For whatever reason, there were only five and a half minutes from the B-side of this cassette to pull from, but thanks to Gary Walker, there at least these 52 minutes to share. Enjoy! (dl's enabled)

From Sir Charlz - DJ Alb-e was "a rising star of the Northeast New England rave scene. Excellent mixing and musical taste made for some slamming mixes and live events. Rave guru, friend. We miss you." (Alb-e passed in 1995.) Be sure to check out this Alb-e mixtape too: https://soundcloud.com/dj-sir-charlz/dj-alb-e-1995-side-a and https://soundcloud.com/dj-sir-charlz/dj-alb-e-1995-side-b 

This cassette comes from the Gary Walker collection and is shared here with his permission.

DJ ALB-E - August 19, 1994

There's been requests for a DJ Hush mixtape, so I thought I'd share this one. (circa 1998)

DJ Hush - Harmony mixtape

As the 20th anniversary approaches (Editor note: now well past 30 years!), we present - with permission, but without comment - HOUR 1 (of 8 hours) of music recorded from "CASPER," held at Rocky Point Amusement Park (Warwick, RI) on October 30, 1993. The event was, in part, presented by Balu, and recorded for posterity onto several DATs by Nathan Brown. Many thanks is owed to both!

Casper - Hour 1

At one point in the cartoon short, “Daffy Duck & Egghead” (1938 – Daffy’s second cartoon appearance, his first in color), Daffy sings his own variation of The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down (written by Dave Franklin and Cliff Friend, and arranged by Carl Stalling a year prior). What is presented here, is a “scratch track” or “practice” version of that song, that was to be used as a guide for animators and production staff during the cartoon's production in 1937. It is remarkable that this rare recording exists today, as these particular acetate transcriptions were meant to be temporary, limited-use items; to be discarded when the production had been completed. Daffy, of course, is voiced by Mel Blanc.

Daffy Sings "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" ("scratch track" 1937)

Merry Christmas! Here is this year’s offering of not-your-average Christmas music. It’s difficult to choose favorites, but I am rather fond of “Dinosaur Christmas,” “Green Trees Red Hearts,” and the acappella “Ay Ay Ay It’s Christmas.” Then there’s the gospel tracks, the psychedelic version of “Silent Night,” the disturbing, yet rocking, anti-Christmas track “This Christmas (I'll Burn It To The Ground),” and the dancey weirdness of “Santa Claus From Outer Space.”

Usually I'm a .wav guy, but for ease of downloading, I've made this an mp3. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I did making it. Feel free to share, after all this is intended as a gift! 

(Copyrights remain with their respective artists and labels! All tracks presented here were legitimately purchased. No downloads were used - all material taken from records and compact discs!)

Thanks go to Chris Engles for the photograph that grace this year’s endeavor, and thanks also to Kevin Treanor and the Phoenix Landing for the photo-shoot location. Heaps of thanks to my good friend Ken Bader, with his ever-constant suggestions and contributions throughout the year! And, as always, thank you, for your friendship!!


Yuletown Throwdown - 2013 Christmas compilation

Another edition of not-your-average-Christmas music!

I'd like to first thank Kevin McGrath, who spent nearly a whole year working with artists and record labels, curating original Christmas songs from a diverse range of genres for his "Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas" compilation. You can purchase and download this 108-track, two volume set of holiday music through bandcamp, with all proceeds being donated to Crisis, a UK charity which helps for the homeless. More than a few tracks heard on my mix this year were taken from his compendium. (https://v4velindre.bandcamp.com) It should be noted that these are among the first "digital-only" tracks I've used in my compilations - purchased, of course, as they should be.

I'd also like to thank Henry Santoro for suggesting Eugene Mirman and Lucy Wainwright Roche's track, "How Do You Lie To Your Child About Santa." Happy to include it here.

Hopefully, there's a little something to found for everyone on this year's offering... and if you dig a particular track or two, feel free to comment on it! (As always, downloads are enabled.)

Oh, and after 30+ years of coming up with alliterative names for the annual mix, I think it's time to give it a proper name, so here we go... "Mr. Mike's Merry Mix" it is from now on.

Mr. Mike's Merry Mix 2022

audio from "GRIN," held in Portland, Maine on April 17, 1993 and produced by KC and The SunRise Gang in conjunction with Pandemonium! Productions. Heard here is Frankie Bones' set. (sources: cassette and hand-held vhs camera)

Frankie Bones' set from "GRIN" April 17, 1993

audio from "GRIN," held in Portland, Maine on April 17, 1993 and produced by KC and The SunRise Gang in conjunction with Pandemonium! Productions. Heard here is a portion of Dante's set. (source: cassette)

Dante's set from "GRIN" April 17, 1993

(download by clicking on the "More" button above)

It's that time of year again! While I continue to dig deep for hard-to-find, lost-to-time, or just not-commercially-viable holiday-themed 45's, LP's and CD's, I also went wading into the Bandcamp realm; allowing me to purchase some contemporary oddballs, only available digitally.

With a nod to this past summer's blockbuster movie, the mix starts off with a track from the 2012, "Barbie, Tis The Season To Sparkle Holiday Party Mix" CD. While not specifically holiday-themed, I couldn't resist including the weirdness of the Copycats' "Abominable Snow-Man." Duke Ellington's rendition of the "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" is absolutely boozy (the whole album is fantastic!), and there is something special in how 3 Speed Sleigh riffed off of the Bay City Rollers 1976 hit "Saturday Night", with their H-A-N-U-K-K-A-H Nights," and the Angry Snowmans re-worked The Circle Jerk's "Coup D'Etat." There's so much more I could highlight here, but instead, I'll let you discover it yourself. Oh, and for whatever reason, Maruga's "Deck The Halls" (which falls around the 57:18 mark) couldn't be tagged in this playlist, but it is there!

Happy Whatever You're Having!

Mike

Mr. Mike's Merry Mix 2023

Sharing a portion of a candid recording where Ken talks about one of his first radio gigs. Posted in fond remembrance of Ken, for his family and friends.

Recorded February 2016

Ken Bader Reflects On His Best Radio Gig

Held inside (and out) of an enormous boat warehouse on Portland, Maine's Casco Bay this "20 hour dance explosion" produced by KC and the SunRise Gang, Pandemonium!, Big Fun House and Mello Mello, featured local, national, and international talent that once again proved that Portland was a very special - and magical - place for gatherings of the like-minded electronic dance community.

DJ's included (in alphabetical order): A Place Called Bliss, AV8, Dale Charles, Dave Trance, John Debo, Dutch, Guy DMC, James Christian, Joeski, On-E, Osheen, Overload, 333, and Tin Tin.

This is just a part of the "voyage into the depths of house, the trips of trance, the heights of breakbeat, the roots of tribal, and the funk of acid jazz," This playlist is compiled using sets captured on DAT (by Nathan Brown who generously allows it to be shared here), and VHS tape. Enjoy!

Independance '93 (part 1)

Mr. Curt WJUL 10th Anniversary Message

(download by clicking on the "More" button above)

Where *does* the time go? While I dug deep for unusual holiday-themed 45's, LP's and CD's this year, I again took to the internet to purchase some of the unique tracks that can only be found there.

Among those web-only goodies are "Groovy Christmas" by The Linda Lindas, H.E.R.'s "Psychedelic Christmas," and "Christmas Rhapsody" by Pledge Drive. Of course there is plenty of old vinyl included, but there are some contemporary songs from recently released records, most notably "Turn On The Lights" by Jamie Cullum, and Kelly Finnigan's "Santa Is Watching You,"

It wouldn't be a not-your-average Christmas music mix if there weren't a few oddball tracks, so be sure to catch the unexpected introduction of the "Chinese Ghost Of Christmas," "Pappa And Santa Claus" spending some quality time with each other, and the haunting renditions of "Pretty Paper" and "Silver Bells."

And yes, there is a song with a "swear" in it (read the track titles, you'll figure it out), but this comp is made for you, my adult friends, so I know you can handle it. Still, I figure I have to put out the warning just in case little monsters are around.

However, the over-arching theme of this year's compilation is Peace and Love; I hope you get plenty of both now and throughout this coming year. With that in mind, the compilation ends with an undated (but certainly not recent) recording of the Ukrainian Chorus performing "Carol Of The Bells." 

To you, my friends - old and new - Happy Whatever You're Having!

Mr. Mike

Mr. Mike's Merry Mix 2024

Yes, it is that time of year already, and with it comes my "not-your-average-Christmas-music-music" mix. Most of you, dear friends, know what to expect, but just in case, don't be deceived by the pop-oriented and upbeat start, as there are some rather depressing  tracks further into the mix. No matter what the genre, or the message, just remind yourself that someone took the time, energy, and money to record these tracks... and I have taken the time, energy, and money to find them and share them with you. Regardless, I hope you take this offering as *I* intended, which is to provide you with an alternative to "usual" holiday music found playing in malls and on the radio.  Leave comments along the way as you see fit. Happy Whatever You're Having!

Mr. Mike's Merry Mix 2025

Truman Capote reads "A Christmas Memory" - (2009 "bonus" disc)

Boris Maksimov, former U.S. correspondent and causal observer (stranger in a strange land) for The World, takes a moment to reflect on what it was like to land "the perfect job" 20 years ago.

The World at 20 - Boris Maksimov observation

Sir Charles at "Funrise"
January 14, 1995
Gecko's - Portland, Maine
Produced by KC & The Sunrise Gang
Special thanks to Jim LoCicero for providing these master tapes!

(shared with permission)

Sir Charles at "Funrise" - Portland, Maine - January 14, 1995

Blue
February 13, 1993
Wilmington, MA
produced by Primary Productions

audio from "cassette one" as captured & archived by Jim LoCicero

DJ Overload at "Blue" - Wilmington, MA - February 13, 1993

Blue
February 13, 1993
Wilmington, MA
produced by Primary Productions

audio from "cassette two" as captured & archived by Jim LoCicero

On-E, Adam X, & Lenny D at "Blue" - Wilmington, MA - February 13, 1993

Piekoz - brākbētrtūz

This particular mix was set to "private" until today. I believe this mix may be available elsewhere on the internet, but I decided - since SoundCloud may be going the way of the Dodo - to make it available here, just in case. I have not reached out to Dutch to ask his permission, so, sorry buddy for making this "public" without your say so.

Dutch - Panopticon

Osheen
House 32 (both sides)
circa 1996

(shared with permission)

Osheen - House 32

Independance '93 (part 3)

Fa-La-La-La Follies - 1996 Christmas compilation

Dale Charles has informed me that this " is all Master Osh!" So noted.

Osheen @ Renaissance July 12, 1996

Recorded in Los Angeles, 1995.
Master and dubs on C-90 Maxell XLII cassettes

(not commercially mass-produced, but rather each copy dubbed and distributed by Dale)

Dale Charles - Balearic Beach 2 (both sides)

The Reunion was an invitation-only gathering of like-minded (New England) souls, taking place at The Hibernia in Boston on October 6, 2001. DJ's on the night included 333, MGee, and others.

The audio here as been restored from the original - highly distorted - master DATs. While some "coloring" or loss of frequency may be heard, at least the audio from the event can now be listened to for the first time in nearly 16 years.

The invitation itself was a business card-sized cd (pictured here), which contained a QuickTime movie, and also had contact information printed on the face of it (in case you couldn't play it). Both the video and print design were done by Aidrian O'Connor of UnitOne Studios. (The invitation video can be found on YouTube, using the search criteria, "Boston" "rave" "reunion" "2001"

The Reunion - Part 1

Hello, ho, ho! It's yet another season of not-your-average Christmas music. Keeping with the "Jingle Bell Jukebox" title - for which friend and colleague April Peavey came up with - we start with two "oldies-style" cuts. In fact, there are quite a few 45 rpm records that make it into this year's compilation; some groovy and soulful (A Funky Xmas To You, White Christmas), others that are weird (I'm Gonna Put Some Glue Round The Christmas Tree), and those that evoke a particular time period (A Christmas Message From Space, Christmas Family). There are also some contemporary cd tracks as well (Under The Christmas Lights, Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy, Christmas Christmas). Of course we have a little fun with Hanukkah as well! Special nods are given to recently passed artists Toots Thielemans and Fats Domino, as well as still-living local legend Judy Valentine.

And I'd like to extend a very special thank you to Greg Eaton for creating the artwork for this year's compilation!

Let me know which track is your favorite, and feel free to leave notes on whichever tracks strike your fancy! DOWNLOADS ARE ENABLED!

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!!

Jingle Bell Jukebox - 2017 Christmas Compilation

Scott on Side A, Jason on Side B (circa 1996)

(Posted in loving memory of Jason Zambito)

Scott Henry & Jason Jinx: Live at Sunday Mass

Taken from the 1980 release, "Sugar, Alcohol, and Meat" lp on the Giorno Poetry Systems label.

Quite possibly the first recording I heard of him, I share it upon news of his passing.

I Resign Myself To Being Here - John Giorno (1980)

A C-60 mixtape from DJ Trixie, circa 1995, pulled from the archives of DJ Kiz (Pat Crowley)

This is believed to be her first "official" general public and promotional mixtape (corrections welcome!)

DJ TRIXIE VOL 1 (both sides)

The 1983 album from Kate Katzberg and Stephen Snyder.

Mister Mike

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