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Friday, Feb 28 2020, 6AM
Good morning and happy Friday. "Oh, unmentionable disgrace....
shield the children's faces
as all the monied apes
display unimaginably poor taste
in a scramble for mastery...." This song. performed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, remains apt today: danielhernandez.typepad.com
Gavin Friday (born Fionán Martin Hanvey) is an Irish singer and songwriter, composer, actor and painter. When he was fourteen years old, he met Bono at a party to which he had not been invited. Bono said: "We caught him trying to steal something of the house. Classic teenage stuff... but we became friends." Friday and Bono wrote three songs for inclusion in the film "In the Name of the Father," including this title track.
"Lift Every Voice and Sing" was written at a pivotal time, when Jim Crow was replacing slavery and African-Americans were searching for an identity. Author and activist James Weldon Johnson wrote the words as a poem, which his brother John then set to music. Two key events led to its being named the Negro National Anthem: In 1905, Booker T. Washington endorsed it, and in 1919, it became the official song of the NAACP. Learn about this "American anthem": www.npr.org
The rhythmic core of the manic “Tusk” originated from a brass band Mick Fleetwood heard in France. “I was in a room in the town square with a horrific hangover, and I was woken by the sound of the local brass band that relentlessly went round and round the square,” he said.“As the day went on, they got drunker and drunker. But one thing was apparent. Everyone followed the brass band around the town, and I thought, ‘What a good idea!'”: www.rollingstone.com
The soundtrack for "Pretty in Pink" was released on this date in 1986. According to the liner notes of Songs to Learn & Sing,"Bring On the Dancing Horses" was recorded specifically for the film.
Don't you like this? Nation of Language will perform it at The Sunset Tavern on Sunday, March 29th, 2020.
The National have covered INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” for a new Australian bushfire relief compilation. Australian songwriter and musician Julia Stone is spearheading the new "Songs for Australia" compilation, which comes out digitally on March 12th, 2020.: pitchfork.com
Speaking of Australia, INXS, and "Pretty in Pink"..... "Do Wot You Do," rleased for the film, would later turn up as the b-side to "New Sensation," then wound up on the 25th anniversary reissue of "Kick, suggesting it could have ended up on "Kick" at one stage.
Watch the official music video for "Between Something and Nothing": www.youtube.com
It was great when Johnny Marr came to the KEXP studio for a live performance in September, 2018: www.youtube.com
OMD wrote this song specifically for the film. Andy McCluskey of OMD explained: "We were delighted to be asked by John (Hughes), and went to the set where Molly and John Cryer were shooting. Unfortunately, the original song that we wrote didn't fit after they changed the whole ending (the original ending had Molly Ringwald's character choosing Duckie, who was played by Cryer, instead of Andrew McCarthy's Blane). We had 2 days to write a new track at Larabee Studios in L.A. We worked until 4 a.m. writing a rough version and sent a motorbike to Paramount. John heard it, liked it, and our manager phoned us at 8 a.m. and told us to go back in and mix it. That's how 'If You Leave' Happened!
They'll be at The Gorge Amphitheatre (with Pet Shop Boys) on Saturday, September 26th, 2020. We're giving away tickets all day!
This song came from a period of personal turmoil. Art D'Ecco said,“Formed during the three year period I spent in isolation, tucked away in a cabin on one of the Gulf Islands in British Columbia. I’d fled a bad scene in Vancouver – my life was spinning out of control and I needed a refresh. I was burnt out and over playing music. The scene. The Debauchery. I was emotionally hollowed out. Eventually, I discovered that feelings of alienation and desire were something I could channel into music."
This song was written by Chris Butler, who at the time was a member of a popular Akron, Ohio band called Tin Huey. He got the idea for the song when he and the band's drummer Stuart Austin were at a local bar called The Bucket Shop. Chris noticed that the ladies at the bar were giving their attention to the lawyers and other white-collar types while ignoring the lowly musicians.
This self-released single by Seattle Renaissance man Rudy Willingham was selected by John Richards as a KEXP song of the Day: www.kexp.org
Caribou sampled Gloria Barnes' 1971 song, "Home," here. Listen to the original.: www.youtube.com
"Left of Center" was written by Suzanne Vega and Steve Addabbo. It was released as part of the soundtrack to "Pretty in Pink.": www.youtube.com
That was the very gifted Joe Jackson on piano on the previous song. Here's a "gaycultureland" biography: gaycultureland.blogspot.com
Gorillaz have released a new single, “Désolé” that features Damon Albarn and Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara (Fat-too-mahta Dee-uh-ware-uh) on vocals. The song is sung in three languages altogether — English, French, and Bambara. Don't miss the video: www.youtube.com
This featured The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, who recalled: "When I got there they put down some bass and drum tracks. '(Nothing But) Flowers' sounded almost like a reggae dub track. I wasn't trying to play in an African style - although some people pointed out that I sometimes sound like that anyway! I knew all about King Sunny Ade and I love Fela Kuti, but really I just played melodies that sounded good in a high range. The intro to 'Flowers' was me playing without knowing the tape machine was on - that's how little attention I paid! I built that track from the ground up. I was impressed with what David (Byrne) did on it. He worked super quickly on it."
This was the opening track on Paul Simon's landmark "Graceland" album, and the first song he worked on when he went to South Africa in 1985 to record with musicians from the townships. Simon immersed himself in the music of South Africa before his trip, and came across a song by a Sotho group called Tau Ea Matsekha that he wanted to record. The group leader and songwriter was Forere Motloheloa, who played the piano accordion, which is an accordion with piano keys on one side. Motloheloa told Simon that the groove he came up with on the piano accordion was "paying tribute to a beautiful woman who he found and is happy with."
Peter Buck of R.E.M. plays the guitar solo at the beginning of this classic Replacements song.: www.djdmac.com
Karl Wallinger (World Party) sampled The Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" in this song.: www.youtube.com
Watch The Helio Sequence performing this live in the official music video: www.youtube.com
U2's third album, "War," was released on this date in 1983. “When it comes down to what I listen to in the car,” offered Pete Townshend enthusiastically in 1983, “at the moment, it’s very much U2, who sound a bit like certain early Who mixed with the Byrds mixed with the Beatles. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s just a sound that very much appeals to me.”: www.udiscovermusic.com
You know that they'll be at The Gorge on September 26th, right? New Order and Pet Shop Boys are hitting the road for “The Unity Tour.” See all eleven tour dates here: hypebeast.com
This fine cover was originally recorded as a part of The The Howard Stern Show Tribute to David Bowie.
"Wearing that same old shaggy dress..." This song was written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry Woods, and first published in 1933. Campbell and Connelly were a British songwriting team who often collaborated with a third composer, which in this case was the American Harry Woods.
John Hughes named this movie "Pretty in Pink" because Molly Ringwald liked the titular song. The song was not a hit when it was initially released in 1981, but when the movie came out, it launched the Furs’ career in the U.S. : www.mentalfloss.com
Ahhh......the Friday song. KEXP's Spring Drive begins on March 6th, 2020. Your donation counts now!: www.kexp.org
Mint Royale's brand new single "Glitter" is out now!: www.facebook.com
Yves Tumor will be here in Seattle, performing at Neumos on Sunday, April 5th, 2020.
"Boy, you're showing your horns...
They're tryin' to replace my halo with thorns..." Read the lyrics to "Arrest The President": www.azlyrics.com
"Rage Is Back (Freestyle)," features new rhymes from Plegendary Roots front man Black Thought over Nas' classic "New York State of Mind" instrumental.: jperiod.com
The video for Aesop Rock's new single, "Rogue Wave," features his own sketches: www.stereogum.com
Isn't Adra Boo's voice great here? John Richards selected this song for you as a recent free KEXP Song of the Day.: www.stereogum.com
Sampa The Great will be LIVE on KEXP on Wednesday, April 8th at 12:00 PM. She'll be at The Crocodile that evening.
There is no bass on this song. Prince took out the bass track at the last minute to get a different sound, though he hated to see it go.
"Sometimes your brain kind of splits in two - your ego tells you one thing, and the rest of you says something else. You have to go with what you know is right," he told Bass Player magazine.
Pet Shop Boys will be at The Gorge on September 26th with New Order. Pet Shop Boys just released their 14th studio album, "Hot Spot," in January.: pitchfork.com
"Jdid" means "new" in Arabic. You can get "Jdid" from this Parisian group at their Bandcamp page: acidarab.bandcamp.com
Berlin bass player John Crawford wrote this song. The Metro is the underground transportation system in Paris, and the song tells the story of a woman riding a train to see a former love. Berlin shot the clips for "The Metro" and another song, "Sex," back to back over two days. Lead singer Terri Nunn was not happy about shooting the subway scene over and over. Exhausted, she got frustrated and started crying, which was the footage they used. Her anger and tears were exactly what the director was looking for.: www.youtube.com
"Go" remains a wonderful, atypical dancefloor smash, with (Daniel) Ash's loopy "ya-ya" chorus, (Kevin) Haskins' nutty percussion patterns, (Glen) Campling's great fuzz bassline, and more all coming together in weird and fun ways.": www.allmusic.com
Sign up for Daniel Ash news at this official website: www.danielashmusic.com
The album "Crackle" (which contains "Dark Entries") was included in this gathering of "10 essential Bauhaus records": thevinylfactory.com
The song is driven by a violin riff played on a synthesizer. According to Simon Rogers, who produced the track, they brought in a musician to replicate it on viola, but it didn't sound right.
The powerful "Sweet" is the fourth single from Porridge Radio’s upcoming second album "Every Bad." Porridge Radio was founded in Brighton in 2015 and is led by singer-guitarist Dana Margolin: pitchfork.com
They say about themselves: "Rotterdam-based quartet Neighbours Burning Neighbours is unfazed by chaos." Purchase "Softly/Grace" at their Bandcamp page: neighboursburningneighbours.bandcamp.com
Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon wrote this powerful homage to Karen Carpenter (who died of anorexia at age 32), imagining her happy in heaven, looking down at her brother Richard.: www.youtube.com
"It's the colour of your skin,,,
Your skin is black metallic..."(Some people have heard, "Your skin is like a tire."): www.youtube.com
Very nice segue, John. The band have stated that the song was written in memory of Ian Curtis, lead singer of the band's former incarnation, Joy Division. Elegia is Greek for elegy.
“'Oscillate Wildly' was the first and best of their instrumentals, stretching out with pianos and cello. Morrissey shares the writing credit, though his only contribution was the clever title." Here's a ranking of all 73 songs by The Smiths: www.rollingstone.com
Here's a review of "Signals, Calls, and Marches": www.austinchronicle.com
Would you like to know more of the history of this Boston band?: www.allmusic.com
What happened to this band?: www.forbes.com
Smokey Brights performing live in the KEXP studio in 2018: www.youtube.com
KEXP & Cloudbreak Music Festival Present: Smokey Brights 10 year Anniversary 2024
Friday, Nov 22, 2024
Event Info
Grimes played live on KEXP! Check out her performance from 2012 here: www.youtube.com
Seattle band Chastity Belt plays live on KEXP today at noon! Want to attend a KEXP live in-studio session? Info here: www.kexp.org