Vlada Tomova's Balkan Tales Saturday, November 21st, 6pm - 9pm
on
Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob Weisberg
Singer and composer Vlada Tomova conjures original musical blends from her native Bulgaria and elsewhere in the Balkans, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Vlada's vocal group Yasna Voices was featured prominently on the first Balkan Beat Box CD. Now she has assembled a stellar multi-instrumental ensemble and released her first full-length CD, "Balkan Tales." Vlada and ensemble will celebrate the new CD with a concert at the Puffin Cultural Forum in Teaneck, NJ on December 5 - and they give us a live taste on tonight's show.
Ben Miller & Frantz Loriot Saturday, November 21st, 9pm - Midnight
on
Daniel Blumin's show
Tune in for a live improv collaboration between Ben Miller (Destroy All Monsters, Nonfiction, Dirty Old Man River, degeneration) and French violist Frantz Lariot (David S. Ware, Thorax, Stalingrad). Multiphonic guitar, piezo objects, electronics, and viola - a pre-Thanksgiving experimental treat!
Josh Gosfield Presents Gigi Gaston: The Black Flower Sunday, November 22nd, 5pm - 7pm
on
Gaylord Fields's show
Josh Gosfield has assembled the definitive archive devoted to the 1960s French pop star Gigi Gaston, consisting of record art, snapshots, magazines covers, songs and films detailing the rise and fall of this controversial and elusive yé-yé chanteuse. He will even reveal the reason for Gigi's elusiveness: She never existed! Gosfield, a prodigiously talented painter, photographer, illustrator and videographer, created an entire audiovisual history of this fake femme, which can be examined in all its meticulously rendered glory at the Steven Kasher Gallery in Manhattan through Wednesday, November 25. Tune in to learn about the singer who puts the "no-no" in yé-yé!
The Axemen Tuesday, November 24th, 3pm - 6pm
on
Brian Turner's show
One of the big touring surprises for 2009 has to be the visit of New
Zealand's legendary Axemen to U.S. shores. The band began in Christchurch in
1981 and stood somewhat aside of the pop path exhibited by much of the the
Flying Nun label roster, but are without doubt one of the more fascinating
Kiwi exports. Various live shows and releases displayed a loose but virulent
amalgamation of avant-garage, Half Japanese style sax
primitivism, confusion, and general air of maladjusted greatness. They've
got two reissues "Big Cheap Motel" and "Scary!" out now on Siltbreeze, and
are hitting the road coast to coast with Times New Viking. You can catch
them in the NYC area November 18th at Mercury Lounge, 19th at Union Pool,
and 20th at Maxwells in Hoboken!
Felix Kubin spins disks and chats on Ken's Show Wednesday, November 25th, 9am - Noon
on
Ken's show
Wednesday, November 25th from 10:30 am to Noon, Ken welcomes Felix Kubin to play rare tracks and talk about his various projects. Felix Kubin is a Hamburg-based artist, playwright, musician and fake Dada-Socialist Part Leader. He is in New York for his first US performances, on Sunday 11/22 at the Issue Project Room, and Tuesday, 11/24 at Santos Party House.
Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields Wednesday, November 25th, 3pm - 6pm
on
Irwin's show
New York musician Jennifer Charles, vocalist of the band Elysian Fields, will curate an hour of her recordings on Irwin's program Weds. Nov. 25. Charles has forged a career perhaps best described as a slow burn. Singing, writing, or producing, she has appeared on over forty releases, sung and recorded in eight languages, and her resume includes an impressive list of names. She has long collaborated with Elysian Fields guitarist Oren Bloedow, and has worked with Jim "Foetus" Thirlwell, Ed Pastorini, John Zorn, Jean-Louis Murat, DJ Logic, Mike Patton, Dan the Automator, Miho Hatori, Frank London, Firewater, Edie Brickell, The Chrome Cranks, and Chris Vrenna of Nine Inch Nails. For the Nov. 25 program, Charles will spin Elysian Fields rarities and B-sides, selections from La Mar Enfortuna (the Elysian Fields Sephardic side project), along with little known tracks from her many collaborations. Also featured will be Elysian Fields' latest release "The Afterlife," which drops Nov. 27, on which date the band will perform at Joe's Pub.
DJ Spooky, MC Paul Barman, Themselves Friday, November 27th, 3pm - 6pm
on
Put the Needle On the Record with Billy Jam
The day after Thanksgiving will be a hectic one in the WFMU on-air studios when guests stopping by will include DJ Spooky, Themselves, and MC Paul Barman. Barman, who was once a WFMU volunteer, returns after a break from music with the impressive new album "Thought Balloon Mushroom Cloud" featuring such guests as Michel Gondry, Questlove, Prince Paul, DOOM, and Masta Ace. Meantime DJ Spooky (That Subliminal Kid), fresh back from shows in Russia and right before a series of shows at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera House for the Next Wave Festival, will discuss his new album "The Secret Song" which tackles the topic of global economics. And Oakland's Themselves' Jel and Doseone return to WFMU when the Anticon duo will talk about their new album "CrownsDown" and also spit some freestyles.
Decapitated Hed Saturday, November 28th, 2am - 6am
on
Nat Roe
Baltimore's Decapitated Hed is Timothy Wisniewski, proprietor of Spleencoffin records. With his solo project, Decapitated Hed, Tim drives an old Dr. Rhythm through shorted, outdated consumer electronics. His most recent 12" Subversive Club Processes has blown away a lot of WFMU DJs with pounding rhythms and precisely controlled feedback manipulation. On Nat Roe's program, Tim will improvise a live set along with some impromptu collaging. Don't miss his live NYC performance (along with WFMU favorites Telecult Powers) at Noisegiving 2009 festival, held the evening of the 28th at Brooklyn's Department of Human Works.
3-Hour LAFMS Retrospective, plus live set from Airway Tuesday, December 1st, 3pm - 6pm
on
Brian Turner's show
Formed in the early 1970's, the Los Angeles Free Music Society was a collective of experimental artists and musicians that produced a gushing river of output (well-documented in Cortical Foundation's 10CD box set in the late 90's) with severe dedication to anything-goes sound invention. Groups like the Doo-Dooettes, Le Forte Four, Solid Eye, Extended Organ, Smegma and others delved into free jazz utilizing homebuilt instruments, junkyard noise and bizarre live antics that melded with the L.A. punk explosion (and in many cases excelled its extremities). In the 1980's the LAFMS scene directly fed the fledgeling noise scene of Japan, with one group in particular, Airway, providing direct inspiration for the Hanatarash and Hijokaidan. On today's show, Brian welcomes Airway to the studio for a live set and overview of the history of the LAFMS, with key players Tom Recchion, Dennis Duck, Rick Potts, Joe Potts, Fredrik Nilsen and others in house! Airway also play at Issue Project Room on Friday, November 20th, and at the Mike Kelley-curated noisefest for Performa at the Gramercy on November 21st!
Manikin Tuesday, December 1st, 11pm - 2am
on
The Evan "Funk" Davies Show
Manikin's Stop The Sirens LP got quite a few spins on WFMU at the end of the summer - now, here's your chance to hear them play live! Their tight post-punk sound has drawn comparisons to Wire, Big Black, Joy Division and early Sonic Youth. Tune in Tuesday December 1 at 11pm and draw some comparisons of your own. Crayons not required. Also, be sure to catch Manikin live and in person at Cake Shop on Friday Nov 20, and at Bruar Falls in Brooklyn on Saturday the 21st!
Deidre O'Connell discusses 19th century ex-slave piano wonder Blind Tom Wednesday, December 2nd, 3pm - 6pm
on
Irwin's show
Author and music historian Deidre O'Connell will spend an hour with Irwin on Wednesday, December 2, discussing the 19th century piano genius, Blind Tom Wiggins. O'Connell's new book, The Ballad of Blind Tom: Slave Pianist, chronicles the life of a legendary musical prodigy who was arguably the most famous American pianist of the 19th century. Born in 1849 to slave parents, Tom displayed early musical talent on his master's family piano, demonstrating an amazing ability to replicate complex performances after one hearing. Later he was able to play two songs simultaneously with his back to the keyboard, and became a skillful composer. Diagnosed by 19th century clinicians as an idiot (though today presumed to have been autistic), Wiggins possessed remarkable skills, including the ability to perform odd athletic feats and mimic nature sounds with his voice. He criss-crossed the U.S. and the Atlantic Ocean countless times during a 40-year performing career, and his fans included Mark Twain. Yet Tom died in obscurity in a small Hoboken flat in 1908. In addition to discussing the life of Blind Tom, O'Connell will present recent recordings of Tom's musical compositions, as well as songs composed about and inspired by Tom's legacy.
Roland P. Young Thursday, December 3rd, 9am - Noon
on
This Is the Modern World with Trouble
Roland P. Young , the mystical free jazz innovator, will perform live
on This is the Modern World with Trouble. In 1980 Roland P. Young, recently relocated from the Bay Area, released 'Isophonic Boogie Woogie' to a somewhat sceptical East Coast scene who was not prepared for his unique synthesis of free jazz, global references and original electronic meanderings. Re-issued a few years ago in Japan this 1980 knockout has finally found the acclaim and recognition it originally deserved. Hear Roland P. Young perform live and discuss aspects of his profound sound.
Even More Whacked-out Hillbilly 45s Thursday, December 3rd, 8pm - 11pm
on
Music to Spazz By with Dave the Spazz
In anticipation of the Lakeside Lounge Ichiban Rock & Soul stream live remote, nutty record collector Greg Germani from Decatur, Georgia once again drops by Music To Spazz By armed with crates of obscure country and hillbilly records to wing at the city folk. Expect more drunken odes to orphaned children, murderers, skid row, hippies, winos, suicide, women's lib, truck-driving, hare-brained novelties, hillbillies in the White House, monkeys, odes to Sheriff Buford Pusser, high school drop-out hillbilly millionaires, junkies, pro-Vietnam songs, midgets, LSD, train rides to hell, Billy Beer, Satan, go-go dancing young ladies in hot pants and a truckload of screwball honky-tonkers. It'll be like listening to "Rubber Room" for three hours but in Hillbilly Smell-O-Vision!
The Demands Tuesday, December 8th, Noon - 3pm
on
Three Chord Monte with Joe Belock
The Demands mix sultry soul with driving punk and glam for an original hook-filled sound that has been flooring audiences in New York and New Jersey for most of this decade. You'd never think just three people could make such an engaging racket! Their latest release is 2009's "High Wire" on Deep Eddy Records out of Austin, Texas.
GNAW Tuesday, December 8th, 3pm - 6pm
on
Brian Turner's show
As former member of O.L.D. and Khanate, Alan Dubin has etched a blackened hash mark forever into the totem pole of tortured throat purveyors; his terrifyingly raw, sometimes electronically manipulated shrieks are a thing of alien nature to say the least. GNAW began in 2006 with members of Burning Witch, Enos Slaughter, Ike Yard and sound design wizard Brian Beatrice, released their debut "This Face" this past year on Conspiracy, and are making some radio doom this afternoon on BT's show. You can also catch GNAW live on Saturday, November 14th at the Apex Fest III, which happens on the 13th as well at SIR, 520 25th Street in Manhattan. They also play Europa in Greenpoint on December 5th.
The Sights Tuesday, December 15th, Noon - 3pm
on
Three Chord Monte with Joe Belock
After taking the last few years off, the Sights, one of the prime movers on the Detroit rock and roll scene, are back with a new lineup and a new batch of songs. This will be their third trip to WFMU.
Live From Ireland Friday, December 18th, 3pm - 6pm
on
Put the Needle On the Record with Billy Jam
Once again this Christmas time in Dublin, WFMU's globe-trotting remote broadcast unit will return to the Irish capital for another live broadcast from All City hip-hop music and graffiti supply store in the city centre when the many guests will include Irish emcees, DJs, b-boys, and graffiti artists. There will also be a special tribute to past WFMU live from Ireland guest emcee Lunitic who died earlier this year at age 25 - a victim of heart failure. The fun happens 3-6pm Jersey time or 8-11pm local Irish time.
BJ Thomas Saturday, January 2nd, 2010, 11am - 1pm
on
Michael Shelley's show
Michael chats with #1 hit maker BJ Thomas who emerged from the '60s Houston bar band scene and had smashes with the 1968 electric sitar fueled "Hooked on a Feeling," the Burt Bacharach/Hal David penned "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" and tons more!
Michael Shelley welcomes The World's Greatest Music Experts! Saturday, January 9th, 2010, 11am - 1pm
on
Michael Shelley's show
By popular demand Michael welcomes the return of The World's Greatest Music Experts - discussing musical minutiae, dissecting the Billboard top 5, cracking wise & taking your calls AND The Experts will be joined by Anthony Bozza, author of the new #1 hit book "Why AC/DC Matters." Got a question for the The World's Greatest Music Experts? Email it to: theworldsgreatestmusicexperts(at)wfmu.org!
All times listed are Jersey City time, EST.
Questions? E-mail Brian or call (201) 521-1416
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