From August, 2010, we have a return to the normal format of Radio Free Charleston after our extended look at 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. Our host segments were shot at The Charleston Town Center, back when people used to go there.  This is a pretty great show that I remain very proud of.

For the full production notes, go HERE.

Cryptids USA
tiny figures in a decorative box
$9.95 from Archie McPhee

It may be hard for some of us this week, but there is still such a thing as American Pride. Not finding much to feel that way about in today’s world, we turn to the world of the supernatural, the unknown and the Great American Cryptids who haunt the dreams and avoid the politics of modern living.  These are the mysterious beings who are more appealing than some of the folks we know really exist. And not only can Americans still feel pride in their Cryptids,  here in WV we can be proud to have TWO of our star Cryptids included, along with one who spends some time here occasionally.

Let’s let the fine folks at Archie McPhee tell us about these guys…

Do you ever feel patriotic about American cryptids? This Cryptids USA set of five cryptids covers the breadth of the land of the free and celebrates it for what it’s best known for— producing monsters! Includes the Jersey Devil, Chupacabra, Mothman, the Flatwoods Monster and Bigfoot himself! They are between 1-3/8″ and 1-3/4″ tall and made of soft vinyl. Why choose regional pride when you can celebrate the best American monsters from all over! Has a matchbox-style box with figures visible inside.

Its a nicely-illustrated box filled with tiny monsters, about an inch-and-a-half tall, who will be your friends when you’ve lost your faith in your fellow humans.

Not only is the Cryptids USA set a fun gift for any fan of Cryptids, monsters, the unknown or just tiny stuff, it’s practically a MUST-HAVE item for those of us looking beyond reality for a little solace.

The set of five figures is under ten bucks (plus shipping) from Archie McPhee.

The PopCulteer
November 8, 2024

Since this entry in The 2024 PopCult Gift Guide is pulling double duty as this week’s PopCulteer, it’s going to be a longish one, with several entries.

Every year I always tell you about the latest cool gift ideas for fans of the Fab Four, themselves, The Beatles.

This year is no different, as we have gift suggestions featuring the group and the individual members, at a variety of price points.

We’ll start off with the big-money gift…

The Beatles: 1964 U.S. Albums In Mono
$300 from many online music retailers and the official Beatles Site

This boxed set spotlights seven albums released in America Between January 1964 & March 1965. Each is a new pressing on 180-gram Vinyl LPs Cut from the Original Mono Masters.

Originally compiled for U.S. release between January 1964 and March 1965 by Capitol Records and United Artists, and out of print on vinyl since 1995 (or ealier), these seven mono vinyl discs are available now for preorder (they’ll ship by November 22)  in a new eight-LP box set titled The Beatles: 1964 U.S. Albums In Mono, with six of the titles also available individually.  The box set collects the seven albums, and all except The Beatles’ Story will also be available individually.

1964 was the year that the U.S. first fell head-over-heels for The Beatles, with an unprecedented run of albums and singles topping the charts and selling millions. Not simply replicas of the 1963 & 1964 albums released by Parlophone in the U.K. and rest of world, Capitol Records & United Artists compiled these albums for U.S. release between 1964-1965. Now, to be honest, Bealtes purists absolutely hated that these albums existed for years.  In 1987 the original UK versions were released in the US for the first time, and it wasn’t until a huge wave of nostalgia combined with new enthusiasm for vinyl by collectors that they decided to make these available in this form again.  Since The Beatles hit America in 1964, this is a big anniversary year.

So to celebrate this momentous year, the seven US albums are collected for a new 8-LP vinyl boxset. Meet The Beatles!; The Beatles’ Second Album; A Hard Day’s Night (Soundtrack); Something New; The Beatles’ Story (2-LP set exclusive to the boxset); Beatles ’65; and The Early Beatles feature faithfully replicated artwork and new 4-panel inserts with essays by historian/author Bruce Spizer. New lacquers were cut by Kevin Reeves at East Iris Studios with reference to the original pressings to ensure they are faithful to the original release, while also enabling more musical information to be heard than was possible before. 180g vinyl.

It’s pricey, but a great gift for the Beatles completist on your holiday shopping list.

Living In The Material World 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe
by George Harrison
$144 to $174 from select online retailers

Okay, this one is limited to 5000 sets worldwide, and is sold out from the official George Harrison website and Amazon, but it can still be pre-ordered from Barnes & Noble and several other online retailers.   There are less deluxe versions that are also available if you want to have a killer gift for the George fan on your shopping list.

Living in the Material World, George Harrison’s highly praised 2nd solo album of original music recently marked its 50th anniversary. With lyrics underscoring his enduring exploration of spiritual themes, the album resonated deeply with audiences. Just 5 weeks after its May 1973 release, both the LP and its single “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” held the top spots simultaneously on the US album and single charts.

Lovingly overseen by Dhani & Olivia Harrison, it has now been completely remixed from the original tapes by GRAMMY-winning engineer Paul Hicks. The new mix elevates the album, delivering a sound that’s brighter, richer and more dynamic than ever before. If you’re lucky enough to score the Super Deluxe Boxset, it features the album and bonus outtakes on 2 LPs and 2 CDs. Blu-ray disc with videos and session takes, 7″ vinyl single for “Sunshine Life For Me (Sail Away Raymond).” The deluxe boxed set is housed in rigid slipcase, with 60-page hardcover book featuring new liner notes and photos and a 12-page booklet of recording notes.

Mind Games (The Ultimate Collection) [Deluxe 6 CD/2 Blu-ray]
JOHN LENNON – MIND GAMES – THE ULTIMATE MIXES
$167, cheaper at Amazon

Released last summer, this is a Limited Edition 10-inch square Box Set including 6 CDs, 2 HD Audio Blu-Rays, a 136-page hardback book; a reproduction of the original 1973 triptych marketing poster; postcard sized reproductions of 1973 advert artworks and an individually numbered Citizen of Nutopia ID Card.

Mind Games was considered by many fans of John Lennon to be one of his weaker efforts. It was a hit when originally released, but it was plagued with an iffy mix and the songs were overlooked as a result. This new mix is a revelation, making it sound like a whole new album.  Songs that I couldn’t be bothered to remember the titles of, like “Out The Blue” have become some of my favorite solo Beatles tracks. Any fan of John Lennon’s music, even if they didn’t previously care for this album, will love this boxed set.

The six CDs include The Ultimate Mixes, Elemental Mixes, Elements Mixes, Evolution Documentary, Out-takes and Raw Studio Mixes. Two Audio Blu-Rays include High Definition 24-192 Stereo, 24-192 5.1 Surround, and Dolby Atmos versions of all of the above, plus the 2024 Remastered “Mind Games” music video and a “You Are Here” (additional out-take) tape boxes music video.

This boxed set was produced by Sean Ono Lennon, mixed and Engineered by Triple GRAMMY-Award winner Paul Hicks, Sam Gannon and Rob Stevens.

Included is a 136-page glossy, hardback coffee-table book about the writing and recording of the album – in the words of John & Yoko – taken from hundreds of hours of archive interviews; also featuring brand-new interviews with all the musicians and engineers, exclusive never-before-seen photographs by Bob Gruen and unseen photos, lyrics, letters, original tape boxes and memorabilia from the John Lennon & Yoko Ono Lennon Archives.

It may seem a bit pricey, but it’s worth every penny, and at least the $ 1,350 Ultra limited edition set is sold out.

One Hand Clapping
by Paul Mccartney’s Wings
$25 to $38 at most music retailers (depending on format)

One Hand Clapping is a batch of songs recorded by Paul McCartney and Wings for a BBC special in 1974. It’s been heavily bootlegged over the years, but this year they finally released a legit version of the soundtrack.

50 years after their initial recording, the sessions for Wings One Hand Clapping have been released for the very first time. Available on Vinyl and CD, both are newly mixed with 12 tracks that didn’t appear in the original film, including reworked extracts of Beatles classics. The package includes original artwork, plus a TV sales brochure created for the film.

The tracklist is largely made up of songs from Wings’ Band On The Run album, but there are loads of other hit singles, many featuring unique TV studio arrangements, and one song, “Soily,” that never had a proper studio recording aside from its appearance in this special, and now the album.

This is a great snapshot of Paul McCartney and Wings at the time that they were possibly the most popular band on Earth.  Highly recommended for the Paul fan on your holiday shopping list.

Crooked Boy [EP] 
Ringo Starr
$12 to $23, depending on format

I’m still gobsmacked by how great it was seeing Ringo perform live in Charleston about thirteen months ago, and even more impressive than his live show is that he’s still releasing new music on a regular basis.  His full-length Country album, recorded in collaboration with T Bone Burnett won’t be released until January, but earlier this year he put out a great EP.

Written and produced by Songwriter’s Hall Of Famer Linda Perry, Crooked Boy features four brand-new tracks from Ringo Starr with his trademark vocals and legendary drumming. Crooked Boy includes 4 songs all written and produced by Perry – “February Sky,” “Gonna Need Someone,” “Adeline,” and “Crooked Boy.” After previously collaborating on two songs that appeared on earlier Ringo EPs (“Coming Undone” on Change the World and “Everyone and Everything” on EP3), Linda approached Ringo and asked if she could produce an entire EP.

The result is yet another new collection of songs by the “Funny Beatle.”  Available from most music retailers and perfect for the Ringo fan on your shopping list.

The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More (Beatles Album Series)
by Bruce Spizer
498 Productions, LLC
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986319087
$39.99

This is the latest entry in Spizer’s comprehensive survey of books about The Beatles’s albums, and it’s great for the detail-oriented Beatles fan on your holiday shopping list.

The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More covers the Beatles first film and its related soundtrack albums from the British, American and Canadian perspectives. As the title implies, there is much more. The book also covers the records released from the Beatles 1961 Hamburg recordings, as well as the other singles and albums released from February through October of 1964.

The book also contains chapters on the EMI recording sessions for the singles and albums, and the album covers. And, like the other books in the Beatles Album Series, the book contains chapters on the news, music and films of the era to place the Beatles debut film and its related records in their proper context. And, of course, fan recollections of seeing the film, A Hard Day’s Night, and listening to its music. The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More, together with its companion book, last year’s The Beatles Please Please Me to With The Beatles, provide the full story of the records and events that fueled and maintained the first phase of Beatlemania. It is a 9″ x 9″ hardcover book to match the other books in Bruce Spizer’ s Beatles Album Series. The book is 272 pages long and contains 315 color and 15 original B&W images.

You should be able to order if from any bookseller, using the ISNB code above.

And that multi-item entry in The 2024 PopCult Gift Guide is our PopCulteer this week. The Gift Guide is taking the weekends off this year, but after our second entry later today, it will return with two more entries on Monday.  Meanwhile, check PopCult every day for fresh content.

The Time Tummlers
by Frank Conniff cover art by Len Peralta
Podhouse 90 Press
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8218523121
$12.99 or $25 autographed by Frank Coniff

TV’s Frank, from Mystery Science Theater 3000, returns with a new novel that straddles two mighty universes. It’s Showbiz and Sci-fi, together as never before.

In The Time Tummlers, an all-powerful alien entity travels across time and space to Earth on a forbidden mission to alter human history by altering show business history. At least that’s what the back cover tells us.

The Time Tummlers is a fantastic tale of the past, the present, and the future, an out of this world story packed with out of date pop culture references. Frank’s work is always delightful, entertaining and engrossing.  I’m looking forward to reading this one myself.

While I’m recommending print editions (follow the links above and below) this title is also available as an eBook from Dumb Industries, featuring hyperlinks to Wikipedia articles for each and every one of Frank’s dated references.

If you have a fan of MST3K on your holiday shopping list, this hilarious, brisk read is the perfect gift.   And it’s the perfect gift for anyone with a sense of humor.

Available from Amazon or via Dumb Industries directly from Frank Conniff himself, who will gladly autograph it for you personally, and then he’ll take it to the post office and personally mail it to you from New York City!

2024 Holiday Barbie
by Mattel
$35 to $45 dollars, available anywhere Barbie is sold

Our first pick today in The 2024 PopCult Gift Guide is this year’s Holiday Barbie. Since 1988, Barbie fans have celebrated the holiday season with a special edition of their favorite global fashion icon. This year, five new dolls join the tradition.

This year’s Holiday Gown, designed by Carlyle Nuera ,is available on Barbie dolls with five different combinations of hair color, skin tone and face.

The 2024 Barbie Holiday Doll embodies the warmth and love of the season with a festive gown for a glamorous celebration. Showcasing gorgeous drama, the dress pairs a draping, one-shoulder, sparkling red bodice with a full, plaid ballgown-style skirt. Big tulle accents offer a modern take on a classic look, while statement earrings add to the elegance. In packaging that’s ideal for display, this collectible doll makes a great gift for anyone looking to build a collection or brighten up their seasonal decorations. (your humble blogger copied that from Mattel’s website and doesn’t understand half of what it says)

The doll comes with a stand, in special holiday packaging, and Mrs. PopCulteer thinks it’s the nicest Holiday Barbie that they’ve had in years.

Recommended for the Barbie collector, or fan of last year’s hit movie who might enjoy regaining a bit of her youth. Available almost anywhere Barbie is sold.

A Fat Wreck: The Punk-U-mentary
Available in different editions from Vinegar Syndrome

This pick in The 2024 PopCult Gift Guide is a bit specialized. It’s for the aging punk rocker who still loves physical media on your holiday shopping list. I’m sure you have one or two on there.

Vinegar Syndrome, the cult Blu Ray and DVD distributor, has cut a deal with ETR Media, which is the brand new film distribution arm of Enjoy the Ride Records, a Long Island based record label, specializing in cult following reissues through a variety of genres. ETR Media releases will adhere to the same quality standards as fans have come to associate with their lavish LP reissues. Their first release is a real winner, the 2016 “Punk-U-Mentary,” A Fat Wreck.

The subject is Fat Wreck Chords… The influential music label that’s proud to say they’ve spent 25 years “ruining punk rock”. A Fat Wreck tells the story of founders Fat Mike (of the legendary punk band NOFX) and his ex-wife Erin Kelly-Burkett, spanning the birth, growth, struggles, and survival of the Fat Wreck Chords label.

Half inspirational story of chosen family and community, half debauchery and occasionally involuntary drug use… A Fat Wreck blazes exciting new ground in the cinematic genre of puppet-driven punk rock music documentary filmmaking. As they say on the back cover, “If you only see one film featuring a dominatrix spanking a puppet in your lifetime… Make it A Fat Wreck!’

The film is directed by: Shaun Michael Colón and stars “FAT MIKE” Mike Burkett, Erin Burkett, Chris Shiflett, Joe Sib, Ryan Greene Joey Cape, Laura Jane Grace, Tim McIlrath, Trever Keith, Chris Hannah, Jim Lindberg, Jay Bentley, Mike Herrera, Axel Kurth, and Kevin Lyman, who at times are seen in puppet form.

In addition to the feature-length documentary, the bonuses on this region-free Blu Ray include several short features, unedited versions of the interviews seen in the movie, extended and deleted scenes of the puppets, loads of music and more.

If you know somebody who loves NOFX or Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, or any of the legendary 90s West Coast punk bands…and they don’t already have this (which isn’t too likely since it just came out a couple of months ago), then A Fat Wreck: The Punk-U-Mentary is the perfect gift. Order it directly from Vinegar Syndrome.

Check out the not-safe-for-work trailer…

Blessed Be
by Rick Altergott
Fantagraphics
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1683967781
$24.99

A great gift for the fan of indie comics on your holiday shopping list, Blessed Be is the first long-from work by cartoonist Rick Altergott, and it’s an absolute gem.  The story stars Doofus, the short, chubby loser with a page-boy haircut and straw boater who was originally featured in short gag back-up comic strips in magazines like HATE and Eightball back in the 1990s.

Originally Blessed Be was serialized in black-and-white in the anthology comic, Raisin Pie, which Altergott split with his wife, cartoonist Ariel Bordreaux, but the story was left unfinished. Since the last issue of Raisin Pie was published in 2007, Altergott has extensively re-written and re-drawn and colored the much-expanded story, and the result is an incredible comic book story, with distinctly adult themes. He’s also incorporated some of the work he did for VICE in recent years, too.

The result is a 150+ page story that grabs you and makes you want to finish it in one sitting.

While Doofus and his dim-witted sidekick, Henry Hotchkiss are the stars of the story, the real main character is the fictional seaside town of Flowertown USA and its mix of bizarre characters and people who are struggling to be normal. There’s lots of drugs, sex and violence involved, and even more biting satire and social commentary. Blessed Be manages to occupy a space somewhere between Archie Comics and the worlds of Charles Bukowski, Todd Solondz and Timothy Leary, with a nod to crime stories and slapstick comedy along the way.

He’s populated Flowertown with a surreal collection of characters: Naked net fishermen who dominate the beach and speak in their own unidentifiable language; A secret society that pulls the strings of power in the town…and has as their secret a most unexpected characteristic; A teen drug-dealer, hellbent on revenge; Denizens and patrons of “Big Disgusting Burger Inc.”; Someone who leaves Chick Tracts all over town; and of course, Doofus and Henry.

Altergott’s art is an almagam of some very impressive influences.  He manages to maintain his own style, while showing nods to Mad Magazine‘s iconic artists like Jack Davis, Mort Drucker and Wally Wood. His storytelling, layout and pacing are terrific and the coloring on this work is spectacular.

The story is filled with nudity, both male and female, and adult themes and drug use. The violence is not gory, but as placed in the story it’s shocking. While the art might make you think that this is simply a light-hearted comedy, it’s actually a pretty intense drama and definitely not for children or for pearl-clutchers of any age.

Blessed Be can be ordered from any bookseller using the ISBN code above, or you can purchase it directly from the publisher. As I said, I loved this book when I read it earlier this year, and enthusiastically reviewed it then. You can’t go wrong if the giftee in question is a fan of indie/alternative comics like Eightball, Hate or Love and Rockets.

CLOAKED CRUSADER
GEORGE WASHINGTON IN COMICS & POP CULTURE
written and edited by Renee Witterstaetter art by various, cover by Michael Golden
Little Eva Ink
ISBN: 9798889554288
$39.99 from the Francis Tavern Museum Gift Shop

One of the cool things that your humble blogger and Mrs. PopCulteer encountered over the summer was when we made the trek to Harrisburg, PA to meet Roger Bumpass, otherwise known as the voice of Squidward on SpongeBob Squarepants. Roger was loads of fun to meet, but we also got to meet Renee Witterstaetter, a long-time comic book editor and writer who’s worked for Marvel, DC and other comics publishers.

She told us about her book about George Washington in pop culture, and an exhibit at the Francis Tavern Museum in New York, which she guest-curated. The subject matter was so intriguing and her enthusiasm so contagious that we bought the book from her and have enjoyed the heck out of it.

Let me quote from the exhibit website

George Washington’s persona has been showcased in comics and pop culture; in traditional reenactments of famous events; and in appearances in modern times with the likes of Superman, Captain America and other famous heroes. He has become a mythical figure and super hero in his own right—a metaphor for good and justice in these tomes. The comic books and original artwork in this exhibition highlight Washington’s continued relevance to our collective past, present, and future. Original artwork and comics on display will feature pieces by Michael Golden, Arthur Suydam, George Evans, George Perez, Neal Adams, Kurt Swan, Graham Nolan, Jose Marzan, Jr, Daniel Scott, Fred Fredericks, and many more!

I believe the exhibit will wrap up early next year, but even if you can’t make it there in time, you can get this terrific book.

This book is a delight for fans of pop culture and comics, as well as fans of the man who could not tell a lie (in sharp contrast to certain other former presidents).  The profusely-illustraed hardcover shows George Washington depicted on plates and tchochkes and loads of comic book appearances.  There are full color reproductions of comic books from the Golden Age to modern times and George Washington seen on everything from vintage tavern signs to Funko Pops.

Your best bet to get CLOAKED CRUSADER GEORGE WASHINGTON IN COMICS & POP CULTURE is to order it directly from the Francis Tavern Museum, and if you like the idea, be sure to grab the 2025 Calendar, too.  They make great gifts for the father of our country.

Our first music pick for The 2024 PopCult Gift Guide is a new vinyl pressing (also available on CD in a deluxe boxed set) of King Crimson’s 1974 masterpiece, RED. This one’s for the more daring music lover on your holiday shopping list.

This is a double 200gm vinyl LP pressing housed in gatefold jacket. This 50th anniversary 2LP edition takes the music to new levels of clarity & power. RED was one of the earliest mixes undertaken by Steven Wilson in 2009 & King Crimson was the first of a number of classic bands & artists to be mixed by Steven so it’s entirely appropriate that he return, some 15 years later, to take the album into the Dolby Atmos era.

While mixing the album for Dolby Atmos, Steven also prepared new stereo & 5.1 mixes. Those new stereo mixes appear on LP1 of this 2LP set.

LP2 consists of a complete album’s worth of Elemental Mixes by long-time King Crimson producer (& band manager) David Singleton – using the original multi-track recordings to present a very different audio picture of the album, with greater separation of instruments & utilising many elements recorded for, but not included in, the original mixes.

This LP features a unique insight into Bruford’s percussion overdubs in place of “Providence” and an extended intro to “Starless.” This version of “Starless” is so striking that I played the entire 14-minute song on Radio Free Charleston in episode 200 last week.

As King Crimson biographer Sid Smith puts it in his new notes for the album: “David Singleton’s elemental mixes pull the veil aside on the original sessions and act as a kind of alternative account, a Red that could have been, revealing the different passes and takes that the band undertook as well as those of Collins, Charig and McDonald as they engaged with the material”.

RED, the final album by the 1970s incarnation of King Crimson was quite the departure.  The band’s strong leader, Robert Fripp, stepped back and let vocalist/bassist John Wetton (pre-ASIA) and drummer, Bill Bruford (formerly of YES and a mainstay of the 1980’s Crimson) run the show.  For the first time the band was something of a Democracy, and it worked wonders for this swansong that closed the first chapter of King Crimson. Epic numbers such as the title track and “Starless” stand among the greatest works of Progressive Rock. Some folks have suggest that RED is ground zero for what became Prog-Metal.

You should be able to order this 2 LP Anniversary edition of RED from any local record shop, or you could take the easy way out and get it online  from Amazon (it’s actually cheaper at Walmart).

If you want a whole hell of a lot more for about the same price, I recommend the Deluxe boxed set that includes two CDs + two Blu-Rays. This box has the contents of the 2 LPs on CD, but also features those completely new Dolby Atmos, 5. 1 DTS-HD Master Audio Surround & Stereo mixes by Steven Wilson in full Blu Ray glory along with a generous bonus. RED was recorded immediately after King Crimson’s final US tour of 1974 & the anniversary edition reflects that by including all three Hi-Res Stereo mixes of the live album USA in it’s full concert versions. Also included are a quintet of audio restored bootlegs being issued on disc for the first time, alongside a bootleg of the band’s final US concert in New York in 1974 which Robert Fripp claimed was: “the first gig since the 1969 Crimson where the bottom of my spine registered ‘out of this world’ to the same degree.”

Either anniversary edition of RED is highly recommended as a gift for the fan of Crimson, Prog-rock or just adventurous music in general. As a bonus, fans of ASIA might be thrilled to hear Wetton taking on more challenging material.

On this election day, we have an all-new three-hour show. You’d be surprised how much you can cram into a three-hour show, when you’re hoping for the best, but also hiding in your home bunker because you voted early and just wish it was all over (and the good guys win).

Tuesday means a new RFC on The AIR.  And this week  Radio Free Charleston presents three fresh hours of listenting enjoyment for you. To listen to The AIR, you simply have to point your cursor over and tune in at the website, or you could just stay here, and  listen to the cool embedded player found elsewhere on this page.  

You can hear Radio Free Charleston Tuesdays at 10 AM and 10 PM, with boatloads of replays throughout the week.

This week we offer up two hours of new local, independent and alternative music for you, and then we bring you a special mixtape third hour devoted to some unorthodox covers.

The show opens with a brand-new song from Emmalea Deal & The Hot Mess, one of the Mountain States most exciting artists.  We follow that up with new music from Huntington’s Living Room, as well as The Fleshtones, The Cure and Tears for Fears (for those of you stuck in the 80s) and also new releases from Corduroy Brown, Beth Hart, Rat Ship, Rhoda Dakar, The Surfrajettes, Matt Berry and Lin Manuel Miranda. We spice that up with some more cool local music and some great indie stuff.

Our third hour is a mixtape collection of cover songs that may very well leave you scratching your heads. We open with a new Willie Nelson track, where he covers a song by The Flaming Lips. After that it gets really weird. I’m not even going to warn you about it. Just listen and enjoy the alternate realities.

Check out the playlist below. Where possible in the first two hours, live links will take you to the artist’s pages.

RFC V5 201

hour one
Emmalea Deal & The Hot Mess “Lie To Me”
Living Room “Chasing Ghosts”
The Brogues “I Ain’t No Miracle Worker”
The Fleshtones “Empty Sky”
Orville Rex “Silvertone Jaguar”
Rat Ship “Coffin Meringue”
Devon Townsend “PowerNerd”
Corduroy Brown “Doin’ My Best (live at Blenko)”
Famous Groupies “The Traveller”
Rosalie Cunningham “To Shoot Another Day”
John Radcliff “It’s Not A Dream”
Beth Hart “Machine Gun Vibrato”
Novo Combo “Don’t Throw Your Love Away”
Rhoda Dakar “Private Eye”

hour two
The Surfrajettes “Double Reverb”
Matt Berry “I Gotta Limit (featuring Kitty Luv)”
Bad Keys of the Mountain “Free Ride”
Wolfgang Parker “The Father/The Son”
Ann Magnuson “Man With No Face”
Ryan Hardiman & Moonage Daydream “Ashes To Ashes”
The Cure “Endsong”
Tears For Fears “Goodbye Mum And Dad”
Unmanned “Aliens”
Lin Manuel Mirandas Warriors “Going Down”
Chuck Biel “Mach Turtle”
The Dollyrots “The Vow”
Nu Mutants “Undertaker”
Lords of Atlantis “Temple of Poseidon/Sands of Mauritania”

hour three
Willie Nelson “Do You Realize”
Paramore “Burning Down The House”
Government Cheese “The KKK Took My Baby Away”
The Anchoress “Bizarre Love Triangle”
The Feelies “I’m Waiting For The Man”
Daniel Glass “Smoke On The Water”
St. Vincent “Funkytown”
Frankie Goes To Hollywood “Born To Run”
Max Tundra “This Woman’s Work”
Puddles Pity Party “Paranoid/Driven To Tears”
No Doubt “It’s My Life”
Triggerfinger “Need You Tonight”
Erasure “Heart of Glass”
The Dickies “Sounds of Silence”
Waxx & Pénélope Bagieu “Just Can’t Get Enough”
Gene “Town Called Malice”

You can hear this episode of Radio Free Charleston Tuesday at 10 AM and 10 PM on The AIR, with replays Wednesday at 9 AM,  Thursday at 2 PM, Friday at 9 AM, Saturday at Noon and Midnight, Sunday at 8 PM and  Monday at 11 AM, exclusively on The AIR. Now you can also hear a different classic episode of RFC every weekday at 5 PM, and we bring you a marathon all night long Saturday night/Sunday morning.

I’m also going to  embed a low-fi, mono version of this show right in this post, right here so you can listen on demand.

After RFC, stick around for encores of last week’s episodes of  MIRRORBALL at 1 PM and Curtain Call at 2 PM.

At 3 PM we bring you an encore of a special episode of The Swing Shift devoted to Quincy Jones’ Big Band, in honor of his passing.

 You can hear The Swing Shift Tuesday at 3 PM, with replays Wednesday at 8 AM, Friday at 10 AM and 8 PM and Saturday afternoon, only on The AIR . You can also hear all-night marathons, seven hours each, starting at Midnight Thursday and Sunday evenings.