Radio Free Hipster Ep. 52: Just Drunk Enough

It's simple podcast math: The more individuals involved in a podcast, the longer it is. Further, the more you drink, the more you talk. These truths are invariable.

Thusly, this podcast is long as shit.

I'm serious.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 52: Just Drunk Enough [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 55.2 MB Running Time: 1:20:31

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
I hear Beefy was totally sloshed when he recorded these vocals. Maybe.

Track 1: Space Ghost Coast to Coast dialog / Mary Prankster – "The Bottle's Talking Now"
Matt picked out this most fitting intro track.

1st drunken interlude: "A fake holiday season of my own imaging."
In honor of Drunken Podcasting Month, Matt joined me via Skype and Church contributed via chat. They simply couldn't stand the thought of me drinking alone!

Track 2: Southside – "Vibrate"
Church mentioned that this song should be played before the feature presentation at movie theaters. I concur.

Track 3: Optimus Rhymes – "Obey the Moderator (Remix)"
You can check out the OR video footage I mentioned here.

Track 4: Strange Brew dialog / The Sprites – "Modern Gameplay"
Complaining about new school controller design isn't exactly unusual, but The Sprites sound good doing it.

Track 5: Strange Brew dialog (cont.) / Hayseed Dixie – "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
I picked this one out. Surprising, no?

Track 6: The Mudbloods – "I Wish You'd Be My Witch"
It's hard not to love The Mudbloods. This song is the reason why.

2nd drunken interlude: "Will you drink to that?"
Of course they will. These boys will drink to anything!

Track 7: Jonathan Coulton – "I Feel Fantastic"
Didn't Matt do a great job introducing this song? Seriously. If I paid him he'd totally get a raise for that.

Track 8: Beefy – "Minimum Wage Slave"
Beefy no longer works two shitty minimum wage jobs, but he's still down for the common man.

Track 9: Doug Stanhope – "He's Just Drunk" / Computerization – "Collars"
Wait, are we implying that it's oaky to get drunk at work?

Track 10: Fountains of Wayne – "Bright Future in Sales"
Yes, I believe we are.

Track 11: Dual Core – "Unplug"
Nobody sings the programmers blues quite like int eighty.

3rd drunken interlude: "There were a lot of work songs in that set, wasn't there?"
Can you tell we're getting sloppy here?

Track 12: Eddie Murphy – "Drinking Fathers" / PC Speaker – "Scheduled Rhymes"
According to PC, nerds have the best drugs.

Track 13: Severely Snaped – "Petrified"
It's like a Black Sabbath cover band fronted by Severus Snape. Don't gimme that look; you're just pissed 'cause you didn't think of it first.

Track 14: No Kill I – "Tranya"
A repeat from episode 20.

Track 15: Eddie Murphy – "Drinking Fathers (cont.)" / myf – "Homebrew"
I am amazed at the number of people who don't know how to pronounce myf's name. It rhymes with "stiff."

Track 16: Catchlove – "Legacy of the Fallen Wizard"
Let it be known: there is no "the."

Final drunken interlude: "Y'all are now my official unofficial co-hosts."
They are. For realsies.

Track 17: nYgel – "1to3for" / Space Ghost Coast to Coast dialog
Feist + YTCracker? You wouldn't think it would work, but it does!

And there you have it, folks: my first official Drunken Podcasting Month podcast. I'd like to make this a yearly celebration, but only time will tell whether or not the concept strikes a chord with the general populace.

I'm hoping to get in another drunkcast before month's end, although my vacation plans may complicate matters. Still, if you want to hear more of my friends and me swearing, making gross generalizations, and otherwise babbling incoherently, just let me know.

We'll be glad to oblige.

Either way, thanks to Church and Matt for pitching in. Gentlemen, it was a pleasure!

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 51: End of Summer Clearance Sale

Where has the summer gone?

And consequently, when, exactly, will autumn arrive in earnest?

Don't get me wrong; it's cooling down here in the south, but the specter of sweltering days and clammy nights still skulks about our humble hills. It simply waits for us to become comfortable. So that it might catch us unaware.

This late August edition of RFH is similar. It waits for you to settle into a groove, and then it catches you with your guard down. BOOM crazy pop remix. BAM emo-prog-geek-rock. BLAMMO acoustic cover song.

But still, I hope you find this auditory pummeling to your liking.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 51: End of Summer Clearance Sale [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 42.5 MB Running Time: 46:25

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
This song is like a cool drink on a hot afternoon.

Track 1: DJ Mashup – "Franchize Boys at Large"
Did you lean with it? Did you subsequently rock with it? No, I didn’t think so.

Z’s 1st interlude: "My end of summer spectacular."
Because, honestly, I reckon we all need more spectacular things in our lives.

Track 2: Beefy – "Olly Olly Oxen Free"
There’s a really simple charm to this track that I can’t help but dig. Word is, it’s actually got some age on it.

Track 3: Katy Perry – "Hot N Cold (feat. The Former Fat Boys) "
FFB do a lot of these bootleg rap remixes, and I’m actually a big fan of ‘em.

Track 4: Chef - "Simultaneous"
I, for one, was a lot more distressed over the loss of Isaac Hayes than the passing of Bernie Mac.

Track 5: Brad Sucks – "Fake It"
It looks like the fan video project for this track is complete, but Brad still wants more submissions.

Track 6: id obelus – "Unlucky"
This song really gets me excited about id’s new album.

Track 7: Kris Straub – "Paint the Line '88"
"Look into the dragon’s heart / Razor in the stingray spine / Ate a whole party sub / Paint the line."

Track 8: MC Router – "Greetings in Braille"
Apparently Router caught wind that I had misplaced my copy of "Unwired," so she sent me her entire discography, including this little gem.

Z's 2nd interlude: "They gave their lives for ping pong. They gave their lives for America!"
Honestly, I love when continuity makes its way into Penny Arcade. The results are always inspiring.

Track 9: Phoenix Jukebox – "We Goin' Down"
I tend to get a fair amount of hey-listen-to-this emails, and I'm glad I do. Otherwise I might miss cool shit like this.

Track 10: The Grammar Club – "Code Monkey"
If I'm not mistaken, this was the Club's last track with Glenn Case. It's a real beauty.

Track 11: Coheed and Cambria – "Blood Red Summer"
I know I'm gonna take a lot of shit from Coheed fans, but I really find a lot of their music rather pretentious. But hey, I ain't judging you. Different strokes for different folks, as they say. And besides, I find this to be a delightful little pop number.

Track 12: The Four Eyes – "Holiday Road"
Another delightful cover from our friends The Four Eyes! Don't it make you wanna head off on a road trip?

Track 13: Optimus Rhyme – "My Piroshky (reprise) (Remix)"
A moment of silence, if you please.

Z's final interlude: "The world is a dimmer place without Optimus."
And I mean it.

Track 14: YTCracker – "Summer Girls"
Having finally met YTCracker, I finally understand what folks like Beefy have been saying about him: amazingly nice guy.

With any luck I'll be recording my first ever Drunken Podcasting Month 'cast over the weekend. And, with a little more luck, I won't be doing it alone.

I've invited Matt and Church to sit in with me, and hopefully they'll both be able to play. Because, y'know, drinking alone ain't nearly as fun as doing it with friends.

In the meantime, thanks for checking out ep. 51. I hope you found a little something to help keep your spirits up as the days get shorter.

Drunken Podcasting Month

I love faux holidays. (Fauxlidays, if you will.)

They are the Styrofoam packing material of the modern calendar. Meaning, of course, that they help to protect and insulate the all-too infrequent real holidays that liven up an otherwise drab year.

Moreover, I've always wanted to start my own. Not for personal glory or untold wealth, but for sheer shits and giggles.

The question was what. Followed immediately by when.

And then, while listening to a moderately belligerent MisterB on the pair of Nerdapalooza special editions of the Letters vs. Numbers podcast, I was struck with a revelation:

Alcohol and podcasting go hand in hand!

It's an outright truth, an undeniable fact. Most podcasters - myself included - tend to drink on the mic. And there's nothing wrong with that; it limbers the vocal cords and sharpens the wit.

But what if we had a season specifically dedicated to podcasting under the influence? What if we had an officially designated month for drunkcasting?

And so, it is with great pleasure that I invite my friends and fellow 'casters to join me this September in celebration of the inaugural Drunken Podcasting Month.

Your task is simple. Record a podcast at least once during those 30 days. Drunk.

If you want to get a little tipsy, that's cool. If you want to get totally shit-faced, that'll do as well. Your choice.

Hell, if you wanna record multiple drunk podcasts during the month-long celebration, that's fine too. It's your liver.

All you really need is an urge to podcast, a functional means to record and disseminate said podcast, some booze, and, of course, to be a legal drinker in your principality.

I'm sure this isn't gonna rival Talk Like a Pirate Day or anything, but it could provide some interesting entertainment options. It's my simple hope that a few of my friend's from the podasting community will join me in the alcohol-fueled revelry. And maybe a few podcasting backsliders will use this as an opportunity to return to the fold. (I'm looking at you, Beefy.)

So buy a bottle, find a friend, and fire up your microphones. Drunken Podcasting Month is coming. And it's totally gonna be a thing.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 50: The People and What They Want

You guys are the greatest!

I mean that. That's not meant to be pandering or sharply ironic; it's just intended to express my gratitude.

This podcast and this blog stay afloat because, for whatever reason, you folks keep coming back for more. And while I don't wholly understand what it is about my hillbilly ways that continually attracts your interest, I feel fortunate that something does.

Thanks for giving me something to do with my spare time, and for proving that even a lowly nerd can find likeminded individuals through the power of the internet.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 50: The People and What They Want [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 45.7 MB Running Time: 49:56

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
If this episode is all about special requests, consider this one mine.

Track 1: unknown – "Smurfs Theme (Techno Remix)"
This one is for funky49. He is, apparently, a Smurfs fan.

Z's 1st interlude: "Each song I play is a special request from a special listener."
Meaning, essentially, that you guys did my job for me this time around.

Track 2: 2 Skinnee J's – "Irresistible Force"
This one is for Alex. And also for ADeadHeart; she didn't ask for it specifically, but I know she digs it.

Track 3: Attackslug – "Earth Defense Force"
As requested by DON VITO, the glue that holds RhymeTorrents.org together.

Track 4: Superpowerless – "Swimming With Sharks"
MisterB requested some Superpowerless. I obliged. We cool like that.

Track 5: mc chris – "DQ Blizzard"
This one is my personal favorite classic mc chris track. It's going out to my brother Shael Riley in NYC, long-distance dedication style.

Track 6: Truckasaurus – "Supercopter"
Krys actually requested MC Router's "Unwired" or some Truckasaurus. For some strange reason, I couldn't locate my copy of the former.

Track 7: Dual Core – "Fantastic Four Remix (feat. Beefy, Wheelie Cyberman, and YTCracker)"
La Bete requested some "obscure Dual Core." That's sort of a tall order, so instead I gave him this great remix from the new Lost Reality album.

Z's 2nd interlude: "DJK, otherwise known as Ken Denmead."
You can hear more of Ken's work at his site.

Track 8: No Kill I – "Captain's Log"
For my pal Church; he's our obligatory Trekkie.

Track 9: The Hungarian Horntails – "The Cave"
I couldn't find the exact Horntails track that Snidget wanted, so I substituted this one.

Track 10: Ultraklystron – "Fashionable"
Antisocial says this is his favorite Ultraklystron track. I can see why.

Track 11: Chromelodeon – "Polygon Sun"
With the dissolution of Optimus Rhyme, I join Anthony in the My Favorite Band Broke up Club. We meet the first Tuesday of the month.

Track 12: IllGill – "Hatin'"
This one's for Thugmasta J of Magitek. It's always nice to see east coast artists give some love to those on the west.

Track 13: Marc with a C – "Classic Country Wasn't Multitracked"
mCRT is all up on Marc with a C's musical jock. As well he should be.

Z's final interlude: "Check out Radio Free Hipster's sister podcasts."
Just as there are a number of other blogs that I consider to be in a similar vein to my own Hipster, please!, so are there other podcasts that I consider tonic to the nerdy musical message of RFH. There's HipTrax, of course and Letters vs. Numbers, the Gamewave podcast, and new addition Vagina Deep in Podcast. There are countless others, but those are the ones that came immediately to mind.

Track 14: The Grammar Club – "Alternate Ending"
This was an anonymous request. I like that. it gives us that air of mystery we've been longing for!

And there you have it folks: 50 episodes of Radio Free Hipster. I know it's really just a drop in the bucket compared to bigger podcasts, but it's quite an achievement in my eyes.

Next episode will be a return to (free) form, but hopefully I'll have some nice surprises in September. There've been a number of requests for a dedicated chiptune/VGM podcast, which should be doable, and I'm also going to try and get Church and Matt to help me celebrate a new grassroots holiday I'm calling Drunken Podcasting Month.

If you're a podcaster and would like to participate it's a simple two step process:

1. Get drunk.
2. Record a podcast.

I reckon it might catch on.

Casey-frakkin’-Casem

It’s another lazy Sunday. The kind of day I usually reserve for cobbling together a playlist for the next Radio Free Hipster podcast. Only today I can’t. Because of my ceaseless dedication to the theme.

You see, I have this crazy idea to celebrate RFH’s 50th episode by doing an all request show. To that end I need requests. Your requests. You tell me what to play, and I play it. It’s truly that simple.

You wanna hear some more chiptunes? Fine. Another Krondor Krew joint? Excellent. Some WRock from Remus or some grock from JoCo? Hunky and dory respectively. You want some funny musical numbers from Steve Martin or some classic nerdery from Devo? I got you. Need me to play a mash-up or electro-clash bit from a previous episode? Aight. You wanna hear the theme from Voltron? Uh, okay, I reckon I can do that too.

You folks know the drill; if it’s musical and (even vaguely) geeky, I’ll gladly play it. All you gotta do is ask.

My one single rule is that you not request your own song. That’s just plain uncouth.

Just think of this as one of those cheesy Web 2.0 user-created paradigm shifts. Or, alternately, think of it as me being too lazy to put together my own damn song list. Either one works.

So, y’know, tell me what you wanna hear. Don’t make me beg.

And, uh, keep your feet on the ground, and keep drinking at the bars.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 49: The Sky, the Stars, the Planets

In keeping with this episode’s outer space theme, you will hear me gasp for air throughout my spoke interludes.

Yeah, that’s the ticket!

I apologize in advance for the quality of said interludes; I’ve got some sort of weird, recurrent chest cold, and I had to crank my input volume to compensate for a hoarse voice. The result is rather Vader-ish.

Which, again, seems oddly fitting.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 49: The Sky, the Stars, the Planets [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 46.7 MB Running Time: 51:02

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
In space, no one can hear your theme!

Track 1: funky49 – “Starblazer”
I have video of funk performing this cut from his new album live at Nerdapalooza. Whether I ever get off my ass and upload it or not, however, remains a mystery.

Z’s 1st interlude: “Space, flight, and the heavens.”
I sometimes feel as though I’m kind of predictable with my song choices, so I tried to mix shit up this time around.

Track 2: Reality the Musical soundtrack – “This is Reality”
Case in point: this song is both about a fabricated lunar television show and modern reality “stars.” I am so very clever.

Track 3: Kool Keith – “Lost in Space”
And with this track, the streak ends! I’m made it a point over some 49 episodes to never play the same song twice. Different mixes of the same track sure, but never the exact same cut. I mistakenly thought I included “Livin’ Astro” on RFH 3, but it looks like I played this one instead. Witness my downfall!

Track 4: Boneless Children Foundation – “Carl Sagan”
I’m really loving their whole Stars For Anyone release. Check it out.

Track 5: MC Lars – “Space Game”
Lars has been talking a lot about his next album lately. I can’t wait to hear it.

Track 6: Ookla the Mok – “Cowboy Secret Space Detective”
I’ve been a little stingy with the filk of late. Please accept this Ookla as restitution.

Track 7: Math the Band – “Order of the Planets from the Sun”
I can’t say enough good things about Math the Band. I have tried but failed. There are still so many nice things to be said!

Z’s 2nd interlude: “You will not be disappointed.”
The UEE still has a few stops left. If it’s coming anywhere near you, GO!

Track 8: The Four Eyes – “Champagne Supernova”
The Four Eyes’ Dave Ninja is expecting a new baby any day now. Preemptive congrats to Dave and Mrs. Ninja!

Track 9: Xoc – “Rubles from Heaven”
The Heartcode compilation is pretty damned amazing. If you have any interest at all in chiptunes, you owe it to yourself to give it a spin.

Track 10: Girl Talk – “Like This”
We needed some sort of mash-up in this podcast, and Girl Talk delivered.

Track 11: Videogame Orchestra – “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Theme”
VGO is probably my favorite chip/electronic outfit at present. I just can’t seem to get enough. Much like Depeche Mode.

Track 12: funky49 – “Mostly Harmless (feat. Ham-STAR)”
Another track from funky49 to help celebrate 49 episodes!

Z’s final interlude: “I don’t know what I’m planning, but I’ll try and make it special.”
This month’s 50th episode is sort of a milestone for me. Not only does it put me half-way to the coveted 100th ‘cast, but it also means I’ve been doing these things for more than two years!

Track 13: Spheres of Chaos – “Skyward”
I know the concept of original VGM sometimes confuses people, but Spheres or Chaos are a perfect example of what happens when one infuses new creations with the spirit of classic game music.

So let’s talk episode 50.

I like the idea of a listener-created show. The question is: do enough of you actually care to request tracks? An average ep. has between 13 and 16 songs, so here’s hoping there are that many of you out there.

I’ll make a specific song request post later, assuming some of you seem interested. The only caveat I can see myself attaching is asking that you not request your own stuff. Make your friends do that. ;)

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 48: The Early Bird

Confession time: there is no NNIB this week.

With all the preparation inherent in readying myself for Nerdapalooza, I just don’t have the time to do everything I’d like. Sadly, Nerd News In Brief was one of the things I had to cut out.

I know, you are crushed. That’s understandable.

If it's any consolation, I promise to really wow you with next week’s edition. I will bring the pain. Hardcore from the brain.

In the meantime, here’s something to help take the edge off. It’s a super-early episode of the Radio Free Hipster podcast.

Who loves ya, baby?

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 48: The Early Bird [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 47.2 MB Running Time: 51:34

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
The catchiest song ever? I think so!

Track 1: Married With Children dialog / EzLee – “Vain Mistake”
You can’t go wrong by mixing The Clash and MC Lyte.

Z’s 1st interlude: “Songs or parts of songs that are just so damn catchy they get stuck in your head.”
Like you guys don’t know what an earworm is or somethin’!

Track 2: Andrew WK – “McLaughlin Groove”
Thanks to Church for turning me on to this one.

Track 3: Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills – “Dumbledore Is Gay (And That’s OK)”
“He’s still the greatest freaking wizard of his day.”

Track 4: Gred and Forge – “A Little Less Incantation”
I sure hope y’all like this one, ‘cause I think it’s gonna be on the next episode of HipTrax as well!

Track 5: Jesse Dangerously – “So! Much! Fun! (Unh!)”
Expect both a review of Verba Volant and an interview with Jesse D himself sometime after I return from Orlando.

Track 6: YTCracker – “DugDig”
You may have heard this classic in G4’s latest commercials for X-Play.

Track 7: Married With Children dialog / Bill O’Reilly – “Bill O’Reilly Flips Out (Dance Remix)”
Who would’ve thought that a hate filled asshole could be susceptible to such profanity-laden outbursts?

Track 8: Harry and the Potters – “The Blood of a Prince”
The Brothers DeGeorge do hardcore, and do it well, I might add.

Track 9: Wordburglar – “Sayin’ Raps”
I am really excited about seeing Burg perform this weekend. The word “squee” comes to mind.

Track 10: Super Barrio Brothers – “System”
This was one of the tracks that was available for free from the SBB’s MySpace last month.

Z’s 2nd interlude: “The cousin of nerdcore producer and hip-hop aficionado DJ Snyder.”
Andrew WK is nerdy by association.

Track 11: Optimus Rhyme – “Reboot”
This podcast needs more Optimus. Its cowbell, however, is at an acceptable level.

Track 12: MC Frontalot – “Good Old Clyde”
That’s some old school Front right there!

Track 13: Alex Desert / Yo Gabba Gabba! – “Pick It Up”
We sing this one a lot in the Z. household.

Track 14: Sugar Fix – “Rule 34”
Download this song and share it with the one you love.

Track 15: No Kill I – “Wearin’ Red”
Poor redshirt never saw it coming.

Track 16: Metaforce – “In the Rain”
Rain City Blooze won’t be the newest Metaforce album for long. Their third full-length should be released shortly.

Track 17: Married With Children dialog / Lenlow – “Last Night”
I always wondered how I could get some Traveling Wilburys worked into this podcast!

Z’s final interlude: “A big pile of tracks I care nothing about.”
A good mash-up includes some bits from your favorite songs. A great mash-up is made entirely out of tracks you hate, but still manages to move you.

Track 18: DJ Earworm – “United State of Pop”
Bringing new meaning to the phrase “polish a turd.”

This episode felt like cheating.

You see, when Church suggested I do an ep. centered on earworms, I was instantly taken with the concept. It sounded like a solid enough idea, as it was something fairly relatable to all of us; I mean, who hasn’t gotten a song stuck in his head at one time or another? But the truth is, to me damn near every song in every edition of RFH is an earworm.

That’s sort of my selection criteria. If something stays with me, if I find myself repeating the lyrics or humming the melody, it goes in the show.

Sure, occasionally I’ll play a request or something that I’m not super familiar with, but those songs are a minority. But don’t let that stop you. I’d love to hear your song suggestions and show ideas. So please share 'em!

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 47: Even the Losers

Ah, the lovable loser: a nerd archetype all its own!

Seriously, though, I sort of worry about saying an episode is “loser-themed.” I mean, will my (often unwitting) contributors not find that a little insulting?

I hope not.

In truth, I think this is one of my favorite episodes of the podcast thus far. Sure, the levels of my voiceovers are kinda shit – I tried a new mic setup that merely seemed to highlight my late-spring allergy voice – but, musically-speaking, I think it’s top notch. Because of the musical selections presented, the whole ep. seems to have this air of triumph, despite my constant references to failure.

I really dig it, and I hope you dig it too.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 47: Even the Losers [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 46.6 MB Running Time: 50:56

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
These lads? They’re winners!

Track 1: Brother Machine – “Every Day of the Week”
I’m not sure of Brother Machine’s nerdity, but he does know Glenn. I reckon that makes him a geek by association.

Z’s 1st interlude: “Insignificant, undesirable, or just plain sub-par.”
Which is, coincidentally, the name of my autobiography.

Track 2: The Illuminoids – “Lugosi's Mongoloid Loser (Beck vs. Devo vs. Bauhaus)”
I copped this from the Mashup Town 2007 best-of. I’ve been waiting half a year to use it!

Track 3: Totally Radd!! – “The Bobby Song”
Was there a lot more wang in this show than usual? It seems a little wang-y.

Track 4: Southside – “Quite Yer Job”
The fact that Southside included references to the company picnic as well as pilfered paper “from every department” pretty much means this track is made of win.

Track 5: Uncle Monsterface – “Kill Your Boyfriend!”
As I mentioned before, this might be my new favorite Uncle Monsterface track.

Track 6: The Aquabats – “Pizza Day”
Li’l X. loves Yo Gabba Gabba!, and because of this I find myself listening to a lot more Aquabats of late.

Track 7: Lauren Fairweather – “Engines Make Me Hot”
I like that some WRockers are going out their way to write non-Potter-related material. I love that Lauren chose to write about Firefly!

Z’s 2nd interlude: “The story of a broken-hearted and broken-down (Mister) Marty Allen.”
I have in my possession the demo for “Kill Your Boyfriend.” Sure, it sounds a lot like the final studio version, but it’s one of those cool exclusive perks that make being a nerdy music blogger so oddly rewarding.

Track 8: Leigh3 – “GWP”
“I got my guitar and a bottle o’ wine and a porno magazine!”

Track 9: Computerization – “Fukuwinicu”
Computerization’s self-titled album is now available for free MP3 download. What, you didn’t know that?

Track 10: mc chris – “fallyn” / Angus dialog
I’m really enjoying mc chris is dead a lot more than I did initially. The backings are sort of, well, I think mCRT described them as J-pop. Still, while the first few songs didn’t grab me, I think the second half of the disc is pretty damn good.

Track 11: The Whomping Willows – “Wizard Rock Heartthrob”
I finally broke down and bought Whompy’s Rock N’ Roll Redux. It’s, like, 6 bucks and comes highly recommended.

Track 12: The Butterbeer Experience – “Basically the Man”
Lena of The Butterbeer Experience has probably my favorite voice in WRock. She’s also currently taking pre-order for her new disc Accio Hot Guy.

Z’s final interlude: “You get to a bad place in your life and it’s easier just to dig in deeper than to try and climb out.”
When I try to come off profound I very often just end up sounding like a hick. I can’t imagine that surprises anyone but me.

Track 13: The Streets – “Empty Cans”
An odd aside: what is it with you Brits and your Reebok Classics? Seriously.

It looks like I might actually be able to crank out another podcast next week before I leave for Nerdapalooza. It’s rare that I find myself ahead of schedule, but stranger things have happened.

Church has suggested the theme of earworms for the next episode, and I quite like that idea. I plan to run with it. Run like the wind!

If you’ve got any suggestions for songs or topics, or if you just wanna share your thoughts on this episode, give me a shout. I’d love to hear ‘em.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 46: Nerdapalooza Bound

From its inception, Nerdapalooza has been about more than just nerdy music, it has also been about community. While the individual nerdcore, chiptune, WRock, VGM, and geek rock scenes have managed to stay fairly disconnected in the face of a growing familiarity with, at the very least, the existence of each other, Nerdapalooza has focused on bridging those gaps.

So when, in the course of our regularly scheduled bullshitting, mCRT, Hex Warrior, and I struck upon the idea of dedicating a special edition of Radio Free Hipster to the event, it seemed all too fitting.

I’ve always dreamed of having special guest co-hosts for the ‘cast, but I could never quite nail down the logistics of such an undertaking. And while the recording setup we employed for this exercise was probably less than ideal, it has opened up the possibility of doing more eps like this in the future.

But more importantly, despite any technical difficulties, I had more fun putting together this edition than any that came before. Rob and Hex are intelligent, personable, unbelievably entertaining guys who have pooled their energies to make this Nerdapalooza far surpass its forbears. The boundless enthusiasm that they brought to something as inconsequential as Skyping in to rap with me about the project highlights their dedication to making this event everything it should be.

Download Radio Free Hipster EP. 46: Nerdapalooza Bound [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 55.3 MB Running Time: 60:27

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
Because there’s simply no better place to start.

Track 1: Uncle Monsterface – “This is an Adventure!”
If you missed out on This is an Adventure! during it’s free download period, you’d still do well to pick it up. Even at the going rate it’s a solid musical investment.

Z, Hex, and mCRT’s 1st interlude: “The dynamic duo behind Nerdapalooza ’08.”
Having mCRT and Hex Warrior on the show was a real treat for me. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Track 2: Emergency Pizza Party – “It’s a Pizza Party”
Groups like EPP have helped to make Florida the nerdcore mecca that it is, and the truly unique, supportive community that has sprung up around such local acts has served to make Orlando an ideal location for Nerdapalooza.

Track 3: Math the Band – “Shark Attack”
I had actually picked out a quirky cover song from Math to include in the show, but Hex suggested “Shark Attack.” His was the better choice.

Track 4: The Killer Robots! – “I AM ROBOT”
If you’ve ever thought I really like GWAR but I wish they were geekier, Killer Robots! is for you.

Track 5: In Real Life – “Hip Hop Saved Me”
I’ve really become a believer in EMPulse records over the past few months. They’ve got a great roster, and they anchor a number of amazing projects rooted in the nerdy music meta-community.

Z, Hex, and mCRT’s 2nd interlude: “The Tootsie Roll center.”
EPP’s MC Wreckshin actually helped out on the technical end of the podcast. While he didn’t exactly co-host with Hex and mCRT, he did lend his place as a recording pad when we had some early difficulties. Thanks, Wrecks!

Track 6: Dot.AY vs. Zombies! Organize!! - “F-Bombs and 1-Ups”
I actually had a really nice lead-in for this Zombies! Organize!! Track (in which I named dropped GM4A’s Here Comes a New Challenger),but I failed to record that bit. My bad. :(

Track 7: Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew - “It’s All About the Booty”
Because what good are zombies without pirates?

Track 8: Marc with a C - “Life’s So Hard”
mCRT introduced me to Marc with a C in this very episode. I really think he’s gonna bring an interesting element to Nerdapalooza.

Track 9: mCRT - “Penis Monologues”
No one does nerdcore porno rhymes quite like mCRT. I’m hoping he’ll emblazon that slogan on a t-shirt.

Z, Hex, and mCRT’s 3rd interlude: “YAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!”
I love that the guys got all spontaneously piratical on me. :)

Track 10: Wordburglar - “The WBmix”
I finally picked up Burglaritis last week. You should too.

Track 11: Sudden Death - “My Atari”
Comedy rap at its finest, Sudden Death always satisfies. This cockeyed take on a Run DMC classic is one of my personal favorites.

Track 12: Magitek - “Armagetdown”
I totally flubbed the title of Magitek’s Distorting Reality For Better Perception in the podcast, which is a shame. It’s a damn fine album that alternates between goodtime nerdcore and danceable electronica. Check it out.

Track 13: Maja - “Here I Come (Outro Remix)
Maja’s “Transformer” was originally on the play list, but I subbed this track instead. I’ve played “Transformer” before on RFH and on HipTrax, and I featured Snake Eyes’ “Transformer” mash-up just a few episodes ago. The Amalgam Project is so chockfull of excellent material that it seemed a shame to retread on that one song.

Z, Hex, and mCRT’s 3rd interlude: “Your one and only destination for the intersection of classic sci-fi literature and dick jokes.”
This is a lie. mCRT has already proven that he is the true source of sci-fi lit/dick joke juxtaposition.

Track 14: Schaffer the Darklord – “Nerd Lust (Peeved Mix)”
Peeved mentioned to me that STD had asked him for an instrumental of this remix. Here’s hoping we get to hear it live at Nerdapalooza!

I really regret that I wasn’t able to spend more time talking to Hex and mCRT. They are fascinating cats, and the huge amount of support they’ve given my little blog alone should have guaranteed them some more face time. But alas, it was getting late and Skype was being flaky. Such is life.

One thing that was sort of glossed over in our discussion of Nerdapalooza is exactly how hard these two gentlemen have been working to make it a success. This was not due to time constraints, but rather to their own modesty. Sure, the fact that they’ve ponied up their own money for previous events was briefly mentioned, but neither copped to the sheer force of will that goes propping up such a major undertaking, particularly in its earliest stages.

They won’t brag, so let me do it for them: Hex and mCRT have damn-near killed themselves putting together Nerdapalooza. In the process, they’ve created a cultural event that is nerdy but not niche, sponsored but not commercial, and affordable but not worthless. And then they’ve turned around and promised the proceeds to charity.

That’s nerd love, ladies and gentlemen, and you can share your own by buying Nerdapalooza tickets. Get 'em while they're hot!

Radio Free Hipster EP. 45: Black and Blue

I’m always a little wary of “effortless” episodes of the podcast. You know, the ones that just come together easily from beginning to end. This is such an edition.

The playlist, for example, was assembled from memory, which is odd in and of itself. I simply thought to myself, self, these are the songs we’re going to play next ep, and, lo and behold, this info was still there in mental storage when the time came to put this bad boy together.

Likewise, my spoken interludes were pretty easy to record. Hell, even the upload process took less time and effort than usual!

Despite all this, I’m not quite willing to write this ep. off. Though I tend to believe that your enjoyment of a podcast is directly proportional to how much of a pain in my ass the actual assembly and dissemination of the episode is, I’ve got a little faith in this one. The musical selections may be a bit different from what you expect, but I think that each song has ample merit.

Take a listen and lemme know what you think.

Download Radio Free Hipster EP. 45: Black and Blue [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 49.5 MB Running Time: 54:07

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”
There is, after all, no better place to start.

Track 1: The Weasel King – “Red Hair (2DefMice Nerdy Gospel Mix)”
This is easily one of my favorite songs from the Old Nerdy Bastard comp.

Z’s 1st interlude: “Something I rarely do so early on.”
I tend to reserve the rocking out for the second set, but it’s good to mix shit up.

Track 2: Southside – “Blackout”
I’m not sure how I’m just finding out about Southside, but I suppose it’s a “better late than never” type of thing.

Track 3: Mindscape Music – “Other Side of the Mirror”
I love that there’s someone out there making soundtracks specifically for tabletop RPG sessions. It all but restores my faith in humanity.

Track 4: Consortium of Genius – “Bow 2 Me (Dr. Z version 2001)”
This song is funny to me on an additional level as “COG” refers, in my local parlance, to the ultra-conservative Pentecostal Holiness group the Church of God, in whose taut and hoary clutches I was reared.

Track 5: Videogame Orchestra – “Doctor Who Theme”
I’m currently resisting the urge to throw this in with a couple of songs from Ep. 20 to form a RFH mini-mix.

Track 6: Danimal Cannon – “Maybe We Should Stick to Football (England)”
If you haven’t already, check out the amazing remix project No Balls, No Glory, brought to you, of course, by super producer Mustin, please do so.

Track 7: DJ Morgoth – “Take Your Mutter Out”
Sorry for forgetting to include this one last episode, nerdy moms. I’m a bad boy.

Z’s 2nd interlude: “And here’s another track.”
I think I have an unintentional motif in this episode: the twofer. We got two songs from ONB, two songs from Mindscape Music, two songs from the Southside guys, two songs suggested by Ant, two songs suggested by Steve BC, and two tech-y indie pop tracks.

Track 8: Metaforce – “Subliminal (Style Wars Part 1)”
Metaforce has my new favorite name for a geeky hip-hop outfit. Embarrassingly enough, it took me a while to get the clever pun.

Track 9: Animal Style – “Medieval Blues”
Wikipedia seems to quantify the madrigal a bit differently than me. It’s description is probably much more accurate.

Track 10: Steve BC – “Kfr-friend ed.”
I am on a real Steve BC kick at present!

Track 11: Computerization – “1.14me”
You need this song. Trust me.

Track 12: Tullycraft – “Every Little Thing”
A little twee pop compliments of Matt from free_geek, a fine blogger, a sanctified music connoisseur, and a helluva pal.

Track 13: Hidari – “Clambon (Glenn Case’s Campfire Singalong mix)”
Justin and Glenn really made this mix something special. It’s got an uplifting quality that I just can’t accurately describe.

Z’s final interlude: “I’m gonna have some guests.”
Next episode will be a special Nerdapalooza-themed event. I am very excited!

Track 14: Del tha Funkee Homosapien – “Proto Culture”
An old school nerd rap track if ever there was one.

Thanks so much for checking out this edition of the podcast. Your support means a lot, and your company is always appreciated.

I hope you dug this ‘cast despite its dubious distinction of being, y’know, not a holy fuckin’ terror on my end. Failing that, I hope you were at least turned on to some new stuff.

I’m already working on episode 46, and you can expect it to be a bit longer and more involved than usual. Hex and mCRT are really fun, interesting cats, and I can’t wait to pick their brains about Nerdapalooza.

Until next time! :)

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 44: All Things New Are Old Again

Within the last three weeks I have acquired something in the neighborhood of 15 new albums. A number of them were purchases I made on my own or freebies I’ve snagged online, but many were sent to me directly from the artists. Don’t get me wrong, I love this, and, indeed, there’s no higher compliment to someone in my position than a musician who actively seeks me out to ply me with free music.

The only problem inherent in this imminently desirable little system is that sometimes I get a bit “snowed under” with new content and folks get less play time than they rightfully deserve. Even albums I love occasionally get lost in the shuffle before I can share them with you to the extent I feel necessary.

With that in mind, the next couple of editions of Radio Free Hipster will be what I like to call potpourri episodes, shows in which I plumb the depths of both my back catalog and my stack of new arrivals and just play great songs with little regard for themes or concepts. Hopefully you’ll hear some new stuff that you really feel and be reminded of some older tracks that you never stopped loving.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 44: All Things New Are Old Again [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 43 MB Running Time: 46:59

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)”

Ah, a classic!

Track 1: Harry and the Potters – “Save Ginny Weasley”
For many, this was the introductory track to the wonderful world of WRock. Years later, it still holds up extremely well.

Z’s first interlude: “I felt like gloating a bit.”
I really am thrilled with the caliber of artists featured on the next compilation. Hopefully, you’ll be excited too.

Track 2: Dan Plus Add - “Welcome Back to the Internet”
Dan’s new album is really a lot of fun. Take a listen and hear for yourself.

Track 3: id obelus - “You Will Die”
id’s rhymes about rural America are oddly applicable to my own life.

Track 4: Beefy - “Bestestest”
“Like a clown on retainer, I’m always down to party.”

Track 5: The Sprites - “The Most Dangerous Thing in the World”
Wherein my recent reading becomes central to the track list of the show.

Track 6: killsaly – “Decker”
Wherein the trend continues. killsaly is also featured on the new comp. His Frontalot mix is a thing of beauty.

Track 7: Go Home Productions – “Annie Rush”
A mash-up, because I can. ;)

Z’s 2nd interlude: “Which I find hilarious for some reason.”
Probably because of my juvenile sense of humor.

Track 8: Captain Spalding - “I’m Your Medic”
I can’t believe I’m just getting around to playing this one!

Track 9: DJ Pantshead and The Evolution Control Committee - “The Fat Muppets”
ECC? Also on the new comp!

Track 10: Whore Moans - “Be Impressed”
I often lament that id and Whore Moans don’t get more love form the community, and then I turn around and wait months between playing their songs on RFH. I am sore ashamed.

Track 11: RiddleTM - “Ode to Voldemort (Peeved Remix)”
I’m actively trying to play more WRock. I get the feeling that some people are waiting for that one Wizard Rock track to come along and knock them on their ass, and I’m gonna keep playing them until one does. (Peeved has a mix on the new album.)

Track 12: Glenn Case - “The Power of Applause”
I play a lot of Glenn’s stuff, but I’ve played very little from The New Adventures of Captain S Soundtrack. (Glenn’s on the comp too!)

Track 13: 4BIT BONSAI - “BARON VON FICTION”
I also need to play more chiptunes and VGM. Mental note. Ant, be sure to hold me to this.

Track 14: My Parents Favorite Music – “Kool-Aid”
MPFM have had some personnel changes of late, but I have yet to pick up any of their new stuff. This one’s a classic from their back catalog.

Z’s final interlude: “Mister B of the Letters Vs. Numbers podcast.”
Let me again plug Anthony and Mister B’s new podcast. They play all the game music I forget to and more.

Track 15: Videogame Orchestra and TUS - “Pes To – Des To”
I am assuming that by now everyone has the Here Comes a New Challenger compilation in their respective collections. If not, shame on you!

And there you have it, 15 eclectic tracks, some old, some new, some merely middle-aged. But all nerdy, and all fun.

Allow me to reiterate my earlier point: don’t ever stop sending me new stuff. Whether it’s your own tracks, songs from your roommate's band, or just stuff from artists of which you are a rabid fan, I often rely on your good taste to point me in the right direction. It’s a great big internet out there, and I can always use a landmark.

By that same token, don’t be afraid to hit me up with requests and show theme ideas. I love it when we share.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 43: Sprung

Spring is a time of rebirth. At least that’s what I am told.

Mostly for me it’s just about yard work.

Still, for the purposes of this podcast, I’ll buy into the “time of renewal” thing. That same line of thinking lends itself to the whole springtime romance pastiche, and that’s some fertile musical ground.

This episode features some songs that touch on both – lyrically- or strictly musically-speaking – and some that fall well outside the boundaries of the established theme. I hope you don’t mind. While it may be a little thematically shaky, I still think it’s pretty damned cohesive. Plus it boasts some tracks that, I’d wager, you haven’t heard before.

It certainly ain’t Vivaldi, but I think you’ll find it to your liking.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 43: Sprung [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 46.3 MB Running Time: 50:34

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – “Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)
Baddd Spellah is my muscular gardener and Beefy my strapping pool boy.

Track 1: The Four Eyes – “Any Way You Want It”
People play a lot of golf in the spring, right? Otherwise, this episode starts off on a shaky foot.

Z’s 1st interlude: “At least here in the south.”
A southern spring is an odd thing. While you usually think of springtime as being resplendent with color, ours is fairly monotone. It’s all shades of yellow.

Track 2: Uncle Monsterface – “Lionfist Journey”
“Fuckin’ great band!”

Track 3: Spheres of Chaos – “Megafauna”
Ptradactyl Squad, for those of you not in the know, is a game music Web label that boasts an amazing array of original tracks and albums. It’s definitely worth your time to check ‘em out.

Track 4: The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets – “One-gilled Girl”
Apparently spring is also a time for inter-species romance. I’m not here to judge.

Track 5: Pete Miser – “So Sensitive”
With songs about robots and iPhones, Pete makes uniquely nerd-friendly hip-hop.

Track 6: Ultraklystron – “This Is Why I'm a Junglist”
I am also a Junglist. As is Ali G.

Track 7: Elfonso – “Labyrinth Zone”
And the award for Best Use of a Banjo in a Geek Rock Song goes to…

Track 8: The Ranger – “Rap Bukowski”
Okay, I’ll admit that this track may lack the upbeat, spark of most of the other tracks, but you can’t deny its own intrinsic value. Though I’m still a little ambivalent about the vocal effects, The Ranger manages to make a nerdcore anthem like no other.

Z’s 2nd interlude: “A brand new instrumental from my friend Steve BC.”
While I sometimes feel a little bad for choosing a song I really dig simply to talk over, Steve always offers his beats up as background music. I’m a bit of a music snob when it comes to instrumentals, but damned if his tracks don’t always satisfy!

Track 9: The Cars – “The Little Black Egg”
I pulled this off The Cars Anthology. It seemed just appropriate enough for inclusion.

Track 10: Tanner4105 – “Doug Mix”
This is probably my favorite mix that Tanner’s ever done. It’s just so over the top!

Track 11: Dual Core – “Fantastic Four”
I actually did clear this with eighty and 64 before uploading this episode, just so everyone knows. The album’s not been released yet, but when it does make its way into this cold, cruel world, I highly recommend you give it a good home. This song is just one of the many reasons why.

Track 12: Jack Westmore – “Ace of Spades (Remix)”
A Motorhead remix is a beautiful thing.

Track 13: Split Seven Ways – “Potions Abuse Part 1”
I always hate editing songs, but the ep. was running long and this track had the unfortunate honor of being both the last track of the second set and having a very prominent break between movements. Still, I think you oughtta check out Wizrocklopedia to grab the whole EP and the Split Seven Ways MySpace for more excellent free tracks.

Z’s final interlude: “Be forewarned.”
I can’t imagine any of you would be surprised to hear a song with swears in it here at RFH, but sometimes I like to at least feign propriety.

Track 14: Jonathan Coulton – “First of May”
This is easily JoCo’s most vulgar and inappropriate song. It is also my favorite.

If this episode taught me anything, it’s that I need to do another theme-free edition of Radio Free Hipster. A potpourri episode, if you will.

I’m already looking at a couple of songs to potentially include. There are some folks we haven’t heard 'round these parts in a while – cats like id obelus, Whore Moans, and MPFM – and I’ve got some handsome new mash-ups I’ve been sitting on for a while now as well. So expect ep. 44 to be a bit looser, a bit more artistically malleable.

Unless, of course, I get distracted and totally change my mind.

Could happen.