The Friday Focus

Out of Focus

2007-05-06T17:55:00.000-07:00

So it is the end of the semester here at the University of Minnesota. I'm not really sure what to make of mine yet. But anyway the semester also means the end of another set of Friday Focus'. If you tuned in every week, only tuned in once, or accidently came to this page while you were trying to find out if T.G.I.F. takes reservations (they don't by the way), I would like to say thanks for listening. I'd also like to say thank you to my wonderful guests who provided insight to many of our topics - specifically Andrew Jervis of Ubiquity Records, Colleen Sheehy of the Weisman Art Museum, and Tom Loftus of Modern Radio Records.

I may be back, I may not. Maybe I'll keep something unofficial going this summer. We will see. The power in my apartment has been out all day and the battery in my computer is about to die, so I should go, but thanks again!

Oh, and I stumbled across this picture. Doesn't have much to do with anything really.

The John Peel Sessions

2007-05-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

For 37 years John Peel hosted the John Peel Show on the BBC station Radio 1. His show was home to some of the most influential music of the past 40 years, Peel was at the forefront of almost every musical movement. Considered the first radio DJ to spin punk and reggae, Peel often broke the rules of broadcasting as well. One of his most recent and infamous incidents occurred in 2003 when he played 3 tracks off the White Stripes album, Elephant before it was officially released to the press.

But the more lasting legacy of The John Peel Show is his instudio sessions, which played host to almost every influential artist of the past 40 years. On each show, Peel would have a band in. Each time they would play 4 songs. The songs would be mixed down shortly after and aired later that night on the show. The versions of the songs proved to be very intimate, and almost more passionate than the album versions. Last Friday, we took a look at The John Peel show and played some of these very exclusive tracks. Although Peel's show covered a wide variety of music, I focused mostly on the punk and post-punk era in the late Seventies and early Eighties.

Playlist
Gang Of Four - At Home He's A Tourist
The Buzzcocks - Promises
The Jam - In The City
The Only Ones - Flaming Torch

New York Post Disco

2007-05-03T23:15:00.000-07:00

So, in the tradition of the end of every semester, I begin to fall behind. And unfortunately posting is no exception. Amid the craziness of papers and due dates, the Focus did air last week and I decided to talk about something that I was recently introduced to - early underground dance music.

Now Disco has been talked down ever since the calenders flipped to 1980 and most of it rightfully so. The clothes were ugly, the hair was bad, and the music was too...or was it. Often times all the glamour and lights distracted the true intention of Disco - which was to make music that people could dance to. That's where our friend Post Disco comes in.

Post Disco had all the same intentions as Post Punk. It was dark, it was underground, it was primitive. Groups like Liquid Liquid, Dinosaur L, Arthur Russell, and my favorite ESG, stripped down disco to its bare elements of drum and bass and made music that is being spun on dance floors today. Creating these perfect beats also gave rise to the ideas of producers and remix artists who transformed the sounds of post disco into more modern dance music such as electronica and house.

Although this originally aired on Friday, April 27 you can still listen to it by clicking on the player below.

Playlist
Bush Tetras - Can't Be Funky
Liquid Liquid - Optimo
Was Not Was - Unknown
ESG - My Love For You

Record Label Series: Twin/Tone Records

2007-04-12T18:12:00.000-07:00

Here at Radio K, we are in the midst of our spring fund drive - better known as Powersurge. From now through April 20, you can show your support for Real College Radio, Radio K by calling 612-626-ROCK or by going to radiok.org. If you've been introduced to a new artist, checked out a new label, went to the Dylan exhibit, or even tried to buy a Moog synthesizer on Ebay after hearing The Friday Focus, let us know by supporting Real College Radio, Radio K.

Because we're so excited here at the station, we're are going to finish off our Record Label Series with a Twin Cites favorite, Twin/Tone Records. If you go to the Twin/Tone Records website, it claims to currently be in “mothballs.” Now, whether or not the label ever decides to come down from the attic, anyone who has any knowledge of Minneapolis music knows that Twin/Tone was the most influential label to exist in the Twin Cities. Twin/Tone first signed The Suburbs in 1978, but have also helped bands like The Replacements, Soul Asylum, and The Jayhawks become household names both locally and nationally.

The sound that came out of Twin/Tone was everything from post-punk to jangly-pop to hard rock and country, but above everything else it was smart music. All the artists on the label were known for their music, and not much else. From the standpoint of a listener that’s a good thing and something that is still evident in the Twin Cities music scene today.

This week on The Friday Focus, we will look back at Twin/Tone Records, the mark it left on the local music scene, and play some of your favorite artists. Tune in this Friday morning at 8:00 during Rock 'n Roll Over with Jenny and also remember to show how much you value The Friday Focus and Radio K as whole, this week by calling 612-626-ROCK or go to radiok.org. We really appreciate your support. Thank you!

Playlist
The Replacements - Color Me Impressed
Soul Asylum - Lap Of Luxury
The Wallets - Totally Nude
The Suburbs - Goggles On

Record Label Series: Rough Trade Records

2007-04-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

So, back in 1977, Geoff Travis took a trip to the States and came back to London with 150 records. He liked them but couldn't keep them all. Unsure what to do with them he opened up a record store, started selling the records, and called the the place Rough Trade Records. Becoming a huge hub for music enthusiasts, as well as bands, Rough Trade decided to become a label and start distributing the music that was filtering through the store.

Geoff Travis (center) is pictured here with Genesis P. Orridge (left) of Throbbing Gristle. In back is Richard Scott who helped Rough Trade transition from a store to a distributor. This week on the Focus, we will talk more about Rough Trade and also discuss the purpose of a record label.

Playlist
Scritti Politi- Confidence
The Smiths- Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

To help us out this week is Tom Loftus of local label Modern Radio (Signal to Trust, The Plastic Constellations). In Part 1 of the interview I talked to Tom about the purpose of record labels, where they fit into the music industry, and how he got into the business. In Part 2 we veared slightly off topic and discussed the current state of vinyl.

Record Label Series: Stax Records

2007-03-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

So this week we're going to start a three part series on the Focus that looks at three different record labels. This week we are going to start off with Stax Records. Home to everyone from Sam and Dave to Otis Redding the label was in operation from 1959 to 1976.

Stax was essentially responsible for the sound of soul music as we know it. Originally started in an old, converted movie theater, founders Jim Stewart his sister Estelle Axton produced an extremely raw sound that attracted the help of larger labels such as Atlantic. With its larger distribution power, and ever so grooving style, Stax was able to sail high through the Sixties. We will look at the rise, fall, and even the recent revival of the label thanks to Justin Timberlake! Oh and we can't forget about Booker T. & The MG's - they were the house band for Stax. Look up the word 'groove' in the dictionary, there should be a picture of these guys.

The week after we will look at Rough Trade Records (Galaxie 500, The Smiths) and to top things off, week three will hit home as we look at Minneapolis label, Twin/Tone (The Replacements,The Jayhawks, Soul Asylum). Each week we will also take a closer look at what exactly a label does, what its responsibilities are, and what actually happens when a band gets signed.

As always, The Friday Focus airs every Friday morning at 8:00 during Rock 'n' Roll Over with Jenny. Tune the dial on your radio to 770 AM or go online to www.radiok.org to get our web stream.

Playlist
Sam & Dave - Soul Man
Wilson Picket - 634-5789 (Soulville, USA)
Booker T. & The MG's - Can't Be Still

London Record Stores

2007-03-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

So I spent the last week in the wonderful city of London visiting a friend and spending loads of money (the place is ridiculously expensive). As a music lover and a fan of vinyl old and new, I headed out on a cross-city journey to hit up some of the town’s best and worst record stores. At some stops I wish I could have spent weeks, while other places well, they didn’t really exist. Here’s a few musical highlights of my trip. Oh and the picture to the left, I don't know the story behind that place. I looked in the window and there's just stacks and stacks of vinyl, but no one around. Go figure.

Intoxica Website
First Stop, Portabella Road. After you’re done checking out the market, look behind the old lady’s fruit stand and check out Intoxica. I did a piece on the 60’s British Mod Scene a few months back and it appeared that a stereotypical mod was in the store. Dressed in super suave, but somewhat dirty clothing, he was looking for something super specific in a box of 45’s. After realizing that most everything was out of my price range, I settled on an early My Bloody Valentine Ep. The place is small and has a somewhat Hawaiian theme to it. I say check this one out, just remember to bring enough money.

Rough Trade Website
Walk a little farther down and a make right on Talbot Road. Here is with out a doubt the most famous stop my trip. The shop has been there since 1976 and is home to the label that spawned from the place in 1978. Like most of shops, Rough Trade is pretty small; however the little bit they have on display is pretty much the best of the best. A nice selection of CD’s and a slightly larger selection of vinyl (it was really weird seeing a U.S. releases section, especially the stuff that came out months ago). The guy that helped me was extremely nice. There was also an American girl working too, but I didn’t really get her story.

Sounds of the Universe Website
This place is close to being tied with Rough Trade for my favorite stop on the trip. Specializing in Electronica, Hip Hop, House, and Drum and Bass, Sounds of the Universe has been around for nine years, and four years at their present location which is in the heart of Soho. The main floor is mostly new Electronica, Hip Hop, and House – both CD and vinyl – and the basement is filled with overflow items along with a surprisingly well fed jazz selection. I spent about a 45 minutes in here when I started to get weird looks. I was the only one in the store at the time, so they started to get suspicious – I think. So I quickly put back the 18 of the 20 albums I picked out and made my way down the street. Don't worry I paid first.

Ray’s Jazz Shop Website
So not to far from Sounds of the Universe is Ray’s Jazz Shop, well it used to be Ray’s Jazz Shop. I didn’t get the full story, but four years ago they used to be around the corner at street level, then Foyle’s this chain bookstore, similar to Borders, moved in. And ever since they’ve been in the second floor of Foyles. Even though the Ray’s employee that told me this practically had a tear coming down his face, I have to admit the present situation wasn’t that mundane. Ray’s actually shares the second floor with a really cool coffee shop and they call the whole place Ray’s Jazz and Café. Anyway the musical selection is quite good – most stuff is moderately priced. A lot of old UK Jazz releases – something of value in the states.

If you want any more info on these places and a bunch of others, just let me know. And just as a disclaimer, Radio K has no affiliation or connections to any of these places. Cheers!

The Free Design

2007-03-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

Formed around 1966, The Free Design are seen by many as the cheeziest sounding thing to ever grace the world of pop music. But others, such as many notable producers and musicians place the group made up of brothers and sisters Chris, Bruce, Sandy, Stephanie, and Ellen Dedrick at the top of their influences.

This Friday we will look at the Free Design and their pure Sixties pop sound. As always tune in on Friday mornings at 8:00 to Rock and Roll Over with Jenny to hear the Focus. Real College Radio K can be heard at 700 AM/100.5/106.5 FM or anywhere you little computer can make at radiok.org.

Playlist
The Free Design - Kites Are Fun
The Free Design - 2002 A Hit Song
The Free Design - Proper Ornaments (Super Fury Animals Remix)
The Free Design - How Do You Do (Fly Me Down)

Eastern Influences on Rock 'n Roll

2007-03-02T20:34:00.000-08:00

So there's this one scene in the the film We Are Spinal Tap where it shows Spinal Tap during their Sixties phase. It has has them playing on an Ed Sullivan-like show, where each band member is standing on their respected large, circular pedestal. They play some Sixties Pop song and right in the middle of the song there is a break and the most stereotypical sitar solo kicks in. It's almost become a standard for bands to incorporate foreign instuments into at least one of their songs.

But how did the sitar find its way in Rock 'n' Roll in the first place? Why are Middle Eastern melodies so prominent in Western music? Does including foreign sounds into a song always work out for the best? We will take a look at all of these questions this week on the Friday Focus as we focus on eastern influences on Rock 'n' Roll.

As always you can tune your dial to 770 AM or go to www.radiok.org to stream the show every Friday at 8:00 AM. You can listen to Jenny on Rock and Roll every morning from 6-9 AM at 770 AM/100.5/106.5 FM or at www.radiok.org!

Playlist
The Yardbirds - Heart of Soul
Dick Dale - Hava Nagila
The Kinks - See My Friend
The Beatles - Norwegin Wood (Take 1)

Bristol Trip-Hop

2007-02-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

I once heard Trip-Hop described as being somewhat like an abstract painting. In a normal painting there are recognizable objects such as a person, a table, and a chair. This is like hip hop where you can hear a drum, bass, and possibly someone rapping. But in trip hop, that all blends together – like an abstract painting. You never really know what you looking at, or listening to, but you know you're absorbing something - you're just not sure what.

Trip-Hop is one of those things that once you've heard it you know what it is. So, this week we will talk a little about this underground scene from Bristol, England, but more importantly play some examples from key groups like Massive Attack, Portishead, and Marxman. As always, you can listen to Real College Radio, Radio K at 770 AM/100.7/106.5 FM in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area or anywhere in the world at www.radiok.org.

Playlist
Massive Attack - Be Thankful For What You Got
Marxman - Sad Affair
Quantic - Prelude To Happening

Shoegaze

2007-02-22T10:24:00.000-08:00

Triggered by bands like the Chameleons, The Cocteau Twins, and most of all the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Shoegaze movement of late 1980's and early 90's merged noise rock with pop music. Led by My Bloody Valentine, shoegazers created huge wave-like sounds with their guitars and laid them over breathy vocals and heavy drums. Grab a spot next to your favorite ocean side cliff and listen to the crashing waves of shoegazers tomorrow on the Friday Focus.

As always you can tune in to Real College Radio, Radio K at 770 AM/106.5/100.7 FM or www.radiok.org to hear more poorly crated metaphors and some of the best music around.

Playlist
My Bloody Valentine - Loomer
Chapterhouse - Treasure
Ride - Sight Of You

The Moog Synthesizer

2007-02-13T19:27:00.000-08:00

It's often considered by many, that the most frequently mispronounced word in Pop Culture is the brand name of a particular synthesizer - Moog. This Friday we'll not only learn how to pronounce this strange little name, but discuss the history of the synthesizer, how the Moog fits into the world of electronic music, and as always play some music.

If you want to get a head start on this week's topic, check out the Moog documentary that came out in 2005. Loosely, but tastefully done the film follows Moog Music founder, Robert Moog around as he talks to various artists and how they use the instrument he invented.

Playlist
Stereolab - Variation 1
Meat Beat Manifesto - Unavailable Memory
Bootsy Collins & Bernie Worrell - When Bernie Speaks

The Winter Slow Down

2007-02-04T19:58:00.000-08:00

Well, if you live anywhere in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, chances are your life came to complete halt this weekend as temperatures hovered around -10 degrees with wind chills around -30. I decided to take shelter from the storm and hide out in the Dylan exhibit at the Weisman Art Museum. After getting through about half of it (before the museum closed), I came across some really intriguing things - my favorite being a recording of young Dylan and his friend playing guitar and piano in his parent's living room. There's tons of pictures as well as a stash of fun facts hidden throughout the exhibit that will draw attention to even the most devoted fans. Since the weather was perfect for a nice walk, I headed over to 14th Ave. and 4th St. Here is picture of an alley just west of that intersection. One of the four windows shown belonged to Dylan's old apartment.

Fairly soon I should have audio up from most if not all the past shows. I will also provide playlist info so you can track down all the things you've heard.

One last thing. I'd like to make a correction regarding last week's show. I stated that both Bay Area Funk compilations were released on Ubiquity. However, they were released on Luv 'N Haight, a subset of Ubiquity. I mentioned this correctly in a previous post, but did not during the airing of the show (Andrew was quick to correct me!).

Dylan Exhibit

2007-02-03T08:01:00.002-08:00

Today the new Bob Dylan exhibit at the Weisman Art Museum opens. Bob Dylan's American Journey: 1956-1966 will run through April 29 and will document the time from Dylan's youth in Hibbing, MN to his emergence in the Greenich folk scene. Coinciding with the exhibit are numerous events around Minneapolis. The Weisman will be doing everthing from screening documentaries on the folk trubador to hosting songwriting classes for all levels of musicians. Check out the the schedule for more info on the exhibit!

And yes, even the Focus will be caught up in the Dylan Fever. This week we will focus on the recording of Dylan's Blood On the Tracks album and its Minneapolis connection. Also up for discussion will be Minnesota's facination with Bob Dylan and the psychology behind it.

Playlist
Bob Dylan - Call Letter Blues
Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue (NYC Version)

Bay Area Funk

2007-01-28T08:55:00.000-08:00

In the late Sixies, San Francisco was a melting pots of innovative music. Not only were Jazz, Rock 'n' Roll, and R&B merging together to form funk, but different ethnic groups in the Bay Area were adding their own spin to the growing funk scene.

Tune in this Friday as I talk to Adrew Jervis of the California-based Ubiquity Records. A subset of Ubiquity, Luv N' Haight Records, focuses solely on releasing and compiling lost and rare tracks from past artists - especially that of Soul, Jazz, R&B, and Funk. Andrew recently helped compile two compilations that focus on the Bay Area Funk Scene. We will get his take on what was going on then and what the San Francisco music scene looks like today.

Playlist
Victor Greene - Creole Girl
Sugar Pie DeSanto - Straighten It Out With Your Man
The Ray Camacho Band - Si Se Puede

As always turn your dial to 770 AM/100.5/106.5 FM in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area or listen at www.radiok.org anywhere in the world!

Teo Macero

2007-01-25T09:10:00.000-08:00

The role of a producer in popular music is undoutably an under appreciated position. Even with the incredible song writing of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the Beatles would most likely have not made it to the top of the pops without the help of producer George Martin.

But what about the world of Jazz? Jazz music has a very live feel to it and does not feature glossy production techniques that can be found in pop music. Therefore one would think that the role of a producer in jazz is very minimal or even nonexistent. However, without producer Teo Macero, jazz would essentially not be where it is today. This Friday, we'll take a look at the man who helped establish the sounds of Thelonious Monk, Dave Brubeck, and the always progressive styles of Miles Davis.

You can listen to Real College Radio, Radio K in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area by tuning to 770 AM/100.5/106.5 FM or anywhere in the world at www.radiok.org!

Playlist
Dave Brubeck - Three To Get Ready
Miles Davis - Spanish Key
Miles Davis - Seven Steps To Heaven

Robert Quine

2007-01-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

This aired last week Friday, but I thought I would update you anyway.

The Velvet Underground influenced nearly every band in modern music, but no one was influenced more than a man from Akron, Ohio named Robert Quine. Quine first saw The Velvets in St. Louis while attending law school. Ever since then he was inspired to make music. Quine played lead guitar with everyone from Richard Hell & The Voidoids, Lou Reed, Sonic Youth, Tom Waits, and more. He is known for his extremely raw, rootsy, and visious playing style that made its home in many different styles of music.

Robert Quine is also well known for his live recordings of The Velvet Underground. The first time he saw them play in St. Louis he brought along a small tape recorder. He met up with the band shortly after in San Francisco and recorded a series of their shows at The Matrix night club. The best of these sessions has recently been released as The Velvet Underground Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes. The recording quality is very poor, but nonetheless, it features many rare takes and unreleased songs.

Playlist
The Velvet Underground - Over You (Live)
Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Blank Generation
Lou Reed - Wave Of Fear

British Mod Scene

2007-01-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

This aired a couple of weeks ago, but I just wanted to let everyone know what I've been up to. Hopefully at some point I can upload the audio or stream these for you. But anyway, the Sixties British Mod Scene was more of a fashion and social trend rather than a musical movement, but nonetheless it inspired a whole slew of little bands. Drawing from American R&B artists as well as the growing psychedelia and garage rock movement, groups like The Small Faces, The Creation, and The Attack created a very exclusive sound that became popular with London youth.

Playlist
The Birds - No Good Without You
Paul, Ryan, & Barry - There You Go
The Creation - Making Time
The Blue Eyes - Supermarket Full of Cans

Brand New Semester Means Brand New Topics!

2007-01-20T17:04:00.000-08:00

For students, the middle of January means the start of a new semester, but for the rest of you, get ready for a whole new set of Friday Focus topics. As always you can listen at 8:00 every Friday morning during Rock 'n' Roll Over with Jenny by tunning to 770 AM, 100.5 FM, or 106.5 FM. Also, you can listen anywhere in the world at www.radiok.org!

This semester Simon while be taking over The Friday Focus duties from Chris. Thanks Chris for your hard work!