tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-307142472012-01-23T18:45:16.263-08:00Radio for adventurous listeners presented on WMFO, 91.5 FM, Medford.HearItWownoreply@blogger.comBlogger881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-11720911007208469182009-05-18T12:09:00.000-07:002009-05-18T12:13:46.661-07:00

For those who missed it, Marblehead native and Los-Angeles-based comic Rob Delaney called in to the show last week to talk about his experiences in comedy, his upcoming SciFi TV series, and what it's like to sing the National Anthem before a Red Sox game. Check it out in this delicious MP3 download:Rob Delaney (18:40)Astute listeners will also find a special code word that will get you half-price

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-76968609017848095002009-05-12T12:01:00.000-07:002009-05-12T12:11:03.923-07:00

This week, the Hear It Wow phone lines burn from coast to coast as Los-Angeles-based (but Massachusetts native) comic Rob Delaney calls in to talk about comedy, television, and his upcoming shows at the Calderwood Pavillion on May 23.You may have seen Rob as the "spokesman for Warner Brothers" on YouTube (semi-NSFW) or you may have seen him sing the national anthem before a Red Sox game. Coming

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-74000587788277049102009-05-08T13:34:00.001-07:002009-05-09T09:26:54.912-07:00

On Wednesday night, comic Janeane Garofalo was kind enough to talk to myself and Brian Joyce on WMFO. Over nearly 80 minutes, she touched on her favorite comics, going to college in Providence, liberal thought and the "meaning" of alternative comedy.Here's the interview, broken into four easy-to-download segments. All are around 30 MB in size:Part 1 (her experiences in Boston comedy) (20:19)Part

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-36013385864079692362009-05-05T19:08:00.000-07:002009-05-09T09:27:18.324-07:00

Back at the start of the year, I made a commitment to take all you nice listeners inside the world of standup comedy. So far, we've had great interviews with Donny Soares, Tony Moschetto and Shane Mauss. This week, it's a former Boston comic who'll be checking in, former Catch a Rising Star regular and current 24 cast member Janeane Garofalo.Janeane's heading back to Boston this weekend, and

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-437580083501802722009-04-08T10:50:00.000-07:002009-04-08T10:57:11.394-07:00

Something vaguely approaching spring has arrived in Boston. The Red Sox are playing again, which is a sign, but it's still rainy and cold more days than not, which is actually another sign. Once we get our first one-day blast of 85-degree weather followed by a late-season killing frost, we'll know that spring is here for good.To welcome this lovliest of seasons, my much-delayed tribute to spring

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-77089508993142961212009-04-01T10:17:00.000-07:002009-04-01T10:28:55.708-07:00

First, the bad news. It seems that Kris Earle and I made a huge mistake when we left the new Rivendell Automatic Playlist system in "Live Assist" mode after the show last night. It got a little hot under the collar and burned the station down. I'm really, really sorry about this, especially after all the work I put in building the new record shelves in Studio Dee, and the superhuman effort to

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-116100732564579162009-03-24T15:02:00.000-07:002009-03-24T15:17:38.205-07:00

That's me tearing apart the old DJ turntable setup in the richly appointed WMFO studios. After a week of tearing out Reagan-era cables and replacing them with nifty Ethernet-style connections, our all-new Araxis digital broadcast system is up and running. It's pretty freaking awesome, but long-time fans may miss the obnoxious electronic hum from the old mixing board or the tendency of the

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-50178077350559932672009-03-18T12:09:00.000-07:002009-03-18T12:14:15.425-07:00

No show this week, as WMFO is down for a few days during station upgrades. What's happening? How about an all-new Araxis digital control system? We spent the weekend tearing out miles of cables and Reagan-era electronics so we could replace them with skinny little Ethernet cables and a bunch of servers.Setting up a radio station is easier today than you could imagine. When the show returns next

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-5661043021670115202009-03-04T12:06:00.000-08:002009-03-04T12:21:38.768-08:00

Listen, I know that times are tough. Your 401(k) is in the crapper, your mortgage is upside down, and job security belongs only to incumbent politicians. Times are so bad that Bruce Vilanch is reduced to calling me bad names on my blog posts, and he was a Hollywood Square.The last thing you need is someone else reaching into your wallet, but if you've got a few bucks left and don't feel like

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-65201489820568040632009-02-25T09:46:00.000-08:002009-02-25T10:01:40.363-08:00

We all know that Barack Obama can give a great speech, but can he and our "representatives" in Congress get our economy back on track? That's the topic tonight as the show switches gears a bit and welcomes Brian Joyce, world traveler, Boston comic, and organizer of the AltComedy fest at The Somerville Theater for some good-old-fashioned partisan bickering.Fans of the Fairness Doctrine will want

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-61230024190621337722009-02-19T07:32:00.000-08:002009-02-19T07:48:08.481-08:00

Forgive my shrinking grasp of how to speak Daily Variety. Like any foreign language, the less you use it, the rustier you get. This Oscar(TM) debacle has taken another sorry turn, as Peter Gabriel has dropped out of the broadcast.The Telegraph has the full story. To sum up, Gabriel was asked to cut "Down to Earth" to 65 seconds(!) so that it would fit into a medley of Best Song nominees. In a

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-3733459573643399072009-02-18T12:12:00.001-08:002009-02-18T12:21:15.390-08:00

I won't try to conceal my loathing for the Slumdog Millionaire tracks that are up for the Best Song Academy Award. In fact, you can read about that at WFMU's Beware of the Blog, along with my picks for five songs that superior in every possible way.But I'm not about to let processed noise or the snubbing of Bruce Springsteen and Christopher Nolan get in the way of some good-old-fashioned Oscar(TM

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-29092169568106938952009-02-11T08:34:00.000-08:002009-02-11T08:43:50.071-08:00

Valentine's Day is Saturday. Times are tough, and you want to say, "I enjoy our continued sexual liasons," without breaking the bank.Give him/her/it a mix tape. Or a mix CD. If you've got a computer that can read this, you've got the capability.Choosing what to put in said mix can, of course, be tricky, so Hear It Wow comes to the rescue tonight with Love Songs That Don't Suck, a collection of

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-86201031034045728132009-02-04T12:09:00.000-08:002009-02-04T12:13:12.739-08:00

February is Black History Month, and though no excuse is ever needed to bust out some great funk and Motown classics, I thought I'd fill the show with them tonight.You'll hear cuts from Genius on the Black Side, Prince, Grandmaster Flash, Nina Simone, Ike and Tina Turner, a special message from James Brown, and a heck of a lot more. Plus Nick Zaino dials in at 8PM to update us on Boston's comedy

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-71303872001947838932009-01-30T07:20:00.000-08:002009-01-30T07:31:09.335-08:00

WMFO's GM Drew is recovering from a broken foot and spending his extra time updating the WMFO site. Here you'll see pictures of the 1977 station fire that wiped out the top floor of Curtis Hall and most of our record collection. We're up on the top floor, so there's vinyl feeding those flames. Legend has it that an enterprising WMFO staffer grabbed a turntable and a mic and plugged directly into

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-62591171176743425992009-01-28T06:15:00.000-08:002009-01-28T06:34:59.093-08:00

Overcome your Oscar nomination hysteria for a moment, won't you, and tune in at 7PM Eastern on Wednesday, January 28, for a conversation with Donny Soares. Donny's a Boston comic and actor who's appeared in local commercials and worked as an extra in Paul Blart: Mall Cop, so we'll get some behind-the-scenes tales of what went down on the set. Plus you'll learn about what it's like to try and

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-69547763857498662282009-01-21T07:40:00.000-08:002009-01-21T07:48:54.496-08:00

Recently back from his stint in Los Angeles, Boston comedy favorite Tony Moschetto ventures into the studio to compare and contrast the comedy scenes on the East and West coasts. If you're a West Coaster thinking of heading East, or an East Coaster dreaming of warm, snow-free nights and industry showcases, Tony will have the inside story of what to expect.We're supposed to be talking about Dave

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-43993808269238729552009-01-14T07:40:00.000-08:002009-01-14T07:47:46.443-08:00

As resolved on January 1, 2009, I'll be taking steps to bring more comedy into each week's edition of Hear It Wow. Fake news headlines are back, and this week features our first special guest from the Boston comedy scene (and a soon-to-be-regular contributor), Nick Zaino.Nick was the voice of The Boston Globe's Comedy Notes column. He currently runs the Boston Comedy Blog and keeps track of

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-20091353151785599132009-01-06T10:34:00.000-08:002009-01-07T11:25:48.319-08:00

Hear It Wow returns to the airwaves tonight at 7PM Eastern time for a belated tribute to winter. I always grapple with this one in December; the rest of the seasonal shows fall just before the start of the season, but I figure it's more appropriate to play winter songs in January than it is to play Christmas music.Old and new favorites highlight tonight's collection, which is actually the first

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-66194868269918911582008-12-24T11:54:00.000-08:002008-12-24T12:07:51.466-08:00

For the third year running, I'm forsaking family and friends to bring you the perfect soundtrack for Christmas Eve. A Very Christmas Special starts at 5PM Eastern and runs until midnight. In other words, it ain't over 'til the fat man is sliding down your chimney.This year's show opens with music for the kids, including The Six Million Dollar Man in 4 exciting Christmas adventures. I'll be

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-57507644783463515092008-12-17T08:21:00.000-08:002008-12-17T08:30:06.920-08:00

Finished your shopping yet? Hear It Wow is here to help, as tonight's show will feature songs loaded with gift ideas for everyone on your list, all in a shiny package topped with jingle bells. Money and sex seem to top the wish lists of many musicians. At least that's what they write songs about.It kicks off at 7PM Eastern on 91.5 FM in Boston. Or tune in to our CD-quality free Web stream at

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-24345408168266719892008-12-11T07:03:00.000-08:002008-12-17T08:21:00.943-08:00

For those who missed it, this year's Last Temptation of Christmas 4, my annual holiday music battle with fellow WMFO DJ Paul Day, was the best one yet. Rather than listen to me chat about it, why not enjoy it for yourself? Here's the WMFO archive, available in two parts:Part 1Part 2There's zero chance of this running out of bandwidth, because we've got a lot of it. Our online archives overlap by

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-37151542464828248522008-12-09T07:35:00.000-08:002008-12-09T07:44:48.082-08:00

First off, it seems that Web sleuths have again located Disco Noel on this site, because my bandwidth has suddenly been run dry. I can't do anything to fix that. Please don't ask. The counter will be reset on December 21, which will give everyone a chance to rush over at once and grab the album.On Wednesday, December 10, I'll be posting More Christmas Disco at WFMU's Beware of the Blog. Look for

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-21210139805427013232008-11-26T14:02:00.001-08:002008-11-26T14:07:50.745-08:00

It's Thanksgiving, and that means a special edition of Hear It Wow on Thanksgiving night.But before we get to that, I'll be setting the table with a show about food and drink starting tonight (November 26) from 7 to 9 PM. Hear Colonel Sanders discuss his secret recipe! Hear Midnight Oil, Jimmy Buffet, The J's with Jamie, and the Utica Club Natural Carbonation Band. Check out a brand new song from

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-88830706599033943652008-11-11T09:14:00.000-08:002008-11-11T09:31:17.644-08:00

Much fun coming your way between now and Thanksgiving Night, so set the radio to 91.5 FM and rip the knob off. What I wouldn't give for an MP3 of Ken Nordine saying that.Here's a rundown of what's coming:Wednesday, November 12The holiday season kicks off this weekend with the first big holiday blockbuster of the year. I'm talking about A Quantum of Solace, of course, and to get you in the mood,

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-66710974325689966792008-10-28T09:10:00.000-07:002008-10-28T09:24:21.422-07:00

Just when you thought it was safe to turn on your radio, another political attack ad screams out at you. You cower in fear, wondering when the torment will end.That's what you'll get if you hit your local commercial station this week. If you tune in to Hear It Wow, you'll get the fun kind of terror--the kind that comes with a back beat, a catchy riff, and eerily appropriate Halloween lyrics.Hear

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-45267760622499037032008-10-22T10:03:00.001-07:002008-10-22T10:08:29.748-07:00

Scared yet? Halloween is a week from Saturday, so I'm opening the the door to the beyond and letting the ghosts and ghouls take over the airwaves. If you're planning a Halloween party, you'll catch some great ideas for songs to play.Tonight's show reaches deep into the dark side, with cuts from Pink Floyd, Arch Oboler, Ministry, the Hoodoo Gurus, Charlie Sexton, and soundtrack cuts from John

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-76949362863218469262008-10-21T16:00:00.000-07:002008-10-21T12:56:33.717-07:00

One of the truly great horrors of Halloween for me is seeing the dreck that people add to their list of the top 10 Halloween songs. I don't know if these people are bound by their local jukebox or an innate inability to see beyond iTunes, but they inevitably toss a few tracks that have nothing to do with ghouls and ghosts onto their Halloween party playlists."Psycho Killer" is not a Halloween

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-35714306314822923532008-10-15T11:43:00.000-07:002008-10-15T11:54:53.359-07:00

I've had to make some last-minute adjustments to tonight's show. Tune in at 7PM on WMFO, 91.5 FM or online at wmfo.org and you'll hear why. I'll also be covering the first half hour of On the Town with Mikey Dee tonight at 9, and I'm busting out Weezer's cover of "Velouria" and some tracks from the new Robby Roadsteamer CD, available at finer Newbury Comics locations near you. I think that

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-87645942031194063602008-10-08T12:08:00.000-07:002008-10-08T12:16:10.805-07:00

My attempts to inject some audio prozac into the collective zeitgeist seem to have failed, so this week I'm jumping on the anxiety bandwagon. For those still interested in promoting their businesses, we'll have some more of THE TM SYSTEM (no beds this time, promise!), insurance advice from the nice folks at Geico, and a blast from radio's past with Volume 1, Issue 1 of Programmer's Digest, the

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-33535497882491247102008-10-01T13:17:00.000-07:002008-10-01T13:24:34.185-07:00

Let's face it, this has been a scary and unsettling couple of weeks as we watch the economy gyrate and politicians squabble. Losing your optimism? Wondering what the future will hold? You're not alone.Just remember that radio is FREE, and tune in tonight as I try to cheer us all up with two hours of happy, carefee music, featuring The J's with Jamie, Howard Jones, The Beatles, ABBA, and another

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-65232960819893370842008-09-24T12:24:00.000-07:002008-09-24T12:30:35.914-07:00

Join me tonight at 7PM Eastern as I welcome autumn with a collection of seasonal songs. Last year I had to punt this one a bit (literally) by playing an album about how to kick a football. This year there'll be nothing but singles, including tracks from The Smashing Pumpkins, XTC, Yo La Tengo, Frank Sinatra, Eva Cassidy and the John Deere Company.You can listen live on 91.5 FM in Boston or on the

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-12929842884249026002008-09-16T20:54:00.000-07:002008-09-16T21:07:30.847-07:00

Sad, somewhat unexpected news for a Pink Floyd fan like myself: Keyboardist Richard Wright, one of the founding members of the band, passed away yesterday at the age of 65 following a brief battle with cancer.This is the sort of thing that hits me like a bolt out of the blue. Yes, we're caught amid the campaign rhetoric of a presidential election and the ongoing woes of Wall Street, but this cuts

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-89814715968611505592008-09-16T13:05:00.000-07:002008-09-16T13:29:27.446-07:00

This is my favorite time of year. As a native New Englander, I always look forward to the end of summer's hot, humid misery and the glorious colors that coat the trees. Autumn is an introspective season, and the music that sums it up best resonates with a thoughtful, nostalgic quality that borders on sadness.If you're looking for autumn music to add to your playlists, there's some obvious choices

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-88772272225734061012008-09-10T12:03:00.000-07:002008-09-10T12:10:09.716-07:00

This could be the last Wednesday that Hear It Wow airs on WMFO for two reasons:1. It's scheduling shenanignans time at the station, when all the show names are written on index cards, tossed in the air, and reassembled in random order.2. CERN just turned on that Large Hadron Collider, so black holes could eat us before the new WMFO schedule is assembled.If we're going out, let's do it with a bang

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-17552338017374035072008-09-03T14:39:00.000-07:002008-09-03T14:43:10.849-07:00

Hear It Wow begins its third year of presenting music that most people in their right minds would never play on the radio. Tonight's show will be a retrospective of past finds, with the single criteria that everything I play is something from my personal collection.If you don't listen to any other radio this year, tune in at 8:35 Eastern to hear TOMORROW RADIO. You'll be glad that you did.The

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-18073001999809780082008-08-27T13:09:00.000-07:002008-08-27T13:20:29.293-07:00

When Hear It Wow first broadcast on Labor Day weekend in 2006, there were two stereo demos included in the show. One of them, The ABCs of High Fidelity, remains one of my very favorite record finds. You can get that from WFMU right now.As the show moves into its third year, I'm celebrating tonight with two hours of stereo demos. For the collectors out there, these albums fall into one of four

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-59771792543370796322008-08-20T12:03:00.000-07:002008-08-20T12:12:16.055-07:00

If you're in the Lowell, Massachusetts, area, pay a visit to RRRecords on Central Street and don't let the simple exterior fool you. This place is packed floor to ceiling with a very well-organized selection of vinyl at good prices, some of which will find its way onto the WMFO airwaves tonight.I've got a new Js with Jamie track that I'm playing early, so tune in at 7PM to 91.5 FM in Boston or

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-65399500464834968832008-08-13T11:57:00.000-07:002008-08-13T12:07:36.805-07:00

If you're not listening to Kris Earle's "Time Travel" on WMFO, every Wednesday from 5 to 7, just before my show, coincidentally, then you're missing some fun radio. Kris never fails to put together an interesting mix of tracks, and fans of Back to the Future will dig the breaks.Kris caught the thrift-store record bug from Yrs Truly, and he pops by my show every now and again to trot out his

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-83535880008854351692008-08-12T16:48:00.000-07:002008-08-12T17:01:07.205-07:00

You Won't Know (the lowest price) 3:41What's got a great groove and a catchy if repetitive chorus? Mel's Motown Disco Bumpers, that's what. I don't know what Mel's selling, but if I can dance to it, I don't care. That's Mel in the hard hat and the disco linens striking the appropriate Travolta pose.Everything else about this one is a mystery. Who is Mel? Why is he "building up a big, big name by

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-68104287425977366532008-08-06T12:01:00.000-07:002008-08-06T12:11:29.164-07:00

Time to inject some culture and civility into your summer. First, head off to WFMU's blog to grab a copy of the eminently entertaining The Joy of Wine. Then you can visit Life123.com to get some in-depth articles on your favorite varietals.Keep the wine handy for tonight's broadcast, which looks to be heavy on the spoken word, with a disco clothing commercial, some short cuts for DJs and my

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-23253538764104928192008-08-03T13:41:00.001-07:002008-08-03T14:02:20.902-07:00

Here, at last, is a newer incarnation of the Hear It Wow blog. Lighter, better organized, and with a fun new feature. There's still work to do, but it's rebuilt enough to move forward.The template is a modification of Plantilla Blogy by Blog and Web. It works well with the new Blogger format, and I've made a few modifications to tie it back to the radio/vinyl theme. Who knew that THE LT SOUND

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-55267446687288934982008-07-30T11:44:00.001-07:002008-08-03T12:30:49.165-07:00

I was looking at the album cover of Programmer's Digest on my way to the office this morning. Issue date: July 30, 1973. So it's 35 years old today. Happy Birthday, fun little album.Hear Side 2 tonight at 7PM Eastern on 91.5 FM in Boston or online at wmfo.org. Disco nursery rhymes too. Seriously.

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-9848571115655690952008-07-28T10:20:00.001-07:002008-08-03T12:32:39.316-07:00

Is that a Minima Dark template? Why haven't any albums been posted in months? Why hasn't anything been posted?There are answers to these questions, and at last I'm at liberty to share them. Since January, I've been involved in the creation of a new Web site for IAC. It's called Life123.com, and we finally launched it today. Officially, I'm in charge of the Technology section, among other things,

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-78632378440655079032008-06-24T18:55:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:32:52.674-07:00

As regular listeners know, I'm a standup comic as well as a radio host. I grew up on a steady diet of Monthy Python in my tender years, since Sesame Street wasn't the only thing on PBS back in the '70s.When I was 10, the 12-year-old son of one of my dad's friends suggested killing some time by listening to a record. He had that sly, don't-let-the-grownups-know look in his eyes, so of course I was

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-73630830137344272702008-05-07T12:00:00.001-07:002008-08-03T12:33:44.846-07:00

Here's three things to enjoy today:1. For the MUZAK Appreciation Society and fans of all things instrumental, the second installment of Customusic has been posted at WFMU's Beware of the Blog. Wednesday's my new posting day on their fine Web resource, and I'll be posting weekly. Just like I used to do here, only without those pesky bandwidth issues.2. Turn the radio on early. I'll be cohosting

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-68405756522219829482008-04-29T16:31:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:34:03.902-07:00

Now that the mighty WMFO CD burner is alive and well in Studio A again, I can take the show back to its origins: ripping albums I've never heard before in the hope that gold lies within.I've got a sizable stack of record store, thrift store and show finds for just this purpose. What will you hear? I don't know. I haven't even heard them, but IT'S A WONDERFUL NEW BESTLINE WORLD holds hope for fans

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-20388484090739159842008-04-27T09:17:00.000-07:002008-04-27T09:48:27.000-07:00

International Trucks (1:12)April 26 marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Edward R. Murrow, a broadcasting pioneer who wrote the book first for radio reporting during World War II, then later for long-form television reporting. Murrow's decision to face off against the the forces of Senator Eugene McCarthy's Communist witch hunt is well-documented in George Clooney's GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-5258537668384806832008-04-24T07:27:00.001-07:002008-04-24T07:50:44.262-07:00

LT Sound Demo, Side 1LT Sound Demo, Side 2Paul Davis, best known for his 1977 hit, "I Go Crazy," passed away from a heart attack on Tuesday at the age of 60. Davis was a staple of FM radio when I was growing up, and I remember "Cool Night" and "65 Love Affair" playing on warm summer nights as I rode around in the car with my parents.Paul Davis also has a connection to this blog, as this

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-28605019284977721352008-04-22T12:11:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:34:46.712-07:00

Back when I was in college (there was another guy named Bush in the White House, to clarify date and time), a combination of music, dubbed VHS movies and a large dorm suite in a renovated hotel made my room a popular place for nonacademic gatherings. As there was always booze flowing about the room, this was great fun until about 2 in the morning, when every host must confront one of the great

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-34644344545096336492008-04-15T14:32:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:35:00.935-07:00

With all the talk of food riots and the morality of dumping corn in our gas tanks while developing countries starve, I'm reminded of a heckler I squared off against in a comedy club not so long ago. She was rather drunk and clearly a greenie."Don't you want to save the planet?" she hollered from her seat about halfway back in the room, which she'd been alternately kneeling and sitting on,

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-28087057920800023342008-04-09T09:34:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:35:17.174-07:00

One of Boston's standup comics has a great line: "I don't listen to the radio anymore because I like to hear more than eight songs." How we got from freeform to overly formatted radio is a factor of focus groups, ratings, and the capitalist reality that everthing has to be not just about making money, but making more money with each passing year.The death of commercial freeform is well-documented

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-86515787323192360002008-03-24T11:57:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:35:52.156-07:00

No new releases, no podcasts, infrequent updates. Could this be just another abandoned blog on the Web? No, my friends, I assure you it's not. I've just been overwhelmed since the start of the year with a new job and a planned April 1 move. Once the move's out of the way, I can focus on rehabbing this blog and getting things back on track.Until then, there's more radio shows to enjoy and my

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-72477306337560664092008-03-12T08:00:00.000-07:002008-08-03T13:14:06.803-07:00

Tonight at 7PM EDST (that's right, we set the clocks ahead already), Lowell's own Speakermute joins me to talk about their music and influences and maybe, if you're good, play some acoustic tunes live on the air. Listen live on 91.5 FM in Boston. If you're in Lowell, home of the uber-powerful WUML, or anyplace outside our broadcast range, you can tune in online by visiting wmfo.org. These guys

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-54701088447929520382008-02-29T07:21:00.000-08:002008-08-03T12:36:51.339-07:00

Please note the new and temporary addition to the blog, in the form of a WFMU donation box. For those who don't know, WFMU, unlike my WMFO, is an entirely self-run radio station. Since they lack the backing of a colllege, they need to raise money to stay on the air. They do it once a year and that's it. Commercial-free programming for the rest of the time.I could say a thing or two about Boston's

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-55917905237799395942008-02-27T12:54:00.000-08:002008-02-27T13:05:08.312-08:00

Join me tonight at 7PM Eastern Time for an audio tour of black history in America, including full albums. It's been a while since I've done that.NEGROES IN AMERICA was produced in 1969 and features interviews with black high school students talking about how they view the future and the way they're treated. Given the times, there's some talk of revolution sprinkled in. IN THE BEGINNING is a radio

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-25715969661025218772008-02-20T09:37:00.000-08:002008-02-20T10:15:58.762-08:00

Let this be your first lesson in trusting the Internets, especially strange men who promise you things. There is a podcast. It's on my hard drive. It's unlistenable. The songs sound like they've been played through a fan, the volume jumps and drops without explanation despite my efforts to keep the VU meters in the 12 o'clock position. There was some problem with WMFOs signal output last week

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-88615806207576691442008-02-11T08:06:00.000-08:002008-08-03T12:01:19.550-07:00

1. Why Did I Choose You?2. Old Cape Cod3. Satin Doll4. Alone at Last5. Sweet and Lovely6. Desiree7. Edelweiss8. Being Green9. Is That All There Is?10. The Way I Want to Touch You11. Ballerina12. Song Sung BlueAttention, MUZAK Appreciation Society members: We have a blue album special in Aisle 1. MORE THAN MUSIC - MUZAK was sealed when I got it and ripped on the first play, so any dust or pops are

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-90764458285736509132007-12-26T07:03:00.000-08:002008-08-03T12:38:19.867-07:00

Friends and listeners,I'd planned to wow you with a 3,000-word post on vinyl ripping this week, but a cursory inspection of my computer last night failed to turn it up, and I'm afraid it may have been deleted. Too much "holiday cheer" has erased the file name from my mind. I'll see if it doesn't show itself over the weekend.I've made a change in the programming schedule, and I'll be doing a

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-74999197736646393062007-12-05T06:46:00.001-08:002008-08-03T12:03:24.977-07:00

Sleigh Ride (2:11)Jingle Bells (3:09)Jingle Bell Rock (3:17)Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (3:04)Joy to the World (2:59)The Little Drummer Boy (4:00)Winter Wonderland (3:30)Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (3:30)Silver Bells (3:38)I’d like to be the last word on the subject of DISCO NOEL and CHRISTMAS DISCO, as I’ve seen some knowledgeable folks get confused about the difference between these two

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-74378932880280744752007-10-03T16:13:00.000-07:002007-10-03T16:14:09.049-07:00

Army Day Program (25:35)With Ken Burns taking us on a happy journey down memory lane with THE WAR on PBS, I thought this would be a good time to release this transcription created for WHDH AM 850 in Boston. This program originally aired on Army Day, April 6, 1948.It’s an outstanding piece of local radio production from a time when television was just beginning its short battle to dominate America

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-6410986453587366532007-07-16T10:44:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:41:22.484-07:00

If you've been following the battle over the new royalty fee structure that SoundExchange would like to impose, then you know that everything's up in the air right now. SoundExchange has promised not to pursue legal action against the coalition of Web broadcasters who are fighting the new rates (including NPR), some small nonprofit stations have ceased operations, and those who aren't part of the

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-44377277092316787722007-07-12T09:42:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:09:08.578-07:00

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (2:08)How Little We Know (2:48)C’Mon Smile (2:03)I Am Woman (1:49)It Never Rains in California (1:56)Dynamite Dan (2:07)He’s My Guy (2:43)Last Tango in Paris (2:31)Living Together, Growing Together (2:22)I Believe in Music (1:49)The Last Happy Song (2:14)Let’s Have a Party (2:16)Bonus: This Old Amorello (3:50)Another round for the MUZAK Appreciation Society,

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-59681610719842572322007-06-28T08:22:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:09:38.764-07:00

Nadia’s Theme (2:33)Evergreen (3:04)Isn’t She Lovely? (2:13)When Love Is New (2:48)Beautiful Noise (2:41)Brazil (2:40)Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word (2:44)Slow Dancing (3:01)You Stepped Out of a Dream (2:17)Moody Blue (2:02)Baby, You Look Good to Me (2:21)Cherokee (Disco Style) (3:05)Loathed. Reviled. Parodied with a ruthlessness that is today reserved for the likes of Hanson and “The

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-20451939908455984512007-06-21T09:05:00.000-07:002007-06-21T09:28:04.900-07:00

Summer's here, and the time is right for having more fun than we should be allowed. Here's a few ways to get it started:1. Help me identify this mp3: Lonesome TownThis is a mono rip from an acetate I bought. "Rick and Guitar Lonesome Town" is written in wax pencil in the center. I think it's Ricky Nelson, which would make this a very cool and very rare recording. Note that the speed is a bit off-

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-68970655217758721182007-06-20T08:34:00.000-07:002007-06-20T08:35:34.426-07:00

The Epic Ride of John H. Glenn (2:43)Here’s one of America’s most talented character actors singing—well, talking—about one of America’s greatest heroes. Walter Brennan, who was riding high on The Real McCoys when this was recorded in 1962, tries to sum up a nation’s pride in an astronaut as The Johnny Mann Singers wail and play piano in the background.In this age of Space Shuttles, satellite TV

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-50913916042248016732007-05-24T08:41:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:11:22.888-07:00

Star Wars Theme Disco Version (3:20)This being the 30th anniversary of the most important film yet released in my lifetime, I’d be remiss if I didn’t celebrate with a little disco.This is not the Meco Star Wars Theme, although that is a very obvious influence. This cut comes from The Wonderball Disco Orchestra, and it’s a cover of Meco’s cover. You won’t find the booming brass section that makes

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-64186345032620029032007-05-23T09:34:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:11:43.473-07:00

Almost Like Being in Love (3:01)Don’t Sleep in the Subway (2:50)Living Together Growing Together (3:36)Begin the Beguine (3:57)Misty (3:51)I’ve Got to Be Me (3:44)I Don’t Know How to Love Him (4:17)Smile (4:12)Granada (3:40)Live for Life (3:40)Wedding Song (4:04)Gentle on My Mind (2:43)I Can See Clearly Now (4:20)I Believe in Music (2:23)Theme Music from Love Story – Summer of ’42 (4:33)Medley

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-58981354087370482592007-05-17T09:46:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:42:13.252-07:00

It's a double-shot of Hear It Wow starting tonight at 6PM Eastern. First, the MUZAK Appreciation Society will convene to enjoy Stimulus Progression, New Dimensions, and music to help your plants grow.If you love MUZAK, tune in. If you hate MUZAK, tune in. You might find it's much more interesting than you remember.At 8PM tonight, the studio fills with local standup comics as we remember Lew's

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-54457470832185057212007-05-16T08:48:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:11:58.664-07:00

On a Wonderful Day Like Today (2:35)Raindrops (3:07)Put Your Hand in the Hand (2:47)Scarlet Ribbons (4:07)Alfie (4:39)For All We Know (3:56)Heart of the Country (2:06)Medley from Fiddler on the Roof (6:44)Medley from Superstar (4:57)Italian Madrigal “Fa Una Canzone” (1:14)Until It’s Time for You to Go (4:28)One Fine Day (3:48)Try to Remember (3:18)Danny Boy (5:08)Medley from West Side Story (5:34

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-2312773785764215732007-05-09T08:47:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:12:18.564-07:00

For Once in My Life (2:44)We’ve Only Just Begun (3:22)Candida (2:17)Danny Boy (4:49)Wave (2:39)Wedding Bell Blues (2:22)Kismet Medley (7:40)If We Only Have Love (4:01)On a Clear Day (1:53)Bridge Over Troubled Water (4:02)Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (2:31)Born Free (2:51)Close to You (3:08)Battle Hymn of the Republic (4:44)It’s always sad when a group attains a level of success, then

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-73978262432528662612007-05-02T08:58:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:12:39.761-07:00

Our Day Will Come (1:54)Turn Around Look at Me (3:43)Spinning Wheel (2:53)It’s Not Unusual (2:18)Scarborough Fair (3:55)Traces of Love (2:58)Aquarius (3:23)Summer Turns to Autumn (5:16)A Time for Us (3:26)Both Sides Now (3:56)Climb Every Mountain (2:37)America (2:47)Thanks to the hard work and generosity of Otis Fodder and Pastor McPurvis, fans of high school bands and orchestras have a lot to

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-77025630007485542982007-04-25T11:45:00.000-07:002007-04-25T11:50:25.180-07:00

A Hard Day’s Night (2:53)Penny Lane (2:42)Yesterday (4:31)Six Pence and You (2:38)She Loves You (2:08)All You Need Is Love (2:18)I Want to Hold Your Hand (2:33)Blues for the Guru (4:22)Eleanor Rigby (2:20)Tropic of Chelsea (2:28)While we await the announcement that Apple Corps. and Apple Computer have decided to make The Beatles songbook “officially” available for your downloading pleasure, let’s

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-6046506740888012652007-04-19T11:15:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:42:52.250-07:00

Tonight's show is for all of you Dondero and high school band music fans out there. There's a lot of great albums from high school bands and orchestras, but in almost every case, these groups are limited by the talent available at the school.Meet The Greater Bostonians. From the late '60s into the 1970s, the Bostonians were an annual tradition. The best student musicians and choraleers were

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-78839777823949860512007-04-18T07:57:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:13:28.246-07:00

Yes, Sir That’s My Baby (3:48)Ballin’ the Jack (4:18)Golden Slippers (4:30)I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover (4:10)Three Little Words (5:08)Boop Boop A Hustle (3:29)Bill Bailey (3:16)Happy Days Are Here Again (4:03)The recent spate of disco releases concludes (for the moment) this week with a full album share. DECO DISCO, released in 1976 by D&M Sound and produced by David Miller and Marty

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-86442029301104851702007-03-28T09:54:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:14:31.750-07:00

Generals (Disco Version)GeneralsTake a look at the label to the left. You now know as much as I do about this single. You also know why I had to have it when I saw it at a record show.Here's the General Tire theme in disco and non-disco versions. Why? We'd need to travel back in time to the 1970s to find the answer. Maybe you got a copy free when you bought a new set of radials. Maybe it was sent

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-92038219114291364572007-03-21T07:32:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:14:53.110-07:00

Hokey Pokey DiscoIn honor of my first contribution to this year's 365 Days Project, I'd like to present an update to the original 365 Days go-round. "Hokey Pokey Disco" was one of my favorite tracks from the first go-round, so when I came across another song with the same title, I had to own it.It wasn't until the night before my radio show that I realized what I had.This track comes from DISCO

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-11212987375634179052007-03-19T08:00:00.000-07:002007-03-19T08:07:47.624-07:00

There's extra fun this week as we celebrate the arrival of Spring. First, since this time of year is all about love, why not get yourself a copy of LOVE SCENES ADAPTED FROM D.H. LAWRENCE'S LADY CHATTERLY'S LOVER? Regular listeners will recall this as the centerpiece of this year's Valentine's show. You'll find it at the 365 Days Project for your downloading enjoyment.There'll also be a regular

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-24354972402235260272007-03-15T10:00:00.000-07:002007-04-16T10:46:02.898-07:00

Down in the Valley/Medley(The More We Get Together, Dear Evalina, Keep on the Sunny Side of Life, How Many Biscuits Can We Eat, For He’s a Jolly Green Giant)How the Green Giant Found His Song (and almost lost his HO! HO! HO!)/Good Things from the Garden (as heard on TV)Here’s a bit of pure fun from America’s favorite frozen vegetable company, Green Giant. A collection of happy songs with

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-47117531601986864182007-03-12T09:23:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:44:56.784-07:00

Some reading for you on this first Monday of Daylight Savings Time. One of my fellow boggers chronicled the closing of Mojo Records on Mass. Ave. in Cambridge. You'll find it halfway down the page, and it's a good read. It's also a scenario that's played out far too often in Cambridge and Boston over the last few years, as Harvard, MIT, and Boston University carve up the available real estate for

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-70660722310283908762007-03-05T08:05:00.000-08:002008-08-03T12:45:35.704-07:00

I'm not one to come off with a lot of causes that I think you should support. I think we get enough of that in our daily lives, without someone like me, who's running an entertainment blog, breaking into the fun and asking you to send some money somewhere. So I'll understand if you skip this post, and I won't think any less of you for doing so.But if you'll indulge me for a moment, I'd like you

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-48419320348653243542007-02-28T07:50:00.000-08:002007-04-16T10:47:39.040-07:00

There are two things you should know about THE ELVIS COSTELLO HOUR:It was a part of one of the largest promotional campaigns for a record ever launched in the United States (a campaign that, incidentally, failed)Despite the presence of CD players in nearly every radio station in America by 1989, Warner Brothers sent out the transcription on album and cassette, most likely because CD production

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-57037522826956771272007-01-24T09:28:00.000-08:002007-04-16T10:50:09.883-07:00

A trio of chansons this week from A CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH, produced in 1960 by Golden Records. Words and music by Paul Parnes, musical direction by Jimmy Carroll, and featuring the voices of Iris Rabinou, Jean Michel, Noel Regny, Michael Stewart, and Gloria Regny.The cover boldly proclaims that the album, “will teach your children and entertain everyone in the family.” While it’s

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-5961363266016396872007-01-02T08:15:00.000-08:002008-08-03T12:49:19.571-07:00

Here's some outstanding news to start the New Year. Otis Fodder has launched a second installment of The 365 Days Project, and this time, it's personal. Actually, this time it's got more space, which means more tasty downloads for you to enjoy.Each day for the rest of the year, you can look forward to new and unusual audio to add to your collection. The original, as regular listeners know, was

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-60389886954265200392006-12-22T12:31:00.000-08:002008-08-03T12:49:38.408-07:00

Thanks to holiday understaffing at WMFO, I'll be broadcasting on Christmas Day from 8AM until 1PM, Eastern Standard Time in the United States. The show is streamed live online both through the iTunes Music Store under Radio/Public/WMFO, and a live stream can also be found at wmfo.org by clicking the "Listen Now" link in the upper-left-hand corner.Some favorites from The 365 Days Project are on

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-1125986618382495632006-11-21T15:00:00.000-08:002008-08-03T12:51:03.207-07:00

On Thanksgiving night, as holiday revelers take their place in line at the local Wal-Mart to stock up on holiday bargains, I'll be broadcasting the second annual Christmas Shopping Eve show from 8-10PM on WMFO. If you're not in the Medford, Massachusetts area, you can can catch the show via the streaming audio on WMFO's site, or go to iTunes/Radio/Public and look for WMFO. Fans of industrial

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-65251129061144252032006-11-10T13:28:00.000-08:002008-08-03T12:51:25.186-07:00

A new installment of Hear It Wow will be presented on WMFO during the week of November 19. I'm still waiting to get an exact time. Fans of the unusual can look forward to conversations about architecture, former presidents, and disco Christmas carols. I'm hoping to present a four-hour block of this madness.On a more definite note, lovers of Industrial Musical and advertising songs can tune in to

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30714247.post-416228368458933812006-10-19T14:34:00.000-07:002008-08-03T12:51:52.292-07:00

While I get things up and running, why not take a look at the Spinitron Playlist for the first show?If you'd like an MP3 file of anything featured on that show, send me an e-mail.

HearItWownoreply@blogger.com0