The Kinks - Celluloid Heroes (live excerpt)

Recorded "live" at The Volkhaus, Zürich, Switzerland, 11th November, 1979. I'm posting just the opening guitar solo because to me, this is rock'n'roll nirvana, and more than enough to keep you rocking down the highway for the remainder of summer and beyond.

Someone explain to me how portamento works on a polyphonic synth.

P.S. We're still welcoming suggestions for out hotly-tipped "2003 Project"...

Bent - Stay The Same

Is this good? I can't tell, but it's definitely weird. Does anyone have suggestions on more intriguing music released in 2003?  Please send me your picks early and often.  I'm hoping to crystallize the zeitgeist of an undefined age, obliquely, with an hour's worth of half-forgotten "hits." Any music in any genre released in 2003 is fair game.

Thanks as ever,
Emmett

Lemonheads - It's A Shame About Ray (demo)

A nice way to re-enjoy a super-good song. I can still picture E. Dando performing this at Keene State College Spring Fling '93 (long story), how the intro seemed to go on forever, and how the chords on the second four bars are different from the chords on the first four, which I'd never noticed before.

Thanks again to everyone who sent ideas for the 1980 project. The new Viva show (#130) was assembled out of those suggestions. I tried to include as many reader picks as I could, while still leaving room for a few of my own ridiculous selections. Hope you enjoy it. We'll do another year soon!

Listen to the mix here.

Modern Eon - Choreography

Special thanks to Wharf99 for pointing me towards the "Hicks From The Sticks" compilation LP, on which this appears. The change into the chorus at 0:47 is a nice surprise. Unsure on the artwork.

Lori and the Chameleons - The Lonely Spy

One of the fruits of the ongoing 1980 project. The surprising brevity of the intro is a nice touch. Thanks, Chameleons.

New Viva show (#129) in the archive, comprised entirely of tracks released in 1980. Thanks a mill for all the suggestions. Due to the high volume of submissions, I've decided to do one egocentric mix (see above) and a separate mix, to air next week, featuring Readers' Choice selections. So, if anyone has further recommendations from 1980, please do send them along.

There was one reader's suggestion which was judged to attain to such a high degree of aesthetic excellence that it was included in this playlist - namely, the Prats' Disco Pope. Thanks to Ramone for the tip.

The Teardrop Explodes - When I Dream*

Folks, I need some recommendations on obscure tracks released in 1980. This is for the next Viva playlist. I'm not looking for "That Was The Year That Was"-type stuff, just good, somewhat obscure songs or pieces of music released in the year 1980. The deadline is this Thursday at midnight. Please send your recommendations early and often!

Your friend,
Emmett

*produced by Mike "Fingers" Howlett

new Viva show (#128) in the archive

Carole King - Porpoise Song (publisher's demo)

The Kinks - I Go To Sleep (demo)

I turned this one up while casting about for demos and other such drumless tracks for a (mostly) drumless mix, which is now streamable here: #127.

Carlos Paredes - Canção Verdes Anos

Things are finally starting to get languid around here.

Neil Young - The Bridge

There's a new Viva show (#126) in the archive; the second installment in our hotly-tipped Summer Playlist Series.