Radio Free California Episode 2606, some notes on my selections, some blogging about sportsball, and the Epstein Files

 

New music this week from Bellvie, Cory Wong, The Linda Lindas, Incredible new discovery The Molotovs, Big Big Train finally releases their concept album "Woodcut", Lande Hekt, Steph Strings, Ratboy, an epic from Crown Lands, IST IST, I'm With Her, Stanley Simmons and much more. Enjoy!

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Let's start with this: Stanley Simmons? The children of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS having their own band is one thing, but where the hell did those amazing vocal harmonies come from? Do not go in expecting it to sound anything like their fathers - they blaze their own path and if this first single is any indication we should expect some pretty amazing stuff to come.

I only discovered Bellvie this past week and I must share them with you. So far they've only released a few singles but they're all in the same vein as this week's opener and I think you'll like them.

I have to give a shoutout to You Tube "Behsist" Danny Sapko for turning me on to The Molotovs, who dropped a new album this past week and I added 4 songs to the playlist. It's as if The Wonder Stuff and The Jam had a baby, and left it to be raised by The Ramones. I could have added every song from the album "Wasted on Youth" is one of the most consistent and rocking debut albums from that scene to come along in decades.

As they've hinted for months, Big Big Train's new album "Woodcut" is a concept album, and as such it's hard to pick out single songs to play because they go back and reference themselves again and again throughout the album. But if you're into a good story concept and a fan of progressive rock, Big Big Train is one of the best in the business.

Steph Strings is a singer/songwriter from Melbourne who is a mix of blues, progressive, Celtic and folky fingerstyle guitar playing whose latest "Feel Alive" is a step up for her. If this is your bag you should check her music out.

Of course I added the Linda Lindas cover of "California Sun". They're a Southern California band and they've grown so much in the past few years since we first added "Racist, Sexist Boy" to the playlist FIVE YEARS AGO!!!!!

I keep hoping for a new album from Crown Lands, and they have once again defied expectations by releasing an 18 minute "single" called Apocalypse. Like everything else they've done, it's as if Rush had come back, but with a nod to their Native roots and were only two people. The fact that they can play what they do live with no additional musicians or pre-recorded material is downright astonishing.

You may have seen I'm With Her perform their version of Paul Simon's "Obvious Child" on Colbert's show (or elsewhere) and the arrangement is fantastic and unique and I am grateful that they released it as a single. I have of course added it to the playlist.

Cory Wong's new album is finally out and there are some barn burners in there beyond the singles previously released. Still, nothing beats "Lisa Never Wanted To Be Famous", which is included in this collection and which I added to the playlist last week.

Lande Hekt is another up and coming artist that I had a hard time only picking 2 songs from to add to the list. Her vocal stylings come from the likes of Lush or The Sundays (a favorite of mine from back in the day) but her songwriting has veered a bit into jangle pop and she sounds more confident than she did on her debut a couple of years back. 

Finally, Joe Jackson and Bruce Hornsby drop new singles the same week that sounds like the same stylings as they had in their peak days? I am there for that!

Finally, there is an Irving Berlin song on this week's list. "When that Man is Dead and Gone" was written as a commentary on Adolf Hitler, and no we can use it for the man who kept a copy of one of his books on his nightstand. I present to you the new version from Lizzy and the Triggermen.

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JD Vance got booed at the Olympics. At impressive decibels too. There ain't no sugarcoating of it, he is not well-liked anywhere. And quite frankly the eye-liner wears off onto the rest of us.

In all honesty, I'm actually willing to believe that the DOJ memo that addresses Epstein's death by suicide that is dated the day before he died as a simple clerical error. We've all done it, put the wrong date down on something and sent it out before fixing it. But the DOJ does need to explain it, without burying it in the same lies they've been burying everything else they say about the contents of the release.

Frankly, I'm more concerned about all the Tech Bros - and I do mean all - having dinner with Epstein after he was released from prison the first time he was convicted of soliciting child rape. Something that to a person they've all denied.

For the record, I'm not in The Epstein Files. I never even heard of the guy until the mid-2010's. The nice thing about being on the West Coast and nowhere close to rich.

On the flip side though, four of the 5 people in the video I've attached at the bottom of this week's post are. Only Amber Ruffin is left out.

Uncle Sec-Def Hogsbreath says that Hunter Hess should be thrown off the Olympic team. So have others, including the leader of the Crome Administration. Hess' actual words? “It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now. there’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the US.”

That's about as American as it gets, I think.

So In understand there was a big sportsball game yesterday, between two teams I care nothing about. Still, an excuse to make Monkey Bread and Pigs In Blankets will be taken. Who won?

Speaking of that Sunday, the place I do my grocery shopping has a Home Depot next door. I was really concerned that ICE would be parked out there while I was picking up last minute ingredients as they did threaten to be here specifically on this day. Instead there were a number of police "shops" parked at various points instead. I guess ICE chickened out.

Democracy might die in darkness, but the Washington Post dies up Jeff Bezo's ass.

Anyone else still having trouble calling the former MSNBC by it's new moniker? Anyone else remember the days when the "MS" part of that name stood for "Microsoft"? Not only is "ms.now" more than a little bit clunky, it's also kind of tied to for former head of one of the early Tech Bro companies that is also ensnared in the Epstein files. They need a new name.

By the way, there is only one Trans person in the Epstein files - a woman who was mocked by a lot of people who should now be aware that Epstein paid her a healthy settlement. Justice? No. Vindication? Fuck yes.

Did I watch the game? No. I did turn in to see Coco Jones sing "Life Every Voice". Like many a singer who came through the Disney Factory, she can really sing. Green Day was kinda tame, and kinda sped-up. For the record, the lyric that NBC censored on Green Day was "Mindfuck" and not "MAGA". "Mindfuck" is the original lyric. They don't say "MAGA" every time they perform the song.

I paid zero attention to the national anthem. It is a terrible piece of music. That's a musical judgment and not a statement on the content, although they do always cut out the part about slaves, don't they. From a musician's point of view, it's just a terrible song.

Also for the record, although I don't speak any Spanish, I'm pretty sure that there was a pointed attack at how slow the power has been restored in Puerto Rico during the Bad Bunny set.

With a little luck by the time you read this the Monks who have been walking across the country for the past few months will have finished their walk, arriving in Washington D.C. having started in Texas.

"Two Skateboards."

You need something to compare the fact that the head of the Crime Administration is mentioned in the Epstein files over 38,000 times? In the entire saga Harry Potter's name, in any form, shows up 1,094 times.

Apparently Meta/Facebook sells dorky sports sunglasses like Google Glass now? Claude is trying to replace ChatGPT? And TurboTax is telling me that my dog is going to die? I don't have a dog!

I am so into the fact that at the Super Bowl the following lyrics were sung, just in Spanish:

My dick is on the run and I want that you hide it for me
Grab it like a bong
She popped a molly 'cause it gets her horny
She fucks in the Audis, not in the Hondas, ey (Tra)
If I fuck you don't call me (Tra)
Cause this is not so that you love me, ey (Tra)
If your boyfriend doesn't suck your ass
For that don't blow him

Or so I have been told. Again, I don't speak any Spanish. For all I know he just sang "Sir, this is a Wendy's " for 15 minutes. I did like the "all Americas" bit he did though.

By the way, Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin - all of whom performed in the show - are not in the Epstein Files.

And of course Ms. Maxwell took the 5th before Congress. Did anyone really expect otherwise? Or her follow-up condition that she would spill all only if her sentance was commuted?

The ad run by survivors of the whole Epstein empire was not psyops, you fucking morons.

And because I love you, Have I Got News For You US Version has gotten even better:

Radio Free California Episode 2505, Music, Minneapolis, the Grammys, and the Crime Administration this week

 

New music from Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg, Peter Gabriel, Cory Wong and Theo Katzman, CLEWS, Whitelands, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Kula Shaker, The Korgis, James McCartney and so much more. Enjoy!

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At the bottom of this post I'm going to put two videos, both of them behind the scenes looks at the Peter Gabriel track and the Cory Wong/Theo Katzman track. I find the stories of how these songs came together fascinating.

Gotta give it to both Bruce and Billy for potting out protest songs about the Nazi attempted takeover of Minneapolis by our own government on the SAME DAY. The fact that they're both great songs is just a bonus. 

I need to introduce you to a London band called Whitelands. They're called shoegaze in their homeland but to me they sound closer to jangle pop like Lush was like in the 1990's. They just released their fourth album "Sunlight Echoes" and it's their best work yet and very much worth your time. I've added three songs from this album to the playlist this week and it hard to stick with just three.

I have been a fan of Toad the Wet Sprocket going all the way back to the days when they were a local band in Santa Barbara selling tapes at their shows. There was no chance I'd pass on their new acoustic album, and it's as solid as anything they ever do. Included in this collection is a new version of "Little Heaven", which comes from the soundtrack to the movie for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as many songs you might already know. It's worth it.

If you want some quality blues, you need to take a look at the new album by Eric Bibb called "One Mississippi". It's a solid effort reminiscent of the greats and the song I've added to the playlist this week is the least blues-sounding track on it. I have added other tracks from when he was just releasing singles leading up to the new release.

And I have to introduce you to yet another band from Australia made up of sisters called CLEWS (remember the "S" at the end - trust me). Originally from Mollymook and now based in Sydney, Lily and Grace Richardson have very strong harmonies, great songwriting and remind me of how good a ballad can be when put together properly. Their album "What's Not To Love" may be their strongest yet and it's about time they broke out of Australia and into the rest of the world.

There is a 2024 release in this week's playlist. The band is called Violet Outburst and so far this is their only wide-scale release. I'm pretty sure you haven't heard of them - hell, I hadn't until last week. They kind of remind myself of an acoustic-leaning version of the Alarm. It's good stuff.

One final album I want to give a shoutout to is the new album from DZ Deathrays called "Easing Out of Control". This is a straight-ahead rock and roll album and I've been adding singles going back into last year. Now that the full album is out I recommend you give it a listen.

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If you teargas kids you're not the good guy. But Pizza Luce of Minneapolis appears to be among the good guys.

One thing that is clear from last Friday's infodump of Epstein Files: Mr. Epstein helped fund 4chan and /pol, which is where both the Tea Party and MAGA and QAnon were born, and that all of those people were heavily involved in his child trafficking operation. It's also spelled our pretty clearly that the head of the Crime Administration finger-fucked children.

Sickening beyond belief. Guess what suckers? There was/is a wide-spread child trafficking/child porn ring, and they're made up of the very people who told you other people were doing it.

Even I didn't think it was as bad as it turns out it was.

Dear Tea Party/QAnon/MAGA: You are complicit. They made you their followers. They are your abusers. They still are. They're going to hell, and they're taking you with them.

There are two reasons they blamed everyone else. One is that it worked. The other is that they are so depraved and sick that they simply can't believe that everyone doesn't act the same way they do.

Kick them in the groin. Repeatedly. Until they stop.

On a side note, Canada wouldn't let Epstein move there. Looks like the same thing might happen to Musk as well.

If the leader of The Crime Administration covers the Kennedy Center in gold bullshit we're going to need to remodel after his remodel. The man has no taste.

The special election in Texas, with a newly-designed and gerrymandered district, swung 23 points to the left, electing the Democrat. More of this, please. Also, didn't the man in the crime castle enthusiastically endorse the Republican one day before pushing him into his personal memory hole?

I usually don't watch the Grammys at they tend to be about record sales and not actual quality of work, although they have surprised me a few times (hello Jon Batiste!) but I have to give a hearty congratulations to Lola Young. I told you all 3 years ago she was going to be big and it's nice to be right about this sort of thing for once. But it looks like Trevor Noah is gonna get sued for a not-so-hot Epstein joke.

Measles appears to have migrated south into Texas. Vaccinate your kids, dumbasses!

In case you missed it, Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has returned to podcasting/streaming, where he can be ignored by a much larger audience. He did however manage to get the head of the Crime Administration on the phone, who has now publicly declared that all elections should be nationalized. Maybe there are parts of the Constitution that he hasn't tried to wipe his ass with, but at this point I don't know what they are.

Is it just me, or do others think "Julia Louis Dreyfuss" for a few seconds when Tulsi Gabbard shows up on our screens? I didn't even watch the show and I miss Veep.

A shocking number of NFL players seem unaware that Bad Bunny is an American, based on reporting from The New York Times. Apparently the NYT is also unaware of this, based on the same reporting.

According to a Reddit thread (I'll take your word for it - I have no intention of utilizing that site) many of the newer ICE employees are upset because they haven't been paid and haven't received health insurance. No wonder they're so grouchy. Maybe they should put that signing bonus towards their health insurance - oh wait, did that come out of their base pay? The Crime Administration has a habit of doing that already.

Senior Citizens in Boca Raton, Florida, are offering to hide the Haitians who are their health care givers ala Anne Frank. Many of them are Holocaust survivors and understand the stakes. Pity that there are 350,000 Haitians who have lost their protected status.

I could have done without knowing what the Alfalfa Club Dinner is.

And to the cowardly fucks who sent a bomb threat to the grade school Liam Conejo Ramos attends: Good guys don't send bomb threats to schools.

Speaking of Liam Ramos, have you read the judge's order to release him? It contains phrases such as "Apparent also is the government's ignorance of an American historical document called the Declaration of Independence" and "Civics lesson to the government" and "With a judicial finger in the constitutional dike" and "Jesus Wept".

Ammon Bundy, who led TWO different armed standoffs with the US Government during the Obama Years, has come out against the tactics of ICE.

But I didn't think the leopards would eat my face, Brazillian Edition.

Director Brett Ratner's "Melania" is now officially the worst movie ever made. Whatever happened to Ratner to put him all the way out here we probably will never know - He did a bunch of music videos, the remake of Red Dragon, a couple of lesser "X-Men" movies and the Rush Hour series but now he's just another name in the Epstein Files. Maybe someone will make a documentary about it.

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And because I love you here are two videos, both behind the scenes. First, Cory Wong and Theo Katzman (btw, Cory is from Minneapolis):

And here's Peter Gabriel:

Radio Free California Episode 2604, plus unexpected allies in Minnesota

 

New music this week from Olivia Dean, Queen's Pleasure, Deaf Havana, Tessa Rose Jackson, Cory Wong with Cody Fry, Starbenders, Shepherds Reign, Vulfmon, Scandal (the Japanese one), Elujay, The Kites, Angel Names and much more. Enjoy!

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I admit that we're still digging out a few gems from 2025 as we finally start getting new releases in earnest for 2026, but that will diminish over the next few weeks. One album that is definitely a brand new one is The Lighthouse from Tessa Rose Jackson. She is a film composer who splits her time between Amsterdam and London, and has released pop music under the moniker "Someone" but has decided to release music under her own name and the new album is a great and moody piece. If you're looking for a rocker or something to get you on the dance floor this isn't for you, but if you want to have a warm drink and curl up by the fire this is a great album.

One artist I missed from 2025 is Olivia Dean. Her album "The Art of Loving" came out back in September but I admit I would have never heard it if not for YouTube music critic Todd in the Shadows. I went back and gave the album a listen and I have to agree, it's one of the better British R&B albums to come along in a while. I've added two tracks from it to the playlist, and I recommend listening to the whole thing.

There is a song on this playlist that is probably the most unique artist I ever feature, "Toa" by Shepherds Reign. This is a New Zealand-based band that sings in Maori. I know that I'm ignorant of the culture (aside from the opening of any game featuring the All Blacks) and there are likely other bands out there who do this, but this is the one I know, and it looks like they're going to have a new album this year, so stay tuned.

There is an alt-R&B artist on the playlist named Elujay, whose song "Circles" you will find towards the end of the playlist. It might just be me getting old, but I'm not really a fan of the singing style he uses. That said, the songwriting is pretty stellar, and for that alone he deserves a listen. That and his Spotify Profile just says "Dachsund Dad".

Joseph, despite their name, is a pop-pop/rock outfit from Oregon with some success under their belt already. They've been releasing and stacking up singles for the past year - so much so that their "singles" have as many as eight songs on them. You should check them out.

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Where are the Epstein Files, motherfuckers?

Two murders in Minnesota in the space of a month by Federal Agents, and no arrests. I recognize that making arrests is difficult when the Federal Government is destroying evidence, but how about Obstruction charges? You want to impress me? Start arresting these balaclava-wearing terrorists hiding in Federal clothing.

I do admit that there are two stories in this whole fucking mess that give me hope:

1) Republican Chris Madel has dropped out of the race for Minnesota Governor, calling what's happening in his state an abomination, and that he can't be part of a party that does this shit.

2) Reverend Rob Schenck, one of the leaders in moving this country towards Christian Fascism as founder of Faith and Action in the Nation’s Capital set in motion the very things that got power couples and rich people in Washington DC to convert to Conservatism which was then hijacked by MAGA et. al. to supporting Fascists... (that was terribly constructed but you see the point)... well the man has seen the light. He disbanded his organization, gave his considerable wealth away (he earns a living driving for Uber instead of running a Megachurch) and is trying to repair the damage. He joined the protestors in Minneapolis. To those who say that god sometimes uses flawed men for his good works, I point out that before he gives them those works he FIXES them. 

So hope does linger, although both of these men have a long way to go.

Given his comments after a conversation with Governor Walz, whose reputation he has spent a couple of years trashing, I notice that the head of the Crime Administration tends to agree with whomever he spoke with most recently. He has even gone so far as to demote the Nazi dress alike that was running the operation in Minnesota. Quite the Zelig, our President. (Oooh, a Woody Allen reference comparing to the President? Read into that what you will).

Yes, it's true. Fox "News" really did run a chyron that said that the administration "...Cuts U.S. Aid to 3 Mexican Countries."

These are not the best of times.

And because I love you, and yes I've played this one before, but here is my own song, Love Locks:

Radio Free California Episode 2603 and yes, we're talking about Greenland.

 

New music this week from Cory Wong, Ash, Ellur, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, HUNNY, covers by both Ghost and The Beaches, Peter Gabriel dropping a very different mix of the single from just 2 weeks ago, Alice Merton, ISTA, Angel Names and much more. Enjoy!

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Ash is a band that's been together for a long time now, and their latest export from Northern Ireland is "Ad Astra", a witty and strong album full of hooks and just basic rock and roll. We've added a couple of tracks from the album to the playlist this week and I think you'll enjoy them.

Canadian artist Alice Marton graces us with a new album called "Visions", full of gently (and occasionally not so gentle) pop full of heart and life. We've added a couple of songs from this album as well.

Man/Woman/Chainsaw gets my absolute respect for the best new idea for a band name I've run across in a while, and their music backs it up. They've mostly been releasing singles as of late and the song "Only Girl" has been added to the playlist. They're eclectic - they do not stick to any one style and if you're adventurous you should check them out. They'll change direction with each new track.

A couple of unlikely but worth it covers come this week: "It's A Sin", which is Ghost's cover of the Pet Shop Boys hit, and The Beaches cover "I Ran (So Far Away)" which was a hit for Flock of Seagulls back in the day.

I will also note that just like his last album, Peter Gabriel is releasing two version of each song from his next album - "Dark Side" mixes released every full moon and "Bright Side" mixes every new moon. This leads to the release of the "Bright Side" version of "Been Undone" and it's a very different mix. You'll want to compare and contrast, I promise you.

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If we invade Greenland we have to give up our claim to the U.S. Virgin Islands and either let them become independent or give them back to the Danish. There's a treaty. This would include Epstein's private island by the way.

Mark Davis, a congressional candidate in Florida, bought the domain "Nazi.us" and implanted a re-direct that takes you to the website of the Department of Homeland Security. Try it yourself.

It does feel like we're doing a speedrun of Germany's invasions of the late 1930's and early 1040's, doesn't it?

We might already know by the time I publish this, but is the 11th Airborne being put on standby to invade Minnesota or Greenland?

Rasmus Jarlov is a member of the Danish Parliment. He was interviewed by ms.now (formerly msnbc) and they played a clip from Stephen Miller about the US position on Greenland and... here are his exact words: “I hope he’s kept away from young women, because that’s the mentality of a rapist. You can’t defend yourself, so I’m going to take you. That’s basically what he’s saying.” Chef's kiss.

I hope you all realize that next time he's not going to ask.

The new/old guy's letter to Denmark really comes across like the monologue by Don John in Much Ado About Nothing. A coincidence, I'm sure.

I have to admit that typing "the new/old guy" instead of saying his name does get tedious. I think from now on I will refer to them as "The Crime Administration".

And because I love you, here is a recent full concert from Nanook, a band based in Greenland that is so successful on their home turf that more than 1 in every 10 people in the country owns their debut album. I have huge respect for them because the refused a record deal because the label wanted them to sing in English. They don't.

Radio Free California Episode 2602 plus a few thoughts...

 

New music this week from Glom, J.H.M., The Cords, Sydney Sprague, Bruno Mars, Vulfmon, Luis Cato, The Sherlocks, The Protomen, Bad//Dreams, Frute, Cameron Sonnier, Charli Lucas, Bottle Rockets and much more. Enjoy!

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I've been turning people on to the artist known as Glom for a while now. Glom is a Brooklyn based indie band that is part 90's alternative, part pop, part shoegaze, and very creative at melding all those sounds. They've been releasing singles for quite a while now but have finally released a full album called "Below". Over the course of time I have added 8 of the 10 tracks on my playlists. Highly recommended. 

Sydney Sprague describes herself as moving "through life with guitar in one hand and an anxiety disorder in the other." What she has is great songs going in directions you might not expect. Her first album, "maybe i will see you at the end of the world" would get notice for the title alone, but she has earned respect from the critics and is putting in a pretty heavy touring schedule. Her new album "Peak Experience" is no sophomore slump, and it's very much worth your time.

The Protomen have at long last released "Act III" in the ongoing saga that makes up much of the band's material. Subtitled "The City Made Us" this is yet another unpredictable and captivating winding through the streets that only the Protomen could live in, an if you're a fan of their hijinks you should really check them out.

For those of you who listen to the Radio Station I will point out that there is a an extra track. My friend and British Synthwave artist Kiffie release as a single the song "Stand By", as a response to some of the horrific stuff happening in the US and elsewhere. It's available through his bandcamp page, https://kiffie.bandcamp.com/. You should also check out the collection of protest songs known as "The Weapon and the Shield" that he put together and that we're both on. https://theweaponandtheshield.bandcamp.com/

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It's really difficult to put into words just how incredibly crazy these past 12 days have been as an American. We've been watching the current administration go from "leaning Nazi" to "Full Nazi" and now that they're actually quoting Stasi propaganda as if those are American values we have to admit it, we live in the Nazi States of America.

And ICE agent murdered a woman just trying to drive. The video you see that actually shows the real intent and motive from the shooter that you may have seen on the news or on the internet came from his own phone. And it's not the first time an ICE agent has killed since this madness began.

Armed thugs are going door to door looking for illegals. We're at the "hide our neighbors in the attic" stage of the process now. Suddenly our neighbors are Anne Frank and her family.

We invaded another country, kidnapped their president, and our "leader" is now claiming we run the country - despite the fact that we have no people there to actually administrate anything.

And let's not forget that the current "Commander in Chief" is a raging pedophile. The evidence is right there people.

I have rarely been as conscious of the privilege that I hold in being a White Male in this country.

And I'm having a difficult time telling the difference between the government crackdown on the protesters in Iran and the government crackdown on the protesters in Minnesota.

I have many friends who live overseas. At the moment 3 of my bandmates live outside of the US. I have family overseas in Europe, Canada, New Zealand... and I find the attraction compelling. But my friends who live overseas don't understand why we don't just take to the streets and get the bums thrown out. You know, a general strike or tractors in the streets of Washington or millions upon millions marching.

The thing is, many governments overseas are designed to be forced to respond to such things. The American political system doesn't. It doesn't have to, because elections are on a fixed schedule, and the current checks and balances are so weak that they might as well not even exist. Until elections happen there isn't much that can be done.

So we have another year of this. We're not going to survive another year of this. Not without scars.

And because I love you, have something nice that from Minneapolis:

Radio Free California Episode 2601, some notes about this week's music, and more thoughts about this past weekend's war crimes and other stories

 

New music from Peter Gabriel, Chris Reed and the Anime Raiders, Silk Daisys, senses, Mini Trees, Rocket, Maya Sakamoto, Squeeze, Ryan Adams, Bluhm, GUV, Maggie Lindermann with The Warning, Ergo, Bria and much more. Welcome to 2026, and Enjoy!

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Well we didn't have to wait very long this time for new music from Peter Gabriel (it was 3 years instead of 16). Like with his last album "i/o" he will be releasing new tracks from "o/i" on every full moon, and I'm guessing every new moon as well given he's doing both "Darkside" and "Brightside" mixes again. Given his 50 year SOLO career it's great to hear he's still doing amazing things.

There are actually only a few releases in 2026 so far. There's the Peter Gabriel song of course my song and a couple more, but most of the music this week was released in 2025. This brief break before the dam bursts and we're flooded with new music (usually the third week of January) gave me a chance to dive into albums I've missed and overlooked. There is always great stuff that out there but these days you do have to go looking for it.

Silk Daisys, who were going to be the opener this week until Peter Gabrial dropped his surprise single, are a band out of Atlanta Georgia and their sound evokes what was coming out of Georgia back in the 1980's, and that's a good thing. Their debut album is out now, and they're encouraging folks to buy it from bandcamp, so I will encourage that as well.

senses is a duo from somewhere, who claim they met on Craigslist. I actually discovered them in YouTube, where I saw a live clip of them performing the song "tiptoeing", which is a pop-rock banger. So I dug into them a bit and while their output mostly consists of singles and EPs their stuff is high-quality, and worth your time if you like this type of music.

Mini Trees call themselves "Living Room Pop" and I suppose that's as good a label as any. They sound to me like a slightly more upbeat version of Billie Eilish, and it works. I didn't like every track on their new album "Slow It Down" but I liked enough tracks to include them in this week's playlist.

Rocket's new album "R is for Rocket" came as a surprise to me. I had heard them before but had never thought their work was all that special. That changes with their new release, from which I've added more than one song to the playlist. This is one of those bands that you need to go back to and give it another listen. You won't regret it.

GUV has been around a while, although under different names. He was Young GUV and before that Young Governor, but as he explains it, "first as Young Governor, then Young Guv, and now GUV (“I'm not so young anymore, three letter band names are cool, and I'm tired of being mistaken for a rapper.” He is also still a member of No Warning. His new single is so solid that I think of it as what we used to call "double-sided A" and I've added both songs to the playlist.

Some other releases worth noting is new music from Squeeze, who appear to be in the midst of releasing a concept album, YUNGBLUD apparently leaving Aerosmith behind to hook up with Smashing Pumpkins, and I must admit that I'm in there as well, as the closing track. I'll talk about that separately.

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Okay, there is so fucking much wrong and to unpack about the new/old guy's invasion of Venezuela that I may go on for a bit here.

First of all, it's illegal. Most White Houses run their operations by at least a few lawyers before they take action, but whomever they're getting advice from is criminally bad and should be disbarred. More likely it's just another toady who would rather give the man a blow job than admit they don't know what they're doing or go against the grain.

Second of all, this is the exact type of order that Senators such as Mark Kelly warned against. While the operation was carried out, it is worth noting that Admiral Alvin Holsey, the man in charge of Southern Command, did resign shortly before this plan was executed and that his replacement, Air Force Lt. Gen. Evan L. Pettus, is from a different branch of the Military.

Third, we've kidnapped a leader of a foreign nation. Despite everything the administration is saying, his Vice President and the same people are running the country and not us. Yes, the man was under indictment in the U.S. but this isn't the way you get people to come stand trial.

Fourth, we've apparently decided just how much oil is worth going to war over. While others in the administration keep saying different things the man at the top, who just can't keep a secret, said outright that we're going to confiscate all the oil.

Fifth, we may have just turned over the moral high ground to China, because all they have to do is NOT invade Taiwan while Russia and the U.S. invade other countries. That's going to play big on the international scene.

Sixth, this operation is all Putin need to justify invading Ukraine. This is something the new/old guy has wanted to do for a while anyway, but both us and them have seats on the Security Council.

Seventh, what's to stop ANYONE from trying to do this to us? This administration has been committing war crimes, and if indicted at The Hague this action has set the precedent of allowing anyone else to come and kidnap him to stand trial. The man spends half of his time living at a Golf Course. How hard could it be?

Eighth, this seems have given Ambassador Hucksterbee the impetus to say that Iran is also on the table. I should point out this this right-wing batshit-crazy "Christian" is the ambassador to a Jewish nation talking about the overthrow of a Muslim one. Remember, this fuckstain wants the Apocalypse to happen.

Ninth, they have named Cuba, Greenland, Mexico and sometimes even Canada as "Next". All of this is insane. We tried to invade Cuba once, and it went quite badly and came the closest to World War III as we've ever come. How are we supposed to hold Mexico if they keep claiming that we can't even secure the border between the two of us? Greenland? They're part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a part of NATO. And Canada I should remind you, is still technically owned by the British even though they operate in complete autonomy. It's like they're begging to be indicted at The Hague. Did Jack Smith return there?

Tenth, from the interviews given thus far by Cabinet level officials it is obvious that most of these people are unqualified for their jobs. None of them understand in any way that they have ALL committed crimes here. But special attention should be given to Whiskey Pete Hegsbreath. In his interview with the new CBS "Anchor" (it was clear that he wasn't interesting in anything other than giving a blowjob on air, and he started his job a day early to do it) it was quite clear that he has no idea what happens next.

Eleventh, we're not running Venezuela. Their government still stand, they have an interim President who was the Vice President, and their entire political structure is unchanged. They also haven't surrendered, and we didn't leave troops behind to enforce anything.

12th, the new/old guy keeps saying the oil countries are going to run things. How? They don't have any infrastructure for such a thing in the country, and the oil still belongs to Venezuela. They can stop it from being sold, but anything else means troops on the ground, and lots of them, to enforce this. It will only be American troops as well, because there is no way that any of this gets U.N. approved. OH, and has any of the Oil Companies in question said that they want to do this?

13th, among the crimes Venezuelan President Maduro has been charged with is "Ownership of a Machine Gun". If he bought it before 1986 it's legal, but this is a US Federal Crime. In order to get a conviction he will have needed to own it at some point while in the United States. As near as I can tell he has only been in the US once before, in 2006 to address the U.N. General Assembly. Did he have it then? Did they let him have a machine gun while in transit to New York?

14th, They abducted Maduro and his wife, Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro, but the indictment unsealed over the weekend also named their son Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra. I notice he wasn't brought with them. He is a sitting member of Venezuela’s National Assembly. Also indicted is Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosado Cabello. They didn't abduct him either.

15th, You may not have been aware of this, but the people we kidnapped and brought to New York for trial weren't Mirandized. They were not read their rights. The judge may have to toss the case on a technicality. At the very least there is grounds for an appeal and at most there isn't even a pretense of a fair trial, which is about the most American thing ever.

More to follow, I'm sure.

#EpsteinFiles. I will be adding this hashtag to every political post I make for the time being. The White House says the Canada is difficult to work with. Canda responds with our President is a pedophile.

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I sincerely hope you're vaccinated against Measles. A super-spreader event has happened at that idiotic Creationist Noah's Ark exhibit in Kentucky. Even if immunized there is a phenomenon called "Immunization Amnesia" that you should be aware of.

Also, the new/old guy's multitasking is again involved in projects that have nothing to do with the country: the remodel of "The Presidential Golf Course", which is at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Remember when prior Presidents played golf? It was usually there. The new/old guy has never played there.

For those of you who pay any attention to the Daily Wire (I don't) it's worth pointing out that their host called International Law "fake and gay". Don't get your news from pre-teens.

Please stop giving praise to MTG while she's still in congress just because she's against the actions in Venezuela and she's had a very small awakening. She's still the same anti-trans pro-forced birth jackass she's always been. She's a monster. Insert parable about a broken clock here.

In a brilliant fake, Ukraine tricked Russia to giving them Half a Million Dollars, all of which went to the war effort.

I am noticing a rightward shift in how arguments are being framed at the former msnbc, now called ms now. Waiting to see how Rachel Maddow weighs in tonight.

By the way, have you seen the New Year's Eve data dump of the Jack Smith congressional testimony? The new/old guy should be in a prison sell. It's all there.

Did you also notice that the "secure room" where the operation was run from was in a curtained off space in the White House (I assume) and not the Situation Room? That ongoing operations are being run from a golf course in Florida?

By the way, as of 5:30PM Pacific Standard Time there isn't a single Epstein story on the front pages at ms.now or cnn.com. Think about where you get your news from. Even fucking CBS.com still had one story.

Sean Austin, Sam himself, is now the President of the Screen Actor's Guild.

Grok Can't Apologize. So Why Do Headlines Keep Saying It Did? Simplified version: Any post from Grok that isn't a response to a prompt from a Xitter user is being written and posted by a human being.

This administration is one of violence. The receipts:

Did anyone else see that Mexico ran a commercial during the Critic's Choice awards for their avocados?

By the way, the chief opposition leader of Venezuela is María Corina Machado, who the current administration has ruled out for running things for the US in Venezuela. The reason why is that she won the Nobel Peace Prize that the new/old guy so coveted. He's a jealous bitch.

Venezuelans deported from the US under this administration can now apply for refugee status and return. So, to quote a person I know, "all those people we were rounding up at the places of work and deporting last week can now apply for refugee status to the USA from USA since we're running Venezuela now? Something something frying pan, fire."

Did you know there was a futures market that wagered on the potential scenario that came to pass over the past few days? One single anonymous person invested $50K and made nearly half a million. Insider trading, anyone?

Why is the new/old guy getting IV drips every day?

So Tim Walz is dropping out of the race for a second term as Governor of Minnesota, and that's a shame. Run for President, Mr. Walz. I'd vote for you.

I spent some time in Europe this past fall and let me tell you, every time someone found out that I'm an American the look of sadness and pity that came over people faces...

Hilton Hotels have cancelled room reservations for ICE personnel, so... yay?!?

The new/old guy has said vile shit about people who have died in the past few days, including a legislator in Minnesota and a Kennedy. Fuck dat guy.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been dissolved. Say goodbye to all that television you love - to be replaced by pledge drives.

The Speaker of the House, Milquetoast Johnson, and his crew's days seem to be numbered. Don't hold your breath though.

It appears that instead of court-martialing Senator Mark Kelly Secretary of Booze Pete Hegsbreath will instead be reducing his rank. Keep in mind that Kelly retired from the military at the rank of Captain. I'm speaking out of turn here as I never served in the military, but shouldn't the rank you retire at be the rank you keep?

And because I love you, here is "Love Locks" from my new album Frankfurt am Main. 

Radio Free California Episode 2550, thoughts on music, cheap shots, and a bit more.

 

New music this week from the long-awaited live album from Umphrey's McGee, St. Lucia, Pool Kids, Boojums, Glom, Geowolf, Telenova, Death Bells and much more. Enjoy!

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While it's true that new albums are hard to find this time of year I do have a few recommendations for you, starting with Umphrey McGee's long-awaited live album, "Hall of Fame: Class of 2024". This album really catches the feel of their shows and runs quite long, just as their live shows do. Over 4 hours of music over 19 songs that includes jams of Grateful Dead length and quality. They're a great jam band and worth checking out.

Last we had heard of Pool Kids their label had dropped them. Instead of giving up they hired a producer and recorded their new album "Easier Said Than Done", which in turn got them signed to Epitaph records. It's a great album with solid songwriting and production, and you should give them a chance - just like Epitaph did. ^_^

I was surprised to see a new album from St. Lucia - it wasn't on my radar and I'm a fan, and after all they had dropped the great album "Fata Morgana: Dawn" earlier this year. I had suspected a companion album would be coming but not this quickly. "Fata Morgana: Dusk" is that album an it completes the story begun on the previous album, complete with a reprise of the opening track of the prior album. For fans of this type of pop/alt styling you should give both albums a listen.

A couple of notes about songs not on this playlist. Sparks quietly dropped an album they recorded in 2013 called "Annette (An Opera by Sparks)" and if that sounds familiar it should, the music that would eventually become the soundtrack for the movie "Annette" which came out a couple of years back. I decided not to add any of the tracks because it really is mostly the same songs, although without the cast of the movie. For the true Sparks fan it's a must have.

The a cappella group Home Free recorded a version of Auld Lange Syne in CHINESE. ""友谊地久天长" is worth checking out for simply how odd and wonderful it is, but it's not really a song for radio.

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One week until my new album comes out!

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The Federal Government manages to screw both nation-wide voting and on-time tax payments in a single rule making. You can no longer rely on the US Postal Service to postmark your mail when they receive it - instead it will be postmarked once at a receiving station, which can take days. Your taxes will be late, and your vote won't be counted. You can still ask to have your mail postmarked at the post office, but just dropping it off doesn't count anymore. Plan accordingly.

So apparently not satisfied by turning the White House into Saddam's palace number 7 the new/old guy is going to put in Marble... armrests?!!?!!? at The Kennedy Center. Wouldn't that be uncomfortable as all hell? Also, I'm never going to call it the name that's been slapped on it. It's the Gulf of Mexico you freaks.

Can you believe it's only been a year since President Jimmy Carter passed? It feels like 50. I know I look and feel a half century older.

Someone should tell Harmeet K. Dhillon that very few people can get away with Xweeting about "hoes" and she's not one of them. Your DOJ Head of the Civil Rights Division, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Anyone else notice that despite being 85 years old Nancy Pelosi is still the sharpest attack dog in Congress? I'm going to miss her when she goes.

The fucktard rumor mill claims that the new Commissioner of the New York Fire Department has never been a firefighter. Incorrect. She's a 31-year veteran and was a first responder on 9/11. You're just pissed because she's gay.

There was a lot of the new/old guy in the Epstein Files. He's all the fuck over them. The Republican't party still won't abandon him, for fear of losing the pedophile vote.

If you want or need a good laugh, pleas head over to https://www.trumpkennedycenter.org/, a website set up by one of the writers for South Park. 

I have to wonder why Zelinsky keeps coming back to the U.S. when the deals we offer are the exact same bullshit every time. I'm starting to wonder if he's developed a taste for something like BBQ and has to come to the U.S. to get it.

I am certain though that the real reason the administration bombed targets in Nigeria is because they were led astray by an anonymous Nigerian Prince.

I would like the press to stop referring to every meeting between the current administration and Netanyahu as a "critical" or "vital" meeting. Not a single one of these meetings has changed a damned thing.

I have to wonder what the new/old guy didn't get for Christmas that inspired him posting over 150 times on social media.

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And because I love you, have a classic from Electric Six:

Radio Free California Episode 2549, some thoughts and a few other things

 

New music this week includes the most optomistic song in years (by KUN), Sonic Whip, ARXX, Fright Years, Crushed, Megadeth, Fishbone, Hana Hope, High Vis, The Spitfires, Keep Shelly in Athens and much more. Enjoy!

It gets harder to find new music this time of year, because of all the fucking Christmas music on your radio right now. Do you still listen to radio? So I go digging deep looking for stuff I might have missed from earlier in the year as well as my usual sources. This brought the band Sonic Whip to my attention, and although there isn't a new album in 2025 there are a bunch of singles and they're all top notch.

ARXX is another band worth checking out. Their own bio reads "Imagine Taylor Swift if she only listened to Nirvana". They do good work.

With the appearance of their cover of a great Alice in Chains song I am once again required to ask why aren't Fishbone in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? I know the answer, sadly. So do you.

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A programming note: Over at the radio station on December 25th only, we will be playing Christmas Music from 12:00am until 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time (PST). It's the only time I ever concede that the music is appropriate. Some of the tunes aren't, though. This is a pop/rock/alternative radio station after all.

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So there was a "drop" of Epstein files shit that was the usual comedy of errors from the leadership of the current Department of Justice. So much redaction that Pantone needs to rename their color of the year. If you search for the word "Trump" zero result will be returned. But if you search "Trump " (note the space at the end) you get over 600 results.

One truly nasty piece of work is a photo featuring Michael Jackson, Bill Clinton and Diana Ross, with the faces of 3 children blacked out, insinuating that the three were involved in the whole Epstein business and that the children are being protected. In reality the photo is from a Democratic fundraiser from 2003 with no connection to Epstein, and the blacked out children are Michael's two children and Diana's youngest son. It's such an egregious misdirect that Bill Clinton himself, who we already know palled around with Epstein, demanded release of all documents where he is mentioned.

Clinton is a master of message and even he gets that no matter how damaging this could be for him that the truth must will out, and that he knows how to ride the storm and perhaps even direct it. Look for the DoJ (Under New Management) to claim it's a trap and they won't be falling for it.

"Under New Management CBS" killed a story on 60 Minutes that would have been critical of the new/old guy's administration, with new chief Bari Weiss stating that because there had been no on camera response from the White House that the story wasn't there. Lady, the fact that they failed to respond to requests for an interview IS THE FUCKING STORY!!!! Your news reputation just took an huge hit, and you're too dumb to realize it yet Ms. Weiss.

Of course, you can actually see the story if you download it from here. It was on YouTube for a while but it doesn't appear to be anymore. Grab it while you can.

Ke$ha Patell is the first FBI director to not buy American for his cars.

The Governor of Louisiana has been named "Special Envoy" to Greenland, whatever the fuck that means. This is another one of these idiots who think the US is going to own Greenland someday. Greenland should refuse him entry into the country.

This past Saturday there was a fire at a power station in San Francisco. Almost a third of the city was without power, and now two days later some of the city is STILL without power (I'm fine - we never lost power). But there has been a funny side-effect. Waymo had to suspend service with their fleet of automatic cars because they couldn't figure out to do at intersections with non-functional streetlights. People were stranded int he cars, which isn't fun, but watching a bunch of empty cars honking at each other was pretty funny.

The Department of Defense (pardon me, "War - Under New Management") has decided that wind farms interferes with radar. Because I know how radar actually works I calling these people fucking liars.

Has Mitt Romney become a Democrat in retirement? The 2012 version of him should speak with the late 2025 version.

I was never a real fan of Niki Minaj prior to now either.

I have seen the artist's rendering of the new "battleship" design that the new/old guy supposedly invented and my only comment here is that someone has been spending too much time with Legos.

And because I love you, have the most upbeat song in pop music since "Walking on Sunshine".

Radio Free California Episode 2548, some thoughts, some shared pain, some releif

 

New releases get a bit more scarce because who wants to compete against all the Xmas music on radio, but we still have a great week for new releases, including Pastel, Little Lilith, Tori Amos with one of her patented covers, Joe Jackson(!) who appears to have a concept album coming next yer, my Australian techno frield MOULE, Josh Rouse, Juliana Hatfield, CVC, Crimson Whisper and much more. Enjoy!

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Juliana Hatfield is one of those artists that is special to me, ever since she did one album with the Lemonheads in the early 90's. Her sound has never really changed and she ALWAYS doubles her vocals, and I've always enjoyed her little snips of levity and wisdom. She's also one of the rare artists to have a hit single in 5/4 time, which is really saying something. Her new album "Lightning Might Strike" is among her best work, and is worth your time.

Pastel calls themselves Shoegaze but I wouldn't. They open this week's playlist and if that's Shoegaze they should really hire a different drummer. This is hooky pop rock with a punch and their new album Souls In Motion" was a surprise for me, and a welcome one. Well worth the listen.

I'm pretty good at following news about the former members of XTC, but I completely missed that Andy Partridge, along with Chris Braide (best known for his collaborations with Sia) and Tim Weller released an EP called "Queen of Planet Wow!" You know what, it's new to me so I'm including in here. Call me a hypocrite for adding a song that's from last year if you want, but I'm complicated and I can live with that. Nyeah.

One more album you should give some love to is Brooke Combe's new release "Dancing at the Edge of the World". The album is both a throwback and steps forward in the world of old-fashioned R&B/pop. It's worth your time.

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One little note for the few of you who check out my radio station from time to time; I have updated my Christmas playlist, which will play on motherfucking Christmas Day only!!!! I really hate Christmas music - not because of the music which is fine - but because how much we all get hammered with it from about mid-November on. It squeezes the life out of radio and I can't stand that.

And then comes the "year in review" bullshit. It can turn the month of December into a new music boneyard and it makes me crazy, because no one wants to try and compete with all the specialty programming on radio this time of year. I will not be doing that this year. I'm not sure I could limit the list to fewer than a few hundred songs, let alone 100 or a Topo 40.

I will play Christmas Music on Christmas Day and that's fucking IT. 12am to 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time December 25th. Some of the songs are the Christmas classics, some are deep rock and roll cuts, and some are sure to offend someone. "A Christmas Duel" from The Hives and Cyndi Lauper makes me laugh, and I don't care if it upsets anyone.

If you desperately need my playlist before then, you can find it here.

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So there was a mass shooting in Australia over the weekend at a Hannukah Celebration at Bondi Beach. Many dead, many more wounded and it could have been much worse if a fruit shop owner named Ahmed al Ahmed hadn't overpowered one of the gunmen. Elon Musk and his platforms tried to say that an IT professional named Edward Crabtree, a white guy, was the one who overpowered the gunman. Not only is this a motherfucking LIE it's a fabrication. Mr. Crabtree doesn't even exist. Muskrat's AI, Grok, is still pushing that narrative though.

Let's face it folks, Mr. Musk has read Heinlein, but he didn't really grok it.

I'm going to make a bold prediction here though and guess that the shooter is some right-wing lunatic with a gun fetish. You can attach this to just about any news story right now.

Fatmentia?

Apparently having ASL people presenting when he gives speeches harshes his the new/old guy's mellow. Fuck him. 

Pax Americana is over. It ended January 20th.

Apparently we can keep Dick Van Dyke, and I'm grateful for that, but not Rob Reiner and his wife. Fuck. 

Please don't read the new/old guy's statement regarding the death of the Reiner's. He's such a cnut. The White House official account also re-posted it. Every single one of these people in this White House/Administration needs a swift and painful kick in the ass.

I'd say it's a coin toss which was worse but apparently the new/old guy can't flip a coin.

Instead, read the words of Wil Wheaton. Your heart will hurt more, but it's a shared hurt, which is better than being angry at an old coot who can't flip a coin.

You might not have noticed this given all the horrific death and murder over the weekend, but Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's son, born in Minnesota and therefore a US Citizen, was pulled over by ICE and told to produce his papers after leaving a Target store. I think they've been expecting this though, because he had his US Passport with him and he was released. But given the new/old guy's recent comments about Somalia (where Rep. Omar was born) it seems like some racial profiling bullshit going on. For the record, Ms. Omar became a US citizen in 2000, the first year she was eligible to do so - when she turned 18.

I swear to dog that the very first thing the next President must do is sign an executive order changing the names of everything they have changed back to their pre-2025 status.

The Director of the FBI doesn't know the difference between a suspect and a person of interest. Again.

Apparently the United States is one of only two countries against rebuilding the containment around Chernobyl. Don't get felled out a window trying to figure out what the other country is.

Has Tom Cotton ever been right about anything? I'm guessing no.

By the way, it's worth noting that we now have young people in this country who have survived multiple mass shootings at their schools. To all those people who say that Gun Control wouldn't work, what say we try it and see if you're right? It hasn't really been done before.

Except for all of the times that it has, and it's worked.

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And because I love you, here is Caitlin Cook in a live performance from her musical made up entirely from graffiti in bathrooms. It's really fucking funny. I think we need that today.

Radio Free California Episode 2547 along with some notes and rants

 

New music this week from Blues great Eric Bibb, Flea, Night Talks, AMH, The Ramona Flowers, GLAY, Juliana Hatfield, Hana Hill, live music from Depeche Mode, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Goo Goo Dolls, Ronnie D'Addario, Thomas Raggi and much more. Enjoy!

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Eric Bibb and Flea have both release tracks in preview of albums they're putting out in 2026 and they're fantastic works. I can't wait for the full albums.

Night Talks' new album, "Running on a Cloud", took almost 6 years to make. It was started just as the Pandemic began, and they decided to slow down and give the album flow, tell a story, and make videos for each song. As a result this short 7-song album, is a breath of fresh air - they took the time to do it right. I added over half the album to this playlist.

The first thing I asked myself about the British band The Ramona Flowers is "how does a band with less than 8,000 follows on Spotify land Nile Rogers to play on the opening track of their new album, "Made By Humans"? However they did it that was certainly making a statement. The new album is good, and while there are touches of R&B throughout it's much more an indie album than that opener would lead you to believe. 

You might not know the name Thomas Raggi, but the Italian musician is the lead guitarist for Måneskin, and he recruited legendary guitarist Tom Morello to produce his first solo album, and brings along a slew a guest artists into what is really a fun and rocking album. Not only Tom Morello, but Duff McKagan, Franz Ferdinand, Chad Smith and more appear on the album, called "Masquerade". On the track I've added here you can really feel Morello's touch.

If you want a blast of songwriting skill and excellence from over the decades you should check out "Written By" from Ronnie D'Addario. This is a collection of songs curated by D'Addario's sons, who are better known as The Lemon Twigs. Todd Rundgren, Matt Jardine, Sean Ono Lennon and more contribute tracks.

Erick Semmon has curated an album of songs by great parings in rap entitled "Dynamic Duos". Everyone from Snoop Dogg to Method Man to Cypress Hill to Public Enemy to Salt n' Pepa show up and contribute.

Those of you who know me know that I famously do not care for live albums. And yet, there are three solid ones out this week; "Live at Stagecoach" from The Goo Goo Dolls, "Live God" from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and "Memento Mori: Mexico City" from Depeche Mode and all of them are solid. Goo Goo Dolls' "Broadway is Dark Tonight" is one of my favorites from the band, and haw can you pass on any rendition of "O Children" from Nick Cave?. And do yourself a favor and hunt down on YouTube Depeche Mode's live performance of "Precious". 

And speaking of YouTube, I have to finally give a note about the band AMH. They have been releasing YouTube shorts where they randomly pick an object from a modified spinner and decide to write a song about it. They show the whole process and while it's contrived and possibly staged the end result is actually some pretty good songs. There's no new album yet, but several singles and worth checking out.

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I've noticed a trend as of late to refer to the Supreme Court as "The Calvinball Six". I rather like that, and will use it myself.

To be honest I find it hilarious that the new/old guy pardoned an allegedly crooked Democratic Party congressman under the impression that he would switch parties out of loyalty, only to run as a Democrat again. So he's mad that a Democrat remained a Democrat. I find it funny/sad/etc. because the real story is the corruption, not the loyalty, and these people obviously don't get that.

So you're telling me that the guy who actually put Jim Kirk into space can't keep himself from polluting a protected Lagoon?

If anything that MTG said in her 60 minutes interview is actually true I would expect there to be a "Truth Social" explosion of paranoid rantings at a Napoleonic level in the next couple of days. Oops! It's already started.

Someone I know on Social Media who calls themselves "Bix" gave me this link to an article from the point of view of a Canadian State Department official. It's worth reading despite the click-bait (and completely accurate) headline of  "We will never fucking trust you again".

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And becaue I love you, here is a quick reminder that the late David Crosby was one of the best.

Radio Free California Episode 2546 and a few thoughts, plus my love letter to Frankfurt am Main

 

New music not only from me, but also Pacifica, Juliana Hatfield, Japanese artists B'z, GLAY and Hikaru Utada, White Reaper, Mating Ritual, IST IST, GUNMOLL, Craig Finn, The Saints and much more. Enjoy!

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I've had a few busy days because of my music career and the not-too-subtle reminder that I'm not a young man anymore, so I haven't been paying all that much attention to the news. That said...

There are members of this administration who appear to have committed war crimes. We should give them the due process they denied to others. At The Hague.

I don't want to know about the RFK, Lizza (whatever) sex thing. Ew. Nothing personal, but I have never given a rat's ass about any personal escapades of people in the limelight. I don't know who is married to who, who dates who, who fucks who and so forth because I just don't care.

The new/old guy is clearly in failing health. Can we all start taking that seriously?

Oh by the way, I have reason to believe that the pardoning of that drug trafficker who used to be President of Honduras has something to do with Próspera. The new/old guy never does anything that doesn't lead to money in his pockets.

By the way, Broligarchs thinking that Ayn Rand's ideas can be put into practice as a private society better learn how to pave streets and dig trenches. Someone's got to do it and if you only bring in rich people, somebody rich is going to have to do it.

On another topic, I do notice now that much of the press that the current Pentagon is willing to talk to is made up of people who couldn't even get jobs in the current administration, but tried. Matt Gaetz, Laura Loomer, James O'Keefe, and Jack Posobiec are now in the Pentagon Press Pool.

I will leave this with some good news - if the Republican Party has to fight tooth and nail and spend all their money on a district their guy won by 22 points just last year, Democracy still has a chance.

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And because I love you, here is my love letter to Frankfurt am Main, called "Ausstellungshaus". Read the description for the video on YouTube for the full story.