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Friday, Jul 26 2024, 7AM
Good morning, happy Friday, and welcome to The Morning show with John Richards! It's Kevin Cole's last day of hosting Drive Time and we're celebrating him all day! Welcome!
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Watch The Call perform this one live: www.youtube.com
Thanks, Jason in South Carolina, for this request...
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Recorded shortly after the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where the MC5 had played, and which had been overshadowed by violent clashes between police and anti-Vietnam war demonstrators, the album was a masterpiece of concentrated rage. Rolling Stone wrote that it “writhes and screams with the belief that rock’n’roll is a necessary act of civil disobedience”.
t reached No 30 on the US album chart, despite a controversy over the vocalist Rob Tyner yelling “Kick out the jams, motherf**kers” on the title track, which caused the album to be banned in certain department stores. It also got the group dropped from their record label, Elektra.
Watch these renowned musicians perform for KEXP listeners from Iceland Airwaves in 2016 (Of course that performance includes "Have Love, Will Travel"): www.youtube.com
Happy Friday! I'd love to hear some Beck this morning if possible - I'm super stoked to be seeing him next week at Carnegie Hall! All the best, Paul G in Toronto
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The middle "la la la" section is sung by Petra Haden. It's not a sample, but she came in to sing. Here's Beck's story: "We had a sample of these Austrian women yodelling and we couldn't find who owned it, or who it was from. I mean, it just didn't exist, so I had a friend come in and sing it. She did her best."
Please play "Blue Monday" by New Order in honor of Kevin's retirement. It always reminds me of dancing my butt off at First Avenue with Kevin in the DJ booth. John in Minneapolis
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New Order came up with the rhythm when they were experimenting with a new Oberheim DMX drum machine they had purchased. Peter Hook explained: "Bernard [Sumner] and Stephen [Morris] were the instigators. It was their enthusiasm for new technology. The drum pattern was ripped off from a Donna Summer B-side." (The song also samples Kraftwerk's "Uranium.")
"The Frog Song"!!
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"And you keep laughing and laughing and laughing..." Watch a Hollywood Bowl live performance of this wonderful song in 2013: www.youtube.com
John, Owen: Not to be greedy, but how much Prince is one household allowed to request? We've got two humans and a cat. Everyone just raised their hands/paws for some Prince in honor of Kevin. Thanks! --Spencer
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“Take Me With U” – a duet between Prince and Apollonia – was a song which had originally been planned for inclusion on the self-titled Apollonia 6 album. Instead, Prince decided to pull it from that LP in favor of adding it to the "Purple Rain" album. Thankfully, he still opted to keep Apollonia involved, probably in no small part because – like Prince himself – she was in the movie, although Lisa Coleman did provide vocals on the song as well.
"Starting the record off with a patient, slow burn, 'Need You Now' is a pop song built using one of the core the principles of club music, the build-and-release. It begins gingerly, just a few light synth pulses and a drumbeat, but as it climbs, you sense that a payoff isn't far off. Synths quicken, [Dan] Whitford's voice begins to ache, and by the time we reach the four-minute mark, the song has exploded into one of those glittering, starry-eyed climaxes that pop music fans live for. Arranged with the utmost care and craft, it's about as perfect a Side One, Song One as you'll find.": pitchfork.com
Happy Friday! Ten year old Aria would love to hear Animal by Miike Snow
We love KEXP!!! Especially Aria
---AJ, Jo and Aria
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The band consists of Swedish duo Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg and American songwriter Andrew Wyatt.
Andrew Wyatt: "Because we wanted to avoid the whole process of coming up with a name, we picked the name of an assistant engineer of a video we had all worked on out in L.A. We thought he was a nice guy. Then we modified the spelling so he couldn't sue us!"
This is the latest song from Foals' Yannis Philippakis' project with renowned drummer Tony Allen. This collaboration began in 2016. but the recordings were never completed before Tony passed away in April 2020 at the age of 79.
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Yannis felt a deep duty to complete the project, not only as a bittersweet way to honour and celebrate his friend, but also because Tony had been so eager to share these songs with the world. The result is the upcoming five-track EP, ‘Lagos Paris London,' which will be released on August 30th.
Middle Kids were just in the KEXP studio for a great live performance that included "Bend." Subscribe to our YouTube channel to learn when that performance is aired.: www.youtube.com
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Hanna Joy said that this powerful song is a difficult one for her to sing. Watch a live performance earlier this year: www.youtube.com
Dance party Friday! Want to request "You Are Not Alone"--- Brandon Summers' morning show special ✨
Please and thank you! --Chris in Olympia
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Brandon Summers wrote this during the pandemic: "When I start a song off of a "ditty" I often think “what it this about” and let the question roll around in my mind for a day or two before I find some thread and start writing lyrics. I went to sleep after working on the song arrangement over a long day and in the morning I woke up repeating “you are not alone”, “you are not alone”… and then I realized. This is a song for John! So I penned this ode to cautious optimism in the midst of quarantine in your honor. I hope this tune can bring a little bit of happiness to your days. Thanks for soldiering on through all of this and bringing hope and comfort to so many people."
In the Catholic church, Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians. In this context, the song can be interpreted as the singer asking for musical guidance, possibly to help writing a song. Paul Simon says he can't remember the specific inspiration when he was writing the song, but he knew Cecilia is the goddess of music.
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According to the liner notes to Paul Simon's "Anthology" album, the strange sounding rhythm to this particular track was Paul and Art slapping their thighs, while Paul's brother Eddie thumped a piano bench and a friend named Stewie Scharff strummed a guitar with its strings slackened to the point of atonality.
"The song’s famous snare drum intro led into a gliding, soaring guitar riff that was unlike anything I’d ever heard. Texturally, the song was awash in dynamic waves of distortion and reverb. The lead vocal from guitarist Bilinda Butcher pulled me in further. Butcher’s tone was airy and spacious and her delivery was laconic. The song’s lyrics were unclear to me at the time, but the words appear to be designed to support a feeling of warmth and intimacy...."
Enjoy this tribute to "Loveless": xpn.org
Morning! About to head out to the Olympic Peninsula with the family for a weekend getaway. Any chance you could play some Hum? -Brian in Ravenna
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It was July 29, 1995 when Hum played "Stars" live on MTV's "120 Minutes": www.youtube.com
"Sorry, baby..."
Japandroids have announced a new album, and it will be the band’s last. "Fate & Alcohol" will be out on October 18th. "Chicago" is the debut single.
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Pre-order the album right here: japandroids.bandcamp.com
How did they know that John would play a Pixies request?
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Producer Gary Smith :
I remember listening to “Levitate Me” while Charles came up with all the lyrics and people making suggestions about it. He was just out in that great big space with some stereo mics around to try to pick up the sound of the room, and him just going into “Levitate Me” like he’d always known the song. […] I remember seeing the needles and seeing the red record light on and seeing the other band members standing around me and feeling like I was at the signing of the Declaration of Independence or something.
Hmmm...you'll probably want to memorize the lyrics to this song, produced by Steve Albini: genius.com
"Your mouth's a mile away!" Another Pixies song with memorable lyrics: genius.com
Good morning! I'm requesting The Emotions - Best of My Love for my most excellent nephew Theo who is turning 13 today and heading into Children's Hospital for treatment. Sending oodles of love to Theo, his little sister Juliet, my amazing sister Ann and her awesome husband Justin. -- Laurie
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This song, written by Earth Wind & Fire members Al McKay and Maurice White, won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.
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A trio of sisters with a strong gospel base, the Emotions (based in Chicago) were one of the leading female R&B acts of the '70s. Lead singer Sheila Hutchinson and her sisters Wanda and Jeanette were only teenagers when they crashed the soul charts in 1969.: www.allmusic.com
Happy Friday! Could you play "Alive" by Empire of the Sun for our beloved Kevin Cole? I wish I could come tomorrow, but giving him all the love we’ve got here in New York! -Justin
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"Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive..." Thanks, Kevin Cole.
I would love to request "Ice Cream" by Muscles. My grandmother passed away peacefully on Wednesday, surrounded by her family in her small hometown in the Netherlands. She lived a long (almost 95 years!l) life. It wasn't always easy- she lived through the Second World War, a devastating flood, and the eventual loss of her husband and her two eldest sons - but she always appreciated the little things. One of those things was ice cream - and I'd love if you could play this song in her honor.
Thank you so much,
Saskia (in Queen Anne)
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Muscles is Australian electronica musician Chris Copulos. Watch him play 'Ice Cream' live at Studio B in NYC during CMJ in 2007: youtu.be
Ahhh....the Friday song. It's not retirement--it's a remix. Join KEXP in celebrating Kevin Cole's 50 years in broadcasting tomorrow, Saturday, July 27th in our Courtyard and Gathering Space. For more information and to purchase tickets, go here: www.kexp.org
Hello from Harborview! Me and my work buddy would love to hear Close to Me by the Cure. HAPPY FRIDAY IN HONOR OF KEVIN
---August
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Did you know that this great song was inspired by Robert Smith's childhood bout of chicken pox? He said “The words were actually about this sense of impending doom that I used to get.": www.radiox.co.uk
R.I.P., Sinéad O’Connor, who died a year ago, July 26, 2023.: www.irishtimes.com
This great song has just achieved additional prominence as a campaign song. Today.com tells us what to know about the song: www.today.com
See a live performance of "Fight the Power" in 2010: www.youtube.com
"… Brothers, sisters, we don't need this fascist groove thang
… Sisters, brothers lend a hand
Increase our population
Grab that groove thang by the throat
And throw it in the ocean..."
Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH) was one of the most controversial and commercially-successful U.K. pop acts of the mid-80s. The Liverpool-based new wave group was fronted by vocalist Holly Johnson and supported by Paul Rutherford (backing vocals), Peter Gill (drums), Mark O’Toole (bass) and Brian Nash (aka Nasher, guitar).: thevogue.com
Vernon Reid can teach you how to play the guitar solo in "Cult of Personality": www.guitarworld.com
Happy birthday to Mick Jagger, born on July 26th, 1943.
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The wonderful sax solo in this song is by Sonny Rollins.
Very good instincts, Kevin Cole!
The "LCD" part of the band's name stands for "Liquid Christmas Display", a play on "liquid-crystal display", and originated from the earliest iteration of the band during a live performance at a Brooklyn Christmas party where bassist Murphy and drummer Pat Mahoney were covering songs by Liquid Liquid.
Here's "Too Much Love" live from the epic "final" show in Madison Square Garden in 2011: www.youtube.com
"Sending those signals..."
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The song "Radio" features nine samples, including Mandrill, Laurie Anderson, and comedians Wayne and Shuster, See the complete list here: www.whosampled.com
Speaking of radio...
The song as a whole is the band's tribute to New York rap acts such as the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - indeed, Strummer's sinister high-pitched laugh at the start of the song was directly inspired by Grandmaster Flash's "The Message."
Speaking of radio...
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The voice that opens this song with the words, "Come on, let's rock and roll with the Ramones" is Sean Donahue, a disc jockey who worked at radio stations in San Francisco (KSAN) and San Jose (KOME, KSJP). The intro is meant to elicit the sound of a DJ enthusiastically talking up the song at a radio station.
Donahue (real name: Sean Coman) died in a car accident in 2000 at age 45.
She was just "five years old." Actually, Lou Reed said that this song was about himself and about hearing Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" on the radio for the first time.
On the most practical level, ‘Radio Free Europe’ saved R.E.M.’s asses: “Most fans may not realize that for two years before Murmur was released, we barely made financial ends meet by playing tiny clubs around the southeast. Our gasoline budget prevented us from venturing further,” drummer Bill Berry explained. Here's the story about how this single introduced R.E.M. to a large audience and "planted the blueprint for what an alternative rock band should look like.": faroutmagazine.co.uk
"I feel a hot wind on my shoulder
And the touch of a world that is older
Turn the switch and check the number
Leave it on when in bed I slumber..."
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You can see some barbecued iguana when you watch Wall of Voodoo performing "Mexican Radio": www.youtube.com
“Playing 'Transmission' was probably the first time that we had a real stop-the-press moment,” Peter Hook recalled. “I distinctly remember playing it at that soundcheck and the crew turning around, the guys in [support act] Emergency and the other support band, The Risk, coming front of stage to watch us.
“We were looking at each other, like, What the f**k’s going on here? Because we’d never experienced that kind of reaction before,” Hook added. “Looking at each other we were thinking that, maybe, just maybe, we might be able to make a go of this [playing music], a living… It was a big moment for the band. A real confidence-booster.”
