A Token Of My Machine

No.156, aired February 1, 2012. Played the opening Chapters of an audiobook of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, accompanied by instrumental music by Webern, Korsrud, Buckethead, and Les Georges Leningrad, and interrupted by songs with time-related lyrical themes.

Frank Zapp’s A Token Of My Extreme was thrown in merely because it references a “machine” – and turned out to provide the most stunning correspondence with The Time Machine, performing something like a psychoanalysis of H.G.Wells’ text, in which the time machine becomes an object of fetish for the circle of late-nineteenth century gentlemen viewing it.

Some people think
That if they go too far
They’ll never get back
To where the rest of
Them are
I might be crazy
But there’s one thing
I know
You might be surprised
At what you find
When ya go!
- Frank Zappa, A Token Of My Extreme

“We all saw the lever turn. I am absolutely certain there was no trickery. There was a breath of wind, and the lamp flame jumped. One of the candles on the mantel was blown out, and the little machine suddenly swung round, became indistinct, was seen as a ghost for a second perhaps, as an eddy of faintly glittering brass and ivory; and it was gone—vanished! Save for the lamp the table was bare.”
- H.G. Wells, The Time Machine

If you been
Mod-o-fied,
It’s an illusion,
An yer in between
Don’t you be
Tarot-fied,
It’s just a lot of nothin’,
So what can it mean?
- Frank Zappa, A Token Of My Extreme

Part 1

1. Three Little Pieces For Cello & Piano, op.11, no.2 – Anton Webern
2. Xs & Os – John Korsrud
3. One Tooth Of The Time Train – Buckethead
4. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
5. Part Of The Season – Long Time Comin’
6. Three Little Pieces For Cello & Piano, op.11, no.1 – Anton Webern
7. Shape Of Things To Come – Diodes
8. Glurp For 14 Musicians – John Korsrud
9. Blower – Voivod

Part 2

1. Girl On The Grass - John Korsrud
2. Eight Hours A Day – Northwest Passage
3. Three Little Pieces For Cello & Piano, op.11, no.3 – Anton Webern
4. Arc Of The Pendulum – Buckethead
5. Time Damage – Diodes
6. The Future For Less – Les Georges Leningrad
7. A Token Of My Extreme – Frank Zappa
8. Zippy Pinhead – John Korsrud

Black Forest Myth

No.155, aired January 25, 2012. This episode began with the arrival of a double-CD live set of Sun Ra from the early 1970s – Black Myth / Out In Space – and from there it was only a matter of finding supporting material from Buckethead’s Cuckoo Clocks of Hell CD, Schoenberg’s psychodrama set in the woods, Erwartung, and a live reading from pages 76-79 of the densest forest in English Literature, Finnegans Wake.

Part 1

1. Erwartung, Scene I – Arnold Schoenberg (composer) / Janis Martin (Soprano) / BBC Symphony Orchestra
2. No End In Sight – Contaminate
3. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
4. The Black Forest – Buckethead
5. Black Forest Myth – Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Research Arkestra
6. India Speaks Cryptically To The World – Swelter
7. Erwartung, Scene II – Arnold Schoenberg (composer) / Janis Martin (Soprano) / BBC Symphony Orchestra
8. Numbskull – Contaminate
9. Friendly Galaxy No.2 - Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Research Arkestra
10. Swift Pulls A Fast One – Swelter

Part 2

1. Oblivion Trail - Swelter
2. Erwartung, Scene III – Arnold Schoenberg (composer) / Janis Martin (Soprano) / BBC Symphony Orchestra
3. Deadly Sins – Contaminate
4. Strange Worlds / Black Myth / It’s After The End Of The World - Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Research Arkestra
5. Dismal Land – Swelter
6. Woods Of Suicide – Buckethead
7. Zone Of Compass Unreliability – Tristan Psionic

Wormwood Goes To Hell

No.140, aired September 28, 2011, the finale of C.S.Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters (as dramatized by Focus On The Family), where Wormwood’s fuck-ups become too much and Screwtape admonishes him in a stunning 12 minute soliloquey before final condemnation.

Part 1

1. Beyond Hell Intro – GWAR
2. Sonata Tragica – Blah Blah 666
3. Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell – The Stooges
4. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
5. Moths To Flame – Buckethead
6. Murderer`s Muse – GWAR
7. It`s Only Life – Blah Blah 666
8. Tormentor – GWAR
9. Hymno Nacional Mexicano – Blah Blah 666

Part 2

1. Descent Of The Damned – Buckethead
2. Fuck Satan To Death – Dayglo Abortions
3. Blossom Blah – Blah 666
4. 666 – Anvil
5. Hylozoists – Hylozoists
6. Go To Hell! – GWAR
7. Sailing – Ripcordz

Sinner Takes All

No.124, aired June 8, 2011, featuring more passages from the Focus On The Family theatrical re-staging of C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters.

Part 1

1. Sinner Takes All – Forbidden Dimension
2. I Know A Guy Named Larry – Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet
3. Big Eater – The Bad Plus.
4. Look At What They Got – Genocide
5. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
6. Klavierstuck XI-1 – Karlheinz Stockhausen
7. Sex Mad – Nomeansno

Part 2

1. Make ‘Em Mad – Genocide
2. Dirty Bond – The Bad Plus
3. Devil’s Got To Burn – James ‘Blood’ Ulmer
4. Descent Of The Damned – Buckethead
5. Invisible Dimension – Forbidden Dimension
6. Highway To Hell – AC/DC
7. Aunts Invasion – Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet
8. Running Meredith – Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet
9. Anime Eyes – The Awkward Stage

Screwtape Meets Hellephant

No.118, aired April 13, 2011, featuring further segments from C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, in a dramatic audiobook version by Focus On The Family.

Part 1

1. Sweat Loaf – Butthole Surfers
2. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
3. Boy After Boy – Muscle Bitches
4. Bedlam’s Bluff – Buckethead
5. Track A – Solo Dancer - "Stop! Look! And Listen, Sinner Jim Whitney!" – Charles Mingus
6. Elephant – Muscle Bitches
7. Circle, With Tangents 1 – John Beckwith

Part 2

1. Boy After Boy II – Muscle Bitches
2. Woods Of Suicide – Buckethead
3. Hellephant – Muscle Bitches
4. Yellowed Hide – Buckethead
5. Save The Nymphos – Muscle Bitches
6. Track B – Duet Solo Dancers - "Hearts' Beat and Shades in Physical Embraces" – Charles Mingus
7. Hell – Blind Melon
8. Moanin’ At Midnight – Howlin’ Wolf

Freedom Of Obsession

No.114, aired March 16, 2011. Second episode to feature the Focus On The Family dramatization of C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters.

Part 1

1. Freedom Of Obsession – Dog Eat Dogma
2. Beaten With Sledges – Buckethead
3. Tarabos – Soft Machine
4. The Man Who Never Was – Sheavy
5. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
6. Freedom Of Obsession – Dog Eat Dogma (played 2nd time by mistake)
7. Snodland – Soft Machine
8. Penny Hitch – Soft Machine
9. Art Of The State – Dog Eat Dogma

Part 2

1. Imitation Of Christ – Sheavy
2. Nouvelle Axe – Ana Marie Avram / Hyperion Ensemble
3. Block – Soft Machine
4. Kaos Rex – Dog Eat Dogma

My Dear Wormwood ...

No.112, aired March 2, 2011.

This is the first episode in a series to feature the Focus On The Family dramatization of C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, a cosmic psycho-drama in which a young aspiring demon is tutored by a severe master in the corruption of an innocent human.

Part 1

1. Rattletrap – Forbidden Dimension
2. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
3. Little Demon – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
4. Regrets – Cancer Bats
5. Seventh Arrow – Weather Report
6. Glad Your Whiskey Fits In My Purse – Little Miss Higgins
7. One Tooth For The Time Train – Buckethead
8. Circle 2 – John Beckwith
9. Around The Corner – Evil Dick

Part 2

1. Invisible Dimension – Forbidden Dimension
2. Umbrellas – Weather Report
3. Heat Distraction – Women
4. I Put A Spell On You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
5. Coprophagism – Evil Dick
6. Meat Is Meat - Forbidden Dimension
7. Madam, Your Grave Is Ready - Forbidden Dimension
8. Moanin’ At Midnight – Howlin’ Wolf

Ezekiel's Wheels

No.82, another double episode, this time featuring the first 15 chapters of the Book of Ezekiel on audiobook (chapters indicated below), including the opening prophetic vision of cherubim on wheels - the theme of motors, driving & speed followed from there. Aired August 4, 2010.

Part 1

1. Spokes For The Wheel Of Torment – Buckethead -- Ch.1
2. Theme From Peter Gunn – Bob Evans -- Ch.1 (con’t)
3. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
4. Til The Wheels Fall Off – L7
5. Circle With Tangents 1 – John Beckwith -- Ch.6
6. The Wheel – GWAR
7. Ornithology – Jon Ballantyne -- Ch.2-3
8. Son The Father – Fucked Up -- Ch.3 (con’t)

Part 2

1. New Realms of Vibration – Hylozoists -- Ch.5
2. Devil’s Speedway – D.O.A.
3. Golden Seal – Fucked Up -- Ch.4
4. I’ll Drive – Motocaster
5. R.S.V.P. - Jon Ballantyne -- Ch.7-8
6. The Hammer – Motorhead

Part 3

1. Angelicus – Delerium –- Ch.10
2. Fast And Frightning – L7
3. Circle With Tangents 3 – John Beckwith -- Ch.11
4. Fast And Loose – Motorhead
5. The People Is Never Corrupt – Hylozoists -- Ch.9
6. Oblivion – Motocaster
7. Circle With Tangents 2 – John Beckwith -- Ch.12
8. Circle With Tangents 3 – John Beckwith -- Ch.12 (con’t)

Part 4

1. Escape Wheel – Buckethead
2. Circle With Tangents 4 – John Beckwith -- Ch.13
3. Right On Thru – L7
4. Serenity - Jon Ballantyne -- Ch.14-15
5. Fire, Fire – Motorhead
6. M4 – Derek Bailey
7. Immortal Corrupter - GWAR

Humpty Dumpty Contrafacta

No. 68, aired March 31, 2010 – an Easter special.

Featured live readings of poetry from Reginan Hendrik Markus’s Phenomena No Hindrance. Copies are available for purchase in the Sask Lit. Section at Book & Briar Patch.

Also featured 4 recuperated “Nursery Hymns” of W.B. Yonder, a.k.a. Regina’s Patrick Johnson. Free downloads plus notes on his contrafactal process and other delights can be found at: http://www.wbyonder.citymax.com/firstpage.html

Part 1

1. Resolution – Mahavishnu Orchestra –- The Messianic Heart – Hendrik Markus
2. Humpty Dumpty / Arnsberg – Patrick Johnson
3. Crack In The Egg – GWAR
4. Naval Aviation in Art? – Frank Zappa
5. Tori – Not Goin’ To Vegas
6. The Treeman – Buckethead -- Axis Mundi – Hendrik Markus
7. Jack And Jill / Maryton - Patrick Johnson
8. Free Satpal Ram – Asian Dub Foundation
9. From the Eastern Gate 2 – Alexina Louie (comp.) / Erica Goodman (harp)
10. Gor-Gor – GWAR

Part 2

1. Chocolate Jesus – Tom Waits
2. Pylegathon – Buckethead
3. Three Blind Mice / Crusader’s Hymn – Patrick Johnson
4. Sanctuary – Mahavishnu Orchestra -- Easter Sunday, 1983 (A Buddhist Talks To God) - Hendrik Markus
5. Traveling Morgue – Buckethead
6. Alphabet Song / Dix – Patrick Johnson
7. Asscrack Bathmat – Muscle Bitches
8. Watermelon In Easter Hay – Frank Zappa
9. Saved – Amour Fou
10. Sailing - Ripcordz

1927! Upon These Boiling Seas

Episode 53 aired December 16, 2009. This is part 3 of the 4 part "20th Century Zeitgeist" series featuring the string quartets of Arnold Schoenberg. Schoenberg's 3rd String Quartet was composed in 1927 - & by a stroke of luck I happened to select some Louis Armstrong recordings that date from the same year, & by a second stroke of luck chose an accompanying poetic text, from Hart Crane's The Bridge, that was published in 1927!

While it was tempting to name the episode "Monsters & Robots" after the title of Buckethead's CD and Guerrilla Funk Monster's robot references, the concept of boiling is a better description of the hot, popping funk of much of the music.

Part 1

1. Jump Man - Buckethead -- The Harbour Dawn (from The Bridge) - Hart Crane
2. Kaos Rex - Dog Eat Dogma
3. Potato Head Blues - Louis Armstrong
4. Fear On The Bridge (Upon The Boiling Sea I) - 3 Inches of Blood
5. String Quartet No. 3, Op. 30, 1. Moderato - Arnold Schoenberg (composer) / New Vienna String Orchestra -- Ave Maria (from The Bridge) - Hart Crane
6. Lord Of The Storm (Upon The Boiling Sea II) - 3 Inches of Blood
7. robot love serenade - Guerrilla Funk Monster

Part 2

1. Stick Pit - Buckethead -- The River (from The Bridge) - Hart Crane
2. Naval Aviation in Art? - Frank Zappa
3. Ron Donson - Guerrilla Funk Monster
4. String Quartet No. 3, Op. 30, 3. Intermezzo (Allegro Moderato) - Arnold Schoenberg (composer) / New Vienna String Orchestra -- The River (cont'd, from The Bridge) - Hart Crane
5. Isle of Eternal Despair - (Upon The Boiling Sea II) - 3 Inches of Blood
6. burgundy - Guerrilla Funk Monster -- The River (cont'd, from The Bridge) - Hart Crane
7. Revenge of the Double Man - Buckethead -- The River (cont'd, from The Bridge) - Hart Crane
8. Alligator Crawl - Louis Armstrong

The Flowers of Evil

Episode 42 featured an on-air reading of Sean Bonney's Baudelaire in English (Veer Books, 2008), according to many the best ever English renderings of the French poet.

Part 1
1. The Black Forest - Buckethead -- O Carib Isle - Hart Crane (on-air reading by host)
2. Naval Aviation in Art? - Frank Zappa
3. Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish - Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4. Naked - Ballroom Zombies
5. Please Hang Up - Dog Eat Dogma
6. Hair Pie: Bake 1 - Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band -- Baudelaire in English - Sean Bonney (on-air reading by host)
7. Necropolis - Dog Eat Dogma
8. M1 - Derek Bailey -- Baudelaire in English - Sean Bonney
9. Bills Corpse - Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
10. Fountains of the Forgotten - Buckethead

Part 2
1. Sweet Sweet Bulbs - Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2. Fleuves (pt.1) - Gilles Tremblay -- Baudelaire in English - Sean Bonney
3. Impotent Fantasies - Ballroom Zombies
4. Fleuves (pt.2) - Gilles Tremblay -- Baudelaire in English - Sean Bonney
5. Sailin' On - Bad Brains

Spokes for the Wheel of Torment

Aired August 12, 2009, featuring a live reading of Chapter 1 of the Book of Ezekiel plus the Commuters AudioBible recording of Chapters 34, 35, 40, 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48 & 49 of The Book of Isaiah.

Part 1
1. Descent of the Damned - Buckethead
2. Circle, with Tangents Pt.2 - John Beckwith
3. She Danced for Gordie Howe - Tim Postgate
4. Naval Aviation in Art? - Frank Zappa
5. Spokes for the Wheels of Torment - Buckethead
6. Circle, with Tangents Pt.4 - John Beckwith
7. Terminator - Tim Postgate
8. Parannoyed - Dog Eat Dogma
9. Arc of the Pendulum - Buckethead

Part 2
1. Circle, with Tangents Pt.3 - John Beckwith
2. Haven of Black Tar Pitch - Buckethead
3. The Apes of Wrath - GWAR
4. Circle, with Tangents Pt.1 - John Beckwith
5. Animal Farm - Dog Eat Dogma
6. Hoster City - Tim Postgate
7. The Escape Wheel - Buckethead
8. The Wheel - GWAR