Records & radio

First: records. I’m spinning at the Royale on Friday and Saturday night this weekend. Friday, solo, and Saturday as part of the third DJ Scramble, in which I’ll be putting 40 of my records in the youthful, yet capable, hands of Morgan Davis and Cory Fake 4 Eyes. (Whose actual name probably has a little less zip than that one.) Anyway, early start of 9 p.m. on that, maybe even a bit before.

Now, radio. For anyone who tuned into the Topic A broadcast of a Nat Hentoff interview last evening, apologies. As we’re pre-taping many of shows these days, the possibility of a technical glitch rises and we were claimed by an early hit on that level. My initial guess is that we’ll rebroadcast the show on the first Monday of January, with another pre-taped guest (Salim Muwakkil, senior editor of In These Times) appearing on our December 31 episode. Thanks to the Collateral Damage crew for sticking around for our slot.

More on Spivey


There’s a pic of mine from ESL’s Spivey Building over at STL Streets. If you click on the photo, you’ll get a six-minute-plus video of a mid-summer visit to the intriguing, abandoned structure in the heart of downtown East Saint.

A shame, folks, a shame. In the meantime, documentation’s to be done.

Shpin

At Royale tonight, happiest hour, 6-10 p.m. Think of it as a stop on your way to the Independent Art Market’s opening night, or the Rock N Roll Craft Show’s VIP party. (Oops, did I write that?)

Back at the ones/twos on Friday, December 28, 10-close.

Topic A : December

What: Topic A
When: Monday nights, 7:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: KDHX, 88.1 fm & www.kdhx.org.

What’s up: Hosts Amanda Doyle and Thomas Crone are plotting new shows and new themes for 2008. But first, the remaining moments of 2007. Topic A’s central theme for December: writers and writing.

Planned for the next three weeks:

December 10: Howard Zinn, author and magazine columnist, perhaps best known for his work “A People’s History of the United States,” but also a prolific opinion writer in US and international periodicals; a playwright; and the subject of the documentary, “You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train.”

December 17: Cary Tennis, the sensational advice columnist of Salon.com, a gig which has spawned his new(ish)book “Since You Asked,” a collection of his best columns for the online magazine.

December 24: Nat Hentoff, author of numerous books on civic liberties, the Constitution, Congressional affairs and jazz history; and columnist with the Wall Street Journal, the Progressive, the Jewish World Review and The Village Voice, among other publications.

Program blog coming soon!

In the meantime, contact our listener affairs desk: topica@kdhx.org.

Gaslight

Thanks to some late-night blog reading yesterday evening, I ran across a nice namecheck on VanishingSTL. There, a first piece on Gaslight Square’s been loaded up, with some really memorable photos of the Square, taken in 1993. From the blog, you can also follow a link to further shots stored at flickr.

The Underworld: playlist

After seeing the first half of tonight’s Fragile Porcelain Mice show at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza, the blog reading and running across a namecheck this quickly, I decided to post up the playlist of today’s Underworld show. It was my second shot at filling in for Doug Morgan on Thanksgiving and was a nice opportunity to showcase some STL rock for two-hours. Even some interesting phone calls!

Hour one: Somerville-Scorfina Band, “Your Eyes,” KSHE Seeds, Vol. 2; Bill Boll, “36 Minors,” 20 Years of Musical Irony; Solarcane, “Less Ordinary,” Book of Alibis; The Incurables, “Lucky 7’s,” Songs for a Blackout; The Boorays, “Pickup Truck,” Faye Records 45; Corporate Humour, “Maximum Satisfaction,” unreleased; Treeweasels, “South Wind,” Head Cheese & Blood Sausage; E.J. Quit, “It’ll be Alright,” unreleased; Stranded Lads, “Beat Society,” Resevoir I & II; The Bishops, “Coming in Color,” The Bishops; Three Merry Widows, “Which Dreamed It?,” Which Dreamed It; The Painkillers, “The Oracle,” The Painkillers; The Urge, “Know What They Say,” Bust Me Dat Forty; The Eyes, “The Closet,” Freedom in a Cage; The Unconsicous, “Captain Blye,” live at the Pageant, 12/23/00.

Hour two: Judge Nothing, “I’m Aware of You,” A Cheese Sampler (committed to a wonderful CD compilation via Jim Utz); Fragile Porcelain Mice, “Concept of Grief,” Amigo de Fuego; Sinister Dane, “48 Months,” Sinister Dane; Small Ball Paul, “Like Swallows,” You in Flames; Uncle Tupelo, “Gun,” Still Feel Gone; Phonocaptors, “Devil,” Call it What You Want; Finn’s Motel, “Alright Tonight,” Escape Velocity; Ded Bugs, “Slugs are in My House,” We Ended Up Having to Eat Each Other; Nov. 9th, “Woolworth Ring,” Waiting Like Witch Doctors; Bunnygrunt, “River Song,” Standing Hampton 45; Julia Sets, “Disco Flowers,” Yes-Wave; Sullen, “War Forges On,” Paint the Moon; The Nukes, “464,” Why Things Burn.

I need to fill some gaps in my collection, with a visit to a friend’s scheduled to exhume an old chunk of CD treasure. Also, I need to find a way to spin this stuff more often. Didn’t touch several pieces today, inc. Ultraman, Great Crusades, The Movement, on-and-on.

DJing

Lucky enough, I am, to have two fun opportunities this weekend to spin some records live, after spending a chunk of Thursday on KDHX. As noted earlier this week, I’ll be playing local rock of the last 25 years on The Underworld, from 2-4 on Thanksgiving.

On Friday, I’ll be spinning at the Royale, from 10 – 1:30. It’s the nightclub weekend of the entire year, so this should be fun.

On Saturday, it’s the same venue, but something a little bit more… interesting. That night, I’ll take part in the second DJ Scramble, facing off with: Robert Griffin, the founder of both Scat Records and the band Prisonshake; Mark Early, a regular Royale/Upstairs DJ and an electronic musician under the guise Marko Meltdown; and Toby Hicks, another Royale regular, and an electronic promoter under the banner of Fly.

All of us are bringing about 25 records. We’ll rotate through the night, playing three songs apiece, with everyone playing from the crates of the other DJs.

The first time this went off, I enjoyed the experience thoroughly, sharing that little Royale DJ booth with Mark and Barbara Cliffe. Knowing some of the personalities and record collections involved in this second Scramble, I can only imagine that Saturday night will have a little bit of kick. I’m just pleased as can be to be on the inside looking out, as the sparks fly. Been looking forward to this for a good month, seriously!

One week hence: Kick Ass Awards!

Happy to have the remaining recipients of the 4th Annual Kick Ass Awards confirmed. Celebrating with us at Duff’s on Monday, November 26th will be these 2007 winners:

* Hamiet Bluiett: renowned baritone saxophonist and co-founder of the Black Artist Group

* Center for Women in Transition: providing mentoring and support services to non-violent female offenders and their children

* Bill Christman: artist and owner of Joe’s Cafe

* The Dock Ellis Band: purveyors of classic country music

* Marti Frumhoff (posthumous): real estate agent, urban activist, and founder of the St. Louis Rehabber’s Club

* Great Rivers Environmental Law Center: providing public interest legal services to individuals and organizations working to protect and preserve Missouri’s environment

* Bernie Hayes: author, professor, radio vet and all-around great guy

* Local Harvest Grocery: South City’s hip new spot to shop and nosh

* Lyndsey Scott: artist and community activist

* Dana Smith: artist, found online at www.asbestossister.com

* Jay Swoboda: project manager of EcoUrban Homes, committed to health and sustainable construction

* Josh Weinstein: jazz advocate and host of KDHX’s “All Soul, No Borders”

* And a Mystery Winner!

Don’t miss the fun. We are keeping introductions shorter this year. For more information on the event and a list of past winners, see 52ndCity.com for details.

Thanksgiving in The Underworld

For the second year in a row, I’m lucky enough to be filling in for the inimitable Doug Morgan on his Thursday afternoon staple, “The Underworld.” Next week, from 2-4 p.m, I’ll reprise last year’s concept of playing STL rock from the 1980s and ’90s, a T-day musical treat for the 30- and 40-somethings in the listening audience.

Expect Judge Nothing, the Nukes, Sinister Dane.

Fragile Porcelain Mice, the Urge, the Finns.

The Bishops, Enormous Richard, Something Brothers.

Ultraman, Nov. 9th, Treeweasels.

Load up dem requests.

What fun. Whee.