Rudy Panucci On Pop Culture

Month: July 2016 (Page 1 of 4)

Sunday Evening Videos: The Beginning of MTV

mtv-logo2On August 1, 1981, MTV, a new cable channel intended to bring music videos to the world, launched and for a few short years, did exactly what its name entailed. Of course, that all went to hell when music started sucking as hair metal came in, then the network started making awful reality shows and got rid of music altogether. But for a short time, MTV was the coolest thing around.

Above you see an embedded playlist that roughly recreates the first hour or so of MTV from thirty-five years ago. Some of the videos were hard to track down, and some have unwanted subtitles, but you will get to see The Buggles, Pat Benetar, Rod Stewart, The Who, The Pretenders and the other bands that helped launch Music Television, along with the very first moments as broadcast on August 1, 1981.

On August 1 this year VH1 Classic is being rebranded as “MTV Classic,” but before you get your hopes up, be warned that instead of showing classic music videos, the new channel intends to go back to MTV’s post-music programming of the 1990’s, with Beavis and Butthead, Daria and The Real World taking up most of its airtime. Of course, since Suddenlink doesn’t carry the Viacom channels anymore, not too many people in Charleston will notice.

Ten Years Of RFC Flashback: Episode Five

RFC number fiveWe continue our look back at ten years of Radio Free Charleston while your loyal correspondent works to get well enough to start shooting and editing video again. From September 8, 2006, it’s “The Beatles Shirt,” featuring Kevin Duffer, The Appalachian Celtic Consort, Pentagram Flowerbox, and cut-ins by IWA East Coast. This was the first show to bring you footage shot at The Empty Glass, and we made a big deal about it then, but now we seem to shoot most of our guests there or at The Blue Parrot.

You can check out the production notes HERE, and read more about how I really didn’t plan to use much location footage on the show.

All About Sydney’s Big Electric Cat and Remembering Jack Davis

bec HORIZONTAL LOGOThe PopCulteer
July 29
, 2016

One of the programs that we’re very proud to feature on The AIR is Sydney’s Big Electric Cat, a two-hour blast of spectacular New Wave music presented by legendary DJ Sydney Fileen and produced at the Haversham Recording Institute in London, England. For a sample episode of Sydney’s Big Electric Cat, give a listen to this special link/embedded player HERE.

You can hear a brand-new episode of Big Electric Cat every Friday at 3 PM on The AIR, which you can listen to at The AIR website or on this rad little radio player…

Today, as a special treat, The AIR will replay last week’s episode immediately before Sydney’s new show. So starting at 1 PM, you can settle in for four straight hours of gleaming futuristic music from between 1975 and 1985.

The 1 PM show features artists like ReFlex, Naked Eyes, DEVO, New Order, Hazel O’Connor, and The Cure, plus many other legendary New Wave acts.

The playlist for the new episode at 3 PM is posted below, after the jump:

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STUFF TO DO July 28-31

2016 002It’s time for the weekly run-down of outstanding events, shows and other fishy things into which you can meddle this weekend, and as is now usual, we present a handy-dandy audio version of STUFF TO DO that you can listen to as you decide how you’re going to spend your weekend in and around Charleston. You can listen to that right at this nifty little link thingy HERE.

This week Your PopCulteer and his wife bring you news of music, theater, comic books and more and we also bring you samples of music by four bands you can catch performing live this weekend, Hurl Brickbat, The Irreplaceables, Time And Distance and Under Surveillance.

Below you’ll find graphics and last-minute information that came in after our recording deadline. Keep in mind that outdoor events may be cancelled due to nasty weather.

THURSDAY JULY 28

Thursday’s events include live music and special arts seminars.

A late addition to this week’s line-up is Songwriter Stage at FIRESIDE Bar & “Listening Room.” MIKE SELBE makes his SONGWRITERSTAGE Debut “in the round” joined by fellow WV Singer/Songwriters CHET LOWTHER & GARY REYNOLDS. Arrive early for your best look at these THREE great WV Songwriters beginning at 7:30 PM upstairs atop “Little India” at 1604 Washington Street East on Charleston’s East End.

If comedy is your preference, at 7 PM you can head over to Bar Louie located in the Mardis Gras Casino for the No Pants Players. The noted improv group are going to be putting on a hilarious  comedy show. All you have to do is show up to Mardis Gras Casino, go through the main entrance, get to Bar Louie, grab a drink, and find the best seat. Doors open at 6:00 pm.  Angie Davis will be kicking off the night with her hilarious standup.

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At 10 PM spend some time taking in the music In The Round with Jeremy Roberts, Sean Whiting and Pete Kosky at the Empty Glass. This is three great singer/songwriters taking turns and playing off of one another in an intimate setting where you can really appreciate the music. It’s only three bucks to get in.

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Weekend News, Great Showtunes, Killer Swing Music and Great Talk and Comedy, Wednesday on The AIR

WEDNESDAY LOGOIt’s time for another Wednesday filled with great programming on The AIR. Listen at the website or on this swell little radio widget…

At 11 AM, it’s The Lynn Browder Show about Autism. In 2015 Lynn Browder began producing a show for Voices of Appalachia chronicling her son’s diagnosis with autism and the adjustments that she’s made in her life. In a few weeks Lynn will resume production of her program, bringing us up to date with Owen’s progress and sharing their personal journey. Today we bring you the fifth and sixth episodes of Lynn’s Autisum Discussion show. Lynn’s show will replay on Friday morning and Sunday afternoon.

Our programs today also include an encore edition of On The Road With Mel at 1 PM.  This week, it’s a two-topic show. In the first half, Mel Larch tells you all about how to pack for a trip. The second half is a handy guide to the best ways to get out of Charleston. The plan for this week was to bring you an all-new show, but Tuesday evening’s storms delayed recording that show until next week. Either way, with thirty minutes packed full of great basic travel information, On The Road With Mel is a can’t miss proposition.

At 1:30 PM, it’s time for this week’s all new STUFF TO DO.  Your hosts Rudy Panucci and Mel Larch tell you all about the weekend’s activities including Live on The Levee, The Charleston Light Opera Guild Production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at The Clay center, great bands playing in our area’s top music venues and more.  This week, you’ll also hear music from Hurl Brickbat, The Irreplaceables, Time And Distance and Under Surveillance. STUFF TO DO repeats at 6:30 PM and will be posted in PopCult Thursday.

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Jeff Ellis, Hybrid Soul Project, Qiet, The Renfields and more Great Local Music Today On The AIR

tUESDAY LOG 7 26It’s another fantastic Tuesday on The AIR.  Today we have brand new episodes of Radio Free Charleston and Radio Coolsville, and we re-present an encore episode of Radio Free Charleston International from last May that was only aired one time due to technical issues .  You can listen to The AIR at their website or on this totally wicked little embedded radio player…

Radio Free Charleston debuts at 10 AM with a replay at 10 PM and brings you great local music from  Jeff Ellis, The Laser Beams, The Renfields, Qiet and more.  Just check out this killer playlist:

Jeff Ellis and 40 Days  “Must Be Something In The Water”
The Laser Beams  “The Ballad of Patrick Morrissey”
Strawfyssh  “Netted Fish”
Trielement  “Accidental Chaos”
Hybrid Soul Project  “Stay”
The Science Fair Explosion “Cosmic Girls”
69 Fingers  “Average Joe”
The Renfields  “Transylvania Fight Song”
Time and Distance  “War”
Mother Nang  “Peel”
Farnsworth  “I’ll Tell You When I’ve Had Enough”
Qiet  “Daddy’s Too Old”
Blue Million  “Down To A Groove”

At 3 PM, DJ Betty Rock treats us to another 120 minutes of particularly nifty music originating from the WMUL studios with Radio Coolsville. This is all part of our weekday afternoon music club, where each day brings you a different themed, hosted music program. Radio Coolsiville brings you exactly what it promises, cool music.

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New Stuff Monday on The AIR

MondayThis week kicks off with new episodes of Prognosis, AIR Guitar, Harrah’s Hard & Heavy and The Comedy Vault. Plus we have great episodes of The Best of The Real with Mark Wolfe and Patrick Felton’s That Conversation. Tune in at The AIR website, or on this nifty little widget…

At 3 PM tune in for Herman Linte’s Prognosis, a two-hour trip through the best progressive rock of the last fifty years. This week Herman brings you the floowing playlist:

ELP  “The Barbarian”
Atris  “Transformation”
Skytalk  “Hearing The Silence”
Andy Summers  “Animal Chatter
The Enid  :1000 Stars (Live)
Sierra  “72 Prolouge/Dead or Dying”
Gandalf’s Fist  “Shadowborn”
Lifesigns  “Carousel (live)”
Renaissance  “Mother Russia”
Aisles  “Club Hawaii”
Southern Empire  “How Long”
Pallas  “Something In The Deep”
Anderson/Wakeman  “House of Freedom”
Genesis  “The Battle of Epping Forest”
King Crimson  “The Great Deceiever”
Background music:  “Facade” by  Phiip Glass

At 5 PM it’s time for AIR Guitar, with Bob Geetar. This program is half electric/half acoustic for it’s hourly dose of “the beauty of the stringed, plucked instrument.” This week the electric half comes first and is dedicated to the pioneers of the amplified guitar. You’ll hear Duane Eddy, The Shadows, Dick Dale, Link Wray, Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Bo Diddley and more. The second half features acoustic guitar in an orchestral setting. You will hear John Williams and Steve Howe.

AIR Guitar is followed by replays of last week’s episodes of Ska Madness and The Punk Club.

7 PM sees an encore of That Conversation, wherein Patrick Felton speaks for 90 minutes with Dan Kehde, the founder and guiding force behind Contermporary Youth Arts Company in Charleston. This is followed by a special airing of The Goon Show.

At 9 PM tune in for The Best of The Real with Mark Wolfe, as Mark talks to cult radio personality Jerry Galvin.

10 PM sees the arrival of a brand-new edition of Harrah’s Hard & Heavy. This week Lee Harrah presents a tribute to fallen heroes, with music from Lemmy, Peter Steele, Joey Ramone, Ronnie James Dio, David Bowie, Johnny Cash and more. It’s a heartfelt hour of hard and heavy music from our local master of hard & heavy himself.

At 11 PM wrap up your night in The Comedy Vault, with classic recorded comedy from Brian Posehn, Andy Dick, Proctor and Bergman, George Carlin, Redd Foxx, Louis CK, Steve Martin and more.  It’s uncensored, and ready to make you laugh various and sundry body parts off.

Monday Morning Art: More New Impressionism

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A few weeks ago I posted an image from a series of paintings that are in a new style in which I have been experimenting for a couple of years. I dubbed this new style “New Impressionism,” in part to designate it from the other styles in which I work, and in part to annoy art snobs who balk at the concept of any new styles being developed that challenge the rigid terminology which has been employed to shackle creativity and discourage experimentation.

As to the latter, it has been a rousing success with folks who simply don’t “get it.” I’m sure they’ll come around if I’m ever able to create enough of these for a proposed solo exhibit in New York City. This one is another take on dancing girls, and I’m not really happy enough with it to include it in the exhibit, but it’s not bad for Monday Morning Art. Click to enlarge.

Sunday Evening Video: Movies In Space

Cinema: A Space Odyssey from somersetVII on Vimeo.

astro01It was just over 47 years ago that man first walked onthe moon. Inhonor of that milestone, this week Sunday Evening Video takes a look at some of the greatest outer-space moments in movie history.

Also, today, beginning at noon, you can tune in to The AIR to hear our great talk and comedy programs from the previous week. This doesn’t really have one thing to do with the moon landing or outer space, but it’s still well worth mentioning. Trust us. Listen right here on this embedded radio doo-hickey…

Ten Years Of RFC Flashback: Episode 4

Raymond rfc 4This week we bring you Radio Free Charleston’s fourth episode “The Blue Guy Shirt,” featuring Raymond Wallace and Under The Radar. Originally posted in August, 2006, this was the very first time that RFC Big Shot (and now Mrs. RFC) Melanie Larch ran camera on the host segments. Since then, she’s shot the vast majority of the host segments for our shows. Both musical acts were recorded in the legendary LiveMix Studio, the home base fore Radio Free Charleston in our early days.

Our animation is “Zachery Bop,” by Frank Panucci. Host segments were shot in Davis Park, downtown, with a ridiculously loud air conditioner running across the street. You can read the original production notes here.

We are marking ten years of Radio Free Charleston’s video incarnation. We hope to deliver a brand-new episode in the coming weeks. Our six-month layoff has been the longest in the show’s history, but we have really good excuses. In the meantime, check us out every Tuesday on The AIR for the radio version of RFC.

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