What's This Called?, and will cover Blasphuphmus Radio, too. Sascha was a fantastic DJ who has moved on to other things, and it is a rare treat to hear her on the radio. Her show was unbeatable when it was on the air, and I am very much looking forward to hearing what she comes up with. On the 21st: TBA! (Most likely another extended episode of What's This Called?)

I will be doing some make-up shows next week, as I still want to bring you more radio, but I don't know exactly when I'll be able to. Watch this space for more information.

Whew. I think that covers everything. This summer has been crazy, and I will be very much looking forward to doing business as usual. Until then, take care.

Vacation Episode!

2010-07-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Just because I'm out of town, doesn't mean I can't deliver quality radio. Ob-soive:

Episode 076: Happy Holidays, Part I, Part II, & Part III
(Featuring a variety of songs about vacationing, recorded while on vacation.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

This one is a podcast-only episode for the time being. Consider it my gift to you!

As I'm often prone to do, I also edited an incomplete Retrocast, one of my faves from 2007 that had the beginning cut off. Thanks to the tools of modern editing software, I was able to reconstruct it for your benefit. Enjoy!

Retrocast of "A Work Show" (11 April, 2007) Part I, Part II, & Part III
(Featuring some experimental and jazz music from a selection of new records that I was enjoying back in the day.)

Playlist & Footnotes

These took a little longer than I expected to put together, but it was a labor of love, and I'm glad I got it up.

You can expect at least one more podcast-only feature before my vacation is up, but there won't be a new live episode for two more weeks. Until then, enjoy!

Part IV

2010-07-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

First, the bad news: Blasphuphmus Radio will be in re-runs for the next two weeks, as I take a little R & R in the Seattle area. Now, The Good News: Ricardo Wang will be covering the show to bring you two solid weeks of two-hour shows, full of the usual What's This Called? quality material. (Hi, Lennon!)

And now, even more good news, as I provide for you (a few days late) a total of five links to radio shows you must hear! Ob-soive:

Episode 075: A Family Affair, Part IV
(Featuring music selected by Buck & Karly Rich, with help from Kyle via the phone.)

Playlist & Footnotes

Some of you may have already noticed that four other shows already appeared in the RSS feed for Blasphuphmus Radio Retrocasts. While that was, with hindsight, a lousy way to keep a secret, I figured it would still be worth the effort to plug them here now that I've cleaned up the meta-data, and found all the proper links. Here goes:

First, we go back to 2005 for a rare treat, that sheds a little light on a current KPSU institution, Roxy's Ego Hour:

Roxy Epoxie Picks The Hits (10 May, 2005)
(Featuring Roxy's first KPSU appearance, and a DJ set where we match records and talk about the new suspiciously-absent Epoxies record.)

Playlist & Footnotes

Then, two weeks later, I managed to land another rock star in the KPSU studios:

Lana Rebel Picks The Hits (24 May, 2005)
(Featuring a DJ set by Lana Rebel, where we talk shop and plug upcoming shows.)

Playlist & Footnotes

Then we move to the end of 2006, with a DJ set that I'm particularly proud of:

Rock 'N' F'n Roll? (22 November, 2006)
(Featuring a spastic and psychedelic selection of tunes that I happened to be grooving to at that time.)

Playlist & Footnotes

And lastly, I bring you a very rare radio treat: as part of the preparation for the first Nuggets Tribute show in 2007 at Slabtown (itself an effort to help raise money for ? of The Mysterians, after his home was burned down in a terrible fire), Luke Strahota (one of the organizers) and Eric Gregory (of The Crack City Rockers) helped arrange with incredible radio event:

The Sugarlumps, Crack City Rockers, and an interview with ?, LIVE! (9 May, 2007)
(Featuring performances by The Sugarlumps, Crack City Rockers, and an interview with ? of The Mysterians!)

Playlist & Footnotes

In the case of the first two shows, it was a real honor to meet both Roxy and Lana, and as I've gotten to know Roxy over the years, she has become a really amazing person to know, and a real treasure to Portland. Lana is such an incredible person that to this day she remembers me when I see her at shows and partys, and it is her warmth and friendliness that makes her such a perfect person. Of the last show: knowing Eric Gregory (now of The Welfare State) has been rewarding, and while I don't see him often, I enjoy his perspective, his wit, and his warmth. All that, and getting to be on the phone with ?. I've had some really great times at this station. Fuck yeah.

Keep your eyes peeled for some possible podcast-only shows in the next couple weeks. Until then...

Measurements

2010-07-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

The gap by which the distance between myself and my friends is measured uses increments like, "Children," "Weddings," "Long-Term Partners," "Careers," "Buying A House," and, "So, has anyone here read the new Mike Mignola Comic?"

The Greatest Album Cover Ever Made

2010-07-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hard And Shiney

2010-07-10T15:10:00.001-07:00

This week's show is best listened to by angry teens, drunk adults, during a backyard BBQ, or in a dank and disgusting bar. Ob-soive:

Episode 074: METAL
(Featuring an hour of stoner, sludge, doom, proto, and just plain old Metal.)

Playlist & Footnotes

This show reminds me of when I was in High School. Across the street was an empty lot with a single tree in it, and all the stoners and metalheads would congregate there because it was off of School Grounds, so they could smoke and pick up on each other. I remember constantly being drawn to those kids, thinking they were really cool, wondering what it must be like to hang out with them. Good times.

I also came in a couple hours early today, and featured a pair of retrocasts from years gone by. Ob-soive:

An Hour Of Nuggets (27 September, 2005)
(Featuring rock music from the '60's and '70's, mostly culled from the Nuggets Compilations, a record dedicated to proto-punk bands.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

Around this time period (2005) I had just discovered the Nuggets comps, where were a real eye-opener for me. I went through months and months of doing only Nuggets shows, doing research, ordering CDs, going to the library, etc. Every time I listen to a show from this era, I'm instantly transported to that year, with all the good (and bad) connected to it.

A Math-ternoon of Rock (30 May, 2006)
(Featuring a selection of tunes in the Math, Punk, and Rock genres)

Playlist & Footnotes.

Less than a year later, I was going through a HUGE math-rock phase, and was getting regular care packages from Buck Rothy (ex-Danava drummer, who was working at KPSU at the time). In the end it conspired to put some pretty strange records in my hands, and I always jumped at the chance to feature everything at the same time. The results were often like this: strange, intense, and wonderful. This is one of the better shows I did during this era.

* * * * * *

From the, "Wait, there's actual news?" Dept.:

As some of you may have noticed, there is a new link under the "radio" section to the right. Now, available primarily as a podcast, we are featuring Blasphuphmus Radio Retrocasts. Our archives now go back to 1998, and there is a literal cornucopia of musical selections begging to be heard again. As often as possible, we will feature a Retrocast from these archives, presenting shows as they were originally heard through the modern technology that is RSS feeds. Ain't the Inter-Web-A-Tron amazing?

While these shows will be primarily available as a podcast, these will also be occasionally featured live, on KPSU. However, given that these will not always happen, or will be at random (and often confusing) times, your best bet will be to use the podcast feed. It's quick, it's easy, and it allows you to relax and listen to the show at your leisure. What more could you ask for?

These shows may come sporadically, so don't be surprised if they are updated more or less often that the usual weekly show. When we include a new installment of a recurring feature, most often the previous episodes will be available as a Retrocast. You get the idea.

* * * * * *

That does it for us this week. See ya in seven.

Devolutionary Tactics

2010-07-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

Devo - Something For Everybody
Warner Bros. Records. 2010.

Devolution is a painful process for many bands, often slipping into a period of releasing a series of bad records before descending into self-parody and, yikes, Greatest Hits Tours. It happens to the best of them, and in many cases, the successes of the past aren’t even enough to make up for the sins of today. Starting out great is often the worst career move a band can make, with the full knowledge that it only gets worse from then on out.

Fortunately for Devo, this isn’t a problem. Self-Parody was part of the initial concept. While little should be said of their last two albums – in some ways, unforgivable even by Devo standards – they were the evidence cited by most everyone that it was the end of their all-too brief career. However, their recent adoption of Greatest Hits Tours (complete with critiques of the conceits and conventions of Greatest Hits Tours) worked perfectly for their particular brand of musical repartee, and the occasional new song surfaced for compilation albums and other assorted appearances. However, even this fan was not expecting this, an entirely new album of songs that – what’s this? – are not that bad? Say what?

Leave it to Devo to surprise me yet again. Not only is this album 88% Focus Group Approved (assumedly a reference to the fan voting system they had on the clubdevo.com website), but the songs are catchy. The guitars are prominent, and the synths are dancey and appropriate. Rather than embrace the pop conventions of now (the knife that slit the throats of Smooth Noodle Maps and Total Devo), they stick to what they’re good at historically, which is off-kilter social commentary, strange New Wave ballads, and an affinity for strange costumes and pseudo-narratives for the players in the story of Devo.

While I cannot say that this will ever enter into the realm of being my favorite Devo album, my initial fears were entirely dissipated after hearing “Later Is Now,” “Don’t Shoot (I’m A Man),” and even “Mind Games.” There are a few low moments, as can be expected. “No Place Like Home,” sort of plods and drones, getting lost when it tries to be profound, and the lyrics aren’t as sharp as the rest of the record. (While leading a track with a strong piano part might seem like a good idea, it just doesn’t translate on headphones.) And some of the other lyrics dance around in that area that seems poignant at first, but loose their punch after a couple listens.

Still, if that is the worst this album offers, then it is definitely a return to form for these lovely Akron weirdoes. The fact I want to listen to it a few times in a row is an excellent sign that things are improving for these devolutionary heroes, and that alone makes me excited. A change of clothing can sometimes set a new tone for someone who has been stuck in a rut, and the new jumpsuits and masks are a sure sign that things are changing for the better. Not that they were in any danger of loosing this fan, but if future efforts are this good, I’ll even take back some of the things I said about the two “mistakes” in my record collection.

Deal?

Live From An Actual 4th of July BBQ.

2010-07-04T16:28:00.001-07:00

A special retrocast for a special holiday. Ob-soive:

Live From An Actual 4th of July BBQ (from 2007):
Part I
Part II
Part III

Playlist Link

Enjoy!

This One's For My Polybag Brothas In The House, Yo

2010-07-04T15:35:00.000-07:00

Comics: they're not just for goateed goofballs and big budget Hollywood blockbusters anymore. Ob-soive:

Episode 073: Who Was That Masked Man?
(Featuring all music and songs discussing the nature of Heroes and Villains)

Playlist & Footnotes.

Things are getting hectic 'round the Blasphuphmus Radio offices as summer is not in full effect. I will do my best to make sure that you don't miss anything as the weeks progress, but watch this space for updates and information as we 2010 continues in spite of everything.

See ya in seven.

KPSU vs. KBPS Link Roundup

2010-07-01T15:33:00.001-07:00

There has been a lot going on with our recent problems with our ex-parent station, KBPS. At this point, what's done is done. If they are willing to toss away the money we gave them, then so be it. We have moved on, and we're working on the future of KPSU in this digital age.

For those who are interested in following the story, the Mercury ran a print story today. There has also been a number of websites that have listed and mentioned our dilemma. I wouldn't dwell on it much, as it won't get us anywhere. It is clear we will not be able to return to KBPS, and in truth, I don't think anyone wants to. We're more concerned about the future.

So, if you're curious, here are some links you might want to check out. If you feel strongly about this issue, make your voice heard. If you feel REALLY strongly about it, come on down and volunteer at KPSU. We always need the help.

Mercury Print Story
Bill Cooper Responds To The Mercury Story
Willamette Week Local Cut Story
Daily Vanguard Story

Keep listening.

It's Official (Good News For A Change)

2010-06-28T16:51:00.001-07:00

I just finished signing documents, and attending the first official staff meeting, and now that the website is (partially) updated (scroll down), I feel like I can finally make this announcement: I have recently been hired back on staff at KPSU, working as the Assistant Development Director. For those of you who have been following my radio career, I was working at KPSU from 2004 - 2007 as the Programming Director, and left for a variety of reasons. Fortunately, nearly all those reasons have quit, been fired, or otherwise no longer have any significant influence on KPSU anymore, and after a successful interview with the new Station Manager, Doug Friend, I am back to getting paid to do radio.

This is a huge, personal success, especially after the way I left the station at the end of 2007. I will try to avoid re-hashing old bullshit, but the short version is that I became ensconced in an internal political battle which was not productive for the Station, the DJs, the Staff, or anyone. My particular perspective is that we should do the jobs we were being paid for. There were a number of people who did not see things that way, and in the long run, pushed me out of the Station for rocking the boat. It was a really painful experience to go through, especially since I really did care about the station, and really do care about radio. 2008 was a very painful year.

Anyway, to cut to the chase, I started volunteering again in 2009 when many of that group of staff and volunteers were gone, but there were a few still running in the woodwork that had more power than they should have, that prevented me from getting back on staff. However, that all changed now that Doug is calling the shots, and his attitude, drive, and perspective on radio and what KPSU is (and can be) is refreshing. But at the end of the day, I am just happy to be vindicated, and working in a job that was, previously, my favorite employment I've ever had.

It's not the same job that I used to have, but that really doesn't matter. The job of Development is to help Develop KPSU in all of its relationships, internal, financial, and in the community. Given the recent issues the KBPS cutting our AM broadcast signal, everyone on staff is going to be pulling double duty to help tie up all the fallout from that. However, we are all fairly optimistic about the future, and considering that AM radio is actually going the way of a vestigial limb anyway, it's about time we starting thinking about the digital future most everyone else has already been living in.

I will continue to teach classes for UNST, and all the usual things that I have been doing recently. But I am also back where I belonged in the first place, and it is very hard for me not to rub it in the noses of some of the people that caused me to have to leave in the first place. For Earl's sake, being the bigger man is REALLY fuckin' hard.

So Dig This Big Crux

2010-06-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

List monitors arrive with petition.
Iron-fisted philosophy
Is your life worth a painting?
Is this 'girl vs. boy' with different symbols?
Being born is power
Scout leader nazi tagged as 'big sin'.
Your risk chains me hostage.
Me, I'm fighting with my head,
I am not ambiguous.

I must look like a dork.

Me, naked with textbook poems
spout fountain against the Nazis,
With weird kinds of sex symbols in speeches
that are big dance thumps.
If we heard mortar shells,
we'd cuss more in our songs
and cut down the guitar solos.

So dig this big crux.

Organizing the boy scouts for murder is wrong,
ten years beyond the big sweat point.
Man, it was still there,
ever without you coming back around, look!
Coming together, for just a second, a peek.
A guess at the wholeness that's way too big,
at the wholeness that's way too big

Summer's Ready When You Are

2010-06-26T17:19:00.001-07:00

I've got a double-dose of radio for you, as I bring you something old and something new, both of which got me to shake my ass in spite of all the crap that's been plaguing our station lately. Ob-soive:

Episode 072: Summer Sounds
(Featuring all songs that remind me of Summer.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

And, at 11 AM, listeners heard:

Retrocast of "Dance The Afternoon Away" (25 April, 2006)
(Featuring an hour long dance party, in only the way I can present it.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

While things might seem a little grim, given the news that we lost our AM broadcast signal, the staff and volunteers seem united in the believe that this is a new beginning. And from the sounds of our shows today, I can say we almost sound better, if that's possible.

Of course, in the end, you are the final judge of that.

See ya in seven.

Important News

2010-06-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that KBPS - KPSU's parent station, that owns the license we broadcast on - just pulled the plug on our ability to broadcast. Apparently, according to the information I received, the person that runs KBPS (a notorious and vindictive man by the name of Bill Cooper) became enraged last night when there was a discussion of sodomy broadcast after 10 PM. (This discussion avoided the seven words that are forbidden by the FCC.) It should be noted that the FCC does not regulate content after 10 PM and before 6 AM. Bill merely took it upon himself to drop us, merely because he was unhappy with the kinds of things we broadcast.

Blasphuphmus Radio will continue to air on 98.1 FM (on the PSU campus), and will stream live at kpsu.org. We will also continue to offer the show as a podcast. (You don't need up to update anything to keep receiving the show.) But if you are tuning in at 1450 AM, you will not be able to hear us, or any KPSU show, anymore.

If you would like to contact Portland Public Schools - who own KBPS - to tell them how you feel about Bill Cooper's decision, you can call them directly at 503-916-5828, or e-mail them at pubinfo@pps.k12.or.us.

This is a very, very sad day.

Sex, Drugs, And Particle Physics

2010-06-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

I finished "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" yesterday, much to my own delight. (I discovered that the complete text is available online, and the public library has a wonderful, 10-disc audio version as well.) The book is edited from a series of interviews and conversations conducted with Feynman, and explore the more unusual aspects of his life. (Playing in a Samba band in Brazil, his short-lived career in art, his experiences learning to pick locks, etc.) The majority of the book tries to mine "funny" out of the life of a noble prize winning physicist who helped build the bomb used on Japan.

Feynman's dedication to solving puzzles, playing games, and generally being the smartest guy in the room is pretty incredible. I'm particularly impressed with his attitude toward the bullshit we deal with on a daily basis: royalty, celebrity, wealth, etc., are to be mocked, derided, and insulted, but being clever, earnestness, and intellect should admired. His public defense of a local strip bar (where, he claims, he would work on some of his theories on the paper plates) sits next to his mocking the US governments handling of patents as a testament to where his values lie. Not only practical and intelligent, he seems like exactly the kind of guy that sees the world for what it is, and not for how it is often presented.

One thing that did bother me about the book, though, is that his attitudes and intellect do conspire to create a certain kind of smugness and pretension that, ironically, works against his one feelings and attitudes about smugness and pretension. This is something I've struggled with in my own life; usually, the people who are against the bullshit in this world often take things so far in their own presentation that they become purveyors of their own pretension and bullshit. (Case in point: most subcultures.) Yes, I love it when the Country Mouse gets the better of the City Mouse, and I am naturally attracted to those kinds of stories anyway. But when the Country Mouse is singing his own praises as being better than the City Mouse, I start to get a little frustrated.

I also find his extreme preoccupation with sex to be a little ho-hum. This is obviously cultural, in our case; Americans are so completely uptight about sex, and at the time this book came out Revenge of the Nerds hadn't yet changed the cultural perception of what the geeky guy in glasses was thinking about. So I can see why Feynman wanted to drop these stories about his adventures in bars, with girls, even if his advice is somewhat contemptible (if you treat girls really badly, they will sleep with you every single time). In the end, the So What factor starts to take over. Yes, you like pretty girls. Who doesn't? Yes, it's unexpected that a Professor would be chasing skirts and getting into fights in bars. Can we get back to the lock-picking stories? Everything relating to being interested was sort of boring, and instead of being revealing and shocking, it read more like, "Yeah, who isn't like that? Next." Humans, Feynman included, love to think that they are skirting the edges of acceptability when they are in polite society, not realizing that most other people feel this same way about themselves, too.

One persistent element of this book that I loved, though, is the reflections on alienation. Again, there is nothing new or unheard of in this, but his befuddlement and confusion about the human race struck a chord that rang very true for me, too. Specifically, his realization that the majority of people learn through memorization, rather than understanding. I've come up against that hundreds of times in my life. I feel like an absolute moron when I can't understand something, even if I could give you the right answer because I memorized it. Not understanding something is a terrible state to be in, and I am constantly living in terror of the things I can't parse or rationalize. A large portion of the world around me seems content with not knowing, and I feel as if this simple schism marks the divide between myself and the rest of the world.

But more general than that, Feynman outlines his struggles to incorporate himself into a world that doesn't make sense to him. He is baffled by arbitrary custom or inane social practice, and yet wants so badly to find a way to navigate them successfully, as if he's trying to solve the puzzle that is humanity. Our entire culture is based on establishing rules and scenarios that alienate some while including only select others. Feynman is horrified by this, and yet so desperately wants to be a part of the world that he can't entirely reject it. He jokes, kids, and does everything he can to avoid playing by the rules, but at the end of the day he can't entirely remove himself from society just because it is confusing.

That, more than anything, seems to be what he was driving at in this collection of strange anecdotes and bizarre reflections. Yes, this world is stupid, horrible, full of mean spirited people, and on the whole not the place you would choose to live if you could make that choice. But at the end of the day, we all have to live in the world. You might as well make a game of it to help pass the time.

Good advice? That's not my place to say. But there were times I laughed out loud, and others where I cried. What more could you ask for in a book by someone who made the bombing of Japan possible?

Assholedness

2010-06-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a problem I have struggled with my entire life: pricks. Real dipshits. The kind of people that, very clearly, have no interest in doing the right thing, and have managed to manipulate the world around them so they can get exactly what they want in life, usually by crushing the dreams of others. There are generally two varieties of these fuckfaces: unaware and self-aware. Both are very dangerous in and of themselves.

The unaware nimrod is a mean-spirited idiot. They are genuinely stupid, and don't even realize the extreme nature of the lame shit they do on a regular basis. In fact, realizing anything connected to the consequences of their own actions is a skill they don't even know exists, let alone realize that they haven't cultivated. In an extremely moronic way, they genuinely believe that the entire world exists to please themselves, and stumble through life trying to fulfill every whim and desire, because they don't understand this is a jackoff move.

The self-aware rat bastard recognizes that their actions hurt other people, and relish that thought when they do.

On the whole, most of the people I know fall into the former category. Occasionally I've had to do battle with a few in the later, but they really are less common in my experience. Ironically enough, there doesn't seem to be a political component to this equation. While I love to pick on Dick simply because his is a self-aware assrat, I have met people of every political inclination who enjoys dickheadedness, and a surprising number of Left Wing people end up being in the self-aware category, while on the whole the Republicans I've met personally are so dim-witted as to suggest that they just don't know any better. But that's neither here nor there; my point is, assholes abound.

Anyway, my big struggle in life has revolved around the following conundrum: is it worth telling someone, even if they are self-aware, that they are a prick? I have had it ingrained that you should always try to be the better person, to turn the other cheek, and all that bullshit. But there are a number of scenarios where it would be entirely satisfying to just tell someone who had dicked you over, "You. Yes, I'm talking to you. Everything you do are the actions of a real, total, and complete asshole, and I would like to introduce you to a number of people who agree with me. When I say asshole, I mean that you have very little redeeming value in our culture when you act like that, and it is no wonder that you are lonely, ugly, and disgusting." It would be incredibly satisfying, don't you think?

The reason I ask is that I have recently been vindicated after mistreatment by a gigantic, unaware prick. This guy is just on the edge of awareness, though, and with a little push, I think I could really make him feel awful about what he's done, to the point where he would carry it with him for a couple of years, possibly. (He fancies himself a nice guy.) Not only that, but there is a large line of people behind me that agree, and would love to see him suffer. I am also in a position, now, to make a choice about what to do next. I have the ability to explain to him, consequence free, his fucktardness, and would probably even find support in doing so, or at least other people who feel similarly, and would point and laugh that he finally got his comeuppance.

So: is it worth it to be the better man in this situation? A large part of me says yes. But my inner asshole really wants to be a gigantic prick this time around.

Another Radio Appearance

2010-06-21T15:09:00.001-07:00

I just got done appearing as a guest on KPSU's very own quiz show, All The Right Answers, hosted by Alex. Here are the appropriate links:

All The Right Answers

Playlist

Quiz shows are fairly rare outside of NPR these days, and I was really excited to find that we had one here on KPSU. I've been unable to get on the show during the school year, but the summer seemed like a fantastic time to join in on the shenanigans.

Alex also hosts a fantastic show on Tuesdays, called Radio Mystery Theater, which is entirely dedicated to Old Time Radio recordings from shows like The Shadow, Philip Marlowe, The Whisperer, Dragnet & Charlie Chan. This is a rare treat for radio listeners, and something dedicated to interests near and dear to my own heart. I highly recommend tuning in.

It is amazing the kinds of things that used to dominate radio, and with shows like this on KPSU, we sound more and more like the stations you used to hear in 60's, 50's and 40's. I'm super stoked to have been a guest, and you may hear me on the show again in the coming months.

Breakfast Discovery

2010-06-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

After a week of Kitchen alchemy and spell-casting, I've made a very important discovery: breakfast is 75% better with the addition of tomatoes and avocados. I had grown used to a very simple (and fast) concoction involving potatoes and eggs, and depending on how fancy I was feeling, I would add curry to the potatoes, and cheese to the final product. (Okay, I would always add cheese.)

However, it appears that topping off this simple creation with chopped tomatoes, and adding a few spoonfuls of avocado, makes this breakfast much more interesting, and delicious by at least threefold*. Additionally, this is a fairly inexpensive addition to the meal, provided you plan ahead, making this new discovery among some of the most important in my book.

I'm currently writing to all sorts of people to see if I can gain recognition for this revolutionary breakfast magic that will undoubtedly change the face of food forever. The only decision left is to determine which overpriced breakfast joint I should sell this amazing science to. I think $1000 cash is a fair price, don't you?

*Numeric estimates are only accurate within four decimal places.

Everything Old Is New Again

2010-06-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

Wait a minute. Something looks different here...

Time Is The Essence

2010-06-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Past, Present & Future collide in an explosion of radio offerings this week, answering the age-old question: What can The Past say about The Future? Ob-soive:

Episode 071: The Future
(Featuring a selection of songs dwelling on a single, unified subject.)

Playlist & Footnotes

AND!: I was also tapped to run sound for another in-studio performance on What's This Called? Ob-soive:

Aural Resuscitation Unit on What's This Called?, Live!
(Featuring a live performance by Iowa's Aural Resuscitation Unit.)

Playlist & Footnotes

Sometimes, when I'm running sound for groups like this, I love to imagine how frustrating it must be for conservative radio enthusiasts to tune in and hear a 45 minute block of experimental noise that bears little relation to traditional broadcasting. Good times. This is one of those shows I wish I could have heard live on the AM. It must have been better is antiquated mono.

Next week, tune it at noon for a two-hour extravaganza. Should be a good 'un.

See ya in seven.

Problems

2010-06-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

Due to the financial limitations of the summer, my phone was just shut off. I won't be able to get it turned back on until I get paid again, so until that time, I will only be reachable via e-mail. To help alleviate the situation, I will end my Facebook fast to help improve communication.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Self Deception

2010-06-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

Lying To Ourselves.

According to this segment (and the research supporting it), people who are better at self deception, can modify the way they see the world (and themselves), and are generally more successful, richer, and happier in their own lives. Those who have difficulty in lying to themselves, and thus see the world as it really is, tend to have trouble being happy, and find it difficult to be successful in the same ways that liars are.

I find it interesting that there is evidence that supports something that anyone suffering from depression could have told you ages ago: the balance between being disingenuous and being honest is the surface tension that binds humanity.

Totally

2010-06-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

"I don't know what's the matter with people: they don't learn by understanding, they learn by some other way — by rote or something. Their knowledge is so fragile!"

- Richard Feynman.

Suggestions

2010-06-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

As someone raised in the later half of the 20th Century, I have come to realize that I am all left feet in the kitchen. I am often embarrassed by the things that I prepare to eat because the rarely take on any of the qualities of "food," and being someone who has an antagonistic relationship with eating anyway, I often wish I could fall back on a Food Pill of some kind. In recent years, I have become dependent on cheap thai alternatives, basic potato 'n' egg breakfasts, and a burning desire to spend a little time in the kitchen as possible. It's not that I don't like eating, but more to the point, I think I would appreciate it more if I only had to do it occasionally. Most of the time, I stave off hunger by eating the bare minimum anyway, longing for a way to combat my own biology by tricking it into thinking I've actually consumed something.

Now that I am the proud receiver of Food Stamps, and can no longer rely on the kindness of cheap take-out and food carts, I need to hone some skills in the kitchen. Fortunately, I can follow recipes fairly well, and given enough practice, can even make some of them edible to people who are not willing to live on the diet I have become comfortable with. I would even like to possible expand my personal menu, as the handful of meals I do know how to make I am rapidly tiring of. It is my hope that developing a cooking technique is a new trick that you can teach and old, lame, blind in one eye, stubborn dog.

So, I turn to you for a simple request: what is your favorite meal, and how do you prepare it? What should I be stocking up on at the market, and are there any kitchen tricks that have proved useful to you? As someone who has avoided picking up any culinary expertise in the last 20 years, every little bit helps. I've got pancakes and rice down pretty well, and frozen vegetables already make regular appearances. I would love to learn how to make something that more closely resembles an actual meal, rather than something to merely tide me over.

Thoughts?

My Hero

2010-06-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia:

Due to the top secret nature of the work [on the Manhattan Project], Los Alamos was isolated. In Feynman's own words, "There wasn't anything to do there". Bored, he indulged his curiosity by learning to pick the combination locks on cabinets and desks used to secure papers. In one case he found the combination to a locked filing cabinet by trying the numbers a physicist would use (27-18-28 after the base of natural logarithms), and found that the three filing cabinets where a colleague kept a set of research notes all had the same combination. He left a series of notes as a prank, which initially spooked his colleague into thinking a spy or saboteur had gained access to atomic bomb secrets.

That is definitely one way to relieve boredom. What a fucking stud.

A Little Of Both

2010-06-15T14:32:00.001-07:00

There is probably nothing more depressing than watching "The Secret of NIMH" at the food stamp office.

But, there is nothing more exciting than having a large Russian man named Yury give you $200 a month to buy food.

Thanks, Yury!

By Crom's sword...

I Concur

2010-06-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

"If we don't cherish the work of Flann O'Brien, we are stupid fools who don't deserve to have great men."

Anthony Burgess

The Living Undead... Musically Speaking

2010-06-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

Four hours of radio comin' atcha on this beautiful Saturday Morning. I cover for Ricardo Wang to bring you a two-hour jam of live experimental music, preceded by two retrocasts from 2006 and 2009, respectively. Ob-soive:

10:00 AM
4 April 2006 Retrocast of: "Instru-mentals"
( Featuring an entire hour of music without words, in an effort to explore other regions of the musical brain.)

Original Playlist

Here's a quick anecdote from today about this one: After I started this one, I went upstairs to get some coffee, and saw a couple of kids talking while the show was playing overhead. (KPSU broadcasts to the SMU building on campus.) When The Conet Project track came on, one kid said to his friend, "This is the jam, man!" I really appreciated that.

11:00 AM
4 April 2009 Retrocast of: "The Sound Museum"
(Featuring a journey with myself and Ken Nordine through The Sound Museum, as we explore the kinds of sounds you don't always get to hear on the radio.)

Playlist & Footnotes

This is one of my favorite shows from last year, for a variety of reasons, and has some of my favorite songs in it, too.

Then, strap yourself in for a two-hour extravaganza, as I take you through the last few years of experiments conducted in the Blasphuphmus Radio labs, in conjunction with What's This Called?, all part of a special show celebrating (and covering for) Ricardo Wang as he is up watching the Olympia Experimental Music Festival this weekend.

12:00 Noon
Episode 070: It's Alive Part V: Experimental Jive Part I
Episode 070: It's Alive Part V: Experimental Jive Part II
(Featuring live music, recorded by Austin Rich at KPSU, with a particularly experimental bent.)

Playlist & Footnotes

With summer now in full effect (finally), there will be some changes happening to the show as I sort out how the Vitamin D will effect my body chemistry. Until then, keep your eyes on this page for all updates and information concerning what's to come, as this little show may be expanding with new ideas, new voices, new content, and, well, some of the same music you've come to know and love. Hell yeah.

See ya in seven.

I Want Some Cockaigne

2010-06-09T09:02:00.001-07:00

My new favorite Wikipedia article:

Cockaigne

According to Herman Pleij, Cockaigne is a place where:

roasted pigs wander about with knives in their backs to make carving easy, where grilled geese fly directly into one's mouth, where all the restrictions of society are defied, where cooked fish jump out of the water and land at one's feet. The weather is always mild, the wine flows freely, sex is readily available (nuns flipped over to show their bottoms), and all people enjoy eternal youth.

Cockaigne was a, "medieval peasant’s dream, offering relief from backbreaking labor and the daily struggle for meager food."

Hell yeah.

Two Nights In A Row

2010-06-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

If someone wanted to share guaranteed sleep remedies, I would be most appreciative.

Because I could really use the sleep.

I Wish

2010-06-07T23:04:00.000-07:00

One evening as the sun went down
and the jungle fires were burning,
down the track came a hobo hiking,
and he said, "Boys I'm not turning.
I'm headed for a land that's far away
besides the crystal fountains.
So come with me, we'll go and see
the Big Rock Candy Mountains."

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains,
there's a land that's fair and bright.
Where the handouts grow on bushes
and you sleep out every night.
Where the boxcars all are empty
and the sun shines every day
and the birds and bees
and the cigarette trees
the lemonade springs
where the bluebird sings
in the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
all the cops have wooden legs
and the bulldogs all have rubber teeth
and the hens lay soft-boiled eggs.
The farmers' trees are full of fruit
and the barns are full of hay.
Oh I'm bound to go
where there ain't no snow
where the rain don't fall
the winds don't blow
in the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
you never change your socks
and the little streams of alcohol
come trickling down the rocks.
The brakemen have to tip their hats
and the railway bulls are blind.
There's a lake of stew
and of whiskey too
you can paddle all around
in a big canoe
in the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
the jails are made of tin
and you can walk right out again
as soon as you are in.
There ain't no short-handled shovels,
no axes, saws nor picks
I'm bound to stay
where you sleep all day
where they hung they jerk
that invented work
in the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

I'll see you all this coming fall
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

AHRG!

2010-06-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

Stupid fucking insomnia! Stupid! So tired. Blech. Hate everything.

By Crom's sword...

L & R Evening

2010-06-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

Not that this is news to anyone, but I am a Love & Rockets fan. (Not the band.) Encouraged by my friend Lyra, I picked up a copy of Music For Mechanics in the early '90's, and over the years would pick up an issue or collection here and there, totally impressed and in love with almost every aspect of the book.

Within L&R there are two main narratives that have been running through the series since the beginning: Locas, written by Jamie Hernandez, which focuses on a group of Latina punk-rock girls from a neighborhood called Hoppers 13 in Southern California, and Palomar, written by Gilbert Hernandez, which focuses on the residents of the eponymously named, magical-realist village somewhere "south of the US border." While a number of other, unrelated stories and characters crop up regularly, including stories by their brother Mario, these are the primary works in the series.

In the monthly comics, the stories within were presented in a piecemeal fashion: there would be a little from Locas, and little from Palomar, a little of this, and little of that, and in the really early issues, a Mario story. Recently, a series of excellent reprints were put together that collected the stories in a way that separated the flotsam and jetsam from each other. Now, you can get a four volume series that covers the entire Locas storyline up to the present (in order), and a three volume series that covers the entire Palomar series. (There's yet another collection that contains all the Mario stories, and everything else that isn't part of the two other storylines... though in many cases, there are crossovers.)

Having (finally) read through nearly everything by all three of these artists, I have become quite torn in terms of how to divide my fan worship. Critically, the Palomar stories are highly respected, and there is something very astute and literary about the Gilbert stories. And while I really do like his work quite a bit, there is a part of me that is drawn to Jamie's work more often. (To be perfectly honest, I really love the Mario stories best, but in terms of output vs. enjoyment, Jamie wins.) I can't exactly stress this enough without using an equally geeky analogy: admitting this is the Comics equivalent of saying you are a Beach Boys fan, but you just aren't that into Pet Sounds.

Even worse than this, I find myself drawn mostly to the Sci-Fi / Latina Wrestling stories, more than the soap opera that is the majority of the Locas stories. When Maggie is flying around the world, repairing robots and spaceships and meeting dinosaurs, I just find myself enjoying the stories more than when Maggie and Hopey are fighting over their "relationships problems." When Hopey's band goes on tour, I'm much more excited than when they show Maggie struggling with her new job as Apartment Manager. When Vicki is in mourning because her old wrestling enemy, Rena, might be dead, and thus Vicki declares that she will only wrestle fair and square for the rest of her career, it feels like a more momentous occasion than when Penny attempts to squeeze more money out of her rich sugar Daddy. To make this point abundantly clear, this is the Comics equivalent of saying, "After Brian Wilson left the group, the Beach Boys REALLY started to cook!"

It is often said of me that I like to take nerdiness to hitherto unknown heights (as recently as yesterday afternoon, by one of my co-workers after I complimented his daughters Avengers t-shirt), and when I started to think about it, this schism in the things I enjoy about L&R seemed to cut right to the heart of that comment. Rather than the artistic and acclaimed work of one person, I like the cheesy soap opera of his brother. Rather than the sharp and sophisticated relationship analysis that happens in later stories, I like the corny Sci-Fi / Wrestling stories. Rather than the (yawn) boring observations on sexual relationships that are bubbling beneath the surface of all the later stories, I seem to get much more excited about spaceships, robots, and dinosaurs.

I'm not exactly sure what that says about me, but if taking nerdiness to the extreme means that I am in love with Latina-Wrestler, Punk-Rock, Sci-Fi comics, then I will make no apologies for my nerdiness. But, to win back at least some of the cred I've lost, I'm starting on reading two imported volumes of Corto Maltese to make up for it.

Frith Be Praised!

2010-06-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

Before I knew that today was going to turn out to be exactly the kind of day that I wanted, I was toying with the idea of performing a musical rite in order to get The Sun to take seriously the job it has not been performing for the last few months. Weather or not (no pun intended) this audio ritual will be effective remains to be seen, but fortunately for you, this show rocks in spite of the pseudo-religious content! Ob-soive:

Episode 069: Summon The Sun
(In which I play a bunch of songs dedicated to Frith himself, in an attempt to keep him overhead in the coming months.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

I just got word that next weeks show will be two hour long, meaning that I will need to re-think my ideas for what I was going to play. So don't forget to tune in an hour earlier next week to catch the whole show.

See ya in seven.

Food For Thought

2010-06-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

10 Things Every Person Must Do When They Are Growing Up

01.) Make Friends With The Kid Your Parents Warn You About.
While I can't vouch for how well he will treat you, the quality of the friendship you will have with him, or if you will come out of the friendship unscathed, he will teach you how to drink and cuss, how to roll and cigarette, resourceful ways to find porno, and a number of other handy things that the friends your parents want you to have don't know anything about.

02.) Take Hallucinogenic Drugs At Least Once.
And, if possible, I recommend going through a period where you take a bunch. For your own safety, I do not recommend white drugs of any kind, as you don't learn much from them, and they cost way too much money. But the right combination of friends, locations, and microdot can make all the difference in the world between general teenage malaise, and being able to cope with how silly this universe actually is.

03.) The Higher You Can Climb, The More Fun You Will Have.
This is like one of those equations that you can count on every single time. Drinking a six pack with your friends is great. Doing it in a treehouse is better. Getting on top of your High School after hours = even better. There isn't actually a lot of reason or logic that goes with this one, except that the places that are the most fun to climb up onto are often places that you are not supposed to go. There is a corollary to this rule that says that 'No Tresspassing' = 'More Fun', but if you are going to take that bit of advice, I would do some remedial research about security systems, cameras, guards, and the likelihood that someone is carrying a gun.

04.) Sneaking Out Of The House.
During the years that you live with your parents, you are required by law to sneak out of the house after they have gone to sleep. Weather they would give you permission anyway is a moot point. You need to leave the house when they do not know you have left, and you must return home before they wake up. What you do while you are gone is your own choice.

05.) Break Something.
This one is tricky, because going to jail, earning the ire of your neighbors, and vandalism in general is never acceptable, and in a lot of ways, isn't really the goal anyway. But it is important to find something large, or something made of glass, and smash it in a terribly violent way that does not injure anyone, but makes a lot of noise and leaves a huge mess. (So as to not get called an asshole, keep in mind that littering does not build character, put hair on your chest, or make you remotely attractive. We call it a dick move. Clean up after yourself.

06.) Start A Band.
You do not have to become famous, record an album, or even play live more than once. But at some point you must start a band of some kind, with a defined logo, at least four songs, and grand plans that never come to fruition. The more high concept, the better. Bands like this should be started with a childhood friend from "way back," but barring that option, start it with the friend from #1.

07.) Swear.
Loudly, vehemently, and often. If there is a word you are ever told, by anyone, that you are not allowed to say, it is your duty to learn as much about that word as possible, invent new and colorful ways in which to invoke it, and begin using it as often as possible. While the big seven are really the ones to latch onto, keep in mind that in the right context, and with the right people, that there are quite a few words that suddenly qualify. There are no bad words, merely narrow minds.

08.) Read & Write.
A little milquetoast on the surface, yes, but most people dedicated to print will tell you that the most subversive idea imaginable is to give someone a window into your thoughts and ideas through the written word. Text is not merely a way to bore yourself, but a conduit through which terrible and horrific notions can come to life, play out their grisly lives, and quietly die in the backs of our minds, to add to the compost that feeds our everyday thoughts and ideas. Scarier than anything your parents could ever warn you about, what you are ingesting with a flashlight beneath covers is often just as dangerous as any drug you take, and therefore, must be done with intense regularity.

09.) Walk Out On A Job That You Hate.
As you get older, the balls it takes to do something like this will slowly shrivel away, and as paying bills and being responsible becomes more and more important, it will be harder and harder to enjoy the satisfaction that comes with telling an employer you don't like that they can, "Fuck Off." When you are young, there are a hundred shitty jobs that are looking for teens every single day, and you will be able to recover very quickly. But until you have hosed down your manager in the dish pit, burned an apron out of frustration, or simply stormed off in the middle of a lunch rush, you will never know the true joy that comes from letting a shitty boss stew in his own juices while you're off enjoying an unexpected day off.

10.) Tell Your Parents They Are Wrong.
Because they are. When they were your age, they did the same things, and thought their parents were wrong for denying those things. It goes on and on. While they will not believe it, or remember, or realize it, only the hindsight of middle age has helped me realize that, yes, they were. And if I ever am a parent, that I will be, too.

Landslide

2010-06-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

Took this love and I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Till the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
And can I sail through the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Oh oh I don't know, oh I don't know

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older I'm getting older too
Yes I'm getting older too, so

So, take this love, take it down
Oh if you climb a mountain and you turn around
If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well the landslide will bring you down, down
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills

Well maybe the landslide will bring you down
Well well, the landslide will bring you down

What Do You Use?

2010-05-31T09:59:00.000-07:00

It's Finally Over

2010-05-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I am a Lost fan, and in spite of having watched all of the final Season live, as they were being broadcast, I can't say I've been watching since the beginning. I picked up the show around the end of Season 3, and it wasn't until part way into Season 5 that I started watching them as they were coming out. Even then, as I first sat down to watch Season 1, I wasn't even sold on the show until Episode 11 - when they first find The Hatch - that I was really hooked. That alone probably explains quite a bit about me as a fan; rather than the characters, the actors, stuff like the DHARMA Initiative and the monster were much more interesting to me.

Anyway, I've been resisting the urge to write about the Series Finale until today. Part of me feels like I'm still unpacking things here and there, thus making an overall interpretation of the show incomplete, or at least, moot. Part of me also feels like I can't really offer much more insight than the show does itself; sure, there are a few unsolved mysteries that were swept under the rug here and there, and I can certainly understand why so many people are suffering from a case of the WTFs, but to me, it works as an ending. I don't feel cheated, and I don't feel like it was bad in the least bit. I was definitely entertained.

[Warning: Spoilers ahead.]

I also felt a little vindicated, when it turned out that I was onto something when, over two years ago, I wrote an essay about the use of sound in Season 1. (Here's the link.) While I made no predictions about the future of the show (Why would I? How could I?), the overall thrust of my essay was that Hurley is important to the show, because he is our in-show proxy, that helps us understand the mysteries of the island because we're more like him than anyone else on the show. This comment has particular significance now that it has been revealed that Hurley is the protector of the island. Not only was that very satisfying, personally, but makes total sense, meta-textually. Think of the writers as Jacob and Jack, and the fans as Hurley, and the analogy works. While the writers must move on, we as fans will protect the island through being emotionally invested fans of the show itself.

The circular nature of the show was also an inspired ending. The loop feels so complete, that the Pilot episode of Season 1 makes an excellent follow-up to the Season Finale. (Try watching them back to back. It really, really works.) I think this particular ending signals a number of things to us. First, this ending was planned from fairly early in the creative process. (How early is fairly irrelevant; the fact that they even TRY to answer as many questions as they did illustrates that the end was a consideration at a number a stages while the show was being made.) Second, all the imagined Prisoner connections I was seeing extend further into the show than I thought. And lastly, for a show that toyed with Time Travel as a narrative device (both literally and symbolically through narrative structures), it only makes sense to end where it begins. Flashbacks, -forwards, and -sideways seem particularly appropriate for a show that is going around in circles the whole time anyway. (Considering that there is strong evidence to support the notion that this is not the first time the island has had to gather forces to help destroy a Smoke Monster like this, again, helps suggest that this really is the only ending that makes sense, anyway.)

As with anything, there were some things that I did not like. But, as I've said before (and will say again), there are very few stories that I've read that are completely flawless anyway. I can't think of many things that I've enjoyed 100% (with the possible exceptions of four albums), and it would be ridiculous to suggest that Lost should have been held to such a high standard, too. More than anything, I would say that the extreme emphasis on religion and religious themes really started to bog the show down at times. I am not religious, and find a lot of religious themes completely lost of me (no pun intended).

I was especially frustrated with the Sideways Universe acting as a sort of afterlife for the characters, which seemed very unnecessary. However, upon reflection, this notion of the afterlife does not fit (exactly) any of the religious concepts I'm familiar with, and in fact, seems to be an amalgam of a variety of notions. The Lost version of the afterlife doesn't appear to suggest that any particular faith is the correct one, but rather, the relationships and friendships that we forge in the real world entirely determine what happens to us when we die. It isn't quite enough to convince me to adopt religion (specific ones, or just a general sense thereof), but it does seem to suggest that even if religious faith is onto something, it is more motivated by what we do here and now, than by what happens to us before and afterward. It's not a perfect fit for me, but it is certainly better than most television world views, that's for sure.

Etc., etc. I could go on and on, and I'm still sorting through all the things I noticed / liked / observed / connected with throughout the entire Series. Let's just say that I really, really liked it. But there were two details in particular from the final show that, for me, really exemplified what I loved about the show overall:

As Desmond (now immune to severe electromagnetic discharges) is lowered by Jack and Flocke into The Heart of The Island, he wanders past a few different human skeletal remains. Nevermind that The Heart of The Island is supposed to either turn you into a Smoke Monster, or kill you due to the extreme electromagnetic forces. Somehow, at some point in the past, a few people have gotten in. Who, and how? Clearly, that's another show. It makes the cuneiform script found on the stone plug itself seem almost irrelevant.

Wait, cuneiform script? You mean there were people on the island BEFORE the Egyptians, who already pre-date Jacob, the Smoke Monster, and their mother? Really?

It just goes on and on like that. And I, for one, couldn't be happier. I haven't been hooked on a Network TV show since High School, and while I can't say that my faith in Hollywood has been completely restored, I'm more than happy to know that someone, somewhere, can come this close to getting it right.

Well done.

Etcetera, Etcetera

2010-05-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

What's this? No theme? How can be? Apparently, this show merely presents "music" for you to "listen to" and "enjoy." How did that happen? Ob-soive, and you'll find out:

Episode 068: I Can't Be In Love If It's Plastic (A Potpourri)
(Featuring an entirely theme-less show, full of music that I merely wanted to listen to.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

But that's not all. I also showed up early, to help run sound for some live Rock and / or Roll during the 12 Noon hour. Here's the results:

Ilima Considine on What's This Called?
(Featuring the debut of new recorded material, and two live performances, by local musical artist Ilima Considine.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

My, it's a busy Saturday. And it just gets busier. So it goes. And, of course, we'll be back next week with more fun stuff, to keep you in the mood for radio at its finest.

See ya in seven.

Social Networks

2010-05-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

This morning I tried to clear out my Facebook account as best as I could, and deactivated the account. This has nothing to do with privacy issues, or anything like that; people can find out anything about other people very easily, and at any time they want, without Facebook. It has now become another (powerful) tool for people who are interested in Privacy Invasion, but is not the end all be all of those kinds of problems.

Furthermore, it is next to impossible to even deactivate an account. Deactivated accounts are still there, and can still be accessed, Googled, etc. Your friends can still see the remnants of your account, and still send you messages, and still contact you. Facebook also doesn't allow you to remove from your account your e-mail, full name, and a number of other elements to your account. And at any time I can "reactivate" my account, merely by logging in. No fuss, no muss. I might as well have just stopped using the account, for all the good it has done.

But again, that's not the point. The point is: I'm tired. I'm over it. I just don't have the energy anymore. I am not hard to find or contact, and already have a presence on the web anyway. There is no lack of leaving a footprint online.

I'm just sick of the crap, sick of this world, sick of the way people treat each other within it, and find that all of those problems and difficulties are amplified through Facebook. I did fine without it for most of my life, and would rather not have to be burdened with yet another thing I feel like I need to do every day.

Goodbye.

Rock Radio

2010-05-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

Blasphuphmus Radio is constantly working to innovate in the area of broadcast radio, and with that in mind, have created and coined a new genre hitherto unknown in this medium. Ob-soive:

Episode 067: Philosophy Rock Part I: The Truth Is Marching In
(Featuring musical inquiries into the deeper mysteries that life springs on us.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

In addition to this, Roland (the DJ on after me) was unable to do his show today, and listeners were treated to a retrocast of our most popular episode from earlier this year. Here goes:

Retrocast of "Lounge Act"
(Featuring relaxing, down-tempo, chill-out sounds perfect for a backyard BBQ, or a day at the beach.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

(It should be noted that the stereo balance on this particular podcast is a little off, and the left channel is higher than the right. Hopefully you can equalize the balance at home to fix this problem. This is only the case for this retrocast; the original is in full, proper stereo.)

I have at least two more editions of Philosophy Rock planned (with possible guests, even), so watch a space similar to this one for updates on that.

Thanks again, and we'll talk again soon.

See ya in seven.

Move On by The Rentals

2010-05-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

Let's get up and leave this town
I just want to go right now
Once we get out of here
No one will notice that we disappeared

So what do you say we go right now
Get away from everyone that hangs around
They seem so insincere
So why don't we just leave them here

And move on
Move on

We'll find some new place nice
Some other city or the countryside
We'll make new friends in time
We'll pack up and say goodbye

It's been six long years
Six years of hanging about without a care
It don't matter where we go
Anywhere is better I know

So move on

Come on let's get away
So far away
Come on let's run away, run away
Run away today

And move on

Please Hand Me That Piano

2010-05-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

As a seasoned fan and purveyor of broadcast audio, it is very easy to come to the conclusion that you've heard it all before. A quick scanning of the dial reveals very few things that veer away from the mundane and into the realm of the worthwhile, or even manages to be compelling enough to stick with for more than a few minutes. More often than not, you'll be much more entertained by merely tuning the knob for an hour. Or, at least, you won't notice much of a difference between stations if you do.

Listening to recordings of The Firesign Theater has almost nothing to do with that kind of experience. Equal parts Dada, performance art, verbal psychedelia for the sake of psychedelia, and pitch-perfect satire, this radio ensemble manages to consistently perform incredible feats of radio-tastic tomfoolery in a way that no other American (with the possible exception of Don Joyce) has been able to do. In many ways they are the Monty Python of broadcast radio, except that The Goon Show already managed to fill that roll, and more to the point, there is a sort of Marx Brothers style anarchic mania to Firesign that seems far too rooted in North American style and culture.

And that is, of course, the point. Sounding more like a drugged out, stream of consciousness, border radio, theater of the mind version of NPR anyway, Firesign occupies that very special place in media were they are simultaneously satire and statement, comedy and commentary, absurd and art, all at once. Nonsensical parodies and impersonations transition to insightful observations about modern junk culture, filtered entirely through late '60's cynicism and the medium of broadcast radio. In a lot of ways, it is far too much to take in all at once. Cursory listeners might be shocked to hear an audio veneer that is far too similar to your average talk radio station. Dig a little deeper, and you're shocked to realize that there's well thought out, scripted, carefully observed satire at play, that is more and more rewarding with each repeated listen. (Just parsing all the cultural references, many buried in double and triple enendres, can be a full time job.)

I've only just discovered Firesign, which is fortunate for me because there are hours and hours (and hours) of their recordings, both released and fan traded, for future digestion. In a world where it is increasingly more and more difficult to distinguish the difference reality from representation, Firesign effectively blurs, points out, mangles, and comments upon the line that separates the two in one of the most unique ways I've every had the pleasure of hearing.

Plus: it's perfect to cook dinner to.

Karly Returns To Radio!

2010-05-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

My sister Karly, and long-time supporter of my radio endeavors over the years, makes another appearance almost exactly one year after the last time we did a tag-team show. Ob-soive:

Episode 066: A Family Affair Part III, featuring Karly Rich!
(With a selection of tunes picked by my sister Karly, including Evelyn Evelyn and Gogol Bordello.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

I am always impressed with my sister's taste in music, and I hope you are, too. This un's a good un.

See ya in seven.

The Worst Taste

2010-05-12T16:55:00.001-07:00

Here is a deep dark secret: I have terrible taste in music. It is true, and there is no denying it. I must come clean. For anyone in doubt, this can be evidenced by the fact that today on the bus I heard a snippet of, "Journey of the Sorcerer," - A fucking Eagles song, mind you! - and I almost started crying.

(Mind you, I could easily defend this by explaining that the song in question is the theme song to the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy radio show, but does that excuse me in any way from liking the song anyway? Certainly not.)

I have always related to the song, "180 lbs." by Atom & His Package (see below for the lyrics), because I have this obsession with music, but there seems almost no real way of objectively judging the quality of my "taste." I recently made fun of a co-worker of mine for liking Oasis, not at all remembering the 500 records I own that are much, much worse than anything they've recorded. (Styx? Rush? King Crimson albums after "In The Court Of The Crimson King"? ELO? The Band!?! Need I say more?)

I like a lot of shitty music, but I think it is finally time to own up. Absolute, utter tripe, and I love it. (Ahem, Ke$ha.) We all do, and I think we would all be much better off if we stopped trying to one-up each other when it comes to records. I'll admit that I am guilty of it constantly. But there is something more impressive about admitting bad taste, and I'd like to get to that point. This isn't to say that I don't like good music either, and you will find a healthy dose of Miles Davis, Dead Kennedys, Acid Mothers Temple, and most everything by Johnathan Richman. But they're often filed next to terrible '80's compilations, ensemble recordings of musicals that not even gay men will listen to, and a selection of absolutely Earl-awful 45s by bands named "Chicano-Christ" and "Boba Fett Youth." Someone has got to draw the line somewhere, right?

Or, perhaps not. Perhaps the point is to embrace these absurdities, and finally admit to myself that it's only music, and move on. Yes, I know there are very few reasons to own any Springsteen album after the first three or four. But someday I would like to live in a world where I can, publicly, stand up and say, "I own the complete works of The Moody Blues, and I don't care who knows about it," and not feel like a complete and utter tit.

...and with that, I have now alienated 2/3s of my readers. Until next time...

180 Lbs :
I own the worst records, of all time.
I got 'em stored on a Ikea shelf of mine.
They make me laugh.
They make me cry.
For owning the Voice of the Voiceless,
I deserve to die.

Why do I own Fireparty?
The last Dag Nasty CD?
The 1st Snapcase 7",
or anything by F.Y.P.?
I own S.N.F.U. and fucking Pennywise.
Oh my god, what is wrong with me?

I got a bad curse that follows me.
It makes me purchase the worst records produced in history.
I've sworn off buying records, after this one I'm done.
I buy 15 bad records to every good one.

Dante's Explorers

2010-05-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Your average movie critic would categorize Joe Dante as a low-rent Steven Spielberg, and unfortunately, there is enough evidence in his films to support this badly-made assertion. Both Gremlins and InnerSpace have that Spielberg-ian flavor to their form and execution, and the fact that Spielberg took Dante under his wing early on only adds to that notion. But where Spielberg seems to be able to mine the Hollywood Mainstream for blockbusters and money makers, Dante seems only able to skirt the edges in ways that earn him little cash. A quick glance at their respective filmographys will instantly reveal who is the household name and who isn't; as it stands, the closest thing to a blockbuster Dante had was his Spielberg-produced horror movie, Gremlins.

But Dante's films tend to be more nuanced, and function on levels that most of Hollywood fare don't (or can't). While on the surface, Explorers seems to embody the Spielberg-ian notions of Wish Fulfillment Fantasy and Childhood Nostalgia, in a much more direct sense, Explorers is a film that explains how to navigate your High School years through the development of fantasy coping mechanisms.

The overall plot of the film is typical of youth-oriented adventure movies: a trio of friends build a spaceship in their backyard, using circuit designs dreamed by Ben (Ethan Hawk), constructed by Wolfgang (River Phoenix), and named by Darren (Jason Presson, the only one of the primary actors to not have a big Hollywood career afterward). When they iron out all the kinks in their ship, they realize that they've been called by a pair of aliens in deep space, whom they go to visit, where the real fun begins. Eventually they return from their heroes' journey wiser, experienced, and having made it through the "underworld" relatively unscathed. Odysseus himself could not have planned the trip better.

The main character of the film, Ben, is immediately characterized as an outcast. The target of bullies and being raised by a single parent, his refuge is the world of Sci-Fi. Film, books, comics, anything otherworldly helps him cope with his everyday misery, while he secretly pines for a rich girl (Lori) that he can never obtain for obvious (class) reasons. In their own ways, Wolfgang and Darren are similarly outcast; Wolfgang is immersed in Science, to the point that he can think in no other terms, while Darren obsesses over his scooter and his Walkman, attempting to ignore the realities of his own drunken father at home. Using the resolve they gain from their media obsessions and interests, they manage to find a way to survive through the complex world of High School when it's clear that they just don't fit in.

However, once these three kids take the first step into their Odyssesian "underworld," they find themselves crossing the threshold of the very media Ben is obsessed with in the first place. First, they create an energy sphere out of thin air, as if it has been called forth from the very media Ben idolizes. Once it has been created, it literally moves "through" the very books and Comics that Ben collects. (As if the idea of an energy sphere was trying to return to the world it came from.) Later, the sphere takes Wolfgang on a Journey Through The Center of The Earth by "accidentally" tunneling through a mountainside they happen to be experimenting upon. After they finally build their ship (a creation comprised of things they find in a disused junkyard, where the mainstream casts off things no longer important), they choose to make their first destination the local Drive-In (Darren: "Where's all the action on a Friday Night?" Ben: "The Drive-In!").

However, the film takes a decidedly strange turn once they get there. Not only do our young heroes start interacting with the Drive-In screen itself, the movie they watch starts to interact back. (Not only with them, but with us.) What's playing on the screen is Starkiller, a fictional film within a film, and an obscure George Lucas reference, too. (Luke Skywalker's original name, in the early drafts of the first Star Wars script, was Luke Starkiller.) The hero of this film, Starkiller (played expertly by Robert Picardo, in one of his two roles for Explorers), not only embodies everything that a Sci-Fi, B-Movie, Drive-In character should, but his reaction shots all revolve around things that are happening outside of his own film. Interacting with media, in the world of Explorers, works two ways: you get out of it what you put into it.

When the boys finally allow the craft they've built to take them to the stars, they encounter a pair of aliens who act as if they have stepped out of a Sci-Fi films themselves. (Robert Picardo plays Wak, effectively stepping out of Starkiller and into Explorers. It's only fitting that he plays a hologram in Voyager, to further toy with this tension.) Both Wak and Neek learned English from our own movies and television, too. As Ben and his companions get to know Wak and Neek, they discover that the aliens are just as obsessed with media junk culture as they are.

After meeting Ben and his friends, Wak and Neek project, onto themselves, the boys, every available surface, and in the air all around them, screen after screen of TV shows, commercials, and old movies, all blending and mixing into a melange of cultural noise. Ben and his friends stare, transfixed, but Wak and Neek feel comfortable literally wandering through these images from which they have sprung. But where Ben is obsessed with the more obscure selections our culture offers, Wak and Neek soak up anything and everything they see. The more steeped in the mundane and everyday Wak and Neek become, the more and more they resemble your average American. (Ben: "They don't make any sense." Wolfgang: "That's the way that they think we talk!")

In the end, in a sort of cinematic sigh rather than a dramatic crescendo, Ben and his friends discover that there is almost no difference between themselves and the aliens they've met. Wak and Neek went into space to meet aliens too, inspired to do so by Earth media they're obsessed with. Only, in their case, they get caught in the end by their own father. (Wak and Neek's father manages to do an incredible Ralph Kramden impression in an all-alien dialect, pure Dante-nonsense at its finest.)

When the boys return to Earth, the occasion is even more anti-climactic; rather than the triumphant, heroic return of three space travelers who have touched the stars, met alien life, and made it home to tell the tale, they accidentally crash into a lake, to no welcome or fanfare, and have to escape from their home-made vehicle in much the same way that your work-a-day Astronauts might after a water landing. The crushing reality of their experience is so overwhelming that their craft is sucked instantly to the bottom of the lake, irretrievable.

Sort of.

As Dante is quick to point out, the ending that exists is not the one he wanted. Between budgetary constraints and studio pressure, the film was never properly "finished." Further difficulties in distribution, promotion, and release made the movie even more obscure at the time it came out, disappointing Dante further. (Especially after the phenomenal success of his previous film, Gremlins.) But the ending that is tacked on, no matter how nostalgic and sentimental it might be on the surface, suggests in a subtle way that the "happily ever after" vision we see is actually anything but happy once run through a Dante-filter.

Ben, Wolfgang and Darren are able to do something no other human has been able to, but only by clinging to childhood obsessions and dreams in order to do so. Ben is smarter and more perceptive than those in the Mainstream because, unlike Wak and Neek, he only indulges in certain obscure elements. He has learned how to traverse the media landscape in a way that he enjoys, and enables him to accomplish that which no one else can. But at what cost? He can never tell anyone of his outer space adventures, and most likely, will not be able to recreate them, either. These dream achievements are incredible and fantastic, but become less and less fulfilling when you have to turn the movie off and return to real life.

This is most poignant through the love-interest subplot with a girl named Lori. Ben never manages to succeed with her during the film proper, in spite of several attempts to do so. (With hindsight, I'm actually surprised how much Lori reminds me of my first crush, but that's another story.) Finally, in the closing minutes of the film, he is able to connect with Lori, not only emotionally, but physically. (They kiss during a flying dream-sequence.) This connection, though, only occurs in his dream; it happens shortly after Ben falls asleep, bored to death at school, a place he hates, and where he is characterized as being unsuccessful.

And this becomes the final "message" that comes through at the end of the film: only in the media that Ben consumes (manifest "dreams" themselves) can Ben achieve what he most desperately wants. In real life, he is alone, an outcast, with only his mostly absent (and out-of-touch) mother to watch out for him. The girl he wants is out of reach, in a literal and symbolic sense (she is always just beyond his physical reach in the film, either separated by actual space or by mirrors and energy fields), who he can only connect with through flights of fancy. (The most interaction he has with her in the real world is through a photograph, again a piece of media.) His friends may share his dreams with him to an extent, but their own interests are vastly different from his own; they can fly with him, but in the end, they fly alone, away from Ben and Lori as they cruise through Ben's closing dream. The credits even start rolling before Ben's dream can conclude, leaving this perfect childhood fantasy to never have to suffer from the teacher waking him up to ask another question he can't answer. (The credits themselves start to intrude into the dream Ben is having, yet again muddying the barrier between reality and fantasy, and which is which.)

That is not to say that there is no joy in watching Explorers. The movie is a repository of cinematic references and childhood nostalgia that will really hit home for anyone obsessed with Warner Brothers cartoons, old Sci-Fi films, or someone who is looking for an adequate third to follow a Goonies / Stand By Me double feature. But don't be surprised if the meta-content starts to contort your perspective on this particular feature, or that the sad realities of growing up come crashing down on you as you start to put together exactly what Mr. Dante was trying to tell us.

What delighted me as a child is an all-to-horrific reminder in the here and now, of how painful growing up really can be, and the things you have to leave behind in order to do it successfully. Cheery stuff, no?

Because You Demanded It

2010-05-08T21:15:00.001-07:00

It's not every day I can get Isosceles Diego to join us for a little radio magic, so when he digs deep into his collection of New Wave records from around the world, it's always a good idea to give it a listen. Ob-soive:

Episode 065: "Popcorn Party PM with Isosceles Diego!"
(Featuring a wide array of songs from the personal collection of Isosceles Diego.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

I'll just say this: we play a Dexy's Midnight Runners song that is not "Come On Eileen." Oh: and The Method Actors.

See ya in Seven.

Get Lobed! (Radio Version)

2010-05-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

While I can't exactly say that there was a new episode of Blasphuphmus Radio this week, I can offer you the next best thing: an extended, two-hour version of What's This Called? with very special live guests! It's two hours of radio of the young and mysterious. Ob-soive:

What's This Called? w/ Frontal Lobe Development, LIVE!
Hour 1
Hour 2
(Featuring a live performance by Frontal Lobe Development, featuring Roosevelt High School students and local experimental artist Daniel Menche)

Playlist & Footnotes.

Daniel has been playing around the northwest since 1989, but has always performed as a solo artist. He met Sean (16), Magnus (11) & Edwin (18) at the school he works for, who were already trying to form a metal band of their own. They all joined forces, and the rest is history. I was lucky enough to run sound for them today, which involved the first time I mixed 2 iPhones (one for drums, the other for effects) with live guitar & vocals. All in all, it was a really amazing show.

I would also listen for a recording of Daniel conducting the Roosevelt High School Choir, which includes the straight recording, and a cut-up and remixed version, too. This may be one of the most unique musical offerings I've been involved with at KPSU, and I'm really happy to have participated.

And, from the, "While We're At It," Dept.: News Just In:

I just discovered that an older release of Derek M. Johnson (a cellist who has been featured on Unwound recordings, collaborations with Deerhoof and other amazing artists, as well as his own solo efforts) features a recording I made! How cool is that? The release is called Cello Sampler, and contains an excerpt from his live performance on What's This Called? from September of 2006. I have no idea if this was ever officially released, how many were made, and what the availability of it is, but I have to say I am very happy. I'm a fan of his stuff, and that makes it all the more amazing. Thanks Derek!

Hopefully that covers all the bases. Hang in there. Without you, there would be no show.

See ya in seven.

Snuff Box

2010-04-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

I can't be in love if it's plastic
To live on my own just seems tragic
But we'll raise our swords high when our day comes,
You thought it was gold but it was bronze.

So get here in time when our day comes,
You thought it was gold but it was bronze.
So get here in time when our day comes,
You thought it was gold but it was bronze...

So I guess it's goodbye now it's over,
Nothing much changed, we're just older,
But if I see you again back in detox,
Put my remains in my snuff box.
And if I should die of smallpox,
Put my remains in my snuff box.

Ooooooh... Spooky....

2010-04-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

This week, Blasphuphmus Radio takes a trip down a path that we seldom travel, and find ourselves bringing you more scary music than we've ever played in a single hour before. Black like my soul, and twice and creepy, we bring you real, live, authentic batcave music, the way grandma used to make. Ob-soive:

Episode 064: Rock Out With Your Goth Out
(Where we bring you an hour of music that we all know and love, but some of us are afraid to admit to. Featuring special guest, Anonymous 2!)

Playlist & Footnotes.

Wow, was there only a single hour this week? Wha' happen?

In other news: KPSU's annual Pledge Drive is still underway, and while there won't be any new episodes of Blasphuphmus Radio between now and then, we still support the drive in a number of ways. Please visit kpsu.org to make online donations, and help us keep the station on the air. If you make a donation of any kind to KPSU, and you heard about it via my show or this blog, I am offering a free compilation CD, Good Morning Portland. This disc features recordings made at KPSU, of bands and artists that performed live on-air. It is a unique collection available no where else, and it is yours for supporting college radio.

Thanks for listening, and I'll hear ya'll again next week.

See ya in seven.

It's True

2010-04-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

I've been beat up, I've been thrown out
but I'm not down, I'm not down
I've been shown up, but I've grown up
and I'm not down, I'm not down

Back To Church

2010-04-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today's show was a three-hour, two-fisted, double wammy, as Ricardo Wang and I did a 12th Anniversary, 2010 Pledge Drive, re-mix mash-up broadcast-aganza of radio magic, with special guest Lennon! Two shows become one! Two events converge! More music than your can handle! Brought to your by What's This Called? and Blasphuphmus Radio, at the same time! Ob-soive:

11:00 AM: Retrocast of "The Beginning" from 1998!
(Featuring the first ever Blasphuphmus Radio broadcast from the 15th of April, 1998, originally broadcast on KWVA Radio in Eugene, OR.)

Playlist & Footnotes

12:00 PM: Episode 063: What's This Blasphuphmus Radio Called? Hour 1
01:00 PM: Episode 063: What's This Blasphuphmus Radio Called? Hour 2
(Featuring a mix of experimental and rock music with a slight religious theme, hosted by Ricardo Wang and myself.)

Playlist & Footnotes

This show was part of the on-air celebrations I've been having lately to celebrate my 12th radio-versary. I may write more about my memories and experiences regarding radio in that time, but for now, you should entertain yourself with the Playlist & Footnotes from the retrocast of "The Beginning," which tells part of the story of how I got involved in radio in the first place. I have had so many amazing experiences as a DJ in the last 12 years, and I really couldn't have done it without the listeners. If you are one, consider yourself thanked. I love you to pieces.

This show is also part of the KPSU Pledge Drive that is going on for the next two weeks. If you can afford it, I would love to see you make a donation to the cause. Listeners donations really do make a huge difference in our ability to stay on the air, and every bit helps. In honor of Pledge Drive, I am offering a special CD compilation called, Good Morning Portland, featuring recordings made on Blasphuphmus Radio in the last 6 years. These are live, in-studio performances by local bands who have been kind enough to share their music with us, and you can only hear it on our show. Now you can get a CD of the best performances from those recordings, all by donating to KPSU's Pledge Drive. Those of you who tuned in to hear last year's Pledge Drive shows (here and here) got a chance to hear the CD already, and know what to expect from a deal like this.

I know on the air I said that if people pledged $20 they could get this CD, but give the state of the economy and how poor everyone is these days, if you many any financial donation to KPSU, I will send you the CD. Listener support is really important, and every little thing helps. Just drop me a line telling me who you are and when you donated, and I'll send out your CD immediately. It means that much to me.

That's it for this week. I promise not to be so text-heavy next week. Less talk, more rock.

See ya in seven.

It's The Download You've Been Waiting For

2010-04-16T12:31:00.001-07:00

I was not able to snap any photos of my own, but I did get an entire hour-long interview with none other than the legendary Exene Cervenka! Holy Crap! Ob-soive:

Episode 062: The Exene Cervenka 12th Anniversary Interview!
(Featuring a live, in-studio interview with Exene Cervenka.)

Playlist & Footnotes.

For those of you familiar with her work, I won't even need to tell you anything else. Just tune in and listen. For those who aren't, I recommend checking out her new solo album, Somewhere Gone, on Bloodshot Records. You'll know instantly if you're a fan.

I'm still sort of reeling about it, and had an incredible time meeting and talking to her. And I think the excitement comes through in the interview. All I can say is: awesome!

See ya saturday!

Don't Forget! Tax-Day, Pledge Drive, Exene-Interview Celebration!

2010-04-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

15 April 1998 - 15 April 2010
(Celebrating 12 Years Since Their Very First Broadcast)

Special Day And Time!

April 15th, at 10 PM, Join Blasphuphmus Radio for a very special broadcast, featuring a live interview by the legendary punk chanteuse, Exene Cervenka.

That's KPSU, 1450 AM, 98.1 FM (on the PSU Campus), and taking over the entire planet at KPSU.org.

Blasphuphmus Radio: 12 More Years!

Into Outer Space!

2010-04-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Weary travelers, it is not often that we are allowed a glimpse into the future via the past, and when this happens, it is often best to sit back and enjoy where this exciting and incredible journey will end up taking us. It is with that in mind that I bring you four hours of out-of-this-world radio, in a way that only Blasphuphmus Radio can deliver. Ob-soive:

10:00 AM: Retrocast of "Recreating 'The Outer Limits' "
(Wherein I replay a recreation of a broadcast composed of old Sci-Fi Recordings from the past.)
Playlist & Footnotes

11:00 AM: Retrocast of "When The Flying Saucers Attack!"
(Wherein I bring you another radio simulacrum comprised of space-related musical detritus.)
Playlist & Footnotes

12:00 PM: "Episode 061: It Came From Outer Space!" Part I
01:00 PM: "Episode 061: It Came From Outer Space!" Part II
(Featuring two hours of space-themed music that has yet to appear in a Blasphuphmus Radio broadcast!)
Playlist & Footnotes

Whew! That's a whole lot of space-cadet radio. It's the kind of work and dedication we love to bring you as part of our 12 years of dedication to listeners just like you.

Don't forget our special tax day celebration, where we'll be doing a night time broadcast on a Thursday evening, 12 years after my very first broadcast. To commemorate this special event, I'll be conducting a live interview with none other than Exene Cervenka. Yeah, I know. I can't believe it either.

And, of course, it's back to our regularly scheduled broadcasts next week.

See ya in seven.

12th Anniversary Spectacular!

2010-04-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

15 April 1998 - 15 April 2010
(Celebrating 12 Years Since Their Very First Broadcast)

Special Day And Time!

April 15th, at 10 PM, Join Blasphuphmus Radio for a very special broadcast, featuring a live interview by the legendary punk chanteuse, Exene Cervenka.

That's KPSU, 1450 AM, 98.1 FM (on the PSU Campus), and taking over the entire planet at KPSU.org.

Blasphuphmus Radio: 12 More Years!

Tuning Tired Tongue Twisters

2010-04-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

Of course, Ranger Mike is never one to wind to a close like everyone else, and so I was pretty excited to find that he tapped me (again) to run sound for the last last last (we mean it this time... maybe) ever episode of signal-to-noise ratio, where he featured a live performance by a group of insane local weirdos to play their particular brand of non-rock rock on KPSU. Ob-soive:

signal-to-noise ratio w/ Toyboat Toyboat Toyboat, LIVE!
(Featuring a live performance by a band that you will be hard pressed to yell out the name of at their shows, Toyboat Toyboat Toyboat.)

Playlist & Footnotes?
(9 April, 2010: At this time, the KPSU website is down, and I am unable to provide a link to any playlists. Hopefully this will be fixed soon enough. I'll keep you posted when that changes.)

This was, perhaps, one of the biggest challenges I've had in running sound for quite some time. The band itself is only a four-piece, but their gear is something to behold. Between both live and electronic drums, a bass player that plays guitar as well, a trumpet player with two distinctly different horns being played throughout the evening, and a synth / Drum Buddy player (?!), there was a lot to manage with this one. I was really looking forward to this one, not only to actually see the Drum Buddy, but because the band is comprised of mostly PSU denizens that I have seen around campus for years, but have never met.

I really hope I did their sound justice, because they are a band that deserves to sound as crazy and insane as they actually are when they play live.

It is sad that this will be the last time I'll be coming in late at night to assist Ranger Mike. I've said enough blubberings about his show recently to make most people embarrassed for me, but I'll say it again: he was an amazing radio personality, and I will treasure my signal-to-noise ratio recordings quite a bit. Until he is somehow convinced to make a magnificent return to radio (which has happened before), we will all begin to silently weep alone for a fallen hero.

Stay tuned for amazing anniversary announcements...

Superman Returns!

2010-04-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

I know he's been absent from the airwaves recently, but with the end of 2009 being jam-packed with goings-ons, and the beginning of the year being a little chaotic, it took a while to get back into the Old-Time-Radio groove. But we're back, and this one's a doozy! Ob-soive:

Episode 060: Blasphuphmus Radio Theater Presents!: The Adventures of Superman, Part VI!
(Featuring the first four episodes of the classic 1940 serial, The Emerald of the Incas!)

Playlist & Footnotes.

This serial was originally broadcast in April of 1940, exactly 70 years ago. (Episode 2 was originally aired on April 3rd.) The timing is fairly unique, as I will be celebrating my 12 year radio anniversary on the 15th of this year. (Weird, huh?) So, anniversaries are in the air.

Coming soon: an guest appearance (possibly) on Casey's The Fun Machine, followed by a definite appearance on the last signal-to-noise ratio broadcast, ever (where I'll be running sound for Toyboat Toyboat Toyboat). I know we already had his goodbye show last week, but this one is the real deal, the final enchilada, so to speak.

And then, next week, tune in for a special two-hour show, where I cover for Ricardo Wang. What will I play? What will you hear? Only time will tell...

See ya in seven.