I tune in about 10 am NY time. Playing prog. Heaviness... Dread (think Kierkegaard,)... Angst. I was a philosophy major at Tulane... Sort of what I would expect from a Tulane student, who's typically upper middle class (or maybe upper class with Tulane being so expensive these days), and not that far from what I would think prog would be like these days after being away from it for so long. What I would expect to hear if I was walking around the campus hearing music leaking out of dorm rooms.
A nice industrial version of Jambalaya.
These DJs are amusing. (dada bob & the dj formerly known as james) Good production values (so far). Both are on-mic. (Later they talk with one off-mic.)
Talking Heads - Pull Me Up. (sounds like a record, not a CD, lots of surface noise. They don't have a CD of this?)
Cyril's on now. Says he's gonna play new wave, retro... but starts with Peter Gabriel - On The Air.
More dread. I wonder, not to read too much into this, if students are feeling bad about the economy , their outlook in general? I heard some last night who weren't, a bunch of girls. They were happy and peppy as only 20-somethings can and should be. I know we were, or at least I was not encouraged when I was there. The Viet Nam war was still going on until Gerry Ford said it was over in that speech in the basketball auditorium, the second time I'd been in there. Inflation was bad, unemployment high and it didn't get better for years.
And of course, there is still the mess that New Orleans is in post-Katrina. Glad to hear that Mardi Gras was so good for the economy there. It is a national disgrace that the city isn't in better shape. (I don't blame them. I blame W and crew.)
I could tell this Roxy Music cut (Avalon) was coming. Heard it a mile away in that premonition that one has occasionally with radio when you are familiar with the music the DJ is playing. If not the actual tunes, at least the style.
This isn't sounding very new wave. (Is this retro?) Life In A Northern Town?
Add to that list, depression. (I'll come running to tie your shoes - Brian Eno) Not that depression isn't warranted.
It's his birthday today.
All dachshunds are evil? They're wonderful dogs...
His show ends.
I'm betting that Maurice Roe is one of the guys I have a clip of from '72-'76. That distinctive black voice doing jazz... And the answer is?
Station ID is low level.
This music isn't sounding like the guy I thought it would be. OK. Southern rock.
Haven't heard this cut (this version of this song) in a long time... x (real Southern rock style intro) into Sweet Jane.
What's this Weather Report? Sort of jam band-based jazz. Familiar tune. Not John McLaughlin. Fusion was real big when I was there...
Ah, Jeff Beck - Freeway Jam.
Maurice is NOT the guy I was thinking of. I like that all these returning DJs have a WTUL staffer holding their hands, pushing the buttons if necessary.
Wow, his next cut is WAY louder than what came before it...
The computer freezes as he plays Love Is A Drug. I go through withdrawal. Back on he has a bunch of DJs with him.
The level between his voice and the music is a bit jarring, the music is much louder.
Some, as Bill Kelly would say, although he wouldn't play this stuff, real rock and roll.
He says he is one of those alumnus. (Should have said alumni, plural, "one of those" is plural.)
A nice industrial version of Jambalaya.
These DJs are amusing. (dada bob & the dj formerly known as james) Good production values (so far). Both are on-mic. (Later they talk with one off-mic.)
Talking Heads - Pull Me Up. (sounds like a record, not a CD, lots of surface noise. They don't have a CD of this?)
Cyril's on now. Says he's gonna play new wave, retro... but starts with Peter Gabriel - On The Air.
More dread. I wonder, not to read too much into this, if students are feeling bad about the economy , their outlook in general? I heard some last night who weren't, a bunch of girls. They were happy and peppy as only 20-somethings can and should be. I know we were, or at least I was not encouraged when I was there. The Viet Nam war was still going on until Gerry Ford said it was over in that speech in the basketball auditorium, the second time I'd been in there. Inflation was bad, unemployment high and it didn't get better for years.
And of course, there is still the mess that New Orleans is in post-Katrina. Glad to hear that Mardi Gras was so good for the economy there. It is a national disgrace that the city isn't in better shape. (I don't blame them. I blame W and crew.)
I could tell this Roxy Music cut (Avalon) was coming. Heard it a mile away in that premonition that one has occasionally with radio when you are familiar with the music the DJ is playing. If not the actual tunes, at least the style.
This isn't sounding very new wave. (Is this retro?) Life In A Northern Town?
Add to that list, depression. (I'll come running to tie your shoes - Brian Eno) Not that depression isn't warranted.
It's his birthday today.
All dachshunds are evil? They're wonderful dogs...
His show ends.
I'm betting that Maurice Roe is one of the guys I have a clip of from '72-'76. That distinctive black voice doing jazz... And the answer is?
Station ID is low level.
This music isn't sounding like the guy I thought it would be. OK. Southern rock.
Haven't heard this cut (this version of this song) in a long time... x (real Southern rock style intro) into Sweet Jane.
What's this Weather Report? Sort of jam band-based jazz. Familiar tune. Not John McLaughlin. Fusion was real big when I was there...
Ah, Jeff Beck - Freeway Jam.
Maurice is NOT the guy I was thinking of. I like that all these returning DJs have a WTUL staffer holding their hands, pushing the buttons if necessary.
Wow, his next cut is WAY louder than what came before it...
The computer freezes as he plays Love Is A Drug. I go through withdrawal. Back on he has a bunch of DJs with him.
The level between his voice and the music is a bit jarring, the music is much louder.
Some, as Bill Kelly would say, although he wouldn't play this stuff, real rock and roll.
He says he is one of those alumnus. (Should have said alumni, plural, "one of those" is plural.)
Plays Pink Floyd from when he was there? I thought he was on in the early '90s. This (Flying from Meddle) came out in '71. Love those football songs sung en masse.
Nice woman softly singing. Nouvelle something.
Roman Pizza seems to be sponsoring alot, getting commercials like they do on PBS.
Dixie Dregs!! The hair stands up in the back of my neck as this plays! I have this album but haven't heard it in years. Too bad they were a flash in the pan.
Un hunh. The Allman Brothers - One Way Out from the Fillmore concert (Eat A Peach album) Second time that album's been played in the past two days.
Nice woman softly singing. Nouvelle something.
Roman Pizza seems to be sponsoring alot, getting commercials like they do on PBS.
Dixie Dregs!! The hair stands up in the back of my neck as this plays! I have this album but haven't heard it in years. Too bad they were a flash in the pan.
Un hunh. The Allman Brothers - One Way Out from the Fillmore concert (Eat A Peach album) Second time that album's been played in the past two days.
He says he was there from 75 to 80 so I may have heard him. I don't remember the voice but maybe the name.
He plays Genesis from Selling England By The Pound, not sure which cut but it's fairly awful, and I like Genesis. (Did he like that album? It was abit before his time.) It wasn't cued up so we get several seconds of silence at the beginning. Don't they cue records? That's pretty basic.
Who is this tremelo (vibrato?)-voiced singer? Sounds like Plume but in English. (PFM)
(I miss FMU-style live playlists.)
Joke about Alan Smason being on in the 50s!
Not a good cue of the Springsteen record. I first heard Springsteen at Tulane. Prof Andy Antippas raved about how good he was. I was mildly impressed until I heard his songs being played ALL the time. Got sick of him fast. (I see Prof Antippas is on the mailing list Jay sent me. Hi.)
Rosalita, one tired song. What next?
Vaguely familiar David Bowie track.
Yes - Starship Trooper. I played a LOT of Yes when I was there. I remember getting Tales of Topographic Oceans and it got warped soon after so it wasn't very playable. I gave it to my next door neighbor Steve on St Charles, who was in high school.
Happy Talk.
Next show (John G) isn't my "cup of tea."
(still listening, casually)...Hah, it was the Flying Lizards! I was thinking it sounded like that girl. (talks to someone off-mic)
I stop listening about 4 pm NY time. I then listen to what I recorded last night which should be DJ Davis.
Bimbo sounds like it would have been fun to listen to her more. She sounds nice, and funny.
She plays Hey Pocky Way as her last song. Thinks Karen is on next.
Station ID, gets month wrong. (WTUL's seedy release party? I know, CD.)
Hmm. If she is the DJ, what was the deal with DJ Davis? Karen will tell me.
I delete the recording. Now, I'll wait until the party begins at 5 NO time, 6 NY time.
I tune back at 6 pm NY time. Day Tripper by Jimi Hendrix with the Beatles? is playing.
Smason is on now? (Oops, I misread the schedule.) Then he plays Street Fighting Man by the Stones ("The world's greatest rock and roll band" , he says). I don't recognize the voice but his playing the hits doesn't surprise me. Too bad I missed the party but more should continue with Shep. I expect I will recognize Shep's adenoidal voice...
The alumni free for all.
Birthday (The Beatles) cover by? Not so expertly played. (Underground Sunshine, ick)
unknown R&B. I'm glad they just play the music and don't make a big deal about introducing the DJ. "I want love and affection at the house of correction."
more... I wonder if "the Hound" is doing radio down there. I know the Circle Bar has a good jukebox...
Lotsa cuts. Good. It's all about the music.
Dixie Chicken played too fast. Oops.
Woman comes on, Robin. I hear partying in the background.
Cool. I see they use the http://radioactivity.fm/ way to keep track of what has played. Not as good looking as FMU's but a step in the right direction.
Jaime Brockett - Legend of the U.S.S. Titanic! Haven't heard this since I was there, probably. A true classic.
(I keep turning the level down on the cassette deck which means TUL keeps raising it...)
They air the "Shit." Good. I certainly won't complain.
(The levels are still going up...)
Psychedelic Freakout, Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll
(Now the level is too low..., averaging -10.)
Nice cue of record or has it run out and no one knows it? How many seconds of silence do we have? Going on 30 now. I'd say a minute and then the DJ comes on in mid-sentence, oblivious.
Hi Shep! I remember you. Sounds like he's been drinking... or is he really old? Woman DJ hurries him up. (Reminds me of Pseu Braun.) Let's go, she says.
The Roses of Picardy - June Tabor. Haven't heard her do this stuff.
Talking Heads - Air.
(I bring level up. Will it stay there?)
I imagine myself there and wanting to run over to the Rat for a bite to eat or a drink but coming right back to TUL to hear the music.
This sounds fairly hellish, barking dogs and loud guitars. Nice. Then they start singing.
I'm guessing each DJ is putting on what they want one after another, one tune each.
The Firesign Theater! very low level...
Another song played at the wrong speed and does anyone care/notice? Late, yes.
Hear DJs under the music.. DJ comes on and her level is higher than the music. (Just like WWOZ)
Fela track that follows is low level, She barges in overmodulating.... Sigh. I'm guessing there is a 10db difference between the DJ and the music.
A live Screamin' Jay Hawkins album? Nice and a nice recording.
... more silence. Then... (low level, 8-10 db lower) Celebration. A vaguely familiar song, prog style. gets turned down suddenly.
Shep's back. He blesses the Queen. His level is a little high. 8pm NY time. Maybe he has some medical condition. He gets shuffled off by the woman, Juanita. She's a dead ringer for Pseu Braun.
Level for music better but still lower than DJs.
I'm surprised people aren't cuing better than they are.
I love this song, Sufficiently Breathless - Captain Beyond. Thank you.
I turn the volume down in anticipation of something jarring but it gets followed by some quiet efx and then, boom, King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man, a little lower level than the previous cut... and could be a record. Can't tell if it's a CD or not. I would think the CD would sound better. It does sound clean though. Probably a CD. Not much bass in it. Nice war between the speakers... though a little shrill. I used to love this and have it cranked up now.
The next cut comes on, a reggae/bass and drum/dub groove, then horns, organ, gtr. Level is good, maybe a little high. (I adjust again.)
Get up offa That Thing - James Brown. This should be a hit in nursing homes...
Karen's on the air now.
Bonzo Dog Band - The Intro and the Outro. The first album in TUL's collection. Interesting. It came out first in 1967. I guess they had to start somewhere with keeping stuff. A good symbolic album to have as #1!
Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath. Karen talks over it. That's a sin, don't you know? (Talking over ANY record you're going to air rather than use as a bed.)
Allman Bros again. Karen comes on.
Karen comes on again , then Shep who is low level. 37 years on TUL, Bravo!
She intros The Punk Show and it comes on with a professional intro. Then it plays again... Oh well. The second time Jay plays a cut.
God Save The Queen - I guess The Sex Pistols
I'm not gonna know most of these. This next one sounds pretty produced for a punk tune... Not as hard core as what I'd hear on FMU any day of the week, not that I am fan of this stuff. Much more happy and peppy than what I was expecting.
I'll listen at low level and wait to hear Jay come on. I think I'll recognize his voice. I wonder if it has changed since I last talked to him. Gotten deeper? I mean he must be as old as I am... My voice has certainly changed since then.
He's on. I don't recognize him. I sort of do. He used to have a deeper voice, didn't he? A good (commercial) radio voice.
I was gonna say, the reason I didn't go into radio was that while I LOVED music and radio, my diction was embarrassing to me. I slurred words too often and spoke too fast sometimes. Now, that doesn't stop many DJs (at TUL and OZ and other college or community radio stations...) but it stopped me from wanting to put myself forward to doing radio. I did try the CT School of Broadcasting and pretty much hated it. They were only concerned with commercial radio and not interested in creativity which was my ONLY interest in radio. I would not be happy at a commercial station. Anyway, I hear DJs with poor diction and if they have no other redeeming characteristics. they are unlistenable. That combined with poor production values, makes a station unlistenable. Alas TUL and OZ fall into that category too often while they do have some DJs who do a good job.
Jay is starting to sound familiar.
... Turning Japanese. This was a big hit on WLIR.
Funny KISS story.
Surfin' Bird - The Trashmen. A true classic.
9:02? My computer has 10:01 (NY time), so I guess they aren't using computer time. (FMU doesn't either.)
I like this 2 Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please! - Splodgenessabounds. No, make that love it.
Blank Generation - Richard Hell and the Voidoids, familiar.
Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand. Playing all the hits. (Another LIR hit)
AG Parr.... I've been in touch with him... He was in The Dukes? His father was a Duke of Dixeland?!
I remember the name, the Normals.The crowd applauds as he ends his show. He's well-loved.
Hey, Bob Dunn. Add dates to the History of WTUL page. You mention being there in 1971 but when did WTUL first go on the air? When did it go FM? Thanks.
Conner, the electronic gloved wonder comes on. He/someone does a station ID but it is hard to hear. Then the tune he plays has no right channel for awhile. The tune sounds vaguely familiar.
I stop listening and dub off the underlined cuts above.
