INSUFFERABLE SNOBBERY

These are my opinions. And I am usually right. Even when I am wrong. I have no idea how frequent, or infrequent, this blog will be. It needs to be something. I need to say this stuff. Need is such a funny word. I don't need to help you. You need to help yourself. Snobbery is its OWN reward.

[1264doghouse]

A young Dwight Yoakam seated on the left with his guitar, surrounded by friends.

[undergroundrockpress-deactivate]

The East Village Other, Vol. 5, No. 50 (November 10, 1970).

Cover illustration by Abdul Mati Klarwein.

[snobbingblog]

R.A.M.O.N.E.S

"1-2-3-4

Just published over at my 'Stack. Ruminations on the RAMONES, and listening to the RAMONES for the majority of my life.

Still looking for a photo credit. Danny Fields, maybe?

[broadcastarchive-umd-deactivate]

The DuMont Television Network (1946-56) produced more than 20,000 television episodes during the decade from 1946 to 1956. Because the shows were created prior to the launch of Ampex’s electronic videotape recorder in late 1956, all of them were initially broadcast live in black and white, then recorded on film kinescope for reruns and for West Coast rebroadcasts.

By the early 1970s, their vast library of 35mm and 16mm kinescopes eventually wound up in the hands of ABC, who reportedly disposed of all of them in New York City’s East River to make room for more recent-vintage videotapes in a warehouse.

Other kinescopes were put through a silver reclaiming process, because of the microscopic amounts of silver that made up the emulsion of black-and-white film during this time. It is estimated that only about 350 complete DuMont television shows survive today, the most famous being virtually all of Jackie Gleason’s Honeymooners comedy sketches.

[broadcastarchive-umd-deactivate]

Originally posted December 2, 2015  |   Tumblr Archive

[snobbingblog]

"By the early 1970s, their vast library of 35mm and 16mm kinescopes eventually wound up in the hands of ABC, who reportedly disposed of all of them in New York City’s East River to make room for more recent-vintage videotapes in a warehouse."

I have an immediate and visceral reaction to this, of disgust, for so many reasons. Of course, I have my hoarder tendencies, so just throwing them out pushes a lot of my buttons. But, throwing them into the east river? Mining them for silver? They should have just stored them in a warehouse so they could all burn in a giant fire later, the way the music industry does it.

Imagine having so much money that you can throw away the past like that.

I support the Internet Archive Project. They deserve your support too. Throw them some bucks.

[dustedmagazine]

The Salt Collective — A Brief History of Blindness (Propeller Sound)

Salt Collective is a three-man power pop band with a deep rolodex. This second full-length from the Paris-based trio features contributions from many of melodic rock’s best-known artists, including 1980s college rock icons Chris Stamey (who also produced), Mitch Easter (whose North Carolina studio birthed this album) and Let’s Active’s Lynn Blakely who sings lead or back-up on nearly half the tracks. Other bold-faced contributors include Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws, Lemonjelly’s Jason Falkner, Aimee Mann, Mike Mills and Andy Partridge.

The main songwriter, Stéphane Schück seems to be living the dream, convening a core band that he’s known since the 1980s—that’s Fred Quentin on bass and Benoit Lautridou on drums—then supplementing their sound with musicians he’s admired for decades. One previous Salt Collective album, Life, was a pandemic-era remote recording; this one was laid down mostly live with all participants physically present at the Fidelitorium in North Carolina. 

Schück’s process is unusually freewheeling and collaborative. He writes the songs himself first, sketching out guitar and bass parts, then turns over this sketch to the vocalist, who creates the words and vocal melody. The songs on this album bear the strong imprint of their guests, while hanging together, more or less, in a jangly rock aesthetic. Thus the caroming pop energy of the title cut reflects Blakely’s power and sweetness, while “The Waiting Game” takes a moodier stance with Aimee Mann at the mic. Matthew Caws’ giddy, pop agitation enlivens “Cloud to Cloud”’s bustling, pulsing verse and slips into lyricism at the “I love to drive,” chorus. “You Swallowed the Sun” with Chris Stamey and Wilco’s Pat Sansone sitting in, whirls with 1960s-style psychedelia, and “Waiting for the End of Time,” my favorite, rides a harder beat, a thumpier bass, a blowsier blowout of reeds and guitars to climax, with Jason Falkner singing.

A Brief History of Blindness is likely of most interest to music fans who lived through this particular 1980s-1990s college rock era the first time and have a connection to Schück’s illustrious (but aging) guests. The music is good, but not especially current, and it pushes no envelopes. But even so, if you hanker sometimes for the sweetness of melody, spiked up on aggressive drum and bass and framed by chiming guitars, this one will fit the bill.

Jennifer Kelly

[matadorrecords]

Save 15% on (nearly) EVERYTHING at the Matador store w/ code WHATMEWORRY at checkout: matador.ffm.to/2025

As we approach the end of a thrilling* and deeply disturbing 2025, Matador has chosen to reflect on the former portion by commissioning veteran Mad Magazine illustrator Tom Richmond to capture the likenesses of this year’s all-star crew (most of them, anyway). Said participants are depicted in the most natural of settings — a record shop they’ve all decided to converge upon simultaneously. Thanks to all involved for an amazing 2025 and thanks also to each of you reading this. The cliché “we couldn’t do it without you” comes to mind because we absolutely could do it without you. It would be a total disaster, but we could do it without you.

Illustration: Tom Richmond

MATADOR RECORDS • 2025 RELEASES:

bar italia - ‘Some Like It Hot’

Car Seat Headrest - ‘The Scholars’

Circuit des Yeux - ‘Halo On The Inside’

DARKSIDE - ‘Nothing’

David Byrne - ‘Who Is The Sky?’

Julien Baker & TORRES - ‘Send A Prayer My Way’

Horsegirl - ‘Phonetics On and On’

Lifeguard - ‘Ripped and Torn’

Mdou Moctar - ‘Tears of Injustice’

Perfume Genius - ‘Glory’

Queens of the Stone Age - ‘Alive in the Catacombs’

Water From Your Eyes - ‘It’s A Beautiful Place’

[snobbingblog]

Mad Magazine and Matador! Brilliant.

One of my favorite labels is doing incredible work, and has been for decades. I'm not going to tell you what to do, but you know what you should be doing. Julien Baker and TORRES! Horsegirl! Queens! Mdou Moctar! And the list continues.

[snobbingblog]

Skeleton Cap

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2,500 likes!

On a need to know basis

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Once again we have a month with five Wednesdays, and by time-honored custom I called on my readers to nominate and vote on their choice of topics for this post. This month, the relationship between…

Brilliant.

[djmossback]

Spacebar 19 March 2022 Saturday Night

The songs:

Black Box , Strike It Up (12” MIX EXTENDED)

Foxy, Get Off (12” TK 45 RPM )

Phillip Bailey w/Phil Collins, Easy Lover (12” mix)

Steve Miller Band, Abracadabra (7” 45 RPM)

Bee Gees, Jive Talkin’ (7” 45 RPM)

Young Holt Limited, Soulful Strut (7” 45 RPM)

Soul II Soul, Keep on Moving, (Nellies 7” mix from the maxi 12” single)

Patrice Rushen, Forget Me Nots (7”45 RPM)

Rolling Stones, Hot Stuff (7” 45 RPM)

ESG, You’re No Good (7” Factory)

Vaughan Mason & Crew, Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll Part 1 (12” mix)

Queen, Another One Bites The Dust (7” 45 RPM)

Mary Jane Girls, In My House (7” 45RPM)

Michael Jackson, Rock With You (7”45 RPM)

Pointer Sisters, He’s So Shy (7”45 RPM)

Doobie Brothers, What A Fool Believes (12” Jim Burgess mix)

Junior, Mama Used To Say (12” T.Scott mix)

Amii Stewart, Knock On Wood (LP CUT)

Jay-Z, 99 Problems (LP CUT, Black Album)

Nazareth, Hair Of The Dog (LP CUT)

Billy Squier, Everybody Wants You (LP CUT )

Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Love Missile F-111 (Single Version 12”)

Time Zone, World Destruction (12” edited for radio Celluloid label)

Killing Joke, Follow The Leaders (LP cut)

New Order, Everything’s Gone Green (12” mix 45 rpm cut)

KISS, I Was Made For Loving You (12” Jim Burgess mix)

Cameo, Back & Forth 7” mix (12” )

Laid Back, White Horse (12” 45RPM

Boomtown Rats, Up All Night (LP CUT)

Cure, Let’s Go To Bed (mini lp mix Sire Records)

Cheryl Lynn, Got To Be Real (7”)

Cramps, What’s Inside A Girl? (12” 45 RPM Big Beat )

The Cars, Gimme Some Slack (LP cut, Panorama)

Thin Lizzy, Romeo & The Lonely Girl (LP cut, Jailbeak)

The Time, 777-9311 (lp cut)

Tommy Tutone, 867-5309 Jenny (7”)

Kim Wilde, 2-6-5-8-0 (lp cut)

Haircut 100, Love Plus One (7”45 RPM)

G.Q. Boogie Oogie Oogie (7” 45 RPM)

Positive K, I Gotta Man (12” mix)

Taste Of Honey, Rescue Me (LP cut)

Apollonia 6, Sex Shooter (12” mix 45 RPM)

Human League, Things That Dreams Are Made Of (LP cut)

Lene Lovich, Lucky Number (LP cut)

Talking Heads, Slippery People (12” 45 rpm Jellybean mix)

Heatwave, Groove Line (7” 45)

Sylvester, You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) 12” 45RPM cut

Roy Ayers, Freakey Deakey (12” promo)

Material w/Nona Hendryx, Busting Out (lp cut from Seize The Beat Compilation)

Judas Priest, Metal Gods (LP cut, the British Steel album)

The Romantics, Talking In Your Sleep (7” 45)

Presidents of The USA, Lump (LP cut)

The Sonics, The Witch (LP cut Norton reissue)

ZZ Top, Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers, (LP)

Vince Staples, Norf Norf (LP)

Clipping, Say The Name (LP)

Very busy night in the basement, probably the last time I will play that space. Had some trouble finding my footing, and never really felt comfortable. Some things I did pretty well, other things I was not as happy with. Cyber Jewel and I were marvelling at what people respond to. It’s totally random sometimes. It was fun to see people singing and dancing along to some real old stuff.

The last set was a tribute to my compatriot DJ IGA, who was in attendance after he and his person Erica were at the Bonobo show at the Knit earlier. The Third Space Saturday spot that I took over was his idea. They live in Ohio, but are tethered to Boise in the way that pan city/state people are these days. I tried to play things that would please him, with my stuff mixed in. I wanted to let him know that the spot was in good hands.

I played a lot of 7” singles tonight. It would certainly save my back if I could convert to all 45’s, but I love 45 rpm 12” singles too much to ever get totally into that bag. I’ve found some killer stuff lately so, you never know.

There were a lot of people in the house playing Jenga tonight, which was fun to see. I watch the parade go by, trying to play memories, and set up a vibe. So I can knock it down like Jenga.

My friend Geneva came by and stayed for a lot of the set. I can tell you that things kind of came into focus when she was there, because it gave me someone to play to. One of the highlights of the night was seeing her throw up hands at the Human League track I played. I thought it sounded great too.

Some knucklehead asked for some Irish music, because of St Patricks Day. I had just played the Boomtown Rats, but he was thinking Flogging Molly. So, a few songs later I played Thin Lizzy. Never saw him again.

[snobbingblog]

I do a thing, under the name Mossback, because I come from the land of the Timber Industry, where the trees facing the ocean grow lichens. Before they are cut down for us humans.

[djmossback]

Where to start? 2100 hrs, Saturday Night, 19 March 2022 45rpm and 33RPM Quartz Locked. Spacebar Arcade BRING YOUR COINS, TIP THE BARTENDER.

[snobbingblog]

Coinage starts here. In it to spin it. No requests taken, no requests made.

[djmossback]

Spacebar Arcade

200 N Capitol Blvd Boise Idaho

08/21/2021

My sole gig, a “residency” of sorts, in downtown Boise at a barcade named Spacebar. Third Space Saturday was started by a dear friend,and the inspiration for me to get back behind the decks, DJ IGA. He wanted to celebrate the concept of a place that wasn’t work, and wasn’t home, where people could congregate, recreate, and enjoy fellowship. Every third Saturday I do a 4 hour set. The owner, Will Hay, has built a beautiful thing there, and I am grateful to be allowed to do this thing, which is fluid and ever evolving. I am trying to present a beat driven soundscape that is atmospheric yet genre agnostic. Drawing lines between songs and styles. I’m not trying to grandstand. I hate showing off. That’s just me.

This set is kind of old song heavy. I like to throw more contemporary beats in, but that’s not where the spheres led me tonight. The set went in the order listed, and flowed pretty well. I muffed some transitions, but that’s ok. I don’t practice, and I barely plan anything out, except for the song I start with. I’m going to try some more sticky stuff next month, and hopefully Will won’t have anyone inspecting my crates for any banned substances that night.

THE SONGS

2100 hrs

PiL, Bad Life

Wire, Ahead

Madonna, Into The Groove

Mary Jane Girls, In My House

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Can you Feel The Beat

Robert Palmer, You Are In My System

New Order, Everything’s Gone Green (7" mix)

Anita Ward, Ring My Bell

Bee Gees, Jive Talkin’

Blaque, 808

Soho, Hippychick

Zapp, More Bounce To the Ounce

The Cure, Love Cats (ext)

The Cramps, What’s inside A Girl

Frankie Ford, Sea Cruise

Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra, It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

(2200 hrs)

Otis & Carla, Tramp

Little Eva, Loco-Motion

Booker T & The MG’s, Hip Hug Her

Gap Band, Outstanding

Captain Sensible, WOT

Queen, Another One Bites The Dust

ZZ TOP, Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers (RIP Dusty)

Nazareth, Hair Of The Dog

KISS, I Was Made For Loving You (12 inch mix)

Toto, Hold The Line

Thundercat, Them Changes

Lo Fidelity Allstars, Battle Flag

Vince Staples, Big Fish

Soul II Soul,Keep On Movin’ (Nellie’s 7 inch mix)

Bob Marley & The Wailers, Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)

The Stooges, 1970

Rufus Thomas, Walking The Dog

Bob Seger, Ramblin' Gamblin Man

Foster The People, Helena Beat

Local H, All Right (Oh Yeah)

Sonics, Cinderella

Da Brat, Mind Blowin’

PJ Harvey, Down By The Water

Sade, Hang Onto Your Love (Extended)

TLC, No Scrubs

(2330)

Stone Roses, Fools Gold

LL COOL J, Goin Back To Cali

Beastie Boys, Pass The Mic

Skee-Lo, I Wish

Mantronix, Bassline

Sleaford Mods, Nudge It

Heaven 17, Penthouse To Pavement

Gwen Stefani, What You Waiting For?

Stevie Wonder, Master Blaster

Tilt, Arcade Funk (pictured)

Melissa Auf der Maur, Real A Lie

Ting - Tings, That’s Not My Name

Fred Schneider & The Shake Society, Monster

Squirrel Nut Zippers, Hell

Lakeside, Pull My String

Positive K, I Got A Man

Roxy Music, Same Old Scene

Washed Out, Feel It All Around

Naked Eyes, Promises Promises

Funkadelic, One Nation Under A Groove

Dead Kennedy’s, California Über Alles

Jesse Belvin, Goodnight My Love

Next Gig Saturday 18 September 2021

[snobbingblog]

Dude talks to me. He has visions! Talks to the spheres! Buys too many records!

[snobbingblog]

Record Buying 05/12/2018

From the new arrivals section at the Record Hut, plus stuff I had on hold, plus stuff that Brushton ordered for me because I asked, (Peach Kelli Pop, Messthetics,) and stuff he thought I would be interested in (Mint Mile ep3.) I have more records than I could ever listen to, and more than I could ever absorb. How much time do I have left, anyway? Of course, how much time do any of us have. And what do you want to spend it doing?

[snobbingblog]

Check out my schedule for Treefort Music Fest! #treefort2018. I advise you all to download the Treefort App for your mobile device. It’s a wonderful tool for organizing your Fortsperience. You may notice large holes in my calendar. It’s because I like to wander. Even though I have my priorities, I do like to have a framework to follow, to stumble upon my new favorites that I didn’t know I had yet. It’s my favorite time of the year.

[snobbingblog]

The top ten list is a cruel taskmaster. Many are called, few are chosen. It usually dictates the terms of engagement. This year I wanted it to be different. I started my list last December, When Rushton turned me on to the Soft Kill album that had come out after the 2016 list deadline.  I made a playlist on Spotify, where I put songs from albums I wanted to remember. I paid attention, and wanted this list to be bulletproof. Fail. No list is bulletproof. It is, however, a reflection of where I was on 17 November 2017. And, immediately, the list regret sets in. Mind you, it’s pulled from a list of over fifty titles that I really liked this year. And, that is just this year. It doesn’t reflect the amount of old music I listened to. My obsession with 78RPM records. Or, monophonic records. Or, the music my friends insisting I must hear (take a bow, Timothy Raymond Cook!), all of the non-mainstream stuff on Soundcloud and Bandcamp.  Or, listening to Iggy Pop Confidential show on the BBC App. Or, Henry Rollins on KCRW. Or, all of the great programs on our local stations. All of this accessible on my smartphone. But, there is still nothing like the engagement of choosing an album or cd, putting it in the player, or on the turntable, perusing the liner notes, and just paying attention. For me, this is still important. And, that is why there is still a place for those of us who care.   Thank you for all the music.

My friends killed it this year. So many great records. I have a particular thing about remakes, and Sinatra. Suffice it to say, it’s a very high bar. I would rather listen to the Chairman himself than some modern remake. But, Curtis Stigers made me proud with his One More For The Road album, recorded a few years ago with The Danish Radio Big Band. He has the requisite feeling for the material, and his singing is exquisite.

Sun Blood Stories continue to amaze me. Ben and Amber’s singing and playing  reach new heights with every show, and every album. They truly reflect the high desert thing about Boise, in a way no band since Caustic Resin has.  

And, speaking of the mighty Caustic Resin, Brett issued The Medicine Is All Gone, on his Scavenger Cult label in a deluxe vinyl issue, which is beautiful. And, late in the year, he got another record out from his new band Snakes, who split a record with Crosss, who were originally from Novia Scotia. This record finally saw the light of day after the top ten list was submitted, or it would have made an appearance. 

Thanks to Henry Rollins constant championing of John Dwyer on his Sunday night KCRW program, I finally dove in to the OH SEES sound. And now, I can’t get enough. To the point where I ordered a colored vinyl copy of the new OC’s direct from Castle Face, Dwyers label.

And, I will be continually catching up on things I missed, like the Zebra Hunt record that came out in May. Maybe Robert told me, maybe he didn’t. I love them. They are kin. Whisky Dick Mountain from Spokane from 2011. Genius. Fun Ladies from 2015. Brilliant. Who knows what I will discover? Especially when Treefort comes around.

I have been listening to a lot of Beethoven and Mozart on the new set up I built in the house. A very small system, with a turntable and a decent CD player, and Robyn and I have been enjoying it immensely. The level of engagement involved is a reward unto itself. And, to listen to uncompressed files is very pleasing to the ears. Of course, the well of music is deep. And it goes back for centuries.

2018 has such promise. New music by some of my favorites. Pushing forward on music of my own. I can’t wait. 

After what we have endured over the last few years, it's great to feel involved in life, and excited about things again, even though sometimes I have moments of despair and depression. We will make it. 

[snobbingblog]

No bird, on the wire. Farewell, Leonard. Thank you for the songs. You will be missed. I apologize for not getting into it earlier. Thanks to my friends Mike and Mark, I got educated. And, I dove in quick. It's deep, singular music, readily identifiable and immense. And it rings true. Hopefully, forever. "That's no way to say goodbye..."

[gifs-and-screencaps]

[snobbingblog]

So. Kate Bush. I’ve always been a fan. Dating back to 1978, when I devoured what information I could get from the English weeklies I could get my hands on in a small Oregon town. I admit, part of the initial attraction was one of hot blooded 18 year oldness, and we are roughly the same age,  but the music kept me. Even though on the surface, it seems like an unusual choice for someone in the thrall of aggressive punk music, but I have always gone my own way, and I responded to that quality in her. Even though she was a mega pop star you got the sense that she followed a higher calling, and her own muse, and was going to do what she did, no matter what. 

I respect her immensely, and followed her doggedly. To this day, I have every recording of hers that I bought, and always will.