Rudy Panucci On Pop Culture

RFC 108: Back To Whatever Passes For “Normal”

Above you see the bright, shiny new episode of Radio Free Charleston.  This is our first “normal” show since before our big six-episode foray into the wonders of FestivAll.  This episode, “To The Batmobile Shirt,” features music from InFormation, Volt 9000 and The AK40 Sexuals.  We also have short films from K.D. Lett and Scott Elkins.

Rudy at the mall, not sweating

Host segments were shot last Saturday at The Charleston Town Center because IT’S TOO FREAKING HOT TO SHOOT HOST SEGMENTS OUTSIDE! One segment had to be re-shot at Stately Radio Free Charleston manor just hours before the show was posted due to a technical glitch.  Check out the cool stuff behind me in the intro to the song by InFormation.

KD Letts’ cool fireworks film.

Kicking off the show, we have a short film by K.D. Lett, a notable Charleston artist of whom I have been a fan for some time.  He contributes a surreal impressionistic film of some downtown fireworks in our fair city.

You can check out K.D.’s cool artwork and other films and things at his website. It’s well worth the button-clickery to see what he’s up to.

Shane and Curtis, from InFormation.

Our first musical guest is InFormation, who first appeared on RFC way back in episode 24. It’s been far too long since we had this talented crew back on Radio Free Charleston.

Now a three-piece, Curtis, Shane and Roy have a sound unlike any other band in town.

You can hear echoes of jam bands like Dave Matthews Band, but the music is far more vital, almost punk-like.

The full band, with bass virtuoso Roy Graley visible.

These guys define the phrase, “Power Trio.”  We recorded them at The Empty Glass, and you can check them out onstage in town soon. We get to see the guys perform “Nine Lives.”

And this is a bad thing?

Our second short film is by Kitty Killton auteur, Scott Elkins, and warns us that “There’s A Pervert In This Town.”

It’s all a game.

Our next musical serving is the video for “American Machine” by Volt 9000.  Volt 9000 is the techno/electronica project of Toronto-based musician, artist and gamer Cory Gorski.

Cory hooked up with RFC Big Shot Frank Panucci,and gave him a great deal of freedom to create the video for this cool song.

Everybody do the Illuminati Two-Step.

The “singer” from Volt 9000’s video.

Cory wanted it to look like a vintage 8-bit video game in places, and Frank decided to load it up with political conspiracy imagery and in-jokes.  The result is a visually-stunning work that matches the equally stunning music.

I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from Volt 9000 in the future.

This is one of the coolest things we’ve had on the show, and it was a real treat last month to see this video projected on the sides of buildings downtown as part of FestivAll.

The mystrious punks of The AK40 Sexuals.

Wrapping up the show we have a quick tune from The AK40 Sexuals, about whom I know very little.  I know I loved their music last week when I grabbed this song at The Empty Glass, and I know I want to have them back on RFC soon with multiple cameras and better audio recording.  I don’t even have a website that I can link to yet.  So keep checking PopCult, because I will be writing more about them in the future.

That’s it for this episode of RFC.  If all goes according to plan, you will see our third “show without words” next time. Keep reading the blog to find out when it hits.

1 Comment

  1. Mr. Neato

    Thank you for featuring The AK Forty Sexuals on episode 108.

    Band info & updates are available on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/AK-Forty-Sexuals/292967612676).

    Their latest recordings have been uploaded to Last.fm, and can be downloaded for free (http://www.last.fm/music/The+AK+Forty+Sexuals).

    Thank you again, for keeping local music alive!

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