Cold Out There

Thankfully not icicle cold. Altho I suppose there would be icicles if it were wet out there.
That picture was taken in Kentucky on this day in 2014.  It had snowed that day.
Here it's just bitter cold with a cold, cold wind.
So I picked this old anniversary picture.  It's as cold as it feels outside.

New Hours Of Operation

(clip art from here)

For those who would like a friendly warning about when I am on the radio, these hours appear to be accurate for at least the rest of this year:

Self Help Radio airs Tuesdays midnight to 3am.  For some that could be Monday night.  That is on KBOO, which is at 90.7fm in Portland & online at kboo.fm.

A two-hour version of that show airs Saturdays 5-7am.  That is for everyone early Saturday morning.  This happens on XRAY FM, which is at 91.1 & 107.1fm in Portland & online at xray.fm.

The Dickenbock Report now airs Thursdays noon to 2pm on Freeform Portland, which is on 90.3+98.3+101.5fm in Portland & online at freeformportland.org.

Yes, that's seven hours of radio a week.  I'm very sorry about that.

The KBOO Self Help Radio page is here.  The XRAY Self Help Radio page is here.  The Dickenbock Report on Freeform Portland's page is here.  As always, almost all my shows can be listened to at the Self Help Radio website.

Self Help Radio 111522: Chains

Self Help Radio unbound!

Yes, I've always wanted to sound like a caption for a 1960s Marvel comic book.

The chains show was (unsurprisingly) not off the chain.  It was a lot like other Self Help Radio shows, actually.  There were lots of songs, about all different kinds of chains (although, as you can see below, there were sets about chain gangs, balls & chains, & daisy chains), there were guests talking about chain-related things (detailed below), & of course I was there making the whole thing a little less pleasant. 

If you must listen, you can do so in two different places: at the KBOO website, or at the Self Help Radio website. The latter will require a username (which is SHR) & a password (which is selfhelp) but also you can download the show there if you want.  The shows that were played & much of the things in-between are noted below.

All you have to gain is the chains you might already have lost! (Or something.)

Self Help Radio's Chains Show
"Chains" The Cookies _The Complete Cookies_
"Chains" Iggy Pop _New Values_
"Chains" The Wolfgang Press _Funky Little Demons_

introduction & definitions

"Chain Gang Bound" Bumble Bee Slim _Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 1_
"DeKalb Chain Gang" Fred McMullen _Georgia Blues Guitars (1928-1933)_
"I'm Free From The Chain Gang Now" Jimmie Rodgers _The Singing Brakeman_
"Chain Gang Boun'" Josh White _Songs For Political Action - Folkmusic, Topical Songs, & The
American Left 1926-1953_
"Chain Gang Blues" Johnny Temple _Broke, Black, & Blue_

interview with performance artist Erin Dahl

"Chain Of Fools" Aretha Franklin _Lady Soul_
"Chained" Marvin Gaye _The Best Of Marvin Gaye_
"Chained & Bound" Bettye Swann _Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me?_
"Bat Chain Puller" Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band _Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)_
"Bruised Orange (Chain Of Sorrow)" John Prine _Bruised Orange_

interview with bicycle chain collector Bucky Masters

"Ball & Chain Blues" Peg Leg Howell _Atlanta Blues (Big City Blues From The Heartland)_
"Ball & Chain Blues" Memphis Minnie _Queen Of The Country Blues (All The Published Sides 1929-1937 In Chronological Order)_
"Ball & Chain" XTC _English Settlement_
"I Love You Like A Ball & Chain" Eurthymics _Be Yourself Tonight_
"Ball & Chain" Bangles _Sweetheart Of The Sun_

interview with diet expert Joey Carson

"Why She's A Girl From The Chain Store" Buzzcocks _The Complete Singles Anthology_
"Chain Of Love" The Undertones _Sin Of Pride_
"Chain Smoking" Vic Godard _T.R.O.U.B.L.E_
"Silver Chain" The Apples In Stereo _Tone Soul Evolution_
"Chained" The Ropers _All The Time_

interview with propagandist Carlito

"Chain Store Daisy (from Pins & Needles)" Ruth Rubenstein _The Smithsonian Collection Of Recordings American Musical Theater Shows, Songs, & Stars_
"Daisychain" Richard Buckner _Bloomed_
"Daisy Chain" The Frank & Walters _The Frank & Walters_
"The Daisy Chain" The Growlers _City Club_
"A Chain Of Flowers" The Cure _Join The Dots (B-Sides & Rarities 1978>2001 The Fiction Years)_

idioms!

"Chain Gang" Sam Cooke _The Man & His Music_
"Back On The Chain Gang" The Pretenders _Learning To Crawl_
"Links On The Chain" Phil Ochs _I Ain't Marching Anymore_
"Chain Mail" James _Justhipper (The Complete Sire & Blanco Y Negro Recordings 1986-1988)_
"Chain Of Keys" PJ Harvey _The Hope Six Demolition Project_

conclusion & goodbye

"Lion In Chains" Nap Eyes _Thought Rock Fish Scale_
"Chain Reaction" Can _Soon Over Babaluma_

Whither Chains?

What do chain gangs, daisy chains, & balls & chains have in common?  Okay, I know that they may have used chains with balls attached for people on the chain gang, & that in their spare time, perhaps a chain gang member might sit miserably in a field & absent-mindedly create a daisy chain, but in my case I was trying to be clever & say, "In the course of an afternoon listening to music I heard songs about all three which made me think hey! Maybe I should do a show about chains!"

That's all.  Now all I can think about is one of the most troublesome chain gang members, fitted with a ball & chain, protesting his cruel punishment by refusing to work on the roadside & instead making a chain of flowers.  & suddenly this seems way more interesting than the radio show I am making tonight.

Which is a show about chains of all kinds.  Except chainsaws.  I decided to leave out chainsaws.  I figured one day I might do a show about saws & could use chainsaws then.  You don't care about this.  I'm sorry I'm rambling.  Now I'm imagining that convict being beaten by sadistic guards.  I've started a terrible movie in my head & it won't stop.

Anyway, if you're around tonight from midnight to 3am Portland time, listen to Self Help Radio's show about chains.  On 90.7fm in town & online at kboo.fm.  I promise it won't be as awful as a chain email.

Preface To Chains: These Kinds Of Chains?

(image from here)

These kinds of chains? You're gonna do a show about these kinds of chains? Because I'll be honest I've never seen you wear these kinds of chains, Gary! I've never even seen you wear a necklace! Or any kind of jewelry! I suppose you can make a radio show about something you don't have any real experience with, but chains seems pretty specific. This website says there's three main reasons a fellow might wear a chain: as a fashion statement, as a symbol, & because gold is timeless. If we break that down, we know you're not making a fashion statement, Gary - the main statement your fashion makes is "Help!" & if there's anything you avoid, it's symbolism. You're a literal dude. As for gold being timeless - for someone who spends most of his money on music, I doubt you'd want to waste precious dollars on gold. So it can't be that these chains are what the show is about. Did I get that right? These aren't the chains Self Help Radio will be playing songs & talking about, are they? Well? Are they? No? I thought so.