Listen Up! pays tribute to Kevin Ayers who passed away last week. As a founding member of Soft Machine , Ayers was a key figure in the birth of British pastoral psychedelia that emerged from the Canterbury scene , and then went on to enjoy cult status with a solo career in the late 1960s and early 70s.

The British DJ John Peel , an ardent fan, famously declared that “Kevin Ayers’ talent is so acute that you could perform major eye surgery with it.”

We will hear selections from his much loved recordings and collaborations. Streaming live from 2-4pm EST.

Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook. Both serve as and addendum and means to interact with the program

Playlist (Artist -Title – Year of song) 

Opening Theme

Man or Astroman?  –  Maximum Radiation Level  – Experiment Zero – 1996

Kevin Ayers – Town Feeling – Joy Of A Toy – 1969
Soft Machine – Why Are We Sleeping? – The Soft Machine – 1968
Kevin Ayers – Whatevershebringswesing –  Whatevershebringswesing -1971

Kevin Ayers – Religious Experience (Singing a Song In The Morning) – Joy Of A Toy- 1969
Kevin Ayers – Oh! Wot A Dream – Bananamour -1973
The Wilde Flowers – She’s Gone – The Wilde Flowers -1965
Soft Machine – Feelin’ Reelin’ Squellin’ – The Soft Machine -1967
Kevin Ayers – Clarence of Wonderland – Shooting At The Moon – 1970

Kevin Ayers – Decadence – Bananamour -1973
Kevin Ayers, John Cale, Brian Eno and Nico – Two Goes Into Four – June 1, 1974 -1974
Lady June – Some Day Silly Twenty Three – Lady June’s Linguistic Leprosy – 1974
Lady June – To Whom It May Not Concern –  Lady June’s Linguistic Leprosy – 1974

Kevin Ayers – Stars – Yes We Have No Mañanas (So Get Your Mañanas Today) – 1976
Kevin Ayers – Don’t Let It Get You Down – Bananamour -1973
Kevin Ayers -This Song Isn’t Called Anything – What More Can I Say -197?
Kevin Ayers – Baby Come Home – Unfairground – 2007

Kevin Ayers – Friends & Strangers –  Unfairground -2007
Kevin Ayers – The Up Song – The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories – 1974
Kevin Ayers – Eleanor’s Cake  –  Joy Of A Toy – 1969

Kevin Ayers – May I? – Shooting At The Moon – 1970
Kevin Ayers – Ballad of a Snake – Yes We Have No Mañanas (So Get Your Mañanas Today) – 1976
Kevin Ayers – Blue – Yes We Have No Mañanas (So Get Your Mañanas Today) – 1976

Kevin Ayers – Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes – Whatevershebringswesing -1971
Kevin Ayers – Caribbean Moon –  ‘After The Show’: Live At The Queen Elizabeth Hall – 1973

Kevin Ayers – After The Show – ‘After The Show’: Live At The Queen Elizabeth Hall – 1973

The freeform haze of music exhumation occurs as late 60’s and ’70’s psych, early prog, explosive pop and proto punk sounds from the glory days of vinyl records fill your afternoon. Tune in and prepare to shed your winter clothing.

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Playlist (Artist -Title – Album – Year Of Song Release )

Opening Theme

Man or Astroman? – Maximum Radiation Level – 1996

Background Music

Various Artists – The In-Kraut: Hip Shaking Grooves Made in Germany 1966-1974

Galahad – Rocket Summer – The Electric Asylum Vol. 1 – Rare British Acid Freakrock – 1973
Alice Cooper – Living – Pretties For You -1969
Them – Walking In The Queen’s Garden – Boulders 8 – 1969
Paul Revere & The Raiders – Tighter – Revolution – 1967

Half-Life – Get Down – A-Square (Of Course)  : The Story of Michigan’s Legendary A-Square Records – 1968
Flower Travellin’ Band – Satori Pt. 2 – Satori – 1971
Can – Moonshake – Future Days – 1973

Captain Beyond – Myopic Void – Captain Beyond – 1972
Roxy Music – Out Of The Blue – Country Life – 1974
Montrose – Space Station No. 5 – Montrose -1973

Underground Balloon Corps – (Heart) Made Of Soul – Teenblast USA Vol. 2 – 196?
Confusions – Voice From The Inner Soul – Love, Peace & Poetry — Asian Psychedelic Music – 1970
Listening – Stoned Is – Listening -1968
Genesis – That’s Me – Genesis ‘Rock Roots’ -1969

Yes – Beyond and Before -Yes -1969
Sam Gopal’s Dream – Horse – Escalator -1968
The Rolling Stones – 2000 Man – Their Satanic Majesties Request -1967

Badfinger – Believe Me – No Dice – 1970
Hot Knives – I Hear The Wind Blow – Hey Grandma / I Hear The Wind Blow -1976
Big Star – Feel – #1 Record – 1972
Cargoe – Feel Alright – Thank You Friends- The Ardent Records Story – 1972

Flamin’ Groovies – Headin’ For The Texas Border – Flamingo – 1970
The New York Dolls – (There’s Gonna Be A) Showdown – Too Much Too Soon -1974
The Who – Naked Eye – Odds and Sods – 1974
Spirit – When The Morning Comes  – 12 Dreams of Dr Sardonicus – 1970

Radio Stars – Sorry I’m Tied Up – Stop It -1977
Sparks – Lost and Found – Kimono My House (Reissue) – 1974

Mott The Hoople – Honaloochie Boogie -Mott – 1973

Fueled by literary, cinematic and red wine indulgence, this week’s Listen Up! collects an array of songs that clutter the maze of music’s dusty corridors.   Some are lovely and some are filled with a sense of foreboding and dread. It is an afternoon soundscape filled with soaring vistas of imagination & emotion.

Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook. Both serve as and addendum and means to interact with the program.

Playlist (Artist -Title – Album – Year Of Song Release )

Opening Theme

Man or Astroman? – Maximum Radiation Level – 1996

Background Music

Various Artists – Kaleidoscopia: Obsessive Psychedelic, Funk-Beat: Seventies Italian Sound Library

Mickey Newbury – I Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) – Harlequin Melodies -1968
Lee Hazlelwood & Nancy Sinatra – Sand – Fairy Tales and Fantasies – 1966
Iggy & The Stooges – Gimme Danger -Raw Power – 1973

Tim Rose – Long Time Man – Tim Rose – 1967
Johnny Cash – The Folk Singer – Folsom Prison Blues – 1968
Mark Langan – Carry Home – I’ll Take Care of You -1999
Jeffery Lee Pierce – Go Tell The Mountain – Ramblin’ Jeffrey Lee -1992
Johnny Lee Hooker – Tupelo Blues – Tupelo Blues – 1969

Alice Cooper – Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets -School’s Out -1972
Gene Vincent – Cat Man – Lotta Lovin’ -1957
Hoyt Axton – Double Dare – Explodes! – 1964

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – The Hammer Song – 
Swans – Lunacy -The Seer – 2012
Einsturzende Neubauten – Blume – Tabula Rasa – 1993
Leonard Cohen – Avalanche –  Songs Of Love & Hate – 1971
Tom Waits – Way Down In The Hole – Franks Wild Years – 1987

The Loved Ones – Sad Dark Eyes – The Loved Ones’ Magic Box -1967
David Bowie – Lady Grinning Soul – Alladin Sane – 1973
Blue Oyster Cult – Joan Crawford – Fire Of Unknown Origin -1981

Current 93 – All The Pretty Little Horses – All The Pretty Little Horses -1996
The Boys Next Door – Shivers – Door Door – 1979
Bob Dylan – Death Is Not The End – Down in The Groove -1988

J.B. Lenoir – I Feel So Good – Vietnam Blues – 1964
The Pogues – Rainy Night In Soho – Poguetry in Motion -1986
Fred Neil – A Little Bit of Rain –  Bleeker and McDougal -1965

Link Wray – Fire and Brimstone – Link Wray -1971

Listen Up! is going international with Women of The World. Two hours of girl group and female fronted band sounds from various countries in practically every continent.

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Playlist (Artist -Title – Album – Year Of Song Release (country))

Opening Theme

Man or Astroman? – Maximum Radiation Level – 1996 (USA)

The Beas – International Girl –  Girls In the Garage Vol. 8 – 196? (USA)

Pop Tarts – Girlie Pop  – O.K., Vollgas – 1997 (Germany)

Nina Hynes – This Magic Stuff – Creation – 1999 (Ireland)
Dallas -Teenadelic- Dallas – 1999 (Estonia)
Kleenex – Ain’t You – S/T 7″EP – 1978 (Switzerland)

Ex-Girl – Waiving Scientist at Frog King  – Back To The Mono Kero! -2001 (Japan)
Solex – Athens – Ohio  – Pick Up -2009 (Netherlands)
Twigs – Divulge – Epicure – 2001 (Norway)
Thee Ultra Bimboos – Who Stole My Underwear?  – Who Stole My Underwear? – We Can Stop Whenever We Want -1997 (Finland)

Thee Headcoatees – Wild Man – Girlsville – 1994 (UK)
Unun- I See Red – Super Shiny Dreams – 1995 (Iceland)
Les Calamites – Toutes Les Nuits  – C’est Complet -1994 (France)

The Girls – Rocket For Girls  – Garage Girls Vol. 5 -196? (Greece)
Rita Pavone – Il Geghege –  Non Solo Nostalgia -1967  (Italy)

Sambassadeur – Between The Lines – Sambassadeur -2005 (Sweden)
Naomi & the Boys – Bad Loser –  Steam Kodok – 26 A Go-Go Ultrarities from the Sixties Singapore and South-East Asia Underground – 196? (Singapore)
Pan Ron – Rom Jongvak Twist – Cambodian Rocks – 196? (Cambodia)
The Mgababa Queens – Sidl imali Zethu  – Soweto Never Sleeps: Classic Female Zulu Jive – 197? (South Africa)

The Bodysnatchers – Let’s Do Rock Steady – Dance Craze – 1980 (UK)
Sister Nancy – Bam Bam – One Two – 1982 (Jamaica) 

Las Mosquitas – Templeque – Las Mosquitas –  1965 (Argentina)
Belleatac – Caos – Tetra Pac -1998 (Brazil)
Los Aterciopelados – El Album – Evolucion  (Columbia)
Los Spitfires – Ven Cerca – Girls In The Garage Vol 8.  – 1965  (Mexico)

Les Baton Rouge – Somersault –  Chloe Yurtz -2003 (Portugal)
B’ehl – Tag – Only A Paper Moon -1998 ( Canada)
Lecia & Lucienne – Waiting on The Corner – Pigtrad: Danish Girls Playing Beat 1963-1968 (Denmark)

Dead Famous People – Barlow’s House – Lost Person’s Area – 1986 (New Zealand)
The Cannannes – No Visitors on Wednesday – Caveat Emptor – 199? (Australia)
Helen Love – Love; Kiss; Run; Sing; Shout; Jump! – Radio Hits – 1994 (Wales)
The Gentle Waves – Weathershow – The Green Fields of Forever land -1999  (Scotland)
Lio – Les brunes comptent pas pour – Pop Model -1986 (Belgium)

Jale – Tumble –  So Wound -1996 (Canada)
Sid Bou Said – Faster (plus vite) – Ode To Drink -1995 (UK)

April March – Chick Habit – Paris In April -1998 (USA)

Listen Up! returns with a mix of obscure and rare releases to unexpected gems from well-known acts. Join the sound hounds, bop cats, intergalactic voyagers and cosmic Santa Clauses for some tasty mid-afternoon music treats.

Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook.  Both serve as and addendum and means to interact with the program.

Playlist (Artist -Title – Album – Year Of Song Release)

Opening Theme

Man or Astroman? – Maximum Radiation Level – 1996

Background Music

Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra – Twenty Easy Listening Classics

David Crosby – Music is Love – If Only I Could Remember My Name – 1971
Bob Dylan & The Band – Hazel – Planet Waves – 1974
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Intentions – Golden Hair – The Madcap Laughs Again – 2010
Syd Barrett – Love You – The Madcap Laughs -1970

Dream Syndicate – When You Smile – The Days of Wine and Roses -1982
The Rolling Stones – Child of The Moon – Jumping Jack Flash/Child Of The Moon -1968

Spacemen 3 – I Love You – Recurring – 1990

The Banana Splits – I Enjoy Being A Boy – The Banana Splits – Doin’ The Banana Split -1969

The Original Sins – Sugar Sugar – Just 14/ Sugar Sugar -1986
The Wedding Present – She’s My Best Friend  – Seamonsters -1990
The Velvet Underground – I’ll Be Your Mirror – The Velvet Underground and Nico – 1967
Rainy Day – I’ll Keep It With Mine – 1984

Cult Hero (The Cure) – I Dig You – I’m a Cult Hero/I Dig You -1979
Game Theory – Last Day That We’re Young – Lolita Nation – 1987
The Church – To Be In Your Eyes – The Blurred Crusade – 1982
The Smiths – Cemetery Gates – The Queen Is Dead – 1986

The Fuzztones – Ward 81 – Lysergic Emanations – 1985
T-Rex – Baby Strange – The Slider -1972
Hoodoo Gurus – Like Wow, Wipeout – Mars Needs Guitars – 1985
Beat Happening – Bad Seed – Beat Happening -1985

The Kinks – Animal Farm – The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society -1968
David Bowie – Kooks – Hunky Dory – 1971
New York Dolls – Private World – New York Dolls – 1973
Iggy Pop – Some Weird Sin – Lust For Life -1977
The Cramps – New Kind Of Kick – Bad Music For Bad People – 1981

Alex Chilton – The EMI Song (Smile For Me) – Free Again: 1970 Sessions -1970
Opal – My Only Friend – Early Recordings -1989
The Byrds – Here Without You – Preflyte -1965

The Replacements – I Will Dare – Let It Be -1984

Listen Up! will continue the look back at 2012 releases by focusing on the great reissues that came out last year. Lots of stuff that spans time and geography will surface. Hear selections from Cleaners From Venus, Alex Chilton, Mo Tucker, Monochrome Set, tracks from compilations like It’s Zimmerman’s World…We Just Live in It, Michigan Mixture, some African Electronic Music from 1975 and more.

Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook. Both serve as and addendum and means to interact with the program.

Playlist (Artist -Title – Album – Year)

Opening Theme

Man or Astroman? – Maximum Radiation Level – 1996

Background Music

The organ playing of Earl Van Dyke

The New Piccadillys – Judy Is A Punk – Judy Is A Punk – 2012
Joey Ramone – What Did I Do To Deserve You? – Ya Know -2012
Superchunk – Cruel Summer – This Summer/Cruel Summer – 2012
Ty Segall Band – Tell Me What’s Inside Your Heart -Slaughterhouse -2012
The Hi-Risers – Watch The Monkees – Hang Around With You -2012

Ash Gray and The Girls – Purple and Gold – Born In The Summer – 2012
The Marble Vanity – Assemble – The Marble Vanity -2012
Peter Daltrey & The Asteroid #4 – Pounding on the Door – The Journey – 2012
Mind Spiders – More Than You – Meltdown – 2012

The Bevis Frond – Johnny Kwango -The Leaving of London – 2012
Spiritualized – Hey Jane – Sweet Heart Sweet Light – 2012

King Tuff – Stupid Superstar – King Tuff – 2012
Obits – Let Me Dream if I Want To – Let Me Dream If I Want To – 2012
Woollen Kits – Out of Whack -Woollen Kits – 2012

Tame Impala – Feels Like We Only Go Backwards – Lonerism -2012
The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Stairway To The Best Party Of The Universe -Aufheben -2012
The Liminanas – Salvation -Crystal Anis – 2012
Shipwreck Party – Counting Sheep – Keep Hidden – 2012
Goat – Run To Your Mama – World Music – 2012

Gap Dream – 58th Street Fingers – Gap Dream -2012
Howler – Back of Your Neck – America Give Up – 2012
Shonen Knife – Pop Tune – Pop Tune -2012
Redd Kross – Stay Away From Downtown – Researching The Blues – 2012

The Mallard – You’ve Got The Critics – Yes On Blood -2012
Moon Duo – Sparks – Circles -2012
Allah-Las – Catamaran – Allah -Lahs – 2012

Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built – Celebration Rock – 2012
Useless Eaters – Daft Love – C’est Bon! -2012

The Explorers Club – Run Run Run – Grand Hotel -2012

Shows can also be downloaded for a limited time here.

It is New Year’s Eve.  No countdowns or best of lists on this show. It is time to embrace the truly odd and celebrate the outsider with That’s Irritainment! Hear a host of Song Poems, Thrift store record finds, trash picked instructional LP’s, exotic sounds, incredibly strange music, and other cool, strange and often unusual audio selections.

 Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook. Both serve as and addendum and means to interact with the program. 

Playlist (Artist -Title)

Opening Theme

Man or Astroman? – Maximum Radiation Level

Background Music

Sound 8 : Background Music For Your Personal Movies

Del Close & John Brent – Introduction –
Norman Burns & His Singers – Human Breakdown of Absuridity
Gene Marshall – Shake Your Good Stuff
Rodd Keith – Little Rug Bug
Gene Marshall – All You Need Is A Fertile Mind

Justice League of America – Metamorpho The Element Man
Langley Schools Music Project – Space Oddity
Space Lady – I Had Too Much To Dream
The Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band – Roundabout
Nirvana Star – The Letter

Eddie Osbourne – Kitten On The Keys
Hot Butter – Skokian
Dave Harris – Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals
John Rydgren – A Beautiful Girl/ Music To Watch Girls By
Dean Elliot – Lonesome Road

The New Creation – Where Are You Going?
The Shaggs – My Pal Foot Foot
The Legendary Stardust Cowboy – Standing In A Trash Can (Thinking About You)
James “Rebel” O’ Leary – South Bound 81

Van Morrison – Freaky If You Got This Far
Van Morrison – Want A Danish
Van Morrison – The Big Royalty Check

Sonny Bono – Pammies on a Bummer

Buck Ritchie – The Slave
Duggie Ward – Welcome To My World
Kit Ream – Introuniveral Jam/Don’t Be So Holy Poly Over My Souly

Heino – Caramba, Caracho, ein Whiskey
Red Shadow (The Economics Rock & Roll Band) – Understanding Marx
Jean Jacques Perrey – Gossipo Perpetuo
Katie Lee – Will To Fail

Norman Paris Quintet & Orchestra with the David Carter Singers – Happy Plastics Family
American Standards – My Bathroom Is A Private Kind Of Place
Wink Martindale – To Remember Me By (The Bed of Life)

Rudy Burkhalter – Cheesday In Monroe
The Utica Club Natural Carbonation Band – Utica Club
George Fishoff Comples – Ping Pong

George Harrison – Ding Dong, Ding Dong

Shows can also be downloaded for a limited time here.

It is Christmas Eve. Your afternoon excuse  for a holiday hoopla filled with weird and wonderful seasonal tunes is right here. While spirited and at times invigorating, these are not traditional holiday singalong. Come on ye krispy kringles, ’tis the season, so step away from the button down world, deck the halls and have a cool yule of a time.

Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook. Both serve as and addendum and means to interact with the program.

Playlist (Artist -Title) 

Opening Theme

Man or Astroman?  –  Maximum Radiation Level

The Three Wise Men – Mr. Mojo’s Christmas
The Sonics – Santa Claus
The Sportsmen – Reindeer Rock
Jackie & The Cedrics – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Bob Seger & the Last Heard – Sock It To Me Santa

The Bellrays – All I Want to Do is Shag For Christmas
Bill Cosby – Merry Christmas Mama
Kay Martin – I Want A Casting Couch For Christmas
The Fleshtones – Super Rock Santa

Antonio Fargas (Huggy Bear) – It’s Christmas
T-Rex – Christmas Bop

The Cadillacs – Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer
Little Bobby Ray – Rockin “J” Bells
Marv Meredith & His Orchestra – Swingin’ Sleighbells

Gene Autry – (Hard Rock, Coco & Joe) The 3 Little Dwarfs
Ral Donner – Things That Make Up Christmas Day
Charlie Stewart – Santa Claus Won’t Come This Year
Jim Hubler – All I Want for Christmas is A CB

Jospeh Spence – Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town
Lord Weatherby – Santa Claus is Freaking Me Out
Fat Daddy – Fat Daddy
Oscar McLollie & His Honey Jumpers – Dig That Crazy Santa Claus
Hasil Adkins – Blue Christmas

The Chesterfield Kings – Hey Santa Claus
Jerry & The Landslides – Get Off My Roof
The Grip Weeds – Welcome Christmas
Rockfield Chorale – Jingle Jangle
Chris Stamey & The Db’s – Christmas Time
Donny Burns – Cool Yule

Andre Williams – Poor Mr. Santa
Nathaniel Mayer & The Shanks – Mr. Santa Claus
The Boys Next Door – The Wildest Christmas
Brad Gordon – God Rest Spaghetti Western

Jack Scott – There’s Trouble Brewin’
The Kaisers – Tipsy

NRBQ – Christmas Wish

Shows can also be downloaded for a limited time here.