Here are some notes on the first Secret Sauces Radio show, which can be listened to on Mixcloud here...
SECRET SAUCES RADIO INTRO IDENT
'Tougher Than Leather' film sample.
The 1988 Run-D.M.C. film, released to coincide with the great album of the same name. Reviews of the film were less kind, however, with the Washington Post calling it "vile, vicious, despicable, stupid, sexist, racist and horrendously made". Starring the trio as well as Rick Rubin, Beastie Boys, Glenn Danzig, Tom Araya and Kerry King of Slayer and Richard Edson (ex-Sonic Youth). It was released on VHS but never on DVD or Blu-ray. See it here on YouTube
1) MAN SIZED ACTION - On The Phone
The opening track from the Minneapolis band's second and final album Five Story Garage, released in 1984 on Hüsker Dü's Reflex label. Reissued in 2014 on co-producer Terry Katzman's Garage D'Or label with live bonus tracks. Other co-producer (and guitarist) is Brian Paulson who produced albums by Slint, Superchunk and Uncle Tupelo, among others. Their debut album Claustrophobia from 1983 was produced by Bob Mould and is a classic. Never been reissued, check that one out too.
2) DAS DAMEN - Reverse Into Tomorrow
SST alumni Das Damen's 2nd full-length LP 'Triskaidekaphobe' from 1988 features this track. Long out of print but easy enough to find on LP, MC and CD second-hand. Das Damen, who recently reformed and have played shows in the U.S., are yet to re-aquire and reissue their SST (or Twin/Tone and Sub Pop) catalogue, but their classic 1986 debut EP was reissued on vinyl and digitally by Dromedary Records. The vinyl has additional bonus tracks with new instrumentation and vocals from guests including Gary Lee Conner, Thalia Zedek and Dez Cadena and also includes a new issue of Lyle Hansen's Damaged Goods fanzine including pieces by Thurston Moore and Tom Scharpling. The digital release includes even more bonus tracks including earlier demo sessions. Get it here! Let's hope Das Damen manage to get the rights back to the rest of their records and give them the loving treatment they deserve, and play some shows in the UK!
3) THROWING MUSES - Shimmer
From the band's 1995 album 'University', the first to feature the power-trio lineup that exists to this day of Kristin Hersh (gtr. + vox), Bernard Georges (bass) and David Narcizo (drums). Like all of their 4AD output, University is out of print which is criminal - though they did recently reissue Hersh's 1994 album 'Hips and Makers' on 2xLP and 2xCD so here's hoping! Used CDs are easy to get hold of, and as like most vinyl releases in the CD era that have never been reissued, the original 90s vinyl is scarce and expensive. Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave and Kristin Hersh have been releasing new releases through Fire records for the past few years, and you can support Kristin here by becoming a Strange Angel.
4) UNKLE Feat. Takagi Kan - Last Orgy 3
The final single in a Japanese-exclusive trilogy released on Toy's Factory in 1997 and 1998, with plenty of remixes. This is the original version featuring legendary Japanese emcee Takagi Kan. This is a sequel (there was no released track called Last Orgy 2) to Tiny Panx (aka Tinnie Punx, T.P.O., Tiny Panx Organization depending on the release) 1988 single Last Orgy on Major Force records, a true classic in tribute to the influential street culture column of the same name written by Takagi Kan and Hiroshi Fujiwara in Japanese magazine Takarajima, from 1987-1990, which later became a FM-TV series. Last Orgy 2 was a sequel column written by Nigo and Jonio Takahashi from 1990-1994. In 1994, Nigo, Jonio and Fujiwara started the Last Orgy 3 column which ran until perhaps 2000, where there was a series of Last Orgy 4 t-shirts - there was no Last Orgy 4 column, song or TV Show. This lineup of UNKLE on Last Orgy 3 is James Lavelle, KUDO and Takagi Kan. Read a history of all of this from Mo' Wax expert James Gaunt here.
SECRET SAUCES RADIO IDENT
'Videodrome' film sample.
The 1983 body horror classic directed by David Cronenberg, starring the cunt James Woods and Deborah (Debbie) Harry. Front 242 sampled a different snatch of dialogue in their 1987 track 'Masterhit'. Watch the trailer here.
5) DANNY AND THE DOORKNOBS - Harmona
This is the mix found on the 1989 reissue of Danny And The Doorknobs' 'Poison Summer' on SST records. On this release, Danny And The Doorknobs were Vitus Mataré, and John Frank from The Last, Kjehl Johansen from The Urinals and 100 Flowers. A studio project after the disintegration of The Last and 100 Flowers, Mataré and Johansen recorded this album in 1983 with Ethan James but did not release it until 1986 on their own Old Scratch label, alongside another album entitled 'Poison Summer' by Trotsky Icepick. It is the same band (the lineup was fluid but Mataré and Johansen remained consistent) with the plan of releasing the same album title under a different band name each release, a plan that stopped in 1988 when the band signed to SST and stuck with Trotsky Icepick, who reissued both Poison Summer albums with new sequences, mixes and artwork after ex-Urinals and 100 Flowers singer John Talley-Jones joined. Nowadays, Trotsky Icepick and Danny and the Doorknobs are two separate bands consisting of the same core trio alongside other regular collaborators. This album physically out of print but a nice remaster of the remix, with the original Old Scratch artwork can be purchased at Poison Summer Records here on Bandcamp here.
6) EARTHLING - Accident At Injured Strings
From the 1995 debut album 'Radar' released by the Bristol 'trip-hop' duo. Not as well known as the other acts coming out of that Bristol scene at the time but well worth checking out. They recorded a follow-up LP in 1997 entitled 'Human Dust' which went unreleased until 2004, and a third album in 2011 entitled 'Insomniacs' Ball'. Radar is out-of print but can be found easily enough second-hand on LP, MC and CD. The last Earthling album, and music by one half of Earthling, Tim Saul can be bought here.
7) THE CLASH - The Equaliser
Side 4, track 3 from the greatest album of all time, The Clash's 4th (triple) LP 'Sandinista!'. I have often wondered if this was meant to be two separate tracks, as the dub section opens it and then the 'original' section ends it, much like the song 'The Crooked Beat' is both the original and dub versions on the same track, presumably due to their own restrictions of a 36 track LP with 12 tracks per record. Still in print on 3xCD and 3xLP, though was a 2xCD release for many years, with 3 sides per CD.
8) L7 - She Has Eyes
From the band's fourth (counting 1990's 'Smell The Magic') LP 'Hungry For Stink' in 1994, a much more raw production and lyrically dark album to its predecessor 'Bricks Are Heavy'. This was bassist/vocalist Jennifer Finch's last album with the band until their reunion album 'Scatter The Rats' in 2019. 'Hungry For Stink' is currently in print on LP as a Music On Vinyl reissue and part of the 3xCD 'Wargasm: The Slash Years' compilation but original separate issues of the CD are easy to come by used. Join the L7 'Fast and Frightening' fan club on Patreon here for exclusive audio and video, merch and monthly Q&As.
SECRET SAUCES RADIO IDENT
'A Scanner Darkly' film sample.
From the 2006 film adaptation of the Philip K. Dick classic of the same name, directed by Richard Linklater and starring Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr. and Woody Harrelson, in interpolated rotoscoped form. It's a trip! Watch the trailer here.
9) PRINCE PAUL - El Ka Bong
Nice instrumental piece dating back to the 90s, from the devastating Prince Paul's 2005 LP 'Itstrumental'. What a gem of an album, it is a shame he has not released another solo album since (not including 2017's 'The Redux', a 'correction' of 2003's 'Politics Of The Business' album). This track is perhaps not a perfect example of his genius to the uninitiated, but he truly is the greatest. 'Itstrumental' was released in 2005 on 2xLP and CD on Female Fun Records and reissued in 2017 on the reactivated label with a previously unissued bonus track, on 2xLP and MC only. The reissue is hard to come by, and the original is somewhat scarce but worth tracking down. And here is a podcast interview with Prince Paul and his son DJ PForReal with Female Fun label head Peter Agoston discussing the album (amongst a lot of other things).
10) AUTOMATOR FEAT. SINISTER 6000 - King Of N.Y.
This is Dan The Automator and Kool Keith (one of his many aliases). Recorded around 1996 for the 'A Better Tomorrow' EP and around the time of the legendary Dr. Octagon project, this track did not see release until 2000's expanded version of the aforementioned EP into an LP entitled 'A Much Better Tomorrow'. Released on CD and 2xLP on Automator's 75 Ark label, it is long out of print but can be picked up easily enough second hand. Dan's current label, Bulk, can be found here.
11) DESERT SESSIONS - Rickshaw
From the 6th Desert Sessions 10" EP from 1999, 'Black Anvil Ego'. Josh Homme on gtr and vox, Hosh Ross Sonjoni on bass (presumably Josh as well), Adam Maples on drums in the right channel and Gene Trautmann on drums in the 'wrong' channel. Like all of the Desert Sessions releases on the now-defunct 'Man's Ruin' records, the 10" and 'Volume 5/6' CD are scarce and pricey and there are a lot of bootlegs around. Good luck!
12) DEVO - Race Of Doom
One of Devo's many contributions to one of my favourite genres, 'early-80s cold war paranoia tunes', this is from their fourth LP 'New Traditionalists' from 1981. Sadly out of print like most of Devo's Warner Bros. output which I think is fucking criminal. You should be able to find an original LP pressing fairly easily and cheaply (different cover in the UK for its Virgin release), but CD reissues with bonus tracks are pricey. The ugly two-fer CD from 1993 with 1979's 'Duty Now For The Future' is easy to come across. Check out Dev-o Obsess-o Michael Pilmer's great site here.
13) GUIDED BY VOICES - Unleashed! The Large Hearted Boy
From 1992's 'Propeller' LP, which was intended to be the band's fifth and final album, a private press of 500 copies with different hand-made sleeves for each (check out pictures of some of these original sleeves, and who their owners are here). Like the previous four GBV LPs and debut EP, this was recorded and manufactured using funds from a bank loan while Robert Pollard was a school teacher and getting shit from his family for wasting his money on pressing records that no one bought or heard (many didn't make it out of his basement). Propeller was to be the final hurrah, but it was thankfully heard by Robert Griffin from Scat Records who signed them for an EP, two more albums (one was Bee Thousand) and reissued the first five records. And now, 7823762 incredible Guided by Voices albums later, we must be grateful that this album was heard and reissued and Robert Pollard did not resign himself to being an alcoholic teacher. Thankfully still in print on Scat Records on LP, MC and CD with one of the original 500 covers, but if you want an original then good luck, unless you have £3,465 for the one being sold on Discogs currently.
SECRET SAUCES RADIO IDENT
'Street Crime UK' TV Sample
A legendary clip from long-gone Bravo TV show 'Street Crime UK' which aired from 2002 to 2005. One of the better shows in the over-saturated genre of police being cunts to the public on telly.
14) YOU AM I - She Digs Her
From the greatest Australian band's greatest album, 1995's 'Hi Fi Way'. Produced by Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth and recorded in New York City in 8 days after a tour, songwriter Tim Rogers panicked and thought he had fucked the record up. Little did he know it would be the first of three in a row number one albums in Australia and still be beloved by the fans to this day. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the band played the album in full alongside their 1996 classic 'Hourly, Daily' in Australia only, sadly for me. Richard Kingsmill hosted a three-part podcast about the creation of this album, which can be found here - it is a great listen. Hi Fi Way was reissued in 2013 as a 2xCD set with b-sides, live tracks and sleeve notes from Lee Ranaldo, alongside its first vinyl release. The 2xCD is easy to get hold of in the UK on eBay and Discogs but the vinyl is not. It is worth tracking down though, it is a great record.
15) BELLY - Star
The title track from Belly's 1993 debut 'Star'. Tanya Donelly leaves Throwing Muses as she is being overshadowed by the more prolific songwriter Kristin Hersh, then leaves the Breeders as she is being overshadowed by the also prolific Kim Deal. Thankfully, she formed Belly as an outlet for her stockpile of songs and released this perfect album. The album version of this track is just Tanya + gtr, but an equally good full band rendition was released on the Feed The Tree EP and later in 2021 on the 'Bees' b-sides compilation. 'Star' was reissued by 4AD on 2xLP with bonus CD in 2016 after they reformed, it is out of print but easy to get hold of, as are the original CD versions. Purchase (name your price) for their post-reunion music directly from Belly at their site here.
16) WIRE - Field Day For The Sundays
The 28 second classic from Wire's 1977 debut LP 'Pink Flag'. A great song but to be honest only included here as I was just under the hour mark. Pink Flag is in print on LP and CD on the band's own 'Pinkflag' label, and a nice 2xCD edition was released in 2018 but is now out of print.
17) FIENDS - MTV Ident 1
One of two unlisted interludes from the L.A. band's second and final 1986 album 'Gynecölögy' taking the piss out of MTV's ubiquitous 1980s idents. This one comes between the tracks 'Cross Country Canyon Leaping' and 'This Week Sucked' Neither this LP or their 1984 debut have ever been reissued and neither are available on CD, but the demented L.A. art punk with often questionable humour is worth tracking down. John Doe from X produced this LP as well! It is hard to come across much information about Fiends, but sadly frontman Scott Morrow passed away in 2005. L7 covered their track 'Packin' A Rod' on 'Smell The Magic' in 1990, and if you look at the cover of Gynecölögy which sees Fiends surrounded by many scene legends, you will see Donita Sparks grabbing Scott Morrow's leg - I believe they were a couple at the time.
"Coming up next, Pretenders and David Bowie..."
18) PRETENDERS - The Wait
An earlier recording of 'The Wait' was released as the b-side to 1979's 'Stop Your Sobbing' but this is the superior album recording from the eponymous 1980 debut LP. In print on CD and vinyl, and out of print but easy to get on either 2xCD+1xDVD on Edsel's signature 'bent spine' reissue line, and a 3xCD on Edsel's signature 'another reissue of an album that we reissued a few years ago but with some new tracks not on the previous reissue, and some tracks from the old reissue left off this one' line.
19) DAVID BOWIE - Little Bombardier (Stereo Mix)
Released on the same day as The Beatles' landmark 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band' LP, David Bowie's debut album may not have a fraction of the claim or sales but it does have a good stereo mix and we don't have to listen to it in mono like you do with The Beatles. The 1967 eponymous Bowie album released on Deram is not to be confused with the 1969 eponymous Bowie album released on Phillips (subsequently reissued as 'Space Oddity' for several decades but now back to 'David Bowie'). The Deram album is a deranged slab of classic British music hall by way of Anthony Newley and is often dismissed due to it being unlike anything Mr. Bowie released subsequently, but it is a fun - and weird ("I prepared a document, legalising mass abortion, we will turn a blind eye to infanticide!" - We Are Hungry Men) record that deserves more recognition. This little ditty is about a local nonce being outcast from society. The Deram-era material has been reissued in many configurations over the years, but the Deluxe Edition 2xCD edition with mono and stereo mixes of the album and associated singles and lots of additional material is the way to go. Also available as a 2xLP set with the album in its mono and stereo mixes but with no bonus material.
20) HÜSKER DÜ - Out On A Limb
The closing track on the Hüsker's 1983 7-song 19 minute mini-LP 'Metal Circus' (their debut LP 'Everything Falls Apart' from the same year is also 19 minutes but has 12 tracks), featuring Bob Mould's incredible guitar tone, screaming and mumbling. 'Metal Circus' was initially set to be a full length LP of 12 tracks at 27 minutes, but those additional five tracks (including an early version of 'Standing By The Sea' which would later appear on 1984's double LP 'Zen Arcade') were scrapped and unreleased until 2017 as a very limited edition 7" and CD as an accompanying release to the 3xCD and 4xLP box set 'Savage Young Dü'. 'Metal Circus' remains in print on CD and 12" from SST records but like all the landmark records still under SST ownership, could really do with a fresh remaster and loving reissue if the tapes still exist and haven't rotted. I would recommend seeking out a 1980s pressing of the vinyl due to the tape situation and SST reusing stampers - each repress sounds worse than the last. Any CD edition will be the same mastering.
SECRET SAUCES RADIO OUTRO IDENT
Thanks for listening and reading. New 60 minute music mixes are uploaded to Mixcloud every Tuesday and I will post accompanying notes, with pointless trivia and endless links for you to enjoy.
See you next Tuesday!
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