WZBC 90.3 FM Newton

First in a three-week electronic (meaning non-rock) series composed of tracks that wove themselves together in my head. Some (many) are indeed electronic, but some are international, tropical, disco or balearic. It is a fine mix, and forecasts the feel of selections for the next two weeks.

Gaussian bands

7" played alphabetically series concludes: Hardcore part 4 of 4. This week runs from Scared Straight to Strange Flesh in part 1, and Subhumans to Zee Teen Titans in part 2. I take the luxury to play more than one song from many of the artists in this show. My #1 song from this and the song that won't leave my head is Subhumans's Parasites. Award for most classic song today? Unnatural Axe 'They Saved Hitler’s Brain'.

7″ played alphabetically series returns: Hardcore part 3 of 4. This week runs from Kudgel to The Peechees in part 1, and Pillsbury Hardcore to Rich Kids On LSD in part 2. What do we get? Kustomized covering La Peste. Pre-Slapshot Choke in Last Rights. 1978 Plurex Records goodness from Mollesters. Bands I love such as Lefty Lucy, N.O.T.A., Oiler, Pillsbury Hardcore, Raooul (with a song that knocks-off The Knack), and Rich Kids On LSD. Lots of one-offs and foreign obscurities flesh out another aces show.

7″ played alphabetically series returns: Hardcore part 2 of 4. This week runs from The Gits to Kudgel. Be sure to hear Jolly Mortals ‘Gladiator’, Justice League, King-Kill/33°, The Hard-Ons, Iron Prostate, and Jack Acid. I had forgotten how good late period Hüsker Dü could be. ‘Makes No Sense At All’ has stuck in my head. The Hedonists include a 1993 Spinga (vocalist for SSD). Ill Repute remains my personal fave HC band, and we have 3 tracks here. Every track packs it in, just like the other 3 shows in this series.

7″ played alphabetically series returns: Hardcore part 1 of 4 – 21 songs in part 1 and 22 songs in part 2 – whew! Highlights? I recommend just putting this on and letting it play. Songs were not chosen simply because I had access to the 7″ – every track earned its place. Special callout to Boston artists Bloodletter , Chickita, Eight Route Army, The Edge, The Evil Streaks, Fat Day, Gang Green, Gerty Farish and GingerBread Men. Special love to Mystic Records singles by Doggy Style, Don’t No, Dr. Know, False Confession, and Flower Leperds. Hi to my college mates Ed Gein’s Car.

Part 12 (the last one!) of the Brazen Ladies series of 7″ played alphabetically by woman bands. This week we start with Tracie and run through Zuzu’s Petals. Tracks you HAVE to hear are by Velocette (love that song!), Velocity Girl, Vibralux, and Vinyl Devotion. In closing this 12 week series, I say go back and be sure to listen to EVERY song, as not one of them snuck in here – they were all deserving and placed with love. A special thanks to Pénélope Bagieu and her ‘Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked The World’ graphic novel for inspiring me to expand a simple idea into a 12 week megadventure.

Part 11 of 12-week Brazen Ladies series. We run from Stereo Total to Syrup USA in the first hour, and Team Dresch to Tulips in the second. Stuff you can’t miss includes The Subterraneans, A.Z., Sugarbitch, Super Eight, Suran Song In Stag, Suspects, Tribe 8 and Tsunami, but really every track will capture your heart in some way.

Part 10 of 12-week Brazen Ladies series, running from Sleater-Kinney to Soundpool in the first hour, and Sonovac to Stereolab in the second hour. Special treats include a prime-era Patti Smith Group track that was a non-LP B-side, two Susan Springfield tracks (mighty – godlike) and two Starcrawler (goodness of recent vintage) tracks.

Week 9 (of 12) in the Brazen Ladies series, all 7″s played alphabetically and spun in real time on vinyl. In the first hour, Jeri Rossi is classic Gull Window Circus, Runaways ‘Heartbeat was a pleasant listen I had forgotten how much I loved, and The Sally Skull track ‘Mean Woman’ will not leave my head. In the second hour Scrawl and SF Seals are crucial.

Week 8 of Brazen Ladies series starts with Paper Squares to Pretenders in the first hour, and Pretty Mary Sunshine to The Receptionists in the second hour. Be sure to hear tracks by Pest 5000 in part 1, and Pretty Mary Sunshine, Pylon, Pussycat Trash, Raooul and Razor 18 in part 2.

Week 6 of the 12-week Brazen Ladies series of 7″ by women played alphabetically. Today in part 1 we start with Joan Jett and end at Lonesome No More‎. In part 2 we start with Lori & The Chameleons and end at Man Tee Mans. Be sure to listen to Jupiteria, Kenickie, Lois and Lonesome No More from the first hour, and Los Fresones Rebeldes, Lung Leg and Mambo Taxi in the second.

Week 5 of 12 of Brazen Ladies series: 7″ singles spun in real time played alphabetically by artist. Today covers from God Is My Co-Pilot to Ivy. This episode is dedicated to the Manga artist Rumiko Takahashi, who created Uresei Yatsura, and to creator of Moomins, Tove Jansson 1914-2001. She coded her life into her famous creation trolls and wrote six comic strips a week for seven years. In today’s show, Huggy Bear have Moomins on the label of their ‘Main Squeeze’ 7″, and God Is My Co-Pilot side-project The Hattifatteners are 100% Moomins inspired. In Moomins mythology, The Hattifatteners are silent beings that are forever wandering around in large herds. The only thing that interests them is reaching the horizon – and once they reach it, they continue on their journey. Let’s continue on with the Brazen Ladies series. Tracks by Go-Kart (reminding me to Julee Cruise), Growing Up Skipper and Guvner in the first hour, and Hello I’m A Truck, Ida and International Strike Force ‎ in the second hour must be heard.

Week 4 (of 12) of Brazen Ladies series, running from Detroit Cobras to God Is My Co-Pilot. “Our lives are wired, Like our gardenias” (Dog Faced Hermans) can serve as the wisdom for the day. Make sure to become friends with tracks by Dolores Haze, Driver UFO, Emily’s Sassy Lime, Fifth Column in the first hour, and The Geraldine Fibbers, Gilded Lil and Girlfrendo in the second hour.

Week 3 of the 12-week Brazen Ladies series of 7″ singles spun in real time and played alphabetically. Today we go from Cheesecake to The Courettes in the first hour, and Cosmetique to Destroy All Monsters in the second hour. I think of the Persian vampire movie ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night’, with its use of vampirism as a metaphor for not fitting in to society. The tracks on repeat in my head this week are from Chia Pet and Coping Saw in the first hour, and Courtney Love, Cub and The Delgados in the second hour.

Week 2 of a 12-week series of Brazen Ladies – a new Gulls Window Circus series – inspired by the graphic novel by Penelope Bagieu. All tracks are from 7″ singles, played alphabetically. Today we start with The Budget Girls and end at Cheesecake. Today I think of the Persian vampire movie ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night’, with its use of vampirism as a metaphor for not fitting in to society. I am finding the tracks from Birdie and Black Box Recorder from the first hour, and Butterglove and Cake Like from the second hour running through my head.

This week begins the grandest project of Gulls Window Circus ever. Week 1 of a 12-week series I’m calling Brazen Ladies – the idea was conceived independently, but expanded exponentially after reading the graphic novel ‘Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World’ by Penelope Bagieu. The shows are spun in real time on turntable. All tracks are from 7″ singles, played alphabetically.

Last show of 2020 is an all vinyl LP tracks comfort show, pulled as if on auto-pilot to showcase some records I love that have undiscovered joys. The show starts right off at peak with Tommy Jay. The 4 song quartet of Danny Graham, Joe Ghatt, Torgeir Waldemar and Irmão Victor capture exactly what I want to say with this show. In the second hour the pair of tracks by Jordan Jones and No Direction carry the torch. BMX Banditos and Velvet Crush close out the 2 hours tying it all together nicely.

When Gulls Window Circus moved from the Boston College studio of WZBC to home recording in March, new opportunities opened up – where shows were previously composed of what I threw in a bag, now the whole of my collection was at the disposal of each and every show, and any whim could be followed as inspiration arose. This week you have the first ever Gulls Window Circus Christmas show – I believe it will spread joy and be fun to listen to.