Malcolm GauldHaving been in Road Warrior Mode for the last couple of weeks, I haven’t had the chance to report in on my stint earlier this month as guest DJ on WBOR (91.1 FM), Bowdoin College radio. My daughter Scout, a Bowdoin senior, has had a show since she enrolled and this is the second time she has let me relive my college daze for an hour of glory. The show is called Scout & Jasmine’s Variety Hour — check it out on www.wbor.org on Monday’s at 2:30 PM — and the fact that Jasmine couldn’t make it that day worked to my advantage. (Note to Jasmine: Feel free to take any and all Monday’s off in the future. For that matter, the same goes for Scout, as I’m feelin’ frisky, ready to go solo!)
Anyway… Here’s my set list:
– “Drinkin’ On The Weekends” by Big Al Anderson and the Balls. Off Pawn Shop Guitars (2007). Longtime NRBQ stalwart Big Al brings it with an infectious mix of countrified rockabilly. “I get a haircut every week or so…”
– “Just Another Whistle Stop” by The Band. Off Stage Fright (1970). “And it’s odd man out, you know that’s the rule. You can scream and you can shout, but they’ll only call you crazy fool.”
– “Never Make Your Move Too Soon” by Bonnie Raitt. Off Road Tested (1995). Bonnie teams up with Browns Charles and Ruth to deliver an absolute show-stopper. “I hear you knockin’, baby, at my door, but… you don’t live heah no mo.'”
– “Don’t Worry Baby” by The Beach Boys. Off Shut Down, Vol. 2 (1964). The flip side of their first #1 hit, “I Get Around.” Beautiful. Almost went with “Surfer Girl” which is maybe my favorite slow rock tune of all time. “But I can’t back down because I pushed the other guys too far.”
– “Dance Apocalyptic” by Janelle Monae. Off The Electric Lady (2013). Didn’t want this just to be a 70’s show. Featuring a title that pays homage to Jimi Hendrix, this brings a lot of influences, especially Motown. “But I really want to thank you for dancing to the end.”
– “You Haven’t Done Nothin'” by Stevie Wonder. Off Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974). “Jackson 5 join a-long with me, sing…” One of the best albums of my college years. This timeless song spoke to Watergate, but maybe our reps in DC should have been forced to listen to it earlier this month during the recent Shutdown. “We are amazed but not amused by all the things you say that you’ll do…”
– “Watergate Blues” by Howlin’ Wolf. Off The Back Door Wolf (1973). Speaking of Watergate… This is off The Wolf’s last studio album. (He died during my senior year, 1976.) “…found a little piece of tape, now the whole world gonna know!!!”
– “Tennesse Plates” by John Hiatt. Off Slow Turning (1988). Had to put a Hyde alumni parent in the mix. (I’ll get you next time, Michael McDonald!) “… and we landed in Memphis, just like original sin.”
– “If It Were Left Up To Me” by Sly & The Family Stone. Recorded 40+ years ago, but off Higher!, the brand new box set. “If it were left up to me, we would live in a bubble.”
– “Devil’s Teeth” by Zach Hurd. Off She Never Sleeps (2012). Hyde alum (Class of 1999)… Check. “Everybody jumps in the same time!”
– “Not The End of The World” by Kate Earl. Off Stronger (2012). Why isn’t this girl huge?!? Great album. “Don’t give me nothin’… but space.”
– “You Can’t Be Told” by Valerie June. Off Pushin’ Against a Stone (2013). This girl may be uncategorizable — is that a word? — but she’s great on many fronts. “Ain’t tryin’ to be nobody but my fine sweet self.”
– “Low Down” by Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood. Off Live at Madison Square Garden (2011). I saw this awesome show. “Low down dirty shame; I had nothin’ but the blues, since I heard your name.”
– “Rock & Roll High School” by The Ramones. Off End of the Century (1979). The kings of minimalist rock. “I don’t care about history; that’s not where I wanna be.”
– “Magnet” by NRBQ. Off Scraps (1972). Whether they were the greatest band you never heard of… OR… America’s greatest bar band (so said Rolling Stone Magazine), they are one of my all-time favorites. (Scraps is on my top-10 list of greatest albums ever.) “I’m like a row boat, you’re like the Queen Mar…eee.”
(Rock) Onward, Malcolm Gauld
