Big Sky Sub Rosa

X Mars the Blog

2011-01-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

Dearest Shitheads,
Here's some songs for you, all involving the letter X in some way.

"What? Themed podcasts now?"

...'Cause we're dorks like that.

""X" though? ...c'mon"

Yeah, and next time we're doing a "Z" theme, so there will be lots of E'Nuff Z'Nuff. In fact, "lots" doesn't even begin to describe it...there'll be more than E'Nuff.

Playlist:

1. Federation X - Greeting
2. X (Australia) - Turn My Head/Good On Ya Baby
3. X - Dancing With Tears in my Eyes
4. Dixie Dies - Closet Monsters Cash Machines
5. X-Ray Spex - Art-I-Ficial
6. Dead to Me - X
7. The Lillingtons - X-Ray Specs
8. Generation X - One Hundred Punks
9. The X-Rays - Haitian Voodoo Baby

(also, before the playlist starts, Supercharger's Super X is playing)

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Federation X

more Fed X

Josh of Dixie Dies

Dixie Dies's video for Closet Monsters Cash Machines

X-Ray Spex

X-Ray Spex miming on Top of the Pops or something similar

The Lillingtons

The Lillingtons - Death by Television

The X-Rays

Supercharger

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Dowload here:

BSSR13

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Dig it, Baby, There's a Red Star Rising

2010-12-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

The Sputniks were a punk band from Missoula, MT who released a split 7", 3 songs on the "Ram It Home" compilation (a CD comp. of the most well-known Missoula bands of the late 1990s), and one 7" of their own. They arguably hit their peak in '98 when they went on a 3 week tour and were featured in a decent sized article in The New Yorker. I've provided a link that has the introduction and a photo, but if you wanna read beyond that, you have to have a subscription to the New Yorker (so maybe get online at your banker uncle's house). Commie politics, anthemic shout-along breakdowns, and head spinning speed. Hardcore + riffrock + smart guitar work + catchiness = fucking great.

The first download below is BSSR #12 and includes all the songs from the releases mentioned above (their entire output, I think). 1-3 are from the Ram It Home comp., 4-9 are their from their "20 Minutes to the Year 200" 7", 10-12 are from their split with Charles Bronson Superstar, which was actually their first release, but I thought it was fitting to put it last so the playlist would close out with their big crowd-pleaser "Inhibitions", a song about encouraging people to move at shows.

The second download is a bonus thing I thought would be fun and pertinent to include. Its very likely the only audio of their last show, features 2 songs that were never released, and is a good indicator of how rad Missoula was at the time. ...Not that it isn't kickass now, but this shit will get some of you feeling nostalgic, I'm sure. Listen to the break during "Inhibitions"- I recorded over it accidentally- you can hear my buddy Rob panicking, to which I defensively reply that everything is fine (despite the fact that its now up for posterity to see that I am, in fact, a dumbass). ...At least it was during the break -phew!-

1. Syndicate
2. Zapatista
3. Backed Out
4. Path of Least Resistance
5. 20 Minutes to the Year 2000
6. Firepower
7. Dishpit Warrior
8. Found the Edge
9. Ballad of Phillip Nathan Johnson
10. Bat Boy
11. Racetruck
12. Inhibitions

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The Sputniks: Chad Dundas, Zach Dundas, Richie Rowe, Grady Gadbow

Front

Back

The "Ram It Home" comp. ...now $45 on amazon.com!

Half of their picture in The New Yorker...

...second half (so I can't use photoshop...you wanna fight about it?)

Grady (photo by Dawn Wilson ca. '98)

Because I said I'd post it in the podcast, verse to "20 Mins...":
"Dig it, baby, there's a red star rising/ Launch a rocket on diesel power/
The workers' state will be built in space/ From parts we stole down in Mexico."

Interesting Sputniks-related links:

The first part of the New Yorker article

An article that mentions the passing of many of the big Missoula bands

An article on the band (scroll down)

This one's about the release of "Ram It Home"

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Download here:

BSSR #12

The Sputniks' last show

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Holy Feedback, It Will Free

2010-11-24T20:47:00.001-07:00

What've we got here? Billings, MT local Desmond Bird (of bands like The Chaotics and Citizen Abortion) gives us a playlist of heavy and fucked-up rock music! In between songs we chat, and former drummer of The Grateful Dad, Nels Jensen, even stops in for a visit. Interested in low frequencies and slow grooves? Then check this one out:

1. Boris - Woman on the Screen
2. White Drugs - Kleaning Kru
3. Birthday Suits - Flying Man Y2K
4. Totimoshi - Viva Zapata
5. Eagles of Death Metal - Chase The Devil
6. Lozen - Erleichda!
7. Helms Alee - A New Roll
8. Melvins - Lizzy
9. Boris - Six, Three Times
10. Electric Wizard - Barbarian
11. Electric Wizard - Dopethrone

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Boris

White Drugs

Birthday Suits

Totimoshi

Lozen

Helms Alee

The Melvins

Buzz (of The Melvins)

Electric Wizard

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Download here:

BSSR #11

Shove It In Your Cupboard

2010-10-29T22:13:00.001-06:00

In keeping with the theme of not having a theme, this episode is different than all of the past episodes. It's all about a single band: Bozeman, MT's Oxide.

Oxide was a fun punk band who dabbled in country, bluegrass, blues, ragtime, surf, and even salsa (musical style, not condiment), who were active circa 2000-2005, though quite possibly both earlier and later than that. ...Actually, that's kinda what blew me away about them: they seemed to come outta nowhere but they had their aesthetic and playing down pat (they "came out of nowhere" because they didn't travel and weren't well-known, even in other cities in Montana). These guys were seemingly seasoned musicians who were fine with improvisation (lyrical and musical) and never seemed to not be having a genuinely good time...and they didn't give a shit if they played poorly or even if no one knew or cared who they were. ...Though, for your information, who they were were:

Chris Donahue- vocals, guitar, banjolin, fiddle, harmonica
Chris Baisle- bass, backup vocals
Joe- drums, backup vocals

Before that, I hear that a guy named Dan Yarnall used to play drums.

If you're interested in other musical projects of these guys, rumor has it that Donahue was part of a touring metal band for a while. He also has a newer band called The Meatskin Jubilee Jugband, who you can hear here: http://www.myspace.com/meatskinjubileejugband

Joe played drums in Bomberman Awesome, another Bozeman group who were active around the same years; they moved to Seattle and broke up in 2009. www.bombermanawesome.com

These guys also had a loose affiliation with Bi-Polar Ben and The Touchers, a pretty excellent group out of Bozeman, whose singer/songwriter passed away in 2007. I think both Donahue and Baisle were in the band for a while and Oxide played two of Ben's songs on their album "Acoustic Oxide/I Live In A Land Of Chaos". Check 'em out: http://www.myspace.com/touchers

Oh, also: I contradict myself on the podcast by saying that a.) there were a lot of people at their Billings show, and b.) that the Billings show was sparsely attended. To clarify: yeah, there was hardly anyone there. Maybe 20 people. Maybe.

Thanks to Joel Gnar and Nels "I like Jen"sen for loaning me so much Oxide stuff.

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BSSR 10:

1. Necrophilia

2. Happy Children

3. Don 't Befriend A Zombie

4. Elijah Wood

5. Stabin' Blues

6. Porn Song

7. Decimils Joe

8. We Like Face (Pt. 1)

9. We Like Face (Pt. 2)

10. In Your Cupboard

11. Gravy Boy McDildo

12. Judge Fucking Judy

13. Bunny Scales

14. Dirty Bomb

15. History Of Butte

16. Phantom Track

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Video for "Don't Befriend A Zombie"

The fellows of Oxide

Some of Oxide's self-released album covers:

You can hear more of their songs here: www.myspace.com/oxidepossum

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Download here:

BSSR 10

He who shits out magic may shine

2010-10-03T22:50:00.001-06:00

Hiya guys. This episode was compiled and hosted by my buddy J. Waylon Porcupine, of South Dakota’s The Reddmen. A sure shot of 60s sounds smacking you upside the skull and a pinch of powerpop to prick your pinna, both from the actual decades they were birthed in, and from the present (though you would never know it to hear the tunes!). Love love love - see you in 3 weeks.

1. Strut And Shock- This Is A Calling
2. Foxboro Hot Tubs- Mother Mary
3. Big Star- Thirteen
4. The Remains- Don't Look Back
5. Wanda Jackson- Funnel Of Love
6. Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard- Pop Zeus
7. Miracle Drugs- I'll Buy The Drinks
8. Compulsive Gamblers- Stop And Think It Over
9. Sharon Tandy- The Way She Looks At You
10. Call Sign Cobra- Stillwater, Oklahoma
11. King Khan & Bbq Show- What's For Dinner?
12. KO and The Knockouts- Black And Blue

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Big Star

Wanda Jackson

Robert Pollard & Doug Gillard

Miracle Drugs

Compulsive Gamblers

Call Sign Cobra

King Khan & BBQ Show (live)

KO & The Knockouts

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Download the MP3 here:

BSSR #9

J-Punk = Japanese Punk: Wan, Two, Sree, Foah!

2010-09-04T22:03:00.004-06:00

I'm super stoked to release this episode but also a lil' bit sad that it officially marks the end of my vacation from the U.S. now that I'm all caught up with the responsibilities that I had missed out on while touring/returning home and being too lazy about. I hope someone out there hears this stuff and enjoys it.

1. Kingons- Wonderful Girl
2. Guitar Wolf- Missile Me
3. Teengenerate- Dressed in Black (live)
4. Elmoc- Blue Dawn
5. Teenage Slang Session- (track 2 (no name listed))
6. Lost Child- No Way
7. the pillows- Hybrid Rainbow
8. Matter- Recover
9. Sanhose- BBb
10. The Havenot's- Rock'n'Roll Weekend
11. The Miscasts- Another Talk
12. Brown Trout- Good Bye, Mr. Lonliness
13. Your Pest Band- Just Another Day
14. Curlies- Highway Is My Bed
15. Hello Hawk- (title in Japanese)

A few notes:

I only made an MP3 version. Supposedly, there is a lot of "loss" in converting the file to that format, which is why I always made an AAC file as well, but I'm only gonna make an AAC version from now on if someone specifically tells me that they have no way to play an MP3 (please leave me a comment if that's the case). Screw loss, this saves me time!

Secondly, the song that's playing behind me in the intro is by The Miscasts-- I would've put it on the podcast, but I only have it on cassette tape, so I just recorded it with a mic and stuck it in the background.

Third, there's a break where I'm talking and a song starts faintly in the background...that's the Brown Trout song that I included, which started unexpectedly early. I didn't want to re-record 'cause it would've taken away from my "sit and do nothing" time, which I resumed as soon as I was done recording the spoken parts.

Finally, at the end of this post, there's some more videos/links to check out if you're interested in more J-punk. Do so and rest assured that this stuff is made by great folks whose lives you will directly touch if you choose to buy their music or correspond with them. Kampai!

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Kingons

Guitar Wolf

Teengenerate

Elmoc

Teenage Slang Session

Lost Child

the pillows

Sanhose

The Miscasts

Curlies

Hello Hawk

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Related links of interest:

Underground Government

Recess Japan

Shin Osada (of Lost Child) has another band worth hearing: Dear Punks

While not exhaustive, I found this site to be an alright introduction to Japanese punk. Also, since Japanese punk label Snuffy Smiles has no website, this was the only place I could find a complete list of their releases: The J-Punk Chronicles

SPOOKEY.....what...the...fuck.

Brazil UFO, if GG Allin were less "hate fuck kill" and more "weird laugh fun":

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Download here: BSSR #8

WHY NOT?

2010-07-29T21:12:00.006-06:00

Hey guys ‘n’ girls. This time around, we’re doing something almost completely different... I’m hosting this deal, but I was not involved in the recording at all.
“What the fuck?” you ask.
“I dunno,” I reply, “me not being included was a surprise to me too.”
“Well ah.......what??”
“...”

So, yeah- this podcast is all about the WHY NOT? weekend festival that’s happening in Minot, ND from August 20-22, 2010. Its a 3 day musical blowout of fun, food, games, arts, and good times. ...and YOU’RE invited!
“Oh, I don’t know...I don’t have enough money for a motel.”
Well, you’re in luck ‘cause everybody is camping anyway. Can you imagine legions of bands and community-oriented punks/bohemians/weirdos camping together in several backyards, getting drunk, staying up all night, and having a fucking blast?? ...AND its only $15 bucks!! ...Dude, that’s $5 a night....for like 60 bands or something.

All the songs on this podcast are by bands who are playing there...a lil’ preview of what you might be hearing if you wanna come hang out.

Also, Billy Luetzen is the one speaking through most of the podcast. He is one of the organizers of WHY NOT?, one of the members of Minot’s collective/venue Pangea House, a sushi maker, and guitarist/singer for Father Son and Holy Smokes!, among other things. ...more info? Here are Billy’s notes:

====================================================================================

Hey out there, Pod-People! Every 'Cast needs a theme and this time the theme is "Why Not!?!" a first-time festival coming to you from the hotbed of humanities and armory of the arts known as Minot! That's right, we can rhyme, use alliteration, AND ask important questions. It's up to you to come and see that we weren't kidding when we asked it! This year we're boasting six venues, sixty bands/activities, and three mighty days!

And just like Tom Hanks needs Meg Ryan, in addition to a theme every 'Cast also needs a direction and this one is chronological. That means that what follows, although it's missing about forty other bands, is a brief model of what three days in August could bring you! Starting with FFOK (6pm Friday) and ending with It's A Secret (11pm Sunday) we've put together a brief teaser to tantalize and titillate!

Also of note: earlier in the evening on July 27th, when this thing was pieced together, two great bands - Naomi Punk and Masters and Johnson - played at Pangea House, I'd like to thank them for singing Happy Birthday to the greatest dog in the world!

And, hey - Kelly - THANKS SO MUCH! THIS RULES! Maybe we can make another one when you're in town for this thing, call it "After Japan: The Podcast." Much love from Minot!

For more information on Why Not!?! go to www.PANGEAHOUSE.org/WHYNOT

1.) Fist Full of Knuckles (Minot, ND) - "Karl's Girlfriend"
2.) Bumfilter (Minneapolis, MN) - "Drunk at the All Ages Show"
3.) True Soul Brothaz (Minot, ND) - "Shut Up"
4.) NoiseNoiseNoise (Billings, MT) - "Missy"
5.) Burger Thirst (Minneapolis, MN) - "Disconnection"
6.) Hatless Man Extraction (Minot, ND) - "Shit"
7.) Scurvy Monster Squad (Minot, ND) - "Wavelengths"
8.) Liarbirds (Minneapolis, MN) - "Run and Get Your Gun"
9.) It's A Secret (Minot, ND) - "Sonic"
10.) Father Son and Holy Smokes! - "Platform 9 3/4"

Thanks, have fun!

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Download BSSR #7:

AAC file

MP3 file

Not the faces nor the friends lost burn me in the end/ Its all the years I've wasted

2010-07-04T18:06:00.002-06:00

Happy 4th of July.
Casually late.
Check it out.

1. The Dirtbombs - The Sharpest Claws
2. One Man Army - All Your Friends
3. The Marked Men - Gone Away
4. The Weather Machines - Fade Out Classic
5. The Quakes - Killing Moon
6. Lemuria - Bugbear
7. Noise by Numbers - 17 On The Wayside
8. Artificial Limbs - Out Of Order
9. CCCandy - Two Men
10. Haunted House - Chandaliers

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The Dirtbombs

One Man Army

The Marked Men

The Weather Machines

The Quakes

Lemuria

Lemuria - "Bugbear" lyrics

How large of a saw
Was used to cut us apart
While our terribly considerate and unblaming mother lies dead with her art
Seperated, never equaled
A masterpiece just short of being fecal until I was chopped off

I live in this outhouse
I envy the cathedral that is your heart
That is your heart
The heart of my better half

We share a name
I share your song
We shared a lover
Now you don't share at all

And who could blame you
For having that cloddish scar removed?
So your siamese ghost won't spook the uncout doppleganger on the loose

Until a day you employ a cane
You'll abhor me
You'll curse me
I'm the bugbear biting the earth where you had be buried

Making brothers from one youth
But I was the one removed
The inventors promise to you
Never left the ground

I'm not your twin, I'm just your amputee

I'm just a bugbear

Noise by Numbers

Artificial Limbs

Eat

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Download BSSR#6:

mp3

aac

Hero vs. Mirror

2010-06-09T10:12:00.010-06:00

Howdy, everybody!

This time around I'm joined by local yayhoo Nels Jensen, who spends much of his time at the pillow stuffing factory and has a side-job as a chauffeur/freight packer for talentless bands. The playlist is made up of his selections.

The songery:

1. Bust! - Who Wants to Fuck Bill Rogers?
2. Re-volts - Remains
3. Reigning Sound - Get It!
4. Coachwhips - Prisoner 119
5. The Knockout Pills - Twist Twist Slit Your Wrist
6. Big In Japan - Tin Toy
7. Keene Bros. - Evil vs. Evil
8. Reddmen - Town of Tears
9. Blood Born Pathogens - Blue
10. Davila 666 - El Lobo
11. Sass Dragons - Don't Swear to God Swear to Me
12. Bust! - Fuck City

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Bust!

Re-volts

Reigning Sound (playing Oblivans "Bad Man")

Coachwhips

The Knockout Pills

Big In Japan -
"And you won't let me know/
why you wind me like a tin toy/
and then you let me go/
to watch me stumble around"

Keene Brothers

The Reddmen

Josh Hirsch of Blood Born Pathogens

Davila 666

Davila 666 clip

Sass Dragons

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Notes: The Blood Born Pathogens song "Blue" was also later released as a W.E.T. song, though it is the same recording. If you like Bust!, they'll be coming through Montana in late July/early August on their trip to the coast, where they are flying out to Japan to tour(!)...you can keep updated by checking their myspace page: www.myspace.com/bustoneout or www.mtpunk.com

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Download BSSR#5:

MP3

AAC File

I've Been Runnin' From You...

2010-05-24T13:39:00.005-06:00

Here's podcast #4, hot off the digital press...or whatever someone might say to indicate that its freshly recorded. Its a mixed bag this time around, but organized into blocks that sorta make sense.

1. The Bronx - Heart Attack American
2. Triclops! - Until All The Threads Are Stripped
3. The Buzzcocks - Get On Your Own
4. The Dickies - I've Got A Splitting Hedachi
5. Milestone - Just Like Them
6. Mordecai - Mirror Up To Nature
7. Tyson Ballew - Notes To Self
8. Hail Seizures - Wealthy
9. Mariachi El Bronx - Cell Mates
10. Hot Snakes - Plenty For All

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The Bronx (photo by Monique La Croix 2008)

Triclops!

Buzzcoks (duh)

The Dickies

The Dickies "Banana Splits"

Mordecai

Tyson Ballew

Hail Seizures

Hail Seizures live

Marichi El Bronx live

Hot Snakes

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Download BSSR #4:

AAC version

MP3 version

Plenty of folk to tell you what to do/but they don't speak the same language as you

2010-04-27T15:29:00.006-06:00

Podcast #3 is up foo!

This time I’ve invented a new drinking game: every time I say “ahh”, “uhh”, or “um” you have to take a shot (taking a swig of beer is ok for the lightweights). If you get past the second stretch, where I uhhh talk about ahhhhhh The 1090 Club.....um.....then you probably won’t remember the rest of the podcast!

Notes: In Defence’s song is actually called “The Only Good Thing About Pizza Is The Crust”. The Trashies other song title that I was trying to think of is “Corndogs & Ranch”. Zero Zero is not entirely made up of ex-Lifetime members...one of them is a member’s wife.

-Kelly

Playlist:

1. Stiff Little Fingers - Gotta Gettaway

2. The 1090 Club - 2 Min. Pop Song

3. Visqueen - Houston

4. In Defence - The Only Good Thing About Pizza Is The Crust

5. My Pal Ghosty - Zombie Stomp

6. The Trashies - Sweatpants Boner

7. The Smoking Popes - No More Smiles

8. Superdrag - Lighting The Way

9. Zero Zero - True Zero

10. Killer Dreamer - Boo To That Guy

11. The Fondled - Wouldn’t Wanna Be Your Girl

12. Stiff Little Fingers - Guitar & Drum

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Stiff Little Fingers

Visqueen - video for "Mrs. Elder"

Visqueen

In Bozeman, MT (twice!):

5/12/2010 @ Cactus Records. 5pm.

5/12/2010 @ The Filling Station. 8pm.

In Defence

In Defence live @ Taco John's(!!!)

In Defence in Billings, MT, above.

Also, in Missoula, MT:

May 19 - In Defence, Shramana, Judgement Hammer @ the BSMT. 235 N 1st St E. $5.00. 9:00pm. All Ages.

My Pal Ghosty

Superdrag

Zero Zero

Killer Dreamer

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I got a message that the mp3 link wasn't working - problem fixed.

Download this episode:

AAC:

BSSR #3

MP3:

BSSR #3

We Can't Get Well

2010-04-05T21:33:00.003-06:00

Here's the second podcast, as promised; on time, even. I invited my buddy Grant Geiger (of Bozeman, Montana bands Good News From France and Smokestacks) aboard for this episode, and the playlist is his. Join us in our hard-to-hear awkwardness!

1. The Anchor- I Can Has Scene Points?
2. Black Print- Small Disguise
3. The Mushuganas- I Want Attention
4. The Bollweevils- Bottomless Pit
5. Four Star Alarm- Implode
6. The Lawrence Arms- Drunk Mouth, Kitchen Smile
7. Feist- Mushaboom
8. Good News From France- Emily
9. Laura Stevenson and the Cans- Landslide/The Dig
10. Alex Kerns- Clamor On
11. Alkaline Trio- Message From Kathlene

The Anchor

The Mushuganas

The Bollweevils

Four Star Alarm

Good News From France

Laura Stevenson and the Cans

Alex Kerns

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The AAC version of the file is of better quality and its easier to hear the talking between songs as compared to the mp3 version....though, honestly, I was using a shitty mic, and there's more than one time where its waaayyy too quiet, no matter which version you download.
...Oh well, now I know better for future episodes.

Download this episode:

AAC: BSSR #2

MP3: BSSR #2

I'm Going to Build Myself a Home

2010-03-16T13:03:00.010-06:00

Welcome- thanks for coming! We just finished up the first installment of our podcast...

Here's the playlist:

1. Fireballs of Freedom - Don't Take My Freedom

2. The Reddmen - Third Wheel Party

3. Visqueen - Sailor

4. The Brokedowns - Who Let the Dicks Out

5. Smash Your Face - Lose Times, Light Times

6. Brown Lobster Tank - Beautiful Loser

7. The Pranks - Running Out Of Time

8. Broadcast Oblivion - Her Arsenal

9. The Boys - Tumble With Me

10. The Spits - Life Of Crime

11. The Box Social - Hot Damn!

12. The Catheters - Build A Home

13. The Budgets - Delta Crush Me

Fireballs of Freedom

The Reddmen

Visqueen

The Brokedowns

The Boys

The Spits

The Budgets

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The varying audio quality is due to the fact that some of the songs were taken from CD, some from downloads, and some from vinyl.We'll see if in the future, we can find a way to normalize the shows so you won't have to keep turning the volume up and down!

Download the podcast here:

AAC: BSSR #1

MP3: BSSR #1