Tuesday, May 06, 2025

Self Help Radio 050625: Motorways


At the beginning of a two-week vacation, Self Help Radio has a show about motorways. One suspects there will be much time spent on them in the next fortnight!

No time to waste! Gotta pack! Listen to the show either at the KBOO web site or at the Self Help Radio website. If you go to the latter, you might need the username SHR & the password selfhelp.

Most everything that happened on the show is below. See you in two weeks!

Self Help Radio Motorways Show
"Motorway" Blue Orchids _The Once & Future Thing_
"Motorway" Monterey _The Motorway EP_
"The English Motorway System" Black Box Recorder _The Facts Of Life_

introduction & definitions

"Motorway" The Kinks _Everybody's In Show-Biz - Everybody's A Star_
"Motorway City" John Gaughan with The Hermits _You Gotta Love Me Baby_
"Motorway Madness" Horslips _More Than You Can Chew_
"2-4-6-8 Motorway" Tom Robinson Band _Tom Robinson Band_
"Billy & The Motorway Police" Fischer-Z _Word Salad_

interview with author Larry Thomas

"Music 4 Travelling (Motorway Amber Time)" Spöön Fazer _Music 2 Dance 2_
"Like A Motorway" Saint Etienne _Tiger Bay_
"Motorway" Little Boots _Nocturnes_
"Back On The Motorway" Metronomy _Nights Out_
"They're Going To Build A Motorway" Leon Rosselson _Perspectives_

interview with motorway painter Theo Landis

"Motorway To Roswell" Pixies _Trompe Le Monde_
"Separated By Motorways" The Long Blondes _Someone To Drive You Home_
"Motorway" Ikara Colt _Modern Apprentice_
"Motorway" Useless Eaters _Relaxing Death_
"Motorway" Slave _New Plateau_

interview with private motorway owner Todd Lessner

"Our Favourite Motorway" Darren Hayman & Secondary Modern _Pram Town_
"Motorway" California Snow Story _Some Other Places_
"Motorway" Joan As Police Woman & Benjamin Lazer Davis _Let It Be You_
"On The Motorway" Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat _The Most Important Place In The World_
"Motorway A. Revlis B. Lessen C." Audionom _Retrospektiv_

conclusion & bon voyage

"Motorway" Anni B Sweet _Start Restart Undo_
"New Motorway" Kevin Coyne _Sanity Stomp_

Monday, May 05, 2025

Whither Motorways?

(Some Portland motorways)

After tonight's show, there won't be a new Self Help Radio for two weeks. I will have something prepared to air in the timeslot so you don't have to face the indignity of a rerun. But for Self Help Radio, it will be a two-week vacation.

You might know we have a dog with separation anxiety. So we have to take him along. So we thought we'd go on a road trip. Just the Missus & me & our three hounds. What takes you from place to place on road trips? A car. Driving on roads. Freeways. Highways. Motorways.

Something about the word "motorway" made me want to look for songs that specifically mention them. & so I have. & I'll share them with you tonight. Right before the show takes a little vacation.

Tonight! Midnight to 2am on 90.7fm in Portland, online at kboo dot fm.

Sunday, May 04, 2025

Preface To Motorways: Vacation


It occurred to me very recently that I hadn't left Portland - or hadn't been outside of the Greater Portland Metropolitan Area - in almost two years*. That would not have seemed too surprising to my mother who, though she was born in Germany, married a GI & lived the vast majority of her life in Texas. Indeed, in her last twenty years, I only think she left the Dallas area a handful of times, usually for weddings - like mine, in 2008. My sister Pat was the same - she had lived in California & Georgia for a few years but ended up living most of her life in a house very close to the house she had lived in as a child.

Basically I don't come from a long line of wanderers. I come from homebodies, mostly unadventurous people who would admire the Thoreau quote "I have traveled a good deal in Concord," if they knew Thoreau existed.

But I felt like I needed a vacation & so after this week's episode, I'll be disappearing for a couple of weeks. I have prepared radio shows to run in the place of Self Help Radio - & also episodes of The Dickenbock Report that will air in its space on Sundays. It'll be a road trip, since we have a dog with severe separation anxiety. But the plans have been made.

So. What could possibly go wrong?

* Okay, I forgot I went to San Francisco last summer. It just feels like I haven't left Portland in two years.

Saturday, May 03, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Firefighters’ Memorial Day


There's a confession that needs to be made - the staff & crew of The Dickenbock Report will take a two-week vacation after tomorrow's show. & really, a lot of them were a bit checked out before this. So - we have prepared a show for Firefighters' Memorial Day which we discovered a bit late is a holiday in the UK. Not in the United States. Where the show airs.

However! Dick Dickenbock wants to celebrate fire fighters because he admires any public servants that make their own calendars. So that's what we shall do!

Noon to 1pm tomorrow. On 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, online everywhere at xray dot fm. Maybe now, Dick Dickenbock says, they'll let him climb up one of those ladders!

Oh wait. We've discovered in the United States it's called National Fallen Firefighters Day. So we're on task. Poor Dick Dickenbock!

Friday, May 02, 2025

This Week In Self Help (April 25 27 + 29 & May 2)


That's a picture of my favorite tree in Woodstock Park last autumn right before its leaves turned & fell. It's really apropos nothing. Just wanted to have a pretty picture here.

Here's an announcement! I'm going on vacation for a couple of weeks so there won't be one of these "this week in radio" posts for a while. There will be recorded content in the Self Help Radio/Corporate Standardized Programming space & I'll have a couple of episodes of The Dickenbock Report as well but I'll be busy & not writing about that here. But for this last week...

Friday the 25th I subbed the Songcircle & played songs about painters on Cy Twombly's birthday. Here is the show on the KBOO website. Here is the show on the Self Help Radio website.

Sunday the 27th The Dickenbock Report reported on National Patricia Day. Here is the show on the XRAY website. Here is the show on the Self Help Radio website.

Tuesday the 29th Self Help Radio presented the 77th installment of the Indiepop A To Z series. Here is the show on the KBOO website. Here is the show on the Self Help Radio website.

Also on Tuesday the 29th Corporate Standardized Programming played lots of music by artists we lost in December 2024. It's the last hour of the KBOO file above. But if you'd like to listen to it alone, here is the show on the Self Help Radio website.

Finally - today! Just today I subbed the Songcircle & played lots David Bowie songs covered by other artists. Here is the show on the KBOO website. Here is the show on the Self Help Radio website.

There's a new Dickenbock Report on Sunday & a new Self Help Radio/Corporate Standardized Programming on Tuesday but there I'm leaving Portland for the first time in well over a year. I really need to get out more.

Oh yeah! If you listen to files on the Self Help Radio website, you might need a username & password. Those are SHR & selfhelp.

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Self Help Radio 042925: Indiepop A To Z # 77

(All single/album images from Discogs)

Welp. I done did another couple hours of alphabetized indiepop. But really gonna be in the letter S for a while longer.

You can listen to this show on the KBOO website or on the Self Help Radio website. You'll need a username & password at the latter. Those are SHR & selfhelp respectively.

Look at all the song in lovely alphabetical order! Whee!

Self Help Radio Indiepop A To Z # 77
"Footprints On The City" Sharky Favorite _2000 Teenbeat Sampler_
"Through With Love" The Sharp Things _A Moveable Feast_
"Jeane" Sandie Shaw _Hand In Glove_

"Leave All Your Old Loves" The She-Brews _Off With Their Hearts_
"All Comes Out" She Splinters Mortar _Straight From Her Heart_
"Homerun" The Sheets _The Sheets_
"Fragmentary Love" Shelby _Sofa Safari_
"Hero" Shelley _Battery Point (A Sarah Compilation)_

"Mix Tape" Michael Shelley _I Blame You_
"Circle Line" Shelley's Children _The Mask Of Anarchy_
"My Animated World" The Shermans _Casual_
"Noyfriend" Shimura Curves _The Kids At The Club (An Indiepop Compilation)_
"Bite The Apple" Shine! _Shine!_

"Ten Long Years" The Shining Hour _Postcards From Home_
"Empty Ever After" The Shirts _The Shirts_
"Courtney Sat On A Rock" ShiSho _EP Six_
"Teen Line" The Shivvers _Teen Line_
"Shizuka" Shizuka _Momentos Perdidos_

"I, Bloodbrother Be" Shock Headed Peters _Amen (Last Sunshine Deserts Of Él Records)_
"You Can Make Me Feel Bad" Shocking Pinks _Shocking Pinks_
"I Believe In Nights" Shoe Shine Boys _Flying Dutchmen_
"Summer Days" Shoestrings _Pop American Style_
"Blossom (I'm A Super Girl)" Shonen Knife _The Powerpuff Girls: Heroes & Villains_

"Somewhere In China" Shop Assistants _Will Anything Happen (Expanded Edition)_
"Hurry Up Let's Go" Shout Out Louds _Howl Howl Gaff Gaff_
"Hopelessly Wasted" Shrag _Shrag_
"Losing My Cool" The Shrew Kings _The Sound Of Leamington Spa Volume 5_
"Everything" The Shrinking Violets _Everything_

Monday, April 28, 2025

Whither Indiepop A To Z # 77?


Please don't ask why I picked a picture of a neighborhood cat taken last autumn for the image for this post. There's no reason. I feel like I needed a picture. I like taking pictures of neighborhood cats. This spring has wakened in me allergic reactions I've never had before. I am missing the cold damp autumn. There's nothing else!

The Indiepop A To Z series started over 20 years ago in Texas. It has followed me to every place I've been since. I have done 76 installments; tonight's is the 77th. I am in the letter S. I just might never finish the letter S. But that is where I am now. & where I will still be at the end of tonight's episode.

Which airs midnight to 2am on 90.7fm in town & online everywhere at kboo dot fm. It's an oddly obscure genre of music that has captivated so many for quite a while now. I will share two hours of it with you tonight.

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Preface To Indiepop A To Z # 77: Shabby Billboard


Above is a picture taken by me which I titled "Shabby Billboard." It was taken in West Fort Worth, Texas, on January 26, 2019. I don't believe I knew then that in a few short months I'd be living in Portland, Oregon. I think I had to run an errand & decided to take a few pictures in a part of town that was - well - kinda shabby.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because of two reasons: one, it seems a lot like one of my radio shows - shoddily put together, of use to no one, & struggling to find something to say. & two, because I'm about to make the 77th installment of a long-running series which is mostly of interest to me. What can I possibly say about that that I haven't already?

Please enjoy this odd picture which I am clumsily using as a metaphor for my show. At least it is as clumsy as my show!

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: National Patricia Day

(A photo of Patricia Lee Smith by Lynn Goldsmith found here)

April 27 is National Patricia Day. By a strange coincidence it's also my sister Patricia's birthday. Were she still with us, she would not want me to tell you her age. It would still be too young for her to be gone so soon.

In any event, although we will be tempted to play music by famous Patricias like the one pictured above, we will instead talk about the name & also play musical reports about the name - & people with the name. If you know a Patricia, it might be a good idea to let your Patricia know there's a show on National Patricia. Almost certainly they will believe they do indeed deserve a national day.

Sunday April 27 noon to 1pm on 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, online at xray dot fm.

Friday, April 25, 2025

This Week In Self Help: April 18 20 + 22

(image found here)

This week featured my first three hour Self Help Radio in a really long time - maybe two years. I can't believe I did that for as long as I did. I won't be doing that again any time soon.

If I hadn't subbed The Songcircle a week ago, I'd have only done two shows this week! Speaking of, let me tell you what nonsense I was up to on the radio these past seven days.

Friday the 18th - I subbed the Songcircle. Played a buncha new releases.
Listen at the KBOO website. Listen at the Self Help Radio website.

Sunday the 20th - The Dickenbock Report explored Look Alike Day.

Tuesday the 22nd. For Earth Day, Self Help Radio played lots of songs about Mother Earth.
Listen at the KBOO website. Listen at the Self Help Radio website.

If you listen at the Self Help Radio website, you might need a username & password. That is SHR & selfhelp respectively.

Maybe there's something you'd enjoy? Or maybe not.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Self Help Radio 042225: Earth Day 2025 - Mother Earth

(original image here*)

This was the first three hour Self Help Radio in I believe two years! It was long but a bit of exhausting fun. Plus I got to chat with the deejay after me, which I never get to do.

This was an Earth Day show in conjunction with KBOO's Earth Day celebrations. Lots of stuff is happening on this Earth Day, find out what KBOO is doing & has done by clicking here.

Listen to lots of songs about Mother Earth either at the KBOO website or at the Self Help Radio website. At the latter, you may need the username SHR & the password selfhelp. I had a couple of silly interviews but this show was mainly about the music & about our dear Mother Earth. Details are below.

Happy Earth Day to you!

Self Help Radio Earth Day 2025: Mother Earth Show
"Mother Earth" Blood On The Dance Floor _Evolution_
"Mother Earth" Six Nations Women Singers _Heartbeat: Voices Of First Nations Women_
"Samba De Monha Terra (Mother Earth Samba)" João Gilberto _Getz / Gilberto # 2_
"Mother Earth" Stewart Copeland & Ricky Kej _Divine Tides_

introduction/definitions

"Mother Earth" Lightning Hopkins _Lightning Hopkins With His Brothers Joel & John Henry & With Barbara Dane_
"Mother Earth" Emitt Rhodes _The American Dream_
"Mother Earth" Tom Rush _Merrimack County_
"Ol' Mother Earth" Tony Joe White _Home Made Ice Cream_
"Mother Earth" Laura Nyro _Spread Your Wings & Fly: Live At The Fillmore East May 30, 1971_

interview with climate scientist Dr. Rick Sherman

"Mother Earth" Blonde On Blonde _Contrasts_
"Hymn To Mother Earth" Demon Fuzz _Afreaka!_
"Mother Earth" Mick Greenwood _...To Friends_
"Mother Earth" Open Road _Windy Daze_
"Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)" Neil Young & Crazy Horse _Ragged Glory_

interview with Seth Rogers, who lives in the earth

"Mother Earth" The Great White Cane _The Great White Cane_
"Mother Earth" Kool & The Gang _Spirit Of The Boogie_
"Mother Earth (feat. Aloe Blacc & Quantic)" Lanu _Shapes 11:01_
"Mother Earth (feat. Norah Jones)" Wax Poetic _Wax Poetic_
"Mother Earth" Essential Logic _Land Of Kali_

the next interview? featuring Gladys

"Mona Lisa, Mother Earth" Swans _The Burning World_
"Mother Earth" Cultured Pearls _Sing Dela Sing_
"Mother Earth" The Cairo Gang _The Cairo Gang_
"Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" Neko Case _Middle Cyclone_
"Mother Earth, Father God" Torres _Torres_

NASA Earth fact sheet part one

"Blues For Mother Earth" The Hinges _Postcard_
"Mother Earth" Pentangle _Open The Door_
"Mother Earth" Betsy Rose _Sacred Ground_
"Lifeblood Of Mother Earth" David R. Maracle _Spirit Journey_
"Mi Madre Tierra (My Mother Earth)" Fortaleza _Soy De Sangre Kolla, Quechua Y Aymara_

NASA Earth fact sheet part two

"Chant To Mother Earth" Blo _Nigeria 70 (The Definitive Story of 1970's Funky Lagos)_
"Mother Earth" Bushman _Signs_
"Mother Earth" Chuck Fenda _The Living Fire_
"Mother Earth" Jah Cure _Roots & Culture, Vol. 2_ 

conclusion & goodbye

"Mother Earth" The Shadow Lizzards _Paradise_
"Mother Earth" Sweet _Cut Above The Rest_

* image found at Public Domain Pictures dot net. Original image in the Public Domain.

Monday, April 21, 2025

Whither Earth Day?

(image by Kathy Anderson, found here)

Look at that image up there! Wow!

Yesterday I mentioned how I was overwhelmed with the idea of the literally hundreds of songs about earth that I would have to go through for an Earth Day show & happened onto a way to narrow that number down somewhat: I discovered I had a lot of songs about Mother Earth.

It seems like many people feel a maternal connection to the planet & that makes a lot of sense. We are born on this planet & it sustains us. I decided to make this Earth Day show all about Mother Earth. Three hours of songs about her. With only a couple of silly interviews. Just lots of songs in honor of our Mother.

That's midnight to 3am tonight! On 90.7fm in Portland, kboo dot fm all over earth. On this particular night, Mother Earth has given you permission to stay up late.

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Preface To Earth Day: Listen To Your Mother

(image from Wikipedia)

KBOO is having all kindsa cool programming for Earth Day which is Tuesday. I was asked if I'd like to do something for the day - or have my show preempted, probably with something syndicated. Well I didn't like that idea! So I said, I'd do a show with the theme "earth."

But you know me. When I saw I had over five hundred songs that mentioned earth - & countless more that could be said to be about earth - I panicked. I needed to narrow it down somewhat.

How I did that I can tell you tomorrow - although the clue is in the title of this post.

Check out all the cool Earth Programming planned for Tuesday here!

Saturday, April 19, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Look Alike Day


That image above is from an image search for "lookalikes" which was subtitled "British celebrities & their animal lookalikes." The link is here. Sadly, the article doesn't appear to be at the link. But it's an amusing picture & it allows me to report that tomorrow, April 20, is Look Alike Day. Which is what we'll be reporting on on The Dickenbock Report on XRAY.

As a personal aside, when I lived in Austin, for several years people would approach me & tell me they enjoyed my band - often saying they saw me "last night" or otherwise recently. I was never in a band but I apparently had a lookalike out there. It happened so frequently I began to ask what instrument I played. It was a tie between the bass & the drums. I never met this lookalike but wish I had - I might have interviewed him for Look Alike day!

Tune in for talk about - & musical reports about - twins, doppelgängers, & lookalikes tomorrow, April 20, on The Dickenbock Report - 12-1pm 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, xray dot fm everywhere.

Friday, April 18, 2025

This Week In Self Help (April 13 15 + 17)

(Another old picture I found years ago that I can't remember from where.)

Jeepers a busy week. I've been wondering why I've felt so tired.

On Sunday April 13:
Oh yeah there was an episode of The Dickenbock Report on XRAY. It was Make Lunch Count Day so of course the show was about counting. I mean lunch.
Click here to listen to the show on the XRAY web site.
Click here to listen to the show on the Self Help Radio web site.

Later that day I subbed a show on KBOO. Just played a buncha music.
KBOO doesn't archive unscheduled shows but.
Click here to see the show's Spinitron page.
Click here to listen to the show on the Self Help Radio web site.

On Tuesday April 15:
Self Help Radio has a show with the theme "bomb."

Corporate Standardized Programming played lots of new releases.
You can listen to it in the last hour of Self Help Radio at the KBOO link above.

On Thursday April 17:
During XRAY's Spring Fund Drive I subbed an episode of Welcome To Your Good Day.

Maybe now I can get some sleep? Oh yeah! If you have a problem downloading from the Self Help Radio website, you might need a username & password. Those will be SHR & selfhelp.

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Self Help Radio 041525: Bomb


This morning a caller asked about the book my first guest talked about. It always seems painfully obvious to me the calls are made up - after all, it's the same voices week after week - but occasionally I need to tell people it was just improv & we were trying to be funny. But the caller was not happy - he actually got a little angry - & said, "Well I didn't think it was funny."

Boom! A sad bomb dropped on the show with the theme "bomb."

Just a caveat - I was very sleepy & made a few mistakes. I am just glad it didn't blow up on me.

Listen now - at the KBOO web page - or at the Self Help Radio web page. Use the username SHR & password selfhelp if you need to. Everything that happened on the show is listed below.

I thought that ticking sound would go away after the show but now it's getting louder...

Self Help Radio Bomb show
"Bomb" Tom Verlaine _Flash Light_
"Car Bomb" Negativland _Escape From Noise_
"Bomb The Twist" The 5.6.7.8's _Bomb The Twist_

introduction & definitions

"Stop The Bombs" The Smittens _A Little Revolution_
"Cluster Bomb Boy" Candypants _Candypants_
"Suicide Bombers" George Carlin _When Will Jesus Bring The Pork Chops?_
"Bombs Away" The Police _Zenyatta Mondatta
"Bombers Bay" Echo & The Bunnymen _Echo & The Bunnymen_

interview with author Taylor Laughton

"Cherry Bomb" The Runaways _The Definitive Story Of CBGB (The Home Of U.S. Punk)_
"I Was A Human Bomb For The FBI" Zombina & The Skeletones _Monsters On 45_
"Bomb Water" Hannibal Buress _Animal Furnace_
"Spanish Bombs" The Clash _London Calling_
"5 Minutes (C-C-C Club Mix)" Bonzo Goes To Washington _5 Minutes_

interview with Chuck (not his real name)

"Bomb The Bourgeosie" Free Loan Investments _Youth Will Understand_
"Ticking Time Bomb" All Girl Summer Fun Band _2_
"Defusing A Bomb" Bob Newhart _Something Like This: The Bob Newhart Anthology_
"Bomb" The Steamkings _Boom!_
"You Always Want To Bomb The Middle East" Cheekface _Too Much To Ask_

idioms

"Love's Like A Bomb" Elk City _Status_
"Pretty Time Bomb" Sam Phillips _Push Any Button_
"Little Time Bomb" Billy Bragg _Workers Playtime_
"Bombers" David Bowie _Hunky Dory_
"Bombers" Tubeway Army _The Plan_

conclusion & goodbye

"Waiting For The Bomb" Terry Malts _Lost At The Party_
"Bone Bomb (vocals, Aylie Cooke)" Brian Eno _Another Day On Earth_
"Daisy Bomb" Robyn Hitchcock _A Star For Bram_
"Ciao Ciao Bomb" Twig _Ciao Ciao Bomb 7"_

Monday, April 14, 2025

Whither Bomb?

(image by Ai Weiwei found here)

It looks like lots of bombs up there but for some reason I wrote down "bomb" as the theme & so that's the theme.

This is another one of those themes that came from haunting news. Reading about bombings recently in Gaza & Ukraine made me unhappy & then made me look for songs about bombs. There are so many that I had to exclude songs about atomic, hydrogen, neutron, & nuclear bombs. That could be a whole other show. It was still hard to sift through the rest. & tho I won't really talk about current events on the show, I hope it's known how horrible & cowardly I find bombing. I don't believe in a hell but I would approve of an arrangement where those somehow involved in bombing had to spend some time before their final rest being bombed into oblivion over & over.

Oh yeah my radio show. The show is tonight midnight to 2am on 90.7fm in Portland & online at kboo dot fm. I promise, it won't be as heavy as I've been right now.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Preface To Bomb: I Dunno

(found on the web in 2015 - not sure where)

Life is a bomb. Death is a bomb. Sleep is a bomb. Work is a bomb. Play is a bomb.

Merriam-Webster says a bomb is "an explosive device fused to detonate under specified conditions."

Holy shit everything is a bomb.

(Apologies it's been a long day.)

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Make Lunch Count Day

(photo by Robert Frank, 1948, found here)

April 13 is Make Lunch Count Day. The Dickenbock Report is on during lunchtime. It's the sort on synergy one never expects from a news program. But there you are. Have lunch while listening to musical reports about lunch.

It's also XRAY's Spring Fund Drive & you can support XRAY & the Dickenbock Report by going to the XRAY website & giving what you can. If you'd like to support The Dickenbock Report specifically, you can do so by clicking here. But of course the goal is to support XRAY!

The Dickenbock Report reporting on Make Lunch Count Day happens Sunday April 13 from noon to 1pm on 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, & online everywhere at xray dot fm.

We'll split the check, right?

Friday, April 11, 2025

This Week In Self Help (April 4 6 8 + 10)

(Strip Club Humor, Fort Worth TX)

It was a busy week. Let me show you.

April 4. I subbed the Songcircle on KBOO. I played songs about presidents on the flimsiest of pretexts. Show on the KBOO website here. Show on the Self Help Radio website here.

April 6. The Dickenbock Report played lots of tomato songs on Fresh Tomato Day. Show on the XRAY website here. Show on the Self Help Radio website here.

April 8. Self Help Radio had the theme "gentlemen." Show on the KBOO website here. Show on the Self Help Radio website here.

Also April 8. Corporate Standardized Programming showcased lots of artists we lost in December 2024. It's the last hour of the Self Help Radio file above, but if you'd like to hear it as a single show, it's on the Self Help Radio website here.

Finally, April 10. I subbed Welcome To Your Good Day on XRAY. Tried to raise some money because it's the station's Spring Fund Drive. Did not raise any money. But. Show on the XRAY website here. Show on the Self Help Radio website here.

As it says on the Self Help Radio page - if you need a username try SHR, & if you need a password try selfhelp.

That's it. That was my hectic week.

Tuesday, April 08, 2025

Self Help Radio 040825: Gentlemen

(original image here)*

People keep telling me the above picture is of penguins. All I can see are three distinguished gentlemen. Very rude to refer to gentlemen as birds!

Speaking of rude - I'm pretty sure this is a radio show about gentlemen, not for gentlemen, as I imagine the average gentleman doesn't listen to the radio. I suspect the average gentleman believes the radio listens to him. Nevertheless, enjoy a radio peek into how the gentleman is perceived over decades of music.

You can listen now at the KBOO website or at the Self Help Radio website. If you choose the latter, please remember the username is SHR & the password is selfhelp. Almost everything that happened on the show is noted below. I didn't note, for example, when I dropped something during the first few seconds of my first airbreak. Why draw attention to that sort of amateurish behavior?

Seriously, penguins? Those gentlemen up there are dapper!

Self Help Radio Gentlemen Show
"Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love" Mary Martin _Echoes Of The 20s & 30s_
"Gentleman Friend" Sarah Vaughan _1947-1949_
"He's Such A Gentleman" Doris Day _It's Magic (1947-1950)_

introduction & definitions

"The Gentleman Is A Dope" Jo Stafford _Swingin' Down Broadway_
"Gentleman Friend" Blossom Dearie _My Gentleman Friend_
"Where Did The Gentleman Go" Julie London _Love On The Rocks_
"Le Gentleman De Cocody" Nancy Holloway _Portrait 1961-1974_
"Gentleman" Livingston Taylor _Liv_

interview with Jeff Clay, editor-in-chief of Kentucky Gentlemen magazine

"Tighten Up" Yellow Magic Orchestra _Kyoretsu Na Rhythm - Characters - The Best Of YMO_
"Gentlemen Take Polaroids" Japan _Gentlemen Take Polaroids_
"Gentlemen & Pettycoats" The Actor _Exploded View_
"Gentlemen On The Wrist" Attila The Stockbroker _Ranting At The Nation_
"The Gentleman Soldier" The Pogues _Rum Sodomy & The Lash_

interview with Miss Katerina, headmistress of the Gresham School For Young Gentlemen

"Gentleman" Eddy Current Suppression Ring _Rush To Relax_
"Gentleman" Black Lips _Sing In A World That's Falling Apart_
"Gentlemen Vs. Dudes" Aziz Ansari _Buried Alive_
"So As A Gentleman You Should Be More Polite" Cocosuma _Pointing Excitedly To The Sky_ 
"Gentlemen & Ladies" Josephine Foster _Domestic Sphere_

interview with Mr Cadbury of the Portland Gentlemen's Gentlemen School

"It Takes No Gentleman" The Servants _Reserved_
"Gentleman Caller" Hellfire Sermons _Hymns, Ancient & Modern_
"Gentlemen's Agreement" The Fall _Code: Selfish_
"Gentleman" Dorian Electra _My Agenda_
"A Genuine Gentleman (feat. Aceyalone)" RJD2 _The Fun Ones_

conclusion & goodbye

"Gentleman" Fela Kuti & Africa 70 _Gentleman_

* "Emperor Penguins" by Lin Padgham is licensed under the Attribution 2.0 Generic deed.
I have modified it by adding the Self Help Radio logo. Used by permission.

Monday, April 07, 2025

Whither Gentlemen?

(photo by Sylwia Mazurek from here)

Inspiration can be complicated & it can be simple. It can shine brilliantly like the classic lightbulb over the head or lightning strike in the comics or it can be a little dumb. Me, I take what I can get. This is a very simple story of how I came up with the idea of "gentlemen" being the theme of this week's show.

A long time ago I made a mix CD for my wife when she's driving. (We have a car so old it has a CD player in it.) It was an mp3 CD so has several hours of music on it. She requested a few songs but I mainly put stuff on it that I thought she'd like. While driving a few weeks back I wasn't finding anything on the radio I liked - this is a rarity in Portland - so I checked what was on the CD she keeps forever in the CD player in the car.

One of the songs that I had put on the CD - & which played - was the Yellow Magic Orchestra cover of "Tighten Up." I've always loved this version, especially when they say, "Japanese gentlemen, stand up please." It's repeated through the song. & somehow it stayed in my head - how many songs could there be about gentlemen? I remembered to make a note once I was home. & thus the show became a possibility in the future.

(Seriously resisting birth metaphors here.)

The gentlemen show will happen tonight on KBOO. Midnight to 3am. 90.7fm in town, kboo dot fm everywhere. It's about gentlemen, not necessarily for gentlemen.

Sunday, April 06, 2025

Preface To Gentlemen: Stooges


When I was a kid, from 7-8am on I think channel 11 in Dallas/Fort Worth, there was a show called Slam Bang Theater. It was a bona fide children's show with a real host from 1959 to 1972 (see its IMDb page for more details) but by the time I was watching it before school - probably from 1976 until maybe 1980 - it was just a show that showed old cartoons & at least two edited Three Stooges shorts a day. I can't tell you how many of those I watched but I can tell you that I am so familiar with these that when I decided to do a show with the theme gentlemen it made me think of a particular joke that happened a lot in those shorts. I'll let the guy with the Youtube collection from which I took the above screenshot explain that joke:

Somebody refers to the Stooges as gentlemen...
...& the Stooges respond by looking around...
...& asking "Who came in?"

So charmed was I by that it has stayed in my head those fifty or so years. & so charmed am I by the internet when I discovered someone collected those instances here:

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Gentlemen! Who Came In?"

Might one or two of these end up on tomorrow's show? I wonder...

Saturday, April 05, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Fresh Tomato Day


April 6 is Fresh Tomato Day. Also known as National Tomato Day. Separate from both Fresh Tomato Day (tomato pronounced ta-mah-to) & National Tomato Day (also in this case tomato pronounced ta-mah-to). We must also distance ourselves from British Tomato Fortnight (May 26 - June 8, most definitely pronounced ta-mah-to), but acknowledge it's happening during Fresh Florida Tomato Month (which is April) although I don't think there's any connection. Maybe we should research that.

In any event, we'll be reporting on - including musical reports - the tomato tomorrow on the Dickenbock Report. That's Sunday, April 6, from noon to 1pm, on 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, xray dot fm everywhere.

As well, it's XRAY's Spring Fund Drive, so please donate if you can!

Friday, April 04, 2025

This Week In Self Help (March 30 + April 1)

(image from the Wikipedia)

A reg'lar ol' week for me, with so many songs for Self Help Radio it expanded into Corporate Standardized Programming so it might as well have been just two shows. Anyway here they are:

The Dickenbock Report on XRAY was a show for National Pencil Day.
Listen on the XRAY website. Listen at Self Help Radio dot net.

Self Help Radio was an April Fools' Day show.
Listen on the KBOO website. Listen at Self Help Radio dot net.

Corporate Standardized Programming continued the April Foolery.

That's all. That's all I did this week.

Oh. Did I mention if you listen to a file at the Self Help Radio website you might need a username & password? If you do, use SHR & selfhelp.

Now that's all.

Tuesday, April 01, 2025

Self Help Radio 040125: April Fools' Day


Happy April Fools' Day!

If you'll note the playlist below - & if you read the previous blog posts where I complained about how many songs that feature the word "fool" just in their title there are - you may note my solution to the problem was to play an hour of songs about April Fools' Day & then an hour where all the songs (but one) have the title "Fool" or "The Fool." What a fool I surely am.

Listen to the show because it's April Fools' Day at either the KBOO website or the Self Help Radio website. You'd be a fool not to know to use the username SHR & password selfhelp to access the file at the Self Help Radio site. Lots of stuff happens on the show - most of it is listed below.

By the way I played another hour of songs just called "Fool" on the show after this one, which is part of the KBOO link above, & also on the Self Help Radio website. So there were actually three hours of April Fools' content.

Which almost feels like an April Fools' Day prank.

Self Help Radio April Fools' Day Show
"April, April Fool" The McGuire Sisters _Children's Holiday_
"April Fool" Audrey Morris _Bistro Ballads Sung By Audrey Morris_
"April Fool" Matt Monro _Love Is The Same Anywhere_

"April Fool's Day" Marty Robbins _Country 1960-1966_
"The April Fools" Dionne Warwick _The Dionne Warwick Collection: Her All-Time Greatest Hits_
"April Fool" Pete Townshend & Ronnie Lane _Rough Mix_
"April's Fool" Kurt Wagner & Cortney Tidwell Present Kort _Invariable Heartache_
"April Fool" Readeez _Songeez_
"April Fool" Brave Combo _Holidays!_

Carla tells us about April Fools' Day at a retirement village

"April Fool" Nell Robinson & Jim Nunally _House & Garden_
"April Fool" Patti Smith _Banga_
"April Fools" The Fresh & Onlys _House Of Spirits_
"April Fool" Duncan Reid & The Big Heads _Little Big Head_
"April Fools (Live)" Al Madrigal _Live From D.C._
"April Fool's Day" Moonchild Sanelly _Phases_

Mr. Kershaw tells us about April Fools' Day among third graders

"Fool" Johnny Kendall & The Heralds _On The Move_
"Fool" The Stingrays Of Newburgh _Fuzz, Flaykes, & Shakes Vol. 3: Stay Out Of My World_
"Fool" Blue Cheer _Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970_
"Fool" Trees _Anthems In Eden (An Anthology Of British & Irish Folk 1955-1978)_
"Occupation: Foole" George Carlin _Occupation: Foole_
"The Fool" Ludus _Pickpocket/Danger Came Smiling_

Cyrus tells us about an April Fools' Day prank

"Fool" All _Allroy's Revenge_
"Fool" The Bloody Marys _Sixteen Hail Marys: The Best Of The Bloody Marys 1985-2004_
"Fool" Blur _Leisure_
"The Fool" The Hit Parade _The Sound Of The Hit Parade_
"The Fool" Call & Response _Call & Response_
"Fool" Cat Power _You Are Free_

conclusion & goodbye

"The Fool" Richard Thompson _1000 Years Of Popular Music_
"The Fool" Ghost Society _The Back Of His Hands, Then The Palms_

Monday, March 31, 2025

Whither Fool?

(image from here)

Holy wow I think this is the first time in over 22 years that there's been an episode of Self Help Radio on April 1st! I've done radio shows on this day, but not Self Help Radio. What are the odds?

Also I have done a radio show with the theme "fool." It was in the show's first year. On April 2. So it didn't make a lot of sense.

It seemed the right idea to revisit the theme on this April 1 because I hadn't done a show for April Fool's Day in decades but as I mentioned yesterday I have hundreds of songs whose titles mention the word "fool." As a noun. Excluding verb & adjective uses. & there was no real way I could listen to all those songs & it would've felt weird to just pick out my favorites & ones I was very familiar with - which would've meant a lot from the 2003 show. So. I've divided the show in two. The first hour will feature songs about April Fool's Day. The second will feature songs with the title "Fool" or "The Fool." There are so many of those they'll doubtless bleed into the show Corporate Standardized Programming.

Three hours of fool-ishness. Midnight to 3am. Tonight (or tomorrow, which is April Fool's Day). On 90.7fm in Portland, & online at KBOO dot fm.

& you know this is not an April Fool because I am writing it on March 31st duh.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Preface To Fools: Uh Oh

Image of course by the excellent Poorly Drawn Lines.

Listen. I just discovered I have over one hundred songs to listen to for this show.

That's a day's worth of songs.

Seems like I'm gonna be busy.

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: National Pencil Day

(image by Proidemtes)

March 30 is National Pencil Day. Wow, it's been a while since I used a pencil. I probably should find a pencil to use for this show. Where in the world would there be a pencil in this house? Do I need to go buy a pencil? I should go buy a pencil. I'll have a pencil for the show. I have it behind my ear the entire time. I promise.

That's tomorrow, Sunday, March 30, from noon to 1pm, on 91.1+107.1fm in Portland & online at xray dot fm. Yeah, I'll need to go buy a pencil, I can't find any around here.

Friday, March 28, 2025

This Week In Self Help (March 21 23 + 25)


So I typed "silhouette" into my search window & this is one of the images it came up with. A creepy dark silhouette series of - what? The answer is - people gathered for a fireworks show in my Fort Worth neighborhood in 2017. It was dark, we could barely see anything, & my camera always sucks. My wife hated it so we didn't stick around but I did try to take some pictures - like the one above.

My week in radio starts a week ago. Do I need to remind you if you go to a link on the show's webpage, selfhelpradio dot net, you might need the username SHR & the password selfhelp? No? Just in case, it's there if you need it.

The Songcircle I subbed a week ago. Here it on the KBOO website. Here it is on the Self Help Radio website.

The Dickenbock Report reported on Near Miss Day. Here it is on the XRAY website. Here it is on the Self Help Radio website.

Self Help Radio had the theme "silhouettes." Here it is on the KBOO website. Here it is on the Self Help Radio website.

Corporate Standardized Programming played lots of new releases. It is part of the Self Help Radio link on KBOO above, but if you'd like to listen to it alone, here it is on the Self Help Radio website.

Finally, I helped a fellow deejay, DJ Shoeless Joe Jackson, make a special show for Freeform Portland during their fundraiser - click here to help. You can listen to the show on the Spinitron website for at least two weeks, or you can listen on the Self Help Radio website.

Seriously, though, I really am trying to not bother you so much on the radio. Really.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Self Help Radio 032525: Silhouettes


That silhouette up there - of the cat, not the Self Help Radio logo which has rudely attached itself to the other silhouette - is named Aubrey. Somewhere in the show is a story about her. I'm not going to tell you where. Because I am a little embarrassed about the stuff I create for the show & don't want to draw attention to it.

Also the show includes technical difficulties. This has happened on my last two KBOO programs. I keep forgetting to mention it to people at the station who might be able to fix it. But oh well. I don't know if it hurts the listening enjoyment, mainly because I'm not sure if anyone actually enjoys listening to my show.

The show! Oh yeah! You can listen to it at the KBOO website or at the Self Help Radio website. If you choose the latter, you might need the username SHR & the password selfhelp. Everything that happens on the show is below. Except the story about Aubrey The Silhouette. Although I'll tell you now. It's after the Call & Response song.

& now to the playlist.

Self Help Radio Silhouettes Show
"Silhouetted In The Moonlight (vocal, Martha Tilton)" Benny Goodman Trio _The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings_
"A Cigarette & A Silhouette (with Red Norvo & His Orchestra)" Mildred Bailey _The Complete Columbia Recordings Of Mildred Bailey_
"Miss Silhouette" The Volumes _The Golden Era Of Doowops: The Groups Of Chex Records_

introduction & definitions

"Dancing Silhouettes" Thurston Harris _Little Bitty Pretty One: Complete Early Recordings_
"Silhouette Of My Dream" Ricky Morvan & The Fens _The Story Of Ricky Morvan & The Fens_
"Silhouettes" Andy Griffith _The Wit & Wisdom Of Andy Griffith_
"Heartbreak In Silhouette" Jim Reeves _Chronological Classics 1962-1963_
"Silhouette" Marlo & Lutia Lauzon _Marlo & Lutia Lauzon_

interview with author Roderick Nelson

"Silhouette" Razorcuts _Storyteller_
"Silhouette Town" East River Pipe _Goodbye California_
"Silhouette" Call & Response _Winds Take No Shape_
"Silhouette" Nasmak _Silhouette_
"We Will Become Silhouettes" Postal Service _Give Up_

interview with director Matt Sherman

"The Moon Turns Branches To Silhouettes" Trembling Blue Stars _Little Darla Has A Treat For You Volume 25: Endless Summer 2007-08_
"Just A Silhouette" Exlovers _You Forget So Easily_
"Silhouette" Julia Holter _Have You In My Wilderness_
"Silhouette" Le Couleur _Concorde_
"Silhouette City (ft. Andreas Gregor)" Datafreq _Fun For The Whole Family_

silhouette making workshop Ned Dry & McCheese interrupt

"Moonlit Silhouette" Henry & The Bleeders _This Is Psychobilly (25 Years Of Rockin' & Wreckin')_
"Silhouette" Ceremony _Rocket Fire_
"Silhouettes" Viet Cong _Viet Cong_
"The Sea In Silhouette" Roselit Bone _Ofrenda_
"Silhouettes (feat. Veronique Vincent)" Aksak Maboul _Figures_

conclusion & goodbye

"Pseudo Silhouette" Placebo _England's Trance_

Monday, March 24, 2025

Whither Silhouettes?

(image from here)

Tonight's Self Help Radio has the theme "silhouettes." You probably know what a silhouette is. It's an image. What comes from the radio is sound. Sometimes that sound includes voices which talk about images. In that case you have to use your brain to create the images in your mind.

Nothing I am saying right now is new, of course. But I saw a series of silhouettes in someone's backyard a month or two ago & my brain started thinking about songs about silhouettes. It seemed like such an interesting thing to use words & music about a subject matter that was so specifically visual. In a sense, letting you hear a silhouette.

That led to tonight's show. Which is on midnight to 2am on 90.7fm here in Portland & online everywhere at kboo dot fm. If you're around. & wanna listen.

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Preface To Silhouettes: Silhouette Spring


That picture above was taken with a pretty cheap & terrible digital camera on April 9, 2015. Nearly ten years ago. How different my life was then! I mean, I was doing Self Help Radio, & I was married to the love of my life, & I was surrounded by wonderful animals I loved too much. But.

Ten years later, I've lost half of those animals. I have three left, & they're oldies now. I'm doing Self Help Radio but twenty-five hundred miles to the west. The only constant is the love of my life, & she's the reason I have all the animals - she helps me care for them - & why I no longer live where that picture was taken.

Sometimes I think the dumb pictures I take are a little like diary entries but that picture above brings back no memories - I have no idea where in Lexington, Kentucky, where I was living at the time, it was taken. Just that it was taken at a lovely time of year - spring. My favorite time in Lexington!

The tree is in silhouette, it's true, not the blossoming leaves tho. But the picture is not called "Silhouette Tree." It's called "Silhouette Spring." It's poetical. Or pretentious, anyway.

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Near Miss Day

(image from here)

March 23 is Near Miss Day - according to National Today dot com, "People around the world celebrate this day to be grateful that [an] asteroid didn't wipe us out!"

Perhaps that was written before the current political situation, but even if that's the case, we at the Dickenbock Report still feel we can report dispassionately about asteroids & meteors coming at us, threatening our destruction.

So we shall, tomorrow, noon to 1pm, on 91.1+ 107.1fm in Portland, online at xray dot fm.

Although if I were an asteroid, landing on Earth on Near Miss Day would be pretty cool.

Friday, March 21, 2025

This Week In Self Help (March 16 18 + 20)


A dumb announcement. I was on the radio a bit more than regularly this week. What happened? I'll tell you. But remember: if you click on any link for the Self Help Radio website, you may be asked for a username & password - try SHR & selfhelp.

The Dickenbock Report reported on Lips Appreciation Day. Listen on XRAY. Listen at Self Help Radio.

Self Help Radio was my eighth episode of the chronological appearances of Howard Gently on the show. Listen on KBOO. Listen at Self Help Radio.

Corporate Standardized Programming featured more artists we lost. It's on the KBOO file above. Listen to the show by itself at Self Help Radio.

Finally yesterday I helped my pal DJ Pete Rose (Not That Pete Rose) do a show on Freeform. Eclectic like they do. Listen over at Spinitron (for a couple weeks). Listen at Self Help Radio.

& I'll be hosting the Songcircle today but I'll post that next week.

Current radio fundraisers:
KBOO's All Thrills No Frills 4   +   Freeform Portland's Spring Fundraiser

Please help if you can.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Self Help Radio 031825: Howard Gently Year Four


Here it is, the eighth collection of improvised radio interviews performed by my friend Russell as "the Rev Dr Howard Gently" & me as "the mark." It's a very strange experience listening to these because I haven't since pretty much we recorded them - eight years ago! - & because of course I am hearing the voice of a friend I miss very much. Over & over I am impressed with how quick Russ is on his feet - when I bring up a collections agency calling me, he does not miss a beat - he confirms he's hired someone to collect my delinquent "donations." He was magnificent.

We had a lot of fun with what a weasel Howard Gently was. When he talks up a "Fates Ahoy!" cruise, I keep bringing it up in subsequent weeks, & his story changes every time. Poor me! I am trying to book a room on the cruise & the dates change even within the same conversation. I actually sound disappointed when he tells me I missed the cruise!

As you can see below, the segments are from 2017. I paired a song from the original show with the interview so it wouldn't be too talky. & I tried myself to talk as little as possible in-between. I am sad that one day I'll run out of these interviews. But I am glad we have a few more years to cover before that happens.

Listen to the show at the KBOO website or at the Self Help Radio website. For the latter, username SHR & password selfhelp may be helpful. The list of songs + bits is below. I truly hope you find this as funny & brilliant as I do.

Self Help Radio Howard Gently Year Four
"Human Race" Russell Miles _Human Race_ (Self-Released, 1986)

"Apple Scruffs" George Harrison _All Things Must Pass_ (Apple, 1970)
Howard Gently on the theme "Apples"
"Sweetheart Darling" Rose Batiste _Ladies Of Detroit Sound Vol. 1_ (Bar, 1997)
Howard Gently on the theme "Valentine's Day 2017"
"The Killing Moon" Echo & The Bunnymen _Ocean Rain_ (Sire, 1984)
Howard Gently on the theme "Fate"

"Spirit In The Sky" Norman Greenbaum _Super Hits Of The '70s - Have A Nice Day, Vol. 2_ (Rhino, 1990)
Howard Gently on the theme "In The Sky"
"Maybe You're Right" Cat Stevens _Mona Bone Jakon_ (A&M, 1970)
Howard Gently on the theme "Maybe"
"Ferris Wheel" Barbara Keith _Barbara Keith_ (Verve Forecast, 1969)
Howard Gently on the theme "Ferris Wheels"

"We Had A Really Smashing Time" The Hangovers _Slow Dirty Tears_ (Kill Rock Stars, 1998)
Howard Gently on the theme "Smash"
"Whales Tails" Cocteau Twins _Victorialand_ (4AD, 1986)
Howard Gently on the theme "Tails"
"Future Legend/Diamond Dogs" David Bowie _Diamond Dogs_ (RCA Victor, 1974)
Howard Gently on the theme "Diamonds"

"Bus Stop" The Hollies _Bus Stop_ (Imperial, 1966)
Howard Gently on the theme "Umbrellas"
"Johnny" Suicide _Suicide_ (Red Star, 1977)
Howard Gently on the theme "Johnny"

Howard Gently on the theme "Firsts"
"One Of These Things First" Nick Drake _Bryter Layter_ (Island, 1971)

Monday, March 17, 2025

Whither Howard Gently Year Four?


Tonight on the program I continue a tribute to a dear friend whom we lost almost two years ago. His name was Russell & he was very funny & for years he appeared on Self Help Radio on my "spiritual mentor" the Rev Dr Howard Gently. These bits were improvised around the show's theme, of course, & since Russell's death I've been playing them about every three months in chronological order.

This time around we'll begin with his 79th appearance on the show, which aired February 1, 2017. & I'll play a song from that show as well - one I hope Russell would approve of. & I'll talk a bit & hopefully not start crying & hope instead you'll focus on how funny he was, & how utterly committed he was to the bit.

That's tonight from midnight to 2am on KBOO. Which is on 90.7fm in Portland, & at kboo dot fm everywhere.

Here's a reminder that we're in our fundraising campaign & there are lots of specials so click here to listen to what's already happened & see what's coming up - & to donate of course. Thank you!

Sunday, March 16, 2025

Preface To Howard Gently Year Four: Big Country

(image from Discogs)

This week on the show I am continuing my remembrance/celebration of my dear friend Russell whom we lost nearly two years ago. He appeared for years on Self Help Radio in improvised bits as my "spiritual mentor" The Rev Dr Howard Gently. I have almost finished his first three years as the character - he always felt we would run out of funnies with him but we never did.

& it's funny when you think about a person & their obsessions & what delighted them. Russ was utterly blown away by the debut album by Big Country. When it came out he was in his sophomore year in high school & I in my freshman year. & he all but made me go out & buy it. He talked about it endlessly, saw the band when they made it through Dallas, & followed them up until lead singer/songwriter Stuart Adamson's death.

What made me think about them is the song I'll play at the beginning of the show, a Russell original which has a Big Country-like guitar sound. I have so many memories of Russell talking about the album & its songs - there's one song where Adamson sings something like "aay yee yi yo" & Russell would joke about how educational the song was, seeing as it taught you all the vowels, & he would jokingly sing "aay yee yi yo yu sometimes y."

But perhaps the most poignant memory is what he wrote in my high school yearbook that year. I don't have the yearbook in front of me but I can remember it pretty clearly. He probably referred to me as "Dicker-bud," which was a kind of nickname he gave me, but almost certainly he wrote something like, "Remember, in the words of Big Country, 'stay alive.'"

Gosh I miss him so much.

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Lips Appreciation Day

(Image by Alastair Philip Wiper from here)

March 16 is Lips Appreciation Day. Many, if not all, XRAY listeners have lips. This seems to be true for a large portion of the United States population as well. We do not have reliable data about the rest of the world.

Since even Dick Dickenbock has lips - at least one functioning lip anyway - we thought it a good idea to report on Lips Appreciation Day on this week's Report.

That's tomorrow, Sunday, March 16, on 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, xray dot fm everywhere. As always, kisses will be optional.

Friday, March 14, 2025

This Week In Self Help (March 9 + 11)


That head read my mind!

It was a quiet week for this deejay, only on the radio in my prescribed times, for which that small portion of Portland that listens to the radio was very grateful. Here's what I did:

The Dickenbock Report on XRAY celebrated Check Your Batteries Day with a show about checks. I mean batteries. Yes, it was batteries. Of course. Listen: on the XRAY website. Listen: on the Self Help Radio website.

Self Help Radio on KBOO had a show with the theme telepathy. Listen: on the KBOO website. Listen: on the Self Help Radio website.

Corporate Standardized Programming on KBOO played lots of new releases. It's included in the KBOO file linked above, but if you'd like to hear it on its own, listen: on the Self Help Radio website.

Oh shit! I forgot to mention! If you click on any link to the Self Help Radio website, you may be asked for a username & password - please use SHR & selfhelp respectively. Thank you!