Aimee & Me & XTC

 

 

For most of the time our shop was in business, we had nice relationships with a number of record labels, including the owners of the excellent indie label Razor & Tie. Both attorneys originally, they named the label after the two things they hated most about being lawyers- shaving and wearing a suit. With these relationships came the occasional perks, like concert tickets, TV tapings, merch and advance copies of releases.

Another label was TVT who scored a coup by signing XTC in 1999. I would chat with TVT's rep Ben almost everyday about upcoming releases, and when he mentioned "Apple Venus," I just about plotzed. A year later, when the label was about to release "Wasp Star," I was told Andy and Colin would be in their offices for a few hours. I begged Ben to come visit, but was told neither wanted to have a meet and greet, but that he would get them to sign a CD. He made good on that promise.

But back in 1993, I was not only given tickets to see Aimee Mann, courtesy of Razor & Tie, at the long lamented Bottom Line in Greenwich Village, but was also gifted a reserved table, something truly rare at the club for anyone who wasn't someone. For this small tour, Aimee's guitar player was Dave Gregory of XTC, so that night, I wore my "Drums & Wires" t-shirt.

We arrived just a few minutes before show time, not having to worry about finding a good seat thanks to Razor & Tie's table, and seconds after sitting down, a gentleman behind me said, "I knew it!" 

"Knew what?," I asked. 

"An XTC reunion tonight! Come on. You know it, right? You're wearing the shirt."

I didn't know anything, I assured him. I told him I wore the shirt because of Dave Gregory, something fans of both Aimee and Dave knew was happening.

"Then why are you sitting next to Andy?"

I was confused, until I turned my head and saw that I was indeed sitting next to Andy Partridge.

Aimee Mann was great, and so was Dave Gregory's guitar playing. It's now encore time and Andy is no longer sitting next to me. Is this really going to happen?

"This is a song by one of Dave's bands, The Dukes Of Stratosphear." 

The band began playing "Collideascope" and right before the first chorus, Andy Partridge enters stage left with a tambourine and sings harmony in the shadows about five feet away from Dave's microphone.

And that was the almost XTC reunion of 1993.

I get more excited now thinking about being there than I was actually being there. 

 

Songs Of The Week, 2026: 8/8-8/14

 

The Beat Goes On- The Harvey Averne Dozen
The More That I'm Around You- Jules Shear 
Sweet Sweet Heart- The Vibrators
Rainmaker- Harry Nilsson
Everything- Adrian Belew
Say Anything- Aimee Mann
Just Another Honky- Faces

It's HERE when you want it.

Enjoy. 

"Kick Out The Jams, Burning Woodsters!" THE WEEKEND MIXES PARTS 1 & 2

 

 

"And you may ask yourself, Am I right, am I wrong?
And you may say to yourself, My God, what have I done?" 

 

There is no Day Five. I am overwhelmed. This really blew up!

If you were saving your big selection for Day Five, I'm sorry. But, how's this? You've got all weekend and next week to keep submitting. There will be more volumes.

Some numbers:

Approximately 325-350 songs submitted so far, give or take.

Approximately 75 were new to me, give or take.

Not one Bruce song. Interesting.

Various Anonymouses submitted the same songs 3, 4 and 5 times, as if voting for the Major League Baseball All-Star game.

Many more Anonymous commenters this week than any other time in BW history. Me thinks they were trying to skirt around the rule of one per day. 

As for the mixes, guess what? 

THEY ROCK! 

I created five (so far) mixes from all of the submissions. With the exception of 16 songs chosen by me, the rest, about 85 are all you. I did my best to sequence each mix, focusing on transition, as well as pacing. I am happy with what I've put together, and I hope you will feel the same. Sequencing is important, damn it!

There were some truly fantastic songs left on the cutting room floor that I just didn't feel had the right vibe. I mean "Sing Sing Sing" rocks, but...not here. So if one of your songs is missing, I apologize. 

"It's not personal Sonny, it's strictly business." 

I had something in mind and I followed that original feeling. I guess we all have a definition of what "rocks," but I wasn't about to ask all of you individually, so these mixes represent my definition of songs that "rock" based of course, on what you submitted. These are your choices!

FYI- I desperately wanted to include Motorhead's "Ace Of Spades" and Judas Priest's "Steeler," as both have been rocking my world for over 40 years and both fit with my idea, but you've expressed your feelings for those bands in the past so, you're welcome. Neither made the cut. See? I am thinking of you.

Thanks for playing. 

Now turn it up and enjoy the first two Weekend Mixes.

There's more where these came from!

Burning Woodsters Rock! 

 

KOTJ Part 1

Kick Out The Jams- MC5
Good Times- The Easybeats
Rip This Joint- The Rolling Stones
Tough Lover- Etta James
Pay Bo Diddley- The Bluebloods
I Need To Know- Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Roll Over Beethoven (Live In Stockholm)- The Beatles 
Gas Girl- The Bottlerockets
She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On)- Masters of Reality
She's Just Killing Me- ZZ Top
Darling It Hurts- Paul Kelly & The Messengers
Waiting For The Thunder- Blackberry Smoke
Bastards Of Young- The Replacements
Girls- Iggy Pop
Castanets- Alejandro Escovedo
All Be Gone- Buffalo Tom
Maggie's Farm- Linda Gayle
Mercury Blues- David Lindley
Stagger Lee- The McCoys
Been A Fix- Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds

IT'S HERE

 

KOTJ Part 2

Get Down With It- Little Richard
Pipeline- Johnny Thunders
Baby Don't You Do It- The Who
Get Out Of Denver- Bob Seger
Exit- The Black Crowes
Hold Her Tight- The Osmonds
Viking- Los Lobos
Standing In The Rain- The James Gang
Call Me- The Hounds
So You Want To Be A Rock N Roll Star- Patti Smith 
Shaggy Dog- The Neanderthals
Leave My Kitten Alone- The Beatles
Christabelle- The Sorrows
Liquor Fit- Sheek The Shayk & His Royal Camels
Stay Away From Downtown- Redd Kross
Rocks- Primal Scream
Open My Eyes- Nazz
Silver Naked Ladies- Paul Westerberg

IT'S HERE 

"LET'S ROCK!": Audience Participation Week, Day Four

My entry for Day Four...

 

 

 

 

"LET'S ROCK!": Audience Participation Week, Day Three

 

 

My entry for Day Three...

 

 

"LET'S ROCK!": Audience Participation Week, Day Two

My entry for today--

 

 

"LET'S ROCK!": Audience Participation Week, Day One

 

Has it been a long time since you rocked and rolled? Has it been a long time since you did the stroll?   

Back in 2011, all of you helped create a couple of Weekend Mixes by offering up one song along with the reason for choosing that song. Those "Group Hug" mixes went over quite well, and that gave me another idea. 

This time, it's less work.

For the next five days, if you're up for it, leave a comment with the name of a song that you think rocks. Keep in mind, I want the songs to actually "rock" in the rock and roll sense, so avoid choosing anything mid-tempo or heaven forbid, even slower. I think The Walker Brothers' "rock" but they ain't rock and roll.

ONE RULE: 
One song a day! That's it. Don't sneak in two or three or I won't publish it.

If you play all week, you'll have contributed five songs. All will be compiled and sequenced for future mixes.

Also, you don't need to explain your choice if it's easier just to leave the song title and artist.  But you are welcome to say a few words, if you're feeling it.

The songs do not need to be your Top 5 rock and roll songs. Let's keep it loose and maybe we can create a few excellent playlists.

Here's my first entry: