3,691Shows
177,540Spins
Friday, Apr 15 2016, 2PM
Originally released on "I Often Dream of Trains." Robyn was joined by the incandescent Emma Swift in this gorgeous version! Released in 1984, I Often Dream of Trains was a primarily acoustic set with Hitchcock handling nearly all the instruments and vocals by himself; the tone is spare compared to the full-on rock & roll of his recordings with the Soft Boys or his solo debut, Black Snake Diamond Role, but the curious beauty of Hitchcock's melodies is every bit as striking in these stripped-down sessions, and the surreal imagery of "Flavour of Night," "Trams of Old London," and the title song comes to vivid and enchanting life. Hitchcock's off-kilter wit has rarely been as effective as it is on this album..." www.allmusic.com
Alex Chilton was a key member of Big Star, which Robyn Hitchcock has described as "a letter posted in 1971 that didn’t arrive till 1985." noisey.vice.com
Not only is our featured Song of the Day by The Posies (http://blog.kexp.org/2016/04/15/song-of-the-day-the-posies-unlikely-places/), but they've also worked with Robyn Hitchcock! www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C8Y_G69eN8
On why he re-recorded this song: "Well, you have to compare the two. The one with the Egyptians really sounds very tired, as if it's recorded between two slices of bread. It's not really a song the Egyptians worked on, I think. It wasn't a great song for that line-up, I just felt that it'd be good with this group Homers that I've been recording with. They're the drums and bass and rhythm guitar on this album. I just thought it could be done better and also it's the kind of thing that gets on the radio, so that's useful." powerofpop.tripod.com
Originally recorded on the album Perspex Island in Los Angeles in 1991, it "features guest appearances by Hitchcock fans Michael Stipe and Peter Buck of R.E.M.. The associated single 'So You Think You're in Love' peaked #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the U.S. The album carries a Hitchcock oil painting on its front cover, depicting the mythological figure Thoth, which The Egyptians had once used as a group logo." bit.ly
Thom Yorke collaborated with Björk of The Sugarcubes for the track "I've Seen It All" from Lars von Trier's "Dancer in the Dark" soundtrack.
A Leonard Cohen cover. Of Bob Dylan, Hitchcock most loves "his soulfullness, his timing, his irony, his understanding, his humour. He is a bit of a kvetch, though. Leonard Cohen goes as deep but he’s not so corrosive. It’s probably hard for Dylan to get comfortable. Still, he’s been in such a freakish situation for his whole adult life. We’ll miss him when he’s gone. And without him I don’t know what I would have done with my life." www.qthemusic.com/268/playlist-10-lyrics-robyn-hitchcock-wishes-hed-written/
Originally recorded for the Jonathan Demme-directed "Rachel Getting Married" Soundtrack, in which Hitchcock played a wedding guest and performer. Demme was also responsible for "Storefront Hitchcock," a 1998 concert film featuring Robyn Hitchcock. Of this song, Hitchcock described it as "My micro-encapsulation of the movie. The song is trying to be a voice in Kym's head." www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/rachel-getting-married-lights-camera-music-1380275.html
Fab Five Freddie was in Jonathan Demme's "Rachel Getting Married" with Robyn Hitchcock, and his name is name-dropped in this song by Debbie Harry. "The music video made its U.S. television debut on Solid Gold on January 31, 1981, and became the first rap video ever broadcast on MTV. Set in the East Village section of Manhattan, the 'Man from Mars' or 'voodoo god' (dancer William Barnes in the white suit and top hat) is the introductory and central figure. Barnes also choreographed the piece. Much of the video is a one-take scene of Debbie Harry dancing along the street, passing by graffiti artists, Uncle Sam, a Native American and a goat. Fab Five Freddy and graffiti artists Lee Quinones and Jean-Michel Basquiat make cameo appearances. Basquiat was hired when Grandmaster Flash did not show for the filming." bit.ly
3:28 PM
2nd spin
Samples Blondie's "Rapture"! Released in 1981, "it is a live DJ mix recording of Flash scratching and mixing records from various groups using three turntables. This single was highly influential on many DJs and an early example of what would eventually be termed turntablism." bit.ly
A Bowie cover. Hitchcock very recently participated in a tribute night at Carnegie Hall with artists The Pixies, Debbie Harry, Michael Stipe, The Flaming Lips, and Perry Farrell. www.musicof.org
This song was covered by The Posies' Ken Stringfellow, and has been cited often by Hitchcock as "a favourite amongst his own compositions, and a live rendition was tagged on to later CD editions. 'Airscape' concerns his 'favourite beach' located on the Isle of Wight, and provided a backdrop for the cover shots" of Element of Light. bit.ly
From Robyn's yet-to-be-released upcoming album.
This track comes off a delightful album featuring Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Bill Rieffli, and Chris Ballew (Presidents of the United States of America): www.youtube.com/watch?v=aokrWHWo9FA
This song was recorded at The Crocodile in Seattle, a venue mentioned by Robyn Hitchcock in the previous track, "Belltown Ramble."
Featuring Chris Ballew of The Presidents of the United States of America. Watch video from that performance here: www.youtube.com
Record Store Day live release from KEXP, featuring songs by The Stooges and performed by RAW POWER, a Seattle supergroup composed of Mike McCready, Duff McKagan, Mark Arm, and Barrett Martin. Watch it all here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKWhiPZVcLE
Bob Mould will be one of the incredible performers at our New Home Grand Opening tomorrow! Full details here: http://blog.kexp.org/grandopening/ Bob Mould performed at Carnegie Hall on March 2nd, 2010, with Robyn Hitchcock for the event, Music of The Who! www.michaeldorf.com/carnegiewho/robynhitchcock.html
Originally released on 100 Days, 100 Nights, which was "recorded by Bosco Mann at the in-house studios of Daptone Records, using a completely analogue system as well as releasing 45's on vinyl with the intent of creating an old school sound reminiscent of the original funk of the 1960s. The first track, also titled '100 Days, 100 Nights' is written about love, making reference to this being the number of days needed for a man's heart to unfold." bit.ly
"In 1996, [Sharon Jones] was singing backup for soul legend Lee Fields. When she and the Dap-Kings landed a summer residency at a Barcelona club in 2001, 'there were maybe two or three groups doing soul music, imitating that sound,' she said. A few years later, Amy Winehouse's producer, Mark Ronson, was looking for that sound for the singer's album 'Back to Black' but couldn't find it. Jones said, 'He had to come to our studio to get it. He knew our band understood it.' The Dap-Kings were eventually featured on six of the album's tracks, and its worldwide success helped set the stage for major labels to pick up on soul and funk again." bit.ly
A cover of Amy Winehouse's immortal breakout track from Back to Black.
This song features The Go! Team's Ninja on vocals, and was produced by James Ford, who also produced The Arctic Monkeys.
Ninja, from Go! Team, guest vocalled on "It's the Beat," the previous track by Simian Mobile Disco.
The Go! Team sampled "Tighten Up" in "Ladyflash."
R.E.M. covered "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell on Reckoning.
"The most notable thing about Underwater Moonlight -- it updates jangling, melodic guitar pop for the post-punk world, which made it a touchstone for much of the underground pop of the mid-'80s, particularly R.E.M." www.allmusic.com/album/underwater-moonlight-mw0000845522
Uncle Tupelo has covered The Soft Boys' "I Wanna Destroy You": www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6QZBDnZep8
Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo) has produced some of Mavis Staples' recent albums.
Mavis Staples has performed at Wilco's festival, Solid Sound. Nels Klein of Wilco is married to Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto!
NYC drummer Russell Simins performs with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, as well as with supergroup Butter 08 with Cibo Matto.
Jon Spencer combined Beastie Boys' "She's On It" with Link Wray's "Jack The Ripper" for Record Store Day. www.stereogum.com/1676874/jon-spencer-blues-explosion-shes-on-it-beastie-boys-cover-jack-the-ripper-link-wray-cover-video/video/
Rick Rubin has produced albums for both Johnny Cash AND Beastie Boys!
This song was originally recorded by Bob Dylan, who had famously collaborated with Johnny Cash in 1969 on "Girl from North Country": www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PfDSQSWuGI
The Soft Boys, which was Robyn Hitchcock's first band, covered John Lennon's "Cold Turkey."
This album was produced by Jon Brion, who'd also worked with Sean Lennon's Friendly Fire (2006). Also, this song was the very first song played on KEXP when it changed over from KCMU, and the first song played when we first went on air at our New Home!
