Recently Deanna Dahlsad (avid collector of many things, but especially kitschy) interviewed me for the websites Collectors Quest and Inherited Values.
I’ve known Tom Casetta, host of a weekly radio program Listen Up! (on Internet radio station G-Town Radio), for over a decade now. He’s my music guru. If I have a question about records, bands, music history, or just want to discover something cool to listen to, I contact Casetta. I figured it was time to share the resource.
Hey, Tom, pretend I don’t know you… How long have you been collecting records?
I started acquiring records at a young age, but I probably started to seriously seek out music during high school. It was more a means to discover these records, bands, and singers I was reading about. I grew up in a time where vinyl LPs were the main format and I didn’t pay much attention to the fact I was suddenly gaining a decent size library.
Did you consider yourself a record collector originally?
Not at all and I still don’t. I obviously collect records, but I don’t look at them as these sacred museum pieces. < read rest of interview at Collectors Quest.
Can you tell me the story of your radio show? Was it inspired by your collection — or just a way to rationalize it?
I am currently doing a weekly radio program on the Internet radio station G-Town Radio called Listen Up!. Each week, I guide you through a labyrinth of music shining a beacon on the unsung, should-be-sung, and will-be-sung recordings that clutter the maze’s dusty corridors. The station is based in a Philadelphia neighborhood called Germantown and it offers diverse programming originating from this community in Philadelphia that can be shared through the wide range of the Internet.
The Listen Up! show in some ways does rationalize my record collection as it serves as the library for much of the source material of the show. I love sharing these recordings with the public and exposing them to music perhaps they may not have heard of before. I want to share that excitement, infusing my personality into the show. It’s pretty much you, the listener, hanging out in my music library for two hours.
As a DJ, how liberating is today’s digital world?
I don’t see it that much different. I still approach my shows the same way as before. < read rest of interview at Inherited Values.
This week, Listen Up! takes you on a mind-expanding journey filled with the dreamy grooves and gentle, nuanced rhythms of the acid tinged folk sounds from the golden era of the late 60’s and early 70’s and beyond. Leave the busy hum in this world of tomorrow behind.
Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook . Both serve as an addendum and a means to interact with the program.
Playlist (Artist -Title- Album – Year of song)
Opening Theme
Man or Astroman – Maximum Radiation Level – Experiment Zero – 1996
Heaven & Earth – Feel the Spirit – A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Vol. 1 – 1973
Dr. Strangely Strange – Strangely Strange, But Oddly Normal – Kip of The Serenes – 1970
Mark Fry – The Witch – Dreaming With Alice – 1972
Carol Batton – Bee –Ing
Mellow Candle- Silver Song – Swaddling Songs – 1972
Nick Drake – Time Has Told Me – Five Leaves Left – 1969
Roy Harper – Forever – Sophisticated Beggar – 1966
Pearls Before Swine – Translucent Carriages – Balaklava – 1968
The Byrds – Here Without You – Mr. Tambourine Man – 1965
Jonathan Wilson – Ballad Of The Pines – Gentle Spirit – 2008
Samara Labelski – Fired To – Spectacular Of Passages – 2005
Linda Perhacs – Hey, Who Really Cares – Parallelograms – 1970
The Holy Modal Rounders – One Will Do For Now – The Moray Eels Eat The Holy Modal Rounders -1968
David Marchese/SPIN: Go into any garage or basement where a high school band is thrashing away. Go into a stadium where rock gods are hurling lightning bolts. Go anywhere people are making music, and — without being too weird about it — look at their shoes. There’s a good chance you’ll see Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars. As much as jeans and guitars, Chucks are part of the rock’n’roll look, but nothing achieves ubiquity by accident, let alone simple, cheap, and let’s be honest, blister-inducing, non-arch-supporting rubber-and-canvas sneakers. Rarely has a consumer product had as unlikely a life as the now 80-year-old shoe, which pulled off a nifty and unintentional cultural crossover, moving from basketball courts to CBGB — a shift that took Converse decades to understand and then, finally, exploit. Here, athletes, artists, and industry insiders consider the history of the shoe heard around the world…< More
Listen Up! pays tribute to the late Joe South who passed away last week. He didn’t get much credit outside of the snobbiest rock snob circles, but the man wrote some classic tunes that became huge hits for other artists, like “Hush,” “Rose Garden,” “Down in the Boondocks,” and “Games People Play.” Hey even laid down some tasty guitar work on Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan albums.
The songs of Joe South are passionate and righteous, empathetic and generous and those are under appreciated qualities these days. All the more reason to pay tribute to the songs and session work of Joe South (from South’s own fantastic recordings as well as a few covers of his songs).
Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook . Both serve as an addendum and a means to interact with the program.
Playlist (Artist -Title- Album – Year of song)
Opening Theme
Man or Astroman – Maximum Radiation Level – Experiment Zero – 1996
Background Music
King Curtis – Games People Play – Wounded Bird – 1969
Veijo Airaksinen – Rose Garden – Mr.Frosty – ?
Joe South – Hush – Games People Play – 1969
Joe South – The Purple People Eater Meets The Witch Doctor – The Rockin’ South – 1958
The A-Bones – I’m Snowed – Daddy Wants a Cold Beer and Other Million Sellers – 2004
The Tams – Untie Me – Time For The Tams – 196?
Joe South – Games People Play – Games People Play – 1969
Bryan Ferry – Walk A Mile In My Shoes – Another Place, Another Time – 1974
Joe South – What Makes Lovers Hurt One Another – Don’t It Make You Want to Go Home? – 1970
Kelly Hogan – The Greatest Love – The Joe South Tribute Record – 2005
Joe South – Mirror Of Your Mind – Anthology A Mirror Of His Mind – 1968
Ben Vaughn – Dark Glasses – Mono USA – 1994
Arthur Alexander – Concrete Jungle – The Monument Years – 196?
The Believers – Soul Raga Simmerin’ – Voyages into Psychedelia – 1968
Tommy Roe – Sheila – At The Hop – 1962
Bob Dylan – Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again – Blonde on Blonde – 1966
Aretha Franklin – Chain of Fools – Lady Soul – 1968
Joe South – Million Miles Away – Don’t It Make You Want To Go Home? – 1969
Joe South – Children – Anthology A Mirror of His Mind – 1970
Joe South – Fool Me – Joe South – 1971
Ron Silva & The New Believers – I Knew You When – The Joe South Tribute Record – 2005
Joe South – Rose Garden – Introspect – 1969
Chuck Prophet – Don’t It Make You Want To Go Home? – The Joe South Tribute Record – 2005
Paul Revere & The Raiders – Birds of a Feather – Indian Reservation – 1971
Joe South & The Believers – Hearts Desire – 1968
Joe South – Party People – Games People Play – 1969
The Barracudas – Down In The Boondocks – Bucket Full of Brains 45 – 2006
Gene Vincent – Gone Gone Gone – The Crazy Beat of Gene Vincent – 1963
Joe South – Don’t Throw Your Love to The Wind – Introspect – 1969
Joe South – All My Hard Times – Introspect – 1969
Joe South – These Are Not My People – Games People Play – 1969
Click on the Mixcloud button to hear the archived stream.
This Monday’s show (Sept. 3rd): Try To Change the World With a Plastic Platter. It is Labor Day and Listen Up! could celebrate those factory workers, the miners and the people who build our roads and our bridges. But nope, instead we are going to celebrate the labors of the music star.
The excesses of grueling tours, and the dealing with record labels and industry scum will all be sung. So share the life a rock star this Monday afternoon.
Groupies, French champagne and other perks not included.
Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook . Both serve as an addendum and a means to interact with the program.
Playlist (Artist -Title- Album – Year of song)
Opening Theme
Man or Astroman – Maximum Radiation Level – Experiment Zero – 1996
Background Music
Various versions of the song “Wheels”
Talk with Chet Atkins “Wheels” in background
The Byrds – So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star – Younger Than Yesterday – 1967
Art Brut – Formed A Band – Bang Bang Rock and Roll – 2005
Sleater-Kinney – Entertain -The Woods – 2005
Wreckless Eric – A Popsong – Big Smash – 1980
The Clash – Garageland – The Clash – 1977
Talk with Chet Atkins “Wheels” in background
Nick Lowe – I Love My Label – A Bunch of Stiff Records – 1977
Graham Parker – Mercury Poisoning – Squeezing Out Sparks – 1979
The Sex Pistols – EMI – Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols – 1977
Jeffrey Lewis – Don’t Let the Record Label Take You Out to Lunch – It’s the Ones Who’ve Cracked That the Light Shines Through – 2003
Talk with James Last “Wheels” in background
Yo La Tengo – We’re An American Band – I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One – 1997
Ben Vaughn – Rhythm Guitar – Ben Vaughn Blows Your Mind – 1988
Redd Kross – Play My Song – Neurotica – 1987
The Frampton Brothers – The Beginning Of The End Of The Fun Years – File Under F For Failure – 1999
Talk with The Shaggs “Wheels” in background
The Smiths – Paint a Vulgar Picture – Strangeways, Here We Come – 1987
Badfinger – Hey, Mr. Manager – Head First – 1974
Warren Zevon – Even A Dog Can Shake Hands – Sentimental Hygiene – 1987
Aimee Mann – Nothing Is Good Enough – Bachelor #2 -2000
French,Frith,Kaiser,Thompson – Now That I Am Dead – Invisible Means – 1990
Talk with Billy Vaughn “Wheels” in background
Mose Allison – The Getting Paid Waltz – My Backyard – 1990
Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper – Where the Hell’s My Money? – 1986
Frank Zappa – Rudy Wants to Buy Yez a Drink – Chunga’s Revenge – 1970
Talk with The Jumping Jewels ‘Wheels” in background
The Rolling Stones – The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man – Out of Our Heads – 1965
Belle and Sebastian – Seymour Stein – The Boy with the Arab Strap – 1998
Gang Of Four – Producer – Attack Of The Killer B’s – 1983
Dead Kennedys – Pull My Strings – Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death – 1987
Todd Rundgren – An Elpee’s Worth of Toons – Todd – 1974
The Kinks – The Moneygoround – Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One – 1970
Talk with The String-a-longs “Wheels” in background
Mott The Hoople – Saturday Gigs – Shades Of Ian Hunter & Mott The Hoople – 1974
The Frogs – I Only Play 4 Money – Starjob -1997
Talk with NoMan “Wheels” in background
Click on the Mixcloud button to hear the archived stream.
This week Listen Up! explores the world of “serious” music. Listen to the music that descends from the classical tradition and its relationship with popular and traditional music. Hear the works of classical composers alongside boundary crossing sounds from those in the popular music world. We will also be joined by emerging composer Thomas LaVoy . Thomas LaVoy is a pianist, singer-songwriter and composer of contemporary classical music.
Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook . Both serve as an addendum and a means to interact with the program.
Playlist (Artist -Title- Album – Year of song)
Opening Theme
Man or Astroman – Maximum Radiation Level – Experiment Zero – 1996
Bell Orchestre – Salvatore Amato – Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light – 2005
Philadelphia jazz saxophonist and flautist Byard Lancaster died Aug. 23 from pancreatic cancer. He was 70. Lancaster was a spiritual, questing instrumentalist who’d played with some of the most inventive avant-garde musicians ever, such as Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner, Sunny Murray, and Khan Jamal. In the decades that followed his early fame, he became a local institution, playing saxophone and flute on the streets, in subway concourses, and at clubs around the city. Porter Records has reissued a lot of his gripping music; it’s never too late to explore.
RKO (Radio Knockouts) seeks to profile hosts and producers of real radio . Think of these features as a guide to finding those who present diverse programming that can’t be found on mainstream media outlets. These are real people who love sharing the music and/or content they are providing.
Today, we feature Valis Hertel. Valis hosts the show Trip Inside This House, which can be heard every Tuesday from 5am to 7am CST operating from 88.1 KDHX, independent media for St. Louis and beyond.
Tell me a little bit about the history of you and your radio show Trip Inside This House?
The complete truth behind the genesis of the show is this: my wife and I moved back to St. Louis in 2005, after a 14-year odyssey, or “Odessey” if you like, away. A great friend of mine would come over for adult beverages and I’d play new music for him, mixed in with older stuff.
Photo by Sara Finke
After a few years of this he and my wife began urging me to give KDHX, the local community radio station a try. This went on for some time, the constant badgering. My trepidation wasn’t with speaking on-air, nor with any lack of a musical focus for a show; it was the technology which drove the production. I thought it would be too much for me to sit there amidst all that gadgetry and try and breathe, too. Finally, my friend offered to go through the orientation with me and go through this process so I could at least rely on him if it got to be too much “techno-fear”, to quote the immortal Neil.
CLICK HERE to LISTEN to the last two broadcasts of Trip Inside This House
On the day of the orientation I called him and said, “I’ll do it but I need to go alone.” He agreed. So, orientation went well, I chose the “DJ Track” with its path to producing a show and set up my meetings with the production manager. He assured me, once I started, I’d perhaps use only four buttons -tops, ever. He was right! I made a demo disc of my show for the station’s Show Selection committee, along with play lists for four complete shows and a presentation package, too. I got called about two and a half months later and was offered the Tuesday, 5am to 7am, time slot. I leaped. That was nearly four years ago and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
Click here to visit the Trip Inside This House Blog.
Let me also add… I’d been sending out the “-valis Pick of the Week” for close to six years prior to my own show to various other psychedelic-oriented radio show DJs who I knew and interacted with. Then the blog, of the same name, continued and expanded the opportunity to create content exploring the genre.
What is the philosophy of the show?
Present the psychedelic genre as THE most creative and meaningful music ever recorded; from the original 1960s purveyors right up to the minute.
How do you view your role as host/producer?
Guide/Sherpa. To present as wide a scope of the genre as is possible each week given a two-hour format.
How does you show fit into KDHX’s programming?
I hope the show adds to the diversity of voice and perspective, not only for the local community but far far afield via the web site’s access to streaming audio.
When you aren’t doing your show, where can you be found?
Most of the time I’m down in my subterranean, that’s “basement”, lab’/office space, on the computer or scanning and reading new and old magazines and books on psychedelic music. I usually listen to around 40 hours of music a week and my shows reflect those listening habits, whether some new tidbit of trivia has excited me and I want to get that out there for listeners, or some great new band’s album has come across my Sennheisers.
In the evenings I spend that time with my wife, watching the sunset, talking, or listening to the St. Louis Cardinals. That’s the greatest team in National League history to you. 11-time World Champions. 18-time N.L. pennant winners…
I am asking all my on air guest these same eight questions relating to records , so will ask you them as well. Ready?
What is a record you have loved since you were a kid?
Depends on what age “kid” stops, but a few of my first loves, record-wise are Diana Ross & The Supremes . I had an Aunt who played it for me all the time; the Rolling Stones Satanic Majesties, another Aunt had it when my Uncle left for Vietnam service, and as a single Sam The Sham’s “Woolly Bully” was a first love.
What is a record you haven’t heard from since high school?
Quite a lot of albums from this period come to mind as “I’ve not heard the entire thing since ____”, e.g., the self-titled Ted Nugent album; Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours; most any AC/DC album and Van Halen’s first. On the opposite side, there are quite a few I still listen to.
What is a record that always wants to have a good time?
The debut B-52s album, with “Planet Claire”, etc.
What is a record that is way to smart for you?
I guess any Radiohead. I just don’t get all the hullabaloo over the band or their records. Never have.
What is a record whose coolness you have tried to imitate?
Hmmm, perhaps Primal Scream’s Screamadelica.
What is a record your other friend’s can’t stand?
Those people are not my friends. That said, my wife can’t stand now – nor back when I’d actually play it, Planet P. I don’t play it anymore.
What is a record that helps you relax?
Passages, by Shankar & Glass
What is a record you are trying to the get the courage to listen to?
Unsure any such record exists.
Turn the tables, if you’d like, and ask me a question.
What album best sums up your 20’s?
Wow…I am going to say Big Soul by The Original Sins. The band hailed from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and I was living in that area for most of my 20’s, so maybe it is the shared water supply. The album is a mix of loud and snotty combining and conflicting with moody and introspective songs that are emotionally intense in sound and substance. Yeah, that sums up ones 20’s
Look for a new blog only feature coming soon. I will be profiling other hosts and producers of radio programs you can hear via this internet contraption.
With the rise of a mobile web, you no longer need to be plugged in to hear great shows around the world. You no longer are reliant on your local media that gives you an illusion of choice. It is the dawn of a new age in radio and it isn’t driven by a computer algorithm with no personality deliberately trying to ensnare your soul by deciphering you into some kind of marketing demographic.
I hope to turn you on to some great hosts, great shows and great music and ideas.
This Monday’s Show (August 20th): Lie down in a field of brightly colored flowers below a bright yellow sun and an endless neon sky…or if you don’t live around any places like that just close your eyes and let your mind interact with the music and make something beautiful and maybe even a little strange.
Follow the Listen Up! Blog and/or “like” the show on Facebook . Both serve as an addendum and a means to interact with the program.
Playlist (Artist -Title- Album – Year of song)
Opening Theme
Man or Astroman – Maximum Radiation Level – Experiment Zero – 1996
Background Music
The Sounds of Nature – Birds Chirping
Opal – My Only Friend – Early Recordings – 1989
The Brian Jonestown Massacre – All Around You (Into) – Their Satanic Majesties Other Request – 1996
The Doors – Indian Summer – Morrison Hotel – 1966
Tim Buckley – Phantasmagoria in Two –Goodbye and Hello – 1967
Faine Jade – People Games Play – Introspection: A Faine Jade Recital -1968
ANNOT RHÜL – Ghost Children (The Haunted Mansion Part II) – Lost In The Wood – 2007
Depends on what age “kid” stops, but a few of my first loves, record-wise are Diana Ross & The Supremes . I had an Aunt who played it for me all the time; the Rolling Stones Satanic Majesties, another Aunt had it when my Uncle left for Vietnam service, and as a single Sam The Sham’s “Woolly Bully” was a first love.
LISTEN UP! with TOM CASETTA 