40 (Now with some liner notes!)

Date:
March 30,
2009

Miracler:
Ben Tinker

Location:
San Francisco

As you know, everyone is equal in Miracleland
But as such societies go, some people still tend to float to the top of the equalness.

Today’s Miracler
If we had an A list at the 3MPMP (of course we don’t, but let’s say for a moment that we did), top performer Benjamin E. Tinker, he of the “7MPM” and “Just Put Your Lips Together and Blow” compilations as well as a frequent commenter of others’ mixes, might well be on it. Unfortunately, today’s originally scheduled Miracler couldn’t be here (picnic, lightning), and since today IS after all the 40th anniversary of the day Ben Tinker joined Earth, it seemed only right that he be invited to create for us an extra, special, extra-special mix.

Today’s Mix
Is chock full of an ongoing theme—see it if you can guess it! 48 hits here, folks—everything from a chippy Nico to a trippy Tim Buckley to King Missile explaining “The Miracle of Childbirth” in a way my health teacher never did. (Note to Kelly's dad: if you're downloading this mix, might want to skip over Track 30. Seriously.)

Happy Birthday Ben and Happy Miracle Monday to all!
XOK Mix is here.

Some liner notes from our Miracler (due to the whopping size of this contribution, we've got thoughts for tracks 1-13 here. But that should give you a good glimpse into our Miracler's mind)....

"Our Hostess sent out an email early last Saturday morn, early, like crazy person early, like, "one who wakes up with the birds" crazy person, I know, I am.  She was in a pinch, the familiar failure of flakes had created speed humps in the 180 mile an hour major expressway that is 3mpmp. Since I was an awake crazy person, I was first to respond... "You got me for the 30th, tis my 40th bday that day, so plenty of themes to explore... uh, such as... ANXIETY?!?" Well what I came up with instead is a survey of big, hits high tide and green grass, stuff that I've been REALLY DIGGING as of late; early Alice Cooper, Peter Hammill, etc. Stuff that I always regretting not sharing with you; The Moles, Flying Lizards, etc. Stuff that came up in iTunes under Birthday & (yipes) Birth!  And last but not least I could not resist "Irish rocker Bono Vox" and Co., sorry in advance, but it had to be done, y'know? As you read this, i will be enjoying a day off in my recently freelanced state, healing a mild hangover from a brief stint @ Alembic after a Goodard flic @ Red Vic & before seeing one of my fave local bands @ The Hemlock, glad you could join, now, a day @ Kabuki will be thee topper, that, and this mix. Happy "40"! whoever you are!"

Notes from Ben:

01 - Delia Derbyshire - Happy Birthday - How else to start this episode of thee proj other than do thee ol'iTunes search in my existing library (does this shout out get my recently laid off ass a job @ Apple now, yoohoo!). The search gave me Delia's version, one that has graced many a bday mix for friends & family, good 'nuff for em, great fer me. Delia was probably best known for creating the Dr. Who theme, she worked in a time before samplers and accessible/controllable synths, she built everything from little pieces of tape. *Sigh*, she was dreamy nerd, see for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDX_CS3NsTk

02 - Peter Hammill - Birthday Special - 'nother one found with that iTunes search thang, but one I had in mind to put on after this past Sat.'s call to arms from our hostess, Twinkee. Actually, this is one of three tracks not only from thee same artiste but from thee same LP (ok CD!) Nadir's Big Chance. Peter Hammill was/is the singer of thee odd briish band Van Der Graff Generator, and though I've tried time and again to trully dig VDGG, it's always been a bit off fer me. But I got this CD after some respected friends called it the best album ever made, and I have to agree, it's a trumendus album, and some consider it to be one of the first rallying cries of Punk, Johnny Rotton actually liked it! This is not THEE best song on the album, but it has Birthday innit, though I cant really make out what the hell it's 'bout, but it doth ROCK.

03 - The Moles - Flex - These guys have a bunch o songs on this mix, nothing to do with being 40 or birthdays etc (though one should "flex thyself" as one gets older), I just thought it was high time I turn on my fellow miriclers to thee genius of The Moles, so I included 7 songs by 'em!!!! of there songs to this here mix! From New Zealand late 80's early 90's, 2 brothers named Davies (hmmmm), bro's Dave & Richard went on to have a band called The Cardinals & then Richard went on to have a solo projects, some quite good... more moles comming right up!

04 - Mo-dettes - White Mice - Well, since Sam dug thee LiLPUT so much on my lash mix, figured I'd give him, you & me some more of what we all luv, new wave chix. Drew, I still want to buy yer Mo-dettes lp! Drew?....

05 - Nico - I'm Not Sayin' - Post-La Dolce Vita, Pre-Velvets, singin' Gordon Lightfoot's lyrs while Pre-Led Zep Pagey plays acoustic guit, what could be cooler then alla that? This?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgdZFnZ6M0k

06 - Alice Cooper - Living - An album that is as old as I. AC's foist, "Pretties For You". Supposedly they had been toolin' round with touring Syd-Era Floyd prior, it shows, not necessarily on this particular song, but arguably on others on the album. This track has more of a classic Detroit/L.A. late sixties overdrive pop feel, like that of Max Frost and the Troopers' "The Shape Of Things To Come", me thinks...

07 - Chris & Cosey - October Love Song - Two members from Throbbing Gristle attempt an full frontal assault on the 1982 pop charts. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMLQ4FRsepg

08 - Genesis - I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) - "I'm so bored I could listen to Genesis." - Rick of The Young Ones.

09 - The Moles - Accidental Saint - More Moles ist goot Moles.

10 - The Flying Lizards - TV - One of three by this mixture of experemental/improv/avant grade musicians, singer Vivian Goldman, noted journalist & adjunct professor of punk and reggae at NYU  wrote the other two featured in this mix. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et04r436ykk

11 - Michael Nesmith - Calico Girlfriend - All of the three First National Band records Nesmith produced 1970-71 have the late, great Orville "Red" Rhodes on pedal steel... he's all over "The Ventures in Space"... i love pedal steel...

12 - Piero Piccioni - Pearls - From Piccioni's amazing Camille 2000 soundtrack, one of the most consistently good soundtracks fer listening pleasures, IMHO. The movie is quite a pleasure too, in it's own way.

13 - 6 Feet Under - What Would You Do - 1960's teens from New Jersey, layin' down some hard gospel.