• Tag Archives music
  • The Ledge #706: Loud Loud Loud Loud Guitars

    Everyone knows I love a good theme, and this brand new idea came earlier this month when I was playing the remastered version of Slim Dunlap’s “Loud Loud Loud Loud Guitars” on the new release episode. How about a show devoted to nothing but songs about guitars? Or even songs that mention guitars in the lyrics? This seemed to be an easy-peasy idea.

    But I wanted some input from my friends, especially for the songs that fit the theme that may not have the word “guitar” in the title. So I put up a post on Facebook, and the results greatly helped tonight’s show. Thank you to everybody who contributed to that post.

    As I was filling up the folder for this show, though, I quickly discovered that I had way more songs than I needed. This means that tonight’s show is part one of a two part series. Due to the March new release episodes, though, part two will not happen until the second half of the month. But I promise that episode will be as fabulous as tonight’s was.

    Do you have any songs to consider for the future episode? Which tracks did you enjoy the most this time around?

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #703: New Releases Pt. 1

    One of the few “rules” of the monthly new release series is that reissues aren’t generally considered for inclusion in these shows. But this is rock and roll, and there’s no real rules…especially when a former member of The Replacements is concerned.

    This story actually begins a few weeks ago when I saw a notice in Record Collector that there would be some sort of Slim Dunlap compilation coming out in February. A few days later, another UK music mag reported that this package would include remastered versions of his two albums PLUS bonus tracks!

    Then came the official announcement. Every Little Word indeed consists of both of his wonderful solo albums, plus another 80 minutes of bonus material! Yes, this is a set worth breaking my rules, so we start the show off with five of these rarities.

    After that it’s a typical new release episode. There’s plenty of “friends of the show”, including Numb Surprise, The Ex-Bombers, Rob Moss, and a double shot of Vista Blue. Speaking of double shots, there are previews of new albums by The Darts (US) and UltraBomb, along with great new albums by Sweet Reaper and Music City. 

    What tracks did you dig the most?

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #702: Random Forgotten Gems

    I think it’s safe to say that, for the most part, I’m a forward thinking music obsessive who is always on the hunt for my next favorite record. It’s that attitude that allows for this show to constantly have two new release episodes almost every single month.

    There’s a downside to this fanaticism, though. When one collects so much music but is so focused on the future, a lot of great music is pretty much forgotten. Over the last couple of weeks, however, I have taken steps to recreate myself with some of these great releases.

    The story actually begins a few months ago when I discovered that the popular video streaming/sharing program Plex had an audio add-on called Plexamp. This simple program allows me to stream my entire master library on my various devices. 

    This has been a game-changer, although for the last few months I have primarily utilized it to stream my favorite classic records from the past. Two weeks ago, though, I decided to do a little experiment. I put my entire 160,000 tracks on shuffle, and tonight’s show consists of tracks that have sprung up over these last fourteen days.

    I must admit I’m a little surprised by what came up. Even at the number of tracks I have on my external drives, there are certain artists that dominate the proceedings. Having dozens of digitized live Replacements concerts certainly inflate the numbers, as do the entire catalogs, including bootlegs, of the likes of Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Guided By Voices, and so many others.

    Yet outside of a couple of side projects by Guided By Voices leader Robert Pollard, none of these biggies came up on shuffle. In fact, my listening was primarily the lesser known types that I was hoping to get reacquainted with. You’ll see a handful of familiar names in this episode, but even in the majority of those cases it’s not the usual songs you hear by these groups.

    What tracks did you enjoy the most?

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #701: Covers

    I always love when tracks show up just hours before the show, and that’s what happened with this all-covers episode. As I’ve said many times before, I have a folder on my laptop where I toss in new cover tunes whenever I come across them. When the folder is full, that’s when it’s time for a show.

    That’s exactly what happened, this time around. With this week’s release of the new album by The Damned where they remake tracks that the recently deceased Brian James loved, I saw the following post on Instagram:

    “Fret Rattles are excited to announce the release of our third full-length studio LP, titled “As the World Falls Apart.” It features thirteen tracks and comes in at the furious pace of 36 minutes. The LP was recorded in 2024 and 2025 at Flowers Studio (Minneapolis, MN) and Ecstattic Studio (St. Paul, MN) by our long-time producer Ali Jaafar.”

    A tracklist accompanied the post that indicated the new album was going to include two cover tunes, so I immediately sent a DM to requst their inclusion in tonight’s broadcast. They agreed, and in the early afternoon I received an email that included their explosive cover of “What Love Is” by The Dead Boys, where the band is accompanied by Minneapolis legend Rob Tossava.

    This tune really set the stage for two hours of fabulous revved up reamkes, including contributions from a number of Rum Bar Records acts, double shots from Eater and Pink Fairies, and a set dedicated to the recent box sets by The Replacements and Husker Du!

    What track did you dig the most?

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #693: Another Tuneless Racket – Boston

    I have been a huge fan of Steven H. Gardiner’s Another Tuneless Racket series of books documenting the punk and new wave scenes of the 70s. Just a few weeks ago I finished the most recent volume which documents the eastern half of our country. I was especially taken by the marathon length chapter detailing everything that happened in Boston during this time, and I spent hours devouring a ton of bands I’d never heard before.

    Tonight’s show compiles over two hours of bands covered in this section (with the exception of The Modern Lovers and The Real Kids, who were discussed in volume one). There are bands barely remembered from this time next to groups that are revered to this day. We start with the monumental recording Jonathan Richman made at the beginning of the decade with his band The Modern Lovers, and we conclude with Mission of Burma, a revolutionary band that carried on into the 80s.  

    What’s your favorite Boston band from this time period?

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #671: New Releases Pt. 2

    Believe it or not, there are rules when it comes to what you hear on The Ledge. One of my main rules is that when the new release show is split into two separate shows there is a cutoff date for the material. That deadline is showtime of the first episode. Any material that is sent my way after that is set aside for the next month’s series.

    But there’s no real rules in rock and roll, as proven when I got an email from Rum Bar head honcho Malibu Lou just a fwe hours before this broadcast. Attached to the correspondance was the upcoming new single by The Dogmatics! Hold the presses, kids, as this is a track that has to be fast-tracked. And what a backstory.

    The new song, “You’ve Got What I Want”, is the opening blast from a new full-length coming out on July 18. But it’s 96 seconds of fury that dates back to the band’s earliest rehearsals. Leader Jerry Lehane had attended a show by 80s Boston legends The Outlets, and rushed to the infamous Thayer Street rehearsal loft to write this ferocious rocker. Why they waited almost 45 years to record this classic makes no sense to me, but better late than ever!

    Of course, there’s plenty of other Rum Bar new releases aired this week, along with new material from Rum Bar associates Beebe Gallini and Brad Marino. There’s a wonderful new single by The New Barbarians, and I’m always happy when fellow Real Punk Radio DJ Greg Lonesome has a new Intrusive Thoughts track. 

    There’s plenty of other highlights this week, and as always I want to know what your favorites are. What records are you looking at adding to your collection?

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #670: New Releases Pt. 1

    The first half of the monthly new release series is always dominated by “friends of the show”, and this month it’s no different. Tonight’s episode features are good friends Numb Surprise, the latest Rob Moss split 7″ cover collaboration (this time with Arthur Alexander), the return of Swansea Sound, and many others. Take note of the wonderful comeback tune by Handsome Dick Manitoba, as it features our pals Torpedohead as his band!. 

    The concluding half hour or so of tonight’s broadcast features double shots of some great new albums. Alien Nosejob, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, and Wyldlife are represnted with their new records, and we have a sneak peak at what should be a future favorite album from Superchunk!

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #668: Covers

    At first glance, the latest installment of the cover song series is no different than any previous episode. Behind the scenes, though, serendipity is at play here.

    Like usual, I had quitely filled my “covers” folder over the last few months. A few weeks ago, I had accumulated enough tracks to schedule the show. I could have done it at the end of April, or last week. Next week even. Or I could have held it over until June. But no, I was determed in do on May 23.

    Then on my usual record store run last Friday I found a number of great Minneapolis garage rock records from the 50s and 60s. Most were compilatons, but I also found a Sundazed Music reissue of The Gestures’ self-titled album from 1966. Hailing from Mankato, MN, they had a hit in 1964 with “Run, Run, Run”, their debut single. I picked up this reissue, and loved it!

    Fast forward to yesterday as I was looking at the various new releases for the week. I was excited to see that Beebe Gallini had a new record out called Begged, Borrowed and Stealed! Even better was the fact that not only is this a record of nothing but covers but one of their selections is that tune by The Gestures!!! So for this week’s feature record of the week I have a whole set of tunes from this great record.

    And as if that wasn’t eneough serendipity for one week, I also came across a covers record by Australin ska-punkers The Resignators, which includes a cover of “Teenage Kicks”!!! I swear the universe set up both of these acts to release these records just for me to air them this week!

    Due to all this good fortune, I decided to not dump any of the other tracks I had initially picked for this week’s broadcast. So this is a supersized episode with over a half hour of overtime! I hope you love all of these tunes. Please let me know what you liked the most!

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #663: New Releases Pt. 2

    This second part of the monthly new release series probably should have been titled after the final song of the show. Former Blackhearts guitarist Ricky Byrd’s “RnR’s Demise (Has Been Greatly Exaggerated)” certainly matches the philosophy of The Ledge, and the fact that month after month we provide over four hours of newly issued tunes is certainly proof.

    Again, we have a number of “friends of the show”, including White Rose Motor Oil, New Brutarians, Geoff Palmer, and a whole set of tracks from Rum Bar Records. There’s also the return of The Memories, The Minus 5, and Throwing Muses, along with new bands (at least to us) such as The Roxies, Midlife Crisis, Dead Bars, and Creem Circus (love the name, btw). 

    Also, just a note that due to an upcoming medical procedure there will be now show next week (and possibly the following week). 

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #653: More Songs From The Hudson Compound

    Just like my cover show series, I have another folder where I throw in some tracks that I’ve listened to over the course of my day to day life. They’re primrily the vinyl I’ve either recently acquired or have pulled out of the archives. The Great Hudson Basement Excavation continues to influence these shows, but there’s also plenty of albums that I haven’t thrown on the turntable for quite some time.

    This show is also inspired by this week’s death of Marianne Faithfull. She lived quite the life. Discovered at a party by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, she had a British hit with the Jagger/Richards tune “As Tears Go By”. She famously dated Mick Jagger for a number of years, but had to fight him and Keith to get her share of songwriting credit for “Sister Morphine”. After breaking up with Mick, she had a decade of addiction that saw her homeless for a period of time before coming back with 1979’s hit album Broken English. Our thoughts go out to her family, friends, and fans.

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

     

    Download MP3 here