• The Ledge #587: Third Quarter Report

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    The end of every quarter is a time to take a little look back at the last three months of new music. Tonight I present a little over two hours of the records that caught my attention during that period. There are returning legends (Graham Parker, Lucinda Williams, The Pretenders) who are sort of shockingly as great as ever. There are workhorses (Guided By Voices, The William Loveday Intention) that seem to have new tunes in every quarterly recap. There’s an archive project that is clearly a label of love for the family of Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkhouse. And, of course, there are sets devoted to our friends at Big Stir Records and Rum Bar Records, along with a nice heaping of new bands (or new to me, at least) that caught my attention. 

    As for the “52 Weeks Of Teenage Kicks”, I have a fun live version that I recently found on Bandcamp. Guitarist Davey Lane is in the current lineup of Australian greats You Am I, and he apparently got the gig after recording and touring with You Am I leader Tim Rogers in the late 90’s. Since it is the third quarter recap, I’m also giving another spin to the fabulous version submitted by members of Popular Creeps and The Stick Arounds, under the name The Creep Arounds.As I do every week, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #586: Replacements’ Tim Box Set

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    How to talk about the new box set dedicated to one of my favorite records ever? I really can’t, to be honest, as there are tons and tons of articles floating around right now that I could never attempt to better. But let’s just say that Tim by The Replacements is certinly a record that I’ve never gone long without listening to since it’s release in 1985.
    Yet I must be honest when I say that my all time favorite Replacements record is actually the previous album, Let It Be, but I’ll concede that Tim is a better collection of songs. How is that possible? Let It Be had a powerful sound. Tim has always suffered from a thin, muddy mix that was certainly fine enough that it didn’t afffect my overall love of the record. I just preferred the beefier Let It Be.
    That opinion may now change thanks to the release of this new box set. Tim (Let It Bleed Edition) rights the wrongs of the record I’ve loved for close to 40 years. Ed Stasium, who was supposed to mix the original record, was hired to finally work his magic. And it’s wonderful. The drums are front and center. Tommy Stinson’s bass can actually be heard, and there’s little elements in each and every song that are heard for the first time. Hell, I even now sort of like the lesser tunes such as “Dose of Thunder” and “Lay It Down Clown”!
    But that’s not all that’s in this set. There’s a disc of outtakes and alternate versions, including tracks they recorded with Big Star’s Alex Chilton. There is also a fantastic show from January of 1986 that showcases Bob Stinson’s incendiary guitar. It’s obviously going to be my favorite box set of the year.
    After sampling much of this box set, it’s only natural that I fill up the show with more of my favorite Minneapolis music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, including early tracks from the Suburbs and Flamin’ Oh’s. There’s a tune from the just-released reissue of the classic Loose Rails album, Red Turns to Green. And I certainly can’t do a show like this without the likes of Soul Asylum, Husker Du, and The Magnolias!
    As for the “52 weeks of Teenage Kicks” series, I did have to take a detour out of Minneapolis. This week I headed to San Francisco with a 2004 cover from an interesting band called The Grannies. As their future label, Saustex Records, noted when they signed them for a later record, “The Grannies story began on a hot July night in 1999, as five grown men dressed as old ladies crossed 11th Street in San Francisco and hit the stage at the Paradise Lounge. 15 years, 8 Jack Endino-produced albums, 3 European tours, more than a few beer soaked houses dresses…are still at it.”
    As I do every week, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more information, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #585: Hudson Compound Playlist

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    This week’s show is another of those broadcasts where I simply air some of the records I’ve been playing around the house the last few weeks. There’s no real format outside of that, but you do get to enjoy almost 60 years of fabulous rock and roll. What more can I say about it?

    As for the “52 weeks of Teenage Kicks” series, I actually have yet another new vesrion. This is a brand new cover by a band called The Flying Waves, and it’s on an album called Rainbow that came out a week ago. Unfortunately, that’s all I know about this cover as google was no help at all. If anybody out there is familar with this artist, please contact me!

    And like I do every week, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #584: Birthday Week!

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    When I put together each and every episode of The Ledge, I try really hard not to repeat myself too much. If I play a new single one week, the next I’ll more than likely air a b-side or album track. Certain songs do end up appearing in multiple shows, but more than likely due to whatever themes I’ve selected.

    That fact has always been in the back of my mind whenever I put on birthday shows. Obviously, during my birthday week I want a show of nothing but my favorite songs of all time, but at the same time I don’t want to repeat that same show each and every year. But it dawned on me earlier today that repeating myself once a year is no big deal! Who remembers what I aired a year ago?

    Plus, honestly, while I have not doublechecked, I’m sure this year’s birthday celebration of my favorite songs is quite unlike previous editions. My tastes are ever-evolving. Some artists have emerged as new favorites. Others have maybe dropped down a peg or two. Plus, I’ll admit to purposely selecting different tunes by perennial favorites. Let’s be real. I can play almost any song by bands like The Clash or The Ramones…or almost every band in tonight’s show.

    As for the “52 weeks of Teenage Kicks”, I’ve got a relative rrity from Hagfish. Originally released on 1995’s Happiness EP, it also appeared on European versions of their second album, Hagfish Rocks Your Lame Ass. (And since this was my birthday show, I ended the episode with The Undertones original.  

    And like I do every week, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more info and setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #583: New Releases

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    The Ledge has always been known to enjoy music from all over the world. This month’s new release episode, however, goes ever further than usual. Yes, we have new tunes from many of the usual suspects – Canada, Australia, England, Sweden, etc. But this month we expand that a little bit and have tunes from Indonesia and Japan! (Ok, Japanese rock and roll is not so unusual in these parts, but you get the picture.)

    There’s also the usual mix of long-awaited returns (Uni Boys, Wreckless Eric), and new (at least to me) artists such as Hurry, Young Francis Hi Fi, and Dennis Cometti. There’s a set devoted to a trio of solo artists who have shared the stage countless times over the years (Brad Marino, Geoff Palmer, and Kurt Baker), and who always seem to have new records right around the same time.

    We also have a sneak peak of the upcoming Replacements box set, Tim: Let It Bleed Edition. The “cello version” of “Can’t Hardly Wait” was actually a Paul Westerberg demo with Twin/Tone secretary Michelle Kinney on cello. The box set comes out on September 22, and as you may imagine, I…ok, I won’t go with the obvious wordplay

    Speaking of The Replacements, this week’s edition of “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” is a super rare version by Tommy Stinson, recorded at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee on August 28, 2003. Super rare, as in a fan recording. Don’t tell anyone!

    As I do every week, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more information, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #582: Big Stir Records

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    Earlier this week I was surprised to get a pretty large dropbox link from my friends at Big Stir Records. Taking a look at the contents, I noticed that there was not only a sampler compilation of many of their current artists, but there were almost two dozen station IDs recorded by those artists specifically for my show.

    To say I was pleased would be an understatement. I was seriously touched, even though I knew they were having their artists record these for stations all over the world. But for my little show? I had to show my appreciation, so tonight’s episode is (almost) all Big Stir artists. Besides a track or two from each of the artists who recorded a little something for me, there’s an extra hour of some of my favorite tunes from the label.  

    If you’re not familiar with Big Stir, they are a Burbank, Clifornia label founded by two of the most lovely people in the music business, Christina Bulbenko and Rex Broome of The Armoires (one of the artists featured in tonight’s show). Over the years they have released more than 70 albums on vinyl and CD, and they specialize in melodic power pop.

    Here’s the best part of this Big Stir theme. One of their artists, Popular Creeps, had earlier expressed interest in recording a “Teenage Kicks” cover for my “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” series. Once this theme was solidified, I sent leader Lenny Grassa an email asking if he had made any progress on it. He just so happened to be heading to Lansing, Michigan to do just that with his friends in The Stick Arounds! So tonight’s show kicks off with a brand new cover of “Teenage Kicks”, followed by a couple of tracks by both bands. (The Stick Arounds are not on Big Stir Records, though, but I just had to show my appreciation to them for assisting Grassa.)

    As I do every week, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more information, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #581: 2013

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    Generally speaking, when I do shows devoted to years of the past I go way back. Like, at the bare minimum 25 years, and as far back as 50 years. Looking at my shows from 2013, though, I decided tonight I’d do something a little different. Let’s go through some of my favorite records from only ten years ago.

    While I am one that believes there’s great rock and roll released each and every years (despite what many of my fellow oldsters proclaim), 2013 was even better than usual. There’s all sorts of lofi indie power pop from the likes of Mind Spiders, Bad Sports, and Fidlar. There’s the discovery of a wonderful up and coming songwriter named Lydia Loveless. There’s the second release by the reformed Superchunk (my favorite record of the year).

    And, of course, there’s also the return of The Replacements. Yes, this happened due to a tragedy, as Slim Dunlap had suffered a stroke the previous year. But what a joy to hear Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson quickly recording a handful of their favorite oldies. Even better was the Songs For Slim singles series which saw all kinds of Slim’s friends recording their favorite Dunalp tunes.

    As for this week’s edition of “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks”, I once again have a band I wasn’t acquainted with before. The Vamps are a UK band that formed in 2012, and over the next few years their first two records went gold in their home country. 2013 saw an EP called Can We Dance that included the live cover of “Teenage Kicks” that opens tonight’s show. And like always, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #580: Some Stuff

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    Tonight’s show is a mishmash of primarily recent releases. There’s some material from great box sets. There’s a set devoted to a classic old live album and one brand new one. I’ve got a set from that great new tribute album, Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies, along with more material from the tribute album I premiered last week, Goo Goo Muck – A Tribute to The Cramps. There’s also a Rum Bar Records set, and previews of new records by Graham Parker & The Goldtops, Tamar Berk, and others. It’s a show featuring a wide variety of genres that you only hear on shows like The Ledge.

    As for this week’s “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” series, I have a mystery track by a band called The Shades. The cover is from the soundtrack to the Elle Fanning film, Teen Spirit, but I have yet to find out any information regarding the band. Could it be something cooked up in the studio by the film’s musical directors? Who knows? And like always, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more information, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #579: New Releases

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    I bet all of you Ledge listeners know the drill. The first show of the month is always new releases, and that’s the case here. But there is a little difference in this week’s show. Normally, I don’t touch on reissued records. That’s for another theme. But obviously I can’t ignore the news that in September The Replacements are putting out a box set version of the classic album, Tim. Besides the usual outtakes and live material, there is a special remix of the entire album by the legendary Ed Stasium! If you’re not familiar with Stasium, he has produced dozens and dozens of classic albums over the years, including records by The Ramones, Talking Heads, Soul Asylum, Long Ryders, Hoodoo Gurus, Reverend Horton Heat, Motorhead, and so many more! Given that the only negative feature of Tim was the mix, letting Stasium do a fix is going to blow people’s minds!

    Yet that’s not my only reissue this week, as fellow Real Punk Radio host Greg Lonesome has just put out a newly remastered version of Shotgun Full of Blues, a record he released 20 years ago as the leader of the Lonesome Kings. There’s a ton of bonus tracks included with this amazing record, including demos and special mixes. But it, my friends!

    As for this week’s edition of “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks”, I actually have a new version. Veteran pyschobilly band Griswalds just released a half studio/half live record, Are Growing Old Disgracefully, and one of the live tracks is indeed a cover of the Undertones classic. And like always, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!.

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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  • The Ledge #578: Covers

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     Every few months, I like to put together an all-covers edition of the show. As I’ve stated before, I have a folder all set up to toss in whatever tracks I want to later air. This edition came a little bit sooner than usual due to a couple of fabulous tribute records.

    The first release I wanted to highlight is the brand new An International Tribute To The Muffs, which features 26 fabulous covers of Kim Shattuck tunes. Proceeds from this release goes to the Team Shattuck Foundation of Kim´s Sister, Kristen Shattuck.

    The other great tribute record is Drunk Dial Fakes, Vol. 2. This ingenious set features “real” bands covering songs that were written for fictional TV and film bands. How can you not love covers from The Rutles, CHiPs, and That Thing You Do?

    As for the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks”, I’ve got a twofer for you this week. I recently discovered a couple of fabulous Undertones tribute records, and Teenage Hits – A Tribute To The Undertones features two wonderful remakes. And like always, I must again plead with y’all for more versions of “Teenage Kicks”. If you are a musician, or have any contact with artists that could record their own take on the classic, please contact me!

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


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