Movie Mania

(image from the IMDb)

This week's Self Help Radio was a show about mania (you can of course listen at the Self Help Radio web page or at the show's KBOO page) & our resident cinephile Chuck appeared with another installment of Chuck's Happily Unsophisticated Cinema Korner, this time focusing on films about delusion (which can be a symptom or manifestation of mania) & on films featuring maniacs.  These are the links you can follow should you want to see his recommendations.

This is his Twitter feed, where he keeps you apprised of what he's watching: @robotmonkeycat

He made two Youtube playlists this week: one for delusion, one for maniacs.
Here are the reviews he wrote on Letterboxd for this week's films.

Always something of value here - take advantage of Chuck's expertise & enjoy some time at the movies!

Africa O-Yé 062421: Ghana Selection

(Image from here.*)

Given the chance to sit in on KBOO's show Africa O-Yé this week, I chose to play some of my favorite music from Ghana.  I wish I knew enough about the country & its music to have curated it in some discernably interesting way but I don't so you'll have to settle for a mix of music that I like put in the order that came naturally to me.

This show will be archived on the Self Help Radio website next week, but it's already available for you on the KBOO website.  In case you'd like to listen.  What I played is there & also below.

Africa O-Yé 062421: Ghana Selection

"God Bless Our Homeland Ghana (National Anthem Of Ghana)" The National Anthems Orchestra _Football World Cup 2010: 32 National Anthems_

"I Go Die For You" Kyeremateng Atwede & The Kyeremateng Stars _Ghana Special (Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-81)_

"Gyae Corruption (Stop Corruption)" Aaron Bebe Sukura & The Local Dimension Palm Wine Band _N'Yong Acoustic Ghanaian Highlife_

"Wanyame Som Mponi" Dr Paa Bobo _Osobro Kyee: The Greatest Mix Of Dr. Paa Bobo_

"I Walk Alone" Marijata _This Is Marijata_

"Heaven" Ebo Taylor _Life Stories (Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1973-1980)_

"Wiase" King Onyina's Guitar Highlife _King Onyina_

"Deingo Sanga" Atongo Zimba _Barefoot In The Sand_

"W'ama Aboroso" City Boys International Band _Kwae Anoma_

"Okpe See" Pagadeja _Afro-Beat Airways: West African Shock Waves - Ghana & Togo 1972-1979_

"Aye Yi" Thomas Frempong _Aye Yi_

"Nyame Waye Awie" Roadmaster & Agyemang _The Old Highlife_

"Tigantabame" Bola _Volume 7_

"Seprewa Kasa (Seprewa Speaks Guitar Answers!)" Seprewa Kasa _Seprewa Kasa_

"Maria" Okukuseku International Band Of Ghana _Yebre Ama Owou_

"Tua Na Woho Nkom" K.K.'s No. 2 _Heavy Mama_

"Moko Baba" Salaam & His Cultural Imani Group _The Guitar & The Gun (Highlife Music From Ghana)_

"Je Caime Larsey" Lady Talata _Mekunu Hoye Fe Paa Hi-Life_

"We-Nyeme" SK Kakraba Lobi _Gandayina: Xylophone Music Of Ghana_

*"Independence Arch - Accra, Ghana" by George Appiah is licensed under CC BY 2.0 

Self Help Radio 062221: Mania

(Original image here.*)

Would you describe Self Help Radio as manic?  I think it's a pretty sedate show myself.  Possibly even reflective?  Maybe just sleepy.  In any event, we thought we possessed enough of a reserved quality to take a thoughtful look this week at mania.  Not just mania - manias.  Like pyromania.  Or manic things.  We even felt comfortable enough to have a look at maniacs.  Maybe comfortable is not the right word.  We were in fact too lazy to turn away.

But in addition to lots of manic songs about mania & maniacs, we talked to a writer about his own experiences with mania, with a neuroscientist about the mechanics of mania, & our friend Chuck talked about films dealing with aspects of mania.  It was I hope a good time.  Maybe even informative.  Possibly entertaining?

You can listen to the show any time you want, it's at both Self Help Radio dot net & KBOO dot fm.  All the songs that were played are listed below as are the things that happened between the songs.  Most of them, anyway.

Self Help Radio Mania Show

"Mania" Throwing Muses _Hunkpapa_

"Mania" Tiger High _Inside The Acid Coven_

"Mania" Port Juvee _Crimewave_

introduction & definitions

"Kafe Mania!" Deerhoof _The Magic_

"Monomania" Deerhunter _Monomania_

"Erotomania" Big Hat _Shimmer_

"Dromomania" Helvetia _Dromomania_

"Cinémania" Stereo Total _Do The Bambi_

interview with writer Carlton Priest

"Manic" Racquel Jones _IgnoRANT_

"My Manic & I" Laura Marling _Alas, I Cannot Swim_

"Manic Monday" Slumber Party _Covers Up_

"Manic Depression" The Jimi Hendrix Experience _BBC Sessions_

"Megamanic" Bob Mould _The Last Dog & Pony Show_

interview with neuroscientist Dr. Amanda Dragg

"Pyromaniac" The Verlaines _Getting Older 1981-1991_

"Junior Pyromaniacs" Hypnolovewheel _Space Mountain_

"Pyromaniacs Anonymous" Kingmaker _Sleepwalking_

"Solar Pyromaniac" Spud Cannon _Next Time Read The Fine Print_

"Pyromaniac" Oh Land _Wish Bone_

another installment of Chuck's Happily Unsophisticated Cinema Korner

"Maniac" Cinerama _Va Va Voom_

"Maniac" John Maus _Songs_

"Maniac" The Beat _Public Confidential_

"The Gospel Maniacs" Steve Martin _The Steve Martin Brothers_

"Dance Like A Maniac" The Dollyrots _Whiplash Splash_

a quick round of "Stump Ned Dry!"

"Egomaniac's Kiss" DNA _No New York_

"Ego Maniac" Chris Mars _Horseshoes & Hand Grenades_

"Egomaniac" The Human League _Credo_

"Maniacs In A Living Hell" Coyle & Sharpe _Audio Visionaries: Street Pranks & Put-Ons_

"Megalomaniac" Frank Tovey _Snakes & Ladders_

"Megalomania Blues" Outrageous Cherry _The Digital Age_

an impromptu performance of Michael Sembello's "Maniac" by Major Captain McCheese

"A Million Manias" Marc & The Mambas _Torment & Toreros_

"Circles Of Mania" Coil _Horse Rotorvator_

"Sex Maniac" The Countdowns _The Essential Pebbles Collection - Volume Three_

"Sex Maniac" Bobby Nunn _Private Party_

"Sax Maniac" James Chance & The Contortions _Lost Chance_

conclusion & goodbye

"Merengue Mania" Johnny Conquet, His Piano & Orchestra _Raisins & Almonds: Cha Cha Cha & Merengues_

"Mambo Mania" Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra _That Latin Feeling..._

"Boogaloo Mania" Charlie Palmieri _The Rough Guide To Boogaloo_

"Sitar Mania" Ashwin Batish _Sitar Power # 2_

* "Series Mania - 06Apr10, Paris (France)" by °]° is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 

Whither Mania?

(That's a cool image.  It's from here.)

The word "mania" can mean two different things.  I know, you're like, whoa Gary a word in English having more than one meaning what the fuck?  Hey!  I don't need your snark right now, okay?  I got shit to do today.

Anyway, the two meanings of mania - one an actual mental condition, an affliction which can encompass euphoria, delusion, obsessiveness, & hyperactivity - the other a synonym for a fad or a craze or just a lot of enthusiasm - these two meanings are sort of hard to integrate into a show.  A song about manic disorder followed by a song about Beatlemania can perhaps seem clumsy at best & insulting at worst.

Not to mention the "manias" like pyromania, megalomania, even egomania that are sometimes the subjects of songs.  Gathering materials for this week's show I felt like I had to walk a tightrope of sorts - I didn't want to be disrespectful to people who have to deal with what their brain does to them but I also had lots of songs about maniacs.  What to do, what to do.

Find out tonight from midnight to 3am on 90.7fm KBOO here in Portland, online everywhere at kboo.fm.  Lots of songs, some guests, even a "live" "musical" "performance."  It might even be informative & fun!

Hope you come along.

Preface To Mania: Brain Stuff

(Image from here.)

Among the heartbreaking things one is completely unprepared for as a child that I've discovered happens with sad regularity in adulthood is the way your mind can betray you.  Memory fails, unfounded beliefs harden, curiosity wanes, &, in the worst cases, your brain chemistry changes in a way that can quite severely alter your life.

& which is you?  Let's say you discover you're a schizophrenic at the age of 25.  Are you the you you're supposed to be or has that changed?  Was 24-year-old you the real you & you get to spend the rest of your life a shadow of who you used to be, with medication trying its damnedest to get you as close to that as possible?

My mother had late-onset Alzheimer's in her last few years &, like many, many others have with their loved ones, I watched her fade.  Some aspects of her dimmed while some just disappeared.  It's not just hallucinations, or delusions, or memory loss - she spent less time on the phone with me, she seemed to have less to say, or to have lost all patience for conversation.  Her mind closing up shop as it were.

Maybe I won't talk much about this on this week's show but it's something I think about a lot.  About how much of me will be left as I near the end (assuming I die in my elder years & not sooner).  About whether or not I will notice.  But the topic of "mania" - as a condition, not in the sense of a "craze" - makes me think about my brain.  I wonder what it's got planned for me.

Ubu

Happy Juneteenth!  A few Juneteenths ago - five of them in fact - I was in Louisville not for Juneteenth celebrations but to see - for the very first time ever - the band Pere Ubu.  It was in a small club called Zanzabar & I forget if the only original member of the band was David Thomas, but he was in a mood.  At one point he stopped the show & took the band offstage to scold them.  It was almost like seeing the Fall although I never thought anyone was going to throw a punch.

My wife was out of town - I think out of the country, in Scotland.  We both knew she had taken a job in Fort Worth & that we would leave Kentucky by the end of the summer.  In fact, we'd leave the first week of August.  I hadn't told anyone because the previous year I had made a big deal about us leaving but she decided not to take that job.  I had lost my show because of that.

Speaking of my show - there were several folks at WRFL who I thought I'd see at the Pere Ubu show, but it was only me.  Driving home late, by myself, I wondered if I should've asked, or said something.  But I didn't.  So it was just me.

Zanzabar was in a section of Louisville I had never really explored, & I remember it was a warm, lovely night.  It was still light out when the show started - there wasn't an opening act, if I recall - & I was kind of in awe seeing the band, who were legendary at this point.  It was a fine evening - not revelatory for me or overly intense - but sometimes you just have to feel happy you get to see a band you had heretofore missed.

Remember seeing bands?  Sorry the picture is terrible.

Might I Recommend

This is something I could write but hey! I have an image:

It's a national holiday now so you best be observing!

Tomorrow from 1-7pm the Juneteenth festivities will be streaming live on KBOO.  That's the link.  It's https://kboo.fm/juneteenth2021.  Seriously.

Celebrate!  What a joyous day it is!

Self Help Radio 061521: Subways Revisited

(Original image here.*)

Three hours is a long time in the subway.  Unless you just took train after train.  To be honest, I've always kinda wanted to do that.  Like going to ride after ride at random at an amusement park.  It's terrifying when you think about how similar the lines tend to be.  & maybe even the clientele!

You can listen now at the Self Help Radio web page & at the Self Help Radio section at the KBOO web site.  All the things that happened on the show are below.  Please enjoy the ride.

Self Help Radio Subways Revisited Show

"Subway" The Champs _The Early Singles_

"Subway Train" The Balladeers _Oldies But Goodies: Lost Doo Wop Songs_

"Subway" The Pointer Brothers _Signs!_

introduction & definition (from nine years ago!)

"Circle Line" Rodney Allen _Circle Line_

"Down In The Tube Station At Midnight" The Bad Shepherds _Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera!_

"Don't Sleep In The Subway" Petula Clark _Music To Watch Girls By_

"Chase Through The Subway" John Mulaney _The Top Part_

"Two Lonely Hearts (On The Subway)" Me'Shell NdegéOcello _Plantation Lullabies_

a panel discussion: should Portland build a subway system?

featuring Fiona McDougalGregor-McTavish & "Free Train Movement" Dave

"Subway Blues" Mabel Scott _The Chronological Mabel Scott 1938-1950_

"Subway Blues" Ernie Maresca _Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)_

"Subway" Yeah Yeah Yeahs _Mosquito_

"Subway" Boogie Man Smash _Boot 13_

"Subway" Mary Lou Lord _Got No Shadow_

interview with Karen

"The Metro" Berlin _The Best Of Berlin 1979-1988_

"The Subway Home" Casiotone For The Painfully Alone _Pocket Symphonies For Lonesome Subway Cars_

"Super Subway Comedian" Suicide _The Second Album + The First Rehearsal Tapes_

"Subway Train" Johnny Thunders _So Alone_

"MTA" The Kingston Trio _Folk Song America: A 20th Century Revival_

interview with Hollywood subway guy Denver Smith

"Subway Wall" Danielle Duval _Lose It_

"Man On The Tube" The Passions _Michael & Miranda_

"On The Subway" The Last Poets _The Last Poets_

"The Next Station Is: Shibuya" Torpedo Boyz _Cum On Feel The Boyz_

"Subway Joe" Joe Bataan with The Fulanos _Subway Joe_

interview with Corky Cole, who lives on a Subway train

"Subways" The Avalanches _Wildflower_

"Crying On The Subway" Hana Vu _How Many Times Have You Driven By?_

"Asleep On The Subway" Lullaby For The Working Class _Song_

"Subway Lullaby" The Naysayer _Deathwhisker_

"The Underground Train" Lord Kitchener _London Is The Place For Me: Trinidadian Calypso In London_

"Subway Harry" Poncho Sanchez _Afro-Cuban Fantasy_

the top ten subways systems in the world (as of 2012)

"Miss Subway Of 1952" Cher _Dark Lady_

"I Didn't Sing (In The New York Subway)" Blue Swede _Out Of The Blue_

"Subway Cutie" The Melody Masters _Hot Harmony Groups 1932-1951 (That's The Rhythm Volume 1)_

"Girl On The Subway" Cherry People _Cherry People_

"Subway (Smokey Pokey World)" The Tickle _Let's Go Down & Blow Our Minds: The British Psychedelic Sounds Of 1967_

"Subway Song" My Little Hum _Pioneer_

conclusion & goodbye

"This City Never Sleeps" Eurythmics _Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)_

"Meet You In The Subway" Chrome _Subterranean Modern_

"Down In The Subway" Soft Cell _This Last Night... In Sodom_

"Subway (C&W)" Swirlies _Damon Andy Rob Ron: The Yes Girls_

* "New York City Subway" by relux. is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Whither Subways Revisited?

(Image from here.)

In August of 2012, at a station over two thousand miles away, on a Monday morning I believe, Self Help Radio aired a show about subways.  In the show's nearly nineteen years of existence, it hasn't repeated a theme more than perhaps a couple dozen times, & usually it's on the show's anniversary, or because I've forgotten I've covered that theme before.  (One of the reasons I made this list of themes is because I would otherwise revisit themes accidentally more often.)  So why go back to a theme I covered nine years ago?  It's because an opportunity presented itself.

The nice & smart folks who do the show before mine asked if we could collaborate.  Their show precedes mine once a month.  Tonight, that show will feature an hour of the music of broadway composers Robert Lopez & Kristen Anderson-Lopez, one piece of which is from an acapella show about riding the New York subway.  It seemed a good idea to dust off the previous SHR episode, update it with more songs (I'd need twice as many, since the original subway show was only ninety minutes long!), & those folks on the show.  So they'll be on tonight as well!

It's bound to be as much fun as riding the subway.  & I love to ride the subway!

That's tonight from midnight to 3am on 90.7fm KBOO Portland.  Online at kboo.fm.  If you don't have the proper fare, just jump the turnstile.  No one at Self Help Radio is paying attention - we're bad at our jobs!

Preface To Subways: Here We Go Again!

(My fave subway system - image from here.)

If you were a Self Help Radio listener in 2012, you would have been listening to the show on WRFL in Lexington.  I think the show was on Monday mornings from 7:30 to 9am.  I had a three hour show, but didn't think I could pull off a three-hour Self Help Radio (imagine that).  I did a freeform show from 6 to 7:30.  You can see that show's playlist here.

This was back in the day when I didn't have any interviews or any "funnies."  I hadn't thought of the former & I wasn't confident enough to do the latter, though I wanted to.

Normally I only revisit shows on my anniversaries, but something came up - an exciting opportunity - & I figured it was all right for this time.

What opportunity?  I'll tell you tomorrow!

Movies On The Moon

(image from the IMDb.)

This week's Self Help Radio was the first radio show on the moon (in case you missed such a monumental achievement, you can listen at the Self Help Radio website or at the KBOO Self Help Radio page, should you want to catch up) & on the show was another installment of our series Chuck's Happily Unsophisticated Cinema Korner.  This one featured films (& one television show) that happened on the moon.  Here are important links:

Chuck's Twitter feed - keep up with what he's watching here.
Here's his Youtube playlist of movies on the moon.
He also made a playlist of movies involving a full moon.*
Chuck also wrote reviews of the movies he watched on Letterboxd.
Finally, here are the IMDb lists of movies tagged with "moon" & with "full moon."

Chuck's insights & recommendations are always valuable to me.  I hope you find something you'll enjoy watching!

*You should listen to the segment to understand why Chuck made this!

Children's Books On The Moon

(These book covers are from (left to right) here, here, & here.)

If you missed this week's show - & I'm not sure why you would do such a thing - you missed a visit from our librarian friend Carole, who recommended three books about being on the moon.  Visit the Self Help Radio website or the KBOO Self Help Radio page to listen, & if you do, you'll hear her talk about these three books:

How To Be On The Moon by Viviane Schwartz.  More info here, although we strongly recommend if you want to purchase the book, you do so at an independent bookstore, & not a nameless corporation that has too much money as it is.

Love, Sophia On The Moon by Anica Mrose Rissi & Mika Song.  More info here.  Again, don't buy it from Amazon, please.  Hey look!  Here's a Youtube video of the author reading the book!

Field Trip To The Moon by John L. Hare.  More info here.  Carole's commentary on this was especially entertaining.  Go listen!

Support libraries & independent bookstores!  They're awesome!

Self Help Radio 060810: On The Moon plus Mommyheads Interview!

(Original image here.*)

That's right!  This morning's Self Help Radio was the first radio show on the moon!  No matter what Buzz Aldrin says!  At best he had the first podcast on the moon.  An achievement, sure, but not the same!

Before I went to the moon, however, I spoke with Adam Elk of The Mommyheads & in addition to being a fascinating conversationalist, he also played a few songs for us acoustically.  That was kind of him.

Anyway, you can listen to his interview by itself here & the "On The Moon" show in its entirety here (in both cases you'll need a username - SHR - & a password - selfhelp) but you can hear the whole three hours over at the KBOO Self Help Radio page (no password required).  The songs for all three hours + stuff that happened in-between are below.

Does anyone know how to get back from the moon?  Asking for a stranded deejay.

Self Help Radio Interview With Adam Elk Of The Mommyheads

songs played in-between interview airbreaks

"Between The Moon & The Sun" The Mommyheads _Acorn_

"I'm Not Real" The Mommyheads _Coming Into Beauty_

"Fast Enough For You" The Mommyheads _Bingham's Hole_

"Stupid Guy" The Mommyheads _You're Not A Dream_

"I Started Breathing" Adam Elk _Solo Acoustic_

"Like A Brick" Adam Elk _Solo Acoustic_

"Speaker Heart" Adam Elk _Solo Acoustic_

"Woke Up A Scientist" Adam Elk _Solo Acoustic_

"Monkey" The Mommyheads _The Mommyheads_

"Take Me As I Am" The Mommyheads _New Kings Of Pop_

Self Help Radio On The Moon

"Let's Go To The Moon" The Equals _Equals Strike Again_

"Get On The Moon Baby" Julian With Tasso & His Big Orchestra _Get On The Moon Baby_

"Walking On The Moon" Lucia Pamela _Into Outer Space With Lucia Pamela_

introduction & list of people who've walked on the moon

"Alan Bean" Hefner _Dead Media_

"Man On The Moon" The Jesus & Mary Chain _Munki_

"Whitey On The Moon" Gil Scott-Heron _Small Talk At 125th & Lenox_

"Walking On The Moon (Men Are Starving)" Rev. Jamel & Bob Johnson _The World's Rarest Funk 45s (Volume Two)_

"Walking On The Moon" The Police _Reggatta De Blanc_

interview with CEO Conrad Schnitzel, who wants to put things on the moon

"There's Honey On The Moon Tonight" Fats Waller _1937-1938_

"I Don't Want To Live On The Moon" Rose Melberg _September_

"Swingin' On The Moon" Mel Torme _Swingin' On The Moon_

"Monkey On The Moon" Gene Hall _UFO On Farm Road 318_

"Monkeys On The Moon" The Sopwith Camel _The Miraculous Hump Returns From The Moon_

visit with librarian Carole, recommending books about being on the moon

"Walking On The Surface Of The Moon" Wreckless Eric _Big Smash_

"Up On The Moon" Milky _Travels With A Donkey_

"Holiday On The Moon" Love & Rockets _Sorted! The Best Of Love & Rockets_

"Standing On The Moon" Molly Tuttle _Standing On The Moon_

"Rocking On The Moon To-Night" Big Charles Green With Lil Dusty Fletcher & His Front Page Clefs _Rocking On The Moon To-Night_

visit from cinephile Chuck, discussing movies that take place on the moon

"Space 1999" City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra _100 Greatest TV Themes_

"If You Stub Your Toe On The Moon" Frank Sinatra _The Voice: The Columbia Years 1943-1952_

"Cowboy On The Moon" Laura Cantrell _Score! 20 Years Of Merge Records: The Covers!_

"Land On The Moon" Brian Deady _Interview_

"Spy On The Moon" Momus _The Ultraconformist_

conclusion & goodbye

"Home On The Moon" The Mommyheads _Soundtrack To The World's End_

"Picnic On The Moon" Bel Canto _Birds Of Passage_

"First Boy On The Moon" Bill Nelson _Noise Candy (A Creamy Centre In Every Bite!)_

* "The Moon - Waxing Gibbous 98% of Full - at 21:26 UTC 26 August 2007 - Age of Moon: 14.081 days" by Rick Leche is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Whither On The Moon?

(Look at this absolutely gorgeous photo! It's from here.)

Truth be told, I can't remember why I'm doing a show about being on the moon.  But it led to something which will happen tonight which I couldn't have expected.

A few months ago I got a nice letter from Adam Elk of the band The Mommyheads.  Laboring as I do in almost complete obscurity, I was a bit flabbergasted he reached out, but he seemed so nice, that when I realized, as I was looking through songs about being on the moon that the Mommyheads had a nice one, I asked him in email if he might want to come on the show & chat a bit.

He did!  Not only that, he recorded four songs in his studio.  When we got to talking, I realized that I couldn't just stick him on the air for a few minutes - I needed to spare a longer chunk of time to showcase him, his band's music, & his solo performances.

Therefore, the first hour of the show tonight is an interview & performance with Adam Elk featuring lots of Mommyheads song.  We talked for almost an hour, I hope I got the best bits.

After that it's the regular Self Help Radio show, just two hours long, & it's on the moon.  It's not going to be as interesting as listening to a smart, observant, creative musician talk about his craft & his history, but it's the best I could do.

Tonight on 90.7 KBOO & kboo.fm from midnight to 3am.  It'll be the first time a human's been on the moon since 1972!

Preface To On The Moon: Flags On The Moon

The picture above is from this article: What Happened To The American Flags On The Moon?  So far the moon is the only other part of the solar system humans have put flags on.  No flags on Mars or Venus.  No flags on that comet we landed on a while back.  Voyager didn't drop flags when it flew by Jupiter.

Which makes me think - those flags look kind of bulky.  What did they have to leave out of the lunar lander to make room for the flags?  Maybe the astronauts would have preferred more dehydrated ice cream.

But they kept bringing flags along!  American put six flags on the moon, & the article says that the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has taken pictures of shadows of five of the six flags.  One of my favorite parts of the article: "While the flags are still there, it's doubtful whether the distinctive stars & stripes are still visible, said ASU professor Mark Robinson, the chief scientist for the cameras. 'I can only guess they are badly in need of replacement after 50-ish years of UV, hot-cold cycles, & micrometeorite bombardment,' he said."

The one Buzz & Neil left apparently was too close to the lander & was blown down in the exhaust of liftoff.  Stupid flag.

But I didn't really want to talk about flags on the moon today!  I wanted to tell you that there'll be only a two hour Self Help Radio tomorrow.  But I guess I can tell you in the next post.

Photographs Of Places I've Lived # 0: Ridgewood Dr

(pic from Google maps.)

When I was in Texas two weeks ago, I was given by my sister my actual birth certificate, which told me where my family was living when I was born.  It was in this house in Garland, Texas.  I have no memory of course of living here, but my sister believes I lived here for maybe the first two years of my life.  It might be in this backyard where this picture was taken:

It would have to be, right?

When I was in Garland, I went down the wrong street (one street over) & took a picture of the wrong house.  But the Google Map image above is probably pretty close to how it looks now.  How it looked then I have no idea.  I have no memory!

Last August I started this series with the first place I remember living in, which was an apartment complex called Kingsley Manor.  I wrote then, "I've never figured out exactly how many places that was before we moved into Kingsley Manor."  It turns out that number is most probably two.  This place above, on Ridgewood, & one other, a few blocks north, on a street called Rolando.  My sister doesn't remember the house number or exactly where the house was, so I will probably never be able to add one last house to this series.

& yeah, I'm still living in the place I said I was living at the end of the series.  Hopefully we'll live here a bit longer.  I like it here!

New Intro Time Again Again Again Again Again Again Again Again Again!

It's that time of year - actually it's a month later than I normally would do this - can I still blame the pandemic? - when I make a new intro for the show.  I used to make them at the beginning of either the summer cycle (at KOOP) or the summer semester (at WRFL) which both started in May.  Self Help Radio is currently at a station that doesn't have any seasonal cycle & I would have made it earlier but I am kinda swamped recording my shows instead of doing them live.  But I made one this week!  I hope someone likes it.  Besides me.

Here's the 2021 Self Help Radio Intro!

The show is nearly nineteen years old, & I've made nineteen intros for it now, wow.  Here in fact are the previous eighteen.  In chronological order.  Yikes.

You can listen to the 2002 intro (my first!) here.

You can listen to the 2003 intro here.

You can listen to the 2005 intro here.

You can listen to the 2006 intro here.

You can listen to the 2007 intro here.

You can listen to the 2008 intro here.

You can listen to the 2009 intro here.

You can listen to the 2010 intro here.

You can listen to the 2011 intro here.

You can listen to the 2012 intro here.

You can listen to the 2013 intro here.

You can listen to the 2014 intro here.

You can listen to the 2015 intro here.

You can listen to the 2016 intro here.

You can listen to the 2017 intro here.

You can listen to the 2018 intro here.

You can listen to the 2019 intro here.

You can listen to last year's intro here (or before any of the shows this year).

Let's hope this new one is only for the next twelve months so you don't get too sick of it.  Wait.  You're sick of it already?  Dang.

Self Help Radio 060121: An Important Show

(Original image here.*)

This isn't really an important show. I mean, it might be important to me, & sure my guests are glad they were on it, but important? In the grand scheme of things? Nah. It's just another way for me to organize a group of songs in a pleasant way. I hope you like it.

Lots of things happen - look at the list of songs below & see the stuff in-between.  I had some guests!  Yay!

You can listen now in two places: at the KBOO website & at the Self Help Radio website.  Either is good.  The KBOO website is more important, but I'm good with that.  I just hope you listen.

If only what I were doing were actually important!

Self Help Radio's Important Show

"Important In Your Life" Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers _Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers_

"Mr. Important" Bis _The New Transistor Heroes_

"Nothing Is More Important Than Love" Frank Sinatra, Jr. _Nothing Is More Important Than Love_

introduction & definitions

"How Important Can It Be?" Teresa Brewer _The Best Of Teresa Brewer_ 

"The Importance Of The Rose" The Limeliters _Time To Gather Seeds_

"Organs Of Little Apparent Importance" Richard Dawkins _Charles Darwin's On The Origin Of Species_

"These Important Years" Hüsker Dü _Warehouse: Songs & Stories_

"Three Important Domestic Inventions" The Beakers _Four Steps Toward A Cultural Revolution_

interview with Ainsley Wagoner of Silverware (part I)

"Importance 101" White Hills _Stop Mute Defeat_

"Seems More Important To Me" The Groop _The Best & The Rest 1965-69_

"Have I Learned Anything Important Since I Was Sixteen?" Elizabeth Deutsch Earle _This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies Of Remarkable Men & Women_

"The Unimportant Things" Outrageous Cherry _Seemingly Solid Reality_

"So Important" Sparks _Interior Design_

interview with Ainsley Wagoner of Silverware (part II)

"Important" Silverware _No Plans_

"A Song In Latin About The Importance Of Comfortable Shoes" Short-Haired Domestic _Short-Haired Domestic_

"A Little Lyric Of Great Importance" Harry Belafonte _Belafonte Returns To Carnegie Hall_

"My Body's More Important Than My Mind (Live)" Shirley Bassey _Burn My Candle - The Complete Early Years 1956-58_

"I've Got More Important Things To Do" The Belmonts _Tell Me Why: The Very Best Of The Belmonts_

interview with stand-up comedian Denver Smith

"It's Important To Be Trendy" Momus _The Philosophy Of Momus_

"Un Serpent Sans Importance" Etienne Daho _Eden_

"The Most Important Booking Agent in the World" Shelley Berman _Outside Shelley Berman_

"It's Important" Mecca Normal _Jarred Up_

"The Important Thing Is To Love" +/- _Let's Build A Fire_

interview with sculptor Jack Scofflaw

"Important Words" Gene Vincent _The Road Is Rocky (The Complete Studio Masters 1956-1971)_

"Ce'ne Pas La Importance" Wau y Los Arrrghs!!! _Cantan En Español_

"My Important Heart" Goodnight Loving _Crooked Lake_

"No One's More Important Than the Earth Worm" Stackridge _Extravaganza_

"Importance Of Mistakes" People Like Us _Thermos Explorer_

"It's Important To Me" Deniece Williams _This Is Niecy_

idioms of importance

"Time Is Important To Me" The Viceroys _We Must Unite_

"Unimportant Things" Julie Grant _Come To Me - The Pye Anthology_

"Unimportant" The Northern Pikes _Snow In June_

"Important" The Great Swamps _Indiana_

"Important" Maps & Atlases _Beware & Be Grateful_

"Un Secret Sans Importance (A Secret Of No Importance)" Monade _Socialisme Ou Barbarie (The Bedroom Recordings)_

conclusion & goodbye

"What's Important" Beat Happening _Look Around_

"Not Important" Cloud Nothings _Cloud Nothings_

"Kiss Only The Important Ones" Guided By Voices _Hardcore UFOs: Revelations, Epiphanies, & Fast Food In The Western Hemisphere_

"The Importance Of Being Idle" Oasis _Don't Believe The Truth_

"Big Important Place" Kevin Seconds _Good Luck Buttons_

"Talk About Goose Creek & Other Important Places" Goose Creek Symphony _Goose Creek Symphony_

*"Important" by Joe Shlabotnik is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 

Whither An Important Show?

(image from here.)

This week's Self Help Radio will be an important show.  This will naturally puzzle anyone who's listened to Self Help Radio before, as it has never been anything but unimportant.  By nearly every metric, it's continually avoided any kind of importance.  In fact, it has instead been immaterial, inconsequential, insignificant, irrelevant, negligible, trivial, unnecessary, useless, & generally worthless.

So what has changed?  Is the show pretending to be important for some reason?  No, it's just that I have been enjoying the new album by Silverware & in particular the song "Important."  I thought I'd make an important radio program to showcase that song.  & so I shall - & I'll also talk to Ainsley from Silverware as well.  That's what makes the show important.  You see.

Tonight on 90.7 fm KBOO Portland, online at kboo.fm, from midnight to 3am.  It's honestly of no real importance.  But it's an important show nonetheless.

Preface To An Important Show: Head Full Of Steam

Tomorrow I'll talk about why this week's show will be "important" but today I'll talk about a song that I'm not going to play on the show but it's the first song I think about when I think about songs in which some form of "important" features.  I'm not going to play it because it's not that prominent - it's just a line, really.  & it's kind of out-of-character for the songwriter.  It's this song:

Hm, for some reason I can't embed, so you can hear the song/watch the video here.

It's "Head Full Of Steam" by the Go-Betweens, & the lyrics are by Robert Forster, who sings the song.  The line I'm thinking about is: "Her father works, her mother works in exports, but that's of no importance at all."  It's quite punny & clever & the truth is, I don't think of Robert Forster as a punny clever songwriter.  I would've expected that from Elvis Costello.

It's a song I love very much, however.  I got to see Robert Forster in late 2019 & my heart skipped a beat when he played this.  It made up for him not playing "Baby Stones."