Saturday, January 17, 2026

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: X-Rays


(x-ray of a radio found here)

On January 18, 1896, a professor in North Carolina, HL Smith, displayed the x-ray machine for the first time. He didn't invent it. He didn't discover x-rays. He didn't have much to do at all with the science. But he showed it to the world for the first time.

We will therefore use this opportunity to talk about & play musical reports about x-rays on The Dickenbock Report. Which is on a station called XRAY FM. Is the news allowed to be this meta?

Listen tomorrow, Sunday, January 18, from noon to 1pm on XRAY FM - 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, xray dot fm everywhere.

Fun fact: Dick Dickenbock continually proposes that XRAY change its slogan to "We can see right through you." He is continually told to sit down & shut up.

Friday, January 16, 2026

This Week In Self Help January 11 + 13

A food vendor at a music event advertising hand-dipped jumbo corn dogs, hot & zesty nachos, & lemonade with giant colorful even gaudy signs.

Though lemonade is technically a juice, I didn't play songs about lemonade on my juice show. So I couldn't use this awesome pic I took at some KNON Blues Fest thing a decade or so ago. Until now!

This week I did this radio here:

Sunday January 11. The Dickenbock Report on XRAY FM. It was Step In A Puddle & Splash Your Friends Day. So I played songs about puddles. Of course. Listen at XRAY FM. Listen at Self Help Radio.

Tuesday January 13. Self Help Radio on KBOO. The theme was juice. Listen at KBOO. Listen at Self Help Radio.

Tuesday January 13. Corporate Standardized Programming on KBOO. An hour of songs by artists we lost in late July/early August of last year. Listen at KBOO (after Self Help Radio). Listen at Self Help Radio.

In case you need: username SHR, password selfhelp.

Damn it, now I'm craving juice again. & maybe some hot & zesty nachos as well.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Self Help Radio 011326: Juice

(image manipulated see note*)

Yikes the juice show was fraught with error! The internet seemed to go out at some point during the show & tho I record my show from home as a back-up to the station's recording, there was a portion of an airbreak missing, which I had to recreate this morning. It's pretty awkward. I'm sure you'll know which one.

But otherwise the show was delicious I thought. Lots of songs, mostly about fruit juices, plus the requisite silly interviews of a juicy nature. I have fun putting together all my shows but I had a lot of fun with this one.

You can listen to the show now & whenever (maybe while sipping juice?) at either the KBOO website or the Self Help Radio website. The latter may ask you for the username SHR & the password selfhelp. Now you know. Everything that happened on the show is noted below.

Enjoy responsibly.

Self Help Radio Juice Show
"White Port & Lemon Juice" The Bel-Aires _The Best Of Flip Records Vol. 2 Death Of An Angel_
"Juice, Juice, Juice" Amos Milburn _Vicious Vicious Vodka_
"Tomato Juice" The Cardinals _Tomato Juice_

introduction & definitions - featuring the Definition-O-Tron 3000

"The Juice Of The Barley" The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem _In Person At Carnegie Hall_
"Frozen Orange Juice" Peter Sarstedt _The Very Best Of Peter Sarstedt_
"Pulp" National Lampoon _That's Not Funny, That's Sick_
"Red Apple Juice" Ralph McTell _Streets_
"Grapefruit Juice Blues" Michael Hurley _Snockgrass_

interview with juiceterian Jules Francis

"Grape Juice Plus" The Cupid Car Club _Join Our Club..._
"Carrot Juice Is Murder" The Arrogant Worms _Russell's Shorts_
"Chocolate, Lime Juice" Lata Mangeshkar _Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!_
"Gin & Juice" Sissy Bar _Statutory Grape_
"Grapefruit Juice" Love Love Straw _Dream All Day_

interview with reporter/historian Ted Charles

"Orange Juice" Stanley Brinks & The Wave Pictures _Orange Juice_
"Apple Juice" Penelope Isles _Comfortably Swell_
"Orange Juice" Rose Kemp _A Hand Full Of Hurricanes_
"Orange Juice & Velvet Underwear" Intersystems _Number One_
"Juicebox Baby" The Regrettes _Feel Your Feelings Fool!_

interview with exposé writer Clint Speck

"Carrot Juice" Vegetable Spectacle _Frog Lady_
"Orange Juice" Martha _Love Keeps Kicking_
"Fruit Flavored Teas" George Carlin _When Will Jesus Bring The Pork Chops?_
"Orange Juice" Pop Crimes _Gathered Together_
"Lemon Juice" Dear Misses _Cool Down Under_

conclusion & goodbye

"Skunk Juice" The Panzant Brothers _SuperFunk_
"Apple Juice" Hannibal Buress _Animal Furnace_
"Drinking Carrot Juice" Cowboy Jack Clement _Guess Things Happen That Way_
"Orange Juice Star" Raggedy Ann _Periscope: Another Yoyo Compilation_
"Orange Juice" Bellows _Fist & Palm_

* I took a photo of the label of a bottle of Lakewood Organic Lemon Juice & manipulated it in my clumsy way for this week's image. I hope they don't mind. Here is their website.

Monday, January 12, 2026

Whither Juice?

Five jars & bottles of different kinds of juice with their respective fruits cut around them.
(image from here)

To explain why the theme of this week's show is fruit, I need to tell you a bit about how awkward I can be when it comes to entertaining guests at my home. A couple of Thanksgivings ago, my wife invited a colleague & her husband to our house for Thanksgiving. I think we had also invited our favorite neighbor couple. I was all right with the menu, I knew what I wanted to cook, but when the time came for drinks, I was at a loss. We asked them what they wanted to drink & they seemed cool with whatever. But what whatever? I drink soda, my wife drinks water. What do other people drink?

Pondering this, I found myself at Costco looking at juices. As you know, you can't buy anything small at Costco, & so I ended up buying two giant containers each of two different kinds of juices. My wife was a bit irritated. "Who is going to drink that?" she asked. Neither of us really drinks juice, you see. I said, "Our Thanksgiving guests." She said, "They won't drink that."

We had the juice out for Thanksgiving but no one wanted any. I think I drank some of the apple juice but that left three giant containers. Which we kept in the garage. They were giant. We don't have a huge refrigerator.

This last Thanksgiving I noticed them. I can't remember if they were expired or not. I should probably check. I knew no one in the house wanted them. But it occurred to me that juice would be a really good theme for a show. & after many weeks, the juice will be freshly squeezed tonight.

That was a long dumb story but it's really how I came up with the theme. I should've probably just said I was having some juice & been done with it.

In any event, that's what's happening on Self Help Radio tonight, midnight to 2am, on KBOO - 90.7fm in Portland, kboo dot fm everywhere. If some of the juice in the garage is still good, I'll take it up to the station with me & drink it all during the show. It'll be a like a cleanse!

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Preface To Juice: A Photo I Took


Taken in my neighborhood sometime last year. Nothing to do with juice. Just seemed appropriate for the right now.

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Step In A Puddle & Splash Your Friends Day

A puddle with a reflection.

January 11 is Step In A Puddle & Splash Your Friends Day. That's what we're reporting on on The Dickenbock Report. Though the weather is not forecasting rain. You'd think, hey, it's Portland in the winter, there's got to be a puddle somewhere. But maybe not on this Step In A Puddle & Splash Your Friends Day. Perhaps we'll report on what to do on Step In A Puddle & Splash Your Friends Day when you don't have any available puddles. That might be a good side report!

We're still working on the show up to airtime! Which is noon tomorrow, Sunday, & the show lasts till 1pm. It'll air on 91.1+107.1fm in Portland & online everywhere - perhaps places with more puddles - at xray dot fm.

Wear your galoshes in any event.

Friday, January 09, 2026

This Week In Self Help: January 2 4 + 6

Front cover of the book Puppets Go To Church featuring a puppet standing over a church.
(image found here)

Yikes, I almost forgot to continue sharing my radio show stuff into the new year. It's just that it has felt like we've experienced several years in the year's first nine days. I am so tired. But I started pretty early with radio shiz this year. Like so:

January 2 on XRAY I subbed a show. Just music & stuff. Listen at the XRAY website.

January 4 on XRAY The Dickenbock Report reported on World Hypnosis Day. Listen at the XRAY website.

January 6 on KBOO Self Help Radio explored the theme puppets. Listen at the KBOO website.

January 6 on KBOO Corporate Standardized Programming played lots of new releases. Listen at the KBOO website (after Self Help Radio).

That is all.

Tuesday, January 06, 2026

Self Help Radio 010626: Puppets

A Self Help Radio sock puppet, sort of.

Okay, so, I had this idea of making a Self Help Radio sock puppet but I ran into a couple of snags. The first was I don't have any white socks, & so had to rummage through my wife's socks, most of which barely fit on my fist - what is it with tiny socks anyway? I managed to find a small white sock & took a picture & then I discovered the second snag - it's not a sock puppet without your fist making the mouth put the Self Help Radio bear has a speaker for a mouth. I didn't grapple with the problem to find a solution. I just said to hell with it. Here's your graphic. I never claimed to be artistic.

Though not a puppet show, the puppets show had plenty of puppets, including Muppets, & many metaphorical puppets too. I talked to a puppet! Perhaps you're a puppet fan, perhaps this will be just up your alley.

Listen to the show now or when you have a puppet party at either the KBOO website or at the Self Help Radio website. If you're using the latter, you might need the username SHR & password selfhelp. In any event, almost everything that happened on the show is listed below.

This show could've used a Statler & Waldorf tho.

Self Help Radio Puppets Show
"It's A Puppet Show" The Telephone Company _The King's Surprise_
"Puppetry" Raylee Forest _My World EP_
"Puppetry" Raul Danks & Jon Taylor _There's A Dream I've Been Saving: Lee Hazlewood Industries 1966-1971_
"Puppet On A String" The Detroit Cobras _Tied & True_

introduction & definitions

"The Young New Mexican Puppeteer" Tom Jones _Close Up_
"I'm Your Puppet" Dionne Warwick _Soulful_
"Popo The Puppet" Danny Kaye _Danny Kaye For Children_
"Puppet Girl" Wendy James _Now Ain't The Time For Your Tears_
"Puppet Boy" Devo _Shout_

interview with Wally the puppet

"Puppet Man" The 5th Dimension _The Very Best Of The 5th Dimension_
"Puppet On A String" Little Lisa _The Complete Motown Singles | Vol. 5: 1965_
"Welcome To The Muppet Show Fan Club" The Muppets _The Muppet Show Fan Club_
"Puppet Master" Marissa Nadler _Marissa Nadler_
"Puppeteer's Son" Jacobites _Heart Of Hearts (The Spanish Album)_

interview with writer Jack Forster

"The Puppet Motel" Laurie Anderson _Bright Red_
"The Puppet" Echo & The Bunnymen _Songs To Learn & Sing_
"Puppet Museum" Sassyhiya _Take You Somewhere_
"The Puppet Lady" Chris Garcia _Laughing & Crying At The Same Time_
"Puppets" Atmosphere _When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold_

interview with Portland Puppet Inspector Harrison Thompson

"Puppet" The Clinger Sisters _Havin' A Good Time_
"Puppet On A Chain" 100% Pure Poison _Coming Right At You_
"Puppet Of Wax, Puppet Of Song (feat. Xanthe Waite)" Mick Harvey _Intoxicated Women_
"Puppet" Lisa Germano _Inconsiderate Bitch_
"Muppet" Grasscut _1 Inch / 1/2 Mile_

conclusion & goodbye

"Dance Puppet Dance" Little Pattie _20 Stompie Wompie Hits_
"Mr. Cupid's Puppet Show" The Winnerys _Daily Urban Times_
"Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head" They Might Be Giants _They Might Be Giants_
"My Puppet Pal" Tiger _We Are Puppets_

Monday, January 05, 2026

Whither Puppets?

The image is a cartoon by Mr Joshua, featuring a group of hikers in tall grass, all with puppets on their hands, while the leader says Tall grass, fellas. Keep those puppets high.
(image by Mr Joshua, found here)

The first Self Help Radio of 2026 is about puppets. & for the life of me I'm not sure why. I did meet a puppeteer in December, but it was certainly before that that I planned the show. I have a feeling it has something to do with a Serge Gainsbourg listening spree from back around Halloween that led me to become reacquainted with Mick Harvey's follow-up recordings, Intoxicated Woman. I had been obsessed with his Gainsbourg covers in the 1990s, Intoxicated Man & Pink Elephants, & had all but forgotten the third record. So I was listening to it, & to the Gainsbourg originals, & enjoyed "Puppet Of Wax, Puppet Of Song" a lot. It was probably why I decided to do a show about puppets.

But who knows? That was what, three months ago? In 2025-2026 time that's like fifty years! I can't be expected to remember that far back!

What I do know is that the Self Help Radio "puppet" show is happening tonight from midnight to 2am on 90.7fm KBOO in Portland, which is also available everywhere at kboo dot fm. It'll be songs about puppets. One day I'll do an entire show with all the songs sung by puppets. But that's not this show.

Sunday, January 04, 2026

Preface To Puppets: I Never Had A Puppet

(found on Tumblr)

As a child, I had stuffed animals. I had dolls - insomuch as GI Joes & the like were dolls. I had Fisher-Price humanoids. & most of all I had Star Wars figures - which may as well include what followed from other series. But I never really had puppets.

Which is not to say I didn't love puppets. In talking about this show with someone recently, I mentioned that - besides Sesame Street - I was a fan of puppets on Sid & Marty Krofft series, on Gigglesnort Hotel, on The Great Space Coaster - which featured Gary Gnu - on The New Zoo Revue, & probably many others.

But one thing I didn't have was - okay well two things I didn't have were - a desire to have a puppet & a puppet - even one made from a sock - to manipulate & play with.

Even now I don't think I would enjoy that.

It doesn't mean it wouldn't make a decent radio show tho!

Saturday, January 03, 2026

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: World Hypnotism Day

A roll of tape that kinda looks like a hypnotism wheel.

The first Dickenbock Report of 2026 involved World Hypnotism Day. What is hypnotism? Can Dick Dickenbock be hypnotized? Will Dick Dickenbock be hypnotized on air? How many musical reports entitled "Hypnotized" can there be? Almost all of these questions - or perhaps none of them - will be answered on the show.

Which airs Sunday, January 4, on XRAY FM - that's 91.1+107.1fm in Portland & online everywhere at xray dot fm. Suggestible listeners should tune in.

Friday, January 02, 2026

This Week In Self Help (Last Year Tho) December 28 + 30

Three leashes leading to three beagles on a walk.

Look it's me walking all my beagles. I did that a lot last year. Though most of the year I only had two beagles. Anyway that was last year. This also was last year.

December 28 The Dickenbock Report on XRAY FM.
It was Card Playing Day. I lost big. Listen to the show at XRAY FM. Listen to the show at Self Help Radio.

December 28 KBOO.
Someone couldn't make their Sunday night show so I stepped in & played lots of newish stuff. Listen at KBOO FM. Listen at Self Help Radio.

December 30 Self Help Radio on KBOO.
The 79th installment of the Indiepop A To Z series. Listen at KBOO FM. Listen at Self Help Radio.

December 30 Corporate Standardized Programming on KBOO.
More music by artists we lost in July 2025. Listen at KBOO FM (after Self Help Radio). Listen at Self Help Radio.

Are you listening at Self Help Radio's website? The username is SHR & the password is selfhelp.

So glad 2025 is over & I don't have to write about it any more!

Thursday, January 01, 2026

The Year In (My) Radio (Shows)


A couple of years ago - during the pandemic, probably, when I was doing more radio shows than usual - I started keeping track of the shows I do. & I just spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to count the shows I've done, to get the number of shows plus the amount of time I've wasted spent on the air.

There is a note here. I have two radio shows that air back-to-back - Self Help Radio & Corporate Standardized Programming. They are however two distinct shows - & the latter is prerecorded, so I don't even stick around after Self Help Radio to do the show. I therefore count them as separate shows - though if you don't, you can subtract that number from the total.

What is that total? Here it is:

52 episodes of Self Help Radio.
52 episodes of The Dickenbock Report.
49 episodes of Corporate Standardized Programming.
52 sub shows on KBOO, XRAY, & Freeform Portland*.

That makes 205 radio shows I was responsible for in 2025. I did 104 of them live, 101 of them were prerecorded. It's a total of 304.5 hours of radio in 2025. & this is probably approximate - I had to have missed something somewhere.

In addition, in between Self Help Radio & The Dickenbock Report, I explored 70 new, unique themes.

What to make of this? I dunno. I didn't have a goal in mind or anything. I just made radio shows when I could. & that's how it'll probably be in 2026 too. So, you know. Apologies in advance.

* This includes episodes of The Songcircle, though I am technically a member of the show's collective, & not a substitute deejay, but I started out the year substituting. I'll count it differently if I do this again next year.

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Self Help Radio 123025: Indiepop A To Z # 79

A collage of album/single covers of the artists played on the show. These are Sissies, Sissy Bar, Sister Cities, Sister Rain, Sister Vanilla, Six Cents & Natalie, The 6ths, Patrick Skelly & The Prescriptions, Skinner, Skint & Demoralised, Skistar, Skypark, The Skywriters, The Sleazy Beats, Sleeper, Sleeping Policemen, The Sleeping Years, Sleepyhead, The Slingbacks, Slipslide, The Slits, Sloppy Jone, Slow Hello, The Slow Summits, Slowdive, & Slowpoke.
(most if not all images from Discogs)

The last Self Help Radio of 2025 is not the last of the Indiepop A To Z series. I just went from Sissies to Slowpoke. I think I have a few more of these to get through just to get to the letter T!

Here's a reminder that almost all the previous episodes are available at the Self Help Radio website. That link should take you to the page that has all the links to the individual episodes. It's a lot. I'll understand if you'd rather listen to a murder podcast or something.

Meanwhile! This show! It's now at the KBOO website & at the Self Help Radio website. For the latter, please use the username SHR & password selfhelp if necessary. It was me talking & playing music so there's nothing else to do but show you the playlist which is below.

Happy new year to you! Thank you for listening in 2025!

Self Help Radio Indiepop A To Z # 79 Show
"Stand Up" Sissies _Look Back & Laugh_
"Daisy Putter" Sissy Bar _Songs For Peeps_
"Bookends" Sister Cities _Library Records 1998-2003_

"Burt Reynolds" Sister Rain _The Sound Of Leamington Spa Volume 1_
"Two Of Us" Sister Vanilla _Little Pop Rock_
"Your Swimming Suit" Six Cents & Natalie _When Punk Fell To Earth_
"You You You You You (feat. Katharine Whalen)" The 6ths _Hyacinths & Thistles_
"The Oysterboat Man" Patrick Skelly & The Prescriptions _The Hedonism EP_

"Lucille" Skinner _Lucille_
"The Thrill Of Thirty Seconds" Skint & Demoralised _Love, & Other Catastrophes_
"Mountain Code 9" Skistar _This Is The Cafe Superstar Beat Vol. 1_
"Bicycle Boy" Skypark _Summer Days Are Forever_
"Movie Star" The Skywriters _The Skywriters_

"Phil Spector's Birthday Song" The Sleazy Beats _Pure Spun Sugar: An International Pop Compilation_
"Inbetweener" Sleeper _Smart_
"Vogelbird" Sleeping Policemen _Sleeping Policemen_
"You & Me Against The World" The Sleeping Years _You & Me Against The World EP_
"Change" Sleepy Township _Library Records 1998-2003_

"Play" Sleepyhead _Play_
"Hot On My Heels" The Slingbacks _Hot On My Heels_
"Baked Alaska" Slipslide _The World Can Wait_
"Typical Girls" Slits _Cut_
"Once & For All" Sloppy Joe _Waiting For The Night Begins_

"Show & Tell" Slow Hello _Audio Baby_
"Not That Hard" The Slow Summits _Every Intention_
"Machine Gun" Slowdive _Souvlaki_
"Half-Life" Slowpoke _Julep: Another Yoyo Studio Compilation_

Monday, December 29, 2025

Whither Indiepop A To Z # 79?

The album cover for the 6ths record Hyacinths & Thistles
(probly playing something off this tonight - image from here)

Every four months I return to an absurd series that I started too many moons ago in which I play indiepop artists in alphabetical order. This would've ended some time ago but I wanted to be thorough. So, seventy-nine episodes in, I'm at the letter S. & almost certainly will still be on the letter S for some time.

So. If you like indiepop - the genre, not simply "independent pop" - &/or if you're a fan of alphabetization - &/or you like to hear music from lots of places, well then heck. Tonight might be the experience for you.

Self Help Radio airs midnight to 2am on 90.7fm in Portland town, & all over the universe (I'm told) at kboo dot fm. & oh yeah! It's the last show of the year!

Sunday, December 28, 2025

Preface To Indiepop A To Z # 79: That Time Again

My beagle Pete sleeping awkwardly on the sofa.

That's my beagle Pete. It's a pic I shared recently on Bluesky. I actually take a picture a day of him - our youngest hound - & our youngest cat. He's not our newest dog - that's a beagle we adopted about two months ago that we named Stuart. But Stuart is nine years old. Pete is not even yet three. He's still a bay-bee.

It's almost certain I've told this story before but once - before we were married - my girlfriend & I went to see a band - I'm sure it was this band - & they had decorated their tiny stage with all sorts of toys & animals. Afterwards she approached the band & told them they needed a beagle amongst their stuffed toys & one band member said, "It's true, the beagle is the most indiepop of dogs."

If indeed I have told this story before, did I tell it the same? Stories are weird like that. For many people they solidify into songs in their head, unchanged beyond whatever editing one might have done to keep oneself sane. But I suspect that I am constantly rewriting the stories in my head. To make them sound better, obviously, & depending on the intent, to either lessen or increase any humiliation I may have personally experienced. Luckily there was no humiliation in the indiepop beagle story!

Anyhoo. I do this every three months. Not tell stories that may be rewritten but play indiepop in alphabetical order on the radio. I am deep inside the letter S where I'll probably be this time next year too. I always say I don't imagine I will ever finish the series but I never thought I'd still be doing a radio show called Self Help Radio after a few years either. Hardly anything ever turns out like one might have planned. In a sense the older I get the less likely I am to make any plans. Maintaining schedule is understandable, but making plans? That just seems ridiculous.

Saturday, December 27, 2025

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Card Playing Day

The two playing cards, the Queen Of Hearts & the King Of Hearts, lay side by side. The King Of Hearts has taken the heart that floats next to his head & extended his arm out to hand that heart to the Queen.
(art by Elmo Hood, found here)

December 28 is Card Playing Day. If you play your cards right - or if you tune in when the program is on - you can hear a discussion about card playing as well as musical reports about card playing, playing cards, & other related issues. You might even get a chance to hear Dick Dickenbock tell the beloved story about the time he was on The Joker's Wild & was kidney-punched by Jack Berry for making a joke about Uno. Or you might not. Maybe Dick Dickenbock doesn't like telling that story.

The Dickenbock Report airs Sunday, December 28, from noon to 1pm on XRAY FM, available on the air in Portland on 91.1 & 107.1fm, & online everywhere at xray dot fm. We expect to hear you say, "Deal me in!"

Friday, December 26, 2025

This Week In Self Help: December 19 20 21 + 23

A bumper sticker that reads "I like to squander my potential in Portland Oregon"

'Twas the week before Christmas & I was ruining things by being on the radio TOO MUCH.

On Friday the 19th - my monthly appearance on the Songcircle on KBOO - I invited my old radio pal Anni to program the show & have fun. You can listen to that show on the KBOO website or on the Self Help Radio website.

Early on Saturday the 20th I subbed a show on KBOO where I continued to play musicians who died in 2025 - this time getting through all of June I believe. KBOO doesn't archive its sub shows but you can see the playlist on the Spinitron website & listen to the show on the Self Help Radio website.

Sunday the 21st on The Dickenbock Report on XRAY FM I reported on National Flashlight Day. You can listen to that show on the XRAY website or on the Self Help Radio website.

Tuesday morning the 23rd on Self Help Radio on KBOO I played a selection of my favorite music from 2025. You can listen to that show on the KBOO website or on the Self Help Radio website.

Also Tuesday morning the 23rd on Corporate Standardized Programming on KBOO I played more music by artists we lost in 2025, this time mainly from July. You can listen to that show on the KBOO website (after Self Help Radio) or on the Self Help Radio website.

Remember: on the Self Help Radio website, you may need a username (SHR) & a password (selfhelp) to listen.

& be grateful I am only on the radio a couple more times in 2025!

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Self Help Radio 122325: Gary's Favorite Music 2025

A collection of album/single covers of the artists who appeared on the show: Neon Kittens, Mclusky, Lambrini Girls, Heavenly, The Bug Club, Allo Darlin', Tullycraft, The Cords, Momus, Anika, The Burning Hell, Horsegirl, The Chameleons, Cheekface, Acapulco Lips, The Slow Summits, Paper Jam, Alpaca Sports, Galore, The Apartments, Folk Bitch Trio, The Mountain Goats, The Divine Comedy, Robert Forster, The Happy Somethings, Edwyn Collins, Chime Oblivion, HighSchool, Cousines Like Shit, & Autocamper

Oh man. I have already remembered like two releases I should've included in this collection. Gah I need to keep better records. But anyway.

Here's a selection of some of my favorite releases of the year. I also ask for support for KBOO during our End Of The Year Drive. Support the station that lets me do this nonsense by clicking here.

You can listen to the show on the KBOO website. You can listen on the Self Help Radio website. If needed on the Self Help Radio website use "SHR" as a username & "selfhelp" as a password. Don't use those quotation marks. You understand.

What I played is below. I'll try to pay more attention in 2026.

Gary's Favorite Music 2025 Self Help Radio Show
"Three" Neon Kittens _21 Minutes Of Adventure_
"People Person" Mclusky _The World Is Still Here & So Are We_
"Special Different" Lambrini Girls _Who Let The Dogs Out_

"Portland Town" Heavenly _Portland Town_
"Have U Ever Been 2 Wales" The Bug Club _Have U Ever Been 2 Wales_
"Cologne" Allo Darlin' _Bright Nights_
"Jeanie's Up Again & Blaring Faith By The Cure" Tullycraft _Shoot The Point_
"Rather Not Stay" The Cords _The Cords_

"Mr Young Men" Momus _Acktor_
"Hearsay" Anika _Abyss_
"Celebrities In Cemeteries" The Burning Hell _Ghost Palace_
"Information Content" Horsegirl _Phonetics On & On_
"Saviours Are A Dangerous Thing" The Chameleons _Arctic Moon_

"Living Lo-Fi" Cheekface _Middle Spoon_
"Everyday" Acapulco Lips _Now_
"How Much?" The Slow Summits _Every Intention_
"In Your Town" Paper Jam _This & That_
"Tell Me" Alpaca Sports _Another Day_
"Zinger" Galore _Dirt_

"A Handful Of Tomorrow" The Apartments _That's What The Music Is For_
"God's A Different Sword" Folk Bitch Trio _Now Would Be A Good Time_
"Rocks In My Pocket" The Mountain Goats _Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan_
"Rainy Sunday Afternoon" The Divine Comedy _Rainy Sunday Afternoon_
"Tell It Back To Me" Robert Forster _Strawberries_

"Self Help Song" The Happy Somethings _A Kind Of Longing EP_
"The Heart Is A Foolish Little Thing" Edwyn Collins _Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation_
"The Catalogue" Chime Oblivion _Chime Oblivion_
"Chaplins" HighSchool _HighSchool_
"Boring" Cousines Like Shit _Permanent Earthquake_ 
"Proper" Autocamper _What Do You Do All Day?_

Monday, December 22, 2025

Whither Gary's Favorite Music Of 2025?

A defaced vocal jazz album cover reads Gary Plays His All-Time Favorite Songs Of 2025. The singer John Gary remains on the cover, & a note has been scrawled next to it that says "Not Gary."
(original image here)

Oh you know. I'm gonna play a lot of the music I liked that was released this year. I don't pretend it's a best of. I also don't pretend it's anywhere near complete - it's mainly indie rock & indie pop, & I listen to a lot more music than that. I gathered way more than two hours' worth as well! The main criteria was that I listened to it a lot. That means to me I liked it.

Midnight to 2am, 90.7 fm in Portland, kboo dot fm everywhere.