Saturday, February 23, 2019

Revolution Surf : Horror Themed Edition & Show # 763


To commemorate this year’s annual surf rock episode of Revolution Rock, the program was made up entirely of horror themed tracks. Horror themed surf songs have been something that has been present in surf music for quite some time. Many horror-based themes have surfaced in surf/instrumental rock songs going back to the beginnings of surf music. Most likely due to the influx of the many monster movies of the time period, this type of surf music has been combined with film and TV on countless occasions adding a different mood and dimension to whatever it is associated with. Horror themed surf music is often creepy and spooky sounding, although some of it has often been seen as kitschy or cheesy. This type of surf music has operated parallel to the sunnier themed surf songs that have been created in the genre. The program featured tracks from The Ghastly Ones, Russia’s Messer Chups, The Primitive Finks, The Ventures, Link Wray and more.

Revolution Surf 2019 Playlist:

1. Messer Chups - Spooky Tiki (Heretic Channel - Solnze Records - 2009)
2. Messer Chups - Twin Peaks Twist (Heretic Channel - Solnze Records - 2009)
3. The Ramblin Ambassadors - Hangin Tree (Avanti - Mint Records - 2003)
4. This Machine Kills Robots - Dry Land Is For The Dead (A History of Violent Crime In the Darkest Corners of the Ocean Floor - 2015)
5. The Apemen - Creature From The Haunted Sea (Are You Being Surfed? - Vulcan - 1994)
6. Urban Surf Kings - Zombie Road Trip (Surf Vs The Flying Saucers - USK International - 2004)
7. Hillbilly Frankenstein - Hypnoticz Part 2 (Attack of the Killer Surf Guitars - Shanachie - 1997)
8. The Ghastly Ones - Haulin' Hearse (Unearthed - Ghastly Plastics Corp. - 2007)

SURFPHONY OF DERSTRUCTION 2000 SEGMENT

9. WJLP - Johann Sebastian Bunsen Burner (In D Minor)(Johann Sebastian Bunsen Burner (In D Minor) - 2014)
10. Odicolon - Long Dream (Dracula's Dreams - 2016)
11. C&C Surf Factory - The Outsider (Garage City - Six Shooter Records - 2015)
12. Luau Or Die - Satan's Holiday (Satan's Holiday - 2016)
13. Mark Malibu & The Wasagas - Wasaga Surfing Time (Crash Monster Beach - Sharawaji Records - 2018)
14. Jonny & The Shamen - S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Girl 9999 (Operation: Twang! - Loch Ness Records - 1998)
15. The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies - The Transylvanian Twist (12 Theories of Time Travel - The Active Listener - 2015)


16. The Calrizians - Call Me Evil (3rd Annual Great Lakes Surf Battle - 2013)
17. Pow Wows - Satan's Choice (Davie Allan & The Arrows/Pow Wows Split - Get Hip Recordings - 2017)
18. Atomic 7 - Phantom 101 (...Gowns By Edith Head - Mint Records - 2002)
19. The Traditional Fools - Surfin' With The Phantom (Fools Gold - In The Red Recordings - 2016)
20. Urban Surf Kings - Phantom Riders of the Back Lot (Bang Howdy Partner - USK International - 2008)
21. Shoobies - Girl or Gator? (Nevermind the Hardcore, Here's Shoobies - 2018)
22. Carlo - Pale Moon Drifter (Carlo - 2018)
23. The Primitive Finks - Spookini (Horror Party Stomp - Hi-Tide Recordings/Go Mondo Records - 2017)
24. The Green Reflectors - Hitchcock Presents… (Tune Up - 2018)
25. The Ventures - Exploration in Horror ((The) Ventures in Space - Dolton Records - 1964)
26. The Ventures - The Twilight Zone ((The) Ventures in Space - Dolton Records - 1964)
27. The Vondells - Good Vs. Evil (The Vondells (Unreleased) - 2003)
28. The Gruesomes - Jack The Ripper Pt I (Jack The Ripper EP - Primitive Records - 1985)
29. Link Wray - Growling Guts (Growling Guts - Big Beat Records - 1987)
30. The Junior Rayman - The Rat Fink (Rumble '66 - Norton Records - 1990)
31. Tabarnacos Surfers - Piranhas (1-2-3... Go! - 2007)
32. The Burnin' Sands - Return of the Surfin' Mummy (The Burnin' Sands EP - 2009)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for February 23.

Monday, February 18, 2019

The King Khan & BBQ Show Radio Special & Show # 762


The King Khan & BBQ Show are a Canadian garage duo from Montreal. The band is comprised of King Khan and BBQ, which is an alias for Mark Sultan. The duo formed in 2002 after a series of bands that both Khan and Sultan were playing with disbanded. Prior to this, Sultan and Khan collaborated in a band called The Spaceshits, who disbanded in 1999. When King Khan, then going by the name Blacksnake, decided to live in Berlin, that group ended. He would go on to form King Khan & The Shrines following this. Around this time Mark Sultan formed the garage rock band Les Sexareenos. In 2002, Sultan began performing and recording as a one-man band under the name BBQ. It was not too long after this that Khan and Sultan began collaborating and recording together. With Mark Sultan (aka BBQ) on drums (bass and snare drum), guitar, vocals and King Khan on vocals and lead guitar, the band mixed elements of punk rock and doo wop, combined with their garage rock mentality to create a sound all their own.

The first self-titled King Khan & BBQ Show album was released in 2005 on Goner Records in the US and on Hazelwood Records in Europe. The King Khan & BBQ Show was recorded in Hamburg, Germany by DM Bob. The album captured the band tapping into a sweaty, wild, rock and roll atmosphere. In the same spirit of early rock and roll, The King Khan & BBQ Show featured songs such as “Waddlin’ Around” which chugs along with a 60’s garage rhythm, doo wop, and heart wrenching vocals provided by Mark Sultan and “Fish Fight,” a R&B rave up complete with Chuck Berry rhythms and driving punk dynamics. This song, like many on the album show that even though there isn’t bass on the album, the songs have a lot of soul. “Hold Me Tight” taps into a Cramps-like groove, complete with the words “Hold Me Tight” that come in near the choruses which sound like they are from Bobby Pickett’s 1962 Halloween classic “Monster Mash,” “Am I The One” features Sultan on vocals and a lone electric guitar and echoes 50s rock ballads, while “Mind, Body & Soul” claws and floats with an undeniable groove that sucks the listener into the King Khan & BBQ Show universe.

Following the release of the band’s first album, they embarked on a world tour playing in the US, Europe and South America. The band gained a reputation for their wild, energetic and controversial live shows. In 2006, they released What’s For Dinner? For this album, King Khan & BBQ Show sunk deeper into their own universe blending their early rock and roll, garage, soul and doo wop influences adding more of a mix of punk influences. “Treat Me Like A Dog” features a faster garage stomping rhythm as Mark Sultan howls over top, “I’ll Never Belong” is a bittersweet love song with lyrics such as “And after all/I'm on my way again/Come back who knows when/But you never let me go/But I will never belong to you” that is sung with soul as musically 50s rock and roll meets 60s garage. “Zombies” is snarled out by King Khan as Sultan holds a loose groove in the background. Lyrically with words like “I don’t wanna be alone tonight/I’m gonna walk with the zombies baby,” the song exudes a 70s punk influence as the character in it would rather wander into a world of horrors than to be confined to the boringness of the relationship reflected in this song. “Dock It # 8” ramps up a Chuck Berry influence as it attacks superficial rock and roll clichés lyrically, “Too Much In Love” drifts into doo wop territory with its infectious groove, “Learn My Language” is a 15 second punk rock attack that draws on a Black Flag influence, while “Blow My Top” brings hypnotizing grooves, and "What’s For Dinner?” is a catchy song with revved up garage riffs and lyrics that delve into family life paranoias.

Invisible Girl followed in 2009. This album was recorded at Moon Studios in Berlin and The Bomb Shelter in Brooklyn, New York. The production qualities seem to be less lo-fi than previous releases from the band, however, there is an undeniable raunchiness and humour that runs throughout. The album features songs such as the innuendo filled opening track “Anala,” the punk infused “Animal Party,” the sure to offend soulful punk of “Tastebuds” and the soulful, 50s/60s rock blend of “I’ll Be Loving You.” The album’s title track could be one of the catchiest songs ever written by the band with its psychedelic guitar tremolo effects and irresistible choruses. The hooks and melodies found here are extremely strong, but also the sleaziness factor is also high. On Invisible Girl the band found a balance between their wild outlandishness that at times offends and their ability to write strong song hooks. During the tour for Invisible Girl, Leo Chip (of the band Deadly Snakes), joined The King Khan & BBQ Show for some live dates as a drummer/organist. However, in 2010 the band split.

In 2015, The King Khan & BBQ Show returned with the album Bad News Boys. Recorded and produced in Sultan’s Berlin studio, Bad News Boys begins with the doo wop, garage stomp of “Alone Again”, a song drenched in 50s rock ‘n’ roll influences. Sung by this duo’s drummer, rhythm guitarist and main vocalist Mark Sultan, the song strikes a powerful, yet melodic chord that not only introduces us to King Khan & BBQ Show’s first album in a while, but it is also seeped in 50’s rock ballad drama. “Alone Again” evokes a togetherness in contrast to the songs surface message. The King Khan & BBQ Show are alone and together again creating their own brand of musical mayhem. “Illuminations” sung by King Khan shines with a 70s punk groove, while he sings of being a spark in the dark within a world of bright distractions as the chorus tells us “Illuminations/Don’t let them leave you behind,” “Ocean Of Love” brings back the band’s soulful influence, mixed with their brand of doo wop and in this case, sand dusted, glassy rhythms. “Snacking After Midnight” brings rusty rhythms and B-horror movie lyrics, along with the murky “Killing The Wolfman.” “Never Felt Like This” is a nostalgic love song, as with ‘’Buy Bye Bhai,” which brings forth strong, haunting soulful melodies.

The King Khan & BBQ Show have continued to tour off and on since 2011/2012. Throughout this band, after their initial split and even currently, King Khan and Mark Sultan have continually collaborated and recorded with other musicians and recorded music on their own. Most recently Mark Sultan has released a full-length album called Let Me Out and King Khan released his solo album Murderburgers in 2017. The music that they create whether it is together, with other groups or on their own taps into a musical world that can be soulful, or raw and dirty rock and roll. As stated in a press release for Bad News Boys “Their mission is to revere rock’n’roll – the real stuff – enough, so that they are permitted to invoke its spirits and ghosts using magick, using their raw soul - for good or for bad - to evoke the smells and feelings that confuse and delight.”

Check out these extended interviews with King Khan and Mark Sultan:






The KK&BBQ Show Playlist:

1. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Illuminations (Bad News Boys - In The Red Recordings - 2015)
2. The King Khan & BBQ Show - I'll Never Belong (What's For Dinner? - In The Red Recordings - 2006)
3. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Fish Fight (The King Khan & BBQ Show - Goner Records - 2005)
4. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Animal Party (Invisible Girl - In The Red Recordings - 2009)
5. The Spaceshits - 60 Nights of Boredom (Misbehavin' - Sympathy For The Record Industry - 1999)

KING KHAN INTERVIEW

6. King Khan & His Sensational Shrines - Spread Your Love Like … Peanut Butter (Spread Your Love Like Peanut Butter - Sounds of Subterrania - 2000)
7. King Khan & The Shrines - Land of the Freak (What Is?! - Vice Records - 2007)

MARK SULTAN/BBQ INTERVIEW

8. Mark Sultan - Believe Me (Let Me Out - Dirty Water Records - 2018)
9. Mark Sultan - Axis Abraxas (Whatever I Want - In The Red Recordings - 2011)
10. Les Sexareenos - Everybody Sexareeno! (Live In Bed - Sympathy For The Record Industry - 2000)
11. The Ding-Dongs - Ding-Dong Party (The Ding-Dongs - Norton Records - 2010)
12. The Tandoori Knights - Bucketful (Curry Up! It's The Tandoori Knights - Norton Records - 2010)
13. The Almighty Defenders - All My Loving (The Almighty Defenders - Vice Records - 2009)
14. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Hold me Tight (The King Khan & BBQ Show - Goner Records - 2005)
15. The King Khan & BBQ Show - What's For Dinner? (What's For Dinner? - In The Red Recordings - 2006)
16. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Ocean of Love (Bad News Boys - In The Red Recordings - 2015)
17. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Invisible Girl (Invisible Girl - In The Red Recordings - 2009)

Download/stream this episode here!

Saturday, February 09, 2019

Love Bites: The Music of Pete Shelley & Buzzcocks & Show # 761



Pete Shelley formed the early punk band Buzzcocks in the UK with Howard Devoto in 1976 after seeing a Sex Pistols gig in Manchester in 1975. Along with Steve Diggle and John Maher, Buzzcocks recorded and released their Spiral Scratch EP in 1977 on their independent label, New Hormones. It was one of the first independent releases during the UK punk era of the late 70s, put out without the help of major record labels. Adhering to the DIY punk ethos, the success of this release inspired other bands and DIY labels to put out music on their own. Shortly after this release, Howard Devoto left the group, with Shelley taking the lead vocal/lead guitar role in the group. Steve Diggle switched to rhythm guitar from bass and bassist Steve Garvey would eventually join the group that when combined with drummer John Maher, formed the classic Buzzcocks band lineup.

Signing to United Artists, during Buzzcocks initial run with the classic band lineup they released three full-length albums, Another Music In A Different Kitchen (1978), Love Bites (1978) and A Different Kind of Tension in 1979. They also put out numerous singles and B-sides during this time period, most of which were collected for the 1979 compilation album Singles Going Steady. Originally released via I.R.S. Records in 1979, this compilation was put together to coincide with a tour that the band were doing of the US. It was also the first Buzzcocks album to be released in North America and also served as an introduction of the band to US audiences. Due to the strength of the songs in this collection, many people often cite this as one of the band’s best albums despite the fact that it is a compilation album made up of singles and their corresponding B-sides. At the time of this album’s release, Buzzcocks were on the verge of collapse and in 1981 the band split.

In addition to playing in Buzzcocks, Shelley’s also had a solo career, beginning with 1980’s Sky Yen. This album ventured into electronic and drone music. 1981’s Homosapien explored electronic pop and synthesizer based music in its early pioneering days. The music created during this period yielded three solo albums all within a similar synth rock vein. The first two albums Shelley recorded were produced by Martin Rushent. Homosapien (1981) and XL1 (1983) both explored what was new musical technology at the time such as synthesizers, sequencers and drum machines. The sound created on these albums were in part experiments with new sounds, but at the same time they still showcased Shelley’s ability to write catchy pop songs. “Homosapien” and “Telephone Operator” are good examples of Shelley's songwriting in the 80s when armed with different musical landscapes and technologies. The sounds he created were later explored to greater success with The Human League, whose album Dare was also produced by Rushent. In 1986, Shelley released Heaven & The Sea. Produced by Stephen Hague, the album added more texture and layers to the sound that Shelley developed on Homosapien and XL1.

Buzzcocks reformed in 1989 and an album followed in 1991 entitled Trade Test Transmissions. The lineup of the band would shift at this time and during different time periods in the later parts of Buzzcocks career, but the band toured from 1989 pretty much until Shelley’s passing in December 2018. Many albums were recorded and released in between this period including All Set (1996), Modern (1999), Buzzcocks (2003), Flat-Pack Philosophy (2006) and The Way in 2014. Buzzcocks mastered the art of the short pop song. The song “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve) from Buzzcocks 1978 album Love Bites, was inspired by a line from the movie Guys and Dolls and has been called a pop masterpiece by many. The music he created with Buzzcocks often combined elements of punk, pop and power pop, to create catchy, memorable songs, often dealing with love gone wrong. Lyrically, his songs were often witty and open to interpretation and challenged the conventions of song writing. The songs that he created often spoke to people in a certain way, people of all types and will continue to do so.

Love Bites: The Music of Pete Shelly & Buzzcocks Playlist:

1. Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (Live Lesser Free Trade Hall 7-21-1978) (Love Bites (Deluxe Edition) - EMI - 2010)
2. Buzzcocks - Boredom (Spiral Scratch EP - New Hormones - 1977)
3. Buzzcocks - Lester Sands (A Drop In The Ocean) (Time's Up - Voto - 1978)
4. Buzzcocks - Don't Mess Me Around (Time's Up - Voto - 1978)
5. Buzzcocks - Whatever Happened To (Demo) (Another Music In A Different Kitchen (Deluxe Edition) - EMI - 2010)
6. Buzzcocks - Fast Cars (Peel Session 09-07-1977) (The Peel Sessions Album - Strange Fruit - 1989)
7. Buzzcocks - Fiction Romance (Another Music In A Different Kitchen - United Artists Records - 1978)
8. Buzzcocks - Love You More (Singles Going Steady - I.R.S. Records - 1979)
9. Buzzcocks - Promises (Singles Going Steady - I.R.S. Records - 1979)
10. Buzzcocks - Nostalgia (Love Bites - United Artists Records - 1978)
11. Buzzcocks - Sixteen Again (Love Bites - United Artists Records - 1978)
12. Buzzcocks - E.S.P. (Love Bites - United Artists Records - 1978)
13. Buzzcocks - You Say You Don't Love Me (A Different Kind of Tension - United Artists Records - 1979)
14. Buzzcocks - Hollow Inside (A Different Kind of Tension - United Artists Records - 1979)
15. Pete Shelley - Homosapien (Homosapien - Genetic Records/Arista Records - 1981)
16. Pete Shelley - Yesterday's Not Here (Homosapien - Genetic Records/Arista Records - 1981)
17. Pete Shelley - Telephone Operator (XL1 - Genetic Records/Arista Records - 1983)
18. Pete Shelley - XL1 (XL1 - Genetic Records/Arista Records - 1983)
19. Pete Shelley - On Your Own (Heaven & The Sea - Mercury Records - 1986)
20. ShelleyDevoto - Can You See Me Shining? (Buzzkunst - Cooking Vinyl - 2002)
21. Buzzcocks - Morning After (Buzzcocks - Cherry Red/Merge Records - 2003)
22. Buzzcocks - Flat-Pack Philosophy (Flat-Pack Philosophy - Cooking Vinyl - 2006)
23. Buzzcocks - Everybody's Happy Nowadays (Singles Going Steady - I.R.S. Records - 1979)
24. Buzzcocks - Noise Annoys (Peel Session 10-04-1978) (The Peel Sessions Album - Strange Fruit - 1989)
25. Buzzcocks - What Do I Get? (Singles Going Steady - I.R.S. Records - 1979)
26. Buzzcocks - I Look Alone (C81 - Rough Tapes - 1981)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for February 9.

Saturday, February 02, 2019

Revolution Funk: The Music of James Brown & Show # 760


James Brown’s “Funky Drummer” was originally recorded at a jam session in 1969. The song was released as a two-part single via King Records in 1970 and eventually released on the compilation album In The Jungle Groove in 1986. The song however, is one of the most sampled songs in hip hop and popular music. The break in the song around the five minute twenty second mark features a drum break played by Clyde Stubblefield that has been sampled over one thousand times and is weaved among so many songs its often hard to keep track. This is just one of the songs that has been sampled by music created by James Brown. It is also an example of the vast influence he has had on music. James Brown, often known as “The Godfather of Soul” helped to secularize gospel music and in turn had a role in the creation of soul music. He would combine these elements of soul and R&B music to lay the foundations and to help create funk music. With his emphasis on the first note of every measure (known as “the one”), Brown and his band developed the downbeat, which created a groove that would become his signature.

In 1962, James Brown recorded his first live album. James Brown's record company was initially opposed to releasing a live album because it already contained versions of songs that had been previously released. However, when the album was finally released in 1963, it became a fast seller. Funded by James Brown himself, the album spent 66 weeks on the Billboard Top Pop Albums charts peaking at the #2 position. The recording showed James Brown with The Famous Flames channelling their energies into eight songs that lasted about 30 sweaty, soulful minutes. The record became so popular that many record stores in the US had trouble keeping it in stock for the public demand. R&B DJ’s would often also play the entire record on air, pausing only to air commercials and flip the record over to its second side. Live At The Apollo launched James Brown onto a new path towards success. It was followed by several other volumes, including Live At The Apollo Volume II in 1968, Revolution of the Mind: Live At The Apollo Volume III in 1970 and Live At The Apollo 1995.

In addition to this this, Brown addressed many social and political issues through his music with songs such as “Don’t Be A Dropout”, “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)”, “Funky President (People It’s Bad)”, and “Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing” to name a few. By the early 70’s James Brown and his band, The J.B.’s established a funk sound that can be heard on songs such as “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine”, “Soul Power”, “Hot Pants”, “Make It Funky”, and “The Payback”. James Brown became a major figure in music in the 20th century that earned him many nicknames such as "Soul Brother Number One”, “The Hardest Working Man In Show Business” and “Mr. Dynamite” and also provided captivating live shows that often involved his unique dance moves. With dance moves such as the mashed potato, the funky chicken, the robot and his tour de force move, the split, Brown had a combination of factors that made him influential in numerous ways, but all of this earned him the nickname “The Godfather of Soul”.

Revolution Soul: The Music of James Brown Playlist (Originally Aired February 2nd, 2019):

1. James Brown - Introduction To James Brown (Live At The Apollo - King Records - 1963)
2. James Brown - Lost Someone (Live At The Apollo - King Records - 1963)
3. James Brown - Prisoner of Love (Prisoner of Love - King Records - 1963)
4. James Brown - Mother Popcorn (It's A Mother - King Records - 1969)
5. James Brown - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Grits & Soul - Smash Records - 1964)
6. James Brown - Don't Be A Dropout (James Brown Sings Raw Soul - King Records - 1967)
7. James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad) (Reality - Polydor Records - 1974)
8. James Brown - Hey America (Hey America - King Records - 1970)
9. James Brown - Intro - Payback (Live In Zaire 1974)(The Godfather Goes To Africa - Big Fro Discs - 2003)
10. James Brown - Soul Power (Live In Zaire 1974)(The Godfather Goes To Africa - Big Fro Discs - 2003)
11. James Brown - The Boss (Live In Zaire 1974)(The Godfather Goes To Africa - Big Fro Discs - 2003)
12. James Brown - Make It Funky (Live In Zaire 1974)(The Godfather Goes To Africa - Big Fro Discs - 2003)
13. James Brown - Funky Drummer (Bonus Beat Reprise) (In The Jungle Groove - Polydor - 1976)
14. James Brown - I've Got Money (I Got You (I Feel Good) - King Records - 1966)
15. James Brown - She's The One (Motherlode - Polydor Records - 1988)
16. James Brown - You've Got To Change Your Mind (I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me - King Records - 1968)
17. James Brown - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (Soul On Top - King Records - 1970)
18. James Brown - Funky Men (Soul Syndrome - TK Records - 1980)
19. James Brown - Unity Part 1 (w/ Afrika Bambaataa) (Revolution of the Mind: Live At The Apollo III - Polydor Records - 1971)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for February 2.

BONUS James Brown Playlist From the Sylvio & Soul Program (Originally Aired On February 6th, 2019):

1. James Brown - Intro/It’s A New Day So Let A Man Come in and Do The Popcorn (Revolution of the Mind: Live At The Apollo III - Polydor Records - 1971)
2. James Brown - Give It Up or Turnit Loose (Revolution of the Mind: Live At The Apollo III - Polydor Records - 1971)
3. Martha High - Things To Get Better (Get Together) (Tribute To My Soul Sisters - Record Kicks - 2017)
4. Martha High - Answer To Mother Popcorn (Tribute To My Soul Sisters - Record Kicks - 2017)
5. Jackie Shane - Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag (Any Other Way - Numero Group - 2017)
6. The Mighty Imperials - Cold Sweat (Thunder Chicken - Daptone Records - 2001)
7. The Soul Motivators - Hang On IN There (Free To Believe - Do Right! Music - 2015)
8. Five Alarm Funk - Power of Funk (Sweat - Five Alarm Funk - 2017)
9. Slim Moore and The Mar-Kays - Is It Because I’m Black (Introducing Slim Moore and The Mar-Kays - Marlow Records - 2011)
10. James Brown - It’s A Man’s World (Alternate Stereo Mix) (Star Time - Polydor Records - 1991)
11. James Brown - Don’t Be A Dropout (James Brown Sings Raw Soul - King Records - 1967)
12. James Brown - Money Won’t Change You (James Brown Sings Raw Soul - King Records - 1967)
13. James Brown - Introduction To Say It Loud (Say It Live and Loud : Live In Dallas 08-26-68- PolyGram - 1968)
14. James Brown - I Don’t Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door I’ll Get It Myself) (Say It Live and Loud : Live In Dallas 08-26-68- PolyGram - 1968)
15. James Brown - Get Up, Get Into It & Get Involved (In The Jungle Groove - Polydor - 1986)
16. James Brown - There It Is (There It Is - Polydor - 1972)
17. James Brown - Get On The Good Foot (Get On The Good Foot - Polydor - 1972)
18. James Brown - Automatic (The Next Step - Fome Records - 2002)
19. James Brown - Funky Men (Soul Syndrome - TK Records - 1980)

Download this episode here!

Friday, February 01, 2019

Coming Up On Revolution Rock in 2019!

February is theme month once again for Revolution Rock. I will be doing a different themed program for each of the four weeks in February 2019. This year’s programming will begin with a program devoted to the music of James Brown. Each program will air on a Saturday from 7-9 PM and can be streamed/listened to online via www.cjam.ca or on the FM dial at 99.1 FM in the Windsor/Detroit area.

Revolution Funk: The Music of James Brown
Saturday February, 2nd
7-9 PM
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

James Brown’s “Funky Drummer” was originally recorded at a jam session in 1969. The song was released as a two-part single via King Records in 1970 and eventually released on the compilation album In The Jungle Groove in 1986. The song however, is one of the most sampled songs in hip hop and popular music. The break in the song around the five minute twenty second mark features a drum break played by Clyde Stubblefield has been sampled over one thousand times and is weaved among so many songs its often hard to keep track. This is just one of the songs that has been sampled by music created by James Brown. It is also an example of the vast influence he has had on music. James Brown, often known as “The Godfather of Soul” helped to secularize gospel music and in turn had a role in the creation of soul music. He would combine these elements of soul and R&B music to lay the foundations and to help create funk music. With his emphasis on the first note of every measure (known as “the one”), Brown and his band developed the downbeat, which created a groove that would become his signature.

In addition to this this, Brown addressed many social and political issues through his music with songs such as “Don’t Be A Dropout”, “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)”, “Funky President (People It’s Bad)”, and “Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing” to name a few. By the early 70’s James Brown and his band, The J.B.’s established a funk sound that can be heard on songs such as “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine”, “Soul Power”, “Hot Pants”, “Make It Funky”, and “The Payback”. James Brown became a major figure in music in the 20th century and also provided captivating live shows that often involved his unique dance moves. With dance moves such as the mashed potato, the funky chicken, the robot and his tour de force move, the split, Brown had a combination of factors that made him influential in numerous ways. All of this earned him the nick name “The Godfather of Soul”. Revolution Rock celebrates Black History Month by playing music from James Brown’s catalogue, along with deep cuts, live recordings and a variety of other selections. Also joining the program will be guest host Graeme Sylvio of CJAM’s Sylvio & Soul radio program.

Love Bites: The Music of Pete Shelley
Saturday February, 9th
7-9 PM
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

Pete Shelley formed the early punk band Buzzcocks in the UK with Howard Devoto in 1976 after seeing a Sex Pistols gig in Manchester in 1975. Along with Steve Diggle and John Maher, Buzzcocks recorded and released their Spiral Scratch EP in 1977 on their independent label, New Hormones. It was one of the first independent releases during the UK punk era of the late 70s, put out without the help of major record labels. Adhering to the DIY punk ethos, the success of this release inspired other bands to DIY labels to put out music on their own. Shortly after this release, Howard Devoto left the group, with Shelley taking the lead vocal/lead guitar role in the group. Steve Diggle switched to rhythm guitar from bass and bassist Steve Garvey would eventually join the group that when combined with drummer John Maher, formed the classic Buzzcocks band lineup.

Signing to United Artists, Buzzcocks mastered the art of the short pop song. The song “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve), was inspired by a line from the movie Guys and Dolls and has been called a pop masterpiece by many. The music he created often combined elements of punk, pop and power pop, to create catchy, memorable songs, often dealing with love gone wrong. Lyrically, his songs were often witty and open to interpretation and challenged the conventions of song writing. In addition to playing in Buzzcocks, Shelley’s also had a solo career, beginning with 1980’s Sky Yen. This album ventured into electronic and drone music. 1981’s Homosapien explored electronic pop and synthesizer based music, in its early pioneering days. For this episode, Revolution Rock will devote an entire program to music that has been created by Pete Shelley, featuring music from Buzzcocks, his solo career and other projects that he has been a part of.

The King Khan & BBQ Show Radio Special
Saturday February, 16th
7-9 PM
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

The King Khan & BBQ Show are a Canadian garage duo from Montreal. The band is comprised of King Khan and BBQ (which is an alias for Mark Sultan). The duo formed in 2002 after a series of bands that both Khan and Sultan were playing with disbanded. Prior to this, Sultan and Khan collaborated in an earlier band called The Spaceshits, who disbanded in 1999. When King Khan, then going by the name Blacksnake, decided to live in Berlin, that group ended. He would go on to form King Khan & The Shrines following this. Around this time Mark Sultan formed the garage rock band Les Sexereenos. In 2002, Sultan began performing and recording as a one-man band under the name BBQ. It was not too long after this that Khan and Sultan began collaborating and recording together. The first self-titled King Khan & BBQ Show was released in 2005 on Goner Records in the US and on Hazelwood Records in Europe.

With Mark Sultan (aka BBQ) on drums (bass and snare drum), guitar, vocals and King Khan on vocals and lead guitar, the band mixed elements of punk rock and doo wop, combined with their garage rock mentality to create a sound all their own. Following the release of the band’s first album, they embarked on a world tour playing in the US, Europe and South America. The band gained a reputation for their wild, energetic and controversial live shows. More albums followed with 2008’s What’s For Dinner? and 2009’s Invisible Girl. During the tour for Invisible Girl, Leo Chip (of the band Deadly Snakes), joined The King Khan & BBQ Show for some live dates as a drummer/organist. However, in 2010 the band split. In 2015, The King Khan & BBQ Show returned with the album Bad News Boys. They have continued to tour off and on since 2011/2012. Throughout this band, after their initial split and even currently, King Khan and Mark Sultan have continually collaborated and recorded with other musicians and recorded music. Most recently Mark Sultan has released a full-length album called Let Me Out and King Khan released his solo album Murderburgers in 2017. This episode of Revolution Rock will feature selections from The King Khan & BBQ Show catalogue, along with a selection of other songs that both King Khan and Mark Sultan have recorded solo or with other groups.

Revolution Surf: The 13th Edition: Horror Themed Surf Rock
Saturday February, 23rd
7-9 PM
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

On Saturday February 23rd, the 13th annual edition of Revolution Surf will air on CJAM FM. To commemorate this episode, the program will be made up entirely of horror themed tracks. Horror themed surf songs have been something that has been present in surf music for quite some time. Many horror-based themes have surfaced in surf/instrumental rock songs going back to the beginnings of surf music. Most likely due to the influx of the many monster movies of the time period, this type of surf music has been combined with film and TV on countless occasions adding a different mood and dimension to whatever it is associated with. Horror themed surf music is often creepy and spooky sounding, although some of it has often been seen as kitschy or cheesy. This type of surf music has operated parallel to the sunnier themed surf songs that have been created in the genre. On this episode expect to hear spooky tracks from artists such as The Deadly Ones, The Ghastly Ones, Messer Chups and many others. This year’s Revolution Surf program will once again feature a guest segment from Surf Rock Radio’s Derk Brigante and more surprises!