CJAM FM Pledge Drive 2016 & Show # 637

Every year CJAM FM holds an annual pledge drive. The reason for this is CJAM (like other campus/community based radio stations in Canada) is a non-profit organization. All of the money raised during the week of pledge drive (which occurs for one week, once a year) goes towards the station, which is built on volunteers and programming made for the Windsor/Detroit communities. This year CJAM FM has a goal of raising $40, 000 dollars for their pledge drive campaign. You can show your support by donating in a variety of ways. Incentives are offered as a thank you for your support. Here are some reasons why a station like CJAM FM is still important and relevant in our modern digital age.

1. Programming is alternative to the mainstream. All of the programming on CJAM FM is created by volunteer programmers who put in their own time to make unique programs. Many independent bands from Windsor and Detroit are featured on our programs. If it were not for a place like CJAM, many bands would not have their voices heard in a larger context. The same goes for spoken word content featured on the station. CJAM broadcasts in over eight different languages. CJAM does things differently for the community and is created by students and programmers from our communities.

2. CJAM day by day. As mentioned during last year’s pledge drive, CJAM FM was the second campus radio station in Canada to have live streaming content. They first began doing so in 1996. This was done so because of supporters of the station. Funds raised during pledge drive also go to assist in the day-to-day operations at the station. They go towards radio broadcasting equipment, microphones, CD players, computers, their website and the general upkeep of the station.

3. Campus/community radio is still relevant. Despite the plethora of music, podcasts and internet based content, CJAM FM provides a multiple, more focused viewpoint on a variety of musical genres and spoken word/political content that is often ignored by mainstream media. In many cases, DJs provide unique programming that you won’t find anywhere else. By listening to CJAM FM, you won’t get lost in the digital world of the Internet. You can find interesting content simply by tuning in on 99.1 FM in Windsor/Detroit or by streaming/downloading programs off CJAM’s website.

If you have ever listened to the station online or on the FM dial, you can show your support for the station by calling 519-971-3630 (in Windsor) or 1-855-344-2526 (in Detroit/out of town) or by donating securely online at www.cjam.ca or at https://grouprev.com/cjamfm

You can download/listen to the 2016 pledge drive edition Revolution Rock below the playlist.

The Playlist:

1. Devo - Let's Talk
2. 9th Wave - Zombies Attack!
3. The Pharaohs - The Green Werewolf
4. Glenn Branca - Structure
5. Lydia Lunch - Red Alert
6. Mars - Helen Fordsdale
7. Sonic Youth - Freezer Burn/I Wanna Be Your Dog
8. Preoccupations - Zodiac
10. Angel Olsen - Never Be Mine
11. Shotgun Jimmie with Jose Contreras - Field Of Trampolines (CJAM Session)
12. Danny Kroha - Come Out The Wilderness (CJAM Session)
13. Chris Crossroads - 20 Eyes (CJAM Session)
14. The Growlers - City Club
15. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Anthrocene
16. Bon Iver - 666 I
17. Iggy Pop - Nightclubbing
18. Tim Presley - The Wink
19. Tuns - Look Who's Back In Town Again
20. Paul Jacobs - I'm Into What You're Into
21. Ramones - Planet Earth 1988

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 29.

Leonard Cohen Radio Special & Show # 636

Montreal singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen initially started out his career as a poet and novelist. He released several books of poetry and novels, his first being Let Us Compare Mythologies in 1956 prior to being known as a musician. Although he had always loved and became involved in poetry, Cohen played guitar and was even in a country and western band called the Buckskin Boys in his youth. In 1967, Cohen moved to the US in order to pursue a career as a folk singer due to his lack of financial success as a writer. He became involved with the Andy Warhol factory crowd. His song “Suzanne” was the song that started him on the course to be a musical artist in a more serious capacity. Judy Collins covered this song and it became a hit for her. This brought Cohen to the attention of John Hammond, who initially was going to produce Cohen’s first album for Columbia Records, but when he got sick during the recording sessions, Hammond was replaced by John Simon to produce the record. Songs Of Leonard Cohen was released in December of 1967.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen contained songs such as “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye”, “Master Song”, “Sisters Of Mercy” and “So Long, Marianne”, Cohen’s next album Songs From A Room featured a slightly different approach. Released in 1969, this album would feature one of his best-known songs “Bird On A Wire”. The song was inspired by his time living in Hydra, in Greece. At the time he was living there, telephone poles were being installed for the first time there and birds would sit on the lines. This is part of what inspired the music to this song. It was also inspired, along with a few other songs such as “So Long, Marianne”, by his Marianne Ihlen, Cohen’s girlfriend while living in Greece and his muse. The version of this song that appears on 1969’s Songs From A Room features a simple production style and does not feature drums. The songs on this album are notable for their simple production style, which differed from the recordings of Bob Dylan, who had also been produced by Bob Johnston. In 1971, Johnston once again produced Cohen for his album, Songs Of Love & Hate. This album was grittier, lyrically and musically and featured compositions such as “Avalanche”, “Joan Of Arc”, “Famous Blue Raincoat” and the dirty rock oriented track “Diamonds In The Mine”.

Leonard Cohen continued to record albums and even write poetry. In 1984 he released Various Positions. Initially declared as not good enough by his record company, Various Positions would contain not only one of Cohen’s most famous compositions, but a song that has been covered by too many artists to name. That song was “Hallelujah”. He worked with Phil Spector on 1977’s Death Of A Ladies Man and in 1988, he released the synth rock oriented album I’m Your Man. Leonard Cohen returned to the live stage after not performing for many years in 2010. Live and studio albums followed. In October of 2016, at the age of 82 Leonard Cohen released You Want It Darker. An album produced with his son Adam Cohen.

Cohen’s songs resonate with people on a different level in a similar way that the music and lyrics of Bob Dylan do. The comparisons between Cohen is something that does come up often, but their music stands on their own as both separate and unique in their own ways. Leonard Cohen’s songs have been said to focus on themes of sadness. Dylan himself in a recent New Yorker article said that he sees “No disenchantment in his songs” and while there are definitely elements of the macabre found in Cohen’s lyrics that is not all that is there in the music. There is much more than that. Like a story that can be re-read and new details found, Cohen’s music is much more than music that focuses on sadness. Other subjects that often pop up in Cohen’s lyrics are religion, sexuality, isolation and politics among other things. The lyrics feature layers that demand repeat listens, and this is something that has stayed constant in all of Cohen’s albums, regardless of when they were released.

For this episode of Revolution Rock, along with my co-host Adam, we did a program that featured the music of Leonard Cohen. One song is played from each of his studio albums, some live recordings and other nuggets. We also expand on many of the themes in the above article and elaborate more on certain elements of Leonard Cohen’s music. You can download/listen to this episode in the link below the playlist.

Leonard Cohen Playlist:

1. Leonard Cohen - Thousands (Book Of Longing - 2006)
2. Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (You Want It Darker - 2016)
3. Leonard Cohen - Story Of Isaac (Songs From A Room - 1969)
4. Leonard Cohen - There Is A War (New Skin For The Old Ceremony - 1974)
5. Leonard Cohen - Blessed Is The Memory (Songs Of Leonard Cohen Outtake - 1967/2007)
6. Leonard Cohen - Memories (Death Of A Ladies Man - 1977)
7. Leonard Cohen - Diamonds In The Mine (Songs Of Love & Hate - 1971)
8. Leonard Cohen - Dance Me To The End Of Love (Various Positions - 1984)
9. Leonard Cohen - Everybody Knows (I'm Your Man - 1988)
10. Leonard Cohen - There For You (Dear Heather - 2004)
11. Leonard Cohen - Slow (Popular Problems - 2014)
12. Leonard Cohen - Different Sides (Old Ideas - 2012)
13. Leonard Cohen - The Future (The Future - 1992)
14. Leonard Cohen - That Don't Make It Junk (Ten New Songs - 2001)
15. Leonard Cohen - The Guests (Recent Songs - 1979)
16. Leonard Cohen - Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye (Songs Of Leonard Cohen - 1967)
17. Leonard Cohen - Bird On A Wire (Live 1968) (Live At The BBC 1968)
18. Leonard Cohen - Red River Valley (Live 1979) (The Other Leonard Cohen Album - 2010)
19. Leonard Cohen - Fingerprints (Death Of A Ladies Man - 1977)
20. Leonard Cohen - Who By Fire (New Skin For The Old Ceremony - 1974)
21. Leonard Cohen - Travelling Light (You Want It Darker - 2016)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 22.

All Vinyl Episode, Danny Kroha & Show # 635

On this week’s episode of Revolution Rock we played music from vinyl records only. The show got off to a rocky start, but it featured a selection of current, obscure music and some of our favourite records. The playlist was selected spontaneously and on the fly. You can view the playlist and download the episode in the link below the playlist in this post.

Additionally, we featured a selection from Danny Kroha’s 2015 release Angels Watching Over Me. Released on Third Man Records, this album is Kroha’s take on the traditional folk, blues and gospel genres. Danny Kroha is a founding member of the Detroit garage trio The Gories and has played in numerous garage oriented rock bands such as The Demolition Doll Rods, The Readies and others. He also currently plays in a garage band called Danny & The Darleans. Danny stopped by CJAM FM’s studios at the end of August and performed three songs for a new video/audio series that I have started that we’re calling CJAM Sessions. You can view his performance in this video below.



Saturday Night Playlist:

1. Marvin Gaye - Ain't That Peculiar
2. Mark Sultan - Pounding
3. Tim Buckley - Move With Me
4. The Beach Boys - Heroes & Villains
5. Young Rival - Workin'
6. R.E.M. - Fall On Me
7. The Smiths - Hand In Glove
8. Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs - Season Of The Witch
9. Shotgun Jimmie - Solar Array
10. Gang Of Four - To Hell With Poverty
11. Ritual Howls - A Thoughtful Beast
12. Joy Division - Exercise One
13. Cellos - Stowaway
14. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity
15. Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
16. Danny Kroha - Cannonball Blues
17. Hank Williams - Bachelor Till I Die
18. Ray Condo & The Hardrock Goners - Willing And Ready
19. Luxury Christ - Black Book
20. Dion Lunadon - Com/Broke
21. Dinosaur Jr. - Fury Little Things
22. Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin - I Wear Black
23. The Diodes - Burn Down Your Daddy's House
24. Patti Smith - Free Money
25. Iggy & The Stooges - Search & Destroy

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 15.

Bell Peppers, Nirvana & Shows # 633 & 634

The Bell Peppers - Born To Love

The Bell Peppers are a rock n’ roll combo out of Manchester, UK. They play a mix of surf, R&B and beat music. This track “Born To Love” is part Bo Diddley, part surf, Part garage, and a lot of shaking rock n’ roll grooves. It is from a forthcoming EP to be released by the band. Their last release, Sizzling Hot Bell Peppers was released in 2013. All of their music is currently free to download via their bandcamp page.



Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Top Of The Pops 1991)

In September, Nirvana celebrated the 25th anniversary of their breakthrough album Nevermind. In November of 1991, Nirvana was asked to perform their hit single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on the Top Of The Pops TV show in Britain. For this program musicians usually mimed along with an instrumental backing track version of the song. When Nirvana asked to perform the song live, they were denied. The vocals, however, were live. As a result, Nirvana mimed along to the instrumental backing track out of time and Kurt Cobain sang the song in a deep, low voice. It was later revealed that he was doing his best Morrissey impression, but this version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” goes down as one of the memorable, rebellious performances of the Top Of The Pops TV show. It was cut short midway through the song when the audience rushed the stage.



Playlist for Show # 634:

1. Carl Perkins - Matchbox
2. Patsy Cline - I Got A Lot Of Rhythm In My Soul
3. Wes Dakus & The Rebels - Seesaw
4. The Chantays - Monsoon
5. La Luz - Don’t Wanna Be Anywhere
6. Kim Gray - Little Saigon
7. Kate Fagan - Master Of Passion
8. Twist - Can’t Wait
9. Preoccupations - Stimulation
10. The Wicked Awesomes - Somewhere In Nowheresville
11. Zoom - Subway Surfin’
12. The Damned - See Her Tonight
13. Rudi - Big Time
14. X Dreamysts - Dance Away Lover
15. Bell Peppers - Born To Love
16. Lightbulb Alley - Pepper Spray
17. Ricked Wicky - The Important Girl
18. Guided By Voices - My Zodiac Companion
19. Guided By Voices - I Certainly Hope Not
20. Guided By Voices - Long Distance Man
21. Run Coyote - Troubles
22. Radiohead - The Numbers
23. Ohtis - Pervert Blood
24. The Brandy Alexanders - Hey, Why'd You Do It?
25. The Nots - Cosmetic
26. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (TOTP 1991)
27. Pavement - Perfume-V
28. Teenage Fanclub - I'm In Love
29. By Divine Right - Complicated
30. By Divine Right - Uncontaminable

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 8.

Episode # 633 was a repeat of a previous episode that originally aired in January 2015. You download that episode here and view the playlist here.