Episode 69 Recap and Pete Stahl Interview

Episode 69 awww yeah, and it was as sexy as I wanted it to be. Pete Stahl was the focus for most of the show. Along with the interview, I played some classic earthlings?, Desert Sessions, and such. Since it was all previously recorded, I did a lot of surfing of the net and found a crazy Mormon mother who pours hot sauce in her misbehaving child's mouth. I don't think that kid is going to like Mexican food when he grows up.

I also found out that there is another band out there named Castrovalva. In case you are unaware, this is the same name of my first band, which I often refer to on the show as "The Best Band Ever".  I have nothing against those guys, it's just kind bewildering, it's not like Castrovalva is a common word or anything. So I played some "Classic" Castrovalva and some old Colour Haze by request.

Anyway, here's this weeks playlist and the interview, enjoy!

1. Melt Banana - Like a White Bat in a Box, Dead Matters Go On
2. Egypt - Touch Ground
3. Them Crooked Vultures - Reptiles
4. Gallery Of Mites - New York To Peru
5. Gay Witch Abortion - Girl Pop Soda
6. Wool - B-350
7. Desert Sessions - Nova
8. Desert Sessions - At The Helm of Hells Ships
9. earthlings? - Saving Up For My Spaceship
10. earthlings? - Disco Marching Kraft
11. Goatsnake - Easy Greasy
12. Goatsnake - Innocent
13. Orquesta Del Desierto - Summer
14. Orquesta Del Desierto - Alicia's Song
15. Raging Slab - Ruby (For Miss Ruby Starr R.I.P)
16. Fatso Jetson - Sunshine Enema
17. Masters Of Reality - The Candy Song
18. Castrovalva - Vietnam
19. Colour Haze - Love

Here is my interview with Pete Stahl.

The only thing more fully loaded than tonight's show...

I have an incredible show for everyone tonight, Pete Stahl from such bands as Scream, Wool, earthlings?, Goatsnake, The Desert Sessions, and more joins me. We talk about new Wool, lost earthlings?, Maryland Deathfest, and Europe. We'll also be listening to some of his greatest tracks. Remember to tune in tonight at 10pm. Can't make it? Don't worry! The interview will be uploaded and posted here tomorrow.

So we have a fully loaded show tonight, not as much as this car though...

Episode 68 Recap

Sorry about the late post guys, I have been very busy over the last two days. Sunday night was probably the most fun I've had in the studio in quite a while. I found some Coffee Cakes (not poison), a lucky penny, and I got to talk to Pete Stahl in one of the best interviews I have ever done. You're going to want to check it out this Sunday night. If you miss it, no worries, it will be posted right here next Monday (hopefully).

We talk about pretty much everything, including a possible Wool release, Roadburn, and the early Desert Sessions. Great dude, I think you'll all enjoy it!

There was no artist focus this week, seeing that I knew I wouldn't have time to write a review coupled with the fact that this time of year is slow for album releases. Instead I came up with a pumped up playlist, hope you enjoyed it! 

          1. The Raconteurs - Attention
          2. Melt Banana - Lost Parts Stinging Me So Cold
          3. John McBain - Hubblebubble
          4. Yawning Sons - Japanese Garden
          5. Black NASA - Colony
          6. Torche - Across The Shields
          7. The Duke Spirit - The Step And The Walk
          8. Brad Laner - Vecino
          9. Eagles Of Death Metal - I Like To Move In The Night
          10. Lowrider - Anchor
          11. Desert Sessions - Cake (Who Shit On the ?)
          12. Vega - Sunbird
          13. Masters Of Reality - Scatagoria
          14. Pell Mell - Lowlight
          15. Hater - Downpour At Mt. Angel
          16. Orquesta Del Desierto - Make Fun
          17. Fatso Jetson - Gargle
          18. Queens Of The Stone Age - Better Living Through Chemistry
          19. earthlings? - Visionary Messenger
          20. Dead Meadow - Beyond the Fields We Know
          21. Kyuss - N.O. #
          22. Turbo Fruits - Sadie
          23. Wellwater Conspiracy - Good Pushin'
          24. Colour Haze -Tempel
          25. Death From Above 1979 - Romantic Rights (Love from Below Edit)
          26. Desert Sessions - Like A Drug

# - Cover of the Week

The only thing more amped than tonight's show...

We're going whacky tonight. Off the wall like crazy all night aaaaw yeah. Why am I so pumped tonight? Because after the show, i am going to be talking to the legendary Pete Stahl of earthlings?, Goatsnake, Wool, Scream, and the Desert Sessions. So tonight I'm going to be playing some songs that get me, and hopefully you, totally pumped up.

Usually doze off in the middle of the second hour? NOT TONIGHT! Have a question for Pete? Comment here or tweet me a tweet at my tweeter.twitter.com @VMFM_Divo. I was going to post a video of someone removing a scratch from a Nissan Altima and professing to his wife how much he enjoys making love to her... while their child (presumably) filmed. Guess what, it happened in Florida. Unfortunatly it has been removed, so this week I have a video dedicated to my hipster firends, dickheads.

Classic Album Review: Pell Mell - Star City

Pell Mell - Star City

Release Date: October 21, 1997

Matador Records

Ah, Pell Mell. Whenever someone suggests throwing some Pell Mell on the stereo I can't say "No", especially when it is their 1997 masterpiece Star City. Silky, creamy, and tasty are only a few of the words I can use to describe the final album from this seminal band. The Pell Mell sound was perfected in Star City and it is anyone's guess how the next album would have sounded. With precision and undoubted creativity, Bob Beerman, Steve Fisk, Greg Freeman, and David Spalding crafted one of the finest instrumental rock albums ever recorded.

Star City makes no apologies for being a laid back chillfest, which is apparent from Track 1, "Sky Lobby", a spacey musak opener which is basically Brian Eno's airport album condensed into a palatable 4 minutes. "Salvo" has you exiting the lobby and exploring the fun and exciting world of Star City. "Orange Roughy" is a personal favorite. With a mellow riff, a creamy guitar compression, and weird tape distortion, this is the song that you should introduce your friends to Pell Mell with. Also, the "Orange Roughy" bells kicks Pink Floyd's bell's ass. 

"Interloper" closes out the first quarter of the album with an accessible driving jam. "Smokehouse" begins the section of Star City where things take a turn for the dark. Another personal favorite, "On Approach" is the quiet, hypnotic, centerpiece to Star City. As I've said before, I love "Zone Out" music and this is a prime example of what I mean. Not to be outdone is "Upstairs" a short, drumless, guitar piece that compliments prior and forthcoming songs.

But once you think it's time to fall asleep, "In Polka Dots" wakes you back up and ushers in the third quarter of Star City. All the tracks in this part of the album are a little more fun. "Everything Must Go"'s repetitive riff and the odd sound of simultaneous guitars makes this track one of the most playful of the 14. "Lowlight" is a more upbeat "Upstairs" style song, but with drums, and "Headset" is another excellent driving track that will have your head bobbing to the beat and the "wish-wosh" effect.

The album closes with three distinct songs. "Field of Poppies" is a wedding song. This is by far the brightest song on the album. How out-of-place it sounds is quickly shadowed by its beauty. Your girlfriend will like this song. "Gelatin" is as dark as Star City gets. Another out-of-place song defined by it's distinct kick drum. This song would sound great on an earthlings? record, but is a curve ball for this album. Star City closes out on a somber note with "Coral". The most depressing part of this song is knowing the album, and the band, are over.

                                                            No

There is not a single on Star City and there is not a single bad song on Star City. It's one of those albums I can keep coming back to over and over again. You can throw around words like "Timeless" and "Epic" but the term "Perfect" does Star City proper justice. Unfortunately, your kids will never hear about Pell Mell when they are watching a VH1 "Music of the 90's" special. So it is up to you to spread the good word (or lack thereof) of Pell Mell and Star City around. On a scale from "Loves It" to "Not so Much" "I Love Star City" 

1. Sky Lobby (3:52)
2. Salvo (2:59)
3. Orange Roughy (2:57)
4. Interloper (3:39)
5. Smokehouse (2:59)
6. On Approach (2:57)
7. Upstairs (3:30)
8. In Polka Dots (3:16)
9. Everything Must Go (3:04)
10. Lowlight (3:53)
11. Headset (4:00)
12. Field of Poppies (2:38)
13. Gelatin (2:54)
14. Coral (3:44)

Length - 46:22

http://www.pellmell.org/

Episode 67 Recap

Another exciting week has come and gone. Hour 2 was the Foreign Exchange hour, chock full of lyrics I can't understand and whacky guitar tones, it was quite enjoyable! Props to the callers for going with the theme this week. As of right now I'm waiting on a reply from Pete Stahl on the interview, so get those questions in!

The artist focus this week was classic Pell Mell. We took a listen to select tracks from the masterpiece, Star City, expect a classic album review this week! Seriously, if you don't own Star City, put it on your Christmas list, maybe Santa Claus will be good to you this year.

Nothing new in the mailbag this week, I guess this is a slow season for releases, or no one wants to compete with the new Kid Rock LP. Whatever.

1. Torche - Fat Waves
2. Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month
3. Skooma - Deschler & Galesko
4. Queens of the Stone Age - The Sky Is Fallin'
5. Kyuss - Odyssey
6. Porch Castle - I Hate When People Drive Down these Back Ass Roads We Walk On
7. Hater - Tot Finder
8. Pell Mell - Orange Roughy *
9. Pell Mell - Field of Poppies *
10. Masters Of Reality - John Brown
11. Wool - Eden
12. Yawning Sons - Garden Sessions, Pt. 3
13. The Raconteurs - These Stones Will Shout
14. Can - Spoon
15. Humo del Cairo - Panorama
16. Boris - Parting
17. Melt Banana - A Dreamer Who is Too Weak to Face Up to 

18. Wellwater Conspiracy - Nati Bati Yi #
19. Queens of the Stone Age - Back to Dungaree High #
20. Colour Haze - Fall
21. 35007 - 20 09
22. Desert Sessions - Nenada
23. Drive Like Maria - So 

* - Artist Focus 

# - Covers of the Week

Missed out on the Pell Mell? Shame on you.

 

Awesome right? Let's show some more Pell Mell love. It's a shame that a good portion of the best and unique bands are unheard of.  I was planning on ranting about this, but I'll save it for another time, let's just enjoy the music.

The only thing more emotional than tonight's show...

Tonight should be a hum-dinger. Hour number 2 is It Came from... Somewhere Else, a foreign invasion of the show including bands like 35007, Melt Banana, Can, Black Mountain, and more! I'm sorry for no album review this week, I've been covered in work and all that good stuff.

Oh and hey, if you've been living without internet over the past week, you've missed this online sensation. She has a little bit more soul than I do. Hopefully I can bring that kind of passion and raw emotion to tonight's show. You'll have to tune in to find out!