Sonic Overload 3/11/13--13TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

12 years and 363 days ago, give or take, I took to the airwaves to warp a punk nation and... OK, enough of that crap. Here’s the 13th anniversary show for Sonic Overload. I did take to the airwaves on March 13, 2000 on Allston-Brighton Free Radio for my auspicious (?) debut, under the show’s original name Inflammable Material. As I’ve said many times before, my diction isn’t that great and inflammable was a word I have difficulty with so I switched it to Sonic Overload after a few months.  I did the show there until early 2005. We operated as a pirate station for most of that time. I’ve actually been webcasting the show since mid-’03 and did that for over 7 years on sub-domains generously donated by Adam Gandelman and Jim Burnham. I finally set up my own domain, www.sonicoverload.net, in October, 2010.

Every year, I try to do something a little different to mark the anniversary. This year, I had the idea of playing one of my favorite songs from each year, starting with 2012 and going back to 1973. 40 seemed like a nice even number, plus it was the year I got my first cassette recorder and began taping songs off the radio. Actually, the tapes I made with that recorder sounded like shit because I used a hand-held mike and put it next to the radio. Luckily, my dad had a stereo cassette deck and I’d use that on occasion—much to his chagrin, I might add. I mean, we’re talking about a guy who wouldn’t let me use his power mower or snow blower even after I was an adult. I miss my dad. He hated my music but was a really nice guy.

Anyway, I don’t think there’s anything all that strange on the playlist. In the late 80s/early 90s, I was listening to some godawful rock music but not 100% of the time. Before I got into punk, I mainly liked hard rock and metal, although I listened to some Top 40 radio, as well. The only difficulty in putting together the playlist was picking what to play from ’77 to ’84, since those were the years where music really changed my life. Also, the songs I picked were ones I was listening to that particular year. Otherwise, you probably would have seen Iggy’s “Raw Power” on this list but I started listening to it in 1976. And, to wrap things up, I play some songs that were on the very first Inflammable Material show.

Time for me to stop yakkin’, or typing, that is. Time for the thank you list: to Steve Provizer, for giving me the opportunity to start this show on Allston-Brighton Free Radio and all my compatriots on that station; Adam and Jim for the webspace; Mike, Jim, Chris and Carrie for administering the Sonic Overload Facebook page (check it out if you haven’t yet); and, last but not least, my lovely wife Ellen for putting up with my musical obsessions for so many years.

Before I go, I should mention that Sonic Overload is being broadcast on KWTF in Santa Rosa, CA, every Wednesday evening at 11 PM Pacific time. They’re on the air at 88.1FM and also have a live stream. Just the first hour for now but that could change.

Sonic Overload 3/11/13

TRACK 1

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS-Suspect Device (Rough Trade)

(2012-2008)
JOINT D?-(I’m Haunted) (Sorry State)
FOREIGN OBJECTS-Pill Popper (Vinyl Rites)
THE ENERGY-Destroy Imagination (Team Science)
DESTINO FINAL-Donde Estan? (La Vida Es Un Mus)
NIGHTSTICK JUSTICE-Control (Grave Mistake)

(2007-2002)
DOUBLE NEGATIVE-Redshift (No Way)
SHELL SHOCK-Wake Up (Puke N Vomit)
DIRECT CONTROL-War All The Time (Kangaroo)
FULL SPEED AHEAD-Overload (Manic Ride)
READ YELLOW-Read Yellow (Fenway)
BORN DEAD ICONS-Great Western Mistake (Partners In Crime)

TRACK 2

(2001-1997)
NERVE AGENTS-War Against! (Hellcat)
AMDI PETERSENS ARME-Alt Er Ved Det Samme (Kick N’ Punch)
F-MINUS-We’re All Deadmen (Hellcat)
DILLINGER FOUR-Doublewhiskeycokenoice (Hopeless)
9 SHOCKS TERROR-Prozac Logic (Devour)

(1996-1993)
OUT COLD-Victim (Kangaroo)
SWINGIN’ UTTERS-Teenage Genocide (New Red Archives)
NEW BOMB TURKS-(Gotta Gotta) Sinking Feeling (Crypt)
ARCWELDER-Will When You Won’t (Touch & Go)

(1992-1989)
GOD AND TEXAS-Mask and Glove (Rave)
JESUS LIZARD-Mouth Breather (Touch & Go)
DIDJITS-Killboy Powerhead (Touch & Go)
HAYWIRE-Sword Swallower (New Beginning)

TRACK 3

(1988-1984)
PUBLIC ENEMY-Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos (Columbia)

BL’AST-Only Time Will Tell (SST)
POISON IDEA-Lifestyles (Pusmort)
NAKED RAYGUN-Surf Combat (Homestead)
HÜSKER DÜ-Something I Learned Today (SST)

(1983-1979)
CRUCIFIX-Indo China (Southern)
DISCHARGE-State Violence State Contol (Clay)
TSOL-Peace Through Power (Posh Boy)
RUTS-Staring At The Rude Boys (Virgin)
MOLLS-White Stains (Skids)

TRACK 4

(1978-1973)
WEIRDOS-Solitary Confinement (Dangerhouse)

SAINTS-(I’m) Stranded (Sire)
SWEET-Action (Capitol)
ZZ TOP-Tush (London)
FANCY-Wild Thing (Big Tree)
FOCUS-Hocus Pocus (Sire)

(Songs from the first Inflammable Material)
URBAN WASTE-Public Opinion (Mob Style)
LIFE SENTENCE-Problems (Walkthrufyre)
STAINS-Sick and Crazy (SST)
THE PIST-We’re The Pist (Eugene)

EFFIGIES-We’ll Be Here Tomorrow (Touch & Go)