XmasShowXDU (#87)

Source here. Original Airdate December 18, 1997.

We did a number of Christmas shows in 1997, mostly because we got lots more time to fiddle around during the holiday break due to many people being simply gone. This seems like a practice run for the longer show a week later.

That said, the source material spans a good century of popular Christmas cheer (although a mid-century version of "Let It Snow" shows up time and again). Shows like this require an astonishing catalog of sonic stuff. Nowadays, something like this would be easier to assemble; what with keeping everything as digital files and tagging and whatnot. Alternately, the various formats (vinyl, tape, CD, computer) lend their own sonic overtones to the mix, and the process of searching through deep, dusty boxes leads to much serendipity.

Ultimately, there's no one right way to do this.

1. Can it beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
2. Bad idea, Beck
3. Too many competing fanfares
4. A shockingly ahistorical account of Christmas in early America
5. Sonic Youth, Back from the North Pole
6. Let it snow let it snow letitsnowletitsnowletitsnow l e t i t ssssssnnnnnnnooooowwwww
7. Santa might be feeling a little unwell
8. Keeping the Christ in Christmas
9. Rescue Santa!
10. The Rocket has failed
11. Turn that racket off!
12. Kittens of sugarplums.
13. Did we ever manage to rescue Santa?
    

Night of the Vacuum Cleaners (#95)

Source here. Originally recorded on February 12, 1998.

This is one of my favorite episodes. Like, my most favorite of all, possibly.

We had a herd of vacuum cleaners, microphones of all sorts, and (of course) earplugs. We made a din that was never equaled. We tested the limits of sanity and the WXDU carpet. We alienated the last two people who listened on a regular basis.

God, it was fun. What's amazing (to me) is that it still sounds fun after over ten years.

This sounds like a solid hour of (prepared) vacuum cleaners, with incidental music.

1. Vacuumaquatsi
2. Howling Reverb
3. Stick the Microphone ALL THE WAY IN
4. The Layers Get Pretty Deep
5. Sort of a Solo
6. Not the Chamber Music I'd Imagined
7. We stop Sucking
8. More Air and Strings
9. Flowbee?
10. Analog Synth Counterpoint
11. Spin Down
12. Silence
13. Final Metal Action

Of course, you might as well just say:

1. Vacuum Cleaners
2. Vacuum Cleaners
3. Vacuum Cleaners
4. Vacuum Cleaners
5. Vacuum Cleaners
6. Vacuum Cleaners
7. Vacuum Cleaners
8. Vacuum Cleaners
9. Vacuum Cleaners
10. Vacuum Cleaners
11. Vacuum Cleaners
12. Vacuum Cleaners (reprise)
13. Vacuum Cleaners

added by IanF-r: FWIW, here's an image of the show's abbreviated playlist.

A brief interlude.

We used to stuff like this all the time on the show, on purpose. You'll hear some of it, once in a while.