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There's been buckets of ink already spilled about 1980's Stone Age cassette culture and spinner dial broadcasting to warrant a Penguin size tome, and may much more pour forth. For now, here are my digital contributions. Caveatz tho’~~~~Air check playbacks of my 18-22 year old self are characterized by a superficially outsized air personality, elitist nods to the imagined cognoscenti and strained analysis accompanied by lame one-liners. I sound like an ESPN announcer (more so on WMUA than WPRB or WMFU)~~~~But even though there’s nothing as immediate and tasteful as the meat sliced by the original Pat Benatar band, the selections were choice then and remain so now, yes?~~~ No?~~~ Love is a battlefield!~~~~~All shows at 320 kbps, chopped into proper MP3s with lovingly detailed labeling~~~~Download Qs: leftofleftofthdial@gmail.com

Friday, December 30, 2011

A Time Before This: ATPJR on WPRB 12-30-88




In the event my progeny care to know, dad realizes he seems a little distracted on this here episode of Left of Left of the Dial from 1988. It wasn't called that, by the way; I don't think I called the show anything when I was on WPRB. Anyway, air checks evidence a clipped and distracted ATPJR, as if I'm biding time until the Program Director leaves - he who was in charge. Boys, dad plans on being around for a long time, but in case I fail to mention it, try not to worry about what others think. Unnecessary compromises will just result in a life listening to stuff like this, and that's no road to travel! 

Likewise, it's also possible the stilted delivery was a function of being self-conscious around WPRB heavies - particularly Eric Weisbard  - who I perceived to be disdainful of the more aggro scum noise favored by some of us back in the day. Anyway, as anyone can hear, the selections on 12-30-88 are obviously peerless and have stood the test of time. There was no need to worry after all.

Air check gaffes are listed
 after the jump.
After the Jump

Uhs and hmmms:  On this episode, ATPJR's embarrassing air checks include the following: 

  • Misidentification of Hoagy Carmichael's "Serenade to Gabriel" as "Serenade to Gabriella and awkwardly saying something like, "...it's from a Smithsonian box set that includes all the collaborators who he...collaborated with." Smooth.
  • Referencing the Mudhoney, Fugazi and Halo of Flies extended plays as "hot", as in "hot new eps". I mean, they were brand new and unmistakably exciting, but oh boy, "hot"? I talked like that. Not hot.
  • I'd also like to point out that the same enthusiasm was evident for the equally hot - as in new and exceptionally great at that moment in 1988 - records by Death of Samantha, Eleventh Dream Day, the Ex, Thee Mighty Caesars and Bastards, among others. It was such a bounty of rocknroll greatness, which is true of any time I suppose, if you know where to look. And this is where I was at that time in 1988 and I was definitely looking.
  • Cluelessly asking the PD what tomorrow night is (New Year's Eve), as if I'm attempting to make small talk. See above.
  • When introducing Death of Samantha, I say something like, "One of America's greatest bands...they remind me of college hoops (what?) and Jim Thompson novels (guess that's a little better, but what?).
  • Incessantly saying the call letters and station ID.
  • There are more, for sure!

So I guess this can be utilized as a training device for newbie djs - should they even exist anymore -  as well as an awesome moment in rocknroll history, given the stuzzadelic, and slightly tempting, selections.
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