It’s a testament to the quality of 2024 new music that even in December The Ledge’s monthly new release series is again a two-part extravaganza. Tonight’s part one features the usual new tunes by “friends” of the show, along with great punk, garage, indie, and Americana from artists both new and old.
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
Given that it’s Thanksgiving weekend, I thought it was high time to have a show consisiting of nothing but tracks from albums that I’ve been playing around the house. Yeah, not exactly a novel idea, but it’s a great soundtrack for a weekend of record shopping, partying, or even putting up the dreaded holiday decorations. (Ok, probably best for the partying category.)
Sure, it’s nothing but old material but it’s not the type of old material you normally hear. There’s classic garage rock from 60s legends such as The Sonics and The Who. There’s edgy singer/songwriter tunes from Jesse Malin and Graham Parker. There’s a whole set devoted to highlights from the ill-fated Sex Pistols film, The Great Rock and Roll Swindle. Naturally, there’s all kinds of material from the much-lauded “Hudson Basement Excavation Project”.
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
The special folder on my hard drive was full, so it was once again time to have a show devoted to cover songs. This time around there are fantastic remakes of songs by the likes of the Stones, Pink Floyd, Small Face, Pretty Things, The Cure, Joy Division, and tons of others.
Most importantly, there’s a generous helping of Jesse Malin covers from the new triple album benefit album, Silver Patron Saints. Two years ago, Malin suffered a rare spinal stroke, and his friends gathered together for this wonderful set of Malin’s own tunes. It’s a rare tribute album that stands proudly with the original versions, and this is one of them.
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
Fall is the time for the record industry to unleash a torrent of reissues, box sets, live albums, and all kinds of other sorts of vault releases. Yes, it’s admittedly a bit of a chase for easy cash, but as a collector I love it. Give me that compilation of pre-Velvet Underground songs Lou Reed wrote as a songwriter for Pickwick Records. Give me those box sets versons of my favorite records featuring demos and live tracks. Give me straight ahead compilatons and live albums. Give me all of this stuff!
If you are anything like me, you’ll love this overview of those sorts of releases. And yes, there is one track here that doesn’t really fit the format…yet it sort of does. I recently picked up Never Understood: The Jesus and Mary Chain, the memoirs of J&MC brothers Jim and William Reid, and I was intrigued to find out that a few years after the band broke up they both helped out their sister, Linda, in a musical project called Sister Vanilla. Yes, you can certainly tell that she learned a lot from her big brothers. This needs to also be reissued!
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
So here we go with the second half of this month’s set of new tunes. This time around we have the usual set of fabulous releses from our friends at Rum Bar Records, along with the returns of old faves such as The Lemonheads, Julian Cope, Chesterfield Kings, and Japandroids. Plus some new (to me at least) bands such as The Deflators, Tuxedo Cats, and The Zack Static Sect. And there’s also a set devoted to some favorite bands that are featured on the Cardinals At The Window charity comp!
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
Once again, the monthly new release episode is expanded to a two part extravaganza! This week’s show is split between “friends of the show” and long time veterans of the business. The “friends” sections include hometown heroes (Off Contact), a fellow Real Punk Radio personality (Intrusive Thoughts vocalist Greg “Rock ‘n’ Roll Manifesto” Lonesome), a couple of Big Stir Records new tunes, and quite a few email submissions.
As for the “veterans”, it’s amazing how much material some of these artists have put out over the years. The new one by Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly is his 29th abum. The Fleshtones have probably put out an equal amount of material. Only Ones leader Peter Perrett is back with a new album, and the Pixies, The Effigies, Nick Piunti, and others have a lengthy discography. Plus, we have the monthly new freebies by Friends of Cesar Romero and Vista Blue!
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
The annual Halloween show is yet another Ledge tradition. Every year I gather up whatever new scary tunes have been released, and fill up whatever time is left with tracks I call “new to me”. Thanks to a plethora of subissions this year, I didn’t have to do a lot of searching. It’s great that so many artists, labels, and/or PR companies think that this show is a worthwhile outlet to get the word out about new releases!
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
If you follow me on the various social media platforms (paulisded) you’ve probably seen a variety of pictures with the tagline “The Hudson Basement Excavaton Project”. A little explanation is needed. Decades ago, my son needed a rack to store his records as he had followed in the old man’s footsteps and put together his own sizable library. As I did not at that point even own a turntable, my records were all boxed up and stored in the basement.
A few years later, home renovatons meant that these boxes were joined by more boxes of CD’s, books, magazines, and other junk that needed to be moved out of the way of new carpet and paint. The original boxes of records were now buried. When I returned to vinyl a decade ago, I had a feeling that somewhere there just had to be a bunch of albums. I mean, come on. I would never sell or give away Replacements records, right?
This feeling carried on whenever I saw a good stash of used records at local stores, or when a classic album was reissued. There just has to be records somehwere/anywhere! I would take tentative searches while doing laundry from time to time, but just a few weeks ago I hit the jackpot. I found some good ol’ Taco Bell shredded lettuce boxes. You may laugh at that, but those were the perfect boxes to store records. And sure enough, as I moved other boxes around, and squeezed in between other barriers (old lawn furniture, etc.) it was indeed what I’ve been looking for. One great box of vinyl, with another couple right next to it. A few weeks later there was another discovery!
So tonight’s show is all about some of the gems discovered during this process. Some are quite rare. Others could be pretty easily found in most good used stores. But it’ sover two hours of fantastic old faves from the 70s, 80s, and even a couple from the 90s!
For more info, including setlists head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
By now, most of you know the routine. The first episode of every month features nothing but new releases, and this month is no different. Wait, there is one major difference. Due to a scheduling conflict, there will not be a show next week so for the first time this year there is not a two part new release series.
So this month there is one super action-packed episode, full of the usual garage, punk, indie, post-punk, Americana, and whatever other category is out there. There are the usual veterans mixed with brand new acts. There are “friends” of the show, such as Jeremy Porter & The Tucos, who have a fabulous new album called Dynamite Alley. Of course, there’s also a set devoted to our buddies at Rum Bar Records, but there’s another blistering set devoted to new tunes from Slovenly Recordings!
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
The end of September also means it’s the end of the third quarter of the year, so tonight’s show celebrates the great music that has come out these last three months. There’s a little something for everyone tonight, from the melodic goth tones of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds to savage garage punk from The Putz and Stiff Richards. There are veteran bands that have been around for 45-50 years (The Dictators, Nervous Eaters), along with a ton of new blood. There’s friends of the show (Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin, Tamar Berk) next to a plethora of artists I wish were my friends.
I also begin the festivities with a very personal story, and I would like to thank those that have reached out to offer me encouragement. It’s very appreciated and brings a smile to this old curmudgeon.
For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com
