Today's Five O'Clock Rock

Seventeen years ago tomorrow, I was at Stevie Ray Vaughan's second-to-last show.

The van ride up to Alpine Valley was cramped. We sat way back on the lawn, relying on the video monitor to see anything at all. Wedged between Robert Cray, Jeff Healey and Eric Clapton, the Stevie Ray set wasn't nearly long enough. The drive back that same night was a long one. I think I wound up sleeping away most of Stevie Ray's last day on earth, just to recover from the trip.

But I would pay twenty times what I paid for that show to see it again. At these rates, you understand, all I ask for is a slightly more comfortable ride. Seventeen extra years aren't kind to the knees or ass.

Intro
Scuttle Buttin' / Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Couldn't Stand The Weather / SRV & DT
Change It / SRV & DT
Mary Had a Little Lamb / SRV & DT
These Blues Is Killing Me / A.C. Reed
Soulful Dress / Marcia Ball
Cold Shot / SRV & DT
Look At Little Sister / SRV & DT
Double Whammy / Lonnie Mack
C.O.D. / Angela Strehli & Stevie Ray Vaughn
Long Way From Home / The Vaughan Brothers
Pipeline / Stevie Ray Vaughan and Dick Dale
God Knows / Bob Dylan
Life By The Drop / Stevie Ray Vaughan
Lenny / SRV & DT
Life Without You / SRV & DT

This Friday's Mix: Couldn't Stand the Weather

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

Because what's driving in the summertime without hot vinyl?

Intro
Summer's Cauldron / XTC
Grass / XTC
Every Kinda People / Robert Palmer
Harlem / Bill Withers
Take Me Girl (I'm Ready) / Jr. Walker and the Allstars
Hot Fun in the Summertime / Sly and the Family Stone
Please Don't Make Me Cry / UB40
Summer of Our Love / Bar-Kays
Summertime / Big Brother & the Holding Company
Thank You / Led Zeppelin
Deep Blue Sea / John Mayall
Under the Boardwalk / Sam & Dave
Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White / Roy Clark
The Look of Love / Julius Wechter and the Baja Marimba Band
Tomorrow / Joe Walsh
Be Here Now / George Harrison

This Friday's Mix: Summerly Too

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

Can’t think of joke no brain work mmmm summer.

Intro
Ponta De Lança Africano (Umbabaraúma) / Jorge Ben
Spark Plug / Stereolab
Chinese Checkers / Booker T. & The MG's
Un Homme Et Une Femme / Francis Lai
Scenic World / Beirut
Too Strong / The Sea And Cake
La Iguana / Los Lobos
Canterurias / Cecilia Barraza
Midnight at the Oasis / Maria Muldaur
Day Dreamin' / Aretha Franklin
Castles Made Of Sand / Jimi Hendrix Experience
At The River / Groove Armada
Simple X / Andrew Bird
Southern Nights / Allen Toussaint
Ené alantchi alnorem (I Can't Live Without You) / Mulatu Astatke
If We Never Meet Again This Side of Heaven / Leon Redbone

This Friday's Mix: Summerly

Worst-written Headline of the Day

"Bjorn Borg bitten during dogfight, withdraws from exhibition"

Disappointingly, one reads on to find out that the Wimbledon champ was (a) not in a dogfight, and therefore (b) was not taking part in a dogfighting exhibition.

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

What’s that rumbling? It’s like there’s-— AAAAH!

Intro
The Bug / Dire Straits
The Full Bug / Van Halen
Badass Bug / The Cramps
Cicada Rock / Southern Culture on the Skids
Earwigs In My Brain / The Meteors
Love Bug / Marcy Playground
Spider's Web / Mission of Burma
Centipede / Veruca Salt
Two Bugs And A Roach / Earl Hooker
Ole! Tarantula / Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3
Bug Scuffle / Swift Jewel Cowboys
Spider in the Snow / The Dismemberment Plan
The Moth / Aimee Mann
Insect Eyes / Devendra Banhart
Wedding Of The Bugs / Robbie Fulks
Ugh! It's a Bug! / Jim Post

This Friday's Mix: Bugs

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

Remember to always Bee Kind.

1. Intro
2. Quest for Fire / Iron Maiden
3. Lost In America / Alice Cooper
4. Six Pack / Black Flag
5. Colors / Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes
6. Strange Brew / Cream
7. Fame / David Bowie
8. Breathless / Robin Trower
9. Tightrope / Stevie Ray Vaughan
10. Running On Empty / Jackson Browne
11. Firestarter / .38 Special
12. Back to School / Ace Frehley
13. No Way Out / Electric Light Orchestra
14. Blue Thunder / Galaxie 500
15. Funny Farm / King Kong
16. All Of Me / King Pleasure
17. All the Right Moves / David Hasselhoff

This Friday's Mix: Yellowed VHS Cases

Today's Five O'Clock Rock*

Okay. So the Pistons beat the Bulls. But does Detroit have great music like--? Oh.

1. Intro
2. Down On The Street / The Stooges
3. High School / MC5
4. Meet the Creeper / Destroy All Monsters
5. Mesmerizer / The Come Ons
6. Hey Sailor / Detroit Cobras
7. C'mon C'mon / The Von Bondies
8. Eat This City / Thunderbirds Are Now!
9. Dance Commander / Electric Six
10. Dangerous / Sonic's Rendezvous Band
11. Livin' for the City / The Dirtbombs
12. Ten O'Clock / ? & The Mysterians
13. Mama Don't Allow No Parkin' / Brownsville Station
14. Hey Baby / Ted Nugent
15. Aimless Lady / Grand Funk Railroad
16. I'm Bound to Pack it Up / The White Stripes
17. Life In the D / Brendan Benson

This Friday's Mix: D-fense!
* Yes, it's late. Yes, it's partly repurposed from the pre-podcast era. Thanks for asking!

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

This one goes out to friends here from Amsterdam last week, and those who couldn't make the trip. Keep your fiets dry and your biertjes cold.

Intro
Lower the Boom / Ugly Duckling
Boom! Shake the Room / DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Boom Music / Quasimoto
Boom Bip / Zion I & Goapele
54321...Boom / Public Enemy
Boom Shak A-tack / Born Jamericans
Boom Boom Carnival / Aswad
Heart Go Boom / Apollo Four Forty
Bang-A-Lang-A-Boom-Er-Rang-Man / Jona Lewie
Boom Boom / John Lee Hooker
Boom Boom, Out Go the Lights / The Levon Helm Band
Get Out Of Here With Your Boom-Boom / Bobby Rush
Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom) / The Staple Singers
Boom-A-Rang / The Dynamic Soul Machine
Sophisticated Boom Boom / The Shangri-Las
Tchin Boom Da Ra / Frank Yankovic and His Yanks

This Friday's Mix: Baby Made a Boom

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

If you’d been wondering where the rock has been lately, the answer is three letters long.

1. Intro
2. Call It What You Want / Tesla
3. Takin' Care Of Business / Winnebago Deal
4. Takin' Care Of Business / Charlie Musselwhite
5. Jesus Just Left Chicago / ZZ Top
6. Take Care of Business / Nina Simone
7. T.C.B. / Diana Ross, The Supremes & The Temptations
8. Back in My Arms / Robert Palmer
9. Work To Do / The Isley Brothers
10. Funky Nassau, Pt. 1 / The Beginning Of The End
11. T.C.B. or T.Y.A. / Bobby Patterson
12. Slippery When Wet / The Commodores
13. I'm Livin' Right / Fats Domino
14. I Can Take Care Of Business / Syl Johnson
15. Dr. Feelgood / Aretha Franklin
16. Step Right Up / Tom Waits
17. The Mighty Stephen Hawking / M.C. Hawking

This Friday's Mix: TCB

Today's Five O'Clock Rock Why, yes, my refrigerator IS running. Why do you ask?

1. Intro
2. Chain of Fools / Paul Revere & The Raiders
3. You're Fooling You / The Dramatics
4. A Fool in Love / The Levon Helm Band
5. Ship of Fools / World Party & Anthony Thistlethwaite
6. Like A Fool / Superchunk
7. When I Was A Fool / Concrete Blonde
8. King of Fools / Social Distortion
9. Fool Too Long / Rockpile
10. Fools Gold / Rachel Sweet
11. Genitalia Of A Fool / Glenn Tilbrook
12. Everybody Plays the Fool / The Main Ingredient
13. Only A Fool Would Say That / Ivy
14. Sentimental Fool / Lloyd Cole
15. Who Will the Next Fool Be / Charlie Rich
16. A Fool For You / Ray Charles
17. Fool's Paradise / Sam Cooke

This Friday's Mix: Fool Frontal

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

It's everything they say. It also has its good points.

1. Intro
2. Come To California / Matthew Sweet
3. I'm from L.A. / Go Betty Go
4. Walking in L.A. / Missing Persons
5. Macarthur Park / The Negro Problem
6. L.A. / Elliott Smith
7. Hollywood / World Party
8. California Love / 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman
9. I Left My Wallet in El Segundo / A Tribe Called Quest
10. Mr. Davies / Tahiti 80
11. Do Re Mi / Woody Guthrie
12. How Much Is It Worth To Live In L.A. / Waylon Jennings
13. Sin City / Flying Burrito Brothers
14. California / Jay Farrar
15. Blue Jay Way / The Beatles
16. Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd. / Ryan Adams
17. Midnight at Pink's / Hal Blaine

This Friday's Mix: Going Back to Cali

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

It may backfire, but will nevertheless aspire.

1. Intro
2. Ire / The Strawberry Smell
3. Sultans Of Swing / Dire Straits
4. The Daze / Backyard Tire Fire
5. Serpentine Fire / Earth, Wind & Fire
6. Desire / En Vogue
7. Vampire / Black Uhuru
8. Yellow Sapphire / Smoke & Mirrors
9. The Queen of Ur and the King of Um / Wire
10. Play With Fire / The Rolling Stones
11. Spitfire / The Spinanes
12. Hotwire / The Flesh Eaters
13. Misfire / Neko Case & Her Boyfriends
14. Backfire / Aimee Mann
15. Haywire / The Jayhawks
16. Concrete and Barbed Wire / Lucinda Williams
17. Goodnight Irene / Bryan Ferry

This Friday's Mix: Ire Land

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

The *ide* have it.

1. Intro
2. When My Baby's Beside Me / Big Star
3. Free Ride / The Edgar Winter Group
4. Step Aside / Sleater-Kinney
5. I Am Decided / The Amps
6. A Good Idea / Sugar
7. Gravity Rides Everything / Modest Mouse
8. Mega Bottle Ride / Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
9. Lakeside Park / Rush
10. Midnight Rider / Gregg Allman
11. (Wish I Could) Hideaway / Creedence Clearwater Revival
12. Daisy Rides Again / Sugarman Three
13. Hide Nor Hair / Ray Charles
14. The Tide Is High / The Paragons
15. Provider / N*E*R*D
16. Upside Down / The Daktaris
17. Razorblade Alcohol Slide / DJ QBert

This Friday's Mix: The Ides of March

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

More CDs from the depths of the trunk. Fewer apologies.

Except maybe for "Jump Around."

1. Intro
2. Tristessa / Smashing Pumpkins
3. Take Me Away / Ween
4. Ski Bunny / Boss Hog
5. Route / Son Volt
6. Interstate Love Song / Stone Temple Pilots
7. Buena / Morphine
8. What's Good / Lou Reed
9. Bottle Of Smoke / The Pogues
10. Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See / Busta Rhymes
11. Staying Alive / Wyclef Jean
12. Supernatural Thing (Part 1) / Ben E. King
13. Kung Fu / Curtis Mayfield
14. That's O.K. / Little Charlie & The Nightcats
15. One Mint Julep / Charlie Musselwhite
16. Why Do I Lie? / Luscious Jackson
17. Jump Around / House Of Pain

This Friday's Mix: Trunk Show

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.

Allergy warning: may contain Spin Doctors.

This Friday's Mix: My Secret Shame

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

"Please" is only the magic word if you already have what you want.

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

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

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

This will only hurt for 57 minutes.

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

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.

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

Today's Five O'Clock Rock

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

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