Vinyl Voyage Radio

Beltane is an ancient Celtic celebration that celebrates the beginning of summer.  Beltane literally means "bright fire" and for the ancient Celts, fire was a way to bring about purification.  So, bonfires were--and still are--an important Celtic tradition during this time of the year.  In fact, on April 30th, thousands of people attend the traditional burning of the bonfires in Edinburgh, Scotland. I am about 1/3 or so Irish.  And I am also a celtophile, I must say.  I like all things Celtic.  In 2001, I got engaged in Ireland.  We had Celtic-themed wedding.  My vest was made in the traditional tartan pattern of my wife's family. And it was in a bar in Dublin where I became acquainted with Dougie MacLean.  Dougie MacLean has often been called "Scotland's James Taylor."  No, he wasn't performing in the bar that evening.  But a singer performed one of his tunes.  It was one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.  ...

This should really be called the "Rick Springfield Mix."  On a 1 hour mix tape, the Aussie/Soap Opera Star/Rock Star/Author appears some 7 times.  And most of the songs that my friend, Dena, placed of Rick Springfield's are those that you did not hear on the radio.  No "Jesse's Girl," for example. This will be very interesting broadcast, from a logistic point of view.  You see, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) has defined the standards for internet radio.  And you can only play 3 songs by a single artist in a 3 hour time period.  Ooops.  Playing Dena's Mix will, therefore, break copyright law.  And I can be fined upwards of $500,000 if caught. But what the hell.  Let's live life on the edge, shall we? This mix was made most likely in 1984.  Many of the songs come from that year.  And it was the year I began to drive and I distinctly remember playing this in the car--which happened to be a Ford Pinto station wagon....

The Vinyl Brunch , heard ever Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM CT will feature a special broadcast this Sunday, April 24.  In honor of Easter, we will play, in its entirety, the original concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar from 1970.  Known by aficionados of the musical as the "brown album," this recording was made before the stage shows were mounted in London or New York.   It features Ian Gillian as Jesus, Murray Head a Judas and Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene.  The musical is unique in that it does not focus on the religious nature of the Gospels too much, but on the political situation and the interpersonal relationships between the three main characters.  As a result, many accused it of being sacrilegious.  It was even banned for awhile by the BBC. The album shot to the top of the Billboard charts in 1970 and produced two hit songs:  "Superstar" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him." If you are only familiar with the Ted Neeley version from the 1...

The other day, I added "The Warrior" into rotation. Had the song on a 45 rpm single. You know the song: "Shooting at the walls of heartache. BANG! BANG! I am the warrior!" The song was released in 1984 and peaked at #7 on the Billboard charts. Not a terrible song, to be sure. Very 80s. The video, however, is atrocious. It's like an apocalyptic Cats :  dancers in ragged tights dance-fighting in an alley.  I've seen various renditions of this over the years at high school orchesis performances.  At one point in the video, Patty Smyth's hair changes into a bizarre Bride of Frankenstein doo.  Why?  Who knows. She battles too, but stops in time to lip-sync the important lines in song.  The video is so bad, it's actually fun to watch: After Sammy Hagar left Van Halen, supposedly Eddie Van Halen asked Patty Smyth to front the band.  Could you imagine Van Halen doing a rendition of this song? On the Vinyl Voyage you can hear an eclectic mix of...

Remember this one from the days when MTV actually played music videos?  This was one of my favorite songs from the era and I particularly love the clips from Nosferatu within this video.  This collaboration between Queen and David Bowie was released 1981.  Of course, Vanilla Ice ripped the famous baseline off in his single "Ice, Ice, Baby" ten years later.  "Under Pressure" can be heard on the Vinyl Voyage. Give us a listen. Streaming commercial-free all day long. Vinyl: The Original CD

I recently came across this site while exploring YouTube, avoiding the task of doing some actual work. On this site, a guy who calls himself "The Dude" shows his appreciation for vinyl by creating some pretty creative videos of vinyl being played in the most unlikely of places:  on a beach, in a field, cooking on a stove--just to name a few. Here's an example: How about this for Bowie's "Suffragette City?" Pink Floyd's "Us and Them:" There's more there as well--a nice mixture of the old and new:  Wilco, The Beatles, Kansas, The Rolling Stones, Phish...and many more. Check out the Daily Vinyl's YouTube page here . Also, check out the website .  Some cool stuff there as well.

Yes, "Careless Whisper" was the #1 song of 1985.  It is a song you will not hear on Mix Tape Memories.  Tune in tonight for an encore broadcast of Mix Tape Memories ---we'll take you back to 1985 for a decidingly non-Wham nostalgic trip to the past. Even so, who can ever forget that classic saxophone riff at the beginning of the song?  Apparently, not this guy: An encore broadcast of Mix Tape Memories airs tonight at 8 pm, Central. If you like early 80s alternative/New Wave, this is the show for you. Sorry, but no George Michael.  Instead:  Boomtown Rats, Psychedelic Furs, The Thompson Twins, Nick Heyward, General Public, Time Zone, Corey Heart, Real Life, Berlin. Oh, and also Alien Sex Fiend. For more information about tonight's encore performance, click here .