FOT Forum

The Best Show on WFMU => Show Discussion => Topic started by: Matt on October 07, 2007, 02:56:23 AM

Title: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Matt on October 07, 2007, 02:56:23 AM
This is the thread in which we share with one another all of the great musical discoveries that have come about as a result of Mr. Scharpling's radio programme. As most of us know, Tommy's got quite the ear, and with the WFMU library at his disposal, not to mention the Aerosmith records and ABBA box in his surely extensive personal collection, he frequently finds the good stuff and brings it to us listeners.

Probably the best record I've found out about from the show would be the "Searchin' For Shakes" Swedish beat compilation. Just stellar, front to back. "Summer Sun" by the Beathovens? Bee-yoo-tee-full.

Tom's playing "Government Center" by the Modern Lovers a few months back led me to finally pick up the first Modern Lovers record, which I'd heard was great but had never bothered to check out. Well, it is great, and I feel stupid for not having gotten it earlier. I don't get all the love for "Pablo Picasso" though; I think it's the worst song on the record.

Going back through the archives, I've been hearing songs from this "Tetes Lourdes" compilation that have blown....me....AWAY. However, I can't find hide nor hair of this record on the internet. The FOTpedia says you can get it from 'Kim's', but I don't know what that is. Anyone got a lead?


Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: bobby. on October 07, 2007, 06:24:49 AM
Jay Reatard, The Thermals and DC Snipers... (weren't they his top 3 albums of oh six?). But apart from Living With The Living, I can't think of any 2007 albums that he's been raving about. And as a podcaster, I can't make up my own mind about these things! Care to name some?
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Vambo on October 07, 2007, 08:09:47 AM


Tom's playing "Government Center" by the Modern Lovers a few months back led me to finally pick up the first Modern Lovers record, which I'd heard was great but had never bothered to check out. Well, it is great, and I feel stupid for not having gotten it earlier. I don't get all the love for "Pablo Picasso" though; I think it's the worst song on the record.


I suspect it's because of the cover version used in Repo Man.

I picked up Grafton's first disc for dirt on Amazon thanks to TBSOWFMU and like it quite a bit.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Chris L on October 07, 2007, 08:35:18 AM
Going back through the archives, I've been hearing songs from this "Tetes Lourdes" compilation that have blown....me....AWAY. However, I can't find hide nor hair of this record on the internet. The FOTpedia says you can get it from 'Kim's', but I don't know what that is. Anyone got a lead?

You can still download Tetes Lourdes here, via the "alt. link" at the end of the post:
http://crotchbat.blogspot.com/2006/12/various-tetes-lourdes-francais-metal-de.html
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Mason on October 07, 2007, 10:56:42 AM
I probably would have never gotten into D.C. Snipers, Volcano Suns and the Black Lips if I hadn't heard them on Tom's show.

Also, what's that little Scandinavian indie band Tom keeps playing? I think they were called "ABBA" or something. Everyone should check them out. Now that Tom's giving them the exposure they need, I see big things for them kids.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Andy on October 07, 2007, 02:22:46 PM
Black Lips
Jay Reatard
Ted Leo
Wings (Venus and Mars/Rock Show)
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Forrest on October 07, 2007, 03:44:50 PM
Jay Reatard, The Thermals and DC Snipers... (weren't they his top 3 albums of oh six?). But apart from Living With The Living, I can't think of any 2007 albums that he's been raving about. And as a podcaster, I can't make up my own mind about these things! Care to name some?

Seemed like there was some repeat love for the new Imperial Teen record recently.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Omar on October 07, 2007, 04:38:38 PM
Jay Reatard, The Thermals and DC Snipers... (weren't they his top 3 albums of oh six?). But apart from Living With The Living, I can't think of any 2007 albums that he's been raving about. And as a podcaster, I can't make up my own mind about these things! Care to name some?

Here's Tom's Top 6 of 2006:

6. J Dilla - Donuts
5. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
4. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
3. Ghostface Killah - Fishcale
2. Jay Reatard - Blood Visions
1. DC Snipers - Missile Sunset
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Matt on October 07, 2007, 06:51:26 PM
Going back through the archives, I've been hearing songs from this "Tetes Lourdes" compilation that have blown....me....AWAY. However, I can't find hide nor hair of this record on the internet. The FOTpedia says you can get it from 'Kim's', but I don't know what that is. Anyone got a lead?

You can still download Tetes Lourdes here, via the "alt. link" at the end of the post:
http://crotchbat.blogspot.com/2006/12/various-tetes-lourdes-francais-metal-de.html

Thanks! Hopefully I'll be able to pick up an official copy someday.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: moonshake on October 07, 2007, 07:22:58 PM
I am grateful to have discovered KING BROTHERS more than any other band through the show.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Ason on October 07, 2007, 08:15:07 PM
I don't get the most of the music, not my cup tea I guess.

There is this one great song I got from the show:

Boat that I Row - Sodsai Chaengkij
off some Thai power-pop compilation

that was some good stuff
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Martin Edison on October 07, 2007, 11:44:51 PM
Ted Leo, Flamin' Groovies, Tommy Keene, Nickelback, The Hey Now.

"Kim's" is probably Kim's Video in NYC.
www.mondokims.com

Or it could just be some girl named Kim?
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Eric on October 08, 2007, 12:08:44 AM
-Black Lips
-Jay Reatard (and side projects)
-The Reigning Sound (and Greg Cartwright's other bands)
-The Hunches
-In the Red Records, Goner records...in general
-The Little Killers
-The good side of the Bee Gees and Monkees...very underrated bands
-Ted Leo
-Big Star
-Cheap Trick
-The Soft Machine
-The Human League

There's many more I'm forgetting, for sure. I'm hugely indebted.

Quote
Tom's playing "Government Center" by the Modern Lovers a few months back led me to finally pick up the first Modern Lovers record, which I'd heard was great but had never bothered to check out. Well, it is great, and I feel stupid for not having gotten it earlier. I don't get all the love for "Pablo Picasso" though; I think it's the worst song on the record.

I agree. And I think "Government Center" might be the best one on there.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Chris L on October 08, 2007, 12:55:36 AM
I liked the incredibly rockin' Cherry Valence song "The Clap," from the show's early days.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: dave from knoxville on October 08, 2007, 08:42:12 AM
I am shocked that Tom played Soft Machine. I enjoy most of the music he plays, but I haven't rushed out and bought much of it, but you have to remember, I am much older than the demographic. I like the power-pop stuff; Cheap Trick's in my pantheon, and he apparently loves them. So is Jellyfish and Jason Faulkner; anybody know if he's ever played anything by them?

Right now I am listening to the 4-disc version of Nuggets, which has got a lot of good stuff, but there's an awful lot of saminess; not that that's even a bad thing, but I drift towards more variety in my listening patterns these days.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Matt on October 08, 2007, 11:42:26 AM

Quote
Tom's playing "Government Center" by the Modern Lovers a few months back led me to finally pick up the first Modern Lovers record, which I'd heard was great but had never bothered to check out. Well, it is great, and I feel stupid for not having gotten it earlier. I don't get all the love for "Pablo Picasso" though; I think it's the worst song on the record.

I agree. And I think "Government Center" might be the best one on there.

I may be weird, but the one I really like is "Hospital".

And, of course, "I'm Straight" is a classic. Anyone else ever thought that the Hippy Johnny who calls the show sounds a little like Jonathan Richman?
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: stepheninchicago on October 08, 2007, 12:15:03 PM
DC Snipers

and that "Tetres Loudres" compilation of french proto-metal.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: jed on October 08, 2007, 02:35:27 PM
Thanks to Tom I went and saw The Brutal Knights and it was great.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Emily on October 08, 2007, 02:38:18 PM
Thanks to Tom I went and saw Danielson and it was great.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: fyodor on October 08, 2007, 08:06:11 PM
DC Snipers.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: masterofsparks on October 08, 2007, 09:28:29 PM
Quote
I may be weird, but the one I really like is "Hospital".

And, of course, "I'm Straight" is a classic.

Those are two of my favorites. I always liked "Astral Plane," too. I pretty much like the whole album, "Pablo Picasso" included, if for nothing else than the line "The girls would turn the color of an avocado."
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Pat K on October 08, 2007, 10:00:39 PM
Probably my favorite thing that I've been turned onto via hearing it on the Best Show was Kelley Stoltz's "Below The Branches", after hearing Tom play "Ever Thought Of Coming Back". That album ended up being pretty high up there on my list of '06 favorites.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on October 08, 2007, 10:07:44 PM
Jay Dee aka J Dilla
Tegan & Sara (I know, I noticed they happened to be everywhere about a week after I heard them on TBSOWFMU)
Kelly Clarkson

I already knew and liked Teddy Rockstar's work, but really started to get into it because of Tom.

I downloaded Jesus Lizard's Goat from eMusic because of the debate from - was it three weeks ago?  - and have to say that, while it's pretty good, I agree with The Kid.  It's no Gilbert O'Sullivan.  I'll probably check out Imperial Teen and Jay Reatard out one of these days.

Does other music we've discovered/been reminded of through WFMU count?  Then I'd throw in Flaming Fire, Chet Baker, and DJ Rupture.

Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: paul on October 08, 2007, 10:25:31 PM
Does other music we've discovered/been reminded of through WFMU count?  Then I'd throw in Flaming Fire, Chet Baker, and DJ Rupture.

see 98% of everything Donna Summer's ever played (not to mention his own music).

the 2% not included is his obsession with ELO/Rundgren/AM gold.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Matt on October 08, 2007, 10:48:53 PM
I got a couple more - Von Lmo and Soccer Team.

I would also like to show my appreciation to Omar for all the great mp3s on his Recidivism site, where I have found out about at least as many great bands as the Best Show - Any Trouble, Michael Guthrie Band, The Prats, Chris Bell, Angry Angles - the list could go on.

Thanks Omar!
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Dan B on October 08, 2007, 11:18:36 PM
EJ the Witchdoctor.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: masterofsparks on October 09, 2007, 06:04:10 AM
Quote
I would also like to show my appreciation to Omar for all the great mp3s on his Recidivism site

I agree. Actually, when I first visited the recap page, I thought the mp3 links were to songs Tom had played during the show in question, but after a few surprised instances of "Tom played Baroness/Witchcraft/some other band highly unlikely to appear on The Best Show?," I realized this wasn't the case.

Good job, Omar!
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Omar on October 09, 2007, 07:01:56 AM
Quote
I would also like to show my appreciation to Omar for all the great mp3s on his Recidivism site

I agree. Actually, when I first visited the recap page, I thought the mp3 links were to songs Tom had played during the show in question, but after a few surprised instances of "Tom played Baroness/Witchcraft/some other band highly unlikely to appear on The Best Show?," I realized this wasn't the case.

Good job, Omar!

Thanks, rover96 and masterofsparks! 
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Phantom Hugger on October 09, 2007, 11:31:32 AM
I was rifling through all the random notes strewn across my desk; right next to some computer procedure essential to my work duties, is a list of all the people that are in the hate pit.

I jotted down a few songs that I wanted to search out after Tom played them and I found them on the same sticky note with my computer password on it.


Don Farden  "Gonna find a Cave" from the Coventry Boy comp

Jackson 5  "Call of the Wild" from Moving Violation

It's the overlooked oldies that get me.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Beth on October 09, 2007, 12:43:23 PM
I am shocked that Tom played Soft Machine. I enjoy most of the music he plays, but I haven't rushed out and bought much of it, but you have to remember, I am much older than the demographic. I like the power-pop stuff; Cheap Trick's in my pantheon, and he apparently loves them. So is Jellyfish and Jason Faulkner; anybody know if he's ever played anything by them?

Right now I am listening to the 4-disc version of Nuggets, which has got a lot of good stuff, but there's an awful lot of saminess; not that that's even a bad thing, but I drift towards more variety in my listening patterns these days.

I agree with you about the nuggets boxed sets. It's all good music, but if you listen to the whole thing at once it all starts to bleed together.

I really like that soccer team album he's been playing. I was surprised though--doesn't Tom have issues with Dischord Records?
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on October 09, 2007, 01:02:32 PM
Quote
I would also like to show my appreciation to Omar for all the great mp3s on his Recidivism site

I agree. Actually, when I first visited the recap page, I thought the mp3 links were to songs Tom had played during the show in question, but after a few surprised instances of "Tom played Baroness/Witchcraft/some other band highly unlikely to appear on The Best Show?," I realized this wasn't the case.

Good job, Omar!

Thanks, rover96 and masterofsparks! 

Yeah, until very recently I was a podcast listener and didn't know this until just now.  So I guess it was Omar and not Tom who introduced me to Kelly Clarkson and Tegan & Sara.  Thanks, Omar!
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Omar on October 09, 2007, 02:08:07 PM
Quote
I would also like to show my appreciation to Omar for all the great mp3s on his Recidivism site

I agree. Actually, when I first visited the recap page, I thought the mp3 links were to songs Tom had played during the show in question, but after a few surprised instances of "Tom played Baroness/Witchcraft/some other band highly unlikely to appear on The Best Show?," I realized this wasn't the case.

Good job, Omar!

Thanks, rover96 and masterofsparks! 

Yeah, until very recently I was a podcast listener and didn't know this until just now.  So I guess it was Omar and not Tom who introduced me to Kelly Clarkson and Tegan & Sara.  Thanks, Omar!

Well, Tom did do a stunning live rendition of "Breakaway" long before I include a Clarkson track in a recap ...
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: B_Buster on October 09, 2007, 05:46:31 PM
Hey, what's going on around here? I'm seeing chickens everywhere!
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Omar on October 09, 2007, 06:40:33 PM

I really like that soccer team album he's been playing. I was surprised though--doesn't Tom have issues with Dischord Records?

He's played a lot of stuff from Dischord this year, such as Nation of Ulysses and the Joe Lally solo album.  I think Tom often jokes around with some D.C.-area callers about Dischord (e.g., asking a caller if he was sitting around listening to The Highback Chairs!) in the same way that he asks all the Austinites about Harry Knowles sightings -- turning local fixtures into a zing.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: KickTheBobo on October 09, 2007, 07:18:21 PM
Hey, what's going on around here? I'm seeing chickens everywhere!

This is what it's about, brother. You better get outta the coop!


(http://kickthebobo.com//RevolutionFowl.jpg)
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Susannah on October 10, 2007, 07:17:26 PM
I don't know about anyone else, but I really liked that track "Just When I Thought" by the Tough and Lovely Tom played on the show last night.  Anyone know anything about them?
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: masterofsparks on October 10, 2007, 07:26:42 PM
They're from here in Columbus, Ohio. The main guy used to be in a band called Them Wranch, who released a couple of albums in the 90s. I think there are 2 or 3 Tough & Lovely albums. One of the women in the band is now in the Reigning Sound, I think.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Gilly on October 11, 2007, 10:07:28 PM
Going back through the archives, I've been hearing songs from this "Tetes Lourdes" compilation that have blown....me....AWAY. However, I can't find hide nor hair of this record on the internet. The FOTpedia says you can get it from 'Kim's', but I don't know what that is. Anyone got a lead?

You can still download Tetes Lourdes here, via the "alt. link" at the end of the post:
http://crotchbat.blogspot.com/2006/12/various-tetes-lourdes-francais-metal-de.html

Thanks for the link! What an album... I usually only listen to the podcast so I miss out on the music but from what's being listed here and from listening in the past few weeks live Tom plays some great records.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: Rainer on October 16, 2007, 12:10:01 PM
One of Richard Harris' collaborations with Jimmy Webb -- "And The Yard Went On Forever."  Tom played "The Hive" from that album once.  It's a majestic, drunken, orchestrated wonder of a mess that sits on the same shelf as  "Histoire de Melody Nelson" by Gainsbourg or any of Glenn Campbell's Jimmy Webb penned (Al De Lory produced) hits.

"Like a watermark that's never there and never really gone."  Jimmy Webb.  Yes.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: AdamFromKansas on October 19, 2007, 05:23:42 PM
I always podcast, so I never get to hear the music Tom plays, BUT I did call in one time and he told me that the best band from my home state (the great state of Kansas) was The Embarrassment.  I promptly decided to get their two disc collection "Heyday" and I must say, I can finally say that something cool sounding came out of Wichita, Kansas.  Thanks, Tom!
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on October 19, 2007, 09:22:56 PM
Tom played a track by Soccer Team a few weeks ago called "Traffic Patterns." It got lodged in my brain for a whole week (until some horrid comedian singing a parody about parenthood to William Tell Overture won out...something my mother sent me).

I love "Traffic Patterns" now, but I am not to keen on the rest of the Soccer Team album. All the earnestness of Dischord with none of the neuron-curling guitars.

Oh, and The Thermals are now a favorite of mine, thanks to Tom.
Title: Re: Hey, he plays records too!
Post by: samir on October 25, 2007, 11:09:24 AM
He's played at least two songs from the latest New Pornographers rekkid 'Challengers' recently, and an A.C. Newman solo song (Town Halo?), so I daresay he likes them.