FOT Forum

The Best Show on WFMU => Show Discussion => Topic started by: laura from brooklyn on November 17, 2011, 01:29:08 AM

Title: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: laura from brooklyn on November 17, 2011, 01:29:08 AM
Hello!

I'm wondering if you FOTs that have been listening to the show longer than I have can point me to places in the archive to find more of the sort of surreal radio adventures Tom has created on the air before? Where an environment is created with sound?

Couple of examples: the Lighthouse Confessions (where both Tom and the confessor acknowledge and act as if they're in the lighthouse, with the sound effect playing in the background), and this very elaborate visit to the Hate Pit hatepit.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_6i88g5x34#)

Preferably ones that are not contained in Wurster calls, but would love being pointed to relevant ones of those too.

I think they're genius and don't want to miss any! Thank you!!
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on November 17, 2011, 07:54:09 AM
Look for the Andrew Earles calls. He has a great call where he is a "country" fan from Brooklyn, when he is an angry record fair customer and search for "Kevin" in the archives and you are in for a treat. Also any Matt Walsh call is the saddest/funniest radio ever.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Boogdish on November 17, 2011, 10:14:37 AM
January 13th, 2004.  Tom does about 6 different radio shows in the course of his show.  The kids show is one of the most frightening things you will hear.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: theElizabethanCaller on November 17, 2011, 10:16:45 AM
PARTY ZONE!
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: thom on November 19, 2011, 10:38:42 AM
Tom finds himself "in the tank" on Sharky's Shark Tank sports radio show or something like that. I do not know what episode it is from.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Rick in Salt Lake on November 19, 2011, 11:04:43 AM
I don't recall the exact date, but you might also want to check out the episode in which Tom visits the hate pit. I still can't get that goddamn theme from "The Family Guy" out of my head...

If your interested in giving Tom and Jon some coinage you should purchase their cd's as well. I recently added "Rock, Rot and Rule" to my collection...
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: I-ball on November 19, 2011, 11:39:57 AM
The Mayubinatorial Debate on August 19, 2008 is a pretty great one. And I'm not sure if this counts, but the Podcastin' episodes from earlier this year were amazing.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Crusherkc on November 19, 2011, 11:52:40 AM
I think this one's surreal: a guy from Charleston SC (who won "Worst Call 2008" at the Best Show Awards Show) calls in on the topic "I love ya, but..." and is such a downer that Tom mocks his mopey voice for the next 45 minutes while taking calls. "Who should go shoppin' for a coffin?"


March 25, 2008: Talk Of A Bunch Of Different 'Funny' Things, Probing Discussion Arises From The Topic, Which Is 'I Love Ya, But -'. Then Tom Gets Jamesed. Then The Debut Of 'Coffin Talk'.

I don't know if this meets your criteria in terms of sound environment.

PS there's this-
July 20, 2004: Tom Does A One Man Version Of The Entire Movie Road House! Also, An Unfair Record Review Of The New Wilco Album.


Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Hugman 3.0 on November 19, 2011, 11:58:43 AM
I don't recall the exact date, but you might also want to check out the episode in which Tom visits the hate pit. I still can't get that goddamn theme from "The Family Guy" out of my head...

If your interested in giving Tom and Jon some coinage you should purchase their cd's as well. I recently added "Rock, Rot and Rule" to my collection...

Oh yea! GREAT suggestion. January 11, 2011
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: emma on November 19, 2011, 02:30:53 PM
+10000 for anything Coffin Talk-related.

October 16, 2001: Teenage Girl Night! Three Teenage Girls Take Over The Show!

June 10, 2003: Tom Learns To Play Drums. Tom Does A Drums And Police Car Siren Duet With Officer Tom. And Petey 'Quits'.

September 2, 2003: (Part Two): Bryce Doesn't Show Up, So Tom Calls Payphones From Around The Country. This Features An Hour-Long Conversation With A Man In California Named Clem And His Step Daughter. Pure Radio Magic!

Also there was a run of shows in like 2003-04 I think? where bad callers would often drive Tom to singing for prolonged periods of time.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: laura from brooklyn on November 19, 2011, 04:21:45 PM
Amazing suggestions, all of them. Thanks, guys. Making my way through them. I LOVED Party Zone. Never has a party been so spiteful!
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Chrissy in MN on November 19, 2011, 07:02:47 PM
Amazing suggestions, all of them. Thanks, guys. Making my way through them. I LOVED Party Zone. Never has a party been so spiteful!

Which one is party zone?  Also, I want to listen to the URR of Wilco, but am hesitant because I'm a big Wilco fan.  Should I brave it?
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Crusherkc on November 19, 2011, 11:20:56 PM
Amazing suggestions, all of them. Thanks, guys. Making my way through them. I LOVED Party Zone. Never has a party been so spiteful!

Which one is party zone?  Also, I want to listen to the URR of Wilco, but am hesitant because I'm a big Wilco fan.  Should I brave it?

Depends on how strongly you feel about Wilco.  He obviously didn't like the record but if he piles on the meanness it's for the sake of comedy than actually critiquing it. If Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a cornerstone of your life you might wanna just go directly to Road House.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Chrissy in MN on November 20, 2011, 12:28:04 AM

Which one is party zone?  Also, I want to listen to the URR of Wilco, but am hesitant because I'm a big Wilco fan.  Should I brave it?

Depends on how strongly you feel about Wilco.  He obviously didn't like the record but if he piles on the meanness it's for the sake of comedy than actually critiquing it. If Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a cornerstone of your life you might wanna just go directly to Road House.

Ah.  I do have an unnatural love for Wilco, but I can appreciate the comedic slaughter.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Boogdish on November 20, 2011, 11:35:07 AM
Amazing suggestions, all of them. Thanks, guys. Making my way through them. I LOVED Party Zone. Never has a party been so spiteful!

Which one is party zone?  Also, I want to listen to the URR of Wilco, but am hesitant because I'm a big Wilco fan.  Should I brave it?
Jan 21, 2003 is the first party zone.
Jun 22, 2004 is the return of the party zone.

Both are really fun.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Chrissy in MN on November 20, 2011, 12:35:48 PM
Which one is party zone?  Also, I want to listen to the URR of Wilco, but am hesitant because I'm a big Wilco fan.  Should I brave it?
Jan 21, 2003 is the first party zone.
Jun 22, 2004 is the return of the party zone.

Both are really fun.

Excellent!  Thank you!
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Chrissy in MN on November 20, 2011, 09:05:23 PM
Amazing suggestions, all of them. Thanks, guys. Making my way through them. I LOVED Party Zone. Never has a party been so spiteful!

Which one is party zone?  Also, I want to listen to the URR of Wilco, but am hesitant because I'm a big Wilco fan.  Should I brave it?
Jan 21, 2003 is the first party zone.
Jun 22, 2004 is the return of the party zone.

Both are really fun.

I just took a trip through the party zone part 1. I can't believe he was able to keep it up the entire time.  I would also suggest listening to the show after Tom was "ending" The Best Show to do toilet talk on Sirius (sometime in 2005?).  I don't know if it falls strictly under the definition of surreal, but I certainly found it bizarrely awesome.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Boogdish on November 20, 2011, 09:15:52 PM
Here's a couple more archives that should definitely get checked out:

Jan 17, 2006.  MC Steinberg has a rap battle with Ted Leo.  I think this is Ted's first visit to the studio?  The best part is that the celebrity judges are Marky Ramone, Timmy Von Tremble and Philly Boy Roy.  Wurster does a fantastic job of not only keeping the voices separate but also having each character give a unique opinion while judging the contest.

Apr 6, 2004.  Chubby Checker does an hour long tribute to grunge rock.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: laura from brooklyn on November 20, 2011, 09:44:59 PM
Does the "Podcastin'" segment appear in more than one episode? I only see it listed in the archives once, on Feb 15, 2011. Please say yes, it's SO GOOD!
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: stephen on November 20, 2011, 11:04:21 PM
On the July 13, 2004 show, Tom leaves the studio and does the show from a gas station outside the Holland Tunnel cranking Physical Graffiti  from his car.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: emma on November 21, 2011, 06:06:34 AM
On the July 13, 2004 show, Tom leaves the studio and does the show from a gas station outside the Holland Tunnel cranking Physical Graffiti  from his car.

I had totally forgotten about this. Thank you!
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on November 21, 2011, 08:01:02 AM
Welcome to THE PATRIOT ZONE! (when Bush was re-elected)
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: masterofsparks on November 21, 2011, 08:11:36 AM
On the July 13, 2004 show, Tom leaves the studio and does the show from a gas station outside the Holland Tunnel cranking Physical Graffiti  from his car.

The only thing that could've possibly made this episode better is if The Leader had actually shown up.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: Michael in Athens on November 21, 2011, 08:48:35 AM
July 1, 2008, has Hard-Hat Radio.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: laura from brooklyn on November 23, 2011, 02:16:02 AM
On August 10, 2004, Tom has an "audio cuddle party."
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: stephen on December 20, 2011, 01:59:06 PM
Here's a really short but strange little audio adventure that I ran across while on my quest to listen to every episode in order:
On the November 16, 2004 episode, Tom ends his first set of music by singing a Brian Wilson inspired downbeat reverb-soaked rendition of the Happy Days theme.  It's at about the 17 and a half minute mark if you want to jump right to it.
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: heliumsocket on December 21, 2011, 05:34:00 PM
The Best Show on WFMU - Kids Zone (Part 1) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJOfVB2BQJ8#ws)

The Best Show on WFMU - Kids Zone (Part 2) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBTM9b-hcl8#ws)
Title: Re: Surreal audio adventures from the archive?
Post by: laura from brooklyn on December 21, 2012, 04:37:03 PM
Just found another one: in the April 14, 2009 show at the 1 hour mark, Tom recreates a shared ride from a car repair shop with some old people as T-Pain plays on the radio.