Sat, 14 April 2007  A catalyst is substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being destroyed in the process, more colloquially it is something, a person, event, or anything that propels one to act. And there is no finer introduction to the podcast that is The Yank Sizzler than the twined notions of inspiration and the active instigator that remains undestroyed. Last month I wrote lyrically of the John Peel and how his program had rekindled my fascination in the outer fringe of music. This month I want everyone to hear the podcast that inspired me to make my own. After I had gotten my filthy mitts on the bygone radio programs of Peel's shows I still yearned to find more - such is the nature of musical greed. Once you turn over a rock that has a vein of gold underneath you search the land to find more rocks just like it. Thankfully the modern era has the Internet and my trolling for music turned up Mike's Yank Sizzler. This would have been around episode two or three, showing that even the powerful catalyzing force of the Yank Sizzler was only enough to provoke me to take action over the course of nearly a year. The Yank Sizzler is a popular show - I have no idea what the exact count is, but on episode four Mike admits an audience of 300 and now that the show has exceeded that number by twenty, I can only imagine the billions who tune in every day - foisting love and rolled up wads of twenties to the man who won our hearts. Meanwhile in reality, Mike's site is sparse of comments on the music he shares with us. While part of the curse of our wretched postmodern online culture is the effort we must expend to be heard, the fact that even a show of such great quality exists without a communal bedrock of commentary is unfortunate. Part of the idea behind showcasing other peoples podcasts is to expand the community and make the ties that bind us more and more meaningful by reinforcing the communication that happens between fans. In short I hope that everyone who reads this will strike up a comment or two and engage Mike in a dialogue - his show is worth it. The other part of the idea is expose myself as the fraud I am by giving credit where it is do. Mike's selections are fantastic, and while I kick myself every time he nabs a track before I can post it, I must admit that the mixtapes I've mailed my friends would missing half their tracks if it wasn't for the hot white infusion that the podcast has provided. Last thing - I tried my damndest to include a righteous swath of the excellent ecletic tracks that Mike chooses. Sadly though this was impossible due to both time and space constraints. I picked tracks that I myself felt were great, and invariably my bias has eaten out a part of the raw mix that the actual experience conveys. But for every German Breakcore I couldn't include I was able to smuggle in a small piece of my own personal heaven. That said let's begin the listening experience that is The Yank Sizzler: Mike's Mission Statement 1. The Make Up - Born on the Floor Episode 1 For some indistinct reason this rather rambling piece was sunk its' tinterhooks into me. Even after all the re-listens of Episode 1 this song stills seems full of an odd and restless passion that keeps it fresh each time. 2. Bobby Bare Jr. - Strange Bird Episode 2 3. Caribou - BeesI remember the first time I heard this I was floored by the fantastic push of oddity it exudes in its instrumentation. Peddling as fast as I could to get home and share it with Ana I was breathless as plugged in the iPod and let this song speak for me. Episode 3 4. Jacques Dutronc - "Responsible"Slow gracious builds and an open aural space as large an unspeakable Canadian province with a poor grasp of name recognition. Episode 4 5. Billy Mbowa & The AGS Boys - Jane WagneA song that disproved my girlfriends insistence that the French were worthless. THANKS MUSIC! Episode 5 6. Beta Band - Dry The RainOne of the greatest joys to be had from Mike's podcast is not in the music itself but of his intense connection with the world through the vehicle of music. In our irony shattered landscape any recognition of the visceral forces is an affirmation of life. Episode 6 Another swelling and lilting song? How can I explain this without having to make an excuse for my choice? Oh that's right it has the line in it: If there is something inside that you want to say 7. Woody Guthrie - I Ain't Got a Home In This World AnymoreSay it alright. It will be ok. I will be alright. Episode 7 8. The Black Eyes - DeformativeHave you ever watched the documentary by Scorsese about Bob Dylan and realize half way through that you want the camera to leave Bob and follow Woody? Well I have. Woody, in my opinion was saying something brutal and true - without ripping off Italian Renaissance poets and spouting gibberish. Episode 8 There is a certain stiffness that digs into my neck - a crink that crawls through my brow, and the firing of the anxious nerves of my adolescence still left bare under my armor of maturity, which this song so powerfully evokes. 9. Bearsuit - Steven Fucking Speilberg Episode 9 10. Tapes and Tapes - Sister SisterBearsuit is a national treasure, Mike helped me see the light on this. It is true, too true, in fact as they are not our national treasure. The only solution to this is kidnapping them and like nasty fairies leaving behind some knick knacks and fig newtons so no one notices their absence until it is too late. Episode 10 Somehow a perennial entry on several volumes of mixtapes. My explanation: rolling beats, fevered lyrics and varying levels of absurd braggadocio and absurd vulnerable exposition. 11. The Sonics - Strychnine Episode 11 12. Josh White - Takin' NamesSuch a fundamentally great track I am wondering how this got missed in all those damned rock & roll collections I heard growing up. Also a great showcase of Mike's dry humor. Episode 14 13. Love - Hey JoeA slow and spooky rouser full of that odd world view that is the hallmark of singer songwriters. Practically nihilistic. Episode 16 The passing of Arthur Lee was a sad day. Honestly though, what he left us was a gift few could match. He will be missed and remembered. 14. Gogol Bordello - Start Wearing Purple Episode 17 15. Cleveland Crochet - Drunkard's DreamMike, like most of us falls in love with the bands he plays and rejoices in sharing and talking about them. Gogol is definitely high on the list of the returning favorites who get into the rotation more than most. Not a bad thing at all. Me, I had to include this; he name checks Diogenes (one must wonder if it is the Diogenes of "The Cynic" fame or maybe another of the bunch). Episode 18 16. Kid Koala - cut from Side 1Mike, by including the snippet of Peel, falls into the sacred duty bunch of the preservers. Often a Creole track or two will show up in between the indies and the oldies. As always these are the finest representatives of the sound and ethic of the culture. A culture fast disappearing each new fan Mike turns on only helps the chances of its continuation. Episode 19 Kid Koala, damn you Mike for playing this before I could. On the other hand - the more the merrier. And a solid note to leave the show on. Kid Koala speaks with more passion and eloquence than anyone else who rocks the decks. Mike's Parting Words and Declaration Thanks goes to Mike for letting me take snippets and review his show. And of course for his show itself. Please Don't Podfade. Comments[0] |
