Well it was another fine night of rockin’ tunes on Rock and Roll Report Radio as we hit all points with some very cool music that has just been released, is about to be released, has yet to be released and I threw in a Worldwide Radio Premiere to top it all off! All this while just finishing watching my beloved Montreal Canadiens hockey team defeat the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Don’t forget that if you like what you hear you can download a podcast of the show for one week from the date of broadcast and then after that you can listen to a streaming edition of the show for a few months at www.ckut.ca.

This is what I played:

1. Sensation Addict by Food
2. Cat & Mouse by Kickstart
3. Sexual Electricity by the Black Angel Band
4. She’s Not the Girl For Me by The Condors
5. Filthy Ways by The Sleepers
6. Farther Away by the Apple Bros
7. Good Voodoo by The Teenage Prayers
8. Let It Loose by the Babylon Bombs
9. Outta Town by The Fores
10. Amy by The Jakals
11. Backing Down by Punchface
12. Anything by Best of Seven
13. Hard to Say Goodbye by Lick & A Promise

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast

Later.
Mark

Share This

Well it was a slightly boozy St. Patty’s Day show on Rock and Roll Report Radio Monday night on CKUT FM but I managed to both play some great rock and roll and essentially talk WAAAY too much (that was the beer talking I tell ya!). And the photo above is courtesy of friends of The Rock and Roll Report Kat and Sugar from Hot Pink Productions. These girls know how to rock! Anyhow, this is what I played:

Song - Album - Band

1. My Fate - Do It Yourself - Victims of Circumstance
2. A-OK - The Hot Rocks - The Hot Rocks
3. Wild Violets - Unreleased - The Cosmosonics
4. Explode Tonight - Oddball - Heap
5. Complicated Girl - Unreleased - American Anthem
6. RockStar - Tatooed Millionaires - Annex
7. Outta Town - The Fores - The Fores
8. Straight Outta Hell - Paperback Freud - Paperback Freud
9. Porno Queen - Test Drive X 5 - Automan.ca
10. She Is My Drinking Problem - Comeback Special - The Sleepers
11. It Ain’t Easy - Unreleased - A Lick and A Promise
12. Undertaker - Electric - Broken Teeth
13. Built For Speed - Motherload - Big Cock
14. One Beer - Black Angel Band - Black Angel Band

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast (Link good for one week from date of broadcast)

Thanks for listening!

Later.

Mark

Share This

Just a quick reminder that Rock and Roll Report Radio returns to the airwaves of CKUT FM tonight from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST for more rock and roll fun. Enjoy your 10th green beer as you listen to bands like The Fores, Annex, American Anthem, Automan.ca and Paperback Freud rock your St. Patty’s Day!

Thanks for listening!

Share This

We are already into March thank God because I am all snowed out here in Montreal! The schedule for Rock and Roll Report Radio and the podcast looks like this:

March 5th - Podcast #8
March 12th - Podcast # 9
March 17th - Rock and Roll Report Radio on CKUT FM
March 24th - 3 Amigos on CKUT FM

I Will try and fit in another podcast towards the end of the month as I move to a more consistent weekly schedule for the podcast.

Hope you stop by and listen and please leave a comment on the website or comment line at 206-339-3646.

Look for a Rock and Roll Report Facebook Group soon!

Later
Mark

Share This

I spend a lot of time blasting commercial rock radio, and for good reason I believe. It is ad driven instead of music driven, it is devoid of personality, it caters to the lowest common denominator and it plays the same songs over and over again. That being said, non-commercial radio still holds out some hope for all of us who actually care about radio (and I do actually give a shit about the medium). From my very own CKUT FM here in Montreal which broadcasts an amazing array of programming serving a population that is not adequately served by “mainstream” media to stations like KCRW and the Pacifica Network, non-commercial radio is frequently challenging, often frustrating but never boring, just what good radio should be, and at the top of the heap in my opinion sits WFMU, gazing down regally at us all with a slightly bemused smirk on its face.

To me, WFMU embodies everything that is great about radio. Featuring a mind boggling array of programming that is astonishing in its depth and let’s face it weirdness, WFMU continues to fly the freeform flag proudly while existing solely due to the support of its listeners. And unlike other non-commercial stations that run fund raising events throughout the year, WFMU runs their fundraising marathon just once, and now is the time.

From February 25th until March 9th, 2008 WFMU is holding out their hand to their listeners, fans and people who just like to support freaky institutions for their annula fund raising extravaganza. And WFMU is truly an institution as this is the 50th anniversary of the station. Whether you are into garage punk, Tahitian guitar music, reggae, warped country and bluegrass and numerous other “genres” of music, ‘FMU probably plays it. And if listening to them online at www.wfmu.org won’t convince you, perhaps a flip through the utterly fascinating and borderline psychotic The Best of LCD: The Art and Writing of WFMU will.

Recently published by Raincoast Books, The Best of LCD is as eclectic as the station it portrays featuring a number of articles, comics and just plain weirdness from “FMU’s defunct program guide LDC (Lowest Common Denominator). Chock full of amazingly interesting portraits of zany DJs from the ‘50s, guides to the best “Anti-Rock” books and a still accurate diatribe against commercial rock radio, The Best of LCD is a worthy read and perfect for that well stocked bathroom.

If you care about radio, I urge you to make a pledge towards WFMU where freeform radio is not just a slogan; it’s a way of life. Here’s to another 50 years of WFMU, arguably the greatest radio station on the planet.

Later.

Mark

Share This

Here ya go! This is what I played on the last Rock and Roll Report Radio on Monday on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal and on the net at www.ckut.ca. Don’t forget that the next Rock and Roll Report Podcast is set to be released on February 20th, 2008.

Here is what I played:

Song - Album - Artist

Bump and Grind - Motherload - Big Cock

Are You a Lady? - Now Playing - Shameless

Give To Get - Blinded By the Sound - Tenspoke Indies

Bang - Rockchild - Rockchild

Full Tilt - The Spaceship Blues - The Spaceship Blues

Raise It Up the Flagpole - Roller - Paperback Freud

30 Seconds Over You - 30 Seconds Over You - The Erotics

20 To 12 - One Below the All Time Low - Watts

Guilloteenager - The Meddling Kids - The Meddling Kids

Outerspace - Disrespectfully Yours - The Millions

Hey Kate! - The Fire Apes - The Fire Apes

My Date With Andrea Nice - My God, The Shame! - The Dress Whites

Your Breaking Down - Danny Echo - Danny Echo

Northern Light - The Brown Hornets - The Brown Hornets

Losing Me - Von Zipper - Switchback

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast (link only good for one week from date of broadcast. After that you can listen to the streaming version of the show)

If you liked any of the bands played on the show below click their CD and buy it! Show them that you care.

Later.

Mark

Share This

Just a heads up that Rock and Roll Report Radio is on tonight from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST on www.ckut.ca.

I’ll be playing all kinds of cool stuff that is guaranteed to get your rock and roll heart beating so stop by and have a listen!

Later.

Mark

Share This

Wired has a pretty obvious article on the current state of commercial FM radio called Why Things Suck: Radio. I have always maintained that commercial radio sucks for the obvious reason that it caters to advertisers and the lowest common denominator rather than bold, adventurous programming which basically results according to the Wired article in “watered-down programming designed primarily not to offend.”

In a lot of ways, the heyday of FM radio in the late ’60s and early to mid-’70s was an anomaly as it pretty much flew under the radar catering to rock fans with often eclectic tastes. It is only when people realized that this audience actually had income to spend did advertisers and big business get involved and the audience was looked at less as a consumer of programming to consumers of products. Like the major record labels who feed the commercial radio machine, the whole point of commercial radio these days is the “commercial” part and not the “radio” part.

One point that makes podcasters like myself smile is the encouraging fact that “85 percent of teenagers now discover new music through sources beyond the FM dial.” With the growth of Internet radio in general and podcasting in particular, music fans now have a place to go where music actually matters. As commercial rock radio fumbles for a new identity and audience they are just now realizing that, unlike years past, music fans have actual alternatives these days. Unsigned Indie artists and bands may not have a completely level playing field, but it is a start.

Later.

Mark

Share This

February’s schedule has been set for both Rock and Roll Report Radio and the podcast. It is as follows:

February 6th - Rock and Roll Report Podcast #6

February 11th - Rock and Roll Report Radio on the Drastic Plastic Program on CKUT FM

February 2oth - Rock and Roll Report Podcast # 7 “Sex and Rock ‘n Roll”

February 25th - The 3 Amigos on the Drastic Plastic Program on CKUT FM

Later.

Mark

Share This

Well it was finally time to REALLY kick of 2008 with another episode of Rock and Roll Report Radio on the Drastic Plastic Program on CKUT 90.3 FM here in Montreal and around the world on www.ckut.ca. The whole point of the show remains the same and actually grows stronger as time goes by. My mission is to play a varied selection of amazing indie and unsigned rock and roll that I think should be played on commercial rock radio but sadly is not. Not only do I play this stuff on Rock and Roll Report Radio and with the 3 Amigos twice a month on CKUT FM but also on the brand new Rock and Roll Report Podcast which is currently coming out twice a month as well.

You can check out what I played on last night’s show below. As usual, I have included the band’s website links and ways to purchase their music where I could (just click on the album title if it has a link). Hope you enjoyed the show and don’t forget that the next podcast is due out January 23rd.

Thanks for Listening!

Song - Album - Artist

Soak Her In - Off The Floor - Avi & Celia

104 - The Brown Hornets - The Brown Hornets

Bad Seed - Guts of Steel - Brimstone Howl

Love, Love, Love - Single - The Sea

Still Number One - Exile Parade - Exile Parade

Super-Sassy Glossy Lips - Badmouth - Badmouth

Lights Out - Blinded By The Sound - Tenspoke Indies

Mind Over Matter - Thunderblood Heart - Marvel

Make A Scene - Demetra - Demetra

Loners - S/T - The Pleasures of Merely Circulating

DJ - Moodring - Third Of Never

Goodbye Good Guy - Neanderthal - Sunspot

Stars In My Pocket - Coming Out Electric - Atomic Swindlers

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast (Link good for one week from date of broadcast)

Later.

Mark

Share This

Just a quick heads up that the next Rock and Roll Report Radio will be on January 14th from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST on www.ckut.ca featuring a wide selection of great rock and roll from Avi and Celia, Badmouth, The Brown Hornets, Brimstone Howel, The Sea, Exile Parade, Tenspoke Indies, Marvel, Demetera, Third of Never and more.

Stop by and give your ears a treat. Rock and Roll Report Radio: For those tired of commercial rock radio repetition.

Later.

Mark

Share This

Well it’s 2008 and once again I am looking forward to another great year on the Drastic Plastic Program on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal and streaming around the world.

As usual, every Monday night from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST at www.ckut.ca you will hear some amazing rock and roll that you probably won’t hear elsewhere. Continuing our tradition of alternating DJs, show originator Doug Ford, Manchester’s finest Armitage Shanks and myself will be rotating through the time slot every month so that we each have our own hour to shine (or stumble) and we usually close of the month with our classic (in our eyes anyway!) Three Amigos Radio Spectacular where all 3 of us kibitz together playing records until somebody kicks us off the air.

The schedule for January 2008 is as follows:

• January 7 - Doug Ford
• January 14 - Rock and Roll Report Radio
• January 21 - Armitage Shanks
• January 28 - Three Amigos

Hope you can tune in and enjoy the music!

Later.

Mark

Share This

Well I conducted my 6 month review Monday night on Rock and Roll Report Radio playing a selection of stand out tracks that I had played since June. It’s always a treat to sit in the studios of CKUT with the lights dimmed and playing blaring rock and roll on the monitors. Reminds me of being a kid in high school in my bedroom at my parent’s house!

Here is what I played:

Song - Album - Artist

1. Stay - Fully Automatic - Handsome Devil
2. Kids - It’s Time - Nooner
3. King Of Cool - Year of the Cock - Big Cock
4. Hit Parade - Black Beauty - Beretta76
5. The Machine Gun Song - Thwak Thwak Go Crazy! - Bang Sugar Bang
6. Little Nympho - Teflon Man - The Naked Apes
7. All I Wanted - Single - Hailer
8. Red Eye - Filthy Habits - The DT’s
9. I Think About You - Single - American Anthem
10. Hanging Like a Suicide - Single - Heavy Drapes
11. Rooftop Sniper - s/t - The Brown Hornets
12. Here To Stay - Demo - Chop Suicide
13. Track of Time -s/t - Switchback
14. Back to Then - Single - Astronaut Academy

Next week I will be back on the air on Monday, December 17th with the 3 Amigos and then on the 19th I will be releasing another Rock and Roll Report Podcast. I will then take a breather with the podcasts until early in the New Year, probably releasing one on January 9th, 2008.

Take care and thanks for listening!

Later

Mark

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast
(Good for one week from the date of broadcast)

Share This

Just a heads up that Rock and Roll Report Radio is on tonight, December 10th on the Drastic Plastic Program on CKUT 90.3 FM from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST. You can listen to it live over the air or online at www.ckut.ca as I play tracks from Nooner, Hailer, Bang Sugar Bang, the Brown Hornets and more as I look back on the last 6 months or the show.

Tune in and turn it up loud!

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Later

Mark

Share This

Here is the schedule for the Drastic Plastic Program on CKUT 90.3 FM for the month of December 2007.

As usual, the show airs Monday nights from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST and can be heard online at www.ckut.ca.

December 3- Armitage Shanks and his indie UK rock and roll
December 10 - Rock and Roll Report Radio
December 17 - 3 Amigos Radio Spectacular!

Later.

Mark

Share This

Well 2 of the Amigos were down for the count as a result of Grey Cup festivities over the weekend but I kept everything together in the spirit of comradeship! Here is what I played:

Song - Album - Artist

1. Going Down Slow - A Bitch is a Bitch - Lick & A Promise
2. Whenever You Change - Daphne - Daphne
3. True Grit - True Grit - Swig
4. (South Oshawa) Drug Mule - The Brown Hornets - The Brown Hornets
5. Losing Me - Switchback - Switchback
6. Miss Bradley, Dear - Black Book - The Snitches
7. Girls, Skirts, Boots, Bikes - Me -The Buck Brothers
8. The Get Go - Fantastic Playroom - New Young Pony Club
9. Carbona Not Glue - Sex Music - The Toilet Boys
10. Bad For Me - Push It Nationwide - The Sleepers
11. Leaves - Lowell Thompson - Lowell Thompson
12. Long Way Home - Kiss or Kill - EndeverafteR

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast (Link good for one week from date of broadcast)

Later

Mark

Share This

Just a heads up that 2 of the 3 Amigos will be on tonight on the Drastic Plastic Program on www.ckut.ca from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST.

Armitage and Doug both went to Toronto for the Grey Cup and Armitage has assured me that he will be in the studio tonight but Doug gives no guarantees so I have no clue what we will be playing. Tune in and find out as it is always quality rock and roll.

Later.

Mark

Share This

Just a heads up to everybody that Doug Ford, the longtime host of the Drastic Plastic Program on CKUT 90.3 FM here in Montreal is celebrating his 20th! anniversary on the air on November 19th from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST at www.ckut.ca.

Make sure you tune in for what will be a momentous trip down memory lane. Doug has been broadcasting all these years for the pure love of music and it is people like this that rekindle my faith in rock and roll. Cheers Doug! I’ll be listening.

Later.

Mark

Share This

I must apologize for those of you who tried to listen online only to not be able to connect to the station. I have been assured that this is now fixed but in the future I will verify that the station is streaming properly before I go to air.

That being said it was a good show marred only by the fact that I felt compelled to talk a lot last night. I don’t know why since I always prefer to let the music do the talking but that being said, the tunes rocked! Here is what I played:

Song - Band - Album

Rooftop Sniper - The Brown Hornets - The Brown Hornets
Give Up - The Millions - Disrespectfully Yours
into the blue - Heavy Drapes - Unreleased
Track of Time - Switchback - Switchback
Sweet - Daphne - Daphne
Rock ‘N Roll - S.E.X. Department - S.E.X. Department
Gimme Everything - Toilet Boys - Sex Music
Don’t Want A Girl Who’s Been With Jack - The Condors - Wait For It
Clue - The Contrast - Underground Ghosts
Helicopters - Brian Lisik - Happiness is Boring
Just Another Trick - Beretta76 - Black Beauty
All ‘Cause Of You - The 88 - Over & Over

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast (Good for 1 week from date of broadcast)

Later.

Mark

Share This

Rock and Roll Report Radio will be back on the air tonight, November 12th, 2007 from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST on www.ckut.ca.

I will be playing tracks from the Brown Hornets, Heavy Drapes, the Millions, Swig, Switchback, the Condors and more. Stop by and give your ears a treat. Guaranteed MSG-free!

Later.

Mark

Share This

Another fine show by Armitage Shanks with his usual impeccable taste in the best the UK has to offer. Here is what he played:

Artist - Album - Track

New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom - The Get Go
Kate Nash - Made of Bricks - Mouthwash
Nine Black Alps - Glitter Gulch - Over the Ocean
Babyshambles - Shotters Nation - You Talk
Amy MacDonald - This is the Life - LA
Jack Penate - Matinee - Second, Minute or Hour
Joy Division - Permanent - She’s Lost Control
Athlete - Beyond the Neighbourhood - Hurricane
The Enemy - We’ll Live and Die in These Towns - Had Enough
Pigeon Detectives - Wait For Me - Take Her Back
Dave Gahan - Hourglass - Deeper & Deeper
Hard-Fi - Once Upon a Time in the West - Can’t Get Along (Without You)
The Cribs - Men’s Needs Women’s Needs Whatever - Moving Pictures

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast (podcast link good for one week from broadcast date)

Share This

Well it was an interesting time on Monday night’s 3 Amigos on CKUT FM as we all indulged in a few pints of Guinness to celebrate my birthday and only arrived at the station 10 minutes before airtime.

That being said, we certainly had a great time, the tunes rocked and all was good. How it sounded to anybody listening is a whole other matter. Just the sound of Doug and Armitage singing “Happy Birthday” was enough to convince me that their talents certainly do not lie in making music!

If you are curious, this is what we played.

Song - Artist - Album

Me
Turn it On – Chop Suicide - Demo (Sex)
Getting You Off – Handsome Devil - Fully Automatic (Sex)
You’re a Drag When You’re High – Electric Satisfaction – Crash Kelly (Drugs)
Rock and Roll – Poets & Pornstars - Single (Rock and Roll!)

Armitage Shanks
Shadow Play - Joy Division - Best Of
The Get Go - New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom
Second Minute or Hour - Jack Penate - Matinée

Doug Ford
I Wanna Destroy You - Uncle Tupelo - 7 ”
Born to Lose - the Cynics - 7″
Way Out - Heavy Trash - Going Way Out
Give up - The Millions - Disrepectfully Yours

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast (link good for one week from date of broadcast)

Later.

Mark

Share This

OK, things have been going to hell in a hand basket with the Drastic Plastic playlists these last few weeks. I lost, then recovered, then lost again Armitage’s last playlist, Doug’s playlist got eaten by the dog apparently and I almost deleted this week’s playlist by accident…twice!

So before I hit the wrong button again, here is Armitage Shanks’ playlist for October 22, 2007. Notice the in-studio picture? Must have been taken by one of the bevy of scantily clad UK rock babes that hang out at the station during Armitage’s show. Lucky bastard…

Artist - Album - Song

The Streets - Radio 1 Established 1967 - Your Song
Foo Fighters - Radio 1 Established 1967 - Band on the Run
Babyshambles - Shotters Nation - Carry on Up the Morning
Hard-Fi - Once Upon A Time in the West - Can’t Get Along (Without You)
Jack Penate - Matinee - Second, Minute or Hour
The Pigeon Detectives - Wait for Me - I’m Not Sorry
Athlete - Beyond the Neighbourhood - Hurricane
The Enemy - We’ll Live and Die in These Towns - You’re Not Alone
The Cribs - Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever - Moving Pictures
Kate Nash - Made of Bricks - Mouthwash
The Twang - Love It When I Feel Like This - Two Lovers
Pet Shop Boys - Disco Four - Read My Mind

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast
(link good for one week from podcast)

Share This

The theme for this week’s show was based on a quote I saw on the MySpace page of the band Boone Heights which said “Why isn’t Rock n’ Roll a genre anymore?”

This is something I have complained about for years, the over-classification of rock and roll. Quite frankly I don’t care if you listen to Danish Goth Metal or California Power Pop Punk it is all rock and roll. The only concession I’ll give to ’60s nostalgia is the fact that whatever it was, whether it be the Stones, Doors or Frank Zappa it was all considered rock and roll. Let’s reclaim the term and use it before it fades into obsolescence.

On that note, the music I play on the show usually covers the gamut of rock and roll and this show was no exception. Whether it is the punk-inflected tunes of the late great The Joneses or the cock rock of Endeverafter, it’s all part of that great rock and roll stew. Hope you enjoyed it and if you missed it you can download it from the link below for one week.

Artist- Album - Song

1. Astronaut Academy - s/t - Mayday
2. The Joneses - Keeping Up With the Joneses - Tits and Champagne
3. Chop Suicide - Demo - Here to Stay
4. Rock ‘n Roll Stormtroopers - On Fire - Astrogirl
5. Dimestore Haloes - The Ghosts of Saturday Night - Hot Pink Stereo
6. The Soft Explosions- s/t - Funky Black Cat
7. Dum Dog Run - Unreleased- Get To The Chopper
8. Endeverafter - Kiss or Kill - Baby Baby Baby
9. Heavy Drapes - Unreleased - I Wanna Be Maladjusted
10. Swig - True Grit - Truck Drivin’ Jackass
11. The Tender Box - The Score - Place Called Home

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast

Share This

Just a quick heads up that Rock and Roll Report Radio is celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving tonight by playing some amazing rock and roll that should put the stuffing back in your turkey.

Head over to www.ckut.ca at 10:00 PM EST and settle in with a bit of Pumpkin Pie and that last beer in the fridge. What better way to relax that bloated, weary gut than to listen to some driving rock and roll at full volume? It’s certainly better than cranberry sauce!

Later.

Mark

Share This