Best of 2007
by Thomas Schulte
Each year, I review the playlists generated by my broadcasting activity and release the most played artists of the year. Often it is surprising to find what documentation shows I was most eager to play during the few hours of airtime I have. This list is my commentary on those results in no particular order. Note, not all releases are 2007 releases.</td>
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Bloodied But Unbowed: The Damage to Date 1978-83 by D.O.A.
I played many different D.O.A. recordings during the year, but I especially recall Bloodied But Unbowed: The Damage to Date 1978-83 by D.O.A. Classic D.O.A from the birth of hardcore sounds vibrant, instigating, and smart on this release from Joey Keithley’s Sudden Death label. Further kudos go to Joey’s label for keeping the old Vancouver scene in print through albums by Pointed Sticks and Vancouver Complication as well as exciting new titles, such as Joe Shithead Keithley and his Band of Rebels.
Here is my interview with Keithley.
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After Frank – 1st Movement by Napoleon Murphy Brock featuring Gregarious Movement
Zappa got a lot of airplay from me in 2007 for the general reason that his music excels on many levels. Specifically, in 2007 I interviewed Zappa alumni such as Napoleon Murphy Brock, Don Preston, and Bob Harris. I celebrated each chat with a collaborator by playing a lot of Zappa. Some of the actual interviews can be heard online.
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World of Fuzz by Mutant Press
On Sunday, 16 Sept. 2007 I interviewed Mutant Press main man Jerome T. Youngman. I expected to focus on his surprise collaboration with Josie Cotton, but the interview touched a lot on his early association with Gerhard Helmut & Ripped as well as working with Bobby Paine, bassist and Josie Cotton/Go-Gos songwriter. The proto-punk topics discussed in this episode of Outsight Radio Hours are fascinating! Jerome T. Youngman and I used to live in the same neighborhood, and I have always admired his crude industrial music, Fugs covers, and overt political stances.
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Peace, Love and Anarchy by Todd Snider
Todd Snider’s snide and even snotty country anthems have resonated with me ever since I first heard them. In 2007, John Prine’s Oh Boy label released demo and studio material on Peace, Love and Anarchy Snider helped compile this one, helping assure its quality and sparking in me a year well seasoned with Snider songs.
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Wire My Jaw by Dennis Most
I met Dennis Most in 2007 and it put me in touch with someone that walked the stages during the fertile proto-punk era of American underground music. Having formed a band called Punk in 1972 that played trippy blues garage-rock, Dennis was right there for the explosion of diversity that led to so many of the genres that are common today. Lots of Dennis Most projects found their way into Outsight air time in 2007, including “AudioLove” and such signature Most tunes as “Excuse my Spunk” and one great interview.
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Fabriclive.35 by Marcus Intalex
Fabriclive.35 by Marcus Intalex is one of the many parties-on-disc that came out in the Fabriclive series. This volume mixed by the talented drum ‘n’ bass DJ Marcus Intalex features Calibre & Lariman, Lynx & Kemo, Jonny L, Mistical, Duo Infernale and more. I found it real easy to use it time and again to pump the energy of one of my shows in 2007.
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Shim Sham Revue- Music of New Orleans Burlesque Shows of the 30’s, 40’s & 50’s by Ronnie Magri
In a sort of friend-of-a-friend thing I found out about Magri and his one man burlesque band evangelism. His CD Shim Sham Revue-Music of New Orleans Burlesque Shows of the 30’s, 40’s & 50’s didn’t leave my CD player very often after that. Take a listen to it and get your cheesecake on. Then hear Magri explain it all in my interview with him.
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The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years by Elvis Costello
There were at least two Costello retrospectives that came out in 2007. They were fodder and fuel for rediscovering and celebrating anew this varied artist’s songbook.
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What Doesn’t Kill You by Blue Cheer
In mind, Blue Cheer is the über-power trio, the hard kernel of the Summer of Love that give birth to hard rock and metal, the surly and simple rock expression that will never grow old as long as Blue Cheer keeps to their formula, as they do wonderfully on What Doesn’t Kill You. Dickie Peterson himself talked to me about this album.
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The Tick Tock Club by Golden Arm Trio
The hip, upbeat instrumental jump & jazz on this CD is from the same group that livened up the A Scanner Darkly soundtrack. I have so come to love this CD that I have started seeking an interview with someone involved for my radio show.
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hat. (Expanded and Remastered) by Mike Keneally
In 2007 we were treated to expanded and remastered editions of Hat and Boil That Dust Speck. Funky, mathy, and silly, these are infectious and lanky masterpieces.
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Two Loons for Tea by Two Loons for Tea
The 2007 release of Nine Lucid Dreams by Two Loons for Tea caught my ear, and even more so, the self-titled Two Loons for Tea when I revisited it. This Seattle alt-pop duo puts a lot of effort in their albums, making them rise head and shoulders above the indie pop crowd.
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Guillotined at the Hangar: Shielded by Death, Vol. 4 including Zellots
Through the latest edition in the Shielded by Death series, I discovered post-punk rockers Zellots. From there to the internet I was able to learn more about the Los Angeles, Vancouver, and London, Ontario versions of the group. This band came from such a fertile, creative period that it really makes me yearn for those times.
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Helen Money by Helen Money
So sue me, but I never “got” the whole Bob Mould thing. But like many others, Alison Chesley did. Now, from laying down tasteful cello accompaniment in studio sessions, Alison Chesley has become Helen Money. After working briefly with Mould, she now performs “aggravated cello” and is darkly, abrasively beautiful.
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Sov Gott Rose-Marie by International Harvester
Listen to Sov Gott Rose-Marie or some of the other recordings out there. You will discover that International Harvester was a shining jewel in a psychedelic crown that glimmered in Scandinavia reflecting a light from the States.
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Iris Nova by Mudville
As I write, “Wicked” from the Mudville 2007 release Iris Nova has won the 2008 Independent Music Award for the Best Song in the Dance/Electronica category. Do you like Feist? Morcheeba? Portishead? Find all that and more on excellent albums from Marilyn Carino and Benny Cha Cha as Mudville. Iris Nova, is being called, “A perfect melding, as if Nina Simone came back from the dead to front Morcheeba on a new record” (Rhapsody Rhadish). Iris Novaalso features performances by R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Karsh Kale, Forro in the Dark’s Mauro Refosco, and more. (Hear interview.)
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Beautiful Device by Todd Grubbs
I decided to interview Todd Grubbs when I discovered that he worked with Don Preston who guested on his new CD. After hearing all his recorded work, I am now a fan of the man who keeps the Tampa area alive with driving, sophisticated electric guitar rock.
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Still Stuck in Your Throat by Fishbone
Angelo Moore from Fishbone graced Outsight Radio Hours with an exciting, roaming, cell phone interview that went from the restaurant to the street on 3 June 2007. Angelo told me of the first time he met a Theremin, how he cases a crowd, and about the time he had a wardrobe malfunction live on air! Well, the 2007 DVD of the Hen House Sessions and the album Still Stuck in Your Throat spurred a fun rediscovery of this very important band.
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Loggy Log II EP by The Henry Road
2007 saw the much anticipated second chapter in The Henry Road’s Loggy Log series. This goofy audio adventure tickles the funny bone of the twelve-year old boy that lives inside me. The first episode got me to call Lip Collin in England and ask him about it.
