4,992Shows
249,891Spins
Friday, Mar 18 2022, 7AM
Good morning, happy Friday, and welcome to The Morning show with John Richards! You are not alone. Thanks for being here and for being part of this community!
--
Arcade Fire's first new album in five years, "WE," will be out on May 6th. The 40-minute, seven-song album is split into one side called “I” (an opening side about isolation) and another called “WE” (about reconnection); the first three tracks are on “I,” and the next four are on “WE.”
--
See the official video for "The Lightning I, II": www.youtube.com
Fontaines D.C. will be here in Seattle, playing the Showbox SoDo on Saturday, May 14th, 2022.
--
This is a wonderful cover of an Irish band by another Irish band, released yesterday on St. Patrick's Day. ‘One’ is the third track from U2’s 1991 album ‘Achtung Baby’, and it was released as the record’s third single in February 1992.
This version of where is my mind always makes me think of my little bits when they were babies and I would play the rockabye baby lullaby version when they were falling asleep maybe why they sing the song now when they hear it. --Armando
"During last year’s lockdown I found comfort in the piano and decided to revisit and rearrange some of my favourite Pixies tracks. This resulted in the release of Pixies Reimagined in August 2020."--Kindt: twitter.com
For Tod in New Hampshre...
--
Stop! Watch Pixies performing "Where Is My Mind?" live in Belgium in 1989: www.youtube.com
Sunny Day Real Estate formed in Seattle in 1992. “It was literally like watching U2 in 1980 and was one of the five best shows I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Sub Pop publicist Nils Bernstein said of Sunny Day’s May 1993 gig at Seattle’s Crocodile Cafe, which drew a very sparse crowd.
They are reputedly going to tour this spring for the first time in 12 years. Read the report here: www.spin.com
"Flow sweetly, hang heavy...
You suddenly complete me..."
Read the lyrics: genius.com
Good morning! The One cover currently playing got me thinking of U2's Miss Sarajevo (that Pavarotti solo!), especially with everything going on in Ukraine and the current suffering of Ukrainian civilians. If you've got room in the queue for one more U2 song, I'd love to hear it over the airwaves... er, internet.--Jonathan in Denver
--
The Passengers were a collaboration between U2 and Brian Eno. U2 considered it a side project, so they used a different name. The song is about how the people of Sarajevo deal with war.
--
Italian Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti sang on this with Bono. Pavarotti enters this song at two minutes and 53 seconds singing an Italian language libretto written by Bono. Pavarotti's opera lyrics translated: "It's said that a river..Finds the way to the sea...And like the river...You shall come to me...Beyond the borders...And the thirsty lands...You say that as a river..Like a river...Love shall come...Love...
And I'm not able to pray anymore...
And I cannot hope in love anymore...
And I cannot wait for love anymore..."
In the video for this song, a maroon-skinned alien sings Isaac Wood's emotional vocal line while being dragged through an army detention camp by an unsympathetic officer. Over the course of the film, he is punched, prodded, and placed in front of a firing squad before a flying saucer comes to his rescue in the film's final moments. Watch it here: www.youtube.com
The song refers to the Wittenoom asbestos mine in Western Australia where blue asbestos was mined between 1947 and 1966. The once-thriving town is now a virtual ghost town. Shops are boarded up, the two schools are closed, the local cinema is derelict. In their ignorance, the original settlers used asbestos in gardens, school yards and roads. Wittenoom is without doubt Australia's greatest industrial disaster and it is estimated that 25% of the 20,000 men who mined asbestos there will die from related diseases.
--
Watch Midnight Oil performing "Blue Sky Mine" live in Paris in 2019: www.youtube.com
Hatchie (Harriette Pilbeam) will be at Neumos on Saturday, May 21st, 2022.
--
This is the title track from her sophomore album, out on April 22nd. (Pre-order it here: hatchie.bandcamp.com) “‘Giving The World Away’ is about being gentle with yourself in the throes of depression,” Hatchie said in a statement.
“We made a simple lyric video with analogue effects to let the lyrics of the song speak for themselves.”: www.youtube.com
Laundromat is Brighton musician Toby Hayes.: hashbrandnew.com
--
You can buy this track right here: laundromatmusica.bandcamp.com
This samples the drumbeat from Gus Poole's "Hallelujah, Alright, Amen," a funky disco soul track from 1970, and the bluesy sax riff from Joe Thomas' "Venus" (1976).
---
Even by Beck's standards, this song has some pretty odd lyrics ("She's got the lily-white cavity crazes, she's got a carburetor tied to the moon"). Beck explained: "Most of the vocals on the record were scratch vocals. We just grew attached to them.": www.songfacts.com
This is the fourth studio album from this eclectic London band. "...they’ve spent 10 years attempting to carve out a space in uncharted territory bordered by punk, Afrobeat, funk and traditional Egyptian and Sudanese music." They are a band whose"main concession to commerciality has involved their Mauritian vocalist Kushal Gaya shifting to singing in English, rather than a hybrid of French, Creole and a language of his own creation.": www.theguardian.com
You can hear these local favorites at Jazz Alley from May 12th-15th.
The Soundcarriers formed in Nottingham in the late 2000s with a sound that pulled from '60s French pop, Italian soundtracks, baroque psych, Brazilian pop, and other groovy subgenres. They have just released their fourth album, "Wilds," after a dormancy of eight years.: joyzine.org
Do you think that "Pounding" refers to Andy Williams on the drums? Maybe you would like to see a live version: www.youtube.com
Good morning and happy birthday eve to you John! I would love to hear something by Elbow on this Friday morning, dj's choice. I feel like so often when I hear a song that makes me check the playlist to see who it is, it is Elbow. Thank you, and take good care. You are not alone 💜 --Jaimee
--
Prior to a show in Mexico in 2020, Elbow released a Spanish version of "Mexican Standoff": www.youtube.com
Katie requested this for her nephew Sean's 10th birthday! Happy birthday, Sean!
--
Here's Depeche Mode, performing "Never Let Me Down Again," live in Paris in 2016 as part of the Exciter Tour: www.youtube.com
In 20 days----Spiritualized will be at The Neptune on Thursday, April 7th, 2022.
---
Jason Pierce wrote "Everything Was Beautiful" by himself in isolation, which seems like a natural state for him, pandemic or no. As usual with Spiritualized, the album features a ton of musicians, but Pierce plays 16 instruments on the record himself. In early March, he released this sprawling, spiraling track: www.stereogum.com
www.youtube.com
“Love Vigilantes” is the first song on New Order’s third album, 1985’s Low-Life. It’s a record that established the band’s own unique potency and helped to legitimize the quartet as its own entity separate from Joy Division, its original incarnation. The song is attributed to all four band members (Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert), although the idea and lyrics sprang mainly from singer and guitarist Sumner.
--
"...what ultimately makes 'Love Vigilantes' one of New Order’s most memorable tracks is a story with a kind of choose-your-own-interpretation ending.": americansongwriter.com
John, I think you should definitely milk the whole weekend for your birthday. You’ve certainly earned it.
If you are able to fit in anything by Nation of Language or Quivers or The Goon Sax, that would make my attempt to milk my first day off in a while go so much better. So far, it’s just laying around listening to my favorite radio show on my favorite radio station. (Shameless flattery, I know, but it is true.) All the best for your celebrations this weekend and wishes for many more. --Andy, PDX
--
John welcomed Quivers into the KEXP studio for a live performance back in 2019. It included this gorgeous song about memory, love, and resilience. You can watch the video here: youtu.be
For a while, Michael Stipe thought this was too brutal a song to record. He said in 1992: "It's probably better that they think it's a love song at this point. That song just came up from somewhere and I recognized it as being really violent and awful. But it wasn't directed at any one person. I would never write a song like that. Even if there was one person in the world thinking, This song is about me, I could never sing it or put it out... I didn't want to record that, I thought it was too much. Too brutal. I think there's enough of that ugliness around."
--
The lead vocal on the chorus contains just one word: "Fire," which Michael Stipe draws out into a long wail. In the background, you can hear bass player Mike Mills singing, "She's comin' down on her own, now."
Tgif and bday weekend! We will be celebrating, too. My son's birthday is today. mMaybe you could play Here Comes the Sun for Coartney (LIKE: Courtney) or one of your faves--Cheers to you Pisces! Have a special day! --Kristen
--
"Sun! Sun! Sun! Here it comes!" Read about the origin of this song: www.udiscovermusic.com
Ahhh...the Friday song! The first two episodes of "Fresh Off the Spaceship," KEXP's series about the Black Constellation, are out now. Learn more about this series that tells the story of an artist collective (Shabazz Palaces, THEESatisfaction, Ya Tseen) with Seattle roots and cosmic reach.: www.kexp.org
Remembering 1992....
The Soup Dragons are a Scottish band, but their frontman Sean Dickson was always fascinated with American culture, particularly in New York City. When he lived there for a spell in the early '90s, Dickson (who later came out as gay) spent a lot of time with drag queens and in gay clubs. He became a huge fan of the performer Divine, and wrote "Divine Thing" in his honor.
"If you listen to the lyrics it's plainly about him, and his beauty freak iconic culture," he said in an interview.
“You Get What You Give” became the signature song of the New Radicals, released as the lead single from their only album "Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too." The song received critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone calling it one of the greatest One Hit Wonder songs and later calling it one of the best songs of the 90s.
--
See the official music video: www.youtube.com
The 1981 single was never released as a part of an album until 1991's singles collection.
--
Joe Strummer admitted in an interview with Melody Maker in 1988 that he had nicked the bassline from the Queen hit "Another One Bites The Dust" (which in itself shares many similarities with another disco classic, Chic's "Good Times").
First, Happy Birthday to you!
Second, my friend Matt and I will be riding our bicycles 321 miles from Bellingham to Portland, starting tomorrow morning and finishing Monday. This ride is to raise awareness for the Down Syndrome Community of Puget Sound and celebrating Matt's daughter Phoebe! Inclusion matters and Phoebe rocks!
Can we hear "Bicycle Race" from Queen to set the mood? --Steve
---
Wherever Queen played, bicycle shops sold out of bells bought by fans who brought them to the show to ring them during this song.
--
Watch Queen performing "Bicycle Race" - Live in Tokyo 1979: youtu.be
"Hey ladies, where y'all going to?" "To the pool!" This call-and-response repeats throughout the entire two-and-a-half minutes over a funky, retro groove and killer saxophone line. It’s an incredibly fun and catchy song that will make you ache for the days of summer. And, it's yours, for free: kexp.org
"I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died...
If I never loved I never would have cried...": www.simonandgarfunkel.com
Violent Femmes will be at The Moore Theatre on Friday, June 3rd, 2022.
--
"Ten, ten, ten, ten for everything, everything, everything..." Remember that time the Violent Femmes came and played a show for us in the Gathering Space: www.youtube.com
For Liam and Stella, ages 12 and 9. Mom Allison writes: Oh fun! My kids are home sick...a week of negative COVID's but sore throat, coughing, congestion. They have not gone to school ALL WEEK and apparently they got my phone."
==
This song and its video are a send-up of heavy metal music, playing up the ridiculous costumes, excessive hairspray and tendency for bands to take themselves just a tad too seriously in a very Spinal Tap way. The title is a play on "No Sleep 'til Hammersmith," which is the title of a 1981 Motörhead live album.
--
In order to spoof a heavy metal song, the Beasties needed a heavy guitar riff. That came courtesy of Kerry King, the guitarist for Slayer. Producer Rick Rubin was working with both Slayer and the Beastie Boys (each group was signed to Rubin's Def Jam Records), so he had King come down the hall and put down a guitar part, which he played intentionally out of tune in parts. King also appeared in the video: look for him pushing the gorilla off the stage.
--
Here's that video: www.youtube.com
Hi John! It's Friday, you are the best, and it's finally freaking sunny here in Brooklyn.
Woke up this morning feeling shockingly positive - maybe it's the full moon - and "Oh Bondage! Up Yours!" by X-Ray Spex popped into my head. Can you please play this song because today might finally be the day I quit putting up with a bunch of s**t. Have a great birthday weekend and eat lots of vegan cheesecake! --Jessica
--
Released in 1977, "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" is the debut single by English punk rock band X-Ray Spex. (X-Ray Spex saxophonist Susan Whitby was only 16 when this song was recorded!)
Wet Leg will be at The Crocodile on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. That's next weekend!
--
Watch the lobster-filled video for "Wet Dream": youtu.be wetleg.bandcamp.com
We are on a road trip. Going home to Canada after our first Post-COVID trip to the USA from visiting friends in Virginia. How about some James for your birthday? --Keanin, Trish, Quinn, Ruby and Evie
--
James' 16th album, "All the Colours of You," was released last June. Recorded partly before the pandemic, it was produced by Jacknife Lee, the Grammy award-winning producer for U2, REM and The Killers, to name a few.: www.xsnoize.com
We always try to honor requests from John in West Seattle!
--
This song was co-written by James and producer Brian Eno. Eno loved the group's jam sessions and requested to the group that while they were recording Laid, they would also concurrently record an album of their improvisations, to be produced by him.
--
Here's an interview with James' Tim Booth last year about (among other things) boarding school and dysfunction within the band: www.bigissue.com
You have the same birthday as my pup Zinnia Stardust! Can we get some Bowie for her?? --Susan
This song can be seen as a sequel to Bowie's 1969 hit, "Space Oddity." It revisits the fictional astronaut, Major Tom, who is now in space. He has regained communication with Ground Control and tells them he is happy, but they deem him nothing but a "junkie, strung out in heavens high, hitting an all-time low." Fans believe this to be Bowie's autobiographical piece about his fight against drug abuse and other personal demons.
Built around a hypnotic Peter Hook bassline that mirrors a silvery synthesizer riff played by Bernard Sumner, the song is full of desperation and resentment, sadness and loss. The song is completed with a frenetic drum track from Stephen Morris.
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" was a cynical and tongue in cheek retort to the Neil Sedaka song “Love Will Keep Us Together” made famous by Captain and Tennille. The song’s lyrics, in retrospect, were an obvious reference to singer Ian Curtis’ failing marriage. -- Here's the story behind the song: www.loudersound.com
Peter Murphy wrote this song with his guitarist, Paul Statham. 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.
Who (you may ask) is Gerard McMann? Read this biography of English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Gerard McMahon, an accomplished composer for films and TV, best known for "Cry Little Sister": peoplepill.com
www.violinist.com
Violinist Kerenza Peacock; "I befriended some young violinists in Ukraine via Instagram and discovered some were in basement shelters but had their violins. So I asked colleagues across the world to accompany them in harmony. And I got sent videos from 94 violinists in 29 countries in 48 hours!! An astonishing collaboration forming an international violin choir of support for Ukraine. :handshake::violin::handshake::violin:
Illia Bondarenko had to film this between explosions, because he could not hear himself play.
Nine other young violinists sheltering in Ukraine join in unison, and are accompanied in harmony by world class players from the London Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, the Hollywood Studios, and renowned violinists from all over the world including Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Belgium, Georgia, Poland, South Korea, South Africa, Moldova, Denmark, India, including the entire violin section of the Munich Chamber Orchestra!
--
See Illia Bondarenko performing in a basement shelter in the Ukrainian capital, as the city braces itself for a Russian assault. She is then joined by violinists around the world: www.youtube.com