The Ledge #550: 1978

This week’s continuation of last week’s new release episode features, once again, no drop off in quality. There’s plenty of great new music from both relatively new artists and longtime veterans. I mean, who could have guessed that we’d still have vital tunes from two of America’s first punk bands, T.S.O.L. and Nervous Eaters? Let alone the return of The Bevis Frond, the latest from super-prolific songwriter Daniel Romano, and a plethora of Australian bands? Oh, and by the way, I’m looking for some suggestions for next week’s show. Earlier this week, I pulled out my collecton of ten-inch vinyl EP’s, and I’d like to do a broadcast based on those generally forgotten records. But I don’t have enough of these types of releases to fill a whole show, so please let me know some of your favorites of this format! For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

Once again, the monthly new release show has to be expanded into a two-part extravaganza. 2023 is seriously shaping up to be a wonderful year for new music, as evidence not only by tonight’s show but all of our new release broadcasts so far this year. As always, we have some tracks by “friends” of the show (Rob Moss, Dave Strong, Robbie Quine, Friends of Cesar Romero and others), some longtime faves (The Hillbilly Moon Explosion, Laura Jane Grace, Keith Richards, etc.) and quite a few relative newcomers (Shadow Show, Mala Vista, Faz Waltz, and so much more). But this episode also includes a couple of tunes by a record that could quite possibly end up being my favorite record of the year, the self-titled debut album by The Sleeveens on Dirtnap Records. This is the dirty garage/punk record I’ve been crdaving for quite some time, and I hope you folks all love it as much as I do.  And once again I have a late entry to the “Teenage Kicks” cover series, thanks to a fellow DJ who sent me a version set to be released in April by Canadian Music Hall of Famer Lee Aaron. The Undertones tune […]

As I’ve said before, I have a folder on one of my laptops that I keep around just to acccumulate cover tunes for episodes like this one. Once that folder is full, it’s time to broadcast! This version of that theme includes sets devoted to primarily new versions of songs by The Clash, The Undertones, The Rolling Stones, and MC5. There’s also one-offs of tracks by a wide variety of punk, pop, garage and power pop classics, including a rather surprising remake of a tune by the world’s most popular pop star!  For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

Anti-love songs is a rock and roll specialty. From the very beginning of the genre, writers with a poison pen have created a plethora of material that is not exactly Hallmark card material. Tonight’s show celebrates tracks of this time, highlighted by a number of more recent tracks of that sort. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for oldies, as there are garage rockers from the 60s, power pop from the 70s, and some good ol’ alternative rockers from the 80s. And, of course, it’s also an opportunity for an extended set from the greatest self-loathing rockers, The Replacements. I mean, come on, you can’t have a show of this sort without “Valentine”. For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

This may be the second part of this month’s new release series, but there is no letdown in quality. Once again, there’s an intriguing mix of styles, ages, and even home locations. There are brand new acclaimed artists such as Liquid Mike and Sprints. There’s the returns of veterans such as Paul Collins Beat, J. Robbins, and Sham 69. There’s also the usual trademark of quality from our friends at Slovenly Records and Rum Bar Records. Most intriguing to me, is the story behind “Get the Experience” by The Ex-Bombers. Band members Keri Cousins and S.M. Nancy Walus are “rasslin'” fans, just as I am. Many of their late night drives after gigs have found them listening to legendary wrestling manager Jim Cornette’s podcast, Jim Cornette Experience. Hearing that he was looking for a new theme song, the band quickly put together “Get the Experience”, and just this week they were informed that the song is now the official theme song of the show! Thanks to the band for not only sending me a copy of the song to air, but including a little interview segment telling the story. And once again, even thought the “52 Weeks of Teenage Kicks” […]

Once again the music gods have bestowed so much great new tracks that the monthly new release show must be expanded into two episodes. That is a great sign for 2024, and especially so because not only is there quality and quantity, but there’s a great mix of classic artists and brand new acts. There’s 18 year old Owen Adamcik’s plan for a new EP every month this year. There are Ledge “friends” such as Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin’s monthly single and a new tune by local legends Thought Patrol. There’s the return of veterans The Smoggers and Rubber City Rebels. Plus surprisingly great new tracks by the liks of J. Mascis, Green Day, and Superchunk. And to kick things off is a late submission for last year’s “52 weeks of Teenage Kicks” series. Two weeks ago Thee Volatiles, “thee best punk rock band in all of Montclair NJ!” sent me their version, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! In fact, I will always accept new covers of the tune. So if you were considering it last year, please go ahead and do it and I’ll guarantee to open my next show with it! For setlists and other info, […]

The “odds and ends” series is an opportunity for me to mix all kinds of material. This week’s version mixes a bunch of new releases with a ton of material I’ve been playing around the house in recent weeks. There’s also a tribute to Mary Weiss, the leader of The Shangri-Las who passed away a few days ago. Otherwise, there’s classics by The Clash, X, The Birthday Party, and The Long Ryders, along with a new discovery of The Deviants, a great old band that for whatever reason I had never checked out. As for that little sound sample at the beginning of the show, I must thank my buddy Kevin for alerting me to a show called The Listener. I just can’t help but include oddly-placed discussions on The Replacements.  For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

1979 was an important year for rock and roll, but it was a bigger year for my musical journey. This was the year that the real obsession with buying records began. I had a job. I had a car. And I had put together a pretty awesome sound system in my bedroom. This was the first year I was buying new music AS it was coming out. I was no longer saving up for a record I read about in Creem Magazine. I was at the record store each and every week. In fact, this was the year I first started working at a record store, and you know I spent more money on music than I actually made at the store. So tonight’s celebration of the UK sounds of that year is truly a trip back in time. With a handful of exceptions, this was indeed a good portion of my playlist back then. London Calling. A Different Kind of Tension. Setting Sons. Cool For Cats. Labour of Lust. The list goes on and on of music I forced friends to endure whether they liked them or not. For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

Two weeks ago, I counted down my 40 favorite records of 2023. This week’s broadcast is a showcase for 35 other records that just barely missed the cut. There’s no letdown of quality, though, as each and every one of these picks could have easily made my main list. But combining the two shows, you now have my official list of the 75 best albums of the year. Think of these shows as a master shopping list, as I’m sure that any fan of punk, indie, power pop, and garage rock can find a record or five worth owning from tonight’s show. For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

It may be a new year, but there’s no change to the first episode of each and every month. Once again, I present to you over two hours of brand new music. Ok, there are a handful of tracks that actually came out a few months ago, but these are new discoveries for me. So in my convoluted set of self-created rules, they’re still new releases to me.  But as always, this show features a great mix of punk, garage, indie rock, and power pop. There’s music from all over the world, and both brand new and veteran acts. Anybody with a hunger for new music should be able to find their own highlights. For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com