Wild Wild Live

Preview for Episode Airing 02/23/2010

2010-02-23T09:49:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-08T10:39:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-09T11:07:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-05T22:30:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-30T18:02:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-16T14:01:00.001-08:00

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. ;-)

Recently Featured: Orca Star

2009-11-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

Orca Star - and, confirmed, blue hair is real

One thing I've tried to do with this radio show is escape the sort of tired, well-rehearsed sound of a lot of live music. People who are out performing every night often fall into worn patterns, and it takes a true master to make something super practiced seem fresh and exciting. Fortunately, the fact that the radio puts a pretty considerable geographic and mental distance between performers and listeners means that the format seems to have encouraged people who aren't out playing music to audiences all the time to do something live and spontaneous.

I was really pleased when Orca Star agreed to come on the show. If you heard the broadcast, you'll know that some of these songs were heard for the first time by an audience on our program, and the results were really excellent. While seeming very comfortable on both ukulele and accordion (not simultaneously), Orca Star's intense but quiet singing voice leaped coolly from DIY mantras ("I don't need anything I don't have I don't want") to suicidally beautiful women to domestic unquiet. And let me tell you, it was hard to pick between Orca's Sean Kingston cover and the audio goodie I've selected for today.

I also want to take some time here to point you to Orca Star's myspace, where you can hear a couplea tracks produced by future guest of the program and future Chicago legend Sewing Machines. Though I really enjoyed Orca Star's stripped-down appearance on the show, the tracks on her MySpace do a good job of showing just how catchy these songs can be.

All right, now it is time for today's...

AUDIO GOODIE: Orca Star performing "We Got it Bad" live on WESU

Recently Featured: Harry Tokarz

2009-11-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

Harry Tokarz live in the Studio

Though I personally try fairly hard to cultivate a variety of genre, expression, and approach to music on WWL, I do have my biases. It seems as if most people generally shy away from certain genres, or, at least, remain obstinately loyal to maybe 40 or so artists.

Harry Tokarz does not seem to have this problem. As both a listener and a creator of music, Harry's interests are both broad and deep. He is able to engage in long form Indian music, American blues, psychedelic music, etc. etc. Rattling off different musics probably doesn't paint a very vivid picture of what Harry does, but I think you'll be able to hear the strains of many influences and thoughts in today's Audio Goodie. His is a good eclecticism - a engagement with multiple approaches out of true artistic curiosity, not because of posturing or politically correct thinking. Coupled with a sort of woodland, mossy sensibility and an acrobatic singing voice, as I think you'll agree, Harry's music remains a unique form with many a familiar aural foothold and some references that aren't so readily apparent. In short, he makes music that is interesting - both to himself and to listeners.

Don't Drown Harry!!

For more info on Harry, you can check out his myspace. In the meantime, hear today's...

AUDIO GOODIE: Harry Tokarz performing The High Priestess (Never Come Down) live on WESU

Preview for Episode Airing November 3rd

2009-11-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

After two weeks of incessant Twin Peaks, Fall Weather, Hearing Loss, and Broken Strings, I am very, very happy to announce the content of tomorrow's episode. So friggin' buckle them seatbelts, America!

"One Day My Log Will Have Something to Say About This Murder" -Log Lady, Twin Peaks

pygmy shrews

Last night, I was busily plugging away at my thesis in the cold, dark, subterranean piano practice rooms across campus. In this lonely state I was surprised to receive a text message announcing a concert across the street, but that's just how the badass WESU Coordinator of Events rolls. Sunday night? Really loud concert? Sure. And so, listeners, tomorrow's show will feature the entirety of a concert played by New York Noisies Pygmy Shrews (myspace), who you may know in relation to the band Drunkdriver. Yes, the entire 25 minute concert. We'll be airing it in two sections.

"The Owls Are Not What They Seem" -The Giant, Twin Peaks

Church Street Review (on SUCH a nice day)

Our other "recorded live ahead of time" material is, for all intensive purposes, the Yin to the Shrews' Yang (or is it the other way around?). Wesleyan's own goodtime stringband the Church Street Revue met me outside a couple of weeks ago on a really, really nice day to play some music and talk about Hank Williams. We'll be playing the entirety of their set in two parts, as well.

"Damn Fine Cup of Coffee" -Agent Dale Cooper, Twin Peaks

Will Brant
(Holy Shit! He was David Lynch for Halloween! And there's an Eraserhead poster in the background! Truly, Twin Peaks is the greatest TV show of all time. Amen.)

We'll also be joined by two guests live in our Wild, Wild Studio. First up, WESU DJ-in-training Caitlin Palmer, an intern who is, as it turns out, blessed with a kickass singing voice and an impeccable taste in covers. I'm gonna join her on banjo. Two other interns will be helping out in the studio, including last episode favorite Ally Bernstein, who assures me that she has "some really great new jokes." Finally, Incredibly able-bodied (and might I add handsome, okay yes, I will add handsome) guitarist Will Brant will also be making a Live Appearance. He plans on improvising loops in the style of his latest release - a record called Palimpsest that you can stream below:

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://willbrant.bandcamp.com/album/palimpsests"&amp;amp;gt;Denkmal by Will Brant&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Okay!!! Hope to hear from you tomorrow. Enjoy the show!

Recently Featured: Sylvia Ryerson

2009-11-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Sylvia Ryerson

Sylvia Ryerson has the extraordinary ability to engage with and play a pretty wide variety of music. Today, you'll hear her rendition of a sacred harp song for voice and fiddle - later this week, the infamously avant garde Flux Quartet will perform one of Sylvia's compositions. Sylvia also has an album out on Wild Wild Live ally Future Folk Records. "Sawdust Songs" shows Sylvia singing and playing guitar on songs new, old, and original.

I think Sylvia is an effective musicians for two reasons. First, she is undoubtedly talented and well-practiced. She certainly has no lack of skill. But secondly - and this is perhaps more important - Sylvia sort of effortlessly communicates through her playing that music is a powerful force, whether it be used as a celebration, a lament, or a call to action. I think you'll find this to be true in today's...

AUDIO GOODIE: Sylvia Ryerson performing "The Dying Californian" live on WESU

Recently Featured: Morgan Elizabeth Heringer and Dustin Carlson

2009-10-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

Dustin Carlson and Morgan Heringer, plus carved pumpkin

Let me tell you about the ukulele...

Once, in high school, a friend of mine invited me to go with him to the Ukulele Club meeting happening down at the local retirement center. Turns out that the ukulele is wildly popular among the WWII generation population of Orange County, CA - when we arrived, there were literally hundreds of octogenarians, shriners, grandmas, and pep peps all singing and strumming along on their ukuleles. Their instruments, too, came in every variety of shape and size and many of the club's members saw fit to get dressed up for the meeting. There was many a fez and many pairs of fancy suspenders. My friend and I spent the entire afternoon reading the charts for aging songs we had never heard before, speaking loudly into hearing aids inbetween numbers.

Morgan Heringer does not play the ukulele in the traditional way. In fact, I can't seem to recall even one instance of strumming. The usual frame of reference that you may have developed for ukulele doesn't apply - forget Tiny Tim, forget Iz, etc. Instead, Morgan plucks out complex chords with discrimination. Each note of her playing takes up a unique space, or, better yet, carves a spce for her full, oaken voice to fill and bounce around in. This, to me, is one of the more extraordinary facts of Morgan's music - using this slightly ridiculous, tiny instrument (again, I'm always thinking of the octogenarians), songs of profound insight and resonance somehow emerge. Morgan's compositions - and this is based on many people's opinions so it's basically fact - are gorgeous.

I first heard Morgan's music unaccompanied. When she began to play out more at the end of the summer, she recruited guitarist Dustin Carlson to add some electric guitar to her songs. Dustin applies a similar approach to his guitar playing - his accompaniments, and that's not even really the right word, are intricate, maybe similar to spiderwebs. His guitar lines move in and out of focus, both providing bass and harmonic counterpoint while interlocking rhythmically with Morgan's pluked strings. I had never heard Dustin play before I caught their afternoon show at Wesleyan's Earth House, and though I already counted myself among Morgan's fans, her collaboration with who can only be called an elctric guitar monk has made her songwriting even more palpable. Today's audio goodie should give you a good example of what I mean.

Very, very soon, Morgan will have a record of her "summer suite" completed and ready for listening. Dustin plays on half the tracks (I actually played some on the other tracks, exciting!!). You can be sure that this blog will keep you up to date on that release. According to Dustin, they are also working on perhaps an album of Fall-themed material. Morgan and Dustin ALSO have their independent projects: Morgan is in an excellent band called Big Tree (hopefully appearing on the show soon) and Dustin leads a trio, who are going to have a few shows soon.

For more info on Morgan, check her myspace or this writeup I posted on friendblog Aural Wes.

For more info on Dustin, check his myspace.

AND FINALLY...a really great:

AUDIO GOODIE: Morgan Heringer and Dustin Carlson performing "Umbrella" live at Earth House, edited for the radio

Recently Featured: the Wailing Wall

2009-10-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Benjamin Bernstein & Jesse Rifkin, plus Pipe Organ and Shoes

The Wailing Wall takes many forms and shapes, growing or contracting based on situation or the seasons. At it's center, though, remains songwriter Jesse Rifkin, a nice dude with a voice that seems to always remind me of harmoniums and a K Records pin on his peacoat. I have seen and heard his project in a number of forms - live with a band, live with a loop pedal, lush recordings, and, the subject of today's post, alone with a huge fucking pipe organ. This flexibility speaks to the quality of Rifkin's songwriting - haunting melodies stay spooky regardless of how they're framed instrumentally, joyous shouts are always smiling.

Today's audio goodie represents an extreme in the Wailing Wall's malleability. Performing for just me and my microphone in Wesleyan's exquisite chapel, Jesse put everything into his singing and shouting - no restraint! He wiggled around, contorted his face and body, and let his voice crack and bend in the reverb soaked room, anxious, I could tell, to be bashing a guitar while he sang. He was joined by man-about-town Benjamin Bernstein, an accomplished composer, able blogger, and performing musician who has, in the past year or so, become quite a talent on the pipe organ. The result, as you'll hear...a remarkable piece of audio.

For more info on the Wailing Wall, who's currently on tour, you can check out the myspace. For more info on Benjamin Bernstein, stay tuned - his underrated collaboration Broken Postal Scene is probably going to appear on our next episode. In the meantime, check out our new band Cous Cous.

AUDIO GOODIE: Wailing Wall (feat. Benjamin Bernstein on Pipe Organ) performing "Words We Chose" at Wesleyan's Chapel

Recently Featured: Jugbone

2009-10-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Jugbone

The inability to broadcast visual information on the radio presents certifiable challenge in producing Wild Wild Live. As dynamic and exciting a program as the show might be, the music we air is inevitably disembodied. Certain artists, too, thrive off of presenting a compelling, visually based, theatrical musical performance. Though I am personally fascinated by the "small miracle" of radio communication and really love the idea of putting wonderful live musicians in people's radios, perhaps some artists lose something in the process of audio transmission. There is obviously something to be said for an artist's physical presence while performing.

Chicago's Jugbone commands a room. See below:

Wielding a banjo and, lately, truly terrifying stage makeup, Jugbone can best be compared to some sort of 19th-century apparition, some uncanny ghost happened upon in a Hawthorne-esque wood. Even when playing originals, Jugbone's music sounds old or at least weathered. There is definitely a sense of antiquity, a sense of unearthliness, and a skeletal chill.

Wild Wild Live caught Jugbone in a noisy kitchen right before dinner. Though made less ghastly by the warmth of the food and conversation, if you listen closely, below the banjo and exchanged voices, the skeletal chill still lurks...

For more info on Jugbone, you can check the myspace. In the meantime, listen to our...

AUDIO GOODIE: Jugbone performing "Take My Time" live in a kitchen

Preview for Episode Airing October 20th

2009-10-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, so...haven't had as much time to prepare this one. I'm a little less organized then usual, maybe. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T HAVE SOME FUN.

I can guarantee at least two audio escapades.

Rifkin, Bernstein - Wailing Wall

The first set of live recordings comes from touring road warrior Wailing Wall, a name used for the output of musician Jesse Rifkin. He's played with a lot of different folks in a lot of different combinations (I played banjo with him a couple of weekends ago, even), but we've got, of course, a special treat for tomorrow's show. I joined Jesse Rifkin and Wailing Wall contributor Benjamin Bernstein at Wesleyan's chapel to record a few songs on the University's pipe organ. Combined with the crazy natural reverb of the chapel, these organ & voice duets sound really neat. You won't be disappointed.

Morgan Heringer (not pictured, Dustin Carlson)

Our other set of live recordings comes from a concert played by Morgan Heringer and guitarist Dustin Carlson. They are a formidable duo. Morgan sings, plays ukulele, and writes songs about the summertime, falling asleep on trains, looking at fireworks, getting nibbled on by fish, umbrellas, and people being assholes. Dustin, though he usually does all kinds of "out" improv type music, here reigns in his more avant tendencies and plays incredibly intricate, restrained electric guitar. EFFING STOKED to have these two on the show.

Other than that, we can reasonably expect a visit from an accordionist, 2/3rds of a very polite band that I had the pleasure of playing with last Friday, an Indian/American Blues musician, and perhaps another phone call from fan favorite Adam LaMotte. Also, probably a lot of covers played by yrstruly.

Like I said, disorganized, but we're still gonna have some FUN!!!

See ya tomorrow,
(Back to Twin Peaks)
ben

Recently Featured: YummO))))

2009-10-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

In Dante's Inferno, Virgil and our intrepid narrator come across an Italian politician that Dante knows to be at that time living. Shocked, Dante asks Virgil what the deal is - did he die? is he still alive? why is he in hell? Virgil calmly explains. Some people are so evil that their soul gets sucked down into hell before their time on Earth is up. They wander the Earth soulless while their celestial being is tortured in the various rings. This may or may not be the case with Rachel Ray. She is the embodiment of every contemporary cultural dissonance rolled up into one sassy little package - we want good food quickly, we want to touch celebrities but be down to earth, we want to be the girl next door but whore our image out for millions, we want to be a "chef" but endorse dunkin donuts, we want to be in FHM. She's omnipresent, annoying as hell, and an excellent target.

In comes audio assassin YummO))) (pronounced Yumm), who makes some truly harsh but nicely textured compu-noise that features samples taken exclusively from the mouth of Rachel Ray. Because of the nature of sampling and computer music, YummO))) neccessarily creates a space in which the detritus of popular culture is analyzed - phrases are repeated over and over again or slowed down or hacked apart. In this way, the music of YummO))) serves as a way of seeing whether or not these certain elements of popular culture have merit or any significance outside of consumption whatsoever. The music seems to almost certainly say no.

Here's a helpful image to help understand YummO)))'s music: it is a dark, cold night. You hunger, having not eaten in a few days. Suddenly, before you stands a welcoming-enough looking Dunkin Donuts. Rachel Ray stands inside as a cardboard cutout. Sadly, the store is closed. You check out back. The dumpster is unlocked and full of brightly colored donuts and advertisements bearing the image of Rachel Ray. You stand conflicted deciding whether or not to eat of the sugary mass, briefly satiating your hunger, or to press onward in search of something more fresh or substantive. You cave, eating handful after handful of cold, sugary, Rachel Ray-endorsed donut. You pass out in a near diabetic coma, only to wake the next day covered in your own vomit. That vomit is what YummO))) sounds like.

So, with that, today's audio goodie is a live performance of YummO))) feautring yrstruly on guitar.

AUDIO GOODIE: YummO))) (featuring Ben Seretan) - YummO))) #1 (Live at WESU)

Recently Featured: Adam LaMotte

2009-10-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

A watercolor by Adam LaMotte

I've known Adam a long time - I first met him after jamming with his brother sometime in 2002. We played a couple of Radiohead songs together way back when. Adam and I would eventually play in a band together in high school.

For as long as I have known him, Adam has spent much of his time writing and recording music. Even early on, he demonstrated an uncanny ability to make pop music, and I don't use that word lightly - uncanny. It's actually kind of freaky/scary how good his music is sometimes. Plus, his music just keeps developing.

Adam

His output lately has been astounding. I was obsessed with his last album, Humans Want Wrong. I even made a music video for one of the songs off of that record. Now, Adam has a new record out called "Wild Pursuits," a collection of songs I can't recommend enough. We were fortunate enough on the show the other day to get a phone call from Adam. He played us a couple of songs. A recording of one of those songs is today's audio goodie:

AUDIO GOODIE: Adam LaMotte performing "No One in Mind" over the phone

Plus, you can hear the whole record below or download it here.

<a href="http://adamlamotte.bandcamp.com/album/wild-pursuits">Mother Nature by Adam LaMotte</a>

Recently Featured: Metacomet

2009-10-12T14:54:00.000-07:00

No one questions the strong correlation between hearing music and feeling something, whether it be in the body or in the mind. Though rhythms and tones often cause us susceptible bipedal mammals to dance unexpectedly, it is on the mind that Wesleyan trio Metacomet focuses. Their music is one of a perceptual journey. Perhaps it is akin to the Zoroastrian notion of the afterlife - an eternity of peacefully meandering through a formless fog.

This ability to alter one's mental/emotional/neurological state earns Metacomet the word "Psychedelic." When used as a descriptor of what their actual music sounds like, though, the term fails. Metacomet is not psychedelic in the traditional sense - they are not loud, they do not solo/jam, their songs are not mastubatorily long. Though they may embrace the long legacy of psychedelic music, they do not run its gauntlet. Metacomet instead makes a kind of calm psychedelia - personally, I'm reminded of the feeling of walking through one's house late at night after being woke from a dream.

Needless to say, I am a fan of their music. Fortunately for the listeners of this show, I have recordings from both of these performances. You can hear more of them at Metacomet's Myspace, or you can simply download today's audio goodie:

AUDIO GOODIE: Metacomet's "Depression Ceremony II: Long Time Coming"

Recently Featured: Laura Goldhamer

2009-10-11T22:02:00.001-07:00

On last week's show, we featured a recording of Colorado songwriter Laura Goldhamer and the Silvernail performing a quiet song in the wee hours of the morning in the meditation room of Wesleyan's Buddhist House. Generally, the music made by Laura and her rotating cast of bandmates is exuberant, loud, and often features people shouting or making sound effects. Her music has a lot of bounce and movement. We here at Wild Wild Live, however, were fortunate enough to catch the band in a bedtime mood - the audio goodie we have for you today is almost a lullaby.

AUDIO GOODIE: Laura Goldhamer and the Silver Nail performing "Sons and Daughters"

Above is a photo of the event shot by photographer Michelle Christiance, whose excellent photography blog can be found here. For more info on Laura you can check either the Aural Wes write up penned by yrstruly or head to their myspace.

And, for good measure, here is one of Laura's incredible stop-animation films:

Preview for Tonight's Episode 10/06/2009

2009-10-06T10:51:00.001-07:00

One of today's featured artists: Jugbone/Hannah Manfredi

OOOOOOOOHHHH SHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIITT

Tonight's episode is gonna be **awesome**

First off, we have TWO in-studio guests joining us on the program.

Max Lavine, mad-genius behind the project yummO)))) will be performing some of his Rachel Ray inspired computer noisedeath live in the studio. I will be joining him on the electric guitar. We've only played together a couple of times, but please just let me assure you that the sounds that will be created tonight are truly evil. There may be riots in the streets.

To temper this hurricane of sonic punishment, I've asked super-lovely Sylvia Ryerson (free album!!) to play some music in the second half of the show. She's going to probably bring a guitar, a banjo, a violin, or any combination of these three instruments. We also talked yesterday about trying some fiddlesticks:

I'll also be featuring an interview and original recording with Laura Goldhamer and the Silvernail (myspace), as well as live performances by new Wesleyan band Metacomet (myspace) and Chicago folkster Jugbone (myspace).

Laura Goldhamer and the Silvernail - tune in to hear an interview with these fellas about their love of Harry Potter.

We may also be featuring a special call-in guest, but you'll have to TUNE IN to FIND OUT. That's 7:3opm EST, 88.1fm or streaming online at WESUFM.org.

check ya soon,

ben

Recently Featured: Trufflehunter

2009-10-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

Very Summery
Trufflehunter's Myspace
Trufflehunter's Album Stream Site Thing

Let me briefly tell you about how I met Trufflehunter. This summer, my friend and I needed a place to stay in Colorado while we made our way out to California from Chicago on a little tour we had put together for our band Sewing Machines. I had a friend in Colorado Springs, so we called her up. She said yes, you can stay in CO Springs, but you'll have to stay with my friend. We said okay and drove out overnight, listening to H.P. Lovecraft audiobooks and encountering the World's Largest Truckstop along the way. When we finally met up with the friend of our friend, she said that she should probably get us a show in Eugene, Oregon and that we should talk to her friend Max. Max is in Trufflehunter. I think I called or texted or something, didn't really hear any confirmation about times or locations or anything.

We had to go to Eugene anyway to pick up our 4th band member, and since we still hadn't heard anything concrete about the show that evening, we decided to go play acoustic out on the streets for the day. This ended up being a fun time, and a little while after the hot dog cart lady offered to buy us lunch, I heard somebody in the distance cry, "Sewing Machines?!?" I turn to see two summery, smiling dudes heading our way. Surprise! It's two members of Trufflehunter. We exchanged hellos, decided to have a backyard concert bbq thing that night. It was grand. Our friend Russell/Pegasissy played, too. Everyone had a ball. One of the Truf' climbed a tree during their set.

After the show, we had ourselves a good old drinking fire. That's a fire that you drink around. We sang Goodnight Irene a few times, and somehow got to talking about touring. We encouraged Trufflehunter to "effing do it." They also thought that this was a good idea, and so they promised to be in Middletown on Sept. 10th. And they were. As they said in the interview we aired on the show, "Trufflehunter keeps their drunken promises. And their broken promises."

I share this story for two reasons. The first is that it seems somehow historically important that I enter the origins of my relations with Trufflehunter into the Public Record. Secondly, the nature of a coincidence-driven backyard summer BBQ represents the, like, essence of the Trufflehunter. Or something.

Anyway, below are some audio goodies. One of the goodies couldn't be played on the show because there is cursing, and so we're gonna fucking put that shit up here. They're a fun band. Check out their myspace, if you like.

AUDIO GOODIES:

Today, for Audio Goodies, you get two live slices of that sweet sweet show these fine young gentlemen put on. UNFORTUNATELY, I do not know the names of the songs.

You can hear TrufSlice #1 HERE
and TrufSlice #2 HERE

Recently Featured: Aliza Simons

2009-09-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

Wow! Our first show went incredibly well. Thanks to everyone who tuned in and extra super special thanks to those of you who shared music with us on the show.

As we gear up for the next episode of Wild Wild Live, I'll post some goodies and some artist profiles up here for your listening pleasure.

Today's feature focuses on a good friend of mine. Her name is Aliza Simons, and aside from generally being a talented musician and super-enthusiastic person, she is currently traveling the world studying community radio as part of a Watson Fellowship.

Aliza playing the Kora

She called in to the studio all the way from Arviat, Nunavut (located in the far north of Canada on the Hudson Bay) and sang us some songs with her young pals Natalie and Special, who couldn't stop laughing. They did manage, however, to narrate in song the relationship between polar bears and caribou (one eats the other). It really is a shame that we weren't able to record this phone-call - the tinny sound of the phone, the occasional pops and cracks of the long distance connection, and the insistent giggling made for something really beautiful and special.

Fortunately, I do have an earlier recording of Aliza singing with Natalie on a tune called "We Love Everyone and Jesus." As Aliza put it in an email, this is a "recording of me and Natalie (who is from Arviat, Nunavut, she is 7, and decided today that we are in a band) to play on your show or add to your itunes playlist." Though I didn't actually play it on the show, maybe you call can add it to your playlists...

You can listen to and download "We Love Everyone and Jesus" here.

And for more info on Aliza, or to hear her rockin' tunes, check out Future Folk Records, an organizational sympathizer to this radio program.

Preview for Episode Airing September 22nd

2009-09-21T20:22:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the blogspot weblog media blog for the brand new radio show Wild, Wild Live. We have our very first episode tomorrow and, though I am a little nervous, I am excited to bring you all this exciting content. After the episode airs tomorrow, I'll post audio goodies from the week up here.

But what can you expect on this week's episode?

Firstly, you can expect a heaping helping of Trufflehunter, a band of nice young men from Eugene, Oregon who I have had the great fortune of playing with twice in 2009. I brought an audio recorder to their show at Wesleyan's Earth House a few weeks ago and got some really good stuff. I'll also be playing an interview I conducted with the truffleboys in the back of their sweet van (hear all about it in the interview) where they treated us to a b-side off of their latest record, "Why is This the Worst Possible Time?"

You can hear more on their myspace and below is a picture from the event:

From L-R: Will Brant and Asa Horvitz of Duchampion, Max Lavine of WESU, plus Trufflehunter and yrstruly

I'll also be playing a couple of songs from my new band Duchampion, who also played the concert.

I received a couple of submissions for air this week, both from former staff at WESU. The first is a new doom/drone metal project from the beloved Will Blomquist called Uncle Karl and the Walrus Beach. Personally, I think it kind of sounds like Nadja, but you can judge for yourself...

The other submission comes from the far north - Aliza Simons, currently spending the year researching non-commercial community radio stations around the globe, sent me a beautiful recording of her on the ukuele joined by an improvising, seven-year-old vocalist named Natalie. They are in a band. (Btw, if you haven't heard Aliza's music, you can check it out here).

Of course, I am going to try and always be flying by the seat of my pants a little bit with this show, so hopefully expect some call-ins, some impromptu covers, and some random guests.

AND THANKS FOR LISTENING

-yr host ben