Category Archives: Music

Roger C. Reale & Rue Morgue

When I first looked into reissuing Roger C. Reale’s 1978 Radioactive LP way back in 2004 I had no idea that there was an unreleased followup sitting on the shelf. Now I’m getting the opportunity to release both on Rave On records. Both albums fits in precisely with what was getting folks excited about rock and roll in 1979. If you love records from that era – think The Jam, Elvis Costello, Wreckless Eric, The Clash, Joe Jackson, Pretenders, etc., these albums album takes their place comfortably alongside those classics.

THE COLLECTION (CD/Digital) compiles 1978’s Radioactive LP with the previously unreleased 1979 follow-up, Reptiles In Motion. 24 tracks total.

Reptiles In Motion will also be available as a standalone vinyl release (the way it should have happened in ’79).

Pre-order info and release date soon.

https://www.facebook.com/roger.c.reale/

RPB RADIO 002 March 9, 2018

https://www.mixcloud.com/RPBCreative/radio-rpb-002-march-9-2018/

SETLIST
Little Eva – Makin’ With The Magilla (Dimension)
Gunbunnies – My Favorite Waste Of Time (Max Recordings)
Lane Steinberg – You’re Not Connected To the Internet (Bandcamp <https://goo.gl/u99fm1>)
Charlie Chesterman – Ona Stacka Bibles (Slow River Records)
The Beatles – Eight Days A Week (Capitol)
Cilla Black – I’ve Been Wrong Before (Capitol)
The Good Life Ltd – You’re All I Need To Get By (Jester)
Dr. Feelgood – Hi-Rise (United Artists Records)
Geechie Smith And His Orchestra – And I Wants To Thank Ya (Capitol Americana)

No Good To Cry

As I work toward bringing together the reissue of Roger C. Reale’s Radioactive and its unreleased followup LP, I’m reminded of this CD I compiled way back in 2001. There are similarities – both Connecticut acts recorded at Trod Nossel studios, both had catalogs mired in hard feelings and missed opportunities. As a third party, my job in both cases was to acknowledge the issues that kept the music locked away, but to find a way to transcend those issues and get the music out there.

No Good To Cry: The Best of The Wildweeds
No Good To Cry: The Best of The Wildweeds

I first heard The Wildweed’s hit No Good To Cry via The Reducers. We were recording what would become their Shinola LP at Trod Nossel. Not aware of all the studio history, the band mentioned that one of the song’s they were recording took its rhythmic inspiration from The Wildweeds track, recorded in the very same room. I investigated and soon after started collecting all of The Wildweeds original 45s I could find. Later on I realized the 45s would compile into a great LP, unaware that there was a treasure trove of unreleased material that would eventually fill out the compilation CD.

In 2001 I pitched the idea of a Wildweeds compilation to Michael Shelley, who was starting up a record label with Dean Brownrout, of Big Deal Records fame. In the case of The Wildweeds, the timing was right to license the music for release, but thirty year old grudges kept us from getting access to images, interviews and cooperation of the band members. Persistence, patience and a genuine desire to present the music in its best possible light paid off. Michael and I set up a sit-down reunion with the band and they shared plenty of laughs and many, many stories. Along with their terrific music, the package we put together presented their story, pictures and memories with the honesty and integrity The Wildweeds deserved.

Unfortunately the Confidential Wildweeds CD is now out of print. I’ve made overtures to put out another issue of The Wildweeds tracks but as with all things, patience, persistence and maybe a little luck will win out.

http://www.wildweeds.net

Bonus:

Purple Bench

Doing a little messing around, making something from something. Tim Heap came over with his guitar to sit on the Purple Bench and sing a few songs, and now it’s a Youtube playlist.

So now the fun begins. The beginning of a new series?

Tim Heap on the Purple Bench, April 2016
Tim Heap on the Purple Bench, April 2016

The bench is really starting to fall apart so if this is going anywhere I’ll have to invest a new model and some spray paint.

A Don Piper Situation

What a treat to get to know Don and his music over the last few months. The latest episode of Live at Fi features 5 songs from a fiery set recorded at The HiFi Bar last August. And I mean fiery, like up from a slow burn to a blaze and back down to a slow burn.  I recall listening to the show live and grooving like crazy to the sound, then realized and remembered that  it was all being recorded (uh, by me). Sometimes you get lucky.

All the songs are great but I have a special love for Solitaire, starting about 22:14 into the podcast. Now that’s how you sell a song.

Don’s also got a new album out called What It Is and you you should own it. Get the lossless version for fullest fidelity!

www.cdbaby.com/cd/adonpipersituation

 

LIVE AT FI – A TROUSER PRESS PLAYLIST

Episode two of The Live at Fi podcast has gone live and it’s a nice to see (hear, really) the show evolving and coming into itself. This episode is essentially a document of a very interesting live experiment. Ira Robbins, one of the prime movers behind Trouser Press magazine drew up a list of favorite songs from the past few decades, handed that list over to Tom Shad (NYC musician and scenester par excellence) who hand picked singers and a band to perform the songs live at The HiFi Bar. Kind of mix tape come to life and a terrific selection of songs and singers.

Tammy Faye Starlight singing Girl About town, photo from my position behind the stage.
Tammy Faye Starlight singing Girl About Town, photo from my position behind the stage.

I love nights like this – it’s an opportunity to hear some familiar songs performed by a crew of artists that may be unfamiliar. In other words, a great way to discover a slew of talented performers in one night, the equivalent of months of club hopping.

For the podcast we picked seven favorite performances from the evening, then Mike Stuto recorded an interview with Ira Robbins and Tom Shad in the back room at HiFi to talk about how the night came together. Interestingly, Ira wasn’t able to attend the live show, which really just ends up making his perspective even more unique.

Mike Fornatale and the band channel Richard Hell and The Voidoids.
Mike Fornatale and the band channel Richard Hell and The Voidoids.

Recording these shows is always a little daunting. I never know exactly what’s coming up next, and honestly there’s not much I can do to control the recording once the show begins.

Colin Poellot did a fine job on the live mix, and any vocals and keyboards on the recording come from the live mix, augmented by a battery microphones placed by me to capture the live sound of the stage and the room without trickery. If you weren’t there, you’ll hopefully get that “You Are There” sensation.

Listen on iTunes
http://apple.co/1KWMpNF

Listen on SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/hifibar