Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Robinson Crusoe Day

(image from the Wikipedia)

February 1 is Robinson Crusoe Day. Sure, you've read Daniel Defoe's novel, & you've seen television shows & maybe even movies based on/inspired by it. But have you heard a radio show about Robinson Crusoe? We think not.

Explore Robinson Crusoe tomorrow, February 1, on The Dickenbock Report on XRAY FM - 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, online everywhere at xray dot fm. Maybe you'll even find out what Friday does on a Sunday afternoon!

This Week In Self Help January 23 25 + 27

Really, I was hanging upside down off one of the buildings in downtown Portland when I took that picture. It's totally not a picture I took rightside up then flipped in an image-editing program. That would be dishonest.

Friday January 23rd I subbed a show on XRAY. Played lots of random stuff. You can listen to it on the XRAY website if you want.

Sunday January 25th there was an episode of The Dickenbock Report where I played songs with "around the world" as their theme, since it was the anniversary of Nellie Bly returning on her historic journey around the world, which took her just over 72 days. You can listen to it on the XRAY website if you'd like.

Tuesday January 27th there was an episode of Self Help Radio with the theme "upside." You can listen to it on the Self Help Radio website. & you can listen to it on the KBOO website. If that's something you think you might enjoy.

Also Tuesday January 27th there was an episode of Corporate Standardized Programming wherein I played music by artists we lost in July of last year. You can listen to it on the Self Help Radio website. & you can listen to it on the KBOO website (after Self Help Radio). If you have nothing better to do.

That's what I did this past week. What were you up to?

Self Help Radio 012726: Upside

The downside of this upside show is that there are three upside down songs to each upside song. That affects you not at all but I was hoping I could do an entirely "upside" show. & maybe later an "upside down" show. I totally bet I could do an entire "downside" show!

But let's not dwell on what might've been. Here is the show. There are lots of groovy tunes & goofy interviews & the occasional foibles of someone doing a late night radio show while being a little tired. Same old same old.

Listen to the show on the KBOO website or on the Self Help Radio website. The latter may require the username SHR & password selfhelp to access. Everything that happened on the show is below.

Listening to this show upside is neither recommended nor not recommended.  It's not like I'm an expert or anything.

Self Help Radio Upside Show

"I'm Going Upside Your Head" Jimmy Reed _Jimmy Reed At Soul City_

"Upside Mine" The Chatham Singers _Juju Claudius_

"Looking For The Upside" The Photocopies _Counterintuition_

introduction & definitions

"The Upside" Raavi _The Upside_

"The Upside" Carissa Johnson & The Cure-Alls _The Good EP_

"There Is No Upside" James Yorkston & The Second Hand Orchestra _The Wide, Wide River_

"I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up & Dance (Oops Up Side Your Head)" The Gap Band _Ultimate Collection_

"On The Upside" Xena _Electro Funk Sessions (The Finest Electronic Street Jams From Back In The Day)_

interview with What's The Upside podcast host Chris Talbot

"Upside Down" Bruce Haack _The Electronic Record For Children_

"Upside Down Blues" Curtis Jones _Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 4_

"My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down)" Carolyn Crawford _The Complete Motown Singles | Vol. 4: 1964_

"Upside Down" Norman Conquest _The Rubble Collection Volumes 1-10_

"Inside, Outside, Upside Down" Josie & The Pussycats _Stop, Look, & Listen: The Capitol Recordings_

"I Keep Her Picture Hanging Upside Down" Jerry Lewis _The Capitol Collector's Series_

interview with Jenny & Jeremy of Portland's Upside Club

"Upside Down" Magazine _The Correct Use Of Soap_

"Upside Down" The Jesus & Mary Chain _Psychocandy_

"My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg)" Ramones _Animal Boy_

"Inside Out & Upside Down (With You)" The Cramps _Flamejob_

"Hanging Upside Down" David Byrne _Uh-Oh_

interview with my friend Jasper who likes to be upside down

"Upside-Down" Yo La Tengo _May I Sing With Me_

"A Planet Upside Down" Pearl & The Oysters _Planet Pearl_

"World Upside Down" Tears Run Rings _Always, Sometimes, Seldom, Never_

"Upside Down On Brighton Beach" Shirley Lee _Shirley Lee_

"Love In The Upside Down" David Holmes & Raven Violet _Blind On A Galloping Horse_

conclusion & goodbye

"Turn Things Upside Down" The Happy End _Turn Things Upside Down_

"Leaving Everything Upside Down" Gretta Seabird _Cycling EP_

"Downhill (Upside Down Optimist)" Jeremy Ivey _Invisible Pictures_

"Upsidedown" The Mighty Project _Total Football_

Whither Upside?

That is a picture of my grey tabby cat Bluto upside down. He was all of maybe five months old in that picture. But to this day he still enjoys being upside down. You can hold him & he will stretch out until he is upside down. No other creature in the house - nor any cat I have ever owned - enjoys this particular thing.

Anyway. The theme this week is "upside." It could also be "upside down" but I wanted to find songs that specifically mentioned the word "upside." Since an "upside" is a different thing than the word "upside" in the phrase "upside down." Spoiler alert! I found more upside down songs than upside songs. Perhaps I'll discuss it on the show.

& no this isn't telling you why that's the theme because the reason it's the theme is a little dumb. I was looking at the list of themes I have explored (which you can find here) & I noticed I had only explored - in 23 years! - themes that began with the letter U a mere eleven times. What could I explore to add something to that short list? "Up" would have too many choices. My upside down? But then I thought - let's see if there are any songs just using the word "upside." There couldn't be a downside to that!

The upside show airs in this upside down world tonight from midnight to 2am on KBOO - 90.7fm in town, kboo dot fm everywhere. Maybe there's an upside to all this.

Preface To Upside: Upside Down Nation

That picture was taken in Fort Worth, Texas, a lifetime ago. Or maybe just eight years. It seems too long ago. Every day we walked with the dogs in our neighborhood, & our walk took us past an elementary school, Ridgelea Hills Elementary. Sometimes our walk took us behind the school, in the area where the children played/had recess. One day - apparently March 11, 2018 - I saw that someone had taken apart some monkey bars - that's what we used to call them - & turned the thing upside down.

A year after that, my wife would accept a job in Portland & my life would change again, but I had no idea that would happen when I took this picture. Then as now, I did my best to find joy where I could - that usually involves radio, my pets, & my wife - despite what is happening in the world. I have lived through the Reagan presidency, as well as two Bushes, & was living through Trump One at the time that picture was taken. It has been exhausting but nothing could have prepared me for the first three weeks of this year.

This morning on The Dickenbock Report, I said something like this: Please don't think because I try to have fun with this ridiculous radio show that I'm not aware of the creeping fascism that threatens our lives. I try to have fun but it's hard when goons who can't even pass an open-book test murder nurses in our streets. Please know I'm sad & angry & know this cannot stand.

What's true is I feel helpless too & don't want to be like my German grandparents were in the 1930s when Germany went full fascist. My mother used to tell me about people in her village disappearing but also that the economy was great & my grandfather could buy a car for the very first time. I don't want the fact that I allowed to make stupid radio shows to be a freedom I have at the expense of others. I am carrying within me an alarming amount of guilt.

The people in Minnesota are so strong, the proud boy gestapo so despicable. We marched in the No Kings March & the stations I am at are proudly anti-fascist. But I do wish I could do more.

If you notice any hesitancy - any embarrassment - any small lack of commitment to my programs - it's because seeing my fellow citizens stand up to a mad king's private racist army while I make dumb noises into a microphone seems like a betrayal. & yet there's really little else I can do.

My apologies. But also my gratitude if you understand. Because I'll keep making my dumb radio shows.