Author: your tuesday afternoon alternative

He was a Hero

your tuesday afternoon alternative Radio Show

017646854_30300

What can one say when you lose your heroes, the visionaries, the innovators, the musicians who change the way you experience something near and dear to your heart? We often say here that a day without music, for us, is like a day without oxygen.

For the past few days we have been trying to find the words to express what it means to lose David Bowie. And Dr. J demonstrated that sense of loss, of mourning while he struggled with the emotion of losing a musical hero.  It is alright to have no words to express what this means to you. It is proper and true to take a moment and thank about the music, the songs, the impressions that were made by such an adventurous artist.

So, instead of trying to write a memorial of some kind, instead of trying to write something like a reflective piece — how do you write a comprehensive career retrospective on someone like Bowie?  — You simply can’t.  We here at YTAA would like to share a version of a story that Art shared on his Facebook wall.

I was up late one night watching television in West Central Minnesota. We had recently moved from the farm where we only got four channels. Seriously. Only four channels. The town we moved to was small — 550 people.  Music discovery was based on the rare trip to a mall record store or Crawdaddy magazines. Sometimes both.

I had been very bored with the pop music on the charts. I spent a lot of time listening to Pink Floyd, Queen, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and early Kiss records. Suddenly the video for Ashes to Ashes came on the television. I think it was 1980.  I do not remember what the program was — I only knew that I was bored until the video and music started.

My mind was blown. My father who was up late with me did not understand any of it. He derided the music, the song… All of it. The lyrics, the visuals, the sound… None of it made any sense to him. But me — I was transfixed. It was like a lifeline to someone who was lost and had never known that they were lost.  I remember thinking – I have never seen anything like this.  I have never heard anything like this.  Before you judge me, let’s just say that where I lived – music on radio, on television, available in nearby stores was very limited.  I yearned for something new, some unique sounds, something I could call my own and would speak to my identity.

After that experience.  I could not sleep.  The visuals, the color, the sound, the texture of the instruments was unlike anything I had ever seen or heard before.  I tracked down as much Bowie as I could find. What a voyage of discovery. That moment of playing each record was like the introduction to another new nation of music. The contours of sound discovery with each new record numbed me. How could one artist explore such different sounds?

I remember the first time I played Hunky Dory, The Man Who Sold The World, Ziggy Stardust, Diamond Dogs, Young Americans, Low, Lodger, Station to Station…

The world was opened up to me. The unique approach to song craft was unlike anything I had experienced up to that time. It was not simply glam rock — it was sonic adventure. And after that I became so much more adventurous in my musical choices.  I became interested in alternative music.  And I felt that the questions I was asking about music, lyrics, identity, acceptance were represented by this musician and the music that he made.

Thank you sir for all of the adventures.

We can be Heroes
We can be Heroes
We can be Heroes
Just for one day
We can be Heroes

We’re nothing, and nothing will help us
Maybe we’re lying,
then you better not stay
But we could be safer,
just for one day

Welcome 2016 – A Year of Music Discovery!

your tuesday afternoon alternative New Music, Radio Show , ,

Studio

Another year has passed and a new year is still young.  All too often there are commentators who pontificate about “how no new great music is being made today.”  Normally, these “authorities” bemoan the lack of musical experimentation and excitement.  They either point to the state of the Top 40 and the debacle(s) that was/were the New Years Eve shows on the broadcast networks or they extol the virtues of past “classics” that the music on the charts cannot possibly ever come close to appreciating.

These music critics and commentators complain about how utterly underwhelmed they are by the music on the radio, music on the satellite channels, and the music that is widely available via nearly endless repetition  to the point of illness.  And, of course, these critics are entitled to their opinions.  But we believe to focus on some nostalgia overlooks the opportunities for invention and discovery.  To that perspective we answer that quite simply you are looking in the wrong place for exciting new music.  And yes, the music industry is over-focused on the idea of big selling “hits.”  An excellent analysis of this “machine” can be found in Seabrook’s excellent book The Song Machine.

Every year for the past 12 years we have found amazing music from the margins, the outskirts, the unsigned, the overlooked, the local, the regional, the self-distributed, the incredible music being made in cities outside the orbit of the record labels and opinion makers with thousands of followers on any name your poison social network. We invite you to join us this year for a year in music discovery — and not just on Tuesdays when we create Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative — but throughout the week and throughout the year!  It is surprisingly simple, just go to your local music stores and browse the local, regional, self-produced section of your record stores and music outlets.  Skip past the major label stuff — do not worry, you will be exposed to that over and over regardless of your enthusiasm for that music.  However, there is new music, interesting music, exciting music being made in every genre in locations near and far.

In addition, to seeking out new sounds and new bands in the record stores, you can also take chances on local bands wherever you might call home. There are literally thousands of interesting bands playing any night of the week in any place.  Go out.  Listen to some new stuff.  Buy some merchandise.  As we used to say every T-Shirt sold represents gas in the tank or a hot meal.  Support folks who wear their musicianship in the lines of every song that they write, every note that they play, and every idea that they share.  Go out and support those musicians.

And when you find something that interests and excites you, reach out to us at Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative and let us know!  You can reach us here or at drjwudr on twitter and gmail.  We welcome new suggestions, interesting performances, and new discoveries for both our radio program and for the sheer joy of listening to new music.

The future music is out there.  And its great.

ALT Monster

 

Happy New Year and Thank You!

your tuesday afternoon alternative Charles Hartman, David Payne, Dayton, Dayton Music Fest, Ghost Town Silence, Live In Studio, Live Live Live, Live Shows, Me & Mountains, MPMF, New Old-Fashioned, Radio Show, Smug Brothers, Support Your Local Music Scene, The 1984 Draft, Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative

DSC_0612The pictures below represent a few things that we are very grateful for in 2015!

Terrific friends and musicians who came to the studio like Tom Gilliam (Ghost Town Silence) and Dave New and Vivienne Machi (of Babbling April) who were amazing for our annual holiday program (pictured below). A mighty feeling of appreciation to all of the folks that joined us this year in the studio. Many many thanks to Charles Hartman, David Payne, Larry Evans, and Joe Anderl, Eli Alban and Justin Satinover of The 1984 Draft.  We cannot adequately express our appreciation to everyone who has called in or came to the station and allowed us to interview them this year. You rock.

Tom Version 1Dave and ViviWe can never be thankful enough for all of the amazing shows we have seen this year from many incredible musicians!  A brief highlight includes The Dayton Music Art and Film Festival, Holidayton, Midpoint Music Festival, Good English-The New Old-Fashioned-Me & Mountains- Whoa Thunder at Blind Bob’s, the chance to see Moira play on the street in Over-The -Rhine in Cincinnati, Smug Brothers-Brat Curse-Manray at The South Park Tavern, The New Old-Fashioned and The Repeating Arms at Gilly’s and honestly more shows that we can remember off the top of our heads.  To all those that we were privileged to see this year – we want to say a hearty and heartfelt thank you!  And to those shows that we did not get to, because well… life and work sometimes get in the way, know that we were with you in spirit and – we’re coming next time.

DSC02200And as always, the opportunity that we have to do this program is a debt that we can never repay.  However, we will always try to pay that back.  Thank you all for your support as we enter into our 12th year of doing this radio show on WUDR in Dayton, Ohio!

 

DSC05766
The New Old-Fashioned
B1oDIf-CEAAzgkb
The time Dave Zupp stopped by!
DSC05768
Don Thrasher ready!

Thank you all!  Have a happy and musical New Year’s Eve! Go see some independent music!  We will catch you this Tuesday at 3pm on WUDR for our second Best of 2015 show with our friend Tom Gilliam!

Mrs Dr. J and Dr. J (2)
Thank you!

drj-11.jpg

 

Our Pick for Best Song of 2015

your tuesday afternoon alternative Best Song, Radio Show , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

download

Well it is not only that time of the year where everyone debates the “bests” of 2015 — best books, best shows, best foods, etc etc — it is time for us at Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative to select the song that for us demonstrates the most exciting trends in indie music — and this was a task and a half.  There were so many great albums, terrific songs, and artists who stretched themselves and their audience that to select a single song as the very best of 2015 feels a little bit wrong. However, a selection like this can be emblematic and symbolic of what makes a genre or artist powerful.

So, our criteria are simple — the song must be catchy, well crafted, and becomes stuck in your head.  This song like all good ‘ear worms’ must be something that is nearly impossible to dislodge.  You find yourself wanting to hear it, needing to hear it.

There were many contenders for this spot in our opinion.  Great music from Waxahatchee, The Motel Beds, Jason Isbell, Cheerleader, Ghost Town Silence, Moira, The New Old-Fashioned, Best Coast, Smug Brothers, Line and Circle, Courtney Barnett, Soda Shop, Circa Waves, The 1984 Draft, and many others demanded to be considered.  And you will only do yourself a favor by checking into music from all of these bands.

Reflective_VinylAnd, in the end, these lists and choices are expressions of the person doing the choosing.  Yes.  Sure, these choices are partly biographic about the judge and are often more about getting a conversation started about what makes a great song or a great album or truly unique or powerful artwork.

With that said, our favorite song of 2015 is Mittenfields – Optimists.

Released this past April, optimists is a great song from start to finish. From the first hit of the drumstick to the melody line of the bass to the weaving of multiple beautiful guitar parts.  And oh what glory is in those guitar fills, leads and strums.  The weaving of three guitarists at the top of their game makes for a fantastic listening experience.  The guitar parts do not fight one another — they complement, they add to the aural experience and build upon one another.  And along with the guitar parts a drum sound that sounds like actual drums.  Not a tinny barely audible mish-mash of time keeping, but a strong hard hitting backbone for the song.  If that was not enough, Dave Mann’s clever bass play and vocals sung with an urgency that captivates the listener’s attention make the song impossible to ignore.  And as he sings optimistic lyrics that are not dripping with sappy syrup or faux sentimental — this gestalt of sounds makes an utterly complete piece of powerful indie power-pop.  It is nearly 2 minutes of indie perfection for those of us at Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative.

How many songs can you listen to and the second that song is finished, you wished that it was still playing!  We even once played the song twice back-to-back on our program because close to four minutes seemed to give the song the length that it so richly deserved.  This song never gets old.  When every instrument is perfectly weaved in and out of the mix and it feels whole and meaningful and you find yourself singing along from the very first time you heard it — that is a great song.

And as the song starts — “We are all optimists, even on our bad days”

The only sour note here is that Mittenfields have broken up; but what a great tribute to leave behind.  We look forward to the music projects these musicians will pursue in 2016 and beyond.

DrJ

 

Want to Know?

your tuesday afternoon alternative Best Of, Ghost Town Silence, Radio Show, Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative

images (1)Attached is a link to our set list from our best of 2015 show yesterday.  Thank you for listening!

Next week our good friend Tom Gilliam of Ghost Town Silence joins us with his top releases of 2015 and we continue the conversation about music released in 2015.  Seems appropriate for the first show of 2016.  We are still collecting listener’s best of 2015 lists that we will share here soon! Send your lists to drjwudr on gmail, twitter or on our facebook group or radio show page!

Best of 2015 Show Part One I 2-30-15

drj-11.jpg

What is in Your Top?

your tuesday afternoon alternative Best Of, Radio Show

Top ten.Send us your top 10 music releases of this year and we will read them on air today during Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative from 3-6pm! We already have a few lists to share!  Send the lists to drjwudr on gmail, twitter, or in the comments section!