John Richards

The phrase "red right hand" is from a line in John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost that refers to divine vengeance. While writing the lyrics, Cave filled an entire notebook with descriptions of the town the song is set in, including maps and sketches of prominent buildings, virtually none of which made it into the lyrics. nyti.ms

This was the first album where Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard played all instruments without guest musicians. It was written while they were living far apart and writing music independently. Perry was living on an island in the middle of a river in Ireland, while Gerrard lived in Australia with her husband and daughter.

Via Stereogum; A new Sufjan Stevens album — a real Sufjan Stevens album — is coming this October 6. Javelin is Sufjan’s first album of new original songs since 2020’s The Ascension. With a cast of backup vocalists including adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen, Pauline Delassus, Megan Lui, Nedelle Torrisi, and Bryce Dessner, the album is billed as Sufjan’s attempt at ’70s studio opulence. The lead single, “So You Are Tired,” has just been released. More info on the release via Asthmatic Kitty: asthmatickitty.com

"The Lion and The Cobra" was Sinéad O'Connor's debut album. The title of the album is from Psalm 91:13 "you will tread upon the lion and cobra." When she was young, a nun gave Sinéad a guitar. She would perform on the streets of Dublin. Eventually she was playing with a band and caught the attention of record execs. She released this album in 1987 and co-produced it as well.

"Running Up That Hill" came from Bush's fifth studio album, "Hounds of Love," released in 1985. During her interview with "Classic Albums" in 1992, Bush revealed that she "regretted" having to change the name of the hit song. Bush said the song was originally called "Deal With God," explaining: "We were told that if we kept this title then it wouldn't be played in any of the religious countries." Bush said she "compromised" because she wanted people to hear her songs. shorturl.at Thanks to its appearance on "Stranger Things," this wonderful song has broken three Guinness World Records; (A) Longest time for a track to reach No.1 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart, (B) Oldest female artist to reach No.1 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart, and (C) Longest gap between No.1s on the UK’s Official Singles Chart. bit.ly

"Hey, John, Owen, and all the cool kids at kexp--John, if it works with your show, would you kindly play Radiohead's I Promise Thanks for all you do! Cheers, Stacie from Colorado" ==== "I Promise" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released in 2017. Radiohead performed it on their 1996 tour, and recorded it during the sessions for their third album, OK Computer (1997), but felt it was not strong enough to release. In June 2017, "I Promise" was included on the OK Computer reissue OKNOTOK 1997 2017 and released as a download with a music video.

Kurt Cobain listed She Hangs Brightly in his top fifty albums of all time. Here is the entire handwritten list: bit.ly

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic is the debut studio album by The Sundays. This song was their biggest international hit, but was never released as a single in the group's native UK due to the collapse of the Rough Trade Records label. - bit.ly

For Catherine down in San Diego! ===== Recorded in London, The Wishing Chair was the first major-label album by 10,000 Maniacs, released in 1985 by Elektra Records. Although the album did not achieve the commercial success some of their later releases would receive, the record brought the band more visibility than had their previous independent releases.

New music from Slowdive! Slowdive kicks off their North American tour in September. You can catch them in Seattle at Showbox Sodo on October 10th! www.slowdiveofficial.com Their latest album, "everything is alive" will be released on September 1st. slowdive.bandcamp.com

"John you are killing it this morning! Love the mix. Here's a request from Lucia in Austin. Far from any Road by The Handsome Family. (True Detectives theme song) thanks and sending love!" ====== This one from the husband and wife duo is known best as being the opening theme song for the HBO show "True Detective"

The fashion photographer Herb Ritts directed the track's racy video. It features model Helena Christensen seducing Isaak on a beach.: www.youtube.com -- For a little tamer video, you can watch Chris Isaak sing the song live: www.youtube.com

"Requesting Peter Gabriel "Blood of Eden". Because I am NOT alone. Rodney in Alexandria Va" ====== "Blood of Eden" is the third single from English rock musician Peter Gabriel's 1992 album Us, featuring backing vocals by Sinéad O'Connor. It narrowly failed to enter the UK top 40, peaking at number 43.

Recorded at Blueprint Studios in Manchester in celebration of their 40th Anniversary, Be Opened By The Wonderful is a celebration of James' most loved and rare tracks, reimagined with a 22-piece orchestra and 8-piece choir and including one brand-new track. Tim Booth says "Life begins at 40. For our midlife euphoria we recorded a double orchestral album of some of our deepest cuts." wearejames.com

Catch the Icelandic band live with Wordless Music Orchesctra at the Paramount on August 24th! www.stgpresents.org sigurros.com

Sunny Day Real Estate will be playing the Bumbershoot Festival on Saturday, September 2nd, 2023. www.subpop.com

"I Am One" is the debut single by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was the band's first ever release and remains the only single issued by the band with co-writing credits to both Billy Corgan and James Iha. Concrete Blonde recorded a version for the soundtrack of the film Pump Up the Volume, which was released on this day in 1990.

Genesis Owusu will perform at Neumos in Seattle, November 9! Genesis Owusu has released the second single from his highly-anticipated sophomore album, STRUGGLER, due out August 18th www.youtube.com Check out his recent Live On KEXP performance hosted by Reverend Dollars: www.youtube.com

“Electric Avenue” was founding member of The Equals' Eddy Grant's response to the Brixton riots that took place in 1981.

"The Guns of Brixton" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash, originally released on their 1979 album London Calling. It was written and sung by bassist Paul Simonon, who grew up in Brixton, South London. The song has a strong reggae influence, reflecting the culture of the area and the reggae gangster film The Harder They Come.

New cover of the Game from Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, a steel pan ensemble from Hamburg, Germany. __ bigcrownrecords.com __ bacaorhythmandsteelband.bandcamp.com

Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker recently explained the nexus of this song: “For me, it’s about getting out of toxic internal patterns — leaving the empire of energy drains that obscure pure essence, learning about what healthy boundaries are, and finding the power to implement them for the possibility of giving and receiving (both inwardly and outwardly) unbroken and infinite Love.” Here's the lyric video: radiomilwaukee.org

"Cut Your Face," the brand new single from the Joy Formidable, is out now. Of the song, Bryan says in a press release: “‘Cut Your Face’ is a reminder to myself that even in shyness, when that voice is telling you to hide away, that what I really want is deep, authentic connection. The only way to satisfy that longing is to be vulnerable, messy and imperfect…and life is all the more beautiful because of it.” Watch the music video here: youtu.be onerpm.link

"While I've been a fan for many years, I only just caught The National live for the first time on Friday. Absolutely fantastic show. My only complaint is that it was just the first time seeing them! Also, opener The Beths were simply delightful. Their song "Silence is Golden" was the highlight & I'm trying to carry its energy into this new week. - Zach in Ft Collins" ===== Watch a full performance by the Beths in the KEXP studio, including this song, from February 17, 2023: youtu.be The album was recorded in 2021 but interrupted by a four-month lockdown, then finished while the New Zealand band were on their North American tour, with "mixing in hotel rooms and green rooms and in the back of the tour bus." The album's kick-off single is "Silence is Golden," a typically hyperactive Beths powerpop earworm that bandleader and songwriter Liz Stokes says is "about stress and anxiety manifesting as an intolerance to noise, where each new sound makes you more and more stressed." thebethsnz.bandcamp.com

By Request! ===== The band said of this single: "We wrote this song last year together with songwriter and producer Björn Yttling. It was the first time we wrote for First Aid Kit with someone else and it was very inspiring. The song was written in the spur of the moment, almost like a stream of consciousness. It's about feeling stuck inside your own thoughts and desperately wanting to escape." bit.ly www.firstaidkitband.com

By request! ===== Contrary to popular myth, the album was not entirely recorded in one day. In the hustle of the first recording session, the band did not have time to record Timmins' a cappella chanting on "Mining for Gold". She and Moore recorded the song a few days later during the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's lunch break. en.wikipedia.org

Palehound plays Madam Lou's on Monday, November 6! www.ticketweb.com "The ending of a relationship that spanned the majority of my twenties illuminated a forked road that daunted me," El Kempner shares of "Independence Day." "In the aftermath of our breakup, I found myself dwelling on what that other life would have been like and who I would have become had we chosen differently, or even if circumstance or tragedy had chosen for us." www.stereogum.com

"Hi John. Listening in as we unpack in our new home in Denver after 8 amazing years in Seattle. We plan to keep KEXP close by our sides in our new city. Can you play Changes by David Bowie for our kids Elly and Frances starting new schools this week? Thanks! Jennifer from Denver (formerly of Seattle)" ====== Changes began, [Bowie] once said, as “a parody of a nightclub song”. But it quickly became one of his new hybrids, fusing cocktail jazz, boogie woogie and beat poetry to a Beatlesque chorus. Read the story behind this perfect song: www.loudersound.com

By request! ===== The song was named after the legend of a siren that lures fishermen to their deaths upon the “Lorelei” rock, which exists in the Rhine River near Sankt Goarhausen in Germany, -- The third studio album from Cocteau Twins was recorded from August to September 1984 at Palladium Studios, Edinburgh and Rooster, West London. The label originally tried to hire Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois to produce the album. However, Eno felt the band did not need him and Robin Guthrie ended up producing the album. Pitchfork noted that the album's drum machine backing added a sharp edge in contrast to the band's ethereal sound and Elizabeth Fraser's "angelic vocals" -- Watch Cocteau Twins perform "Lorelei" live: youtu.be

Check out this New York band's bandcamp: strangeranger.bandcamp.com Say "bands bandcamp Strange Ranger" 5x fast.

"A quick message with a super huge thank you for bringing Nation of Language into my life. Got to see them for the second time here in Portland on Saturday night and. It. Was. Amazing! One of the top five shows I’ve ever seen; there was so much amazing energy in that room and Ian, Aidan, and Alex kept the mood ecstatic. (Then again, how can it not be with Ian dancing all over and Alex with those amazing bass lines?) Definitely looking forward to their next album next month. If you can fit them in this morning, I would vote for “This Fractured Mind”. Loving the start to your show, too. Always happy to hear your voice in my ear as I’m starting my day. Andy PDX" Nation of Language will be LIVE in the Gathering Space TOMORROW, August 15th, at noon. Get here early to get a good spot!!

“Sax and Violins” is one of the lesser known Talking Heads songs, appearing as it did as the main title for the little seen Wim Wenders noir/science fiction film, "Until The End of the World." -- Here's Gilda Radner as Emily Litella, giving an editorial response about parents objecting to violins on television, on SNL's Weekend Update in 1976: www.youtube.com

From the 'Faraway, So Close!' soundtrack!

"Born Slippy .NUXX" was the B-side to the instrumental "Born Slippy", released on its own as a single in its own right in the wake of the 1996 Danny Boyle film Trainspotting, where it could be heard in the final scene.

From the soundtrack to the superhero film The Crow, released in 1994! This is NIN's powerful cover of Joy Division.

From the Singles soundtrack! Written by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, and bass player Van Conner, "Nearly Lost You" is probably the most famous song by Screaming Trees. -- R.I.P., Van Conner, who died in January of this year: www.seattletimes.com -- R.I.P., Mark Lanegan, who died in February, 2022: www.theguardian.com

Pump Up the Volume, released on this day in 1990, is an American coming-of-age teen comedy-drama film written and directed by Allan Moyle. Music being central to the plot of a film about a young pirate radio station DJ, the soundtrack featured a diverse number of artists. The official soundtrack release had eleven tracks.

'Who's Next', The Who's fifth studio album., released on this day in 1971! When The Who perform this live, the processed organ is played from a recording, since it would be nearly impossible to replicate on an instrument. The guitar doesn't come in until 1:40, giving Pete Townshend some time to reflect on his work. "There is this moment of standing there just listening to this music and looking out to the audience and just thinking, 'I f--king did that. I wrote that," he said. "I just hope that on my deathbed I don't embarrass myself by asking someone, 'Can you pass me my guitar? And will you run the backing tape of 'Baba O'Riley'? I just want to do it one more time."