Tag Archives: Beeswax Vinyl & More

Late But Not Out or: For the Records

23 Monday Sep 2019

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Salutations™!!

This weekend, as I said was a little bit weird, timing-wise and we didn’t get to do our normal listening. That also threw our posting off a little on Beeswax Vinyl and in the Underdog Records “Now Spinning” page. So, I’ll leave a little posting about them here. Hah’bah’dah?

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©Enigma Records

This is from Saturday, Sunday and one today.

First up is a great record from The Smithereens. It’s their debut album from 1986, titled Especially For You. I say debut, but I really mean their first full-length album. They had some EPs and stuff prior. This had “Blood and Roses” and “Behind the Walls of Sleep” on it.

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©A&M

Then came the debut album from one of my favorite bands, The Police. It’s Outlandos D’Amour. They were extra punk/ska at this time and the album is just full of awesome tunes. “Next to You,” “So Lonely,” “Roxanne,” “Hole in My Life,” “Can’t Stand Losing You,” “Truth Hits Everybody” and “Born in the ’50s” just to name a few. I love this album. It’s not my favorite Police album but it’s tied for second with the other three that aren’t Synchronicity.

 

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©Sire Records

Next, was The Replacements’ Pleased to Meet Me. It wasn’t Tim or Let It Be (not to be confused with the Beatles album of the same name), which were both on the RS list, but it does have the song “Alex Chilton,” named after the singer of The Box Tops and Big Star. Chilton actually plays on this album, too, but not on that song. It’s punk, it’s rock, it’s alternative. It’s great. I enjoyed listening to it, a lot.

 

Those were Saturday’s listens. Sunday, we only got one in and that was Walking Across Egypt, which is basically author and musician Clyde Edgerton doing songs based on two of his books, Walking Across Egypt and Raney. This album is a lot of banjo and not-quite-bluegrass-Americana. Edgerton is a native of North Carolina, being born in Bethesda, close to Durham. He is a professor at UNC-Wilmington and has a street named for him in Kernersville. This is signed by Edgerton. The last bit is kind of an audiobook with a couple of passages read by the author. A good listen.

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©Flying Fish

 

 

Today, I listened to Pink Floyd’s Animals. This was the transition between Wish You Were Here and The Wall. It’s not my favorite, by any means. It’s a little more proggy than I’d like and less about compact songs. I like compact songs. Heck, read any of my RS list reviews. It’s a concept album that is based on socio-political issues in the late 1970s UK. That was a tumultuous time, for sure. There was turmoil within the band at that time, too. It led to Richard Wright leaving or being fired. Either way, he was no longer in the band. He was just a “hired hand” on The Wall, even though I felt he was a very important part of both of those albums. This was a decent listen. I dug it.

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©Columbia

That’s what I got for our playing the last few days. One day, we’ll get back to recording Beeswax Vinyl & More podcast. We’ll talk about more records soon. Hey, speaking of podcasts, we recorded both Fan Interference and The Man Who Ate the Town today. Listen to TMWATT here and FI here.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“If you didn’t care what happened to me and I didn’t care for you, we would zigzag our way through the boredom and pain. Occasionally glancing up through the rain, wondering which of the buggers to blame. And, watching for pigs on the wing.” – “Pigs on the Wing (Part 1)” (Waters)

The TLD 500 or: Breaking at the Speed of…

12 Thursday Sep 2019

Posted by in Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

There are milestones and there are milestones!!! Last night, I recorded the 500th episode of The Less Desirables. Of those 500, I have been on 497 of them. I’ll explain. In 2012, on April 18, a Wednesday, I had my heart surgery. That was the first show I missed. In 2013, I was in Europe for two weeks. Brian and Eugene handled the recording for those. Also, in 2013, I was in Costa Rica and Brian had to be at a school function (he was in the MBA program at Wake Forest) and Eugene had a problem with the studio equipment so he went home. That was the only week in 501 weeks that we missed a show. I don’t blame Eug for that. My setup isn’t the easiest to operate. TLD

Last night, Danielle had a family function to attend so she couldn’t be there. Our friend Tracy Bush was there to fill in. Of course, Bethany was with us, because that’s her spot! Eugene was there to celebrate with us. Our guest for the night was Chad Nance, who hosted a podcast on the network at one time. He was instrumental in the whole John Lawson story, or as the press wants to call it (and how Lawson would want it), “Pazuzu.” We really talked just a little about story and more about the production. It was a fun show. A bit long, sure, but still great.

501 weeks. That’s almost 10 years. That happens in February. I’m planning on a big deal for the 10th-anniversary show. So, keep an eye on that. It was good to have my pals on the show with me. I did talk a little bit about doing all I feel I’ve accomplished doing the podcast.

If it weren’t for TLD, we may not have ever done the Camel City Dispatch (now defunct) or Fan Interference, the first two podcasts that made The Less Desirables Network an actual “network.” There wouldn’t have been a Tart & Tangy Triad which eventually led to The Man Who Ate the Town. There wouldn’t have been The Beer Dads, Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking, Apartment 5B, or Beeswax Vinyl & More. Without doing those podcasts, I wouldn’t have gone on to produce the TVA vaping podcast, the Thrive podcast, Rule One podcast, Open the Blue Door podcast, The Owner’s Manual podcast, Wine About Real Estate podcast, Dr. Shawn Ricks’ podcast, a few new ones that I can’t talk about, yet and more. I would never have gotten the local nickname “the Podfather.”

With all these shows (and other things that either is in the works or never materialized), I estimate that I have produced around 1300-1400 podcast episodes. I really need to go back and do a full count because I’d really like to know. I have every episode of every podcast I’ve ever recorded, published or not, save one episode, or so I think. I may have found it on the server and downloaded it but if I did lose it, it was from 2011, I think. Jerry Chapman was our guest. But, other than that, I have every single one. Perhaps I’ll put that number together someday.

But, 500 episodes. To toot my own horn. That’s really something. And, it’s really impressive, for any show. Especially one that is weekly. Some podcasts do several a week and may have bigger numbers but I don’t know what those are. After all, The Less Desirables is the longest, continuously-running pop culture podcast in North Carolina. Some may have been there before me but didn’t keep it up or they showed up just after me, but I have been at it longer. Toot! Toot!

Here’s to the next 500 and I appreciate every listen you may have ever given us, Dear Reader. Thank you so very much. Thank you, Brian, for starting this with me. Thank you, Eugene, for bringing us into prominence. Thank you, Caitlin, for keeping us all in line and taking those shots at Eug and me. Thank you, Bruce, for teaching us how to be more professional in our “radio selves” and being there for us. Thank you, Danielle, for coming in and teaching us humility and how a badass woman can run a business with authority (and taking over as the “shot-taker” from Caitlin). Thank you, Bethany, for always having my back and being my other badass “work wife.” I love you all for what you have meant to this “little project.”

So, I’ve rambled enough. Until the next 500,
Scorp out!

—
“Better than tuna fish on cinnamon swirl raisin bread…” – TLD Announcer

The Butcher or: Piggyback the Bull

12 Monday Aug 2019

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Salutations™!!

Mondays are usually chock full of podcasts but today, there was just one. That was The Man Who Ate the Town. No Fan Interference, no Beeswax Vinyl, no The Beer Dads.

Fan Interference has been on semi-hiatus for the summer with Hayley Brooke getting in the groove of her Master’s degree program. Really, other than off-season moves by NFL teams in anticipation of the regular season and baseball, nothing big is really happening in the world of sports. If there is, follow the Fan Interference Twitter account for up-to-the-minute updates.

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Wagyu Shoulder Tenders from Butcher & Bull

The Beer Dads and Beeswax Vinyl were thrown off by scheduling conflicts. But, hopefully, TBD will be back next week and BWV in two weeks.

The Man Who Ate the Town, however, has been busy all day. First, I wrote a blog post about The BCPF’s and my awesome “date night” tasting at Butcher & Bull in the Marriott downtown WSNC. You can read about that HERE.

The Kids In Need Foundation (KINF), a national non-profit dedicated to providing free school supplies to students most in need, will partner with Carrabba’s Italian Grill to host a Back-to-School Wine Pairing Dinner at over 200 Carrabba’s Italian Grill locations throughout the U.S on August 14. My pal, Daniel Butner says that there are 14 WSFCS teachers that are up for these school supplies for their classrooms. You can read more about that HERE.

Finally, Ray and I recorded TMWATT podcast. It was our first with Ray still in Mt. Airy. We talked about Butcher & Bull, the new Little Richard’s Bar-N-Que, Skrimp Shack, Abbott’s Frozen Custard, The Habit Burgers, and more. You can listen to that podcast episode HERE.

So, for the other podcasts, listen to past episodes and for TMWATT, I appreciate your support in reading and listening.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“A contemporary take on the traditional steakhouse, Butcher & Bull veers from the formal stereotype to provide Winston-Salem diners with an energetic atmosphere, authentic hospitality and adventurous dishes featuring the freshest ingredients possible.” – Butcher & Bull

The Buzzing Piggyback or: The Week So Far

06 Tuesday Aug 2019

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Salutations™!!Beeswax and More Logo Large

It’s only Tuesday and there are already four podcasts to tell about. There will be two more this week, at least that’s the plan. One for sure and other is probable.

The Man Who Ate the Town has developers of the new Sentinel Commons center talking about the project. Listen to that HERE.

The Beer Dads talk about Tom Cruise. Listen HERE.

Beeswax Vinyl & More features a great conversation about Rumours, the debut Boston album, Bob Seger and The Eagles. Listen HERE.

Apartment 5B talks about a fight that breaks out on a UK cruise ship after a guest shows up dressed as a “clown.” Listen HERE.

I appreciate you giving us a listen!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I don’t want to know the reasons why love keeps right on walking on down the line. I don’t want to stand between you and love. Honey, I just want you to feel fine.” – “I Don’t Want to Know” (Nicks)

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 8/3/19

04 Sunday Aug 2019

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Salutations™!!

I had a Cobras game yesterday but we made sure we made our way to Underdog Records. Jonathan had battled a bug this week and we wanted to check in on him, yes, but we also wanted to add to our collection. Jonathan was bouncy and chipper. We like seeing him like that. He was extra jokey and just being himself. I think he needs a vacation. A real one. But, here’s the haul!

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©Harvest/Capitol

  • Janet Jackson – The Velvet Rope — #259 on the RS list. Janet had just renegotiated her Virgin Records contract (to the tune of $80M) which was the biggest record contract at the time (1997). The album touches on self-image, sexuality, same-sex relationships and depression, just to name a few. It’s a good album. New.
  • Beck! – Odelay — #306 on the RS list. This album was more for The BCPF than me, but I do enjoy it. It’s not my favorite Beck album but it’s still pretty righteous. It’s got a lot of Hip-Hop aspects and that’s probably because the Dust Brothers (John King and Michael Simpson) are the producers. Basically, if it’s an instrument (outside of drums), Beck is playing it, all other aspects were done by the Dust Brothers. New.
  • David Gilmour – David Gilmour — The BCPF asked, “David Gilmour, like Pink Floyd David Gilmour?” and then he started singing and playing. Yes. That David Gilmour. What sounds like lost Floyd tracks come right before their hugely successful The Wall and some of the pieces morphed into ideas on that album. It is a good album and I enjoyed listening to it. I prefer Pink Floyd, but this was good. VG.
  • Steve Miller Band – Fly Like An Eagle — Les Paul’s godson has a fantastic album here. It’s #445 on the RS list. I love the title song, “Take the Money and Run” and “Rock’n Me.” And, as much as I don’t care for blues music, there are moments on this album that are awfully bluesy and I like it just fine. VG+.
  • Various – Red Star Sounds Volume 1 Soul Searching — Amel Larrieux + The Roots, Erykah Badu, Glenn Lewis, Macy Gray, Jill Scott, India.Arie, Nelly Furtado and more. Not usually our cup o’tea but we’ll take it! VG++.
  • Paul Kelly And The Messengers – Gossip — Actually the band is Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls but North America and Europe releases were changed to “…And the Messengers” to escape racist interpretations. The Coloured Girls part was taken from Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” Other than that, I really know nothing about Paul Kelly or his various backing bands. He’s apparently pretty big in his native Australia. VG+.
  • Paul Kelly And The Messengers – Under The Sun — Really, the same as above. This was the next after that one. VG+.
  • Various – Music From Do The Right Thing — This was a great film and just because of that, I bought this. That’s really the only reason. I didn’t even look at the tracklisting. VG.
  • Various – Tequila Sunrise – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack — Clay and I talked about this on Monday during our Beeswax Vinyl & More session. He had gotten it on cassette the week before because of one song and I said that I had passed it up on vinyl at Underdog. He said I should get it. I did. I’ve never seen the film so I don’t know anything else about it. VG+.
  • Joe Jackson – Body And Soul — A mix of pop and jazz and salsa, which isn’t what I think of when I think of Joe Jackson, but I do look forward to listening to it. VG+.
  • The Connells – Darker Days — Their debut album. I didn’t get this from Underdog Records, but from Clay who simply said, “give this to your wife. I know she’d want it.” He then gave a commentary about it and although I haven’t heard it, The BCPF had and she agrees with you, Clay. We’ll leave it at that. VG/VG+.

It was a good haul, I think. Again, we just enjoyed being in there with Jonathan and a few other of our friends. And, there were a lot of people coming in which is a great thing. Listen to each new The Less Desirables episode to hear what the TLD/UR special of the week is. Use Discogs to catalog your collection, keep track of what you do or don’t have, buy and sell on the Marketplace and use the awesome “random grab” feature.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“Bottles and cans and just clap your hands and just clap your hands. Where it’s at. I got two turntables and a microphone!” – “Where It’s At” (Beck/King/Simpson)

Nunya or: Spinning It

30 Tuesday Jul 2019

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Salutations™!!

As if I didn’t already have enough to do, I added yet another podcast to my plate, and this one is mine. Well, mine and Clay Howard’s. It’s on The Less Desirables Podcast Network and is called Beeswax Vinyl & More. Beeswax and More Logo Large

When I started The Less Desirables nine and a half years ago, I wanted it to be about movies, music, sports, technology, television, beer and more. Yeah, that’s right, Pop-Culture. TLD has kind of gotten away from a lot of the pop culture aspect. We still talk about music and beer. But, those conversations are more about the guests that we have and not necessarily about music and beer. Beeswax Vinyl & More gives Clay and me the opportunity to talk about music more in-depth.

I like this or I like that isn’t the topic of conversation, here. This isn’t about taste, although there are some elements in that. This is actual conversations about music.  We have certain subjects that we talk about.

One section is called “Leave Me Out of It.”In this segment, we take a certain album, let’s use the example of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, and we discuss if you have to leave one song off of it, which would it be? Hard, right? To many people, even people outside of Floyd fans, that’s a darned-near perfect album as it is. So, that is the point here. Something to add depth to the conversation. How about you, Dear Reader, which song would you leave out? Immediately, I think “On the Run.” Obvious, right? Well, hold on. “On the Run” ties together “Breathe” and “Time,” so that can’t go. I wasn’t thinking just because it’s an instrumental either. The one that I would go with is “Any Colour You Like.” Yes, another instrumental but where all the other songs have some tie to its predecessor/successor, “ACYL” is kind of stuck in there. I’d say that one.

How about Rumours or the debut Boston album or the debut album from The Cars? These are what most people would look at as “perfect how they are,” which is why we have the discussion.

Another segment is “You Mean You Like What?” That could be a debate about a band that one of us likes but the other doesn’t. Or, it could just be something we agree on but want to expound on it.

In “Random Grab,” Clay and I both use our Discogs collection (or perhaps a suggestion from the audience) and use the randomizing feature to, you guessed it, randomly pick an album. Then we will listen to them and give a review.

Neither Clay nor I like the phrase “guilty pleasure.” I mean, if I enjoy it, it’s not guilty. It’s just a pleasure. So, in “Yeah, I Said It!” we talk about something we like that others may not, or we may have a profound statement about something. That section has room to wiggle. 

We will talk about the local/regional music scene some because we are both a part of that and have a lot of friends that are, as well. We may have some guests that may or may not be part of the local/regional scene. We may have some record people in to talk about the topics with us. We may talk about some of these subjects every once in a while or we may add more topics to switch in or out. You never know.

So, we recorded the first two episodes last night and will do the next recording session in two weeks. If you’re keeping score, you probably know that The Beer Dads records around two episodes a session so that’s every other week and we will alternate them.

As of now, the only place to listen to this podcast is either on our website or the TLD Network site. But, I’ll be adding them to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify and more in the next week or so.

Yesterday, Ray and I also recorded The Man Who Ate the Town podcast and had Will and Latasha Lewis and their son, Cam, in to talk about Cam’s Coffee and a lot of other foodie things.

We also released The Beer Dads’ latest episode, as well.

So, you can hear the brand-spankin’ new Beeswax Vinyl & More podcast HERE.
The latest The Man Who Ate the Town HERE.
And, the latest The Beer Dads HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Yeah, I said it!” – Clay Howard