• Tag Archives malibu lou
  • The Ledge #569: Jeremy Porter’s Teenage Kicks

    When I conceived the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” project late last year one of the first things I did was to contact artists that I considered friends of the show. I’ve been blessed over the years to have some wonderful musicians regularly send me their latest projects.

    One of those friends was Jeremy Porter, leader of Jeremy Porter & The Tucos. For almost the entire time I’ve been producing The Ledge, Porter has provided me with fabulous music, and has also introduced my show to many of his fellow musician friends. 

    It was honestly no surprise when Porter responded that he was indeed interested in contributing a version of “Teenage Kicks”, but I was blown away by his overall plans with the tune. Tonight’s episode is the world premiere of his cover, which will be officially released next Friday (5/26) on his bandcamp page. While the track will be a “name your price”, proceeds from those who do the right thing and pay for the track will go to the Detroit-based charity, Hater Kitty Army, led by Sue Summers. “Hater Kitty Rescue Army is a neighborhood cat haven on Detroit’s Eastside,” Summers explains. “We have been serving abandoned cats for the past nine years by providing food, shelter, spay and neutering, and re-homing the ones we can.”

    What is especially gratifying about this project is that Summers is not only a friend of Porter’s but a huge fan of The Undertones! “(They) were one of the first punk bands I saw in concert, at a tiny neighborhood theater that hosted all ages shows,” Summers recently recalled. “The song ‘Teenage Kicks’ has always been a favorite teenage anthem of mine and still remains timeless.”

    Besides Porter’s fabulous cover, tonight’s show is a hodgepodge of new and old favorites. Included is a tribute of sorts to Big Stir Records, as earlier this week they had a big announcement of six new signing to their label. It seems like a pretty obvious idea to devote a set to these artists, which include Graham Parker, The Spongetones, The Cyrkle, Flashcubes, Arthur, Alexander, and Sparkle*Jets UK. 

    Sprinkled throughout the show are some of the other submitted versions of “Teenage Kicks” to remind everybody that I’m always looking for new covers. 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


  • The Ledge #562: First Quarter Report

    As this is the last show of the first quarter of 2023, and even airing on the last day of the month, it’s only natural that we take a look back at some of the stunning new records released so far thsi year. It has been quite a year, especialy if you are a fan of guitar-driven music. Power pop, in particular, has made a great comeback this year, highlighted by the likes of The Whiffs, Local Drags, and Ryan Allen And His Extra Arms.

    But it’s also a great year for returning legends. Yo La Tengo, The Long Ryders, The Church, and Iggy Pop released their best albums in years. Billy Childish reunited the legendary Thee Headcoats for their first album in 22 years, and it’s a smoker!

    For this show, obviously, the main highlight comes from the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” subtheme, and we received thrilling news earlier this week. The very first person I contacted when I came up with this idea was Malibu Lou from Rum Bar Records. Obviously, I was hoping that he could convince some of his bands to participate (and I still hope they do). What I wasn’t expecting was for Lou to make the very first new submission. Weeks later, Lou uploaded his cover as a free Bandcamp single, and it’s now in rotation on SiriusXM’s Underground Garage!

    As a thank you, I’m again airing Lou’s cover, but this week’s opening spot goes to The Dollyrots’ cover that was found on last year’s Down the Rabbit Hole compilation. Once again, though, I’m pleading with all listeners, musicians, labels and/or anybody else to please record their own version of the Undertones’ classic. I’d love for some more new submissions to air, and maybe it can lead to bigger things just like what happened with Malibu Lou!!! If you have any questions, please send an email to paulisded@gmail.com

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #552: Covers

    With my brain focused on “Teenage Kicks” covers these days, it seems natural for me to put together another show of nothing but covers of classics tunes from the past. And tonight’s show could not have been timed better, as today Kepi Ghoulie of the Groovie Ghoulies put our a fabulous covers record, Full Moon Forever. Plus I’ve uncovered a number of other great new remakes the last few days, including Juniper’s lofi redo of “James” by The Bangles, Devil Love’s lovely tribute to Big Star’s “Thirteen”, and a trip back to my childhood with Jenny Dee & The Deelingquent’s rousing “Fox On the Run”.

    But, of course, the main focus is on the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” series, and tonight features the very first submission! It may be a bit fitting that said cover is by the one and only Malibu Lou at Rum Bar Records!!! Yes! He’s a huge fan, as you can tell by the accompanying email: “It’s one of my top 5 personal favorite songs ever. I covered it many years in many bands!! Here’s a demo version of Malibu Lou & The Attackers performing it circa 96 in NYC!!”

    I couldn’t be more thrilled, and I’m also so pleased to receive a couple other submissions that I’ll be airing during the next two shows. Please, please, please, if you love the song and have any sort of musical talent, or have some friends with a band that could do the song justice, record a cover and send it to paulisded@gmail.com!

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

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #467: Rum Bar Records

    Loyalty is an important word in my life. I try to be as loyal as possible to not only friends and family, but also the bands that I love. I’m even loyal to certain record labels. In the 80’s it was Twin/Tone and SST. Merge and a few others fit that category in the 90’s, and I’ve got a handful of current labels these days whose artists I will always check out. One of those is Rum Bar Records.

    No label has been more loyal to what I do with The Ledge than Rum Bar Records. Head honcho “Malibu” Lou Mansdorf has not only kept me in the loop with his constantly growing stable of releases, but he also routinely tosses a care package of physical releases to my mailbox. It’s because of people like Lou that this show has continued to prosper for over a decade.

    But it also turns out that loyalty is an important word to Mansdorf, as proven by the testimonials from his artists that pop up throughout this marathon all-Rum Bar broadcast. Most have been his friends for decades, but even recent signing have nothing but glowing words for him.

    Tonight’s show features tracks from the entire Rum Bar discography, including reissues of his earlier releases under the Melted Records moniker. The centerpiece of the show is a lengthy set that includes two tracks each from three fabulous records that were released today by Beebe Gallini, Electraluxx, and Indonesian Junk.

    The Ledge is even teaming up with Rum Bar for an Instagram contest. Three lucky winners will receive a Rum Bar prize pack for entering via my personal Instagram account. The rules are super simple, and the deadline is Thursday, March 25.

    Special thanks must go to Brent Dowell for helping select tonight’s tracks, and also to the following people for their contributions: Luke Metz, John Lynch, Geoff Palmer, Kurt Baker, Nato Coles, The Right Here, “Muck”, Justine Covault, Hayley Crusher, Miss Georgia Peach, Scott Dennis, Rick Dennis, Daniel James, and Brad Marino.

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge!

     

    Download MP3 here