Ain't no mountain high enough, etc.

Well, the podcast faced some serious challenges this week as a thunderstorm killed our router. But we have a new router and a new episode! It's a good one! And now I can start to work on next (or this or whatever) week's!

Countdown #51

***Featuring***
The Airborne Toxic Event
The Black Keys
Cage the Elephant
Foo Fighters
Foster the People
Linkin Park
Mumford & Sons
Rise Against
Young the Giant

Their Mix

So, I had an idea for my sister's 17th birthday. I have a lot of friends who have great taste in music. So why not ask some of them to contribute a song each and make her a mix cd in addition to the one I was already making her! And so I did just that. And here's the mix I ended up with.

What I forgot is that some of my friends are also rule breakers ;-) as you'll see.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed. I appreciate it and I think I can speak for my sister when I say "What is this crap?" ;-) But seriously, I know I can count on my imaginary (and, in two cases, real-life) friends to come through with an amazing mix like this.

You should also know that it was this mix that led me to the idea about the compilation cd that i was talking about in the previous post. And if I can pull that off, I think I might be even more proud of it than I am of my podcast!

KMP BDAY 2011 "Their Mix"

1. Marc & the Mambas - A Million Manias (From Kev)
2. The Format - Dog Problems (From KT)
3. Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed (From Andy)
4. Dexy's Midnight Runners - Reminisce (Part Two) (From Adam)
5. Big Star - Thirteen (From Jessewells)
6. Laura Marling - Ghosts (Also From Jessewells)
7. Lou Reed - Perfect Day (Again, From Jessewells)
8. The Twilight Sad - Cold Days from the Birdhouse (From Matthew)
9. Ultravox - Sleepwalk (From Tricia)
10. The Sound - Counting the Days (Also From Tricia)
11. Morrissey - Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference (Again, From Tricia)
12. Bourgie Bourgie - Breaking Point (From JC)
13. Broken Social Scene - Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl (From Marcy)
14. An Intro By Dirk
15. Pulp - Common People (From Dirk)
16. Jellyfish - New Mistake (From Greer)
17. Wayne County & the Electric Chairs - Wonder Woman (From FiL)
18. Soil and Pimp Sessions - Go Next! (From Riley)
19. !!! - Steady as the Sidewalk Cracks (From Riley)
20. Harold's Leap - Being Just Like You (From Tim)

Download the whole mix HERE

"If you believe in what you are doing - persist"

That quote was tweeted by Jamie Walton this afternoon and it's basically the reason why I didn't skip last week's chart. I believe in this podcast and I'm going to persist, even if it means publishing a countdown super late.

By the by, Jamie Walton is the founder of The Wayne Foundation, whose aim is to "provide women who have fallen victim to commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking with a means of leaving the sex industry for good....by providing individuals with a safe home environment that will empower them with the tools they will need to stop the cycle of abuse." It's a charity that I have really started to feel inspired to support. I would ask you to donate some money to them, because they're just getting started and they need anything you can give.

I'm also tossing around the idea of putting together a compilation to benefit The Wayne Foundation. If you are in a band or know a band that would like to contribute a song, email me and let me know. I think I would sell it on BandCamp, but I haven't even begun to hammer out the details yet. But I do have one band that has said they'll do it if it comes together. It's a good cause and would also mean a little more publicity for your band. So, you know, win-win.

ANYways...

Countdown #50

***Featuring***
The Black Keys
Cage the Elephant
Foo Fighters
Foster the People
Linkin Park
Middle Class Rut
Mumford & Sons
Rise Against
Smashing Pumpkins
Young the Giant

Russian Roulette (Blog Version) - 1st Round

The first round of our game of Russian Roulette goes to:

Joe Tex - Show Me which I have from Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974 Vol. 6 (buy)

I don't think this is in any danger, so it's a pretty safe song to start with.

Joe Tex was a soul and R&B singer who, when he wasn't feuding with James Brown, developed a style of talking over music, which he called "rap". Yes. THAT rap.

Quentin Tarantino is a big fan, putting Tex's "I Gotcha" on the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack and "The Love You Save (May Be Your Own) on the Death Proof soundtrack

Help! I'm losing my mind...or my podcasts...

So, do any of my loyal listeners happen to have a copy of Countdown #41? I erased it from my wife's computer to make room for making more podcasts, thinking, "Aw hell, I'll just download it from my blog." So I went to my blog and lo and behold, there's a post telling everyone (including me, apparently) that 41 would be available for a limited time only.

So, I'm desperate to get a copy of this episode for the archives. If you have it, please email me at the address on the left-hand side of the page so that we can work out getting me that file, and as a sign of gratitude, you will pick next week's bonus song.

Thanks in advance,
A Desperate Podcaster

UPDATE Thanks to one intrepid listener, the archives will soon be complete!

Maybe I Should Change the Name of the Countdown to "Holding Steady"

Kind of like how on the Contrast Podcast, I feel like I should change the name of my blog to "Without Any Further Ado" because I say it so much! My wife even gives me grief when she hears me recoding an intro and then I start thinking about it and then i can't HELP but say it. Am I making ANY sense?! :)

Countdown #49

***Featuring***
The Black Keys
Cage the Elephant
The Cure
Foo Fighters
Foster the People
Linkin Park
Middle Class Rut
Mumford & Sons
Rise Against
Young the Giant

Review of She Might Bite "Sinister Device"

It's so exciting to get emails from bands that are JUST getting started in what are sure to be huge careers. I got such an email the other day from a girl named Tara in Kentucky. She and her sister Courtney started a band called She Might Bite and set out to make a folk EP. But then Tara got her hands on an electric guitar.

What followed was this four song rock EP. I've only heard the first track, "Sinister Device" And wow. I mean, this is rock and roll, people. It's full speed ahead rock with guitar solos that sneak up on you. I've never had the experience of a surprise guitar solo, but this song has two of them. I'm listening to it and all of a sudden it's like "SURPRISE the solo started 10 seconds ago and you were too busy rocking out to notice!" Love it.

"The sisters now view their EP as a catalyst. Drummer Kat Slaughter has joined and the trio is working on lots of new material inspired by hill country blues, 70s rock and punk." - From their bandcamp page

I'm really excited about this band and what will come of them. Go to their bandcamp page and get this album now.

She Might Bite - Sinister Device from The EP

New Countdown. With Rockblock attached!

I swear I'm getting caught up and will start doing these during the week again. Maybe. I don't know. It kind of works to do it on a day when I'm not falling over tired. It's a work in progress, you know?

Countdown #48

***Featuring***
The Black Keys
Cage the Elephant
Foo Fighters
Foster the People
Middle Class Rut
Mumford & Sons
Rise Against
Young the Giant