Friday, February 23, 2007


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


If we're going to keep hanging out, there's something I need to tell you. I have a bit of a CD past.

A couple of weeks into ripping my CD collection, I have come up with a core sample from the very bottom of the trunk. They’re among the first I ever owned, in what could be called The BMG Years. The scuffed jewel cases are only vaguely transparent. Broken hinges outnumber the intact. Grease-pencil initials let you know just who’d come looking for this particular copy of “Cosmic Thing.”

Over the years, if I had to double-row CD cases on a bookshelf, these would go on the deep side. Yet I’ve never gotten rid of them. And when I began to spot-check them, I was not only still able to sing along, it was hard avoiding it.

Simultaneously embarrassing and reassuring, they still pull at me. Either they weren’t that bad to begin with or, at a minimum, they have held their dubious ground.

So here you go: me and what moved me, somewhere between 1989 and 1991, give or take. This indecent tracksposure is taken to its natural end: no song list. You'll have to invest the time for the right to mock. But you might not need it. Much.
Five O'Clock Rock: My Secret Shame

Allergy warning: may contain Spin Doctors.

This Friday's Mix: My Secret Shame

Friday, February 16, 2007


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


"Please" is only the magic word if you already have what you want.
Five O'Clock Rock: Gimme

1. Intro
2. Gimme My Mule / The Commodores
3. Gimme Some (Good Soul Music) / The Dramatics
4. Give Me Some Skin / James Brown
5. Gimme What You Got / Keb' Mo'
6. Give Me the Night / Randy Crawford
7. Gimme Shelter / Merry Clayton
8. Give It to Me Baby / Rick James
9. Gimme One of Those / The Brand New Heavies
10. Gimme One More Chance / Cracker
11. Gimme Danger / The Stooges
12. Gimme Gimme / Mumps
13. Give It to Me Two Times / Anders Osborne
14. Give Me an Inch / Robert Palmer
15. Give Me a Kiss / Van Morrison
16. Give Me Strength / Eric Clapton
17. Give Me Another Chance / Big Star
This Friday's Mix: Gimme

Friday, February 09, 2007


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


Oh, man. They all look so cool, jumping off that bridge...

Intro
Working for the Weekend / Loverboy
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 / Bob Dylan
Hungry Heart / Bruce Springsteen
Heartache Tonight / Eagles
I've Got A Feeling / The Beatles
Everybody Loves Me / The 88
Everybody Wants You / Billy Squier
Everybody Wants Some / Van Halen
Truth Hits Everybody / The Police
Everybody Knows / Leonard Cohen
Everyone's Gone to the Movies / Steely Dan
Everybody Wants To Rule The World / Tears For Fears
Everybody's My Friend / Kansas
Everybody Needs Love / Robyn Hitchcock
Everybody's Talking / Bobby Bare
Everybody to the Limit / Strong Bad
This Friday's Mix: Everybody Everybody

Friday, February 02, 2007


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


This will only hurt for 57 minutes.

DoctorDoctor
Intro
Somebody Get Me a Doctor / Van Halen
Calling Dr. Love / Kiss
Gimme Stitches / Foo Fighters
Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine / The White Stripes
National Health / The Kinks
Hospital Bed / Ben Kweller
Doctor, Doctor / The Who
Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out / The Replacements
Sick and Tired / Alex Chilton
Doctor Boogie / The Flamin' Groovies
Night Nurse / Gregory Isaacs
Anna Stesia / Prince
Emergency / Kool & The Gang
Mr. Ambulance Driver / The Flaming Lips
Call The Doctor / Spacemen 3
Dear Doctor / The Rolling Stones
This Friday's Mix: Doctor Doctor

Friday, January 19, 2007


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


I'm not just being contrary. Well, maybe a little. Mostly, I just couldn't wait until Mardi Gras.

All Saints Day
Intro
Cabbage Alley / The Meters
Hot Tamale Baby / Buckwheat Zydeco
Mess Around / Professor Longhair
Check Your Bucket / Eddie Bo
Here Come the Girls / Ernie K-Doe
She's Taking My Part / Irma Thomas
I've Been So Lonely / Cookie & The Cupcakes
Walking To New Orleans / Fats Domino
Going Back To New Orleans / Joe Liggins & The Honeydrippers
Louisiana / Percy Mayfield
Basin Street Blues / Henry Butler
My Darlin' New Orleans / Lil’ Queenie & The Percolators
Ignant Stick / Mem Shannon
Something's Wrong With This Picture / Galactic
Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further / Lee Dorsey
On Your Way Down / Allen Toussaint
This Friday's iMix: All Saints Day

Friday, January 12, 2007


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


Pulling out all the stops to pull out all the stops.

Second Favorite Organ
Intro
Chest Fever / The Band
Hold Your Head Up / Argent
Magic Carpet Ride / Steppenwolf
Outa-Space / Billy Preston
Sabrosa / The Beastie Boys
Spanish Moon / Little Feat
The Only One I Know / The Charlatans UK
Clubland / Elvis Costello & The Attractions
No Atmosphere / A Band Of Bees
Chips Ahoy! / The Hold Steady
Hope You're Feeling Better / Santana
Time Is Tight / Booker T. & The MG's
I Me Mine / The Beatles
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood / Joe Cocker
Don't Give Up on Me / Solomon Burke
Frank's Wild Years / Tom Waits
This Friday's Mix: Second Favorite Organ

Friday, January 05, 2007


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


My New Year's resolution really ought to be about cutting back on last year's playlists.

Here's -- ahem -- another new-to-podcast mix, as a sign of solidarity with Rollie Fingers...

Mustache Day
Intro
Look at This Face (Oh My God They're Gorgeous) / Handsome Boy Modeling School
Roller Derby Queen / Jim Croce
Disco Lady / Johnnie Taylor
Disco Boy / Frank Zappa
Stuck on You / Lionel Richie
Reconsider Me / Narvel Felts
Up From The Skies / Jimi Hendrix Experience
I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) / Hall & Oates
Just One More Day / Otis Redding
Stay Clean / Motorhead
Cowboy Movie / David Crosby
Sold American / Kinky Friedman
Te Na Na (Mama's Got a Baby Named) / Leon Redbone
Atlantic City (My Old Friend) / Robert Goulet
Jeopardy! / Various Artists
Lydia The Tattooed Lady / Groucho Marx
This Friday's Mix: Mustache Day

Friday, December 29, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


Time got away again. However, enjoy another “classic” Five O’Clock Rock for the first time.

As you think over resolutions for what you should do, consider what it is that you really want to do.

Intro
I Wanna Rock / Twisted Sister
I Wanna Be Sedated / The Ramones
I Wanna Know About You / The International Noise Conspiracy
I Wanna Be / Fu Manchu
I Wanna Be Your Dog / Stereophonics
I Wanna Make It Wit Chu / Desert Sessions
I Wanna Make It Alright / Paul Weller
I Wanna Be Your Pants / Huffamoose
I Wanna Be Your Lover / Prince
I Wanna Dance With You / Nathaniel Mayer
I Wanna Be Like You / Pizzicato Five
I Wanna Get High / Cypress Hill
I Wanna Be Committed / Sweet
I Wanna Drive You Home / ZZ Top
I Wanna Live / Nashville West
I Wanna Roo You / Goldie Hawn
This Friday's Mix: Merely Wanna

Friday, December 15, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


Too busy this week. Instead, enjoy this appropriate “classic” Five O’Clock Rock.

OMG IM SFT
Intro
"Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night," The Hold Steady
"Sleepwalk Capsules," At the Drive-In
"Sleepy Vampire," Supersuckers
"Fear of Sleep," the Strokes
"You Can't Walk in Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)," the Go-Go's
"Sleepless," Rick Derringer
"Sleepless Night," the Kinks
"I Don't Sleep, I Dream", R.E.M.
"I Can't Go to Sleep," Wu-Tang Clan
"Tired Out," Buck 65
"Sleepwalkin'," Tom Verlaine
"Sleepless," Soul Coughing
"I'm So Tired," the Beatles
"Tired Eyes," Neil Young
"Sleepy California," Her Space Holiday
"Enter Sandman," Pat Boone
This Friday's Mix: OMG IM SFT

Friday, December 08, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


Bringing the A game.

Time-A-Rock
Int-A-Ro
Ting-A-Ling / Shabba Ranks
Rock-A-Bye / Black Buddafly
Freak-A-Zoid / Midnight Star
Freak-A-Ristic / Atlantic Starr
Peek-A-Boo / Gwen Guthrie
Christmas-A-Come / Eek-A-Mouse
Spank-A-Lee / Herbie Hancock
Chick-A-Boom / Joe Bataan
Jock-A-Mo / Sugar Boy Crawford
Shing-A-Ling / Arthur Conley
Am-A-Do / Bob Marley
Look-A-Here / The Ramsey Lewis Trio
Rhythm-A-Ning / Thelonious Monk
Peek-A-Boo / Siouxsie and The Banshees
Vis-à-vis / Étienne Daho
Sound-A-Sleep / Blondie
This Friday's iMix: Time-A-Rock

Friday, December 01, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


Steer into the skid.
Five O'Clock Rock: No Two Alike
1. Intro
2. The Blizzard / Charley Pride
3. Snowflake / Jim Reeves
4. Snowflake / Girls Are Short
5. The Blizzard of '96 / The Walkmen
6. Snowflakes / Carmen Rizzo
7. Snowflakes / Just Jack
8. Blizzard of '77 / Nada Surf
9. Whiteout / Boss Hog
10. Blizzard of '78 / Ida
11. Snowflakes / Pizzicato Five
12. Snowflakes / Grant Lee Phillips
13. Snowflakes / Doug Hoekstra
14. Blizzard / Ellis Paul
15. The Blizzard / Cowboy Nation
16. Snow Days / Trip Shakespeare
17. Snow Blizzard
This Friday's Mix: No Two Alike

Monday, November 27, 2006


It's That Jazz Singer. Or Is It Saddam Hussein's Son?


Anita O'Day, jazz singer and perennial 37-Down answer, dies.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


Have a nice tryptophan.


1. Intro
2. Fly By Night / Rush
3. Airport Motels / Crystal Skulls
4. The Airport Song / The Byrds
5. Last Train / Allen Toussaint
6. Airport Feelings / Kinky
7. Slow Bus A-Movin' / Fishbone
8. Waitin' for the Bus / ZZ Top
9. Everybody Loves A Train / Los Lobos
10. Railroad Days / Poco
11. Big Bird / Eddie Floyd
12. Rude Boy Train / Desmond Dekker
13. Train In Vain (Stand By Me) / The Clash
14. Waitress in the Sky / The Replacements
15. Magic Bus / The Who
16. The Travel Jam / Brand Nubian
17. Downbound Train / Chuck Berry
This Friday's Mix: Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Friday, November 17, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


Now that the pressure's off, House Republicans can really let their freak flags fly.

1. Intro / Five O'Clock Rock
2. Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) / The Hombres
3. East Bound and Down / Jerry Reed
4. After Midnight / Maggie Bell
5. Brick House / The Commodores
6. Doowutchyalike / Digital Underground
7. Let It All Hang Out / A.D.O.R.
8. Let It All Hang Out / Richard "Dimples" Fields
9. Let It All Hang Out / Timmy Norman and The O'Jahs
10. Man-Size / PJ Harvey
11. Rock And Roll (Part 1) / Gary Glitter
12. Beating Around the Bush / AC/DC
13. Sweet F.A. / Sweet
14. Fat Bottomed Girls / Queen
15. Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile) / Dexy's Midnight Runners
16. Children of the Revolution / Arto Lindsay & Marc Ribot
17. Let It All Hang Out / David Lee Roth
This Friday's Mix: Let It All Hang Out

Friday, November 10, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


It took this long to actually include Whitesnake? What was I thinking...?

1. Intro
2. Tequila Sundae / Urge Overkill
3. Combination / Aerosmith
4. Black Betty / Ram Jam
5. Calm Like A Bomb / Rage Against The Machine
6. Hey / Fu Manchu
7. Tomorrow And A Loaded Gun / Throttlerod
8. Death Is The Answer / Early Man
9. Still Of The Night / Whitesnake
10. Cities On Flame With Rock and Roll / Blue Oyster Cult
11. Sour Flower / Elliott Randall
12. Are You Ready / Thin Lizzy
13. That's a Drag / Spencer Dickinson & Jon Spencer
14. Fancy / Yeah Yeah Yeahs
15. Subcutaneous Phat / Desert Sessions
# 16. The Platform on the Ocean / Arthur Russell
17. Massive Cure / Smoosh
This Friday's Mix: A Bit Fuzzy

Friday, November 03, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


I sure don't feel a "little bit wiser."
1. Intro
2. Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old) / Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
3. When I Write The Book / Rockpile
4. Walk Like a Man / Grand Funk Railroad
5. Man in the Wilderness / Styx
6. Bang / Blur
7. This Year / The Mountain Goats
8. I Wish / Stevie Wonder
9. (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back / Peter Tosh
10. Dirty Life & Times / Warren Zevon
11. Rock N' Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life) / Mac Davis
12. Once Upon A Time / Smashing Pumpkins
13. My Life Is Right /Big Star
14. Life's A Gas / T.Rex
15. Cynical Days / XTC
16. My Life / David Banner feat. Sky & Carl Thomas
17. It Was a Very Good Year / William Shatner
This Friday's Mix: Another Year

Friday, October 27, 2006


Today's Five O'Clock Rock


I think I pulled something.
1. Intro
2. The Race Is On Again / Yo La Tengo
3. Keep On Running / UK Subs
4. The Sweat Descends / Les Savy Fav
5. Marathon Not a Sprint / Camera Obscura
6. The Loneliness Of A Middle Distance Runner / Belle and Sebastian
7. Slow And Steady Wins The Race / Pedro The Lion
8. The Race / Archer Prewitt
9. Running With Your Eyes Closed / Mojave 3
10. Run and Run / The Psychedelic Furs
11. Run for Me / Richard Hawley
12. Even Marathon Runners Need to Nap / Troubled Hubble
13. You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son / Wolf Parade
14. We've Got to Keep Running / Chin Up Chin Up
15. I Ran / A Flock Of Seagulls
16. The Finish Line / Snow Patrol
17. First To Finish, Last To Start / Ted Leo + Pharmacists
This Friday's Mix: Too Skinny for Football

Monday, October 23, 2006


Today's Journalistic Exercise


Question:
Find the factual error in this title: "Apple's iPod turns five."

Answer:
Since when has an iPod ever seen its fifth birthday?

I had one that hit a ripe old eighteen months, and I couldn't delete Willard Scott's voicemails fast enough.

Today's FOCR: "Die Young," Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell

Sunday, October 22, 2006


Customer for Life... Statistically Speaking




That guy changed the HELL out of my oil.

Today's FOCR: "Feelin' Satisfied," Boston, Don't Look Back

Friday, July 14, 2006


T PITIES; “TA,” JEWELS


Mr. T is giving up his gold, out of respect for Katrina’s victims.
“As a spiritual man, I felt it would be a sin against my God for me to wear all that gold again...”



[...]

The former star of “The A-Team” said he’s about more than his rough-and-tough image.

“Yes, I am qualified to beat people up. But I am pretty intelligent,” he said. “That’s what throws people off. If you’ve been through something, that gives you an authority that you can speak on certain things. That’s why people relate to me. I pull no punches.”
Due to the aforementioned qualifications, mind you.

Me, I’m still on my learner’s permit.

Today's FOCR: "Fat Gold Chain," Schoolly D, Best of Schoolly D

[Non-iTunes]