Tag Archives: The Less Desirables Network

Spinning Monday or: The Haul 10/10/20

12 Monday Oct 2020

Posted by in Records, Spinning Sunday, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

The BCPF and I started our Saturday a little different this week. We went to breakfast at Bib’s Downtown and had some delicious biscuits and gravy and a great BLT. Then, we went to Underdog Records and, came home to listen! Also, just throwing this out there… if you get a chance to go to Mojito Latin Soul Food, you will not be sorry! Here’s the haul:

©Anthem/Polydor

Pink Floyd – Autumn Equinox (The Unreleased Pink Floyd London Collection) — Looking over the track listing, I’m not familiar with any of the song titles. But, I have really enjoyed these old Floyd imports. New. 2xLP, Compilation, Unofficial Release.

Pink Floyd – Broadcast in Rome, Italy May 6th, 1968 — Limited Edition, Unofficial Release, Yellow Vinyl. Just four tunes with a Roger Waters interview. New.

Pink Floyd – Old Prospectives — Limited Edition, Unofficial Release, Transparant light blue. More unreleased tunes from Floyd. New.

Pink Floyd – Secret Times — Compilation, Unofficial Release. Same. New.

Buckingham Nicks – Buckingham Nicks — The official release of this album was on Polydor but this is on Anthem. There is an Anthem records that is also distributed by Polydor. It started so Rush could have their own label. Queensrÿche’s Q2K was on that label, as well. I can’t find evidence that supports or denies that this is the same Anthem label. New.

My Bloody Valentine – Loveless — The second album from the Irish band, My Bloody Valentine. This is an import of that. I don’t know anything about the band, but I believe The BCPF does. New.

Radiohead – Other Colors — Live BBC recordings. Unofficial. Black vinyl, and plain white inner sleeve.

The Smiths – The Pablo Cuckoo Tape — Unofficial Release, Red Vinyl. New.

The Smiths – The Old Guard BBC Sessions — 2xLP, Compilation, Reissue, Unofficial Release. This was originally a Vol 1/Vol 2 kind of thing. They combined them, and I mean really combined. LP 1 is pink. LP 2 is transparent orange.

That’s all of the imports. Here’s what else we got.

Andrew Bird – Noble Beast — Bird’s 2009 release. We saw him open for Belle and Sebastian a few years back. The BCPF snuck this one in on me. New.

Man Or Astro-Man? – Experiment Zero — I personally know very little about Man or Astro-Man? The BCPF, however, is very familiar and this was an exciting find for her. It’s from 1996, so definitely a college memory thing. New.

We went kind of crazy on the imports. I have to slow down on those. Jonathan and I are talking about a new venture but I can only tease you with that at this point. Underdog Records is open Thursday-Saturday from 11a to 7p. Jonathan does make store-to-porch deliveries Monday-Wednesday. Of course, Underdog Records is the Official Music Sponsor of The Less Desirables. Also, I use Discogs to track my collection.

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!

—
“I am the son and the heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar. I am the son and heir of nothing in particular. You shut your mouth, how can you say I go about things the wrong way? I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does.” – “How Soon is Now?” (Marr/Morrissey)

Now Normal Chronicles or: Hell or Well, Hell

09 Friday Oct 2020

Posted by in KISS, Video

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Salutations™!!

Today is the 8th anniversary of KISS’ last (so far) album, Monster. We talked about this this on Asylum: Tales from the Devereaux Diaries podcast last night. It’s not a bad album. There’s a lot of energy and a lot of ambition. I didn’t like it much at first, but over the last two weeks I have listened to it a lot (along with Sonic Boom) and have a new appreciation for it. This KISS tribute band does a decent job with it. The Catman looks like Peter back there. The Starchild has a hard time with the vocals but no worse than Paul does. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I rode the highway to heartache. I took a trip on the ship of fools, woah yeah! And I paid the price to have my way because money makes the rules, yeah!” – “Hell or Hallelujah” (Stanley)

My Holiday or: A Happy Podfather

30 Wednesday Sep 2020

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

Today I get to celebrate a holiday that many celebrate now but when I started there were a lot fewer. Today is International Podcast Day.

I have mentioned before that I have been podcasting longer than probably 98% people in the area and probably that much or more continuously. I started podcasting in 2007 when I was co-owner of a local comic book store. We only did about 5 or 6 that was even worth mentioning and it most of that was rehashing recorded conference calls with Marvel Comics execs. But, it was a start and wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to do a radio show. I wanted to talk about pop culture. I still want to do radio. And, in a way, I do.

I started The Less Desirables with my pal Brian Attridge on February 3, 2010. You know that story. Eugene came along, Brian left, Caitlin came, Eugene left, Bruce came, Bruce left, Danielle came, Caitlin left, Bethany came. I’ve talked that ad nauseum by now. I wanted to do more than The Less Desirables, though. I wanted a whole network of podcasts, whether I was involved or not, perhaps just as an associate producer. Also, I wanted to get my “studio” out of my house and into a real business location.

So, in late 2012, Eugene and I moved all my stuff from my bedroom loft to a spot in the Chatham Building off of Fourth Street in WSNC. Soon after, in early 2013, I started producing both the Camel City News Hour hosted by Chad Nance and Fan Interference hosted by Ty Collins. CCNH lasted a few years and Fan Interference is still going today. Later in 2013, Nikki Miller-Ka, The BCPF and I started Tart & Tangy Triad, a food news podcast. That went until early 2016.

In February 2015, five years after starting The Less Desirables, Jon Lowder, Paul Jones, and I started The Beer Dads Podcast, after we were sitting at Small Batch Beer trying to decide what we were going to do a podcast about and I came in complaining about 3B, my son. We recorded it and Jon and Paul have become partners of mine. We have crossed the 200 episode mark.

In July of 2016, I recorded my first episode of The Man Who Ate the Town Podcast because I wanted another food podcast and had to rebut nasty comments about a critique of a local restaurant that I was actually a fan of. That is still going and I have had four co-hosts. Kelly Bone was my first, followed by Tim Johnson, then Ray Morgan. Ray is still with me and we have added Lea Metz to our lineup. I love them both being there. We will record episode 170 next week.

In late 2016, I started Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking Podcast with Jordan Keiper and we had a lot of drinking to do, for sure. We recorded into 2017 had to pause due to an illness in Jordan’s family. We are still on that hiatus, although Jordan and I have discussed, along with Danielle from TLD restarting it back up, but C-19 and other issues have kept us from doing that.

In 2018, along with “Jeff Evans” and Rory, we started Apartment 5B: Irrational Conversations with the Cool Breezes of Anytown, USA. We did that up to the pandemic, which JE’s wife was getting ready to have a baby, so we put everything on hold and we haven’t started back up.

In July 2019, Clay Howard and I started Beeswax Vinyl & More, a podcast that explored music in a different way. Clay’s schedule didn’t allow for him to do that long. I’m exploring other options for that. I haven’t given up on it. Stay tuned.

In February of 2020, Eugene B Sims started his long-awaited podcast, Wheeler’s Dog. He does two a week, one for the general public and one for his Patreon subs. I am an “associate producer” for that show. It’s all Eug, really. But, it is on my network.

And, finally, in July of this year, my “Kousins” Gary and Marvin and I started Asylum: The Tales from the Devereaux Diaries Podcast. We talk music but almost exclusively about our favorite band, KISS.

Also, I have produced a lot of podcasts for companies and clients. Forsyth Magazines, Blue Door Group, Phoenix Rising, Ring the Bell Realty, Center for Private Business, Dr. Shawn Ricks, and more are on the way in the next few months.

So, podcasting is now in my blood. I have done it so long and for so many that I’ve been christened, “The Podfather” and I love that title. I run with it and will continue to do so. So, to all my podcasting co-horts, whether they’re mine or not, to those in the community that do podcasts that I’m not part of but may have been inspired by (so I’ve been told) and to the people who listen to them, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST DAY!!!!!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I think podcasting is here to stay.” – Adam Scott

A Glimpse of What Once Was or: What’s One More Than a Trifecta?

10 Monday Aug 2020

Posted by in Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!TLDNetwork

I’m giving you a break from videos today. I don’t know if it’s a break or not, though. I mean, I’d just as soon watch videos than to read a bunch of words. Then again, I hate reading, so… Anywhat! Today I got to do something that was almost reminiscent of the way things were back in late February/early March. I produced four podcasts. All of them were for The Less Desirables Network, but not all of them were recorded today. That’s okay, though. It was some semblance of “normalcy.”

So, what did I produce? I recorded and produced a new episode of The Man Who Ate the Town and The Beer Dads. I “produced” which means published in this case the latest non-Patreon episode of Wheeler’s Dog and put together/produced one for Fan Interference in which Ty basically said goodbye to that old name for the Washington Football Team. I felt good about it. I got work done. That helps the mind, for sure.

Listen to the episode of:

TMWATT here.
The Beer Dads here.
Wheeler’s Dog here.
Fan Interference here.

Thank you in advance for listening. We will have new episodes of The Less Desirables and Asylum: The Tales of the Devereaux Diaries Podcast later this week.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“I consume a lot of podcasts. I’m a voracious podcast consumer.” – Paul F. Tompkins

When It Comes Crashing Down or: A Reopening

01 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting

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Salutations™!!

Today, I “officially” reopened The Less Desirables Studios in The Lab at Industry Hill for podcast recordings. Now, that being said I won’t be doing everything in that studio right away. Really, I’m only opening it so I can accommodate the clients that need a place for in-person podcasting. Some of my podcasts, ones that I host, will be done, some from my home, and some from the studio.

I haven’t talked much about this part, but I got my EIDL from the government and I have spent a good bit of it on new equipment, new computers, new processes and soon, a new table from which we do podcasting. I’m also going to reorganize the studio space, creating a new editing room and separate recording space.

The recording space will be in the same room that the podcasts are recorded, now. The editing room will be in a different spot in my suite, which I used to call “my office.” I never have used it as an office as I tended to do everything from the studio. The closest it has come to being an office is that the printer and internet router (thank you X1 Communications) are in there. But, it will be rearranged and used more effectively.

For the third office in the suite, I have to figure out what to use it for. My initial plan was for video. I don’t know about that now. We talked about turning it into a “set” for a revival of Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking but as of now, that whole idea is on permanent hold. The big room, I hope to figure something to do with that, too, but I am less interested in filling that room as it ties the whole thing together.

Now, speaking of Sipping NC and the “big room,” I went in yesterday to let in the cleaners that I had come in to help me prepare and when I walked in the door, I noticed a mess. It seems the top shelf of my liquor wall that held the bottles and cans Jordan Keiper and I had collected from the libation makers on the SNC show, collapsed and the bottles (save one wine bottle) had toppled to the floor. In doing so, I lost two bottles, a Bedlam Vodka bottle and a Covington Sweet Potato Vodka bottle had both shattered and the alcohol had soaked into the carpet. There were several other bottles that had fallen but none of them broke. Oddly enough, two of the bottles had lost their corked caps. That isn’t the odd part. The odd part is, I never found them. Nowhere. Gone. Disappeared.

I looked around and in the “office” I noticed a bag of ketchup and mustard packets had been gnawed to shreds by a rat or mouse or something. We have had a problem with those in the last little bit (but we have an exterminator that has planted bait traps). My only thought is that perhaps the rodent liked the smell of the alcohol and took them off somewhere to “have a party.” I don’t know, but it’s funny to think of it.

So, that was my adventure yesterday. I have clients scheduled for next week. Yay me! We’ll see where this new adventure takes me. Thanks for indulging me in my story.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I don’t think anybody can create in a space where they don’t feel comfortable.” – Amy Sherald

Now Normal Chronicles or: The Non-Video Edition

05 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

Yesterday was an epic day for podcasting for me. I recorded The Man Who Ate the Town (listen here), The Less Desirables (releasing tomorrow), Beeswax Vinyl & More (listen here) and The Beer Dads (listen here). Then, I “produced” Wheeler’s Dog today. Thursday I will do Fan Interference. So, other than Apartment 5B and Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking, all of the TLD Network shows have been or will be released this week.

TLDNetwork

That’s a good week. I figured I’d give you a break from videos today since my biggest complaint has been the lack of anything happening.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Zoom sponsored by Bull’s Tavern!” – TLD Network

Now Normal Chronicles or: Whatever…

15 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by in The Less Desirables Network, Video

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Salutations™!!

It’s getting harder to keep up with dates. I usually know what the day of the week is but the dates are throwing me off. Probably because I’m doing the same thing almost every day. Not all day, just my morning routine is truly a routine. It’s been a long time since I’ve had an actual morning routine. And even at that, it’s not all that routine. I know that sounds kind of silly but it’s true.

Wednesdays throw me off right now. That’s usually, along with Monday, my busy days. But, although we release them on Wednesdays, we are recording TLD on Mondays right now. It’s just easier to go in one day a week right now as opposed to scattering them over days. Now, I still went in because I recorded Fan Interference, via Zoom (sponsored by Bull’s Tavern), of course. If I’m going to make money, I’m going in.

Anywhat! Today is the 54th anniversary of The Rolling Stones’ Aftermath album and the 46th anniversary of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Second Helping album. Because I value the UK versions of Stones and Beatles albums, I’m going with this because I don’t pass on a good Tesla video. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“‘Things are different today,’ I hear ev’ry mother say. Cooking fresh food for a husband’s just a drag. So she buys an instant cake and she burns her frozen steak and goes running for the shelter of a mother’s little helper. And two help her on her way, get her through her busy day.” – “Mother’s Little Helper” (Jagger/Richards)

Now Normal Chronicles or: 2000 in 2020

08 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by in Blogging, Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!TLDNetwork

With all this “Now Normal” stuff going on, I didn’t even realize that I had passed 2000 blog posts last week. I think my official count makes this 2,008 blog posts. Part of it is that I have posted every, single day since November 1, 2014. That, Dear Reader, is 1,985 days. So, before that, my writing was hit or miss and I had a blog on another platform. It didn’t get much love anyway and WordPress is a much easier and much better platform.

It wasn’t until Kristen Daukas got me to do the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month) where you post every day for a month. Well, I can’t stop and I like streaks, so, here we are 1,985 days later and I’m still going. And, I couldn’t and wouldn’t have kept going if I didn’t have readers. Thank you, Dear Reader, for doing just that. I certainly appreciate it.

I released Beeswax Vinyl & More yesterday and The Less Desirables today. Also, Wheeler’s Dog released yesterday. Go to the TLD Network website to listen to those.

Well, that’s all I have for today.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Blogging and the Internet allow us to engage in a lot more real-time conversations as opposed to a one-way dump of information or a message.” – Indra Nooyi

Now Normal Chronicles Podcast Edition or: Zooming

06 Monday Apr 2020

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Salutations™!!

I recorded three podcasts today. The Man Who Ate the Town, which I do every Monday, with Ray, Lea (who does Winston-Salem Strong with me) and Daniel Butner from Carrabba’s Italian Grill. We talked about the “list” and all the cool and good things that Daniel is doing. ZoomLogo_112b8a4

Then, Bethany, Danielle and I pre-recorded The Less Desirables, which will be released on Wednesday. We talked about the crisis and how it is affecting us.

Finally, Clay and I recorded episode #4 of Beeswax Vinyl & More. I’m going to post that (along with Wheeler’s Dog’s latest) tomorrow.

When we were recording TLD, I mentioned that I was going to ask for sponsorships for a year’s subscription to the full-on version of Zoom. The one that doesn’t cut off parties of three or more after 40 minutes. I have more control over rooms and more control over what goes on. It will help my business greatly as I can use it to record podcasts from anywhere. Danielle sent me the money almost immediately and I turned around immediately and purchased the paid version. So, from this point on, at least until April of next year, every TLD Network podcast that is recorded using Zoom will be “sponsored by Bull’s Tavern.” She’s awesome.

So, let’s do a podcast. Got an idea and don’t want to leave your house? No worries. Let’s do it remotely. Send me a message and let’s set this up.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Simplified video conferencing and messaging across any device.” – Zoom

The Now Normal Continued or: Imminent Lockdown

25 Wednesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Food, Life as We Know It, Podcasting

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Salutations™!!

We are now into day whatever of “The Now Normal.” All the work on the WSNC Hospitality List has left me unsure of what day it is and what’s going on. The only saving grace is for what I either record or release as far as podcasts go. It did throw me off to record TLD on a different day of the week (two weeks in a row), but somehow I remembered to post it. I did record Fan Interference today.

20200325_224712

Staring at lists got me like…

The mayor of WSNC, Allen Joines announced today a “Stay-at-Home” alert and that freaked people out. It starts on Friday but people are, of course, going to panic and continue to buy up everything, hoard stuff and put others in further need. People are going to worry about having enough to eat. I can assure you, you will. Even with the “lockdown” in place, you can still go to the store. You can still go to “essential” stores and yes, absolutely, you can still get food from restaurants. You can’t eat in, that’s true. You can have it delivered. You can get it to go. You can even just get curbside that you don’t have to get out of your vehicle for.

Yes, it is a disruption to “everyday life.” It is an adjustment. We will survive it. We will see the other side. It will take a bit. It will be uncomfortable for a bit. But, there is no reason to freak out. That does no one any good. To give you the rundown and updated food service list, visit this link.

Keep calm. Listen to some podcasts. Spend time with your family. And, yes, wash your damn hands!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Y’all made it happen.” – Katie Murawski