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
Have you ever considered socks as an art medium? The anonymous author of a Tumblr blog called Famous album covers recreated with socks has, and apparently has quite a selection of socks to use! There are two pages of album covers now. The Sock Covers can be found here.
This Monday’s Show (August 13th) Motor City Is Burnin’ and we are gonna get raw, rough, and messy as we feature the high energy rock sounds of Metro Detroit from the late 60’s and 70’s spitting out a healthy dose of anger, determination and attitude.
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
THAT MOTOWN SOUND – 29 Detroit Instrumentals by Choker Campbell bands Earl Van Dyke
The MC5 – Ramblin’ Rose – Kick out The Jams -1969
The Amboy Dukes – You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire – Journey To The Center of The Mind -1968
Terry Knight and The Pack – How Much More? – The Pack Anthology: The Singles 1965-1968 – 1967
The Rationals – Guitar Army – Think Rational – 1969
Detroit – Rock ‘n’ Roll – Detroit With Mitch Ryder – 1971
The Up – Together – Killer Up – 1970
Bob Seger and The Last Herd – Heavy Music (part 1) – Lost Jukebox – 1967
Frigid Pink – House of The Rising Sun – Frigid Pink – 1970
A Jack Van Impe Warning
The Stooges – I Wanna Be Your Dog – The Stooges – 1969
Savage Grace – All Along The Watch Tower – Savage Grace -1970
Alice Cooper – Long Way To Go – Love It To Death – 1971
The Third Power – Persecution – Believe -1970
SRC – Black Sheep – SRC -1968
The Pleasure Seekers – What A Way To Die – What A Way To Die – 1966
Don and The Wanderers – On The Road – 1968
Southbound Freeway – Psychedelic Used Car Lot Blues – Michigan Nuggets – 1967
The Amboy Dukes – Journey To The Center of Your Mind – Journey To The Center of The Mind -1968
Frost – Rock and Roll Music – Rock and Roll Music – 1969
Ormandy – Good Day – Michigan Nuggets – 1970
The Underdogs – Love’s Gone Bad – Michigan Nuggets – 1967
The Woolies – Who Do You Love? – Michigan Nuggets – 1966
The Unrelated Segments – Story Of My Life – Nuggets – 1967
Tidal Waves – Farmer John – Michigan Nuggets – 1966
Flaming Ember – Gotta Get Away – Sunshine – 1967
The MC5 – Looking At You – Borderline – 1970
Sonics Rendezvous Band – Electrophonic Tonic – Motor City Is Burnin’ – 1977
Ascension – Get Ready – Detroit Michigan 1972 – 1972
Wayne Kramer – Get Some – 1977
The Stooges – Down On The Street – Funhouse – 1970
Click on the Mixcloud button to hear the archived stream.
Over in the right hand column, you will see a list under the “Sites and Sounds” headline. The list contains a number of radio stations and radio shows. All of the shows listed are programmed and hosted by REAL people. Real Radio is not a jukebox driven by a computer algorithm with no personality.
They are REAL people who care and love the music they are sharing and not a single one of them is deliberately trying to ensnare your soul by deciphering you into some kind of marketing demographic, so that you may be more handily squeezed. Consider that when making your listening choices.
If you know of any shows/stations not listed, share them here. Your input is welcome.
Look for a more detailed editorial on this topic coming soon.
This Monday’s Show (August 6th) is August Au-Go-Go, unleashing an audio avalanche of crazy rock AND roll, garage rock, hopped up and drunk rockabilly, hillbilly horrors, raunchy soul, voodoo R & B, insane instrumentals and more. The wild, the weird and the wonderful mix it up for two hours of afternoon fun.
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 music of Vic Mizzy
The Sonics – Maintaining My Cool – Maintaining My Cool – 1966
Electric Prunes – Never Had It Better – Underground – 1967
The Alarm Clocks – No Reason To Complain – Yeah!: Savage Ohio Garage Raunch – 1966
Faron Young – I’m Gonna Live Some Before I Die – Live Fast, Love Hard: Original Capitol Recordings – 1956
Nervous Norvus – Dig – Transfusion/Dig – 1956
Roscoe Gordon – Let’s Get High – Let’s Get High: The Man About Music From Memphis – 195?
This Monday’s Show (July 30th) found the program dusting off recordings that fall into the category of Prog Rock. Lots of windswept guitar histrionics, gushing keyboards, lyrics full of mystical allusions and song and album titles bearing no relation to the music and almost as long as the music itself! Streaming live From 2pm 4pm EST.
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
Suspiria: The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack performed by Goblin
Gong – You Never Blow Yr Trip Forever – You – 1974
Caravan – Water Wine – In The Land of Grey and Pink – 1971
Genesis – Firth of Fifth – Selling England By The Pound – 1973
Chris Squire – Hold Out Your Hand – Fish Out Of Water – 1975
Khan – Space Shanty – Space Shanty – 1972
Renaissance – Mother Russia – Turn Of The Cards – 1974
King Crimson – Cirkus – Lizard – 1970
Van Der Graaf Generator – Killer – H To He Who Am The Only One – 1970
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.
