Preview for Episode Airing 02/23/2010

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a really great show at Wesleyan's Buddhist House. Tonight's episode will feature almost entirely audio from that show: Electro-acoustic music from Hampshire's Jordan Knecht (who appeared on the show last season), the long-form americana jazz compositions of We Are the Financial Crisis, and an entire set from the tabla-looping saxophone-by-way-of-Jakarta body paint freak show Almonds and Elephants.

I've also been poking around the WESU concert archives - I may play some audio from a set by Atom and His Package at Eclectic from 1996.

Preview for Episode 1, SEASON 2

Wild Wild Live is back. Tomorrow, we start season 2. (Friggin YES!)

I sing the wolf electric

Well, what did you expect? We've got an excellent program for you! You will hear:

• A live studio appearance from the Wesleyan campus band ELECTRIC WOLF (http://www.myspace.com/electricwolfmusic). They are going to be bringing electronic drums (a first for WWL). One of their members is currently writing a symphony featuring Taiko and another is writing a thesis about early videogame music - obviously, this shit is gonna get digital/dramatic. They're gonna play a number of shorter sets, so you'll have to stay tuned throughout the entire episode.
• Field recordings of a concert that took place in my very kitchen a couple of weeks ago. This episode's installment: ISAAC GILLESPIE (http://isaacgillespie.com/), a guitar-strumming man that looks like he was born of the sea (but lives and travels out of New York). There will be more recordings from this concert featured in later episodes.
• Field recording of one song by my own band DUCHAMPION (http://www.myspace.com/duchampionband) from a concert that took place at Wesleyan's Eclectic House (also featuring Beat the Grave and Shilpa Ray)
• EVEN MORE Field recordings - featuring THE CREEPS, BEAT THE GRAVE, and TIDAL ARMS. We might have to save these for later episodes, though.
• FINALLY - we're going to feature past concerts from the WESU studios and Wesleyan's campus. So far, I've found a copy of the stations previous Live Music show Live Evil and, apparently, a recording of Blonde Redhead from like 15 years ago. We're gonna try and dip into some of this on the air, as well.

SO YEAH THAT'S TUESDAY TOMORROW

7:30 EST

ON WESU

see ya then

Recently Featured: Will Brant

Full disclosure: Will Brant and I play together in the band Duchampion. But that doesn't mean that his work as a solo guitarist isn't fucking great. Because it is. Though he maintains that his guitar loop music is good for listening to while doing something else or for leaving on in the background, Will's guitar playing commands my full attention.

When Will appeared on the show, he performed one loop piece unaccompanied and one piece with me joining him on turntables and computer. The result is today's audio goodie.

Will recently released some of his music on Bandcamp - here's a link. For another collaboration between he and I, click here.

and finally...

AUDIO GOODIE: Will Brant and Ben Seretan Improvise on WWL

Recently Featured: Flora and Fauna

they wanted the lights off

The WESU studios are pretty cramped and, for some musicians on the show, they present a logistical challenge. Often Studio B is occupied, there are various people coming and going and, as is probably obvious to anyone who has listened to the show recently, shit gets chaotic while WWL is on the air. Some people (including yrstruly) are flustered by such commotion.

This is not the case for rock poppers Flora & Fauna, who I can honestly say are one of the most "professional" bands I've worked with in recent memory. I say professional to mean prompt, well-rehearsed, excited to play, pleasant in terms of both music and manor, hell - I'd even say Flora & Fauna are a polite group of dudes. Thought without their drummer, F&F came to our cramped little studios ready to play for all of you listeners and did a great job - they barely even missed a step when an accidental "fuck" almost got sung over the air. Today, we'll hear their WESU version of the song "Comedowns," the second track off of their EP available here.

Audio Goodie: Flora and Fauna performing "Comedowns"

Update for 2010

Hey Everyone -

We've had an excellent first season here at Wild Wild Live and we're now gearing up for another one. Season II is coming up in late January - keep checking this blog for details!

In the meantime, I'm going to continue to post featured artists from Season 1. We still have a good amount of stuff to get through.

See you soon!
-ben

Preview for Episode Airing December 1st

Wow! Hard to believe that it is really our second to last episode of the season. In fact, it's the second to last episode of my second to last season at WESU, come to think of it. It's a good thing that tomorrow's show is going to rule.

First and foremost, all readers/appreciators of this blog should know that WESU is currently in the throes of its fifth annual pledge drive. The station needs the listener support, and we'll be talking about that a lot tomorrow. If you want to help get the pledge drive over with sooner, you can head to wesufm.org now and make a donation online.

BUT in addition to asking you for money, we'll also be bringing you some really bad ass live music.

You can expect to hear music from:

BELLY BOAT (myspace)

ROD O'CONNOR AKA 60HZ (myspace) and JOE MARIGLIO AKA 3 OF SPADES (website)

the WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC ILLUMINATION ORCHESTRA

JORDAN KNECHT (myspace)

and I think also

LAST GOOD TOOTH (myspace)

So we should all have a really really good time!! And remember that a donation to WESU is tax deductible.

Preview for Episode Airing November 17th, 2009

WELL HELLO THERE PARDNERS:

It's that time again. A long two weeks have passed since our last episode and it is time to ride that radio pony into the Tuesday Night sunset once again.

We've got a really great show with three really great guests playing special music for all you really great and special people out there.

Exhibit A:

This is a photograph of two bands eating a delicious Vietnamese meal together (see, they finished all of their food!). Those two bands are called Big Tree (myspace) and Megafaun (myspace). AND they BOTH recorded live sets for our little radio show. I will be playing them in their entirety.

Exhibit B:

That's right - Dreampop Wunderkind Little Lion will also be on the program. By the way, you can download her whole excellent record for free at that link above.

So, basically, a great show coming up tomorrow night. We might be a little short on content. We'll see - I've got some really great Arthur Russell covers I could play for you or maybe we'll listen to some Duchampion tracks or maybe someone will call in?? Who knows! That's why ya gotta tune in, cowboy. ;-)